All posts by h716a5.icu

West Brom manager Carlos Corberan has confirmed that an influential player has suffered an injury setback ahead of their Championship clash with Watford.

West Brom prepare for trip to Watford

The Baggies finally got back to winning ways in the league in midweek, beating Coventry City 2-0 at the Hawthorns to stop a run of four successive draws in the competition. Next up for Corberan’s West Brom side is a trip to Watford on Sunday afternoon, in what promises to be another test of their promotion credentials, considering the Hornets currently sit eighth in the table.

The fact that the Baggies are in sixth place despite drawing 11 of their 20 league matches this season arguably bodes well, suggesting that they still have further gears to find and could push back towards the automatic promotion places, having led the way earlier in the campaign.

West Brom aren’t without their injury problems currently, with the likes of Grady Diangana and Kyle Bartley missing, and now an important update has emerged regarding one of those individuals.

West Brom player suffers injury setback

Speaking ahead of the weekend action [via Birmingham World], Corberan confirmed that West Brom attacker Diangana won’t be available for the Watford game, having suffered a setback in his recovery from injury.

“Unfortunately it is being frustrating because we know how important he was. There is no important injury, but at the end we are not having an important player that of course we want to have with us. Still we need to wait. Let’s see. I was thinking he would be part of the group today but yesterday he was feeling pain again that is not letting him feel available for the squad.”

This is so frustrating for anyone of a West Brom persuasion, especially as the report states that there was initial hope that Diangana would be back for the Coventry game. Instead, he isn’t even going to make the matchday squad for Watford, as he continues his recovery.

Granted, the 26-year-old hasn’t exactly had the most impressive of seasons so far, failing to register a single goal contribution in 12 Championship appearances, but he is still an important player on his day, with Lee Hendrie once showing his appreciation for him: “I had a good chat with Gareth Barry about him and he says that he’ll go on and play at the top.

“They adore him at West Brom and I think they’d love to keep hold of him but the situation with West Brom potentially going up and West Ham potentially going down, he could see himself back in the Championship. He’s been magnificent, easy on the eye and a massive plus-point for West Brom.”

West Brom must finally ditch £7m dud who Ismael said had “everything”

West Bromwich Albion will have to consider shifting on this dud soon.

1 ByKelan Sarson Dec 12, 2024

Hopefully, the £20,000-a-week Diangana will be available after the weekend action, coming back in for the Christmas period, and the hope is that West Brom still prove to be too strong for Watford without him.

Barcelona face the potential loss of ten academy stars this summer, with key youngsters yet to receive new contracts despite first-team prospects.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Barca could lose ten academy starlets this summerClub chiefs haven't offered renewals so farSome players earmarked for future first-team rolesFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

One of Barcelona's strengths as a club is their famed La Masia academy, which has produced some world-class talents like Lionel Messi, Xavi, Sergio Busquets, Andres Iniesta, Gerard Pique, Cesc Fabregas, Lamine Yamal, and Pau Cubarsi over the years. However, reports that the Catalans face the daunting prospect of losing as many as ten youngsters from their U19 team this summer.

AdvertisementAFPTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The likes of winger Arnau Pradas, top scorer Hugo Alba, and Jan Virgili are among the most concerning cases. Despite their potential, the club has yet to present renewal offers to Alba or Pradas, although they do have an option to extend Virgili’s contract for another year. This comes despite the fact that all three, along with players like Jofre Torrents, Quim Junyent, and Brian Farinas, are viewed are touted in the academy to have the potential to break into Hansi Flick's first team.

DID YOU KNOW?

Pradas has attracted interest from Saudi Arabia, following in the footsteps of Barca Atletic (the reserve side) captain Unai Hernandez. Several other youth players, including Hector Rangel, Farinas, Adrian Gill, Tomas Marques, Alexander Walton, Dani Ferrer, and Marcos Parriego, are also out of contract this summer. Barca sporting director Deco, along with La Masia chiefs Jose Ramon Alexanco and Toni Hernandez, have their work cut out as they contemplate the future of their most promising youngsters.

Getty Image/ Goal ARWHAT NEXT FOR BARCELONA?

Flick's troops currently lead La Liga's table with 60 points. They are level with Real Madrid, albeit with a game in hand. Their next assignment will be the rescheduled league fixture against Osasuna on March 27, which was postponed after the tragic death of first-team doctor Carles Minarro Garcia.

