Articles
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The Renaissance of Dutch Football
On March 25, 2017, the Netherlands lost 2-0 to Bulgaria in a World Cup qualifier, a game that many Dutch fans would call ‘the worst footballing performance they have ever witnessed.’ Fans would assign plenty of blame to then manager Danny Blind, claiming his lack of tactics and inability to motivate the team caused them…
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Eddie Newton: Breaking The Glass Ceiling in Turkey
A new light has been illuminated in football, a new step has been taken towards the change we need to see in our society. Black managers have struggled for opportunities in English football, but in Turkey, Trabzonspor’s 48-year-old manager Eddie Newton has taken his opportunity by the scruff of his neck. At the turn…
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Analyzing Brentford and Fulham’s Chances in the Championship play-off Final
Whilst it may not have the glamour of the World Cup or Champions League Final, no one-legged football match has the financial significance as the EFL Championship play-off Final. Fulham and Brentford have played 48 games during this long, arduous campaign yet it has all boiled down to this on Tuesday; 90 minutes of football…
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How Mateusz Klich Went From Leeds’ Forgotten Man to Marcelo Bielsa’s Ever Present
“What a day to be alive. F**k me,” slurred Mateusz Klich, just hours after Leeds United’s return to the big time had been confirmed. Emile Smith Rowe’s excellently taken late goal saw Huddersfield Town do their nearest and dearest rivals a huge favour, as the Arsenal loanee’s winner was enough to seal promotion for…
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The Agony of Doha: When Iraq Snatched Glory From Japan’s Palms
Japan are known today as one of the giants in Asian football, their players grace Europe’s top leagues, with their domestic clubs winning Asian Champions League titles on multiple occasions and the national team is widely respected for their technical prowess on the ball. Yet the reputation Japan have cemented on the football stage…
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Player Analysis: Samuel Chukwueze
Since winning the 2015 U-17 World Cup with Nigeria, Samuel Chukwueze has emerged into one of the brightest attacking talents in Spanish football, earning comparisons to legendary Dutch winger Arjen Robben. But just how good is the Nigerian prodigy and what does he need to improve upon in order to cement a starting spot in…
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SC Braga – Building for a Title Challenge and a Brighter Future
When football fans from abroad think of Portugal’s Primeira Liga, it’s pretty clear that FC Porto, Benfica and Sporting Lisbon are the three main team names that spring to mind for many. That’s completely understandable when you consider the fact that between them, the three Portuguese giants have won a stunning 84 out of…
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Tactical Analysis: 2017 FA Cup Final
Three years ago, Arsenal took on Chelsea in the FA Cup Final, both sides coming into the game on the back of two polar opposite campaigns. Arsenal had failed to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in 21 years, finishing fifth, 18 points behind their West London rivals. Chelsea, on the other…
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How PSG Can Beat Atalanta Without Kylian Mbappé and Ángel Di María
With Kylian Mbappé’s ankle injury against Saint-Étienne and Ángel Di María’s suspension that will prevent him from playing in the Champions League quarter-final, not only will Paris Saint-Germain be forced to face Atalanta without two of their best players, but they will also be deprived of two of the main players who helped make Thomas…
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Andy Cole: A Tale of Fiery Relationships, Injuries and One Fateful Afternoon at Upton Park
13 clubs, 229 goals and an illustrious trophy cabinet. Only Alan Shearer and Wayne Rooney have scored more Premier League goals than him, but yet English forward Andy Cole has played for his country fewer times than Matthew Upson. This is by no means to discredit the career of Upson, but the disparity between the…
