On this podcast I look at how elite Level Premier League  football has entered a new era. The individual superstar has never been less important.

 I look at the current state of the Premier League tactically and the new era Pep, Klopp and Tuchel have ushered in to top flight football. I have taken a big picture outlook to write it,  focusing on the whole Premier League era, looking at Eric Cantona influence at Manchester United and how he would fit in today's era, we're elite sides are so focused around pressing collectively. 

 I look at the emphasis coaches such as Pep, Klopp and Tuchel place on tactics and micromanaging every single aspect of the game and the effect this has had on players such as Cristiano Ronaldo and PSG’s front three. For example, I look at how Liverpool signed Salah and Mane, not as world-class finished products but players who fitted into a philosophy. How Manchester City are full of elite players, yet play in a collective cohesion, no star is above the system and how Tuchel won the Champions League without a recognised centre forward. All three managers have slightly different styles of play but adhere to certain principles; pressing, high-defensive lines, zonal or ball oriented marking, use of the full-backs as a vital part of the teams' identity.

Do you prefer Premier League football in 2021-22? Or has the game become too pressing based? 

Today I’m breaking down Antonio Conte Chelsea side from the 2016/17 season. Chelsea finished with 93 points the second highest points total in league history at the time. A switch of system to a back three early in the season was the turning point.  I look at their tactics, players, memorable games and legacy. All in 10 minutes! Enjoy.

Season Review 

• Manager: 🇮🇹Antonio Conte 
• Premier League: 1st (Champions)
• FA Cup: Runners-up 
• League Cup: Fourth Round 
• Top goalscorer: 
• League: 🇪🇸 Diego Costa (20) 
• All: 🇪🇸 Diego Costa (22)

Season Awards 

• PFA Player of the Year: N’Kolo Kante 
• FWA Player of the Year: N’Kolo Kante 
• PFA Team of the Year: N’Kolo Kante, Eden Hazard, Gary Cahill, David Luiz 
• Premier League Manager of the Season: Antonio Conte 

LMA Manager of the Season: Antonio Conte

Starting XI: 3-4-3 (Devastating in Transition and Counter-attacking with speed)

GK 🇧🇪 Thiabut Courtios

CB 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Gary Cahill  

CB 🇧🇷 David Luiz 

CB 🇷🇸 Nemanja Vidic 

RWB 🇳🇬 Victor Moses   

CM 🇷🇸 Nemanja Matic 

CM 🇫🇷 N’Kolo Kante  

LWB 🇪🇸 Marcos Alonso  

WF 🇪🇸 Pedro / 🇧🇷 Willian 

CF 🇪🇸 Diego Costa  

WF 🇧🇪 Eden Hazard  

With the AFCON currently taking place and superstars Salah, Mane and Mahrez representing Egypt, Senegal and Algeria I thought now was as good as time as any to build our all-time Premier League AFCON XI. 

There’s been a few of the Premier Leagues most iconic superstars come from Africa, so why not use this tournament as an excuse to celebrate them!

This is a Premier League podcast so I'm building my team based on Premier League impact and performance only. 

https://medium.com/@SJStobbart - READ MY WRITING HERE!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEk1RTIf4p8 - Drogba greatest Premier League goals 

A Whole New Ball Game is a solo hosted show, that offers weekly bite sized episodes all about the worlds biggest sport. A podcast that looks back on the Premier League era of English football (1992-)  Looking back at the greatest players, teams, games and much more. I your host Sam, will take you back on a trip down memory lane, every week, with a Premier League themed podcast.  If your a fan of the Premier League, you will be fan of this podcast

Today I’m looking at the brightest up and coming stars that England have to offer.

England’s golden generation, a tag line that haunted the country for a decade in the 2000s as a group of brilliant individual players failed to live up to their hype as a collective unit for the National side.

Pep Guardiola said in 2017 he could not understand why England did not achieve more with players such as Frank Lampard, Wayne Rooney, Ashley Cole, Paul Scholes, Steven Gerrard, John Terry, and Rio Ferdinand, claiming they were on the same level as Spain’s golden generation of 2008 – 2014.

The current crop of talent is as exciting as it has ever been for England, particularly in the attacking thirds, once a country that would lament the lack of technical and creative players coming through the ranks is now full of game-changing difference-makers playing at some of European football greatest clubs.

https://medium.com/@SJStobbart
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUqgpiTEtdPbc96nIw7vNUA/videos

I recap Lionel Messi incredible tenure at Barcelona, looking through timeline of his most famous and infamous moments in a Blaugrana shirt and the records, stats and trophies he accumulated along the way.

No man  in the history of football has given more joy, happiness and success to one club. For my generation football will never quite be the same again.

Follow me @
https://www.instagram.com/euro_elite_football_podcast/
https://www.reddit.com/r/EuroEliteFootball/

I take on the fun and completely original task of attempting to rank the 10 best attackers in Europe's top five leagues heading into the 2021-22 season. 

I ranked players in tiers, with players in the same tier having roughly the same value. My criteria was straight forward: 

I'm on of Europe's elite biggest clubs, which player do i want most if my goal is to win a championship and the champions league?

Honourable Mentions - who just missed out on the top 10
- Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)
- Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich) 
- Sadio Mane (Liverpool) 

With Liverpool’s title defence over. Now is as good a time as any too take stock of 2 incredible seasons, where Liverpool's football peaked and they played some of the best, consistent and dominant football in Premier League history. Wining the Champions League and Premier League, finishing with 98 and 99 points and breaking awhile host of other records alone the way.

I look back at the teams stats, records, star players, marquee performances  and legacy.

On today’s show where looking back on classic Premier League game from 2005 at Highbury as Arsenal we’re beaten 4-2 at home by Manchester United. A match that had it all a tunnel fracas, world class players, end to end attacking football and plenty of goals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8jk6ayGxNU (Match Highlights)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnxrDcpIlnM (Keane v Viera, Best of Enemies)

On today’s show where looking back on classic Premier League game from 2005 at Highbury as Arsenal we’re beaten 4-2 at home by Manchester United. A match that had it all a tunnel fracas, world class players, end to end attacking football and plenty of goals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8jk6ayGxNU (Match Highlights)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnxrDcpIlnM (Keane v Viera, Best of Enemies)

Follow me @
https://www.instagram.com/euro_elite_football_podcast/
https://www.reddit.com/r/EuroEliteFootball/

Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/user?u=10224892)