Two games played, none scored, seven conceded and only two shots on target. But it wasn’t the fact that Everton lost these matches that caused the greatest concern for their season ahead. It was the way in which they did so. These were enfeebled performances, weakened still further by individual mistakes that bordered on the incomprehensible.
This was relegation football, a team apparently bereft of much of a plan to avoid falling from the Premier League at the end of a season which marks their 70th consecutive one in the top flight of English football. There is a case for a defence of sorts. Brighton at home and Tottenham away is not an easy way to start a Premier League season. But none of this tempers the feeling of decay that seems so difficult to shift from a club that should be preparing for a brave new world at Bramley-Moore Dock from next season.
As is already well established, the issues that the club faces are structural. A fairly quiet summer in the transfer market and the £50m sale of Amadou Onana to Aston Villa in July should have quelled the worst of their PSR concerns for this season, but these issues stretch back further than this.
Since the withdrawal of ‘main sponsor’ Alisher Usmanov early in 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the club has been in a state of financial tumult. They have at least managed to avoid the further attention of the wretched 777 Partners by that suitor’s collapse into insolvency, but the money that they had already put into the club now hangs around any future sale of the club like an albatross around their neck.
The Friedkins, who’d been next in line, reportedly baulked at the £200m debt that had been loaded onto the club to plug previous holes in their accounts. The other name being mentioned as being interested is the current Crystal Palace part-owner John Textor, but he would have to offload his shareholding in the Eagles first and his record with other clubs could best be described as ‘patchy’.
Meanwhile on the pitch, familiar problems have started to rear their heads. Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been their great hope through a couple of injury-ravaged seasons, but it’s becoming increasingly apparent that waiting for him to settle into becoming the 20-goals-a-season striker that they need could be futile. DCL managed eight goals in all competitions for Everton last season, but that was from 38 games. Abdoulaye Doucouré only scored one fewer from 35 games, and that was from midfield.
Elsewhere, they continue to labour along with the soon-to-be 39 year-old Ashley Young at right-back, with cover coming from the 35 year-old Seamus Coleman. Young, of course, contrived to get himself sent off on the opening day of the season against Brighton. By the end of that match Goodison Park, so familiar to us as a bearpit on big match days, was probably more than half empty. There was something ominous about all of this, a feeling that even the most passionate of Everton supporters were reaching the end of their tether extremely early, this time around.
This frustration eventually manifested itself at Euston railway station in London after their wretched 4-0 defeat at Spurs the following week. With supporters also travelling back to Merseyside from the same station there was always a possibility that there may be a ‘welcoming reception’, but the abuse that the players got as they passed through the station to get their train was of such a level that it prompted striker Neal Maupay to comment: “Imagine another job where it’s normalised to get abuse like this. Hanging around at a train station to scream at men who are trying their best.”
It was a sentiment with which a large proportion of Everton supporters seemed to agree. What good could possibly come from acting like this, especially at this early point of the season? The desire to vent was completely understandable, but there does come a point at which ‘support’ like this can start to look more like a burden than anything else.
This doesn’t have to be a disaster. Sean Dyche has done a pretty decent job since he took the job, and there remain fewer better qualified to get Everton out of danger. But the smell of rot hanging around Goodison Park has become increasingly evident in recent seasons, and most clubs who end up finding themselves in perpetual battles against relegation usually find themselves on the receiving end of it sooner or later. This dread scenario is the one that Dyche has to negotiate, but the answer to the question of whether Everton have the stomach to fight it remains an open one.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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The Spanish national team has been home to some of the best central midfielders to have graced the beautiful game. Xavi Hernández, Andres Iniesta, and Sergio Busquets spring to mind, with their technical excellence and comfortability with the ball at their feet.
Mikel Merino is part of the new generation, playing a crucial part in Spain’s Euro 2024 victory. The 28-year-old scored a last-minute winner to help Spain beat Germany in the quarter-finals, and almost two months later, he makes the switch from Real Sociedad to Premier League side Arsenal.
The Gunners have secured the signature of Merino to add another option in the middle of the park for the north London outfit. A fairly obscure transfer in the modern world, with Arsenal forking out a reasonable fee to bring in a player who is approaching their thirties.
Merino has spent the majority of his career playing in Spain, but he did enjoy a short spell in England. Playing for Borussia Dortmund at the time, Merino moved to Newcastle on loan before completing a permanent transfer to the Magpies. The Spanish midfielder failed to set the world alight during his time in the Premier League and joined Real Sociedad, where he has plied his trade ever since.
A heavy emphasis from clubs in Europe has been on signing the next up-and-coming star, but Mikel Arteta and his recruitment team have brought in a player capable of contributing for the here and now.
Merino will offer Arteta experience and technical quality in midfield – a player who can receive the ball on the half turn and play progressively while also being capable of breaking up play.
