32🧵Lukaku’s career since then has had a bit of everything, from success with Inter to a nightmare return to Chelsea. Mourinho offered him a lifeline this summer, though, and he’s repaying it at Roma.
41🧵he played a huge part in locking up the club’s defence, but as injuries picked up, Carvalho’s influence began to wane and by the end of the 2012-13 campaign, he was let go at the end of his contract.
It’s going to take something special to dethrone Carvalho from the top spot. The Portuguese defender made 293 appearances under Mourinho across three clubs throughout his glistening career.
It’s 83 appearances and counting for Lukaku, but along with that number comes 39 goals and – crucially – three clubs where he’s played for the Special One.
28🧵The pair first worked with one another at Benfica, although this was in the infancy of Maniche’s career. He was then sold to Porto to reunite with the boss in 2002.
26🧵where he remained until 2013, despite being blighted by injury issues as the years progressed. He made a monstrous 212 appearances for Mourinho across two clubs.
In typical Mourinho fashion, Ferreira was converted from a right-midfielder to a right-back while the pair worked together at Porto and was his go-to man in a number of their biggest games together.
36🧵He immediately became vital for the Red Devils and stuck around until 2022, before signing for – you guessed it – Mourinho’s Roma on a free transfer.
31🧵The pair never quite aligned at Chelsea, but Mourinho spent an initial £75million to bring Lukaku to United in 2017 where he scored 27 goals in all competitions in his first season.
29🧵Strangely, after finding success with Mourinho at Porto, Maniche next move was to Dynamo Moscow in 2005. But when that didn’t work out, he was loaned to Chelsea in January 2006 and quickly helped another Mourinho side to another trophy
23🧵That start blossomed in Rome, where the two reunited upon Mourinho’s arrival in 2021 and won the Europa Conference League together. 188 appearances and counting, and four honours together so far. Monstrous.
3🧵And while even those closest to the Special One will have probably loathed him several times throughout their time together, his most adored players always remain by his side in the end – and there have been a few.
4🧵Those who have got on with Mourinho during his time with management have often been relied upon by him more than once. Today, we’re looking at the players who have turned out the most for the Portuguese coach across more than one club.
Before falling out with Pep Guardiola at Barcelona, Mourinho gave Zlatan the platform to shine at Inter which paved the way for the move in the first place,
7🧵Inter was the beginning of a brilliant relationship between two fierce characters. Ibrahimovic turned out 100 times in total for Mourinho at Inter and later
8🧵Manchester United when he signed for free in 2016, scoring 58 goals under the Special One and winning a Scudetto, a Europa League and the EFL Cup all in all.
10🧵But things would pick up, enjoying a prolific second half to his first season at the club and impressing particularly in the Europa League, where he scored in the final against Ajax.
12🧵 Mkhitaryan did link up with Mourinho again at Roma and started the Europa Conference League final before leaving for Inter. 107 appearances under Mourinho is impressive.
It’s strange to see Mata in a list such as this considering it was Mourinho who sanctioned his 2014 sale to Manchester United, just months after being crowned Chelsea’s Player of the Year for a second time.
15🧵United fans still feel like he was wasted on the right flank for much of his time at the club, but he could still always be relied upon for a hard-working performance, even if he didn’t feel like a traditional Mourinho player physically
Making 147 appearances under Mourinho, Chelsea parted with £24.4million to make a then-22-year-old Essien the most expensive African player of all time in 2005 after a saga that rumbled on throughout the summer.
20🧵He eventually reunited with the man who signed him in 2012, when he secured a loan switch to Real Madrid. He dedicated his second and final Real goal on the last day of the season to Mourinho.
2🧵By the end of this season, Kylian Mbappe will have to make a big decision on his future. His contract at Paris Saint-Germain expires at the end of the season, and with Real Madrid lurking, he must decide on his next career move.
5🧵Mbappe’s mother, Fayza Lamari, has been his agent since making his break into football, but as Marca have reported, this will now no longer be the case.
6🧵 Lamari does not have the required license in order to be an agent following the new legislation passed by FIFA, meaning that Mbappe must look for new representation.
7🧵Lamari can become a registered agent again, but not until next May at the earliest. This means that Mbappe must dictate his own future until then, or find new representation.
9🧵It remains to be seen whether these changes have a significant effect on Mbappe’s future. It looks increasingly likely that he will join Real Madrid next summer, but a change of agency could cause a switch up.
6🧵But with Arsenal unbeaten in the Premier League and level on points with the leaders, his manager is operating from a position of strength - and it shows.
9🧵"The crowd go like this with the players," said Arteta."I have seen it, the players start to kick balls everywhere and I said to him, 'you don't do that, make sure you don't do it', and he didn't do it.
12🧵There are a number of aspects to Raya's game that make him such an impressive goalkeeper. Arteta's reference to his willingness to claim crosses covers one of them.
17🧵But it is the final factor in Raya's game, this issue of height, that is most significant. His distribution suggests he can join in with the possession as part of the back line.
18🧵It is a key point of difference and, perhaps surprisingly, one that was alluded to by Ramsdale himself within his remarkable first-person piece with The Players' Tribune in August.
21🧵In the current context, it hints at the ideological differences between the pair, the challenge of adjusting to demands that felt counter-intuitive.
23🧵And so, every day in training, I would play higher and more aggressive. And he would say, 'No, no, higher.' Every day, higher. 'Yes. Yes. No. Higher.'
27🧵But Arteta's decision to invest in a new goalkeeper also speaks for itself. His principles are non-negotiable. There is no 'middle ground' with him.
30🧵The statistics suggest Raya is the superior goalkeeper with the ball at his feet. Second Spectrum uses tracking data to calculate the likelihood that any given pass is completed.
