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Antonio Conte Trigger-Based Pressing Explained & Russell Martin Tactics At Rangers 2025/2026
Today, we have a tactical analysis of Antonio Conte's trigger-based pressing at Napoli along with a tactical analysis of what to expect from Russell Martin at Rangers next season.
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Trigger-based pressing is redefining how teams control space without relying on constant aggression.
In a football landscape increasingly shaped by high pressing and proactive defending, Antonio Conte‘s Napoli offer a different kind of control.
While many elite teams equate territorial dominance with relentless pressure high up the pitch, Napoli operate with restraint and calculation.
This tactical analysis examines how Conte’s side, alongside a comparative example from Claudio Ranieri‘s AS Roma, structure defensive blocks and selective pressing triggers to manipulate opposition build-up and recover possession in high-value areas.
Through three visual examples, we explore how Napoli’s pressing blueprint reflects an evolved, intelligent form of defensive control.
This analysis highlights how trigger-based pressing and pressing traps allow Gli Azzurri to defend with structure and strike with intent.
In the modern game, pressing high is often viewed as the clearest expression of dominance.
It is associated with energy, aggression, and the ability to dictate tempo.
But Conte’s Napoli demonstrate that pressing smart can be more effective than pressing hard.
Selective pressing does not represent passivity; rather, it is a calculated refusal to waste energy chasing low-risk passes.
Instead of initiating pressure from the start, SSC Napoli allow the opponent to build into zones predetermined as pressing traps.
The intention is not to suffocate the opposition immediately but to shape their choices and then engage with synchronised aggression.
In this model, pressing becomes an ambush.
Last week, after a protracted period of speculation, Rangers announced Russell Martin as their seventh permanent manager in 10 years.
Taking over from Barry Ferguson, who had been put in caretaker charge after the departure of Philippe Clement in February, Martin joins a club in transition, having just been bought into by 49ers Enterprises.
Martin, arriving from relegated Premier League side Southampton, has faced doubts over whether his style of play is suited to the Gers, a team whose fans expect their side to dominate domestic opponents.
The 29-times capped Scotland player has also managed at MK Dons and Swansea City, where he has imposed his possession-based style of play.
Despite competing in League One, a league not renowned for possession football, Martin’s side had the third-highest average possession percentage in European football, behind only Barcelona and Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.
This tactical analysis will examine the features of Russell Martin style of play in his most recent role with The Saints and assess how well it is suited to what the Glasgow giants will face in the 2025/2026 Scottish Premiership season.
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