A late defensive error from RC Lens allowed Olympique de Marseille to claim all three points in a game that felt far more open than its eventual scoreline. It was a sign of how off the pace last season’s second and third-placed teams have been, that as they were scrapping at the lower ends of […]
Arsenal’s accelerator has gained its groove at the moment when the wheels threatened to fall off their ride to the summit. This trip to Tottenham was not one of their cleanest or most controlled affair, but a welcome edge of ruthlessness registered three points in the standings. The capital city must submit to the firepower of […]
Francesco Calzona continued to find old instruction manuals, left behind by his predecessor, to gain a foothold in this match. Despite Napoli eventually breaking through, Calzona still failed to find the section on defending crosses and headers: as AS Roma snatched a point to pile more misery on the Maradona. Tactical analysis and match […]
Leipzig moved five points clear of Dortmund in fifth place, with a deserved 4-1 win over their top four rivals. The home team were superior to their opponents in numerous areas; and despite going a goal behind, it was a comfortable victory, helped by two goals either side of the half-time break. Tactical analysis and […]
Atlético Madrid are hovering in unfriendly territory. The lack of tier European competition for the first time in 12 years was a real threat. It was time to go back to their roots. A solid second half showing stifled their challengers as a significant supplement toward their top four charge. Tactical analysis and match report by Emmanuel […]
Arsenal claimed the top spot on Tuesday. The following day, Liverpool suffered a massive setback, prompting Manchester City to respond, which they did in impressive fashion. City’s midfielders stole the show this time, as they were able to counter Brighton’s aggressive approach with multiple solutions. A convincing 4-0 victory reflected both in terms of result […]
At a similar stage to last year, the final furlong of the Premier League brought back these two teams together. Todd Boehly’s bankrolled blueprint, crippled with little return on outlay, still stalls out in the wilderness. And again, firm foundations at Arsenal’s armory swept them away. Tactical analysis and match report by Emmanuel Adeyemi-Abere. Arsenal […]
While the scoreline may read two-one, what matters most is Internazionale’s twentieth Scudetto to AC Milan’s nineteen. Milan, who certainly started and ended the game well, fell prey to Inter for the sixth consecutive time, thanks to another flexible display that exploited Milan’s backline. Francesco Acerbi and Marcus Thuram netted the goals for the champions, […]
To the exact day ten years ago, Cristiano Ronaldo had wrecked Catalan hearts on the way to a historic 100 point haul. Here, the Santiago Bernabéu beckoned forward its newest hero to seal the deal at the death. Their rivals might not be at the same peaks that defined the days of their manager on […]
Manchester City had the majority of the ball in this game, but were not at their best, able to be contained by Chelsea’s compact defensive scheme. Chelsea looked dangerous in transitions too, and were arguably the better team overall. However, they did not finish their chances, and were made to regret it late on when […]