Page 70 – The Pulse of Football

Oct

2024

Premier League Preview, Matchday Seven

Another international break is almost upon us. Before that, though, there’s one more round of Premier League fixtures.

There’s a lot at stake too. One of five teams could finish the weekend in top spot while five clubs are looking to bring their winless streaks to an end. Here are some things to look out for across matchday seven in the English top flight.

The Premier League leaders have an advantage

Liverpool head into the weekend as the Premier League leaders having taken 15 points from a possible 18. The Reds travel to Crystal Palace for the early kick-off on Saturday afternoon. A win guarantees them top spot and a draw could see them displaced at the summit.

On Wednesday, Arne Slot became the first Liverpool manager to win eight of his opening nine matches. The Merseyside club have a good record against the Eagles. They have lost just one of their previous 15 matches against this weekend’s opposition. That defeat just so happens to be the last time the two teams faced off at Anfield in April. However, Liverpool’s last defeat at Selhurst Park arrived in November 2014.

Oliver Glasner will want his side to bring that streak to an end on Saturday. He’ll also want his team to pick up their first win of the season. Currently, they are one of five teams without a victory in the Premier League this term. They lost to Everton last time out despite taking the lead at Goodison Park. The Eagles are finding goals hard to come by, having scored just five goals in their six outings, and they’ve registered just one clean sheet. We’re yet to see the superteam that ended the 2023/24 season. But there’s enough talent in the squad to cause an upset, especially when you consider the Reds have looked a little unconvincing in their last two victories.

The Bukayo Saka show

Arsenal host joint-bottom of the table Southampton this weekend with an opportunity claim top spot if results go their way. The Gunners are unbeaten across all competitions this season and claimed a 2-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League last time out.

The star of the show for Mikel Arteta’s side in the English top-flight this term is Saka. The England international leads the way for assists in the Premier League with five. The Arsenal No. 7 heads into this game having scored against the Ligue 1 champions in mid-week.

Saka has created the most big chances (nine) in the Premier League. He’s joint-second for chances created (20) and ranks third for Expected Assists (2.2). If the struggling Saints are going to get anything from this game, they’re going to have to stop Saka. it is easier said than done.

Russell Martin’s side have performed well at times but results have so far eluded the team. They’ve picked up just a single point, and they’ve scored just three goals while they’ve conceded 12. It doesn’t make for good reading and if Arsenal find their groove, it could become a lot worse on Saturday.

Unai Emery’s key player

Aston Villa picked up a famous 1-0 win over Bayern Munich in the Champions League this week. This result arrived just days after the Villans could only muster a draw against Ipswich Town in the Premier League. They missed the chance to move to level on points with Liverpool at the top of the table with that point at Portman Road.

However, they bounced back with the win over the German giants. They’ll head into the game against Manchester United this weekend full of confidence.

*For more graphics like this and breaking news – follow @fotmobapp on Instagram*

Villa are already six points ahead of United. They have four wins and a draw from their opening six matches, scoring 12 goals in the process. By comparison, the Red Devils have just two wins and have managed to find the back of the net on just five occasions.

Their attack is faltering. Aston Villa’s forward line is thriving, with both Ollie Watkins and Jhón Duran on four goals for the season already in the Premier League.

Morgan Rogers has also impressed for Emery this term but the surprise package has been Youri Tielemans.

The Belgian maestro has carved out 12 chances this term. He’s the only Villa player into double figures for this metric this season. He’s been responsible for five big chances and he’s joint-top for assists within Aston Villa squad. His FotMob rating of 7.68 is the highest in the squad.

If United can’t stop him pulling the strings at Villa Park on Sunday, they could be in trouble.

Maresca has Chelsea firing

Previous managers have struggled to turn this Chelsea group into a team. Maresca doesn’t appear to be having such a problem. The Blues are in fourth place in the Premier League and could end the weekend in top spot depending on how other results go.

The underlying numbers back up their performances. Maresca’s side are third in the Expected Points table. They have won three on the bounce in the Premier League, scoring eight goals and conceding just twice. Chelsea are the highest scorers in the English top-flight with 15 and they have the third highest xG total with 12.2 behind Liverpool (12.6) and Manchester City (12.4).

They really have found their groove. Nicolas Jackson is firing, Jadon Sancho looks to be a player reborn following the switch to Stamford Bridge while Cole Palmer continues to do Cole Palmer things. His four-goal showing against Brighton last weekend means he’s now on 10 goal involvements for the campaign.

Nottingham Forest, who suffered their first loss of the season last weekend, will have to be at their resilient best to keep a rampant Chelsea side under control.

(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.

Oct

2024

The top performances in MLS, Midweek Matchday 36

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

By James Nalton

The Top Two

9.3 FotMob rating: Karol Świderski, Charlotte FC

Dean Smith’s Charlotte FC side qualified for the MLS post-season after a masterclass from their Polish forward Świderski helped them to a 4-3 win against Chicago Fire.