His physical profile will also likely be another reason why Arteta was so keen to add him to his squad this summer. Merino is a duel-winning machine, particularly in the air, and there’s been a clear pattern with the profile of player that Arsenal have signed in recent years. Kai Havertz, Riccardo Calafiori, and now Merino in the last couple of years.
Merino is comfortable with the ball at his feet, but his physicality and defensive contributions will be the main factor as to why Arsenal have decided to bring him in. In terms of winning duels, making tackles, being dominant aerially and recovering the ball, you’ll struggle to find someone better in Europe, never mind LaLiga last season.
Defensive stats per 90, LaLiga 2023/24
Arsenal were one of the most deadly sides in the Premier League last season from set-pieces, so adding a player of Merino’s calibre is only going to make them more of a force. There’s certainly an argument to suggest that Merino won’t instantly become a starter, but there will be game states where a player of his profile is needed.
When it comes to European competitions, Merino also has plenty of experience, and when Arteta’s side need to win the midfield battles and see out narrow leads, Merino could be the ideal player to bring in.
His introduction in the middle of the park also gives Declan Rice more of a license to get forward. Merino will offer a layer of protection for the defence, allowing Rice to drive with the ball and be a third-man runner into the box. Although Rice has been exceptional for the Gunners in a slightly deeper role, he’s shown throughout his career that when given more freedom in midfield he can also be a goalscoring and creative threat.
Potential Arsenal XI built with the line-up builder at FotMob.com
Arsenal conceded fewer xG and goals than any other Premier League side last season, so there’s an argument to suggest that adding more defensive solidity might not be necessary for them to go on to win the title. However, Merino also offers a goalscoring threat from midfield, with his height and physicality from corners another weapon in Arsenal’s set-piece armoury.
It will be interesting to see how Arteta aims to utilise Merino with Arsenal. Although excelling defensively, Merino wasn’t strictly a defensive midfielder during his time with La Real. Martin Zubimendi and Merino regularly played in midfield together, with the former often the deeper man.
What we could see is plenty of midfield rotation from Arteta. Merino and Rice are both comfortable playing in the number six or slightly further forward as an eight, so there is an opportunity for the two to rotate during games. This gives each player license to roam while the other covers, making it difficult for the opposition to track runners, making their midfield fluid and unpredictable.
Although it’s been a relatively quiet summer transfer window for the Gunners, the additions of Calafiori and Merino offer Arsenal some versatile options to cover multiple roles across the pitch. The supporters at the Emirates Stadium should be excited to see what’s to come from Arteta’s slightly altered Arsenal side for the 2024/2025 season.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Gian Piero Gasperini’s Atalanta have often existed on the peripheries of the Scudetto talk but on Friday, they will have a chance to show if they can challenge for the title when they take on Inter.
La Dea had started their Serie A campaign in sublime fashion. Despite not having Teun Koopmeiners, Gianluca Scamacca, Nicolo Zaniolo, Sead Kolašinac and Ademola Lookman around for the game against Lecce, they picked up a 4-0 win.
That came amidst talk of a crisis in Bergamo but the new signings – Matteo Retegui and Marco Brescianini fired on their debuts.
The game against Torino saw them pick up a defeat against a new-look Paolo Vanoli Il Toro side, but the performance was still decent.
On another day, they would have won the game. They created many more chances than Torino and Mario Pašalić also missed a key penalty in stoppage time.
It was a reminder that despite the defeat and despite prominent players missing, they are still very much a force.
All of this suggests that there is reason for Inter to be fairly cautious of their opponents on Friday.
Simone Inzaghi’s side got back to winning ways against Lecce after being held to a 2-2 draw by Genoa in the first game.
In the 2-0 win last weekend, Inter weren’t exactly at their best but managed to get vital three points. It almost seems as if multiple Nerazzurri players are dealing with a post-EURO 2024 hangover.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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The story goes that the 31-year-old verbally agreed to take over at the Stadium of Light this summer, but had his head turned by a more attractive offer from France. Lens made that offer and Still surely feels good about the u-turn he made.
With Still at the helm, Lens have opened their 2024/25 Ligue 1 campaign with six points from a possible six. Back-to-back wins over Angers and Brest have provided encouraging signs that the new union between the young English coach and Les Sang et Or (The Blood and Gold) will be a successful one. “I didn’t have to think very long,” said Still when asked about his decision to take over at Lens. “I just had to make sure we were going to be competitive and able to p*** off as many teams as possible. I am happy to be in France and especially in Lens […] It is the most English of the French clubs, to which there is a certain logic in my choice.”
Will Still coaching career summary
The Stade Bollaert-Delelis is indeed quintessentially English in its design with its four stands somewhat evocative of stadiums like Ewood Park and Molineux. Lens home matches are renowned for being among the most atmospheric in French football and Still’s style of football will excite supporters.
