Page 73 – The Pulse of Football

Mar

2024

Assessing Germany’s striker situation: Spoilt for choice?

It would be far from controversial to say that the German men’s national side have experienced something of a crisis in the striker department since the retirement of a certain Miroslav Klose. A number of options have been experimented with in his stead – Mario Götze, Timo Werner and Kai Havertz, to name a few.

By Ninad Barbadikar

It wasn’t until the introduction of Niclas Füllkrug that the problem had a stable solution. The now-Borussia Dortmund forward has emerged somewhat unexpectedly to become the defacto number nine for the national team. A good showing in Qatar at the World Cup has certainly cemented his claim to that.

Now though, Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann may be spoilt for choice ahead of the 2024 Euros in Germany. He has at least four credible options who will back themselves to be in the final team. Let’s look at each of them.

Deniz Undav

In what is only his fourth full season as a professional footballer, Deniz Undav has undoubtedly been one of the big surprise packages of the season.

On loan at VfB Stuttgart from Brighton and Hove Albion for the 2023-24 season, Undav has notched 14 goals and laid on a further six assists in just over 1400 Bundesliga minutes.

Serhou Guirassy has made headlines for his goal-scoring feats for Die Schwaben, but Undav’s own tally is nothing to sneeze at either. What makes the 27-year-old standout and be effective is his ability to generate shots and constantly be a threat inside the opposition box.

The German has averaged an incredible 0.74 xG per 90 in the Bundesliga this term, whilst his 14 goals have come from a tally of 11.62 xG. His strong underlying numbers can be attributed to just how many shots he gets away on a regular basis.

For a striker at 5”8’ ft. in height, Undav is no pushover in the air and even more effective in ground duels as well. He has a strong stocky build which is not as common in modern-day 9s. What he lacks in pace, he more than makes up for with his hold-up play and capacity to be a net-positive in possession.

Under Nagelsmann’s command for Germany, Undav would likely be best used in a strike pairing, with someone like Füllkrug. This would allow him to drop into pockets, link with Germany’s creative attackers and then attack opposition defences with well-timed runs into the box.

Maximilian Beier

From one late bloomer to a rookie making all the right noises, Hoffenheim’s Maximilian Beier is a star on the rise.

In what is his first full season in the Bundesliga, the 20-year-old has 12 goals from 25 appearances – a superb return for a forward who is very much still a raw talent.

Above all things, Beier is direct and fearless when taking on his markers. He excites audiences and devastates defences with his pace, and ability to time his runs on the counter.

The youngster’s lanky tall build also makes him a handful to contain, and yet, the most promising aspect of his skillset as a forward is his sense of positioning in and around the box.

Beier is a manager’s dream not only because of all the things he brings on the ball but off the ball as well, he works his socks off whilst pressing and has punished teams that have failed to live with his intensity. Borussia Dortmund experienced that first-hand at home in the 3-2 defeat to Hoffenheim.

Combining his off-ball strengths with explosiveness in transition, Beier makes for the perfect super-sub for Nagelsmann’s Germany at the Euros.

Marvin Ducksch

Another late bloomer in contention for a spot in Nagelsmann’s squad is Werder Bremen star Marvin Ducksch.

The former Dortmund youth academy product was first called up in November last year following an excellent start to the season.

“He brings a good amount of madness, which we need. He can be very valuable, especially as a joker,” said Nagelsmann, explaining his decision to call up the Bremen man back then.

Ducksch has carried Bremen on his back following Niclas Füllkrug’s departure last summer, scoring nine goals and making five assists in the league this season. The two strikers formed a fearsome pairing in the 2022-23 season, combining for some 39 goal contributions.

Nowadays, Ducksch is the main man at Bremen. Although he is physically quite similar to Füllkrug in being a target-man striker who can receive, hold-up the ball, and link play as well, Ducksch’s creative strengths are what help him stand out as a forward.

Standing at 6 ‘1 ft, Ducksch has a gangly yet strong frame which makes him a highly effective outlet for long balls into the final third. Once in possession of the ball, much like Füllkrug did last year at Bremen, Ducksch is usually the one making the final pass for runners around him.

The 30-year-old’s strong creative underlying numbers are also supplemented by his ability from set-pieces, he’s already shown his threat in those situations on multiple occasions this term.

Nagelsmann’s comments in the past do suggest that if Ducksch finishes the season strongly, he could well be a serious contender to be part of the final squad. The former Dortmund man enjoys a close relationship with first-choice Füllkrug, and brings a lot of variety to the table with what he can do as a striker.

Niclas Füllkrug

Finally, we close with the main man himself, Niclas Füllkrug.

Replacing Erling Haaland hasn’t been the easiest of tasks for the Dortmund hierarchy, but in Füllkrug, they seem to have struck gold for the short-term.

The Hanover native is on course to get over 20 goal contributions once again in the Bundesliga, having scored 11 and assisted eight so far this season.

Six of those 11 goals have come since the turn of the year, coinciding with Dortmund’s best run of form too. Though the goals have dried up more recently, he has struck up an excellent partnership with Donyell Malen and other Dortmund forwards. This bears positive omens for the upcoming Euros too.

What makes Füllkrug so perfect for Germany today is his combination of being the perfect link-play striker as well as being an old-school throwback nine, rough and ready to rumble, but equally delicate with his final actions.

Averaging some 1.39 chances created per 90 in the league, Fullkrug is well above his peers across the top European leagues when it comes to the volume of chance creation. A lot of these assists from him have come as a result of superb back-to-goal play and delicate passes or flick-ons into space.

He may not be the most aesthetically pleasing forward to watch, but there is a lot to like about a striker who can both be a battering ram or the scalpel stabbing perfect passes for his team-mates.

The great thing about Füllkrug’s presence as a striker is also his unselfishness in front of goal. Speaking to Sky Germany about his assist figures, he said, “If you think about it, we also have wide players who have played the central striker role at other clubs.”

