أشاد ألفارو أربيلوا، مدافع نادي ريال مدريد السابق، بزميله السابق في الفريق الملكي ومدرب النادي الإسباني الحالي، تشابي ألونسو، موضحًا أن الأخير يقوم بعمل استثنائي مع اللوس بلانكوس.
وعين ألونسو كمدير فني جديد لنادي ريال مدريد، وذلك خلفًا لكارلو أنشيلوتي في نهاية الموسم الماضي، وبعقد مدته ثلاثة مواسم.
وصنع ألونسو الفارق مع ريال مدريد وحقق الفريق الملكي معه انطلاقة تاريخية، حيث انتصر الميرنجي في 13 مباراة من أصل 14 ولم يخسر سوى في مباراة واحدة فقط.
ويتصدر ريال مدريد ترتيب الدوري الإسباني مع ألونسو وبفارق خمس نقاط عن برشلونة أقرب الملاحقين، في حين حقق الميرنجي الانتصار في جميع مباريات دوري أبطال أوروبا التي لعبها هذا الموسم في مرحلة الدوري.
اقرأ أيضًا .. آس: جولر يُلزم ريال مدريد بـ مليوني يورو لناديه السابق
وقال أربيلوا الذي يدرب ريال مدريد كاستيا الآن في تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة “ماركا” عن ألونسو: ”يقوم تشابي بعمل استثنائي مع ريال مدريد وهناك عمل رائع، لا أتذكر بدايةً كهذه للفريق، الفوز في 13 مباراة من أصل 14 هو أمر مذهل”.
وأضاف أربيلوا في حديثه عن ألونسو: ”الأهم من ذلك، أرى أسلوب تشابي المميز، أسلوبه الخاص جدًا، مع فريقٍ مسيطرٍ للغاية يستعيد الكرة بسرعة، ويتحرك بأكمله بتناغم في الملعب مع قرب لاعبي قلب الدفاع من المهاجمين، أنا متأكد من أن الفريق سيتحسن أكثر، ولا يسعني إلا أن أهنئ صديقي على أدائه الرائع”.
ويقدم أربيلوا في الجانب الآخر مستويات استثنائية مع ريال مدريد كاستيا، حيث يحتل الفريق المركز الثالث في ترتيب دوري الدرجة الثالثة الإسباني ويلعب بشكل متميز حقًا مع الظهير الأيمن السابق.
Everton host West Ham United in the Premier League on Monday evening, and David Moyes will look to take advantage after the beleaguered Irons sacked Graham Potter on Saturday.
It’s no secret that West Ham have endured a torrid start to the season, and in fact, have toiled ever since parting ways with Moyes at the end of the 2023/24 campaign.
The two sides sit at opposite ends of the Premier League scale right now, and while Everton are tenth, they find themselves with a glorious chance to return to the win column and put the frustrating Carabao Cup exit at Wolves behind them.
Moyes shuffled his pack for that midweek defeat, but by reinstating his side’s biggest stars, the Blues might just get the job done.
How Everton can beat West Ham
Everton have yet to taste defeat at their new home, and for that to change on Monday would be considered a big blow for a side looking to make headway after several years of imperilled fortunes.
But stranger things have happened, and West Ham will hope to use this transitional period to strike while expectations are low. However, with the likes of Jack Grealish and Iliman Ndiaye returning to the starting line-up, Everton should have enough to breach a wobbly defence.
The Londoners’ xG allowed total of 7.6 is next-to-last in the standings right now, marginally behind pointless Wolves. This effectively means they have been poor in defence, shipping many chances and lacking the authority and coherence to repel danger.
Grealish must be excited to test himself against such rusted Iron, and Ndiaye too. But West Ham have weapons of their own, and the home side’s backline must have their wits about them.
Iliman Ndiaye scores for Everton
Everton have enjoyed, by their standards, a fine start to the season, habitually slow to get into gear. And all this without their star defender Jarrad Branthwaite, who is now ready to return to the field.
Branthwaite has not yet kicked a ball at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, but his form and fitness will yet shape the mood on the blue half of Merseyside over the coming months, and he will be crucial in silencing Hammers talisman Jarrod Bowen.
The return of Jarrad Branthwaite
Said to be “one of the best defenders” out there by journalist John Barlow, Branthwaite has settled comfortably into his standout role at Everton over the past few seasons.
