The English Football Thread

[MoroccanBlue 5,218]

3 minutes ago, Atomiswave said:

Exactly why I said if its up to me I would test every bloody player every 2 weeks....thoroughly

That's precisely my point. If one player is on it, its more likely all of them rather than no other player playing at the top level, are on something. 

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21 minutes ago, MoroccanBlue said:

It really is easier than you expect. Some of the more common ones allow players to take their body beyond their natural limits.

Fernandinho being the prime example. The amount of games he played and the amount of ground he covered in 2017-2019 as a 33/34 year old, was unimaginable. It's also the very reason why he's declined so rapidly after that. His body completely deteriorated from the overuse. 

 

I do not think Fernandinho was necessarily juicing. He simply extended by a several years his physical peak.

Do you think Thiago Silva, Zlatan, CR7, Totti, Maldini etc all juiced?

I do not.

[Atomiswave 6,072]

6 minutes ago, MoroccanBlue said:

That's precisely my point. If one player is on it, its more likely all of them rather than no other player playing at the top level, are on something. 

I dont know about all of them but I do believe many are, I dont trust pep and klopp at all in this regard.

[Atomiswave 6,072]

I didnt watch the udt game last night but found this on another forum....just more corruption in front of us.

- Bruno and Baiey knocked out Richarlison falling unsconcious on the ground and send him out directly to scan his head

- Cavani wins the ball with his hand of god in front of the goal and wins a corner

- MGuire rugby pins down a player in the box and gets away with it as ussual

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Oriol Romeu, master of yellow cards, avoider of reds

https://theathletic.com/2272624/2020/12/21/oriol-romeu-yellow-cards-southampton/

Oriol Romeu could soon become a record breaker.

Maybe not the sort he wants but a record breaker nonetheless. The Southampton midfielder has received the second-highest amount of yellow cards (53) in the Premier League without being sent off, which is just nine shy of former defender Luke Young’s haul of 62.

Romeu picked up his fifth yellow card of the 2020-21 campaign during the 0-1 defeat to Manchester City on Saturday afternoon, meaning he’ll be suspended for the Boxing Day trip to Fulham.

But for the Spaniard to have been booked 53 times without being sent down the tunnel early proves he knows how to toe the line once the referee dips his hand into his pocket.

Before we delve into the statistics, it’s worth noting that Romeu has made more challenges than anyone to date in the Premier League this season. The 29-year-old has 51 tackles to his name, which is eight more than his closest rival, Brighton’s Yves Bissouma.

To try to make sense of Romeu’s yellows, The Athletic has explored how the midfielder tackles, when he tends to get booked and whether current manager Ralph Hasenhuttl is asking him to do anything differently when bringing down an opposition player.

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Swansea City vs Southampton — February 2016

If you look at the graphic below, you’ll notice how Romeu is quite high up the pitch when he makes this tackle during Southampton’s game against Swansea.

But you can see the importance of this tackle as it prevents a counter-attack, which is a consistent theme of Romeu’s yellow card offences. In this instance, the midfielder actually gets to the ball but his trailing leg follows through. You can see why making this tackle was crucial, given how Swansea had two players in advanced positions.

Watford vs Southampton — January 2018

This example below, from Southampton’s match with Watford in January 2018, is more akin to the area Romeu regularly gets booked in, around the centre circle.

The Watford player nipped the ball past the Spaniard on this occasion, with the 29-year-old’s left leg tripping him. But look at the options and free space available to the opposition if Romeu didn’t commit the foul.

Everton vs Southampton — August 2018

From the sample of clips watched by The Athletic, this bookable offence against Everton in August 2018 was the most needless yellow card — and one that is certainly out of character. The Everton man was boxed in with nowhere to go, facing away from goal. Romeu’s team-mates also had the other players covered as you can see from the yellow circles.

West Ham v Southampton — April 2019

The below example from Southampton’s match against West Ham highlights where he tends to foul most under Hasenhuttl’s management. Like the others, Everton aside, the Spaniard knows the importance of cancelling out a counter-attack, especially when his team are sprinting back towards their goal. The West Ham player shaped to play a pass over the top as detailed in the graphic, only to be met by a late sliding tackle.

Southampton vs Tottenham — September 2020

This yellow card irked Hasenhuttl. In fact, you could quite comfortably say the Southampton boss was reeling. It was inside the opening five minutes and left Romeu walking a tightrope against a Tottenham team that shredded the home side’s high line. The midfielder failed to control a pass from Kyle Walker-Peters, which gave ex-Southampton captain Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg the chance to win back possession and spring a counter.

As a sign of his anger, Hasenhuttl took Romeu off at half-time to teach either teach him a lesson or to prevent getting a man sent off. However, look at Hojbjerg’s options in the next screen grab. He has Harry Kane and Son Heung-Min starting their runs towards goal at the moment the midfielder brings down his former team-mate.

Just look at the free space in behind for Tottenham’s attackers. Whether Hojbjerg would have played the perfect pass is unknown, but it’s clear Romeu had to do something about it.

Chelsea vs Southampton — October 2020

As it so often is with Romeu’s fouls, the timing of this one against Chelsea was crucial. Hasenhuttl’s team were still chasing the game when the Stamford Bridge outfit went in search of their fourth goal. There were four Chelsea players looking to receive the ball with a bit of open space in front of them, only for the midfielder to say, ‘Not on my watch, fellas’.

