What does Roberto De Zerbi actually do?

Try The Athletic for FREE for 30 days: www.theathletic.com/tifoirl
🎧 Listen to the 10 minute Daily Football Briefing here: podfollow.com/1677588464/view
Roberto De Zerbi has been described as one of the most influential managers of the last 20 years, by none other than Pep Guardiola.
He has been commended for his coaching in the lower leagues of Italian football, Ukraine, and now in the Premier League with Brighton & Hove Albion. But considering his only major trophy win came in Ukraine for Shakhtar Donetsk, should he really be regarded as one of the best?
JJ Bull explains exactly what De Zerbi actually does.
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:13 He's quite good...
00:39 De Zerbi's background and career
02:59 1. Unrelenting intensity in training
05:26 2. Clear tactical identity
07:39 2.5 Baiting the press
11:36 3. Adapting positional play
12:35 4. Adjusting during matches
14:57 5. Thinking outside the box
16:36 6. Improves players
17:22 Conclusion
Follow Tifo Football:
Twitter: / tifofootball_
Facebook: / tifofootball
Instagram: / tifofootball_
Listen to the Tifo Football podcast:
Apple Podcasts: bit.ly/TifoFootPod
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/06QIGhq...
About Tifo Football:
Tifo loves football. We create In-depth tactical, historical and geopolitical breakdowns of the beautiful game.
We know there’s an appetite for thoughtful, intelligent content. For stuff that makes the complicated simple.
We provide analysis on the Premier League, Champions League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, World Cup and more.
Our podcasts interview some of the game’s leading figures. And our editorial covers football with depth and insight.
Founded in 2017 and became a part of The Athletic in 2020. For business inquiries, reach out to [e-mail].
Music sourced from epidemicsound.com
Additional footage sourced from freestockfootagearchive.com
#BHAFC #PremierLeague #Football

[@ladafum]

He's Brighton manager

[@jaydenlewis7276]

Oooooooh

[@ViVeriVniversvmVivusVici]

Silly Tifo, football is for kids.

[@liesideways]

😮

[@SakayoBukayo]

...

[@TheAthleticFC]

You're correct

[@crediblesalamander8056]

I feel like JJ's silliness is only escalating each time they make a video like this. I love it.

[@stevecartwright5842]

The short form videos give him less chance to put a song in to the confusion and disgust of Joe and the glee of me

[@rajsingh03]

Brighton's recruitment, player development and play-style has been top-tier. Hopefully, we get to see more good football from them.

[@geordiedog1749]

I agree. But! It’s because they can do that! What I mean is that their “lack of ambition” ie that they don’t want to be top team (yet!) they look to buy players like Caceado and then flog him. Lots of teams are after the same players as Brighton it’s just Brighton can offer them regular footie on a massive ‘shop window’ trip.

[@fredrikkarlsson1620]

Yes, indeed.

[@Jur1_00]

I find it interesting that a player from lower division made him rethink his style of play

[@TheAthleticFC]

The MYSTERY MAN

[@ImSeazoN]

that's what kept me watching

[@TheFlyingEpergne]

A true genius knows how to listen

[@Jur1_00]

@@TheFlyingEpergne I was thinking more of that fact that when people normally think of lower league players they assume they're not smart enough hence they're not playing in top divisions

[@MONKE-yz9hq]

​@@Jur1_00❤

[@Simone-bc2fo]

"The king of the managers! *Raahr* " God I love this channel

[@control2XS]

As a Leeds fan, he reminds me a lot of Bielsa (understandably given he trained with him), which honestly is some of the highest praise a Leeds fan can give xD But his tactics are a little different, and that idea of essentially using transitional / counter attacking tactics without having to lose the ball has clearly been really effective.

[@srijanpandey5238]

Lots of people have trouble understanding what different aspects of management are, some are coaches, some great tacticians and some great at man management. At the highest level, you need everything. But a coach is what De Zerbi is which is what Brighton need as well.

[@James-zj2ms]

8:35 They also bait the press by playing intentionally square passes. Square pass is a pressing trigger for a lot of teams, at which point it invites them to break a line and play through. They quite often ‘hide’ a pivot player behind that press so that after the line is broken they can set the ball to the pivot player and they’ve played through the press. It’s brilliant

[@Takohashi07]

You explained that amazingly, pictured it in my head. It's exactly what they do

[@poppyharlow4448]

JJ's like a goofy telemarketer in his videos, I love it

[@saint4901]

Please please please continue the "What does [blank] person actually do?" As a series. I found the one on Carlo Ancelotte entertaining and informative.

