Philipp Lahm Quotes

There's a decision each match. I decide how we are going to play, and it depends on the opposition 30 per cent, their structure, and 70 per cent is for us.

At the beginning of the week, when we do our game planning, we look at the opponent and all the unique things they do.

Far too much emphasis on what is deemed the 'wrong' style of football. That's what annoys me. Your style depends on who you're playing and what group of players you have at your disposal.

The most important thing in Guardiola's theory is to play football, and this always stays the same. The basic idea is always the same, but different opponents offer different space which you can use to play in.

The old adage that you shouldn't change a winning team doesn't apply in modern international football because managers have to study the opposition and pick players who exploit their weaknesses.

Every opposition needs to be played in a different way and the formation depends on the opposition's strengths.

When you play the top sides you cannot afford to be as open as 4-4-2 can leave you. Consequently teams adapt their formation.

I think it's nice to have a variety of lineups and formations to use against different opponents, depending on what they bring.

I experienced how Pep Guardiola worked every day. He had football on his mind round the clock: 'What system does the opponent like to play? How do I want to set up my team, who do I want in which position?'

The way you adapt and play against different teams and different styles is going to be important.

Teams like the Patriots stress situational football moreso than a lot of other teams in the NFL.

Playing 4-5-1, I could have all the liberty in the world - it was complicated to express myself.

In the Champions League, you can focus on a single game and play in exactly the style you need.

In my period at Chelsea, I was sometimes the one who switched sides because we were playing with two left-footed guys on the wings with myself and Damian Duff.

I played Zidane throughout my career, and for many players you reach a point where you learn lessons on how to handle them. But from the first match I played against him to the last, Zidane would find different ways to beat me.

The more you know about your opponents, the more you learn how to beat them. Where the holes open to run through, blocking schemes, even down to player tendencies and what hand they like to carry the ball with.

Whether it's third down, man vs. man or red zone, a lot of the game comes down to one-on-one matchups.

You need to be 100% focused all match long against Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

I have the mindset of a coach. I have to think, what would a coach think? How would a coach feel if I'm playing a guy a certain way?

I used to have a log on every corner in the league, what their strengths and weaknesses are.

You never really get to the point in any offense - even when I was in New England for six years - where things don't change.

All the projects that coaches go through in the offseason are based on the success other teams had in every area whether it's offense, defense or special teams. What they do is see if they can incorporate anything they see with the people they have.

Our players know that we try to come in each week and put ourselves in the best position to have a chance to win, and sometimes that means some people playing more than others; sometimes it means using different personnel groupings in different weeks.

Sarri is meticulous, passionate about tactics, he likes to make the team play well.

Scouting is important. You just want to know whom you are playing against and how to play them well within the team's defense.