Page 7 – The Pulse of Football

Apr

2024

Andriy Lunin: The stand-in keeper making his mark

Thibaut Courtois was the best goalkeeper in the world and he had the trophy to prove it. Indeed, the Belgian was handed the Yashin Trophy – the Ballon d’Or for goalkeepers – in 2022 following an outstanding season for Real Madrid which saw him play a key role in a Champions League and LaLiga double.

By Graham Ruthven

This season, however, has been a completely different story for Courtois who has had to watch from the sidelines after tearing an ACL in his knee just two days before Madrid’s opening fixture of the 2023/24 campaign. Most expected Courtois’ absence to be a major storyline in Los Blancos’ season, but it hasn’t been thanks to the performances of Andriy Lunin.

Lunin wasn’t mean to be Courtois’ stand-in. Kepa Arrizabalaga was signed on loan from Chelsea to be that figure. When Kepa failed to make the position his own, though, Lunin took his opportunity and has never looked back. The Ukrainian has been the surprise package of Real Madrid’s campaign.

Many believe Lunin has been the best goalkeeper in LaLiga this season. The 25-year-old is outperforming his post-shot Expected Goals per 90 minutes by 0.28 in La Liga – and by an extremely impressive 0.58 in the Champions League. For context, Courtois’ best-ever La Liga saw him outperform his post-shot xG per 90 minutes by just 0.20 – and by 0.55 in the Champions League.

Against RB Leipzig in the Champions League round of 16, Lunin was particularly outstanding, equalling Courtois’ record for the most saves in a match in the competition. “He was brilliant,” said Carlo Ancelotti afterwards. “He’s highly motivated and playing with real confidence. Playing helps him grow in confidence and he was outstanding today, he did a fantastic job in every respect.”

There has been no drop-off with Lunin in between the posts. He might not stand as tall as Courtois, who has a four-inch advantage, but Lunin is an equally imposing figure. He claims crosses with authority and has the wingspan to reach shots that would flash past inferior goalkeepers.

Without Lunin, Madrid might not have been able to hold things together at the back this season. Courtois isn’t the only major injury the capital club has had to deal with – Éder Militão, David Alaba, Dani Carvajal, Antonio Rüdiger and Ferland Mendy have all missed periods of the season through injury. There was a point earlier this year when Madrid didn’t have a single fit centre-back.

The performances of Lunin was the thing that kept Real Madrid on the straight and narrow through this period. The Ukrainian goalkeeper has earned the respect of those who doubted he could ever become first-choice at the Santiago Bernabéu. This is, after all, a player who has been loaned out to three different clubs in his career.

Of course, the landscape will change when Courtois finally returns from injury. The Belgian has enough credit in the bank to reclaim his spot in the team when he’s fit and available again, but what will that mean for Lunin? He has demonstrated that he is simply too good to sit on the bench again.

Courtois shared the number one jersey with Keylor Navas during his first season at Real Madrid, but that situation ultimately proved to be untenable with the latter leaving Spain to join Paris Saint-Germain. Ancelotti will find it difficult to rotate Courtois and Lunin when both are good enough to play at the elite level.

Recent reports claim Jorge Mendes has been hired as Lunin’s new agent to lead negotiations with Real Madrid over a new contract. The 25-year-old’s current deal at the Santiago Bernabéu runs out next year and all parties seem keen to agree an extension. If, however, talks break down, Mendes will surely get his new client a good move.

Eight points clear at the top of the table, Real Madrid are La Liga’s champions-elect – and have been for some time. Despite drawing Manchester City in the quarter-finals, Los Blancos are also among the favourites to go the distance in the Champions League. The likes of Jude Bellingham and Vinícius Júnior will be identified as game-changes who could decide that tie. Lunin’s contribution could also be significant, just as it has been all season.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Apr

2024

European Hot Shots: Jonathan David is ready for his next move

Jonathan David finally looks set to leave Lille.

By Sam McGuire

The 24-year-old moved to France in 2020 having caught the eye in Belgium while turning out for Gent. His 30 goals across two seasons while playing a variety of positions as a teenager made him hot property across Europe.

He was linked with a host of clubs, with Liverpool reportedly keen on the American-born Canada international, but, to the surprise of many, it was Lille who signed him in a deal believed to be worth €30million. The Reds instead opted to bring in Diogo Jota.

It was a steep fee for a player with no experience in any of the top five European leagues, but Lille do have a proven track record of nurturing talent. They clearly felt they could develop David and, in turn, potentially double their money.

During his first season with the Lille, he helped the club win Ligue 1. David notched 13 goals, finishing the campaign with 11 goals in 18 appearances. This included match-winners against Marseille, Paris Saint-German and a goal in the 3-2 win over Lyon. By no means was he a passenger for this title win, he more than played his part in the team’s success.

He built on that in the following season, though Lille could only claim a 10th-place finish. David found the back of the net on 15 occasions that term. The 2022/23 campaign really saw the 46-cap international explode though with him finishing with 24 goals. He was responsible for 37% of Lille’s goals that season as Les Dogues finished fifth.

