Manchester City set for £50m transfer-showdown as Saudi giants eye swoop for £150k-p/w maestro

So long, Silva?!

Manchester City appear ready to cash in on their Portuguese midfield maestro, Bernardo Silva.

What’s the Word?

That is according to Football Insider who report that Silva has attracted interest from clubs in Saudi Arabia, who are willing to offer staggering sums to secure his services.

Despite City's healthy financial situation, they may struggle to compete with the lucrative offers coming from the Middle East. Silva currently earns an estimated £150,000 per week with City, but the allure of a lucrative Saudi deal could be hard to resist.

So long, Silva.

The same sources indicate that both Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain have maintained long-standing interest in Silva, but both European giants will find it challenging to match the financial muscle of the Saudi clubs.

Insiders close to the situation have revealed that City are apprehensive about losing Silva, fearing that he will be tempted by a new challenge elsewhere.

A potential transfer fee for Silva is expected to fall within the £45-50 million range, marking six years since his reported £43 million move from Monaco.

Notably, Ilkay Gundogan has already departed for FC Barcelona, and City quickly secured Mateo Kovacic from Chelsea as his replacement. In the event of Silva's departure, Pep Guardiola has given the green light for a similar restructuring process.

The Final Say

Last season, Silva featured in 55 matches across all competitions, contributing seven goals and eight assists along the way.

During his time at the Etihad Stadium, the Portugal international has been instrumental in winning five league titles, four League Cups, one FA Cup, and one Champions League title.

It goes without saying that the versatile maestro that is 28-year-old Silva will certainly leave a hole in the squad if he is to depart.

Of course, Pep is open to allowing players to depart from Manchester City, whether it is to pursue new challenges or to benefit the club.

He firmly believes in fostering a positive environment, where players feel valued, motivated, and have the freedom to make decisions regarding their careers.

Guardiola acknowledges that player movement is a natural aspect of football and embraces it as part of the team's evolution. His approach ensures a focused and committed squad while creating opportunities for emerging talents to thrive.

So, it goes without saying that City will find an astute way of filling the void left by the departure of Silva, whether that be through a summer market pick-up, or from the internal ranks of the City Group side.

As the transfer saga unfolds, City fans will closely watch how the situation develops, hoping that their club can navigate this potential departure with their characteristic resilience and determination.

Fabrizio Romano drops major Manchester City boost over £375k-p/w megastar

Manchester City fans can breathe a sigh of relief…

That is because their legendary manager, Pep Guardiola, has announced his commitment to staying at the club for the upcoming season.

Guardiola's assurance comes at a crucial time for the Citizens, who have just achieved a remarkable "three peat" in the Premier League on a journey that has seen them win five titles out of the last six seasons.

What’s the word?

According to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, Pep has no intentions of leaving the Cityzens, despite the scrutiny that surrounds the club regarding alleged financial breaches.

Taking to his personal Twitter page to relay the update, Romano said: “Pep Guardiola: ‘I will stay at Man City next season. I’m not thinking of leaving the club’. ’I’ll stay next season with 100 breaches for the Premier League against us, don’t worry. We will be there’.

With a dominant and professional display under a new, unorthodox tactical system and a shot at the treble amidst ongoing allegations, Guardiola's decision to remain at Manchester City is a major boost for the club in what is a virtue signal for their shared aspirations of continued success.

Pep the G.O.A.T?

Guardiola's impact at Manchester City cannot be overstated. Having arrived at the club in 2016, he quickly transformed the team's style of play and ushered in an era of unprecedented success.

Whilst £375k-per-week Guardiola is known for his preference in using a 4-3-3 system, this season he surprised everyone by deploying a bold and unorthodox 3-2-4-1 formation. The result? Manchester City's dominance on the pitch has been taken to new heights, showcasing Guardiola's tactical flexibility and ability to adapt to the needs of his squad.

It is through this formation change that has seen the likes of John Stones and Nathan Ake reinvented, with Pep preferring to deploy four out-and-out defenders in the out of possession phase which sees them shape up in a compact 4-4-2 shape.

Under Guardiola's guidance, Manchester City have become a well-oiled machine over the years, showcasing relentless attacking prowess, tactical discipline, and exceptional team cohesion. The team's commitment to an attractive, mass-possession style of play throughout an approach in line with positionism has made them a force to be reckoned with, consistently outplaying their opponents in all aspects.

Guardiola's meticulous attention to detail, innovative strategies, tactical evolution and emphasis on developing young talents have all contributed to Manchester City's sustained success during his reign at the helm. This, combined with his ability to reinvent the squad season upon season is what makes him one of the greatest of all time.

Manchester City secured the Premier League title last time out against Chelsea to mark an astonishing comeback in their title defence against Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal side, and now face the prospect of achieving an unprecedented treble. City will face Inter Milan on the 10th of June in the Champions League Final, seven days after what should make for an exhilarating Manchester derby in the FA Cup final.

The Final Say

Amidst the recent scrutiny faced by the Cityzens, the news of Pep Guardiola's commitment to the club brings much-needed stability and reassurance in the long run.

The club were accused of breaching more than 100 financial rules earlier this year, with Pep alluding to this in Romano’s relayed quote. Though, the 52-year-old Spaniard’s decision to stay at the helm indicates his confidence in the club's ability to overcome these challenges and continue to thrive.

Despite what the average fan thinks, Manchester City's success is not solely attributed to their financial muscle.

While they may possess an embarrassment of riches, the club has been astute in the transfer market, with the signing of Julian Alvarez for a fee of around £14million proving truly sensational, especially when you consider that Burnley paid £12million for Wout Weghorst in the same window.

The 23-year-old World Cup winner has adapted seamlessly to the demands of the Premier League and has nine goals to his name at the time of writing. Of course, with City playing Roberto De Zerbi’s ambitious Brighton side tonight, that goal tally could increase in what should be an all action affair.

To conclude, Pep’s affirmation of his commitment to Manchester City is a momentous development for the club and its supporters. Guardiola's legacy at City has been nothing short of extraordinary.

With the prospect of a treble on the horizon, whatever happens, Manchester City can approach the upcoming season with renewed confidence and determination.

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How many?! Gundogan breaks rare record as Manchester City beat Leeds 2-1

He’s done it again…

Manchester City's dominant 2-1 victory over Leeds United was highlighted by the outstanding record-breaking performance of captain Ilkay Gundogan.

The German midfielder scored two crucial goals and was a constant presence in City's midfield, orchestrating their attacks and dictating the pace of the game throughout the entire endeavour.

Gundogan's first goal came in the 19th minute, with a well-placed finish from a Riyad Mahrez assist. His second came just eight minutes later, slotting home again from yet another Mahrez assist.

Despite missing a penalty that would have given him a hat-trick, and extended City's lead, Gundogan was an ever present thorn in the side of Leeds, with his two goals critical in Manchester City’s title defence.

Record Breaker (Again)

What was particularly impressive about Gundogan's performance was his passing and consequential dictation of play.

The midfielder achieved an incredible, record-breaking 170 accurate passes, with a pass accuracy percentage of 93%, surpassing his previous Premier League record of 167 accurate passes against Chelsea in the 2017/18 season.

This was a testament to his ability to control the midfield and keep the ball moving, allowing City to dominate possession proceedings throughout the game.

Even with the likes of Kevin De Bruyne playing just ahead of him, it was Gundogan who was pulling the strings in City's midfield.

