Page 145 – The Pulse of Football

Jan

2025

Dani Olmo and the state of limbo at Barcelona

Dani Olmo doesn’t know where he will be playing in the second half of the season. Or if he’ll be playing at all. As things stand, Olmo won’t be registered to play in LaLiga in 2025 with Barcelona unable to meet the division’s wage cap. Not for the first time, the Catalan club is facing up to the reality of its own financial mismanagement.

By Graham Ruthven

Signed from RB Leipzig in August, Barca were able to register Olmo for the first half of the season due to long-term injuries suffered by a number of first team players. Ronald Araújo, Andreas Christensen and Marc-André ter Stegen’s misfortune essentially got Barcelona off the hook and Olmo could play.

Now, though, Araújo and Christensen are fit again and Barca can no longer use their injuries to register Olmo. It’s a genuine possibility that the Euro 2024 winner could be forced to watch the second half of the season from the sideline, although a number of potential suitors, including several in the Premier League, have been linked with a loan move.

All this highlights just how fragile Barcelona’s position remains. Their progress is far from guaranteed. While the club is undeniably in a better position, on and off the pitch, now than it was even 12 months ago, Barca are walking a tightrope to stay competitive at the top of Spanish and European football. They could fall off at any time.

Olmo has settled quickly into Hansi Flick’s team. Injury has prevented the 26-year-old from playing more than 628 league minutes this season, but Olmo has scored five times in just 11 appearances. He has proved himself as a good fit for one of the most exciting and dynamic attacks in the game right now.

Lamine Yamal is Barcelona’s creator in-chief with Robert Lewandowski the focal point and Pedri the Andrés Iniesta heir who ties everything together. Olmo, however, is the box-crashing auxiliary threat who gives Barca a different dimension. Opponents often have so many Barcelona attackers to mark and track that Olmo frequently finds space inside the box.

At their best, Barcelona are a force of nature, as they showed during a particularly impressive run in October that saw them score eight goals against Bayern Munich and Real Madrid in a single week. Flick’s high-intensity approach has energised a team that had grown stale under Xavi Hernández last season.

Barca, however, have drastically lost momentum in recent weeks, winning just one of their last seven league games. The 2-1 home defeat to Atlético Madrid before the winter break saw the Catalans lose top spot in the table with Flick’s side now third. The season could slip through Barcelona’s fingers if they don’t recover their form soon. Not having Olmo to pick from won’t help matters.

Recent reports claim Barcelona have a series of ideas to raise funds. They hope to generate over €100m through the sale of VIP box seats for the renovated Camp Nou when it reopens later this year. A new kit deal will help. A number of players including Araújo, Frenkie de Jong, Gavi and Pedri are also reportedly willing to sign new contracts on more favourable terms for the club.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid are lining up a move for Trent Alexander-Arnold after signing Kylian Mbappé in the summer. Atlético Madrid also spent close to €200m on transfers before the 2024/25 season and are reaping the rewards as Julián Alvarez, Conor Gallagher, Robin Le Normand and Alexander Sørloth continue to contribute.

La Masia is the thing Barcelona have that none of their rivals have and so the Catalans have made a point of once again re-establishing the pathway between the most prolific academy in world football and the first team – see Lamine Yamal, Pedri, Gavi, Marc Casadó, Alex Balde, Pau Cubarsí, Fermín López and others who have recently broken through.

And yet it is another big-money transfer that has landed Barcelona in trouble again. Olmo’s return to the club that gave him his footballing education as a youngster cost Barca €55m in the summer and it could cost them a whole lot more if they are forced to unregister him for the second half of the season when Flick could really use the attacker to catch Atleti and Real Madrid.

Not so long ago, Barca appeared to be back. Emphatically so. They were flying in the Champions League and LaLiga, were proceeding with the $1.6 billion renovation of Camp Nou and and looked to have recovered from the constant calamity of the last few years. Now, the landscape is rather different and Olmo could be forced out as a symbol of bungling Barcelona. Lionel Messi knows how he feels.

(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.

Jan

2025

Premier League Preview, Matchday 20

Though Arsenal and Brentford played on New Year’s Day, Matchday 20 is the first of 2025 in the Premier League.

By Sam McGuire

The random fixture generator has treated us all to a bumper edition too with some must-not-miss clashes spread across Saturday, Sunday and Monday. What should you be keeping an eye on though? Here at FotMob, we’ve got you covered.

A problem for Postecoglou

Tottenham are closer to the relegation zone than they are the top four. Spurs find themselves just nine points clear of 18th-placed Ipswich Town but are 11 points behind Chelsea, the team currently sat in fourth place in the Premier League.

This was supposed to be the year Ange Postecoglou’s side kicked on after narrowly missing out on a top four finish last term. Spurs spent over £120million in the summer. They added Dominic Solanke to their ranks to finally replace Harry Kane with a centre-forward. They trimmed their squad too, getting rid of players who simply did not fit into the way the Australian tactician wanted to play. This was his squad with players he wanted.

