Page 28 – The Pulse of Football

Dec

2023

Premier League Review: Matchday 18

It is that time of the year. With the games coming thick and fast, we’re seeing shock results and surprise performances aplenty. Ahead of the Boxing Day fixtures, a look at the biggest talking points from matchday 18.

By Sam McGuire, Premier League expert

Villa’s resolve is tested

Aston Villa had the perfect opportunity to move to the top of the table. Unai Emery’s men, with their perfect record at Villa Park, hosted bottom-of-the-table Sheffield United on Friday night.

All Villa had to do was win. It didn’t have to be pretty or convincing. They just needed the three points to move ahead of Arsenal.

In the end, they had to settle for a point. Heading into stoppage time, it appeared as though they wouldn’t even achieve that.

Former Villa striker Cameron Archer fired the Blades into a well deserved lead with just three minutes left. Chris Wilder’s side weren’t able to hold on though and Nicolo Zaniolo struck in the 97th minute.

Villa now travel to Old Trafford on Boxing Day looking to return to winning ways. The point, momentarily, lifted Sheffield United off the bottom of the table but Burnley’s win on Saturday meant that was short-lived.

Another defeat for Manchester United

The Red Devils did well to limit Liverpool last weekend. They could’ve used this performance as a platform to really kickstart their season as they travelled to West Ham on Saturday afternoon.

The Hammers played in mid-week against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup and David Moyes had to rotate his team to keep things fresh.

Yet it was United who looked tired and sluggish. They dominated the ball but struggled to create anything, finishing the game with an xG total of just 1.03 as West Ham ran out 2-0 winners to move into sixth.

United now find themselves in eighth position and the pressure really is on Erik Ten Hag.

Momentum is with Spurs

Tottenham made it three wins on the spin with their 2-1 victory over Everton on Saturday afternoon.

Ange Postecoglou’s side raced into an early 2-0 lead against an in-form Toffees side, with Richarlison and Heung-Min Son continuing their fine run of form in front of goal.

The Toffees hit back in the second half with Andre Gomes halving the deficit with eight minutes left to play. In truth though, Sean Dyche’s men probably deserved at least a point.

Everton had more shots, more big chances and a higher Expected Goals total. Guglielmo Vicario was actually the highest rated player on FotMob with a score of 8.7 after making seven saves.

The Dominic Solanke show

Dominic Solanke netted a hat-trick for Bournemouth as the Cherries beat Nottingham Forest 3-2. The former Liverpool forward scored twice in quick succession after the break and then grabbed the winner in stoppage time to extend his remarkable run in front of goal.

The 26-year-old has six in his last six Premier League outings and he’s now on 11 for the season.

The Cherries are now up to 11th in the Premier League with this last-gasp win.

Nuno Espírito Santo, managing Nottingham Forest for the first time, will feel a little aggrieved in all honesty. Willy Boly was controversially sent off inside of 25 minutes and if was a uphill struggle for the hosts after that. Still, they’ll need points on the board soon to avoid relegation.

Newcastle don’t travel well

Another away match for Newcastle United, another away defeat. Only two teams have picked up fewer points than the Magpies (five) on their travels this season.

Eddie Howe’s men made the trip to Kenilworth Road on Saturday to take on a struggling Luton Town side.

The Toon Army had comfortably beaten Fulham last week and probably expected three points against the Hatters.

It wasn’t to be though. Luton had more shots, a higher Expected Goals total and finished with more big chances. They didn’t have much of the ball but they made sure to make the most of their opportunities.

Andros Townsend, a former Newcastle United winger, scored the winner for Luton. The three points means Rob Edwards’ side are just two points behind 17th placed Nottingham Forest.

Arsenal reclaim top spot

Arsenal travelled to Anfield looking to prove doubters wrong. The Gunners crumbled against Liverpool last season despite taking a 2-0 lead. After that, their title charge fell apart. This was their chance to show the world that they’re a different team this time around.

They started the game well with Gabriel nodding past Alisson after just four minutes. But then Liverpool found their way back into the game. Mohamed Salah equalised and then Trent Alexander-Arnold smashed the bar with the game there to be won.

In the end, a draw was probably a fair result when looking at the stats. Arsenal reclaimed top spot and will be top of the table for Christmas, leading the way by a single point.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Dec

2023

FIVE games to follow this weekend: The build up to Christmas

In this weekend preview we summarise the best five games to follow on your match feed.

By Bill Biss

🏆 FIFA Club World Cup Final: Manchester City vs. Fluminense

First up, we’re guaranteed to see a new name etched into FIFA’s Club World Cup trophy, on Friday, as debut finalists Manchester City and Fluminense go head-to-head.

The Brazilian giants finally won their first Copa Libertadores title back in November, defeating Boca Juniors after extra-time, before then going on to finish seventh as their domestic league came to a close earlier this month. As representatives of the CONMEBOL region, Fluminense were therefore awarded a semi-final spot in this, the twentieth edition of this tournament, where they duly beat African champions Al Ahly in routine fashion. Watch out for young goal scoring sensation, John Kennedy, who will hope to feature at some point in the final. He scored in every knockout tie in the club’s Libertadores run. And then again in Monday’s semi-final.

Man City arrived in Saudi Arabia, for these finals, somewhat out of form having won just one of their last six Premier League games. But their expected superiority – as UEFA representatives – was back on show when they coasted to a 3-0 victory over AFC Champions League holders Urawa Red Diamonds in the other semi-final, played on Tuesday.

