Category: Match Analysis
Tactical Analysis: Liverpool vs. Stoke
Before you read on I’d like to make it clear that this analysis is of a real life game, and not from Football Manager. If you’re only interested in FM analysis then look away now. I thought I’d put it on the blog because it’s of a similar ilk to what I discuss and find interesting within FM13.
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The first day of the season finally arrived at Anfield, but what should have been a routine win over Stoke was almost snatched away after a late Daniel Agger handball. However, Simon Mignolet was there to make a dramatic double-save off Jonathan Walters and then Kenwyne Jones to gift Liverpool the three points. However, three points aside, it was a game with plenty of positives to take from.
From the get-go, Liverpool had plenty of chances as Stoke struggled to retain possession. This was mainly due to the excellent pressing from all areas of the pitch. Iago Aspas in particular pressed high forcing a number of errors from the Stoke defense, and Coutinho racked up the tackles, with six for the match.
Match Analysis: Wolves vs. Real Madrid
Welcome to the second part of this Match Analysis special, against Real Madrid in the 2025 Champions League Final. I’ll try to quickly recap on the pre-match analysis whilst also telling you the things I’ve altered from my usual tactical setup.
– hard pressing on Civet (Civet was targetted in the media before the game and is already known as Real Madrid’s most error prone player).
– Martinez (LAM) pushed out wide onto wrong foot to make the most of his poor crossing (he’ll want to come inside as he’ll be set as an Inside Forward but hopefully Malfleury, my RB, can push him outside).
– Malfleury set to bomb down wing – very attacking – Cuevas switched from LDM to RDM to cover incoming Inside Forward threat (this was because Miguel Castro, Real Madrid’s LB, has very rarely pushed forward from LB in the past).
– Neto told to ‘hug touchline’ to put pressure on opposition LB.
– made Emir Sen (LB) more defensive to deal with attacking threat of Arthur Huet (Real Madrid RAM).
– got Daniel Santa Cruz (B2B mid) to close down Michael Peters (dangerman in the centre of Real Madrid’s midfield – think a more technical Yaya Toure).
– shorter passing and lower intensity (it’s been a long hard season and all that) and we’re the much better passing side.
– make Cuevas anchor man rather than defensive midfielder in order to cover Malfleury’s runs.
Pre-Match Analysis: Wolves vs. Real Madrid
Welcome to my match analysis of the 2025 Champions League final, between my side, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid.
This isn’t just any old Champions League final though. I’m not sure I’ve ever wanted to win a game more than this on any Football Manager, for a number of reasons. Firstly, in my bid to become the greatest manager to ever live, there are only two men standing in my way – I’m sure you can guess who they are. If we were to lose, my goal to reach the summit of the Hall of Fame becomes much, much harder. Mourinho’s Madrid have only won the Champions League once, in 2020, and since then have only made it past the First Knockout Round once. Whilst we’ve lost the final a frankly ridiculous three consecutive years, the first of those losses to tonight’s opponents.
Not only does their manager frustrate me, but the players do as well. For years Neymar has been stealing the show at the Balon D’Or awards and my players are frankly a bit pissed off about it. They’ve also got three ex-Wolves players in their ranks (Florian Schwartz, Hector Javier & Sebastia Lopez), two of which left in acrimonious circumstances, asking for more first-team football. Then there’s three further players (Michael Peters, Arthur Huet & Henny Gerritsen) who rejected me for Real Madrid. Upon seeing their new contracts, I saw they were earning a combined £765k a week…
The Coffeehouse: FM Discussion 