Page 153 – The Pulse of Football

Jan

2024

Transfer of the Week: Why Vitor Roque is the striker Barcelona need

Over the course of the January transfer window, we will take a closer look at the best of the week’s business with our ‘Transfer of the Week’ special features. To kick things off, here is a look at why Vitor Roque could come in and make an instant impact at Barcelona – we won’t judge him on the 12 minute cameo he made against Las Palmas, on Thursday night.

By Neel Shelat

Despite all their financial difficulties, Barcelona had a major transfer pre-arranged before the window even opened as Athletico Paranaense’s Vitor Roque flew in from Brazil in a deal worth a reported €30 million, with a roughly equal amount of potential add-ons attached to that as well.

As they find themselves some way off league leaders Real Madrid at the halfway stage of the season, the Blaugrana will hope that this level of investment yields quick and impactful returns. The good news for them is that – on paper at least – all the signs look positive.

Simply put, Roque is the exact profile of striker Barcelona need right now to plug in and play in Xavi’s current tactical system. Although Robert Lewandowski’s experience and excellence throughout his career cannot be questioned, he is struggling this season and, some say, limiting his side’s attacking potential. So, he could do with a bit of competition, especially of the sort that is better suited to the system.

That essentially is the premise of this piece, so let us now dig a little deeper into the specifics of each statement. First of all, let us try and understand what sort of player Roque is.

The 18-year-old Brazilian forward has primarily been used as a striker in his short career so far, although he can also do a job as a left winger. His player traits radar should give us a good idea of what his profile is like.

At first glance, this might not look quite so encouraging. Roque appears to be a pretty one-dimensional forward who just deals in goals, not creating too much for his teammates, and showing a very low involvement on the ball in the build-up play. Once we look at what Barcelona need, though, it will become clear why this is actually a positive.

Before that, it is worth going over Roque’s record so far. He returned 11 goals in all competitions in 2022, when he was mostly used as a substitute by both Cruzeiro and Athletico Paranaense in either half of the season. After settling in Paraná in 2023, 19 of his 25 Brasileirão Série A appearances last year were starts, and he returned an impressive 12 goals and 3 assists.

His shotmap also looks quite good, with a very high volume of shots taken from dangerous positions close to the net – which is where almost all of his senior goals have come from.

From the rest of his stats, Barcelona should quite like what they see in his possession numbers (per 90 minutes – see below). Although Roque has a very low involvement in terms of touches overall, he does come alive in the box and always threatens with the ball at his feet thanks to his dribbling danger.

The youngster’s dribbling technique might not always be the best, but he possesses a quick change of direction and great tenacity that no defender will enjoy facing.

So, why should Lewandowski’s place in the team be threatened by Roque’s arrival? Well, for one, the Polish international is enduring a very tough spell in front of goal as he is underperforming his xG by a significant margin and missing a fair few big chances along the way.

Consequently, this is impacting the team as a whole as Barcelona have the highest xG tally in La Liga but are not even among the top three when it comes to actual goals scored. Surely, replacing a misfiring striker with a clinical finisher can only do them good?

Moreover, Lewandowski has also often negatively impacted Barça’s build-up play by dropping off into midfield too much. Since Xavi generally likes to deploy a four-player box midfield in possession, there is no need for the striker to drop in and crowd it out, but the Polish striker keeps doing so rather than staying high and threatening in behind to keep the opposition centre-backs on their toes.

This is precisely why Barcelona will like Roque’s lack of overall involvement through touches. Ideally, the young Brazilian will bring the precise balance of off-ball threat in the build-up phase and on-ball threat in the final third that Xavi wants from his striker.

With that being said, it is worth noting that given the congested nature of the fixture schedule and the fact that Roque is a teenager moving away from his home country for the first time in his life, he must be afforded some time to settle into new surroundings. Ideally, he should be rotated with Lewandowski for the rest of this season as Barcelona do not have any other recognised No. 9s, and of course, the long-term goal will be for him to take over as the first-choice striker as the Pole approaches the twilight of his career.

(Images from IMAGO)

To keep up to date with all the latest Transfers, check out the FotMob Transfer Centre. Download the free app here.

Jan

2024

FotMob Feature: The Williams Brothers shining bright in LaLiga

Not for 17 years had two brothers scored for the same team in the same LaLiga match before Iñaki and Nico Williams did it for Athletic Club last year. The two siblings found the back of the net in an eerily similar way – bursting in behind before cooly sliding home a finish – and have pushed each other to new heights in the 12 months since.

By Graham Ruthven

The Williams brothers have been the driving force behind a resurgent Athletic Club team currently in the mix for a top four finish. Between them, they have registered 11 goals and eight assists in LaLiga this season, spearheading an attack that is now considered one of the strongest in the Spanish top flight.

Athletic Club signed off before the winter break with a run of five wins from seven league games. They have scored more goals at home than any other team in LaLiga this season, making San Mamés a fortress, and are averaging over 14 shots a game – only Barcelona, Real Madrid and Sevilla are averaging more.

Ernesto Valverde’s team haven’t lost a match in La Liga since October and have lost just three matches in total this season – to Barcelona, Real Madrid, and regional rivals Real Sociedad. The 2-0 win over Atlético Madrid before Christmas saw Athletic Club produce their best, most complete performance of the campaign – Atleti were fortunate to only lose by two.

