Page 41 – The Pulse of Football

Nov

2024

FotMob Opinion: Everton’s numbers show worrying drop off this season

Everton have been in a slow decline over the last few years and have faced a battle to stay in the Premier League. Last season, Sean Dyche turned the Toffees into a side who were difficult to beat, in spells, but inconsistency meant they were unable to truly progress.

By Matt Smith

This season has been a tricky one for the Merseyside outfit as they currently sit in 16^th place, four points above the relegation zone. Despite picking up points with some impressive results along the way, the performances of Sean Dyche’s side have left a lot to be desired.

Everton’s direct style of play yielded results last campaign, and despite changing little in terms of how they look to turn defence into attack, they’re no longer a side who are creating chances and remaining tight at the back. The Toffees have scored just one goal per game so far, ranking them 15^th in the league, while also creating just 11.1 xG – only three sides have produced a lower total.

The Toffees could get away with struggling to create chances last term as Dyche’s men were difficult to break down and conceding minimal opportunities per game. This term, however, has seen their defensive solidity decrease. Everton have conceded 1.7 goals per game and 15.3 xG in total.

Jordan Pickford has been a saviour for the Toffees in recent years, but he’s seen his level drop off this season. The England international has prevented -2.2 goals, ranking him 17^th among Premier League goalkeepers, while only saving 59.5% of shots (18^th). Comparing that to last season where Pickford saved 70.3% of attempts, it’s clear that this will have had an impact on Everton’s results.

*Pickford shot map, Premier League 2024/25*

Everton average just 37.5% possession per game, the lowest in the league, which will come as no surprise to those who have watched a typical Dyche side. Possession means very little as long as you’re getting the ball into the right areas regularly, but Everton have managed just 219 touches in the opposition box, ranking them 17^th for this metric in the league.

Iliman Ndiaye has been a refreshing addition to Everton’s attack, but it’s clear to see that teams are starting to discover his effectiveness and are beginning to put plans in place to nullify him. Although predominantly a number 10, Ndiaye has been deployed on the left-hand side of attack since his arrival, limiting his freedom.

*Ndiaye’s strong defensive stats, Premier League 2024/25*

Ndiaye’s defensive work-rate is a clear reason as to why Dyche has opted to utilise him on the left rather than centrally. His defensive stats are impressive for an attacking player, but if Dyche wants to add more goals and creativity in the final third, he needs to find a way to get the best out of him. The Senegalese international has still been a bright spark, but you get the feeling there is more to come if Dyche can take the shackles off the 24-year-old.

Everton’s possession stats have significantly dropped this season, and it’s no coincidence that their chance creation has taken a hit. Although, as mentioned previously, having the majority of the ball isn’t all that important, Dyche needs to find a way of maximising Everton’s output when they do have possession.

The Toffees have completed more accurate long balls than any other side in the Premier League, and as good as Dominic Calvert-Lewin is in the air, it’s difficult for him to retain possession on every occasion. Everton’s deep defensive line means it’s tricky for the midfielders to get in and around the towering striker, leaving him isolated and outnumbered as he tries to look after the ball.

Jarrad Branthwaite’s lack of fitness has meant Everton are forced to sit slightly deeper than they usually would. The English centre-back has bundles of pace, which allowed the Toffees to play a higher line last season. With Dyche opting for a centre-back pairing of Michael Keane and James Tarkowski predominantly this term, Everton are unable to leave too many gaps in behind.

The Merseyside outfit have a worrying set of fixtures ahead of them before the end of the year – starting with a crucial game at West Ham today – and they face a real danger of slipping down the table if performances don’t start to improve. The reintroduction of Branthwaite could not only help them defensively due to his ability at the back, but also improve how they setup, leading to getting more bodies into advanced areas.

It’s not all doom and gloom for Everton with enough talent throughout the squad to see results and performances improve, but Dyche and his team are going to have to start getting the best out of their attacking stars. Bringing Branthwaite back into the fold would provide a major boost, but Dyche has kept his trust in Keane and Tarkowski in recent weeks, which he may end up regretting.

(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.

Nov

2024

Kylian Mbappe and an alternate reality for Liverpool

For years, Kylian Mbappé was the most coveted player among Liverpool supporters – and, if credible reports are to be believed, even those within the club itself.

By Jack Lusby, ThisIsAnfield.com

Liverpool’s interest in Mbappé dates back to his breakthrough at AS Monaco when, at 17, he broke a record Thierry Henry had held for 21 years in becoming their youngest-ever goalscorer in Ligue 1.

They were named along with Arsenal, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain as early suitors even before the forward had penned professional terms, as he stood poised to explode as part of one of Europe’s most exciting young sides.

Monaco went on to win Ligue 1 in Mbappé’s first full season in the first team, a squad that also included Bernardo Silva, Thomas Lemar, Fabinho, João Moutinho, Tiemoue Bakayoko and captain Radamel Falcao, with Liverpool’s pursuit only heightening that summer.

