Category Archives: Football Manager

Tactical Analysis: Is Arsenal’s alleged need for a defensive midfielder exaggerated?

““They won’t go far. They needed a player in the middle of the park with grit, determination, someone who can get stuck in.” Sound familiar? Arsenal fans like myself have been subjected to such warnings from rival supporters. Sceptics who have been eager to assert that while the purchase of Ozil was admirable, what Arsenal really required was some “steel” in the midfield. It has even been suggested that instead of going all out to capture the “the best Number 10 in the world”, Manchester United new boy Maroune Fellaini was the player that Arsenal should have gone all out to buy. Surely he would have added much needed bite and steel to what appears to be a lightweight midfield.” Think Football

Leonid Slutsky – CSKA’s solution?

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“Connor O’Neil and Xavier Leonovitch discuss CSKA’s chances in the Champions League this year and Leonid Slutsky’s role as CSKA manager: As we know, CSKA face reigning champions Bayern Munich, as well as Manchester City and Viktoria Plzen in their Champions League group. There are many questions about Leonid Slutsky’s ability as CSKA coach – can he lead his team to the round of 16? It’s a rather paradoxical question to ask when we examine Leonid Slutsky’s résumé since he took over CSKA Moscow in 2009…” Russian Football News

Roberto Martinez reveling in Everton’s challenge

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“For his next trick, Roberto Martinez will attempt the art of alchemy. The Catalan manager arrived at Goodison Park this summer once his powers of levitation and escapology had ultimately failed him after four seasons at Wigan Athletic. Everton have hovered agonizingly around the Champions League places for the past seven seasons under Martinez’s stoic predecessor, David Moyes. A gutsy underdog team with a rich tradition, whose mighty past had been outrun amidst the stampede of the Premier League gold rush. Martinez claims he was drawn to his new coaching challenge for reasons both emotional and rational.”
ESPN (Video)

Statistical Infographic: Inter vs Juve

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“The first international break of the season has finally ended, and a return to club football beckons for the best footballers across the planet. The first 3 games of the season saw some lukewarm performances from most of the giants, but now that World Cup qualification is sealed for many of the players, and the season is well under way, we should see the intensity being upped. The return of club football has been marked by the return of one of the fiercest rivalries across football, and especially in the Serie A- the Derby D’ Italia. Aside from being 2 of the 3 most successful sides in the peninsula, the rivalry that Inter and Juve share is about much more than just trophies.” Outside of the Boot

Tactical Analysis: How must England modernize their tactics for success?

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England's manager Roy Hodgson talks with Frank Lampard and Gary Cahill during a soccer training session in London Colney
“With all of the talk of FA Chairman Greg Dyke and the targets for the England national team over the past week, it seems many have already written off the team’s chances of success at the coming world cup in Brazil 2014. There also seems to be an acceptance that England will find it difficult to qualify, and with this mood of doubt and discontent there is arguably a perspective whereby many fans would not be surprised if England were to fail to qualify, or at least not directly progress. Once again England fans have been put through a stuttering and inconsistent qualification campaign, with many unconvincing individual and team displays leaving many questions to be answered.” Think Football

Why do Premier League stars keep looking disjointed in English shirts?
“It wasn’t good, but it was good enough. England scrapped and ground its way to a 0-0 draw against a strangely subdued Ukraine to clamber over the toughest remaining obstacle between it and qualification for the World Cup, but it’s debatable how much credit it can draw from a stodgy performance. In a sense, this was typical England, technically substandard but sufficiently determined to drag itself through. In terms of spirit and defensive resolve — if not necessarily defensive shape — there was much to commend; in terms of ball retention and chance creation virtually nothing.” SI – Jonathan Wilson

FC Porto: The World’s most efficient club?

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“FC Porto aren’t even the best-supported team in their own country, they only play in the second biggest city in Portugal, and yet their contemporary European presence alone has alluded teams with five times the population in the containing area, and many, many times the income. UEFA Champions League winners in 2004, they have been drawn over the years with Manchester United, FC Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Real Madrid CF, FC Barcelona, Arsenal, AC Milan, Internazionale and compatriots Benfica as tops seeds in the world’s primary football competition. This year FC Porto took their place in pot one of the UEFA Champions League group stage draw for the third time in the last three seasons. They’re regulars in the Champions League last sixteen and a staple of the European football scene.” Outside of the Boot

The Recipe For a Great Team?

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“At the end of ‘What Are The Ingredients of a Great Team?’, TTT ran a survey to allow subscribers to vote on which players demonstrated each of the ‘elements’ discussed. The number of people completing surveys ranged between 44 for more established players to 28 for less familiar players. An error in the survey meant that Flair was not offered as an option to vote for on a number of players. Thank you to everybody who took part.” Tomkins Times

Arsenal 1-0 Tottenham: Cazorla provides the overloads in midfield, and the through-balls for Giroud and Walcott

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“… Arsenal recorded a narrow victory in the north London derby. Arsene Wenger was still without Mikel Arteta, Lukas Podolski is a new injury blow, while Bacary Sagna was unwell so Carl Jenkinson played at right-back. Andre Villas-Boas was without Gareth Bale ahead of his departure to Real Madrid, while Erik Lamela was only just signed in time and was on the bench, while Christian Eriksen wasn’t yet under consideration. In terms of tactical analysis, this was a remarkably simple game based entire around two concepts (and how those two concepts worked together).” Zonal Marking

