With his current contract running out in a year’s time, it is likely that the upcoming season will be Pep Guardiola’s final season as a Premier League manager. The Catalan moving on would mean the denouement of the division’s most fascinating rivalry, Guardiola vs Klopp. So where will the balance...
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Sheffield United’s fairy-tale rise from Championship runners-up to top-half finishers is surely the story of this year’s Premier League season. The main protagonist of this story is, of course, the Blades’ affable coach Chris Wilder, whose tactical nous and inspirational leadership has led his boyhood side from League One to...
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In recent weeks coverage of Arsenal has gone from revolution to crisis and back to revolution again. But underneath the media narrative, there has been a decisive shift in Mikel Arteta’s tactics, with the Arsenal manager opting to play with a back three. While its inherent fluidity means it is...
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After Chelsea’s win over Manchester City, the inevitable was confirmed: Liverpool ended their 30-year drought to become champions once again. Much is made of Jurgen Klopp’s man-management, but that alone is not enough to win a title. Tactically, Klopp’s side have been impeccable this season. Ostensibly Liverpool line-up in a...
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With two disciples of Johan Cruyff at the helm, long balls were not expected to be a major part of yesterday’s match at the Etihad. But it was long passes that were at the heart of all three of City’s goals in their 3-0 win over Arsenal. Mikel Arteta returned...
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