Page 28 – The Pulse of Football

Aug

2024

The top performances in MLS, Matchday 29

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

9.0 FotMob rating: Evander, Portland Timbers

Portland’s attacking four of Evander, Jonathan Rodríguez, Santiago Moreno and Mora will feature regularly in this column between now and the end of the season.

The three of them combined for Portland’s first in a 4-4 draw with St. Louis as Evander fed Mora who found Rodríguez at the far post.

Mora was in the classic goal-poaching position to turn in Portland’s second but it was Evander who rose impressively to win a header at the far post for the assist.

From starting attacks in midfield to winning aerial duels in important attacking situations, Evander seems to have it all.

It was his long-range shot that could only be parried by Roman Bürki before Mora’s striking instincts were on show again as he was on hand to net the rebound.

Mora’s evening was soured when he caught a prone Chris Durkin on the head with his boot and was sent off, but this game was more evidence of Portland’s attack being one of the best in the league, and on this occasion, Evander and Mora were the leading lights.

Evander rounded off one of the most impressive performances of the matchday with a free-kick goal to level the scores for 10-man Portland in the final minutes.

9.2 FotMob rating: Brad Stuver, Austin FC

It’s always good to include a defensive player in the list of top players, and even better when it’s a goalkeeper – an often unsung position.

Stuver’s standout performance in Austin’s 2-0 win against Nashville is reflected well in his FotMob rating.

An early penalty save helped and set the tone for his evening as he recorded an important clean sheet.

Hany Mukhtar stepped up to take a penalty after referee Rosendo Mendosa had checked the video replay to confirm the spot kick, and Stuver did brilliantly to turn the shot onto the post.

Stuver was well positioned to save from Jacob Shaffelburg and went on to save a free kick with relative ease from Mukhtar later on.

Another outstanding stop came from a well-hit Brian Anunga shot, and he also came off his line to thwart Sam Surridge.

He prevented a total xG on target of 2.04 and made seven saves on the night.

Three more standout performers

9.1 FotMob rating: Luis Suárez, Inter Miami

There might have been more outstanding overall individual performances than Suárez’s this week, but few were as important to the way this league might look come the end of the season.

FC Cincinnati are one of Inter Miami’s main challengers for the 2024 Supporters’ Shield and as recently as July the defending champions handed Miami a 6-1 defeat in Ohio.

But Suárez’s two goals within six minutes at the start of this game made sure this was to be a different outcome.

There was some controversy around Suárez’s availability with some comments that his missing the All-Star game having been selected should have resulted in a suspension, but Miami stated before that exhibition match that the Uruguayan was injured, which is why there was no suspension.

That outcome can be debated, and it’s widely known Sáarez is playing through knee problems most of the time, but in making sure he was available for this big game, Miami secured a place in the playoffs and took a big step towards lifting the Supporters’ Shield.

Drake Callender in the Miami goal deserves a mention for his part in this 2-0 win, too, and the team have won seven of their last eight with Messi on the sidelines.

9.3 FotMob rating: Sebastian Lletget, FC Dallas

FC Dallas continued the good form they had shown prior to the midseason break with a win in a high-scoring game against DC United.

Lletget was involved in three of the four Dallas goals in the 4-3 victory, assisting the first with an outswinging corner volleyed in by an unmarked Nkosi Tafari at the far post.

He headed in one of his own from a similar situation from open play, in the right place at the right time to get on the end of Ruan’s cross ahead of the defence and goalkeeper.

Lletget showed great composure to assist Tsiki Ntsabeleng following a high turnover for the fourth Dallas goal. He could easily have shot but found his teammate in a better position for what turned out to be the all-important winner and secured a first away win of the season for FC Dallas.

8.9 FotMob rating: Marcel Hartel, St. Louis City

Hartel was one of the summer signings we picked out ahead of the league restarting, and he made an instant impact with two assists in the aforementioned 4-4 goal-fest against Portland.

