This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets…
Leeds United’s defence has been nigh on impeccable this season.
The Whites have conceded just nine goals in 16 matches this term. However, there is still one area where they can look to improve.
Indeed, 44 per cent of the goals they have conceded this season have come from set-piece situations, and while United can be satisfied with their performances at the back this term, they should always be striving for perfection, and that is one glaring area in which they can improve.
Fortunately, the Whites have been linked with a defender who could alleviate a number of their set-piece problems upon his arrival, and his WhoScored stats show exactly what he’d bring to the team.
The man in question is Daniel Ayala, and the above graph shows just how dominant in the air the Spaniard is.
In nine of his 16 matches this season the centre-back has won four or more aerial duels, and with Leeds struggling from set-plays this term, it seems as if he’d be a perfect addition to their backline.
It’s not just from set-pieces either, long balls and big strikers have caused United problems in the past.
A great example of this would be their two games against Birmingham City last season.
Lukas Jutkiewicz caused the club huge issues across those matches last term, and that wasn’t only down to his prowess from set-pieces. For a measure of how dominant he was, the Blues striker won a staggering 24 aerial duels across the two games he played against United last term as the Second City outfit did the double over the Yorkshire outfit.
In one match he won an incredible 18 aerial duels when they met back in April before the forward then won a further ten against the Whites this season too.
Not only would the arrival of Ayala cut out the issues from dead-ball scenarios, but the £3.6m-rated defender could also help stifle any teams that attempt to have success by playing route one football against Marcelo Bielsa’s side.
Ben White continues to impress Leeds fans and some think he could be destined for great things in his career, including international recognition.
The 22-year-old has made some rise since arriving in West Yorkshire, adjusting perfectly to the Championship despite never playing at such a high level before.
He has been the ideal replacement for Pontus Jansson and fitted Marcelo Bielsa’s system perfectly, both on and off the ball with his passing prowess and defensive solidity.
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As a result, the Whites have conceded just nine goals in the league from 16 games, a return that has provided the basis for their strong position and possible promotion push.
Due to his form many supporters are keen to see him stay at the club beyond the end of his loan deal, which expires at the end of the season, but there is an acknowledgement that such a move could be tricky due to his potential.
Liverpool are reportedly interested, too, which suggests Leeds face a difficult task to keep him at Elland Road.
Here are some of the Leeds fans who have praised White for his impressive performances so far.
This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…
Jose Mourinho took charge of Tottenham Hotspur for the first time since his appointment following the sacking of Mauricio Pochettino earlier this week on Saturday.
Spurs ran out 3-2 winners over West Ham United at the London Stadium and actually took a 3-0 lead against their London rivals.
Goals from Son Heung-Min, Lucas Moura and Harry Kane, though, gave the north London club their first away league win since January, when they defeated Fulham, who were eventually relegated from the Premier League.
Here are five things we learned from the ex-Manchester United and Real Madrid manager’s first game in charge…
Dier a key figure
Soccer Football – Premier League – West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur – London Stadium, London, Britain – November 23, 2019 Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho and Tottenham Hotspur’s Eric Dier celebrate after the match Action Images via Reuters/Tony O’Brien EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single clu
Eric Dier started in midfield alongside Harry Winks and one has to imagine that such selection choices will continue throughout Mourinho’s reign.
He tried to sign the former Sporting Lisbon midfielder during his time at Manchester United and it is easy to see why.
Per WhoScored, he won nine aerial duels throughout the 90 minutes, won one tackle and also made three clearances along with one interception.
It was a strong performance from a man who could benefit immensely from Mourinho’s appointment; before this, he had played just three times in the league under Pochettino.
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Dele Alli is back
An excellent clip shared online showed Mourinho shouting “that is you Dele, that is you” after Dele Alli’s excellent involvement in Spurs’ second goal.
The England international looked to have lost possession on the flank but he somehow kept it on with a sublime flick that led to the cross from which Lucas Moura scored his side’s second goal.
Throughout the game, he had two shots on goal, won four tackles and registered two key passes, per WhoScored.
