Page 148 – The Pulse of Football

Nov

2023

Premier League Team of the Week: Matchday 11

The Matchday XI FotMob Team of the Week is dominated by Manchester City players following their 6-1 win over Bournemouth. But who exactly made the cut and why?

By Sam McGuire, Premier League expert

Goalkeeper: Sam Johnstone

Crystal Palace climbed up to 11th in the Premier League having brought their three-match winless streak to an end against Burnley. The Eagles triumphed 2-0 at Turf Moor despite the hosts dominating. Vincent Kompany’s men had more of the ball and significantly more shots (17 to four) but couldn’t find a way past Johnstone between the sticks. The 30-year-old made five saves on his way to a clean sheet, three of which arrived from efforts inside the six-yard box.

Right-Back: Ola Aina

Few had Nottingham Forest winning against Aston Villa this weekend but Steve Cooper’s side claimed a 2-0 victory and are now up to 13th in the Premier League table. Aina got the hosts off to the perfect start, scoring inside of five minutes with a well-placed effort from distance. The 27-year-old turned a shot with an Expected Goals value of just 0.05 into an effort with an Expected Goals on Target value of 0.43.

He also won two of his three tackles, recovered the ball on nine occasions and won seven of his 11 duels in total to complete an impressive showing.

Centre-Back: Manuel Akanji

Manchester City put on a show at the Etihad to take top spot in the Premier League. Bizarrely, though, the defenders impressed for the free-scoring champions.

Akanji got himself on the scoresheet but the 28-year-old also put in a solid, all-round performance. He completed 90% of his passes and created a chance. He also made six ball recoveries and was 100% successful in ground duels. He probably deserved a clean sheet but just had to settle for a 6-1 win instead.

Centre-Back: Nathan Aké

One of Akanji’s centre-back partners also found his way into the Team of the Week. Aké found the back of the net. He also found a teammate with 94% of his attempted passes. The Dutchman matched the Switzerland international’s success rate in ground duels, winning them all, while also recovering the ball seven times throughout the game. Starting against his old team, he was dominant with and without the ball.

Left-Back: Harry Toffolo

Toffolo is also in the XI alongside his teammate, Aina. The 28-year-old registered two assists in the win over Aston Villa, although they weren’t exactly high-quality chances. That shouldn’t detract from his composed showing though, with the Forest full-back completing 80% of his passes. He also won two of his three attempted tackles and 75% of his ground duels. The clean sheet was a deserved one.

Midfield: Cole Palmer

Palmer has really caught the eye since the move from Manchester City. The young forward played a key role in Chelsea’s 4-1 win over Spurs on Monday night. He converted from the spot under intense pressure to equalise while also grabbing an assist in what was one of the most exciting games of the season.

The versatile attacker completed four of his five dribbles, won 100% of his tackles and came out on top in six of his nine duels to cap off a complete showing.

Midfield: Bernardo Silva

Normally, Silva would’ve been named as the Player of the Match following City’s 6-1 win over the Cherries this weekend. The midfielder had four shots, scored two goals and created three chances. He also completed 100% of his dribbles and won 100% of his ground duels. It really was some showing and it reminded everyone just how devastating the former Monaco maestro can be. But he was pipped to the highest FotMob rating by teammate Jérémy Doku.

Midfield: Jérémy Doku

The 21-year-old Belgian dynamo was utterly dominant against Bournemouth. Doku claimed a 9.7 FotMob rating having been involved in five of the six goals scored by the champions. The former Rennes winger scored one and assisted four while also creating five chances at the Etihad. He also completed all five of his attempted dribbles, he had a 100% success rate in tackles and he won seven of the nine ground duels he was part of.

Attack: Neal Maupay

A surprise name on the scoresheet this weekend and a surprise name in the Team of the Week. Maupay played his part in helping Brentford come from behind against West Ham United to win 3-2 with his first Premier League goal in 14 months. The Bees are now up to ninth in the table having won three on the bounce.

The former Everton forward had three shots, created one chance and won 60% of his duels in the win. It was an impressive outing and one he should look to build on.

Attack: Nicolas Jackson

Jackson was always going to make the Team of the Week following his hat-trick in the win over Spurs. It was obvious he would be named as the Player of the Match too.

The goals made it a formality even though he wasn’t necessarily at his best. The Chelsea forward had six shots and racked up an Expected Goals total of 2.88. He landed 83% of his efforts on target and completed 75% of his dribbles. He was signed to score goals and he did just that in what will go down as a historic match.

Attack: Anthony Gordon

Gordon was the match-winner for Newcastle against Arsenal this weekend. The win means the Magpies are now just four points behind the Gunners and well within touching distance of the top four.

The 22-year-old versatile winger was in the right place at the right time to fire home what was the eventual winner in the 1-0 victory for Eddie Howe’s side. He also created one chance, regained possession seven times and won four of his seven duels, playing a key part in Newcastle keeping a clean sheet.

(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.

Nov

2023

Premier League Review: Matchday 11

Shock results and important wins. It was just a normal weekend of Premier League action. It felt as though every single match was a talking point, so we’re going to cut through some of the noise to review the action from across matchday 11.

By Sam McGuire, Premier League expert

Manchester City climb back to the top

The reigning champions put on a show against Bournemouth. One player in particular impressed in the 6-1 win over the Cherries, but it wasn’t one of the usual suspects.

Jérémy Doku scored the opener and then assisted four of the other five goals in one of the best individual performances of the season.

Surprisingly, neither Erling Haaland or Julián Álvarez got on the scoresheet. The former was subbed off at halftime.

In truth, it was a freak result. City, of course, dominated, but carved out just three big chances and finished the game with an Expected Goals total of 1.95. Pep Guardiola won’t mind though, his team are now one point clear at the summit for now.

