Page 20 – The Pulse of Football

Feb

2025

Looking ahead to the 2025 MLS season

Major League Soccer and its headline act Lionel Messi are back for a new season in which Messi’s team, Inter Miami, will be hoping to better last season’s Supporters’ Shield win by claiming the league’s top trophy, the MLS Cup, in 2025.

By James Nalton

Though they are the main attraction, there is plenty going on in MLS aside from Messi and Miami in 2025 as the league celebrates its 30th season, adding another new team and also a new internal transfer mechanism which has spiced things up ahead of the new campaign.

Levelling up

LA Galaxy won the MLS Cup last season after triumphing in the end-of-season playoffs just over two months ago, but they head into 2025 without star player Riqui Puig due to a long-term injury and goal-getter Dejan Joveljić who joined Sporting Kansas City.

The defending champions also saw Jalen Neal, Mark Delgado, and MLS Cup final MVP Gastón Brugman move to other teams in the off-season, primarily to help them remain under the salary cap, especially after having paid bonuses for winning the MLS Cup.

This opens up the door for other teams to catch up, which ultimately is what MLS’s various roster control mechanisms are designed to do.

Inter Miami will hope they can take full advantage of this and of Messi’s time in the league by claiming the biggest prize this time around.

They have pandered to the Argentine star, appointing his former international teammate Javier Mascherano as head coach while his former academy coach at Barcelona, Guillermo Hoyos, has been promoted to a key sporting direction role.

They’ll have plenty of competition for the MLS title in 2025, with numerous teams tending to their rosters in an attempt to increase their own chances of a successful season.

Cash rules everything around MLS

In parts of MLS, it is almost as if a refresh button has been pressed ahead of 2025. Not only is there a new franchise in the shape of San Diego FC, but many teams across the league are rebuilding without their best players from the previous year, with some moving to Europe or South America, but others to teams within the league.

Some of this rebuilding has been facilitated by the league’s introduction of cash for player trades — as opposed to having to rely solely on the league’s own, limited internal currency called allocation money as was previously the case.

Players traded in this manner so far include Jack McGlynn from Philadelphia Union to Houston Dynamo and the aforementioned Joveljić transfer from Galaxy to Sporting KC.

FC Cincinnati lost its best player and 2023 MLS MVP Luciano Acosta, who joined FC Dallas in this manner, but Cincy are arguably stronger going into 2025 thanks to the signings of Kévin Denkey who scored prolifically for Cercle Brugge and Evander from Portland Timbers.

Evander himself was one of the best players in MLS last season and will be a big miss for the Western Conference side coached by Phil Neville.

*FotMob’s top rated players in MLS, 2024 season*

New names

While the introduction of cash-for-player trades has led to a more headline-grabbing internal transfer market, MLS has also been bringing in players from outside the league.

The 2025 off-season has already witnessed the most money ever spent by MLS clubs in a transfer window and the primary transfer window stays open until April 23, so there is still time for more spending.

Some of the bigger names to join MLS so far this season include Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting to the New York Red Bulls and Wilfried Zaha to Dean Smith’s Charlotte FC.

Atlanta United broke the league’s incoming transfer record when they spent $22 million on Emmanuel Latte Lath from Middlesbrough, while they’ve also brought back Miguel Almirón who starred for their MLS Cup-winning team in 2018 before moving to Newcastle. It’s a real statement of intent from the team who have also appointed a new head coach in the shape of another former MLS Cup winner, Ronny Deila.

Other head coach moves include former USMNT managers Bruce Arena and Gregg Berhalter joining San Jose Earthquakes and Chicago Fire respectively, and former Aston Villa defender Olof Mellberg taking charge at St. Louis City.

A new team

On top of all the above arrivals, new players including Hirving Lozano, Anders Dreyer, and former Manchester United youth Paddy McNair will all be joining the league’s new team, San Diego FC.

The introduction of this fourth Californian team means MLS is now at 30 teams with 15 in each conference.

It makes it one of the biggest leagues in the world when it comes to the number of teams, and many will be involved in various cup competitions in 2025, including the domestic US Open Cup to the Concacaf Champions Cup.

Favourites

The two Los Angeles teams finished level on points at the top of the Western Conference last season before LA Galaxy went on to win the playoffs. Both will hope to maintain that level, while Seattle Sounders also look strong and some have tipped Eric Ramsay’s Minnesota United as possible dark horses.

Over in the East, Atlanta’s strengthening should see them challenge at the top end of the table again, while Ohioans Columbus Crew and Cincinnati will be hoping to remain in the mix.

The Crew suffered a big blow when their best player Cucho Hernández moved to Real Betis, but will hope the style of play under Wilfried Nancy will see them continue to be one of the league’s best teams. If Zaha can find his Palace Premier League form, Charlotte might also be one to look out for.

Indeed much of what happens in MLS this season will depend on how effective the new players and coaches are for their respective teams, and how quickly they settle. In this regard, there is much to look out for across the 30-team league entering its 30th season.

(Cover Image from IMAGO)

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

Feb

2025

Birmingham City are on for the double they never knew they needed.

The teams take to the turf at St Andrews flanked by fireballs and fireworks. They kick off through a haze of smoke that near-shrouds the field from view. By then, we’ve already been warmed up with a rock band in the fan zone. We’ve had Harry Lauder’s 1924 anthem ‘Keep Right On To The End Of The Road’ sitting next to the DJ’s mash-up of Sean Paul’s ‘Temperature’ with ‘No Speak Americano’ on the PA. We’ve seen enough blue lights with the LED and laser show to keep you up longer than Jack Bauer on triple espressos.