He was widely reported to be an opportunistic target for the club around the time that they secured the £36.9 million signing of Mohamed Salah from AS Roma – it is even claimed that Liverpool owner John W. Henry spent two hours speaking with Mbappé and his family on his private jet in early 2017 as he attempted to convince the youngster to join.

That was the first of, it appears, a number of concerted efforts to tempt Mbappé to Anfield – a cause seemingly aided by his mother’s affinity to the club.

Of course, that never panned out, and with Mbappé now painted in the Spanish media as the rotten core in a fractured Real Madrid side, only months on from his high-profile move from PSG, Liverpool may consider themselves to have dodged a bullet.

It seems almost ludicrous to suggest that Liverpool would have been worse off had they signed one of the world’s most accomplished forwards – particularly at an age when he was still yet to cement himself at that level – but there is certainly cause to argue that would have been the case.

In an alternate reality, picture Mbappé had embraced those overtures from Fenway Sports Group and accepted a move to Merseyside in the summer of 2017.

An 18-year-old Mbappé would have joined a squad ready to take the next step under Jürgen Klopp, but he would have found himself competing with a trio attackers who would establish themselves as arguably the best forward line in Europe.

With Salah and Sadio Mané on the wings, working off the invaluable presence of Roberto Firmino as No. 9, Liverpool dominated the Premier League and Champions League, only held at bay by Manchester City and Real Madrid respectively.

Mbappé would have joined as a youngster, but his potential – and profile – would likely have forced Klopp to break that unit up earlier than he did, and likely at the expense of Mané’s world-leading brand of physicality and direct threat on the left.

Links continued in 2019, 2020, 2021 and even into 2022 – when it was claimed that, after an enquiry from Anfield, PSG quoted a price tag of €400 million.

Unsurprisingly, Klopp repeatedly dismissed speculation as, regardless of Liverpool’s interest – and that “from a sporting point of view, there were not a lot of reasons to not sign him” – they had “absolutely no chance” of affording the World Cup winner.

Though it has proved divisive among fans over the years, under FSG, Liverpool operate within a strict financial model, with the American owners insisting that the club remains self-sustaining.

When Mbappé signed his new contract with PSG in 2022, it boosted his wages to a reported £1 million per week – and even if he had opted to join the Reds when he was still a precocious teenager, his financial motivation would have followed that same trajectory.

At a stage now where Liverpool are mulling over new contracts for their three most high-profile players in Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold – with Salah still the highest-earner in their history on £350,000 a week – it is clear demands of around three times that would never wash.

Not only would Mbappé have disrupted the finely balanced status quo within the Mané-Firmino-Salah unit, his presence may have irrevocably damaged the wage structure that has proved so competitive under FSG.

It is pointed to note that, under FSG, Liverpool have never faced the financial struggles of a club like Barcelona, nor have they battled with a squad bloated by too many egos as has been the case at Manchester United.

While it may be beneficial to indulge one particular, record-breaking Egyptian ego, it would also certainly have proved fractious to add another, arguably even higher-profile one to that mix.

That is seemingly the situation unfolding at Real Madrid, who find themselves in crisis mode just months after a campaign that saw them win LaLiga and the Champions League, with there now question marks over Carlo Ancelotti‘s future.

It may be reductive to depict Mbappé as the cause of all of Real’s current issues, but there is a very real sense that his was a signing that worked more on a marketing level than it did on sporting terms.

Real are now battling for fluency with the Frenchman at the heart of their attack; no longer is Jude Bellingham as relentless in his central role, while Vinícius Jr. is less effective out wide.

Mbappé’s profile certainly ‘fits’ Real Madrid, in the same way it did Paris Saint-Germain, but whether it fits a setup that is not entirely built around him is another matter entirely.

While to speculate on his long-term output at Liverpool is, at this stage, moot, it remains valid to question where the club would be now had they been successful in bringing him to Merseyside from Monaco way back in 2017 – or even in the years since.

Liverpool may have enjoyed a similar level of success, or perhaps even more so, but there is a strong feeling that fans would have found the negatives outweighed the positives over time.

Under Klopp and now Arne Slot, Liverpool are doing it their own way, building on the values that gave the club its foundation over decades of success – skill backed up by hard work, team honours over individual accolades.

And in this reality, Mbappé would never have fit into that.

(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.

Nov

2024

Preview: Madrid looking to avert a crisis as Osasuna visit the capital

Can Osasuna pile on the misery for Real Madrid and put an end to their struggles at the Bernabéu?

By Filip Mishov

Troublesome times for the hosts

As if the damning defeat to Barcelona in El Clásico (0-4) and controversy around the Ballon d’Or ceremony were not enough for Florentino Perez & co. over the past couple of weeks, AC Milan piled on the misery at the Bernabéu by outplaying the reigning champions in the Champions League and taking home a 3-1 win on Tuesday night. With back-to-back home defeats, it is fair to say that frustrations are running high both on and off the pitch for Madrid, and the rumours around Kylian Mbappé‘s unhappiness at his new club are really not helping.