Former Sky Sports commentator tempted by chance to make a difference to England

Andrew Miller28-Apr-2022Rob Key, England’s new director of cricket, says that the chance to have some “skin in the game” was the primary reason why he was willing to forego a commentary role with Sky Sports that he had previously declared to be the “best job in the world” and take on the onerous challenge of reviving the flagging fortunes of English cricket.Key, who was officially unveiled at a press conference at Lord’s on Thursday, has already made his first big appointment by naming Ben Stokes as Joe Root’s successor as Test captain, and said he is “optimistic” about identifying a new red-ball head coach before the start of the New Zealand series in June, following the sacking of Chris Silverwood in the wake of this winter’s Ashes.However, the England team appointments are merely the most forward-facing of the many glaring vacancies facing the ECB. Tom Harrison, the CEO, is widely expected to stand down this summer after seven years in the role, while the board is now on to its second interim chair in six months, with Barry O’Brien quitting on Tuesday due to ill health. To compound the sense of paralysis, their search for a full-time successor to Ian Watmore is also back to square one, following this week’s dissolution of the original Nominations Committee.All of which means that Key himself still does not know who he will be reporting to in the long term, not that this particularly seems to concern him.”A lot of people report in to me, and then I report to the CEO, and then the chair, whoever they may be,” he said. “Ultimately I want good people around me who can debate and make good decisions. That’s it.”I don’t really know a lot about what’s going on there. I just hope that, in the chairman’s case, they appoint the best person because that’s what I’d do. You don’t try to appoint a dummy, just the best people you can.”We have this view of the ECB, but even when I was working with Sky, I never felt there was anyone in there saying ‘let’s try and make English cricket worse’,” Key added. “They get beaten up and battered quite a lot at the moment, but they are not trolls trying to make bad decisions. They are good people trying like hell to make cricket as good as they can, and find ways to make the next generation love cricket as much as we did.Related

Anderson, Broad 'available for selection', says new England director Key

'He had about four roles at Kent': How Key's county grounding prepared him for England role

ECB forced to restart search for new chairman; interim O'Brien steps down

Ben Stokes named England men's Test captain

“What I’ve had is a lot of support from people who are desperate to get cricket back on track,” he said of his first week in the job. “They want to make decisions and get going. At the moment, it’s an exciting time. We’ve got good candidates [for coach], a good captain, good players, it’s a great place to be.”Even so, it’s a bold career choice from a man who, by his own admission, had been “cruising” around the world, enjoying the “good life” of a TV commentator – most recently as part of team covering Australia’s first tour of Pakistan in 24 years. However, having previously held a de facto director of cricket role during his playing career at Kent, Key admitted he couldn’t resist the chance to once again make a tangible difference to the game.”Before I went to Pakistan, [Strauss] intimated ‘would you be interested in this kind of job?’ What I said is ‘I could be interested’. Because you’ve got your view on what English cricket should do. Nasser [Hussain], [Mike] Atherton, myself … we’re all stubborn and think we’re right. But when the chance came, I thought, now actually I have some skin in the game. We always used to say on [Sky], we want to find solutions, not just say ‘that’s rubbish, that’s rubbish, that’s good’. So, come on then, what’s the solution to these things? Now I’ve got that chance to see.”There’s not much else I know other than cricket, really,” he said. “It’s what I love, it’s what I talk about all the time. And it’s a chance to make a difference. I hate talking like that, but genuinely, what an opportunity really. English cricket is in a state of flux to say the least. That’s what intrigues me about the job, and what I hope to be able to make a difference on. We’ll find out if it’s good or bad.”That’s the way I worked when it was selecting teams at Kent, or deciding on who the coaches should be. It was always about getting people together and debating and then come up with the best answer, and if you put smart people in a room then you come up with good decisions.”That’s the beauty of what I think I have as well. I have a good network of people that I can ask for their opinion. I’m not now going to go and work for the ECB and just only restrict myself to people in that organisation.”

Manchester United supporters' group The 1958 have slammed INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe's plans to construct a new 100,000-seater stadium.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

The 1958 issue scathing statementStadium said to resemble a circus tentRatcliffe under further fireFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

United unveiled plans for a new 100,000-seater stadium on Tuesday, but some fans immediately reacted with immense disappointment. The stadium appears to resemble a circus tent, with three spires that are said to be inspired by the Red Devils' trident that adorns United's badge.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Now, fan group The 1958 have absolutely slammed Ratcliffe and INEOS' plans, insisting that the design is "soulless" and "corporate", and betrays the club's industrial heritage, while resembling a "circus". As per the plans, Old Trafford is set to be demolished.

