Page 190 – The Pulse of Football

Aug

2024

Premier League Preview, Gameweek 1

The 2024/25 Premier League season is finally upon us. We know the squads. We know the fixtures. We know the favourites, we all have who we believe are the relegation contenders, and we’re well aware of the dark horses capable of having a surprising campaign. Yet there are still a number of things you might not know or simply haven’t thought about.

By Sam McGuire

In the first of what is going to be a weekly feature, here are four things to look out for in gameweek one of the new season.

Old Trafford expects

Old Trafford used to be a fortress.

Away teams were lucky to get a throw-in go their way under Sir Alex Ferguson. Last season, though, it was the Theatre of Dreams for travelling fans.

Manchester United dropped points in nine of their 19 home games in the Premier League. They lost on six occasions and picked up just 33 points in front of their home fans. The Red Devils scored just 31 goals and conceded 28. For context, Everton who finished in 15th last season, had a better goal difference (+4). Erik Ten Hag and his team struggled for goals, performances, and points.

The Dutchman has been backed in the transfer market this summer and INEOS will expect a return on that investment. United have signed Leny Yoro, Joshua Zirkee, Matthijs De Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui. Yoro is ruled out while it is unlikely the latter two will feature on Friday night having only signed this week, but many are still expecting a performance from the hosts in their season opener against Fulham.

This could set the tone for the rest of the season. A poor start could see links to former England manager Gareth Southgate return.

A game of firsts

Ipswich Town, back in the Premier League for the first time in 22 years, welcome Liverpool to Portman Road on Saturday afternoon. Both managers will be taking charge of their first game in the English top-flight.

Kieran McKenna turned down jobs elsewhere to remain with the Tractor Boys this summer. He’ll be hoping to be able to put his stamp on things in the Premier League, just as he did in League One and the Championship. Ipswich finished as the top scorers in the English second tier and finished with an impressive number of clean sheets (15).

As far as opening-day scalps go, getting one over on Liverpool would be difficult to top.

The Reds have been in fine form during pre-season and Arne Slot appears to have managed to change things at Anfield in a short space of time. However, pre-season performances count for very little and if Liverpool don’t get off to a good start here, the noise surrounding the fact they’re the only team in the Premier League not to make a signing will be deafening.

Liverpool had the highest xG in the English top-flight last term but Slot’s style doesn’t necessarily seem well suited to the chaotic Darwin Núñez. It will be fascinating to see how that works out.

The Transfer Window winners face off

West Ham host Aston Villa in what is one of the more intriguing opening day match-ups.

Both teams have had a successful transfer window and both have a strong case to be viewed as the early winners of the off-season.

But with transfers comes intrigue. With transfers comes selection headaches and juggling acts for managers. And this will be the case here with the Villans and the Hammers.

Villa added Amadou Onana, Rossa Barkley, Ian Maatsen, Jaden Philogene, Samuel Iling-Junior, Enzo Barrenechea and Cameron Archer to their ranks but did lose Douglas Luiz and Moussa Diaby. Still, the signing of Onana has the potential to be one of the best of the summer. Whether Unai Emery can bed all of these players in to replicate what Villa achieved last season, a top-four finish, is the big question.

West Ham have backed new manager Julen Lopetegui. Max Kilman, Jean-Clair Todibo, Crysenscio Summerville, Guido Rodríguez, Niclas Füllkrug, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Luis Guilherme have all been brought in. On paper, this has been an unbelievable summer for the Hammers. If it gels, they could be a dark horse. A statement showing against Villa could go a long way.

Another Day One at Chelsea

For the second successive season, Chelsea kick off their campaign at home with a new manager in the dugout. Last time out, they earned an encouraging point against Liverpool in Mauricio Pochettino’s first game in charge of the Blues. This time around they welcome Pep Guardiola and Manchester City for Enzo Marcesca’s debut game as Blues boss.

Interestingly, Maresca used to be Guardiola’s assistant. He was lauded for his exploits with Leicester City last season and many are expecting more of the same now he’s at Chelsea. The Blues took two points off of the champions last term and they could well fancy their chances of springing an opening day surprise, despite their inconsistent pre-season showings.

(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.

Aug

2024

Leif Davis: Can Ipswich’s creative force step up to the Premier League?

As Ipswich Town return to the Premier League after a 22-year absence, they have been presented with one of the toughest opening fixtures they could have asked for, but may have a trick up their sleeve.

By James Nalton

At midday on Saturday they face a Liverpool side who will be looking to challenge Manchester City for the title this season, led by their new manager, Arne Slot.

Though Liverpool themselves won’t be taking anything for granted, many will see this as a comfortable start for the Slot era against a team expected to be relegated.

But Ipswich may have a secret weapon. One they hope could give them a chance to mount a surprise challenge to stay in the league.

Ipswich are one of the original Premier League teams, having been present in the English top flight when it was rebranded in 1992. Since then they have only spent five seasons in the division, but as a club, historically, they are not unfamiliar with top-level football.

Throughout the 1970s and early 80s, they were one of the standout teams in the English top division, regularly competing in European competition, and won an FA Cup in 1978.

