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Articles by Ashwin Raman
State of each position in 2026: What are the biggest tactical trends?
Elite European soccer in 2026 feels decidedly different from what we've become used to. Over the past couple of seasons, the Premier League has been increasingly characterized by direct attacking, set pieces and long throw-ins . Many encounters between big clubs across Europe have become frenetic, end-to-end affairs, such as the Bayern Munich Paris Saint-Germain semifinals in last season's UEFA Champions League A lot of the changes seem related to how teams play without the ball.
Marauding center backs, do-it-all midfielders: Tactical trends at every position
Elite soccer has changed dramatically in recent years, and the most valued player skill sets have evolved as a result.
State of each position in 2026: What are the biggest tactical trends?
Elite European soccer in 2026 feels decidedly different from what we've become used to. Over the past couple of seasons, the Premier League has been increasingly characterized by direct attacking, set pieces and long throw-ins. Many encounters between big clubs across Europe have become frenetic, end-to-end affairs, such as the Bayern Munich-Paris Saint-Germain semifinals in last season's UEFA Champions League. A lot of the changes seem related to how teams play without the ball.
Revenge of the Dribbler
The dribble is football’s most romanticised action. Goals decide games, but the dribble holds our hearts: from the origins of English football to the South American national sides of the television era to the magic of Lionel Messi, nothing makes us feel like a mesmeric dribbler. Ashwin Raman is a writer and analyst who, at fifteen years old, was working for Dundee United. Big announcement: this is Ashwin's swan song, his final SCOUTED column before he begins a new life studying in London.
Alejandro Garnacho would make a good attack great
Alejandro Garnacho’s name will dominate the final days of this transfer window. If you haven’t heard a million times already, the Argentine winger looks set to leave Manchester United, with a transfer to Chelsea on the horizon for a reported £35-40 million. While Garnacho provided great promise at Manchester United, things turned sour in the months following Ruben Amorim’s appointment.
Which defensive midfielder should Manchester United sign?
Analysis — 11 min read For all the repetitions of “but you don’t understand, this is Manchester United Football Club”, Manchester United Football Club’s pursuit of Carlos Baleba appears to have ended in vain. This leaves Ruben Amorim with the unsatisfactory choice of selecting either the corpse of Casemiro or, less realistically, Manuel Ugarté to partner Bruno Fernandes or Kobbie Mainoo in midfield. Ashwin Raman is a writer and analyst who, at fifteen years old, was working for Dundee United.
Hear me out: Savinho would be the signing of the summer
As the world of football gets smarter, bargains become harder to find. How do you operate in a market where everyone’s picked up a copy of Moneyball at some point in their lives? At the risk of sounding seditious considering the name of this publication, it’s often worth shifting our attention from ‘scouting’ to 'recruitment’.
Why are all the strikers massive again?
Analysis — 13 min read The evolution of the 21st-century striker is documented, unsurprisingly, in books about tactics.
Is Hugo Ekitiké an Alexander Isak regen?
Sleek, slim and smooth. Those three adjectives became synonymous with our coverage of Hugo Ekitiké during the 2024/25 season. And they are exactly the words we would use to describe Isak, too. The eye test suggests they are both competent dribblers, both excellent at finding space for shots in the box, both capable of holding up the ball, battling centre-backs and combining with teammates. So the SCOUTED hypothesis is that Hugo Ekitiké is very much an Alexander Isak regen. Now it’s time to test it.
Tolu Arokodare, the goalscorer who can’t finish
Analysis — 11 min read Centre-forwards have dominated this summer’s transfer gossip. The soap-opera drama has kept the Twitter ITK’s happy, while the hefty sums in the headlines have pushed clubs to look for value in less fashionable markets. Step forward Tolu Arokodare, Genk’s goal machine. The 24-year-old, affectionately referred to as ‘Tolu’, topped the Belgian Pro League’s goalscoring stats with 17 last season, without the help of a single penalty.
Is Thierno Barry a good signing for Everton?
Newsletters 🚨 Emergency Broadcast: Thierno Barry joins Everton We've got the lowdown on David Moyes' newest jumbo-sized signing 09 Jul 2025 — 7 min read Thierno Barry has joined Everton, everybody cheer.