“They are also determined players who like to finish chances and have the ability to show their individual quality. That’s why I often find myself in the role of the creator. As long as I can help and it’s good for the team, I’m completely okay with that”

He may not lift the Golden Boot again this term, however, Füllkrug comfortably remains Germany’s best number nine up front, who has what it takes to bring the best out of the hugely talented group of attackers around him.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Mar

2024

Charles De Ketelaere’s second act in Serie A

Some months ago, it seemed as if Charles De Ketelaere’s stint at the highest level of football was going to be short-lived after a horrendous season at Milan. But the Belgian is thriving and exciting at Atalanta and is quickly becoming a regret for Milan.

By Kaustubh Pandey

If there’s something which is common between Lucas Paquetá and De Ketelaere, it is that they joined Milan while being unfairly compared to the legendary Kaka but they could never truly make an impact at the Rossoneri. But after leaving, they grew in stature and while Paquetá was linked with a move to Manchester City last summer, De Ketelaere might well be preparing for a major move in the future too.

That move may not come right away, as Atalanta seem set to land him permanently in the summer and considering how much of a mark the Belgian has made, he deserves to become a permanent feature of La Dea’s project.

Milan days

At Milan, it never felt as if the Rossoneri were not supporting De Ketelaere. Till the very end of last season, manager Stefano Pioli backed him to the hilt despite his tally of no goals in all competitions. Pioli was also constantly complimentary of De Ketelaere’s abilities too and this gave the impression that the Rossoneri would be ready to bide their time with the player.

But right from the very beginning of the stint at San Siro, there was a feeling that De Ketelaere’s best position wasn’t quite known. Franck Kessié was used in the attacking midfield spot towards the end of time at Milan and Brahim Díaz hadn’t quite been consistent in the same role. And De Ketelaere was played in that position at various points of the season, but he failed to make a mark. He was also played upfront at times, while also being used on the right. In every role that he played, dilemmas persisted.

He perhaps wasn’t quick enough to play as an out-and-out winger and didn’t have the instincts to play as a proper striker. At No. 10, the game often seemed to pass him by. It was ironic because during his time at Club Brugge, De Ketelaere would play on either flanks, upfront or in attacking midfield. In his younger days, he even played in central midfield. At Milan, his strength turned into a weakness.

Paolo Maldini departed the club in the summer of 2023 and that didn’t help De Ketelaere’s case. During his time as club director, Maldini had signed De Ketelaere and had later stated that signing him made more sense for the Rossoneri than signing Paulo Dybala, even though La Joya would’ve been easier to land.

He told Sky Italia: “We have an idea and want to build a young and talented team. It is risky to sign young players. Sandro [Tonali] struggled in his first season; the same happened with Charles this year. But this is our idea of football, our idea of investment.”

Maldini’s exit, though, brought the end of De Ketelaere’s time at Milan. And if not for that, the 23-year-old might still be at the club and would’ve been handed the right time to make a mark at a massive footballing institution.

Atalanta move

Atalanta presented a completely new context to the ex-Brugge man and it has arguably been a big reason for his success in Bergamo.

The Belgian arrived at La Dea when Rasmus Højlund had departed the club for Manchester United and Duván Zapata sealed a late move to Torino. The duo was the chief source of goals for Gian Piero Gasperini’s side and Jérémie Boga was also sold to Nice after a rather underwhelming spell in Bergamo. Luis Muriel’s waning influence at the club also meant that attacking signings were needed.

On top of that, El Bilal Touré was signed from Almería but he picked up a long-term injury very early on. This put a fair amount of burden on De Ketelaere (and Gianluca Scamacca) to get the goals and while some players could have struggled, De Ketelaere took to the situation like a fish to water. He didn’t let a turbulent first season in Italy impact whatever was about to unfold at Atalanta.

De Ketelaere seems so much more involved in the final third in what is a possession-based, high-pressing and a sometimes full-throttle attacking setup under Gasperini. That is why his touches are in the 95 percentile and he’s also creating chances in the 99 percentile.

In Atalanta’s narrow front three that usually operates in a 3-4-2-1 or a 3-4-1-2, De Ketelaere has shown that he’s capable of playing everywhere. When Atalanta have played two upfront, he has played as the centre-forward. When they’ve played one man upfront, he has played as an attacking midfielder usually alongside Teun Koopmeiners.

In Atalanta’s setup under Gasperini, the two behind the striker are arguably the most important players and that is precisely why the likes of Papu Gómez and Josip Iličić gained so much acclaim. The system relies on the overloads they create in the final third and out wide and on the goals they provide to the side. De Ketelaere’s dynamism makes him a perfect fit for this and his tally of six goals and six assists shows that.

He is regularly involved in the final third and he is getting 52.6 touches per 90 minutes and also getting 6.10 touches in the opposition’s box per 90 minutes. For a player who couldn’t find his best at Milan, Atalanta’s system has helped him gain a huge boost of confidence at a crucial point of his career. Because he gets a high amount of touches, De Ketelaere can create more and score more too.

The 23-year-old has created 2.22 chances per 90 minutes, which is an excellent number. While he has completed 0.40 crosses per 90 minutes, Atalanta don’t rely on crosses. And De Ketelaere isn’t a crosser either. He is someone who uses shorter grounded passes to create and combine and that also is a natural demand from La Dea.

De Ketelaere is only slightly overperforming on his xG metric and that is actually a positive and suggests that he is finishing exactly as he can should. When Scamacca has often been in and out of the side, De Ketelaere has definitely been of help to Gasperini.

He is oozing confidence too, something which was unheard of last season when he looked like a shadow of his true self. Gasperini said exactly that after Atalanta beat Lazio earlier in the season and De Ketelaere grabbed a brace.

“He found an environment where he feels comfortable and in the last few months has gained confidence exponentially. You just have to look at the way he converted that penalty, how he tries moves that are not simple. He loses the ball rarely and is starting to win it back too.

“We always knew De Ketelaere was a quality player, but he is now playing with confidence and becoming a real reference point for the squad. I can think of no better compliment for him.”

In a way, Gasperini nails it. Atalanta have acquired the reputation for providing forward players the right environment to progress and become better than they were. Quite the same has happened for De Ketelaere.

