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METRO (UK) FANTASY FOOTBALL LEAGUE & BADDIEL AND SKINNER’S THE TIMES (UK) D DDIEL

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football anthem Three Lions

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EDITORIAL

Tel (02) 9901 6100 Fax (02) 9901 6116

Australian Editorial Team Angela Bacic @AngeBacic, John Davidson @JohnnyDDavidson, Cheryl Downes @ChicasFootball, Straight from the stands Leo James @RealLeoJames, Lucas Radbourne-Pugh @LucasRadbourne, Ben Somerford @BenSomerford, Con Stamocostas @ConStama10, Kathy Stone @SheWritesMe, Clement Tito @ClementGTito You can follow me Art Director Danny McGonigle or send me a tweet Group Editor Kevin Airs @KevinAirs (2014-2018) on @KevinAirs Head of Sport - Digital @ Next Media Email [email protected]

Past Australian FourFourTwo Editors All good things must come to an end… and after 13 years, this is my final FourFourTwo. Aidan Ormond (2012-2014) It’s been a helluva ride – I was news editor when FourFourTwo launched in Australia in Trevor Treharne (2010-2012) Paul Hansford (2005-2010) late 2005 just as the A-League was starting out, a fledgling competition rising from the ashes of the NSL and Soccer Australia, promising a new era for the sport.

ADVERTISING TV money in that first season was non-existent, the salary cap was a fraction of what it is now, there were only eight clubs, most of them new start-ups with no history Head of Sport - Sales Adam Jackson (or fans)…and no-one knew if anyone would actually turn up for the games. Tel (02) 9901 6109 But the arrival of Dwight Yorke brought a new glamour to Australian football, and Email [email protected] thousands flocked to see what it was all about and set the new competition on the

PUBLISHING road to growing success… and we were there to chart its progress, feature its stars

Prepress Manager Jonathan Bishop and question the motives of those in charge when required. Production Manager Alison Begg Since then, Australia have been to four World Cups (and FourFourTwo sent me to the Circulation Director Carole Jones last two after I took on the editor’s chair in 2014), made the Round of 16, been ranked

FOURFOURTWO GLOBAL 14th in the world, won the Asian Cup and and an A-League club won the Asian Champions League. A-League crowd numbers and TV viewing figures have waxed and UK Editor Hitesh Ratna International Director Matt Ellis waned but TV money has continued to increase from literally nothing in the first season to nudge $60m a year, with two more teams to expand the A-League to 12 and another two soon after. Football is in a good place in 2018. It could be in a better place, but at least we’re heading in the right direction… generally – and we’ve charted its progress through thick Subscriptions hotline 1300 361 146 and thin, via big name stars, wannabes and those who came and went. Email [email protected] FourFourTwo Level 6, Building A, 207 Pacific Highway, Sadly though, a change in the overseas ownership of means Nextmedia St Leonards NSW 2065 will no longer publish the Australian edition of the magazine. For reasons beyond our Locked Bag 5555 St Leonards NSW 1590 control, this is the last FourFourTwo Australia for the foreseeable future. Executive Chairman David Gardiner Thank you ref, thank you linesmen, but thank you mainly to all the fans who lived and Managing Director Hamish Bayliss breathed the game with us. It’s been amazing and I am proud to have been a part of it. This magazine is published by nextmedia Pty Ltd ACN: 128 805 970, Level 6, Building A, 207 Pacific Highway, St Leonards Football, eh? Bloody hell. NSW 2065 © 2017 under licence from Future plc. ISSN 1355027X. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced, in whole or in part, without the prior permission of the publisher.Printed by Bluestar WEB, Sydney, distributed in Australia by Gordon & Gotch. The publisher will not accept responsibility or any liability for the correctness of information or opinions expressed in the publication. All material submitted is at the owner’s risk and, while every care will be taken nextmedia does not accept liability for loss or damage.

Privacy Policy We value the integrity of your personal information. If you provide personal information through your participation in any competitions, surveys or offers featured in this issue of FourFourTwo, this will be Kevin Airs used to provide the products or services that you have requested and Editor to improve the content of our magazines. Your details may be provided to third parties who assist us in this purpose. In the event of organisations providing prizes or offers to our readers, we may pass your details on to them. From time to time, we may use the information you provide us to inform you of other products, services and events our company has to offer.We may also give your information to other organisations which may use it to inform you about their products, services and events, unless you tell us not to do so. You are welcome to access the information that we hold about you by getting in touch with our privacy officer,who can be contacted at nextmedia, Locked Bag 5555, St Leonards, NSW 1590

Printed on paper sustainably sourced from PEFC certified forests FourFourTwo September 2018 5 UPFRONT 08 30 08 One on One James Milner 14 12 Global Stories 16 At The End Of The Day Chris Greenacre 18 My Greatest Goal Gary Cole

FEATURES

20 Can Anyone Stop City? Pep’s laid down the challenge, now who will step up?

24 He’s Here, He’s Everywhere! Liverpool’s Robert Firmino will be on fire this season

28 John Terry’s Heir Chelsea’s Andreas Christensen is ready to take on the challenge – but not the armband

30 It’s Trophy Time For Spurs ...says Christian Eriksen. Should 48 we hold our breath?

34 You Want Some? Come ahead, says Arsenal’s Uruguayan Lucas Torreira

36 I Dance Better Than Pogba! has got moves

40 Will Wolves Sign Ronaldo Next? The enigmatic agent is key to all that Wolverhampton have done

42 Spend! Spend! Spend! The new season’s key signings 36 94 48 Preview Every club analysed, assessed, rated and slated for 2018-19

PERFORMANCE

94 Masterclass 96 Like A Pro 97 Tried And Tested 98 My Perfect XI Roddy Vargas

UPFROnT NICE TRY A Paysandu player drew a TV with his hands in a vain attempt >< to get the officials to go to VAR during a match with Coritiba – forgetting that, unlike the World Cup, Brazil’s second tier doesn’t actually have it

James, what separated you from your That was December 26, then on the team-mates at youth level for you to 28th I scored again against Chelsea. OnE-On-OnE make your Leeds debut aged only 16? After that, it blew up – and then the fun Aaron Kidmas, via Instagram started. People would come to my local I don’t know – it was a long time ago! cricket club, asking for me and asking It’s hard to say what the coaches saw where my parents lived. Everyone at for to put such a young the cricket club would pretend they’d player in the first team, but I remember never heard of me! JAMES MILnER going away with the under-19 side to It’s hard to put into words what that Scotland during pre-season and them first Leeds goal meant, as a Leeds fan, sending me home early. I wondered if a ballboy, a season ticket holder. My Interview Chris Flanagan Photography Jon Shard I had done something wrong, but they family and friends, the people I had said, “You’re going to be playing a lot gone to school with – they’d be there of football this year.” I went into the watching me when I played for Leeds reserves, then quickly into training with at Elland Road. You don’t really think IS HE BOTHERED THAT PEOPLE THInK HE’S BORInG? the first team, then I got chucked in for about it at the time, but they are nice my debut. It was all so fast, from doing memories. It was disappointing that WHAT’S IT LIKE TO BE CRUSHED BY A DInOSAUR? my GCSEs over the summer to making I didn’t get to play for Leeds for longer, HOW BOnKERS WAS MARIO BALOTELLI AT CITY? my first-team debut by November. but to do it at all was pretty special. When you netted against Sunderland How gutted were you to be sold when You know what they say: never work He has always been happy to play at the age of 16 years and 346 days, Leeds went down? There were all with children, animals or pies. But, along with the ‘Boring Milner’ persona did you know right away that you had sorts of stories about the club’s cash in the latest edition of the surreal bestowed on him in recent years, but become the youngest goalscorer in problems – did you ever have to feed adventures of FourFourTwo, we are in truth it’s largely an act. “Being called Premier League history? Peter Ridsdale’s tropical goldfish? in the kitchen at Liverpool’s Melwood boring is win-win for me,” he tells FFT. Jeff Stewart, via Facebook Jamie Brown, via Twitter training ground, trying to figure out “People expect me to be boring when I didn’t. I knew that Wayne Rooney had No, nothing like that. It was very tough which of the six pies in front of us is they meet me, so if I am, then it’s fine. broken the record against Arsenal just to get relegated and there were a lot of the most appropriate to throw at If I’m the slightest bit interesting, I’ve beforehand, and I had been involved in financial things going on – things in the James Milner. exceeded expectations!” the matchday squad when he scored papers, off-field problems... you had to It’s a more difficult undertaking than Indeed, Milner is an engaging and another great goal at Elland Road soon grow up quickly, by watching the senior we anticipated. Some don’t look quite candid interviewee ahead of the 17th after. I hadn’t quite made my debut players and how they were dealing with right; others start to crumble between campaign of his senior career. As the then, and I still remember the fitness everything. As hard as it was, I learned FFT’s fingers, completely unwilling to only member of the Merseysiders’ 2018 coach turning to me and saying, “You a lot very quickly. co-operate. When the former England Champions League Final squad to have are desperate to play here, aren’t you?” Within two years I’d had numerous international himself arrives, we find earned a Premier League winner’s But I wasn’t thinking about the record managers and highs and lows. By the Chris Flanagan him a whole lot easier to work with medal, the 32-year-old’s aim this term during the Sunderland match – just start of my second season, Peter Reid than the pies – even allowing for the is to bring silverware back to Anfield. about getting on the pitch. Then Alan had come in and I was sent on loan to surprised look on his face when we And if he succeeds, he knows exactly Smith got injured, I came on, Jason Swindon – a fantastic club. I did quite

Upfront editor Upfront inform him what we’ve got planned. how he’ll celebrate… Wilcox put the ball across and I scored. well there, went back to Leeds and

8 FebruarySeptember 2016 2018FourFourTwo.com FourFourTwo CLUBS 2002-04 Leeds 2003 Swindon (loan) 2004-08 Newcastle 2005-06 Aston Villa (loan) 2008-10 Aston Villa 2010-15 City 2015- Liverpool

COUNTRY 2009-16 England

“I RETIRED FROM ENGLAND AS I DIDN’T WANT TO STAND IN THE WAY OF YOUNG PLAYERS. LOOK WHAT’S HAPPENED SINCE” UPFROnT

started playing in every game. But then in 2004 I turned up on the first day of pre-season thinking we were going to discuss a new contract, and someone said, “You’re going up to Newcastle for your medical tomorrow.” I was like: “Am I?” That was tough. But what little money the club owed me, I gave up to help them, and they got a transfer fee. So it was portrayed to me that it was in the best interests of the club due to all of the financial difficulties. I thought I was doing the right thing by the club.

What’s your favourite memory from your time playing for Newcastle? @kickthrowhit, via Twitter The 2005 FA Cup semi-final in Cardiff – we lost 4-1 to Manchester United, but the drive in was incredible. It took us ages to get to the ground – the streets were black and white everywhere; there were fans on lamp posts. The next time earlier, I had been on loan at Villa for I saw something like that was coming a season and gone back to Newcastle. into Anfield on the European run with Then Villa agreed a transfer fee for me Liverpool. I saw both sides of things at on deadline day that summer [2006], Newcastle, but when things were going so I drove down from Newcastle. I got well it was an amazing place to go and into Martin O’Neill’s office and he said, play football, with great fans. “Haven’t you heard? They’ve pulled the plug.” I started laughing, thinking he At Newcastle, – your was joking, but he wasn’t. They’d tried boss – said, “I don’t see myself being to sign some other players and those here for a long time buying a team of deals had fallen through, so they called James Milners.” Did that hurt? me back. It’s not great being at a club Graeme Hardcastle, via email when they’ve accepted a bid and said I think it was more like: “You don’t win they’ll sell you. To make matters worse, anything with a team of James Milners.” the following Saturday I wasn’t even in Yeah, it did, reading it as a young lad. the squad for the game. It was probably But he apologised, and said he’d got one of the lowest moments I’ve had in misquoted and that he didn’t mean it. my whole career. Newcastle was tough – the manager But again, it was about proving people who’d signed me, , got wrong. I got into the team, played most sacked three games into the season, of the games, then signed for Villa two Top left A combined 70 so a new manager arrived and I ended years later. I had a pretty good couple appearances for their up going on loan again, to Aston Villa. of years at Newcastle, so unfortunately Under-16, U17 (pictured), I think the first time I finished a season for Villa I think it [the delay] put a few U19, U20 and U21 sides with the same manager who started it extra million on the price! give an idea of Milner’s was Martin O’Neill at Villa, probably five commitment to England seasons into my career. On one day in 2010, you scored the Top From season ticket When someone has an opinion, even winner for Villa against Birmingham, holder to star at Leeds if it ends up misquoted, people jump on then won the PFA Young Player of the Above Harsh words at it. But as a player you love the chance Year that evening. Not a bad day...? Newcastle drove him on to shut people up. Any time that you’re Andy McGinn, via Facebook Right Milner’s 2009-10 criticised, it drives you on and you try to Yeah, that was nice. I scored in the last form with Aston Villa won prove people wrong. That’s what I did in 10 minutes of the derby – a pressure him PFA Young Player of that part of my career. But I get on with penalty, and Harty [Joe Hart] was in net, the Year (in his eighth Graeme – there’s no beef. When I won too. I’d taken so many penalties against Premier League season) the Premier League title at Manchester him in England Under-21s training, so City, he was covering the game and he he knew me well. But I scored and he came over to congratulate me. shouted a few expletives at me! Then I went down to London and won the Did you hear the story that Newcastle PFA award, which was really special – only sold you in 2008 because they a massive honour. When you look at thought they could bring in Bastian the names on the trophy before and Schweinsteiger from Bayern Munich? after me, it’s nice to have won that. Amy Norton, via email That was the same day my wife did I heard something like that, yeah. I’d the London Marathon, then wore heels have sold me as well! A couple of years to the awards. Great effort from her!

10 February September 2016 2018FourFourTwo.com FourFourTwo “SOMEONE SAID, ‘YOU’RE GOING UP TO NEWCASTLE FOR A MEDICAL TOMORROW.’ I WAS LIKE, ‘AM I?’”

After signing for them in 2010, Were you disappointed not to play in was probably upsetting Micah Richards I like it, because it probably means that what are your memories of playing the FA Cup final against Stoke, nor the in training. Micah wanted to rip his head people don’t know too much about me, for Manchester City as they began famous title-clincher against QPR? off! Micah’s a pretty strong man, and if so I’ve done a good job and given them their new era of winning trophies? Ian Critchley, via email he loses it, you need to be somewhere as much as I want to give them. Since Stephen Spencer, via Facebook Yes – you always want to play in every else. He was striding towards Mario and I started playing, things have changed Amazing times – I loved every minute game, and at the time you don’t see I dived in front of Micah to stop him and a lot, with more interviews and more of it. They are a brilliant club and it was the bigger picture. But over the whole then hold him for long enough for a few exposure. Fans feel like they have the special to go there and be part of the season, winning a Premier League is so other lads to jump in. right to know every single thing about start of it, having not won anything for difficult. It’s a big effort from everyone I never had a problem with Balotelli, you, and it shouldn’t really be like that. such a long time. To win two Premier to finally get over the line, and to play though. Sometimes he wouldn’t track Everyone has their own life – their own League titles, an FA Cup, a League Cup as many games as I did, assisting goals, back, I’d give him a bit of a bollocking ups and downs going on away from the and a Community Shield was fantastic; scoring goals... you want to play in the and he might have a snap back, but he pitch – and people forget footballers are I haven’t got a bad word to say about endgame, but you have to look at the would apologise afterwards. There was just people as well. But I thought it was my time there. 38-game season. You’re not going to respect between us. maybe time for people to get to know The only disappointing thing is some get too many better ways of winning me a bit more, and have a bit of banter. of the things afterwards – comments the league than how we did it against How did you first react to the ‘Boring Starting the account with the picture that some people believe I have made QPR. I see it on television now and the James Milner’ Twitter account? of me ironing was all my idea. It’s good about the club. After I joined Liverpool, hairs on the back of my neck still go Alannah Maxwell, via Instagram fun, and now I can show things about I was asked in an interview who were up. I don’t think that will ever go away. It was pre-season with City when that myself here and there – most of them the better team, and I answered it just started, and one of the lads showed it boring, probably, but maybe the odd bit in the sense of a team – because we Just how mad was Mario Balotelli? to me. There was a Boring Gareth Barry of interesting stuff, too! didn’t have players as good as City’s. Stuart Brinscall, via email account at the same time, so we felt it So I said Liverpool were a better team, He was an interesting character… the had to be one of the lads. There wasn’t Is it true that your dad banned you as in being together. After that, people best way I can describe him is that he anyone with enough banter, though, so from wearing red as a kid? would say, “You won two titles here – was like a teenager, wanting to be the I was also thinking that maybe it could Freddy Jones, via Facebook how can they be a better team?” centre of attention. I was there for the be a few of the staff! It is true, yes. Obviously Leeds fans are But many City supporters say some darts incident. At Carrington there was brought up to dislike Manchester United, nice things to me as well. They were a leisure area upstairs with a dartboard What prompted you to finally join as rivals, so red wasn’t allowed. I didn’t amazing with me when I played there, and a window overlooking the gym, social media yourself, after years of have any red shirts or anything, and the and it’s been great to see the club still and as people were walking past the leaving it to the parody account? first time I ever wore it was probably for doing really well. I would love them to gym down below, he was firing darts Caroline Louise, via Facebook England. He did joke when I signed for finish second to Liverpool every single at them! That’s up there with the most I’ve never been bothered about the Liverpool that it was the first time he’d year while I’m here! stupid things he did. The most stupid whole ‘boring’ thing in the slightest – be happy to see me regularly in red...

FourFourTwo September 2018 11 UPFROnT

“LOSING A CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL IS TOUGH. GETTING THAT CLOSE TO SOMETHING BIG AND NOT ACHIEVING IT NEVER LEAVES YOU”

What is Jurgen Klopp like to play for? not my best position, and hopefully I’ve Dan Hudson, via Instagram shown that playing in midfield before He’s a very good manager. You can see and after, but if the manager asks you that by looking at what he’s done with to play somewhere, you just do it. I told this team; how we play together and him that I didn’t particularly want to do work for each other. He’s got the fiery it, but the team comes first. side but also the ‘Klopp hug’, as I think I think the first time I had to play at it’s known. A few times, he has lost his left-back was at Manchester United in head when we haven’t played well, but the Europa League – Alberto Moreno he’ll surprise you: there are times when was injured and the manager gave me things aren’t going badly and he still a choice: did I want to play at left-back loses it, and times when you think he’s or right-back? My answer was, “That’s going to, but he doesn’t. He’s the judge like asking which one of these guys do of that and he normally gets it spot on. you want to spend a night with your He loves the game and wants to win. missus?!” His English wasn’t that good then, so I think it went over his head! Did you enjoy your year at left-back? Personally I felt you did well! You’ve said that the only position Danny Chandler, via Facebook you haven’t played is goalkeeper. No, I didn’t enjoy it, to be honest – but Would you do it in an emergency? you do whatever’s asked of you for the Kyle Chester, via email team. The manager asked me to do it A million per cent, I’m there. It’s the and I did it to the best of my ability. It’s only one to tick off; I’ve done every

12 February September 2016 2018FourFourTwo.com FourFourTwo UPFROnT

football, but over the last two seasons That Nivea advert you appeared in I think we’ve become more consistent. was a bit weird. What’s it like to be We’ve shown that we can beat all types crushed by a dinosaur? of teams now – the teams at the top; Garry Anderson, via Twitter the so-called lesser teams; the teams Yeah, interesting… I’m just happy that who come and park the bus. The tools it wasn’t my car! [Laughs] are there for us to do it – it’s just about doing it over 38 games. That’s why it’s Do you want to become a manager so difficult, because you have to do it when you retire, or would you prefer every single week. We’ve shown that being a pundit? we can do it, but talk is cheap – it’s all sw_cufc_1701, via Instagram Left It’s strange that this about going and doing it. It’s difficult to know when you are still celebration never took off playing. There are times when I fancy Below Taking the game You famously like Ribena, but if being a manager, times when I fancy to Real Madrid in May’s Liverpool won the Premier League, being a pundit and times when I fancy Champions League final would you push not being anywhere Bottom His international the boat out and near football when ended after Euro 2016, have a Vimto or I finish. Managers sadly and prematurely a sparkling water? don’t get much Bottom left “My English Thomas O’Dea, HIgHS & LOWS time at all these is fine, thank you, James via Facebook days, and it also – have fun at left-back” Maybe... I would takes such a long have to come up HIGH: 2002 time to get your with a fizzy drink Becomes the Premier League’s coaching badges – for that occasion youngest ever goalscorer it takes a number if it happened! LOW: 2004 of years and it’s Relegated with Leeds, then sold a big commitment Are you sad that to Newcastle to raise funds – that you have to you retired from HIGH: 2010 be sure you want England duty Wins PFA Young Player of to do it before you before the upturn the Year while at Aston Villa go through that. in fortunes at the LOW: 2013 I’m not sure at the 2018 World Cup or Wigan stun his Manchester City moment. I think it had you become side in the FA Cup final would be a shame disillusioned? HIGH: 2014 not to use some Ben Frankland, Lifts the Premier League title for of the experience via Instagram the second time in three seasons I’ve built up over I’m not sad about LOW: 2016 the 16 years that it – I’m delighted Plays three minutes of England’s I’ve been playing. that the team did Euro 2016 disaster and retires I hope I can use well. When I retired HIGH: 2018 that now with the I said I didn’t want Helps Liverpool into Champions younger players to just be a number League final after own goal in semi here at Liverpool, to travel, standing helping them as in the way of young much as possible. outfield position! I’d definitely put my what he’s all about and I’m sure he’ll players who would benefit more. hand up – you’ve got to be a little bit do that once again. And look what’s happened since. To me, I’ve seen that you’re coming up to crazy, haven’t you? The only problem To lose a Champions League that justifies the decision I made when Celtic Park soon for a match against would be my height – other than that, final was tough. Getting I moved aside; I hope that’s helped the a Stiliyan Petrov XI, put together by I’d stick my head in where it hurts! that far and that team to achieve what they did in Russia. your former Aston Villa team-mate. close is not really For several years, I wasn’t playing How is the process of getting a team Do you think Loris Karius will bounce something you and if someone else came into the together going? back after his mistakes in this year’s will ever forget. squad, they went into the team Eddie McGarry, via Twitter Champions League final? People ask me, and I stayed on the substitutes’ I’m still in the process – it’s tough! All louisgoodwin02, via Instagram “Are you over bench. In 2015-16 I had a very of the teams aren’t confirmed yet, but Everyone makes mistakes in football, it yet?” and I don’t good season with Liverpool – there will be players I used to play with and unfortunately as a goalkeeper it’s think it ever does leave we got to the Europa League and some other well-known names, as part of your life: if you make a mistake, you, being that close to final and I had some of the well as a lot of Celtic legends in Stan’s it ends up in the net. It’s something he something that big and best assist stats in Europe team too. Henrik Larsson is on the list, will learn from. He’s a strong character, not achieving it. at that point – but I didn’t and I’ve persuaded Jurgen Klopp to be and it’s down to us as well to help him play at Euro 2016. I loved the manager of my team. It should be go through it; to start the season and After reaching the playing for England: I did it really good fun. go again. He will bounce back, and he’s Champions League final, 46 times for the under-21s, shown that already in his career – he can this be Liverpool’s which goes to show how much I’d ‘A Match For Cancer’ on September 8 will was at Man City and it didn’t work out, year to win the league? never turn down a cap, as well as the raise funds to battle cancer through the but he went away, worked really hard Shaun Lord, via Facebook 61 times I played for the senior team. Stiliyan Petrov Foundation, the James and now he’s playing for Liverpool, one Cup competitions are But looking at the big picture, retiring Milner Foundation and the Celtic FC of the biggest clubs in Europe. It shows different to Premier League was the right thing to do. Foundation. Buy tickets at celticfc.net