He scored just five goals last season under Pochettino in a season that pointed to a potential drifting of his potential; under Mourinho the signs are good that he could be inching back to his very best.
Spurs still need to learn to see leads out
Spurs were 3-0 up at the London Stadium and looked on course for a genuinely comfortable victory.
Indeed, when Lucas sprinted clear of the Hammers defence and was left one-on-one with Roberto, a 4-0 lead seemed nailed-on.
Instead, he scuffed the effort, leaving Mourinho with a wry smile, and the visitors went on to concede twice; Michail Antonio and Angelo Ogbonna both scored, with the latter coming in the sixth minute of added time.
The second goal was particularly egregious; the Italian was left unmarked in the area from a corner and powered a header past Paulo Gazzaniga.
Mourinho did not look particularly happy at the end of the 90 minutes but perhaps that could be a good thing; he knows that this team has plenty of things to work on.
Lucas could be key
Soccer Football – Premier League – West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur – London Stadium, London, Britain – November 23, 2019 Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho and Tottenham Hotspur’s Lucas Moura celebrate after the match REUTERS/David Klein EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/leag
Lucas Moura appeared to have a complicated relationship with previous manager Pochettino.
Of course, he scored that hat-trick against Ajax in the Champions League semi-final second leg last season but he swiftly found himself dropped for the final and he had made just four league starts under the Argentine this term.
However, having been restored to the XI by Mourinho, Lucas enjoyed an excellent performance.
Per WhoScored, he scored Spurs’ second goal, completed three dribbles, registered one key pass, and made three tackles in a performance that will have filled his new manager with the hope that he could become a key member of this team.
Of course, it must be said that he missed an absolute sitter when one-on-one with Roberto but he was in the position and that is a promising sign by itself.
Sissoko must stay benched
Soccer Football – Premier League – Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur – Emirates Stadium, London, Britain – September 1, 2019 Tottenham Hotspur’s Moussa Sissoko applauds the fans after the match Action Images via Reuters/Matthew Childs EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact you
Moussa Sissoko had started every league game under Pochettino but Mourinho opted to bench him on Saturday and, after his disastrous cameo display it is easy to see why.
He was introduced with eight minutes of normal time remaining for Lucas but was a genuine liability in the centre.
As soon as he came on, he lost the ball and he did not manage to complete a single pass, per WhoScored.
He was also dribbled past once, did not complete a dribble of his own and had just seven touches in total.
Admittedly, judging a player on less than 10 minutes of action may seem harsh, but he did nothing to change Mourinho’s mind regarding his selection in future matches.
Lots of Rangers fans have been commenting on the links to Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group, which emerged over the weekend after comments from Jim McColl.
FSG have transformed Liverpool since they bought the Merseyside club for £300m in 2010, with Jurgen Klopp’s Reds now the dominant force in England and Europe, currently holding the Champions League, Super Cup and Club World Cup titles and on track for their first Premier League title if football resumes as normal after the current break in the action.
And, according to McColl, the American group are interested in applying their ‘Moneyball’ tactics at Ibrox. Via The Liverpool Echo, McColl commented: “We were approached recently to see if we were interested in looking at it again. The people who have invested in Liverpool would be interested in looking at it with us and applying the same techniques.
Life after football: Do you know what all of these former players did next?
“Not that I’ll ever do it, but it’s nice to think about them being 22 points ahead of Celtic.”
Despite the rather definitive sounding final comment that he’s unlikely to ever do it, plenty of fans are already getting excited by the links.
Other supporters have concerns over the news, with some suspecting FSG or their potential partners may overspend and leave them in another sticky situation.
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Some even have doubts over whether they could play in Europe under investment from Liverpool’s owners – this would likely not be an issue, given that FSG would merely be investors, not the owners, and Red Bull-owned sides Leipzig and Salzburg have even played each other in European competition.
Finally, there are of course those are who believe this link is purely speculation, questioning why McColl would announce a potential deal in a throwaway comment as part of a different interview, while others point towards the fact that his words do seem to suggest he has no real interest in buying the club.
Ever since he arrived from Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen, Heung-min Son has been nothing short of a revelation at Tottenham.
