Category Archives: Football Manager

How will Liverpool shape up after the return of Daniel Sturridge

“The 2014-15 season for Liverpool felt like some kind of nightmare hallucination brought on by the euphoric rush that was experienced the year prior. A large part of this nightmare hallucination was that despite all the willing of the fans, and the support of medical staff between two continents and indeed two sports (football and baseball) Daniel Sturridge could not find his way back onto a pitch in playing condition. The argument that was put forth by Liverpool fans in pubs, offices, schools and streets worldwide was, ‘If Sturridge were healthy, this season would be completely different.’ This mentality has bled over into the current campaign, with Liverpool failing to make any kind of statement offensively in its first four games. However, this nightmare appears to be ending and so we will look at how Liverpool’s front line will line up with Sturridge in the lineup.” Outside of the Boot

Alexis Sanchez could be the forward Arsenal have been searching for

“The revelation that Danny Welbeck will miss half the season — days after the summer transfer window ended without Arsene Wenger’s buying a single senior outfielder — prompted anger from Arsenal fans frustrated by the lack of a superstar striker. Olivier Giroud has improved since joining in 2012, but he is unlikely to hit 20 league goals, while Theo Walcott still doesn’t look like a reliable out-and-out striker.” ESPN – Michael Cox

Manchester City – I Threw A Brick Through A Window

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“So Manchester City are once again spending big, with this summer’s transfer window seeing the arrivals of Kevin De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling, Nicolas Otamendi, Fabian Delph and Patrick Roberts. This should have come as no surprise given comments from chairman Khaldoon al Mubarak earlier this year, ‘We want to go to the next level and a squad that has the capability and quality to win the Premier League and compete in and win the Champions League and go all the way in tow cup competitions in England.’” The Swiss Ramble

Romania: a team of ageing journeymen somehow ranked No7 in the world

“On the face of it, everything looks rosy for the Romania national side. They’re ranked seventh in the world and they sit top of their qualifying group for Euro 2016, having conceded only one goal in six games. If they beat Hungary away on Friday, they’d be a win from securing their place in France next summer.
Roy Hodgson tells England they can pull off Euro 2016 success. The president of the Romanian Football Federation, Razvan Burleanu, has been happy to take credit for Romania’s rise, saying that he had a plan to take Romania into the world’s top 20, then the top 15, then the top 10, and merrily asserting that his country is ahead of schedule.” Guardian – Jonathan Wilson

What is a ‘False 10’?

“In recent seasons, and particularly at the beginning of the current campaign, a trend is emerging which could eventually see the extinction of the no.10 in its traditional role. Many have written about what they perceive to be the false no.10 position. Most of these pieces claim that the role comprises of a player who starts just off the main striker but ends up in the box to score. My argument is that this is either a mere misinterpretation of the second striker role or else it is simply a false nine playing behind a striker that drifts wide or drops off to create space for the false nine. The false nine position is based on the principle that it is better to arrive in a location of threat to the opposition than to start in it. My interpretation of the false no.10 is someone who starts elsewhere with the intention of arriving in the no.10 position. In doing so, they are running into a space where their threat is heightened, instead of beginning in this zone and having to leave it to find space.” Outside of the Boot

The coming of age of Jonjo Shelvey

“While football fans are generally an angry bunch, Liverpool fans might be slightly worse. In the last three years, there haven’t been many decisions or instances that they have all agreed upon. The decision to let go of a bald, talented 21-year-old was such an occasion. Liverpool have seven points on board and have won two games and drawn a tough away fixture against Arsenal. But a major issue with the Reds is the dearth of creativity, especially in the midfield. No wonder Liverpool fans feel like it was criminal to let the player go. But in fairness to Brendan Rodgers (and Steven Gerrard), the midfielder admitted that the Liverpool manager tried his best to make him stay.” Outside of the Boot

Philipp Lahm and Germany’s full back problems

“As the modern game drifts ever-further infield, infatuated with in-swinging widemen and central playmakers, the full-back role has undergone unrivalled reconstruction. No longer the abode of the physically challenged, the final name on the team sheet; their roles have evolved, their importance increased to the point where Dani Alves became one of the game’s most feared attackers, Luke Shaw a £30million teen. It’s fitting, therefore, that Europe’s most progressive footballing nation embraced this very modern love affair long before the mainstream considered their importance a rival to the jet-heeled wingers and laser-eyed frontmen.” Outside of the Boot

