04
Mar
2024
Premier League Review: Matchday 27

Premier League Review: Matchday 27

Chaos at the top and drama at the bottom, the Premier League just continues to deliver. We had a bit of everything this weekend with late goals, missed penalties and come-from-behind victories.

Here’s your review of Matchday 27.

By Sam McGuire, Premier League expert

Liverpool leave it late

The Premier League leaders scored a 99th-minute winner to maintain their grip on top spot. 

Nottingham Forest did fairly well to frustrate Liverpool throughout at the City Ground but fell to an extremely late defeat. Darwin Núñez, back from injury, was the hero for the Reds as he came off of the bench to nod home the winner. 

The goal, however, is shrouded in controversy. Though a lot of the narrative being pushed by the media seems forced. Play was stopped for a head injury with Nottingham Forest in possession. It was restarted with Liverpool in control of the ball. The away side then scored the winner two minutes later. 

It is worth noting that Forest had opportunities to clear the ball and it isn’t as though Jürgen Klopp’s side scored directly from the official’s perceived error. 

The win for the Reds means they head into next week’s clash with Manchester City leading the league by a point. 

Moyes haunts Everton

Everton, playing their first game since their points deduction was reduced, fell to a defeat at Goodison Park on Saturday. 

Sean Dyche’s side missed a penalty in the first half when Alphonse Areola thwarted Beto. However, the Everton striker made amends early in the second half as he headed in the opener.

Former Everton loanee Kurt Zouma levelled things up just six minutes later and then it was an end-to-end game with neither side able to take full control of things. 

Tomáš Souček scored a stunning goal in added time to give the Hammers the lead before fellow midfielder Edson Álvarez added gloss to the scoreline with a third for the visitors in the 95th-minute. 

The Toffees are now 10 games without a win and have dropped down to 16th following Brentford’s draw with Chelsea. West Ham are up to seventh in the Premier League. 

Spurs turn it around 

With an hour on the clock, back-to-back defeats seemed a real possibility for Spurs. Eberechi Eze had given Crystal Palace the lead and, in truth, it was probably deserved. In the first half, the Eagles ceded possession but largely controlled where the hosts could have the ball. Ange Postecoglou’s men had just two shots before the break. 

The Palace goal seemed to spark Spurs into life and once Timo Werner levelled things, there was only going to be one winner. Cristian Romero put the hosts ahead just three minutes after the equaliser before Heung-Min Son added a third in the 88th-minute. 

It was a huge win for the hosts. It allowed them to open up a six point gap over Manchester United and means they remain five points behind Aston Villa, with a game in hand, in their pursuit of a top four finish. 

Results elsewhere meant the loss for Palace wasn’t a huge disaster and they remain 14th.

More goals at Kenilworth Road

It was a rollercoaster of emotion for Aston Villa fans on Saturday evening as they picked up all three points against Luton Town. 

Unai Emery’s men raced into a 2-0 lead before the break with Ollie Watkins continuing his fine form in front of goal. It was completely one-sided in the first half with Luton carving out chances with an Expected Goals value of just 0.18 compared with Villa’s haul of 1.6. 

It was a different story after the break though with the hosts coming out swinging. Rob Edwards’ side out-shot their opponents 11-2 in the second half and created opportunities worth 1.59 xG. For context here, the away side had an xG of just 0.36. 

Luton levelled things up with two goals across a six minute spell and looked the more likely to clinch a winner. That was until Lucas Digne popped up with a header at the back post in the 89th minute. 

Villa keep pressure on third placed Arsenal while Luton remain four points adrift of safety. 

Manchester remains blue 

It was a dream start for Manchester United at the Etihad when Marcus Rashford lashed a long-range effort past Ederson inside of eight minutes. 

They probably scored too early though. After taking the lead, the away side sat off of the hosts and invited pressure. It felt like when and not if the champions would find a way through. 

Erling Haaland spurned the best chance of the first half when he fired over from close range but City kept going. Phil Foden levelled things up with a wonder strike of his own early in the second half before the Manchester born attacker rifled in an effort beyond André Onana to give the hosts the lead in the 80th minute. 

Haaland got his customary goal against United in added time after Rodri capitalised on a loose Sofyan Amrabat touch. 

City now travel to Anfield next week knowing a win lifts them to the top of the Premier League.

(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.

Posted by Bill Biss
02
Mar
2024
The Riot Elland Road Saw Coming: Leeds United Are Pushing For More Than Promotion

The Riot Elland Road Saw Coming: Leeds United Are Pushing For More Than Promotion

It’s hard to imagine what the scenes inside Elland Road would’ve looked like in the final run up to Leeds United’s promotion during the 2019/20 Championship season. 

As beautiful a moment it was for Leeds supporters when the club finally clinched their spot back in the top flight for the first time in 16 years, there will always be a bittersweet feeling that the fans couldn’t celebrate those moments in their own ground.

By Johnny Keeley

Marcelo Bielsa and his players from that 2019/20 team cemented themselves as legends in West Yorkshire, and that first season back in the Premier League was a joyride, even while fans still weren’t allowed back into the stadium until the very end of the season. 

Flashforward to 2024, Leeds are back in the Championship but singing quite a different tune. 

“I Predict A Riot” by local Leeds band Kaiser Chiefs (named after United legend Lucas Radabe’s former club) is pumping through the Elland Road soundsystem, while the stadium is bouncing off the walls. 

Jubilant 17-year-old Archie Gray and 21-year-old Georgino Rutter are prancing past the West Stand with their hands in the air and the widest smiles on their faces. 

The biggest match of the year in the second division has just ended 3-1 to Leeds, as the number two team in the Championship took down Leicester City who, before the match, had seemingly already run away with the title. 

