The Pulse of Football

Nov

2024

Ayoze Perez: The top scoring Spaniard in LaLiga this season

Spain’s UEFA Nations League match against Switzerland would have been particularly meaningful for Ayoze Pérez had he been fit enough to play. This was La Roja’s first competitive match on the Canary Islands since 1996 and Pérez – a Tenerife native – was set for an emotional homecoming only for a minor muscle injury to prevent him featuring.

By Graham Ruthven

That there was such focus on Ayoze Pérez ahead of the game highlighted the level at which the 31-year-old is operating right now. He has become a difference-maker for Spain, scoring one and assisting another in last week’s away win over Denmark. Written off in England after spells at Newcastle United and Leicester City, Pérez is now a starting figure for the European champions.

He’s also spearheading Villarreal’s resurgence under Marcelino. Last season, The Yellow Submarine finished a lowly eighth, going through three different managers in the process. Marcelino was hired for a second spell at El Madrigal just over a year ago and needed some time to make his mark. Now, though, Villarreal are heading in the right direction again.

Pérez is a key member of Marcelino’s new-look team. He has scored seven goals in just nine games (five of them starts), making him the top scoring Spaniard in LaLiga. Only Robert Lewandowski and Vinícius Júnior have scored more than Pérez who is only getting better as he progresses deeper into his 30s.

Signed from Real Betis in the summer transfer window, Pérez has given Villarreal a different dimension in the attacking third. His mobility has been utilised by a team that is less than concerned with possession than it is with making the most of space in the opposition half – Villarreal rank only 13th for average possession share in LaLiga this season.

Only Barcelona, Real Madrid and Real Betis have a higher Expected Goals (xG) than The Yellow Submarine who have found the back of the net 23 times in just 12 games. Even beyond Pérez, Villarreal are thriving in so many different areas. They have lost just one of their last six league games, and that was away to Real Madrid.

Álex Baena looks to have taken the next step in his development, contributing five assists as Villarreal’s creator-in-chief from the left side of the midfield. Nicolas Pépé has been integrated into the forward line following his summer switch from Trabzonspor while Dani Parejo continues to pull the strings in the centre of the pitch.

In Pérez, though, Villarreal have a player who embodies their overall improvement. He has been a one-man attacking hub for Marcelino’s side this season, ranking in the top 27% for shots over the course of the campaign so far as well as the top 15% for chances created. In dribbles, progressive passes and crosses, Pérez ranks similarly highly.

*Pérez’s attacking stats per 90, LaLiga 2024/25*

“He wanted to come and that was the first thing,” said Marcelino about Pérez’s decision to join Villarreal and the impact he’s made. “He’s happy and he finds the goal. And when that happens you find confidence, security… but he also scores a lot of goals in training. It’s a transfer of daily work. He’s intelligent, precise, he dominates the game. In the penalty area he’s intuitive… he’s helping us a lot.”

A fourth league win in a row against Osasuna this weekend would further strengthen Villarreal’s case for a top four finish. The Yellow Submarine’s only two defeats this season have come against Barcelona and Real Madrid and so there’s little reason to believe their Champions League qualification challenge will falter. Villarreal’s underlying numbers are strong.

The injury picked up by Pérez on international duty could see him miss a game or two for Villarreal. Marcelino might have to absorb the loss of his most in-form attacker before a difficult run of fixtures that will include games against Girona, Athletic Club and Real Betis before LaLiga’s winter break at the end of December. Having Pérez fit for this period would be a boost.

Off the field, Pérez has grown too. He has taken on a leadership role at Villarreal this season, publicly criticising LaLiga’s decision to play matches in the wake of the devastating floods in eastern Spain that led to the deaths of more than 200 people. “The decision was not in our hands; we had to play, and so we did,” he said. “But we all agreed that we shouldn’t have.”

Few could have imagined the standing Pérez would assume back in his homeland when he left Leicester City nearly two years ago, but the 31-year-old’s unexpected success for club and country is proof of what good coaching and a healthy environment can draw out of a player. The top-scoring Spaniard in LaLiga has plenty more to offer.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Nov

2024

Analysis: The messy mismanagement that has led Lyon to provisional relegation

Lyon have not enjoyed the best of times in recent years, but their situation has gotten a lot worse in the last week. As their debts continue to mount to the tune of hundreds of millions, their men’s team has been handed a provisional relegation to Ligue 2 by the Direction Nationale du Controle du Gestion (DNCG), French football’s financial watchdog.

By Neel Shelat

There hardly ever is a dull day in the world of French football. Even though there has been no on-pitch Ligue 1 action for over a week due to the last international break of the year, followers and stakeholders alike have been kept very busy by the news of Lyon’s provisional relegation to Ligue 2. Their worsening financial situation, caused by John Textor-led Eagle Football Group’s extremely questionable management, is to blame.

Financial difficulties compounded by poor performances

It is worth noting that Lyon’s financial position was not the best even before Textor took over. Long-time President Jean-Michel Aulas oversaw the most successful period in the club’s history as they won seven consecutive Ligue 1 titles in the 2000s, but the last part of his 36-year tenure did not go so well.

Although OL never won another league title after 2008, they remained consistent competitors towards the top of the standings. In fact, Les Gones never finished outside the top five for over two decades between 1998 and 2020, which is when their recent troubles began.

From a financial standpoint, Lyon’s constant European participation as well as their top-class academy ensured their situation remained pretty stable. The big-money transfer fees they could bring in for their best talents more than offset their transfer spend, while the above-average competition revenue they received helped take care of their wage bills.