Randomness And The Fog Of Goals

“Short termism is rife in football coverage these days. From the insatiable desire to learn 5 things from each match day to the pendulum swing in Falcao’s perceived talent level between last summer and this. It’s common to hear strikers’ peaks and troughs talked about in terms of confidence, hunger and desire, as though each change in output is the result of some tweak in the internal machinery of the player’s mentality and training. But how much of this is true and how much can be attributed to statistical noise? Take these three players, for instance. Goal-scoring in 6 consecutive season adjusted for minutes played. Who do you think they are? Which player is the best?” Stats Bomb

Celtic and the Decline of Scottish Football

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“But it looks like the decision to send the club to the bottom tier of the Scottish football pyramid may just be finally hitting home that it has been a hindrance for the overall domestic picture in a country that is worlds away from its big-spending British neighbours. If you look at the game in Scotland logically and sensibly, there is very little quality throughout the four divisions, especially in the top-flight, where it is essentially a race to finish second best behind the worst Celtic side in a long, long time.” Outside of the Boot

Goal Analysis: How Crystal Palace punished Chelsea on the counter

“Crystal Palace shocked Chelsea by running out of Stamford Bridge with a 2-1 victory. Just Jose Mourinho’s second home defeat in 100 Premier League matches, Palace pulled out a Mourinho-esque performance. Allowing Chelsea to control the ball (the Blues finished with 64% of possession), Palace defended brilliantly. Alan Pardew set his team up superbly, with two stout lines of defense, ready to break at any moment. Palace poached both their goals with brilliant counters, both coming down the left, and seizing on the mistakes of Chelsea’s backline.” Outside of the Boot

Chelsea’s aggressive loan approach lets club stockpile young talent

“In June, Shakhtar Donetsk forward Fred made his home debut for Brazil in a friendly against Mexico in Sao Paulo, having performed creditably as a substitute in away friendlies against Turkey and Austria. To widespread confusion, he was booed. His crime? Well, there wasn’t one, other than that he shared his name with Fred, a center forward who had been made a scapegoat for Brazil’s poor showing at the World Cup a year earlier. Brazilian fans–sufficient to get a significant spell of booing together–simply didn’t know who he was.” SI – Jonathan Wilson

Sheffield Wednesday – Working With Fire And Steel

“Sheffield Wednesday are one of those clubs with a fine history that these days find themselves playing in the Championship. Wednesday spent most of the 80s and 90s in the top flight of English football, but have not been in the Premier League since 2000 and won the last of their First Division titles back in 1930. Indeed, in recent times they actually spent two seasons in League One, England’s third tier, before promotion back to the Championship in 2012. Since then, they have not really threatened the promotion or play-off places, but there is now cause for a degree of optimism in the steel city following the arrival of new Thai owner Dejphon Chansiri.” The Swiss Ramble

Milestone Müller Maintains Bayern’s 100% Record

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“Bayern made it three wins from three in the weekend’s top game as they downed Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 at the Allianz Arena. Thomas Müller was the hero with a brace, while Arjen Robben added a third. It was a case of Leverkusen being good, but Bayern being exceedingly good. What do you do when you’ve got your two first-choice centre-backs out? Well if you’re Pep Guardiola you just fill your side with midfielders. With both Mehdi Benatia and Jerome Boateng missing, the Bayern trainer went with a three-man back line of Philipp Lahm, David Alaba and Juan Bernat with Thiago playing just in front.” Bundesliga Fanatic

Tactical Notes on Saturday’s Bayern Munich – Bayer Leverkusen Match
“MatchDay 3’s game of the week fixture featured two (of three) Bundesliga clubs with perfect records after two weeks, as holders FC Bayern Munich hosted Bayer 04 Leverkusen. In terms of squad strength, each club was short-handed, as Bayern were without much in the way of available defenders while Leverkusen’s attacking midfielder, Heung-Min Son, just signed a deal with Tottenham. Nevertheless, Bayern were able to prevail, downing Die Werkself 3-0.” Bundesliga Fanatic

Louis van Gaal’s quest for control brings scant consolation at Swansea

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“If only Club Brugge were in the Premier League. But they are not and, when you strip out the seven goals Manchester United scored in two games against them, they have scored just three in four this season. For all the talk of progress and of Louis van Gaal’s methods slowly being assimilated by his players, his 50th game in charge ended with the same result as his first: a 2-1 defeat to Swansea.” Guardian – Jonathan Wilson

Talent Radar Young Players Team of the Week #4 — Matthias Ginter, Raheem Sterling, and Nabil Fekir feature

“A regular feature on our website is the Talent Radar Team of the Week with the best young players compiled into an XI from across Europe’s top six leagues. You can read this for all details on Talent Radar, who is eligible under it and what else we publish within this feature.” Outside of the Boot.