High-flying Los Rojillos are coming to Spain’s capital on the back of three consecutive victories between in league and cup, and with only three points separating the Vicente Moreno-led squad from Los Blancos (although with a game in hand) after exceeding anyone’s expectations at the start of the season. However, the Basque-based club’s record against Madrid is not one to be proud of as Osasuna‘s last win dates back to 2011 and for their last win away from home you have to go all the way back to 2004. But at the same time, Osasuna are the only side to beat high-flying league leaders Barcelona this season, which surely gives flying winger Bryan Zaragoza & co. the confidence to cause another upset.

Madrid’s injury list

The Madrid-based club’s defeat to the Rossoneri came at an additional cost as Aurélien Tchouaméni suffered an injury and the tenacious Frenchman is set to be out for at least four weeks with a sprained ankle. The defensive midfielder joins Thibaut Courtois, David Alaba and Daniel Carvajal on the sidelines, while even though Federico Valverde was replaced at half-time, the Uruguayan is said to be ready for Saturday’s clash. Unlike Carlo Ancelotti, Vicente Moreno has a full squad available to pick from as there are no injury concerns within Osasuna’s dressing room.

Players to watch

After enduring a slow start to the season, Ante Budimir truly came to life against Barcelona with the experienced striker scoring a brace in Osasuna’s memorable win (4-2) back in late September. Additionally, the 33-year-old scored the winning goal (1-0) against Real Valladolid last weekend and found the net against Real Sociedad the weekend before. The Croatian target man is the joint-third top scorer in LaLiga with six goals, just like Mbappé, Madrid’s no. 9, and with Antonio Rüdiger‘s slump in form as well as abysmal positioning in recent matches, guarding Budimir will be a tricky task for the centre-back and his partner.

Prediction

Even though Real Madrid are viably struggling at the moment and Osasuna are flying high on confidence, it is hard to look past or bet against the world-class quality within Ancelotti’s squad. Furthermore, Los Rojillos’ record at the Bernabéu is discouraging to say the least, and although one cannot expect a goal fest given their recent low-scoring attacking output, a narrow win for Los Blancos is the most realistic scenario. Anything less, and especially if Osasuna were to inflict a third straight home defeat on Madrid, then it would undoubtably be crisis time in the Spanish capital.

(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.

Nov

2024

FotMob Review: Damien Duff’s triumph in the League of Ireland

A self-confessed former ‘football snob’, ex-Premier League winger Damien Duff has gone back to his roots and pulled up trees, leading Shelbourne to their first League of Ireland title in 18 years.

By Alex Roberts

All the way back in 2006, the last time Shelbourne won the league title, the club’s dire financial situation saw them sensationally relegated to Ireland’s second tier for just the second time in their history.

A lot has happened since then. Duff called time on his illustrious career with two Premier League titles to his name, Shelbourne suffered a couple more relegations, and Donald Trump has been elected to the most powerful seat in the world… twice.

Ever since he took over at Tolka Park, Duff has been an advocate for the quality of the League of Ireland, criticising English clubs for undervaluing the league and promoting it whenever he had the opportunity.

Duff had two jobs back in 2020, he was part of Stephen Kenny’s Republic of Ireland set-up and Shelbourne’s Under-17s manager. Within 12-months he quit his international job after a friendly loss to England with Kenny’s time in charge shattered.

And so began Shelbourne’s charm offensive, led by former chairman Andrew Doyle, to convince the man with 100 international caps to become the manager of their North Dublin club.

His first game in charge couldn’t have gone any worse. A heavy 3-0 defeat to rivals St Patrick’s Athletic must have left him scratching his head, wondering what exactly he had signed up for.

But the season went on and Shelbourne met their target of avoiding relegation. The season after that they went one better, qualifying for continental football for the first time under Duff’s guidance. But it wasn’t all rosy at the club.

At the time, Shelbourne were owned by a consortium led by Hull City chief and Turkish media magnate Acun Ilıcalı. Despite his recent achievement, talks over a new contract for Duff had stalled, and he was in danger of losing his job.

Up stepped Mickey O’Rourke, founder of Irish TV channel Premier Sports, who bought Ilcali’s shares and effectively chose Duff over investment from the Turkish billionaire. And so began a new era at the club.

Duff and Shelbourne started the 2024 season like a house on fire, amassing 21 points from a possible 27 and going ten games unbeaten, with local rivals Bohemians the club to break the streak.

After that, things started to look a little dicey. Shelbourne dropped points in six of their next ten games, drawing four and losing two as rivals started to gain and their grip on top-spot started to loosen.

Thankfully poor early season form from then four-time defending champions Shamrock Rovers, who went winless in their first five games of the season, gave Duff and his boys some breathing room.

