Page 14 – The Pulse of Football

Mar

2024

Analysis: How Peter Bosz’s PSV are tearing up the Eredivisie

PSV have a double-digit lead at the top of the Eredivisie standings as we prepare for the final stretch of the season, so they look set to lift their first league title in six years. More impressively, they have still preserved an unbeaten record in the league and are on course to smash the record points tally. Is this enough to change Peter Bosz’s reputation, though?

By Neel Shelat

With a dramatic stoppage-time winner against FC Twente, PSV preserved their 10-point lead at the top of the Eredivisie standings ahead of the final international break of the 2023/24 season.

With 23 wins and 3 draws from 26 games, PSV are on course for just the third invincible season in Eredivisie history, the first in almost three decades, and the first for a team not named Ajax. Furthermore, if they win all eight remaining games, they will end up with 96 points – smashing Ajax’s record of 89 in 1997/98.

Domestic Dominance

Quite clearly, PSV have been on another level in the league. Be it goals scored, goals conceded, possession, chance creation or touches in the box, they have been the best team in the league by some margin and by most meaningful metrics.

Led by head coach Peter Bosz, they employ his typical possession-based attack-focused style of play. Unsurprisingly, then, they have been incredibly exciting to watch going forward. PSV’s return of 81 goals scored is 15 greater than their nearest rivals, and they have also amassed the highest xG tally in the division.

Indeed, PSV have typically been an exciting attacking outfit in recent years even before Bosz was appointed at the start of the season. Although they finished seven points off Feyenoord under Ruud van Nistelrooy last year, their return of 89 goals scored was the best in the division. In the likes of Cody Gakpo and Xavi Simons, they had some very exciting attackers in their ranks who frequently tore defences apart.

Although both of them were no longer a part of the squad going into this season, PSV’s attacking output has clearly not dropped off. Luuk de Jong deserves a great deal of credit for stepping up his output big time, but the goals and assists have come from all over the squad. Five players are in double digits in that respect already, with a further five more – including full-backs Sergiño Dest and Jordan Teze – registering over five goal involvements.

This all-round attacking involvement gives a good indication of what PSV’s tactics are like – all-out attack. Although Bosz alternates between a 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3 formation on paper, PSV commit up to seven outfielders to the attack when breaking down stubborn low blocks. Dest is always free to advance all the way up the flank as a full-back, while two or even all three midfielders enter the final third.

Joey Veerman has starred in an all-action midfield role. While his tally of 11 assists is significantly inflated by his set-piece-taking role, the 25-year-old Dutchman is a lovely operator between the lines offering great off-ball positioning, on-ball quality and creativity to bring his side forward and play the killer pass.

The most exciting youngster in this PSV squad, though, has to be Johan Bakayoko. The winger will only turn 21 next month, but he has already established himself as one of the team’s key attackers. Starting on the right, the Belgian international poses a multidimensional dribbling threat as he can cut inside and shoot or deliver dangerous crosses from out wide.

Adding the likes of Malik Tillman, Ismael Saibiri and Guus Til to these two assembles a whole host of creative talent, but their qualities would not be fully utilised without a proper goal-scorer. That is why Luuk de Jong has played a crucial role in this PSV side, as his traits as a line-leading striker who makes a living out of getting on the end of crosses and cut-backs in the box have helped him score over a quarter of his side’s league goals.

Lingering Concerns

All of this paints a lovely picture of PSV as a free-flowing attacking team which is not inaccurate, but a big factor in their domestic dominance is that their defence has not really been tested too much.

Indeed, all of Bosz’s previous teams including the likes of Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen and Lyon were unbelievably easy on the eye when they had the ball, but the trouble began when they lost it. The Dutch tactician’s pressing was often too gung ho in the major leagues, but more importantly, his all-out approach in possession left his teams incredibly vulnerable to counterattacks.

In the Eredivisie, though, these issues have not been so apparent due to the relatively lower quality of opposition. Most of the teams lower down the table tend to sit back in extremely deep blocks against table-topping opponents with as many as nine outfielders defending the box, leaving one striker up top at most to use as a counterattacking outlet. Add to that their relatively lower player quality, and it is easy to understand why Bosz’s typical defensive frailties were not exposed during his last Eredivisie stint with Ajax and have once again not really been seen.

Even so, PSV’s extremely low tally of 13 goals conceded does not paint a fully accurate picture. Their xG conceded figure of 22.4 is worse than Feyenoord’s, and had PSV let in as many goals as they should have been expected to, our Expected Points model suggests the title race would have been a lot closer.

Although the results might not always suggest it, PSV have had some close shaves in their league fixtures against strong rivals such as Feyenoord, Twente, and Ajax. Two of their three draws have come against these teams, and their cup elimination came at the hands of Feyenoord.

Most evidently, though, PSV’s defensive weakness was highlighted in the Champions League. They finished with a negative goal difference in Group B and were truthfully fortunate to reach the knockouts, where they tasted defeat at the first hurdle against a mediocre Borussia Dortmund side who are barely in the Bundesliga’s top four.

So, while PSV’s potentially record-breaking league campaign is incredibly impressive, this seems to be the ceiling of their potential under Bosz. The 60-year-old Dutch head coach has not changed much after disappointing ends to his stints at Leverkusen and Lyon, but external factors have enabled him to thrive in the Eredivisie. As long as his side plays such exciting attacking football, though, we should have no reason to complain about that.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Mar

2024

Hiroki Ito – Stuttgart’s Mr. Dependable

The discourse surrounding the Bundesliga this term has been dominated by the success of one team – Bayer Leverkusen. Xabi Alonso’s Die Werkself have captured the imagination of a fan base that has longed for success in the league, whilst playing a brand of football that has the neutrals standing up and applauding.

