Page 41 – The Pulse of Football

Dec

2024

Analysis: Why the Club World Cup and Intercontinental Cup should be cherished

Between the ongoing FIFA Intercontinental Cup and the first-ever expanded Club World Cup draw earlier this month, there has been a lot of talk of international club football tournaments of late. The general view of them – particularly in European circles – appears to be pretty unfavourable, but there are some positives which might be overlooked.

By Neel Shelat

Fixture congestion concerns

The biggest criticism of FIFA’s expansion of the Club World Cup is that it adds more fixtures to what is already an overly congested calendar for many sides. This certainly is a valid criticism as FIFA could have limited the number of games by adopting a different format, but, it is worth emphasising that this issue is not just limited to the best European teams.

If anything, there are certain sides who have it worse than the European elite. Egyptian giants Al Ahly, for example, have had to forfeit a couple of domestic cup tournaments in recent years as they almost always compete all the way in the CAF Champions League and regularly feature in the Club World Cup / Intercontinental Cup (and also participated in the new-fangled African Football League last year). In 2024, they are set to play a total of 56 competitive fixtures despite dropping out of the Egyptian Cup entirely. Nevertheless, they do not seem to be making much of a fuss about their gruelling schedule, likely because the greater revenue of international tournaments means a lot more to them than it does to the top European teams.

Even Al Ahly’s numbers look paltry in comparison to what most Brazilian sides have to contend with, though. Since over half of the Série A teams qualify for continental football and all participate in their regional state championships ahead of the league season, the average Brazilian top-flight club plays over 60 matches a year! The busiest of them all – the ones who make long cup runs both domestically and internationally – can even end up touching the 80-game mark.

Since this is a challenge that the majority of Brasileirão clubs face annually, it has become pretty normalised in the country. The simple solution they have adopted is to increase the squad size, including a good chunk of youngsters and academy graduates to keep wages in check. As a result, the first-team squads of most Brazilian sides have 33 or more players.

Given their vastly superior financial might, there is no reason why European clubs cannot replicate this approach. While steps should be taken to ensure fixture congestion does not spiral out of control (and all relevant authorities – including FIFA, continental federations and domestic FAs – should stop trying to cram in as many games as possible), the issue of overly demanding schedules can still be mitigated from an individual player’s point of view if clubs adequately utilise squad depth.

Game-changing prize pots

At an executive level, one of the biggest selling points of the expanded Club World Cup is the eyewatering €2.5 billion prize pot that FIFA are said to have promised. That would make the tournament one of the most lucrative competitions not just in football but in all of sport. The breakdown of this prize money is reportedly such that every participant will be guaranteed at least €50 million.

If FIFA do produce that amount, clubs will be clamouring to participate in the tournament. The prize money will prove valuable enough even for the biggest European clubs, but it will be completely game-changing for almost all others.

Financial accounts are not equally accessible for all clubs around the world, but we can use squad values to get a rough idea of just how impactful Club World Cup revenue will be for most participants. In South America, only six squads are valued more than the reported winning prize of €100m. There are just four such teams in Asia – namely the big four Saudi Pro League clubs. All other squads outside of Europe are valued under that figure, including three CONCACAF participants whose squad values are lower than the €50m participation prize. The same can be said of all African clubs, while Oceanian representatives Auckland City will receive a life-changing windfall since their entire squad is worth just about €5m!

In this way, the Club World Cup can help somewhat redistribute the eyewatering finances in football to all parts of the world.

Celebrating the global nature of football

With as many as 12 European teams set to participate in the Club World Cup, many analysts have raised fears that the latter knockout rounds will feel like a repeat of the UEFA Champions League knockouts. Indeed, this is a strong possibility, but that should not take away from the global nature of the tournament as a whole.

While some European clubs and fans might see such international tournaments as little more than an inconvenience, they are a big deal for everyone else around the world. Previous iterations of such tournaments have regularly seen good fan turnouts both from host nation club supporters and expatriates or proximally-based fans. At the ongoing Intercontinental Cup, for example, Al Ahly have been very well supported by the large Egyptian community in Qatar, while Middle Eastern Real Madrid fans will relish the opportunity to watch Los Blancos in the final.

Moreover, meetings between clubs from different continents are special occasions that should be cherished. Many a memorable matchup has taken place in the past, including the last Club World Cup final between Pep Guardiola’s clinical Manchester City and Fernando Diniz’s fluid Fluminense, with City running out 4-0 winners.