38🧵While some of this will be familiar to him, much will still be new. A different club. A bigger club. A popular rival for his role sat watching from the bench.
43🧵Already, the statistics show that 40 per cent of his passes as an Arsenal player have come while under pressure compared to 29 per cent last season when he was at Brentford.
44🧵These nuances mean there are no guarantees. Raya will need to remain confident in his own abilities and retain the backing of his new boss. But there is sound logic to his inclusion.
4🧵Greenwood is eligible for selection by the island nation due to his Jamaican heritage and as he has only played one senior game for England, meets the criteria to make the international switch.
5🧵The 22-year-old is thought to have been ruled out by Gareth Southgate for a later England call-up, and he has not been in contention for the Three Lions
8🧵'I don't think I am different from all coaches in the world,' Hallgrimsson told The Athletic when asked about the possibility of Greenwood switching allegiances. 'We would like to have the best talent in our teams.
9🧵'If he gets his former fitness and his former level, that level could help Jamaica, and all coaches would want to have good players in their team and we are no different.
10🧵'Of course he will come with some baggage, but it's premature to talk about players that are not here. But whatever happens will happen. I want the best players with the best abilities playing for my team.'
11🧵Jamaica Football Federation secretary general Dennis Chung voiced a similar interest in February, but Greenwood is thought to have turned down the opportunity to represent the country in the first instance.
12🧵Greenwood made the move away from Old Trafford after 'mutually agreeing' the decision to continue his career away from his boyhood club following the conclusion of the Red Devils' internal investigation into their ex-academy player.
13🧵United launched their review after charges of rape and assault against the player were dropped in February 2023, with the Crown Prosecution Service discarding the charges following the withdrawal of key witnesses.
14🧵Before his debut for Getafe in September, Greenwood had not played a competitive match since January 2022, following his arrest and subsequent suspension on full pay from the club later that month.
17🧵Everton's Demarai Gray was latest player to make the switch, and received his maiden call-up for Jamaica in June 2023, joining their CONCACAF Gold Cup squad.
2🧵Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are undoubtedly two of the greatest players of all time, but how do their international records stack up against one another?
3🧵Both players have won it all at club level, but they also boast extraordinary records on the international stage. Between them, the pair have scored 227 goals for their country which is an unbelievable return.
4🧵Ronaldo manages to rank above everyone else on the international stage when it comes to goals as he managed to surpass Iran's Ali Daei to become the men's all-time top international scorer.
5🧵Of course, the Portuguese forward has also managed to get his hands on some silverware with his country as he won Euro 2016 and also came out on top in the 2018-19 UEFA Nations League.
7🧵The Argentine genius completed a historic international treble last year as he added the World Cup to his trophy cabinet which already contained the Copa America and Finalissima trophies.
8🧵In many ways, the World Cup was the crowning moment in Messi's illustrious career. The 36-year-old took to social media after the game to explain what the trophy meant to him.
9🧵“I always had the dream of being World Champion and I never wanted to stop trying, even though I knew it might never happen,” Messi wrote on social media.
11🧵where everyone deserved it for how they fought until the very end, worked hard and wanted it as much as I did…. and we deserved it even in that damn final.
12🧵where everyone deserved it for how they fought until the very end, worked hard and wanted it as much as I did…. and we deserved it even in that damn final.
15🧵We've had a deeper dive into Messi's international record with Argentina and have compared it to Ronaldo's at Portugal. It will come as little surprise that both players have produced some crazy numbers over the years.
2🧵Barcelona made a few high-profile additions to their squad this summer as they look to defend their La Liga title, but we wanted to know how those who left Camp Nou have fared since their departures.
3🧵The likes of Ilkay Gundogan, Oriel Romeu, Joao Cancelo and Joao Felix all arrived at Barcelona as Xavi looked to keep Real Madrid at bay in Spain, while improving on last season's disappointing Champions League performances.
Busquets was given an emotional farewell upon leaving Barcelona at the end of last season. Quite right too, considering the midfielder is Barcelona's third all-time appearance-maker and won over 30 trophies with the club
7🧵Busquets is also enjoying life in America. “Yes, it's been wonderful [living in Miami.] The people have treated us so well,” he said in a recent interview.
“Different than Europe, but it's an easy way of life.”
9🧵“Jordi is an accomplished, dynamic and experienced player that we're excited to acquire to continue bolstering our squad,” Inter Miami sporting director Chris Henderson said.
10🧵“He has proven for over a decade that he is one of the best full-backs in the sport due to both his defensive solidity and capacity to contribute in the attack.”
11🧵The European Championship-winning defender was unable to help Miami make the MLS play-offs, but did contribute this lovely goal to the footballing zeitgeist.
13🧵Still only 30, the centre-back has made three Ligue 1 appearances and played twice in the Europa Conference League. You imagine Umtiti will fancy his chances of helping Lille win silverware in the latter competition.
16🧵“After much effort and sacrifice, I can say that I have fulfilled my dream. It is never easy to say goodbye to what has been your home for so many years.
18🧵Just four days after arriving in Seville, Collado was sent on loan to Al-Okhdood and has made seven appearances for the Saudi Pro League side. We didn't see that one coming.
Porto sealed an €8.5 million for Nico this summer, although Barcelona's insistence on a buy-back clause suggests they still hold the player in high value.
21🧵“He can play as a central midfielder because he's better at when going forward, he's more intense, he plays well with his head, he is right-footed by plays very well with both feet, he's tall and strong. A typical no.8.”
22🧵The midfielder has already played seven times for his new club, including in a Champions League match against Barca in October 2023. It remains to be seen whether he can emulate Busquets.
