Page 83 – The Pulse of Football

Feb

2024

Thiago Alcantara has just returned in time for the perfect Liverpool swansong

Thiago Alcantara is due to depart Liverpool at the end of the season, with his contract expiring after four years, and his timely return from injury could lead to a fitting swansong.

By Jack Lusby, ThisIsAnfield.com

Buried in the frustration of a 3-1 loss at Arsenal which could have serious ramifications on the Premier League title race was a feel-good story for Liverpool: the return of Thiago Alcantara.

Coming off the bench for the final five minutes at the Emirates, Thiago marked the end of a nine-month spell out after undergoing surgery on his hip at the end of April. It was the first time he had made the matchday squad since a 2-1 win over West Ham at the back end of last season, and exactly a year on from his last start for the club, in a 3-0 loss to Wolves in the FA Cup in February 2022.

Thiago’s contract will run out at the end of the current campaign, and as Jürgen Klopp and his staff prepare to depart, so too will the Spaniard. Bar any late intervention – maybe the appointment of a countryman and kindred spirit in Xabi Alonso – the plan appears to be to allow the 32-year-old to leave on a free transfer.

It will come four years after his £25 million from Bayern Munich, and with only 98 appearances for the club to date, would end a spell on Merseyside which showcased his world-leading talent as well as his physical fragility. In an interview with Owen Hargreaves for SuperSport in 2022, Thiago had predicted that, owing to his style of play, “in 10 years’ time, my hip will be destroyed, 100 percent.”

The reality came much sooner, with the veteran requiring corrective surgery just months later.

For any normal human in their early 30s, undergoing hip surgery would almost certainly rule out any further dynamic sport, and that could have been seen as applying tenfold for a player contracted to a club at the very elite level of football. Thiago’s absence, and the time ticking down on his terms at Anfield, led to understandable concerns over whether he had already played his last game for Liverpool.

But in replacing Joe Gomez for those final minutes in north London, Thiago has now given hope of playing an influential role as the Reds fight for four major trophies between now and the end of May.

Even if it had been hoped that he make considerably more than 98 appearances in just over three-and-a-half seasons so far, Thiago has already proved his worth to Liverpool, translating his quality from LaLiga and the Bundesliga to the Premier League, and cementing his status as one of the finest technical players to ever represent the club.

His ability to dictate the tempo of a game from his role on the left-hand side of Klopp’s midfield trio has been unparalleled. His ability to find players with impossible passes, turn out of danger with a deft swivel of his hips and deceive opponents with dummies and no-look balls makes him almost unique within the squad, while his combative style off the ball may have surprised many – particularly his knack for winning headers against taller opponents.

Thiago’s influence cannot be measured by his three goals and six assists, though the calibre of his strikes – two against Southampton, one against Porto – are fitting for a player of his esteem. The long-range effort against Porto, which almost defied gravity as it swerved low into the bottom corner, will be considered one of the best to have found the back of the net throughout Klopp’s reign.

Instead, his stamp on the side has been as a facilitator; his experience has allowed him to step in, take control, and help those around him to express themselves.

Arguably, his is a role that no longer aligns with the demands on the two No. 8s in Klopp’s midfield, but if fit and on form, there is no way the manager can leave Thiago out of his plans for the final months of the season – perhaps even as a No. 6.

That remains a big if, sadly, with a number of false dawns already in his long recovery, but all being well, Thiago has the platform to end his time with Liverpool in a special way.

As Klopp has found throughout the campaign already, there are few constants within his squad in terms of fitness – and not least in his midfield. Thiago and Stefan Bajčetić went into the season as long-term absentees, while Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Curtis Jones and Ryan Gravenberch have all missed spells. Wataru Endo has just returned from a stint at the Asian Cup with Japan. Harvey Elliott is the only midfielder – and one of only two players, along with Darwin Núñez – to make the matchday squad for all 36 games so far.

“We had a lot of injuries during the season, but we always could deal with it because we were lucky with the boys who were still available or came back from injury,” Klopp mused recently.

Thiago’s long-awaited return coincides with a new setback for Szoboszlai, which could present an opportunity for the Spaniard to build up his minutes and find a foothold again after a miserable time out. There are still few, if any, players with his CV in Klopp’s squad, and that could prove invaluable as Liverpool fight for the Premier League, Europa League, FA Cup and League Cup.

More than anything, denying Thiago game time in these final months of Klopp’s and his stay would be depriving supporters of one of the most enjoyable players to watch that Anfield has ever seen.

(Images from IMAGO)

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Feb

2024

Eintracht Frankfurt: A work in progress under Dino Toppmoller

Following up success in the Europa League during the 21-22 season was always going to be a tall order for Oliver Glasner and his Frankfurt staff. As it so happened, a roller-coaster of a 22-23 Bundesliga campaign culminated with Glasner’s exit. Cup success could only take him so far at the Deutsche Bank Park.

By Ninad Barbadikar

Enter Dino Toppmöller at the start of this season, to pick up the pieces from Glasner’s exit, with star forward Randal Kolo Muani leaving for a record fee, paid by Paris Saint-Germain. There was a lot to deal with. Toppmöller arrived from Bayern Munich, where he was assistant to Julian Nagelsmann, previously working with him at RB Leipzig as well.

Toppmöller isn’t a young gun in the game, before joining Nagelsmann, he had already served as head coach at four different clubs across Germany, Luxembourg and Belgium. Joining Frankfurt at the start of this season also had a deeper family connection, his father Klaus managed Die Adler for one season during the 90s. Dino himself was part of the Frankfurt side that got promoted to the Bundesliga in 2003.

Form in the league has been inconsistent, but there is a lot to like about what Toppmöller is doing with the players at his disposal, let’s break it down.

All-action wingbacks

Toppmöller’s Frankfurt have shown a few variations in shape this season but the one constant has been the back three in build-up. The triumvirate of Robin Koch, Tuta and Willian Pacho are first-choice and all three are perfect examples of the excellent recruitment that has been a backbone of Frankfurt in recent seasons.

