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You might've been told by a coach to analyze soccer matches at one point or another, or maybe you've seen me post on my Instagram stories about Game Analysis and you've been wondering how to actually start.
Game Analysis is an excellent way to improve your soccer IQ, which is essential for a player to excel in their position.
The reason why players like Xavi, Iniesta, Modric, Messi, and other great players stand out is because they have a high amount of intelligence for their position, and have the technical ability to put that intelligence to use.
Soccer IQ and your technical ability go hand-in-hand. You may be an extremely skillful player, but if you don't have the intelligence or the experience in a position, you won't be able to put those skills to use. Same goes for players who know exactly what to do with the ball and how to position themselves on the pitch, but lack the technical ability to actually perform the things they want to do.
That's why it is essential to invest your time in analyzing your own matches, as well as professional matches, and try and take in as much information as you can. As well as investing your time in perfecting your technical ability in order to excel on the pitch and put the thing you've learned to use.
So that begs the question, How do you analyze a soccer match?
Steps to Analyzing a Soccer Match:
There are a few things to look out for when analyzing a soccer match, but generally, these are the steps you will take in order to get as much out of the match as possible:
Choose a player to analyze who plays in your position. For example, if you play as a Box to Box Center Midfielder, then choose a player such as Modric or De Jong. If you play fullback, choose a player like Trent Alexander-Arnold or Dani Carvajal. You can learn from any professional player in any league, so don't overthink it.
Grab a Notebook, or open an Online Document. You're going to want to take out a piece of paper or open a google doc while you watch the match. This will be where you take notes of things you notice from the match. I prefer using a notebook, because I can then draw out specific scenarios to give me a clearer picture.
During the Duration of the Match, keep your focus on your chosen player. You want to make sure you're not just following the ball when watching a soccer match, you want to watch the movements of the player you are analyzing. Why? Because in a real match, your off-the-ball movements are often just as important as your on-the-ball actions, so make sure you keep an eye on what your player does off the ball, whether his team is in position, or when he's defending.
When your chosen player receives the ball, pause the video before they perform any action. The reason I recommend doing this is because it allows you to predict what the player should do in that scenario. This introduces your own perspective on the match, and it helps point out what you would do in that scenario. Then resume the video, and observe the decision the player made. Is it that same as yours? Why was there decision good / bad?
Take Notes on Different Things You Notice Throughout the Match. This will be explained in further detail later on, but generally, your goal while watching a match is to study the playstyle and the decision of the player you are analyzing, and compare it to the decision you would've made, then write down that observation and how the decision the player made in that scenario is important for his position.
What Exactly Do I Write Down For Notes?
This is probably the most common question I receive on a daily basis from my followers on Instagram.
There are many different, personal ways to take notes, but personally, I have found myself taking notes like this:
Part 1: I summarize the scenario of the play I just watched. I write down the minute, and what the player I am analyzing did on/off the ball. I describe the defenders around them, the positioning of player I am watching as well as their teammates, etc. I just try and paint the picture by describing the play, that way when I return to reread my notes, I can visualize the scenario without having to look up the match again.
Example: Villareal press high, and the keeper resorts to finding the striker long. The striker for Real Sociedad gets the ball and lays it off one-time to the Center Midfielder. The #8 gets the ball and plays a dangerous line-breaking lofted through ball in behind the defense for the wide left midfielder, who made got in behind the fullback by dragging him out of position, then suddenly changing direction and exploiting the created space.
Part 2: I take note of any key points. What I mean by this is that I try and extract a learning point from the scenario I described. Whatever decision or action the player I am analyzing made, I will write down in my notebook why this is important for my position. I'll also make sure to emphasize the importance of their decision, and how their decision was different as to what I would've done in that same scenario.
Example: (If I am am analyzing the midfielder or the #8 from the scenario above, I'd say this:) As a midfielder I should look to become the 'third man' for the striker in order to break the cover of the striker who would be blocking my passing lane with the CB. As soon as the #8 receives the ball from his striker, he picks ups his head to look for any forward options. As a midfielder, I should almost always pick up my head and look for the forward passing option, and attempt to play a pass whenever possible.
Example 2: (If I am an analyzing the winger who made the run, I'd say something like this:)
As a wide midfielder, I can create space for myself by checking in to the midfielder or fullback in order to drag out my fullback, then I can quickly change my run and exploit the space in behind the fullback and run into space to be played through.
Part 3 (optional): I draw out the scenario. This is something that is completely up to you, but I found out that drawing the scenario's out and marking out the runs and passes helps me visualize the type of play better and let's me remember exactly what happened during the game. I suggest you do the same if you are writing down your notes on a notebook.
