The Champions League’s Group F is still extremely competitive, with even heavyweights
Manchester City having suffered a defeat at home to Lyon.
Bruno Génésio’s side face Julian Nagelsmann’s Hoffenheim next – the reverse fixture ended
3-3, and this crucial match promises to be full of attacking intent.
As these stats from OneFootball’s app show, both Lyon and Hoffenheim take a lot of shots.
Indeed, both these sides are top of their respective leagues for number of shots taken
per game, while Lyon are also second in Ligue 1 both for possession and passing accuracy,
and Hoffenheim are third in the Bundesliga for both metrics.
However, while both sides take large numbers of shots, neither are hugely efficient.
Hoffenheim have scored 18 goals in nine league matches, the fourth highest total, despite
shooting significantly more than all the teams who’ve scored a greater number of goals;
Lyon, meanwhile, have also scored 18, the fifth highest in Ligue 1 and less than half
of PSG’s total, despite taking roughly three shots per game more.
So why do both these teams, bristling with attacking talent, take so many shots without
scoring that many goals?
Lyon tend to line up in a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-3-3, with Moussa Dembele the focal point of an
exciting attacking line-up that features Bertrand Traore, Memphis Depay, and Nabil Fekir, ahead
of one of Europe’s best young midfield line-ups, with including Lucas Tousart, and Tanguy N’Dombele.
Lyon play a possession-based style, working the ball from the back by transitioning with
the full backs pushing up ahead of the central defenders and a dropping central midfielder,
usually Tousart.
Ahead of this, the other central midfielders push up into the inside right and left positions,
especially N’Dombele, who is a superb press-breaker, while the wide attackers start wide and cut
inwards.
Lyon’s quick passing interchanges rely on players constantly moving, dropping off or
over-lapping, to create consistent movement to break the opposition’s defensive lines.
However, this can lead to lots of short vertical or angled passes that are sent back to their
point of origin as defenders swamp the attacking player receiving the ball.
In addition, defences that fall back in the face of this quick pass and move can end up
very deep, with a compact space between the Lyon midfield and attack – the French side
can still play a lot of passes, but struggle to generate clear attacking opportunities
and end up having their shots blocked or taken from poor positions, especially if the striker
is one of the players dropping off.
Lyon have very quick attackers, especially Depay and Traore, who like to cut inside and
shoot from wide positions on their stronger feet.
Lyon are also unafraid to counter with very direct, angled balls into the space behind
opposition full-backs.
However, both these attacking methods often see players running wide, away from goal,
before cutting back in – by this time, defenders can sometimes have regained their positions
and again, Lyon find blockers in place.
This all means that while Lyon keep the ball well and attack with pace and skill, creating
plenty of chances, these chances often fall either with blockers in place because the
defence has fallen back, or within the corridors that flank the six yard box which, again,
are easier to block.
This explains why they take a lot of shots, but don’t score as many goals as might be
expected.
Hoffenheim, on the other hand, tend to play with a back three.
Julian Nagelsmann, in his final season at the club before his already arranged move
to RB Leipzig, has consistently employed a form of 3-1-4-2 in the league, but has also
used a more attacking 3-4-3 in Europe, as well as back four systems.
Hoffenheim’s general approach is to progress the ball forwards among the ball three and
a deep dropping midfielder, while the wing backs push very high supported by the two
central midfielders.
Hoffenheim’s strikers will often split wide, too, with one moving into space on the flank
to try to pull the ball back, either to the other striker or an advancing midfielder.
The attacking intent of Hoffenheim’s midfield is shown by the fact that Andre Kramaric,
a striker, has been playing in one of the two attacking midfield berths, though in Ishak
Belfodil, Joelinton, and Adam Szalai, Hoffenheim have enough strikers to fill the gap.
In part, this commitment to attack causes Hoffenheim some issues.
As they look to move the ball out wide, and the midfielders push into the inside right
and left positions, Hoffenheim can present a sort of 3-1-6 formation.
This gives the team a huge number of options but, especially when the centre backs can
push forwards a lot against deep dropping teams, there are almost too many Hoffenheim
players in dangerous areas which makes quick decision-making hard and can lead to players
getting in each other’s way.
Hoffenheim’s attacking width also generates a lot of balls pulled quickly back across
the box.
Especially when on the break or having successfully counter-pressed, Hoffenheim’s wing backs,
attacking midfielders, or even strikers run wide and then look to pull the ball back across.
This is a highly effective method of attacking, but it relies on the players supporting the
attack to time their runs well and have the technical ability to hit the ball on the move.
This is tricky and so while it generates a lot of attacking opportunities, it’s unsurprising
that plenty are not converted.
Lyon and Hoffenheim are both great attacking sides who generate a lot of chances and shot
but, for different reasons, don’t score as many goals as might be expected.
Nonetheless, these teams play great football and this crucial fixture should provide some
fireworks.