Świderski played a great one-two with teammate Pep Biel to open the scoring in impressive fashion. After featuring among our top performers from Matchday 35, Biel was good once again in Matchday 36, and set up Júnior Urso for the second goal.

Świderski then scored his second via a header from Nathan Byrne’s cross and assisted Charlotte’s fourth for Liel Abada.

Świderski and his teammates will now be looking to ensure Charlotte qualify for round one of the playoffs proper rather than having to go through the wildcard round.

9.2 FotMob rating: Lewis Morgan, New York Red Bulls

New York Red Bulls needed something positive to pick them up from a demoralising derby defeat last weekend against New York City, and Morgan was the man to provide it.

He drew the foul that brought the penalty opportunity for Emil Forsberg to score the opening goal, and then found John Tolkin in acres of space on the left to assist his goal that made it 2-0.

The Scotland international scored one of his own from the penalty spot before rounding off his involvement in all four Red Bulls goals with an assist for Elias Manoel to make it 4-1 against a sorry-looking Toronto FC.

The Red Bulls have now qualified for the playoffs for 15 consecutive seasons, but they will be judged on whether they make progress in the post season, rather than just qualifying for it.

Three more standout performers

8.9 FotMob rating: Brad Stuver, Austin FC

Only Inter Miami and LA Galaxy have scored more goals than Portland Timbers in MLS this season, but against a barrage of shots, Austin goalkeeper Stuver helped his side snatch a win in Oregon.

Portland had 26 shots to Austin’s seven, and Austin only managed one on target – Daniel Pereira’s shot for the goal which took a big deflection to evade Timbers goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau.

After that slice of luck, this Austin win was down to Stuver, who stopped an xG on target of 1.34 from Portland’s total xG of 2.39,

That suggests some poor finishing from the Timbers, but Stuver made some important stops amid his total of ten saves, taking his total to 125 saves this season – more than any other goalkeeper in the league.

Highlights in this game included two stops from Jonathan Rodríguez, both of which went down as big chances for Portland, both of which were stopped by Austin’s Man of the Match.

9.1 FotMob rating: Hernán López, San Jose Earthquakes

San Jose may already be confirmed as recipients of this season’s wooden spoon, but López and his teammates were not downing tools as he put in an excellent display to see his side to a 3-2 win against FC Dallas.

His first goal was reminiscent of the next player to come on this list of standout players, as he darted into space, received the ball from a teammate, and sent a shot inside the far post left footed from outside the area.

A second followed later in the game to give San Jose the lead once again, this time López found himself in the centre-forward position and dinked his finish over onrushing Dallas goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer.

López finished the game having completed four out of four dribble attempts and won nine out of 12 ground duels.

8.9 FotMob rating: Lionel Messi, Inter Miami

Numerous players could have made the list of five this week, it could easily have extended to ten such were the number of standout performances in Matchweek 36 fixtures, but none had as much riding on them as Inter Miami versus Columbus Crew.

It looked like Messi had made a great assist for Marcelo Weigandt in the early stages of this game, but the goal was disallowed for a very close offside call (MLS VAR doesn’t draw lines).

Shortly after, Sergio Busquets very lucky to escape a sending off for serious foul play and several yellow cards, so there were no shortage of incidents before Messi finally opened the scoring in this entertaining game.

Messi bundled one in following some great centre-forward play to score the first for Miami, worrying the Columbus defenders enough so that they didn’t make a strong challenge on him in the penalty area, and the ball eventually bobbled up for him to poke home.

There was no bundling about the second goal, which was a trademark Messi free-kick curled around the outside of the wall and inside the post.

Luis Suárez scored the all-important third goal in a game that finished 3-2 and left supporters wanting more of this fixture in the upcoming playoffs.

To rub salt in the wound, Columbus had Rudy Camacho sent off for serious foul play for a challenge on a similar level of severity to the one Busquets committed in the first half.

The win meant Inter Miami were crowned Supporters’ Shield winners for topping the overall MLS league standings, and that they did so at the home of the current MLS Cup and Leagues Cup champions only adds to this burgeoning competitive rivalry ahead of the playoffs.

(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.

Oct

2024

Samu Omorodion: The Porto striker excelling after missing out on Chelsea move

Samu Omorodion looked all-but-set to complete a high-profile move to Chelsea from Atlético Madrid this summer, however the deal fell through in the closing stages. Instead, the striker sealed a switch to FC Porto and has quickly hit the ground running at the Estádio do Dragão.

By Luke Bissett

Born in Melilla, an autonomous city of Spain that sits, surrounded by Morocco, on the north African coast, Omorodion relocated to Andalusia at a young age. During his childhood, he turned out for local amateur side AD Nervion, before joining Granada’s youth set-up at 17.

