All posts by z3u9t.icu

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more… 

West Bromwich Albion still have a long way to go in this current Championship campaign, but the early signs do indicate that it could be quite the successful season up at the Hawthorns.

The Baggies have garnered 30 points from their 15 matches, which means they average two points per game.

If they keep this up, they should see their tally reach 92 for the season, and that has been enough for automatic promotion in four of the last five seasons.

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But their fortunes could soon change if reports are to be believed as Grady Diangana is under serious consideration to be recalled by West Ham this January, according to Sky Sports.

This would come as a devastating blow, not only because the 21-year-old has contributed four goals and four assists this campaign, but also due to a very similar situation last season with Harvey Barnes, which may have scuppered their promotion hopes as they severely missed his presence after he scored nine and assisted six.

However, since then, the club have been offered some hope as West Ham boss Manuel Pellegrini has claimed that he would rather the winger stay at the Hawthorns.

He hasn’t ruled out a return and things can change quickly in football – something that was seen with Barnes last season as then-Foxes manager Claude Puel stated the same before going back on his word, according to Steve Madeley.

On the Chalkboard

Speculation is likely to continue surrounding Diangana’s future in the Midlands so with that in mind, having a potential contingency plan in place would make sense.

That might well fall in the form of another West Ham man, Nathan Holland. Football Insider reported earlier this week that the Premier League outfit could be willing to swap the two players in January if necessary.

It remains to be seen whether he would be as good as Diangana, considering he’s barely been exposed to competitive football in the men’s game featuring just twice. However, the same applied to the 21-year-old before joined the Baggies – he had averaged just 35 minutes per game from 17 top-flight matches, via Transfermarkt.

Also aged 21, Holland is quite clearly another one of West Ham’s biggest prospects, and he must be chomping at the bit to get some senior match experience as the England U19 international has scored eight goals and assisted five more from ten Premier League 2 appearances. He’s clearly a player with great attacking promise.

Although he failed to bag against West Brom’s U23 squad earlier this season, he clearly needs an opportunity, and the west Midlanders could hand him that in light of Diangana’s latest news.

The winger’s youth coach Dmitri Halajko has, in the past, given him a glowing review, by saying:

“Nathan Holland was outstanding – he was the best player on the pitch. I think he’s quite possibly the best left midfielder in the league. He’s in fantastic form. He scored a goal and had a massive part to play in all three other goals, and he’s been doing that all season.”

Going off that, he could well be an ideal replacement for Diangana if the Hammers do indeed recall him in a couple of months – it would be one way to turn a negative into a positive.

Holland could at least soften the potentially catastrophic blow to Slaven Bilic’s season come 2020.

Luka Modric has just bagged a brand new trophy for his already stacked cabinet.

Real Madrid have now officially confirmed that their Ballon d’Or winner has also won the 2019 Golden Foot award, which recognises the best player who is also aged over 28 and who stands out on account of their on-field achievements.

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Even though Modric hasn’t really been a standard part of Los Blancos’ ongoing 2019/20 campaign, having only tallied 484 minutes across all competitions so far, his overall influence on the club cannot be disputed and this award serves as proof enough.

And of course, it didn’t really take long for many of Real Madrid fans to swarm their social media and Twitter accounts with great messages of support, with the majority showering Modric with praise in the process.

Some were calling him a legend and wishing for him to retire at the club while others stated that he has fully deserved this trophy.

You can see some of their comments down in the collection of tweets below:

Celtic continued their perfect start to the Scottish Premiership season with an emphatic and comfortable 3-0 win in the Old Firm clash at Parkhead on Sunday.

The Hoops secured all three points in impressive style and have now won all four of their opening fixtures in the division, scoring 12 goals and conceding zero.

Daizen Maeda, Kyogo Furuhashi, and Callum McGregor got their names on the scoresheet, whilst summer signings Arne Engels and Luke McCowan were handed their debuts off the bench.

Brendan Rodgers lost star central midfielder Matt O'Riley to Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion for a reported fee of more than £25m – a Scottish record fee – during the summer window and that could have been a big blow.