Leeds United, on the other hand, struggled to get a foothold in the game. They had just 19% of the ball and made 112 accurate passes at an accuracy of 58% - a far cry from City’s total of 792 passes at a completion of 91%.

Closer and Closer…

Pep Guardiola's side lined up in their usual 3-2-4-1 system, with Leeds shaping up in a more direct 4-3-3 shape.

City's superiority through the central areas allowed them to control the game from the outset and create numerous goalscoring opportunities.

Though, it was 32-year-old Gundogan who played a huge role in the bypassing of the Allardyce-led side, and, although the Germany international missed a penalty, his performance was a standout - earning him a FOTMOB rating of 9.0.

Despite the scare at the end, this was a dominant performance from Manchester City, with Gundogan's exceptional display in midfield being the standout feature of the game.

Ultimately, Leeds United struggled to cope with their opponents' quality and organisation, and will need to regroup with just a few games left to renew their Premier League membership for next term.

As for Manchester City, they continue to march towards another Premier League title, with captain Gundogan stepping up with a record-breaking performance.

Chelsea: Why Tuchel WILL NOT "recommend" Nagelsmann to former club

Former Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel has broken silence over the club’s sacking of Graham Potter…

The dismissal of the former Brighton boss came as an initial shock, considering the backing that Todd Boehly had given Potter.

That backing came in the form of a gigantic injection of more than £550million into the squad during Potter’s tenure of less than seven months.

The club’s latest decision screams desperation from the Chelsea board and now paints the prior sacking of Tuchel in an even uglier light.

Having already admitted that his dismissal from Stamford Bridge took him “a while to process”, Tuchel will surely sympathise on a coach-on-coach basis, but understands the drastic change of approach under the new regime, claiming that Potter’s sacking “affected me less.”

WHAT’S THE WORD?

According to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, Julian Nagelsmann will not get a recommendation to join Chelsea from Bayern Munich successor Tuchel, despite being heavily linked to takeover the Blues helm.

Champions League winner Tuchel was asked:

“Would you recommend Nagelsmann to join Chelsea?”

Romano took to his personal Twitter page to relay Tuchel’s response to the media’s crafty question.

The new Bayern boss had this to say:

“Julian is not gonna ask me because he doesn't need my advice. I received the news of Potter's sacking yesterday on my cell phone as a push notification”.

“CLASSY” TUCHEL

According to Sports Scientist Dr. Rajpal Brar, the Bayern boss gave a “classy answer”, with the media clearly trying to trip the 49-year-old up in their questioning.

As ever, Tuchel kept his composure and stayed true to himself, addressing the fact Chelsea “has changed massively” since his dismissal.

Staying calm and collected in tense affairs is just one of the reasons why his managerial CV includes the likes of Borussia Dortmund, Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and now, of course, Bayern Munich.

THE FINAL SAY

Ultimately, Chelsea’s dismissal of Tuchel seemed like the wrong move at the time.

Of course, the appointment of Potter made for an exciting one, bearing in mind his identity as a promising English coach with real tactical nous. And of course, considering the former Brighton boss’ rise to the pinnacle of the managerial food chain - which also generated real buzz.

Should Potter have been given more time? In my opinion, yes.

Could Potter have turned things around? Quite possibly.

But, this is the state of the modern game.

As we know, the narratives in football move fast. So fast, in-fact, that we may just see Nagelsmann become the successor of Potter at Chelsea in a surreal interlinking narrative involving the managerial trio of Tuchel, Potter and Nagelsmann.

Football is a soap opera.

In other news: Liverpool are "still in the race" to sign £110m sensation claims transfer expert

Liverpool are "still in the race" to sign £110m sensation claims transfer expert

It’s been a challenging season for Liverpool…

Their summer transfer philosophy, which saw the club refrain from bringing in a new midfielder, was one that seemed astute at first.

Though, with hindsight, we can safely say that the decision is one that would come back to bite them.

The club are nowhere near where they should be this season and currently face an uphill battle to secure european football in any capacity, with Brighton and Brentford breathing down the neck of Jurgen Klopp’s side in the Premier League standings.

What’s the word?

Despite their potential absence from Champions League qualification this season, transfer expert Pete O’Rourke believes that Liverpool are “still in the race” to sign £110million Jude Bellingham.

Though, the journalist acknowledges that the race to sign the England international will be “really difficult.”

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, O’Rourke said:

"They're still in the race, I think, for Jude Bellingham, but it's going to be a really difficult race looking at the other clubs who are also after him.

"The likes of Manchester City and Real Madrid can afford to probably spend more than Liverpool can right now and they will have Champions League football to offer to Jude Bellingham, which, as it stands, is looking unlikely for Liverpool. So that could play a huge role in any potential move for Jude Bellingham as well."

Desperate Reds

Injuries have certainly not helped Liverpool this season and have highlighted the Reds’ lack of depth, particularly throughout the midfield ranks.

There is also a drastic lack of creativity in Klopp’s engine room.

So much so, that the vast majority of chances this season have come from the wide areas in the form of Trent Alexander-Arnold (48 chances created), Mohamed Salah (47 chances created), and Andrew Robertson (39 chances created).

The most creative central midfielder for Liverpool in the Premier League this season is Harvey Elliott with 20 chances created. Though, the 19-year-old has of course been deployed further up the pitch on occasion, so make of that what you will.

Ultimately, Liverpool are desperate for a creative and stable midfield outlet. A figure who can pull the strings and develop with the squad for years to come.

Bellingham can certainly be that man.

The Final Say

The Reds are desperate for an asset like Borussia Dortmund star Bellingham - an impactful central option that can grab the game by the scruff of the neck.

At just 19-years-old, Bellingham has quickly emerged as a talismanic figure for the Bundesliga title challengers and has endured stellar form in both domestic and european competition.

The England star’s haul of four goals and one assist in seven Champions League games this term is not so much of a shock, considering his underlying numbers over the last calendar year.

Bellingham’s shots total of 1.70 per 90 is a metric that places him in the 88th percentile according to FBref, whilst his average of 7.99 progressive passes places him in a more superior 94th percentile.

Whatsmore, an average of 3.62 shot-creating actions per game is yet another world-beating metric, clocking him in the 89th percentile in comparison to positionally similar players in Europe’s top five leagues over the last 365 days. Impressive to say the least.

It goes without saying that Liverpool should be doing everything they can to obtain what is one of Europe’s most prosperous assets, though as O’Rourke states, it will not be an easy battle against the likes of Manchester City and Real Madrid.

It’s also worth noting that a potential stay at Dortmund will seem appealing at this point, especially with Edin Terzic’s side mounting a serious Bundesliga title challenge.

How John Stones at Right-Back changes Manchester City

Manchester City’s last two games, against Wolves and Borussia Dortmund, have seen John Stones deployed as a right-back in Pep Guardiola’s notorious 4-3-3 set-up.

And whilst many would expect the England-international to be a like-for-like replacement for Kyle Walker as the initiator in an asymmetrical full-back system, functioning as a right-sided centre-back in a back-three when City have the ball, this is indeed not the case.

And it makes Stones an unorthodox right full-back as a result, considering his reputation as a central defender.

So why is Pep utilising Stones in this way?

WALKER’S INJURY

Walker’s knock against Aston Villa just a couple of weeks ago has seen him miss three games in that time span.

Joao Cancelo took his place in the game against Sevilla, whilst Sergio Gomez featured at left-back.