By Sanny Rudravajhala

The only thing moving slowly around St Andrews is the traffic. It’s a huge shift from a club that was in total gridlock.

When Birmingham City sacked Wayne Rooney 13 months ago, it was an admission that the new owners had made a gross error. Early-season play-off contention under John Eustace had been traded for a non-existent and purely imagined brand of ‘No Fear’ football. The wheels were set in motion for a relegation car crash into the third tier.

Fast forward to present day, and a re-constructed Birmingham side have just made it to Wembley for the final of the Vertu Trophy. Don’t look at me like that. Ok, like me, you must have missed its mid-season rebrand. The EFL Trophy isn’t at the top of the priority list for a club hell-bent on promotion, but pulling off a league and cup double would bring a feelgood factor and momentum that no amount of pyrotechnics can buy. And, for Tom Wagner and the rest of the owners, a redemption arc of their own.

Digging into Davies

Last season was a fiasco. To be fair to the American investors, they couldn’t have legislated for Rooney’s original replacement, Tony Mowbray, having to step down through ill-health. Gary Rowett’s ill-fated final eight game interim spell was a Hail Mary of an appointment that even much-celebrated minority shareholder and seven-time Superbowl winner, Tom Brady, would have struggled to pull off.

Chris Davies’ arrival signalled an about turn from the hierarchy, moving from a big name to an unknown, but picking someone with a growing reputation within coaching circles.

As Brendan Rodgers’ right hand man at both Celtic and Leicester City, the 39-year-old was charged with first-team training and oversaw a treble north of the border and successive fifth-placed finishes in the Premier League plus an FA Cup trophy lift at Wembley. Having had his own youth playing career curtailed through arthritis at Reading, he’s packed in 20 years of coaching experience before his 40^th birthday. His final role as an assistant saw him paired with Tottenham’s Ange Postecoglou last season before Birmingham brought him in.

Unsurprisingly, for a man who sees Pep Guardiola as one of his coaching inspirations, Birmingham like to keep the ball. 66% possession, over 100 more passes per game than anyone else (475) and only Leyton Orient win the ball in the final third more often. He’s won 74% (31/42) of his matches, with only five defeats. It’s silly numbers and you can argue that’s thanks to silly money. But this time it’s cash that’s been spent wisely.

Money talks

Birmingham are often mentioned in the same breath as Wrexham. The comparison is easy. Two North American-owned soccer clubs, spending big and dreaming of the big time. Where they differ however, is the type of player they’re recruiting. Whilst Jay Rodriguez is Wrexham’s latest ex-Premier League talent that’s been around the block, Birmingham have picked at least one with miles left to run.

Jay Stansfield was stretchered off in tears in their semi-final victory over over Bradford. News that his injury isn’t as serious as feared is as big a boost as Lyndon Dykes’ Tuesday night headed winner.

Signing a player for £15m in division three is ludicrous. Let’s not pretend otherwise when the average revenue for a League One club is just under £10m.

*Jay Stansfield shot map, League One 2025/26*

But this is a low-risk investment with a value that will hold. At 22, Stansfield is a young English player with his whole career ahead of him. He’d already proven himself on loan from Premier League Fulham last season. His winner against Charlton exhibited everything that’s making him unplayable now. Having barged Conor Coventry off the ball on the halfway line on the right flank, he carried the ball to the area before smashing home, to rapturous celebrations.

It was he too who got a superb opener against Bradford. With 20 in 29 games, his cost per goal is diminishing by the week. Up close, he is relentless. With 16 goals in League One, he’s the division’s joint-top scorer and along with Richard Kone (xG 12.1), is one of the most clinical (xG 14.2). He also gets stuck in for the team. Beyond ball winning and recoveries, his yellow card for dragging a fallen Ethan Laird back onto the pitch, to prevent a re-start, showed he’s got that cunning that the wisest of strikers take years to cultivate.

Swap out Stansfield and the embarrassment of attacking riches at Blues continues. When you can call upon last season’s League One golden boot in Alfie May, everything gets easier. He arrived at St Andrews with 75 goals in his last 3 seasons, with 23 in the league with Charlton. He hasn’t scored in 11 but still has ten goals and five assists from his 28 appearances. His goals per 90 in the league is 0.58, last season it was 0.60. So, he’s performing just as well despite fewer opportunities. His time will come.

*Birmingham City goals + assists, League One 2024/25*

Across the rest of the park, they continue to impress. Ethan Laird and Alex Cochrane are both in the early stages of their careers but are performing excellently from full back. Laird, in his second season, offers so much offensively that it helps overwhelm opponents on the flanks. Laird is free from the weight of being an ex-Manchester United youngster that can pull a player down. In front of them is a midfield all around the same age and approaching their peaks. It makes for a formidable opponent, able to give Premier League Newcastle United, a bloody nose in the FA Cup.

The final run-in

Last weekend’s test against playoff hopefuls Charlton was a new one for Chris Davies. Nathan Jones’ side had beaten them once already and, having gone behind and on the ropes, Charlon tried to make things uncomfortable. The second half descended into one of my Monday night 5-a-side matches where the referee has let too many things go, and by the end it’s all-out war. But Birmingham came through unscathed and the better for it too. Winning ugly is another thing Davies can now say this side can do.