Arsenal 1-0 Tottenham: Tactical Analysis
“The second installment of Super Sunday was the North London Derby, to be played at the Emirates. This fixture is always exciting, and carries an edge, but today was a little extra special, as it was a clash of two teams that will surely be gunning for 4th place, and two teams that have had slightly different transfer windows. Arsenal came into the game with a lot of familiar faces in the side. Koscielny was back from suspension and injury, but Sagna was missing and Jenkinson started. Gibbs was on the left hand side of the defence, and ahead of him was Cazorla, who was given a free role. In midfield, Arsenal started Wilshere, Ramsey and Rosicky, who was furthest forward in the triangle. Giroud was the lone man up front, with Walcott looking to use his pace to penetrate from wide areas.” Outside of the Boot

What conclusions can we draw from Arsenal’s 1-0 victory over Spurs?
“1) Arsenal are not as bad as some will have you believe. After a poor display against (a strong) Aston Villa side on the opening day of the season, despite having ten men, many people began to write Arsenal off. Arsenal are a team that polarize opinion- many fans feel they can win the title, whilst neutrals often feel they’ll finish in sixth or seventh place. The truth of what Arsenal can achieve is somewhere in the middle. A title bid sounds very premature considering how their rivals have strengthened and the fact that Arsenal have been so far off the pace for many years now, but writing the side off as having no chance of finishing in the top four is ridiculous. …” Think Football

Liverpool 1-0 Manchester United: Tactical Analysis

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“The age old rivalry between Liverpool and Manchester United is one that needs no introduction. Despite their overall success in recent years, Manchester United have largely struggled in their annual visit to Anfield barring last year of course. Liverpool came into the game on the back of 2 wins and were hoping to make it 3 wins out of 3. United and Moyes on the other hand, were off the back of a 0-0 stalemate against Chelsea, and were hoping to register their 2nd league win of the new era. Eventually it was Daniel Sturridge’s early improvised header which was the difference in what was a tightly contested affair. The match had few clear cut goalscoring chances for either side and as is the case with most games between the 2, the event failed to match the build up.” Outside of the Boot

Tactics: a bumpy ride for Bayern

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“As coach of Barcelona, Pep Guardiola demonstrated a healthily idiosyncratic streak within the parameters of the club’s prevailing philosophy. And, as the new season begins in western Europe, the most pressing tactical question this term is what will he do at Bayern Munich? How will he react to a club that is not so steeped in those principles – and one that won almost everything there was to win last season, much of it in record-breaking style?” World Soccer – Jonathan Wilson

Juventus 4-1 Lazio: Tactical Analysis

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“It was Juventus’ first home game of the season in the Serie A, with Lazio as their opponents. The home side had emerged victorious a few weeks earlier when the two sides met in the Italian Super Cup. While the scoreline does suggest a sense of domination, the game itself was a well-fought affair; it was a perfect example of how much Italian football has developed since it’s ‘boring football’ tag. The game was anything but a drab affair, quick movement, slick passing, excellent vision, were all witnessed at this fixture. A true modern-day Serie A battle. The final score of Juventus 4-1 Lazio was not necessarily a true representation of the way the match went on.” Outside of the Boot

Tactical Analysis: Is Michael Carrick key for Manchester United against Liverpool?

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“Michael Carrick has emerged as a key player for Manchester United in recent seasons. The English man has often failed to get the recognition he deserves as he has become the mainstay in what can at times be a thread bare United midfield. Against Liverpool though he’ll have a tough job on his hands as he sits deep against three mobile and possession based midfielders.” Think Football

Top Tenner: Violent derbies

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“10 — Liverpool v Manchester United — Premier League, 2009: While the two sendings off in this 2-0 win for Liverpool happened in the 89th and 90th minutes, thus rendering them slightly irrelevant to the result of the game, the recipients of those red cards are worth noting. Something about this fixture clearly makes the blood of Nemanja Vidic and Javier Mascherano rise, for the pair managed to get themselves sent off five times between them, and in this Anfield encounter they both received their marching orders. One pictures them standing together in the tunnel, glancing at each other with a couple of ‘One of those days’ looks on their faces.” ESPN

Statistical Analysis: How badly do Manchester United need to sign a new winger?

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“Manchester United are a side that has traditionally played with a lot of width. From George Best, to David Beckham, through to Cristiano Ronaldo and even the ever present Ryan Giggs, the club have always possessed quality wingers in abundance. That however has not been the case in the last two seasons or so. United’s wingers have gone from being a primary strength to arguably their greatest weakness. So does David Moyes need to sign a new winger for United?” Think Football

Manchester United, Chelsea play to a defensive stalemate

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“After a couple of years of harum-scarum goalfests between the big sides, Monday’s meeting between Manchester United and Chelsea was a return to attrition. It’s dangerous always to read too much into one game, but the indications are that defending is back at the top level of the English game — and it may be that that leads to improved performances in the Champions League. Many will suggest that is the influence of the return of Jose Mourinho, and it is true that he has no qualms about playing reactive football, but the stalemate at Old Trafford was just as much to do with the approach of David Moyes.” SI – Jonathan Wilson