Nico netted a stunning strike in the victory over Diego Simeone’s men, highlighting the way his game has developed this season. The 21-year-old’s talent has been clear for some time. He made his league debut as a teenager and received his first call-up to the Spain squad at just 20 years old. Now, though, Nico is adding consistency to his performances.

This is something that evaded Iñaki for years. He too made his LaLiga breakthrough at a young age, but struggled to take the next step in his development. Iñaki recorded 13 combined goals and assists in only his second full league season for Athletic Club, but wouldn’t achieve those sort of numbers for another three seasons.

There were flashes of brilliance from Iñaki – like the solo effort against Sevilla that won 2018/19 Goal of the Season, and the extra time winner, against Barcelona in the 2021 Spanish Supercopa final – but they were too few and far between for him to be considered one of the world’s best forwards. The consistency just wasn’t there.

As the junior of the two brothers by eight years, Nico has Iñaki to look to for inspiration – but also for caution. The pair are at different stages of their careers with Iñaki (29) in his peak years and Nico (21) still relatively green in his development. While Iñaki is an Athletic Club icon, he has likely missed the chance to reach an even higher level. Nico could surpass his brother’s achievements.

An interesting aspect of Williams brothers’ dynamic as siblings is in the way Nico’s emergence has settled Iñaki. The older brother has embraced his role as a mentor – see how Iñaki told Nico to put his runners-up medal back around his neck after the 2022 Spanish Supercopa final – and that has helped him achieve a higher, more consistent level in his own game – Iñaki is on course for the most productive season of his career.

That’s if he stays at San Mamés for the full campaign. Iñaki has been linked with Aston Villa who are reportedly keen to add the 29-year-old to their squad in January. Nico is also believed to be on the radar of both Barcelona and Real Madrid who both view the 21-year-old as one of the best young talents in Spain.

For the time being, though, Iñaki and Nico embody the energy of Valverde’s Athletic Club. The pair have electrified the Basque team, and the home crowd at San Mamés which had lost its fervour until this season – the stadium is once again one of the most daunting in La Liga for away teams to visit, as Atleti recently found out.

Iñaki (Ghana) and Nico (Spain) play for different national teams, with the former off to AFCON later this month, but Athletic Club is the unbreakable footballing connection between them. The Basque club famously cherishes its native roots, only fielding players from the region, and their two best players have a particularly strong bond in more than one way.

(Images from IMAGO)

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

Jan

2024

Rate him or Slate him: Darwin Nunez is an Enigma

The chaotic Liverpool forward simultaneously makes the Reds more of a threat while also being almost solely responsible for their erratic nature in the penalty area due to his inconsistent finishing.

By Sam McGuire, Premier League expert

With him in the starting XI, Jürgen Klopp’s side are more dangerous. That is indisputable. Liverpool don’t rack up a record-breaking Expected Goals haul against Newcastle United without the No. 9 leading the line.

The German manager said as much in his post-match interview: “We were talking outside, it was 100% the right decision to bring Darwin today because he kept [Sven] Botman and [Fabian] Schar together, that gave us the space for everything else. It is completely different if Cody [Gakpo] is there.”

However, there is an argument to be made that we might’ve been talking about a record-breaking scoreline had it not been for the former Benfica man. He had a total of eight shots and was substituted in the 64th minute having amassed an Expected Goals total of 1.7. He missed three big chances at Anfield on Monday evening.

The 24-year-old now leads the way in the Premier League for Big Chances Missed with 18, one more than Erling Haaland. These missed chances aren’t as much of an issue for the City man though due to his 14 goals and 18.4% conversion rate. By comparison, Darwin has five Premier League goals this term and a conversion rate of just 6.1%.

Of those in the top 10 for Big Chances Missed, only Rasmus Højlund has a worse conversion rate (3.7%).

These two metrics alone are enough for people to declare Darwin to be a poor finisher. But that isn’t necessarily true.

The numbers paint a picture of an unlucky finisher. In fact, he’s arguably the unluckiest forward in the Premier League.

Darwin has an Expected Goals total for the season in the Premier League of 8.66. Generally speaking, when a player is underperforming their underlying numbers, it is an issue with finishing and this is shown when the Expected Goals on Target total is looked at. This stats assigns a value to where efforts land on target rather than where they are taken from. For example, a shot from 18-yards out may have an xG value of just 0.07 but if it hits the bottom corner, it will have an xG on Target value of 0.45. In this scenario, the shooter has increased the value of the attempt by 0.38.

Poor finishers, however, will devalue attempts. They do this by hitting shots centrally or at comfortable heights for goalkeepers.

Gabriel Jesus is someone who regularly underperforms when compared to his xG. This season, the Arsenal forward has an xG total of 4.84 but has scored just three goals. His xG on Target total is 3.83. He’s devalued his efforts by an entire goal, so that explains why he’s underperforming as a finisher.

The Liverpool No. 9 doesn’t have this issue though. He’s actually adding value to his efforts with the placement. He’s just one of five players in the Premier League to have an xG on Target total in double digits (10.2) this season.

Mohamed Salah (14.5) leads the way with Haaland (13.5) in second. Jarrod Bowen (11.8) and Dominic Solanke (10.2) make up the top five, along with Darwin. The Uruguayan is the only player within this group not to have a minimum of 11 goals in the English top-flight this term. That alone highlights how much of an outlier he is right now. He’s on five goals, Solanke has the same xG on Target total as him but he’s on 12.