The fellow Dublin side had dominated over the past three seasons, winning it with 72, 79, and 78 points, respectively. This season was a lot closer; it went down to the wire and both teams could have lifted the trophy.

Shelbourne faced Derry City at The Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium and Shamrock Rovers prepared for a visit from Waterford FC.

First blood went to Shamrock Rovers. Young winger Johnny Kenny scored with a lovely chip over Sam Sargeant in the Waterford goal to put his side 1-0 up and send the home fans into hysterics.

Things in Derry weren’t going quite so well. Half-time came and went for Duff’s lads but they were unable to break down their opposition’s stubborn defence, despite creating numerous good chances.

Then, not long after the break Shamrock Rovers doubled their lead. It was already tense, but the goal from striker Dylan Watts made it positively twitchy. It was starting to look like all was lost, Shamrock Rovers would be champions again and it would all end in tears for Duff and his lads.

Shelbourne needed a hero, so up stepped 22-year-old Harry Wood. Sean Boyd’s freekick deflected off the wall, and after some pin-balling in the box, it fell to Wood, who slotted home.

He took off his shirt, mullet blowing in the wind as he ran towards the fans to celebrate. Shelbourne were champions.

The celebrations were nuts, Duff was drenched in champagne and various other types of booze, acting like he had never won a trophy before in his life, which, of course, wasn’t true.

Duff was a vital part of the great Chelsea side that won two Premier League titles, then went on to be the main man at both Fulham and Newcastle before calling it quits. It would have been very easy for him to pick up his medal and throw it on the pile with all the others.

For those who don’t know any better, a League of Ireland title may not seem so impressive. But that dismisses the hard work, long nights, and missed family occasions that each of the players and staff had to endure.

He may not have been able to get former manager José Mourinho’s attention, the legendary Portuguese boss failing to answer Duff’s call after the game but lifting the title with Shelbourne is a pretty big deal.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow the next League of Ireland season, and Shelbourne’s adventures in Europe on FotMob. Download the free app here.

Nov

2024

Even in defeat, Florian Wirtz adds more evidence he can take on the world’s best defences

German attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz has already been on the radar of a number of clubs and already made the international stage his own with the national team at Euro 2024. But even after a domestic campaign where he starred with Bayer Leverkusen en route to a domestic double, there were still plenty who wanted to see what he could offer at the widely perceived highest level of the game: the Champions League.

By Karl Matchett

A trip to Anfield to face Liverpool therefore gave a glimpse of Wirtz against a truly elite defence and, while the 4-0 scoreline underlines his side being a level below this term, there was plenty to admire in Wirtz’s own game.

First, some context. Liverpool’s start to the season has been extraordinarily good, sitting top of the Premier League – and now the Champions League table too – with Arne Slot enjoying a wonderful beginning to life at Anfield. Part of the reason for that is the new head coach having instilled more control and protection for the last line: with only six conceded, the Reds have the best defensive record in the English top flight.

It’s because of that, though, that this was such a notable test for Florian Wirtz. And, with respect to the first half, there was an impressive aspect to the 21-year-old’s approach – even though this was in a slightly different role to usual.

To try and combat Liverpool’s home advantage and recent form, Leverkusen head coach Xabi Alonso sacrificed one of his usual support attackers for an extra midfielder; from 3-4-2-1 to 3-5-2, Wirtz therefore operating as essentially the right-sided of two split forwards, Victor Boniface attacking as “striker” from the left. Where he ran directly, Wirtz was more free-roaming: dropping into holes in the channel, picking up the ball to the side of Liverpool’s holding midfielder and generally looking to combine in second-forward fashion with those making the runs beyond him. In a game of two halves, B04 had 57% possession in the first 45 minutes but just 47% in the second as their hosts ran away from them. The German side mustered a total xG value of 0.8, as the red wall stood firm once more.

And yet against this regimented defence, Wirtz showed he still had the tools to pick the locked door – even though it didn’t end in his teammates scoring. He created three chances – only Mohamed Salah managed more in the game – and his cumulative 0.31 xA tally was only bettered by Alejandro Grimaldo (0.42) among his own teammates.

The pick of the bunch and the moment of the game as far as Leverkusen were concerned was a deft flicked ball on the run, through and over two defenders, which saw Wirtz free an away shirt into the box on the bounce – but again no real test for Caoimhin Kelleher materialised.

A couple of shots of his own and touches in the box showed Wirtz’s instinct and intent to make things happen for his team, but the vast majority of his, and Leverkusen’s dangerous moments were grouped into the first half. The only real opening for him to potentially reduce the arrears was a rebound which fell his way five minutes from time, the game already wrapped up by then, and his driven strike was saved by the ‘keeper’s feet.