Transfer Analysis: Jamie Gittens joins Chelsea
We all knew it was coming: Jamie Gittens has joined Chelsea. We’re sure the big names in media will be all over this one, but felt there was space for some trademark SCOUTED nuance, too. So, with a blend of data and Ashwin and Jake’s colossal brainpower, here’s our take on a long-time favourite joining the Premier League. Who is Jamie Gittens? Tom Curren You know the name.
Europe's Least Wanted
Transfer discourse cares about the exciting, the new, and the upcoming. It does not care about players who are stagnating and threaten to fall into obscurity. That is, until they fall off enough to become fodder for a ‘Top 10 Washed Wonderkids – Where Are They Now?’ listicle - which this article is not. But such cases offer opportunities for clubs to ‘buy the dip’ and reap the rewards.
Hear me out: Noni Madueke is about to explode
Players — 11 min read With injuries and his team-mates’ quality often relegating him to the bench, Noni Madueke didn’t play a whole lot during his developmental years at PSV. By the time Chelsea picked him up in January 2023, he’d played just 2,187 minutes of senior league football. Still, it was unsurprising to see him land in the Premier League so early, given the hype he’d generated in his limited Eredivisie appearances.
Deconstructing Nico Paz
The romantic image of the number 10 remains potent. Many rue their decline; others foretell their extinction. Positional discipline, pressing responsibilities, and decentralised creativity have become increasingly valued, calcifying the traditional profile to the pages of wistful fanfiction. The sight of Como’s Nico Paz offers a window into history. Paz glides across the pitch, connecting Como’s attack at his own pace.
Nico Williams is better than his stats
Analysis — 11 min read The referee blows the whistle and the second half begins. Spain and England have been going blow for blow; Rodri, the former’s anchor and talisman, has been removed through injury. A European Championship hangs in the balance. Then something happens that symbolises Spain’s new blood. A midfield rotation helps Lamine Yamal, recently seventeen, receive in space and cut inside; he draws two defenders towards him.
Wanna score goals in transition? Sign Emanuel Emegha
If the transfer rumour mill hints at any indication of reality, there's rarely a moment when the scouting departments of big and upwardly-mobile clubs decide they’re satisfied with their strikers. This looks especially true for the upcoming summer window: Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal and more are all on the hunt for a centre-forward. Enter Emanuel Emegha.
Hayden Hackney: the art of ball progression
In January 2020, the England Football Association (FA) released a set of videos of Michael Carrick – a member of the Manchester United coaching staff at the time – breaking down the nuts and bolts of passing and receiving in midfield. With plain, simple language, Carrick artfully deconstructed midfield playmaking at a granular level, in an interview overlaid with short clips of his own passing over the years. The videos still go through spells of virality every once in a while.
Stade Rennais - Lille OSC: Systems clash in tightly fought-out draw (1-1)
This match was all about marginal gains. Both Stade Rennais and Lille OSC set up in 4-4-2 formations that were largely enough to dim each other’s attacking threats. Small tactical adjustments were thus key to improving attacking successes, since cracks gradually started to seep through. Tactical analysis and match report by Peter M. Julian Stéphan’s Rennes have boasted a more-than-decent start to the 2019/20 season, as they locked horns with last season’s runners-up Lille.
Solid-State Lithium Batteries with In Situ Polymerized Acrylate-Based Electrolytes Capable of Electrochemically Stable Operation at 100 °C
Energy, Environmental, and Catalysis ApplicationsOctober 21, 2024 Ashwin Sankara Raman School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States Billy R.
MN Bio-Fuels Statement On Treasury’s Recognition Of GREET Model In SAF Tax Credit Guidance
In guidance released today, the Treasury said the updated GREET model will be released by the Department of Energy and other collaborating federal agencies including the Department of Agriculture by March 1, 2024.
How John Stones’ Hybrid Role Defines Manchester City’s Build-Up
We all know the routine when Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City play another big side, usually in the Champions League. Some of us open Twitter, scroll through a bunch of tweets that either say “Guardiolismo continues to break positional play paradigms” or “Fraudiola’s overthinking it again!”, before heading over to see how City’s official account lines them up. Others open their favourite football app and look at what formation the app decrees. And, inevitably, it’s never 100% correct.