24🧵The Ivory Coast international floundered at Camp Nou and the club wanted his wages off the book as soon as possible. As if by magic, Saudi Arabian club Al-Ahli did just that.
25🧵In fairness, Kessie looks more comfortable with his new side and scored an absolute ripsnorter against an Al-Ittihad team featuring Fabinho and Karim Benzema.
PSG triggered a €50 million clause in Dembele's contract to reunite him with international team-mate Kylian Mbappe, but it's not gone to plan for the Frenchman so far.
28🧵There are already rumours that Arsenal, Chelsea and Newcastle might look to sign the forward in January. Barcelona fans familiar with Dembele's inconsistency will be nodding knowingly so far.
“Abde is a differential player,” Xavi said about the winger in 2021. “He can make a difference. He is a dagger. A marvel. (He is) making the difference in a tremendous way.”
31🧵He scored his first goal for his new club in a 3-0 win over Valencia this month and it feels like the 21-year-old is in the perfect environment to thrive.
3🧵Defender Poole seemed destined for stardom in 2015 after leaving Newport aged 17, on the same day United made Anthony Martial football’s most expensive teenager.
6🧵Poole would be loaned out to Northampton and Newport before signing for MK Dons, Lincoln and Portsmouth, where he has hit the ground running with three goals in 12 appearances for the Sky Bet League One leaders.
7🧵“It’s always been my aim to win that cap,” Poole said after helping Wales to a 4-0 friendly win over Gibraltar in Wrexham, ahead of their Euro 2024 qualifier against Croatia.
12🧵Poole’s performances soon had Premier League scouts flocking to Rodney Parade and he eventually headed for Old Trafford for a £100,000 fee, with attached add-ons taking it to a potential £500,000.
18🧵“I know it was only one game but I can say that I played for Manchester United and not many people can say that. So I look back on that and think ‘well done’.
2🧵Dominik Szoboszlai was a player coaches knew was destined for a “big future” and for Jesse Marsch, the Hungarian's combination of “belief,” “commitment” and “talent” set him apart.
3🧵At just 22, Liverpool's No. 8 has already amassed 227 senior club appearances and 34 caps for his country, the latter of whom he now leads as captain.
4🧵It was only four years ago that Marsch, former Leeds manager, was appointed as the head coach of Red Bull Salzburg, a club Szoboszlai joined only a year previous.
5🧵The midfielder was only 18 when Marsch arrived in Austria and had 20 Salzburg appearances to his name, but the American has not forgotten his first impression of the young Hungarian.
6🧵“I'd spoken to Szobo a little bit before but the first day I showed up, you could see he had such confidence about him. It's borderline arrogance, but it's real,” Marsch told This Is Anfield in an exclusive interview.
7🧵“He just believes in himself and he's always believed that he was going to be a big player. I'm drawn to those kind of personalities, I like guys that come with a bit of arrogance to them.
8🧵“Germany and Austria are a little different, but in German there's a word, 'demütig', and it means humble. And if you say to somebody anything like, 'He should stay humble', it's an insult because in German they don't like arrogance.
12🧵Marsch and Szoboszlai worked together for 18 months at Salzburg before both ended up at sister club Leipzig for a short spell, before the manager parted ways with the German club at the end of 2021.
15🧵“We would sit down and I would talk to him because with young, talented players like that it's all about helping them achieve their potential and creating an accelerated learning curve.
16🧵“Then, what I call 'the click', once they start to understand exactly what's necessary, it just hits them all at once and then it's when they take off.”
17🧵And take off he has, with Szoboszlai's early signs at Liverpool having already endeared him to the masses for his work ethic and obvious talent, among various other traits.
19🧵“Szobo always had this belief in himself and this vision that he would be playing for the biggest clubs in the world and be the best player in those teams,” the 49-year-old continued.
20🧵“This is all part of the manifestation of his confidence and his belief in himself. Some people may look at it as arrogance but Erling [Haaland] is the same.
24🧵“He's hit the ground running but, when I see him play, there are still a lot of little things he can do better and I think he will grow and get better as he continues to play.”
22🧵“But I could see from both of them that they were going to be among the best players in the world because of their enthusiasm, their talent, their belief, their commitment, their work ethic, their desire to improve.
1🧵Ranking Mourinho’s 10 most loyal soldiers: Lukaku leads, 6 former Utd players in
32🧵Lukaku’s career since then has had a bit of everything, from success with Inter to a nightmare return to Chelsea. Mourinho offered him a lifeline this summer, though, and he’s repaying it at Roma.
Link: 🔗 https://m.allfootballapp.com/news/Headline/Ranking-Mourinho%E2%80%99s-10-most-loyal-soldiers-Lukaku-leads-6-former-Utd-players-in/3197513
41🧵he played a huge part in locking up the club’s defence, but as injuries picked up, Carvalho’s influence began to wane and by the end of the 2012-13 campaign, he was let go at the end of his contract.
39🧵him to Chelsea and striking up a colossal partnership with John Terry that kept 25 Premier League clean sheets in 2004-05.
37🧵1. Ricardo Carvalho
It’s going to take something special to dethrone Carvalho from the top spot. The Portuguese defender made 293 appearances under Mourinho across three clubs throughout his glistening career.
35🧵He remained at Stamford Bridge following Mourinho’s second departure, but not for long as the manager signed him for United in 2017.
33🧵Nemanja Matic
Matic’s return to Chelsea in 2014 came under the tutelage of Mourinho, also in his second spell with the club.
30🧵Romelu Lukaku
It’s 83 appearances and counting for Lukaku, but along with that number comes 39 goals and – crucially – three clubs where he’s played for the Special One.
28🧵The pair first worked with one another at Benfica, although this was in the infancy of Maniche’s career. He was then sold to Porto to reunite with the boss in 2002.
