All posts by z3u9t.icu

There is little, if any, doubt that Jurgen Klopp has been a sensational manager for Liverpool since he arrived on Merseyside during the 2015/16 campaign.

The German head coach has won the Premier League, the Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup, the FA Cup, and the League Cup once each over the last eight years.

He has brought plenty of success to the club, including their first Premier League title, and deserves plenty of praise for the way he has got the team competing at the top of the game again.

Virgil van Dijk

£73.8m

Darwin Nunez

£69.7m

Dominik Szoboszlai

£61m

Alisson

£54.5m

Naby Keita

£52.3m

Whilst the ex-Borussia Dortmund tactician has not been blessed with an unlimited transfer budget throughout his time in England so far, Klopp has been able to make a number of big-money signings to bolster his squad.

However, one lavish addition that the German boss will be thankful he did not go through with was the potential signing of Arnaut Danjuma from Villarreal in the summer of 2022.

Were Liverpool interested in Arnaut Danjuma?

Liverpool were keen on the Netherlands international that year as the player himself revealed that he had been told that Klopp and the Reds were tracking his performances for the Spanish side during the 2021/22 campaign.

The Daily Mail reported that Manchester United had been scouting the forward ahead of the summer transfer window in 2022 and claimed that the player had a release clause of £62m, which was included in his contract that was due to expire in 2026.

Their article claimed that Danjuma had earned comparisons to Paris Saint-Germain winger Kylian Mbappe due to his pace and direct play as a right-footed player who predominantly plays off the left side.

Klopp's interest in the attacker came after his stunning displays for Villarreal throughout the 2021/22 season, as he showcased his ability as a big threat at the top end of the pitch.

Danjuma, who had been signed from Championship side Bournemouth in 2021, averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.97 across 23 LaLiga outings that term.

He started 17 of those matches and contributed with an impressive ten goals and three assists from a wide position, which is an average of one goal involvement every 1.31 games.

The Dutch wizard, who ex-Sunderland striker Kevin Phillips hailed as a "nightmare" for defenders, also proved his worth at Champions League level with six goals and one assist in ten starts for the Spanish outfit, which suggested that he was able to consistently deliver quality at the very top level.

This means that he ended the season with 16 goals and four assists in 27 starts across those two competitions and this shows that Danjuma was a constant threat for Villarreal in the final third with his ability to score and assist goals on a regular basis.

Who did Liverpool sign instead of Danjuma?

Liverpool and Klopp ultimately opted against a move for the ex-Cherries star and swooped to sign Darwin Nunez from Benfica to improve the attacking options at the club.

The Uruguay international enjoyed a respectable first season at Anfield as he plundered 15 goals and four assists in 42 matches for the club in all competitions, which included nine goals and three assists in 19 Premier League starts.

Nunez had a fair case to be frustrated with his teammates for his low assist tally as the 24-year-old attacker created 11 'big chances' for his fellow attackers, only to be rewarded with three assists.

His form for the Reds last term came after he racked up an outstanding 34 goals and four assists in 41 matches in all competitions for Benfica throughout the 2021/22 campaign.

Whilst Nunez was unable to replicate his ridiculous scoring rate for the Portuguese side after his move to England, the former Almeria ace was still able to score and create goals at a respectable rate.

What happened to Danjuma?

Whereas, Danjuma's 2021/22 form fell off a cliff as the former Bournemouth man struggled during the first half of the following season with Villarreal.

He scored two goals and failed to provide a single assist, along with zero 'big chances' created, in ten LaLiga matches, and that led to a loan move to Tottenham Hotspur for the second half of the campaign.

The 26-year-old scored one goal and only created one chance, which had an xG of 0.06, in nine Premier League outings for Spurs at the start of this year.

His dreadful form for Villarreal and Tottenham throughout the 2022/23 season, which included three goals and zero assists in 19 league matches, resulted in another loan move for the current campaign.

Everton completed the season-long loan signing of the Dutch international during the recent summer transfer window and the left winger has struggled since his move to the Toffees.

How much is Danjuma worth now?

At the time of writing (09/10/2023), FootballTransfers has placed his Expected Transfer Value (xTV) at €10.8m (£9.3m) and this is a staggering fall from the £62m release clause that he had at the time of Liverpool's interest in his services.

Danjuma has not been able to recapture his immense form in the 2021/22 campaign and has not hit the ground running at Goodison Park this season.

