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What do the world's best footballers DESERVE to earn, measured by their performance data?

November 14, 2025 at 10:49 PM

brian mcdonnell

@sixtwofourtwo.bsky.social

The CIES Football Observatory in Switzerland has produced a new report that lists the 100 players who should be earning most due to their talent (story via @sportingintel.bsky.social)
sportingintelligence832.substack.com/p/what-do-th...

The CIES Football Observatory in Switzerland has produced a new report that lists the 100 players who should be earning most due to their talent. It's great debating material

sportingintelligence832.substack.com

November 13, 2025 at 10:18 PM

brian mcdonnell

@sixtwofourtwo.bsky.social

Here is an outstanding piece of analysis - including smart use of @statsperform.optajoe.com data - from @hkhaliqueloonat.bsky.social on the tactics teams are using this season to disrupt Liverpool for @thetimes.com (*paywall).
www.thetimes.com/sport/footba...

How Everton set the blueprint for getting the better of Slot’s Liverpool

David Moyes’s side exposed local rival’s susceptibility to long balls in last Merseyside derby at Goodison Park — now others are copying them

Erling Haaland in unstoppable form — but are Man City too reliant on him?

November 12, 2025 at 5:31 PM

brian mcdonnell

@sixtwofourtwo.bsky.social

What happens if Erling Haaland stops scoring for Manchester City? (analysis via @hkhaliqueloonat.bsky.social for @thetimes.com)
www.thetimes.com/sport/footba...

Pep Guardiola has altered his tactics to make star striker Manchester City’s focal point to devastating effect, but going all-in on the Norwegian is a big risk

Football Manager 26: 10 FM26 Challenges That Will Consume Your Life | Opta Analyst

October 29, 2025 at 5:32 PM

brian mcdonnell

@sixtwofourtwo.bsky.social

Football Manager is back and @rbenson92.bsky.social has identified ten FM26 Challenges to consume your life (for @optaanalyst.optajoe.com)
theanalyst.com/articles/foo...

Football Manager has returned. With FM26 Beta now out, we've identified 10 challenges that'll make leaving the house a thing of the past.

After 40 years of Old Firm Dominance, Could Tony Bloom’s Analytical Revolution at Hearts Smash Scotland's Duopoly? | Opta Analyst

October 25, 2025 at 12:40 PM

brian mcdonnell

@sixtwofourtwo.bsky.social

Backed by Tony Bloom’s analytics and clever player recruitment, could the Edinburgh club change the landscape of Scottish football? (analysis via @mattfurniss.bsky.social for @optaanalyst.optajoe.com)
theanalyst.com/articles/hea...

Backed by Tony Bloom's analytics and clever player recruitment, could Hearts keep up their form and change the landscape of Scottish club football?

How are a small club from a fishing village about to win the Swedish title?

October 22, 2025 at 4:46 PM

brian mcdonnell

@sixtwofourtwo.bsky.social

Five more points will bring Mjällby their highest points total in Allsvenskan history - if the champions-elect break that record, it’s because Mjällby appear to have broken expected goals - analysis via @zonal-marking.bsky.social for @theathleticfc.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/672...

"If you look at the underlying numbers, Mjallby have been overperforming quite a lot."

Inside Spanish Football's Most Innovative Project — Led by a Former NBA Number Cruncher | Opta Analyst

October 18, 2025 at 1:46 PM

brian mcdonnell

@sixtwofourtwo.bsky.social

Haralabos Voulgaris bought Spanish second division side Castellón after leaving the NBA and Dallas Mavericks. Now, he is slowly building a culture of data-driven decision-making (interview via @robbiejdunne.bsky.social for @optaanalyst.optajoe.com)
theanalyst.com/articles/har...

Haralabos Voulgaris bought Castellón after leaving the Dallas Mavericks and is slowly building a culture of data-driven decision-making.