They seem well set on their way to finally dislodge Bayern Munich from the Meisterschale throne, barring an exceptional collapse in the business end of the season. Be that as it may, four points below the Bavarian giants are VfB Stuttgart, in third, who are making giant waves of their own under Sebastian Hoeness.

By Ninad Barbadikar

Now all the fanfare surrounding the Swabians has largely been about Serhou Guirassy’s incredible goal-return in the league – 21 and counting at the time of writing. Their attacking excellence is also accompanied by a stable defence at the back.

By all accounts, Die Schwaben are the third best team in the Bundesliga. One player who needs to be recognised for his contributions to that, is 24-year-old centre-back and Japan international, Hiroki Ito.

Following in the footsteps of fellow Japan internationals who have made a mark at VfB including Shinji Okazaki, Hajime Hosogai, as well as recently departed club captain Wataru Endo, Ito continues to impress.

He joined Stuttgart on loan from J2 League outfit Jubilo Iwata back in 2021 and quickly became a fixture in the first-team setup at the MHPArena, eventually joining the club on a permanent basis. Since then, he has consistently racked up 2000+ league minutes in back-to-back seasons, underlining his availability and thereby the team’s reliance on his performances.

Though he is primarily a left-back by trade, Ito is functionally a hybrid left-sided centre-back. He is able to play full-back, left-centre-back of a back three or be the lone left-sided defender in a back two. This versatility makes him a useful asset, especially in deeper areas.

Pulling strings from deep

Hoeness has deployed a few different setups with Stuttgart this term. In defence though, a back three shape can be commonly observed when they’re building out from the back, starting with the goalkeeper Alexander Nubel. Ito is a key part of that build-up unit alongside captain Waldemar Anton.

Unlike modern attacking full-backs at the top level, Ito is not as involved in attacking sequences, and instead orchestrates from deeper areas as a hybrid presence on the left. Looking at his player traits radar, he ranks in the 95th percentile for touches, underlining just how much of the ball he sees at Stuttgart.

There is a great deal of value in players who can keep the ball ticking under pressure, always make themselves available to receive and play the killer passes when the right spaces open up. All of that constitutes Ito’s passing ability, which is up there with the best in the German top-flight.

It helps that he is an excellent athlete as well, effective at tracking runners and making last-ditch ball recoveries as the last line of defence for Stuttgart.

The Japan international is a superb distributor of the ball from the left. Rarely giving the ball away, Ito seldom looks fazed whilst under pressure. His height of 6ft. 1’ is an advantage here, shielding the ball well with his body to retain possession. He can be a frustrating customer to mark against the ball for opposition attackers.

It is therefore no wonder that his pass success rate is only second to the side’s metronome in midfield, Angelo Stiller.

Though primarily a safety-first passer, Ito’s range of passing comes alive when he’s covering the length of the pitch with his superb diagonals to find runners on the right. Additionally, Ito is also very effectively playing clipped passes into wide channels to find runners, dismantling opposition presses by doing so.

Aiding ball-progression for Stuttgart with his superb passes along the ground as well as medium and long-range, Ito can do it all with the ball.

All of these traits make him absolutely essential to Stuttgart.

Many talents

As a full-back, Ito is conservative with his positioning and waits for the right moments to overlap in behind partner-in-crime on the left, the meteoric Chris Fuhrich.

A good example of such well-timed movements is his assist against Freiburg for Serhou Guirassy’s fifth goal of the season. Fuhrich dragged a marker with him deeper into midfield to open up an overlapping opportunity for Ito, who made no mistake in delivering an inch-perfect cross for Guirassy to tap in.

Although this is not a regular feature of his game from full-back, it just points to how useful his versatility can be for Stuttgart in forward areas.

“Hiro is doing a very good job. You can sense a certain stability in attack and defence. The thrust he brings, the balls he plays, especially his diagonals. He’s got calmness on the ball, “ said former Stuttgart boss Pellegrino Matarazzo about Ito, to Bundesliga.com

Ito spent a great deal of the first half of the season playing full-back before an unfortunate long-term injury to Dan-Axel Zagadou forced Hoeness to shift Ito to left centre-back.

On the front-foot

As a centre-back, Ito strikes a fine balance between being aggressive as well as disciplined.

Due to his experience playing full-back, Ito is comfortable defending wide areas if necessary too, but much like his best passes come with patience and caution, he is equally careful with choosing his battles whilst defending.

It helps to have a teammate at the back like Anton who is more than willing to get stuck into challenges and backs himself to win most duels, Ito chooses to aim for efficiency rather than volume with his defensive actions.

Overall though, the most striking thing about Ito is his composure on the pitch, whether it be with the ball or without it. He is a great reader of the ball, on the ground and in the air too. An average of 1.32 aerials won in the league is strong evidence of that.

The 24-year-old can always be expected to make the right decision for his team, which is precisely what makes him such a valuable asset to the top teams.

What next?

The next step for a player like Ito has to inevitably be away from the Bundesliga, potentially at a top-six Premier League outfit.

The Japan international is at the right age to make a bigger move for his career, now in his third season in the German top flight.

Combine that with the qualities he brings to the table, Ito ticks several boxes to be a useful fit for ball-dominant sides at the top level.

Potentially good fits for him would include Liverpool as well as Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham, both of whom have a lot of use for a hybrid left-sided option like him.

He signed a contract extension to his existing deal at Stuttgart in August, which now expires in the summer of 2027.

That being said, Ito will be a lot more affordable on the market this summer as compared to the premium left-footed options out there for the elite clubs.

In a Stuttgart side packed with exciting attackers, Ito excites without flash but with great substance to his game.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Mar

2024

The MLS Team of the Week: Matchday 5

MLS expert James Nalton picks two standout performers based on his votes in the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) Player of the Week awards and picks out a few more of this week’s contenders.

By James Nalton

Inter Miami and Columbus Crew continue to be the headline makers in MLS and there were some standout individual performances in Matchday 5 to go along with their latest victories.

