With seven games of the Premier League season now played Arsenal have still dropped just four points, and at a glance it looks as though a Saturday afternoon trip to the south coast should be one of their easier away trips of the season.
Arsenal scored nine goals in their last three games before the international break, which hints at the scale of the job ahead for Bournemouth.
The historical record certainly seems to back that assessment. In the nine years since the Cherries found their way into the top flight they’ve only taken five points off Arsenal in fourteen attempts; a 2-1 win in January 2018 and 3-3 and 1-1 draws in January 2017 and December 2019. Arsenal have won each of their other eleven League meetings, including the last seven in a row.
Recent H2H results
Arsenal have one or two minor injury worries ahead of this match. Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli are both at risk of absence following knocks picked up during the international break for England and Brazil respectively. Both will be assessed before the match on Friday tea-time. Martin Ødegaard is also still likely to be absent, though it seems fair to say that Mikel Arteta has coped pretty well without his usual captain.
For Bournemouth, the most significant question is whether Tyler Adams, who’s been out since the summer following back surgery, is fit to return to the team. This is the game that had been targeted for his return, but it’s unconfirmed that he will, and if he does return in this match, it may turn out to be from the substitutes bench. Bournemouth’s recent form has been inconsistent of late, with 2 wins and 3 defeats in their last 5 matches.
If there is a potential weakness to be exploited, it could be Arsenal’s defence. They only conceded 29 in 38 games last season but they’ve conceded five in their last three games since last keeping a clean sheet in the League against Spurs four weeks ago, three of which came against somewhat modest opposition, in the form of the newly-promoted Leicester City and Southampton.
It’s not much, but it is at least a glimmer of hope for Bournemouth, and considering both Arsenal’s recent form and Bournemouth’s record against them in recent years, it’s difficult to see past the Gunners continuing to keep pressurising both Liverpool and Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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It’s over a month since Manchester United last won a Premier League game, over two months since they last won one at Old Trafford and, quite incredibly, more than ten months since they won back-to-back home league matches in the same season.
Quite how Erik ten Hag has lasted long enough to keep sight of that particularly niche anniversary remains a mystery, but for United to even have a chance at ending the run soon, they need to first put an end to successive 3-0 home league defeats.
Solace for the beleaguered boss comes in the fact that their next opponents, Brentford, remain without a single away league win themselves this term. While their home form puts United’s to shame – four wins from five in all competitions in 2024/25 – Thomas Frank has been unable to translate that to being on the road, with the Bees’ last top-flight victory outside of their own ground coming in May.
And yet despite that, there won’t be too many away fans who think a result is impossible in the north west on Saturday. Brentford are 11th, United 14th. Brentford have two points more and a goal difference which is superior by three. And if they have plenty of players missing through injury in attack, limiting the options for Frank to shuffle the pack, that might still be preferable to United’s absent bodies being scattered throughout the porous defence and soft centre which has been so brittle again this year.
As an example, Bryan Mbeumo – top ten in the league for goals, big chances created and expected assists, while United have nobody at all on any of those lists – remains available, and is in prime form. United have no player, attacker or otherwise, who has more than a single goal or a single assist in the Premier League this term. While individuality isn’t everything, it certainly helps to have a reliable source of chances.
Bryan Mbeumo shot map, Premier League 2024/25
And as a team? Well, Brentford have a better xG than United, have created more big chances and win the ball in the attacking third more times per game. United do, it should be noted, have the edge in xG conceded; however, given that the only half-dozen teams below them in that category are the relegation battlers, newly promoted teams and Brentford themselves, it’s dubious if Ten Hag would realistically highlight that as a positive. Then again, given league results over the past 300-odd days at Old Trafford, it’s hard to know any more exactly where they draw the line on something being negative either.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Tottenham Hotspur host West Ham United in the lunchtime kick-off in the Premier League on Saturday. It’s two sides who may be slightly disappointed with how their season has started, and we could be set for an exciting encounter in the capital.
Spurs have shown plenty of inconsistency so far this campaign, producing some exceptional performances and results while also unnecessarily throwing away comfortable leads and dropping points. Sitting in ninth with three wins, three losses, and a draw, Ange Postecoglou’s side haven’t quite kicked into gear just yet.
Despite their disappointing performances, Spurs might consider themselves unfortunate not to have picked up more points. The north London outfit have created 15 expected goals, more than any other Premier League side.
Dejan Kulusevski has been tasked with a central, deeper role in midfield of late, and he’s beginning to flourish under Postecoglou. Although providing just two goals and assists combined, the Swedish star has been a creative threat in the middle of the park, given the freedom to drift into wide areas from a central position.
Kulusevski player traits
After throwing away a two-goal lead against Brighton, losing the game 3-2, Postecoglou’s men will be desperate to bounce back in a London derby against the Hammers.
It’s been an inconsistent start to the campaign for Julen Lopetegui’s side who currently find themselves sitting in 12th position in the table. An emphatic 4-1 victory against Ipswich last time out has allowed them to create a bit of breathing room from the relegation zone.
