Friday, July 8, 2022

Leeds United States Connections; Arsenal Get Their Man


Marsch Adds American Talent Among Six Leeds Summer Signings

Leeds United announced the signing of United States international Tyler Adams. The signing completes the move of the midfielder from RB Leipzig where Adams once played under current Leeds Manager Jesse Marsch. Adams will be playing for a third time under the American born Marsch with player and manager having also spent time together at New York Red Bull in Major League Soccer (MLS).

Adams will join fellow United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) member Brendan Aaronson who was signed by Leeds earlier in this window from RB Salzburg where the attacker played for a brief six-month period during Marsch’s stint as the manager for that Austrian club. Aaronson also has spent time in MLS with Philadelphia Union. A smooth transition by USMNT members Adams and Aaronson will contribute to the near-term success of Leeds and Marsch but will also improve the prospects for future American managers and players in the Premier League.

The record of US players in the league has been spotty. Tim Howard was a solid goalkeeper in the league, first for Manchester United and later for Everton. Clint Dempsey scored 23 goals in one season for Fulham. Christian Pulisic has provided highlight moments at Chelsea, but injury and inconsistency have kept him from reaching elite status. Nether Adams nor Aaronson will ever be considered elite but if they perform well, it could help the case for more US players in the Premier League. Josh Sargent’s deplorable year at Norwich this past season certainly did not help that cause. American managers have had an even more difficult time gaining a foothold in the league. German born David Wagner managed Huddersfield in the league for a brief time but the pedigree of the best man at Jurgen Klopp’s wedding was formed in the Bundesliga. The tenure of former MLS and USMNT manager Bob Bradley at Swansea in the Premier League was short, unsuccessful and subject to ridicule.

Jesse Marsch has taken the first step to gaining respect for American football managers in Europe by successfully, though narrowly, leading Leeds though a harrowing survival race last season. Leeds escaped relegation by a mere three points, winning their final match of the season to stay in the Premier League. The club looks to be losing two of its best talents from that team in Kalvin Phillips and Rafinha. Adams and Aaronson are lesser players but have the benefit of familiarity with Marsch’s system. Adams is the more accomplished of the two Americans, if not to the level of English international Phillips who was snatched up by Manchester City. Champions League and Europa League appearances for RB Leipzig burnish the resume of Adams. Aaronson, meanwhile, scored but six goals in the Austrian Bundesliga last season and is not a replacement for Rafinha who is rumored for a move to Barcelona or Chelsea. Leeds has made six signings this window including Luis Sinisterra, a 23-goal scorer for Feyenoord the Eredivisie last season. Leeds ownership, which includes the 44% holding by the investment arm of the San Francisco 49ers, is backing its American manager to rebuild a roster capable of beating the drop once again.


Gunners Look to Jesus for Answer

Another Premier League manager reached out for a former player as Arsenal finalized their deal to acquire Manchester City forward Gabriel Jesus. Jesus experienced some of his best runs of play while current Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta was an assistant to Pep Guardiola for the Citizens.

The relationship between manager and player will be important as the Gunners incorporate Jesus into their scheme. Jesus is on record as being more comfortable on the wing where he plays for his native Brazil. Arsenal, however, needs a center forward. Gabriel has played the position but was unable to declare it his own for a Manchester City club which reverted to using a false nine last season. Midfielders such as Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden played the role for Guardiola last season as the minutes for Jesus were reduced. Manchester City has now moved on to a traditional striker in Erling Haaland. Arteta, meanwhile, needs Jesus to fill the void in the middle of the front-line for the Gunners which was created by the departures of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette. Arsenal already has a young crop of attacking wing players such as Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Emile Smith Rowe. None of Arsenal’s attackers, however, are as dynamic as Jesus. The Brazilian is a two-way player with exceptional dribbling and pressing abilities. Jesus’ goal production while at Manchester City is also underrated. The forward’s rate of one goal every 160 minutes is the seventh best rate of production in the Premier League since Jesus arrived in the league in 2017. Mikel Arteta needs to make his newly acquired talent comfortable and unleash the potential of a player who is entering his prime at 25 years of age. 

 

at No comments:

Monday, July 4, 2022

Should I Stay or Should I go…Stars Making Different Decisions

Two world superstars made different decisions this past week. Mohamed Salah signed an extension with Liverpool, binding him to the club until 2025. Cristiano Ronaldo, meanwhile, has asked out of the Manchester United morass.

Salah’s agreement puts an end to the months long speculation that he would exit Manager Jurgen Klopp’s side. Instead, it was linemate Sadio Mane who departed, and Salah who will now have the Merseyside spotlight to himself while being ably supported by the likes of Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz, newly acquired Darwin Nunez and possibly, though not assuredly, long-time teammate Bobby Firmino.

Securing their superstar brings relief to a Liverpool fan base that has thrilled to Salah’s 156 goals since joining the club in 2017. Salah’s time at Anfield has seen to club rise to the heights of the football world, winning both a Champions League crown and Premier League title under Manager Jurgen Klopp. Salah was the Premier League’s Player of the Year this past season and scored 31 goals across all competitions for the Reds. Salah’s 23 Premier League goals tied him for the league’s Golden Boot with Spurs’ Son Heung-min.

