Tag: Arsenal

Christos Tzolis success for Arsenal will come from a key element they never had
23Aug By Frank G. BarnesNo Comments
Analysis

Christos Tzolis success for Arsenal will come from a key element they never had

Arsenal actually had a decent attack with Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard, Viktor Gyokeres, Kai Havertz, and Bukayo Saka, and while it was the weak point of a side that won the Premier League, the attack was still good enough that it didn't hold the Gunners back from finally taking home the title. But Arsenal are now ten times better as an offense with Christos Tzolis, whose goal scoring and assist providing exploits at Club Brugge were clear enough to the Gunners at the time of his signing. Though he did not score or assist in the 3-0 opening win over Coventry, Tzolis had three key passes and two fouls drawn in a highly successful debut in which he was quite arguably the best player on the entire pitch. What Arsenal were missing and what Tzolis is providing is a directness f...
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Arsenal have one last doubt before Riccardo Calafiori becomes the best in the world
23Aug By Frank G. BarnesNo Comments
Analysis

Arsenal have one last doubt before Riccardo Calafiori becomes the best in the world

Arsenal are so loaded with talent defensively that it's easy to forget the players besides David Raya, Gabriel Magalhaes, and William Saliba who were the heroes of the Premier League title run last season. But Arsenal have some more serious ballers in their ranks, and the one with the most upside is Italian international Riccardo Calafiori, who captured the attention of the world in 2023/24 under Thiago Motta when Bologna made a fairytale run to the Champions League - and then the following summer for Italy when he was the one positive of another national team disgrace. Calafiori was among the many Arsenal players who looked incredible in the 2026/27 Premier League season opener against newly promoted side Coventry, showing a different level of class with his touches, turns, and work...
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Martin Zubimendi already proved what was really behind his Arsenal struggles
22Aug By Frank G. BarnesNo Comments
Analysis

Martin Zubimendi already proved what was really behind his Arsenal struggles

Arsenal dominated Coventry 3-0 on Friday night to open the 2026/27 Premier League season, and it was no surprise to see how easily the reigning champions destroyed one of the newly promoted sides. Though, of course, Ipswich and Hull scored upset wins, and that actually makes what Arsenal did all the more impressive. Christos Tzolis stole the show with an insane game in his Arsenal debut, and he might be the next big thing in the Premier League. And the former next big thing, Martin Odegaard, was like a new signing again with how much better he looked on Matchday 1 than almost any point last season. But if you ask me - and by reading this article, you are essentially asking me - the biggest storyline wasn't those guys, but rather defensive midfielder Martin Zubimendi. Zubi is going...
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The 10 Best Defensive Midfielders in the Premier League Right Now, Ranked
21Aug By Frank G. BarnesNo Comments
Rankings

The 10 Best Defensive Midfielders in the Premier League Right Now, Ranked

The Premier League is loaded with elite midfield talent, but the best defensive midfielders do far more than simply tackle, intercept and protect the back four. A modern No. 6 must be able to win the ball, resist pressure, progress possession and control matches. Some are pure destroyers, others are deep-lying playmakers, while the very best can dominate both sides of the game. With that in mind, these are the 10 best defensive midfielders in the Premier League right now, ranked based on their current level, consistency, defensive ability, technical quality and overall importance to their teams. 10. Mateus Fernandes — Tottenham The Dynamic Midfield All-Rounder One of the new breakout stars in the Premier League, Mateus Fernandes is a ball of energy with highly underrated techn...
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The 25 Best Premier League Players Right Now, Ranked
20Aug By Frank G. BarnesNo Comments
Rankings

The 25 Best Premier League Players Right Now, Ranked

The Premier League has no shortage of world-class talent, but ranking the division's very best players is about more than simply looking at reputation, trophies or what a player accomplished several years ago. This ranking focuses on who the best Premier League players are right now. Current form matters, but so do consistency, individual quality, importance to a team's success and the ability to influence matches at the highest level. Players are also judged on the standard they have established over the current period, rather than being ranked solely on a brief hot streak. From elite defenders and midfielders to some of the most devastating attackers in world football, these are the players setting the standard in England's top flight. Here are the 25 best Premier League players right...
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Predicting every Premier League team’s goal scoring leader in 2026/27
15Aug By Frank G. BarnesNo Comments
Analysis