After excelling in the Granada B team, scoring 18 goals across 33 appearances in Spain’s fourth tier, Omorodion soon received his big break. The striker made his debut in LaLiga on the opening day of last season, against Atlético Madrid, netting Granada’s only goal in a 3-1 defeat. And it would prove to be Omorodion’s only appearance for the Andalusian side.

The forward had made an almighty impression on his opponents, with Atlético moving quickly to sign Omorodion just days after their league meeting. The Spanish giants immediately loaned the striker out to fellow top-flight side Alavés, with neither party looking back since.

Omorodion finished last season as Alavés’ top scorer, notching nine goals in 35 league appearances for the Babazorros. The 20-year-old was a revelation for Luis García’s side, as he spearheaded the newly-promoted side to a tenth place finishlast term – Alaves’ highest in LaLiga since 2016-17 under Mauricio Pellegrino.

It was a remarkable breakout campaign at the Mendizorroza for Omorodion – who wasted little time in acclimatising to the rigours of the Spanish top-flight. The Spain Under-21 international’s first eight strikes came in his first 22 LaLiga appearances for Alavés, the third-highest tally for an Alavés player at that stage of the season, in the competition, since the turn of the century.

Standing at 6ft 4in, Omorodion offers a unique profile, with his physically imposing stature perfectly suited to being a modern No. 9. The 20-year-old poses a constant threat in the final third and is a constant handful for defenders. This is because the forward is able to mix it up, either utilising his frame to act as a target man or play on the last defender and run in behind.

It is in transition that Omorodion is particularly ruthless, as he thrives when there is vast spaces to exploit. He scored more goals from fast breaks than any other player in LaLiga last term (four). Despite his size, the forward is extremely mobile and is always seeking to stretch play – more often leaving opposition defences at sixes and sevens.

The youngster’s physicality is also perfect when providing his side with an out-ball. Alavés had the lowest average possession in LaLiga across 2023-24 (41.4%), and Omorodion’s hold-up play was integral when acting as a reference point for relieving pressure for García’s side.

Omorodion has quickly developed a knack for arriving in the right place at the right time, and his perfectly timed runs across the face of the box allow him to be the ultimate penalty box poacher. He averaged 0.52 non-penalty xG per 90 in the Spanish top-flight last term – the fifth highest of any player in the competition.

The 20-year-old’s ascent to becoming one of the most promising strikers in Europe has been breathtaking. Only Jude Bellingham (19) scored more goals across the big five European leagues last season among players aged 20 or under, while he became the youngest player this century to score home and away against Barcelona in the same season (19 years old).

Following his spectacular campaign in northern Spain, Omorodion seemed destined to return to parent club Atlético this summer, with a view of challenging for a spot in the first team squad. Atlético, meanwhile, had other ideas. Diego Simeone’s side made huge outlays for forwards Alexander Sørloth and Julián Álvarez in the summer window – leaving Omorodion as a sellable asset just 12 months after his signing.

Yet after a summer of speculation regarding a potential move for the 20-year-old to Chelsea, the deal collapsed at the final hurdle. Atlético were then forced to seek other potential suitors for Omorodion, which ultimately led to his switch to FC Porto. The Portuguese giants were in the market for a new No. 9 following the departures of both Medhi Taremi and Evanilson – to Inter and AFC Bournemouth respectively – earlier in the window, identifying Omorodion as their replacement.

*Omorodion shot map, Liga Portugal, 2024/25*

And the young striker has taken to his new found home like a duck to water, scoring five goals in his first five appearances for the Dragons – breaking records in the process. In fact, the striker’s quickfire start has made him the first player to score 3+ goals in his first three matches for Porto in the Liga Portugal since Tiquinho Soares in 2017.

The 20-year-old has enjoyed an equally terrific start to life in European football, notching the opening goal in Porto’s Europa League defeat to Bodø/Glimt on Matchday 1. And he will hope to continue in the same fashion when Porto host Manchester United in the same competition tonight.

While he may have missed out on a summer move to Chelsea, you can be certain that Omorodion is relishing the chance to torment a Premier League defence at the first time of asking.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Oct

2024

Dejan Kulusevski’s improvement could see him become main man for Spurs

Until last season, Dejan Kulusevski wasn’t the most consistent Tottenham player, but he is now starting to come leaps and bounds under Ange Postecoglou.

By Kaustubh Pandey

During his time at Juventus, Kulusevski often cut an isolated figure. After doing well for coach Andrea Pirlo, he was shafted out wide under Max Allegri in a very structured and pragmatic system.

He struggled to make an impact on a regular basis and was held back by the setup in place, constantly having to stay near the touchline and limit his strengths as a footballer.