When Ipswich were last promoted from the second tier, in 2000, they finished 5th in a remarkable Premier League season under manager George Burley, only to be relegated a season later.

Repeating such a feat following promotion this time around will be nigh on impossible, but in Leif Davis, they have a player who might at least offer them a Premier League lifeline from the unlikely position of left-back.

In the past two seasons, Davis has been one of the most creative players in English football. Lots of this chance creation has come from set pieces, and he takes the majority of Ipswich’s corners and free kicks.

There is a variety to his set-piece delivery. His left-footed crossing from corners can be accurately aimed at the near post, centre, far post, or even drilled low to a player peeling away from the chaos in the penalty area.

Though set-pieces are Davis’s most obvious route to chance creation, he does create from open play, too.

His shot map shows the kind of positions he gets into and, like his set pieces, his crosses and balls into the box from this area can arrive in a variety of ways, from precise cut-backs to the more hopeful but nevertheless defence-worrying crosses into the danger area.

*Davis shot map, EFL Championship 2023/24*

Per 90 stats can be useful for making comparisons between players when there is a difference in total minutes played, but totals are also useful and show that a player can consistently perform at a high level on a regular basis.

That is the case for Davis, who started 43 games in the Championship last season, and no outfield player at Ipswich played more than the 3,786 minutes he racked up in the league in 2023/24.

Such regular, consistent output is a valuable asset for any team, and this saw him lead the Championship for assists (18) and chances created (125) last season.

*Davis passing stats, EFL Championship 2023/24*

The rise of Ipswich to the Premier League, and their impressive performances last season, can make it easy to forget that they spent the previous four seasons in League One.

As he did in the Championship last season, Davis led League One for assists (14) and chances created (132) During the 2022/23 campaign in which Ipswich finished second to secure promotion to the Championship.

These back-to-back seasons of creativity were also Davis’s first seasons as a regular starter at any club, making him relatively inexperienced for a 24-year-old.

But in those seasons, the Newcastle-born left-back found a role and excelled in it. It’s a role he’ll keep into his first season in the top flight—Ipswich’s first season back at this level since they were relegated from the Premier League in 2002.

Such creativity from the full-back position has led to comparisons with Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold, but a more accurate comparison could be made between Davis and another Liverpool full-back, Kostas Tsimikas, especially with their left-sided similarities and creativity from wide, whereas Trent also does so from central positions.

The Greek left-back would be an elite chance creator at Championship and mid to low Premier League level, and despite Tsimikas not being a regular for Liverpool, he still has high levels of chance creation from the minutes he does play for them.

The odds are heavily stacked against Ipswich staying in the Premier League, especially after successive promotions, but set pieces can be an opportunity for newly promoted teams to find a level playing field within games against more established top-level sides. In Davis, Ipswich at least have the delivery aspect of these boxed off.

It is a big step up for a player who has two seasons of regular football under his belt, but the isolated nature of set pieces—detached from the rest of the game and providing a moment of control—should see some kind of continuation, even if there is a natural, expected drop off due to the increased level of opposition.

He’s a player to look out for as Ipswich open their 2024/25 season at home to Liverpool, and perhaps one for their opponents to be wary of, too.

(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.

Aug

2024

Transfer of the Week: Julian Alvarez’s arrival cements Atletico’s shift in approach

Over the course of the summer transfer window, we will take a close look at some of the biggest and best business with our ‘Transfer of the Week’ columns. This time, we will turn our attention to the most expensive signing of this pre-season.

By Neel Shelat

Even though they have not won too many titles in recent years, Atlético Madrid have always been a third power alongside Real Madrid and Barcelona in LaLiga. One of the things holding them back from regularly being serious title contenders is their relatively limited budget. The fact that their total transfer expenditure has not entered nine digits in any of the last four seasons should underscore that.

At the same time, Atléti are not entirely averse to making some blockbuster moves, as the signings of João Félix (€127 million from Benfica in 2019), Thomas Lemar (€72 million from Monaco in 2018) and Diego Costa (€60 million from Chelsea in 2018) should suggest. Clearly, they have not gotten particularly good value for money from such moves in the past.

Nevertheless, Atlético have paid the biggest transfer fee this summer so far, signing Julián Álvarez for €90 million. Five years after they smashed their transfer record to bring in a player of a fairly similar profile, is there reason to believe things will work out differently this time? One big factor certainly seems to suggest so, as we will explore now.

Stylistic Shift

What is the first thing you think of as far as Atlético Madrid’s style of play under Diego Simeone is concerned? Words such as dogged, intense, and defence-first likely come to mind, and they aren’t far off the mark at all. For most of the 12+ years the Argentine coach has been in charge of the club, that is exactly how they have played.

Of late, though, they have quietly undergone a stylistic shift to become a more possession-based team. Here are some simple stats to back that idea up. In 2019/20 (the first season after Félix’s signing), Atlético Madrid were 10th in the league in terms of average possession with a figure of 48.4%. Last term, they were 6th with over 50%. More markedly, their passing accuracy has gone up from 76.5% to 82.4% between those two seasons.