Looking at the table and given Birmingham are still unbeaten at home, I think we can call them the League One Champions-elect. That’ll feel even closer with three points over second-placed Wycombe in midweek at the start of March. It’s a far cry from the anguish at St Andrews last year, when they conceded a 96^th minute winner to Southampton and began their final descent towards relegation.

Now they’re on the up and as luck would have it, Peterborough or Wrexham await at Wembley in April. The latter will be a headline writers dream but whilst the team with the Hollywood owners would love a perfect streaming moment, for Birmingham City, it’s a bonus on a serious quest back towards the Premier League. We laughed at ‘No Fear’ football and Super Bowl silliness and you may still hate the pre-match pageantry. But make no mistake, the circus has left town and what remains is a united club with the ambition, and the means, to keep right on.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from EFL League One on FotMob – with in-depth stat coverage including xG, shot maps, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Feb

2025

Premier League Preview, Matchday 26

It isn’t just a potentially big weekend in the Premier League. That would be an understatement. The ramifications from Matchday 26 could be humongous. We’ll likely be saying this for the remainder of the campaign. With every passing week, results matter even more. But look at the fixtures this weekend.

By Sam McGuire

The ripples caused by some of the games this weekend could well shape the table for the rest of the season.

The David Moyes derby

Everton host Manchester United this weekend at Goodison Park. The Toffees are one of the form sides in the Premier League following the return of David Moyes. In fact, no team has picked up more points than the Merseyside club over the past five matches (13).

The only real blip during this run was in the FA Cup against Bournemouth when the Cherries knocked out their hosts.

The Toffees are now scoring goals, they’ve scored a minimum of two goals in four of their last five in the top flight. The goals have fired them up the table and they’re now in 14th position, one point clear of the Red Devils ahead of this clash.

United have been in freefall. They’ve picked up just six points from the last five matches in the Premier League and they rank 13th in the form table. Only six teams have picked up fewer points and four of them make up the bottom four in the English top-flight.

Rúben Amorim’s men don’t travel well either. They’ve taken just 13 points from 12 matches on the road, scoring 11 goals in the process. If results go against them this weekend, they’ll finish Matchday 26 just nine points clear of the drop zone with no momentum on their side.

Sliding doors moment at Villa Park?

Aston Villa have been in awful form lately. The Villans have taken just four points from their last five matches but they did hold league leaders Liverpool to a 2-2 draw at Villa Park on Wednesday evening. They also held Arsenal to a 2-2 draw last month. They haven’t had issues performing in the bigger games this term. It’s the other games that have let them down.

Despite such inconsistencies, they aren’t that far off of a top four spot. In fact, they’re just five points behind fourth-placed Manchester City. Unai Emery’s men welcome an inconsistent Chelsea team to Villa Park on Saturday evening knowing a win would move them to within one point of the visitors.

All of a sudden, a second successive top four finish wouldn’t look out of the question.

They’ll fancy their chances too, no doubt. Enzo Maresca’s side have been erratic over the past couple of months. Their title challenge has faded and now they are another of the sides in the scrap for a top four finish. A scrap they’re currently losing. In recent weeks, they’ve been hammered by Manchester City and Brighton. A period that coincides with Cole Palmer having failed to register a goal involvement in his last five matches.

Now is the time for him to show up. Now is the time for Chelsea to show they have the mental fortitude for a top four fight. It’d be a big three points and it’d be a blow to one of their rivals. It’s a big game. Time for the Blues to show what they’re made of.

The Etihad hoodoo

Liverpool haven’t won a Premier League match at the Etihad for almost 10 years. The Reds last claimed all three points away to City in November 2015 when Roberto Firmino inspired them to a 4-1 win.

Arne Slot’s side will be hoping to bring that run to an end on Sunday. The Reds have stuttered over recent weeks, dropping points to Everton and Aston Villa in games they’ve been leading while only managing to claim a narrow win over Wolves at Anfield.

Their lead at the top is diminishing. Right now, it stands at eight points having played a game more. The gap at kick-off on Sunday could be five points if Arsenal beat West Ham on Saturday afternoon.

The pressure then mounts, doesn’t it? A draw at the Etihad would give the Reds a six-point lead having played a game more and Arsenal will smell blood. It’s a free hit for Arsenal with no pressure or expectation on them, and they can chase the Reds down.

And while City have been out of sorts this term, they are currently in possession of the final Champions League spot. A spot they’re going to want to claim for the remainder of the season. They’re going to be up for this. It isn’t a top of the table clash like previous ties between these two but it is just as big, for both teams.

The top four battle

At the start of the season, few would’ve had this down as a game with top four ramifications. But here we are. Nottingham Forest are currently third on 47 points. Their form has been a little sketchy over recent weeks but they’re holding on to a place in the Champions League places, for now at least.

Newcastle are seventh, six points off of their hosts. They had been on a remarkable run of form prior to the last month. They’ve lost three of their last five and this includes a 4-0 loss to Manchester City last weekend.

If Forest claim all three points here, it probably ends Newcastle’s hopes of gatecrashing the top four, doesn’t it? But if the Magpies win, all of a sudden, Forest’s position in the top four becomes awfully precarious.

The outcome here is massive in the grand scheme of things, for a number of clubs.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Premier League on FotMob – with in-depth stat coverage including xG, shot maps, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Feb

2025

FPL tips from the reigning champ: GW26

Get ahead of the Group Chat thanks to our new regular column from FPL expert Jonas Sand Låbakk.

