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Tottenham Hotspur head coach Thomas Frank should be using the international break to come up with a new approach to matches after a difficult run of form across all competitions.

The Lilywhites have won one of their last four matches and only two of their last seven games in all competitions, the latest of which was a 2-2 draw with Manchester City in the Premier League.

Tottenham are fifth in the Premier League, with five wins and just three losses in 11 matches, which is a respectable position to be in at this point in the season under a new head coach.

However, the underlying data behind their results suggests that they may slide down the table as the campaign progresses unless they are able to improve their performances.

25/26 Premier League

Spurs

League rank

Shots on target

38

14th

Non-penalty xG

11.0

15th

xG

11.0

15th

xGA

15.2

14th

xGD

-4.2

17th

xGD per 90

-0.38

17th

Stats via FBref

As you can see in the table above, Spurs are consistently allowing the opposition to create more high-quality chances than they create for themselves, which is not a good combination.

Frank needs to find a way to add more creativity to his squad, which is why Brennan Johnson may not have much of a long-term future as a starter in North London.

Why Spurs need to move on from Brennan Johnson

Tottenham have already had value for money from the £47.5m that they paid Nottingham Forest to sign the winger in 2023, because he scored the winning goal in the Europa League final last season. That goal, alone, made the deal to bring him to the club worth it.

The Wales international has scored 27 goals in all competitions for Spurs since his move from the Tricky Trees, per Sofascore, which shows that he has offered a fairly reliable threat as a goalscorer.

However, his all-round play as a winger has left a lot to be desired and he may need to be removed from the starting line-up, or the squad in general, in order to build a team that provides more creativity week-in-week-out.

24/25 PL

Johnson (per 90)

Rank vs wingers

xAG

0.10

Bottom 18%

Assists

0.12

Bottom 37%

Progressive passes

2.94

Bottom 39%

Progressive carries

2.84

Bottom 33%

Successful take-ons

0.79

Bottom 22%

Passes into the final third

1.03

Bottom 20%

Key passes

0.79

Bottom 9%

Stats via FBref

As you can see in the table above, Johnson ranked among the worst wingers in the Premier League last season when it came to creating chances and progressing play with the ball at his feet.

This season, meanwhile, the Welshman has 0.25 xA and has averaged 0.4 key passes per game across 11 appearances in the top-flight, per Sofascore, which shows that he has not improved on last season’s struggles.

Spurs eyeing move to sign LaLiga winger

Now, the Europa League champions are reportedly looking at a move for a new signing who could leave Johnson on borrowed time if he arrives in North London.

Transfer Focus

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

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According to Football Insider, Tottenham Hotspur are ‘eager’ to seal a deal to sign Real Sociedad winger Takefusa Kubo when the January transfer window opens for business.

The report claims that the Lilywhites want to add a centre-forward and a wide player to their squad to bolster their options in the final third ahead of the second half of the season, with the Japan international lined up for the latter role.

It adds that Kubo has a £52m release clause in his contract with the Spanish side, which would allow Spurs to activate that and skip negotiations over a transfer fee in January.

Football Insider also reveals that their interest in the Japanese star comes amid Everton’s desire to keep hold of their other wide target Iliman N’Diaye, as the Toffees have no intention of letting the Senegal international depart in the next transfer window.

Why Spurs should sign Takefusa Kubo

Spurs should sign the 24-year-old attacker in the January transfer window because his arrival at the club could leave Brennan Johnson on borrowed time.

The former Barcelona and Real Madrid youngster was once dubbed the ‘Japanese Messi’ by ESPN, possibly as he is another diminutive left-footed right winger who excels as a dribbler and a creator in LaLiga.

Dribbling and creating chances, as aforementioned, are two things that Johnson has struggled badly with since the start of last season in the Premier League, which is why Spurs need to find an upgrade on him.

You could look at Kubo’s statistics and question whether or not he is very creative, because he only has four assists for Real Sociedad in all competitions since the start of last season.

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However, the Messi-esque winger’s underlying numbers for the Spanish side over the past year suggest that his lack of assists is down to poor finishing from his teammates.

Last 365 days in Men’s Top 5 Leagues & European competitions

Stats

Kubo (per 90)

Rank vs midfielders

xAG

0.17

Top 10%

Assists

0.07

Bottom 45%

Progressive passes

3.66

Bottom 22%

Progressive carries

4.60

Top 1%

Successful take-ons

2.58

Top 1%

Touches in attacking penalty area

4.81

Top 1%

Key passes

1.78

Top 10%

Passes into the penalty area

1.43

Top 9%

Stats via FBref

As you can see in the table above, Kubo ranks highly in a host of creative and dribbling metrics in the last 365 days, certainly living up to the billing that legendary Barcelona figure Xavi gave him of being “world-class.”

The Japan international created a whopping nine ‘big chances’ in LaLiga last season, for example, but was not rewarded with a single assist for his efforts in the final third, per Sofascore.