The 26-year-old flop has scored two goals and failed to provide a single assist in nine appearances in all competitions for the Toffees so far, which includes one goal in seven Premier League outings.

He has averaged a dismal Sofascore rating of 6.69, which is the 14th-highest score within their squad, and created zero 'big chances' in those seven league games.

Danjuma was an unused substitute for their recent 3-0 win over Bournemouth and this illustrates just how poorly the last 12 months or so have gone for the attacker.

The former Villarreal star has gone from being linked with a move to Liverpool and being compared to Mbappe to sitting on the bench for 90 minutes for Everton, who are 16th in the Premier League table.

Therefore, Klopp and Liverpool avoided a big blunder by opting to go with Nunez ahead of Danjuma one year ago as the Uruguay international, despite not being as prolific as his Benfica days, has offered far more to the Reds than the Netherlands international has for Everton, or Spurs last season.

Leeds United are enjoying a successful season after suffering relegation from the Premier League this year, but manager Daniel Farke is keen to consolidate the flourishing fortunes.

Championship table-toppers Leicester City recently fell to Farke's blade at the King Power Stadium in a display that underscored the Whites' credentials for promotion and exhibited the cohesion and resilience that has not been present at the club for the past few years in the Premier League.

Leeds transfer news – Nadiem Amiri

According to a recent report from TEAMtalk, Nadiem Amiri has expressed regret over snubbing Leeds in the summer, with Farke's side presented with an opportunity to sign him once again in January.

The five-cap Germany international was the subject of an accepted €6m (£5m) bid from the Elland Road club earlier this year, with Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso not deeming the midfielder a core part of his vision.

Whether a deal is resurrected lies in Farke's hands, but it would certainly be a good move given the quality he could bring, and the supposed willingness to now forge ahead with a move to Yorkshire.

Nadiem Amiri's style of play

Amiri, aged 27, has completed 142 appearances for Bayer Leverkusen, scoring 12 goals and supplying 20 assists across all competitions.

As per FBref, the £47k-per-week ace ranks among the top 4% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 7% for total shots, the top 10% for progressive carries and the top 6% for successful take-ons per 90, emphasising the kind of positive qualities that could be injected into the burgeoning fold at Leeds.

The metrics-led site likens Amiri to Aston Villa midfielder John McGinn, referencing the pairs' likeness in progression on the pitch – indeed, Villa's £120k-per-week machine ranks among the top 6% of positional peers for successful take-ons per 90.

Described as an "exceptional" midfielder by former manager Dean Smith, McGinn's energy and ceaseless pursuit of driving the play forward has been crucial to Aston Villa's ascendancy under Unai Emery – with seven goals and assists already this season – and Amiri could emulate this for United.

Amiri was dubbed the "ideal" addition in midfield for Farke's project back in the summer by Leeds presenter Oscar Marrio, which really is starting to click into full gear and could be augmented tremendously through the signing of such a creative and forward-thinking central presence.

Marrio said: "Amiri is absolutely ideal for Farke, press resistant & prioritises keeping the ball rather over trying to play defence splitting passes (although he is capable of this as well). Also takes the ball on the back foot, combines & create angles to get the wingers in dangerous areas."

Doubters might put forth the point that such a talented player might be dissuaded from joining a squad plying its trade in the second tier of English football, but Leeds have put in the groundwork previously to win him over.

Moreover, Amiri might be enticed by joining this new-look Leeds team which seems to grow in confidence and cohesion with each passing fixture; Farke and the 49er Enterprises must now throw the kitchen sink at securing his signature, taking a major stride in their push for an instantaneous return to the top-flight.

Tottenham have now entered pole position to sign a European club's star attacker as the north Londoners look to January in search of more options.

Spurs hit by injury crisis

It's been seven days of turmoil at Spurs, and this international break couldn't have come soon enough for popular new boss Ange Postecoglou. Losing both star playmaker James Maddison and defender Micky van de Ven is a huge blow to Spurs, with both summer signings looking set to be out until 2024.

Tottenham must make do without the electric pace of van de Ven and the creative spark of Maddison, with both men being sorely missed last Saturday as Postecoglou suffered his second consecutive Premier League defeat. Spurs' bitterly disappointing and dramatic 2-1 loss to Wolves at Molineux highlighted just how pivotal the duo are to Postecoglou, as replacements Eric Dier and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg just couldn't come anywhere near to replicating their influence.

