The Premier League sack race. Who’s next to fall?

It’s never a nice thing to speculate about, the next manager to lose his job. But as we all know, in football its more about when than if. Time is precious and top tier managers are never given the luxury of much of it. With that in mind, I’m going to have a look at a few of the bookies favourites to be the next to go, and how they got onto this list.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (Credit: BBC Sport)

MARCO SILVA

As we go into the international break, the current favourite to go next is Marco Silva, the Everton boss. The best price for him to be next to go is 5/4 with Sky Bet, but he is as short as 4/6 on the Betfair exchange at the time of writing (Over 18’s only, please gamble responsibly). Everton enter the break in the Premier League drop zone having lost their last four games.

Pressure was always going to be on the Portuguese manager following another summer of spending by the Toffees. Having brought in big names like Moise Kean, Alex Iwobi, Fabian Delph and making Andre Gomes a permanent signing, it had been thought that Everton would be chasing a top four finish. However, they are languishing near the foot of the table with just 7 points from 8 games this season in the English top flight.

Another worry for Silva is that his Everton team have only played one of last seasons top six. Next up is an in form West Ham side who will provide a tough test in what looks to be a must-win game if Silva is going to continue as Everton boss.

Marco Silva, the current Everton boss (Credit: Getty Images)

Ole Gunnar Solksjaer

This will come as little surprise to many, second favourite to leave his post next is the Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solksjaer. Following their worst start to a season in 30 years, the Red Devils sit 12th in the Premier League, just two points above the relegation zone.

United have only scored more than one goal in a game once this term, in their opening weekend 4-0 win against Chelsea at Old Trafford. This weekend they drew a blank as they went down 1-0 to fellow strugglers Newcastle, and since then the pressure on Solksjaer’s position has dramatically increased.

There’s two ways to look at this. The first is that United need a huge overhaul of the squad, which looks well below what you would expect from the 13-time Premier League champions. Ed Woodward may feel that they have the right man in charge to do this, with Solksjaer being a player at the club for so long. Over the summer the recruitment policy clearly took a different direction back towards younger players, the foundation of the Ferguson era at Man Utd.

The flip side is of course that since the Norwegian got the job permanently back in March, results and performances have hugely dipped. Many argue that he shouldn’t have been appointed in the first place and is underqualified to carry out the mammoth task of turning around this sleeping giant. Solksjaer is 7/2 with BetVictor at the time of writing, but can be as short 6/4 with a couple of firms.

Mauricio Pochettino

If you’d have asked most people at the start of this season if Pochettino would be on this list after 8 games, I’d imagine most people would have said no chance. And yet, here we are. With Spurs 9th in the Premier League with 11 points from their 8 games, and fresh off the back of a humbling 3-0 defeat to Brighton, the Argentine is very much in the mix to be next to go.

Tottenham had a difficult summer with the rumours surrounding Christian Eriksen leaving the club to go to Real Madrid, a transfer which of course never went through. There was also plenty of talk of Pochettino wanting various other senior players out, including Danny Rose and Serge Aurier. Again, these players ended up staying at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium against the will of the manager. Maybe the atmosphere in the dressing isn’t what it once was, and the performances on the field certainly haven’t matched up to what we’ve come to expect from Spurs in recent years.

Tottenham sit in 9th in the Premier League (Credit: GettyImages)

Pochettino is currently the third favourite with the bookies to leave his post as I write this. He is 10/3 with Betfair or as long as 5/1 with BetVictor if you fancy a dabble.

Summary

An honourable mention goes to Steve Bruce at Newcastle, although the recent win over Man United has probably quietened speculation about his sacking, at least for the time being.

There will be plenty of speculation over this international break concerning all three of these managers. Who do you think will be next to go? Drop a comment or tweet me @MikeyBreslin and send me your thoughts.

@mikeybreslin

Match report- Aubameyang bags another as Arsenal earned a point at Old Trafford

Image by http://metro.co.uk

In the rainy night and under lights, much anticipated Manchester United against Arsenal didn’t live up to the expectations as one expected. The traditional fixture between the two great clubs of English football had produced some great moments be it goals, tackles, controversies you name it and it used to be in this great fixture.

However yesterday’s match was a boring and dull one. Both teams started slowly with first shot on goal coming in 30th minute when Andreas Pereira won the ball in the middle of the park and charged towards the goal waving past David Luiz only to hit low left footed shot which was easily saved by Leno. Few minutes later on counter attack Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang gave a lofted pass from left flank to Nicolas Pèpè but his poor finishing meant an easy save for De Gea. First half was relatively a strong and dirty affair with four yellow cards being produced by the referee Kevin Friend. Rashford missed a golden chance when Paul Pogba won the ball in the middle of the park to give a through ball to Rashford who was late and his attempt was blocked by Sokratis.

David De Gea saved Man United not once but twice with his double save first left footed shot by Saka and then by Guendouzi, it reminded of the day at Emirates when similar double save along with many saves was on display by David that earned them point against a much stronger Arsenal side. Just before the half time, deadlock was broken by a stunner from Scott Mctominay. In the second half, first chance came in 52nd minute when a low cross was send by Aubameyang only for Torreira to scuff it on half volley ultimately missing a chance.

Defensive errors from both the teams have let in few goals this season, this time too it was no different loose pass by Tuanzabe was latched on by Saka who gave an easy through ball to Aubameyang to finish it easy past De Gea. Referring in the match was poor as it was evident in this goal, it actually was given an offside while Aubameyang was clear onside. There were shout of penalty as well when the ball hit Kolašinac hand but it was turned down.

In the 74th minute mark, Fred replaced Jesse Lingard whose performance was once again poor, out of sorts and more accurately out of midfield as well. Fred had his chance as well in the 79th minute but his hit was high and wide. Rashford had the chance to give Manchester United the lead through a free kick but it was a good save by Leno.

With this scoreline none of the teams have helped themselves. On this display, returning to Europe’s elite any time soon is improbable for both teams. Although this result means that Arsenal are in fourth with United three points back in 10th place. Next up for Arsenal is a home match against Standard Liege while United are away to Eredivisie outfit AZ.

