The blues are set to welcome the red devils at Stamford bridge for the first time this season. Following a draw against Brentford, Chelsea look to bounce back this weekend when they face Manchester United, who beat Tottenham two goals to nil in the previous match.
Photo Credits: Jeremy/Getty Images
Chelsea plagued with injuries with United looking strong
However, Chelsea are faced with a series of injuries, following the latest Reece James injury when they played Ac Milan in the champions league. Reece James has been arguably the best Chelsea player this season and will be missed by Chelsea and England fans since he won’t be available for the world cup, which will start in a month’s time. Also, Ng’olo Kante will be out following an injury setback while training. Wesley Fofana will also not feature due to an injury he faced while playing AC Milan in the first leg of their Champions League group contest.
Chelsea’s Reece James lying down injured in the game against AC Milan. Photo Credits: Emilio Andreoli/Getty Images
On the other end, Manchester United look comfortable with an almost fully-fit squad. Christian Eriksen returned to United’s squad midweek against Spurs. Antony Martial and Harry Maguire have been ruled out again, joining Aaron Wan-Bissaka as the only absentees. Their most important players will be in the contest against Chelsea apart from Cristiano Ronaldo, who Eric Ten Hag suspended for walking down the tunnel before the full time and refused to be substituted in the ninetieth minute against Spurs.
The dynamic of the game
The two teams have drawn in their last four games, so it won’t be an easy game to predict. The Blues aim to maintain their number four spot if they beat or even get a draw against the red devils. Manchester United will have to beat Chelsea, who are above them with one point in the EPL, and claim the number four spot.
Reece James’ spot might be covered by Cesar Azpilicueta or Ruben Loftus Cheek, who has also been brilliant in the Right wing-back position. However, none of them will actually offer what Reece James offered; that’s why James will be a big miss. Whoever plays in that spot will have to face Manchester United wingers, who are pacey and have great dribbling attributes.
Diogo Dalot has been so brilliant this season for Manchester United clocking the third-highest top speed in the premier league. That comes in the face of some spectacular displays from him at right-back this season. The right side of Manchester united seems sorted since Diogo and Antony Santos have both been brilliant this season, and we expect them to cause Chelsea much trouble.
Casemiro also seems to have jelled perfectly well with the team. His link-up with Fred in the midfield worked out so well against the Spurs. Whether Ten Hag decides to pair him with Eriksen or Fred, that midfield will be a recipe for serious danger.
Since the appointment of Graham Potter as Chelsea’s head coach, the English man has never lost in his last seven outings, having won five and drawn two games. Kepa has also been brilliant in the past games, only conceding two goals in their last seven games and having higher expected goals saves than any other keeper in the premier league. Whoever starts up front for Manchester United will have to face Kepa’s test. The blues goalkeeper has been pivotal for Graham Potter and has secured them important points due to his prodigiousness in goal.
On the other hand, Manchester United have won three of the last five games in the premier league, drawing one against Newcastle and losing one to Manchester City. In their last two games, however, they have displayed promising consistency.
The game will kick off at 1730 hours UK time, and the ground is set for yet another thrilling encounter from these two well-matched outfits.
The Premier League encounter between Manchester City and Liverpool took off to a pulsating start, with both teams looking to walk away with 3 points. For Liverpool, a win would have reinvigorated the deteriorating mood in the club. Given their recent run of form, defeat in this match would have been a huge blow to Klopp and his men in their pursuit for the top four. On the other hand, City needed to close in on Arsenal, who look set to compete for the title this season.
Jurgen Klopp having an exchange with Pep Guardiola in their past Premier League match whereby Liverpool won by one goal to nil. Photo Credits: Premier League
The action-packed match ended in a one-nil win for the home team, with Klopp’s men showing real character to put up a fight in such an infirm state. Salah scored the only goal in the match, with Liverpool having a couple of opportunities to kill off the game. Foden scored on the other end before VAR asked Antony Taylor to look back at a tackle committed by Haaland in the build-up to the goal.
Haaland pulled Fabinho’s shirt in a 50-50 duel before passing to De Bruyne, who then slid him in with yet another incisive pass. Foden capitalized on the scramble between Haaland and Allison to strike the ball that deflected into the net from Gomez’s legs. Taylor ruled out the goal that then allowed Liverpool to grow back into the game, and ended up scoring their own.
Klopp received a red card towards the end of the match as his furious reaction towards the referees was interpreted as inexcusable dissent. This was in response to the tackles that flew in, many of which Taylor let go.
Darwin Nunez failed to find Mohammed Salah in an open opportunity in the match. Photo Credits: Premier League
This defeat now means City lose their unbeaten status this season, with Arsenal going four points clear of them at the top of the table. For Liverpool, the win recaptures a mood in these parts not felt for quite a while. The Reds now have the opportunity to re-establish their dominance with their talisman, Mohammed Salah, slowly regaining his goal-scoring form. Will the Egyptian forward net more goals in the coming chances?
Salah celebrating after scoring the only goal versus Manchester City at the Anfield versus Manchester City. Photo Credits: Liverpool FC
Manchester United has completed the signing of Lisandro Martinez from Ajax for fifty-five million Euros (€ 55 m). He is now the second player at Manchester United with a history of being coached by Eric Ten Haag. Donny van de Beek has also worked with Manchester United coach at Ajax.
Reunion
Ten Haag rates Martinez highly despite his considerably shorter stature for a center-back. The Argentine will be the shortest center-back ever to have featured in the history of the Premier League. Most prominent center-backs are pretty tall and of huge stature, one that can be deemed to intimidate opposition players. Luckily, Cristiano Ronaldo, a player with excellent aerial and heading quality, is Lisandro’s teammate.