He might yet prove to be an enigma once he leaves Atalanta because of his rather unique profile and stature but as far as living in the moment goes, the club have given him exactly the sort of foundation he needed to recover.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Mar

2024

Cody Gakpo is Liverpool’s latest scapegoat – but his struggle is not all his fault

Liverpool striker Cody Gakpo came in for major criticism following the 4-3 loss to Manchester United in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, but does the Dutchman really deserve to be a made a scapegoat?

By Jack Lusby, ThisIsAnfield.com

After only their fifth defeat of the season – and only their third meaningful loss after two in a Europa League group they still topped – it is no surprise that, as Liverpool exited the FA Cup at the hands of Manchester United, supporters looked for a fall guy.

“Gakpo plays like the game is in slow motion,” was Jamie Carragher’s verdict shortly before full-time at Old Trafford.

A second-half replacement for Mohamed Salah – who, while fasting, is also still working his way back from a long-term injury – Cody Gakpo was apportioned a considerable measure of the blame for the Reds’ 4-3 loss.

There was the hallmark moment as he led a five-on-two counter at 2-1 up, with the Dutchman delaying his pass to Harvey Elliott as the move somehow broke down, but Gakpo was more widely criticised for a perceived lack of urgency.

He was not expected to be the best player on the pitch, but the minimum Liverpool fans expect is maximum effort and the No. 18 appeared slow, sluggish, and unwilling to hound Manchester United players like, say, Darwin Núñez or Luis Díaz had throughout the afternoon.

While he joined his Netherlands team-mates the following day ahead of friendlies against Scotland and Germany, the fury over Gakpo’s role in Liverpool’s departure from the FA Cup has only intensified – sadly, including personal abuse from so-called fans on his public Instagram page.

That is an unfortunate byproduct of the magnifying glass of modern football, and it is important to note that, by and large, does not reflect the stance of most supporters who attend games and follow closely around the world.

However, there remains a conversation to be had whether Gakpo suits the style of play of the Liverpool of this season, despite having slotted in so effectively in the second half of the previous campaign.

Gakpo’s £37 million move from PSV Eindhoven was a welcome boost at a time when Jürgen Klopp’s side were not at their best; the announcement landed between victories over Aston Villa and Leicester, but one win in the next seven games, including losses to Brentford, Wolves and twice to Brighton, summed up their malaise.

A free-scoring left winger for PSV, the plan for Gakpo was instead to convert him to a striker, using his height, technical quality and ability to ghost into the box to effectively replace the departing Roberto Firmino as Liverpool’s new false nine.

Except, the long-term plan was never to build around a false nine, with the nurturing of Núñez – an archetypal, out-and-out centre-forward – signposting the plan for the future.

Núñez, by Klopp’s and likely his own admission, was unable to fully adjust to the demands of leading the line at Anfield during his first campaign, but after beginning this season behind Gakpo in the pecking order, there are few who would now argue against the Uruguayan as first choice.

The Liverpool who have already won the League Cup and are fighting convincingly to lift the Premier League and the Europa League are far removed from the Liverpool of last season – and even, it should be said, of the Liverpool who enjoyed trophy-laden success under Klopp previously.

That is largely due to a shift in emphasis towards the midfield. Whereas before, the manager relied upon industry in the middle of the park, the additions of Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch, along with the development of Curtis Jones, have ensured Liverpool’s midfield is now their driving force.

While that suits Núñez as a barnstorming No. 9 who almost exclusively wants the ball played in front of him, it does not so much Gakpo, who excelled with the ball to feet, dropping deep, linking play and allowing others around him to flourish.

As a result, Gakpo has found himself shifting around throughout a campaign in which only five players have clocked more minutes on the pitch for Liverpool. Of his 42 appearances, 20 have come as a striker, with eight on the left wing, seven on the right and seven in midfield – even that does not account for the number of times he has been required to switch positions mid-game.

That, it should be stressed, goes a long way to explain why the 24-year-old may often struggle to impose himself either as a starter or off the bench. Those who are fortunate enough to be seated closer to the dugout on matchdays have noted that it is Gakpo who most often finds himself being roared at by Klopp in the technical area, the manager and assistant Pepijn Lijnders seemingly coaching his positional game in realtime.

It is perhaps no wonder then that Gakpo was sent into the maelstrom of an FA Cup tie at Old Trafford – which Liverpool were dominating but showed little intention of extending their 2-1 lead – and struggled to get to grips with the task at hand.

Whether that excuses the drop in intensity apparent when he entered the pitch, however, is another matter entirely.

Gakpo is not the first player who has found himself a scapegoat for Liverpool’s failings – under Klopp alone, the likes of James Milner, Jordan Henderson, Adam Lallana, Gini Wijnaldum, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Emre Can and Lucas Leiva have endured similar treatment – but it undoubtedly comes at a time when he is grasping to find his identity on the pitch.

That this is the discourse for a player who has scored 13 goals and assisted a further five already this season, with the third-most goal contributions for Liverpool behind only Salah and Nunez, speaks to the ridiculously high standards this side are now held by.

But with Klopp’s time at the club drawing to a close, it will certainly be interesting how Liverpool’s new regime takes to a signing who, by all accounts, was driven by Klopp and Lijnders rather than those within the club’s wider recruitment setup.

With Michael Edwards returning as CEO of Football for owners Fenway Sports Group and Richard Hughes appointed as sporting director, they along with the new manager will undoubtedly have different opinions to those they replace.

But in a season that could still conclude in historic fashion for Liverpool, to pin the blame for an impressively rare defeat on any one player would be unfair.

(Images from IMAGO)

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Mar

2024

The Bundesliga success story you might have missed – and their key lesson for next year

The Bundesliga title looks destined, at long last, for Bayer Leverkusen. There’s no doubt they will be worthy winners and the story of the season, while if a secondary character is required, it’s perhaps Bayern Munich’s fall-off, Thomas Tuchel’s impending exit and where the Bavarians go next. Even in the areas of the table where the battles are yet to be determined it’s many of the usual suspects: Dortmund and Leipzig for the top four, Köln and Mainz fighting against the drop. They are the go-to results to look for on any given gameweek but all of this overlooks one of the most remarkable clubs of the campaign: VfB Stuttgart.