Most commonly fielded in a 3-4-2-1 shape, Toppmöller’s system places a major emphasis on fluid movements between the wingbacks, inside forwards, and the centre forward. The Eagles aren’t a direct team, as such, and take their time with the ball, building out from the back, after which it’s up to their dynamic profiles in front of the defence to do their magic.

Take Niels Nkounkou and Junior Dina Ebimbe for example – both are highly explosive wide players for Frankfurt, who can not only cover ground up and down the flanks, but also contribute meaningfully in the final third with their ability to attack the box.

Their all-action nature becomes clearer looking at some simple metrics, both Nkounkou and Ebimbe have averaged 1+ shots, 1+ tackles won, 1+ successful dribble per90, illustrating not only their abilities but also the huge demands on them from a tactical standpoint.

The Frenchmen are both heavily involved in shot-generating sequences and rarely see the ball in build-up – in those situations, it’s up to the central midfielders and one of the inside forwards to drop deeper, become the spare man, and then spread the play. Toppmöller’s use of the profiles at his disposal is quite shrewd in this sense. Ansgar Knauff, Farès Chaïbi and Mario Götze are all perfect examples.

Forward dynamics

What about the forwards then? They are not as fixed either. First-choice striker Omar Marmoush, brought in on a free transfer this summer has been a revelation.

The Egypt international is not your typical number nine. Though he is clinical when he gets an opportunity in the box, Marmoush also brings a lot more to the table – ability to link-play by dropping off from the frontline, running the channels effectively, being a diligent presser of the ball, whilst also creating chances for his team-mates. Seven goals and three assists is strong evidence of his abilities.

If the number nine drops off, it is up to either of the wingbacks to become an option in the box, along with the inside forwards making off-ball runs. This variation in the players attacking the opposition box means that the volume of shots is quite evenly spread across the frontline and the wingbacks.

Last season under Glasner, Frankfurt were heavily reliant on capitalising on fast transitions and counter-attacks, but this term, Toppmöller has found more value in the malleability of his arsenal.

Simple is sufficient in defence

The forward dynamics are interesting but what of their defending? Toppmöller has spoken about his team’s principles and how one of them is always making sure to close the box and deny the opposition space to pass/cross into the area.

To that end, it makes sense that Frankfurt have blocked the most number of passes in the league so far, 211 and counting. The centre-back trio of Koch, Pacho and Tuta are quite well rounded and a perfect fit for a back three. Pacho and Tuta are comfortable in covering ground and engaging in duels out wide, and meanwhile because of those two, Koch is confident in committing to the press in midfield areas when necessary.

Hugo Larsson, Ellyes Skhiri and Götze are the rotating cast in midfield, with the latter being the gem up Toppmöller’s sleeve. Götze has almost reinvented himself in a deeper role for the Eagles, and has been accommodated really well in Frankfurt’s system, because of Larsson’s complementary strengths.

Whilst Götze offers press resistance, smart off-ball defensive work and progressive passing on top of his creativity, Larsson plugs all the other gaps. He is a one-man engine in the middle of the park, tirelessly working to win the ball back and not only that, but also offering himself as an option for forward passes. A box-to-box midfielder in the truest sense.

Work in progress

All that being said, Frankfurt are evidently a work in progress. Though Toppmöller remained unbeaten in his first five Bundesliga games, four of those were draws against sides that are all under them in the table, at the time of writing.

Achieving historic victories like the 5-1 over Bayern Munich has been exciting to see, however, there have also been wasted points in other matches where they have allowed opponents to claw their way back into the game. 2-2 draws against Darmstadt and Werder Bremen illustrate that precisely.

Frankfurt are not there yet when it comes to maximising the offensive prowess of their forward options. Bottom of the league for shots attempted with 208 shots is a concerning figure for Die Adler’s supporters, but it is now up to Toppmöller to ensure that this team continues to grow in instalments.

The 45-year-old has handled Frankfurt’s transition season as well as anyone could have hoped for. He has a number of exciting pieces in attack, the additions of Sasa Kalajdzic and Hugo Ekitike are coups to say the least. Both are very different from Marmoush, and Kalajdzic has already been showing glimpses of his old self that dominated at Stuttgart, before moving to the Premier League.

Currently occupying the European spots, finishing in the top six would be deemed a success for Toppmöller and co. They also have the personnel to make a deep run in the Conference League and have Union St. Gilloise coming up in the round of 32.

Beyond that, success in the short-medium term would be establishing a solid core with this young group of talents and in Toppmöller’s hands, whilst still a work in progress, the Eagles look set to continue flying high and spring a surprise or two along the way.

(Images 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.

Feb

2024

Alvaro Morata is on course to record his best-ever goalscoring season

Álvaro Morata has a reputation, and not necessarily a good one. The Spaniard has played for some of the biggest clubs in Europe, but there is a perception that he is too fragile to truly thrive as a proven goalscorer. This season, though, Morata has challenged that perception. He is finally coming good for Atlético Madrid.

By Graham Ruthven

This is Morata’s second spell at Atleti, so Diego Simeone clearly saw something he liked in the centre forward even when was struggling for consistency. But by scoring 19 goals in just 30 games in all competitions this season, Morata has shown a different side to his game. He needs just one more goal to equal his best-ever scoring season.

Contrary to the widely held belief about Morata, he has been ruthless in recent times. Indeed, the 31-year-old is outperforming his Expected Goals (xG) for Atlético Madrid in LaLiga this season, scoring 13 goals from an xG of 9.0. Morata isn’t missing the chances he earned a bad reputation for earlier in his career. Now, they’re going in.

“Álvaro Morata is on par with Erling Haaland,” said Simeone when asked to compare Atlético Madrid’s in-form frontman to other centre-forwards across European football. “In terms of goals and his numbers, he can certainly be compared to him.” This might have been a slight exaggeration, but Simeone’s remarks say a lot about how highly Morata is valued.