Disappointingly, West Ham have conceded 11 goals this term, but Lopetegui has taken some time to bring in the likes of Jean-Clair Todibo after joining in the summer. Niclas Füllkrug, who also joined in the transfer window, is yet to get going after picking up regular injuries.
Jarrod Bowen has undoubtedly been a standout for the Hammers this year. The England international is a consistent performer and provider in the final third, producing four goals and assists combined this season. Despite West Ham bringing in a host of new midfielders in the summer, Tomáš Souček is continuing to prove his worth, scoring twice in just five games.
In this fixture last season, West Ham came away with a 2-1 victory at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium, so Lopetegui’s side will be hoping for a repeat performance as they make the short trip to north London.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Not too long ago, Christian Pulisic was a mystery to many and there was constant uncertainty about his ability. For the first time in a while, the American is fulfilling his potential at club level.
When the US international arrived at Milan from Chelsea, there was a sigh of relief among many Blues fans, who were left rather annoyed with the player’s inconsistency and constant fitness issues that hindered his development.
In his time at Stamford Bridge, Pulisic had never scored or assisted more than ten times in the Premier League and only once did his goalscoring tally in all competitions go beyond ten. That was in his first season after his arrival from Borussia Dortmund and after that, muscle injuries constantly held the American back.
Pulisic season summary
He did provide glimpses of his ability during lockdown but all of it faded towards the end of his stint, even if the Blues pocketed a fee of £20 million from his sale.
His time at Milan starting brilliantly, as he scored in both of his first two league games, playing on the right and combining excellently with the likes of Olivier Giroud, Rafael Leão, Tijjani Reijnders and Ruben Loftus-Cheek. At that point, it did seem as if he had found a spot on the right-wing, a position that had been a problem for Milan under Stefano Pioli in the two seasons prior.
He did nail down that position for himself, contributing to 21 goals in the 2023/24 season under a manager who has always been more about managing personalities than a fixed tactical approach.
Interestingly enough, Paulo Fonseca‘s arrival as Milan coach has perhaps taken Pulisic to another level. He has contributed to eight goals in nine games in all competitions, scoring five times in Serie A alone.
Under the Portuguese, Pulisic started the season in the number ten spot and after that, he was moved back to the wide areas again.
The side sustained a pretty difficult start to the season and if not for their dramatic win over rivals Inter, Fonseca might not have kept his job.
He changed to a 4-4-2 shape for the derby, transitioning from a midfield three. That setup hadn’t worked against Liverpool in the Champions League but he made the change against the Nerazzurri too, as Milan were insistent on always breaking with pace on the counter.
Pulisic, from the right, scored a vital goal against Milan’s arch rivals and has scored three times in a row since then.
He has this licence to constantly bomb forward, carry the ball and beat defenders at will. There is also this freedom to burst into a variety of spaces and arrive centrally to do that.
So much of it is similar to how things were last season. Interesting enough, he has taken less shots per 90 minutes this season than he did last season. That tally is at 1.80 per 90 this season, lower than the tally of over 2.20 per 90 last season.
Despite that, his goals per 90 minutes metric is at a brilliant 0.82, which is far better compared to what he had last season. It is, in fact, the exact double of how things were last season.
Pulisic Serie A shot map, 2024/25
The difference lies in how much he is overperforming on his Expected Goals, while making very limited improvement on his shots on target per 90 minutes.
He has overperformed on xG by a solid + 0.30 per 90 this season, when that number stood at only a +0.13 overperformance under Pioli.
A reason for that is also that Fonseca’s setup allows some freedom to attack spaces in the final third and often, Pulisic finds himself in central areas to take shots away.
Plus, the club have moved away from having a target-man striker in Olivier Giroud to link-up forwards in Álvaro Morata and Tammy Abraham. Fonseca has often been used together in the 4-4-2 shape this season and while their off-the-ball work has given them a boost in pressing, their ability to drop deep makes more of Pulisic’s running ability.
Against Liverpool, for example, Pulisic attacked an exposed half-space after receiving the ball from Morata, who dropped deep and laid off the pass. The American attacked the space with his running ability and quite the same happened against Inter, where it was Abraham who dropped off and Pulisic attacked the defenders directly from a more central area.
This may not have been possible with Giroud, who was less flexible and versatile in positioning. Morata and Abraham move around a lot and Leão occupies a fixed position to beat the full-back, leaving Pulisic to attack the central right spaces.
In general too, there have been some great goals in Pulisic’s arsenal this season. That has played a role in him exceeding his xG by a pretty solid margin.
Having said that, this is a player whose issues lay beyond on-pitch abilities. Injuries held him back constantly in England but they seem to have reduced in Italy.
A slightly warmer climate does help. But there is also the factor that the Premier League involves more sprinting at top speed and players that are natural dribblers and runners can suffer from the incredible amount of demand placed on them. The demand in Serie A to make those sprints is less and there is a higher emphasis on structure and shape.
It has toned down the burden on Pulisic’s muscles, helping him be fit for a longer period of time. It isn’t a surprise that since joining Milan, Pulisic has had only two minor injuries.