26🧵where he remained until 2013, despite being blighted by injury issues as the years progressed. He made a monstrous 212 appearances for Mourinho across two clubs.
24🧵Paulo Ferreira
In typical Mourinho fashion, Ferreira was converted from a right-midfielder to a right-back while the pair worked together at Porto and was his go-to man in a number of their biggest games together.
22🧵where he capitalised on a solid spell under Louis van Gaal and turned into one of United’s most reliable players for a period of three years or so.
42🧵Still, that doesn’t tell the full story of a truly formidable working relationship.
38🧵His most trusted soldier by some distance, Carvalho was one of the shining lights of Mourinho’s success at Porto before following
36🧵He immediately became vital for the Red Devils and stuck around until 2022, before signing for – you guessed it – Mourinho’s Roma on a free transfer.
34🧵Together, the pair won the Premier League in 2014-15 and Matic blossomed into one of the best defensive midfielders in Europe – of course.
31🧵The pair never quite aligned at Chelsea, but Mourinho spent an initial £75million to bring Lukaku to United in 2017 where he scored 27 goals in all competitions in his first season.
29🧵Strangely, after finding success with Mourinho at Porto, Maniche next move was to Dynamo Moscow in 2005. But when that didn’t work out, he was loaned to Chelsea in January 2006 and quickly helped another Mourinho side to another trophy
27🧵Maniche
Maniche and Mourinho worked together three times, but not quite in the order you’d expect.
25🧵The 2004 Champions League final felt like the icing on the cake, but then Mourinho brought Ferreira with him to Chelsea that summer,
23🧵That start blossomed in Rome, where the two reunited upon Mourinho’s arrival in 2021 and won the Europa Conference League together. 188 appearances and counting, and four honours together so far. Monstrous.
2🧵Jose Mourinho remains one of football’s most polarising figures. Be it a supporter, a pundit or a player, you tend to either love him or loathe him.
3🧵And while even those closest to the Special One will have probably loathed him several times throughout their time together, his most adored players always remain by his side in the end – and there have been a few.
4🧵Those who have got on with Mourinho during his time with management have often been relied upon by him more than once. Today, we’re looking at the players who have turned out the most for the Portuguese coach across more than one club.
5🧵10. Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Before falling out with Pep Guardiola at Barcelona, Mourinho gave Zlatan the platform to shine at Inter which paved the way for the move in the first place,
6🧵showcasing the difference between the two managers and the calibre of player they like to work with.
7🧵Inter was the beginning of a brilliant relationship between two fierce characters. Ibrahimovic turned out 100 times in total for Mourinho at Inter and later
8🧵Manchester United when he signed for free in 2016, scoring 58 goals under the Special One and winning a Scudetto, a Europa League and the EFL Cup all in all.
9🧵Henrikh Mkhitaryan
Mkhitaryan got off to a rocky start under Mourinho at United, getting hooked at half-time in his first Premier League start – the Manchester derby.
10🧵But things would pick up, enjoying a prolific second half to his first season at the club and impressing particularly in the Europa League, where he scored in the final against Ajax.
11🧵Things fizzled out the season after and he was the makeweight in that infamous Alexis Sanchez swap deal, but
12🧵 Mkhitaryan did link up with Mourinho again at Roma and started the Europa Conference League final before leaving for Inter. 107 appearances under Mourinho is impressive.
13🧵Juan Mata
It’s strange to see Mata in a list such as this considering it was Mourinho who sanctioned his 2014 sale to Manchester United, just months after being crowned Chelsea’s Player of the Year for a second time.
14🧵But when the two reunited in Manchester in 2016, Mourinho would ultimately call upon the Spaniard often.
15🧵United fans still feel like he was wasted on the right flank for much of his time at the club, but he could still always be relied upon for a hard-working performance, even if he didn’t feel like a traditional Mourinho player physically
16🧵117 appearances under him certainly suggests the Portuguese coach did grow to like him.
17🧵Michael Essien
Making 147 appearances under Mourinho, Chelsea parted with £24.4million to make a then-22-year-old Essien the most expensive African player of all time in 2005 after a saga that rumbled on throughout the summer.
18🧵A year later, Essien was one of Mourinho’s most trusted soldiers and being nominated for the 2006 Ballon d’Or.
19🧵Injuries disrupted his later years at Stamford Bridge and an influx of managers after Mourinho left saw several midfielders come and go.
20🧵He eventually reunited with the man who signed him in 2012, when he secured a loan switch to Real Madrid. He dedicated his second and final Real goal on the last day of the season to Mourinho.
21🧵Chris Smalling
Smalling seemed to spend years fading in and out of form before Jose Mourinho’s 2016 arrival,
40🧵The Blues kept hold of Carvalho until 2010, before Real came calling at the request of the Special One. His first season was again a major success;
1🧵Mbappe forced to find new agent ahead of possible Real Madrid move in 2024
2🧵By the end of this season, Kylian Mbappe will have to make a big decision on his future. His contract at Paris Saint-Germain expires at the end of the season, and with Real Madrid lurking, he must decide on his next career move.
3🧵He had to make a similar one in 2022, when he ultimately rejected Real Madrid in favour of extending his stay at PSG.
4🧵However, things will be different for the 24-year-old this time around, as he will no longer he able to rely on a familiar face.
5🧵Mbappe’s mother, Fayza Lamari, has been his agent since making his break into football, but as Marca have reported, this will now no longer be the case.
6🧵 Lamari does not have the required license in order to be an agent following the new legislation passed by FIFA, meaning that Mbappe must look for new representation.
7🧵Lamari can become a registered agent again, but not until next May at the earliest. This means that Mbappe must dictate his own future until then, or find new representation.
