Tag: West Ham United

Why Declan Rice is perfect for Manchester United

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Central Midfield, Data Analysis, Defensive Midfield, Player Analysis, Premier League, Recruitment & Scouting

The 2021 January Transfer Window continues to heat up, with more and more clubs splashing the cash to resolve their issues before the end of the season. And with that, we’re continuing to take a look at clubs with a bit of a blackhole in their team, that desperately needs to be covered before the end of next summer. We’re going to match that blackhole up with one player who could potentially fill that void if a move were to be made in January, by assessing and analyzing a player that is a perfect match for the team’s style of play. While today's player would be perfect for virtually any European elite, from Chelsea to Manchester City to Bayern Munich, this man had to top our list of defensive midfielders for Manchester United. Today, it's all about West Ham United's Declan Rice, and why he’d be a perfect fit for Ralf Rangnick's Red Devils.

Why Nathaniel Phillips is perfect for West Ham United

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Centre Backs, Data Analysis, Player Analysis, Premier League, Recruitment & Scouting, World Football

The 2021 January Transfer Window is officially open! And with that, we’re going to be taking a look at clubs with a bit of a blackhole in their team, that desperately needs to be covered before the end of next summer. We’re going to match that blackhole up with one player who could potentially fill that void if a move were to be made in January, by assessing and analyzing a player that is a perfect match for the team’s style of play. Today, it’s all about Liverpool's Nat Phillips, and why he’d be a perfect fit for West Ham United.

West Ham United 3-2 Liverpool – Tactical Analysis – How Moyes’ Men Claimed Victory

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Formations, Managers, Match Analysis, Premier League, Team Analysis

Following a fantastic 2020-21 campaign, few expected West Ham's form to carry over into the 2021-22 campaign to the same extraordinary extent. But David Moyes' men have gone from strength to strength this season, playing some of their best football in decades. The Hammers are now all the way up into third place, ahead of Liverpool, after a hard-fought 3-2 victory over the Reds this weekend. Here is our analysis of the match!

Futbol Masterminds Podcast – Arsenal’s Relegation Battle, Chelsea and City Title Contenders but West Ham Top

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Podcast, Premier League

The Premier League's opening weekend saw Manchester United smash Leeds into bits, Tottenham stun Manchester City, and Chelsea and Liverpool get off to flying starts, albeit against weaker opponents. The Futbol Masterminds are there to break it all down! 

Premier League Tactics 2020-21 – Ebook

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Coach Education, Coaching, Formations, Masterclasses, Premier League, Subscriber Exclusives

After analyzing each and every single Premier League team this year, we now share all of our insight on the 2020-21 season in the form of this book. But the book is far from just a copy and paste of what can already be found on the website. In fact, there are very few things in the entire 72 pages that you will find on our site. The book features a breakdown of each and every single club in the league, including their system and style of play, their personnel, their strengths, weaknesses, key players and more. It does not attempt to be an exhaustive list of every single thing about each and every Premier League team this season, rather an overview of the most crucial tactical features to their success or lack thereof in 2020-21.

Futbol Masterminds – Top Four Race Heating Up

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Podcast, Premier League, UEFA Champions League

Leicester City spent the entirety of the 2019-20 season in the top four, only to miss out on Champions League football on the final day with a devastating defeat to Manchester United. With Leicester's recent 3-2 loss to West Ham United, the Futbol Masterminds examine the Champions League football race that appears to be tighter than ever before, with the Hammers and Foxes competing with the likes of Liverpool and Chelsea for a spot in next season's competition. The panel also discuss whether clubs should spend money on transfers or youth academies, what's been missing for Brighton & Hove Albion this season, and the upcoming Champions League fixture between Dortmund and Manchester City. Submit questions and follow the show @futbolmasterminds on Instagram, or on themastermindsite.com. 

Futbol Masterminds – Lingard, Bundesliga Top Four Race & Racism in Football

by Rhys Desmond, posted in German Bundesliga, Match Analysis, Player Analysis, Podcast, Premier League, UEFA Champions League

Since arriving at West Ham, Jesse Lingard has revitalized his career and transformed the Hammers into one of the most dangerous attacking outfits in the Premier League. This week the Futbol Masterminds discuss whether or not he could start for Manchester United next season and why he's had so much success with David Moyes' team. The panel also discuss the Bundesliga top four race, Mane and Salah's 2021 relationship, and racism in football following this week's disappointing incident in the Europa League involving Glenn Kamara and Ondrej Kudela. Subscribe via Itunes and Spotify below!

The Premier League’s Surprising Performers so far in 2020-21

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Premier League

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.