These two teams are joined at the top end of the early Supporters’ Shield standings in 2024 by Minnesota United, for whom former Manchester United coach Eric Ramsay took charge of his first game on Saturday night, a 2-0 win against LAFC.

If theiy continue in this vein, no doubt Minnesota players will feature here in the future, but for now here are the individual players who stood out in the latest round of MLS play.

The Top Two

8.8 FotMob rating: Joseph Paintsil – LA Galaxy

Painstil entertained the LA Galaxy crowd in Carson with an electric display on the right wing in a 3-3 draw with St. Louis City.

The Ghanaian used his pace down the flank to regularly push his team into dangerous positions, and in truth, they should have had even more goals from these attacking bursts.

He created four chances for his teammates, finishing the game with an expected assists (xA) score of 0.76.

He and his team were unlucky that none of those chances resulted in goals, and Roman Bürki made some good saves in the St. Louis goal.

Paintsil did manage to score one of his own, though, zooming in behind St. Louis full-back Anthony Markanich to get on the end of Mark Delgado’s pass before shooting past Bürki into the corner.

It was the highlight of a great performance that marked Paintsil out as one of the players to watch in this league and showed why the Galaxy made him a Designated Player signing for 2024.

8.6 FotMob rating: Luis Suárez – Inter Miami

With Lionel Messi out injured and Suárez on the bench, it was left to Ecuadorian forward Leonardo Campana (FotMob rating 9.0) to lead the line for Inter Miami.

Campana performed admirably, scoring the equaliser for Miami in DC after Jared Stroud had given the home side the lead. He also makes our TOTW by virtue of his higher match rating.

But it was Suárez’s contribution off the bench that truly turned a draw into a win.

His first of two goals in a 30-minute sub appearance was turned in at the far post following a nice cross from Campana.

The second was scored after it looked like the chance had gone, audaciously chipped over DC United goalkeeper Alex Bono from just inside the area with his weaker left foot.

United were unlucky not to get a penalty when Sergio Busquets clearly stopped Cristian Dájome getting a header on goal by pulling his shirt.

The absence of MLS referees due to being locked out by their employers, the Professional Referees Organization and MLS, continues to be an issue.

But this game once again showed that Suárez, in moments of genius, can singlehandedly change games in this league.

Three more standout performers

8.8 FotMob Rating: Aidan Morris – Columbus Crew

It was the Cucho Hernández show again for the reigning MLS Cup champions as the Colombian scored one goal and assisted another in a 3-0 win against the New York Red Bulls.

But it was also the Aidan Morris show. The American midfielder contributed greatly to this convincing victory with his passing and his work out of possession in midfield.

Morris finished the game having completed 59 of his 63 attempted passes for a success rate of 94%. Not bad against a team that likes to press.

He completed three out of three dribbles attempted, won 12 duels, and made seven recoveries.

It was his pressure in midfield that led to the second goal, scored by Jacen Russell-Rowe from Cucho’s pass.

Morris rounded off his display with a goal of his own, being in the right place at the right time at the far post from a corner.

8.6 FotMob rating: Luciano Acosta – FC Cincinnati

Like Suárez, Acosta was able to come off the bench in the second half of a game and make the difference for his team.

Having been subbed on at halftime, last season’s MLS MVP scored one goal and assisted another to give Cincy a 2-1 win against a struggling New England Revolution side.

His first contribution came straight from the second-half kick-off.

He drove forward into space before laying the ball off to fellow halftime substitute Luca Orellano who find the net with just 27 seconds of the half played, but it was called back for offside.

The opening goal eventually came when an Acosta corner made its way to Yuya Kubo at the far post, before the Argentine scored what was to be the game-winner from a powerfully hit, low free-kick.

A game-changing performance.

9.1 FotMob rating: Matías Cóccaro – Montréal

There were a number of good performances from forwards in MLS this week, with Giorgos Giakoumakis of Atlanta and Vancouver’s Brian White also making handy contributions.

Though both of Coccaro’s goals came from the penalty spot, and his team ended up losing 4-3 to Chicago Fire, his performance still deserves highlighting.

He won both of those penalties himself, drawing fouls in the box before rising to his feet to dispatch both spot kicks.

They were unlucky penalties to give away from a Chicago point of view, but Cóccaro positioned himself well to bait the foul on both occasions.

Montréal eventually lost the game, conceding twice in added time, including a freak goal from inside his own half from Kellyn Acosta, assisted by the wind of the Windy City (FotMob rating 8.5).

(Cover Image from IMAGO)

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

Mar

2024

MLS: Five storylines from Matchday Five

Inter Miami continue to set the early pace at the top of the Eastern Conference while Minnesota United are sitting pretty in the Western Conference as the surprise package of the first few weeks of the 2024 Major League Soccer season.

This weekend was another dramatic one in the American and Canadian top flight with no fewer than 47 goals scored over 14 fixtures. Here are five of the biggest storylines from the weekend in MLS.

By Graham Ruthven, MLS Expert

Federico Redondo has given Inter Miami another dimension

Inter Miami made a statement when they signed Federico Redondo. Widely billed as the next Sergio Busquets, however, it wasn’t clear where the young Argentinean would fit into Tata Martino’s team. Two games into his Herons’ career, though, Redondo has already settled and is demonstrating his quality.

Luis Suárez might have grabbed the headlines with a brace off the bench away to DC United on Saturday, but Redondo was arguably the most influential player on the pitch. His ball-carrying was key for Inter Miami with the 21-year-old smooth in his passing and chance creation – and also dogged when he needed to be, like for Leo Campana’s leveller. Out of possession, he also slotted in alongside Busquets. Redondo is much more than just a number six.

