The Pulse of Football

Oct

2025

Preview: Brentford host Liverpool on Saturday night

Saturday evening sees Premier League champions Liverpool travel to the Gtech Community Stadium to face Brentford. The Reds are looking to bring a three match losing streak to an end in the English top flight having returned to winning ways on Wednesday against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League.

By Sam McGuire

The story so far

Liverpool are yet to draw a game this season. Arne Slot‘s side started with seven successive wins across all competitions before losing four on the spin.

They surrendered an early lead at the summit of the Premier League and now find themselves four points off the face after losses to Crystal Palace, Chelsea and Manchester United.

A resounding 5-1 win over an underwhelming Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday may have snapped the Reds out of their rut. However, the real test will be against the Bees on Saturday evening.

Brentford have been pretty inconsistent this term. They’ve suffered defeats against Nottingham Forest, Sunderland, Fulham and Manchester City but picked up wins over Aston Villa, Manchester United and West Ham United.

Keith Andrews has done a decent job since replacing Thomas Frank and has managed to get Igor Thiago firing.

Recent form

It might be hard to believe this but Brentford are the form team heading into this game with seven points from their last five in the Premier League. They took a point off of Chelsea in a 2-2 draw, hammered Manchester United 3-1 and claimed a comfortable 2-0 win over West Ham during this period.

Defensively, things have improved recently, with the Bees conceding just two across their last three outings, and this included a game against Manchester City.

Liverpool have six points across their last five Premier League games and are without a win since the 20th September when the Reds beat Everton 2-1 in the Merseyside derby.

Slot’s men are struggling for goals and have managed just one clean sheet across these fixtures, away at Burnley.

Key Players

For the hosts, the main man is Thiago. He was the Player of the Match against West Ham last time out, earning himself an 8.6 FotMob rating. He’s scored for the Bees in wins over the Hammers, Manchester United and Bournemouth in the Carabao Cup. The 24 year-old also found the back of the net in defeats to Sunderland and Nottingham Forest.

Thiago has been responsible for five of his team’s 11 goals this term.

*Player traits comparison for an in form Cody Gakpo*

For Liverpool, the key player is a surprising one. It is Cody Gakpo.

He’s scored in five successive games for club and country. He’s the joint top scorer for the Reds in the Premier League with three goals and his average FotMob rating of 7.67 is the highest in the Liverpool team.

Team News

Liverpool are without Alisson Becker, Jeremie Frimpong, Alexander Isak and Giovanni Leoni while Ryan Gravenberch remains an injury doubt after sustaining an injury against United last weekend.

Brentford are missing Scotland international Aaron Hickey. Other than that, Andrews has a full squad available to him for this Saturday night clash.

Prediction

If Liverpool have title aspirations, a win is needed here. The way Brentford are playing means it’ll be a tough game though. Both teams are going to score. The Reds might edge it after a confidence boost on Wednesday. We’re saying 2-1 to the visitors.

(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.

Oct

2025

Preview: Manchester United meet Brighton aiming for third straight win

Manchester United return to Old Trafford following their Liverpool success to take on Brighton team who are also recovering from a disappointing start to the season.

By Ian King

Both teams have momentum that they’ll be looking to maintain

Both Manchester United and Brighton are on an upward trajectory that they’ll be looking to maintain, going into this late Saturday afternoon fixture at Old Trafford. United come into this match off the back of their 2-1 win at Anfield last Sunday, and have now won three of their last four games, lifting them into the top half of the Premier League for the first time since their win against Burnley briefly took them to 9th ahead of the September international break.

But Brighton have also recovered from a mixed start. Having lost two of their first four matches, they’ve now gone four League games unbeaten since the middle of September, and they had a similarly impressive result to United last weekend, with a 2-1 win against Newcastle United at the Amex.

Manchester United’s recent record against Brighton is pretty terrible

Manchester United have a pretty terrible record in recent matches against Brighton (particularly at home), having lost six and won just two of their last eight meetings, with one of those two wins being on penalties following a goalless draw in the 2023 FA Cup semi-final at Wembley. Brighton completed a league double over United last season, winning 2-1 at the Amex and 3-1 at Old Trafford.

*The previous three meetings at Old Trafford*

Getting Mbeumo scoring regularly could get United on track, while Welbeck could offer a reminder of what they lost

If there’s one player more than any other who seems likely to lead Manchester United back to sunnier climes, it’s Bryan Mbeumo. He took exactly a minute to open the scoring at Anfield last weekend, and getting him scoring regularly – he’s managed just two in eight in the League so far this season – would go a long way towards getting them back challenging for a European place. After all, it’s all very well talking about United having an advantage over their rivals on account of having no European football this season, but a club of this size really needs European football.

It’s now been more than a decade since Danny Welbeck was a Manchester United player, but the striker has hit a rich vein of form this season, with his four goals in eight appearances including both goals in their win against Newcastle. There’s even been talk of him getting an England recall at 34 years of age following an absence of seven years. He has it in him to become Albion’s talisman, this season.