His exploits in the penalty area didn’t go unnoticed. Spurs were reportedly keen on him succeeding Harry Kane. Chelsea wanted him to bolster their attack. Manchester United allegedly viewed him as the striker to knit their forward line together. He remained in France though and, at the time of writing, he’s already registered yet another +15 goal haul in Ligue 1 (23 in all competitions).

He was linked with Aston Villa in January with the Villans looking to add to their ranks ahead of a Champions League push, and Lille were reportedly weighing up moves for strikers. David was even asked about his future just after the turn of the year, to which he responded: “I think I’ll finish the season with Lille and we’ll see what happens after that.”

All of the noise around David seems to suggest he is going to depart this summer despite having one year left on his deal. He’s almost backed Lille into a corner as the French side know they either sell him this summer and recoup some, if not all, of the €30million they spent on him or they lose their No.9 on a free in 2025.

And if this is to be his final season with the club, he’s doing a good job putting himself in the shop window. Across 2,125 minutes in the top-flight this term, David has racked up an Expected Goals haul of 16.1 and an Expected Goals on Target total of 18. The latter metric suggests he’s unfortunate not to have more than the 16 goals he’s registered. It also highlights the fact he’s adding value to his efforts due to his placement.

You can see exactly why this is the case when looking at his shot map. A lot of his efforts are aimed towards the corners which increases the likelihood of these shots beating the goalkeeper. This is by design, of course. He’s a sharpshooter who doesn’t just look to hit the target, he looks to hit the corners whenever possible. David is also confident on either foot, which makes him even more unpredictable in the penalty area and this, in turn, makes him a greater threat. Matched with the fact he likes to take his shots fairly early, it is easy to understand why he’s such a threat. The goalscorer catches goalkeepers out with his efforts, purely because there are no telltale signs he’s about to shoot before he pulls the trigger.

Wherever he ends up, that club is getting themselves a real pocket rocket of a forward. He’s the sort to gobble up chances for a ball dominant team who just needs a penalty box poacher.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Apr

2024

The MLS Team of the Week: Matchday 8

Our MLS expert James Nalton picks five of the standout players from Matchday 8 in Major League Soccer, including his two North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) Player of the Matchday votes.

By James Nalton

A comeback from three goals down and a 101st-minute winner: just another standard week in American soccer.

While New York Red Bulls, Vancouver Whitecaps, and Philadelphia Union set the tone for team performance, occupying the top three spots in the Supporters’ Shield standings, the most notable individual performances came from elsewhere in the league.

Two of them came from one game in particular, which combined a great team performance with standout individual displays, and two of the best of Matchday 8.

The Top Two

9.1 FotMob Rating: Raúl Ruidíaz – Seattle Sounders

Seattle Sounders have been the most disappointing, underperforming team in MLS so far this season, but when they did finally manage to win their first game, they did so in style.

It arrived in the form of a 5-0 demolishing of CF Montreal this weekend, with contributions from across the team.

Having scored twice already this season, it was no surprise that Peruvian striker Ruidíaz played a big part in this first win.

It was a much-neeed performance from the number nine, and he opened the scoring with a great goal, fired into the far corner with his left foot from outside the area.

It set the tone for the rest of the game for the Sounders, and he stepped up to score the second from the penalty spot.

From there, Seattle and their fans had some fun, and not before time in 2024.

9.1 FotMob Rating: Alex Roldán – Seattle Sounders

Ruidíaz was one of several standout players in Seattle green during the win against Montreal.

The contribution from his teammate Alex Roldán was such that the right-back was almost like an extra midfielder and winger when needed, as well as doing his defensive duties as part of the back four.

He was at the heart of everything the Sounders did, both in possession and out of it.

Roldán finished the game having had the most touches (104), the second most completed passes (66), three dribbles completed, the most passes into the final third (16), and the most defensive actions on his team (nine).

He rounded off his performance with a goal, showing his attacking instincts by drifting in at the far post to finish Albert Rusnák’s cross, sent in following a neat one-two with Ruidíaz, exhibiting everything good about this Seattle performance.

Three more standout performers

9.1 FotMob Rating: Sebastián Driussi – Austin FC

When Austin FC scored three goals within five minutes to give them a 3-2 lead midway through the second half against San Jose Earthquakes, it looked like they had done enough to come back brilliantly and record their second victory in a row to make up for their poor start to the 2024 MLS season.

But San Jose equalised through Amahl Pellegrino with 15 minutes to go, and as the game reached the tenth minute of added time it looked like any chance for either side to record a win had gone.

Step forward Driussi, who had scored a penalty to kickstart Austin’s earlier scoring spree.

In the eleventh minute of added time, the ball fell to him on the edge of the area and he fired it into the bottom corner to give his side a dramatic, late win, much to the delight of the home fans.

8.9 FotMob Rating: Maarten Paes – FC Dallas

It was a case of though shalt not pass Paes as FC Dallas played out a 0-0 draw with St. Louis City on Saturday.

Sometimes the games that produce no goals can still produce some of the week’s standout players.