Manchester United 0-0 Chelsea- Tactical Analysis
“A game between United and Chelsea is always monumental. This particular fixture, the first big game of the season, was further intensifying, as it marked David Moyes debut as United boss at the Old Trafford. Mourinho returned to the scene of some of his greatest successes, and with all the speculation surrounding Wayne Rooney (involving the two clubs), the game was further spiced up. The final score of Manchester United 0-0 Chelsea seemed a fair result, a scoreline that both sides played for and will be content with. Neither would particularly like to drop too many points this early in the Premier League season.” Outside of the Boot

Kolo Touré shows signs of recovery at Liverpool after decline

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Kolo Toure
“Usually when players decline it is a process so slow that at first it is almost imperceptible: a fraction slow to react here, slightly late to a challenge there, occasionally outmuscled or outpaced in a way they never used to be. Sometimes it is to do with age, sometimes with injury, sometimes form and confidence is eroded and never returns. With Kolo Touré, though, you can pinpoint the moment of crisis absolutely.” Guardian – Jonathan Wilson

Marek Hamsik’s creativity ideal for Rafa Benitez’s Napoli revolution

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Marek Hamsik
“It has been an exciting summer of coaching changes across Europe: The top seven favourites for the Champions League, the top three in England, the top two in Spain, plus the champions of France, Germany and Portugal all started 2013-14 with a new manager. In Italy, somewhat surprisingly, it’s been quieter. Of last season’s top four, Juventus’ Antonio Conte, Milan’s Max Allegri and Fiorentina’s Vincenzo Montella remain in their positions having performed extremely impressively, albeit in different ways, last season.” ESPN – Michael Cox (Video)

Coping with Caspian winds of change: How are Anzhi Makhachkala evolving this season?

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“When Suleyman Kerimov took over Anzhi in January 2011, there was little immediate interest from the wider footballing world. When Brazilian legend Roberto Carlos made his way to the Makhachkala club just a month later, the deal made the sports pages in a number of nations, but largely for the same reasons – Carlos was long past his best, looking for one last pay-day, and abuse received at Corinthians was the perfect excuse for him to move to Russia for comfortable semi-retirement.” Think Football

Marek Hamsik’s creativity ideal for Rafa Benitez’s Napoli revolution

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“It has been an exciting summer of coaching changes across Europe: The top seven favourites for the Champions League, the top three in England, the top two in Spain, plus the champions of France, Germany and Portugal all started 2013-14 with a new manager. In Italy, somewhat surprisingly, it’s been quieter. Of last season’s top four, Juventus’ Antonio Conte, Milan’s Max Allegri and Fiorentina’s Vincenzo Montella remain in their positions having performed extremely impressively, albeit in different ways, last season.” ESPN – Michael Cox (Video)

Manchester City’s tactical shifts make for a brilliant performance

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“Holistic has been the buzzword at Manchester City since Roberto Mancini was dismissed as manager at the end of last season. It was much derided at the time, but City’s 4-0 demolition of Newcastle United on Monday evening was a demonstration of what holistic football can look like. If City continues to play as well as it did in its Premier League opener, new manager Manuel Pellegrini won’t have to worry about his job security. The statement City probably regretted releasing when showing Mancini the door referred, of course, to more than just team selection and style of play, but it was evident from City’s four signings this summer than there was a clear system of play in mind, with at least one alternative.” SI – Jonathan Wilson

Hipsters take note: Shakhter Karagandy and Pacos de Ferreira

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“The Champions League is no longer the hallowed turf for the heavyweight’s of Europe, with a number of lesser known clubs making their way up to the final thirty two, after coming through the play off rounds. This season, two clubs are on the verge of making history after reaching the so called pearly gates of footballing heaven, the play-off’s. Shakhter Karagandy of Kazakhstan and Pacos de Ferreira of Portugal. While Karagandy have become the first team from Kazakhstan to ever take part in any European competition, discounting any appearances during the Soviet era, Pacos de Ferreira are no less of a surprise package from the Liga Sagres. The almost unknown Portuguese side have made their mark in Europe after staving off competition for qualification from former Portuguese underdogs, SC Braga, who themselves made it to the Champions League a few years ago, punching well above their weight.” Outside of the Boot

Bayern Munich 3-1 Borussia Mönchengladbach: evolution rather than revolution for Guardiola

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“Bayern Munich appeared comfortable towards the end of the contest, but they endured some nervous moments during Pep Guardiola’s Bundesliga debut. Guardiola was unable to call upon Bayern’s major two summer arrivals, Thiago Alcantara or Mario Gotze, so there was a familiar feel to the home side’s starting XI. Lucien Favre’s back four was also very familiar from last season, although there were changes ahead – Christophe Kramer has signed from Bochum, Brazilian Raffael played in the central attacking role, while Max Kruse’s impressive season at Freiburg means he’s started this campaign as the first-choice striker, with last season’s flop Luuk de Jong only on the bench. As expected, Bayern dominated – but things didn’t go entirely swimmingly.” Zonal Marking

Arsenal – Money Don’t Matter 2 Night

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“Arsenal’s transfer strategy this summer has left the vast majority of their fans perplexed. While the seemingly interminable Luis Suarez saga has grabbed most of the attention, allied with the failure to secure Gonzalo Higuain when the deal appeared done and dusted, the stark reality is that Arsenal have not bought anybody yet, let alone the marquee signing that the supporters crave. Yes, they have acquired the services of French U20 international, Yaya Sanogo, but he arrived on a free transfer from Auxerre in the French second division.” Swiss Ramble