United’s injury woes have eased, but Brighton could be without several familiar names

Manchester United’s injury problems seem to be easing. Long-term absentee Lisandro Martínez is close to a return but won’t make this one, but Leny Yoro could push for a return after only making a five-minute cameo at the end of the Liverpool match. Benjamin Šeško was also on the bench for that match, but he could also return to lead their attack.

Brighton have injury problems, both in the short and long-term. Solly March, Adam Webster and Jack Hinshelwood all remain out of action, while Kaoru Mitoma, Joel Veltman, Diego Gómez and Brajan Gruda will all need pre-match fitness tests. Carlos Baleba, who Manchester United lusted after all summer, is likely to start in midfield.

Both teams are on an upward trajectory, but there’s little between them at the moment

It would be a bit premature to say that Manchester United are BACK – Liverpool were abject last Sunday, yet still unfortunate to not take a point from the game – but confidence is building around Old Trafford and it’s starting to look as though Ruben Amorim is getting his system through to his players.

Brighton, meanwhile, have been slowly improving since a poor start to the season, and while they do have injury problems, their win against Newcastle United last weekend was a reminder that they’re a team that you simply cannot take for granted.

If Manchester United want to get back towards the top end of the table, this is the sort of home match to win. But Brighton have a good record against them in recent fixtures, and their confidence will be high following last weekend’s excellent result.

United still have question marks hanging over their defence and Brighton can blow hot and cold (often within the same 90 minutes), so I’m going for a 2-2 draw and for these two teams to end their weekend where they started it, in the middle of the Premier League table but continuing to look in an upward direction.

(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.

Oct

2025

Preview: Chelsea face Sunderland for the first time since 2017

High-flying Sunderland travel to Stamford Bridge on Saturday for arguably their sternest test since returning to the Premier League, while Chelsea will be hoping to gain further ground on the top four and title chasers.

By Alex Roberts

Enzo Maresca’s young side are full of confidence after a comfortable 5-1 midweek win over Ajax, a team that looked more like a pub side than four-time Champions League winners, with three teenagers scoring for the same side in the same game for the first time in the tournament’s history.

As for Sunderland, their 2-0 win over Wolves last time out shows they’re doing exactly what newly promoted sides must do, beating the teams likely to be battling alongside them to avoid the drop.

A weird reunion for Marc Guiu

In another universe, the young Spaniard would be watching on with his Sunderland teammates rather than potentially starting with his Chelsea ones. He would have been ineligible to feature against his parent club should he have remained on loan on Wearside.

Alas, his loan was cut short after Chelsea decided to ship Nicolas Jackson off to Bayern Munich and here we are. Guiu started and scored the opener in the win over Ajax, with Chelsea looking an altogether more cohesive side with him on the pitch.

He came on against Liverpool, distracted Virgil van Dijk enough to allow Marc Cucurella to send in the cross for Estêvão’s winner, and after replacing Alejandro Garnacho at half time vs Forest, they were 2-0 up within seven minutes. It’s almost as if when Chelsea play a proper striker, they score goals.

The signing of the summer?

Sunderland spent a lot of money in the summer transfer window to get their squad ready for the step up from the Championship to the Premier League, and it appears to have worked wonders.

Few new boys across the league have had as instant an impact as Nordi Mukiele, however. The French defender is a constant, leading the charts for tackles made per 90 minutes at Sunderland with 3.3, while also making an average of eight clearances per game.

*Mukiele’s player traits, compared against defenders in top 5 leagues*

Capable of playing as a centre-back or a right back, he bagged the opening goal in the 2-0 win over Wolves having somehow found himself at left wing, playing a lovely one-two with Trai Hume, and beating José Sá. Adding goals to his game would be a welcome bonus.

Team News

Chelsea welcome Wesley Fofana back in the win over Ajax after missing the previous four games due to a concussion he picked up in the 2-1 League Cup win over Lincoln City, with Enzo Fernández also returned from a knock he picked up while on international duty.

Tosin Adarabioyo started his first game since the defeat to Man United, so Chelsea’s centre-back injury crisis appears to be over. Still, they’re missing Cole Palmer (groin), Levi Colwill (ACL), Dário Essugo (thigh), Benoît Badiashile (muscle), Liam Delap (hamstring), however.

Sunderland have a good few injuries too, with Ajibola Alese (shoulder), Dennis Cirkin (wrist), Leo Hjelde (Achilles tendon), Habib Diarra, (groin), and Romaine Mundle (hamstring) all out.

Prediction

Chelsea don’t tend to start games particularly well, so if Sunderland get an early goal, this could be interesting. We’re going to go with an edgy 2-1 home win.

(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.

Oct

2025

Robin Roefs: the most underrated goalkeeper in the Premier League this season?

If newly promoted Premier League teams want to stay in the top flight more than a single season these days, they need to do two things in particular: spend money well, and be capable of clean sheets. Sunderland look to have nailed both in the same transfer.

