Articles
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After Returning to the Premier League, How Can Scott Parker’s Cherries Beat the Drop?
Seven out of the last 12 teams promoted to the Premier League have been relegated at the first time of asking over the past four seasons. One of those sides was Scott Parker’s Fulham who were promoted to the top flight via the play-offs, but despite a late survival charge, were immediately sent back to…
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Jagoba Arrasate’s Osasuna: A Club Determined to Go In Their Direction
Health, strength and vigour all describe Osasuna perfectly. The last word is open to interpretation, it could just as easily be translated as robust or rugged and that slots into the description of Los Rojillo quite aptly too. Literally, that is what Osasuna means in Basque. Fans of nominative determinism are in their element in…
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Randal Kolo Muani: Forged in Villepinte, Hardened in Boulogne, Nurtured in Nantes and Unlocked by Antoine Kombouaré
What Ligue 1 Loses and Germany’s Bundesliga Gains…For Free France is French and Germany is German, but borders can be fluid things. Back in 800 A.D., Charlemagne’s empire knew no Franco-German border, and the succeeding Holy Roman Empire included substantial French, Italian and Slavic territory. In today’s world, the football transfer system respects no border…
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The Resurgence Of Antonio Rudiger Under Thomas Tuchel and a New Adventure at Real Madrid
Chelsea FC have finally sorted their ownership troubles with the Todd Boehly-led consortium confirmed as the new owners. The sanctions imposed on Roman Abrahimovich meant Chelsea was unable to run like a proper sports franchise. Having resolved the dilemma, the club can now plan for the future, which will see a major squad rebuild.…
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Roma and José Mourinho Were the Conference League’s Perfect Winners: A Review of Its Inaugral Season
Coming into this season, nobody really knew what to think about the Europa Conference League; fans already rip into the Europa League as the secondary competition enough as it is, even more so with giants of the game falling into it such as Arsenal, Manchester United and Inter Milan. What hope did the UECL have?…
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The England Writer’s Football Team Takes On Austrian Journalist Group in First Match Since Pandemic
November 16, 2019. Just outside the centre of the beautiful Austrian city of Vienna, two teams of largely middle-aged amateur footballers are adjusting their shinpads, lacing their boots and doing various stretches on whichever troublesome chronic injury they may be carrying. Nothing out of the ordinary there, of course. The only thing distinguishing these two…
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Analyzing the Numbers Behind Stefano Pioli’s Scudetto-Winning Milan
After an 11-year title drought that saw managers such as Vincenzo Montella, Gennaro Gattuso and Marco Giampolo come and go, a decade-long ‘banter era’ filled with horrendous signings and pitiful performances, Milan have reclaimed their spot atop Italian football. The Rossoneri have edged last year’s champions Inter Milan by just two points, snatching the…
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Player Analysis: Gianluca Scamacca
Serie A has enjoyed a resurgence in recent seasons, with Atalanta and Roma impressing at different levels in Europe and AC Milan, Inter Milan, and Napoli engaging in a tightly contested title race this campaign. Among the many reasons for the league’s rise has been a crop of exciting, young Italian talents playing across…
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Steven Gerrard: From Rangers to Aston Villa, His Progression Curve as a Coach
English professional football manager and former player Steven George Gerrard MBE now serves as the head coach of the Aston Villa team that competes in the Premier League. He came into the world on May 30th, 1980. Gerrard played the majority of his professional career in the central midfield position for both Liverpool and…
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The Jose Mourinho Paradox
The special one. Football’s ultimate pantomime villain. A treble winner with both Inter and Porto in the same decade. The last manager at Manchester United to win silverware. The winner of Roma’s first trophy since 2008 and their first-ever European trophy. A man who Pep Guardiola called the chief of the press room, a venue…
