Page 30 – The Pulse of Football

Aug

2024

FotMob Comment: Strange times in the Premier League transfer window

It’s been sixty years this year since fluoride was first introduced to British drinking water, and looking at the state of this summer’s transfer market in the Premier League, it’s difficult to avoid the conclusion that the conspiracy theorists might have been onto something.

By Ian King

Because this particular window has just been so… strange. To a point, this was always to be expected. Premier League PSR rules have turned out to be more testing than the clubs who voted it into existence probably expected. Points deductions and fines have already been issued, and there’s every possibility that there will be more this season. Manchester City’s 115 charges, of course, have already been brought forward to September, though that’s obviously a somewhat different matter.

This has a knock-on effect on the ways in which clubs spend money. The June 30th dividing line which marks the demarcation between last season, for example, has been critical for clubs who are desperate to balance their books for last season. Intra-club sales and loans have become increasingly commonplace, and although the Premier League has already carried out the singular trick of taking a bad PSR system and replacing it with something even worse, even that doesn’t really kick in until the end of this season.

Of course, some clubs’ transfer activity has been more bizarre than others. Chelsea continue to act as though the laws of financial physics don’t apply to them, and on the surface their policies remain as demented-looking as ever. Has anyone given any consideration whatsoever to the small matter of how this vast number of players are going to feel over a lack of first team football?

FIFA haven’t increased the number of players allowed in teams because Chelsea appear unable to stop themselves from pulling out their credit card every twenty minutes. Something, it continues to feel, has to give over this. But it doesn’t appear that this has actually happened yet.

You might have thought that Raheem Sterling’s start to the new season, which consisted of being left out of their squad entirely for their first game against Manchester City, might have sounded a few alarm bells among his fellow pros, but there’s been little to indicate that this has actually been the case. It’s difficult to avoid the conclusion that there are a lot of young, talented players who are happy to warm the Stamford Bridge bench, and even that’s if they’re lucky; Sterling couldn’t even manage that on the opening weekend.

This is a weirdness that transcends national borders, too. Federico Chiesa, for example, has already been told that he doesn’t feature in the plans of the Juventus head coach Thiago Motta for the new season, and that has led to a predictable flurry of speculation over where his next destination will be. Barcelona are the hot favourites to be his next destination, but it should surprise nobody whatsoever to find out that Chelsea and Manchester United may also both be in the chase for him.

In some senses, it’s understandable. Chiesa is an excellent striker whose contract in Turin expires next summer. Because of this, it’s likely that any transfer fee involved will be relatively modest. But the transfer fee is only one component of the cost of signing him. His wage requirements will be high, and any club bringing in a player of this quality is going to have to accommodate him somewhere.

It’s hardly as though Chiesa is a callow youth with potentially a couple of decades’ playing time left in him, someone who can afford a couple of years on the bench or out on loan. He’s already 26 years old and therefore approaching the peak years of his career. He will surely expect first team football wherever he goes next. Is he guaranteed that at Stamford Bridge or Old Trafford this season? Well, it seems that it won’t stop them trying.

And considering what we’ve witnessed over the summer, it doesn’t seem unreasonable to surmise that whoever signs him won’t have given that much thought to what they’re actually going to do with him. Increasingly, Premier League transfer activity feels like rubbernecking at compulsive consumers who can’t stop themselves from spending money, it often feels, for the sake of spending money.

We’re at the point at which it’s almost impossible to say whether some transfer rumours are real or have been generated by AI. Aaron Ramsdale to Wolves? Sure, why not? Eddie Nkeitiah to Nottingham Forest? Might as well! Conor Gallagher to Atlético Madrid? Well, if Eric Dier can make the Bayern Munich first team…

At this point of the season, it feels as though we could just do with this window being closed before league matches begin. Increasingly, it doesn’t really feel as though it’s doing anybody much good any more, even if all that fluoride is very good for your teeth.

(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

Brighton’s signings have given them the firepower to push for Europe

This current Brighton squad has the potential to eclipse what the Seagulls achieved during the 2022/23 campaign.

By Sam McGuire

Under Roberto De Zerbi, Brighton gatecrashed the top six and claimed an unlikely Europa League spot. Some tipped them as having an outside chance for a top-four finish last term but a disappointing season saw them finish 11th. A combination of injuries and failing to replace the likes of Alexis Mac Allister and Moises Caicedo meant the Seagulls went into freefall for large periods of the campaign. Some even question De Zerbi’s tactics at times, labelling the Italian as naive.