Brandon Williams – One to Watch

Overview:

19-year-old full back Brandon Williams is another of Manchester United’s youth products looking to push into the first team picture. Yet to make a senior appearance, he has comfortably made the step up into U23 football, and has captained the side on four occasions already this season.

Featuring six times, he has started the season well, assisting five goals, including three against West Brom in a 5-0 win, as well as one against Rotherham in the EFL Trophy.

It has been a seamless transition from Under 18 football to Under 23 like many of the currently Manchester United youth team, adding to his two appearances he made at during the 2018/19 season. Captain of the U18 side, he made 16 appearances in 2018/19, plus a further 6 in the UEFA Youth League, scoring three times and assisting a further three goals.

Recently called up to the England U20 squad, he started both the 0-0 draw against Holland and 1-0 win against Switzerland, and will be hoping to add to these caps in the upcoming international break.

Style of Play:

Williams is an attacking, versatile full back who can play on either flank, but has featured mostly as a left back for U23s this season. United have looked to dominate possession in their U23 games this season, and he has shown he is more than comfortable with the ball at his feet, always offering an attacking outlet down the flank. He possesses pace and energy to get up and down the flank, meaning that if United are caught in possession, he is more than capable of making the recovery runs to track back.

He looks to overlap the wingers when given the opportunity, and shown by his statistics this season, he is a threat in the opposition’s final third. An example below shows one of his assists against West Brom on the opening day, where he was found by from a deep position in behind the defensive back line. His high starting position (circled) is indicative of where he looks to play and offering a wide outlet when United start attacks.

Receiving the pass, he beat the defender with an excellent first touch and use of his pace, before showing great composure to pick a player out in the middle for the opening goal.

Promisingly for United, what this also shows is his understanding with midfielder James Garner (who provided the pass), as this is often a passing combination that they often look to use going forward. His positioning will also suit the style that United play, as when they have a fully fit side, Rashford looks to drift in from the wing, leaving space for the full back to subsequently exploit. An example is shown below, and although he didn’t receive the ball in this move, it indicates how useful an outlet he can be.

Always looking to create 2v1s with the opposition full backs by supporting his wingers, his assist for the fourth goal showcased this. Breaking quickly, once again utilising his pace, he provided an outlet down the left as shown below.

Able to beat his man easily once again, he was dragged down in the box, winning his side a penalty, which was subsequently fired home.

However, one area where he can be targeted is through his aerial ability, and this was shown in the 2-2 draw to West Ham, where he was fault for the West Ham equaliser. Only 1.76m tall, he can be targeted by target men who look to drift wide, and West Ham looked to exploit this. Losing the first header, he had made a poor decision to go for the ball when his left midfielder had it covered.

Subsequently leaving his man, it created an overload which West Ham were able to exploit, and this decision making at the back will need to improve, especially when coming up against more physical players in senior football.

Sent off against Fulham U23s last week, it also showed a level of naivety, picking up a rash second yellow, making a cynical foul in this opposition’s half when already on a yellow (shown below). He will need to learn from what was a poor decision, but his disciplinary record does suggest it was a rush of blood as opposed to a common theme.

Summary:

Another promising youngster looking to make the step up from Manchester United’s academy, chances in the cup competitions could be upcoming for the young full back. With a Europa League campaign and a potential EFL Cup run on the horizon, Solksjaer might be tempted to throw his young full back in, and he looks more than capable to taking that chance. One to keep an eye on, a loan move could also offer him exposure to first team football and certainly benefit

Dylan Levitt – One to Watch

18-year-old Dylan Levitt has been a main stay in the table topping Manchester U23 side so far this season, and having been called up to the Welsh national side for the second time for the last set of International fixtures, he is set to have a bright future.

Playing alongside James Garner in central midfield in a 4-2-3-1 formation, he has started all four of United’s U23 games this season, scoring once in a 5-0 win over West Brom U23s and providing two assists in the other games, making it a promising start to the season. He has also started in the 2-0 Leasing.com Trophy win at Rotherham, which was his first taste of football against senior opposition.

Style of Play:

He and Garner are expected to pick the ball up off the centre backs and dictate the attacks, a role he has slotted into very well. He is particularly comfortable on the ball, and is more than capable of playing out of tight situations. His small stature (1.79m) helps him, as his low centre of gravity makes him able to turn quickly and a handful for attackers looking to press him. Although this may potentially lead to issues as to whether he can adapt physically against certain sides, but when playing for a side looking to play out from the back and keep possession, this isn’t an issue.

He also possesses excellent ability on the ball to pick out long range passes, allowing him to either play around the press, or pick out team mates when given time and space. This vision is key to breaking teams down, and has been valuable this season in the final third for the U23s. An example below shows his assist against Newcastle, where he was able to pick out his teammate (circled) in between the two lines of Newcastle’s defence.

When in defence, he has shown his ability to press the opposition well, making himself a nuisance to opposition attackers with his energy, as well as tenacity to win the ball back. In United’s 4-2-3-1 formation, there is a large reliance upon Levitt to provide energy in midfield as the front four are much more attack orientated. The full backs also opt to push high to offer extra width, so any counter attacks from the opposition he needs to be able to deal with. As a result, his positioning in attacks is key, and in tandem with Garner, an understanding of when to push further forward is required. He has shown in these opening games that he is more than capable of filling this role, and the more football he plays at this level, the more this side of his game will develop.

Playing 14 times for the U18s last season, he scored 5 goals and assisted a further 6, and was often used as a deep, central midfielder, making these stats even more impressive. It was after the turn of the year where he started appearing for the U23s, and after a slow start in a young side, they have built a side capable of winning promotion this season, something Levitt will be able to contribute towards.

Slotting in alongside the more physical and very talented Garner will definitely have helped his progression, and exposure to playing against older, more physically developed players will only aid his own development further. Garner and Levitt are forming a strong partnership at U23 level, and with the attacking threat in front of them, such as Tahith Chong and D’Mani Mellor it allows Levitt to play his natural game and dictate the tempo, whilst as discussed before, having the vision to pick out his teammates at ease.