8🧵Given the decision he is facing regarding his future, these developments are far from ideal.
9🧵It remains to be seen whether these changes have a significant effect on Mbappe’s future. It looks increasingly likely that he will join Real Madrid next summer, but a change of agency could cause a switch up.
Link: 🔗 https://m.allfootballapp.com/news/Headline/Mbappe-forced-to-find-new-agent-ahead-of-possible-Real-Madrid-move-in-2024/3197485
1🧵Raya over Ramsdale: Arteta’s desire for Arsenal's keeper to defend higher
2🧵David Raya or Aaron Ramsdale? That debate continues but the mind of Mikel Arteta appears made up. Despite talk of rotation,
3🧵Raya has started six out of seven games since making his Arsenal debut. Ramsdale’s only appearance came in the Carabao Cup.
4🧵Do not expect it to change. Raya is doing what Arteta demands.
5🧵The Spaniard had his awkward moments in the win over Manchester City after erring away to Lens in Europe.
6🧵But with Arsenal unbeaten in the Premier League and level on points with the leaders, his manager is operating from a position of strength - and it shows.
7🧵"It is my fault. All my fault." That was Arteta's response to Raya's misplaced pass almost gifting City a goal on Sunday.
8🧵"They can pull me up on it because I asked him to do that." Raya had the courage to keep playing even as supporters were audibly ill at ease.
9🧵"The crowd go like this with the players," said Arteta."I have seen it, the players start to kick balls everywhere and I said to him, 'you don't do that, make sure you don't do it', and he didn't do it.
10🧵At the end, he got rewarded because the team started the game that we wanted to play much better, so a big compliment to him.
11🧵"I think he was excellent, the way he dominated his box, the way he came out for crosses and set pieces, the height that he played at."
12🧵There are a number of aspects to Raya's game that make him such an impressive goalkeeper. Arteta's reference to his willingness to claim crosses covers one of them.
13🧵Since the start of last season, only Emiliano Martinez has claimed more catches in the Premier League.
14🧵There is also his shot-stopping ability, such a feature of his game at Brentford. According to the expected-goals data,
15🧵Raya has kept out six more goals than the average goalkeeper would have done since the start of last season. Ramsdale has kept out three fewer.
16🧵On that basis alone, there is a case for switching goalkeepers despite Ramsdale's popularity.
17🧵But it is the final factor in Raya's game, this issue of height, that is most significant. His distribution suggests he can join in with the possession as part of the back line.
18🧵It is a key point of difference and, perhaps surprisingly, one that was alluded to by Ramsdale himself within his remarkable first-person piece with The Players' Tribune in August.
19🧵Principally, it was a moving account of personal trauma, revealing his life away from football.
20🧵But there were also insights into his relationship with Arteta. At the time of publication, this was framed as a positive.
21🧵In the current context, it hints at the ideological differences between the pair, the challenge of adjusting to demands that felt counter-intuitive.
22🧵"I remember him explaining to me that he wanted me to play a lot higher and a lot more aggressive.
23🧵And so, every day in training, I would play higher and more aggressive. And he would say, 'No, no, higher.' Every day, higher. 'Yes. Yes. No. Higher.'
24🧵"It was brilliant, actually, because he let me explain my emotions about feeling a bit exposed in playing so aggressive…
25🧵In the end, we were able to come to a middle ground where I wasn't overthinking out there, and the results spoke for themselves."
26🧵The results did indeed speak for themselves. Arsenal's improvement was marked and Ramsdale was integral to that.
27🧵But Arteta's decision to invest in a new goalkeeper also speaks for itself. His principles are non-negotiable. There is no 'middle ground' with him.
28🧵Arteta is obsessed with detail and it is natural that he wants his goalkeeper to play exactly the style of football that he wants.
29🧵Finding a goalkeeper better suited to executing that style, rather than one uncomfortable with elements of it, is only logical.
30🧵The statistics suggest Raya is the superior goalkeeper with the ball at his feet. Second Spectrum uses tracking data to calculate the likelihood that any given pass is completed.
31🧵By logging the success of actual passes, players' relative passing ability can be assessed.
32🧵Among the 15 goalkeepers to complete 500 passes or more since the start of the last Premier League season, Raya is one of only three -
33🧵alongside Brighton's Jason Steele and Liverpool's Alisson Becker - to complete more than expected given their difficulty.
34🧵Maybe it is not surprising that there are so few. Goalkeepers are still not as proficient at it as outfield players. And yet,
35🧵among those 15 goalkeepers, it is Ramsdale who ranks bottom, his pass completion rate almost four percentage points lower than the average player.
36🧵Arsenal will be aware of the statistics. They will know that Raya should improve their options in the build-up with his range of passing.
37🧵But the change is not without its fascination because there is no guarantee that the new man can replicate these numbers.
38🧵While some of this will be familiar to him, much will still be new. A different club. A bigger club. A popular rival for his role sat watching from the bench.
39🧵Some supporters already on edge when the ball is at his feet. These are challenges for Raya, 28, to overcome.
40🧵He has played 568 progressive passes in the Premier League since the start of last season, the most of any goalkeeper.
41🧵But that reflects the tactics of Brentford, where he was encouraged to bypass players in attempting to find Ivan Toney in attack.
42🧵Now, he must adjust to a different approach, pass shorter and provoke pressure.
43🧵Already, the statistics show that 40 per cent of his passes as an Arsenal player have come while under pressure compared to 29 per cent last season when he was at Brentford.
44🧵These nuances mean there are no guarantees. Raya will need to remain confident in his own abilities and retain the backing of his new boss. But there is sound logic to his inclusion.
45🧵He is Arsenal's No 1 now. And he is Arsenal's No 1 for a clear reason.