In a way, this rise to prominence has come at the perfect time. With the FIFA World Cup to take place in the United States, Canada and Mexico, Pulisic hitting form at this point could make him a poster boy at a home tournament.
It doesn’t just cement himself as a star in a commercial sense, Mauricio Pochettino’s arrival as the USMNT boss coincides with this period of form. Things are most certainly looking up and they could yet get better.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Yes, Arsenal fans are giving the No. 7 the plaudits he deserves but in the eyes of practically everybody else, Saka is firmly in Cole Palmer’s shadow. The Chelsea forward has started the season as he finished his debut campaign with the Blues, scoring goals and chipping in with assists.
The former Manchester City youngster leads the way for goals and assists in the English top-flight this term with 11 having struck six goals and assisted on five occasions for Enzo Maresca’s side.
Ahead of the international break, a lot of people seemed to want Palmer to displace Saka on the England right. And while Palmer is in fantastic form, it does need to be caveated. For example, the Chelsea No. 20 is given freedom. He operates as an attacking midfielder and can drop back to pick up possession or join Nicolas Jackson in attack. Saka, by comparison, has a specific role for Arsenal. And he’s executing it almost perfectly.
Saka player traits
If you want a right-sided inside forward for England, it has to be Saka. In fact, there’s an argument to be made that he’s the most in-form right-sided attacker in the Premier League this season.
The versatile 23-year-old leads the way for assists in the English top-flight with seven. He’s well on course to shatter his career-best return of 11 in the Premier League and he’s just two off his haul for the 2023/24 campaign. And we’re just seven games into the current season.
Saka leads the way for Big Chances Created (12) and he’s the only player to be in double figures for this metric. He’s ranked first for Chances Created (27) and has the highest Expected Assists total of anyone in the Premier League with 3.2 . His Expected Assists per 90 average of 0.5 can only be bettered by Kevin de Bruyne (0.55) but the Arsenal man has a larger sample size so it makes his return even more impressive.
Only Cole Palmer has a higher FotMob rating than the Arsenal forward (8.23). Yes, Saka, despite netting just twice in the Premier League, has a higher FotMob rating than 10-goal Erling Haaland. That puts into perspective just how impactful he’s been this term.
For a little more context into just how outrageous his start to the season has been, Saka finished last season having created 15 Big Chances in the Premier League and 91 Chances in total with an Expected Assists per 90 average of 0.34.
At the current rate of output, the 43-cap England international is on course to finish with 65 Big Chances Created to his name and 146 chances created. Obviously, he isn’t going to get close to that sort of output, that would be obscene, but it does highlight just how well he’s started this campaign.
And he’s doing this while averaging fewer touches (60 compared to the 65 last term), in a slightly different role – he’s now the creator rather than the dual-threat he once was. He’s also facing teams who are sitting deeper out of respect for the danger Arsenal pose.
As alluded to by Mikel Arteta recently, there’s a maturity to Saka’s game this season. He’s taken on the responsibility of being the man, perhaps in the absence of skipper Martin Ødegaard. Whatever the reason for it, he’s delivering for the Gunners.
The Arsenal boss heaped praise on Saka after his performance in the 3-1 win over Southampton. The No. 7 claimed a goal and two assists as the title hopefuls came from behind to claim all three points.
“That’s the maturity and that’s the steps that players have to do. He has been long enough in the team now, he has the right to have that role. He believes in that, that he has the capacity to change games, to decide games, like many other players, and he wants to be at the top.
“Sometimes players have to create those moments, and he’s certainly done that today again. Do it at home, do it away, do it in big games, in the not-so-big games, and when the team needs it, not when it’s 3-0. That is what defines a top, top player. What he’s doing at his age is unbelievable. We have many examples of that as well.”
Saka is scaling his game to new heights. If this explosive start to the season continues, he could well fire Arsenal to the Premier League title.
(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.
To say the international break was interesting would be a bit of an understatement. England crashed to defeat against Greece at Wembley before bouncing back to beat Finland. The Three Lions then named Thomas Tuchel as Gareth Southgate’s permanent successor. The former Chelsea boss, if all goes to plan, will lead England into the 2026 World Cup.
But the focus now returns to the Premier League. So here’s what to look out for this weekend.
The Brennan Johnson show
Brennan Johnson is in the form of his life for Tottenham Hotspur.
With his goal against Brighton before the international break, the 23-year-old joined an exclusive group of only seven players to score in six consecutive competitive games for Spurs.
His current run of form has seen him match a feat achieved by greats such as Teddy Sheringham and Harry Kane.
The former Nottingham Forest also scored for Wales in their 2-2 draw with Iceland. This is one serious hot streak and Ange Postecoglou is going to want to continue to capitalise on this. The Spurs boss isn’t under pressure. Prior to their loss to Brighton, Tottenham had won five on the bounce across all competitions, but with just three wins in seven Premier League outings, the one-time Celtic boss is under the microscope.
Spurs host West Ham on Saturday afternoon and a win for the struggling Hammers would see them leapfrog Postecoglou’s men. It isn’t a must win for Tottenham but it is a must not lose.