By Graham Ruthven, in conversation with Jonas Sand Låbakk

Introducing our expert

Jonas is a 21 year old student who, like FotMob, hails from Norway. He was Fantasy Premier League champion for the 2023/24 season, finishing ahead of 11 million other managers. So who better to provide expert advice?

Read his expert advice every week.

*Don’t forget the early FPL deadline for this round – make your transfers and get your team sorted before 18:30 GMT on Friday 21 February*

The Eye Test vs. The Stats

Matheus Cunha (6.8m) has been a shining light for Wolves this season even as the Molineux outfit have struggled at the wrong end of the Premier League table.

The Brazilian is now the fourth highest scoring attacker in FPL at this moment in time. Only Erling Haaland, Alexander Isak and Chris Wood have tallied more points than him over the course of the 2024/25 campaign.

Wolves have come through a series of tricky fixtures during which many FPL managers sold him. Now, though, Vítor Pereira’s team have a more favourable run of games with an upcoming meeting with Southampton in GW29 most appealing.

In GW25, Wolves faced Liverpool at Anfield. Despite the tough task, Cunha still managed to catch the eye, finding the back of the net against the table-toppers.

Cunha offers a lot on the pitch and that is reflected in the FPL bonus points he has accrued this season. The Brazilian almost always collects three bonus points with every attacking return he delivers.

In nine of the last 11 matches he has delivered an attacking return, Cunha has also been awarded three bonus points.

On the statistical side of things, though, there is reason to believe Cunha is over-performing.

The 25-year-old has registered 16 goal involvements from an Expected Goal Involvements (xGI) of just 9.8 this season. Cunha is a prolific shooter, averaging 3.5 per 90 minutes, but many of them are typically low xG opportunities.

While some believe Cunha is a regular penalty taker for Wolves, he has only taken two from the spot this season with Pablo Sarabia usually their first-choice from 12 yards.

Leandro Trossard (6.9m) is one of a few cheap Arsenal attacking assets who are worth a look at in the coming game weeks.

The Gunners are in the midst of an injury crisis with Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli all sidelined. Trossard is therefore likely to start against West Ham this weekend.

Against Leicester City in GW25, Trossard contributed an assist in a 2-0 win, collecting six FPL points. There is more hype around Ethan Nwaneri (4.5m) (the 17-year-old was my long shot tip last week) but Trossard holds real value.

Trossard’s versatility could see him start as a centre forward against West Ham just as he did against Leicester. The Belgian was moved to the flank after Mikel Merino’s match winning introduction for Raheem Sterling.

Merino bagged a brace in his 21 minutes on the pitch, suggesting Mikel Arteta could start the midfielder up front against the Hammers. However, Trossard is still a solid bet to play 90 minutes in GW26.

*Arsenal goals + assists, Premier League 2024/25*

Like Cunha, Trossard’s stats don’t make for the most positive reading. Nonetheless, he could be a crucial figure for Arsenal between now and the end of the season, with the Gunners chasing Liverpool in first place.

Arsenal also have Chelsea in GW29 when other teams have a blank game week. Trossard could be a good option for your team if you aren’t planning on using your Free Hit.

Long shot

Christopher Nkunku (5.7m) was a player many FPL managers (including myself) were excited to start the season with.

Many believed the Frenchman would receive regular game time after a positive pre-season. This, however, failed to materialise as Nicolas Jackson started the campaign in strong form as Chelsea’s first-choice number nine.

Now, though, Jackson is out until April through injury with Marc Guiu also sidelined. Subsequently, Nkunku, whose price has fallen to 5.7m from 6.5m at the start of the season, should get a run in the Chelsea team.

This makes Nkunku a potentially powerful differential with just 2% of managers owning him. Chelsea also have a run of favourable fixtures coming up with the highlights being home games against Southampton in GW27 and Leicester in GW28.

If he keeps his place in the lineup, Nkunku could be a smart pick for this stretch.

Upcoming games to follow

GW26 might be the most obviously compelling of game weeks from a FPL perspective, but there are still three standout fixtures.

Leicester City host Brentford, on Friday night, in a match that has some shock potential. The Foxes might be fighting relegation near the foot of the table, but Brentford have been broadly poor on their travels this season.

Ruud van Nistelrooy could be a good pick as an Assistant Manager while Bryan Mbeumo (7.9m) and Yoane Wissa (6.3m) are worth monitoring.

Saturday’s clash between Arsenal and West Ham should see the hosts claim three points, but their injury troubles could be a factor.

Nwaneri (4.5m), Trossard (6.9m) and Arsenal’s defensive assets including Gabriel (6.3m) should all be on your radar.

My last game to keep an eye on is the one between Bournemouth and Wolves at the Vitality Stadium.

The Cherries are favourites for the win, but Wolves have the potential to surprise. All three Bournemouth midfielders – Antoine Semenyo (5.7m), Dango Ouattara (5.1m) and Justin Kluivert (6.0m) are worth watching. Meanwhile, the aforementioned Cunha is an option too.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

Did you know that you can track live Fantasy points with FotMob? Simply select any Premier League game, swipe to the Lineup tab, and press the big ‘Fantasy’ button! Download the free app here.

Feb

2025

The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup: A Grand Vision Miscalculated?