Playing from the left wing he was also in charge of certain set pieces, taking some of the burden from Eduard Löwen, and he assisted the opener from a corner for Simon Becher.

Hartel’s second assist was also from a corner and was an inventive, lofted cross to the far edge of the area for the also-impressive Cedric Teuchert.

St, Lous couldn’t hold on for the win, but in Hartel, it looks like they have a player who will make many valuable contributions in the seasons to come.

(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.

Aug

2024

Noni Madueke stakes his claim to a starting spot at Chelsea

Chelsea have spent over £400million on attacking players in the past three summer windows.

By Sam McGuire

There has been a scattergun approach to recruitment at Stamford Bridge. They don’t necessarily look at squad needs but instead look at how they can improve the quality of their squad. It is a risky approach but the reward is great. It allowed them to bring in Cole Palmer for just £40million. He was signed when the Blues were stacked in offensive areas.

One of the reasons the move for the Manchester City youngster resulted in a few raised eyebrows was because Chelsea already possessed a highly-rated left-footed right-winger in Noni Madueke.

However, whereas Palmer excelled and made himself a key player for the Blues, winning the Young Player of the Year award, Madueke was relegated to a bit part role last term. He finished the season with a little over 1,000 minutes in the Premier League and though his return of five goals and two assists was decent, he wasn’t able to make the impression he would’ve liked.

There was even talk that he could be sacrificed this summer.

His departure would help balance the books at Stamford Bridge after yet another transfer window of big spending while also allowing the player to claim first-team football elsewhere. It was a potential win-win for the club and the player.

After Chelsea tried and failed to sign Michael Olise from Crystal Palace, there was talk that Madueke could be on the move. Newcastle United reportedly wanted to bring him to St James’ Park and the rumoured £40million fee didn’t deter them. However, a move never materialised.

Enzo Maresca added to his ranks this summer with Portuguese duo Pedro Neto and João Félix making the move to Stamford Bridge. And Madueke had to settle for a place on the bench during Chelsea’s opening game of the season against Manchester City with the former Leicester City boss opting to use Palmer on the right and Christopher Nkunku on the left.

The new Chelsea boss switched things up for the game against Wolves on Sunday, naming Madueke on the right and Mykhailo Mudryk on the left with Palmer playing as an attacking midfielder behind Nicolas Jackson.

Mudryk struggled but the other three thrived at Molineux.

Jackson scored the opener, Palmer nonchalantly lobbed José Sá for the second goal before the Chelsea No. 20 assisted Madueke on three occasions during a 14-minute blitz in the second half.

The 22-year-old now has four goals in his last two appearances for the Blues having come off of the bench in mid-week to score against Servette.

Maresca heaped praise on the Chelsea No. 11 following the 6-2 mauling of Wolves.

“I can judge Noni’s performance, which was fantastic. Not only second half, even first half the first 10 or 15 minutes he was always one-v-one creating something.

“Since day one I said he’s the kind of winger I really like. He is working very good with us, but the best thing today from Noni was not the hat-trick, it was the way he defended for 90 minutes the counter-attacks. ‘That showed the right mentality I am asking from the players. It was for Noni, and it was for Christopher Nkunku who played five minutes. João Félix was the same. If we want to build something, first of all you need the right mentality, and from all of them it was very good.”

Madueke, a £28million signing from PSV Eindhoven in January 2023, could prove to be a key cog in the Maresca system this season. The potential is there for him to claim minutes from big-money signings.

As the Chelsea boss states, the England under-21 international is the kind of winger he likes.

During his sole season with Leicester City, Maresca had Abdul Fatawa and Stephy Mavididi as his wide forwards. And the pair share similarities with Madueke. Both are extremely direct in their play, they are great in one-on-one situations and they are influential in the final third.

Fatawu, for example, finished the 2023/24 season in the Championship with an Expected Assists average of 0.34 while creating 2.1 chances per 90. He had an Expected Goals average of 0.15 and completed almost three dribbles per 90 with a success rate of 54%.

