Ahmed Walid
@ahmed-walid.bsky.social
Football Writer for The Athletic. Views are my own
How could Egypt win 7 AFCONs and not reach/perform at the World Cup? For many years, the WC had proved to be Egypt’s stumbling block, but the hoodoo is finally over. Piece on what reaching the round of 16 means after decades of misery. 🔓 FREE TO READ www.nytimes.com/athletic/742...
Egypt breaking World Cup hoodoo ends decades of hurt, incompetence and misfortune (Gift Article)
They beat Australia in a round-of-32 penalty shootout at the World Cup, overwriting years of pain
nytimes.com
How could Egypt win 7 AFCONs and not reach/perform at the World Cup? For many years, the WC had proved to be Egypt’s stumbling block, but the hoodoo is finally over. Piece on what reaching the round of 16 means after decades of misery. 🔓 FREE TO READ www.nytimes.com/athletic/742...
Egypt breaking World Cup hoodoo ends decades of hurt, incompetence and misfortune (Gift Article)
They beat Australia in a round-of-32 penalty shootout at the World Cup, overwriting years of pain
nytimes.com
How Arsenal won the Premier League after 22 years of wait: 🏗️ Dynamic build-up and progression of the ball 📐 Riding the PL's set-piece wave 🪨 Out-of-possession prowess ⚡️ Embracing transitions FREE TO READ 🔓: www.nytimes.com/athletic/726... @theathleticfc.bsky.social 🔴⚪ #AFC
How Arsenal won the Premier League after 22 years of wait: 🏗️ Dynamic build-up and progression of the ball 📐 Riding the PL's set-piece wave 🪨 Out-of-possession prowess ⚡️ Embracing transitions FREE TO READ 🔓: www.nytimes.com/athletic/726... @theathleticfc.bsky.social 🔴⚪ #AFC
22 years in the waiting, 6 years in the making: the title is Arsenal’s again. The squad gathered at Colney to watch tonight’s game, as they became champions. Here’s how #AFC won the #EPL - a title not simply won, but engineered. @theathleticfc.bsky.social 🔴⚪️🏆 www.nytimes.com/athletic/729...
‘Toxic’ to title: Inside Arsenal’s first Premier League for 22 years and how they nailed their ‘win window’ (Gift Article)
Twenty-two years in the waiting, six years in the making: the Premier League title is Arsenal’s again. This is the story of how they did it
nytimes.com
If any type of six-yard occupation rule had been applied since 2021, Arsenal would still have been the best set-piece team in the world in this timeframe. The team’s understanding and application of corner principles is levels above anyone. They were going to find other ways.
If any type of six-yard occupation rule had been applied since 2021, Arsenal would still have been the best set-piece team in the world in this timeframe. The team’s understanding and application of corner principles is levels above anyone. They were going to find other ways.
How Harry Kane and Desire Doue’s positioning helped propel PSG-Bayern into a Champions League classic. www.nytimes.com/athletic/723...
How Kane and Doue’s positioning helped propel PSG-Bayern into a Champions League classic (Gift Article)
The pair both thought outside the box with their off-the-ball movement, and made their teams all the more dangerous for it
nytimes.com
How Harry Kane and Desire Doue’s positioning helped propel PSG-Bayern into a Champions League classic. www.nytimes.com/athletic/723...
How Kane and Doue’s positioning helped propel PSG-Bayern into a Champions League classic (Gift Article)
The pair both thought outside the box with their off-the-ball movement, and made their teams all the more dangerous for it
nytimes.com
It was short corners again when Arsenal defeated Newcastle 1-0 on Saturday, but rather than using them to disrupt the defensive organisation and put crosses into the penalty area (Merino's goal at SJP), they created space for Eze outside the 18-yard box. www.nytimes.com/athletic/723...
The Arsenal corner routine that riled fans, surprised Newcastle and sent them top of the league (Gift Article)
Arsenal's short-corner routine against Newcastle was well planned and executed - this is how they created their winning goal
nytimes.com
It was short corners again when Arsenal defeated Newcastle 1-0 on Saturday, but rather than using them to disrupt the defensive organisation and put crosses into the penalty area (Merino's goal at SJP), they created space for Eze outside the 18-yard box. www.nytimes.com/athletic/723...
The Arsenal corner routine that riled fans, surprised Newcastle and sent them top of the league (Gift Article)
Arsenal's short-corner routine against Newcastle was well planned and executed - this is how they created their winning goal
nytimes.com
"Bruno (Fernandes) can just create moments. That little bit of freedom suits him," Michael Carrick told TNT Sports in February. "He has got a natural brain for (how) the game adapts and evolves." Piece on Fernandes' wide overloads in Manchester United's attack. 🔗 www.nytimes.com/athletic/721...
How Bruno Fernandes' wide overloads are empowering Manchester United's attack under Michael Carrick. 🔗 www.nytimes.com/athletic/721...
How Bruno Fernandes' wide overloads are empowering Manchester United's attack under Michael Carrick. 🔗 www.nytimes.com/athletic/721...
Nico O'Reilly was key to Man City's gameplan yesterday. His unpredictable positioning caused Arsenal's press problems, and his runs inside Doku into the channel led to good chances. The two factors came together for the winning goal. (free to read) ⬇️ www.nytimes.com/athletic/721...
