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Match Focus: Debuchy & Santon Crucial In Newcastle's Win Over United

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Match Focus: Debuchy & Santon Crucial In Newcastle's Win Over United Prior to the weekend, the last time Newcastle United won a league game at Old Trafford, the mobile phone had yet to be invented, the Sydney Opera House was over 18 months away from completion and it would be over 5 years before current Tottenham head coach André Villas-Boas was born. The Magp...

Player Focus: Ricardo Rodríguez Emerging as Europe's Best Left-Back

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Player Focus: Ricardo Rodríguez Emerging as Europe's Best Left-Back World class left-backs are a rarity in the modern game. Roberto Carlos set a benchmark for the marauding full-back during his playing career but other than Ashley Cole in his prime, it’s difficult to pinpoint a standout player in the position. In the Bundesliga however, two have been winning t...

Player Focus: November Stats Roundup

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Player Focus: November Stats Roundup November was a memorable month for highly rated Germany youngster Julian Draxler. The Schalke midfielder has been strongly linked with a move to Premier League table toppers Arsenal recently and the Gunners faithful will have been left salivating over his Bundesliga displays in the last month, in wh...

Match Report: Shaw Impressive Despite Saints' Loss To Chelsea

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Match Report: Shaw Impressive Despite Saints' Loss To Chelsea “No. No. I don't want Portuguese players. I always had them but, at this moment, it's enough,” Chelsea manager José Mourinho said when asked if he's keen on signing Fabio Coentrão in January. The duo worked together at Real Madrid and the left-back has been linked with a mo...

Player Focus: James Ward-Prowse - Prodigious Youngster to Saints Starter

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Player Focus: James Ward-Prowse - Prodigious Youngster to Saints Starter Southampton have made a habit of producing talented youngsters. From Matthew Le Tissier in the mid-80’s to the likes of Theo Walcott, Gareth Bale and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in the modern day, the quality has been of an exceptional level at the south coast club.What is more, at present, Saints...

Team Focus: Simeone's Atlético Madrid Mirroring His Playing Style

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Team Focus: Simeone's Atlético Madrid Mirroring His Playing Style As Diego Simeone was thrust into the air by his players at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu following Atlético Madrid’s 2-1 Copa Del Rey win over rivals Real Madrid last May, it marked a remarkable turn in fortunes for Los Rojiblancos. Neutrals would never have expected the side to build o...

Team Focus: Inexperienced Hoffenheim - Europe's Most Exciting Team

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Team Focus: Inexperienced Hoffenheim - Europe's Most Exciting Team In the 108 Bundesliga games so far this season, there have been only two 0-0 draws. If the neutral football fan was to follow a league on entertainment value alone, Germany’s top tier would be it. With a total of 348 goals scored over those games, an average of 3.2 goals per game reinforces th...

Team Focus: Not at the World Cup XI

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Team Focus: Not at the World Cup XI Whether a nation failed to navigate their way past the group stage or saw their dreams of international glory dashed through the medium of a playoff, missing out on the opportunity of performing at the World Cup is always a tough pill to swallow. Bar a minor miracle in Montevideo that would see Urug...

Player Focus: Leroy Fer - Norwich's Most Important Player

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Player Focus: Leroy Fer - Norwich's Most Important Player “I pulled his shirt a little bit. Just a little bit. It happened,” admitted Leroy Fer following Norwich City’s 1-0 win over Stoke City in September. The Dutchman, a summer arrival at Carrow Road, had hauled Potters frontman Kenwyne Jones to the ground with Stoke understandably aggr...

Player Focus: Winston Reid's Injury a Real Hammer Blow

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Player Focus: Winston Reid's Injury a Real Hammer Blow New Zealand'sWorld Cup dreams were left in tatters last week after theyfell to a disheartening 5-1 defeat to Mexico. Their Central American counterparts showed up the All Whites in the first leg of their Brazil 2014 playoff, with New Zealandforced to partake in the fixture without captain Winston Re...