Tag: Data Analysis

Why Wout Weghorst is perfect for Burnley

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Data Analysis, Player Analysis, Premier League, Recruitment & Scouting, Striker

Without Chris Wood, Burnley seemed destined for relegation in 2021-22. Sean Dyche has done brilliantly to keep the Clarets in England's top flight for nearly a decade now, but this season has not gone as planned, and COVID interruptions have caused them to play the fewest amount of games so far. They sit bottom of the table as a result, and before today, had no genuine goal scoring threat in the team. But all of that has now changed in the blink of an eye, with a stunning surprise signing of Wout Weghorst from VFL Wolfsburg and Louis Van Gaal's Netherlands. In this tactical analysis, we break down why the Dutch forward is the perfect fit for Burnley, and why Weghorst swapped the Bundesliga giants for the Premier League minnows.

Why Bruno Guimaraes is being tracked by Europe’s elite

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Central Midfield, Coach Education, Data Analysis, Defensive Midfield, Masterclasses, Most Recent, Premier League, Recruitment & Scouting

These days, every single club in the world is in search of a top quality defensive midfielder, either to provide back-up to an already existing world star, or to transform their team in completely new ways. It seems inevitable that players like Declan Rice or Yves Bissouma will make a step up to one of Europe's elite clubs soon, but another lesser known name that's been catching the eye this season is Olympique Lyonnais' Bruno Guimaraes. Here is an analysis of why the Brazilian is turning heads, and why he should be on the radar of every single top club in Europe.

Finding the next Sadio Mane – Tactical Analysis

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Data Analysis, Most Recent, Player Analysis, Premier League, Recruitment & Scouting, Striker, Winger, World Football

Sadio Mane may not have as much versatility in skillset as Firmino and Salah, but his talent levels are supreme. Out of all the candidates, Emmanuel Dennis might be the closest clone. The Nigerian forward is just sheer speed and scoring power, which, without underselling all of this, is Mane to a tee. Then you have Rafael Leao, who is so much more skillful than the Senegalese, but lacks the exact trait we would most want to find in a future Mane replacement (better scoring and shooting accuracy). So with that, we have to go with...

Finding the next Mohamed Salah – Tactical Analysis

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Data Analysis, Most Recent, Player Analysis, Premier League, Recruitment & Scouting, Striker, Winger, World Football

As we found out, finding Mohamed Salah's replacement at Liverpool is a tough task. He's a strangely unique player, who does just about everything in the game to great effect. Nobody will ever replace his goal-scoring presence for the Reds, and that much always needs to be taken into consideration. So with that, we've done something a bit crazy.

Finding the next Roberto Firmino – Tactical Analysis

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Attacking Midfield, Data Analysis, Most Recent, Player Analysis, Premier League, Recruitment & Scouting, Striker, World Football

Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah, the poster boys of a modern day football front three and all that can be accomplished, are all out of contract at the end of the 2022-23 season. The electric trio defined Liverpool's success in the late 2010s, including a Premier League and UEFA Champions League triumph, and a runners-up medal in both competitions. But now approaching or already hitting 30 years old, Liverpool need to start to prepare for life without their illustrious front three. So with that, in this tactical transfer series, we attempt to identify the next Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah. We're looking for players not only capable of leading the Reds to more title triumphs, but players young enough to do so over the next five years. Today, we start with finding the next Roberto Firmino.