The Magical Mystery Tour – Liverpool’s Road to Roma
The doors are locked, the belts buckled as Liverpool FC head for the Magical Mystery Tour of AS Roma – the tunes of The Beatles’ album epitomising the spirit of their city.…
An Ode to Andres Iniesta – A Kiss From Fuentealbilla
Andres Iniesta is among a dying breed of midfielders that can turn, nutmeg, run, pause, cut inside and shoot – all on a dime. He’s come a long long way from the…
Watching Arsène Wenger from the other side
As Arsène Wenger walks into the sunset after 22 years in charge, we look at his Arsenal career from the opposite corner, and get a glimpse of his immense contribution to the…
The MLS Player You Should Philosophically Fall in Love With
Our favorite players may reveal subtle or obvious values and biases we have. In the 2018 edition of the MLS, there is a wealth of worthy candidates that could be our ideal…
Tomáš Řepka: The Man With An Unbreakable Character
Tomas Repka had a reputation as a fierce player known for being sent off, but he had a strong loyalty to West Ham Football Club which was reciprocated by the fans. Danny…
Football’s Finest Supervillain – Cristiano Ronaldo Hijacking Messi’s Glory
From being a thought crime in 2012 to a thought experiment in 2017, the idea of Cristiano Ronaldo as a football player on a par with Lionel Messi will be one of…
A Crossover Episode – MLS in the Premier League
“Infinity War is the most ambitious crossover event in history.” FP: “How would it be, if, in a not too distant future, we have an MLS team playing in the Premier League?”…
Hillsborough Doesn’t Leave You – A Liverpool Fan’s Postcard from Azores, Portugal
In 2014, Liverpool was pushing to win the league for the first time in 25 years. Globetrotting Liverpool fan Pete Martin found himself in the Portuguese islands of Azores watching a title-deciding…
The Show Must Go On: An Alternative Match Report for Spurs vs Man City
The Spurs vs Man City match-up last weekend was far from the fast-paced spectacle we expected, but it gave us a glimpse into why Pep Guardiola’s men have wrapped up the title…
Punching the Glass Ceiling – Sergio Aguero, the Contender
Born into hardship, Sergio Aguero has been punching above his weight all his life. As Manchester City gain momentum, the Argentine is ready to go another round. The year is 1976. Rocky,…
Liverpool fans, You Are Allowed to Enjoy This – An Alternative Match Report
Read this carefully Liverpool fans, as not one match report will tell you this: Good things happen, and you are allowed to enjoy it. You are allowed to add the theme song from…
FC Barcelona, The Fox in a Wolf’s Den – An Alternative Match Report
AS Roma vs Barcelona played out like one of Aesop’s Fables. Barcelona, the wily fox stood philosophising triangles and combinations under the grapevine, while the wolf of AS Roma simply leapt at…
The Benediction of Ray Wilkins – A Life Lived in Service to Others
Ray Wilkins is no longer with us. Joel Slagle writes why the idea of Ray Wilkins remains relevant; and why it is important now more than ever, to recognize those that perform…
Tiémoué Bakayoko – The Anatomy of a Failed Signing
It is easy to get so wrapped up in a person’s ability to kick a ball well that his or her humanity is forgotten. Joel Slagle examines Tiémoué Bakayoko, and how his…
The Folly of Paris – How nostalgia may make Paris Saint-Germain pay
The path to glory for Paris Saint-Germain seems littered with dollar bills, nostalgia and scattergun transfer policy – an approach, which history proves, is bound to fail. Perhaps, no city has ever…
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…