Mavididi had an xG90 of 0.23 for the Foxes and an xA90 of 0.22 from the 1.8 chances per 90 he was carving out. He wasn’t as successful as Fatawu with dribbles, completing just 38% but he was averaging almost two completed ones on a per 90 basis.

Palmer was a breakout star for the Blues under Mauricio Pochettino. There are signs that Madueke could be the one to emerge under Maresca. If the Italian tactician can blend the pair of them and get the best out of the duo, Chelsea could be a dark horse for a top-four finish.

(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.

Aug

2024

Preview: Rayo Vallecano vs. Barcelona

The third matchday of the 2024/25 LaLiga season is already underway. But the first headline fixture sees Barcelona visit Rayo Vallecano, aiming to preserve the only remaining 100% record in the league.

By Neel Shelat

Do Barcelona Want Control or Chaos?

Traditionally, Barcelona have always been a team that seek to dominate possession and control matches. Even during a tough campaign such as 2023/24, they had by far the highest possession average in LaLiga – at nearly 65%. The trouble, however, was that they could not quite control matches as their midfield proved porous and allowed opponents to counter them.

That was among the main issues that plagued Xavi and ultimately led to his departure, so it was one of the big question marks Hansi Flick had to address after taking over. He wasn’t given too much more to work with – on the contrary, Barcelona lost two noteworthy midfielders in the transfer window as both İlkay Gündoğan and Oriol Romeu left. Besides poor squad building, Barça have already faced lots of injury issues this season, forcing Flick to turn to 17-year-old Marc Bernal to hold down defensive midfield in his first matches.

Crucially, though, he has allowed his side to pile forward by way of attack without predominantly focusing on controlling possession and preventing counterattacking chances from being conceded. That has led to them conceding in both games so far, but they have managed to create a great deal of chances worth about five xG altogether. It would seem that this is the best way forward for the Blaugrana, at least for now.

*Both Villarreal and Celta Vigo have played a game more than Barcelona

Rayo Promise Grit With A Creative Spark

Barcelona have faced a couple of sturdy defences so far – against Valencia and Athletic Club – and that trend should continue against Rayo Vallecano. They have conceded just one goal across their two matches, defeating Real Sociedad in the opener and grinding out a goalless draw against Getafe.

Besides organising a solid defensive block, Rayo will hope to pose a significant attacking threat in this match. Iñigo Pérez’s side can pose a direct threat as striker Sergio Camello is a great runner in behind, but they also have some ball-to-feet magicians in their squad. New signing James Rodríguez certainly has to be considered among them but he will not feature in this match, so Isi Palazón could well be the player to watch.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from top flight game from Spain live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Aug

2024

Premier League Team of the Week: Matchday Two

There was a bit of everything in the Premier League this weekend. We had last-minute drama, high scoring games and statement performances from both teams and players.

By Sam McGuire

But who made the FotMob Team of the Week for Matchday Two in the English top-flight and how did they justify their inclusion in the XI?

Goalkeeper: David Raya

Another clean sheet for Arsenal as they made it two wins from two to kick off their 2024/25 Premier League campaign. The Gunners claimed a 2-0 victory over Aston Villa at Villa Park. Raya played his part in the win. The shot-stopper made a wonder save to thwart Ollie Watkins. He made three saves in total and faced shots with an Expected Goals on Target total of 1.05. The former Brentford man wasn’t overly busy but he did what he had to do and he did it well.

Right-Back: Trent Alexander-Arnold

Remarkably, Alexander-Arnold is yet to register an assist in the Premier League this term. He carved out four chances in Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Brentford at Anfield on Sunday and finished the game with an Expected Assists total of 0.53. The right-back created one big chance, completed 100% of his dribbles and won 100% of his ground duels in what was a complete performance.

The Reds are going to want to tie him down to a long-term contract sooner rather than later.