And, for the second campaign in succession, he’s been absent throughout the early weeks. This proved detrimental for Sean Dyche’s system one year ago, but Moyes has staved off any threat of a relegation-battling term, having made some emphatic summer signings.
With the England star now fit again and in line to make his seasonal debut, the Blues might just shape into a force to be reckoned with, the backline reinforced and setting a rigid framework for the forwards ahead.
It might prove the missing piece of the puzzle to raise Everton’s game and rebuff a disorganised West Ham side.
Matches (starts)
35 (35)
30 (28)
Goals
3
0
Assists
0
1
Clean sheets
12
8
Touches*
52.2
51.9
Accurate passes*
31.4 (80%)
32.7 (83%)
Ball recoveries*
5.2
3.1
Tackles*
1.9
1.2
Interceptions*
1.4
0.9
Clearances*
4.5
6.3
Ground duels won*
2.5 (67%)
1.9 (69%)
Aerial duels won*
2.7 (68%)
2.1 (59%)
And it’s the forwards who are taking the plaudits in Everton’s team right now. The Toffees have been hard at work this summer, with Moyes adding Grealish and Tyler Dibling to pre-existing ranks boasting the fickle Beto and the deadly Ndiaye, who was the club’s top scorer last year with ten strikes across all competitions.
However, Bowen would love nothing more than to torment his former mentor on Monday night, and while West Ham have struggled this season, with two goals from three recent league matches, the Three Lions forward is one to watch.
Bowen scored three goals from his first six games against Everton, but has blanked across each of the past two top-flight terms. Curiously, those four fixtures coincide with Branthwaite’s return from PSV to Merseyside.
West Ham United's JarrodBowencelebrates scoring their first goal
Previously said to be “unplayable” on his day by The Guardian’s Barney Ronay, the 28-year-old will certainly be up for the task. As per Sofascore, he has averaged five duels a game in the Premier League this season, also converting his only two big chances.
Bowen’s pace and tenacity on the ball serve him well, but Branthwaite would directly impede that facet of his game, one of the toughest tacklers in the Premier League.
As per FBref, he also ranks among the top 7% of central defenders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for clearances per 90.
Moreover, Branthwaite has a cast-iron relationship with the stand-in skipper, James Tarkowski, on the field, and his return to fitness will only raise the 32-year-old’s game once more.
Perhaps the most exciting part is that Branthwaite is still only 23 years old and has much still to learn as he marries his physicality and athleticism with a more cultured take on the technical side of the game.
The development and modernisation of Moyes’ tactics will give rise to such growth, to be sure, and while Branthwaite is an “absolute monster” of a centre-half, as he has been declared by talent scout Jacek Kulig after winning back-to-back Young Player of the Year awards on Merseyside, there is still room for improvement.
But the fact that he has the skillset to negate the threat of a talisman such as Bowen at this stage of his career bodes well indeed. West Ham are in disarray, and Everton are not. A combination of fluent attacking play and steely defensive work should prove enough for Everton to withstand against the advances of their opponents and strike them down.
Everton messed up selling their original Tyler Dibling for just £1.5m
As Everton place their faith in youth gamble, one former player offers a cautionary tale.
O São Paulo encerrou a preparação para enfrentar o San Lorenzo na decisão desta quinta-feira (10). O jogo será crucial para definir o futuro do Tricolor na Copa Sul-Americana. Se vencer, avança para as quartas.
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Quanto a uma possível escalação, algo já é certo: duas grandes novidades. Arboleda, poupado no último jogo por conta de desgaste, deve estar de volta. Mas o grande destaque vai para o retorno de Gabriel Neves. Por conta de uma fratura na costela, sofrida na decisão contra o Palmeiras na Copa do Brasil, novamente treinou normalmente com o elenco e deve voltar a ser relacionado.
Na preparação desta quarta-feira (9), Dorival Júnior e os auxiliares fizeram dois trabalhos táticos, sendo um deles um coletivo em campo reduzido e um posicional.
+ Renove o seu estoque de camisas do Tricolor com o cupom LANCEFUT 10% OFF
No mais, a expectativa é que a equipe jogue com força máxima, buscando reverter a derrota por 1 a 0 sofrida na Argentina. Mas além dos dois citados, não devem existir maiores novidades na escalação.
Desta forma, um possível São Paulo é formado por: Rafael, Rafinha, Arboleda, Beraldo e Caio Paulista; Pablo Maia, Gabriel Neves (Alisson), Rodrigo Nestor (Michel Araujo) e Wellington Rato; Luciano e Calleri.
