Mason Melia Scouting Report 2025 & How To Coach A 3-4-3 Formation While Pressing

Today, we have a scouting report on Spurs' new 17 y/o acquisition from Ireland, Mason Melia, along with a tactical theory on how to coach a 3-4-3 formation while pressing.

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Mason Melia has become accustomed to breaking records.

At 17, he’s reached heights that no player from Ireland has ever reached before.

North London club Tottenham Hotspur have signed the teenager for a fee of €2m.

It’s a deal that smashes the record for a transfer fee for a player departing Ireland.

Sam Hutchinson analyses the forward’s game in his latest scouting report article.

The 3-4-3 is a formation that provides a great deal of flexibility in the defensive phase.

Teams can quickly turn their back three into a four or five.

This can be a tactical decision based on the opposition they are playing or by being fluid in the different phases of their opposition’s attack.

For example, if a team is playing a higher level of opposition, the wing-backs may always remain close to their centre-backs to quickly create a back-five.

If the team wants to press high, one or both wing-backs may be involved in the final third whilst recovering from joining the backline when the ball is nearer their goal.

This tactical fluidity that the formation allows can make it particularly appealing for teams like Sporting CP.

In this tactical theory, we will take a look at current Manchester United‘s boss Rúben Amorim tactics while at Sporting CP, where he successfully used the 3-4-3 to dominate domestic games while competing in the Champions League against Europe’s best.

TFA Archives 📆

Real Madrid take on Manchester City today in the first game of the UCL second phase!

Carlo Ancelotti’s tactical adjustments have been key to shaping Madrid’s star-studded attack this season.

Take a deep dive into his 2024/25 tactics below.

PSG take on Brest in the second phase of their UCL season!

Luis Enrique’s tenure has brought a new sporting approach to the club.

Take a closer look at PSG’s tactical evolution under him below.

Juventus take on PSV in the second phase of their UCL campaign!

Check out how Thiago Motta’s tactics have built an unbeatable defensive wall at Juventus—take a look below.

Manchester City take on Real Madrid in a huge UCL match!

They need to fix their defensive flaws that have caused struggles all season—the time is now or they may be going home early this year.

Take a look at what they need to fix below.