In fact, Atléti’s stylistic shift has been made over the last couple of seasons. Rather than always defending in a compact block and attacking quite directly, Simeone has attempted to add another facet to his side’s play by equipping them to be more patient with possession. This not only relieves some pressure from a defensive department that is not as good as it once was in terms of player quality, but it also enables Los Colchoneros to better control games with the ball.

To make the most of such a more possession-based approach, Atlético obviously need creative ball-to-feet attackers. Of course, they already have one brilliant player of this profile in their squad in Antoine Griezmann, but they are perhaps overreliant on him. In the last two seasons, he has been both Atléti’s top scorer and top provider.

A team’s best player topping the charts is not at all a bad thing necessarily, but Atlético could certainly do with a bit more multidimensionality in their attacking rather than going through the Frenchman all the time. The fact that Griezmann was not on the scoresheet in nine of their 10 league defeats last term should make that need clear. Ideally, that is where Álvarez comes in.

How Álvarez Can Fit In

Having spent such a big sum on a player of Álvarez’s profile – a very clever attacker who likes to see a lot of the ball and thrives in possession-based sides thanks to his intelligent movement between the lines, playmaking ability and lively link-up play – it is safe to assume that Atlético Madrid are going to be fully sticking with their more possession-based approach. So, they should be open to dropping a midfielder from their usual 3-5-2 formation of last season and switching to a 3-4-2-1.

Besides Álvarez, Atlético have made another big signing in attack by bringing in Alexander Sørloth, whose job will be to replace Álvaro Morata as the team’s leading striker. The two are quite different in terms of playing styles, as the Norwegian international is very much a line-leading striker who can serve as a big man up top with limited involvement outside the box, whereas the Spanish captain likes to get involved in the build-up play a lot more. This change also favours the switch to a one-striker system.

With all of that in mind, we can now use FotMob’s new lineup builder feature to take a look at how Atlético could shape up this season.

If everything clicks, the attack will hardly be a weakness in this side. Both Álvarez and Griezmann should comfortably break into double digits in terms of league goals as they can both pose a significant shooting threat, while Sørloth could well get the service to produce another 25+ goal season.

Ironically, the defensive department is the one with the biggest question marks for Atléti. They will hope to get some more stability from summer signing Robin Le Normand, who also is an excellent ball-player. The ages of those around him are a concern, but if they can produce another high-level season, Los Colchoneros might just have enough to return to the top two in the table.

For his part, Álvarez will inevitably have a lot to do over the next few years to justify the huge sum Atlético Madrid have spent on him. For now, though, his addition should make them a very exciting team to follow at the very least.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Aug

2024

UEFA Super Cup Recap: A dream start for Mbappe and a new look Madrid

The 49th edition of the UEFA Super Cup took place on Wednesday in Warsaw, with Real Madrid taking on Atalanta in the annual curtain raiser of the European football season.

By Zach Lowy

For the 11th time in 12 editions, the UEFA Champions League winner prevailed against the UEFA Europa League winner, as Los Blancos came away with a 2-0 victory at the Kazimierz Górski National Stadium.

Los Blancos had made three changes from their most recent official match – the UEFA Champions League Final – with Aurélien Tchouaméni filling in for the injured Eduardo Camavinga in midfield, whilst the departure of captain Nacho Fernández saw Éder Militão slide into central defense alongside Antonio Rüdiger. Toni Kroos, having retired from professional football after the summer’s European Championships, was replaced by none other than Kylian Mbappé.

Whilst Carlo Ancelotti’s changes reflected a shift to a more attack-minded 4-3-3 setup, with a striker (Mbappé) taking the place of a midfielder (Kroos), Atalanta’s changes were perhaps more defensive. Centre-forward Gianluca Scamacca was unavailable after suffering an ACL injury, with a midfielder – Mario Pašalić – taking his place, whilst Marten de Roon filled in for the wantaway Teun Koopmeiners in the centre of the pitch.

Initially, it seemed that Real’s star power and European pedigree would be enough to subdue Atalanta – whilst Real were competing in a UEFA Super Cup for the ninth time, La Dea looked frazzled in the opening minutes of their first-ever Super Cup and gave away countless fouls in dangerous areas, with Éderson picking up an early booking after hauling down Federico Valverde.

Atalanta, however, weathered that storm and soon stamped their proceedings in Poland. Gian Piero Gasperini’s side have proven time and time again that they are no admirers of reputations, whether it be demolishing Liverpool or putting an end to Bayer Leverkusen’s unbeaten run in the UEFA Europa League Final. They defended on the front foot and forced Real to try to beat them vertically, constantly committing men forward and blocking out space in central areas. Charles De Ketelaere quickly emerged as a protagonist in attack, wriggling his way out of pressure, holding up the ball, maintaining his balance and composure and helping out on defense.

After a tepid start to the match, the first real sight of danger took place in the 25th minute as De Roon blasted a shot across goal which deflected off Rüdiger’s head and onto the post. Real could hardly get out of their own half, and when one of their blockbuster forwards did find some daylight, they were quickly swallowed up by a sea of blue shirts. A breakdown in communication in the final third would result in Atalanta charging from one box to the other and hitting on the counter.