A move to Tottenham under Antonio Conte followed, with the Italian having tried to sign him at Inter having seen him during an earlier loan stint at Parma from first club Atalanta. They united at Spurs and there were glimmers of brilliance. Something similar was seen last season, when Kulusevski scored eight times and it was his best goalscoring tally in a single season since that spell at Parma in the 2019/20 season.

Thriving in a central role

Towards the end of last season though, Ange Postecoglou stumbled upon the idea of using the Swede in a more central role. That has carried on this season and it has made Kulusevski someone who makes Tottenham tick in attack.

It isn’t quite an experiment as you might think though. While the perception around the ex-Atalanta man was that he is a wide player who constantly cuts inside, that isn’t how things were during his time with the Atalanta Primavera side (youth team). He was constantly played in a right sided number eight role at La Dea, where an attacking system was always in place and the Swede’s 1v1 ability would come to the fore.

At Parma, Kulusevski did play in a wide role under Roberto D’Aversa but he had the freedom to constantly attack on his own. While that brought a lot out of him, it is under Postecoglou that Kulusevski is looking like someone who is constantly involved and is using his ability to go past defenders, play the final ball and operate in the half-spaces.

Always involved and doing the dangerous work

An example of how well he can perform in a central role in the current Spurs setup came against Manchester United last weekend, against whom Kulusevski opened his account for the season.

*Big chances created, Man United vs. Spurs, Sep 2024*

He created three big chances, two more than anyone else on the pitch. He was also in the top-five in the game for accurate forward zone passes and created xG of 0.39 in the game.

In fact, no one has created more chances in the Premier League than the 24-year-old in the Spurs side this season. He stands at 20, seven more than second-placed Son.

*Spurs chances created, Premier League 2024/25*

He is also at second for the most amount of possession won in the final third, which suggests that he is more than just about chance creation. For a system that relies on structural play in attack and a high press, Kulusevski is becoming a perfect player because of how he likes to win the ball back high up the pitch and also attacks quickly while finding the right space.

Ange’s system working wonders for Kulusevski

In general, there have been question marks about the sustainability of Postecoglou’s system in the Premier League. It is a completely different ball-game from what he faced in the Scottish Premiership with Celtic, as teams in England rarely defend deep and the freakish pace of the game makes sure that ultra-attacking systems can be undermined.

Postecoglou has faced those problems already, with Spurs’ defensive shape often found wanting while defending in transition. But just when some other managers would make a defensive change, Ange has gone the other way. He has made an attacking change, making sure that Kulusevski and James Maddison operate as higher No. 8s, with the full-backs inverting and making sure that the team can pin the opposition well back.

There is an issue around the 1v1 ability of many players out wide but the setup allows Kulusevski to always be around the half-space and finding the pockets between the opposition’s backline and midfield. He has enough support around him to combine with players instead of doing it all on his own, which is something he was prone to trying a lot when playing out wide.

*Kulusevski passing stats, Premier League 2024/25*

The future is bright

A case can be made that things can yet get better for the ex-Juventus man, but a lot of it depends on Tottenham themselves.

The lack of the ability of wide players to win 1v1 duels is an issue which impacts the whole attack and many times, Kulusevski suffers from it too. When it works, it works wonders – as it did against United.

There might still be concerns about the Sweden international’s consistency but this is a player who probably hasn’t hit his peak yet. If Spurs persist with the current setup, Kulusevski plays centrally, and the wide players improve, he could become their most important player this season.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Oct

2024

Preview: FC Porto vs. Manchester United

After the nadir that was Sunday’s defeat to Tottenham in the Premier League, Manchester United will look to pick themselves up before their trip to Porto and the resumption of Europa League action on Thursday.

By Dan Tracey

The Red Devils arrive in Portugal still under the stewardship of manager Erik ten Hag and although the club’s board have gone on record to say the Dutchman’s future is safe in the short term, the same commitments have not been made past the international break.

The upcoming October pause in action could end up being the perfect time for United to change the current man in charge – that is of course if United’s next two performances against Porto and Aston Villa (at the weekend) are far from perfect.

Then again, if ten Hag can oversee victory in one of the two pre-break fixtures, in either Portugal or the West Midlands, it will buy the former Ajax boss time before the next crisis envelopes the Old Trafford outfit.

The ‘crisis’ in its current form accelerated after losing 3-0 to Tottenham on Sunday but was ignited after an indifferent performance in the opening Europa League matchday of the newly expanded format.

A 1-1 draw at home to FC Twente was far from meeting the expectations that would have been set by manager and supporters alike, and although United dominated metrics such as total shots and possession, they did not dominate the one metric that truly matters the most.

That point against Twente was still a point more than Thursday’s hosts managed from their own opening European exploits of the new season.

