Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

England are building a team, not just picking their best players — and it seems to be working

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brian mcdonnell @sixtwofourtwo.bsky.social · 18h

England’s performance was a reminder that a team’s optimal performances are often decided by playing the best 11 rather than their 11 best (via @markcarey93.bsky.social for @theathleticfc.bsky.social)
www.nytimes.com/athletic/670...

Youth, Team Spirit and ‘Suffering’: How High-Flying Sunderland Are Defying Fate as a Promoted Side | Opta Analyst

brian mcdonnell @sixtwofourtwo.bsky.social · 7d

Sunderland are fifth in the Premier League following their promotion. Here, @alitweedale.bsky.social takes a look at the numbers behind their impressive start to life back in the big time (for @optaanalyst.optajoe.com)
theanalyst.com/articles/sun...

Sunderland are flying high in the Premier League following their promotion. We look at the numbers behind their impressive start to the season

‘Tech without compassion is brittle,’ says Irish ambassador for Women in AI

Reposted by brian mcdonnell

Silicon Republic @siliconrepublic.bsky.social · 10d

Naomh McElhatton discusses being a voice for women in the technology sector and the responsibility she feels to steer progress.

Naomh McElhatton discusses the responsibility she feels towards promoting women in STEM and her fears for the misuse of AI.

www.siliconrepublic.com

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brian mcdonnell @sixtwofourtwo.bsky.social · 14d

Excellent analysis from @robbiejdunne.bsky.social on what Xabi Alonso has already achieved in his rebuild of Real Madrid for @optaanalyst.optajoe.com
theanalyst.com/articles/rea...

Pressing, Defending With the Ball and Control Over Chaos: How Xabi Alonso is Rebuilding Real Madrid | Opta Analyst

Xabi Alonso’s Real Madrid are pressing higher, defending with the ball, and thriving with Álvaro Carreras and Kylian Mbappé.

Crystal Palace's 17-Game Unbeaten Run Might Only Be the Start | Opta Analyst

brian mcdonnell @sixtwofourtwo.bsky.social · 16d

Crystal Palace are on the verge of equaling the longest unbeaten run in their history, but the data suggests things could get even better for them (analysis via @alitweedale.bsky.social for @optaanalyst.optajoe.com)
theanalyst.com/articles/cry...

Crystal Palace are on the verge of equalling the longest unbeaten run in their history, but the data suggests things could get even better for them.

Nuno Espírito Santo Sacked: Why Nottingham Forest's Best Manager in a Generation Will Take Some Following | Opta Analyst

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brian mcdonnell @sixtwofourtwo.bsky.social · Sep 9

Over the last 38 games, only Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Man City have earned more points than Nottingham Forest - please read @davidsegar.bsky.social’s analysis of Nuno Espírito Santo’s Premier League record as Forest manager (for @optaanalyst.optajoe.com)
theanalyst.com/articles/nun...

Nottingham Forest have sacked head coach Nuno Espírito Santo. We look over his time at the City Ground following a decision that has raised eyebrows.

The rise of the individual striker coach: 'It's about maximising potential and marginal gains'

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brian mcdonnell @sixtwofourtwo.bsky.social · Sep 8

This is good from @markcarey93.bsky.social on the rise of individual player coaching in the Premier League (for @theathleticfc.bsky.social)
www.nytimes.com/athletic/656...

From Ederson to Gianluigi Donnarumma: Pep Guardiola's Choice Shows Role of Goalkeeper is Changing Again | Opta Analyst

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brian mcdonnell @sixtwofourtwo.bsky.social · Sep 3

Pep Guardiola and Ederson revolutionized what is expected of goalkeepers in the Premier League, so is Manchester City's signing of Gianluigi Donnarumma a sign of things to come? (analysis via @alitweedale.bsky.social for @optaanalyst.optajoe.com)
theanalyst.com/articles/gia...

Pep Guardiola and Ederson revolutionised the role of the goalkeeper in the Premier League, so is Manchester City signing Gianluigi Donnarumma a sign of things to come?

U.S. Soccer has a new vision for youth development. Implementation is ‘an astronomical ask’

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brian mcdonnell @sixtwofourtwo.bsky.social · Sep 3

This is a terrific read from @henrybushnell.bsky.social on Matt Crocker’s vision for youth development in the United States and his plan to realize that vision (for @theathleticfc.bsky.social)
www.nytimes.com/athletic/658...

Evolution not revolution: The impact of squad churn on Premier League performance

brian mcdonnell @sixtwofourtwo.bsky.social · Sep 3

Excellent analysis from @conor-oneill.bsky.social for @theathleticfc.bsky.social on the impact that "squad churn" has and can have on team performance in the Premier League
www.nytimes.com/athletic/658...

A fascination with player trading is understandable – but it is no guarantee of success

Farewell to Ederson, pass-master goalkeeper who changed the modern game

brian mcdonnell @sixtwofourtwo.bsky.social · Sep 3

“Ederson changed what teams expected of their goalkeepers, and perhaps even what ’keepers expected of themselves” - analysis via @jamesgheerbrant.bsky.social for @thetimes.com

www.thetimes.com/sport/footba...

Ederson leaves English football as understated cornerstone of Pep Guardiola’s dynasty and a pioneer who transformed his position for a generation at Man City

www.thetimes.com

The 'slow death' of Vitesse Arnhem. Can the club once known as Chelsea B be saved?

brian mcdonnell @sixtwofourtwo.bsky.social · Sep 2

Vitesse Arnhem have been kicked out of the Dutch league, the season rolls on without a club older than Ajax, Feyenoord and PSV - story via @dtathletic.bsky.social for @theathleticfc.bsky.social
www.nytimes.com/athletic/659...