Yet Spurs find themselves in 11th position having lost (nine) more games than they have won (seven).

They are winless in their last three in the Premier League. During this particular run, they have conceded nine goals. They conceded an equaliser against Wolves in the 87th minute in their last outing.

Postecoglou’s men are entertaining and have the fourth highest Expected Goals haul in the Premier League this season but only five teams have given up more Expected Goals Against. There’s no balance to the team.

On Saturday afternoon, they face one of the form teams in the league in Newcastle United.

The Magpies have surged up the table recently, with four successive wins in the English top-flight, and they’re scoring goals for fun having found the back of the net on 13 occasions in these matches. They have also kept four successive clean sheets.

In their possession is one of the best attackers in the Premier League this season – Alexander Isak. The Sweden international has eight goals and two assists in his last six appearances for the Magpies.

A win away in London could momentarily see Newcastle displace Chelsea in the final Champions League place. A loss could see Spurs finish the weekend as low as 14th if results don’t go their way.

Advantage Arsenal?

Arsenal make the trip to the Amex on Saturday evening looking to cut the gap at the top to just three points.

Mikel Arteta’s men play before Liverpool host Manchester United on Sunday afternoon and it gives them an opportunity to heap pressure onto the league leaders.

The Gunners have won three on the spin in the Premier League and seem to be handling the loss of Bukayo Saka fairly well. Gabriel Jesus has, from out of nowhere, become one of the team’s most important players. He scored again in the 3-1 win over Brentford on New Year’s Day to make it six goals in four appearances.

Arsenal showed great resolve on Wednesday evening to come from behind against the Bees. They’ll no doubt be confident heading into the game with Brighton this weekend.

Believe it or not, the Seagulls are without a win since November. That is a run of seven matches without a win. This has been made up of five draws and two losses but they have just one clean sheet in their last 12 outings and find themselves in 10th position.

They do retain the ability to cause problems though. They held Arsenal to a draw earlier in the season, had the lead against Liverpool at Anfield and beat Manchester City. They have the players to cause an upset. It just depends on whether or not they’re able to show up. If they are, it might be a tricky fixture to navigate for Arteta and his players. However, if the hosts aren’t on it, Arsenal are going to cut the gap at the summit, it is as simple as that.

The Reds versus the Red Devils

On paper, this should be an easy three points for Liverpool.

Manchester United lost five of their seven Premier League matches in December. They head to Anfield on a three-match losing streak in the English top-flight having been defeated by Bournemouth, Wolves and Newcastle United recently. Rúben Amorim’s side conceded seven goals without response in those fixtures.

The Red Devils are 14th in the Premier League, just seven points above the drop zone.

Liverpool, meanwhile, find themselves six points clear at the top of the table with a game in hand. Their only defeat of the campaign came in September and they’re currently on a three-match winning streak in the league. They have scored 14 goals in these three outings and Mohamed Salah is playing some of the best football of his career. He’s on 30 goal involvements in just 18 appearances.

A win for the Reds at Anfield should be a formality. However, we know that form goes out of the window in these clashes. Heading into the Anfield clash in 2023, a game Liverpool won 7-0, the visitors were the form side. Last season, Jürgen Klopp’s team were on song but failed to beat United in the league and were knocked out of the FA Cup by their old rivals.

Arne Slot can’t afford to be complacent here. His players need to be focused. If they pick up three points here, it’ll be a big statement in their push for the title.

A resurgent Wolves

Nottingham Forest have been the surprise package of the season.

We’re halfway through the campaign and Nuno Espírito Santo’s side sit third on 37 points. They’ve won as many matches as Arsenal (11) and are currently on five successive wins in the Premier League, their best run of form in the English top-flight since 1995.

On Monday night, they travel to Molineux to take on a Wolves side in the midst of a new manager bounce. Vítor Pereira’s appointment has seen his side win two matches and claim a 2-2 draw with Spurs in their third. They went from being a shoo-in for relegation in the eyes of many to being outside of the bottom three in the space of a few weeks.

They’re scoring goals and not giving up many chances. The hosts will be a real test for Nottingham Forest. If Nuno can get one over on his former employers, and bring Pereira’s unbeaten start to an end, they might be genuine contenders for a European finish.

(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.

Jan

2025

Preview: Carlos Corberan’s Valencia debut against Real Madrid

Real Madrid will be looking to return to top spot in LaLiga in their rescheduled fixture against Valencia, for whom the new year marks a new beginning with a new head coach.

By Neel Shelat

Valencia facing the threat of relegation again

Valencia are one of the most storied clubs in Spanish football. Founded over a century ago, they have lifted 15 top-flight league and cup titles besides a couple of continental trophies. Those heights seem worlds away at the moment, though, as the club’s fortunes have taken a sharp downward trajectory over the last decade or so.