By Karl Matchett

Close to a year ago, Die Schwaben ended their season with a 1-1 draw against Hoffenheim, ensuring they’d finish in the relegation playoff place, having to beat Hamburg to secure their top-flight place for another year. Another season previous, 21/22, they avoided the same fate only on goal difference after a stoppage-time Wataru Endo winner on the final day.

Fast forward to the current campaign and while one thing is the same, everything else is different: Hoffenheim were again their most recent opponents, this time heading into the international break, but a 3-0 victory away from home was both expected and in keeping with the form book – and kept Stuttgart flying high in third position.

VfB are closer to second-placed Bayern than they are to Dortmund in fourth. They are second in the Bundesliga form guide, behind only champions-elect Leverkusen. Their rapid rise from relegation regulars to Champions League candidates is improbable, impressive and up there with the best any of storyline Europe has to offer this season, with just eight matches now separating them from a return to the elite after 15 years away – a first return to any kind of continental competition in over a decade.

Since then they’ve been relegated twice and rarely looked like reestablishing themselves as a force such as they were in the early 2000s, when they finished in the top four, four times in seven years, and were once within extra time of doing a league and cup double.

The architect of this latest resurrection is Sebastian Hoeness, a 41-year-old head coach in only his second senior job – Bayern’s second team and two years with Hoffenheim are his other positions so far.

Hoeness has his team well-rounded and superbly organised. They can dominate games, but also have a terrific defensive record. With just 1.2 goals conceded per game and a total xG of 56.8, they are second in the Bundesliga in both categories at either end of the pitch.

They are also third for average possession (60%), second for big chances created (99) and third for possession won in the final third (5.7 per game).

The twin attack of Serhou Guirassy and Deniz Undav have 43 goals or assists between them. Only Harry Kane beats Guirassy this term for that metric, but it’s the Stuttgart man who actually has the better goals per 90 rate (1.32 vs 1.21), even as both wildly outperform their xG for the season. In the other half of the pitch, Maximilian Mittelstaedt is top three in the league for both successful tackles and interceptions on a per 90 basis.

Consistent contributions from midfielder Chris Führich, goalkeeper Alexander Nübel and the scheming attacking midfielder Enzo Millot have all been vital to the Stuttgart cause too, as they seek to wrap up an incredible Bundesliga campaign.

Yet they don’t have to look too far for inspiration in the importance of keeping this run going, either. Just prior to last weekend’s win over Hoffenheim, Stuttgart’s previous match was a 2-0 home win over Union Berlin.

Rewind the clock to a year ago and it was Union who were defying the odds, upsetting bigger names and finishing an improbable fourth place, qualifying for the Champions League in the process. It hasn’t lasted. While Union have finally inched themselves away from the relegation battle, they still sit only 13th and were in the drop zone for much of the year after a 12-match losing streak and a winless run which eventually spanned three and a half months.

They serve as a reminder as to what’s possible, how teams can reach above themselves and give their fans incredible memories, but also as to the difficulty of maintaining that across multiple seasons.

That is the lesson that Stuttgart have to take on board, to not just enjoy this as a one-off campaign of excitement but to ensure it’s the start of a new era of progress. They have already shown they have the ability in the team and a very talented young coach in the dugout; next comes the doubly hard task of matching expectations which have risen exponentially.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Mar

2024

Giorgos Giakoumakis has a one-track mind when it comes to scoring goals

Denis Bouanga won it last year. The year before that, it was Hany Mukhtar. And Taty Castellanos before that. Bradley Wright-Phillips, Carlos Vela, Sebastian Giovinco, Chris Wondolowski, Landon Donovan…They’ve all won the Golden Boot in Major League Soccer and Giorgos Giakoumakis candidly wants to be next to add his name to the list.

By Graham Ruthven

“The main goal is to win the Golden Boot this year, to stay healthy first of all,” said the Atlanta United centre-forward before the start of the 2024 season. “Winning the Golden Boot means you’ve probably scored lots of goals that will also the team win some points. That’s one of the main targets for this year.”

This wasn’t the first time Giakoumakis had mentioned his ambition to win the Golden Boot, and it wasn’t the last either. The Greek striker is brazenly open about his individual ambitions and this comes across in the way he plays. Giakoumakis is built to score goals. That’s all he cares about – and that’s a good thing for Atlanta.

Of course, this isn’t to say Giakoumakis isn’t mindful of Atlanta’s broader ambition. He wants to win MLS Cup – and the Supporters’ Shield and Leagues Cup all the rest – too. “When you play for a club like Atlanta United, you have to aim for titles. Simple as that,” he said. He knows, however, that winning the Gold Boot could lead to titles.

Giakoumakis got off the mark for the season with a stunning hat trick against the New England Revolution. All three goals demonstrated what the 29-year-old offers as a finisher – his first was a composed penalty kick, his second was a thunderous header from a cross and his third was a sensational strike back across goal and into the top corner from a tight angle.

Expectations are high for Atlanta United this season. Gonzalo Pineda has the attacking pieces to build one of the best teams in MLS. Thiago Almada is a highly-rated number 10 destined for one of Europe’s ‘Big Five’ leagues. If Messi doesn’t win the MVP award this season, his Argentina teammate will surely be a candidate.

Saba Lobjanidze and Xande Silva give Atlanta threat in the wide areas while Pineda’s style of play places an emphasis on the Five Stripes getting forward as often as they can. There are questions over Pineda’s ability as a coach to impose a pattern-based approach in the final third, but there’s no denying he wants his team to attack.

MLS is awash with top-quality centre forwards. Bouanga has recently signed a contract extension to stay at Los Angeles FC until 2027 and remains one of the sharpest finishers in the league. Cucho Hernández is the frontman of Wilfried Nancy’s swashbuckling Columbus Crew that won last year’s MLS Cup. Luis Suárez deserves a mention too.

None of these strikers, however, have the pure goalscoring ability of Giakoumakis. Suárez is considered one of the best finishers of his generation, but the Uruguayan doesn’t have the physicality of Giakoumakis whose frame allows him to bully opposition defenders. Giakoumakis is built to put the ball in the back of the net.

There are certainly better modern forwards in MLS who are more effective at pressing from the front and bringing teammates into the game. Giakoumakis, however, is an intelligent frontman who has a natural sense for where space will open up and where the ball will fall inside the penalty box.