But the following games against Borussia Dortmund and Wolves saw Stones feature at right-back, with Cancelo reverting to the inverted full-back role on the left that we have all grown so used to.

CITY WITH WALKER AT RB

As briefly covered earlier on, Kyle Walker acts as the initiator for the likes of Joao Cancelo to advance into a more progressive position.

As a defensive-minded full-back, he makes up a back-three when City have the ball, with Cancelo acting as a central midfielder through his inverted positioning.

Walker’s selfless efforts mean that Manchester City’s native central midfielders can progress, knowing there is cover in the space they leave behind.

With Walker at right-back, City’s build up usually looks something along the lines of a 3-2-5 formation in-possession, to put it simply.

CITY WITH STONES AT RB

In what is one of the tactical shocks of the season, a Manchester City side with John Stones at right-back sees Pep’s side push even higher up the pitch, in what is an example of inverted full-back positioning.

Both Cancelo and Stones push up as makeshift midfielders when City have the ball, creating a midfield three with Rodri.

Stones’ progressive nature as a full-back sees De Bruyne push higher up the pitch, with the England international able to recover the ball through his advanced positioning.

With Stones at right-back, City’s build-up looks something along the lines of a 2-4-4 formation in-possession.

MANCHESTER CITY VS BORUSSIA DORTMUND

The 2-1 Champions League victory against Edin Terzic’s Dortmund side saw Stones score a cracker, having ventured his way forward via an inverted position just outside the box.

And it was this rather shocking movement that enabled Kevin De Bruyne to occupy progressive positioning for City on a consistent basis, with the gap in the mid-third filled by the 28-year-old Englishman.

MANCHESTER CITY VS WOLVES

We saw Stones’ willingness to push up into midfield once again, with Jack Grealish’s opener a result of his progressive positioning, which, in turn, allowed De Bruyne greater freedom to rotate with Phil Foden in what made for a beautiful link-up to fire City 1-0 up inside the first minute.

It was a constant theme that gave City four in midfield when they had the ball, with Bernardo Silva offering support from deep, whilst Cancelo took up a slightly wider position than we are used to seeing.

It paid off and once again saw De Bruyne take up a central number ten role for the majority of play, alongside Grealish, with the pair just behind Haaland who of course led the attacking line.

Throughout this game, City were a lot more narrow, with credit given to the likes of Phil Foden, who dropped into a deep central position, and John Stones, who shifted into a more advanced inverted role, for allowing this shape to occur.

A SHOCK FROM STONES

So, in short, John Stones is much more progressive than we thought.

And when deployed at full-back, occupies a higher position than Kyle Walker usually does, based on our two game sample size from this season.

It affords De Bruyne greater freedom to attack and bolsters the midfield.

Though, it does mean that Cancelo is not as free to roam as he is when Walker plays, and does see City rotate slightly less than usual, whilst making them a bit more vulnerable to opposition counters.

Which system do you prefer?

The 2-3-5 with John Stones at right-back?

or

The 3-2-5 with Kyle Walker at right-back?

Is Raheem Sterling a Manchester City legend?

Raheem Sterling’s switch to Chelsea has caused anarchy among the Manchester City fanbase…

Whilst some are annoyed with the club, others are content and trust the decision made by Sterling, Pep and the board.

But in this piece, we’ll be looking at whether the decision to sell Sterling was correct, whilst determining whether the legacy he leaves behind gratifies him with the status of a Manchester City Club Legend - comment down below if you believe this to be true.

Watch the video

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Under-valued Sterling

In Raheem Sterling, we’re talking about a technical and direct player who has managed to score a significant amount of goals, despite possessing some inefficiencies in the final third.

The last two seasons have seen the England-international finish as the player who has missed the most big chances, having missed 13 big chances last season and a further 13 in the season prior.

But, for all of his inefficiencies up-top, you cannot argue with the numbers he has produced over the last few seasons.

Out of his seven Premier League campaigns in a Manchester City shirt, Sterling has netted 10 or more goals in five of those seasons. And he also netted 17 or more goals in three consecutive Premier League campaigns during that time-span.

Quite frankly, for his level of output, he is an underrated asset.

But, were Pep and the City board still right to sell him?

Selling Sterling

Without stating the obvious, selling a forward who is approaching his prime years to a Premier League title rival is not the smartest decision.

But, in fairness, Jack Grealish offers a similar style up-top, whilst the arrival of January signing Julian Alvarez is also there to soften the blow, with both players employing a direct attacking style.

From a player perspective, it’s a move that comes with a lot of risk.

With the World Cup just around the corner, there are no guarantees that the 27-year-old will fit the style of Thomas Tuchel’s abrupt Chelsea side.

Having made 30 appearances in the league, starting 23 of those games, Sterling has been granted an adequate chance in the side by Pep and made a further 17 appearances with cup competitions included.

There was no real need to move from his or City’s perspective, but the decision has been made by the player, which brings us onto the main point.

Is Raheem Sterling a Man City Legend?

There have been some rather odd debates from Football Twitter on Raheem Sterling’s status at Manchester City.

According to Google’s definition, a legend is “an extremely famous or notorious person, especially in a particular field.”

But in football, the definition takes a slight twist.

There are of course various ways that clubs base this prestige on, with aspects like; overall impact at the club, time spent at the club, silverware won with the club and of course most goals/assists at the club.

On that basis, the likes of Sergio Aguero, David Silva, Yaya Toure and Vincent Kompany are among the most recent City players who have achieved legendary status at the club.

Traditionally, the highest and second-highest goalscorers in a club’s history automatically embed themselves into the Hall of Fame, so to speak.

So, focusing on this theme, the likes of Wayne Rooney and Ryan Giggs who are the first and second-highest Premier League goalscorers in Manchester United’s history, respectively, happen to be legends at Old Trafford. It’s the same at Chelsea, with the likes of Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba again ranked as the highest and second-highest Premier League goalscorers in the club’s history - a feat which has consequently regarded them as legends.

So, with 225 Premier League appearances made in a City career that has seen him work his way up as the club’s second-highest Premier League goalscorer ever with 91 goals in Manchester City’s most successful period in their history, Raheem Sterling is undeniably a Manchester City Club Legend, for his impact, time spent, silverware won, and of course his all important goal contributions.

How and Why Man United signed Christian Eriksen

Manchester United have finally signed a midfield maestro…

And although it’s not the midfield signing that everyone was expecting, it represents an upgrade in the United engine room and, overall, serves as a big coup with Erik ten Hag’s playing philosophy in mind.

As such, with an agreement reached and a transfer expected to go through imminently; how and why did Manchester United sign Christian Eriksen?

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Watch the video

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How Man Utd signed Eriksen

After a month of speculation surrounding the future of Christian Eriksen, a decision has finally been made by the 30-year-old.

Despite suffering a cardiac arrest at Euro 2020, Eriksen returned to action in February of this year, accepting a short-term deal with Brentford after his contract with Inter Milan was terminated by mutual consent, due to Serie A rules.

His return to football and the Premier League for that matter went swimmingly in what was a four month stint that saw him notch a solitary goal and four assists in 11 Premier League appearances for Brentford.

Which leads us nicely as to why Manchester United want the 30-year-old.

Why Man Utd signed Eriksen

There are multiple reasons as to why Christian Eriksen has attracted the attention of Manchester United.

Firstly, his ability as a creator in the centre of the pitch represents excellent value for a player who is available on a free transfer.