Capped 14 times at U19 level for Wales, his call up to the national team was a little surprising, however does show how highly thought of he is in the International set up. Called up in May despite on playing nine U23 games, he was once again called up for the games against Azerbaijan and Belarus, and if he continues his impressive progression for the U23s, a senior appearance for both Manchester United and Wales can’t be far away. With opportunities awaiting in the Leasing.com Trophy against Doncaster and Lincoln, an EFL cup tie against Rochdale on the horizon and the start of the Europa League campaign, it won’t be long until he makes the squad.

Replacing Romelu Lukaku

Manchester United’s slow start to the season has identified one key aspect that they weren’t able to replace. In losing Romelu Lukaku to Inter Milan after the window shut, they weren’t able to bring in an adequate replacement. This was poor forward planning from United, as throughout the window it looked like Lukaku was set to move on, whether it be to Juventus or Inter Milan.

The 2-1 defeat to Palace and 1-1 draw with Southampton has thrown up a key trend. Teams have opted to defend narrow and at times deep against United, as they look to restrict the threat that Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Daniel James can have. This subsequently creates space in the midfield for creative midfielders such as Juan Mata and Paul Pogba, however if the supply is cut off or stifled out, United have struggled to find a plan B.

Regarding Lukaku, he offered a different approach. Whilst having the ability to hold the ball up and bring others into the game, he also has the pace to run in behind defences and stretch them. What hold up play enabled was the ability to draw out defenders to challenge for the first header, something Martial and Rashford are unable to do. This subsequently creates space in behind for the quick wingers, which United were often able to exploit in Solksjaer’s early games.

His presence in the air and ability to trouble defenders also meant when United did lead, he offered an outlet up front. Against Southampton, this was became an issue as when Southampton pressed high at 1-0 down and cut off the supply from midfield to attack, United were forced to go long. As Rashford was unable to challenge in the air (only winning 2/5 aerial duals), the Southampton defence were able to give themselves an extra yard to deal with his pace from balls in behind, and as a result United struggled to control the ball. This played a large part in Southampton getting a foothold in the match, and helped Southampton gain momentum up until their equaliser.

However, the main worry United are having is when teams are sitting deep and making themselves hard to break down. Against open opposition in Chelsea and Wolves, this was much less of an issue as the space afforded to United’s attackers allowed them to break both sides down, both on the counter against Chelsea and in possession against Wolves.

Against Palace and Southampton, United resorted to bombarding the box with crosses to try and create an opening, particularly late on. In past seasons, this has been a reasonable approach, with Lukaku offering a strong aerial threat, and previous to Lukaku, United have had Zlatan Ibrahimović and Marouane Fellaini to turn to as aerial options when this tactic was needed.

It was against Southampton where this became particularly evident, with Solksjaer opting to take off Mata and bring on Nemanja Matic to allow Pogba to play further forward. Partially to allow the French midfielder the chance to impact the game higher up the pitch, there was also the added element of his aerial ability, and given United’s tactics towards the end of that match, added the chance he could add an threat in the box. The lack of aerial duals won in the box is shown below, with United not winning one of these in the opposition box against Southampton.

United’s crossing worries against both Southampton and Palace are shown below. Only winning 13 of the 50 crosses into the box, if they are to employ tactics such as these, they should be looking to invest in a striker capable of fulfilling a role similar to that of Lukaku in January.

With the problem evident for Solksjaer, it becomes the question of who United should invest in?

If they were to look purely at the target man approach, similar to what Fellaini was utilised for by Mourinho towards the end of games, the statistics point to the likes of Troy Deeney and Aleksandar Mitrovic being the most threatening, each on average winning 6.5 aerial duals a game. Of the two, an argument could be made for Mitrovic as a back up striker. Surprisingly staying on at Fulham following their relegation, he has shown his ability as a suitable target man and his ability to bring players into the game, whilst also being a nuisance in the box. He has been impressive in performances for Serbia (6 in 6 Nation League games) when surrounded by higher quality players, suggesting a step up wouldn’t be as drastic as it would first seem. Netting 11 goals in a relegated Fulham side was impressive, however he has a tendency to miss a lot of big chances, shown by his xG to conversion rate. Last season for Fulham, he was expected to score 15.45 goals, as opposed to the 11 he scored (understat), and this is a trend from his other full season in the Premier League with Newcastle, where he netted 9 compared to the 10.34 he was expected. The other main issue would be the price he would be available at for the role he would be expected to fill. For the purpose of a back up striker who would be utilised when chasing games in the last 15/20 minutes when chasing games, he wouldn’t represent particularly good value, with Fulham expecting to recoup a chunk of the £30 million outlaid last summer.

Staying in the Premier League, the stand out player who currently could fill the void left by Lukaku is Raul Jimenez from Wolves. 13 goals in his debut season in the Premier League, he has carried his run of form into this season, scoring twice in the league and six in the Europa League already. At 190cm, he has an aerial presence which has been utilised well by Wolves. Although not overly reliant upon this side of his game, he is able to link the play with Diogo Jota, and has a strong ability to occupy defenders. This will leave vast space for the quick Jota to exploit in behind, and he could be employed in a similar way at United, with Rashford, Martial and James being deployed on the wings with him as the focal point of the attack. He also demonstrates good technical ability on the ball, and isn’t afraid to take on defenders. This season he has been averaging 2.3 dribbles per game, a marked improvement on the 0.9 from last season. His link play is also demonstrated by the seven assists and 1.1 key passes per game last season he offered, whilst he currently averages 28 passes a game. Having been signed in the summer, Wolves will be reluctant to sell, especially to a team that could be seen as a rival.

Other potential options include Inaki Williams from Atletico Bilbao, however he has just signed a nine year contract with a release clause of £125m, whilst Bilbao would also have to replace him with Basque-only players. Richarlison from Everton could also be an option, however he is more suited to playing out wide. Although it would help solve the aerial threat when chasing games, the outlet when looking to hold out when in front as against Southampton would still be an issue, as it would see Rashford and Martial moved centrally.

