Ahmed Walid

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Articles

How the Premier League fell in love with long throws again

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Ahmed Walid |Mark Carey

Football tactics have experienced a boom in recent years, but even the most progressive fan still loves to see their team 'stick it in the mixer'. In many ways, the football we watch has become increasingly cultured in the Premier League, but ask yourself this: who doesn't reminisce about Rory Delap's iconic long throw-ins for Stoke City in the late 2000s?
A data and tactical breakdown

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Mark Carey |Ahmed Walid

Sunday afternoon was a day reserved for jubilation. With Liverpool confirmed as Premier League champions, the outpouring of emotion from fans, players and coaching staff was a sight that will live long in the memory of all those associated with the club. A 5-1 procession against Tottenham Hotspur meant celebrations began long before the final whistle blew - inside and outside Anfield.
English football is besotted with second balls

2 months ago | nytimes.com | Mark Carey |Ahmed Walid

It is a staple of English football. Despite the progression in modern football tactics, it is remarkable how many managers point to a specific part of the game in their pre- and post-match interviews. "I thought, 'It's OK, second ball. OK. But really, you have to adapt to the second ball, and the third ball, and the fourth," said Guardiola in 2016. "I never before was focused on that, never. "Here, you have to control the second ball. Without that, you cannot survive.
How Bournemouth became the Premier League's best team to watch

Jan 31, 2025 | nytimes.com | Ahmed Walid |Liam Tharme

The Premier League 's broadcast partners certainly didn't as they made their five picks for live TV from the 10 matches in this latest round of fixtures. Sky Sports and their TNT counterparts choosing to leave the Vitality Stadium clash in the Saturday 3pm slot, behind English football's longstanding television 'blackout', means only viewers outside the UK will be able to (legally) watch what could be one of the matches of the season as it happens.
What Omar Marmoush brings to Manchester City: Lethal on the break, runs behind and a passing option

Jan 16, 2025 | nytimes.com | Ahmed Walid

Before Omar Marmoush was racking up goals and assists in the Bundesliga, he was figuring out how to use the washer-dryer and prepare his own meals. As an 18-year-old, the transition from Cairo, the vast capital of his homeland Egypt (population: 10million), to the small German city of Wolfsburg (pop: 125,000) wasn’t the smoothest.
Why Lisandro Martinez's new creative role was key to Manchester United beating City

Dec 16, 2024 | nytimes.com | Ahmed Walid

Just last week, Manchester United 's head coach Ruben Amorim said his centre-backs must be more aggressive on the ball when the opportunity arises. "We are in the beginning and the focus is don't lose the ball with sloppy passes, and they are trying to do that," said Amorim after United's 3-2 loss against Nottingham Forest. "They have to have more confidence - not just to take the ball, but also to put the ball between the lines.
Chelsea's wingers keep finding themselves in one-v-one situations

Dec 12, 2024 | nytimes.com | Ahmed Walid

A clear aspect of how Enzo Maresca wants Chelsea to play revolves around the use of his wingers. In the Premier League this season, Chelsea have mainly played in a 3-2-4-1 shape on the ball, with the widest players deployed as 'proper' wingers.
Explaining the principles that make Arteta's side so menacing

Dec 11, 2024 | nytimes.com | Ahmed Walid

In the Premier League 's recent set-piece boom, there have been two successful ways to approach corner kicks. The other, more complicated approach, is a variety of routines, which are chopped and changed from game to game - or even within the same match - to attack specific weaknesses in opponents and play to the strengths of the squad. When thinking about the latter, Arsenal are the team that immediately comes to mind.
How Brentford lost Ivan Toney but became more fun

Dec 4, 2024 | nytimes.com | Ahmed Walid

If you try to picture Brentford's style of play since their first Premier League season in 2021-22, specific images come to mind. Solid defensive organisation is one, man-to-man pressing and innovative set pieces are others, and that vision surely includes long balls to Ivan Toney. Their occasionally direct tactics were so successful that they overshadowed Brentford's attempts to play out from the back when the opportunity arose.
Remembering David de Gea's 2017 Emirates Stadium masterclass

Dec 3, 2024 | nytimes.com | Ahmed Walid

"Sometimes when you start a game with a good save, with a good feeling, you can feel that."That was David de Gea to MUTV seven years ago, on December 2, 2017, after producing one of the best goalkeeping displays in Premier League history when Manchester United beat Arsenal 3-1 at the Emirates, in a fixture they play again this week. De Gea felt unstoppable in north London that day, and his 14 saves remain a Premier League record since Opta started collecting this data in 2003-04.