Fran Kirby hopes she can help turn Brighton into Women's Super League title challengers after joining the club from Chelsea.
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Wolverhampton Wanderers continue to impress under Gary O'Neil this season.
The Wanderers latest 2-1 away win over Tottenham Hotspur further highlighted the improvement made by the side since the summer.
One of the reasons for this success is their excellent recruitment in the transfer market over the past few years, with the likes of Joao Gomes, Matheus Cunha, and Hwang Hee-chan all being influential this campaign.
However, there is one player who goes under the radar slightly, who has been a reliable rock and proven to be an absolute bargain.
Toti Gomes' path to Premier League stardom is a rather interesting tale, as after playing just three games for Estoril in Liga Portugal Two in 2019, then Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo snapped up the defender a year later – and it is reasonable to presume that the scouting department won't have envisioned him playing such a key role this season.
Upon his arrival at Wolves, the defender was immediately sent on loan to Swiss side Grasshoppers, who were playing in the second tier at the time. The Portuguese ace was incredible during their title-winning campaign in 2021, playing 34 times.
The 25-year-old stayed at the club until January 2022, and two weeks later, he made his debut for Wolves in the Premier League against Southampton in a 3-1 win. Former captain Conor Coady was impressed by the number 24's first start, calling him "fantastic" in a post-match interview.
Last season, Gomes featured much more than he did after making his debut, playing 17 times in the league as either a left-centre back or a left-back, with neither of those being the position that gets the best out of him.
The arrival of O'Neil has seen the former Estoril star develop into a quality defender, with the left-centre back role in a back three becoming his own, due to his ability to win duels and use his athleticism to dominate wingers. Gomes has played in every game since coming into the side versus Manchester City in September, with the win against Spurs being his 19th league start of the campaign.
Gomes' profile is perfect for a side operating in a back three, while his versatility also allows him to play comfortably in a back four as a fullback or a centre half. The 6 foot 2 rock is proactive and able to adapt to different match states, whether it is using his ability on the ball to get the team up the field or using his excellent reading of the game to sniff out danger when under pressure. He displayed all of the above against Spurs this weekend.
|
Toti Gomes vs Spurs |
|
|---|---|
|
Stats |
Gomes |
|
Minutes |
95 |
|
Clearances |
5 |
|
Tackles |
2 |
|
Interceptions |
4 |
|
Dribbled past |
0 |
|
Pass accuracy % |
83% |
|
Successful dribbles |
2/2 |
|
Stats via Sofascore |
|
With his Portugal debut under his belt and plenty of action in the Premier League, while also being left-footed, his estimated worth has rocketed to €14m (£12m), according to Transfermarkt.
That may not seem like much, yet having been valued at just €1m (£900k) at the time of his return to Molineux in January 2022, that marks a remarkable increase of 1233% – indicating just what a blinder it was in bringing him to the club.
Market Movers
Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?
Fresh from signing a new long-term contract with the Old Gold earlier this month, Gomes can continue to dazzle under O'Neil's watch for the foreseeable future.
Leeds United extended their winning run in the Championship to eight matches as they Plymouth Argyle 2-0 at Home Park on Saturday afternoon.
The Whites are currently sat in second place in the division – in the automatic promotion places – but have played a game more than Southampton in third.
|
Team |
Position |
Matches played |
Points |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Leicester City |
1 |
33 |
78 |
|
Leeds United |
2 |
33 |
69 |
|
Southampton |
3 |
32 |
67 |
|
Ipswich Town |
4 |
32 |
66 |
|
West Bromwich Albion |
5 |
32 |
52 |
|
Coventry City |
6 |
33 |
51 |
|
Current Championship top six (18/02/2024) |
|||
The race for automatic promotion back to the Premier League is hotting up and Daniel Farke's side are positioned well at this moment in time.
Leeds are looking to return to the top-flight at the first time of asking and the German head coach, who was brought in last summer to lead the charge, is on course to achieve the club's goal.
He has been blessed with some star performers throughout the season. Crysencio Summerville has grabbed the headlines with his attacking output at the top end of the pitch but the real hero of the campaign for Farke has been versatile enforcer Ethan Ampadu.