In just 11 Premier League appearances for Brentford, he ranked as the side’s fourth highest chance creator overall with 30 chances created. And he was the most efficient in the squad, clocking up around 2.9 chances created per 90. But it is worth noting that he had significantly less game time than his teammates.

His stats for Brentford this season would see him rank fourth in United’s squad for chances created overall, slotting in just behind Luke Shaw and just ahead of Fred. But it’s the same story when it comes to chances created per 90, with Eriksen surpassing Bruno Fernandes’ average of 2.6 chances created per 90, in a scenario that comes with the caveat that the Dane has played less games.

But whilst United are in need of another chance creator in the engine room, from Ten Hag’s perspective, they require more experience and further depth.

Manchester United’s average squad age last season was 27, but with the departures of Matic, Pogba, Lingard, Cavani, Mata and Grant, this average is set to lower somewhat significantly.

As such, it renders just Cristiano Ronaldo and Phil Jones as the only two outfield players in the squad over the age of 29.

And with the latter expected to play a bit-part role at the very most, having barely featured in recent years, it means that Ronaldo is the only senior outfield regular.

Considering the amount of talent that United have in their youth ranks, such as Alejandro Garnacho and Hannibal Mejbri, among others, an experienced, productive and low-profile asset who fits the system of a Ten Hag possession style is exactly the kind of signing that United need this summer.

Eriksen has been schooled at Ajax earlier in his career and fits a mass-possession playing style, offering his ability as a playmaker.

And when you also consider that he has been snapped up on a free transfer, the move makes even more sense from a Red Devils perspective.

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Kalvin Phillips' Butterfly Effect at Manchester City

After securing the capture of Kalvin Phillips at Manchester City…

Pep Guardiola may be left with a conflicting decision in the holding midfielder role…

The signing of Phillips is tactically fascinating and could have a knock-on effect on Rodri, who has proven himself as somewhat of a midfield maestro in possession this season.

And his return of seven goals and two assists from defensive midfield has reflected his efficiency as a well-rounded asset.

Though, his defensive numbers have faltered slightly and fall short of the metrics sustained by Phillips, leading us to believe that the England international will be the first choice pivot in Pep’s 4-3-3 system.

So, what happens to Rodri?

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Watch the Video

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Rodri’s… Promotion?

Rodri’s stability and attacking efficiency in the season just gone may have influenced the thinking of Pep, who could now be flirting with the idea of pushing the Spaniard up into a more progressive role as a central midfielder.

The 26-year-old made 19 appearances for Villarreal as a central midfielder and has registered some elite level numbers in-possession this season.

With an average of 80.79 passes per 90 at a completion rate of 92.7%, he is City’s best midfielder in terms of passing metrics, beating the likes of:

• Kevin De Bruyne who achieves an average of 46.49 passes at a completion rate of 76.2%,

• Bernardo Silva who averages 50.99 passes completed at a completion rate of 88.6%

• as well as new City signing Kalvin Phillips who averages 43.36 passes completed at a completion rate of 81.5%.

He’s not exactly passive (excuse the pun) in-possession either, registering a match average of 7.69 passes into the final third and 5.68 progressive passes - beating Bernardo and Phillips, whilst falling just short of De Bruyne who averages an elite level 6.36 progressive passes per 90.

Why Rodri to CM makes sense

Phillips’ arrival will enable Pep to employ a 2-3-5 system in the build-up, which will vary throughout the attacking phase.

One method would require both full-backs to join the midfield throughout an inverted approach to accompany Phillips, which would see the central midfielders get forward in the same fashion that they did last season.

Whilst the second method would see Pep deploy his full-backs throughout an asymmetrical approach, in which Cucurella and Cancelo would mimic that of Robertson and Trent in sharing attacking duties through overlapping runs to create an overload down each flank on a rotated basis.

This method would still require stability in midfield, so one of the central midfielders would need to support Phillips both in and out of possession.

Which is why playing a well-rounded and defensively sound asset like Rodri as a central midfielder makes even more sense.

With the Spaniard averaging 96.12 touches per game, the majority of Manchester City’s play goes through him, and with 68.29 carries, he’s a progressive asset in midfield.

As a central midfielder, he would essentially carry out the role that Thiago Alcantara does for Liverpool, dropping deep to pick up the ball and dictate play through progressive passes.

In a 4-3-3 system, it’s a move that makes a lot of sense.

Though, if Pep is to revert back to the 4-2-3-1 system that we saw him use when he first arrived at City, a double-pivot duo of Rodri and Phillips would make even more sense.

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How and Why Liverpool signed Darwin Nunez

Liverpool have ruthlessly put an end to the Darwin Nunez saga…

By signing the Uruguayan for a reported €75m fee, which is around £64m.

And it’s a fee that could rise as high as £85.6m when performance related add-ons are taken into account.

Nunez had a number of potential suitors from Premier League clubs.

So how and why did Liverpool sign Darwin Nunez?

HOW LIVERPOOL SIGNED NUNEZ

Throughout all of the build up to the Summer Transfer Window, Nunez was a name on the lips of most clubs, after enjoying a break-out season with Benfica in a campaign which saw him notch 26 goals and four assists in 28 Liga Portugal games.

The 22-year-old personally announced himself to Klopp, scoring in both legs of the Champions League Quarter-Final clash to take his tally up to six goals in 10 UCL appearances.

Klopp was clearly impressed and it has since been said that the German was in private talks with the Striker two months prior to the deal being agreed.

WHY LIVERPOOL SIGNED NUNEZ

Quite simply, he’s proven himself as a reliable goalscorer this season and serves as a viable replacement for the departing Sadio Mane.

Nunez is primarily a centre-forward, but has been deployed as a left winger in a 4-3-3 system on five occasions this season, scoring ten goals and supplying two assists. An unbelievable return from the position that Mane currently occupies for Liverpool.

This makes the 22-year-old a versatile option in the attack for Klopp, who now has all bases covered in attack:

• A target-man in Nunez

• A false-nine in Firmino/Jota

• A complete forward in Nunez/Firmino/Jota

• An inverted-winger in Salah/Diaz/Jota/Nunez

• An inside-forward in Nunez/Diaz/Jota

• A support-winger in Diaz/Jota

For that reason, although Nunez will play the majority of his games as a centre-forward, we may see him on the left wing a handful of times next season in an attacking line that will mix and match every other game.

THE VERDICT

Liverpool proved themselves as the league’s most creative side in the season just gone, creating 97 big chances, 10 clear of Manchester City.

Though, they ranked third in the league for big chances missed with 59. Their main culprit was Diogo Jota who missed 14 chances with a shot conversion rate of 11.7% in the Premier League.

For comparison, Nunez achieved a shot conversion rate of 23.4% in the Liga Portugal - a metric that ranks him as the most clinical finisher among the Liverpool squad by some distance, with the likes of Salah and Mane registering a shot conversion rate of 12.8%, respectively.

As a lone centre-forward, Nunez will benefit hugely from Liverpool’s directness and can offer Klopp an immediate solution to his big chances missed problem in the same way that Haaland will for City.

Overall it’s a promising signing and, despite the huge price-tag, is more logical than most think.

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Why Manchester City NEED Marc Cucurella

Manchester City’s reported pursuit of Marc Cucurella tells us a lot about Pep’s desired play-style for next season.

Ever since the signing of Erling Haaland was confirmed, there have been questions as to how the Norwegian powerhouse will fit into such a technical and patient side.

Though, it seems as if Pep will look to make Haaland’s life as easy as possible, by changing Manchester City’s approach play throughout the possession phase.

