Strikers command summer spending for big clubs
The summer transfer period proved one thing: improving strike forces were the main targets for Premier League clubs. Liverpool are convinced they now have the most fearsome forward line with Mo Salah, Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike. Arne Slot’s main challenge is keeping all his forwards happy as each one will expect to […]
The summer transfer period proved one thing: improving strike forces were the main targets for Premier League clubs.
Liverpool are convinced they now have the most fearsome forward line with Mo Salah, Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike. Arne Slot’s main challenge is keeping all his forwards happy as each one will expect to play every week. Players such as Isak and Salah do not easily sit on the bench.
After a long meeting at the beginning of the summer, it was decided at Anfield that Arne Slot would go for quality and not to bring in a whole new raft of players. They achieved that, but consequently, there is no depth of numbers; and if any of the main forwards are injured, Slot has only 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha as his back-up cover.
Arsenal have seven attackers who scored double figures last season. They also have Gabriel Jesus, whose career has hit a brick wall with a serious knee injury. Viktor Gyokeres has moved up in class from a Portuguese club, Sporting Lisbon; and it will take him time to raise his game to Premier League standards if he is capable of doing so. Mikel Arteta already has injury problems with Havertz and Bukayo Saka out, but when they are back, Arsenal have eight top class attackers. Gyokeres, Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke have been signed in response to supporters demanding more goals. There is no doubt that the Gunners are a powerful outfit with a solid defence and Mikel Arteta now needs to organise his team to be more fluent, but that will come as the season progresses.
Manchester City still rely mainly on Erling Haaland and he is ably supported by Omar Marmoush, who scored 28 goals in all competitions last season. Rayan Cherki scored 12 for Lyon and Phil Foden 10. Backing them up is Jeremy Doku and Savinho, but their goal ratio is only 0.337 per game, which is well behind Liverpool and Arsenal.
Chelsea once again proved they can spend with the best of them. And Joao Pedro, Liam Delap, Jamie Gittens and Alejandro Garnacho have arrived to replace Nicolas Jackson, Jadon Sancho and Madueke up front.
Newcastle were very busy in the window and signed Yoane Wissa from Brentford at the very last minute to replace Alexander Isak. Nick Woltemade has arrived from Stuttgart, Anthony Elanga from Forest, Antonio Cordero from Malaga and Jacob Ramsey from Aston Villa. Eddie Howe believes they will all make a difference and he has covered the huge gap left by the departed Isak.
City pick up a gem in goal stopper, Donnarumma
One of my most admired goalkeepers has joined City. Gianluigi Donnarumma is a superb goalkeeper, right up there with Allisson, Pickford and Ederson. He made his debut for Milan at the age of 16 and Italy at 17 years. He is still only 26 and I am amazed that PSG coach, Luis Enrique would let him leave the club. He was named Player of the 2020 Euro competition. He has been nominated for a Ballon d’Or and he came third in preventing goals in Europe’s top five leagues last season.
Some are questioning if Donnarumma has the ability with his feet that Pep demands. When he first joined City, Pep replaced goalkeeper Joe Hart with Claudio Bravo because he was better with his feet. As Antonio Conte once said when managing Tottenham, “You can marry the wrong woman but you can’t sign the wrong goalkeeper.” Personally, I think Guardiola has signed a gem.
Chelsea are second but injuries pose problems
Chelsea go into this weekend’s match against Brentford with several key players missing. Levi Colwill we know will be out long term with a serious knee injury. Now, there are problems for Moises Caicedo, Liam Delap and Cole Palmer, all doubtful for the game against the Bees although Caicedo has a fighting chance of starting.
Palmer has a muscular problem and pulled out of the West Ham game two weeks ago and I am informed that all is not well with him yet. Delap pulled up with a painful hamstring in the 2-0 win over Fulham which means several weeks on the medical table.
Enzo Maresca is desperate to get Palmer fit and ready for their Champions League match against Bayern Munich later this month. Maresca is hoping Ecuadorian Caicedo made the journey home from South America to Chelsea without signs of jetlag in readiness for the Brentford match.
Positive injury news from Cunha for Man United
Manchester United’s Matheus Cunha has given the team a boost by sharing a positive update on his current injury sustained in the match against Burnley.
The £62.5million signing left the field holding his left hamstring. He then pulled out of Brazil’s World Cup qualifier during the international break. Both Cunha and the medical team have said the news is positive and he will make a speedier recovery than first thought.
Life for Nicolas Jackson is not going to be easy
Life is not going to be straightforward for Nicolas Jackson as he joins Bayern Munich. The striker has gone to Germany on loan from Chelsea with an obligation to buy next summer if he makes a set number of appearances. Jackson is hoping to join Bayern permanently after playing for two years at Stamford Bridge. However, I talked with my sources at Bayern and their honorary president, Uli Hoeness said, “That only happens if he plays 40 games from the start. He never does that!” Jackson started 28 games in the Premier League for Chelsea last season and he made a total of 37 appearances across all competitions. There is no doubt he will start from the bench because Harry Kane is cemented in as Coach Vincent Kompany’s first choice striker.
It was only on deadline day and constant pressure from Jackson and his agent that he was signed for Bayern after Chelsea and had originally demanded the Senegal striker return to London and Stamford Bridge.
Manchester City vs Manchester United
Two teams with problems and only three games played. Ruben Amorim is relying on Matheus Cunha to make his return to the side after he posted an online picture working on an exercise bike, under which he wrote, “The time is flying.”
Amorim is desperate to get a result at the Etihad, having won only once in three games and suffering humiliation to lowly Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup. Mason Mount is likely to be missing, and possibly, Matheus Cunha,s but Bryan Mbuemo and Benjamin Sesko are available and Amorim is relying on their goal-scoring potential. Sesko is yet to score, but Amorim has faith in his ability and Bryan Mbuemo is already off the mark with a goal against Burnley.
Pep was shocked at losing to Brighton, and City are already trailing the top clubs. They are certainly not the team of two or three years ago; however, with Reijnders, Rodri and Bernado Silva controlling midfield, they certainly have the ability to beat United, who are still an unsettled team. It has not escaped Guardiola’s notice that United might be experimenting at the back with their new keeper; and before he settles, City wingers will put some long balls into the box to test Lammens if Amorim starts him. City have worked on this in training.