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Gabriele Marcotti, Senior Author, ESPN FC
The European soccer weekend has handed, nevertheless it’s left us with a ton of issues to speak about throughout the most important leagues. Within the Premier League, Liverpool edged previous Chelsea in a sport that truthfully confirmed one of the best of either side, whereas in LaLiga, Actual Madrid received one other gritty win regardless of nonetheless not trying just like the juggernaut everybody anticipated when Kylian Mbappé joined in the summertime.
Elsewhere: Barcelona welcomed again Gavi after an extended harm layoff and thrashed Sevilla, Harry Kane scored a hat trick for Bayern Munich to snap his scoring drought, and Arsenal‘s newest pink card nightmare might sign one thing gloomier about their standing as title contenders. There have been additionally speaking factors galore round Tottenham, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayer Leverkusen, Napoli, Manchester United and extra.
It is Monday. Gab Marcotti reacts to the most important moments on the earth of soccer.
Why Arne Slot and Enzo Maresca can each be glad after Liverpool’s 2-1 win over Chelsea
It isn’t a shock that Arne Slot is happy. Liverpool gained 2-1 to remain high of the desk, one level forward of Manchester Metropolis, who had overwhelmed Wolves earlier within the day. His resolution to initially relaxation Luis DÃaz and Alexis Mac Allister, each of whom had performed midweek internationals midway around the globe, was additionally vindicated. (Darwin Núñez was additionally benched firstly, however needed to come on within the first half following Diogo Jota‘s harm.) Curtis Jones, who changed Mac Allister, confirmed that he can greater than dangle on this midfield, whereas Cody Gakpo confirmed, once more, he is a greater than viable choice out huge.
However what of Maresca? He stated the efficiency was “superb” and “if there’s a solution to lose a sport, then that is the best way.” Is he deluded?
I do not suppose so. Not a lot for the underlying stats — 58% possession at Anfield is sweet, as is all that correct passing, nevertheless it’s solely marginally related — however for the best way Chelsea held collectively and appeared disciplined in opposition to a high quality opponent. They appeared like a workforce; in different video games even after they’ve gained, too usually it felt it was about their star gamers doing star player-type issues. In truth, their star participant, Cole Palmer, was considerably muted (by his requirements, anyway).
And it actually should not have been this fashion, trying on the personnel. Reece James was making his first look of the season, Romeo Lavia and Tosin Adarabioyo their second league begins, Malo Gusto was compelled to decamp to left again. And but the system held, with Liverpool compelled to defend for longer stretches than they might have appreciated.
This may increasingly have been Chelsea’s finest efficiency of the season, and it got here with out three projected regulars like Wesley Fofana, Marc Cucurella and Enzo Fernández. The query is the way you construct on it, particularly when you do not know what you are going to get by way of serviceable minutes from James, Fofana and Lavia.
That is a part of the problem for Maresca, who’s coping with the fallout of the membership’s “venture” that has left him with a younger and gifted — albeit poorly assorted and, in some roles, bodily frail — squad. He put it finest in an interview with Sky Italia over the weekend: “I am in control of the sporting aspect, what I can management is the group of gamers I’ve and I do know the place I need to take them.”
As for Slot, one factor that instantly jumps out is the large vary of choices he has. Some coaches insist on working with a core group of 14 or 15 gamers. Others say they love having two guys for each place. Slot hasn’t weighed in, however the actuality is that Liverpool’s potential second XI is pretty much as good (and as a skilled) as any in Europe. How’s this: Caoiminh Kelleher — Conor Bradley, Joe Gomez, Jarell Quansah, Kostas Tsimikas — Wataru Endo, Curtis Jones — Federico Chiesa, Harvey Elliott, Cody Gakpo — Darwin Nunez.
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Nicol underwhelmed by Liverpool in win over Chelsea
Steve Nicol shares his frustrations with table-topping Liverpool after Arne Slot’s males claimed a 2-1 win over Chelsea at Anfield.
Slot did not rotate a lot early on, presumably as a result of he wished to get the chemistry proper. However now it feels as if he has choices and adaptability, which issues on a number of fronts. First, it is clearly a giant bonus by way of navigating an extended and fixture-congested season. Second, whereas some gamers are, inevitably extra essential than others (Mohamed Salah and Virgil Van Dijk spring to thoughts), no person feels indispensable to this aspect. And eventually, whereas some are detest to debate it, the dimensions and depth of the squad give the membership leverage on the subject of their trio of free brokers: Salah, Van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Each Slot and Maresca are new to their jobs. Each will be happy with what they noticed this weekend, however Slot, clearly, is nicely forward, primarily as a result of he landed at a extra secure (and higher run) membership. My colleague Rob Palmer — standing in for Julien Laurens on Monday’s Gab+Juls present — put it finest. I am paraphrasing right here, however in essence Slot is an inside decorator who moved some furnishings round and alter a number of the decor in a strong, well-built, already stunning house; Maresca arrived on a constructing website and needed to get to work with lumber, concrete and glass, constructing from scratch.