That's the step-by-step process I usually do when I analyze my soccer matches, but you can play around with whatever type of notes you'd like. As long as you are watching the match and taking in new information that can be applied on the pitch, you're all set.
Summarize What You Learned
I recommend repeating the top three steps for as many times as you'd like, and as soon as you finish the first half or the full 90 minutes, I recommend you finish off with a summary of what you wrote.
This will be a general paragraph where you bring together all the key points you've found throughout the match, and you rewrite them and engrave them into your memory.
You can also plan out some drills that will help train that key aspect you observed from the player you were analyzing.
Here's an example of a summary:
First Half Summary:
1) When playing between the lines or with your back to the opposing goal, always check your shoulders to be aware of any pressure, as well as knowing where your teammates are. This will allow you to play quicker.
A drill that can help me get better at checking my shoulder and being aware of my surroundings is practicing 1-2 touch passing with a wall, and between every pass, I practice checking my shoulder.
2) As the midfielder, whenever I receive the ball from one of the players in front of me, my first action should to have my head up, and to look for any passing options forward that will bolster the attack. If there aren't any clear options, then I must maintain possession by playing the ball back safely to the defenders.
A drill I can try to help me with this is to set up a tripod with colors and numbers on my phone, and then I have to react to the cue I see, and either play a pass into the net, or turn and play it behind me (where my defenders would be.)
Taking Action With What You Learned
There is no point to analyzing matches and learning about the game if you don't apply what you learned on the pitch.
The best way to put the information you learned to use, is to go out on the training pitch, practice the skills or things you've observed, then try to perform those actions in an actual match.
I recommend setting goals for yourself before matchday to focus in on something you've learned while analyzing matches, and to try them out in game as often as possible.
Keep track of the amount of times you were able to perform the action correctly, and if you can, analyze your own match footage and find out what you did wrong, and what you could improve in your next match.
I highly recommend using matches (especially during your youth years or during preseason) to learn more about your role, and to gain more experience with the type of actions you see from professional matches.
Where Can I Find Full Matches Online?
This is another question I am asked very often from my followers on Instagram.
There are many good websites and places online you can try to watch game online. For example, ESPN, Peacock, Fox Sports, NBC, etc. (for my American followers). Generally, if you have a TV provider with a channel that showcases matches, you can investigate that channel's social platform and see if you can replay the matches that were already aired.
However, these type of benefits is most likely only for those who are willing to pay for a subscription that allows them to stream previously aired matches, and not many people are willing to pay for those type of subscriptions.
Luckily, there are free alternatives you can try online to watch full matches.
YouTube - Look up "full soccer match" in the search engine, and you could find hundreds of previously aired matches.
Footballia.net - This is a great website that allows you to stream hundreds of previously aired matches. All you need to do is sign up for free and you'll have access to thousands of matches.
hdmatches.net - Another great platform to watch free highlights, and full matches.
There are many other websites that offer free full matches online, so do your own research and find the website you like best.
SUMMARY
Game analysis is one of the best things you can invest your time to in order to improve your performance on the pitch. It can be done as a supplement to your normal training, and can even help you structure specific drills and programs to help you become a smarter player in your position. It can also be used when you can't get to the field and physically train because of injury.
Many professional teams utilize the benefits of film analysis to help their players learn about the tactics and positions they might take up in their next match.
It is crucial for you as a soccer player to be able to learn and improve in every aspect of your game, and analyzing matches is an essential way to improve your intelligence when on the pitch.
However, many people don't know how to start analyzing matches, and don't know what to look for, or what to write down.
Here is the step-by-step process that works for me, and has helped me learn from hundreds of matches.
Choose a player to analyze who plays in your position.
Get out a notebook.
Observe and focus in on my player for the duration of the match.
Before my player makes an action, I pause the game and predict what he will do.
Take Notes on different things I notice from my player's decisions / playstyle.
As for what I specifically write down for notes, this is generally what I write down:
Part 1: Summarize the scenario or play that I just watched
Part 2: I extract any key points from the scenario I just watched
Part 3: I draw out the scenario to mark out any runs or specific passes.
Part 4: I summarize all of the key points I learned from the first half, or the full match.
Once you have analyzed and learn more about your role on the pitch, try your best to apply what you've learned into your matches, and learn as you gain more experience with your position on the pitch.
I hope you had any questions you had answered through this blog post, and I hope you apply the things I've covered in this post to your routine!
Thanks for Reading! Get Up. Go GRIND.
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