Yu Miyagawa - Soccer Analysis

Eden Hazard Fades Into The Distance

by Yu Miyagawa

Oct 20, 2023 2:59 PM

The casualness was part of Eden Hazard's brilliance. Plus, we never saw him have to readapt his game as he aged. In a roundabout way, never seeing Hazard fade away in smaller leagues is its own sort of immortality. Read more »

Tags: Belgium, Chelsea, Lille, Real Madrid

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Jurgen Klopp Constructs A Second Liverpool Era With Cody Gakpo

by Yu Miyagawa

Jan 4, 2023 3:40 PM

There is a unity between Jurgen Klopp’s philosophy of pressure and his ability to shape raw material, to turn the potential of Cody Gakpo into something tangible and match-winning at a Premier League and Champions League level. Read more »

Tags: Liverpool, PSV Eindhoven

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Poets, Heavy Metal & Suffering: The Journey To Find A Different Way

by Yu Miyagawa

Jul 9, 2021 3:51 PM

There is always a search for a new way, new ideas to reconcile Platonic playing ideals with the pragmatism of an everyday budget. The compromise leads to a larger discussion of what football actually means. Read more »

Tags: Atletico Madrid, RB Leipzig, IQ

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Kylian Mbappe Enters His Redemption Arc

by Yu Miyagawa

Going through a penalty miss trauma in front of the world is part of a soccer hero's journey. We always knew Kylian Mbappe was world class, but now he has a familiar narrative that invites us along with him. Read more »
Spain Fill Sergio Ramos' Absence With Missed Penalties, Goals

by Yu Miyagawa

As Spain struggled for goals and a definitive penalty taker through the group stages, Sergio Ramos was giving his final goodbye at Real Madrid as he was also left off the Euro roster. Read more »
Italy & Roberto Mancini Reap The Rewards Of Modern Serie A

by Yu Miyagawa

Roberto Mancini reaping the benefits of Serie A's emphasis towards versatile, direct players adds another wrinkle to what a national team should represent. Read more »
Portrait Of A Manager Over 15 Years: Joachim Low's Final Tournament

by Yu Miyagawa

Joachim Low's character arc, from World Cup winner to wanderer, is portrayed as a tragedy. There are even questions as to whether 2014 was a byproduct of a country-wide development program as widely venerated throughout the football world, or just a lucky Golden Age of players. Read more »
Luis Campos, Christophe Galtier, And Lille Paint Another Masterpiece

by Yu Miyagawa

The constraints of the modern game make it almost impossible for midtable sides to build long-lasting dynasties. But Lille present a blueprint for what can happen when smart player recruitment and a manager ready to take the next step peak together for one season. Read more »
Pep Guardiola Vs. Thomas Tuchel: A UCL Final Years In The Making

by Yu Miyagawa

Tactically, this Champions League Final represents a reunion of a mid-2010s philosophy, which is even more poignant now considering how far we are from that style. Read more »
With Or Without Lionel Messi, Barcelona Embark On A New Era

by Yu Miyagawa

All beginnings need to start somewhere. A new era of Barcelona was overdue whether it was structured by Laporta, forced by debt, and with or without Messi. Read more »
Roma Aim For Realism Under Jose Mourinho

by Yu Miyagawa

Jose Mourinho's personality, the mind games and doublespeak, are now features. His understanding of the pushes, pulls, and politics may end up setting Roma free. Read more »
Inter & Antonio Conte's Modern, Rehearsed Football Unlock Serie A

by Yu Miyagawa

There are openings for challengers to become the incumbent, however scarce. All you need is Antonio Conte to transform a vulnerable moment into its own dominant era. Read more »
Graham Potter, The Limitations Of Expected Goals, The Brighton Paradox

by Yu Miyagawa

Brighton's gap between xG and goals isn't an outcome of luck, but rather of design. And with such a difference between underlying analytics and table place, who is Graham Potter performing for exactly? Read more »
Future Fans, Legacy Supporters, An Eventual Return To The Status Quo

by Yu Miyagawa

In an age of hyperbole, we immediately recognized the significance of the potential Super League. But the day of truth was still surreal even considering the years of rumors that prepared our reactions for when theory turned reality. Read more »
Building A Modern Club From Scratch, Part 3: Austin FC

by Yu Miyagawa

In MLS terms, Austin is firmly in the "move the needle" group based on being the first major sports team in a city that has been part of the national story for decades, whose relevance will only increase throughout the technological age. Read more »
West Ham's Pressing Antidote: Moyes Builds A Brutal, Efficient Squad

by Yu Miyagawa

West Ham have built an efficient roster in their own way. The emphasis isn't running or pressures, but in winning aerial battles, intercepting passes, and controlling the uncontrollable elements that define the Premier League. Read more »
Spain & Luis Enrique Turn To New Pipelines During La Liga's Struggles

by Yu Miyagawa

In examining the relationship between a domestic league and its national team, you could even argue an inverse strength with exported players able to bring back different experiences to international play. Read more »
Chris Wilder, Sheffield United & The Paradox Of Second Season Success

by Yu Miyagawa

It's not the results that ruin seasons from the inside out, but the attempt to keep up within the trappings of billion-dollar television deals and European places. Chris Wilder and United lost their way in the transfer market, then lost each other altogether. Read more »
Theory Meets Reality: Andrea Pirlo Takes On The Ronaldo Challenge

by Yu Miyagawa

It is very much too early to deliver a final verdict on Andrea Pirlo's career, but Juventus as any manager's first job is almost set up to fail by expectations and scale alone. Read more »
Gerrard, Henry & The Burden Of Superstars Becoming Managers

by Yu Miyagawa

While Thierry Henry has had a pair of short managerial stints, his fellow Premier League legend, Steven Gerrard, has helped complete a turnaround for Rangers. Read more »

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