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Player Analysis: Ben Chilwell
After completing permanent deals for Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner, Chelsea announced their third signing of the summer transfer window with the arrival of Ben Chilwell from Leicester City for a reported fee of £50 million. The Englishman will look to solve Chelsea’s problem position of left back, a position that has been one of…
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The Best U-21 Central Midfielders in the Eredivisie
The 2020/21 Eredivisie season kicks off on September 12 when Willem II visit Heerenveen, and as such, it gives us a chance to reflect on the top breakout stars of last season. In Part 1 of this series, we focused on the top U-21 defensive midfielders of the 2019/20 Eredivisie season, but in Part 2,…
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The Ajax Renaissance: How the Dutch Club Rose to Fight With Europe’s Best
In September 2010, Ajax visited Real Madrid in the Champions League for a group stage game. It finished 2-0 as José Mourinho’s team were largely untroubled – a Vurnon Anita own goal in the first-half was paired with Gonzalo Higuaín’s strike in the second in a routine victory for the club from Spain’s capital. Ajax…
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Player Analysis: William Saliba
After an impressive debut season in Ligue 1, Arsenal purchased 18-year-old French center back William Saliba for €30 million, before loaning him back to parent club Saint-Étienne for the following season. Saliba spent a long spell on the sidelines in 2019/20 due to a hamstring injury in May 2019 and a metatarsal fracture in November,…
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The Redemption of Ainsley Maitland-Niles
Scrolling through the replies on Ainsley Maitland-Niles’ Instagram account in February 2019, Arsenal’s fans were quick to be critical of the versatile player after the side’s 1-0 win against Huddersfield Town. Some messages to Maitland-Niles were blunt, stating he was too lazy for Arsenal while others were critical yet underlined how good he could be. …
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How Rodrigo De Paul Would Fit Into Leeds
Under the guidance of its eccentric coach Marcelo Bielsa, Leeds United has returned to the English Premier League for the first time since the 2003/04 campaign, and it has wasted no time in trying to make the squad competitive for top flight football. The 2019/20 Championship winners have already purchased German center-back Robin Koch…
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Georginio Wijnaldum vs. Thiago Alcântara: A Side-by-Side Comparison
Georginio ‘Gini’ Wijnaldum is a player that divides opinion in the Liverpool fanbase despite being an integral figure for Jürgen Klopp both on the pitch and in the locker room. His future at the football club is up in the air due to a dispute in contract negotiations, with Barcelona heavily linked with the Dutchman.…
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How England Could Line Up Without a Recognised Left Back
Gareth Southgate’s latest England squad selection has raised a few eyebrows for a couple of reasons. The first is there are no natural left backs in the squad despite Ryan Bertrand and Bukayo Saka being available. The second is that the central midfield options are noticeably starker than usual. While Jack Grealish and Kalvin…
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Scouting Report: Édouard Mendy
There are a few examples of a meteoric rise and late bloomer more compelling than that of Édouard Mendy – a goalkeeper who signed his first professional contract at 24, in the second tier of French football, and who is set to play Champions League football at 28. Whether he remains at Rennes or moves…
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What’s Next For Yoshinori Muto?
Yoshinori Muto joined Newcastle United two summers ago from German outfit Mainz, but the Japanese striker is now set to leave the club. Steve Bruce, who is desperate to add to his squad, has been told he must do a bit of wheeling and dealing in the window, and Muto will more than likely be…
