Analyzing football tactics

Finding the next edge.

By Kyle Boas

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Benfica release online 40-hour course

12 September 2026 by Kyle Boas

Benfica’s first course, “Foundations of Benfica Methodology,” is already available online and open for enrolment. The 40-hour course introduces the principles behind SL Benfica’s identity, training approach and player-development model.

AMA with Kevin Middleton

10 September 2026 by Kyle Boas

Today we are having an AMA with Kevin Middleton, Owner of FootballGPT.co and 360tft.co.uk. He will be taking questions about AI Football and all things AI.

The in-between

08 September 2026 by Kyle Boas

The more I watch teams like Racing Santander, the more I see this pattern. Almost every positive attack included a wide midfielder positioned between the winger and the fullback. They combined with the winger and drew the opposition away from midfield.

AMA with Rodolphe Wilhelm on relationism and freedom within structure

03 September 2026 by Kyle Boas

Questions are now open for Rodolphe Wilhelm, Head Coach at Aurora FC. He will spend an hour answering questions about relationism and freedom within structure.

Safe zone

28 August 2026 by Kyle Boas

Cole Palmer said he “has more freedom to drift” under Xabi Alonso. Referring to his goal against Fulham, he said he “wouldn’t have even made that run” last season under Enzo Maresca because that area wouldn’t have been a “safe zone” for his position.

Tactics Journal Research

Research monitors 200+ multilingual football sources every day and publishes full, source-backed reports only when the evidence and editorial review clear the bar—never to meet a daily quota.

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2026

September

August

July

June

May

March

Tactics Journal research. Get ahead of the game.
24th

January

Watered down
18th

2025

December

November

Explain it simply and it will spread
29th
Diagonality
24th
How to avoid the blank stare
20th
Aliens are going extinct
14th
The persistent time on TV ruins football's immersion
12th
Gabriel is Arsenal's talisman
8th
Midfielders need help
7th
Win the second ball, not the header
4th
The Dip
2nd

October

September

August

July

Defending a nutmeg
10th
Life is too short
5th
Quicker passing is the focus next season
4th

June

Busquets led with his chest
29th
Football needs time to breathe
14th
The captain's armband
13th
Three players align on the diagonal
12th
I miss the people on Twitter
2nd

May

Ronaldinho
29th
Fullbacks have always been important
25th
Winners
22nd
Profiling
20th
My favorite one-two passing sequence
15th
1 counter vs 100 throw-ins
8th

April

March

The marauding center-back
28th
If I notice you, you made a mistake
5th

February

Manufactured rivalries
26th
Optimization is a tool, not the solution
20th
Don't become an attacking midfielder who relies on others
19th
Pep Guardiola's real control
12th
Applaud the team
8th

January

Eastman 910 adhesive
31st
Injuries are an excuse now
30th
The holding midfield and fullback monopoly
16th
The distracted striker
12th
Trend of quicker distribution from a dead ball in your own end, or a goalkeeper claim
9th
Reply
8th
Growing pains
7th
Solve the puzzle
6th
Solid as a William Saliba
5th
0-0
4th
Don't relax when you defend deep to counter
3rd
Running plays
2nd
Why the Tactics Journal is no longer posting on X
1st

2024

December

Best of 2024
31st
Roll out the red carpet
30th
Stretching the defense with a ball over the top
29th
Don't assume everyone knows what you know
28th
The most dangerous pass in football
27th
Expected disappointment
26th
An empty tactics board
25th
Not taking any risks is a risk
24th
Move with the wind
23rd
Attacking uphill
22nd
Ange Postecoglou: 'I'm just a naughty little boy'
21st
Thomas Frank: 'I want to beat them with all the best players'
20th
Structure versus the players
19th
The schedule
18th
Subscribe to my newsletter
17th
Mazraoui shows us how to prepare, plant, and launch as a defender
16th
Russel Martin on Ange Postecoglou: 'I have a lot of respect for him'
15th
Appropriation
14th
Hojlund: 'It's very important to understand movements'
13th
Why Erling Haaland is not being played through
12th
Kylian Mbappe is taking too many steps at Real Madrid
11th
The attack must not be performing well if we are losing
10th
Inswinging versus outswinging corners
9th
Amad Diallo is playing
8th
Why I talk about the Premier League
7th
Joe Hart on Ange Postecoglou: 'I'd do anything for you'
6th
Arsenal's artificial defensive rotations
5th
Red cards ruin games
4th
Manchester United should build around Zirkzee
3rd
Trent Alexander-Arnold does everything on his first or second touch
2nd
Would you allow Ait Nouri to roam?
1st

November

October

September

August

July

June

May

April

March

February

January

2023

December

November

October

Jude Bellingham, the world's best interpreter of space
31st
Manchester City target Johnny Evans and Victor Lindelof
30th
Predictable Chelsea
29th
Every team needs players like Kalvin Phillips
27th
AC Milan allows PSG to walk through the midfield
26th
Quicksand
25th
Bassey gifts Tottenham two goals
24th
Liverpool are static and lethargic
23rd
A beautiful accident
22nd
Watching matches live
19th
Crystal Palace vs Nottingham Forest
17th
Diniz's hybrid approach
15th
Jack Grealish is frustrating
14th
Cross-Heavy One-Dimensional Spain Needs Runners
13th
Chelsea's space invaders
12th
Tottenham's advanced inverted full-backs
11th
Good food needs time to cook
10th
Arsenal and Manchester City's out-of-possession battle
9th
Ruben Dias knows how to play like Rodri
8th
Champions League football at St. James' Park
7th
Control
6th
The battle for the center of the pitch between Lens and Arsenal
5th
Real Madrid collapse on the ball rather than isolate the carrier
4th
Aston Villa using physicality to stop-start Brighton
1st

September

August

July

Aston Villa's back-three
31st
Barcelona’s 4-2 Build-up and 3-4-3 Diamond
30th
The Bournemouth Red-Tailed Boa
28th
It is too humid in Asia
27th
Is Kepa Arrizabalaga a modern goalkeeper?
25th
Arsenal's £65m question
24th
Kobbie Mainoo against Lyon and Arsenal
23rd
Spain's tell
22nd
Chelsea's Youth Against Wrexham
21st
All of the above
20th
Ange Postecoglou's first Tottenham match
19th
Especially the time to take decisions
18th
We took Eden Hazard for granted
17th
Notes
16th
Planning warm-ups with Pep Guardiola
15th
Arsenal's left midfielder experiment
14th
Mason Mount will be used like Ryan Gravenberch
13th
The Importance of Attacking the Centre-Backs
12th
The goalkeeper should be replaced if we don't score
11th
André Onana is confident
10th
Reassembling Arsenal’s Invincibles
9th
Newcastle's influence on Anthony Gordon is showing
8th
The problem with talking about football
7th
The switch from a box to a diamond next season
6th
Cesc Fàbregas and Manchester City’s progression to a diamond
5th
Erik Ten Hag's end goal for Man United is 2021/22 Ajax
4th
Housekeeping
3rd

June

May

April

March

Was Fred at fault for Liverpool's first goal against Man United
6th

February

January

Man City’s 2–3 with an inverted left-back or right-back leaves them too vulnerable
19th

2022

December

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