These are only six examples of Romeu being booked out of a possible 53. But as the majority would go on to show, these tackles tend to take place to disrupt the opposition’s counter-attack. Think of Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona team and how often they made those fouls in the middle of the pitch. Now remember where Romeu came through the youth ranks. If executed properly, it’s a useful and important tool to have in your arsenal.

As the next table will show, there has been a significant drop off in terms of how often Romeu is booked. And it also displays when the former Barcelona player receives his yellow cards.

Before Hasenhuttl took charge in December 2018, and excluding his three yellow cards for Chelsea, Romeu was carded 32 times for Southampton. 40.63 per cent of those (13) came between the 46th – 70th minute. From the 71st minute to full-time, he was booked on nine occasions, which makes up 28.13 per cent.

This means that just over 68 per cent of his bookable fouls came in the second half. There were 10 yellow cards during the first half of a match. Three of these came in the first 25 minutes, with the referee going into his pocket to book the Spaniard seven times from the 26th minute to half time.

Breakdown of Oriol Romeu's yellow cards

Ever since Hasenhuttl has been in the dugout, there has been an even split— in terms of which half he was booked in — of the 18 yellow cards received by Romeu.

He’s been booked four times in the opening 25 minutes, which equates to 22.22 per cent.

27.78 per cent of those (five) have been issued from the 26th minute to half-time.

He’s only been booked twice under the Austrian’s management from the 46th-70th minute, 11.11 per cent.

The majority (seven) have been awarded from the 71st minute to full time — the equivalent of 38.89 per cent.

Overall, over half (33) of his yellow cards have come in the second half of matches. So, what does that tell us?

Well, there could be several reasons for this. There’s an argument to suggest it has everything to do with fatigue. Perhaps Romeu’s energy levels have sapped and, knowing he won’t be able to make a legitimate foul, he opts to stop the player in their tracks and bring them down. You could also argue that the scoreline could be a factor. Southampton could either be defending a lead or trying to stop the opposition going further ahead.

But what 53 yellow cards without a single red really tells us is that Romeu is astute in knowing when and how to tackle. Yes, he’ll be suspended at least once a season for ill-discipline but he stops attacks at crucial times, and that is an art worth mastering.

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9 minutes ago, Atomiswave said:

I didnt watch the udt game last night but found this on another forum....just more corruption in front of us.

- Bruno and Baiey knocked out Richarlison falling unsconcious on the ground and send him out directly to scan his head

- Cavani wins the ball with his hand of god in front of the goal and wins a corner

- MGuire rugby pins down a player in the box and gets away with it as ussual

Everton vs Manchester United Full Match – Carabao Cup | 23 December 2020

https://eplfootballmatch.com/everton-vs-manchester-united-full-match-carabao-cup-23-december-2020/

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Sensible Transfers: Spurs may add defender or midfielder, Dele future uncertain

https://theathletic.com/2265392/2020/12/23/tottenham-transfers-alli-dele-skriniar/

As their generally strong start to the season indicates, Tottenham Hotspur’s squad is one that requires some small tweaks rather than any major surgery.

A very effective summer transfer window saw them address the need for a defensive midfielder, back-up striker and stronger full-back options, as well as the considerable bonus of bringing Gareth Bale back on loan. It leaves their squad largely well balanced, with a lot of competition for places.

But if you were to look at the team and try to identify possible improvements to give them a leg-up in the title race, there are a couple of areas that could be strengthened. In an ideal world, Mourinho would look to bring in a No 8 who could combine Moussa Sissoko’s physical attributes with better distribution. Though such a player would not come cheap.

Defensively, Spurs may also look to bolster their centre-back options, though since they have four central defenders (plus Japhet Tanganga, who Mourinho currently sees as a full-back), it would probably be contingent on Davinson Sanchez moving on, which at this point is not seen as likely.

In goal, at full-back and mostly through the midfield and up front the squad looks pretty strong, so it’s not expected to be a busy window for Tottenham. Especially given the hugely uncertain economic climate. Any incomings will likely have to be counter-balanced by sales as otherwise, the squad will feel too bloated. Remember, Mourinho said that he had “too many players” in mid-September.

Likewise, Mourinho would not want to weaken his squad with sales unless he knew a replacement was coming in. Except for Paulo Gazzaniga and Danny Rose, both of whom are available for transfer, pretty much everyone in the squad has featured so far and if they stayed would be expected to play a part in what promises to be a busy second half of the season.

So, let’s look at how Spurs play to get a sense of where those improvements could come from. And why names such as RB Leipzig’s Marcel Sabitzer and RB Salzburg’s Enock Mwepu have been suggested as sensible options for Spurs to go after.

Spurs generally like to sit deep, soak up pressure, and counter at pace, with Tanguy Ndombele and Harry Kane picking the ball up in midfield areas and then feeding the rapid Steven Bergwijn and Son Heung-min.

The efficacy of the system is dependent on Spurs being able to get the ball to Kane, and if not having other midfielders who can pick up the slack. The slight issue Spurs have is that if Kane is blocked off, as happened against Crystal Palace and Chelsea, the likes of Sissoko aren’t good enough passers to move Spurs up the pitch. This can leave them a little hemmed in.

