brian mcdonnell

Erling Haaland in unstoppable form — but are Man City too reliant on him? Pep Guardiola has altered his tactics to make star striker Manchester City’s focal point to devastating effect, but going all-in on the Norwegian is a big risk

What happens if Erling Haaland stops scoring for Manchester City? (analysis via @hkhaliqueloonat.bsky.social for @thetimes.com)
www.thetimes.com/sport/footba...

Football Manager 26: 10 FM26 Challenges That Will Consume Your Life | Opta Analyst Football Manager has returned. With FM26 Beta now out, we've identified 10 challenges that'll make leaving the house a thing of the past.

Football Manager is back and @rbenson92.bsky.social has identified ten FM26 Challenges to consume your life (for @optaanalyst.optajoe.com)
theanalyst.com/articles/foo...

After 40 years of Old Firm Dominance, Could Tony Bloom’s Analytical Revolution at Hearts Smash Scotland's Duopoly? | Opta Analyst Backed by Tony Bloom's analytics and clever player recruitment, could Hearts keep up their form and change the landscape of Scottish club football?

Backed by Tony Bloom’s analytics and clever player recruitment, could the Edinburgh club change the landscape of Scottish football? (analysis via @mattfurniss.bsky.social for @optaanalyst.optajoe.com)
theanalyst.com/articles/hea...

How are a small club from a fishing village about to win the Swedish title? "If you look at the underlying numbers, Mjallby have been overperforming quite a lot."

Five more points will bring Mjällby their highest points total in Allsvenskan history - if the champions-elect break that record, it’s because Mjällby appear to have broken expected goals - analysis via @zonal-marking.bsky.social for @theathleticfc.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/672...

Inside Spanish Football's Most Innovative Project — Led by a Former NBA Number Cruncher | Opta Analyst Haralabos Voulgaris bought Castellón after leaving the Dallas Mavericks and is slowly building a culture of data-driven decision-making.

Haralabos Voulgaris bought Spanish second division side Castellón after leaving the NBA and Dallas Mavericks. Now, he is slowly building a culture of data-driven decision-making (interview via @robbiejdunne.bsky.social for @optaanalyst.optajoe.com)
theanalyst.com/articles/har...

Brighton owner Tony Bloom on the future of the Premier League and how his club will adapt to it Bloom shares his views on football governance, the increasing American influence, and the possibility of league games being played overseas

“The amount of money that some clubs are willing to lose season upon season makes no sense to me” - Brighton owner Tony Bloom on the future of the Premier League & how his club will adapt (interview via @andynaylorbrighton.bsky.social for @theathleticfc.bsky.social)
www.nytimes.com/athletic/669...

Can Premier League’s silent decision-makers learn from Bundesliga sporting directors? The Premier League is a source of absolute fascination - and yet those who make the calls which determine a club’s direction rarely speak

Here, @sebsb.bsky.social questions the oddity of the situation in England and in many other European leagues whereby the coach is never without a microphone in their face while the sporting directors rarely see one at all (for @theathleticfc.bsky.social)
www.nytimes.com/athletic/669...

What every top Premier League star now wants: a private skills coach From Noni Madueke to Antoine Semenyo, top players are putting in extra work with one-to-one specialists  — sometimes you may even see them at your local park

From Noni Madueke to Antoine Semenyo, top Premier League players are putting in the extra work with one-to-one specialists (story via @tomallnutt.bsky.social for @thetimes.com)
www.thetimes.com/sport/footba...

Ball in Play: Are We Seeing Less Football in the Premier League This Season? | Opta Analyst Are we seeing less of the ball in play in the Premier League this season? We look at all the Opta data to find out.

With set-pieces and throw-ins increasing this season, are we seeing less of the ball in play in the Premier League? Here, @davidsegar.bsky.social digs into the data to find out (via @optaanalyst.optajoe.com)
theanalyst.com/articles/pre...

