Why football programmes matter
By Chris Lepkowski for The Slum Sport
Whenever I go to watch a football game I make it a point to buy a programme if one is for sale. Not only does it provide something to read at half-time (essential for stadia, like Anfield, where mobile signals are crap) but it is a nice memento of the game. Yet, when I look around, I find that less and less people seem to be doing the same. Which is a pity.
Aiming for the moon, falling back to earth
By George Boxall for VIRAGE - A French Football Dispatch
After missing out on the Champions League, financial pressures left Olympique Marseilles considering whether it could afford Europe at all. A summer of many sales on no new incomings exposed their situation even further. The Europa League, which once represented an opportunity to dream might this season end up being a reminder of their new reality.
Arsenal Don’t Take Risks, and That’s What Makes Them So Strong
By Ali Tweedale for The Analyst
Arsenal have often been called boring but in truth the numbers show that for them taking fewer risks has become a strength rather than a limitation. Indeed, Arteta’s system creates situations where the safer option can also be the most dangerous one, turning control into attacking threat.
Most people find Cultured Football through someone else. Be that link.
Who does Como belong to?
By Luke Taylor for FORZA CALCIO
From the outside, Como’s rise from bankruptcy to the Champions League looks like one of modern football’s great fairytales. Look closer, however, and the vast wealth behind it takes away some of the magic.
Super Depor are back! The rebirth of Deportivo La Coruna
By James Westwood for Goal
Deportivo La Coruña spent much of the early 2000s challenging Spain’s biggest clubs before financial problems took them down as far as the third tier. An impressive start on their return after eight years, however, has revived memories of the side once known as Super Depor.
Bonus Read: Castellón Rising
[Jordan Thomas x La Liga and Beyond]
Castellón have spent 35 years outside La Liga, but a combination of smart recruitment, data-led decisions and investment beyond the pitch are making a return to the top flight feel possible.
Over the past year, I’ve been featuring extracts from recently published football books on Cultured Football. But I’m still not entirely sure whether people enjoy them or would like to see more.
So I’m curious: do you enjoy reading these extracts? Would you like to see more of them on Cultured Football? Let me know.
Each week on Cultured Football we pick the five great football stories from the previous seven days.
In Case You Missed It Here’s Last Week’s Most Read: The Quants Who Bought Football
Via The Arc Sport
That Brentford and Brighton have become two of best English football’s through the use of data is well known. Less well known are the stories of Matthew Benham and Tony Bloom, the former partners who made fortunes applying mathematics to football betting before bringing much the same thinking into club ownership.
Grazie, Paul! I appreciate you including my piece on Como.
Amazing work, as always