Page 113 – The Pulse of Football

May

2024

The Glasner revolution is in full swing at Selhurst Park

Oliver Glasner arrived at Crystal Palace back in February with the Eagles stagnating under Roy Hodgson. Although the 49-year-old has had minimal time to stamp his authority on Selhurst Park, the progress they’ve made already under his tutelage is significant, with the supporters in the capital undoubtedly excited to see what’s to come next season.

By Matthew Smith

Since Palace were promoted to the Premier League after winning the Championship play-offs in the 2012/2013 campaign, the London-based club have become established in the top flight. In their first season back amongst the big guns, the Eagles finished 11^th, which is more than the fans at Selhurst Park could have dreamed of. However, over the last 10 years, they’ve struggled to break into the top 10.

Glasner’s system needed minimal adaptation time

Under Hodgson, Palace predominantly played with a four-at-the-back system, sometimes switching to five in defence in certain games. The experienced manager is well-known for having his sides organised defensively, but that often hindered their attacking output. When Glasner arrived through the door, he quickly altered Palace’s setup, implementing a 3-4-2-1 system. The opening few weeks of his tenure might have had supporters slightly worried, but the complexities of his style were always going to take time to resonate with the Palace squad.

Since the string of poor results, everything has started to click for the Eagles, and they’re currently one of the most in-form sides in the Premier League. The results on paper are admirable, but Glasner’s ability to get the best out of individual players who have previously struggled at Selhurst Park is second to none.

Over the last five matches, Palace have won four and drawn one, with only Manchester City scoring more in the league during that time. Since their 4-2 loss at home to Pep Guardiola’s men, which increased their run without a victory to six games, the Eagles are now unbeaten in their last six.

There will be plenty of teams hanging around in the middle of the Premier League table who will be looking forward to seeing the season end so they can regroup and start afresh next term, but Palace fans might be disappointed that the campaign draws to a close in the coming days.

Mateta and Glasner are a match made in heaven

It’s no coincidence that Jean-Philippe Mateta has started to ooze confidence and find the back of the net with ease under Glasner, and the impact he’s made in recent months has been nothing short of sensational. The French striker has felt the effects of a new manager bounce, but it’s more than just an arm round the shoulder from Glasner. Although Mateta’s finishing ability may have been questioned at times, increasing the number of chances Palace create is bound to see the 26-year-old score more goals.

In his last 10 games, Mateta has struck nine times in the Premier League, while only scoring 13 goals over the course of the whole season – meaning only three of his strikes came under Hodgson, despite the former England manager being in charge for the majority of the campaign. The system chosen by Glasner has helped get the best out of him, with Tyrick Mitchell and Daniel Muñoz providing the width as wing-backs as Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze tuck in centrally to get into dangerous areas.

The impact of Eze, Olise, and Mateta has often grabbed the headlines in recent weeks, but Muñoz and Mitchell have been crucial for Palace. The defensive duo ranked second and fourth for touches inside the opposition box during their emphatic victory over Manchester United earlier this month, with Palace managing 35 touches in their box overall.

Meaningful possession the aim of the game

Glasner isn’t the type of manager to keep possession for the sake of it, with Palace often having less of the ball than the opposition under him. Against United, they completed more passes in the opposition half than their own, looking to get the ball into advanced areas as quickly as possible. The 3-4-2-1 system ensures they have plenty of width through the wing-backs, their strongest creative outlets – Eze and Olise – in central positions, and plenty of defensive cover with three centre-backs.

On the defensive side, Palace stayed compact, rarely allowing United inside their penalty area. Their solidity at the back is made even more impressive by the fact traditional full-back Nathaniel Clyne has predominantly been used as a central defender, while Marc Guéhi has barely donned a Palace shirt since Glasner took over.

Once again in their most recent game against Wolves, Palace only had 38 per cent of the possession, but managed to create 2.70 expected goals compared to the opposition’s 1.57.

In the 12 games Glasner has been in charge, the Eagles have scored 24 goals, picking up 21 points in the process. The results on the pitch will be all that matters to the fans watching on at Selhurst Park, but the exciting, easy on the eye, and free-flowing attacking style of play will bring some joy to go alongside the regular victories.

It’s easy to forget that Glasner was plunged in at the deep end when appointed as Palace boss, joining late in the season with little to play for. Although there was a lack of pressure with the Eagles likely to be safe from relegation, he’s been afforded hardly any time to work on his setup with new players. It will be interesting to see how Palace fare with a full pre-season of Glasner under the belt, but the supporters have every reason to be optimistic heading towards the 2024/2025 campaign.

(Images from IMAGO)

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

May

2024

Chelsea’s recovery in the second half of the season bodes well for Pochettino

In the aftermath of Chelsea’s 2-1 win at Brighton last night, one name which had been trending on social media following a lot of their matches this season was largely notable by his absence. Throughout this season, the wilder corners of Football Twitter have been continuing that two-decade long tradition of getting on the manager’s back from the very moment that everything at Stamford Bridge wasn’t going absolutely perfectly.

By Ian King

If anything, it’s been a little surprising the extent to which Chelsea haven’t been all over the back pages after another faltering season. While every single Manchester United stutter has been accompanied by a flurry of speculation over what tragedy will befall the club next, it has felt at points as though Mauricio Pochettino has been let off the hook a little. Was this just a reflection of the huge pulling power of Manchester United? Or was it a tacit admission that the problems at Stamford Bridge were somewhat greater than the manager?