FourFourTwo September 2018 13 UPFROnT PROTEST Fiat workers vowed to strike over Cristiano Ronaldo’s UPFROnT $175m move to Juventus. Fiat and Juve are owned by the >< Agnelli family and workers had been told “times were tough”

“FRIEND FIRST. BOSS SECOND. A variety of weird contraptions raced ENTERTAINER THIRD” around a football pitch near Frankfurt – 5 England West Kirby among them a Chitty Chitty Bang Bang tribute, driven by two men wearing The internet felt incomplete without an Mesut Ozil and Toni Kroos masks and AROUnD official Rafa Benitez Instagram page, bearing the sign ‘Europameister 2020’. but the Newcastle gaffer has put it right. Nice try, lads, but you’ve got no After posting a picture of his dogs, chance. England host the semi-finals the second image Benitez shared with and final of the Euros, and they’ve got the world was a Brentish photo of him Gareth Southgate. How could Germany posing nonchalantly by some rocks in possibly win in a situation like that? THE WORLD the Wirral. The hotly-anticipated new album, Facts, is released on August 12. “THE KIDS WILL LOVE IT” Mexico Puebla KANGAROO 1 PUSSY RIOT 0 10 Australia Canberra Liga MX side Lobos BUAP prepared for 6 2018-19 by dispatching two players to In Russia, pitch invaders are usually meet an animatronic werewolf who has In 12 STORIES feminist punk rockers on a protest. In clearly been working those abs hard. Australia they’re kangaroos. Oscar Rojas and Omar Tejeda were Our monthly round-up of the stranger news in A marsupial bounded onto the pitch greeted by the daunting 9ft creature global football takes in kangaroos, werewolves, during a women’s match between when they turned up at the local Capital FC and Belconnen United, and university. There was even speculation the Mona Lisa and Rafa getting the filters out stayed for 32 minutes. Once caught, it that the werewolf would be the club’s probably got the same treatment as new mascot. It would terrify opponents Pussy Riot: taken to a kangaroo court… all right, but it might leave their entire junior fanbase running for the hills, too. NICE ARTWORK IF YOU CAN GET IT GETTING ABOVE HIS STATION FROGGER GOES GLOBAL France Paris England London Russia Rostov EVERY FOOTBALL SHIRT NEEDS 1 3 7 A RAILWAY BRIDGE ON IT Once labelled “as valuable as the Mona London Underground knew exactly the Nothing confuses Russians like a man 11 Russia Krasnoyarsk Lisa” by his agent Mino Raiola, Mario best way to pay tribute to England boss in a frog suit, our grandad always said. Balotelli tested the theory by snapping Gareth Southgate after he guided the So, Ippei-kun, the mascot of Japan’s To liven up the monotony of Siberia, himself sampling the Leonardo da Vinci Three Lions to a World Cup semi-final: Ehime region, flew to the World Cup to freshly-promoted Russian Premier doodle amid rumours he was leaving they named a Tube station after him. cheer on the Blue Samurai. He rode the League outfit Yenisey Krasnoyarsk have his club Nice. Just as Paris renamed their Metro Metro, watched Japan’s clash with released two eye-catching new kits. Potential buyers from around Europe stations ‘Victor Hugo Lloris’ (not bad) Belgium, and confused security guards One of them features a lot of lions, swiftly got in touch to say they’d be and ‘Deschamps-Elysees’ (better), when he casually walked through the because as striker Maksim Rudnev keen to pay big money to purchase the Southgate station in north London was metal detectors to enter Red Square, says, “a lion never allows himself to star of the photo… and they’d chuck in officially called ‘Gareth Southgate’ for putting out his arms for a full body be fed up of old successes” (look out, a fiver to buy Balotelli as well. 48 hours. Sam Allardyce was gutted: search. They just waved him through. Attenborough), but the away kit wins before he departed the England job, with a full cityscape, including the RESTRICTED VIEW he’d had his eyes on ‘Samden Town’. “DIEGO TOLD THE TAXI DRIVER cathedral and the railway bridge, Bangladesh Dhaka THAT HE WANTED TO SEE BREST” which is a UNESCO heritage site. 2 LES NOT-SO-MISERABLES 8 Belarus Brest It might seem strange (not to mention France Paris BICYCLE AND STRING OF dangerous) to watch the World Cup 4 Fresh from flipping the bird at World Cup ONIONS NOT PICTURED with a bag over your head, but such The celebrations in Paris didn’t stop at fans, Diego Maradona was unveiled as 12 England London measures were taken in Bangladesh, a few renamed Metro stations. No, the chairman of Dynamo Brest in Belarus. where folks viewed the action in the French capital went big on the night of True to form, the Argentine maniac And we have another bridge to round pouring rain on the streets of Dhaka. Les Bleus’ triumph over Croatia. was paraded in some sort of monster off this month’s weirdness: Patrice Evra The bags were transparent, so the Thousands of fans gathered on the truck, before watching his new team randomly chose London Bridge as the kids could see all of the action in (Des)Champs-Elysees, where the Arc de lose 3-1 to Shakhtyor Soligorsk. The backdrop when he dressed up in full Brazil’s 2-0 win over Serbia. Whether Triomphe was lit up in the colours of the face on the besuited bloke walking in musketeer garb ahead of France’s they were given something a little French flag… the colours of the Croatia front of Diego’s tank says it all. World Cup semi-final against Belgium. more opaque for France’s goalless flag, too. Key players were also beamed The former Manchester United draw with Denmark, we can’t say. onto the arch – a towering monument FROM SCHEISSE TO SCHEESEN full-back and patronising pundit had Oh and kids: don’t try this at home, with limited mobility, even Olivier Giroud Germany Lindenfels previously posed with a beret and or for that matter outside. got his face up there. 9 baguette before the tie with Uruguay. Germany’s confidence hasn’t been OK Patrice, we get it: you’re French. rocked by a disastrous World Cup, if the What’s next? Playing an accordion, SIX OF THE BEST FIXTURES Scheesen Race is anything to go by. or maybe headbutting an Italian? Reading vs Derby Leeds vs Stoke Man Utd vs Leicester Frank Lampard kicks off his managerial career Marcelo Bielsa takes charge of Leeds It’s Saturday morning in the Premier League; iin the glamorous venue of downtown Reading iand literally anything could happen iLeicester haven’t won at Old Trafford since 1998

14 February September 2016 2018FourFourTwo.com FourFourTwo SHORT STAY It’s mayhem at Lisbon giants Sporting: fans attacked UPFROnT players, so several stars resigned; Sinisa Mihajlovic was installed as 9 boss, then sacked within nine days after a change of club president

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Arsenal vs Man City Real Madrid vs Atletico Celtic vs Rangers has an easy start: he has to stop No CR7, but Julen Lopetegui leads Los Blancos in In his first Old Firm game, new Rangers manager ithe team which amassed 100 points last term ia Madrid derby in the UEFA Super Cup – in Tallinn iSteve Gerrard faces former boss

FourFourTwo September 2018 15 UPFROnT

ATTHE END OF THE DAY CHRIS GREENACRE SAY WHAT YOU LIKE ABOUT VAR, BUT AT LEAST IT STOPS DEFENDERS TUGGING ON STRIKERS! But does it remind Wellington Phoenix assistant coach CHRIS GREENACRE to wear the right jersey?

I knew I’d made it as a player in the dressing room! The gaffer, Frank Clark, latter stages of my career. The game was in mid-conversation with the can be taken away from you quickly fourthy and I’ve literally sprinted back and if you allow yourself to rest on your in to the rooms. You can imagine the laurels, it could bite you on the back manager was like ‘where’s he going?’. side. I never let myself get carried away People who’ve played at Maine Road with anything. I went about it with a will remember how long the tunnel day-by-day mentality and if you do was and it took me a solid 40 seconds that, you can actually look back and to get up there and back. I eventually say ‘I did make it and I was fortunate got on, we won and I got kick up the enough to make a living out of football’. backside post-match.

I was happiest when we were winning The day football broke my heart was something. We had one promotion in when I got released by Manchester my career at Mansfield Town. We got City. came in and the club promoted in 2001/02 to League One . was going through a huge transition I was the top goal scorer, we finished period. I immediately went out on loan third and won 24 games. with Blackpool which was probably a bad move for me. I’m not sure if the My hero growing up was Alan coach there actually wanted me, so Shearer. The way he used you can imagine turning up to training, to hold the ball up and the coach doesn’t really know you’re bring other players into there and I ended up only playing four play was something my games. When I got back to City, Joe game seemed to resemble. decided he didn’t want me at the club I tried to model myself on him and he anymore and I had three years left on has the most goals of all time in the my contract. To be fair, the players Joe Premier League despite enduring two signed did a very good job. serious injuries in his career. My proudest moment was when I scored 21 goals for Mansfield Town in 2002 and I just missed out on the Golden Boot. We had a cracking team that season and even had a few players that went onto play in the Premier League.

If I could change one thing I would punish defenders for tugging on strikers. I’ve heard a lot of criticism on the VAR, but what I’ve liked about it is that when there’s a defender tugging on a striker, they get punished for it. The funniest thing was when I was on the bench for Manchester City and we If it wasn’t for football played Bradford City in the FA Cup at I probably would’ve gone down home. I was coming on with minutes the physiotherapy route just to to go and on the touchline, I had my stay in sport.

Clement Tito shorts on and I went to take my jacket off and I still had my warm-up shirt on. Three words that sum me up Honest,

Interview My jersey was still hanging up in the hard-working and happy.

16 September 2018 FourFourTwo

GOALMY GREATEST

AUSTRALIA 1 MEXICO 1 GARY COLE 26 August 1980, Olympic Park,

THE LEAD UP THE GOAL connection and it curved into the top THE CONTENDERS We were playing Mexico in back-to- It was Peter Sharne from Marconi right corner. There was this brief lull I scored my first Socceroos goal back friendlies and we were coming off Stallions who crossed it in and he was and everyone went, ‘Oh f**k! Cole has against Greece in Melbourne which was a 2-2 draw in Sydney. I was impressed just as quick as lightning. The joke at just whacked one into the top corner!’ a cracker and I could talk about that we were playing Mexico because they the time was ‘Peter Sharne could turn I peeled away to the right hand side, for 30 minutes. In that 3-3 draw in were a big Central American team off the lights and get into bed before jumping and punching the air. Athens, I opened the scoring in a full and back in those days we didn’t play the room got dark’. He was really quick Athens Stadium, Steve Perry knocked it teams like that too often. These games and caused defenders all sorts of THE AFTERMATH up to me and I essentially ran in a were in preparation for the 1982 World problems. He was a genuine winger The celebration lasted for nine straight line towards the goal. I Cup Qualifiers and playing with the and spent his time on both flanks. He minutes before they equalised, but somehow dribbled past four defenders family in the crowd was nice and ran down the right and whipped one in it was nice to take the lead against and the goalkeeper, then tapped it was a rarity. We all realised they were and I wasn’t even in the penalty area. Mexico at home. It finished 1-1. home. It was some goal! a bloody good Central American team. His cross came in and it bounced seven Overall, it was a great result for What was in our favour was a cold, metres in front of me and it skipped off Australia and it was unusual we’d play wet winter’s night in Melbourne, so the turf, causing it to come quicker. I a team of that calibre twice. After that that probably helped. made a good body adjustment and as we began our world tour, we then flew the ball came, I made great to Athens to play Greece and drew 3-3. THE MATCH Olympic Park was wet so the ball was zipping around and that suited them. Sometimes we call it defending in a deep defensive block, but back in the day, it might’ve been called parking the bus. We were tough, physical and we could get away with things more back then. We played in typical Australian fashion and they played in typical Central American fashion. That always made us competitive, we didn’t have too many opportunities before we took

Clement Tito the lead and we certainly weren’t getting in behind them, but the

Interview game was fairly even.

18 February September 2016 2018FourFourTwo.com FourFourTwo

MAnCHESTER CITY CAn AnYOnE STOP MAnCHESTER CITY MAn CI ’s record-breaking side were touted by some as the best team that En has ever seen – now all they’ve got to do is defy recent history and repeat the feat. MAnCHESTER CITY

incent Kompany said goodbye to his Manchester City team-mates in May with a promise. When he came back from the World Cup, there was one thing he’d do on the first day. “I’ll be looking into people’s eyes,” he said. “I want to see if they have the same intensity.” No side has ever dominated a Premier League season quite like City did in 2017-18. The first top-flight team ever to reach 100 points, they played football in a way that no English team had ever done before, with their opponents dizzied by pass after pass after pass, goal after goal after goal. Although they had 11 men on Vthe field like everyone else, at times it seemed like 15. Trying to stop them was the football equivalent of Whac-A-Mole: halt one of their attacking talents and three more popped up, all capable of creating a goal in an instant. The outcome was inevitable. So 2018-19 will be another walk in the park, right? Kompany isn’t so sure, and the City skipper’s warning is based on experience. In the Premier League, what happened last term counts for nothing.

It’s now 10 seasons since any team retained the Premier League title. In the history of or the , there’s no sequence like it. A Cristiano Ronaldo-inspired Manchester United won the league for a third successive season in 2008-09. But then Ronnie left for Real Madrid and the trophy became a hot potato – passing from United to Chelsea, to United, to Manchester City, to United, to City, to Chelsea, Kompany’s caution is understandable, though. He’s been burned to Leicester, to Chelsea and finally back to City again last season. before – not once, but twice. Many expected City to retain the title In the past five campaigns, not only have the champions failed to in 2012-13, but instead things unravelled. Signings like , retain the trophy, they’ve usually completely imploded. Manchester Scott Sinclair, Maicon, Matija Nastasic and Javi Garcia didn’t work. United finished 7th after discovering that replacing the retiring Alex ’s dealings with his players became fractious – Mario Ferguson with wasn’t such a good idea. Chelsea came Balotelli was shipped out after a training-ground scuffle with his boss, 10th after the infamous opening-day row between Jose Mourinho caught on camera. City lost the league to United, lost the FA Cup final and club doctor Eva Carneiro. Leicester ended up in 12th after selling to Wigan, and Mancini was sacked. human dynamo N’Golo Kante, then shooting Bambi (well, sacking Things weren’t much better in 2014-15. Again, new boys – Eliaquim ). And then Chelsea finished 5th – Mangala, Fernando, Bacary Sagna, Wilfried Bony – couldn’t keep City Above “Keep aiming for deciding it would be a great idea to get rid of his top scorer by text, on form. Mourinho’s Chelsea won the title with three games to spare. the stars, fellas” Below only for the Londoners to miss out on expected replacement Romelu It was more than just the signings, though. The Blues were beset by “Welcome, Riyad. You’re Lukaku. How not to defend a Premier League title in four easy steps – a general malaise. “We’ve won two titles at this club and both times, playing for the reserves” it’s been a quite astonishing period in the history of English football. when we come back there was an edge missing,” admitted Kompany. Astonishing, although not unprecedented – and there’s a common “That’s why it’s so difficult to retain titles – only special teams can do theme that links the teams who break the sequence, the teams that it. We have to become that special team this time.” finally manage to retain the title, the teams that have the mentality If things are different this season, it could be for one main reason: to win and then win again. They go on to create a dynasty. Pep Guardiola. Only five bosses have retained the top-tier title since It had been 10 seasons since any club had retained the title back 1950 – Ferguson, Mourinho, , Stan Cullis and . in 1993-94, then Manchester United won it for a second successive Arsene Wenger never did it. never did it and year, aided by the arrival of . They would win 13 titles in 21 never did it. But Pep is known for relentless success – winning three years. In 1976-77, it had been 18 seasons since any side had retained consecutive crowns at Barcelona and Bayern Munich, never allowing the title, going back to the days of Wolverhampton Wanderers. Then standards to drop from one year to the next. Liverpool did it – beginning a run of 10 titles in 15 years. If some players start to think they are unbeatable, just because “It’s not a dynasty, it’s just one title,” was Kompany’s response last they’ve got Guardiola at the helm, he shakes them out of it. season when some suggested City were embarking on their own era “At Barcelona and Bayern, players began to believe that what they’d of dominance. Might it become a dynasty? This term could tell us. done was thanks to me,” he revealed at the end of last If any team is capable of retaining the Premier League trophy and thought, ‘We’ve done it once, so we can do it again, and going on to win multiple titles, it’s surely this Manchester City vintage: won’t have more energy’. When you have to run five me a team who scored 106 goals in 38 matches and won the league by run three. But those two metres make a difference. a record 19 points. “I’d like to see us dominate for another 10 years,” “Next season will be more difficult. My relationship wi was how Kompany put it. Everything is in place to do so, including key will be harder. It happened at Barcelona and Bayern: I h players at good ages: Kevin De Bruyne at 27, Ederson 24, John Stones them more – the time they arrive at training sessions, w 24, Raheem Sterling 23, Leroy Sané 22, Gabriel Jesus 21. to do with the ball and without the ball. If they don’t, the They have the best squad in the Premier League, and its deepest. out. I want a team that’s like a machine every day.” Losing out on midfielder Jorginho to Chelsea was a blow, but it didn’t exactly leave them short of options. In every position, they have an If City produce anything like the same form as 2017-18, array of choice. Riyad Mahrez has joined from Leicester, but even at surely win the league again. If they don’t, who knows? £60 million, the Algerian still faces a serious battle for a starting spot. The challengers aren’t exactly hopeless. Even 19 point How many club-record signings have ever been in that situation? behind their rivals, Manchester United’s 81 points last te Combine City’s current squad with the infrastructure to sustain would have won the league in six of the last 22 campaig success – a $275m training facility and burgeoning youth teams, “Many clubs had positive seasons, but City reached a nu from which 18-year-old Phil Foden is tipped to become one of the of points that made it impossible,” insisted Mourinho. “I finest English players of his generation – and the task of stopping champion with Real Madrid with 100 points and Barcelo them looks pretty daunting. 91 points. Was 91 points a failure for Barcelona? I don’t

22 September 2018 FourFourTwo MAnCHESTER CITY

Stamford Bridge. They have work to do with their new squads: Arsenal supporters hope Emery will instil a defensive rigidity and more flexible tactical approach, both of which were lacking during the latter days of Wenger’s reign. Lucas Torreira, Sokratis Papastathopoulos, Stephan Lichtsteiner and Bernd Leno have joined to make the Gunners a more solid outfit, particularly away from home. Only Watford, Brighton and West Brom lost more on the road last season. Sarri must revitalise a Chelsea squad that lost its way in 2017-18, getting them to perform with the sort of attacking pizzazz that earned widespread adoration at Napoli. Bringing Jorginho with him should help, and the 59-year-old probably had a cigarette or two to celebrate that deal – he goes through 60 a day.

Everton also have a new manager in Marco Silva, and early pre-season form looked promising, pummelling Austrian side ATV Irdning 22-0. However, Premier League foes are unlikely to chip balls into their own net from 25 yards, or have a keeper so uninterested that he casually steps out of the way when the Toffees are through on goal. Silva’s previous two jobs lasted only half a season, but expect the February visit to Watford to be tasty if he’s still around – the Hornets sacked Silva last term after Everton’s first attempt to appoint him derailed their season. Replacement Javi Gracia is the first Hornets boss in four years to have survived the summer, although the last time it happened, Beppe Sannino departed before August was out. Mourinho is stepping into the unknown in 2018-19. For the first time in Almost every coach in the world has managed Watford at some his career, his second campaign at a club didn’t deliver the league title, so point or other, and the Premier League is steadily collecting them – where does that leave his traditionally difficult third season? This time he is set to be part of Sarri’s backroom staff at Chelsea, has a new contract, extended until 2020. But fail to win the league, or at while Sean Dyche bids to repeat last season’s 7th-placed heroics at least come close, and the patience of some fans might start to wear thin. Burnley; their campaign already underway in the Europa League. The Portuguese also has to cope without assistant Rui Faria, his 17-year Then there’s Slavisa Jokanovic at Fulham, whose $45m capture of ally leaving to become a boss in his own right. United must score more – Nice midfielder Jean Michael Seri is a statement of intent – as is the they netted 38 fewer than City last time out – and Mourinho will be under arrival of Portugal keeper Rui Patricio at fellow promoted club Wolves, more pressure to get the best out of Paul Pogba, after the 25-year-old’s where Jorge Mendes’ assistance continues to aid their recruitment performances for France en route to World Cup glory. Recruiting Fred from drive. Both have impressed many with their possession play, and will Shakhtar Donetsk should strengthen the midfield regardless. fancy their chances in the top flight. It’s in midfield where Liverpool have strengthened, too – Emre Can left Things could be more of a struggle for Cardiff, where everyone’s for Juventus, but Fabinho and $93m Naby Keita have arrived, while Stoke’s favourite Bond villain Vincent Tan brings his astonishing trouserline Xherdan Shaqiri provides a different option, particularly against entrenched back to the Premier League alongside unlikely sidekick Neil Warnock. opponents. Ably assisted by Mohamed Salah, Premier League Golden Boot Just months from his 70th birthday, Warnock worked miracles to get winner ahead of World Cup Golden Boot winner , they proved the Bluebirds promoted, but his four previous top-tier seasons aren’t they’re a force to be reckoned with by reaching last season’s Champions overly encouraging: relegated with Notts County and Sheffield United, League final. Of their four showdowns with Manchester City in 2017-18, then sacked at QPR and Crystal Palace. A reliance on direct play and Jurgen Klopp’s side won the last three. a resolute defence masked a lack of attacking quality last term, so “Whatever City do, it will stay possible to beat them in a game,” said Warnock will need to work on being more offensive – a statement Klopp. “If City had played a normal season, which they didn’t, it would that would probably make his enemies chuckle. Among the grudge have been really close until the end. It’s possible that it’s closer next time. matches in 2018-19 are Warnock vs Man City (argument over tackle It’s not important how good City will be. It’s about how we get points.” on Sané in FA Cup), Warnock vs West Ham (lingering feud over Carlos Consistency remains the challenge – well, that and figuring out how on Tevez) and Warnock vs Wolves (angrily telling opposite number Nuno earth they’re going to cope without the departed Adam Bogdan. Espirito Santo to “f**k off”). Liverpool will be the first visitors to Tottenham’s new 62,000-seat arena Another team who’ll need to improve in attack are Huddersfield – on September 15, and Spurs’ task is the same as it was last term: progress no team has ever dodged the Premier League drop with fewer than from challengers to winners, while adjusting to a new home. the 28 goals they netted last time out. Brighton, Newcastle and A trophy eluded the Lilywhites once more in 2017-18 but 3rd place was Southampton also struggled in front of goal at times, although the respectable and they did find their feet at Wembley, albeit after a slow latter will hope can pick up where he left off, arriving start. The worry is whether the adaptation process stretches further into in March and steering them clear of relegation. Palace and Leicester the season this time – with their new stadium not quite ready, they return will similarly aim to kick on in first full seasons under to Wembley for one more match and play three of their first four away. and Claude Puel respectively. Arsenal’s opening fixtures aren’t exactly ideal, either: Unai Emery faces Defence will be more of a priority for Bournemouth and West Ham. Man City and Chelsea in his first two games as Gunners boss – the latter The Hammers had the joint-worst concession record in the league, a battle of the new gaffers after Maurizio Sarri’s eventual appointment at so new boss has added defenders , and Fabian Balbuena, as well as keeper Lukasz Fabianski. Jack Wilshere, and $65m could “SInCE 1950 FIVE BOSSES HAVE RETAInED improve them going forward, too. Four years ago, it was Pellegrini in the position that Guardiola finds himself in now, tasked with defending the title for Manchester City. THE TITLE – WEnGER nEVER DID IT, CLOUGH Ultimately, the Chilean couldn’t do it. If Kompany had looked in the eyes of his team-mates, the intensity would have been missing. Can anyone stop City this term? If previous evidence is anything to nEVER DID IT AnD SHAnKLY nEVER DID IT” go by, the most important battle will be with themselves.