Spurs struggled to assert themselves often enough in the final third, thanks partly to the absence of Maddison's ingenuity in midfield, with the Lilywhites looking nowhere near their imperious best going forward.

Tottenham enter pole position for Gudmundsson

While Postecoglou should have the England star back by January, this past week has exposed Tottenham's glaring lack of depth in key areas, and the winter transfer window represents an opportunity for new sporting director Johan Lange to sign much-needed alternatives to star men.

According to La Repubblica, as relayed by Genova Today and Sport Witness, Spurs are now "in the front row" to sign Albert Gudmundsson from Genoa as one option. The Serie A side are well aware of growing interest from London, Roma and Inter Milan – as they aim to tie Gudmundsson down with a new deal and fend off growing suitors.

This comes after reports that Postecoglou is keen to sign a left-winger, but most interestingly, the Iceland international can also slot into Maddison's position as a central attacking midfielder. Gudmundsson has often been deployed in a central role for Genoa this season too, playing as the supporting striker behind number nine Mateo Retegui.

The 26-year-old has five goals in 12 Serie A appearances so far under manager Alberto Gilardino, with his form attracting real praise from teammate Kevin Strootman.

Crossing

Passing

Dribbling

Long shots

Taking set pieces

Defensive contribution

“If he keeps improving, he won’t stay at Genoa for long,” Strootman told Il Secolo XIX newspaper (via Football Italia).

“He reminds me of Salah when he was at Roma, in that every now and then he disappears. Much like Salah then, he would have four or five chances per match and only score at most one.

“They used to say that if Salah was more clinical, he would be playing for Liverpool, and that is exactly what happened. All joking aside, Gudmundsson is a devastating player and also an exemplary professional.”

Gudmundsson could come as an excellent potential signing for Spurs, with his ability to play in a variety of positions being a particularly huge draw.

Leeds United currently feel like a different team compared to the one that was relegated from the Premier League last term. The Yorkshire club are sitting third in the Championship and have been piling pressure on Ipswich Town and Leicester City above them.

Goals are flying in and the team are keeping plenty of clean sheets as of late, yet perhaps head coach Daniel Farke isn't receiving the plaudits that he truly deserves. When he took over, Leeds seemed like a toxic wasteland, with a bloated squad on extortionate wages. Now, after one transfer window, there seems to be a togetherness once more in the team.

Farke acted quickly to clean house, removing players from the squad who either wanted to leave or overstayed their welcome. One player in particular, who was part of Farke's vigorous clearout, has had a disastrous time at his new club.

Tyler Roberts' time at Leeds

In 2018, one of Thomas Christiansen's last acts as manager of Leeds United was to sign Tyler Roberts from West Bromwich Albion for an initial £2.5m, with the fee expected to rise to £4m in add-ons.

The attacker arrived at Elland Road with a slight knock, ruling him out for the first few weeks. However, things went downhill rapidly for Roberts as he cracked his shin bone while recovering from his initial injury, which kept him sidelined for the remainder of the season.

Nevertheless, Roberts eventually made his competitive debut for the Whites under the legendary coach Marcelo Bielsa and went on to make 108 appearances for the club, including 50 in the Premier League.

However, in his 108 games with Leeds, the Welshman bagged merely nine goals and recorded ten assists.

In contrast, Crysencio Summerville has managed 15 goal contributions this term in 18 matches and is just four from Roberts' tally.

Season

Appearances

Minutes

Goals

Assists

2018/19

31

2,081

3

6

2019/20

23

1,084

4

1

2020/21

34

1,742

5

4

2021/22

27

1,187

2

1

2022/23

20

1,228

4

0

After a loan move to Queens Park Rangers in the previous campaign, Roberts was eventually sold during the most recent summer transfer window to Birmingham City for a fee rumoured to be worth just £750k, having become nothing but a bit-part player at Leeds.

Tyler Roberts' stats this season

Roberts was handed a four-year contract with the Blues when former manager John Eustace was in charge, a decision which seems questionable in hindsight. The 24-year-old made his debut on the opening day of the Championship campaign away at Swansea City, lasting 61 minutes on the pitch before being subbed off. Unfortunately, this was Roberts' only appearance for the Blues.