Both goalkeepers made great saves to keep clean sheets for their teams, but it was the Dutchman Paes who just had the edge over the ever-impressive St. Louis stopper Roman Bürki in this great game for the goalkeepers union.

Paes made seven saves in the game with standout stops from Anthony Markanich and Célio Pompeu, and a particularly brilliant reaction save from Klaus.

Paes could soon be representing the country of his grandmother’s birth, Indonesia, at international level, and this has attracted plenty of attention to his performances from the Southeast Asian nation.

His new fans will have been more than pleased with what they saw this weekend.

8.6 FotMob rating: Willy Agada – Sporting KC

It could and should have been so much more for Agada and Sporting KC this weekend, but the Nigerian’s performance was notable nevertheless.

Sporting will have been bitterly disappointed to not have held on to their lead against Portland Timbers in the round’s final game on Sunday afternoon.

They were 3-0 up at halftime but conceded three in the second half to Phil Neville’s side to end the game with just a point.

Agada had a good chance early on which he could not take, but shortly after rifled a shot into the corner via a deflection to open the scoring.

Then just before halftime, he turned in a second and his team’s third, but it all went sour in the second half.

Had Agada converted his chance from the penalty spot to make it 4-0, three points would surely have arrived for Sporting, and with them a place for Agada in this week’s Team of the Week.

But he sent it wide of the post and Portland came back to salvage a point—the fine margins of football.

(Cover Image from IMAGO)

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

Apr

2024

MLS: Five storylines from Matchday Eight

Los Angeles FC claimed the bragging rights over the LA Galaxy in El Tráfico on Saturday while Lionel Messi made his long-awaited return for Inter Miami in a 2-2 draw against the Colorado Rapids. Meanwhile, the New York Red Bulls and Vancouver Whitecaps surged to the top of their respective conferences. Here are five of the biggest storylines from the weekend in MLS

By Graham Ruthven, MLS Expert

Los Angeles FC asserted themselves against in-form LA Galaxy

El Tráfico always delivers. The fixture has become MLS’s defining rivalry since Los Angeles FC’s entry into the league five years ago and Steve Cherundolo’s side asserted their dominance against an in-form LA Galaxy on Saturday, albeit by being the more conservative of the two teams in a 2-1 victory at BMO Stadium.

LAFC had just 32% of possession against their fiercest rivals. Cherundolo set up his team to stifle the Galaxy’s attack and largely succeeded – the visitors finished with an Expected Goals (xG) of just 1.13. This game plan was reflective of the evolution LAFC have made under the increasingly pragmatic Cherundolo with victory in El Tráfico a sign of how the Black and Gold could still grow into the 2024 campaign.

Lionel Messi made his return, but Inter Miami still have problems

After several matches on the sidelines, Messi made his return from a hamstring injury for Inter Miami in the second half of Saturday’s home game against the Colorado Rapids. The 36-year-old found the back of the net with a cultured finish off the inside of the post, but the Herons could only draw 2-2. They still have problems.

Inter Miami have shown themselves to be vulnerable in defensive transition over the first eight games of the season and Colorado exploited this in Cole Bassett’s late leveller when the hosts conceded possession and were countered. Tata Martino rested many of his best players ahead of this week’s CONCACAF Champions Cup tie against Monterrey. A defeat in that game after a disappointing result against Colorado would change the narrative around Messi and co.

NY Red Bulls have taken a big step forward this season

Victory away to FC Cincinnati on Saturday saw the New York Red Bulls take an early lead in the Supporters’ Shield standings. While it might be far too early to start talking about silverware, this is reflective of the progress RBNY have made under new head coach Sandro Schwarz. Indeed, they look like a serious team that could stay near the top of the Eastern Conference.

Schwarz hasn’t reinvented the wheel. There are still recognisable elements of the RBNY’s game. They still play Red Bull football, as demonstrated by the way Cincy were forced into a turnover high up the pitch for Frankie Amaya’s opener. However, they are also capable of playing more pragmatically against the ball – and that’s new.

Aidan Morris saves Columbus after Cucho Hernández’s moment of madness

The Columbus Crew were already trailing to DC United when Cucho Hernández was shown a straight red card, making a difficult situation even trickier for the defending MLS Cup champions. Having missed the Crew’s last two matches due to “team policy,” as Wilfried Nancy put it, this was hardly the most dignified of returns for the Colombian, who was sent packing for kicking out at Christopher McVey.

When Columbus couldn’t break down the DC United low block, Aidan Morris (who was also sent off in the CONCACAF Champions Cup last week) stepped up to salvage his team a point with a stunning equaliser from distance three minutes from the end. The USA midfielder appears to have improved again this season and has made himself a leader for the Crew.

Vancouver’s hot start has made them the strongest team in Canada

Saturday’s all-Canadian clash between the Vancouver Whitecaps and Toronto FC on Saturday resulted in an emphatic 4-0 victory for the hosts who asserted themselves as the best team in the Great White North this season. Vanni Sartini’s team were helped by some calamitous defending from TFC, but nonetheless – this was a statement result and performance by the Caps.

