Tag Archives: Football Manager

Liverpool 2 Arsenal 2: Firmino’s revival, Ramsdale’s rescue and a Premier League classic


Arsenal withstood a blistering second-half barrage from Liverpool to salvage what could yet prove a crucial draw in their pursuit of a first Premier League title since 2004. Aaron Ramsdale conjured two stunning late saves deep into stoppage time to ensure Arsenal left Anfield with a point for the first time in seven seasons after blowing a 2-0 lead. Their advantage at the top of the table now stands at six points, with second-placed Manchester City — who host the leaders later this month — holding a game in hand. …”
The Athletic

‘I can’t live without it’: grassroots referees on passion in face of abuse

“Let’s be honest, Paolo Di Canio pushing over Paul Alcock; Manchester United players hunting a backpedalling Andy D’Urso; Aleksandar Mitrovic’s tantrum at Old Trafford, punished by an eight-game ban: not the least hilarious things we have seen. And why shouldn’t we laugh? … Greg Cruttwell’s new film, In the Middle, introduces us to a diverse range of officials at a variety of levels, all of whom know two things: player behaviour in the Premier League inspires player behaviour through the pyramid, and grassroots referees are absolutely not safe. …”
Guardian

Frank Lampard Returning to Chelsea Epitomizes the Chaos of the Club’s Season


“When Chelsea square off against Wolves on Saturday, the fourth manager of the current Premier League campaign will lead the team out of the tunnel, though it won’t exactly be an unfamiliar face. Last seen in January after dragging Everton into the relegation zone, Frank Lampard has been appointed as Chelsea’s caretaker manager for the remainder of the season, just over two years after he was sacked by the club. Chelsea bringing Lampard back is the cherry on top of the schadenfreude sundae—the team sits in 11th place and is struggling to score goals, but at least it’s the breakaway leader in xB (expected banter). …”
The Ringer

Game of Numbers #14 – Ilkay Gündoğan’s Movement Masterclass

“It’s spectacular to think that even within a midfield of Bernardo Silva, Kevin de Bruyne and Rodri, that İlkay Gündoğan remains one of City’s most important players when it matters most. He’s guaranteed a selection for 20-30 games in any given season, despite all the magnificent options operating around him. In fact, when fit, he’s often the team captain – even when more vocal players like Dias or De Bruyne remain available. This is all down to the German’s intelligence and magnificence when it comes to off-the-ball movement. …”
The Mastermindsite (Video)

Liverpool shouldn’t sack Klopp – but it is right questions are being asked of him

“Imagine, for a second, that Liverpool hadn’t appointed Jurgen Klopp in late 2015 and were instead forced to settle for an inferior manager who only marginally improved the club. In that world, the past few years in English football would have been very dull. Rather than Manchester City winning four of the last five titles — already a huge level of dominance, although two of them were only clinched on the final day ahead of Liverpool — they would presumably have coasted to five in a row without any serious challenge. …”
The Athletic (Video)
The Athletic: Liverpool’s whole defensive structure is struggling – it’s not just Virgil van Dijk

Sackings spate shows who matters now: welcome to football’s age of the executive

Patrick Vieira gone! Antonio Conte gone! Brendan Rodgers gone! Graham Potter gone! More managers have left Premier League clubs in the past four weeks than in the entire 2005-06, 2003-04 or 1995-96 seasons. The past month has not quite matched the chaos of November 1994, when Ossie Ardiles, Mike Walker, Ron Atkinson, Gerry Francis and Brian Little left their jobs, but for managers this has been the most turbulent season in Premier League history, with 13 leaving mid‑campaign. It may not be over yet. …”
Guardian – Jonathan Wilson

Real Madrid’s gamble may have cost them La Liga — here, it dismantled Barcelona

“The simple concept of risk and reward is a major part of football tactics, and seems to be particularly crucial in contests between Barcelona and Real Madrid. When the two sides met last month in a crucial La Liga encounter, Carlo Ancelotti boldly pushed Dani Carvajal forward from right-back into an advanced position where he caused Barcelona serious problems in the second half. At one point, it appeared he had crossed for Marco Asensio to turn home a winner, but the goal was disallowed by the VAR. …”
The Athletic – Michael Cox
The Athletic: Barcelona will still win La Liga – but 4-0 Clasico defeat is going to hurt

