WHAT IS 'UNSUNG ANALYSIS'?

"Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I can assure you, it's much more important than that." (Bill Shankly)

Football. Described by Danny Baker as the source of the 'most intense emotions outside of war', a game can be won or lost in a heartbeat. A single moment of genius, an individual error, a refereeing decision that is remembered and discussed for years. When the stakes are so high, it takes only the tiniest moment of fallibility, of distraction or of doubt to swing the favours of an entire club, city or nation. And for every instant of joy, every wonder goal, every last ditch challenge, there are equal numbers of people on either side of the fence experiencing the most literal opposite of each other's experience. 

Bayern Munich players look on as Manchester Utd lift the Champion's League in 1999 having led the game from the 6th to the 88th minute. A fine line between triumph and despair.

Each day, an unquantifiable amount of words are written about football across the world. So what can I possibly expect to contribute to the constantly raging debate? Well, Unsung Analysis is about finding the one thing that hinged the game outside of goals, assists, saves or any other element of an individual match that doesn't get done to death in the post game chat. It could be a dummy run that opens up space for a striker to run into. It could be a tackle made by a winger that inspired the team to dig deep and see the game out. It could be a tiny tactical maneuver by a brave manager that edged the odds in his team's favour. I am hoping that by picking up on these tiny, seemingly insignificant details, I will be able to illustrate the ways in which the results of a football match can be influenced by a cumulative build up of similar occurrences. It would be unrealistic to suggest that a single selfless run into the box by a striker won his team the game, but, by highlighting it, I hope to discover a sporting version of the butterfly effect in microcosm. I believe that these minuscule moments, in high enough volume, can be the match winner when the tie is otherwise in deadlock.

I should add that it's possible that this won't be the case; it's possible that these insignificances are just that, and unrelated to the stat that matters most. I have no doubt I will learn a huge amount along the way.

The great Helenio Herrera talking us through his infamous 'door-bolt' system, the Catenaccio.

SO WHAT'S THE PLAN?

• I will publish a post after each Premier League Match Day, to begin with, but will make mention of as many games as possible outside of that - starting with this year's Community Shield between Manchester City and Arsenal, at Wembley on August 10th. 
• The primary point of discussion for each post will be an individual moment that I have recognised as being that particular game's piece of Unsung Anaysis. I will break down the unnoticed action and explain why I think it deserves a mention.
• Each post will also include an 'Unsung Hero' from the featured match. While goalscorers and on-form keepers get all the plaudits I will look into the performance of one player who added something smaller. Closing down angles and clogging up a otherwise free ranging midfielder's passing range, sticking like glue to a potentially dangerous attacker, whatever it may be.
• Finally, in the Thesaurus section, I will do my best to counter the prejudice against 'Pundit Jargon' and add a bit of weight to a seemingly impenetrable language made up, to the untrained ear, of cliches and vacuous, meaningless drivel. I am a huge fan of football punditry and I have an enormous amount of time for the likes of Hansen, Shearer and company but, as we all know, there is a tendency to use an ever broadening range of footballing platitudes (for example: 'they will be there or thereabouts at the end of the season' / 'a game of two halves' etc.) I will take a new phrase each week and unpick the real meaning behind it.

Without doubt the most exciting part of BBC Match of the Day. Seriously. 

WHAT GIVES ME THE RIGHT?

My name is Robbie Brown and I have been religious about football since the age of 2. I delight in the details, the stats that bore you between games on Match of the Day and watching everything but the player on the ball. I have come to watch football in an almost methodical way and, after talking my friends' ears off in the pub every Saturday about 'banks of four' and the resurgence of wing backs, I have decided to find another, less antisocial outlet for my theories and observations. It won't be for everyone, but I hope it will be just interesting enough to shed some light on my own obsession with the game.

(If you, like me, find yourself talking to a range of blank faces as you reel off your latest footballing theories, get in touch! I would love to build a contributor base for this blog and cover as many matches as possible throughout the season.) 

You can contact me via Twitter (RobbieBrown03) 

or email:

unsunganalysis@gmail.com