Link: 🔗 https://m.allfootballapp.com/news/Headline/Raya-over-Ramsdale-Arteta%E2%80%99s-desire-for-Arsenals-keeper-to-defend-higher/3197481
1🧵Jamaica would WELCOME Mason Greenwood should he switch allegiance from England
2🧵Jamaica are open to Mason Greenwood switching allegiances from England internationally, the Reggae Boyz's head coach has shared in a new interview.
3🧵The former Manchester United forward is currently on loan at Getafe and scored his first goal on Sunday since making the move to LaLiga.
4🧵Greenwood is eligible for selection by the island nation due to his Jamaican heritage and as he has only played one senior game for England, meets the criteria to make the international switch.
5🧵The 22-year-old is thought to have been ruled out by Gareth Southgate for a later England call-up, and he has not been in contention for the Three Lions
6🧵since he was sent home after his debut in September 2020 for breaching Covid-19 regulations.
7🧵But Jamaica head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson did not rule out an international return for the player, albeit in different colours.
8🧵'I don't think I am different from all coaches in the world,' Hallgrimsson told The Athletic when asked about the possibility of Greenwood switching allegiances. 'We would like to have the best talent in our teams.
9🧵'If he gets his former fitness and his former level, that level could help Jamaica, and all coaches would want to have good players in their team and we are no different.
10🧵'Of course he will come with some baggage, but it's premature to talk about players that are not here. But whatever happens will happen. I want the best players with the best abilities playing for my team.'
11🧵Jamaica Football Federation secretary general Dennis Chung voiced a similar interest in February, but Greenwood is thought to have turned down the opportunity to represent the country in the first instance.
12🧵Greenwood made the move away from Old Trafford after 'mutually agreeing' the decision to continue his career away from his boyhood club following the conclusion of the Red Devils' internal investigation into their ex-academy player.
13🧵United launched their review after charges of rape and assault against the player were dropped in February 2023, with the Crown Prosecution Service discarding the charges following the withdrawal of key witnesses.
14🧵Before his debut for Getafe in September, Greenwood had not played a competitive match since January 2022, following his arrest and subsequent suspension on full pay from the club later that month.
15🧵Should Greenwood make the switch, he would join a number of former England prospects that have made similar moves to represent the Reggae Boyz.
17🧵Everton's Demarai Gray was latest player to make the switch, and received his maiden call-up for Jamaica in June 2023, joining their CONCACAF Gold Cup squad.
16🧵Michail Antonio has played for the side since making the switch in 2021, and Ethan Pinnock, Bobby Decordova Reid, and Leon Bailey.
Link: 🔗https://m.allfootballapp.com/news/Headline/Jamaica-would-WELCOME-Mason-Greenwood-should-he-switch-allegiance-from-England/3197488
1🧵Comparing Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo’s international records
2🧵Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are undoubtedly two of the greatest players of all time, but how do their international records stack up against one another?
3🧵Both players have won it all at club level, but they also boast extraordinary records on the international stage. Between them, the pair have scored 227 goals for their country which is an unbelievable return.
4🧵Ronaldo manages to rank above everyone else on the international stage when it comes to goals as he managed to surpass Iran's Ali Daei to become the men's all-time top international scorer.
5🧵Of course, the Portuguese forward has also managed to get his hands on some silverware with his country as he won Euro 2016 and also came out on top in the 2018-19 UEFA Nations League.
6🧵Lionel Messi has found that most of his success with Argentina has come in his later career, but it has been well worth the wait.
7🧵The Argentine genius completed a historic international treble last year as he added the World Cup to his trophy cabinet which already contained the Copa America and Finalissima trophies.
8🧵In many ways, the World Cup was the crowning moment in Messi's illustrious career. The 36-year-old took to social media after the game to explain what the trophy meant to him.
9🧵“I always had the dream of being World Champion and I never wanted to stop trying, even though I knew it might never happen,” Messi wrote on social media.
10🧵“This Cup we won also belongs to all those who did not win it in the previous World Cups we played, like in 2014 in Brazil,
11🧵where everyone deserved it for how they fought until the very end, worked hard and wanted it as much as I did…. and we deserved it even in that damn final.
12🧵where everyone deserved it for how they fought until the very end, worked hard and wanted it as much as I did…. and we deserved it even in that damn final.
13🧵“It also belongs to Diego [Maradona] who cheered us on from heaven. And of all those who always supported the National Team
14🧵without looking so much at the result but at the desire we always had, even when things did not work out the way we wanted them to.”
15🧵We've had a deeper dive into Messi's international record with Argentina and have compared it to Ronaldo's at Portugal. It will come as little surprise that both players have produced some crazy numbers over the years.
16🧵Lionel Messi (Argentina)
Games: 176
Goals: 104
Assists: 53
Penalties scored: 24
Friendly goals: 49
Ratio of friendly goals: 47%
17🧵World Cup goals: 13
Ratio of World Cup goals: 12.5%
Hat-tricks: 9
Free kick goals: 11
Outside the box goals: 14
Minutes per goal: 141
Minutes per non-penalty goal: 183
Minutes per goal or assist: 93
18🧵Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
Games: 201
Goals: 123
Assists: 33
Penalties scored: 18
Friendly goals: 20
Ratio of friendly goals: 16%
World Cup goals: 8
19🧵Ratio of World Cup goals: 6.5%
Hat-tricks: 10
Free kick goals: 11
Outside the box goals: 11
Minutes per goal: 129
Minutes per non-penalty goal: 152
Minutes per goal or assist: 102
Link: 🔗https://m.allfootballapp.com/news/Headline/Comparing-Lionel-Messi-and-Cristiano-Ronaldo%E2%80%99s-international-records/3197520
1🧵The 8 players let go by Barcelona in the summer – & how they’ve fared since
2🧵Barcelona made a few high-profile additions to their squad this summer as they look to defend their La Liga title, but we wanted to know how those who left Camp Nou have fared since their departures.