Kubo is doing all the right things by consistently taking his team up the pitch and creating high-quality chances, and the assists could follow if he comes to Spurs to play with the likes of Richarlison and Mathys Tel, which would then leave Johnson on borrowed time.

With Mohammed Kudus and Wilson Odobert already at the club, the signing of the Real Sociedad winger could mean that the Wales international finds game time hard to come by, due to his struggles in possession, which appear to be holding Spurs back as an attacking force.

Related Frank must sell £55k-per-week Spurs flop who was looking "like Dembele"

Tottenham Hotspur must now look to offload one player who has failed to deliver in North London.

Posts ByEthan Lamb

That could make Johnson consider his long-term future in North London if a move to sign Kubo leaves him limited to a role off the bench most weeks.

Arsenal were felled by West Ham United in the Premier League, with Mikel Arteta staring into the abyss as his tattered title charge hit another hitch that might just prove too much to overcome.

With first-place Liverpool dropping points in recent matches – ahead of meeting Manchester City this weekend – this was the perfect chance for the Gunners to springboard into the business stretch.

But Jarrod Bowen scored before the break and the anxiety was palpable. Arsenal simply don’t have the firepower right now, with their injury problems limiting them and consigning them to a first home defeat of the season in the league.

Arsenal lack bite – again

With basically the entirety of Arteta’s first-choice forward line sidelined through injury, Arteta has been forced into thinking outside the box over the past few games, with Mikel Merino deployed as a stopgap striker.

The 6 foot 2 midfielder was marshalled, with flankers Leandro Trossard and Ethan Nwaneri failing to inspire too.

In fact, left-back Riccardo Calafiori was the only host player to hit the target in the first half, underlining the issues that Arteta is currently dealing with from an attacking standpoint.

However, with the frontline so stripped of firepower, it was the perfect chance for Martin Odegaard, skipper, to step up. Unfortunately, he put in another uninspiring performance, with the nature of his current situation not all that different to that of Granit Xhaka before his resurgence.

Arsenal's new version of Granit Xhaka

Arsenal emerged after the break knowing that they needed to respond after going a goal behind. However, they failed to muster the fluency nor incisiveness to turn the tide against a resilient Irons backline.

Martin Odegaard vs West Ham

Match Stats

#

Minutes played

90′

Goals

0

Assists

0

Shots (on target)

3 (0)

Touches

89

Accurate passes

60/70 (86%)

Key passes

4

Possession lost

20x

Dribbles

0/1

Tackles + interceptions

0

Clearances

0

Ground duels

2/6

Dribbled past

1x

Stats via Sofascore

It put Odegaard under a glaring spotlight once again, with football.london’s Tom Canton raising the question, as fans have before, that the Norwegian midfielder had failed to do enough given that he donned the captain’s armband.

Branding him with a 4/10 match rating, the Arsenal correspondent wrote: ‘In these moments, this is where you need your captain to step up and sadly the Norwegian simply didn’t. Passing short a free-kick, the boos rang out in frustration of the lack of direct play.’

The boos made a sombre chorus at full-time, with Odegaard’s struggle issuing a flashback to the Xhaka’s days of struggle with the armband.

The Swiss midfielder completed a stunning turnaround after almost leaving north London after being jeered off the pitch by his own supporters during a match with Crystal Palace.

The circumstances around Odegaard are less acrimonious, but he’s still come under heavy flak, with content creator Rimedi singling out the 25-year-old’s passing on the day, saying that it was “not at the level” against West Ham.

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However, it does reinforce the observation that Odegaard isn’t pulling enough weight, especially with Bukayo Saka and co still out injured. This was an opportunity for him to step up and prove his worth – and on this occasion, he failed.

Xhaka, of course, resurrected his Emirates career before bowing out in 2023, with 297 appearances and two FA Cups in the cabinet.

Odegaard is still an elite-level player, but he needs to do more, and hopefully follow in the positive light that Xhaka left in.

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Posts 1 ByJack Salveson Holmes

There is plenty of doom and gloom to go around at West Ham United at the moment.

Understandably so, though, as Nuno Espírito Santo’s side were diabolically poor at home to Brentford on Monday night and are currently 19th in the Premier League.

However, all hope is not yet lost, as it is still early in the season, and while the performances have been poor, there are still some talented players in this squad, such as Jarrod Bowen and the exciting Crysencio Summerville.

Yet, to get the most out of the team and the Flying Dutchman, Nuno needs to make some quick changes.

Changes Nuno needs to make

Unfortunately, there is quite a lot that needs to be done to make West Ham a seriously dangerous team again, but there are a few ways in which Nuno could stop the rot.

Chalkboard

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

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One of the big ones is to reintroduce some pace and power back into the midfield, as it was practically non-existent against Brentford.

The best way to do this would be to bring Soungoutou Magassa back into the starting lineup, as while he is still quite raw, he is, in the words of respected analyst Ben Mattinson, blessed with “pure athleticism.”

Moreover, he’d be able to better cover the backline, as, according to FBref, he ranks in the top 2% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for blocks, the top 3% for tackles plus interceptions and the top 4% for recoveries, all per 90.