Such fixtures are great occasions for clubs to see how they and their players and styles of play stack up against counterparts from around the world. For fans, such games should serve as a reminder of the global nature of football – which really is a unique aspect as no other sport is formally played in every country in the world.

So, regardless of some surrounding issues, we should all very much look forward to matches like today’s Intercontinental Cup final between Real Madrid and Pachuca as well as some of the best Club World Cup group stage fixtures such as Porto vs Al Ahly, Urawa Red Diamonds vs Monterrey, and perhaps best of all, Auckland City vs Boca Juniors!

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Intercontinental and Club World Cup on FotMob – with deep stats, xG, and players ratings. Download the free app here.

Dec

2024

Preview: Real Madrid meet Pachuca for the Intercontinental Cup

Pachuca have made their way to the final of the newly-rebranded FIFA Intercontinental Cup, where they face a certain Real Madrid. Exactly two years on from the culmination of the 2022 World Cup, a new champion will be crowned at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar.

By Neel Shelat

History beckons for Pachuca

This is Pachuca’s fifth appearance at a FIFA-organised international tournament. Most recently, they qualified for the 2017 Club World Cup, in which they won third place.

*Third place playoff, 2017 Club World Cup*

This time, they have managed to go at least one better by reaching their first final. Guillermo Almada’s side will be firm underdogs, but they will have the chance to become the first non-European winners of this tournament in 12 years and the very first to come from CONCACAF.

Record champions Real Madrid looking to lift another trophy

Real Madrid have more UEFA Champions League trophies in their cabinet than anyone else, so they unsurprisingly also are the record champions of the FIFA Club World Cup. They’ve won the title in each of their last five appearances – including three times in succession between 2016 and 2018. They also won the old Intercontinental Cup – the annual showdown between the European and South American club champions – thrice before it made way for the Club World Cup.

Los Blancos have been far from their best this season, but they should have more than enough quality to get the job done here. The new format makes it so that they only have to play one match instead of two, so they need just one result to make sure of avoiding their second trophyless season since 2010.

Pachuca fresh after a shortened season

Pachuca are a pretty successful club in their own right with seven Liga MX titles and six CONCACAF Champions Cup crowns to boot. Of course, they too tasted success earlier this year by winning the continental championship in the summer to qualify for this tournament, but the second half of the season went very poorly for them.

Tuzos recorded their lowest-ever finishing position in the 2024/25 Liga MX Apertura, finishing 16th of 18 teams with just 13 points.

Having failed to qualify for the Liga MX playoffs, Pachuca did not see any competitive action for a month leading up to the Intercontinental Cup. They seemed to benefit from that freshness, though, getting the better of stronger but more tired opponents in Botafogo and Al Ahly to reach this final.

A chance for Real Madrid to continue experimenting

Despite picking up an injury last week, Kylian Mbappé is fit enough to make the squad for this match. So, Carlo Ancelotti might get another opportunity to find a formula that gets the best out of him alongside attacking stars like Vinícius Júnior and Jude Bellingham, though he has bigger issues to contend with elsewhere in the side. Defenders Dani Carvajal, Éder Militão, David Alaba and Ferland Mendy are all out injured, so the Italian tactician will have to fashion a second-string back line once again.

Prediction

As is often the case in these tournaments, the gulf in squad quality is big enough for the European side to come out on top even with a subpar performance.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Dec

2024

Preview: Arsenal vs. Crystal Palace Take One

The first part of a pre-Christmas double-header brings together two clubs whose ideas of what constitutes ‘patchy form’ have been somewhat different, so far this season.

By Ian King

Recent H2H record

Arsenal go into their League Cup quarter-final against Crystal Palace having won their last four straight games against the Eagles, with the last meeting between the two clubs resulting in a 5-0 blowout at The Emirates Stadium in January. But prior to that, their record had been somewhat patchier, having won just one of their previous eight meetings, going back to October 2018.

League form indicators

Both clubs have had peaks and troughs this season. There are two very different ways of interpreting Arsenal’s recent Premier League form. On the one hand, they’re unbeaten in their last six. But on the other, they’ve only won three of their last nine matches and their last performance, a goalless home draw against Everton on Saturday, hinted at issues in front of goal which may have to be addressed in the January transfer window.

Crystal Palace had an abysmal start to the season, failing to win any of their first eight league games. But they’ve only lost once in the League since beating Spurs in October and last time out they had a both technically excellent and morale-boosting win 3-1 at fierce rivals Brighton.

Ex-Gunner primed to shine?