As Mourinho explained after the draw at Crystal Palace earlier this month: “I want to admit that they couldn’t (go for the second goal). I want to admit that they didn’t have that capacity. Some of my… let’s say, build-up players, they lost a lot of passes in the first phase of the build-up. In the second half, we were not very accurate so I want to admit that if we didn’t, it’s because we couldn’t.”

Spurs already have Giovani Lo Celso who can do this job very well, which he showed in setting up the goal at Liverpool, and supplement Ndombele, who is also an excellent passer, but selecting the Argentinian over Sissoko could leave Spurs a bit short defensively.

Bringing in someone like Sabitzer (above) would be a dream signing. The Leipzig captain scored twice against Tottenham in last season’s 3-0 Champions League defeat and, having previously played out wide, has been repurposed as a No 8 by Julian Nagelsmann. He can even play as a No 6, and comparisons have been made in Germany between him and the former national team captain Bastian Schweinsteiger.

Is he realistic? In January, probably not. But come the summer when Sabitzer, 26, will have only a year left on his contract, he could be available for around £30 million or less.

Another option is the Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Yves Bissouma, who has also been linked with Arsenal. Bissouma has the capabilities to play box to box, and scored a couple of tidy goals at the end of last season and start of this, but has generally played as a No 6 of late. He has matured since joining Brighton in 2018 and has a better passing range than Sissoko, while being similarly effective off the ball. Brighton, though, would probably demand close to £40 million.

A cheaper and more realistic option would be Mwepu, Salzburg’s 22-year-old midfielder, who has impressed this season with his ability to cover space and stop opposition transitions. He also offers a lot going forward, and scored a spectacular solo goal earlier this month against LASK (who had drawn with Spurs in the Europa League 10 days earlier).

If Spurs wanted a more attacking option then, erm, Christian Eriksen is available. He was actually offered back to Spurs by Inter Milan in October, but they declined. It is not thought to be a realistic option in January either. As well as the obvious reluctance to bring a player back who only left a year ago, the low taxation rate for high earners in Italy means Spurs would have to pay a huge amount just to match what Eriksen currently brings in at Inter.

In any case, a deal for a midfielder would likely require Spurs to lose one from their ranks. Mourinho said recently that there’s “no way” Harry Winks would leave on loan in January, even though the midfielder is concerned at his lack of game time ahead of next summer’s Euros. Meanwhile sources have told The Athletic they expect Dele Alli to be on the move next month, though as of yet nothing has been decided. It could also change if Dele impresses or Spurs suffer injuries in the coming weeks.

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Another important element of the way Spurs play is their low defensive block. The lack of pace in the centre-back pairing of Eric Dier and Toby Alderweireld means that Spurs can’t defend high up the pitch. Dier and Alderweireld sit deep and are often joined by Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Sissoko in a defensive six.

A pacier option would offer Spurs the alternative of playing higher up the pitch in certain matches. Sanchez offers that option in theory, but he is badly out of form and often hasn’t even made the bench for Premier League matches. Joe Rodon is quick but with just one Premier League start to his name, is still lacking experience.

A player Spurs made enquiries over in the summer was Milan Skriniar. Technical performance director Steve Hitchen even flew to Milan to meet with Inter representatives, but a deal could not be struck. Inter’s asking price was too high at the time, and now they are reluctant to sell Skriniar given he is a regular starter. They are keen to trim the wage bill, but it’s players such as Eriksen, Radja Nainggolan and Ivan Perisic that they are trying to shift.

Spurs have not given up on Skriniar but a deal in January will be difficult, and the summer is thought to be more realistic.

At the younger end, one centre-back who’s been making Europe’s scouts sit up and take notice is Lille’s Dutch defender Sven Botman. The 20-year-old joined from Ajax in the summer having never played for the first team. Left-footed, and physically imposing at 6ft 4in, Botman has effectively replaced Gabriel, who joined Arsenal in the summer. Already some at the club think he has a higher ceiling than the Brazilian — a feeling strengthened by the way he marked Zlatan Ibrahimovic out of the game in Lille’s 3-0 win over AC Milan at San Siro last month.

Good in the air and a solid one-on-one defender, Botman looks like a very exciting prospect, while his left-footedness would offer something different from the current Spurs centre-backs. As The Atheltic’s Tom Worville explained in September, having a left-footed central defender is very important in enabling teams to play out from the back, and would offer Tottenham an important additional option.

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Should Dele leave on loan, Mourinho may want another attacker in the squad — especially if it looks like Bale won’t become a regular starter.

Given the way Spurs like to attack through their wide forwards, and with Kane, Ndombele and Lo Celso offering enough creativity between the lines, it would make more sense to try to bring in another winger.

Raphinha at Leeds United would be a superb addition, but they wouldn’t sell in January. Further afield, the young Brazilian Gabriel Veron at Palmeiras is a very exciting option. The explosive 18-year-old has plenty of admirers in Europe already, and when he does decide to move there will be a scramble for his signature.

Sabitzer meanwhile, if he were to join, can also play higher up the pitch so would offer another attacking option.

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It’s commonly said in recruitment circles that a busy January transfer window for a club is a sign not of strength but of weakness. An indicator that they have got their signings wrong previously.