Wind-assisted comeback could change Chicago Fire’s season

The Chicago Fire’s stoppage time winner against CF Montreal has been viewed over five million times on social media, and not because of the quality of the finish. The goal might have been awarded to Kellyn Acosta, but it was the Chicago wind that carried the ball over the head of Chris Brady and into the back of the net. They call it The Windy City for a reason.

Chicago now have their first win of the season on the board. Their hope is Saturday’s comeback victory will give them a platform to build on with two new additions – Acosta and Hugo Cuypers – scoring against DC United. “It’s a game that can change the season around for us,” said Frank Klopas. In football, form can turn as quickly as the wind.

Lucho Acosta’s cameo reminded us all of his game-changing ability

Introduced off the bench against the New England Revolution with the scoreline still goalless, Lucho Acosta changed the match for FC Cincinnati in the second half. Without Acosta – rested after a period of eight games in 25 games – Cincy struggled to create anything in the final third. With last year’s MVP winner on the pitch, though, they looked like the team that won the 2023 Supporters’ Shield.

Acosta’s best highlight reel moment came when he slid a freekick strike under the New England wall and in at the near post to give FC Cincinnati a 2-0 lead, but the Argentine was influential in so many different areas. He finished the match with the most key passes and accurate crosses of any Cincy player while only Yuya Kubo and Sergio Santos registered more shots despite Acosta only playing 45 minutes.

New York City FC have finally made their 2024 breakthrough

Like Chicago, New York City FC recorded their first victory of the season on Saturday with Nick Cushing’s team winners over Toronto FC. Most expected NYCFC to be competitive again this season after a difficult 2023, but the longer the wait for their first win went on, the more doubts grew. This is why holding on for three points with 10 men was so important. This was a much-needed breakthrough.

Cushing spoke about NYCFC’s “process” after the match against TFC. Nobody doubts the young talent within the Bronx club’s dressing room, but they have yet to gel into a coherent unit. Players like Santiago Rodríguez and Julián Fernández, however, could change this. NYCFC are finally on the board and their 2024 campaign truly starts now.

Refereeing situation reaching boiling point as complaints mount

While Don Garber insists MLS isn’t any worse off without its regular referees, managers and players tell a different story. “We need guys that have experience,” said Cristian Roldan after the Seattle Sounders finished Saturday’s 1-1 draw against the Colorado Rapids with 10 men. Columbus Crew supporters also chanted in support of the striking officials.

The longer the strike continues, the worse MLS looks. The league must find a solution with the Professional Soccer Referees Association (PSRA) to prevent the 2024 season from being undermined. If MLS truly wants to be considered one of the best leagues in world football, it must accept having second-rate officials is unacceptable.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Mar

2024

Gary O’Neil should be an outside bet for Premier League manager of the season

The prologue to Wolverhampton Wanderers excellent season under Gary O’Neil begins with Julen Lopetegui leaving his post as Wolves manager six days before the season began away at Old Trafford.

Lopetegui had been on Wolves’s radar for years and after finally landing the Spaniard, he was gone just eight months after steering the club clear of relegation having arrived with Wolves seven points adrift of safety.

By Dharnish Iqbal

The club initially spent a whopping £175m to help aid the former Real Madrid manager in his bid to save Wolves from the Championship.

He then grew frustrated at the lack of funding after Wolves survived, as from his point of view, it was expected financial backing would continue so he could help Wolves grow into a team fighting for the European spots.

The Wanderers needed to balance the books with FFP as they informed Lopetegui of the financial constraints, he made his frustrations public in an interview with Guillem Balague. Wolves had spent the summer budget on staying up: “We came here believing in a different project.” This wasn’t what Lopetegui signed up for and he didn’t want another season fighting relegation, so he left.

The club had also ripped out the soul of the team in a necessary clean-up to meet FFP rules. Out went lynchpin Rúben Neves, Nathan Collins, Conor Coady, Raúl Jiménez, João Moutinho, and Adama Traoré. In came almost no one.

Club chairman Jeff Shi even wrote a letter to fans before the season began explaining Wolves would have to be cautious. It sounded like a club in crisis. A departing elite manager, a squad ripped at the seams, and a board battling financial constraints.

Which makes the job O’Neil has done even more astounding in the circumstances. Wolves are six points off Manchester United in sixth and above Newcastle and Chelsea in the table, they also made it to the last eight of the FA Cup.

O’Neil is taking Wolves in the direction Lopetegui wanted to and he didn’t need to spend £100m to do it. Wolves have already beaten Chelsea twice, Spurs away and claimed a huge victory over defending champions Man City at home. This was meant to be a doomed season. A damage limitation job of scrapping for relegation rather than flourishing.

Wolves have benefitted from high-profile players leaving as opposed to the outgoings being a detriment as other squad members have shone.

O’Neil has managed to get the best out of Matheus Cunha with the striker scoring nine, but crucially being a vital player out of possession. Marking off the opposition’s midfield when needed and carrying the ball out of pressure frequently.

The tireless Mario Lemina and João Gomes are proving to be a tough, sturdy defensive midfield partnership. Pedro Neto remains one of the league’s exciting attackers in creating something out of nothing. Whilst Hwang Hee-chan has scored more goals than he ever has with Wolves (10).

It’s impressive to see just how tactically versatile Wolves have become under the former Bournemouth manager. Often switching formations this season from a back five or back four depending on the opposition, as O’Neil recognises modern football management is about the constant need to adapt to the opposition and innovate.

When Wolves play a back five they can use their fast wingers in Cunha and Neto to carry the ball from deep and break quickly in transition when opposition attacks break down.

When playing four at the back, Wolves press high to turn the ball over as they’re one of the highest-ranked teams in the league for goals scored from pressing high. O’Neil has transformed the attack with an emphasis on being fast and direct. The full-backs overlapping in Nelsen Semedo and Rayan Aït-Nouri who both scored in the recent win vs Fulham add to this. Thriving in a 3-4-3 system making use of the spaces wide to stretch defences as much as possible and join the attack.