FourFourTwo September 2018 23 ROBERTO FiRMInO

“HE’S HERE, ROBERTO FiRMInO

F***InG WHERE!”

you, and run at you, whether you’ve got the ball or not

Words Caio Carrieri Photography Duncan Elliott ROBERTO FiRMInO

f Liverpool’s Brazilian No.9 Roberto Firmino is anything, good and it was a fantastic campaign overall. But we cannot stop – it’s industrious. we’ve got to think about the next one.” The 26-year-old’s constant harrying and harrassing With his Champions League final disappointment – and World Cup of opposition defenders sets the tone for Jurgen Klopp’s last-eight heartbreak against Belgium – now set to one side, it’s time trademark ‘gegenpress’ ideology, making him a huge for Liverpool’s smiling assassin to hit the trophy trail again... favourite of not only the club’s German gaffer, but also their loyal fanbase. Liverpool played some great football last season but failed to win FourFourTwo begins trotting out an oft-quoted stat – a trophy – what are the aims for 2018-19? that, in the 2016-17 season, the Liverpool striker made First of all, I hope we can have a very positive pre-season and prepare more tackles in Premier League matches than Spurs ourselves for the campaign ahead, which is what we did last summer. defender Jan Vertonghen or Chelsea rock . From there, we will just aim to give our all in every single match, do “Last season as well,” the Brazilian quickly interjects everything we can not to lose games, and keep dreaming big – mainly with a playful smile and little chuckle. “And this season about winning trophies. That’s what we did last season, after all. won’t be any different, either. I work hard in every single gamei – that won’t change. “It’s my duty to help my team-mates,” continues the Samba star. “My movements are vital to the other players in our team, but it’s not only me – we all help the team by working hard as a unit, following our manager’s tactical plan, and never giving up.” That mantra certainly served the Anfield side well last season. The all-action Reds marched all the way to the Champions League final in Kiev, leaving Porto, Roma and Premier League winners Manchester City trailing in their wake en route to a showdown with Real Madrid. But after watching 44-goal top scorer Mohamed Salah trudge off in tears due to a shoulder injury sustained in a tussle with Sergio Ramos, Liverpool eventually lost 3-1. Firmino names the home leg of their quarter-final w domestic rivals City as a particular highlight of his seas “It was an evening full of emotion and adrenaline – a high-intensity game,” says the Brazilian of Liverpool’s emphatic 3-0 victory. “Both matches against them were ROBERTO FiRMInO

Did playing in a deeper position earlier in your career help you in “I GOT GOOSEBUMPS HEADInG InTO terms of reading the game as a striker? Definitely. Playing as a holding midfielder and offensive midfielder has given me more dynamism and made me more flexible – that FOR THE MAn CITY GAME – MY EYES WERE means there’s always more I can do to help the team.

Your relationship with Mo Salah and Sadio Mané almost seems to FULL OF TEARS. THOSE SORT OF SCEnES GIVE be telepathic these days. Can the three of you form an even better combination this season, or you have reached your peak? It’s hard to say. All I know is I’m never satisfied – my performances A PLAYER EVEn MORE HUnGER AnD DESIRE” are never enough. I always want to perform better than I’ve done before. I always want to improve and be the best player I can be. The three of us practise a lot, and talk a lot to determine where we’ve You’ve come pretty close to winning titles with Liverpool during Clockwise from below gone wrong in the games we haven’t won. So we’ll definitely always your three years at the club – before last season’s Champions Playing in a deeper role try to be even better. League final, you got to the 2016 League Cup and Europa League at Hoffenheim helped finals. How important is it to win silverware now? Firmino become more Describe Jurgen Klopp as a coach... Winning trophies is always so important to Liverpool. In particular, flexible; “Extraordinary” He’s extraordinary – the best coach I have worked with so far. I have the Premier League title is something we’ve wanted for a few years. Klopp is just as bonkers learnt so much in my time with him. He’s passionate about football We’re going to fight for that title once again, but all the others too. during training as on and always shows it during the games. He’s as crazy and passionate the touchline; the Reds’ in training as he is in big matches. He’s exactly the same. It’s genuine. How did you adapt to playing as a centre-forward in England, European romp against He can always get the best out of every player by giving us confidence given you’d been deployed deeper in Germany? Man City was Bobby’s on a daily basis, in each and every training session. This is vital for us. I arrived at Hoffenheim as a midfielder, a No.10. I played in that role highlight of last season; for three seasons, but in my last year there I started to move forward but he couldn’t get the How do you manage to complete every task Klopp sets you on the a little bit and played more like a No.9. To help learn more about the better of compatriot pitch? He seems very demanding... position, sometimes I watched YouTube videos of great strikers, but Casemiro in the final He always demands a lot from the tactical side of the game, mainly the vital point is to keep working hard and aim to improve every day. the running. The tactical side is the most important for him, so we try Since coming to England, my adaptation’s been as easy as you could to be as focused as possible on that side of things in order to win as possibly imagine. Everything fell into place quickly and now I find it many matches as we can. a joy to play as a centre-forward. Klopp has labelled you “world-class, every day”. Jamie Carragher has claimed you are Liverpool’s most important player. What does such praise mean to you? I was very proud when I heard those statements, because they were a consequence of my dedication to Liverpool. I have to keep working hard to ensure they keep praising me like that.

You’ve named the Champions League win over Manchester City at Anfield as one of your highlights of last season – tell us a bit more about the atmosphere that night... I can honestly tell you I actually got goosebumps on our way into the stadium. What all the fans did that night was amazing; my eyes were full of tears. Those sort of scenes give a player a massive boost before a match – they give you even more hunger and desire to go out onto the pitch and fight for your fans. Anfield is the best place in the world to play football, there’s no doubt about it. The atmosphere there is incredible, and we always get so much strength from our supporters in every single game. Playing for Liverpool at Anfield is a very joyous and positive experience.

How does it feel hearing the fans chant “Bobby Firmino”? I’m always really moved by the affection the fans show towards me nt. It just gives me even greater motivation to bring more s club.

the elite of European football was long and hard. You en you were young, played for less fashionable sides our way to the top. How proud are you to now be at rld’s most famous clubs? to play for such a great club and for the national team I’m very grateful to God for that. I love Liverpool – it’s at city to live in. The supporters are respectful and I like ying and living here. [FFT: Have you been to the Beatles useum?] Yes, I have been there – it was very interesting. njoyed it very much!

iverpool’s Roberto Firmino wears adidas NEMEZIZ 18+ boots. Extreme agility for the Game Changer.

FourFourTwo September 2018 27 Words Johan Lyngholm-Bjerge mE?m CAPTAIn injury in my back two days before the final, so I couldn’t play. I joined the team at the hotel before the match, hoping I could be involved, but it just wasn’t possible. I would have loved to have been on the substitutes’ bench, but it didn’t make sense if I couldn’t play. I hope I get the chance next year.

OF CHELSEA?? Previously, big teams haven’t made the Europa League their top priority. Will Chelsea aim to win it, as they did in 2013? I believe so. The culture at Chelsea is that each season we aim to win every competition we participate in – that includes the Europa League. Obviously it would be more exciting to win the Champions League, but when that nO THAnKS! isn’t possible, we must aim for other trophies.

Last term wasn’t great by Chelsea’s standards, but in Andreas Christensen they What was it like to play against Lionel may have found the long-term heir to JT’s throne – whether he likes it or not... Messi and Luis Suarez when Chelsea faced Barcelona in the last 16 of the Champions League? Did you learn a lot from that? You always learn a lot when you’re up against the best players in the world. But, personally, enmark’s stalemate against France in their final group-stage ultimately missing out on a lucrative place in I don’t think facing those two is so different match at this summer’s World Cup won’t feature heavily in any the Champions League. Despite victory in the from facing other top players – they were just misty-eyed retrospectives. The two teams, content with the 0-0 FA Cup final, the 2017-18 campaign would go another two players who we needed to stop. draw that ensured they both reached the knockout rounds, were down as, at best, a middling season for the Whether it’s Messi, Suarez or a less prolific largely conservative in their approach and rarely took the kind of west Londoners. It was a tough induction for attacker, the aim is always the same. During D risks that could result in elimination. Christensen, who played regularly in the first matches, I don’t think about which player The Danes were so fearful of losing and heading home early that they two-thirds of the season before flitting in and I’m up against. My only focus is to stop them. deployed Chelsea defender Andreas Christensen in a midfield role, with out towards the business end, then missing the specific brief of nullifying France schemer Antoine Griezmann. the Blues’ FA Cup success through injury. Chelsea signed you at the age of 15. Was After he’d spent the season in the middle of a three-man defence for Regaining a Champions League berth in moving a difficult experience for you? the Blues, it was a move that represented a real change of gear for the 2018-19 is a must for Chelsea, now managed In terms of football, it was very easy to adapt. 22-year-old from the small Danish town of Lillerod. But Christensen is by Maurizio Sarri, and Christensen will hope he It wasn’t really that difficult away from the not afraid to try out new things in the hope of bettering himself. That’s can help them do so – wherever he plays... pitch, either, even though it took a while to exactly why he spent two years on loan in the Bundesliga with Borussia get used to being separated from my friends Monchengladbach, before making his English breakthrough last term. Having spent two years on loan in Germany, and family in Denmark. But the day-to-day “When you play in different countries, you end up in a lot of different how good did it feel to get the chance to at Chelsea was so busy that I always had situations on the pitch, so you learn a lot,” he tells FourFourTwo. “The prove yourself in Chelsea’s first team? something to do, which made it quite easy. football in Germany is more open and dynamic, whereas in England the One of the reasons for going on loan was to football is more disciplined.” be able to come back and fight for a place in You’ve previously said that John Terry was That’s not to say things were sedate at Stamford Bridge last season. the team. I’m really proud that I succeeded a big help when you started training with Ever-growing uncertainty over the future of Antonio Conte didn’t help in doing so. I’m happy I got the opportunity the first team. Did any of the other senior the Italian’s cause as his reigning champions struggled in the league, and, although the first season after a period players take you under their wing? out on loan is always tough, I’m very happy John Terry is a natural captain and he was overall with how my first season back at very good at directing me, on and off the Chelsea went for me on a personal level. pitch. But, really, all the senior players made a point of looking out for me when I first got How would you assess Chelsea’s 2017-18? to train with the first team. They knew how I guess you could say it was a little up and difficult it could be for a young player making down for the whole season. The FA Cup the step up for the first time. I felt like I was victory saved us a bit – we got a trophy, which treated well, and that made it unproblematic is a positive – but we weren’t good enough in for me. However, I’d have to single out John the Premier League. It’s hard to tell exactly Terry as being particularly helpful. It gave me what went wrong; in some matches we just a real confidence boost that he, as Chelsea didn’t deliver, simple as that. We have the captain, had taken me under his wing. quality in the squad to be at the top of the league, but to do so we must be able to win Antonio Conte suggested you could captain matches even when we’re in a tricky period. Chelsea one day. Is it an ambition of yours? We must prove that we’re a top team. Actually, I would have to say no – that has never been an ambition for me, because it Was missing the FA Cup final disappointing? doesn’t quite suit my personality. Obviously It was disappointing not to be involved in the I would be extremely proud if it happened, final in any way. It was one of those matches but it’s not a specific goal for me. I prefer to let that I really wanted to play in. But I got an my feet do the talking, rather than my mouth!

28 September 2018 FourFourTwo CHRISTEnSEn

“ FACInG MESSI AnD SUAREZ ISn’T SO DIFFEREnT. THEY’RE JUST AnOTHER TWO PLAYERS WHO nEED TO BE STOPPED”

CHRISTIAn ERIKSEn IS IT TIME SPURS WOn A TROPHY?

Tottenham’s great Dane was at the peak of his powers last season, helping Spurs to finish as London’s top club for the first time since 1995 – when Eriksen was three. Now the pressure is on to end a 10-year trophy drought

Interview Johan Lyngholm-Bjerge Portrait Tom Cockram/Rabona

FourFourTwo September 2018 31 CHRISTIAn ERIKSEn

e may not have added a trophy to his mantelpiece, but “It’s crazy that it went that far. But that just shows how the press and there can be no doubting that Christian Eriksen achieved social media can get things going.” a lot in 2017-18. The hubbub had barely died down when Eriksen headed off to Russia The Dane scored 14 goals for Tottenham – the best for Denmark’s World Cup. Having scored a sensational hat-trick in the return of his club career – including Champions League second leg of their qualifying play-off against the Republic of Ireland, strikes at home to European champions Real Madrid and Eriksen was under pressure to inspire his team to emulate great Danish away to the famously stingy Juventus, not to mention sides of the past and make a splash in the tournament. Setting up the an unstoppable dipping rocket that helped to secure his winner against Peru in their opening match, before crashing in a belter club’s first win at Stamford Bridge in 28 years. against Australia in their second, certainly did the trick. Several pundits On top of his goalscoring, Eriksen’s elegant playmaking named the 26-year-old as one of the best players of the group stage, helped the north Londoners to overcome the notable with many of them also marvelling at Eriksen’s impressive work rate – Hhurdle of playing their ‘home’ games at . They ended he covered 36km, more than any other player. the campaign in a credible third place, ensuring a third consecutive Sadly for Eriksen, another strong personal showing a season of Champions League football for Mauricio Pochettino’s men. the last 16 ended on a sour note. In the penalty shooto Although surprisingly omitted from the shortlist for the 2017-18 PFA their 1-1 draw, Eriksen’s spot-kick was brilliantly saved Player of the Year award, Eriksen was named in the PFA’s Premier League Subasic as Denmark crashed out to the eventual finalis Team of the Season for the first time. There was little time to mope. With eyes on Spurs’ fir Yet, despite all of that, his most recent campaign in a Spurs shirt will their new stadium, and with so many of his club-mates be remembered by many for a goal he saw chalked off. the full four weeks out in Russia, Eriksen needs to hit th In the 63rd minute of Tottenham’s 2-1 win at Stoke in April, Eriksen ground running if they’re to avoid a sluggish start. swung a dangerous free-kick into the Potters’ penalty area. The looping ball deceived goalkeeper and nestled into the net. Eriksen How would you compare Tottenham’s 2017-18 to wheeled away, as did Golden Boot-chasing marksman Harry Kane, who the previous season? Was there progress even was initially credited with the winning goal. Later that evening, the goal though you finished a place lower in the league? was reassigned to Eriksen, before eventually being awarded to Kane on If you look only at the Premier League table, then appeal a few days later. Some camera angles suggested Kane may have we didn’t, but personally I think we improved got the slightest of touches; others, that the England captain made no compared to 2016-17. When you look at the contact at all. Bizarrely, it briefly became the most talked-about issue in English football. “If Harry says he touched the ball, then it’s his goal,” the Dane tells FourFourTwo without hesitation. “Even if 50 cameras suggest something different, I believe Harry when he says he touched it. I never had any intention to get involved in that discussio I got an assist, and that’s fine with me. “Afterwards it ended up being a huge ta for the rest of the world. It became a craz things. It probably went too far. “Now, though, I think it’s quite funny. I l about it a lot – and I think Harry does, too CHRISTIAn ERIKSEn

created a lot of chances. We really showed the world the best of “IT WAS nICE TO BEAT REAL MADRID, AnD Tottenham. So, of course it was disappointing to exit the Champions League quite early. We were great in the first leg in Turin, and also in the second leg at Wembley, actually. Unfortunately, they had three OUR STYLE MAKES THInGS DIFFICULT FOR clinical minutes where they took their chances. After that, it was too difficult for us to turn it around. It’s hard to say exactly what went wrong. Sometimes you give the opposition chances – and they took THEM, BUT IT ISn’T SATISFYInG THAT them. But if you look at the tie overall, they weren’t better than us.

Now that Real Madrid have been crowned European champions THEY REACHED THE FInAL AnD WE DIDn’T” for a third successive season, how much satisfaction do you take from that group-stage win over them? It was nice to beat them, but it isn’t satisfying that they reached the season as a whole, and focus in particular on how we performed in the final and we didn’t. You can say the same about Liverpool, who we Champions League, I think you would have to say it was a step forward. beat in the league a couple of weeks earlier. We beat both finalists, so in that way you could say that we should have been in the final – You scored the most goals you’ve ever scored in a single season and that’s one way of looking at it. We’ve proven that we can compete also made the PFA Team of the Year for the first time. Was 2017-18 with the very best, but we need to take the final step. your best season at Spurs? Yeah, I think so. It was also one of the most important seasons for me, What did Tottenham do right against Real Madrid that so many because I was able to contribute throughout the whole season. There other teams around Europe didn’t manage to do? were no injuries or spells out of the team. I was involved in everything. I believe we played them at the right time. They had problems in the league and we were cruising. Also, I think the way we play is great Is there any particular part of your game you feel you’ve improved? against a team like Real Madrid: we aren’t afraid to push high and get No, not really. [Laughs] I think it’s more that people now look at me as the ball forward fast. I think our style of play is perfect to make it very a player in a slightly different way. I would say, perhaps, that in contrast difficult for Real Madrid. Even if we’re not playing at our best, we will to previous seasons, I didn’t fade out of matches in the same way as always create chances. maybe I did in the past. Even when I didn’t score a goal or get an assist, I always made a big contribution to the team. That may be a change You mentioned that you beat Liverpool in the league last season, that people have noticed. But as a player – in terms of my technical in a memorable 4-1 win at Wembley. Do you think you can match qualities – I don’t think I have changed much. The number of chances what they did last year in the Champions League? I created wasn’t higher than in previous seasons. It may actually have Definitely. Our early draws in the Champions League were harder than been lower. Last season I was just fortunate enough to put the ball in Liverpool’s, but we still created lots of chances against the teams we the back of the net myself on several occasions. It was great. faced. If we can take the good things we did last season with us to the coming season, then I’m sure we’ll be successful. What was your highlight? Beating Real Madrid? Scoring at Chelsea? For me, it was the away game against Juventus in the Champions You were spotted dining out with Mauricio Pochettino (above left) in League. The way we fought back [to 2-2] having gone 2-0 down early Copenhagen before the World Cup. What kind of relationship do you in the match was very impressive. The way we played in that match – have with your manager at Tottenham? and the great result we ended up getting – was a big statement. We all He suddenly called because he was visiting Copenhagen – it was quite know how difficult it is to play away to Juventus, but we proved that random, as it’s not often you go out to have dinner with your manager! we were able to compete with them. And we could have won when you We have a very strong and professional relationship – when you’re the look at the chances we created. The two matches you mention weren’t player and he’s the manager, it will always be a really professional bad, either! These are memories I also look back at with immense joy. relationship. I’m happy that he allows me to play the kind of football I want to play, and which I’m used to playing. He puts a lot of trust in In the second leg of that Juventus last-16 tie, Spurs led 1-0 at me and that is a great feeling. Wembley but lost 2-1 and went of the Champions League. Just how disappointing was that, having won a group featuring Real Madrid – How much are you looking forward to playing in Tottenham’s new the holders and eventual winners – and Borussia Dortmund? stadium this season? It was a huge disappointment. As you say, the build-up to the Juve It will be a bit weird to leave Wembley after we got used to playing matches had been perfect – we were great in the group stage and there, but I believe it will be great for us, the fans and the club to get back to our own stadium in an upgraded version. It looks like a really huge and fantastic stadium, so I am very much looking forward to playing there this season.

What are your targets for the 2018-19 campaign? Before every season, our aim is to do even better than we did in the previous season. Last year we improved in the Champions League but not in the league – so I guess our target will be to improve in both the Premier League and Champions League. That won’t be easy – we will really have to step up – but I believe we can do it.

There has been a lot of talk that all this promise from Tottenham means nothing without winning things. Do you agree with that? Do Spurs have to start winning trophies? It wasn’t like that when I came to the club in 2013, but it is like that now. Throughout the last two seasons, there has been a lot of focus on us not winning trophies. People can say we haven’t won anything, but I think we have taken big steps forward compared to a few years ago.

FourFourTwo September 2018 33 “FOR A LOnG TIME WE’D OnLY EATEn KEBABS FROM THE InDIAn RESTAURAnT OPPOSITE THE APARTMEnT – AS THEY OnLY COST $2.50!” LUCAS TORREIRA

Words Alison Ratcliffe WAnT SOME?!” Arsenal have long lacked an all-action midfielder capable of striking fear into 2017, and tapped both men for information on the national side. By now he’d been linked the heart of opposition playmakers – but in tough-tackling, Ronaldo-stalking with Juventus, Inter, and Atletico Madrid, and Uruguayan Lucas Torreira, the Gunners may have finally found their man... scored his first goals – two long-range stunners – against Chievo in October. He had every reason to wonder if Tabarez had been n the post-war years, tinned steak and kidney pies from Fray The 2014-15 season changed Torreira’s role watching. His reward finally came in March Bentos were culinary cult heroes in Britain. Now the old factory as well as his diet. Youth coach Massimo Oddo, 2018, with a handful of outings for Uruguay in a tiny town on the Rio Uruguay is an eerie pile of iron and the former Lazio defender, thought him more from the bench in the China Cup. concrete, rust and dust. On July 1, the streets of Fray Bentos were terrier than trequartista. “By moving me into Torreira’s 2017-18 Serie A statistics speak of ghostly too, its 25,000 inhabitants hidden in bars watching local central midfield, Oddo changed my life,” says a creative ball-winner: in the top 10 for passes i boy Lucas Torreira do a job on Cristiano Ronaldo at the World Cup. Torreira. When Oddo became the first-team (9th), tackles (3rd), interceptions (6th) and fouls In the clubhouse at IA 18 de Julio, Torreira’s first team, grown men coach following Marco Baroni’s dismissal, the won (6th). “Perhaps it’s because we channel broke down in tears after Uruguay’s 2-1 last-16 victory, as the roads Uruguayan broke through too. our play through the middle, playing at high filled with flag-bearing, horn-tooting cars. The club posted a meme of Sampdoria had already spied and bought intensity,” he says of his role at the root of the Torreira lurking behind Ronaldo, whose neck sinews bulge with rage as Torreira in July 2015 but left him on loan at Blucerchiati’s attacks. “I touch the ball a lot, he pleads, “Do something, ref, please! He won’t stop following me!” Pescara, where he established himself in the and I’m quick to play a fast pass.” The win over Portugal was only Torreira’s second start for La Celeste. second half of 2015-16 as the Biancoazzurri At 5ft 6in, Torreira has borne the nickname By late last year he had almost given up hope of a call-up, afraid he’d gained promotion. Enano (dwarf) since boyhood, but regards his spent too long out of Uruguayan sight and minds. Fans and press had Inevitably, Samp pinched him straight back. stature as a bonus for a speedy operator in been haranguing coach Oscar Tabarez to pick him for months, fearful In Genoa, Torreira had a fellow fraybentino to congested midfields. His outsize performances he’d choose to represent Italy, where he had played since he was 17. help him settle. “It’s incredible there are two led one Italian paper to dub him “the little big But you’d need a laser to make Torreira forget his roots; he has the players from the same town in the team,” he man”. Torreira’s technique has been likened to 18 de Julio club crest tattooed on his right calf. When he scored for says. “It’s lovely for me – in Fray Bentos, Gaston Marco Verratti, while former Pescara assistant Sampdoria against Torino in February he held his fingers in a P shape, Ramirez was the image of the footballer who Marco Donatelli called him the best midfield dedicating the strike to Pichuri Rodriguez, his youth coach at the club. makes it as a pro. He was the idol of the town. tactician in Europe after Sergio Busquets. Torreira’s dad Ricardo was always determined Lucas’ talent would He gives me loads of advice.” The Uruguayans sum his role up nicely. They make it out of Fray Bentos and the Rio Negro regional league. Both he Torreira dined out with Ramirez and former call it the Pacman, harking back to a simpler and Lucas’s elder brother Claudio had successful trials in Montevideo, Bologna and Uruguay midfielder Ruso Perez time, and an era when a tinned pie was still but couldn’t afford to remain in the capital. “When it was Lucas’s turn, after Samp won the Genoa derby in November an honest British dinner. I promised myself it would be different,” says Ricardo. Lucas joined Montevideo Wanderers at 16. As well as a hotel job, his dad was holding down four spots as a radio commentator. Half of his salary went on subsistence money for his son. “Luckily Wanderers sent all of the kids from out of town to eat together, and I would bring a box to take some away for dinner,” reveals Lucas. me for the year I was in Montevideo.” And he needed it. “I’d been playing as a stri but the coach [Marcelo Piriz] played me as a w I learned to mark and to cover ground, becau I operated mainly in the box. [Piriz] helped me we’re still in touch. He means a lot to me.” Thanks to Wanderers’ partnership with Pesc Torreira travelled to Italy in December 2013 fo with the Serie B club, well known for its youth He played as a second striker in a 3-5-2 form His six-goal starring role in an international yo tournament won him the captaincy and a con his salary leaping from $2000 a month to €1 “We were like [fat Uruguayan carnival god] Momo – we ate what we liked,” says his dad. a long time we’d only eaten kebabs from the restaurant opposite the apartment because t cost $2.50!”

