Thom Harris

Some personal news this morning… I’m incredibly excited to announce that I’m joining @TheAthleticFC as a full-time writer, focusing on football data in the Premier League and beyond. Here are a few things that you can expect from me 🇪🇸👨‍💻 theathletic.com/4153380

🎯 2nd in La Liga for line-breaking passes 🌪️ Quick, one-touch play through midfield Martín Zubimendi's raw numbers rarely stand out, but @SkillCorner can help to add context on how his passing interacts with the game around him. For @TheAthleticFC ⬇️ nytimes.com/athletic/63992…

Martin Zubimendi is one of Europe's most coveted midfielders, so why do his passing statistics look so... average? @ThomHarris_ explains why free online data sources fail to capture what Arsenal's new man can do on the ball ⬇️

As Arsenal work to sign Christhian Mosquera, here is a look at what he can bring as a much-needed deputy to William Saliba He's shown promise defending vs Kylian Mbappé but as with any young player, there are areas for development w/@ThomHarris_ nytimes.com/athletic/64621…

🔵The chat with Moyes that convinced him to pick #EFC 🔵Why talks dragged on 🔵Seen as strong stylistic fit 🔵3rd in Europe's top leagues for aerial duel win rate in box 🔵Rapid rise to the top Behind the Thierno Barry deal w/ @ThomHarris_ nytimes.com/athletic/64805…

Viktor Gyokeres is a battering ram of a centre forward — with 97 goals in two seasons for Sporting CP. But would his game translate to the Premier League? And is he the kind of striker that Mikel Arteta's side need? With Arsenal in advanced talks to sign him, @ThomHarris_…

Just when you thought you had seen everything that football had to offer. How about a missed penalty, a calamitous own goal, and two separate hat-tricks — including a goal straight from a corner, three goals in stoppage time, four in extra-time, and a 119th-minute winner — all…

Inspired by a talk by @alex11marin11 at the Field of Play conference in March – how can we use off-target shots to help us analyse and predict future shooting performance? For @TheAthleticFC ⬇️ nytimes.com/athletic/63043…

Welcome to the Club World Cup edition of The Radar. We’ve profiled 50 players at the tournament, with all 32 teams represented. We’ve separated them into four tiers: ▪️ Legend ▪️ World class ▪️ Key player ▪️ Next generation There are players born in the eighties, the nineties…

Rayan Cherki might well have been ambling into a game of five-a-side as he was brought on as a substitute at the MHP Arena in Stuttgart on Thursday night; looking around, directing a few assuring nods to his team-mates, drifting into a vague area of the pitch that looked about…

Anyone else slightly lost for words as Rayan Cherki almost dragged France back into it from 5-1 down last night? During his first international appearance? In just 30 minutes from the bench? Come and relive the best bits with me on @TheAthleticFC here 🪄 nytimes.com/athletic/64076…

Fantastic to speak with Rodrigo Muniz last week, a genuinely friendly and insightful young striker. We got into box movement, eye-catching statistics and an interesting choice for his toughest opponent so far… 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 With @MarkCarey93 for @TheAthleticFC nytimes.com/athletic/63971…

Piece on how Martin Zubimendi would benefit Arsenal, considering both the eye test and some numbers, looking at how he receives the ball under pressure, the passes he tends to make and his defensive contributions as a No 6 with @ThomHarris_ nytimes.com/athletic/63874…

Has been really great to help cover City for @TheAthleticFC so often this year. Here’s my final piece of the season on Josko Gvardiol — the ups, the downs, and his potential to get even better in the next evolution of Pep Guardiola’s team 🇭🇷 nytimes.com/athletic/63756…

Full-time, and City get the job done with a 2-0 win. De Bruyne gets 10 minutes towards the end, every touch serenaded by the travelling support. An emotional, but ultimately happy ending to a long old season 🇧🇪

It’s a classic Haaland penalty, rolls it into the bottom left and sends the keeper the wrong way. 2-0 City and that should be Champions League football next season.

PENALTY CITY! Lovely turn from Gundogan and Lukic catches him with his trailing leg. The City fans want Ederson to take it…

Chances at both end to start the second half – Ederson makes a third save to deny Wilson, before Gvardiol and Dias get in each other’s way from a corner. Another goal or two in this.

Fulham are growing into this. Cairney whipped a shot just wide before Ederson produces a fine save to deny Wilson again. City could do with a second, but they do look threatening when they find wingers Doku and Marmoush in space with switches of play.

First opportunity of the game for Fulham, as Ederson pushes a Harry Wilson shot wide, before Dias charges down the rebound. Nunes and Marmoush are linking really well down the right, plenty to like about this display so far.

Incredible athleticism to turn a rebound in with a bicycle kick. Nunes does well to break through down the right, but when his shot is tipped wide by Leno, Gundogan hooks it over his head and in off the bar. City 1-0 up, and it’s well-deserved.