Those two instances of half-chancery were far from easy to create or take, and spoke volumes as to why Wirtz will once again be in-demand come the summer transfer window. Already he has three goals in Europe this term, and even after this routing of his team he remains above 87% of similar players for non-penalty xG per 90, 85% for shots on target per 90 and 88% for chances created. In the Bundesliga, he can further point to being above 92% for shots on target, 90% for chances, 93% for expected assists and a full 100% for successful passes. He is a superstar already and adding Champions League experience to his early career will only enhance both his reputation and skillset.

Leverkusen will at worst have a playoff spot in Europe; that means ten games he can appear in at this level, nine opponents he can potentially take on for the first time, nine different types of defensive set-ups and individual defenders to go up against, test himself with and try to find the solutions to beat.

As an audition to taking on those top level defences, there was threfore another body of evidence at Anfield that Wirtz’s touch, his movement, his work rate and intelligence to find space are all of the highest order and that there’s doubtless still more to come in his game. He didn’t find the breakthrough against Liverpool on this occasion – but rather than count against him, this season that seems to be the norm for most players. Bochum, Heidenheim, and Salzburg may not fare as well.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Nov

2024

Premier League Preview, Matchday 11

The Premier League’s random fixture generator has been awfully kind to us this weekend.

By Sam McGuire

The fallout from these games will likely dominate talk throughout the international break. So, with this in mind, here’s what you can look forward to across Matchday 11 in the English top-flight.

Are Manchester City under pressure?

The reigning Premier League champions are without a win in three.

Spurs knocked Manchester City out of the Carabao Cup, Bournemouth then stunned Pep Guardiola‘s team to record their first ever victory over the Citizens before Sporting ran riot in Portugal, recording a 4-1 as Rúben Amorim gave Manchester United an early present.

In the blink of an eye, City lost top spot in the Premier League, were knocked out of a domestic cup and now find themselves in 10th spot in the new look Champions League.

They’ve conceded eight goals across these three matches and the decision to not replace Julián Alvarez is now looking a little naive with Erling Haaland struggling.

City travel to the Amex on Saturday evening to face an out-of-sorts but dangerous Brighton side. The Seagulls are without a win in three and gave up the lead in two of these games. They are, however, scoring goals and will be a threat to the champions.

If they were ever going to spring a surprise, it would be this weekend.

The Mohamed Salah show

Salah is supposed to be slowing down. He didn’t get the memo.

The 32-year-old has the most goal involvements in the Premier League with 12. The Liverpool No. 11 has seven goals and five assists across 875 minutes in the English top-flight.

He has seven goal involvements in his last five starts for the Reds, including goals against Chelsea and Arsenal, and assists against RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen.

Salah is as dangerous as ever and his form coincides with Liverpool being top of the Premier League and the Champions League.

They host the team they displaced at the top of the new look Champions League, Aston Villa, on Saturday night. It is a team Salah enjoys playing having scored six and assisted three in 10 appearances.

Unai Emery‘s men had started the season well but their good form has come to an abrupt end.

They are now winless in four having drawn against Bournemouth before losing to Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup, Spurs in the Premier League and then Club Brugge in the Champions League. Defeat at Anfield could see them head into the international break down in 11th position.

Wood to haunt another former club

Chris Wood is in the form of his life.

The 32-year-old has eight goals in 10 appearances for Nottingham Forest this term as Nuno Espírito Santo’s side have shocked everyone. They’re currently third in the table ahead of the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal, Aston Villa and Spurs.

He’s already scored against one of his former side’s this term, finding the back of the net twice against Leicester City. He’s looking to repeat the trick this weekend against Newcastle United.

*Chris Wood shot map, Premier League 2024/25*

Wood called St James’ Park home for 12 months but struggled for form, scoring just four goals across 35 outings.

A goal this weekend would mean he’s found the back of the net in five successive Premier League matches.

If he fires Forest to a win, they’ll be seven points clear of the Magpies and third position will be guaranteed over the international break.

The Guardiola assistant derby

Arsenal travel to Stamford Bridge on Sunday looking to halt their demise.

The Gunners have won just two of their previous six outings across all competitions. Mikel Arteta masterminded wins over Shakhtar Donetsk and Preston North End. During this run, they have lost to Bournemouth, Newcastle, and Inter while also giving up the lead twice against Liverpool.

They find themselves seven points off of the top, without a clean sheet in the league since September and they have won just 50% of their games.

If they are going to live up to their pre-season hype as title contenders, they need to get back to winning ways, and quickly.

It won’t be easy. Chelsea are a completely different proposition under Enzo Maresca, the man Guardiola picked to replace Arteta as his assistant at Manchester City.

The Blues are level on points with the Gunners but have only won two of their five matches at home this season. The same number of games Arsenal have won on their travels.

It is definitely a game for the neutral.

(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.

Nov

2024

Mario Balotelli has another chance in Serie A thanks to Genoa

Six minutes is all it took Mario Balotelli to make his mark on his Genoa debut. The 34-year-old didn’t score or contribute to a goal, but introduced himself in the most Balotelli way possible – with a needless yellow card. The Italian forward has been trouble everywhere he has been in his career, but his talent is undeniable.

