The Pulse of Football

Jan

2025

Yankuba Minteh: The ‘Gambian Messi’ on a steep trajectory at Brighton

When Yankuba Minteh gets going, it’s difficult to stop him. Manchester United found that out within minutes at Old Trafford last Sunday.

By Ben Bocsák

He burst into the penalty area with the Red Devils’ defenders trailing in his wake and thumped the ball into the back of the net to herald a dream start for Brighton at the ‘Theatre of Dreams.’

By scoring Minteh became the first Gambian player in history to score against Man United adding yet another accolade to what is already an accomplished career for the 20-year-old.

He’s the youngest Gambian to score in the Champions League, the youngest ever to appear in the Premier League and the youngest to appear in the African Cup of Nations.

Minteh has the potential to become one of the best Gambian players since the late Biri Biri, but it didn’t always seem that way.

As a youngster Minteh was labelled ‘The Gambian Messi’ in his homeland after his exploits with Steve Biko FC while playing in Gambia’s top flight.

Minteh attracted the attention of scouts, and he was given an opportunity to prove himself in Europe at Danish side, Odense, but initially he didn’t show enough to get the contract he craved.

“Yankuba came to a trial twice before we signed him. The first time in June 2021 he came for a month,” Ivan Poulsen, the club’s U19 coach explains to FotMob.

“At first, he came with another African player. Yankuba was a very fast player, rapidly fast. But after the first time we still doubted if he was good enough for our environment, so we asked to see him again,” Poulsen says.

In fact, at that time, Poulsen and his recruitment team saw more potential in Minteh’s compatriot:

“After the first trial we were more interested in the other African player, we thought he fit in better, and he was more mature. He seemed a better match.”

But Odense were willing to give Minteh a second chance six months after his initial trial period. He arrived at the club in February 2022, during a cold Danish winter.

“Before the second trial, we gave Yankuba some feedback, some things to work on his technical and his finishing skills and on his attitude,” Poulsen says.

“When he first came here his agent told us he was called the ‘Messi of Gambia’ so he thought he was Messi sometimes. We wanted him to be a bit more down to earth.

“But then he came back with a much-changed attitude, and he had worked on his finishing and technical skills. His first touch in particular he improved very well. After the second period, Minteh was the best player for us, and we decided to sign him.”

Initially, Minteh linked-up with Odense’s U19 team playing under Poulsen but it was immediately obvious he wouldn’t stay at that level for a long time.

“He was very determined to get to the first team,” Poulsen explains.

“After the first match in the U19 league, he scored within 37 minutes with a first time shot and then in the second match, he scored against Brøndby away.

“It was an incredible goal. He scored in a counterattack where he got the ball midway in our own half and he ran like Messi and Maradona past the whole Brøndby team dominating them and then he scored.”

With performances like that, Minteh’s determination to get into the first team would be quickly rewarded.

“After just two appearances we brought him to the first team because he was dominating so much in the U19 league,” Poulsen says.

And Minteh didn’t hesitate making an impact in the first team either.

“He scored the matchwinner on his debut in front of the fans in the last minute against FC København and he ran to celebrate with them,” Poulsen recalls.

“After that he was a fan favourite. He’s the kind of player who cheers with the fans, he gestures to the fans. That’s what the fans like, they like a player who has that liveliness.”

The rest is history, within months Minteh would be spotted by some of Europe’s biggest clubs. His path has taken him to Newcastle and Feyenoord before landing at Brighton in the Premier League.

In England, his start hasn’t been as impressive as in Denmark. After registering the assist for Brighton’s opening goal of the Premier League season, Minteh has been in and out of the side.

But he’s making positive impact. As per FotMob’s data he ranks in the 78.6 percentile for goals per 90 (0.37) and in the 71.8 percentile for assists per 90 (0.25).

He stands out with his ability on the ball completing 2.47 successful dribbles per 90 which ranks him in the 81.6 percentile.

*Minteh possession stats per 90, Premier League 2024/25*

And he is well-suited to Brighton’s counter-pressing game putting in his fair share of defensive duties, ranking in the 94.2 percentile for possession won in the opposition’s final third (1.36 per 90).

“He always gets in situations that is very dangerous for the opponents’ teams. They always had a hard time trying to contain him for a whole match,” Poulsen says.

“Defensively, because of his speed he is very good at capitalising on a mistake.’

A goal at Old Trafford was another important step in his development. He still has a long way to go but Poulsen predicts a bright future ahead.

“He’s such a lovely person. I think he has a huge career ahead of himself. He still visits us, and he said hello. He’s a special character and he lives life very much in his own way.

