Page 24 – The Pulse of Football

Sep

2024

Analysis: Why Lee Carsley is the right man to lead England in the long term

The international break always produces intriguing discourse in football circles, and this time was no exception. While those not too interested in qualifiers spent their time reminiscing about the good old days of the Barclays Premier League, some others produced some frankly astonishing takes on interim England head coach Lee Carsley.

By Neel Shelat

From a purely sensible and football-focused perspective, though, he has shown why he could be the best candidate for a more permanent role.

It was only the UEFA Nations League, but Lee Carsley’s tenure as England’s interim head coach could hardly have gotten off to a better start. Two 2-0 wins over Ireland and Finland have set the Three Lions well on course for a return to League A, but the performances and manner of those victories were the biggest positives.

In the process, the 50-year-old tactician has to have placed himself firmly in contention for a more permanent role. He might not be the most glamorous appointment, but he checks all the required boxes to lead England forward.

Knows the Club Country

Whenever a manager joins a side they have previous experience with, the ‘knows the club’ cliche is whipped out without fail. It can often be a shallow piece of analysis but in Carsley’s case, it actually is quite relevant.

The former Ireland international has spent the entirety of his career in England both as a player and coach, including almost a decade in the national team’s youth setup. He started off as a specialist coach across various age groups besides working at the academies of clubs such as Coventry City, Brentford, Sheffield United and Manchester City.

In 2020, Carsley took over as the England Under-20 head coach and within a year, he was promoted to the Under-21 side. It was with them that he won the only tournament of his career so far — the 2023 Under-21 Euros.

The side that Carsley led to European glory included the likes of Cole Palmer, Anthony Gordon, Levi Colwill, Curtis Jones, Angel Gomes and Noni Madueke, who have all now been capped by the senior team. Some of them could go on to become key figures in the long term, so they would benefit from being supported by a coach who already has an established relationship with them.

A Fresh Approach

While Carsley’s experience in the England youth setups should give him the upper hand over other candidates in one aspect, the Three Lions could also benefit from it by giving him a role in the coaching staff. What makes him a strong candidate for the head coach role, then, is his style of play.

Gareth Southgate – who incidentally was also an unglamorous appointment at the time, having been promoted from the under-21 job – undoubtedly left England in a better place than he found them after Sam Allardyce’s resignation. Towards the end of his tenure, though, his side certainly did not make themselves easy on the eye. His rather conservative team selections and tactics resulted in some very stodgy performances at the Euros, as they just about ground out results and even had to survive some scares against weaker opposition before ultimately falling just short against Spain in the final.

Southgate’s stubbornness in terms of his approach and player picks led to some frustrating situations such as a very one-dimensional attack as the lack of a left-footed left back and traditional left winger effectively blocked that flank automatically. Some also criticised him for not appropriately incorporating players with unique profiles like Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Carsley’s work with the under-21s and his first two matches in charge of the senior side suggest he will not face such issues. He has always encouraged his players to adopt a fluid style of play in possession with a good deal of freedom afforded to the attackers and well-designed systems to get the most out of every player. So, in his very first match in charge, he instantly fixed England’s left wing blockage with two graduates of his under-21 side, in Colwill and Gordon.

The Birmingham-born tactician also managed to get Alexander-Arnold going by giving him a similar role to the one he plays for Liverpool, reaping instant rewards as the 25-year-old full-back can be found at the top of the Expected Assists (xA) and chances created charts in League B.

Additionally Carsley showed his willingness to experiment and blood in promising youngsters, handing out three debuts in two matches and trying out Rico Lewis at left back. None of this came at the cost of the performances of some the team’s best players like Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka, so almost all of England’s players enjoyed a positive international break.

While they only faced Ireland and Finland, the Three Lions’ performances should be considered quite impressive when contrasted with their showings against the likes of Slovenia and Slovakia at the Euros, who are quite similarly-ranked, as far as FIFA are concerned.

After such a brilliant start, Carsley simply needs to keep the momentum going to make himself an irrefutable favourite for the permanent job.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Sep

2024

Trent Alexander-Arnold has started the season like a player with a point to prove.

Perhaps he’s looking to make a point to the recently departed England manager, Gareth Southgate.

By Sam McGuire

The Liverpool right-back was in the starting XI for the Three Lions – as a midfielder – at the start of Euro 2024 but was soon dropped to the bench. Southgate didn’t appear to trust him enough at full-back, opting for Kyle Walker there instead.

England made it to the final but lost 2-1 to Spain. They struggled to create anything in Berlin, finishing the game with an Expected Goals Total of 0.53. Alexander-Arnold watched on from the bench for the entire match.

That could well be the driving force behind his start to the campaign.