(Above) Lisandro and Ten Haag attending a Press conference while at Ajax. (Below) Lisandro Martinez and Ten Haag celebrating a trophy win at Ajax. The two reunite at Old Trafford, this time in a Manched United shirt. Photo Credits: Ajax FC
Despite this perceived shortcoming, Lisandro has successfully represented Ajax in the Eredivisie as a center-back. His excellence in tackling players earned him the name ‘butcher of Amsterdam.’ He is efficiently combative in one-on-one scenarios against attacking opponent players. Infact, after his transfer to Manchester United, he had this to say, “Yes, I am called the carnicero – The Butcher of Amsterdam. We Argentines do everything with passion and when I go out on the pitch, I fight for every ball. If I have to step over dead bodies, I do it.”
Such a mentality has been attributed to the likes of Diego Simeone, Sergio Ramos, and Casemiro. Specifically, Diego Simeone, as a player, was highly regarded for his fighting spirit on the pitch. He was a win-at-all-costs kind of midfielder, aggressive and efficiently ruthless. They called him El Cholo. Coincidentally, Diego Simeone and Lisandro Martinez hail from Argentina and play(ed) a defensive role in their respective teams. Is this a young version of the former?
Lisandro has made seven (7) appearances for Argentina’s national team, La Albiceleste. The number of international appearances might increase depending on whether Ten Haag plays him. With many defensive players available, the competition for active participation is expected to be high. If the Argentine performs more remarkably, he can start most of the games.
(Above) Lisandro Martinez in a one-v-one duel against Haaland during the 21/22 Uefa Champions League match between Ajax and Borussia Dortmund. The two are meant to face off in the high-tension Manchester Derby. Photo Credits: UEFA Champions League
Versatility
Lisandro can play several positions, such as a center-back (CB), left-back (LB), or as a central defensive midfielder (CDM). This versatility is advantageous as it gives Ten Haag more tactical options during or before a game.
Last season, Eredivisie 21/22, Lisandro started in twenty-three (23) matches for Ajax out of thirty-four (34) matches that his side played. Moreover, he scored one (1) goal and provided three (3) assists, which is quite a notable attacking contribution for a center-back. One of his significant attacking contributions is firing long balls into opponents’ defenses. In fact, in the 21/22 season, he made 5.4 accurate long balls per game which translates to a 61% efficiency of all his long ball attempts. Additionally, ‘the butcher of Amsterdam’ featured in Eredivisie’s nine (9) rounds of ‘team of the week’ awards.
Players tend to adapt differently to the Premier League. How Lisandro will adapt is not known yet? We can judge his performance by seven (7) to eight (8) games. Either way, Ten Haag will look forward to using him to bolster United’s defense. De Jong seems to be the remaining transfer Ten Haag hopes to complete to recreate a given type of midfield with his former and present players at Old Trafford.
Kalidou Koulibaly has completed his move from Italian side Napoli to recent club world cup winners, Chelsea. The Senegalese defender has just completed his medicals at Stamford Bridge and is looking forward to jet to the USA. He will be joining the rest of Chelsea’s players on their pre-season tour in the States.
The defender has signed a forty million Euros (€ 40 m) contract deal to represent the London side until 2026. Moreover, he will receive a net salary of around ten million Euros (€ 10 m). Chelsea had initially made contact and tried unsuccessfully signing the player back in 2016. The player cited that a conversation with his Senegalese teammate, Edouard Mendy, and former Napoli teammate, Jorginho, influenced his decision.
Good Bye Rudiger
Left, Antonio Rudiger in his first Real Madrid training. He left Chelsea on a free transfer to Real Madrid. Image Credits: Real Madrid
At the end of the 21/22 Premier League season, Chelsea parted ways with German defender Antonio Rudiger. Rudiger was a crucial piece on Tuchel’s side in previous games. His partnership at the back with Brazilian defender Thiago Silva provided solid protection at the back for the Blues. Moreover, the two had good communication and offered great aerial options at the front in case of set pieces. Silva and Rudiger scored eight (8) goals for Chelsea during the 21/22 Premier League season.
The departure of Rudiger has necessitated Koulibaly’s transfer to Chelsea. The player is now Chelsea’s second signing this transfer window.
Koulibaly has represented the Italian side since 2014, making it a total of eight (8) years at Naples. Todd Boehly, Chelsea’s new owner, praised Kalidou Koulibaly upon his signing and said, “Kalidou Koulibaly is one of the world’s elite defenders, and I am delighted to welcome him to Chelsea. A great leader and an exemplary team player. Kalidou brings a wealth of experience and attributes that will benefit the squad and the club as a whole.”
Kalidou Koulibaly in a Napoli shirt last season. The Senegal defender has transfered from Napoli to Chelsea on a four-year contract. Image Credits: Napoli FC
Chelsea’s financially ability this transfer period
Chelsea has been quite active during this transfer period. The new owners, including Tedd Boehly, seem to have a different take on some things compared to the former owner, Abramovich. They have approached several clubs to purchase players. Still, They have only been successful in two instances: the transfer of Raheem Sterling from Manchester City and the transfer of Kalidou Koulibaly from the Italian side Napoli. At one point, Chelsea hijacked Arsenal’s move for Raphinha from Leeds but unexpectedly lost the race for Raphinha’s signature. Raphinha, a former Leeds player, chose Barcelona over Chelsea. ‘Broke Barcelona’ indeed.
It is pretty unsettling for a Manchester United fan that Cristiano Ronaldo did not travel with the rest of the team for the pre-season tour amidst the numerous Manchester United transfer news linking him to a possible transfer away from Old Trafford. The potential transfer of Cristiano Ronaldo, among many other possible transfers to and from Manchester, keeps die-hard fans unsettled.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo
Manchester United’s top goal scorer in the Premier League 21/22 has been linked with a move away from Old Trafford. Clubs such as Chelsea and PSG have been linked with him. Chelsea’s transfers team made contact with Jorge Mendes, Ronaldo’s agent, following the news that he was not part of the squad for the pre-season tour. They were trying to establish the situation at Old Trafford for the Portuguese striker and assess the possibility of a transfer. However, the two have not discussed a personal agreement, nor has Chelsea made an official offer for the Portuguese striker. Moreover, Chelsea is yet to place an official bid to sign the player.