Brighton owner Tony Bloom on the future of the Premier League and how his club will adapt to it

October 14, 2025 at 10:27 PM

brian mcdonnell

@sixtwofourtwo.bsky.social

“The amount of money that some clubs are willing to lose season upon season makes no sense to me” - Brighton owner Tony Bloom on the future of the Premier League & how his club will adapt (interview via @andynaylorbrighton.bsky.social for @theathleticfc.bsky.social)
www.nytimes.com/athletic/669...

Bloom shares his views on football governance, the increasing American influence, and the possibility of league games being played overseas

Can Premier League’s silent decision-makers learn from Bundesliga sporting directors?

October 14, 2025 at 9:56 PM

brian mcdonnell

@sixtwofourtwo.bsky.social

Here, @sebsb.bsky.social questions the oddity of the situation in England and in many other European leagues whereby the coach is never without a microphone in their face while the sporting directors rarely see one at all (for @theathleticfc.bsky.social)
www.nytimes.com/athletic/669...

The Premier League is a source of absolute fascination - and yet those who make the calls which determine a club’s direction rarely speak

What every top Premier League star now wants: a private skills coach

October 12, 2025 at 7:59 PM

brian mcdonnell

@sixtwofourtwo.bsky.social

From Noni Madueke to Antoine Semenyo, top Premier League players are putting in the extra work with one-to-one specialists (story via @tomallnutt.bsky.social for @thetimes.com)
www.thetimes.com/sport/footba...

From Noni Madueke to Antoine Semenyo, top players are putting in extra work with one-to-one specialists — sometimes you may even see them at your local park

Ball in Play: Are We Seeing Less Football in the Premier League This Season? | Opta Analyst

October 12, 2025 at 7:50 PM

brian mcdonnell

@sixtwofourtwo.bsky.social

With set-pieces and throw-ins increasing this season, are we seeing less of the ball in play in the Premier League? Here, @davidsegar.bsky.social digs into the data to find out (via @optaanalyst.optajoe.com)
theanalyst.com/articles/pre...

Are we seeing less of the ball in play in the Premier League this season? We look at all the Opta data to find out.

England are building a team, not just picking their best players — and it seems to be working

October 10, 2025 at 9:59 PM

brian mcdonnell

@sixtwofourtwo.bsky.social

England’s performance was a reminder that a team’s optimal performances are often decided by playing the best 11 rather than their 11 best (via @markcarey93.bsky.social for @theathleticfc.bsky.social)
www.nytimes.com/athletic/670...

Youth, Team Spirit and ‘Suffering’: How High-Flying Sunderland Are Defying Fate as a Promoted Side | Opta Analyst

October 10, 2025 at 9:41 PM

brian mcdonnell

@sixtwofourtwo.bsky.social

Sunderland are fifth in the Premier League following their promotion. Here, @alitweedale.bsky.social takes a look at the numbers behind their impressive start to life back in the big time (for @optaanalyst.optajoe.com)
theanalyst.com/articles/sun...

Sunderland are flying high in the Premier League following their promotion. We look at the numbers behind their impressive start to the season

‘Tech without compassion is brittle,’ says Irish ambassador for Women in AI

October 3, 2025 at 4:09 PM

Reposted by brian mcdonnell

Silicon Republic

@siliconrepublic.bsky.social

Naomh McElhatton discusses being a voice for women in the technology sector and the responsibility she feels to steer progress.

Naomh McElhatton discusses the responsibility she feels towards promoting women in STEM and her fears for the misuse of AI.

www.siliconrepublic.com

October 1, 2025 at 8:39 AM

brian mcdonnell

@sixtwofourtwo.bsky.social

Excellent analysis from @robbiejdunne.bsky.social on what Xabi Alonso has already achieved in his rebuild of Real Madrid for @optaanalyst.optajoe.com
theanalyst.com/articles/rea...

Pressing, Defending With the Ball and Control Over Chaos: How Xabi Alonso is Rebuilding Real Madrid | Opta Analyst

Xabi Alonso’s Real Madrid are pressing higher, defending with the ball, and thriving with Álvaro Carreras and Kylian Mbappé.