However, Lyon perhaps made a mistake in letting their player payroll nearly double between 2017 and 2020. So, right after they dropped out of the European spots at the end of the 2019/20 season, they found their annual balance sheets in red indicating net losses.

Nevertheless, this was far from a crisis. Given their stature and revenue potential, Lyon could easily have ridden through this period with some sensible decisions and measured spending. So, the real problem was that their next owner did the exact opposite of that.

Multi-club madness

When Textor completed his majority takeover of Lyon in December 2022, the club had missed out on European football for a couple of seasons. Quite simply, that meant he could not reasonably afford to go gung-ho in the transfer market as he seemingly intended to do. The DNCG were quite wary of that, as they decided to apply extra scrutiny in monitoring Lyon’s business in Textor’s first full season at the club.

On the whole, the financial health of French football clubs has been pretty poor in recent years, as Bordeaux’s demise earlier this season illustrated. So, the DNCG has been taking extra measures to monitor clubs, asking them to provide proof of funds besides just annual reports. This has been the major point of contention between them and Textor, as he has tried to use the other clubs under the Eagle Football Group umbrella – namely Brazilian title contenders Botafogo, Belgian second-tier side RWD Molenbeek and Crystal Palace – to assure the DNCG of Lyon’s financial stability. The DNCG have not been too impressed by that, as they have decided to focus on Lyon in isolation.

So, back in the summer of 2023, the DNCG went as far as blocking some transfers Lyon attempted. The most notable one among these involved Ghanaian talent Ernest Nuamah, who had been lighting up the Danish Superliga with FC Nordsjælland and attracting interest from all over Europe. After the DNCG prevented Lyon from striking a deal, Textor circumvented this by using RWDM to sign the player and then immediately loaned him across to France. This was the biggest of 16 transfers that have taken place between Lyon and an Eagle Football Group club since Textor’s takeover. While not in violation of any regulations (as of now anyway), such deals certainly do not help Lyon’s financial situation.

Of course, Lyon would go on to have a horrific start to the 2023/24 season on the pitch, finding themselves in and around the relegation zone for quite a while. Textor decided that the remedy for that was to go big in the January transfer window, in which Lyon spent well over €50 million on player transfer fees alone. Some of these players did help them miraculously turn their fortunes around to climb all the way up to 5th by the end of the season, winning a European qualification that likely prevented the DNCG from being so strict in the summer of 2024.

Textor made the most of the relative freedom afforded to him, spending near enough another €150 million in a blockbuster transfer window. While they did make 11 new signings, they only sold four players and struck some questionable deals such as signing Moussa Niakhaté for over €30 million. This profligate spending seemed puzzling enough at the time but looks all the more baffling in hindsight.

Will Lyon really be relegated?

Despite all of this mess, it is quite unlikely that Lyon will actually end up getting relegated. They will, however, need to improve their financial situation by the end of the season in order to ensure that.

There are a few ways they could go about doing that. For one, Textor is considering selling his stake in Crystal Palace, the only club he currently owns a non-controlling stake in. His share is reportedly worth around €200 million, which is well over the amount Lyon need to raise to satisfy the DNCG. However, Textor’s total debts far exceed that amount, so the best solution for him will be to solve Lyon’s problems with Lyon’s resources.

Of course, the most straightforward option would be player sales. OL have a rather bloated 29-player first-team squad, so trimming it down would make sense both to raise some money for now and cut down on the wage bill. The likes of Rayan Cherki, Ernest Nuamah, Gift Orban and Malick Fofana are all highly-rated young talents who could bring in significant transfer fees, as could Georges Mikautadze and Maxence Caqueret. However, buyers will surely attempt to lowball Lyon as much as possible with the knowledge of their desperate situation.

Besides those players, Lyon might want to part ways with some of their highest earners in order to lighten their payroll. The likes of Nemanja Matić, Saïd Benrahma, Corentin Tolisso and Moussa Niakhaté are the first names in this category, while top-earner Alexandre Lacazette will likely not get a contract extension and have to depart at the end of the season.

Some tough decisions will need to be made at the Groupama Stadium in the coming weeks and months, but Lyon only have themselves and their owners to blame for the situation they find themselves in.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Nov

2024

FotMob Profile: Noussair Mazraoui should slot in to Amorim’s system at United

Manchester United secured the signature of Moroccan full-back Noussair Mazraoui in the summer transfer window as Erik ten Hag once again targeted one of his former players. Ten Hag worked with Mazraoui during their time at Ajax before the 27-year-old moved to Bayern Munich.

By Matt Smith

With Ten Hag now out the door and Rúben Amorim arriving, Mazraoui and United supporters may be wondering where the versatile full-back is going to fit in under the new manager. Considering his early displays at Old Trafford, Mazraoui should have no problems impressing the Portuguese coach.

Defensively, Mazraoui has been excellent for United so far this season, perhaps surprisingly considering he’s predominantly played in sides where he’s not forced to defend too often. At Bayern and Ajax, both teams were heavily possession-dominant, meaning Mazraoui could focus on trying to make things happen in the opposition’s half of the pitch.

*Mazraoui defensive stats per 90, Premier League 2024/25*

A move to United has forced Mazraoui into having to defend for large portions of games due to their poor form of late and lack of dominance, and he’s shown that he’s more than capable. The 27-year-old has averaged 2.2 tackles per 90 minutes, while also winning a whopping 77 duels, putting him in the top percentile in the Premier League for players in his position. Mazraoui has also shown aerial dominance at full-back, winning 66.7% of his battles in the air.