Another seemingly obvious action the manager could take for the Leeds game is to play Callum Wilson up top.

Yes, the former Newcastle United star is not the player he once was, nor a long-term solution, but he is an out-and-out number nine who would add a real focal point to the team.

Furthermore, he has already scored a goal for the club this season, and Lucas Paqueta looked utterly lost in the game on Monday.

With all that said, there is another change Nuno should be making for the game on Friday, one that could help get even more out of the dynamic Summerville.

The West Ham star who could supercharge Summerville

While the change up top and in the midfield should help Summerville in the game against his former side, unleashing El Hadji Malick Diouf at left-back would be far more consequential.

The former Slavia Prague gem was on the bench for the game against Brentford, and while the defensive side of his game certainly needs some work, the team missed his attacking qualities.

These qualities were last on show in the draw away to Everton, when he was hurtling up and down the touchline, sometimes beating his opposite number and often firing in brilliant crosses into the penalty area.

In fact, while he didn’t pick up an assist on Merseyside, it was a ball from him that led to Bowen’s equalising strike.

Fortunately, the 20-year-old monster is already doing rather well on the assists front this season, already providing three in eight league appearances, which lends some credence to Sky Sports’ Joe Thomlinson’s claim that he has been “one of the finds of the season.”

With that said, why would he be able to get more out of Summerville, then?

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Well, one of the most important ways would be through the space he’d create.

For example, because he possesses such “explosive acceleration,” according to one analyst, opposition defenders wouldn’t be able to leave him alone and could end up being dragged all over the pitch.

Moreover, should the Dutchman run into the penalty area, he can rely on the Senegalese international to find him with a pinpoint accurate cross.

Ultimately, bringing Diouf back into the team would improve West Ham’s overall attack, but it could have an even greater impact on Summerville.

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The east Londoners need reinforcements.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini

Liverpool spent big back in 2018 on Virgil van Dijk and Alisson, with the pair helping transform the Reds into Premier League winners once again.

More recently, those at Anfield have splashed the cash on Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz, with the latter becoming Liverpool’s all-time record signing. However, over the years, the Reds have also missed out on bringing some iconic names to Anfield.

Related Sir Alex Ferguson named Liverpool star as the best player in England and as good as Keane

This could settle the debate once and for all…

Posts 3 ByBen Goodwin 10 superstars Liverpool almost signed 10 Cristiano Ronaldo

Starting off with arguably the biggest missed deal in Cristiano Ronaldo back in 2003. Liverpool thought they had their man for just £4m when the forward was at Sporting CP.

Former Reds assistant Phil Thompson recalled the story of Ronaldo’s failed move to Merseyside, with Manchester United hijacking a deal.

9 Jude Bellingham

Liverpool were close to signing Jude Bellingham when he was at Borussia Dortmund back in 2023, however, the Reds would pull out of a big-money deal.

Former Reds stars Jordan Henderson and Trent Alexander-Arnold were even looking to lure Bellingham while they were with England, but instead, the midfielder chose Real Madrid.

8 Dani Alves

One of the best right-backs the game has ever seen, Dani Alves came close to a Liverpool transfer in 2006.

Rafael Benitez and the Reds struck an £8m agreement to sign the Brazilian but instead opted to use the funds on Dirk Kuyt. Alves would go on to sign for Barcelona two years later.

7 Dele Alli

Before signing for Tottenham in 2015 from MK Dons, Dele Alli had interest from Liverpool, and being a Reds supporter growing up, was keen on a move to Anfield.

Brendan Rodgers was in charge at the time and once admitted a deal was close, but Spurs ended up paying £5m for Alli.

Dele Alli’s record vs Liverpool

Games

13

Wins

1

Draws

5

Losses

7

Goals

1

6 Diego Maradona

In 1980, Diego Maradona was an unknown teenager coming impressing at Argentinos Juniors and could have signed for Liverpool.

Bob Paisley was in charge at Liverpool and was offered the chance to sign Maradona, however, he was hesitant about the off-field antics of the Argentine and opted against a transfer.

5 Gareth Bale

Gareth Bale began his career as a left-back at Southampton, and Liverpool were after a new one in 2007.

The Welshman was wanted by Liverpool and Benitez, however, a fee failed to be agreed and Bale would join Tottenham. The Reds ended up with Argentine Emiliano Insua.

4 Nemanja Vidic

One of the best centre-backs the Premier League has seen, Nemanja Vidic was actually wanted by Liverpool before his move to Man Utd in 2006.

Vidic would spend eight years at Old Trafford, winning five top flight titles, but Benitez spoke to the Serbian about a move to Anfield.

3 David Silva

After winning the World Cup with Spain in 2010, David Silva was a man in demand and would leave Valencia for Manchester City.

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However, Liverpool were also in the race and came close to landing the attacking midfielder. Instead, they would have to face his magic for City over the next 10 years.

