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Future Star: Mason Greenwood

18-year-old Mason Greenwood has had a sensational breakthrough campaign scoring 17 goals in all competitions so far. Despite his young age he has forced his way in to the starting XI and made a big impact, scored some world class goals as well.  

Alan Shearer, the Premier League all-time top scorer with 260 goals praised Greenwood and even said "I think in 12 or 13 years time we could be talking about the Premier League record goal scorer.”  👀

So, what makes Mason Greenwood so good? 

Goal Scoring Ability 

Gets the ball, shifts it on his left foot and bang! He isn’t afraid to shoot. Reminds me so much of one of my favorite players ever, Robin Van Persie. I think that’s what adds to my excitement of watching Greenwood.

He is a natural finisher, in and around the box, he doesn’t miss. He gets the ball out of his feet quick and strikes it powerfully.  

Another example of his ability to strike the ball.

Brazilian Ronaldo-esque? ;). Quick stepovers, quick strike, easy goal (looks easy but really isn’t haha) 

Great interplay with his teammates. This goal made him the 3rd player aged 18 or under who has scored 10+ goals in the Premier League.

Two Footed

One of his biggest strengths is that he can use both his left and right foot. This keeps defenders on edge, they don’t know which way he’ll go. Especially when a defender is up against Greenwood one on one, it leaves the defender unbalanced. This gives Greenwood the ability to beat a defender as seen below.

Look how he shifts the defender and quickly gets his strike away. This was his first goal for the first team.

A left footer scoring free kicks with his right, that’s ridiculously good.

Intelligent 

Whenever I’ve watched Greenwood play this season he has showed great knowledge on the game of football. What I like about him is he keeps it simple, he doesn’t try too hard as he often plays the easy pass. He sticks to his strengths which is in and around the box. As seen from the GIFs above, his movement on and off the ball is excellent, this allows him to get into those positions where he can take shots on. 

Greenwood has mostly played in the right flank this season which is a new role for him considering he was mostly used as a central forward in the youth team. This shows his versatility and ability to adapt. He has also built up a good understanding with his fellow forwards, Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford as they often interchange positions to confuse the opposition defence. This is seen in his first goal against Bournemouth where he found himself in the left side of the attack. 

Greenwood shows excellent awareness and movement to get away from the defender and rifles in a powerful shot

This was in the same game, he shoots at the right time in order to ensure the shot is on target plus shows the power he has in his right (supposedly weaker) foot.

If you want to see more of his goals, check out this video of his first 15 goals.

Manchester United have a real player in their hands. At just 18 years old, he is only going to get better. He has the potential to develop and become one of the best strikers for years to come. 

Hope you enjoyed reading this post on one of the future stars of football. Do you think Mason Greenwood has what it takes to break that Premier League record set by Alan Shearer? Only 250 goals to go! 

References 

11 incredible stats about Mason Greenwood's breakthrough season. (2020, July 24). https://www.planetfootball.com/quick-reads/11-incredible-stats-about-mason-greenwoods-breakthrough-season/.

Mason Greenwood - Player profile 19/20. Transfermarkt. https://www.transfermarkt.us/mason-greenwood/profil/spieler/532826.

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Premier League Team of the Season 2019/20: Liverpool FC

First off, let me start off by congratulating Liverpool FC, after a 30 year long wait, they are finally the champions of England for the 2019/20 season*. Why the asterix you ask? The season was on hold for 3 months due to the coronavirus pandemic. This discredits their title win right?

Being a Manchester United fan, I have to discredit their title win. My friends who support Liverpool know this, I have to throw in my shots. That’s cause the rivalry between Manchester United and Liverpool is immense, the two clubs have dominated English football with United having won it 20 times, the most, whilst Liverpool just added number 19 to their trophy cabinet. Third place is Arsenal FC who have won 13 titles. This highlights the stature of the two clubs and now you know what I mean. Us United fans don’t want to share the spot of most titles ever won in English football therefore when there was a possibility of the season being cancelled, part of me was glad because Liverpool were tremendous before the season was put to a stop and I knew this was going to be their year. They were in a really strong position to win the title, boasting a 25-point lead over second placed Manchester City.

Rivalries aside, Liverpool have been very good this season; they’ve won the league in record time with seven games to spare. I’ll give credit where it’s due. The club has really grown over the last few years. One man has played a major role in that happening, Jurgen Klopp, hired in 2015, he has been instrumental in the growth of Liverpool FC. Below I’ll talk about how the German has transformed the club.

Personnel

The left side is the team he had when he first took over in 2015 and the right side is the current Liverpool team. There has been a major overhaul as only 3 players remain from the starting XI from 2015.

Even though they lost some top players in Suarez (from the 2014 season) and Coutinho, Liverpool invested well by purchasing Sadio Mane, Mohammed Salah, Virgin Van Dijk and Andy Robertson (just to name a few). The net spend in his time as Liverpool manager is £74.5M which is a good sum in current times.