Tactical Philosophy: Paco Jemez

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“Born on the 18th April 1970 as Francisco Jemez Martin, to the son of a flamenco singer, Paco has always admitted that he would have followed in his father’s musical footsteps if he had the talent for it, however he has proclaimed that he had ‘neither the voice nor the talent for it’. Instead his father helped shape his career in a different way. With his father being an avid Cordoba fan, it was Cordoba that Paco joined, and made his debut in the Segunda Division B as an 18 year old as a tough tackling centre-back.” Outside of the Boot

Tactical Analysis | West Ham 3-4 Bournemouth: Cherries dominate with wide overloads

“Premier league new boys AFC Bournemouth picked up their first ever top flight win in a 7 goal thriller at Upton Park. The game was characterised by drastic swings of momentum for both sides, though on the overall balance of play, Bournemouth certainly deserved to win the match and were rewarded for their refreshing attacking bravery.” Outside of the Boot

It’s Not You, It’s My Tactics: Francis Coquelin and the Impossibility of the Defensive Midfielder

“With the final week of the transfer window upon us, Arsenal still haven’t bought a defensive midfielder. (Drink.) And if that doesn’t change for the first time in what feels like a century running, it’ll be because Arsene Wenger has decided to ride with Francis Coquelin. Let’s just get this out of the way: Coquelin is not a great midfielder, and he never will be.” Grantland

The rise of Carpi: Serie A’s newcomers

“It has been a truly remarkable ride for Carpi over the last few years. Based in the northern province of Modena, the modest-sized club from the small industrial town from which it gets its name have enjoyed a meteoric rise over the past several seasons, one that has seen them return from the dead and climb up the ranks at a rate of knots, culminating in them gaining a place in Serie A for the first time in their history. Founded as AC Carpi in 1909, the club spent the majority of their life battling in the lower tiers of Italian football, finding it difficult to carve out any success in the provincial leagues.” Outside of the Boot

Blackburn Rovers – Burning Down The House

“This year marks the 20th anniversary of Blackburn Rovers winning the Premier League, a magnificent feat that only five clubs have achieved. Things are very different these days, compared to that golden period when Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton were tearing defences apart, as Rovers now languish in the Championship following a disastrous takeover. In November 2010 Rovers were acquired by Indian poultry giants Venky’s, who paid £23 million to end the club’s long association with the Jack Walker Trust. The new owners also took on around £20 million of debt, subsequently converting £10 million into share capital.” The Swiss Ramble

Saturdays on the Couch, Week 2: Sluggish Wolfsburg

“…I wrote about how he was one of the coaches to watch in my Family Tree pieces but with quotes like the above and his quote in the same presser where he said: ‘Fundamentally, it is better to lose while playing well in the second half rather than win with the first half performance, as we really did not do enough.’ He is quickly becoming one of my favorite coaches.” StatsBomb

Tactical Analysis: Arsenal 0 Liverpool 0

“… Both teams missed important first-team players, with Arsenal’s loss arguably the greater. Liverpool were without their captain Jordan Henderson and Adam Lallana but their replacements – Lucas and Firmino respectively – played important roles in creating a different outlook which arguably suited the game more. After using a lopsided 4-2-1-3 for the previous two games, here – arguably due to the change from Henderson to Lucas – Rodgers opted for a 4-1-2-3 formation instead.” Tomkins Times

Player Analysis: Sergio Busquets against Athletic Bilbao

“In the 1st leg of the Spanish Super Cup, Barcelona had huge problems dealing with the high-press of Bilbao in Barcelona’s own half-pitch, while also employing a man-marking system. Athletic were also very centrally compact playing with a 4-4-2, which Barcelona could not penetrate, conceding 4 goals through different pressing approaches of Bilbao which eventually led to counter-attacks against the then destabilized Barca defense.” Outside of the Boot

Tactical Analysis | Atletico Madrid 1-0 Las Palmas: Simeone’s build-up system and pressing changes

“Atletico kicked off their 2015/16 La Liga campaign against newly promoted side, UD Las Palmas. The game had some interesting tactical strategies with the yellow men from Las Palmas quite secure in defence.” Outside of the Boot

