The centre back position at Arsenal has long been neglected and often shelved by attacking signings. Instead, Arsenal has consistently used stop-gap signings in an attempt to heal a major wound. And consequently, has frequently fallen short in the Premier League and Europa League due to individual defensive frailties and a lack of structure in…

Harvey Elliott has earned rave reviews during his breakthrough season in the Championship, on loan at Blackburn Rovers from Liverpool. The 17-year-old winger is one of the most talked-about youngsters in English football, and deservedly so.   The 2020/21 season is only 18 games old and Elliott has already stolen headlines time and time again.…

One year ago, Milan found themselves in 10th place in Serie A following a failed experiment with ex Sampdoria manager Marco Giampaolo, who was sacked on October 8, 2019, and a shaky start under caretaker manager Stefano Pioli. Today, they find themselves atop the league table, having taken 26 points from their first 10 fixtures,…

Following a disappointing sixth-place finish last season, José Mourinho’s Tottenham Hotspur find themselves atop the Premier League table after 12 matchdays. Harry Kane and Son Heung-Min have stole the show in attack, whilst Tanguy Ndombélé has gained plenty of attention for his stellar performances in England after a challenging adaptation period in England. But it…

Although James Ward-Prowse is probably best known for his world-class set piece taking ability, under manager Ralph Hasenhüttl, Southampton’s skipper has gone from strength to strength, adopting a new role which epitomises the Austrians high octane style of play, and hence helping the Saints to challenge at the top of the league at this early…

Turning 16 is a big deal in the USA. It’s largely seen as a coming-of-age, with lavish parties thrown that can cost tens of thousands of dollars.   Like those across the Atlantic, Youssoufa Moukoko was eagerly counting down the days to reaching that milestone in Germany. Rather than a big party on 20 November…

Japan has produced some fine exports to the Serie A for the last 25 years. Kazuyoshi Miura was a pioneer for Japanese footballers, becoming the first player from The Land of the Rising Sun to play in Italy when he joined Genoa in 1994. Attacking midfielder Hidetoshi Nakata played for Perugia, Roma, and Parma in…

In today’s footballing atmosphere, a player is scouted for months, even years, before he is signed by a club. It is not uncommon for a player to be scouted for 10-20 matches and still be discarded when a top European club is involved. The more a player is scouted, the further it reaffirms the positives…

Chelsea have seen a seismic shift in their defensive numbers this season. The additions of Thiago Silva and Édouard Mendy coupled with the ascension of the previously erratic Kurt Zouma have turned Frank Lampard’s team into genuine title contenders. But with one eye firmly on the future and a 36-year-old Silva getting no younger, Marc…

13 years have passed since VFB Stuttgart won the league title with one of the most exciting young squads ever seen in the Bundesliga. With a 19-year-old Sami Khedira and 20-year-old Mario Gomez, Stuttgart’s side quickly coined the nickname Die Jungen Wilden (Wild Youth), playing attractive football with a youthful exuberance free of any pressure…