Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

ACHRAF

@lamdarhriachraf.bsky.social

360 followers 37 following 700 posts

✍️ Football Writer focusing mainly on Tactical Analysis BetweenThePosts.net. Most Importantly Philosophy Lover. Founder of The Inside Channel Blog 👇. https://lamdarhri.substack.com/

lamdarhri.substack.com

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

ACHRAF @lamdarhriachraf.bsky.social · 6d

No Sunrise Without Shadows For Xabi Alonso.

An 8000+ word piece on Real Madrid games vs Marseille, Levante & Atlético Madrid. How Xabi Alonso is changing RMA playing style. How the players are coping with the new regime. Defensive lapses, Areas of improvement.

open.substack.com/pub/lamdarhr...

No Sunrise Without Shadows For Xabi Alonso

A look at Real Madrid games against Marseille, Levante, and Atlético Madrid. How Xabi Alonso is changing Real Madrid's playing style. How the players are coping with the new regime.

open.substack.com

ACHRAF @lamdarhriachraf.bsky.social · 14h

Not only that, but he sets his team in transitions by doing so.

Also, his deeper movements with the others drag Dortmund forward. And he chips long balls over the top toward a runner in behind.

ACHRAF @lamdarhriachraf.bsky.social · 14h

Seeing Harry Kane dropping in and operating where usually DMs/CMs function, retaining the ball under pressure then taking more than two players out of the equation is mesmerising.

ACHRAF @lamdarhriachraf.bsky.social · 1d

It's worth noting that Barcelona's high line and offside trap don't allow many chances.

However, it's enough for the opponents to break down Barcelona lines one or two times to generate very high-quality goal-scoring opportunities.

ACHRAF @lamdarhriachraf.bsky.social · 1d

According to www.mygameplan.ai, in the 2024/25 season, Barcelona led the table in terms of pressure actions (1.2/90 mins) in the final third after a possession loss.

BUT, they are 12th after 8 games with 1.01/90 mins, with Real Madrid being the leaders in this regard (2.05/90 mins)

A data-driven platform for professional football teams and players. We provide actionable insights to increase the probability of winning the next game.

app.mygameplan.ai

ACHRAF @lamdarhriachraf.bsky.social · 1d

—Lack of intensity is a big problem that hinders the team IMO.
—Crucial players are absent.
—Some players suffer from fatigue.
—Rest defense and counterpress IMO are a big issue for Barcelona at this moment.

ACHRAF @lamdarhriachraf.bsky.social · 1d

Does this mean that Barcelona is below the average defensively?

Not necessarily. But they aren't as good as they were in the 2024/25 season because teams are figuring out how to break down Hansi Flick's offside trap & high line from one part.

From another, it's on Barcelona.

ACHRAF @lamdarhriachraf.bsky.social · 1d

Defensively, Barcelona conceded 7 shots/game (the lowest in La Liga).

However, the conversion rate (16.07%) and xG/Shot (0.17) are the highest in La Liga.

Also, Barcelona conceded the 4th highest fast breaks against & the highest goals/game from such situations.

Data: Opta.

ACHRAF @lamdarhriachraf.bsky.social · 1d

—Numerical superiority in midfield;
—Opposite FBs operating in very deep positions to expand the distances between Barcelona's FBs;

ACHRAF @lamdarhriachraf.bsky.social · 1d

...the space behind their backline. As time elapses, the opposition starts figuring out inroads to exploit Barcelona's high press, and usually comes through:

—Quick ball release from the GK to take adv of the time Barcelona needs to rearrange their lines;
—Generating separation to link passes;

ACHRAF @lamdarhriachraf.bsky.social · 1d

This is something I noticed while watching Barcelona.

They started the game really well in terms of pressing high, either from static positions (Goalkicks) or Open play situations.

And there is a really fine thread between Barcelona regaining possession & allowing the opponents to exploit...

ACHRAF @lamdarhriachraf.bsky.social · 2d

And I think it's something Hansi Flick trained them to replicate, as in every similar situation, Barcelona players point to the ball holder to quickly find De Jong.

ACHRAF @lamdarhriachraf.bsky.social · 2d

De Jong usually takes advantage of the CBs doubling up on Lewandowski, with the latter shuffling across to drag them with him, plus the FBs sticking with Barcelona's wingers.

As a reaction, De Jong attacked the stretched space coming from behind.