Crystal Palace's 17-Game Unbeaten Run Might Only Be the Start | Opta Analyst

September 26, 2025 at 9:13 PM

brian mcdonnell

@sixtwofourtwo.bsky.social

Crystal Palace are on the verge of equaling the longest unbeaten run in their history, but the data suggests things could get even better for them (analysis via @alitweedale.bsky.social for @optaanalyst.optajoe.com)
theanalyst.com/articles/cry...

Crystal Palace are on the verge of equalling the longest unbeaten run in their history, but the data suggests things could get even better for them.

Nuno Espírito Santo Sacked: Why Nottingham Forest's Best Manager in a Generation Will Take Some Following | Opta Analyst

September 24, 2025 at 4:43 PM

brian mcdonnell

@sixtwofourtwo.bsky.social

Over the last 38 games, only Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Man City have earned more points than Nottingham Forest - please read @davidsegar.bsky.social’s analysis of Nuno Espírito Santo’s Premier League record as Forest manager (for @optaanalyst.optajoe.com)
theanalyst.com/articles/nun...

Nottingham Forest have sacked head coach Nuno Espírito Santo. We look over his time at the City Ground following a decision that has raised eyebrows.

The rise of the individual striker coach: 'It's about maximising potential and marginal gains'

September 9, 2025 at 4:31 PM

brian mcdonnell

@sixtwofourtwo.bsky.social

This is good from @markcarey93.bsky.social on the rise of individual player coaching in the Premier League (for @theathleticfc.bsky.social)
www.nytimes.com/athletic/656...

From Ederson to Gianluigi Donnarumma: Pep Guardiola's Choice Shows Role of Goalkeeper is Changing Again | Opta Analyst

September 8, 2025 at 9:45 PM

brian mcdonnell

@sixtwofourtwo.bsky.social

Pep Guardiola and Ederson revolutionized what is expected of goalkeepers in the Premier League, so is Manchester City's signing of Gianluigi Donnarumma a sign of things to come? (analysis via @alitweedale.bsky.social for @optaanalyst.optajoe.com)
theanalyst.com/articles/gia...

Pep Guardiola and Ederson revolutionised the role of the goalkeeper in the Premier League, so is Manchester City signing Gianluigi Donnarumma a sign of things to come?

U.S. Soccer has a new vision for youth development. Implementation is ‘an astronomical ask’

September 3, 2025 at 9:17 PM

brian mcdonnell

@sixtwofourtwo.bsky.social

This is a terrific read from @henrybushnell.bsky.social on Matt Crocker’s vision for youth development in the United States and his plan to realize that vision (for @theathleticfc.bsky.social)
www.nytimes.com/athletic/658...

Evolution not revolution: The impact of squad churn on Premier League performance

September 3, 2025 at 8:55 PM

brian mcdonnell

@sixtwofourtwo.bsky.social

Excellent analysis from @conor-oneill.bsky.social for @theathleticfc.bsky.social on the impact that "squad churn" has and can have on team performance in the Premier League
www.nytimes.com/athletic/658...

A fascination with player trading is understandable – but it is no guarantee of success

Farewell to Ederson, pass-master goalkeeper who changed the modern game

September 3, 2025 at 7:27 AM

brian mcdonnell

@sixtwofourtwo.bsky.social

“Ederson changed what teams expected of their goalkeepers, and perhaps even what ’keepers expected of themselves” - analysis via @jamesgheerbrant.bsky.social for @thetimes.com

www.thetimes.com/sport/footba...

Ederson leaves English football as understated cornerstone of Pep Guardiola’s dynasty and a pioneer who transformed his position for a generation at Man City

The 'slow death' of Vitesse Arnhem. Can the club once known as Chelsea B be saved?

September 3, 2025 at 7:18 AM

brian mcdonnell

@sixtwofourtwo.bsky.social

Vitesse Arnhem have been kicked out of the Dutch league, the season rolls on without a club older than Ajax, Feyenoord and PSV - story via @dtathletic.bsky.social for @theathleticfc.bsky.social
www.nytimes.com/athletic/659...