With the summer transfer window now closed, one Celtic star has revealed how transfer talks over a shock late departure delayed his international duty.
Celtic's transfer window frustrates fans
The fact that it was free agent Kelechi Iheanacho that arrived on deadline day should just about sum it up for Celtic. Whilst the Bhoys did well to welcome the likes of Benjamin Nygren and, at long last, Michel Ange-Balikwisha, there remain question marks about whether they’ve improved their title-winning side from last season.
Nonetheless, Brendan Rodgers welcomed Iheanacho’s arrival with open arms, telling the club’s official website: “He is such a talented player, with great ability, athleticism and work-rate.
“He has great experience and he is right in his peak years, so he can be a great signing for us. I am sure he will make a big contribution to the team.”
Nygren’s impressive start to life in Scotland should also be noted. The winger has scored three goals and assisted one more in just four Scottish Premiership games.
The likes of Shin Yamada and Sebastian Tounekti also arrived in moves that should help replace the goals of Nicolas Kuhn, who left for Serie A side Como 1907 at the start of the summer.
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The Bhoys have already felt the full extent of his departure, crashing out of the Champions League against Karat Almatay and failing to score once across both legs.
As much as his exit was an undeniable blow at the start of the summer, however, things very nearly became far worse for Celtic as one player recently revealed.
Maeda reveals exit talks
As the forward revealed, Daizen Maeda held shock talks to leave Celtic and was delayed joining up with Japan for the international break as a result. The forward revealed that he wanted to leave the Scottish champions, but they blocked a move amid their own struggle to find a good enough replacement.
It’s a major concern for Rodgers, who lost Kyogo Furuhashi in January and Kuhn during the summer transfer window. To now have a player who scored 33 goals in all competitions eyeing the exit door is far from ideal, to say the least.
Daizen Maeda
When January arrives, the Celtic stance must not change. Having already lost two attacking stars this year, keeping hold of Maeda should be seen as a priority.
Former U.S. international Herculez Gomez says Ricardo Pepi's availability and fitness could be the deciding factors in whether the PSV Eindhoven striker secures the starting No. 9 role for the USMNT at the 2026 World Cup. The 22-year-old forward recently returned for the Dutch champions after recovering from knee surgery that sidelined him for several months.
AFPPepi's finishing quality evident
The ESPN analyst noted that the position remains wide open for the USMNT ahead of the 2026 World Cup, presenting a significant opportunity for Pepi.
“I think he has shown, in the brief time he has played, this season and last season when fit, with the USMNT – if he’s fit – he is going to score goals,” Gomez said on Futbol Americas. “He’s got to stay fit, got to stay hungry. Because that No. 9 for the USMNT, if the World Cup is his bar, then it’s a wide open race. It was his, but if you’re not on the field, you’ve already lost it. And he’s not been on the field…
"I hear a player who is being told to stay patient and I see a player that, in flashes, shows you good things. But I’ve been there myself… I don’t know where he is, only he knows where he is. But he’s got to stay patient, he’s got to stay strong and he’s got to take his chances with the national team when they come.”
AdvertisementClub form shows promise
Since joining PSV Eindhoven in 2023, Pepi has shown glimpses of his potential, when available. The striker has contributed 34 goals in 78 appearances for the club, including key strikes in the Champions League.
However, a knee injury last season led him to miss a majority of the season, and he has only just recovered, scoring a brace against NEC Nijmegen upon his return to full fitness.
Striker competition intensifies
Pepi's fight for the starting role comes amid increasing competition from other American forwards. Folarin Balogun became the favorite after his strong performance in the September friendlies, while Patrick Agyemang endeared himself to Mauricio Pochettino during the Gold Cup.
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AFPWorld Cup roster decisions ahead
With approximately nine months remaining before the 2026 World Cup, time is running short for players to solidify their positions in Pochettino's plans.
The upcoming international windows in October represent crucial evaluation opportunities.