Picture Mbappe, Neymar, Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo on the same team
Messi, Neymar, and Mbappe are currently rated among the best footballers and happen to play for the same club. How would they lineup with Cristiano Ronaldo in the team? On paper, this team is quite formidable. However, the practicality of the situation, proper player management, and tactical implementation by the coaching team can be disastrous for one of the players. Some or one of the player(s) could end up clouded by the other(s). Notably: Benzema has been having a great season with Real Madrid following the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo, and Griezmann had a tough time featuring Barcelona with Messi present.
In addition, in the 21/22 Ligue 1 season, the three did not have a stellar performance per se. Mbappe was occasionally the main man on most occasions whenever the three were fielded. Mbappe played as the striking target in most matches and delivered exceptionally. Messi and Neymar had to take a deeper chance creating roles, but they occasionally failed to take up defensive roles. Well, probably Pochettinho’s tactics were a miss, or the three are just lazy.
As expected, PSG has turned down the opportunity to sign Cristiano Ronaldo. Considering the latter reason, it is pretty clear why. Furthermore, onboarding him with his high wages would significantly affect the team balance in other pitch areas, considering financial fair play guidelines.
Looking at United’s chase for De Jong brings to mind the thought of chasing after the wind. Remember the Sancho deal? At first, Sancho proved quite elusive for the Red Devils, but after numerous rejected deals and fan videos calling for his signing, he finally arrived at Old Trafford. Ten Haag appears to be gathering some of his previous exceptional players. Manchester United is also pursuing Lisandro Martinez, who happens to have been signed and coached by the Dutch, fifty-two-year-old (52 yrs) Dutch coach.
Frenkie De Jong has been a top transfer target for Ten Haag at Manchester United, despite the prevailing situation at Barcelona. Photo Credit: Barcelona FC
Barcelona’s financial status. Are they broke or not?
Frenkie De Jong has communicated through his agents, Ali Dursun and Hasan Cetinkaya, that he has no intention of leaving the Nou Camp. Moreover, they have stated that they are not accepting salary reductions or related negotiations. At one point, Barcelona had come to an agreement to sell the twenty-five-year-old to Manchester United, with some add-ons slated into the deal. The precise agreed transfer amount was sixty-five million Euros (€ 65 m) and twenty million Euros (€ 20 m) in add-ons. Barcelona claimed to not be in a stable financial position. They have been seeking to offload some players to lower their wage bills. The economic situation was dire to the point that the Nou Camp was open for weddings and other events during the summer break.
Another major hindrance to closing this deal is the seventeen million Euros (€ 17 m) that Barcelona owes De Jong. Surprisingly, they can hijack a Raphinha-to-Chelsea deal and sign the Brazillian for sixty-five million Euros (€ 65 m). The purchase of Raphinha by Barcelona begs many questions about their actual financial status and whether they will sell the Dutch midfielder to Manchester United.
3. Lisandro Martinez
This Argentine center-back, Martinez, has been linked with a move to Old Trafford, where he will rejoin his former coach, Eric Ten Haag, at Old Trafford. The Red Devils have agreed on personal terms with the Argentine and are looking forward to sealing a deal with Ajax. Last week, the Eredivisie team rejected an initial fifty million Euros (€50 m) deal from Manchester United. However, they are currently open to selling the Argentine.
Above, Lisandro Martinez featuring for Ajax FC in a past match. The Argentine is a top transfer target for Manchester United. Mufc has stepped up its pursuit of the Argentine. Photo Credit: Ajax FC
Squad depth
The successful transfer of Lisandro Martinez will add more defensive squad depth for the Manchester side. The Argentine will join an already star-studded defense if the deal pulls through. Some of these big names include Harry Maguire (Ten Haag’s captaincy choice), Raphael Varane (multiple times Champions League winner), Victor Lindelof, Eric Bailly, Luke Shaw (dubbed to be present-day Roberto Carlos), Aaron Wan Bissaka (never misses a tackle), Alex Telles, among other defensive options.
Who is Lisandro Martinez?
Who is Lisandro Martinez? You might not need to scroll through numerous Youtube videos to get to know this guy. He is a quite notable left-footed center-back. Lisandro Martinez plays for Eredivisie’s side, Ajax, and has made 74 appearances for the Eredivisie side, scoring six (6) goals and providing five (5) assists. It is worth noting that Ten Haag occasionally fields a back-four side. Occasionally, he opts for a 4-3-3 high press formation, and other times he goes with a 4-3-2-1 formation. As a result, Lisandro Martinez might bench one of the center-backs or remain as a bench option or a Europa player considering the number of matches in the first half of the Premier League.
The phrase, Pogback, was a trend in August 2016. At that time, Manchester United fans worldwide celebrated his return to Old Trafford for a record fee, one hundred and five million Euros (€ 105 m). Despite all this, Pogba has again parted ways with the Red Devils to rejoin the Italian side, Juventus. Before this move, sources close to Pogba claimed that he was disgruntled at Manchester United. During this period, Labile was linked with some clubs, including Real Madrid and Barcelona. When Zinedine Zidane was coaching Real Madrid, he had taken a keen interest in him.
Pogba in a Juventus shirt following his move from Manchester United on a free transfer. Photo Credit: Juventus FC
The France national joins Juventus on a free transfer for the second time (United seems to be doing the heavy lifting here). Paul Pogba is a Manchester United academy graduate but seems to have never settled comfortably for the Premier League side. He has not been consistent throughout his stay at United. It is worth noting that at the start of the 21/22 Premier League season, Labile Pogba had several stellar performances. However, this did not reflect over the rest of the season. Alex Ferguson, at one point, made a statement regarding the player’s discipline and cited it as a reason for concern. Moreover, he did not fail to acknowledge the exceptional skills Pogba possessed.
Despite all this, Pogba has contributed immensely to the last trophy the Manchester United team won. Most notable is his role in their Europa final versus Ajax back in the 16/17 season.
An active Manchester United transfer period
Ten Haag is active during this period. Cristiano Ronaldo might leave Manchester United; De Jong might agree to his transfer from Barcelona to Manchester United. There are numerous possibilities for Manchester United during this transfer period. The Red Devils might miss out on some transfers, lose some players, or complete unexpected player signings.