The Brighton win was Chelsea’s fourth in a row, their best run of the season. They’re now in sixth place in the table with a game to play, and finishing in that position would mean a return to European football next season in either the Europa League or Conference League, depending on whether Manchester City or Manchester United win the FA Cup Final. Things could yet get even better than that, too. On Sunday afternoon, should they beat Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge and Spurs lose at the already-relegated Sheffield United, they could even still reach fifth place and a guaranteed Europa League place.

This would have been close to unimaginable for much of this season. Chelsea have been inconsistent, defensively leaky – the 62 Premier League goals they’ve conceded is the most in the Premier League’s top eight – and they’ve spent thirteen weeks in the bottom half of the table. But the improvement has been striking, and it didn’t just start with their four most recent wins.

By the end of the first week in February, that Pochettino wouldn’t last the season felt as inevitable as it had since more or less the first game of their season. Three straight wins in January and booking a place in the EFL Cup final seemed to have relieved the pressure a little, but that returned in spades following two successive matches against Liverpool and Wolves in which they conceded eight goals.

But in the 19 games played since then, the team has finally started to click into the sort of form that we might have expected from the start of the season, considering the amount of money that had been spent on it. They’ve only lost three of those 19, and those defeats came after extra-time to Liverpool in the EFL Cup final, to Manchester City in the semi-final of the FA Cup, and to Arsenal in the League. There may have been a couple too many draws in there – Chelsea have continued their habit of conceding two goals in too many matches as well – but this has been a successful second half to the season at Stamford Bridge.

Much of this has been down to the imperious form of Cole Palmer, who has scored 22 of their 72 Premier League goals and contributed ten assists. Of course, the uncharitable explanation for all of this has been that Palmer has been ‘digging Poch out’ of holes into which the manager had put his team, but that, if anything, is more a reflection of the mood of a fanbase that had become heartily fed up with losing as many matches as they won. The alternative perspective is that Pochettino has been making the best use of Palmer within a system that did take a long time to gel.

If there’s one group of people that have fallen relatively silent over the last few weeks, it’s been the #pochout advocates. There will always be some holdouts who’ve dug themselves into a position to the extent that they’ve made it part of their personality and will continue to see only the ill in anything he does, while the likelihood of many social media blowhards ever stepping up and admitting that they got this wrong seems as vanishingly light as ever.

Pochettino still has challenges ahead. The recklessness of Chelsea’s transfer policy when first purchased by Clearlake remains as clear as ever, and how the club will be able to dig itself out of the PSR/FFP hole into which they’ve dug themselves remains to be seen. It is particularly notable that the upswing in the team’s fortunes on the pitch has coincided with the movement of Todd Boehly away from being a centre of attention. Boehly is still there – he’s recently been at the Qatar Economic Forum, defending the club’s scattergun transfer policy – but he is at least half out of the limelight, which seems to be suiting the club much better.

Mauricio Pochettino will almost certainly still be the Chelsea manager come the start of next season, but there remains a lot of work to be done. Defensively, Chelsea remain profligate. Even this run of three defeats in 19 games has only yielded three clean sheets. But there are, at least, signs that the tide is turning at Stamford Bridge after a couple of years of relative chaos. As Brighton slide into a decline which was probably inevitable, given the repeated raids on both their playing and coaching staff, at least the main beneficiaries of those raids are doing just fine. Make of that what you will.

(Images from IMAGO)

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

May

2024

Man United might have been handed a way to navigate through another big transfer window

It seems of late there’s rarely a year goes by when the experts are suggesting Manchester United have what it takes to compete with the top teams in the Premier League each summer, yet by winter it’s clear that’s not the case – and by spring, yet another restructure is needed. The Old Trafford club are back to that point of the circle as a disappointing 2023/24 season draws to a close, with a partial takeover leading to hierarchy changes, seemingly a better structure…But still something of a circus on the pitch. And the less said about the roof over the pitch, the better. But they may just have received an unexpected pointer to help the direction of their summer plans.

By Karl Matchett

There have already been plenty of media soundbites, released by those within the club, about how the squad will get an overhaul this coming transfer window. A big spend is wanted, but this time with more purpose and value. More quality too, presumably. The one issue with that – and that’s even before considering whether Erik ten Hag is left in place or not – is that United have already spent heavily for little return of late, and there are concerns about profit and sustainability rules (PSR).

It’s approaching two years since they splurged £85m on Antony, for example. A year earlier Jadon Sancho cost a similar amount. Neither has offered anything like a valid return on investment. From a PSR perspective, we’re also still in the rolling three-year period of the signings – and ongoing salary expenditure – of Raphael Varane, Casemiro, Lisandro Martínez and Rasmus Højlund, the latter another £70-plus addition.

While at least a couple of those may depart this summer, one who wasn’t necessarily expected to is Bruno Fernandes – but apparent Bayern Munich interest might just be what Manchester United should seize upon to help them right three obvious wrongs of this campaign.

Firstly, is the fee he’d generate – this hasn’t been his best year, despite his high standing in the FotMob ratings, but he’s still highly regarded around Europe and would bring in a hefty addition to United’s spending power. Secondly, his on-pitch attitude, this term and previously, has been poor with far too great a frequency, while his antics of claiming non-existent free-kicks as play continues around him and berating officials while teammates scurry around all feed into the wider lack of conviction and determination at United. They have, without question, been cowardly in certain games over the past few years, and Fernandes is not exempt from that description. As the man who wears the armband, it shouldn’t just be that better is expected, it should be that those actions are never tolerated. There is a gulf between “setting an example” and what Fernandes has offered when the going gets tough. Dispensing with him might be just as important to resetting the dressing room culture as it was when offloading Cristiano Ronaldo, and United certainly need to do that one way or another if they hope to challenge for honours any time soon.

