Articles
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Why the GOAT Debate is the Lowest Form of Football Analysis
If you asked people in the 1930s who the best footballer ever is, Leandro Andrade’s name would probably have come up quite a lot. The situation is similar with Ferenc Puskas, Michel Platini, Pele, Diego Maradona, Johan Cruyff or Lionel Messi. However, what most people would have been able to do up until recently is…
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Lutsharel Geertruida: Feyenoord’s Dutch International Linked With Barcelona and Leipzig
Lutsharel Geertruida is a 22-year-old defender from Rotterdam, Netherlands. Spotted by local rivals Sparta, Geertruida developed in Sparta’s academy, before switching to Feyenoord at youth level. He progressed through the age groups, playing for the u19s before making his full first-team debut at 19, during the 19/20 season. He has made ~20 league starts…
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Tactical Analysis: Luis Freire’s Rio Ave
At only 37 years of age, Luis Freire is the youngest coach in the Primeira Liga. Freire has coached at every level of Portuguese football, managing 351 games in total and gaining seven promotions in his career with a host of different teams. He has moved from the I Div.Lisbon AF with Ericeirense all the…
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Raphael Guerreiro: What to Expect From Bayern’s Portuguese Arrival
As Raphael Guerreiro collapsed onto the pitch, head in hands, it felt like the end of another era. Another era in which the Bundesliga title slipped from Borussia Dortmund’s grasp. The Yellow Wall will rebuild, pick up the pieces of another ill-fated project and go again, as they always do. But, without the talismanic talents…
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Tactical Observations: Villarreal CF Under Quique Setién (Part 1)
The 2022/23 season was eventful for Villarreal. The Yellow Submarine were forced to replace their head coach in October, returned home to the renovated Estadio de la Cerámica in late December and in 2023 are celebrating their centenary year. By early June, Villarreal had finished the LaLiga campaign in fifth place. Their hopes of catching…
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What’s Next for West Bromwich Albion?
The news that Ian Pearce will be West Bromwich Albion’s new head of footballing operations and Mark Miles will assume the duties as CEO has left fans uninspired. Miles has worked at the club for 20 years but never in a footballing capacity, leading to concerns over his being underqualified. Pearce has been West Brom’s…
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Rudi Garcia: Napoli’s New Manager
As soon as it was announced that Luciano Spalletti would be stepping down as the head coach of Napoli weeks after leading them to their first league title in 33 years, Napoli fans were curious about who would be chosen to lead their team next. Weeks of speculation and even President Aurelio De Laurentiis claiming…
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Sandro Tonali: What to Expect From Newcastle’s New Italian Midfielder
After an incredible season that has seen them finish top four and return to the Champions League after two decades, Newcastle have made what could be one of the shocks of the summer transfer window. According to sources around the world of football, Newcastle have had a bid in the region of €70 million accepted…
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Justin Kluivert: Bournemouth’s Incoming Dutch Forward
When analysing young footballers, their talent, and development, one thing that is constantly overlooked in the conversation is stability. People do not often talk about how difficult it is for players developing in unstable circumstances to make their marks; those who have constantly moved around or sent on too many loans, those who work in…
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Nicolas Jackson: Chelsea’s Incoming Senegalese Striker
Senegal have been mass-producing some of the most promising forwards in the world. Ismaila Sarr of Watford, Krepin Diatta of Monaco, Illiman Ndiaye of Sheffield United and Sadio Mane of Liverpool to name a few. However, one forward who has burst out onto the scene, namely in the second half of the 2022/23 season, is…