The cast of characters this time around look much different, but that hopeful feeling has returned to Yorkshire. 

Even after dropping out of the FA Cup midweek following a hard fought contest at Stamford Bridge that eventually finished 3-2 to Chelsea, the feeling wasn’t dampened. If anything, it was emboldened. 

A big reason for that is due to the performance of Gray in midfield.

The youngster has played 3,102 competitive minutes this season, the majority of them at right back. On Wednesday he was dropped into a midfield battle with the €121m and €116m transfer fee duo of Enzo Fernández and Moisés Caicdeo, and more than held his own. As the rest of the footballing world continues to wake up to the talent Gray possesses, it’s something Leeds fans and Football Manager wonderkid aficionados have already known for a while. 

What makes Gray special to Leeds fans isn’t just that he’s become the latest prodigy to emerge from their academy, but it’s his familial ties to the Club. His uncle and Leed’s legend Eddie Gray was on hand for the match against Leicester when Archie scored his first ever senior goal for the club. The Grays are as Leeds as they come. 

And Gray isn’t the only youngster carrying Leeds towards the promised land either. 22-year-old Crysencio Summerville has the highest FotMob rating in the Championship. Rutter has the second most assists, and 23-year-old goalkeeper Illan Meslier has kept the second most clean sheets in the second division. 

The storylines keep coming when you factor in some of the veteran players as well. Daniel James, who was famously painfully close to joining Bielsa’s Leeds before his transfer from Swansea fell apart during the 2018/19 season, is thriving in the Championship.

Deemed surplus to requirements by Jesse Marsch last season, the Welshman returned to his relegated parent club during the summer while so many of his teammates who Marsch had kept left instead.

James now has 17 combined goals and assists for Leeds, and became a face fans could look to for loyalty when so many decided to depart. 

Those transfers away from the club at the beginning of the season hampered Daniel Farke’s side as they tried to form an identity. 

In the end, the club had to swallow an exodus of high profile players such as Tyler Adams, Robin Koch, Rodrigo, Maximilian Wober, Jack Harrison and Luis Sinisterra. 

Meanwhile the club managed to retain James, Summerville, Wilfried Gnoto, and then brought in shrewd signings in Ethan Ampadu, Joe Rodon, Ilia Gruev, Glen Kamara and Joel Piroe. 

Mix in some of the Bielsa veterans like Patrick Bamford, who’s having a renaissance year, and club captain Liam Cooper, and you’ve got a squad who not only rebounded from their early season troubles, but are fighting for more than promotion. They’re after the same exalted status of that 2019/20 promotion team. 

Leeds now boast the best defensive record in the Championship, and have won every single game in the league in 2024. The momentum keeps building and the gap behind league leaders Leicester keeps shrinking, now down to 6 points.

Elland Road is ready to experience the riot they couldn’t in 2019/20. This latest group of Peacock promotion pushers wants to deliver that and more. For now, the beat goes on at Elland Road, and supporters have no problem signing along. 

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Posted by Bill Biss
01
Mar
2024
FIVE games to follow this weekend: Manchester Derby, O Classico, and more

FIVE games to follow this weekend: Manchester Derby, O Classico, and more

In this weekend preview we summarise the best five games to follow on your match feed. And make a couple of suggestions for matches that you may otherwise miss.

By Bill Biss

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Premier League: Manchester City vs. Manchester United

Sunday’s Manchester Derby doesn’t really need an introduction does it? We know it’s a massive game. But it also comes at a fairly crucial juncture for both sides of the city.

The Sky Blue side found their shooting boots in the week, Erling Haaland scoring five in the 6-2 FA Cup win over Luton Town, a result that came after City had only managed one goal per game in their last three Premier League outings.

Pep Guardiola’s defending champions remain unbeaten in 18 games, a run that goes back to the start of December, and a victory against their arch-rivals here could see them go top of the league, depending on Liverpool’s result – the Reds face Nottingham Forest 24 hours earlier. As it stands, City start the weekend one point down on Liverpool, and five goals worse off in terms of goal difference, something that could come into play as the title race intensifies.

For United, a positive result in the Derby would constitute their biggest win since news of the INEOS ownership change, and prove that last week’s home defeat to Fulham was just a blip. Results for Erik ten Hag’s side have improved in 2024, generally speaking, with that being their only defeat since the turn of the year. United have been grinding out results with the form of Rasmus Højlund helping them to pick up wins against the likes of Wolves, West Ham, and Luton in the league – although the Dane will miss this game through injury. His teammates did also find a way past Nottingham Forest, beating them 1-0 in the FA Cup during the week.

In terms of recent derbies, the form lies with City. They’ve won six of the last 10 fixtures between the two, with United winning three. The aggregate score during that time has been 20 to 11 in City’s favour.

🇪🇸 LaLiga: Athletic Club vs. Barcelona

This is one of the classic LaLiga fixtures, featuring two of the three sides that have never been relegated from Spain’s top flight (the other being Real Madrid). The city of Bilbao will probably still be partying by the time we reach kick-off in this game on Sunday night, so Barcelona can expect to encounter a fervent atmosphere – that’s because their club qualified for a 40th Copa del Rey final by completing a 4-0 aggregate victory over Atlético Madrid on Thursday night.

Only Barcelona have reached more finals than the Basque Club, but it was Athletic who stopped Barça adding to their own tally this season, by beating them when they met at the quarter-final stage back in January. Ex-Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde has made Athletic a very tough nut to crack this season – in fact, only Real Madrid have beaten them at their San Mamés fortress. They tend not to dominate teams – they had 40% of possession in the victory over Atlético, and marginally less in the quarter-final against Barcelona (39%) but they are highly effective on the break – they ran out 4-2 winners after extra time in that last meeting.