“His attitude and his personality will shine through. He will be himself. The Premier League is another level, so it’s exciting to follow him,” Poulsen concludes.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Premier League with FotMob this season – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Jan

2025

David Moyes’ tactical tweaks already sowing signs of recovery at Everton

David Moyes has a big task on his hands if he’s to turn things around at Everton, but he’s managed to get off to a decent start in his second spell at the club. The returning manager has made slight tweaks to the team, already has a win under his belt, and is hoping for new arrivals before the end of January.

By James Nalton

The first half of Everton’s 3-2 win against Spurs last weekend was a good example from Moyes of how to get the most out of a limited squad at a club that in the past four seasons have not spent more on transfers that they have received — the only Premier League team with such numbers.

It has meant that when Everton do spend money or bring in new players, they need to make it count in the first team. That had not been the case so far this season, but was something Moyes got to work on straight away.

Everton’s most expensive signing of the summer was 23-year-old Jake O’Brien who cost around £17m from Lyon, but the towering Irish defender had not started in the Premier League prior to the Spurs game under Moyes.

O’Brien’s inclusion was not merely a gesture based on the fee spent. It was part of an attempt by Moyes to get the most from what he has to work with, and he adapted his formation to suit these players.

O’Brien was used in a dual role which was relatively straightforward, and when seen in action seemed like an obvious solution.

When Everton were in possession, O’Brien operated as a defensive right full-back and was exactly the kind of right-back you might expect a 6ft 6in defender to be.

When Everton were defending, he tucked in to form a back three to the right of central defender James Tarkowski and left-sided centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite. As an added bonus, this additional height at the back is also very useful at set pieces.

“Quite often young centre-backs make their debuts playing at full-back,” Moyes said of O’Brien’s role.

“I did too, as a young player, and a lot of them do, so maybe he has to find his way a little bit.

“But we also tried to use his ability on the ball to help us build a little bit better — at times with four at the back and at times with three at the back.”

Moving on to look at the player who took up the right-back position alongside O’Brien in defence introduces another successful tweak made by Moyes — the addition of another summer signing, the on-loan Jesper Lindstrøm as an all-encompassing right-sided player.

As well as dropping into the full-back position to the right of O’Brien in defence, Lindstrøm also burst forward as a right winger in attack. The Dane played a part in the first and third Everton goals against Spurs, and was the best player on the pitch, receiving a standing ovation when subbed later in the second half. And it’s maybe no surprise the Spurs goals came once he was off the pitch.

All of this meant that, out of possession, Everton were in a 5-3-2 formation with Abdoulaye Doucouré often pushing up alongside Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and a middle three of Iliman Ndiaye, Idrissa Gueye, and Orel Mangala.

Both Ndiaye and Mangala were summer signings, too, and Ndiaye has been Everton’s standout player this season. He’s been a clearly outstanding player in a bad team, and this slight tweak to the formation meant he was slightly more involved.

Being part of a midfield three in defence, with the support of left-back Vitalii Mykolenko behind him, meant Ndiaye was more central during transition moments rather than out wide.

His ability to keep the ball under pressure and also dribble out of tight situations was important, and the one-two he played with Gueye produced the space for him to drive forward and score the best of the five goals scored in that match.

These changes from Moyes were fairly simple but highly effective. They used the strengths of the existing players and got the best out of four of the new signings that arrived in the summer.

When Ndiaye and Lindstrøm were subbed in the second half, the standard dropped, but there was still a plan behind the changes.

Attacking full-back Nathan Patterson should be the ideal substitute on the right, coming on in place of O’Brien if Everton are chasing the game, or giving Lindstrom a rest if they are leading as was the case versus Spurs.

Ashley Young and Michael Keane came on to add experience in order to try to see the game out, but overall there is an obvious lack of quality depth in this Everton team, and Moyes wants to sign reinforcements in the January transfer window.

The news last week that the club has now resolved its profit and sustainability issues might give them a bit of leeway to sign a player or two.

“We definitely need to try and keep adding,” Moyes said after the Spurs game, reflecting his comments after his first game back in charge against Aston Villa when he said: “We’re desperately needing to add some quality in certain areas; mainly to create and craft goals and, it looks like at times, to finish as well.”

Moyes appears to have a clear idea of where his team’s strengths lie and where they need improvements, and is already pushing to make the most of those strengths while, he hopes, going some way to addressing those weaknesses in this transfer window.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Premier League on FotMob – with in-depth stat coverage including xG, shot maps, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Jan

2025

Preview: Hoffenheim meet Spurs in early Europa League kick-off

The German Spurs face-off against the English Hoffenheim in the Europa League tonight, a stoppable force versus a highly movable object.