The ex-Leeds star suffered a calf injury in training a few days before he would play his former club back in August and has been absent from the Birmingham squad ever since, a time period which has seen a new manager take charge in the St. Andrew's dugout in the form of Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney.

Roberts has now missed 21 matches through injury this season which is more than at any other stage over the past five seasons, the second-longest being an 81-day absence with a torn thigh muscle during his spell with Leeds two years ago.

The 20-cap Wales international endured a lot of criticism from the Leeds fanbase, particularly during the side's spell in the Premier League under Bielsa. The Athletic journalist Phil Hay admitted that the coach persevered with the young forward because he "obviously rates him" but Roberts has been proving the critics right since leaving Elland Road, seeing little over an hour's worth of action at Birmingham City.

Leeds United made an impressive managerial appointment over the summer as they swooped to bring in German tactician Daniel Farke, who had left Borussia Monchengladbach earlier this year.

The 47-year-old head coach arrived with an exceptional record at Championship level as he won the title twice during his spell with Norwich City; once in 2019 and then again in 2021.

Alongside his superb results in the second tier, the ex-Canaries boss also came in with a proven track record for developing and bringing through young players.

The likes of James Maddison, Max Aarons, Ben Godfrey, Emiliano Buendia, and Jamal Lewis, among others, all hit their stride at first-team level under Farke's management.

Maddison (to Leicester for £24m) and Buendia (to Aston Villa for £38m) left Norwich for a combined £62m during the German's tenure in Norfolk, which illustrates his ability to get the best out of young players to increase their value.

He has already displayed this at Leeds by unearthing Archie Gray from the academy at the age of 17. The England U19 international has already had a valuation of £40m reportedly placed on his head amid interest from Liverpool.

Gray has already racked up 15 Championship appearances, including 13 starts, so far this season – as a central midfielder and right-back – despite only turning 17 in March.

Farke has placed his faith in the teenage Thorp Arch prospect and been rewarded as the English dynamo has earned himself a regular spot in the team this season.

Supporters may now have one eye on the academy to see who could be the next talented ace to follow in Gray's footsteps to make an impact at first-team level.

With this in mind, here are three young Leeds gems who could make the senior squad if they continue to develop at an impressive rate…

1 Luca Thomas

The versatile academy teen – Luca Thomas – has made an impressive start to life with the U21s after being promoted from the U18s for his phenomenal form at that age group.

He has played the majority of his matches as a centre-forward but has showcased his versatility by being able to play out wide on either flank as well as in a number ten position.

Thomas burst onto the scene with the U18s during the 2021/22 campaign as the exciting youngster plundered an eye-catching 15 goals and two assists in 17 U18 Premier League matches.

The Whites prodigy followed that up with eight goals and one assist in 14 games at that age group throughout the following season, which took him to a total of 23 goals in 32 outings.

He has been a regular for the U21 side so far this season, after his incredible exploits for the U18s, and has hit the ground running with three goals and one assist in six Premier League 2 appearances.

Having scored and assisted goals at a superb rate at academy level, the next step for Thomas is to impress Farke enough to earn a shot with the first-team.

2 Mateo Joseph

One player who is close to making his first-team breakthrough is U21s star Mateo Joseph, who has already been given a taste of senior action at Elland Road.

The 20-year-old prospect has made six appearances for Leeds, including three in the Premier League last season, and has been on the bench for two Championship matches this term.

Joseph has enjoyed a strong start to the 2023/24 campaign with two goals and one assist in two Premier League 2 outings, along with a goal and an assist in one Premier League International Cup clash.

The England U20 international came into this season off the back of a return of 17 goals and two assists in 24 U21 matches for the club last term.

This means that the Spanish-born dynamo has racked up 20 goals and four assists in his last 27 U21 appearances for the Whites since the start of the 2022/23 campaign.

Joseph's phenomenal form for the academy has not gone unnoticed as Farke did include him on the bench twice earlier this season, which suggests that the young gem is on the German tactician's radar for a first-team inclusion.

It is now down to the Leeds game to prove to the ex-Norwich boss that he has what it takes to translate his outstanding goalscoring form over to the senior side in the coming months or years to follow in Gray's footsteps.

3 Sean McGurk

Finally, the third Thorp Arch academy prospect who could be the next young talent to burst onto the scene at Elland Road is 20-year-old winger Sean McGurk.

Signed from Wigan in 2021, the winger did not catch the eye with consistently impressive displays for the U21s across his first two seasons with the Whites.