Mazraoui’s incredible versatility has even seen him line up in an attacking midfielder position for United, with Ten Hag tinkering with his side in the Europa League. Although naturally a full-back, Mazraoui often comes into central areas and is willing to invert to help out in the build-up. The full-back has also played on either side of defence during his time at United and hasn’t fully settled on one position, showing his adaptability.

Under Amorim, we could see Mazraoui given more license to showcase his attacking ability rather than having to defend for the majority of games. Last season for Bayern in the Bundesliga, Mazraoui averaged 0.18 expected assists (xA) per 90 minutes, while he’s only managed 0.10 per 90 this season with the Red Devils. The appointment of Amorim could see Mazraoui take on a wing-back role in his favoured three-at-the-back system.

Although Mazraoui hasn’t shown a huge creative threat at Old Trafford so far, he’s proved that he can add a spark in the final third, running from deep and taking players on. The former Ajax man has averaged 1.64 successful dribbles per 90 minutes, ranking him second in United’s side. Mazraoui has also completed 88.2% of his dribbles, showing how difficult he is to dispossess.

*Mazraoui possession stats per 90, Premier League 2024/25*

The former-Bayern man could suit one of Amorim’s wing-back roles, providing width and an attacking threat from deep. Amorim has often been known to have a right-footed player playing on the left-hand side, something which Mazraoui has become accustomed to throughout his career. Sporting talent Geovany Quenda, for example, has played many games at right wing-back this season, despite being left-footed.

Amorim will likely want to see improvements from Mazraoui if he is to be a regular feature in one of his wing-back positions. As mentioned, his lack of creativity this term might not be strictly his fault, but he will need to provide more with this position being so crucial to Amorim’s style of play. There’s no doubt he’s got all the tools to be able to play it, and we could see his game taken to the next level.

Some of United’s wingers have struggled this season due to the lack of width provided by a full-back. The likes of Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho have regularly been left isolated due to Ten Hag’s full-backs coming into central areas rather than staying high and wide. With Amorim, it’s going to be a completely different ball game and something that Mazraoui is going to have to get used to.

In summary, Mazraoui can be pleased with his start to life at United, and the supporters at Old Trafford appear to be taking to him. Signing him on the cheap from Bayern, it was always going to be a fairly risk-free deal for the Red Devils, and considering the injury issues of Tyrell Malacia and Luke Shaw, it could be United’s most important signing from the previous summer transfer window.

Amorim may want to bring in some of his own players to fit the system he’s set to implement, but Mazraoui could be a winner from the current crop of United players. This has just been the beginning for Mazraoui at Old Trafford, and it’s time for Amorim to take him to the next level under his guidance.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Nov

2024

Alvaro Carreras, the Benfica left back showing Man United what they’re missing

An in-depth look at the ex-Manchester United full-back excelling at Benfica this season.

By Zach Lowy

On December 29, 2015, Benfica completed the €1.5 million signing of Álex Grimaldo from FC Barcelona. The rest, as they say, is history: Grimaldo scored 27 goals and 66 assists in 303 appearances – 32 of those goal contributions coming in his final season – and won four league titles before leaving in 2023 as arguably the greatest left back in Benfica history.

Grimaldo joined Bayer Leverkusen on a free transfer, a move that would have major repercussions for all parties involved: Whilst Grimaldo spurred Leverkusen to an undefeated domestic double, Benfica’s inability to find an adequate replacement doomed their attempts to retain the championship, finishing 10 points behind Sporting and failing to claim any major silverware. With neither of their summer arrivals – David Jurásek and Juan Bernat – convincing at left back, Benfica had no other choice but to head to the transfer market in January.

Exactly eight years and 19 days after Grimaldo’s arrival, Benfica attempted to repeat that formula by signing a 20-year-old, Spanish left back whose pathway to first-team football was blocked, and who had no other choice but to leave one of the biggest clubs in Europe in order to play senior football. Álvaro Carreras (also more widely known as Álvaro Fernández in the UK) joined on loan from Manchester United with a €6 million option to buy, whilst United retained a €20m buyback clause. With Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia both spending more time on the treatment table than the pitch, and with Carreras taking his game to new heights this season, it may only be a matter of time before United bring Carreras back to Old Trafford as they look to solve a problem position in defence.

After bouncing around from Racing de Ferrol to Deportivo de la Coruña to Real Madrid, Carreras left Spain in 2020 and joined Manchester United, where he emerged as a regular for the U23s and was named their Player of the Season, but never quite managed to make his first-team debut. He was loaned out to EFL Championship side Preston North End for the 2022/23 campaign and quickly impressed with 6 assists in 42 appearances before heading to newly promoted LaLiga side Granada for the 2023/24 season, only to be recalled in January and join Benfica. Carreras was gradually eased into the team, remaining on the bench in six of his first 11 league matches before playing 87+ minutes in five of his next six to end the campaign, enough to convince Benfica to trigger their option and sign him on a contract through 2029.