There’s one potential name on the teamsheet which stands out more than any other. Palace paid Arsenal £25m for Eddie Nketiah in the summer, but he’s only managed one goal for them so far, and that came in their Carabao Cup win against Queens Park Rangers in September. The narrative surely demands that he comes into the Palace team for this match and kick-starts his season against his former club, though how likely that actually is to happen is very much open to question.

Team News

This is the Carabao Cup, so who’ll be taking the pitch for these two teams would be complicated even if injuries weren’t a major factor. Both Declan Rice and Martin Ødegaard absences remain a serious concern for Arsenal. Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu remain as injured as ever, while goalkeeper Neto is cup-tied and Riccardo Calafiori and Oleksandr Zinchenko both remain highly doubtful. For Palace, Joel Ward and Adam Wharton were in the squad for the Brighton match but whether they’re thrown back in for this match is open to question, while Chadi Riad and Matheus Franca remain injured. Expect changes.

And expect changes again when these two meet in the league this coming weekend.

Prediction

An Arsenal team coming into this match off the back of one of their weakest performances of the season against a Crystal Palace side arriving off their best makes for a match which may turn out to be a tight one. But goals had been something of an issue for Palace up to the last couple of matches, and even if it’s a little makeshift for a match like this in this age of injuries, Arsenal’s defence has been one of the most miserly in the Premier League and I’d still call them for a 1-0 win.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Dec

2024

Preview: Liverpool go to manager-less Saints in the League Cup

Southampton will host Liverpool in the Carabao Cup quarter-final at St Mary’s Stadium on Wednesday evening.

By Matt Smith

The Saints are set to enter a new era with Russell Martin sacked at the weekend, while Liverpool will be hoping to avoid an upset in search of Arne Slot’s first bit of silverware at the club. The last time the two sides met in this competition, Southampton scored a late winner to secure a place in the final, with Shane Long firing them in front in the 90^th minute at Anfield.

No fresh injuries for the Saints

Simon Rusk, who has stepped in as interim manager while Southampton search for a permanent successor to Martin, confirmed that there were no fresh injury updates ahead of the game against Liverpool.

First choice goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale has recently been on the treatment table, but it’s unclear whether he’s going to be fit enough to return to action.

Southampton struggling at both ends

Southampton’s form this season, barring a strong run so far in the Carabao Cup, has been incredibly disappointing on their return to the Premier League. The Saints are struggling at both ends of the pitch, with no side scoring fewer goals per game than them, while they also concede 2.3 times per match.

The season stats for the front three who featured in Martin’s final game paint a disturbing picture, contributing just three goals between them during the 2024/2025 Premier League campaign. They are now preparing to face one of the most in-form teams in Europe, so it’s set to be a tough evening for the Saints.

Jota not expected to start

Slot was given a huge boost in the Premier League at the weekend with Diogo Jota making his return to action off the bench, coming on to score a late equaliser.

Slot has confirmed that Jota isn’t expected to start against Southampton as he ‘wasn’t fully fit’ after the game against Fulham. Caoimhin Kelleher is expected to come back into the starting XI, according to the Liverpool boss.

Liverpool’s attack could be too much for the Saints

The Reds have been carving out opportunities at will this season, creating 60 big chances in the Premier League, more than any other side. Containing Mohamed Salah has been an almost impossible task for many, with the Egyptian forward managing 22 goals and assists combined in England’s top flight.

Admirably, Slot has also coached his side superbly defensively, with Liverpool conceding just 0.9 goals per game in the Premier League this season. Only Arsenal have conceded fewer expected goals (xG), so it’s safe to say Southampton and Liverpool have been at opposite ends of the spectrum this term.

Prediction

Considering Liverpool’s phenomenal attacking form and Southampton’s struggles defensively, it’s difficult to see past an away win. The Saints have also found it difficult to hit the back of the net, while the Reds are compact at the back, so a comfortable 3-0 win for Liverpool is our prediction for this one.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Dec

2024

Man City in crisis: Is it time to rebuild?

This isn’t a blip. Manchester City are in freefall.

By Sam McGuire

The reigning Premier League champions have lost eight of their last 11 across all competitions and have recorded just one win during this period. Pep Guardiola’s side gave up a 3-0 lead at home against Feyenoord in the Champions League to draw 3-3. They also lost 2-1 to neighbours Manchester United at the Etihad despite heading into the final five minutes of the match with a 1-0 advantage.