Collective goals: multi-club ownership is changing world football’s landscape

““’We don’t have a hierarchy of clubs – this is not a pyramid-type model,’ Joshua Wander insisted after 777 Partners completed its purchase of a 64.7% majority stake in Hertha Berlin last month. ‘This is really about preserving the independence and the deep and rich histories of the individual clubs. We want to provide our clubs with the tools so that they can all be the best.’ …”
Guardian

How Pep Guardiola turned John Stones into Manchester City’s midfield maestro

“John Stones’ performance against Liverpool on Saturday was a masterclass. In recent weeks, Stones has been Pep Guardiola’s inverted full-back, moving from right-back to central midfield seamlessly and helping Manchester City dominate games. While Stones has less impact in the final third compared to his predecessor Joao Cancelo, who used to move into midfield from left-back, the England international’s own style has allowed City to thrive in other ways. …”
The Athletic (Video)
The Athletic: Jurgen Klopp seems bullet-proof but Liverpool’s patience is not limitless

Joe Willock will score more Newcastle goals thanks to exceptional runs

“Off-ball movement usually goes unnoticed. With 20 outfield players running around, and the focus on the ball, it’s hard to grasp everything happening on the pitch upon first viewing. That’s why team analysts and coaches go over the tape again and again and again, and why they know their players better than anyone else. Joe Willock’s off-ball movement might not have resulted in a bucket load of goals and assists this season for Newcastle United, but the smart runs the 23-year-old has been making meant Eddie Howe knew it was only a matter of time. …”
The Athletic

Chelsea’s next manager: Nagelsmann? Ancelotti? Pochettino? Our experts’ verdicts

“It is not even a year since Chelsea’s new owners, the Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital consortium, took charge at Stamford Bridge and they are already searching for their second new manager. Graham Potter’s sacking on Sunday, just seven months after he succeeded Thomas Tuchel, suggested the ownership’s stated aim of being different to the ruthless hire-and-fire culture of Roman Abramovich is a long way from being realised. …”
The Athletic (Video)

AC Milan toyed with Napoli in 4-0 win – roll on their Champions League rematch

“There is an old theatrical tradition that a bad dress rehearsal is followed by a successful first night of a show. Napoli will have to hope that is true. Sunday’s Serie A game against AC Milan was the first of three meetings between the sides in 17 days. The other two are in a Champions League quarter-final, with the first leg at San Siro next Wednesday and the return in Naples the following Tuesday. …”
The Athletic

Stone Island, cravats and rollnecks: Does it matter what managers wear?

“‘It is very methodical. I am a very methodical, routine person.’ Mikel Arteta could be talking about any number of things there. What formation should Arsenal play? Is this the time to rest key players? How should he mix up training this week? It was none of those. He was, instead, talking about his choice of touchline clothing. …”
The Athletic

Does xG tell the whole truth?

‘Expected goals’ is a metric that was developed to give a better sense of how good a football team’s performances are beyond simply looking at the score lines they produce. But do the numbers always accurately show what is going on? And does xG always tell the whole truth? Jon Mackenzie explains. Philippe Fenner illustrates.”
YouTube

Premier League predictions: Arsenal to edge title race but Manchester City to lift the Champions League?

“Will Arsenal hold on? Can Thomas Tuchel turn Bayern Munich into Champions League winners? Who will finish top four in the Premier League? And who will go down? And just how many league goals will Erling Haaland finish on in his first season at Manchester City? Oliver Kay, Daniel Taylor, Sarah Shephard, Nick Miller and Dan Sheldon assess the Premier League run-in and pick their Champions League and Europa League champions. …”
The Athletic

Thriving in Transition: A Scouting Report on Folarin Balogun

“When big clubs loan their youngsters out, it doesn’t always work out that well. A common outcome is a loaned-out player sitting on the bench at a relegation-battling side that plays in a style diametrically opposite to their parent club’s, and it can cost the player a year of their development at a crucial stage. Folarin Balogun’s spell at Stade Reims might be an example on the other end of the spectrum. …”
The Analyst (Video)

James Maddison’s full England debut assessed: Does he offer something unique?