WHAT THE 1958 SAID

A statement from The 1958 reads: "Instead of embodying the gritty, historic essence of Old Trafford…the design resembles a generic, soulless corporate structure, more akin to a modern entertainment venue than a football cathedral.

"Its circus-like aesthetic disregards the club’s working-class origins and the identity of a fanbase that spans generations. Rather than honoring the past and strengthening the bond with the local community, it prioritises spectacle over substance.

"Football, dignity and traditions need to be upheld and from what we can see they aren’t. It should be a cathedral for fans to go and worship our team and not a circus like tourist attraction."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT?

On the pitch, United play Real Sociedad on Thursday in the second leg of their Europa League last-16 clash. The tie is finely poised at 1-1.

Celtic return to domestic action at Parkhead this afternoon as they prepare to welcome Ross County to Glasgow in the Scottish Premiership today.

The Hoops had their attention on the Champions League during the week as they played out a 1-1 draw with Belgian side Club Brugge at Paradise on Wednesday night.

A horror own goal from Cameron Carter-Vickers, who passed the ball into the bottom corner of his own net, had put the Pro League giants 1-0 up in the opening 45 minutes.

However, a brilliant second-half strike from Daizen Maeda pulled the Scottish giants level, before neither side were able to secure a winning goal in the game.

Brendan Rodgers will now have to select a side to continue Celtic’s dominance of the Premiership, a league in which his team are three points clear of second place Aberdeen.

One player who should be dropped from the starting XI for this clash with Ross County, after their performance against Club Brugge on Wednesday night, is Kyogo Furuhashi.

Why Kyogo Furuhashi should be dropped

The Japan international was selected ahead of Adam Idah to lead the line from the start in the Champions League match, and failed to justify his place in the side.

Kyogo found it incredibly difficult to get involved in the match, with his lack of physicality, and did not trouble the Club Brugge defenders much in his 76 minutes on the pitch.

He missed the only ‘big chance’ that came his way and, remarkably, did not compete in a single physical duel, on the ground or in the air, with an opposition defender, with his only duel won being a successful dribble.

Minutes

76

14

Touches

10

8

Passes completed

3/5

5/5

Defensive duels won

0/0

1/2

Fouls won

0

1

As you can see in the table above, Idah completed more passes and won more physical duels than Kyogo did, in just 14 minutes on the pitch off the bench.

The Ireland international, who scored two goals off the bench in the last Premiership clash with Hearts, should now be brought into the starting XI for this match against Ross County this afternoon, as the Japanese forward should be dropped down to the bench after his dismal showing on Wednesday.

Kyogo is not the only Celtic star who should be ruthlessly ditched from the line-up today, however, as Rodgers should also drop Greg Taylor from the team after his performance in the Champions League.

Greg Taylor's performance against Club Brugge

The Scotland international was selected ahead of Alex Valle to start at left-back against Club Brugge and let his manager down with a disappointing outing.

Taylor was substituted just before the hour mark after he had struggled in and out of possession at Parkhead in the Champions League clash up to that point.

His use of the ball was underwhelming, at best, with a pass completion rate of 80%, a long pass completion rate of 25%, and zero chances created for his teammates.

Taylor also let himself down with his work off the ball. The former Kilmarnock star lost one of his two duels on the ground and both of his aerial contests, which means that the opposition won 75% of their duels with the Scottish lightweight.

He was dribbled past once and only won one tackle in the match and these statistics do not suggest that the left-footed dud provided Rodgers with a reliable defensive presence down the left side of the pitch.

Minutes

90

Touches

118

Key passes

0

Ground duels won

4/9

Aerial duels won

1/3

Possession lost

26x

As you can see in the table above, Taylor also struggled in and out of possession from the start in the 4-1 win over Hearts last time out in the Premiership.

The 27-year-old defender lost the ball a staggering 26 times without creating a single chance from his 118 touches of the ball, which suggests that he was wasteful in possession.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

His five duels won out of 12 contested also shows that the opposition found it a little too easy to get the better of him, which was also the case for the game against Club Brugge.