The Blades finally win

Sheffield United finally picked up all three points. Paul Heckingbottom’s took the lead against Wolves in the 72nd minute with Cameron Archer finding the back of the net. The away side levelled things in the 89th minute and it appeared as though Gary O’Neil’s men would extend their unbeaten run to six in the Premier League.

However, there was another twist as the hosts won a penalty in stoppage time and Oliver Norwood kept his cool to fire in the winner.

All things considered, a draw would’ve been a fairer result. But Sheffield United probably deserve a slice of good luck. Perhaps they can use this result as a platform to get more points on the board as they look to escape the relegation zone. For now, they’re still bottom of the table. The loss means Wolves missed the chance to move into the top half of the table.

A sting in the tale for West Ham

It was a topsy-turvy game between Brentford and West Ham on Saturday afternoon. The hosts took an early lead through Neal Maupay before the Hammers scored twice in seven minutes to completely turn the game around. In scoring the second for David Moyes’ side, Jarrod Bowen became the first player in Premier League history to score in the first six away games of a campaign.

Konstantinos Mavropanos scored an own goal to level things up just after the break and then Brentford centre-back Nathan Collins scored what turned out to be the winner in the 69th minute. It capped off an impressive showing by the 22-year-old – he completed 91% of his passes and won four of his seven aerial duels.

Following the win, Brentford have climbed to ninth position in the Premier League, leapfrogging 11th placed West Ham.

Arsenal frustrated at St James’ Park

Mikel Arteta’s side have now lost their unbeaten run in the Premier League following the 1-0 defeat to Newcastle United.

To say Anthony Gordon’s winner was controversial would be an understatement. VAR had to check three different things before finally awarding the goal. There were question marks over whether the ball had gone out of play in the build up, then it appeared as though Joelinton pushed Gabriel as he went to clear the ball and it looked as though Gordon might’ve been offside prior to scoring.

The goal was given, much to the dismay of Arsenal fans, players and coaching staff. Arteta had some choice words in his post-match interview and the Gunners have supported his stance with a statement.

All of this, however, detracts from the fact the title hopefuls created next to nothing against the Magpies, with zero big chances and an Expected Goals total of just 0.57.

Forest stun Villa

Emiliano Martínez was named as the best goalkeeper in the world earlier in the week. He didn’t look like it against Nottingham Forest on Sunday when he played a fairly tame Orel Mangala effort into his own goal to give the hosts a 2-0 lead just after the break.

Ola Aina had given Steve Cooper’s side the lead after just five minutes with a well placed effort from distance. This gave Forest something to defend and they did just that.

Aston Villa huffed and puffed but couldn’t find a way past a stern Forest defence. Even in the in-form Ollie Watkins struggled, landing just one of his two efforts on target.

Forest are now up to 12th, seven points clear of the drop zone.

Lacklustre Liverpool drop points at Luton

Luton were just minutes away from a historic victory over Liverpool at Kenilworth Road. Rob Edwards’ side rode their luck with the Reds missing chances galore before a stunning counterattack gave the hosts the lead.

Ross Barkley played a key role but it was former Manchester United attacker Tahith Chong who scored the opener, tapping in from close range.

Darwin Núñez missed three of the six big chances created by Liverpool and it looked like it was going to be one of those days before Luis Díaz, who started the game on the bench, nodded home Harvey Elliott’s cross in the 95th minute.

On another day, it is a routine win for a Liverpool team that created chances worth 3.04 Expected Goals.

(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.

Nov

2023

FIVE games to follow this weekend: Der Klassiker, Spurs vs. Chelsea, 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

🇫🇷 Ligue 1: PSG vs. Montpellier

After a few weeks where the lead has been shared by Nice and Monaco, PSG have a chance to restore the normal order in Ligue 1, should they win their Friday night fixture against Montpellier at home.

The Parisians have been improving over recent match days, scoring three goals in each of their four fixtures following the 4-1 thrashing they suffered at Newcastle United, in the Champions League, back at the start of October. Granted, they blew a 2-0 lead at Brest last weekend but thanks to Kylian Mbappé’s tenth league goal of the season, they did eventually win that game 3-2.

Opponents Montpellier sit in the middle of the pack with a record of W3 D3 L3. The 2012 title winners face four of the top six in their next five matches so any points from the Parc des Princes would set them up nicely for a run of fixtures likely to define their season.

🇩🇪 Bundesliga: Borussia Dortmund vs. Bayern Munich

Arguably the biggest match in Europe taking place on Saturday comes in the Bundesliga where the two major forces, Dortmund and Bayern, meet at the Westfalenstadion.

Going into perhaps their most important away game of the season, perennial champions Bayern suffered one of the biggest defeats the DFB Pokal has ever seen, as third tier Saarbrücken dumped them out of the German Cup thanks to a 96th minute winner on Wednesday night. That same evening, Borussia Dortmund narrowly beat Hoffenheim, the side currently sat two places below them back in the league table.

Dortmund are fourth coming in to the weekend, two points down on rivals Bayern. Both remain unbeaten, with only early season pacesetters Bayer Leverkusen able to boast the same record. But BVB have been going about their business in a quieter fashion than the Champions, there’s none of the 8-0 thrashings across their results to date, in fact, they’ve scored just 20 goals to Bayern’s 34, with Julian Brandt their top scorer so far, with four.

Bayern’s shock midweek defeat was their first since the Super Cup back in August, some 14 games ago, so the Bavarian giants won’t be panicking just yet. Especially with their 10-game unbeaten run in these Klassiker contests. And Thomas Tuchel’s starting line-up with no doubt be back to full strength, with 12-goal Harry Kane, 8-goal Leroy Sané, and the ever productive Jamal Musiala leading from the front.