FIFA’s grand ambition for the 2025 Club World Cup might have collided with reality. The tournament, set to be the biggest iteration yet, is intended to usher in a new era of global club football, featuring an expanded 32-team format hosted across major US cities. But as ticket prices were reduced dramatically, the question looms: did FIFA overestimate the demand for its latest spectacle?

By David Skilling

The decision to expand the Club World Cup was positioned as a game-changer. With 12 European clubs, including giants like Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Chelsea, alongside South American powerhouses and global contenders from Africa, Asia, and North America, the tournament promised a ‘World Cup of club football.’ The US, with its deep pockets, state-of-the-art stadiums, and FIFA’s growing interest in the American market, was the natural choice to host. But just months before kickoff, signs of sluggish demand suggest that this grand plan may not be unfolding as expected.

Initial ticket prices were nothing short of astronomical. Fans looking to attend the semi-finals originally faced a steep $526 (£423) price tag, while the cheapest seats for the final were a staggering $892 (£717). Recently, FIFA introduced a pricing tier that drops prices for the semi-finals to $140 (£113) and for the final to $300 (£241). Officially, FIFA maintains this is not a price cut but a strategy to “reward fan loyalty.” But the sheer scale of the markdown suggests a different story – one of demand that hasn’t matched the organisation’s lofty projections.

FIFA’s increasing focus on the US market is no secret. With the 2026 World Cup looming, the governing body sees the Club World Cup as a precursor to drum up interest in football’s next big frontier. The logic seems sound: the US has a booming football scene helped by David Beckham bringing Lionel Messi and friends to Inter Miami, the MLS is growing steadily and international friendlies on U.S soil can draw large crowds (Real Madrid vs Barcelona for example). But FIFA may have underestimated the challenge of selling a 32-strong club football competition to an audience that primarily engages with the sport’s biggest names.

While the World Cup in the US sells itself, the Club World Cup is a different proposition. The average American sports fan isn’t necessarily invested in Chelsea vs. León or Manchester City vs. Wydad AC. Club allegiances in the US are fragmented, with a mix of European, Latin American, and local loyalties, making it harder to create the kind of unified enthusiasm.

One of FIFA’s biggest miscalculations may have been its pricing strategy. Football fans, even die-hard ones, have limits to their spending. Expecting them to shell out big money for games featuring clubs that are unfamiliar to a large portion of the American audience, and even the global football audience in some cases, was always going to be a tough sell. Even in Europe, where these clubs have entrenched fanbases, such prices would raise eyebrows. In a country where football still competes with the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB for attention, FIFA’s pricing strategy felt more like wishful thinking than sound business sense.

If an organisation wants to grow a sport in a country, it has to make it accessible, especially considering that a lot of U.S. sports fans are already disillusioned with rising ticket prices for their favourite sports. To me, there was a missed opportunity to position football as a more accessible sport and invite a wider audience to enjoy the spectacle.

FIFA has long sought to build a truly global club competition, but history suggests that forcing such expansion rarely guarantees success. The Club World Cup, in its previous and much smaller format, already struggled for mainstream appeal outside of the participating clubs’ fanbases. The competition was often seen as an obligation rather than a prestigious title chase, and the hope was that expansion would elevate its status. Lukewarm ticket sales indicate that this move might not be paying off.

One could argue that FIFA is banking on a long-term strategy—perhaps they don’t expect this tournament to sell out immediately but see it as the beginning of a slow build. But when ticket sales lag this significantly, it raises concerns about whether the format itself needs tweaking. If the focus is long-term then accessibility should have been a priority over revenue generation.

Would a smaller, higher-quality tournament with only the absolute elite teams generate more interest? Or do football fans just not have the desire for another club competition? These are questions FIFA will have to confront sooner rather than later.

As FIFA works to fill stadiums and repackage its messaging around ticket prices, the broader implications are clear. The governing body’s ambitions for the Club World Cup may have been too aggressive, too soon. The US may be the future of football growth, but expecting immediate demand for a month-long club competition, at exorbitant prices, was a gamble that is not paying off – at least not yet.

FIFA has built its empire on grand visions, often pushing boundaries and reshaping the global football landscape. But if this tournament struggles to generate the excitement and turnout it envisioned, it may serve as a stark reminder that even the most powerful football institution in the world cannot manufacture demand out of thin air.

There is undoubtedly a growing interest in football in the U.S. I spend a lot of time there, and the conversation around the sport is far more common now than it was a decade ago. However, the powers that be must be careful not to mistake enthusiasm and attention for a willingness to buy tickets, especially at unreasonable prices.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the expanded Club World Cup on FotMob – with in-depth stat coverage including xG, shot maps, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Feb

2025

‘I was wrong about Wataru Endo – and I think Arne Slot was too’

In the throes of Arne Slot’s first pre-season at Liverpool, a failed £11.8 million bid for Wataru Endo left this writer to ponder whether it made business sense for the club to part ways with their No. 3.

By Jack Lusby, ThisIsAnfield.com

Oh, how I was wrong.

Wataru Endo‘s minutes in pre-season had been steady but, with Liverpool pushing to sign a new No. 6 and Ryan Gravenberch swiftly installed to the first-choice XI upon his return from a post-Euros break, he was clearly out of favour.

So when an offer from Marseille arrived at the end of July – duly rejected but with sources on Merseyside indicating that, with a number of clubs from Germany also interested, an exit would be granted – it seemed realistic that he would move on.

Around 900 words were penned for This Is Anfield arguing that, as the third-oldest player in the squad with the seventh-longest contract, those within Liverpool’s hierarchy would view a quick sale as favourable – even at a slight loss.