Luck plays a part in finishing. While some players do make their own luck, sometimes it is just against you.

Darwin’s shot map suggests luck has deserted him at times this term.

He has hit the woodwork five times and a number of the efforts he’s aimed towards the bottom corner have been saved. An inch here or there and he’s vying with Haaland and Salah for the Golden Boot.

There is, of course, an element of poor finishing to factor into this too. He’s far from flawless in all of this and he has spurned a number of high-value opportunities. However, just because he’s missed those does not make him a poor finisher. Every striker is capable of missing. In fact, Salah and Haaland have missed sitters this season. The difference is the goals they score make people forget the misses. Whereas Darwin’s efforts just aren’t going in, no matter how well-struck or well-placed they are.

That is more bad luck than bad finishing. If he keeps on doing the same thing though, he’s surely going to find himself amongst the goals. Bad luck can’t last forever, can it?

(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.

Jan

2024

Transfer Targets: Royal Antwerp’s Arthur Vermeeren

Back in August 2010, Kevin De Bruyne made his full international debut for Belgium, as he spearheaded the country’s golden age in terms of top tier footballing talent.

Unfortunately, major tournament success has still alluded the Red Devils, but they have been ranked as FIFA’s number one side for considerable amounts of time over the last decade and that’s crucially aided the growth of a new generation of talent.

By Nathan Evans

Arguably the best amongst those is Royal Antwerp’s Arthur Vermeeren, who still at the age of 18, has already made 65 appearances for the club’s first team and now looks likely to move to one of Europe’s elite clubs over the course of the next year.

A natural talent in the centre of midfield, Vermeeren played a crucial role in Antwerp’s charge to the Jupiler Pro League title last season, which subsequently saw them qualify for the Champions League for the first time since 1957/58, when they lost out in the old European Cup to Real Madrid.

His fine form has continued into this season, playing every minute of the Belgian side’s subsequent European group stage campaign. In those six outings, he’s featured as captain for a match, grabbed two assists and then topped off his stellar showing by netting the opening goal versus Barcelona as the Belgian side sealed a memorable 3-2 victory. His domestic performances have also shone throughout and considering that no outfield player in 2023 has played more Belgian Pro League minutes (3755), his importance to this Antwerp side shouldn’t be underestimated.

Usually deployed as a defensive midfield in manager Mark van Bommel’s 4-2-3-1 set up, there are few players across Europe’s top seven leagues, of Vermeeren’s age, that have as strong composure or pure footballing intelligence. It’s that important building block that allows him to excel in most areas as a midfielder, featuring as both a ball-winner and a playmaker at the same time.

Starting with his on the ball ability, Vermeeren possesses all the skills needed to become a playmaker at the very top level, from his wide and varied passing range to his vision and anticipation. When looking at his Pro League output so far this campaign, in comparison with all other central midfielders, the 18-year-old comfortably sits inside the top 10% for pass accuracy (87%), successful passes made (871) and chances created (23). Additionally, his range can be highlighted by his tally of 49 accurate long balls and his 73.1% long ball accuracy rate, the latter ranking him in the top five percent in the competition in his position.

The Lier native is equally as confident and comfortable with the ball at his feet as he is passing it. Thanks to his fantastic awareness, positioning, and ability to scan the midfield, with maturity beyond his years, Vermeeren rarely looks rushed whilst in possession and expertly deals with the pressing of his opponents. His 17 successful dribbles – top 10% of central midfielders – emphasis his ability to beat his opponent in any given situation, whilst his tally of 1276 touches of the ball in Belgium’s top-flight this season showcases his desire to play a part in every Antwerp action during matches.

His ability to get forward also remains a big plus, with a glance at his shooting statistics in the Belgian Pro League this season showing that he ranks highly against his peers who also play in central midfield in the competition. Although he’s only scored once domestically – with a well anticipated short range finish in a 4-1 victory over Eupen – Vermeeren has totalled a tally of 1.53 non-penalty xG which doesn’t sounds like much but it still ranks him in the top 20% of all players in his position. That could further be improved upon as he can adapt to a more advanced box-to-box role due to his well-rounded skill set but in truth, he absolutely thrives as a deeper defensive midfielder – which is why he’s being courted by Europe’s elite at present.

That’s the position where he’s predominantly operated within during his time with Antwerp so far. As mentioned before, his passing range compliments that well as he drops in between his two central defenders to get himself on the ball frequently and to great effect, but his raw defensive output also means that he’s very well suited to the more defensive approach that boss Van Bommel uses him in.

In the Belgian top-flight, Vermeeren is hitting all the areas that he needs to in order to operate as a midfield powerhouse from a defensive perspective, regularly making successful tackles and winning possession back for his side. The 18-year-old is also very well versed in making crucial interceptions when needed with his reading of the game seeing him take up positions that limit the opposition when in attack. Overall this campaign, that output has helped his FotMob rating rise to 7.37 which ranks him as the 35th best player in the division from a form perspective, though given the volume of matches he’s started compared to others above him in that list, his actual value is likely higher.