In addition, Klopp has played an instrumental role in the growth of these players, these individuals are one of the best players in their respective positions today. For example, Mohammed Salah, had a distinct spell at Chelsea which didn’t go well, came back to the premier league with Liverpool and scored the most goals ever scored in a premier league campaign, 32 goals in the 2017/18 season. Virgil Van Dijk is another player who has grown into one of the best center backs in football today. After an incredible season in 2018/19, he was nominated for the Balon D’or alongside Ronaldo and Messi.  

Mohammed Salah’s incredible strike against Chelsea in 2019

Another key aspect of Klopp’s successful transformation is his ruthlessness. He knew what he wanted in his team. This allowed him to ship out the players he didn’t need and bring in individuals who could see his vision and execute his style of play. 

Style of Play

Klopp’s style of play is known as ‘gegenpressing’, this is a tactic where a team immediately attempts to win back possession when the ball is lost rather than falling into shape. Many teams struggle to play against Klopp’s Liverpool because of the intensity they bring. Plus, Klopp’s Liverpool are flexible in changing tactics as highlighted in this video from Tifo Football on what makes Liverpool so good. 

Psychological

One of the main things that Klopp has done is lift his players. Morale plays a major role in a success of a football club; It raises the confidence of players and allows them to fully express themselves on the pitch. This has been evident with many teams in the past. Most recently, we saw that when Ole Gunnar Solskjær took over from Jose Mourinho as the Manchester United coach. The morale of the camp went up and and immediately transformed their results. Klopp has done that over the past four years and most importantly, he has created a winning mentality as they had a 44 game unbeaten run. Everyone watching Liverpool play can see how much the players are enjoying being out on that pitch.

Jurgen Klopp has played an instrumental role in bringing the glory days back to Liverpool FC.

I have to end this blog post with a threat to Liverpool FC. Manchester United have been playing some good football recently and we’re not going to make it easy for you next season, watch out!  

What do you think about this Liverpool FC side? Where do they rank amongst the greatest ever Premier League teams? 

References 

Cole, J., & Coleman, J. (2020, June 25). The huge contrast between Klopp's first ever Liverpool team and how they look now. https://talksport.com/football/551413/premier-league-jurgen-klopp-liverpool-tottenham-alisson-van-dijk-mane/.

Jurgen Klopp's list of LFC transfers. https://www.anfield-online.co.uk/stats/jurgen-klopp-lfc-transfer-signings.html. Tifo Football. (2020, March 31). What Makes Liverpool So Good? [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/WzcT3hu2BQg

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Beautiful Teams From The Past: Manchester United 2007/08

The Manchester United team in the 2007/08 campaign was one of the greatest teams to grace the pitch in recent times. They ended the season with the Premier League title and Champions League trophy.

One of the top reasons why this team was so successful was because of the individuals that made up the team. One of those individuals you might’ve heard of was Cristiano Ronaldo, the best player in the world. *Messi fans getting ready to fight me*, alright alright I’ll take it back, ONE of the best players in the world.

But football is a team game and you can’t just rely on individuals. Sir Alex Ferguson, the greatest manager of all time (this statement I won’t take back) built a solid team where team members complemented each other well.

You could describe the team as a counter-attacking side. This means they usually sat back and let the opposition have the ball. They could do this because they were solid as a unit, they had a good team shape. Each individual had good positional awareness, where to be on the pitch.  

In addition, the trio of Ronaldo, Rooney and Tevez had terrifying pace which was fully utilized in counter attacks. Oh and they had excellent chemistry on the pitch, check out the goal below where all three of the attackers were involved.

The Back Line

The players who had the most appearances in defence were: 

Being able to field the same back line on a consistent basis was key to the success of the team. In addition, each individual on the list above had bags of experience. This back line worked well together which is highlighted by only conceding 28 goals in the 51 games that season.

Edwin Van Der Sar saved the penalty that won Manchester United their 3rd Champions League trophy on 21 May 2008 at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.  

The Midfield Duo

Sir Alex often opted for a midfield two consisting of Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick. He also utilized Owen Hargreaves in big games to add an extra body in the midfield.

The Scholes and Carrick partnership was vital to the way United set up. Carrick’s role was to protect the back four and find Scholes who would carry the ball into space or launch counter attacks with his extraordinary range of passing.  

Scholes scored the only goal in a two leg tie against Barcelona which sent United to the Champions League final. WHAT A HIT! 

The Front Three 

The 3 main attackers that made up the team were Ronaldo, Rooney and Tevez. They scored 74% of United’s goal’s that season and registered 40% of their assists (Premier League and Champions League competitions).  

Manchester United goalscorers in the Premier League and Champions League season 2007/08

Sir Alex could sit back and enjoy the talents of this front three. He allowed them freedom on the pitch which led to the free-flowing football that season. Another key factor was the adaptability of these three players. This was key in dismantling defences. They often changed positions with each other causing the opposition defences havoc. In the big games, Ronaldo played upfront with Rooney and Tevez supporting him from behind. This worked wonders because of the work ethic Rooney and Tevez had and the goal scoring abilities of Ronaldo.