After slow starts in 2022 and 2023, Vancouver are setting the pace at the top of the Western Conference with four wins, one draw and one defeat from their opening six fixtures. “We’re doing two things much better than we were last year,” Sartini said. “First of all, we are better defensively. Then, the second thing is that last year, we needed 14 chances to score a goal, and this year we are much more (clinical).”

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Apr

2024

Premier League Team of the Week: Round 32

We have a fairly varied FotMob Team of the Week with players from Luton Town, Everton and Brentford all making the XI. But who joins them and why did they make the cut for Matchday 32?

By Sam McGuire, Premier League expert

Goalkeeper: Martin Dubravka

Dubravka kept a clean sheet as Newcastle United claimed a 1-0 win over Fulham at Craven Cottage. The 35-year-old was given a FotMob rating of 8.6 for his exploits between the sticks on Saturday afternoon. He may have only made four saves but the efforts had an Expected Goals on Target value of 1.06. The shot-stopper played a pivotal role in the Magpies picking up all three points.

Right-Back: Pedro Porro

The Spanish full-back impressed once again for Spurs. Porro scored the third and final goal for the hosts in a 3-1 win over Nottingham Forest to move into fourth position in the Premier League. The 24-year-old also carved out a chance for the hosts while winning 100% of his tackles and completing 91% of his attempted passes.

Centre-Back: Fabian Schär

Schar is the second Newcastle player to make the XI. The 32-year-old centre-back created a chance for Eddie Howe’s men against Fulham but his 8.1 rating was built around his defensive showing. The Swiss international made 13 clearances, recovered the ball on six occasions, and won 11 duels, the most of anyone on the pitch at Craven Cottage.

Centre-Back: Micky van de Ven

Van de Ven continued his fine form for Spurs. The young Dutch centre-back scored a goal, completed the most passes of anyone (66), finished with a 94% pass success rate and won the most duels (eight). The 22-year-old has really settled into life in the Premier League this season following his move from Wolfsburg.

Left-Back: Vitalii Mykolenko

The 24-year-old was busy for Everton in the 1-0 win over Burnley. Mykolenko created one chance and completed 81% of his attempted passes. However, he also attempted five tackles, two dribbles and won seven of his eight ground duels as the Toffees kept an important clean sheet in their fight for survival.

Midfield: Kevin De Bruyne

Back in the Manchester City starting XI following a mid-week rest, De Bruyne put in an all-star performance for the champions as they came from behind to beat Crystal Palace.

De Bruyne scored twice and claimed an assist in what was a 9.4 rated showing. The 32-year-old created four chances, three of which were classed as big chances, in what was a dominant display.

Midfield: Jordan Clark

Clark claimed an 8.8 FotMob rating after helping Luton Town pick up a vital win over Bournemouth. The 30-year-old midfielder scored the equaliser and was responsible for creating three chances in the 2-1 win. He also made 10 ball recoveries and finished with a 100% tackle success rate, as well as involving himself in 16 duels, in what was an all action display for the Hatters.

Midfield: Sergio Reguilón

Playing as a left sided midfielder, the Spanish full-back caught the eye in Brentford’s 3-3 draw with Aston Villa on Saturday. The on-loan Tottenham defender assisted two goals for the Bees and finished the game with a 100% duel success rate to earn himself a rating of 8.4. He was a constant threat for Thomas Frank’s side.

Attack: Ollie Watkins

Watkins now has 18 Premier League goals this season after netting a double in the draw with Brentford. The Aston Villa forward looked sharp having returned to the starting XI after sitting out the loss to Manchester City in mid-week. Not only was he a threat going forward, but he was also an asset for the Villans defensively, winning the most duels (seven) of anyone on the pitch.

Attack: Kai Havertz

Havertz is proving himself to be the main man for Arsenal. He scored and assisted in the 3-0 win over Brighton on Saturday evening. The Germany international created four chances at the Amex – the most of anyone – and was fouled a match-high four times. The former Chelsea man also won 100% of his tackles and 50% of his duels.

Attack: Clayton Morris

The match-winner for Rob Edwards’ side against Bournemouth. The striker found the back of the net in stoppage time to earn Luton all three points on Saturday. The No. 9 had five efforts against the Cherries and hit the woodwork. He also created one chance for a teammate and won six of his 11 duels.

(Images from IMAGO)

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

Apr

2024

Premier League Review: Round 32

There was another twist in the title race, Spurs displaced Aston Villa to move into fourth while two of the bottom three picked up points. It was a busy weekend in the Premier League. Here’s a look at the biggest talking points from across the English top-flight.

By Sam McGuire, Premier League expert

The champions show their teeth

Crystal Palace stunned Manchester City at Selhurst Park when a rare John Stones error was capitalised on and Jean-Philippe Mateta gave the hosts the lead inside of four minutes.

Pep Guardiola’s side could’ve been rocked by the early goal. They weren’t.

It could’ve been a tricky situation for the champions. It wasn’t.

Kevin De Bruyne levelled things up with just 13 minutes on the clock and Rico Lewis struck early on in the second half.