He might be looking to silence those who felt he’d struggle without Jürgen Klopp as his manager at club level. The 25-year-old has been described by some as a system player. The theory is that had Klopp not made him such an integral part of his team, he might not be viewed as the creative force he is today.

The contract situation might be playing a part in these early season showings. Alexander-Arnold is into the final 12 months of his deal at Anfield. If he’s to sign a new deal with the Reds, he’ll no doubt feel he’s done enough to justify earning the same sort of money as Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah. His outings in the opening three games of the Premier League season purely serve as a reminder of what he’s capable of and why, despite being a defender, he’s very much a difference-maker.

There is a world in which this form is a subtle message to Real Madrid too. The reigning European champions are believed to be interested in him and are exploring the possibility of bringing him to the club on a free transfer next summer. Despite uncertainty surrounding his future, he’s still performing to a high level. That’ll be acknowledged and appreciated in Madrid.

Whatever the reason for it, it has been a positive for both Liverpool and England.

Yes, the sample size isn’t the largest so you shouldn’t get carried away just yet, but these showings should not be overlooked or taken for granted.

Interim Three Lions boss Lee Carsley named him as the right-back in his starting XI for both games played during the international break. Against Ireland, the full-back played the pass of the match to set up Anthony Gordon. He carved out two big chances as England claimed a 2-0 win. He finished the game with the second-highest Expected Assists total.

Carsley put his faith in the Scouser and he was rewarded for it. The Liverpool academy graduate finished with a FotMob rating of (8.0). Only the two goalscorers, Declan Rice (9.1) and Jack Grealish (8.3) could boast a higher total. Speaking after the match, Carsley praised the EE Man-of-the-Match.

“That’s one of the things we try with all of the players, getting the best out of them and putting them into familiar positions that they’re playing at their clubs,” Carsley told the media afterwards.

“If you see Trent playing for Liverpool this season, it’s very similar to the way we asked him to play, in terms of when we built, he often went central, with Kobbie Mainoo and Declan Rice a little bit higher or wider. I think what we’ve noticed, especially within the pathway of players we’ve got, is that full-backs now are almost like midfield players, they’ve got all the attributes of midfielders and Trent definitely fits into that bracket.

“I thought he was very good, I thought he got a little bit tired at the end but I thought it was a positive performance.”

Alexander-Arnold then went on to play the full 90 minutes against Finland, at Wembley, setting up the first of Harry Kane’s two goals on the night and creating five chances in total, the most of any one on the pitch. This time, only Kane, England’s captain could beat Alexander-Arnold’s 8.6 FotMob rating.

At club level, as Carsley noted, Alexander-Arnold has been just as impactful.

He ranks joint-second in the Premier League for Expected Assists this season with 1.5. Only Kevin De Bruyne (1.6) has been more creative than the Liverpool defender.

The No. 66 ranks second within the Liverpool squad for Chances Created (seven) and Big Chances Created (three). Only Dominik Szoboszlai (eight) and Mohamed Salah (four) prevent him from topping both of those charts.

*Alexander-Arnold passing stats, Premier League 2024/25*

He does, however, lead the way for Expected Assists (1.5) and Expected Assists Per 90 (0.6), though the latter is grossly inflated by the small sample size – he’s featured in just 226 minutes this term. However, it does hammer home just how influential he’s been when you realise that Salah, a man with three assists this season, has an xA90 of 0.37 while only one player in the Premier League – Dango Outtara with 0.66 – can better Alexander-Arnold’s xA90 average.

Those who doubted the 2019/20 Premier League winner, whatever their reasoning was, are looking a little foolish and he’s making a mockery of the claims that he was a system player under Klopp. He’s much more and this might finally be the season he’s widely acknowledged as one of the best in the world at what he does.

(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.

Sep

2024

Wrexham look set to continue their charge up the leagues

For a match that had been hyped up beforehand as a local derby, it all ended up a little one-sided at The Racecourse Ground this past Saturday afternoon.

By Ian King

Wrexham beat Shrewsbury Town 3-0 to stay clear at the top of League One with goals from Ollie Palmer, George Dobson and Jack Marriott in front of another capacity crowd of over 13,000.

Of course, it’s hardly as though this story needs a great deal of publicity. The arrival of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McIlhenney at the club in 2021 has irrevocably changed the fortunes of Wrexham AFC, and with the club having already secured two successive promotions from the National League to League One, it’s worth asking the question of how far they can go.

Because if the Shrewsbury win confirmed anything, it was that this particular journey hasn’t started losing momentum yet. This was Wrexham’s fourth win in five league games so far this season, a run of wins only interrupted by a goalless draw away to Bolton Wanderers in August, and they’ve kept four clean sheets in a row.