The player who should start ahead of Greg Taylor

With Taylor’s poor performances against Hearts and Brugge in mind, Rodgers must ruthlessly ditch the Scotland international, as well as Kyogo, from the starting XI.

That would then open up a place in the line-up for Barcelona loanee Alex Valle to come in and play as part of the back four with Alistair Johnston, Carter-Vickers, and Auston Trusty.

The young Spaniard, who was an unused substitute against Hearts, produced a strong cameo in his 31 minutes off the bench against Club Brugge on Wednesday night.

As you can see in the clip above, it was the 20-year-old dynamo’s ball into the channel that allowed Maeda to brilliantly twist and fire into the far corner.

Alongside his assist, Valle completed 86% of his attempted passes and won three of his five duels, which shows that he offered more creativity in possession and more strength defensively than Taylor did.

Appearances

4

Starts

3

Big chances created

2

Assists

2

Ground duel success rate

60%

As you can see in the table above, the Barcelona youngster has not had many opportunities to shine in the Premiership this season since his temporary switch to Glasgow in the summer transfer window.

When he has had a chance to showcase his qualities, however, Valle has caught the eye with his strength in ground duels and his creativity from a left-back position.

The Spaniard has provided three assists in eight appearances and four starts in the Premiership and the Champions League combined, which suggests that he can come in to offer a creative threat down the left flank for Celtic this afternoon.

Celtic sold "powerful" flop for just £1.4m, now he's on par with Adam Idah

The former Celtic centre-forward has thrived since his move away from Parkhead.

1 ByDan Emery Nov 26, 2024

Rodgers must, now, unleash Valle from the start, to improve his side’s defensive and offensive work, by dropping Taylor to the bench against Ross County.

The 21-year-old was one of three Blues to make half-centuries as NSW went to stumps at 4 for 235 on day three against South Australia, holding a lead of 252

AAP25-Mar-2022First-class debutant Blake Nikitaras has impressed for NSW as they look to end their Sheffield Shield campaign with a win over South Australia on Saturday.The match has become a dead rubber with Western Australia and Victoria now locked in for next week’s Shield final in Perth, but NSW can still take plenty of positives from the match in Adelaide.The Blues went to stumps on day three at Karen Rolton Oval at 4 for 235, holding a lead of 252 after three batsmen made half-centuries.The day was highlighted by Nikitaras, with the 21-year-old making 56 to go with the 44 he posted in his first innings, looking brilliant throughout and belting two huge sixes.He looked set to push for triple figures until a disastrous mix-up with Matthew Gilkes that saw both stranded mid-pitch, with a direct hit from Brendan Doggett running him out.Fresh from 142 in the first innings, skipper Jason Sangha remained in imperious touch and brought up another half-century, eventually caught off Nathan McSweeney for 62.And Gilkes was also in fine form, making his fifth first-class fifty before he fell when McSweeney trapped him lbw for 54. Lachie Hearne could yet be a fourth Blue to raise the bat, 31 not out at stumps. McSweeney (2-71)  was the pick of the SA bowlers.South Australia declared 17 runs behind NSW at 9 for 277 late in Friday’s morning session after NSW dismissed captain Henry Hunt (109) and Harry Nielsen (63) early with tail-ender Liam Scott whacking 30. Chris Tremain (3-51) and Trent Copeland (3-58) were NSW’s best bowlers.

After injury-plagued career, fast bowler’s chance to be involved over-rides any fear of failure

Aadam Patel24-Jan-20221:15

How injury setbacks help Topley perform for England

For Reece Topley, an exceptional return to T20 international cricket demonstrated exactly why England gave the tall left-armer a debut in 2015, aged just 21, and exactly why Eoin Morgan sees Topley as a crucial asset to England’s hopes – not just for this series against West Indies, but also at the T20 World Cup later this year.That he has only represented England 20 times since his debut speaks of a career filled with undoubted talent, yet one that has been damaged by career-threatening injuries. In 2018, Topley was phoned and told that he’d be a part of the England ODI squad against India that summer, only to be told the same day that he would need back surgery.His terrific new-ball spell at Kensington Oval on Sunday evening set England up to level the series in a thriller in Barbados and marked the completion of a remarkable comeback into the England T20 side, almost six years since he last played the shortest format of the game at international level.It was enough to indicate that maybe, there is a new phase ahead for Topley and England. For a man whose journey has required incredible patience, through continuous injuries and a period of depression and falling out of love with the game, Topley insisted that his career trajectory perhaps enabled him to see the game in a different light and not get too carried away with the highs and the lows of sport.”I’ve probably had it slightly differently than other people that play international cricket, in terms of the journey that I’ve had,” Topley said. “I think my perspective is quite unique and last night, I just embraced all the emotion after the game, and all the messages that came through.”Speaking the morning after the second T20I, he added: “I embraced it all, but then I’m very good at parking it. This morning, it’s a new day and it’s all about recovering and focusing on the third T20 [on Wednesday]. I don’t really get too caught up in it. I’m lucky to be playing and I really enjoyed it at the end of the day. Almost having this second opportunity just makes me value it all a lot more.”Related