It’s little wonder then why some of Europe’s biggest sides are now targeting Vermeeren and with a move looking increasingly likely to happen this January transfer window, as Spurs and Barcelona, in particular, battle it out for his signature, it’ll be intriguing to see which club the Belgian international will choose to continue his development with in the future.

(Images from IMAGO)

To keep up to date with all the latest Transfers, check out the FotMob Transfer Centre. Download the free app here.

Jan

2024

Premier League Team of the Week: Matchday 20

It may be a new year but the FotMob Team of the Week is filled with a number of familiar faces. Matchday 20 lived up to the billing and there were several star performers across the board from a variety of teams.

With that in mind, here is your Matchday 20 Team of the Week.

By Sam McGuire, Premier League expert

Goalkeeper: Martin Dúbravka

Alphonse Areola put in a good showing for West Ham in the draw with Brighton but Dubravka’s exploits at Anfield just about put him ahead of the Frenchman. The Newcastle United shot-stopper kept the scoreline respectable for the Magpies in a 4-2 loss against Liverpool.

The 34-year-old saved a Mohamed Salah penalty, one of his 10 saves on the night, as he faced shots with an Expected Goals on Target value of 6.67. Without him, it is no exaggeration to say it could’ve been a record-breaking scoreline for the Premier League leaders.

Right-Back: Trent Alexander-Arnold

Alexander-Arnold really has found his groove over the past month.

In the 4-2 win over Newcastle, the right-back claimed a FotMob rating of 8.2 having impressed at both ends of the pitch. The 25-year-old created two chances, had a total of three shots and hit the woodwork with an outrageous effort from a ridiculous angle. He also finished the game with a 100% dribble success rate.

Defensively, he recovered the ball on 10 occasions, made four interceptions and came out on top in five of his eight duels.

Centre-Back: Max Kilman

The Wolves skipper bossed it during the 3-0 win over Everton. He scored the opener but impressed with his all-around game. The 26-year-old completed 86% of his passes, made 10 ball recoveries and had a 100% success rate in aerial duels, playing a key part in the clean sheet kept by Gary O’Neil’s team.

It was a good day at the office for the centre-back.

Centre-Back: Craig Dawson

It was also a good day at the office for his centre-back partner. Dawson also found his way onto the scoresheet, scoring the third goal at Molineux. Like Kilman, the 33-year-old also impressed without the goal having found a teammate with 84% of his attempted passes.

He had a 100% record in tackles, recovered the ball five times and made seven clearances. Dawson won seven of his 11 duels to round off a fairly dominant display.

Left-Back: Pervis Estupiñán

Back in the first team for Brighton following injury and back in the FotMob Team of the Week.

Estupiñán claimed an 8.1 rating in the draw with West Ham United. He completed 100% of his dribbles, played 14 passes into the final third, created two chances, made 12 ball recoveries and won five of his nine duels.

Key to the way Roberto De Zerbi wants his team to play football, the 25-year-old attempted 108 passes on Tuesday night and found a teammate 95% of the time.

Midfield: Cole Palmer

Palmer returned from suspension and didn’t miss a beat. The 21-year-old ran the show for Chelsea in their 3-2 win over Luton Town. The one-time Manchester City youngster scored twice and claimed an assist on his way to a 9.3 rating at Kenilworth Road. Palmer carved out two chances for teammates and had a total of five shots in what was an eye-catching display.

The No. 20 completed 100% of his dribbles and was accurate with five of his six attempted long passes.

Midfield: Phil Foden

Foden has been enjoying life for Manchester City since being moved centrally. The 23-year-old claimed the highest FotMob rating (9.1) as the champions ran out 2-0 winners over Sheffield United to lift themselves back into the title picture.

The City No47 claimed two assists and created six chances at the Etihad. He really was pulling the strings for Pep Guardiola’s men with the returning Kevin De Bruyne watching on from the sidelines. His performance here should be enough to keep the Belgian playmaker sidelined, but who knows what the Catalan-born coach will do with his team election moving forward.

Midfield: Giovani Lo Celso

Lo Celso has played his way into Ange Postecoglou’s side. He has no doubt benefitted from injuries to others but he’s currently in the team on merit.

The Argentine playmaker impressed yet again for Spurs in the 3-1 win over Bournemouth, claiming two assists. He also completed 100% of his dribbles, won 50% of his tackles and won the most duels of anyone on the pitch (11/15).

Attack: Michael Olise

The 22-year-old was the star of the show as Crystal Palace claimed a 3-1 victory over Sheffield United. Olise earned a 9.3 FotMob rating having scored twice while also completing the most dribbles (five) in the match and winning the most (eight) duels. The left-footed winger also created two chances and had a total of six shots in what was a fairly dominant outing by the Palace No7. In truth, it is now becoming the norm.

Attack: Mohamed Salah

Few players miss a penalty but perform well enough to claim a place in the Team of the Week. But then again, few players will ever get close to Salah. The three-time Golden Boot winner had a spot-kick saved in the first half but bounced back after the break to have a hand in all four goals. He scored the first and fourth, assisted the third and claimed a hockey assist for the second.

Salah created four chances on the night, three of which were classed as big chances. He had a total of six shots to finish with an Expected Goal contribution of 3.87.