The European Champions have history on their side, with whoever is present from UEFA having won 15 of the previous 19 finals in the tournament under its current guise. And City’s Pep Guardiola is looking to become the first coach to win four titles, moving him clear of Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti in the record books. But he’ll have to do so against Fernando Diniz, a coach that is styling himself as the ‘anti-Guardiola’, and appears to be making great strides with Fluminense, if not with the Brazilian national team, who he is also temporarily in charge of.

Diniz is trying to do away with the rigid formations and a fast paced passing game, and instead, asks his players to be fluid, swarming areas of the pitch, both in possession, and to win back the ball from the opposition. The clash of styles should be interesting to watch.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Premier League: Liverpool vs. Arsenal

Back in Man City’s domestic league, the current matchday is spread right across the weekend, with the round’s main attraction coming with this top of the table clash, scheduled as Saturday’s late kick-off.

At the time of writing, Arsenal hold a one point advantage over hosts Liverpool at the top of the standings. That could all be changed though, by Aston Villa, should Unai Emery’s side win their Friday night game against bottom team Sheffield United.

Liverpool haven’t lost a league game against the Gunners, at Anfield, since September 2012, so their current 19-game unbeaten run on their own patch (all comps) should give the Reds some confidence ahead of this one.

Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta will be targeting this game, though, as he looks for the statement victory that could see his London side really stamp their authority on this season’s title race. The Gunners come in to the game having won five of their previous six in the league, and with a league-high seven clean sheets to their name.

🇪🇸 LaLiga: Atlético Madrid vs. Sevilla

There’s just one game remaining in Spain’s top flight this year. And that comes at the Metropolitano on Saturday night.

Atlético host Sevilla, who picked up their first win under new coach Quique Sánchez Flores on Tuesday night, barely 48 hours after his appointment. They beat Granada 3-0, away from home, to collect just their third win of the season, something that moved them three points clear of the drop zone.

At the other end of the table, Atlético sit fourth, albeit 10 points off city rivals Real, who lead Girona on goal difference following games earlier in the week. With this fixture being a rearranged match from earlier in the season, Atleti were also in action midweek. Diego Simeone’s side conspired to let a 3-1 lead slip at home to Getafe, who scored on 87 minutes, and again after 93 minutes to level the contest. Atlético managed to build that lead despite the sending off of star defender Stefan Savić in the first half.

One of the side’s other main performers – Antoine Griezmann – scored twice, taking his tally to 16 goals for the season (all comps). If Sevilla are going to get anything from this game, they’ll need to stop the Frenchman from getting a good sight at goal.

🇮🇹 Serie A: Inter vs. Lecce

Also on Saturday, Serie A leaders Inter are in action when they take on mid-table Lecce. Regardless of other results (Juventus play earlier on Saturday), the Nerazzurri are guaranteed to hold on to top spot for Christmas, but coach Simone Inzaghi will be looking for a reaction from his side following a surprise in the Coppa Italia on Wednesday.

Inter are the current Coppa holders but they suffered their first defeat since September when they were knocked out of the Round of 16, by Bologna, 2-1 after extra-time, at the San Siro. That ended a 15-game unbeaten run in all competitions and came despite Carlos Augusto opening the scoring for the home side on 92 minutes.

Back in the league, Inter haven’t conceded a goal in three games, and they continue to boast both the best attack – they average 2.4 goals per games – and the best defence – they’re conceding just 0.4 goals per game – in the division. For their part, Lecce come in to this game in good nick, they’re unbeaten in five, and ended a run of four draws with last weekend’s 2-1 win over Frosinone.

🇹🇷 Süper Lig: Fenerbahçe vs. Galatasaray

By far the biggest game taking place anywhere in the world on Sunday, Christmas Eve, comes in Türkiye. Here, the two continental rivals from different sides of Istanbul sit level on points at the top of the Süper Lig, something that adds even more spice to what is already one of the most fierce local derbies in the game.

The title race already looks like being a two-horse race with these two 14 points ahead of their nearest challengers, Kayserispor. Speaking of whom, Fenerbahçe beat the third placed side in dramatic fashion on Wednesday night. That game finished 4-3 to Fener, who were the away side, and was achieved despite them going down to nine men in the closing stages.

Michy Batshuayi scored a second half hat-trick as he deputised for old warhorse Edin Džeko, who already has 12 league goals to his name this season. A tally that puts him on a par with Galatasaray’s leading man, Mauro Icardi. The Argentine striker didn’t find the net as Gala struggled to a 1-0 victory over Karagümrük on the same night to keep pace with their rivals.

With Fener being by far and away the top scorers in the division, and Gala having the strongest defence, we could be set for a season defining contest.

Cover Image from IMAGO

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Dec

2023

FotMob Feature: Brendan Rodgers’ underwhelming return to Celtic

Brendan Rodgers knew he had some grovelling to do upon his unexpected return to Celtic. His decision to ditch the Hoops for Leicester City just a matter of weeks before the clinching of an historic Treble Treble in his first stint left a bitterness in the mouth of Celtic fans who weren’t willing to easily forgive the Northern Irishman’s fickleness.

By Graham Ruthven

Rodgers spoke about building on the success enjoyed by Ange Postecoglou, but Celtic have instead regressed this season – dramatically so. This has only stoked the toxic atmosphere around Celtic Park which has seen the banishment of the Green Brigade supporters’ group, protests against the board and general discontent simmer.

Last weekend’s home defeat to Hearts, coming just one week after a loss to Kilmarnock, represented a new low for Celtic in a season that had already been underwhelming. Rodgers’ team have now lost back-to-back Scottish Premiership matches for the first time in a decade and deserved no better from either game.