City are nine points behind leaders Liverpool despite having played a game more. They are just three points clear of ninth-placed Brighton following a run of five defeats in their last seven in the English top-flight.

Everything is going wrong for Guardiola and his players.

Erling Haaland started the season in ridiculous form, scoring 10 goals in his first five appearances as City claimed 13 points from 15 on offer.

Since then, however, the two-time Golden Boot winner has scored just three goals across his last 11 outings for the champions. He has just four goal involvements in total during this period. He’s blanking when City need him most.

Whereas last season, City had reinforcements to back up their No. 9, this isn’t the case this time around. Julián Alvarez, Haaland’s understudy and someone who finished with 11 goals last term, was sold to Atlético Madrid in the summer. For whatever reason, no replacement was signed. Phil Foden finished the 2023/24 campaign with 19 Premier League goals. He’s yet to find the back of the net this season, despite making 11 appearances. Rodri chipped in with eight goals as Guardiola guided his side to a fourth successive title but an ACL injury has ruled him out of the season.

*Man City top scorers, Premier League 2024/25*

Foden remains with the club but his form, or lack of, means City are down 38 goals in their haul from last season. The increased reliance on Haaland, combined with injuries to Rodri and Kevin De Bruyne and the decline of Ederson and Kyle Walker has meant it has been the perfect storm for the opposition.

City aren’t as much of a threat and they aren’t anywhere near as defensively resilient.

Their second highest scorer in the league this season is Joško Gvardiol on four. Mateo Kovačić (three) is next up on the list.

They rank sixth for goals scored with 1.8. For context here, Chelsea and Spurs lead the way with 2.3. They have conceded, on average, 1.4 goals per game, a total that 15th-placed Crystal Palace (1.3) can better. Arsenal and Liverpool have the best defensive record this season having allowed just 0.9 goals per 90.

The Citizens have kept just three clean sheets in the Premier League and have conceded a minimum of two goals on eight occasions.

These numbers are backed up when looking at the underlying metrics. City are fifth for Expected Goals, eighth for big chances and 11 teams have a lower Expected Goals Conceded haul.

By comparison, last season, City had the best attack (averaging 2.5 goals per 90) and the second best defensive numbers, allowing just 0.9 goals per 90. Arsenal were the only team to claim more clean sheets while Liverpool could only better Man City’s Expected Goal numbers. Guardiola’s side ranked third for big chances and claimed second spot behind the Gunners for xG conceded.

There’s no quick fix for the situation City find themselves in right now.

To shore up their defence, they need to freshen up their midfield. But it takes time for midfielders to acclimatise to the way Guardiola wants his team to play. They need reinforcements in attack but finding someone who will be happy to sit behind Haaland for large spells isn’t going to be easy. They also need experience on the flanks because Jérémy Doku and Savinho, as good as they are, aren’t able to hit the numbers posted by Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez just yet. They’re learning on the job when City need a reliable supply line to their No. 9. That is why, despite averaging a similar number of efforts per 90, Haaland’s xG numbers have dropped by 0.21 per 90.

Guardiola let this group age. Maybe he thought he could eke out another season from the core group but the injury to Rodri really had an impact on everything. It exposed their weaknesses and masked their strengths. This rebuild was on the horizon for the champions. It needs to start in January though if they’re to salvage this season. This isn’t just a poor run of form. This is the beginning of the end for this group.

(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.

Dec

2024

Premier League Team of the Week: Matchday 16

The Premier League delivered yet again this weekend.

By Sam McGuire

Manchester United claimed victory at the Etihad, Arsenal and Liverpool both dropped points at home while Chelsea are now the closest challengers to the Reds at the summit. On top of all of that, the bottom two in the English top-flight finally parted ways with their managers.

So, who did enough to make it into the FotMob Team of the Week and why?

Goalkeeper: Jordan Pickford

The Everton shot-stopper was in fine form as the Toffees claimed an impressive point against title hopefuls Arsenal. Pickford claimed a rating of 9.0 having made five saves from shots with an Expected Goals on Target value of 1.81. The 30-year-old practically singlehandedly frustrated the hosts on Saturday afternoon.

Right-Back: Djed Spence

Spence made his first Premier League start for Spurs on Sunday against Southampton and had an assist inside of a minute. The 24-year-old had to wait almost 900 days for this moment. It won’t be his last start for Ange Postecoglou‘s side after that showing against Southampton. To go with his assist, Spence completed 95% of his passes, created two chances, attempted four dribbles, won 100% of his tackles and triumphed in six of his nine duels.

