I approach the analysis of one of our games in a similar way every time. I watch the full game using the Virtual Panorama function to see all players at once. At the same time, I’m tagging the game to create the time stamps I need for later when creating videos to show our players. I tag the game using collective tags which are connected to our game model and football principles as well as individual tags for the players involved in the game. Since we have no analysts who can tag the game for us coaches beforehand, I feel this way of working is both effective and quite simple. I create tag panels that suit me (all coaches have different ones, to individualize the workflow in a way that suits each of us individually) and then I can break the game down in a personalized manner.

The images below show what my collective and individual tag panels look like whilst I’m working my way through a game.

After tagging, it is time to decide which examples I want to show the players as well as my colleagues when we discuss the game together. Having tagged, it is very simple for me to go through all our instances of build-up play, high pressing, or crossing – I just need to disable the non-relevant tags and the system will instantly let me see the, in this game, 23 instances of build-up play (“speluppbyggnad”) I’ve tagged.

With some stadiums having Spiideo systems with cameras in more than one angle, I can also choose to watch footage from behind the goals to get an even better idea of the situations from the point of view of the players. From the side, it can be easy to say that a pass was possible, but when you then see the same footage from a different angle, you can develop a better understanding of the decisions made by the players.

As an example, here is a clip of the same pressing situation from two angles away at Malmö. By using two different angles, we can gather even more information for ourselves to properly analyze the situation.

When picking up the situations I want to show the players, it’s also very effective for me to use the annotation options within Spiideo to highlight different things in the video as I’m recording it to download to my computer. Personally, I mostly make use of the space and distance tools when annotating my videos. In the video below, I talk through how I use the tools available in Spiideo Perform.

Pedagogically, I find this to be a very powerful method to get messages across to players. The video in itself is already a powerful way of highlighting things, but when it’s possible to make the picture even clearer with visualization tools, I find it even more effective to reach the players. Communication is key in the field of coaching, and while verbal communication will be enough for some, visual communication like this can make sure my messages hit home with more players.

The next step for me is to download the videos and adjust them so they are efficient and clear, and then it’s about presenting them to the players. Every step of the way until then, Spiideo is a massively important tool for us due to the different options we have within the system.

In the next part of this series, I will go through how we use Spiideo to analyze upcoming opponents.