Taking the temperature of Manchester United

“Making observations based off one game and presenting them as fact is reactionary pulp, especially when players and teams have anywhere between 37 and 50 games left, including cups, to rectify mistakes, build chemistry and become comfortable with themselves, each other and the system they play within. Three games in, and little more than guesswork is still the most prevalent manner of forecasting the next nine months of soccer.” backpagefootball

Tactical Analysis | Liverpool 1-0 Bournemouth: Combination play down the right

“Liverpool started off their home Premier League campaign with a less than convincing win over newly-promoted Bournemouth, aided by a controversial debut Anfield goal for summer signing Christian Benteke. The Reds named an unchanged eleven from last weekend’s win over Stoke City, while Eddie Howe effected two changes in his Bournemouth side, bringing in Eunan O’Kane and Max Gradel for Dan Gosling and Marc Pugh respectively. Liverpool lined up in their customary 4-2-3-1; Adam Lallana’s position was more central while Philippe Coutinho started on the right. Jordan Henderson and James Milner formed the central midfield pairing, with Henderson sitting slightly deeper than Milner.” Outside of the Boot

An insight into Football Scouting: Interview with Neil McGuinness

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“Neil was a professional scout with Celtic for many years and has worked under Neil Lennon and Ronny Deila. He has now taken a role working for the Qatar national team at the Aspire Academy. His role there is to scout for the players who will potentially represent the Qatar team at the World Cup in 2022. He was responsible for bringing in the likes of Virgil van Dijk and Stefan Johansen in terms of signings at Celtic. We thank Neil for his time and valuable insight.” Outside of the Boot

Graft, grit and Northern beauty

“Sir Alex Ferguson, Kenny Dalglish, Jock Stein, Sir Matt Busby, Bob Paisley, Bill Shankly, Brian Clough, Howard Kendall, Don Revie, Sir Bobby Robson: it’s a long and impressive list, but far from an exhaustive one. The common thread that links them to one another? Yes, they are all British, but more specifically, they’re all from either the North East of England or Scotland. So what, I hear you mutter. … It’s my assertion that, as they did not inherit, at birth, the specific qualities and traits needed to stand out in the cutthroat world of football but must possess them in order to break into that sphere in the first place, then it must be their upbringing and the environment of their formative years that defined them. So, it is to the North East of England and Scotland that we must look for those ingredients that shaped the young men who would eventually become legends.” Foofball Pink

A History of Volatility: Jose Mourinho Says He Wants to Stay at Chelsea, But He Says a Lot of Things

“The last two weeks at Chelsea have already pushed the club’s title-winning 2014-15 season way out of view. First, they opened the campaign with a home draw against Swansea City. Then, Jose Mourinho relieved the team doctor, Eva Carneiro, of her sideline duties under dubious circumstances. And in the first game without Carneiro nearby, the defending champs got smoked by Manchester City, 3-0, and now sit five points back of the top of the table. During the loss, for the first time in either of his stints at the club, Mourinho subbed out his captain, John Terry, at halftime.” Grantland

Ipswich Town – Forever The Same?

“One of the most surprising sides in last season’s Championship was Ipswich Town, who managed to reach the play-offs on a shoestring budget. Although they were eliminated in the semi-finals by local rivals Norwich City, this was a great achievement that highlighted the progress made under Mick McCarthy. When the experienced manager replaced Paul Jewell in November 2012, Ipswich were bottom of the Championship, but McCarthy successfully guided the club out of the relegation zone to finish in a comfortable 14th place. His first full season ended in a respectable 9th place in 2013/14, before he broke Ipswich’s many years of mid-table finishes by leading them to the play-offs.” The Swiss Ramble

Is Turkish football hampered by a dominant ‘Big Two’?

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“Forty million Euros. That is what Turkish Super Lig club Fenerbahce have spent in summer transfers this season a scenario which was all but unimaginable not so long ago. Of course the bulk of that cash was utilized in acquiring the services of the former Manchester United duo of Robin van Persie and Nani who are aiming to resurrect their careers at the Istanbul based club.” backpagefootball

Tactical Analysis | Manchester City 3-0 Chelsea: Alternating attacking methods from the home side

“The build up story was that the champions were visiting the runners up, and the two managers, Mourinho and Pellegrini were resuming an intense rivalry. The post mortems however, were very different, as Chelsea fans lamented the lack of spirit and the utter fragility of their seemingly powerful squad. Manchester City dominated the game from start to finish, making a lasting impression in the minds of many, not least the current champions.” Outside of the Boot