[@placidcasual9872]

I am going to be genuinely sad when we loose JJ to QVC..... but you can deny someone their true calling. Love you JJ

[@felixlowther7627]

Qvc? When

[@Highonwater3X]

What is QVC?

[@JRB33]

JJ should hobestly just start his own channel, pretty sure all the Tifo viewers would follow and he deserves a much bigger slice of the pie. Most entertaining videos by far (big props to behind the scenes production team still) Cant honestly say I'd watch much Tifo now without the podcast if it were for him

[@danielcrs558]

I love watching Brighton and De Zerbi still proves he is an immense coach, but he is so good and puts so much passion in playing this good football that it makes me doubt that he can succeed at a club like City, Real Madrid etc, where sometimes you let your principles aside and just evolve, rotate, do anything to win, like Pep did last season.

[@ElPabloDelDiablo]

Really happy that Ansu Fati went for a loan season there even if he doesn't get much game time, because he will learn a lot and become a better player.

[@Theyoungone28]

I dont think he’ll live up to the messi/villa expectation. But i see more of a Jack Grealish x2. If he can learn to incorporate possesion to dribbling prowess. We could see grealish if he actually took on his opponent and then had an extra finish factor. Doubt he’ll stay at brighton. City, Chelsea, and maybe United if ten hag stays

[@toantu3005]

​@@Theyoungone28a bit late but Ansu Fati is becoming a finisher now, he can't be a dribbler, or a winger that can hold on to the ball, anymore because of his severe knee injuries. Not necessarily a bad thing, just don't want people to have false hope and expect him to do what Grealish does.

[@MrGrgiZg08]

Love the new jersey setup behind JJ! That Kaka Milan one is a beauty

[@johnrossi5665]

Shout out to the top-tier editing in this video - never before thought I would get to see DeZerbi's true form as a majestic butterfly

[@josephreid1193]

this is a man loving his job. Fair play JJ

[@stu9850]

Love the new style you guys are running with, it's funny and creative. Keep it going!

[@Blamblisco]

Do a video on the importance of Tony Bloom and to a lesser extent Mathew Benham on their contributions to their teams success. Isn't it not only the use of proprietary analytic software but how it's scientifically applied to transfers and a whole range of key indicators that explains their achievements?

[@IILORIMERII]

Some of the animations in this video are almost on par with the brilliant silliness of JJ... great to see!

[@scottbaron]

4:20 - brilliant

[@batley1805]

Hope to see a few videos on a wider variety of teams eventually, as much as I enjoy the videos it feels like a lot of the same old topics sometimes. Maybe one on Maresca, Emery or why Bourmouth seem to be struggling.

[@bungaIowbill]

Guardiola sees through it. Man City will just stand and watch while Dunk has his studs on the ball. 90 minutes will pass without any movement. Casuals will say it's a boring game, but they lack the sophistication to see the strategic masterpiece unfolding before their very eyes

[@juliandavall7604]

😂😂😂

[@davidlean1060]

There was a Monty Python sketch from The Flying Circus where famous philosophers and thinkers were playing a football match. The ref blows his whistle and the philosophers and thinkers just wander around the pitch, scratching their chins. Sounds like the sort of thing you are on about! In the sketch, nothing happens until Archemedes shouts Eureka and dribbles down the pitch and scores!

[@MrMeoow91]

He manages.

[@FaraazAhmad]

Please never let JJ leave

[@otavongryf1379]

He puts the Brighton back into Brighton

[@nharikrishna7818]

Great one tifo

[@batata04]

Toni Kroos is the model de zerbi player. Everything youre describing, Toni kroos always does. One of the most underrated players of this generation.

[@aidangriffiths5075]

Its literally the teams hes managed, theyre not trophy machines, he also didnt have Messi in his squad like Guardiola 😂 i also like to think that that was actually Vacca speaking, and thats his real voice. Makes this video way better 😂

[@ayandasokhela4617]

Brilliant video JJ. Can u make an analysis on how Emeri smashed him? What did he do differently?

[@eliandthatsit]

No no no keep watching the video we're not telling you the player. Leave the comments. No spoilers

[@AdamOBrien29]

You mean Antonio Vacca?

[@ericyeung5296]

JJ another fun and informative video. “Where did you go Cotton eye joe” never expected to see that in a football video.

[@therealking6202]

JJ has WAY too much fun on that screen. I wonder if you listened to his inner thoughts he would be going "Pew pew! Alpha team, flank that position!" Another thought is to just slow down the video so we can tell what he's actually talking about!