Celtic have also dropped points at home to relegation-threatened Motherwell and St Johnstone this season and have ceded control of the title race to Rangers – two points behind with a game in-hand – despite the Ibrox club changing managers two months ago after a poor start to the campaign of their own.

Europe, which Rodgers publicly made a priority, was also a disappointment as Celtic finished bottom of their Champions League group, winning their only game in a dead-rubber. “European football after Christmas,” in his own words, was the aim. Instead, they are out of continental competition altogether while Rangers are into the knockout rounds of the Europa League.

Succeeding Postecoglou was always going to be difficult for whoever took on the job. The Australian raised the bar at Celtic and moulded the team on the pitch in his own image. While Rodgers technically was more successful than Postecoglou in his first stint as Hoops boss, fans certainly had more fun with the latter in charge.

Ange-ball was quick and exciting. Brendan-ball, by comparison, has felt slow and ponderous this season. A number of players who thrived under Postecoglou – see Kyogo Furuhashi, Greg Taylor, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Alistair Johnston and Reo Hatate – appear uncomfortable with what Rodgers is now asking them to do.

Furuhashi has suffered more than most. The Japanese forward was the embodiment of Ange-ball in the way he pressed from the front and took up intelligent positions in front of goal. Rodgers, however, prefers a different sort of striker who can hold up the ball and act as more of an orthodox focal point.

Recruitment-wise, Celtic have also lost their way since Postecoglou’s departure. Recent reports claim the club is preparing for a January clear-out with the likes of Alexandro Bernabei, Nat Phillips and Gustaf Lagerbielke (who only joined Celtic in the summer) believed to be on their way out.

Why, however, were Celtic so successful at finding players suitable for Postecoglou’s style of play, yet unable to do the same for Rodgers’? Injuries to a number of key players have been a factor in the Hoops’ recent poor form, but Rodgers hasn’t exactly helped the situation by chopping and changing his team so frequently from match-to-match.

“I’m not [surprised] if I’m honest,” Rodgers admitted after the loss to Hearts. “I’ve seen it within the team from time to time, I’m surprised at home we produced that level of the performance, but not so when I see the first half at St Johnstone. Then Kilmarnock away and today. It disappoints me greatly because we haven’t shown the necessary determination and the passive nature was a concern.”

Rodgers isn’t currently giving the impression of someone truly enthused by the job he accepted in the summer. Some have speculated, not without justification, that the Northern Irishman’s heart just isn’t in it. It’s only now that the scale of the task is apparently dawning on Rodgers who hasn’t cracked a smile in weeks.

Postecoglou’s appointment masked a lot of the deeper issues at Celtic. The Australian took full control of the club on and off the pitch, but Rodgers needs more help from the Celtic board and a recruitment department in need of a rebuild to point the team in the right direction again. Until that happens, Celtic will struggle to escape their current spiral.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Dec

2023

FotMob Feature: League Two frontrunners Stockport County

With their home ground of Edgeley Park sat just under ten miles away from both Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium and Manchester United’s Old Trafford, it’s fair to say that Stockport County have largely been overshadowed by their big city neighbours throughout their history.

But now, sat six points clear at the top of League Two, County are preparing for a big Friday night game – at home – against fellow promotion contenders, Notts County.

By Nathan Evans

Since their formation all the way back in 1883, the club’s haul of trophies isn’t the biggest, but instead, they can boast one of English football’s most devoted and passionate fan bases, who have been with their side through thick and thin.

Their journey has seen the highs of their eighth placed finish in England’s second tier during the 1997/98 campaign, mixed in with the lows of their relegation to the National League North, and subsequent four year stay in the sixth tier division between 2015 and 2019.

Now, County find themselves firmly back in the Football League with a new owner at the helm, and after falling in the League Two play off final on penalties to Carlisle United last season, they look likely to go one better this time around.

Under manager Dave Challinor, Stockport currently sit at the very top of the standings in League Two. Through their opening 22 matches of the 2023/24 season, the Mancunion side have amassed 46 points, winning 14 of them to stay ahead of Barrow, Wrexham, and the rest of the chasing pack in England’s fourth tier.

Their recent second round replay loss to non-league Aldershot Town in the FA Cup may have slightly dented the feel good factor around the club, but instead now, they can fully focus on returning to the third level of the Football League for the first time since 2010.

Simply put, Stockport have performed strongly across the park this season. Heading into the 23rd matchday of the League Two season, they enter both as the highest scoring side in the division – thanks to their stunning 8-0 victory over Sutton last time out – while also possessing one of the meanest defences.

On the field, Challinor likes to set his side up in a 4-3-1-2 set up, a formation that is not so common in lower league football. That’s mainly due to its lack of traditional width, something that is usually favoured at this level, though for Stockport, the two central midfielders on either side are expected to act in a Mezzala-like role to cover the wider spaces when needed. They also possess the ability to seamlessly switch to a 3-4-1-2 system, when required, which has proved to be a huge advantage.

Upfront, Isaac Olaofe has been County’s main scorer, netting 13 times in League Two to date which sees him sitting fourth in the division’s Golden Boot race. He joined from Championship side Millwall last winter after impressing, on loan, at Sutton in the fourth tier, and his style and approach compliments his teammates well. A true fox-in-the-box forward, his elite finishing can be best explained by the fact that his 13 finishes have come from an xG tally of 9.94, with none of those coming from the penalty spot. He also struck a hat-trick in his side’s 5-0 home hammering of Wrexham in late September – his first treble in the Football League.