🇮🇹 Serie A: Atalanta vs. Inter

There’s only three Serie A fixtures scheduled for Saturday but four of the current top five all feature. Champions Napoli go to regional rivals Salernitana in the south, which should be a massive game, Milan host Udinese at the San Siro, and fourth placed Atalanta host the leaders, Inter.

And it’s the game in Bergamo that we’re focusing on here. Atalanta lost two of their opening four games of the season, but have lost just one of their consequent nine fixtures, including three group games in the Europa League. And in striker Gianluca Scamacca, who returned to Italy from West Ham in the summer, they can boast an in-form striker. He scored twice and provided the other in their most recent game, a 3-0 win at Empoli on Monday evening. And he also broke his duck for the national team, scoring against England, in the last international break.

For their part, Inter have lost just once in all competitions during 2023/24, with the Champions League finalists outscoring everybody else in Serie A, while also boasting the tightest defence. They’ve conceded just five times in their 10 games, with four of those coming in the only two matches in which they’ve dropped points – a defeat to Sassuolo and the recent draw with Bologna.

It would be fair to say that coach Simone Inzaghi can thank the Inter board for strengthening the squad considerably over the summer – international signings like Yann Sommer and Benjamin Pavard have bolstered the back line, and Marcus Thuram has linked up nicely with Lautaro Martínez up front, with the new strike partnership already having 21 goal involvements between them.

This should prove an entertaining match-up.

🏆 Copa Libertadores Final: Boca Juniors vs. Fluminense

The biggest game in South American football headlines the schedule on Saturday night, with Argentine and Brazilian rivals, Boca Juniors and Fluminense facing off against each other in the final of the 64th edition of the Copa Libertadores.

Boca are looking to equal Independiente’s record of seven tournament wins but the side from Buenos Aires will be up against it, with the game taking place at the Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro, the home ground of opponents Fluminense.

Flu, the designated away side, have never won a continental title and they have only made one previous final (back in 2008). So they may need to lean on that ‘home’ advantage. Under coach Fernando Diniz, who is also temporarily in charge of the Brazil national team, the Tricolor side have been revolutionised – Diniz has positioned himself as the anti-Guardiola, bringing in tactics from futsal, where players are encouraged to rotate positions and work to maintain possession in areas of the pitch where their role would not normally take them. Diniz’s ideas have yet to crack Brazil’s domestic league, with Fluminense currently sat outside a highly competitive top six, but it’s worked a treat in the Libertadores as they’ve progressed past Argentine and Paraguayan opposition before surprising fellow Brazilian’s Internacional in the semi-finals.

Boca, similarly, are having an indifferent domestic season, focusing instead on this, the bigger prize. And with, former Argentina goalkeeper, Sergio Romero between the sticks they’ve become penalty shoot-out specialists. To reach this final, they’ve won consecutive shoot-outs in the round of 16, quarter-finals, AND the semi-finals, where they knocked out 2020 and 2021 champions Palmeiras! It should also be noted that’ve recently won back-to-back shoot-outs in the last two rounds back home in the Copa Argentina.

Don’t forget – Libertadores finals are now played at a time designed to tap in to a worldwide audience, with mainstream broadcasters providing coverage in territories such as the UK and the US.

🇪🇸 LaLiga: Real Madrid vs. Rayo Vallecano

Moving to Sunday, we’ll be keen to see how Real Madrid, the current leaders in LaLiga fare when they take on local rivals Rayo Vallecano, at the Bernabéu. This is obviously not the main rivalry in the Spanish capital, but it is one where relative minnows Rayo always attempt to embarrass their larger, noisier, neighbours.

Rayo also have a not so secret weapon in their squad, former Atlético Madrid hero, Radamel Falcao, who was on the scoresheet in the side’s 6-0 win in the Copa del Rey during the week.

Madrid won’t enter that particularly competition until after the completion of the four-team Supercopa tournament, so they have not played since last weekend’s Jude Bellingham-inspired comeback victory over Barcelona in the Clásico. That was their ninth league win this season and their tenth, should it come on Sunday, will most likely keep them top of the table regardless of other results.

Girona sit level with Madrid on 28 points with Atlético a further three points back in third. Both play before Madrid, as do Barcelona, who can narrow their four point deficit on the leaders if they can win at Real Sociedad on Saturday evening.

Plus two hidden gems from a little deeper in your match feed…

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Premier League: Tottenham Hotspur vs. Chelsea

If you’ve been waiting to read about the biggest Premier League fixture of the weekend, apologies, but with the game between London rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea not taking place until Monday, we thought we’d include it in this section and really stretch the concept of a weekend preview.

Yes, this is the game where former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino must take his misfiring Chelsea side to his former employers, who, of course, are currently flying under the leadership of Ange Postecoglou. The unbeaten hosts will probably be knocked off top spot before the weekend’s out but they’ll know exactly what they’ll need to retake pole position in these early stages of the title race.

Spurs haven’t lost at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium since May and although, traditionally, they’ve struggled against the Blues, not many pundits are predicting an away win in this fixture. Chelsea do, at least, come in to the game off the back of a win – against Blackburn Rovers in the Carabao Cup – but they looked lacklustre in last week’s defeat against Brentford, a result that left them 11th in the Premier League.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 FA Cup: Charlton vs. Cray Valley Paper Mills

This weekend also sees the first round played in the English FA Cup. The world’s oldest national competition is now in its 143rd season and, as is typical, there are some fantastic storylines to be found among the ties.