[@user-xk9dp9wh2t]

That Kaka 22 jersey in the back is something I’ve been waiting for quite long ago

[@user-lb4kr3oy4z]

I love tifo videos, I sometimes use these videos for my football manager save, could you guys please do a Brentford tactics video

[@saraha2250]

Tifo have grown 😊❤

[@thegametaka]

He really is the master

[@leemcverry4636]

Please someone let me know where I can get those framed print shirts from in the background. They are pretty cool and slick

[@joshbailey872]

6:19 didn't have to come for palace like that, especially in a video talking about how good brighton's manager is :'(

[@Kaethanos]

I've already seen the video thrice and I keep starting over again looking for more details, JJ can you please let me stop and go to work?

[@TheAthleticFC]

No!

[@Kaethanos]

@@TheAthleticFC I've sent it to my manager, you guys work it out, I'll be looking for the details in the video in the meantime.

[@pivot007]

Make a video about Scaloni's Argentina please!

[@avyuktkochhar8374]

JJ please tell me where you got that beautiful jersey from. I need it. We need it.

[@FajnyZiomekXD]

What's the app or site are you using in this video? I would love to bring it to my work

[@abhishekde8698]

Now you guys have incorporated humour 😂 awesome buds

[@dp4587]

Which program did u use when u analyst the playing style of De Zerbi?

[@mattiadisauro2042]

Love your shirt man! Forza Napoli Sempre 🩵

[@yousufhossain9768]

Im a manager lover football fans .. ita sad but pep entering his last stafe of his career but good thing de zarbi happened in football.. we need these type of coach in football. I follow them wherever they go . I support their team .. I love football when it played how it meant to be played .

[@hungchoonghow5857]

I hope he can tell his compatriots not to gamble and cause the Italian national team not qualify for Euro 2024, World Cup 2026, Euro 2028 and World Cup 2030 (which btw is the 100th anniversary of the World Cup and if Italy can't qualify, I don't know what to say to the Godfather and the Super Mario Bros)

[@fahedali1113]

Big respect to de zerbi

[@God_is_an_Atheist666]

Marcelo Bielsa's influence is unmatched. Fun fact Bielsa was the first coach to squat while coaching on the sidelines.

[@domhuckle]

Fishing stool anyone?

[@_DioBrando_]

I wonder what what the ceiling is with De Zerbi. His teams' play style is great with below average players. If he got his hands on elite young talent he would probably be winning silverware (or more seriously competing for it).

[@jonathana6943]

It's not that simple. Not everyone can cope with elite players. Some people are just made for these level of players

[@anasselmansouri3956]

Calling Brighton players below average is seriously disrespectful, I swear if a team like PSG had pascal gross in their team they wouldn't have lost to Newcastle in that way, or even someone like dunk, think a little before you speak, and I don't even need to mention the 100 mil player they sold and ofc Mac allister

[@stuckupcurlyguy]

That's what people said about Graham Potter and Erik Ten Hag. How are they going at present?

[@n0body550]

@@anasselmansouri3956They are though, how much did he get most of these players into brighton for?

[@JSmith-fx8uj]

"Below average & no elite young players" You 🍩

[@CarlosRojas-hr6ms]

That British accent co’n eye joe with the full Ts enunciated was classic

[@london_TC]

It was a two cafetierre morning for JJ What happens when the player puts their studs on the ball and the other team don't take the bait?

[@AK-forty-seven]

It's funny how this video is about De Zerbi being a genius, but when JJ mentioned how some of de Zerbi's tactics and his counters, to his opponents' counters. He reminded me of zidane and how underrated and vastly his tactical genius has been disrespectfully disregarded even though he has won 3ucls in a row. Nothing but respect to De Zerbi, I think he's the future of possession football i hope he gets the accolades and trophies he deserves.

[@domhuckle]

Zidane's genius wasn't flashy unless you see how deceptive his movement was

[@SosasCountrysideMeditations]

He’s assistant manager at my local Pizza Express, he’s a gracious host and boss, but a firm one. I once heard him scold a waitress with “We have standards here Natalya, this is Pizza, this is passion, this is not the Gulag”

[@eltk1785]

One both goals Liverpool broke their build up with high pressing forcing them into errors.

[@noamrubin6251]

Make a how to use an aging star featuring Ronaldo in Portugal and messi in Argentina both working in good systems around them with 100% win rate since WC

[@Rahul_varma]

16:04 veltman's offside...

[@les_crow]

6:33 He is talking about Manchester United BTW.

[@LamontGranquist]

Kind of surprises me that most coaches, particularly at an elite level, don't actively teach deception in receiving, passing, shooting, PKs and movement. Explains why players who figure that out on their own have large advantages.

[@XXBlueThanosXX]

funny thing is that Brighton conceded more goals in league this season ( 16 ) than Luton town did ( 15 )

[@theweekndxo7438]

I love memes like that. “What does he actually do?”