The 22-year-old winger has been in phenomenal form for the Whites with his outstanding contributions as both a scorer and a creator of goals on the flank.
He produced four goals and two assists in 28 Premier League appearances during the 2022/23 campaign as Leeds were relegated down to the Championship.
The drop to the second tier has allowed the Dutch sensation to flourish as Summerville is currently on a return of 15 goals and eight assists in 30 league matches this term.
His finishing has been extraordinary as he has scored those 15 goals from an xG of 11.62, which means that the talented whiz has more than made the most of the chances that have been created for him throughout the season.
Whereas, Summerville only has eight assists from an xA of 9.33. He has created 16 'big chances' for his teammates but they have not been clinical enough with the opportunities that the young maestro has provided them with.
The former Feyenoord prospect has also got supporters off their seats with his exciting and direct play on the wing as he has completed 2.3 dribbles per match, which highlights his desire to run and get past opposition defenders on a regular basis.
He currently ranks within the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Championship this season for shot-creating actions (6.65) per 90, and the top 2% for Expected Assisted Goals (0.37) per 90.
Summerville has been one of the best forwards in the division, as illustrated by his outstanding rank among his positional peers as a creator to go along with his 15 goals, and has been key to Leeds' assault on the top two.
He had a quiet match against Plymouth on Saturday, with zero goals and zero key passes, whilst Ampadu produced yet another fantastic display at the heart of the defence alongside Joe Rodon.
The Wales international lined up at the back for Leeds and helped to keep the likes of Alfie Devine and Morgan Whittaker from causing too many problems, as the hosts only managed one shot on target all match.
Ampadu's strong performance played a pivotal role in his side keeping a clean sheet at Home Park, which provided the attacking players with the opportunity to go and win the match with their play at the top end of the pitch.
|
Ethan Ampadu |
Vs Plymouth |
|---|---|
|
Minutes played |
90 |
|
Sofascore rating |
7.4 |
|
Clearances |
Four |
|
Blocks |
One |
|
Duels contested |
Six |
|
Duels won |
Five |
|
Stats via Sofascore |
|
As you can see in the table above, the former Chelsea prospect was a dominant force at centre-back for Leeds as he won five of his duels, which means that Plymouth's players found it incredibly difficult to get the better of him in physical contests.
Ampadu was also composed and reliable in possession when passing the ball out from the back as he completed 91% of his attempted passes (74/81) throughout the game.
This was far from a one-off performance from the Welsh enforcer as he has been consistently impressive as both a defensive midfielder and a centre-back this season.
The £7m signing from Chelsea started the campaign in midfield alongside Glen Kamara and caught the eye with his defensive prowess in the middle of the park.
He currently ranks within the top 19% of midfielders for interceptions (1.43) and blocks (1.55) per 90 respectively, and the top 6% for clearances (2.21) per 90 in the Championship this season.
No midfielder within the Leeds squad has averaged more tackles (1.8) or interceptions (1.4) per match than Ampadu so far this term, which illustrates his importance to the side out of possession.
In 33 Championship appearances, the Welsh star has made 59 tackles, 46 interceptions, and a staggering 221 ball recoveries. He has also won an eye-catching 125 duels with a success rate of 57%.
Ampadu's defensive quality has been particularly eye-catching since Farke moved him to centre-back in reaction to Pascal Struijk's injury issue. He has started in the heart of the defence in eight of the club's last nine matches in all competitions, which has resulted in eight wins, seven clean sheets, and one goal conceded.
The 23-year-old tank has been a monster at the back alongside his international teammate Rodon, as they have only allowed one goal to be scored past them in seven league appearances as a centre-back pairing.
His passing quality in that position has also been impressive, as Ampadu currently ranks within the top 13% of central defenders in the division for progressive passes (4.58) per 90.
This shows that the Leeds gem is a forward-thinking player who wants to progress the play for his team by breaking lines and finding teammates in dangerous positions, which is backed up by his rank within the top 4% of centre-backs for shot-creating actions (2.03) per 90.
The Welsh colossus has been Farke's real hero of the campaign as he has provided quality in possession, with his progressive and reliable passing, and out of possession, with his dominant and aggressive defending.
