📈 The second edition of Charting LaLiga is out - and here's what we've got for you: Sergi Altimira's rise, Jon Gorrotxategi's LaLiga debut (cameo), Enzo Boyomo love... plus some early thoughts on Alonso's Real Madrid & #FCB's correction at Levante. www.lapausa.digital/p/charting-l...

🧵 For anyone still following 2024-25 league football... written some stuff on the Spanish 2nd tier play-off final between Real Oviedo and Mirandés (6pm tomorrow) that may help to set the scene. Links below (check out @lapausa.bsky.social):

Piece on Joaqúin Panichelli, the 20-goal man who could lead (massive underdogs) Mirandés to the gates of LaLiga tonight. Suddenly one of the better young Argentinean CFs around. Already had a €15M bid from Strasbourg this summer, and potentially more to come... www.lapausa.digital/p/joaquin-pa...

Piece for @optaanalyst.optajoe.com on Álex Baena, who's become one of the most impactful creators in Europe in recent seasons (while not fitting the Spanish playmaker stereotype). Including some insight from Miguel Ángel Tena, Villarreal's Director of Football. theanalyst.com/2025/03/alex...

#LUFC in wins over Sunderland and Sheffield United: Match time: 201:20 Time winning: 10:16 % of time winning: 5.1% Led for a grand total of 616 seconds.

As a fan, I thought it'd take getting back to the Premier League to be able to watch a player as good as Ao Tanaka. Wrote about his season for @optaanalyst.optajoe.com, and how he's helped #LUFC become one of the most efficient machines the Championship has seen. theanalyst.com/eu/2025/02/a...

Nico González: first midfielder to complete 100+ passes on their PL debut on record, as well as the best completion rate by any midfielder on PL debut (97% - min. 50 passes). And just by magic, the first PL game in 24-25 that Man City haven't conceded a big chance in (via Opta).

𝐀𝐨, 𝐋𝐞𝐭'𝐬 𝐆𝐨 📈 Ao Tanaka might not be the name you see on the scoresheet or assist list week by week, but he’s the orchestrator of the choir. We analyse why he’s become the key component of Leeds United’s promotion charge. theanalyst.com/2025/02/ao-t... #LUFC

As a fan, I thought it'd take getting back to the Premier League to be able to watch a player as good as Ao Tanaka. Wrote about his season for @optaanalyst.optajoe.com, and how he's helped #LUFC become one of the most efficient machines the Championship has seen. theanalyst.com/eu/2025/02/a...

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...

Took the Real half of this @optaanalyst.optajoe.com Madrid derby preview, with @robbiejdunne.bsky.social on Atlético duty. Real Madrid's starting XI decisions, tackling Atlético's rejuvenated defensive solidity, the first Mbappé v Simeone meeting + plenty more... theanalyst.com/2025/02/real...

Took the Real half of this @optaanalyst.optajoe.com Madrid derby preview, with @robbiejdunne.bsky.social on Atlético duty. Real Madrid's starting XI decisions, tackling Atlético's rejuvenated defensive solidity, the first Mbappé v Simeone meeting + plenty more... theanalyst.com/2025/02/real...

Lamine Yamal completed more take-ons in this clip (3) than there has been by under-18s in the Bundesliga and Serie A combined this season (2).

Safe to say #LUFC 7-0 Cardiff was one of the most dominant performances in Championship history. Across the 1st/2nd tiers in England, Spain, Germany, France and Italy, it was the first time a team have had 5+ xG while conceding 0.1 or fewer since: PSG 9-0 Guingamp in January 2019.

Remembering what Iago Aspas said about Nico González, after facing Barça in 2021:

Man City at 3-1 v Club Brugge: 5:47 of possession 102 uninterrupted passes 1.4 metres progressed from start-end How to close a game out Guardiola-style.

Real Sociedad lost 3-0 at home to a desperate Getafe side at the weekend, but it’s not their defence that should worry them. Wrote about their recent struggles here, and why the numbers game has started to fail them: www.lapausa.digital/p/real-socie...

Top 10 midfielders for line-breaking passes in the #UCL this season (per 90). Strange to see no Toni Kroos immovably sat at the top of this list.

Players with 30+ goal involvements for a big-5 European league club this season (excl. pens): 33 - Mo Salah (16G, 17A) 30 - Raphinha (21G, 9A) With all the other intangibles he brings, incredible for Raphinha to still be moving at a goal/assist per game in late January.

Looks like it’s Man City for Juma Bah. Wrote this on him last week: his backstory, his initial steps as a professional in Europe, and why a club like #MCFC have moved for him so early. www.lapausa.digital/p/juma-bah-i...