Jasprit Bumrah could make it to India’s Champions Trophy squad subject to him being fit in time for the tournament that begins on February 19.ESPNcricinfo has learned the injury that prevented Bumrah from bowling on the fifth day of the Sydney Test is stress related. Though the first round of tests did not reveal a stress fracture in the back, it is understood the discomfort Bumrah suffered was related to his workload in the five Tests in Australia. He bowled 151.2 overs in nine innings, taking 32 wickets at an average of 13.06 in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.Accordingly, on advice from medical experts, the BCCI decided to allow Bumrah rest for at least five weeks (the Sydney Test finished on January 5) after which he will undergo another scan to determine if he can return to action.Related
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If Bumrah is cleared of injury, his match fitness is likely to be tested in the final ODI of the home series against England on February 12. The deadline to submit the final Champions Trophy squad to the ICC is February 11.As it stands, Bumrah is likely to be named in India’s 15-man squad for the Champions Trophy that will be announced on Saturday, with an asterisk against his name, implying his inclusion is subject to fitness.India play three ODIs against England on February 6, 9 and 12 – their first ODIs since the tour of Sri Lanka in August last year – before the Champions Trophy begins on February 19. India are in Group A in the Champions Trophy and begin their campaign against Bangladesh on February 20, after which they play Pakistan on February 23, and New Zealand on March 2. India play all their matches in Dubai because their government refused to let the team travel to Pakistan.
يستعد فريق ليفربول، بقيادة المدرب آرني سلوت، لخوض مباراة قوية مساء اليوم السبت ضد تشيلسي، في إطار منافسات بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.
ويستضيف ملعب “ستامفورد بريدج” مباراة فريقي ليفربول وتشيلسي، في قمة منافسات الجولة السابعة من بطولة الدوري، موسم 2025/26.
ويتصدر ليفربول جدول الدوري الإنجليزي برصيد 15 نقطة، بينما يحتل تشيلسي المركز التاسع برصيد 8 نقاط.
ويدخل ليفربول تلك المباراة بعدما عانى من أسبوع سيئ للغاية، حيث خسر أمام كريستال بالاس بهدفين لهدف في الدوري الإنجليزي، قبل سقوطه أمام جالطة سراي بهدف نظيف في دوري أبطال أوروبا.
ويسعى ليفربول إلى مصالحة جماهيره وتحقيق فوز في مباراة اليوم من أجل تعزيز الصدارة قبل فترة التوقف الدولي لشهر أكتوبر الحالي. موعد مباراة ليفربول وتشيلسي اليوم في الدوري الإنجليزي
تنطلق المباراة في تمام الساعة 7:30 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة والسعودية. القناة الناقلة لمباراة ليفربول وتشيلسي اليوم في الدوري الإنجليزي
تُذاع المباراة عبر قناة beIN SPORTS 1 معلق مباراة ليفربول وتشيلسي اليوم في الدوري الإنجليزي
سيعلق خليل البلوشي على أحداث مباراة اليوم.
ويمكنكم مطالعة مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة عبر مركز المباريات من هنا.
Aaqib Khan picked up three wickets before Abishek Porel’s 82 kept India C in hunt for the first-innings lead
Shashank Kishore20-Sep-2024
Abishek Porel’s 82 revived India C•PTI
Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sai Sudharsan, Rajat Patidar and Ishan Kishan all missed out on an opportunity to play substantial knocks as India C found themselves in a dogfight for the first-innings honours against India A in Anantapur.At stumps on day two, India C were 216 for 7, seemingly in a better position courtesy of an unbroken 49-run stand between Pulkit Narang and Vijaykumar Vyshak.The bulk of the damage was done by 20-year-old Uttar Pradesh seamer Aaqib Khan, who dismissed Gaikwad (17), Sudharsan (17) and Patidar (first-ball duck) after coming on first change. The innings was then revived by Abishek Porel, who continues to enjoy a breakout year.Porel, one of the bright performers for Delhi Capitals at IPL 2024, struck 82 off 113 balls to build on a clutch unbeaten 35 in the previous game that helped his side clinch a low-scoring thriller.Narang, who at the age of 30 is looking to make up for lost time as a first-class cricketer, will hope to score his third first-class half-century on Saturday and get his side into the lead. Narang, who bowls offspin, is currently on 99 first-class wickets.Earlier, India A managed to stretch their first-innings score from the overnight 224 for 7 to 297 courtesy of lower-order fireworks from Avesh Khan, who struck an unbeaten 51, his second first-class fifty. He was well supported by Prasidh Krishna, who made 34. A bulk of the contribution had come on the opening day courtesy of Shashwat Rawat’s 124.Vyshak, who is on the selectors’ radar after being awarded a fast-bowling contract, picked up two of the three remaining wickets; he finished with figures of 4 for 51. Anshul Kamboj, the Haryana quick fresh off an eight-for in the previous game, ended with 3 for 49.