There’s been a lot of change at the Amex this summer.

De Zerbi left and is now in charge of Marseille. Brighton resisted the urge to bring Graham Potter back to the club and instead hired the highly-rated Fabian Hürzeler. The club, having sat on the Caicedo money for 12 months, have also spent close to £150million on transfers to bolster their squad.

There’s now the potential for the Seagulls to, once again, be one of the surprise packages of the season in the Premier League.

They kicked off their campaign with a comfortable 3-0 win away to Everton on the opening day. Last season, Brighton had to wait until matchday 20 for a clean sheet in the English top-flight. The signs are positive. With the exception of João Pedro, last summer’s recruits all seemed to miss the mark. This time around, though, two debutants bagged assists in the victory at Goodison Park.

Mats Wieffer, a £30million signing from Feyenoord, set up Danny Welbeck for the second goal on Merseyside while Yankuba Minteh, an arrival from Newcastle United, carved out the opener for Kaoru Mitoma with a brilliant right-footed cross. The latter has the potential to be one of the signings of the summer if this 45-minute cameo is anything to go by.

Brighton have also added Georginio Rutter, parting with a club-record £40million fee to pry him away from Leeds United, while the highly-rated Brajan Gruda was signed from Mainz.

What has been interesting this summer is how Brighton have looked to improve their offensive options.

Last term, the Seagulls found the back of the net on just 55 occasions. Their average of 1.4 goals per 90 could be bettered by 11 teams in the Premier League. During the 2022/23 campaign, Brighton scored 72 goals and had the fourth-highest goals per game average (1.9).

Their inability to score goals combined with their inability to keep clean sheets meant the Seagulls couldn’t climb the table. The club clearly felt Hürzeler could improve the defensive side of things with coaching but believed the attack was an area of the team to invest in. After all, goals win you games.

Minteh enjoyed a productive loan spell with Feyenoord. The 20-year-old scored 10 goals and chipped in with five assists across 1,462 minutes in the Eredivisie. He was a key player for Arne Slot at De Kuip. The Brighton No. 17 had unbelievable underlying numbers in Holland, finishing the campaign with an Expected Goals per 90 average of 0.65 and an Expected Assists average of 0.29.

Rutter was a revelation for Leeds in the Championship. The versatile forward finished the season with 21 goal involvements and had an Expected Goals and Expected Assists per 90 Contribution of 0.55. Gruda was impactful for Mainz, too. The young winger, who averaged almost four successful dribbles and created 2.34 chances on a per 90 basis, finished the season with an Expected Assists haul of 0.28.

Brighton now have one of the most exciting attacking units in the Premier League with the likes of Minteh, Rutter and Gruda joining Pedro, Evan Ferguson, Julio Enciso, Simon Adingra, and Kaoru Mitoma.

There’s enough firepower there for the Seagulls to gatecrash the European places. With a bit of luck, there’s the potential for them to push for a Champions League spot. They’ve quietly gone about their business this summer and this could see them go under the radar.

(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

Analysis: MLS contenders set up intriguing Leagues Cup finale

For the first time in the competition’s fledgling history, the Leagues Cup’s semi-finalists are all Major League Soccer sides. Three of them are also in the top four of their Conference standings, meaning they could well battle each other for multiple titles this year.

By Neel Shelat

We are only in the fourth edition of the Leagues Cup and just the second in its current format, but it has already generated its fair share of controversies, and then some. Many have suggested that the competition is designed to favour Major League Soccer sides as all matches are held at their home venues, which is tough to refute. The expansion to a full 47-team format has also added concerns of fixture congestion, which coupled with MLS sides’ withdrawal from the US Open Cup has led to many organised fan groups calling for boycotts of the Leagues Cup.

The teams, of course, cannot afford to do that. The recently added prize of CONCACAF Champions Cup qualification for the top three (including a bye to the Round of 16 for the winners) has ensured that all participants have fielded full-strength teams, aiming to go and win the competition.

Just four teams remain this year as we have reached the semi-final stage, and all of them happen to be MLS sides who look set to pose title challenges on both fronts this year. With a diverse set of playing styles and tactical approaches among them too, we should be in for some very intriguing match-ups both in the coming days and towards the end of the year.

Columbus Crew

The Columbus Crew are undoubtedly enjoying their golden era. The 2023 MLS Cup champions recorded their best-ever continental campaign earlier this year as they reached the final of the Champions Cup and are set to challenge for three more titles. A big chunk of the credit must go to head coach Wilfried Nancy, whose unique tactical approach was the subject of one of our previous analysis columns.