Here are some of the top transfer targets for Manchester United. Photo Credit: Mirror Football
Raheem Sterling has officially completed his move from Manchester City to Chelsea. Prior to the opening of the transfer window, this would have been an unexpected signing, but here we are.
The transition
Sterling is among the few players to feature for multiple top-10 teams in the Premier League. The English winger played alongside Luiz Suarez for the Reds. He went on to be coached by Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, until now, when he has left the club for the Blues. His playing style has evolved and changed immensely under the Spaniard at Manchester City.
The numbers
Sterling has joined Chelsea on a contract that spans upto 2027. The move cost Chelsea £45 million in transfer fees and a further £10 million in add on fees. Raheem Sterling has had remarkable run under Guardiola. He has made the most appearances than any current City player, featuring in 292 games. Moreover, he has scored 120 goals, making him the third-most top goal scorer for the Cityzens during this period. Sterling has made 85 assists making him the third best assist creator under Guardiola for the Cityzens.
The winger has won multiple trophies with Manchester City, these include
4 Premier League Trophies
4 League cups
1 FA cup
2 Community Shields
Raheem Sterling has played for both the Cityzens and Liverpool and will now play for Chelsea. He is among the few players to do so.
Sterling dons a Chelsea jersey. Photo Credit: Chelsea FC
Chelsea seem to be building something. They already have quite a remarkable squad depth and appear not to be done yet. With Sterling at Stamford Bridge, who will take the bench? Ziyech is rumored to be working out a transfer from Chelsea already. Pulisic, is there to stay for now. Most probably, Tuchel will pick Sterling over Pulisic at the front three, alongside Havertz and Werner/Mount, if they are to field a 3-4-3.
Guardiola’s creation
Considering the much praise Sterling had for Guardiola and Guardiola for Sterling, it’s quite a surprise to see him move to Chelsea. Guardiola has transformed Sterling into the player he is today. Will Tuchel be able to make good use of ‘Pep’s creation’?
Is Cristiano Ronaldo bound to join Chelsea? To the shock of the football fanbase, especially Manchester United fans, Chelsea are interested in signing Cristiano Ronaldo. Other clubs that are interested in the five-time Ballon d`Or winner include Napoli and PSG.
Not for sale
Initially Manchester United had profiled Cristiano Ronaldo as a not-for-sale player. However, with the arrival of Eric Ten Haag at Old Trafford has triggered more interest from other clubs. Ten Haag supposedly said that Cristiano is not part of his plans at Manchester United. This was prior to him officially joining Manchester United as the head coach.
Since the change in ownership of Chelsea, the club has been knocking door in almost every club. The Blues have already shown interest even to the point of making offers for various players. These include, Raheem Sterling (Manchester City), Nathan Ake (Manchester City), and Raphinha. Some of these deals have pulled through or are in advanced stages whereas some are at a threat of being hijacked by clubs such as Barcelona (Raphinha).
The guys at Stamford Bridge have made contact with Jorge Mendes, Christiano’s agent, with intention to purchase him from Manchester United.
Play in UEFA Europa Tournament
The Red Devils’ failed to qualify for the Champions League last season. This was despite their top-4 predicted finish by most pundits. The squad was good on paper, but something was amiss. Imagine the quality of a squad with the likes of Varane and the England national team captain. It is rumored that the Portuguese striker knows nothing about the UEFA Europa Tournament theme song. Manchester United are keen to introduce him to this side of the world, regardless. In the 2021/22 Premier League season, Man U finished with their lowest-ever Premier League point total, earning just 58 from their 38 games.
Cristiano Ronaldo posing in Manchester United’s jersey. WIll he play for the Red Devils 22/23 EPL season or will he move to Chelsea? Photo Credit: Manchester United
Despite his notable performance in all competitions last season (28 goals) for the Red Devils, Christiano Ronaldo’s workrate is reducing but remains quite remarkable for a 38-year old. This might restrict Ten Haag’s plan for the United squad considering his playing style. The chances that Manchester United will sell him are not nil, but are all the more appear to be increasing over the days as transfer progresses. Manchester United have traveled for their pre-season tour without Christiano Ronaldo. Is this the sign?
A growing Possibility of Ronaldo to Chelsea
A bid from the Blues is imminent, according to reports from Graeme Bailey and Scott Saunders. Despite the Portuguese’s fair transfer fee, Todd Boehly, Chelsea’s new co-owner, will need to budget for the player’s 400k-a-week salary. At the moment it’s not certain that Ronaldo is leaving Chelsea. However, it is certain that there will be a large outcry from Manchester United fans if Christiano Ronaldo completes his transfer to Chelsea.
London rivals go head-to-head (Arsenal vs Chelsea) this Sunday at the Emirates and you don’t want to miss it. Here’s why
The past matches: Arsenal vs Chelsea
Although Chelsea won the last match when these two sides met, Arsenal have had the better of them in the early years of the rivalry. In terms of goals scored in the last 10 matches between the two sides, Arsenal boast scoring 16 goals against the Blues(14) goals. Since the first four meetings between the two sides we’ve seen plenty more action on the pitch so let’s focus on what happened post 2018: Arsenal beat Chelsea 5 times, drew 2 times and lost just 3; there were 30 goals scored. Chelsea scored 18 goals vs Arsenal during this period, while Arsenal netted 12 goals.
The recent times
Although arsenal have won 2 games out of 4 past Premier League fixtures between the two sides, Chelsea have been on a solid run lately. We must admit arsenal’s form recently has not been as good as they would’ve hoped for. It is worth noting that arsenal beat Chelsea last season both home and away, taking the double from Tuchel’s side. During the first leg, Lampard was still Chelsea’s coach where as in the second leg he had been replaced by the German coach Thomas Tuchel.