Traditionally, Lens also play a brand of football that could be described as English such is its focus on getting the ball forward quickly and committing bodies to the attack. This was certainly the approach under former manager Franck Haas who took Lens into the Champions League two seasons ago. Still has joined Lens at a crossroads in their recent history. He’ll do well to replicate the success of Haise who first carried the club out of Ligue 2, then established The Blood and Gold as a top half team, even taking Lens to within a point of the French title in the 2022/23 season. Under Haise, they pushed Paris Saint-Germain all the way.
Haise left the Stade Bollaert-Delelis for a new challenge at Nice in June while many of the Lens team – primarily Loïs Openda and Seko Fofana – that achieved a second-place finish two seasons ago have also departed with last season’s star performer Elye Wahi joining Marseille this summer. Still has been given the freedom to impose his own ideas on a team beginning a new cycle.
Early on, Still has placed an emphasis on Lens’ build-up play in possession and that has been evident in the performances produced against Angers and Brest. At Reims, the young Englishman favoured a counter-attacking approach, but Still has so far demonstrated a greater desire for his side to construct attacks with the ball.
Against Brest, Lens were extremely successful in doing this, registering 20 shots as well as creating seven big chances for an Expected Goals (xG) of 2.97. Only PSG, Marseille and Monaco have accumulated a higher xG than Lens over the first two games of the 2024/25 Ligue 1 season. Still’s team have caught the eye.
Set up in a 3-4-2-1, Still wants to have his wing backs high up the pitch with Jhoanner Chávez particularly productive in the win over Brest which saw him score the opener and create four big chances. Centre back Facundo Medina continually fed Chávez with passes out from the back as Lens progressed the ball forward from deep.
On the other side of the defensive line, Jonathan Gradit is also comfortable playing out from the back, notching an impressive 11 passes into the attacking third in the win over Brest. Meanwhile, the midfield pairing of Andy Diouf and Adrien Thomasson offered control in possession and intensity out of it.
Veteran Florian Sotoca looks to have quickly embraced Still’s methods. The 33-year-old finished the match against Brest with more shots (six) than any other Lens player and even played as one half of a front two in the away win over Angers on opening weekend of the new Ligue 1 season. Still could use Sotoca in a number of different positions over the course of the campaign.
An away fixture against Monaco on Sunday will be Lens’ stiffest test of the season so far. Another positive result and performance would allow Still to reflect on an encouraging first period as Lens manager before the September international break. At 31, Still remains something of an oddity as a prodigious managerial talent and Lens’ impressive start hints at even greater times to come.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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And yet, naming Enzo Fernández as vice club captain – effectively captain in the absence of injured Reece James – just weeks after he was accused by a teammate of “uninhibited racism” for chants while away on international duty, raised eyebrows at the very least. At worst, it was a disastrously short-sighted and tone-deaf decision. Perhaps somewhere in the middle, and from a purely footballing perspective, there’s the matter of whether it benefits him, or the team, at all.
Some context and room for adjustment must be given first to Fernández himself. A World Cup-winner with a simply enormous price tag, the British transfer record signing – £107m from Benfica – could hardly have greater expectation on him. And yet, he’s still only 23 years of age now and spent only a matter of months at the Portuguese club, being at River Plate in his home country before that.
We might look at him now and judge on the merits of what he achieved in Qatar and what Chelsea paid for him, but it must still be pointed out that six weeks previous to signing on at Stamford Bridge, he’d earned only three senior international caps. He was a debutant at that level only two months after leaving Argentina’s top flight in the first place – these levels of expectation, judgement and standards to maintain are all incredibly new for him, incredibly quickly.
Yet Chelsea have made their decision, and so maintain them – and inspire others to reach them – he must.
On the evidence so far in 2024/25, new head coach Enzo Maresca has yet to find a way to get the best out of his namesake.
While he started slightly higher upfield in the Blues’ opener against Manchester City, effectively the No. 10 or link man who could also drop deeper to give more midfield heft out of possession, Fernández was totally bypassed. That’s not a definite slight against his name, given the slick domination of City against most opponents, but he wasn’t exactly a defensive force in the game either.
If positives were to be taken, they came from him getting high enough upfield to at least try and unlock City’s defence – only one player had more than his seven touches in the attacking box, he took three shots himself and made eight passes into the final third, the highest on the pitch.
They came to little, but at least he was getting on the ball. Defensively he was bypassed, and for a large portion of the second half, was well on the periphery of the match. Meanwhile in the win over Wolves, back as the ‘second’ midfielder, he was more conduit than direct playmaker, not among Chelsea’s match-winners by construct or end product, and again sorely lacking in the first half when the Blues simply could not contain their hosts when they attacked.
Fernández won three of his four tackles and made five ball recoveries, but was also dribbled past three times and won only six of his 11 ground duels. None of these numbers account for the times he was simply missing in action either, a gap beside Moisés Caicedo or only a token attempt to get near a runner made by the Chelsea captain as the old gold swarmed forward and constantly troubled the Chelsea back line in a topsy-turvy first half.