By Karl Matchett

Since Nottingham Forest, Fulham and Bournemouth came up from the Championship in 2021/22, it’s appeared a much tougher task for second tier sides to climb to the top and then stay there. Luton, Burnley and Sheffield United all did the yo-yo across ‘23 and ‘24, then Southampton, Leicester and Ipswich repeated the trick in limp fashion from ‘24 to ‘25. Early days in 25/26 it might still be, but Sunderland in particular are making a tremendous start to bucking that trend: four wins from eight so far and seventh in the still-fledgeling table. But the Black Cats aren’t outscoring the opposition so much as staying in games through organisation and defensive resolution, before looking to let their final-third quality tell. And a big reason for that is the new No. 1 at the Stadium of Light: Dutch goalkeeper Robin Roefs.

Defence doesn’t lie

Take a look down the last few years of Premier League football and, while obviously points is the defining factor, the goals conceded column tells a similar story too – teams are considerably less likely to be relegated if they are allowing fewer than 70 a season. For context, Burnley are already on course to concede 71, Wolves 76, West Ham 85.

Sunderland have let in only six across their eight games, and while that rate may not hold across the entire campaign, there’s at least scope to feel very positive about their chances of keeping the tallies against them down.

In the xG conceded table, they sit an impressive seventh with 9.7. And as for only conceding six so far, that’s where Roefs comes in.

Roefs on fire

Alisson Becker started the season in great form, but is injured again. David Raya has established himself as one of the best two or three in England over the last couple of years and is again in good form. And another new addition, Gigi Donnarumma at Man City, comes with the pedigree and reputation of a multiple trophy winner at club and country level.

There’s an argument to suggest Roefs has been better than all of them, comparatively speaking, in the early stretch of the season.

*Roef’s numbers, Premier League 2025/26*

For starters, he’s just one clean sheet (4) behind Raya and Nick Pope (5), who lead that particular standing. And if that’s a team-wide effort, then Roefs’ contribution to it is evident in making 3.4 saves per 90 – third-highest in the league. That said, saves per game by itself is a bit like pass completion percentages for a centre-back: without additional context it might not mean an awful lot.

So, Roefs can also present two additional pieces of data to back up his claim. First, his save percentage – at 82% this season in the league, only Raya can better him. But in preventing 3.0 goals so far, nobody can get near him. Only one other keeper (Dean Henderson, 2.7) is above 2.0 goals prevented, with Raya down on 0.3.

The Dutch stopper is halting more than four out of five efforts thrown at him and they are good quality scoring chances. Add in that he’s saved a penalty and ranks higher than 99% of other top European league goalkeepers for high claims in the past year, and it’s clear the 22-year-old is a real talent with the technique and mentality to thrive in the Premier League.

An eye on the World Cup?

As noted, there’s a long way to go when it comes to staying up, even with an in-form goalkeeper – they haven’t yet played any of the top five, for starters. But there’s a final part of the equation worth keeping an eye on as a big motivating factor when it comes to next summer for Roefs – the World Cup.

He’s uncapped right now, but has made the past couple of national team senior squads and it surely won’t be long before he gets an opportunity under Ronald Koeman if his form continues this way. Roefs is an U21, but his rise has been swift – this is effectively only his second season as a senior starter, having broken through at Dutch club NEC with a handful of appearances in 23/24. Last term he became a starter, before Sunderland swooped for a deal which could be worth a total of about £11.5m.

That looks an absolute steal so far.

*Roef’s player traits – comparison against other goalkeepers in top 5 leagues*

His competition for a shirt with the Oranje makes for easy comparison: Brighton’s Bart Verbruggen is only half a year older at 23, but has over 100 senior games behind him and 24 caps. While numbers of course don’t tell the whole story, they do show the south coast man is some way behind his younger rival in form so far: a 59% save percentage, 1.1 more goals conceded than expected.

Mark Flekken, now at Bayer Leverkusen, presents the older option, but if the Dutch seal qualification to World Cup 2026 in their next match in November, a first chance for Roefs in the dead rubber against Lithuania might be a hint at future plans.

That’s all for much further in the future; across the next six weeks, Roefs and Sunderland will face the likes of João Pedro, Viktor Gyökeres, Mohamed Salah and Erling Haaland. By Christmas we’ll have a clearer picture of his level – and that of his club.

(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.

Oct

2025

Preview: Inter Miami meet Nashville for Game 1 in their playoff series

Inter Miami kick off their MLS Cup campaign this weekend with a best-of-three series against Nashville SC in the first round.

By James Nalton

Lionel Messi’s side have been drawn against the same opponent they faced last Saturday in the final game of the regular season, when they ran out 5-2 winners in Tennessee.

The best-of-three format, which is used only in the first round, does allow for some leeway for the favourites, as they can afford to lose one game as long as they win the other two, but Miami will be looking to get the job done with a game to spare.

Inter Miami’s 2025 season begins now

Having failed to win any of the other competitions they have entered this season, Inter Miami are left with one more trophy to play for.

They didn’t manage to add silverware in the Concacaf Champions Cup, Leagues Cup, and Club World Cup, and neither could they retain the Supporters’ Shield title they won last season.

The one remaining competition they can win, and will be favourites to do so, it the MLS Cup.

It is this trophy they have been targeting ever since Messi rocked up in Florida in 2023, and this is their second go at trying to win it.