As the reigning MLS Cup champions, they did not have to bother with the Leagues Cup group stage and were parachuted straight into the knockouts. A big 4-0 win over Sporting Kansas City was the perfect start, after which they took some big scalps by staging a late turnaround to overturn a two-goal deficit against defending champions Inter Miami before deservedly getting the better of the ever-competitive New York City FC on penalties.

Although they have had some scares, the Crew’s performances were top-notch on the whole in each of those games, earning them the highest average FotMob rating in the Leagues Cup this year.

Nancy has developed the Black and Gold into one of the most well-rounded teams in not just America but all of the world as they can control games by retaining the ball to an incredible degree with their disciplined in-possession shapes and press-resistant midfielders, unlock almost any opposition defences at will with dynamic attacking play and drop into a solid defensive block. They most certainly have all the tools to add another trophy to their cabinet.

Philadelphia Union

Despite enduring a pretty tough MLS campaign and currently sitting outside the playoff spots in the Eastern Conference, the Philadelphia Union have managed to hit the reset button and become the only team in Leagues Cup history to reach the semi-finals in consecutive years.

Defensive solidity has been the name of the game for Jim Curtin’s side as they have let in just four goals in six games, averaging less than half of their 2024 MLS record of 1.7 goals conceded per game. Their direct attacking in a 4-3-1-2 formation has managed to catch some of their opponents off guard, but they will have to produce something special to repeat the trick in the semi-final.

The Columbus Crew will definitely be the strongest opponents the Union have faced in this Leagues Cup campaign, and they will have to do so without their tournament top-scorer Tai Baribo, who will be suspended. So, Curtin will have to figure out where his side’s goals might come from besides devising a strategy to stop the Crew’s irresistible possession play.

Los Angeles FC

LAFC trod the path of winning the MLS Cup and reaching the CONCACAF Champions Cup final a year before the Crew, and they will now seek to stop them from outmatching their achievements.

Although Steve Cherundolo is still their head coach, the side that lifted the MLS Cup and the side going for the Leagues Cup this year are very different. They were a fairly possession-based team in the past and kept nearly 52% of the ball in 2022, but have now transitioned into much more of a low-block-and-counter side.

Among many other things, they have notably changed their formation by going from a back four to a back five. This stylistic shift is perfectly aligned with the changes in their squad, enabling LAFC to remain supremely successful. They can boast of having the most goals as well as clean sheets in the Leagues Cup, with difference-makers at both ends of the pitch in Denis Bouanga and Hugo Lloris.

Colorado Rapids

The Colorado Rapids have turned their fortunes around quite dramatically between seasons. After finishing bottom of the east in 2023, they decided to undergo a bit of an overhaul by bringing in former Manchester United assistant coach Chris Armas as their new head coach and making some interesting signings of capped USMNT players from Europe.

With a new coach and core, the Rapids have adopted a free-flowing style of play focused on attacking in transition to capitalise on disorganised defences. That has led to them producing the most xG in MLS this season.

Of course, all problems cannot be fixed in just a few months, so the Rapids’ defence still is a big issue as they have conceded the joint-most goals in the Leagues Cup. They have managed to outscore their opponents at crunch time thus far, but repeating the trick in the final four will be a much tougher task.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Leagues Cup on FotMob – with deep stats and players ratings. Download the free app here.

Aug

2024

Premier League Team of the Week: Matchday One

The opening weekend of the 2024/25 Premier League campaign is now in the history books. We have a new Team of the Week for you, but it is filled with familiar faces and we think, based on their showings on Matchday one, this won’t be the first time they’ll be making an appearance in this XI this season.

By Sam McGuire

Goalkeeper: Mark Flekken

The Brentford shot-stopper played a key role in their 2-1 win over Crystal Palace on Sunday. Flekken made six saves and faced efforts with an Expected Goals on Target value of over one. The 31-year-old also completed 76% of his attempted passes and recovered the ball on 11 occasions to round out a fairly solid outing for the Bees between the sticks.

Right-Back: Pedro Porro

The Spurs full-back kicked off the season with a goal in the 1-1 draw with Leicester City. Porro glanced home a James Maddison cross to give Ange Postecoglou’s side the lead in the first half. Unfortunately for them, they couldn’t see the game out. To go with his goal, the 24-year-old carved out four chances, the most of any player in the match, and completed 89% of his passes. He was a key player for Tottenham was his performance earned a deserved 8.2 FotMob rating.