“I think the skill has failed us when it has been really important,” Sri Lanka head coach Ratnayake said after defeat to India
Firdose Moonda10-Oct-20242:59
‘The timing of Harmanpreet’s knock makes it special’
Sri Lanka’s head coach Rumesh Ratnayake has described his team’s performance at the T20 World Cup as “not acceptable”, and a consequence of skill “failing us” after they were knocked out of semi-final contention by India. Sri Lanka have lost all of their three matches so far in the World Cup, and cannot advance out of the group after coming into the event with the expectation they could go after an impressive last 20 months.Since the last T20 World Cup, Sri Lanka have won series in England and South Africa, cruised through the World Cup Qualifiers in Abu Dhabi undefeated, and beaten Pakistan and India on their way to becoming Asia Cup champions. But Sri Lanka lost to both those oppositions and defending champions Australia in the first week of the tournament, which Ratnayake put down to overall underperformance.”It was bad playing through and through this tournament,” he said after Sri Lanka lost to India by 82 runs. “They’ve been doing poor cricket, and that is not acceptable. We’ve been talking about it, we’ve tried to come out of it and we’ve tried various things, we’ve been fearlessly doing things, freely doing things, and I think the skill has failed us when it has been really important.”Related
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Though he did not specifically say it, Ratnayake must have been talking about Sri Lanka’s batting. They have not crossed 100 in any of their three innings, whether batting first or chasing, and their collective form has directly mirrored their captain’s. Chamari Athapaththu has been dismissed in single figures in each innings for a total of ten runs at the tournament thus far. It is her worst return at a World Cup, and stands in stark contrast to the last two editions, in South Africa and Australia, where she scored over 100 runs in each event.The singular focus on Athapaththu can be traced back – probably much further, but for our purposes – to the start of Sri Lanka’s current bad patch, which started on their tour of Ireland in August. Athapaththu missed the two T20Is as she was playing in the Hundred, and though Sri Lanka started well in the first T20I and chased down 146 inside 17 overs to win comfortably, they could not reach a target of 174 in the next match. On Athapaththu’s return, for the ODIs, she notched up 0 and 22 as Sri Lanka went 2-0 down, before managing 48 when they claimed a consolation win.”From the second match up to the fifth match [in Ireland], there were situations where we were on top and we faltered,” Ratnayake said.One such situation was in the second T20I, where Sri Lanka were 101 for 2 in the 13th over but then lost 5 for 56 in five overs to lose by seven runs. Still, Ratnayake was happy with the work they did back in Sri Lanka.”Our preparation was really good back home,” he said. “We played on various types of wickets. We simulated some of those similar situations, but winning those moments, winning those appropriate situations, decision-making along with the skill hasn’t been backed up. The skill did not come through as it did as you said in the finals of the Asia Cup. So that’s something which we need to work on, rethink and come back.”Sri Lanka’s form in the World Cup has reflected that of their captain Chamari Athapaththu•Getty ImagesIn the Asia Cup final, Sri Lanka successfully chased 166, and though Athapaththu scored a half-century, they also had runs in the form of an unbeaten 69 from Harshitha Samarawickrama, and a 16-ball 30 from Kavisha Dilhari. Both of those are players Athapaththu herself has identified as being key to the future of Sri Lanka cricket. Ratnayake also believed Sri Lanka are “almost closing the gap”, between Athapaththu and other batters with potential, and he continues to have faith in their development initiatives.”In the past 22 months, we’ve worked hard on creating an environment which is conducive for learning,” he said. “So we are not only building up in confidence but building up in confidence so that we would back ourselves with the skill as well.”But has that confidence spilled over into overconfidence, given Sri Lanka’s fighting talk before the series? Athapaththu spoke realistically of their chances of making the semi-finals at this tournament despite being in the tougher of the two groups, and Ratnayake backed that up when he said Sri Lanka “are here to win the World Cup,” and not just participate.”Overconfidence is a thing which is verbally not accepted in our environment, so I don’t think it’s overconfidence, but they are confident enough,” he said. “That is what we thrive on and that is what we emphasise on. It’s just that when needed, we haven’t won the moments.”Now, they also have no hope of winning the World Cup but Ratnayake continues to believe in the group of players he is working with. “This has happened and we will never give up, so that’s a very heartening and a very satisfying thing for a coach to see,” he said. “As much as I’ve created an environment, I’m quite privileged and honoured to be here because they are a super lot. I know we will come through this sooner rather than later.”Sri Lanka have two days before their final match, against New Zealand on Saturday, and Ratnayake has described it as a “prime objective” to “salvage ourselves” and win that game. They will be up against a New Zealand side who will feel the same way, after their chastening defeat to Australia, and with the match a must-win to keep their semi-final hopes alive. For Ratnayake, nothing less than an almighty fight will be acceptable.