Goals from De Bruyne and Erling Haaland in a four minute spell killed the game off before the 70th minute and though Odsonne Édouard scored a consolation, it was a resounding victory for the visitors.

The three points heaped pressure on Arsenal and Liverpool while the Eagles remain uncomfortably close to the relegation zone.

Villa salvage a point

It was a topsy-turvy game for Aston Villa at Villa Park on Saturday afternoon against Brentford.

Ollie Watkins, back in the team after missing the midweek game match against Manchester City, opened the scoring late in the first half to give the hosts the lead. Morgan Rogers then added a second just after the break to put Unai Emery’s side in a commanding position.

It looked fairly comfortable for the home side for the best part of an hour. And then it all went wrong.

The visitors hit three unanswered goals across a nine minute spell to turn the game on its head. Zanka, Bryan Mbeumo and Yoana Wissa found the back of the net for the Bees.

However, Thomas Frank’s side couldn’t see out the game and Watkins scored his second of the game, and his 18th of the season, with 10 minutes remaining to salvage a point.

With Tottenham’s win over Forest on Sunday evening, Villa now find themselves outside of the Champions League places having played a game more. Brentford, despite now being on a three match unbeaten run, are just four points above the drop zone.

Everton finally win

For the first time this year, Everton won in the Premier League.

It wasn’t a pretty game. It wasn’t necessarily a convincing performance by the hosts at Goodison Park, but Sean Dyche managed to get one over on his former employers on Saturday afternoon.

Burnley had more of the ball (63%) but struggled to create anything of note against a resolute Toffees team. Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored what turned out to be the winner in first half stoppage time.

Everton are now four points above the relegation zone and up to 15th. Burnley, however, remain 19th, five points off of 17th placed Nottingham Forest with time running out if they are to remain in the Premier League.

Arsenal reclaim top spot

The Gunners are relentless right now. They are once again leading the pack in the English top flight after a resounding 3-0 win over Brighton at the Amex. It is hard to see them relinquishing top spot now, especially in the form they are in.

Mikel Arteta’s men coasted to maximum points against Roberto De Zerbi’s side on Saturday evening. Bukayo Saka converted from the spot with 33 minutes on the clock. It was a deserved lead after carving out four big chances before the break.

Kai Havertz, who also claimed an assist, scored the second just after the hour mark before former Seagull Leandro Trossard added a third to cap off an outstanding showing by the Gunners. For context, they finished with an Expected Goals haul of 3.39 while limiting their hosts to chances with an xG value of 0.53.

Arsenal are joint-top with Liverpool but have a far superior goal difference (+51 to +42). The Gunners are just seven wins away from the Premier League title now.

Deja vu at Old Trafford

Manchester United and Liverpool played out an almost identical game at Old Trafford to their FA Cup encounter just three weeks ago.

The visitors looked confident and comfortable in the first half, carving out chance after chance but failing to put the game to bed. They went in at the break with a 1-0 lead, courtesy of Luis Díaz, but, in truth, it could’ve quite easily been 3-0.

Then, out of absolutely nothing, United found themselves level. Bruno Fernandes capitalised on a sloppy Jarell Quansah pass and outrageously lobbed Kelleher from just inside the Liverpool half. This woke Old Trafford up and the game was a lot more even after that.

In the 67th minute, youngster Kobbie Mainoo produced a moment of magic to put the hosts ahead, curling the ball into the far corner much to the delight of the home fans.

It appeared as though United might complete another smash and grab victory over Liverpool but an 84th minute penalty salvaged a point for the title hopefuls. Mohamed Salah scored his 17th goal of the season after Harvey Elliott was fouled by Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

(Cover Image from IMAGO)

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

Apr

2024

The Evolution of Alejandro Garnacho

When history will look back on Alejandro Garnacho, the 2023/24 season will always be viewed as the campaign when the Argentine truly made a mark. After all, the teenager has witnessed impressive growth this season, proving that he is more than just the future of Manchester United.

By Kaustubh Pandey

It is fairly easy for Manchester United to get lured into comparisons with a certain Cristiano Ronaldo and despite similarities around how they broke through, Garnacho is becoming a man of his own in 2024. He has gone from being a scrawny teenager who wasn’t effective enough to be a starter to being an often-dominant presence in the wide areas whenever he features for Erik ten Hag’s side.

Still 19, Garnacho may yet not be entirely consistent but the season has seen him mature. He is offering the workrate of someone who wants to establish himself at the club while regularly showing a clean pair of heels to the opposition defenders to portray his impressive technical ability. When Mason Greenwood has essentially been excommunicated, Jadon Sancho has fallen out with the manager, Antony has constantly showed an inability to make an impact for the club and Marcus Rashford has witnessed a blip, the burden has fallen onto the explosive teenager to bear the burden of the club’s attack.

Not just that, Rasmus Højlund has also sometimes faced minor injury issues and Anthony Martial is already ruled out for the season. Garnacho (and Rashford) has, in this time, been United’s most available and most able presence to create and potentially score goals.