Since that defeat, though, Barcelona have lost just once in seven games, and they can boast an eight point advantage in the league table, with the Catalonians in third, and the Basques in fifth. In fact, with Girona’s momentum now starting to wain, it looks like Xavi’s side are the most likely candidates to finish as runners-up this season, with Madrid still another eight points better off above them in the standings.

Last weekend, Barcelona thrashed Getafe 4-0 and with the second leg of their Champions League tie with Napoli still over a week away, they will field as strong a starting line-up as injuries allow for this crunch game in the race for next year’s European places.

🇮🇹 Serie A: Napoli vs. Juventus

Moving to Italy, and sticking with Sunday’s biggest matches, there’s a meeting between outgoing champions Napoli, and Juventus, this seasons’ main challengers to runaway leaders Inter. Juve sit 12 points down on the Nerazzurri but with Inter not in action until Monday this game does, at least, give them a chance to cut that lead down to single figures!

Napoli are famously on to their third new coach of the season as their title defence lies in tatters. But results have been positive under Francesco Calzona so far, with the Slovakian national team boss now working two jobs at once! They drew with Barcelona in the Champions League, then drew with Cagliari, before going to Sassuolo in midweek, where the deadly partnership of Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia really came to the fore, scoring five of the goals between them in a 6-1 win. That result left them ninth in the table.

Juve’s form has dipped over the same period, with Maxi Allegri’s side seemingly slow to recover from defeat to rivals Inter at the start of February. They lost their next game, then drew with Verona, before finally getting back to winning ways last weekend. But only just. They needed a stoppage time winner from Daniele Rugani to beat Frosinone 3-2.

The form of Dušan Vlahović has been good, though, with the Serbian scoring nine in nine games so far in 2024.

🇫🇷 Ligue 1: Monaco vs. PSG

On Friday night, in what will probably be the last league game that Kylian Mbappé plays against his former club before his long awaited departure, PSG travel to the principality to face Monaco.

ASM have put together an interesting squad this season and earlier in the campaign they looked best placed to challenge PSG’s dominance at the top of French football. Sadly for them, though, a 5-2 defeat in Paris rather put paid to that back in November. That led to an indifferent period of form that they appear to only just be coming out of – losing to Toulouse recently, but also beating Nice and Lens, two of the other sides vying for a Champions League place. Now, they find themselves third, two points behind Brest, and 13 below PSG.

The Champions haven’t lost since Matchday 4 in the Champions League group stage back in November. They’ve won 14 of their subsequent 19 competitive games since then and look well placed to progress to the Champions League quarter-finals, if they can defend their 2-0 lead from the first leg of their Round of 16 tie with Real Sociedad, when they go to Spain on Tuesday.

Mbappé has, as usual, been scoring for fun and boasts a record of 21 in 21 league games so far this season. He did fail to find the net last weekend though, with Gonçalo Ramos rescuing a 1-1 draw in injury time, against Rennes. And earlier today, we took a look at the form of Bradley Barcola, perhaps the next PSG starlet who can carry on from Mbappé next season. You can find that piece by clicking – here.

🇩🇪 Bundesliga: FC Köln vs. Bayer Leverkusen

In Germany, Bayer Leverkusen sit eight points clear of perennial champions Bayern and look set to finally end their reign in the Bundesliga. But this weekend, one of their local Rhine rivals will be hoping to derail that title charge.

Xabi Alonso’s side visit FC Köln, with the Billy Goats probably looking to this Derby for something to distract them from their current plight. The Cologne club sit 16th, marooned in the relegation play-off spot, eight points adrift of Bochum in 15th. They’ve won just three games this season and are the divisions’ lowest scorers with 16 goals to their name, or just 0.7 goals per game.

In contrast, Leverkusen are scoring at a rate of 2.6 goals per game and coincidentally, conceding at a rate of 0.7 goals per game. Their form is record breaking, famously, with the club now unbeaten in 33 domestic matches. They beat the national record with last weekend’s 2-1 win over Mainz.

Obviously, on paper, this doesn’t look like being the game that ends that run but with local bragging rights at stake, you never know! And FC Köln have won two of the last five meetings between the two. Stranger things have happened in football.

Plus two further suggestions, from the title races elsewhere in Europe…

🇳🇱 Eredivisie: PSV vs. Feyenoord

In this week’s bonus section, we’ve got a couple of massive games for you. We’ll start with Sunday’s clash between the top two in the Netherlands. PSV are on a similar run to Leverkusen in neighbouring Germany, unbeaten in 23 league games, and sitting pretty, 10 points clear of their nearest rivals – Feyenoord, the defending champions.

With 11 games to go, and both matches against Ajax been and gone, this fixture is probably the toughest PSV have left, meaning a win here should give them the confidence to go on and claim their first title since 2018 – the last of a hat-trick of title wins in the last decade. Feyenoord, obviously, will be out to stop them, and they come in to the weekend on form, having beaten Groningen to qualify for the KNVB Cup final on Thursday night.

🇵🇹 Liga Portugal: FC Porto vs. Benfica

Portuguese league leaders Benfica are in the middle of what could be a crucial week for their season. On Thursday, they lost the first leg of a Taça de Portugal semi-final at city rivals Sporting. Now, this weekend, they face FC Porto in O Classico, Portugal’s biggest national rivalry. And then, they have the first leg of their Europa League knockout clash with Rangers to contend with next Thursday evening.

Having finished first or second in each of the previous seven seasons, Porto find themselves a relatively distant third this time around. Having run Benfica so close to the title last season (Benfica prevailed by two points), Porto now sit nine points down on their rivals, and seven down on second placed Sporting, who also boast a game in hand.

