Latest articles by Alex Hess
The making of Ronaldinho – how the Brazilian superstar broke through at PSG
Year Zero Now residing in a Paraguayan jail, we look back at the season Ronaldinho broke onto the European scene, which ended with him in magical form and heading to the World Cup
When did club board members replace managers as the focus of fans' anger?
Premier League When Manchester United supporters attacked Ed Woodward's home this week, it was just the latest example of a cultural shift towards blaming the boardroom for failures on the pitch
West Ham need something drastic to kickstart a revival – they might not get it in the Premier League
West Ham United After a decade of David Gold and David Sullivan's ownership, West Ham need a shot in the arm - and it's not going to come from another season where they narrowly miss relegation
Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham really did prove that trophies are not the only measure of success
Tottenham Hotspur The outgoing Spurs manager didn’t deliver silverware – but he built a project and left a legacy that fans will cherish for a long time
Why it might be time to recognise Brendan Rodgers for the elite coach he is
Brendan Rodgers The Leicester boss has impressed at every job he's had – yet self-mythologising and cringe quotes have made him a divisive figure. Will he guide the Foxes back into the Champions League?
David Luiz, the constant enigma – how the mercurial defensive talent defines Unai Emery's Arsenal
Arsenal He's captained Brazil, scored a penalty in a Champions League final and amassed more than £100m in transfer fees. So why does the suggestion David Luiz is a clueless buffoon persist?
We really need to talk about Everton's defence – because nobody seems to be noticing...
Everton A year ago, the Toffees’ rearguard appeared to be their weak link. Now, with one of the best defensive records in the Premier League last season, it could be their key strength
How European football ended up full of stranded superstars – and absolutely everybody loses
Neymar Some of football's most famous faces are in for a season of stagnation, as finding a move proves harder than ever for the game's elite
The fall of Neymar: where PSG's ill-tempered talisman has been going wrong
PSG He was supposed to be the player who broke Messi and Ronaldo’s duopoly at the top – but now everything is falling apart around him. Can Neymar find happiness again?
Why Frank Lampard is ignoring history for romance - all for an unhappy ending
Chelsea The Chelsea great is gambling with his legacy by returning to Stamford Bridge. As Alex Hess writes, more accomplished managers than him have been discarded in recent years
Why Chelsea fans have hated Sarriball this season – and even victory in Europe won't help him
Chelsea Even success in the Europa League may not save Maurizio Sarri. But why are the Stamford Bridge faithful so opposed to his “progressive” playing style?
How Mauricio Pochettino and Tottenham showed up a transfer-obsessed nation
Tottenham Hotspur At almost no point has it been considered that there might actually be benefits to not buying anyone – until now, writes Alex Hess
The 6 best Premier League players outside the top six this season
Premier League Virgil van Dijk and Raheem Sterling are set for a clean sweep of the individual awards this term, but these stars outside the top bracket deserve some love too
Why Philippe Coutinho was probably doomed from the start at Barcelona
Barcelona He’s been neither bad nor brilliant at the Camp Nou, but already the Barça board are weighing up the possibility of cashing in. What gives?
Theo Walcott at 30: a strange, muddled career where reality was never as good as the fantasy
Theo Walcott The Everton winger leaves his 20s behind on Saturday, prompting Alex Hess to ponder what comes next for a player who has failed to live up to the early hype
The curious case of Alvaro Morata: a struggling striker yet to find his level
Chelsea He's about to end his difficult Chelsea spell after similar struggles at Real Madrid and Juventus – indicative of a player who just hasn't been quite good enough to make such a grade, writes Alex Hess
The death of the disciplinarian? Why coaches like Jose Mourinho are losing their touch
Premier League The Portuguese’s public lashings don’t seem to be having the desired effects upon his players – so are the days gone for iron fists?
The changing face of the Championship: how England’s second tier shifted its style
Championship There are exceptions to the rule, writes Alex Hess, but the league is seeing a cultural change that's causing ever-more disparity between promotion challengers and drop-dodgers
The sorry story of Cesc: how Fabregas became a sad victim of football’s changing times
Chelsea The 31-year-old was once considered among the Premier League’s great technicians, but has somehow become a relic of a bygone era, writes Alex Hess. But how?
How Memphis Depay has been reborn at Lyon after his Manchester United failure
Memphis Depay Eighteen months on from his spell at Old Trafford ending with a whimper, the Dutch winger is playing with a bang as he returns to Manchester in the Champions League, writes Alex Hess
Alexandre Lacazette is the big loser of Unai Emery’s Arsenal plan – but it doesn't have to be this way
Arsenal The French striker, signed for £46.5m a year ago, is out of the starting XI and rumoured to be exploring his transfer options. Alex Hess explains why he's suddenly found himself down the pecking order
Where has it all gone wrong for Henrikh Mkhitaryan in the Premier League?
Henrikh Mkhitaryan Just two years ago, he was voted the best player in the Bundesliga – yet the Arsenal midfielder is in danger of sinking without a trace in England, writes Alex Hess
The 5 major things that Gareth Southgate has done to reboot this England team
Gareth Southgate It’s not all waistcoats and being polite: these are the ways that Southgate has transformed the Three Lions, from wielding the axe to breaking a curse