Despite being described as a "whizz kid" by journalist Alan Nixon at the time of his move to Yorkshire, McGurk only managed three goals and one assist across 22 U21 matches for the club during the 2021/22 campaign.

The Liverpool-born wizard followed that up with a return of three goals and three assists in 18 U21 appearances throughout the 2022/23 season.

Appearances

Five

44

Goals

Three

Ten

Assists

One

Six

These statistics did not suggest that Leeds had a productive winger who could deliver goals and assists on a regular basis. However, his form this term has reflected his development in recent years.

McGurk has managed four goals and two assists in eight Premier League 2 matches, alongside four goals and two assists in five Premier League Cup and International Cup clashes.

This means that the 20-year-old magician has racked up eight goals and four assists in 13 U21 games so far this season for Leeds, whilst no first-team player has managed more than six league strikes so far.

He has finally hit his stride in the final third and is now thriving as an excellent winger who can chip in with goal contributions at an impressive rate, which suggests that a first-team promotion is not completely out of the question.

McGurk must now remain consistent and show Farke that he has the quality to deliver big moments at senior level for Leeds to become the latest gem to follow in Gray's footsteps under the German tactician.

It’s hard to think of another summer quite like this one for Arsenal.

Preseason hasn’t even started yet, and the club has already signed four players, including Martin Zubimendi and Noni Madueke, for a combined £112m.

Moreover, talented centre-back Christian Mosquera is set to have a medical today, Viktor Gyokeres looks likely to have his on Friday, and Eberechi Eze continues to be linked.

As if that wasn’t enough, rumours concerning a £80m move for Rodrygo keep popping up, although to complete a deal to sign him on top of everyone else, the Gunners will surely have to make some sales, and it looks like they will.

Why Arsenal want to sign Rodrygo

Even though it would require a massive financial commitment, and he’d become their second most expensive signing of all time, it’s really not hard to understand why Arsenal would want to bring in Rodrygo.

Firstly, he may be a natural left-winger, but as the last couple of seasons have shown us, he can still be incredibly effective off the right and even up, which could help massively if the Gunners endure another torrid year with injuries.

More importantly, though, is the fact that the Brazilian has remained incredibly effective even out of position over the last few years.

Appearances

51

54

Minutes

3707′

3452′

Goals

17

14

Assists

9

11

Goal Involvements per Match

0.50

0.46

Minutes per Goal Involvement

142.57′

138.08′

For example, since the start of the 23/24 season, the “special” talent, as dubbed by former manager Carlo Ancelotti, has found the back of the net on 31 occasions and provided 20 assists in 105 appearances, totalling 7159 minutes.

That means the former Santos gem has been averaging a goal involvement every 2.05 games, or every 140.37 minutes across the last two years, which is undoubtedly impressive.

Finally, with two La Liga titles and two Champions League titles among an array of other trophies under his belt, the 24-year-old dynamo would bring a real know-how to the Emirates, which is something the team have been lacking in recent years.

However, to afford Rodrygo’s wages and transfer fee, Arsenal will surely have to offload a few players this summer, and based on reports, it looks like one out-of-favour ace could be nearing the exit.

The Arsenal star who could be sold

With the signings already made, those set to be completed soon, and the additional links to players like Rodrygo, it’s no surprise to see speculation arise around the possible sale of certain players.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

At first, there were reports about a possible move for Gabriel Martinelli by Al-Nassr, reports that were quickly rubbished.

Since then, Leandro Trossard has been linked with several moves, including a potential transfer to Bayern Munich, and Jakub Kiwior is also reportedly no longer in the manager’s plans.

However, there is now another player being linked with an official exit from the club this summer, someone who wasn’t even part of the squad last season: Fabio Vieira.

Yes, according to a recent report from GIVEMESPORT, the player’s representatives are currently working on getting him to a new team this summer, and have even been in talks with several interested clubs from ‘Turkey and Germany’s top divisions.’

Interestingly, the report reveals that an unnamed Serie A side would be willing to pay €18m for the Portuguese ace in a deal structured like Nuno Tavares’ to Lazio, but as Arteta and Co paid £34m for the player just three years ago, that is not a price they would entertain.

Whatever the final fee ends up being, it is probably time to move the 25-year-old on, as after two underwhelming campaigns in England in which he amassed 13 goal involvements in 49 games, he enjoyed a decent enough spell with Porto last year.