By any standards, it’s been a spectacular three seasons. After missing out in the National League to Stockport County in 2021/22 they were beaten in the play-offs by Grimsby Town. But the fuel from that season’s disappointment has gone a long, long way. In the two seasons since then, Wrexham have run up 199 points, winning the National League title two years ago and finishing as runners-up in League Two, again to Stockport, last season.

With the international break now coming to a close, all eyes now turn to their next match; and to be fair it is a big one. On Monday night, under the watchful eyes of live television cameras, Wrexham travel to St Andrews to play the similarly high-flying Birmingham City, who themselves have only dropped two points this season and who would join Wrexham on thirteen points were they to win this match.

Birmingham’s journey hasn’t quite been the same as Wrexham’s; not yet, at least. They came under new ownership in July 2023 when the Shelby Group bought into the club. The implication that American footballer Tom Brady was part of the group proved to be considerably overstated. Brady owns only 333 ‘B’ shares in the club and has no voting rights.

The sense that perhaps Blues fans had not quite got the deal that Wrexham fans had a couple of years earlier only felt all the more exaggerated when the club rattled through five managers throughout the course of last season, their campaign collapsing to an ignominious relegation.

When the manager with whom they’d started the season, John Eustace, was sacked on the 9th October they were in 5th place in the Championship table. By the time Wayne Rooney, Steve Spooner, Tony Mowbray, Mark Venus and Tony Mowbray (again) had tried and failed to level their sinking ship, they were in 22nd place in the table and facing third tier football for the first time in thirty years.

Former Spurs assistant Chris Davies is now in charge of the team, and the club made a big statement in the summer in signing Jay Stansfield from Fulham for around £15m. Their start to the season suggests that they have turned to a new chapter following last season’s relegation.

By contrast with this sort of big spending, Wrexham’s ongoing success has been powered by people that have been on this adventure since the beginning. Manager Phil Parkinson and attacking duo Ollie Palmer and Paul Mullin have all been with the club since those National League days, and while they were big names to be joining a club at that level of the game, League One certainly feels more like their more natural home.

The squad has been supplemented with experience. Steve Fletcher is 37 years old now with a career behind him which has taken in Burnley, Wolves, Sunderland, Sheffield Wednesday and Stoke among others. James McClean has 600 career appearances in this country going back almost a decade and a half. Both have been bit-part players on the pitch this season, but the experience they bring at a club which hasn’t experienced this level of the game in a very long time may well turn out to be invaluable.

How far can they go? The challenge is huge. Eight of the clubs starting this season in League One – a third of the total – have previous Premier League experience. Big names such as Bolton, Charlton, Barnsley and Huddersfield are just a small sample of those chasing promotion places, while another name to have stalked Wrexham these last couple of years, Stockport County, are a place behind them in the table with a game in hand. Where Wrexham’s adventure ends up remains anybody’s guess, but for now it still reads more than a little like a Hollywood script.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Sep

2024

We’ll know a lot more about Arne Slot’s Liverpool in 22 days

Only 12 Liverpool players have started a competitive fixture for Arne Slot so far, but this next phase of the season should offer a far greater insight into the new boss’ approach to rotation and utilisation of his squad.

By Matt Ladson, ThisIsAnfield.com

After three opening games of the season were played with a week in between each, no such luxury will be afforded to Liverpool or any other side for the rest of the season. The Reds, in fact, face seven fixtures in 22 days between this and the next international break in October.

In Slot’s own words, it is “only three games played, only games from Saturday to Sunday or Sunday to Sunday; there’s still a lot for us to prove if you’re going to play [in the] Champions League.”

Fortunately for Liverpool, on paper it looks like a kind run of fixtures coming up, with four of the seven at home and league matches being against Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth, Wolves and Crystal Palace.

However, there are also two Champions League games (away to AC Milan and at home to Bologna), plus the Carabao Cup (at home to West Ham) to contend with, plus another 12.30pm Saturday kick-off – which arrives after a Wednesday evening fixture.

It’s fair to say, then, that by the time of the October international break we will have a much clearer picture of how Slot will navigate competing in four competitions with Liverpool, and how much he is prepared to rotate his squad.

The likes of Harvey Elliott (who has played just seven minutes so far), Wataru Endo (one minute), Jarell Quansah (45 minutes), Kostas Tsimikas (18 minutes), Cody Gakpo (53 minutes), Conor Bradley (45 minutes) and Darwin Núñez (32 minutes) will also have a clearer indication of just what their roles are within the squad.

Beyond those, Joe Gomez, Caoimhin Kelleher, Curtis Jones and new signing Federico Chiesa will be hoping to have got their first minutes of the season, too.

Slot has shown already in these three opening games though that he is taking a long-term approach to managing the workload of players, evidenced most notably by the substitution of Trent Alexander-Arnold in the opening home game against Brentford in the 72nd minute.