Last year, they were knocked out at this stage after a shock series defeat to Atlanta United, who won game three of the best-of-three in dramatic fashion.

Nashville SC will have this in mind and will believe they can do the same.

Opposition watch: Nashville SC

Nashville were 2-1 up as they went in at half-time in last weekend’s game against Miami.

Goals from Sam Surridge and the tireless Jacob Shaffelburg had the home side in high spirits at the break, with Hany Mukhtar also looking good as he set up Surridge’s goal.

Teams always have a chance against Miami given their lack of organisation in defence, and Nashville have enough firepower to have a very good one.

It all depends, as is so often the case against Javier Mascherano’s side, on what Messi does at the other end and whether he can be stopped.

Nashville couldn’t stop him last week as he scored a hat-trick and registered an assist in the game that Inter Miami eventually won 5-2 after scoring four in the second half.

The recent meeting means BJ Callaghan’s side are now familiar with where Inter Miami are at and how they are setting up, though, and the team from Tennessee will hope to learn from last week’s defeat.

Messi watch

If Messi wasn’t already a shoo-in for the 2025 MLS MVP, his hat-trick last weekend further reinforced his case.

When he inevitably picks up the award, he will become the first player to win it in back-to-back seasons, and only the second player to win it twice (Preki being the other).

The aim now is to replicate this form in the playoffs, which is the trophy Inter Miami truly craves.

If Messi’s postseason performances match his regular season displays, Inter Miami, despite their tendency to concede plenty of goals themselves, are favourites for the title.

Prediction

Inter Miami get off to winning ways at home in this best-of-three series.

(Cover Image from IMAGO)

You can follow every MLS game live this season with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage including shot maps, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Oct

2025

Hearts ready to take advantage of Scotland’s complacent big two

It’s been 40 years since we’ve seen the Scottish Premiership start like this. With both Celtic and Rangers struggling, Hearts are running away with the lead and could become the first non-Old Firm side to win it since Sir Alex Ferguson’s Aberdeen.

By Alex Roberts

Brendan Rodgers hasn’t lost a league title during his two spells as Celtic manager and that success has made the club lethargic, lazy, and assured of their own greatness, like a banker before the 2008 financial crisis. Surely, they’re too big to fail, right?

Wrong. Their play is slow and predictable, consisting of little more than boring sideways passes with low attacking quality, clearly lacking individuals that can take the game by the scruff of its neck and win it with a moment of magic. Long gone are the days of Shunsuke Nakamura and Henrik Larsson.

Rangers fans would be loving it if they weren’t even worse. The appointment of former Southampton boss Russell Martin has proven disastrous. After just 123 days in charge, with only five wins from 17 games and a 29% win rate, he has been shown the door. Danny Röhl has since taken over.

Even with Scotland’s big two wounded, everything is heavily weighted in their favour. Celtic’s wage bill this season is reported to be £22.5 million to £25.5 million while Rangers are said to be spending £23.5 million.

Breaking that glass ceiling requires something more than simply throwing cash at the situation, the old heads may not like it, but it needs numbers and analytics.

There are few people in the football-sphere better at that than Tony Bloom. The Brighton and Hove Albion owner made his fortune in gambling, so it should come as no surprise that he loves to take a risk in the transfer window.

Bloom has pioneered the use of data to improve efficiency in player recruitment. Brighton don’t just magic the likes of Moisés Caicedo out of thin air before going on to sell them for £100 million, there is a LOT of hard work that goes into find these players.

He invested £10 million in Edinburgh club Hearts back in June, buying a 29% stake while the Foundation of Hearts, a supporter-backed organisation, retain overall control, so it’s not exactly like multiclub entities such as BlueCo, one of Bloom’s best customers.

With Bloom’s Jamestown Analytics firm taking control of Hearts’ recruitment, the club brought in ten players from Iceland to Portugal, including the record £1.7 million transfer of Ageu from Santa Clara.

That partnership is already paying off. Claudio Braga and Alexandros Kiziridis, signed from the relative obscurity of Norway’s second tier and the Slovakian league, have impressed during an unbeaten start to the season.

Don’t just take our word for it, Foundation of Hearts chairman Gerry Mallon has been full of praise for their relationship, telling AFP: “The single most impactful part of this whole package of Bloom involvement is the facilitation of that relationship with Jamestown.

Now, Hearts are five points clear at the top of the Scotting Premiership, and their meeting with current champions Celtic at Tynecastle Park on Sunday (October 26) gives them the opportunity to extend that lead to eight.

They’ve been here before. Back in 2005-06, with George Burley at the Helm, Hearts were sat at the top, with Celtic in second, with seven wins from their opening seven games. They went on a 12-game unbeaten run, winning ten and drawing two.

However, despite their start Burley was ‘sacked’ by then-owner and 2007 Lithuanian Dancing With The Stars winner Vladimir Romanov due to various disagreements, all but destroying the fans collective faith in the Russian they once hailed as a savior.

Hearts would go on to finish second that season, the highest finish in their recent history, but it’s tainted by what could have been. Thankfully, Bloom is no Romanov, and Derek McInnes is showing no signs of wanting to leave any time soon.