But perhaps more importantly than either of those first two reasons is the third, which links back into the spending without reward cycle: Mason Mount. An injury-hit first campaign at Old Trafford cannot hide the fact that he’s an awkward fit in a squad which contains Fernandes. Now aged 25, £60m Mount should be one of the pillars any new United side is built around: he’s previously shown the talent, the work rate and the guile that they could really have done with this term, but shoe-horning him into the side wider or deeper than he’s most effective from is not going to yield the rewards his transfer would have hoped for. Ten Hag has been unable – among other things – to pair Fernandes and Mount together. Perhaps another coach may, but surely the stronger route is to simply pick one over the other, not just for immediate talent but for team building purposes across the next three, four years. And reinvest the funds from the sale of the other, of course.

Because beyond restoring Mount’s prominence, there’s plenty more work to do.

Højlund has shown undoubted promise but needs a foil to play alongside or an experienced alternative to shoulder plenty of the burden. The incredible lack of centre-back partnerships still at the club needs fixing, fast. And hard decisions or hard talks must also be taken with some of those who have been at the club for many years – do they want them or not? Do they want to be at the club and compete, or just be in comfort? It has felt like too many pick the latter, again contributing to that culture of accepting mediocrity.

Ineos’ chosen leaders have a boatload to get through this first summer, and a managerial decision is probably the biggest part. But with so much to do on-pitch, taking advantage of interest in a saleable asset might be the wisest course to start with, resetting not just expectations but attitudes – and in turn trying to get far more out of those they have paid big money for than has been achieved so far.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every Manchester United game with xG, deep stats, and players ratings, on FotMob this season. Download the free app here.

May

2024

The Phil Neville-era is in trouble at Portland Timbers

Derby defeats are difficult enough to digest without the additional consequences that came with the Portland Timbers’ painful home loss to the Seattle Sounders on Sunday. The result dropped Phil Neville’s team to the bottom of the Western Conference with the Timbers on a winless run of nine matches. Portland have problems.

By Graham Ruthven

Neville was an unpopular appointment at Providence Park. Supporters protested against his arrival, highlighting problematic past statements about women made by the former England defender on social media. In a football sense, Neville also appeared to lack the qualifications for the position having struggled as Inter Miami boss.

Initially, Neville looked to have invigorated Portland as an attacking outfit. They scored four goals in an opening weekend victory over the Colorado Rapids and won two of their first three fixtures. The Timbers’ matches were chaotic, but the likes of Evander and Antony were being harnessed in the final third.

And yet even in these more positive times, there were signs of the drop-off to come. Portland grossly over-performed their Expected Goals (xG) over the first few weeks of the season. They simply couldn’t depend on Evander to score a stunning long-range goal in every match. The Timbers’ attacking form was unsustainable.

This has swung the focus towards a faltering defence and a sputtering engine room in the centre of the pitch. Portland haven’t kept a single clean sheet in 12 league matches this season. Out of possession, the Timbers are slow to press and close down opponents. In possession, they are sluggish and laboured to move the ball.

Miguel Araujo could be the key to improving Portland’s overall play with the Peruvian one of the few in the defensive third comfortable with the ball at his feet. Juan Mosquera’s positioning on the right side has, at times, also given the Timbers a way out. Green shoots of progress, however, are few and far between.

None of this suggests the Portland Timbers are on an upward trajectory under Neville. This season was always likely to be a transitional one after the departure of Gio Savarese, but supporters are entitled to feel they should have seen more progress from their team by now. The foundations Neville has put in appear to be made of quicksand.

“I’ve got to take full responsibility for this run,” said Neville after the 2-1 loss to Seattle. “Any criticism that comes our way has to be aimed at me. I select the team, I pick the system, I picked the tactics for the last nine games. We’ve got to be better. I’ve got to be better, but I’m convinced that he will get this right. I’m more convinced than I’ve ever been.”

Neville isn’t the only one facing criticism from fans. General manager Ned Grabavoy is also on the hot seat for some of the front office decisions made under his stewardship. Portland simply didn’t do enough to build out their squad before the attack over the off-season. Neville isn’t helping the situation, but he doesn’t have a lot to work with.

The good news for Portland is that there is still time for them to turn around their season. While the Timbers are sitting at the foot of the Western Conference, they are just six points adrift of the playoff line. They could still catch a number of the teams ahead of them in the standings, but something needs to change for that to happen.

Sacking Neville would be the easiest change to make. Another negative result and performance at home to the San Jose Earthquakes on Wednesday would pile more pressure on the 47-year-old who has yet to prove he has learned from the mistakes he made during his two years as Inter Miami head coach.

In South Florida, Neville was criticised for his failure to impose a clear style of play on a talented group of players. Inter Miami were one of the worst teams in build-up across the league. What’s more, there was a defensive frailty to the Herons with Neville in charge with their out-of-possession structure easy to play through.