Thriving in Transition: A Scouting Report on Folarin Balogun
When big clubs loan their youngsters out, it doesn’t always work out that well. A common outcome is a loaned-out player sitting on the bench at a relegation-battling side that plays in a style diametrically opposite to their parent club’s, and it can cost the player a year of their development at a crucial stage. Folarin Balogun’s spell at Stade Reims might be an example on the other end of the spectrum.
Thriving in Transition: A Scouting Report on Folarin Balogun
When big clubs loan their youngsters out, it doesn’t always work out that well. A common outcome is a loaned-out player sitting on the bench at a relegation-battling side that plays in a style diametrically opposite to their parent club’s, and it can cost the player a year of their development at a crucial stage. Folarin Balogun’s spell at Stade Reims might be an example on the other end of the spectrum.
MN's Ethanol Industry Contributed $2.7 Billion To State's Economy In 2022
Minneapolis, March 20 - Minnesota’s ethanol industry contributed $2.7 billion to the state’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2022, according to a new study by the University of Minnesota Extension. In 2022, the industry produced 1.34 billion gallons of ethanol, up from 1.27 billion gallons in 2021. This resulted in $8 billion in economic activity through sales and supported 25,820 jobs in Minnesota, the study said.
Real Madrid – Real Sociedad: An Unstoppable Force Meets an Immovable Object (0-0)
Neither team would budge in a battle that came down to attacking versus defensive quality. Real Madrid had the majority of possession, but they could do very little with it due to the brilliant structure and individual prowess of the La Real defensive unit. Tactical analysis and match report by Charlie Tuley This is the toughest spell of the season for Real Madrid, with difficult matches coming thick and fast for Carlo Ancelotti’s side.
Inside Lorient’s Unique, Overperforming Attack under Régis Le Bris
If someone tried ranking the big leagues on their competitiveness, it’s very unlikely that they’d put Ligue 1 towards the top. We know all about Paris Saint-Germain’s dominance in the league as well as the financial strength they enjoy, and someone else sustaining a challenge for the crown looks more unlikely with every passing season.
Brooklyn Center Drivers Win With E15
Minneapolis, Aug 9 - The Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association (MN Bio-Fuels) and KS95 FM rewarded drivers who chose E15 during an hour-long promotion yesterday at a Winner gas station in Brooklyn Center. During the promotion, from 12 pm to 1 pm, drivers who fueled up with E15 were rewarded with prizes such as $20 in cash, tickets to the Minnesota United, tickets to the St Paul Saints, gift cards to Applebee’s and KS95 merchandise.
Sterling Business: Analysing Raheem To Chelsea
Raheem Sterling is a footballer who never seems to get his due credit. He’s scored 114 goals and assisted 48 in the past five years for club and country, but people seem to remember his big misses as much as his big goals. He’s also been the target of malicious dog-whistle attacks from the tabloid press, with one morning’s headline reading “Sterling spends TOO MUCH!” followed by the next morning’s headline reading “Sterling spends TOO LITTLE!”.
E15 Sales In May Hit New Record
This was 20 percent higher than the volume sold in May 2021 (7.13 million gallons). According to data from the Minnesota Department of Commerce, the previous record was 8.02 million gallons in October of 2021. Additionally, the department of commerce updated the volume of E15 sold in April to 7.83 million gallons from its previous report of 7.35 million gallons. At 8.56 million gallons, the average volume sold per station in May was 34,692 gallons with 247 stations reporting their sales.
The Numbers Behind Mohsin Khan’s Breakout Season
It’s the Delhi Capitals against the Lucknow Super Giants. DC require 83 runs off 48 balls to chase down LSG’s target of 196. It’s not an easy task, but also firmly within the realm of possibility when they have Rishabh Pant and Rovman Powell well set in the middle. Mohsin Khan steps up to bowl the 13th over. With Pant on strike, Mohsin bowls a back-of-the-length ball outside the off stump. Pant charges down the pitch, swings, and misses. Dot ball.