Key to ensuring that is going to be Johnson.
A sting in the tale for the Red Devils?
Manchester United welcome Brentford to Old Trafford this weekend. Erik Ten Hag‘s side are winless in the Premier League in over a month. Their last victory in the English top-flight was against Southampton on September 14th. Since then, the Red Devils have drawn four and lost one of their last five outings across all competitions.
With Tuchel now taking over as England manager and Southgate ruling himself out of management for at least a year, Manchester United’s pool of potential successors is dwindling. And this eases the pressure on Ten Hag. However, if they continue to struggle, there’s only so long United will persist with him.
Sooner or later, they’re going to have to start winning.
Brentford are tricky opposition. They have scored in their last seven outings across all competitions and Erling Haaland (10) is the only player to have scored more goals than Bryan Mbeumo (six) in the Premier League this season.
If the Bees are firing on Saturday, they could cause an upset at Old Trafford to really heap the pressure on Ten Hag.
Anfield expects
Up until now, Liverpool have had some favourable fixtures in the Premier League. Arne Slot is keen to remind everyone of this whenever he’s interviewed.
The Reds sit top of the English top-flight having won six of their opening seven matches. They have some of the best attacking numbers in the league as well as the best defensive numbers.
The Blues are six unbeaten in the Premier League and appear to be fairly consistent under new boss Enzo Maresca. They’re putting teams to the sword and rank first for Expected Goals. They are second in the Expected Points table too, so the results are matching up with their performances.
However, they’re coming up against the team ranked first for Expected Points while the Reds also have the lowest Expected Goals Against total. They’re also winless against Liverpool in their last nine meetings.
This game really does seem two of the most in form teams face off. It is an opportunity for both managers to record their first big statement win of their new respective eras.
xG related Expected Points table, 2024/25
Will Wolves be mauled?
Wolves are one of four winless teams in the Premier League. They are joint-bottom on one point, along with Southampton. Their performances, however, have been worthy of five points when looking at the underlying numbers. Gary O’Neil‘s side just haven’t been able to turn performances into wins.
They have the worst defensive numbers in the league having conceded 21 goals in seven matches at an average of three per game. They’re up against the reigning champions this weekend with Manchester City travelling to Molineux.
Erling Haaland will be licking his lips in anticipation. The powerhouse No.9 has 10 Premier League goals to his name already this term but he’s failed to score in his last two outings in the English top-flight. He’ll want to get back to goalscoring ways and a match against Wolves presents him with the perfect opportunity.
(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.
Daniel Maldini made history on Monday replacing Giacomo Raspadori in the 74th minute of Italy’s 4-1 UEFA Nations League win against Israel and making his senior debut for the Azzurri.
Eligible to play for Italy or Venezuela, Daniel Maldini chose to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather Cesare, who donned the armband for Italy, earned 14 caps, and played in the 1962 World Cup, and his father Paolo, whose 126 Italy caps are second only to Gianluigi Buffon and Fabio Cannavaro.
While the Maldini clan is the best-known example, they’re far from the only family with three consecutive generations representing a national team.
Bulgaria
The apple doesn’t always fall far from the tree, and that’s certainly been the case in the Mihaylov family tree. Biser Mihaylov spent 14 years at PFC Levski Sofia between 1961 and 1975, excelling between the sticks, leading them to four league titles, and making five international appearances. His son Borislav began his career at Levski Sofia and quickly solidified a starting spot in goal for Bulgaria, becoming their most-capped player with 102 appearances (later eclipsed by Stiliyan Petrov), and captaining them in their run in the 1994 FIFA World Cup semifinals, while his son Nikolay has gone on to become a regular in goal for both Levski Sofia and Bulgaria (46 caps).
Iceland
Whilst the Mihaylovs have earned a reputation for their imperviousness in goal, the Guðjohnsens have made a name for themselves due to their attacking firepower. Three years after having the final penalty of the UEFA Cup Final saved by Tottenham’s Tony Parks, Arnór Guðjohnsen bounced back by finishing as the top scorer in Belgium’s top division with 19 goals in 1986/87. But whilst he scored 14 goals in 73 appearances for Iceland, he does have one regret: not playing with his son.
Arnór looked set to make history by playing alongside his 17-year-old son Eiður on April 24, 1996, only for Iceland FA president Eggert Magnússon to demand manager Logi Ólafsson to not play them together, instead preferring the moment to take place on home soil in their next match vs. Macedonia two months later. Eiður replaced his 34-year-old father at halftime, and one month later, he broke his ankle while playing for Iceland’s U-18s. By the time he returned two years later, Arnór had retired.
Eiður is regarded as the greatest Icelandic footballer of all time, winning two league titles at Chelsea and a treble with Barcelona, scoring 26 goals in 88 appearances for Iceland, and his children are keeping the fire burning: Sveinn Aron (26) has scored 2 goals in 20 caps for Iceland, Andri (22) has registered 7 goals in 28 appearances, whilst Daníel (18) has already represented them at the U16, U17 and U19 level.