They started work to create a Nou Mestalla to replace their now-century-old home ground all the way back in 2007, but funding issues have left that project in limbo for the last 15 years. Indeed, the club’s ownership situation is one of their biggest pain points as Peter Lim is overwhelmingly unpopular among fans but has no plans to sell the club.

His perceived lack of interest and investment are cited as the biggest factors in Valencia’s downfall, causing the club to constantly get sucked into relegation battles. After a promising top-half finish last season, for example, they only made three permanent summer signings and barely invested over €1 million on transfer fees.

Could Carlos Corberán be the man to rescue Los Che?

Rubén Baraja’s nearly two-year-long spell in charge of Valencia made him the club’s second-longest serving coach for nearly twenty years. They have long been stuck in a vicious cycle whereby they bring in a relatively bigger name but fail to back them and drop into a relegation battle, at which point they decide to bring in a firefighter who steadies the ship before the loop repeats.

Carlos Corberán might just be the man who breaks that cycle, though. A boyhood fan of the club, he also came through their academy as a goalkeeper but failed to establish a strong senior career and quickly switched to coaching. He initially did not enjoy a lot of success but seemed to turn a page after working with Marcelo Bielsa at Leeds United. Since then, he has led Huddersfield Town and West Bromwich Albion to promotion pushes in the English Championship.

Corberán will certainly fight tooth and nail to avoid Valencia’s second-ever relegation, and he also has the tactical nous to potentially kick on from there.

Another outing for Real Madrid’s first-choice front four

Real Madrid’s first-choice front four of Rodrygo, Jude Bellingham, Vinícius Júnior and Kylian Mbappé have only started six matches together so far this season as various injuries have kept them apart. They should all be ready to go for this match as Los Blancos’ injury list is now down to three defenders. Dani Carvajal and Éder Militão are out for the season, while David Alaba may return sooner.

The attacking quartet could have a field day against a Valencia side who are missing as many as seven players. The absences of goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, centre-back Mouctar Diakhaby and full backs José Gayà and Thierry Correia will surely have weakened their defence.

Prediction

Valencia could trouble Real Madrid with their new head coach bounce and potential for tactical surprises, but Los Blancos should have enough quality to come away with all three points.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Jan

2025

Noni Madueke: Fitting the mould of the modern day winger

Relative to preseason expectations, Chelsea have had a solid season and seem to be in good position to finish in the top four.

By Mohamed Mohamed

This is powered by their impressive attack, as they rank third in goals scored in the Premier League, third in terms of expected goals (xG), and third in big chances. Between having a deep rotation of wingers and potential No. 10s, one of the best attacking duos in Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson, and being clinical with their opportunities in transition, it’s helped Chelsea display some explosive performances over the course of the 2024/25 campaign.

An underrated contributor to Chelsea’s success has been Noni Madueke. Eight goals and assists in over 1000 PL minutes is a solid return, although it’s overshadowed to some extent by the numbers produced by Palmer and Jackson. The English winger has had an interesting career for someone who’s still 22. Despite being heralded as one of the biggest talents in the Eredivisie with PSV and getting a move to Chelsea a couple of years ago, injuries have meant that he’s yet to play more than 1500 league minutes in a single season for either club. This season is shaping up to be the first one where he cracks that threshold.

The appeal of Madueke is that he fits the mould of the modern-day touchline winger. He’s got an explosive first step which wide players need, as they often create from a standstill position, sometimes against a double team. This differentiates him from some of the previous wingers to have come in to the league from the Eredivisie. When isolated in 1v1s in the final third, he’ll try to blend stepovers and feints with his first step to catch defenders off guard, although the success in those attempts have decreased this season compared to previous ones. In deeper areas, he is aggressive at attacking space to put pressure on the opposition.

As a passer, Madueke shows some bright moments, but he’s more inconsistent in this area. He’s most comfortable with forward passes into the box or just outside of it for teammates making underlapping runs for potential cut-backs. That type of pass does carry some value as possible secondary assists, but on average they’re not as threatening compared to others. The touch on his crosses can be erratic, as evidenced from his success rate with crosses being in the 48^th percentile at 22%. Although he is willing to attempt crosses with his weaker right foot, and that in of itself is a positive, a similar story emerges. There are moments as well where you can perhaps question the decision making on eschewing potential high value passes near the box because of tunnel vision, whereas the best creators in the game have fewer and fewer instances of this.

*Madueke passing stats per 90, Premier League 2024/25*

What separates Madueke from other wingers who primarily operate near the touchline is that he shows promise with his forward movements. You’ll often see him try to work on the blindside of his fullback to catch them napping and find space in behind, whether it’s against a set defence or during transition opportunities. This can include quick in and outs where he pretends to move deeper and receive the ball before attempting to spring in behind into space. He’ll try to crash the far post in situations where the ball is on the opposite flank for a crossing opportunity. It’s not a coincidence that Madueke is averaging 9.14 touches in the penalty box, which is just under the 94^th percentile. Although it was later chaulked off for offside, the ‘goal’ he had versus Leicester was a good example of what Madueke could do off the ball, where he attacked the space around the penalty spot while his marker was caught flat footed.