The tactics currently employed by United show that they are in need of replacing Lukaku, particularly against sides employed a deep, narrow defensive line. Jimenez would offer more as a starter, whilst Mitrovic would be an interesting option from the bench. Whether United would be willing to spend the money on a striker waits to be seen, however the current tactics suggest this would need to be the case.

Match Analysis – Southampton 1-1 Manchester United

De-ja-vu struck again for United as they were held to a 1-1 draw by 10-man Southampton at the St Mary’s. Daniel James had given United the lead after 10 minutes, before a barrage of pressure after half time resulted in Jannik Vestergaard heading home an equaliser on 58 minutes. Kevin Danso saw red after 72 minutes, but Southampton held out for the final 18 minutes to earn a credible draw, and leave Solksjaer with only one win in their first four outings this season.

Line Ups:

Southampton                                                Manchester United

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Nathan Redmond missed out for Southampton after an injury sustained against Fulham in midweek and was replaced by Sofiane Boufal, whilst Cedric Soares replaced Yan Valery from the win at Brighton.

Defeat against Crystal Palace coupled with injuries forced Solksjaer into a handful of changes. Luke Shaw and Anthony Martial’s injuries saw them replaced by Ashley Young and Andreas Pereira, whilst Juan Mata came in for the struggling Jesse Lingard, as Marcus Rashford was pushed into a central striker role and Dan James switched to the opposite flank.

Analysis:

In the first half for Manchester United, it was the tactical set up of the attacking front three, as well as the role of Aaron Wan-Bissaka that stood out. The choice to play Andreas Pereira on the right flank created a lot of space against a narrow Southampton defence for Wan-Bissaka to make the most of. Pereira would often look to drift inside and link the play with Mata and Rashford in the middle, which resulted in plenty of space for Wan-Bissaka to move into. Southampton’s full backs were expected to give the width to their attacks (shown by the influence maps below), and given Danso’s high position on the pitch throughout the game, it led to a lot of space for Wan-Bissaka and a torrid afternoon for the Southampton full back.

Manchester United Influence Map:             Southampton Influence Map:

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The link between Wan-Bissaka and Pereira is also shown below by their respective heat maps from the match. Wan-Bissaka put in an excellent shift on the right side, racking up 100 touches throughout the game, whilst Pereira’s narrower role than what James had played in previous games created this space. Solksjaer’s decision to play Pereira on the right will have been influenced by the injury to Luke Shaw, who had been asked to do what Wan-Bissaka did against Southampton in previous matches. Ashley Young subsequently had a more restrained role, with James expected to offer the width and attacking threat on the left.

Aaron Wan Bissaka Heat Map                      Andreas Pereira Heat Map

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Given how much influence he was expected to have on the game going forward, Wan-Bissaka’s defensive performance was particularly impressive, dealing very well with tricky Southampton winger Sofiane Boufal. As shown below, he completed 10/12 tackles in the match (the highest of any player on the pitch), often in dangerous areas around his own box. He was also able to demonstrate his ability on the ball going forward, completing the most amount of successful take-ons in the match (3/4).

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Juan Mata also played a very important role for United, afforded a free role in behind Rashford. He made the most of this, drifting to both flanks and linking the play, and it was once his influence dropped that Southampton were able to get back into the game. By giving Mata the free role, similar to what Lingard had in previous games, it made him harder to track for midfielders Oriol Romeu and Hojbjerg. If one of the midfielders moved wider to mark him, it would leave an extra man in midfield (either Pogba or McTominay), and this allowed United to dictate possession for large periods of the first half.

Juan Mata Heat Map:

United looked to exploit the narrow Southampton set up throughout the game through the use of high full backs and Mata, and their opening goal showed how effective this was. The goal came from a 2v1 situation on the right side, with Mata’s movement to the flank creating the space for James to cut inside and score.

Wary of his pace and the run outside, Cedric backed off for too long, whilst Bednarek didn’t step up time. Afforded too much space, James finished well to give United the lead.

A similar scenario followed later on in the first half, when Wan-Bissaka fired over having found himself on the end of a McTominay cross. The freedom afforded to United’s attacking midfielders allowed Pereira to drift inside (by the referee), whilst Wan-Bissaka and Mata created an overload on the back post (off picture).

Although a tough scoring chance, it showed promise to United’s attacking threat, and how they had looked to target the narrow Southampton set up through wide overloads and giving freedom to their attacking midfielders.

However, Southampton started the second half the much better side, and this was down to them stopping the supply from United’s midfield up to Mata, James and Rashford. It was Oriol Romeu who stood out for Southampton in particular in the second half, impressing with his defensive work, as well as being able to utilise the ball well, linking up with Hojbjerg, who’s creativity was key to Southampton getting back into the game. Completing the most passes (43) on the Southampton side, Hojbjerg was also influential in the final third, completing the most final third passes of anyone on the pitch (15). The combination of Romeu’s defensive work and Hojbjerg being able to get on the ball to create allowed Southampton back into the game, as the United attack were frustrate going forward.  

McTominay in particular struggled for United, only completed three passes in the time between half time and the Southampton goal, and given he was the link between the midfield and Mata/James, United subsequently struggled to create any attacks going forward in this time. Romeu’s influence on the midfield was a strong factor in this, and shown below is how impressive he was defensively, making 11 ball recoveries (highest for Southampton), as well as 6 tackles. Key is where on the pitch me made these tackles and recoveries, as he was able to make them high enough on the pitch to stop United breaking through at the Southampton defence.

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However, after the Southampton equaliser, United looked to regain control in the game, and Solksjaer opted to bring Lingard and Matic on for Mata and Pereira, allowing Pogba to move forward into a more attacking role. This coincided with Danso being sent off a few minutes later, and led to Southampton sitting very deep and holding out for a draw. As a result, Southampton opted to defend very narrow and allow United a lot of space out wide, feeling comfortable enough to deal with their crosses.