Appearances

39

33

16

42

Goals

7

2

1

5

Assists

16

6

3

6

Goal Involvements per Match

0.58

0.24

0.25

0.26

For example, the “exceptional” midfielder, as talent scout Jacek Kulig once dubbed him, produced 11 goal involvements in 42 games, but eight of those came in just 26 league clashes.

In other words, this summer may well be the last time Berta and Co will be able to get decent money for the Santa Maria da Feira-born ace.

Ultimately, Vieira is not a bad player, but it just has not worked out for him in an Arsenal shirt, and if selling him this summer frees up space to sign Rodrygo, then that is a no-brainer.

Shades of Trossard: Arsenal target is now in London to undergo his medical

Arsenal could sign a player with shades of Leandro Trossard.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 16, 2025

Everton are now believed to be looking to bring in a “fantastic” manager to replace Sean Dyche as the Friedkin Group close in on a takeover from Farhad Moshiri.

Everton takeover latest

The Blues are still without a win in the Premier League this season, although Saturday’s 1-1 draw away to Leicester City did at least see them get their first point on the board. There was an element of disappointment about the result again however, considering Everton were leading through Iliman Ndiaye’s goal and because they were up against a team who were playing Championship football last term.

This terrible start to the campaign has understandably meant that there is huge pressure on Dyche to keep his job, with the Englishman seemingly losing admirers by the week among the Goodison Park faithful and a potential takeover sure to change his status as well.

On that note, it appears John Textor has taken too long trying to sell his stake at Crystal Palace, as it is now the Freidkin Group closing in on a deal, with reliable reporter Mark Douglas revealing on Monday that an Everton takeover is “very close” and Friedkin is plotting “significant” investment and an “immediate review of football operations” – something which may place Dyche’s position in danger.

Moyes favourite to be new Everton manager

A new report from Football Insider claims that Everton are now looking to bring David Moyes back to Goodison, should they decide that Dyche is no longer the right man for the job. The Scot is considered a “popular appointment” by both “the boardroom and the fans”, having enjoyed such an impressive stint in charge first time around, although it is unclear how much of that support is from the potential new investors.

Opinion may be divided among Everton fans when it comes to a Moyes return, with some no doubt happy about the potential for it happening, and others perhaps feeling that a younger option is needed. He enjoyed a good second spell at West Ham, not least because he won the UEFA Europa Conference League back in 2022/23, but has ironically struggled against Dyche in his career, barely averaging over a point per game against the 53 year-old and winning only 3 of 11 head to heads.

Legendary centre-back Martin Keown lauded him during his last stint with the Hammers, saying: “I think David Moyes deserves credit because you know he’s at the back end of his career but I think he’s getting ever-better. He’s actually showing improvements. Fantastic work they’re doing in Europe, and he seems to be relishing the battle right now.”

Moyes is known for adopting a 4-2-3-1 formation, and while not necessarily the most attack-minded manager around, he could arguably play better football than has been on show under Dyche, with entertainment value severely lacking under his management and only four goals scored in the league so far this season.

West Ham

230

1.53

West Ham

31

1.19

Sunderland

43

0.72

Real Sociedad

42

1.21

Man Utd

51

1.73

Everton

518

1.54

Preston North End

211

1.72

Moyes’ vast experience could help Everton get themselves out of this current hole, in a period where avoiding relegation from the Premier League this season is paramount ahead of the move to Bramley Moore Dock.

The topsy-turvy nature of Tottenham’s frantic season continued on Sunday afternoon as Ange Postecoglou’s men returned to form with their most impressive result of the season in the Premier League.

A week ago Spurs were suffering a pretty dismal defeat on the road against a winless Crystal Palace but have responded emphatically since.

On Wednesday, the Lilywhites beat Manchester City in the Carabao Cup and continued where they left off against Unai Emery’s high fliers, winning 4-1.

That said, it could have been very different. Morgan Rogers fired home in the first half to give the visitors the lead but the Londoners fought back through Brennan Johnson, James Maddison and a brace from Dominic Solanke.

The summer signing’s return to form was certainly timely…

Dominic Solanke's performance in numbers

Since signing from Bournemouth in a £65m deal over the summer, Solanke hasn’t exactly been bad but you would expect more from a big-money striker.

