Cultured Football #170
Haaland Going Backwards. Ilicic's Renaissance. Price is Right. Ollie's Story. Football is Less Attractive
Is Erling Haaland going backwards at Man City?
By
There is no doubt that Erling Haaland is a supreme goalscorer, arguably the best in the world at the moment. Yet the feeling that, perhaps, he has not developed as much as he should since joining Manchester City is also inescapable.
The Renaissance of Josip Ilicic
By Brad Jones for Breaking the Lines
One of the best stories from this summer was the return of Josip Ilicic, a magician with the ball who has all to often had to deal with mental issues of the pitch. He is someone who acknowledged his issues, stepped away and took the time needed to recover. An example to all.
The RIGHT Price for Saliba
By Ted Knutson and Kim McCauley for Transfer Flow
Rumour is that Real Madrid are interested in William Saliba. And, whilst Arsenal would never sell, trying to determine the right price for him is an interesting exercise.
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Once upon a time in the West Country: the origin story of Ollie Watkins
By Rob Draper for The Guardian
This is the story of Ollie Watkins, the man who made himself a legend by scoring England's last minute winner in the Euro 2024 semi-final against Holland. But this is also the story of Exeter City, a club reborn out of the sheer will of their fans.
Football is Less Attractive
By Kyle Boas for Tactics Journal
“Football has more and more spectators, but it is becoming less and less attractive. What made this game the best game in the world at the time is not prioritized today…No matter how many people watch football, if you don’t ensure that what people watch is something pleasant, it will only benefit the business because the business only cares about how many people watch it. But in a few years, the players who deserve to be watched will be fewer, and the games produced will become less enjoyable. This current artificial increase in spectators will come to an end.” An examination of Marcelo Bielsa’s truth bomb.
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Every Saturday, Cultured Football brings you five great football articles you will enjoy reading.
Last Week’s Most Read: The Ligue 1 Essential: Three Young Stars Ready to Take the Football World by Storm
By Liam Scahill for The Ligue1 Essential
The French keeps on churning out young stars. And, as 18 year-old Lenny Yoro prepares to depart to bigger clubs (probably Real Madrid) another three get ready to show their value.