Just as they did in the previous Champions League campaign against RB Leipzig, Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, Real were going to have to soak up the pressure and gut it out. However, when there’s a Real, there’s a way. As the interval approached, Vinícius Júnior cut through Atalanta’s backline like Swiss cheese with a delightful trivela pass, but Rodrygo’s shot careened off the post.

The second half translated into far more attacking impetus from both sides, with a booming header from Pašalić forcing Thibaut Courtois to stretch a paw out and deny the Croat from close range. Real, meanwhile, showed far more creative verve and dynamism, working their way into set-piece situations and linking up with speed and precision. The game opened up, with both teams taking their turn stretching the opposition and threatening on goal. One way or another, one team was going to score.

It was Real who drew first blood at the hour-mark, with Vinícius dropping his shoulder and leaving Berat Djimsiti in his wake with a deft feint, charging into the corner of the box and sliding a pass across goal, where Federico Valverde was there to convert in front of an empty net. Suddenly, Real looked capable of scoring whenever they ventured into the final third, winning the ball back high up the pitch and shuffling the ball back and forth to exploit Atalanta’s aggressive pressing.

Rodrygo ransacked Isak Hien of possession and slipped the ball in for Vinícius, who elected not to shoot and instead tee up Mbappé. His overhit pass was recovered by Jude Bellingham, who hesitated and faked out Ben Godfrey with a subtle feint before putting it on a platter for Mbappé to strike home and double the lead.

This match was not just the start of a new era for Real, who were moving on from legends like Kroos and Nacho and embracing their incoming French superstar, but it was also an opportunity for several of the frontrunners for this year’s Ballon d’Or to compete on the biggest stage. Dani Carvajal, Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius all did their part to ensure that Real’s European dominance continued, but perhaps no player shined brighter than Bellingham, who was selected as the FotMob Player of the Match with a rating of 8.6.

Having excelled as an attacking midfielder in his debut campaign in Madrid, Bellingham was forced to retreat from his #10 role into a left-sided #8 in Ancelotti’s 4-3-3. He held his own and remained composed against Atalanta’s physical, high-pressing style of play, riding multiple challenges and bursting into attacking areas whilst also putting in a shift on defense. The Englishman made four recoveries, won three fouls, and made two interceptions, whilst he also won 10 out of 16 ground duels and three out of four aerial duels. No player created more big chances (two) than Bellingham, who completed 44 out of his 49 passes, won both of his attempted tackles, and set up Mbappé with the decisive second goal.

From that point on, it was smooth sailing for Carlo Ancelotti’s side, who racked up six shots on target to Atalanta’s two as well as four big chances to Atalanta’s one. Argentine goalkeeper Juan Musso kept the scoreline respectable with a plethora of key interventions, but ultimately, the boys in blue were no match for Los Blancos. Real Madrid prevailed 2-0 in Poland, going clear of Milan and Barcelona and claiming a record sixth UEFA Super Cup title.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Aug

2024

Premier League Predictions: Test yourself against the expert

The 2024/25 Premier League campaign is now upon us.

By Sam McGuire

Manchester City claimed the first piece of silverware with a penalty shootout win over Manchester United to lift the Community Shield for the first time since 2019. Pep Guardiola and his players will be hoping it isn’t the last trophy they win this term.

If you aren’t familiar with what has gone on throughout the summer, we’ve got you covered with individual previews for each club. We’ve also predicted where each team will finish in the Premier League and we’re going to detail exactly why in this piece.

You can make your own predictions, challenge your mates, and earn some bragging points in the group chat by playing the FotMob predictor. Click – here – to play.

The title challengers

We’re expecting a two-horse title race again between Manchester City and Arsenal.

City haven’t really strengthened this summer. The only arrival, to date, is Savinho, but with the sale of Julián Álvarez, perhaps the reigning champions do some business later on to bolster their attacking ranks and ease the reliance on two-time Golden Boot winner Erling Haaland. Even without reinforcements, you just know City will be there or thereabouts. They always are under Guardiola.

Arsenal have signed Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna. The highly-rated centre-back improves what was the best defence in the league last season. Mikel Arteta is also looking to add compatriot Mikel Merino to his ranks while an attacking addition has been rumoured. On paper, they’re stronger than last season. A season in which they missed out on the title by two points.

Liverpool could, once again, be a dark horse. Few believe Arne Slot and his players will be contenders this term but they have a squad capable of beating anyone of their day. They have difference-makers throughout the starting XI and good depth. More importantly, this group of players has experience competing for trophies, and winning. If they can keep Alisson, Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah fit for the entire campaign, it’ll be interesting to see what happens with a bit of good luck.

The race for Europe

Spurs are most likely to claim a top four spot this season. Ange Postecoglou has strengthened his squad with the additions of Archie Gray and Dominic Solanke. Tottenham are also into year two of the project under the Australian tactician and should be better conditioned for the rigours of his style. They only narrowly missed out on a Champions League spot last season and that was after an inconsistent campaign. They’ll be better this season and that should see them claim a fourth-placed finish.

