With Manchester United’s right wingers disappearing like characters in an Agatha Christie novel, and to make things juicier, they can’t seem to buy a win. But here comes the plot twist – they whipped out a 4-4-2 diamond against  Brighton, and for a good 15-20 minutes, it looked like magic. A formation that can shape-shift…

Despite a summer that saw them sign the likes of Karim Benzema, Fabinho, Jota and N’Golo Kanté, Al-Ittihad have plenty of flaws that need to be ironed out as they look to win their second straight Saudi Professional League title and 10th overall. After stringing together victories against Al-Raed, Al Tai, Al Riyadh, and Al-Wehda,…

The first season under the leadership of Erik ten Hag was a successful one for Manchester United – the club won the trophy for the first time in six years, reached the FA Cup final, and qualified for the Champions League. But perhaps the most important achievement of the Red Devils last season was the…

The Bundesliga returned on Friday after the September international break, with defending champions Bayern Munich hosting Xabi Alonso’s upstart Bayer Leverkusen side. Whilst Bayern had lost to RB Leipzig in the DFL-SuperCup, both teams had won every match in the Bundesliga, with Leverkusen leading Bayern on goal differential by just one goal. Bayern knew they…

Born in the cradle of civilization, Athens, Greece, Ange Postecoglou’s journey through the football cosmos is a tale as diverse as it is compelling. A voyage that eventually led him to the sunburned shores of Australia, where he carved his path through the Australian football landscape. But Ange was destined for grander stages, and soon…

After stringing together eight consecutive league wins, Napoli entered March in sensational form and the heavy favorites to pick up a victory at home against Lazio featuring a former player in Elseid Hysaj and a former manager in Maurizio Sarri, who spent three years in charge at the Partenopei and took them within touching distance…

One of the most anticipated match-ups of the Premier League season’s opening month came in North London, as Arsenal hosted Manchester United at the Emirates. Both teams took significant strides last season, with United finishing third in their first season under Erik ten Hag, whilst Arsenal ended their Champions League drought and finished second. Whilst…

In the vast theatre of human endeavours, where the pursuit of meaning often reveals itself in the most unexpected of places, we find ourselves drawn to the sacred cathedral of football. In this timeless ritual, where passion transcends reason, and the spirit of camaraderie meets the cruelty of fate, a tapestry of narratives unfurls.  …

On Sunday, August 20th, Spain won the Women’s World Cup. The victory was their crowning achievement and had been a long time coming for the team. It was also a product of their youth development, as victories in the U17 and U20 World Cups are a testament to the youth development of the Spanish players.…

The goal of this series is to describe a position of play that had the most pervasive impact on teams’ success across European football during a given season. When looking for commonalities and/or trends in style of play among successful European club teams in the 2022/23 season, it is hard to look past the roles…