Goals were hard to come by for Wolves last season but they have already scored 22 more goals at this stage of the season in comparison to the last.

After the Fulham win O’Neil spoke about how this was his favourite. “Unbelievable win, in terms of what we’ve had to deal with, the position we found ourselves after 20-odd minutes (Bellegarde and Neto both went off injured).”

“Mentally for the players to lose the only attacking players we have left, I thought it was an unbelievable win.”

Similarly, in trying circumstances, Gary O’Neil at Wolves has done an unbelievable job. With Europa League qualification not out of the question, O’Neil is a manager who thrives on making the most of what he has.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Mar

2024

FA Cup Review: The Last Eight

That was certainly something, wasn’t it? The FA Cup quarter-finals lived up to their billing and we now know the final four. Here’s your review of the action this weekend.

By Sam McGuire

Wolves left stunned

The game at Molineux really sparked into life in the second half, though Coventry did have the home side on the ropes before the break.

Wolves dominated the ball in the first half with 62% possession but the visitors carved out the better chances, ending the opening 45 minutes with an Expected Goals total of 1.65.

The in-form Ellis Simms opened the scoring in the 53rd minute and it appeared as though the former Everton striker was going to be the match-winner.

However, with just seven minutes of normal time remaining, Wolves got their goal courtesy of Rayan Aït-Nouri. The marauding wing-back then assisted Hugo Bueno just six minutes later as the hosts turned the game around with two quick fire goals.

A semi-final place was there for Gary O’Neil’s side. But Coventry had other ideas. Simms notched his second of the afternoon in the 97th minute before Haji Wright scored the winner in the 100th minute to send the Championship side into the final four. They deserved it too.

The champions progress

It was a routine win for Manchester City on Saturday evening against Newcastle United.

The hosts had a 2-0 lead heading into the break with Bernardo Silva netting a double. The Portuguese playmaker was given more freedom in attack at the Etihad with a midfield pairing of Mateo Kovačić and Rodri behind him.

The No. 20 completed 96% of his passes and created a chance for a teammate in an eye-catching performance.

Newcastle didn’t really threaten the champions. The Magpies had just 28% possession and could manage only two shots on goal.

In truth, it was all too easy for Pep Guardiola’s men.

Stoppage time drama at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea made hard work of it against Championship side Leicester City but eventually got the job done.

The Blues had a 2-0 lead going into the break with Marc Cucurella and Cole Palmer finding the back of the net for the hosts.

However, just five minutes into the second half, an Axel Disasi own goal halved the deficit. Just after the hour mark, the Foxes had their equaliser when Stephy Mavididi scored with his only shot of the game.

The visitors lost a man just 10 minutes later when Callum Doyle was sent off.

Chelsea huffed and puffed but it appeared as though the game would be heading for extra time. The hosts managed to dig deep, though, to find a deserved winner with Carney Chukwuemeka scoring in the 92nd minute. Noni Madueke then added an exclamation point with a fourth in the 98th minute.

Mauricio Pochettino’s men are heading to Wembley, again.

Manchester United shock lacklustre Liverpool

The game of the weekend finished off the quarter-final fixtures. Manchester United hosted Liverpool in what is going to go down as an all-time FA Cup classic.

The Red Devils took an early lead on Saturday afternoon when Scott McTominay poked home from close range after a bright start by the hosts.

Liverpool then hit back just before half-time with Alexis Mac Allister and Mohamed Salah both finding the back of the net during a three minute blitz.

Antony, brought on by Erik ten Hag, levelled things up in the 87th minute to take the game into extra time.

Liverpool substitute Harvey Elliott fired the Reds into the lead again just before the end of the first half of extra time.

Marcus Rashford, who earlier missed the chance to win the game, capitalised on a poor Darwin Núñez pass to make it 3-3 with just eight minutes remaining.

Then, in the last minute of extra time, United countered a Liverpool corner and Amad Diallo showed great composure to fire his effort into the bottom corner and book Manchester United’s place in the FA Cup semi-finals.

Liverpool’s quadruple dream ends at Old Trafford.

(Cover image 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.

Mar

2024

FA Cup Quarter-final Preview

The FA Cup returns this weekend and we’re already at the quarter-final stage of the competition. There are two all-Premier League ties to be played while two championship teams make up the final eight.

With that in mind, here’s your FA Cup preview.

By Sam McGuire

Pressure on Wolves

Molineux plays host to the first FA Cup clash of the weekend as Wolves entertain Coventry City.

Given Gary O’Neil’s side are a league above their visitors, the pressure is on Wolves to make it into the semi-finals. Usually, they head into games as the underdog, so it’ll be interesting to see how they cope with the expectations.

They do head into the game in good form though having won four of their previous five matches across all competitions. They are now just two points off of seventh placed West Ham United.

Wolves appear to have fixed their defensive issues too. They have conceded two or more goals in just one of those games having conceded two or more in three consecutive games prior to that.

Coventry are also in good form though. They’ve won back-to-back games in the Championship and possess one of the most in-form strikers in the country at their disposal in Ellis Simms. The 23-year-old has two hat-tricks in his last four matches.

Coventry are just a point outside of the playoff places in the Championship and have been amongst the goals in the FA Cup with 16 goals in four matches.

It has the potential to be a really good game for the neutral.

The champions can make a statement

In the evening kick off on Saturday, Manchester City host Newcastle United at the Etihad.

Pep Guardiola’s men are unbeaten in 21 matches across all competitions and haven’t suffered a loss on home turf in 19 games. They are formidable at the Etihad. They are also going to want to make a statement following the disappointing performance against Liverpool at Anfield last weekend.

City have a good record against Newcastle but these clashes tend to be fairly tight.

