Match Zone

Tactical Observations & Changes From The Pass Maps – Swansea City 2-0 Reading

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Swansea City produced another solid and dominant display at home against Reading on Saturday and here’s a look at the pass maps from the 2-0 win – thanks to a brace from striker Oli McBurnie.

The average pass map below shows the average passing positions and passes based on passing data from the first 61 minutes of the game – prior to the first substitution.

Like we’ve seen in recent games, we have a single midfielder operating as a middle pivot – Matt Grimes – with the rest of the team operating around it. Bersant Celina was active all over the pitch and averages a more central position compared to recent weeks while Oli McBurnie is, on this rare occasion,  our highest average player – usually he averages a far deeper position.

The green lines and circles show excellent 80-plus % passing accuracy throughout the side. Jay Fulton again moves out to the wide right to offer a link-up option with Roberts and Naughton while Celina was the player to drift over to the left to offer the same service.

The defensive, or low phase average pass map below shows the player’s positions in the low passing phase. Matt Grimes drops in to collect the ball from the two centre-backs and the usual routes forward are into wide areas. McBurnie moves wide right and was the target man when goalkeeper Nordfelft had to go long but he was always looking to try and get the ball short to Rodon or van der Hoorn.

The attacking, high phase pass map below shows how the passing shape changes as the ball is moved forward into Reading’s half. Celina takes up a wider position on the left flank – providing an option for Olsson and James and helping their link-up play. With Fulton out wide right, this sometimes left McBurnie isolated through the middle. Both Rodon and Grimes were busy looking to get the ball down the left flank to Dan James to do his magic.

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