FourFourTwo September 2018 35 JESSE LInGARD JESSE LInGARD

Having Milly Rocked his way into a nation’s hearts with his showings for England in Russia, Jesse Lingard is back at Manchester United and now aiming to knock Manchester City off their perch

Interview Ben Welch Photography Duncan Elliott JESSE LInGARD

hard-to-please manager that he was reliable, Tunisia couldn’t cope with this strategy in dynamic and capable of turning a match with England’s opener, as Lingard found himself a moment of cunning streetwise finesse. loping into the penalty area unattended. “My mentality and confidence has helped,” Unfortunately his aim was off that day, but he tells FourFourTwo, speaking at the launch luckily Kane’s certainly wasn’t and England or the past 35 minutes Panama’s press gang have been of United’s new home kit. “The manager put snatched a 2-1 win. trying to kick, drag and wrestle England’s players down his trust in me and it got the best out of me. While Mourinho instilled belief in Lingard and to their level at the Nizhny Novgorod stadium in Russia. He’s played a huge part in my development.” helped him mature with added responsibility, It’s not going well – the Central Americans are losing He can also cite the influence of an all-time Southgate granted him the freedom to play 2-0 thanks to goals from Harry Kane and John Stones – great, who departed international football just with the trickery he honed on the street. but they’re not losing their appetite for brutality. as Lingard made his impact. “It feels like a new revolution – the manager Jesse Lingard’s bursts into dangerous areas, receiving “I’ve watched videos of Andres Iniesta and has come in with a great idea with the way he the ball on the turn and running at the opposition, have looked at how he plays,” he says. “I wouldn’t wants us to play,” explained Lingard. attracted special attention from Panamanian enforcers. say I have copied what he does, but I certainly “The formation suits us perfectly and the Gabriel Gomez has already tried to slow him down with look at him and want to take parts of his game team spirit is amazing – everyone has come an elbow more at home in an MMA cage. But, unfazed, and add them to mine. together and we’re really bonding.” Lingard keeps demanding the ball and keeps asking “I’ve always enjoyed with the ball This is all testament to Southgate and the questions of his stalkers. and collecting it in tight spaces, then trying to feel-good vibe he created around the England He finds some space in the left channel and makes make things happen. camp, which was so potent that it swept up a beeline for goal, playing a deft one-two with Raheem “He [Mourinho] moved me there [to No.10] an entire nation back home. Sterling on the edge of the penalty area. and I scored a few goals. I like to stay high up And this is where Mourinho could learn from But before Panama’s defenders can squash him like the pitch.” And that’s what he did in England’s Southgate, if the Portuguese is wise enough a scrap yard crusher, the 25-year-old curls a delicious 3-3-2-2 formation, playing alongside Dele Alli to choose humility over hubris. 25-yarder into the top-right corner, with keeper Jaime and behind Sterling and Kane. From the outside looking in, the atmosphere Penedo clutching at thin air. It’s one of the goals of the 2018 World Cup. Southgate instructed wing-backs Kieran at Old Trafford feels tense and prickly. Jose BBC co-commentator Danny Murphy can’t even muster a sentence, just Trippier and Ashley Young to push high up the likes to create a siege mentality with the aim “Aaaahhhhhh” like a soundbite from an adult movie. pitch and look for balls into Alli and Lingard, of galvanising a bunker-like temperament in Lingard sprints towards the England fans, trailed by his team-mates, running in behind the opposition’s back line. his teams, but that hasn’t worked at United. buying himself enough time to execute his signature ‘shoot dance’ and handcrafted ‘JLingz’ brand celebration. They let loose, they roar, they run riot: the Three Lions romp to a 6-1 victory and secure qualification from their group with a game to spare, their World Cup adventure now well underway. “It was an amazing feeling,” beams Lingard post-match. “From where I was to now… you know, you work hard for times like this so you’ve got to enjoy the moment. “It was similar to the goal I scored against Everton for Man United [in January 2018]. It was under my feet and I had to dig it out, and I knew from the flight of the ball it had a chance of going in.” Later Lingard tweets, “JLingz Has Arrived #ShootShootShoot #JLingz”. Accurate if not humble, Manchester United’s late bloomer had finally arrived on the world stage, and the performance, goal and jig against Panama were emblematic of the qualities he’s drawn upon to overcome setbacks and doubt throughout his career. But as England colleague and captain Kane – another late developer – will testify, the one-season wonder label is one you have to rip up with consistent displays at the top level. The summer is now over and the World Cup experience consigned to history. Time to move forward and focus on adding to his achievements by doing what other United legends have done before him: win trophies. Lots of them. Starting this season.

If Lingard is to add a Premier League winners’ medal to his collection, he’ll have to play his part in dethroning City and the mastermind of the Blues’ success – Pep Guardiola, the man some theorists say was behind England’s World Cup heroics. According to the Pep-lovin’ thesis, there’s a common denominator between countries impressing on international football’s biggest stage: in 2010 (Spain), 2014 (Germany) and 2018 (England), the Catalan was influencing the team’s core by coaching the domestic champions. Of course, hero of the hour Gareth Southgate might have something to say about the size of their influence, as will a certain Jose Mourinho – the man who unleashed Lingard in his favoured central role and handed him experience that helped him thrive in Southgate’s system. Last season Mourinho moved Lingard into the middle, behind Romelu Lukaku, and player repaid manager with 14 goals. At the start of the campaign Lingard looked like he was on borrowed time at Old Trafford, as an array of international stars laid claim to a slot on Mourinho’s team-sheet. Yet he stuck to his guns and convinced his

38 September 2018 FourFourTwo JESSE LInGARD

of Mourinho, this did rank as progress as United improved upon their 6th-placed finish from the previous campaign. Still, they ended 2017-18 empty-handed, losing the FA Cup final to Chelsea. Unable to lean back on an adventurous, entertaining style of play, Mourinho needs to have a rethink this season, and a phone call to Southgate about creating a “club-like atmosphere” at United would be a shrewd move. He must trust his men and let them play their natural Lingard justified the belief that Southgate had game, sacrificing defensive solidarity for some swashbuckling surges. placed in him before the tournament. In Lingard and Pogba he has two catalysts with a strong bond – not to Upon hearing the referee’s opening whistle, mention a propensity for celebrating in style. The dancing duo played the Warrington wonder flew out of the blocks together in the 2011 FA Youth Cup winning team, and Lingard is happy like a sprinter reacting to a starting pistol. to be reunited with the Frenchman. But it wasn’t all huff and puff – there was “We’re good mates,” he smiles when FFT asks about Pogba. “He came artfulness, too. He won a penalty and scored into the side at 16 and then went off to Juventus. We kept in touch, then a goal of world-class quality against Panama, obviously he came back to United and it’s been good since we started before crossing for Alli to finish Sweden off in playing and winning trophies together again.” the quarter-finals. Instead he’s created enemies within, publically They both have winners’ medals from the League Cup and Europa These acts of heroism in an England jersey castigating his players when the opposition League, but who’d pick up the gongs if it came to a dance off? “Me,” would have seemed incomprehensible back in have the audacity to stifle United, rather than exclaims Lingard without hesitation, almost surprised FFT dared to ask. April 2017, when he announced he’d penned submit to their grandeur. “He’s good though,” he quickly follows up. “It’s nice that we can just get a new four-year United deal on social media. Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and Luke that vibe off each other and have a laugh. It was great when Paul came Rage teemed from the fingertips of keyboard Shaw have all experienced public post-match back. He brought a lot of experience with him and it’s helped us.” warriors, with one responding, “After today’s pummelings, while $160 million Paul Pogba, While Pogba furthered his career in Italy, Lingard toiled at Old Trafford. performance [a 3-0 victory over Sunderland the marquee player among marquee players, He got sent out on four loans before finally making his first-team debut during which Lingard was substituted] I don’t clashed with his boss throughout last season under in 2014, aged 21, completing the pathway from know why they f**kin signed you”. over tactics, his performances and being left academy to Theatre of Dreams. Now look at him. How good does it feel to on the bench. “It was hard at first,” he admits. “But you realise you eventually get take a sledge-hammer to those keyboards? Lingard is one of the few to have prospered the rewards. Everything is a learning experience, you pick up things on “When I was first in the team I wasn’t really under the tempestuous Portuguese because the way and it all prepares you for when you’re older. scoring goals or having an impact,” he said. he has shown a willingness to comply with “There wasn’t ever a point I thought I’d missed my chance. United “Negativity comes with that and you have to the manager’s tactical instructions, displaying knew I was a late developer, and when I got to 23 you started seeing overcome it – you have to block it out. I’ve artistry and industry in equal measure. the real Jesse.” learnt I don’t care about other opinions – as Two years on, the real Jesse finished 2017-18 as one of the Red Devils’ long as I’m doing well on the pitch and the Bristling with conflict and shackled due to star performers, and raised his game to another level in Russia. manager’s happy, that’s all that matters. Mourinho’s penchant for pragmatism, United As part of an England collective that won the nations’ hearts with their “I just wanted to concentrate on football, came second in the Premier League last term, endeavour, bravery and eagerness to battle for one another, the Three and whatever game time I got I had to make 19 points behind champions City. In defence Lions, and the beer-throwing berks in pubs and parks across the country, sure I did well. And I got a lot of game time last season, scored goals and made assists, and as soon as you do that England will come calling. I’ve done well for England, too – now “THERE WASn’T EVER A POInT I FELT I just need to continue this form.” Right now, there’s maybe a young player in I’D MISSED MY CHAnCE. UnITED KnEW United’s academy feeling unsure of himself, who is aware of Lingard’s story and seen what he’s gone on to achieve. I WAS A LATE DEVELOPER, AnD WHEn I Manchester United’s No.14 knows this and wants to pass on what he’s learned during his circuitous journey to superstardom. GOT TO 23 YOU SAW THE REAL JESSE” “We’ve all got to be role models to younger players,” he explains. “I feel more established around the club now and the boys can relate bove Lingard and dance to the path I went on to get to United. They’re al Pogba celebrate 2017 always around the training ground so we can FL Cup success Far left give them tips on how they can improve.” sse brings out his best The best way to inspire is to lead, and Jesse oves after curling home plans to do it by lifting trophies. He doesn’t feel corker against Panama like he’s made it – he’s just getting started. “I’m still learning,” he says. “I want to keep playing in the big games, scoring goals on the biggest stage and testing myself. As a club, we are all motivated to win more trophies.” The summer was about Lingard’s England team-mates exceeding expectations, but from a low base. Now he’s home at Old Trafford where glory is only achieved through victory. Time to get to work.

Jesse Lingard wears adidas NEMEZIZ 18+ boots. Extreme agility for the Game Changer.

FourFourTwo September 2018 39 JORGE MEnDES “JORGE, WHEn ARE WOLVES SIGnInG CRISTIAnO?” Wolves’ return to the top flight was emphatic, but not without controversy – the exact nature of super-agent Jorge Mendes’ involvement with Wanderers has come under intense scrutiny

Words Andy Brassell

aving put a fair few noses out of joint while waltzing to the a torrent of transfer activity to take place before their Premier League Championship title last season, Wolverhampton Wanderers are opener against Everton on August 11 , it’s because they already look about to do it all over again in the Premier League. Prepare for like they’re on top of things. H some red-hot bickering. Few who watched Wolves during 2017-18 are in any doubt that The Molineux outfit seem set to establish themselves in the top they’re likely to rise above some of the top tier’s bottom-half dross. flight with some comfort in 2018-19, but with the influence of They’ve built on that momentum with the arrival of Raul Jimenez – renowned Portuguese super-agent Jorge Mendes again evident in the most expensive player ever purchased by a Portuguese club – on their transfer dealings, some familiar complaints – this time from loan from Benfica, and addition of Mendes client and Portugal No.1 newer rivals – are surely in the post. Rui Patricio from Sporting. Wolves have already been through this in the past year as their star Where Wanderers go from here is interesting, though. Onlookers soared. Eyebrows were raised following the $28 million acquisition across Europe are wondering what Mendes’ end game is in his close of feted midfield star Ruben Neves from Porto last summer, and the involvement with the three-time First Division champions. And the season’s home straight (by which time their Premier League return relationship is discernibly different to other clubs he’s had ties with, was a mere formality) was marked by complaints from competitors, like Benfica or Monaco, with an explicit link beyond that of preferred led by Leeds United owner Andrea Radrizzani. The Italian contacted clients. The closest comparison would be Spanish outfit Valencia, the FA, Premier League and Football League seeking clarification on bought by Mendes’ friend Peter Lim in 2014. the link between Mendes and the Midlanders. Nuno was named the manager and enjoyed an encouraging first The League’s subsequent investigation into Mendes’ involvement at season at Mestalla, returning the club to the Champions League with Molineux, which delivered its findings in late April, concluded that the the aid of new talent often sourced from Mendes-connected spots, super-agent “holds no role at the club”. such as Andre Gomes and Rodrigo. Many locals felt that this strong However, it is clear that there is a relationship. Fosun International, base wasn’t sufficiently built upon as the team subsequently sagged. Wolves’ owners, purchased a minority stake in Gestifute, Mendes’ The sensitivity of Valencia’s ownership to perceived negligence was player management agency, back in 2015. The club acknowledged underlined back in November. Via the club website, parent company this shortly after the appointment of manager Nuno Espirito Santo, Meriton delivered a stinging rebuke in a statement to their critics as Mendes’ first-ever client, at the start of Fosun’s second season in Los Che’s fortunes rose again under new coach Marcelino. It blasted charge. But Wolves were quick to clarify that Mendes was simply “fake fans” for spreading “fake news and lies” about the way the club “available as an adviser to the owners, in the same way that many was run. That the regime has globally improved Valencia’s position, other agents and influential figures in football are.” after years of crippling debt, is difficult to dispute. For now, Wanderers fans couldn’t be happier, and understandably The outlook for Wolves is different for number of reasons. Firstly, so. In that spectacular sophomore Fosun season they had style and despite their upward trajectory, it’s still hard to realistically envisage substance, and if the club has let it be known that they don’t expect them reaching the Champions League any time soon. What’s a lot easier to imagine is their best players attracting interest from other clubs in the division, and there are few better ways of making money in football than selling players between English sides. Neves could be a prime example. Should he come anywhere close to reprising his sensational debut English season in the top flight, he could be sold on for something north of $90m. As long as a decent amount of that money stays with the club, it’s hard to foresee too many objections. Monaco are perhaps the best example of a club that is essentially an elite-level player market but still a competitive concern, with manager Leonardo Jardim expertly reconstructing teams by developing new players as previous linchpins move on. Benfica are another club who consistently prove that selling prolifically and continuing to win are not mutually exclusive concepts. Resistance will undoubtedly be met, especially if Wolves really hit the ground running in the new Premier League campaign. They may well point to the example of Watford, with the Pozzo model upsetting traditionalists while largely working well. For Wolves, we may have to wait a few years to work out exactly where they’re going.

40 September 2018 FourFourTwo JORGE MEnDES

MOnACO AnD BEnFICA COnSISTEnTLY PROVE THAT SELLInG PROLIFICALLY AnD COnTInUInG TO WIn gamES ARE nOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE COnCEPTS nEW SIGnInGS

RUI PATRICIO Wolves | 30 | Goalkeeper

Cristiano Ronaldo isn’t the only Portugal player to have had a statue erected in his honour – Rui Patricio has one too. Fortunately for the new Wolves goalkeeper, his was made by a different sculptor. Whereas Ronaldo’s effigy is renowned for its squat appearance and the arresting bulge in its nether regions, Patricio’s is a work of art. The bronze sculpture, in home city Leiria, depicts his stunning one-handed save from Antoine Griezmann in the Euro 2016 Final. Patricio was a key element of Portugal’s Euro triumph, keeping four clean sheets and embellishing his reputation as a penalty specialist by brilliantly pushing away a Jakub Blaszczykowski spot-kick during a shootout win over Poland in the quarter-finals. His displays earned him a place in the team of the tournament. Patricio was a tall child and played as a striker. He joined Sporting’s celebrated academy at the age of 12 and made an eye-catching first-team debut against Maritimo in 2006, saving a penalty in a 1-0 win. He went on to make more than 450 outings for Sporting and became an iconic figure, choruses of “Ruuuuiiiiiii!” echoing around Estadio Jose Alvalade each time he made a big save. But his 18-year association with the club came to a sad end when he and several other players controversially terminated their deals The transfer window will ‘slam shut’ two weeks last term, after being attacked by fans at Sporting’s training ground earlier for Premier League clubs this off-season, following the team’s failure to qualify for the Champions League. Commanding and quick off his line, Patricio has shed a reputation meaning not even the notable distraction of the for making mistakes in big games and is renowned for his ability in World Cup has stopped the cash being splashed one-on-ones. The presence of so many other Portuguese players at Wolves should expedite his integration and, at the age of 30, the best years of his career may still be ahead of him. Words Nick Miller, Tom Williams nEW SIGnInGS

FRED SOKRATIS PAPASTATHOPOULOS Manchester United | 25 | Midfielder Arsenal | 30 | Defender

Paul Pogba could be the chief beneficiary of Manchester United’s Big name, big man. If there’s any one thing that signifies a change in move to sign Brazil international Fred (pronounced ‘Frayzhe’ in his Arsenal’s recent transfer policy, it’s their willingness to spend nearly homeland). The 25-year-old midfielder pairs battling qualities with $32 million on a 30-year-old centre-back. But clearly the Gunners a huge work rate – if deployed alongside Nemanja Matic, he should wanted someone with a little experience and authority – and fitting afford Pogba the licence to roam he so craves. with the loose policy of ‘Dortmundification’ that has emerged since Quick and skilful, Fred is a box-to-box central midfielder in the Sven Mislintat took over transfer dealings – Sokratis seemed the Fernandinho mould. He is particularly adept at whisking the ball logical choice to follow Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Henrikh away from opponents and springing his team into attack with Mkhitaryan to north London. speedy passes. Good in tight spaces and blessed with clever feet, He’s arguably been Dortmund’s best defender over the last few he uses his body well to protect the ball and is fiendishly difficult seasons, but like many of his Westfalenstadion pals, he wasn’t best to dispossess despite a slender 5ft 7in frame. served by the madness that surrounded the club last term. Quietly Although he favours his left foot, he’s very comfortable playing the spoken off the pitch, the Greek is an entirely different beast when he ball with his right. He scored a magnificent free-kick against Roma in crosses the white line. last season’s Champions League but has never been a goalscorer – “He’s a little obsessed with defending,” explained his former coach 2017-18’s haul of three league goals represented the best return of Thomas Tuchel. “He wants to protect the goal-line no matter what.” his five-year spell at Shakhtar Donetsk. With Laurent Koscielny set to miss the start of the season due to an Fred grew up in the Venda Nova neighbourhood of Belo Horizonte. Achilles injury, new Arsenal boss Unai Emery will look to Sokratis to He started playing the game at a football school run by former Brazil shepherd one of the younger defenders likely to play alongside him. international Eder Aleixo and joined local club Atletico Mineiro at the One thing that might endear him to Arsenal fans is the story of age of 10. After a spell at Porto Alegre, he began his senior career at how he once grabbed West Ham forward Marko Arnautovic round Internacional, where he would fall under the influential stewardship the throat in a training ground set-to, while the pair were at Werder of Dunga. The former Brazil captain helped transform Fred into what Bremen. For Gooners still haunted by Graeme Souness’s old line Brazilians call a faz tudo (‘do-everything’), and when Dunga became about them being a team of son-in-laws, this might provide some coach of the Selecao in 2014, he brought his protege into the fold. reassurance that the new-look Arsenal has a bit more of an edge. Fred was taken to the World Cup by Tite, Dunga’s successor, despite Plus, if you’re the sort of person who cares about modern players not playing a minute of Brazil’s qualifying campaign, but didn’t get not being gaudy and flashy, after joining Dortmund Sokratis turned an opportunity to add to his eight caps. up for pre-season training in a Fiat 500.