Not least Sunday’s meeting between EFL League One side Charlton Athletic and Cray Valley Paper Mills, who play semi-professionally at the eighth tier of English football. Originally a works team literally representing the local paper mill, Cray Valley are based just four miles away from Charlton Athletic and despite the fact that proximity means there are likely fans who follow both clubs, they couldn’t be further apart in terms of footballing stature.

This is a fairytale draw for Cray Valley who have already had to win through five rounds of qualifiers to reach this stage of the competition (including three replays!), and a fixture that many fans around the country will be keeping an eye on. There is also the added intrigue that the side include Kyrell Lisbie, the son of former player Kevin Lisbie, a striker who made his name during a 10 year spell at Charlton before also turning out for Cray Valley towards the end of his career.

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 us on Twitter, Threads, Facebook and Instagram to discuss all the important football going on this weekend!

Cover Image from IMAGO

Nov

2023

Premier League Preview: Matchday 11

It is perhaps too early to talk about season-defining matches but matchday 11 in the Premier League includes a number of clashes that could have huge ramifications for the rest of the campaign.

By Sam McGuire, Premier League expert

Ten Hag under pressure

When previously asked about Pep Guardiola and Jürgen Klopp, Manchester United manager Erik Ten Hag said the now infamous line: “An era can come to an end”. It was supposed to usher in a new dawn at Old Trafford.

Yet at the time of writing this preview, the Red Devils find themselves eighth in the Premier League table having lost five of their 10 matches. They were knocked out of the Carabao Cup by a weakened Newcastle United side and are struggling in the Champions League having lost heavily to Bayern Munich before losing, at home, to Galatasaray.

United are already 11 points off the pace in the English top-flight and are eight points off fourth-placed Liverpool. Ten Hag takes his side to Fulham on Saturday afternoon needing not only a win but also a dominant showing. Marco Silva’s men aren’t in the best form but a win could see them leapfrog the Red Devils.

It isn’t make or break for the Ten Hag era but we’re getting close to it.

Has the Brighton bubble burst?

Brighton find themselves in seventh position in the Premier League after a positive start to the campaign. However, their recent form isn’t quite as positive.

The Seagulls are without a win in the Premier League since their 3-1 victory over Bournemouth on September 24. The goals have dried up a little too, scoring just five goals in their last four outings in the English top tier. They travel to Goodison Park on Saturday to face an in-form Everton team.

Sean Dyche’s men have won three of their last five to climb to 15th in the table. They are also into the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup following a convincing 3-0 win over Burnley on Wednesday evening.

Everton caused a huge upset last season when the faced off against the Seagulls in May, scoring an emphatic 5-1 win over Roberto De Zerbi’s side. A repeat scoreline is unlikely but don’t be surprised if the Toffees take something from this match. After all, they are the form side and they’re playing at home.

A big test for Arsenal

Mikel Arteta takes his team up north to Newcastle for the Saturday evening match. The Gunners are one of only two teams with an unbeaten record in the Premier League this season and they know a win at St James’ Park will take them to the top of the table.

But they are yet to truly build up momentum this term. The 1-0 win over Manchester City was sandwiched between a 2-1 loss to Lens and a 2-2 draw with Chelsea. They then beat Sevilla and Sheffield United before losing 3-1 to West Ham United in the Carabao Cup.

The Magpies haven’t exactly been consistent this term either. Yes, they knocked Manchester United out of the Carabao Cup but they have won just one of their last three Premier League matches, drawing with Wolves and West Ham. They also lost 1-0 to Borussia Dortmund at home in the Champions League.

This has the potential to be a fascinating match-up. Their styles align perfectly with Newcastle wanting to play on the break and Arsenal wanting to dominate the ball.

A loss for the hosts could see them end the weekend in ninth, a win keeps them within touching distance of the top four.

A banana skin fixture for Liverpool

Liverpool travel to Luton Town on Sunday afternoon. The Hatters are without a win at home this season and they find themselves in 18th position in the Premier League, just four points off the bottom. Their away win at Goodison is doing a lot of heavy lifting here and keeping them within one victory of escaping the relegation zone.

On paper, this should be a straightforward three points for a rampant Liverpool team. They rank third for goals scored this season (2.3 per 90) and third for Big Chances Created (24).

However, Luton are going to cause an upset this season and this is a perfect opportunity. They’re in front of a packed-out Kenilworth Road with top billing on Sky Sports. The Reds played on Wednesday evening and they have a Europa League clash in France on Thursday to prepare for. Jürgen Klopp always talks about taking one game at a time so he won’t be taking this game for granted, but that doesn’t mean the players might not lose focus.

A Tottenham return for Pochettino

The Mauricio Pochettino era at Chelsea has been a case of one step forward and two steps backwards. The Blues put together an impressive showing when they welcomed Arsenal to Stamford Bridge and though they couldn’t quite hold on to secure all three points, it showcased what was possible when the players bought into what the Argentine tactician was wanting.

They looked organised, well-disciplined and dangerous. The performance was supposed to be the platform to really kick on. In their next outing, however, they lost 2-0 to Brentford.

Chelsea now travel to top-of-the-table Tottenham looking to halt their impressive start to the campaign. Ange Postecoglou’s men are unbeaten and have a two-point advantage at the summit. In Heung-Min Son they have one of the most in-form attackers in the Premier League – he’s netted eight goals already – while James Maddison is enjoying life as the main playmaker for Spurs – chipping in with five assists.

The pressure is on Spurs. But that hasn’t bothered them yet this season, why should it on Monday?

(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.

Nov

2023

FA Cup First Round Proper: Look ahead to the weekend

FotMob were in attendance for the launch of the new Mitre Ultimax Pro Emirates FA Cup ball, ahead of the Men’s 1st Round kicking off this Friday.