James Maddison may have had to wait over three years for his second England cap, but his performance against Ukraine as he made his full debut yesterday should ensure he won’t wait as long for his third. Many people have been scratching their heads as to why England manager Gareth Southgate had been so reluctant to give Maddison another go after his substitute appearance against Montenegro in November 2019. …”
The Athletic

Where is the best fit for Nagelsmann after Bayern: Tottenham, PSG, Real Madrid, Chelsea?

“It’s amazing to think Julian Nagelsmann is still only 35. It’s a testament to his talent that he is more established than someone of his age may otherwise be, and feels like he’s been around forever. He was the Bundesliga’s youngest permanent head coach when he took charge of Hoffenheim aged 28, and was still just 33 when he arrived at Bayern Munich. …”
The Athletic
The Athletic: Bayern Munich, Julian Nagelsmann and a very surprising sacking (Video)

How to move off the ball like a world class winger

“In the modern era, wingers can be as vital to scoring goals and creating chances as any other position on the pitch. Elite superstars like Mohamed Salah and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia have illustrated this to a tee this year, for both their goal scoring prowess and chance creation supremacy. But most young players aspiring to be the world’s best struggle to see the finer details of exactly how the likes of Salah and Kvara find themselves in those scoring positions. With that, we break down how to move off the ball like a world class winger, with real examples from the likes mentioned above, in addition to Raheem Sterling, Marcus Rashford and Alex Morgan. …”
The Mastermindsite (Video)

Italy 1-2 England: Record-breaking Kane fires Gareth Southgate’s men to victory in Naples

Harry Kane will always remember Naples. Six months on from their last meeting in the group stages of the Nations League, the Euro 2020 finalists locked horns again in a Euro 2024 qualifier at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. Declan Rice pounced to give England the lead before Kane fired home the goal that makes him his country’s all-time record men’s goalscorer — his 54th in a Three Lions shirt — from the penalty spot after Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s handball. …”
The Athletic (Video)
The Athletic: England have been blessed with goalscoring centre-forwards for 40 years. Has anyone else?
Guardian: Harry Kane becomes England’s all-time record scorer in qualifier win over Italy
The Analyst – 53 and Counting: Harry Kane on the Cusp of Becoming England Men’s Record Goalscorer

The 10 best corner routines of the Premier League season… so far

“… Increased focus has led to more innovation, and corners are one aspect of the game to have benefited from this. Gone are the days of just putting it in the mixer. Now pre-planned moves are showing their effectiveness. In this piece, The Athletic breaks down the 10 most innovative corners this season. To narrow down the selection from more than two and half thousand so far this season to just over a hundred, only those that resulted in a goal were in contention. Additionally, the idea of the corner alone doesn’t put it into the top 10, its execution also factors into the equation. Let’s begin… …”
The Athletic (Video)

Are Bayern Munich really progressing under Julian Nagelsmann?

“Julian Nagelsmann might have imagined this stage of the season in many different guises when he resumed work after the World Cup. He almost certainly did not envisage this. His team will begin April with more games to shape the remainder of their campaign than they normally would at this stage, a legacy of the aforementioned break for the tournament in Qatar, but they will also make their way onto that road in an unfamiliar position of second place. Bayern Munich did not lose everything in Leverkusen, but any misapprehension under which they might have laboured under that this is a regular Bayern season is gone. …”
Guardian
W – Julian Nagelsmann

The strange career of Dele Alli

Dele Alli burst onto the scene as a 16 year old for MK Dons, by the age of 19 he was playing in the Premier League with Tottenham Hotspur and scoring goals for England. Twice voted PFA Young Player of the Year he would become one of Spurs’ most important players. Yet at the age of just 26 he is in the Turkish league struggling to make an impact at Besiktas. What went wrong for Dele Alli? Seb Stafford-Bloor writes, Craig Silcock illustrates.”
YouTube
W – Dele Alli

Liverpool must pull off the impossible at Real Madrid – this is how they do it

“The odds will be stacked against Liverpool when they walk out at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday night. Real Madrid’s 5-2 win in the first leg at Anfield three weeks ago — Liverpool’s heaviest defeat at home in the Champions League — left Jurgen Klopp’s side on the brink of elimination. The champions of Europe, three goals up in their own stadium, against a team beaten by lowly Bournemouth last weekend. Logic suggests the tie is already done and dusted. …”
The Athletic (Video)
The Athletic – Real Madrid 1 Liverpool 0: Klopp’s team limp out – who can stop the champions?

