The past few weeks have been like no other for Athletic Club. After a forty-year wait, and six consecutive cup final defeats, the Basque side claimed their first major trophy since 1984 when defeating Mallorca on penalties in the Copa del Rey final this month.
By Luke Bissett
The success has sparked jubilant celebrations throughout Bilbao, including the iconic river parade on the gabarra. Ernesto Valverde’s side have attracted plaudits far and wide, but perhaps none more so than the club’s dynamic attacking duo, brothers Iñaki and Nico Williams. The pair are the fulcrum of Athletic’s attack, contributing 35 goals + assists between them this season.
With Nico on the left and Iñaki on the right, the Lions boast one of the most potent forward lines in the Spanish top-flight. In fact, the club’s 52 LaLiga goals this term is their highest at this stage of the campaign across the last 10 seasons (55 in 2013-14). And the Williams brothers have undoubtedly played a crucial part in Athletic’s prolific upturn, posing formidable threats on either flank within Valverde’s 4-2-3-1 set-up.
Iñaki, 29, has been the attacking lynchpin of the side for several years, but often struggled for consistency when typically playing as a striker in previous seasons. However, a shift to the right wing has propelled him to new heights. The Ghana international has notched 11 goals and five assists across all competitions this season – only managing more goal involvements in one of his previous seven campaigns with the Basque side (19 in 2018-19).
Iñaki’s switch out wide has given the attacker a new lease of life. It enables him to pose a constant threat running towards the opposition box, as opposed to having to play with his back to goal as a lone central forward figure. The 29-year-old’s role in the side emphasises his greatest attribute, which is undoubtedly stretching opposition back-lines. He has received the third most progressive passes in the league this season (174), with his explosiveness proving to be a constant menace for LaLiga’s full backs.
Though despite operating in a wider berth, that is not to say the Ghanaian’s threat on goal has dwindled in any shape or form. In fact, he has the third most touches in the opposition box in LaLiga across 2023-24. Iñaki offers an imposing presence in attack and has continued to flourish under Valverde. No player has attempted more shots than in the Spanish top-flight this term (81 – the same as Robert Lewandowski), while he has also had the most shots on target in the division (38).
Athletic are renowned for being one of the most aggressive pressing sides in LaLiga – recording the most high turnovers in the division this season (323). They have turned eight of those high turnovers into goals, which is also more than any other side in the top-flight. And Iñaki is certainly at the forefront of the Lions’ vigorous high press. Only Lucas Ocampos (29) and Jude Bellingham (27) have won possession in the final third on more occasions than the Ghanaian’s 25 in 2023-24. This defensive discipline has come with maturity as Iñaki develops into one of the leaders within Athletic’s side, and there is little doubt this has coincided with the emergence of his younger brother Nico.
Nico, 21, may just be the most exciting player in the Spanish top-flight. The Spain international possesses the ability to lift crowds off their seats, driving forwards with the ball and leaving opposition defenders in his wake. Only Girona’s Sávio (91) has completed more dribbles than Nico in LaLiga this season (72). Athletic pose one of the most high-paced attacking outfits across Europe, with Nico’s electric surges capable of transitioning defence into attack in an instance.
The 21-year-old is enjoying a superb season at San Mamés, boasting three goals and eight assists in LaLiga. Indeed, only Álex Baena has provided more assists in the division (nine). Nico has established himself as one of the brightest attackers in Spain and is reportedly attracting interest from several elite European clubs. The forward has added a new dimension to Valverde’s side, as they are able to strain opponents on opposite flanks. But while Iñaki may be more comfortable in vast areas of space, Nico is equally capable of operating in tight spaces with his impressive technique.
The Spanish international has become a vital component for the Lions – generating a host of chances for his teammates. Nico ranks fifth in LaLiga for Expected Assists (6.4), while he has also completed the fifth most crosses in the competition this season (43). Both Williams brothers have forged an excellent relationship with Athletic talisman Gorka Guruzeta. The striker’s intelligent runs perfectly compliment the duo’s skillsets and has aided the Basque club in becoming one of the most electrifying attacks across Europe. Nico has tallied four assists for Guruzeta in LaLiga this term, the most for one player from another in the division.
The 21-year-old forward also adopted the role of provider during Athletic’s historic Copa del Rey triumph this month, playing a deft pass to set up Oihan Sancet’s equalising goal. And the Lions are not content with just their cup victory this season. Valverde’s charges are firmly in the hunt for a Champions League spot, trailing Atlético Madrid in fourth by just three points.
The Basque side travel to the capital this Saturday evening to visit Atlético in what is set to be a tremendous tussle in the fight for a Champions League berth. And with the Williams brothers spearheading the side’s attack, you’d be a brave man to bet against Athletic qualifying for the competition for the first time in a decade.
(Images from IMAGO)
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2023 MLS Cup champions Columbus Crew are building on their success early on this year with a historic run in the CONCACAF Champions Cup. With a win over Tigres on penalties in the quarter-final, they not only sealed a debut appearance in the final four for themselves but also remained as the last MLS team standing in this year’s edition of the competition.
By Neel Shelat
The mastermind behind all this is Frenchman Wilfried Nancy, who became the first black head coach to win an MLS Cup title. He was appointed by the Columbus Crew at the end of the 2022 season when they failed to make the playoffs, and his tactical acumen made an instant impact that has transformed the Black and Gold into one of North America’s most tactically advanced teams.