So in that respect, it’s encouraging that Spurs are not expecting to do a great deal next month. But after such an unexpectedly busy summer, we shouldn’t rule out chairman Daniel Levy pulling off another surprise deal. He also signed off the £25.4 million deal for Bergwijn last year and brought in Lucas Moura in January 2018.

Comparisons have also been made with January 2012, when Spurs looked capable of pushing for the title with a couple of big additions, but instead ended up signing Ryan Nelsen and Louis Saha on free transfers.

Spurs have a much stronger squad now than they did then, but if anyone’s capable of convincing Levy to make one or two more additions to take Spurs to the next level, it’s Mourinho.

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Bergwijn can be Spurs’ agent of chaos amid Mourinho’s precision approach

https://theathletic.com/2276140/2020/12/22/bergwijn-spurs-mourinho/

When Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham Hotspur break into space, they’re very good. They raid quickly and vertically and passes are released to the right players, generally at just the right time. That’s a Mourinho hallmark.

He trains situations rather than skills. His methodology is based on encouraging players to think and act instinctively, and — regardless of recent setbacks — this season has provided good reason to believe in many of those ideas.

Unfortunately, Sunday’s defeat to Leicester City laid bare the weaknesses that Mourinho is yet to conquer. Not issues that he’s incapable of curing, but ones that sides with certain chemistry are able to exploit. And Leicester are among those teams. And they saw Spurs coming from a mile away.

If there’s an advantage to watching games inside a sterile vacuum, it’s the privilege of being able to eavesdrop — to listen in on the chatter between the players.

Almost from the first minute, Kasper Schmeichel was barking his instructions up the field, urging his defensive line not to drift too high. Then, whenever Spurs reclaimed the ball in their own half and looked to snap forward, Schmeichel could be heard directing his team-mates towards Harry Kane.

They listened.

Any time Kane touched the ball in that type of position, the challenges knifed in on him. Some of that attention was a little robust — one Marc Albrighton challenge was seemingly deemed too ridiculous for a red card — but, nevertheless, Leicester did a fine job of clogging up the junctions through which many of Spurs’ best moves run.

It left Kane, his team-mates and his head coach where they didn’t want to be: one, and then two goals down, and with a whole forest of defenders standing between them and a recovery.

A lot of things have to go right for Tottenham to score goals in that situation. At the least, all the passes have to be perfectly accurate and all the touches have to be absolutely precise.

Because their front-foot attacking football doesn’t have much built-in structure, there’s rarely any sense of building pressure or of an opponent being overwhelmed. Not in the way that, say, Pep Guardiola’s teams used to, or Antonio Conte’s Chelsea once did. Spurs are nothing like that.

Watching them attack a low or even medium block is like that wildlife video in which the lizard runs past all the snakes. In the football version, the lizard is the ball, the snakes are the opposition and the pervading sense of doom is the fear that the move can die at any moment. It’s the same kind of dynamic, though. It’s a read-and-react performance which can result in an unlikely, ultimate triumph, but which dances with disaster at every moment.

Everything comes with an asterisk this season. There are too many games, not enough fans, too few days of rest. It’s plainly weird in a way that makes serious analysis a little bit redundant.

Nevertheless, while remembering that results can turn quickly and sides can shoot up the table, these are legitimate fears about Tottenham’s potency which — of course — prompt questions about what they can do to become a more balanced side. There’s no one solution, no silver bullet.

Spurs need to get better in a few different areas, and they’ll keep stepping on Leicester-type landmines until they do. In the interim, though, the further involvement of Steven Bergwijn would be a partial remedy for this attacking problem.

Unusually for a forward player of his abilities, Bergwijn’s value lies more in what he does without the ball.

Against West Ham, he made that flaring run for the first goal, which left Son Heung-min isolated against Fabian Balbuena on the other side of the pitch. Then, against Manchester City, it was his drift infield that cleared the path for Giovani Lo Celso to run through and double the lead. Most recently, in the North London derby, his fade across the Arsenal box split the covering centre-halves, allowing Kane and Son to criss-cross in on goal.

Last Wednesday night, his evening ended unpleasantly. Typically, actually, in the way that it often does when footballers are anything less than perfect on the pitch. Having dared to spurn a couple of chances in the 2-1 loss to Liverpool at Anfield, his social media accounts were invaded by an army of keyboard punchers.

The result was another athlete having to seal themselves away from the public and a distraction from what had actually been a wholly productive performance and another little trademark.  Yes, it was Lo Celso’s pass that had put Son through and clear to score that unlikely equaliser, but it was the quick shift of position from Bergwijn that had drawn the attentions of Curtis Jones and Rhys Williams and created a fatal schism in the home defence.

It’s one of those things that once you start looking for, you can’t help but notice time and again — even in moves which aren’t ultimately successful and, as a result, are quickly forgotten.

Maybe it’s a product of Mourinho’s coaching, or perhaps it’s just one of those hidden attributes that Bergwijn has. Whatever the case, it describes his potential importance to this Tottenham side.

It’s not value confined just to the counter-attack, where the ability to drag, pull, distract and displace defenders carries such obvious threat. But in the more stable passages of the game, too, when Spurs are constructing their intricate phases.

In that situation, Bergwijn is a tool that can be used to broaden the margin for error — his movement can be the butterfly effect occurring in a defence’s periphery, fluttering in a way that might draw a centre-half out, a full-back in-field, or persuade a midfielder to enter no-man’s land.