Centre-Back: Harry Maguire

Harry Maguire is probably only in this Manchester United team because Leny Yoro is injured and Matthijs De Ligt will be eased into life at Old Trafford. But he made the most of this start. The 31-year-old completed 83% of his attempted passes against Fulham. He made three interceptions, five ball recoveries and won five of his six aerial duels as the Red Devils kicked off their campaign with a win and a clean sheet.

Centre-Back: Joško Gvardiol

Gvardiol found his goalscoring touch towards the end of last season. To kick off this campaign though, he put in a fairly dominant defensive showing. The former RB Leipzig man completed 92% of his passes, he made four interceptions, five recoveries and won 100% of his ground duels, playing his part in a clean sheet for Manchester City in their win over Chelsea.

Left-Back: Diogo Dalot

The 25-year-old wasn’t much of an offensive threat for United in their win over Fulham, but he didn’t need to be. The Portuguese full-back was resolute defensively and played a pivotal role in the clean sheet. Dalot won one of two tackles, four of six ground duels and 50% of his aerial duels. He also made six recoveries and one interception. It was a solid showing by the one-time Porto youngster.

Midfield: Amadou Onana

As far as debuts go, this was a dream one for Onana. Signed for a club record fee in the summer, the powerhouse midfielder scored after just four minutes against West Ham. The 23-year-old completed an astonishing 97% of his passes for Villa and bullied the hosts in the middle third, winning seven of his nine ground duels. He also competed in eight aerial duels in a performance that earned him an 8.4 rating.

Midfield: Mateo Kovačić

Kovačić had the unenviable task of filling in for Rodri as champions Manchester City kicked off their 2024/25 campaign with a trip to free spending Chelsea. Kovačić, returning to Stamford Bridge, put on a clinic in front of his former employers. The 30-year-old scored the second, made the most tackles (four), completed 50% of his dribbles and found a teammate with 95% of his attempted passes on his way to an 8.6 FotMob rating.

Midfield: Youri Tielemans

Tielemans ran the show for Aston Villa in their 2-1 in over West Ham United. The former Leicester City maestro racked up an 8.5 rating on Saturday evening. He claimed an assist, created the most chances (three), won 100% of his tackles and triumphed in five of his eight ground duels.

Attack: Bukayo Saka

Saka’s showing against Wolves looked ominous. The Arsenal forward scored and assisted in the 2-0 win for the Gunners. He created the most chances (five) and had five shots the the title hopefuls. There were no signs of rust despite this being the opening day weekend. The 22-year-old looked sharp, with and without the ball, winning 100% of his tackles and four of his nine ground duels.

Attack: Yoane Wissa

The Brentford striker claimed a goal and an assist in the victory over Crystal Palace. In fact, the 27-year-old netted what turned out to be the winner as Thomas Frank’s side kicked off the season with a win at home. Wissa’s showing earned him a FotMob rating of 8.4. To go alongside his two goal involvements, the forward completed 100% of his dribbles, won 83% of his ground duels, 100% of his aerial duels and won four fouls. He was a handful throughout.

Attack: Kai Havertz

Havertz, like Saka, scored and assisted for Arsenal in the comfortable 2-0 win over Wolves. The Germany international now appears to be Mikel Arteta’s starting centre-forward and after that showing, it is not hard to see why. Havertz had five shots, created two chances and involved himself in 19 duels in total. He’s a goal threat but also an asset to this team without the ball.

(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

Juventus prepare for another new dawn as the Serie A campaign gets underway

The 2024/25 Serie A season will see Juventus embark on a transition. While they have witnessed a transition period before, this one will likely be a completely new one.

By Kaustubh Pandey

When Juventus hired Maurizio Sarri, it was hailed as a revolution. It was a step away from the club’s DNA, as they attached themselves to a completely new playing style and identity. When Sarri left a season later, another revolution was said to take place under Andrea Pirlo, who brought the promise of another new style of play and refreshing ideas that were far from what Max Allegri had in his first long stint at the club.

But Allegri returned, as Juve abandoned the transitions and went back to their older identity with the re-hiring of the former boss. The club stagnated and while they did win silverware last season, the fans had grown tired of what the club planned under Allegri and there was a clamour for a breath of fresh air.

It would be a mistake to suggest that Juve will go down the same path as before, as they prepare to undergo another identity surgery under Thiago Motta.

