Women's Champions League tactical analysis: How Vivianne Miedema's movement turned the tie in Man City's favour
Thursday, March 20, 2025
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UEFA's Technical Observer Gemma Grainger analyses Man City's impressive 2-0 win over Chelsea in the first leg of their UEFA Women's Champions League quarter-final tie.
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A second-half double from Manchester City attacker Vivianne Miedema helped secure a 2-0 victory for her side in the first leg of their UEFA Women's Champions League quarter-final against Chelsea on Wednesday night.
In this article, UEFA Technical Observer and Norway women's head coach Gemma Grainger, working together with UEFA's analysis unit, highlights the impact of the Dutch forward following her introduction as a half-time substitute.
Miedema provides clinical threat in front of goal
Miedema's introduction helped turn this evenly balanced quarter-final tie in favour of the home side. With the game goalless, the Dutch forward showed her ruthlessness in the box with a first-time finish from close range to give City the lead in the 60th minute. The 28-year-old, who was named Player of the Match, added her second with a composed finish in the penalty area in the 89th minute to secure victory.
"Miedema made the winning impact, coming on at half-time in the No9 position," explained Grainger. "Direct in her play, she scored the opening goal. She was the difference in a game of fine margins, in the right place, and produced a quality finish for her first strike. She continued to make threatening runs to create chances and then scored her second."
Clever penalty-area positioning brings reward for Miedema
Both Miedema's goals came from inside the penalty area and her movement and positioning in this area of the pitch proved a constant issue for Chelsea's back line. "For her first goal we see the position she often picks up just off the back of the central defender," explains Grainger. "It's like she's out of sight and, therefore, she's in the right place at the right time for the finish. The position she picks up behind the central defender means she can either go across them if she wants to, or she can go behind them. It's very clever from her in terms of her positioning in the box to score goals."
Miedema’s ability to create and exploit space also proved effective during City's attacking transitions. Clip two (below) shows the forward's ability to drift into wider areas to receive and play forward.
Miedema introduction adds variety to City's attacking threat
After an evenly balanced first half, Miedema's arrival provided Nick Cushing's side with a greater attacking threat. The forward's willingness to run in behind Chelsea’s back line, as well as her ability to drop deep and connect the play, offered the hosts a different threat to that in the opening period.
"Miedema is a different type of No9 to Mary Fowler, who played in that position in the first half," explains Grainger. "Fowler was dropping deeper more, almost like a false nine at times. This was the plan that City started the game with. Then when Miedema came on she was making those threatening runs in behind."
Grainger identified the forward's clever movement and unpredictability as two key reasons as to why she was effective in this tie. "Miedema has more variety in her play as a No9," explains Grainger. "She's a lot less predictable. Sometimes she's coming into the pocket to receive and then other times she's very good at running in behind. She had a number of chances as a result of playing off the shoulder of the last defender."
Coaching discussion: The benefits of varied movements in attacking areas
Attacking players who can develop a variety of movements – both towards and away from the ball – can cause defenders indecision, says Grainger.
"The variety of movement with which Miedema plays is the most difficult thing to combat because she's got such good quality," she explains. "If she comes short, and a defender doesn't go with her, she will get front-facing and pick out a pass that will hurt you.
"If a defender does go with her, she's got the ability then to make the run off the defender’s shoulder into the space. For defenders they are left thinking: 'What do I do here? Do I stay, do I go?' She also picks up some great positions in transition."
Further analysis