Having spent the past two seasons on loan, Carreras finally has the chance to settle down and develop in the same place over a long-term period, and it’s clear to see that this stability is paying dividends. After coming on for the final half-hour of their opening day defeat at Famalicão, he replaced the injured Jan-Niklas Beste in the 20th minute vs. Casa Pia and seized the opportunity, completing 4/5 long balls, registering 3 key passes, and winning 6/10 duels. Since then, Carreras has started in each of Benfica’s last 14 matches, making him the sole outfield player to play every single minute since the appointment of Bruno Lage on September 5. Only three Benfica players have created more chances than Carreras (13), who boasts the joint-second-highest FotMob rating (7.73) in their squad after Kerem Aktürkoğlu (8.19).

*Carreras season summary since joining Benfica*

“Carreras looks like a completely new player this season,” said @CurtaVermelha, one of the biggest Benfica accounts on Twitter. “Whilst Benfica use a 4-3-3 base, they attack in a 3-4-2-1 and switch between a 5-3-2 or a 4-4-2 in defence. Carreras is that piece that offers all these dynamics because he is a fast, physically imposing defender who covers space well, who’s hard to beat in duels, and who is looking far more comfortable on the ball and capable of penetrating through the middle with vertical passes.”

“Last season, he pretty much lost the ball 50% of the times that he touched it, losing possession 12 times in a 45-minute cameo vs. Toulouse in February. This season, not only is he defending well, but he can build from the back and pop up in the box and the flanks. He can’t change a game by himself with his attacking quality like Grimaldo, but he’s a much more solid defender. Similarly to Riccardo Calafiori, he’s a hybrid of a centre back and a left back, a player who allows the team to be much more solid defensively and for players like Ángel Di María to be more focused on going forward.”

At 21 years old, Carreras is in the form of his life at Benfica, and the proof is in the pudding. With the exception of their 1-0 defeat at Bayern, he’s racked up one goal contribution in each of Benfica’s last four matches, ending October with an assist vs. Rio Ave and Santa Clara before equalizing in a 2-1 win vs. Farense, beating Ricardo Velho at his near post with a well-drilled effort. He was back at it again in their next league fixture, feigning to go wide before cutting inside and carving a way past yet another Portuguese international goalkeeper – Diogo Costa – with a sensational weak-footed finish. Porto equalised before halftime, but Benfica would storm back to a 4-1 victory, the first time since 1964 that they scored 4+ goals vs. Porto in a league fixture.

Benfica sit third in the table, two points behind Porto and eight behind Sporting, with a game in hand on both. They have won each of their last eight matches vs. Portuguese opponents, and they’ll be counting on Carreras – a player who has scored more goals in his last three matches (two) than in the first 85 matches (one) of his senior club career – as they look to build on their momentum and close the distance on their rivals.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Nov

2024

Preview: England take on Ireland in Nations League promotion bid

Two months on from their last meeting in Dublin, the two nations face each other again, at Wembley, for the first time since 2020.

By Ian King

This one has a bit of history

Well, you could say that. On the 21st September 1949, Ireland beat England 2-0 at Goodison Park to become the first foreign team to do so away from home. And they had been a thorn in their side from Euro ‘88 on, when they beat them 1-0 in Stuttgart, and two years later, when they held them to a 1-1 draw in Cagliari during the 1990 World Cup. England didn’t beat Ireland at all between March 1985 and November 2020, although Ireland didn’t beat them either; they played out five draws during this time.

Form

Ireland are, by pretty common assent, not in a great shape at the moment, but they did at least beat Finland 1-0 on Thursday night to ensure that they won’t finish bottom of their Nations League group. England were much improved upon their shambolic home defeat against Greece in their return match in Athens, running out comfortable winners, despite doing without a huge number of withdrawals (9 at the last count). A win against Ireland will promote them back into the top tier of seeds and may make future qualifications a smoother passage, so England have an incentive to win.

Key players

It’s now been two years since Evan Ferguson made his Ireland debut. He missed five months with injury earlier this year, but the Brighton forward has now scored four in seventeen games and he bagged the crucial winning goal against Finland.

He wasn’t the only young player to impress in this match, either. The Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher saved a penalty kick with the score at 0-0, another sign of a country emerging from recent football doldrums.

The England captain Harry Kane was critical of players who withdrew from this round of fixtures, only to find himself on the bench on Thursday night. The key question that Lee Carsley has to answer in his last game in charge of the team is whether he starts Ollie Watkins, who started against Ireland and scored the opening goal after just seven minutes, or the record goal scoring captain.

*Kane vs. Watkins player comparison, 2024/25 league stats only*

Team News

For Ireland, Shane Duff, of Norwich City and Seamus Coleman, of Everton both withdrew from injury last week alongside former Celtic forward Adam Idahm, while England are missing Aaron Ramsdale, Levi Colwill, John Stones, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Luke Shaw, Declan Rice, Kobbie Mainoo, Cole Palmer, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish and Bukayo Saka, all injured.

Prediction

Ireland have improved since earlier this year, and their historical record against England demonstrates that they have the potential to put one over on their rivals. But England’s comfortable win in Athens on Thursday night indicated that their previous home defeat was a blip rather than a sign of anything longer-term. With Lee Carsley’s team needing a win to top the group, there is enough of an incentive there for the home team to be able to win this match, but Ireland always have an extra incentive to go for it against the Three Lions, so it might not be completely straightforward.

Prediction: England 2–0 Ireland

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Nov

2024

Life After Amorim at former club Sporting

After been linked with the likes of Chelsea, Barcelona, and Bayern Munich at the end of last season, Rúben Amorim finally got his big move – and he couldn’t have asked for a harder gig.