Vitor Bruno’s men went up against Bodø/Glimt and even though the Aspmyra Stadion outfit were reduced to 10 men after Isak Maatta’s sending off early in the second half, Porto’s Norwegian opponents were already well on their way to victory.

2-1 down with the numerical advantage on the field of play, soon became 3-1 to Glimt after Jens Petter Hauge’s second of the game and even though Deniz Gul’s injury time goal reduced Porto’s deficit to create a potential grandstand finish, that would be the last goalmouth action.

Now though, the team that currently finds themselves sitting second in the Liga Portugal cannot afford to be second best on Thursday but by the same token, defeat is the last thing that Erik ten Hag and his United cohorts need right now.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Oct

2024

Marc Casado has saved Barcelona’s season and made his own career

Gavi. Frenkie de Jong. Dani Olmo. Fermín López. Even Andreas Christensen, a defensive midfield stand-in last season. The list of central absentees Barcelona have faced this season already would make some clubs give up and rely on either out of position backups or clearly-not-yet-ready youngsters, but they have instead turned to a succession of players who have not just helped them to the top of LaLiga, but forged clear paths to a career for themselves in the process.

By Karl Matchett

Marc Bernal, Pablo Torre and Pau Víctor have all taken part in LaLiga already, across midfield or attacking midfield roles, but none have played more or impressed as often as another: 21-year-old Marc Casado.

His rise under new boss Hansi Flick is all the more remarkable as it seemed he would be leaving this summer initially, not given much of a look-in by Xavi despite captaining the B team, making only two top-flight appearances. Even across all competitions, he has already played more times under Flick this term than he had under Xavi in two years being involved with the seniors.

Usually a holding midfielder or controlling player right in the middle for the B team, he has operated both in the latter role and higher upfield under Flick – his ability to dictate the tempo of Barca’s play, find space in the final third and execute the final pass being a massive boost to the side, with so many other creative passers absent.

His quick impact has not gone unnoticed. “We are not talking enough about Marc Casado and his impact on Barcelona’s midfield. He has made himself important [in] the build-up, his intensity and dynamism with lots of quality on the ball. Key player right now,” said former Barca attacker Luis García.

Casado’s on the ball work bears out such a lofty assessment. If a 91% pass accuracy in LaLiga and more successful passes per 90 minutes than 95% of the rest of the league comes as expected in a Barcelona midfielder, perhaps being dispossessed precisely zero times in 382 minutes offers a glimpse at his poise and timing. He averages over 80 touches a game and has created four chances with a combined xA of 0.68 – in the upper 20% of the league, for context. And it isn’t all about his on-the-ball work either, as he wins 62% of his duels, better than 88% of LaLiga midfielders so far.

The youngster is quickly becoming a go-to option whether Barcelona need more control or more creativity: Hansi Flick trusts him, his teammates trust him. Perhaps the latter isn’t so surprising, given a number of them are youngsters right now who will have played together for some time. Casado has partnered Bernal in the centre, for example, with Pedri the third man higher up – and the rookie duo have a connection which, given the way they talk about it, is reminiscent of Pedri himself and Gavi. Or, for the previous generation, Xavi and Andres Iniesta.

“I have a great connection with Casado. We feel very comfortable on the pitch playing together,” says one.

“We understand each other with just a glance. We don’t talk to each other. With one look we already see what the other player is thinking. I think that with our movements you can see that there is a connection,” says the other.

Such familiarity has undoubtedly served Barcelona well given the lack of familiarity about the names on the teamsheet, and they’ve already moved to build on that cohesion: Casado has a new contract tied up along with several of the other youngsters who have made their name this term.

It’s really no wonder that Barcelona feel – now, if not as recently as six months ago – that Casado can play a big part in their future. Still struggling with an enormous salary bill, unable to properly sign players and register them without offloading others and with stadium redevelopments and other costs ensuring the complex web of club finances is still years from being fully untangled, La Masia graduates like Casado – and Bernal, Alex Balde, even Lamine Yamal for goodness’ sake – have the dual impact of costing nothing initially and costing much less on an ongoing basis than some of the bought-in star names.

While it’s way too early to compare his senior impact to, say, Frenkie de Jong, it doesn’t need a huge leap to imagine the Dutchman’s wages going the same way of İlkay Gündoğan’s, if Casado continues to bring cohesion and quality. Especially if De Jong’s injuries don’t clear up, and that goes double with the prospect of bringing in a big transfer fee.

Without him, Barcelona’s season would never have got off to the type of start which leaves them top of LaLiga. Casado can be assured he has not only helped salvage their campaign right from the start, but that he has also given himself a senior career to look forward to.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Oct

2024

FPL tips from the reigning champ: GW 7

Get ahead of the Group Chat thanks to our new regular column from FPL expert Jonas Sand Låbakk.