New man, new strategies

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“In a world in which the rich are getting even richer and success seems increasingly the preserve of a select handful of clubs, this season’s Premier League promises a rare openness, with the big three of Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea all changing manager. It is an instability that could just open the door for Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and, with a couple more signings, perhaps Liverpool.” World Soccer – Jonathan Wilson

They Are They, We Are We: The Forgotten Genius Of Vujadin Boskov

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“If during the eighties you followed Italian football with any degree of interest, then those words (that, incidentally, mean ‘penalty is when referee gives it’) should sound familiar. As should ‘se vinciamo siamo vincitori se perdiamo siamo perditori’ (if we win we are winners, if we lose we are losers) and ‘loro sono loro, noi siamo noi’ (they are they, we are we). Those were the words of Vujadin Boskov and those were the kind of soundbites that made him popular with the waiting journalists after games. It was through such aphorisms that Vujadin Boskov entered Italian society’s public consciousness and it is for them that he remains most widely known.” In Bed With Maradona

Grazie Ambro: A Tribute

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“And so it ends. After 18 seasons of running around, snarling and tackling all whilst sporting a flurry of long blonde hair with a band, come August, MASSIMO AMBROSINI will be a Milan player no more. Football has changed over the years and with changing times, even the clubs have changed their systems and policies. Milan too has changed its approach as they have decided to take a different path now, focusing on youth and ‘building stars instead of buying them’. The new campaign was labelled as ‘Year Zero’ as they wanted to start a fresh cycle and concentrate on youth. This year, once again the Rossoneri fans bid farewell to another long lasting servant, Massimo Ambrosini. After the mass exodus last season when Alessandro Nesta, Pippo Inzaghi, Clarence Seedorf, Rino Gattuso ,Gianluca Zambrotta and Flavio Roma decided to jump off the Milanese train, this year it’s the club captain who will not be with the side in the coming campaign.” Outside of the Boot

Tactical Analysis: How will Bayern Munich set up under Pep Guardiola?

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“After the much talked-about, controversial acquisition of rising Spanish star Thiago- which many deem unnecessary and ‘a waste’- Bayern Munich arguably possess the best midfield, if not the strongest squad in Europe. What’s more, they have frightening strength in depth in virtually every position on the field. A consensus could easily be reached regarding the Bavarians’ brilliant pre- season as well, where they cruelly dispatched their opponents with immaculate and impeccable perfection. Considering this, it would be fair to say that Bayern are well on course to win the Bundesliga again, for their second successive league title. Having said that, there seems to be a lingering doubt in every fan’s mind about the core composition of the playing eleven: what formation could the industrious Guardiola implement and who would make it to the starting line-up on a regular basis?” Think Football

New man, new strategies

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During transfer windows, managers matter most

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“On learning that rivals Bayern Munich had activated Mario Goetze’s buyout clause and would be signing him ahead of this season — the news broke just one day after the first leg of Borussia Dortmund’s Champions League quarterfinal first leg versus Malaga back in April — coach Juergen Klopp compared how he felt to suffering ‘a heart attack.'” ESPN -James Horncastle

Boris Arkadyev – The Soviet Genius Behind Total Football and Tiki-Taka

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Around 100,000 turned up to see Chelsea vs Dynamo at Stamford Bridge
“Boris Arkadyev was born on September 21, 1899, in St. Petersburg. He had a playing career, appearing as a midfielder for Russkabel Moscow, Sakharniki Moscow, RkimA and Metallurg Moscow, between 1920 – 1936. Yet Arkadyev was to influence football to this day with his footballing ideas, from his time as a manager. Before the Russian revolution, football in Russia was widespread, with nearly 200 teams competing in czarist Russia in 1914. After the 1917 revolution, interest in football continued to rise, thanks to the RSFSR Championships. However, the Championships were of a poor quality and standard. In 1936, Russia finally installed a national football league, called the Soviet Top League. While the league was organised better than the RSFSR Championships, it was soon exposed that the change had come too late.” Russian Football News

Four burning questions for 2013-14 Bundesliga season

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“1. Will Pep Guardiola bring in continuity or dressing room upheaval at Bayern Munich? Pep Guardiola’s fans have hailed him for the building of the world’s greatest team (Barcelona), while his detractors have dismissed him as an extremely lucky manager who found himself in charge of the best player of his generation in Lionel Messi as well as an equally superb supporting cast (Xavi and Iniesta) on his first day at work. …” ESPN

Germany: 2013-14 season preview
“At each and every step of the forthcoming season, the fortunes of new Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola are guaranteed to be the number one narrative, with the twists and turns of the ex-Barcelona boss’s Bavarian adventure chronicled and examined in the minutest detail.” World Soccer

Tactical Analysis: What’s the solution to Barcelona’s defensive frailties?