Last season Arsenal won 3-1 and proceeded to take 3 more points at Stamford Bridge winning 1-0 against Tuchel’s side. An early goal from Emile Smithe Rowe sealed the fate for the Champion League winners. Arsenal went on to finish in 8th place as Chelsea finished 4th, qualifying for a Champions League spot.
The Belgian who dominated the London derby
Eden Hazard was a popular name during Arsenal vs Chelsea fixtures in the past before he left Chelsea to join Real Madrid. Chanting of his name was a normal occurrence during past London derbies due to his prowess in giving Arsenal’s defence a hard time. [Jesse Lingard, Heung Min Son, and Eden Hazard, are some of the names that cause some discomfort for the Arsenal defense].
Current Form: Arsenal vs Chelsea
Chelsea has been a more stable side of late compared to their London rivals. However, Arsenal has a good record against the Blues and should not be rules out just yet. Chelsea, under Tuchel, beat Manchester City in the Champion’s League final, 1- 0. This marked their second Champions League trophy; Arsenal has none as per the time of this writing. Their endeavor to collect trophies did not stop their, since they went ahead to bag the UEFA Supercup trophy after beating Villarreal, the UEFA Europa winners, on penalties. Two trophies for Tuchel in a span of months.
Tammy Abraham holds up the Champions League trophy following their Champions League win after beating Guardiola’s City, 1-0 in 2020/21 season. Photo credit: Chelsea
Rudiger celebrates holding the UEFA Supercup following their win over Villareal. Rudiger will be available to play in the London derby where Chelsea go head to head with Arsenal at the Emirates. Photo Credit: Chelsea
Arsenal on the other hand have not bagged any trophy of late other than the FA Cup which they won in the 2019/20 season and a ceremonial Community Shield.
Joe Willock holding up the FA cup following their win in 2019-20 season. The player has been sold to Newcastle and therefore wont be available for the London derby. Photo Credits: Arsenal
Contrast Premier League opener matches for the London rivals
The most recent fixtures saw Chelsea easily beat Crystal Palace 3-0 to mark the start of the season, and a possible Premier League trophy pursuit. Marcos Alonso gave the Blues an early lead from a free kick. The Spaniard fired the ball right past Vicente Guaita making it 1:0. The Crystal Palace keeper was supposedly caught unawares in this case. In the 40th minute Pulisic poached a rebounce ball from Guaita to make it 2:0, generally a tap-in. Several minutes after the break, Trevor Chalobah grabbed a debut goal, scoring from outside the box right past Guaita to make it 3:0 for the hosts. Intrestingly, the fans had prior urged Chalobah to shoot, and voila, a perfect strike to mark a debut.
A Gunner side lacking character and verve
Arsenal on the other hand had a very rough start to their campaign this season. The team lacked any attacking verve as they possessed the ball largely against newly promoted Brentford. Sergi Cannos fired a strike that went past Arsenal’s defence, right past Bernd Leno, making it 1-0 for the hosts – their first Premier League goal ever.
In the 73rd minute, Christian Nørgaard headed the ball into Arsenal’s net following a long deep throw into Arsenal’s box. That marked the second goal of the night. Aubamayeng and Lacazette were missing from the squad due to an illness. Whether they would have helped better the state of the Gunners is something that is not certain at the moment.
Arsenal’s captain Aubameyang in a past shirt promotion for the club. The Gabonese international will be available to play against the Blues at the Emirates in what looks like a loosing London derby for Arsenal. Photo credit: Arsenal
Aubamayeng has of late not scored for the Gunners. This is a rather worrying scenario for Arteta since in past seasons, the former Dortmund striker has been scoring almost half of Arsenal’s goals. On the other hand, Arsenal have being rumoured to make a move for Inter’s Lautaro Martinez to bolster their attack and rake in the goals.
The presence of yet another Belgian
Going into the weekend, it is not certain whether Lacazette and Aubameyang will be available to face the Blues. Lukaku on the other hand will be available to debut for his boyhood club, following his re-signing from Inter Milan. Will Romelu Lukaku wage war against Arsenal like his fellow Belgian team mate Hazard? Mason Mount has being on form for his side creating several chances for his side, a crucial midfielder indeed. Its not certain whether Tuchel will start Kai Havertz, however if the German starts, he may pivotal to Chelsea. The German scored the only goal in a past friendly against the Gunners.
Lukaku’s comments following his return to the Bridge. Lukaku will be available for selection this weekend as Chelsea go head to head with Arsenal at the Emirates. Photo credits: Chelsea
The London derby face off between Arsenal and Chelsea
As we head into the London derby, Arsenal have history in their favour as Chelsea have form in their favour. Let’s see who will win as these two battle it out at the Emirates.
What will happen when the trophy drought ends for Manchester United this season 2021-22? Manchester United have gone a couple of years without laying their hands on any trophy, based on their squad outlook and form, Ole Gunners boys seem determined to end the trophy drought this season.
What will happen when the trophy drought ends for Manchester United? Photo Credits Manchester United
Spending without holding back: A hunt for trophies
The Red Devils have been in the news for their huge spending spree this transfer window. They’ve added Raphael Varane to their squad and Jadon Sancho. After several seasons of waiting for the arrival of Jadon Sancho, they were able to acquire the English winger from Dortmund. With Raphael Varane around, United now has enough quality and depth at the back making them a force in domestic competitions as well as Europe next season.
Raphael Varane holding his shirt number after he was announced at Old Trafford. Raphael Varane is one of the additions to Ole’s squad in a bid to win a trophy this season. Photo Credits: Manchester United
A consistent presence in the champions league this far
For starters, they won’t be entering the Champions League knockout phase having failed to finish among the top four last season but will most certainly start their European campaign at the group stage following their second place finish behind Manchester City in the Premier league last season.
The teams that they will be facing in the Champions League will be announced after the Champions League group draw is done. Currently the various European teams that finished at playoff positions in their various leagues are competing for the qualification spots.
What lies ahead if United win their first European trophy in six seasons this season? What happens if they finally end Man U’s long wait for a trophy since the Europa league final triumph over Ajax in 2016? What next when at last, the drought ends for Manchester United? What is on the horizon? What should we expect to see occur during the coming season? What are some of those things that might happen as a result of winning their first European trophy under Solskjaer’s management.