By FotMob, in conversation with Jonas Sand Låbakk

Introducing our expert

Jonas is a 21 year old student who, like FotMob, hails from Norway, but unlike the frustrated Fantasy Premier League players in the office, he did something we could only dream of last season. He finished first, ahead of 11 million other managers in the 2023/24 season.

Who better then, to provide us with some expert advice each week.

The Eye Test vs. The Stats

As we approach each gameweek, I always like to compare the eye test to the stats from the previous gameweek (GW6). While statistics like expected goals (xG) and assists provide concrete data, watching games offers deeper insights into players’ overall form and influence. As we know, some players shine in the stats, but underperform on the pitch, while others catch the eye but don’t yet have the numbers to back that up. Balancing these approaches can help guide you to better FPL decisions and was a crucial part of my strategy last season.

Bukayo Saka (10.1m) played a really good game against Leicester City and was Arsenal’s main source for creativity – but unfortunately for owners in FPL, he didn’t get any returns. He accumulated a total of 1.08 xGI (expected goal involvements) and alongside that, he created four big chances. On another day he could have easily had three, maybe even four assists. Southampton are next up for the Gunners and after their heavy loss to Bournemouth on Monday night, I would not sell Saka under any circumstances ahead of gameweek 7.

Elsewhere, Spurs absolutely battered Manchester United last weekend! Dominic Solanke (7.6m) – as predicted in our previous column – came into his own, looking sharp, and getting himself in to good positions. He recorded a total of 1.34 xGI and had three shots in the box. With Heung-Min Son still injured, Solanke might even be Tottenham’s preferred penalty taker. Going forward, Spurs have some good fixtures coming up, starting with what looks like a leaky Brighton defence this coming weekend.

Long shot

Ipswich Town faced a tough run of fixtures to start the season but that that is easing now. Leif Davis (4.5m) is playing well going forward and contributes in terms of taking a few corners. In his last game he created three big chances and despite not returning offensively or keeping a clean sheet, he still got a bonus point. I don’t expect a lot of clean sheets for Ipswich, but Leif Davis definitely has the attacking upside and he showed that in the Championship last season, recording a whopping 19 assists. With him only being owned by 2.1% of the players in the game, I believe he can be a decent differential.

Upcoming games to follow

Gameweek 7 of FPL is a favourable one for a lot of the Big Six teams. Tottenham play Brighton who conceded 4.16 xGC last game. Liverpool play Crystal Palace who have been pretty underwhelming so far this season. Arsenal play newly promoted Southampton and Manchester City face Fulham at the Etihad. There are quite a few interesting players who I think have the potential to score highly in this round of games.

Kai Havertz (8.2m) scored a goal vs Leicester last week and tallied an impressive 1.93 xGI, and he has scored in all five of Arsenal’s home games in all competitions. He’s definitely one to watch despite their fixtures turning from gameweek 9 onwards when they play Liverpool, Newcastle, and Chelsea in consecutive rounds.

Rico Lewis (4.7m) played in a really advanced position against Newcastle, more advanced than any other Man City defender, but did not create any big chances and didn’t even get a return. If he starts, I think he can provide good value against Fulham.

My key men this week

As mentioned, Arsenal face Southampton at the Emirates this week and I have three Arsenal players in my squad: Gabriel (6.2m), William Saliba (6.0m) and Bukayo Saka (10.1m). I expect a clean sheet from Arsenal and hopefully Saka gets rewarded for his chance creation.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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Oct

2024

Bryan Zaragoza is looking to make his mark back in LaLiga

Osasuna put Barcelona to the sword on Saturday and nobody did more to cut through the visitors to El Sadar than Bryan Zaragoza.

By Graham Ruthven

The 23-year-old raced through on goal, sat down Iñaki Peña and finished into the empty net to give Los Rojillos a 2-0 lead that would ultimately culminate in a 4-2 victory. This was after Zaragoza had set up the opener. He was a constant threat.

Of course, LaLiga fans already knew Zaragoza to be capable of moments like these. The winger was a star performer for Granada in the first half of the 2023/24 season, contributing eight goal contributions (six goals and two assists) in just 21 appearances for the promoted side. He also forced his way into the Spanish national team fold.

Europe’s elite were watching and Bayern Munich moved, signing Zaragoza for a fee of around €20m in this year’s January transfer window. Many saw the Spaniard as the perfect solution for a Bayern team that needed another wide option, but Zaragoza failed to make much of an impression in seven Bundesliga appearances in the second half of last season.

With Michael Olise arriving at the Allianz Arena this summer, it became clear that Zaragoza had no role in Vincent Kompany’s team, leading the 23-year-old to join Osasuna on loan for the 2024/25 campaign. As ill-advised as the transfer to Bayern Munich was as a career decision, the return to LaLiga has allowed Zaragoza to shine again.