By Graham Ruthven

Genoa are counting on that talent shining through in their fight against relegation from Serie A this season. Alberto Gilardino’s side had lost six of their 10 league games, winning just one, before Balotelli’s arrival, scoring just seven goals in the process. The Red and Blues need more goal threat and they have gambled on Balotelli providing it.

Balotelli’s career has drifted these last few years. Since he last played in Italy – for Monza when they were in Serie B – the forward has had two spells in Turkey with Adana Demirspor and a stint with Sion in Switzerland, yet he has continued to score goals. Even at 34, Balotelli could conjure up some of the old magic back in his homeland.

Gilardino’s system could be set up for Balotelli to fit in well. The former Azzurri forward who played alongside Balotelli for the national team has favoured two forwards in a 3-5-2 shape this season which could give the former Inter and Manchester City striker the support he needs to focus on taking up good positions inside the box.

Throughout his career, Balotelli has frequently played his best football when paired with a strike partner. At Inter, he had the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimović and Diego Milito to bounce off with Sergio Agüero a partner for Balotelli at Manchester City. Andrea Pinamonti and Vitinha could be one of these figures at Genoa.

“Mario has arrived with really great motivation,” said Gilardino when asked about the contribution Balotelli could make this season. “I’ve spoken a lot with him. He’s a guy who must be protected in everything. I’ve been able to talk a lot with him. I know what he can give us, but as I’ve previously said, he can’t solve all the problems on his own.”

Now into the twilight years of his career, Balotelli won’t get another opportunity to make up for lost time as good as this one. The circumstances of his latest move are far from perfect. Not only are Genoa fighting relegation, the club has been up for sale by an ownership group that has frozen funds in the transfer market. There is growing tension between Genoa’s decision makers and the fans.

Nonetheless, the spotlight is back on Balotelli in a ‘Big Five’ league and there’s every chance he could perform. He was never particularly reliant on pace, so his technical ability could be something Gilardino uses to give Genoa more guile in the final third. The finishing instincts are still there too. One way or another, Balotelli being back in Serie A will draw eyeballs.

Fitness could be a barrier to Balotelli turning around Genoa’s fortunes. The 34-year-old likely would have been offered a contract extension by his last club Adana Demirspor had it not been for a knee injury which seriously hampered his 203/24 campaign. Balotelli averaged just under two goals a game in the Turkish SüperLig last season, but featured in only 16 matches. Genoa won’t get much out of their new signing if they can’t get him on the pitch.

Balotelli’s final appearance for Adana also saw him shown a first half red card, hinting at something else that could prevent the forward from making an impact in Serie A this season – his temperament. The forward has been sent off for seven different teams over the course of his career. Genoa will be praying he doesn’t make it eight.

And yet for all his notable discretions, Balotelli is a player who charms supporters. Fans gathered outside Genoa’s training ground to welcome him on his first day at the club. Even managers who have been wronged by Balotelli in the past speak about him warmly – ask Roberto Mancini or José Mourinho about him and they’ll talk like a father figure.

Balotelli has overcome significant adversity in his career and personal life. Born to Ghanian immigrants in Sicily, he was placed into foster care at the age of three. After breaking through at Inter as a teenager, Balotelli frequently suffered racist abuse. Some have never accepted the striker – born and raised in Italy – as Italian due to the colour of his skin. In many ways, he has risen above these things to have a career at the top level.

No matter what happens at Genoa between now and the end of the season, Balotelli’s career will always be looked at ruefully. He had the potential to be one of the best players in the world. He should have been the defining Italian talent of his generation, but never had the attitude to make good on that promise. He could have achieved so much more.

At Genoa, though, Balotelli could have an unexpected renaissance. Saving The Red and Blues from relegation would make him a hero at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris and also highlight the positive qualities of a player who has captivated an entire generation of fans in one way or another. Having famously asked ‘why always me?’ all those years ago, Balotelli might be about to provide one final answer.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Nov

2024

Estevao and the never ending Palmeiras talent factory

Palmeiras have done it again. Mere months after releasing ‘Pelé regen’ Endrick upon the world, they’ve managed to unearth arguably the best talent Brazil have seen since Neymar, Estêvão. And there is plenty more where he came from.

By Alex Roberts

Speaking of Neymar, he’s a big fan. A goal and an assist in the 5-3 win over Juventude earlier in the season took Estêvão‘s goal contribution tally up to 18, making him the most productive Under-17 in the history of the Brazilian top-flight (he’s since moved to 19).

We’ll give you one guess to who previously held the record. Ever gracious, the former-Santos superstar took to Instagram to congratulate Estêvão on his incredible achievement.

Unlike Neymar, however, Premier League giants Chelsea didn’t fail in their pursuit. Often criticised for their scattergun approach to recruitment, the West London side didn’t hesitate in agree a potential £56 million fee for the youngster.