Southampton Player Influence (Post Red Card):           

Manchester United Player Influence (Post Red Card):

As a result, United attempted 12 crosses in the final 18 minutes, but were only able to complete two, with Vestergaard and Bednarek impressing defensively. Worryingly, there was a lack of creativity in the middle, and their best chances came mostly from long range.

The image below shows just how narrow Southampton had opted to defend, and why United opted to rely upon crosses, despite not having a focal aerial target in the middle.

Solksjaer bemoaned his side’s wastefulness after the game, and they really should’ve put the game to bed in the first half when on top. Managing 21 shots, they finished the game with an xG of 1.75 to Southampton’s 0.85, showing that they had realistically done enough to win the game.

xG Map (Southampton 0.85 – 1.75 Manchester United)

Next up for Manchester United is a home game against Leicester City, and they will need to be much more clinical if they are to pick up their second win of the season. Southampton will be confident of building on this performance ahead of their away trip to Sheffield United in a fortnight, and the balance of the midfield is beginning to take shape, particularly with Romeu and Hojbjerg impressing in the middle.

Written by @blandc_1996

Mason Greenwood – Manchester United

Information

Name: Mason Greenwood

Club: Manchester United

Position: ST/LW/RW

D.O.B: 01/10/2001

Made Senior Debut?: Yes (Manchester United)

Nationality: English

Current National Level: England U18 International

Last Season Summary

2018/19 – It wasn’t really until Solskjaer began to speak publicly of the youngster that your average fan really took on board exactly who Mason Greenwood was. At youth level last season, he was taking penalties with his left foot, with his right foot, scoring free kicks with his left and right foot, from distance. He is deceptively quick and one of the most confident players of his age when the ball is at his feet. This led to him being brought into the senior squad towards the end of the season when United had lost their spark. He made his senior debut last season and left United fans wanting more.

Footy Files expectations this Season

2019/20 – Greenwood is the real deal. He looks absolutely phenomenal. With Lukaku’s impending exit and only slight murmurs of a replacement, could Solskjaer be leaving the door open for Greenwood to step up at the age of 17? Do we think he’s capable? Yes. Are we excited? YES! If there is just one player you’re thinking of following this season. This guy is our pick.

James Garner – Manchester United

Information

Name: James Garner

Club: Manchester United

Position: CDM/CM

D.O.B: 13/03/2001

Made Senior Debut?: Yes (Manchester United)

Nationality: English

Current National Level: England U18 International

Last Season Summary

2018/19 – Garner, towards the end of last season stepped up from training with the development side, to training with the first team. Solskjaer really has took an interest in the youth players at Manchester United and Garner was one of the first to benefit from his watchful eye. At 18, and very little experience, it was always going to be tough to break into that first team when you’re up against the likes of Matic. But Garner did make his senior debut in United’s win over Palace, albeit for a minute.

Footy Files expectations this Season

2019/20 – Garner was taken on the clubs pre-season tour playing in quite a few games, and notably scoring against Perth Glory with his first touch from outside the area. This season, we believe that Garner may be a bench warmer for long periods of United’s campaign, but we certainly think he will see plenty more minutes due to the clubs Europa League campaign.

Angel Gomes – Manchester United

Information

Name: Angel Gomes

Club: Manchester United

Position: AMC

D.O.B: 31/08/2000

Made Senior Debut?: Yes (Manchester United)

Nationality: English/Portuguese

Current National Level: England U19 International

Last Season Summary

2018/19 – Angel Gomes has been a name known in the U23 development league for a short while, but it was last season that the youngster got the call up to the senior squad after Solskjaer took the helm. Making his senior debut, last season can definitely be put down as a success, and whilst it was only a few short minutes in a couple of games, it is an experience that every young player craves.

Footy Files expectations this Season

2019/20 – Having played in 3 of United’s International Champions Cup games, and bagging a goal, Gomes’ confidence has to be sky high. Coupled with the fact that United have not managed to get any major business done in the transfer window besides Maguire, Wan-Bissaka and James, Gomes may just be afforded more opportunities this season. Hopefully we’ll get to see him rack up more minutes this season.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka – Manchester United

Information

Name: Aaron Wan-Bissaka

Club: Manchester United

Position: RB

D.O.B: 26/11/1997

Made Senior Debut?: Yes (Crystal Palace)

Nationality: English/DR Congo

Current National Level: England U21 International

Last Season Summary

2018/19 – Aaron started 35 league matches for Crystal Palace last season, bursting onto the scene in his debut season. During that time he provided 3 assists, whilst winning over 2 tackles and 2 interceptions per game with a minimal foul count.

Footy Files expectations this Season

2019/20 – At Footy Files we think that there has been far too much made of the comparisons with Trent Alexander-Arnold. Both are very good in their own right but Wan-Bissaka’s strengths come in his defensive ability. This season we look forward to seeing his progression as one of the main starters for United and would not be surprised if he is used as a centre back now and again.

Daniel James – Manchester United

Information

Name: Daniel James

Club: Manchester United

Position: LW

D.O.B: 10/11/1997

Made Senior Debut?: Yes (Swansea City)

Nationality: Welsh

Current National Level: Wales International

Last Season Summary

2018/19 – Playing in the Championship for Swansea last season, James made 33 appearances in the league averaging 75 mins per game. In that time he found the net 4 times, and provided an assist 7 times.

Footy Files expectations this Season

2019/20 – There has been quite a lot of intrigue this season with Manchester United landing the signing of Daniel James. In what appeared to many as a shock signing not too much was expected of the young Welshman, but during their pre-season tour he has gone on to become one of their most exciting prospects. We believe he will become a first team regular at United this season and are exicted to see how he develops.

Marcus Rashford – Manchester United

Information

Name: Marcus Rashford

Club: Manchester United

Position: ST/LW

D.O.B: 31/10/1997

Made Senior Debut?: Yes (Manchester United)

Nationality: English

Current National Level: England International

Last Season Summary

2018/19 – Playing 33 matches in the league last season, starting 26 matches it is clear that Rashford is a fully fledged member of the first team. Scoring 10 goals he averaged a goal every 236 minutes in the league.