Early days, both in the season and of his captaincy, but that’s a lot of performance improvement required for a player who cost as much as he did, and who has so far not impacted his team’s level in the manner which might be expected. Moreover, with a new head coach and yet again a new collection of players, it would normally be the case that squad members look to Fernández as a senior figure of authority, both to lead them and to ensure they show their own maximum out on the pitch.
It’s tough to see how Fernández can do this, not only harking back to the earlier-mentioned incident with Argentina, but also when his own level is wavering, his role in the team uncertain, his status as a key player still dependent on impressing a new boss regularly.
Fernández passing stats, Premier League 2023/24
Last term his stats were middling at best: better than 68% of Premier League midfielders for chances created, 64% for dribbles, 59% for touches in the box, 45% for duels won, 54% for possession won in the final third. On it goes in a similar vein in other areas of performance. Only in his passing – range and accuracy – can he claim to be around the top few, and in his shots taken and xG per 90 for around the top ten per cent.
That’s scant return for a £107m signing, and arguably even less for the captain of a squad which cost over a billion to build. Improvement is needed in every regard, and quickly.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Defending LaLiga champions Real Madrid have already dropped points this season, so they will be keen to avoid a repeat of that when they face a Las Palmas side that gave them a couple of tough tests last season.
Although they ended up finishing in 16th place, Las Palmas were among the most exciting newly-promoted teams not just in Spain but all over Europe last season. García Pimienta’s eye-catching style of play entertained fans and neutrals alike, leading the Canary Islanders to maintain the second-highest possession average in La Liga.
The 50-year-old tactician left for Sevilla in the summer, so Las Palmas had to look for a successor. Luis Carrión was the man chosen for the job, with his most recent achievement being leading Real Oviedo to the Segunda División promotion play-off final last term. His side are yet to register a win this season having drawn with Sevilla and lost to Leganés in their first two fixtures, and that record is unlikely to change this week.
Real Madrid yet to fully click
Real Madrid made arguably the biggest signing of the summer by bringing in Kylian Mbappé, but some analysts have wondered how well he might fit into their side. With Carlo Ancelotti in charge, though, they can be confident of finding the right formula sooner rather than later.
For now, though, it seems Los Blancos are yet to fully click. The draw with Mallorca in their LaLiga opener underscored that fact, and even their 3-0 win over Real Valladolid was not all smooth sailing as they only registered one shot from inside the box in the first half. The good news for them is that they have more than enough individual quality in their side to power past most opponents even on their off days, so they will hope to get the better of Las Palmas by hook or crook.
Jude Bellingham will not be available for this match as he still recovers from a minor injury, so a combination of Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, Rodrygo, Endrick and Arda Güler will be tasked with doling out the attacking damage. The first three will surely start, but Ancelotti will have to decide between rewarding the young Brazilian striker for his goal last weekend or sticking with the Turkish playmaker.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Whisper it, but a single Premier League win appears to have lifted a veil of bemusement and despondency at Stamford Bridge and replaced it with the far more standard start-of-season optimism and, yes, even over-expectancy.
The incredible about-turn from fans and pundits alike has sprouted from a 6-2 walloping of a dismal Wolves last weekend – with neither team able to defend in the first half, Enzo Maresca’s side went out and won the attack in the second. It’s not a ploy which is perhaps the true representation of what this manager wants, not given his preference for control and possession in deeper areas last year at Leicester, but it might just be the gameplan he – and the club – needs right now.
Let’s face it: given the fees spent and the faces brought in, few clubs can compete with Chelsea when it comes to attacking depth and strength in reserves, given some of the players they are still trying to offload.
But a Conference League play-off second leg will be about those they want to keep. The hard work was done a week ago, building up a low-key but effective 2-0 win over Servette, and now they know that if they cannot defend that lead in Switzerland, they can at least blitz their opponents to add to it.
The early weeks still look like a combination of the boss managing minutes and learning about his group, but some subtle signs are arising – not least of all, those who play midweek might not be in the XI come the league encounter at the weekend. But with Noni Madueke’s goal frenzy, Cole Palmer’s ongoing productivity and big impacts off the bench from João Félix and Pedro Neto, a starting front four might be beginning to emerge. Nicolas Jackson still has a lot to say in that regard – and they need five or six performing to that level consistently – but Mykhailo Mudryk might well have dropped three places in the pecking order from a single start.
And yet, issues remain behind the offensive talent. It’s not just a question of individual performances, but of partnerships. Robert Sánchez looks far from established as No.1, especially at a club with seven or eight goalkeepers. Defensive errors remain on show. And the midfield combination play just isn’t there yet, on or off the ball, at home or away.
