James Taylor

Mid-season Premier League review

After 14/15 games in the Premier League so far, we now have an unprecedented break until Boxing Day while the World Cup is played in Qatar. The eyes of the world now lie on Qatar, but in England, the break gives managers an opportunity to review their season so far...
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Posted Dec. 9, 2022

The curious case of FC Barcelona

Top of La Liga. Knocked out of the Champions League in the group stage. €1.3 billion in debt. Having spent €150 million in the summer to bring in Lewandowski, Kounde and Raphinha, expectations were and still are high for this season. Starting with their European campaign, they drew a challenging...
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Posted Nov. 14, 2022

The story of United’s attacking woes

Eric Cantona, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Wayne Rooney: each of these players has led the line for Manchester United in the Premier League. What ten Hag would do to bring one of them back now. After a disappointing 0-0 draw at home to Newcastle, their search for a centre forward must...
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Posted Nov. 11, 2022

Electric Arsenal return to the top as Liverpool’s dismal run continues

Are Arsenal the real deal? Are Liverpool in decline or just in a temporary slump? Although the 3-2 score indicates a tight encounter, the game was controlled by Arteta’s men, with their performance encapsulated by the energy of their young Brazilian forward, Gabriel Martinelli. After an electric start, Martinelli found...
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Posted Oct. 13, 2022

Haaland runs riot as United’s problems are exposed

Another Manchester derby. Another Manchester City win. Another Erling Haaland hat-trick. For Manchester United, the second time this season they have found themselves trailing 4-0 at half-time. They responded to that last 4-0 half-time humiliation at Brentford by winning the next four league games. Even if they were to do...
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Posted Oct. 6, 2022

Ronaldo to leave United again: what next?

It has been widely reported that Cristiano Ronaldo wants to leave Manchester United this summer to continue playing Champions League football throughout the final years of his career. His absence from the start of pre-season training for United indicates that these are not just rumours, and the 37-year-old will likely...
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Posted Jul. 6, 2022

The Southgate Dilemma: Do England keep their boss?

Zero wins, two draws and two defeats. With five months until England get their World Cup campaign underway in Qatar, England’s form is at the very least concerning. Crowning the June Nations League fixtures with a 4-0 humbling at home to Hungary capped off a disastrous couple of weeks for...
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Posted Jun. 23, 2022

One key target for each of the PL’s ‘Big Six’

With the Premier League returning at the start of August, teams are seeking to bolster their squads through the summer, none more so than the ‘Big Six’. The emphasis for the ‘Big Six’ is at the minimum to secure a place in the Champions League, if not to challenge for...
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Posted Jun. 17, 2022