HOW TO ANALYSE A FOOTBALL MATCH
In an earlier blog post, we mentioned that anyone joining a football academy should familiarise themselves with the analysis of football matches to improve their own abilities and understanding as well as provide some self reflection. Here we lay out the basics of how to go about doing that so that you are ready and prepared to join a professional football academy.
Analysing a football match involves breaking down the game into different components and assessing each component to gain a better understanding of the match as a whole. Here are some steps to follow when analysing a football match:
Watch the game!
The first step in analysing a football match is to watch the game in its entirety. This will give you a broad understanding of how the match played out, including key moments and overall patterns of play.
Break the game down into different components
Once you have watched the game, break it down into different components. These components may include:
Possession: How much possession did each team have throughout the game? Who dominated possession and when?
Attacking play: How effective was each team's attacking play? Did they create many scoring opportunities, and how dangerous were they in the final third of the pitch?
Defensive play: How effective was each team's defensive play? Did they concede many chances, and how did they cope with the opposition's attacking play?
Set pieces: How did each team perform on set pieces, such as corners and free kicks?
Individual performances: How did each player perform throughout the game? Did any players stand out for their individual performances?
Use statistics
Use statistics to gain a deeper understanding of how the game played out. This may include:
Possession statistics: How much possession did each team have throughout the game?
Shots on target: How many shots did each team have on target, and how many goals did they score?
Pass completion rates: What were each team's pass completion rates?
Tackles and interceptions: How effective was each team's defending, as demonstrated by their number of tackles and interceptions?
Analyse tactical decisions
Analyse the tactical decisions made by each team's manager or coach. This may include:
Formation: What formation did each team play, and how did this impact the game?
Substitutions: How effective were each team's substitutions, and did they impact the game in any way?
Style of play: What style of play did each team adopt, and how did this impact the game?
Analyse key moments
Analyse key moments throughout the game, such as goals, near-misses, and controversial decisions. This may include:
Goals: How were goals scored, and what led up to them?
Near-misses: Were there any close calls that could have resulted in goals, and what caused them?
Controversial decisions: Were there any controversial decisions made by the referee, and how did they impact the game?
Draw conclusions
Finally, draw conclusions about the game based on your analysis. This may include:
Which team played better overall?
What were the key strengths and weaknesses of each team?
What could each team have done differently to improve their performance?
By following these steps, you can gain a deeper understanding of a football match and analyse it in a more comprehensive way, allowing you vastly more insight over the match overall.
Even though some of this will be subjective based on your own opinions to start with, part of what we teahc at Just Football Academy is how to analyse a match - be it your own or someone else’s - in an analytical, objective way without predjudice.
If you’d like to find out more about what we offer, or joining the academy, click the link below to explore the site or fill out the form below to get in touch.