By Ian King

The race to the bottom

It’s Crisis Club vs Crisis Club in the Europa League. For both Hoffenheim and Tottenham Hotspur, the 2024/25 season has been a bit of a disaster. Indeed, Spurs supporters seeking solace from it all can take some from the fact that Hoffenheim have had just as bad a time of things as they have.

Spurs have won one in ten in the Premier League and have failed to win their last three in this tournament, too. Ironically, Hoffenheim’s 3-1 win at Holstein Kiel on Saturday ended a run of one win in ten Bundesliga games for them. Both are in 15th place in their respective divisions, but because there are two fewer teams in the Bundesliga, Hoffenheim are only one above the relegation places.

History

These two have never met before. This is Hoffenheim’s fifth season in Europe, and they’ve met English clubs twice, both times in the Champions League. They’ve lost all four matches, to Liverpool in the qualifiers in 2017/18 and to Manchester City in the group stage the following season.

Spurs first played German opposition in two successive rounds of their run to the 1974 UEFA Cup final, beating FC Köln in the quarter-finals and Lokomotiv Leipzig in the semi-finals before losing to Feyenoord in the final. But more recently the news hasn’t been so good. They’ve lost their last four matches against German opposition, scoring three and conceding 14 (including seven in one match) to RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich.

Key players

The key position for Spurs for this match may be in goal. Antonín Kinský is not registered for this competition, so it’s likely that Brandon Austin will make his second start for the club in that position. Hoffenheim are in a similar position, but Adam Hlozek scored two at Holstein Kiel on Saturday to make dealing with absentees a little easier for head coach Christian Ilzer.

Team News

The Spurs injury list is as long as ever, though Ben Davies has now returned, which should allow Archie Gray to move back into midfield. For Hoffenheim, Gift Orban arrived from Lyon for €9m earlier this month but is ineligible for this fixture. Otherwise, their injury list is as long as Tottenham’s is at the moment, and that’s saying something.

Prediction

This match may all come down to being a matter of priorities. Spurs have flatlined in the League but could be prioritising cups and have an eight-point buffer from the relegation places. Hoffenheim have no such insulation. Indeed, their win last weekend lifted them out of the Bundesliga relegation places. With two threadbare squads of players both looking over their shoulders at relegation, to which of these two will it matter more? I’ll go for Spurs, by 2-1, though this is in the full knowledge that seeing where their next win is coming from has been getting increasingly difficult of late.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Europa League with FotMob this season — featuring deep stats coverage, xG, player ratings, and a new super-intuitive knockout stage bracket. Download the free app here.

Jan

2025

Preview: Man United face Rangers in ‘Battle of Britain’ test

Once upon a time, this would have been a massive Champions League fixture, now, the two most successful league sides in Scotland and England face off in the Europa League on Thursday.

By Alex Roberts

Both sides are in the automatic qualification spots, sitting in seventh and eighth respectively, but that could change very quickly, with five other sides able to leapfrog both United and Rangers in the next round of fixtures.

Rúben Amorim hasn’t exactly set the world alight since replacing Erik ten Hag, and Philippe Clement is seemingly one game away from getting the sack at any given time. It’s not quite ‘El Sackio’, but it’s about as close as it gets.

Happy memories for Amad Diallo

Not even arguably Man United’s best player at the moment, Diallo spent the second half of the 2021-22 season on loan at Rangers, banging in three goals, and providing a single assist in his 13 games.

He’s come a long way since then and is almost single handedly dragging Man United out of a potential Premier League relegation battle. A sentence no one here at FotMob thought they would ever write.

Unfortunately for United, he was powerless to stop Brighton in their 3-1 defeat to the South Coast side over the weekend, but he is still their only real big game player at the moment, scoring a late hat-trick against Southampton, a winner against Man City, and an equaliser vs Liverpool. He’ll be wanting to do the same against his former loan club.

A much-needed goal scorer

Hamza Igamane is really starting to establish himself at Rangers. Having supplanted streaky striker Cyriel Dessers as Clement’s preferred option up top, he’s got eight goals in his last ten games across all competitions.

One of those goals came against Premier League opposition, the opener against former Celtic boss Ange Postecoglu and his struggling Tottenham side in their previous Europe League fixture.

He’s incredibly versatile, capable of playing anywhere across the frontline, but feels most comfortable as either a left-winger or a striker. If we were to compare him to anyone, it would be Marcus Rashford.

Onana, not again

After his most recent howler in the defeat to Brighton, André Onana has now made 10 errors leading to goals in his nearly two years at the club. In comparison, David de Gea made 17 over 12 years.

Given Altay Bayındır’s performance in their FA Cup third round win over Arsenal, Amorim has serious options should he decide to drop Onana. The Turkish international appears to be his preferred choice in domestic cup competitions, it wouldn’t be surprising if he gets a chance against Rangers too.

