𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐱𝐆 𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐬 Periodically through the 2025-26 Premier League season, we'll delve into Opta's xG-powered metrics to go beyond goals, assists and clean sheets. Who's excelling? Who isn't? Which teams have been lucky? Which have been unlucky? The xG Files are open... theanalyst.com/articles/the...

Well done to @optaanalyst.optajoe.com named Website of the Year (Specialist/B2B) for 2025! #FutureMediaAwards sponsored by Stibo DX

Only five clubs in the top five leagues didn't pay a single transfer fee during the summer window (according to Transfermarkt): Heidenheim, Le Havre, Angers, Genoa and Sevilla. The absolute state of Sevilla's window:

𝐍𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐖𝐨𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞: 𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐉𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐚 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐛𝐲 𝐈𝐭𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 Newcastle are closing in on the signing of Stuttgart's giant of a centre-forward, Nick Woltemade. But don't let his enormous frame trick you into thinking he's a certain type of forward. ✍️ @rbenson92.bsky.social theanalyst.com/articles/nic...

𝐑𝐞𝐢𝐣𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐒𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐬 He'll need to do more than tame Wolves to be truly anointed Kevin De Bruyne's heir at Manchester City. But Tijjani Reijnders' Premier League debut couldn't have been much better as the Dutchman produced a classy showing. ✍️ @rbenson92.bsky.social theanalyst.com/articles/wol...

Seems I've picked up about 90 followers in the past 24 hours. So, firstly, hiya. Secondly, in the interest of appeasing the fans and acknowledging the start of the Premier League today, this is a thread of some pieces I've particularly enjoyed working on for @optaanalyst.optajoe.com recently...

𝐅𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 Ever wondered which leagues and clubs put the most faith in young players? Well, @rbenson92.bsky.social has an article for that... 🏆 Youthful champions 🛣️ Consistent route to first team 🏡 Homegrown lifelines 👴 Experience preference ⬇️ theanalyst.com/articles/you...

𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐚'𝐬 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞-𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 🔓 "Freedom" 🧬 Genetics ⚖️ Socio-economic factors 🧠 'Vision' After Scandinavian players scored more goals than ever (on record) in 2024-25, @rbenson92.bsky.social explored how they are developing youngsters in the region... ⬇️ theanalyst.com/articles/sca...

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐎𝐮𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞 𝐈𝐬 𝐇𝐨𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐲 💎 Although a potential move to Crystal Palace has gone quiet, Diomande remains a hot topic. Real Madrid, Chelsea, Arsenal and Newcastle have all been linked with the Sporting CP defender - but why? ✍️ @rbenson92.bsky.social theanalyst.com/articles/ous...

𝐙𝐮𝐛𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐔𝐩 𝐑𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐎𝐝𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐚𝐫𝐝? Simple, unflashy and selfless. Martín Zubimendi may not bring attacking flair to Arsenal. But his arrival could be pivotal in maximising the influence of Declan Rice and Martin Ødegaard. theanalyst.com/articles/mar...

Is there a more damning indictment in football than the referee allowing only 6 seconds of stoppage time?

This. How can anyone have any faith that United get £80m and then spend it all well? There's absolutely no evidence to suggest they would, and then you're also without your one genuine star who the team should be built around.

Why has "club-to-club talks" become such a thing? What's wrong with "talks" by itself?

Lads, it's Man Utd.

Why don't players get booked for diving anymore?

Mark Clattenburg in embarrassing form here. Love to see (hear) it.

Jamie Vardy becomes first Premier League player to blow the referee's whistle... probably. 📸Alex Pantling | Getty

𝐏𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐏𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐬: Vítor Pereira's the Toast of Wolves 🍻 Since he took over, only Liverpool and Newcastle have won more Premier League games. Pereira's overseen arguably the most remarkable upturn in form by a relegation-threatened team in PL history. ⬇️ theanalyst.com/2025/05/vito...

𝐀𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐯𝐬 𝐏𝐒𝐆: Six Key Subplots 😩 Busy left-backs 🎮 PSG's control 🟥 Arsenal's absence 🔬 Goalkeepers under the microscope Ahead of Tuesday's UCL semi-final first leg, @alitweedale.bsky.social & @rbenson92.bsky.social analysed potentially decisive areas/battles ⬇️ theanalyst.com/2025/04/arse...

Wrote about Jørgen Strand Larsen this week. He's had a really encouraging first season and could get even better if Wolves play to his strengths more.

𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐒𝐞𝐭-𝐏𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐬? There has been a lot of discussion around set-pieces this season, so @rbenson92.bsky.social has investigated which Premier League teams have been most effective from them in 2024-25. ⬇️ theanalyst.com/2025/04/prem...

Yep, I sold my ticket for the United game 👍

Remarkable how much worse Amorim's substitutes have made United.

My word Garnacho needed that.

Caparros in the hot seat for the fourth time...

Honestly, this club 🤦‍♂️ An absolute mess.

Enjoyed doing this on Daniel Muñoz; the guy's a scientific anomaly 🫁

Onana conspiring to let that in really was one for narrative fans.

Managers spitting on the touchline. Why?

𝐓𝐲𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐀 £𝟏𝟎𝟎𝐦 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫?! Reports (🙄) suggest Southampton value 19-year-old Dibling at £100m. Realistic or not, Saints will earn big 💰 if they sell him to a Premier League club this summer. But would that be his wisest move? ⬇️✍️ @rbenson92.bsky.social theanalyst.com/2025/04/tyle...

Just when I think Patrick Dorgu's passing can't get any worse, he misplaces a simple five-yarder.

𝐆𝐨𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐇𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐬: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 It's no secret that the goalkeeper position has changed, drastically, over the past 20 years or so. But to what extent? @rbenson92.bsky.social delves into our wealth of GK passing data... ⬇️ theanalyst.com/2025/03/prem...

𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐓𝐮𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐥'𝐬 𝐓𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 "I think we should be brave enough to play like an England squad and shouldn't try to copy other nations." So, what can we expect of Tuchel's England and how different will they be to Southgate's team? ✍️ @rbenson92.bsky.social ⬇️ theanalyst.com/2025/03/thom...

Is it too late to get Lee Carsley back?

That was a lot of fun. Not often been able to say that about United this season. Zirkzee, Bruno, Casemiro, Dorgu, Hojlund (mostly) all class.

Dalot refusing to lay the ball on a plate for Højlund there an absolutely quintessential example of the appalling service RH has to work with. If there was anyone suitable on the bench I'd have taken Dalot off straight away for that.

Sat down for an exclusive interview with Fulham midfielder Andreas Pereira ahead of him facing Man Utd this weekend. “Whenever I play at Old Trafford, I want to show that United made a mistake.” theanalyst.com/eu/2025/02/a...

Absolutely grim.

𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐥𝐦𝐞𝐫: 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐓𝐮𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐲 Chelsea's talisman is on something of a barren run in the Premier League. But there's more to be a great footballer than just goals and assists. Chelsea fans needn't worry. ✍️ @rbenson92.bsky.social theanalyst.com/2025/02/cole...

Great news today; @optaanalyst.optajoe.com nominated for not just the Digital Sports Publisher award at the SJAs, but also Specialist Sports Publisher plus individual nominations for @alitweedale.bsky.social and @davidsegar.bsky.social! 👏👏 Brilliant to see our work get some recognition!

Written about Rasmus Hojlund. Still think there's a player in there, but feels like more could be done to make the most of his strengths (yes, he has strengths).

Carmona, Kike Salas, Juanlu, Isaac... Carlitos should be with them 😞

🚨BREAKING CROSSPOST AFTER DDOS ATTACK Donald Trump Was Recruited by the KGB Under Codename ‘Krasnov’ Claims Former Soviet Spy Chief A former senior KGB chief claims Trump was recruited by them in 1987 due to his role as a prominent US businessman www.bylinesupplement.com/p/breaking-c...

Bilbao.

The influence of set-piece coaches in the Premier League seems to have grown significantly in recent years, but how much of an impact have they had, and is it just a fad? Here, our new-look interactive article analyses Premier League set-pieces. Read here: theanalyst.com/2025/02/arse...

Enjoyed working with @petermckeever.bsky.social on this for @optaanalyst.optajoe.com - some showstopping data viz on display 😍📊📉 theanalyst.com/2025/02/arse...

United didn't make that remotely difficult for Palace. Mainoo as a false 9 absolutely bizarre, Mazraoui and Dalot have no business being used as wing-backs in home games, Amorim changes made infuriatingly late 🚮

Feels a bit weird to say but watching United in that second half was verging on... Fun? Mainoo: class. Garnacho: best performance in ages, and some positive signs that he's learning the new role.

This is brilliant and very much worth keeping open tonight if you're following the Europa League in any way.