In other words: to be a little agent of chaos.

It’s worth recognising also that many of these changes of position occur suddenly and without much warning.

Had the story been about something other than social media hostility last week, it might have been noted how quickly the Dutchman made it to top speed prior to sending that shot against the post. He reaches flat-out very quickly and, because of his compact gait and low centre of gravity, just with a quick blur of motion rather than any major tell.

That kind of thing panics defenders; it provides another threat to the order and discipline that Tottenham are coming to fear. Even in theory, that doesn’t take away the need for Spurs to be precise. Nor does it alleviate some of the concerns about Mourinho’s attacking approach and its modern suitability.

But it does make it easier; having Bergwijn in the side provides a comfort that — at this stage of its evolution — this team probably shouldn’t be without.

Kane can’t provide the same thing. Not in a subtle, unexpected way, because he’s a primary focus for any defence already. Son can’t either, for all the same reasons.

Lucas Moura needs possession to be of influence, so too does 2020’s version of Gareth Bale. Further back, Lo Celso and Tanguy Ndombele are gifted technicians and dynamic carriers, but — again — the ball is their primary weapon and any time they touch it they attract the full attention of everyone in the stadium.

But Bergwijn is different. He exists in an unusual way on a pitch — in the margins, in the game’s half-light, doing what isn’t quite as easy to prepare for.

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How can Arsenal be fixed?

https://theathletic.com/2275915/2020/12/22/fixing-arsenal-transfers-arteta/

It’s complicated. Arsenal’s slide down the Premier League table does not have one single cause. But that means there are many possible solutions. From short to long-term, from transfers to tactics, our writers suggest some ideas that could help turn things around for manager Mikel Arteta…

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Ask for help

If the plan is to back Mikel Arteta, then this is the time to seriously consider what kind of practical backing he actually has. The key club management roles currently occupied by Arteta, Edu and Vinai Venkatesham have all gone to people who have not been in this position before. When things go awry it’s reasonable to think that an injection of been-around-the-block wisdom could be very helpful. Notably, Arteta’s coaching staff is also formed from people without a track record in succeeding in the Premier League so technical and management oversight and back-up, which could come in various different ways, is a pragmatic measure worth pursuing.

Take David O’Leary. Arsenal record appearance holder and a former Premier League manager, he is very well connected in football circles and attends many games as a club representative in the directors’ box. He was linked with a return to the boardroom a while ago. That was blocked by club officials who have since departed. Why not get him on the board for some football experience right now?

Take Ralf Rangnick. As a manager and technical director he has been influential on a generation of coaches that includes Jurgen Klopp and Julian Nagelsmann. His understanding of the big picture of a club concept relating to a financial position is well known. He also happens to have a long-term soft spot for Arsenal. Why not consult someone like him?

Talk to people. Listen. Don’t just sit on your hands and hope things will just get better. There are people out there, available, who can help. Arsenal are not particularly minded to change the structure too much at the moment, and prefer the idea of a more slimline model than the too-many-cooks situation they changed recently. They are more likely to go for a less high-profile person to assist Edu if there is a tweak to the technical department.

OK, this one is fanciful, maybe, but how about just picking up the phone to Arsene Wenger? Unlikely, maybe, but nobody knows more about pulling Arsenal back from difficult situations than he does. Some choice advice, if nothing else, has to be better than nothing.

It does not feel like this is a situation that can be left alone, unchanged, with the figures currently charged with looking after Arsenal. The problems are urgent and if the slump continues it requires proper, experienced assistance, in the short term at least.

Amy Lawrence

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Trust the youngsters

In the Premier League, Arsenal aren’t going anywhere fast.

Without a league win since November 1 (Manchester United away), Mikel Arteta’s side have looked lost for weeks. This has somewhat been addressed with the switch to the more fluid 3-4-3 system but nevertheless senior players are having little impact on games on too many occasions.

Despite some encouraging flashes at Goodison Park, Willian has been far too predictable in his time at Arsenal. Positioned out wide, there is little movement off the ball so that when he does receive it, he’s either forced into a cross or a backwards pass.

Arteta trialled Alexandre Lacazette as a No 10 but he doesn’t have the physical attributes to match his technical skills to truly excel there.

The argument as to whether youngsters can offer much more is understandable, yet Bukayo Saka is proof they can if given the chance.

Although four years older at 23, Ainsley Maitland-Niles has been a noticeable upgrade from Hector Bellerin at right wing-back since returning to Premier League action. His one-on-one defending, drive in attack and better suitability to the 3-4-3 system have all played their part.

This isn’t to say each player would have as strong an impact.

Just four points off the relegation zone in December, however, with some of these players possessing the exact qualities senior players lack — Emile Smith Rowe’s spatial awareness, use of body and passing ability between the lines, for instance — Arteta would have nothing to lose by trusting the players of the future, now.

Reiss Nelson and Joe Willock also fit into this category having impressed consistently in Europe. Willock has been offered Premier League chances in a different role, but using him as he was in the Europa League would be more beneficial.

Art de Roche

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Buy better, slim the squad

It’s important that January marks the start of a new era for Arsenal and will also be the first true chance to judge the club’s technical director Edu.