“We need him for the whole season,” assessed Slot post-match, before adding: “We are taking care of Trent.”

Trent was replaced by Bradley again for the final 15 minutes at Old Trafford a week later, this time leaving the pitch looking much happier. Slot will have explained the reasonings for his approach.

It’s only two years ago that Alexander-Arnold was actually subbed just before the hour in a Merseyside derby which ended 0-0. “We have to [manage his minutes], where can we change in the moment with the players coming in and coming back,” said Jürgen Klopp at the time.

The former Reds boss had said in the summer of 2020: “Robbo and Trent, let’s say, they cannot play every season 50-something games – it would limit their careers, to be honest, even when they come through.”

Slot, though, appears more likely to bring a player such as Trent off early in a game rather than start with their deputy, if we are judging by his time at Feyenoord at least where the Dutchman wasn’t exactly huge on rotation.

The focus appears to be more on managing minutes than the rotation of starting players from match to match. Although, that could well be something that Slot’s approach to changes given the quality of players at his disposal at Anfield.

A Liverpool ‘second XI’ of Kelleher, Bradley, Quansah, Gomez, Tsimikas, Endo, Jones, Elliott, Chiesa, Núñez, Gakpo isn’t exactly something that would be a weak lineup to use, especially in the Carabao Cup.

Slot has offered a warning, too, in his post-match comments after the 2-0 win at Man United, saying: I don’t want to be the one that spoils everything, but two years ago was the last season that we played Champions League and we all know how that season ended.”

Clearly, the 45-year-old is well aware of the history of the squad in terms of their workload in recent seasons.

One person who will play a key role in Slot’s approach is Ruben Peeters, the Reds’ head of performance who followed Slot from Feyenoord and is credited with multiple interesting methods of improving player availability, from looking at a player’s gut health, their sleep patterns, their gait and more.

Peeters’ methods in training have already seen an increase in physical exercises, utilising rugby-style tackle pads and medicine balls. Fewer injuries will certainly improve Slot’s chances of success this season.

(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.

Sep

2024

Scott McTominay is set to thrive at Conte’s Napoli

Napoli’s supporters wasted no time in welcoming Scott McTominay. Hundreds of them mobbed the midfielder after landing at Naples Airport to complete a €30m transfer from Manchester United.

By Graham Ruthven

Before he’d even reached the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, McTominay was confronted by his importance to Antonio Conte’s new-look team.

Alessandro Buongiorno might have cost more (€35m), but McTominay was Napoli’s biggest signing of the summer. He was the marquee addition that said Conte had got his way after publicly complaining about a lack of new signings. Under pressure from his new manager, club president Aurelio De Laurentiis relented. McTominay was one of three deadline day signings – Billy Gilmour and Romelu Lukaku being the other two.

McTominay has the makings of the perfect Conte player. Nobody could ever question the Scotland international’s professionalism and commitment to the cause. Conte won’t have to ban McTominay from having ketchup, like he did his Tottenham Hotspur players – the Scotland international is a physical specimen.

“Scott is exactly the type of player we need at Napoli,” said Conte after the signing of McTominay from Manchester United was confirmed. “He has the mentality and the skills to lead this team back to where it belongs. His work ethic and determination are unmatched, and I believe he will be a crucial part of our success.”

On the pitch, McTominay will also satisfy a need for his new team. Napoli required someone to provide forward thrust from midfield and this is where the 27-year-old will offer a lot. Previously misunderstood as a number six earlier in his career, the last few years has seen McTominay flourish as a box-crashing chaos merchant. Conte wants to harness that chaos.

Anyone who has watched McTominay for Scotland knows just how impactful he can be as an attacking force. He has scored 10 goals in his last 15 games at international level with his latest strikes coming in the recent Nations League matches against Poland and Portugal. Steve Clarke has built around McTominay as Scotland’s most reliable difference-maker.

Only Rasmus Højlund and Bruno Fernandes scored more goals in all competitions for Manchester United last season than McTominay. He averaged 1.4 shots per 90 minutes in the Premier League as well as 1.2 aerials won per 90 minutes. Several United players underwhelmed last season as the Old Trafford side finished a lowly eighth, but McTominay wasn’t one of them.

Of course, McTominay has his flaws as a player. He’s not the sort of midfielder who can dictate possession from deep. His passing statistics leave a lot to be desired – he ranked 20th in Manchester United’s squad for key passes per 90 last season and is in the bottom ninth percentile for passes completed per 90 among players in his position.

This is why Napoli’s deadline day signing of Gilmour from Brighton was so crucial. With a midfield rhythm builder like the 23-year-old behind him McTominay will have the freedom to get forward and play his natural game. The energetic Stanislav Lobotka, who caught the eye for Slovakia at Euro 2024, will also provide a safety net deeper in midfield.