Analysing Julien Stephan's Overachieving Strasbourg
There’s always a certain charm about yo-yo clubs. Well, for a neutral like me, at least. As a fan, it may not be as charming to see a significant portion of your club’s Wikipedia page titled ‘Chronic instability (since 1980)’, as is the case for RC Strasbourg. Strasbourg very much fit the description of a yo-yo club.
E15 Rewards For St Paul Drivers
Minneapolis, April 29 - The Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association (MN Bio-Fuels) and KS95 FM teamed up yesterday to educate drivers on the benefits of using E15 during an hour-long promotion at a Holiday station in St Paul. Drivers who fueled up with E15 during the promotion were rewarded with prizes such as $20 in cash, tickets to the Minnesota Twins and Minnesota United, gift cards to Red Cow and Red Rabbit and KS95 merchandise.
MN Bio-Fuels Kicks Off E15 Promotional Campaign In Plymouth
Minneapolis, April 22 - Over the next five months, the Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association (MN Bio-Fuels) and KS95 FM will team up at various gas stations in the Twin Cities metro area to reward drivers who fuel up with E15. Kicking off the campaign was an hour-long promotion at a Holiday station on County Road 24 in Plymouth on April 21. “These promotional events are aimed at educating drivers on the various benefits of fueling up with E15,” said Tim Rudnicki, executive director at MN Bio-Fuels.
When in Rome: Tammy Abraham's Serie A Success Story
Soccer Apr 6, 2022 Chelsea, despite their prolific Cobham academy, had lacked classic academy-to-first-team success stories. But Tammy Abraham looked poised to be the protagonist of a storyline like this for Chelsea. He joined the club at the under-8 level and worked his way up the levels of youth football, impressing at every step. Then, as all Cobham graduates do, Abraham joined the ranks of Chelsea’s loan army and made the leap, having two 20-plus-goal seasons in the EFL Championship.
The Excellence of Kamaldeen Sulemana: A Scouting Report
What makes an entertaining footballer? Ask a set of football fans, and you get many different answers. Some may put dribbling and skill with the ball towards the top of the list, others may demand entertaining goals, and there may even be someone whose self-actualisation needs are fulfilled by watching Peter Crouch do the robot dance. Whatever criteria you might come up with, few players tick as many boxes as Kamaldeen Sulemana.
Richfield Drivers Win With E15
Minneapolis, Oct 21 - The Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association (MN Bio-Fuels) and KS95 FM teamed up yesterday to educate drivers on the benefits of using Unleaded Plus (E15) during an hour-long promotion at a Winner station in Richfield. Drivers who fueled up with E15 during the promotion were rewarded with prizes such as $20 in cash, Stay & Play passes for St Croix casino in Turtle Lake, tickets to the Crayola Experience, packages to the Urban Air Adventure Park and KS95 merchandise.
E15 Rewards For Golden Valley Drivers
Minneapolis, Sept 30 - The Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association (MN Bio-Fuels) and KS95 FM teamed up on Sept 29 to educate drivers on the benefits of using E15 during an hour-long promotion at a Winner station in Golden Valley. Drivers who fueled up with E15 during the promotion were rewarded with prizes such as $20 in cash, Stay & Play passes for St Croix casino in Turtle Lake, tickets to the Minnesota Renaissance Festival, packages to the Urban Air Adventure Park and KS95 merchandise.
EPA Signals New Position On Small Refinery Exemptions
On February 22, 2021 EPA announced that, after careful consideration of the 2020 decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit in Renewable Fuels Association et al. v. EPA, 948 F.3d 1206 (“Decision”), EPA supports that court’s interpretation of the renewable fuel standard (RFS) small-refinery provisions. This conclusion, prompted by a detailed review following the Supreme Court’s grant of certiorari in the case, represents a change from EPA’s position before the Tenth Circuit.
In-Depth Analysis Of Arteta's Problems & Possible Solutions
By Ashwin Raman. As many Arsenal fans would tell you, it’s the hope that kills. You travel to the stadium each week, ditch your weekend plans, stay up during ungodly hours, or wake up before dawn to watch the club descend from their Golden Age to the seemingly endless Banter Era. Not easy stuff. And then there’s a glimmer of hope that looks like a turning point: “Oh, here’s where we begin to heal. We’re gonna be alright.
