No Grass in the Clouds $7 / month

No Grass in the Clouds is focused on analyzing professional soccer, emphasizing statistical insights, transfer market dynamics, team and player performances, and tactical developments. It explores themes such as expected goals (xG), the impact of player positions, and club management strategies while also providing speculative and analytical commentary on future team outcomes and individual player success.

Soccer Analysis Player Performance Transfer Market Tactical Insights Team Strategies Statistical Insights Managerial Commentary

The hottest Substack posts of No Grass in the Clouds

And their main takeaways

Could Liverpool Really Lose Mo Salah, TAA, *and* VVD After This Season?

99 implied HN points • 24 Oct 24
🎾 Sports Football Contracts Analysis Performance
  1. Liverpool's best players, Mo Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Virgil van Dijk, could leave after this season due to uncertain contract situations.
  2. The club has faced issues with its leadership and management, making it tough to handle player contracts effectively.
  3. Players may hesitate to sign long-term deals when they see instability in the club's management and direction.

The YouTube Thumbnail for This Would Be "POCH OUT?!?!?! FRAUD WATCH???"

159 implied HN points • 16 Oct 24
🎾 Sports Football Coaching Analysis Statistics
  1. Pochettino's current U.S. team is not as strong as the teams he previously coached, with a much lower market value.
  2. Key players like Pulisic and McKennie didn't fully participate in recent games, impacting the team's performance.
  3. The expected outcome of the games against Panama and Mexico matched reality, showing that even a great coach can't win with limited resources.

Uh, Guys: Brentford Might've Just Solved Soccer

139 implied HN points • 11 Oct 24
🎾 Sports Soccer Analytics Team Strategy
  1. Brentford has been scoring quickly, netting goals in the first 90 seconds of their games. This gives them a strong advantage over the other teams.
  2. Teams that score first tend to win more often, making early scoring really important in soccer.
  3. Brentford's strategy could be a smart playbook for other teams to follow to boost their chances of winning games.

Liverpool Without Jurgen Klopp: Still Pretty Good!

119 implied HN points • 08 Oct 24
🎾 Sports Soccer Coaching Statistics Player Performance Tactics
  1. Liverpool is performing well even without their former coach Jurgen Klopp. They have adapted their game style to focus on quality shots rather than long-range attempts.
  2. The team has been effective in creating high-quality chances during matches, especially when leading. This shows a strategic approach to controlling the game.
  3. Defensively, they have given up fewer chances this season, indicating improved defensive strategies. However, they tend to concede more when holding a big lead, which may suggest a tactical choice.

Rodri Vs. Pep Guardiola: Who Ya' Got?

99 implied HN points • 04 Oct 24
🎾 Sports Soccer Player analysis Team performance Statistics Trends
  1. Rodri is a key player for Manchester City, showing impressive skills in tackles, passes, and goals. He's unique in the modern game.
  2. There are rankings for the best American and Premier League soccer players, showcasing talent from different leagues.
  3. There's buzz around players like Erling Haaland potentially reaching high goal tallies in a season, while other players are gaining attention for their performances.
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Who Will Win (the Final 18 or 19) Games of the Premier League?

179 implied HN points • 12 Jan 24
🎾 Sports Soccer
  1. The author attempted to predict the final standings of the Premier League based on a unique scenario
  2. There is speculation about Everton receiving additional points due to a possible overturn of a point deduction
  3. Second-season manager Sean Dyche of Everton is highlighted as potentially significant

Who Ya' Got: Barcelona or Real Madrid?

199 implied HN points • 27 Oct 23
🎾 Sports Soccer
  1. Barcelona and Real Madrid are facing off in a big game tomorrow.
  2. Real Madrid is strong in counterattacking, generating 0.24 xG per 90 this season.
  3. Barcelona's defense has allowed 0.12 xG per 90 from opposition counters, which could be a key factor in the match.

The Premier League, Ranked, Vol. 3

179 implied HN points • 31 Oct 23
🎾 Sports Soccer
  1. Spurs in the Premier League are outperforming their expected goals both offensively and defensively.
  2. The aggressive playing style of Tottenham might not lead to sustainable over-performance in defense.
  3. The analysis featured by Ryan O'Hanlon highlights the potential future performance of the team.

Why Liverpool Should Replace Jurgen Klopp With ...

99 implied HN points • 30 Jan 24
🎾 Sports Soccer
  1. Jurgen Klopp is considered irreplaceable by many in the managerial world.
  2. Despite Klopp's irreplaceability, Liverpool still needs to find a way to replace him.
  3. There are discussions and speculations on potential candidates to replace Klopp at Liverpool.

What Happens When Moneyball Works Too Well?

139 implied HN points • 24 Oct 23
🎾 Sports Soccer
  1. The Billy Beane-led ownership group at Toulouse had to relinquish control of the club because they won too many games last season.
  2. Toulouse's alternative, analytical team-building approach led to unexpected success, including winning the French Cup.
  3. Success in sports, particularly when driven by data and analytics, can sometimes lead to unexpected consequences.

You Won. TAA Is a Midfielder Now.

119 implied HN points • 21 Apr 23
🎾 Sports Soccer Players
  1. Trent Alexander-Arnold is now playing as a midfielder for Liverpool.
  2. There is a discussion about Jude Bellingham and his future in soccer.
  3. Various topics in soccer are being covered in the post, including potential job matches between coaches and clubs.

Let's Pump the Breaks, Manchester United

139 implied HN points • 24 Feb 23
🎾 Sports Soccer Teams
  1. Newcastle United is surprising everyone with their performance.
  2. Managers should consider experimenting more with player positions.
  3. Manchester United's recent success may not mean they are as strong as perceived.