Articles
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Tactical Analysis: Liverpool 1 – 1 Chelsea
On Saturday afternoon Liverpool and Chelsea faced off in this season’s first contest between two early title favourites. The first half of the match was exhilarating with both teams pressing aggressively and transitioning quickly in attack, but as so often is the case, the flow of the game completely changed as a result of a…
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Michail Antonio: West Ham’s Unsung Talisman
As the quote from Dirty Dancing goes, nobody puts Michail Antonio in a corner. Although much has been written about Johnny Castle’s famous one-liner, at its heart is a message about the expression of talent. In Castle’s eyes, Baby Houseman was simply too gifted to be left aside. She had to be the centre of attention,…
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Chris Kouakou: Ivory Coast’s Intriguing Midfielder
Chris Kouakou was born on 15 December 1999 in Ivory Coast, a country renowned in footballing circles for producing legendary players like Didier Drogba and Yaya Toure. Kouakou left his homeland in January 2018 at just 18 years of age to join the prestigious Tunisian club CS Sfaxien. During his time in Tunisia, he has…
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Mohammed Salisu: Southampton’s Ghanaian Rock in Defense
In football, a player’s career can change for better or worse in an instant. That was certainly the case for Mohammed Salisu, who went from an unknown quantity to one of the most promising defenders in Spain in just one day. Despite only being used sparingly in preseason under manager Sergio González, Salisu was given…
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Martin Ødegaard: How Arsenal’s New Creative Engine Will Make an Impact at the Emirates
Last Friday Arsenal announced the signing of Norwegian international Martin Ødegaard from Real Madrid on a permanent deal reportedly worth 35 million euros. The highly touted 22-year-old spent half of last season on loan at the North London outfit and was one of The Gunners’ top chance creators. Manager Mikel Arteta spoke about Ødegaard’s…
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Mana Iwabuchi: Arsenal Women’s Creative Genius
On May 26th, after years of rumors and reported interest, Arsenal Women Football Club announced the signing of Mana Iwabuchi after her contract with Aston Villa expired. After just two professional games for the club, it is clear why Arsenal have been rumored to be interested in the Japanese national for some time now. …
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Moments of the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup: Part 5: KV Mechelen 1987/88
Belgian football clubs have enjoyed memorable European nights with Anderlecht and Standard Liege leading the way for Belgium. Yet it was an unfancied club just 25km south of Antwerp that would upset the odds in Europe during Belgium’s first golden generation of the 1980s. Founded in 1904, KV Mechelen are one of Belgium’s oldest…
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Mamelodi Sundowns’ Three Coaches: Are You Not Entertained?
The departure of Pitso Mosimane from Mamelodi Sundowns dominated the build-up to the 2020/21 DSTV Premiership, as the reigning champions had to prepare for life without the stewardship of arguably the greatest manager in the club’s history. Forward came co-head coaches Manqoba Mnqithi, Rulani Mokwena and senior coach Steve Komphela; the trio took over…
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Player Analysis: Davide Frattesi
Ever since it was promoted to Serie A nearly a decade ago, Sassuolo has been a club that has nurtured an abundance of young talent and it has often prioritized Italian players instead of looking for hidden gems from aboard like its counterparts. While playing for the club in the Emilia-Romagna region in Italy,…
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Player Analysis: Marc Cucurella
Despite Solly March recently signing a long-term contract, Brighton are seeking to strengthen their left-hand side. Whether it’s to replace March or act as competition, the acquisition of Marc Cucurella from Getafe is a statement signing that highlights the financial and statutory clamour that Brighton now possess. But, what will the 23-year-old offer Brighton and…
