We have come a long way in football analysis. The average fan is now capable of picking out more complex tactical structures. We are far better at pin-pointing young talent. Brands have been built around the hunt for the next Mbappe; ScoutedFTBL, Jacek Kulig and Football Daily are all great
Bale-ing Out: The Flickering Finish of the Welsh Flame
The Hobbies of Pro Football Players
Looking at things from the outside in, it might seem like professional football players have fully dedicated their lives to the sport we all love so much. While this is true for some, football players are just as multifaceted as the rest of us. Not everything can be about football
Football Index Player watch – A player from every top 5 league who could explode this season
(All data updated till 12th September) Plenty of Football Index players have been rebuilding their portfolios after selling up earlier this year. While there are plenty of intelligent strategies to make the most out of media and performance dividends, the desire to find the next Bruno Fernandes or Jude Bellingham is
New Signings to look out for in the 2020/21 Premier League campaign
Ominous signs for West Ham United
The atmosphere surrounding East London has often been poisonous and has continuously spilt over to the football pitch of West Ham United Football Club. But now, just a few days before their league opener vs Newcastle United, there is venomous despair already circling the London stadium like a toxic tornado. West
How do Liverpool retain their title?
Comparing Manchester City’s centurions to Klopp’s juggernaut – Why weren’t Liverpool able to break the 100 points barrier?
Usually, the break preceding the commencement of a new season is filled with football fans on social media complaining about the lack of football and whining about their club’s inactivity in the transfer window - but this year is different. Following the resumption of football after the lockdown, matches have
Is Davies Canada’s Greatest Soccer Player?
The outcome of the match was no longer in question. Still, that didn’t mean Alphonso Davies couldn’t add a little bit more magic to the proceedings. Bayern Munich were well in command of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final against Barcelona, en route to a stunning 8-2 triumph. Already four goals to
2.0le: Manchester United’s Needed Software Update
Cutting an exhausted figure after Untied's 2-1 loss to Sevilla, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer bookended the longest season in the club's history with a facile and tired sigh. Three semi-final appearances and a 3rd place league finish have, in all honesty, proved to be an overperformance from the Norwegian. From being
How Liverpool Moneyballed their way to the top
Over the past decade, Liverpool FC's systematic resurgence from lurking in mid-table mediocrity to being Premier League Champions has been commendable. Having witnessed years of ebbs and flows, the euphoria surrounding the Scousers after clinching their first Premier League title is warrantable. The credit for the remodelling of the Merseyside
PSG vs Bayern – Champions League final tactical preview
Podcast Epsiode 8 – Manchester United Season review (Part 2)
In part two of the Manchester United season review, Devesh and Suwaid join Anubhav to discuss the Europa League semi-final defeat and the expectations from the transfer market. They also reflect on the young crop of talented youngsters in the academy and finish with what they expect from the Reddevils
Koeman has taken on huge Barcelona challenge
Ronald Koeman made the bold choice to leave his post as manager of Netherlands to join Barcelona, taking his place in the famous Camp Nou dugout. He was offered the position earlier in the year when the Catalan club sacked Ernesto Valverde. However, the Dutchman rebuffed their approach, forcing Barca
Fabinho: The All-Action Midfielder Behind the Reds’ Title-Winning Campaign
Podcast Episode 7 – FPL 20/21 launch – Initial pricing reactions
FPL's new player price values have been released for the upcoming Premier League season and our in-house FPL experts Anirudh Shenoy and Samson Baretto shared their first reactions to the newly released figures. Listen in as they crunch the numbers and give their predictions for the forthcoming season! Club rundown - Arsenal
RB Leipzig vs Paris Saint-German – UCL Semifinal 1 Preview
The first semifinal of the Champions League can be looked at from two perspectives. One from the purists' point of view, the other from the eyes of the power of money in football. In 2008, FC Augsburg second-team coach, Thomas Tuchel, asked an injury-prone defender, Julian Nagelsmann, to do some scouting
At a Crossroads – Where Does Maurizio Sarri Go From Here?
For two seasons in a row, Maurizio Sarri has been replaced by a managerial novice. First at Chelsea, where Sarri was forced out in favour of Frank Lampard, and now, following last week’s Champions League elimination to Lyon, Juventus took the bold decision to replace the Italian with Andrea Pirlo. The
La Roja’s decline
The 21st century has been a witness to breathtaking football over the years. Spain’s golden generation, undoubtedly the most dominant force in world football at the time, etched their name in football folklore after their victory over Italy in the final of the UEFA Euro 2012. With successive triumphs in the
The Championship’s Hidden Gems
The Championship is a league with about as much predictability as British weather – combine that with its physical, high-intensity nature and you have one of the most intriguing, entertaining divisions in world football. This season has seen several individual breakout campaigns up and down the table; from the promotion
Podcast Episode 6 – Young and Emerging players in the Premier League
Kicking off with EADF ❗ NEW ❗ Ep 6 Emerging players in the PL | Guests - Anubhav Sarker & Rohit Suresh 1.57: Mount, 3.52 Lamptey, 6:42 Neto, 8:30 Cantwell, 12: 15 Foden, 15.40 Greenwood, 20:05 Tomori, 23:36 Douglas Luiz, 27: 00 Sakalicous, 31: 17 Eric Garcia, 35:48 Obafemi, 38:08 Vroom Vroom, 42:38 CHO. 45:13 Captain America, 48:57 Connolly, 51:43 SARR, 56: Reece James, 59:01 Brandon Williams, 1:02:24 Ramsdale, 1:07:51 Gabrieeeeeel, Join
Iván de la Peña – The misunderstood genius with a revered status in Barcelona
Could 20/21 be the most difficult Premier League ever?
