When news emerged that Alberto Moreno was to leave Liverpool on a free transfer this summer, it seemed inevitable. What seemed equally as inevitable was that a Spanish side would pick up a real bargain. Undoubtedly a gamble given his defensive weaknesses, joining on a free transfer seemed to be an ideal opportunity for the left-back to rebuild his career.

Villarreal were the team to identify that and win the race to sign the former Sevilla defender, returning to Spain having failed to kick on as many had hoped when he moved to Merseyside. Putting pen to paper on a five year deal, he clearly has the backing of his new club and will now look to live up to the high expectations demanded of a European champion as Villarreal themselves look to return to the top half of La Liga after a disappointing 2018/19 campaign.

In this scout report tactical analysis we will consider how the attacking-minded full-back is a gamble for the Yellow Submarine, but one that could pay off. Solving a weak link in the tactics of Javi Calleja’s side last season, he looks likely to be a regular in the side, bringing with him both an attacking threat and defensive liabilities.

Overlapping threat

If there is one area where Moreno excels, it is in his attacking contribution. Moreno always looks to get forward and provide an option down the flank. Once on the ball, he will often aim to play a quick one-two with the more central advanced midfielder, often Santi Cazorla, as they drift inside with the ball moving into a more advanced position. That gives Moreno the chance to put on the burners and attempt to beat the defender for pace.

If you want to read the full tactical breakdown of Alberto Moreno’s player profile, head over to totalfootballanalysis.com or click HERE


Total Football Analysis Magazine #11: July 2019 - tactical analysis tactics
Artwork by @chapulana

If you love tactical analysis, then you’ll love the digital magazines from totalfootballanalysis.com – a guaranteed 100+ pages of pure tactical analysis covering topics from the Premier League, Serie A, La Liga, Bundesliga and many, many more. Buy your copy of the July issue for just ₤4.99 here, or even better sign up for a ₤50 annual membership (12 monthly issues plus the annual review) right here.