2015-16 Bundesliga Preview: Variety at the top, goals all the way through

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“The Bundesliga was my gateway drug into the high-flying, groupie-gathering, time-sucking, spreadsheet-staring, decimal-point debating, fantastic world of soccer analytics. I was your run-of-the-mill World Cup and EPL viewer before deciding one day I wanted to know more about the soccer world elsewhere and simply chose the Bundesliga to follow for a year. I put $200 in a betting account and began working to beat the bookies. I read Colin Trainor here on expected goals and built my own model. I manually input shots from all these different zones and adjusted for schedule.” StatsBomb

3-5-2 or 4-1-4-1: What approach best suits Pep Guardiola’s Bayern?

“Predicting Guardiola’s approach may be one of the hardest duty a football enthusiast could undertake. But despite the alterations and flexibility, Alankrith Shankar has narrowed down the options to two wide-scoped approaches that the Bayern Munich could implement. New Year, new squad, same manager. Pep Guardiola is into the last year of his current contract at Bayern Munich and early signs show that there may not be an extension offered to the Spaniard unless he pulls off a treble that the fans and board have been wanting ever since he set foot at the club’s training grounds.” Outside of the Boot

Tactical Analysis: Athletic Bilbao 4-0 Barcelona | Bilbao’s 4-4-2 and pressing exposes Barca’s vulnerabilities

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“San Mames is a notoriously hard stadium to play in, as visiting teams often find themselves wavering in front of the intense Bilbo crowd and team during the 90 minutes of the game. Since the first sound of the whistle, Bilbao approached the game with a robust and intense style. Playing hard, aggressive and direct, the first 10-20 minutes of the game did not see Bilbao risk anything in the build up, but instead preferred to play longer towards the opposing half, in order to force the high-lines of Barcelona to drop deeper. This long balls approach worked as it forced Ter-Stegen out of the goal to head it away, leaving his goal completely exposed which was duly punished by what may turn out to be a contender for goal of the season. San Jose got to the 2nd ball and shot directly into the open goal from 40 yards out, resulting in a 1-0 lead for Bilbao after 15 minutes of the Super Copa Espana.” Outside of the Boot

Tactical Analysis: Barcelona 5-4 Sevilla | How Barca created space in the middle by playing out wide

“Last season treble winners Barcelona came up against Europa League champions Sevilla in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi. For what was expected as a mouth – watering game by many, I’m sure they weren’t disappointed with the final outcome.” Outside of the Boot

La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, Ligue 1: Who will win titles?

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“From managerial changes at some of the continent’s biggest clubs to long-running transfer sagas, it has been a hectic summer of activity across Europe. The season has already begun in France, Germany kick off their league campaign this weekend, while Spain and Italy start the following week. So what has changed? Who are the new faces to watch out for and, crucially, what does it all mean for the title races in Europe’s major leagues?” BBC

Henrik Larsson: Humble and hungry for success as a manager

“He walks into the room overlooking the pitch at Helsingborg’s Olympia stadium, sticks out his hand and apologises for being late – about two minutes late. To most of us, it’s nothing but, then, Henrik Larsson has never been like most of us. To a footballer whose greatness was built, in part, on the back of impeccable timing, two minutes is two minutes too long. He hasn’t changed, not much at any rate. He’s 43 but still looks fit enough to waltz on to the pitch at Celtic Park and light the place up one more time. Football is now something he plays for fun with his mates once a week in an over-35s league. But his new life as a manager? That’s a different story. That’s the thing that envelops him now.” BBC

Tactical dilemmas for Pellegrini and Mourinho before Man City vs. Chelsea

“Manchester City vs. Chelsea might be a title decider if it were played on the second-to-last weekend of the season, rather than the second overall. It’s highly unusual to encounter such an important match so early in the new campaign and this is a meeting between the past two Premier League champions, who happen to be the two favourites to win it again.” ESPN – Michael Cox

Tactical Analysis: Manchester United 1-0 Tottenham Hotspur | United superbly compact, Spurs struggle in build-up

“The first game of the Premier League season matched up Louis van Gaal’s Manchester United against Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham Hotspur. Many supporters looked at this clash and saw it as one which was very suitable for the Barclays Premier League opener. Two managers who favour aggressive high pressure and attacking, proactive football along with a host of quality players on either side made this a tantalizing clash on paper. However, although the game promised much as a spectacle in the end the game was far from tantalizing. Both teams appeared nervy, wary of the ramifications that a poor start to a league season can have.” Outside of the Boot

A new dawn at Newcastle United?