Many of their current problems stem back to poor work in the transfer market, with the blame shared by multiple people over a long period of time.

But now there’s no doubt who is in charge of rebuilding the first-team squad and little excuse for mistakes of the past rearing their head again.

Arsenal’s recruitment plans were initially focused on the summer, with a creative attacking midfielder and right-sided centre-back wanted. Yet the crisis at hand may require immediate action and attempts will be made to fill the creativity void.

The trouble is the winter window is difficult at the best of times, let alone during a pandemic, and any acquisition will need to hit the ground running. Although Dominik Szoboszlai was considered before he joined RB Leipzig, the Gunners do have other options.

Arguably the bigger challenge is to shift those deemed surplus to requirements or in need of game time. Arsenal will again try to move out Mesut Ozil and Sokratis Papastathopoulos, while the likes of William Saliba and Emile Smith Rowe could go on loan.

Manager Mikel Arteta is working with a bloated group, meaning numerous players are left out every game and that has inevitably led to splits in the camp.

Historic failings around arrivals, departures and harmony simply cannot be repeated if Arsenal are to fix this mess and create a brighter future. Senior officials expect the process to take two or three years and that is why it must begin here.

David Ornstein

 

Changing spaces 

In order for Arsenal to improve, they need to start scoring more goals. To score more goals, they need to create more chances. To create more chances, they need to start appreciating the space available on the field a little more.

Arteta’s directive is clear: cross. His side have attempted the third most crosses in open play in the league (15.9 per game) which are directly leading to attempts on goal 1.6 times per game. Creating a chance once every 10 crosses is about league average, indicating that this isn’t an overly efficient strategy.

All of that focus on crossing, though, is coming at the cost of utilising the space right outside the area. Subjectively, Arsenal rarely look to create chances here, yet looking at the numbers for this season highlights that they actually create more chances from this zone compared to the fruits of their crossing attempts. Only good enough for 16th in the league, they are creating 1.9 chances per game.

Getting the ball into this area more often could help stretch opposition defences, making crossing situations more threatening than they are currently. Equally, it could play to the strengths of the likes of Alexandre Lacazette, Eddie Nketiah and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, a trio who are all more used to relying on cute inside passes than whipped passes into the area to get their goals.

Tom Worville

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Stick to a style 

An incoming manager has a choice. One option is to set out a style of play on day one, gradually ascertaining which players are capable or incapable of realising that blueprint. Alternatively, he can devise a tailored system that simply makes the best of what they have available.

Right now, Arsenal are falling between two stools. The tension between short and long-term goals has led to a muddled approach. Arteta’s team looks neither like a prototype for some grand vision, nor like they are set up to maximise the talent they have available. Since Arsene Wenger left, Arsenal have been a team in search of a tactical identity. Mikel Arteta must now commit to a style.

If the goal is improving results this season, Arteta may have to lean into the counter-attacking ability that resides in his squad. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Nicolas Pepe and Willian are all substantial investments whose strength is in exploiting transitions. Youngsters like Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Joe Willock share those capabilities, and Arsenal’s slow build-up play is not going to provide them the space they require to thrive. It is said that it’s easier to sack a manager than the players. Ultimately Arteta’s job is to maximise the talent already on the books.

Alternatively, Arteta must communicate and commit to a coherent long-term plan. Supporters will be more patient if they can see tactical foundations being laid. Right now, Arsenal are neither one thing nor the other.

James McNicholas

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More goals from midfield

For all the attention on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s lack of goals, and the absence of any creativity from midfield, you rarely hear any recognition of the fact that midfielders are actually allowed to contribute goals themselves.

You wouldn’t know it from Arsenal’s statistics last season and this. In 2019-20, Joe Willock, Lucas Torreira, Mesut Ozil and Granit Xhaka and Bukayo Saka (let’s call him a midfielder for now) all managed a single Premier League goal. That’s it.

This season, things are even worse. Saka’s header at home against Sheffield United is the only goal Arsenal’s midfielders have registered all season. Willian has got into some decent positions, but Xhaka, Mohamed Elneny and Dani Ceballos simply don’t offer any kind of goal threat whatsoever. Thomas Partey is a fine midfielder, but never managed more than three goals in any of his five league campaigns with Atletico Madrid.

Goalscoring is far more about getting yourself into the right positions than it is about being a ruthless finisher, and the reality is that Arsenal’s midfielders just don’t find themselves in zones where they might end up scoring. Ceballos’ total xG figure for this campaign is 0.2 from the equivalent of nine league matches. Last year, it was 0.5 from the equivalent of 19. While he’s never been prolific at club level, he was often a goal threat for Spain’s under-21 side, and he doesn’t occupy a deep enough position that he should be this irrelevant in terms of goalscoring.

Arteta clearly wants to guard against opposition breaks through the middle and keep midfielders in cautious positions, but if Arsenal are so determined to attack down the flanks before playing balls into the box, a midfielder making late runs is vital. Arsenal often cross with three flat-footed attackers waiting in the middle, and the reality is that many goals that originate from crosses aren’t “pure” goals, they’re about a player collecting a half-clearance or a second ball, or a flick-on, and turning home.

As assistant manager at Manchester City, perhaps the thing Arteta was given most credit for was working with Raheem Sterling on his goalscoring, spending hours on the training ground perfecting the art of popping up in the right place at the right time, and finishing calmly. Sterling is a wide forward rather than a midfielder, of course, but there’s no reason Arteta can’t apply his expertise to a different role on the pitch.