He had been backed up valiantly by 20-year-old Louie Barry who had found the net nine times himself before suffering a serious hamstring injury. The one-time Barcelona youth player, who is now on loan at the club from Premier League title chasers Aston Villa, has shown glimpses of real talent and looks set to finally start delivering on the potential that saw his prior move to the Catalan giants materialise. Across the division, he ranks in the top 10% of players for average successful crosses per match (0.54), whilst his 2.8 successful dribbles per 90 also comes as one of the highest tallies in the division.

But equally as important to Stockport’s success this campaign has been the three players who operate down the spine of the team; Will Collar, Ryan Croasdale, and Fraser Horsfall.

In midfield, Collar and Croasdale have created the perfect partnership that has helped to balance Challinor’s set up. Whilst Collar has contributed his team-high six assists, Croasdale has been sat at the base of the midfield, protecting his defence in an assured and consistent manner. His 33 successful tackles, 142 ball recoveries and 1287 total touches of the ball all rank highly amongst all players in the league, and highlight just how important he has been to his side.

And finally, there’s Horsfall, who during the 2023/24 season has arguably announced himself as the best defender in League Two. His 7.52 average FotMob rating is the second-highest amongst any centre-back but no player can beat his league-leading 167 aerial duels won. The 27-year-old also ranks in the top 5% of all defenders in the competition for overall duels won (210), successful passes (1267) and touches of the ball (1845) as he continues to marshall the County backline to great effect.

With plans to expand and improve upon their squad even further during the January transfer window, Stockport supporters should be confident that their side can go all the way this season. To date, manager Challinor has recorded the highest percentage of league wins (62.1%) of any manager across the club’s long and illustrious history, and if he can keep that pace going for the rest of the campaign, his side should capture their third league title in six seasons.

(Images from IMAGO)

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

Dec

2023

Premier League Preview: Matchday 18

Now we really are at that point of the festive season. We have a bumper round of fixtures for matchday 18, kicking off on Thursday evening with the final match being played on Sunday afternoon. It is that tight at the top that three teams could claim the highly sought-after Christmas top spot. Here is your weekend preview.

By Sam McGuire, Premier League expert

Eagles versus Seagulls

Crystal Palace impressed against Liverpool to come from 2-0 down to claim a draw at the Etihad last weekend, but they’re still without a Premier League win in over a month and the pressure is still on Roy Hodgson.

They welcome rivals Brighton to Selhurst Park on Thursday evening knowing a win lifts them into 12th position. Defeat, however, could see them end the weekend as low as 17th in the Premier League.

Brighton, despite their inconsistent form over recent weeks, have the opportunity to climb to seventh. Roberto De Zerbi’s side have won just two of their previous 10 Premier League fixtures and were easily beaten by Arsenal last weekend, a result that dropped them into ninth in the top-flight.

The Seagulls are still to keep a domestic clean sheet this season while Crystal Palace have found the back of the net in six of their last seven outings. It has the potential to be a thrilling game filled with goals.

The Villa Park fortress

Aston Villa are the only team in the Premier League with a 100% home record this season following Liverpool’s 0-0 draw with Manchester United last weekend. Unai Emery’s men have beaten Arsenal and Manchester City at Villa Park, scoring 25 goals in eight home matches while only conceding on five occasions.

Villa host bottom of the table Sheffield United on Friday knowing a win sees them leapfrog Arsenal and Liverpool into top spot in the Premier League, at least for 24 hours.

That should be a formality for the Villans. They have won seven of their last 10 in the English top flight. By comparison, the Blades have lost seven of their last 10.

Sheffield United have the worst defensive record in the Premier League, having conceded 43 times, while Villa are the second most potent team in the league. Their 37 goals can only be bettered by Manchester City (40).

If Chris Wilder’s men get anything from this game, it will be a shock.

Hammer time for Manchester United?

Manchester United managed to dig deep at Anfield last weekend to take a point off of Liverpool. It eased the pressure on Erik Ten Hag but if results go against them on matchday 18, the Red Devils will head into the Boxing Day fixtures in ninth position and questions over the Dutchman’s long-term future at Old Trafford will once again be asked.

They travel to West Ham on Saturday afternoon knowing defeat against David Moyes’ men will see their hosts leapfrog them.

The Hammers have actually been on a decent run of form in the league as of late. Since a four-game winless run towards the end of October, West Ham have won four of their six matches and this includes victories against Spurs and a comfortable 3-0 triumph over a usually resilient Wolves side.

United have conceded nine goals fewer than their hosts but West Ham have scored 11 more goals. So this game could well be decided by which team manages to win the battle of the strengths.

Top spot up for grabs

Saturday night sees Arsenal travel to Anfield. Liverpool currently trail the Gunners by a point but could well end the weekend in first place. This game sees the two teams with the best defensive records in the Premier League face off. They are also two of the highest scoring teams in the English top flight with the Reds (36) in third while the Gunners (35) are in fifth place.

Last season’s game at Anfield didn’t end the title challenge for Arsenal but it did derail their campaign. Mikel Arteta’s side took a 2-0 lead but failed to see the game out. It extended Arsenal’s winless run at Anfield in the league, a run that dates back to September 2012.

Following the draw on Merseyside, the Gunners won just three of their remaining eight Premier League matches to finish five points behind champions Manchester City. Arteta will want to make a statement this weekend and a win at Anfield goes a long way to telling the world that this Arsenal team is different to the one from last season.

Liverpool also have a point to prove following Sunday’s 0-0 draw with Manchester United. The Reds have been managing to grind out results but performances have been sub-par.

They now need a performance AND a result to silence those who believe they are in a false position right now. It could be a Christmas cracker.