By Alex Roberts

Manchester United have gained one of the most exciting coaches on the continent, replacing a man who was similarly regarded after guiding Ajax to a Champions League semi-final and two Eredivisie titles.

Similarities don’t end there. Much like Erik ten Hag, Rúben Amorim took the helm at Sporting during a period of crisis. Fans were so unhappy; they broke into the training ground and physically assaulted the players back in 2018.

A first league title in 18 years back in 2020/21 and a second in 2023/24 helped smooth things over, but all of that is in the distance past now, and the Lisbon side will have to prepare for life without their talismanic manager.

Amorim couldn’t have wished for a better send-off. A 4-1 home win over soon-to-be rival Pep Guardiola to plunge Man City into crisis somewhat overshadowed the fireworks and tears before the game. And that was followed by a 4-2 comeback win at Braga, where Sporting scored three goals in the last 10 minutes of the game.

Former Sporting B manager João Pereira is the man who has been given the unenviable task of filling Amorim’s beautifully tailored boots and he has a lot of work to do if he wants to build upon what he’s inherited.

Since Ten Hag left, Ajax are yet to win another shield, a fate that Sporting and their new manager, Pereira, will hope to avoid now that Amorim is gone. Thankfully they have an ace in the hole, arguably the best striker in the world.

With 23 goals in his first 18 games across all competitions, no striker on the planet is playing like Viktor Gyökeres, not even the big Norwegian over in Manchester can compete.

His hattrick against Man City in the Champions League was his crowning moment. Yes, two of them were penalties, but his first goal showed the world exactly what he’s capable of, breaking away before slowly dinking it past Ederson.

*Gyökeres shot map, Liga Portugal 2024/25*

On the pitch, the transition should be seamless for Sporting. There isn’t much of a difference between Pereira and his old boss in terms of tactics, Pereira also likes to play with three central defenders and bombing wingbacks.

Like under Amorim, there will be a high defensive line and not an excessive amount of pressing, but enough to keep the opposition on their toes.

His greatest challenge will come off the pitch, however. Sporting’s players loved Amorim. During the summer transfer window, Gyökeres’ agent came out and said he would have left the club if the manager hadn’t remained.

Gyökeres and midfielder Morten Hjulmand were reportedly furious when they found out Amorim would be leaving. Results haven’t changed since the announcement, but if one result doesn’t go there way, all that positive feeling built up could fly out the window.

Pereira isn’t off to the best of starts. He’s yet to manage a game and he’s already in trouble with Portugal’s National Association of managers, with President Jose Pereira (no relation) saying, “We cannot recognise him as Sporting’s coach as he does not have the certification required to carry out his duties.”

If you’re a fan of omens, Amorim had a similar issue when he took over at Casa Pia. Although the club were deducted six points and he was suspended from all footballing activity for a year, he turned out pretty well for Sporting.

Their first game of the post-Amorim era will come against Amarante FC in the Taça de Portugal, a little warm up for the real test just four days later, a Champions League tie with Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal at the Estádio José Alvalade.

The Leões remain the only side in Europe’s top six leagues with a 100% record, comfortably sitting 11 points above second placed Porto at the top of the table and well on course to lift a second consecutive title for the first time since 1954.

The club’s incredible start to the season, as well as strong showings in the previous few, mean the vultures will soon come sniffing, and players like Gyökeres will likely leave for pastures new.

Man United have inevitably been linked but Amorim has promised not to sign any Sporting players in the January transfer window, and it may already be too late when the summer rolls around.

Gyökeres and Amorim aren’t the first to leave Sporting for bigger and (maybe) better things, and they certainly won’t be the last. Throughout its history, the club has nothing if not resourceful.

The next generation will take over. Players like 17-year-old Geovany Quenda, the latest to emerge from their famed academy, already have the world at their feet. In theory, Sporting are in safe hands as they wrestle with the transition that so many club’s before them have struggled with.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Liga Portugal on FotMob – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Nov

2024

FotMob Profile: Bradley Barcola is the big winner from Mbappe’s PSG exit

Losing your best player is rarely going to be looked upon as a positive, and that goes double when you lost them for free. Add in paying hundreds of millions of euros for them in the first place, them being the national face of the sport and arguably the top talent on the planet in their respective role and…well, Paris Saint-Germain didn’t have too much reason to be happy when Kylian Mbappé departed the Parc des Princes this past summer.

By Karl Matchett

And yet, as has been shown at so many clubs before, out of the weeds can spring the hopeful flower which gives optimism for the future. In Paris this year, that is Bradley Barcola.

In truth, there’s not even any real need to delve deep into numbers of how and why to realise Barcola has taken an almighty leap forward this term: Ten starts, ten goals, two assists, most with his right foot, one with his left, one with his head.

The 22-year-old Frenchman is absolutely flying, the starting (and starring) left-winger in Luis Enrique’s system, both freed up and forced to step up by Mbappé’s departure. Look at PSG’s team this year and it lacks star quality compared to previous campaigns; the player with the most Ligue 1 minutes played is Willian Pacho, an Ecuadorian centre-back; the most assists come from 20-year-old Portuguese midfielder João Neves. Marquinhos, Ousmane Dembélé and Achraf Hakimi have long been big names, sure, but never the absolute elite in the way of some previous stars who have departed the club over the past couple of years.

