Cultured Football #182

Brentford Kicking Off. Strangers at Home. APT. Claim to Fame. Building the next Haaland.

Should other Premier League teams copy Brentford's tactics?

By Ryan O'Hanlon for ESPN

Brentford have scored very early on - within the first two minutes - in four of their seven games so far this season. Too often for it to be a fluke. How are they doing it? And why don’t others copy them?

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Unwanted Guests at Home for 30 Years

By Dan Cancian for Destination Calcio

Thirty years ago, work started on a new stadium that promised to usher Padova into a new era. But, although they briefly made it to the Serie A, that stadium eventually became a symbol of all that is wrong with a club that has since plumbed the depths of the Serie C. The fans are clear: for the past three decades they’ve been made to feel like strangers in their own home. And they aren’t willing to accept that any more.

Bonus Pick: Many Strasbourg fans weren’t happy when their club became a feeder club to Chelsea. A good start to the season, however, has sown doubts over whether this might be a good thing for them. [The Ligue 1 Story]

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The APT rulings don't look like *that* much of a victory for Manchester City

By Ian King for Unexpected Delirium

No one really wants to read more about this week’s APT ruling, do they? A week that was already depressing because of the absence of top level football across Europe was made even more dreary by putting lawyers at the forefront of what should be a sport. The sad thing is that the jockeying for headlines and spin is far from over.

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Claim to Fame

By Jonee João for Football Heritage

There are competitions that most fans never heard about. Brief lived or unpopular (or both), they have been consigned to the scrap heap of football history. Except, that is, by the fans of those clubs that actually won them.

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The next Erling Haaland or Martin Odegaard? How virtual reality is helping Norway to develop new talent

By Adam Bate for Sky Sports

Norway is adopting unique approach to developing football talent; focusing not only on physical skills, but also on mental ones. They have implemented programs to foster a culture of curiosity and utilize virtual reality technology to enhance training for their young players. It will take time but theirs is the kind of holistic vision that is bound to deliver great results.

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Last Week’s Most Read: 'What have we signed here?' - The real story of David Raya's rise to Arsenal standout

By Stephen Killen for Football London

If there were any lingering doubts about David Raya’s suitability to be Arsenal’s goalkeeper, these have surely been answered by his performances this season. But Raya’s route to the top has included a stop at an unglamorous non-league side where he is still remembered fondly.

Bonus Pick: Being a goalkeeper means having to get comfortable with the thought of being blamed for a defeat and having the mentality to overcome any fear that holds. [Will Murray x Goalkeeper.com]