In some ways, this off-ball work can be seen in Madueke’s shot chart this season. 43 of his 52 shots are from inside the box, which is a proportion you’d typically see from top off-ball technicians. That said, a good amount of those opportunities come from the wide right zone where it’s harder to generate goals. A lot of that is due to him constantly cutting inside and spamming low value shots. Something that helps accentuate his movement is he’s got some comfort with taking shots with his weaker right foot, which can lessen the time needed to get a shot off in the box. 18 of his 52 shots this season in the PL were taken with the right foot.

Madueke’s skill-set at this time is an interesting contrast of strengths and weaknesses. While he’s perhaps not an absolute elite dribbler, he’s a very good one when also accounting for his output in previous seasons, and is among the more aggressive progressive carriers in his position. He’s probably best off as a secondary or even tertiary playmaking option in the final third given his inconsistencies on crosses and blind spots during certain situations. Besides his dribbling, arguably the most interesting part of his game is his activity off the ball, both in attack and while aiding the press.

What Madueke brings to the table in terms of his hybrid on/off-ball game is a nice compliment to the other profiles among the Chelsea squad. Palmer is the creative engine of the team. Jadon Sancho helps with ball retention in the final third. Meanwhile, Jackson is the type of striker who is adept at making runs in behind versus high lines, while also providing some value with his ability to turn in deeper positions as an outlet. Those profiles together can lead to a cohesive unit, which has been on display at points throughout the first half of the season.

There is the rough outline of a future star level winger in Madueke. His directness both on and off the ball, along with decent passing instincts, assures that he’s got a high ceiling. The decision making in the final third needs improvement, but that could come with more minutes. Among the many transfer acquisitions Chelsea have made in recent years, Noni Madueke could turn out to be among the best in due time.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Jan

2025

Analysis: Can Conceicao rescue Milan’s season after Fonseca’s sacking?

Italian giants Milan have made the final major coaching change of 2024, moving swiftly to replace Paulo Fonseca after their draw with Roma. The Rossoneri have had a very disappointing first half of the season, so Sérgio Conceição has a tough gig to handle in the new year.

By Neel Shelat

Currently languishing in eighth place with a 14-point deficit to the league leaders, Milan are on course for their lowest Serie A finish in a decade. While supporters were happy enough to see Stefano Pioli leave at the end of last season after feeling that the side stagnated under his management, they quickly realised that the threat of going backwards was just as real as the prospect of moving forward. The club looked set to appoint Julen Lopetegui as his successor, but they were forced to reconsider after vocal fan protests. Eventually, they settled on Paulo Fonseca.

In hindsight, neither of those picks looks great. Lopetegui has gone on to have a rocky time at West Ham United, while Fonseca was unable to build upon a precious few sparks of promise in the economic capital of Italy.

Fonseca’s failures in an uphill battle

As someone who evidently was not the board’s first choice, Fonseca had to prove himself from the get-go. However, he failed to win any of his first three competitive fixtures in charge of Milan. Worse yet, he already seemed to be having disagreements with star players such as Rafael Leão and Theo Hernández – an issue that would continue to undermine his spell at the club.

The bone of contention seemed to be their defensive work rate, which possibly forced the Portuguese coach’s hand in terms of his out-of-possession tactics. From the very beginning of his tenure, he did not set his side up to press but instead asked them to drop into a very compact mid block. However, their organisation was often suspect, giving opponents the opportunity to slice through them.

Given the fact that Pioli managed to fashion a decent press and solid block with pretty much the same squad, Fonseca cannot absolve himself of blame for Milan’s defensive issues. He has never been renowned for his out-of-possession tactics, though, so he could still have gotten away with this by excelling at what he does best.

However, the 51-year-old coach never seemed to get everything clicking in the way of attack either. He devised all sorts of systems and structures in possession, but his side often struggled to break down disciplined defensive blocks. Ultimately, they mostly ended up relying on the individual quality of their attacking stars to make the difference. Christian Pulisic’s stellar form was a huge boost early on in the season, but his drop-off significantly impacted the team’s output.

Piloli, for his part, had regularly relied on the dynamic left wing duo of Leão and Hernández to make a telling difference for Milan. As a result, he pretty much built the team around them, adjusting all other aspects to get the best out of the pair. Even though Leão still bailed the team out at times, Fonseca’s determination to impose his style on those players likely cost him further. The Portuguese tactician went as far as benching one of them in recent matches, but his attack only took a hit in those games as his replacement options were mostly teenagers such as Álex Jiménez, Francesco Camarda and Mattia Liberali.

With issues both in attack and defence as well as star players getting antagonised, the writing was quickly on the wall for Fonseca. His approach had many similarities with Pioli’s but he did a significantly worse job of putting everything together, so his position became untenable.