“The aftermath of a summer, which as Mike Ashley promised, was not devoid of activity at Newcastle United, began on Sunday with a credible two all draw against last season’s surprise package, Southampton. Any residual sympathy for the memory of John Carver and Steve Stone had vanished quickly with an encouraging first half display. New signing Georginio Wijnaldum quickly endeared himself to the fans soon after half time with a quite sensational header. Despite this, new manager, sorry head coach, Steve McClaren seemed to be frantically reaching for the phone at every break in play. Rumours his Geordie accent is already almost as broad of Paul Gascoigne’s have yet to be confirmed.” backpagefootball

Always Lucky, Rarely Good: The Manchester United Story

“Manchester United were not a good soccer team last season — and they haven’t been for four or five years running. For a while, that didn’t stop them from winning. The end of Sir Alex Ferguson’s tenure was marked by the outsize performances of under-talented squads, but when he handed the same team over to David Moyes, the magical carriage turned into a seventh-place pumpkin. With Moyes ousted after one season, Louis van Gaal came in, and the great United rebuild began anew under the urgent mandate to return to the top four and Champions League in any way possible. In typical United fashion, they finished fourth, but they did it on the back of results that outstripped the quality of their performances.” Grantland

How West Brom secured Salomón Rondón thanks to Vladimir Putin’s protectionism

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“Salomón Rondón’s move from Zenit St Petersburg to West Bromwich Albion began with a phone call from Tony Pulis to André Villas-Boas asking him if there was any talent in Russia he should be looking at. The Zenit manager replied that because of new restrictions on foreign players – a direct diktat, it is said, from Vladimir Putin, concerned by the national side’s poor performances in qualifying for Euro 2016 – he was having to offload Rondón. The 25-year-old Venezuelan, he believed, would thrive in the Premier League.” Guardian – Jonathan Wilson

Tactical Analysis: Newcastle United 2-2 Southampton | Space between Newcastle’s lines and Saints’ rotational movement

“Newcastle United and Southampton entered the 2015-16 season on the back of contrasting campaigns the last time around. The Magpies endured a tumultuous campaign with relegation a real possibility towards the latter stages. Southampton on the other hand were a revelation as they put behind a mass exodus to thrive in what was Ronald Koeman’s first season in charge.” Outside of the Boot

Hipster Guide 2015: Which clubs across Europe could spring a suprise in the 2015/16 season?

“Writing an article like this will get most people a platinum card to the sacred hall of Football Hipsters, or get them a one way route to the exit from the Football Man club. Either way, Cabral Opiyo is taking the risk to bring the list of some of the less mainstreamEuropean clubs that might just cause a few heads to turn this season.” Outside of the Boot

Dynamic Pedro Rodriguez Far More than a Mere System Player

“It’s August 18, 2013, and Tata Martino is watching on from the bench. It’s the first time he has taken charge of Barcelona in a competitive match, and the signs are good. His selected eleven are already three goals ahead of the less illustrious Levante, on home turf at the Camp Nou, and it’s about to get even better. Lionel Messi has dropped off the front line and is assessing his options. Out on the left-hand side, he sees his trusty sidekick, Pedro Rodriguez. The two have spent many years together at Barcelona, and their understanding is verging on telepathic. As a consequence of this, Pedro prompts a pass from Messi by sprinting in behind the Levante defence.” Licence to Roam

Southampton: The Gold standard of transfers?

“Over the past few seasons, there has been much to admire about the way Southampton football club go about their business. From the development of young players and establishment of a state of the art training complex, to the ‘easy on the eye’ style of their play, it’s easy to see why clubs from across the continent have been casting a jealous eye over proceedings on the south coast on England. While I as Outside of the Boot’s resident Southampton fan could wax lyrical over any aspect of my club, today I intend to look at the one angle that neutrals have only just begun to appreciate – our transfer policy.” Outside of the Boot

André Ayew’s Roy of the Rovers moment showed off his rich talent

“In some rare games, conventions fall away. Tactical schema are ripped up, the rationale about the importance of the team disappears, and the match becomes the struggle of one player against the rest. They’re the days when Roy of the Rovers seems true to life and, however dangerous they may be in convincing individuals that they can win games single-handed, there’s a visceral charge about them. It’s in those games that football takes on a mythic quality: one man against a massed opponent.” Guardian – Jonathan Wilson

Goal Scoring and Assist Distributions Across Leagues

“Not all leagues are the same. We know this from looking at different shot profiles between leagues, different levels of parity between leagues, and of course just from watching different leagues ourselves. This creates a problem when we want to compare different players who play in different leagues. Is a goal in La Liga worth the same as a goal in the Premier League? It’s hard to know and we usually base our opinions on these issues by anecdotally comparing the performances of players who have played in multiple leagues. There are better ways however to do these comparisons using data.” StatsBomb

Could Valencia return to the glory days?