Attack: Ollie Watkins

Watkins failed to find the back of the net in Aston Villa’s 3-2 win over Burnley but he did add to his assists haul. The 28-year-old set up two of the goals to take his tally to eight for the campaign, the joint-most in the Premier League. The Villa forward created the most chances (three) in the game while having the least (24) number of touches of any outfield player. It was very much a case of less is more. He did what he had to and he did it well.

(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.

Jan

2024

Mohamed Salah may be better than ever – so how do Liverpool cope without him?

Mohamed Salah will leave Liverpool for the Africa Cup of Nations after an incredible start to the season, leaving Jurgen Klopp with the task of making up for his goals and assists.

By Jack Lusby, ThisIsAnfield.com

Only Mo Salah.

Those three words will have been burned into the muscle memory of statisticians over the past six-and-a-half years, such has been Salah’s dominance since joining Liverpool from AS Roma in 2017.

The Egyptian has broken almost every record possible during his time on Merseyside, and it is often only possible to give another player his flowers with the caveat that “only Mo Salah” has better numbers.

In his final game for Liverpool before departing to captain Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations, Salah scored his 150th Premier League goal for the club, become just the fifth player to do so for a single club in the history of the English top flight. He departs with the joint-most goals in this season’s Premier League, tied with Erling Haaland on 14, as well as the joint-most assists, alongside Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins on eight.

No player has contributed to a higher ratio of their side’s goals in this season’s Premier League, with Salah directly responsible for 51.2 percent for Liverpool. Bournemouth’s Dominic Solanke is next-closest with 46.4 percent, with Watkins third with 44.2 percent and Wolves’ Hwang Hee-chan, who himself is heading to the Asian Cup with South Korea, fourth with 43.3 percent.

So far in the league this season, he is averaging a goal or assist every 79.3 minutes. Stretch that to all competitions, with 18 goals and nine assists in 27 appearances, he is averaging one every 75.7 minutes.

Those are ridiculous numbers, and only serve to highlight what Liverpool will miss while Salah is away with his national team at the mid-season tournament in the Ivory Coast. His outing in the 4-2 victory over Newcastle, with a goal and two assists along with a penalty saved, could be his last for Liverpool until a trip to Brentford on February 17, if Egypt advance all the way to the final.

Salah is guaranteed to miss four games: the FA Cup third-round tie at Arsenal, both legs of the Carabao Cup semi-final against Fulham, and an away clash with Bournemouth in the Premier League. Depending on Egypt’s progress, he could stand to miss four more: league games against Chelsea, Arsenal, and Burnley, as well as a potential FA Cup fourth-round fixture slated for the end of January.

It goes without saying that Liverpool will miss a player who, earlier this season, moved into the top 10 of the club’s all-time top goalscorers – and later overtook Michael Owen into the Premier League’s all-time top 10.

Fundamentally, his loss will be felt as he has played more minutes for the Reds this season than any other player by far, his 2,045 across 27 appearances a distance away from Dominik Szoboszlai’s second-highest with 1,840 minutes on the pitch in 26 games.

But, of course, the focus will be on goals – and who is left behind to score them.

Darwin Núñez (25.6%) is the Reds’ next-highest contributor of goals and assists in the league this season, with Diogo Jota (16.3%) the only other Liverpool forward responsible for more than 10 percent of their 43 goals so far. Across all competitions, Jota (nine) is second-top goalscorer, with Núñez and Cody Gakpo both scoring eight, while Núñez and Trent Alexander-Arnold are tied in second for assists with eight apiece.

To paraphrase an iconic scene in the 2011 movie ‘Moneyball’ – based on the work of baseball recruitment pioneer Billy Beane, who inspired Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group with the Boston Red Sox – while Salah himself may be irreplaceable, his output should be recreated in the aggregate.

His direct replacement on right wing is likely to come with a combination of Szoboszlai, Harvey Elliott and perhaps one of Jota, Gakpo or Luis Díaz, with Jürgen Klopp likely to rotate during a busy run in three competitions.

But the spread of goals and assists will need to be shared out more evenly. Núñez, who is underperforming his xG (-3.6) more than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues bar Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski (-3.7), Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin (-3.9) and Celta Vigo’s Iago Aspas (-4.5), will need to find the luck and killer instinct required to make his chances count. Jota will need to find consistency after a bright start upon his return from injury; Gakpo will need to build on an impressive recent run that has brought two goals and an assist in his last four games; and Díaz desperately needs to recapture the spark that had long eluded him but, in the win over Newcastle, looked to be on its way back.

Though all involved will hope it is a problem long in the distance, this month or so could serve as a primer for Liverpool as speculation continues over an eventual permanent exit for Salah. Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad were rejected outright despite a world-record package being put together last summer, but clubs in the Middle East are expected to make further advances in 2024.

Salah would be minded to look to the experiences of former team-mates Roberto Firmino, Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, Sadio Mané and Gini Wijnaldum in Saudi Arabia, where games are often played to crowds of less than 1,000 people, however, as any move to a gulf state would come with a sacrifice of his personal ambitions.

Either way, a big summer awaits Liverpool and their No. 11, whose contract is due to expire in 2025 and therefore talks will be required over a potential extension. There is a case to argue that, despite his 32nd birthday coming before he ticks over into the final 12 months of his terms, Salah is better and more important to the club than ever. The hope will be, though, that this isn’t exposed during his time away, and instead Liverpool are able to recreate him in the aggregate as they maintain their challenge on four fronts, including for the Premier League title.