Which makes a less-than-testing opponent an ideal next proving ground. With rotations or with consistency in his lineup, Maresca should get the chance to demand greater cohesion – and a third win on the bounce to further improve the mood.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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On August 11, 2020, Lille completed the signing of Jonathan David on a five-year contract from Gent for €30 million. The reigning joint-top scorer in Belgian’s top-flight, David initially struggled to cope with the pressure of being the most expensive Canadian player of all time before eventually forming a dynamic duo with Burak Yılmaz in attack. He scored 13 goals in his debut campaign, 11 coming after the turn of the year, as Les Dogues won their first league title in a decade.
At 24 years of age, David has emerged as one of the most consistent strikers in France’s top-flight with 87 goals and 19 assists in 187 appearances for Lille, and he has also served as a trailblazer for younger Canadians looking to make their mark in Europe.
Whilst David, whose contract is set to expire next summer, could be preparing to end his time in France, there are a handful of Canadian players who will be looking to start their time in Ligue 1 off on the right foot. Today, we’re taking a look at the Ligue 1’s new Canadian arrivals.
Ismaël Koné
One and a half years after reaching their first World Cup since 1986, Canada participated in their first-ever Copa América this summer. The Canucks were placed in the same group as current world and South American champions Argentina as well as Chile, who won the tournament in 2015 and 2016, and Peru, who reached the final in 2019. Despite being cast into the Group of Death, Canada managed to do something their fellow 2026 World Cup co-hosts USA and Mexico failed to achieve: reach the knockout round.
Ismaël Koné started alongside Stephen Eustáquio in the double pivot for their first two games, as Canada began the Copa with a 2-0 loss to Argentina before bouncing back with their first-ever Copa win. After dropping to the bench for the following two matches, the 22-year-old regained the starting spot for their semifinal, where Argentina again prevailed 2-0. They ended their tournament in Charlotte, falling behind early on to Uruguay via a corner kick, before quickly giving La Celeste a taste of their own medicine. Moïse Bombito got his head to a corner and lofted it up for what seemed to be a fairly routine save for Sergio Rochet. Instead, Koné was first to it and chiseled home a jaw-dropping bicycle finish with the outside of his boot. Canada would take the lead in the 80th minute as Koné broke forward and juked past an opponent before firing a powerful shot that was parried into the direction of Jonathan David, who made no mistake with the finish. Just when it seemed dead and buried, Luis Suárez levelled proceedings in extra time with his 69th goal for La Celeste, forcing a penalty shootout. Whilst Uruguay were spotless from close range, Koné and Alphonso Davies’ missed proved fatal in Canada’s attempts to win the third-place medal.
Koné stole the show in North Carolina and was FotMob’s highest-rated player (8.6), making 15 recoveries, winning four fouls, registering three interceptions, and coming out on top in eight of his 11 ground duels. It was the kind of performance that would harken a transfer battle, had it not been for the fact that Olympique de Marseille had completed a £15m deal for him two weeks prior.
When it comes to the French-Canadian footballing connection, there are few better equipped than Kevin Nieto. Whilst Koné has left Montreal for France, Nieto, a former video analyst for Ligue 2 side Dunkerque, will be leaving France for Montreal in October. “Koné will face competition from Amine Harit, Valentín Carboni, Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, or Azzedine Ounahi, but he has the advantage of being versatile and able to play just as well in a double pivot in front of the central defense as a bit higher up in a number 10 role,” said Nieto.
“He has the work rate to be an impactful box-to-box midfielder near both penalty areas. I think he can be used in offensive transitions, either by positioning himself well between the lines or by driving forward with the ball, as he has the technical ability to do so. He’s a hardworking midfielder but very precise technically, and Roberto De Zerbi likes his midfielders to make a difference through their passing. Koné is capable of being aware of what’s happening around him and distributing the play effectively.”
Thelonius Bair
Having failed to make an appearance in their first five matches of the Copa, Thelonius Bair was given a chance to shine in the third-place match vs. Uruguay, replacing Jonathan Osorio in the 77th minute and suiting up for Canada for just the third time in his life. Three days later, Bair had penned a four-year contract with newly promoted side Auxerre, who paid Motherwell €1.9 million plus €600,000 in potential bonuses.
As opposed to Koné, who left his native Ivory Coast for Canada at the age of 7, Bair spent the entirety of his childhood in Canada and even looked set to become the latest academy talent to break onto the scene for Vancouver Whitecaps after Alphonso Davies. He became a full-fledged first team member midway through the 2019 campaign and quickly cemented his place in the side, prompting the attention of Canada manager John Herdman, who played him in their friendly matches vs. Barbados and Iceland in January 2020. Little did Bair know that he would have to wait another four and a half years before representing the national team again.
Bair finally left Canada in the summer of 2021, spending four months out on loan at HamKam and scoring four goals in 18 appearances en route to winning promotion to Norway’s top-flight. He returned to Canada for the holidays before heading to Scottish Premiership side St Johnstone in January 2022. The lanky 6’3” striker took time to cope with the transition to European football and only registered a goal and three assists in 38 appearances at McDiarmid Park, but he nevertheless became a regular contributor over the course of the 2022/23 campaign. They agreed to part ways and mutually terminate the contract in the summer of 2023, but St Johnstone’s loss was Motherwell’s gain.