The same characteristics have been evident in Portland’s play under Neville, raising doubts over whether he will ever be able to forge a modern, possession-orientated team. From the start, Neville has had a point to prove as Timbers manager. So far, though, he is only succeeding in proving his doubters right.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

May

2024

PSG’s transition and the post-Mbappe promise.

Fifteen years ago, football was vastly different. It used to be that buying the best individuals would almost guarantee silverware, but the sport is ever changing, and that’s no longer the case.

By Alex Roberts

QSi’s (Qatar Sports Investments) PSG project started in 2011, right at the back end of this ‘Galáctico’ era. Clubs like Real Madrid and Chelsea were the blueprint for success, spending vast amounts of cash and trusting the players bought in to go on to the pitch and get the job done.

Just a few years before, Pep Guardiola heralded the emergence of ‘system coaches’. All of a sudden, players were under intense instruction, with managers micromanaging every aspect of their game to get the best out of the resources they had.

Of course, it does help when one of those resources is Lionel Messi.

PSG’s rise directly correlated with the change of eras, a club that belonged in the early 2000’s operating in a manner that would soon become obsolete. Astute tactical decisions and data had overridden individual brilliance.

Zlatan Ibrahimović and Thiago Silva were the OGs, joining the club in the summer of 2012 from Italian giants AC Milan, becoming the poster boys for an unprecedented age of domestic domination.

David Beckham joined from LA Galaxy to add some glamour and boost shirt sales, a prelude to Messi joining the club over a decade later. He didn’t play much, but ‘Golden Balls’ helped promote the project.

Since then, PSG have won 10 Ligue 1 titles, six Coupe de France, and six Coupe de la Ligues. They have become an unstoppable force at home but have a habit of faltering on the European stage time and time again.

Neymar’s move from Barcelona in 2017 for an incredible €222 million was widely regarded as a huge coup for the club. The Brazilian had finally emerged from Messi’s shadow to lead his new side to European glory.

While Neymar had his successes in Paris, it’s hard to suggest the move was value for money. Injuries and off-field incidents overshadowed his performances for the club, and often earned him the ire of PSG’s ultras.

By the time he left the club, malaise had been left to fester and spread throughout the squad like a tumour. The novelty of domestic success had worn off, and continued failure on the continent had lead to toxicity.

When Messi announced he was leaving Barcelona, his move to France felt inevitable. Even the greatest player of all time has an expiration date, and PSG were the only European club crazy enough to get out the cheque book.

Again, it’s not like Messi was a failure in Paris, 22 goals in 58 Ligue 1 appearances is a decent return but PSG’s insistence on shoehorning superstars into their side made them easy to play against. In the end, the move will be remembered as a very expensive PR stunt.

Youngsters burst onto the scene all the time, but not quite like Kylian Mbappé did. Mbappé ended the 2016–17 season with 26 goals from 44 matches in all competitions, as Monaco won the Ligue 1 title.

PSG weren’t about to miss out on such a talent, and they moved heaven and Earth to bring the then 18-year-old back to Paris, his hometown. The transfer was an initial loan, becoming permanent in 2018 for €180 million.

The rest is history. Mbappé is now one of, if not THE best player on the planet, leading France to the World Cup in 2018, and nearly doing the same thing in 2022, narrowly missing out to Argentina in the final.

Playing hard to get last season was a risk that paid off. Mbappé squeezed PSG for everything they had and was reportedly granted decision making powers unlike any player before him.

Now he’s finally set to leave the club after flirting with Real Madrid for the past few summers. All the signs were there. Metaphorical forearm touches, hair twirls, and eye contact have seduced Los Blancos.

Fame breeds ego, and with ego comes arrogance, leading to division. The PSG dressing room has been filled with big names since the takeover, but potentially not for much longer.

With Mbappé set to leave in the summer, the 2024/25 season could be PSG’s first without a genuine superstar at the club since the Qatari takeover, and suddenly, it’s starting to look like a cohesive squad filled with young talent.

This season, the team has a solid structure, and we can see the patterns are more defined with master tactician Luis Enrique in the dugout. It may not be as pretty or marketable, but no longer do they rely on moments of genius. Their 4-1 win against Barcelona in the Champions League shows exactly that.

Unfortunately, the 2-0 aggregate loss to Borussia Dortmund in the semi-finals showed the side of PSG fans are more used to seeing on the European stage. Football can be cruel after all.

Last summer and January’s transfer window have both indicated a willingness to learn and change. Yes, large amounts of money have been spent, notably on Ousmane Dembélé (€50 million), Randal Kolo Muani (€80 million), and Gonçalo Ramos (€65 million), but such are the consequences of their actions.

Xavi Simons, Bradley Barcola, Lucas Beraldo, and Gabriel Moscardo all have massive potential, but most importantly, they’re young enough to be moulded by a top-quality coach like Enrique.

Add existing players like Gianluigi Donnarumma, Achraf Hakimi and Marquinhos to the mix and PSG have a healthy blend of experience and youth able to challenge any other starting XI in Europe.

Additions will have to be made, any team in the world would miss Mbappé, but the 25-year-old’s departure frees up funds that would have otherwise been spent on his immense wage and bonuses.

PSG’s transition will take some time and fans will need to be patient. Thankfully for Enrique and co, they have a huge advantage over every other club in the same boat, Paris itself.

No city in the world produces talent like the French capital. Mbappé, N’Golo Kante, and Thierry Henry are just a few players to learn their trade in the Parisian suburbs. The list goes on and on. Odds are if you can think of any French footballer from the past 20 years, they grew up in the Greater Paris area.