By Mike Backler

Created with football culture in mind, the balls’ designs pay homage to the fans. The Ultimax Pro Emirates FA Cup and Ultimax Pro Women’s FA Cup balls throw it back to the 90s with a modern take on the iconic design of the OG Mitre Ultimax, updating its look for today’s player by including detailed geometric patterns inspired by fans’ scarves and flags on matchdays and the football community.

And with the history of this iconic competition in mind, legendary commentator Clive Tyldesley was on hand to share stories of his decades of covering of The FA Cup. From working the hotels, trying to source team news ahead of the all-Merseyside Final in 1986, to the importance of the Crazy Gang’s iconic upset of Liverpool in 1988, to his commentary on Ben Watson’s match winning header against Man City, to bring the cup home to Wigan, in 2013.

Giant killings and special moments are synonymous with the world’s oldest football competition, and this weekend’s draw has thrown up some incredible ties.

When the draw was made, Cray Valley Paper Mills of the eighth tier would have been hoping and praying for Charlton Athletic. The 28,000 seater The Valley, stands only four miles from The Millers’ Badgers Sports Ground, in Eltham. A truly once in a lifetime tie, for fans who are very likely to support both clubs. Kick-off is Sunday, at 5.15pm.

The lowest ranked team hail from Kent; with ninth-tier Sheppey United making their debut in the 1st Round after 130 years of existence, also being rewarded with professional opposition, as they host League Two Walsall on Friday night.

Gateshead fans will be making the longest trip of the round, as they embark on a 700-mile round-trip to face Somerset’s Yeovil Town, on Saturday. Wrexham have their own rich history in The FA Cup. In 1992, having finished bottom of the fourth division the previous year, they faced top-flight champions Arsenal, at the now globally recognised Cae Ras and completed arguably the greatest giant killing of all time, with a 2-1 win. Having reached the last sixteen last season, The Red Dragons kick off their campaign at 7.45pm on Saturday night, at Mansfield. A tie that will receive the highest viewing figures in America, of any 1st Round tie in the competition’s history.

The 1st Round of The FA Cup is one of the purest days of football in the calendar. A treasure chest of stories and clubs to uncover from the long-tail of English football and where the magic of the cup, is alive and well.

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

Images courtesy of Mitre

Nov

2023

MLS Cup Playoffs Power Rankings

The first round of games in the MLS Cup Playoffs have now all been played, and a number of teams have already emerged as contenders for the big post-season prize.

The first round of the playoffs this year consists of a best-of-three series with a game played at the home of each team, then a third at the home of the highest-seeded team if necessary.

It gives a different feel compared to recent MLS Playoffs, but with each of the game one matchups now played, there is plenty at stake in the upcoming second games.

Our Player Power rankings series continues into the playoffs with a look at some of the standout players and their teams’ performances in the game one, first round matchups.

By James Nalton, MLS expert

Cucho Hernández 9.2 (Columbus Crew)

Columbus Crew brought its possession-based attacking football to the playoffs, and unlike in the regular season, it also brought a sense of defensive solidity. At least in this first game.

The Crew conceded 46 goals in its 34 regular season games but topped the league for goals scored with 67.

Wilfried Nancy’s team had 58% possession in the first half of this game against Atlanta United, a half in which it also limited Atlanta to zero shots.

The team from Ohio nabbed a deserved goal before half-time through star striker Cucho Hernández.

Cucho was arguably the best striker in MLS during the regular season.

This game saw his Columbus side face another player who might be considered in that bracket — Atlanta’s Giorgos Giakoumakis — but the Greek striker barely touched the ball.

Cucho did though, plenty, and opened the scoring with a finish to justify his place as the striker in any MLS best XI.

Having found himself one-on-one with Atlanta defender Ronald Hernández, a burst of speed took him into space, and a powerful left-footed shot high to the near post was more than enough to beat Brad Guzan.

Cucho then stepped up to take the penalty when Ronald Hernández fouled Alexandru Matan, and made no mistake for the spot to make it 2-0.

These were very encouraging signs for Columbus, while Atlanta themselves will be encouraged by the return from suspension of Thiago Almada for the second game in Georgia.

Denis Bouanga 9.2 (Los Angeles FC)

Denis Bouanga had scored six goals in the final three games to end the regular season and has picked up where he left off in this 5-2 win against Vancouver Whitecaps.

It is a potentially tricky tie for last season’s champions against Canada’s standout team in 2023, but one they eventually navigated with relative ease in this first game.

Bouanga zoomed in from the left wing to score his first, bursting into a goal-scoring position and finding the far corner.

Vancouver brought the game back to 2-2 at halftime, but goals from the impressive Ryan Hollingshead, who also bagged a brace, and another from Bouanga, fired in low from outside the area at a set piece routine, put LAFC back in control.

A goal from Jesús Murillo with ten minutes to go sealed the win, meaning LAFC are through if they win in Vancouver on Sunday, where there will likely be a record crowd at BC Place.

Álvaro Barreal 9.0 (FC Cincinnati)

The Supporters’ Shield winner kicked off its playoff campaign with an impressive 3-0 win against the midweek wildcard winners New York Red Bulls.

In Lucho Acosta, Cincinnati boasts the player likely to be named the MLS MVP, but it was another Argentine who took the headlines in this game.

From his position as a left wing-back, Barreal has been able to get forward regularly in this Cincinnati side.

This has mostly been for creative purposes, but he occasionally finds himself in central, scoring positions, as was the case in this playoff opener against the Red Bulls.

He latched onto a great ball from Júnior Moreno to open the scoring, finishing low into the far corner from the left, and then produced something similar for his second, taking a great first touch from Acosta’s cross before volleying home with his second touch.