Benfica, then, can’t afford to slip up here, with Sporting breathing down their necks. But that midweek defeat was their first since the opening round of the campaign, domestically speaking, and they’ve already beaten Porto 1-0 in the league, and 2-0 in the Super Cup this season.

If you want to follow any of the games mentioned above, click on the relevant link and tap the bell icon to receive all the key match updates.

Or join our new WhatsApp Channel for updates on all the important football going on this weekend!

Images from IMAGO

Posted by Bill Biss
01
Mar
2024
Bradley Barcola: The most important PSG starlet for the post-Mbappe era

Bradley Barcola: The most important PSG starlet for the post-Mbappe era

Kylian Mbappé’s last contract extension with PSG was worth over €200m, having signed him for up to €180m in the first place. Randal Kolo Muani cost the club €90m last summer, once add-ons are factored in. Gonçalo Ramos, having turned his loan deal into a permanent one this winter, will cost another €80m all in. And Ousmane Dembélé also joined in 2023, costing another €50m in initial outlay, on top of big salaries for all involved.

By Karl Matchett

The expenses show no signs of slowing at Parc des Princes, but the stand-out among the pack might not even be on that list.

Instead, it’s Bradley Barcola: at €45m the cheapest of the lot, the youngest of the lot, and potentially the most exciting of the lot. Certainly on the evidence of recent performances, he might hold the key to the door of success for PSG in the post-Mbappe era.

Having joined from Lyon last summer, the 21-year-old has been gradually introduced to the lineup by Luis Enrique, mostly seeing appearances off the bench until near Christmas – but he has been a regular first XI player since then. All told, he has more Ligue 1 minutes to his name than fellow attackers Ramos, Muani, Marco Asensio or Lee Kang-in and, importantly, better output than most.

His four league assists this term is bettered only in the squad by first-choice winger Dembélé, who has seven, and around 300 minutes more game time. Add two goals to the mix for Barcola and he has the same goals plus assists league tally as Asensio, one more than Ramos, only two fewer than Muani – who tends to play centre-forward more often than not.

It’s not to say the numbers all stack up in Barcola’s favour, of course. As the least experienced of the collective, it’s clear from watching him that decision-making is still a quality which can improve plenty, as can his finishing. He has an 11% conversion rate which is lower than all of PSG’s attacking options other than Lee (7%) and Dembélé (3%), has so far slightly undershot his xG/90 of 0.2 and, notably, has spurned some decent chances at potential match-turning moments. There’s also an overreliance on his speed at this point, which is perhaps valid considering how rapid he is.

But he has also created seven big chances (second in the squad), averages 1.9 chances created per 90 (joint-second) and 3.1 dribbles per 90 (second), with more than a 50% success rate there.

For a young player to be having such a consistent impact among that calibre of teammates, and to be rightfully earning a starting spot, is both an impressive expression of his own talents and also, perhaps, an indictment of the lack of impact from the likes of Muani.

Perhaps most tellingly of all is that Luis Enrique has even turned to Barcola now that the European campaign has resumed. He started the last-16 first leg encounter against Real Sociedad, serving notice with one lightning burst past a defender but seeing the goalkeeper deny him a shot by rushing out – before doing the same exact thing with a better outcome: a fleet-footed finish for his first Champions League goal in a 2-0 win.

The speed is lightning, the willingness to run at players insatiable. Stop us if you’ve heard this before about young, French, wide forwards at Paris Saint-Germain. There’s no point or need to compare directly to Mbappé, of course, most particularly because the World Cup finalist is on the move come the summer. He won’t be a teammate of Barcola’s at club level, but senior international caps surely won’t be far off.

More poignantly for PSG, Barcola gives evidence that all is not lost when Mbappé does head off, that the style of play doesn’t necessarily need to be altered in attack. And, perhaps, that his additional work rate and ability to win the ball back – he’s top among attackers across the board for that too, by the way, with 0.8 interceptions per 90, 0.8 final third possessions won per 90 and 1.1 tackles won per 90 – can finally be the start of a new team culture that the Parisians have obviously missed.

PSG have never, since the spending began, lacked for attacking talent or for youthful promise. The issue in terms of continental success has always been in not being enough of a team, as opposed to a flamboyant front line, and then the rest.

Barcola may just be the one who can finally begin to bridge that gap, one who can build on his undoubted technical quality, continue to progress as a player – but also, finally, be part of a collective. There are aspects of his game which must improve, but in Bradley Barcola, PSG already have proof that the end of Mbappé is not the end of their pursuit of perfection.

(Image from IMAGO)

You can follow every PSG game – with xG, deep stats, and players ratings on FotMob. Download the free app here.

Posted by Bill Biss
01
Mar
2024
Premier League Preview: Matchday 27

Premier League Preview: Matchday 27

The FA Cup dominated mid-week proceedings but now the focus is firmly back on the Premier League. Once again, one of three teams could finish Matchday 27 in top spot while the race for the final Champions League place is heating up. With that in mind, here’s your Premier League preview.

By Sam McGuire, Premier League expert

Liverpool play first again 

Some feel playing first is an advantage, others feel it is a disadvantage. Liverpool, once again, play before their title rivals this weekend. A win would open up a four point lead at the summit, ensuring they hold on to first place in the Premier League for another week. 

This puts pressure on them to begin with but, if they win, it is Manchester City and Arsenal feeling the pressure. The Reds travel to Nottingham Forest on Saturday afternoon looking to make it six wins on the spin across all competitions. Jürgen Klopp is still without a host of top players but the kids he’s been calling upon recently have been doing a fine job. 

