Loading posts...
  • Manchester United’s Woes From Set-piece Situations

    Manchester United entered February in ninth place after a chaotic start to the campaign both in terms of gaining points and quality of play, but today, they find themselves sixth in the table, five points behind Aston Villa and six behind Tottenham. Erik ten Hag’s team is very dependent on the match scenario – against…

  • Analyzing the Intricacies of the Christmas Tree Formation

    In the kaleidoscope of life’s pursuits, football, like a well-strung carol, resonates with the rhythms of passion and strategy. As we embark on this seasonal odyssey, let us unravel the peculiar allure of the Christmas tree formation—an emblematic display of tactics that mirrors the intricate dance of baubles on a festive fir. In the symphony…

  • Ipswich Town – The Championship’s Surprise Package

    Playing second-tier football for the first time in five years, Ipswich Town are a team catching the eye of football purists all over the globe following their promotion from League One in the 22/23 campaign. With a former Manchester United coach who graduated from the school of Fergie at the helm, it’s clear to see…

  • Carlos Corberan’s Tactical Set-up at West Brom

    Carlos Corberan joined West Brom with the club in the relegation zone midway through last season. His arrival sparked an impressive turnaround which saw them just miss out on a play-off place in the final game of the season. With the club in financial turmoil and the loss of Dara O’Shea, most West Brom fans were…

  • Could the Erik ten Hag Era Be Nearing a Premature End at Manchester United?

    ‘Eras can come to an end’- a bold, confident and rousing Erik Ten Hag discussing Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp’s dominance upon his Manchester United arrival. Instead of dismantling incumbent powerhouses (namely Manchester City and Arsenal), it seems Ten Hag’s Manchester United ‘era’ has far less longevity than the ones he foresaw coming to an…

  • Through the Looking Glass of Big Data: SSC Napoli 2015/16 and the Vindication of Maurizio Sarri: Part Three

    Part III: Valentine’s Day heartbreakers and (quite a few) record-breakers   Fresh from their first “Winter Champions” title in the 21st century, Napoli strolled to five straight victories in the new year, led by six goals from Gonzalo Higuain, who had taken his record to 24 goals in as many games. Jose Callejon had also…

  • Through the Looking Glass of Big Data: SSC Napoli 2015/16 and the Vindication of Maurizio Sarri: Part Two

    Part II: A First Campione D’Invierno (Or, Tuscan Men Love to Curse)   After a faltering start to the season with a paltry two points from the first nine, it was the first match in the Europa League against Club Brugge where Napoli began to show signs of life. By the end of the Rafa…

  • How Andoni Iraola Turned Around Bournemouth’s Form

     June 19th 2023, was a day to remember for Cherries fans, a day that sent shock waves even through other fan bases. Gary O’Neil after a remarkable 22/23 season that saw Bournemouth stay in the league despite all the odds was axed and replaced with current manager Andoni Iraola. Such was the disdain for the…

  • Through the Looking Glass of Big Data: SSC Napoli 2015/16 and the Vindication of Maurizio Sarri: Part One

    Before Luciano Spalletti’s new-look Napoli led by Kvicha “Kvaradona” Kvaratskhelia and Victor Osimhen conquered the Serie A in 2022/23 for the first time since a certain Argentinian had led them to the Scudetto over 30 years prior, it was the unassuming rise of Maurizio Sarri seven years prior that had seemingly marked the start of…

  • Tactical Observations from the First Clasico of the 2023/24 Season

    In epochs gone by, El Clasico stood as a battlefield among gods, an epic exchange that even the demi-gods deemed worthy. Legends, etched in the grains of time, were born from the clashes that transcended the mortal realm. Today, however, it stands diminished, a mere mortal’s contest, a fading echo of its once divine essence.…