That was seen during United’s dramatic 4-3 win over Liverpool in the FA Cup recently. Garnacho played the entirety of the 120 minutes and put in a spectacular show, creating Amad Diallo’s dramatic winner by showing incredible composure in the final third when the clock was ticking down. It was an image that could define his career too as despite being debilitated and having his shorts drenched in the Old Trafford mud, he came up with the goods when it truly mattered.

He created the most number of chances and took the most number of shots, as he covered half the pitch to set up the winner. It was a reflection of how far the teenager has come from last season, when his major contributions had come from the bench. The assist against Manchester City and the vital goal against Fulham is a stark indicator of that.

The teenager’s defensive improvement has been rather major. He seems extremely keen on pressing high up the pitch, winning the ball back and restarting attacks, winning more duels and showcasing the amount of tenacity that would impress Ten Hag.

This season, he has won about 41 percent of all his duels and has won 66.7 percent of all his tackles, while winning a little under five duels per 90 minutes.

This wasn’t the case last season, when the defensive numbers were low and he only usually came on late in games when United needed goals and the opposition was pinned back.

He is involving himself in more duels on the pitch and the numbers from last season show that. It doesn’t just suggest that he’s become much more keen to fight it out when the going gets tough, but also that he is more than just a flair player. He is evolving into a bulldog on the pitch, who comes up with these glints of magic like a vulture snatching away prey.

Those glints of magic have often carried United through at vital points in games. There are tactical and fitness issues at United that need addressing, but Garnacho’s abilities have often made up for those.

For a long while, United weren’t (perhaps still aren’t) focused on controlling possession and they relied on going long from the back due to injuries to their best ball progressors (Luke Shaw and Licha Martínez). This negatively impacted how much ball Garnacho and Rashford could have, as they had to rely on winning second balls before launching attacks (a reason why Garnacho’s defensive numbers have risen).

But Garnacho has made sure that he has taken his chances at important points. His brace against Aston Villa, for example, came when United found themselves 2-0 down at halftime and against an Unai Emery side that was maintaining a reliable higher defensive line. But Garnacho, along with Rashford and Højlund, ripped through the Villa backline constantly, going past defenders and regularly finding teammates in behind.

It was a performance worth remembering. His overhead kick against Everton will be reminisced for a long, long while. But it is very easy to forget that the performance from United was a lacklustre one and if not for Garnacho’s sparkling strike, things may have been different. It was something that history will look back on when Garnacho potentially achieves greatness.

The Argentine sensation was impressive in the 2-1 win over Chelsea as well, assisting Scott McTominay’s late winner.

Garnacho played 27 accurate forward zone passes, which was the second best in the entire game.

He also attempted more dribbles than anyone else, being tied with Antony and Cole Palmer at the top to somewhat chisel through a Blues midfield and backline.

Garnacho also grabbed a brace against West Ham in a game that saw the club’s fans savour an iconic picture involving the ex-Atletico Madrid youngster, Højlund and Kobbie Mainoo. The Argentine was perhaps at the centre of it, racking up the highest Expected Assists tally for Ten Hag’s side in what would be seen by neutrals as a dominant performance by United when it was not, as the Hammers had enough chances to potentially get something from the game when it was 1-0.

Thanks to Garnacho and some poor finishing from West Ham, United did get a win.

The 19-year-old still needs another phase of evolution and it perhaps will come next season. One can’t describe him as a natural creator, as he is still somewhat found wanting when operating against a deeper defensive line. He is more of a volume shooter or someone who relies on volume instead of precision in the final third and he thrives against higher defensive lines or during transitions.

Comparisons with a certain Khvicha Kvaratskhelia are rather accurate because of how they like going past players with a clean pair of heels and constantly attack half spaces once they receive the ball. But the Georgian is arguably much more decisive in the final third and Garnacho’s next phase will be about reaching there and being consistent at that.

Having said that, this season will always be looked back on a phase in Garnacho’s career where he matured not just as a player but as a character as well, where he has been relied more by a manager who trusts him to make an impact in every game. Things will now only get better.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Apr

2024

Fenerbahce almost left the Super Lig – what comes next for one of Turkey’s titans?

Second in the table, two points off your biggest rivals, just seven matches left to play…and the theme dominating a club’s next course of action is not how to finish the campaign perfectly, but a potential departure from the country’s top division. So incensed have been Fenerbahçe at the treatment they perceive to have received this term that they gave their supporters, their members, the chance to vote to exit the league – and though that incredulous path has been averted, it may only be temporarily.

By Karl Matchett

Matters came to a head last month. Fenerbahçe beat Trabzonspor – third in the table but a whopping 30 points back from Fener in second – late on and then, shortly after the whistle, Trabzonspor fans entered the pitch and proceeded to run towards some Fener players, attacking some of them along the way.

With two or three players pushing back at those attacking them, the Turkish Football Federation reported a total of five individuals from the club to the authorities, leaving Fenerbahçe incensed that they had been punished for Trabzonspor failings.

As a result, the board opted to give members the chance to vote to leave the Süper Lig – but they opted against, with the club saying the option was now off the table until the end of the season at least.