The world’s most prolific right-back

Ok, that might be a sweeping statement, but James Tavernier is an anomaly. While this season he’s not scoring like he used to, just three goals and seven assists in his 31 appearances, he is a massive asset for Rangers.

Deadly from almost every dead ball situation, the Rangers captain could cause some serious damage against Man United, who have a history of not being particularly solid from defensive set pieces.

United conceded a whopping 17 goals from set pieces, excluding penalties, in 2024 and they haven’t started 2025 particularly well either. Of course, that’s not all down to Amorim, but he hasn’t done much to change it.

Prediction

All those 60+ year-old pundits will be incredibly excited about a ‘Battle of Britian’, but in all honestly, they’re rarely a competition. Despite United’s poor form, we’re going to go with a 3-1 win for the English side.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

Jan

2025

Arsenal need to protect Next Gen stars like Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri

Arsenal must learn from their past mistakes in developing young talent with Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri a big part of the club’s future.

By Graham Ruthven

Myles Lewis-Skelly is Arsenal through and through. He’s been at the North London club since the age of eight. Interviewed by Ian Wright after last week’s derby win over Tottenham Hotspur, the 18-year-old was visibly starstruck by the Gunners legend. On his current trajectory, Lewis-Skelly is set for Arsenal stardom himself.

Over the last two months, Lewis-Skelly has nailed down a starting spot in Mikel Arteta’s team. He has started Arsenal’s last four matches in all competitions, catching the eye even as the Gunners have faltered in the Premier League title race. The teenager has given Arsenal a different dimension on the left side of the defence.

This is all the more impressive because Lewis-Skelly technically isn’t even a left back. He played more frequently as a central midfielder in Arsenal’s youth ranks and has had to adapt quickly to his new position in the first team. Lewis-Skelly’s midfield education, however, gives him an edge over other options at left back.

Arteta affords Lewis-Skelly the freedom to push into the middle of the pitch, giving Arsenal another body in central midfield in possession. This then allows Declan Rice to push further forward, getting the England international closer to Martin Ødegaard and his teammates in the attacking third. Lewis-Skelly makes Arsenal a more proactive team as a whole.

“Adapting to the role is not only the defensive part,” said Arteta when asked about Lewis-Skelly’s development as a left-sided defender this season. “You’re facing wingers a lot of time in that position and you’re part of the defensive line. All the attacking process on top of that. It’s quite a lot. He’s dealing with it in a great way. Physically, he has matured a lot in the past year.”

Ethan Nwaneri has also made a first team breakthrough this season, scoring five goals in just 18 appearances (only five of them starts). The 17-year-old is currently sidelined through injury, but made a profound impact in the first half of the season whether that’s in central midfield or out on the right wing.

It’s not just Nwaneri’s technical ability that makes him special, it’s the personality he plays with. He passes and dribbles with purpose well beyond his years. He is dangerous from all areas of the pitch and was compensating for the absence of Bukayo Saka on the right side before suffering an injury of his own.

Of course, Arsenal’s academy has produced homegrown heroes before. It wasn’t so long ago that Reiss Nelson, Emile Smith Rowe and Eddie Nketiah were being billed as the future of the North London club. However, those three players serve as a cautionary tale. Arsenal must do more to safeguard the development of their latest crop.

*Nwaneri possession stats per 90, 2024/25*

There was never any plan for the growth of Nelson, Smith Rowe and Nketiah. The former went on loan to Hoffenheim and Feyenoord before being farmed out to Fulham for the 2023/24 campaign. Meanwhile, Smith Rowe was sold permanently to the same club last summer with Nketiah also punted to Crystal Palace.

Smith Rowe and Nketiah surely would have given Arsenal some much-needed depth this season. The former might have covered for Martin Ødegaard when he missed two months of action through injury earlier in the season while the latter is the sort of penalty box poacher Arsenal are currently lacking.

Saka is the obvious example for Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri to follow. The right winger has been a first team figure at Arsenal for the last six seasons and is now considered one of the best players in his position anywhere in Europe. The Gunners are reliant on Saka and are paying for his absence right now having won just one of their last five games.

“I think it creates belief in the journey,” said Arteta regarding the example Saka sets for Arsenal’s academy graduates. Our players see there is a pathway that they have opportunities and if they earn it, they will be treated like the rest. I was lucky because someone trusted me at that age, and that is what you need as well. You have to be surrounded by the right team and players.”