What Chelsea will we get?

Carabao Cup semi-finalists Chelsea head to Molineux on Christmas Eve to take on Wolves. Mauricio Pochettino’s men continue to be inconsistent and you never actually know what version of this team you are going to get. Wolves have been just as patchy this term. It is perhaps why just three points separate these two teams as we head towards the mid-way point of the campaign.

Will the Carabao Cup success be a springboard for Chelsea to finally kickstart their season properly or will it be another false dawn? Will they finish matchday 18 in the bottom half of the table?

It might not feel like it, but this could be season defining for the Blues.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Dec

2023

Mohamed Salah: Delivering as a goalscorer, a goal threat, and a creator

Believe it or not, Mohamed Salah is underrated.

By Sam McGuire, Premier League expert

Yes, the three-time Premier League Golden Boot winner with 201 goals for Liverpool across all competitions since moving to Anfield in 2017 is underrated. In a way, he always has been.

The 31-year-old is known for his goalscoring exploits and rightly so having averaged 23 league goals per season over the past six campaigns. He even held the record for the most goals (32) in a single season until Erling Haaland found the back of the net on 36 occasions last year. What makes Salah’s feats for the Reds even more remarkable is that he’s been doing it as a wide forward.

He will go down as one of the best attackers in Premier League history. But that alone would be doing him a disservice. Why? Because Salah is also one of the best creators in top-flight history. He’s just never acknowledged for it because the focus is usually on his ability to put the ball into the back of the net at an alarming rate.

Since moving to Merseyside, Salah has averaged 10 assists per season. Heading into Liverpool’s top-of-the-table clash with Arsenal at Anfield, the former Roma man is on seven for the 2023/24 campaign. He’s tied with Pedro Neto and Kieran Trippier for the most assists in the Premier League this season and yet the plaudits have been going the way of Neto and Trippier whenever creative players are discussed.

He has three assists in his past five Premier League matches. These have been big ones too. He assisted the equaliser against Manchester City, he set up Wataru Endo for an equaliser against Fulham just moments before Trent Alexander-Arnold won the game for the Reds. Then he played the pass to Harvey Elliott for the winner against Crystal Palace.

This, of course, doesn’t factor in the controversially disallowed Luis Díaz goal against Spurs. Salah threaded the perfectly timed pass through to the Colombia international. He should be on eight assists for the season after just 17 matches.

His return this season is even more impressive when you consider he’s still scoring goals. Only Erling Haaland (14) has found the back of the net on more occasions than Salah (11) while no player has more goal involvements (18) than the one-time Chelsea winger.

He is delivering as a goalscorer, as a goal threat and as a creator.

He’s ramped up his production as a creative outlet though this season.

It was always going to be on the agenda this term. Salah isn’t getting any younger and Liverpool need to futureproof their attack in the sense they had to ease the overreliance on their No. 11. Physically, he may soon begin to wane. There is also doubt over his long-term future at the club.

Salah is being targeted by the Saudi Pro League and with just one year left on his deal come the end of the current season, this could well be his last in England with Liverpool potentially cashing in on him.

The Reds couldn’t replace Salah the goal machine. It would’ve been impossible. So, with a few tweaks to his role, he is now easier to replace. It will still be difficult but with his Expected Goal numbers dropping, the pool of potential replacements opens up. And there’s now much more of an emphasis on him as a creator in this team.

In many ways, he’s stepped up to fill the void left by Roberto Firmino. He’s taken up that mantle and he’s pulling the strings for this new-look Liverpool attack.

At the time of writing this, Salah is posting some incredible creative numbers for the Reds in the Premier League. As previously mentioned, he ranks joint-first for assists. He ranks first for Big Chances Created (13) and he’s fifth for Expected Assists. His return of 0.26 Expected Assists per 90 is actually the highest he’s posted for Liverpool.

Salah is a dual threat like nobody else in the Premier League. He has the second-most goals in the league and the most assists. Others are looking to rival him for the crown of best wide forward in the English top-flight but they’re still falling short.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Dec

2023

He’s the Haaland of xG but Liverpool need Darwin Nunez to turn it into goals

There are rumbles of frustration at Anfield around the misfiring form of Darwin Núñez, who needs to turn his impressive underlying stats into the genuine product – and fast.

By Jack Lusby, ThisIsAnfield.com

In the wake of Liverpool’s recent, late 2-1 win over Crystal Palace, an alarming statistic regarding Darwin Núñez began to gain traction on social media.

It was claimed that, since his £85 million arrival from Benfica in 2022, Nunez had scored 13 Premier League goals with an expected goals (xG) rate of 23.47, underperforming by 10.47 fewer goals.

xG statistics can never be used as empirical evidence, as they are largely subjective, but more so they can be used to illustrate a wider point.

Even the eye test has proved that Núñez, while capable of the sublime and game-changing, has missed a high number of chances that a striker of his ilk should be expected to score.

The reality is that Núñez has only underperformed his xG by 5.9 in the league – having netted 13 with an xG of 18.9 – with his tally in all competitions at 22 goals from 29.23 xG.

If he had put away all the chances xG models predicted he should, the 24-year-old would have 29 goals in his first 66 appearances for the Liverpool; include expected assists (xA) and it stands at 29 goals, nine assists in 66 games, or a goal contribution every 96 minutes.

His actual output is 22 goals, 10 assists in 66 games which, to his credit, is behind only Mohamed Salah when it comes to goal contributions for Liverpool since he arrived.