Matt O'Riley's contributions for Celtic

The Denmark international was an influential figure in the middle of the park for the Premiership champions in the 2023/24 campaign, with his attacking contributions.

O'Riley caught the eye with his match-winning performances as both a scorer and a creator of goals from a central midfield position, which earned him a big-money move to Brighton.

Sofascore rating

7.91

1st

Goals

18

1st

Assists

13

1st

Big chances created

14

1st

Key passes per game

2.5

1st

As you can see in the table above, the left-footed magician was the club's main source of both goals and assists in the Premiership last season.

These statistics illustrate why O'Riley moving on from Celtic could have been a major blow to their performance on the pitch, but Paulo Bernardo's showing against Rangers showed why Rodgers can now forget all about the Dane.

Paulo Bernardo's Old Firm brilliance

The Portuguese talent spent the 2023/24 campaign on loan from Benfica and was largely in O'Riley's shadow, as he only started 11 league matches.

Bernardo signed permanently from the Liga Portugal outfit this summer and the Danish whiz's exit has opened the door for him to prove his worth, which is exactly what he did on Sunday.

The right-footed maestro, who was handed a 9/10 player rating by GlasgowWorld's Ben Banks, was a quality operator with his work in and out of possession.

On the ball, Bernardo completed an eye-catching 100% (4/4) of his attempted dribbles and also made three key passes and created one 'big chance'. This shows that Rangers could not get anywhere near him when the ball was at his feet and he was creative in the final third.

Out of possession, the 22-year-old talent was outstanding with 11 duels won, including nine of his 15 on the floor and both of his aerial contests.

The former Benfica man made four tackles and two interceptions to cut out Rangers attacks and win the ball back for his side in the middle of the park, which showed that he can excel at both ends of the pitch.

These kind of performances from Bernardo, and results for Celtic, show that O'Riley will not be missed as much as his performances last season suggested that he would, as Rodgers could forget all about him with the Portuguese star's brilliance.

Southampton fans will hope that, after a rocky start to the season, the newly promoted side's form does pick up after the international break is over.

Only netting one goal so far, with three defeats from three also making for grim reading, Russell Martin now has the lengthy break to try and get more out of his group on the training pitch to try to positively impact their worrying early Premier League form.

He could well even end up experimenting with what he at his disposal to try and get points on the board, but it looks very unlikely that Kamaldeen Sulemana will get a chance to impress in the first-team picture.

Sulemana's time at Southampton

Once costing the Saints a club record £22m, it's fair to say Sulemana has never quite lived up to this bumper price tag when playing on the South Coast.

From 44 appearances to date donning a Saints strip, the ex-Rennes winger has only managed to grab two goals and four assists, with zero strikes coming his way during Southampton's promotion-winning campaign.

Only averaging 39 minutes per clash that same season, it hasn't been a great shock to see Sulemana's standing in the St. Mary's pecking order take a battering moving up a league, with no games being handed to him so far in the Premier League.

A move to Ajax was meant to be the confidence-boosting switch Sulemana needed on deadline day, but that loan adventure was initially put on hold, owing to the fact it was unclear whether or not all of the paperwork involving the move took place before or after the Dutch window slammed shut.

There had even been the potential for him to move permanently to the Eredivisie giants for £17m as part of the temporary deal, although journalist Fabrizio Romano has since confirmed that the deal is now off.

Martin and Co likely wouldn't have been too gutted to see the back of their £22m flop if he had departed, owing to his hefty salary in the Saints camp which sees him earn double the salary that key first-teamer Kyle Walker-Peters finds himself on.

Sulemana's wage at Southampton

As per Capology, Sulemana's wage for the season ahead comes in at an extortionate £40k-per-week, a wild amount for a player who is yet to taste any action for Martin's men in either the league or even the EFL Cup.

On the contrary, Walker-Peters remains a key cog in the Saints machine, with the South Coast outfit relieved that the former Tottenham Hotspur man didn't move to new pastures this window just gone.