With Liverpool's stunning runaway victory of the Premier League title last season, some pundits and fans wondered if England had become more like France or Germany. Were we now seeing a separation between the league's best teams and those around them? The gap between 2nd placed Manchester City, and 6th placed
Looking back at the career & life of one Africa’s most divisive players – Emmanuel Adebayor
For many, Emmanuel Adebayor represents the epitome of a modern-day mercenary in the world of football. And maybe that is understandable, considering the Togolese 36-year old has represented 11 different clubs since the beginning of the 2000s, three of them alone within the borders of London. Always with an exceptionally
Bayern Munich Wonderkid Alphonso Davies Expected to be Even Better Next Season
Alphonso Davies has already broken several records during his relatively short career. The 19-year old was the first player born in the 2000s to play in Major League Soccer, as well as being the youngest-ever player to represent Canada on the international stage. Furthermore, he was the youngest player to
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – Le Professeur’s last impactful signing
[EADF Shorts] – Christmas Truce
Neymar and the power of choice – Deconstructing the PSG star’s psyche (and career) in an interview with Money Heist’s Denver
In an October 2019 interview with Money Heist actor Jaime Lorente, who played Denver, Neymar Jr. ended their conversation with the following words: “Choosing is difficult, but in life you have to choose, otherwise you’ll never be happy.” Moments before, he ruminated on his career and how he had evolved as
A Frank look at Chelsea – A baptism of fire with blue skies ahead
Wales. Golf. Sleep. Madrid. In that order?
Assessing low-budget options for Southampton to target in the transfer window
After finishing 11th, Southampton can applaud themselves on a solid league season. In Ralph Hasenhüttl's first full campaign in charge, the club have risen in the table since their early 9-0 defeat to Leicester City. "You can see the team is learning quickly," Hasenhüttl told reporters following their 3-1 win over Sheffield
Analysing what the future could hold for the big three London clubs
There is new hope, enthusiasm and anticipation about proceedings at Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur. The Blues over-achieved in Frank Lampard's first season and their new signings make Chelsea hot property for next season. The Gunners believe that they have a tactical genius in Mikel Arteta, who has also impressed
The importance of Real Madrid’s defenders in their title success
A deterioration of a talented squad – AS Monaco
Ronaldo – The story of a starry-eyed boy from Madeira
In 2004, a devastating Tsunami destroyed millions of homes and killed innumerable people all-over South-East Asia. World Television footage of the tsunami focused on the image of a seven-year-old survivor named Martunis wearing 'Rui Costa' 'Number 10' Portuguese football jersey. He had been stranded for 19 days after watching his
An overview of Karim Benzema’s most impactful season with Madrid
Real Madrid have done it. After two years of settling for second best in La Liga, Los Blancos have finally restored their position as Champions of Spain, following a scintillating title race with their perennial rivals Barcelona. After the loss of talisman Cristiano Ronaldo, arguably the best player in the
How Have Christian Eriksen, Alexis Sánchez & Co Handled Inter Milan?
Eyebrows were raised amongst English fans over the course of the 2019/20 campaign when Italian giants Inter Milan hoarded some of the Premier League’s ageing talent. In Antonio Conte’s first season in charge, the club have spent a huge £158million pounds on transfers. Of this, over £80 million has been used
Gianluigi Buffon – The history of the most expensive goalkeeper in the world
Leeds United – Back amongst the best at long last
Wolves: The Major Lesson Learned from 19/20
Could COVID-19 Jeopardise Bayern Munich & PSG’s UCL Chances?