The job at hand for Conceição

After Fonseca’s failure, a change in approach appeared to be the only sensible option for Milan. The appointment of Sérgio Conceição suggests that is the direction they are taking.

The 50-year-old coach has been in the business for almost 15 years after the end of his playing career. He spent about half of that time in his most recent job at FC Porto, winning ten trophies including three league titles.

Throughout his seven seasons in charge of the Dragons, Conceição was almost exclusively wedded to the 4-4-2 formation or one of its variants. Defensive solidity was his top priority, as his side averaged less than one goal conceded per game in every single one of their league seasons under him and let in the fewest goals in all but two campaigns. Their approach in big games quite often involved defending with discipline and absorbing pressure, so he could well try to replicate that at Milan.

Although the Portuguese coach has never been renowned for his attacking tactics, he did get the best out of star forwards such as Mehdi Taremi and Luis Díaz at Porto. Leão and company should also have a good time under him as a more transitional and counterattacking approach will better suit them.

With the January transfer window now open, it will be interesting to see how much Milan invest to shape their squad according to Conceição’s liking. They could ideally do with additions in various departments, though a heavy mid-season investment is both unlikely and inadvisable. While the Rossoneri have options in central midfield, some more depth could be useful for what will likely be quite a demanding role. More quality at the heart of defence could also prove handy, as could reinforcement in the full back positoins.

Conceição’s contract reportedly includes a unilateral termination option for Milan at the end of the season, so he too will be expected to deliver results quickly. He is quite used to such pressure, so as long as he instils his trademark defensive solidity in this Milan side, they could yet spring a surprise in one of the cup competitions.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Jan

2025

Premier League Team of the Week: Matchday 19

Following Arsenal’s 3-1 win over Brentford on New Year’s Day, we have the first FotMob Team of the Week of 2025. It is, once again, dominated by Liverpool players with the Premier League leaders having three in the starting XI. But who made the cut alongside them and why?

By Sam McGuire

Goalkeeper: Christian Walton

The Ipswich Town shot-stopper put in a fine performance for the Tractor Boys as they beat title chasing Chelsea 2-0 at Portman Road. The 29-year-old faced shots with an Expected Goals on Target total of 1.48 and made four saves as the Blues peppered the Walton’s goal looking for a way back into the game. Poor finishing alongside some good goalkeeping repelled Enzo Maresca’s side and earned Kieran McKenna’s men an important three points.

Right-Back: Trent Alexander-Arnold

Alexander-Arnold isn’t letting the uncertainty surrounding his future impact his performances. Well, he certainly wasn’t against West Ham United anyway. The 26-year-old scored his first of the campaign. He also carved out three chances for the Reds as Arne Slot’s men ran riot in a 5-0 win. The No. 66 completed 87% of his passes, made nine ball recoveries and won 50% of his ground duels in what was a solid display, with and without the ball.

Centre-Back: Trevoh Chalobah

Crystal Palace came from behind to beat Southampton in a must-not-lose match for the Eagles. Imperative to that was Chalobah. The on-loan Chelsea defender scored the equaliser. He also completed 75% of his attempted passes, he won 100% of his dribbles, 100% of his tackles and bossed things in duels, winning 80% of his ground duels and 60% of his aerial duels.

Centre-Back: Manuel Akanji

Manchester City returned to winning ways against Leicester City with Akanji putting in a solid performance. The 29-year-old completed 97% of his passes. He was accurate with 75% of his attempted long passes, too. He also cleared an effort off the line, made four clearances in total and won 100% of his ground duels as the reigning champions kept a rare clean sheet.

Left-Back: Rayan Aït-Nouri

The 23-year-old set up two goals as Wolves claimed a draw with Spurs to keep themselves out of the relegation zone. Aït-Nouri was a star performer, carving out three chances on his way to those two assists. He completed 84% of his passes and finished with a 100% success rate in dribbles. He also won two of his three tackles and five of his seven ground duels on his way to an 8.8 FotMob rating.

Midfield: Mohamed Salah

Another matchday, another Team of the Week inclusion for Salah. It is almost a formality now that the Liverpool attacker will find himself in the FotMob Team of the Week. He has now made three appearances on the spin and eight in 18 matches. Against West Ham, he completed the most dribbles (three), created the most shots (four) and finished the game with three goal involvements to make it 30 for the season in the English top-flight.

Midfield: Mikel Merino

Merino got the nod ahead of Declan Rice as Arsenal made the trip to Brentford on New Year’s Day. The summer signing made the most of his opportunity in the starting XI, scoring the goal to put Mikel Arteta’s men in front. He also completed 80% of his passes, made seven ball recoveries and won six of his 11 duels before being replaced after 78 minutes.

Midfield: Alexis Mac Allister

Mac Allister followed up his 8.6-rated showing against Tottenham Hotspur with an 8.4-rated performance against West Ham. This time, the Argentine didn’t rack up assists. Instead, the 26-year-old was at his all-round best. He completed 89% of his passes, created three chances, won 75% of his tackles and involved himself in 12 duels.