The Arsenal academy conveyer belt is rolling again with Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri at the vanguard of the club’s future. The teenage pair have already made an impact in the first team, but at 17 and 18 remain in the formative years of their respective careers. Arsenal must do everything they can to ensure they follow the path of Saka and not that of Nelson, Smith Rowe and Nketiah.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Premier League on FotMob – with in-depth stat coverage including xG, shot maps, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Jan

2025

Preview: Arsenal face Croatian champions Dinamo Zagreb

The Gunners are almost there; one more win in the Champions League and they’ll look all-but assured of an automatic place in the last 16. Standing in their way: embattled Dinamo Zagreb, fighting for their lives to stay in the hunt for a play-off spot.

By Karl Matchett

Kindly fall of the fixture list?

It remains tough to tell as clubs get to grips with the new league version of European competition, and across the board it feels as though playing the strongest available team may be the approach. But, it might just be that the final two rounds of fixtures – and these teams’ respective points – play nicely into Arsenal’s hands.

Mikel Arteta will of course want to wrap up matters at home; win here and they probably don’t have to be too concerned with their last away day in Girona. And that might have the added knock-on effect of allowing them to rest some players before the Premier League match immediately afterwards, home to Man City. So, the reasons mount up for the Gunners to claim three points, hit 16 overall and be all-but-certain to finish in the top eight.

And, while opponents Zagreb won’t exactly roll over and accept defeat, the lingering suspicion is they are more likely to be accepting of putting all their eggs into a final-night basket, given they’re at home to Milan. That said, Dinamo’s two wins so far in the Champions League have come on the road, while they’re without a victory on home soil, so a sturdy rearguard will still be their approach at the Emirates. Hope for Arteta’s men comes in the shape of Bayern thrashing the Croatians 9-2 earlier this season – they are far from unbreachable.

Recent form

Arsenal have been sketchy at best. It feels only a week ago there was bullish talk of reigniting title hopes domestically, only for them to yet again slip up next time out. Arteta has overseen just one win in the last five in all competitions, three wins in the last seven at home and their last clean sheet against a team ranked above 16th in a league was six weeks back. Better is required.

Dinamo would almost welcome that kind of run, mind. While this match will be their first for exactly a month following a winter break, their win on 22 December snapped a seven-game winless streak that included a home draw to Celtic and a hammering by Borussia Dortmund.

Team news

Ben White, Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka and William Saliba are all out, as is Ethan Nwaneri. Riccardo Calafiori needs a fitness test.

Dinamo are missing Bruno Petković, Josip Mišić and Petar Sučić as first-team options.

Key player

Scored one and was denied another at the weekend – Kai Havertz remains Arsenal’s biggest goal threat and has the all-round penalty box play to both create and take chances against a determined defence. In Europe this term though he’s been more about build-up play than getting shots away: he averages 1.9 per 90 minutes with an average xG of 0.39 each game.

Prediction

Arsenal will get the job done but it might not be a pretty watch all night. Arsenal 2 Dinamo 0.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Champions League with FotMob this season — featuring deep stats coverage, xG, player ratings, and a new super-intuitive knockout stage bracket. Download the free app here.

Jan

2025

Preview: Real Madrid in must-win territory against struggling Salzburg

Defending UEFA Champions League holders Real Madrid are hovering precariously close to the bottom 12 with just two league phase matches left. Anything but a win against Salzburg will set the alarm bells ringing.

By Neel Shelat

Salzburg’s shocking season so far

After Sturm Graz ended their decade-long Bundesliga-winning streak last season, RB Salzburg were expected to come back strong this term. Instead of competing for another title, though, they are currently on course for their worst league finish in two decades.

Ahead of the season, they hired former Liverpool assistant coach Pep Ljinders to lead the squad. He won less than half of the competitive matches he took charge of, so he was sacked back in December. The team has been away on a winter break since then, so new head coach Thomas Letsch will make his debut in charge of the club at the Santiago Bernabéu.

Real Madrid’s shaky league phase campaign

Real Madrid’s UEFA Champions League title defence has been anything but convincing so far. Even each of their three victories was far from straightforward as they needed a late winner to beat Stuttgart, had to stage a dramatic turnaround in the second half against Borussia Dortmund and just about got the better of Atalanta in a five-goal thriller. On the other hand, their three losses to Lille, Milan and especially Liverpool were not undeserved.

With two games to go, the defending champions will almost certainly fail to finish in the top eight to earn a direct spot in the Round of 16. At the moment, though, their biggest concern has to be sealing a knockout spot as they are barely in the top 24.