Statistically, Giakoumakis excels in a number of different areas. He is in the 99th percentile for non-penalty Expected Goals (xG) among players in his position over the last 12 months. He ranks only in the 52nd percentile for touches per 90 minutes, but this highlights how the Greek striker squeezes the most out of his involvement in every match. He is one of the most efficient centre-forwards around.

Lionel Messi is certainly the defining talent in MLS right now, but this doesn’t mean there aren’t special players elsewhere in the league. Giakoumakis arrived at Mercedes-Benz Stadium last year and scored an impressive 19 goals in his first MLS campaign. He has already set a high bar for himself, but there’s no reason to believe he can’t clear it this season.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Mar

2024

Why Ajax’s teenage sensation Lily Yohannes is the player to watch in the UWCL

When Ajax were drawn into a Women’s Champions League group containing Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, and Roma, few would have predicted the side to progress to the knockout stages.

By Nancy Gillen

But Ajax are currently preparing to host Chelsea for the first leg of the quarter-finals, today, and will play the second leg at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, March 27.

The Dutch side upset the odds to advance from a group containing European heavyweights PSG and Bayern, as well as last season’s surprise package Roma. The most notable result among Ajax’s three wins, one draw and two losses in the group stage was a 2-0 victory against PSG.

Tiny Hoekstra and Sherida Spitse were on target against PSG at the Johan Cruyff Arena in November, but it was Lily Yohannes who caught the attention of the world. At 16-years-old, she became the youngest player to start a Women’s Champions League group stage match.

Despite coming up against a team packed full of stars, including Marie-Antoinette Katoto, Grace Geyoro, Tabitha Chawinga and Jackie Groenen, Yohannes appeared calm and composed, contributing to Hoekstra’s goal with a wonderful defence-splitting pass from the heart of midfield.

Her performances throughout the rest of the group stage proved crucial to Ajax’s progression to the knockouts.

Performances beyond her years

Yohannes started five of Ajax’s six group stage matches in the heart of midfield, showing off her wide range of abilities. She looked equally confident progressing the ball up the pitch as she did putting in tackles, and was particularly outstanding during Ajax’s 2-1 victory against Roma in January.

Ajax needed all three points to progress from the group stage, and Yohannes helped her team get back into the match after they fell behind in the 32nd minute.

Just before the stroke of half-time, the teenager won the ball back in her own half, before embarking on a driving run through the middle of the pitch. Upon reaching Roma’s penalty box, she looked up and slid a pass to Hoekstra, who powered Ajax’s equaliser into the back of the net.

Yohannes’s player of the match performance, which earned her a FotMob rating of 8.3, included a 74 percent passing accuracy. She also contributed defensively, winning 100 percent of her tackles and making 12 recoveries.

Indeed, the teenager’s ability to win duels against more experienced opponents is impressive. She won 100 percent of aerial duels and 75 percent of ground duels during Ajax’s 1-0 victory against Bayern, for example, despite being up against players such as Georgia Stanway and Sarah Zadrazil.

Ajax’s two legs against Chelsea are set to be the biggest moments of Yohannes’s blossoming career, but so far she has shown she can more than hold her own against the greats of Europe.

Chelsea manager Emma Hayes will also be forced to field a weakened team due to injuries to many of her key players, including strikers Sam Kerr and Mia Fishel. If there was ever an opportunity to deliver an upset against the current Women’s Super League champions, it would be now.

One thing’s for sure, if Ajax do get any kind of result against Chelsea, Yohannes will likely be at the heart of it.

What’s next for Lily Yohannes?

Yohannes was born in the United States but moved to the Netherlands with her family when she was 10-years-old. She was quickly identified as a top talent by Ajax, and signed her first professional contract when she was just 15.

Her brilliant performances in the Women’s Champions League have likely caught the attention of clubs around the world, and if she impresses again when playing against Chelsea, then it might not be too long before Yohannes is picked up by a top team. With her contract with Ajax running out in 2026, some clubs may even splash the cash next season to secure her signature.

Yohannes also faces an intriguing decision to make on the international stage. She has represented the US at the under-15 and under-16 levels, but has not been invited to a national team camp since 2022.

Having lived in the Netherlands for more than six years, Yohannes is now eligible to apply for a Dutch passport. She attended an under-19 camp with the Netherlands in December, suggesting she is open to representing the country where she currently lives.

Whatever national team she decides to play for, there is no doubt that Yohannes is set to have a highly successful career both on the domestic and international stage.

Her performances in the Women’s Champions League have propelled her into the spotlight, and it looks like the teenage superstar is only going to get better.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every Women’s Champions League game live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage including player ratings. Download the free app here.

Mar

2024

Analysis: How Peter Bosz’s PSV are tearing up the Eredivisie

PSV have a double-digit lead at the top of the Eredivisie standings as we prepare for the final stretch of the season, so they look set to lift their first league title in six years. More impressively, they have still preserved an unbeaten record in the league and are on course to smash the record points tally. Is this enough to change Peter Bosz’s reputation, though?

By Neel Shelat

With a dramatic stoppage-time winner against FC Twente, PSV preserved their 10-point lead at the top of the Eredivisie standings ahead of the final international break of the 2023/24 season.

With 23 wins and 3 draws from 26 games, PSV are on course for just the third invincible season in Eredivisie history, the first in almost three decades, and the first for a team not named Ajax. Furthermore, if they win all eight remaining games, they will end up with 96 points – smashing Ajax’s record of 89 in 1997/98.

Domestic Dominance

Quite clearly, PSV have been on another level in the league. Be it goals scored, goals conceded, possession, chance creation or touches in the box, they have been the best team in the league by some margin and by most meaningful metrics.

Led by head coach Peter Bosz, they employ his typical possession-based attack-focused style of play. Unsurprisingly, then, they have been incredibly exciting to watch going forward. PSV’s return of 81 goals scored is 15 greater than their nearest rivals, and they have also amassed the highest xG tally in the division.