2 Michael Laudrup

A teenager in 1983, Michael Laudrup grew up a Liverpool supporter and could have joined the Reds when he was at Brondby.

The length of a contract was the key sticking point regarding Laudrup’s move to Anfield, and he ended up joining Serie A side Lazio.

1 Alexis Sanchez

After Luis Suarez’s move to Barcelona in 2014, Liverpool were on the search for a new marquee attacking signing and attempted to sign Alexis Sanchez.

The Chilean star was at the Nou Camp but would leave that summer, but instead of heading to Merseyside, Sanchez would sign for Arsenal.

Manchester United have endured a dismal time on the pitch as of late, as seen by their unacceptable 15th-place finish in the Premier League back in 2024/25.

The hierarchy’s answer to such a year was to splash yet more cash in the transfer window, with Ruben Amorim handed over £200m to make the additions he desired.

The recent window has now seen the Red Devils hierarchy spend upwards of £800m since the summer of 2022, with the club only having an FA Cup and Carabao Cup to show for it.

After the first six games of the new campaign, the club have once again failed to deliver, currently sitting in a measly 15th place once again – with Amorim’s side losing nine of their last 15 league matches.

Big money additions like Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko have all been added to the squad, but the £200m trio have so far only notched two top-flight goals between them.

Big-money additions don’t necessarily equal immediate success, but one of their previous mammoth additions has proven his worth over the last few years.

Why Bruno has been United’s talisman in recent years

Given the failures of United on the pitch last season, it no doubt made it hugely tricky for any player to produce their best performance levels to help get the side out of trouble.

However, it didn’t stop Bruno Fernandes from thriving for the Red Devils, with the midfielder producing one of the best campaigns of his professional career.

The Portuguese international ended 2024/25 with a total of 37 combined goals and assists, by far and away the most of any player in the first-team squad.

However, despite his impressive form last year, the 30-year-old has struggled to match such heights in the opening weeks of the new campaign – only being able to score twice in his first six outings.

He’s usually been Mr Reliable from the penalty spot during his five-year spell at Old Trafford, but he’s already racked up two misses from the spot – with the most recent costing Amorim’s side a point against Brentford.

Bruno, who’s the manager’s captain of choice, is still a phenomenal talent, but it’s clear that he’s lacking huge amounts of confidence at present – along with the rest of the first team squad.

However, the same can’t be said for one former player, who has managed to take his career to the next level after departing the Red Devils a number of years ago.

The former United star who’s outperforming Bruno

Players leaving United and furthering their careers is nothing new to the fanbase, with numerous talents reaching the next level in their development after departing.

Anthony Elanga is arguably the biggest example in recent years, leaving in a £15m transfer to join Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2023 after emerging through the ranks at Old Trafford.

The Swede managed 82 appearances at the City Ground, scoring 11 and registering 21 assists – before completing a big-money move to join Newcastle United this summer.

He cost a fee in the region of £60m, with the Red Devils selling him for a quarter of the price he generated for Evangelos Marinakis’ side during the off-season.

However, he’s not alone in such an aspect, with Brazilian star Andreas Pereira another talent who has managed to thrive with regular minutes away from the Theatre of Dreams.

He spent nearly a decade as a Red Devil, racking up 75 senior appearances in the process, but many of which were off the substitutes bench – leading to limited first-team action.

As a result, he left in a £10m deal to join Fulham in the summer of 2022, spending three years at Craven Cottage and finally thriving in England’s top-flight.

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The 29-year-old racked up 10 goals and 19 assists in his 110 outings for Marco Silva’s men, leading to one analyst labelling the Brazilian international as “sensational”.

However, Pereira has once again been on the move this summer, leaving the Cottagers and joining Brazilian outfit Palmeiras – allowing him to return to his homeland.

He may have only played four games for his new club, but it has not stopped him from having an immediate impact – already scoring twice and registering a further assist.

Andreas Pereira – stats for Palmeiras (25/26)

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

4

Goals & assists

3

Chances created

2.8

Cross accuracy

80%

Aerials won

1.2

Interceptions made

1.3

Recoveries made

4.8

Shots taken

1.4

Stats via FotMob

Such a tally of three goal contributions is higher than that of Fernandes, with the Portuguese international missing the chance to outperform him with his two penalty misses.

Given the issues United have had in the middle of the park over recent months, there’s no reason as to why Pereira wouldn’t have been able to play a key role had he not been sold.

However, his story at the Red Devils will always finish with a what if, given his bargain departure a few years ago – with the Brazilian yet another player who got away from their grasp far too soon.

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Posts 1 ByJoe Nuttall

All is not well at Manchester United, with Saturday afternoon’s defeat at the Gtech against Brentford keeping Ruben Amorim on nine lowly Premier League wins across 33 matches in the competition.

It’s not good enough, and the ice has worn thin indeed. For INEOS to sack their prized appointment would be an ignominious thing, a real loss of face, but we are approaching the latest critical juncture, and it’s a big one.