Regardless of goals like the one above from the attack-minded defender helping Southampton achieve promotion last season, and Walker-Peters averaging 87 minutes per clash in the Premier League so far, the popular 27-year-old only earns a lesser £20k-per-week pay packet.

Walker-Peters won't be the only aggrieved member of the Saints camp when it comes to Sulemana earning more, with the likes of Will Smallbone and other fixed first-teamers also earning less.

Player

Wage

First-team appearances last season

Kamaldeen Sulemana

£40k-per-week

25

Will Smallbone

£25k-per-week

46

Gavin Bazunu

£20k-per-week

41

Kyle Walker-Peters

£20k-per-week

46

Taylor Harwood-Bellis

£7.5k-per-week

43

Looking at the table above, it's not a shock to see that Southampton do want to balance the books and get rid of their £40k-per-week man, with first-team stalwart at the back from last season in Taylor Harwood-Bellis even earning significantly less at £7.5k-per-week.

Wage Burners

Football FanCast's Wage Burners series explores the salaries of the modern-day game.

Southampton have been prone to many blunders in the transfer market over the years, with Sulemana another one now added to the list.

While Martin and Co will likely now be forced to wait until January to offload the costly forgotten man, the hope will be that a last-gasp deal can be struck with a handful of markets still open across the globe.

Walcott 2.0: Southampton could soon unleash "flamboyant" teenager

Southampton could discover their next Theo Walcott with this young ace.

1 ByKelan Sarson Sep 3, 2024

Chelsea recorded their first competitive win under new manager Enzo Maresca on Thursday night, beating Servette in the UEFA Conference League qualifier, first leg, 2-0. Christopher Nkunku opened the scoring for the Blues in the second half with a penalty, before Noni Madueke doubled the lead, after coming off the bench.

It wasn't the most convincing of wins for the Blues, in what seemed to be a very flat game. However, they did manage to keep 59% possession, and create more "big chances" than Servette, despite not really looking like they got out of first gear.

Servette had a good go themselves, especially in the final 10/15 minutes, testing Chelsea with a flurry of shots, as they managed a total of 22 shots throughout the 90 minutes. This was a Chelsea side that made nine changes from their weekend defeat to Manchester City, and therefore the sluggish nature of the performance could be down to that.

Renato Veiga's game in numbers vs Servette

A huge positive from this game for Chelsea was new signing, Renato Veiga, who was signed from Basel this summer for around £12m. The youngster can play a host of positions, including left-back, centre-back, and defensive midfield.

The 21-year-old recorded a 7/10 match rating according to GOAL, praising his 'demonstrated versatility' when inverting into midfield, alongside Moises Caicedo from left-back.

Veiga completed six clearances, three interceptions, and one tackle, as well as winning 3/3 of his aerial duels, as per Sofascore, something he adds to the team given his 6 foot 3 frame for a left-back. But it isn't just his defensive and physical prowess that stands out.

Having 78 touches, completing 47/55 passes, and completing 2/3 long balls, the young Portuguese defender showed his ability and composure on the ball, to play through the lines, and progress play for the Blues, which is a hugely important factor in Maresca's system.

It is for this reason, that it could be argued that the west Londoners have perhaps found their answer to Arsenal's new £42m signing, Riccardo Calafiori…

Calafiori comparison

Now the main factors in this comparison are the modern natures of these defenders and the tactical versatility they give you. Much like Veiga, Calafiori is built like a central defender, a 6 foot frame with a strong body archetype, but possesses the ability to play as a left-back, central defender, and step into central midfield.

Calafiori often stepped into midfield for Bologna last season, whether that was positioning himself there to receive the ball as a midfielder, or driving into midfield from the defensive line, using that progressive carrying ability to drive his team forward.

These are similar traits to Veiga, who can use his powerful stride to carry the ball forward, or his footballing IQ to position himself accordingly to receive the ball as a midfield option. Their comfortability on the ball for defensive-minded players is top tier, and this is an ever-growing asset in the modern game.