*Solanke shot map, Premier League 2023/24*

Chelsea are an unknown. For the second successive season, they’re starting a campaign with a new manager. Enzo Maresca has a challenge to put his stamp on things. But the squad is good enough to beat most teams. It just needs to click. It might take time, just as it did last term, but expect to see the Blues put together a good run of form at some stage to catapult themselves up the table.

Manchester United will be in contention for a top-six finish. They’ve invested heavily this summer, bringing in Joshua Zirkee and Leny Yoro, Matthijs De Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui. And there’s a belief the club will return for Manuel Ugarte. But will it finally click for Erik Ten Hag and his players or will they, yet again, be inconsistent?

Newcastle United will challenge. They’ve managed to keep hold of key players in Bruno Guimarães, Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon, and they are going to strengthen, with Marc Guéhi expected to sign with the Magpies. Aston Villa have had an unbelievable transfer window as they prepare for life in the Champions League. However, their mid-week involvement could well impact their league form and this is why we don’t have them down as a top-four challenger but rather a top-six contender.

The middle of the road

The Premier League has never been stronger in terms of squads being stacked across the board.

In previous years, the likes of West Ham, Brighton, Crystal Palace, Brentford, Bournemouth and Everton might’ve fancied themselves as having an outside chance of a top-eight finish. They all have talented squads. They’re all fairly well-coached too. Bournemouth’s hand has been weakened by the loss of Solanke but it’ll be interesting to see how they replace him.

As is though, expect them to finish comfortably around mid-table. And that is a decent place to be. They’ll avoid a relegation scrap and just build a solid base for a potential European push during the 2025/26 season.

The strugglers

Wolves have lost Pedro Neto and Max Kilman, two key players. Their defensive numbers last season were, to be brutally honest, awful. They’ve not done anything to address this issue so expect them to struggle this time around.

Fulham might have a battle on their hands to avoid a relegation fight. They’ve lost three key players in Joao Palhinha, Tosin Adarabioyo and Bobby De Cordova Reid and though Emile Smith Rowe has arrived, Marco Silva’s men look like they could be in a bit of trouble.

Southampton, Ipswich Town and Leicester City are all going to be lucky to avoid a return to the Championship. We’ve got them finishing in three of the bottom four places. However, it is Nottingham Forest that I’m tipping to finish dead last – something that has not gone down well with Forest fans on social media after the individual club profile was published earlier in the week.

If you think you know better, have a crack at the FotMob Predictor and share your graphic. Play the game – here.

*Premier League predictions, expert’s pick*

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Aug

2024

Preview: Manchester United take on Fulham at Old Trafford

The 2024/2024 Premier League season gets underway this weekend with the curtain-raiser being a Friday night clash between Manchester United and Fulham at Old Trafford.

By Matt Smith

Erik ten Hag’s new-look side take on Marco Silva’s João Palhinha-less XI in what is undoubtedly a highly anticipated match-up.

United endured a difficult 2023/2024 campaign, particularly in the Premier League, suffering their worst-ever finish since the competition began. Plenty of speculation surrounded manager Ten Hag, but the Dutchman kept his job after sealing the FA Cup trophy.

After announcing Noussair Mazraoui and Matthijs de Ligt earlier this week and Leny Yoro and Joshua Zirkzee earlier in the window, United’s starting XI might look slightly different this weekend, with the Red Devils strengthening heavily in multiple areas and young stars coming through the ranks.

This season could see the emergence of Amad Diallo. The young winger was given minimal opportunities to impress in the senior squad last campaign, but with Antony failing to stamp his authority, we could see Diallo grab his chance with both hands if he’s given a role in the starting XI on Friday.

*Possible Man United Starting XI, made with the new FotMob lineup builder, make your own – here*

In the corresponding fixture last term, Fulham ran out 2-1 winners at Old Trafford, so the Manchester outfit will be seeking revenge in front of their home crowd.

Fulham are preparing for the new campaign without two of their key stars last season, Tosin Adarabioyo and João Palhinha, who left Craven Cottage to join Chelsea and Bayern Munich respectively. Jorge Cuenca has come in from Villarreal to replace Tosin, while Emile Smith Rowe has arrived from Arsenal as an option in midfield.

Ten Hag will be worried about the threat of Rodrigo Muniz in attack for Fulham, especially if he can continue his goalscoring exploits that he produced towards the end of the 2023/2024 season. The Brazilian ended the campaign with nine goals from 18 Premier League starts, showing what he’s capable of when given the opportunity.

*Muniz shot map, Premier League 2023/24*

It will be interesting to see how Silva’s side deal without the duel-winning monster Palhinha in the middle of the park. Although Smith Rowe has come in as another body in midfield, he’s a different profile to Palhinha, with the former Arsenal man being more of an attacking threat while his successor often sits and protects the back four.

We’re set for an intriguing encounter as United’s new signings bed in and Fulham continue to build under Silva in the Premier League.

(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.

