Plugged out of the football matrix during my hols this week, but wrote a piece on managerial sackings. Ranked sackings based on how deserved they were, measured the new manager bounce, and showed why their employment is most shaky on Mondays in December www.nytimes.com/athletic/668...

Lots of cautionary tales of Irish youngsters failing to make the grade in England, but it really is hard to manage expectations with Mason Melia. Profiled the Tottenham-bound St Pat's striker, easily the best young talent I have ever seen in LOI www.nytimes.com/athletic/670...

Maiden bluesky post! I analysed shot-blocking in the Premier League. Looked at: - Arsenal/Liverpool’s contrasting approach to defending long-range efforts - Why Man Utd struggle inside the box - The PL leading the way in old-school, bodies-on-the-line defending www.nytimes.com/athletic/664...