Yes, the 17-year-old wonderkid has been around for a while, in fact he made his first team debut a year ago. The modern age means hidden gems don’t stay hidden for very long, but this is his first season as a bonafide, undroppable member of the of the Palmeiras squad.

Estêvão has played a massive 40 games across all competitions for Palmeiras so far this season, scoring 11 goals and providing eight assists in the league as they chase their third consecutive Brasileirão title.

He was at his mesmeric best in their comprehensive 5-0 league win over Cuiaba, scoring twice and effortlessly bagging two assists. Estêvão’s looping corner found Murilo Cerqueira for the opener before the youngster scored his first from the penalty spot.

Not long after he got his second goal. The ball was glued to his left foot, cutting inside and turning the opposition defender left, right, and centre before delicately slotting home at the near post.

The Cuiaba defenders had no answer for him, and just ahead of the hour mark, he slipped former West Ham winger Felipe Anderson in for their fifth and final goal of the game.

Portuguese boss Abel Ferreira has been at the helm for just over four years now, a rare feat in Brazil. Not only has that consistency given Estêvão the perfect opportunity to flourish, he couldn’t have wished for a better manager to help him prepare for life in the Premier League.

Ferreira expects nothing short of maximum effort from his boys at all times. Of course, Estêvão’s attacking number are impressive, but few would have expected a tricky, young Brazilian winger to put in the defensive work he does.

In the league alone he’s won possession in the final third 18 times, made 88 recoveries, and won 76% of his tackles. Aerially he’s struggled, winning just 29% of his duels, but at 176cm, that should come as no surprise.

His fine form has earned him two Brazil caps, coming on as a second half substitute in their two World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador and Paraguay, playing a combined 32 minutes.

Estêvão is a remarkable talent, his ceiling is as high as we’ve seen for a long time, but he’s not the first, and he’s unlikely to be the last.

Although not a forward like Endrick and Estêvão, 18-year-old centre-back Vitor Reis is the latest product from Palmeiras’ never-ending talent factory, making 18 appearances across all competition for his boyhood club this season.

He’s already been linked with the European big boys, both Arsenal and Real Madrid are reportedly ready to battle it out for the ‘new Marquinhos’, so don’t be surprised if he makes a £60 million move before too soon.

But wait! There’s more! Widely regarded as the replacement for Chelsea-bound Estêvão, Luighi could be their next superstar. The forward came off the bench to score a vital late equaliser in their 1-1 draw against Flamengo in August.

*The Brasileirão title race with six rounds to play*

The Premier League is a totally different ball game, and only time will tell if Estêvão will reach his potential or fall into obscurity like so many before him.

Endrick has struggled to find his feet at Real Madrid, reduced to the odd substitute appearance and cup game while Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, and Jude Bellingham get all the glory.

Estêvão won’t quite have that calibre of player to compete with, but Cole Palmer and Noni Madueke are still pretty good. Plus, who can forget Chelsea’s other great South American hope, Kendry Páez (who also arrives next year).

Chelsea seem determined to make the move work and have already confirmed he will be given the chance to prove himself once he heads to London in the summer of 2025.

Copying Palmer’s ‘cold’ celebration is one thing, being able to do what he can on the pitch is completely different. Estêvão, Brazil’s great hope, has the ability, all he needs to do is grab the opportunity with both hands and make it his.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Nov

2024

Nottingham Forest have reason to dream

For how long can we suspend our disbelief over Nottingham Forest? They’re right there, in third place in the Premier League table, and we’re now more than a quarter of the way through the season. They’re above four of the Big Six, and in a Champions League spot. What on earth are they putting in the River Trent, these days?

By Ian King

And they’re there on merit. They won at Anfield. They drew at Stamford Bridge. They’ve won their last three games in a row with an aggregate score of 7-1. They have the joint-second highest goalscorer in the Premier League and they have its second meanest defence after the current League leaders, who they happened to beat 1-0 away from home. Even backstage, things seem to be going pretty well, with Edu arriving as a technical director following his departure. And while there’s always a possibility of shenanigans with Evangelos Marinakis involved, all seems calm on Trentside right now.

Nuno Espírito Santo, who was widely derided over his brief and unhappy spell as the Spurs manager, has turned out to be a much better fit at The City Ground than he was at The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. That solid defence is his work, and is the bedrock of their improvement so far this season. They’ve only scored more than once in four of their six games, and the only game they’ve lost so far is also the one in which they’ve failed to score.

And one of the things about going to manage at a headline-hogging club like Spurs is that the glare from it all can obscure previous achievements. It is worth bearing in mind that, prior to his spell in North London, Santo took Wolverhampton Wanderers – currently bottom with no wins and three points from their opening ten matches – to 7th place in the Premier League for two consecutive seasons, and this was after taking them into the division following an absence of six years in the first place.