Centre-Back: Trevoh Chalobah

Chalobah put in a big shift as Crystal Palace claimed a big victory over rivals Brighton. The on-loan Chelsea defender scored for the Eagles and played a significant role in limiting the Seagulls, winning 100% of his tackles as well as 50% of all of his duels. He made two blocks and managed to complete eight clearances at the Amex.

Centre-Back: Nikola Milenković

The defender made it two goals in two matches for Nottingham Forest. He followed up his goal against Manchester United with one against Aston Villa as Nuno Espírito Santo‘s team claimed a 2-1 win over the Champions League side. The 27-year-old completed 94% of his passes, won 100% of his tackles, ground duels and aerial duels. Defensively, he was incredible.

Left-Back: Lewis Hall

Hall was a revelation at left-back for Newcastle in their 4-0 win over Leicester on Saturday. The 20-year-old created the most chances (five), completed the most passes (75) and registered an assist. The former Chelsea academy player found a teammate with two of his three attempted crosses, won 100% of his tackles and 100% of his ground duels. He bossed things from full-back.

Right-Midfield: Jacob Murphy

Murphy was barely involved for Newcastle in their win over Leicester, attempting just 18 passes, but he had an unbelievable impact for the Magpies. He had four shots, scored two goals and created two chances as he claimed a FotMob rating of 8.9. The Foxes couldn’t deal with the winger.

Centre-Midfield: Pape Matar Sarr

Sarr was a standout performer for Spurs as Postecoglou’s men ran out 5-0 winners against Southampton. The 22-year-old midfielder scored and carved out two chances for the away side at St Mary’s. He also found a teammate with 96% of his attempted passes, completed 100% of his dribbles and won 100% of his tackles. Sarr made four interceptions and came out on top in five of his seven ground duels. He was utterly dominant.

Centre-Midfield: James Maddison

Maddison claimed the Player of the Match award in Tottenham’s 5-0 win over the Saints with a 9.2 FotMob rating. The England international netted a double to take his haul for the season to seven. The 28-year-old created two chances, completed 100% of his dribbles, and had a pass success rate of 85%.

Left-Midfield: Son Heung-min

Son feasted against a struggling Southampton side. The versatile attacker finished the match at St Mary’s with a goal and two assists. He created the most chances (three) and carved out two big chances. He also had a total of seven shots, striking the woodwork with one of his efforts. The 32-year-old is now on 11 goal involvements in 13 Premier League appearances.

Attack: Ismaïla Sarr

Sarr stole the show as Palace took all three points back to Selhurst Park. Brighton could not deal with the former Watford winger as he scored two goals and registered an assist as he earned a 9.4 FotMob rating. The 26-year-old had five shots, created two chances and attempted two dribbles. He managed to outshine the £100million-rated João Pedro with relative ease.

Attack: Alexander Isak

Isak now has three goals in each of his last three appearances for the Magpies after finding the back of the net in the win over Leicester. The striker also claimed an assist against the Foxes. He completed the most dribbles (six), created four chances, two big chances, and attempted four shots. He was unplayable and Ruud Van Nistelrooy’s side had no idea how to contain him.

(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.

Dec

2024

Bournemouth’s secret: How the smallest club in the Premier League continues to succeed

Despite being one of Europe’s more modest top-flight clubs, Bournemouth have consistently defied expectations. They sit four points out of the top four, are on track for a 61 point season and consistently punch above their weight. Some extraordinary statistics demonstrate why Andoni Iraola’s distinctive high-pressing tactics allow them to compete against football powerhouses.

By Josh Gans

Bournemouth play their home matches in the smallest stadium in the Premier League, the Vitality Stadium, which houses just over 11,000 seats. To put this into perspective, it is the 67th largest stadium in English football, with fewer seats than 61 professional clubs and three non-league clubs. Their promotion in 2015 marked their top flight debut, and following their return in 2022, they were every bookie’s favourite to go back down. This is not a traditionally wealthy club with a history of success, but they managed to redefine themselves, with limited resources, into a stable Premier League side that will not roll over for anybody.

The Spanish manager has reshaped Bournemouth again by utilising his high pressing tactics. His players put their stamp on the match from the offset, setting the standard for the match and posing a particular threat to possession-based opponents. When utilised effectively, the high press disrupts these clubs’ usual comfort on the ball and causes panic among the players. Their wins over Arsenal, Manchester City, and most recently Tottenham, have epitomised this.