ACHRAF @lamdarhriachraf.bsky.social · 2d

Rewatching the Barcelona - Real Sociedad game, and I noticed that De Jong attacks the space between the FBs & CBs at a high frequency.

And, it's detrimental. De Jong scanning does 50% of the work to find the free areas to attack.

ACHRAF @lamdarhriachraf.bsky.social · 6d

No Sunrise Without Shadows For Xabi Alonso.

An 8000+ word piece on Real Madrid games vs Marseille, Levante & Atlético Madrid. How Xabi Alonso is changing RMA playing style. How the players are coping with the new regime. Defensive lapses, Areas of improvement.

open.substack.com/pub/lamdarhr...

No Sunrise Without Shadows For Xabi Alonso

A look at Real Madrid games against Marseille, Levante, and Atlético Madrid. How Xabi Alonso is changing Real Madrid's playing style. How the players are coping with the new regime.

open.substack.com

ACHRAF @lamdarhriachraf.bsky.social · 10d

—2016/17: RMA averaged 9.14 PPDA, whereas in 2015/16 they allowed 8.86;
—After 2016/17, RMA PPDA were in decline until the winning season (2019/20), when the metric increased by 0.25;
—Then, RMA PPDA went up to attain 11.61 in 2021/22.
—In 2023/24, RMA PPDA peaked at 11.93.

ACHRAF @lamdarhriachraf.bsky.social · 10d

I was playing around to see how many passes per defensive action La Liga teams have allowed since 2015/16.

Real Madrid PPDA in their winning seasons is higher than in the previous one.

In other words, RMA allows more passes per defensive action in the season they win La Liga.

Real Madrid Passes per Defensive Action since 2015/16

ACHRAF @lamdarhriachraf.bsky.social · 15d

So, Hakimi will shift a little bit toward the flanks to cut off the vertical passing lane.

Once Hakimi does this, a diagonal passing angle opens up between Gerard Martin and Ferran Torres.

ACHRAF @lamdarhriachraf.bsky.social · 15d

One detail I would like to touch on is how Barcelona FBs generate the diagonal passing angle even if they are closed down (Balde & Gerard Martin)

Here, Gerard Martin orients his body a bit toward the touchlines as if he will pass the ball to Rashford.

ACHRAF @lamdarhriachraf.bsky.social · 15d

Here, Pedri & De Jong entice PSG mids to press forward.

As Balde readies himself to slide the diagonal pass, Ferran Torres shifts wide to expand the space where Lewandowski has to drop.

Miscommunication between Lewandowski & Bernal turned a qualitative buildup into a transition for PSG.

ACHRAF @lamdarhriachraf.bsky.social · 15d

Barcelona's diagonal play is simple but very effective.

A 4-2-3-1 buildup shape in which Pedri & De Jong drop deeper to bait their markers forward, & the ball-side winger (Rashford) drops & offers width.

So, the ST (Ferran Torres) can move into the stretched space BTLs to lay the ball off.

ACHRAF @lamdarhriachraf.bsky.social · Sep 17

Normally I don't post things like that, but I feel I have to this time.

Marcus LIorente has 7 goals in the UCL.

4 of them against Liverpool and at Anfield.

Even the best scriptwriters can't come up with a story like that.

ACHRAF @lamdarhriachraf.bsky.social · Sep 14

Use Gravenberch feints, half turn receiving to break down Burnley lines.

I love how Gravenberch faints his marker, adopts a side-on stance, let the ball run across his body, then boom he leaves his marker in his wake.

ACHRAF @lamdarhriachraf.bsky.social · Sep 8

Dean Huijsen passes the ball the most per 90 mins in La Liga, and his passes move the ball into high-value areas with 0.22 MGContribution per 90.

www.mygameplan.ai

Increase a player's impact, performance and value.

www.mygameplan.ai

ACHRAF @lamdarhriachraf.bsky.social · Sep 8

MyGamePlan launched the MGContribution metric, a version of the Possession Value Model, similar to On-Ball Value (OBV).

It measures the value that each on-ball action added to the team.

Here is La Liga CBs' MGContribution from passes in the 2025/26 season.

La Liga Center-Backs MG Contribution of Passes Per 90 minutes

ACHRAF @lamdarhriachraf.bsky.social · Sep 5

The Osasuna, Real Oviedo, and Mallorca games were Xabi Alonso's preseason. And he went to the international break, having in mind that most of the time Real Madrid will play against the sternest low blocks. Therefore, he has to make the team well-drilled in finding gaps to infiltrate.