Morata’s partnership with Antoine Griezmann is currently one of the best around. Simeone has built around the pair and has fundamentally changed Atletico Madrid’s identity on the pitch as a result. The days of conservative, stodgy ‘Cholo-ball’ are gone and instead Atleti are now playing a more expansive, attack-minded game. Simeone has adapted to qualities of his players.

Griezmann is enjoying a career renaissance. While the Frenchman is deployed alongside Morata as one half of a front two with wing backs providing width and a strong midfield trio behind him, he has the freedom to drop deep and conduct possession play like he did magnificently for Les Blues at the 2022 World Cup. Simeone clearly watched Griezmann’s performances in Qatar.

With Griezmann doing the leg work, Morata has been able to focus on taking up good goalscoring positions. Having Griezmann alongside him has given the Spanish international clarity. He is purely concerned with offering an outlet in the final third and putting the ball in the back of the net. Other managers have misunderstood Morata, but Simeone is playing to his strengths.

In an alternative universe, Morata joined Inter last summer. The striker held talks with the Italian club about a transfer to San Siro, but ultimately decided to stay at Atleti due to his connection with Simeone. “Yes, it is true that they were close,” said Morata about Inter. “Luckily I had quite a few options, but when I spoke with the coach and Gustavo [Lopez], the best decision was to stay at Atlético.”

Atlético Madrid won’t win LaLiga this season given Real Madrid and Girona’s commanding lead at the top of the table, but this could still be a special campaign for Los Colchoneros. Indeed, they have a Champions League last 16 tie, against Inter, to look forward to and are widely seen as the favourites to win the Copa del Rey after the exit of Barcelona and Real Madrid.

With Euro 2024 approaching quickly, Morata could carry his impressive club form into the summer. Spain started slowly under Luis de la Fuente, but found their form towards the end of qualification when the Atlético Madrid man nailed down his position as the first-choice centre-forward. De la Fuente has build around Morata like Simeone has.

Now 31 years old, Morata is in the prime of his career and has finally found a situation that allows him to showcase the talent he has always had. Chelsea wasn’t right for him. Neither was Real Madrid. He impressed for Juventus, but still had his critics there. It even took him a while to prove himself at Atlético Madrid. Morata had to be defended by Simeone at times. Now, though, his goalscoring rate makes his argument for him.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Feb

2024

Analysis: Inzaghi’s incredible Inter en route to another Serie A title

After their convincing win in the Derby d’Italia last weekend, Inter have opened up the gap at the top of the table to four points, with a game in hand to boot. Having lost just once in the league so far this season, they are clear favourites for the Scudetto – and deservedly so.

By Neel Shelat

Inter have arguably been the most underrated elite European team in the last year. A poor start to the 2022/23 season effectively ruled them out of the Serie A title race then, but some crucial mid-season tactical tweaks from Simone Inzaghi more than salvaged the season as the Nerazzurri won the Coppa Italia and reached the Champions League final.

They have carried that form into the 2023/24 season, as the Serie A leaders have lost just two of their 31 matches in all competitions. One of them knocked them out of the Coppa Italia, but they have already won silverware in the shape of a third straight Suppercoppa and could well get more as they must be considered among the Champions League contenders besides being the obvious favourites in the league.

Inter also have the chance to create some history in Serie A. If they win all of their remaining matches, they will end the season on 105 points, thus breaking Juventus’ record tally of 102 from the 2013/14 season. Of course, this is an incredibly lofty ambition but the possibility cannot be ruled out considering their current form.

Inzaghi deserves a great deal of credit for this, as he has almost perfected the 3-5-2 system with Inter. He has devised a tactical outline that gets the best out of his squad while not excessively relying on any individuals, thus making the team almost immune to transfer losses.

Inter barely broke stride at any point in 2023, so it is tough to believe that they lost a number of key players in the summer. Marcelo Brozović, Milan Škriniar, André Onana, Romelu Lukaku and Edin Džeko all bid their farewells, so the Nerazzurri had to find a lot of replacements without a mind-numbing transfer budget.

Some very shrewd signings as well as smart in-house solutions did the job, enabling Inter to continue playing the same way in 2023/24.

A total sum of €40 million was enough to bring in Yann Sommer, Benjamin Pavard and Francesco Acerbi, who have all become regular starters. Marcus Thuram was signed on a free transfer, and he has immediately become a star up front. Brozović was arguably Inter’s most important player last season, so replacing him was the toughest ask. This is where Inzaghi pulled off a stroke of genius as he decided to drop former attacking midfielder Hakan Çalhanoğlu into the regista role, which he has taken to like a fish to water.

All in all, Inter are quite simply the best team in Italy in all aspects. They can do anything and everything both with and without the ball, showing a level of versatility and flexibility that none of their counterparts around Europe can match.

Although the 3-5-2/5-3-2 formation is often characterised as one used to play a very negative brand of football, Inter actually are one of the most eye-catching teams to watch in possession. Their build-up play is incredibly fluid and yet perfectly cohesive as you will often see midfielders dropping into the back line, centre-backs pulling out to the touchline, and wing-backs pushing up. All of this enables them to play through any press.

The best part of it all has to be their attacking play at the other end of the pitch. Inter can threaten opponents in almost all ways. They can consistently get in behind high lines through the clever runs of their strikers and wing-backs, they can get bodies into the box as crossing targets for whipped deliveries from the wing-backs or midfielders, they can put together slick passing moves in the final third to break down low blocks, and even if none of that works, they have some very dangerous long range shooters in their team.

Simply put, Inter’s attack is unstoppable. They have already crossed the 50-goal mark in the league, and they absolutely blow the competition out of the water when it comes to xG.

The Nerazzurri can also be exceptionally solid defensively, both in their super solid 5-3-2 block deeper down the pitch and with a well-executed high press to disrupt opposition build-ups. Their tally of just 10 goals conceded so far might be too good to be sustainable, but their underlying numbers are not bad at all.

A big chunk of the reason behind Inter’s defensive overperformance is their goalkeeper. Yann Sommer has been one of the best shot-stoppers in Europe for a number of seasons now, and he has already saved his side about six goals this term according to our xGOT model.

