Premier League

Unai Emery works harder than your favorite team’s manager
1Nov By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Premier League

Unai Emery works harder than your favorite team’s manager

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has accomplished so much in a short time at the Premier League's fastest-rising club that you almost wonder why he hasn't been getting more "best manager in the world" shouts alongside the likes of Hansi Flick, Pep Guardiola, and Carlo Ancelotti. Obviously, Emery doesn't have the Champions League pedigree of those three managers and isn't flying as high as Flick at Barcelona this season, but his Lions are headed for another top four finish in the Premier League after their once improbable UCL qualification last season. Emery has taken Aston Villa from the middle of the pack to the elite in England, and the serial Europa League winner in Spanish football has become a much better league manager in his second stint in the Premiership. So much of Emery's...
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Liverpool need to admit they have a serious weakness in their starting lineup
29Oct By Kevin ParviziNo Comments
Features, Premier League

Liverpool need to admit they have a serious weakness in their starting lineup

Liverpool honestly played the better football between themselves and fellow Premier League title contenders Arsenal, but, in the end, it was a wash, with both historic English sides splitting the points in a nail-biting 2-2 encounter. Both goals Liverpool surrendered were the result of egregious defensive lapses in concentration that will have manager Arne Slot repeating the replays of the goals to his team in meetings. It is the first goal, though, that stands out as the most concerning one, because while set-piece defending is fixable through coaching, the underlying issue with the opener may not be a problem Slot can readily remedy. Arsenal's Bukayo Saka, who has been arguably the best player in the Premier League this season, deserves a whole lot of praise for a great run, a s...
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It’s now or never for Gabriel Martinelli at Arsenal
29Oct By Kevin ParviziNo Comments
Features, Premier League

It’s now or never for Gabriel Martinelli at Arsenal

When Gabriel Martinelli first burst onto the scene for Arsenal in the 2019/20 season, there was a buzz in the air that the Gunners had just found the next big talent in world football - someone who could dominate the left wing for the next decade. As the teenage sensation's development continued, he showed glimpses of putting it all together in the 2021/22 season before exploding in the 2022/23 campaign, playing a vital role in helping Arsenal push Manchester City to their limit in the Premier League title race. Martinelli broke out as a goal-scorer that season with 15 goals, and he wasn't bad creatively either with 5 assists and a career-high 1.6 key passes per game. Dynamic on the ball, Martinelli was a menace on the left wing, cutting inside and devastating defenders in one-on-one...
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West Ham have now answered their biggest attacking question with Crysencio Summerville
28Oct By Kevin ParviziNo Comments
Features, Premier League

West Ham have now answered their biggest attacking question with Crysencio Summerville

West Ham have come away arguably the biggest winners of the Premier League weekend by taking down Manchester United 2-1 in a highly-anticipated matchup that was jokingly referred to as "El Sackico" because of the increasing pressures on Julen Lopetegui and Erik ten Hag. And in the end, it was the former Sevilla and Real Madrid manager's side who came away with the three points, doing enough to hold a sagging Manchester United attack at bay while finding finishes from talented wingers Crysencio Summerville and Jarrod Bowen. Coming into the 2024/25 season, West Ham had some attacking question marks as far as their regular starters go, because only Bowen's position on the right wing was locked in as an every game starter, with Mohammed Kudus also set as a starter, albeit the role itself...
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Manchester United secretly talking to four Erik ten Hag replacements
26Oct By Kevin ParviziNo Comments
Premier League

Manchester United secretly talking to four Erik ten Hag replacements

Manchester United are thinking more and more about parting ways with Erik ten Hag, and they already surprised the majority of the footballing world this past summer when they decided to keep the manager in charge. Ten Hag led Man United to one of their worst seasons of the Premier League era, finishing eighth, but he seemingly saved his job in the eyes of new ownership group INEOS by beating Manchester City to win the FA Cup Final and qualify for the Europa League. So far this season, things have only gotten worse for Manchester United despite a summer of significant transfer investment at all levels of the squad, as the Red Devils are buried in the bottom half of the table after eight matches. As the dropped points continue to pile up, Manchester United are reportedly already hol...
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The biggest silver lining from Southampton’s loss to Man City
26Oct By Kevin ParviziNo Comments
Premier League