The last three games between these two teams have been decided by the odd goal.

Newcastle head into this game in poor form, all things told. They have won just one of their last five outings across all competitions, in normal time, and needed penalties to beat Championship side Blackburn in the last round.

Inconsistent teams face off at Stamford Bridge

Championship leaders Leicester City travel to Stamford Bridge on Sunday to take on Premier League side Chelsea.

Both teams have put in Jekyll and Hyde performances over recent weeks.

For example, Chelsea have conceded two goals in each of their last three outings but are unbeaten in those games. They are, however, without a clean sheet in nine matches.

Their record against the Foxes is fairly good though, they are unbeaten in five matches against Sunday’s opponents.

It was going all so well for Leicester. But they’ve now lost three of their last six games and the goals have somewhat dried up. Their two wins during this period have been by a 1-0 scoreline.

They are still top of the championship but their lead is now down to just three points. An FA Cup run might be a distraction they don’t need at this stage of the season. Still, an FA Cup semi-final is not an opportunity you can pass up.

Old rivals take centre stage

Last but not least, the clash of the weekend.

Manchester United host Liverpool for a place in the final four of the FA Cup. The Red Devils have the chance to end any hopes of a quadruple for the Reds during Jürgen Klopp’s final campaign as manager at Anfield.

There’s an FA Cup semi-final place up for grabs as well as long-term bragging rights.

The draw with Manchester City last weekend ended Liverpool’s winning run at seven. United, meanwhile, have been a little more inconsistent over recent weeks having won three and lost two of their last five matches.

The Reds have won four of the previous six matches against the Red Devils. However, United won the last meeting between the two sides in the FA Cup.

Both teams have been obliterated by injuries. Both could do with fielding a weakened team here to focus on the Premier League but with an international break on the horizon, expect the managers to throw everything at this clash.

(Cover image 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.

Mar

2024

The EFL Championship Relegation Battle

Although the race to earn automatic promotion out of this season’s EFL Championship has been a considerable talking point for quite some time, it is not the only narrative currently being crafted within English football’s second tier.

By Dan Tracey

As the top four looks to finish in the top two by the end of the season, 12 teams are praying in a bid to avoid the Championship’s relegation trapdoor. In a league usually labelled as a war of attrition, the battle from twelfth onwards could be the bloodiest of them all.

On the assumption that Rotherham are too far adrift to start any safety drill between now and the final day of the campaign, there are two relegation spots to League One that are still unclaimed, and even though both QPR and Sheffield Wednesday looked lost causes previously, there is hope yet.

Both the Loftus Road and Hillsborough outfits have rolled the managerial dice in a bid to improve their fortunes, and on the evidence of the results since their latest respective appointments, you would have to say each gamble is starting to pay dividends.

With Marti Cifuentes and Danny Röhl being appointed back in October 2023, the table at the end of that month saw QPR with just eight points and Wednesday with six after each playing 14 games of the season.

Six and eight points off the pace in terms of safety, lost causes in the eyes of many. However, the Championship is one of the best leagues in the world for good reason, and this is because fortunes can turn around rather quickly.

Fast forward to the middle of March, and the R’s under Cifuentes now find themselves out of the bottom three. By comparison, the Owls may be second-bottom at the time of writing but are only a point from safety and have the one vital commodity at this stage – momentum.

Four wins from their last five have bunched the relegation pack together, and from Sunderland in 12th to the blue and white half of Sheffield in 23rd, just nine points serve as the margin of error. A margin that may sound enough if you support the Black Cats, but a look at their form says otherwise.

If there is one thing you do not want to be when going into a relegation battle, it is cold in terms of results, and once you take Rotherham out of the equation, there is no colder team than the one that plies its trade at the Stadium of Light.

Undoubtedly, it has been a rather tumultuous season for the Wearside outfit. After sacking Tony Mowbray in December 2023, his replacement, Michael Beale, would only last a further two months himself.

With caretake Michael Dodds in charge, he has failed to break their unwanted streak of defeats that currently stands at six, and the longer Sunderland fails to find a return to winning ways, the more likely they could sleepwalk into the relegation zone.

If both Sunderland and Bristol City, on 47 points, are at one end of the relegation scale, then Huddersfield will find themselves at the other. Like their Yorkshire counterparts, Sheffield Wednesday, they are on 38 points. Unlike them, they are struggling when it comes to league form.

The Terriers may have picked up two wins from their last six, but they have also earned just a single point from the last nine on offer – a run that leaves them in the bottom three and with them facing Rotherham this weekend, this Yorkshire derby may be the perfect venue for some form of salvation.

Failure to win at the New York Stadium on Saturday and salvation may quickly turn into desperation for André Breitenreiter’s men. Last season saw Huddersfield complete a great escape under the watchful eye of Neil Warnock; they may have to start digging tunnels for their remaining nine games.

If they are to claw themselves out of the bottom three, then it will be bad news for one of the clubs above them and with John Eustace acting as the link between Blackburn and Birmingham, both outfits are struggling at the worst time.

Eustace’s old employers, Birmingham, played managerial bingo earlier in the season and appointed Wayne Rooney in an ill-fated spell, who in turn would pass the baton on to Tony Mowbray – who in turn has become ill and unable to take to the touchline.

This means the West Midlands outfit is now without a win in any of their last five league outings, and after picking up just one point from the last 15 on offer, they currently sit 21^st in the table and just a point clear from safety.

Bad news for the team that Eustace formerly oversaw, not great news for the team that he is now in charge of and with Blackburn having drawn five of their last six league matches and lost the other, being solid rather than spectacular is not an approach that seems to be working at Ewood Park.

Blackburn sit in 18^th on 41 points and three from safety, the same number of points as Stoke a position below and with recently installed manager Steven Schumacher already feeling the pressure at the Bet365 Stadium, the gamble to prise him from Plymouth may not pay off in the end.