The defensive solidity of the three centre-backs as well as their excellent ball-playing ability is quite handy too, but the midfielders naturally stand out when it comes to play on-the-ball. Enough cannot be said about Çalhanoğlu and Nicolò Barella’s technical quality to do almost anything with the ball at their feet, while Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s intelligent positioning in the final third makes him a great creative threat.

The front two have been exceptional at the sharp end of the pitch as they already have 36 league goal involvements between them, but they are very well supported by the wing-backs and midfielders too. A big reason why Inter’s attack is so unstoppable is because you’d have to stop about half the side to shut them down for good.

Marcus Thuram’s excellent well-roundedness has caught the eye of many an onlooker, lately, but Lautaro Martínez somehow continues to go underrated. His tally of 19 league goals this season is over twice the amount of any of his teammates, as he has shown a real killer instinct in the box.

Quite clearly, Inter have all the ingredients of an elite team. Juventus deserve credit for somehow managing to keep up with them in the league so far, but they will surely only fall away in the remainder of the season. A comfortable league lead will also enable the Nerazzurri to focus on the Champions League even more, so they could well go one better than last season in that competition too.

In any case, Inter are irrefutably one of the best teams in the world right now, so they deserve to be given their flowers.

(Images from IMAGO)

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

Feb

2024

Is Vivianne Miedema the key to getting Arsenal back in the goals?

Arsenal Women found themselves at a crossroads in the crosswinds bellowing through East London on Sunday, and at the centre of the intersection was Vivianne Miedema.

As the gusts blew through Victoria Road while West Ham Women walked away 2-1 winners against Arsenal, the Gunners fell to third place in the Women’s Super League standings.

By Johnny Keeley

After scoring her first goal since 2022 last weekend, Miedema and her teammates missed multiple golden opportunities against the Hammers. The Gunners in general left the match frustrated, unable to make better use of the majority of the possession and chances against West Ham’s low block. Now the Club’s season hangs in the balance.

No WSL team has ever won the title after losing three matches, so Arsenal will need to make history if they still want to claim their third WSL title, but they’ll also need one of their most talented players back to her best as soon as possible.

It’s certainly not fair to blame Arsenal’s lack of efficiency in front of goal on a player who’s just working their way back from a serious knee injury, but the underlying statistics highlight that what Arsenal is missing this season is exactly what a healthy and productive Miedema can provide.

As of right now, Arsenal’s problems aren’t coming from the top of the table. The Gunners have already played Chelsea and Manchester City this season, beating them by a combined score of 6-2.

The issues instead come to a head against the likes of Liverpool, Tottenham and now West Ham, who have stifled the North London side with resolute defending. Surrendering possession to Arsenal, and challenging them to bang down the door.

Arsenal dominated in possession metrics and the amount of shots they took in all three of their losses, but their only goal came in their loss on Sunday, the other two being 1-0 defeats. In those three games, Arsenal took 72 shots, with only 16 of them being on target, resulting in just that one goal.

This helps pinpoint arguably the largest issue with Arsenal. The squad is dizzyingly talented with a group of players that should go toe-to-toe with any club team in the world. However, besides inconsistency in the goalkeeping department, Arsenal’s inefficiency in front of goal is what’s let them down the wrong path this season.

Midfielder Lia Wälti explained it best post-game after the loss to West Ham.

“It’s one of these games where you can’t really see where the spaces are,” Wälti said. “I think in the first half we created quick counter-attacks when we won the ball in our half so I think in these moments we just need to be more clinical in front of the goal. I think in the second half, we need to train how to play against low blocks because a lot of teams play really low and it’s not easy to score goals against those opponents.”

Arsenal as a team are second in shots in the league (253), and fifth in shots on target (75), but they sit dead last in shots on target percentage (29%). They’re also one of only four Clubs in the WSL so far this season to be underperforming their xG (-1.5). They need an efficient goalscorer in the worst way, and luckily for them they have arguably one of the best in the world in Miedema.

The last time Arsenal won the title in 2018-19, Miedema was the league’s top goalscorer with 22 goals, and had an astonishing 50% shot on target percentage. The following year Arsenal didn’t win the title but the Dutch international once again led the league in goals with 16 on a 46% shot on target percentage.

When healthy and firing on all cylinders, there’s few, if any, better players than Miedema at getting shots on goal. In limited action so far this season as she’s returning from injury, Arsenal’s No. 11 has only registered 20% of her shots on target, so far, with her one goal (a stunner as well) coming last week against Liverpool. Everyone knows the talent and ability is there, it’s just now up to how soon can she regain that form, and will it be in time to rescue Arsenal’s season?

The Gunners take on fourth placed Manchester United next in the WSL, while Chelsea and Manchester City square off against each other for top spot in the league. As frustrating of a loss to West Ham as it was for the Gunners, the title challenge isn’t necessarily over with games against City and Chelsea still ahead and plenty of time for the two leaders to drop points elsewhere.

To weather this storm and get back on the right path, being more efficient in front of goal would go a long way for Arsenal. The Gunners might not be able to solve their issue in time to win the title but if they do, a healthy Vivianne Miedema will likely be the answer.

(Images from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the WSL on FotMob. Download the free app here.

Feb

2024

The Concacaf Champions Cup is back!

Maybe you didn’t know it had gone anywhere or maybe you’re asking “What’s the Concacaf Champions Cup?” The governing body in North America, Central America and the Caribbean opted for a name change ahead of a revamped tournament.

By Jon Arnold

It’s the same name the continental club championship carried for many years, evoking memories of the glory days of club soccer in the Concacaf region, well before MLS existed or Liga MX clubs had started to exert their power.

What’s different besides the name?

This tournament is going to be big. Like, really big. There are 27 teams competing to be the club champion of the region and things will run from today until June 2.

After teams from outside North America played the Central American Cup and Caribbean Cup, and North American teams qualified through league play or cup competitions, the field is full of squads looking to nab Concacaf’s fourth and final place at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup – plus secure bragging rights and start the new format off right.