How Nico O’Reilly helped break Arsenal’s press – and their hearts (Gift Article)
After scoring the goals that won City the Carabao Cup against Arsenal, this was an even more significant performance from O'Reilly
nytimes.com
I lost my dad over Easter Going to watch Palace with him was special, to both of us. For so many years it was a shared bond. It brought us joy Loved sharing memories with him, about the grounds I visited & him recalling when he went there before This is a piece of my memories, in his memory #CPFC
Crystal Palace, Dad and me: Special memories that will live with me forever
Football has an almost unique power to bring people together, as it did for our Palace correspondent Matt Woosnam with his dad, Andy
nytimes.com
Against Bournemouth’s high press, Arsenal played out on multiple occasions, but their next action failed them. Then technical shortcomings kept occurring. Piece on how Arsenal's disastrous execution prevented them from playing through Bournemouth. 🔗 www.nytimes.com/athletic/718...
Against Bournemouth’s high press, Arsenal played out on multiple occasions, but their next action failed them. Then technical shortcomings kept occurring. Piece on how Arsenal's disastrous execution prevented them from playing through Bournemouth. 🔗 www.nytimes.com/athletic/718...
Was impressed with Julian Alvarez and Antoine Griezmann's positioning and movement against Barcelona yesterday. Piece on how Griezmann and Alvarez's deeper positions on the counter-attack swung the game against Barcelona. www.nytimes.com/athletic/718...
How Atletico Madrid’s clever positioning unlocked a Champions League win at Barcelona (Gift Article)
Julian Alvarez and Antoine Griezmann were the key protagonists, dropping deeper to help Diego Simeone's side to success at Camp Nou
nytimes.com
Piece on Mohamed Salah's Premier League legacy from a different perspective, the Egyptian one 🔒 Free to read كلمتين عن إرث محمد صلاح الكروي في الدوري الإنجليزي المقال مفتوح للجميع www.nytimes.com/athletic/714...
Mohamed Salah, the Egyptian idol who trod an unlikely path to Premier League summit (Gift Article)
Mohamed Salah created his own path to the top of the Premier League. His story has had an incredible impact on his homeland.
nytimes.com
How Arsenal's midfield transitions cut through Bayer Leverkusen. Analysis of Arsenal's 2-0 victory against Leverkusen in the second leg of the round of 16. www.nytimes.com/athletic/712...
Arsenal’s transitions are hard to handle – just ask Bayer Leverkusen (Gift Article)
Knowing Mikel Arteta's side have become a dangerous threat on the transition is one thing. Stopping it is another
nytimes.com
"It's not total free-for-all where you can kind of go and decide — it's a little bit of where you end up," said Manchester United's head coach, Michael Carrick, last month. Piece on United's flexible front four under Carrick. www.nytimes.com/athletic/712...
Manchester United’s flexible front four is driving renaissance under Michael Carrick (Gift Article)
How decoy runs, Fernandes' brilliance and a carefully struck balance are behind their rise to third
nytimes.com
"It's not total free-for-all where you can kind of go and decide — it's a little bit of where you end up," said Manchester United's head coach, Michael Carrick, last month. Piece on United's flexible front four under Carrick. www.nytimes.com/athletic/712...
Manchester United’s flexible front four is driving renaissance under Michael Carrick (Gift Article)
How decoy runs, Fernandes' brilliance and a carefully struck balance are behind their rise to third
nytimes.com
It is one year since Manchester United announced plans for a new home. Projected cost: £2bn. Today, debt nears its highest level, transfer debts top £300m and cash is tight. A deep look at #MUFC's debt, in the shadow of a new stadium: @theathleticfc.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/710...
Analysing Manchester United’s £1bn debt – and what it means for a new stadium one year on
A significant portion of Manchester United's long-term debt is due for refinancing, this is what their borrowings mean for a £2bn project
nytimes.com
Newcastle United should maintain their proactive approach and diverse runs in behind at the Camp Nou. Analysis of Newcastle 1-1 Barcelona. www.nytimes.com/athletic/710...
How do Newcastle beat Barcelona? Repeat their bold, proactive approach at the Camp Nou (Gift Article)
Eddie Howe's side were denied victory in Tuesday's Champions League last-16 first leg, but their positive approach shows a path to progress
nytimes.com
Newcastle United should maintain their proactive approach and diverse runs in behind at the Camp Nou. Analysis of Newcastle 1-1 Barcelona. www.nytimes.com/athletic/710...
How do Newcastle beat Barcelona? Repeat their bold, proactive approach at the Camp Nou (Gift Article)
Eddie Howe's side were denied victory in Tuesday's Champions League last-16 first leg, but their positive approach shows a path to progress
nytimes.com
Top 10 Premier League corner goals analysed. The idea of the corner alone doesn’t put it onto the list, its execution and applied principles also factor into the equation. www.nytimes.com/athletic/708...
The 10 cleverest corners from this Premier League season so far – Arsenal, Man Utd and plenty of Fulham (Gift Article)
To narrow down the selection from more than 2,500 to 140, only those that resulted in a goal were in contention...
nytimes.com
Top 10 Premier League corner goals analysed. The idea of the corner alone doesn’t put it onto the list, its execution and applied principles also factor into the equation. www.nytimes.com/athletic/708...
The 10 cleverest corners from this Premier League season so far – Arsenal, Man Utd and plenty of Fulham (Gift Article)
To narrow down the selection from more than 2,500 to 140, only those that resulted in a goal were in contention...
nytimes.com
