Is possession football dying? The tactical evolution transforming the Premier League
By Lawrence Ostlere for The Independent
For much of the past decade, dominating possession was almost a prerequisite for success in the Premier League. That relationship is beginning to weaken as pressing, quick transitions and defensive organisation challenge the value of keeping the ball. Has possession football become obsolete?
Náutico: Rowing against the tide
By João Mário Prado for Terrace Edition
In the Brazilian city of Recife, Náutico’s historic Aflitos stadium blends into the neighbourhood that surrounds it. This beautiful photo essay captures the club’s matchday culture, from the streets outside the ground to the supporters filling its terraces.
Yesterday’s Men? The Slow Fading of Max Allegri and Luciano Spalletti
Via Goalazzo
Italian football has long placed its faith in experienced managers, but the fortunes of three such managers is challenging that belief. Max Allegri, Luciano Spalletti and Maurizio Sarri are struggling at their respective clubs raising questions on whether football has left their ideas behind.
Bonus Read: How Massimiliano Alvini Built Frosinone’s Miracle
[Dan x Goalazzo]
Frosinone’s remarkable rise owes much to their manager, a former shoe salesman who learned his trade in the lower leagues.
Each week on Cultured Football we pick the five great football stories from the previous seven days.
The Real Champions League
By Ben Jackson for Stories from African Football
While Europe’s elite competition increasingly rewards clubs from its wealthiest leagues, the African version lives up to its name. Domestic champions must earn their place whilst qualification is unforgiving with even established giants facing the prospect of an early exit. Just as a true competition bearing a champions name should be.
Leipzig: Beyond Red Bull
By Adrián Morales for Football Heritage
RB Leipzig may have brought the city international recognition, but its football history stretches back much further and true football fans look beyond the franchise. Chemie Leipzig and Lokomotive Leipzig have both survived political upheaval and financial meltdown, kept alive by supporters unwilling to lose their clubs’ identities. Their rivalry remains fierce, even as both struggle far below the Bundesliga.
Bonus Read: Where Giants Have Fallen
[Jordan Thomas x La Liga and Beyond]
More than 21,000 supporters gathered to watch Real Murcia face Real Zaragoza in Spain’s third tier; a fixture that once belonged in La Liga.
Most people find Cultured Football through someone else. Be that link.
In Case You Missed It Here’s Last Week’s Most Read: 10 unwritten rules of English football
By Joey D’Urso for Joey D’Urso’s football
English football has unwritten rules, many of which are perfectly obvious to regular supporters but can surprise visitors. From where you sit to how you react when your team loses, these small customs are all part of the culture of watching football in England. Ignore them at your peril.