Signing a new contract in a year that could see him lift trophies in the Premier League, the Europa League, the FA Cup, the Carabao Cup and, of course, the Africa Cup of Nations would be fitting for a player of Salah’s unparalleled brilliance.

(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.

Jan

2024

Premier League Review: Matchday 20

New year, same old Premier League. Matchday 20 delivered. We had goals galore, with an average of 3.5 per game, and a number of shock results. 2024 really did off to a flyer, so here’s a look at some of the biggest talking points.

By Sam McGuire, Premier League expert

The Cole Palmer show

Cole Palmer returned to the Chelsea starting XI following his suspension and fired Mauricio Pochettino’s side to victory over Luton Town. The former Manchester City youngster scored twice and assisted another goal in the 3-2 win which, in truth, was not deserved.

Luton, in front of their home crowd, had more of the ball and finished with a significantly higher Expected Goals total. The hosts carved out four big chances to Chelsea’s zero but two goals in the final 10 minutes was not enough to salvage a point.

Rob Edwards’ men remain in the relegation zone but performances over the past couple of weeks, combined with their ability to cause top teams problems at Kenilworth Road, will no doubt give them confidence heading into 2024 that they can escape the drop zone and remain in the English top-flight.

Everton mauled at Molineux

Everton, after a positive run of form, are now in trouble. The Blues have lost three consecutive matches and find themselves just a single point outside of the relegation zone following the 3-0 loss to a rampant Wolves side.

Sean Dyche’s side look fragile defensively and have conceded eight goals across their last three outings. Worryingly, they have scored just two goals. It just isn’t clicking for the Toffees right now.

Wolves, however, are loving life under Gary O’Neil right now. They have won three on the spin to move to within a point of ninth-placed Newcastle United. Under the former Bournemouth boss, the team are scoring goals (nine in their last three) while limiting the opposition (just two goals conceded).

At Molineux on Saturday, the hosts racked up an Expected Goals total of 1.99 from their 12 shots, while also creating three big chances. It was a deserved win and a fantastic way to head into the new year.

Another false dawn for Manchester United

Manchester United’s Boxing Day comeback win over Aston Villa was supposed to be the start of something. But similar was said after the hard-fought draw with Liverpool at Anfield.

The Red Devils continue to take one step forward and then two steps backwards. This inconsistency is why they have struggled to really get going this season. They travelled to the City Ground on Saturday and were outplayed by a resurgent Nottingham Forest team.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side had beaten Newcastle United on Boxing Day and they finished off a remarkable festive period with a 2-1 win over Erik Ten Hag’s side. Forest showed great character to respond well to Marcus Rashford’s equaliser in the 78th minute to go on and claim all three points, with Morgan Gibbs-White finding the back of the net four minutes later.

The win lifts them into 15th place in the Premier League, five points clear of the relegation zone and just four points off of 13th-placed Fulham. The loss for United leaves them eighth in the table.

Arsenal lose again

Mikel Arteta’s side do love a good wobble. After a credible 1-1 draw with Liverpool at Anfield, the Gunners have lost successive matches in the Premier League to drop down to fourth. They were top of the table on Christmas Day.

A loss to West Ham United could’ve been considered nothing more than a blip had they followed it up with a victory over Fulham. They got off to a flying start at Craven Cottage with Bukayo Saka opening the scoring after just five minutes.

Raúl Jiménez equalised in the first half before Bobby De Cordova-Reid put the hosts ahead just before the hour mark. Despite Arsenal’s on-ball dominance (they finished with 60% possession), they struggled to create any real chances and the game sort of fizzled out for the Gunners. The stats paint this game as a fairly even one too. While Fulham might’ve been fortunate to win, you can’t say Arsenal were unlucky not to claim all three points.

The title hopefuls have now dropped points to the Cottagers in both clashes this season. These could be costly when reviewing the 2023/24 campaign.

Record breaking night at Anfield

The pressure was on Liverpool. They started the night in top spot and knew a win over Newcastle United could see them open up a gap at the summit. However, their last two home fixtures had finished in frustrating draws and there was a chance the same thing could happen again at Anfield on New Year’s Day, with the Magpies just looking to stop the horrid run of form which has seen them go from top four hopefuls to mid-table.

The Reds had a point to prove though and played like a team looking to make a statement. They racked up the highest Expected Goals total on record (7.11) in a 4-2 win. On another day, Liverpool could’ve finished with double figures. Had it not been for the exploits of Martin Dúbravka between the sticks, they probably would’ve.

Jürgen Klopp’s side had a total of 34 shots and carved out a remarkable nine big chances.

(Images from IMAGO)

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Jan

2024

Transfer Targets: Everyone’s talking about Schalke’s Assan Quedraogo

Despite still being only 17 years old and having featured in just 11 professional matches during his career to date, some of Europe’s biggest clubs are already targeting a move for Schalke’s Assan Ouédraogo during this winter transfer window.

By Nathan Evans

Promoted to the first team at VELTINS-Arena over the summer, the youngster’s progression into the Royal Blue’s squad has proven to be one of the only bright spots during a campaign in which Schalke have struggled in Germany’s 2. Bundesliga following their top-flight relegation last season.