What will happen when the trophy drought ends for Manchester United?
What next – What happens after trophies are won? What is the feeling like just before, during and after a trophy win? What happens immediately after that momentous occasion in sport history when a team lifts their first league title in however many years or decades it may be (Arsenal comes to mind). What will be the general mentality of the individual players? What should we expect from every one else who’s part of that club including fans staff members journalists owners etc.
Sir Alex Ferguson posing with trophies after winning the treble. Will current coach Ole Gunnar be able to end the trophy drought at Manchester United? Photo Credits: Manchester United
A whole sea change takes place almost overnight as everyone involved with the club moves into another gear of existence and begins to look forward again instead of living constantly looking back on the Fergie days. Its certain that Manchester United players and fans look back with nostalgia to the good old Alex Ferguson days. Back when playing them was way tougher than it is now. Whether Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be as successful as him or not time will tell. What I mean by looking back and living with nostalgia is that every one associated with United are still looking back to have the former day experiences Sir Alex Ferguson.
David Moyes run at the club
The firing of David Moyes in 2014 was something everyone had thought would never happen especially after he was given a vote of confidence by one of the greatest managers to have ever graced the Premier League, Alex Ferguson. What makes it more depressing than his average-performance tenure at United is that ever since then there has been no light at the end of any tunnel for us fans to see so we can get excited again.
David Moyes in a previous match coaching Manchester United. He succeeded Alex Ferguson following his departure after 2013-14 season. Photo Credits Manchester United
A ray of hope to end Manchester United trophy drought…
However, with Bruno Fernandes present, a trophy seems around the corner. Bruno Fernandes has been a sensation since his arrival at Old Trafford. His goal and assist statistics can only be largely compared to those of Belgium’s finest, Kevin De Bruyne.
What was even more impressive, however, is that Fernandes’ assists were the leading ones in his team. What does all this mean? What it means is that Bruno Fernandes has been Manchester United’s main threat in recent years and has been a core component of the teams successes so far, Portuguese Magnifico.
The Portuguese Magnifico netted 18 goals in the 2020/21 Premier League season, coming third to Harry Kane(23) and Salah(22). Regarding assists, he came in third again(12) tying with Etihad’s Kevin De Bruyne. Harry Kane recorded 14 assists, beating the two to this accolade.
A UEFA Europa Cup exit for United
One trophy did come close to United’s door. A lose to Villarreal on penalties marked another trophy less season for United. Despite being trophy less, United fans take pride in beating their noisy neighbors, Manchester City, last season. “So although we do not have much to boast about right now, at least we beat one of our rivals! And as you know, winning against your biggest rival can only be a good thing!”
But what will happen when [the drought] ends? What would it be like to get a trophy for the club? What can we expect to happen? What will change at the club after? What is needed and what could be done better?
The unending pressure to end the trophy drought at Old Trafford
First, when United do win a trophy, there will be more pressure. Expectations are higher than ever. United manager Ole Gunnar will face an even bigger challenge in making sure he prepares his team well, playing almost perfect football. Every single decision he makes in regards to players will be under scrutiny. Which player needs to be sold or which new signings are necessary – all eyes on him as he guides the ship that is [the drought] ending and its consequences going forward.
Furthermore, fans would hope that some of their favorite players remain at United despite huge interest from foreign clubs. What happens if a player like Anthony Martial wants to leave? What happens when some fans don’t want a certain player to remain at the club, such as Paul Pogba? What would Ole Gunnar do in these situations? How will he handle them?
Paul Pogba in a previous match for Manchester United. He provided 4 assists in this match whereby Manchester United played Leeds. Man U won 4:1. Photo Credits Manchester United
The possibilities
What if United continue their winning ways and reach one of the cups final but lose it again. What will happen then? Will the fans bear the sight of loosing yet another final after loosing Europa final last season? What kind of consequences will this have on the team’s confidence and reputation in England and across other leagues around Europe who are watching Ed Woodward trying to sign more players with Erling Haaland being one of them. What do you guys think about all this? Is there anything else that could or should be mentioned within these scenarios/questions? What will happen when the trophy drought ends for Manchester United this season 2021-22? What will happen if United continue to win more trophies after winning a trophy first time in – What do you guys think about all this?
Prior to his sacking, Sean Dyche was the longest-serving manager in the current version of the Premier League. He had been at the helm of The Clarets since his managerial appointment in October 2012 and, since then, Sean Dyche has guided Burnley Football Lancashire Club to two promotions to the top flight of English football in three seasons. First, in the 2013-14 season following a four-year absence from the Premier League, and then in the 2015-16 season after being relegated back to the championship during the previous season.
Despite the fact that he had a budget on average of seven million pounds per summer to spend on, the former Nottingham Forest player managed to make Burnley a mainstay of the biggest league in the world where most clubs are spending fortunes on players to compete every year and many of them got relegated in the process. There was even a season where The Clarets managed to qualify to the UEFA Europa League, which might be one of the most impressive feats by any club in English football in the last two decades.
Sean Dyche did all of this while becoming a bit of a fan favorite amongst Premier League fans. His gruff tone of voice, somewhat rough demeanor and surprisingly entertaining sense of humor, complemented by Burnley’s unorthodox way of playing football, made him a very endearing and beloved figure in English, which was a huge shame when he got sacked and even non-Burnley fans lamented. But there is much to appreciate from Dyche’s tenure at Turf Moor.
Sean Dyche, currently the longest serving manager in the Premier League (Image: ALEX LIVESEY/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
So, what has been the key to his eight-year reign at Burnley? How has he managed to keep The Clarets established in the top flight? Well, that is a word Sean Dyche is not fond of.
Established is a dangerous word for me. It could imply a modicum of complacency.
Sean Dyche
Therefore, we look at the tactics and playing styles favored by the experienced manager.
Sean Dyche-tactical analysis.