Having Gilmour and Lobotka as a double pivot should help McTominay avoid the pitfalls that frequently befell him at Manchester United. José Mourinho used the Scot alongside Fred as one half of a midfield pairing that was dubbed ‘McFred’ by supporters who argued United needed better in the centre of the pitch.

The stench of the ‘McFred’ partnership followed McTominay around until his final season at United when Erik ten Hag finally started using him in a more advanced role where there wasn’t so much of an onus on the Scot to create with the ball. There is surely some regret at Old Trafford that McTominay’s true qualities weren’t recognised earlier.

For Napoli, McTominay will be pushed up alongside Lukaku who has been reunited with Conte after winning Serie A together at Inter. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has been given a free role by Conte in Napoli’s first few matches of the season and will provide verticality down the left wing. McTominay will be expected to dovetail with the Georgian. As a trio, Lukaku, Kvaratskhelia and McTominay will be a handful.

While there is talent at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, Conte has a lot to address to turn Napoli into a force again. Defeat to Verona on the opening day of the new Serie A season highlighted just how far Gli Azzurri have fallen since they surged to the Scudetto under Luciano Spalletti. Subsequent results and performances against Bologna and Parma have been better, but few expect Napoli to challenge for the title this season.

The saga around Victor Osimhen also damaged Napoli. Having been linked with a mega-money move away from the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona all summer, the Nigerian striker ended up joining Galatasaray on loan in a deal that suits nobody but the Turkish club. Napoli should have collected a big fee for their prize asset. Instead, they are icing Osimhen for a full season.

De Laurentiis has lost the trust of many Napoli supporters and maybe even that of his new manager too. However, the larger-than-life film producer has turned around situations like this before. Indeed, the summer before Napoli won the Scudetto was marked by protests against the club’s leadership.

Conte’s appointment was a coup for Napoli after the former Chelsea and Italy boss was linked with AC Milan and Juventus and the signing of McTominay proves he has been permitted to put his own stamp on Gli Azzurri. The Scot might have been deemed surplus to requirements at Manchester United, but he will be a central pillar for his new team in Serie A.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Sep

2024

The top performances in MLS, Matchday 31

Our Major League Soccer expert James Nalton picks the standout players from the latest round of games in MLS, including his two votes for the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) MLS Player of the Matchday.

By James Nalton

The Top Two

9.7 FotMob rating: Albert Rusnák, Seattle Sounders

Seattle Sounders’ 4-0 win against Columbus Crew was a game that led to plenty of controversy and discussion (more on which later) but it would be remiss not to focus on what was, in the end, a convincing Seattle win that keeps them in the mix for the top four and home advantage in post-season.

Rusnák took full advantage of the Crew’s weakness when a sending-off for goalkeeper Abraham Romero meant outfield player Sean Zawadzki was forced to go in goal.

Rusnák immediately put a free kick past him, placing it into the bottom corner from outside the area where the sending-off offence occurred.

It’s all very well being a man up against a non-goalkeeper but you still need to find the corners and score the goals, and this is what Rusnák did.

He scored from a similar position in open play in the second half to add his second and make the score 3-0, before rounding off the win with a hat-trick with a one-time finish that would have beat any goalkeeper.

8.6 FotMob rating: Jimmy Maurer, FC Dallas

The performances of FC Dallas’ first-choice goalkeeper Maarten Paes this season have propelled him into the spotlight, not so much in MLS itself, but in Indonesia, for whom he now plays international football having made his debut in World Cup qualifying this month.

The absence of Paas through international duty saw Maurer earn his first minutes of the season and the former New York Cosmos No. 1 and American soccer veteran put in a Man of the Match performance.

Vancouver had 21 shots to Dallas’s seven, but only four of them were on target and Maurer saved them all.

The 35-year-old made saves from Sebastian Berhalter, Mathías Laborda, Ryan Raposo, and a shot from Damir Kreilach that looked like it was going in off the post.

There was also a good intervention when Deiber Caicedo was through on goal, getting a hand to the ball as the Colombian tried to take it around him.

He thwarted Caicedo again with a great save from close range in added time.

On top of his defensive work, Maurer also completed 41 of 46 passes for a pass success of 89%, contributing to build-up play as well as making saves.

With help from his defenders, Maurer contributed greatly to the clean sheet that earned Dallas a point on the road in Canada.

Three more standout performers

8.7 FotMob rating: Mateusz Klich, DC United

Former Leeds United midfielder Klich assisted both goals in DC United’s 2-1 win at Chicago Fire.

The game saw Christian Benteke score the goal that took him to 18 for the season and to the top of the MLS goalscoring charts, but it was Klich’s scheming in midfield that stood out.