England climb off the canvas to level series with one-run victory

Death-bowling problems return to take shine off England win

Moeen expects Mahmood to 'learn from' off-night at death

Pooran hails Windies hitting depth after thrilling near-miss

On his first appearance in a T20I since playing for England at the 2016 T20 World Cup, Topley was the pick of the pace bowlers, trapping Brandon King for a duck with a full inswinger, before pulling off a spectacular run-out off his own bowling to remove Shai Hope after a devastating yorker. Ironically, replays showed that had England reviewed, Topley would have had one more in the wickets column.He was denied another scalp when Nicholas Pooran was dropped by Liam Dawson but figures of 1 for 18 in his four overs – including 1 for 10 from three overs in the powerplay – summed up a thoroughly impressive and winning return to the England side.Topley insisted that those experiences throughout those years ravaged by injury helped him to deal with difficult match scenarios, as it allowed him to see things from a different perspective.”Even when I’ve been injured so much, you’d almost bite someone’s hand off to play in a T20 and bowl four overs for 40-something,” he said. “It’s almost like, at least I’m out there. So then those bad days it’s like, it won’t be the last bad day I have. It’s not like I haven’t got this competitive instinct, it’s just that I’m very realistic about things now, and very level-headed.”I think that has boded well for me since coming back and playing, because those pressure scenarios, I just embrace them. I almost feel like it’s normal to be nervous and it’s exciting because it’s a game on the line for your country. Who wouldn’t be nervous? It’s almost like it’s normal, and I accept it. So, I think that’s the perspective that I’m pretty lucky to have stumbled upon really.”Topley pulled off an athletic run-out of Shai Hope•Getty ImagesTopley was a late addition to the England squad at the recent T20 World Cup as a replacement for the injured Tymal Mills and despite not playing in the UAE, he believed that the experience of being back within the T20 setup was invaluable.”I’ve been around the squads so that made it pretty easy for me to fit back into things,” Topley said. “I’ve been around the guys and training pretty well, so it was just more of the same, taking it out into the middle and a credit to everyone for helping with such a seamless transition. The white-ball squads are pretty similar in ODIs and T20s so being around that for the last few years has definitely helped.”After the World Cup, Topley joined the Melbourne Renegades – a team and a city close to his heart – after spending two summers in Melbourne during his prolonged rehabilitation from injury. It was where he rediscovered his love for the game.Making his debut at the Big Bash was a decision also made with the intention of getting himself back within England’s first-choice squad ahead of next winter’s World Cup in Australia. Topley impressed taking nine wickets in seven matches, including 3 for 27 in the local derby against the Melbourne Stars.On the pace-friendly wickets down under, England will certainly need quality options and given their recent problems with death bowling in the format, his display in Barbados stood out from the rest. While Chris Jordan went for 23 runs in the 18th and Saqib Mahmood went for 28 runs in the last, Topley followed up his wicket-taking new-ball spell with a penultimate over that was executed brilliantly, going for just eight.”As a bowler, my currency is wickets,” Topley said. “If you ask me I’d say that I can take wickets at any stage and in any format at the end of the day. It’s what I get up in the morning for – to try and get batsmen out essentially. It’s why I fell in love with cricket.”If Topley can carry on doing what he loves and closing games at the death, then there is every chance that he will be an integral part of England’s ambitions of holding both the 50-over and the 20-over World Cups simultaneously, when they head to Australia in October.