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“With less than two weeks before Barcelona kick off the 2013-14 season the Catalans have made just one signing, Neymar, for €57m. Many fans had expected a more proactive transfer market for Barca this summer, with the defence in particular need of strengthening. Last year Barca conceded 40 league goals in comparison to 29, 21 and 24 in their three previous campaigns and it was particularly noticeable how badly they struggled at defending set plays and crosses into the box. They also conceded 17 times in their 12 Champions League matches including twice to Celtic and Spartak Moscow.” Think Football

Can Neymar and Messi co-exist? and four other things to look out for this season

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“Every one of Europe’s top five leagues has the potential to have a thrilling title race this season. Sam Thompson, of TTTFootball, takes a closer look at who will be challenging at the top in England, Spain, Italy, Germany and France…” Think Football

Football League 2013-14: Who would be a manager?

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“A new Football League season is about to start, but just how many managers who begin the 2013-14 campaign will still be employed next May? There were 52 managerial changes in the Football League between 1 July 2012 and 30 June 2013, of which 34 were dismissals. ‘Recent figures are alarming as, including the Premier League, more than half of the 92 clubs now have a different manager to who started last season,’ League Managers’ Association chief executive Richard Bevan told BBC Sport. On the eve of the 2013-14 Football League season, BBC Sport explores the precarious nature of the job and speaks to two managers at different ends of the managerial ladder – one just starting out and the other well established.” BBC

New Barcelona coach Gerardo Martino’s tactics fit Barca’s style

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“All events depend, to an extent, on chance, on a thousand, a million circumstances coinciding. It may be that Gerardo Martino is ousted from Barcelona at the end of the season having finished second in the league and having failed to take them to a seventh successive Champions League semi-final and his appointment will be seen as a regrettable short-term move necessitated by the dreadful news that Tito Vilanova requires further treatment for cancer. Or it may be that he achieves glory, a new dynasty is begun, and the world looks on the turbulent events of this summer and reflects on what a peculiar business appointing a manager can be.” SI – Jonathan Wilson

Injuries- Ignorance Is Not Bliss

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“Former Internazionale manager Andrea Stramaccioni will tell you the value of having a fit squad. In the 2012-2013 season, the amount of his players contracting injuries was so vast, and those players so vital, he could have almost smiled. In no particular order, poor Stramaccioni lost Diego Milito, Rodrigo Palacio, Antonio Cassano, Esteban Cambiasso, Yuto Nagatomo, Dejan Stanković, Walter Gargano, Fredy Guarín, Walter Samuel, Gaby Mudingayi, Joel Obi, Ibrahima Mbaye, Luca Castellazzi, Javier Zanetti, Cristian Chivu, Jonathan and Matías Silvestre to injuries during the tail end of the 2012/2013 Serie ‘A’ campaign – and most were serious. His team were 2nd in the league on the 22nd of December 2012, but only finished 9th after their 38th game on 19th of May, 2013. This freak, albeit not necessarily unavoidable depletion of the young manager’s match day squad was certain to reduce Inter Milan’s competitiveness, yet it was only Stramaccioni who paid the price. Far from being consoled, Stramaccioni was fired.” Outside of the Boot

Championship Finances 2011/12 – Numbers

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“Back in April I posted a summary of the 2011/12 Championship finances on Twitter, but since then I have received a few requests to post them in a blog as a useful resource for fans of those clubs, so here we go. I’m not going to provide detailed analysis at this stage, just the key figures from the accounts plus some graphs for comparisons against others. All these figures have been taken from the clubs’ published accounts, though I have made a couple of presentational adjustments in order to prepare like-for-like comparisons between clubs. In particular, not all clubs use the same revenue classification, so I have had to make estimates on the revenue split for Barnsley, Blackpool, Crystal Palace, Hull City and Peterborough United (though obviously leaving the total revenue unchanged).” The Swiss Rambler

Steven Gerrard’s Liverpool legacy intact, but one regret looms

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“It may be a fortnight before the new Premier League season begins, but Anfield will be a sellout this weekend. The occasion? Steven Gerrard’s testimonial — Liverpool probably could have sold out the stadium twice over for the contest against Greek champions Olympiakos, such is the enthusiasm for the Reds’ long-serving captain, both within Merseyside and from Liverpool’s legions of supporters across the globe.” ESPN – Michael Cox

Modric too good to be part-exchange sweetener

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“The off season is a time of desperation for the football section of newspapers. So much space is dedicated to a topic about which there is so little to write for three months every year. That desperation might indeed explain the emergence of rumours that Luka Modric could be on his way back to Tottenham, used as a makeweight in any move Gareth Bale is supposedly craving to Real Madrid.” ESPN

Tactical Analysis: Can Ibrahimovic and Cavani work together in the same PSG starting line-up?

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“Two summers, two transfer windows, two world class strikers. After the capture of Swedish marksman Zlatan Ibrahimović sent shock waves through world football in July 2012, Paris saint-Germain have gone onto secure yet another centre forward feared throughout Europe in the form of Uruguayan Edinson Cavani. This £54 million transaction provides new manager Laurent Blanc with a wealth of talent in the striking department, in spite of the departure of Frenchman Kévin Gameiro to Sevilla. However, it also begs the question: is this club big enough for the two of them?” Think Football

Top 10 Young Football Managers

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“Football, over the last couple of seasons, has been witnessing a ‘change of guard’. Players who we adored in their prime have retired, managers that headed some of the greatest sides in history have resigned. All this has given rise to the next generation of football personnel ranging from talented young footballers to talented young tacticians. In this piece we will be focusing on the Top 10 Young Football Managers, that could be at the helm of some of the biggest clubs in World Football, in the not-so-distant future.” Outside of the Boot – Part 1, Outside of the Boot – Part 2

Tactics for Beginners – No 11. Who Will Blink First?