Pep’s inverted full-back experiment

Benjamin Mendy’s situation off the pitch and Kyle Walker’s injury issues have left Pep short of full-backs this season - with the Spaniard ironically selling two ready-made options in Angelino and Pedro Porro.

The management of depth at the back has seen the likes of Joao Cancelo, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Nathan Ake play a combined 65 Premier League games this season, with Kyle Walker also managing 20 appearances.

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WATCH THE VIDEO

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When Walker has started at right-back this season, Cancelo has performed as an inverted full-back, with the Portuguese looking to cut inside and join the midfield in-possession.

He’s performed tremendously as a right-footed left-back, registering five assists in 22 appearances this season.

But the reported pursuit of Cucurella would suggest that Pep’s experiment with Cancelo as an inverted full-back is clearly over, with orthodox full-backs now looking as though they will have a place once again in the Spaniard’s ever-evolving system.

City’s change in tactics

The potential move for Cucurella suggests a lot about Pep Guardiola’s tactics going into next season, as he clearly wants a more direct and orthodox option at full-back to accommodate Erling Haaland as the out-and-out target man.

Operating as a left wing-back for Graham Potter’s Brighton side, the 23-year-old Spaniard has created an impressive 42 chances this season - which is more than Walker, Zinchenko and Ake’s combined total of 30 chances created. Cancelo meanwhile is just short of Cucurella’s total this season with 39 chances created respectively.

In what has been his debut Premier League season, former Barca starlet Cucurella has proven his creative acumen, and as such, has attracted the interest of Guardiola who will no doubt be looking at a left-footed full-back to fire in chances for incoming target-man Haaland.

Guardiola is clearly looking to take a page out of Jurgen Klopp’s tactical notebook - the one that hits a fine balance between a mass-possession foundation, merged with a loud and abrasive pressing system that leads to direct counter-attacking transitions.

With or without Cucurella, it looks as though the arrival of Haaland will result in a more direct approach from Guardiola, who will continue to write new pages in his book of ever evolving football schematics.

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What is Dele Alli's Best Position?

Frank Lampard and Everton have handed Dele Alli a life-line.

Dele Alli endured the worst season of his career last year, struggling for game time having played just 620 minutes in the league.

When he did play, he failed to make an impact and ended the season with just 1 assist in 15 Premier League appearances.

He was a shadow of the player who generated 12 returns in 25 Premier League appearances during the 19/20 season.

Though his defensive numbers were outstanding and saw him reach the 99th percentile for pressures, and pressures in the attacking third (as per fbref/statsbomb). Numbers that promote retrospective irony of the highest degree for two reasons.

Reason Number One

José Mourinho’s comments the season before as he famously said “Dele Alli is not a midfield player.”

Reason Number Two

The fact that Spurs are currently the 4th worst side in the Premier League (as of Feb 16th 2022) when it comes to winning possession in the final third. If only they had a player in their ranks that placed in the 90th percentile for tackles in the attacking third in 2 of the last 3 seasons… If only…

END PRODUCT

In fairness, you can understand why José Mourinho identified Dele Alli as an attacking player.

His first 2 seasons at Spurs saw him rack up 44 attacking returns in 70 Premier League appearances - with Dele scoring 18 of those during his second season in England’s top flight.

And even the next 3 seasons that followed were sprinkled with goals and assists.

Bearing in mind last season’s numbers and now accounting for this season’s, a pattern is beginning to appear - and it’s not positive.

The main focal point of Dele Alli’s game has completely diminished over the previous season and half. There is a severe lack of end product, with Alli contributing with just 1 goal and 1 assist in his last 35 Premier League appearances.

THE BEST VERSION OF DELE ALLI

The best version of Dele Alli could be seen during the 2016/2017 season, in which he netted an incredible 22 goals and chipped in with a further 14 assists in 50 appearances for Mauricio Pochettino’s Spurs side.

18 of those goals were in the Premier League, with 12 goals occurring when Alli was deployed as an attacking midfielder.

SO, WHAT CAN WE CONCLUDE?

Well firstly, José Mourinho was onto something.

Dele Alli had his best goalscoring season when he primarily featured as a number 10.

Of those 18 Premier League goals scored, 12 came from when Alli functioned as a native number 10.

So that is our conclusion; Dele Alli’s best position is in the role of an attacking midfielder.

The best version of Dele Alli functions as a native number 10, giving him the freedom to occupy central areas and provide attacking support whilst making use of his technical ability to create space, opportunities and most importantly; goal-threat.

A big part of why Dele Alli flourishes as a number 10 though is due to his defensive work.

As an attacking midfielder in a 4-2-3-1 or 3-4-2-1 system for example, he will act as part of the first line of defence, providing an astonishingly high number of pressures per 90 - numbers that put him in and around the 99th percentile per 90 (as per fbref/statsbomb).

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Watch the Video

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How and Why Manchester City signed Julian Alvarez

January 31st is, and always will be, regarded as an important date in the football calendar.

And whilst this year’s edition of the Winter Transfer Deadline Day was rather glum for some, it was much more exciting for others.

None more so than the 22-year-old Argentinian Forward; Julian Alvarez - who signed for Manchester City on his 22nd Birthday.

Alvarez had a number of suitors from some of the continent’s finest clubs.

So how and why did Manchester City sign Julian Alvarez on Transfer Deadline Day?

How Manchester City signed Alvarez

Last summer, Julian Alvarez was being tracked by a number of top sides, with Aston Villa and Bayer Leverkusen making their interest known.

Though the young forward opted to stay-put at River Plate, as he awaited an offer from a club who played Champions League football.

Suddenly, the list of teams who could appeal to Alvarez sensationally decreased.

And that’s where Manchester City come in.

Why Manchester City signed Alvarez

The answer is simple.

He’s young, talented and versatile throughout the forward positions.

And even at his young age, he understands what it takes to win silverware - having won 6 trophies in his time at River Plate so far, with one of those the prestigious Copa Libertadores.

Alvarez enjoyed a stellar 2020/2021 campaign in which he notched up 27 goal-contributions in 21 games for River Plate in the Argentine Primera Division.

Of those 27 goal-contributions, 18 were goals and 9 were assists.

None of his goals were from the penalty spot and he achieved these numbers in just 21 league games.

Having just turned 22, his potential is clear, and Ferran Torres’ recent departure to Barcelona is bound to have had an influence in this decision.

The biggest influence though is the fact that 17 goals and 7 assists were achieved when Alvarez was deployed as a centre-forward.

Add in the fact that Manchester City paid just £14m for his services and the move makes even more sense from a Manchester City perspective.

This means that Julian Alvarez cost £1m more than Dan Burn, £2m pounds more than Wout Weghorst and £11m less than Chris Wood!

Very efficient business by The Citizens.

A Win-Win Situation

With Alvarez now on-loan at River Plate for this next season, it means that he has more time to develop his game at a club he’s comfortable with, before he returns to Manchester City next season.

It also means that River Plate do not have to worry about replacing him immediately, and can ponder on their decision.

As for Manchester City, their striker-crisis is over.

They now have a young, prolific striker on their books who will be ready to make an impact, come next season.

The Next Aguero?

For some City fans, this is a move that will fill an even bigger void.

Work it out for yourself;

• He’s Argentinian.

• He’s primarily a centre-forward.

• He’s a prolific goal scorer.