Sitting in seventh place, Osasuna have made a strong start to the new season, losing just two of their eight fixtures so far. Vicente Moreno’s team have yet to lose at El Sadar, giving them the best home record in all of LaLiga. Saturday’s win over Barcelona was no fluke – this has become the norm for Osasuna in front of their own supporters.

Los Rojillos have made a habit of finishing in mid-table in recent years, even finishing a lofty seventh two seasons ago. While Osasuna once bounced between Spain’s top two divisions, they have now established themselves as a permanent fixture in LaLiga. Now, though, Osasuna want to break through the glass ceiling that has stopped them rising any further.

El Sadar has been expanded and redeveloped at a cost of €21m to increase Osasuna’s matchday revenue. The youth academy has also been renovated to strengthen the pathway into the first team that has helped produce first team figures like Aimar Oroz and Abel Bretones. Osasuna continue to over-achieve on a budget that is a fraction of most of their rivals.

And yet sporting director Braulio Vázquez has dipped into the transfer market to add quality when it makes sense – and it certainly made sense to sign Zaragoza when Bayern Munich didn’t want him. The 23-year-old has added flair and some much-needed individualism to a team that was well-coached and well-drilled last season, but lacked a difference-maker in the final third.

Zaragoza and Ante Budimir have quickly forged an understanding, as demonstrated by the way the pair linked up to open the scoring against Barcelona. As a physical focal point, there are few better than Budimir in Spain’s top division and the Croatian striker now has Zaragoza as a supply line to rely on.

As brightly as Zaragoza shone against Barcelona, he can still deliver more on a consistent basis. He hadn’t scored for Osasuna this season before finding the back of the net on Saturday. By Zaragoza’s own admission, he must start scoring more regularly to achieve his full potential as a goal-dangerous wide attacker.

There is something about Zaragoza that is a throwback to another era. He is an old school winger in the way his first thought is to take on opponents. He is Osasuna’s most prolific dribbler and is most effective when he has the freedom to drive forward with the ball at his feet. The second smallest player in LaLiga can be a big threat.

In hindsight, Zaragoza wasn’t ready for the jump up to a club like Bayern Munich. He hadn’t even played a full season in LaLiga when the Bundesliga giants came calling. The talent was clear, but Zaragoza needed more time to refine his game and that’s what he has now at Osasuna. This could be the most important season of his career.

Zaragoza has already played more minutes for Osasuna this season than he did for Bayern Munich last season. Not only did the win over Barca highlight the 23-year-old’s quality, it demonstrated the potential of Los Rojillos as a team that could disrupt LaLiga’s upper echelons. They will need more moments like the ones Zaragoza proved against Barcelona for that to happen.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Oct

2024

Nicolas Jackson is getting some hard-earned respect at Chelsea

When Chelsea parted with £32million in the summer of 2023 to sign Nicolas Jackson, eyebrows were raised.

By Sam McGuire

The forward had been set to move to Bournemouth for £20million just months earlier before a hamstring issue forced the Premier League club to back out of the deal.

He finished the 2022/23 campaign well with Villarreal and this late-season form convinced the Blues to move for him, just at a heavily inflated rate.

And it was apparent Chelsea, despite bringing Jackson to Stamford Bridge, weren’t necessarily convinced he was the main man for them. They tried and failed to land Darwin Núñez from Liverpool. Victor Osimhem and Ivan Toney were both reportedly of interest, as was Juventus forward Dušan Vlahović.

Perhaps surprisingly given their free spending ways, the Blues weren’t able to add to their attacking ranks and Jackson was part of Mauricio Pochettino’s starting XI. The young striker was erratic, at best. He was ridiculed for missing big chances galore while being inconsistent in front of goal.

The narrative was that if Chelsea wanted to challenge for a top four finish, they would need a more reliable goalscorer.

What seemed to go under the radar was that Jackson was contributing in the final phase. In his debut campaign in England, he finished with 14 goals and five assists. Only Cole Palmer (22) scored more goals while the Senegal international also ranked fourth within the Chelsea squad for assists. Only Palmer (7.78) and Conor Gallagher (7.5) could better Jackson’s FotMob rating for the season of 7.18.

The Blues, again, failed to add to their centre forward ranks this summer. They bolstered other areas but Jackson has been the man spearheading Enzo Maresca’s new look Chelsea team. There’s one big difference though.

People are now taking Jackson seriously. Why wouldn’t you, though? He’s started the season in fine form, netting four goals and assisting three goals in six appearances in the Premier League.

Only Palmer (six) has more goals and the England international struck four times against Brighton to bolster that haul. Jackson ranks second to Palmer (four) for assists too while he’s third when looking at the FotMob ranking on 7.6. The players above him? Palmer (8.26) as you’d expect, and a resurgent Jadon Sancho (7.78).

