Wrong Decision or Genius? Tactical Analysis of Goals from the ‘Funnel’ and Why Bielsa is Right

 

As usual on weekends, I grabbed my notebook, turned on my computer, and sat at my desk for another match analysis session. This Saturday, my focus was on several Premier League and La Liga matches.

One of the games featured two fascinating teams facing off in West London: Thomas Frank’s Brentford and Unai Emery’s Aston Villa.

It was the 49th minute when Ollie Watkins received the ball about 40 meters from Brentford’s box, positioned on the left channel. It was a transition play, a 4v3 situation. Brentford’s players tried to defend the central corridor, clustering together and offering Watkins the opportunity to progress. Watkins entered the box, now facing goalkeeper Mark Flekken at a diagonal angle, driving the ball with his right foot. His shooting position wasn’t ideal, and Brentford’s defenders had managed to recover and provide support. Watkins lifted his head, took a quick glance at the situation, looked back at the ball, and prepared to finish. Goal.

Less than a minute later, Watkins once again received the ball in a diagonal position—just like before, not the best spot for a shot. This time, the defender forced him beyond that diagonal formed by the goalpost and the edge of the box—the so-called ‘funnel.’ At the 50th minute, Watkins lifted his head and… passed the ball to Rogers, who scored the 0-2. Another transition, another dangerous moment for Brentford, though this time the goal was disallowed for offside in the buildup.

But we’re not here to discuss the match itself; instead, let’s focus on these two finishing situations.

First, I’d like to bring up something you’ve likely seen in many football training drills—shooting exercises, possession games with finishing, or small-sided games where two lines are drawn from the edge of the penalty area to the goalpost. A funnel.

What’s the Purpose of the Funnel?

 

Why do we use it? Are players restricted from playing outside those lines? Can they score from outside?

In training, every line or marker we use serves a learning objective related to real match situations. In this case, the lines create two distinct zones:

• Inside the funnel – The finishing zone.
• Outside the funnel – The passing zone.

The idea is that when a player receives the ball outside the funnel, the objective is to progress into a better position within the funnel to receive a pass and finish.

Can a player score from outside the funnel?

 

Of course, they can. A player’s talent and the context of the moment influence their decision-making. That decision may lead to a positive or negative outcome (for most people, that simply means goal or no goal), but the reasoning behind the decision is often more about making the right choice than about the final result. In many cases, the outcome doesn’t necessarily correlate with whether the decision was right or wrong, as other factors come into play—factors beyond the control of the player.

In Watkins’ case, he decided to shoot despite having defenders in front of him and the goalkeeper covering the area where the ball entered. From a conventional perspective, we might consider this a poor decision that, due to other circumstances (such as a slight deflection off a defender’s leg), ended up with a positive outcome.

What Bielsa’s Methodology teaches us

 

This brings me to my next point.

I’ve had the privilege of learning Marcelo Bielsa’s methodology from the inside, and as a coach, Bielsa has extensively analyzed the different ways goals are scored in football. His belief is that if players understand and train various finishing techniques (which he identified after analyzing thousands of matches), they will become better decision-makers.

Among the finishing techniques Bielsa teaches, one involves this exact ‘funnel’ area. And he must be right—just this weekend, in the matches I analyzed, several goals were scored from this very position:

• Saturday: Watkins against Brentford, Hudson-Odoi against Man City.
• Sunday: Tavernier against Tottenham, Pape Sarr in the same match.
• Vinícius Jr. and Mbappé against Rayo Vallecano.
• Zappacosta against Juventus.

In Bielsa’s methodology, two lines are drawn from the edge of the penalty box to the six-yard box, creating a scenario where the attacker is isolated against the goalkeeper, dribbling forward to find the best finishing angle.

Are these two approaches compatible?

 

Absolutely.

Training different finishing scenarios should be a fundamental part of every coach’s methodology. At the same time, tactical and strategic preparation ensures that the team is ready to respond collectively in specific situations.

Ultimately, the final decision belongs to the player. As coaches, analysts, and observers, our role is to respect and encourage their decision-making. However, if the player chooses a solution that aligns with the team’s collective understanding, it’s our responsibility to ensure they are prepared for that scenario—so that the final outcome is as effective as possible.

What do you think? Was it a mistake or a stroke of genius? Join the discussion and dive into more tactical breakdowns! Discover more articles now!