Almog Cohen Debuts as Premier League Coach Against Former Club Maccabi Netanya

Almog Cohen will make his Premier League coaching debut on Saturday evening when his team, Beitar Jerusalem, faces his former club, Maccabi Netanya. Cohen previously served as Netanya's professional manager and will now confront one of Israeli football's most experienced coaches, Roni Levy. This matchup provides a chance to examine the growing tactical trend in Israeli football known as "build-up play," which involves advancing the ball from the defensive third to create attacking opportunities and catch opponents off guard.

Build-up play, once criticized as overly defensive, now emphasizes controlled passing starting from the goalkeeper and center-backs to bypass opposing midfield lines and set up better offensive positions. Both veteran coaches like Levy and newcomers like Cohen have adopted this approach. An analysis of all 14 Premier League teams showed varying degrees of build-up play, measured by the percentage of passes completed in their own half. Bnei Sakhnin led with 61.6%, followed by Netanya at 58.5%, and Hapoel Petah Tikva at 58.4%. Interestingly, the league champion Hapoel Be'er Sheva had the lowest rate at 41.5%, reflecting their more aggressive, high-pressing style with many passes in the opponent’s half.

The data revealed no clear correlation between the extent of build-up play and league success. For example, Netanya scored 59 goals but finished seventh, while Be'er Sheva won the title with fewer build-up passes. The difference lies in where the passes occur and the team’s ability to press and recover quickly. Be'er Sheva’s approach requires exceptional fitness and a strong midfield, which enabled them to mount comebacks last season.

Netanya strengthened its defense this season, including signing promising goalkeeper Samu Silva, and continues to emphasize forward play, with 64% of their passes occurring in the opponent’s half. However, this style carries risks, as seen in their conceding 63 goals last season and causing nine penalties. The article concludes that build-up play is a tactical choice that depends on team composition and execution. Teams with creative players who can exploit quick opportunities benefit from it, but if the defensive cover is weak, it can be dangerous. Cohen’s Beitar Jerusalem will likely test this approach against Netanya’s strong forwards like Matheus Dabo, while also relying on players like Luka Gadrani and Brian Carvalho to capitalize on any mistakes.

The Premier League’s evolving tactics highlight the balance between risk and reward in modern Israeli football, with build-up play offering a strategic tool that can either unlock defenses or expose vulnerabilities depending on the team’s strengths.