The South Korea international has been a consistently reliable performer for the Lilywhites, both for Mauricio Pochettino and current manager Jose Mourinho.
All in all, as per Transfermarkt, the forward has scored a very impressive 83 goals and 44 assists in just 220 games across all competitions for the club.
Spot the fact from the fib: Are these Premier League records true or false?
And it appears players from rival clubs have also recognised his talents. Liverpool star and last year’s Ballon d’Or contender Virgil van Dijk waxed lyrical about Son when naming his dream five-a-side team.
He said (as quoted by Football.London): “He’s quick, he’s strong, he goes out there to make life hell on the pitch for a defender and his finishing – right foot, left foot – is just outstanding so I think I would pick him.”
After hearing the £90m-rated Van Dijk’s comments, Spurs fans took to Twitter to voice their thoughts on the matter.
A couple of Spurs supporters touted a potential switch from Merseyside to north London for Van Dijk.
A couple of fans jokingly referenced how this would be something to put in the trophy cabinet in north London.
The fact Van Dijk has spoke glowingly of Son’s abilities and that he is a nightmare to defend against is surely music to the ears of anyone connected to Spurs.
Harry Kane may be the north London side’s talisman, but Son isn’t too far behind.
Meanwhile, Spurs fans react to Victor Wanyama’s admission.
Some Rangers fans have been backing the club this weekend after a statement was released early Sunday evening reiterating their intentions to produce evidence against the SPFL.
The Ibrox-based outfit want an independent investigation of the Scottish Premiership following their resolution to cut the season early and have previously claimed that they have a “dossier of evidence” and proof of teams being “bullied” by the SPFL to vote in favour of the resolution.
Dundee retracted their ‘no’ vote and backed the SPFL’s proposal to cut short the lower-league season with it being passed with an 81% majority and as a result, it has provided a mandate for the Premiership to be finished early.
Rangers’ call for an investigation would need 32 of the 42 member clubs in agreement for it to pass via a ballot.
Stuck in isolation? Our mega footy quiz will cure any boredom…
As things currently stand, the Gers sit second in the standings some 13 points behind the league leaders, although they do possess a game in hand on their arch-rivals.
Here’s how supporters have been reacting to the latest announcement…
AND in other news, Rangers urged to move for Livingston striker Lyndon Dykes…
Newcastle United fans get your cans at the ready. It appears as if their prospective takeover will be given the go-ahead from the Premier League next week.
The Shields Gazette claim “there’s optimism on the buying side that the takeover will finally be approved next week,” leading to some of the Magpies faithful reacting on Twitter after the news was relayed by @NUFC360.
It’s been a long month or so since reports first emerged suggesting that Mike Ashley’s 13-year tenure in charge of the Magpies would finally be coming to an end, and it’s not come without its hitches since with BeIN Sport amongst others trying to block the deal.
But next week could finally be the time that the consortium involving Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman, Amanda Staveley and the Reuben brothers takes the reins at St James’ Park.
Spot the fact from the fib: Are these Premier League records true or false?
WBA fans have seen some comings and goings in the transfer market over the years.
Whether it’s the Tony Pulis, Gary Megson or Bryan Robson eras in the hot seat; the Baggies faithful have seen an array of new signings arrive over the years at the club, with some good and some damn right bad; where for every Chris Brunt, there unfortunately has been a Sebastian Blanco that has donned the famous West Brom shirt.
In our latest Baggies quiz we have compiled a quiz on the most obscure signings of recent times, can you recognise them all?
PEC Zwolle midfielder Gustavo Hamer has arrived in England to undergo a medical at Coventry City, going into a 14-day quarantine before meeting club officials.
Sky Blues manager Mark Robins guided his side to automatic promotion from League One as champions this season and he will now embark on a summer transfer window which could see him bring in a number of players to strengthen his squad.
A potential new addition for the Midlands club is Hamer, with a deal said to have been agreed between Coventry and Dutch side PEC Zwolle.