He has also offered outstanding versatility with superb performances as both a midfielder and a centre-back, along with his leadership qualities as the head coach has handed him the armband in the absence of Liam Cooper and Struijk.
Therefore, Ampadu has been the true star of the season over Summerville due to the complete nature of his performances and the platform that his play has provided the Dutch winger, and his fellow attackers, to go and work his magic in the final third.
Harry Kane joked he had already scored a century in a game of cricket after being bowled out by England team-mate Declan Rice.
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Tottenham Hotspur supporters can recall many fond memories from the recent decade of football, though there is bound to be more than a hint of poignancy given the interminable wait for silverware drags on.
In Ange Postecoglou's eyes, Spurs are surging toward a new period of potency, his new position as manager sowing the seeds of success after Antonio Conte's outfit slumped to an eighth-placed Premier League finish last season. This is a viewpoint mirrored by a sanguine fanbase.
That campaign, probably the nadir of Tottenham's travels over the past ten years, is hopefully the end of several years of inconsistency, with fresh promise in the transfer market pairing nicely with an exciting vision on the pitch.
Tottenham must ensure that the quality of the rising stars is harnessed and sustained to sustain Postecoglou's project over many years.
Sadly, one of the former phenoms from the recent era, Dele Alli, did not continue his prodigious start after a bleak and heartrending decline, though the 28-year-old, at his peak, is sure to have been an invaluable asset for Postecoglou right now.
Everton signed Dele from Tottenham on an unusual free transfer back on January deadline day in 2022 that would have seen £10m payable after 20 appearances and further clauses throughout a two-and-a-half-year contract rising that figure to higher than £30m.
His career has stagnated since this point but it was the dip preceding the move to Merseyside that derailed a start to life in Tottenham that led to such effusive remarks over his qualities.
Spurs fought against the likes of Liverpool and Newcastle United to secure the MK Dons starlet's signature way back in 2015, wrapping up the transfer for a £5m fee back in February 2015 and loaning him back to the League One club for the remainder of the campaign.
|
The starting XI on Dele Alli's first start |
|---|
|
Sunderland 0-1 Spurs (September 2015) |
|
GK – Hugo Lloris |
|
RB – Kyle Walker |
|
CB – Toby Alderweireld |
|
CB – Jan Vertonghen |
|
LB – Ben Davies |
|
CM – Eric Dier |
|
CM – Ryan Mason |
|
CAM – Dele Alli |
|
RW – Heung-min Son |
|
LW – Nacer Chadli |
|
ST – Harry Kane |
A technically impressive midfielder with an innate eye for goal, Dele was highly coveted for a reason after plundering 16 goals and 11 assists across all competitions during his final campaign in Milton Keynes, certainly taking no time to integrate himself into the Tottenham set-up under Pochettino.
Dele scored 67 goals and supplied 61 assists across 269 appearances for Tottenham, which is a healthy return despite his poor conclusion to life in London, highlighting the brilliance of his maiden days.
|
Dele Alli: Tottenham Career by Season |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Season |
Apps |
Goals |
Assists |
G/A Rate |
|
21/22 |
18 |
2 |
1 |
0.17 |
|
20/21 |
29 |
3 |
5 |
0.28 |
|
19/20 |
38 |
9 |
6 |
0.39 |
|
18/19 |
38 |
7 |
8 |
0.39 |
|
17/18 |
50 |
14 |
17 |
0.62 |
|
16/17 |
50 |
22 |
13 |
0.70 |
|
15/16 |
46 |
10 |
11 |
0.46 |
|
Stats via Transfermarkt |
||||
The table above shows just how incredible the 27-year-old was for Spurs, excelling in his attacking midfield role and working brilliantly within Pochettino's system, playing off Harry Kane and dazzling through his movement and cleverness in attacking sequences.
While he didn't win any silverware during his time at the club, Dele was crowned the PFA Young Player of the Year across his first two Premier League campaigns, with Pochettino remarking that: "If he is not the best young player in Europe, he’s one of the best. Look at his age and his statistics, the potential is massive."