Indeed, over the last three league games – matches with West Ham, Brighton and Palace – he had registered just two shots – numbers that hardly show your centre-forward in a glowing light.

Well, against Villa on Sunday, he certainly returned to form, registering as many as five shots, from which he scored two goals.

The first was taken beautifully after being slipped in by Swede Dejan Kulusevski. Solanke had a perfect one-on-one chance and dinked it over Emi Martinez.

The Englishman’s second was a great deal easier, tapping the ball home from a matter of yards out after Richarlison’s cut-back.

With the Brazilian coming back from injury, it was imperative that the former Bournemouth man returned to form and that’s exactly what he did, registering an xG (expected goals) tally of 1.66 and winning six of his ten duels.

That said, he arguably wasn’t the finest player on display at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The game’s man of the match should be midfielder Pape Matar Sarr.

Sarr's performance in numbers

Last weekend Sarr started the game from the bench in favour of James Maddison. That decision looks all the more bizarre when you consider his outstanding contribution to the win over Aston Villa on Sunday.

Handed a 9/10 match rating by Football.London’s Alasdair Gold, the Spurs reporter was one of a number of people who hailed the midfielder’s display, suggesting it was an ‘all action performance’.

Spurs fan and podcaster Lee McQueen described Sarr’s performance as “unplayable” while GOAL reporter Mitch Fretton summed things up succinctly, claiming it was a “masterclass” from the Senegalese.

Why did they think that? Well, the player’s numbers and key moments help to paint that picture.

Minutes played

90

Touches

80

Accurate passes

59/64 (92%)

Key passes

1

Shots

4

Ground duels won

2/7

Aerial duels won

1/2

Possession lost

7x

Clearances

3

Interceptions

2

Tackles

0

The 22-year-old was phenomenal, and it was his interception that led to the third goal, breaking up the play before the ball found its way to Richarlison.

That was Sarr’s finest moment during his 90 minutes on the field. What else did he do? Well, he left the pitch boasting a 92% pass success rate, had as many as four shots and supplyied one key pass. It’s safe to say he was everywhere.

The young ace has only started three league matches in 2024/25 to date but on this evidence he should be undroppable, he should be one of the first names on the team sheet.

Spurs are undeniably a better side when he features in the team. The same cannot always be said of Solanke considering his performances prior to Sunday.

Spurs thought they'd signed the new Mousa Dembele, then he left for free

The promising star couldn’t make it work at Spurs.

2 ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 2, 2024

Arsenal have now made an approach to sign a new centre-back, but they will need to fend off competition from one of their Premier League rivals, according to a report.

Arsenal transfer news

If the Gunners are going to be in the race for the Premier League title once again this season, they may need to strengthen in attacking areas, given that they don’t have a player in the mould of Erling Haaland or Mohamed Salah in front of goal.

As such, there have been reports linking Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres with a move to north London, while they are also said to be keen on signing RB Leipzig’s up-and-coming striker Benjamin Šeško. Mikel Arteta’s side have been particularly impressive defensively in recent times, conceding the fewest goals of any Premier League side last season, and the manager’s marquee summer signing was Riccardo Calafiori.

However, there are indications that Arteta may need to bolster his backline further in the January transfer window, considering that Jakub Kiwior is said to have been put up for sale.

Arsenal targeting Ousmane Diomande

With that in mind, Arteta appears to have identified a potential replacement in defence, as reports from Portugal (via Sport Witness) state that an approach has been made for Sporting CP defender Ousmane Diomande. However, the 20-year-old will not come cheap, as he has a release clause of €80m (£66m) included in his current contract, which Sporting continue to refer to in their negotiations.

The report states that both Arsenal and Chelsea have already made approaches for the defender, which have been knocked back by the Portuguese club, while German giants Bayern Munich are now intensifying their efforts to get a deal over the line.

All three clubs are said to hold a ‘serious’ interest in the centre-back, and while he is aware that club are beginning to queue up for his signature, he is focussed on his career at Sporting in the meantime.

If the Gunners are able to win the race for the youngster, he could be a solid addition to the squad, with football scout Jacek Kulig claiming that he has “absolutely everything to become a top-class CB”. Performance analyst Jack Fawcett has also been full of praise for the Sporting starlet.

Even though the Ivorian is just 20 years old, he has a plethora of first-team experience with Sporting, making 26 league appearances in the title-winning 2023-24 season, and he has made three outings in the Champions League in the current campaign.

