Saturday's Manchester Derby delivered far more than just another fixture in the Premier League calendar; it was a compelling emotional matchup in motion between Manchester United and Manchester City. The two teams, respectively under the watchful eyes of newly appointed interim manager Michael Carrick and Pep Guardiola, approached this contest...
The 2025/2026 campaign has brought with it a distinctly recalibrated version of Manchester City under Pep Guardiola. After a disappointing 2024/2025 season, in which City failed to win a single trophy and only just managed to secure a place in the UEFA Champions League, Guardiola was forced into a period of tactical...
After a season that fell short of their usual dominance, Manchester City approached the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup with a refreshed outlook, both on the pitch and in the coaching setup. The club reinforced their squad with several additions, most notably Rayan Cherki from Olympique Lyonnais, Rayan Aït-Nouri from...
Pep Guardiola’s side missed out on a Premier League title for the first time in the last five seasons, finishing in a respectable 3rd place but 13 points behind league leaders Liverpool. Following a relatively unsuccessful season (by Man City standards), which included an FA Cup Final loss to Crystal Palace, Manchester City has made...
After months of speculation, Arsenal looks on track to finally confirm the signing of Real Sociedad midfielder Martín Zubimendi. The Gunners have now been Premier League runners-up three years in a row. The Spanish International could be key in driving Mikel Arteta’s side towards potential glory. He will share the...
Florentino Luís is a 25-year-old defensive midfielder, currently playing for SL Benfica. He has been one of the most consistent performers in Liga Portugal over the last three seasons. Born in Angola, he moved to the Lisbon region of Portugal with his family at a very young age, where his...
A team’s chances of success in modern football rely heavily on the qualities of their holding midfielder. Especially in the build-up phase, the ‘6’ becomes a de facto quarterback whose movements and decisions impact every other player. Technique, movement and tactical understanding are the core attributes that determine the calibre...
A La Masia gem, who moved to Porto for more minutes, is now at Manchester City for a €60M fee. In this scout report, we’ll examine key aspects of Nico González's game and how he’ll fit into City’s squad, using clips from his Porto days and his short City stint...
Andrea Cambiaso is an Italian full-back who has been under the radar for a few years but has gained significant traction over the past 12 months. Clubs like Real Madrid, Manchester City and Bayern Munich have been watching the youngster for some years now. The 24-year-old began his professional career...
Set pieces are becoming increasingly important, attracting the attention of coaches, analysts and fans worldwide. This has led to the emergence of several concepts related to blocking or hindering the opponent: the “block” and the “screen”. Here, we define each term: 1) The block involves an attacking player positioning himself...
The Liverpool and Manchester City rivalry has been one of the most intense and entertaining in recent Premier League history and in world football in general. Over the past few seasons, everyone has been excited when Liverpool and Manchester City face off, and there is almost never a clear favourite...
Set pieces are becoming increasingly important, attracting the attention of coaches, analysts and fans worldwide. This has led to the emergence of several concepts related to blocking or hindering the opponent: the “block” and the “screen”. Here, we define each term: 1) The block involves an attacking player positioning himself...
Although Manchester City currently sit in second place in the Premier League with 23 points, just five points behind Liverpool, their season has gotten off to a rocky start. For the first time in Pep Guardiola's managerial career, the English side is facing significant challenges. Key injuries have plagued the...
The 2024 Ballon d’Or has kicked up quite the debate after Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri pipped Real Madrid’s Brazilian forward Vinícius Júnior to the prestigious award. It seems that Vinícius Júnior has quite the following, and his fans, along with various pundits – not to mention Real Madrid themselves,...
In modern football, the defensive midfielder's role has evolved into one of the most tactically pivotal positions on the pitch. Whether protecting the backline, orchestrating attacks, or helping their team advance, defensive midfielders encompass a range of archetypes, each bringing a unique style of play. This tactical analysis delves into...
"The best playmaker in the world". No, we're not talking about Johan Cruyff, Michel Platini or Diego Maradona. According to Jürgen Klopp, it is, in fact, counterpressing. Thus, in this tactical analysis piece, the best playmaker of the current European champions, Spain, will be scrutinised, as well as Luis de...
In modern football, the role of the defensive midfielder has evolved into one of the most tactically pivotal positions on the pitch. Whether protecting the backline, orchestrating attacks, or helping their team advance, defensive midfielders encompass a range of archetypes, each bringing a unique style of play. This tactical analysis...
For the 2024/25 Premier League season, İlkay Gündoğan has made a return to Manchester City, bringing his quality and intelligence both in the build-up phase and by making attacking runs to create opportunities for his teammates. With Rodri out for the season due to an ACL injury, Gündoğan is expected to...
Who Is João Neves? International tournament football tends to propel players' profiles, and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar was no different. As Argentina went on to claim their third title, one player who caught the attention of five-time Premier League champions Chelsea was midfielder Enzo Fernández. Fernández subsequently secured...
Set-piece situations can define a team's season and secure vital points, which can be the difference between staying up and relegation, or between continental qualification and mid-table obscurity. As a result, like everything in football, more focus and detail are being put into set-pieces, with different strategies and trends used...