Centre-Back: Cristian Romero

Romero was at his dominant best in Tottenham’s 4-0 win over Everton. The World Cup winner scored a goal, completed 93% of his passes and created one chance for Ange Postecoglou’s side. He won 100% of his tackles, recovered the ball on seven occasions and came out on top in 10 of his 17 duels.

When he’s good, he’s very good.

Centre-Back: Max Kilman

The new West Ham United centre-back impressed against Crystal Palace. The ex-Wolves defender completed 89% of his passes and finished the game with an assist having created two chances. Kilman completed 100% of his dribbles, won 100% of his tackles and made five ball recoveries at Selhurst Park. He also won 100% of his aerial duels and 75% of his ground duels in what was a fairly emphatic showing.

Left-Back: Antonee Robinson

Fulham claimed a 2-1 win over Leicester City on Saturday and Robinson caught the eye at left-back.

He claimed an assist in a game where he created two chances and one big chance. Robinson won the most tackles of any player on the pitch (five), also finishing with a 100% success rate. He also won five of his nine ground duels at Craven Cottage.

Midfield: Noni Madueke

Madueke put on a finishing clinic for Chelsea in their 6-2 win over Wolves.

The explosive winger registered a hat-trick.

He had six shots for the Blues in what was a whirlwind performance in the final third. He also created one chance and didn’t shy away from the defensive side of things, winning 100% of his tackles.

Midfield: Cole Palmer

Madueke netted a hat-trick and he was still upstaged by Palmer. The England international racked up three assists (for all three of Madueke’s goals) and scored his first of the season in the win against Wolves. This performance earned him a FotMob rating of 9.7. The 2023/24 Young Player of the Year has started the new campaign in ridiculous fashion with this outing at Molineux.

Midfield: Kevin De Bruyne

For five glorious minutes Ipswich Town held an early lead at the Etihad, home of the champions, but by the time 16 minutes was on the clock, the newly promoted side found themselves 3-1 down. Kevin De Bruyne scored the second goal in that quick fire comeback, stroking home after Savinho had robbed Ipswich keeper Arijanet Muric. And the Belgian assisted Erling Haaland for City’s third goal on the way to collected a 8.9 FotMob rating overall.

Midfield: Son Heung-min

Son is off the mark for the season after netting a double in the 4-0 win over Everton on Saturday. The Spurs skipper was instrumental in the win, creating a big chance for the hosts while proving himself to be a constant menace throughout having attempted four dribbles.

Attack: Danny Welbeck

Brighton have invested heavily in their attack this summer but it was an old face pulling the strings for the Seagulls this weekend during their last minute win over Manchester United. Welbeck scored against the Red Devils, his former employers, in the 2-1 victory for Brighton. The 33-year-old also created two chances, won 100% of his tackles, 100% of his ground duels and 100% of his aerial duels.

Attack: Erling Haaland

It was a Haaland masterclass this weekend. The Manchester City marksman scored three goals for the reigning champions in their win over Ipswich Town. He had a total of seven shots and finished with an Expected Goals total of 1.79. The No9 finished the game with as many completed passes as he had shots. That gives you a snapshot into the type of performance it was by the two-time Golden Boot winner.

(Images from IMAGO)

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

Aug

2024

Preview: Real Madrid vs. Real Valladolid

The Kylian Mbappé era in LaLiga started with a somewhat underwhelming draw away to Mallorca for Madrid on the opening weekend of the 2024/25 season.

By Graham Ruthven

Indeed, the Spanish and European champions could have suffered defeat in their first game of the campaign and will therefore be expecting a more assertive performance against Real Valladolid at the Santiago Bernabéu on Sunday.

Ferland Mendy will be unavailable for Real Madrid’s home opener after the Frenchman was shown red against Mallorca, giving Carlo Ancelotti a selection headache on the left side of his defence.

Eduardo Camavinga played at left back on occasion last season, but he too will be unavailable for the match against Valladolid after suffering a knee injury last week. David Alaba, another left back option, is also injured. Fran García could subsequently start.