Having lifted the MLS Cup just a few months ago, started the new season on the front foot and put together this historic CONCACAF Champions Cup run, the Crew are arguably enjoying the most successful period in their history. So, this is high time to take a closer look at how Nancy has got them here.
The standout attribute of the Columbus Crew under Nancy has to be their possession-play, which is quite clearly the most refined in Major League Soccer. Indeed, they could easily stake a claim to being the best in-possession team in all of CONCACAF, and watching them does not feel too different from watching some of the best teams in the world, from a stylistic standpoint at least.
So, what exactly do the Crew do? For one, they like to keep a lot of the ball. They had the highest possession average in MLS last season, which is quite a feat in a league that is renowned for always having very open, end-to-end and transitional games.
In general, they like to use a variation of the 3-4-2-1 formation. The five players that form the central base structure – the three centre-backs and two midfielders – are key to everything Nancy wants his side to do with the ball.
The Crew utilise their high possession average to conduct a lot of deep circulation among these five players in the base structure, who are all excellent ball-players with great technical quality and composure under pressure.
Darlington Nagbe is a particularly exceptional player in this respect. He can boast of the highest pass completion rate in all of MLS this season at a whopping 96.3%, and recently, he was named the best midfielder for ball retention under high pressure in the entirety of the world of men’s football, ahead of the likes of Rodri and Toni Kroos.
Thanks in no small part to his incredible composure and security on the ball, the Crew are able to adopt a multi-layered approach to their build-up play in possession. Their initial intention is to circulate the ball around the back and bait their opponents into pressing with passes to the midfielders that might appear a touch risky. Most of the time, though, Nagbe and Aidan Morris are both able to shake off or entirely evade the pressure, quickly circulating the ball to a free player in the base structure who then has time to look for a free attacker.
This approach is quite similar to what Roberto De Zerbi’s Brighton & Hove Albion have been doing in the English Premier League, but the Seagulls have dropped off lately as opponents have discovered that their game plan can be dismantled by simply not pressing their build-up. The Crew, however, have no such weakness as they are also able to unlock compact blocks.
In such situations, their wide centre-backs assume a very important responsibility. One of them will often push up out wide or adopt a narrow position close to the midfield duo, intending to overload a certain area of the pitch in either case. Then, with quick, concise and secure passing, the Crew get the ball to the overloaded area and ultimately aim to find the free player, who can again look for an attacker to pass to.
In either case, the out-ball is often to someone on the wing, be it the high wing-backs or inside forwards who peel off wide to offer a passing option. It should be no surprise, then, that about three-quarters of the Crew’s attacks have originated on the wings this term.
However, as far as translating promising positions into goals that show up on the scoresheet is concerned, one man in the middle is the key player by some way. Colombian striker Cucho Hernández has scored about a third of his team’s goals in all competitions this term, and last season, none of his teammates reached even half of his goal tally in MLS!
There are a lot of reasons to be positive and optimistic for Columbus Crew fans right now, but a deeper dive into some of their stats also highlights some causes for concern.
The biggest issue is the team’s defensive record, which placed them in the worse half of MLS teams last year. They conceded 46 goals in 34 regular season matches, and then their record only worsened in the playoffs.
Nancy’s side kept just two clean sheets in six playoff games, conceding nine goals in the process. They quite simply succeeded by outscoring their opponents in matches such as the 4-2 win over Atlanta United and a 3-2 victory in the Eastern Conference final against FC Cincinnati.
This, coupled with a heavy reliance on one goal-getter, is not the most sustainable approach to knockout football, which is why it was a bit of a surprise to see the Columbus Crew lift the MLS Cup last season even though their quality is undeniable. Over the winter, though, Nancy and his coaching staff seem to have recognised this issue and worked on it.
With a more disciplined defensive block out of possession and an even heavier emphasis on ball retention, the Crew have pulled their average down to just one goal conceded per game in the early days of the MLS season. In the Champions Cup, this figure is even better.
As the Columbus Crew prepare to take on Monterrey in the Champions Cup semi-final, first leg on Wednesday with the potential of a final against Club América or Pachuca, they will back themselves to create more history by lifting their first-ever continental title. Of course, the matches against these top-class Mexican sides will be far from easy, but close to a year-and-a-half in to Nancy’s tenure, they seem better placed than ever to go the distance.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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The key to Scotland’s successful Euro 2024 qualification campaign was arguably the strength of their midfield.
The lack of a proper out-and-out striker didn’t deter Steve Clarke as Scotland won five, drew two and lost just one of their eight fixtures in Group A, which included a famous victory over Spain at Hampden.
Scott McTominay was the hero that evening, scoring two superb goals as Clarke and his charges never looked back. A stunning late comeback win over Norway a few months later saw Kenny McLean score the winner with minutes to go, while Callum McGregor, Stuart Armstrong and John McGinn all managed to get on the scoresheet in the remaining ties.
Despite Lewis Ferguson suffering an injury which will keep him out of the tournament, Scotland will have the presence of Billy Gilmour, Ryan Christie and if fit, Ryan Jack, in Germany for their second successive appearance at the European Championships.
There is no doubt this is the strongest midfield contingent the nation has seen since the glory days of the 70s and 80s (when glory days consisted of actually qualifying for the World Cup).