Season in and season out, Dyche’s Burnley were touted as the favorites for relegation. Yet despite an average, “championship-level” squad, Dyche steered them clear of the drop relegation zone time and time again, much to everybody’s surprise in many different seasons. This is something that highlighted Dyche’s understanding of his squad and his motivation skills, which allowed him to push them back to their best when things got difficult.
Since their last promotion back to the Premier League in 2016, Burnley managed a seven-place finish, with which comes European football in the Europa League. All this while employing a style of play some consider unexciting and anti-football, which was often compared to the old ways of English football: a 4-4-2 formation, traditional wingers, two target men up top and a lot of emphasis on physical presence when it came to the work without the ball.
And you know what? For a long time… it worked for Dyche and The Clarets in the most demanding football league in the entire world, which is saying a lot when you consider the amount of money that is thrown around in the Premier League these days.
Tottenham vs Burnley in 2019 when Son scored the Puskas winner. Image: Getty
Burnley has long been considered the favorite on the way down from the League. Despite a relatively high level of competition, Dyche managed to keep the first-team football clear at the lower levels. Burnley managed seventh place after finishing sixth place in the Europa League in 2016. It uses a play style regarded as inescapable and hostile to football by many.
As manager of Burnley FC, Sean Dyche has earned a reputation for his effective tactical approach. Known for his 4-4-2 formation and dedicated use of set pieces, Dyche’s teams can make the most out of limited resources and compete against more highly favored opponents. With relentless pressing and aggression on defense and offense, Dyche’s focus on creating and exploiting space allows his teams to hold their own in matches despite being at a disadvantage.
A part of his success was understanding the limitations of his squad. A lot of managers in teams fighting for relegation tend to aspire to a much more appealing and forward-thinking style of football, but the key when it comes to Dyche was that he knew that was borderline suicidal and decided to make Burnley tough to play against. This was a key element in the culture that he developed at Turf Moor and the vast majority of his players bought into his methods, which is shown in the way that they would always run and hard to make sure that they got the ball back or to protect their lead.
This is an element of Dyche’s man-management that is often underrated, but is so important to understand the way he performs as a manager and why his Burnley side managed to stay for so long in the English Premier League when a lot of people thought they were going to get relegated. It is also key to understand the implementation of his tactics–if the players didn’t buy into his methods, then his tactics wouldn’t have had the impact that the manager desired.
His commitment to physicality and fitness helps support this strategy, allowing his players to maintain their intensity throughout the game. Overall, Dyche’s unique tactics prove that even with a smaller budget, success is still achievable in the competitive world of professional football.
Sean Dyche sets up his team in a 4-4-2 formation. The players remain compact, sit back and defend in numbers. The team’s attack play comes from long balls and set pieces. Having possession of the ball is not a priority and has become of the core elements of his team, especially when it came to the likes of the Big Six clubs, such as Manchester City, Liverpool, Manchester United and others. Dyche instructs his players to defend narrowly and keep the team’s shape compact. The two forwards keep away from the rest of the young outfield players.
Very few teams in the world play the same formation in every game. Due to many unique events last season (2021/22), teams like Wolves and Sheffield United had to modify their typical operating procedures. The league’s most dependable configuration, though, has been Burnley’s 4-4-2, which they utilized in all of their twenty-five games. It might be claimed that the formation occasionally resembled a 4-4-1-1 with Chris Wood positioned high and Jay Rodriguez or Ashley Barnes dropping lower, but compared to Burnley’s prior league seasons under Dyche, this one, the 4-4-2, has perhaps been more reliable.
Barnes and Rodriguez line up alongside the big guy, while Jeff Hendrick might have previously played a more natural number ten position in support of the striker. As we shall cover in this article, Burnley can benefit from the 4-4-2 system in several ways regarding their playing style. As Sean Dyche keeps his team small, let’s start with the guys who make up its system and style.
When one of Dyche’s men misses out against Burnley, the team doesn’t seem the same. With that, Manchester City won 5-0 in a game Nick Pope could not play. Matthew Lowton at right back and Charlie Taylor, who was this time around more solidly displaced Erik Pieters from the starting lineup; both had successful seasons. Pieters, who still had a respectable amount of minutes and games remaining, had occasionally played as a left midfielder to allow for more defensive consistency in front of the back four.
One of Burnley’s main issues in 2020–21 was their goalscoring, which slowed their upward movement away from the bottom of the table. Wood was the team’s leading scorer last season with 14 goals, or 0.44 goals per game, compared to this season’s 0.2 goals per game. The team has only scored eighteen or 0.72 goals per game in its twenty-five games. They performed substantially better the previous year, with goals per game ratio of 1.13. Therefore, this is the precise point at which we start our tactical analysis. Dyche banked more on his defense than on anything else on his team. The team continually survived in the Premier League by winning a number of games by a goal or 2.
It is safe to say that defense is one of the key attributes of Sean Dyche as a manager and one that he prioritized heavily at Burnley, mainly due to the fact that he knew the squad he was working with. He knew that he couldn’t win every game with these players, so he decided to make them hard to score against and that was one of the key elements that made Burnley such a difficult rival, which was Dyche’s top goal for survival.
It might sound cynical or not very exciting from a neutral’s point of view, but the reality is that this approach allowed Burnley to stay in the most competitive league in the world with a shoestring budget, which goes to show the importance of knowing the tools at your disposal and knowing how to implement with the right tactical setup, which was Dyche’s running theme for many seasons.
Football is an entertainment, yes, but is also heavily results-based and some managers have to prioritize the latter. Sean Dyche did and it paid dividends for a long time for him.
Burnley had completed more long passes per game in seasons (2020-2021) than any other club in the Premier League, which is a clear sign of what their strategy for success was during Dyche’s tenure as their manager. They wanted to play long and had no qualms with that approach–in fact, it could be argued that they favored it.
