John Walker
@johnwalker_1986 • 96,971 subscribers
UEFA A Licence Football Coach & Analyst
Shorts
Videos
Mexico v South Africa: Pre-Match Analysis Here is your guide to the Opening Match of the 2026 World Cup. Mexico will be in a 4-3-3: > Lots of Central Combinations > Wingers Moving Inside > Fullbacks Overlapping > Crosses in for Jimenez > Real Threat from Corners South Africa will be in a 4-2-3-1: > Brave in Building Out > Risks & Quick Play in Front-Line > Wingers 1v1 and Crosses Absolutely buzzing for this 👇
John Walker5,196,852 Aufrufe • vor 1 Monat
Enzo v England: Set-Play Shambles We can argue all day about whether it was Tuchel's changes or the player mentality & for me, it's just basics. The difference in corners before and after the changes are astonishing: > Gordon & James reacted to 3 short corners correctly and were not punished at any point > Bellingham and Anderson had great distances in the 1st example and wouldn't have allowed Enzo's shot However, a double sub happens on the 82nd minute: > 3 Subs are now on > England changed 6 positions at corners > Kane gets a new role but does his previous job > Anderson reacts correctly > Bellingham can't do 2 jobs An FA & Nation the size of England, with the available faciltiies, staff and quality of analysts should never have a situation where in a WC Semi-Final they lose their lead simply down to lack of responsibility.
John Walker76,604 Aufrufe • vor 1 Tag
🇪🇸 Spain v Argentina 🇦🇷 - Analysis 🏆 This is your most complete & in-depth pre-match analysis for the World Cup Final 👇 Spain Play > 1v1 Wing-Play > Overlapping & Underlapping Fullbacks > Combinations Centrally to Create > Exceptional Rest-Defence and Waves of Attack Potential Success: > Exploiting Argentina's Fullback Areas Argentina Play > Vertical Play & Crosses into the Box > Messi Creating Overloads Anywhere > Transition Attacks > Set-Plays Potential Success: > Set-Plays or a bit of Messi Magic might be the only way this side can unlock this ridiculous Spanish defence. Will Yamal stamp his name on the Biggest Stage or will Messi leave on the highest of highs?!
John Walker80,702 Aufrufe • vor 2 Tagen
🏴England v Argentina 🇦🇷: Pre-Match Analysis Spain awaits the winner but this tie needs zero billing & in it's own right with both teams ready to go to war and attack their way to the final: - Argentina are the Highest Scorers - England have missed the most Big Chances England - 13th Best Passers at the WC; More Direct and with Purpose: - 6.7 Shots on Target per 90 - 15 Big Chances Missed (2nd) Unlocking Argentina from Wide Areas - 6 Accurate Crosses per Match (3rd) > Kane v DR Congo > Underlapping Run for Kane v Panama > Bellingham v Mexico Transition Attacks from Deep or Pressing - Lowest Ave. Possession of Semi-Finalists & prefer to break on teams quickly: > Bellingham v Croatia > Bellingham v Mexico x2 Argentina - Highest Scorers with 2.8 Goals per 90 - Highest Accurate Passers - 2 Clean Sheets (14th) Unlocking England Centrally - Accurate Passing but with Purpose and using "Vertical Play" to break teams open through centre: > Messi v Saudi > Messi v Austria Transition from Low into Attack - Not a team that stand out with Pace but with willingness to do hard running > Enzo Fernandez v Egypt > Enzo and Messi v Austria Key Battles/Decisive Areas - England have to improve their distances in Midfield without the ball & watch for those Vertical Passes into Messi/Enzo/Alvarez that can get Argentina straight onto the Defence - Bellingham v Paredes: I could see a scenario where Paredes follows Bellingham around the pitch and sacrifices himself and the structure to protect against their star. - Messi Freedom: I am unsure how you cope with this because as he will float between Guehi(CB) and O'Reilly(LB) then deeper into midfield, it becomes about communication to pass on but that is risky. Let's F*cking Gooo
John Walker89,100 Aufrufe • vor 4 Tagen
France v Spain: Pre-Match Analysis Is this the perfect match-up to test each team? - France Terrifying Transitions at Pace - Spain's Positional Possession Play France have the best attacking output: - 2.7 Goals per 90 (2nd) - 14.3 xG (1st) - Most Shots per 90 on Target 7.8 (1st) - Big Chances Missed - 19 (1st) Spain have the best defence: - 5 Clean Sheets (1st) - 0.2 Goals Conceded per 90 (1st) - 1.8xG Conceded (1st) - Fewest Saved Required per 90 Key Battles/Decisive Areas - Spain Rest-Defence Structure: This is going to be so important to stop France Front-4 Cheating and breaking at speed - Yamal v Digne in Transition: France Front-4 attack with so much intent, if France commit & Porro wins possession in a defensive moment and can release Yamal with space, could be dangerous. - Oyarzabal in the "Pocket": Spain play though the France Front-4 Block then Oyarzabal dropping in creates an overload issue for Kone/Rabiot and if Saliba or Upamecano leave the structure to follow which could make space to play straight through like Portugal winner. This is such an exciting prospect 😍