Aug

2024

Why Arne Slot could bank on Ryan Gravenberch after Liverpool’s failed No. 6 transfer

With Liverpool missing out on their priority target in the No. 6 role this summer in Martin Zubimendi, the onus falls on Ryan Gravenberch as Arne Slot’s in-house solution.

By Jack Lusby, ThisIsAnfield.com

After trips to San Sebastián and verbal assurances from the player himself, Liverpool thought they had finally landed on their solution to a long-standing problem position.

Having been spurned by Aurélien Tchouaméni, Moises Caicedo and Roméo Lavia in recent years, Martin Zubimendi was lined up as a much-needed successor to Fabinho in the No. 6 role. Owners Fenway Sports Group were prepared to activate the midfielder’s €60 million release clause with plenty of leeway when it comes to the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules.

But Zubimendi, who has played for Real Sociedad since he was 12 years old having been picked up from youth side Antiguoko in his hometown of San Sebastián, had a change of heart and informed Liverpool’s sporting director, Richard Hughes, that he could no longer make the transfer.

That has left Liverpool in a bind, with sections of their support furious with subsequent reports that they will not pursue an alternative before the summer transfer window closes at 11pm on August 30, Arne Slot instead relying on the options already at his disposal.

This comes after a pre-season that saw the new head coach experiment with a number of players in the No. 6 role – a role which, unlike in Jürgen Klopp’s strict 4-3-3, is less defensive midfielder and more deep-lying ball-player, working alongside a more adventurous No. 8 in a fluid 4-2-3-1.

Wataru Endo started the opening friendly of Liverpool’s tour of the United States but it quickly became apparent that the 31-year-old did not meet the specification, substituted at half-time in the 1-0 win over Real Betis to be replaced by youngster Tyler Morton. Curtis Jones had been called upon in an earlier behind-closed-doors defeat to Preston at the AXA Training Centre, while Slot then turned to Dominik Szoboszlai as his No. 6 in the 2-1 win over Arsenal in Philadelphia.

Stefan Bajčetić and 17-year-old Trey Nyoni also had stints as the deepest midfielder, but the most telling decision was in starting Ryan Gravenberch in back-to-back friendlies against Manchester United in South Carolina and Sevilla back at Anfield.

That 4-1 victory over Sevilla was the primer for Liverpool’s campaign opener at Ipswich, with Slot fielding what many believe to be his starting lineup for the trip to Portman Road in his first competitive game in charge.

In the absence of a new signing in the area he has highlighted to the club’s hierarchy as Liverpool’s transfer priority, the Dutchman fielded his compatriot, Gravenberch, as No. 6 with Alexis Mac Allister alongside him in a midfield pivot and Szoboszlai advanced as a No. 10.

Having urged his players to “kill them with passes” during training sessions throughout the summer, it has become clear the profile of midfielder Slot wants in this nominally deeper role.

“I sometimes like it when players try to keep the ball and not play the difficult ball, where Jürgen or the former regime maybe liked the chaotic scenes in and around the [box] a lot as well,” the head coach told French broadcaster Canal+ ahead of the trip to Ipswich.

Whereas Jürgen Klopp wanted his No. 6 to win the ball and quickly play the ball forwards – praising Endo after a 5-1 thrashing of Toulouse in October for “how often he broke lines with one touch” and “the forward passes he played” – Slot prefers a calm, composed approach with his midfield the focus.

Jones himself made that clear in a press conference while in the States, telling reporters: “I feel like now the centre-mid is going to be more like the heart of the team.”

“I feel more in the past a bit it was like a rush, we get the ball back and it was a little bit too direct, I would say, and it was up and down, up and down,” the 23-year-old elaborated. “Now he wants us to have all the ball and completely kill teams.”

Slot’s No. 6 is required to take the ball from the centre-backs on the turn, stay composed in tight areas and contribute heavily to a steady buildup phase before Liverpool can pick the lock and spring attacks through the opposition’s defence. It was seen countless times throughout pre-season with an ‘up, back and through’ pattern of possession, with Slot’s tactical cues as much Pep Guardiola as they are Jürgen Klopp.

That is why Liverpool identified Zubimendi as their ideal candidate in the transfer market; a player who replaced Manchester City’s Rodri at half-time in the final of this summer’s Euros and produced an influential display on the way to victory over England. Zubimendi is stylistically similar to Rodri, which stands to reason as to why he would be viewed as perfect for Slot’s system.

But having seen a move fail, the onus falls on Gravenberch as the next best option. Tall and nimble, schooled in the Ajax academy, the 22-year-old was earmarked as a No. 8 in Klopp’s 4-3-3 but showed in those brief glimpses in pre-season that he could play with the discipline and composure needed as a No. 6 in Slot’s 4-2-3-1.

It is a big ask, though, to translate the effective performances seen against Manchester United and Sevilla in warmup friendlies to the biggest challenges to come at the top end of the Premier League and Champions League. Clearly Slot and Liverpool’s recruitment team felt the same, but bar a surprise development before the transfer window closes, they will forge on with the players already at his disposal.

Gravenberch will be viewed as the next best thing, perhaps more raw in his ability than Zubimendi but with the basic skills required to operate in such a pivotal role.