Iceland (again)
Albert Guðmundsson is the latest in a long line of Guðmundssons who have made their mark for Iceland. His great-grandfather Albert was Iceland’s first professional footballer and played for the likes of Arsenal, Milan and Rangers before serving as Minister of Finance of Iceland and Minister of Industry and producing a son: Ingi Björn Albertsson, the second-all-time leading scorer in Iceland’s top-flight with 126 goals. Not only have both Albert’s maternal great-grandfather and maternal grandfather played for Iceland, but so too have both of his parents: Guðmundur Benediktsson scored twice in 10 appearances, whilst his mother Kristbjörg Helga Ingadóttir held the record for most goals in Icelandic’s top division from 1987 to 2012. Each of the four generations of the Guðmundssons have scored for Iceland, and with 10 goals in 37 caps, Albert is proudly keeping that tradition alive.
Malta
Unlike his grandfather Salvinu, who scored one goal in three Malta appearances, or his father Eric, who scored zero in three, André Schembri would not only play more than three times for Ħomor, but play overseas, bouncing around Europe before finally retiring in 2020 after a season in India. In total, the Maltese striker scored 131 goals in 446 appearances at club level and 3 goals in 94 appearances at international level, and he began his managerial career this summer after taking charge of Cypriot second-tier side Anagennisi Deryneia.
Mexico
On June 19, 1954, 22-year-old Mexican striker Tomás Balcázar scored in the 85th minute to equalize in a World Cup group stage match, but Raymond Kopa immediately restored France’s advantage from the penalty spot in a 3-2 win. On June 17, 2020, Tomás’ grandson, 22-year-old Mexican striker Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernández, would open the scoring against France as El Tri prevailed with a famous 2-0 victory in the World Cup group stage.
Unlike his maternal grandfather, who won 8 league titles in a decade with Chivas and scored 6 goals in 11 appearances for Mexico, Chicharito left Guadalajara at an early age and joined Manchester United, where he would participate in a Champions League Final and win two Premier League titles. He is the all-time leading scorer for Mexico with 52 goals in 109 appearances, well ahead of his father Javier ‘Chicharo’ Hernández (4 goals in 28). And he’s still going – having made an emotional return to Chivas earlier this year.
Northern Ireland
You’d be hard-pressed to find a Northern Irish family with deeper footballing roots than the Feeneys. Jim Feeney helped Linfield win three wartime league championships and represented Ireland twice in wartime internationals, whilst his son Warren made his sole appearance for Northern Ireland in 1976. Warren James Feeney would suit up for them over a quarter-century later, making 46 appearances for the Green and White Army between 2002 and 2011.
George Feeney doesn’t turn 17 until January, but he’s already made his professional debut under his father Warren James for Glentoran and earned a move to Tottenham’s academy. However, it remains to be seen whether or not George will continue the long-lasting Feeney dominance: after playing for Northern Ireland’s U16 and U17 sides, he switched allegiances to Wales and debuted for their U16 side in March.
Norway
Few names are as synonymous with Bodø/Glimt as the Bergs. Harald Berg spent the bulk of his playing career at Bodø/Glimt, finishing as top scorer in the 1965 Eliteserien season and scoring an impressive 12 goals in 43 caps for Norway as a midfielder. His grandson Patrick left his boyhood club in December 2021 and joined Ligue 1 outfit Lens for €4.5 million, only to return eight months later. At 26 years old, Patrick has already accumulated 271 appearances for Bodø/Glimt, bettered only by five players in their history, including his uncle Runar (2nd – 317), whilst he’s also played 29 times for Norway. Patrick’s uncles Ariid and Runar, great uncle Knut, and father Ørjan have all represented Bodø/Glimt – Ørjan racked up 19 caps for Norway and now serves as Bodø/Glimt’s sporting director.
Patrick sat down for an interview with us a couple of years ago, where he discussed the weight of his name. You can read that – here.
Slovakia
Whilst he only played three matches for Czechoslovakia, Vladimír Weiss won a silver medal in the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo. His son Vladimír achieved 19 caps with Czechoslovakia and 12 with Slovakia, and like his father, he also transitioned into coaching, guiding Slovan Bratislava to the last four league titles. Unlike his father and grandfather, who never left Czechoslovakia in their playing days, the third Vladimír joined Manchester City’s academy in 2006 but failed to establish himself in the first team before eventually leaving in 2012. He played for four different clubs in Europe and Asia before linking up with his father in 2020, and whilst his national career has come to an end after 8 goals in 77 caps, he is still going strong at 34 and playing a pivotal role in Slovan Bratislava’s domestic supremacy.