There has long been a sense that, when things start clicking properly for Núñez, he will explode into form as one of the most devastating centre-forwards in European football. He is, after all, getting into the right positions and being given the service needed.

Only two players to clock 900 or more minutes in this season’s Premier League are averaging a higher non-penalty xG per 90 than Núñez (0.65), those being Nicolas Jackson (0.74) and Erling Haaland (0.81). In his debut campaign in England, Núñez (0.64) was behind only Callum Wilson (0.72) and Haaland (0.75).

But there is now a growing sense that, after almost 18 months on Merseyside and as a 24-year-old striker signed for a club-record fee, Núñez is afforded more leeway than he perhaps deserves.

It certainly doesn’t help that the Uruguayan finds himself on a 10-game scoring drought, his last goal a stunning long-range winner against Bournemouth in the Carabao Cup, blanking for 608 minutes – or over 10 hours – on the pitch against Luton, Toulouse, Brentford, Manchester City, LASK, Fulham, Sheffield United, Crystal Palace, Union SG and Manchester United since.

In that same time, Salah has scored only four goals and both Cody Gakpo and Luis Díaz have managed two apiece. Due to injury, Diogo Jota only featured in four of those 10 games and himself netted twice. Without the prolific Portuguese, who is second-top goalscorer this season with eight despite only clocking 926 minutes, Liverpool’s front line is seriously lacking goals.

Goals are what supporters would expect from a striker who cost £85 million and has now been afforded a year-and-a-half to bed into a new club, country and league, but Núñez’s inability to turn chances into conversions is a concern.

When he is unable to act purely on instinct, as he did with his two vital goals to clinch a 2-1 victory over Newcastle in August, Núñez appears to struggle.

This was no better summed up than when he allowed a promising chance to waste late on in the 0-0 draw with Manchester United, as he ignored an overlap from Kostas Tsimikas, delayed agonisingly as defensive bodies got back and fired meekly into a throng.

The frequency with which he is caught offside – 14 times, the second-most of any player in this season’s Premier League behind only Nottingham Forest’s Anthony Elanga (15) – is another frustration, as is his tendency to pick up cheap yellow cards, with four of his five so far this season shown for time-wasting or dissent.

Having now inherited the No. 9 shirt previously worn by Roberto Firmino, there are unavoidable and stark comparisons being made between Núñez and the legendary Brazilian when it comes to footballing IQ.

Though Firmino was one of the most unique strikers in football, the decision to shift from a player of his profile to a more orthodox, off-the-shoulder centre-forward is one of the more intriguing experiments of Klopp’s new ‘Liverpool 2.0’.

“Do I want Darwin to play like Bobby Firmino in the same position? No, not at all. It makes no sense. We are talking about a false No. 9 and a No. 9. That is the difference,” Klopp told reporters soon after Núñez’s arrival.

The manager explained his desire to “refresh the way we play,” and put the onus on the players to influence his planning as he was “really open to what the boys offer and from there we go.”

As his first campaign wore on, though, Klopp was forced to emphasis that in order for Núñez to reclaim the role of first-choice striker back from January signing Gakpo, he would need to accept that the “ticket” into his side is work off the ball.

That appears to have been grasped, as his average of tackles won in the final third rising from 0.27 per 90 in 2022/23 to 0.48 per 90 this time out shows.

Núñez is a more rounded striker as he nears the midpoint in his second season, but he is still unable to marry that with the off-the-cuff brilliance that made him such an attractive prospect at Benfica on a consistent enough basis.

Given his underlying statistics in front of goal are comparable to Haaland – widely considered the best centre-forward in the world – makes the situation more of an enigma.

At a time when Liverpool seem to be moving away from data-driven recruitment following the departures of Michael Edwards and Julian Ward as sporting directors, along with various key figures in the research department, Núñez arguably represents the data signing of Klopp’s current crop.

An element of trust that he will eventually come good is required, but after 18 months, patience in the stands is wearing thin.

Whether – or, perhaps, when – that extends to Klopp himself remains to be seen, with there a case to be made that the German has never worked with a striker of his ilk; he has described Núñez as a “long-term project” on a number of occasions, and it is hard to escape the feeling that this will only steel his resolve to tame a maverick No. 9 into the goal-grabbing machine he desperately needs up front.

Liverpool could clearly do with Núñez’s record in front of goal improving as soon as possible, particularly with the looming exit of Salah to the Africa Cup of Nations in January.

There are other options to consider, such as relying more heavily on Gakpo as the Firmino-lite, knitting presence up front, hoping for a smooth return from injury for Jota, or even the prospect of shifting Díaz into a central role to navigate the lack of one-on-one dynamism he has shown post-injury.

But it should be seen as the perfect opportunity for the £85 million signing to step up and take responsibility as the focal point of Klopp’s attack during a hopeful title charge – and Núñez can look to an analogy he made in October of last year as he aims to turn xG into G again.

“It’s like ketchup, when it comes out a little, it all comes out.”

(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.

Dec

2023

MLS and the Messi Effect: Time for the league to step up

The impact of Lionel Messi on Major League Soccer can be quantified in multiple ways. Subscribers to MLS Season Pass doubled in the two months after the Argentine’s arrival at Inter Miami in July. Inter Miami had around 1 million Instagram followers when Messi joined – now they have over 15 million. The South Florida club have also sold out their season tickets for 2024 – and at nearly double the price.

By Graham Ruthven, MLS Expert

Messi has changed the landscape in MLS, but the league must ensure his impact is a lasting one. MLS must use the presence of the greatest football player in history to change the sport in the United States forever. Inter Miami’s signing of Messi was big, but what happens next will be even more significant.