Of course, injuries have been a big factor behind Real Madrid’s struggles (though there are other issues too). The situation is not much better for this match as defensive midfielders Aurélien Tchouaméni and Eduardo Camavinga have joined Éder Militão and Dani Carvajal on the treatment table, albeit for a shorter period of time. Lucas Vázquez’s suspension for accumulating three yellow cards means Federico Valverde will be forced to join Raúl Asencio on the right side of the defence, so Dani Ceballos and Luka Modrić will likely start behind Jude Bellingham in midfield.

Los Blancos looking to avoid creating unwanted history

Real Madrid have an unmatched reputation for being serial winners and record-breakers. Their 15 European Cups and Champions Leagues are over twice more than any other team’s tally, and they also have a record nine FIFA Club World Cups in their sprawling trophy cabinet.

However, they are fairly close to creating an unwanted piece of history this term. Chelsea’s group stage elimination in 2012/13 was the only time that the UEFA Champions League holders have not progressed to the knockouts, but that might well change if Los Blancos fail to win their last two games.

Prediction

The Santiago Bernabéu is hardly the best place to try out a new head coach’s tactics, so Real Madrid should get the better of Salzburg pretty comfortably.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

Jan

2025

Preview: Crunch time for PSG and Man City in Europe

The champions of France and the champions of England meet in a crucial Champions League clash in Paris on Wednesday, with both sides in serious danger of falling at the first hurdle.

By Alex Roberts

Luis Enrique’s side are fresh off the back of an edgy 2-1 win over RC Lens, the side City recently signed Uzbek centre-back Abdukodir Khusanov from – a player we recently profiled here. He didn’t feature in that game, but he did score his one and only goal of the season against the Parisian club back in December.

City’s most recent victory was a little more comprehensive. Pep Guardiola’s lads travelled to Ipswich and pumped them 6-0, temporarily re-entering the top four. Are they finally back after a dismal first half of the season?

2 Phil 2 Foden

One player who does appear to be back to his best is Phil Foden. Two consecutive Premier League braces against Brentford and then Ipswich earned him two back-to-back Player of the Match awards.

Up until now, the winger had struggled domestically, but found some solace on the continent, providing four goal contributions in his five Champions League games. That’s more than in his previous 16 Premier League games before the 2-2 draw with Brentford.

The past six months marked his first real dip in form since breaking into the Man City first team, which is quite a remarkable feat. It doesn’t always happen, but sometimes the sequels are better. Just ask Vin Diesel.

A shift in policy

Since the departures of Neymar, Lionel Messi, and Kylian Mbappé, PSG have seemingly avoided big name signings, instead opting to build what is quite possibly one of, if not the, best young squad in Europe. And they remain unbeaten after 18 rounds of the Ligue 1 season.

New signing Khvicha Kvaratskhalia won’t feature on the left-wing against City or their next Champions League game against Stuttgart later in the month as they won’t be able to register him until the league phase is over.

Up steps 19-year-old Désiré Doué. The youngster has impressed since joining from Rennes in the summer and started in PSG’s 2-0 defeat to fellow Premier League side Arsenal back in October. With one goal and two assists in 706 Ligue 1 minutes, he has the ability to be a difference maker.

Kyle Walker’s farewell tour

The veteran right-back looks set to depart Man City imminently, with AC Milan the most likely destination according to reports. He’s a player who has saved City time and time again. Tracking back has become his trademark.

Guardiola has never been particularly sentimental, and Walker has been left out of City’s last three squads entirely, but for what he’s done for the club, he deserves a proper send off.

City started Matheus Nunes at right-back in the win over Ipswich, and he performed well, and although Walker hasn’t been particularly impressive this season, ongoing defensive injury issues at the club mean he may well get the chance to say bye.

Marquinhos will be a big miss

Speaking of defensive injury issues, PSG have them too. Not quite to the extent that City do, but they will likely be without captain and central defensive stalwart Marquinhos for the clash.

He’s been out of action since PSG’s 1-0 Super Cup final win over Monaco at the start of January with a groin injury, and, despite his standing at the club and in the game as a whole, he won’t be rushed back.

Lucas Hernández, Willian Pacho, and Lucas Beraldo formed a back three in the win over Lens, and they impressed, but it will take some serious effort to fill the void left by the legendary Brazilian against a side like City.

Prediction

Neither side have been in particularly good form in Europe, sitting in 22^nd (Man City) and 25^th (PSG) respectively. For the amount of talent on display, and the importance of a win for both sides, we predict a relatively quiet game, 2-1 to Man City.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

Jan

2025

Analysis: How Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth have set course for their best-ever Premier League season

A decade ago to this day, Bournemouth were locked in an incredibly intense Championship title race which they would go on to win by just one point. With that, they sealed their first-ever promotion to the English top flight. Of course, they have had their ups and downs since, but they are now on course to seal their continental debut with what would be their best-ever Premier League finish.