• By the time he makes his Manchester City debut, he will be around 23-years-old. (The same age that Manchester City’s All-Time Top Scorer was when he arrived).

Does that ring any bells?

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What next for Dele Alli?

Last season was the worst of Dele Alli’s relatively young career.

He struggled for game time, playing just 620 minutes in the league. Though, that was in the form of 15 Premier League appearances where he only managed a measly return of 1 assist.

In regards to his attacking threat, he was a shadow of the player who generated 12 returns in 25 Premier League appearances the season before.

But his defensive numbers were outstanding and saw him reach the 99th percentile for pressures, and pressures in the attacking third (as per fbref/statsbomb). Numbers that promote retrospective irony of the highest degree for two reasons.

Reason Number One

José Mourinho’s comments the season before as he famously said “Dele Alli is not a midfield player.”

Reason Number Two

The fact that Spurs are currently the worst side in the Premier League (as of Jan 25th 2022) when it comes to winning possession in the final third. If only they had a player in their ranks that placed in the 90th percentile for tackles in the attacking third in 2 of the last 3 seasons… If only…

End Product

In fairness, you can understand why José Mourinho identified Dele Alli as an attacking player. His first 2 seasons at Spurs saw him rack up 44 attacking returns in 70 Premier League appearances - with Dele scoring 18 of those during his second season in England’s top flight.

And even the next 3 seasons that followed were sprinkled with goals and assists.

Bearing in mind last season’s numbers and now accounting for this season’s, a pattern is beginning to appear - and it’s not positive.

The main focal point of Dele Alli’s game has completely diminished over the previous season and half. There is a severe lack of end product, with Alli contributing with just 1 goal and 1 assist in his last 35 Premier League appearances.

Fluctuation in Management

The fluctuation of managers at Tottenham Hotspur over the last couple of years will not have helped Dele Alli’s development by any stretch of the imagination.

Whilst the first half of Jose Mourinho’s spell saw Dele Alli deployed as an attacking midfielder, sitting just behind Harry Kane, the second half saw him majorly struggling for game time - with Tanguy Ndombele preferred in formations that made use of an attacking midfielder.

The appointment of Ryan Mason saw him start the final 5 games of the season, but the performances were far from inspirational and saw Alli deliver just 1 assist - his first of the Premier League campaign in Tottenham’s 35th game of the season, against Leeds United.

Under Nuno Espírito Santo, Dele Alli found himself as a starter - for the first 6 games at least. During these 6 appearances, he scored 1 goal and failed to create a single chance. He did not suit Nuno’s system - a system that saw him function primarily as a central midfielder.

Which brings us to the present day, where Dele Alli finds himself as a bench player for Spurs, having made just 3 Premier League appearances under Antonio Conte. One of those appearances saw him feature as a defensive midfielder in a double pivot, a role that in no way plays to Alli’s best strengths.

The Best Version of Dele Alli

The best version of Dele Alli could be seen during the 2016/2017 season, in which he netted an incredible 22 goals and chipped in with a further 14 assists in 50 appearances for Mauricio Pochettino’s Spurs side.

18 of those goals were in the Premier League, with 12 goals occurring when Alli was deployed as an attacking midfielder.

So, what can we conclude?

Well firstly, José Mourinho was onto something.

Dele Alli had his best goalscoring season when he primarily featured as a number 10. Of those 18 Premier League goals scored, 12 came from when Alli functioned as a native number 10.

So that is our first conclusion; Dele Alli’s best position is the role of an attacking midfielder.

The best version of Dele Alli functions as a native number 10, giving him the freedom to occupy central areas and provide attacking support whilst making use of his technical ability to create space, opportunities and most importantly; goal-threat.

A big part of why Dele Alli flourishes as a number 10 though is due to his defensive work. As an attacking midfielder in a 4-2-3-1 or 3-4-2-1 system for example, he will act as part of the first line of defence, providing an astonishingly high number of pressures per 90 - numbers that put him in and around the 99th percentile per 90 (as per fbref/statsbomb).

Our second conclusion? Dele Alli needs to leave Tottenham Hotspur.

A Change of Scenery

Having struggled for game time across the last season and a half, it’s obvious that Dele Alli needs a change of scenery.

At 25-years-old, he has an incredible amount of experience and more importantly, potential.

He’s currently valued at around £22.5m, which is a bargain if a club can help him return to his best.

The question is, which club is he most likely go to? and can said club allow him the opportunity to function as an attacking midfielder in a progressive system?

At this point in time, Dele Alli is linked with a host of clubs with the likes of Newcastle, PSG, Borussia Dortmund, Brighton, Everton, Southampton and Burnley all said to be in for the 25-year-old Englishman.

But which move would suit him best?

Dele Alli’s Next Club

Although they’re not said to be in for him, Leeds United would be an astute move, tactically speaking, for Dele Alli.

He would fit seamlessly into Bielsa’s 4-1-4-1, 3-3-3-1 and 4-2-3-1 systems with an ability to enhance Leeds’ counter-press.

If Leeds are unsuccessful in their attempts to lure Brenden Aaronson away from RB Salzburg, then a move for Dele Alli would suit both parties.

As I mentioned though, Leeds United have not been linked, so whilst The Whites would be an ideal destination, we’ll instead pick from the clubs who have been linked.

Borussia Dortmund are a club who could offer Dele Alli an exciting platform to show the world what he can do.

Head coach; Marco Rose, often fluctuates between formations that use an out-and-out number 10 but has garnered some consistency over the past month utilising a 4-3-3 system.

There is also a lot of competition at Dortmund for an attacking midfielder, with Reus, Reinier and Brandt all capable of playing anywhere across the forward positions.

It’s the same with PSG. Whilst a reunion with former manager Mauricio Pochettino could help matters, the 4-3-3 system that PSG have settled with would not allow Dele Alli the opportunity to prosper and there is also a responsibility to act as a support for the superstars; Kylian Mbappé and Neymar - which could hamper Alli’s attacking opportunities.

In terms of game time, a move to Dortmund or PSG at this stage could be too risky for Dele, so we’ll move onto the next possible destination.

Newcastle are one of the favourites to land Alli’s signature, and have recently shone when setting up as a 4-3-2-1.

Eddie Howe’s system incorporates two number 10s, and Dele Alli has proven himself in a similar 3-4-2-1 set-up in his best season at Tottenham.

There is also potential for Dele to become a key player for Newcastle, and if that was the case then fans would give him the love and support that we at Let’s Talk Ball believe he craves as a football player.

On the other hand, Brighton could offer another promising route out of Spurs, and the temptation of joining an ambitious side with a tactically astute manager could be a tempting proposition.

Potter tends to switch formations for each opponent and Alli has the necessary versatility to function well in a total football system like this.

All five aforementioned teams would give Dele Alli an opportunity to prosper in a different setting, but the most logical scenario would see him go to Newcastle United on loan for the rest of the season.

This way, he would be able to minimise risk and have a chance to enjoy his football, with a determined side who want to avoid relegation at all costs.

At Newcastle, he would be able to function in his favoured role as a number 10 and play for a club who offer an exciting project.

Overall, this represents the best short-term option for Dele Alli to rejuvenate his once promising career.

Watch the Video

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Why Newcastle United are desperately chasing Diego Carlos...

The stats say it all…

Newcastle United have simply not been good enough this season and it’s no wonder that they find themselves in the relegation zone.

Of course there is a slither of hope for the Tyneside club, after they managed to secure a takeover that reportedly makes them the ‘richest club In the world.’