[@shayantanbanerjee9624]

Wait. So if someone comes to play for a point and doesn't press, why would he bother to press when the player stands with his studs on the ball as he knows that he's being baited.

[@mattiadisauro2042]

I love your shirt man 🩵🩵 Forza Napoli Sempre

[@gabrijeljasa1076]

• idea: use these tactics in career mode - rest on the ball & invite the pressure - ...

[@triplenz]

He manages the first team football squad of Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club.

[@aaronbixby9703]

Imagine being awake for a Tifo upload!

[@TheAthleticFC]

I can't.

[@user-tr7mf6mw5e]

They didn't panic when they lost Potter and this is why. Brilliant recruitment by Brighton!

[@i.blomen]

Not suprising that one of the best (De Zerbi) learn from the best (Bielsa).

[@trakomane55]

Please do Analysis on ANDRE TRINDADÈ😢

[@ErnoAlias]

He is coaching the premier league team called Brighton.

[@DonRizzla]

Christ I miss the JJ, Joe, Sebastian & baby boy Pinder banter

[@God_is_an_Atheist666]

That Boateng quote is crazy ngl.

[@nickdcarver]

Beware of Guardiola paying you a lot of compliments - he won't do this if he sees you as a genuine threat. He's happy to lavish praise on coaches that play football the 'right' - i.e. his - way so long as they are managing at clubs that aren't on his team's level. Soon as you're considered a serious challenger to him though the nice words will stop.

[@EvieWillNotDie]

I like this human

[@notmyname1911]

5:34 I thought my monitor was shaking :)

[@donidaniello21]

1:53 Is it me or RDZ looks a lot like the host?? LOL

[@lwandomadikizela2213]

Brighton are ten times better under De Zerbi than under Potter. They are scoring goals for fun albeit leaky at the back in some games unlike Potter when they couldn't score goals to save their lives after creating multiple chances.

[@bungaIowbill]

I watched the video again and got the same amount of details. Should I watch it again?

[@mariadanielalavia8877]

Came here to say that his job is being a football coach for Brighton hoping it helps

[@jcxkzhgco3050]

Do one on atletico Madrid, they’ve scored second highest number of league goals in 2023 among top 5 leagues

[@sujayshetty3158]

Ah...So if Brighton swap keepers there's not many questions, but if Raya replaces Ramsdale the media goes into overdrive. Why not much discussion on that?

[@GarythB]

Can’t help but feel Villa’s 6-1 win was glossed over a bit here - in particular Luiz’ positioning, pushing very high in midfield. Emery’s Villa has won every league game against De Zerbi.

[@wilsonathleticscoaching]

They don't like Emery, he's actually won trophies and always seem to fine an excuse, let alone pulled De Zerbi's pants down 3 times.

[@GarythB]

@@wilsonathleticscoaching lol. That may be true - I suspect it’s just easier to highlight ‘new’ things/managers, rather than where existing managers have evolved over time. Emery seems a master of evolving and tweaking, rather than having a rigid ‘manifesto’

[@WiHuThRi]

The more important question is who gave JJ Ribena?

[@ionutpopa4397]

Luton Brighton 4-0, Fulham Brighton 3-0. This is what he does.

[@jg7088]

I like his spiky hair

[@firas_13]

JJ's eternally doomed to be in a constant battle against insanity.

[@NEO786]

He does something no English manager can do in the Premier League… he performs 😅

[@snethembasnezo4396]

Chelsea squad is tailored for De Zerbi

[@mmsjejrinside385]

Facts, hopefully he replaces Poch in the summer

[@sagirius19]

It’s happen VS united where they inviting united to press them purposely, as a resutt united feel that their pressing being useless and a waste of energy.

[@funkrates4778]

Messi and Ronaldinho have been replaced with Bellingham and Rooney. What does it mean?

[@lacaradofeeds5973]

Its only you tbh... He's just a decent manager... Make videos like that more of pep!! We are only witnessing once in a lifetime manager

[@benyamin6085]

But why ,this tactics did not work against WestHam, RDZ looked confused on that game, !!!????

[@peterkeleher]

2:47 🤣

[@rudranilshil7]

De zarbi and xabi alonso , the next pep and mourinho

[@benharmon7369]

You may have heard “you don’t need to hoof it long” what you really heard was 🤫 Gary Neville

[@andydiaz6119]

He manages

[@geordiedog1749]

He does get the odd hiding though!

[@ennovation7544]

He seems like a Italian Ted lasso

[@pownder]

Di Zerbi's press baiting looks like he's playing checkers