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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Manchester United faced AFC Bournemouth in Gameweek 16 of the 2025/2026 Premier League campaign, and it was one of the most entertaining games of the season, ending in a 4-4 draw. It was, however, not so entertaining for both teams’ players and managers, especially for Manchester United, who were winning...
Manchester City defeated Crystal Palace 3-0 in Gameweek 16 of the 2025/2026 edition of the Premier League. With a brace from Erling Haaland and a stunner from Phil Foden, the Cityzens secured the all-important points to maintain second place, as Aston Villa chase them with just a point difference. The...
Aston Villa entered the 2025/2026 campaign with a noticeably unstable rhythm, struggling to impose their identity during the opening weeks despite the continuity under Unai Emery. As the season unfolded, the team experienced a clear tactical reawakening, evolving into one of the Premier League’s most balanced and tactically adaptable sides....
Nottingham Forest are facing trouble this season, sitting in 17th place in the Premier League as of this writing, but they still have some great talent in their squad. Elliot Anderson has caught some attention, having played 15 games in the EPL over 1350 minutes, scoring 1 goal and assisting...
Manchester United enter the January transfer window with a structurally vulnerable midfield that has been repeatedly exposed throughout the 2025/2026 campaign. Rúben Amorim’s system places heavy tactical and physical demands on the double-pivot; the current squad profiles lack the balance, control, and defensive presence required to stabilise the team. Casemiro’s...
As the tactical game evolves rapidly, more and more money is spent on teams of analysts, data scientists, and research departments to get ahead in a game of often-narrow margins. Whilst murmurs of football becoming more 'boring' have grown over the last few years, I believe this can be boiled down to the fact...
The January transfer window offers teams a second chance. It is time to address what went unaddressed in the summer and respond to problems that have surfaced in the opening half of the season. The window tends to focus on clubs managing injury crises or those needing a final push...
Second-placed Chelsea held league leaders Arsenal to a 1-1 draw in Gameweek 12 of the 2025/2026 Premier League season. The Gunners would be disappointed with a draw, as the hosts went down to 10 men only 38 minutes into the game. The remainder of the game was a great example...
3 AFCON Players To Watch Every two years, just as Europe’s December calendar peaks, the Africa Cup of Nations reminds the world where so much of its footballing talent comes from. AFCON has a habit of delivering drama. Ivory Coast’s 2023 win came after they barely squeezed through the groups...
Manchester City suffered their fourth defeat of the season to Newcastle United in Gameweek 12 of the 2025/2026 Premier League season. Manchester City entered the game aiming to extend their winning run after beating Bournemouth and Liverpool before the international break. However, they were preparing for a game they already expected...
Arsenal defeated Tottenham Hotspur 4-1 in gameweek 12 of the 2025/2026 Premier League season. A thoroughly dominant display from the Gunners saw them go six points clear at the top of the league table. Meanwhile, Spurs stay at ninth place. Eberechi Eze found the net three times in a scintillating display...
Arsenal Vs Tottenham Hotspur For the 198th time, Arsenal and Tottenham meet for the North London Derby on Sunday. Arsenal come into the match with a four-point lead at the top of the table over Manchester City. Mikel Arteta’s men have only suffered one defeat this season and, before the...
In a market increasingly defined by anticipation, the smartest clubs try to buy tomorrow’s assurances today. They angle for the player who has not yet become a headline, who sits just before the inflection point when interest and prices suddenly jump. Lucas Bergvall belongs to that category: a 19-year-old Swedish...