In Barcola they might think they have the next one to join those ranks. The winger leads the way in the squad for goals of course, but it’s more that he’s an across-the-board top player in most attacking metrics: top four for xG, chances created, shots and dribbles per 90. Look around Ligue 1 and it’s even more impressive: the division’s top scorer, he has the highest xG, more than every similar attacker in the league for shots per 90, shots on target per 90, long ball completion rate and touches in the opposition box.

*The top three rated players in Ligue 1 all play for PSG*

If some of that is down to PSG’s domestic dominance, it’s also down to his own relentlessness: Barcola is an aggressive, determined figure who will not just look to beat a man to get a shot away, but will hound his opponent, shutting them down, winning back the ball to aid his team whenever possible. From that side of his game, it’s arguable that his game mentality approached by having a year or two trying desperately to be the additional pick to an Mbappé: while the star name must start, hopeful extras must bide their time and show more than just technical qualities to earn a place in the team. Barcola has won more duels than 80% of similar players in the league this term, and while he’s now more the team’s outlet and end product rather than doing the donkey work of others, there’s no doubt that has played a part in his growth.

Even with a wider lens beyond Ligue 1, Barcola ranks in the 91st percentile for goals, 74th for defensive actions and 73rd for chances created this season, among other wingers and attackers in Europe’s top leagues.

All this, and at 22 years of age. To put this into some sort of context, he’s shooting at a higher per 90 rate than Cole Palmer and Lamine Yamal, is hitting them on target more frequently than Jhon Durán or Michael Olise, is making more dribbles than Savinho, Nico Williams or Florian Wirtz and is creating more chances per 90 than Jamal Musiala or Morgan Rogers.

They are all some of the most highly rated, frequently spoken about and celebrated under-23 stars around Europe this season and previously; very few – if any – can do all of those things with such consistency as Barcola.

A big measuring stick for him this term is going to be his performances in the Champions League. There he’ll come up against the better defences in theory, but so far PSG have been largely poor: one win from four and outside even the playoffs right now at the halfway stage, despite it being basically designed so none of the big teams can fail quite that much. Surely they’ll make their way into the top 24 at some stage, but Barcola is without a goal there so far. Away to Bayern Munich is their next test, and it would be an ideal stage for him to give a big showing of his talent, but also to show whether he can be the go-to guy to rescue his team, not just help them be flat-track bullies domestically.

This PSG side doesn’t really have the look of one which will go deep this year in Europe, but that doesn’t mean they can’t produce sensational stars again. Barcola is primed to be exactly that this year.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Nov

2024

Harvey Elliott’s comeback could be a bigger boost for Liverpool than we think

The sight of Harvey Elliott walking out to join Liverpool’s under-21s squad for training after two months out with a fractured foot was an encouraging sight for supporters.

By Jack Lusby, ThisIsAnfield.com

Joining the likes of James McConnell, Amara Nallo and Kieran Morrison for a spirited session, watched by coaches Barry Lewtas and Jay Spearing, the 21-year-old took a vital next step in his recovery.

Tracked carefully by the club’s fitness staff, Elliott was able to join full training on the ball, including a part in small-sided games on the outdoor pitch at the AXA Training Centre, with no obvious signs that he is still feeling the effects of a blow felt on England duty in September.

All being well, Elliott will rejoin his first-team colleagues for training in the buildup to Liverpool’s trip to Southampton on November 24, with a chance he could even make the squad at St Mary’s.

As they have throughout his time out, Arne Slot and his staff will take caution when it comes to the No. 19, but there is a sense that he is now at the end of his recovery, with that careful management paying off.

It comes after a difficult start to the season for Elliott beyond his injury, with the young midfielder only featuring once so far – that being off the bench in the 2-0 win over Brentford in August, and even then he was afforded just seven minutes of normal time.

That came despite no player clocking more minutes during Slot’s first pre-season in charge, with Elliott tied with Mohamed Salah, Jarell Quansah and Kostas Tsimikas having played almost five hours of football over four warmup games.

No player created more chances (nine) or registered more assists (two) in the Reds’ friendlies than Elliott, who also played the most passes into the final third (26).

Elliott had spoken of his excitement at transitioning to Slot’s “very elegant, Dutch style,” but when it came to the campaign proper it was clear that the new head coach had settled on a different midfield unit.

Late arrivals for pre-season due to their involvement at the Euros and Copa America, the trio of Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister began the season as first-choice starters.

That left Elliott on the outside looking in, and with few changes required in the opening weeks of the season his game time was limited to say the least – and only made worse, of course, by fracturing his foot in training with England’s under-21s.

Over the course of his two-and-a-bit months out, however, things have changed for Liverpool and that should prove positive for the returning Elliott.

His comeback should align – there or thereabouts – with those of Alisson, Diogo Jota, Federico Chiesa and, after a hamstring issue in the last game before the break against Aston Villa, Trent Alexander-Arnold.

And with Liverpool in the midst of a relentless fixture list only increased by the expansion of the Champions League and their progress in the Carabao Cup, Slot has begun to rotate his side with more regularity.

That has often come in midfield, with Slot explaining why it has been one of the main areas of focus ahead of that 2-0 win over Villa:

“If you look at the players who have played most games, it’s mostly our centre-backs and they don’t really run the most if you compare that to full-backs or the midfielders or the wingers.

“So there are multiple reasons why our full-backs or our midfielders are sometimes rotated, but definitely it also has to do with the quality of the players and the difference in, at least in my opinion, the quality of these players.”