Can Rochdale avoid the drop?


Rochdale AFC’s Crown Oil Arena
“In the days when clubs at the bottom of the Football League had to seek re-election, Rochdale often had to rely on their old pals to maintain their status. Since automatic promotion and relegation began, Rochdale have not faced the ignominy of relegation to the National League, but if their present situation does not improve, a club with over 100 years of Football League heritage could find itself playing in the non-league game. Rochdale are currently bottom of League Two and six points from safety and they are five behind 23rd-placed Hartlepool United. There’s nine games to go, five of which are away from home for the ‘The Dale’. …”
Game of the People

Which Premier League club are best at penalty shootouts?

“Whether Arsenal and their fans are actually disappointed to have exited the Europa League or not, it happened. Of course, Mikel Arteta’s team didn’t lose to Sporting Lisbon in the competition’s round of 16 this week, they drew 3-3 on aggregate. As a result, the tie was decided by that classic invention of the 1970s, the penalty shootout. Shootouts are one of those elements of football where fans might have a reasonable grasp of their team’s record, and can usually recall some infamous moments from elsewhere — John Terry slipping in the rain in Moscow 2008, perhaps — but other than that, it’s a fairly nebulous concept. …”
The Athletic

Alan Shearer on Wrexham’s Paul Mullin: ‘The ideal balance of selfless and selfish’


Paul Mullin is a star courtesy of Ryan Reynolds, Rob McElhenney and a brilliant documentary series that has transported Hollywood to north Wales. The 28-year-old centre-forward’s career had been low-key and he was something of a journeyman-in-waiting. Mullin graduated from Huddersfield Town’s academy but, after a brief spell on loan at sixth-tier Vauxhall Motors aged 20, left without playing a game for their senior side. He was picked up by Morecambe, then moved to Swindon Town, Tranmere Rovers and Cambridge United, where he finally made a name for himself. …”
The Athletic (Video)

The Europa Conference League: an unlikely stroke of genius?

“When UEFA announced the introduction of a tertiary continental club competition, it’s fair to say that the idea received a lukewarm reception at best. While some, for various reasons, did instantly herald the UEFA Europa Conference League as a welcome addition to the European calendar, for the majority it appeared to be another maverick UEFA project – a concept formulated by a governing body seemingly more concerned with validating its own role against a backdrop of rising ‘super’ club power than adding real value to the game. Clearly, there were also financial motivations involved, with UEFA looking to eke out every ounce of commercial potential from its lucrative estate. …”
Football Paradise

Liverpool’s elite status under threat after timid exit from the Champions League

“‘Where’s the final next year? Istanbul? Book the hotel,’ declared a bullish Jurgen Klopp after last season’s Champions League final defeat in Paris. Let’s hope those rooms are refundable. Klopp expected the good times to keep rolling, but over the course of this troubled season, Liverpool have been repeatedly exposed as a fading force. This limp last-16 exit at the hands of Real Madrid simply confirmed it. …”
The Athletic

Why Arsenal and Zinchenko make so much sense

When Arsenal signed Manchester City pair Gabriel Jesus and Oleksander Zinchenko Arsenal fans hoped they would take them to the next level. Jesus would provide goals from the central forward position, but it was unclear what difference Zinchenko would make. Jon Mackenzie explains that Zinchenko’s unique tactical profile has given Arsenal a level of control they wouldn’t have otherwise. Illustrated by Philippe Fenner.
YouTube

Will the Champions League stay in Europe?

