Analysis

Japan’s rise as a developer of technical midfielders has felt inexorable for a decade, and the J.League pipeline keeps delivering. The case studies are already familiar. Kaoru Mitoma left Kawasaki Frontale for Brighton, and Takefusa Kubo has played for two of the biggest clubs in Spain. Ao Tanaka, 27, belongs in...

Last week, Total Football Analysis published an article on Chema Andrés at VfB Stuttgart, who has generated plenty of well-deserved hype around himself in the 2025/2026 season so far. Andrés isn’t the only young holding midfielder in the Bundesliga with a bit of buzz around himself at the moment. Another...

Werder Bremen were rather busy this summer, overturning their entire identity and style of play. Long-time head coach Ole Werner and the club decided to part ways, which led to the club hiring Horst Steffen as their new head coach. This also meant that the team's entire style of play...

Azzedine Ounahi’s arrival at Girona ahead of the 2025/2026 La Liga season was not just another midfield signing; it represented a response to a clear structural challenge. However, the subsequent action is not exploited effectively. He then continues his press toward the ball-side flank, helping Girona regain possession.  Girona’s tactics...

Reece James was getting shouts of being the best right-back in the world a few years ago, but numerous hamstring injuries slowed his consistent game time. Now that he is getting back to speed and playing 26 games this season and 1739 minutes so far, some speculate he is getting...

Arsenal faced Crystal Palace in the EFL Cup quarter-final, and the Gunners qualified for the semi-finals by winning the penalty shoot-out after a 1-1 draw in regular time. Arsenal looked more dangerous in front of goal throughout the match but were not clinical enough, which prevented them from winning in...

It may be tough to cast your mind back to the chaotic summer transfer window, but the moves that Premier League clubs desperately pushed for now look very different in the context of the season. It was the summer of hotly tipped and hotly chased strikers. If you take a...

Niclas Füllkrug has recently been linked with teams like AC Milan, Werder Bremen, Augsburg, and Wolfsburg, as the German striker's talent makes him sought after by numerous clubs despite being 32 years old. Milan, in particular, is rumoured to have already started talks with West Ham United over a loan...

Barcelona defeated Villarreal 2-0 in Gameweek 17 of the 2025/2026 edition of LaLiga at Estadio de la Ceramica. With goals from Raphinha and Lamine Yamal, the Catalans went four points clear of Real Madrid. The visitors had most of the ball, having 79% possession. Although missing Pedri was a concern...

Aston Villa hosted Manchester United at Villa Park and were able to beat the Red Devils with a 2-1 final score. Aston Villa continue to climb the Premier League standings thanks to this win, now holding third place with 36 points, only three points behind the top team. Unai Emery's team are...

Liverpool’s 2025/2026 season has begun in stark contrast to pre-season expectations. Rather than establishing early control and consistency under Arne Slot, performances have been inconsistent, with rhythm, attacking cohesion, and efficiency fluctuating throughout the opening fixtures. This instability has extended beyond the team structure; even Mohamed Salah, long Liverpool’s most...

For some time now, the name Patricio Pacífico has been circulating by word of mouth among Uruguayan football fans. Developed at Defensor Sporting, the left-footed centre-back had previously stood out in Uruguay’s youth national teams as one of the most promising players of the 2006 generation. Identified as part of...

The Bundesliga title race is rather dull, if we are being honest; Bayern Munich and Vincent Kompany are already running away with the title. Behind FC Bayern, there is a vast power struggle about who is number two in German football at the moment. The three key players in this...

The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is set to kick off on 21st December 2025 in Morocco, running until 18 January 2026, and promises a thrilling spectacle of African football. This edition of Africa’s premier international tournament features 24 national sides competing across multiple cities and world-class stadiums throughout...

In modern football analysis, set-pieces are often framed as marginal gains and supplementary opportunities rather than primary attacking mechanisms.  Espanyol under Manolo González challenge this assumption.  Throughout the 2025/2026 season, corners have emerged not as occasional advantages but as a central component of their attacking identity. RCD Espanyol de Barcelona...

Looking back ten years to the 2015/2016 season, Eintracht Frankfurt were in deep trouble. After conceding a late goal against Werder Bremen on the last matchday of the season, the club dropped to 16th in the league and had to participate in the relegation play-off. With the club on the...

Napoli faced AC Milan in the Supercoppa Italiana semi-finals recently and beat them to advance to the final against Bologna. After winning the title last season, I Rossoneri failed to repeat the feat this time, as Napoli were more determined and crucial in both the defensive and attacking phases, ensuring a positive result...

Chelsea are having an up-and-down season, currently sitting in fourth place and eight points behind league leaders Arsenal. The Blues have dealt with injuries and bad results, but one of the main bright spots this season has been Enzo Fernández. With Cole Palmer missing most of the season due to...

Modern central defending has changed.  Centre-backs still must defend their box, win duels, and clear danger.  But most teams nowadays ask them to start the attack in the first phase, to vary their passing, to be comfortable under pressure, and to solve problems with the ball as much as without...

Chema Andrés (190cm/6’3”, 77kg/169lbs) joined VfB Stuttgart from Real Madrid this past summer for a transfer fee of just €3m. Andrés was a Real Madrid academy product, having joined Los Blancos' youth setup from Levante in 2018. Like many who came through the Galacticos academy before him, such as Juan...