Author: Joe Soriano

Joe Soriano is the editor of The Trivela Effect and a FanSided Hall of Famer who has covered world football since 2010. He’s led top digital communities like The Real Champs (Real Madrid) and has run sites covering Tottenham, Liverpool, Juventus, and Schalke. He also helped manage NFL Spin Zone and Daily DDT, covering the NFL and pro wrestling.

Cody Gakpo’s Liverpool stock has reached an all-time low
Analysis

Cody Gakpo’s Liverpool stock has reached an all-time low

Liverpool had won three straight Premier League games after tough loss to rivals Manchester City, but after putting up five on relegation candidates West Ham United, the Reds lost to another relegation threatened side in Wolves to send them crashing back down to earth again. As Arne Slot rightfully draws the brunt of the criticism from Kopites for another horrendous managerial performance out of many this season, his favorite player, Cody Gakpo, also deserves plenty of criticism for one of the most disastrous winger performances by any player this Premier League season. Gakpo was the epitome of everything wrong with Liverpool in this one. At least fellow struggling winger Mohamed Salah managed to salvage a goal, because the Dutch forward did not prove himself useful in the slightest....
Mohamed Salah isn’t the only Liverpool star regressing to liability status
Analysis

Mohamed Salah isn’t the only Liverpool star regressing to liability status

Plenty has been said about Mohamed Salah's regression this season and abrupt decline in 2025/26 after being the best player in the Premier League last year, and while he did score the lone goal for the Reds in their shock defeat to relegation candidates Wolves, Liverpool fans are not changing their tune about the Egyptian legend. However, they are now adding another Premier League Player of the Season caliber star from the 2024/25 title winning season to their list of regressors partially responsible for their downturn in 2025/26. Ryan Gravenberch was a massive success story under Arne Slot last season and the best midfielder in the Premier League, dominating in all phases. Now, he is a shell of himself and a liability like Salah, holding back the midfield. Liverpool have gone fro...
Manchester United have increased their chances of keeping Bruno Fernandes
Transfer News

Manchester United have increased their chances of keeping Bruno Fernandes

Manchester United attacking midfielder Bruno Fernandes has worn many hats in the midfield this season, but no matter where the Red Devils captain has played or who has coached the team, he has been one of the best players in the Premier League and absolutely has a place next season. It's just that Man United fans have had to worry about Bruno F. either being swayed by another top team amidst the club's continued struggles - and previously, the issues with manager Ruben Amorim - or cashing in on a big move to the Saudi Pro League with Saudi Arabia ever desperate to add his star power. However, the transfer rumor mill is now pointing increasingly in the direction of Fernandes staying for at least another year. According to a new report from Alex Crook and Robert Calcutt of talkSPORT, M...
Somewhere, Luis Diaz is laughing at Liverpool
Analysis

Somewhere, Luis Diaz is laughing at Liverpool

Liverpool thought the summer 2025 transfer window was the right time to cash in on Luis Diaz and that his best days would soon be behind him, but it is the Colombian superstar who is now laughing as one third of the best attacking trio in world football as he and Bayern Munich sit in the driver's seat in the Champions League. Meanwhile, Liverpool are missing Diaz so badly that even in games in which a current star like Florian Wirtz is unavailable, it is the dynamic left winger whom they miss the most. Liverpool are a stagnant team with issues progressing the ball, serious creativity woes besides Wirtz and Dominik Szoboszlai, and unproductive wing play that is as unthreatening as it is predictable. As Diaz carves up Bundesliga defenses for fun, setting the table for Ballon d'Or fa...
Manchester United fans will despise the budget transfer alternative to their top CMs
Transfer News

Manchester United fans will despise the budget transfer alternative to their top CMs

Manchester United are desperate for new blood in the middle of the park, and given how much they have improved under Michael Carrick already as legitimate Champions League contenders, it is scary to think how good they will be next season with one or two top class midfielders in the mix. The dream trio for many Man United fans is Adam Wharton, Carlos Baleba, and Elliot Anderson among the several top midfielders linked to Man United this summer transfer window, which will also include two real pipe dreams in Newcastle United stars Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes. But according to a new report from Chris Wheeler and Nathan Salt of the Daily Mail, Manchester United are also keeping an eye on United States national team center midfielder Tyler Adams, who recently returned from a seriou...
Jarell Quansah isn’t the only top Bundesliga CB talent on Liverpool’s transfer radar
Transfer News