Liverpool are the highest scoring team in the Premier League this term and have the third best away record in the English top flight having taken 25 points from 13 matches. Only Manchester City (28) and Arsenal (26) have picked up more. 

Everton’s points deduction being reduced means Nottingham Forest have plummeted to 17th and are just four points above the drop zone having played a game more. 

Are Brentford in a relegation battle?

It seems to have gone under the radar but Thomas Frank’s side have just a five point advantage over Luton Town in 18th. The Bees have lost their last three matches, conceding four goals in two of those games. In terms of the form table, only Burnley (one) have picked up fewer points than Brentford (three). 

Even the return of Ivan Toney hasn’t been enough to get their season back on track. Yes, he played a part in their win over Nottingham Forest and he does have four goals in seven outings, but Brentford are struggling to put points on the board. 

However, they do have a fairly good record against Chelsea, the team they face this weekend. The Bees have won their last two matches against the Blues and they are unbeaten in three in this fixture, conceding zero goals and scoring four. 

Chelsea are without a clean sheet in seven matches and continue to be the definition of inconsistent. Mauricio Pochettinos’s side beat Aston Villa and claimed a point at the Etihad before losing to a weakened Liverpool team in the Carabao Cup final and needing a last-minute winner against Championship side Leeds United in the FA Cup. A win here could lift them as high as ninth. A loss, depending on other results, could see them finish the weekend in 12th. 

Can Luton dent Villa’s Champions League hopes? 

Luton find themselves in a bit of a predicament after Everton were given four points back. The Hatters went from being a point away from safety with a game in hand to being four points adrift of 17th place. 

They host Aston Villa this weekend needing to pick up a win. Rob Edwards’ side are without a win in five. They are also without a clean sheet in five. Despite the narrative that Kenilworth Road is a tricky place to go, only Burnley (five) and Sheffield United (eight) have picked up fewer points than Luton (11) at home this season. It hasn’t been a safe haven for them. 

They face a Villa side who have returned to winning ways recently after a bit of a blip. The Villans have a five point lead over fifth-placed Spurs and are just six points behind Arsenal. A win here puts some pressure on the Gunners. 

Unai Emery’s men are unbeaten in five away games and have the fifth best away record in the Premier League with 21 points from 13 matches. 

The Manchester Derby 

The Manchester United bubble burst last weekend after a good run of results. The Red Devils lost to Fulham at Old Trafford but did bounceback in mid-week with a narrow 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup. 

They travel to the Etihad on Sunday to face neighbours Manchester City. The champions are unbeaten at home, taking 31 points from 12 games. They are the third-highest scorers in the Premier League on a per game basis with 2.3 goals and they possess the league’s top scorer in Erling Haaland. 

Goals haven’t been flying in lately but perhaps the 6-2 win over Luton in mid-week will open the floodgates after a run of just three goals across three games. 

United, perhaps surprisingly, have the fourth best away record in the Premier League this term and they are currently unbeaten in their last six away from Old Trafford. However, it is worth noting that City have won four of the last five Manchester derbies.

Title challengers take on relegation candidates

A rampant Arsenal side travel to Sheffield United on Monday evening looking to keep the pressure on at the top. There’s even a possibility that they move into top spot with maximum points here. The Gunners are averaging 2.4 goals per game and have scored 15 in their last three Premier League matches. They’re clicking at the right time as far as Mikel Arteta is concerned. 

They also have the meanest defence in the league having conceded the fewest number of goals while keeping the most clean sheets (10). By comparison, the Blades are averaging the fewest number of goals per game (0.8), they’re without a goal in their last two games and without a clean sheet in seven. 

This should be a formality for the Gunners but this could be one of their biggest games of the season. If they put in a professional and dominant performance, it will show a level of maturity that was lacking during their pursuit of the title last term. 

(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.

Posted by Bill Biss
29
Feb
2024
Could Columbus Crew go back-to-back in MLS?

Could Columbus Crew go back-to-back in MLS?

The Columbus Crew are still good. That was the conclusion most observers drew from Saturday’s 1-0 win over Atlanta United in the Crew’s first league match since winning MLS Cup in December. Wilfried Nancy has fundamentally changed the ideology and culture at the club with Columbus expected to be among Major League Soccer’s strongest teams in 2024.

By Graham Ruthven

All the hallmarks of Nancy-ball were evident on opening weekend. Columbus circulated the ball quickly, they counter-pressed with intensity and they were co-ordinated in attack. Some precision was lacking in their play, but that will surely come with repetition. The rest of MLS has good reason to fear the Crew again this season.

While much of Nancy’s game plan was recycled from 2023, Columbus’ second half performance hinted at a different side to his team. Indeed, Atlanta United controlled possession after half time as they searched for an equaliser, but the Crew allowed them to do this, choosing when to sit in and when to jump forward.

“We didn’t keep the ball too often so that’s why they had the momentum, but I like also the fact that they had the ball a little bit more but we were calm and composed and aggressive defensively,” said Nancy when asked about the second half performance. “I like it like this sometimes, not all the time but sometimes.”

Inter Miami are hogging the spotlight in MLS right now. Many expect Lionel Messi and co. to sweep aside every Eastern Conference rival on their way to glory in the play-offs this season. This is an understandable belief on the basis of the individual talent at Chase Stadium. Nobody can compete with Inter Miami in this regard. 

Under Nancy, though, the Columbus Crew are much more than the sum of their parts. They have a core identity and that made them one of the most entertaining teams to watch in MLS last season. Nancy has the buy-in of every player at Lower.com Field and that is clear in the performances they have produced over the last year.