It’s a resource PSG have never truly embraced. Some of the game’s biggest names have walked through PSG Academy’s doors only to leave for greener pastures when first-team opportunities proved hard to come by.

One player has broken the mould, becoming one of the most exciting young players in Europe, and that’s Warren Zaïre-Emery. The 18-year-old has come through the ranks at PSG and may well be the future of the club.

A defensive midfielder with remarkable technical abilities, Zaïre-Emery is good at winning the ball and playmaking from deep, providing structure to his side and providing balance in the middle of the park.

Calm on the ball and good at reading the game, he is regarded as wise beyond his years, able to take on leadership responsibilities while maintaining a calm and disciplined attitude.

Predictably from Greater Paris, Zaïre-Emery grew up supporting PSG. He’s been seen in the stands, leading the club’s ultras, singing with his fellow supporters on numerous occasions. Building the squad around him is a sure-fire way of getting fans on side.

PSG have been stuck in a cycle, doing the same thing over and over, all the while expecting a different outcome each time. Change is needed if they’re to attain their ultimate aim of lifting the Champions League trophy.

It may take years, it may not happen at all, nothing in football is ever certain, but building a squad, instead of relying on complacent superstars is a good start. It’s a new era for PSG, and they would be wise to avoid previous temptations.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

May

2024

Why winning the Coppa Italia would only paper over the cracks at Juventus

As Juventus get ready to play in Wednesday night’s Coppa Italia Final and attempt, finally, to win some silverware in Max Allegri’s second spell at the club, there is an overriding feeling of pessimism amongst supporters. And rightly so, even winning the Coppa Italia should not change Allegri’s fate at the club.

By Kaustubh Pandey

2024 has been fairly disastrous for the Bianconeri. Even though January began with their 6-1 win over Salernitana in an earlier round of the Coppa, February was exactly when things simply fell off a cliff. They have, as a result, gone from being title hopefuls to a side that could yet finish fifth in the league even though Champions League qualification has already been secured.

In their last 19 games in all competitions, Juve have won only five times and this run stretches back to January, when they had beaten relegation threatened Sassuolo. In the very next game, they managed to beat Lecce, another side who’s top flight status is not safe by any means. The recent draw against Salernitana, who have already been relegated, was perhaps the tip of the iceberg and Juve were minutes away from handing the Granata their first win of 2024.

Another frustrating feature of the season is the fact that Allegri, even when the title race was well and truly on, constantly admitted that the Old Lady were simply in a battle for the Champions League spots. If not for Italy getting an extra spot for the competition, as part of UEFA’s expansion plans, Juve would now likely be struggling to qualify via the usual route.

And their position in the table is perhaps well deserved too. With Milan having recovered in time for the second half of the season and Bologna riding their momentum under Thiago Motta, Juve seem like a spent force – especially in attack. And the numbers show that, bringing the constant criticism of Allegri’s defensive approach back to the forefront of people’s minds.

While they have conceded the lowest amount of xG in the season (28.3) and they have conceded exactly 28 goals, Juve are fourth for xG generated and it perhaps suggests that they are – as Allegri would like, defence first.

That thought is further accentuated by the fact that they aren’t possession-focused at all. And strikingly enough, they are 12th in the table for average possession in the league and they are worse than Frosinone in that regard and little better than Lecce and Verona.

The fact that they are fifth for touches in the opposition’s box (893) shows that while they don’t like to keep possession, they are fairly direct in getting the ball forward in the final third. Allegri is known for that approach, which is more about the end result than the process.

While there is nothing fundamentally wrong with that way of playing football, there is a constant question about whether a system like that is even suiting the players that Juve currently have in their squad. And the answer to that question is no. Not only is it detrimental to the current players, it would also run the risk of hindering the development of Juve’s famed Next Gen players.

Manuel Locatelli was one of the most technically proficient midfielders in Italy before he moved to Juve. But his development has been stifled. The promise surrounding Fabio Miretti has also faded, with the Italian linked with potential exits from Turin. Matias Soule couldn’t quite make a mark under Allegri last season but he is thriving at Frosinone and has been linked with moves to the Premier League and even tonight’s opponents, Atalanta.

Most prominently, Federico Chiesa has cut a frustrating figure. He has often had to play wing-back in the 3-5-2 shape, thereby impacting his overall contribution.

While he is taking close to three shots per 90 minutes, the Italian hasn’t taken a single shot from inside the six-yard box. Despite that, he has managed to overperform on his xG by a decent margin.

On top of that, there is talk in the Italian media that the relationship between Allegri and Chiesa is deteriorating, leading to major question marks about the ex-Fiorentina star’s future at the club.

Adrien Rabiot had become a symbol of the club last season but his performances have dipped again this year and so has his output in terms of goals and assists. One of his most important traits was to get in the final third and make things happen, but the direct approach this season impacted his numbers too.

It isn’t to say that Rabiot has been bad, but the fact that one of Allegri’s most trusted players has had a dip says everything about the situation. And perhaps, it points towards the fact that the experiment should end.

While Dušan Vlahović has scored 16 league goals this season, he has still come across as a frustrated figure. There are spells across the season when the Serbian hasn’t scored and the ongoing spell is a clear example of that, with the striker having failed to score in any of his last four games.

While he has adapted from playing in a very attacking system at Fiorentina to playing in a more pragmatic system under Allegri, there remains a feeling that Vlahović would be scoring more under a different manager.