Ronaldo, Rooney and Tevez scored 79 goals in all competitions that season. Here enjoy this bad quality but stunning goals compilation.

This Manchester United team definitely needs to be mentioned when talking about the greatest Premier League teams ever. I believe that is the best Manchester United team ever. What do you think?

References

2007-2008 Manchester United Stats. https://fbref.com/en/squads/19538871/2007-2008/Manchester-United.

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Comes back from an injury after a year out. Scores within 10 seconds of his introduction. MARCO ASENSIO! 👏👏👏👏

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Beautiful Moments from The Beautiful Game

Did you know that during the first world war English and German soldiers called for a truce and played a friendly game of football? Don’t believe me? Click here. In the article it says, “this confirms the universal appeal of football and its ability to transcend bitter rivalries and even war.” Couldn’t have said it better myself. Welcome to The Beautiful Game Blog where we will discuss all things football.

In my first written post I will share 3 moments that showcase why so many call football the beautiful game.  

1. "Here's Hogg.. DEENEY!" | Watford vs Leicester City | 12 May 2013

Alright, let me set the scene. This is the second match between the two and whoever wins this goes on to the Championship playoff final for a chance to play in the Premier League (top level of English football). Watford are leading 2-1 but are tied 2-2 on aggregate meaning Leicester will go through due to the away goals rule.    

WOW... When Leicester get the penalty, you think they will cement their place in the final. But it just takes a few seconds for all that to go out the window. It took 22 seconds from the penalty to the goal in the other end. Just 22 seconds..

In my opinion, Knockaert went down easily, he didn’t deserve that penalty, but the football Gods did their thing. Credit to Watford, they reacted quick, pushed numbers forward and got their reward.

Credit will usually go to the goal scorer but let’s give credit to Anya (number 21). After the goalkeeper makes a double save and the defender clears the ball high up in the air, watch how Anya keeps his eyes on the ball and brilliantly brings it down (I’m a sucker for brilliant first touches). Anya also does well to drive forward and pick out a pass to the far right of the pitch. Watch the video again from 2:00 - 2:15.

I also love how the Watford head coach goes from angry to ecstatic. 

2. AGUERROOOOO | Manchester City vs QPR | 13 May 2012

Okay this one hurts, as a Manchester United fan it really hurts. This was the last game of the season, the premier league title would be decided on the last day. Man City played QPR and Man United played Sunderland. The title was in Man City’s hands, All they had to do was win. I had no hopes going into this match cause they’ll easily win right? It was against one of the weaker teams of that season and City had a good campaign (I mean they were challenging for the title). But, they gave us hope. City were 1-2 down in the 90th minute…  

Skip to 17:08 for Dzeko’s goal  19:08 for Aguero’s goal

When Dzeko headed it in to make it 2-2 you still have some hope left but Aguero rises to break the hearts of Manchester United fans. What a player Aguero is, the composure to take a touch to get away from the defender and finish under immense pressure. 

No denying that this was a beautiful moment, look at those celebrations. Man City went on to win the premier league for the first time ever and what a way to win it!

3. “SOLSKJÆR HAS WON IT” | Manchester United vs Bayern Munich |  26 May 1999  

No I’m not jealous of City’s last minute winner that won them the title. Manchester United are known to be the kings of comebacks. It is in their DNA to never give up. In 1999 Manchester United faced Bayern Munich in the Champions League final. Okay maybe I’m a little jealous that City’s comeback was more recent, I was only 2 when this game was being played however just watching replays gives me goosebumps. 

The Champions League is battled amongst Europe’s best teams, it is the most prestigious trophy a club in Europe could win.  Manchester United had already secured 2 trophies from their domestic competitions (Premier League and FA Cup). Winning this final would make it a treble of trophies that season. This is a very rare feat achieved only by 7 teams since 1967.

United went 1-0 down early on and failed to make a real impact on the game. Bayern were the dominant team and had two attempts that hit the crossbar and post. 90 minutes in, still trailing, United get a corner, up steps David Beckham. “Can Manchester United score?”

“They always score”. They went onto score both goals in 90 minutes to win the game in normal time. What a moment. I hope to experience a football game like that one day. The commentary is also legendary, “BECKHAM INTO SHERINGHAM AND SOLSKJÆR HAS WON IT!!!” I’ll never get tired of hearing that. 

Side story: Solskjær, the player who scored the winner is the current head coach of Manchester United. What a story it would be if he goes on to be a successful manager for the club. 

Three beautiful moments. Share your top moments that have happened in this beautiful game. 

Thanks for reading, see you next time. 

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Messi is the only player to score 20+ goals in 12 consecutive La Liga seasons  (ESPN) Mallorca 0 - 4 Barcelona 

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<3  

jadon sancho

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great goal!

Dortmund vs. Bayern | Joshua Kimmich 43’ May 27th 2020