Bundesliga Season Review – Recap, Statistics, Breakout Players and Top Performers
How Gattuso’s Horn Sharpened Napoli’s Resolve
Full-blooded Italians are, much like their monuments, a relic of a bygone era. Still, they wouldn't be so if they didn't try to clamour unhealthily for their glory days, only to bookend themselves like a Shakespearean political drama. Like many of Italy's hardmen of the early 2000s Gennaro Gattuso's foray
Arrivederci Daniel De Rossi – An ode to the Prince of Rome
By Andrea Agostinelli | This article was first published on Football Chronicle on January 23, 2020 It’s the summer of 2012 in Rome, Italy. Late one night, Roberto Mancini and Daniele De Rossi have discussed something that will send shockwaves in the footballing world. The Italian coach has convinced the midfielder
West Ham, Watford, Villa, Bournemouth – The battle to stay up
Football Players Who Were Caught Smoking
The Wait Is Over! Liverpool Take Home The Premier League Title As Chelsea Take The Win At Stamford Bridge
Never say die – The inspiring tale of Danny Ings
PSG’s Academy puzzle
Recently, Bayern Munich secured a double transfer of Leroy Sane of Manchester City and Tanguy Kouassi of Paris Saint-Germain. While most of the headlines will rightly belong to the high profile transfer of Leroy Sane, Bayern's coup of the 17-year-old Frenchman from PSG has also raised some eyebrows at PSG's
Roger Schmidt to PSV: The Next Chapter in the Ascension of Dutch Football
The making of Ronaldo – Leaving School, Impressing in Portugal and the 1994 World Cup
‘Finished’ they said, Clueless.
Manchester United & Chelsea could challenge for the title next season
Arthur at Barça: A Moment’s Beginning Ends in a Moment
Sitting in the backseat of a car with an interviewer after signing for FC Barcelona, a starry-eyed Arthur Melo carries a beaming smile. Amid a long list of pre-prepared questions, came one that endeared the new boy to almost every cule around the world. The interviewer asks Arthur his biggest wish. He
FC Noida – Transforming football in Noida
Heartbreak For Tranmere Rovers
Tranmere have been left devastated by the EFL’s decision. After a spectacular rise from the National League, which saw consecutive promotions to League Two then League One, Tranmere Rovers are relegated again by the thinnest of margins as the season is brought to a premature close. Many at the club, and in
Arsenal’s centre-back pairings over the years
Burnley -The Polished Perfect System
Football has moved into an age where we romanticise possession-based football, dominating even the most determined of teams and forcing them to change with the times. When looking at the WhoScored metrics for Pass Accuracy, Possession, and Dribbles p90, Burnley are firmly rooted to the bottom of the table every season. Even though
The FA Cup 2008 – A look back at Chasetown
Life after Leo
It all started going very wrong for Arsenal five years ago
[Interview] Thomas Gronnemark – The ‘Not-So-Normal’ One
Can West Ham stay up?
Two sides to every coin – Football and the case of perspective
Embracing the ‘new normal’ will take time
The lockdown, due to the pandemic, has brought about the true sentiment behind the well-known axiom, 'you don't know what you have until it's gone'. While people are subconsciously aware of life and its sudden and frail nature, the virus has seemingly brought these feelings of trepidation to reality. People from
In Focus – Evaluating Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s permanent signings
FPL Scout Report 26 – Which teams to target?
FPL Scout Report 25 – Double-gameweek 30+ Chip Strategies
FPL Scout Report 24 – Players to consider for double-gameweek 30
With just two days remaining for the GW30+ deadline following Project Restart, we start off with a Double Gameweek with rearranged fixtures for Manchester City, Arsenal, Sheffield United and Aston Villa. The fixtures in GW 30 for these teams are as follows – Manchester City – Arsenal (H) Burnley (H) Arsenal – Manchester
A closer look at Monchi’s disappoitning stint at AS Roma
The famed sporting director of Sevilla - Ramón Rodríguez Verdejo, commonly known as Monchi, was one of the most in-demand figures in football a few years back. He had overseen transfers, youth promotion and managerial choices in Seville for 17 years, after being appointed as the Director of Football in
FPL 19/20 Report 23 – Four key points to help you navigate the remainder of the season
From Kirkby to Anfield – What’s going on at Liverpool’s academy?
Liverpool FC. European Champions. World Champions. Premier League champions-elect. Over the last few seasons, the Reds have gone from strength to strength in all departments and are now challenging for trophies consistently. The first-team squad has settled very well, as is seen by the absence of any major signings over
Potential bargain of the summer – Malang Sarr
1 point since October and death threats – The devastating 19/20 season at Toulouse
Ligue 1 has often been an under-covered league in football writing and journalism, however here at EADF, one club’s performance this year has shocked us both on and off the pitch. Despite finishing bottom, Toulouse would have been thankful when the LFP (The Ligue de Football Professionnel) decided to put
Ginga – The essence of Brazilian football through the years
Evaluating Liverpool’s options post the Werner saga
The race for Champions League Qualification spots in La Liga
La Liga is well poised to resume action behind closed doors from the eleventh of June; with matches scheduled almost every day, the thirst of the fans for Spanish football will be quenched soon. Straying away from the usual template of the big three teams automatically qualifying for Champions League
Barcelona’s problems are going to get worse
The unfullfilled potential of Rodrigo Possebon
By James Young | This article was first published on Football Chronicle on February 20, 2020 Manchester United’s Brazil-based scout, John Calvert-Toulmin is best known for bringing Fábio and Rafael da Silva to Old Trafford. The twins made a combined total of 131 appearances for United and have both gone on