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KEn SEMA Watford | 24 | Winger Leicester | 21 | Midfielder

Arsenal’s defenders will need no introduction to Watford new boy Theories are, by their very nature, not always proven to be entirely Ken Sema. The pacy winger produced a dazzling performance as accurate – football history is, after all, littered with propositions that Ostersund threatened to pull off a sensational upset at the Emirates have been emphatically debunked. Stadium in last season’s Europa League last 32, giving Hector Bellerin But in theory, Leicester should be the ideal move for an ambitious a torrid time and utterly bamboozling Calum Chambers en route to young player moving from the Championship to the Premier League, scoring the Swedish side’s second goal. Arsenal progressed despite particularly in the case of James Maddison. The livewire No.10 has losing 2-1 on the night, but Bellerin & Co. won’t relish the prospect of joined a club where he’s likely to get plenty of football, and one with a reunion with Sema when the Hornets visit north London on the last a creative vacancy after Riyad Mahrez’s move to Manchester City. weekend in September. Maddison has been marked out as a star ever since his early days Sema is quick, powerfully built and absolutely loves a stepover. The at Coventry, where he became good friends with Joe Cole, whom he 24-year-old can play on both flanks, although his reliance on his left apparently badgered for constant advice. A move to Norwich didn’t foot means that when he is deployed on the right he must cut inside go brilliantly at first, Maddison’s natural confidence spilling over into to look for a pass or in-swinging cross. He likes defenders to get close something less productive. After a loan spell at Aberdeen he returned to him, trusting in his combination of strength and trickery to get last summer with a renewed focus and clearer attitude, described by past them. A favoured tactic is to roll full-backs in wide areas and one observer as “real boy-to-man stuff”. It resulted in him blossoming get to the byline before playing low cut-backs into the box. into a player Leicester deemed worthy of $40m. Sema was born in Sweden to Congolese parents and came through And while that looks like a hefty fee for someone who has never the youth system at local club IFK Norrkoping. Ken’s elder brother, played above the Championship, anyone who has seen him perform Maic, is also a professional footballer. Sema had to drop down to the will tell you the potential is there to justify the outlay. Swedish second tier in search of regular playing time, spending two One of the things that suggests he’ll handle the step up in quality seasons at Ljungskile before being given a chance in the top-level is his ability in tight situations: his combination of outstanding close by Ostersund, where he blossomed under the orders of control, speed of thought and decision-making indicates he’ll cope new Swansea manager Graham Potter. with the ludicrously short amount of time Premier League midfielders He starred in the 2017 Swedish Cup Final, setting up three goals in are often allowed on the ball. However, the 21-year-old shouldn’t be a 4-1 win over old club Norrkoping, and was a standout performer in regarded as a direct replacement for Mahrez, and there are areas of last term’s Europa League campaign. Capped five times by Sweden, his game he can improve, but Leicester might just be the place where he narrowly missed out on a place in their World Cup squad. a talent like Maddison’s can flourish.

44 September 2018 FourFourTwo nEW SIGnInGS

DAVID BROOKS VICEnTE GUAITA Bournemouth | 21 | Midfielder Crystal Palace | 31 | Goalkeeper

Last season’s Sheffield derby was one of the most intense games of Palace struck a deal to sign Vicente Guaita in February after Getafe the campaign, a febrile atmosphere in the stands and a frantic pace refused to cede him to the south London club during the January on the pitch making clear thought almost impossible. In the second transfer window. The 31-year-old former Valencia goalkeeper will half David Brooks, United’s 20-year-old midfielder, got the ball on compete for a starting place with and Julian the left flank and was knocked to one knee by Wednesday’s robust Speroni, both of whom have signed new contracts at Selhurst Park. full-back Jack Hunt. Seemingly in one movement, Brooks got back Guaita has been learning English since last Christmas and has been to his feet, spun around and nutmegged Hunt. In that split second, getting help with the language from Speroni. Brooks encapsulated why so many people at Bramall Lane were so Guaita stands 6ft 3in and claims high balls with authority, which excited about the prospects for this lithe, inventive playmaker. should equip him well for the rough-and-tumble of the Premier Born in Warrington, Brooks was part of Manchester City’s academy. League. A graduate of Valencia’s youth system, he got his big break However, his opportunities for progression were limited, so he left at in the 2009-10 campaign when, aged 22, he spent a season on loan the age of 16 and was recommended to the Blades. There, Brooks at Recreativo in the Segunda Division. He conceded only 24 goals in made his first-team debut in August 2016, then spent much of the 30 outings and was awarded the division’s Zamora Trophy, given to following season with the senior squad, even if he didn’t play that the goalkeeper with the best goals-to-games ratio. often. His chances were hampered by United’s promotion push (had Despite his impressive form at Recreativo, injuries and competition they been a mid-table team, he would have played much more), but for places prevented him from installing himself durably in Los Che’s manager Chris Wilder credits that spell, plus training and travelling first team upon his return to Mestalla, and he left for Getafe in 2014. with the first-team players, as a significant part of his development. After taking part in successive relegation and promotion seasons, Brooks only started nine games last season, largely because he Guaita produced the best campaign of his career to date in 2017-18. never fully recovered from a bout of glandular fever at the turn of He kept 12 clean sheets to help the team from the Madrid suburbs the year. Wilder was planning to build a team around Brooks this finish 8th in La Liga. season, but Bournemouth’s bid of around $20 million was too high Guaita repelled 76 per cent of the shots that he faced across the to refuse. Brooks played for England at the 2017 Toulon tournament, campaign – bettered only by Atletico Madrid’s Jan Oblak, Barcelona’s but has since committed to Wales (he qualifies through his mother) Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Valencia’s Neto – and became the first and made his debut for the senior side against France in November. La Liga custodian to stop Barcelona scoring in 2017-18 when Getafe Lewis Cook has flourished at Bournemouth after graduating from secured a 0-0 draw at Camp Nou in February. He also notably once the Championship, and Brooks could be the next down that path. saved a penalty taken by Lionel Messi… albeit in a 6-0 defeat.

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nABY KEITA JEAn MICHAEL SERI Liverpool | 23 | Midfielder Fulham | 27 | Midfielder

If coming up against Liverpool’s asphyxiating counter-pressing was Jean Michael Seri was on the brink of joining Barcelona during the an unpleasant experience for opposition sides last season, the summer of 2017, so it’s a real coup for Fulham that he’ll be trotting addition of Naby Keita to their ranks is not going to make things any out at Craven Cottage this season. The collapse of Seri’s mooted more bearable. The all-action Guinea captain will add some extra $65 million move to Camp Nou prompted angry recriminations, with dynamism and directness to Liverpool’s play, both in front of their Seri accusing Nice of asking for too much money, his agent claiming back four and further up the pitch. Keita, 23, has been compared to that Paris Saint-Germain had tabled an unhelpful counter-offer, and N’Golo Kante, but he is a more creative player than the Frenchman. Nice suggesting it was Barça who had pulled the plug. Seri admitted Opponents who seek to close him down are liable to be neatly that he had been “really hurt” by the sequence of events, and his sidestepped or to have the ball nonchalantly popped between their performance level dipped in the months that followed. legs, and Keita packs a punch in the final third, scoring 14 goals over Seri was a revelation in his first two campaigns at Nice, setting the the course of his two campaigns in the Bundesliga with RB Leipzig. attack-minded side’s tempo from his deep-lying midfield position Like Kante, Keita cut his teeth as a professional footballer in and helping the club finish 4th and then 3rd in . His standout France’s second tier. He started out at hometown club Horoya and campaign was 2016-17, when he scored seven goals, provided 10 had unsuccessful trials with Lorient and Le Mans before making it assists and earned a place in Ligue 1’s Team of the Season. third time lucky with Istres. He got his taste of first-team football in Seri grew up in Grand-Bereby, a coastal town close to Ivory Coast’s the 2013-14 season, when Istres played in alongside Kante’s border with Liberia, and kicked off his senior career at the prestigious Caen. Istres were relegated, but Keita did enough to earn a move to ASEC Mimosas. He joined Porto on loan in 2012 and spent a season Red Bull Salzburg, where his career took off. He won an Austrian in their B team before a move to Pacos de Ferreira allowed him to league and cup double in both of his two seasons in Salzburg and sample top-level European action for the first time. He departed for was named the Austrian Bundesliga’s Player of the Year in 2016. Nice in 2015 and made his international debut three months later. Keita’s move to Liverpool will reunite him with Sadio Mané, who A short, bustling figure (he’s 168cm), Seri has immense belief in his helped him settle in Salzburg before his own exit for Southampton. ability to outfox opponents deep inside his own half, and exhibits Keita has described the Senegal international as a “big brother”. excellent awareness of his team-mates’ positioning, regularly setting As the inheritor of ’s No.8 shirt, Keita can expect attacks in motion with clever first-time flicks. Whether he succeeds plenty of scrutiny, but comparisons with midfield greats are nothing in the Premier League or not, Fulham fans can expect to see plenty new: he was nicknamed ‘Deco’ by his father, Sekou, and refers to of him – he topped the Ligue 1 charts for passes attempted and himself as ‘Naby Deco Keita’ on his Instagram account. passes completed in each of the past two seasons.

46 September 2018 FourFourTwo nEW SIGnInGS

STUART ARMSTROnG AnDRIY YARMOLEnKO Southampton | 26 | Midfielder West Ham | 28 | Winger

Southampton paid $12,000,175 for Stuart Armstrong: $12m for the Regular readers of English transfer gossip columns will be familiar player, and $175 for his song. After Saints used a chant Celtic fans with the name Andriy Yarmolenko, because he’s seemingly been had dreamt up for Armstrong – which compliments his “fine” hair a rumour mill regular for years. Mooted moves to Everton, Spurs and ability to “score belters all the time” – when announcing the and plenty more Premier League teams didn’t emerge, and after midfielder’s arrival at St Mary’s on their Instagram, Celtic requested spending most of his career at Dynamo Kiev, he moved to Borussia a donation to their foundation as compensation. Southampton duly Dortmund as they tried to fill the gap left by Ousmane Dembele last obliged, and some great social media bonhomie was enjoyed by all. summer. But he became obsolete quite quickly: Dortmund already But beyond such banter, Saints might have snagged yet another had Mario Gotze, Marco Reus, Christian Pulisic and Andre Schurrle, bargain from Celtic. After Virgil van Dijk and Victor Wanyama made so after a bright start, he fizzled out and drifted away from the first the journey from Glasgow to the south coast, excelling then moving team. An Achilles injury suffered in February didn’t help, so you can on for a handsome profit, might Armstrong be the next? He’s been see why he diplomatically called his year there “tough”. on Southampton’s radar for some time, with fees of anything up to But after a lost season, he could still prove a very handy signing for $18 million mentioned in the gossip pages last summer. He scored West Ham, whose decisive transfer business this summer was in plenty of eye-catching goals in Scotland, as a player unafraid to try stark contrast to the dithering that set them on a bad path last year. his luck from way out, but he also has that marvellous ability to time A strong, physical winger (he’s 191cm) who is very left-footed but late runs into the box perfectly and get on the end of crosses and generally plays from the right, Yarmolenko is tough and direct in all pick up second balls. of the right ways. He scores goals too: he reached double figures in After a tricky beginning to his time at Celtic Park following his move seven straight seasons for Kiev, once breaching the 20 mark. from Dundee United, Armstrong flourished under Brendan Rodgers. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Sergei Rebrov has proved a key figure in A fine 2016-17 attracted attention from more than just St Mary's, Yarmolenko’s life: he was his coach for three years in Kiev, and when although last season was disrupted by injuries and spells of patchy the time came for him to move this summer, it was Rebrov who the form. Rodgers, though, remains a fan.“He is physically very good,” winger called for advice. However, in his early years it wasn’t Rebrov said the Celtic boss after the move was completed. “You need to to whom he was compared, rather the Spurs flop’s old strike partner. have good physicality to play in the Premier League down south and When Yarmolenko was coming through the Kiev ranks, former coach he has got that. He has good power and good speed. But what sets Anatoly Demyanenko declared they'd discovered “the second Andriy him apart from a lot of midfield players is he has an instinct to arrive Shevchenko”. West Ham might not be getting another Sheva, but if in the box and score.” they get just a fraction of that, it'll be money well spent.

FourFourTwo September 2018 47 PREMIER LEAGUE

It’s been a decade since a team defended the title – and although the competition is stronger than ever, Pep’s Manchester City side look like dynasty material was in situ early enough to freshen up his squad with a host of intriguing signings. Can Stephan Lichtsteiner, Lucas Torreira, Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Bernd Manchester City may have won last season’s up to the final weekend – more than any other club), Leno fire the Gunners back into contention? Premier League title at a canter, but manager Pep early-season fatigue could potentially be a problem Leicester are perhaps best placed to smash the glass Guardiola certainly didn’t think it was a breeze. for Mauricio Pochettino’s boys. ceiling and make a return to Europe, although they’ll In fact, he insisted winning the league in England Chelsea have shelved their own new stadium plans miss the creative mastery of Riyad Mahrez following was tougher than doing so in Germany or Spain. after a summer of upheaval that eventually involved the Algerian’s move to Man City. Everton and West “Here, it’s more difficult,” the former Bayern Munich 2016-17 title-winning coach Antonio Conte clearing Ham – under new managers Marco Silva and Manuel and Barcelona boss said after City sealed their third his desk just a few days into pre-season, and former Pellegrini – will also be aiming for Europe. Premier League crown in seven seasons. “In England, Napoli supremo Maurizio Sarri plonking his paperwork In terms of newcomers, both Wolves and Fulham it’s special because it’s so tough,” he added, citing the down a day later. Will the Blues continue their recent appear well-equipped to avoid an immediate return “huge contenders and the quality” in the division. trend of alternating between underwhelming and to the second tier. Fellow promotees Cardiff look like Liverpool gaffer Jurgen Klopp (below) – a two-time highly-successful seasons? having a tougher time of it, though. If Neil Warnock Bundesliga title-winner at Borussia Dortmund – may Arsenal made their managerial change far more can keep the Bluebirds soaring in the top flight for agree with Pep’s prognosis. The German’s Reds were quickly (well, if you ignore the five years of ‘Wenger more than 12 months, it’ll be a managerial feat that often scintillating last season, but they finished up in Out’ that came first). Former Sevilla boss Unai Emery would impress even Guardiola. 4th thanks in part to some poor results against the division’s supposedly weaker sides. Yet their summer transfer activity, including the acquisitions of midfield duo Fabinho and Naby Keita and attacker Xherdan Shaqiri, would suggest the Merseysiders are perhaps the most likely to deny City a second successive title. Manchester United will have plenty to say about that, of course – although they’ll need to hope Jose Mourinho’s third season at Old Trafford doesn’t go the way his third campaign at previous clubs. The wheels have often come off his sides by that stage, and it’s not entirely inconceivable that could happen again. Spurs may be happily back home in N17 (after one more game at Wembley), but there may be cause for concern in the early weeks of the season. With so many of their stars ‘going deep’ at the World Cup (they had nine players involved in the competition

48 September 2018 FourFourTwo SEASOn PREVIEW WHO WILL FInISH AS TOP SCORER?

2018-19 2/1 9/2 13/2 8/1 10/1 40/1

PREDICTIOn HARRY MOHAMED SERGIO ROMELU GABRIEL OLIVIER KANE SALAH AGUERO LUKAKU JESUS GIROUD 1. Man City 2. Liverpool 3. Man United 4. Spurs 5. Chelsea WHO WILL BE RELEGATED? 6. Arsenal 7. Leicester 8. Everton 9. West Ham 10. Wolves 11. Crystal Palace 12. Burnley 13. Newcastle GET INVOLVED 8/132/1 5/1 14. Fulham TWEET US 15. Southampton USING THE CARDIFF BRIGHTON BOURNEMOUTH 16. Bournemouth HASHTAG The Bluebirds are back, Survival last term was A slight surprise, maybe, 17. Watford but it’s unlikely to be for secured fairly easily, but but the majority of the 18. Brighton #FFTPREVIEW long. Every bookmaker the second season can Cherries’ squad remains 19. Huddersfield has Neil Warnock’s men often prove a struggle. from the Championship, 20. Cardiff as odds-on to go down. They must start well. only four years older.

FourFourTwo September 2018 49 PREMIER LEAGUE 2018-19 ARSEnAL

LAST SEASON PREMIER LEAGUE 6th FA CUP Third Round LEAGUE CUP Runners-up EUROPA LEAGUE Semi-final TOP SCORER (ALL COMPS) Alexandre Lacazette (17)

coach Max Allegri or ex-Gunners such as . But a glance over Unai Emery’s CV suggests he might WILL UnAI EMERY BE AnYTHInG be the perfect candidate to pilot this new scheme. First and foremost, he’s a winner: three consecutive Europa League victories with Sevilla took him to PSG, where he won seven domestic pots in two campaigns. MORE THAn A SHORT-TERM FIX? It was his inability to manage an unruly squad that contributed to Champions League failure and When you swap your manager of 22 years’ Arsene Wenger blocked his efforts. The Frenchman’s ultimately his departure from the French capital. uninterrupted employment for a chap taking his exit this year, following his team’s sixth-placed finish A group of egocentric megastars may not have been seventh job, in a fourth different country, it’s going in the Premier League, allowed Gazidis to complete receptive to Emery’s approach, but other former to be seen as a temporary solution. And yet it isn’t. his project at last. He had already brought his coalition troops of his describe the Basque boss as ‘meticulous’, The complete restructuring of the Arsenal hierarchy of experts to the Emirates – namely Raul Sanllehi ‘obsessive’ and ‘an extraordinary motivator’ who likes is part of chief executive Ivan Gazidis’ long-term plan. (head of football relations), Huss Fahmy (legal and to stimulate his players with inspirational videos. This shift from an all-powerful leader to a continental commercial specialist), Darren Burgess (head of high In north London he will find a group of players open structure, in which a cadre of industry leaders share performance) and Sven Mislintat (head of recruitment) to new ideas, having stagnated somewhat under responsibilities, lends itself to brief managerial cycles. – to assist the new head coach and revamp the squad; Wenger’s lingering stewardship. If those players The club’s structures and philosophy remain constant, he just needed to find the right frontman. respond well to this much-needed change, Arsenal and the manager or coach slots in to lead the players. Had you asked Arsenal supporters who they wanted have a chance of returning to Europe’s top table. Gazidis had been trying to implement this change to succeed Wenger, the responses would have been But whether Emery is in it for the long haul or the for a while but, desperate to retain his omnipotence, a mix of European heavyweights such as Juventus short term, he has a to-do list packed with problems...

50 September 2018 FourFourTwo SEASOn PREVIEW FIVE-POInT PLAn KEY PLAYER SHOW THEM WHO’S BOSS PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG FIXTURES Wenger made players responsible Goals! Ten of them in 13 league matches after for their own performance. Some of his $110m January move from Dortmund – only AUGUST 1 his stars repaid him with lacklustre and Alexandre Lacazette scored 13 Man City (H) displays, safe in the knowledge that he more across the whole season. Emery needs the 19 Chelsea (A) wouldn’t punish them. Emery (left) jet-heeled forward to continue where he left off. 26 West Ham (H) needs to lay down the law early: either SEPTEMBER get on board and follow the blueprint, 2 Cardiff (A) or be shipped out, regardless of stature. 16 Newcastle (A) 24 Everton (H) PREMIER LEAGUE 2017-18 ORGANISE THE DEFENCE 30 Watford (H) Last season, Arsenal conceded 51 OCTOBER goals – their most since 1983-84. THE nUMBER CRUnCHER 7 Fulham (A) 2 On a limited budget, Emery has to 21 Leicester (H) maximise what he’s got. Organise the W15 28 Crystal Palace (A) back line, then implement intensive NOVEMBER pressing across the pitch, to alleviate 4 Liverpool (H) the pressure on a defence often left 11 Wolves (H) isolated by an attack-minded midfield. 25 Bournemouth (A) D2 L2 15 GOALS DECEMBER ENTICE BACK THE FANS SCORED 2 Tottenham (H) Swathes of empty seats inside the HOME FROM SET CONCEDED 5 Man United (A) Emirates hurt the team, the club’s RECORD PIECES 9 Huddersfield (H) 3 global reputation and the board’s 7 16 Southampton (A) bottom line. A sequence of poor results 23 Burnley (H) TOTAL GAMES: 38 took the sting out of the Wenger In/Out 27 Brighton (A) debate as both camps turned apathetic 30 Liverpool (A) towards the players. If Emery is able to AWAY JANUARY provoke exciting performances out of 2 Fulham (H) his men, then the fans will return and RECORD 13 West Ham (A) Brand Arsenal will be in good shape. DISCIPLInE 20 Chelsea (H) D4 30 Cardiff (H) REBUILD THE SQUAD L11 W4 FEBRUARY Over the past 12 months Wojciech 3 Man City (H) Szczesny, Per Mertesacker, Kieran 57 10 Huddersfield (A) 4 Gibbs, Gabriel Paulista, Francis 2 24 Southampton (H) Coquelin, Santi Cazorla, Jack Wilshere, 27 Bournemouth (H) MARCH

Theo Walcott, Alexis Sanchez, Alex HALF-TIME WHEn GOALS 13 Oxlade-Chamberlain and Olivier Giroud 11 8 11 3 Tottenham (A) have all left the club or retired, leaving THEY 16 10 Man United (H) holes in the squad. With only £50m in 15 17 Wolves (A) the kitty, Emery must invest wisely. SCORED 0-15 16-30 31-4546-60 61-75 76-90 31 Newcastle (H) Bolstering the defence by recruiting APRIL Bayer Leverkusen keeper Bernd Leno, 7 Everton (A) Juventus full-back Stephan Lichtsteiner 14 Watford (A) and Borussia Dortmund centre-back 21 Crystal Palace (H) Sokratis Papastathopoulos is step one. 28 Leicester (A) MAY BE TACTICALLY FLEXIBLE 5 Brighton (H) Wenger’s Gunners could often be VIEW FROM THE STAnDS 13 Burnley (A) one-dimensional and defensively 5 naive. Their inability to adapt was TIM STILLMAN, ARSEBLOG.COM partly responsible for Arsenal picking up just 16 points away from home in This season will be different The opposition player I secretly This season we will finish 4th. 2017-18 – fewer than half of the league to last because everything is admire is Manchester United’s and less than half of Tottenham’s road different now! As well as a new Marcus Rashford. I would commit FFT asks: Would you rather have return. Emery will try to make them manager and his coaching staff, evil deeds to bring him to N5. seen Mikel Arteta hired instead more streetwise, capable of dominating there’s been big player turnover of Unai Emery? I did board the possession but also of hitting teams on in the past 12 months with lots The best away ground is Craven Arteta hype train, not necessarily the break when they’re on the back foot. of long-serving players leaving. Cottage. It’s the best ground in because I thought it’d definitely the country. I was delighted to work but because it was so new Our most underrated player is see Fulham promoted again. and exciting and leftfield. Arsenal Granit Xhaka. Reputations are have had quite a few groundhog difficult to shift and he has made One change I’d make at our club seasons of late but this is a logical, FFT VERDICT high-profile mistakes in the past, is to redesign the crest. I embrace sensible appointment. If I were A season of rebuilding, but he has worked hard on ironing change, but we have had it for an executive making the decision, TH and another good stab out some of his flaws. I think he 16 years and it still looks to me as I wouldn’t have thought twice 6 at the Europa League. will be a key player in the future. if it was knocked up on MS Paint. about taking Emery over Arteta.

FourFourTwo September 2018 51 PREMIER LEAGUE 2018-19 BRn H

being that he is lured away and the wheels fall off, should the club go all out to secure some silverware? It’s an old-fashioned whinge in an era where SHOULD THEY GO ALL OUT calculator-clutchers in the boardroom can’t see past the zillions that Premier League safety ensures. But Howe’s men look capable of breaking another duck for the club by putting something really TO WIn A TROPHY? significant in the trophy cabinet (with no disrespect meant to their 1984 Football League Trophy win). In a number of ways, Bournemouth’s relatively fewer goals themselves, they conceded 61 instead The Cherries do, after all, have a never-say-die quiet 12th-place finish last term was more of 67. They’re still a better proposition going forward attitude: they won 18 points after going behind in impressive than their stunning second season in than they are in defence, as only West Ham, Stoke a game – the most in the top flight – and their away the Premier League, when they ended up in ninth. and Watford conceded more often, but collectivism form was superior to top-half Arsenal and Everton. In 2016-17, they defied expectations by posting and application allowed the Cherries to overcome Howe often talks about leaving a legacy over the the highest league position in the club’s history, and teams with far more star quality. If the defenders next few decades, and the Premier League cash will doing it with positive, fun, even gung-ho football. who got them here in 2015 can cut out an increasing fund a new stadium and training ground soon. The Maintaining a mid-table berth, however, without the number of brain farts – yes, you, Simon Francis and exciting purchase of 21-year-old David Brooks for impetus of making history and with rivals knowing Steve Cook – then Bournemouth can be sturdier still. an eight-figure fee shows the manager is looking what to expect from them, showed it was no fluke. Maintaining mid-table stability is paramount, but towards the future. A legacy of success from an Last season, the good ship Bournemouth became the question remains: with manager Eddie Howe FA Cup or League Cup triumph, however, and they slightly – slightly – less leaky: while they scored being their prize asset, and the natural concern will need extra funds left over for a statue or two.

