The Premier League is the top division of English football. Founded in the 1992/93 season, replacing the old Football League, it consists of 20 teams with 3 teams relegated and replaced with 3 teams promoted from the Championship (the English second division) every season. The Premier League has become the biggest and most popular league in the world in the last twenty years, with a global audience of nearly 5 billion people across 212 territories, and a broadcasting deal worth just over £9 billion. The Premier League is where the best players play, the best managers ply their trade, and the fastest, most exciting football is played.
Manchester United are the most successful team in the Premier League era, winning the title 13 times.
The Commentator
Aug 21, 2026
Actively closing down opponents to force mistakes or win the ball. You can press high (in their third), in a mid-block (middle of the pitch), or low (in your own third). It only works if everyone does it together - one player pressing alone just leaves space behind them. Klopp's Liverpool and Guardiola's City have made it central to how they play, using pressing as the first step of attack.
Barcelona's 6-2 destruction of Real Madrid in 2009 demonstrated relentless pressing - they suffocated Madrid high up the pitch, won the ball repeatedly in dangerous areas, and created chances directly from turnovers.
Robbie
Jan 18, 2026
How aggressively a team presses, measured by metrics like PPDA or the number of high recoveries. High pressing intensity means you're constantly harrying the opponent. It requires fitness, organization, and commitment from everyone. Some teams press intensely for 60 minutes then drop off; others can sustain it. Klopp's Liverpool and Nagelsmann's teams have been among the most intense pressers.
RB Leipzig under Nagelsmann had extreme pressing intensity - they'd hunt the ball relentlessly, win it high up the pitch, and attack before opponents could organize. It was exhausting to watch, let alone play against.
Robbie
Jan 20, 2026
Deliberately allowing the ball to go to a certain player or area, then springing a coordinated press the moment it arrives. You let them think they have an out, then shut it down. Usually involves directing play toward the sideline or a weaker player, where pressing is more effective because their options are limited. A pressing trap requires everyone to know the plan and commit at the right moment.
Liverpool under Klopp would let teams play to the full-back near the corner flag, then spring the trap - three players would converge instantly, the full-back had nowhere to go, and Liverpool would win the ball in a dangerous position.
Robbie
Jan 17, 2026
A player who stays calm when opponents close them down and finds a way out. They don't panic, don't give the ball away under pressure, and often draw fouls or find passes others would miss. Busquets was the gold standard for years - teams pressed him and he'd just spin away or thread a pass through a tiny gap. Modern midfielders get rated heavily on this quality.
Rodri is one of the most press-resistant players in the Premier League. Teams send two or three players to close him down, and he somehow wriggles free or plays a one-touch pass that breaks the press entirely.
Robbie
Jan 28, 2026