A left-back finishing like a seasoned striker, and if we are talking about MLS best XIs, Barreal would be in at left-back.

Cincinnati won 3-0, and there are no prizes for guessing who scored the other goal.

Acosta lofted a shot into the middle of the goal from just inside the opposition half after Red Bulls goalkeeper Carlos Coronel had failed to sweep up outside his area.

Business as usual for Barreal, Acosta, and the best team in MLS.

Dániel Sallói 8.5 (Sporting Kasas City)

It was an all-round team display from Sporting KC in its 4-1 win against expansion side and Western Conference regular season leader St. Louis in this series opener.

Outstanding goals from Logan Ndenbe, Rémi Walter, and Gadi Kinda put Sporting KC well on their way.

Then Sallói stole in at the back post, getting on the end of Alan Pulido’s near-post flick-on from a corner to make it four.

Any of these names could have been picked as the standout player, but Salloi gave hints that he is returning to the kind of form that saw him score 16 goals in MLS in 2021.

The Hungarian managed five shots on the night and could have had more than one goal, finishing the game with an impressive xG-on-target score of 1.79.

Héctor Herrera 8.4 (Houston Dynamo)

One of the more closely contested of these early playoffs matchups ended in a 2-1 win for Houston Dynamo against Real Salt Lake.

It was a game in which Houston’s designated player Héctor Herrera once again showed his leadership and quality.

Herrera completed 121 of 129 attempted passes and had a total of 156 touches in the game, demonstrating that pretty much everything this Houston team does goes through its Mexican talisman.

He opened the scoring, too, with a cool finish from the edge of the area, steering the ball into the bottom corner from Adalberto Carrasquilla’s knockdown.

Brazilian midfielder Artur, as well as Herrera, is part of the platform for anything this team does well.

Add Carasquilla to the mix and they have what is potentially one of the best midfields in MLS on its day.

It’s one that has already helped them triumph in one knockout competition this season as the club claimed the US Open Cup, defeating Inter Miami in the final.

That cup competition experience will convince these players they can do the same in the MLS Cup, and they’ve gotten off to a good start.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every match from the 2023 MLS season live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage including shot maps, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Nov

2023

Jude Bellingham might be the best on the planet right now – but Liverpool were right to pull out of a deal

While Liverpool’s failure to sign long-term midfield target Jude Bellingham was widely criticised, what has happened since has shown it was the right decision.

By Jack Lusby, ThisIsAnfield.com

In another timeline, there would have been a collective sigh on Merseyside when Jude Bellingham’s second goal of the afternoon rippled the net to earn Real Madrid a late 2-1 victory in El Clásico.

After all, the midfielder had been the club’s priority target ahead of a necessary rebuild of Jürgen Klopp’s engine room, following a campaign in which its tired legs were repeatedly exposed as Liverpool finished outside of the top four.

In 13 games for Real, Bellingham has now scored 13 goals and laid on three assists. Across Europe’s top five leagues – the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, the Bundesliga and the Eredivisie – only four players have contributed more goals in all competitions.

The Englishman, who only turned 20 at the end of June, has also netted once and assisted three times in three appearances for his country this season, bringing his tally to 14 goals and six assists in 16 games for Real and England.

While Lionel Messi collected the Ballon d’Or for the eighth time in his career at the end of October, there is a strong argument to make that it is Bellingham who currently stands as the most in-form player on the planet. He instead followed Kylian Mbappé, Matthijs de Ligt, Pedri and Gavi in winning the Kopa Trophy, for the best player under the age of 21 throughout 2023.

All involved at Anfield appeared convinced that Bellingham was the missing piece, a transformational player that would bring new life to Klopp’s side, with it widely painted as ‘Jude or nothing’ in the evolution of Liverpool 2.0.

But when the numbers stopped making sense, Liverpool pulled the plug. There would be no ongoing pursuit of Bellingham and Real were almost given a free run at the player, adding him to an envious midfield group also including another former Reds target, Aurélien Tchouaméni.

The fee paid to Borussia Dortmund was not outlandish at an initial £88.5 million rising to £115 million, but it would have represented Liverpool’s most expensive signing in history.

As showed by their £111 million bid for Moises Caicedo later in the window, the club’s owners, Fenway Sports Group, are not averse to breaking their spending records for the right player – but Bellingham’s cost, and for that matter that of Caicedo, would have been much more than the transfer fee.

It has been suggested that the former Birmingham City midfielder will earn around £500,000 a week in his first season at the Bernabeu, factoring in various bonuses, which would comfortably exceed the record salary in Klopp’s squad, with Mohamed Salah’s contract including a £350,000 weekly wage.

While Real may be built to take risks and absorb such outlays, the knock-on effect for Liverpool in signing a 20-year-old to those figures would have been unsustainable.

The decision was instead taken to spread the funds across multiple midfielders. Alexis Mac Allister (£35m), Dominik Szoboszlai (£60m), Wataru Endo (£16m) and Ryan Gravenberch (£38.5m) were brought in for a combined £149.5 million. That is only £34.5 million less than Real have committed to paying for Bellingham, before considering the ridiculous fees received from Saudi clubs for Fabinho (£40m) and Jordan Henderson (£12m).

Unexpectedly losing Fabinho and Henderson forced the club’s hand when it came to a £16 million deal with Stuttgart for Endo – a specialist No. 6 who, at 30, did not fit the profile of a typical FSG signing – but in pulling a U-turn on Bellingham, the plan was always to instead secure multiple midfielders who can fill various roles in the squad.