*Jackson shotmap, Premier League 2024/25*

Jackson is now fairly consistent. He’s reliable. He’s everything you want from a young, modern day centre forward. His performances are finally getting acknowledged too.

There’s a reason he’s keeping Christopher Nkunku out of the Chelsea starting XI.

Speaking on TNT Sports recently, Peter Crouch heaped praise on the Chelsea No. 15.

Crouch, a player with over 100 Premier League goals to his name, knows what he’s talking about when strikers are the topic of conversation. He said: “I looked at the stats from last year, and if you take penalties out of it, he’s ahead of Mo Salah. There’s only [Erling] Haaland that’s above him. So many technical players with ability and that have scored a lot of goals, he’s right up there [with them]. He probably needs a little bit more respect.

“He missed quite a lot of chances last year and got highlighted for that, but he’s continued to get them, and now he’s taking them. Hopefully a good season for him.”

While former Chelsea forward Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink believes the Blues have bagged themselves a bargain.

“I really like Nicolas Jackson,” Hasselbaink said in an interview with Genting Casino.

“He’s not just effective for Chelsea, but he causes endless problems for defenders. Last season, he scored 14 Premier League goals, which is impressive for a debut season. Many of those goals came in games where the result was already decided, so the next step for him is to score when it really counts—when the pressure is on. That’s what he’s starting to do this season.”

“That’s the next step for Jackson—he needs to consistently score at the highest level. If he can do that, I’m convinced he’ll be a £150 million player.”

The 23-year-old looks a lot more confident and assured this season. That might be one of the reasons why his underlying numbers are painting a much nicer picture.

Last term, Jackson found himself in good areas on a regular basis but he was unable to convert. He had an xG haul of 18.6 but an xGOT total of 15.9. His shot placement and finishing devalued efforts. It turned good opportunities into ok situations.

This time around, he’s a little more consistent. He has four goals from an xG total of 4.66 and an xGOT total of 4.25. His finishing is average, but that is what you want from your forward. You want them to convert their opportunities. He’s doing what he’s supposed to be doing, all while not shying away from his defensive duties, something Maresca mentioned after the win over West Ham United.

Speaking to Chelsea TV, the Blues boss said: He was very good. Not only because he scored twice; the way he works off the ball has been fantastic. He and Cole, sometimes had to defend three-on-two.

“So I am happy with Nicolas in terms of numbers – goals and assists – but especially happy because the way he has worked has been fantastic.”

Jackson is slowly but surely developing into one of the most well-rounded forwards in the Premier League. He’s scoring and assisting. He’s a constant threat and he’s busy without the ball. Chelsea have spent a lot of money over recent seasons and Palmer is their best buy, but Jackson isn’t too far behind.

(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.

Oct

2024

Preview: Liverpool vs. Bologna

Liverpool’s start to the season has been almost flawless. Arne Slot has guided his side to seven wins from eight matches.

By Sam McGuire

The Reds sit top of the Premier League table and kicked off their Champions League campaign with a 3-1 win against Milan away at San Siro.

The only hiccup for Slot and his players arrived against Nottingham Forest, at Anfield, when the visitors stunned the hosts and claimed a shock 1-0 win. The Reds are back at Anfield this week as they take on Bologna in the Champions League.

Last season, Bologna shocked the masses to claim a fifth place finish in Serie A. They finished just seven points behind second placed AC Milan and just three points off of third placed Juventus.

However, they lost a number of key personnel in the summer. Riccardo Calafiori moved to Arsenal while Joshua Zirkzee was signed by Manchester United and manager Thiago Motta was headhunted by Juventus.

They did spend some money in the transfer window to bring in a number of new faces, but their start to the campaign has been a little underwhelming. Bologna are currently 13th in the Italian top-flight and have won just one match. On the flip side to that, they’ve only lost one game all season too and that was against the league leaders Napoli. They’re difficult to beat but they’ve lacked the quality to turn positive performances into all three points.

Vincenzo Italiano’s side kicked off their Champions League campaign with a draw against Shakhtar Donetsk. The Italian side managed to limit their visitors to a Non-Penalty Expected Goals haul of just 0.08.

The same cannot be said for their defensive performances in Serie A. Bologna have an Expected Goals Conceded per 90 average of 1.36. Worryingly for them, Napoli and Atalanta are the only top teams they have come up against so far this season. The fact they’ve been as leaky as they have been while facing mid-table teams at best is not a good sign.

Italiano will no doubt be obsessing over this ahead of the game at Anfield. Bologna aren’t the best defensively and they’re coming up against one of the best attacking sides in Europe. The Reds are averaging two goals per game and have the second highest Expected Goals haul in the Premier League.

This should be a routine win for Liverpool. If they’re focused and professional, it will be. If, however, they take it for granted, another Anfield upset could be on the cards.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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