3🧵The likes of Ilkay Gundogan, Oriel Romeu, Joao Cancelo and Joao Felix all arrived at Barcelona as Xavi looked to keep Real Madrid at bay in Spain, while improving on last season's disappointing Champions League performances.
5🧵Sergio Busquets
Busquets was given an emotional farewell upon leaving Barcelona at the end of last season. Quite right too, considering the midfielder is Barcelona's third all-time appearance-maker and won over 30 trophies with the club
4🧵But we've taken a look at the 8 players that Barcelona let go in the summer and checked out how they've fared since.
6🧵He joined former team-mate Lionel Messi at Inter Miami and has appeared in all but one of their matches since his arrival. Not bad for 35.
7🧵Busquets is also enjoying life in America. “Yes, it's been wonderful [living in Miami.] The people have treated us so well,” he said in a recent interview.
“Different than Europe, but it's an easy way of life.”
8🧵Jordi Alba
Alba was also unable to resist Miami, moving to America after 11 years and 459 appearances for Barcelona.
9🧵“Jordi is an accomplished, dynamic and experienced player that we're excited to acquire to continue bolstering our squad,” Inter Miami sporting director Chris Henderson said.
10🧵“He has proven for over a decade that he is one of the best full-backs in the sport due to both his defensive solidity and capacity to contribute in the attack.”
11🧵The European Championship-winning defender was unable to help Miami make the MLS play-offs, but did contribute this lovely goal to the footballing zeitgeist.
12🧵Samuel Umtiti
After agreeing to terminate his Barcelona contract, French World Cup winner Umtiti returned to his homeland and signed for Lille.
13🧵Still only 30, the centre-back has made three Ligue 1 appearances and played twice in the Europa Conference League. You imagine Umtiti will fancy his chances of helping Lille win silverware in the latter competition.
15🧵“I arrived at La Masia with the greatest of illusions, with the dream of being able to play with the first team one day,” he said.
16🧵“After much effort and sacrifice, I can say that I have fulfilled my dream. It is never easy to say goodbye to what has been your home for so many years.
17🧵They have given me the opportunity to enjoy what I like the most. I'll keep supporting like one more cule.”
18🧵Just four days after arriving in Seville, Collado was sent on loan to Al-Okhdood and has made seven appearances for the Saudi Pro League side. We didn't see that one coming.
19🧵Nico Gonzalez
Porto sealed an €8.5 million for Nico this summer, although Barcelona's insistence on a buy-back clause suggests they still hold the player in high value.
20🧵“Nico Gonzalez is going to be better than Sergio Busquets,” Barcelona youth chief Xavier Vilajoana said in 2021. “He is more complete.
21🧵“He can play as a central midfielder because he's better at when going forward, he's more intense, he plays well with his head, he is right-footed by plays very well with both feet, he's tall and strong. A typical no.8.”
22🧵The midfielder has already played seven times for his new club, including in a Champions League match against Barca in October 2023. It remains to be seen whether he can emulate Busquets.
23🧵Franck Kessie
Kessie only spent one season at Barcelona after failing to replicate the form he'd shown helping AC Milan win the Scudetto.
24🧵The Ivory Coast international floundered at Camp Nou and the club wanted his wages off the book as soon as possible. As if by magic, Saudi Arabian club Al-Ahli did just that.
25🧵In fairness, Kessie looks more comfortable with his new side and scored an absolute ripsnorter against an Al-Ittihad team featuring Fabinho and Karim Benzema.
26🧵Ousmane Dembele
PSG triggered a €50 million clause in Dembele's contract to reunite him with international team-mate Kylian Mbappe, but it's not gone to plan for the Frenchman so far.
27🧵Dembele has contributed just two assists and looked particularly poor in PSG's Champions League hammering against Newcastle.
28🧵There are already rumours that Arsenal, Chelsea and Newcastle might look to sign the forward in January. Barcelona fans familiar with Dembele's inconsistency will be nodding knowingly so far.
29🧵Abde Ezzalzouli
“Abde is a differential player,” Xavi said about the winger in 2021. “He can make a difference. He is a dagger. A marvel. (He is) making the difference in a tremendous way.”
30🧵Alas, Ezzalzouli's performances at Osasuna last season only tempted Barcelona into selling him to Real Betis to ease their financial concerns.
31🧵He scored his first goal for his new club in a 3-0 win over Valencia this month and it feels like the 21-year-old is in the perfect environment to thrive.
Link: 🔗 https://m.allfootballapp.com/news/Headline/The-8-players-let-go-by-Barcelona-in-the-summer-%E2%80%93--how-they%E2%80%99ve-fared-since/3197519
14🧵Alex Collado
Collado wrote a tear-jerking goodbye message to Barcelona supporters after sealing a move to Real Betis this summer.
1🧵New Wales international Regan Poole: I owe a lot to Manchester United
2🧵New Wales cap Regan Poole admits he owes so much to Manchester United after making his international debut on Wednesday night.
3🧵Defender Poole seemed destined for stardom in 2015 after leaving Newport aged 17, on the same day United made Anthony Martial football’s most expensive teenager.
4🧵But Poole’s first-team action at Old Trafford was restricted to an 89th-minute substitute appearance in a 2016 Champions League tie – a 5-1 win over
5🧵Danish club Midtjylland, in which England striker Marcus Rashford announced himself with two goals on debut.
6🧵Poole would be loaned out to Northampton and Newport before signing for MK Dons, Lincoln and Portsmouth, where he has hit the ground running with three goals in 12 appearances for the Sky Bet League One leaders.
