Articles
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The Increasing Value of Left-Footed Sharpshooters
Over the last 3-5 years, public football analysis has, as a field, become increasingly oriented around expected goals (xG). The metric now gets regularly cited by older pundits as well as young, and in general the trend has been positive. It’s an easily accessible way of understanding game-over-game performance (even if it’s more applicable over…
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Davies Accustomed to Adapting
At a young age, Alphonso Davies learned all about making adjustments. Life was going to throw some unexpected challenges his way and still does, yet he handles them with aplomb. Signed to Bayern Munich and viewed as being equipped with the requisite skill to replace the departed goal-scoring exploits of Arjen Robben and Franck…
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Player Analysis: Rivaldo Coetzee
After 5 seasons at Ajax Cape Town, where he made his professional debut at the age of 17. Rivaldo Coetzee, a product of the Ajax Cape Town academy, signed for Mamelodi Sundowns in August 2017, after a failed move to Celtic – it was found that he has an underlying problem with his right-foot during…
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Ralf Rangnick: The Hoffenheim Diaries
“That’s the kind of football we want to play one day,” said Jürgen Klopp after his Borussia Dortmund side were beaten 4-1 by Ralf Rangnick’s Hoffenheim in a Bundesliga fixture in September 2008. Vedad Ibišević (twice), Sejad Salihović and Carlos Eduardo struck for the Sinsheim club to seal an emphatic win in their first-ever season…
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What is Next for Manchester United?
As Jesse Lingard pounced on Kasper Schmeichel’s error to put Manchester United 2-0 up away at Leicester on the final day of the 2019/20 Premier League season, it felt like the feel-good factor had returned to Old Trafford as the Red Devils secured Champions League football for the 2020/21 season in 3rd place — despite…
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Cristiano Lucarelli: How a Political Enemy Became Italy’s Best Goalscorer
Shirt tucked in. Captains armband. Livorno was Cristiano Lucarelli’s ninth club, but the one closest to his heart. A divisive figure, known for having La Bandiera Rossa as his ringtone, he scored one-hundred and one goals in four seasons to fire Livorno from tenth in Serie B to ninth place in the Italian top flight. …
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Player Analysis: Marash Kumbulla
The biggest surprise of the 2019/20 Serie A campaign was undoubtedly Ivan Jurić’s Hellas Verona. After going down 2-0 in the first leg of the promotion playoffs to Cittadella, Hellas Verona launched a remarkable comeback in the second leg to seal promotion after a sole season in Serie B. Jurić replaced caretaker manager Alfredo Aglietti…
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Player Analysis: Ricardo Nascimento
At 33 years old, Ricardo Nascimento has proved to be one of the best ball-playing central defenders in PSL, playing most of his matches on the left side of the Mamelodi Sundowns’ central defence. The Brazilian joined Sundowns in July 2016 from Académica in the Primeira Liga (Portugal) and seems to be getting better with…
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How Cristian Romero Will Fit Into Gian Piero Gasperini’s Atalanta
Atalanta has constantly defied expectations since Gian Piero Gasperini was appointed as its coach in 2016 and La Dea have done so playing entertaining football. Their attacking philosophy has also exposed some deficiencies in defense though but the Orobici have acquired a defender that could play a crucial part in rectifying those problems. …
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Tactical Analysis: Asymmetry at Tottenham Hotspur
Perhaps the most notable and significant tactical element of Tottenham Hotspur since José Mourinho was appointed last November has been the use of asymmetric full backs, with the left-sided player tucking in to create a back three whereas the right-sided player sits in a more advanced position. This asymmetric fullback setup creates a…
