Analysis News and Analysis

28Dec

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Analysis

2024/25 Premier League Midseason Awards

With the Premier League back in action after the Christmas break and 2025 right around the corner, every team in the English top flight has played at least 17 matches and the true first half of the season (19 games played) is almost complete. So now is as good of a time as any to take stock of the 2024/25 season thus far and hand out some Premier League midseason awards to individuals around the league. No surprise to see that Liverpool dominate the pack! Best Manager There is no question that Arne Slot deserves the honor as the best manager of the Premier League so far this season. He stepped into a difficult situation as the new man in charge of the club after Jurgen Klopp resigned, as Klopp is a club legend who rebuilt the Reds from perennial underperformance back into a European gian...

5 stars who never should have joined Real Madrid

4Dec

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Analysis

5 stars who never should have joined Real Madrid

There has been heavy criticism of new Real Madrid signing Kylian Mbappe since his dream move to the Santiago Bernabeu, and although some have tried to label the move as a mistake already, the reality is that Mbappe hasn't been as poor as the media perception would have you think. Yes, he's had some awful performances, including against Barcelona and Liverpool in the Champions League, and it would be fair to assert that if he were not such a big superstar, he wouldn't even be starting for Real Madrid over other players. But Mbappe has been far from the only player underperforming at Real Madrid this season, and even at his worst, he is still one of the better forwards in LaLiga with 8 goals in 13 games and an impressive 2.7 dribbles completed per game. So while Mbappe has been a di...

The ideal Manchester City starting XI for the 2025/26 season to return to dominance

3Dec

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Analysis

The ideal Manchester City starting XI for the 2025/26 season to return to dominance

After 13 Premier League Matchdays in the 2024/25 season, Manchester City aren't just 11 points behind league leaders Liverpool after losing to the Reds convincingly on Sunday, 2-0. No, the Citizens are also now at risk of missing out on the Champions League, as they are fifth, behind Brighton on goal difference (+5 vs. +3). Rodri's season-ending injury looms large, but his absence alone - nor any other injuries - can excuse just how lackluster Man City have looked in recent weeks. A 2-0 loss to Liverpool compounds several poor performances suffered by the Citizens, who are winless since eeking out a 1-0 victory over Southampton on Oct. 26. They couldn't even take down Sporting CP and Feyenoord in the Champions League. Already, the atmosphere around Manchester City has turned to "r...

Ranking the 10 best players of the 2024/25 Premier League season after 13 Matchdays

2Dec

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Analysis

Ranking the 10 best players of the 2024/25 Premier League season after 13 Matchdays

From superstar forwards Bukayo Saka of Arsenal and Son Heung-min of Tottenham to defensive stalwarts like Chelsea's Moises Caicedo and Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk, let's take a look at the ten best players of the 2024/25 Premier League season so far after 13 Matchdays...and rank them in order. 10. Chelsea ST Nicolas Jackson At first, I was tempted to go with a player shining for a less successful team like Jarrod Bowen at West Ham, Facundo Buonanotte with Leicester City (on loan from Brighton), or even Everton's underrated Dwight McNeil. However, it was too hard to ignore the eight goals Nicolas Jackson has scored for Chelsea this season, combined with the sort of quality all-around play that he has brought since joining the London-based giants, even when he wasn't scoring goals quite...

Ranking the 10 best U21 players in the 2024/25 Champions League season

28Nov

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Analysis

Ranking the 10 best U21 players in the 2024/25 Champions League season

From Aston Villa's Jhon Duran to Manchester City's new winger Savinho, a couple of Premier League stars made the cut of the list of the best U21 players in the Champions League. A couple of rising stars in the Bundesliga from Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund joined them, but nobody has more great young talent to watch in European football's premier competition than PSG and Barcelona. It wasn't easy to rank all the players, and there were a number of standouts, such as Endrick and Arda Guler, who haven't gotten enough chances to merit a spot in the top 10. But here is a ranking of the 10 best U21 players in the Champions League here in the new-look 2024/25 campaign, with the list based on a mix of overall ability and success in the current season. 10. Aston Villa ST Jhon Duran Jh...

