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The Top 10 Sweeper Keepers Of All Time

17 Sep, 2023

The role of the goalkeeper in football has changed a lot in recent years. As recently as a decade ago, the primary skill needed for top level keepers was shot-stopping, followed by an ability to launch long kicks deep into the opposition half. However, these two aspects of the job, while still important, are no longer all that's required within the higher echelons of European football. The rise of intricate, patiently-built up...

The Number 9 In Soccer: Role, Position and History

14 Aug, 2023

In soccer, the creative ingenuity showcased by those who wear the Number 10 jersey has led to a legendary reputation developing around this famous shirt number. Players such as Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi have been hailed by generations of fans across the world for their incredible ability to beautifully link midfield and attack; however, the players being supplied by these world-beating playmakers can sometimes end up being the ones...

The Number 10 In Soccer: Role, Position and History

31 Jul, 2023

Shirt numbers were first introduced into professional football in the late 1920s, although it wasn't until the 1954 World Cup that players wore the same number throughout the duration of a competition. It was after this that the traditional system, moving up from #1 for the goalkeeper to #11 for the left midfield or wing (traditionally speaking) gradually became the norm. In the decades since, certain shirt numbers have developed a level of...

What Does It Mean To Park The Bus In Soccer?

25 Jun, 2023

Football has a language of its own. From the player-led development of positional terms such as "The Raumdeuter" (coined by Thomas Muller to describe his "space investigator" role at Bayern Munich) to the invention of derogatory phrases like "Farmer's League" to put down professional leagues lacking in competition, those within the game are regularly expanding the range of colourful vocabulary associated with football. One term that...

The Regista Role Explained

15 Jun, 2023

A vast number of different positions and tactical roles exist within the world of football. From half-back, to centre-half, inside forward to false nine, things are constantly evolving, and language is always adapting to stay in line with developments in how top coaches and strategists view the game. This has led to the introduction of numerous technical terms into the wider football lexicon. Certain nations seem to have a particular...

The Mezzala Role Explained: How does the Football Manager position play out in the real world?

04 Jun, 2023

Keen players of FM23 will be very familiar with the mezzala role and its place within modern football. It's a term that has become more widely known in recent years, although there's still a lot of confusion surrounding exactly what this soccer position entails. Is it about drifting wide, or more about arriving into the opposition penalty box? Can a team have more than one mezzala, or is this a specific role for an individual to fill? How...

What is Tactical Periodization? The Training Model Explained

04 Jun, 2023

Throughout the 21st century, Portuguese coaches have had a significant impact on football in the UK. From the arrival of the self-proclaimed "special one" Jose Mourinho at Chelsea in 2004, to modern day coaches like Fulham's Marco Silva who have punched above their weight on a relatively modest budget, a wide range of different ideas and tactical styles have been brought into the Premier League from Portugal. However, there's one complicated...

The Raumdeuter Role Explained

29 May, 2023

Mario Götze will always be thought of fondly by German football fans, thanks to his winning goal against Argentina in the final of the 2014 Brazil World Cup. But in that sternly-contested game, there was one man who truly pulled the strings for Germany, a man who doesn't always get the respect he deserves: Thomas Müller. A stalwart of the national team with over 15 years of experience at the top of European football, the Bayern...

The Trequartista Position Explained

29 May, 2023

Football is a global sport, and each nation has its own way of describing the beautiful game. Whether it's the Spanish dribbling skill La Pausa , meaning "the pause", or the Italian defensive system Catenaccio , which translates roughly as "the chain", a number of terms from across the globe have worked their way into the footballing lexicon over the years. One word that you may have come across while absorbing knowledge about the world...

Inside the Rise of Roberto De Zerbi's Brighton & Hove Albion

04 May, 2023

During the 2022-23 season, Roberto De Zerbi's Brighton team has stunned the Premier League with a totally original brand of football that's helping them charge toward the European places. Competing against clubs with star names and far bigger budgets — this season alone, they've claimed scalps including Liverpool , Manchester United , and Chelsea — they've shown that there's an alternative path to success; however, it's one...

What is a Low Block in Soccer?

08 Mar, 2023

It's fair to say most soccer fans have learned a lot about football tactics in recent years. Pundits, commentators, and players have become more fluent in the technical terms and theories that impact the modern game, as more time is dedicated to thinking deeply about the shapes and systems behind the teams we all love to watch. Whether it's zonal marking , gegenpressing , or the Italian defensive system of catenaccio , diving deep...

The 4-1-4-1 Formation: Its Uses, Strengths, and Weaknesses

26 Feb, 2023

In football, some tactical systems are used to place focus on defensive solidity and shutting out the opposition, while others are built around keeping possession of the ball for long periods and gaining control of the game that way. Ultimately, it's the manager's prerogative: they will match their system to the footballing DNA that they want their team to represent. And a big part of this tactical blueprint comes down to the physical shape...

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