*Thiago Motta, recent managerial career*

The former-Bologna boss takes over the reins are a hugely impactful spell at Bologna, where he took the Rossoblu to the Champions League and turned the likes of Joshua Zirkzee, Jhon Lucumi and Riccardo Calafiori into stars, utilising their strengths in his progressive brand of football.

As a new era dawns, there is certainly reason to be cautious but there are also reasons to be quite optimistic, and here, we look at why the Bianconeri faithful should be assured that this transition will not be the same as the ones that have gone before.

Cristiano Guintoli’s presence

Cristiano Guintoli arrived at Juve some months ago after a stellar stint at Napoli, where his exceptional recruitment helped them win Serie A.

What stands out in Guintoli’s case is his ability to sign undervalued yet quality players and how he never backs away from replacing key players with lesser known names of the same profile. His recruitment isn’t based on looking at where the big names lie, but more on what the squad demands are.

Juve have kicked themselves in the foot in recent years by ignoring the needs of the squad and signing players on the basis of availability. Guintoli won’t do that, as his track record shows, and his recruitment is always based on the system in place at the club.

Any manager would want that and especially Motta, who operated under a similar sporting director in Giovanni Sartori at Bologna.

Old guard being moved on

During the previous couple of transitions at Juve, one problem that always stood out was the constant presence of the same old players that operated under previous managers. The squad never underwent any major surgery and only minor changes were made, while keeping the old guard or players that don’t add value to the new identity.

In comparison to the earlier transitions, the new era has been much more ruthless. Alex Sandro has left, Mattia de Sciglio is expected to leave, Wojciech Szczesny has had his contract terminated and Federico Chiesa and Filip Kostić have been excluded from the project too. Weston McKennie also looked to be out until his recent return.

It shows that the club is quite keen on bringing in new and perhaps younger players for a manager who has a track record in getting the most out of promising stars. Motta would rather make superstars than manage them right away and the club seems to be following the same route.

Exciting new arrivals

Juve have essentially reformed their entire midfield. Douglas Luiz has arrived from Aston Villa, Khéphren Thuram has joined from Nice and Teun Koopmeiners will soon join from Atalanta and all three of them can operate in the same midfield.

Nico González seems close to arriving from Fiorentina and Juan Cabal has signed from Verona too. All of these signings fix the club’s issues.

Those arrivals have joined also because of some of the exits such as Dean Huijsen, Matías Soulé, with club graduates Samuel Iling-Junior and Enzo Barrenechea used in the Douglas Luiz deal. Moise Kean and Koni de Winter have also departed, giving a lot of wiggle room for Juve to operate in despite the tight financial realities of Serie A.

They have upgraded from what they previously had and the window hasn’t even closed yet.

A thriving academy

The Juventus Next Gen plan has yielded them a lot of money this season and it has led to them signing all the aforementioned players. But Kenan Yıldız is expected to play a bigger role this season and the Next Gen side is expected to keep churning out more talent as time goes on.

Fabio Miretti and Nicolo Fagioli are very much in the squad and Vasilije Adžić and Joseph Nonge are expected to be in and around the first-team at some point soon.

If the players don’t add quality to the first-team, they will most definitely fetch the club money that can be used in signing other players. No other Serie A side has this setup and Juve are well in position to use what they have.

Clear reasons for optimism

Unlike how things were earlier, the club seems to be pulling in the right direction. There were times earlier when the owners, Andrea Agnelli and Pavel Nedved had varying opinions, leading to decisions that weren’t always the most efficient.

The club, with Guintoli and his team, have a sporting-first identity and Nedved and Agnelli are not around anymore. The major players at Juve seem to be on the same page.

While Motta’s project might take some time to come to full fruition, his ideas around the game will become definitive for the club and what it stands for. He will be given much more time than Sarri and Pirlo were ever given and even if there is a reason to be cautious for every new project, Juve seem to be taking the right steps.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Aug

2024

Spurs are looking to the future with a youthful injection to Postecoglou’s squad

There were points during the last six weeks or so of last season when it might not have felt like it, but one of the key achievements of Ange Postecoglou’s first season as the manager of Tottenham Hotspur was that he made them fun to watch again. This is a club now far removed from the existential angst of the late stage Conte era.

By Ian King

No small part of this enthusiasm that is carrying into Postecoglou’s second season is stemming from the younger players that are now fleshing out the first team squad. Arguably the biggest signing of their summer could have been to secure a three-year contract–the maximum allowed–with Mikey Moore, the sensational winger who reached the broader consciousness thanks to his spectacular meandering runs for England at the Under-17 Euros.