Midfield: Gabriel Martinelli

A goal and four shots. Martinelli certainly stepped up for the Gunners in the absence of Bukayo Saka on Wednesday evening. The Brazilian attacker also created four chances as Arsenal overturned a 1-0 deficit to claim a 3-1 win against the Bees. He also pulled his weight without the ball too, winning 75% of his duels.

Forward: Liam Delap

Delap was the difference-maker as Ipswich claimed all three points against Chelsea. The former Manchester City youngster scored and assisted. He also won the penalty which he converted. Remarkably, he had five shots at Portman Road and attempted just eight passes. He was barely involved in the game but made it count when he was. It was a ruthless display from the 6’1″ centre-forward.

Forward: Ollie Watkins

Back in the starting XI for the first time in almost one month, Watkins staked a claim for a place in Unai Emery’s plans. He was only in the team because Jhon Durán was suspended but Watkins turned out to be the difference-maker for Aston Villa against Brighton, scoring and assisting in a 2-2 draw. He was heavily involved in final third action, taking six shots and creating four chances on his way to an 8.6 FotMob rating.

(Images from IMAGO)

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

Jan

2025

Preview: Arsenal targeting second in 2025 opener at Brentford

Arsenal’s Premier League campaign is back on track, but insofar as the title fight goes, that challenge may have already fallen by the wayside and a trip to Brentford to kick off 2025 might show why.

By Karl Matchett

Fortress Gtech

Up until recently, the Bees enjoyed a near-perfect home record at the Gtech Community Stadium. Thomas Frank’s side have been poor on the road, without a win all season, but on home soil they have been nothing short of excellent: seven wins from eight games up until they lost to Nottingham Forest in their most recent match. Given Forest sit second in the table, above even the Gunners, that’s nothing to be ashamed about and they’ll have every reason to hope they can trouble Arsenal too.

The Gunners’ own recent record at the stadium is impressive though; after being overwhelmed in 2021, with Brentford making their Premier League bow on a Friday night in front of super-noisy home fans and winning 2-0, Mikel Arteta’s team have since won 3-0, 1-0 and 1-0 across league and cup in the ground. At the Emirates it has also been almost all Arsenal’s way, so six in a row unbeaten against this opposition – and the promise of second place being theirs if they win – means the Gunners have both motivation and reason for optimism, even if their away form has wavered this term. Still, two wins and two draws on the road from the last four shows they’ve steadily improved there too – but eight points fewer than leaders Liverpool away from home is a big indicator of where they’ve fallen short.

Recent form

A big win at Crystal Palace and a narrow one over Ipswich mean Arsenal have second place in their own hands, given Man City’s ongoing decline and Chelsea’s Christmas hangover. A battle with Nottingham Forest was unexpected, but consistency and experience should see Arsenal win that battle over the longer term, with even a point enough to go second here.

As for the hosts, Brentford were on a very decent run up until mid-December, but Frank’s side looked to have run out of steam a little of late. Three straight defeats to Chelsea, Newcastle (League Cup) and Nottingham Forest were a tough run in fairness, and a stalemate at Brighton was a show of defensive resolve and a return to taking points.

Team news

The Bees’ fine winter form was all the more notable because of an ongoing injury crisis, which goalkeeper Mark Flekken looks to have joined. He’s among 11 possible absentees: Ethan Pinnock, Kristoffer Ajer and Sepp van den Berg are big defensive absences, but Aaron Hickey, Rico Henry, Thiago, Ben Mee and others could all be starters too.

The Gunners remain without Raheem Sterling, Bukayo Saka and Ben White but otherwise look strong.

Key player

Martin Ødegaard took four shots and created two chances against Ipswich but hasn’t been as electric since returning from injury. His team need the captain to shine again, given he ranks among the top 1% of attacking midfielders in Europe’s top leagues for creativity. He’s overdue a goal.

Prediction

A noisy and enjoyable way to kick-start the league in 2025, with both teams going at each other and the goals flowing freely: 2-2.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Dec

2024

FotMob Profile: Rosenborg’s in-demand wonderkid Sverre Nypan

Sverre Nypan is set to be one of the most coveted players in the January transfer window. Almost every elite European side is said to be interested in him to some degree, and he has reportedly been touring some clubs’ facilities after the end of the Eliteserien season. So, we have taken a look at Nypan to understand what the hype is all about.

By Neel Shelat

Sverre Nypan has been breaking records ever since he made his professional debut. He started his first league match at the end of the 2022 season, becoming the youngest player to ever appear in an official fixture for Rosenborg at the age of 15 years and 322 days. He started to feature much more regularly last year with over 1,500 league minutes under his belt in 2023. The teenage midfielder scored his first goal that year, becoming his side’s youngest-ever scorer.

By then, Nypan was quite well-known to scouts all around the world, but he remained at Rosenborg as an international transfer would be impossible before he turned 18 years old. He went from strength to strength in the 2024 season, registering eight goals and six assists in the Eliteserien to firmly cement himself as the next big thing coming out of Norway.

