After a World Cup’s worth of transfer speculation, Manchester United chief executive Ed Woodward typically felt the need to offer some headline-creating words of his own. “Our financial position allows us to do things in the transfer market that most other clubs cannot do,” he said last week. It was quite a statement, especially […]

José Mourinho: the great manipulator faces his toughest test
There is a chance that, by the close of play against Manchester City, José Mourinho may be reminded about the scathing words he reserved for West Ham’s conservatism at Chelsea last week. His own tactics hardly bordered on the adventurous at Manchester United and Arsenal earlier in the season, and when it comes to parking the bus it could be […]

Mata swoop belies transfer window marked by restraint
… As most of this final day broke little more dramatic news than Dimitar Berbatov’s fitting farewell from Fulham for sunny Monaco, it left this January’s dominant news as it was last week, at another of Berbatov’s former clubs, Manchester United. When the flurry of deals have cleared at clubs like Cardiff City, securing Wilfried Zaha […]

4-4-2 is becoming trendy again
…When Barcelona were Europe’s dominant force between 2009 and 2011, for example, it was extremely difficult to tell whether strategy would move in the first respect (further evolution) or the second respect (a shift toward an opposing style of play). In the end, Bayern’s success last year probably represented a hybrid of the two: They […]

Let’s give United a second chance
Stop the season — United manager David Moyes wants a do-over. Think of all the pain and suffering this magnanimous idea would save. Plus, it would give Wayne Rooney’s head wound time to heal so that he doesn’t have to look so miserable wearing a fanny pack that is constantly slipping from his prodigious dome, much like […]

Zonal Marking: Manchester Derby
Zonal Marking takes a look a the tactical battle in the Manchester Derby. The key issue #1: Nasri’s narrowness … He did something pretty similar here, and in a match that wasn’t far off 4-4-2 against 4-4-2, he was the only player who varied his positioning to drag opponents around. His clever positioning was in stark […]

Preview: Man City vs Man Utd
TKTG brings together all the best articles from around the web for Sunday’s derby clash between Manchester City and Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium in the blue half of Manchester. Both new managers will be out to draw first blood between two rivals that will, without doubt, be fighting it out for the […]

Cost of Starting Eleven – Top 4
No analysis; just numbers. Make your own judgement. Ever wondered how much it costs for the starting XI of the top 4? Their subs bench and their reserves? How much your team needs to spend to win a league title? How far away Arsenal really are? How much have Chelsea spent? I have taken the […]

We want our Trophy back
Guest post by @afansopinion: a 25yr old Dad of 2 boys. Enjoy writing about various football topics when I have some free time. Non biased Villa fan. In love with Andi Weimann. I’m no expert, these are just my thoughts, just a fans opinion, on the latest goings on, in the sometimes, not so beautiful game. […]