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“Bob: Tactically, how important is half-time in a game? Mihail: Half-time is crucial if your team is losing. In this short break the manager should find a way to improve his team and introduce some fresh ideas. It could be wholesale changes, including a change in the shape, a player or two introduced, or some players’ positioning swapped. Or he could try making much more subtle changes, with certain patterns of play changed, or new patterns introduced to try something different, before deciding whether to bring on the wholesale changes ten to fifteen minutes into the second half.” Tomkins Times

Has the Continental shift of Footballing power finally happened?

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“The 23rd of April 2013. One date all Catalan’s will almost certainly want to forget. The Tiki-taka system was overran, collapsed and went into self-destruct mode, their biggest European defeat since losing 4-0 against Dynamo Kiev in 1997. Without their Messiah, Lionel Messi fully fit; Barcelona looked a shadow of their normal selves on that night in Munich. A further defeat to the Bavarian’s at the Camp Nou showed Barca at their most vulnerable state, the German club showed the World that playing a severe pressing game in midfield and not letting them build play from the back is possibly one of the ways that Barcelona can be cut down in their stride. A 7-0 aggregate score was the real alarming evidence for Tito Vilanova and his coaching staff to take notice of, again more proof that they finally need a Plan B when it comes down to playing the European Giants at least.” Outside of the Boot

Are we witnessing an Italian footballing renaissance?

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“… There’s a land far, far away – a mystical place filled with romantic and footballing sensibilities. Actually, it’s called Italy. Home to some of the greatest players, birth place of the most revolutionary tactical innovations. Seen as a place of fraud and feuds to those unwilling to look beyond the distinctive ‘defensive’ approach. The Italians have ruled and been ruled. The tides are turning; tumultuous Turin and melodramatic Milan are gathering an army and they’re planning a renaissance.” Think Football

Bosman, Lewandowski and the surge of Player Power

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“Jean-Marc Bosman is one of those rare footballers whose name will continue to live on in the world of football. However, unlike most such footballers it was his contribution to football off the pitch that makes him stand out and ensures that generations of footballers and fans alike will knowingly or unknowingly pay tribute to the Belgian. Few changes have made more impact on club football as much as the Bosman Ruling, no mean feat considering how football has evolved since its inception.” Outside of the Boot

Liverpool looking at the long term, a need for patience

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“Things could have been a lot different for Liverpool Football Club, if DIC’s (Dubai International Capital) bid to takeover the club had gone through in 2006. Middle-Eastern billions pumped into the club, taking it from a challenging side to a winning one. Trophies, players, revenue — it would have been back to the golden days for the red half of Merseyside. The club, however, looked to the West; and blimey how that turned out!” Outside of the Boot

After a productive transfer season are Fiorentina now real Serie A title contenders?

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“Finishing in a lowly 13th place in the 2011/12 season, Vincenzo Montella made a huge turnaround last season leading Fiorentina to challenge Milan for the final slot Champions League slot, with Fiorentina narrowly missing out after a controversial Milan win against already relegated Siena in the last week. The owners’ decision to replace former sporting director Pantaleo Corvino with the dynamic duo of Daniele Prade and Eduardo Macía had impact on Fiorentina’s change in fortune. The new management sold troubled players such as Juan Vargas and replaced them with new, fresh, young and hungry faces, more suited to the tiki-taka style of football Montella wanted to install at Artemio Franchi. Last season has seen Fiorentina bringing in midfielder Borja Valero and centre-backs Gonzalo Rodriguez and Facundo Roncaglia from relegated Villarreal, where they also pick up Giuseppe Rossi, a dynamic, yet injury prone 25 year old.” Think Football

The Future of Non League Football 2012/13 – A Summary

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“So there we have it. Another season finished, another one that at the Non League level has seen its fair share of contraversey, mismanagement and simply downright incompetence. In fact, as I write this, some two months after the Ryman Premier League season ended we are still none the wiser as to who was actually relegated last season. Is it Thurrock or Carshalton Athletic? I genuinely feel that the Isthmian League have no idea themselves, and are hoping for divine intervention to make the decision.” The Ball is Round

Hasn’t the Confederations Cup been great?

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“Well, hasn’t it been great? From the opening minutes of that opening game when Neymar was firing home that impeccably executed volley, through the thrills and fun of the group games and semi-finals, to the final. I honestly cannot recall one bland game in over the 2 week duration of this year’s Confederations Cup. If this competition is merely Brazil’s supposed warm-up for the real deal of the 2014 World Cup, then we are in for a treat. Here are my 6 reasons why I believe the Conferedations Cup has been so flipping fantastic.” Outside of the Boot

Brazil 3-0 Spain: Spain unable to cope with Brazil’s pace and power on the break

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“Brazil won the Confederations Cup at the Maracana after a convincing demolition of the world champions. Luis Felipe Scolari stuck with his usual side – in five games he only deviated from this XI once, when Paulinho wasn’t 100% fit for the final group game. Vicente Del Bosque brought in Juan Mata on the left of his 4-3-3 system, but otherwise the side was unchanged. Brazil yet again started superbly – but Spain failed to mount a significant fightback.” Zonal Marking