By Neel Shelat

A good few eyebrows were raised when Bournemouth sacked Gary O’Neil in the summer of 2023 despite his efforts in leading them to a great escape. As a result, his successor Andoni Iraola was always under some pressure to prove himself. A 12th-placed finish with top-half-level underlying numbers in his first season was not bad at all, but the Spanish tactician is really showing his full potential this term.

Bournemouth are currently up in seventh place with 37 points from 22 games. With that, they are well on course to register over 50 points in the top flight for the very first time in their history. At their current rate, the Cherries will also qualify for their first-ever continental tournament, so they certainly merit closer inspection.

Debilitating press

Iraola’s Bournemouth are arguably the best high pressers not just in the English Premier League but all around the world of football. They have not only generated the most high turnovers in the league but also lead the way in terms of midfield turnovers.

Their relatively low possession average of about 45% is one factor, but Iraola’s exceptionally well-planned and well-drilled press is undoubtedly the biggest reason. His Rayo Vallecano side were just as good in LaLiga a couple of years ago, so this should come as no surprise to those who have been closely following the 42-year-old tactician’s work.

The key to the Cherries’ success is their meticulous coordination. Pure intensity is no longer enough for a successful high press, as the likes of Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur have learned the hard way in recent years. So, Bournemouth have a very clear trigger-based pressing approach which analysts call a hybrid press.

The basic idea behind hybrid pressing is to get the best of both worlds of the two dominant out-of-possession approaches – zonal and player-oriented. A fully player-oriented system is almost bound to fail at the elite level today as the opponent can easily utilise their numerical advantage in the build-up (created by the presence of the goalkeeper). A zonal approach ensures the pressing team is not dragged out of shape, but it can be beaten through overloads.

A hybrid pressing system tends to start more zonally, ensuring that all areas of the pitch are covered. Then, a pressing trigger (often a specific type of pass by the opponent or a movement by a key player) leads to the team switching to player orientation as they clamp down on all potential passing options and apply pressure on the ball. When executed spotlessly, such a press is incredibly difficult to play out against.

Bournemouth, of course, have executed their hybrid press brilliantly so far. They tend to start in something of a 4-4-2 or 4-1-3-2 shape, with one midfielder often stepping up to trigger the press. Ryan Christie has been that player for the overwhelming majority of Bournemouth’s matches so far, and he has done an exemplary job.

*Christie’s defensive stats per 90, Premier League 2024/25*

Recoveries are defined by Opta as “when a player recovers the ball in a situation where neither team has possession or where the ball has been played directly to him by an opponent, thus securing possession for their team.” Teams that press successfully do not necessarily win the ball through tackles as their opponents do manage to boot it away, so they tend to generate a lot more recoveries by picking up loose second balls. Clearly, it is no coincidence that Christie and Bournemouth are the league leaders this season for recoveries among players and teams respectively.

Besides generating a lot of high turnovers, the Cherris’ measured pressing approach has ensured that their back line has not been breached too often. The fact that they have maintained one of the better defensive records while defending quite high up the pitch is another testament to their excellent out-of-possession work.

Dangerous direct attack

Bournemouth fans will surely not begrudge us for saying that their squad is far from the best in the league, when it comes to player quality on paper. By market value, for example, their squad ranks 15th in the division. Their cohesiveness is the key to their success far more than any players, so their attacking approach mostly stems from their out-of-possession work rather than looking to platform any individuals.

For one, Iraola’s side obviously utilise their high turnovers by looking to get at their opponent’s unstructured defence as quickly as possible. They also try to create somewhat similar chaos when building out from the back, mostly playing a long ball forward for their attackers to contest instead of trying to play through a press.

The hard work of their willing attackers has enabled the Cherries to register the third-highest xG tally in the league, but their lack of clinicality has held them back a little. They have scored about seven goals fewer than their xG tally, so they could go even higher up the table with better chance conversion.

*The Premier League xG table, or ‘Justice Table’ from FotMob*

Should Iraola take up a big job?

Bournemouth’s success combined with the struggles of some big-hitters like Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur this season have naturally led to Iraola’s name being brought up as a potential candidate for those jobs. The Spanish head coach would certainly be unwise (and extremely unlikely) to jump ship mid-season, but he should carefully consider his options even if presented with an offer in the summer.

Both at Rayo Vallecano and Bournemouth, Iraola has put together teams greater than the sum of their parts by making the most of total commitment from his players. His tactics have remained quite similar, creating chaos to beat stronger teams by making them uncomfortable. His sides certainly did not control matches to a great extent as most elite teams like to do, so this kind of job might well be best suited to his style of play.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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Jan

2025

Abdukodir Khusanov is paving the way for Uzbek football

Manchester City appear to have beaten several of Europe’s elite clubs to the signing of Uzbek defender Abdukodir Khusanov in what has to be regarded as one of the most remarkable transfers in history, and he may well be the first of many Uzbek players to make big moves.