He crossed from the left for Benteke to open the scoring, and then just three minutes later played an incisive ball through midfield for Gabriel Pirani to add a second.

Klich should have had a third assist in the game’s closing minutes, but Jacob Murrell sent his header from Kich’s pinpoint cross to the far post straight at Chris Brady.

DC United have now won four of their last five games in MLS and are making a late push for the playoffs.

8.5 FotMob rating: Will Sands, New England Revolution

New England’s 2-2 draw with St. Louis City was another of this weekend’s games that resulted in plenty of controversy.

It also witnessed a good performance from New England left-back Sands who finished the game with two assists, three chances created, 3/3 tackles won, and two interceptions.

A ball into the channel from Sands for new $7.5m signing Luca Langoni led to the Revolution’s first goal after some great work down the left from the Argentine.

Sands created a great chance for Dylan Borrero at the end of the first half having burst down the left into the area before cutting the ball back, but the Colombian’s shot hit the post.

Carles Gil made no mistake in a similar situation just before halftime, as Sands found himself in a good attacking position once again to set up his teammate.

Later in the game, with the score at 2-2, New England wanted a penalty for a possible handball by Kyle Hiebert, but referee Timothy Ford didn’t give it even after checking the replay.

“It is mindboggling that he doesn’t call that a penalty. The referee was a complete coward in that moment,” New England boss Caleb Porter said of the incident.

“He shouldn’t officiate. He cost our players two really important points today and I’m not going to stand for it.

“I don’t care if I get fined. I don’t care what [MLS commissioner] Don Garber says. What Don Garber needs to do is look at that situation and hold his official accountable.”

8.5 FotMob rating: Jordan Morris, Seattle Sounders

Seattle’s aforementioned 4-0 win against Columbus turned on an incident involving Morris, who led the line well for the Sounders throughout with some good off-the-ball movement.

It was his run, latching on to a nice through-ball from Cristian Roldan after Darlington Nagbe had lost the ball (itself a collector’s item), that caused all sorts of trouble for Columbus and ended up with their goalkeeper, Abraham Romero, getting sent off.

MLS continues playing during international breaks and the Crew’s two main goalkeepers this season, Nicholas Hagen and Patrick Schulte, had been called up for Guatemala and the United States respectively. Another of their goalkeepers, Evan Bush is out injured.

The Crew had also reached the maximum number of times they are permitted to call up goalkeepers from their second team this year, so were left with Romero as the only goalkeeper in the squad versus Seattle.

When Romero and Morris clashed, the initial concern for Columbus was that Romero might be injured, but the challenge warranted a red card for the goalkeeper anyway after cleaning out the Seattle forward.

Crew defender Zawadzki went in goal, and Seattle took full advantage from there.

Morris played a part in the build-up to his own goal driving forward before feeding Rothrock down the left and then being on hand to turn home his teammate’s cross in the six-yard box. He went on to set up Rusnak’s hat-trick goal with a cross from the left.

The furore and controversy around this game from a Columbus point of view won’t bother Seattle, who are looking to finish the season on a high. They did their job and did it well.

Recent defeats to LAFC and Portland are the Sounders’ only losses in 11 MLS games, and they’ve won eight during that run.

If Brian Schmetzer’s side can keep this kind of form going in the remaining six games, they will have recovered from a poor start and go into the playoffs in a strong position.

(Cover Image from IMAGO)

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

Sep

2024

Preview: England vs. Finland

In the end, it all passed off very much as we might have anticipated. A two-goal half-time lead and a second half closed out fairly effectively. Lee Carsley’s start as England’s interim manager kicked off against Ireland in a manner which felt like a gentle easing away from the late-stage stodginess of the Southgate era.

By Ian King

Carsley takes his Wembley bow against Finland tomorrow night. Finland were comfortably beaten in Athens on Saturday, and this should be a comfortable evening at the office for one of Europe’s strongest teams.

It’s seemed that the fuss and bluster over Declan Rice, Jack Grealish and their very differing reactions to scoring in Dublin on Saturday has blown over quickly, but what about that national anthem business? Lee Carsley didn’t sing it on Saturday, and while again that story has surely now peaked, did its very existence indicate potential media hostility toward Carsley that could solidify should England at some point retreat again to late-stage Southgateism?

Cole Palmer, Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden are all missing from the squad, so we should expect Anthony Gordon and Jack Grealish to start again. They certainly took their opportunity at the weekend. It may also be that second half substitute John Stones could start this one, as could Eberechi Eze and Conor Gallagher.

Historically, England have never lost to Finland, but there isn’t much to go on. They’ve won nine and drawn two from eleven meetings, but the last of those came in qualifying for the 2002 World Cup, when they drew in Helsinki, with England winning the return 2-1 at Anfield.