With that out the way, focus must return to on-pitch matters and the realisation that a 20th title is still in their grasp – which would see them close in on Galatasaray’s record of 23, rather than letting their rivals extend it. Notably, it would also be a first league title in a full decade for Fener, who have finished runners-up four times since their last championship triumph back in 2014.

While nobody can come close to Fenerbahçe’s 23-times status as runners-up, that’s not one record they want to keep adding to.

Which means a massive end-of-season run is required – easier said than done when their very next fixture pits them against Galatasaray, in the Turkish Super Cup. Fireworks happen in those fixtures anyway; the spectre of silverware and off-pitch arguments is hardly likely to lighten the mood.

Beyond that, Fener are still in the hunt for European silverware too, up against Olympiacos in the Europa Conference League.

But in seven remaining league fixtures, five are not just must-win, but absolutely should-win. Five are against teams currently placed between bottom of the table and tenth. Given one defeat in their league campaign so far, it would be a shock if Fenerbahçe dropped points against any of them.

And then the two remaining fixtures: home to Besiktas, usually a top-three rival but this year fourth and trailing by a massive 35 points…and away to Galatasaray, on the penultimate week of the campaign.

Needless to say, that’s expected to be when the title can be won and lost, when the hardships, frustrations or injustices of a season must be overcome.

Away from home it might be, but there’s still reason to believe that they can overhaul the gap if it’s still two points at that time, or perhaps merely hold a lead of their own if results in the meantime go their way.

Across the course of the campaign, Gala edge clean sheets and possession but Fenerbahçe have a better expected goals rate, far more actual goals scored, the most touches in the opposition penalty box, the league’s top goalscorer in Edin Džeko, the player with the best goals per 90 contribution in Michy Batshuayi and the player with the most big chances created in Dušan Tadić.

For those of a more meddlesome mind, they’ve also won the most penalties, but perhaps we shouldn’t go there.

Against all that, is Galatasaray’s mighty home record. Played 16, won 16, conceded just 12. They have been utterly untouchable domestically – yet Fenerbahçe are within a whisker of being so on their travels, winning 14 and drawing one of 15.

It tees the fixture up as the perfect title-decider-in-waiting…should Fener not implode in the meantime and lose their way, either after the off-pitch focus or whatever madness transpires in the Super Cup.

Now that the vote is done and Fenerbahçe are remaining in the Süper Lig, 19 May should, perhaps, be marked in the calendar as the day when the real stand-up-and-be-counted must take place. Given what’s at stake and the history between the clubs, the Turkish Federation might just need to be on standby once more then, too.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every Süper Lig game with xG, deep stats, and players ratings, on FotMob this season. Download the free app here.

Apr

2024

Rangers, Celtic, and the first proper title race for years

Four miles is all that separates Celtic Park in the East End of Glasgow and Ibrox in Govan. It is impossible to avoid the spectre of Celtic and Rangers in Scotland’s biggest city, but the two rivals have been kept apart in the Scottish Premiership table for the last 13 years. Indeed, the 2010/11 season was the last time Scotland witnessed a genuine title race.

By Graham Ruthven

Back then, one point was all that divided the pair and there’s a growing sense this season’s title race could be decided by a margin just as narrow. Celtic have a one-point advantage at the top of the Scottish Premiership while Rangers hold a game in-hand. The situation, however, could change after this weekend’s Old Firm derby.

Sunday’s match at Ibrox promises to be the most meaningful league meeting between Celtic and Rangers in over a decade. The stakes couldn’t be any higher. No trophies will be handed out at full time, but the outcome of this derby could have a big bearing on the tightest Scottish title race in recent memory.

Celtic are the defending champions and table-toppers, but this season has been a slog for Brendan Rodgers’ team. The drop-off from Ange Postecoglou has been stark with the Hoops frequently lethargic in a number of their performances. Rodgers himself has reflected this with the Northern Irishman a seemingly detached and disinterested figure at points.

More recently, though, Celtic have started to find their best form again. Cameron Carter-Vickers and Reo Hatate have returned from injury to steady the side. Callum McGregor is also expected to be fit enough to start Sunday’s match at Ibrox after a period on the sidelines which saw him miss out for Scotland in last month’s international window.

Rodgers has finally grasped how to utilise Kyogo Furuhashi to the best of the Japanese forward’s elite level abilities. Previously, Furuhashi was being asked to drop deep and link the play. Now, Rodgers is asking him to make runs behind the opposition defence and find good positions to finish opportunities. This is how Postecoglou used him.

Nicolas Kühn is starting to find his feet as a Celtic player after signing in January while Adam Idah has given Rodgers the attacking focal point he lacked in the first half of the season. It has taken longer than perhaps it should have, but Rodgers is finally getting to grips with the characteristics of his squad.

Under Philippe Clement, Rangers have been the more consistent of the two teams. Indeed, the Belgian has lost just two of the 20 Scottish Premiership matches he has taken charge of since his arrival at Ibrox in October. One of those defeats, however, came against Celtic in Clement’s only Old Firm derby to date.