Real Valladolid started their 2024/25 campaign with a 1-0 home win over Espanyol which saw summer signing Raúl Moro score the game’s only goal in the first half.

However, Moro’s goal came from Real Valladolid’s only shot on target which suggests they may struggle to create opportunities against the defending champions on their own patch this weekend.

Paulo Pezzolano is known for being an attack-minded manager, but will almost certainly have to adopt a more pragmatic approach at the Bernabéu otherwise his team could be picked off. Valladolid are expected to line up in a relatively rigid 4-5-1 formation.

Madrid are currently on an unbeaten run in LaLiga that stretches back 33 games. On top of this, they have won eight of their last nine home matches against Valladolid in all competitions and haven’t conceded to the Pucela in their last five meetings.

Nonetheless, Ancelotti’s side have yet to find top gear in the early stages of this season with Mbappé still being integrated into the forward line. The Frenchman touched the ball 44 times against Mallorca and was somewhat isolated.

Ancelotti is having to balance the attacking talents of Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo with Jude Bellingham now being pushed deeper into midfield (although he is now injured according to the latest reports) to give Real Madrid some sort of structure.

If Valladolid can gain a foothold in the centre of the pitch, like Mallorca did on opening weekend, they could pose a threat in the capital. Otherwise, it’s probable that they will be smothered by the sheer weight of Real Madrid’s attacking talent.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Aug

2024

Preview: Wolves vs. Chelsea

Sunday afternoon sees Wolves open their Molineux doors to Chelsea and with both teams succumbing to defeat in the opening weekend of this new Premier League season, each will be looking to earn their first points of the campaign.

By Dan Tracey

Defeat for Wolves at title hopefuls Arsenal on Saturday. Defeat for Chelsea at home to defending champions Manchester City a day later. The reverse for Gary O’Neil’s men was nothing more than a training exercise for the Gunners, the same could be said for the Cityzens at Stamford Bridge.

For the West Midlands outfit, they can at least tick off their trip to the red half of North London early on and defeat at the Emirates is unlikely to define the next nine months. For the West London outfit, their loss to Manchester City shows how far the chasm between these two big six members has become.

Among a backdrop of player unrest – something that was always likely with a senior squad bursting at the seems with more than 40 professionals listed, Enzo Maresca’s debut as a Premier League manager was overshadowed by Raheem Sterling’s statement an hour before kick-off.

The England international highlighting his displeasure at being cast adrift and with the way that Chelsea are buying players this summer, the 29-year-old may not be the last superstar to be persona non grata within their Cobham training facility.

However, there were reasons for Chelsea fans to be cheerful on Thursday night, as the Blues got the better of Servette in the first leg of their Europa Conference League qualifier. A 2-0 lead to take to Switzerland should be comfortable enough, in fairness it should have been three.

Whether Marc Guiu’s miss has a bearing on the tie’s outcome remains to be seen but with the Spaniard missing a chance with an xG of 0.94, he may have to go to the back of the forward queue on Sunday.

This game will possibly see Pedro Neto go up against his former club after his summer switch and although the Portuguese star did not feature the last time these two teams met at Molineux, Wolves still managed to win 2-1 last Christmas Eve.

Back then, it was Wolves who took advantage of a Chelsea side that were still very much a work in progress under former manager Mauricio Pochettino. Now they will look to take advantage against a team that is a work in progress under new boss Enzo Maresca.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Aug

2024

Preview: Liverpool vs. Brentford

Anfield was a fortress for Liverpool during the Jürgen Klopp era.

By Sam McGuire

The German lost just 12 of his 167 league games at Anfield in charge of the Reds and six of those occurred during that forgettable 2020/21 campaign when Liverpool were without senior centre-backs and no fans were allowed in stadiums.

Arne Slot will be hoping for a similarly formidable record on home soil. He takes charge of his first Premier League match at Anfield this weekend as Liverpool play host to Brentford on Sunday.