He made his debut against Dundee and opened the scoring before halftime in a 1-1 draw, building on his momentum and racking up 15 goals and 6 assists in 41 appearances. Bair’s 21 goal contributions were bettered only by three players in Scotland’s top-flight, and they were enough for Motherwell to finish eight points clear of St Johnstone and comfortably avoid relegation.
Bair shotmap, Scottish Premiership 2023/24
Speaking to Scottish football journalist Scott Bradley, I got the lowdown on the 24-year-old Ottawa native. “He bullied the Rangers defense last season in Motherwell’s 2-1 victory at Ibrox – our defense couldn’t get anywhere near him. Technically, he’s very good, a strong forward and clinical in front of goal. If he can do well in a pretty poor Motherwell side scoring that number of goals – just imagine what he’d do in a good side with more quality around him?”
Derek Cornelius
With just weeks to go before their maiden Copa voyage, Canada appointed Jesse Marsch, who became the first American to oversee Les Rouges. He wasn’t quite able to get them clicking on all cylinders in the final third – Canada scored just two goals in their first seven matches under Marsch – but he did manage to develop the right balance in defense and give them just what they needed to prevent a repeat of their 2022 World Cup disaster, when they conceded seven goals and suffered three defeats. One player who proved instrumental in defence was Derek Cornelius.
Whilst the backline appeared to be one of the biggest question marks going into the tournament, Marsch quickly settled on a central defensive pairing of Cornelius and Moïse Bombito, a decision that proved conducive to Canada’s ability to soak up pressure and punch above their weight. Cornelius led the squad in blocks (5) and had the second-most clearances (27) behind Bombito (37), making a number of last-ditch interventions throughout a campaign that saw Canada keep clean sheets vs. Peru and Chile and hold Venezuela to just one goal.
Cornelius player traits
Born in Ontario, Cornelius was 16 when he headed across the Atlantic and bounced around from Germany and Serbia before returning to Canada five years later and joining Vancouver Whitecaps, where he made 37 appearances in 2.5 years before making the move to Greek side Panetolikos on loan. He was promptly sold to Malmö FF and quickly emerged as one of the first names on the team sheet as the Swedish giants claimed a record 26th Allsvenskan title, and after 1.5 years in Scandinavia, he has taken his talents to France and signed a four-year deal with Marseille, who paid €4 million for the 26-year-old.
Capable of anticipating the movement of his opposing forwards and constantly well-positioned to intercept passes, Cornelius is a physically imposing defender who makes his presence known in aerial battles and 1v1 duels, and whose speed and strength enable him to make up ground and intervene, and he’s primed for a big season under De Zerbi.
Moïse Bombito
Canada are primed for a golden generation under Jesse Marsch thanks to a multicultural squad ranging from Jonathan David (born in New York to Haitian parents), Alphonso Davies (born in Ghana to Liberian parents), Cornelius (the son of a Barbadian father and a Jamaican mother), and Bair (Jamaican parents). As for Moïse Bombito, he was raised in Montreal to Congolese parents and lived in Quebec until enrolling in junior college in Iowa in 2020, where he would remain for two seasons before transferring to the University of New Hampshire.
Despite playing as a centre-back, Bombito managed to score four goals, including two game-winners, and even managed to mark his collegiate debut with a goal on September 10, 2022. Bombito was named as the team’s MVP, the Eastern College Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year, and the America East Defender of the Year. He even became the first UNH player to be selected to the Generation Adidas class, and as a result, he was allowed to sign a guaranteed contract and enter the 2023 MLS SuperDraft as an underclassman. Colorado Rapids selected him with the third pick of the draft, and Bombito didn’t take long to justify their faith and solidify a starting spot in central defence. After just 29 appearances in MLS, Bombito packed his bags for southern France and joined OGC Nice for €7 million.
It has been nothing short of a meteoric rise for Bombito, who made his international debut in last summer’s Gold Cup and who played every single minute of Canada’s Copa América campaign. Whilst Cornelius has been entrusted with replacing Chancel Mbemba in OM’s defense, Bombito has the onerous task of filling Jean-Clair Todibo’s void at the Allianz Riviera. However, there’s reason to believe that he can make the step up and impress in Ligue 1 and the UEFA Europa League under new manager Franck Haise.
Despite towering over the opposition at 1.9m, Bombito is able to recover in transition and put his long strides to use, sprinting backwards and horizontally and retreating in time before the opposing forward has a chance to fire a shot towards goal. He has been recorded at 23.16 mph, making him the fastest player of the 2024 MLS season, and his capacity to remain balanced in ground duels and jump high in the air makes him a monster in physical battles. Such are his long strides, Bombito can keep one leg planted on the ground whilst throwing another across and poking the ball away from his opponent, and he’s never afraid to dribble out of pressure and build out of the back with his confident and composed passing.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Liverpool’s first signing of the summer is a goalkeeper who is not set to join Arne Slot’s squad until 2025, but he is still an addition fans can get excited about.