Footy Files expectations this Season

2019/20 – A lot of the time last season Rashford was used out wide, mainly due to his pace. We believe that if he gets used as a striker this season, we would see a higher return of goals for the striker. With Lukaku looking likely for an exit and the Welsh youngster Daniel James seemingly cemented the left wing position, hopefully Rashford will get time as the spearhead of the attack.

Bruno Fernandes: What do we know?

Bruno Fernandes, 24 years old has become a household name throughout Portugal in the past two seasons as well as one of the first names on the National team line up.

Taking a different approach to the majority of his Portuguese teammates, Fernandes began his senior career at Novara with their B team in the Italian Serie C.

Credit: Lastampa.it

After playing in the B team for just several weeks, Fernandes was promoted to the club’s first team in Italy’s second tier Serie B, and played in just over half of the league games during the 2012/13 season helping his side to a fifth place finish and a spot in the playoffs.

That summer though, Fernandes made the move to Udinese. He was beginning to make ripples in Italy, and the bigger clubs were starting to take notice. Fernandes went on to make 95 appearances for Udinese, scoring ten goals.

Credit: gianlucadimarzio.com

Sampdoria came in for Fernandes on loan in 2016 and he was given the number 10 shirt. Twelve days after his arrival the Portugese international made his debut as a late substitute in a 2-1 win over Atalanta. He scored five goals in 35 appereances and helped the club to a tenth place finish in Serie A.

Fernandes was slowly building his experience on the pitch and following the conclusion of his loan spell, he returned to his home country to sign for Portuguese giants Sporting Lisbon. He is coming off the back of a magnificent 2018/19 season, scoring 32 goals in all competitions and winning the Portugese Cup, the Taca de Portugal and Portugese League Cup, the Taca de Liga.

Credit: metro.co.uk

How does he play?

Fernandes operates primarily in a central midfield role, but can also be used in an attacking midfield role whilst showing he has a pedigree in front of goal.

The Portuguese is excellent at finding space between the lines and with a record of 38 assists in his two seasons with Sporting, he would use that space effectively to find his teammates and so his teammates can find him, especially when he is running to the edge of the box for a goalscoring opportunity.

Looking back at this seasons stats it is clear to see where he thrives. On average getting 77.5 touches per game it is clear he is the focal point of his team boasting a 75% passing accuracy throughout the whole season and providing 3.1 key passes per game. He is definitely the man that dictates the shape of the game. Also, averaging 3 shots a game he is not shy of taking shot, regardless of how far away from goal he is.

When it comes to set pieces and penalties, Fernandes is the man that shoulders the responsibility for Sporting. Showing his improvement in free kick accuracy as the weeks rolled on through this season, and his trademark stutter run up for a penalty becoming more renowned for making the keeper move before he even takes a shot.

Whilst he is known for his attacking abilities, Fernandes is not afraid to get stuck in. Thanks to whoscored.com we can see that in Liga NOS only Hector Herrera, formerly of Porto, has won possession in the midfield third more times than Bruno Fernandes. His work ethic and tenacity see him chasing the ball down if it is not in his teams possession. A trait that most clubs would love to have in their ranks.

Credit: telegraph.co.uk

Where does he fit in? Man Utd or Spurs?

From a Man Utd perspective I think it is quite simple where he can fit in since the departure of Ander Herrera. Fernandes could slot perfectly into a midfield trio provided there is a ball winning midfielder lined up with him. Matic or possibly McTominay is a must for Fernandes to play his game.

The signing of Fernandes would also take the onus off of Pogba allowing him to come into his element a lot more. Drifting in and out of channels, Fernandes is the type of player who would be able to pick him out. Not only that but allowing the likes of Rashford and Martial to thrive.

As for Spurs it may not be so simple due to their numbers in midfield. Competing with the likes of Eriksen, Alli, Ndombele, Winks, Wanyama and Sissoko it would seem that the only way to accommodate Fernandes would be by selling players. Eriksen and Wanyama appear the obvious candidates to be moved on and if that was the case Fernandes is more than capable of filling the monstrous hole that Eriksen would leave.

With Ndombele/Sissoko slotted in for muscle behind him, a strong passer of the ball like Winks alongside him, could lead to a great partnership to watch. This could also free up Dele Alli to play the attacking role he thrived in in his breakthrough season.

Regardless of where he goes, Fernandes will definitely be one to watch and will no doubt improve whoever he joins.

Manchester United: A Fan’s Opinion and Hopes

Credit: talksport.com

18^th December 2018 – Liverpool FC 3-1 Manchester United. An embarrassing result, performance and a hard pill for any fan to swallow. The reality of an abysmal season was starting to settle in with Man Utd sitting 11 points away from Chelsea in 4^th place and an embarrassing 19 points from Liverpool in 1^st. Yet, chants of ‘we want Mourinho’ were echoing through Anfield following the full-time whistle. That was the genuine feeling of a large portion of our fanbase, so when we woke up to the news that Jose had been sacked; confusion, anger and disappointment. The feeling of desperation was exacerbated after firing one of the few managers in the world that you could say would guarantee you trophies and success.

What next for Man Utd? Zidane and Pochettino were touted as his successor. Twitter was flying furiously with rumours of the next manager, outcries towards the board’s decision and little to no optimism at all. The football that had been on display in a United shirt by that point was torpid, lethargic and lacked any creativity or passion. This was blamed on the players by the manager with an attitude of ‘this is all they can do’ leaking through in press conferences. The drama between Mourinho and Pogba had taken a front seat in the season and had been the main talking point. In all honesty, there was very little to be optimistic or hopeful for.

