Author: Joe Soriano

Liverpool left back Andrew Robertson was arguably the best player at his position just a few years ago, shining in the 2018/19 and 2019/20 campaigns when the Reds won the Champions League and the Premier League, respectively. A great two-way fullback with the work rate, intensity, and playmaking skills to match anyone at the position, Robertson formed an all-time great duo with right back Trent Alexander-Arnold at the peak of his powers. Although TAA is the one on an expiring contract and with heavy links to Real Madrid, it looks like between the two of them, Robertson is the less likely man to start for Liverpool in 2025. That's because Robertson's play has fallen off a cliff in the 2024/25 season. He isn't creating chances, he's getting burned repeatedly defensively, and he is u...

Barcelona have assembled a juggernaut beyond their wildest imagination thanks to the innovative mind of Hansi Flick, whose squad has already registered 40 goals in LaLiga this season - a pace even surpassing MSN. The centerpiece of their squad is teenage phenom Lamine Yamal, by far the best young player in the world. Barca's attack also includes Robert Lewandowski, easily the Pichichi favorite, and still a third Ballon d'Or candidate in breakout star Raphinha. Both Yamal and Raphinha are right wingers by trade - and elite ones, at that - but Flick has managed to keep both as regulars by playing Raphinha in a hanging left wing role where he can get behind the defense, attack the mild of the pitch off the ball, hold width with his speed, or act as a playmaker. Barcelona clearly don'...

The minute it was reported that Manchester United would be hiring Sporting CP manager Ruben Amorim to replace Erik ten Hag, the transfer rumor mill started lighting up with all the top young talents on the Portuguese powerhouse that could make the jump to Old Trafford. Manchester United have quite the relationship with signing former Sporting CP talents. Cristiano Ronaldo, the biggest talent in the history of the Premier League, is the obvious standout, but even current No. 10 Bruno Fernandes proved to be a brilliant signing from the Portuguese top flight. Amorim already has a strong set of center backs after the additions of Matthijs de Ligt and, especially, Leny Yoro this past summer for Ten Hag, but Sporting CP could still benefit from either Goncalo Inacio or Ousmane Diomande. ...

Tottenham were the biggest winners of the Premier League weekend, dominating an Aston Villa side that pipped them in the Conference League and Champions League races in the last two seasons. Spurs took Unai Emery and his men to school, with Pape Sarr bossing an Amadou Onana and Youri Tielemans-led midfield while Dominic Solanke scored a brace to cap off a brilliant all-around performance - customary for him since moving from Bournemouth to North London. Meanwhile, James Maddison even got in on the act with a cheeky free kick off the bench to score Spurs' fourth goal of the afternoon and seal the deal for Ange Postecoglou. Lost in all the praise for the regulars was a scintillating defensive performance from Radu Dragusin, whose name could barely be heard on the broadcast, such was...

The list of failed Chelsea transfers since the Todd Boehly takeover in 2022 is a lengthy one, but with the Blues sitting in fourth place under Enzo Maresca this season, the fruits of the club's rather grotesque transfer investment are starting to bear. Cole Palmer and Moises Caicedo have been leading the charge, with the likes of Levi Colwill and Malo Gusto forming a solid framework of a supporting cast that may just need some smart refining in order to yield a Premier League title contender. The trick for Chelsea is to find out which struggling transfer purchases should get second chances, who should be sold, how they should be sold, and with whom they should be replaced. As Chelsea frustratingly continue to back the floundering Robert Sanchez in goal, they also appear to be doub...

Tottenham were quietly one of the more active teams in the Premier League in the summer 2024 transfer window, with their most discussed signing being the 65 million pound acquisition of Bournemouth striker Dominic Solanke. Despite the harsh words of critics, such as myself, Solanke has actually looked like he's worth the money for Tottenham, putting in another strong display this weekend with a brace against fellow top-four hopefuls Aston Villa. Solanke wasn't the most pivotal signing of the summer, though. That honor belongs to Archie Gray, a significant investment in the future on the part of Tottenham at around 30 million pounds. In addition to Gray, Tottenham had already agreed to the signing of another top midfield prospect in Lucas Bergvall, who agreed to terms with Spurs la...

Arsenal failed to sign a proven goal-scorer in the last summer transfer window, and they are already suffering for their hesitancy in the transfer market. The Gunners are currently fifth in the Premier League, seven points behind leaders Liverpool. Only right winger Bukayo Saka has looked capable of consistently scoring goals for Arsenal, and his injury left the Gunners rather barren in the attack. Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus are both good footballers, but they are not out-and-out strikers. Meanwhile, the left wing position has been erratic, with Gabriel Martinelli yet to recover his 2022/23 form and Leandro Trossard clearly best suited for the utility backup role. Arsenal need to prioritize a top striker like Viktor Gyokeres who can threaten for 20 in a season, but they are als...

Manchester United have a new manager in town, and they are very optimistic that Ruben Amorim, one of the most touted up-and-coming managers in world football, can be the guy to right a ship that has gone awfully wayward since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson. Perhaps what makes Amorim so enticing as the next Man United manager is the fact that he relishes the task of fixing the rot that has ailed the Red Devils for so many years. Amorim even rejected other offers from easier projects for the allure and responsibility of being the guy who etches his name in the history books and does what legends Ralf Rangnick, Louis van Gaal, and Jose Mourinho could not by truly turning Manchester United around. There's a belief that Amorim will attract top young talents to Man United, as he did...

West Ham signed a new No. 9 this past summer in Niclas Fullkrug, but the former Werder Bremen and Borussia Dortmund man has yet to make an impact for the Hammers due to injury. The club remains hopeful that Fullkrug, who was key in Dortmund reaching the Champions League Final last season, can be an asset this season. In addition to Fullkrug, West Ham also signed young Leeds left winger Crysencio Summerville to give new manager Julen Lopetegui further attacking options. Further, West Ham dipped into the former La Liga well to help Lopetegui, signing former Valencia attacker Carlos Soler from PSG to round out what looked like a deep attack on paper. While Summerville has flashed the potential to start alongside Mohammed Kudus and Jarrod Bowen in a fearsome trident, West Ham have had...