Isn’t Lionel Messi in this?

Yes, Inter Miami qualified to the tournament by virtue of winning the Leagues Cup, but that also grants Miami a first-round bye.

So, will Messi play in Suriname?

Sadly, no. Well, not unless Caribbean champion Robinhood (yes, you read that right) gets to the final and so does Inter Miami. While Tata Martino’s men qualifying for the CCC sent thoughts of Messi globetrotting dancing through the heads of international soccer lovers, the most likely first game for the Herons is a Leagues Cup final rematch against Nashville SC. Win that, and it could be a trip to northern Mexico to meet Monterrey – or a U.S. Open Cup semifinal rematch against FC Cincinnati.

Of course, anything could happen. Moca, of the Dominican Republic, could spring a surprise on Nashville in the opening round, which might see Messi turn up to the DR. Stranger things – like Austin FC’s loss to Violette of Haiti last year – have happened in the CCC.

Strange things happen, eh? Is there a dark horse to back?

While the CCL was ripe for weird first-round upsets, it was like the old bit about the Germans always winning at the end, except it was Mexican teams. Just once in the Concacaf Champions League era did a team from outside Liga MX lift the trophy, with the Seattle Sounders toppling Pumas to win the 2022 edition.

The change back to the historic name recalls a time when teams from Suriname, Guatemala or Haiti could lift the trophy, but that feels extremely difficult this time around. With a first-round bye and a number of strong acquisitions, including bringing former Arsenal forward Joel Campbell back in the summer, Liga Deportivo Alajuelense, known as “Liga” looks to have the best path to be a non-power team in the late stages.

Within those ‘power’ teams, Liga MX squad Toluca takes on Herediano in the first round for the right to play Suriname’s Robinhood. A semi-final run looks totally possible for the Red Devils, especially with Mexico attacker Alexis Vega back at the club.

And the matchups to root for?

It feels like all the region is looking at the Round of 16 when there could be a Clásico Nacional in Mexico pitting Club América against Chivas de Guadalajara.

Chivas has to weather a trip to frigid Hamilton, Ontario and get past Concacaf veterans Forge FC of the Canadian Premier League, while América must keep its head against Real Estelí of Nicaragua.

Clásicos are always intense and always to be celebrated. One with a quarter-final spot on the line as both clubs look to clinch the region’s final berth to the 2025 Club World Cup would be electric.

Beyond that there’s the rematch potential for Inter Miami against Nashville, Orlando City and the Tigres potentially meeting again after last year’s series and – if things get really wild – all three Costa Rican giants on the same half of the bracket. They’d have to get past tough opposition to get to the quarter-finals but Saprissa squaring off with Herediano in that round or Liga in the semifinals would be some of the biggest matches in Central America in quite some time.

Oh, and a past version of Philadelphia Union against Saprissa brought us one of the most Concacaf moments ever. We’ll see if this year’s Round One clash brings the same intensity.

This week has some of the power Mexican clubs flying all over the region. Tuesday night Monterrey is in Guatemala City while América is in Estelí, Nicaragua – a town of fewer than 200,000. Chivas and Tigres both are packing their coats to square off with Canadian Premier League opposition.

And that’s all before someone travels to Paramaribo, Suriname next round.

Whether it’s familiar faces in exotic locales, Lionel Messi popping up in places you didn’t ever think you’d see him or renewed rivalry between teams in MLS and Liga MX, the CCC should have something for everyone. Sit back and enjoy the big, expanded ride.

(Images from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Concacaf Champions Cup on FotMob. Download the free app here.

Feb

2024

Argentina’s Liga Profesional: The next talent pool for Premier League clubs

Argentina’s triumph at the 2022 World Cup – and the celebrations that followed it – were certainly memorable. Lionel Messi finally lifted the one trophy that had evaded him. An estimated four million people took to the streets of Buenos Aires to celebrate La Albiceleste becoming world champions for the first time since the days of Diego Maradona. The party might still be going.

By Graham Ruthven

It also served a reminder of Argentina’s ability to produce elite level talent. Messi might have been the difference-maker in Qatar, but Lionel Scaloni’s squad for the 2022 World Cup was packed with quality. Argentina’s talent pool is deep and Premier League clubs are now plunging their hands into the water to find the country’s next superstar.

The 2024 January transfer window saw Brighton sign Argentina youth international Valentín Barco from Boca Juniors with River Plate youngster Claudio Echeverri also securing a move to Manchester City. This comes just two years after City spent a reported £14m to sign Julián Álvarez from the same Argentine club.

Álvarez has since become an important figure at the Etihad Stadium, winning the Treble in his first season as a Manchester City player. He led the line for Argentina at the 2022 World Cup and has deputised ably for Kevin de Bruyne and Erling Haaland at club level this season. The £14m City paid for Álvarez makes his signing of the Premier League’s best bargains of recent times.

Not every player that comes out of Argentina can be an instant success like Álvarez, but Premier League clubs are looking more closely at domestic football within the country. In the past, most Argentine youngsters would need a stepping stone before reaching the top level in Europe. Increasingly, the stepping stone is being removed.

Brexit changed the landscape for English clubs looking to sign young talent from around the world. The new points system – which permits clubs to sign two players per year who do not meet visa requirements – has made it easer for Premier League teams to land players from continents beyond Europe. South America, in particular, is being looked at more closely.

In the past, players like Álvarez, Barco and Echeverri might have joined a club in the Netherlands or Portugal before making the move to one of Europe’s ‘Big Five’ leagues. This is the route Ángel Di María took, playing for Benfica before joining Real Madrid. It was a similar story for Lisandro Martínez who signed for Ajax before ending up at Manchester United.

By cutting out the middle man, though, Premier League clubs can save themselves a lot of money. They can integrate talented players at a younger age and build around them in a more meaningful way. With smart scouting, there are bargains to be had and in the age of Financial Fair Play (FPP) and Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), this is extremely attractive.