52 September 2018 FourFourTwo SEASOn PREVIEW FIVE-POInT PLAn Y PLAYER BECOME BETTER ON THE TURN WIS COOK FIXTURES The Cherries consistently lost aerial an injury-hit first year on the south coast, duels to most opponents last season 21, showed in 2017-18 just how technically AUGUST 1 and were vulnerable to through-ball d he is. His midfield displays in the Premier 12 Cardiff (H) attacks, which caught them out all too ue won him an England cap against Italy in 19 West Ham (A) often. These two defensive frailties h and a place on the World Cup standby list. 26 Everton (H) merit plenty of training-ground drills. SEPTEMBER 2 Chelsea (A) KEEP BEGOVIC ON HIS TOES 16 Leicester (H) 23 Burnley (A) Asmir Begovic was regarded as an PREMIER LEAGUE 2017-18 excellent addition when he arrived OCTOBER 2 from Chelsea for $15m but he 2 Crystal Palace (H) struggled a bit, making errors that were THE nUMBER CRUnCHER 7 Watford (A) uncharacteristic of his career up to now. 21 Southampton (H) That must have irked Howe as he tried 28 Fulham (A) to address Bournemouth’s loose back NOVEMBER line. They’ve just shipped out three 4 Man United (H) W7 goalkeepers, but Artur Boruc remains 11 Newcastle (A) and can keep the big Bosnian honest. L7 D5 25 Arsenal (H) 16 GOALS DECEMBER STAY STEADY, EDDIE SCORED 2 Man City (A) Howe keeps his head when others HOME FROM SET CONCEDED 5 Huddersfield (H) are losing theirs, be it during a bad RECORD PIECES 9 Liverpool (H) 3 February slump in their second 11 16 Wolves (A) Premier League campaign or a false 23 Brighton (H) TOTAL GAMES: 38 start to 2017-18 (the Cherries lost their 27 Tottenham (A) first four and also spent Christmas in 30 Man United (A) the relegation zone). He has remained AWAY JANUARY sane by sticking to his own philosophy, 2 Watford (H) saying: “You are often one result away RECORD 13 Everton (A) from a crisis, but I am a firm believer DISCIPLInE 20 West Ham (H) in doing the right things – the luck 30 Chelsea (H) L9 D6 changes.” Whatever unfolds this time, W4 FEBRUARY don’t expect a knee-jerk reaction. 3 Cardiff (A) 55 1 10 Liverpool (A) START MATCHES STRONGER 24 Wolves (H) This is easier said than done; it’s 27 Arsenal (A) MARCH about as helpful as saying, “Try HALF-TIME GOALS 14 4 scoring more goals”. But Howe’s WHEn 9 11 3 Man City (H) men do make life harder for themselves THEY 44 3 10 Huddersfield (A) by regularly falling behind in games: 23 17 Newcastle (H) times last season, they conceded first. SCORED 0-15 16-30 31-4546-60 61-75 76-90 31 Leicester (A) The way they kept bouncing back did APRIL showcase their spirit – impressively, 7 Burnley (H) they lost only 13 of those games – but 14 Brighton (A) ironing out issues around concentration 21 Fulham (H) early doors would save them the bother. 28 Southampton (A) MAY KEEP HOME ADVANTAGE 5 Tottenham (H) Howe believes the club must build VIEW FROM THE STAnDS 13 Crystal Palace (A) that bigger stadium if they are 5 to continue pulling off miracles CHRIS LINES, @NARROWTHEANGLE and create a legacy of their top-flight adventure, however long it lasts. Still, This season will be different to Keep an eye out for . Our most underrated player is while they are at their 11,400-capacity last because the Premier League His substitute cameos became – incredible work rate. ground (a new 2,400-stand was only looks the strongest it’s been in our steadily more impressive last term. erected in 2013), they may as well four seasons at this level. There’ll He joined the club in 2016 but this Our pantomime villain is Colin use it to their advantage. Maintaining be no margin for error this year. could be the season in which the W***er at Cardiff, of course... a fierce cup-tie atmosphere can boost 22-year-old gets a run of starts. a team that is already big on unity. Fans of other clubs might not This season we will finish 14th. know that our manager is a big Save the date for when we play fan of A-Ha’s music. champions Man City at the Etihad FFT asks: How important is it to on December 1. They have beaten move away from Dean Court? If The opposition players I secretly us by a four-goal margin in each we don’t want the past few years FFT VERDICT admire are mainly Spurs players, of our three Premier League visits to be a flash in the pan, we need They haven’t invested as it seems. Harry Kane, Dele Alli, (4-0, 4-0 and 5-1) so a 3-0 defeat a bigger stadium to keep the club TH heavily as their rivals, and Mousa Dembele and Christian there this season would represent in the top two divisions – ideally 16 that could prove costly. Eriksen are all ridiculously good. progress of sorts... the top one – in the years ahead.

FourFourTwo September 2018 53 PREMIER LEAGUE 2018-19 BRIGH

LAST SEASON PREMIER LEAGUE 15th FA CUP Quarter-final LEAGUE CUP Third Roun TOP SCORER (ALL COM Glenn Murray (14)

fortunate to remain largely injury-free last season. When more than a couple of first-choice players are HOW CAn THE SEAGULLS AVOID unavailable, however, things look a bit threadbare. Keeping fringe players content while improving the Seagulls’ strength in depth looks like being one of ’s biggest tasks – two goalkeepers and SECOnD-SEASOn SYnDROME? both of 2017-18’s back-up centre-backs have left in search of first-team football. Brighton’s survival was confirmed by a 1-0 win over and coming away from Watford with a draw despite The south-coast outfit moved swiftly to recruit two Manchester United in May. Yet they actually reached playing three-quarters of the match against 10 men. defenders from the Bundesliga in Leon Balogun and the points total needed to stay up when they beat A full campaign’s experience should help to cultivate Bernardo, arriving from Mainz and Leipzig respectively. Arsenal back on March 4, with nine games still to go. a cutting edge and stamp out lapses in concentration. In attack, they’ve signed long-term centre-forward That uncertainty sums up the East Sussex side’s first It helps that Dale Stephens, and Shane target Florin Andone. Further reinforcements are season in the Premier League. While they ended up Duffy have all looked comfortable playing at this level, required, though, especially in the middle of the park. in a very respectable 15th position, they received no because the departure of several senior pros – while Hughton also needs to address issues with his little help as Southampton, Stoke, Swansea and West bringing down the average age of a less-than-youthful team’s game management, sort out some defensive Bromwich Albion put in unexpectedly poor showings. squad – does remove some nous from the dressing frailties and find a way to carry an attacking threat They made things harder than necessary by failing room. Brighton can rely on 37-year-old skipper Bruno away from home. It’s a challenging to-do list, but an to secure maximum points on several occasions, Saltor, though, who earned a new one-year deal. achievable one. If he can tick off a few of those jobs, most notably by conceding a late penalty to Everton, On top form, Brighton’s first XI can be a match for then a successive survival for the Seagulls should be missing a penalty of their own at home to Burnley, most teams in the Premier League, and they were less reliant on those around them being even worse.

54 September 2018 FourFourTwo SEASOn PREVIEW FIVE-POInT PLAn KEY PLAYER IMPROVE AWAY FORM ASCAL GROSS FIXTURES Only Manchester City, Liverpool, At just $5m, the hard-working playmaker is up Chelsea and Leicester won at the there with the Premier League’s all-time most AUGUST 1 Amex last term – albeit by an bargainous signings. Gross was directly involved 12 Watford (A) aggregate score of 13-1 – but on the n 44 per cent of Brighton’s goals, so it’s a good 20 Man United (H) road, Brighton scored the league’s thing for them that he’s extended his contract. 26 Liverpool (A) fewest goals (10), won the fewest SEPTEMBER matches (two) and gained the fewest 2 Fulham (H) points (11). Being a little more resilient 18 Southampton (A) 23 Tottenham (H) on their travels would ease some of the PREMIER LEAGUE 2017-18 pressure on their good home record. 30 Man City (A) OCTOBER EVEN OUT THE SET-PIECES THE nUMBER CRUnCHER 7 West Ham (H) Despite sturdy campaigns at the 21 Newcastle (A) heart of defence for Duffy – who 28 Wolves (H) 2 topped the league charts for NOVEMBER blocks and clearances – and Dunk, 4 Everton (A) W7 40 per cent of the goals conceded by D8 11 Cardiff (A) Brighton came from set-pieces. That is 25 Leicester (H) L4 a fundamental frailty. At the other end, 5 GOALS DECEMBER meanwhile, Brighton created more SCORED 2 Huddersfield (A) chances from corners than 17 of the HOME FROM SET CONCEDED 5 Crystal Palace (H) other 19 teams, but converted fewer RECORD PIECES 9 Burnley (A) than anyone. Extra training it is, then – 21 16 Chelsea (H) and maybe a switch to zonal marking. 23 Bournemouth (A) TOTAL GAMES: 38 27 Arsenal (H) FIND SOLID BACK-UP 30 Everton (H) BETWEEN THE POSTS AWAY JANUARY Tim Krul has gone without making RECORD 2 West Ham (A) 3 a league appearance – and No.1 13 Liverpool (H) Mat Ryan is heading to the Asian Cup in DISCIPLInE 20 Man United (A) January. In order to avoid a potentially 30 Fulham (A) W2 D5 dismal start to 2019, Hughton must L12 FEBRUARY find a reliable stand-in for the athletic 3 Watford (H) Australian. If Sunderland’s fans are to 54 10 Burnley (H) be believed, summer Seagulls signing 2 24 Chelsea (A) Jason Steele is not that man. 27 Leicester (A) MARCH HALF-TIME WHEn GOALS GET GLENN MURRAY A MATE 6 10 6 3 Huddersfield (H) Brighton’s top scorer for the past THEY 5 5 2 10 Crystal Palace (A) two seasons isn’t going anywhere 17 Cardiff (H) 4 just yet, but he’s 35 in September SCORED 0-15 16-30 31-4546-60 61-75 76-90 31 Southampton (H) and they often lack bite without him. APRIL January recruit Jurgen Locadia has had 7 Tottenham (A) limited opportunities to adapt, and if 14 Bournemouth (H) he struggles in 2018-19, then Romanian 21 Wolves (A) frontman Florin Andone needs to hit 28 Newcastle (H) the ground running and improve on MAY a meagre haul for Deportivo La Coruna. 5 Arsenal (A) VIEW FROM THE STAnDS 13 Man City (H) GET THE BEST OUT OF ANTHONY KNOCKAERT SCOTT McCARTHY, WEAREBRIGHTON.COM Albion’s tricky French winger cut 5 a frustrated figure at times last This season will be different to Save the date for December 4 The opposition player I secretly term as he struggled to cope with the last because it’ll be a lot harder to and March 9. The Palace rivalry admire is Andy Carroll – a big step up in class of opposing back lines. stay up. Wolves and Fulham look slipped under last season’s radar. striker who loves a pint. Oh, what However, the 26-year-old did show far stronger than the sides who might have been if only he wasn’t what he can do when he terrorised went down; we no longer have an One change I’d make at our club made of glass. Manchester United’s defence at the element of surprise; and there’s is to allow no more ‘Hazard, can Amex in May. Can he kick on this year? a real danger of second season I have your shirt?’ signs. We have This year we’ll finish 15th again, syndrome, which Chris Hughton a reputation for plastic support as but a lot closer to relegation than has been keen to emphasise due it is, after crowds grew five-fold last season’s seven-point gap. to his experience with Norwich. overnight when we moved to the Amex, so seeing kids in the home FFT asks: How pleased were you FFT VERDICT Our pantomime villain is Neil end ask for Chelsea players’ shirts to see Pascal Gross sign a new Fail to improve their away Warnock. I like a manager who while their parents smile and clap contract? Tying him down to TH form in a big way, and it moans. He’ll add some blood and a bloke who just single-handedly 2022 could be the best bit of 18 will be a long old season. thunder to the Premier League. destroyed us is an abomination. business we do this summer.

FourFourTwo September 2018 55 PREMIER LEAGUE 2018-19 BURnLEY

LAST SEASON PREMIER LEAGUE 7th FA CUP Third Round LEAGUE CUP Third Round TOP SCORER (ALL COMPS) Chris Wood (11)

Everton considered the ex-defender, only to target Marco Silva, then Sam Allardyce, then Silva again. CAn THEY GET AnYWHERE nEAR Burnley’s unexpected rise bears certain similarities to Allardyce’s Bolton, who established themselves in the Premier League’s top eight for four consecutive MATCHInG LAST SEASOn’S SUCCESS? seasons. The test for the Clarets now is to match that; to maintain their consistency and remain in the top half of the Premier League, thereby ensuring When a pub near Turf Moor promised to rename Just steering clear of the drop zone would probably that 2017-18 wasn’t a truly remarkable one-off. itself The Royal Dyche if Burnley secured a place in have satisfied Burnley last year. Yet, by half–time on Other clubs will spend big in an attempt to overhaul Europe, The Princess Royal’s owners probably didn’t the opening weekend, they were 3-0 up at reigning them, so Burnley will rely once more on organisation think they’d actually have to go through with it. champions Chelsea, matching their total number of and efficiency. At one point they’d won 19 points from It was November and the Clarets were sixth in the away wins from 2016-17 – and they didn’t look back. only 10 goals scored. They ended up with 54 points Premier League standings, but most fans around the As the renamed pub suggests, Dyche (above) has from 36 scored, a ratio that wasn’t far behind the country suspected that reality would eventually set in. long been hailed as a miracle worker at Turf Moor. top-flight record of 1.64 points per goal set by George In the end, only Tottenham overtook them. Everton Transforming Burnley into unlikely promotion winners Graham’s Leeds (46 points, 28 goals) in 1996-97. couldn’t, and neither could 2015-16 Premier League was impressive enough, but establishing them in the Significantly, Burnley also massively improved their kings Leicester. Burnley really did qualify for Europe Premier League – albeit at the second attempt – and away form. Having won once on the road in 2016-17, and manager Sean Dyche really did have a pub then qualifying for Europe is one of the most notable they triumphed on seven visits last season. Their aim renamed in his honour, complete with a sign outside achivements by an English manager in recent history. in 2017-18 isn’t hard to predict: same again, lads. depicting him as some sort of modern-day Henry VIII. That another club still hasn’t poached him is amazing; And then? Maybe the Sean Dyche Shopping Centre...

56 September 2018 FourFourTwo SEASOn PREVIEW FIVE-POInT PLAn KEY PLAYER KEEP IT TIGHT AT THE BACK JACK CORK FIXTURES Burnley conceded just 39 goals last The midfielder was Burnley’s only ever-present season, eight fewer than any other in 2017-18, playing a pivotal role in his third AUGUST 1 team outside the top five and 12 spell at Turf Moor. The $15 million Burnley paid 12 Southampton (A) fewer than Arsenal. Dyche’s Clarets are Swansea last summer was a bargain – just look 19 Watford (H) organised – it’s the key to their success at what happened to the Swans without him.... 26 Fulham (A) and helped Tom Heaton, Nick Pope and SEPTEMBER James Tarkowski to earn England caps. 2 Man United (H) 16 Wolves (A) 23 Bournemouth (H) DON’T LET THE EUROPA PREMIER LEAGUE 2017-18 LEAGUE AFFECT THEM 30 Cardiff (A) The Lancastrians were forced into OCTOBER 2 an early start to the new season, THE nUMBER CRUnCHER 7 Huddersfield (H) playing their first Europa League match 21 Man City (A) against Aberdeen on July 26, so their 28 Chelsea (H) campaign immediately felt the impact. NOVEMBER Europe is a challenge the club haven’t 4 West Ham (A) W7 faced for 51 years. When they finished 11 Leicester (A) seventh last term, they stressed their L7 D5 25 Newcastle (H) intention to embrace it, but they must 8 GOALS DECEMBER also make sure that their elongated SCORED 2 Crystal Palace (A) season doesn’t affect league results. HOME FROM SET CONCEDED 5 Liverpool (H) RECORD PIECES 9 Brighton (H) WIN A PENALTY 6 16 Tottenham (A) Much to the manager’s growing 23 Arsenal (A) TOTAL GAMES: 38 vexation, Dyche’s team went the 27 Everton (H) 3 entire 2017-18 Premier League 30 West Ham (H) season without being awarded a single AWAY JANUARY penalty. Thankfully, that didn’t hinder 2 Huddersfield (A) their progress one little bit, but they will RECORD 13 Fulham (H) be hoping that the spotkick drought DISCIPLInE 20 Watford (A) doesn’t drag on into the new campaign. L5 30 Man United (A) D7 FEBRUARY REVIVE AARON LENNON W7 3 Southampton (H) It’s been a difficult period for the 65 0 10 Brighton (A) former England winger, now 31. 24 Tottenham (H) 4 In April 2017, he was detained 28 Newcastle (A) MARCH under the Mental Health Act because HALF-TIME WHEn GOALS of concerns over his welfare. That was 7 10 9 3 Crystal Palace (H) when he was struggling for game time THEY 4 5 1 10 Liverpool (A) at Everton; after moving to Turf Moor in 17 Leicester (H) January, he started 13 league matches. SCORED 0-15 16-30 31-4546-60 61-75 76-90 31 Wolves (H) The Leeds-born flyer still has ability and APRIL a continued revival in his form would be 7 Bournemouth (A) welcomed both by Burnley supporters 14 Cardiff (H) and football fans around the country. 21 Chelsea (A) 28 Man City (H) KEEP GETTING THE MAY BEST OUT OF BARNES 5 Everton (A) Bath-born Barnes’ goals were key 13 Arsenal (H) 5 to the Clarets’ success in 2017-18, VIEW FROM THE STAnDS with six in the space of eight matches JORDAN EYRE, MATCH-GOING SUPPORTER SINCE 2004 maintaining Burnley’s push for Europe. One appearance for Austria Under-20s This season will be different to Fans of other clubs might not Save the date for our trip to in 2008 is a curious fact that’s followed last because we have increased know that defender Kevin Long is Crystal Palace on December 1. him throughout a career largely played expectations to contend with. our longest-serving player, having The festive period looks tough, so in the lower leagues. He qualifies via his arrived at the club in 2010. Since heading into those fixtures on the grandmother, and Austria boss Franco Our most underrated player is then, he has made just 50 Burnley back of a victory could be vital. Foda has stated his intention to call up Stephen Ward. It’s no coincidence appearances in all competitions. the 28-year-old if he continues to shine. that our Premier League record This season we will finish 10th. is significantly poorer without Our pantomime villain is him in the side. Neil Warnock. Always. FFT asks: If Burnley do well in the early stages, how seriously The opposition player I secretly Keep an eye out for Tinashe should Sean Dyche take the FFT VERDICT admire is Kieran Trippier, partly Chakwana, who followed up his Europa League? His approach will A campaign of domestic due to his Clarets connection, but top-scoring season for Burnley’s be calculated as ever. He won’t risk TH consolidation after last mainly because he’s become one under-18s in 2016-17 by doing it our Premier League status for a 12 term’s European heroics. of the best full-backs in Europe. with the under-23s in 2017-18. semi-decent run on the continent.

FourFourTwo September 2018 57 PREMIER LEAGUE 2018-19 CARDIFF CITY

LAST SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP 2nd FA CUP Fourth Round LEAGUE CUP Second Round TOP SCORER (ALL COMPS) Junior Hoilett (11)

had more shots on target and a higher ‘expected goals’ value per game. Cardiff rarely snatched wins. DO THEY HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO STAY Even so, their defence is key. Conceding the fewest goals, topping the table for interceptions and being the only team to win more than two-thirds of their In THE PREMIER LEAGUE THIS TIME? attempted tackles all contributed to promotion. When Sol Bamba joined in October 2016, he was told to be A lot’s changed at Cardiff since 2013-14. Five years few seasons, there’s positivity (“I don’t know any fans “a Warnock player”. The explanation: “He thought he ago, their long-awaited Premier League debut saw who don’t like me,” claims Warnock, away supporters was Beckenbauer, strutting around, passing, dribbling one manager sacked following an off-field scandal, notwithstanding). Even Vincent Tan seems less evil. – you name it.” Now Bamba is in the form of his life. another exposed as so tactically naive that his Of course, serenity doesn’t guarantee safety. On the There’s no point in Cardiff trying to be a mediocre big break also ruined his coaching career, and the pitch, there are concerns that Cardiff’s style – a word passing team instead of a direct yet effective one. But whole sorry mess painted on a canvas of red shirts. their critics wouldn’t use – won’t be as effective in the can a second-tier defence repel Europe’s best strikers? Cardiff lost long-term fans to that ill-advised identity Premier League. Last season, only three Championship Admirably, Warnock continues to buy from below. His swap, and even good memories – beating Manchester teams had less possession than Cardiff: Millwall (8th), promotion heroes included two players signed for free City 3-2 in the first home match; nicking a last-gasp Bolton (21st) and Burton (23rd). Warnock’s men found from League One; this summer’s first four arrivals draw with Manchester United – are stained crimson. a team-mate with a league-low 60 per cent of passes. (Alex Smithies, Greg Cunningham, Josh Murphy and But now, red is dead and redemption is here. The Figuratively and literally, it doesn’t look good. Bobby Reid) cost $50 million from the Championship. Bluebirds are back in blue and back in the top flight, However, losing the ball with two in every five passes Premier League experience isn’t vital to survival. The Neil Warnock having taken them from second-bottom is a by-product of their big strength: getting it forward question is whether enough Cardiff players have either to second within 18 months. After a difficult, divisive quickly. Pretty, no, but nor is it dull – only Brentford the existing quality or potential to raise their game.