Midfielders come in different shapes and sizes and play different roles. But Manchester United’s notionally defensive midfielder Scott McTominay scored more goals in the opening three minutes on Sunday than Arsenal’s midfielders have managed, collectively, all season. That must change.

Michael Cox

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The nuclear option

Instinct screams patience. There is quality in this Arsenal squad and it will surely tell in the end, thrusting them from this nosedive and back on to the springboard of upper mid-table. Thomas Partey will impose himself once fit. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will rediscover his scoring touch. Kieran Tierney is such a talent, while Gabriel will help implement some kind of defensive discipline. Theirs is a decent spine and the squad’s bright young things add a dash of youthful energy and enterprise.

That is the optimistic outlook, anyway.

The real question is whether Mikel Arteta is the right man to guide the group back into some kind of ascendancy. All the noises from within the club indicate faith is retained in the head coach turned manager who was only appointed a year ago. That this is not the time to rip it up and start again in the dugout, not least because the hierarchy have already instigated so many changes up and down Arsenal’s structure in recent times. There is a logic to that. But it is also fair to ask whether Arteta boasts the credentials to hoist this team out of their tailspin.

His was an exciting if risky appointment. Yes, that FA Cup win was impressive, but this is his first managerial role. He is a rookie, surrounded by similar inexperience across virtually all the significant roles at the club, who now finds himself in an exceptionally difficult situation: overseeing an imbalanced and bloated squad, with its inevitable associated grumblings, whose confidence has clearly flatlined in the most peculiar of seasons.

Of late, as this team’s form has disintegrated after what had briefly been considered a significant win at Old Trafford, he has worn that haunted look of a manager flummoxed by his side’s predicament. A figure who has lost control. Is there enough evidence he boasts the leadership skills and strength of character to wrest it back at an ailing elite club? If his team continue to drift, their results dismal, would there not be a logic to the hierarchy looking to a more experienced candidate to shape this club’s immediate future? Someone who could fall back on first-hand knowledge to instigate a revival.

There are candidates out there, for all that selling Arsenal in its current state might be tricky. Any interest in Mauricio Pochettino would be intriguing given local politics. Leicester might be wary of a move for Brendan Rodgers, but could he be tempted? There is always the possibility Rafa Benitez might be prised away from the Chinese Super League.

All this may feel brutal and, indeed, kneejerk given an exceptional Premier League season still has 24 games to play, but interest in any of the above can hardly be considered outlandish. At present, Arteta’s Arsenal are far too easy to outwit and outdo. If that is maintained then long-term vision might have to give way to short-term pragmatism. For all the pledges of fidelity and desire to avoid further upheaval, a board’s focus inevitably fixes on one thing to instigate an upturn.

Dominic Fifield

[Vesper 27,417]

Sensible Transfers: King could strengthen Villa’s attack but Edouard too pricey

https://theathletic.com/2265513/2020/12/22/aston-villa-sensible-transfers/

The most refreshing aspect for Aston Villa is that in the January transfer window there will be no need to rush into signing players.

Yes, some areas need addressing. Attacking targets have already been discussed and Villa may decide to sign a forward capable of playing either down the middle or out wide.

But injury-permitting — and let’s not forget this is around the period last season when things started to unravel — the club are planning for a quiet month and may only add one piece to the jigsaw. If that’s the case, the hope is that their careful and considered planning brings a similar amount of success as in the last window.

Except for Bertrand Traore, who is still very much finding his feet in claret and blue, the summer signings of Emiliano Martinez, Matty Cash, Ollie Watkins and Ross Barkley (loan) have significantly improved the team that finished the last campaign. A hit-rate of four in five is a very good ratio, and in time, Traore might get up to speed, too.

It’s why, unlike last season, there is no need to top up the squad just to bump up the numbers.

When Villa lost three of their top players — Tom Heaton, Wesley Moraes and John McGinn — to long-term injuries around the Christmas period last season, goalkeeper Pepe Reina and midfield flop Danny Drinkwater were signed on loan as replacements. Striker Mbwana Samatta also cost £9.5 million, largely because the likes of Olivier Giroud and Islam Slimani turned Villa down so there weren’t many other options available. They were moves into which Villa were forced because of the situation they found themselves in.

In this window, though, Villa are likely to be acting proactively should they feel an addition is needed. Funds will also be made available if head coach Dean Smith needs to fill a gap caused by a long-term injury.

Josh King, the Bournemouth forward who can play centrally or out wide, is likely to be considered again. He was checked out in the last window but ended up staying at the Championship club. Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard was a target but Villa are not expected to spend the sort of money that would be required to sign him. AC Milan are also understood to be interested in the 22-year-old who starred last season but has struggled to recapture his form for the struggling Scottish side.

Milot Rashica of Werder Bremen was another player of interest but a lot would have to change to get that potential move going again. The Kosovan is also injured and likely to miss the majority of next month, which would make a pursuit even more complex.

Whispers of another move for Tammy Abraham have also died down for now as the England striker is a big part of the Chelsea set-up, and deemed too expensive anyway, following a £90 million spend on recruits in the last window.