Regardless of win, all will not be nicely at Actual Madrid … and never simply due to Ancelotti’s tactical tweaks
Carlo Ancelotti has talked all season alongside about discovering “stability,” and it is not exhausting to see why. For all of the attacking riches within the form of Kylian Mbappe, VinÃcius Júnior, Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo, these are 4 gamers who all are likely to gravitate to the left. Throw in the truth that work off the ball is not at all times a precedence — particularly for the primary two — and it is not exhausting to see how he’d be tempted to tinker along with his formation.
Saturday, away to Celta, it meant a 3-4-2-1 formation that meant Rodrygo was dropped, Bellingham was deployed on the proper and Aurélien Tchouaméni operated as a 3rd centre again. Actual Madrid gained 2-1, however do not let that idiot you. One aim was a ridiculous particular person effort from Mbappe, whereas the opposite got here courtesy of a genius help from substitute Luka Modric who, at 39 — and formally Madrid’s oldest ever participant — can solely be counted on so usually. Celta gained the xG battle (1.82 to 0.74) and Thibaut Courtois (him once more…) needed to make two out-of-this-world saves: one from Williot Swedberg, one from Jonathan Bamba.
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Marcotti: All will not be nicely at Actual Madrid
Gab Marcotti believes that Actual Madrid are struggling to hit their peak up to now this season.
One poor efficiency is not motive sufficient to shelve the “again three” experiment, however I am unsure Madrid have the personnel by way of sheer numbers to maintain this up all 12 months (except they make strikes in January and, bear in mind, they nonetheless must discover a answer to Dani Carvajal‘s absence). That stated, he has to attempt to one thing.
Ancelotti took it on the chin on Saturday, blaming himself for “not explaining the system nicely sufficient to the gamers.” Perhaps he’ll have time to elucidate it higher forward of the Clasico this Saturday.
The opposite obvious takeaway is that whereas Mbappe (regardless of his well-chronicled off-the-pitch points) appeared centered, hard-working and unselfish, Bellingham appeared grumpy and off the tempo. He has but to search out the proper chemistry along with his teammates up entrance, and strops just like the one he threw after VinÃcius didn’t discover him on the far publish within the first half do not assist construct workforce chemistry.
Rumors of Harry Kane’s demise are drastically exaggerated, however do not let a giant win over Stuttgart idiot you
There’s nothing higher than a hat-trick to silence the doubters and Harry Kane did simply that, hitting the online 3 times in Bayern’s 4-0 win over Stuttgart. The objectives ended a drought that lasted — together with his England look — practically 400 minutes, which is an eternity for a centerforward of his calibre contemplating the form of service he often will get. It is in all probability not a coincidence that the spell coincided with Bayern dropping factors in three video games and England not precisely ripping it up in opposition to Finland.
The large win in opposition to an overachiever-turned-pretender like Stuttgart is even higher information than Kane’s hat-trick, clearly, however Vincent Kompany will need to deal with this sport as a studying alternative. For a lot of the primary half, Bayern had been stifled and appeared very uncomfortable. João Palhinha, who got here on for the injured Aleksandar Pavlovic (he’ll miss time with a damaged collarbone) appeared like a overseas object. The forwards had been imprecise, the motion slack. It was solely Kane’s long-range surprise strike that broke the impasse, nicely into the second half, earlier than Bayern’s higher particular person high quality made all of the distinction.
You’ll be able to’t simply clarify this away with the absence of Jamal Musiala, both. The worst factor Kompany might do at this stage is relaxation on his laurels.
Pink playing cards loom massive for Arsenal, at Bournemouth and in title problem too
OK, Premier League referee boss Howard Webb fiddling on his cellphone with an old-fashioned wired earpiece whereas William Saliba‘s problem on Evanilson went to VAR was not an excellent look. Perhaps put the cellphone away throughout the sport, or do not sit within the stands if you are going to use it throughout essential moments, however make no mistake about it. Given the place the foul was dedicated and the place the protecting defenders had been, that is a pink card day by day of the week — and with good motive. It is exactly what we do not need to see: a foul denying a transparent goalscoring alternative.