58 September 2018 FourFourTwo SEASOn PREVIEW FIVE-POInT PLAn KEY PLAYER DON’T PANIC SEAN MORRISON FIXTURES It’s unlikely Warnock will be sacked Bamba sets the tone and Bruno Ecuele Manga is if Cardiff start badly – unlikely, but a more complete player, but captain Morrison is AUGUST 1 not impossible. Most of their players the centre-back Cardiff miss most. They lost four 12 Bournemouth (A) are new to this league, and after three on the spin when he was injured and he’s a big 18 Newcastle (H) winnable matches Cardiff’s September set-piece threat, scoring seven goals last season. 26 Huddersfield (A) and October schedule features six of SEPTEMBER last season’s top seven. They were wise 2 Arsenal (H) to conduct summer business early. But 16 Chelsea (A) 23 Man City (H) Crystal Palace just finished 11th having CHAMPIONSHIP 2017-18 been winless, goalless and pointless 30 Burnley (H) after seven games, so patience is key. OCTOBER THE nUMBER CRUnCHER 7 Tottenham (A) KEEP SHUFFLING THE PACK 21 Fulham (H) Rotation worked last year, with 30 W16 28 Liverpool (A) different players starting games NOVEMBER 2 and only three unchanged line-ups 4 Leicester (H) named. The talent in Cardiff’s squad is 11 Brighton (H) evenly spread, so picking an XI to suit D4 25 Everton (A) the occasion should still be an option. L3 21 GOALS DECEMBER The exception is in goal: Neil Etheridge SCORED 2 Wolves (H) or Smithies? Warnock must choose. HOME FROM SET CONCEDED 5 West Ham (A) RECORD PIECES 9 Southampton (H) MAINTAIN DISCIPLINE 9 16 Watford (A) Although Cardiff weren’t in the 23 Man United (H) TOTAL GAMES: 46 referees’ bad books that often, 27 Crystal Palace (A) 3 they did make the second-most 30 Leicester (A) fouls in the Championship. It comes AWAY JANUARY with ceding possession – they were 2 Tottenham (H) also the most successful tacklers – but RECORD 13 Huddersfield (H) they should be wary of giving free-kick DISCIPLInE 20 Newcastle (A) opportunities to the Premier League’s L7 D5 30 Arsenal (A) specialists. And speaking of set-pieces... FEBRUARY 3 Bournemouth (H) W11 BRING DEAD BALLS TO LIFE 82 1 10 Southampton (A) Warnock’s players led the way for 24 Watford (H) set-piece goals. Indeed, 11 league 27 Everton (H) MARCH

strikes from defenders Bamba and HALF-TIME 4 WHEn GOALS 13 Sean Morrison (left) outstripped the top 6 8 6 3 Wolves (A) scorer – Callum Paterson, who arrived THEY 17 19 10 West Ham (H) injured, started at full-back, moved to 17 Brighton (A) the wing and ended up a goalscoring SCORED 0-15 16-30 31-4546-60 61-75 76-90 31 Chelsea (H) central midfielder. He’s one to watch. APRIL 7 Man City (A) ENJOY IT 14 Burnley (A) Cardiff’s 2013-14 wasn’t especially 21 Liverpool (H) fun for anyone associated with the 28 Fulham (A) 5 club. This season, their manager MAY is determined “to go into the Premier 5 Crystal Palace (H) League enjoying every minute of it”. VIEW FROM THE STAnDS 13 Man United (A) And why not? There’s no pressure, but they’re capable of inflicting shocks and OWEN NELSON, SEASON TICKET HOLDER SINCE 2007 have exciting players such as Paterson, Kenneth Zohore, the revitalised Junior This season will be different to Our pantomime villains are This season we will finish higher Hoilett and now Reid, signed from rivals last because Cardiff City are in the referees. We never seem to than 18th, I hope. Bristol City after scoring or assisting 26 the Premier League! get the rub of the green. league goals in his first season playing FFT asks: Do you think owner as a striker. Plus, Warnock might guide Our most underrated player is The best away ground is Anfield. Vincent Tan has learned lessons a team to Premier League safety for the Joe Ralls, who often doesn’t get Liverpool have the best fans, too. from Cardiff’s previous Premier first time at the age of 69. Nice. the praise he deserves. League campaign? Definitely – Save the date for April 27, when he has matured a lot as an owner One change I would make at we face Fulham at Craven Cottage. since our relegation in 2013-14. our club is to improve the youth That game could be key for either We are in a much better position facilities. We haven’t had an side’s survival hopes. now and that is mainly down to FFT VERDICT academy prospect break into how Vincent Tan has run the club. They’ll need a miracle our first team for years – even Fans of other clubs might not Plus, hiring Neil Warnock was the TH akin to last season’s – Ralls was 16 years old when he know that Neil Warnock is best decision he has made since 20 but don’t bank on it... joined us as an apprentice. actually a very nice, likeable guy! becoming our owner.

FourFourTwo September 2018 59 PREMIER LEAGUE 2018-19 CHELSEA

LAST SEASON PREMIER LEAGUE 5th FA CUP Winners LEAGUE CUP Semi-final CHAMPIONS LEAGUE Last 16 TOP SCORER (ALL COMPS) Eden Hazard (17)

brought a net spend from Chelsea of $120m. In the four previous campaigns, it was $490m. Go back to DOES ABRAMOVICH STILL CARE? Abramovich’s first two years in town, from 2003, and they spent $535m, recouping a little over £5m. True, Chelsea are now excellent sellers, or rather The most significant event in Chelsea’s recent The Russian oligarch (above) has now got Israeli traders – the club received $210m for Diego Costa, history may not be a cup final, nor the latest citizenship, which allows him unrestricted travel to Nemanja Matic and Nathan Ake last term – but they managerial unveiling. It could end up being the UK, but not officially for work purposes. Few could have to be. If the Blues are to go big in this summer’s something that happened on a nondescript argue if the 51-year-old did decide to scale back his transfer market, they must sell as well as buy. March morning in Wiltshire. interests in a country that shows few signs of actually Antonio Conte’s visible frustration at this situation When Sergei and Yulia Skripal were poisoned in wanting him as even a semi-permanent resident. infected 2017-18’s ultimately insipid title defence. Salisbury with military-grade nerve agent Novichok, In fact, the numbers would suggest that he began Former Napoli boss Maurizio Sarri eventually replaced it increased diplomatic tensions between the United paring back his investment some time ago anyway. his compatriot on July 14 – he must accept that the Kingdom and Russia to such an extent that Roman Sure, the Londoners may have splurged $400 million five-time Premier League winners’ financial muscle Abramovich’s investor visa may have been delayed. on transfer fees last season – more than ever before, isn’t as attractively bulging as it once was. The Blues’ owner became so fed up with waiting and $100m on striker Alvaro Morata alone – but that’s Chelsea now occupy a curious hinterland between for a decision that he withdrew his own application indicative more of an inflated post- market the Manchester clubs. City are what Chelsea were in on June 1, one day after the club announced that than Abramovich’s desire to purchase only the best. Abramovich’s early years, while United have got the plans for their long-awaited $1.8 billion rebuild of Danny Drinkwater for $60m, anyone? worldwide business model to which the club aspire. Stamford Bridge were shelved indefinitely because Even allowing for the cost of living at football’s top For all the questions last season raised, the biggest of “the current unfavourable investment climate”. table these days, the last four seasons from 2014-15 remains: what happens if Roman pulls the plug?

60 September 2018 FourFourTwo SEASOn PREVIEW FIVE-POInT PLAn KEY PLAYER KEEP HAZARD HAPPY CESAR AZPILICUETA FIXTURES Stop faffing about with false nines, In an uncertain era, ‘Dave’ is Chelsea’s constant. which led to the sagging-shoulders Nobody made more appearances in their last AUGUST 1 schtick at Manchester City. Eden league campaign and only Willian bettered the 12 Huddersfield (A) Hazard is best cutting in from the inside defender’s six assists. paid 19 Arsenal (H) left channel, free to create as he sees fit. $12m for him in 2012: an absolute steal. 27 Newcastle (A) He is 27, with interest from Real Madrid SEPTEMBER and Barcelona, and Chelsea must do 2 Bournemouth (H) everything they can to keep him sweet. 16 Cardiff (H) 23 West Ham (A) PREMIER LEAGUE 2017-18 BUY BETTER 30 Liverpool (H) You may have heard on Radio OCTOBER Conte that last summer’s window THE nUMBER CRUnCHER 7 Southampton (A) 2 wasn’t the best. Alvaro Morata 21 Man United (H) faded badly, Danny Drinkwater started 28 Burnley (A) five league games all season, Tiemoue NOVEMBER W11 Bakayoko seldom looked a $70m player 4 Crystal Palace (H) and Davide Zappacosta didn’t dislodge 11 Everton (H) at wing-back. It’s also D4 25 Tottenham (A) L4 been rumoured that Ross Barkley is 11 GOALS DECEMBER at the club. Dynamic quality must be SCORED 2 Fulham (H) brought in to refresh what now appears HOME FROM SET CONCEDED 5 Wolves (A) to be a one-paced, functional squad. RECORD PIECES 9 Man City (H) Pass master Jorginho, following Sarri 6 16 Brighton (A) from Napoli for $99m, was a good start. 23 Leicester (H) TOTAL GAMES: 38 27 Watford (A) THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT 30 Crystal Palace (A) Ruben Loftus-Cheek is obviously AWAY JANUARY the standout, but other academy RECORD 2 Southampton (H) 3 graduates deserve game time. 13 Newcastle (H) Six days after his 17th birthday, Wales DISCIPLInE 20 Arsenal (A) international became L6 D3 30 Bournemouth (A) Chelsea’s youngest player in a decade, FEBRUARY while Callum Hudson-Odoi, a world 3 Huddersfield (H) W10 champion with England’s Under-17s, 42 4 10 Man City (A) also got minutes. Andreas Christensen 24 Brighton (H) showed the value in trying out youth. 28 Tottenham (H) MARCH HALF-TIME WHEn GOALS 13 13 13 DO THE EUROPA PROPERLY 7 10 6 3 Fulham (A) It’s laborious, but it’s a chance to THEY 10 Wolves (H) blood youngsters who aren’t out 17 Everton (A) 4 on loan. Atletico Madrid could’ve SCORED 0-15 16-30 31-4546-60 61-75 76-90 31 Cardiff (A) done without the hassle last season, APRIL but the feelgood factor around winning 7 West Ham (H) helped them to keep their star players. 14 Liverpool (A) 21 Burnley (H) GET ON A ROLL… 28 Man United (A) …and stay on it. Chelsea remain MAY a very streaky team. Go three or 5 Watford (H) 5 four games unbeaten and the VIEW FROM THE STAnDS 13 Leicester (A) Blues often put on a surge, such as the 13-game winning run which secured GRAHAM RYAN, MATCH-GOING SUPPORTER SINCE 1984 the 2016-17 title. Yet the reverse is also true. Between the end of January and This season will be different to Keep an eye out for Ethan This season we will finish 3rd. mid-April, they won just twice, a spell last because we’re not in the Ampadu. It’s hard to believe he’s A return to the Champions League that included five defeats in seven Champions League. And we’re not still only 17. If he impresses in the and some domestic cup success Premier League fixtures. When things going to win the league, as we did League Cup, he may get chances are realistic targets. go against them, the players need to when that happened in 2016-17. in bigger games. stand up and be counted. After all, it FFT asks: Were you disappointed can’t always be the manager’s fault. The opposition player I secretly The player I’d happily drive to to hear that Chelsea’s stadium admire is Mo Salah, as humble as another club is either Ross Barkley redevelopment plans have he is talented. What a shame we or Danny Drinkwater. They’re 7/10 been put on hold? As much as didn’t keep hold of him. players, but I’d rather see a young I’d happily stay at the current midfielder given a chance, such as Stamford Bridge forever, it was FFT VERDICT Our pantomime villain is Jose Ampadu or Ruben Loftus-Cheek. disappointing news. Looking at A close-season of such Mourinho. He’ll pick fights with the long term, the club really TH uncertainty is no recipe everyone again when he realises Our most underrated player is needs those extra seats in order 5 for a fruitful campaign. he’s not going to win the league. Olivier Giroud – big season for him. to become self-sufficient.

FourFourTwo September 2018 61 PREMIER LEAGUE 2018-19 CRYSTAL PALACE

LAST SEASON PREMIER LEAGUE 11th FA CUP Third Round LEAGUE CUP Fourth Round TOP SCORER (ALL COMPS) Luka Milivojevic (10)

and Luka Milivojevic offer a variety of attributes in midfield, while ahead of them, and are speedy, skilful and direct. Then ARE THEY GOOD EnOUGH there’s , who had a desperately disappointing 2017-18 but is more than capable of rediscovering his fine goal ratio in the Premier League. But there are reasons to doubt this Palace side. TO PUSH FOR EUROPE? Key player Ruben Loftus-Cheek is unlikely to return for a second season at Selhurst Park. There is inadequate Had the 2017-18 Premier League campaign started With a whole pre-season behind them, Roy’s boys cover in attack, midfield and, with still on Christmas Day rather than August 12, the Eagles should be in better shape when they face Fulham on sidelined by a knee ligament injury, at the back. would have finished eighth. Every club in the land the opening weekend. Palace are unlikely to give their Perhaps most significantly, Palace remain reliant on could pick arbitrary start and end dates to show rivals the seven-game headstart they did last term. Zaha to produce. To an extent, that is only natural, their team in a positive light, but there’s no doubt Outside of the division’s superclubs, the Eagles have but Hodgson’s charges can look short of ideas when that Crystal Palace were a markedly improved one of the strongest starting line-ups in the top tier. the 25-year-old flyer is absent or having an off-day. outfit once Roy Hodgson’s ideas took hold. Getafe freebie Vicente Guaita should solve the club’s With the top six spots seemingly wrapped up They ended the season on a high, winning four and long-standing goalkeeping conundrum – assuming he before a ball has been kicked, Palace will face fierce drawing two of their final six matches. They delivered settles better than Steve Mandanda – and Mamadou competition for the final European place, taken by some outstanding performances during that period: Sakho and James Tomkins have formed a brilliantly Burnley last season. While they should certainly be in the 5-0 thrashing of Leicester in April was one of their complementary partnership at centre-back. Though contention, it wouldn’t be a big surprise if Zaha & Co. best displays since promotion to the top flight in 2013. Yohan Cabaye has moved to Dubai, James McArthur missed out to one of Everton, Leicester or Newcastle.

62 September 2018 FourFourTwo SEASOn PREVIEW FIVE-POInT PLAn KEY PLAYER CONVERT MORE CHANCES WILFRIED ZAHA FIXTURES Only the Premier League’s top six The Ivorian speedster’s development continued averaged more shots per game apace as he refined his end product and further AUGUST 1 than Palace last term, and various improved his decision-making, all while adapting 12 Fulham (A) expected goals models rated them the to a striker’s role. Either centrally or on the wing, 21 Liverpool (H) seventh-best in the division. Creating he is one of the best players outside the top six. 26 Watford (A) chances is only part of the job, though, SEPTEMBER and the Eagles need to be more clinical. 2 Southampton (H) Three-goal Christian Benteke was the 16 Huddersfield (A) 23 Newcastle (H) prime culprit for wasting golden PREMIER LEAGUE 2017-18 opportunities, but he wasn’t alone. OCTOBER 2 Bournemouth (A) HIT THE GROUND RUNNING THE nUMBER CRUnCHER 7 Wolves (H) Notoriously slow starters, Palace 21 Everton (A) have occupied a bottom-four 28 Arsenal (H) 2 place on four of the past five NOVEMBER New Year’s Days (though the other 4 Chelsea (A) W7 time, they were fifth). They also scored 11 Tottenham (H) first in just four of their first 22 matches L7 D5 25 Man United (A) last term. Hit the ground running, both 10 GOALS DECEMBER in matches and in the campaign as SCORED 2 Burnley (H) a whole, and Palace could top their HOME FROM SET CONCEDED 5 Brighton (A) record Premier League finish of 10th. RECORD PIECES 9 West Ham (A) 14 16 Leicester (H) KEEP KEY PLAYERS FIT 23 Man City (A) TOTAL GAMES: 38 The treatment room at Copers 27 Cardiff (H) Cope overflowed last season. At 30 Chelsea (H) 3 the peak of the Londoners’ injury AWAY JANUARY crisis, 12 players were nursing various 2 Wolves (A) ailments. In addition to improving the RECORD 13 Watford (H) squad’s strength in depth, Palace must DISCIPLInE 20 Liverpool (A) do everything they can to keep star 31 Southampton (A) L9 D6 performers such as Zaha, Sakho and W4 FEBRUARY Milivojevic fit throughout 2018-19. 3 Fulham (H) 72 0 10 West Ham (H) KEEP WINNING PENALTIES 24 Leicester (A) No team were awarded as 27 Man United (H) MARCH

many penalties in 2017-18 as HALF-TIME WHEn GOALS 4 Palace’s 10. The speed and guile 6 6 6 7 3 Burnley (A) of Zaha and Townsend posed countless THEY 5 10 Brighton (H) problems for opposition defenders, even 15 17 Tottenham (A) if the former had to ward off repeated SCORED 0-15 1 -30 3 -45-60 61-75 7 -90 31 Huddersfield (H) accusations of diving. Milivojevic scored APRIL seven of his eight attempts from the 7 Newcastle (A) spot, his only miss coming in the final 14 Man City (H) moments of a 0-0 draw at home to 21 Arsenal (A) Manchester City. Keep Benteke well 28 Everton (H) away from penalty responsibilities and MAY there’s no reason why Hodgson’s men 5 Cardiff (A) can’t keep notching from 12 yards. VIEW FROM THE STAnDS 13 Bournemouth (H) STICK WITH THE MANAGER JACK PIERCE, @JACKPIERCE88 Palace have started and finished a season with the same man in This season will be different to Our pantomime villain is Jose Save the date for Brighton away 5 the dugout just twice since 2009: last because with Roy signing off Mourinho, so desperate for a title. on December 4. I hope all Palace Dougie Freedman in 2011-12 and Alan the incomings and taking a full fans with tickets get in this time. Pardew in 2014-15. Retaining Hodgson’s pre-season, we hope to avoid the Fans of other clubs might not services for an entire campaign would stress of the previous campaign. know that our women’s side were This season we will finish in the provide some much-needed stability the biggest losers in the creation top 10. We could ‘do a Burnley’. in this corner of south London. Keep an eye out for right-back of Manchester United’s equivalent. Aaron Wan-Bissaka. Quick and Not being named a Championship FFT asks: Looking at the fixture excellent in the tackle, he was only side was a huge blow. list, are you confident Palace introduced due to an injury crisis can avoid a repeat of last year’s and now he’s the likely first choice. One change I would make at our record-breaking bad start? Yes. FFT VERDICT club is to remove The Crystals, our The earlier our first point comes, The same league finish Our most underrated player is club cheerleaders. It’s a little out the better, but we won’t be going TH as last season, sure, but James Tomkins. Paying $18m in of date, plus I’m concerned for the into our eighth game with neither 11 no historically bad start. 2016 looks a snip in retrospect. heart rate of the bloke behind me. a goal nor point this time.

FourFourTwo September 2018 63 PREMIER LEAGUE 2 E

supposedly for not wearing a club suit, but officials were apparently agitated with his use of press IS IT TIME FOR MARCO SILVA TO LAY conferences to constantly publicise the club’s issues – something he also did at Watford when unimpressed with summer signings. The fallout from Everton’s wooing last autumn did nobody any favours, either. DOWn ROOTS AnD BUILD A TEAM? In short, the 41-year-old could really benefit from a settled spell in order to shake off a reputation as The Premier League’s second-most controversial season and claiming the Greek title with a fifth of the someone whose eye is always on the next gig, or who Portuguese boss has qualities that are immediately campaign to spare. In 2017, Silva re-animated Hull’s is too hot-headed to rub along with the suits. Literally. evident: he’s whip-smart, highly driven and sets up corpse despite his two best players being sold, before Everton could also use some stable progress. Since sides to operate with maximum attacking flair. they succumbed to relegation; then at Watford he did David Moyes’ departure in 2013 they’ve employed four Marco Silva’s record of improving teams is almost some magic until his head was turned by Everton, different managers with radically different playing impeccable. At his first job, with Portugal’s second-tier and things descended into mayhem and squabbling. styles, and – despite the injection of the new owner’s Estoril, he took bottom-half strugglers straight into Alarm bells should ring, however, when a boss has money – have struggled to formulate a path towards the top flight and then into Europe two years running, six jobs in seven years. And those years have had their competing with the league’s other cashed-up clubs. like an Iberian Brian Clough. With a buccaneering difficult spells: while good at home, Hull collected two If Silva is backed financially and the Everton board Sporting, he lost just two league games and pocketed points from a possible 30 on the road, and his Watford doesn’t interfere too much, something special could their first silverware in seven years. Flitting over to reign ended with five points from 33. Dig into Silva’s happen at Goodison Park over the next few years, in Olympiacos, he set a European record by winning their behind-the-scenes behaviour and the picture isn’t terms of both results and highly watchable football. opening 17 league matches, dropping five points all always complimentary. At Sporting he was sacked But, as ever, that is one hefty ‘if’.

64 September 2018 FourFourTwo SEASOn PREVIEW FIVE-POInT PLAn KEY PLAYER IMPROVE THE AWAY FORM JORDAN PICKFORD FIXTURES Silva has a reputation for excellent The 24-year-old England glovesman was a rare home results with lower returns on highlight for Toffees fans last season: that -14 AUGUST 1 the road. This has been Everton’s goal difference would have been worse without 12 Wolves (A) Achilles heel for a couple of seasons, him. Attacking signings will catch the headlines, 19 Southampton (H) too. Last term the Toffees triumphed but Everton’s reliable No.1 will again be crucial. 26 Bournemouth (A) just three times on their travels; only SEPTEMBER three teams won fewer, and two were 2 Huddersfield (H) relegated. Silva and Everton will need 17 West Ham (H) 24 Arsenal (A) to grind out results as well as dazzle. PREMIER LEAGUE 2017-18 30 Fulham (H) DEFEND THE WINGS BETTER OCTOBER Although they have experienced THE nUMBER CRUnCHER 7 Leicester (A) full-backs in Leighton Baines and 21 Crystal Palace (H) 2 Seamus Coleman, Everton did not 28 Man United (A) defend the wings well in 2017-18. This NOVEMBER W10 weakness was targeted mercilessly 4 Brighton (H) and Silva will have to address it, either 10 Chelsea (H) tactically or by introducing fresh faces. D4 25 Cardiff (H) L5 Cuco Martina isn’t a particularly reliable 6 GOALS DECEMBER back-up on either flank, for a start. SCORED 2 Liverpool (A) HOME FROM SET CONCEDED 6 Newcastle (H) KEEP THE BALL RECORD PIECES 9 Watford (H) The Merseysiders averaged just 8 16 Man City (A) 46.7 per cent possession during 23 Tottenham (H) TOTAL GAMES: 38 3 2017-18 and didn’t do enough 27 Burnley (A) with the ball, taking fewer shots than 30 Brighton (A) any club bar Swansea. Still, it’s obvious AWAY JANUARY that a Silva outfit will play on the deck 2 Leicester (H) much more than any Sam Allardyce RECORD 13 Bournemouth (H) arrangement, so expect an increase in DISCIPLInE 20 Southampton (A) percentage-positive possession stats 30 Huddersfield (A) L10 D6 and a more pleasant team to watch. W3 FEBRUARY 3 Wolves (H) HAVE A LITTLE PATIENCE... 10 Watford (A) 51 3 It’s a quality in short supply – but if 24 Man City (H) Silva isn’t to be whirled straight off 27 Cardiff (A) MARCH the managerial merry-go-round, HALF-TIME

4 GOALS WHEn 12 11 3 Liverpool (H) his overhauled side must be given time 8 6 to get to know each other. His coterie THEY 2 5 10 Newcastle (A) of coaches have a way of doing things 17 Chelsea (H) that will differ radically from Big Sam’s SCORED 0-15 16-30 31-4546-60 61-75 76-90 31 West Ham (A) backroom setup. While Silva’s results APRIL have been almost miraculously instant 7 Arsenal (H) everywhere he has gone so far, things 14 Fulham (A) may not click straight away at Everton. 21 Man United (H) 28 Crystal Palace (A) ...AND DON’T GET TOO MAY EXCITED, EITHER 5 Burnley (H) In a turnaround from 2017-18’s 13 Tottenham (A) 5 nightmarish opening sequence of VIEW FROM THE STAnDS games (they faced Chelsea, Spurs and GARY NAYLOR, MATCH-GOING SUPPORTER SINCE 1970 both Manchester clubs in their first five games), the Toffees have a favourable This season will be different to Save the date for Liverpool at Keep an eye out for Tom Davies. start, taking on Wolves, Southampton, last because there’s no Ronald Goodison Park, as always – it’s He played a lot in his teens, but Bournemouth, Huddersfield and West Koeman and no Sam Allardyce. in early-March this season. against a backdrop of managerial Ham to open the campaign. They could It seems like ancient history now. upheaval. Now, at 20, he has to be flying high in autumn. That would The best away fans are the Toon start bossing games if he’s to be be good for the spirit – but then the One change I’d make at our club Army. They still believe, and they as good as we all hope he will be. fixture list turns decidedly nastier. is to have some quiet stability. It’s know how to simultaneously love been an undignified 12 months a club and a manager while hating This season we will finish 8th. in terms of management – and an owner. management of management. FFT asks: Would you have liked Our pantomime villain is to see Wayne Rooney stay FFT VERDICT The opposition player I secretly Jose Mourinho, always sulking and another year? He’s gone to Both club and manager admire is Chelsea’s N’Golo Kante. whinging on the touchline and in Trumpville and that has to be TH require a little stability – He would have fitted into our the media room with just a few right. He wasn’t hopeless last 8 patience will be needed. mid-1980s pantheon perfectly. hundred million dollars to spend. year, but he’s yesterday’s man.