It’s not just young Argentines who are making the move to Premier League clubs at a younger age. Brighton in particular have made South America a central part of their recruitment strategy with Facundo Buonanotte, Moises Caicedo and Julio Enciso all pitching up at the Amex Stadium direct from clubs in Argentina, Ecuador, and Paraguay.

Chelsea will also sign Ecuadorian wonderkid Kendry Páez this summer. The Stamford Bridge club appear intent on following the precedent established by Brighton and are expected to sign more South American youngsters in the summer transfer window – the Blues are reportedly interested in signing 16-year-old Estêvão Willian – known as Messinho – from Palmeiras.

Brazilian wonderkids have always been attractive, but the stock of young Argentines is particularly high after what happened at the 2022 World Cup. The country does an excellent job of preparing youngsters for the technical and physical demands of top-level European football, meaning many of its players can hit the ground running in leagues like the English top flight.

Barco will be integrated gradually by Roberto De Zerbi at Brighton while Echeverri won’t join Manchester City until the summer. Both players, however, are expected to make an impact on the Premier League at some point in the not-so-distant future and others will folllow the new trade route between Argentinean and English football.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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Feb

2024

Premier League Team of the Week: Matchday 23

Once again, we have a wildly varied FotMob Premier League Team of the Week. It makes sense though given just how bizarre Matchday 23 was for results. With that in mind, here is your XI.

By Sam McGuire, Premier League expert

Goalkeeper: Mark Flekken

It is not often that you will see a goalkeeper concede three goals yet still make the Team of the Week. Mark Flekken did though. The Brentford shot-stopper conceded three goals in a loss to Manchester City but his exploits between the sticks prevented it from being a much greater scoreline.

The 30-year-old made 12 saves and faced shots with an Expected Goals on Target value of 4.21 on his way to an 8.8 FotMob rating.

Right-Back: Kieren Trippier

At one stage of the season, Trippier was a regular in the team of the week. He’s been an absentee over recent weeks but returned with a bang this week. The right-back was the difference-maker for Newcastle in their epic 4-4 draw with Luton Town. Trippier scored and assisted in what was a dominant performance going forward, all while doing his defensive job to a high level. He won all three of his tackles and came out on top in six of his nine duels.

Centre-Back: Ruben Dias

Dias was a colossus for Manchester City in their 3-1 win over Brentford. The powerhouse centre-back won all of his tackles, made six ball recoveries and won four of his seven duels. He also completed 97% of the 77 passes he attempted and this included a 100% record with long passes. It was an almost flawless performance.

Centre-Back: Lewis Dunk

Brighton emphatically returned to winning ways after a horror-show against Luton Town in mid-week. The Seagulls romped to a 4-1 win over Crystal Palace and captain Lewis Dunk really impressed. The 32-year-old scored and created two chances for teammates while also having a 100% record in duels. He also completed 98% of the 147 passes he attempted.

Left-Back: Alex Moreno

Moreno is quietly going under the radar at left-back for Aston Villa. The 30-year-old full-back, once again, impressed in the 5-0 win over Sheffield United. The maurading left-footer scored the fifth but his overall performance was eye-catching. For example, he was 100% in dribbles (2/2) and tackles (2/2). He won 75% of his ground duels and helped Unai Emery’s side to a clean sheet as they returned to winning ways.

Midfield: Alejandro Garnacho

There was another two-goal showing for Alejandro Garnacho as Manchester United defeated West Ham United 3-0. The 19-year-old Argentine winger registered a FotMob rating of 9.1 for his performance. To go alongside his two goals, Garnacho also created three chances, won four of his seven duels and had a 100% success rate in tackles.

Midfield: Matheus Cunha

Cunha registered a 9.8 FotMob rating for his showing against Chelsea. The nimble Brazilian playmaker bagged a hat-trick at Stamford Bridge while playing as a support striker to Pedro Neto. The 24-year-old also won the penalty, which he converted, and created one opportunity for a teammate. Cunha completed half of his dribbles and won eight of his 12 duels on a day he won’t forget for a very long time.

Midfield: Phil Foden

It was the Phil Foden show on Monday night. The Manchester City winger notched a hat-trick to steal the attention away from the returning Erling Haaland in a performance that earned him a 9.7 rating. The versatile 23-year-old had a total of six shots against Brentford and carved out three chances for teammates all while finishing the game with a pass success rate of 95%. Deployed on the left-wing, he was unplayable.

Attack: Richarlison

Richarlison can’t stop scoring. For the second time this season, he scored in a match against former club Everton. This time around he found the back of the net on two occasions as Spurs picked up a point away at Goodison Park. The in-form Brazilian was in fine finishing form and even created two chances for Spurs in the game. The No. 9 now has 10 goals and three assists in just shy of 1,200 Premier League minutes this term.

Attack: David Datro Fofana

This is one way to make an impression at a new club. Fofana joined Burnley on loan from Chelsea and made his debut for Vincent Kompany’s side in the defeat to Manchester City. He did grab an assist in that loss after coming off of the bench. He was given 27 minutes against Fulham and he managed to turn the game around completely as Burnley came from 2-0 down to claim a point. Fofana scored twice, the second arriving in stoppage time, in what was a clinical showing.

Attack: Ollie Watkins

Watkins ran riot against Sheffield United. The in-form forward scored once and assisted twice. He’s now, statistically speaking, the most creative player in the Premier League having claimed 10 assists already this term. Watkins was a threat throughout and was perpetually on the move, causing the Blades all kinds of problems.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Feb

2024

AFCON Quarter-finals Review: Ivorian resurrection continues, Williams’ penalty heroics save South Africa

The greatest-ever edition of the African Cup of Nations showed no signs of toning down the drama and madness in the quarter-finals, as four enthralling fixtures entertained fans in Côte d’Ivoire. As all eight contestants were teams that failed to reach this stage in 2021, a lot was on the line for them, and they sure played like it.

By Neel Shelat

🇳🇬 Nigeria 1-0 Angola 🇦🇴

As all the big hitters tumbled around them, Nigeria have gone from being expected to underwhelm pre-tournament to now assuming the tag of favourites. Their quarter-final against Angola was the first match they played with the pressure of that position on their backs, so many were interested to see how they would cope with it.

