How has Ole Gunnar Solskjaer turned Manchester United around?

February 2, 2019February 2, 2019 by Joshua Askew

Joshua Askew

Just a few months ago Manchester United were suffering from Jose Mourinho's third season syndrome. Results weren't coming as the Portuguese lashed out at everyone around him. A loss to Liverpool was the final straw: Mourinho was sacked, replaced by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as caretaker with plans to appoint a…

World Cup 2014: Greece 2-1 Ivory Coast

June 25, 2014July 9, 2017 by Joshua Askew

Joshua Askew

For the second tournament in a row, Greece were the worst team in the group, thrashed by a Colombia side at half-speed, yet had somehow managed to keep their hopes alive with a soul-destroying draw against Japan. Surely they couldn't sneak out of the group again, especially having lost two…

World Cup 2014: Colombia 2-1 Ivory Coast

June 19, 2014July 9, 2017 by Joshua Askew

Joshua Askew

Both teams made promising starts to their World Cup campaign in what is arguably the most competitive group, and seemed fairly content to settle for a draw in their second game, only looking to edge out their opponent in brief flashes. Jose Pekerman named an unchanged side from the 4-2-3-1…

World Cup 2014: Iran 0-0 Nigeria

June 17, 2014July 9, 2017 by Joshua Askew

Joshua Askew

Two teams lacking in talents, one relying on defensive organisation and the other liking to counter-attack. If there was ever a game to ruin the first round of this World Cup's spotless record of entertaining football, this was it. Yet, initially, it was the opposite. Nigeria went out in their…

World Cup 2014: Ivory Coast 2-1 Japan

June 15, 2014July 9, 2017 by Joshua Askew

Joshua Askew

With Colombia putting in a convincing display earlier on in the day, both teams would be nervously eyeing one another up going into their first game of a highly competitive group. The teams lined up broadly the same formation. Japan in a 4-2-3-1 and Ivory Coast in a 4-2-1-3, with…

Case Study: Everton 2-2 Liverpool 28/10/2012

October 28, 2012September 14, 2017 by Joshua Askew

Joshua Askew

Having finished above Liverpool last season and started the season superbly, Everton may have gone into the game feeling confident they could come away with a win, particularly with two of their rival's defence out injured, but then things are never that simple in the Merseyside derby. The clichÃ© of…

Death by Football: Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool blueprints

September 21, 2012September 14, 2017 by Joshua Askew

Joshua Askew

The honeymoon appears to be over for FSG, with those suspicious of the owners now encapsulating more than just fans blindly loyal to Kenny Dalglish. Not succumbing to Gylfi Sigurdsson's extra wage demands was fair enough, but their tightfistedness over the transfer of Clint Dempsey has left Liverpool's already faultering…

Case Study: Zenit St. Petersburg 6-1 Saturn Moscow 25/9/2010

September 29, 2010October 16, 2017 by Joshua Askew

Joshua Askew

Zenit continued their seemingly unstoppable march towards the Russian Premier league title with a 6-1 rout of Saturn, taking them four points ahead of Rubin Kazan with two games in hand. The teams had some similar aspects to their gameplans: Zenit lined up in what resembled a 4-2-1-3, with Saturn…