The sense that his £16 million signing from Stuttgart, pushed through after failed bids for Moisés Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, was nothing more than a stopgap was magnified by change in the dugout.

But no transfer materialised, that £11.8 million offer from the south of France representing the extent of any concrete approaches for the Japan captain.

Even then, though, it was communicated that he would struggle for game time, with the subsequent rise of Gravenberch operating as a No. 6 to world-class standards suggesting that, as a more traditional defensive midfielder, Endo was an ill fit.

Arne Slot‘s use of Endo in the first two-and-a-half months of the campaign – just two starts, both in the Carabao Cup, and four more substitute appearances totalling four minutes off the bench – indicated that the head coach felt the same way.

Given how Liverpool’s system feeds off the progressive, line-breaking ability of Gravenberch in the deep-lying role, there seemed little place for the 32-year-old beyond a role as experienced rotation for the cups.

There had been few alterations in general between games as Slot oversaw a comfortable routine in those first months of the season, but the lack of chances will have been jarring for a player who was among the 10 most-used players in Jürgen Klopp’s final campaign – even with a pause for the Asia Cup with Japan.

But things began to change around the end of October, including a whopping 13 minutes after replacing Darwin Núñez in a 2-1 victory over Brighton – Endo’s longest cameo to date in the Premier League at that time.

*Endo’s season summary at Liverpool to date*

A regular in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup, there now appears a greater appreciation for what Endo can offer whether as a substitute or a starter, particularly as the Reds look to hold onto slender leads.

That was no more apparent than in the 2-1 victory over Wolves at Anfield, where he came on for Luis Díaz and shut down an increasing threat for the visitors as Slot tasked him with a man-marking job on Matheus Cunha.

“[He told me] I have to go everywhere, cover all over the pitch,” the midfielder told LFCTV after the game.

In 19 minutes of normal time Endo contested five duels, winning three of them, forcing two fouls from Wolves players while committing two himself.

Following Wednesday’s 2-2 draw at Aston Villa, the veteran has featured in 15 of Liverpool’s 27 games since the start of November, with Núñez the only player used more off the bench in the campaign as a whole.

Though his on-ball remit was limited to only nine touches he completed all five of his attempted passes, two of which were into the final third.

It was a performance that summed up exactly what he offers to Liverpool in this reduced role: sharp and aggressive, while offering the dynamism that perhaps Slot did not see in him during those early months of his reign.

Endo may not be the same type of No. 6 as Gravenberch – nor is he similar to primary summer target Martin Zubimendi – but the suggestion that he simply does not fit into Slot’s system is erroneous.

Klopp’s praise following a goalscoring display in a 5-1 victory over Toulouse highlighted that Endo can offer more than is perhaps expected of him.

“The forward passes he played tonight were absolutely incredible,” Klopp said at the time. “And how often he broke lines with one touch, that was absolutely insane.”

In fact there is a growing feeling that Slot should be employing his talents more prominently, especially as signs of wear start to show on Gravenberch in the engine room.

Gravenberch is on course to enjoy his busiest season yet as a senior professional and the decision to substitute him after just an hour against Everton confirmed that even he is susceptible to tiring.

*Endo vs. Gravenberch comparison on defensive numbers, Premier League games only*

Yet in a game played out in the frenzied atmosphere of Goodison Park’s final derby, Slot saw fit to leave Endo unused, with Alexis Mac Allister and Curtis Jones his nominal No. 6s and Diogo Jota replacing Díaz in the final throes at 2-1 up.

The events that unfolded in additional time, as James Tarkowski volleyed in the most unexpected of equalisers, were certainly avoidable and there is strong a case to argue that another defender on the pitch would have helped.

Similar occurred in Liverpool’s draw at Villa Park, with an ailing trio of Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai – along with the more advanced Curtis Jones – toiling to maintain the intensity while a seasoned midfielder sat dormant.

It remains a fact that Slot is yet to start Endo in a Premier League fixture, while his only start in eight Champions League games came as part of a heavily rotated side in the dead rubber at PSV Eindhoven.

And that could prompt the question of whether he fully trusts his abilities even at this stage, after months of convincing cameos and steadfast displays starting in the cups – even as a centre-back on a number of occasions.

Just as this writer was wrong to doubt Endo’s influence when measured against the value of an eight-figure bid, it is still worth asking whether Slot is wrong not to give him more of a spotlight in higher-profile games.

After all, everything thrown at Liverpool’s No. 3 so far he has dealt with to the highest standard.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Feb

2025

Can Messi bring Inter Miami the MLS Cup in 2025?

In what could be Lionel Messi’s final year in MLS, there is pressure on Inter Miami to assert themselves as the league’s dominant team.

By Graham Ruthven

By almost every metric, Lionel Messi’s first full season in Major League Soccer was a success. He registered 21 goals and 11 assists, driving Inter Miami to the Supporters’ Shield. He was the league’s MVP and sold out stadiums across the USA and Canada. And yet the 37-year-old was denied MLS’s ultimate glory.

The LA Galaxy won the 2024 MLS Cup, not Inter Miami. In fact, Messi and co. didn’t even make it past Round One of the playoffs, suffering a surprise early exit to Atlanta United. It was, on seeding, the biggest upset in MLS playoff history and shocked those who’d predicted The Herons would stroll to a Cup and Shield double.