*Top stats from the win over Manchester City, Nov 2024*

Those standout statistics

Per match this season, the Cherries have won the most possessions in the final third (6.6), most tackles in the middle third of the pitch (8.7), second most interceptions (9.6), and most fouls committed (13.7).

They have the fourth highest xG at 30.9, despite only netting 23 goals. Their attackers are underperforming in front of goal, so they should be even more successful than they have been. They are also top six or seven in nearly every attacking statistic except possession, where they rank 16th (44.8%).

Three of the top four players with most possession won in the final third are Cherries: Alex Scott is first (2.4 per 90) despite his meniscus injury, while David Brooks (1.9) and Luis Sinisterra (1.8) sit third and fourth respectively.

Key players

Even after Scott’s injury, Ryan Christie and Lewis Cook have maintained the energy, forming a cohesive ball-winning partnership in the midfield. Tyler Adams is also coming back into the picture, adding leadership and intensity to the mix.

The attack complements the midfield in this system. Sinisterra and Antoine Semenyo are both among the top wingers in the league in possession won in the final third. Dango Ouattara has made 2.4 successful tackles per 90 (93.3% success rate), the most by any attacker. Club-record-signing Evanilson fits seamlessly into this system, offering a high press that has already led to five penalties. None of these players are household names but they each provide a pivotal piece to the puzzle.

Dean Court

There is also something unique about Dean Court (AKA the Vitalit Stadium for sponsorship reasons) that makes it such a difficult place for teams to visit. Not only is it geographically among the furthest distances to travel in England, but it’s intimate nature plays a significant factor. Given its size, there is an echo that reverberates around the ground. A side that thrives off of causing opponents discomfort with an energetic high press functions well in a small, compact arena, especially when the home crowd gets behind their side, pouncing on every misstep from the opposition. This creates a less familiar environment for these big clubs.

Recent results setting the standard

The 2-0 win against Arsenal delivered a prime case study of Iraola’s effectiveness. When immense pressure forced the Gunners into a dangerous backpass, William Saliba was obliged to make a rash decision to bring down Evanilson, whose chaotic influence got him sent off. Their second goal came from a penalty from another stray ball backwards, forcing David Raya to take down the Brazilian striker. Bournemouth lost the possession battle 51-49% despite being a man up, but dominated in every other category. Iraola didn’t heavily shift the system after the red card, they still conceded possession and it paid off.

The Cherries nearly scored a minute into their 2-1 win against Manchester City, after Semenyo won it in midfield and sparked a spirited counter attack. This set the tone for the match and City never recovered. Again, Bournemouth lost the possession battle 64-36%, but had higher xG and missed four big chances, so it could have been a greater margin of victory.

In their recent 1-0 win over Spurs, they lost the possession battle 66-34%, yet won the xG battle 3.71 – 0.87, missed six big chances and scored multiple offside goals directly from winning possession. If anything, 1-0 was a flattering scoreline for the visitors.

Bournemouth’s success against the Premier League’s elite is no fluke. They are not just winning but outplaying these teams. By embracing their limitations and turning them into advantages – through relentless energy, fearlessness, and personnel – the Cherries have become a side no one wants to face.

(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.

Dec

2024

Is it time for Man City to unleash Jeremy Doku?

It has been seven months since Manchester City became the first team in English football history to win four straight top-flight championships after defeating West Ham 3-1 on the final day. As far as City fans are concerned, it may as well be seven years: the Cityzens have lost seven of their last 10 matches, whilst they’ve also relinquished a three-goal lead in a home draw vs. Feyenoord and drawn at Crystal Palace.

By Zach Lowy

City sit 22nd in the UEFA Champions League table, one point outside of the drop zone, and after four consecutive trips to the continental elite’s final four, they find themselves in peril of missing out on a spot in the Champions League knockout round for the first time in 12 years.

Over the past decade, it has typically been City who ride into the Manchester derby brimming with confidence, whilst Manchester United enter in desperate need of a victory. This time, however, the circumstances couldn’t be more different. While Rúben Amorim is enjoying his honeymoon period at Manchester United with three wins in his last five, Pep Guardiola finds himself under the most pressure of his entire managerial career. City sit fifth in the Premier League table, one point below Nottingham Forest, and two points above Aston Villa, and they can ill afford another slip-up in Sunday’s crosstown derby at the Etihad. They need a shot in the arm, a player who can give their stagnant frontline an injection of unpredictability and dynamism…they need Jérémy Doku.