After a season lost at Bayern Munich and a slow adjustment in his first campaign at Liverpool, the Netherlands international is poised for a big chance under new management at Anfield. All involved will be hoping he can finally realise the vast potential he has shown ever since his breakthrough at Ajax all the way back in 2018.

(Images from IMAGO)

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Aug

2024

Season Preview: Wolverhampton Wanderers

Gary O’Neil shocked everyone last season with his performance in charge of Wolves. Can he build on that this time around?

By Sam McGuire

What happened last season?

Wolves finished 14th in the English top-flight. On paper, their 2022/23 campaign was better with a 13th-place finish. However, O’Neil’s men racked up five more points last season and scored 19 more goals.

It was a successful campaign, especially so after losing club captain Rúben Neves in the summer.

Had their end-of-season form not been so terrible, a top-half finish was on the cards for Wolves after a run of seven wins in 11 matches. However, they won just one of their final 10 and missed out on a 10th-place finish by just three points. If they’d added six points to their total, they would’ve finished level with ninth-place West Ham United.

Fine margins, eh?

A better end to the season and they’re in ninth position. A better end to the season and they could’ve been playing in an FA Cup semi-final. Wolves held the lead over Coventry City heading into the final minutes only to concede two goals in stoppage time.

In truth, their defence was an issue all season. They managed to keep just five clean sheets in the Premier League and had the sixth-highest Expected Goals Conceded total. Combine that with the fourth-lowest xG and you quickly realise how lucky they were not to be in a relegation battle.

The scoring exploits of Hee-Chan Hwang and Matheus Cunha kept them out of a relegation dog fight. The pair netted 12 goals each, enjoying their best goalscoring runs in England under O’Neil. Pedro Neto despite the injuries, racked up nine assists. It goes to show that Wolves, when everyone is fit and firing, have a forward line that can cause a number of teams some problems. If they build around that area of the team, while improving the defence, they’ll be a handful.

What has happened during the summer?

Wolves lost skipper Max Kilman. The centre-back joined West Ham United in a deal worth £40million. He is yet to be replaced in the squad but there’s still time before the transfer window closes.

The club have made signings though. Rodrigo Gomes, a Portuguese winger, joined from Braga. The highly-rated Pedro Lima moved to Molineux despite reported interest from free-spending Chelsea. Tommy Doyle made a £5million move from Manchester City while Jørgen Strand Larsen joined on loan from Celta Vigo to bolster the forward line.

It will be interesting to see how the club spend the Kilman money.

The most important thing for Wolves this summer was to keep hold of João Gomes and Neto. Manchester United were reportedly keen on the former but Chelsea’s offer for the latter was too good to turn down. Keeping your best players is always beneficial so we’ll see what impact that loss has on O’Neil’s plans in the coming weeks.

What they should be aiming for next season?

Firstly, they need to avoid a relegation battle. Once they have achieved that, they should start looking at a mid-table finish. If that is secured, then a top-half finish. Wolves have the squad to finish in a comfortable position. Are they able to defend well enough though? That is the big question heading into this campaign. If they can shore things up, they’ll be fine. If they’re as porous as last season, they’re going to struggle.

Prediction: 15th

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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Aug

2024

David De Gea: Back in the game but has the game moved on?

David de Gea had 15 months to plot his next move. Freed by Manchester United at the end of the 2022/23 season, the Spanish goalkeeper was linked with Saudi Pro League clubs. Bayern Munich reportedly considered a move. A return to Atlético Madrid was even mooted.

By Graham Ruthven

Instead, de Gea has pitched up at Fiorentina over a year after his last professional match.

On pedigree alone, de Gea is a notable capture for La Viola. At Old Trafford, he was one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League for a number of years and is experienced at the elite level. Manchester United, however, had their reasons for letting de Gea leave and those might come to the fore once again in Serie A.

The biggest reason was de Gea’s weakness in possession. Long gone are the days when elite level goalkeepers could get away with launching the ball long every time it came near them. Instead, they are expected to start build-up moves from deep. They are now footballers as much as they are goalkeepers and this is where de Gea has been left behind.

*de Gea passing stats per 90, Premier League 2022/23*

This wouldn’t have been a problem for many of the teams linked with de Gea. Atlético Madrid, for instance, aren’t known for passing out from the back. Fiorentina, however, are expected to adopt a possession-heavy approach under new manager Raffaele Palladino. De Gea might be at a new club, but he could suffer the same old problems.

Palladino arrived at the Stadio Artemio Franchi this summer having achieved a great deal at Monza. Under the former Juventus winger, Monza punched above their weight, finishing 12th in Serie A last season playing an attractive brand of modern football that attracted Fiorentina after Vincenzo Italiano left for Bologna.

Fiorentina find themselves at an interesting crossroads. Under Italiano, La Viola have firmly established themselves in the top half of the Serie A table, also making the Europa Conference League final in back-to-back seasons, but there is ambition within the club to take the next step towards a top four challenge and Champions League qualification.