Within the Chase Stadium locker room, there is surely a burning desire to make amends as the 2025 season kicks off this weekend. Inter Miami weren’t truly rewarded for being the best team in MLS last year and so this season will only be a success if they go all the way and finally win MLS Cup.

This could be Messi’s final year in MLS. While it’s entirely possible the World Cup winner could exercise an option to stay for 2026 (when Inter Miami are expected to move into their new stadium), his current contract only takes him to the end of this season. It might be now or never for Messi to achieve symbol success in MLS. He’s under pressure to deliver.

Of course, Messi is well used to pressure by now. The pressure he is under to win MLS Cup as an Inter Miami player is nothing compared to the expectation placed on him to win a World Cup for Argentina. Or to win league and European titles at Barcelona. Nonetheless, Messi’s MLS legacy could be determined by what happens in 2025.

Inter Miami have brought back the majority of their squad from 2024. The former Barcelona core of Messi, Luis Suárez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba are still together, albeit a year older. That could be a factor in Suárez’s attacking output with Busquets also fading as a physical force in the centre of the pitch.

*Inter Miami’s top ratings, MLS 2024 season*

Tata Martino, however, has been replaced by Javier Mascherano who enters MLS as a relative rookie. The former midfielder played with Messi and co. for Barca, but his only coaching experience came as Argentina U23 manager at the Paris Olympics. This is his first time coaching a team at senior level and so there’s a question mark over him.

There remains a question mark over Inter Miami as a defensive unit. As the 2024 season went on, opposition teams started to figure out ways to expose The Herons in defensive transition. There was space to exploit behind their backline, as Atlanta United demonstrated in knocking them out of the playoffs.

South Americans Maxi Falcón and Gonzalo Luján have come in over the off-season to strengthen the defensive line while a clearing up of the injury list should also help Inter Miami improve at the back. Even still, it’s possible The Herons’ fundamental structure as a team is too top-heavy to sustain form over a full campaign.

*Goals scored vs. Goals conceded, MLS 2024 season*

That some of Inter Miami’s rivals appear to have gotten weaker over the off-season should boost their chances of a strong campaign. The LA Galaxy lost Dejan Joveljić to Sporting KC while the Columbus Crew sold Cucho Hernández to Real Betis on the final day of the January transfer window.

Atlanta United have spent €30m on attacking talent with Emmanuel Latte Lath joining from Middlesbrough and Miguel Almirón returning to the club where he made his name in MLS. The Five Stripes could be a contender in the Eastern Conference again, but it might take some time for things to mesh under new head coach Ronny Deila.

On talent alone, no team in MLS history has ever boasted so many elite level players as Inter Miami do now. Messi and Suárez can blow away any opponent at any moment. Busquets remains one of the best central anchors around while Alba has been a force of nature down the left wing since making the move to South Florida. Then there’s Federico Redondo, son of Fernando and one of Argentina’s best young midfielders.

Inter Miami have made themselves the marquee club in MLS over the past two seasons. When they play, there are eyeballs, usually from a sold-out crowd of fans. This, however, has also put a target on their backs. The Herons are the team everyone in MLS wants to take down. It’s Messi versus the rest and 2025 could be the year he comes out on top.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the new MLS season on FotMob, starting this weekend – with in-depth stat coverage including xG, shot maps, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Feb

2025

David Moyes has unlocked Beto’s role at Everton

Beto has been the unlikely driving force behind Everton’s recent surge up the Premier League table.

By Graham Ruthven

It took Beto 42 games to reach four goals for Everton under Sean Dyche. By contrast, the Bissau-Guinean has scored the same number in just five appearances with David Moyes at the helm. The Toffees are on the rise and Beto epitomises this better than anyone else. He has been transformed by the managerial change.

Written off as a flop since joining from Udinese in 2023, Beto is demonstrating the sort of form that attracted Everton to him in the first place. They paid €30m to sign him in the belief he would give them an attacking focal point. It might have taken longer than expected, but Beto is now that figure.

Beto is used to proving his doubters wrong. He was released by Benfica as a teenager. He worked in a KFC while playing part-time football in the Portuguese lower leagues. From there, he moved up the pyramid in Portugal with Portimonense before joining Udinese. It was in Serie A where he truly showcased his potential, though.

At Udinese, Beto scored 21 goals over two seasons. This was from an Expended Goals (xG) of 23.1, proving that his form was no flash in the pan. He was taking up good positions as the head of the Udinese attack and receiving his rewards. He developed quickly and added different elements to his game.

*Beto’s Udinese career summary (appearances, goals, assists, rating)*

Most notably, Beto became more of a penalty box operator in Serie A. He learned the value of stillness and when to use his physical attributes to get in behind opposition defences. This was reflected in the number of goals he scored within the 18-yard box as an Udinese player. Indeed, all of his 21 league goals were finished inside the area.

This is the player Everton wanted when they beat the likes of Inter and Juventus to the punch of signing Beto. They required a physical, but mobile centre forward to provide a different dimension to the increasingly injury-prone Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Dyche, however, wasn’t a manager whose approach harnessed such a striker.

Despite standing at 6ft 4”, Beto isn’t the sort of centre forward who wants to fight for the ball in the air. This, however, is what ‘Dyche-ball’ demanded of him. 35% of Everton’s total xG over the 2023/24 and 2024/25 seasons with Dyche in charge came from set piece situations. Beto was expected to win aerial duels when that has never been his game.