Playing style and strengths

Although he has yet to play a competitive fixture after turning 18, Nypan has already proven himself to be quite a well-rounded midfielder at senior level. Starting on the left of midfield in Rosenborg’s 4-3-3 formation, he was one of the standouts in a team that finished fourth in the league.

Despite the fact that the youngster’s player radar might suggest that he is a very attack-minded midfielder, it is important to contextualise those numbers. Rosenborg had the third-highest possession average in the league this year, so their midfielders naturally saw much more of the ball and had less defending to do. So, while his defensive numbers may be low, Nypan isn’t necessarily weak defensively.

The most interesting thing to note in that radar is the discrepancy between the amount of touches Nypan gets and his attacking output. There is a simple explanation for this – he likes to position himself in pockets of space ahead of the ball to receive forward passes, after which he either quickly keeps the move ticking with a short pass or uses his exceptional close control to make his way past opponents into even more dangerous positions.

*Nypan possession stats per 90, Eliteserien 2024*

Nypan’s dribbling certainly is one of the most eye-catching aspects of his game, but the consistency of his attacking output might have impressed suitors even more. With 15 league goal involvements in 2024, he made the biggest attacking contribution is his side by some margin.

With the ball at his feet, Nypan showed good vision to pick out creative passes, especially infield. Since he tended to operate quite high up, he did not play too many incisive through balls but did slip in a good few clever short passes through tight spaces.

*Nypan passing stats per 90, Eliteserien 2024*

For all his quality on the ball, though, Nypan’s game really revolves around his outstanding spatial understanding and movement. As previously referenced, he does an excellent job of moving into pockets of space at the right time to receive the ball in the final third – both in central areas or by pulling out wider. He does similarly well with the ball in front of him by perfectly timing his runs into the box to consistently get on the end of quality chances.

While he has shown good control and composure with his right foot when it comes to finishing first-time chances, the teenager could yet improve his left to further add to his goal threat.

Going the other way, Nypan has seemingly worked on the defensive side of his game the most this year. Naturally, when he made his first start as a 15-year-old, he was not at the same physical level as everyone around him. Of course, he is not quite there even now having just turned 18, but his physique has certainly grown. While he is not the strongest in the air, he uses his body quite well to make a nuisance of himself in ground duels.

*Nypan defensive stats per 90, Eliteserien 2024*

Nypan is pretty disciplined and hard working in terms of executing his role out of possession too, so the defensive side of his game has to be considered good enough.

Where should Nypan go?

Nypan is reportedly spoilt for choice in terms of his next destination, but he will have to make a careful decision. Of course, he is not the first creative teenage midfield to star in Eliteserien as Martin Ødegaard did the same a decade ago, but his big move did not go so well.

The Rosenborg youngster must look to avoid making the same mistake by going to a side where he can continue to get a decent amount of game time in a role that suits him. The likes of Manchester United and Chelsea – who are both said to be interested in him – do not currently use a 4-3-3 formation with a number eight role, but the advanced midfield roles in their systems could suit Nypan’s attacking strengths.

The biggest decision he will have to make will be choosing between immediately moving to one of Europe’s most elite clubs or going to a team just a tier below like Bayer Leverkusen, Aston Villa or Ajax – where he might get more time and a tad less pressure. Either way, Nypan is certainly one to watch in this transfer window.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow all the latest transfer news on FotMob by creating your own tailored feed in the Transfer Centre – you can even set up notifications for all the big confirmed moves at the clubs and in the leagues that you care about. Download the free app here.

Dec

2024

Preview: Chelsea look to round off the year in style at Ipswich

Winless in their last two Premier League games, perhaps Enzo Maresca was right regarding Chelsea’s title hopes. The West London club travel to East Anglia to face Kieran McKenna’s struggling Ipswich.

By Alex Roberts

Fulham earned their first win at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League era on Boxing Day, with Harry Wilson and Rodrigo Muniz both scoring late goals to cancel out Cole Palmer’s opener and leave Maresca visibly furious at full-time.

Ipswich’s luck wasn’t much better. Unsurprisingly losing to Arsenal, who leapfrogged Chelsea into second (now third following yesterday’s games), as their hopes of Premier league survival are dealt another major blow.

An audition for Liam Delap

The 21-year-old has been a standout performer for Ipswich since leaving Man City in the summer, scoring six goals and providing a single assist in his 16 Premier League appearances.

*Delap shot map, Premier League 2024/25*

His fine form has earned him some admirers amongst the more established sides, including Chelsea. Maresca’s side have had immense success from former City academy graduates in recent years, with Cole Palmer being the obvious archetype.

Delap hasn’t made a goal contribution since their 2-1 win over Tottenham, but he has every opportunity to steal the show against Chelsea.