As such, there are clear signs that Diomande could be destined for great things, so it is promising news that Arsenal appear to be one of the clubs firmly in the race for his signature, and it will be interesting to see how the situation develops before January.

There's no escaping it; the 2023/24 Premier League season has been another bleak one for Chelsea Football Club.

Mauricio Pochettino has been unable to create a coherent team out of the plethora of talented youngsters at his disposal and has already overseen numerous embarrassing defeats in just his first campaign in the hot seat.

One of the worst results was the 2-1 loss away to Manchester United last year, a game that could easily have ended with the hosts four or five up.

The Blues have the chance to get some revenge tonight, although, based on the performance against Burnley over the weekend, Pochettino should drop Conor Gallagher and make a couple of changes to the lineup.

Conor Gallagher's performance vs Burnley

Now, in defence of the Englishman, the result against the Clarets on Saturday afternoon was an utter shambles and practically every player in Blue, bar perhaps Cole Palmer and possibly Mykhaylo Mudryk must shoulder some responsibility for the dropped points.

However, Gallagher was the captain and the team's number ten, so while he wasn't the only terrible performer, he was undoubtedly the most disappointing, relative to what was expected of him.

Football.london's Bobby Vincent echoes this thought process in his post-match player ratings, in which he awarded the Epsom-born ace a 5/10 for his showing and wrote that he was 'too quiet' and unable 'to get involved anywhere near as much as he would have liked.'

It wasn't just a lack of attacking threat that was an issue, either. In his 62 minutes on the pitch, the boyhood Blues fan lost six of his seven duels and committed three fouls.

Minutes

62'

Goals

0

Assists

0

Expected Goals

0.16

Expected Assists

0.18

Touches

41

Successful Dribbles

1

Duels (Won)

7 (1)

Possession Lost

5

Fouls

3

In all, while the tenacious midfielder is still "the heart" of the team, as talent scout Jacek Kulig described him, his dreadful performance on Saturday means he should be dropped for tonight's game. This should allow Pochettino to be more bold in his team selection.

Who Pochettino should star instead

So, with the stand-in captain on the bench, who should Pochettino bring into the team? Raheem Sterling.

Now, the first thing to say is no, the Argentine should not just start the former Manchester City ace in the number ten role vacated by Gallagher. Instead, he should start Sterling out on the left and bring Mudryk into the middle of the park, where he had some joy against Leeds United and Leicester City in the FA Cup – racking up an assist against the former.

It's true that both of these games were against Championship opponents, but that doesn't diminish the fact that the Ukrainian looked dangerous in the middle, and in both of those games, he had Sterling to his left.

Likewise, while the 82-capped Englishman's recent struggles can be ignored, he has still racked up eight goals and 11 assists in 37 games for the Pensioners this season, demonstrating that even when things aren't going his way, he can still be a productive member of the team.

Moreover, while his shooting boots weren't on, the 29-year-old "monster", as Kulig described him, was a far more dangerous threat in his 17 minutes of action against Burnley, registering an expected goals figure of 0.57, an expected assists figure of 0.24, an actual assist, having a shot on target, off target, and blocked, as well as making one key pass.

Minutes

17'

Minutes

05'

Assists

1

Expected Goals

0.38

Expected Goals

0.57

Expected Assists

0.32

Expected Assists

0.24

Touches

74

Shots on Target

1

Key Passes

4

Shots off Target

1

Long Balls (Accurate)

1 (1)

Shots Blocked

1

Big Chances Created

1

Big Chances Created

1

Shots on Target

1

Key Passes

1

Shots off Target

2

Accurate Passes

13/13 (100%)

Shots Blocked

1

Touches

18

Duels (Won)

14 (10)

Possession Lost

2

Penalties Won

1

For his part, the former Shakhtar Donetsk ace registered an expected goals figure of 0.38 and an expected assists figure of 0.32. He took 74 touches, played four key passes, created one big chance, took one shot on target and two off target, was successful in six of eight attempted dribbles, and won a penalty.

Chelsea "monitoring" an "incredible" Poch upgrade who could be Jose 2.0

There are more than a few similarities between the highly sought-after manager and the ‘Special One.’

ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 3, 2024

Ultimately, while it would be a bold decision from Pochettino, he should start Mudryk in the middle and Sterling on the left if he wants revenge on Manchester United.