In short
To analyse a football match: decide in advance what you want to learn, watch the key moments rather than the whole ninety minutes, look at the team in four phases (attacking, defending and the two transitions between them) plus set pieces, check what the numbers say about running, and finish with two or three clear points backed by clips.
1. Decide what you want to learn
Analysis without a question turns into watching the match again. Before you press play, write down two or three questions. For example: why do we concede after losing the ball in midfield? Is our left side too open? Does our press drop off after an hour?
2. Get the right footage
You need to see the whole team, not just the ball. A camera high up near the halfway line, following the play, shows the shape of both teams. Television-style close-ups hide most of what you want to see. See how to film a football match.
3. Find the key moments first
Start with goals, chances, shots and turnovers at both ends. Mark the time of each one. These are the moments that decided the match, and they tell you where to look more closely. Software can list them for you; the Studio puts every key moment in one list. For a disputed goal, check offside on the paused video.
4. Look at the four phases and set pieces
| Phase | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Attacking | How the team builds from the back, where it tries to break through, how many players join attacks |
| Losing the ball | Do players press straight away or drop back? How quickly does the team get back into shape? |
| Defending | The distance between the lines, how high the back line stands, who is left free |
| Winning the ball | Does the team break quickly or keep the ball? Who is the first pass to? |
| Set pieces | Marking at corners and free kicks, who attacks the ball, the routines that work |
Pause on moments and draw on them: lines between defenders, the space behind, the run that was not made. Drawing and team shapes stay on the grass as the camera moves.
5. Look at individual players
Pick the players your questions are about. Watch their touches and their movement without the ball. Clips of one player in a row reveal patterns that are invisible in a full match. In SeeKick every named player has a page with his touches, running and reel.
6. Check the numbers
Numbers back up what you saw, or challenge it. Useful ones at most levels: distance covered and sprints per player, how running changed in the last twenty minutes, and where on the pitch the ball was lost. See running data without GPS vests.
7. Turn it into two or three points
Players remember little from a long meeting. Choose one thing to keep doing and one or two things to fix, each with a short clip. Send individual players their own clips separately.
A simple template
- Match: opponent, date, score, conditions
- Questions we asked: two or three
- Key moments: time and a one-line note for each
- Attacking, defending, transitions, set pieces: one or two lines each
- Players: notes on the players the questions were about
- Numbers: running and where the ball was lost
- Team talk: one thing to keep, one or two to fix, with clips
If you are analysing your next opponent rather than your own team, use the opposition analysis template.
Questions
How do you analyse a football match?
Decide what you want to learn, find the key moments, look at attacking, defending, the two transitions and set pieces, study the players your questions are about, check the running numbers, and finish with two or three points backed by clips.
What are the four phases of play in football?
Attacking (in possession), defending (out of possession), and the two transitions between them: losing the ball and winning it back. Set pieces are usually looked at separately.
Do I need to watch the whole match to analyse it?
No. Start with the key moments, such as goals, chances and turnovers, and look more closely around them. Watching all ninety minutes is rarely the best use of the time.
What software can analyse a football match automatically?
Some tools work from the video you already film. SeeKick follows every player on both teams, names them, measures running, lists the key moments and writes a match report, by the next evening.