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Rating Chelsea’s Season so far
As the defending UEFA Champions League title holders, Chelsea had big goals for this season. However, not all things that were dreamed of have come to pass as we look over their season thus far to see if they have overachieved, achieved, or underachieved this season. The main criteria used for their ratings will be simple, [...]
Ranking the Top 10 Left Backs in World Football
Left back is a position that has been in high demand in recent years because there just isn’t much depth at the position across world football. Paolo Maldini, Roberto Carlos, Nilton Santos and Giacinto Facchetti represent some of the best left-backs of all time and all of them typified the characteristics necessary to excel at [...]
Arsenal: Five Players Arsene Wenger Could Have Signed in January
After 31 days of transfer speculation, February has arrived and the transfer window has slammed shut – at least until the end of the season. Last minute deals were sought, much needed replacements were brought in, while other protracted deals fell by the wayside and never materialized. The total spending of Premier League clubs came [...]
Manchester United Tactical Analysis: Understanding the Red Devils 4-4-2
Not only is he the most illustrious manager in the history of British football, Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson can be described as one of the most loyal disciples of the traditional attacking form of play. Since taking over the managerial reins at Old Trafford, the Scot has been a fundamental advocate of the [...]
Arsenal FC: 10 Defensive Midfielders That Would Suit the Gunners in January
In the first half of the Premier League season, It has been evident how badly Arsenal miss Alex Song following his summer departure to Barcelona. The ability to break down opposing play, protect the back-line and launch attacks with accurate passing to other creators were always his specialties, and now the club have been left with [...]
Olympics 2012 Football: Roundup of the Men’s Tournament so Far
Two-thirds of the way through the group stages of the Men’s Olympic Football tournament in London 2012, clear favourites are starting to emerge who might have a real shot at gold in the competition. For the final round of matches, beginning 1st August, Japan and Brazil go into the games safe in the knowledge that [...]
The Juventus’ Striker Conundrum
Nearly all the pieces are in place for defending Serie A champions Juventus. The stellar midfield of Claudio Marchisio, Arturo Vidal and Andrea Pirlo has been reinforced with Udinese’s Ghanaian international central midfielder Kwadwo Asamoah and versatile Chilean Mauricio Isla. Brazilian center-back Lúcio was signed on a free transfer from bitter rivals Inter Milan and [...]
Inter Defeat Rivals Juventus and AC Milan in Trofeo TIM
Trofeo TIM is an off-season competition where three of the biggest clubs in Italy face off in a warm up for next season. The competition generally doesn’t feature the clubs’ first XI, however it’s a nice way for fans to see some of the best and brightest of the aforementioned clubs boast. The format of [...]
Latest on La Liga transfers: Modric to Madrid likely
The transfer window in Spain has been busy recently, and defending champion Real Madrid will likely make its biggest signing of the summer this week in Tottenham midfielder Luka Modric. The Croatian did not travel with Tottenham to its preseason tour in America, and Rafael van der Vaart said he expects the deal to be [...]
Has Roma’s Revolution Come Full Circle?
Associazione Sportiva Roma, based in Italy’s capital city, is undergoing a revolution of sorts. Taken over in April of 2011 by a consortium led by Thomas R. DiBenedetto (whose Fenway Sports Group owns the MLB’s Boston Red Sox and EPL side Liverpool FC), Roma has since begun a major overhaul. Selling stalwarts Philippe Mexés, Mirko [...]
SWOL welcomes Peter Lowry and “The Lowry Lowdown”
As part of SWOL’s initiative to keep bringing fans everywhere some of the best content from experienced writers and players alike, we are happy to announce our latest addition to our content team: Peter Lowry. After spending three years playing college soccer at Santa Clara, Peter was drafted by the Chicago Fire of Major League [...]
Matthias Sammer: The new man at Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich shocked many on Monday, when one day before opening preseason they dismissed sporting director Christian Nerlinger and replaced him with Matthias Sammer. Both President Uli Hoeness and Chairman Karl Heinz Rummenigge, the two most powerful men at the club, said a change was necessary for Bayern to achieve consistency. Nerlinger was seen as [...]
Edinson Cavani: The New Hernán Crespo?
In July of 2000, a little-known 25-year-old Argentine striker named Hernán Crespo shocked the world and became a household name when S.S. Lazio brought him to Rome for a then-world record £35 million transfer fee (£16m in cash plus Matías Almeyda and Sérgio Conceição worth £19m). Previously, Crespo had spent 4 years plying his trade for F.C. Parma, managing 116 appearances [...]
Ballers and Their Cars: Samuel Eto’o
Samuel Eto’o plays his football in bitter cold Russia, but Paris is where he drives his Bugatti Veyron. There is no better place to show off than Paris, and Monsieur Eto’o knows this. With a price tag of $2MM USD, it is safe to say there are not many athletes in the world in the [...]
Germany v Greece Euro2012 - SWOcial Highlights
[View the story "Germany v Greece - Euro2012 SWOcial Highlights" on Storify]
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