The German youth international – who helped his side to win the U17 European Championships last year – operates as an attacking central midfielder and with a release clause said to be on the lower side of the €7m mark (in his current contract), expect to see a tussle take place for his signature in the very near future.

The son of former Burkinabé international Alassane Ouédraogo, the 17-year-old has shot to fame in Germany over recent months after receiving a surprise start in Schalke’s first team for their opening match of the 2023/24 season. On that occasion, he produced a memorable cameo to score after just 22 minutes of play, even if his side ended up on the receiving end of a 5-3 defeat at Hamburg.

Although he hasn’t scored again since, that’s not to say that the goals have dried up, as a look at his youth career at Schalke paints a picture of a player who is well used to finding the back of the net. As well as proving prolific at the U17 level, he then went on to net seven times in 13 matches for the U19 squad during the 2022/23 campaign before putting together a string of impressive performances for Germany at the U17 European Championships. There’s also other areas of his game that highlight him as one of the country’s most promising youngsters.

Deployed as a central midfielder in Schalke’s 4-3-3 set up before he sustained an injury in mid-November, Ouédraogo acted as the most attacking option of the three. His box-to-box approach saw him join the offensive line multiple times during each match, with his favourite approach of advancing in 1-vs-1 situations, in which he thrives, was commonly seen. That can be best seen by the fact that during this campaign in Germany’s second tier, no midfielder has averaged more successful dribbles per 90 (3.50) than the Schalke youngster.

His shots per 90 figure of 1.82 and on target equivalent of 0.76 also rank him among the top 20% of all midfielders in the division and potentially point towards a future that could be formed by adopting a different position on the field as opposed to central midfield. The 17-year-old could easily be deployed as an intelligent and skillful winger, or he could be moved further forward to play in a central attacking role to really support the striker in any given formation. With 23 touches in the opposition box through 11 matches, he could equally be comfortable playing upfront if needed in the future.

That doesn’t mean that Ouédraogo shuns his defensive duties though. In fact, due to his youthful exuberance, his pressing capabilities are one of his strongest skills, as his high work rate and determination mean that during a match he can cover a lot of ground to aid his team’s efforts. His return of 7.15 duels won, on average, per league outing this season comfortably places him amongst the strongest players in his position, in that regard, and back up the claims made by the official Bundesliga website who have likened his abilities to those of a certain Michael Essien.

At 6 foot 3, the 17-year-old has a powerful frame that offers him both the pace to help track back for his side and a long reach when making important slide tackles which has seen him be dribbled past successfully just once this campaign. He’s also already seemingly experienced in using his strength in the best possible way to both shield the ball from opposition players and win possession back when needed. On top of that, Ouédraogo has a fantastic weak foot for a player of his age which again, could open up further opportunity of playing in different positions during his future career.

What happens next could prove to be the biggest decision of his career. According to reports, there are at least ten top sides looking to secure his services during this upcoming transfer window, from Inter Milan, to Bayern Munich, who supposedly remain in pole position to grab his signature. Rumours also suggest that if Assan Ouédraogo does join Bayern, he’ll be thrown straight into the first team squad and given the game time that he needs to continue his impressive development.

(Images from IMAGO)

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Jan

2024

Is Emil Forsberg’s move to New York Red Bulls a sign of intent?

The New York Red Bulls have boasted big-name players before, but the signing of Emil Forsberg has the feeling of the club’s most significant signing in a decade. The Swedish international will leave RB Leipzig for Major League Soccer in 2024 after 10 seasons in the Bundesliga and at 32 years old he still has plenty more to offer.

By Graham Ruthven

There was a time when Red Bull Arena was a common destination for stars looking for a new home in MLS. Thierry Henry played 135 games for RBNY with Tim Cahill and Rafa Márquez both notable signings around the same time. Along with the LA Galaxy, the Red Bulls were MLS’s marquee franchise.

As the league moved into a new era, though, RBNY were left behind. Newer franchises like Los Angeles FC, and more recently Inter Miami, moved to the front of the queue for big-name signings. The introduction of New York City FC to MLS in 2015 also changed the landscape in the Red Bulls’ own city with David Villa and Frank Lampard all ending up in sky blue, not red.

RBNY have still managed to maintain a respectable regular season record, qualifying for the play-offs for a record 14 successive seasons, but at no point over the last few years has it felt like the club is moving forward. Even worse than this, it’s often felt like there is no desire at ownership level to move the club forward.

Forsberg’s arrival in Harrison represents the first time the Red Bull pipeline has sent a player of any real note to MLS. RBNY have sent players (Tyler Adams, Caden Clark) and even a head coach (Jesse Marsch) to RB Leipzig, but had only ever received two players back in return – and one of them was Clark returning to MLS on loan.

This, combined with the appointment of former Mainz, Dynamo Moscow and Hertha Berlin manager Sandro Schwarz, hints at renewed ambition at Red Bull Arena. Having been a long way down the Red Bull pecking order, below RB Leipzig and even Red Bull Salzburg, for years, RBNY might now be able to build something of their own.

It’s not just that Forsberg is a big-name signing, although that certainly counts for something in a symbolic sense. The Swedish attacker is also accustomed to playing the high-risk, high-energy brand of football the Red Bull ownership group likes all its teams to play, meaning he should be able to get off to a quick start in MLS.