Moyes has utilised him in a different way. He wants to get Beto turned and running at goal. Look at the two goals he scored in the recent 4-0 win over Leicester City as well as his opener in the thrilling 2-2 draw against Liverpool in the Merseyside Derby. Everton are playing into space for Beto to attack.

It’s not just Beto giving Everton a different look in the attacking third under Moyes. Jack Harrison has found form on the left wing. Then there’s Carlos Alcaraz who joined the Goodison Park outfit on loan from Flamengo late in the January transfer window. The Argentine livewire has electrified Everton’s in-possession game.

Defensively, Dyche also left a solid foundation for Moyes to build on. The new Everton manager has publicly acknowledged this, highlighting that the era of ‘Dyche-ball’ at Goodison Park wasn’t for nothing. For a long time, it was a necessity to keep Everton in the Premier League. Realistically, there wasn’t any other way.

Now, though, Everton are entering a new era. The first test event at the new Bramley-Moore Dock stadium was held this week, offering a tantalising glimpse of what next season will look like for the Toffees. PSR concerns remain and Everton are still a long way from where they ultimately want to be, but fans can now look forward instead of over their shoulder.

Beto’s remarkable, and unexpected, form is reflective of how Moyes has unlocked much more from the group of players he inherited. The 61-year-old isn’t exactly the most modern of football thinkers, but Everton have undeniably become a more proactive, dynamic team since his return to Goodison Park. Beto has helped facilitate this shift.

Saturday’s home match against Manchester United presents Beto with another opportunity to prove his value to this Everton team. At a time when United are desperately struggling for an attacking focal point with an eye for goal, the Toffees are increasingly realising they have one of their own. This quality was always in Beto, it just took the right manager to bring it out of him.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Premier League on FotMob – with in-depth stat coverage including xG, shot maps, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Feb

2025

Beto has been the unlikely driving force behind Everton’s recent surge up the Premier League table.

By Graham Ruthven

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Premier League on FotMob – with in-depth stat coverage including xG, shot maps, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Feb

2025

Preview: Villa take on Liverpool in midweek Premier League action

Aston Villa host Premier League leaders Liverpool on Wednesday evening looking to give their hopes of finishing in the top four a kickstart. The Reds, meanwhile, are eager to extend their lead at the summit in the midst of a difficult run of fixtures. There’s plenty up for grabs during this rearranged clash at Villa Park.

By Sam McGuire

Why now?

This match was originally scheduled for the weekend of March 15/16, but Liverpool’s participation in the Carabao Cup final on March 16 meant the game against Villa had to be rearranged.

The hosts had requested for this game to be pushed back and played later on in the campaign but this, much to their frustration, was refused.

It means, when factoring in the FA Cup fixtures, Villa will end up playing a total of seven matches during February, while the club is set to play just one Premier League match during March.

Liverpool, meanwhile, will go from having a game in hand just one week ago to having played a game more than their title rivals.

Aston Villa’s stuttering form

Aston Villa claimed a fourth place finish last term and had been tipped for a similar sort of season this time around. However, Unai Emery’s men now find themselves in ninth position after a stop-start season.

They have won just two of their last seven across all competitions and these victories came against Celtic in the Champions League and Spurs in the FA Cup. They have lost against relegation threatened Wolves during this run while also only managing to pick up draws against Ipswich Town and West Ham United.

Against the Tractor Boys, they were up against 10-men for an entire half but couldn’t overcome the visitors. They did deserve to win the game though, racking up 25 shots to four, six big chances to zero and finishing with an xG of 2.42.

If they are to get anything from this game against the Premier League leaders, they’ll need to be at their best. Something they’ve struggled to do this term.

*A reminder of this season’s earlier meeting between these two*

Are the Reds running out of steam?

Liverpool have been fortunate to have a number of key player remain fit this season. But this is a blessing and a curse. Why? Because these key players have now racked up a lot of football and appear to be feeling it in their legs.

Against Wolves on Sunday, the Reds looked brilliant in the first half but then appeared to be completely out of gas after the break. They didn’t manage a single shot, at home, in the second 45 minutes. Wolves, meanwhile, dominated things. The away side had more possession and out-shot their hosts 10-0. Had they managed to score an equaliser, few in red could’ve complained.

Against Everton on Wednesday, Liverpool conceded a 98th minute equaliser having allowed their hosts to come back into the game during the final moments of the match. It felt like deja vu against Wolves. They were fortunate not to suffer a similar fate.

A repeat of that performance this time around, at Villa Park, could end in defeat. Unai Emery’s side have the players to hurt Liverpool, even with their many, many injuries.

The Mo Salah farewell tour continues

It is feast or famine for Salah at Villa Park.

The Liverpool attacker scored twice in the 7-2 loss during the 2020/21 campaign and then scored and assisted in the 3-1 win over the Villans during the 2022/23 season. Outside of that, though, he’s blanked in three away games.

The Premier League leaders will be hoping the three-time Golden Boot winner is once again feasting at Villa Park this week. He heads into the game in fine form too. He currently has seven in his last six across all competitions and has at least one goal involvement in each of his last six matches for the Reds.

Prediction

Villa are without a host of names, with Emery unable to call upon the likes of Amadou Onana and Boubacar Kamara, while the Reds are expected to be without Cody Gakpo and Joe Gomez. However, Liverpool’s squad depth should be enough to see them, once again, get over the line. We’re going with a narrow 2-1 win.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every Premier League game with FotMob this season — featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.