Granit Xhaka's numbers explain a career built on contradiction
From Basel to the Emirates to Leverkusen, the data on Xhaka's build-up play tells a different story to the one his reputation suggests, according to Breaking the Lines.
Tactical Theory
Principles, systems and the ideas behind how teams attack and defend.
Counter-Pressing Explained: Winning the Ball Back at the Moment of Loss
Counter-pressing treats the seconds after losing the ball as an opportunity rather than a danger. Here is how it works, why it works and what it demands.
Xavi, Busquets and the Logic of Positional Play
Positional play is about creating the free man through structure. Xavi and Sergio Busquets were among its most eloquent practitioners in Guardiola's Barcelona.
Rest Defence and the Inverted Full-Back
How a team is arranged when it has the ball decides how well it defends when it loses it. The inverted full-back became one of the best-known answers.