While 2023 wasn’t exactly a vintage year for RBNY, some foundations were put in place for Schwarz to build on as the new man in charge. The defensive basis of Andres Reyes, Sean Nealis and John Tolkin kept the Red Bulls competitive even as their attack struggled to produce. Now they have Forsberg to address the latter.

Red Bull’s global scouting network gives RBNY an edge in the transfer market, but a lack of investment has limited what the club can achieve in a recruitment sense. Red Bull also purposefully centres RBNY’s recruitment strategy around the signing and development of young players to funnel into their system. They want an American output to coach local talent in the Red Bull style of play.

When RBNY have spent money on players in recent years, they have struck out – see Dante Vanzeir, Patryk Klimala, Dru Yearwood and Josh Sims. Forsberg, however, is of a much higher calibre than any of the Red Bulls’ recent Designated Players and therefore stands a better chance of making a meaningful impression.

Eyes will be drawn to Inter Miami in 2024 as they continue to assemble the most star-laden squad in MLS history. Luis Suárez has joined Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba in South Florida, making Inter Miami MLS Cup and Supporters’ Shield frontrunners in the eyes of many observers of the league. The Columbus Crew, FC Cincinnati and Los Angeles FC also all have interesting things going on.

The New York Red Bulls haven’t been interesting in a long while, but this is in the process of changing ahead of the 2024 season. The Red Bull ownership group are finally paying some attention to the often ignored, under-appreciated sibling within its family. By moving from one family home to the other, Forsberg could have a profound impact.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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Jan

2024

Transfer Targets: A look at Lille’s teenage centre-back Leny Yoro

Since stunning PSG to win Ligue 1 back during the 2020/21 season, it’s hardly proved to be plain sailing for LOSC Lille, who have so far failed to back-up that unlikely success.

In the subsequent years, a number of their quality youth prospects have left the club, including the likes of Carlos Baleba and Timothy Weah, who both departed last summer, but in their absence an 18-year-old centre back has truly emerged on the scene.

By Nathan Evans

His name is Leny Yoro and after just six months as a regular starter with Les Dogues, he’s already being touted as a transfer target during this winter window for some of the biggest football clubs in the world.

If you’ve caught a glimpse of Yoro in action this campaign, you’ll have seen why the likes of PSG, Manchester United, Chelsea, Bayern Munich and many other elite European clubs are looking to claim his signature in the near future.

Making his first team debut last season at the age of 16 – becoming the second youngest player in Ligue 1 history in the process – the most noticeable part of the Lille star’s game is how calm and composed he is on the ball for a player of his age. This season, he’s taken the next step in his development in that regard and as a result, there are few defenders playing in France’s top-flight that look as tidy in possession.

Through his opening 16 matches in Ligue 1 this campaign, Yoro has excelled as a ball-playing defender who possesses a huge and varied range of passing. His passing accuracy overall stands at 90.9% which could be further improved upon compared to the elite level players, but when you factor in that he regularly enjoys playing mid-to-long range passes to his full-backs and wingers, it highlights his ability to pick out his man no matter where they may be on the pitch. His 60.71 successful passes completed per 90 also demonstrate his desire to be on the ball when possible, and rank him second at LOSC in league action this season.

His comfort in possession can be further emphasised by his ability to successfully dribble past opponents when needed (83.3% success rate). Traditionally, that’s not a skill usually desired from a central defender but possessing that ability, coupled with his range of passing, has helped the Lille defence to frequently break down their opponents’ offensive press this season and set up their own counter-attacks in the process.

But where Yoro really thrives is in winning his duels across the board. Despite standing at 6 foot 2, he has seemingly struggled to get to grips from an aerial perspective in professional football so far, but that part of his game continues to grow steadily.

But what he lacks in that department, he more than makes up for when competing in ground duels. That’s because at present, the Lille youngster currently holds a 80.4% success rate in such duels, the best of any centre back playing in Europe’s top five leagues this campaign.

Considering some of the players currently on that list, that’s simply an unbelievable level to be operating at when only 18-years-old, not playing at one of Europe’s elite clubs, and with plenty of room for further improvement in that area.

Elsewhere defensively, Yoro has won 76.2% of his attempted tackles which sees him comfortably inside the top 15% of all Ligue 1 defenders this season, whilst his 21 successful interceptions also showcase his awareness, anticipation and burst of pace which he possesses and uses to great effect.

There’s also the added bonus that Yoro is proving to be a big threat at set pieces from an attacking perspective, as he’s scored three times across 21 appearances for Lille this season. His two that have come in Ligue 1 have both come in very different ways too, one coming as a deft header to just inside the far post, whilst the other came via a fantastic over the shoulder volley from a chipped free kick.

Of course, there are still large areas of improvement that need to be made across the board for Yoro to become one of the best defenders in Europe and start advancing towards the French national team set up. His desire to advance the ball up the field whilst in possession can see him caught out of position on occasion, and his positioning can seem lacking in important situations. His recent own goal vs Strasbourg and the penalty he conceded against Metz following a poor touch also underline that much more experience is still needed for him to reach the next level of his development.

Whether that will be with Lille or not beyond the January transfer window is still yet to be seen as the big clubs circle, but at 18-years-old, Leny Yoro remains one of European football’s most promising young defenders and should only continue to grow exponentially in both talent and recognition.

(Images from IMAGO)

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