The Reds kicked off their 2024/25 campaign with a 2-0 win over Ipswich Town last weekend. After a difficult first half, a half in which chances were few and far between, Liverpool found their groove after the break. They carved out six big chances and had shots with an Expected Goals total of 2.56. By comparison, the Tractor Boys ran out of steam and could muster just three efforts after the break, with an Expected Goals total of just 0.15.

Mohamed Salah added to his opening-day tally. He now leads the way with a league record nine goals on scored on Matchday One in the Premier League. He also assisted the opener for Diogo Jota while Trent Alexander-Arnold looked back to his sensational best at Portman Road.

The signs were positive for Slot and his players. They’ll be favourites heading into this game against the Bees. But Thomas Frank’s side have the potential to cause an upset.

Yoane Wissa, in the starting XI in place of Ivan Toney, was the match-winner and the difference-maker for Brentford against Crystal Palace. He assisted the opener and found the back of the net late on to give the hosts all three points last Sunday. His showing against the Eagles earned him a FotMob rating of 8.7. He won five of his six ground duels and 100% of his aerial duels. He’s a real handful and Liverpool will be wary of this, especially after what happened against Ipswich.

Slot was forced to replace Jarell Quansah at the break after the young centre-back struggled to deal with the physicality of Liam Delap. Ibrahima Konate was brought on and helped the Reds control proceedings after the break. Who gets the nod alongside Virgil van Dijk this weekend will be interesting. Does Quansah get a second chance or will Ibrahima Konaté be brought in to deal with Wissa?

Interestingly, the Brentford forward enjoys playing against the Reds. He has two goals against Liverpool. The 27-year-old only has more scored more goals in the Premier League against West Ham.

The Bees will play to Wissa’s and their collective strengths and they’ll believe they can cause an upset at Anfield.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Aug

2024

Preview: Wolfsburg vs. Bayern Munich

For the first time since 2012, Bayern Munich spent their summer smarting after failing to win Germany’s biggest prize, the Bundesliga title.

By Nathan Evans

Xavi Alonso and his Bayer Leverkusen side were the culprits as manager Thomas Tuchel failed to deliver the Bavarian club’s objectives and as a result, he’s since been relieved of his duties by the board. To a lot of people’s surprise, it was Burnley’s Vincent Kompany who was poached by the former German title holders for the vacant spot in the dugout, even despite the fact that he led the English side to Premier League relegation in 2023/24.

Now the challenge for him is much bigger, to turn around the fortunes of one of Europe’s biggest and most recognisable teams, and that starts with an opening day clash against Wolfsburg.

The optics could hardly look any better for him to grab a victory in this one when you take a glance at his new side’s prior results against the Wolves. Of the teams that Bayern have faced more than 10 times in the Bundesliga, their points-per-game average is higher against this opposition than versus any other side (2.52), whilst the Bavarians are also unbeaten in 18 Bundesliga games against the Wolves since a 4-1 defeat all the way back in January 2015

But this time around, things could be different given Bayern’s lacklustre 2023/24 campaign.

Overall, there’s still plenty of issues to still negotiate for Kompany, even in spite of Bayern’s near perfect pre-season campaign and accompanying 4-0 success in last weekend’s DFB-Pokal First Round outing. Picking his first Bundesliga starting XI is amongst them, with the depth of quality at the Allianz Arena meaning that a number of players are unlikely to be happy with any pending decisions. That includes midfielder Leon Goretzka in particular who remains on the fringes of the playing squad, with the club seemingly happy to let him leave over the next few weeks but with the player himself desperate to fight for his spot this campaign.

Wolfsburg aren’t immune to similar problems themselves; especially as key central defender Maxence Lacroix reportedly remains locked in negotiations to leave the German club for Premier League side Crystal Palace this transfer window. On the whole, their recruitment has also fallen well short in the supporters’ collective opinion, with just five players joining the Wolves, three of whom are aged 20 or under and lack vital first team experience across their careers to date. After finishing in a very disappointing 12^th spot last season, it’ll be on manager Ralph Hassenhuttl to improve their standing in the Bundesliga but with Bayern having a point to prove this season, the hosts could struggle to make an impact in this curtain raising fixture.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Aug

2024

MLS is Back: Players to look out for as the season resumes

As the 2024 Major League Soccer season resumes following a mid-season break, here are some of the players to look out for as teams battle for a place in the playoffs, including some new signings, MVP candidates, and future stars.

