When the term ‘modern-day defender’ is muttered, the mind automatically assumes ball-player. It’s natural. Every player these days is judged on their footballing ability due to the nature of the game. Teams no longer just put pressure on the opposition. It’s not just a token effort and pressing triggers are, instead, like military operations. A…
It can be difficult to be involved in football statistics and not sound like you’re recruiting for a cult. “Expected goals will change your life. It’s the true way to live. Pay me some money for my data feed and expertise and I can show the way to enlightenment and inner peace.” Actually, scratch the…
The flow of talent from Asia to the upper echelons of European football has been steadily increasing since the turn of the century, as the game’s top clubs have gradually woken up to the untapped potential in the world’s largest continent. There may have been a time when club executives viewed Asian imports as a…
It’s rare for a player to do what Ollie Watkins has done. In 2019/20, his first full campaign as a centre-forward for Brentford, he scored 25 goals in 46 games. There’s usually a sort of transitional period but Watkins looked right at home leading the line. The 24-year-old may have called Griffin Park home for…
A town in Wales made the news recently when a graphic designer painted alternative measurements for social distancing on the pavement. Seven chihuahuas, 85.36 pound coins, 22 scones and 33.7 carrot cakes for the cafe. In other rural areas, the length of a cow has been used as a reminder of how much space two…
As Fulham supporters bask in the glory of their play-off final victory over Brentford, there is perhaps a sense of surprise among the Whites’ fanbase that Scott Parker’s side have bounced back to the Premier League at the first attempt. That was always the plan, of course. But it’s fair to say that there were…
By next Tuesday we’ll know the identity of the inaugural MLS is Back Tournament winner and who will qualify for the 2021 CONCACAF Champions League. The hastily arranged tournament, which is being held behind closed doors at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Bay Lake, FL., has thrown up its fair share of…
If reports are to be believed, Liverpool are about to improve their one area of weakness. The Premier League champions don’t currently possess a natural understudy to Andrew Robertson at left-back. When the Scotland international isn’t available or he’s rested, the team’s dynamic changes completely. I guess they managed just fine last season, amassing 99…
Pressure can crush players. It can also help turn them into diamonds. In the case of Odsonne Édouard at Celtic, it was very much the latter. The Bhoys sold goal-machine Moussa Dembélé on the final day of the 2018 summer transfer window. No obvious replacement was signed but, earlier on in the summer, the Scottish…
Football data visualisations are so widely used nowadays that discussing their importance seems naive. When executed well, they are able to convey an incredible amount of information very quickly. Moves, passing directions, shots, defensive actions and virtually every type of event that can be recorded in a football match can be represented on a graph,…