Articles
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Soccer and the Technology Behind Online Sports Betting
Sports betting has been in existence for a long time, dating back to the days when people would bet on races during traditional ceremonies. It went on to experience some significant growth following the launch of brick & mortar casinos. People would visit these casinos to place wagers on different sporting events. The advent…
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Introducing: The Double False 9
The clock has just ticked over 20 minutes and Real Madrid’s centre back partners Sergio Ramos and Raphaël Varane are finding themselves in a rapid whirlwind of calculations. Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva had both been positioning themselves within reach for quite a while, but it was only now that City were able to…
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Player Analysis: Ritsu Doan
Ritsu Doan is a 22-year-old Japanese right winger/attacking midfielder who is currently playing in the Bundesliga for newly promoted Arminia Bielefeld. Doan is on loan from Dutch side PSV Eindhoven, having moved to Bielefelder Alm on a season-long loan in September. Doan was born in Amagasaki, Hyogo, Japan and grew up playing for Gamba…
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Benoît Badiashile and Axel Disasi: The Best U-23 Defensive Partnership in Europe?
France. Baguettes, croissants and centre-halves. Just three things they do exceptionally well. The latter is the focus today, and my word, do the French produce quality centre-backs. Perhaps best epitomised by the fact that Aymeric Laporte is still yet to have a senior cap to his name, the abundance of centre-half talent that France…
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49 Goals in 19 Games: How Schalke’s Ozan Kabak Can Plug Liverpool’s Defence
As the clock crawls towards the end of the January transfer window, Liverpool have an issue. Virgil van Dijk, Joël Matip and Joe Gomez are all injured. Whilst Matip may be close to a return, Van Dijk will be lucky to play in April and Gomez will be lucky to play at all this season.…
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Player Analysis: Ben Davies
Many feared that Virgil van Dijk’s long term injury had the potential to derail Liverpool’s title defence. The fall out from that clumsy Jordan Pickford lunge in a controversial Merseyside derby was messy, to say the least. Emotions were running high, the goalkeeper was met with a barrage of online abuse and rival fans rejoiced…
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Player Analysis: Nicolò Barella
“The lads are giving me their soul, but in games like this, our limits emerge. You need experience, and who do I ask? Sensi taken from Sassuolo or Barella taken from Cagliari? Maximum respect for them, but unfortunately they lack it.” That was the blunt assessment made by Inter coach Antonio Conte in November…
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Mike Trésor Ndayishimiye: A Burundi International Catching Ajax’s Eye
In Kirundi, Burundi’s main language, Ndayishimiye means “I thank him.” Mike Trésor Ndayishimiye doesn’t visit Burundi as often as he used to. His father Freddy was the captain of the national team and his grandparents still live there. It’s a religious country and Ndayishimiye lends his surname to God. Released by Anderlecht at 19…
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Match Report: VfB Stuttgart vs. Mainz
To kick off Matchday 19 of the 2020/21 Bundesliga campaign, relegation stragglers Mainz paid a visit to Baden-Württemberg, where they would take on Stuttgart at the Mercedes-Benz Arena. Since earning promotion to the top flight last season, Die Schwaben have been one of the Bundesliga’s revelations, having taken points off the likes of Borussia Mönchengladbach…
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Les Banlieues: France’s Cauldron of Talent
From Paris to Marseille, the biggest cities in France have perennially been the producers of some of the nation’s greatest footballers. Though the cities themselves get the plaudits, it is mostly the socially and economically forgotten suburbs of these cities where the talent can be found. The suburbs have harnessed the greatest footballing talents…