John Walker82,747 Aufrufe • vor 5 Tagen
QF3: 🇳🇴 Norway v England 🏴 10pm (UK) Live on ITV Will the Vikings Row to Victory or Will England Excel to the Semi's? Norway Potential Success: > Wide 1v1 Play & Crosses into Haaland > Low-Block & Counter at Speed (Old Haaland) > Set-Plays Key Concern: > Underlapping 8 Runs from Bellingham and Rice to help Gordon and Saka either cut inside or play through. England Potential Success: > Crosses into the Box > Direct Play & Quick Transition into Attack > Set-Plays Key Concern: > Losing the ball with fullbacks and wingers high in attack and allowing transitions against with Odegaard, Haaland & Bobb breaking at speed. Key Battles: > Haaland v Konsa/Guehi; He dominated Gabriel when it mattered, can he do the same to other EPL players?! > Kane v Ajer; Ajer will get physical but can he cope with Kane's movements into all areas of the pitch or will he stay and allow the overloads > Gordon v Ryerson; Norway could be missing their RB or at best, he has a hamstring strain restricting sprints then its Aursnes, a CM, coming in. Final Thoughts: I expect a very tight game, both teams dropping into a block instead of pressing & whoever defends transitions and set-plays best will progress.
John Walker117,876 Aufrufe • vor 8 Tagen
Subs Sends Signals to Players I love this Fabregas video & it's further more evident today in Egypt v Argentina. Egypt 2-0 up & I would have said fairly secure: > Injured Hassan Off for Trezeguet > It is a "Like for Like" player > Appeared to Change to a Back-5 This could have still happened but after that sub, Argentina had: > 3 Goals > 3 Big Chances (3 in Previous 75mins) > 6 Shots Inside the Box (4 in Previous 75mins) Rightly or wrongly, you give players the signal that you just want them to defend & also gives Romero a signal he can stay upfront for Argentina with less defending to do. Feel for Egypt, an unbelievable World Cup & display for 75mins but with Messi, there's always a story to be written.
John Walker95,646 Aufrufe • vor 11 Tagen
Scotland: What Are We Coached? I am sorry for the negativity but we are: > 3rd Lowest Scorers > 8th Lowest Shots on Target > 27th Best Accurate Passers > 2nd Highest xG Against So we are a team that can't create chances, can't control games & then can't defend when we turnover the ball. We switched to this Back-4 & it was obvious, with all the Qualification evidence that it was a huge mistake and it's been proven. Belarus, Greece and Denmark were all able to play through our press and it hasn't changed an ounce since those games: > Huge Distances Between Lines > Standing Off or Man for Man Clarity > High-Line or Block Low The fact the same errors happening between games that were 5 days apart is the biggest concern for me. We have been at a camp for 4-weeks now and looked genuinely, so poorly instructed/coached. A mentality swing is required, Clarke was the man to move us forward in 2018 but he isn't the man to take us forward in 2026.
John Walker151,655 Aufrufe • vor 23 Tagen
Group C: Scotland v Brazil - Decider Potentially the biggest game in Scotlands Footballing History but especially for this generation with a point required to guarantee progression. Scotland Potential Success: > Switching to a Back-5 to Protect Space > Counter-Attacking Down Left or Doak > Crosses into the Box & Players on the Edge Brazil Potential Success: > 1v1 Wingers & Freedom to Create > Runners Behind the Line of Defence > Protecting Against Counters If Brazil get their set-up right, I fear it can only go one way but we have seen with Cape Verde, DR Congo and Curacao that teams can defend out for the point they require. Come on Scotland 🏴
John Walker164,628 Aufrufe • vor 25 Tagen
Scotland - Building out from the Back I feel like there is a huge lack of clarity in the way we play & that responsibility sits with coaches as much as the players: > Are Defenders to Play? > Are the "CDM's" to Show & Build? > Fullbacks Allowed to Find Space? I have watched McKenna & Hendry play out successfully in Belgium and Croatia with possession based teams and be good at it. I have watched Ferguson & McLean play in Top-5 Leagues and show for the ball and dictate play. Is this a lack of clarity, lack of coached "Style" or individual errors or a mixture of both?!
John Walker144,005 Aufrufe • vor 23 Tagen
Algeria: WC Record Passing Goal In a moment of the match with nothing to play for with both teams qualifying in injury time: > Algeria take a throw-in > 100+ Passes > 5min 32secs of Uninterrupted Possession > Mahrez Finishing the Move Safe to say, a record that will not be broken & only disappointment is conceding immediately after for the game to finish 3-3.