Aside from Gilmour and Ferguson, the rest of the players mentioned are aged 27 or over, indicating a need for some fresh blood sooner rather than later.
Thankfully, Clarke won’t have to look very far, with three young sensations currently shining in the Premiership for their respective clubs this season.
The 21-year-old has already played 70 times for Aberdeen since making his debut two seasons ago, but it looks as though he could be on the move this summer.
The Dons wont even get a fee for one of their most promising talents as his contract expires in a few months, with plenty of clubs showing interest.
Barron could follow in Ferguson’s footsteps as Serie A sides Sassuolo and Cagliari are amongst those clubs rumoured to be tracking the midfielder.
The youngster tends to operate in the heart of the midfield, bursting forward from deep on a regular basis which has culminated in three goal contributions this season.
The Dons starlet has created 19 big chances in the top flight throughout 2023/24 while showcasing his defensive abilities too, winning 1.68 tackles and 54.3% of his duels per 90, ranking him in the top 25% when compared to his positional peers.
Capped 11 times by the Scotland U21s, it surely wont be long before Clarke rewards him with a senior call up.
Watson is another youngster who is making waves for their club this season, in this instance, Kilmarnock. The Ayrshire side look set to register their highest top flight finish since 2019 under the shrewd management of Derek McInnes.
The 19-year-old offers plenty of energy from midfield, which was on display during man of the match performances against Rangers and Celtic in the opening weeks of the current campaign, defeating both teams within 15 days.
Five goals and three assists across all competitions so far during his breakthrough season has seen the youngster outscore many of his more established teammates, yet it looks as though Watson is just getting started.
The teenager ranks in the top 8% when compared to his positional peers for goals scored this term, while the quality of these efforts makes him a real standout.
He scored a last minute winner against Aberdeen, courtesy of a fine turn and volley before netting a sublime volley against St Johnstone, proving the youngster doesn’t do things in half measures.
Watson has featured eight times for the Scotland U19 side, scoring his first international goal against Italy recently. The Killie starlet demonstrated his strength to fend off an opposition player before creating enough space to curl a lovely effort into the Italian goal.
If he wasn’t on Clarke’s radar at the start of the season, he most certainly will be now. A big move could arrive in the next year or two if he maintains his current form.
Miller is the youngest of the trio, not turning 18 until the start of next season, although this clearly isn’t holding him back.
The 17-year-old has already featured three times for the Scotland U19s, incidentally, playing alongside Watson during the 3-1 defeat to Italy last month.
Whereas Barron excels at the defensive side of game and Watson is clearly fond of a goal or two as he makes regular bursts forward into the final third, Miller is already excelling at both aspects, ensuring he is already developing into solid well rounded player.
It is no wonder both Rangers and Celtic have reportedly shown interest in the teenager since he made his Motherwell debut last season, with the current campaign already yielding 27 appearances for the Steelmen.
Remarkably, Miller has won 120 duels this season, ranking him in the top 25% when compared to his peers and it shows a player who is strong enough to emerge as the victor in the vast majority of his one-on-one battles.
Combine this with winning 1.46 tackles and a 88.9% dribble success rate per 90 is yet further evidence of his multifaceted skillset, which sets him apart from other midfielders of the same age.
Of course, playing regularly in the top flight has allowed Miller to continue developing at the correct pace, something which may not have occurred had he moved to a team where opportunities are limited.
These three midfielders have not only enjoyed plenty of exposure in the starting XI of their current teams – enabling them to improve at a rapid rate – but also impressed in the national team setup, whether that is at U21 or U19 level.
Clarke has shown before that loyalty prevails when choosing his Scotland squad, but this golden era for the nation won’t last forever.
The goal should be making it to the knockout stages of a major tournament for the first time and with a midfield packed with quality, there is no reason as to why it can’t happen.
Make no bones about it however, the current midfielders on offer may only last another qualifying campaign, which could give Clarke the licence to promote a few youngsters in to the senior fold.
Who better to lead the next generation than Barron, Watson, and Miller.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
You can follow every game from the top four Scottish divisions on FotMob. Download the free app here.
A midweek round of fixtures this week and the top three are all in action. Remarkably, any one of those three sides could finish the Matchday in top spot while these games could also have repercussions on the relegation battle as well as the race for European football next term. Here’s your midweek preview.
By Sam McGuire, Premier League expert
Arsenal brought a three game winless streak to an end on Saturday when they beat Wolves 2-0 to move back to the top of the Premier League table. Victory at the Emirates on Tuesday against Chelsea would see them open up a four point gap over Manchester City, though the reigning champions would have two games in hand. Mikel Arteta’s men could heap pressure onto Pep Guardiola’s side ahead of their Thursday night fixture with Brighton.
They’re all big games at this stage of the season but this is a massive one.
Prior to defeat to Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-final, Chelsea hadn’t lost a game since the extra-time defeat to Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final back in February.
Mauricio Pochettino’s men had put together an unbeaten run of eight games and this included wins over Newcastle United, Manchester United, and an empathetic 6-0 victory against Everton.
However, it did also include draws with Sheffield United and Burnley, so consistency still remains an issue for the Blues but they have the ability to cause issues for their hosts.
Just like Arsenal, Liverpool have the opportunity to extend their advantage over Manchester City to four points with a win on Wednesday. The Reds travel across Stanley Park to take on neighbours Everton with the Blues still looking to guarantee Premier League survival.