“Brazil produced a breathtaking performance at the Maracana to overwhelm Spain and claim their third consecutive Fifa Confederations Cup. Driven on by the passion of a fiercely partisan crowd, the five-time world champions signalled their intent ahead of next summer’s World Cup by ending Spain’s 29-match competitive unbeaten record with a majestic display. Fred scored twice, but Neymar again stole the show, scoring Brazil’s second goal with a rasping left-foot shot. To compound Spain’s misery, Sergio Ramos missed a second-half penalty before Gerard Pique was sent off for bringing down Neymar as last man, with 22 minutes remaining.” BBC

Dream final a sub-plot to urban uprising (June 28)
“And so the 2013 Confederations Cup has its dream final – Brazil against Spain, the match the world has been waiting years to see. It is a clash of two philosophies. For the Brazilians, the star player (known over here as the ‘craque,’ from the English ‘crack’) tips the balance with a moment of individual inspiration. For the Spaniards the collective idea is all important – the constant passing at pace, the continuous formation of triangles, each one opening up new possibilities for a new combination, until a runner can be slipped through on goal.” The World – Tim Vickery

Brazil on the verge of greatness
“Forget history and superstition. You have to be pretty twisted to believe that because Brazil won the Confederations Cup in 1997 and 2005 and 2009 and then failed to win the big one the following year, beating Spain and lifting the trophy at the Maracana was anything but a good thing. Anyone who witnessed the performance against Spain, who felt the goose bumps from the Torcida, who saw Fred, then Neymar, then Oscar, then just about every member of the Selecao vault the pitch-side barriers and celebrate with the supporters will know just how important this was.” ESPN (Video)

FIFA World Cup – Everybody Wants To Rule The World

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“The article below covers the financial impact of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and was first published a couple of years ago in Issue One of The Blizzard, the thinking fan’s football magazine of choice. Each issue can be purchased on a pay-what-you-like basis and includes some of the finest writing in the world of football, so I would encourage you to visit their website and invest some of your hard-earned cash. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed. Although this is an old piece, I thought that it might be worth republishing on my blog, as it seems very timely given the recent criticism aimed at FIFA over the money it will make from the World Cup in Brazil – in stark contrast to the billions invested by the host country. As you will see, many of the concerns are nothing new and would surely find resonance with many of the South African people.” Swiss Ramble

How delicious: Sepp Blatter has kicked off Fifa’s Arab Spring in Brazil
“It may be a little early to call this, what with several days of the Confederations Cup and an entire World Cup to run, but there’s a nagging sense that Sepp Blatter is somewhat miscast as a Brazilian counter-revolutionary. At time of writing, Fifa had yet to request covert support from the CIA in the form of arms shipments and financial backing. But with protests in Brazil continuing to make the most explicit of links between the money the country’s government has spent on Fifa tournaments, and the money it hasn’t spent on less uplifting things such as healthcare and education, Herr Blatter finds his usual arsenal increasingly wanting.” Guardian

The Special One, King Carlo and Resurrecting Real Madrid

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“If the San Siro in Milan is called the graveyard of European football, the Bernabeu under Florentino Perez has become the graveyard for some of Europe’s top managers. They all came here to bring the European Cup to the Spanish capital, and for a little more than a decade now they have failed to do so. The latest addition to Florentino Perez’s exit list is Jose Mourinho, who undoubtedly was ‘the man’ expected to restore some pride into the Los Blancos side.” Outside of the Boot

Spain beats Italy on penalties

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“Jesus Navas scored the decisive penalty as World Cup holder Spain beat Italy 7-6 in a shootout Thursday after extra time ended 0-0, setting up a showdown with host Brazil in the Confederations Cup final. Nobody missed in the shootout until Italy defender Leonardo Bonucci shot over the bar to give Navas an attempt at the winner. The recently signed Manchester City midfielder coolly beat goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon to end a top-class battle and send Spain to another major final.” ESPN (Video)

Scolari to mull over Hulk dilemma ahead of final
“We cannot yet declare that Luiz Felipe Scolari has turned Brazil into a successful side, and it would be unrealistic to consider them an overly entertaining one. Nevertheless, among encouraging performances and positive results, the main feature of Brazil throughout the Confederations Cup so far has been the sheer consistency of selection.” ESPN (Video)

Brazil 2-1 Uruguay: Brazil through to the final after substitutes help increase the pressure

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“Brazil weren’t on top form, but Paulinho’s late header sends them through to the final. Luiz Felipe Scolari brought back Paulinho after injury kept the Tottenham target out of the victory over Italy – so Hernanes dropped to the bench. Having changed his entire side for the win over Tahiti, Oscar Tabarez reverted to the side that defeated Nigeria. This was a disappointing match in technical sense, with none of the attacking players sparkling, although it was interesting in tactical sense.” Zonal Marking

Brazil reaches Confed Cup final
“Brazil’s players wept with joy inside the stadium, and Brazilian protesters were sprayed with tear gas outside it as the country’s national football team reached the Confederations Cup final despite another wave of mass demonstrations on the streets. Brazil beat neighbors Uruguay 2-1 with an 86th minute header from Paulinho in a performance that failed to reach the commanding heights of earlier games. As thousands of anti-government protesters clashed with police nearby, inside the Mineirao Stadiujm, Brazil’s footballers reached Sunday’s final in Rio de Janeiro with a patchy display.” ESPN (Video)

