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Comparison

Compare managers

Select two manager dossiers for professional tactical analysis, read against the same scale.

Prototype rating

Select manager A

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Paul Heckingbottom

Preston North End

England flag England · 49

GafferScore 70

Defensive OrganisationLow BlockSet-Piece Threat

Defensive Organisation / Low Block

vs

Select manager B

🇪🇸

Unai Emery

Aston Villa

Spain flag Spain · 54

GafferScore 88

Tactical FlexibilityHigh Defensive LineCounter Attack

Tactical Flexibility / High Defensive Line

Tactical comparison

Comparison summary

Paul Heckingbottom sets up as organised • disciplined • low-risk from a 4-4-2, pressing at low intensity behind a deep defensive line. Unai Emery is detail-led • offside trap • game management from a 4-4-2, with high press intensity and a very high line.

Key similarities

  • Width — both around 78

Key differences

  • Line Height — Unai Emery higher by 58
  • Pressing Intensity — Unai Emery higher by 46
  • High Press — Unai Emery higher by 35
  • Counter-Press — Unai Emery higher by 27

Tactical similarity20%

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

GafferScore

70/100

Paul Heckingbottom

Preston North End

EFL Championship

🇪🇸

GafferScore

88/100

Unai Emery

Aston Villa

Premier League

Comparative shape

Assessment profile

AttackDefencePressingPossessionBuild-UpTransitionPlayerTactical
Paul HeckingbottomUnai Emery
0–100 index

Overall

70

GafferScore

88

Advantage Unai Emery

66

Current Form

80

Advantage Unai Emery

0–100 index

Tactical identity

62

Possession

82

Advantage Unai Emery

52

Tempo

62

Advantage Unai Emery

78

Width

78

Similar

86

Verticality

94

Advantage Unai Emery

0–100 index

Build-up

63

Short Build-Up

83

Advantage Unai Emery

59

Goalkeeper Involvement

74

Advantage Unai Emery

64

Central Progression

83

Advantage Unai Emery

63

Press Resistance

82

Advantage Unai Emery

0–100 index

Attack

68

Chance Creation

84

Advantage Unai Emery

66

Final Third Structure

83

Advantage Unai Emery

74

Width

80

Advantage Unai Emery

58

Central Overloads

71

Advantage Unai Emery

0–100 index

Pressing

34

Pressing Intensity

80

Advantage Unai Emery

56

Counter-Press

83

Advantage Unai Emery

47

High Press

82

Advantage Unai Emery

68

Pressing Triggers

88

Advantage Unai Emery

0–100 index

Defence

81

Defensive Organisation

88

Advantage Unai Emery

34

Line Height

92

Advantage Unai Emery

77

Compactness

64

Advantage Paul Heckingbottom

77

Rest Defence

89

Advantage Unai Emery

0–100 index

Transitions

67

Attacking Transition

80

Advantage Unai Emery

78

Defensive Transition

88

Advantage Unai Emery

0–100 index

Development

72

Youth Development

82

Advantage Unai Emery

72

Player Improvement

84

Advantage Unai Emery

0–100 index

Flexibility

71

Formation Flexibility

94

Advantage Unai Emery

72

In-Game Adaptability

93

Advantage Unai Emery

GafferLens index

Category assessment

68Attack84
81Defence88
66Pressing84
62Possession82
64Build-Up83
74Transition88
72Player Development82
71Tactical Flexibility94
Verified canonical record

Current Club — League

92Matches140
27.2%Win %52.1%
Career-wide profile data

Career profile record

—Points / game1.83
—Goals / game1.86
—Conceded / game1.11
—Clean sheet %38%
4-4-2Current base shape4-4-2
49Age54
8 JUL 2025Appointed1 NOV 2022
1 year, 3 monthsTenure3 years, 11 months
Until 30 June 2028ContractUntil Jun 2029
6 years, 8 monthsYrs in senior management21 years
Preston North EndClubAston Villa
EFL ChampionshipLeaguePremier League
Projected

Head-to-head tactical matchup

Provisional

  • Press vs build-up

    Advantage: Unai Emery

    Paul Heckingbottom's press (66) against Unai Emery's build-up (83) decides whether the first phase survives.

  • Build-up vs press

    Advantage: Unai Emery

    Unai Emery presses at 84; Paul Heckingbottom builds at 64.

  • Attack vs defence

    Advantage: Unai Emery

    Paul Heckingbottom's attacking model (68) against Unai Emery's defensive organisation (88).

  • Transition duel

    Advantage: Unai Emery

    Both sides live in the seconds after a turnover — 74 vs 88.

  • In-game flexibility

    Advantage: Unai Emery

    Who changes the game from the touchline: 71 vs 94.

Matchup lines are modelled from tactical descriptors, not from recorded fixtures between these managers.

GafferLens Pro

Advanced manager intelligence

Coming later

Advanced Tactical Style

Possession + High PressFast / Vertical + Counter AttackBuild combinations

Build-Up Style

Short Build-UpStructured Build-UpDirect ProgressionGoalkeeper InvolvementBack Three Build-Up

Pressing Profile

High PressCounter-PressMid-BlockLow BlockMan-Oriented Press

Attacking Profile

Positional AttackHigh-Tempo AttackWide OverloadsCentral OverloadsHalf-Space FocusDirect Attacking

Defensive Profile

High Defensive LineCompact BlockAggressive DefenceDeep DefenceDefensive Organisation

Player Development

Youth DevelopmentAcademy IntegrationPlayer ImprovementYoung Squad Experience

Advanced Experience

Champions League ExperienceEuropean ExperienceInternational ManagementTitle-Winning ExperienceRebuild Experience

Rating Filters

GafferScore ≥ 85Pressing ≥ 80Build-Up ≥ 80Player Development ≥ 75

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Possession + High Press + Under 45 + Elite Experience

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Advanced Similarity

Build-UpAttackPressingDefenceTransitionsFlexibilityPlayer Development

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Season: 2026/27