Anderson Talisca seemingly fired shots at Cristiano Ronaldo as he claimed fans are "afraid to say where the mistake is" at Al-Nassr.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Al-Nassr form has been patchyRonaldo failed to score in loss to Al-ArobahTalisca took aim at the club on social mediaFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Talisca had been a key figure at Al-Nassr since joining in 2021 but was unceremoniously shown the door when the club decided to make room for Jhon Duran, securing the Colombian forward from Aston Villa for a record-breaking £64 million in January – the highest transfer fee ever spent in the Saudi Pro League. The new recruit made a strong impact, netting four goals in his first three matches. But his early form has not been enough to prevent Al-Nassr from slipping in the title race, as the team suffered two losses in their last three league outings.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

With Al-Nassr now nine points adrift of league leaders Al-Ittihad, tensions have been running high among supporters. Following the team’s 2-1 loss to Al-Orobah on Friday, a fan page on X (formerly Twitter) criticised Duran, questioning whether he was the right fit for the squad.

WHAT TALISCA SAID

Talisca, who now plays for Fenerbahce in Turkey, swiftly jumped to the Colombian’s defence, responding: "He is a great player and will do a lot for this club. The problem is that you always want to find someone to blame for the defeats, but you don’t see where the real mistake lies. Stop acting like this all the time. You know where the mistake is, you're just afraid to say it, lol.”

In a follow-up post, Talisca added: “And on top of that, you want to do to Duran what they did to me, to benefit others.”

His cryptic remarks quickly fuelled speculation among fans, with many interpreting them as a subtle jab at Ronaldo.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

DID YOU KNOW?

Since arriving in Saudi Arabia, Ronaldo has been the focal point of Al-Nassr’s attack, but his form has dipped in recent matches. The Portuguese star failed to find the net in the team’s Saudi Pro League loss to Al-Orobah and was rested in the recent AFC Champions League clash against Esteghlal, a match that ended in a disappointing 0-0 draw. With Al-Nassr struggling for consistency, questions are being raised about whether the team’s over-reliance on Ronaldo is hindering their overall performance.

Talisca’s remarks seem to suggest that rather than blaming new signings like Duran, fans should be looking elsewhere for the true cause of Al-Nassr’s struggles. Though he did not explicitly mention Ronaldo, the timing of his comments combined with the Portuguese forward’s recent goal drought – has led many to draw their own conclusions.

Since Todd Boehly and Clearlake took over Chelsea, the Blues have signed a pile of wingers in an attempt to freshen up their wide options in attack. Chelsea fans have been blessed in the past with Eden Hazard, Willian, Pedro, Arjen Robben and Joe Cole, all players that could swing the game in their favour with a moment of magic.

Raheem Sterling, Mykhailo Mudryk, Noni Madueke and Jadon Sancho have all been signed in the past two seasons, for a combined €221.20m (£184.4m), according to Transfermarkt, which will rise to over £200m when Sancho’s loan becomes a permanent next summer, for around £20m.

Name

Fee (£)

Raheem Sterling

£46.8m

Mykhailo Mudryk

£58.3m

Noni Madueke

£29.1m

Pedro Neto

£50m

Jadon Sancho

Loan

Angelo

£12.5m

Diego Moreira

£0

But perhaps the best of the bunch is Pedro Neto, who signed from Wolverhampton Wanderers this summer and has started brightly at Stamford Bridge.

Pedro Neto's record at Chelsea

Neto has already made 15 appearances since joining the Blues this summer, scoring three goals, providing three assists, and totalling 817 minutes played for the club so far.

The 24-year-old Portugal international has played on both the left and right wing for Enzo Maresca already this season and suits the Italian’s system extremely well, who likes to get his wingers 1v1 in high and wide areas, as a key focus for chance creation.

Neto’s ability as a two-way winger, to cut inside and let fly (as we saw against Arsenal last weekend), dink a clever inswinging cross into the box, but also that ability to beat his man for pace and go to the byline, makes the former Wolves man a nightmare for defenders.

But Chelsea seem to be in the market for a new striker and could be entering the race for a “monster” as dubbed by Ben Mattinson, who could really take Neto to the next level, and allow him to unlock his best skillsets.

Chelsea's search for a striker

According to reports from Spain, Chelsea look like the latest name to enter the race for Sporting CP striker, Viktor Gyokeres. Reports from the Daily Star state Gyokeres has a release clause of around €100m (£83m), but offers could be accepted for close to €80m (£67m).

Other big clubs reportedly interested include Manchester United and Arsenal. The Red Devils could prove to be an appealing project for the Sweden international, with his Sporting boss, Ruben Amorim, making the move to United recently.

