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Takefusa Kubo: Home at Last at Real Sociedad
Over the past few years, Japan has lurked in the shadows as one of the rising stars in international football. They’ve qualified for every World Cup since 1998, they’ve produced the likes of Shinji Kagawa, Maya Yoshida and Makoto Hasebe, and they’ve had their fair share of memorable performances on the world stage. Nevertheless, they…
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Tactical Analysis: Eric Roy’s Brest
When Eric Roy took charge of Stade Brestois 29 on January 3, 2023, the French club were battling relegation. Today, they are on track to qualify for European football for the first time in club history, sitting second in the Ligue 1 table, 10 points behind Paris Saint-Germain, one above Monaco and four above Lille,…
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Raphinha: Challenging the Stereotypes of Brazilian Wingers at Barcelona
Since 2017, two La Liga players have managed at least 0.40 non-penalty expected goals and 0.40 expected assisted goals per 90 minutes in the same season. Lionel Messi has done it three times (‘17/18, ‘18/19, ‘19/20), and Raphinha has done it twice (‘22/23, ‘23/24) since swapping Leeds for Barcelona in the summer of 2022. …
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James Tarkowski: Everton’s Veteran Leader in Defense
Two years after departing Burnley on a free transfer following their relegation, James Tarkowski finds himself in danger of dropping down to the second tier with Everton. The Toffees currently sit two points above the relegation zone with a game in hand on Nottingham Forest and Luton Town — the latter occupying the bottom three…
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Nick Pope: Newcastle’s Guardian in Goal
At 31 years of age, Nick Pope has enjoyed a glamorous career in English football, playing a vital role in Newcastle’s return to the UEFA Champions League after a two-decade drought and earning call-ups to two World Cups for the Three Lions. He is nearing a return to full fitness after spending the past four…
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Lautaro Martínez: Inter’s Argentine Talisman in Attack
Since the introduction of the Italian top-flight in 1898, we’ve seen quite a few Argentine players come away with the top scorer award. Antonio Angelillo and Omar Sívori won it in back-to-back years to close out the ’50s, whilst Pedro Manfredini became the third shortly after. The Albiceleste would have to wait a quarter-century for…
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The Evolution of Darwin Nunez at Liverpool
After being the victim of fail compilations in his first season as a Liverpool player, Darwin Nunez has come into his own in 2023/24. He has achieved 30+ goal contributions in 2023/24, becoming just the fourth player under Jurgen Klopp to hit these heights. The other players? Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah. …
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Craig Bryson 2013/14: A Season Primed for the Premier League
Since their infamous 11-point Premier League season in 2007/08, Derby County have without a doubt been the most successful club not to make it back to the top flight. Eight consecutive top 10 finishes, four of which saw them reach the play-offs between 2012 and 2020, and still that seemingly cursed points record has repelled…
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Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know – Football’s Most Controversial Owners
Football news in England is currently gripped with stories of Financial Fair Play. These measures were introduced by UEFA to limit spending by football clubs and make them more sustainable. While FFP dominates the headlines, it got me thinking. What about the owners whose actions extend beyond the realms of club finances? Which club…
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How Data is Shaping the Future of Soccer
The development of data analytics has changed virtually every aspect of modern soccer. Starting as a simple collection of scores and analysis of performances, it eventually developed into one of the most potent tools and redefined team strategies and talent development. In this article, we look at how data analytics has become an indispensable…