While Plymouth have made their own gamble in appointing Ian Foster as their new manager. The Pilgrims are the third of three teams on 41 points, and if they were to stay up while Stoke went down, there would undoubtedly be schadenfreude in the direction of former boss Schumacher.

If the trio of Plymouth, Blackburn and Stoke are looking nervously over their shoulders, then the trio of Watford, Swansea and Millwall sitting above them will not be overly confident in their glances in the opposite direction.

They may be five, seven and seven points clear of the relegation zone, respectively, but now is not the time to rest on your laurels. Although there are several clubs between them and the bottom three, that same group will be ready to collect them if things take a considerable turn for the worse.

It is going to take a brave person to predict who will eventually go down from the Championship. It will take an even braver set of players to avoid the drop. If you are a supporter of one of these 12 clubs, get ready to have your nerves shredded between now and the final day.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Mar

2024

Harvey Elliott: The versatile talent digging deep for the team he loves

When Liverpool came from behind to beat Luton Town at Anfield last month, one of their most experienced players on the pitch was 20-year-old Harvey Elliott.

By Matt Ladson, ThisIsAnfield.com

The match was Elliott’s 100th appearance for the club he supported as a boy, and as the full time whistle blew he slumped to the floor in exhaustion. “Tonight he had not a great first half,” acknowledged Jürgen Klopp afterwards. “But the reaction in the second half is the main difference, that’s the thing.

“He will definitely play another 100, 200, 300 – if you ask him, 500! – games for this club.”

Klopp’s correct, of course; that Luton match represented the first time Elliott had moved into the right forward position for Liverpool, due to the absence of Mo Salah, Diogo Jota and Darwin Núñez. The first half saw him peripheral, but the second half saw him completely take the game by the scruff of the neck, earning a highly impressive 9.1 rating on FotMob, with a hugely impressive 17 touches in the opposition box and 8 chances created.

Since then, the technically gifted Englishman hasn’t looked back, the only Liverpool player to have started all five of the fixtures since – playing a quite ridiculous 553 minutes in six games across just 19 days.

That included playing all 120 minutes of the Carabao Cup final, then starting the FA Cup tie vs. Southampton just three days later.

“This is why you’re a footballer,” he enthused after the exertions at Wembley. “Digging in deep, [this] is what you live for.

“You need to push yourself to the max in order to get the results and we did that.”

He added: “I can’t wait for another game.”

When you speak to Elliott as media, his enthusiasm and maturity is striking. Before the 2022 Champions League final he was at ease, answering questions in a mixed zone at Liverpool’s training ground, including plenty about the fact he’d been at the 2018 final as a supporter!

Injury return – and England potential

When Elliott suffered a serious injury against Leeds in September 2021, it arrived when he had been seriously impressing in a new, deeper role in midfield – being selected ahead of the likes of Thiago, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

“Two days later, I saw him at the training ground and I was in a worse mood than he was,” explained Klopp later. “He was pretty much like ‘boss, head up, I will be back.’ He is an exceptional talent in a lot of departments.”

Again, Elliott’s positive approach, enthusiasm and sheer passion for playing are clear.

His first goal for the club, at the Kop end, against Cardiff City in an FA Cup tie in February 2022 was described as a “fairytale” by Klopp.

This, too, explains why even when he isn’t in the team, Elliott never looks despondent, instead his positive approach and personality mean he is ready to take the next chance that he is offered. “I’m always grateful for the opportunities I’m given,” he explained earlier this season, at a time when his minutes were far less. “Whether it’s as a starter or coming off the bench, I’m always grateful and happy for the opportunities.”

“It’s part of the job,” he added pragmatically when asked about being seen as more of a squad player.

This means that Klopp has come to rely upon the talented youngster, even more so amidst the recent injury problems, knowing that the player is tactically able to carry out instructions.

Elliott has really developed this season, improving his ability to control the tempo, play cross-field passes when appropriate, and be a creative outlet from deep.

Against Man City he was back in the right forward role, but dropped deep with great effect, allowing Dominik Szoboszlai to move higher up the pitch when the team was in possession – a link-up that almost worked perfectly when Elliott produced a superb chipped cross for the Hungarian who couldn’t quite get his header on target in the first half.

Elliott is from the new school of technically gifted English players, alongside the likes of Phil Foden.

Before that injury two and a half years ago, there were serious discussions around whether he might be able to force himself into the England reckoning ahead of the 2022 World Cup, now with the Euros to come this summer, Gareth Southgate should be giving him a call up for this March international break.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

To keep up to date with everything Liverpool, make sure you click follow on the team profile in the FotMob app. Download the free app here.

Mar

2024

Why Maurizio Sarri was right to resign at Lazio

Maurizio Sarri’s sudden resignation at Lazio comes as a shock to many. But considering how things had been panning out at the club recently, it is easy to understand why the Italian made the decision to step away from the Roman club.

By Kaustubh Pandey

Maurizio Sarri is an emotional man who is known to wear his heart on his sleeve. From being vocal about the state of modern day football, players playing too many games in 2024 and his own ideas about the game, Sarri is opinionated and never holds back from expressing himself. Call him an idealist or a perfectionist, he is what he is and that is refreshing to see.

His resignation from Lazio is another example of his thought process, as the ex-Chelsea and Juventus boss leaves behind a good chunk of money on the table to seek his exit. That says a lot about Sarri, whose decision to depart exhibits boldness and a tendency to look at the bigger picture instead of the money.

With Sarri’s assistant Giovanni Martusciello taking over on an interim basis until the end of the season, the club are ninth in the table after the recent loss to Udinese and are eight points away from potential Champions League qualification. Bayern Munich dumped them out of the Champions League a week ago and while the Coppa Italia provides them hope of silverware, the ex-Napoli manager probably didn’t see a point in competing for silverware if the vision of the club and himself didn’t align.

