3-4-1-2 – Holding Midfield

Case Study: RC Lens 1-0 US Orléans 9/3/2020

March 10, 2020March 10, 2020 by Joshua Askew

Joshua Askew

With Lorient dropping points, losing four of their last five matches, the opportunity is there for the four clubs in their shadow to overtake them at the top of Ligue 2. If Lens were going to make up ground on Lorient, they were going to have to do it without…

Case Study: Paris FC 0-2 RC Lens 2/3/2020

March 3, 2020March 4, 2020 by Joshua Askew

Joshua Askew

Despite sitting in third place, Lens made the decision to sack Philippe Montanier after their 4-1 loss at home to Caen. Montanier was able to grind out results despite terrible performances, but as those results disappeared after the winter break, he didn't last long. He has been replaced by reserves…

Case Study: RC Lens 1-4 Caen 22/2/2020

February 23, 2020February 24, 2020 by Joshua Askew

Joshua Askew

Despite some generally poor performances, Lens have continued to grind out victories to put them in serious contention for promotion. They have won only one game since the Christmas break however, and even that 1-0 victory over Troyes can be partially attributed to a first-half red card. Philippe Montanier set…

Case Study: Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-2 Liverpool 23/1/2020

January 24, 2020January 24, 2020 by Joshua Askew

Joshua Askew

Victory over Manchester United last Sunday was what it finally took for Liverpool supporters to sing that they were going to win the league. Stung too many times before, many supporters remain steadfast in their refusal to believe until it becomes mathematically impossible, yet with each passing game it's becoming…

Case Study: Liverpool 2-0 Manchester United 19/1/2020

January 21, 2020January 23, 2020 by Joshua Askew

Joshua Askew

With 27 points between them going into the game, Liverpool and Manchester United can't realistically be seen as rivals on the pitch this season, but history ensures this is the biggest tie in the English football calendar regardless of current events. As United are the only team to get a…

Goal Analysis: Robert Lewandowski – Bayern Munich 2-2 Hertha Berlin 16/8/2019

August 24, 2019December 18, 2019 by Joshua Askew

Joshua Askew

Robert Lewandowski opened the scoring in Bayern Munich's 2-2- draw with Hertha Berlin, making the space to score for himself. Lewandowski dropped deep to pick up a throw-in from David Alaba, drawing Niklas Stark up the pitch following him. Lewandowski drops back to receive a throw-in. Stark follows him up…

Gian Piero Gasperini’s Atalanta

June 14, 2019December 18, 2019 by Joshua Askew

Joshua Askew

Long time followers of Serie A will know about Gian Piero Gasperini from his time in charge of Genoa, but the new-found interest in his work from elsewhere might come as something of a surprise. He took Genoa from Serie B to the top half of Serie A and into…

Case Study: Chelsea 4-1 Arsenal 29/5/2019

May 31, 2019December 18, 2019 by Joshua Askew

Joshua Askew

What should have been the peak of both finalists' seasons ended up overshadowed in the run-up to this game by off-field factors. Difficulties in even making it to Baku meant that neither team managed to sell their paltry ticket allocations, while Henrikh Mkhitaryan opted not to travel due to concerns…

Case Study: Tottenham Hotspur 3-0 Borussia Dortmund 13/2/2019

February 16, 2019December 18, 2019 by Joshua Askew

Joshua Askew

Having scraped their way through a tough group, Tottenham found themselves drawn against Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League's last sixteen. Trying to keep pace in the Premier League title race while wrestling with an injury crisis and still failing to make any additions to the squad, the…

Case Study: Arsenal 4-2 Tottenham Hotspur 2/12/2018

December 5, 2018December 18, 2019 by Joshua Askew

Joshua Askew

A North London derby between two sides in similar boats at the moment. Arsenal have fallen away in recent years and Unai Emery faces a tough job to get them back to the top, while Tottenham Hotspur have failed to invest in a squad that has performed superbly under Mauricio…

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