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Build-Up Tactics Of Elite Teams - Tactical Theory & Burton Albion 2024/2025 Set-Piece Analysis
Today, we have a tactical theory article focusing on the build-up tactics of elite teams to beat high pressure along with a set-piece analysis article on Burton Albion.
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The art of build-up under pressure is a fundamental aspect of modern football, especially for teams facing aggressive, high-pressing opponents.
More than just a method to progress the ball, it represents a philosophy of play that transforms defensive risk into attacking opportunity.
In this analysis, we’ll explore how top teams create structures, support angles, and passing patterns to overcome intense pressure, turning what could be a trap into a launchpad for offensive transitions.
The ability to play through pressure, starting from the defensive third, has become a key benchmark for evaluating a team’s collective quality and technical organisation.
Playing out from the back under pressure is not just about courage; it demands spatial control, manipulation of the press, and effective tempo management.
In this tactical analysis, we will examine how top teams and coaches have made this phase of play a defining feature of their style, alongside the inherent risks and the strategies used to mitigate them.
Building up under pressure is fundamentally different from circulating possession under low pressure.
When the opposing team opts for an aggressive high press, the objective shifts: it’s not simply about maintaining possession but about intentionally drawing the press and bypassing it to generate free space behind the first pressing line.
This requires technical precision, cohesion between units, and a finely tuned positional structure.
A key factor is the body orientation of the receiving players: having an open stance and facing the pitch enables forward play on the first touch, helping players avoid being forced backwards or dispossessed.
It was a tale of two halves for Burton Albion in the 2024/2025 EFL League One season.
By the middle of December, after 19 games played in the league, Burton had just two wins and 12 points in League One, sitting in 23rd place, nine points away from safety.
The poor form resulted in a change in managers, with Gary Bowyer and assistant manager Pat Lyons coming in to steady the ship.
Together, they helped finally drag the Brewers out of the relegation spots in the final four weeks of the season.
Since Bowyer’s arrival, Burton have been the 11th-best club in the league, which shows just how valuable a good manager can be.
Gary Bowyer’s arrival brought success to the club, mainly through his ability to get the best out of new signing Rumarn Burrell, who scored 11 league goals, all of them coming after Bowyer joined.
One of his biggest strengths has been his ability to affect zonal defenders during set-pieces, alongside his speed and quality in transition, which contributed to a majority of his goals.
Burton Albion have only scored 10 goals from set pieces, which puts them at the lower end of the set-piece league.
However, this doesn’t mean their set pieces are poor.
In fact, since the managerial change, they have been the strongest set-piece team in terms of xG per corner.
They are the only team in the league with over 0.04 xG per corner, which shows that they consistently generate good chances from corner kicks.
However, they have found some issues finishing their chances, meaning their output doesn’t match their good performances in corner kicks.
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