Columbus might not have a difference-maker like Messi – because who does? – but Cucho Hernández is the perfect frontman for the team Nancy has forged. The Colombian scored 16 goals last season and is a good bet to surpass that tally in 2024 having already notched the winner against Atlanta. He would have doubled his tally had he not had a penalty saved by Brad Guzan.

Cucho is a dynamic, modern forward who gives Columbus mobility – in and out of possession – in the final third who reflects much of what makes the Crew so special. Add in Diego Rossi alongside Cucho and Columbus possess two of the most technically impressive attackers in the whole league. Individual talent isn’t an issue for them.

In midfield, Aidan Morris has proven himself as someone who can pull the strings from deeper while Darlington Nagbe remains one of the best box-to-box operators in MLS. When Inter Miami head coach Tata Martino was recently asked to name the best player in the league not in his squad, he highlighted Nagbe before anyone else. That says something about his standing in MLS circles.

Defensively, the Crew’s back three gives them protection and a platform to play out from the back at the same time while goalkeeper Patrick Schulte looks to have picked up where he left off at the end of last season by keeping a clean sheet against Atlanta. From front to back, there is strength in the Columbus roster. 

Nancy’s decision to start Jacen Russell-Rowe over Alex Matan and Christian Ramirez highlighted the depth the Columbus Crew manager now has available to him. The 21-year-old has caught the eye of the French manager and registered three shots against Atlanta United and generally contributed to the Crew attack.

For clubs who can’t match the spending of Inter Miami or MLS’s other marquee franchises, the Columbus Crew’s model provides encouragement. The holistic approach adopted at Lower.com Field has lifted Nancy’s team to a level that they are now setting the standard as the reigning MLS Cup champions. It will take a lot to topple them.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Posted by Bill Biss
29
Feb
2024
Overused and Overworked: Assessing Casemiro’s time at Manchester United

Overused and Overworked: Assessing Casemiro’s time at Manchester United

Casemiro finds himself at a strange crossroads in his career. At 32, his stock seems to be declining and Manchester United could soon move on without him only two years after the big money move to Old Trafford. And it can be said that the Brazilian’s downfall has been abrupt.

By Kaustubh Pandey

For some, the signs were always there. Casemiro’s defensive presence deep in midfield had elevated Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United after a tough start to the 2022/23 season. It almost seemed as if the signing from Real Madrid was everywhere whenever United defended, as he helped the side win the ball back and play it forward as quickly as possible to the runners in-behind. 

He popped up with vital goals too, acting as an important presence in the box during set-pieces. He was prolific at using smart longer balls to wide areas, setting up the wide players amidst criticism that he wasn’t going to be United’s solution in the first phase of build-up. 

Despite his positives, the cracks became visible during United’s disastrous 7-0 loss to Liverpool at Anfield. The Brazilian suffered in midfield, as Jürgen Klopp’s side ran rings around him. While it wasn’t solely Casemiro’s fault, the 32-year-old suffered the most. He was constantly pressed to submission, as he failed to play out from pressure and couldn’t complete a single tackle. The signs, then, became very obvious. They became red flags.

Similar issues have persisted this season and while Erik ten Hag’s system has struggled to bring the best out of players and injuries have had an impact, Casemiro is one of the players who has suffered the most despite him offering some advantages that have already been mentioned.

With reports stating that the Real Madrid hero could now be on his way out of Old Trafford in the summer, multiple reasons can be explored for why things have turned sour the way they have.

Was he ever a solution?

It is always vital to remember the context of the signing. United chased Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong throughout the summer of 2022 but on giving up on the Dutchman, the Red Devils proceeded to quickly sign Casemiro in a deal worth £70m when the midfielder was nearing 30.

It isn’t just the age and the financials related to it that makes one question the deal. Considering that the defensive midfield issue was a concern for United for many years, signing a younger midfielder would’ve made so much more sense for the club. On top of that, De Jong and Casemiro are completely different types of midfielders and that sheds light on United’s dysfunctional approach to recruitment.

De Jong is a press-resistant, ball-carrying midfielder who has thrived in a Ten Hag system in the past. Casemiro meanwhile, has always been a defence-first midfielder whose best traits aren’t on the ball. The move came rather abruptly, suggesting that it was probably a case of United miss-profiling a target when it comes to not just playing style, but also on the basis of age and money spent. All in all, it was a clear case of bad recruitment, something that no big club should do.

Constant bookings changed his natural style

Casemiro’s disciplinary record last season was fairly poor, as he picked up two red cards and seven yellow cards.

Even in his last season at Real Madrid, he racked up 11 yellow cards. In the 2020/21 season, he was sent off once and got nine yellow cards.

This suggests that Casemiro’s natural approach has always been aggressive off the ball. It is only since his arrival in the Premier League that he has been disciplined more strictly for reasons that are completely out of his control. As a result, the Brazilian has had to change his innate style out of fear of being booked or disciplined regularly and risking suspensions.

As a result, the defensive fall-off has been evident. He is being dribbled past more, making less interceptions and winning possession less in the final third this season.

He has been dribbled past 2.61 times per 90 minutes this season and has made 5.76 recoveries per 90 minutes. He has won possession in the final third only 0.27 times per 90 minutes.

Whereas last season, those numbers were mostly in the green. He was getting dribbled past much less and he was winning the ball back higher up the pitch more. He completed more interceptions successfully and made many more recoveries as well.

Having said that, the fear of being carded isn’t the only reason for that fall-off. Some of it is also down to the dysfunctionality of the system and how Casemiro doesn’t suit what Ten Hag intends to build.