Jürgen Klopp’s side returned to winning ways in the Premier League on Sunday when they claimed a 3-1 win over Fulham at Craven Cottage. The German tactician heavily rotated for the trip to the capital, starting the likes of Mohamed Salah, Darwin Núñez, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai on the bench. The quartet should return to the starting XI on Wednesday.
Liverpool haven’t lost to Everton in their last five meetings, with four wins and a draw in that time, but the Goodison Park fixture has been a frustrating one for the Reds in the past. Anything but a win here could jeopardise their title hopes.
Everton lost heavily to Chelsea a little over a week ago but claimed an important win over Nottingham Forest on Sunday. They’ll be somewhat confident of getting something against their misfiring neighbours on Wednesday.
Newcastle United are still hoping to claim a Europa Conference League spot. They have been in good form over recent weeks and they might’ve timed this last surge up the table to perfection.
They travel to Selhurst Park on Wednesday evening to take on Crystal Palace. Eddie Howe’s side have a good record against their hosts over recent seasons. The Magpies are unbeaten in six, winning three of these games. Newcastle are in freescoring form this season too, ranking fourth for goals scored per 90 (2.2).
A few weeks ago, this probably would’ve been viewed as a banker for those in black and white, but Palace have found some form of their own. They followed up a 1-0 win over Liverpool at Anfield by dismantling West Ham United on Sunday. Eberechi Eze, Michael Olise and Jean-Philippe Mateta all scored in the 5-2 win at Selhurst Park.
They could make it a run of three upsets on the bounce if Newcastle don’t have a proper plan to deal with the dangerous trio of players up front for the Eagles.
Manchester United have been erratic this season. One week they look like they’re just one or two signings away from being a serious team, the next week they look like they’re an overperforming mid-table team with one or two players keeping them relevant.
On Sunday in their FA Cup semi-final clash with Coventry, they let a 3-0 lead slip with just 20 minutes remaining. Had it not been for a VAR intervention, the Red Devils would’ve lost 4-3 with the last kick of the game in extra-time. United eventually booked their place in the final with a penalty shootout win.
Erik ten Hag’s side looked like the real deal against Liverpool a few weeks ago only to then need help from officials in a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth. They host bottom of the table Sheffield United on Wednesday and though it should be a routine win, with the Blades struggling to keep a clean sheet this season, you just don’t know what version of Manchester United you are going to witness.
It is because of this that this game should fall into the must not miss category, despite there not being much to play for.
Manchester City claimed a place in the FA Cup final with a 1-0 win over Chelsea just days after losing to Real Madrid on penalties in the Champions League. However, this was supposed to be a performance to put to bed any doubts about this City team after their disappointing showing against the LaLiga leaders.
It didn’t though. In fact, there are now more questions than ever over Pep Guardiola’s Man City side after Chelsea carved out better chances than the reigning champions in defeat at Wembley.
There was no reaction from City and had it not been for a questionable refereeing decision, they might’ve even lost the tie.
They travel to Brighton on Thursday likely needing a win to stay within touching distance of the leaders, with both Liverpool and Arsenal playing earlier in the week.
If Guardiola’s players struggle to impress for a third successive match, people may start to doubt whether they have the mentality and the desire for this title race now. This could be pivotal in the grand scheme of things.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Our MLS expert James Nalton picks five of the standout players from Matchday 10 in Major League Soccer, including his two North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) Player of the Matchday votes.
Inter Miami and LA Galaxy continue to throw caution to the wind, prioritising attack over defence, and continue to be rewarded for it, as both sit atop their respective conferences.
They are tied on 18 points at the top of the Supporters’ Shield standings (the overall table combining both conferences) and boast some of the most entertaining attacking players in the league.
One of them makes the top two this week, but there were also some eye-catching displays elsewhere across the league in this tenth round of games.
Inter Miami have one of the worst defences in MLS. Only three teams in their Eastern Conference have conceded more so far this season. But when you have the most star-studded attack in the history of the league, those defensive frailties matter less.
Miami went 1-0 down early on against Nashville, and then almost 2-0 down as a Josh Bauer shot bounced on the line but not over it before Messi and Luis Suárez stepped up once again.
Messi saw a shot saved by Elliot Panicco but Suárez was following up and turned the ball back to his teammate who finished at the far post.
A Messi corner then set up Sergio Busquets to make it two and a first Messi penalty goal for Miami made it 3-1.
Drake Callender is playing his part in goal from Miami behind that leaky defence, but at the other end, this attack of Messi and Suárez could break MLS records in 2024.
Despite their heroics for Miami so far this season, neither Messi nor Suárez are top of the goalscoring charts at the start of 2024.
That status is currently held by Chicho Arango, who has played a big role in Real Salt Lake’s great start to the season. He scored twice and assisted another, for Diego Luna, in a 4-0 win at Chicago Fire which keeps RSL in the mix at the top of the Western Conference just behind the Galaxy and Vancouver Whitecaps.
Arango has been ably supported by 21-year-old Colombian winger Carlos Gómez who netted the other goal in the convincing win. Add in the fact that RSL have conceded the joint fewest goals in MLS, and things are looking good for the side from Utah.
Following a disappointing start to the season, New York City have started to turn things around.