Jarell Quansah isn’t the only top Bundesliga CB talent on Liverpool’s transfer radar

As Liverpool contemplate bringing Jarell Quansah back after his sensational first season with Bayer Leverkusen as their replacement for Jonathan Tah, they are also considering another burgeoning talent in the Bundesliga, Nnamdi Collins of Eintracht Frankfurt. It has been a disappointing 2025/26 Bundesliga campaign for the Eagles, who were a sleeper team to fight at the top of the Bundesliga but are instead at risk of not qualifying for European football despite a team loaded with great young players. Collins is one of them, but he is part of a disappointing group of defenders. Per a report from Sky Sports Germany, Liverpool are interested in the Frankfurt center back, who carries a price tag of 40 million euros, at a minimum, from a team famous for selling players for a lot of money....
Liverpool fans already know their ideal Arne Slot replacement
Analysis

Liverpool fans already know their ideal Arne Slot replacement

Liverpool seemed to have been turning the corner with a string of positive results, but they were sent crashing down to earth by Rob Edwards's suddenly dangerous Wolves sides, leading to the same old questions about Arne Slot being asked by Kopites. When Liverpool hired Slot, they did so over former center midfielder Xabi Alonso, who had just won the Bundesliga with a fairytale, undefeated season at Bayer Leverkusen - previously nicknamed "Neverkusen" for their inability to win the big one - to break up Bayern Munich's historic hegemony. But the Reds did not regret their decision, dominating the Premier League in 2024/25 in Slot's first season filling the massive shoes of Jurgen Klopp. Meanwhile, Alonso joined Real Madrid this past summer and was fired in months, unable to handle the...
Liam Rosenior provides positive Marc Cucurella injury news
Injury News

Liam Rosenior provides positive Marc Cucurella injury news

Chelsea star left back Marc Cucurella has missed the last two matches with a hamstring injury, but it sounds like the Spanish international will be returning back to the Blues shortly. Ahead of Wednesday night's next big game for Chelsea against top five contenders Aston Villa, Blues manager Liam Rosenior stated that the club aim on having Cucurella back on Saturday in the Fifth Round FA Cup clash against the fabled Wrexham, via Absolute Chelsea: "Cucu is looking really good, hopefully we can get him involved for Saturday [if he isn't available for Aston Villa]. Estevao is back on the pitch running, which is great." Jorrel Hato was fantastic at left back against Arsenal for Cucurella, recording three tackles and three interceptiosn while playing decent enough on the ball, focusing...
Fabrizio Romano has the Rodri transfer news Manchester City fans feared
Transfer News

Fabrizio Romano has the Rodri transfer news Manchester City fans feared

Manchester City superstar defensive midfielder Rodri's had a tough road to recovery since tearing his ACL early last season, but in recent matches, we have begun to see signs of the old Rodri emerging. Surely, though, it appears Real Madrid are watching, and the whispers of the Merengue club wanting to snipe away the Ballon d'Or winner from their Champions League rivals are now being acknowledged by the best in the business. According to reporting from Fabrizio Romano, via the Madrid Zone, there are those within the walls of the Santiago Bernabeu who are big fans of Rodri and love him. They want to bring the Manchester City man to the Spanish capital this summer. Fab says that the decision ultimately rests with Rodri, but he is leaving the door open for the Spanish international t...
Fabrizio Romano gives Manchester United fans the Manuel Ugarte transfer news they needed
Transfer News

Fabrizio Romano gives Manchester United fans the Manuel Ugarte transfer news they needed

Manchester United defensive midfielder Manuel Ugarte has not come anywhere close to matching the hype he got after signing from PSG, and it would be a shock if the Red Devils did not sell him this summer. Even though new Man United manager Michael Carrick recently said some nice things about the 24 year old Uruguayan midfielder, the reality is that Ugarte is not starting under Carrick, who has mercifully phased the worst player out of Man U's starting lineup. Now, according to information from Fabrizio Romano, via the utdreport, Ugarte could leave the Red Devils this summer, and there are actually teams in Serie A interested in him. Serie A has become something of a safe haven for failed Premier League players, with famous Manchester United busts Scott McTominay and Rasmus Hojlund...