System flaws or lack of suitability to the system

While some fans have accused Ten Hag of not having a system in place, the truth is that there is a system in place but it isn’t working well. There is also a suggestion that a Plan A is in place when United’s best ball progressors – Luka Shaw and Lisandro Martínez are fit, that hasn’t been seen. The current system sees United build with a back three and a midfielder in the first phase and that isn’t a shape that too many teams across Europe use on a regular basis. The idea is to play quickly through the lines and out of possession, United press high up the pitch but there has been a big gap between all three lines. 

That was witnessed even against Fulham, when it took the visitors one pass to bypass the United press. Often, United’s backline was very close to their own box while pressing, isolating either Casemiro or Kobbie Mainoo in midfield. This made it easier for Fulham to transition against United and it is a pattern which has been observed constantly.

This has also played a role in Casemiro’s struggles, as he finds himself having too much to do when United lose the ball and the opposition break through from United’s press. More than that, Casemiro’s inability to play through the build-up phase in possession harms United. Even last season, he struggled to play through the opposition’s press, relying on first-time longer balls that may or may not reach the intended target. His presence or skill set in that already vulnerable setup brings further pressure onto United in possession.

More so, Ten Hag has always been insistent on ‘controlling’ games and while it is ironic that the current system isn’t doing that, Casemiro’s lack of ability to dictate play suggests that he isn’t a part of the future plans whenever United get better. It can be said that at Real Madrid, the presence of Toni Kroos and Luka Modrić made up for the Brazilian’s lack of ability to control games.

Being overused over time

In each of his last three seasons, Casemiro played over 2500 minutes in LaLiga. He was barely rested during that period and was a constant rock in front of their backline. Last season in the Premier League, he played 2125 minutes, despite him picking up suspensions. In total, he played 4000 minutes as United had to constantly rely on him to either score goals or because of his defensive abilities.

While this season was meant to be one when United signed another defensive midfielder, Sofyan Amrabat was signed as an option to be a defensive midfielder. But his best in Serie A came at Verona, where he was a box-to-box midfielder. Kobbie Mainoo’s emergence has been impressive but it remains to be seen if he ends up becoming a number six or a number eight. This has made sure that United still rely on Casemiro.

But considering how much the Brazilian has played over the years and how much his teams have relied on him, it seems natural that at 32, he would get slower. If one takes into account all these reasons, it is easy to see why Casemiro’s stock has fallen. 

(Images from IMAGO)

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

Posted by Bill Biss
29
Feb
2024
FA Cup Fifth Round Review

FA Cup Fifth Round Review

The FA Cup took centre stage in mid-week with all eight fifth-round matches being played. There was a mix of big wins, surprise results and, of course, drama-filled decisions. So here’s a round-up of the biggest talking points.  

By Sam McGuire

The Maidstone United adventure ends

Maidstone United caused one of the upsets of the FA Cup this season when they defeated Championship high-flyers Ipswich Town to make it into the fifth round. As a reward, they were drawn against another Championship side, Coventry City. 

Ellis Simms ran riot for the hosts as Mark Robins’ side ended Maidstone’s run in the FA Cup. Simms netted a hat-trick in a 5-0 win with Fabio Tavares scoring the other two goals on Tuesday night. The Championship side impressed, averaging 70% of the ball and carving out opportunities worth 3.31 Expected Goals from their 26 efforts in total. 

Coventry, remarkably, scored all four of their big chances and now face Wolves in the FA Cup quarter-finals. 

The Foxes cause an upset

Leicester manager Enzo Maresca made the bold decision to heavily rotate his side for the trip to Bournemouth. The Foxes had lost back-to-back matches in the Championship and their lead has now been cut down to just six points at the summit. 

A return to the Premier League was obviously their focus and this meant the former Manchester City assistant manager was prepared to sacrifice a potential FA Cup quarter-final. 

Yet the weakened Leicester XI eked out an extra-time win over Premier League side Bournemouth. While the hosts did rotate, it was still a fairly strong XI. They just struggled to stamp their authority on things – possession was equal, the Expected Goals haul was basically identical and both sides missed all of their big chances. 

Leicester now travel to Stamford Bridge to take on Chelsea in the next round of the FA Cup. It should be an entertaining game. 

The Erling Haaland show 

Before the FA Cup clash against Luton Town, Erling Haaland was having a bit of a rough time of it, by his standards. The Manchester City No. 9 had scored just one goal in his last four appearances. In fact, he had just three in his last nine outings for the champions. 

The pressure wasn’t necessarily on him but people had been talking. The talking stopped on Tuesday night though as the Norway international found the back of the net five times during the 6-2 win over Luton. He was in ruthless form, scoring all five across a 55 minute spell. 

At one point, the hosts had clawed it back to 3-2 before City decided to go up a gear.

It wasn’t even a 6-2 type of game though. Luton held their own and created chances, they just didn’t have their own Haaland and that was the difference on the night. For context, the hosts had just three fewer shots and carved out six big chances to City’s seven. 

City, looking to go back-to-back in the FA Cup, play Newcastle United in the next round after the Magpies beat Blackburn Rovers on penalties. 

Drama at Stamford Bridge 

Chelsea needed a reaction following their Carabao Cup final loss to Liverpool on Sunday. They welcomed an in-form Leeds United team to Stamford Bridge in what had the potential to be a difficult tie. 

It proved to be just that. Leeds took an early lead through Mateo Joseph before Nicolas Jackson levelled things. Mykhalio Mudruk put the hosts in front before the half-time whistle to complete the turnaround only for Joseph to find the back of the net again early in the second half.  

Chelsea struggled to dominate despite having the more experienced side and playing in front of a home crowd. Possession was split 50-50 while Leeds had more of the big chances. 

Just as the game appeared to be heading into extra-time, Conor Gallagher popped up with a 90th-minute winner to book Chelsea a quarter-final clash with Leicester.   

