After an uninspiring start to senior football with River Plate in his native Argentina, Giovanni Simeone is slowly establishing himself as a player in his own right. The 23-year-old may not be a natural finisher like compatriots Mauro Icardi and Gonzalo Higuaín, but he is a combative striker that has inherited the work ethic that…

For all the attacking flair on display last season at the Etihad, there was one man who captured the hearts of City fans for with his relentless work ethic and robotic consistency. Fernandinho may not have received the plaudits his midfield counterparts did last season, but Pep Guardiola was a keen admirer, heaping the Brazilian with praise…

This past summer transfer window was a mixed bag for Arsenal. With Lucas Torreira, Mattéo Guendouzi, Bernd Leno, Sokratis Papastathopoulos, and Stephan Lichsteiner, there was a blend of youth and experience. Of the five, Sokratis, Torreira, and Leno were seen as either starters or at the very least challenging for a starting berth. Guendouzi, even…

Ethan Kwame Colm Raymond Ampadu (his full name, not an anagram) was born in Exeter, England on September 14th, 2000. He was born into a footballing family, being the son of former Republic of Ireland U21 International footballer Kwame Ampadu, now a coach at Arsenal’s U18 side, and a Welsh-born mother. Ampadu joined the Exeter…

Hopes are never high for City fans in the build up to away fixtures at their notorious bogey ground of Anfield, and with key marksman, consistent big game performer, and perhaps the most vital player on the team, Kevin De Bruyne, out for the fixture, City fans would be forgiven for being elated at the…

January, 2017: Manchester City play out a 2-2 draw with Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham in a game that Guardiola’s men really deserved to win. City were two goals to the good on the hour mark after quick fire goals from Leroy Sané and Kevin De Bruyne, but the away side clawed back to a draw via…

Dropping off between the lines; playing delicious through balls; unlocking defences with pinpoint, well-timed passes; dropping into space and shooting accurately from acute angles; Christian Eriksen is that exceptionally skilled technician the seven emperors of ancient Rome would have paid to watch at the Colosseum. Two times Tottenham went behind, two times Tottenham restored parity.…

In a city where football is one of the most celebrated and passionate in the world, Napoli has introduced to the Italian competition a dynamic, thrilling brand of football focused on high pressure, quick passing and ball retention. The icon of this style, Pep Guardiola calls Napoli performances “the most beautiful football in Europe”, going…

I was at Molineux last Saturday, watching Wolves defeat a full-strength Villarreal team 2-1, and I could not stop smiling. Sure, it was only a friendly, but this was different. It was an excellent performance, Wolves’ last before their Premier League campaign begins against Everton next week, one that has given me even more hope…