I won’t pretend I was happy when Jose was fired, I was outraged and thought that would be the end of us in the season and that by June, we might be looking at United’s worst season of the past 20 years. Then the rumours and twitter birds were tweeting one name. On paper, a manager that had relegated Cardiff in the 13/14 season and found mild success as manager of Norwegian side Molde FC. However, this had very little bearing on any Man Utd fan’s opinion on the appointment; who put the ball in the German’s net? Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Credit: metro.co.uk

With him he brought back Mike Phelan, assistant manager to Sir Alex Ferguson who left the club in 2013. Immediately there was a change in attitude, an air of optimism was surrounding the club and positivity was starting to leak into the fanbase again. Ole talked of a change in football and philosophy, talked of the ‘Man United way’ of playing football. Full-backs playing on the half way line, pressing from the front, fast and fluid attacking football. Any fan could have said the right things at that time and that, after all, is what OGS is; a United fan through and through. However, the proof is in the pudding and no one wins football matches or turns seasons around from the press box. Ole’s first game in charge: Cardiff City 1-5 Manchester United. Some of the best football of our season was played that day, fast one-touch football and a fluid attack meant a struggling Cardiff side had little resistance against a United side with something to prove. No one could have predicted what was to come after that.

Fast forward 3 months to 5^th March 2019 – United are preparing for their 2^nd Leg of the UCL semi final vs PSG. They had lost the first leg 2-0 at Old Trafford and lost their main man Paul Pogba as he’d received a red card late in the game. Since Ole’s appointment, United had been in scintillating form registering 14 wins and 2 draws in 16 games. An unbelievable turn-around of form with great football on display and players like Paul Pogba pulling the strings. Following his poor start with Mourinho in charge, Ole gave Pogba free roam to create from the midfield by allowing him to charge forward and reducing his defensive responsibilities by playing Nemanja Matic and Ander Herrera behind him as a two-man pivot as his favoured midfield.

However, with all being said United had a miracle to perform in Paris to overturn a 2-goal deficit against one of the worlds best sides. PSG were missing Neymar and Cavani which posed problems for the French side, but with the likes Kylian Mbappe, Angel Di Maria and Thiago Silva; this was no easy task. If there was one thing that the 3 months following Ole taking over as caretaker taught us fans, it was to believe in United and Ole.

I’m sure I can speak for a large proportion of the fanbase here by saying the 6^th March was a special night for the club. Missing our main creative force in Pogba, United won 3-1 and knocked PSG out of the UCL in what I would think is one of the best comebacks of the Champions League. As the final whistle blew, youth academy players Mason Greenwood and Tahith Chong were celebrating with the team. Scott McTominay was in the starting XI and was one of the standout performers in the game. The future looked bright on the night of March 6^th.

Credit: football365.com

The season ends, Man United 0-2 Cardiff City. An embarrassing defeat at home to an already relegated side capped off an abysmal end to the season. After the PSG game, United had recorded 2 wins, 2 draws and 8 losses including a 4-0 defeat to Everton and 2-0 defeat to rivals Manchester City. The football slipped back to what we saw under Mourinho; a lack of energy, drive, passion and effort was for all to see.

But what was the problem? Had the player simply stopped caring or had the tactics gone horribly wrong for the last 14 games? Following the 2-0 loss to city, United club stalwart Gary Neville and legend Roy Keane were pundits on Sky Sports. An exchange between them encapsulated the feeling of the club at that time; Keane was blaming the players for a lack of effort and ethic for the defeat and United’s form in general whereas Neville was sympathetic, stating it had been a long season for the players and that they looked as if they were burned out. I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you what Keane’s response to that was. The truth is time would tell. The season ended with Man United in the same position as when Ole took over. 6^th place: 5 points behind 4^th place Spurs and 33 points behind 1^st place Man City.

Credit: thesun.co.uk

Everybody knew there was a lot of work to be done, Ole was quoted as saying “I’m going to be successful at Man United, I know I am. Some of these players won’t be”. This, amongst other things said, confirmed what we already knew; that the club needed a rebuild. Improvements needed to be made following the abysmal end to the season. CEO Ed Woodward has hardly covered himself in glory with his past transfer business, mainly signing star names and brand players who subsequently have failed to deliver and impress; much like himself.

The transfer window opened and the rumours and links started flying thick and fast, as they always do with Man Utd. There was a clear plan and type of player that Ole wanted to bring in, having said before he wants players that fit the Man United mould and DNA – much like Sir Alex had stated in the past. Young, versatile, hard working and most importantly, a drive to be the best.

The first piece of business to be concluded was the signing of Swansea winger Daniel James, 21 for £15m. The Welsh pace merchant had a breakthrough season for Swansea impressing in the Championship and in the FA cup registering 5 goals and 10 assists in all competitions. I wouldn’t lie and say this didn’t raise eyebrows as he’s not Premier League proven and not a solid improvement on paper compared to our squad. However, we have been desperate for a right-winger for the past few years having played Juan Mata and Jesse Lingard, both traditional number 10s, there in the last season with little success or impact.

This was followed by the signing of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, 21 for £55m from Crystal Palace. One of the standout players of the season, he had impressed and surprised everyone last season boasting some astonishing statistics at the seasons close (see below). Some winced at the fee, but in comparison to a £50m Kyle Walker transfer from Spurs to Man City; this just shows the premium for English talent in the current market.

Credit: Twitter @btsportfootball

As it stands, these are the only two signings of the window for Man United – showing a clear intent with our current transfer policy. Young, home-grown talent seems to be the way we are going which, would fit the philosophy that United had always stuck to until years of late. Culture and develop world-class talent as oppose to buying the finished product. Personally, I agree with this as short-term transfer policies have only ended one way; Di Maria and Falcao spring to mind.

It is clear that United still have a long way to go and many problems to fix. However, for the past 4/5 years a massive problem has been the a lack of threat and creativity on the right side of the pitch. Playing the likes of Ashley Young and Mata down the right limits your threat on the break with the lack of pace they show which makes it easy to defend the left, where most of our attacks came last year.

