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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

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Tom Shaw

Lincoln City

England flag England · 40

GafferScore 68

Youth DevelopmentStructured Build-UpPossession

Youth Development / Structured Build-Up

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

Tom Shaw sets up as development • progressive • patient from a 4-3-3, pressing at high intensity behind a high 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

  • Tempo — both around 62
  • Width — both around 78
  • Pressing Intensity — both around 80
  • Youth Development — both around 81

Key differences

  • Verticality — Unai Emery higher by 32
  • Formation Flexibility — Unai Emery higher by 25
  • In-Game Adaptability — Unai Emery higher by 25
  • GafferScore — Unai Emery higher by 20

Tactical similarity18%

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

GafferScore

68/100

Tom Shaw

Lincoln City

EFL Championship

🇪🇸

GafferScore

88/100

Unai Emery

Aston Villa

Premier League

Comparative shape

Assessment profile

AttackDefencePressingPossessionBuild-UpTransitionPlayerTactical
Tom ShawUnai Emery
0–100 index

Overall

68

GafferScore

88

Advantage Unai Emery

64

Current Form

80

Advantage Unai Emery

0–100 index

Tactical identity

70

Possession

82

Advantage Unai Emery

62

Tempo

62

Similar

78

Width

78

Similar

62

Verticality

94

Advantage Unai Emery

0–100 index

Build-up

71

Short Build-Up

83

Advantage Unai Emery

65

Goalkeeper Involvement

74

Advantage Unai Emery

70

Central Progression

83

Advantage Unai Emery

70

Press Resistance

82

Advantage Unai Emery

0–100 index

Attack

68

Chance Creation

84

Advantage Unai Emery

69

Final Third Structure

83

Advantage Unai Emery

74

Width

80

Advantage Unai Emery

59

Central Overloads

71

Advantage Unai Emery

0–100 index

Pressing

80

Pressing Intensity

80

Similar

73

Counter-Press

83

Advantage Unai Emery

76

High Press

82

Advantage Unai Emery

70

Pressing Triggers

88

Advantage Unai Emery

0–100 index

Defence

70

Defensive Organisation

88

Advantage Unai Emery

80

Line Height

92

Advantage Unai Emery

55

Compactness

64

Advantage Unai Emery

69

Rest Defence

89

Advantage Unai Emery

0–100 index

Transitions

65

Attacking Transition

80

Advantage Unai Emery

68

Defensive Transition

88

Advantage Unai Emery

0–100 index

Development

80

Youth Development

82

Similar

78

Player Improvement

84

Advantage Unai Emery

0–100 index

Flexibility

69

Formation Flexibility

94

Advantage Unai Emery

68

In-Game Adaptability

93

Advantage Unai Emery

GafferLens index

Category assessment

68Attack84
70Defence88
70Pressing84
70Possession82
71Build-Up83
66Transition88
80Player Development82
69Tactical Flexibility94
Verified canonical record

Current Club — League

2Matches140
0%Win %52.1%
Career-wide profile data

Career profile record

—Points / game1.83
—Goals / game1.86
—Conceded / game1.11
—Clean sheet %38%
4-3-3Current base shape4-4-2
40Age54
1 JUL 2023Appointed1 NOV 2022
3 years, 3 monthsTenure3 years, 11 months
Until 30 June 2028ContractUntil Jun 2029
3 years, 3 monthsYrs in senior management21 years
Lincoln CityClubAston Villa
EFL ChampionshipLeaguePremier League
Projected

Head-to-head tactical matchup

Provisional

  • Press vs build-up

    Advantage: Unai Emery

    Tom Shaw's press (70) 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; Tom Shaw builds at 71.

  • Attack vs defence

    Advantage: Unai Emery

    Tom Shaw'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 — 66 vs 88.

  • In-game flexibility

    Advantage: Unai Emery

    Who changes the game from the touchline: 69 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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Advanced Similarity

Build-UpAttackPressingDefenceTransitionsFlexibilityPlayer Development

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Season: 2026/27