Angola were not to be underestimated, though, as they had played some eye-catching football and scored a fair few goals en route to this stage. Their target now was to reach the AFCON semi-final for the first time ever, having stumbled at this stage twice in the past.

The match was quite an even contest, as both sides created some presentable chances for themselves. The Super Eagles took their first one as Ademola Lookman swept home Moses Simon’s delivery, thus taking a lead into half-time.

The Palancas Negras squandered a couple of great chances but did not threaten as much as they would have hoped to on a rare off-day for their possession play, so they had to accept another quarter-final exit.

🇨🇩 DR Congo 3-1 Guinea 🇬🇳

DR Congo finally registered their first win of the tournament and ended a winless streak that extended to six matches as they overcame a disappointing Guinea side.

Kaba Diawara’s men were the ones who opened the scoring through Mohamed Bayo’s penalty, but they completely fell flat thereafter.

DR Congo quickly equalised through a clinical finish from centre-back Chancel Mbemba and were then given all the time they needed to build pressure in search of a go-ahead goal. Yoane Wissa eventually put his side in front from the penalty spot after the hour mark. A little bit later, an incredible direct free-kick from ex-West Ham full-back Arthur Masuaku sealed the result in the 82nd minute.

So, it was the Leopards who emerged victorious in a tie between two teams who haven’t looked nearly as good as their squad quality would suggest.

🇲🇱 Mali 1-2 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

The Ivory Coast had defied all odds to reach the quarter-final. Having picked up just three points in their group and suffering their biggest-ever home defeat to end up with a negative goal difference, an exact set of other results somehow gifted them a knockout spot. Jean-Louis Gasset was made to leave mid-tournament, so Emerse Faé took interim charge as the Elephants went all the way to penalties before sending defending champions and favourites Senegal home.

As they returned to Bouaké and the Stade de la Paix – the site of their seemingly disastrous defeat to Equatorial Guinea – to face Mali, anyone expecting a straightforward match must have been terribly naive. There was drama right from the start, as Mali won a penalty within a quarter of an hour, but had it saved by Yahia Fofana. The hosts’ first half ended badly, though, as they went down to ten men when Odilon Kossounou received a second yellow card.

Mali did not capitalise on their numerical advantage as much as they should have, but they eventually managed to take the lead thanks to a wonder strike from Nene Dorgeles. Faé then brought the big guns off the bench as his side desperately needed an equaliser, and after some knocking on the door, they got it right at the death thanks to Simon Adingra.

Both sides threatened to some extent in extra time, but the match looked destined for penalties as the 120-minute mark grew nearer. Two minutes past it, there was another twist in the tale as Oumar Diakité redirected Seko Fofana’s shot past the goalkeeper to send the entirety of the Ivory Coast into raptures!

🇨🇻 Cape Verde 0-0 South Africa 🇿🇦 (1-2 on penalties)

Cape Verde sought to reach their first-ever AFCON semi-final, but they first had to overcome a tough-looking South Africa side. The Blue Sharks’ tactical solidity had earned them many plaudits in this impressive run to the quarter-finals, but they now came up against a group of players just as cohesive as them.

The Mamelodi Sundowns effect was felt all over the pitch for Bafana Bafana as they played some very eye-catching football at times (seven of South Africa’s starters play for the Sundowns), although it was Cape Verde who created the better chances thanks to the clever and well-timed runs in behind from their strikers. Both Garry Rodrigues and substitute Gilson Tavares managed to get into one-on-one situations on a number of occasions, but Ronwen Williams always managed to come up trumps.

Vozinha made some smart stops at the other end as well to keep the match firmly in the balance, taking Cape Verde to their first-ever extra time period at the AFCON. More good goalkeeping led to a penalty shoot-out which turned out to be quite singular.

The Blue Sharks went first, and Williams made not one, not two, but three consecutive saves in the exact same place to give his side a huge advantage. South Africa messed up a couple of their efforts too, but it did not matter in the end as Williams made a fourth save down in the other corner, this time to win the match!

Cape Verde will surely be bitterly disappointed after converting just one of their five penalties, but they should be quite proud of their efforts when they look back on the tournament as a whole.

Looking Ahead: Semi-finals

New favourites Nigeria will be the next team to face South Africa in what is set to be a battle between the meanest defences at this tournament. As both sides have kept four consecutive clean sheets leading up to this match, the stronger attack could end up making the difference. Will Nigeria’s superior quality shine through, will South Africa’s Sundowns contingent click, or will Williams repeat his shoot-out heroics? These are the questions that will be answered at the Stade de la Paix.

Ivory Coast will return to the Olympic Stadium to face DR Congo in a semi-final between two teams who have never looked overly convincing and yet always manage to get the job done. The hosts have been quite underwhelming ever since the first half of the opener, but they have pulled something out of the bag when most required in the knockouts. The Leopards, on the other hand, have emerged successful in wars of attrition against the likes of Morocco, and Egypt, but doing so with a capacity crowd on their backs will be a much tougher task.

(Images from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Africa Cup of Nations, with deep stats and players ratings, on FotMob. Download the free app here.

Feb

2024

Asian Cup Quarter-finals Review: Iran beat favourites Japan, Qatar survive a scare

An exciting set of quarter-finals at the Asian Cup did not disappoint, as the brackets featured some teams looking to reach the semi-finals for the first time ever as well as some of the favourites coming up against each other earlier than expected. After four very tightly contested and dramatic matches, we are now down to four contenders.

By Neel Shelat

🇹🇯 Tajikistan 0-1 Jordan 🇯🇴

The quarter-finals began with a historic clash as debutantes Tajikistan took on Jordan, who were also looking to reach the semi-finals of a major tournament for the first time in their nation’s history.

The match itself was far from a classic as both sides were very cautious about overcommitting and getting caught out on such a big occasion. Jordan just about looked the better team in the first half as they were able to better control proceedings both with and without the ball, so their eventual opener was not undeserved.