Born in Antwerp, Belgium to Ghanaian parents, Doku became the second-youngest player to debut for Anderlecht at 16 years, 5 months and 26 days on 25 November 2018. He spent the next two years working alongside former Manchester City and Belgium captain Vincent Kompany, who served as both his teammate and manager, scoring 6 goals and 7 assists in 37 appearances before leaving his boyhood club in October 2020 and joining Rennes for a club-record €26 million.

“Doku always impressed me from a young age because he has some absolutely terrific skills that you’re either born with or not,” said Sacha Tavolieri, L’Èquipe’s Belgian football specialist. “When he was 16, he was already being viewed as the best player that Anderlecht’s academy had produced since Romelu Lukaku. He’s so quick and explosive…he’s one of the rare players whose acceleration allows him to make a massive difference in such short spaces. However, he needs to improve his first touch and turning radius in order to make the most of his speed.”

“Doku initially struggled at Rennes because of his entourage. They gave him too much freedom: he would often leave Rennes and return to Brussels during his time off, he didn’t take care of his health during the offseason and would get injured as a result. However, once he broke it off with them, he started performing and soon became targeted by Guardiola himself.”

He didn’t exactly hit the ground running in France with just 4 goals and 6 assists in 55 appearances across his first two seasons, and he even found himself relegated to the bench during the first half of the 2022/23 campaign. However, after changing numbers and trading the #11 for the #10 following Kamaldeen Sulemana’s departure in January 2023, Doku finally managed to deliver his best football in Brittany with 7 goal contributions in his last 8 matches of 2022/23.

*Successful dribbles per 90, Premier League 2023/24*

It didn’t take long before City snapped him up for £55 million, with Doku quickly adjusting to life in England. He registered 4.9 successful dribbles per 90 – more than any other player in the division – and alongside Rasmus Højlund and Alejandro Garnacho, he was one of only three U-21 players to register 11+ goal contributions. This season, Doku has the most Premier League goal contributions (4) in City’s squad after Erling Haaland (14) and Bernardo Silva (5), he’s their third-highest-rated FotMob player (7.42) after Haaland (7.62) and Mateo Kovačić (7.42), and he’s completing 5.8 successful dribbles per 90, nearly double the amount of City’s next-best dribbler – Sávinho (3.3). Despite this, Doku has struggled to cement a starting spot in attack, with five of his 11 appearances coming from the bench. Rather than giving him a consistent run in the team, Guardiola has often preferred to bring him on against tired legs.

*Successful dribbles per 90, Premier League 2024/25*

Guardiola has achieved an unprecedented domestic dynasty in Manchester thanks to an unyielding dedication to controlled, possession-heavy football, but as a result, he’s shifted away from traditional wingers in favor of players who can retain possession and avoid costly giveaways. It’s death by a thousand passes as opposed to one mazy individual dribble, and it’s why central midfielders like Rico Lewis and Matheus Nunes have regularly gotten the nod ahead of Doku. Nonetheless, it’s all gone a bit stale over the past two months. The wingers have cut an isolated figure and failed to provide a secondary goal-scoring outlet to alleviate the burden placed on Haaland’s shoulders, and as a result, opponents have been able to foil City’s attacking gameplan and put them under severe pressure at the back. However, having a traditional winger like Doku in the team could help rectify this.

At 22 years of age, Jérémy Doku is still an enigmatic character whose end product can flatter to deceive and who gives away possession on a far-too-regular basis, second only to Sávinho and Kevin De Bruyne in City’s squad, but on his day, he can turn his fullback inside out with his swift change of direction and scintillating ball-carrying skills and add some pace and panache to his team’s attacking play. Doku has started just one of his last four available Premier League matches for City, which saw him score a goal and assist vs. Nottingham Forest: the other three saw him come off the bench and witness yet another stalemate or defeat.

The last time City played United (excluding the preseason Community Shield), Doku came on at halftime and managed to pull one back for City in the final minutes, but it was too little too late as United prevailed 2-1 in the FA Cup Final. Guardiola cannot afford to make the same mistake twice: if City are to turn around their wretched run of form on Sunday, he has to unleash Doku from the shackles of super-sub status and give him a chance to impact the game from the opening whistle.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Dec

2024

Preview: Barcelona look to extend LaLiga advantage against Leganes

LaLiga leaders Barcelona have been through a recent run which leaves top spot out of their own hands for now, with just one win in five allowing Real Madrid back into the hunt – they do remain one point clear due to Madrid’s draw last night, but Hansi Flick’s side know their rivals still have a game in hand.