McInnes joined in May following a relatively successful two-and-a-half-year spell with Kilmarnock. He’s largely regarded as one of the best managers in Scotland, and has previously been linked with Rangers, a club he spent five years at as a player.

The Edinburgh club had a couple of serious players already there before the summer, most notably Lawrence Shankland. An eight league goal haul in 2024-25 was poor by his standards, especially considering he had bagged 24 in the two seasons before.

Adding Braga and Greek winger Kiziridis, who now have 12 league goal contributions between them, has turned Hearts into a genuine force, leading in terms of goals per match with 2.4, creating 5.8 chances per 90 minutes, and having 261 touches in the opposition box so far.

They’re not just winning games, they’re dominating them, scoring 19 goals and conceding just six, in fact, their only let given up one goal in their previous five league games. Hearts have every right to be top of the table.

With all this talk of numbers, analytics, and data, McInnes has managed to instil that ol’ troupe, wanting it more, into his side. Hearts have won a league high of seven points from losing positions since the start of the season.

McInnes’ lads went 2-1 down to Dundee United in matchday two, only for Stuart Findlay to score a 94^th minute winner. In their next league game against Motherwell, the visitors led 3-0 after 62 minutes; Harry Milne score shortly after before a Braga brace helped earn a draw.

Hearts went behind again when they made the trip to last-placed Livingston, then Braga restored parity just after half time, with Kiziridis bagging yet another stoppage time winner to keep their perfect start intact.

A visit from Celtic is easily their toughest test of the season so far. Rodgers’ side will look to keep the ball as much as possible, they’ve averaged 72.7% possession, but should Hearts win, it could be a giant step towards one of the most impressive feats in football.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from Scotland on FotMob during the 2025/26 season – with in-depth stat coverage, xG, and player ratings, where available. Download the free app here.

Oct

2025

Nico Paz and the match stats that make him the most exciting talent in Serie A

Who is the best player in Serie A right now? If you’re focusing on longevity and lifetime achievements, you might select Kevin De Bruyne or Luka Modrić. If you’re going by goal-scoring ability, you might pick Lautaro Martínez or Christian Pulisic. If you’re prioritizing last season’s achievements, you might go with reigning Serie A MVP Scott McTominay…

By Zach Lowy

…However, if you’re going by FotMob’s player ratings, there’s only one correct answer: Nico Paz (8.09).

Paz sits well ahead of second-placed Arijanet Murić (7.97) in the league rankings and only behind Harry Kane (9.07), Luís Diaz (8.28), Michael Olise (8.15), Erling Haaland (8.22), Kylian Mbappé (8.62), and Lamine Yamal (8.42) in Europe’s top five leagues. In just his second full professional season, Paz has emerged as an indispensable figure for a Como side that is daring to dream under Cesc Fàbregas. And just like Fàbregas, there’s every reason to believe that Paz can become one of the best attacking midfielders of his generation and win the biggest trophy in sports with his country.

Born in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain, Nico is the son of a Spanish mother and an Argentine father – Pablo Paz – who played for Argentina in the 1998 FIFA World Cup. Initially, he looked set to follow in his father’s footsteps by becoming a centre back, only to depart the Canary Islands in 2016 and join Real Madrid’s academy, where he evolved into a centre forward and then a winger, before eventually settling into an attacking midfield role. Paz broke into the first team in November 2023 and was heavily involved for two months before being sent back to the reserves after various senior figures returned from injury. Whilst Paz only managed 128 minutes across eight appearances, he nevertheless ended the season with three trophies – LaLiga, UEFA Champions League and Supercopa de España – and a maiden senior goal vs. Napoli, before leaving Spain for the first time in his life and joining Serie A club Como on a four-year contract. Como paid €6 million for Paz, but Real Madrid retained a 50% sell-on clause as well as three different buyback options in 2025 (€9m), 2026 (€10m), and 2027 (€11m).

It didn’t take long for Paz to adjust to his new surroundings, breaking into the starting XI in September 2024 and bagging assists in wins vs. Atalanta and Hellas Verona, before being called up for Argentina’s World Cup qualifiers, where, merely 13 minutes after coming on for his senior debut, he assisted Lionel Messi’s goal in a 6-0 thrashing of Bolivia. He’s been called up for every single international window since then, amassing five caps, and he looks set to compete in his first-ever senior tournament with the Albiceleste in next summer’s FIFA World Cup.

*Paz’s player traits comparison vs. similar players in top 5 leagues*

“Nico Paz is a difference-maker,” stated Argentine journalist Julián Giacobbe. “He’s an attacking player with a brutal technical sensitivity and creation ability, who’s very polished for his age, and who’s already capable of being a playmaker like few others on the planet. He’s a creative attacking playmaker with a great duel-winning ratio, who can drop back into midfield and put in a willing effort off the ball. His excellent ball control and ability with either foot allow him to strike the ball well both with shots and passes. Last season, he was a breakthrough star, but now, many defenders and coaches are aware of his quality and are taking a slightly more cautious approach to him. Since going to Italy, he’s gone from being a young reserve with barely any playing time to the attacking talisman of an ambitious project like Como – he’s matured and developed, and he’s repaying their trust with great performances and consistent growth.”