Klopp’s kids do it again 

Liverpool hosted Southampton on Wednesday night and their ever-growing injury list meant Jürgen Klopp was forced to piece together a very young and inexperienced starting XI. For example, Bobby Clark and James McConnell partnered Joe Gomez in an unfamiliar midfield role. Lewis Koumas, son of Jason, was given his first start in attack.  

And Southampton, despite making changes themselves, took advantage of Liverpool’s inexperience early on and had multiple chances to break the deadlock. They weren’t able to convert these opportunities though and the Reds grew into the game. The hosts eventually took the lead when Koumas’ effort was deflected in and this seemed to relax everyone in red.  

In the second half, Jayden Danns was given more minutes and the highly-rated youngster scored his first goals for Liverpool in what turned into a comfortable 3-0 win.  

The Reds now travel to Old Trafford in the next round of the FA Cup. 

(Images from IMAGO)

You can follow every match from the FA Cup live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Posted by Bill Biss
28
Feb
2024
Pascal Gross: Arguably Brighton’s best ever bit of transfer business

Pascal Gross: Arguably Brighton’s best ever bit of transfer business

Brighton & Hove Albion have become the undisputed masters of the transfer market across the last  few years – unearthing plenty of hidden gems before flipping them for a monumental profit. Yet  perhaps the club’s shrewdest bit of business has come in the shape of their first ever signing as a  Premier League side.

By Luke Bissett

After gaining promotion to the top-flight in 2017, the Seagulls signed Pascall Gross for just £3 million from relegated-Bundesliga side FC Ingolstadt. And the 32-year-old has been an ever-present in the side ever since, becoming an integral cog for Brighton throughout his seven-year spell at the Amex Stadium. He is now even the club’s top scorer (30 goals) and top playmaker (45 assists) in the Premier League.  

The German made an immediate impact on the South Coast, scoring the club’s first two Premier League goals during their 3-1 victory over West Brom in September 2017. Gross was used back then as a No. 10, behind target man Glenn Murray, in Chris Hughton’s system, with the pair forming a terrific partnership to help the club stave off relegation during their first top-flight season in over 30 years.  

Brighton have become one of the Premier League’s most progressive sides in the meantime, with the  club currently competing in European football for the first time in their history. And Gross has undoubtedly been at the heart of the Seagulls’ tremendous rise. The 32-year-old has been a mainstay under current boss Roberto De Zerbi, playing more games (55) and more minutes (4798) in the top-flight than any other Brighton player since the Italian’s arrival in October 2022.  

De Zerbi has used Gross in several roles during his time in charge of the Seagulls and has made little  secret of his admiration for the technically gifted midfielder.  

“Gross is one of the best players I’ve had in my career,” said De Zerbi. “He’s a fantastic player. He can  play everywhere on the pitch. He is fantastic in terms of attitude, passion. He’s very clever in  understanding different situations. I’m lucky to have him in my team.” 

The 32-year-old has been used as a left-back, right-back, central midfielder and in a more advanced  midfield role just this season alone, showcasing just how fundamental he is to De Zerbi’s expansive style of football. Indeed, the versatile Gross has continued to be one of the Premier League’s most  consistent performers regardless of his position on the pitch, achieving a FotMob average rating of 7.74 this season – the fifth highest total in the division. He’s also made the FotMob Premier League TOTW for performances in three different positions this season!

Though the German has been nominally used in a deeper role under De Zerbi, that is not to say that his creativity has waned. No player has provided more assists than Gross in the Premier League this term (10), while this season’s tally is also the outright most by a Brighton player across a single campaign in the competition.  

The midfielder has continued to have a huge influence in the final third for the Seagulls, with only  Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes (74) making more key passes than Gross this campaign (73). Brighton have become one of the most exciting attacking sides across the continent under De Zerbi,  and there is little doubt Gross has been vital to their forward prowess. He has made the fifth most  passes into the final third in the Premier League (158), while impressively, his 161 involvements in open play sequences that have ended in a shot is the sixth-most of any player in the competition.  

Gross is also a masterful crosser and possesses the ability to send pin-point deliveries into the box,  making them extremely difficult to stop. He often shifts the ball onto his opposite foot via a Cruyff turn to open space and create crossing opportunities.

This was evidenced in Brighton’s 1-1 draw with Everton last time out. Gross turned Toffees forward Beto inside-out before providing the ball for captain Lewis Dunk’s 95th minute equaliser. And it’s certainly not the sole example. The 32-year-old ranks third for passes into the penalty area in the Premier League this season (55), while he has delivered the most crosses into the box across the division (20). 

He has become an even more important figure at the Amex since De Zerbi’s appointment, typically operating as the heartbeat of the side. The midfielder’s 2394 touches is the third most in the Premier  League across 2023-24, as he often makes himself available as a passing option within the Seagulls’  engine room. He does not shy away from taking risks in possession to help execute his manager’s proactive philosophy – ranking fifth for progressive passes in the top-flight this term (212). 

Brighton average the second highest possession in the league (62.2%), behind only Manchester City  (65.6%), and De Zerbi clearly places a huge emphasis upon exerting control on games. The creativity of Gross has been extremely key to the success of the side, as he is able to dictate matches and split  opposition defences – ensuring their long spells of possession do not go to waste. 

Gross’ standout displays have seen him work his way into contention for the Germany squad ahead of their home European Championships this summer. While despite Brighton’s recent stumbles in the  league, they are currently in the last 16 of both the Europa League and the FA Cup. And with plenty of silverware still on offer for the Seagulls this season, Gross’ impeccable performances may be the key.

(Images from IMAGO)

You can follow every Brighton match live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Posted by Bill Biss