Moore alone is a good reason to be enthused, but he’s just the start of a list of four or five young Spurs players who’ve shown the potential to go to the very top. Midfielder Tyrese Hall signed a five-year contract with the club in May and made his debut against Manchester City in the same month, marking a positive end to what had otherwise been an injury-interrupted season.

Elsewhere in attack, 18-year old striker Will Lankshear scored 25 goals in 26 games for the Under-21s last season, while attacking midfielder Jamie Donley made four appearances in the first team last season and ran up 17 assists in 23. There’s also Alfie Devine and Ashley Phillips, who are expected to join Donley out on loan this season. The Spurs academy has been producing strong results, of that there’s little question.

But there has also been something of a lean into younger players in the transfer market, too. Lucas Bergvall’s options included Barcelona when he was shopping around while playing for Djurgården in Sweden, but he was eventually persuaded that he had a better pathway in the Premier League at The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. They paid £8.5m for him.

And their second biggest summer signing after Dominic Solanke is a substantial investment in youth. Archie Gray cost £30m from Leeds United. That’s a lot of money for an 18-year old, which in itself speaks volumes for the esteem in which he’s held as a player.

At the risk of making him sound like livestock, Gray has got a very strong pedigree. Both grandad Frank and great uncle Eddie played under Don Revie in the great Leeds United team of the 1970s. He can play at right-back or in midfield.

There are others whose relatively youthful years are half-forgotten because they’re already well established in the first team squad. Destiny Udogie and Pape Matar Sarr are both 21 while Brennan Johnson, Dejan Kulusevski and Mickey van de Ven are 23.

Over the last couple of years, there’s been a steady transformation of the makeup of the team. Older, more established players such as Harry Kane, Hugo Lloris and Eric Dier have left, as well as Emerson Royal, Ryan Sessegnon, Bryan Gil and Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, either permanently or on loan.

If youth is always a gamble, such a policy would fit right in with a Spurs team that was set up in tactical formations that bordered upon reckless at times last season. In the latter stages, when they were conceding thirteen goals in four matches against Newcastle United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool, it felt as though that gamble was failing. These clubs, it can be more than reasonably argued, are expected to be Spurs’ contemporaries.

The defensive cracks exposed last season don’t seem to have even papered over, either, if dislocated performances such as that seen in their last friendly against Bayern Munich are anything to go by. Where cracks were papered over at the end of last season was in scrambling to fifth place and a spot in this year’s Europa League.

That was enough to keep Daniel Levy happy, but it overlooks the fact that Spurs had ended the season needing a win to cling onto fifth place when for much of the winter they’d been chasing a Champions League place. Spurs are another of those clubs, like Wolves, who need their form from the end of last season to not carry over into the next.

As so often seems to be the case with Spurs, there’s a brittleness to the current squad which raises questions over whether significant improvement upon last season is possible. Youth development is a good thing. Any club will always be healthier for having smart young recruits and academy products coming through and into the first team.

But there are few indications that much has been done to address the defensive problems they had, so while the future may be bright, the present may continue to perpetuate familiar problems for Spurs this season.

(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: Leicester City vs. Tottenham Hotspur

A newly promoted side against a giant of the league is always a bit of a nervous contest, especially if they take each other on in the first game of the season. That is exactly what will happen when Leicester host Tottenham on Monday evening.

By Kaustubh Pandey

Tottenham have signed Dominic Solanke, Wilson Odobert and Archie Gray, fixing holes in the squad that needed fixing. Ange Postecoglou needed that, more than anything, as he looks to step into the second stage of the team’s revolution.

While there might still be room to fix other areas of the squad, they come up against a side that is undergoing a stylistic change, as they go from having Enzo Maresca in-charge to having Steve Cooper as manager. Leicester lost both Kelechi Iheanacho and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall but only the new Chelsea signing was seen worthy enough of replacing, with Blues youngster Michael Golding having arrived.

Spurs have generally had a big upper hand in the fixture, having won four of the last six contests and ex-icon Harry Kane had a terrific goalscoring record against them. But Spurs still have Son, who has scored nine times in 14 games against the Foxes.

Leicester themselves aren’t short of players who have played in the Premier League before, with one being Harry Winks, whose exit from Spurs still disappoints many Lilywhites fans. But Patson Daka, Wilfried Ndidi, Hamza Choudhury, Bobby Reid, Wout Faes, James Justin, Jannik Vestergaard and Ricardo Pereira are recognisable figures who could start.