The 23-year-old midfielder plays in a defensive midfield role and racked up 25 appearances this term prior to the Dutch season being ended due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Dutch under-20 international, whose deal to join Coventry is said to involve future bonuses of €2m (£1.81m), is due in England today to confirm his transfer to the Championship side.
The planned medical could be completed before a required 14-day isolation period amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but it is expected that the youngster will not meet club officials until that two-week spell is completed.
Hamer’s arrival could prove to be a key transfer decision by Robins as he looks to bolster his midfield options.
The youngster, who has Dutch top-flight experience, is likely to come straight into the Coventry starting XI should his medical go as planned and his transfer completed.
Do you think Hamer is going to be a good addition to Mark Robins’ side? Let us know in the comments section below…
Arsenal’s defence has been under constant scrutiny for the last decade at least.
Sébastien Squillaci, Carl Jenkinson and Philippe Senderos are among the flawed stars who have attempted to fill the void left by some of the Premier League’s greatest defenders.
The Gunners appeared to have turned a corner last summer though as Stan Kroenke splashed out £25million to sign Celtic’s skipper, Kieran Tierney. The Scottish international had just won his fifth consecutive Scottish Premiership title and was riding the wave of a historical treble-treble with his boyhood side.
But things have not quite worked out for the 22-year-old since he made the move down south as injuries restricted the left-back to just 11 appearances in all competitions before football’s shutdown.
Despite playing well during his limited game time, particularly in the Europa League, some reports suggest Tierney has already been written off. The Sun noted back in February that the North London club was ready to cut their losses on the full-back and sell him back to former boss Brendan Rodgers should Ben Chilwell depart Leicester City. The Foxes’ gain would be Arsenal’s baffling loss.
It comes as no surprise to see Rodgers linked with his former star-man; back in 2017 after a narrow Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich, the then Celtic boss said, “Kieran Tierney was up against Arjen Robben and he was outstanding again. I had Danny Rose as a young player at Watford and I worked with Ryan Bertrand at Chelsea. And Kieran is right up there with those boys.”
It’s therefore surprising to read reports linking Arsenal with a move for Ajax full-back Nicolas Tagliafico. Although the Argentine is highly-rated, at five years Tierney’s senior with an alleged £22.4million asking price and competition from European giants Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan, it is not a transfer that makes sense.
Soccer Football – Europa League – Group F – Arsenal v Vitoria S.C. – Emirates Stadium, London, Britain – October 24, 2019 Arsenal’s Kieran Tierney applauds the fans after the match REUTERS/Eddie Keogh
Arsenal’s frugal nature in the transfer market became apparent long before Arsène Wenger’s reign came to an end. With bigger priorities elsewhere on the pitch such as centre-back and midfield, the Gunners board would be foolish not giving Tierney time to settle.
New boss Mikel Arteta appears to be a fan of the youngster. He told Arsenal legend Ian Wright recently: “I’m really looking forward to working with him and giving him the opportunity to play. His attitude, his commitment, his willingness, it’s incredible. I think he’s going to bring something special to us. It (the injury) has been a shame, but it’s part of his development. During your career, you go through these moments.”
Gunner’s fans may call for more consistency after seeing Sead Kolasinac blow hot and cold during his time in the capital and Tierney’s season blighted by injuries. But on this occasion, good things may come to those that wait.
Tierney was voted PFA Scottish young player of the year three times during his time at Parkhead and was a constant menace down the left-flank. He contributed at least five assists in every full campaign that he played in Scotland and although many will question the quality of football north of the border, Celtic and Rangers’ performances in Europe this season has surely added credibility to its standard. Pub teams don’t defeat the likes of Lazio, Porto and Braga.
Arsenal have long been accused of lacking leaders who are prepared to dig in and battle as well as producing the eye-catching flair that they became renowned for under Wenger. Tierney is a man who can do both. He captained his club and country at just 20-years-old and has 45 games in European competition under his belt already.
The summer signing returned to training following his shoulder injury before the coronavirus pandemic hit pause on football and the Premier League’s likely resumption next month offers Tierney the perfect opportunity to silence any doubters and stop Arsenal’s alleged transfer plans in their tracks.