“In April last year, the Paris Saint-Germain chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi provided a window into the backroom discussions of European football. Al-Khelaifi is best known as the Qatari face of PSG but his footprint is all over the sport. He is on the executive committee of UEFA (the European football governing body and organiser of the Champions League) and he is the chair of the European Club Association (which represents the interests of clubs who compete in European club competitions). Not only that, but he is also running the Qatari broadcaster beIN Sports (which holds the largest portfolio of broadcast rights in the sporting world, screening major sporting events across the Middle East, France, New Zealand, Turkey and the United States). …”
The Athletic

La Liga analysed: A record-breaking weekend but Rodrygo’s wait goes on

“You’ll never guess what score the Barcelona game finished on… For the eighth time in all competitions in 2023 — and the 11th this season — Xavi’s side ground out a 1-0 win as their seemingly inevitable march to the Spanish league title continues. From late, late goals to finishing woes, The Athletic’s Thom Harris takes you through some of the standout stats from another weekend of La Liga action. …”
The Athletic

P.S.G.’s Star System Has Run Its Course

“Nobody at Paris St.-Germain seemed particularly upset at being knocked out of the Champions League. Christophe Galtier, the coach, made all the right noises, of course. It was a terrible disappointment, he said. A great shame, because this is a competition that really means a lot to the club. Very sad for all concerned. Kylian Mbappé, meanwhile, came across so phlegmatic that he seemed almost detached, as if the whole thing had happened only in the abstract. …”
NY Times

Union Berlin still dreaming after a night of snow and St Gilloise sucker-punches

“Eisern Union! Eisern Union!” — Iron Union.
“It’s one of the biggest nights in Union Berlin’s history and everyone’s here. On the train out of the city centre down to the Kopenick district, the carriages are full of the young and old, men and women, the loud, the quiet and the wild-eyed. Opposite me, an elderly woman wrapped in a red and white scarf stares out of the window and watches Berlin’s outskirts go by. Behind her, by the doors, three young men all in black, each with a dash of red somewhere, bang the glass and echo chants down the carriage. …”
The Athletic (Video)

Premier League relegation predictions – according to the data

“Things are getting serious at the bottom of the Premier League table. Just eight points separate Southampton (20th) and Crystal Palace (12th), with clubs so desperate to avoid the drop that six of the bottom ten sides have changed managers this season — and Southampton doing so twice. The financial incentive to stay in the division is huge, but with 15 games to go, who looks most likely to be playing Championship football next season? …”
The Athletic (Video)

Carlo Ancelotti: Football’s Greatest Unsung Coach?

“The stare. The brow. The outfit. Everything about Carlo Ancelotti is iconic to its core. He is a man that exemplifies class, and his accolades as both player and coach take him to a stratosphere that even the most revered in the game would struggle to contemplate. He is, in many ways, an enigma that manages to evade the adoration and relentless discussion that his talent deserves. Why is it, after so many years in the game and so many trophies won, that we fail to place Ancelotti in the category that so many managers with less success are put in with ease? …”
Football Paradise
W – Carlo Ancelotti

Why Italian football has no money

Clubs in Serie A are struggling to spend money. In January 2023 transfer window when the Premier League spent a combined total of 800m Euros, Serie A spent just 33m. But why? What is holding Italian clubs back from competing with their European counterparts? What are the main revenue streams, and why aren’t they fruitful? James Horncastle writes, Henry Cooke illustrates.
YouTube

Can Barcelona’s Alarcon and Torre follow in the footsteps of Gavi and Pedri?

