In our latest analysis series: Game of Numbers, we break down the various tactical undertones of the modern game, most notably the roles that individual players hold on the pitch to help their teams explore avenues for greatness. Positions are often broken down into 'numbers' to describe the areas of the field that a player may operate. This series aims to illustrate the ever-changing, fluid nature of those roles, and the ways in which various footballing teams may use the same players in the same roles to completely different effect. This is Issue No. 1, featuring the following: Lucas Paquetá & The 'Bernardo Silva Role', Joachim Andersen's 'Quarterback' Role vs. Arsenal, and Musiala's Masterclass vs. Eintracht Frankfurt.
Tag: Crystal Palace
Undervalued Premier League Talents: Jean-Philippe Mateta
An encouraging season for Palace fans ended in a 12th place finish, with more work to be done in Patrick Vieira's progression with the team from the days of Roy Hodgson. When the season began, Palace had a host of new faces bringing much in the way of fan fare, from Michael Olise to Odsonne Edouard. Both had their moments in the limelight and achieved acclaim for their performances. But one man who went quietly under the radar in his second season with the Eagles was Jean-Philippe Mateta, who became an important starter for the team toward the second half of the campaign.
Replacing Conor Gallagher at Crystal Palace
Out of all the midfielders in the Premier League, very few stand out when it comes to as many attributes as Conor Gallagher. The Chelsea loanee has been on fire all season long at Crystal Palace - bagging 8 goals with 3 assists in 33 matches, alongside some of the best pressing and tackling numbers of players in his position. With his late arriving goal-scoring form and top-tier pressing intensity, Thomas Tuchel and Chelsea are bound to steal Gallagher back into their team, and give him regular minutes next season. A quintessential box-to-box midfielder who can also dovetail as a number ten, Gallagher will be a massive miss for the Eagles next season. So with that, we examine who could possibly come in to replace the 22-year-old midfielder at Crystal Palace next season.
How Crystal Palace shocked Arsenal – Match Analysis
Under the influence of Patrick Vieira, Crystal Palace have put on a show this season, beating several of the league's most formidable sides. Shock wins against Manchester City and Nuno's Spurs will live long in the memory of Palace fans, but few of their performances can top this past weekend, when they creamed Mikel Arteta's … Continue reading How Crystal Palace shocked Arsenal – Match Analysis
Analyzing the Premier League table based on Expected Points (xP)
The use of probability models in football to calculate Expected Goals, Expected Goals Conceded and Expected Points, have taken off to new heights in recent years - with more fans, coaches, managers and even players paying attention to these hypothetical numbers. Between statistical probability, the actual result, and the expectations for all that has been produced, we analyze how many points each team should have won in each match, based on Expected Points.
Conor Gallagher – Player Analysis
After turning a few heads during his loan spell at West Bromwich Albion last season, Conor Gallagher has turned several heads in 2021-22, with his stunning displays for Patrick Vieira's Crystal Palace. Gallagher fits into Vieira's 4-3-3 like a fever dream, and has become the most important player in a normally Zaha-reliant set-up. So with that, today we take a look at why Conor Gallagher has been so effective for Crystal Palace, after his first 19 appearances for the Eagles. Here is our latest tactical analysis.
Patrick Vieira – Crystal Palace – Tactical Analysis
After Roy Hodgson's retirement from the game, many thought Crystal Palace were doomed for relegation. However, with a couple of new signings and a more energetic, attack-minded style of play, Patrick Vieira has taken Palace to new heights. While they sit just tenth place in the table, Vieira's Eagles have now gone unbeaten in their last six matches, including a massive 2-0 win to set title-contenders Manchester City back a peg. Even in matches they've lost the season, the signs of what's to come from Palace in the future are promising. So with that, here is a tactical analysis of Patrick Vieira's Crystal Palace.
How Crystal Palace Shocked Tottenham Hotspur – Tactical Analysis
After weeks of succeeding with narrow 1-0 wins in a 4-3-3 formation, Nuno Espirito Santo decided change was needed. To be fair to Nuno, without the injured Heung-Min Son and Steven Bergwijn, change likely was needed. But unfortunately the Portuguese manager adapted in the completely wrong way, and Crystal Palace, yes Crystal Palace, tore them to shreds.
The Longball – Premier League Preview Show – Crystal Palace
On this episode of The Longball Premier League Preview Show, John and Declan are joined by TheMastermindSite.com's very own Brandon Wallis, to discuss all things Crystal Palace. The panel fly high like eagles talking about Palace's busy summer window, how Patrick Vieira will get on in the Prem and whether or not Palace can survive the drop without Roy Hodgson.
The Premier League’s Surprising Performers so far in 2020-21
The 2020-21 Premier League season has been full of surprises, most notably a number of different teams topping the table at one point or another so far. As things stand, Leicester City sit at the top despite a horrendous injury list. But the likes of Southampton, Everton, Aston Villa and Spurs have impressed more than most would have predicted and each have had their turn toward the very top. Much has been made about the success of these teams, but perhaps certain individuals within these teams have gone a bit under the radar. As a result, this article attempts to uncover the eleven best surprise performers of the season so far, that have helped their teams to better times in 2020-21. Here is our Surprising Performers Premier League XI after the first eight games.
Why Handball is Ruining the Game
The handball rule in football has long been one of the most debated rules in the increasingly less beautiful game. The rule has been broken for decades, and each year attempts to fix the law only seem to make it more dubious. This year in the Premier League (2020-21), it seems as though the law has changed to enforce a policy in which any time the ball strikes the arm, and the arm is away from the body at all, it's going to be called as a handball. Unfortunately, this is the dumbest thing they could have done to try and solve the handball mysteries of seasons past, and has no regard whatsoever for the biomechanics of how footballers move on the pitch. Here are a few reasons why the law needs to change for good and why handball is currently ruining the game for everyone.