One of the biggest priorities for Arsenal this summer is to sign a new centre forward with Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko both touted.
Yet, the Gunners must also bolster their options out wide where Bukayo Saka could do with added assistance on the right wing. Upgrades on Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli, the scorers of ten goals apiece last term, could also be upgraded.
Andrea Berta has reportedly been looking at whole host of options with Premier League trio Anthony Gordon, Eberechi Eze and Morgan Rogers all reportedly on their radar.
However, reports over the last 48 hours have suggested that Noni Madueke is now a very realistic option for Arsenal in the transfer window.
How Arsenal could strengthen out wide
The ever-reliable David Ornstein revealed to his followers on Saturday afternoon that Arsenal have agreed personal terms with Madueke.
Club-to-club talks are yet to take place but the Gunners have clearly not done a lot of work on the player side.
Chelsea are now expecting a bid from the Gunners in the forthcoming days, according to Sky Sports.
Capable of playing on the right or the left, the England international would add solid cover along the Arsenal attack, but truth be told, they can surely do better than this.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Well, one option is Real Madrid’s Rodrygo. They have flirted with making a move for the Brazilian for most of the window and according to prior reports, positive talks have been held regarding a move.
Reports from Spain a few days ago suggested that Arsenal were prepared to put a whopping £78m on the table to prise the winger away from the Spanish capital and it’s now been revealed that he actually fancies a move.
According to Gunners insider, Hand of Arsenal, intermediaries working with clubs in Saudi Arabia have been told that “in no uncertain terms that Rodrygo’s preference is to move to the Premier League.”
The report goes on to reveal that Arsenal is the Brazil star’s “absolute priority” if a deal can be struck with Madrid.
How Rodrygo compares to Noni Madueke
There are understandable concerns from Arsenal supporters that Madueke would be another dud Chelsea player they’ve signed.
However, he does have immense talent. The winger scored a Premier League hat-trick in 2024/25 and despite the wealth of riches available to Enzo Maresca in attack, the England international still started 27 games in the top-flight.
Yet, he’s not Rodrygo, is he? The Brazil “superstar”, as he’s been dubbed by former teammate Luka Modric, has a history of scoring plenty of goals in Spain and the best campaign of his career came back in 2022/23, when he found the net on 19 occasions.
He may have only scored six times in LaLiga throughout the last campaign but he found the net 14 times across all competitions. He also supplied 11 assists to rubberstamp his threat as a creator too.
Madueke, on the other hand, only scored 11 goals in all competitions and registered just five assists. Already, we can see that Rodrygo produces better output. But, where else does the 24-year-old Madrista thrive?
Goals per game
0.24
0.25
Assists per game
0.11
0.20
Shots *
3.54
2.52
Key passes *
1.42
2.29
Progressive passes *
3.05
5.05
Shot-creating actions *
3.50
4.95
Successful take-ons *
1.99
2.29
Progressive carries
6.81
5.28
Carries
28.4
41.5
Touches
43.4
62.6
Well, in 80% of the metrics analysed, it’s the Madrid sensation who comes out on top. Not only does he produce more goals and assists per game, but he’s just overall a much greater threat in the final third of the pitch.
Madueke does trump him for progressive carries, but that aside, there are some big wins for Arsenal’s £78m target, perhaps most notably in a creative sense, where he registered more progressive passes, shot-creating actions and key passes.
Yes, Arsenal had problems scoring goals last term but with Saka out injured, they also lacked a bit of creativity. After all, no one in the Premier League came close to matching his level of output in that regard.
Saka produced the highest number of expected assists per 90 minutes last term (0.52) in the entire division, more than even Mo Salah, who produced 0.48.
So, with Rodrygo looking a lot more like the complete package when compared to Madueke, he must be Arsenal’s biggest priority once they’ve got a striker over the line.
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