Spain
Marcos ‘Marquitos’ Alonso emerged as a brick wall in defense for Real Madrid and helped them win six league titles and five European Cups between 1954 and 1962, but whilst he played 215 times for Los Blancos, he only played twice for Spain. His son Marcos developed in Real Madrid’s academy but wasn’t able to make the step up to the first team, proceeding to represent two of Real’s biggest rivals in Barcelona and Atlético Madrid and win a league title and reach a European Cup Final with Barça. He made 22 caps for Spain and was an unused squad member in their run to the 1984 Euros Final, whilst his son Marcos achieved 9 caps for Spain and won the Premier League, Champions League, and Europa League with Chelsea. Like his father, Marcos was unable to ascend from La Fábrica to the first team and left Real in search of minutes, before going on to play for Barcelona, where he would win the 2022/23 LaLiga title.
Uruguay
Whilst he only played twice for Uruguay in 1928, Juan Carlos Corazzo would end up managing La Celeste on four separate occasions, including in the 1962 FIFA World Cup. Corazzo held the record for most consecutive Uruguay games without defeat (14) from 1968 to 2012 until being surpassed by Óscar Tabárez, whilst his son-in-law Pablo Forlán would play 17 times for Uruguay and participate in the 1966 and 1974 FIFA World Cup.
Unlike his father Pablo, whose resolute displays in defense powered Peñarol to four league titles and a Copa Libertadores championship, Diego Forlán made a name for himself in attack. Diego was 12 when his sister Alejandra was left handicapped in a car accident, and the cost of these medical bills plunged his family into a financial crisis that was only averted when Diego Maradona stepped in and assisted with the fundraising efforts. Forlán decided to abandon tennis and focus solely on football in hopes of being able to pay for his sister’s treatment one day.
The rest, as they say, is history. Forlán would go on to win the European Golden Shoe in 2005 and 2009 with Villarreal and Atlético Madrid, score 36 goals in 112 appearances for Uruguay, and become the first Uruguayan to reach 100 caps, whilst he was also Uruguay’s all-time leading scorer for two years before Luis Suárez leapfrogged him.
One year after leading Uruguay to the 2010 FIFA World Cup semifinals and being named the tournament’s best player, he ended a year-long goal drought for Uruguay by scoring a brace vs. Paraguay in the 2011 Copa América Final and guiding them to their first trophy in 16 years. In doing so, he followed in the footsteps of his grandfather, who won the Copa as a manager in 1959 and 1967, and his father, who won it as a player in 1967.
It remains to be seen if either of Diego’s sons Martín (8) or his César (5) will continue the trend, but one thing’s for sure: the Forlán name will always be remembered fondly by Uruguay supporters.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Last season, Caoimhin Kelleher’s unexpected run in the Liverpool lineup felt like an audition to become Alisson’s successor; now, it’s more a chance to prove himself to other elite clubs.
Prior to the 2023/24 campaign, Kelleher had made a total of 21 appearances for Liverpool’s first team in four seasons combined.
But after the second of two injuries for Liverpool’s No. 1 – a hamstring issue that would keep Alisson out for two months – the Irishman’s tally of outings for last season alone stood at 26.
It was by far the most productive season of his career and it felt like a watershed moment.
Kelleher player traits
While before he had found himself behind the talented but unproven Gavin Bazunu at international level, Kelleher was swiftly installed as the Republic of Ireland’s bona fide No. 1.
Similarly, at Liverpool, there was a growing sense that a player who Jürgen Klopp once called “the best No. 2 goalie in the world” could go onto replace Alisson on a full-time basis – if the Brazilian pushed for a move away, as interest from Saudi Arabia loomed.
Kelleher himself made it clear that his ambition was to be first choice, telling reporters after the season’s end: “Whether it’s here at Liverpool or somewhere else, I do feel the next step for me is to be a No. 1.”
There has never been agitation for Alisson to be stood down, with the belief maintained among club and supporters alike that he remains the best goalkeeper in world football.
But the hope heading into the summer was that the pecking order would stay as it was with the understanding that Kelleher could perhaps eventually succeed Alisson when the time was right.
That would require Liverpool to reject advances from elsewhere, with Kelleher having opened himself up to offers as he accepted that he may be forced to join another club in order to fulfil his “big ambition.”
To that end, the club kept their side of the bargain, though there had been surprise at Anfield that the most serious offer to present itself was towards the end of the summer transfer window when Nottingham Forest bid a meagre £7 million plus Matt Turner.
However, the writing was on the wall as soon as Liverpool cleared their own payment to Valencia for Georgia stopper Giorgi Mamardashvili.
Stats comparison, Kelleher vs. Mamardashvili, league games only 2023/24
And with Alisson turning down the chance to join the Saudi Pro League and pledging his ongoing commitment to the Reds, Kelleher’s chances of becoming No. 1 at his current club went from slim to nil.
That adds a new flavour to his upcoming stint in the side, with Alisson again sidelined for an extended period with a recurrence of his hamstring issues.
The 32-year-old – who stands as the most frequently injured goalkeeper in the Premier League – is not expected back until after the November international break, ruling him out of at least seven fixtures.
And with Arne Slot confirming that, despite Vítězslav Jaroš coming off the bench to relieve the injured Alisson in the 1-0 win over Crystal Palace last time out, Kelleher remains his second choice, that means it is up to him to fill in.
All being well, Kelleher will start against Chelsea, RB Leipzig, Arsenal, Brighton (twice), Bayer Leverkusen and Aston Villa.