By Alex Roberts

The reported €40 million fee makes him far and away Uzbekistan’s most expensive player in history, more than double the €19.6 million price tag Roma paid Genoa for Eldor Shomurodov back in July 2024.

When Khusanov makes his debut the 20-year-old will become the first Uzbek player in Premier League history and the deal will be pound for pound, quite literally, one of the most profitable ever, having joined RC Lens from Belarusian side Energetik-BGU for a measly €100,000 back in the summer of 2023.

It was a deal that not many paid much attention to at the time, for obvious reasons, but there was method to the madness. Not long after moving to Minsk, Khusanov enjoyed his first major international success as Uzbekistan won the 2023 Under-20 Asian Cup on home soil, conceding just one goal in the process.

The only way was up from there. Khusanov starred for Uzbekistan once again just two months later, playing every minute for Uzbekistan in the Under-20s World Cup before being knocked out by Israel in the round of 16.

There will be plenty of differences between playing for RC Lens and Man City. The most obvious is Lens play a back three, while City, in transition at least, usually stick with a back four.

Pep Guardiola, furious after their 2-1 Manchester derby defeat to Man United, claimed “We have no defence”, and he’s not wrong. Even when they’ve not had to contend with injuries, City’s aging back line have not been up to par in the first half of the season.

Nathan Aké, Manuel Akanji, John Stones, and Kyle Walker are all entering the twilight of their incredible careers, to a different degree, with Walker looking set for a move after catching flak from his own fans for multiple high-profile mistakes.

It’s an area they’ve addressed and are working towards fixing; not just bringing Khusanov to the club, but Palmeiras wonderkid Vitor Reis set to join him as City seek to spend their way out of trouble.

City’s recruitment team know what they’re doing, and that makes the move for Khusanov all the more interesting. In many ways, he’s not the usual type of centre-back Guardiola would go for.

In the Uzbek language Khusanov means ‘mighty’, which is pretty apt. He never stops, he’d slide tackle his grandma if it meant preventing an attack, and that’s why he’s been nicknamed ‘the train.’

When you close your eyes and think of the archetypal Guardiola centre-back, you see Rúben Dias. An impressive ball carrier, passer, and annoyingly handsome, Khusanov doesn’t have all of those traits.

Compared to the other two in Lens’ preferred back three, Khusanov has the least number of successful passes with 475 compared to Kevin Danso’s 658, and Facundo Medina’s 818.

He’s also created the least number of chances amongst the three with two, four fewer than Danso, and a whopping eight fewer than Medina. Of course, he will see more of the ball at City, so he will have to adapt quickly.

He carries the weight of a nation on his shoulders. His remarkable rise to prominence is a huge source of national pride in Uzbekistan, but contrary to popular belief, they’ve always had a love for football.

*Khusanov’s defensive numbers in his 13 Ligue 1 appearances this season*

Currently sat in 58^th in the FIFA National Team Rankings, they’re above more traditionally football mad countries like the Republic of Ireland, Ghana, and Euro 2016 quarter-finalists Iceland.

That’s not all down to Khusanov, although he has played a significant role. CSKA winger Abbosbek Fayzullaev is also one of the most exciting young prospects in Asia, never mind Uzbekistan.

Fayzullaev beat Khusanov to the Uzbekistan’s Best Player of 2024 award, as well as the 2023 Asian Young Footballer of the Year and is featuring regularly for the Moscow club, scoring two goals, and providing three assists in his 16 league games.

Obviously, playing in Russia adds an extra level of trickiness should a top European club decide to make a move given political tension we don’t have enough space to write about, but don’t be surprised if one of them decided to risk it sometime soon.

Azizbek Tulkinbekov, a centre-back who can also play wing-back, became the Uzbek First division’s youngest ever player, making his debut at the age of just 15 years, eight months, and 28 days for current club Bunyodkor all the way back in 2022.

The ultimate goal for the Uzbek Football Assosiation is to qualify for the 2026 World Cup in North America, which would be their first ever. They’re currently second in their qualifying group, three points behind leaders Iran who have 16, with their only defeat coming at the hands of 2022 World Cup hosts, Qatar.

There is still a long way to go, and much work to be done if they want to make it to North America, but the talent is certainly there. Khusanov’s meteoric rise is just the first, they may never win a major tournament, but so what, expect to see plenty of Uzbek players across Europe’s top leagues in the not so distant future.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Premier League on FotMob – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.