Indeed, PSV have typically been an exciting attacking outfit in recent years even before Bosz was appointed at the start of the season. Although they finished seven points off Feyenoord under Ruud van Nistelrooy last year, their return of 89 goals scored was the best in the division. In the likes of Cody Gakpo and Xavi Simons, they had some very exciting attackers in their ranks who frequently tore defences apart.

Although both of them were no longer a part of the squad going into this season, PSV’s attacking output has clearly not dropped off. Luuk de Jong deserves a great deal of credit for stepping up his output big time, but the goals and assists have come from all over the squad. Five players are in double digits in that respect already, with a further five more – including full-backs Sergiño Dest and Jordan Teze – registering over five goal involvements.

This all-round attacking involvement gives a good indication of what PSV’s tactics are like – all-out attack. Although Bosz alternates between a 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3 formation on paper, PSV commit up to seven outfielders to the attack when breaking down stubborn low blocks. Dest is always free to advance all the way up the flank as a full-back, while two or even all three midfielders enter the final third.

Joey Veerman has starred in an all-action midfield role. While his tally of 11 assists is significantly inflated by his set-piece-taking role, the 25-year-old Dutchman is a lovely operator between the lines offering great off-ball positioning, on-ball quality and creativity to bring his side forward and play the killer pass.

The most exciting youngster in this PSV squad, though, has to be Johan Bakayoko. The winger will only turn 21 next month, but he has already established himself as one of the team’s key attackers. Starting on the right, the Belgian international poses a multidimensional dribbling threat as he can cut inside and shoot or deliver dangerous crosses from out wide.

Adding the likes of Malik Tillman, Ismael Saibiri and Guus Til to these two assembles a whole host of creative talent, but their qualities would not be fully utilised without a proper goal-scorer. That is why Luuk de Jong has played a crucial role in this PSV side, as his traits as a line-leading striker who makes a living out of getting on the end of crosses and cut-backs in the box have helped him score over a quarter of his side’s league goals.

Lingering Concerns

All of this paints a lovely picture of PSV as a free-flowing attacking team which is not inaccurate, but a big factor in their domestic dominance is that their defence has not really been tested too much.

Indeed, all of Bosz’s previous teams including the likes of Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen and Lyon were unbelievably easy on the eye when they had the ball, but the trouble began when they lost it. The Dutch tactician’s pressing was often too gung ho in the major leagues, but more importantly, his all-out approach in possession left his teams incredibly vulnerable to counterattacks.

In the Eredivisie, though, these issues have not been so apparent due to the relatively lower quality of opposition. Most of the teams lower down the table tend to sit back in extremely deep blocks against table-topping opponents with as many as nine outfielders defending the box, leaving one striker up top at most to use as a counterattacking outlet. Add to that their relatively lower player quality, and it is easy to understand why Bosz’s typical defensive frailties were not exposed during his last Eredivisie stint with Ajax and have once again not really been seen.

Even so, PSV’s extremely low tally of 13 goals conceded does not paint a fully accurate picture. Their xG conceded figure of 22.4 is worse than Feyenoord’s, and had PSV let in as many goals as they should have been expected to, our Expected Points model suggests the title race would have been a lot closer.

Although the results might not always suggest it, PSV have had some close shaves in their league fixtures against strong rivals such as Feyenoord, Twente, and Ajax. Two of their three draws have come against these teams, and their cup elimination came at the hands of Feyenoord.

Most evidently, though, PSV’s defensive weakness was highlighted in the Champions League. They finished with a negative goal difference in Group B and were truthfully fortunate to reach the knockouts, where they tasted defeat at the first hurdle against a mediocre Borussia Dortmund side who are barely in the Bundesliga’s top four.

So, while PSV’s potentially record-breaking league campaign is incredibly impressive, this seems to be the ceiling of their potential under Bosz. The 60-year-old Dutch head coach has not changed much after disappointing ends to his stints at Leverkusen and Lyon, but external factors have enabled him to thrive in the Eredivisie. As long as his side plays such exciting attacking football, though, we should have no reason to complain about that.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Mar

2024

Hiroki Ito – Stuttgart’s Mr. Dependable

The discourse surrounding the Bundesliga this term has been dominated by the success of one team – Bayer Leverkusen. Xabi Alonso’s Die Werkself have captured the imagination of a fan base that has longed for success in the league, whilst playing a brand of football that has the neutrals standing up and applauding.

They seem well set on their way to finally dislodge Bayern Munich from the Meisterschale throne, barring an exceptional collapse in the business end of the season. Be that as it may, four points below the Bavarian giants are VfB Stuttgart, in third, who are making giant waves of their own under Sebastian Hoeness.

By Ninad Barbadikar

Now all the fanfare surrounding the Swabians has largely been about Serhou Guirassy’s incredible goal-return in the league – 21 and counting at the time of writing. Their attacking excellence is also accompanied by a stable defence at the back.

By all accounts, Die Schwaben are the third best team in the Bundesliga. One player who needs to be recognised for his contributions to that, is 24-year-old centre-back and Japan international, Hiroki Ito.

Following in the footsteps of fellow Japan internationals who have made a mark at VfB including Shinji Okazaki, Hajime Hosogai, as well as recently departed club captain Wataru Endo, Ito continues to impress.

He joined Stuttgart on loan from J2 League outfit Jubilo Iwata back in 2021 and quickly became a fixture in the first-team setup at the MHPArena, eventually joining the club on a permanent basis. Since then, he has consistently racked up 2000+ league minutes in back-to-back seasons, underlining his availability and thereby the team’s reliance on his performances.

Though he is primarily a left-back by trade, Ito is functionally a hybrid left-sided centre-back. He is able to play full-back, left-centre-back of a back three or be the lone left-sided defender in a back two. This versatility makes him a useful asset, especially in deeper areas.

Pulling strings from deep

Hoeness has deployed a few different setups with Stuttgart this term. In defence though, a back three shape can be commonly observed when they’re building out from the back, starting with the goalkeeper Alexander Nubel. Ito is a key part of that build-up unit alongside captain Waldemar Anton.

Unlike modern attacking full-backs at the top level, Ito is not as involved in attacking sequences, and instead orchestrates from deeper areas as a hybrid presence on the left. Looking at his player traits radar, he ranks in the 95th percentile for touches, underlining just how much of the ball he sees at Stuttgart.