Amorim’s candid nature and self-criticism have been both refreshing and blunt, too blunt, across the span of his tenure, but he is capable of picking apart the faults within his Red Devils project. The question is, how much longer can this continue?

Man United host high-flying Sunderland this weekend. The newly-promoted outfit simply have to be put to the sword, else Amorim will join a long list of post-Fergie managers whose tenures became untenable, and they were dismissed.

Already, rumours have cranked up, with the recently sacked West Ham United manager Graham Potter emerging as a candidate. That said, he’s not the only one on their radar.

Man Utd considering recently sacked manager

Potter lasted less than a year in the West Ham hot seat. The Londoners have been in disarray since they parted with David Moyes after the 2023/24 campaign, but there’s no denying the English tactician left plenty to be desired.

Clashes with first-team Irons, including a scepticism over captain Jarrod Bowen’s ability to lead the team, made the 50-year-old’s prospects of turning things around difficult.

Potter is, however, an experienced Premier League manager, something Amorim is not. Described as “a genius” by journalist Sam Morton, the former Brighton & Hove Albion and Chelsea boss is known for his intricate passing patterns and build-up play, but this didn’t materialise in the desired shape at the London Stadium.

Graham Potter in England

Club

Matches

PPM

West Ham

24 (01/25 – 09/25)

0.92

Chelsea

31 (09/22 – 04/23)

1.42

Brighton

134 (05/19 – 09/22)

1.28

Swansea

51 (07/18 – 05/19)

1.45

Data via Transfermarkt

Potter would hope, however, that an ostensibly higher level of technical skill would do the trick at Old Trafford, but there are bound to be reservations over a manager who has failed to hit the mark with each of his past two outfits in the top flight.

Spanish sources suggest INEOS and Jason Wilcox are mulling over making their move if Amorim is sacked, and while it would be a contentious appointment, there’s an even more concerning alternative who has been added to the shortlist.

Man Utd's Potter alternative could be worse than Amorim

Even the most ardent defenders of Amorim’s tactics and expertise as an elite coach would concede that it has been a tumultuous relationship.

And now, the Portuguese boss is running out of time, surely just one or perhaps two bad results away from dismissal, should form not change.

And if push comes to shove, it’s not just Potter on Man United’s radar, with talkSPORT revealing that a three-man shortlist has been compiled, and former Three Lions manager Sir Gareth Southgate is in the running.

It’s actually understood that the Premier League side have been in direct contact with the 55-year-old in recent weeks, even with the hierarchy hesitant to bite the bullet and sack Amorim.

Southgate transformed the feeling around the England Men’s team across his eight-year stint, reaching a World Cup semi-final and falling short in successive Euro finals. Across 102 matches in charge, he achieved an average of 2.08 points per game.

However, there have long been questions over Southgate’s command of the technical side of managing, with former French World Cup winner Emmanuel Petit even labelling the one-time right-back as “boring”.

Given that Man United are engulfed in Groundhog Day, walking in the same old familiar territory in the early phase of a season that saw Erik ten Hag dismissed last year (bearing an identical Premier League record after six matches), there can be no more mistakes.

At the 2024 European Championship, England showed off their mentality by reaching the final against the odds, but they flattered to deceive on the tactical front, with critics even struggling to understand what Southgate’s plan was.

This sounds an alarming echo to Amorim’s own situation at Manchester United, and given that Southgate, who parted ways with Middlesbrough in 2009, has been outside of club management for so long, there is very little to suggest that he would turn the ship around and keep it afloat against the club’s big-hitting rivals in the Premier League.

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Typically fielding a more conventional 4-3-3 formation than Amorim’s controversial set-up, Southgate would at least provide some semblance of typicality on that front, and that might do the players good. But would it be enough for it to be a successful appointment, and that after having spent £12m to relieve Amorim of his duties?

Southgate has his perks, for sure. He knows the English game like the back of his thumb, and his man-management skills and ability to cultivate a positive working environment are two facets that would potentially smooth out big wrinkles in the United fabric.

But we cannot ignore the concerns over the depth of his tactical understanding, nor can Southgate’s near two-decade absence from Premier League management be overlooked.

If Sir Jim Ratcliffe and co do decide to part ways with Amorim in the coming weeks or months, it is imperative that they welcome the right successor to the Theatre of Dreams.

The likelihood of Southgate being the one for the job in the long run feels somewhat slim.

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Posts ByEthan Lamb

Tottenham Hotspur avoided an embarrassing Carabao Cup defeat last night, subsequently claiming a 3-0 victory over League One Doncaster Rovers.

The win keeps Thomas Frank’s hopes of claiming a trophy in his first year as Lilywhites boss alive, with a trip to face current holders Newcastle United awaiting them in round four.

It may have only been against a team two divisions below them, but the Dane will have been impressed with the relentless nature of the performance, which saw the Lilywhites have 55% possession.

Such an outing gave numerous fringe players a chance to stake their claim for a regular role in the starting eleven, with the Dane having some incredible strength in depth currently at his disposal.