The biggest silver lining from Southampton’s loss to Man City

Southampton fought tooth and nail for a point against Manchester City at the Etihad, and while they ultimately came up empty-handed with an early goal from top Premier League marksman Erling Haaland making the difference, Pep Guardiola and Bernardo Silva are right to say that the Saints did some good things in defeat. At no point did Southampton give up, and while they were overmatched in midfield and without the requisite quality in the attack to break Man City's world-class defense, they managed to hang in there and keep things interesting until the last kick. Southampton are no longer one of the more talented teams in the Premier League and will have to keep fighting to the death in matches in order to avoid another demotion, but in this rebuilding squad, they do have a couple of ...
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Insider offers transfer update on West Ham’s struggling striker Niclas Fullkrug
26Oct By Kevin ParviziNo Comments
Premier League

Insider offers transfer update on West Ham’s struggling striker Niclas Fullkrug

West Ham spent 27 million pounds to sign Borussia Dortmund striker Niclas Fullkrug this summer after the German international was unwilling to compete with new BVB signing Serhou Guirassy, who had scored 28 goals in the previous season to lead Stuttgart to an unlikely Champions League berth. The Fullkrug transfer wasn't without its criticisms due to the hefty transfer fee for a 31-year-old player, but he showed up well for the Champions League Finalists last season and proved to be Germany's best option at the 9 this summer at Euro 2024. Unfortunately for West Ham, the club has been unable to benefit from its best out-and-out No. 9 this season, as the experienced big man has been out injured since making just three substitute appearances in the Premier League (for a total of 63 minut...
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Newcastle choose their priority transfer target at RW
26Oct By Kevin ParviziNo Comments
Premier League

Newcastle choose their priority transfer target at RW

Newcastle entertained transfer offers for right winger Miguel Almiron last summer, but they didn't seem all that serious about selling the 30-year-old attacker and signing a superior replacement, Almiron's goal-scoring touch in the 2022/23 season was vital to the club securing Champions League football, but it was the only truly strong season of his time at Newcastle. Predictably, Almiron's performances fell badly in 2023/24, as he lagged behind breakout stars Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon, proving to be the clear weak link in an otherwise fiery Newcastle attack. The Magpies failed to qualify for European football last season, and now, they are left with players like Almiron riding the bench and a gaping hole on the right wing that Jacob Murphy is only partially able to fill. ...
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Transfer Rumors: Newcastle wisely open to selling midfielder as stock falls
26Oct By Kevin ParviziNo Comments
Premier League

Transfer Rumors: Newcastle wisely open to selling midfielder as stock falls

Newcastle are starting to realize that they didn't make full use of the summer transfer window, perhaps overestimating the abilities of their squad desptie failing to qualify for European football after making the Champions League in 2022/23. Manager Eddie Howe showed frustratingly too much loyalty to players who, while useful in 2022/23, were clearly not at the level required to start for a team with Champions League ambitions in an increasingly competitive Premier League. Aston Villa and Tottenham were on the rise, whereas Newcastle stagnated, and now the Magpies are going to have to make some tough decisions in the next January and June transfer periods in order to bring in better players to compete in the top four again. According to a report from the BBC and ESPN's Ekrem Konu...
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West Ham might fire Julen Lopetegui earlier than they should
26Oct By Kevin ParviziNo Comments
Premier League

West Ham might fire Julen Lopetegui earlier than they should

West Ham were one of the most active players in Europe during the past summer transfer window, as they legitimately did what they could to support new manager Julen Lopetegui with the pieces he needed to improve the Hammers from last season's sputtering finish under David Moyes. Though some felt Moyes should have been given more time on the grounds of his past accomplishments at West Ham, the writing was on the wall for the manager after several listless attacking displays to end the season. Lopetegui, however, hasn't materially improved West Ham to this point, as after eight matchdays, the Hammers sat in lowly 15th, tied on points with now perennial relegation fighters Everton. Although it seems far too early to begin discussing canning the former Wolves, Sevilla, and Real Madrid...
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