Articles
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How Claudio Ranieri Steered Sampdoria to Safety
Sampdoria were in a colossal crisis in the early stages of the 2019/20 Serie A season, but the Ligurian club slowly worked its way out of trouble and avoided relegation. After losing six out of the opening seven league matches, the Blucerchiati replaced manager Eusebio Di Francesco with Claudio Ranieri, the man who had…
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Tactical Analysis: Manchester United’s Post-Lockdown Revival
Since the return of the Premier League after the COVID-19 outbreak, Manchester United have continued their wonderful form; Ole Gunnar Solskajer’s side stretched their unbeaten run to 20 games in all competitions, their longest unbeaten run under the Norwegian manager. This good form has allowed United to qualify for the Champions League next season,…
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A Season in Red: How Ole Gunnar Solskjær Turned the Tide at Old Trafford
How do you define success in football? Not every team is going to win it all at the start of a new era; nor is every team willing to wait years despite positive signs, so where is the line drawn? Jürgen Klopp, the most loved man on one side of Liverpool, took four years…
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Scouting Report: Gabriel Magalhães
At 22 years old, Gabriel Magalhães has emerged into one of the brightest defensive prospects in Ligue 1, forming a solid pairing alongside Portuguese veteran José Fonte in the heart of Lille’s defense. The Brazilian has been linked to a plethora of clubs such as Arsenal, Everton, Inter, Paris Saint-Germain and Napoli. Photo: Getty…
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PSG’s Build-Up Problems vs. Saint-Étienne and How Tuchel Can Fix Them
A little more than four months after their last official match, PSG faced Saint-Étienne in the Coupe de France final. Having lost the final last year against Rennes, Thomas Tuchel’s men were keen to win back this historic French Cup, but also to prepare for the quarter-final against Atalanta which will be played on August…
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The Making of Gian Piero Gasperini: The Genoa Years
Ever since Gian Piero Gasperini was appointed manager of Atalanta, his exploits in Serie A and the Champions League have made Italy and the rest of Europe take notice. Attractive attacking football, excellent coaching in elevating once underachieving footballers to elite talents and punching above their weights have won many fans at home and abroad.…
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Analyzing Inter’s First Season Under Antonio Conte
Antonio Conte’s appointment as Juventus manager in 2011 marked eight years since the Old Lady had last won an official league title. With the Calciopoli scandal resulting in their relegation from Serie A, the noughties were a relatively dark decade in Juventus’ history. However, Conte, alongside the head of recruitment Beppe Marotta, combined to ensure…
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Sérgio Conceição: From Makeweight to Heavyweight
In late January 2020, following the defeat against SC Braga, Sérgio Conceição made his position untenable. Despite having guided FC Porto to the league title in his first season in charge (2017-18) – with a record 88 points and 119 goals scored, the 45-year-old still wasn’t satisfied with the status quo. Six months after…
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Is Dean Henderson the Answer to Manchester United’s Goalkeeping Crisis?
Between the 2013/14 season and the 2017/18 season, David de Gea was a savior in an otherwise catastrophic Manchester United side, winning the club’s Player of the Season award four out of the five years. But since the start of the 2018/19 season, the Spaniard has been inconsistent in his shot-stopping and previously world class…
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Norwich City’s Relegation: Where It Went Wrong and Where They Go From Here
On July 11, 2020, Kevin Friend blew his final whistle at an empty Carrow Road as West Ham dismantled Norwich 4-0, confirming a record-breaking fifth relegation for the Canaries in the Premier League era. But just how did it go so wrong for Norwich this season? In April 2019, Norwich sealed the 2018/2019 EFL…