There is a chance that Juve do win the Coppa Italia this evening and the aforementioned players go on to have an excellent outing against La Dea. But it is vital to remember that Allegri has always been very good at one-off knockout games. That will not change how the league has panned out and 90 minutes should never be enough to alter the whole perception of the Italian and his approach.

It is fair to say that Allegri helped Juve transition away from a difficult period and without the points deduction, they would have been in the Champions League this season. And Allegri deserves credit for how he handled a complex situation and perhaps, history will be kind to him for making the most out of limited resources. But the club needs something fresh and that can’t be denied either.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow the Coppa Italia Final on FotMob – with deep stats, xG, and players ratings. Download the free app here.

May

2024

England Squad Gatecrashers, Part 2: Tyrick Mitchell

Gareth Southgate is spoilt for choice heading into Euro 2024 this summer.

By Sam McGuire

Never before has an England manager had such a talented pool of players at their disposal. To say the squad depth is unbelievable would be an understatement. But while Southgate is the envy of a lot of managers across Europe, he’s also in a bit of an unenviable position. Because no matter what decision he makes, unless the Three Lions go on to win the tournament, he’s going to have made the wrong one.

When there is that much talent available to you, you are expected to win. This is pressure few other managers will have ever experienced. Southgate will have a select few players who are dead certs for the squad but those who have been in fine form during the final few months of the 2023/24 campaign could well gatecrash the 26-man squad.

In this series, we’re going to look at five players who might have played their way into the thinking of the England boss. We’ve already made the case for Harvey Elliott. Now we’re going to look at the merits of Tyrick Mitchell.

The Crystal Palace left-back has been in fine form for the Eagles over recent months. The appointment of Oliver Glasner coincides with his upturn in form, but the same could be said for a number of players at Selhurst Park.

The left-back role is a problematic one for England at the minute.

Luke Shaw would usually be the guaranteed starter for the Three Lions but he’s had injury issues this season. The Manchester United full-back hasn’t made an appearance for the Red Devils since mid-February and he’s been involved in just 962 Premier League minutes this term.

Speaking recently, Gareth Southgate seemed to admit defeat in the hope Shaw would be ready for the summer tournament, saying: “He’s going to be right on the edge of the season. We know now to play seven matches in a Euros is highly unlikely.”

Next up in line would usually be Ben Chilwell but the Chelsea left-back has had injury issues of his own this season. He’s been limited to just 756 minutes in the Premier League. He might be fit for the Euros but there are no guarantees he would remain fit. His performances haven’t been great either, so a place in the team wouldn’t necessarily feel warranted or justified.

Southgate has used right-footed full-backs on the left in the past and that could well be his solution this time around. Joe Gomez has played a similar role for Liverpool. But when you do that, you lose the natural width that a lefty would provide. And that can limit the play and make things a little more predictable.

And this is why Mitchell should be looked at. It isn’t the sole reason but the fact he’s left-footed should not be overlooked.

The 24-year-old made his debut for the Three Lions in 2022 but he’s yet to add to his two caps for England. Now might be the perfect opportunity though.

Mitchell is in the form of his career.

He has a FotMob rating of over 7.1 in seven of his last 10 appearances for the Eagles and this good form has coincided with their climb up the table having escaped the relegation battle. Mitchell put in big showings against Manchester United (8.5) and Liverpool (8.2) over recent weeks. He chipped in with a goal against the Red Devils and assisted the winner against the Reds. The Crystal Palace No. 3 is now on two goals and three assists this term, so he is contributing going forward but he’s not as involved in play as the likes of Shaw or Chilwell.

But playing for Crystal Palace, he doesn’t have to be. He’s good enough in possession to do a job for a possession-based team. He’s not going to fill the creative void left by Shaw but there are ways around that. What you do get though is a left-footer who provides width and pace on that flank. You also get someone who is really strong defensively. His inclusion in the England squad should be a no-brainer.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from Euro 2024 live with FotMob — featuring xG, deep stats coverage, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

May

2024

FotMob Reaction: The story of the top four and the title, told in one massive missed chance

Manchester City winning the Premier League title might feel inevitable, and certainly looks as if it will now play out that way. Across the course of a season it’s very difficult to stop them earning the most points, whether by expenditure, squad depth, managerial quality, big-game experience or, as was the case on Tuesday night in a decisive win over Tottenham, goalscoring calibre of their main striker. And yet the defining moment, the defining chance, the defining miss of the title race, came at the other end of the pitch.

By Karl Matchett

Son Heung-min has carried Spurs before, has starred for Spurs in spells this season. He’s now club captain, regularly comes up with big moments when the team needs and certainly knows where the goal is. But on a night when it was all or nothing for the north London club, he yielded nothing: the South Korean missed twice as his team misfired again.

The big chances created in the game read 4-4. The big chances taken was 0-2. Erling Haaland notched a tap-in and a penalty, but minutes before the latter which wrapped up the points and, almost certainly, the Premier League trophy itself, Son spurned the one real moment which had the title on a knife-edge.

Put through on goal, one-on-one against a substitute goalkeeper who was only recently on the pitch, Son had a strange situation in front of him: score, and Spurs were level, yet arch-rivals Arsenal would be in pole position for the title instead of City – and his own club would not yet be where they needed to be in the chase for the Champions League. Only a win was good enough for Tottenham on the night and they never really came close to that.