“I want Fiorentina to be ambitious and with a strong mentality,” said Palladino. “We’ve got to be able to fight it out against anyone. We can win or lose, but what interests me is the mentality of taking the game to them. We’ve got to entertain the people of Florence and are working to build a great Fiorentina side.”

While Palladino has demonstrated tactical flexibility during his two seasons in management, he will likely use a back three at Fiorentina designed to give his team a variety of routes out of the defence in possession. From there, La Viola will be able to move into midfield and activate attackers like Nico González. They could also use the wing backs as a funnel into the final third.

All this, though, is dependent on de Gea having the technical ability to pick a pass and that is something that has been proven to be a weakness of his in the past. It’s the reason Erik ten Hag pressed for the signing of the more possession-comfortable André Onana to replace de Gea only 12 months ago.

*de Gea shot map, Premier League 2022/23*

It should also be mentioned that even as a shot-stopper, de Gea dropped off towards the end of his time at Manchester United. Indeed, his save percentage (70%) in his final season at the club was lower than at any other stage of his United career. His shaky performance in the 2022/23 FA Cup final against Manchester City – de Gea’s final game for United – really hit home how far he’d fallen.

Since then, de Gea has sat on the sidelines. “I am fit, I trained every day, even more than before. I am on a good level,” the 33-year-old said in response to concerns that he will struggle for sharpness. “Perhaps it will take some time in the first games, but I’ve been playing for many years, so you just need to put me in goal.”

Maybe de Gea will rediscover his former level as a shot-stopper. He certainly wouldn’t be the first player to improve after leaving Manchester United in recent times – just ask Jadon Sancho, Andreas Pereira, Chris Smalling, Romelu Lukaku, Mateo Darmian and Memphis Depay among others. The new surroundings of Serie A might reinvigorate de Gea.

Alternatively, de Gea could discover that modern football will demand the same of him at Fiorentina as it did at Manchester United. There may be fewer eyeballs on him at his new club, but his manager will certainly be watching and the early indications are that de Gea will be an awkward fit for Palladino’s approach just as he was for ten Hag’s.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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Aug

2024

Season Preview: West Ham United

After a disappointing end to the David Moyes era, West Ham will be hoping former Spain manager Julen Lopetegui can get them back on track following his arrival at the club.

By Sam McGuire

What happened last season?

To describe the 2023/24 campaign as inconsistent would be an understatement.

The Hammers kicked off their season with a four-match unbeaten run before losing five of the next seven. They got things back on track with one defeat in 11 before the wheels well and truly came off from February onwards.

Rumours of the impending Moyes departure no doubt played a part in their good form coming to an abrupt end.

West Ham dropped points in 12 of their final 16 games, losing eight and drawing four. They suffered some heavy losses, conceding 20 goals in matches against Arsenal, Crystal Palace, Chelsea and Newcastle United.

Their defensive structure was a huge issue last term. Only the bottom three conceded more goals than the Hammers. They finished with a negative goal difference despite their ninth-placed finish in the Premier League.

Moyes’ men kept just five clean sheets and finished with an Expected Goals conceded total of 72.2. For context, only Sheffield United and Luton Town, two of the three relegated teams, had a higher total.

West Ham could only finish with the 13th best xG haul too. In another season, with the same underlying numbers, they definitely find themselves in a relegation scrap rather than mid-table security.

The goalscoring exploits of Jarrod Bowen played a huge role in their comfortable finish. The forward finished with 16 goals while new recruits Mohammed Kudus and James Ward-Prowse also played their parts. Kudus claimed eight goals during his debut season with the club while Ward-Prowse finished with seven assists, the joint-highest for the Hammers.

It will be interesting to see whether new manager Lopetegui can get the same sort of numbers out of this trio.

What has happened during the summer?

West Ham acted quickly to secure the services of Lopetegui. This is a coup for the club. They have backed the new boss too.

Max Kilman was signed from Wolves for a fee believed to be in the region of £40million. The club snapped up Crysencio Summerville from Leeds United. The Dutch winger had been believed to be a target for Liverpool and Chelsea. German forward Niclas Füllkrug arrived from Borussia Dortmund following his exploits with Germany at Euro 2024. The fee was a large one for someone of his age and he’ll need to hit the ground running to ensure he isn’t viewed as an expensive flop.

Guido Rodríguez bulks up the midfield while Luis Guilherme, a Brazilian wonderkid, could be a wildcard for the Hammers next term. He’s certainly one to watch anyway.

The club parted ways with Flynn Downes, Said Benrahama and Thilo Kehrer but all three spent time on loan last season, so that isn’t a huge blow to the squad.

Kurt Zouma is expected to leave on a free transfer but his departure is covered by the arrival of Kilman.

More importantly, West Ham have managed to keep hold of Bowen, Lucas Paquetá and Kudus.

It is a strong squad. They need to have a strong performance this season.

What they should be aiming for next season?

They need to be aiming for a European finish. They might not achieve it, this is a strong Premier League and a lot of clubs in and around them have also strengthened, but they need to be in the conversation. Lopetegui needs to be aiming to shore things up defensively. If he manages that, West Ham will be in a good position.

Prediction: 9th

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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