Predicting every Premier League team’s goal scoring leader in 2026/27

The 2026/27 Premier League season is starting up again soon, and before the new campaign begins, let's take a look at who every team's best scorer will be Manchester City: Erling Haaland Arsenal: Bukayo Saka In theory, the leading goal scorer for Arsenal should be Viktor Gyokeres at the No. 9, but he is so hard to rely on. And while nobody will confuse Bukayo Saka for being the most killer goal scoring winger in the world, he has better technical ability and feel for the game than Gyokeres. He is bound for a bounce back season in 2026/27. Chelsea: Cole Palmer Like with Arsenal, it's hard to pick against the striker, but Joao Pedro brings a lot more than goals to the table for the Blues. And, in fact, what makes him such an asset to Chelsea is the fact that he is more than a scoring st...
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Ranking the top 5 Premier League Player of the Season candidates before 2026/27 begins
15Aug By Frank G. BarnesNo Comments
Rankings

Ranking the top 5 Premier League Player of the Season candidates before 2026/27 begins

It's time to rank the most likely Premier League Player of the Season winners for the 2026/27 campaign before the new season officially begins in a week's time. 5. Leeds DM Anton Stach It might seem crazy to have Anton Stach anywhere near Premier League Player of the Season contention, but he played a massive role in carrying Leeds United to safety last season and is genuinely one of the best all around No. 6's in European football. He was a top player for multiple Bundesliga clubs before an insane inaugural season in England, blowing away expectations with 8 goal contributions, 2.2 key passes per game, and 2.2 tackles per game. Stach is a monster who is only going to get better and deserves a lot more attention. 4. Liverpool ST Hugo Ekitike Hugo Ekitike was the one saving grace in ...
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15Aug By Frank G. BarnesNo Comments
Rankings

Ranking the top 5 defenses in the Premier League before the 2026/27 season begins

With the 2026/27 Premier League season set to get under way in roughly one week, it's time to take stock of the best defenses in the top flight. Because, as we all know, defense wins championships. 5. Chelsea It may seem weird to rank Chelsea in the top five of the best defenses in the Premier League, but there is more that goes into ranking a defense than the center backs, which were a huge problem for the Blues last season - and even led to Enzo Maresca's premature departure. But Chelsea got better at center back by signing one of the league's top ball winners in Maxence Lacroix, who will form a great duo when the latter is fully healthy. Losing Marc Cucurella is a huge blow, but Chelsea have young standouts to replace him - and Reece James, should the star right back get injured. ...
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Updated Premier League Power Rankings before the 2026/27 season starts
15Aug By Frank G. BarnesNo Comments
Rankings

Updated Premier League Power Rankings before the 2026/27 season starts

With just a week left until the 2026/27 Premier League season starts, it's time to power rank every team in the English top flight from worst to first. 20. Ipswich Town 19. Hull 18. Coventry Just like 2024/25, all the new Premier League clubs look set to go straight back down. Until they prove otherwise, they just don't have the talent on paper to cut it in the top flight, and unlike Sunderland and Leeds last season, they didn't make sweeping - and smart - upgrades to their squad. 17. Crystal Palace 16. Leeds 15. Nottingham Forest 14. Everton 13. Newcastle 12. Brentford 11. Sunderland 10. Bournemouth 9. Brighton The hodge podge of the Premier League table is incredibly difficult to predict, but it's quite alarming to see how little progress Newcastle United have made since Sa...
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4 Premier League strikers aiming for bounce back seasons in 2026/27
13Aug By Frank G. BarnesNo Comments
Rankings

4 Premier League strikers aiming for bounce back seasons in 2026/27

The 2026/27 Premier League season is just weeks away. Here are four strikers who are looking to get back on track after off 2025/26 campaigns. Alexander Isak, Liverpool After scoring 23 goals with 6 assists in the 2024/25 Premier League season to post the best numbers of his career and build on a first campaign at St. James's Park that was already a massive success with 21 goals, Alexander Isak quickly realized that the grass is not always greener. He was atrocious last season, and while injuries were the main culprit of his disappointing campaign, he still played poorly even when he was healthy with just 3 goals in 14 appearances. Isak has more to prove than anyone else, because Liverpool spent a record fee on him, only to get markedly worse. Viktor Gyokeres, Arsenal Arsenal won th...
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