Son’s earlier chance registered an xG of 0.44 just minutes into the second half; this latter was just as presentable – 0.49 – and far more important, with only a few minutes left on the clock. Add in goalkeeper saves against Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski and Spurs’ struggles to create regular, decent openings only yielded frustration and heads-in-hands moments when they did sneak behind City’s backline.

And yet in Son, Spurs are possessed of one of the league’s finest when it comes to finishing. Only a handful of players have hit more shots on target than him this term. Counting those who have reached double figures for the league season, only one player outperforms Son when it comes to scoring more than he should: in other words his xG difference, his actual (17) less his expected (12.0), giving him a fairly monstrous outperformance of 5 goals. For context, the guy at the other end who scored twice on the night and has 27 for the season is still underperforming his season xG by nearly two goals.

But Son’s touch and finish deserted him when it mattered, when the title teetered between north London and the north west.

Stefan Ortega, of course, deserves enormous credit. His save was exemplary both then and again from Kulusevski. He kept his side ahead, on the night and in the title race. He could well be between the sticks for the two trophy matches now, the decider against West Ham and the FA Cup final against Manchester United, depending on the exact nature of Ederson’s injury.

Meanwhile it’s now five defeats in six for Tottenham, the worst kind of form to end a campaign on when prizes are there for the taking, yet with familiar failings throughout that run. Ange Postecoglou has certainly taken them on strides this term, yet there are greater ones to take if he wants Spurs to be a serious contender for any kind of trophy and for the top four – which will likely be all the more difficult to attain next season.

Spurs remain an erratic side across the year, with some outstanding players but too many disappointing moments. The only real surprise on this occasion was that one of the former produced one of the latter, and left Aston Villa celebrating a return to the Champions League and the title in Man City’s hands.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every Champions League game with xG, deep stats, and players ratings, on FotMob this season. Download the free app here.

May

2024

England Squad Gatecrashers, part 1: Harvey Elliott

Gareth Southgate is spoilt for choice heading into Euro 2024 this summer.

By Sam McGuire

In this series, we’re going to look at five players who might have played their way into the thinking of the England boss.

First up, we’re going to focus on Harvey Elliott.

Now, the Three Lions have an array of left-footed right-wing options. Cole Palmer has 31 goal involvements in the Premier League, a total no player can better, while both Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden have been involved in 25 goals each in the English top-flight.

All three probably deserve to start for England. The likelihood is that two of them will start on the bench. Adding a fourth player with a similar profile might seem like overkill, but Elliott is different enough to sneak into the squad.

The Liverpool midfielder has had a strange campaign. He’s been more of a super-sub for the Reds despite largely impressing whenever he’s been in the starting XI. Manager Jürgen Klopp said as much recently.

“It’s not that I go back and think ‘OK, what did we all do wrong?. But if I regret one thing a little bit it’s that Harvey didn’t play often enough maybe. Because in a very important, intense period – January, with a lot of injuries – he played really good. He was probably our best player, right wing, right midfield, all these kinds of things.

“Everybody came back and he had minutes here, minutes there and he didn’t start anymore, came on, big impact. “But it’s really nice that he could show that [against Tottenham].”

But Elliott hasn’t let this bit-part role hurt his performances. The 21-year-old instead sees whatever time he has on the pitch as an opportunity and he’s been sure to make the most of them.

For example, since February 1st, Elliott has three goals and eight assists in 1,085 minutes across all competitions. That is a goal involvement every 98 minutes. What makes this even more impressive is that he’s not really been a starter. He’s having to come on and make an impact. And he’s doing it.

His output is even more remarkable when you factor in he’s spent a lot of time in midfield for the Reds too. In the Premier League this term across all midfielders, he ranks in the 88th percentile for Goals per 90, the 82nd percentile for Expected Goals and 97th percentile for Expected Assists. Elliott is in the 95th percentile for Chances Created per 90 and 93rd percentile for crosses completed.

So, he’s a dual threat. He’s a goal threat and a creator.

He puts in a shift defensively too. The Liverpool No19 wins almost 71% of his tackles, putting him in the 90th percentile for this metric. He’s in the 100th percentile for blocks, averaging 1.3 per 90 and the 100th percentile for possessions won in the final third with 1.45.

The former Fulham deserves to be in the conversation based on performances alone.

Elliott can play as a right-winger in a front three. He can play as a right-sided midfielder in a four but he can also play as part of a midfield trio. And this versatility could be a decisive factor. Southgate is famed for his tactical fluidity and he could well be tempted into naming another player who can play a variety of roles in his squad. It gives him options. It gives him different ways to win games.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from Euro 2024 live with FotMob — featuring xG, deep stats coverage, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

May

2024

Erling Haaland has one hand on the Golden Boot for a second successive season

Since the start of the 21st century, only four players have managed to finish as top scorer of the Premier League in consecutive seasons.

By Zach Lowy

After relinquishing his Golden Boot title to Ruud van Nistelrooy the previous year, Thierry Henry proceeded to finish atop the scoring charts in three straight years for Arsenal between 2004 and 2006, whilst Robin van Persie got his hands on the award in 2012 before heading for Manchester United and leading them to the Premier League championship with 26 goals.

Harry Kane came away with top honours in 2015 and 2016, whilst Mohamed Salah would become the first Egyptian to win the title the following year, before finishing atop the scoring charts alongside Sadio Mané and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. With just two matches left, it seems a matter of when, not if, Erling Haaland stretches that list to five.