Stats (per 90 mins)

Calafiori

Assists

0.19

Shot-Creating Actions

1.76

Passes Attempted

69.35

Progressive Passes

3.68

Progressive Carries

1.07

Tackles

1.80

Interceptions

1.92

Blocks

1.46

Aerials Won

2.30

Something becoming more and more apparent at the top level, especially with Manchester City and Arsenal in the past year, is fielding these fullbacks with a central defender's frame, as they seek physical advantages over the pitch.

Veiga and Calafiori are great examples of this player archetype, offering physicality and height in this area of the pitch, whilst possessing midfielder qualities on the ball, and still completing a high level of defensive actions per game.

So Chelsea could have hit the jackpot, with their £12m man, who possesses all the qualities needed to succeed in the Premier League, especially as football continues to evolve.

Worse than Mudryk: Chelsea's 4.5/10 flop must never wear the shirt again

The Blues are on the cusp of advancing to the UECL group stage…

ByAngus Sinclair Aug 23, 2024

Gianluca Scamacca’s move to West Ham has unravelled into disaster.

The Italian was signed from Sassuolo to become the Irons’ main man, but he has been spectacularly disappointing, unable to take the goal-scoring burden off Michail Antonio.

Danny Ings was also bought in January in an attempt to cover up the Scamacca mistake, however, the Englishman has also struggled to find form in East London.

This situation has left David Moyes in the hunt for a new striker and the club has been linked with Armando Broja.

What’s the latest on Armando Broja to Chelsea?

According to Romagiallorossa.it, Roma are closing on a loan with an obligation to buy deal for Scamacca, a move that would provide space for West Ham to enquire about the Chelsea man.

Indeed, it's alleged that the Hammers are supposedly “closing” in on the 21-year-old, who last year had an asking price of around £30m.

Can Armando Broja replace Gianluca Scamacca?

Broja is a player brimming with talent, effervescence, and potential, but has suffered hideous luck with injury.

The £40k-per-week striker has been restricted to just three starts for the Blues this season after he tore his cruciate ligament in a friendly against Aston Villa in December 2022.

Although, admittedly prior to this unfortunate event, Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter were both reluctant to regularly utilise the forward. Nevertheless, he has shown in a previous loan spell his extraordinary talent.

During the 2020/21 season, the youngster was at Southampton, where has displayed the most promise in his short career, as in 38 appearances in all competitions, the Chelsea starlet scored nine times.

Frank Lampard, who gave Broja his full debut back in 2020, once said: “He is a very talented young boy.

“He came into us at the start of the Covid times, trained with us, and showed the attributes that I think you’re seeing now in the Premier League at Southampton.

“He’s fast, strong, has a real eye for goal and he’s a very, very good young player so I’m very aware of his strengths.”

Meanwhile, Scamacca has failed to hit the heights he had previously shown in his homeland. After netting 16 Serie goals in the 2020/21 season, he has only registered three Premier League strikes, failing to score since January 4th.

Moyes provided a rather damning indictment on Scamacca and said: "We know that his physical data has got to be much better than it is. Gianluca has got to get himself back.

“You want to put out the players who you think are going to win for you, so you are always looking to put your best team out. We just want the output to be bigger and more.”

Therefore, this has opened the pathway for Broja, who has already shown he can consistently perform at the top level.

Described as “dangerous” by Ralph Hasenhuttl, the 17-cap international is a more than adequate replacement for the out-of-favour Scamacca.

Newcastle United are extremely interested in a deal for Rennes teenager Desire Doue, according to reports in France.

What's the latest Newcastle transfer news?

The Magpies are expected to be busy in the summer transfer market as Eddie Howe prepares his squad to compete in four competitions for the first time in the northeast since a Europa League campaign back in 2012/13 which ended at the hands of Benfica.

Howe seems to be prioritising a central midfielder above all else, with the effects of playing such intense football week in week out clearly taking its toll towards the end of the season, with Joe Willock and Joelinton picking up injuries and Bruno Guimaraes looking lacklustre in the closing few weeks.

James Maddison has been strongly linked with a move, although they will face competition from Tottenham, and then there is Khephren Thuram, who is apparently also attracting interest from Liverpool.