- Recovery from a rocky start - Shift from back 5 to back 4 - Superb use of subs & 2nd half impact - Season outlook and predictions Can Atletico Madrid Sustain Their La Liga Title Challenge? Link: podfollow.com/get-football... With @jamiemkemp.bsky.social & @shelatneel.bsky.social ttx

Man City and Inter are two of the sides reported to be looking at 🇸🇱 Juma Bah, the 2006-born Real Valladolid CB. Neither can possibly be certain of what he is or will become yet, but wrote on some of the reasons why he’s building intrigue here. open.substack.com/pub/lapausap...

Man City and Inter are two of the sides reported to be looking at 🇸🇱 Juma Bah, the 2006-born Real Valladolid CB. Neither can possibly be certain of what he is or will become yet, but wrote on some of the reasons why he’s building intrigue here. open.substack.com/pub/lapausap...

Can't imagine how annoying Raphinha is from a Real Madrid perspective at the moment. Decisive in the final 1/3, racking up numbers, and doing so while being a huge defensive/out-of-possession plus. You wouldn't swap him for Vinicius, but he really shines a light on the 'defending optional' FWDs.

For the first time in a while, Ligue 1 is no longer the big European league where native youngsters are most prominent. For @optaanalyst.optajoe.com, wrote about the explosion of youth happening in LaLiga, and the reasons behind it: theanalyst.com/eu/2025/01/l...

For the first time in a while, Ligue 1 is no longer the big European league where native youngsters are most prominent. For @optaanalyst.optajoe.com, wrote about the explosion of youth happening in LaLiga, and the reasons behind it: theanalyst.com/eu/2025/01/l...

In the last five seasons across Europe's big five leagues (incl. 2nd tiers), no GK has had more stability of playing time with the same club than Meslier. The current errors are frustrating, but his lack of obvious growth over a long period of playing time/exposure is the issue.

Rodrigo De Paul is firing more through balls than anyone in Europe's big five leagues in 2024-25. Wrote here about his sudden passing explosion, and how it's helping an Atlético team go in pursuit of their best run of the Simeone era: open.substack.com/pub/lapausap...

Rodrigo De Paul is firing more through balls than anyone in Europe's big five leagues in 2024-25. Wrote here about his sudden passing explosion, and how it's helping an Atlético team go in pursuit of their best run of the Simeone era: open.substack.com/pub/lapausap...

Martín Zubimendi was a rookie midfielder once upon a time, and Real Sociedad won't be opposed to starting again if they lose him in the near future. New article on Jon Gorrotxategi, who's showing huge promise out on loan with a LaLiga promotion contender: www.lapausa.digital/p/real-socie...

Martín Zubimendi was a rookie midfielder once upon a time, and Real Sociedad won't be opposed to starting again if they lose him in the near future. New article on Jon Gorrotxategi, who's showing huge promise out on loan with a LaLiga promotion contender: www.lapausa.digital/p/real-socie...

No team in Europe's big five leagues are getting more minutes (2,676) or goals (22) out of their bench than Atlético Madrid this season. Piece on how Simeone's reinforced depth and squad management is helping to drive performance: www.lapausa.digital/p/diego-sime...

What a game by Dani Vivian vs Real Madrid last night. Wrote this on him for @footballespana.bsky.social earlier in the year, and only getting better at everything mentioned. Has it all to become a legendary CB for Athletic - 100th LaLiga app next up for him. www.football-espana.net/2024/01/16/c...

Just a hearty recommendation for @scoutedftbl.bsky.social, whose Monday Night columns are a great addition to whatever ⚽ stuff you're reading these days. Our man Dário Essugo gets a shoutout in the latest one, looking at the Mousa Dembélés of the future: www.scoutednotebook.com/p/ryan-grave...

No team in Europe's big five leagues are getting more minutes (2,676) or goals (22) out of their bench than Atlético Madrid this season. Piece on how Simeone's reinforced depth and squad management is helping to drive performance: www.lapausa.digital/p/diego-sime...

Looking for accounts to follow? We've got lists, like this one full of our favourite scouts and analysts.

First post on here is, very predictably, about some niche football happening in Spain. Wrote about Racing de Santander's historic start to this Segunda campaign, and how they've become odds-on favourites to make it back to LaLiga (after a long time away). www.lapausa.digital/p/racing-hav...

🇪🇸Any fans of Madrid here? I recently wrote about why, finally, it is being recognized as one of the world’s great capital cities. Enjoy, share, gracias! open.substack.com/pub/brendybo...

First post on here is, very predictably, about some niche football happening in Spain. Wrote about Racing de Santander's historic start to this Segunda campaign, and how they've become odds-on favourites to make it back to LaLiga (after a long time away). www.lapausa.digital/p/racing-hav...

We've got some news that we need to share.

Still getting up to speed on here & see plenty of followers already (hello, thank you etc). Holla if I'm not following back. Also gonna try and do a LaLiga starter pack. LaLiga posters shout out as it's a v. small list atm: go.bsky.app/VKbgesD