A Cultured Left Foot – An Anachronism called Andrew Robertson
Born in Giffnock, Scotland with a cultured left foot and never-say-die attitude, Andrew Robertson is channelling the spirits of great Liverpool left backs of yore. It’s 1954, and every bookstore in the…
Metronome in the eye of the Storm – So long, Michael Carrick
English football has a proud history of midfielders, most of the similar type – hard, strong. It’s amusing that they failed to recognise the kind of midfielder which could’ve landed them international…
8-Bit Marc Andre ter Stegen in the world of Virtual Reality Football
In a world of physics engines and VR, where football is played by mind-bending players doing the physically improbable, Marc Andre ter Stegen is keeping it simple. Technology, Bending Physics, and The…
Antonio Conte and the Kobayashi Maru
Antonio Conte won the league in his first season in England. 9 months later, he finds himself in a no-win situation, and perilously close to the axe. Chelsea has come in for…
Jose Mourinho: A serial-winner looking woefully out of touch with the world
There was once a time when defiance was Jose Mourinho’s biggest strength. Today, that very trait is a sign of how far he is from reality and evolution. In neurobiology, balance is…
Giovinco and Toronto FC look into the eye of the Tigres
MLS side Toronto FC caused shockwaves by eliminating Mexican champions Tigres from the CONCACAF Champions League. Danny Lewis watched it unfold. Toronto FC vs Tigres UANL. MLS vs Liga MX. Sebastian Giovinco…
All the President’s Men – Uncertainty of Mauricio Pochettino’s Second Term
Four years into Mauricio Pochettino‘s Tottenham project – the lack of silverware is beginning to cast a looming shadow over the club and its players. The Founding Fathers of the USA made…
Domination in the DNA – A perspective on Pep Guardiola’s Man City
Pep Guardiola is akin to a Roman Emperor – a man who plans, controls and wages war against opposition teams in relentless pursuit of total domination. In 2012, Manchester City began a…
Barcelona 6-1 PSG: When Neymar introduced anarchy in 7 minutes
Barcelona 6-1 PSG: The greatest legacy of the Catalans’ epic comeback was what it did to the people watching. At the centre of the anarchy, was Neymar. Rio Ferdinand, Steven Gerrard and…
Arsenal’s quiet revolution: Preparing for life after Arsene Wenger
Arsenal are preparing for life after Arsene Wenger, Harry Becker looks at the changes required for this democratic transition. Something is happening at Arsenal Football Club. For over two decades, this corner…
Ajax Academy’s Gen Next: A new hope or another flash in the pan?
Four phenomenal talents have emerged from the famed Ajax Academy. Will it be another wasted Dutch generation or the one to finally win the World Cup? In the mid-1800s, a Bulgarian…
A Square Peg in a Round Hole – The Tale of Valverde and Paulinho at Barca
Part of FC Barcelona’s charm lies in their heritage, ethos and approach to football. In Ernesto Valverde and Paulinho, they have the unlikeliest of heroes. The business end of the 2016-2017 season…
Modern Football’s Soloist Playing in an Orchestra
The debate on Paul Pogba’s tactical liberation highlights a problem modern football is facing: Teams are starting to look like soloists playing in an orchestra. I don’t read or write much poetry,…
Jordan Henderson Against the World – The Fallacy of Fan Opinions
Can a club hold the highest ambitions while being content with Jordan Henderson as captain? Spoiler alert: they can. Here’s Tom Bogert standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the Liverpool skipper; busting myths with a…
Who’s your father? – A story of VAR’s early days and parenthood
With the introduction of the VAR, football faces an all-too familiar challenge of adapting to change. While it has been brought to help the referees make lesser mistakes, it’s presence has given…
Magic of the Blauwvingers: PEC Zwolle, a beacon of hope in Dutch Football
PEC Zwolle, perennial under-dogs in Dutch Football, have captured the hearts of the nation this season, read on to see why. Those who established residency in central Holland during the early parts…
Aleksandar Đurić: One man’s fight against the odds from Bosnia to Singapore
Aleksandar Duric forged a hugely successful career as a footballer in Singapore. As a child in Josep Tito’s Yugoslavia, football wasn’t even among his favourite sports. His autobiography Beyond Borders lends compelling…
”You may say I’m a dreamer”- Liverpool and their unshakeable belief in destiny
Even as the years since their last major title keep rolling, Liverpool keep riding on hope and belief that one day it will all come together. It was April 13, 2014. Liverpool…
Olivier Giroud: A Legacy in Backheels
We list the qualities that defined Olivier Giroud and his time at the club, and show why this consummate professional will always be welcomed back. The score was 2-2. The occasion, the…
The Unlikely Italian Education of Jurgen Klopp: An Alternative Match Report
While incompetent refereeing ruined Liverpool v Tottenham, it has revealed the lessons Jurgen Klopp learned from Arrigo Sacchi and Wolfgang Frank. Let me just start off by saying that all the 3-3 draws and…
Eric Wynalda: A journey from the pitch to the corner office of US Soccer
Eric Wynalda was the bad boy of American football a couple of decades back. Now, with suits and ties replacing shin-pads and anklets in his locker, he’s running for the president of…
Theo Walcott and the sin of being just good enough
Theo Walcott could never come out of the shadows of the number 14 jersey at Arsenal and expectations to emulate his predecessor. Perspective is a funny thing, and those making real-time decisions…
Jesse Lingard: The predator who works hardest
We take another look at Jesse Lingard’s rise through the ranks at United and his myriad loan spells. It tells us a compelling story about his perseverance. When he arrived in Berlin…
Obrigado, Ronaldinho: Bidding farewell to the king of good times
We say goodbye to the most joyous and fulfilling footballing career of the 21st century. With Ronaldinho, you remember how you felt more than how he played. In the seventeenth century, enslaved…