7🧵“It’s always been my aim to win that cap,” Poole said after helping Wales to a 4-0 friendly win over Gibraltar in Wrexham, ahead of their Euro 2024 qualifier against Croatia.
8🧵“I’m 25 and I’ve had to wait a little while to get it, but hopefully there are many more to come.
9🧵“I had the experience of playing for the under-21s a few times and got called up there.
10🧵“It went quiet for a little while, but I’ve had a really positive start for my new club and hopefully I can stay in the squad.”
11🧵Cardiff-born Poole became Newport’s youngest-ever player in 2014 upon making his debut at the age of 16 and 94 days.
12🧵Poole’s performances soon had Premier League scouts flocking to Rodney Parade and he eventually headed for Old Trafford for a £100,000 fee, with attached add-ons taking it to a potential £500,000.
13🧵“I was at such a young age when the move came about,” said Poole.
14🧵“It was such a shock, but it was something I had to do. I look back on my time there and they improved me so much as a person and as a player.
15🧵“I don’t regret it in a way because I had to do it. I loved my time there and I think it’s showing now how much they improved me.
16🧵“I was training with such good players and that’s shown in my career.”
17🧵On his brief time as a United first-team player, Poole added: “That’s something I look back on with great pride.
18🧵“I know it was only one game but I can say that I played for Manchester United and not many people can say that. So I look back on that and think ‘well done’.
19🧵“Marcus scored two in that game and then I came on late. He was a good friend of mine at the time and he’s gone on to do such great things.”
20🧵Poole is determined to play at the top level again and believes that is possible at Portsmouth.
21🧵He said: “I’m loving it down there. We’ve started so brightly and we’re looking for promotion.
22🧵“We’re trying to get the football club back to where it belongs. Why can’t we do it at Portsmouth?
23🧵“Ipswich are doing really well (in the Championship after going up from League One last season) and if we can get promoted, why not?
24🧵“Portsmouth is a Premier League football club and should never be in League One.
25🧵“I believe I can play in the Premier League. If you don’t think that, you’re in the wrong sport.”
Link: 🔗 https://m.allfootballapp.com/news/Headline/New-Wales-international-Regan-Poole-I-owe-a-lot-to-Manchester-United/3197538
1🧵Jesse Marsch always saw Dominik Szoboszlai “among the best in the world”
2🧵Dominik Szoboszlai was a player coaches knew was destined for a “big future” and for Jesse Marsch, the Hungarian's combination of “belief,” “commitment” and “talent” set him apart.
3🧵At just 22, Liverpool's No. 8 has already amassed 227 senior club appearances and 34 caps for his country, the latter of whom he now leads as captain.
4🧵It was only four years ago that Marsch, former Leeds manager, was appointed as the head coach of Red Bull Salzburg, a club Szoboszlai joined only a year previous.
5🧵The midfielder was only 18 when Marsch arrived in Austria and had 20 Salzburg appearances to his name, but the American has not forgotten his first impression of the young Hungarian.
6🧵“I'd spoken to Szobo a little bit before but the first day I showed up, you could see he had such confidence about him. It's borderline arrogance, but it's real,” Marsch told This Is Anfield in an exclusive interview.
7🧵“He just believes in himself and he's always believed that he was going to be a big player. I'm drawn to those kind of personalities, I like guys that come with a bit of arrogance to them.
8🧵“Germany and Austria are a little different, but in German there's a word, 'demütig', and it means humble. And if you say to somebody anything like, 'He should stay humble', it's an insult because in German they don't like arrogance.
9🧵“But I'm different, I'm American! So I was drawn to him immediately.
10🧵“He was still young, a bit immature, and still needed some guidance in terms of how to use his confidence to help benefit him as a player.
11🧵“But I watched him play the year before, I really liked him and I thought he had a big future with how I was going to move the team forward.”
12🧵Marsch and Szoboszlai worked together for 18 months at Salzburg before both ended up at sister club Leipzig for a short spell, before the manager parted ways with the German club at the end of 2021.
13🧵“In the beginning, when I was critical of him he didn't want to hear me,” Marsch explained.
14🧵“I had a lot of individual video sessions with him, almost every training session, almost every game.
15🧵“We would sit down and I would talk to him because with young, talented players like that it's all about helping them achieve their potential and creating an accelerated learning curve.
16🧵“Then, what I call 'the click', once they start to understand exactly what's necessary, it just hits them all at once and then it's when they take off.”
17🧵And take off he has, with Szoboszlai's early signs at Liverpool having already endeared him to the masses for his work ethic and obvious talent, among various other traits.
18🧵Marsch has kept a close eye on his former player and he is not surprised by the 22-year-old's career trajectory.
19🧵“Szobo always had this belief in himself and this vision that he would be playing for the biggest clubs in the world and be the best player in those teams,” the 49-year-old continued.
20🧵“This is all part of the manifestation of his confidence and his belief in himself. Some people may look at it as arrogance but Erling [Haaland] is the same.
21🧵“It's interesting because Erling and Szobo had a really good relationship in Salzburg and, I think, learned a lot from each other.
23🧵“The vision they had for themselves was different to most players. I don't think that will ever be an issue for Szobo.
24🧵“He's hit the ground running but, when I see him play, there are still a lot of little things he can do better and I think he will grow and get better as he continues to play.”
22🧵“But I could see from both of them that they were going to be among the best players in the world because of their enthusiasm, their talent, their belief, their commitment, their work ethic, their desire to improve.
Link: 🔗 https://m.allfootballapp.com/news/Headline/Jesse-Marsch-always-saw-Dominik-Szoboszlai-%E2%80%9Camong-the-best-in-the-world%E2%80%9D/3197514