Articles
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Why Alexander Isak Could Be One of the Revelations of the 2020/21 Season
In the beautiful Basque city of San Sebastián, the locals expect only the highest quality. Its lazy, winding streets are dotted with some of the world’s finest restaurants, with its acclaimed pintxo bars racking up more Michelin stars for the city than you’ll find anywhere else on the planet. Its three beaches, Zurriola, Ondarreta…
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Hansi Flick and the Art of Patience
From being sacked from third-tier Hoffenheim in 2005 to winning Bayern’s second ever treble in 2020, it has been quite a ride for Hansi Flick. In the 14 years that followed his dismissal at Hoffenheim, he has stepped into the shadows and learned from his mistakes, slowly biding his time and perfecting his craft. He…
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Player Analysis: Wesley Fofana
After bouncing around several clubs in the suburbs of Marseille, Wesley Fofana joined Saint-Étienne’s academy in 2015, before signing his first professional contract on May 15, 2018 at the age of 17. Fofana would have to wait a whole year to make his debut, coming on as a substitute for Pierre-Yves Polomat in a 3-0…
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Scouting Report: Mark McKenzie
While Brenden Aaronson has received plenty of hype with the Philadelphia Union this summer, his teammate Mark McKenzie has been making headlines of his own in the City of Brotherly Love. The 21-year-old center back has had an impressive 2020 campaign so far and was a crucial part in the Philadelphia Union’s semi-final run in…
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Season Preview: Manchester United
Manchester United fared variably in the Coronavirus-affected 2019/20 season- with the season-long squad overhaul resulting in inconsistencies due to injuries and certain underperforming individuals getting significant minutes (think Andreas Pereira). But despite stringent spending and lethargy in the transfer market, the outlook on the 2020/21 season should be positive. United have already established a…
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Why 4-3-3 Is the Way Forward for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal
Arsenal enjoyed a mixed first eight months under Mikel Arteta’s leadership. The Spaniard initially employed a 4-2-3-1 formation. His reign started with a lot of promise, but was followed by an embarrassing exit from the Europa League and inconsistent league form. The season was cut short in March due to COVID-19, but after its resumption…
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Chelsea Don’t Have to Win Silverware Under Frank Lampard to Be Successful This Season
Chelsea have had one of the best transfer windows in recent history, signing some of Europe’s most lauded talents for agreeable prices in a time when not every club can afford to splash the cash. To many elated fans, this symbolises the fruitful blend of assertive but astute business they have been crying out…
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L’última Dansa: Pep Guardiola’s Final Season in Barcelona: Part 2
In Part One of this series, I went over Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona’s success leading up to the 2011/12 season, in addition to the disappointing transfer window and injury problems, which led to tactical and structural alterations. Although this gave Barcelona an element of unpredictability, it led to a lack of consistency in performances and results…
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Tactical Analysis: Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal — 2019/20
Having departed Pep Guardiola’s coaching staff at Manchester City, Mikel Arteta arrived at Arsenal in December 2019 with new ideas on the pitch and behind the scenes. From his first game in charge, his playing ideologies and tactical framework were on full show. Despite being dealt with a relatively poorly built squad, he began putting…
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Premier League Predictions: Matchday One
The opening round of the Premier League season is one of excitement, intrigue and trepidation. Excitement at the arrival of a new campaign though marked with the absence of fans due to the coronavirus. Intrigue among several clubs ranging from incoming transfers, outgoing transfers or lack of transfers. Trepidation among fans that hope their club…
