There is a lot of tactical analysis on here but the vast majority of it is theoretical — X can do this, Y can play in this position, they can do this formation and that tactic. To enhance your writing make it applicable; don& #39;t write as if the players are video game characters.

Example: I see a lot of people saying Fernandes or van de Beek should play in the two-man pivot. However, they don& #39;t factor in that neither of them would want to play there in ideal circumstances. Players don& #39;t just readily comply with coaches about their roles or what& #39;s correct.

Example: Fernandes likes to press however he is often individualistic in that and it causes problems at times. Theoretically, you can say “don& #39;t do it” but Fernandes might disagree with that — he& #39;s disagreed at times in the past since his time with Sporting.

When discussing tactics of a team and then you need to understand that theory and practical reality are two separate things though there is a bridge in between. A lot of analysis I see acts as if the players are inanimate objects and will just agree with whatever& #39;s being said.

Until this is factored into one& #39;s analysis — the analysis will be more suggestive rather than adamantly prescriptive — then the analysis will always be deficient regardless of the theory behind it.

Footballers are human beings before they are nodes on a tactics board.