They have 2-0 wins in their last two games, played at their two different homes in the Bronx and Queens. Both featured impressive displays from attacking midfielder Santi Rodríguez.
This week’s performance, against DC United, saw the Argentine designated player register a goal and an assist in a Man of the Match display.
So often this season New York City’s standout performer has been goalkeeper Matt Freese, which gives an idea of the type of season they have had up to now, but attacking players stepping up is a promising sign for NYC and their head coach Nick Cushing.
A goal from Tani Oluwaseyi in the first half lit this game up, as Minnesota ran out 3-0 winners away at Charlotte FC.
It was the 23-year-old Nigerian’s first MLS start, and he showed why he had been trusted by new head coach Eric Ramsay, finishing Lod’s cross with an outstanding half-volley.
Lod was part of everything good that Minnesota did. The cross for the opening goal was perfectly placed and perfectly weighted for Oluwaseyi to strike.
The Finnish attacking midfielder then added his team’s second following a nice team move, and assisted the third, via a corner for Hassani Dotson.
After some up-and-down results of late, this was a statement performance from the Loons and Lod was the standout player in it.
The 22-year-old American has thrived under the coaching of Wilfried Nancy at Columbus Crew, and regularly puts in standout performances in midfield.
The Crew could only manage a 2-2 draw at home to Portland Timbers this week, but Morris still impressed.
He finished the game having completed 78 out of 86 attempted passes for a pass success of 91%.
He made 106 actions in total during the game, including 14 passes into the final third, 10 defensive actions, and winning six out of six attempted tackles.
The assist for Steven Moreira’s wondergoal bumps up his rating, and he’ll be hoping to maintain this solid form going into the Concacaf Champions Cup semifianls against Monterrey this week.
(Cover Image from IMAGO)
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Inter Miami and the LA Galaxy kept their places at the top of the Eastern and Western Conferences respectively with victories over the weekend, although the latter had to work harder for three points in an enthralling Cali Clásico against the San Jose Earthquakes. A total of 48 goals were scored over 14 fixtures with no shortage of drama and excitement across the division. Here are five of the biggest storylines from the weekend in MLS.
Inter Miami have problems. Those problems contributed to an early exit from the CONCACAF Champions Cup at the hands of Monterrey and it allowed Nashville to take an early lead in Saturday’s match at Chase Stadium. Tata Martino’s team are vulnerable from set pieces and against opponents that can get in behind with pace.
The Herons have Lionel Messi, though, and he could still drag them to glory this season. The 36-year-old registered two goals and an assist in the 3-1 comeback victory over Nashville and now has seven goals in his last six Inter Miami outings. Saturday’s win came at the cost of an injury to Diego Gómez who could be sidelined for a while, but Messi masks so much.
A brace against the Chicago Fire on Saturday lifted Chicho Arango to the top of the Golden Boot standings with the 29-year-old now firmly in the early-season MVP discussion. Arango has netted eight goals in just nine league appearances for Rea Salt Lake and was directly involved in all four goals scored at Soldier Field.
According to RSL head coach Pablo Mastroeni, though, it’s Arango’s work rate and leadership that makes him so valuable. “It’s doing all the little stuff when we don’t have the ball,” he said about the Colombian. “That, for me, is instrumental in his level of engagement throughout the game.”
2023 saw 20 goals scored in just five meetings between Sporting KC and St. Louis City and Saturday’s match at Children’s Mercy Park suggested there will be more of the same produced between these two rivals in 2024. Indeed, the 3-3 draw highlighted how this rivalry is still growing as one of the best anywhere in MLS.
“It’s a derby and we get up for these moments,” said St. Louis head coach Bradley Carnell after watching his team fight back twice to claim a point. Sporting KC have now conceded nine goals in their last three home games and have dropped 14 points from winning positions this season. More chaos is guaranteed when these two sides meet again in July.
4-0 down at half time of the season opener, some fans had already written off the Colorado Rapids’ off-season rebuild. However, the outlook since that punishing defeat in Portland has improved greatly with Chris Armas’ team taking 10 points from their last four MLS matches. The former RBNY head coach and former Manchester United assistant is slowly but surely turning Colorado around.
It’s not just that the Rapids are now within three points of the top of the Western Conference – although that matters to a team that finished bottom of the West last season. It’s that they are playing with an identity and belief – and perhaps the most encouraging thing is there’s much more to come from the likes of Djordje Mihailović, Rafael Navarro and Cole Bassett.
The most viral moment of the weekend in MLS came in Saturday’s match between Toronto FC and the New England Revolution which was decided by an incredible piece of skill by Prince Owusu. The TFC attacker performed a backheel volley in the air to finish a Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty cross and secure three points for the hosts.
This was Owusu’s highlight reel moment of the season so far, but the Ghanian has stepped up when Toronto FC have needed him to. He has four goals in nine games (five of them starts) and has given John Herdman’s side the presence and cutting edge it needed in the centre-forward position.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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FotMob takes a look inside the work of the only premium wearable art studios in the world which produces custom-made boots for the world’s best footballers.
