PSG Need To Watch Their Back: Lille OSC Have Begun The Hunt

by AlexBarkerG -

Ligue 1 is rarely a place for excitement at the top of the table, as PSG have been consistently dominant. Therefore, it is unusual to find themselves tied top of the league, especially 8 games in. Yet that is where they find themselves, as Lille OSC are behind just on

England: Helping Gareth Southgate Fix The Three Lions

by AlexBarkerG -

In 2018, the performances of Gareth Southgate's English national team united fans and pundits alike in sheer passion. Fast forward two years later though, and there is a splitting conversation regarding the recent results for England. Victories against Belgium and Wales are being heralded, but others focus on dire performances

Mason Mount could be England’s Kevin De Bruyne

by EADF Feed -

In the highlights of international football, we've seen several youngsters step up their game for their respective countries and in particular, Chelsea star Mason Mount has piqued the interest of Jamie Redknapp following his last performance. The retired English midfielder took to the media to urge the Blues youngster to show

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 Arsenal pays Mesut Ozil loyalty bonus

by EADF Feed -

When players in a team have dropped down the pecking order for a manager, we see them be, at least, involved in matches like a League Cup or a match against a small team. But that isn't the case with Mesut Ozil in Mikel Arteta's team. The German midfielder has not

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Arsene Wenger wants Euros and World Cup held every two years

by EADF Feed -

Football as it already has a wide range of matches being played daily. Now former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger announced his suggestion for the UEFA Nations League to be discarded and the FIFA World Cup and Euro tournaments to be taking place every other year in a bid to adapt

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  Premier League: Two Biggest signings on Deadline Day

by EADF Feed -

With the 2020 summer transfer window has come to a close last week, we've witnessed the completion of many deals. As some signings could have been written off as insignificant, there are also some that could be said to be one of the best and to watch out for. After the

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Brugge, Olympiacos, Ferencvaros: The UCL Outsiders That Could Surprise Us All

by AlexBarkerG -

Every year when UEFA run the draw for the Champions League Group Stage, we try to pinpoint the ‘dark horses. Infact, we generally categorise teams into the ‘Favourites’, ‘Dark Horses’, ‘Underdogs’, and then, more loosely, the ‘write offs’. The teams that consider being in the prestigious competition an achievement on

Antony dos Santos: The Story of Brazil and Ajax’s Brightest Young Talent

by AlexBarkerG -
antony

Despite being 1-0 up, as the teams entered the tunnel at half-time Erik Ten Hag would have been worried. Midfielder Edson Alvarez had been sent off just a few minutes before the break. Yet, as Ajax and Vitesse returned to the second half of their Eredivisie clash, the youngest and

30+ Footballers; Where Age is a Burden and Where it Succeeds

by AlexBarkerG -
Crystal Palace

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

The Hobbies of Pro Football Players

by EADF Feed -

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

by AlexBarkerG -

(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

by Anirudh Srinivaas Eswaran -
Werner

Just 48 days after the 2019/20 Premier League season was completed, we are all back and ready for another exciting season of football ahead. Traditionally, by the second week of September, we would be a few weeks into the season, and things would be shaping up nicely. However, there has

Comparing Manchester City’s centurions to Klopp’s juggernaut – Why weren’t Liverpool able to break the 100 points barrier?

by Hrishikesh Chaudhuri -
premier league

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?

by EADF Feed -

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

by Ritwik Sarkar -
Ole

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

by Rohan Ajit -
fsg

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

by Hammad Pervez -
Bayern

The Champions League final promises an end-to-end game between two of the most entertaining sides in the world. On the one hand, we have a five-time European champion, Bayern Munich, who have a 100% record in the competition. Regardless of the result in the final, fans will remember this Bayern

Koeman has taken on huge Barcelona challenge

by EADF Feed -
ronaldo koeman 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

Podcast Episode 7 – FPL 20/21 launch – Initial pricing reactions

by EADF Feed -
fpl

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

by Hammad Pervez -
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?

by AlexBarkerG -
Maurizio Sarri has to be extra careful while choosing his next project

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

The Championship’s Hidden Gems

by Charlie Jewers -
Championshp - 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

by EADF Feed -

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

by Football Chronicle -

By Enzo Del Llano | This article was first published on Football Chronicle in December, 2019. It was the end of the 1994-5 season, and in Barcelona, there were heated discussions about the team’s direction. Johan Cruyff was still the manager, but it seemed as though the glory days of the

Could 20/21 be the most difficult Premier League ever?

by AlexBarkerG -
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

by Alex TvC -
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

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – Le Professeur’s last impactful signing

by Rohan Ajit -
Aubameyang

The human brain is designed to work in a way where we associate certain people with certain words, based on our exposure and experience with the person in a specific context. When football enthusiasts hear the name ‘Aubameyang’, they think of the word ‘goals’. The Arsenal superstar is best known

Neymar and the power of choice – Deconstructing the PSG star’s psyche (and career) in an interview with Money Heist’s Denver

by Raj Das -
Neymar and the power of choice

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

Assessing low-budget options for Southampton to target in the transfer window

by AlexBarkerG -
SOUTHAMPTON Assessing low-budget options for Southampton's summer transfer spree

