Time. A lot of people want it, a greater number need it, but the majority of us simply don’t have it. It is an even more pressing issue in the world of football. The focus is inevitably on the players. But those behind the scenes – the coaches and analysts – are arguably even more…
When Liverpool racked up 196 points across two Premier League campaigns, they did so by controlling, well, everything. They dictated play when in possession and bossed the opposition when out of it. They replaced the heavy metal football – that chaotic, basketball-style approach they utilised during Jürgen Klopp’s earlier years at Anfield – with something…
It’s always a good thing, from time to time, to check that your perceptions are backed up by something meaningful. Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds United are a team whose reputation precedes them by a Yorkshire mile (like a Lancashire mile, but better), particularly the intensity and relentlessness of their pressing. However, just how intense is it…
In part one of this series, Andrew Cox, ex-Opta Managing Director, gave us his thoughts on the current relationship between sports media companies and data. Andrew spoke about how the media, after initially being reluctant to embrace data, have fully adopted it over recent years. In part two, we focus on how media companies can monetise…
It may seem like a strange question given we’re talking about three of the most talented players on the planet, but, how do you get the best out of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappé? This definitely falls into the easier said than done category. Up until now, it was a problem for Football Manager…
Twenty3 are delighted to confirm an exciting new collaboration with renowned sports analytics company SkillCorner. The agreement sees Twenty3 integrate SkillCorner’s Physical data into the Twenty3 Toolbox to offer users an innovative and comprehensive data solution. SkillCorner, who work with a host of top European clubs across divisions such as the Premier League, Serie A,…
Andrew Cox is an authority within the sports content industry having worked alongside some of the most innovative and disruptive global sports federations, teams, media, betting and technology businesses of the last 20 years. As part of the senior management team at Opta for over a decade – including five years leading the business as…
Twenty3 are thrilled to announce a new Toolbox partnership with Major League Soccer’s Sporting Kansas City. The agreement will see the Content and Analytics Toolbox rolled out across the club’s Technical, Recruitment and Media teams using data from our partners Wyscout across 12 different leagues. The Technical and Recruitment departments will have access to the…
It may have been ten years in the making, but it took Romelu Lukaku 15 minutes to open his Chelsea account after returning to the club. The 28-year-old, who failed to get off the mark for the Blues during his first stint at Stamford Bridge, tapped home a Reece James cross into an empty Arsenal…
Brentford’s reputation seems to have preceded them. Last season, Arsenal — the Bees’ opponents on opening day — kept 42 per cent of their goal kicks at a short or medium length, ending less than 40 metres from goal. That rate was about average for the league as a whole, but, against some teams, they…