England are building a team, not just picking their best players — and it seems to be working

England’s performance was a reminder that a team’s optimal performances are often decided by playing the best 11 rather than their 11 best (via @markcarey93.bsky.social for @theathleticfc.bsky.social)
www.nytimes.com/athletic/670...

Youth, Team Spirit and ‘Suffering’: How High-Flying Sunderland Are Defying Fate as a Promoted Side | Opta Analyst Sunderland are flying high in the Premier League following their promotion. We look at the numbers behind their impressive start to the season

Sunderland are fifth in the Premier League following their promotion. Here, @alitweedale.bsky.social takes a look at the numbers behind their impressive start to life back in the big time (for @optaanalyst.optajoe.com)
theanalyst.com/articles/sun...

‘Tech without compassion is brittle,’ says Irish ambassador for Women in AI Naomh McElhatton discusses the responsibility she feels towards promoting women in STEM and her fears for the misuse of AI.

Naomh McElhatton discusses being a voice for women in the technology sector and the responsibility she feels to steer progress.

Pressing, Defending With the Ball and Control Over Chaos: How Xabi Alonso is Rebuilding Real Madrid | Opta Analyst Xabi Alonso’s Real Madrid are pressing higher, defending with the ball, and thriving with Álvaro Carreras and Kylian Mbappé.

Excellent analysis from @robbiejdunne.bsky.social on what Xabi Alonso has already achieved in his rebuild of Real Madrid for @optaanalyst.optajoe.com
theanalyst.com/articles/rea...

Crystal Palace's 17-Game Unbeaten Run Might Only Be the Start | Opta Analyst Crystal Palace are on the verge of equalling the longest unbeaten run in their history, but the data suggests things could get even better for them.

Crystal Palace are on the verge of equaling the longest unbeaten run in their history, but the data suggests things could get even better for them (analysis via @alitweedale.bsky.social for @optaanalyst.optajoe.com)
theanalyst.com/articles/cry...

Nuno Espírito Santo Sacked: Why Nottingham Forest's Best Manager in a Generation Will Take Some Following | Opta Analyst Nottingham Forest have sacked head coach Nuno Espírito Santo. We look over his time at the City Ground following a decision that has raised eyebrows.

Over the last 38 games, only Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Man City have earned more points than Nottingham Forest - please read @davidsegar.bsky.social’s analysis of Nuno Espírito Santo’s Premier League record as Forest manager (for @optaanalyst.optajoe.com)
theanalyst.com/articles/nun...

The rise of the individual striker coach: 'It's about maximising potential and marginal gains'

This is good from @markcarey93.bsky.social on the rise of individual player coaching in the Premier League (for @theathleticfc.bsky.social)
www.nytimes.com/athletic/656...

From Ederson to Gianluigi Donnarumma: Pep Guardiola's Choice Shows Role of Goalkeeper is Changing Again | Opta Analyst Pep Guardiola and Ederson revolutionised the role of the goalkeeper in the Premier League, so is Manchester City signing Gianluigi Donnarumma a sign of things to come?

Pep Guardiola and Ederson revolutionized what is expected of goalkeepers in the Premier League, so is Manchester City's signing of Gianluigi Donnarumma a sign of things to come? (analysis via @alitweedale.bsky.social for @optaanalyst.optajoe.com)
theanalyst.com/articles/gia...

U.S. Soccer has a new vision for youth development. Implementation is ‘an astronomical ask’

This is a terrific read from @henrybushnell.bsky.social on Matt Crocker’s vision for youth development in the United States and his plan to realize that vision (for @theathleticfc.bsky.social)
www.nytimes.com/athletic/658...

Evolution not revolution: The impact of squad churn on Premier League performance A fascination with player trading is understandable – but it is no guarantee of success

Excellent analysis from @conor-oneill.bsky.social for @theathleticfc.bsky.social on the impact that "squad churn" has and can have on team performance in the Premier League
www.nytimes.com/athletic/658...