By Filip Mishov
An ever-growing trend is emerging in football with the rising stars like Trent Alexander Arnold, Pape Matar Sarr and Vinicius Junior among many others deciding to wear custom-made boots instead of traditional ones, which embody their burning desire to connect with the game and its fans further, on a deeply personal as well as emotional level. But who is behind these unique designs which are made from scratch, how many hours or even days go into making the so-called ‘OneOfAKind’ boots and finally, how did it all start? We sat down with Satja Grabuloski – the founder and CEO of Swithadot Studios or “your favourite football player’s favourite customising studios” as the Macedonian describes it, to find out what is happening behind the scenes.
It wasn’t an easy ride for the young boy who used to draw on his junior-basketball trainers with permanent markers back in 2005, but now, a whole team is tirelessly working on his ‘lunatic’ idea born on a parking lot near the Vardar river in Skopje – the capital of Macedonia, and they make you want to own a pair of yours.
“Swithadot is born out of my childhood passion for doodling my shoes. Growing up and seen painting on kicks becoming a global trend, I decided to try and form a business venture out of my childhood hobby. Started solo armed with just a sharpie, today we boast a team of designers building their careers under the S. label. Despite starting with a mid-term business plan, everything written in it looked like a super long shot. But again, building the relationships slowly and opening one door at a time, my mindset was that if I keep the grind, the business will eventually take off. And it did.”
The patented ‘OneOfAKind’ designs can’t be replicated and are made only once for the players, which make their impressive artwork even more remarkable as the Swithadot team goes through hours of research and prefers direct communication with the football stars to get their ideas and messages across the boots.
“The most important step in creating ‘OneOfAKind’ designs is the thorough background research we do for each project. Regular client or celebrity, we dive deep into who the client is – his preferences, his story, his daily favourites. Even his favorite restaurant, meal, city etc. can sometimes give you a design direction that resonates emotionally with the client. Each project fee includes up to 80 hours hand-customisation work by The S. Team, using our durable patented COLORS.®️ through the process, with mid-rate of 65-75 hours per project in general. However, the more complex the design gets, the more working hours are needed, with high complexity designs going up to 200-300+ working hours to get a piece done. Over the years of working in this field, I’ve come to the conclusion about the importance of involving the athlete in the design process. This engagement not only boosts stronger relationship but also results in better design solution. While athletes may not be formally trained as designers, their input is invaluable in determining what they want to wear. Therefore, my approach is always to give them the opportunity to express their thoughts and preferences. I’ve learned that you never know what ideas someone may hold until you give them the floor.”
Now, since we have become familiar with Swithadot’s extraordinary work, it is time to take a look at some of the eye-catching designs requested by their A-list players which include the likes of Sergio Ramos, Nemanja Matic, Marcelo Brozovic, Mateo Kovacic, Elif Elmas, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Adama Traore, Robert Lewandowski, Erling Haaland and last but definitely not least, Cristiano Ronaldo. However, the innovative Satja points out a couple of design requests from players which have stood out through the years due to its creative approach and complexity to make them.
“Each pair is really significant, having in mind the work and passion going into each one of them. Probably one of the funniest designs we did was the MinionzetteS. – a Minions-inspired design for the than-Arsenal captain, Alex Lacazette. The pair went viral, with the Minions joining the online hype with video of them dancing.
We have worked on tons of crazy design ideas for the most creative football player in the world – the Armenian National Team and Slovan Bratislava striker, Tigran Barseghyan. His ideas are unmatched! Through the years we have done tons of really creative customs, with an Aladdin design receiving Design of the year award by L’Equippe in 2019. Honorable design theme mentions that Tigran has worn through the years – Hulk, Mickey Mouse, Smurfs, Asterix and Obelix, Batman and Joker.”
One of the most rewarding parts of the process beside the design creation is seeing the boots worn on football’s biggest stages, like Camp Nou, admits Grabuloski.
“I would say that we had more than one big moment – Vinicius Jr. rocking a pair of whiteout Mercurials against Barcelona was definitely a viral one; Richarlison wearing the legendary Brazil 9 jersey with a pair of ‘OneOfAKind’ on his feet; Futcrunch, one of the leading football youtubers gifting ‘OneOfAKind’ pair to Erling Haaland in Japan; Most recently, the legend Ivan Rakitic showing love to his new team, Al Shabab, with a pair of ‘OneOfAKind’ Predators etc. Some of these projects reached +50M people globally across different social media platforms, which for me is truly sensational.”
Additionally, with most of the players being superstitious, Grabuloski reveals a funny situation.
“Superstition holds a significant sway over many of the players we work with. We’ve had a situation when a Premier League player ordered x20 pairs of the same design simply because he won Man of the Match in his debut game wearing our shoes.”
Swithadot’s inspiring work played a key role in the rise of demand for custom-made boots over the past few years, but Grabuloski also points out the bold role of the younger generation mixed with the nostalgia factor in helping them revolutionise the football culture together.
“The younger generations are aware and progressive. They’ve not only modernized the game but have also elevated it to a whole new level in terms of creativity and individuality. I often used to say that what Becks started back in the 00s, the young ballers have adopted and upgraded. In this contemporary era, individualisation plays a crucial role in shaping one’s personal brand image, hence the lucrative side sponsorship deals that are there for the athletes. The game of football is the most tradition-driven sport on the planet. With that being said, nostalgia is one of the best-selling points. People buy football related stuff mostly driven by the rich history their favourite club has or, as nostalgia for the past. So yeah, the older, OG designs will always hit harder, and this is probably the reason for the ‘OGficiation’ of the brands colorway releases.”