In their first top-flight campaign in 21 years, Como finished in 10th place thanks in large place to Paz’s 6 goals and 9 assists in 35 appearances, enough to see him win the Serie A Best Young Player award and make the Serie A Team of the Season.

*Paz’s passing numbers, Serie A current season*

Operating as the central attacking midfielder in Como’s 4-2-3-1, Paz has thrived at making incisive runs into the box, delivering quick one-twos with his teammates, and launching counter-attacks with perfectly timed through balls, as well as taking aim from distance and getting just the right amount of swerve and height to elude the goalkeeper with his shots. Today, Paz leads all Serie A players for assists (4), goal contributions (8), and chances created (26). Only Federico Dimarco (11) has created more big chances than Paz (8), whilst only Riccardo Orsolini (5) has scored more goals than him (4). At 21 years of age, he’s emerged as the creative fulcrum of a Como side that is on track for European football and that currently sits sixth in the table, ahead of the likes of Juventus, Atalanta, and Lazio.

He’s taken his game to the next level since being given the No. 10 shirt, kicking off the 2025/26 Serie A season with a goal and assist vs. Lazio before bagging a goal vs. Genoa, two assists at Fiorentina and a goal vs. Cremonese. But his finest performance came on Sunday vs. Juventus, where he used his wand of a left foot to whip in a sumptuous cross for Marc-Oliver Kempf to volley home from close range. Como would double their lead in the 79th minute with Paz receiving the ball at the halfway line, sauntering forward and bamboozling Andrea Cambiaso fwith a deft shoulder drop, before bending a rocket into the back of the net. It was a world-class goal that was reminiscent of a certain Francesco Totti.

“At the moment, there aren’t many Italian talents…the only one I’m watching, even if he’s not Italian, is Nico Paz,” stated Totti in a recent interview. “I like him…he intrigues me so much. Real Madrid made the best choice; he will return to Madrid and become one of the best players in the world.”

It seems only a matter of time before Nico Paz is back at the Santiago Bernabéu, but for now, he’s focused on two things: helping Como qualify for Europe for the first time in four decades, and helping Argentina become the first team in a quarter-century to win back-to-back World Cups.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Oct

2025

Nick Woltemade is having a big impact at St. James’ Park

Newcastle United have found a new cult hero in Nick Woltemade who has hit the ground running following his summer arrival.

By Graham Ruthven

Alexander Isak isn’t welcome back at St James’ Park. Newcastle United fans have made that clear since the Swedish striker forced through a summer move to Liverpool. At the same time, though, it was difficult to envisage how the Magpies would possibly replace their best player and top scorer.

And yet Nick Woltemade has done a better job of stepping into the void than ever seemed likely. The German wasn’t Newcastle’s first choice to replace Isak. He wasn’t even their second choice. Or third choice. It’s not clear how far down Newcastle’s list of targets Woltemade’s name was, but it certainly wasn’t at the top.

*Woltemade’s player traits comparison vs. strikers in top five leagues*

So far, though, the 23-year-old hasn’t just effectively replaced Isak, he has rapidly become the perfect frontman for Eddie Howe’s team. Woltemade has scored four goals in his first five Premier League appearances, also scoring on his Champions League debut. The German has made an instant impact.

There is no other player in world football like Woltemade. He is better with the ball at his feet than anyone standing 6′ 6″ tall should ever be. While Woltemade has proved himself as an effective targetman in his first few games for Newcastle, scoring a series of headed goals, he is also comfortable linking up play.

In many ways, Woltemade is the antithesis of Isak. While Isak was smooth in his play, Woltemade is gangly and awkward. Isak’s game is about making the most of his speed and directness in open space. Woltemade, on the other hand, is a more rounded centre forward in terms of his profile.

*Woltemade’s shot map, Premier League 2025/26*

Isak is a better player, even if he is currently struggling. There’s a reason Liverpool smashed the Premier League transfer record to land him. Isak is the closest thing to Thierry Henry English football has seen since the legendary Frenchman last played for Arsenal. Along with Erling Haaland, Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappé, he is among the best forwards around.

Something about Woltemade, however, feels custom-built for Newcastle, not just as a team, but a fanbase and a city. The German has already made himself a cult hero. There’s something about his character that evokes memories of the 1990s and the days of Kevin Keegan’s great entertainers.

The Newcastle United project could have stalled in the summer. The loss of Isak could have set them back years, and the Magpies weren’t able to strengthen in the way they had planned. Having qualified for the Champions League again, it was surprising that Newcastle weren’t a more attractive proposition to more top-level players.

Newcastle’s summer transfer window became a last-minute trolley dash. They grabbed Yoane Wissa, who hasn’t made his debut yet due to injury, with Woltemade joining the St James’ Park club in a deal worth £69m that drew scepticism, not least from Bayern Munich’s Karl-Heinz Rummenigge who called Newcastle “idiots” for paying that much.