Rise of Data Analysis in Football

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“Data analytics won the Champions League final in 2012. The above quote was taken from an interview just minutes after Chelsea beat Bayern Munich on penalties in the last game of the tournament that year. Petr Čech, Chelsea’s goalkeeper on the night, faced one penalty in extra-time and five in the penalty shoot-out and dived the correct way for each one – an incredible feat. That is of course, unless Čech knew where the penalties were going to go – which he did. As he confirms in the quote, Chelsea had done their homework. The data analysis that was made available to the Czech goalkeeper was vast. Čech had a 2 hour DVD of every penalty Bayern Munich had ever taken since 2007 which was more than enough to calculate the statistical likelihood of where each penalty was going to be placed from each opposing player. All this information was presented to the goalkeeper from Chelsea’s data department. When Chelsea won, Čech felt obliged to mention he had help.” Outside of the Boot

A History of Goalscoring

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“At the time of writing, Liverpool Football Club find themselves somewhat at odds with star striker Luis Suarez. The mercurial Uruguayan may have been the beloved hero of 2012-13, but recent flirtations towards Real Madrid have somewhat soured his reputation amongst the fans. In fairness to him, with multiple translations, reiterations presented as breaking news and mixed messages from a range of sources, it isn’t the clearest of situations. But if we could take a punt… he probably wouldn’t mind a move to sunny Spain.” Tomkins Times

Visionary Luis Enrique looking back at the long-term with Celta Vigo

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“Abel Resino left Celta Vigo with the remit of his four months in charge complete— to avoid relegation. The Galicia club avoided the drop by just one point on the final day after the 53 year old Resino came in as a fire-fighter, with Celta third from bottom upon the departure of Paco Herrera back in February. Resino was very much a short term choice, a stop-gap to lead the team to safety so President Carlos Mourino could implement a long-term vision that will be spearheaded by Luis Enrique, returning to La Liga after an ill-fated spell with Roma.” Outside of the Boot

Uruguay 2-1 Nigeria: Tabarez switches to a back three, then to a back four, then to a back five

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“Diego Forlan hit the winner on his 100th international appearance, as Uruguay unconvincingly defeated Nigeria. After a terrible performance against Spain, Oscar Tabarez brought back Diego Forlan into his starting XI, completely changed his midfield duo, and switched to a back three. Stephen Keshi swapped his two central attackers – Ideye Brown replaced Anthony Ujah, and John Ogu came in for Sunday Mba. Uruguay were a little fortunate to win this one – over the course of the game they hardly outplayed Nigeria, although they unquestionably had more quality in the final third.” Zonal Marking

Italy 4-3 Japan: Italy start terribly but Prandelli makes an early change to prompt a comeback

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“Italy were rather fortunate to win an amazingly open match. Against Mexico, Italy were superb down the left but disappointing down the right, so Cesare Prandelli kept the left flank intact and changed two players on the right of his 4-3-2-1 – Christian Maggio replaced Ignazio Abate, while Alberto Aquilani came in for Claudio Marchisio. Alberto Zaccheroni, up against his home country, brought in Ryoichi Maeda upfront, moved Shinji Okazaki to the right, and dropped Hiroshi Kiyotake. Japan were excellent in the first half hour, but a combination of Prandelli’s substitution and a crazy, end-to-end game somehow let Italy back in.” Zonal Marking

Brazil 2-0 Mexico: Brazil start strongly but fade

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“The opening suggested Brazil would win comfortably – but they spent the majority of the second half clinging onto a one-goal lead. Luiz Felipe Scolari kept the same XI that defeated Japan in the opening game. On the right flank, Jose Manuel de la Torre stuck with the duo that ended the defeat to Italy – Gerardo Flores on the wing and Hiram Mier at full-back, with winger Javier Aquino on the bench. Carlos Salcido switched from left-back to the centre of midfield, with Jorge Nilo coming into the side. Brazil started ferociously and pinned Mexico back into their own half, but their overall performance was disappointing.” Zonal Marking

Mexico continues frustrating, sluggish form at Confederations Cup
” There has been good news for Mexico during the Confederations Cup this week, but little of it has come from any of the match outcomes in Brazil. Victories for the USA over Honduras and Costa Rica over Panama have kept Mexico in the third automatic qualifying slot from the Concacaf hexagonal, but the team’s own form continues to frustrate. There is nothing shameful about losing to Italy and Brazil and if that were all there was to it, there’d be little reason for concern. The problem is context. Mexico has now won just one of its last 11 games — admittedly eight draws mean it was unbeaten in nine before the tournament — but the sense of optimism stimulated by its success in last July’s Olympic Games has all but evaporated. The crispness and rhythm of the team’s performance in London last summer has been replaced by sluggishness, despite the fact that six of the players who faced Brazil on Wednesday were in that same Olympic squad.” SI – Jonathan Wilson

“Neymar produced a commanding performance as Brazil secured their place in the Confederations Cup semi-finals with victory at the Estadio Castelao in Fortaleza. This was not the dominant performance that some had expected but it was Brazil’s first competitive victory over Mexico in nine years and a third successive win under head coach Luiz Felipe Scolari.” BBC