His gradual decline and failure to ever connect with a manager as he did with Pochettino prompted his sale to Everton, though the move has regrettably been anything but auspicious thus far.
At the time of writing, Dele's market value has suffered a seismic depreciation since the past days of his Tottenham success, with Football Transfers noting that his current value of £4m has suffered an almighty hit from the £76m he was touted at during the peak of his prodigious powers.
Remarkably, when Dele was at his apex in 2018, he was valued above even Kane, who Football Transfers had marked at £75m during the same period, with the England sharpshooter right off the back of a 41-goal campaign to cement his name as one of Europe's foremost forwards.
Of course, the difference in market value was marginal but it goes to show just how highly Dele was regarded, with Jose Mourinho even predicting that he would become "one of the world's best."
Agonisingly, his present £4m value has been caused by the lack of match action since his move to Everton, with a loan spell to Turkish Super Lig side Besiktas during the 2022/23 campaign not providing the reboot he so desired.
“I was in a bad place mentally,” Dele recalled during a notable inteviw with Gary Neville. “I decided to go to a modern rehab facility that deals with addiction and mental health and trauma. I felt it was time for me.
“I was in a bad cycle, relying on things that were doing me harm. I was waking up every day, winning the fight, going into training every day, smiling — willing to show I was happy. Inside, I was losing the battle and it was time to change. When I was told I needed surgery I could feel the feelings I had when the cycle began.
“Everton were amazing and supported me. I will be grateful to them forever. For them to be so honest and understanding, I couldn’t ask for anything more during a time I was making the biggest decision of my life — doing something I was scared to do.”
Dele's devastating revelations paint full light on the factors behind his demise, though the move to Merseyside could yet salvage some of the first-class quality that once had the whole of Europe talking.
Still, the 37-cap England international is on the road to recovery as he battles to overcome a recurring quad injury that has compounded the mental health issues that have halted a breathtaking career.
Dyche was reluctant to place a timeframe on his comeback but clearly hopes for the cogs to mesh together and Dele's future to centre on the Goodison Park pitch.
Tottenham supporters might wistfully hark back to the days that Dele partnered up with Kane and co to wreak havoc in north London, but the memories will endure and all must now rally to support Dele and hope that he returns to the Premier League pitch with Everton, perhaps bringing back some positivity after a bleak period.
Jadon Sancho has returned to Manchester United after a meeting with Erik ten Hag to discuss his future at the club.
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Aston Villa recorded their third Premier League win in a row, although it took a late Lucas Digne winner to seal all three points.
Luton Town threatened to snatch a share of the spoils, clawing back a two-goal deficit, but the mentality that Unai Emery has installed in his team is why they are currently sitting in the top four.
The fixtures are set to come thick and fast over the next few weeks, however, as the club get set to take on Ajax in the last 16 of the Europa Conference League.
This means Emery may have to reshuffle his starting XI in order to keep things fresh, indicating that a few players may drop out…
Youri Tielemans was poor against Luton, and he could make way for someone more effective.
The Belgian was unleashed alongside Ollie Watkins against the Hatters as Emery went for a standard 4-4-2, but while the Englishman scored twice, Tielemans couldn’t quite get into the game.
|
Youri Tielemans' stats vs Luton Town |
|
|---|---|
|
Accurate passes |
18 |
|
Touches |
35 |
|
Total shots |
0 |
|
Possession lost |
11 |
|
Total duels won |
3/6 |
|
Via Sofascore |
|
He failed to have a single shot on goal, made just one key pass and failed to create a big chance during the clash as he failed to provide a meaningful attacking contribution.
The former Leicester City midfielder lost possession 11 times throughout the tie and managed to take just 35 touches – 36 fewer than Emiliano Martínez in the sticks – while completing just 69% of his passes, and it was clear his stint alongside Watkins was poor.
With Morgan Rogers and Moussa Diaby on the bench, it was a strange move seeing Tielemans start next to the in-form Watkins, and could this change ahead of the tie against Ajax in midweek?
Dropping the £150k-per-week ace to the bench makes sense and this gives Emery the option to unleash a couple of players in his place.