Jamie Vardy is out injured, which could see Stephy Mavididi make the starting XI. Abdul Fatawu should also start, having joined the club permanently after an initial and impressive loan spell at the King Power.

For Spurs, Dominic Solanke should play from the off and so could stars like Son, James Maddison, Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, Dejan Kulusevski, Pedro Porro and Rodrigo Bentancur.

And unfortunately, Postecoglou’s side will have too much for Leicester to deal with. History is also against them, as Spurs have only failed to score against the Foxes twice in the 21 games played between the two clubs over the last decade, and this Tottenham side, on their day, can be as good an attacking unit as any of their peers.

Cooper’s side will have to be alert on the counter as Spurs’ defensive shape off the ball was an issue last season and it will be interesting to see how Postecoglou has worked on that over the summer. But that potential weakness should be enough to give Leicester some hope.

(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: Mallorca vs. Real Madrid

Real Madrid start their La Liga title defence away to RCD Mallorca just a few days after Carlo Ancelotti’s team beat Atalanta in the UEFA Super Cup.

By Graham Ruthven

Kylian Mbappé scored on his much anticipated competitive debut for Los Blancos with the French forward deployed through the middle in a frontline that also included Vinícius Júnior, Rodrygo and Jude Bellingham.

Victory at Son Moix on Sunday would set the tone for what could be another impressive season for Real Madrid after a 2023/24 campaign that saw them ultimately run away with the Spanish title.

Mallorca enter this season on the back of a 15th place finish that saw the Balearic outfit take a step backwards from an impressive top half finish the season before. However, an historic run to the Copa del Rey final made up for regression in La Liga.

Javier Aguirre departed Son Moix at the end of last season and has been replaced by former Osasuna boss Jagoba Arrasate. Besides this, though, there hasn’t been a huge amount of change at Mallorca over the summer.

Last season, Real Madrid notched 87 goals in 38 league games and with Mbappé now part of the frontline there’s a good chance they will be even more dangerous in the attacking third of the pitch this term.

Los Blancos were just as strong at the back, conceding just 26 league goals all season. Their Expected Goals (xG) amounted to less than a goal a-game (35.4), also keeping 21 clean sheets – and this was without Thibaut Courtois who has since returned from a long-term injury.

On the other hand, Mallorca struggled for attacking firepower last season, scoring just 33 goals in 38 games. It should be noted, however, that they underperformed their xG by 7.5 goals. A better season beckons if Los Piratas can take more of their chances.

It’s possible Carlo Ancelotti could rotate his starting lineup having played Atalanta in Warsaw only a few days ago. However, Madrid have a full week between Saturday’s game in Mallorca and their next fixture at home to Real Valladolid. Ancelotti might prefer to build chemistry between Mbappé and his new teammates by running out the same XI.

Madrid won both league matches against Mallorca last season by a scoreline of 1-0 and it’s difficult to envisage the island team changing this trend on Sunday. The Mbappé era has started for last season’s Spanish and European champions and there might not be anyone who can stop them.

(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: Chelsea vs. Manchester City

Brand new Premier League seasons don’t always kick off with a heavyweight clash but when they do, there are two conclusions we can immediately draw…

By Karl Matchett

One is that supporters of the club with a trickier preseason behind them will be grumbling about unfairness or their campaign “really” starting in gameweek two; the second is that hot takes will be rushing out of every conceivable former-players’ orifices come the final whistle on that first weekend.

So let’s get ahead of the curve, and eye up exactly why both of those are angled at Chelsea here.

The first has nothing to do with them at all: It’s because Manchester City are so inherently inevitable, so absolutely immovable…unless as a result of financial doping bans and points deductions, perhaps. But that’s for months from now. Right at the start of 2024/25, the expectation is that Pep Guardiola’s team will once again steamroller all before them, whether that’s this coming weekend at Stamford Bridge or merely in the nine or so months which follow.

As a result, a City win will mean hot takes on where Chelsea are right now, and a City non-win will mean…exactly the same.

Because let’s face it, if City are the league’s example of continuity and consistency – Guardiola now the longest-serving manager in the division – then Chelsea are the exact polar opposite. Since the changes at boardroom level brought Todd Boehly and the gang to west London, dugout alterations have been conducted almost at the same speed introductions could be made.