As with the game in Dublin, the manner of any win against Finland will matter as much as the actual score. Of course, things can always go wrong. There are always two teams on the pitch at any time during a match. Scrambling a last minute 1-0 win would likely be treated very much as drawing or even losing would.

So if these six UEFA Nations League matches are effectively Lee Carsley carrying out an audition to get the job on a permanent basis, this is his opportunity to shine. His freestyle moment. His signature bake. And this is where you see the root of the problem with England. Those expectation levels. Don’t just win. Win in style. It won’t be the last time that Carsley will face this challenge, should he get the job permanently.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Sep

2024

Can Enzo Maresca bring the best out of Jadon Sancho at Chelsea

Jadon Sancho was widely regarded as one of the most exciting youngsters in Europe when he burst onto the scene with Borussia Dortmund, but he’s yet to fulfil his massive potential.

By Matt Smith

Back in 2017, Sancho made the bold move to jet off to Germany to join Borussia Dortmund after coming through the academy at Manchester City. After a few years in the Bundesliga, it looked to be a near-perfect decision. The now-24-year-old flourished abroad, quickly becoming a key player for Dortmund, proving himself domestically and in the Champions League.

Fast forward to now, and Sancho has joined Chelsea on loan after a failed move to Manchester United as the sometime-England international looks to revive his career. It simply didn’t work out for him at Old Trafford, eventually re-joining Dortmund on loan for the second half of last season where he proved again that he still has something to give at the highest level.

Moving to Stamford Bridge, Sancho joins a host of attacking talent, meaning it’s not going to be easy for him to become a regular starter. A prime, on-his-day Sancho undoubtedly walks into Enzo Maresca‘s side, and it’s up to the Chelsea coaching staff to unlock that once again.

*Sancho possession stats per 90, Bundesliga 2023/24*

Although the 24-year-old was only on loan for the second half of the 2023/2024 campaign, Sancho’s numbers showed that he can still be a creative and exciting threat on the wing. Completing 3.40 successful dribbles and 0.32 expected assists per 90 minutes in the Bundesliga, Sancho made a real impact for Dortmund, and was perhaps slightly unlucky not to have achieved more in terms of goal contributions.

Sancho has predominantly played as a left-sided winger during his career, and the former United man will take plenty of confidence in comments made by Maresca in the summer. The Chelsea boss allowed Raheem Sterling to depart due to preferring a different style of winger, with Sancho arriving shortly after.

In the Champions League last season, only four players completed more dribbles per 90 minutes than Sancho. Competing at the highest level, Sancho was a threat in Europe and the Bundesliga, showing that he simply needed the right environment to thrive.

At Chelsea, Sancho will now be competing with the likes of Pedro Neto and João Félix on the left, so it’s certainly not going to be easy to nail down a place in the starting XI. His versatility could favour him, though, as he’s more than capable of playing on the right-hand side. In Maresca’s system, the left-sided defender often tucks inside in an inverted role, regularly leaving the left winger isolated. As a result, Sancho could thrive playing on the right.

*Potential Chelsea XI built with the line-up builder at FotMob.com*

Malo Gusto and Reece James are attacking full-backs who love to get forward and hold the width for their team. Sancho often uses the runs of teammates to drag players out of position and attack the space vacated, so partnering him up with an attack-minded right-back could help him flourish.

Although many fans of the game will argue that elite-level players should be able to adapt to any team, league, or system, there’s no doubt some need the right environment to express themselves. The numbers Sancho produced at Dortmund show he has plenty of talent, and he didn’t become a poor player overnight when he moved to Manchester United.

At Old Trafford, United have often played a counter-attacking style in recent years, with the likes of Marcus Rashford tasked with running in behind. This isn’t Sancho’s game – it’s not Maresca’s either – he’s a player that wants the ball to feet and to make things happen. Sancho averaged 64.25 touches per 90 minutes last season, while Sterling averaged 52.38. They are different profiles, and Sancho is much more suited to Maresca’s style.

It’s a heavily possession-based style with Maresca looking to pass teams to death, getting the ball into his attacking players, producing patterns of play in the final third with the ball on the floor. Sancho is a highly technical winger who is comfortable playing one and two-touch football, and there’s a good chance he’s going to work well with Cole Palmer drifting into wide areas to create overloads while an attacking full-back overlaps.

*Sancho season summary from the breakout years at Dortmund*

The signing of Sancho may be considered a bit of a risk considering, as a whole, he has been labelled as a flop in the Premier League. As previously mentioned, environment is everything, and there is enough evidence to lean towards to prove that Sancho is far from a poor player. If Maresca can help develop Sancho and get him to produce even 70% of what we saw at Dortmund, the Blues are going to have a player who can contribute significantly. With Chelsea competing in Europe and domestically, they will need quality in depth, and Sancho will be chomping at the bit to prove everyone wrong.