Back-to-back golden boots for Erling Haaland?

After taking England by storm with a Premier League record 36 goals and leading Manchester City to a treble, it’s fair to say that Erling Haaland has taken a step back in 2023/24. The Norwegian striker was kept under wraps in both legs as Real Madrid put an end to City’s Champions League title defense and narrowly edged them out on penalties, whilst he has often been overshadowed by the brilliance of Phil Foden and even spent a month on the sidelines midway through the season due to an injury.

And yet, Haaland remains one of the most lethal strikers in the game, doubling their lead in their 2-0 win vs. Nottingham Forest on April 28. As April turned into May, Haaland looked set to have a real challenge on his hands with former teammate Cole Palmer picking up steam at Chelsea, before kicking off the new month with a four-goal haul vs. Wolves in a 5-1 victory. He endured a frustrating shift in their 4-0 win at Fulham and was hauled off in the 82nd minute after failing to test Bernd Leno in goal, and yet, he remains the odds-on favorite to come away with top honours.

The Norwegian has received increasing scrutiny for his lack of efficiency – missing a league record 33 big chances – as well as a lack of touches. In contrast to other top strikers like Harry Kane or Kylian Mbappé who tend to drop deep and combine with other forwards, Haaland is far more old-fashioned. He is a world-class athlete whose long strides and acceleration paired with his incisive off-the-ball runs make him a nightmare for any defender, a player who is skilled at bullying the opponent in ground and aerial duels and finding a way into dangerous areas. Speaking to the Men in Blazers podcast, he stated, “My job isn’t to be like Rodri, to control a game, it’s being in the box and finishing the attacks. You can play football without touching the ball, even if it sounds funny for some to hear that. You can do it with movements, the mental part, and the awareness. That’s my focus and I don’t care about what people say. It’s focusing on helping the team win.”

Right now, Haaland is doing a pretty good job of helping the team win, with City winning each of their last seven Premier League matches by a combined 28-5 scoreline. Pep Guardiola’s side are on track to win their fourth consecutive Premier League title, with the Cityzens sitting one point behind Arsenal, who will host Everton on the final day. As for City, they will travel to Tottenham before facing off against West Ham, and they’ll be counting on Haaland as they look to edge the Gunners to the championship.

The 23-year-old striker leads the Premier League in various key metrics such as xG + xA per 90 (1.10), shots on target per 90 (2.2), Expected goals on target (25.1), xG per 90 (.102), Expected goals (26.8) and Goals per 90 (0.95). And although his five assists pale in contrast to the likes of Ollie Watkins and Cole Palmer, he finds himself on track to repeat his Golden Boot heroics with 25 goals in 29 appearances.

The chasing pack in hot pursuit of Haaland

Haaland may have one hand on the award, but there are plenty of other players who have made a valiant push for the Golden Boot this season. Bukayo Saka has led the charge for Arsenal’s title challenge, compensating for Gabriel Martinelli’s nosedive in form and stepping up with 16 goals and 9 assists. Despite often being marked by two or three opponents, the 22-year-old continues to be a difference maker in the final third, capable of wriggling out of tight areas, timing his through ball to perfection, and pressing like a mad dog to win back possession, and with Arsenal building the majority of their attacks through the right flank, Saka has been the chief playmaker and executioner, and after missing out on the Euros title at Wembley on the narrowest of margins three years ago, he’ll be vital for England as they look to come away with their first trophy since 1966.

Another player who could have a big role to play is Jarrod Bowen. Whilst six of Saka’s 16 goals came from the spot, none of Bowen’s 16 goals have been penalties, with the 27-year-old delivering on a consistent basis and racking up a goal contribution in four of West Ham’s last seven matches. An inverted right winger, Bowen is a direct threat on the counter-attack and does a tremendous job of anticipating patterns, attacking space and wriggling past opponents with his unpredictable movement. He has been named West Ham’s Player of the Year, but with the Hammers set to miss out on European football for the first time in four years, it remains to be seen whether or not they’ll be able to keep Bowen in East London as they move on from David Moyes and prepare for the Julen Lopetegui era.

Whilst previous Golden Boot winners Heung-min Son and Mohamed Salah have racked up 17 goals and 18 goals, respectively, one player who has enjoyed a breakthrough campaign is Phil Foden with 17 goals. The Englishman has emerged as Guardiola’s go-to man in attack, stepping out from the shadows of Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland and grabbing various high-stakes matches by the scruff of its neck. He has already claimed the FWA Footballer of the Year, and he has a golden opportunity to lead City to a fourth straight title.

Aston Villa and Bournemouth have both enjoyed stellar campaigns under their Spanish managers, with Villa arriving at the doorstep of a European final and looking set to qualify for the UEFA Champions League, whilst Bournemouth have shaken off an early relegation battle and advanced into the midtable positions. They’ve relied heavily on their attacking talisman, with Ollie Watkins and Dominic Solanke grabbing 19 goals apiece and vying for a place in Gareth Southgate’s England squad.

Alexander Isak has led the charge for Newcastle with an astonishing 20 goals, becoming the first player to reach that figure for the Magpies since Alan Shearer in 2002/03. As for Cole Palmer, he has gone from a benchwarmer at Manchester City to the poster boy of Mauricio Pochettino’s young, new-look Chelsea side, chipping in 21 goals thus far and leading them to the precipice of European football.

(Images from IMAGO)

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