Deals won’t come easy then, but it seems one player the Magpies are out in front for is rising Rennes sensation Doue.

According to L’Equipe, via Sport Witness, Newcastle are the main club “particularly keen” on the young attacking midfielder and their “interest is real”. They say he is a “great prospect” and only a “substantial offer” will convince the Ligue 1 outfit to cash in.

Who is Desire Doue?

Delving into what makes Doue so special, it’s his versatility at such a young age that really stands out. According to Transfermarkt, despite being just 18, he played up front, as a number ten, on both wings and in his natural role as a central midfielder for Rennes this season, racking up 26 top flight appearances and seven in the Europa League too, scoring four times.

Going by FBRef’s advanced metrics, his dribbling ability looks incredible, sitting in the 99th percentile against other midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for successful take-ons, also ranking highly for goals per 90 minutes (97th percentile).

Such is his ability to drive forward and find goals by arriving late in the box, the website actually lists the Magpies’ own Joe Willock as a 'similar player', so fans at St. James’ Park should know what to expect if the youngster arrives on Tyneside.

Arsenal are eyeing a Premier League gem ahead of the transfer window, as Mikel Arteta prepares for a busy summer in charge at the Emirates.

The Spaniard will hope to continue the Gunners’ status as title contenders next campaign – something he could ensure of by signing a name that has been linked to the club since January.

What’s the latest on Moises Caicedo to Arsenal?

As reported by London World earlier this week, Arsenal are ‘preparing’ a new bid for Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo.

The 21-year-old has been on the north Londoners' radar since January, where the Seagulls rejected multiple bids for the ace.

London World suspects that the Gunners will bid around £75m for the midfielder, a fee that was rejected by the club in January.

The report states that Brighton’s stance is ‘clear’, as they have an agreement to sell the player due to his wishes.

What could Moises Caicedo bring to Arsenal?

Hailed as a “machine” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the 21-year-old is sought by the Gunners for reasons that are extremely clear.

As per Sofascore, the midfielder has maintained an average match rating of 7.08, placing him among the club’s top five performers this campaign.

The Ecuadorian would be a valuable asset for Arteta to add to his midfield, especially with rumours surfacing placing Jorginho’s future at the Emirates in doubt.

The Italy international has won an average of 55% of his total duels this season with 4 per game – numbers that are less impressive in comparison to Caicedo, who averages 58% with 5.9 won per game, via Sofascore.

Despite rumours being premature regarding the 31-year-old’s future this summer, Arteta could replace and upgrade the former Chelsea ace with the Brighton gem, enforcing a new-found level of stability to his midfield.

The 21-year-old wins a huge average of 64% of his aerial duels per game compared to Jorginho’s 49%, suggesting that he would be a better option for Arsenal in terms of physicality alone.

Although identified for his passing abilities, the Gunners wouldn’t be missing the expertise of the Italian’s distribution as much as expected in replacing him with Caicedo.

As per FBref, the youngster has maintained a higher rate of pass completion than the experienced Jorginho this campaign, averaging a rate of 88.5% per 90, placing him in the top 6% of midfielders in the league in this area, with the Arsenal ace scoring 85.8%.

Arsenal have wanted the services of Caicedo for months, and with him due to become available this summer, Arteta must act fast to guarantee his involvement at the Emirates next season, with other clubs queuing to capture his signature.

Everton ended the 22/23 campaign at Goodison Park, roaring in adulation, basking in a seasonal culmination that so easily could have written a different narrative.

The Toffees had defeated Bournemouth 1-0, Abdoulaye Doucoure the hero after unleashing a venomous volley during the second half, and needed to do so after Leicester City beat West Ham United – the Foxes would have secured survival themselves had Everton failed to win.

A shrewd move which could be taken to ensure the pit of the Premier League becomes a fugacious memory could be found in Middlesbrough striker Chuba Akpom, with the one-time Arsenal starlet enjoying a tremendous campaign in the Championship, and TEAMtalk state that the 27-year-old is of interest to Dyche and co, alongside a lengthy list of suitors.

Akpom has just one year left on his current deal, and Boro boss Michael Carrick is expecting several departures to fund the summer market.