As part of their offensive, they deliberately try to move up the field rapidly, make good use of their aerial skills, and play the kind of game that Jose Mourinho would undoubtedly dismiss as being from the 1960s. Burnley’s distinct style of play and Sean Dyche’s overall opposition to modern trends, even though that may be harsh, make them somewhat of an outlier in the Premier League. Many clubs in Spain and Germany continue to favor the game’s long ball and aerial dominance (Eibar, Osasuna and Getafe in La Liga, Freiburg and Mainz in the Bundesliga, among many other examples). However, no other Premier League side uses these strategies to the same degree as Burnley.
Although it’s less deliberate, Newcastle, West Brom, and Sheffield United also have terrible ball control, but they usually have had better quality players and added some more modern tactics to balance everything out, which is worth taking into account when making analysis of this ilk. No one really played this game the way Burnley did during all those years in the Premier League.
In the 20-21 Premier League season, 10 gameweeks in, with 9.1 completed long balls per game, Nick Pope had the most long ball passes in the League among players with five or more appearances. The second highest was Ashley Westwood, who averaged 4.1 per game and shows that many of these passes originate from midfield locations. In direct opposition to that, Tarkowski and Mee rank second and third, with 3.6 points scored per game, respectively. Despite being a bit of an anomaly in the team due to his obvious personal qualities, Dwight McNeil still completes 1.7 long passes per game. Forwards are recruited into the club with their aerial presence at the forefront, while midfielders and defenders are expressly recruited into the club with this talent in mind.
Burnley had the most headed passes in the League, which indicates that they frequently knock down long balls to their teammates. The difference between that number and Southampton, the next top team in that category, is about one hundred. It’s also understandable (yet rather paradoxical) that no other team had attempted fewer right-footed passes, given their reliance on the head. They make more high passes than their next-highest rival, Southampton, who also makes a lot of high-risk passes, by a margin of more than 400.
They continued to make good use of the wide areas and made a lot of crosses (nineteen (19) per game) relative to their possession, many of which came from corners. Westwood and McNeil, two of the more skilled crossers, may provide those crosses, and the fullbacks frequently move into position to send the ball into the box. As we’ve already noted, Burnley’s reliance on this strategy has almost reached an unhealthy level, and it hadn’t helped them generate opportunities this season as much as they would have wanted. The ability of Jordan Pickford to play out from the back means that Nick Pope does not fit into Gareth Southgate’s plans to the same extent as Pickford does. Pope never tries to do that for Burnley, which is likely the only reason Southgate has stuck with Pickford for the England national team.
3. Defensive Solidity:
Burnley hasn’t had much success attacking the ball, but they haven’t had much trouble defending. In twenty-five games this season (2020-2021), the Clarets have only given up thirty goals, and Pope has given up just twenty-five goals in twenty-four games. Yes, they did concede five goals against Manchester City in the one game they played without Pope.
Burnley frequently defends with all eleven players on the field, at the very least eight men plus the goalkeeper. The Clarets stick to their obstinate 4-4-2 formation while shifting and sliding in their two banks of four. They are yet to give up a goal from a counterattack, claims WhoScored? This indicates that Burnley attacks very cautiously, making sure to line up with adequate numbers in defense. It’s more like they lump it before they have time to send a disadvantaged number of players forward than exactly counter-pressing. But in addition to their effective assault, they also have a strong defense, which helps them resist counterattacks. Burnley is firm and stable in their two banks of four, rarely rushing into challenges without reason, and very patient in their pursuit of the ball.
The opposition is forced into long passes that Burnley is well-positioned to win against as pressure grows on them due to their failure to get past Dyche’s side. It’s interesting to note that, 5 gameweeks in, the Clarets rank second in the 2022 League for long balls against per game while simultaneously having the longest balls completed each game. This is a result of their staunch defensive positioning, which frequently compels their adversaries to go long.
One of the key aspects of football is pushing your rival to make mistakes–it could even be argued that the team that makes the less mistakes is always the one that is going to win. In that regard, Sean Dyche has always been willing to push his rivals to make mistakes and lead them to his “traps” where they play long, which adjusts quite well to Burnley’s defensive approach, thus balancing the game to The Clarets’ favor.
Burnley Manager Sean Dyche. Credits: Getty Images
“Sean Dyche” trophy wins
Under the management of Sean Dyche, Burnley FC made a name for themselves as a team that sits back and defends. This approach has proven a bit successful, considering the allocated budget, with the team winning a few trophies, including the Premier League Championship in 2016-17 and the England League Cup in 2017-18.
Despite criticisms of their tactics, Dyche remained committed to his method of play, guiding his team to consistently strong performances in domestic and European competitions. While their style wasn’t as flashy as other teams, it is clear that Burnley’s methods were effective for a long time and a lot of seasons, and any criticism should be viewed through their achievements on the pitch. This is something that is worth taking into account when analyzing the whole structure of Dyche’s tenure and how things unfolded during those years in the English Premier League, which could be viewed as the best in Burnley’s modern history.
Acceptable trade-offs? Sean Dyche’s style of play ensured Premier League survival at the expense of attractive football. Furthermore, this guaranteed luxurious TV broadcasting revenue. Perhaps that earning could have aided in buying a skilled player that could kickstart the team playing attractive football, but that is something that we can only analyze in hindsight now that is all said and done when it comes to this particular story in English football.
Dyche spent nine and a half years working for Burnley before being fired on April 15, 2022. With eight games left, the team was four points behind Everton and in the relegation zone at the time of his dismissal. The club’s owners’ decision to fire Dyche was roundly criticized; BBC journalist Phil McNulty called it “blind panic” in their attempt to keep the team in the Premier League by hiring a new manager. Burnley was relegated after finishing in 18th place on the penultimate day of the season, and Mike Jackson took over as caretaker manager for the remainder of the campaign. On June 15, 2022, it was confirmed that Vincent Kompany would succeed Dyche as Burnley’s permanent manager.
Sean Dyche is not going to enter the history of English football as a free-flowing, attacking manager, but his achievements with Burnley deserve a healthy amount of praise as he managed to make them very competitive and consistent at a time where England was filled with excessive budgets and the flashiest names in the game. This is something that deserves a lot of recognition and praise.