The takeover by the Saudi-led consortium, which is fronted by Amanda Staveley, has brought a fresh direction for the Magpies at the time they needed it most.

It’s no secret that the fans of Newcastle United felt that they deserved better, after previous owner, Mike Ashley, neglected the club.

With the precarious position that the Tyneside outfit find themselves in, they need to build on the momentum that has been installed under this new ownership.

The January Transfer Window presents the opportunity to do just that.

The signing of Kieran Trippier was astute, whilst the move for Chris Wood from relegation rivals Burnley was a statement of intent.

But they’re not done there, and rightly so.

They are in desperate need of some solidity in the backline.

The Stats

The stats say it all;

• They’ve conceded the second-most goals this season with 43 goals conceded.

• They concede around 2.2 goals per game - the worst record in the league.

• They have the highest xG conceded with 38.5.

• They have the worst disciplinary record, conceding 6 penalties, amassing 2 red cards, as well as 49 yellow cards.

They need an established centre-back to assert some authority into that backline and who better than Sevilla’s 28-year-old Brazilian centre-back; Diego Carlos?

Humble Beginnings

Diego Carlos has gone under the radar when it comes to Europe’s elite.

Despite being on the books of Porto through a loan-spell in 2014, he never made a first team appearance, instead featuring 19 teams for their B-team.

He returned back to parent club at the time, Estoril, and played 33 games, before joining French Ligue 1 side FC Nantes on a 5-year deal.

Carlos established himself in France, making a total of 108 appearances for Les Canaris, before Spanish side Sevilla came in for his services.

His efforts in helping Sevilla to Europa League success in the 19/20 season translated to a call-up to the Brazil National Team, with Carlos reaping further awards - this time picking up an Olympic Gold Medal during the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Diego Carlos’ club career up until Sevilla has been relatively humble, though his quality is undoubted and I urge you to take him seriously.

How Diego Carlos Compares to Europe’s Elite

Here is how Diego Carlos compares to some of the current best centre-backs in the world;

I’ve compared Diego Carlos’ defensive stats this season with some of Europe’s elite. If you’re not too familiar with the Sevilla Defender, I’m sure the results will shock you.

In comparison with Virgil Van Dijk, Ruben Dias, Eder Militao, Antonio Rüdiger and Kalidou Koulibaly - Diego Carlos ranks;

• 3rd in terms of number of players tackled with 30 successful dispossessions.

• 1st in terms of blocks.

• 2nd in terms of interceptions with 27.

• 2nd in terms of clearances with 80 - only Van Dijk has more at this stage with 88.

As you can see, Newcastle United are not messing around with this signing and it’s understandable why they are so desperate for, what is on the whole, an underrated centre-back about to enter his prime.

Newcastle’s Display of Intent

The fact that Newcastle United are putting all of their might into a signing of this calibre demonstrates their intent to avoid playing Championship football, come next season.

From what we understand, Newcastle have had 2 bids rejected for Carlos, with the Brazilian centre-back believed to be open to the idea of signing for the Magpies.

Before going back in for a 3rd and hopefully final bid, the Toon have waited patiently for the tension that comes with the Seville-Derby to blow over.

Newcastle are now expected to go in with a bid of around £40m to seal the deal for what is one of the top centre-backs in the world this season.

The Caveat

Perhaps the biggest caveat in all of this is the fact that Diego Carlos is playing an important role in Sevilla’s La Liga title challenge this season, and a move to Newcastle United at this stage of the campaign would be a huge risk for both parties.

Add in the fact that Sevilla are playing in their favourite European competition in the form of the Europa League, under the same manager in Julen Lopetegui, who won it during the 19/20 season, and you’ll be questioning if Diego Carlos is feeling okay.

The fact is that Newcastle United need Diego Carlos more than he needs them but they do have the financial resources to make this move more attractive.

And, bearing in mind Carlos’ relatively humble resumé at club-level, he may have the ideal characteristics that Newcastle United are seeking in a centre-back that can come in and help them to retain their Premier League status.

Overall, this is an astute move by Newcastle United and if they’re successful in bringing Diego Carlos in during this window, he could be an integral piece in their bid for Premier League survival.

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Why are Manchester United struggling for form with the squad at Solskjaer’s disposal?

Cast your mind back to the 28th of March 2019…

The day that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was appointed full-time manager of Manchester United. 

The club had yet to drop a point in the Premier League since Solskjaer’s appointment and just 9 days before they shocked the world of football by knocking PSG out of the Champions League in an astonishing night in Paris. 

There was a feel-good factor around Old Trafford, but it was more than that. It felt exciting to watch Manchester United play again, attacking football was the way, a return to the DNA which United are universally known for. 

What Happened?

So, what happened to this identity? The signing of Bruno Fernandes may have ultimately made Manchester United a better team that wins more games and is more competitive in the league.

Now the signings of Raphael Varane, Jadon Sancho and the remarkable return of Cristiano Ronaldo further bolsters a squad brimming with quality. 

However, what does seem to have been lost in time is that front foot attacking style, taking matches to the opposition, and counter-attacking with urgency and meaning.

In his earlier days Solskjaer also showed a willingness to change his mind about significant players. He introduced Fred for example into the team on a regular basis after he had impressed when given a chance. 

Now though, the tables have turned, and Fred’s performances have dropped significantly.

His carelessness in possession is a source of ever-increasing frustration from the United fanbase but Solskjaer doesn’t seem willing to drop him. 

Ole’s Favouritism

His stubbornness in his favouritism is becoming a problem.

It’s holding back the career of the once highly touted Dutch international Donny Van De Beek who is desperate for a run of games.

I was there at Old Trafford when West Ham knocked Manchester United out of the Carabao Cup last week and whilst the result was bitterly disappointing, the performance from Van De Beek and Matic in holding midfield was a major positive. 

Between them they controlled the midfield, and Van De Beek was particularly impressive with both his range of passes and defensive tenacity. Yet Van De Beek didn’t see a minute against Aston Villa at the weekend after a display which saw him awarded Man of the Match.

Ole needs to let go of this stubborn blindness before it costs his side more league points and another Champions League group stage exit.

I understand his cautious approach around Sancho after the 21-year-old’s slow start to life at Old Trafford, but he must find a way of integrating Sancho into the starting 11 soon. Otherwise, fans will be feeling a sense of deja vu after similar treatment to Van De Beek. 

He needs a chance to play regularly with his new teammates as there is no doubting his world class talent and what he can bring to the team if given the licence. He could also help Manchester United find an identity again as whilst he isn’t a conventional Ryan Giggs type winger, he is a positive thinking player. 

Sancho, Fernandes, Greenwood and Ronaldo could be a formidable front four if they all click and are given licence to play a freer flowing, attacking way.

This negative approach to games, parking the bus as soon as a lead looks vaguely vulnerable needs to change. Not only is it not the United way but it’s also not the best way to get the most out of this group of players which is bursting with attacking talent.

Ole needs to find a way to get his attacking players on the same wavelength as well as making changes to the midfield to ensure that said attacking players aren’t feeding of scraps all game. 

United need to gain more control of games and ultimately that comes from the midfield. Ole said the signing of Varane could allow his side to play a more positive formation but he hasn’t stuck to that promise so far.

He needs to put faith in the back 5 and go with just one holding midfielder, allowing him to play Pogba and Fernandes alongside each other in the number 8 role which is Pogba’s most effective position. 