“October 7, 2021. It was the international break, but it was far from a quiet day at La Masia. Barcelona’s renowned academy was still abuzz with the events of the previous night: one of their graduates who still lived in the club’s facilities had become the youngest player to feature for Spain at the age of 17. Gavi had been handed his international debut by then-Spain manager Luis Enrique in the UEFA Nations League semi-finals against Italy, in which La Roja came out 2-1 winners. …”
The Athletic
The Athletic – La Liga analysed: Barcelona’s binary scores and peerless Griezmann
Guardian: Sevilla dragged back into La Liga’s Sarlacc pit after Atlético annihilation

Bury, Macclesfield, Derby and whether a regulator would have saved crisis clubs

“English football has problems it cannot hope to solve by itself. Or so concluded the UK government last week, with the publication of a white paper that promises to reshape the national sport. A new era of independent regulation and tighter financial controls is coming and, under new proposals, no professional club can expect to escape the heightened scrutiny. Too many have been left damaged and hurt by financial mismanagement, too many are or were run by unsuitable owners. Reform was as necessary as it was unavoidable. …”
The Athletic

Liverpool 7 Manchester United 0: Gakpo, Nunez and Salah run riot as Ten Hag’s men wilt


“Two goals each from Cody Gakpo, Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah helped Liverpool power to a record win over Manchester United. Gakpo, the Netherlands forward signed from PSV Eindhoven in January, produced his best performance for Jurgen Klopp’s team, scoring two exquisite goals either side of Nunez’s 47th-minute header. Salah got in on the act with a fourth before Nunez got his second and the Egypt star completed his own double. Roberto Firmino, who confirmed this week he will be leaving at the end of the season, came off the bench to complete the rout. …”
The Athletic
The Athletic: Ten Hag has used ruthlessness and running but this Man Utd humbling needs a new response (Video)
Guardian: Ten Hag accuses Manchester United of being ‘unprofessional’ in Liverpool rout
BBC: Bruno Fernandes a ‘disgrace’ & Manchester United ‘eaten alive’ in Liverpool thrashing
Guardian: Salah and Liverpool make history with seven-goal rout of Manchester United

Explaining Borussia Dortmund’s best start to a year – and it’s Chelsea up next

Borussia Dortmund’s title charge is well and truly on. They held on to beat visitors RB Leipzig 2-1 on Friday and temporarily go three points clear of Bayern Munich at the top of the Bundesliga. Bayern reclaimed top spot by beating Stuttgart on Saturday but the data company FiveThirtyEight measured the win over Leipzig as increasing Dortmund’s title chances from 14 to 19 per cent. Bayern (76 per cent) might be clear favourites to secure an 11th straight German championship, but Edin Terzic’s side are pushing them. …”
The Athletic (Video)

Nelson’s winner for Arsenal was ludicrous – and may prove to be 2023’s Ulloa equivalent

“Mikel Arteta was at the Emirates Stadium for five years as a player, and has now been here for three more as a manager, and he hasn’t experienced anything like that. ‘That’s probably the loudest and the most emotional moment we’ve had here,’ he said after his Arsenal side turned a 2-0 deficit against Bournemouth with half an hour to play into a momentous 3-2 last-gasp win. …”
The Athletic

Liverpool, Napoli and the Problem With Systems


Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool has lost its edge.
“There is no such thing as a 4-3-3. The same goes for all those pithy threads of numbers that are hard-wired into soccer’s vernacular, the communal, universal drop-down list of legitimate patterns in which a team might be arrayed: 3-5-2 and 4-2-3-1 and even the fabled, fading 4-4-2. They are familiar, reflexive. But none of them exist. Not really. …”
NY Times

Grimsby Town: How community spirit (and blow-up haddocks) created an FA Cup fairytale

“Paul Hurst has got his priorities right. After his Grimsby Town team stunned Southampton to book an FA Cup quarter-final against Brighton & Hove Albion, he was apologising to the town’s school teachers who may have had sparse classrooms on Wednesday — and bleary-eyed pupils today. …”
The Athletic (Video)

Barcelona and Real Madrid, hated rivals who need each other more than ever


“It’s a frosty December morning in Madrid. But inside its swish Hotel Ritz, there is the warm buzz of money and power. Real Madrid president Florentino Perez and Barcelona counterpart Joan Laporta enter together, just as the breakfast event at which they are the star guests is about to begin. … Over recent decades, Perez and Laporta had so often been on opposite sides as Madrid and Barca battled for domination of La Liga — and regularly for control of the Champions League trophy, too. But events have driven them together, and these two historic rivals have become intertwined in a new love story which has huge consequences for the future of Spanish and European football. …”
The Athletic (Video)
The Athletic: Real Madrid 0-1 Barcelona: Xavi’s side edge tight Copa Clasico (part one)
The Athletic – El Clasico: Can’t beat them? Join them. How Barca turned tables on Real Madrid
The Athletic: How Real Madrid’s versatile quartet shows Carlo Ancelotti at his experimental best (Video)
The Athletic – Real Madrid 0-1 Barcelona: A Copa del Rey Clasico defined by ugly moments

