Dara O’Shea is the biggest success story of West Brom’s Academy in recent years, going from youth player to captain in four years. Now at 24, his £7 million transfer to Premier League side Burnley has helped stabilise West Brom’s finances whilst leaving them without their most important defender. So how can they replace him?…

In the second half of this two-part series, delving into some of the key and recurring tactical tendencies of Villarreal under Quique Setién, we will cover the Yellow Submarine out of possession. Part 1 of this article focussed on Villarreal with the ball. As a reminder, for this piece, the following LaLiga games were observed.…

After a summer that saw them bring in the likes of Boubacar Kamara and Diego Carlos, things looked promising for Aston Villa. However, they would win just two of their first eleven league matches, grinding out narrow victories over Southampton and Everton, and their early-season struggles would see the club hierarchy make the decision to…

After narrowly avoiding the drop under Gary O’Neil in their return to the Premier League, Bournemouth have raised eyebrows by deciding to sack the 40-year-old Englishman and replace him with Spanish manager Andoni Iraola. After promising spells at AEK Larnaca, Mirandés and Rayo Vallecano, Iraola joins the Cherries on a two-year deal, and he will…

At only 37 years of age, Luis Freire is the youngest coach in the Primeira Liga. Freire has coached at every level of Portuguese football, managing 351 games in total and gaining seven promotions in his career with a host of different teams. He has moved from the I Div.Lisbon AF with Ericeirense all the…

The 2022/23 season was eventful for Villarreal. The Yellow Submarine were forced to replace their head coach in October, returned home to the renovated Estadio de la Cerámica in late December and in 2023 are celebrating their centenary year. By early June, Villarreal had finished the LaLiga campaign in fifth place. Their hopes of catching…

Spain’s Basque Country harbors some of the greatest architects in the world. Mikel Sanz de Prit and César Azkarate are great examples of that, the architects who have designed San Mames, one of the most beautiful stadiums in the world. Another Basque architect, albeit of a different nature, would be Mr. Europa League himself, Unai…

In the aftermath of a hard-fought final where Manchester City emerged victorious, Pep Guardiola now stands as a revered figure, hailed as a deity in the blue half of Manchester. Despite encountering numerous battles against Inter’s relentless challenges, City showcased their mettle, adapting their tactics to overcome the Italian giants in a strategic showdown. Recognizing…

It’s rare for David Moyes to allow his excitement to spill into celebration, at least throughout his 25-year career in the dugout. And that’s why, in the moments after his West Ham United side triumphed in the Europa Conference League final, his cheesy grin and swinging arms were as loud as any words he said…