Gyokeres has made 68 appearances since joining Sporting from Coventry in 2023, scoring 66 goals, providing 19 assists, and totalling 5,695 minutes played. If Chelsea are able to snatch the 26-year-old talisman, it could make for a great pairing with Neto, allowing both players to thrive.

Neto & Gyokeres combination

The prolific Sporting striker stands at 6 foot 1, has a stocky build, and uses his body well to win duels and protect the ball in the box. This level of box dominance is something the Chelsea squad lack, meaning the likes of Neto are unable to use their crossing qualities as often as they may like.

Chelsea’s current striking options are Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku, both of whom offer some excellent traits, but not the box occupancy and aerial dominance that Chelsea need in the squad, in order to get the best from Neto.

Jackson has made 12 appearances this season, scoring six goals and providing three assists in 901 minutes played. Nkunku has made 17 appearances in all competitions, scoring ten goals already, providing one assist, and totalling 688 minutes played.

Stats (per 90 mins)

Neto

Gyokeres

Jackson

Goals

0.29

1.34

0.63

Assists

0.19

0.27

0.31

Progressive Carries

5.64

4.39

1.98

Progressive Passes

1.28

1.69

1.56

Shots Total

2.04

4.22

2.60

Key Passes

2.56

2.03

1.25

Crosses into Pen Area

1.28

0.00

0.00

Passes into Pen Area

1.54

1.01

0.21

Pen Area Touches

4.10

9.46

4.79

Aerial Duels Won

0.51

0.74

0.52

Aerial Duels Won %

28.6%

44.0%

23.8%

You can instantly see the creative numbers Neto brings to the table, making 1.28 crosses into the penalty area per 90, 1.54 passes into the penalty area, and 2.56 key passes per 90. This mixed with the box occupancy of Gyokeres (shown by his whopping 9.46 penalty area touches per 90) would get the best of both players.

Jackson, in comparison, has only managed 4.79 penalty area touches per 90 this season, and has only won 23.8% of his aerial duels per 90 so far this season, showing the need for a more powerful striker alongside him in the squad. Whilst the 23-year-old Senegal international offers a lot for the Blues, Gyokeres would bring a more powerful body type needed upfront.

One man who could suffer from a knock-on effect of this deal would be Madueke, who has started the season in relatively good form under his new boss.

How Madueke could be affected by Gyokeres signing

Madueke could find himself sidelined if Chelsea acquire a box-dominant striker, as Neto could be moved over to the right wing in order to unleash the full utility of his creative toolkit.

The 22-year-old English winger has made 13 appearances so far this season for Maresca’s side, scoring five goals in his 890 minutes played. He has been an important part of the Italians’ system, being a direct 1v1 winger, who looks to beat his man, but also works hard defensively and uses that athleticism to get up and down the pitch.

As good as Madueke has been, one thing he is often criticised for, is his final ball, and the quality of his crosses when he creates opportunities to put the ball in the box, having averaged just 0.21 crosses into the penalty area per 90, across the last 365 days.

Transfer Focus

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

By putting Neto on the right instead, it would allow the Portuguese winger the ability to go both ways, cutting inside on his stronger left foot to put inswingers and clever passes into the box, and keep defenders guessing by beating them for speed down the outside.

That would certainly be a recipe for success with Gyokeres involved, even if it means handing Madueke a reduced role.

104 touches: 8/10 Chelsea ace was just as good as Madueke for his country

Chelsea stars shine on international break, one ace putting in an 8/10 performance

ByConnor Holden Nov 15, 2024

Newcastle United have got some fault lines running through their squad, but Eddie Howe has crafted something special and recent results have showcased that fact wonderfully, with Chelsea and Arsenal both defeated of late across two competitions.

Now, the climb. Newcastle’s hard-fought victory over the Gunners in the Premier League last weekend came down to willpower and sharp tactical understanding, perfect assimilation and implementation of Howe’s philosophy.

But the Magpies are still 11th in the standings, having failed to win any of their previous five top-flight contests before that one. There is much work to be done if Newcastle – backed by the Saudi PIF – are to cement their place at the front of the pack over the coming years.

Plans are being drawn up regarding where to improve, with one addition being looked at who could be perfect for Alexander Isak.