Then a front three of Sancho (hopefully Rashford soon) Greenwood and Ronaldo with Cavani as an impact player off the bench, has a lot of promise. 

It’s make or break time for Ole’s tenure, he’ll always be a club legend for his time as a player but there is growing concern that his time as a manager will be yet another post Ferguson failure.

It’s in his hands and his alone to change that narrative. 

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A Change in Formation? How Ronaldo fits into new look Manchester United

It’s official…

Cristiano Ronaldo is once again a Manchester United player!

In a move that was seemingly impossible just a few hours ago, United have acquired the 36-year-old Portuguese, who reportedly rejected a move to rivals Manchester City in favour of a Red Devils return.

Whilst I do think CR7 would have fit well into Pep Guardiola’s tactical set-up, a fairytale move back to United at this stage could work wonders for both parties.

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Would Ronaldo have fit into Man City?

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Yes.

Particularly at this stage of his career, a move to a slick City side who continually engulf opposition with their possession-based brand of football would have suited Cristiano well.

With how Ronaldo’s play-style has adapted over the years, his experience as an out-and-out, world class centre-forward would have resolved Pep’s number 9 issue.

It would have been chances galore for Ronaldo, with the likes of De Bruyne, Grealish, Mahrez & Gundogan all providing a plethora of creative threat.

Here is how he would have fit:

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How will Ronaldo fit into this new look Manchester United side?

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Quite easily.

There are a number of ways to integrate CR7 into the squad through the means of a slight system tweak, if Ole feels that this is necessary.

Whilst Ronaldo could seamlessly slot into the lone forward role in Ole’s notorious 4-2-3-1 system, I believe a strike partner in the form of Edinson Cavani would complement him well.

Besides, during his time in Turin with Juve, he’s been used to playing in a strike partnership - most recently partnering Paulo Dybala in former boss, Andrea Pirlo’s 4-4-2 system.

At 36-years-old, Ronaldo’s play-style and presence up-top has changed drastically since his departure some 12 years ago. In a positional sense, CR7 has adapted his game to function more centrally. It could be argued that he plays in a much more astute way, with his play-style more reminiscent of a classic number 9, in complete contrast to the Ronaldo we last saw back in 2009.

With this being said, here are three formations that I believe Ronaldo can shine in, without the other world-class attacking talent in Fernandes, Pogba, Cavani and Sancho being affected.

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4-2-3-1

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Ole’s favoured set-up

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4-1-2-1-2

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A potentially formidable strike partnership between two experienced bagsmen

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4-1-3-2

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A versatile system that presents opportunities to create overloads in attack, whilst ensuring organised solidity in a back five, as the CDM drops between the two centre-backs. Again, an experienced partnership up-top that could cause real damage to the opposition.

Harry Kane: Get busy living or get busy dying

Back in 2011 on a podcast with Bill Simmons…

Charles Barkley mentioned a list that was brought up every NBA postseason; ‘The greatest players never to win an NBA title.’

Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, John Stockton, Steve Nash and a few others, all names Barkley learned to dread, every time they were grouped together. Although it was woefully unfair, he took it as a compliment, because all the names in the list were great, or that’s what he told himself to cope.

Football is very different from the NBA.

In the NBA, there is only one title to aim for, and nothing can compensate for not having an NBA championship ring.

In football however, each player gets an opportunity to aim for three to four trophies a season, and the international tournaments are massive competitions people actually care about, unlike in basketball.

Even though Steven Gerrard never won the Premier League, he at least won other trophies like the Champions League, a couple of FA Cups and League Cups. Great players in football almost never go through their career without winning a major trophy. So, this is where we come to Harry Kane.

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So Close, yet so Far

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On July 11th 2021, Kane came the closest he has ever come to lifting a major trophy.

He was a penalty shootout away from winning the Euros with England, but it was not meant to be. He remains trophyless, with either club or country.

He has now played in three major finals, losing all three, and he also lost the semi-finals of the World Cup in 2018. He is 27 years old right now, ironically the exact same age Sol Campbell was, when he decided to leave Tottenham for Arsenal, in search of trophies.

Even though it is very unlikely that Kane will follow the path Campbell did, and join Arsenal, he is very much in a similar situation. With only a few years of his prime remaining, he needs to choose whether he believes he could still win something at Tottenham, or he needs to move to another club to get his hands on a trophy.

Harry Kane is unquestionably one of the greatest strikers to play in the Premier League.

He is 27 years old at the time of writing and already has over 240 PL appearances, scoring 166 goals.

He’s on course to beat Alan Shearer’s record of 260 PL goals, and it would be hard to find anyone who believes he cannot do it if he stays in the Premier League for the next 4-5 seasons. He has won multiple individual awards, three PL golden boots, the golden boot at the 2018 World Cup, PFA player of the season and fans player of the year, and many more. Records, golden boots and other acclamations are all great, but none of these can ever fill a trophy shaped hole.

Tottenham are going through quite a tough phase at the moment.

They have been on a downward slope since reaching the Champions League final in 2019.

They fired one of the greatest managers of the 21st century a week before a major final earlier this year, which they went on to lose, and have now hired a manager who seemed to be their tenth or eleventh choice for the position.

Nuno Espirito Santo should be given a lot of credit for what he achieved with Wolves in the Premier League over the last two seasons. However, he has never won a major trophy, nor has managed a really top side in his career.

Tottenham also need to make quite a few changes to their squad, which is either aging, or not good enough to challenge for trophies. They are not in the Champions League for next season and it is going to take a mighty effort for them to even challenge for the top four in the PL.

Kane might look at this and think, he doesn’t have the time to wait for Tottenham to build and start competing again.

So, if he wants a move, where could the best destination be?

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Where next for Harry Kane?

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Clubs like Bayern Munich, PSG, Real Madrid are very attractive destinations, and it is almost certain that he will win a trophy if he moves to one of these big-name clubs abroad. However, Kane is chasing Alan Shearer’s record, his playing style suits the premier league and being English, he would want to leave a legacy in the English game and be considered a PL legend.

Given everything about his price, stature, finances involved and the state of premier league clubs at the moment, there seems to be only one realistic destination for Kane, which is Manchester City.

City are in need of a striker, after the departure of Sergio Aguero and have the financial power to pay for the services of Kane, even though they just spent £100 million on Jack Grealish. The fact that he will get to play under Pep Guardiola and alongside the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Jack Grealish and other world class players, Manchester will certainly be a very attractive destination.

They have a squad to consistently challenge for the PL and the Champions League year after year. With clubs like Manchester United spending big money on Jadon Sancho, and Chelsea having just spent £200 million the previous summer window, City seem like the only viable option for the trophy starved Kane.

For Kane to be considered one of the greatest ever in the Premier League, an FA Cup or a League Cup alone won’t do. He needs to win the Premier League or the Champions League, which his talent deserves.

He needs to avoid the premier league equivalent of the list which Charles Barkley is a part of and dreads. Like Andy Dufresne in ‘The Shawshank Redemption’, Harry Kane has come to a point in his career where he has a simple choice to make, get busy living or get busy dying. Some birds aren’t meant to be caged; Kane’s feathers are too bright. He’s got to decide, whether he wants to stay in his trophyless prison or get out and drive down to his Zihuatanejo.

This summer window is going to be crucial in Kane’s career. Let’s just say, we will see whether Harry Kane crawls out of 500 yards of foul-smelling sewage, the likes of which we cannot imagine, and come out clean on the other side.

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