John Walker113,873 Aufrufe • vor 20 Tagen
Elliot Watt: Finally a "Number 6" Are Rangers finally about to replace the most important position they've had to address since losing Steven Davis?! Elliot Watt represents all of those attributes you'd want in a Modern No.6: > Exceptional Variety of Passes > Goals from Range > Bravery on the Ball > Plays Under Pressure > Duel & 2nd Ball Positional Awareness Anything under £3m & it would represent and unbelievable start to the window adding to Lawrence Shankland. Definitely a "Scottish" led recruitment model
John Walker299,065 Aufrufe • vor 1 Monat
QF1: France v Morocco 9pm (UK) Live on ITV This is your pre-match analysis of France v Morocco, Game 97 of 104 at this World Cup & 1st of the Quarter Finals. France Potential Success: > Wide 1v1 Play > Central Combination > Olise & Mbappe Relationship Key Concern: > They must deal with Diaz & Hakimi attacking Digne in transition when Barcola/Doue are caught up the park Morocco Potential Success: > Hakimi & Diaz Attacking Down the Right > Ounahi & El Khannouss Rotations to Overload > Transition Attacks & Behind Key Concern: > Haiti were able to unlock Morocco with a little pace & less quality whilst Netherlands showed space in-behind can be exploited. Final Thoughts: France are the favourites but I think whichever teams get's out of this could realistically be ready to lift the World Cup.
John Walker42,753 Aufrufe • vor 10 Tagen
Scotland Candidate: John McGlynn I think he is probably the perfect fit for what the majority want as a nation: > Attacking Football & Intent > Style of Play to best suit players > Introduces & Develops Young Players All this whilst consistently moving the needle: > Win League One - Not Enough > Win Championship - Not Enough > Prem Survival - Not Enough This is the part I am most behind for John McGlynn, he strikes me as someone that would consistently move the goalposts for the players & that it's never hindered the "Style of Play". Attacking Football & Style: (This is a goal v Hibs which shows a lot of his style) > Clear method of "Building from Back" & see our struggles from this World Cup > "Rotations in Midfield" to get best players on the ball > "Transition into Attack" with numbers in the box Introduces & Develops Young Players: > Aging Scotland Squad (Similar Issue Craig Brown left Scotland with) > Scot Gemmill hasn't developed a Style or Tournament ready players > McGlynn plays, trusts & develops younger technical footballers whilst also delivering results As Scottish Candidates go, John McGlynn would be the one for me.
John Walker60,424 Aufrufe • vor 19 Tagen
Group C - MD2: Scotland v Morocco It is time for our first France-98 Re-Run and an attempt to avenge that defeat but what faces us is an even better Moroccan side. Scotland Potential Success: > Switch to a 5-4-1 (Cape Verde v Spain) > Low-Block and Counter > Tierney, Robertson & Doak for Counters > Set-Plays Morocco Potential Success: > Wide-Right Rotations > Crossing from Wide > Transition at Speed with Quality Scotland victory against Haiti was vital but it was fortunate, lots of transition moments for Haiti without end product and were close to a late equaliser. I fear this will be a bigger test than Brazil but 1pt all buts guarantees qualification (99.8%) to the "Knockout Stage".
John Walker89,269 Aufrufe • vor 1 Monat
Scotland Back-5 Has to Return Looking back at the opening 90seconds of Morocco's 1-0 win over Scotland it's terrifying how many little missteps there are against a brilliantly coached side with lovely rotations: > 442 Press Doesn't Work (Belarus, Greece & Denmark) > Back-4 Distances are Concerning > Individual Risk with Man for Man Defending This was a game we had to go to a Back-5 and in my opinion, this goal doesn't happen because you have an extra body in the Back-Line: > Pitches is Easier to Cover Ball-Side > Allows Robertson to Press Wide Man > Added Security Against Individual Errors Both games against Haiti & Morocco have went exactly as expected with a Back-4 but please just bring it back and destroy football for 90mins with a Cape Verde style performance 🙏
John Walker72,739 Aufrufe • vor 27 Tagen
South Korea v Czechia: Pre-Match Analysis 2nd Game from Group A South Korea will likely be in a variation of 3-4-3: > Lots of Vertical Play > Wingbacks Running Behind > Crosses into the Box in Numbers > High-Press & Intense Work-Rate Czechia will also be in a variation of 3-4-3: > Direct Play over Korea's Press > Physical Players & 2nd Ball Wins > Sulc 1v1's & Wingbacks Overlapping > Crosses for Provod/Schick/Chory > Set-Piece Kings v Korea Coffee & Redbull Ready for 3am 😴 Betting Pod will be on the Patreon Page (Link in Comments)
John Walker95,050 Aufrufe • vor 1 Monat