“It’s irrelevant, really,” Howe said in response to the comments. “The market forces dictate transfer fees – not necessarily any one club. We’re very pleased to have Nick with us. I think he’s started very strongly in what has been a difficult period for him because he’s been thrust straight into action with no training time of note with us. He’s done really well. We’re really pleased to have him with us and the transfer fee is absolutely irrelevant.”

It’s certainly irrelevant now that Woltemade is thriving as Newcastle’s new focal point. The 23-year-old is the Magpies’ top scorer and boasts the highest Expected Goals (xG) of anyone in the St James’ Park dressing room, suggesting his current scoring ratio will be sustainable.

Newcastle can still do more to get even more out of their £69m striker. The Magpies aren’t the most creatively productive outfit in the Premier League, ranking only 11th for Big Chances created so far this season. They lack a midfield playmaker in the mould of someone like Kevin De Bruyne or Martin Ødegaard.

This is where Newcastle’s progression must occur. As formidable as the midfield trio of Bruno Guimarães, Joelinton and Sandro Tonali is, Howe needs a different sort of tool to impose the Magpies’ own game on the highest calibre of opponents. There’s still a ceiling on what Newcastle can truly achieve with their current squad.

Woltemade, however, is a central pillar Newcastle can now build around, and at 23 years old he is likely to get even better as he continues to acclimatise to his new surroundings. His cult status could grow further as the German produces more and more big moments. Woltemade might not be Isak, but right now he is using that to his advantage.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Oct

2025

Harry Kane is embracing a new all-round role for Bayern Munich

Harry Kane is transitioning into a different role as Bayern Munich’s creator-in-chief as well as being the Bundesliga’s top scorer.

By Graham Ruthven

Harry Kane’s numbers do enough to highlight his brilliance. Indeed, the 32-year-old has scored 24 goals for club and country this season, a tally that is bettered only by Erling Haaland in Europe’s ‘Big Five’ leagues. And yet this still doesn’t fully quantify Kane’s growing importance to Bayern Munich.

Kane’s performance in Saturday’s Der Klassiker was a showcase of everything he offers. Not only did the Englishman score the opening goal of the game from a corner kick, sending Bayern Munich on their way to a 2-1 win over Borussia Dortmund, he orchestrated the Bavarians’ second goal, and their attacking display as a whole.

Deployed as a number 10 behind Nicolas Jackson, Kane took it upon himself to be Bayern Munich’s quarter-back. It’s a role he has embraced in other matches this season, but Vincent Kompany fully leaned into Kane as his primary playmaker against Dortmund, allowing the Englishman to drift wherever he could find space.

The highlight of Kane’s performance was the cross-field pass that led to Bayern Munich’s second goal. He wasn’t even looking in the direction of Luis Díaz when he angled a 40-yard ball out to the Colombian winger from inside his own half, opening up the space for Díaz to get into the final third.

This wasn’t the only Tom Brady-esque pass played by Kane in the game. Only Manuel Neuer and Joshua Kimmich completed more long balls than the 32-year-old with Díaz, Jackson and Michael Olise all benefiting from the natural creativity of their English teammate.

Of course, Tottenham Hotspur fans grew accustomed to Kane playing in a similar way for them. Over time, Kane became a one-man attacking hub for the North London side, frequently dropping deep to pick up the ball and move Spurs forward, either through carrying possession or finding space with a long pass.

*Kane’s shooting stats, Bundesliga 2025/26*

Kane’s all-round game has been apparent for some time, but until this season Kompany hadn’t afforded the freedom to make full use of it for Bayern Munich. In fact, Kane faced some criticism last season for not playing a larger role in the Bavarians’ overall possession play. While still putting up numbers, he was a peripheral figure in a lot of matches.

This season, though, Kompany has built around Kane as someone who can offer a lot more than just goals. No Bayern Munich player has created more Big Chances than Kane (five) this season with only Olise and Kimmich ahead of the forward in Expected Assists (xA). He’s a playmaker as much as he’s a finisher.

“Harry Kane can of course still improve, even though he has been more than brilliant so far for us,” said Kompany after the win in Der Klassiker. “I think Messi and Ronaldo have set the bar so high that you feel like scoring in the manner Kane is scoring right now should be normal, but what he is doing is really outstanding. He worked so hard for the team tonight and was once again very important for us.”

*Kane’s passing stats, Bundesliga 2025/26*

Despite playing in the Club World Cup, the summer break appears to have revitalised Kane. He is covering more ground and playing with greater intensity. This might fade as the season progresses, and next summer’s World Cup starts to come into view, but on current form Kane might be the best player in the world.

Haaland is putting up serious numbers having notched an incredible 20 goals in his last 10 games for Manchester City and Norway, but he isn’t conducting play like Kane is for Bayern Munich right now. The same could be said about Kylian Mbappé. The Frenchman is on fire in front of goal, but isn’t an all-round threat in the way Kane is.

Bayern Munich look to have taken a step forward this season. Díaz has given them greater energy in the forward line with the Colombian registering nine goal contributions in just seven Bundesliga games. Olise also looks to have improved further, particularly on the defensive side of the ball.