Alexander Isak is finding his feet

Isak is scoring once again, coming up trumps and leaving the Toon faithful cavorting after crucial goals against two of London’s finest outfits. He was always going to find his feet, and now Howe’s side can kick on and make headway in the Premier League.

Newcastle signed Real Sociedad’s talented striker in a deal worth £63m, a club record, in 2022, but he suffered an injury-hit debut year that provided him with only 17 starts in the top flight, albeit posting a respectable ten-goal haul.

Last term, however, Isak came alive. Featuring 40 times across all competitions, he scored 25 goals and put in performances that led pundit Harry Redknapp to declare last year: “I’m not sure if there’s a better player in the country right now.”

There was some noise around the 25-year-old’s future at St. James’ Park across the summer months, but he is still plying his trade under Howe’s wing and there are tentative hopes that he will pen a new contract.

Goals in recent matches have spoken once more of the player’s irreplaceable quality in black and white, with his slow start to the campaign swiftly shaped into something bearing a respectable return of four goals and an assist across ten matches in all competitions.

Moreover, he’s hardly just a target man. As per FBref, Isak ranks among the top 18% of strikers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 8% for progressive carries and the top 16% for successful take-ons per 90. Such metrics emphasise his dynamic and athletic style of play.

Signing a player like Jarrod Bowen really would complete Newcastle’s frontline, not only balancing the left flank, where Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes reside, with a player of high-class quality but finally completing the fluency that could see Isak reach monstrous new heights.

Bowen can be that signing.

Newcastle transfer news

As per TEAMtalk, Newcastle remain hot on the trail of the West Ham United captain, having been keeping tabs on the 27-year-old for a while.

The report suggests that the Magpies could make a blockbuster move and are ‘considering a bid’ for the former Hull City man.

West Ham are toiling under Julen Lopetegui and Bowen has not yet hit his stride, though the winger is proven in the Premier League and was the focal point of David Moyes’ illustrious tenure in east London.

Transfer Focus

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

Getting this one over the line won’t be easy. West Ham value Bowen at £100m – as per previous reports from the summer – and given that he signed a long-term contract last year, it is likely that it will take a ‘huge bid’ from PIF and co for the Hammers to even entertain a sale.

That would ensure it would likely prove a record move for those at St James’, surpassing the £63m that was spent on that man Isak back in 2022.

Bowen really would be the perfect signing for Newcastle in 2025, not least because he might blend with the club’s number nine, and restore Newcastle’s attack to its maximum level.

Imagine Jarrod Bowen & Isak

Miguel Almiron has played for Newcastle for a long time, and Jacob Murphy is certainly an underrated option within Howe’s squad, but neither carries that potent threat that the Hammers skipper would bring to the table.

Bowen’s West Ham career is a thing to behold. The east Londoners signed Hull City’s prized forward in January 2020 for a fee totalling £22m, and he has since gone on to score 64 goals and supply 41 assists across 214 appearances, instrumental in winning the Conference League and thriving across multiple continental campaigns.

Last year, despite Moyes’ system malfunctioning,

1.

Jarrod Bowen

44

20

2.

Mohammed Kudus

45

14

3.

Tomas Soucek

52

10

4.

Lucas Paqueta

53

8

5.

Michail Antonio

32

7

6.

James Ward-Prowse

51

7

His dual-wielded positional value has even seen him be gushed over by opponents, with Brentford manager Thomas Frank describing the England star as “unplayable” after he thumped a hat-trick past the Bees in the Premier League last year.

Could it be that Bowen would bring to Newcastle the kind of goalscoring quality that would unburden Isak with the weight of his responsibility? The Sweden international is a brilliant player, but Gordon aside, there is a distinct lack of prolificness.

Barnes is a terrific goalscorer, but he too is best on the left flank. Bowen, a right winger, would obviously earn regular match action for Howe’s side and has the requisite experience in Europe to actually make all the difference across the coming years.

Who knows, he might even convince Isak to stay on, for a frontline consisting of Gordon, Isak and he would surely hold the properties required to have a significant impact on the narrative at the top of the table and across cup competitions, year in, year out.

With a sharp playmaking edge too, creating 16 big chances in the Premier League since the start of last season, Bowen really could be the perfect partner for a machine-like centre-forward in Isak.

Shearer 2.0: Newcastle may have their biggest teen star since Miley

Newcastle could unleash a young striker who’s outscoring Isak this season

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 6, 2024