There is a great deal of value in players who can keep the ball ticking under pressure, always make themselves available to receive and play the killer passes when the right spaces open up. All of that constitutes Ito’s passing ability, which is up there with the best in the German top-flight.

It helps that he is an excellent athlete as well, effective at tracking runners and making last-ditch ball recoveries as the last line of defence for Stuttgart.

The Japan international is a superb distributor of the ball from the left. Rarely giving the ball away, Ito seldom looks fazed whilst under pressure. His height of 6ft. 1’ is an advantage here, shielding the ball well with his body to retain possession. He can be a frustrating customer to mark against the ball for opposition attackers.

It is therefore no wonder that his pass success rate is only second to the side’s metronome in midfield, Angelo Stiller.

Though primarily a safety-first passer, Ito’s range of passing comes alive when he’s covering the length of the pitch with his superb diagonals to find runners on the right. Additionally, Ito is also very effectively playing clipped passes into wide channels to find runners, dismantling opposition presses by doing so.

Aiding ball-progression for Stuttgart with his superb passes along the ground as well as medium and long-range, Ito can do it all with the ball.

All of these traits make him absolutely essential to Stuttgart.

Many talents

As a full-back, Ito is conservative with his positioning and waits for the right moments to overlap in behind partner-in-crime on the left, the meteoric Chris Fuhrich.

A good example of such well-timed movements is his assist against Freiburg for Serhou Guirassy’s fifth goal of the season. Fuhrich dragged a marker with him deeper into midfield to open up an overlapping opportunity for Ito, who made no mistake in delivering an inch-perfect cross for Guirassy to tap in.

Although this is not a regular feature of his game from full-back, it just points to how useful his versatility can be for Stuttgart in forward areas.

“Hiro is doing a very good job. You can sense a certain stability in attack and defence. The thrust he brings, the balls he plays, especially his diagonals. He’s got calmness on the ball, “ said former Stuttgart boss Pellegrino Matarazzo about Ito, to Bundesliga.com

Ito spent a great deal of the first half of the season playing full-back before an unfortunate long-term injury to Dan-Axel Zagadou forced Hoeness to shift Ito to left centre-back.

On the front-foot

As a centre-back, Ito strikes a fine balance between being aggressive as well as disciplined.

Due to his experience playing full-back, Ito is comfortable defending wide areas if necessary too, but much like his best passes come with patience and caution, he is equally careful with choosing his battles whilst defending.

It helps to have a teammate at the back like Anton who is more than willing to get stuck into challenges and backs himself to win most duels, Ito chooses to aim for efficiency rather than volume with his defensive actions.

Overall though, the most striking thing about Ito is his composure on the pitch, whether it be with the ball or without it. He is a great reader of the ball, on the ground and in the air too. An average of 1.32 aerials won in the league is strong evidence of that.

The 24-year-old can always be expected to make the right decision for his team, which is precisely what makes him such a valuable asset to the top teams.

What next?

The next step for a player like Ito has to inevitably be away from the Bundesliga, potentially at a top-six Premier League outfit.

The Japan international is at the right age to make a bigger move for his career, now in his third season in the German top flight.

Combine that with the qualities he brings to the table, Ito ticks several boxes to be a useful fit for ball-dominant sides at the top level.

Potentially good fits for him would include Liverpool as well as Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham, both of whom have a lot of use for a hybrid left-sided option like him.

He signed a contract extension to his existing deal at Stuttgart in August, which now expires in the summer of 2027.

That being said, Ito will be a lot more affordable on the market this summer as compared to the premium left-footed options out there for the elite clubs.

In a Stuttgart side packed with exciting attackers, Ito excites without flash but with great substance to his game.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Mar

2024

The MLS Team of the Week: Matchday 5

MLS expert James Nalton picks two standout performers based on his votes in the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) Player of the Week awards and picks out a few more of this week’s contenders.

By James Nalton

Inter Miami and Columbus Crew continue to be the headline makers in MLS and there were some standout individual performances in Matchday 5 to go along with their latest victories.

These two teams are joined at the top end of the early Supporters’ Shield standings in 2024 by Minnesota United, for whom former Manchester United coach Eric Ramsay took charge of his first game on Saturday night, a 2-0 win against LAFC.

If theiy continue in this vein, no doubt Minnesota players will feature here in the future, but for now here are the individual players who stood out in the latest round of MLS play.

The Top Two

8.8 FotMob rating: Joseph Paintsil – LA Galaxy

Painstil entertained the LA Galaxy crowd in Carson with an electric display on the right wing in a 3-3 draw with St. Louis City.

The Ghanaian used his pace down the flank to regularly push his team into dangerous positions, and in truth, they should have had even more goals from these attacking bursts.

He created four chances for his teammates, finishing the game with an expected assists (xA) score of 0.76.

He and his team were unlucky that none of those chances resulted in goals, and Roman Bürki made some good saves in the St. Louis goal.

Paintsil did manage to score one of his own, though, zooming in behind St. Louis full-back Anthony Markanich to get on the end of Mark Delgado’s pass before shooting past Bürki into the corner.

It was the highlight of a great performance that marked Paintsil out as one of the players to watch in this league and showed why the Galaxy made him a Designated Player signing for 2024.

8.6 FotMob rating: Luis Suárez – Inter Miami

With Lionel Messi out injured and Suárez on the bench, it was left to Ecuadorian forward Leonardo Campana (FotMob rating 9.0) to lead the line for Inter Miami.

Campana performed admirably, scoring the equaliser for Miami in DC after Jared Stroud had given the home side the lead. He also makes our TOTW by virtue of his higher match rating.

But it was Suárez’s contribution off the bench that truly turned a draw into a win.

His first of two goals in a 30-minute sub appearance was turned in at the far post following a nice cross from Campana.

The second was scored after it looked like the chance had gone, audaciously chipped over DC United goalkeeper Alex Bono from just inside the area with his weaker left foot.

United were unlucky not to get a penalty when Sergio Busquets clearly stopped Cristian Dájome getting a header on goal by pulling his shirt.

The absence of MLS referees due to being locked out by their employers, the Professional Referees Organization and MLS, continues to be an issue.