Congressional watchdog to review Trump administration's use of biofuel waivers
Reuters Jan 10, 2020 The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) will review the Trump administration’s use of waivers exempting oil refineries from the nation’s biofuel blending requirements, according to a letter dated Friday, after lawmakers called for an investigation.
Dan Crowley Scout Report: From Arsenal To The Eredivisie
In 2013, Aston Villa’s U19 team won the last ever final of the NextGen Series against Chelsea. Now, the members of the talented Villa team that won aren’t really flourishing in senior football, besides two players: Jack Grealish and Daniel Crowley, the latter of whom was just fifteen – yes, fifteen – at the time. Crowley went on to play for the U16 and U17 teams of both England and Ireland. Soon enough, Arsenal signed him.
Fulham’s Defensive Woes – Ashwin Raman – Medium
First off, let’s talk about intent. Fulham, just like in the Championship, clearly press high. For example, look at them pressing Arsenal’s build-up in their 5–1 loss to the Gunners, with this particular piece of pressing resulting in a shot for Fulham: They packed the middle of the pitch against City and tried to restrict the defenders and Fernandinho from passing to Bernardo Silva and David Silva frequently.
A Guide to Player Comparison Bar Graphs (And How I Make Them)
A while back, I wrote about Chelsea’s Marcos Alonso at wing-back and how he was wildly different from others who were deployed in similar positions (a trend that has carried onto his new role at full-back). I had copy-pasted data from WhoScored‘s ‘Detailed’ player stats tab for players in Europe’s ‘big 5’ leagues, and wanted a way to show how Alonso was a relative outlier for his position. So, with Tableau Public — a free, easy-to-use desktop app I’d recommend using — I ended up making this chart.
Argentina 1-1 Iceland: Messi & co. fail to get through organised Iceland
A game that a lot of people expected to be an easy encounter for Argentina has ended in a 1-1 draw. The goalscoring started with a scintillating Sergio Aguero strike that took La Albiceleste to 1-0, but Alred Finnbogason then levelled to make it 1-1. The key talking point, however, was when Lionel Messi had his penalty kick that could have won it for Argentina saved in the second half. Messi also had many attempts on goal, but none of them went in.
The Unlikely Rise of BSC Young Boys
Of late, the domestic leagues of European football have started to become dominated by single clubs.While we know all about the superclubs who have exercised despotic levels of control over some of the major European leagues, it’s the peripheral leagues that we don’t talk about. Take the Greek Super League for example. It had been won by the Athens-based club Olympiacos every season from 1997 to 2017.
Introducing Per Possession Numbers
Per 90 minute numbers don’t tell us everything about players. While per 90s help compare players who’ve played different amounts of minutes, not all players get the same amount of opportunities on the ball. Players who play in bad teams, or even players who play in teams that keep less possession and attack directly, won’t get the ball as much as players in teams in the same league as Barcelona or Bayern Munich.
Finding Liverpool a Good Keeper
Let’s start with a statement that looks pretty obvious: Liverpool have an awful defense. While it may look like their bad defense is down to the incompetence of Liverpool’s individual defenders, it’s largely down to the high-pressing system favored by Jurgen Klopp that’s gone awry this season. When the first line of press is broken (which has happened many times this season), the ball gets into dangerous areas because of the vacant spaces left behind.
How in the World Does Nice Overperform Expected Goals? Part Two: The Attack
This is part two of a two-part series explaining how Lucien Favre’s Nice overperform expected goals, that cool new stat they show on MOTD, by a huge margin. Part one explained how Nice’s defence overperform expected goals against (xGA). In part two, I explain how Nice’s attack overperform expected goals for (xGF). Let’s jump right in. * * * With 63 goals, Nice had the 4th-best attack in Ligue 1 last season in terms of goals.
Understanding Zizou’s Success: How Squad Rotation Can Be studied
I developed a model to study squad rotation. I looked into every team’s squad rotation in La Liga. The playing time of players is always tricky. Too much players will end up having injuries or exhausted for the final stages. Too little it affects the players’ development or their confidence. It is always essential to find the right amount of minutes. They are not Supermen (apart from a few). It is a far more critical thing if you are in multiple competitions.
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