If Villa do decide to invest, it will be interesting to see whether they stick with the approach of recruiting from England as three of the four permanent summer signings —  Martinez, Cash and Watkins — all arrived on the back of successful seasons in the Premier League and the Championship.

There’s certainly room for additional foreign influence and flavour to mix up what is a largely English (and Scottish) starting line-up.

New sporting director, Johan Lange, may assist in such activity. He is likely to offer up some alternative targets on the continent as he gets stuck into his first winter window at the club.

Lange has been working closely with the scouting department since joining in the summer and will continue to suggest players to boss Dean Smith before a collective decision is made on which targets to focus on. Villa expect to be more active next summer, though.

The Athletic would recommend Lille attacker Jonathan Bamba, a right-footed 24-year-old attacker who has destroyed opponents from his left-wing position this season. A closer-to-home alternative is Manchester United’s Dan James, the winger wanted by Leeds United.

Of course, neither is to replace Jack Grealish but they would add a specialist left-sided player to the squad to help increase in-game options.

As the team who averages more crosses per game than any other in the Premier League this season, it would also be useful to have a striker with a history of scoring headed goals. Wesley’s return to full fitness will help after a year out injured.

Salomon Rondon, the 31-year-old former Premier League striker, now at Chinese Super League club Dalian Professional would also be worth consideration. The move would go against the patterns of recruiting for the long-term future, but it would also generate a short-term gain and not disrupt the bigger picture.

Aside from requiring another attacker, Villa are relatively well-stocked elsewhere and Smith is happy with his squad, the way they are improving as players and, most importantly, gelling as a group.

The owners are also pleased that plenty of players have grown in value, too. The focus now is to build a strong match-day squad. Villa have a core group of 13 players they can rely on, but not much else in reserve.

Wesley’s return from injury and Jacob Ramsey’s emergence as a genuine contender for minutes may save the club a stack of money in the future, but there are still a few areas that need amending. Aside from moving on forgotten man, Lovre Kalinic, the goalkeeping department is as strong as it has ever been. You can read more about Villa’s goalkeepers in detail here.

Central defence is also well-stocked, but new full-backs in 2021 are required to keep Cash and Matt Targett on their toes. Neil Taylor and Ahmed Elmohamady are out of contract at the end of this season and there are currently no discussions to extend their deals.

Both players are also on the wrong side of 30 and Villa are likely to rebuild without them, even if they have been useful options this season.

The club will also listen to offers for Frederic Guilbert, the French right-back whom they were unable to move on in the last window. Guilbert made it clear that he wanted to stick around but Villa were looking to cash in.

As for replacements, long-term target Rico Henry, the left-back at Brentford, could come into consideration again if West Bromwich Albion don’t get to him first.

In midfield, Conor Hourihane and Marvelous Nakamba are the senior back-up options behind Barkley, Douglas Luiz and McGinn. There are no issues to suggest that Villa need to do anything in this department in January, although moving on Henri Lansbury, who was not named in the 25-man squad and is also out of contract in the summer, would be beneficial.

So the only question that really remains is just how ambitious are Villa and which level of player will they target next?

Do they look again to the Championship for value and consider another high-profile loan? Or are they now at the stage to really start flexing their financial muscles by bringing in top-performing players from other top-flight clubs?

With super-rich owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens in charge, it’s going to be exciting to watch.

[Vesper 27,417]

Oki, watching the entire Manure v Everton match

Cavani just slammed Mina to the ground by the throat

NO CALL

outrageous

it is still nil nil early in the 2nd half

I will keep posting shit as I see it

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seconds later

Bruno pushes Richarlison in the back

and then Bailly jumps into him, violently slamming him in the head with his leg

snapping his head back so hard (you need to see it full speed to really see the force)

knocking Richarlison out of the game

NOTHING called other than a simple foul

 

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a minute or so later

on a free kick

Maguire mugs Mina in the box

NOTHING called

 

 

[Vesper 27,417]

seconds later (not kidding, lol)

Greenwood dives in the box after pushing the dwarf Bernard aside

nothing called for the dive

and Greenwood had a fit for the next minute or two (shocked that Manure did not get their dodgy pen gift)

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Pogba, clear dive

given as a foul right outside the box, no contact, Bernard never touched him

you have to see it in action speed to see there was no contact

pure dive

[Atomiswave 6,072]

Thanks for that Vesper.....seriously what the fuck are they doing man? Why is the media silent? How is it possible that every ref obliges every bloody time when udt is playing? Sorry for my language but you must be an utter tool not to see whats going on here.

[Vesper 27,417]

superb winner by Cavani, but he could easily have had a red card (insane he did not even get a yellow) for that choke slam on Mina

Everton were dreadful after Richarlison got smashed out of the game

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4 minutes ago, Atomiswave said:

Thanks for that Vesper.....seriously what the fuck are they doing man? Why is the media silent? How is it possible that every ref obliges every bloody time when udt is playing? Sorry for my language but you must be an utter tool not to see whats going on here.

it is crazy

if Giroud or Tammy had slammed Maguire or Bailly or Lindelöf to the ground by the neck

90% of the time they would see red

and that no call on Maguire in the box

wtf

he gets away with MURDER weekly

plus that dive by Pogba being awarded as a foul (and should have been a yellow for simulation), and that dive by Greenwood not being punished for the same