But when stuff like this occurs, it’s worthwhile to react. Arsenal weren’t nice — they had been lacking Bukayo Saka along with Martin Odegaard — however they nonetheless carved out two superb possibilities, which Mikel Merino (making his first begin) and Gabriel Martinelli missed. Then once more, they had been additionally outwitted on Ryan Christie‘s set-piece routine — perhaps decelerate on the entire “set-piece coach” genius factor for some time — and gave away a useless penalty to win the sport. Andoni Iraola is likely one of the most underrated coaches round, however Mikel Arteta is right when he says: “We kicked ourselves within the foot.” And he wasn’t simply speaking about Saliba or Leandro Trossard‘s terrible backpass that performed him into bother, both.
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Will Arsenal’s self-discipline price them the Premier League title?
Gab Marcotti and Rob Palmer focus on Arsenal’s disciplinary report after William Saliba’s pink card in opposition to Bournemouth.
Saliba will now miss the Liverpool sport, which is just about a six-pointer in case you fancy your self a title contender. Extra to the purpose, it is nonetheless October and that is Arsenal’s third pink card of the season. Every has price them factors and every was largely avoidable. (Arsenal usually are not a grimy aspect!) What’s extra, within the final decade no person has gained the league whereas clocking greater than three pink playing cards.
Fast hits
10. Gavi returns as Barcelona romp to 5-1 win: You did not have to be a “cule” to get that tiny bit emotional seeing Pedri trot to the sidelines and provides Gavi the armband as he made his first look in 11 months. We are able to fret about the place he will play when he regain match sharpness, however wherever it’s, it should be an enormous addition. Even when he is sharing time, not less than initially, with the present regulars, it should be a vital increase in a season the place load administration and rotating are crucial. On the pitch, Sevilla had been blown with three first-half objectives — together with two from Robert Lewandowski, who now has 14 in 12 video games in all competitions — and there was even time for the teen Pablo Torre to come back on and seize a pair. Barcelona are enjoying with complete confidence and fluidity proper now — keyed by Raphinha, who’s arguably enjoying one of the best soccer of his profession — although if you are going to nitpick, sooner or later they’re going to want to handle the excessive line of defense. Sevilla might have punished them, and higher groups with higher forwards will, however that is a priority for one more time.
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How Hansi Flick has revived Robert Lewandowski at Barcelona
Alejandro Moreno and Steve Nicol focus on Robert Lewandowski’s kind after Barcelona’s 5-1 win vs. Sevilla.
9. Classes realized for Ange Postecoglou and Tottenham: Like studying the sport accurately and taking off your principal inventive risk in midfield (James Maddison) for somebody much less gifted, however extra bodily (Pape Sarr). It isn’t that Spurs did not have a lot of the higher hand in a primary half that completed 1-1; it is extra the truth that they struggled to cease West Ham’s transitions. Pape Sarr addressed that, and on this context, it was OK to sacrifice Maddison’s high quality as a result of the likes of Heung Min Son and Dejan Kulusevski (once more) had been operating rampant, as Spurs ran out 4-1 winners. It isn’t renouncing “Ange-ball” — it is making it more practical by responding to what’s really occurring on the pitch.
8. Fonseca’s exhausting line pays dividends as ten-man Milan beat Udinese: Nearly each coach talks the speak (“each member of the squad is equally essential”), however not everybody walks the stroll the best way Fonseca does. He might have let the pre-break embarassment of Milan’s silliness in opposition to Fiorentina slide. As a substitute, he acted by dropping Rafael Leão, and he in all probability would have dropped Theo Hernández too if he wasn’t suspended. Milan took the lead by Samuel Chukwueze, performed greater than an hour with 10 males after Tijani Reijnders’ pink card, and nonetheless noticed out a 1-0 win over Udinese. In so doing, they confirmed the sort of unity, professionalism and grit that their followers have been crying out for all season. Some coaches are certainly pretty much as good as their phrase.
7. Ten Hag finds motivation wherever he can as Man United snap their winless streak: Ten Hag & Co. went into the break a aim down and livid on the referee for twice making Matthijs De Ligt come off the pitch to get patched up after he injured himself in a wild problem. De Ligt’s head and face had been coated in blood and the principles are fairly clear regardless of Ten Hag’s insistence that “it was dry blood.” The truth that he was off the pitch when Brentford went a aim up solely infuriated him additional, and he stated the workforce “used it as gasoline” for the second-half comeback that resulted in a 2-1 win. Greater than the “gasoline” argument, I would chalk it as much as the truth that Marcus Rashford on the proper can showcase his perceptive passing, Alejandro Garnacho is a baller and Rasmus Hojlund is a cool finisher. That, and the truth that Brentford — after they’re lacking this many gamers — aren’t good whereas United stored their perception till the tip. Ten Hag can say his job is not on the road (“fairytales and lies”), however his way of thinking speaks volumes.