That would allow his senior goalkeeper to recover in time for the trip to Southampton on November 24 and, more pertinently, the visit of Real Madrid in the Champions League three days later.
It is a formidable challenge for Kelleher, though not one he isn’t familiar with, having excelled against the likes of Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United last season.
This time, though, he has a new motivation: each game between now and the end of the season is effectively a chance for Kelleher to impress those watching on from outside of Liverpool.
Mamardashvili has made it clear that he intends to challenge Alisson for the No. 1 spot when he formally joins the club next summer, and that makes it almost certain that his arrival will coincide with Kelleher’s departure.
But a player of his quality should be aiming higher than the likes of Nottingham Forest, having already proved he is capable of performing at the top level.
There are, in fact, prime examples for Kelleher at the clubs he is now preparing to face.
Robert Sánchez (Chelsea), Péter Gulácsi (Leipzig), David Raya (Arsenal) and Emi Martínez (Aston Villa) all followed an unorthodox route to the top, either via lower leagues or after long stints as backup.
Kelleher should be assured in his ability to do the same, with this run of fixtures giving him the opportunity to show his value in the market to elite clubs next summer – and, more importantly for Liverpool, keep this outstanding start to the season going across all competitions.
(Images from IMAGO)
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We are long-since passed the days of two up top in English football, the quintessential pairing of strikers which was the hallmark of the old First Division and even the Premier League’s formative years.
We’ve circled a long way since then, and have basically arrived back there once more in a very different way: split attackers, one up and one off, pressing as a two before one drops into midfield. However you look at it, clubs mostly play with just one centre-forward these days…and one statistic in the Premier League this year shows how they are very much not the focal point of the attack.
Of course, centre-forwards come in all shapes these days. They are facilitators, chance-makers, ball-carriers, high-pressers; they must be the first line of defence as much as the players who are expected to score. And yet, in the main, they are not the players taking the most shots. Strikers they may be, but others are doing that job way more often.
In fact, in the Premier League through seven rounds of matches – approaching 20% of the season – there are just four out of the top 20 players who are recognised strikers, when ranked by shots per 90 minutes on the pitch.
Erling Harland player traits, the anomaly
And when considering one of those is Erling Haaland (5.0 per 90), who is of course off the charts in most respects to the extent that he should be considered an anomaly, it’s even more stark – then there’s the fact two of the others play for the same team, with Fulham’s Rodrigo Muniz (4.3) and Raúl Jiménez (4.0) dovetailing in the role this term, but both getting plenty of shots away regardless. The other striker is Aston Villa’s Jhon Durán (4.9), who has made such an impact this term, but from the bench: he’s had only 184 minutes of league action so far, compared to Haaland for example with well over 600. There’s a big difference in doing it consistently, game after game, rather than hammering in a few shots in a 20-minute cameo, which boosts the per-90 average considerably.
But that is it for what might be termed true No. 9s.
Leading the way of all players is Bournemouth’s Luis Sinisterra (6.1), but he’s another – as is João Félix (5.3) who have few minutes and a handful of shots and therefore a high average at this stage. Neither lead the line, though: the former attacks from wide, the Chelsea sub from deep, often a second attacker late in games under Enzo Maresca. Again, Haaland is out on his own when it comes to real starting players. Yet they provide the trend for what follows them: a host of starting wide forwards who are teams’ primary focus in creating and taking chances on goal.
Shots per 90, Premier League 2024/25
Antoine Semenyo, Noni Madueke and Bukayo Saka are all in the top ten, all averaging over 4.0 shots a game and all playing from wide, cutting in, unleashing hell. Eberechi Eze and Cole Palmer are not far behind, England internationals playing a narrow supporting role at club level this term, plus outright winger threats such as Brennan Johnson and Harvey Barnes can be found in the top 20. Of course Mohamed Salah is there, lower shot numbers than in previous years but with the best conversion rate (18%) of genuine, undisputed first-choice players outside of Haaland (28%) and Palmer (25%). Kai Havertz is one final example of a player who is generally not a striker, but often playing No. 9 this season for his side… and yet, not always, and not as the highest player in the team during attacking buildup play.
And yet the numbers to underline the notion that teams are more and more focusing on getting their wide and secondary attackers into the most dangerous positions is only reinforced when we step away from the shots per 90, and look at chances created: Saka, Palmer, Salah and Eze are all in that top 20 too, as are fellow width-bringers Jarrod Bowen, Marcus Tavernier, Anthony Gordon and Dwight McNeil. At least two of those play centrally this season too, but as attacking midfielders, not forwards. In the top 20 by chance creation, only Bryan Mbuemo could reasonably be labelled a striker, and he certainly plays wide as much as not.