However, the victory also allowed one other player to finally get the opportunity he’s craved to feature in his natural position after being forced to operate in an unnatural role as of late.

Xavi Simons’ performance against Doncaster

After joining in a £52m deal from RB Leipzig during the summer transfer window, Xavi Simons became a player with huge expectations at Spurs, but he’s so far struggled to reach the levels many hoped for.

He’s mainly operated in a wide left role, but he was handed a start in a more familiar central role against Doncaster last night – taking advantage of the opportunity handed his way.

The Dutchman featured for a little over an hour, but had a huge impact on proceedings – as seen by the underlying stats that he produced in North London.

Simons created seven chances and won four fouls – with both tallies being the most of any player on the pitch – subsequently highlighting the threat he posed to Grant McCann’s side.

He also completed 97% of the passes he attempted, with four of his efforts being into the final third – allowing him to create one big chance in the process.

Whilst he was unable to register a goal or assist last night, the 22-year-old looked a constant nuisance in the number ten role, with Frank needing to stick with him in such a position.

However, one other first-team player managed to impress, now arguably being just as important as the Dutchman, given his own impressive display against Donny last night.

The Spurs star who is becoming as important as Simons

Given the sheer volume of competitions this season, Frank needs to have every Spurs player up to scratch to try and allow for success in various tournaments.

His side have already claimed wins in three separate competitions in 2025/26, with the side already impressing in the Premier League, Champions League and the Carabao Cup.

Simons has started all but one game since making his big-money move to join the Lilywhites, but the Dutchman has rapidly developed into a key player for the Dane as a result of his creativity.

However, he’s not the only summer addition who’s already impressed in North London, with Joao Palhinha immediately exceeding all expectations placed upon him after his loan move to the club.

The Portuguese international joined from Bayern Munich, but to the disappointment of many, with the 30-year-old not seen as the man to improve the first-team squad.

He’s already scored twice despite his deep-lying role, with his latest effort coming against Doncaster last night – producing an incredible acrobatic effort which opened the scoring.

Palhinha also featured out of position at centre-back, but still managed to thrive, producing numerous incredible figures that helped the Lilywhites claim a crucial victory.

The former Fulham star completed 63 passes, at a completion rate of 90%, with the former of the two stats the most of any player who featured during the contest on home soil.

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Despite his defensive role, he also managed to complete four passes into the final third, able to provide those ahead of him with the chances to impress in front of goal.

Joao Palhinha – stats against Doncaster

Statistics

Tally

Minutes played

90

Touches

82

Passes completed

63

Pass accuracy

90%

Tackles made

2

Clearances made

6

Interceptions

1

Passes into final third

4

Stats via FotMob

However, Palhinha dominated without the ball, making two tackles, six clearances and one interception – helping the Lilywhites keep their fifth clean sheet of the 2025/26 campaign.

As a result of his showing, the loanee was handed a superb 9/10 match rating by The Standard’s journalist Matt Verri, further showcasing how impressive he was during the victory.

After such a display, Frank simply can’t afford to drop the Portuguese international from his starting eleven, with the experienced talent on a phenomenal run of form in the first team of late.

Should he continue his current impressive form for the Lilywhites, there’s no reason as to why Palhinha can’t be as undroppable as Simons, with the pair able to catapult the side to new heights in the months ahead when operating together.

Related Fewer touches than Kinsky: Frank must bench 5/10 Spurs star after Doncaster

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Posts ByEthan Lamb

Rangers have made some high-profile signings over the years, with the likes of Paul Gascoigne and Brian Laudrup going on to becoming Ibrox legends after heading to Glasgow.

Mikel Arteta, Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Ronald de Boer were just some other big names who decided to move to Scotland, but there could have been a lot more if the Gers got their way.

Related Rangers' top 15 goalscorers of all time

Rangers have had plenty of natural goalscorers at Ibrox over the last 150 years.

Posts ByRoss Kilvington

From Lionel Messi to Ronaldo, Rangers nearly signed some legends of the game.

10 star players Rangers almost signed 10 Lionel Messi

Shortly before Lionel Messi made his Barcelona debut, Rangers and manager at the time Alex McLeish were alerted to the Argentine talent.

McLeish’s son, Jon, found Messi on Football Manager, with the Gers trying but failing to sign him on loan back in 2003.

9 Andres Iniesta

At the same time Rangers were trying to sign Messi, they also almost brought midfield maestro Andres Iniesta to Ibrox.

The Spaniard was a teenager at the time and nearly headed to Scotland on loan for regular game time as Rangers looked for their Barry Ferguson replacement. Unfortunately, Iniesta would get his chance in the Barca first-team shortly after and wouldn’t look back.

8 Ronaldo

Brazilian striker Ronaldo is arguably the biggest what if case when it comes to near transfer misses for Rangers.

The forward was wanted by the Gers, Lazio and Inter Milan in 1997 when he was still a Barcelona player. Ronaldo even had an offer from Rangers and former owner David Murray, but headed to Inter Milan instead.

