Analysis: how has Fixing reshuffled Al-Ittihad's cards in 60 days?

The first thing that catches the eye about Union Saint-Gilloise is that they don't rely on a single player to make the difference. They move as one unit. The ball is shifted quickly, the players run for one another, and every movement opens up space for a teammate.

When the Union have possession, the aim is not merely to keep the ball. They look quickly for space behind the defenders, whether through direct passes that break the defensive line or long balls exploited in attacking transitions.

Read also: From goalscorer to defender: how has Youssef En-Nesyri's style changed with the Union?

That speed in switching from the defensive phase to the attacking one lets the Union strike the opponent before they can regain their organisation. The team has players capable of exploiting the spaces and running in behind the defensive line.

Most importantly, this approach does not rely solely on the quality of the final pass. It hinges on the movement of the entire group. The striker moves, the winger cuts inside, the full-back pushes up, and the midfielder shifts to secure the space, so the attack becomes a series of coordinated movements rather than a wait for an individual solution.

The moment Al-Ittihad lose the ball, another phase of Facchetti's system kicks in. Rather than dropping off and waiting for the opponent near their own box, they hunt the ball back as quickly as they can.

They move as one to press the man in possession, swarming the spaces around him. The idea is simple: force the opponent into a rushed decision that hands the ball straight back.

This is where understanding between the lines matters. Pressing falls apart if a player charges out alone. That's why Al-Ittihad have started moving as a single block, the midfielder pushing up alongside the winger, the full-back sliding across to close the space, the striker snapping at the defenders.

The pay-off is significant. Winning the ball high up the pitch means Al-Ittihad don't need to build from the back at all. They can turn and attack the goal immediately, which is exactly the fast, direct football Facchetti wants.

You can discuss topics and news in greater depth on the "Kooora" forums

The full-backs carry the width in Vissing's system. That's one of its defining tactical features, freeing the wingers to drift into central areas and pack numbers around the opponent's penalty box.

As the full-back advances, the winger has licence to slide into the inside channels rather than hug the touchline. Suddenly the opposition defence has more than one threat to handle at once, from the middle or out wide.

Vissing also makes a point of isolating his wingers in one-on-one situations. He knows a player who can beat his man opens up an entire defensive structure, so the collective movements exist to set up these individual duels.

The Al-Ittihad attack, then, isn't a simple bid to reach the penalty area. It's an organised process built to give the man on the ball more than one option, forcing the opposition defence into hard choices: close the middle, track the winger, or deal with the overlapping full-back.

Perhaps Youssef En-Nesyri is the best example of the scale of change Fesing has brought to Al-Ittihad. The Moroccan striker is no longer merely a spearhead waiting for the ball inside the penalty area. He has taken on roles that go beyond his traditional attacking task.

Watch him closely and you'll see it. During some phases of matches, En-Nesyri drops back into advanced defensive areas to help close down spaces and mark some of the opponent's sources of danger, before switching the instant Al-Ittihad win the ball back into a striker hunting for space behind the defenders.

This kind of role reflects Fesing's core idea. A player is not only required to perform his original job, but must serve the system at every moment of the match, whether the ball is with Al-Ittihad or with the opponent.

Read also: Ronaldo defies the laws of physics: 42 years old and still not stopping demolishing his critics!

Here you can understand why Al-Ittihad have come to look more cohesive and more spirited collectively of late. The team no longer plays as a group of individuals, but as a group of players moving to a single idea. That is the transformation Fesing has cemented in just 60 days.

His spell with Al-Ittihad may be short, but the mark is clear. The team now has an identity built on quick transitions, direct pressing, the advancing of the full-backs, the wingers moving into central areas and the exploitation of one-on-one duels, all alongside the readiness of the forwards to carry out defensive roles.