Finally, Swithadot led by Satja and his team will continue to move mountains in order to help football players use their boots as a platform for sharing messages as will their long-coveted hunt to make custom-made boots for none other than, Lionel Messi, described as the last piece of their illustrious boots mosaic.
(Cover image from IMAGO, all other images from swithadot.com , used with permission)
Despite three of the top four teams in the Premier League winning this weekend, the FotMob Team of the Week is dominated by players from clubs at the opposite end of the table. Crystal Palace and Brentford both have a remarkable four players in the XI. Here’s a look at who made the cut and why.
By Sam McGuire, Premier League expert
*This week’s team appears with an asterisk as the side will update both in app, and on the website, when the remaining games in this Matchweek have been completed.
The Burnley shot-stopper was once again in inspired form as Vincent Kompany’s men claimed a 4-1 win over Sheffield United to keep their hopes of Premier League survival alive.
Muric made 10 saves against the Blades and faced shots with an Expected Goals on Target value of 2.93. The 25-year-old prevented almost two goals on the day with his exploits between the sticks. On this form, it is difficult to see how James Trafford gets back into the team.
The Burnley full-back earned himself a FotMob rating of 8.7 after an impressive showing in the 4-1 win over Sheffield United. The 23-year-old scored a goal and claimed an assist in what was a dominant display at right-back.
Assignon carved out two chances on the day against the Blades and completed all of his dribbles as he played a significant part in the Clarets racking up a commanding scoreline at Bramall Lane.
The Crystal Palace captain was faultless for the Eagles in the emphatic 5-2 win over West Ham United on Sunday. Andersen completed the most passes (65) of any player in the match and somehow created the most chances (three) on the day. The former Lyon defender also finished the game with an assist as well as having won six of his eight duels while making 14 recoveries on his way to an 8.3 rating.
Pinnock got on the scoresheet for Brentford in their win 5-1 win over Luton Town but his goalscoring exploits weren’t the only thing to catch the eye on Saturday.
The centre-back put in a solid showing for the Bees, winning 100% of his tackles, completing 67% of his long passes and coming out on top in six of his 11 aerial duels. It could’ve been a struggle but it wasn’t for the 30-year-old.
Reguilón is enjoying his loan stint with Brentford. He created the most chances for Thomas Frank’s men on Saturday (four). The Spanish full-back also created two big chances and claimed an assist in the 5-1 win. He finished the game having completed 88% of his passes while also winning 100% of his tackles and 70% of his duels. He deserved the 8.7 FotMob rating.
A goal and an assist for Bailey as Aston Villa ran out 3-1 winners over Bournemouth to open up a six point advantage over Spurs in the battle for the final Champions League spot. The former Bayer Leverkusen winger created an extraordinary number of chances (six) while finding a teammate with 86% of his attempted passes. This total is even more impressive when you consider how risky these passes were. He was safe yet progressive in possession, the perfect storm for Unai Emery’s side.
When Olise plays well, Crystal Palace seem to play well too. The Frenchman added another goal and an assist to his tally for the season as he pulled the strings for the Eagles in the final third.
The left-footed playmaker also created two big chances, completed 87% of his passes and attempted five dribbles in the memorable 5-2 win.
Olise is joined in the Team of the Week by teammate Eze. Fresh from scoring the winner at Anfield last weekend, the 25-year-old found the back of the net again this week against a disappointing West Ham team. He also claimed an assist on his way to an 8.8 rating. Eze created two chances and had a total of seven shots in what was a dominant showing for the Eagles. He also completed five of his eight attempted dribbles.
The 24-year-old is making up for lost time following a stint on the sidelines with an injury. Mbeumo created three chances for teammates and claimed two assists on his way to a FotMob rating of 8.8. He completed the most dribbles (three) of any player in the match and had nine touches in the opposition penalty area. He was a constant threat throughout and probably deserved a goal.
Wissa scored his 10th Premier League goal of the season for the Bees in the 5-1 win. The 27-year-old found the back of the net twice for Brentford while also creating two chances in a showing that earned him a FotMob rating of 9.2. He also completed two of his three dribbles as well as winning five of his seven duels, highlighting his important both with and without the ball.
Mateta pipped teammates Eze and Olise to the Player of the Match award with his rating of nine. The forward ran riot for the Eagles, scoring twice, creating two chances and finding a teammate with 89% of his attempted passes. The 26-year-old added value to his efforts, turning chances with an xG of 0.89 into shots with an xG on Target total of 1.37. West Ham had no real idea on how to deal with the forward in the heavy defeat.
(Images from IMAGO)
You can follow every match from the Premier League live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage and player ratings. Download the free app here.
We’re at that stage of the season now. For many teams, every single match has the potential to be pivotal. There’s still no obvious destination for the Premier League title, two clubs are battling it out for the final Champions League spot, a handful of teams are still in with a chance of claiming a Europa Conference League place while only one side looks nailed on for relegation at this moment. We also found out which two teams would be competing in the FA Cup final. Here is your weekend review.
By Sam McGuire, Premier League expert
For most of the season, Brentford have been greatly underperforming their underlying numbers. It is one of the reasons they have found themselves in a surprise relegation battle. Thomas Frank’s men have been creating opportunities but they haven’t been able to convert them.