By Karl Matchett

All Barca can do for now is continue trying to take maximum points in their own fixtures, with a home match against relegation-threatened Leganés surely a perfect opportunity to rebuild a winning run.

Leganés have been in the second tier for the past four years so there’s not much recent head to head form to speak of, promoted last term after winning La Segunda, but in their squad there remain a handful of notable players including former Schalke star Matija Nastasić and a link to their weekend hosts in forward Munir El Haddadi. The Moroccan left Barca in 2019 after breaking through as a youngster, and while it hasn’t perhaps gone to plan in his career as early expectations suggested, he remains an experienced attacker in the top flight with perhaps a point to prove.

Recent form

After a magnificent start, Flick’s side have taken a hit in league form of late, though a late win at Dortmund in Europe this week was a significant boost. A shock home defeat to Las Palmas only a fortnight ago shows they are not the finished product though and there remains scope for improvement.

As for Leganés, they’ve only won three all season in the top flight and those have all come at home – yet on the road it’s only three defeats in eight, as they prove the draw masters of LaLiga. All the same, they sit 17th after 16 games, with two teams below them having matches in hand. It’s another tough weekend in a tough overall campaign, with goalscoring a particular trouble for them so far.

Team news

Barcelona remain without goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen, defender Andreas Christensen, midfielder Marc Bernal and winger Ansu Fati. Raphinha took a knock against Dortmund but could play anyway, as Flick looks to get his team back to winning ways on the domestic front.

Valentin Rosier is absent through suspension for Leganés, while Dani Raba and Enric Franquesa are out injured.

Player to watch

No need to overthink this one – Dani Olmo and Lamine Yamal have expectation on them, especially if Raphinha misses out, but it’s a guarantee of goals they need to win the game. Robert Lewandowski already has 16 LaLiga goals this term from an xG of 15; that’s averaging out at better than a goal per 90 minutes, 3.6 shots per 90 and very nearly 2.0 per 90 on target. The Polish attacker is playing a more refined, restricted game under Flick and it’s keeping him in the most dangerous areas of the pitch more often – and he’s coming up with the goods to justify his place and his salary. Keep feeding him chances and Barcelona will more likely than not stay top.

Prediction

We’ll go with a home victory with room to spare. Barcelona 3 Leganés 0.

(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.

Dec

2024

Preview: Chelsea and Brentford clash in West London

After securing an impressive comeback win at Tottenham last Sunday, the debate around Chelsea’s place in the title race has raged back and forth and after also extending their perfect Conference League run on Thursday, the Blues will now look to extend their good form against local rivals Brentford.

By Dan Tracey

The Bees have been almost perfect when it comes to this season’s league outings at the GTech Community Stadium but Thomas Frank’s side have been largely forgettable on the road. It’s a conundrum we looked at in detail earlier in the week – in an article you can read here.

*Brentford’s contrasting home and away form*

The Form Guide

Enzo Maresca’s side return to Stamford Bridge having won their last six matches in all competitions and unbeaten in their last nine using the same criteria. Not since their Carabao Cup defeat at Newcastle in October have the Blues been second best when the final whistle blows.

As for opponents Brentford, this season they are a team that Jekyll and Hyde would be most proud of. The Bees have collected an impressive 22 league points from the 24 available at home but have picked up just a single point from the 21 offered on their travels.

Who Are The Key Players

This encounter could well be won by whose strike partnership performs best on the day. The visitors will have to be wary of the 19 league goals that Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson have scored between them this season.

But by comparison, the combined 18 league goals that Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbuemo have bagged should not be overlooked either and although there were fears that Brentford would decline when Ivan Toney cashed in his chips to move to Saudi Arabia, his two former teammates have more than picked up the slack.

Who’s in and who’s out?

After a busy week both home and abroad, Chelsea manager Maresca will ring the changes. Not only because of Pedro Neto’s one-game suspension for five bookings but also due to fitness doubts surrounding the midfield pair of Enzo Fernández and Roméo Lavia.

Brentford will monitor the fitness of Vitaly Janelt before they make the short trip across the capital but he is likely to appear. The same cannot be said for teammate Mathias Jensen who suffered a hamstring injury at the start of the month and is not expected to be fit for this one.

Prediction

Although Chelsea have had to cross continents with their trip to Kazakhstan this week, the additional time in the air should not hamper their bid to beat Brentford on Sunday – especially when you consider just how poor the Bees have been away from home this season.

(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.