Given Akpom is valued at roughly £20m, he seems to be the optimum choice for departure.

Should Everton sign Chuba Akpom?

Toffees boss Sean Dyche, who assumed the reins in January, will be delighted that his outfit crafted a successful end to the season but will be all too aware that the jubilance stands upon pillars of strife, with the club now seeking to avoid a third successive relegation dogfight.

To do so, signing a centre-forward is surely paramount; with just 34 goals scored in the top-flight this term, Wolverhampton Wanderers are the only club to have produced fewer net-bulging moments, and the crux of the club's malaise lies in the attacking potency – or lack of it.

Having signed for Middlesbrough for £3m from Greek outfit PAOK in 2020, Akpom scored just five goals in his maiden campaign and was subsequently loaned back to to PAOK.

Returning to the Riverside Stadium this summer, the 27-year-old whiz finally harnessed his prolific prowess and plundered 28 goals from 40 Championship appearances as his side reached the playoff semi-finals and has been hailed as "remarkable" by BBC contributor Oluwashina Okeleji for his exploits.

At Goodison Park, however, he would bring an imposing threat and a ball-playing assurance to coincide with his goal-scoring aptitude, with FBref ranking him among the top 3% of forwards across Men's Next 8 divisions – preceding the established European top five – for rate of non-penalty goals, the top 4% for pass completion, the top 9% for progressive passes and the top 4% for progressive carries per 90.

He could form a deadly partnership with dynamic midfielder Alex Iwobi, who has been resurgent at Goodison Park this season, having found a home in a new, more central role, scoring twice and registering nine assists over the course of the season.

The £120k-per-week Nigerian ranks among the top 13% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues for rate of assists, the top 15% for progressive carries and the top 14% for successful take-ons per 90, and could work very well alongside his former Gunners teammate, both players heaping emphasis on surging into the final third and instigating promising pieces of play.

Akpom clearly has a striker's instinct to succeed, on top of his progressive presence and knack at keeping things slick and secure in the offence, he could be just what Dyche needs heading into next season.

Leeds United attacker Brenden Aaronson could seal a quickfire exit from Elland Road in the summer transfer window, according to a fresh update.

How has Aaronson performed for Leeds?

The 22-year-old joined the Whites last summer, coming in from RB Salzburg and being considered an exciting signing, with Jesse Marsch knowing him well from their time together at the Austrian club.

As it turns out, Aaronson has endured a really tough first season in a Leeds shirt, though, never really coming close to matching to expectation levels of him. In 36 Premier League appearances, 28 of which were starts, he scored just one goal, with a further three assists coming his way.

The £45,000-a-week American has seemingly struggled with the pace of English football and he ended up being powerless to prevent the Whites from being relegated to the Championship last weekend, after the 4-1 loss at home to Tottenham.

While the deal he signed last year runs until the summer of 2027, the idea of playing second-tier football is unlikely to appeal to him ahead of next season, leading to serious doubts surrounding his future at Elland Road.

Could Aaronson quit Whites this summer?

That certainly seems to be the case, with Football Insider reporting that Aaronson is "set to quit the club this summer", and that a "move to Germany could be an avenue available to the 22-year-old following his impressive spell at Red Bull Salzburg in neighbouring Austria."

He is thought to be "highly regarded" by a number of Bundesliga teams, with a return to the Premier League with a different club not looking likely, following just one year in the division.

It is hard to see Aaronson still being a Leeds player when the 2023/24 campaign gets underway in August, in what has ultimately been a hugely underwhelming transfer.

Despite being called "impressive" on his debut by Steve Nicol, he hasn't had anywhere close to the impact so many hoped he would, having registered 28 goal contributions (13 goals and 15 assists) in 66 appearances for Salzburg, and he should shoulder some of the blame for the Whites' relegation.

The key now is to ensure that Leeds earn as much as possible for the 29-cap USA international's signature – his contract situation does at least put them in a strong bargaining position – in order to use the funds for new signings in the summer, boosting their chances of returning to the top flight in the process.