Articles
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Jesper Karlsson: Will This AZ Alkmaar Product Buck Recent Trends?
Eredivisie talents automatically command scrutiny nowadays. For every Frenkie de Jong and Memphis Depay, there’s a Davy Klassen and Justin Kluivert. Unlike those, and mixed successes such as Steven Bergwijn and Donny van de Beek, Jesper Karlsson hasn’t been made in Amsterdam or Eindhoven. This 23-year-old’s 14 goals and assists this season have come at…
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Konyaspor: Who Are the Turkish Süper Lig’s European Hopefuls?
It’s tough to remember a time where the big three clubs in Turkey have been so disappointing as a collective in the first half of a season. Galatasaray in particular have been woeful domestically this season. Fatih Terim’s side have been routinely outclassed by their opponents this season and have only amassed one point…
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Title Contenders to Pretenders: Analysing Chelsea’s Dip In Form
When Chelsea played out a 1-1 draw at home to Manchester United on the 28th of November 2021, they were top of the league and still many experts’ favourites to win the title. Although the result was underwhelming from a Chelsea perspective because they dominated the game and United were in turmoil at the…
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The Roots Behind Brighton’s Stagnant Form under Graham Potter
Graham Potter’s Brighton side are one of those fascinating stories that draw in sport’s fans time and time again. A smart transfer policy, one of the brightest tactical minds in the country at the helm, and countless suitors expressing an interest in their top assets. A question of immense possibility and ‘what if’s?’ This…
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Player Analysis: Mattias Svanberg
When Siniša Mihajlović replaced Filippo Inzaghi as coach of Italian club Bologna in January 2019, Mattias Svanberg was a player that still needed refining in his game despite already earning valuable playing time in Serie A. The Swedish youngster found his opportunities limited for the remainder of the 2018/19 campaign under Mihajlović, but he…
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Manchester United 2007-09: Sir Alex Ferguson’s Greatest Masterpiece
During his 26-year reign at Manchester United, Sir Alex Ferguson built various legendary teams that enjoyed success over the years, most notably the 1999 treble-winning side. However, his most successful period in terms of trophies was from 2007 to 2009, where he won three consecutive Premier League titles, one Champions League title, one FA Cup,…
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Farcical Consequences: The 1965 Bundesliga Scandal
When the inaugural season of the Bundesliga ended in May 1964 with FC Koln winning the league, there were high hopes within the German Football Federation (DFB) the second season would go without a hitch. But the 1964-65 season would be engulfed in scandal that would affect Berlin’s football clubs and lead to a change…
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Antonio Rüdiger: The Invaluable Colossus Set To Leave Chelsea For Free
Only three players started both, Chelsea’s FA Cup final victory in 2018 and the Champions League win three years later. All three played starring roles in both conquests, but have since had question marks hanging over their heads. César Azpilicueta and N’Golo Kanté have both been plagued by the curse of being on the…
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Martin Ødegaard: Mikel Arteta’s Creative Metronome and Mesut Özil’s Long-Term Replacement
After the unsavoury and unceremonial exit of Mesut Özil to Fenerbahçe on January 17, 2021, it has been difficult for Arsenal to find consistent rhythm in the attacking third of the pitch. The mercurial German would always prove difficult to replace, with Özil providing 77 assists in 254 appearances in his seven-and-a-half years in North…
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Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa: A Mini Liverpool
At just 41 years of age, Steven Gerrard has already served as Rangers manager, coaching 196 games, winning 64% of those games, and leading them to their first league title in a decade and ending Celtic’s domestic dominance. This resulted in his first-ever Premier League job, with Gerrard replacing Dean Smith as Aston Villa manager…