27Nov

By Joe SorianoNo Comments

Analysis

7 non-UCL teams in 2024/25 who could make the Champions League in 2025/26

There are few things better than a good comeback story, and one of those few things is a good underdog story. In that spirit, let's take a look at seven teams that failed to qualify for the Champions League in the 2024/25 season but are currently in a position - or within striking distance - of Champions League qualification next season. Of course, there are much more than just seven teams in Champions League contention for 2025/26 who missed out this season, but since seven is a lucky number and my fingers - and possibly your brains - are uninterested in an even lengthier list, we'll settle on lucky number seven (as an homage to Mariano Diaz, if you'd like). Chelsea Chelsea aren't so much of a feel-good story as they are an "Empire Strikes Back" kind of vibe. The Blues actually went ...

The 5 best midfield transfer targets for Liverpool in summer 2025

26Nov

By Joe SorianoNo Comments

Analysis

The 5 best midfield transfer targets for Liverpool in summer 2025

Liverpool have become the best team in the Premier League again in 2024/25 under the leadership of new manager Arne Slot, but a lot of the groundwork for this great season was already put in place by Jurgen Klopp and the preceding regime at Anfield. Much of the improvements were done in the middle of the park, with Liverpool bouncing back from a Europa League finish to legitimate Premier League title contention in 2023/24 after the signings of Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Wataru Endo, and Ryan Granveberch - though Gravenberch wouldn't break out until this season under Slot. Despite a bevy of midfield upgrades, Liverpool are still in the market for another star or two to further boost their personnel in midfield as they look to capture the near impossible under Slot - a tr...

Where does Nicolas Jackson rank among the Premier League’s best strikers in 2024/25?

26Nov

By Joe SorianoNo Comments

Analysis

Where does Nicolas Jackson rank among the Premier League’s best strikers in 2024/25?

Chelsea are back in the Champions League conversation for the first time in the Todd Boehly era, as new manager Enzo Maresca has guided the Blues to their best start in years, coaxing bounce-back seasons from a couple of key transfer investments. Midfielder Moises Caicedo's rebound as one of the world's best has been the most striking, but Nicolas Jackson's newfound consistency has been just as impactful of a storyline at Stamford Bridge. This weekend, Jackson added a seventh goal to his Premier League tally, as he proved decisive with yet another fine all-around performance for the Blues in a 2-1 win over Maresca's former employers, Leicester City. In the spirit of Jackson's improved displays in the 2024/25 season, let's take a look at where the Chelsea star ranks in comparison t...

Lionel Messi, Sergio Ramos, and the 10 most legendary teenage sensations in LaLiga history

25Nov

By Javier MartinezNo Comments

Analysis

Lionel Messi, Sergio Ramos, and the 10 most legendary teenage sensations in LaLiga history

LaLiga has been a breeding ground for some of the most talented footballers in history. However, some of these stars burst onto the scene as teenagers and made an instant impact from the very beginning. If making a professional debut is already an exciting, but also nerve-racking experience, imagine being a teenager and having the weight of fans' expectations on your back. Regardless of the pressure, who are some of the best teenage sensations to play in LaLiga? Before beginning, let's make clear that the ranking below is based on their performances and impact as teenagers, not their overall careers. With all that said, let's take a look at the 10 legendary teenage sensations who managed the expectations and went on to become some of the best players in LaLiga's history. Joseba Etxe...

EPL Predictions: Tottenham take care of West Ham, Brighton threaten Newcastle, Liverpool dominate Chelsea

19Oct

By Cody AcevedaNo Comments

Analysis

EPL Predictions: Tottenham take care of West Ham, Brighton threaten Newcastle, Liverpool dominate Chelsea

Tottenham vs. West Ham Tottenham’s devastating 3-2 loss to Brighton was the worst result for any Premier League team on Matchday 7 before the international break. The North London club blew a 2-0 lead to the Seagulls in the second half. Manager Ange Postecoglou looked despondent after the match, and stressed that what he saw from his side was unacceptable. Admittedly, it’s a bit silly to say, but I can’t see this Tottenham side losing again after such an embarrassing loss. I don’t think ‘Big Ange’ will let them. It’s not just that though. Son Heung-min is back from injury. Having their club captain back makes Spurs a totally different team on both sides of the ball. Tottenham’s opponents are another reason I’m confident about the Lilywhites’ chances this weekend. West Ham have...