As for the playing staff, the less said the better. Whether erratic, scattergun or reckless is the adjective of choice, there’s very little cohesion and joined-up planning behind their summer batch of additions at first glance – again. The same was said last year, and proved to be mostly right. A squad list which now contains eight senior goalkeepers – two out on loan, admittedly – does not even reach the outfield contingent before concerns of imbalance and impracticality start to weigh down.

Which of seven attacking midfielders get the nod? Which central midfield partnership is supposed to work? Will Reece James ever be fit for a full season again? So many questions, and that’s before even getting to the (latest) new head coach, with Enzo Maresca not just set for his first competitive Chelsea game against the champions, but his first-ever top-division game as a boss, against the greatest one of the modern generation.

The opening challenge couldn’t be any higher for the Blues, but regardless of the result, they’ll at least know it can only get easier from here on out.

(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

FotMob Reaction: United start with a win

Erik ten Hag was right when he said Manchester United were “not ready” for the start of the new Premier League season.

By Graham Ruthven

The Dutchman’s comments before Friday’s curtain-raiser against Fulham might have raised eyebrows, but the performance produced by the Old Trafford side in their 1-0 victory proved him right.

And yet there was enough to hint at how United could develop this season. Entering their third season under ten Hag, Manchester United remain a work-in-progress, but progress is being made. Joshua Zirkzee’s winner three minutes from the end hit home this point, although there had been encouragement for the Red Devils before that.

Noussair Mazraoui enjoyed a strong Premier League debut. The Moroccan started at right back with Diogo Dalot on the left and gave United greater assurance on the ball. His physicality was also useful in defending open space against Alex Iwobi who was denied much of an influence on the game.

Lisandro Martínez’s return to the lineup after missing much of last season through injury also gave Manchester United greater aggression at the back. One particular duel with Adama Traoré in the first half demonstrated the Argentinean’s desire to defend his own box with the Fulham attacker jockeyed and ultimately dispossessed.

Kobbie Mainoo once again showcased why so many are excited about his future by wriggling out of tight spaces with the ball at his feet and providing Manchester United with cohesion in the centre of the pitch. Still only 19 years old, Mainoo is now being build around as one of the key pillars in ten Hag’s team.

Fulham could have done more to exploit a series of counter-attacking opportunities once the match started to stretch in the second half, particularly one that gave Alex Iwobi and Andreas Pereira a two-on-one against Harry Maguire, but United were worthy winners on balance even if it took them until the 87th minute to make the breakthrough and secure all three points.

In many ways, though, Manchester United resembled the team that suffered their worst-ever Premier League finish last term. They created chances, but failed to take most of them. That United finished with a single game Expected Goals (xG) of 2.51 but scored just once did nothing to suggest they have become sharper in front of goal since last season when they registered just 57 goals in 38 games.

Maybe Zirkzee will improve Manchester United’s attacking output, but the Netherlands international isn’t a centre forward. Instead, he is a Raumdeuter in the mould of Thomas Müller. He is in the team to find space in the final third, not lead the line. In this role, Zirkzee can be successful at Old Trafford.

With Rasmus Højlund expected to be out until October, Bruno Fernandes will most likely operate through the middle, as he did against Fulham. The Portuguese had opportunities to score in this position, but Manchester United lacked an attacking focal point for much of the match. It was a similar story last season when Højlund similarly struggled for fitness.

Casemiro showed a creative side to his possession play that saw him register four passes into the final third, three shots and an Expected Assists (xA) of 0.35. Still, though, the Brazilian was vulnerable in defensive transition and struggled to cope with the Fulham’s directness on the break. Long gone are the days when he was the safest security blanket in world football.

Of course, United are reportedly interested in Manuel Ugarte who could soon be installed as ten Hag’s first-choice anchor in his midfield unit, but is the Uruguayan the rhythm builder needed at Old Trafford? Manchester United had the majority share (55%) of possession against the Cottagers, yet so much of their possession play was laboured and predictable. Is there a player within their squad to change this?

It was no surprise that United were “not ready,” as ten Hag put it, for their opening Premier League fixture. Many of their players that featured at Euro 2024 were given extended time off. Mazraoui started despite having joined only a few days ago. It was the same for Matthijs de Ligt who was introduced in the second half against Fulham. Injuries haven’t helped Manchester United’ preparations either.

United must improve on Friday night’s showing if they are to enjoy a successful 2024/25 campaign, but this was a fixture they lost last season. Ten Hag has learned not to let perfection be the enemy of good – and a 1-0 win over Fulham was good enough. It certainly wasn’t a fast start, and it could prove to be a false start, but at the very least it’s a start.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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