(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.

Sep

2024

Franco Mastantuono: River Plate’s freshest gem

River Plate are among the biggest and most successful clubs in South America, so they have unsurprisingly seen a good few world-beating talents come through their academy. That production somewhat dried up in the 2010s but is back in full swing now, with Franco Mastantuono set to join a growing list of graduates to seal a move straight to some of Europe’s most elite clubs.

By Neel Shelat

The emergence of a world-class talent at River Plate has almost become an annual occurrence of late. Enzo Fernández and Julián Álvarez starred around the lockdown period and earned moves to UEFA Champions League regulars, and Claudio Echeverri will soon follow suit as his transfer to Manchester City has already been arranged. Next on the list will most likely be Franco Mastantuono, the attacking midfielder who broke into the first team at the age of 16 earlier this year.

Mastantuono was a part of Argentina’s squad for their home Under-17 Men’s World Cup in late 2023 in which Echeverri made his talents known to the world, but the younger creator did not start any matches. He was promoted to River Plate’s first-team squad ahead of the 2024 season nevertheless, and he took his chance with both hands by becoming the club’s youngest-ever scorer in a Copa Argentina match in February.

Mastantuono has gone on to consistently make an impact when called upon by registering three goals and two assists in all competitions so far, including a strike in the Copa Libertadores and a memorable late winner in Martín Demichelis’s last match in charge of the club. In the process, he has cemented his status as the next big thing to come out of Buenos Aires.

Mastantuono’s profile

Given their ages and similar positions, it is tempting to compare Mastantuono and Echeverri. The two are quite different players, though, not least due to their opposite-footedness and consequent tendencies to drift out to either side. Echeverri is much more of a high-octane ball carrier who thrives at speed, whereas Mastantuono is much closer to an old-school number 10 or Enganche, as they say in Argentina.

Demichelis certainly seemed to recognise this as he gave the teenage playmaker a great deal of positional freedom in a 4-3-1-2 formation. Mastantuono used this to regularly drop back and help progress the ball with his sharp link-up passing and carrying or drift wide and cut inside, showcasing his skilful dribbling.

*Possession stats per 90, Liga Profesional 2024*

Even at such a young age, Mastantuono is exceptional technically and stands out on the ball no matter what pitch he is on. He likes to take lots of quick touches with his left foot – which he favours quite heavily – and can jink past defenders with ease and even wriggle out of tight spaces, using his lean frame well to slip past opponents. Of course, he will still grow physically and become tougher to muscle off the ball, so his already outstanding numbers could get even better yet!

We said Mastantuono resembled a typical Enganche, so his standout quality obviously is his chance creation. The Argentine teenager has always shown brilliant spatial understanding, genius vision and perfect weight of passing with his left foot, so he can receive the ball between the lines and slip his fellow attackers in behind with through balls or even chipped passes which look quite beautiful when they come off.

*Passing stats per 90, Liga Profesional 2024*

Finally, Mastantuono also poses a shooting threat from range. He is a very powerful ball-striker with his left foot and never shies away from letting fly when given a sight of goal, although he could work on his accuracy. He also can be a threatening free-kick taker.

Where should Mastantuono move next?

Inevitably, the big question for an emerging talent of Mastantuono’s calibre always is about their next move. He already was the subject of serious transfer interest from Real Madrid this summer, although a transfer did not materialise in the end. Nevertheless, a move to one of the world’s strongest clubs only seems a matter of time for him.

The 17-year-old playmaker will not be short of suitors, but he must make a careful decision to ensure he continues to succeed in Europe. His profile is a rather unique one in the modern game, so not every club and style of play will suit him well.

Stylistically at least, Real Madrid is the best fit for him as Carlo Ancelotti gives his attackers a great deal of freedom, which is what Mastantuono seemingly needs to shine brightest. However, he will likely not get much game time for Los Blancos ahead of players like Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo and a slightly senior creative midfielder of a very similar profile, Arda Güler.

The two other clubs who appeared to take the most interest in him this summer were Barcelona and Manchester United, but both of them have concerning records with young talents in recent years for different reasons. Manchester City might come knocking at the door after Álvarez’s departure has opened up a spot in their attack, but whether their heavily positional style of play will suit Mastantuono is a big question.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Sep

2024

Can Enzo Maresca bring the best out of Jadon Sancho at Chelsea

Jadon Sancho was widely regarded as one of the most exciting youngsters in Europe when he burst onto the scene with Borussia Dortmund, but he’s yet to fulfil his massive potential.

By Matt Smith

(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.