“Nuno Espirito Santo seems to be getting his wheels in motion to upset the apple cart in the UEFA Champions League, with a two-legged play-off match on the horizon. A 4-1 drubbing to Bayern Munich excluded, Valencia have been producing solid displays in their pre-season and will look to take the next step this season – to return to the competition that broke their hearts at the turn of the century: the Champions League.” Outside of the Boot

Tactical Philosophy: Phillip Cocu

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“As a player, Phillip Cocu was a midfield general who also had an eye for a goal or two. During his professional career he was famously known for his spell with Barcelona which saw him become the most capped foreign player in the club’s history until Lionel Messi came along. Over the 6 years he featured 291 times scoring 31 times in all competitions. Towards the end of his Barcelona spell he couldn’t agree contract terms with them and decided to return to his beloved PSV Eindhoven who he has now come to manage.” Outside of the Boot

Tactical Philosophy: Ronny Deila
“Coming from a less attractive footballing country in Norway, Ronny Deila was a surprise to many Celtic fans across the world. However, he did have success to back up his managerial ability. Starting off in management at Stromsgodset during the 2007/2008 season, his team struggled against relegation. This was later overshadowed by winning the Norwegian Cup in 2010 and later becoming champions of Norway in 2013. Gaining attraction from European clubs, Deila was eventually appointed as manager of Celtic in June 2014.” Outside of the Boot

Tactical Philosophy: Nuno Espirito Santo
“The whistle is blown. The stadium erupts. The gentleman jumps into the air, fist pumping, before passionately embracing his assistant. The bald, bronze-skinned tactician pointed at the fans with his utmost passion. His actions resembled a thanking feeling, appreciation for the moments of success, a token of unity and respect between himself and the Valencianistes. The feeling is grasped – the glory days are slowly returning to the fierce and vociferous Mestalla, an arena now overwhelmed by the overzealous enthusiasm generated through the voices of more than 50,000 fiery supporters.” Outside of the Boot

Interview – Legendary Football Manager striker Ivica Strok

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“It’s not often a lowly football writer such as myself gets invited to interview a footballer, let alone one who is considered one of the greatest strikers of all time. So, when I was invited by CALM, a charity aimed at preventing suicide in men, to sit down with the one and only Ivica Strok naturally I jumped at the chance. Yet despite weeks of methodical research, reviewing hour upon hour of YouTube footage of the some 855 goals, picking through the numerous explosive quotes in press archives; I still felt an intense sense of trepidation. Ivica Strok is, of course, a legend of the game; a teenager from Zagreb for whom Celtic Park became a home, where, over an illustrious career, records were brushed aside and statues erected; but he’s also renowned as one of the most outspoken personalities in the game, a man who rivals Roy Keane in his candidness.” backpagefootball

Eddie Howe uses Swansea as blueprint for Bournemouth success

“The posters are everywhere around AFC Bournemouth’s newly christened Vitality Stadium. In the reception area, down the corridors, in the gents, they all eagerly speak of the future. … With time rapidly diminishing, Bournemouth’s neat, confined little stadium was frantic during the week with last-minute upgrades. There was work being done on the pitch, on the surrounds, on the media section in the main stand: all are being improved ahead of the new competition. The huge photographs that decorate the ends of the stands to celebrate the club’s march up the divisions are being updated to include the jubilant scenes of last season’s Championship victory.” Telegraph

Alessio Romagnoli: Why The Man Being Compared to Alessandro Nesta is Such Hot Property

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“It seems perplexing that Roma are willing to entertain offers for their tremendously talented central defender, Alessio Romagnoli. At 20, Romagnoli is brilliant for his age, in a position where experience and maturity are considered huge benefits. Further time to develop into the completely finished article is most definitely on his side. While it’s no secret he’s prone to the odd lapse in concentration, like the positional error that kept Raheem Sterling onside, and allowed him to score, in Roma’s recent friendly against Manchester City, that’s somewhat to be expected for a player of his position at his age. It’s not easy being a mistake free defender at 20, let alone 30. Just look at 29-year-old Vincent Kompany, who, despite his quality, still has more than his fair share of slip-ups.” Licence to Roam

