Cultured Football #44

Match-winning fullbacks, Nicolas Pepe, Cult Hero in Cadiz, Leicester's poor start, Ralf Rangnick

Nov 27, 2021

There are many ways to win a football game but this is surely unique: having lost the Maltese league game against Sliema Wanderers 2-1, Valletta appealed and were eventually granted the three points. The reason? One of Sliema’s players should have been in mandatory quarantine having travelled back from a red-list country during the international break.

How Reece James has shone in the year of the full back

#DataAnalysis #Debate

One of the main stars of Chelsea’s brilliant start to the season has been Reece James. The full-back was impressive last season but he has continued to get better and better, igniting talk on whether he is the best right-back in England.

Reading Time: 6 minutes

Misused talent or costly flop?

#Analysis #Transfers

When Arsenal managed to sing Nicolas Pepe in 2019, it felt like quite a coup. The Ivorian had been sensational the previous season with his form attracting the likes of Liverpool and Bayern Munich. Two years down the line, the judgement on the deal is quite different with most seeing the £72 million deal as indicative of the club’s profligacy. Yet Pepe has shown occasional flashes of brilliance raising debate over whether his is a case of a player not being good enough or one that has been mis-used.

Reading Time: 7 minutes

One of Spain's most unique footballers hoping to help Cadiz survive

#PlayerProfile #CultHeroes

I have to admit that I love stories like this one. Just a few years ago, the man commonly know as Fali was working in a scrapyard; now he is looking to help Cadiz retain their place in the Primera Liga. That history forced him to grow and his ability to lead players has been appreciated wherever he goes. Want to know how big of a contrast he is to your typical player? He doesn’t own a mobile phone and uses his wife’s whenever he needs to make a call!

Reading Time: 8 minutes

A nerdy look at Leicester's poor start

#StatisticalAnalysis

Talking with a friend abut Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s dismissal at Manchester United, he mentioned that Brendan Rodgers will probably be next. It surprised me – I haven’t really been following how they have been doing – but once I did look at recent results I could see where he was coming from. Yet, despite everything I would like to think that Rodgers past achievements should be enough to earn him more time even though the dream of Champions League football will have to wait a bit longer.

Reading Time: 8 minutes

Ralf Rangnick tactics explained

#ManagerProfile #Tactics

The biggest story this week was Manchester United’s appointment of Ralf Rangnick as their interim manager. On Twitter, I likened this to Liverpool’s appointment of Gerard Houllier; a good manager who was even better at building a structure within a football club. Whilst it remains to be seen what kind of an impact he will have, it does seem like a good appointment and at United he has the talent to implement his tactics (with one possible exception).

Reading Time: 9 minutes

Last Week’s Most Read

#Interview #Portugal #Youth

There is a tendency in football to overly hype up young players who show some potential, billing them as superstars the moment they do something interesting only to then shred them to pieces as soon as they start to struggle. Even so, it is hard not to get excited by Roger Fernandes, the fifteen year old recently given his debut and who has already scored for SC Braga. It is hard to see him stay long where he is but that doesn’t matter too much as the club’s biggest asset is manager Carlos Carvahal who is helping the club reach unexpected heights.