Helping you d3c0d3 your path into SportsTech - monthly digest of Irish opportunities, innovations, and insider knowledge for sports technology professionals

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Reposted by brian mcdonnell

Kieran Collins @dkierancollins.bsky.social · Aug 30

1. I am excited to launch Sports D3c0d3d with Iddo Diamant - a monthly newsletter focused on career development and talent advancement for Irish and European SportsTech professionals.

sportsd3c0d3d.beehiiv.com

Sports D3c0d3d

sportsd3c0d3d.beehiiv.com

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Reposted by brian mcdonnell

Dan Leydon @danleydon.bsky.social · Jul 21

I'm Dan, an illustrator & motion designer

Here's a showreel of some recent client work

danleydon.com

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brian mcdonnell @sixtwofourtwo.bsky.social · Aug 27

@grimsbytown.bsky.social are partnered with Jamestown Analytics (an offshoot of Starlizard & the hand behind Brighton’s recruitment) - Tony Bloom was impressed by Jason Stockwood and Andrew Pettit’s vision for the club (story via Gregor Robertson for @thetimes.com).
www.thetimes.com/sport/footba...

Cutting-edge data meets archaic stadium: Man United face perils of Grimsby

League Two club’s old ground, Blundell Park, and mastery of modern analytics will present Ruben Amorim’s players with a unique test in Carabao Cup on Wednesday

www.thetimes.com

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brian mcdonnell @sixtwofourtwo.bsky.social · Aug 24

Excellent analysis from @conor-oneill.bsky.social - because Coventry scored seven goals against QPR from a total xG value of just 1.27 does not mean that an xG model is broken (for @theathleticfc.bsky.social) www.nytimes.com/athletic/657...

Does Coventry 7 (xG 1.27) QPR 1 (0.61) prove expected goals is broken?

The Championship club's remarkable overperformance on Saturday raised questions about the xG model

The data that convinced Liverpool to sign Hugo Ekitike

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brian mcdonnell @sixtwofourtwo.bsky.social · Aug 23

Liverpool’s research and modelling led them to Hugo Ekitike despite the Frenchman significantly under-performing his xG last season (report via @pjoyce1.bsky.social for @thetimes.com)
www.thetimes.com/sport/footba...

Club’s research and modelling, which believes the metric xG is flawed, placed Frenchman among top young talents in Europe — and he has hit ground running at Anfield

www.thetimes.com

Arsenal Need to Rediscover Home Comforts to Succeed in 2025-26 | Opta Analyst

brian mcdonnell @sixtwofourtwo.bsky.social · Aug 22

Arsenal dropped points in eight of their 19 Premier League home games in 2024-25 - improvement required if Arteta hopes to get his side over the line (analysis via @orbinho.bsky.social for @optaanalyst.optajoe.com)
theanalyst.com/articles/ars...

If Arsenal are to end a 22-year wait without a Premier League title, they'll need to improve their home form at the Emirates Stadium in 2025-26.

Wombling free: a fan’s journey from despising football to gaining a superpower

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Reposted by brian mcdonnell

John Muller @johnspacemuller.com · Aug 14

New season, new reminder that you can follow a bunch of smart soccer people here

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brian mcdonnell @sixtwofourtwo.bsky.social · Aug 7

Here, the @theguardian.com's Michael Roberts tells his story about how a trip to watch the Dons at Plough Lane helped him to fall back in love with the beautiful game @afcwimbledon1889.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/football/202...

Michael Roberts loathed the beautiful game 10 years ago but a move to London and a visit to see AFC Wimbledon changed everything

www.theguardian.com

brian mcdonnell @sixtwofourtwo.bsky.social · Aug 1

Johnny Cardoso isn’t the kind of player you build a strategy around, but without someone like him, your options start to narrow fast - here is @robbiejdunne.bsky.social on the player Diego Simeone has been waiting for (for @optaanalyst.optajoe.com)
theanalyst.com/articles/joh...

Johnny Cardoso: The Defensive Midfielder Diego Simeone Has Spent Five Years Searching For | Opta Analyst

Johnny Cardoso fills a spot in defensive midfield that Diego Simeone has been trying to solve for five years.

An audience with Billy Beane: Moneyball, sport’s data revolution, and his role as a ‘Trojan horse’

brian mcdonnell @sixtwofourtwo.bsky.social · Jul 31

The lasting legacy of Moneyball for Billy Beane is that it has empowered brilliant minds to get involved in running sports teams (interview via @conor-oneill.bsky.social for @theathleticfc.bsky.social) #sportsanalytics #performanceanalysis #moneyball
www.nytimes.com/athletic/651...

Beane and one of 'the really smart' people around him, Luke Bornn, discuss soccer recruitment, baseball, Sir Alex Ferguson and Mohamed Salah

Granit Xhaka Returns to the Premier League a Different Player to the One Ridiculed at Arsenal | Opta Analyst

brian mcdonnell @sixtwofourtwo.bsky.social · Jul 30

Granit Xhaka is heading back to the Premier League with a move to Sunderland, but after developing and growing up at Bayer Leverkusen, this isn’t the same player we saw at Arsenal (analysis via @alitweedale.bsky.social for @optaanalyst.optajoe.com)
theanalyst.com/articles/gra...

Granit Xhaka is heading back to the Premier League with a move to Sunderland. He returns a different player to the one who was ridiculed so widely at Arsenal.