Counterintuitive tactics, decisions and actions can disrupt existing patterns of play to the benefit of the team making them.
The surprise effect explained
One of the joys of football, apparently, is its unpredictability (see Leicester 2015-2016 and various upsets of Icelandic proportions). Except ...
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Der Überraschungs-Effekt – eine Einführung
Eine der schönen Seiten am Fußball ist seine scheinbare Unvorhersehbarkeit (man denke an Leicester 2015/16 und diverse Überraschungserfolge isländischen Ausmaßes) ...
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Over or under?
One criticism of the surprise effect is that any "surprising" action only works once. Of course, once may be enough ...
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The home advantage in football
Everyone knows it's harder to win away from home. Which is why it's harder to win away from home. In ...
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A surprise in the dressing room
When teams apply the surprise effect to change game dynamics, it's usually during the match itself. With the emphasis on ...
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Liverpool-Sevilla 2016: a game of two seconds
1-0 up at halftime and bursting with the Spirit of the K(l)op, Liverpool looked good for a Europa League title ...
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