Tactical Philosophy: Andre Villas-Boas

“André Villas-Boas is still only 37, but it feels like he’s been a football manager for a very long time. Indeed, the 25th of October, 2015 will only be the 6th anniversary of Villas-Boas’ first game in charge of a senior, professional football team, discounting a brief stint as Technical Director of the British Virgin Islands at the age of 21. Villas-Boas has taken first team management roles in Portugal, with Académica de Coimbra and his beloved FC Porto, then in London, with Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, and he is now currently working for Zenit St. Petersburg, in Russia.” Outside of the Boot

Samir Nasri talks to ESPN FC about Man City, Manuel Pellegrini, Marseille

“Manchester City’s Samir Nasri is highly unusual among modern footballers, for two very different reasons. First, he’s forthcoming with opinions. This is a player who, for example, who was confronted by paparazzi while on holiday in Los Angeles this summer and ended up having a discussion about the FIFA crisis, one in which he welcomed FBI intervention. Few other footballers dared utter a word about the saga. Second, Nasri is a relentless football watcher. One of the notable things about professional footballers is how few enjoy watching the game; they love playing, they love the dressing room banter, some enjoy the fame, but in general, they’re not great spectators. Nasri, however, spends most of his free time watching football.” ESPN – Michael Cox

Tactical Philosophy: Thomas Tuchel

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“Thomas Tuchel is one of these new up and coming coaches who never played at the highest level. He grew up in a tiny Bavarian town named Krumbach near Augsburg. At the age of 15, he joined FC Augsburg where he won the German youth cup twice in 1991 and 1992. Finishing his youth career, Tuchel signed for the second-tier side Stuttgarter Kickers. However, having made 8 appearances during his first professional season, the second season at Stuttgart was a disappointment, as he was dropped from the first team. Afterwards, he joined the Ralf Rangnick-coached SSV Ulm in the third division where he played in 69 matches for the Swabians in 4 years before ending his active career due to a chronic cartilage injury in 1998.” Outside of the Boot

Tactical Philosophy: Unai Emery
“Unai Emery’s father, grandfather and uncle were professional football players and it was in Emery’s genes to follow their footsteps. But the journey was not an easy one for the Basque. After representing Real Sociedad five times at the senior level, Emery was booted out. He spent most of his time playing for lower division clubs until an injury put an end to his playing career during his time at Lorca Deportiva.” Outside of the Boot

How UEFA can fix Financial Fair Play

“It has been five years since Michel Platini promised to save European football from financial ruin. The introduction of the Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules gave fans hope that success in football would no longer be decided by how much money a Russian oil tycoon or Middle Eastern sheikh could throw at a club. But the rules in their current format are not stopping super rich clubs from spending eye watering amounts of money. Seven of the top ten transfers of all time have occurred in the last two years and financial experts warned against ‘reckless wage spending last summer, four years after the introduction of FFP. The rule make no attempt to improve the chances of well run clubs who see no benefit from living within their means.” backpagefootball

In defence of Claudio Ranieri

“‘An uninspired choice’. This was how Leicester’s favourite son Gary Lineker reacted to the news that his hometown club had appointed 63 year-old Claudio Ranieri as their new manager. Lineker is not the only person to be less than impressed with Nigel Pearson’s successor at the King Power stadium. Numerous columns and articles have appeared in recent weeks opposing Leicester’s decision to employ the Tinkerman’s services after his 11 year absence from English football.” Outside of the Boot

Can Bayern Munich cope with the loss of Kroos and Schweinsteiger within the gap of 12 months?

“July 13th 2014 – Germany v Argentina, the final of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. The ever efficient German side was facing an Argentina team who banked heavily on Messi and his magic. This German side had 7 players in the squad who were regulars of FC Bayern Munich. Majority of these 7 members played crucial roles in the starting line-up for Germany throughout the World Cup, especially in midfield led by then vice-captain, Bastian Schweinsteiger and young Toni Kroos. The 2 had formed a formidable partnership in the World Cup and also at club level. Their chemistry was unbelievable, which made people think about why Bayern would even contemplate selling Kroos when he fits Pep’s system. Not even a month after Germany had won the world cup, news broke out that the German domestic champions had agreed a 25M deal with Real Madrid for the transfer of Toni Kroos.” Outside of the Boot