Inside the Bundesliga’s VAR centre and the possibility of virtual reality

“Video assistant referee — rarely have three words elicited such controversy in football. The spotlight has been placed firmly back on VAR in the Premier League in recent weeks, after Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) chief refereeing officer Howard Webb apologised to Arsenal and Brighton over “significant errors” made in fixtures last month, followed by Lee Mason leaving his role as a Premier League VAR official following the high-profile error. …”
The Athletic

Barcelona: The Airbnb-ification of a once-unique style

“Barcelona — the city, like the club — is a victim of its own success. About a decade ago, still reeling from the global recession and high unemployment, Catalonia’s capital threw open its doors and a whole world of tourists poured in. Even if you weren’t there, you probably saw enough of the Sagrada Familia and Parc Guell on Instagram to feel like you were. The open doors weren’t just a figure of speech: thanks to the app economy, millions of visitors spilt out of Barcelona’s hotels and into its chamfered apartment blocks, renting rooms and whole homes through companies such as Airbnb. …”
The Athletic (Video)
The Athletic: Barcelona slump again after European defeat. How bad will it be this year?
Guardian: Barcelona crumble ‘with no soul’ to anger Xavi and ‘give Real Madrid life’

Chelsea can add corners to the list of things going badly

“When there are nine minutes to play in a London derby, and you haven’t threatened all game, conceding the second goal practically ends it — especially when you have only scored four goals in 2023. Chelsea’s rotten run continues with another game without scoring and another loss. Tottenham’s 2-0 victory over Graham Potter’s side leaves Chelsea in 10th place, 14 points off the Champions League spots. …”
The Athletic

The Fastest Premier League Sacking Ever

Patience with managers has long been a hot topic in football, especially in the demanding world of the Premier League. But in 2006 Charlton Athletic’s patience was wearing very thin as they stared relegation to the Championship down the barrel. Managers came and went, none quicker than Les Reed. This is the story of the quickest Premier League sacking ever. Written by Seb Stafford-Bloor, illustrated by Craig Silcock.
YouTube

How Arsenal control games

Goals win games, and defences win titles, as Sir Alex Ferguson once said. But when a team concedes, or scores is just as important as conceding in the first place. In the first half of the season, during Arsenal’s ascent to the top of the Premier League, there has been a distinct pattern to when their goals have been scored. Jon Mackenzie analyses the data and suggests why Arsenal are so good at managing their games. Written by Henry Cooke.
YouTube

The five reasons Liverpool have a broken defence

“For all the talk about Liverpool’s impending midfield rebuild this summer, it is becoming increasingly clear they need to strengthen their backline, too. Defensive errors heavily contributed to Tuesday night’s chastening Champions League thrashing at the hands of Real Madrid. “I think we gave all five goals away and that means we could have done better,” admitted Jurgen Klopp. The sight of Liverpool capitulating wasn’t a one-off. Alarmingly, it was the eighth time in all competitions this season they have conceded three times or more. …”
The Athletic (Video)
NY Times: Real Madrid Leaves Liverpool Chasing Shadows of Itself
Guardian: Liverpool and Klopp face big task to limit fallout from Real Madrid fiasco

The Football Sustainability Index: How well run is your club?

“The coming days and weeks will bring the moment that sees English football forced to embrace change. The government’s white paper is expected imminently, crystallizing the key recommendations proposed by the exhaustive fan-led review of the national sport’s governance. Those in power have now concluded that football cannot carry on as it was. Too many clubs have been allowed to unravel. Some irretrievably so. Increased regulation, despite the Premier League’s lobbying, will finally be introduced in 2023. …”
The Athletic (Video)

Napoli attack space. So how did they adapt when Eintracht Frankfurt didn’t leave them any?