Many club owners want MLS’s roster rules and transfer restrictions to be loosened. Stung by the collapse of the NASL in the 1980s, MLS has exercised financial caution as it has grown since its inception in 1996. Now, though, that caution is holding the league back from fulfilling its true potential as one of the best leagues in the world.

Inter Miami owner Jorge Mas is reportedly pushing for an expansion of MLS’s salary cap which would allow clubs to spend more freely. At present, teams are permitted three Designated Players outside the salary cap, but some speculate the roster allowance could be raised to four or five DPs. Others want rid of the league’s roster rules entirely.

This, however, would eliminate the parity that makes MLS so unpredictable. FC Cincinnati went from the league’s worst team to Supporters’ Shield winners in just two seasons while Toronto FC finished rock-bottom despite having the biggest wage bill in MLS. There are no guarantees season-to-season.

MLS has a difficult balance to strike between allowing clubs to build winning teams and preventing the league from becoming a one or two-horse race, like so many of Europe’s ‘Big Five’ leagues. Nonetheless, there is a sense that Messi’s arrival has highlighted the need to loosen the purse strings.

Commissioner Don Garber recognises that signing Messi alone won’t turn MLS into one of the best leagues in the world. “We’ve had so many great players in the history of our league. It’s not just about that one player,” he said. “It’s about: How do you feel about your club, and can that player give you something that might make it a little more special?”

In terms of attendances and fan culture, there’s no denying the strides MLS has made over the last decade or so. It is now the eighth best attended league in the world, averaging 21,034 fans per match last season, with fanbases across the USA and Canada renowned for the atmosphere they create.

Garber is right to highlight this as the true driving force behind the growth of MLS. How many of the Messi fans who have snaffled tickets to see the man himself play for Inter Miami, either at DRV PNK Stadium or an away stadium, feel a genuine connection to what they watched on the pitch? How many of them will be back when Messi moves on or calls it a day?

New fans of the league will only stick around if they are shown MLS is about more than just Messi, highlighting just how important it is for the league to capitalise on this opportunity. This isn’t the time for MLS to rest on its laurels and Inter Miami have set the precedent by building out their squad as a whole.

Messi wasn’t the only game-changing signing made by Inter Miami over the summer. Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba joined their former Barcelona teammate in South Florida to add even more star power to Tata Martino’s team, but the addition of youngsters like Diego Gomez, Facundo Farias and Tomas Aviles were just as significant.

These signings said Inter Miami recognised the need to balance their squad. Messi, Busquets and Alba still have the talent that made them legends, but they’re well into the twilight of their respective careers. To play a dynamic, high-energy game Martino needed some youth who could give his team legs and Inter Miami found that.

Luis Suárez’s expected arrival in South Florida this off-season runs the risk of making Inter Miami too top-heavy, but Martino is one of the best coaches in MLS and already has a solid team structure to build around. Suárez’s signing could be the thing that makes Inter Miami a Supporters’ Shield and MLS Cup frontrunner in 2024.

16 years ago, David Beckham changed the game in MLS. The league created an entirely new rule to allow the LA Galaxy to sign him and used Beckham’s arrival to mark the start of a new era for football in the USA. Messi’s arrival could have a similar impact, but only if MLS allows it to. The hard work has only just started.

(Images 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.

Dec

2023

MLS End of Season Reports: LA Galaxy

The LA Galaxy changed the course of Major League Soccer forever when they signed David Beckham. The Carson team had the ambition – and audacity – to sign arguably the most recognisable player of his generation and it helped establish them as the league’s marquee franchise for the best part of a decade.

Now, though, the Galaxy are a shadow of their former selves. They have been left behind. This season saw Gregg Vanney’s team finish second bottom of the Western Conference where they missed out on a playoff place for the third season in the last four. Once a dominant force in MLS, the LA Galaxy are no longer even a dominant force in their own city.

By Graham Ruthven, MLS Expert

Los Angeles FC have set a new standard at the top of MLS. Not only have they won two Supporters’ Shields and a MLS Cup in just six seasons in the league, reaching a second MLS Cup final this year, LAFC represent their city in a way the LA Galaxy never did. For a club founded less than a decade ago, there is a remarkable authenticity about everything LAFC do.

Nothing the LA Galaxy did in 2023 felt authentic, nor was it successful. They started the season in conflict with their own fans who protested the continued employment of club president Chris Klein and technical director Jovan Kirovski, two figures widely blamed for the poor quality of the team on the pitch.

Klein was suspended by MLS for violating salary and budget rules during the 2019 season, but was inexplicably handed a new multi-year contract by the Galaxy. Supporters protested by boycotting the team’s first fixture of the new season to express their discontent. The club didn’t care.

Galaxy fans were right to be concerned. Their team started the 2023 campaign with a seven-game winless run and had just two wins under their belt by the start of June. An uptick in form over the summer hinted at better times to come, but a serious playoff challenge never materialised as the LA Galaxy finished the season with another six-game winless run.

Riqui Puig still managed to make an impact, scoring seven goals and assisting four more, but not even the former Barcelona midfielder could drag the Galaxy into the post-season. Javier Hernández started just seven games due to injury and while Billy Sharp offered some cutting edge after joining from Sheffield United, but what does it say about the LA Galaxy that a 37-year-old English Championship specialist became a key figure?

Not so long ago, Dignity Health Sports Park was the natural destination for superstars looking for a new MLS home. Now, though, Inter Miami, LAFC and Toronto FC are ahead of them in the line for the likes of Messi, Gareth Bale and Lorenzo Insigne. Puig was a statement signing, but the club has otherwise lacked ambition recently.