Chances created, Premier League 2024/25
While we’re not exactly asking the question of what are strikers doing then? it’s still fair to summarise that they no longer play the most critical role for managers’ plans when it comes to the final third of the pitch, and how to breach the opposition defence. Just like the role of defensive midfielder, of a team’s No. 10, of what a full-back is and what their role in build-up play has become, the centre-forward is every bit as changeable and subject to finding a new way to thrive – it’s just that now, it’s not necessarily to be the main finishers.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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It has been quite an eventful international break for Nigeria’s Super Eagles. They were in international headlines for unwanted reasons as their flight to Libya was diverted away from the capital Benghazi at the last minute. Instead, they were forced to land in Al Abraq over 200 kilometres to the east, where they found themselves locked in the airport for about 12 hours.
Naturally, the squad and coaching staff were very concerned and displeased at such treatment, which is why they decided against playing their match and headed straight back home. CAF are investigating matters so no decision has been announced yet, but even forfeiting the match would not be a problem for the Super Eagles as they are well on course to qualify for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations.
Indeed, Nigeria’s recent record on the continental front is not bad at all. They were the defeated finalists in this year’s AFCON, having also finished third in 2019. However, their last title was all the way back in 2013, which is quite disappointing considering the quality in their squad.
Their World Cup record, though, has been pretty poor for a while. The Super Eagles have won just two games at the tournament since the turn of the century – the same number that they managed in each of their previous appearances. They have at least qualified for four of the last six editions of the tournament, but that record is also under threat.
Nearly halfway into CAF’s World Cup qualification tournament, Nigeria are winless and second from bottom in their group behind the likes of Rwanda, Benin and Lesotho. Despite the World Cup’s expansion from 32 to 48 teams, the Super Eagles could well miss out on consecutive editions for the first team since making their debut.
Clearly, they will have to be at their sharpest when World Cup qualification resumes in 2025, so they must use the next couple of months to put everything in order.
Imbalanced squad
One of the main challenges coaches face in charge of Nigeria involves managing one of the most top-heavy squads in world football. Unlike club sides, national teams obviously cannot entirely rely on recruitment to balance out their squads, so they are at the mercy of the talent pool available to them to a pretty big extent. The responsibility to make everything click then falls on the coach, who often has to make some very tough decisions when it comes to squad and team selections.
In the Super Eagles’ case, some previous coaches have been guilty of leaning towards player quality far too much and sacrificing the balance of the side. Nigeria seem to have an unending production line of strikers and forwards, including world-beating talents such as Victor Osimhen and Victor Boniface, lots of youngsters popping up around major European leagues, and a great deal of supporting options such as Ademola Lookman, Alex Iwobi and Samuel Chukwueze to name but a few.
Naturally, it is quite tempting to cram as many of these players into the same starting line-up as possible with the hope that their quality can blow away any opposition defence, but football is not quite so simple. The trouble for Nigeria is that they do not have an elite-level holding midfielder who can do the approach work.
They do not have any particularly exceptional defenders either, so picking a balanced side is really the only way to get the best out of this squad, even if it means benching some of the star attackers. Failure to do so will almost certainly lead to incohesive performances in which the attackers do not get enough service and the midfield is torn apart on the counter, as many have learnt the hard way.
Coaching instability
Such complicated squad dynamics make finding the right formula a difficult process that needs some trial and error. As a result, new head coaches need to be given a bit of time to figure things out, but in the world of international football where stakes are always incredibly high, such time is hard to come by. Nevertheless, the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) would do well to justify making three coaching changes this year alone.
José Peseiro led the side in the AFCON campaign, though his success largely stemmed from a switch to a back five and a very defensive-minded approach that saw the Super Eagles just about edge past slightly weaker opponents. This was never going to work against significantly lower-ranked sides against whom Nigeria would be expected to dominate proceedings, so he left when his contract expired in March.
Financial issues also reportedly played a part in his decision, which was hardly a surprise given the NFF’s terrible track record of financial mismanagement and unpaid wages. Peseiro’s assistant Finidi George then took charge, but he only lasted a couple of matches in the hotseat as he too fell into the imbalance trap.
Bruno Labbadia was the NFF’s next target and seemed up for the job, but there was yet more financial trouble in store. Disagreements over tax details led to the German coach calling the deal off, so Nigeria’s search continued. Crucially, they failed to bring someone in before this window – when they might have had opportunities to experiment – and instead had to go back to trusty interim option Augustine Eguavoen.
Next candidates
Hervé Renard is likely the dream candidate for the Super Eagles given his pedigree and pragmatism, but he recently rejected their offer despite being promised a lucrative salary. Swedish tactician Janne Andersson was also said to be in talks at the time but had some issues around delayed joining dates, though that should not be a problem anymore if he is approached once again.
Besides them, nobody has been notably linked to the job of late. The NFF’s financial issues might make it difficult to convince any well-known and well-established names, so finding an internal solution might be the best way forward for the moment.
Nigeria quite clearly have the quality in their squad to ease past almost all opponents in their World Cup qualification group so all the coach needs to do is field a remotely balanced side. Eguavoen has done a sensible enough job in that respect in his previous stints, so he could well be the best candidate. He has, however, recognised the issues of instability surrounding the position, asking for a long-term contract to take up the role permanently. Given their lack of options, the NFF may well find themselves going down that route in the end.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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