They cashed in on that bad luck at Kenilworth Road on Saturday, romping to a 5-1 win over Luton Town to all but guarantee their place in the English top flight.
Brentford are now 10 points clear of the drop zone with just 12 points up for grabs. They aren’t yet mathematically safe but barring a complete capitulation, they will be playing Premier League football next term. Luton, however, probably won’t be.
Rob Edwards’ side, in front of a home crowd, were well beaten. They conceded 21 shots and allowed the visitors to rack up an Expected Goals haul of 3.14 in the defeat. For the second successive game, Luton lost 5-1. The injuries are mounting up and the Hatters are struggling at the worst possible time. This was a game they really couldn’t lose. They weren’t just beaten, they were dismantled.
Burnley have found their form at an interesting stage of the season. The Clarets looked certain for the drop a couple of weeks back after a torrid run of results but Vincent Kompany’s men have been resurgent over the past month and have taken 10 points from their last seven outings. This run includes the emphatic 4-1 win over Sheffield United on Saturday.
It now means Burnley have a 9-1 aggregate scoreline over the Blades this term and these six points could prove to be pivotal in their bid for Premier League survival.
The Clarets are now just two points off of Luton and three behind 17th-place Nottingham Forest. Sheffield United, meanwhile, are rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table and it is a case of when and not if they drop back down into the Championship. The Blades are well off the pace with 16 points from 33 games and they conceded two or more goals for the seventh successive game. They may have finished with a higher Expected Goals haul but their problem this season has been defensively and Chris Wilder doesn’t appear to have a solution. It is now too late to come up with something.
City were knocked out of the Champions League in mid-week and people wondered how they would react to the blow. The double-treble was no longer on.
There’s still a double to be won though with the reigning FA Cup champions reaching the final after beating Chelsea 1-0 in a fairly balanced game at Wembley. In fact, Pep Guardiola’s side are fortunate to have beaten the Blues.
For starters, Chelsea created better opportunities on the day, finishing the day with a higher Expected Goals total (1.14 to 0.93). Mauricio Pochettino’s men have now beaten City on two occasions this term when looking at xG alone. Winning the xG counts for nothing if you don’t win the game but it does perhaps point to the fact the Argentine tactician has a plan for City and his side have perhaps been a little unlucky not to pick up a victory.
They can count themselves unlucky in this game too having seen a penalty shout waved away despite Cole Palmer’s free-kick blatantly hitting the outstretched hand of Jack Grealish at 0-0. Had that been given, it would’ve been interesting to see how City reacted to the situation because Palmer does not miss penalties.
Guardiola won’t care how they won, he’ll just be thrilled that after a tough week, that included mid-week extra-time, his side are once again in the FA Cup final.
Another team that needed a win was Arsenal. The Gunners lost consecutive matches – losing 2-0 against Aston Villa to relinquish top spot in the Premier League last weekend before a 1-0 loss to Bayern Munich ended their Champions League dreams.
They needed a reaction against Wolves but a trip to Molinuex, despite the hosts being in poor form, was never going to be easy.
That proved to be the case for most of the first-half as Arsenal struggled to find a way past a resolute Wolves backline. It took a moment of genius, or luck depending on how you look at it, to break the deadlock with Leandro Trossard’s sliced effort finding the back of the net just before half-time.
The hosts didn’t respond in the second half and mustered just two efforts on goal while Arsenal looked for a decisive second goal. It did arrive but not until stoppage time when skipper Martin Odegaard found the back of the net from a difficult angle. The win returned Mikel Arteta’s men to the top of the table, though they have played a game more than City.
Liverpool haven’t looked convincing over recent weeks. At one stage they had a two point lead at the top of the table, they went into the game against Fulham on Sunday afternoon knowing anything but a win would make it incredibly difficult for them to prolong their pursuit of this title.
The Reds looked tepid in the first half against Marco Silva’s men but did, for a while, hold a lead. Trent Alexander-Arnold scored an unbelievable free-kick to give the visitors one up only for Fulham to hit back in stoppage time through Timothy Castagne.
Eventually, Liverpool kicked into gear with goals from Ryan Gravenberch and Diogo Jota to record a 3-1 win. The three points means Jürgen Klopp’s side are level on points with Arsenal ahead of their clash with Everton on Wednesday evening. In the process of winning, the Reds scored their first open-play goal in four matches.
For the second successive season, Manchester United will meet Manchester City in the FA Cup final.
The Red Devils played Coventry City at Wembley on Sunday afternoon and at one stage Erik Ten Hag’s men had total control. With just 58 minutes on the clock, the Premier League side had a 3-0 lead thanks to goals from Scott McTominay, Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes.
But the FA Cup is undefeated for moments. And this game had a number of them. In the space of eight minutes, Coventry had clawed back two goals with Ellis Simms and Callum O’Hare finding the back of the net to make it an interesting final 10 at Wembley. Then, in stoppage time, Aaron Wan-Bissaka was adjudged to have handled the ball in the penalty area and Haji Wright stepped up to convert from the spot to send the game into extra-time.
Coventry thought they’d won it in the last minute of extra-time only for the goal to be ruled out for offside. Despite Casemiro missing the first spot-kick of the shootout, the Red Devils claimed victory to set up an all-Manchester affair.
(Cover Image from IMAGO)
You can follow every match from the Premier League live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage and player ratings. Download the free app here.