Just like at full-back, where a debate has emerged with Andy Robertson and Tsimikas both holding a claim to the first-choice spot, Slot demands a lot from his midfielders, particularly in terms of work rate.

Most prominently that has seen Curtis Jones shuffled into the mix after a hit-and-miss start to the season, with the England midfielder able to pick up any of the three roles in Liverpool’s engine room: the No. 6, the No. 8 or the No. 10.

As it stands, Liverpool will play 12 games in 43 days before a possible break in fixtures at the start of January, averaging a fixture every 3.6 days, which could grow further if the Reds reach the quarter-finals and semi-finals of the Carabao Cup.

That rotation will only continue, then, and with Elliott back in the fold there is every chance he is considered a fifth part of that core group of midfielders.

Unlike Jones, the likelihood – based on his use in pre-season and his shorter stature – is that he will be earmarked for one particular role, that being the No. 10, but that is arguably the position with most uncertainty around it.

Szoboszlai has been a mainstay of Slot’s side so far, with only Salah, Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo making more appearances, but the Hungarian has invariably been the midfielder shuffled out amid doubts over his end product as a No. 10.

“He’s been important for us, especially until now in our work when we don’t have the ball. He’s been outstanding in his pressing game,” was Slot’s early verdict on Szoboszlai, when speaking in September.

“I think something that we have to work on with him is that he’s also even more involved in scoring goals and creating chances for us.”

So far this season, Szoboszlai has one goal and three assists in 16 appearances – a goal contribution every 275.3 minutes, or one every three games – with seven Liverpool players scoring more and both Salah and Jones assisting more.

Jones’ production in front of goal is double that of his fellow midfielder – averaging a goal or assist every 136.6 minutes – which highlights why the 23-year-old has seemingly broken into that first-choice trio ahead of Liverpool’s No. 8.

Elliott could follow the same trajectory, as despite being considerably shorter than Szoboszlai he still offers a similar running power and pressing ability while combining that with an improving end product.

In 53 games in all competitions last season, Elliott scored four goals and laid on 11 assists, averaging a goal contribution every 185.7 minutes, or almost every other game.

And in last season’s Premier League, no Liverpool player won possession in the final third more often (1.3 per 90).

Szoboszlai, by comparison, scored seven and assisted four at a rate of one every 245.8 minutes. Interestingly, he is also only sixth in terms of possession won in the final third for Liverpool in this season’s Premier League (0.6 per 90).

That is not to suggest that Elliott will return and overtake Szoboszlai in the pecking order, but it certainly demonstrates that he can be a similarly valuable asset within Slot’s midfield.

His time out has represented something of a slow build, yet to cement himself under new management, but if Liverpool pull off the plan for his comeback, Elliott could become one of their more important players in the second half of the season.

(Images from IMAGO)

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Nov

2024

Can Francesco Farioli get Ajax back on top in the Eredivisie?

Fifth place in the Eredivisie, 61 goals conceded, and only 56 points won across 34 matches. Not the statistics which are usually associated with Ajax, but the 2023/24 campaign was their worst in recent memory.

By Ross Kilvington

The last time the Amsterdam side finished lower than fourth was during 1999/2000. At the end of October, Ajax occupied 17^th place in the table, their worst start to a season since 1964/65.

They may have eventually scraped into the Europa League qualifiers, despite going through three coaches in the process, but for one of Europe’s most historic clubs, this standard was way below the expectations required.

Change was needed, that’s a certainty. In May 2024, Ajax appointed Francesco Farioli as their new head coach. The 35-year-old became the first Italian to manage the club, while being the club’s first foreign head coach since Morten Olsen in 1998.

A gamble? Yes. Fast forward six months and it appears this gamble could pay off rather handsomely.

Farioli represented a step in a new direction

The former Philosophy student approaches the game in a different way to most coaches. Still in his mid-30s, he has already gained plenty of experience, with Ajax his fourth managerial post.

The Italian guided Alanyaspor to a fifth place finish in the Turkish SüperLig two years ago, before embarking on a solitary campaign at the helm of OGC Nice. He secured a stunning 3-2 victory over PSG at the Parc des Princes, leading them to a fifth place finish in the process.

Combining his vision and philosophical insights, Farioli’s style of play is undoubtedly unique and one that has galvanised Ajax.

Problematic areas are being worked on

The Italian’s main priority was to fix a leaky defence that had conceded 61 times – the most of any Ajax team since 1958/59. Nice conceded just 29 times last season in Ligue 1, the lowest in the division, suggesting that Farioli would make a huge difference defensively.

In Josip Šutalo and Jorrel Hato, the club have two wonderful defenders who will likely move on to bigger things, but at the moment, they are shining for the club. Add in loan signing Daniele Rugani and the club have conceded just 11 goals in 11 matches, the joint-fourth best record in the top flight.

At the opposite end of the pitch, the club have scored 25 goals in the Eredivisie, again the third best total in the league. This is four more than at the same stage last season, indicating progress under Farioli.

Ajax rank in the top three for big chances created (41), touches in the opposition box (409), shots on target per match (6.3) and goals per match (2.3) in the Eredivisie this term, hence the reason why they have found things easier in the final third.

Of course, improving both defensive and attacking areas was key for improvement this season, yet Farioli was always going to be judged on the results rather than the statistics.

So far, Ajax are performing rather well.

Ajax are trending upwards

The club made it through three rounds of qualifying to secure their place in the group stages of the Europa League, while winning one of their opening two league games ahead of the first international break in September.