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

by Hammad Pervez -
chelsea arsenal tottenham hotspurs league chances

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

by Rohan Ajit -
Real Madrid strong defensive foundation came clutch in La Liga

"Attack wins you games, defence wins you titles” – We cannot overemphasize the quote by Sir Alex Ferguson when it comes to Real Madrid’s title-winning season. With injuries to the likes of Eden Hazard and Marco Asensio, a lack of experience in Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo, and an uncertain place

Ronaldo – The story of a starry-eyed boy from Madeira

by Rohan Ajit -
Ronaldo Portugal

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

by Hrishikesh Chaudhuri -
Karim Benzema

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? 

by AlexBarkerG -
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

Wolves: The Major Lesson Learned from 19/20

by AlexBarkerG -
wolves

One month into the 19/20 season, EADF published an article recognising the battle Wolverhampton Wanderers were facing. Questions were being asked of the club’s form, as Wolves had drawn 3 and lost 2 of their opening 5 games, and they had to contend with the Europa League in upcoming months

Could COVID-19 Jeopardise Bayern Munich & PSG’s UCL Chances?

by AlexBarkerG -
psg

The grand return of UEFA’s Champions League is now less than a month away, with the remaining legs from the round of sixteen being played on the 7th & 8th of August. While Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester City and Juventus will finish their League seasons by mid-late July, teams from

Bundesliga Season Review – Recap, Statistics, Breakout Players and Top Performers

by Bhargav Joglekar -
bundesliga review

Season Recap Football as it’s meant to be, as the German league boasts in its slogan; the 2019/20 Bundesliga was a season that did not disappoint. At a point, it looked as if the perennial winners Bayern Munich might not be able to retain the title; but a change of fortunes

Football Players Who Were Caught Smoking

by EADF Feed -

Soccer is a game that requires a lot of stamina from the players. As the players have to be active for the game of 90 minutes, they cannot carry a hobby of smoking or any other thing that can be hazardous for them. But still, some popular players have been

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Roger Schmidt to PSV: The Next Chapter in the Ascension of Dutch Football

by AlexBarkerG -

This season, we have seen Wout Weghorst tear up the Bundesliga with over 16 goals, Frenkie De Jong delight the Nou Camp, Kasper Dolberg lead Angel Di Maria for goals scored in France, and Steven Bergwijn score goals against Manchester City & United.  All these players have come from a league

The making of Ronaldo – Leaving School, Impressing in Portugal and the 1994 World Cup

by Football Chronicle -
ronaldo

By Karan Tejwani | This article was first published on Football Chronicle on January 28, 2020 When you think of Brazil’s Ronaldo, you think of the goals, the greatness of the UEFA Cup final in 1998 and the World Cup disappointment of the same year, the resurgence of 2002, the storm

‘Finished’ they said, Clueless.

by Yusuf Rehman -
rooney

There are very few players in the world that generate a deluge of emotions from the fans and pundits quite like Wayne Rooney. Often considered as the 'guy who never fulfilled his potential' Wayne has gone through a lot. The top scorer for both United and England returned to Everton following a

Arthur at Barça: A Moment’s Beginning Ends in a Moment

by Aaryan Parasnis -
Arthur

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

Heartbreak For Tranmere Rovers

by EADF Feed -

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

[Interview] Thomas Gronnemark – The ‘Not-So-Normal’ One

by Adibir Singh -
throw in coach thomas gronnemark

Thomas Gronnemark made waves in the world of football when he was hired by Jürgen Klopp and Liverpool in 2018. Pundits and journalists described it as the weirdest job in football- a throw-in coach - which was almost unheard of in the sport. Gronnemark made an immediate impact through his

Embracing the ‘new normal’ will take time

by Amogh Jain -
new normal

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

by Devesh Arora -

Ole Gunnar Solskjær has made four permanent first-team signings for Manchester United over the course of the last two transfer windows. In this article, we take a look at how each one of them has fared so far at United, what their strengths are, how their skills can be optimised and

FPL Scout Report 26 – Which teams to target?

by Anirudh Shenoy -
teams to target

FPL is back in less than 36 hours and given that we've had a 3-month hiatus, form and stats essentially go out of the window. As a result, we've tried to compile a set of teams to target based on their fixtures and motivation. First off, teams returning from a 3-month

FPL Scout Report 25 – Double-gameweek 30+ Chip Strategies

by Samson Baretto -
FPL CHIP STRATEGIES FH

With the announcement of Project Restart and FPL providing unlimited transfers to managers, there’s a dilemma around how to efficiently utilize the chips as to get maximum output in terms of points. Let’s have a quick look at some of the chip strategies you can adapt according to your team and

FPL Scout Report 24 – Players to consider for double-gameweek 30

by Samson Baretto -
season

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

by AlexBarkerG -
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

by Hrishikesh Chaudhuri -
FPL 19/20 Report 23 - 4 key points to help you navigate the remainder of your season

The Premier League is almost back! After a 99-day long hiatus, the most-watched league in the world returns on Wednesday, and fans from all over the world will be tuning in to watch their favourite teams back in action. Liverpool's inevitable title win, a five-way race for Europe and an

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