Attack wins you games, defence wins you titles

The old adage sums up Chelsea’s season so far pretty well. Maresca’s side have no issues putting the ball in the back of the net, they’re the second highest scorers in the league, but they struggle to keep it out of their own.

Some of it could be put down to youthful exuberance, the West Londoners do have the youngest squad in the Premier League after all, but most of it is just straight up naivety.

Robert Sánchez has made three errors that have led to a goal this season, thankfully for Chelsea, Ipswich’s Arijanet Muric tops the charts with five.

Omari Hutchinson has a point to prove

The young playmaker will face his old club for the first time this season after being shipped out in the summer, feeding Chelsea’s need for ‘pure profit’ to help satiate PSR’s never-ending hunger.

Hutchinson, who played a key role in Ipswich’s promotion last season, has struggled to recapture that form since making the move permanent, scoring just one goal, and providing one assist in his 16 Premier League games.

Like many before him, Hutchinson will face Chelsea with a point to prove, and he will doubtless be intent on making them regret letting him go.

The cracks are starting to show

Chelsea’s immense squad depth is both a blessing and a curse for Maresca. While he has the ability to field entirely different teams for different competitions, keeping all the players happy is a full-time job in and of itself.

Not only that, but the Italian has to field multiple questions about why he decided against playing any one player at any one time. His press conference after the defeat to Fulham was no different.

Maresca has made just three substitutions in his last two Premier League games, is that a simple tactical decision or does he not trust his squad players? Only Maresca knows, but if it continues, players such as João Félix and Christopher Nkunku may come knowing on his door.

Prediction

A game against Ipswich is the perfect Christmas pallet cleanser for Chelsea after a frustrating couple of games. While McKenna’s side have had their moments, the visitors have too much firepower. We’re going to go with a 3-1 Chelsea win.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Dec

2024

Preview: Newcastle visit Old Trafford looking for a fourth win on the bounce

Two games, two goals conceded directly from corners for Rúben Amorim’s side, as Manchester United’s baffling lack of a ‘new manager bounce’ continues. They head into their final game of 2024 against Newcastle on Monday with much to ponder.

By Alex Roberts

Amorim would have had an inkling about the situation at Old Trafford but it’s hard to imagine he knew it was this bad. Someone tell Sir Jim Ratcliffe that sacking dinner ladies and scrapping Christmas bonuses isn’t helping as they fall to 14^th following their 2-0 defeat to Wolves.

Newcastle United, on the other hand, are flying towards the Champions League spots, comprehensively beating fellow top four hopefuls Aston Villa 3-0 to go above them into fifth on Boxing Day. Yesterday’s results have since seen the Toon drop back down to seventh.

Bruno, Bruno, Bruno

United will be without their talismanic captain for the game against Newcastle after he was given a second yellow card for a rash challenge on Nelson Semedo in the defeat to Wolves.

Fernandes has been a standout for United since Amorim took over, making five goal contributions in the ten games across all competitions under his new manager, but his nasty side once again got the better of him.

His red card against Wolves was his second of United’s Premier League campaign, not the kind of disciplinary record you’d want your captain to have. Although, he’s no Roy Keane.

Isak’s on fire, your defence is terrified

Alexander Isak might be the best Scandinavian striker in the Premier League after all. With seven goals from his last five games and 11 in the league altogether, he’s catching up to Erling Haaland.

The Swede used his feet rather than his suede to double Newcastle’s lead in the win over Villa, timing his run perfectly to tap Jacob Murphy’s low cross past Emiliano Martínez.

Man United’s defensive frailties are clear having conceded nine goals in their last three league games. At least Isak doesn’t take corners.

How to solve a problem like Maguire

Speaking of defensive frailties, Harry Maguire isn’t one of them and with Fernandes suspended, he could wear the armband once again. The big centre-back was the best of a bad bunch against Wolves, ending the game having won 100% of his tackles, made 12 defensive actions, and won 2/3 of his ground duels.

Amorim’s 3-4-3 system requires a rock at the centre of his three-man back line, Sebastián Cortes was once his guy at Sporting, and Maguire appears to have stepped up at United.

There was a few rocky moments in the 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth, but he could hardly be blamed for the loss. With positives few and far between for Amorim, Maguire’s redemption arc would be a huge feather in his cap.

Newcastle United: Reinvented

Anthony Gordon cited a ‘mindset shift’ for Newcastle’s impressive uptake in form that has seen them win their last three Premier League games, having previously gone four without a victory.

The rivalry between Newcastle and Man United can trace it’s origin all the way back to the 90s, with memories of Kevin Keegan scream “I would love it!” still fresh in the memories of both sets of fans.

Newcastle lost out the last time these two faced off, falling to a 3-2 defeat at the end of last season. There has been a seismic shift since then, not just in the mind, but on the pitch.

Prediction

The Manchester derby suddenly feels like a long time ago as Man United continue to struggle. It’s hard to see anything other than a win for Newcastle here, we’re going to go with 2-0 to the visitors.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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