Since then, however, Farioli’s men have won ten of their 13 games, including three in the Europa League. This run has ignited their campaign, with the wins against Feyenoord and PSV Eindhoven just three days apart giving the indication that the Italian might just be the man to return former glories to Ajax.

In April, Feyenoord had won the De Klassieker 6-0 in what was their most famous win over their rivals in years. Six months later, Farioli masterminded an impressive 2-0 away victory courtesy of goals from Kenneth Taylor (22) and Hato (18).

Three days later against Peter Bosz’s PSV side, who won the title last term by seven points, scoring 111 goals in the process, Ajax came out 3-2 winners.

It was the first time they had defeated PSV since January 2022, dominating their opponents in the final third. Not only did they create three big chances to PSV’s one, but Ajax also managed 21 shots, nine more than Bosz’s men.

They may have sacrificed the lions share of possession, but Farioli’s attacking philosophy worked wonders at the Amsterdam Arena that evening.

Winning just one of those two matches would have been seen as a sign of progress under the former Nice boss, but two? His imprint on the team is clearly shining through after just a few months in charge.

There is plenty of football to be played, but if Farioli can build on these victories between now and Christmas, Ajax may well find themselves in a title race.

Appointing the 35-year-old was a big risk, especially following a shambolic 2023/24 campaign.

Now? The move may well go down as one of the shrewdest decisions made by a European club during the summer.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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Nov

2024

The rise of Morgan Gibbs-White and his much-deserved England call-up

For a time at Nottingham Forest, Morgan Gibbs-White was seen as a player who was underperforming and had no chance of playing for England. But as he has matured, the midfielder’s reputation has changed. and he is now playing at his best.

By Kaustubh Pandey

Gibbs-White has never lacked promise at any point in his career. He went from shining for England in the Under-17s World Cup in India in 2017 and scoring in the final of the tournament to sealing a big-money move to Forest from Wolves in the summer of 2022.

A period of instability at Forest during the Steve Cooper era impacted everyone – from Gibbs-White to even established players like Remo Freuler and Joe Worrall. Not everyone who suffered stayed at the club, but Gibbs-White has now emerged as a key player and after a period of ups and downs, is becoming a vital performer under Nuno Espírito Santo.

Gibbs-White is thriving

Nuno certainly knows Gibbs-White well from his time at Wolves and even though he didn’t quite make excellent use of the Englishman, this familiarity has come in handy for the England international.

The improvement in the 24-year-old’s performances goes back to last season, when he contributed to 16 goals across all competitions, recording the the best individual season of his career from a statistical viewpoint.

A majority of those contributions came under Nuno, who handed him a leadership role in the squad, and made him feel like a very valued member of the starting XI.

Gibbs-White has just one goal in the 2024/25 campaign so far and while that obviously isn’t a big number by any means, there is now a feeling that the midfielder is truly becoming a irreplaceable part of the club. His influence extends beyond what he does on the pitch and he commands authority.

How is it happening?

Last season, Gibbs-White would operate across the pitch even while playing in the attacking midfield role. Nuno’s arrival made him optimise his actions and presence on the pitch and he is now found far more often on the left, popping up in the half-space quite a lot.

The Portuguese manager’s style of play has been very transition based since his time at Wolves and it gives attacking players a lot of room and space on the break. Gibbs-White has taken advantage of that perfectly.

The Tricky Trees are third-bottom in the Premier League for average possession and that says everything about their approach, which relies on staying deep and compact, then breaking by using the skillset of nifty players to attack space.

They are also eleventh for touches inside the opposition box, per 90 minutes, showing that they rely heavily on efficiency rather than high volume shooting or dribbling. They just have to make the most of the ball they get.

In that setup, it is sometimes more important to keep possession flowing forward quickly than actually create. That is the role Gibbs-White has taken on this season.

*Gibbs-White passing stats per 90, Premier League 2024/25*

He is thriving on keeping play ticking over and that has just brought his numbers to a lower level than last season. In the 2023/24 campaign, he was much more involved in the final third and made things happen in the box.

*Gibbs-White passing stats per 90, Premier League 2023/24*

He was assisting way more often last season and was allowed to get into positions that made him create chances for his teammates – be it through crosses or threaded balls beyond defensive lines.

He isn’t the fanciest of dribblers out there, but Gibbs-White combines a workman-like approach with the ability to pick the right passes and keep play moving forwards. That can be used in different setups and it is also vital to note that Forest do have wide players who boast pace, reducing the load on the ex-Wolves man to be that crafty 1v1 player.

He beats a midfield’s press with his passing accuracy and has this natural ability to turn past them with ease, making Forest a constant threat on the break.

The former Under-17s World Cup winner has also come leaps and bounds defensively this season, adding another tool to his arsenal that will definitely come in handy for the future.

A blessing for England?

In many ways, Gibbs-White belongs to a very modern generation of English midfielders who are multi-faceted and technically blessed. Unlike a profile such as Kalvin Phillips, he offers so much more across the pitch and can also operate in multiple setups.

He, along with Angel Gomes, played under Lee Carsley in the Under-17s setup and that has played a role in their recent call-ups. But both of them possess the ability which definitely raises the technical ceiling of any future England XI and helps them break down those defences that play deep.

The Forest man still has a long way to go and as Thomas Tuchel prepares to take over the Three Lions in the coming weeks, Gibbs-White will have to impress over the course of these next two international games to make a space for himself in the German’s side.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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