But this game once again showed that Suárez, in moments of genius, can singlehandedly change games in this league.

Three more standout performers

8.8 FotMob Rating: Aidan Morris – Columbus Crew

It was the Cucho Hernández show again for the reigning MLS Cup champions as the Colombian scored one goal and assisted another in a 3-0 win against the New York Red Bulls.

But it was also the Aidan Morris show. The American midfielder contributed greatly to this convincing victory with his passing and his work out of possession in midfield.

Morris finished the game having completed 59 of his 63 attempted passes for a success rate of 94%. Not bad against a team that likes to press.

He completed three out of three dribbles attempted, won 12 duels, and made seven recoveries.

It was his pressure in midfield that led to the second goal, scored by Jacen Russell-Rowe from Cucho’s pass.

Morris rounded off his display with a goal of his own, being in the right place at the right time at the far post from a corner.

8.6 FotMob rating: Luciano Acosta – FC Cincinnati

Like Suárez, Acosta was able to come off the bench in the second half of a game and make the difference for his team.

Having been subbed on at halftime, last season’s MLS MVP scored one goal and assisted another to give Cincy a 2-1 win against a struggling New England Revolution side.

His first contribution came straight from the second-half kick-off.

He drove forward into space before laying the ball off to fellow halftime substitute Luca Orellano who find the net with just 27 seconds of the half played, but it was called back for offside.

The opening goal eventually came when an Acosta corner made its way to Yuya Kubo at the far post, before the Argentine scored what was to be the game-winner from a powerfully hit, low free-kick.

A game-changing performance.

9.1 FotMob rating: Matías Cóccaro – Montréal

There were a number of good performances from forwards in MLS this week, with Giorgos Giakoumakis of Atlanta and Vancouver’s Brian White also making handy contributions.

Though both of Coccaro’s goals came from the penalty spot, and his team ended up losing 4-3 to Chicago Fire, his performance still deserves highlighting.

He won both of those penalties himself, drawing fouls in the box before rising to his feet to dispatch both spot kicks.

They were unlucky penalties to give away from a Chicago point of view, but Cóccaro positioned himself well to bait the foul on both occasions.

Montréal eventually lost the game, conceding twice in added time, including a freak goal from inside his own half from Kellyn Acosta, assisted by the wind of the Windy City (FotMob rating 8.5).

(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.

Mar

2024

MLS: Five storylines from Matchday Five

Inter Miami continue to set the early pace at the top of the Eastern Conference while Minnesota United are sitting pretty in the Western Conference as the surprise package of the first few weeks of the 2024 Major League Soccer season.

This weekend was another dramatic one in the American and Canadian top flight with no fewer than 47 goals scored over 14 fixtures. Here are five of the biggest storylines from the weekend in MLS.

By Graham Ruthven, MLS Expert

Federico Redondo has given Inter Miami another dimension

Inter Miami made a statement when they signed Federico Redondo. Widely billed as the next Sergio Busquets, however, it wasn’t clear where the young Argentinean would fit into Tata Martino’s team. Two games into his Herons’ career, though, Redondo has already settled and is demonstrating his quality.

Luis Suárez might have grabbed the headlines with a brace off the bench away to DC United on Saturday, but Redondo was arguably the most influential player on the pitch. His ball-carrying was key for Inter Miami with the 21-year-old smooth in his passing and chance creation – and also dogged when he needed to be, like for Leo Campana’s leveller. Out of possession, he also slotted in alongside Busquets. Redondo is much more than just a number six.

Wind-assisted comeback could change Chicago Fire’s season

The Chicago Fire’s stoppage time winner against CF Montreal has been viewed over five million times on social media, and not because of the quality of the finish. The goal might have been awarded to Kellyn Acosta, but it was the Chicago wind that carried the ball over the head of Chris Brady and into the back of the net. They call it The Windy City for a reason.

Chicago now have their first win of the season on the board. Their hope is Saturday’s comeback victory will give them a platform to build on with two new additions – Acosta and Hugo Cuypers – scoring against DC United. “It’s a game that can change the season around for us,” said Frank Klopas. In football, form can turn as quickly as the wind.

Lucho Acosta’s cameo reminded us all of his game-changing ability

Introduced off the bench against the New England Revolution with the scoreline still goalless, Lucho Acosta changed the match for FC Cincinnati in the second half. Without Acosta – rested after a period of eight games in 25 games – Cincy struggled to create anything in the final third. With last year’s MVP winner on the pitch, though, they looked like the team that won the 2023 Supporters’ Shield.

Acosta’s best highlight reel moment came when he slid a freekick strike under the New England wall and in at the near post to give FC Cincinnati a 2-0 lead, but the Argentine was influential in so many different areas. He finished the match with the most key passes and accurate crosses of any Cincy player while only Yuya Kubo and Sergio Santos registered more shots despite Acosta only playing 45 minutes.

New York City FC have finally made their 2024 breakthrough

Like Chicago, New York City FC recorded their first victory of the season on Saturday with Nick Cushing’s team winners over Toronto FC. Most expected NYCFC to be competitive again this season after a difficult 2023, but the longer the wait for their first win went on, the more doubts grew. This is why holding on for three points with 10 men was so important. This was a much-needed breakthrough.

Cushing spoke about NYCFC’s “process” after the match against TFC. Nobody doubts the young talent within the Bronx club’s dressing room, but they have yet to gel into a coherent unit. Players like Santiago Rodríguez and Julián Fernández, however, could change this. NYCFC are finally on the board and their 2024 campaign truly starts now.

Refereeing situation reaching boiling point as complaints mount

While Don Garber insists MLS isn’t any worse off without its regular referees, managers and players tell a different story. “We need guys that have experience,” said Cristian Roldan after the Seattle Sounders finished Saturday’s 1-1 draw against the Colorado Rapids with 10 men. Columbus Crew supporters also chanted in support of the striking officials.

The longer the strike continues, the worse MLS looks. The league must find a solution with the Professional Soccer Referees Association (PSRA) to prevent the 2024 season from being undermined. If MLS truly wants to be considered one of the best leagues in world football, it must accept having second-rate officials is unacceptable.

(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.