“… Glasner does not set Frankfurt up to dominate European games but Napoli had 70 per cent possession, outshot the hosts 18 to five and created three big chances — a situation where a player should reasonably be expected to score — (including a penalty) without conceding any. This extends Napoli’s run to six straight wins, scoring at least twice in each and conceded just once. How did Napoli adapt their approach away to Frankfurt? …”
The Athletic

How goalkeepers react to high-profile mistakes – according to the goalkeepers’ union

Loris Karius is set to make his first appearance in nearly two years in the Carabao Cup final for Newcastle this weekend. It comes in the same week Thibaut Courtois and Alisson both made high profile and uncharacteristic mistakes during Real Madrid’s Champions League win over Liverpool. So how will Karius, whose career has been defined by the errors he made against Real in the Champions League final in 2018, be preparing for a game he didn’t expect to be playing in? …”
The Athletic

Why Liverpool keep failing to beat Real Madrid: ‘They were almost mocking us’

“… As he basked in the glory of winning the Champions League last summer, Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti’s reflections were telling. Their path to victory had included knockout ties with Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Manchester City, yet the Italian deemed Jurgen Klopp’s side the easiest to prepare for tactically. … The pair have faced each other four times during three Champions League campaigns between 2017-2018 and 2021-2022. On each occasion, Liverpool have been second best. If they have any hope of winning silverware this season, they need to change the narrative when the two meet in the first leg of the last 16 of the Champions League tonight.”
The Athletic

The art of staying onside

“Anyone who’s familiar with football is likely also familiar with dads screaming from the sidelines at referees when that flag goes up to catch a player offside. When it comes to the professional level, it’s not just dads screaming, but millions of fans. Unfortunately for those screaming dads (and millions of fans), chances are, the attacker should have timed their run better to avoid the question even being asked in the first place. Since Graham Potter took over at Chelsea, this has been a reoccurring issue for the Blues (staying onside; not screaming parents). …”
The Mastermindsite (Video)

Liverpool’s right-side triangle returns just in time for Real Madrid tie

“During Liverpool’s run towards Champions League glory back in 2019, one adjustment paved the way for future success. After introducing Jordan Henderson as a right-sided midfielder for the last 31 minutes against Southampton in April 2019, Jurgen Klopp started the English midfielder on the right side of his midfield against Porto four days later in the first leg of the quarter-finals of the Champions League. …”
The Athletic

Newcastle 0 Liverpool 2: Klopp’s top-four bid alive, Pope’s agony, Alisson’s excellence

Newcastle’s meeting with Liverpool always had the look of the game of the weekend, and it duly delivered the drama to justify that status. A 2-0 win for Jurgen Klopp’s side reignited their previously fading hopes of securing a place in the top four, but of arguably more significance was a red card to Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope that leaves Eddie Howe desperately short of goalkeeping options ahead of next weekend’s Carabao Cup final. …”
The Athletic

How Manchester United’s speed and directness ripped through Barcelona’s defence

“When Pep Guardiola took his Manchester City team to Old Trafford in November 2021, he had one thing on his mind when it came to stopping Manchester United’s threat. … More than a year has passed and United’s prowess on the offensive transitions is still there. The profiles of their attackers give United the upper hand in situations when they have just won the ball back and want to attack quickly. That is also helped by improvements off the ball under Erik ten Hag. …”
The Athletic
The Athletic: Barcelona’s Raphinha changed the game against Man United — so why did Xavi replace him?
The Athletic: Manchester United and Barcelona are on upward arcs — this was a worthy chapter in their rivalry

Reputation Meets Reality in the Champions League

“… Sure, Chelsea and Tottenham had both lost the first legs of their Champions League round of 16 ties, but that was nothing to worry about. There are the home games to come in a few weeks. Things will be better then. Wrongs will be righted. Everything is breezy. Neither manager’s pose was particularly ludicrous. Neither team had played especially badly. Both sides might have felt just a little unfortunate to have lost. Chelsea, still feeling its way to a settled identity after its winter excess, created a raft of chances against Borussia Dortmund. …”
NY Times