Rogers has registered 16 goal contributions this term – seven goals and nine assists – and can operate either on the wing or as a centre-forward, indicating that he could certainly be a useful option for the Spaniard to call upon.
The most obvious choice perhaps is Diaby, who has found himself on the bench recently for the Midlands side.
He has yet to hit the heights that saw him become one of the most feared attackers in the Bundesliga, scoring just six times for Villa, but he enjoyed a solid cameo against Luton.
The Frenchman set up Digne’s late winner while making one key pass and creating a big chance and there is no doubt he would be fresh after playing just 11 minutes on the weekend.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
Tielemans may be able to offer a variety of qualities to this Villa side, but playing him in a more advanced role did not work well against Luton, and it is time Emery went for a player who has more experience in this area.
Diaby should be given the nod, especially if a 4-4-2 formation is chosen again, and he can take a lot of confidence from his late assist against the Hatters.
The Red Devils earned their first victory of pre-season in Edinburgh as Erik ten Hag's latest signing caught the eye
Manchester United bounced back from their defeat to Rosenborg by beating Rangers 2-0 in a match that provided plenty to discuss.
There was the return of Jadon Sancho after 11 months in the wilderness. Leny Yoro, signed from Lille this week, impressed after being thrust into the starting line-up. And United supporters were left to rave about Amad Diallo, who was the star of the show in an exciting first-half display which he capped off with a goal.
A number of young players were given an opportunity throughout the game and two of them combined for United's second, Joe Hugill firing in off the underside of the bar from Maxi Oyedele's assist.
But while Yoro and Amad provided the positives, Casemiro presented more concerns for Erik ten Hag and Sancho flattered to deceive.
GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from Murrayfield.
Manchester United lost 2-1 to Arsenal in their preseason friendly, however, boss Erik ten Hag voiced that he was 'very pleased' despite the defeat.
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Unfortunately for any opposition fans sick of seeing Pep Guardiola's men sweep up a constant stream of Premier League titles, it now appears that Manchester City are already preparing for the future at the Etihad.
It is often forgotten how young Man City's team is simply by virtue of how good they are. Phil Foden, 23, feels as if he has been around forever and has already cemented himself as a legend in the blue half of Manchester.
Man City make approach to sign “unbelievable” £100m star for Pep
It’s shaping up to be a big summer at the Etihad.
By
Tom Coates
Mar 17, 2024
Aged just 23 and 24 respectively, Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez could easily make up the strike partnership at the Etihad for the long run. With the duo already leading their side to numerous trophies, it is a scary prospect that the pair could still improve.
Summer arrivals Jeremy Doku and Josko Gvardiol are also both in their early twenties as well, leaving plenty of room for them to grow into the English game and improve over time.
Academy products Rico Lewis and Oscar Bobb have also seen their first glimpses of first-team success this season. 19-year-old Lewis has made 10 league appearances this season, scoring once and earning his first call-up to the England senior team in the process. His Norwegian teammate Bobb is just a year older and has already got a Champions League goal to his name.
In addition to promoting young talent, City are also signing some of the best youngsters from other clubs. Reports from last week suggested that the champions are plotting a move for 15-year-old Cardiff sensation Timeo Whisker with a reported fee of £250,000 needed to sign the teenager.
As first reported by Fabrizio Romano on X the treble winners have agreed a deal to sign American teenager, Cavan Sullivan.
Born in 2009, Sullivan has attracted attention from across Europe with Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich all expressing an interest in signing the player. Currently in the youth system at MLS side Philadelphia Union, it is likely that Sullivan could remain in the States for a couple more years before moving the England.
Sullivan's coach at Philadelphia Union II, Marlon LeBlanc said of the rising star:
"Cavan is a fantastic young talent, I like to tease him that I've never seen a kid get built up as much as I've seen Cavan. He's so down to earth, all of this extra hype that goes on about him, it doesn't get to his head and I think that's what is fantastic about him. It's what also allows him to come into our environment and still be great and still be bold".
Whilst fans will have to wait a while to see the American at the Etihad, it is important for his development that he stays in his home country for now. Regardless of where he plays currently, Sullivan is destined to have a big future in the game.