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Peque Fernández: Analyzing Sevilla’s New Signing
Sevilla are on the lookout for a reconstruction of their squad after finishing 14th in the league with just 41 points. One signing they have made to reconstruct this squad is that of Peque Fernández, a player who scored 18 goals in the second division last season at only 21 years of age. Does that…
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Ladislav Krejčí: Analyzing Girona’s Czech Recruit
After Girona’s outstanding season qualifying for the Champions League for the first time in the club’s history, they will be looking to maintain their output from last season. To do this, one signing they have made is Ladislav Krejčí, replacing the departing Eric García who was on loan last season at the club. Will he…
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Crysencio Summerville: Leeds’ Dutch Superstar
Birthdate: October 30, 2001 Foot: Right Height: 5’9 Nationality: Netherlands Contract Expiry: June 30, 2026 In 2008, at just 7 years old, Crysencio Summerville joined the acclaimed Feyenoord academy. Watching the Dutch-born winger today gives clear context to this, as his technical ability and match intelligence seem like a sixth sense. Ten years on,…
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Efficient Possession Ratio: A New Football Performance Metric
While writing my recent article entitled Why Sean Dyche Deserves More Credit, I scoured the internet for a statistic to support my claims about the potency of Everton’s counterattack last season, only to find one did not exist. Thus, I created one of my own and named it the “Efficient Possession Ratio”, or EPR. …
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Filip Jorgensen: Scandinavia’s Next Top Goalkeeper
Filip Jorgensen, a native of Lomma, started his youth career in 2007 with the local Swedish club GIF Nike at the age of five. After moving to Malmo FF, Jorgensen spent six seasons with the youth team between 2008 and 2014. After spending two seasons playing for Santa Catalina and Penya Arrabal, he returned to…
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Exploring José Sá’s 2023/24 Comeback Journey
Excitement surrounded the Molineux when Wolverhampton Wanderers signed José Sá ahead of the 2021/22 season. The former Portuguese Primeira Liga and Greece Super League champion was set to replace fan-favorite Rui Patrício, who departed that summer to join AS Roma. A very successful debut season saw the Portuguese goalkeeper’s stock rise steeply, as he…
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Yan Couto: Girona’s Mercurial Wing Back
In Europe’s top five leagues, only one defender has managed at least 8 assists, 45 successful dribble take-ons, and 145 progressive carries in a single campaign in the past three seasons: Girona’s (City Football Group’s) Yan Couto. If that seems like an arbitrary cut-off for a grouping of statistics, that is because it is. But,…
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Raphinha: Challenging the Stereotypes of Brazilian Wingers at Barcelona
Since 2017, two La Liga players have managed at least 0.40 non-penalty expected goals and 0.40 expected assisted goals per 90 minutes in the same season. Lionel Messi has done it three times (‘17/18, ‘18/19, ‘19/20), and Raphinha has done it twice (‘22/23, ‘23/24) since swapping Leeds for Barcelona in the summer of 2022. …
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Alvaro Valles: Las Palmas’ Ball-Playing Goalkeeper
Back in Spain’s top-flight after six years, UD Las Palmas are loving life in La Liga and find themselves on track for a comfortable midtable finish. Garcia Pimienta’s side have enjoyed a smooth return to the big leagues and impressed with a free-flowing, possession-heavy style of play. They are averaging 60.2% possession — only Barcelona…
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Aleix García’s Regista Renaissance at Girona
Aleix García’s story is truly one of persistence and transformation. He began his career in the Villarreal youth academy, working his way through the ranks up to the Villarreal B team. At just 18 years old, he made his first career move away from la Ciudad Deportiva Mini Estadi to the Manchester City U21 squad…