By James Nalton

The New Faces

The MLS Summer 2024 transfer window closed on August 14, and by that time several clubs had made moves that could change the outlook of their 2024 campaigns, while others began to plan for 2025.

Both Los Angeles clubs made older, big-name signings from Europe this summer. Marco Reus joined LA Galaxy and Olivier Giroud signed for Los Angeles FC. The local rivals are battling it out at the top of the Western Conference, and each will hope this extra experience and quality, and the extra buzz such players attract, will give them the edge.

Charlotte added a veteran player in a different mould with the signing of Tim Ream. The 36-year-old defender joined from Fulham in the twilight of his career but remains one of the best American centre-backs around.

Alexey Miranchuk could be an inspired signing for Atlanta from Atalanta as the Russian is a creative machine at any level of the game. He might not do much else, but if you can complement him with players who can get on the end of chances and others who can do other kinds of midfield work, then he could be highly effective. At 28, he is also at a peak level age-wise so he is likely to hit the ground running, or rather, passing.

New York Red Bulls went for a midfielder in a similar age range in Felipe Carballo. Though still technically gifted, Uruguayan is more on the dynamic end of the midfield spectrum compared to Miranchuck.

Several other signings joined the league as Designated Players this summer including Osman Bukari at Austin FC, Kelvin Yeboah at Minnesota United, Ezequiel Ponce at Houston Dynamo, Pep Biel at Charlotte, and Diogo Gonçalves at Real Salt Lake.

St. Louis City have struggled in their second season in the league, but the signing of Marcel Hartel, who scored 17 goals from a left-sided attacking midfield position in the 2. Bundesliga for St. Pauli last season, could help their campaign look more respectable come the end of the season.

The MVP Candidates

Given that he has not played for Inter Miami since June 1 and looks set to be out for a little longer with an ankle injury suffered at the Copa America, it is unlikely that Lionel Messi will be in line for the MLS’s MVP award in 2024.

Even if he returns to the Miami side and drives them singlehandedly to MLS Cup success, the award is handed out prior to that game, so players who featured more regularly for their team throughout the regular season will be the most likely contenders.

Which of the several standout players in Messi’s absence is considered the best so far this season, probably depends on which team you support.

For fans of one of the most eye-catching teams on the continent, Columbus Crew, there is no doubt the best player operating in these parts is Cucho Hernández. The Colombian’s combination of creativity, ingenuity and goalscoring adds a cutting-edge and final third quality to Columbus’s lauded play. They are well-positioned with games in hand to make a challenge for the Supporters’ Shield.

Last season’s MVP Luciano Acosta is also in the mix once again. He has already reached double figures for goals and assists this season, and Cincy will be hoping to have their captain fresh and firing as the season restarts having lost three matches on the bounce prior to this mid-season break.

Speaking of double figures for goals and assists, the only other player along with Acosta and Messi to have achieved this feat so far this season is Evander of Portland Timbers. The fact his team sits in midtable might see him outside the conversation as a genuine MVP candidate at the moment, but Portland are just as capable of mounting a winning run that propels them towards the top of the conference as they are of dropping out of the playoff picture. If the former happens, then Evander’s stock will rise.

At the top of the goalscoring charts sits Cristian Arango of Real Salt Lake, and just behind him is LAFC’s Denis Bouanga. Both will be in the running for the overall individual award as well as the goalscoring one and will play a big role in whether their respective teams can turn a good season into an exceptional one.