In central midfield, Bayern haven’t been so open in defensive transition while the summer addition of Jonathan Tah has steadied things at the back. Kompany is building more on top of the foundations he put in place last season and the Bavarians look stronger for it. They could be Champions League contenders.

Some eyebrows were raised when Bayern Munich paid £86m for a 30-year-old Kane. Many saw the signing as a short-term measure with the Englishman entering the twilight of his career. For that money, though, the Bavarians landed an attacking focal point who can do it all. The current version of Kane is the best there has ever been.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Oct

2025

Alexander Isak’s struggle to get going part of a wider issue at Liverpool

Liverpool’s dream summer transfer window has turned into a bit of a nightmare.

By Sam McGuire

The Premier League champions trail leaders Arsenal by four points following their third successive loss in the English top-flight. The Reds suffered a 2-1 defeat to Manchester United on Sunday in a game that loosely followed their previous two losses. Arne Slot’s side start off poorly in the first half, change things in the second half and score an equaliser. However, having thrown on so many attackers and completely disregarding the balance of the team, the Reds are then left exposed and succumb to a late winner.

There are so many similarities between the goals conceded against Crystal Palace and Man United. The Reds failed to properly clear a long throw against the Eagles while against the Red Devils it was a corner. On both occasions, the back post is exploited. Interestingly though, in all three defeats, Alexander Isak has started for Liverpool.

This can’t have been why the 26-year-old forced a move to the Merseyside club. It can’t have been what the reigning champions had expected when they agreed to pay a British record £125million to pry the centre-forward away from Newcastle United.

*Isak player traits comparison against other strikers in top five leagues*

The Liverpool No. 9 is yet to get off the mark for his new club and in each of these starts, he’s missed at least one big chance. He was signed to be the difference-maker in the final third. He was earmarked as the man to spearhead Slot’s forward line because of how ruthless he’d been for Newcastle over the years.

He was the complete opposite of Darwin Nũńez and, to some extent, Luis Díaz. Whereas the former No. 9 was erratic in the final third and unreliable in the penalty area, Isak was as close to a guarantee as you could get. His confidence was borderline arrogance, but he was calm and composed when it mattered for the Magpies.

The champions are yet to see that player in red. His four missed big chances see him rank fourth for this metric behind Jean-Philippe Mateta (10), Erling Haaland (eight), and Dominic Calvert-Lewin (five).

*Isak’s shooting numbers in the Premier League so far*

Granted, Isak is having to feed off of scraps right now with Liverpool having trouble to really get going. The Reds had the best attacking numbers in the Premier League last term, averaging 2.3 goals per game with an Expected Goals per 90 average of 2.2. This term, they rank joint fourth for goals scored per game (1.8) and their Expected Goals per 90 total is down at 1.72.

For added context here, Slot’s side are on course to finish with an xG total of 65, significantly down from the 83.5 they finished with last season. While the sample size isn’t the largest, we are almost 25% into the 2025/26 campaign now.

Isak isn’t the sole reason for these struggles but he’s not helping right now, and there’s no escaping that. He’s missing opportunities and failing to make the most of the moments he’s presented with. A close range header against Chelsea was spurned and then he fired an effort almost straight at Senne Lammens from a good position against Manchester United. The most galling thing about the effort against the Red Devils was he scored against Liverpool from an almost identical position during his time with Newcastle.

The Sweden international was signed to be the difference-maker during those big moments. So far, he’s not managed to turn chances into goals. Perhaps a larger issue at play here though is that he’s not getting many chances at all.

The following needs to be caveated by saying he’s only made three starts, but Isak is averaging just 2.13 shots per 90 and his Expected Goals per 90 average is 0.34 with his Expected Goals on Target per 90 average coming in at 0.1 To top it all off, he’s averaging just 3.91 touches in the opposition box.

These numbers are considerably down on what he was posting for Newcastle prior to his £125million move to Anfield.

*Isak’s shot map at Newcastle United, Premier League 2024/25*

For Eddie Howe’s side last term, Isak had an xG per 90 of 0.66 and he was fairly accurate with his finishing with an xG On Target average of 0.65 from his 3.22 shots. He was also averaging almost seven touches in the opposition box on a per 90 basis.

Liverpool spent big money on him but, so far at least, don’t really know how to get him firing like he was at Newcastle.

What hasn’t helped the No. 9 is the fact he’s been having to play his way to fitness due to the nature of his transfer being drawn out. It’s something manager Arne Slot referenced ahead of the United game.

“I think he’s now had his five or six weeks of preseason, which is normal after being out for three or four months.

“Fitness-wise, he’s close to the level he should be, and now we can judge him fairly. If he plays twice for Sweden and doesn’t score, that’s not what you hope for, but I think his preseason is finished now.

“He’s played several games of 70, 80, and 90 minutes. Let’s see where he is in the coming weeks.”

Liverpool need the ruthless Isak who was feared by the Premier League last season. Isak needs a Liverpool team that has a clear way of playing. The sooner the latter happens, the sooner the former will make an appearance for the champions.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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