It is vital to remember that the Biancocelesti finished second in Serie A last season. That happened despite the club not actually truly playing like a Sarri team that dominates possession in every game.

Last season, they were eighth for average possession percentage and that isn’t something one would associate with Sarri’s system. Even when it comes to xG generated, they were eighth and closer to ninth-placed Sassuolo than seventh-placed Juventus.

If Sarri could take them to second without the proper implementation of his system, things could be so much better if he was allowed the platform at Lazio to fully be himself.

But certain things at the club held the Italian back and those reasons were key for why he tended his resignation. And those reasons tell us exactly why the resignation is justified.

Crippled relationship with CEO Claudio Lotito

Reports in recent months have stated that the relationship between Sarri and CEO Claudio Lotito isn’t great by any means. The duo had disagreements about transfers and policy, leading to a difference in opinion about how the club should be run and the direction in which it should go.

The disagreements properly came to the fore in the summer, when the manager vetoed moves that Lotito ideally wanted. While Lotito was prepared to go ahead with a move for Tottenham’s Hugo Lloris, Sarri declined the chance. Arsen Zacharyan was also on the verge of joining and a deal seemed done, but Sarri torpedoed the move at the very end and it fell through.

It isn’t just actions that have highlighted Sarri’s bad relationship with Lotito, but his words have too.

After Lazio’s loss to Atalanta earlier in the season, Sarri reportedly told his players that if they think he is the problem, they should “show some b***s and tell Lotito” in what was an outburst against the scenario he found himself in at the Stadio Olimpico.

Despite the clear talk of a rift between the two, Lotito always mentioned that Sarri was not going to be sacked. Reports in Italy stated financial reasons were key, as Lazio would have to pay out the remainder of Sarri’s deal if they sacked him. But Sarri stuck to his principles and left without asking for any money.

Discrepancies about transfers

While Sarri did veto moves for Lloris and Zacharyan, it did not end there. The Biancocelesti lost Sergej Milinković-Savić in the summer to Al Hilal and brought in Nicolo Rovella, Matteo Guendouzi and Daichi Kamada in midfield. With the club crying out for an effective back-up to Ciro Immobile, Lazio also signed little known Taty Castellanos, but the move has proved to be rather strange.

A number of players that Sarri wanted were not signed and that includes the likes of Torino’s Samuele Ricci, Napoli’s Piotr Zielinski (who played under Sarri at Napoli and Empoli) and Partenopei striker Giovanni Simeone.

Earlier in the season, Sarri ended up being vocal about how he didn’t get the players he needed without actually mentioning the names of players that he didn’t need.

He told the press after losing to Fiorentina: “Everyone signs who they want. It seems to me that in July, the club were clear about who was doing the transfers. If I ask you for a player who is plan A, and you make me choose between C and D. It’s not like I handled the transfer window.”

In hindsight and considering how things have gone, it doesn’t seem as if Sarri wanted the likes of Castellanos or Kamada. The Japanese has barely made a mark and hasn’t broken into the first-team, while Castellanos hasn’t proved to be prolific even when he has played and in a way, Immobile’s injury issues have exposed him.

In a way, Sarri has never questioned the quality of the signings that he has been handed. He has only questioned their suitability to his system and that the players he wanted would have suited his system more.

Was the system ever imposed?

At Juventus, Chelsea, and Napoli, one could always see the way Sarri’s sides played. They dominated possession, relied on third-man runs from midfield and always operated in a 4-3-3, with one regista, one advanced midfielder and one box-to-box midfielder. At Lazio, that hasn’t been the case.

Let alone last season, Sarri’s Lazio couldn’t get a fundamental Sarriball idea right even this season – dominating possession.

They are ninth in Serie A for average possession and that is a far cry from Sarri’s previous setups at other clubs. Even from an eye-test perspective, Lazio seem to operate more as counter attack-oriented side under Sarri and that is very much opposite to how the Italian wants his teams to play.

A part of it could be down to the players at hand, with Sarri himself having been vocal about combinations in midfield and Luis Alberto’s playing style specifically.

He said before the first leg against Bayern Munich in the Champions League: “Luis Alberto is our most attacking midfielder, he comes deeper to get the ball, he really likes to play the ball. Luis can’t be the attacking midfielder I want, I want an attacking midfielder who attacks spaces.”

While that might be a sly shot at the club’s inability to back him in the transfer window with the players he wanted, it also exposes how the current players might not have been best at helping him impose his own style. As a result, Lazio don’t seem to have transitioned too far from the foundation provided by Simone Inzaghi, as they seemed reactive instead of pro-active even under Sarri.

Players and fans losing trust?

Not too long ago, Sarri had mentioned in an interview that he would leave the club when he feels that he is a problem. And considering how the fans protested after the loss to Udinese and how feeble the performance seemed, it gave the impression that carrying on would have been a lost cause.

Not too long ago, it was reported by Corriere dello Sport that there was an air of heaviness at Lazio and that Sarri was losing trust of the squad. His annoyance with the situation at the club and how the transfer window panned out was becoming more and more obvious. He seemed like a tired man in a circumstance that just didn’t suit him anymore.

It gave the impression that with his ideas about the club not matching with that of the higher-ups, he was the one who was the odd one out and the man who was the outsider.

After the defeat to Udinese, Lazio fans protested and booed and the club announced that they would go into a training retreat. As Sarri sent in his resignation, no players spoke up against the decision and that says a lot about how far things have fallen for the Roman giants.

Considering the situation Sarri found himself in, he was in a helpless situation. There was little backing from the club’s board or the players, while the fans constantly protested. Carrying on would have seemed rather futile. If anything, the fact that he’s leaving money behind should send a message to Lotito that the Italian was never in it for the cash. He was always in it for the vision and to execute his ideas as best as he could.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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