A good end to the season from LA Galaxy could see Gabriel Pec or Riqui Puig in contention. At the other end of the scale, Christian Benteke has stood out for DC United but the team’s position means he is unlikely to be in the final conversation, despite challenging to be the league’s top scorer.

The Young Players To Watch

Each year, MLS compiles a list of the best players under the age of 22, so this seems like a useful definition to use when picking out the best up-and-coming players to watch as the league reaches the business end of the season.

Even with Messi missing there is still plenty of entertainment at Inter Miami. As well as the likes of Luis Suárez and Jordi Alba, there are also young players to look out for. 21-year-old Diego Gómez is the standout, and the midfielder has already been recognised with a move to Premier League talent spotters Brighton set for January.

They also boast the talented deep-lying midfielder Federico Redondo. The 21-year-old is the son of Fernando Redondo and will be looking to kick on as a regular in the team after coming back from a knee injury.

Earlier this season Cavan Sullivan became the youngest player ever to appear in MLS. The 14-year-old will join Manchester City when he turns 18, further highlighting how highly rated he is, and could see a handful of minutes here and there as the season winds down.

One player who will feature more regularly for the Union is 21-year-old Jack McGlynn — a cultured left-footed midfielder who has a great passing range and accuracy from set pieces and in open play. Watch out for his shots from long-range, too.

Like McGlynn, Diego Luna is another young star playing a key role for his team. He’s part of that enterprising RSL attack along with Arango and might have even more responsibility following the departure of Andrés Gómez — another standout 21-year-old who left for Rennes in Ligue 1.

Elsewhere, 17-year-old left-back Christian McFarlane is highly regarded by City Football Group and has started to get some game time for New York City, while across the Hudson River at the Red Bulls, 21-year-old attacking midfielder Wikelman Carmona is worth looking out for.

As Andrés Gómez’s move to Ligue 1 and the Premier League interest in several of these players shows, MLS is increasingly becoming a league that boasts young players with the quality to make the next step.

(Cover Image from IMAGO)

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Aug

2024

Preview: Spurs vs. Everton

Tottenham host Everton at home this weekend as both sides are looking to get their first win of the new Premier League season.

By Matt Smith

Ange Postecoglou’s men will be disappointed not to have taken home the three points in their opening fixture after a dominant first half against Leicester. The north London outfit looked incredibly comfortable, creating a host of chances while limiting their opposition.

The momentum shifted in the second half as the Foxes looked to get back into the game, but there were plenty of positive signs for Spurs supporters. Dominic Solanke may not have found the back of the net, but he was getting into some dangerous positions due to his clever movement (albeit, he will not miss this upcoming game due to injury).

The game against Everton is an opportunity for Postecoglou to showcase what he’s been working on in pre-season in front of the home fans for the first time this term. New signings are starting to bed in, with an impressive cameo from Lucas Bergvall against Leicester.

The young midfielder came off the bench later in the game, creating a chance, completing two dribbles, and winning five duels. Postecoglou might be considering offering him a few more minutes this weekend against Everton.

The Toffees currently find themselves sitting at the bottom of the table after a heavy 3-0 defeat at home to Brighton in their first fixture. If the hammering at Goodison Park wasn’t enough, Ashley Young’s red card means Everton head to Tottenham without a fit senior right-back.

Young is now suspended while Seamus Coleman and Nathan Patterson are both injured, so the right-back position is likely to be somewhere Spurs expose consider they talent they have out wide. A lack of possession and chances created, it was a drab display from Sean Dyche’s men on Merseyside.

Summer signings Jake O’Brien, Iliman Ndiaye, and Jesper Lindstrøm were all named on the bench against Brighton, so it could be time for Dyche to unleash the trio after a disappointing home performance.

The attacking output, similarly to last season, wasn’t good enough from Everton’s perspective, and the threat of Lindstrom and Ndiaye in transition could be useful against Spurs and their high line.

It’s a chance for Dyche and his team to make a real statement after a poor start, but their season won’t be defined by their opening two fixtures considering the quality of the opposition they’re facing.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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