So far as the team is concerned, while the current Chris Wood love-in is completely fair and just, this is a team that is built to a system rather than being a one man affair. Wood is an almost retro presence in Forest’s attack, a ‘traditional number nine’, as Proper Football Men like to say, and as such he is highly dependent upon the success of his service.

Anthony Elanga and Callum Hudson-Odoi offer pace on the wings and Morgan Gibbs-White offers pace and creativity through the middle, though with only Hudson-Odoi having scored more than one goal for Forest in the Premier League – and he’s only got two – it’s fair to wonder whether that level of dependence on one player for goals might not be the wisest policy, especially in an era when players seem to be dropping like flies thanks to an oversaturated fixture schedule.

It is understandable that people felt that they would struggle this season. After all, their first two seasons back in the Premier League had ended with them finishing 16th and 17th in the table. But at present they’re coming up to a quarter of the way towards the 74 points that they managed to win over the previous two seasons combined. And yes, I’m including the six that they had deducted last season in that number. They’re currently on target to more than double their points tally from last season.

We’ll know a lot more about whether they can come anywhere close to finishing where they are now by the middle of December. Forest have six games between now and then, and five of those are against Newcastle United, Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United and Aston Villa. That is an extremely difficult run of games, for anybody in this division, and the fact that there are just three points between 4th place in the table and 11th further points to a feeling that below the top four there may be reason to believe that their current position may be somewhat tenuous.

But surveying the landscape of the Premier League does make something spectacular feel possible. Manchester City and Arsenal have their injuries, and neither really look ‘on it’ at the moment. Chelsea are substantially improved upon last season but still occasionally skittish, Spurs are widely unpredictable. Even the current leaders haven’t always looked completely comfortable when winning.

Confidence can be self-perpetuating, and winning can be habit-forming. The ultimate example of this, of course, came in 2016, when Leicester City didn’t stop believin’ for long enough to be able to carry themselves all the way to the most unlikely Premier League title in a lot of our lifetimes. It’s a little premature – okay, it’s very premature – to be making claims about this year’s Nottingham Forest vintage, but if they’re not allowed to dream of it now, then when are they?

(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.

Nov

2024

Preview: Spurs travel to Turkish league leaders Galatasaray in the Europa League

Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham Hotspur are starting to pick up some momentum and they could have an excellent chance of going top of the Europa League when they take on Galatasaray on Thursday.

By Kaustubh Pandey

Spurs have won their last two games in all competitions, eliminating Manchester City from the League Cup and handing out a 4-1 drubbing to Aston Villa in the Premier League.

They have won all three of their previous games in the Europa League but Galatasaray could prove to be a fresh challenge for the London giants.

Gala reigning supreme in Turkey

Okan Buruk‘s Gala have been very impressive so far this season. They remain unbeaten in the Turkish Süper Lig, they’ve tasted victory over José Mourinho’s Fenerbahçe, all while scoring the most goals and conceding just nine times in 10 games.

In fact, the last time they lost was against Young Boys in the UEFA Champions League qualifiers and it has been smooth sailing since then, with their most recent game yielding a 2-1 win over fierce rivals Beşiktaş.

The side’s setup focuses on pressing high up the pitch and playing through the lines quickly and while Buruk has used a 4-2-3-1 setup, he used a flat 4-2-2-2 shape against Beşiktaş, which suggests that he isn’t averse to adapting.

Tottenham to face some familiar faces

Spurs fans will be familiar with at least a couple of faces during the game against Gala, both of whom have history with Tottenham.

*Galatasaray’s best rated players, Süper Lig 2024/25*

Former defender Davinson Sánchez has been a key performer in the season so far, as he scored against Beşiktaş at the weekend. Ex-Arsenal man Lucas Torreira has also shown some consistency, as he comes up against the Lilywhites years after scoring a winning goal against them during Spurs’ Mauricio Pochettino-era.

The man to be scared of though, is Victor Osimhen. The Napoli loanee is arguably one of the best strikers in the world and like Sánchez, he had also scored against Beşiktaş. So far in the campaign, he has four goals across all competitions while fellow marksman Mauro Icardi has just as many.

It is Osimhen who is expected to start for Gala and both Torreira and Sánchez will also feature. Only Ismail Jakobs is absent for Buruk’s side and keeper Fernando Muslera is back in contention.

Spurs may look to rotate

The last week has seen Postecoglou rotate his side, as James Maddison only came off the bench against Aston Villa and Mikey Moore remained on the sidelines for the weekend clash against Villa. Heung Min-Son and Timo Werner also rotated and it suggests that Tottenham will likely make chan get to keep their side fresh for Thursday.

Cristian Romero picked up an injury at the weekend, days after Micky van de Ven was also injured in mid-week, meaning that Ben Davies will start alongside Radu Drăgușin. Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray should also feature.

Prediction

The Ali Sami Yen Stadium is always a difficult place to go to but Spurs’ run of form should give them confidence, and that, combined with their ability to create constant chances is likely to put them in good stead for a close, yet thrilling away win.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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