7 Alan Shearer

Before becoming a goalscoring machine for Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United, Alan Shearer was a Southampton player.

The Premier League’s all-time record scorer caught the eye of Rangers boss Walter Smith in the early 1990s, however, those at Ibrox couldn’t persuade Shearer to head to Scotland.

6 Dennis Bergkamp

Smith certainly had an eye for a future attacking star, as, along with Shearer, also wanted to bring Dennis Bergkamp to Rangers in the 1990s.

Bergkamp was an Inter Milan player at the time, and after Rangers failed to put a proposal together, the skilful Dutch forward signed for Arsenal in a £7.5m deal and would go on to become a Gunners legend.

Bergkamp’s Arsenal stats

Games

422

Goals

120

Assists

116

Trophies

10

5 Samuel Eto'o

After struggling to break through into Real Madrid’s first team from their academy, Samuel Eto’o found a home with Mallorca, securing a permanent move to the Spanish side in 2000.

The Cameroon striker would star for his new side and was wanted by McLeish in 2002. Rangers missed out on Eto’o, who, two years later, would sign for Barcelona, where he won three La Liga titles and two Champions League trophies.

4 Jaap Stam

It wasn’t just attacking stars who nearly signed for Rangers, with central defender Jaap Stam targeted by Dick Advocaat after he took over as Ibrox manager in 1998.

Stam was a PSV Eindhoven regular under Advocaat, but he couldn’t bring the towering centre-back with him to Scotland, with Sir Alex Ferguson and Man Utd winning the race.

3 Robin van Persie

A Rangers move for Robin van Persie was extremely close in 2003, with a deal even agreed with Feyenoord for the Dutch forward to move to Ibrox for just £3m.

Van Persie was persuaded to head to Ibrox by Advocaat, however, Rangers failed to raise the funds and the striker would sign for Arsenal a year later.

2 Emmanuel Petit

Rangers found themselves in a bidding war with Arsenal for Emmanuel Petit back in 1997, and if it wasn’t for the Gunners, the French midfielder could have easily been a major signing for the Gers.

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Former owner Murray once lifted the lid on how close Rangers were to bringing Petit to Ibrox.

1 Luka Modric

Rangers could have signed Ballon d’Or winner Luka Modric in the early stages of his career for just £3.5m, however, those at Ibrox didn’t have the funds.

Former Rangers assistant Ally McCoist was actually sent to watch Dinamo Zagreb right-back Vedran Corluka but was stunned at what he saw from Modric and urged the club to get a deal done.

While they’ve faced more than a few questions over the transfer policy in recent seasons, Chelsea have built a squad stacked with sensationally talented gems.

Enzo Maresca has some incredible players all throughout his squad now, but it’s still easy to point to his most important: Cole Palmer.

The Englishman has only been at the club for two seasons, but has already amassed an unreal haul of 43 goals and 29 assists in 98 games.

When fit, the former Manchester City gem is the first name on the teamsheet, and so fans should be delighted about reports linking Chelsea with someone who could be their new Palmer.

Chelsea chase their new Palmer

In a shock to nobody, Chelsea have had another busy summer when it comes to transfers this year.

Transfer Focus

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

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On top of selling a host of players for a tidy profit, the Blues have made a number of exciting additions to Maresca’s Conference League-winning side.

The likes of Joao Pedro and Liam Delap should make the frontline far more potent, while Jorrel Hato looks like he could be one of the club’s star defenders in a few years.

Yet, with the window still open until Monday night, the West Londoners appear intent on adding more quality to the squad, and could be in with a chance of landing someone who may well be their new Palmer.

At least that is according to a recent report from Caught Offside, which has reaffirmed Chelsea’s interest in Kobbie Mainoo.

More than that, though, the report has revealed that the Manchester United gem is now open to the idea of leaving Old Trafford after being left on the bench against Arsenal and Fulham.

While a price has not been mentioned in the report, other updates from this week revealed that the Red Devils could allow the Englishman to leave for just £45m.

It remains to be seen if Chelsea will be able to work out a deal for Mainoo in time, but if they do, they could be getting themselves their new Palmer.

Why Mainoo could be Chelsea's new Palmer

Now, while Palmer and Mainoo tend to play in different positions on the pitch, there are several other reasons why the latter could be seen as Chelsea’s new version of the former.

The first is the simple fact that, like the former City prospect, this potential transfer would see the United gem move from Manchester to West London after being deemed not good enough to play regular first-team football by his current manager.

Moreover, it would be another example of the Blues signing an academy graduate from one of the Manchester sides, and one that is widely considered to be tremendously exciting, even if Ruben Amorim does not seem to rate him.

On top of that, both midfielders are English, although instead of signing someone who was thriving in the youth setup, the Blues would be getting their hands on someone who has shone in the senior side this time.

However, perhaps the most important way in which Maresca could be getting his hands on another Palmer is that Mainoo could well develop into a world-beater at Stamford Bridge.

After all, even though he is still young and has been out of the Red Devils’ side since Amorin took over, the 20-year-old has already shown us that he could be something really quite special.