In Mac Allister, 24, Szoboszlai, 23, and Gravenberch, 21, they have just that, with the 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest, played at the same time as El Clásico, seeing the trio start together in a second successive Premier League game, in a glimpse of the future of Klopp’s midfield.

So far, Mac Allister has operated as No. 6, Gravenberch the left-sided No. 8 and Szoboszlai predominantly on the right of the three, but as with another rising star in Curtis Jones, 22, they are equally capable of slotting in elsewhere. In Gravenberch and, in particular, Szoboszlai, Liverpool look to have acquired two players very much in the all-action Bellingham mould for less than it would have taken to sign him on his own.

The Hungarian was, for all intents and purposes, the Bellingham alternative, and his immediate impact on the Reds’ fortunes has erased any concerns over failing to bring in a player whose No. 22 shirt was retired upon his departed from Birmingham. No outfielder has clocked more minutes on the pitch for Liverpool this season than Szoboszlai (965), while no player has created more chances for Klopp’s side in the Premier League (25).

Wearing the No. 8 on his back, Szoboszlai is everywhere. It is the role Bellingham would almost certainly have been earmarked for if he had made the move to Merseyside – though it should be noted that it is not the one that has seen him score and assist freely at Real, where he is typically used as an attacking No. 10 or even up front.

Given Liverpool’s history of injuries – and, this season, a propensity for red cards, questionable or otherwise – the decision to pivot from one blockbuster signing to four is undoubtedly a wise one. To do so for a similar outlay, for the quality and elite potential they have managed to sign, is all the more remarkable.

Unlike Caicedo, Roméo Lavia and Mason Mount, who were leading targets for Liverpool only to move elsewhere and, so far, struggle, the failure to sign Bellingham cannot be seen as an unlikely stroke of fortune. There is no way to look at missing out on a best-in-the-world candidate as a disappointment.

But the events that unfolded after the decision to pull out of any pursuit have turned Liverpool’s overriding flaw into their biggest strength, while future-proofing a squad that could tempt Klopp to stay beyond the expiry of his contract in 2026.

(Images 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.

Oct

2023

Follow FotMob on TikToK!

Your favourite football app is now on the short-form video platform!

By Bill Biss

Alongside our other popular social channels, you can follow us on TikTok, where we aim to keep you up to date with all the key action from across the leagues and competitions covered by the app.

Be it standout player performances, the next wonder kid your club should buy, or that form team you didn’t even know about, you can rely on us for all the information you need.

We’ll also be giving popular features such as our Team of the Week the TikTok treatment, and they’ll be the opportunity to enter competitions, and play along as we showcase different functions and new additions to FotMob – just like our revamped player profiles.

To follow the TikTok account, search for ‘FotMobApp’ or simply, click – here.

If TikTok is not for you, you can also find us on Twitter, Threads, Facebook and Instagram where we discuss everything football!

Cover Image from IMAGO

Oct

2023

Premier League Team of the Week: Matchday 10

Manchester City dominate the Premier League Team of the Week for matchday 10 with three of their players making the XI after an impressive showing in the Manchester derby. But who joins the trio?

By Sam McGuire, Premier League expert

Goalkeeper: Ederson

There were no real standout showings by a goalkeeper this weekend but the Manchester City shot-stopper did enough in the derby to edge his way into the team.

The 30-year-old kept a clean sheet and made three saves as the reigning champions eased to all three points at Old Trafford. Ederson also completed 79% of his passes, proving himself to be a key part of the City build-up once again.

Right-Back: Max Aarons

Aarons is known for his attacking contributions but it was his defensive performance that really caught the eye in Bournemouth’s 2-1 win over Burnley, their first of the season.

The former Norwich City full-back recovered the ball on eight occasions, won nine of his 10 ground duels and had a 100% success rate in the air.

He also completed both of his dribbles and was fouled four times. Aarons was a stress reliever for the Cherries, buying time and space throughout the match.

Centre-Back: Kyle Walker

Walker player as a right-sided centre-back as part of a defensive three for Manchester City against Manchester United.

The 33-year-old won the most tackles of anyone in the match (three) and was the most accurate passer of anyone to feature in a minimum of 45 minutes, finding a teammate with 95% of his attempts.

He also created two chances, completed both of his dribbles and was successful in 80% of his duels on his way to the 8.3 FotMob rating.

Centre-Back: Ethan Pinnock

The Brentford centre-back put in a monstrous performance as the Bees claimed a 2-0 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Pinnock scored the opener. Even without the goal though, the 30-year-old would’ve been worthy of a place in the Team of the Week.

He completed 85% of his passes against an aggressive Blues side. He also won all of his tackles, won three of his five ground duels and five of his six aerial duels.

It was a solid outing and he was key to the clean sheet.

Left-Back: Marcus Tavernier

The Bournemouth left wing-back joins teammate Aarons in the Team of the Week after an eye-catching showing against Burnley.

Tavernier was the FotMob Player of the Match with his 8.2 rating. The 24-year-old had three shots, completed all of his dribbles and was busy defensively. He won the most duels (12) of anyone in the match and was involved in eight tackles, winning three.

Midfield: Dominik Szoboszlai

The Liverpool No.8 put on a creative clinic at Anfield as the Reds romped to a 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest.

Szoboszlai created four chances – the most of any player in the match – and claimed two assists – the first of his Premier League career.

The former RB Leipzig man completed 75% of his dribbles and recovered the ball 13 times to really emphasise just how much of a complete performance this way on Sunday afternoon.

Midfield: Mario Lemina

The Wolves midfielder took complete control of the middle third at Molineux as Gary O’Neil’s side extended their positive run of form with a 2-2 draw with Newcastle United.

Lemina equalised for the hosts in the first half and, in truth, it was a moment his performance deserved.

