Blog - Football Castle

March 31, 2020

Bolu Alabi-Hundeyin

Fantasy Premier League, Features, Player Analysis, Premier League

Ings or Calvert-Lewin? England’s most-improved striker

The 2019/2020 season began with many players harboring hopes of cementing or stealing a place in Euro 2020. As football is expected to serve its fair share of twists and turns, and up until the League’s suspension due to the Coronavirus outbreak, injuries to Harry Kane and Marcus Rashford, alongside Raheem Sterling’s struggles this season…

March 28, 2020

Bolu Alabi-Hundeyin

Features, La Liga, Tactical Analysis

Lopetegui on the path to redemption at Sevilla

It was a truly bizarre period, one for FIFA World Cup folklore for the coming years. Meanwhile, Julen Lopetegui is finally rebuilding his standing as one of Spain’s finest coaches at third-placed Sevilla. Having managed Spain’s youth teams and Porto. Lopetegui enjoyed a two-year spell as the Spanish national team boss, where he won 14…

March 18, 2020

Bolu Alabi-Hundeyin

Features, Premier League

Top Premier League games of the season

With the suspension of major leagues across Europe due to the coronavirus pandemic, leaving football junkies like myself with the need to depend on movies for daily entertainment. We cast our minds back on the suspended 2019/2020 season as Football Castle presents our Premier League games of the season so far. Southampton 0-9 Leicester. 25…

March 16, 2020

Bolu Alabi-Hundeyin

Features, Serie A, Tactical Analysis, UEFA Champions League

How Gasperini created Atalanta’s goal scoring machine

Gian Piero Gasperini and his Atalanta side have set tongues wagging with the Italian tactician’s unorthodox style producing goals aplenty this season. There are no surprises that Atalanta have been one of Europe’s most-entertaining sides in 2019/2020. With 87 goals in all competitions this season, scoring has been the least of Gasperini’s sides worries. La…

March 12, 2020

Bolu Alabi-Hundeyin

Features, Player Analysis, Tactical Analysis, UEFA Champions League

A tale of contrasting custodians

A tale of contrasting goalkeepers sealed a dramatic 3-2 second-leg win for Atlético Madrid against Liverpool, in the Champions League Round of 16. It is the last line of defence, and these days the starting point of the attack. The goalkeeper more often than not has the spotlight when things go bad, whilst also taking…

March 5, 2020

Bolu Alabi-Hundeyin

Features, Premier League

Premier League winter break: Klopp’s scourge, Guardiola’s Spur

Manchester City were in a miserable place in early February. The defeat to Spurs, which threatened to bring Liverpool’s title coronation earlier, was memorably confirmed by Steven Bergwijn’s debut goal. Pep Guardiola had honest talks with his players thereafter, then their winter break was extended by a postponed home fixture with West Ham due to…

March 2, 2020

Bolu Alabi-Hundeyin

Features, La Liga, Tactical Analysis

Behind Real Madrid’s El Clasico success

Real Madrid returned to the summit of La Liga with the 2-0 win in El Clásico that takes them one point ahead of fierce rivals, Barcelona. A pulsating end-to-end game between players who left everything on the pitch. It was undoubtedly the best Clásico since Cristiano Ronaldo left for Juventus in 2018, fittingly on the…

March 1, 2020

Bolu Alabi-Hundeyin

Features, Premier League, Tactical Analysis

Why Liverpool’s unbeaten streak came to an end

It was bound to happen at some point. Liverpool’s Unbeaten Premier League run ended with a 3-0 defeat to relegation-threatened Watford. As goals from Ismaïla Sarr and Troy Deeney ensured Jürgen Klopp’s men fell five games short of Arsenal’s 2004 ‘invincibles’ record of 49 Premier League games undefeated. A whole 422 days after their last…

February 21, 2020

Bolu Alabi-Hundeyin

Features, International Football

How ex-international is impacting the future of African football

It is well-known the huge abyss in football development in Africa between grassroots/amateur level and making it as a professional. The defunct system of football development at schools before subsequent scouting and proper coaching makes it an uphill battle to get a chance to become a Pro. The conveyor belt of talented players across Africa continues…

February 18, 2020

Bolu Alabi-Hundeyin

Features, Tactical Analysis, UEFA Champions League

Why Dortmund – PSG will be one of the games of the season

The very best of European football provides one of its classics with a potential game of the season, as Paris Saint Germain travel to face Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League Round of 16 first leg. This tie promises a showcase of breathtaking attacking football which sees Europe’s highest-scoring side (PSG) come up against joint-third….