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For example, FBref rank him in the top 1% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for shot-creating actions stemming from his take-ons, the top 2% for tackles in the attacking third, the top 4% for carries into the penalty area, the top 5% for take-ons attempted, and more, all per 90.

Mainoo’s Scout Report

Statistics

Per 90

Percentile

SCA (Take-On)

0.38

Top 1%

Tackles (Att 3rd)

0.71

Top 2%

Carries into Penalty Area

0.65

Top 4%

Take-Ons Attempted

2.77

Top 5%

% of Dribblers Tackled

63.9%

Top 6%

Touches (Att Pen)

2.88

Top 8%

Successful Take-Ons

1.19

Top 10%

Progressive Passes Rec

3.42

Top 16%

Passes Completed (Short)

24.88

Top 19%

GCA (Live-ball Pass)

0.27

Top 19%

All Stats via FBref

What these numbers show is that, even though he’s still young and not getting the game time his talent warrants, he’s a sublime ball-carrier and someone who can help break up attacking high up the pitch.

In other words, he has the tools to be an elite all-action midfielder, and as teammate Rasmus Hojlund described him, looks to be a “generational talent.”

Ultimately, while it might be difficult, Chelsea should be doing all they can to sign Mainoo before the window shuts next week, as they could just land themselves another Palmer-esque gem.

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Posts ByBen Gray

Positivity, excitement and optimism. Those are just three of the words associated with Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal reign.

However, arguably for the first time since this project really started to motor, a sense of negativity has crept in.

Arteta’s side have enjoyed an interesting summer. The likes of Martin Zubimendi and Viktor Gyokeres are standout purchases but something is missing, notably on the left.

With Manchester City and Liverpool strengthening again, spending mega bucks, it really does feel as though the title is far away again.

Still, Arsenal did go to Old Trafford on the Premier League’s opening weekend and win 1-0. It’s not always been a happy hunting ground so Arteta’s men will take the three points and swiftly move on.

Arsenal were resilient and staunch in their efforts to claim the victory but it certainly wasn’t all plain sailing, not least for debutant Gyokeres.

What went wrong for Gyokeres on Arsenal debut

After scoring his first goal for the club in their 3-0 pre-season win over Bilbao a week ago, there were high hopes for Gyokeres.

That’s not forgetting the fact he scored 54 goals in 52 games for Sporting last term either.

Yet, in Manchester on Sunday, Gyokeres cut a frustrated figure, someone who struggled to get into the game and was let down by his teammates.

The Swede regularly burst into the channels and on a frequent basis wasn’t played the ball.

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Those beside him, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, only produced two key passes as the club’s big summer signing was starved of any service.

So, after failing to have a single shot on goal within an hour of his debut, he was withdrawn from the action to loud jeers from the home crowd, with Kai Havertz brought on in his place.

As Football.London’s Tom Canton noted, the centre forward ‘struggled to get into the game in the first half and was limited in terms of service and touches.’

So room for improvement, but he wasn’t the worst player on the away side.

The Arsenal player who was worse than Gyokeres

Speaking of the forward line, it was a poor day at the office for Arsenal’s wingers.

This is significant because it’s an area of the squad that Andrea Berta and Co have been trying to improve this summer.

Noni Madueke has joined from Chelsea but there’s a cry from supporters to sign someone of the quality of Eberechi Eze or Rodrygo.

Well, those cries will only have grown louder after Martinelli’s ineffective showing on Sunday afternoon.

The Brazilian was handed a 4/10 rating by the Standard, who wrote that there was a ‘familiar issue – no conviction in the final third.’

Last season, that was also very much the case for Martinelli and there has no improvement over pre-season and into the full season.

This is a big worry, particularly if Berta doesn’t sign another winger between now and the deadline.

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The numbers paint a grim picture of just how poor the 24-year-old was. He managed just one shot – a tame effort right at the goalkeeper.

Furthermore, he only attempted one dribble that ended up being unsuccessful, had one key pass, didn’t make a cross and only completed three passes before he was hooked on the hour.

To make matters worse, Martinelli had just 14 touches, 33 fewer than David Raya. He also won just 50% of his duels.

Martinelli vs Man Utd

Minutes played

60

Touches

14

Accurate passes

3/5 (60%)

Shots

1

Key passes

1

Successful dribbles

0/1

Crosses

0

Possession lost

7x

Times fouled

1

Stats via Sofascore.

In all honesty, there wasn’t much that the wide player got right, with one moment summing up his last few years.

As Arsenal aimed to break through the centre of the pitch, the Brazil international looked to swing a ball out to the left-hand side of the field but dinked it right out of play.

If that’s a sign of things to come, then Arsenal need to sign a replacement instantly. Irrespective of their activity in the window, either Leandro Trossard or Madueke must replace him for the game with Leeds United next weekend.

Related Arteta has two players to blame for Gyokeres' nightmare Arsenal debut

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Posts 1 ByMatt Dawson