He completed 98% of his passes, created one chance, completed 100% of his dribbles and won seven of his 10 duels. Lemina was up against one of the best midfielders in the Premier League in Bruno Guimaraes and it would’ve been easy to be overshadowed, but he caught the eye.

Midfield: João Palhinha

With the performance Palhinha put in against Brighton, it is easy to understand exactly why Bayern Munich wanted to spend big money to bring him to the Bundesliga during the summer transfer window.

The former Sporting midfielder made the most tackles (four), won the most fouls (four), and dominated duels, coming out on top in 16 of them.

He also netted the equaliser as Fulham held the Seagulls to a draw.

Striker: Callum Wilson

The Newcastle United No.9 is making the most of his opportunity in Eddie Howe’s starting XI.

Wilson scored twice to take his tally to seven for the season.

He was barely involved and had the least touches (22) of any player to appear in 90 minutes but he was involved when it mattered most. He attempted four shots and two dribbles on his way to claiming an 8.6 FotMob rating.

Striker: Erling Haaland

Man City’s main man bossed the derby. Haaland scored twice and assisted the Phil Foden goal in what was a ruthless final third display.

He worked André Onana with all four of his efforts and finished with an Expected Goals haul of 2.04.

Haaland had the fewest number of touches of any outfield player to play in 90 minutes but made every touch count. It is a common occurrence with the profile centre-forward. He’s now on 11 goals for the season, three clear of his closest rivals – Mohamed Salah and Heung-Min Son.

Striker: Eddie Nketiah

The Arsenal forward claimed a 9.6 FotMob rating after netting a hat-trick in the 5-0 win over Sheffield United.

Nketiah showcased his poaching ability with his first two efforts before rifling in an effort from 20 yards to complete the treble and guarantee the match-ball was heading home with him.

Outside of the goals, he was barely involved but that was the point of his inclusion in the starting XI. He was allowed to influence things in the final third and he did just that.

(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.

Oct

2023

Premier League Review: Matchday 10

There’s never a boring weekend in the Premier League and Matchday 10 delivered. The weekend review unpacks the action and focuses on the biggest talking points.

By Sam McGuire, Premier League expert

Spurs lead the way

The table toppers weren’t able to claim another clean sheet but they did manage to pick up all three points away at Selhurst Park.

It wasn’t a classic on Friday evening but Spurs did enough to eke out a 2-1 win over Crystal Palace. The win ensured they would hold onto top spot for at least another weekend.

After a goalless first half, Joel Ward turned the ball past his own goalkeeper before Heung-Min Son doubled the lead for Tottenham with his eighth of the season. Only Erling Haaland boasts a higher return so far this campaign.

Jordan Ayew added a consolation for the Eagles in added time. In truth, it was a deserved result for Spurs. They dominated the ball, finishing the game with 76% possession, while also creating the better chances.

A sting in the tail for Chelsea

Heading into the game against Brentford, Chelsea appeared to have turned a corner. They were finally picking up results under new manager Mauricio Pochettino and the Blues certainly caught the eye in the 2-2 draw with Arsenal last weekend.

The pressure was on the hosts and it is safe to say they didn’t deal with it.

Chelsea went toe-to-toe with Thomas Frank’s side, posting an almost identical Expected Goals total (2.03 to 2.16) but while the away side showcased their resilience, the Blues once again looked brittle in the 2-0 loss.

Brentford only had seven shots on Saturday afternoon but five of those were big chances. Ethan Pinnock opened the scoring in the second half and Bryan Mbeumo finished things off in added time, tapping the ball into an empty net after goalkeeper Robert Sánchez had pushed forward for a corner.

The result saw the Bees leapfrog Chelsea into 10th spot in the Premier League.

The Gunners flex their attacking muscles

With Arsenal hosting Sheffield United, manager Mikel Arteta took the opportunity to go full throttle with his team selection.

The Spanish tactician named a midfield three of Kai Havertz, Declan Rice and Emile Smith Rowe. In attack, the Gunners went with Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Eddie Nketiah.

It worked out well, with the hosts romping to a 5-0 win over the Blades. Nketiah bagged a hat-trick in what was a clinical display. The Gunners created five big chances and finished with an Expected Goals haul of 2.77. It was something of a statement performance after their struggles to create against Chelsea last weekend.

Arsenal are still one of only two unbeaten teams in the Premier League this year.

The Cherries triumph

Bournemouth finally got their first win of the season. They had to work for it too having fallen behind to Burnley after just 11 minutes.

Antoine Semenyo levelled things after 22 minutes with his only shot on target of the match. Philip Billing scored what turned out to be the winner in the 76th minute with his first of the season. It was a remarkable finish from 45 yards out as he hit a driven effort over James Trafford. The Burnley keeper got a hand to it but wasn’t able to palm it to safety.

The win lifts Bournemouth out of the relegation zone by a single point. The defeat means Vincent Kompany’s side are in 19th position, just three points off the bottom.

Manchester remains Blue

Old Trafford played host to the first Manchester derby of the season but it was the visitors who claimed bragging rights with a 3-0 win.

Manchester City were awarded a contentious penalty in the first half after Rasmus Højlund was adjudged to have impeded Rodri. Erling Haaland slotted past André Onana. The powerhouse forward doubled his tally not long after the break, nodding the ball past the United keeper. He then played his part in the third as he teed up Phil Foden.

On another day, it could’ve been an even more emphatic win for Pep Guardiola’s men. They look a completely different team with Rodri in the XI and created seven big chances at Old Trafford on their way to an Expected Goals haul of 3.94.

(Images from IMAGO)

You can follow every match from the 2023/24 Premier League season live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage including shot maps, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.