Premier League

Everton v Liverpool – A Statistical Preview

Liverpool head into the Merseyside derby on the back of a highly impressive 3-0 win in midweek. Admittedly Middlesbrough weren’t the toughest opposition Jurgen Klopp and his men will face this season, but the ruthless and stylish manner of their win will not have gone unnoticed amongst their title rivals. Everton have made a habit...

Tactical Analysis – Liverpool’s Overloads too Much for Middlesbrough to Handle

Liverpool fans represent both the best and worst of the club. In terms of backing and loving their club there is no better in World football, in terms of overreacting to a loss or setback there can be no worse. Losing a commanding lead at Bournemouth and coming away with a 4-3 loss was of...

Nathaniel Clyne: Do Liverpool Need More From The Reds’ Mr Consistent?

Make no bones about it, Nathaniel Clyne has been one of Liverpool’s best signings of this decade. He may even be one of their best since the turn of the century, when you weigh up how hit-and-miss the Reds have been in the transfer market. Clyne has been hugely dependable ever since joining from Southampton...

Decisive December? – Crucial Month for Liverpool’s Season

Everyone always says that nothing is won in December, and they'd be absolutely right, but things can certainly be lost over the busy Christmas period. Between now and the FA Cup Third Round on the first weekend in the New Year, the Reds will play six matches - including the visit of West Ham...

Liverpool vs West Ham Preview: Can Reds Bounce Back Against Hapless Hammers?

Liverpool entertain West Ham United on Sunday in a bid to haul themselves back towards the top of the Premier League table, having lost ground on Chelsea last weekend. Having not beaten the Hammers in any of the four previous meetings between the two teams, Liverpool fans will have some understandable nerves heading into the...

Do Liverpool Really Need to Strengthen Their Defence in January?

After the capitulation at Bournemouth, questions marks once again hang over the Liverpool defence. Will that area of the team once again be the reason the Reds can't sustain a title challenge? Is it a personnel problem or just a systematic issue that needs time to be ironed out? Was it simply just one of...

Liverpool Now Have Little Room For Error In Title Race

Jurgen Klopp has made a point of stressing that Premier League titles are not won or lost in December. So much of what the German says hits the nail on the head more than most managers in world football, but he is only half right here. The 49-year-old is spot on about the league being impossible...

Liverpool – A Squad in Crisis?

A mere few weeks ago Liverpool were well and truly flying, yet a flurry of injuries, including one to Phillipe Coutinho, suddenly dampened the mood around Anfield, and the recent humiliating defeat to Bournemouth only sought to worsen the atmosphere surrounding Liverpool FC. But with the January transfer window approaching, and with Mané soon...

Where Data Meet Tactics: Ball Retention and Loss of Possession

These words were written to accompany the following graphic, and provide further context to the data. https://twitter.com/AIUnderPressure/status/804631753591816192 Working Out The first important piece of context regarding this graphic is that it’s not based on passes. It’s based on losses of possession due to a poor touch or an unsuccessful dribble. The numbers were calculated by dividing losses of...

Bournemouth vs Liverpool Preview | Klopp Hoping For a Bite of the Cherries

Liverpool start a busy December month with an away trip to AFC Bournemouth on Sunday, a game which could present Jürgen Klopp's men with a chance to return to the top of the table. The Reds are set to play six fixtures over the festive period, culminating with the big game against Manchester City on...