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Michallik calls Man United’s comeback win a ‘ray of hope’
Janusz Michallik appears again on an “glorious win” for Manchester United vs. Brentford to ease the strain on Erik ten Hag.
6. Leverkusen’s large, late break infuriates Eintracht, and rightly so: Typically, a couple of factor will be true. How the referee didn’t award Eintracht a penalty after Hugo Ekitike was unbalanced (at a minimal) by Jonathan Tah in harm time is tough to know. For those who had been Eintracht you would be offended, seeing a possible draw on the defending champions slip by your fingers. However hopefully you would be practical too. Bayer Leverkusen had 9 photographs on course (27 general) and an xG of 4.21, whereas lacking a penalty as well, en path to a 2-1 win. By way of efficiency, this sport mustn’t have come all the way down to harm time.
5. Lautaro MartÃnez enters the historical past books for Inter: The 1-0 win away to Roma was a “grown-up” (learn: unspectacular and results-focused) efficiency and Lautaro Martinez was the distinction maker, scoring the one aim. I am unsure I would go so far as Simone Inzaghi, who says he is a high 5 participant on the earth, however after a sluggish September, he is hitting his stride properly and his aim makes him Inter’s greatest-ever overseas goalscorer. Roma had been poor and fearful, the rumblings among the many followers do not assist, and Inter took benefit with out risking an excessive amount of.
4. Paris Saint-Germain’s youth venture continues with Senny Mayulu: Perhaps load administration for veterans plus youngsters to eat minutes in Ligue 1 is not an official Luis Enrique coverage. However it’s working, in no small half as a result of PSG’s homegrown youngsters are simply that good. Warren Zaïre-Emery, Yoram Zague, Ibrahim Mbaye and now Senny Mayulu have all began in Ligue 1 this 12 months … and all are nonetheless youngsters. For that matter, so is Desiree Doue (who will not be homegrown). PSG blended it up in opposition to Strasbourg (with six believable starters unnoticed) and it was Mayulu who stole the present, opening the scoring en path to a 4-2 win.
3. Criticism of Juventus is huge of the mark at this stage within the season: Sure, Juventus didn’t precisely activate the fashion of their 1-0 win over Lazio Saturday. The build-up is simply too sluggish, and there is a lack of directness. That is not a motive to beat up Thiago Motta although. Lazio happening to 10 males after 23 minutes did not assist, as their opponents went into lockdown mode. And with out Nico Gonzalez, Federico Conceicao and Teun Koopmeiners, they will not have the identical attacking oomph, which is comprehensible. Juve have but to concede from open play, they’re third in Serie A, they’ve gained each their Champions League video games, the brand new boss simply arrived… relax.
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Nicol: VAR deserves reward after Man Metropolis’s late winner vs. Wolves
Steve Nicol reacts to the late VAR name that gave Man Metropolis a 2-1 win over Wolves within the Premier League.
2. Late Stones aim controversy overshadows different points in Man Metropolis’s win: It hurts to concede within the ninety fifth minute, however the actuality is that John Stones‘ winner within the 2-1 Manchester Metropolis win away to Wolves ought to have stood: Bernardo Silva was not offside when he was interfering with goalkeeper José Sá (there isn’t any offside on nook kicks) and by the point he may very well be offside (when Stones headed the ball) he wasn’t affecting play. That is fairly apparent. The three factors are large for Pep Guardiola, however the sport confirmed there’s a lot to work on. For the fourth time of their final seven video games, Metropolis went a aim down (and it might have been two down, if not for an Éderson miracle) and regardless of having over 75% possession, they appeared sterile with the ball. Credit score Wolves, who’re a lot better than the desk suggests, however there are issues for Pep to work on.
1. Gilmour is not Lobotka (not but, anyway) as tender penalty at Empoli retains lackluster Napoli high of Serie A: Those that solely take a look at outcomes will not care, however I guarantee you Antonio Conte does, which is why he stated “anybody who has a headache can inform me and I am going to play another person.” I am unsure he was speaking about anybody particularly (although Romelu Lukaku appeared particularly off the tempo), however when Napoli play like this, he is proper to be involved. A whole lot of the criticism is directed at Billy Gilmour, handed the play-making position in Stanislav Lobokta’s absence. He wasn’t nice, however this was his first league begin. Let’s give him a little bit of time, we could?