Salah’s success on the field is matched by an off-field persona marked by charitable contributions, religious devotion and an accessible bonding with club supporters. Salah’s extension and the previous extension of Klopp’s contract until 2026 mean the current golden era of Liverpool football will continue.

A club which is father than ever from its golden era is Manchester United. Drama at the club continued this week with the announcement that Cristiano Ronaldo has requested a transfer. The global superstar rejoined the Premier League club last summer with the expectation of returning the Red Devils to glory. Instead, the club suffered its worst Premier League season ever with Ronaldo often blamed for the collapse despite a club leading 24 goals in all competitions and a Premier League scoring haul which trailed only that of joint Golden Boot leaders Salah and Son. Ronaldo was accused of contributing to a toxic and divided locker room as he criticized the younger players for their effort and performance while his outsized persona on and off the field was believed to inhibit the development of those same players. At the end of the day, Ronaldo wants to compete for trophies, the Champions League in particular, and Manchester United does not present that near term opportunity for the 37-year-old as new manager Erik ten Hag begins a rebuild of the once powerful club.

Ten Hag’s early rebuilding efforts are off to a slow start as the Frenkie de Jong saga drags on. The Barcelona midfielder is ten Hag’s much publicized primary target and yet a deal has not yet happened amid rumblings that the player prefers to remain in Spain. The latest twist to the story was a statement by Barcelona’s president Joan Laporta that the club intended to make every effort to keep the Dutch midfielder.

Ronaldo supporters in Manchester hold out the possibility that the frustrated Ronaldo is threatening his personal departure as a ploy to kick start the transfer widow for Manchester United which has lagged other top clubs in getting deals across the line. United has claimed Ronaldo is not for sale, despite the striker’s public desire, even as the Portuguese legend did not appear for his first day of scheduled training at the club’s Carrington Road facility.

 

at No comments:

Friday, July 1, 2022

Spurs Acquire Richarlison; Lukaku Seals Inter Return

Tottenham Hotspur added to their transfer window haul with the purchase of Richarlison from Everton. The north London club has been aggressive this transfer window, further evidence that Manager Antonio Conte has commanded the confidence of club ownership after impressively qualifying for Champions League football with a top four finish. Richarlison is Spurs’ fourth acquisition in this current window. Conte made his first impact on the club’s transfer business, however, last winter with the acquisition of Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur from Juventus. Those players strengthened a roster deemed severely lacking by Conte when he took over the club last season and helped put the club in Champions League position.

Richarlison fits with Conte’s desire for proven players. The Brazilian forward scored 53 goals in 153 appearances across all competitions for the Toffees and his intangibles and timely goals played a leading role in Everton’s late season 2021/22 survival run. Richarlison now becomes part of a reinforced Spurs attacking force. The Brazilian’s ability to play any position across the front line provides an attractive backup for Harry Kane at striker while Richarlison shares and competes for time on the flanks with the likes of Son Heung-min, Kulusevski and recently acquired Ivan Perisic.

With his front-line needs addressed and Brighton’s Yves Bissouma signed to solidify the midfield, Conte now reportedly has his sight set on defensive reinforcement with Barcelona’s Clement Lenglet believed to be in the crosshairs. The departure of Everton’s most valuable player, meanwhile, is a blow for a club which just barely survived relegation. The club’s financial position, however, left little choice. The Toffees have incurred staggering losses in recent years and stand accused of Financial Fair Play violations in a complaint filed by relegated Burnley. Everton owner Farhad Moshiri is reportedly in discussions to sell the struggling Merseyside club. The sale of Richarlison will hopefully spare the sale of homegrown star Anthony Gordon who is coveted by other clubs including Spurs. Toffee Manager Frank Lampard, meanwhile, has limited funds for incoming transfers. Reported interest in the free transfer of former Manchester United player Jesse Lingard thus makes sense as the Toffees try to fill the hole left by Richarlison’s departure.

A heartwarming farewell message from Richarlison to an appreciative Everton fan base was an amicable, if sad, parting compared to the bitter departure of Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea to Inter Milan. Both Richarlison and Lukaku led their clubs in goals across all competitions this past season. Chelsea fans, however, were little impressed with Lukaku’s production and commitment. Chelsea finalized the loan of the Belgian striker to former club Inter Milan this week amid further revelations of the level of discord and unhappiness which clouded Lukaku’s Premier League season. Chelsea Manager Thomas Tuchel now stands accused of making derisive remarks regarding Lukaku’s relationship with former Inter Milan Manager Antonio Conte. Chelsea fans, meanwhile, are angered by the revelation that Lukau was in touch with current Inter Milan Manager Simone Inzaghi throughout last season to set the stage for a return to Italy. Lukau had publicly voiced his unhappiness in London and desire for a return to Milan in a misguided interview last December. Despite the departure of their leading goal scorer, Chelsea supporters are only saddened that this week’s transaction represents only a loan and not a permanent goodbye.


at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)