Liverpool’s crescendo of a final week in the transfer window began with a signing who won’t move to Merseyside until next summer at the earliest.
But their initial £25 million agreement with Valencia for goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, which could rise to £29 million inclusive of add-ons, is a marker of intent from the club’s new recruitment team.
Their first senior arrival from LaLiga since Alberto Moreno and Javier Manquillo in 2014, the deal signals a change of territory with new sporting director Richard Hughes using his contacts in Spain to hunt for talent.
Before news of Liverpool’s interest in Mamardashvili had surfaced, fans were left disappointed by midfielder Martin Zubimendi‘s decision to stay at Real Sociedad, and it is fair to say that a delayed transfer for the Georgian goalkeeper hasn’t sparked much excitement.
Stat comparison, 2023/24 league games only
That is understandable, given the Reds already have one of the world’s best goalkeepers as their No. 1 in Alisson, along with a player Jürgen Klopp described as “the best No. 2 goalie in the world” in Caoimhin Kelleher.
Mamardashvili was quietly announced as a new Liverpool player on Tuesday night, with the club confirming that he would stay at Valencia until the following summer.
It is then claimed that he will arrive at Anfield to challenge Alisson for the starting spot, with Kelleher’s prospects made clear after admitting his desire to be a No. 1 “at Liverpool or somewhere else.”
Supporters will not want to see the back of Alisson any time soon, and the Brazilian has already pledged his ongoing commitment to the club after rejecting overtures from Saudi Arabia.
But the decision to push for Mamardashvili at this stage shows the kind of succession planning many had hoped would already have been in place when it comes to the likes of Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah.
While the club’s previous regime have allowed the contracts of three of their most important players – Van Dijk, Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold – run into their final year, the wheels are already in motion when it comes to Alisson.
There is no sign that Alisson will be forced out – by the contrary, the club hold an option to extend his deal to 2027, which he has confirmed he intends to fulfil – but in landing Mamardashvili earlier, they have future-proofed their squad at an elite level.
Mamardashvili is a name most became familiar with during the summer’s European Championship, having excelled as part of Georgia’s surprise run to the last 16.
No goalkeeper averaged more saves per 90 (7.5) or prevented more goals (4.7) than the hulking stopper who, standing at 6’6″, was the looming last line for Willy Sagnol‘s relentlessly driven side.
That included a Man of the Match performance against the Czech Republic, with his 11 saves in that 0-0 draw the most of any goalkeeper in a Euro group stage clash since Latvia’s Aleksandrs Kolinko in 2004 – and the second-most ever.
After that victory, FotMob‘s Zach Lowy lauded Mamardashvili’s influence on the side, as an almost inevitable presence between the sticks:
“Time and time again, Mamardashvilli continued to bail his team out of trouble and remain poised and alert to the threat, picking his starting positions well, setting his body with time in advance, and taking advantage of his lightning-quick reactions to keep out a goal.
“Even when his backline let him down with schoolboy errors, he was always able to react and get a strong palm to the shot, diverting it into safety.”
But Mamardashvili’s talents will have been no surprise to those within Liverpool’s transfer staff; theirs is a more nuanced approach to recruitment, tracking players for a number of years and often over various moves before any deal is sanctioned.
That will almost certainly have covered the stopper’s entire spell at Valencia so far, and perhaps even further back to his time in Georgia with FC Rustavi and Locomotive Tbilisi.
Spells on loan with those clubs convinced Valencia to negotiate a deal with parent club Dinamo Tbilisi in 2021, and though Mamardashvili initially arrived at Mestalla as fourth choice, an injury crisis saw him swiftly promoted.
Neither he nor Valencia have looked back since, and after his early performances in Spain saw him named in LaLiga’s Discovery of the Season XI for 2021/22, he has gone from strength to strength.
Speaking to This Is Anfield after the transfer was announced, Football Espana editor Ruairidh Barlow enthused: “You’d probably take Mamardashvili over every other ‘keeper [in LaLiga], with the exception of [Thibaut] Courtois.”
Were it not for the superhuman prowess of Real Madrid’s No. 1, Mamardashvili would almost certainly have dominated when it comes to end-of-season awards for goalkeepers.
It is, however, interesting from a Liverpool perspective that their new £29 million signing has more in common as a player with Courtois and Atlético Madrid’s Jan Oblak than he does Alisson.
Mamardashvili does not operate as a sweeper-keeper for either Valencia or Georgia, and instead Barlow explained that he “fits the classic mould of goalkeeper.”
“While he’s learning and becoming increasingly daring, Mamardashvili prefers the comfort of his six-yard box to the brisk, fresh air outside his area,” the reporter detailed.
