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Arsenal’s Martin Zubimendi solution is beyond obvious

4Mar

By Joe SorianoNo Comments

Analysis

Arsenal’s Martin Zubimendi solution is beyond obvious

Arsenal star defensive midfielder Martin Zubimendi has been one of the keys to the Gunners controlling Premier League midfields with ease and thus the title race to this point, but the Spanish international has begun to look a little long in the legs. And it is no surprise either. Out of all the players in the Premier League thus far in the 2025/26 campaign, Zubimendi is the leader in total kilometers traveled with nearly 300. Not even Everton workhorse midfielder James Garner or Nottingham Forest dynamo Elliot Anderson have covered more ground. Every single Arsenal fan can tell that Zubi is gassed, and they greatly appreciate all the dirty work he does so that the other players on Arsenal, including Ballon d'Or candidate Declan Rice, can shine with their statistics. Not only that...

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

3Mar

By Joe SorianoNo Comments

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

3Mar

By Joe SorianoNo Comments

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...

Somewhere, Luis Diaz is laughing at Liverpool

3Mar

By Joe SorianoNo Comments

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...

Liverpool fans already know their ideal Arne Slot replacement

3Mar

By Joe SorianoNo Comments

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...

Arsenal, Mikel Arteta’s dark arts will inevitably lead to Premier League rule changes

3Mar

By Cody AcevedaNo Comments

Analysis

Arsenal, Mikel Arteta’s dark arts will inevitably lead to Premier League rule changes

After the Gunners' 2-1 win over Chelsea on Sunday, the football world is again talking about Arsenal corner routines and the so-called ‘dark arts’ used by Mikel Arteta’s side. These conversations have been a staple of the 2025-26 Premier League season, but it’s starting to feel like we have finally reached a tipping point for what fans, commentators, and even other clubs are willing to accept. Manchester City legend Yaya Toure said he was “disappointed” by Arsenal’s performance in the London Derby match, while former AC Milan and Chelsea star Ruud Gullit described the Gunners’ tactics as “truly awful to watch” on Dutch television. On Tuesday, Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler added his name to the long list of football fans unhappy with Arsenal’s corner routines this season. Spe...

Martin Zubimedi quietly proved why Arsenal want Sandro Tonali

2Mar

By Joe SorianoNo Comments

Analysis

Martin Zubimedi quietly proved why Arsenal want Sandro Tonali

There have been a lot of unfair takes about Arsenal star defensive midfielder Martin Zubimendi recently, many of which miss the point. Because as Mikel Arteta and upper management predicted, the former Real Sociedad star has been a rousing success, offering the Gunners a sense of control even they did not enjoy last season. Zubimendi has been one of the better defensive midfielders in the Premier League this season, forming a fearsome axis with the world class Declan Rice. His ability to win possession has added another dimension to this team, and his off ball positioning is nearly peerless in European football. But he wasn't at his best against Chelsea over the weekend. Arsenal won and Zubi played excellently defensively, but he struggled to accurately move the ball against Moises C...

Chelsea have to take advantage of Joao Pedro’s elite trait

2Mar

By Joe SorianoNo Comments

Analysis

Chelsea have to take advantage of Joao Pedro’s elite trait

Chelsea made a number of splash signings in the summer 2025 transfer window, but the only new attacking star who has worked out is center forward Joao Pedro. While he may not be the goal-scoring maven Blues fans dreamed of, his elite hold-up play is something this club needs to start taking advantage of. And honestly, Chelsea could be doing a better job of taking advantage of Pedro's ability to maintain possession, draw out defenders, draw in defenders, and run the channels. The players who can create havoc and bring others into the game are able to define offenses, and we are seeing more top clubs like Manchester City, Real Madrid, Barcelona, and PSG competing at the highest level of the Champions League value these players. What Pedro is missing is another striker or a left wing...

Riccardo Calafiori might have already lost his starting job

2Mar

By Joe SorianoNo Comments

Analysis

Riccardo Calafiori might have already lost his starting job

Arsenal survived another tough challenge in the Premier League this weekend, maintaining their status as league leaders by taking down rivals Chelsea 2-1. In the win, left back Piero Hincapie delivered another great performance, increasing the rumblings that he could usurp Riccardo Calfiori as the starter going forward. Calafiori was actually playing well at the left back position before suffering a muscular injury, and even though he should be healthy enough to return to the starting lineup, the Italian international has remained benched in favor of Hincapie. The Ecuadorian international has made his permanent signing from Bayer Leverkusen a mere formality at this point. Wanted by literally every other club in the Premier League Big Six, Hincapie's brand of athleticism and hard-nose...

There is only one outcome for Mohamed Salah and Liverpool

1Mar

By Joe SorianoNo Comments

Analysis

There is only one outcome for Mohamed Salah and Liverpool

Mohamed Salah has not scored in his last 10 Premier League outings for Liverpool, and as the goals fail to come out of a ketchup bottle that is starting to look a little bit dodgy, people are starting to realize that now is the best time for legend and club to part ways. Just a year ago, Salah was the unquestionable best player in the Premier League, guiding Liverpool to the title with an insane 29 goals and 18 assists. His goals were his highest total since netting 32 in his first season at the club in 2017/18, and the assists set a new higher water mark for the player. But even then, you could see Salah tailing off in production towards the end of the season, the second half not quite as brilliant as the first, with Salah ceding Ballon d'Or contention to Lamine Yamal and eventual w...