Articles
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The Controversy, Glory, and Longevity of Emre Belözoğlu
The unveiling of the FIFA 100 on 4 March 2004 was always going to generate an enormous amount of discussion. As part of the organisation’s centenary celebrations, FIFA had called upon Pelé to pick what he regarded as the one hundred greatest living footballers. The criteria were fifty active and fifty retired, although the latter…
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Carletto’s Way? Not Quite
When Everton won their last piece of silverware in 1995, Carlo Ancelotti had only recently embarked on his maiden managerial journey with Reggiana. A quarter century later, the onus is entirely on the Italian to put and end to the trophy drought at Goodison Park. Carlo Ancelotti has been a manager for 25 years.…
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The Prospective Dark Horses of the 2020/21 Championship Season
In May 2017 Huddersfield Town clinched the most unlikely of promotions to the Premier League after they beat Reading on penalties in the play off final. David Wagner, then Huddersfield manager, described it as a “fairy tale” which isn’t a hyperbole considering The Terriers finished 19th the season before. Huddersfield were just another team…
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Player Analysis: Jules Koundé
From Aymeric Laporte to Raphaël Varane, from Presnel Kimpembe to Dayot Upamecano, there isn’t a single nation in the world that can hold a candle to France’s center back depth, and the next name in France’s laundry list of elite center backs is 21-year-old Jules Koundé. After rising up Bordeaux’s academy and breaking into…
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Premier League preview: Can Frank Lampard’s Chelsea win the Premier League?
“I am immensely proud to be returning to Chelsea as head coach. Everyone knows my love for this club and the history we have shared, however, my sole focus is on the job in hand and preparing for the season ahead. I am here to work hard, bring further success to the club, and I…
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An Analytical Look at Chris Smalling’s First Season in Serie A
After 10 years and 323 appearances, it appears that Chris Smalling’s time at Manchester United is set to come to an end in the coming days. The 30-year-old center back, who was shipped out on loan to Roma last summer following the purchase of Harry Maguire and Axel Tuanzebe’s return from his loan spell at…
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Player Analysis: Ben Chilwell
After completing permanent deals for Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner, Chelsea announced their third signing of the summer transfer window with the arrival of Ben Chilwell from Leicester City for a reported fee of £50 million. The Englishman will look to solve Chelsea’s problem position of left back, a position that has been one of…
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The Best U-21 Central Midfielders in the Eredivisie
The 2020/21 Eredivisie season kicks off on September 12 when Willem II visit Heerenveen, and as such, it gives us a chance to reflect on the top breakout stars of last season. In Part 1 of this series, we focused on the top U-21 defensive midfielders of the 2019/20 Eredivisie season, but in Part 2,…
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The Ajax Renaissance: How the Dutch Club Rose to Fight With Europe’s Best
In September 2010, Ajax visited Real Madrid in the Champions League for a group stage game. It finished 2-0 as José Mourinho’s team were largely untroubled – a Vurnon Anita own goal in the first-half was paired with Gonzalo Higuaín’s strike in the second in a routine victory for the club from Spain’s capital. Ajax…
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Player Analysis: William Saliba
After an impressive debut season in Ligue 1, Arsenal purchased 18-year-old French center back William Saliba for €30 million, before loaning him back to parent club Saint-Étienne for the following season. Saliba spent a long spell on the sidelines in 2019/20 due to a hamstring injury in May 2019 and a metatarsal fracture in November,…