Farewell to Ederson, pass-master goalkeeper who changed the modern game Ederson leaves English football as understated cornerstone of Pep Guardiola’s dynasty and a pioneer who transformed his position for a generation at Man City

“Ederson changed what teams expected of their goalkeepers, and perhaps even what ’keepers expected of themselves” - analysis via @jamesgheerbrant.bsky.social for @thetimes.com

www.thetimes.com/sport/footba...

The 'slow death' of Vitesse Arnhem. Can the club once known as Chelsea B be saved?

Vitesse Arnhem have been kicked out of the Dutch league, the season rolls on without a club older than Ajax, Feyenoord and PSV - story via @dtathletic.bsky.social for @theathleticfc.bsky.social
www.nytimes.com/athletic/659...

Sports D3c0d3d Helping you d3c0d3 your path into SportsTech - monthly digest of Irish opportunities, innovations, and insider knowledge for sports technology professionals

1. I am excited to launch Sports D3c0d3d with Iddo Diamant - a monthly newsletter focused on career development and talent advancement for Irish and European SportsTech professionals.

sportsd3c0d3d.beehiiv.com

I'm Dan, an illustrator & motion designer

Here's a showreel of some recent client work

danleydon.com

Cutting-edge data meets archaic stadium: Man United face perils of Grimsby League Two club’s old ground, Blundell Park, and mastery of modern analytics will present Ruben Amorim’s players with a unique test in Carabao Cup on Wednesday

@grimsbytown.bsky.social are partnered with Jamestown Analytics (an offshoot of Starlizard & the hand behind Brighton’s recruitment) - Tony Bloom was impressed by Jason Stockwood and Andrew Pettit’s vision for the club (story via Gregor Robertson for @thetimes.com).
www.thetimes.com/sport/footba...

Does Coventry 7 (xG 1.27) QPR 1 (0.61) prove expected goals is broken? The Championship club's remarkable overperformance on Saturday raised questions about the xG model

Excellent analysis from @conor-oneill.bsky.social - because Coventry scored seven goals against QPR from a total xG value of just 1.27 does not mean that an xG model is broken (for @theathleticfc.bsky.social) www.nytimes.com/athletic/657...

The data that convinced Liverpool to sign Hugo Ekitike Club’s research and modelling, which believes the metric xG is flawed, placed Frenchman among top young talents in Europe — and he has hit ground running at Anfield

Liverpool’s research and modelling led them to Hugo Ekitike despite the Frenchman significantly under-performing his xG last season (report via @pjoyce1.bsky.social for @thetimes.com)
www.thetimes.com/sport/footba...

Arsenal Need to Rediscover Home Comforts to Succeed in 2025-26 | Opta Analyst If Arsenal are to end a 22-year wait without a Premier League title, they'll need to improve their home form at the Emirates Stadium in 2025-26.

Arsenal dropped points in eight of their 19 Premier League home games in 2024-25 - improvement required if Arteta hopes to get his side over the line (analysis via @orbinho.bsky.social for @optaanalyst.optajoe.com)
theanalyst.com/articles/ars...

New season, new reminder that you can follow a bunch of smart soccer people here

Wombling free: a fan’s journey from despising football to gaining a superpower Michael Roberts loathed the beautiful game 10 years ago but a move to London and a visit to see AFC Wimbledon changed everything

Here, the @theguardian.com's Michael Roberts tells his story about how a trip to watch the Dons at Plough Lane helped him to fall back in love with the beautiful game @afcwimbledon1889.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/football/202...

Johnny Cardoso: The Defensive Midfielder Diego Simeone Has Spent Five Years Searching For | Opta Analyst Johnny Cardoso fills a spot in defensive midfield that Diego Simeone has been trying to solve for five years.

Johnny Cardoso isn’t the kind of player you build a strategy around, but without someone like him, your options start to narrow fast - here is @robbiejdunne.bsky.social on the player Diego Simeone has been waiting for (for @optaanalyst.optajoe.com)
theanalyst.com/articles/joh...