Vahdat Hanonov was the man who scored Tajikistan’s only goal in their Round of 16 clash against the UAE, and he broke the deadlock this time too. Unfortunately, the ball ended up in his own net on this occasion as a glanced header from a corner deflected off his shoulder and beat the keeper. The Persian Lions then had to take the initiative to find an equaliser, but they failed to create any noteworthy chances as both their starting strikers went off.

Nevertheless, Petar Šegrt’s men should be immensely proud of what has been the most incredible major tournament debut in recent memory. Tajikistan might not have won the whole thing, but they have surely won the hearts and support of so many fans in Qatar, back home, and around the world.

🇦🇺 Australia 1-2 South Korea 🇰🇷

Australia had looked unconvincing all tournament leading up to their massive quarter-final tie against South Korea, but this was exactly the sort of match where they could come into their own.

As we outlined in our tournament preview, the Socceroos’ playing style under Graham Arnold is very suited to absorbing pressure and counter-attacking against strong teams but can struggle a touch when it comes to breaking down the low block put out by weaker opponents. Since they had not faced a side of South Korea’s calibre so far, it was unsurprising to see them not look as good as they did at the World Cup.

For their part, Jürgen Klinsmann’s men were not at their best either. The German coach was largely at fault for that, as he chopped and changed formations in the Round of 16 against Saudi Arabia. For this match, they reverted to their tried and tested 4-2-3-1 system.

For over 90 minutes, the match went exactly as Australia would have wanted. They defended with great solidity in their compact 4-4-2 block and troubled the Korean defence on the break, taking the lead in the 42nd minute through Craig Goodwin. They squandered some great chances to add a cushion in the second half but never looked too threatened in their box as they dealt with crosses superbly, but then it all unravelled right at the end.

Graham Arnold decided to switch to a 5-4-1 formation to see out the win and took off some defenders to add fresh legs at the back, but that only allowed South Korea to turn up the pressure. Deep into stoppage time, Son Heung-min entered the box and drew a foul from substitute Lewis Miller, enabling Hwang Hee-chan to score the Taegeuk Warriors’ second last-gasp equaliser in as many games.

With momentum on their side in extra-time and an excessive number of defensive players on the pitch for Australia, only one outcome seemed likely. Son’s pinpoint direct free-kick gave South Korea the lead just before the break, and a subsequent red card for Australia effectively sealed the result.

🇮🇷 Iran 2-1 Japan 🇯🇵

Pre-tournament favourites Japan had never really looked convincing in their four matches leading up to the quarter-final, so they knew that fellow World Cup participants Iran had the potential to cause some serious problems.

The Samurai Blue got off to a great start as they controlled the match both in and out of possession, although Iran’s defensive block proved quite solid too. It was ultimately unlocked just before the half-hour mark when Hidemasa Morita peeled off wide to pick up the ball, drove towards goal with a one-two, and just about squeezed his finish past Alireza Beiranvand.

Team Melli were without star striker Mehdi Taremi who was serving a suspension for the red card he picked up against Syria, so there was some concern about where their goals might come from. Led by a great all-round performance from Sardar Azmoun, their front four really came alive in the second period. Mohammad Mohebi slotted in the equaliser just 10 minutes in, and it was all Iran for the rest of the period.

Japan’s squad was widely considered to be the strongest going into the tournament, but this match highlighted their defensive weakness. Both of their centre-backs looked shaky when contesting duels, with Ko Itakura in particular having a day to forget. He capped off a very disappointing performance by conceding a penalty well into stoppage time, which Alireza Jahabaksh emphatically converted.

With that, Japan were sent packing from an Asian Cup which almost seemed theirs to lose before it even kicked off. It is now over a decade since their last title, so some introspection seems in order for the JFA once the dust has settled.

🇶🇦 Qatar 1-1 Uzbekistan 🇺🇿 (3-2 on pens)

Qatar had looked strong throughout the tournament as they had conceded just one goal in four games, but a lot of that could be put down to the fact that they had not played top-quality opposition.

Uzbekistan cannot quite be considered the cream of the crop in Asia still, but they certainly promised a much tougher test than anything the hosts had faced to this point. The White Wolves’ initial set-up seemed to show an acknowledgement of the fact that they were not the favourites here, but they defended quite well and posed a decent attacking threat.

Unfortunately, all of the underdogs’ hard work was undone when keeper Utkir Yusupov made a meal of a deflected cross and effectively turned it into his own net in his attempt to catch it. The Uzbeks then had to take the initiative in search of a goal, which they managed to do almost instantly as if with a flick of the switch.

It was all Uzbekistan in the second period as they outshot the hosts 10-1 and controlled play in all phases, but the crucial part of the brief was to create a decisive chance. It was rather presented to them in the end as a high turnover allowed Odiljon Khamrobekov to get a presentable shooting opportunity, which he converted clinically.

Qatar were back in the ascendancy late on and in extra time, but they could not score again to settle the match. So, a nerve-racking penalty shoot-out awaited all those who made the trip to the Al Bayt Stadium. Only half of the spot-kicks were converted, but it was Qatar who emerged victorious after Meshaal Barsham saved the last two Uzbek attempts to turn the scoreline around.

Looking ahead: Semi-finals

Jordan’s first-ever semi-final will see them come up against South Korea, who will be clear favourites. Having plucked victory from the jaws of defeat twice in the knockouts, the Taegeuk Warriors will feel that this is theirs for the taking, but the question will be whether they have enough gas left in their tanks for the semi-final having played over four hours’ worth of football in the week leading up to it.

The big one will definitely be Iran versus Qatar. After their dramatic wins over Syria and Japan, Team Melli will definitely feel that lady luck is on their side as they seek to reach the final for the first time since their 1976 triumph. Qatar’s home advantage will be contested by the strong Iranian contingent based in the country, but the Maroons must be determined to overcome any challenges to their title defence on home soil.

(Images from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Asian Cup, with deep stats and players ratings, on FotMob. Download the free app here.