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Chelsea Don’t Have to Win Silverware Under Frank Lampard to Be Successful This Season
Chelsea have had one of the best transfer windows in recent history, signing some of Europe’s most lauded talents for agreeable prices in a time when not every club can afford to splash the cash. To many elated fans, this symbolises the fruitful blend of assertive but astute business they have been crying out…
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L’última Dansa: Pep Guardiola’s Final Season in Barcelona: Part 2
In Part One of this series, I went over Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona’s success leading up to the 2011/12 season, in addition to the disappointing transfer window and injury problems, which led to tactical and structural alterations. Although this gave Barcelona an element of unpredictability, it led to a lack of consistency in performances and results…
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Tactical Analysis: Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal — 2019/20
Having departed Pep Guardiola’s coaching staff at Manchester City, Mikel Arteta arrived at Arsenal in December 2019 with new ideas on the pitch and behind the scenes. From his first game in charge, his playing ideologies and tactical framework were on full show. Despite being dealt with a relatively poorly built squad, he began putting…
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Premier League Predictions: Matchday One
The opening round of the Premier League season is one of excitement, intrigue and trepidation. Excitement at the arrival of a new campaign though marked with the absence of fans due to the coronavirus. Intrigue among several clubs ranging from incoming transfers, outgoing transfers or lack of transfers. Trepidation among fans that hope their club…
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The Controversy, Glory, and Longevity of Emre Belözoğlu
The unveiling of the FIFA 100 on 4 March 2004 was always going to generate an enormous amount of discussion. As part of the organisation’s centenary celebrations, FIFA had called upon Pelé to pick what he regarded as the one hundred greatest living footballers. The criteria were fifty active and fifty retired, although the latter…
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Carletto’s Way? Not Quite
When Everton won their last piece of silverware in 1995, Carlo Ancelotti had only recently embarked on his maiden managerial journey with Reggiana. A quarter century later, the onus is entirely on the Italian to put and end to the trophy drought at Goodison Park. Carlo Ancelotti has been a manager for 25 years.…
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The Prospective Dark Horses of the 2020/21 Championship Season
In May 2017 Huddersfield Town clinched the most unlikely of promotions to the Premier League after they beat Reading on penalties in the play off final. David Wagner, then Huddersfield manager, described it as a “fairy tale” which isn’t a hyperbole considering The Terriers finished 19th the season before. Huddersfield were just another team…
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Player Analysis: Jules Koundé
From Aymeric Laporte to Raphaël Varane, from Presnel Kimpembe to Dayot Upamecano, there isn’t a single nation in the world that can hold a candle to France’s center back depth, and the next name in France’s laundry list of elite center backs is 21-year-old Jules Koundé. After rising up Bordeaux’s academy and breaking into…
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Premier League preview: Can Frank Lampard’s Chelsea win the Premier League?
“I am immensely proud to be returning to Chelsea as head coach. Everyone knows my love for this club and the history we have shared, however, my sole focus is on the job in hand and preparing for the season ahead. I am here to work hard, bring further success to the club, and I…
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An Analytical Look at Chris Smalling’s First Season in Serie A
After 10 years and 323 appearances, it appears that Chris Smalling’s time at Manchester United is set to come to an end in the coming days. The 30-year-old center back, who was shipped out on loan to Roma last summer following the purchase of Harry Maguire and Axel Tuanzebe’s return from his loan spell at…