They have lacked direction too. You don’t need to spend big and sign big-name players to succeed in MLS. Indeed, FC Cincinnati and the Columbus Crew have shown what can be achieved with a clear vision and a coherent plan to go with it. If the LA Galaxy are no longer able to compete at the top end of the transfer market, this should be the direction they take.

2024 has to be different. The impending departure of Hernández and Douglas Costa as Designated Players will free up some salary budget for the LA Galaxy to rebuild their squad with six further players out of contract at the end of the year. Klein is also gone and so the hope is a new leadership group and front office will have better ideas.

Chucky Lozano has been linked with a move to Carson, but the Galaxy might be wise to focus on building a stronger defensive foundation before they target another attacker – the LA Galaxy conceded more regular season goals (67) than any other team. This is where the rebuild should start.

MLS is now a different league in to the one the LA Galaxy dominated with three MLS Cup wins in just three years between 2011 and 2014. Back then, star power was often enough to guarantee success, and the Galaxy had plenty of that with Beckham, Landon Donovan and Robbie Keane on their team. Now, though, the landscape has shifted and the LA Galaxy must adapt.

(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.

Dec

2023

Premier League Team of the Week: Matchday 17

We have a varied Team of the Week for you following matchday 17. Some might call it a little controversial given there are no players in the XI from the league leaders despite Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Brighton. But let us explain.

By Sam McGuire, Premier League expert

Goalkeeper: André Onana

It will go under the radar but Onana made eight saves in Manchester United’s 0-0 draw with Liverpool at Anfield.

The hosts struggled to carve out decent chances but did pepper the away side’s goal, racking up 34 shots. However, they worked the United shot-stopper much more than people may have realised and he finished the game with eight saves to his name, five of which were from inside the penalty area.

Right-Back: Trent Alexander-Arnold

Another whose performance could’ve easily been slept on. Alexander-Arnold made a key challenge to stop Alejandro Garnacho when the United winger looked set to test Alisson Becker in a one-on-one situation. He was moved into midfield in the second half and ended the game having attempted the most dribbles (he also completed 100%) while also creating six chances for the Reds in what was a frustrating 0-0 draw for the title hopefuls. His 8.8 FotMob rating was the highest of the match.

Centre-Back: Rúben Dias

A surprise inclusion? Perhaps, given Manchester City allowed a 2-0 lead against Crystal Palace to slip. However, Dias performed well and shouldn’t really be punished for the team’s capitulation. The Portugal international attempted the most passes – a staggering 181 – and found a teammate 96% of the time. He also created a big chance for the champions while also having a 100% record in duels.

Centre-Back: Michael Keane

In what was only his third start of the season, Michael Keane impressed for Everton against former side Burnley. The centre-back found the back of the net with a calm finish to give the Toffees a 2-0 lead and effectively kill the game off after just 25 minutes. The 30-year-old made eight clearances and also won four of his six aerial duels on his way to an 8.4 rating at Turf Moor.

Left-Back: Dan Burn

Burn is playing for a place in the Newcastle team now following the impressive form of Tino Livramento. And based on this showing, he’s up for the fight. The 31-year-old finished the game against Fulham with a pass success rate of 88%. He also scored to give the Magpies that all-important third goal. Burn won 100% of his aerial duels and made four interceptions, playing his part in the clean sheet for Eddie Howe’s side.

Midfield: Cole Palmer

Palmer was the main man for Chelsea against Sheffield United as Mauricio Pochettino’s men returned to winning ways. The 21-year-old scored and assisted in the 2-0 win to take his tally for the campaign to six goals and three assists following the move from Manchester City. He certainly caught the eye at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, completing 92% of his passes while creating two big chances for teammates and having a total of five shots.

Midfield: Bruno Guimarães

Guimarães ran the show for the Magpies in the heart of midfield. The 26-year-old created the most chances (five) of any player and claimed an assist. He completed the most dribbles (four), completed the most passes (106) and was the most fouled player (five). The former Lyon man also created two big chances and more than deserved his 8.8 FotMob rating.

Midfield: Dejan Kulusevski

Kulusevski is loving life right now. The 23-year-old scored and assisted in Tottenham’s 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest on Friday night. The former Juventus winger also created three chances, two of which were classed as big chances. He attempted four dribbles and involved himself in 11 duels in what was an all-round impressive showing.

Attack: Mohammed Kudus

Kudus had a lot of fun in West Ham United’s 3-0 win over Wolves. The 23-year-old netted twice, finished the game having completed the most dribbles (five) and won the most duels of any player (14). He was actually involved in an astonishing 27 duels, highlighting why he’s managed to force his way into David Moyes’ squad. The former Ajax man is just as useful without the ball as he is with it. Kudus is now on five goal for the Premier League campaign.

Attack: Anthony Gordon

Gordon is having a season, isn’t he? The former Everton youngster chipped in with yet another assist as Newcastle returned to winning ways. It was his tenth goal contribution of the Premier League campaign. He created four chances and one big chance against Marco Silva’s side. He also racked up four shots while attempting three dribbles at St James’ Park. Gordon was a constant menace for the Magpies.

Attack: Lucas Paquetá

Kudus may have scored twice but it was Paquetá who stole the show for the Hammers. The Brazilian maestro assisted all three goals for West Ham and created a total of six chances. The 26-year-old, who was a transfer target for Manchester City in the summer, also completed 80% of his attempted dribbles, recovered the ball 13 times, won two of his three tackles and came out on top in 12 of his 19 duels.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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