Few expected Clement to turn around an ailing Rangers team so quickly. Under Michael Beale, the Ibrox outfit lacked direction. Many supporters believed they lacked talent after a less-than-convincing summer transfer window. Clement, however, has managed to get a tune out of the players he inherited, none more so than Cyriel Dessers.

After an underwhelming start to life in Scotland, Dessers now has 17 goals to his name (13 in the league). The Nigerian is still more wasteful than many supporters would like, but Rangers have finally activated Dessers’ finishing instincts. His goals could be key in pushing Rangers over the line in the title race.

John Lundstram has also enjoyed a resurgence in form under Clement while the January additions of Mohamed Diomande and Fabio Silva have given Rangers a different dimension. Colombian winger Oscar Cortes also made an immediate impact before suffering an injury that could sideline him until the end of the season.

This final two months of the Scottish Premiership campaign promises to be so compelling because Celtic and Rangers are both flawed. No matter what happens at Ibrox on Sunday, there will be twists and turns before the end of May just as there has been over the course of the season so far.

Nonetheless, Sunday’s derby will be a spectacle unlike anything else seen in Scottish football for a long time. It will be thrilling for the neutral – and nerve-wracking for anyone associated with Celtic or Rangers. Old Firm derbies always matter, but this weekend’s could matter that little bit more.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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Apr

2024

Why Norwich could upset Ipswich in the most important East Anglian derby in a decade

Leeds and Leicester have been the headline grabbers in the Championship for much of the past few months, but earlier in the campaign it was Ipswich Town who led the way, storming to a lead at the top in their first season as a second tier team for five years. While their early lead evaporated, a recent return to form and a three-game winning streak means they’ll head into the local derby, away to Norwich City, top of the table by a point – and looking to harm the play-off ambitions of their rivals as much as push their own claims for automatic promotion spot to the Premier League.

By Karl Matchett

Local rivalries don’t usually need more than geographical proximity to matter. But there’s every chance that the Tractor Boys in particular see this game as meaning more, being a chance to heal an old wound in particular.

Rewind the clock almost a full decade and in 2014/15, Ipswich and Norwich both finished in the play-off spots, both looking to book a return to the top flight. They met in the semis; the first leg finished 1-1 and the second leg was the same scoreline after an hour – but two more strikes for the Canaries sent them through to Wembley and, ultimately, up into the Premier League.

As Norwich have spent most of the last decade or so bouncing between the top two tiers, that was the first time in a while that Ipswich had threatened to oust them as the power in the East; they’ve not since finished in the top six in the Championship and within four seasons were relegated. When the teams met in December, indeed, it was the first derby fixture in very nearly four years.

All of which makes this clash far more pertinent for both. Ipswich have promotion in their sights once more, and not just through the playoffs – they want silverware to go with the celebrations. And Norwich, after an abject start, have the playoffs very much in their sights: they sit sixth with a four-point buffer to the nearest club beneath them, although David Wagner’s Canaries have also played at least one match more than everyone around them.

With only six matches remaining for both these clubs, any slip-up now, any dropped points, could prove enormously costly.

Ipswich, 23 points better off than Norwich and with one of the best away records in the second tier, will start the game as favourites. But at this level, good away form merely means winning as many as you don’t win: 11 victories for the Tractor Boys, compared to nine non-wins. It’s a tough league to triumph on the road in, so that’s a very good strike-rate. On home soil then, necessarily, an excellent record is required to break into the top few sides in the league – and here is where Norwich excel.

Two months ago this column – here – made note that in a race between at least nine clubs, Norwich should be considered favourites for one of the two likely available playoff places – largely on account of their capacity to win at Carrow Road. Since then they have rattled off a further five straight wins at their stadium, making it seven in a row altogether and 10 wins from the last 13.

That equates to the third-best home record in the league – only Leeds and Ipswich themselves have more wins, more points at home – and means they’ve taken half a dozen points more there than Ipswich have on the road.

Then there’s the Josh Sargent factor. The American forward is a man in form for Norwich, top of the Championship charts for shots on target per 90 (1.8) and second behind only Jamie Vardy (0.95) for goals per 90 (0.93) this term. And in supply terms for him, Gabriel Sara is third in the Championship with chances created (102) and the only Ipswich player who can match that is Leif Davis (106) – with a large percentage of his from set plays.

In that particular battle, Davis leads the assists 16 to 11, but Sara has created one big chance more (14-13) and edges the xA per 90 too (0.26 – 0.25).

At the same time, it’s perhaps worth noting that Norwich goalkeeper Angus Gunn has a 68% save rate for the campaign, while Ipswich’s No.1 Vaclav Hladky is again somewhat lower, 66% – and with nine goals more conceded.

Three points in this game will put either side within touching distance of their primary objective for the entire year. A late collapse can still happen, but boosted by such a result would be improbable. It would also, of course, hamper their rivals in doing the same. The 2024/25 Premier League might yet see both Anglian clubs involved, for the first time in nearly 30 years. But 90 minutes at Carrow Road this weekend could determine which one has the biggest shot – and the bragging rights of the east.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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