With the likes of Sporting Lisbon’s Bruno Fernandes and Lazio’s Sergio Milinkovic Savic being heavily linked with United, its clear that our midfield needs bolstering and improvement after losing Ander Herrera on a free transfer to PSG. Our main source of creativity is Paul Pogba, who’s future is uncertain at the moment although he has travelled with the squad on pre-season. Having one creative outlet in the midfield not only restricts our play, but piles massive pressure on the Frenchmen to deliver and perform. Having another signing or two in the midfield, especially with a creative mind like Bruno Fernandes would definitely alleviate this pressure and improve the midfield massively.

Credit: manchestereveningnews.co.uk

Leicester’s Harry Maguire is also reportedly close to moving to United for somewhere in the region of £80m and with talks of Benfica’s Ruben Dias, West Ham’s Issa Diop and Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly being touted around social media and the papers its evident that the club both are looking and need to improve our defence. Conceding more goals than in ANY other Premier League season it is clear that there is a problem there. Since his arrival Eric Bailly showed promise in his first season, but has struggled to find fitness and form since. Victor Lindelof is showing promise and improvement at centre-half but with Bailly struggling to play consistently, Lindelof is not enough. Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and Marcos Rojo are good players, but not what a side need as their starting centre-backs if they are to challenge for a title; this is where United need to get back to. We are lacking aerial presence and a commander in defence which we had in Nemanja Vidic & Rio Ferdinand and going further back to legend Jaap Stam.

Credit: Mirror.co.uk

Since pre-season has started, I am hopeful and optimistic once again. Seeing the youth academy prospects Angel Gomes, Chong, James Garner and Mason Greenwood playing with pace and intensity and slotting seamlessly into the team has lifted the spirits. The football that was seen in the first 14 games of Ole being in charge is back again. High intensity pressing and impressive football is there for all to see, but will this translate into the Premier League and will the consistency and fitness levels be there? More work needs to be done and a few more signings of high level players would go a long way to bloster the squad and improve our starting XI.

Credit: caughtoffside.com

In Ole we trust and we place our faith in the hands of the club hierarchy to deliver in this transfer window. With only 2/3 weeks left to get the business done, will Woodward deliver?

Jake Pye

Premier League Youngsters Enjoying Pre-Season

Mason Greenwood celebrates his goal against Inter Milan. (Credit: The Telegraph)

From January 2019 right up until today, much has been written in the media, debated on TV and splashed all over social media about the prospects beginning to appear through the ranks of teams across the English Premier League.

Jadon Sancho has been at the head of this list spear heading his way into the England team with top performances for Dortmund in the Bundesliga last season.

There was Bayern Munich’s shock pursuit of Callum Hudson-Odoi from Chelsea. I say shock, but CHO was known throughout the development division for a while just not given the opportunities at Chelsea that other clubs may have afforded him.

There were loanees aplenty from the EPL standing out from the crowd and showing that there really is a significant depth of youngsters in youth teams around the Country just waiting to be given their chance. Mason Mount and Harry Wilson spring to mind from their time with Derby County.

Callum Hudson-Odoi was pursued by Bayern Munich last season. (Credit: The Guardian)

But that was last season, and now we’re looking to the new one and the current darling of the media being Manchester United’s own prodigy Mason Greenwood.

The free scoring 17 year old was mentioned a couple of times by Solskjaer in press conferences toward the end of last season and he did receive a few token appearances. But not really afforded the time to show what he can do. Now though, it would be fair to say that he has taken the bull by the horns during the pre-season so far and if his appearance against Inter Milan is anything to go by he will definitely be in contention for a starting berth come the new season.

Arsenal youngsters Eddie Nketiah and Bukayo Saka have hit the headlines with their performances against Fiorentina recently and rightly so.

But there is one player that appears to be flying below the radar. With very little media attention from the English papers is another 17 year old and just across North London at Tottenham Hotspur, Troy Parrott.

Troy Parrott played the first 45 mins against Juventus. (Credit: Irish Times)

Last season in the development leagues, Parrott boasted a comparable goalscoring record to United’s Greenwood.

• Greenwood played 30, scored 31. Averaging a goal every 74 minutes.
• Parrot played 12, scored 15. Averaging a goal every 65 minutes.

Granted Greenwood played the full season, but if it wasn’t for Parrott’s inury hampered end to his season we could have seen a far closer contest.

Troy Parrot was given his first appearance and started for the Spurs senior team in the pre-season opener against Juventus. I tuned in for this reason only and was not disappointed. Parrott may be 17 but his movement and the way he saw space opening as he tried to run into channels shown a maturity beyond his years.

Whilst he may not have scored, Parrott was vital in the build up for Tottenham’s opener and if it wasn’t for a superb reaction save from Buffon we would have seen his name on the scoresheet. He was never bullied by Bonucci and on a couple of occasions made Rugani to look the more inexperienced in their personal battles.

I understand it was only 45 minutes, but up against Bonucci and Rugani he did not look out of place. As with Greenwood, if this first appearance is anything to go by he may not be challenging for Harry Kane’s spot (not a lot of experience players would, let’s be honest), Tottenham will have a very good backup and may save themselves a few pennies in that position.

Skipp reads and intercepts a lofted pass against Juventus. (Credit: SportsMole)

I’d also like to put a special mention to 18 year old Oliver Skipp who dealt with and at times bullied Blaise Matuidi in the middle of the pitch. He played the full 90 minutes until going off with a knock and barely put a foot wrong all game. It’s obvious he is a no-frills player (apart from the recent video of him humiliating Sissoko in training), and is earning strong comparisons to Scott Parker. Time will tell, and he may need a loan move to get game time but he does look very very promising.

It also can’t go without saying that 22 year old, Kyle Walker-Peters had a great first half against Ronaldo.

Kyle Walker-Peters holding his own against Cristiano Ronaldo. (Credit: GettyImages)

It’s fair to say that Tottenham really did spoil anyone who has an affection for British youth players for choice today. Featuring players such as: Kyle Walker-Peters, Japhet Tanganga, Oliver Skipp, Troy Parrott, Jamie Bowden, George Marsh, Jack Roles and Harvey White.

-GG.