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
Author: AlexBarkerG
Making the game more beautiful.
30+ Footballers; Where Age is a Burden and Where it Succeeds
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
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
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For two seasons in a row, Maurizio Sarri has been replaced by a managerial novice.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
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
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
A deterioration of a talented squad – AS Monaco
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
Wolves: The Major Lesson Learned from 19/20
Could COVID-19 Jeopardise Bayern Munich & PSG’s UCL Chances?
West Ham, Watford, Villa, Bournemouth – The battle to stay up
Roger Schmidt to PSV: The Next Chapter in the Ascension of Dutch Football
Manchester United & Chelsea could challenge for the title next season
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
Can West Ham stay up?
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
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