“Mamardashvili probably looks at goalkeeping as saving his team, rather than proactively preventing chances before they occur.”
Despite this, there is clearly a belief within Liverpool that the “slight hint of anxiousness” he has shown in possession can be coached, as comfort on the ball is paramount to new head coach Arne Slot‘s system.
Given he is still remarkably young for a goalkeeper of his ability and experience, there should be a calm over areas that are perceived as weaknesses at this stage.
The focus should instead be on the club’s ability to land a goalkeeper widely regarded as one of the best young players in his position, if not the best, for around the same fee they brought in with the sales of both Sepp van den Berg (£25m) and Fabio Carvalho (£27.5m) to Brentford this summer.
In ensuring Alisson’s continued loyalty and laying the pathway for his successor a year – or even two if another loan is struck next summer – early, Liverpool could have now cemented their future between the sticks for the next decade.
There may be more fanfare around Federico Chiesa swapping Turin for Merseyside ahead of Friday’s transfer deadline, but Giorgi Mamardashvili is still a signing fans can get excited about.
(Images from IMAGO)
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It is extremely early days yet, but Thiago Motta’s Juventus seem to be shaping up very nicely for the 2024/25 season. After two rounds of fixtures, they are the only Serie A team with a 100% record, so listen carefully and the feint whispers of a title charge can already be heard. Regardless of whether that materialises, they finally look set to enjoy a positive campaign.
The last few years have been quite tough for Juventus fans. After a run of nine consecutive Serie A titles, it is now over four years since they last got their hands on the Scudetto. Perhaps worse yet, they were coached by Massimiliano Allegri for the majority of this period and his stodgy tactics certainly did not make his side any easier to watch.
Allegri was definitely not the chief culprit for Juventus’ downfall as financial issues and mismanagement were to blame instead, but the future never looked too bright under him. A coaching change seemed inevitable at some point, so Thiago Motta’s appointment last summer was met with great optimism.
At the same time, experts warned Juventus fans not to have excessively high hopes in the short term. The transition from Allegri’s defence-first style of play to Motta’s fluid possession-based football was always going to be a big one, so a rough start would not be out of the ordinary.
However, Juventus have hit the ground running this season. Of course, this is a terribly small sample size of just two games against significantly weaker opposition at that, but the manner of their victories should be considered even more impressive than the fact that they are the top scorers and the only team yet to concede.
Eye-Catching Style of Play
Thiago Motta’s Bologna caught the eyes of fans and experts alike with their dazzlingly fluid possession play, and he has immediately transferred that to his new side.
Although they line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, Juventus hardly employ much of a build-up “structure”. The two deeper midfielders are free to drift around or drop back to pick the ball up and progress it, the wingers are free to stay wide or come in very narrow and influence the full-backs’ movements in turn, and even the centre-backs can be seen stepping forward off the ball at times!
Making all of these fluid movements and rotations is one thing, but they are pretty useless unless executed cohesively. The most impressive, part, therefore, is the coordination Juventus have shown in their first two league games, completing more passes than anyone else by some margin.
This is such a far cry from what Juve did under Allegri that fans would be content with these performances alone, so the results have only been the cherries on top.
Trust In Youth
Another aspect in which Motta differs from Allegri is his trust in young talents. The latter did use some prospects with good regularity, but it always seemed that he did so reluctantly due to a lack of alternatives in his squad. Motta, on the other hand, has seemed happy to start youngsters ahead of more experienced senior team members.
In fact, the average age of the players he has used in his first two matches (weighted by minutes played) has been 24.2 years old, the second-lowest in Serie A. Using FotMob’s new age toggle, we can also see that his oldest starters were no more than 27 years old in Monday’s win over Hellas Verona.
Motta has already handed out two Serie A debuts to Samuel Mbangula and Nicolò Savona, who have both instantly repaid his faith. The latter scored against Hellas Verona, while the 20-year-old Belgian winger has gotten on the scoresheet in both matches and put up a man-of-the-match performance against Como, scoring Juventus’ first competitive goal under Motta in the process.
The 41-year-old Italian tactician’s trust in youth is another major positive for Juventus, who have developed their Next Gen project excellently to assemble one of the most exciting youth setups not just in Italy but all over Europe. With Motta at the helm, they can be sure that this talent will be well utilised.
Tougher Tests Await
All the signs look very positive so far for Juventus, but as we alluded to previously, it is important to keep in mind that the two competitive matches they have played so far have been against expected relegation-battlers. Significantly tougher tests await this side starting next weekend against Roma, but especially next month when they take on Lazio and Inter back-to-back after the Champions League group stage opener.
Juventus have made some good moves in this window to add depth to the squad and sign players of profiles that Motta will appreciate, but how they balance fixture load across multiple competitions remains to be seen. That could well be the key to their fortunes this season.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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