FourFourTwo September 2018 65 PREMIER LEAGUE 2018-19 FULHAM

LAST SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP 3rd FA CUP Third Round LEAGUE CUP Second Round TOP SCORER (ALL COMPS) (16)

Dele Alli, for MK Dons at Notts County in March 2014. One suspects Sessegnon is on the same trajectory; CAn RYAn SESSEGnOn MAKE he may even be ahead of where Alli was back then. Sometimes compared with , Sessegnon moved to another level after switching from left-back to the left wing last autumn. Fulham, 17th going into An IMMEDIATE STEP UP? that Sheffield United game, were swiftly transformed into promotion contenders, Sessegnon embarking on “Ryan Sessegnon: he’s only 17.” If the Fulham Sessegnon’s age remains a source of wonderment a scoring spree that produced 10 goals in 12 games. club shop wasn’t selling T-shirts featuring that because footballers aren’t supposed to have achieved Playing on the Wembley stage didn’t faze him in the slogan last season, they should have been. so much at this stage of their career. Sixteen goals for play-off final, so neither will the Premier League. He You could bet your house on it: any reference to the Fulham last term, Championship Player of the Season, was already too good for the second tier, and if the Fulham prodigy in TV commentary, in the newspapers shortlisted for PFA Young Player of the Year – the first Cottagers hadn’t been promoted, Sessegnon would – anywhere, frankly – was swiftly followed by mention ever nominee from outside the top flight – and an surely have joined a top-flight club this summer. of his age. Even poor Sessegnon seemed as if he was assist for the goal that sealed promotion at Wembley, Instead, he gets to make the transition in a team beginning to run out of ways to answer the ‘question’ his team beating Aston Villa 1-0. John Terry & Co. had with which he’s so familiar. Though there are fears in in post-match interviews. “Well done, Ryan – another no answer to the left-footer’s pace and skills. Simply, some quarters of burnout – very few players his age man of the match award, and you’re only 17?” he is one of English football’s very brightest prospects. start 49 games in a season – he is managed well by Eventually, in May, he did something about it: he When he scored his first senior hat-trick, in a 5-4 win Slavisa Jokanovic. Expect another season of exceeded became 18. It didn’t work. “Congratulations, Ryan – in at Sheffield United last November, he became the first expectations and commentators referencing his age the Premier League, and you’ve only just turned 18?” 17-year-old to hit a treble in the top four tiers since at every turn. “Ryan Sessegnon: he’s only 18...”

66 September 2018 FourFourTwo SEASOn PREVIEW FIVE-POInT PLAn KEY PLAYER KEEP DOMINATING GAMES FIXTURES Fulham topped the Championship’s Fulham rejected $36m bids from Newcastle and possession figures with a passing West Ham (who are trying again) last season – AUGUST 1 style that was pleasing on the eye. wisely, given the playmaker then grabbed the 12 Crystal Palace (H) Hogging the ball will be harder at this play-off final winner, worth $285m on its own. 19 Tottenham (A) level, but taking on the country’s best He’s been Premier League-ready for eight years. 26 Burnley (H) teams is a damned sight easier when SEPTEMBER you aren’t chasing them for 90 minutes. 2 Brighton (A) 16 Man City (A) 22 Watford (H) DON’T GET ITCHY FEET CHAMPIONSHIP 2017-18 Jokanovic, formerly a midfielder 30 Everton (A) at local boys Chelsea, has been OCTOBER 2 imperative to Fulham’s revival. THE nUMBER CRUnCHER 7 Arsenal (H) Before arriving in December 2015, he 21 Cardiff (A) had quite the wanderlust: the average 28 Bournemouth (H) tenure of his previous six managerial W13 NOVEMBER spells (in six different countries) was 4 Huddersfield (A)

10 months, and he left Watford weeks D8 11 Liverpool (A) after taking them up into the Premier 25 Southampton (H) League as he felt the contract offered L2 10 GOALS DECEMBER didn’t show much faith in him. At last, SCORED 2 Chelsea (A) he has found a reason to settle down. HOME FROM SET CONCEDED 5 Leicester (H) RECORD PIECES 9 Man United (A) GET AK-47 FIRING 12 16 West Ham (H) Only Sessegnon and an on-loan 23 Newcastle (A) TOTAL GAMES: 46 Aleksandar Mitrovic scored double 27 Wolves (H) 3 figures for Fulham in 2017-18. Rui 30 Huddersfield (H) Fonte laboured and fellow new signing AWAY JANUARY Aboubakar Kamara, who wore shirt 2 Arsenal (A) No.47, thus making him AK-47, lacked RECORD 13 Burnley (A) consistency. He’ll be gunning for a more DISCIPLInE 20 Tottenham (H) L6 prolific campaign in 2018-19, after his D5 30 Brighton (H) contribution was limited to seven goals FEBRUARY in 32 matches and a horrendous dive in 3 Crystal Palace (A) the play-off semi-final second leg. W12 82 4 10 Man United (H) 24 West Ham (A) FIND A NEW DEFENCE 28 Southampton (A) MARCH

Cyrus Christie has big boots to fill HALF-TIME WHEn GOALS with rampaging right-back Ryan 6 8 8 22 3 Chelsea (H) 4 Fredericks moving to West Ham, THEY 19 10 Leicester (A) while at left-back, Southampton are 16 17 Liverpool (H) reluctant to sell Matt Targett, whose SCORED 0-15 16-30 31-4546-60 61-75 76-90 31 Man City (H) loan from January freed up Sessegnon APRIL to play further forward. Between them, 7 Watford (A) Tomas Kalas needs prising away from 14 Everton (H) Chelsea. Fulham had eight loanees last 21 Bournemouth (A) season, something they can’t repeat 28 Cardiff (H) due to Premier League restrictions, and MAY just 16 senior players being available for 5 Wolves (A) the first day of pre-season hinted at the VIEW FROM THE STAnDS 13 Newcastle (H) need for signings, especially in defence. THOMAS MCILROY, SEASON TICKET HOLDER SINCE 1998 DON’T TREAT INJURIES WITH CHEESE This season will be different One change I would make at our Our most underrated player is You’d think it goes without saying, to last because we’re in the club is to make Kevin McDonald Tim Ream. Everyone talks about 5 but as Fulham’s last visit here had Premier League again! captain. He’s the side’s true leader. Tom Cairney and Ryan Sessegnon, manager Felix Magath claiming cheese but Ream won the fans’ player of could aid Brede Hangeland’s thigh injury Keep an eye out for Steven Save the date for Fulham vs the season award. He is a rock. (“I merely suggested that we try the old Sessegnon. With Ryan Fredericks Crystal Palace on August 11. It’s wives’ tale”), you can’t be too careful... going, the other Ryan’s twin is up our first game of the season, Roy This season we will finish in the the right-back pecking order. Hodgson is back with the visiting bottom half, but safe. team, and Fulham vs Palace was Fans of other clubs might not also our last Premier League game FFT asks: Will Ryan Fredericks know that Slavisa Jokanovic may before relegation. be missed at full-back? The club FFT VERDICT seem dour, but he is a funny guy knew he was leaving and bought There will be some harsh with some great one-liners. He The opposition player I secretly Cyrus Christie in January for this TH lessons, but the Cottagers told wantaway striker Chris Martin, admire is Mousa Dembele. Can scenario. That said, his bombing 14 have enough to survive. “We are not a train station.” we have him back, please? forward was crucial to our success.

FourFourTwo September 2018 67 PREMIER LEAGUE 2018-19 HUDD Wn

LAST SEA PREMIER LEA FA CUP Fifth R LEAGUE CUP TOP SCORER Steve Mounie (9

rate, given the paltry lack of opportunities they had, so the issue could be more the supply than the finishing. WILL A LACK OF GOALS CATCH In the ‘pasty Pirlo’ Aaron Mooy, Huddersfield boast a deep-lying playmaker that most teams would envy. Their problem is the underperforming wingers and UP WITH THE TERRIERS? attacking midfielders in front of him. Tom Ince, Rajiv van La Parra and Elias Kachunga made a combined 85 league appearances and averaged a goal or an Huddersfield come into 2018-19 on the back of two The Terriers didn’t even outscore any of the three assist every nine and a half a matches. Between them. incredible, David Wagner-orchestrated campaigns. relegated clubs, and while we’re sure their fans didn’t Early signings include Ramadan Sobhi, the Egyptian Promotion from the Championship via the play-offs give that a thought as they celebrated survival, it is wideman who didn’t pull up many trees at Stoke but in 2016-17, having finished 19th the previous term, a concern going into this season. Frankly, unless three has potential. Another investment is Juninho Bacuna, was followed by 16th place in the Premier League – clubs are somehow all managed by Alan Pardew at an attacking midfielder, Dutch under-21 international not too shabby for a side almost universally tipped the same time, it’s unlikely we’ll see a trio of teams in and brother of Reading’s Leandro – and not, in spite of to finish four spots below that. 2018-19 as hapless as last season’s relegated batch. his name, a Football Manager regen. He and Sobhi are They’re riding the crest of a wave, yet when it comes In short: Huddersfield need to score more goals. 21. The manager’s faith in youth is admirable, if risky. to scoring goals it’s more of a slow drip. Huddersfield Strikers would be the obvious place to start, seeing Wagner has identified the creativity issue and tried netted only 28 league goals last season. That meant as top scorers Steve Mounie and Laurent Depoitre to fix it. If Huddersfield can keep teams at bay (Jose Town equalled a record set by George Graham’s Leeds notched only seven and six league goals respectively. Mourinho’s Manchester United allowed as many shots in 1996-97 for the lowest tally scored by any team to But both outperformed their ‘expected goals’ rating. on target as they did last term), the Terriers could stay stay in the Premier League. They were actually tucking away chances at a decent up – but they can’t afford to score only 28 goals again.

68 September 2018 fourfourtwo.com.au SEASOn PREVIEW FIVE-POInT PLAn KEY PLAYER KEEP THE TERRIERS’ TERENCE KONGOLO FIXTURES UNDERDOG SPIRIT The left-sided Dutch defender turned up from Clothes make the man, and David Monaco midway through 2017-18 and had an AUGUST 1 Wagner’s belief in the importance instant impact. Powerful, strong in the tackle 12 Chelsea (H) of a terrier-like mentality – of a small and composed on the ball, the 24-year-old will 19 Man City (A) dog with lots of fight – has transferred improve as he gets used to the Premier League. 26 Cardiff (H) to the players’ garments: Huddersfield SEPTEMBER will wear the aforementioned pooch on 2 Everton (A) their shirts this season in place of their 16 Crystal Palace (H) 23 Leicester (A) club crest. The message is simple. This PREMIER LEAGUE 2017-18 is a club that took points off top dogs 30 Tottenham (H) Manchester City, Manchester United OCTOBER and Chelsea last time out – they must THE nUMBER CRUnCHER 7 Burnley (A) maintain that fearless mindset. 21 Liverpool (H) 28 Watford (A) MAXIMISE MOMENTUM NOVEMBER OF MAIN MAN MOOY 4 Fulham (H) Step one: do not sell Aaron Mooy W6 11 West Ham (H) 2 to any of the clubs linked with the L8 D5 25 Wolves (A) Australian midfielder, including but not 4 GOALS DECEMBER limited to West Ham, Southampton SCORED 2 Brighton (H) and Everton. Step two: pass the ball to HOME FROM SET CONCEDED 5 Bournemouth (A) Aaron Mooy whenever possible. Step RECORD PIECES 9 Arsenal (A) three: continue to repeat step two. 9 16 Newcastle (H) 23 Southampton (H) TOTAL GAMES: 38 GET CREATIVE OR GET OUT 27 Man United (A) The club’s 2017-18 player of the 30 Fulham (A) year Christopher Schindler (left) AWAY JANUARY 3 marshalled a superb defence last 2 Burnley (H) season. However, Ince, Van La Parra RECORD 13 Cardiff (A) and Kachunga were all underwhelming DISCIPLInE 20 Man City (H) further forward; Ince played 1,527 D5 30 Everton (H) minutes before contributing directly to L11 W3 FEBRUARY a goal. It’s make-or-break time for this 3 Chelsea (A) group – if they don’t start creating more 10 Arsenal (H) 62 3 consistently, upgrade. At least January 24 Newcastle (A) signing Alex Pritchard had a good start. 27 Wolves (H) MARCH HALF-TIME WHEn GOALS SIGN A MIDFIELD BATTLER 6 6 5 3 Brighton (A) The Terriers need Mooy to feel that THEY 4 5 2 10 Bournemouth (H) he has freedom to contribute to 17 West Ham (A) 4 attacks, so while he’s playing in SCORED 0-15 16-30 31-4546-60 61-75 76-90 31 Crystal Palace (A) the ‘2’ of a 4-2-3-1 for a team who are APRIL often on the back foot, he needs a very 7 Leicester (H) reliable defensive midfielder alongside 14 Tottenham (A) him. Jonathan Hogg raised his game 21 Watford (H) following promotion but laboured near 28 Liverpool (A) the season’s end, and neither Phillip MAY Billing nor Danny Williams look capable 5 Man United (H) of filling the ‘cut-price Kante’ role. VIEW FROM THE STAnDS 13 Southampton (A) DEVELOP A PLAN B FINN MACDONALD, @FINN_BOULTON Huddersfield will no longer have the element of surprise to their This season will be different Our most underrated player is The opposition player I secretly 5 benefit in 2018-19 and there is to last because we had no Zanka [aka Mathias Jorgensen]. admire is Idrissa Gana Gueye. He a worry that there isn’t a Plan B. Some expectations last season and Christopher Schindler got a lot makes Everton’s midfield secure, tactical flexibility would be useful, and could play with freedom. This of the credit for our defensive even if their backline is still poor. it’s thought that Wagner may kick off season, there’s more pressure. performances in 2017-18, yet the new campaign with the back three he couldn’t have done it without This season we will finish around that appeared at times last season. One change I’d make at our club the Great Dane alongside him. 16th or 17th. We may have to rely is to make the stadium bigger. on the final few fixtures, though. The player I would happily drive The best away ground is to another club is Collin Quaner. FFT asks: Are you pleased to St James’ Park, for sure. Unfortunately he’s not quite up to see Terence Kongolo sign for FFT VERDICT Premier League standard. a club-record fee after last All fairy tales must come The best away fans are Spurs season’s loan? He’s an incredible TH to an end, and the Terriers’ supporters – I hope they’ll be as Save the date for Spurs away on player. He kept the defence tight 19 may conclude in 2018-19. great as they were last season. April 13 – in the new stadium. at the end of the last campaign.

fourfourtwo.com.au September 2018 69 PREMIER LEAGUE 2018-19 LEICESTER

LAST SEASON PREMIER LEAGUE 9th FA CUP Quarter-final LEAGUE CUP Quarter-final TOP SCORER (ALL COMPS) Jamie Vardy (23)

Puel’s job has been unenviable in that sense, though there are positive signs that he will turn the WILL CLAUDE PUEL TURn tide. The former Southampton manager was criticised in some quarters for adopting a style that his players couldn’t handle, but the close-season has given him the first real chance to bring in new stars who can. THE TIDE OF FAn OPInIOn? The Frenchman made only one signing in January, namely midfielder Fousseni Diabate, so this summer And it started so well, too. After taking over from Worryingly, the former champions didn’t score more is Puel’s big opportunity to craft a team in his vision – Craig Shakespeare in October, Claude Puel (above) than once in any of those eight home matches. one that threatens on multiple fronts instead of being won five of his first eight matches as Leicester Players who appeared sharp and liberated in Puel’s so reliant on the individual brilliance of Jamie Vardy manager and had Foxes fans dreaming of another early days suddenly looked unable to cope with their and, in particular, the now-departed Riyad Mahrez. European tour. Even in mid-January, amid patchy manager’s demands for control and speedy build-up. That’s why Puel was so keen to bring in Portuguese form, they were primed in 7th place. Leicester were far from the livewire counter-attacking wing-back Ricardo Pereira, who is the first right-back Then it all went wrong. Leicester won only three of force that won the Premier League in 2015-16. Leicester have signed since Danny Simpson four years their final 14 Premier League games and wound up in But as Claudio Ranieri’s second season proved, the ago. Jonny Evans has been snapped up for a bargain 9th, seven points behind Burnley. A restless home Foxes couldn’t rely on that more reactive style forever. $6 million, while James Maddison – a $40m arrival crowd saw their team triumph only once between After Shakespeare’s botched succession, Leicester from Norwich – could be the lock-picker that Leicester January 20 and May 9 – against Championship side needed a genuine long-term planner – a manager desperately lacked last season. On paper, there’s a lot Sheffield United – and, facing Chelsea, watched with the thankless task of reshaping a successful to like about the Foxes ahead of 2018-19. With a little them throw away a berth in the FA Cup semi-finals. and strong-willed team. patience, Puel could be onto something exciting.

70 September 2018 FourFourTwo SEASOn PREVIEW FIVE-POInT PLAn KEY PLAYER BED IN A NEW SYSTEM JAMIE VARDY FIXTURES It feels likely that Leicester will shift He’s still an absolute pest. The England striker shape: Harry Maguire and Jonny has established himself among the Premier AUGUST 1 Evans are both good ball-playing League’s finest finishers, having amassed 57 11 Man United (A) defenders, while there are now strong goals over his past three top-flight campaigns. 19 Wolves (H) wing-back options in Ricardo Pereira Now 31, Vardy is showing no signs of slowing. 26 Southampton (A) and one of Ben Chilwell or Christian SEPTEMBER Fuchs. A 3-5-2 would provide width and 1 Liverpool (H) offer more control in the middle, suiting 16 Bournemouth (A) 23 Huddersfield (H) each of , Adrien Silva and PREMIER LEAGUE 2017-18 Maddison – plus, no frustrating No.10 30 Newcastle (A) role for poacher . OCTOBER THE nUMBER CRUnCHER 7 Everton (H) EASE OUT THE OLD 21 Arsenal (A) Veteran skipper Wes Morgan (34) 28 West Ham (H) finally showed his age last season NOVEMBER 2 and will probably be phased out in 4 Cardiff (A) W7 2018-19. Robert Huth has left on a free 11 Burnley (H) D6 transfer, Simpson will fall behind Pereira L6 25 Brighton (A) in the pecking order and Fuchs could 12 GOALS DECEMBER pass on the baton to Chilwell for good. SCORED 2 Watford (H) Each member of that quartet is safely HOME FROM SET CONCEDED 5 Fulham (A) ensconced in Foxes history, but now RECORD PIECES 9 Tottenham (H) it’s time to move on. 16 16 Crystal Palace (A) 23 Chelsea (A) TOTAL GAMES: 38 SORT OUT SET-PIECES 27 Man City (H) Leicester finished 9th last term, 30 Cardiff (H) but only four teams leaked more AWAY JANUARY 3 goals than their 60, and one of 2 Everton (A) them (Stoke) were relegated. Set-pieces RECORD 13 Southampton (H) were a big problem: Leicester conceded DISCIPLInE 20 Wolves (A)

16 from such situations, a figure only D5 31 Liverpool (A) L9 Watford (17) and Brighton (21) could W5 FEBRUARY top. Evans arriving from West Bromwich 3 Man United (H) Albion will surely organise the back line. 52 5 10 Tottenham (A) 24 Crystal Palace (H) FIND COMFORT AT HOME 27 Brighton (H) MARCH

The King Power Stadium was once HALF-TIME WHEn GOALS 13 a fortress but Bournemouth, West 9 10 7 8 9 3 Watford (A) 4 Brom, Swansea, Southampton and THEY 10 Fulham (H) Stoke all picked up a point there last 17 Burnley (A) season, while West Ham, Newcastle SCORED 0-15 16-30 31-4546-60 61-75 76-90 31 Bournemouth (H) and Crystal Palace took all three. It was APRIL clearly a missed opportunity: those 19 7 Huddersfield (A) squandered points would have been 14 Newcastle (H) enough to lift the Foxes above Everton, 21 West Ham (A) Burnley and Arsenal into 6th place. 28 Arsenal (H) MAY SHARE THE BURDEN 5 Man City (A) Vardy and Mahrez played pivotal VIEW FROM THE STAnDS 13 Chelsea (H) roles again in 2017-18. They 5 scored 57 per cent of Leicester’s JAMES SHARPE, @THESHARPEEND goals, and only Mo Salah had a better ‘expected goals’ differential of all This season will be different to Keep an eye out for George Fans of other teams might not players; between them, the pair netted last because Claude Puel will have Thomas. With Riyad Mahrez know that Leicester had 10 10 more than they ‘should’ have done, had the transfer window and a full leaving, the 21-year-old winger players at this year’s World Cup, based on chance quality. Puel will want pre-season to shape his squad. could get his chance. He has more than Arsenal and Liverpool. to see much more from Nigeria forward been banging in the goals for Iheanacho, in particular, after only three Our most underrated player is the under-23s and is already This season we’ll finish seventh. league goals last time out. Marc Albrighton: consistent, capped for Wales even though committed and a classy crosser of he is yet to make his first-team FFT asks: How shrewd a purchase the ball. That he’s never had a sniff debut with Leicester. is Jonny Evans for $6m? It is of an England call-up is a travesty. an absolute bargain. You usually The opposition player I secretly can’t get a one-legged carthorse FFT VERDICT The best away fans are definitely admire is James Milner. What a for that sort of money these days, Mahrez will be missed but not Arsenal’s. Newcastle fans, on guy. Whatever position he’s put in, let alone a top-class centre-back TH recruitment looks decent. the other hand, travel in numbers he gives his all and does a fine job. with tons of Premier League and 7 And they’ve got Slabhead. and never stop singing. He is Liverpool’s Marc Albrighton. international experience.

FourFourTwo September 2018 71 PREMIER LEAGUE 2018-19

FA CUP Fourth Round LEAGUE CUP Third Round CHAMPIONS LEAGUE Runners-up TOP SCORER (ALL COMPS) Mohamed Salah (44)

Some doubt Salah can replicate a season in which he scored six more than his ‘expected goals’ total. WAS SALAH’S WOnDER Manager Jurgen Klopp, however, has no such doubts. “I’d like to show you all of the scouting footage we had,” said Klopp after Salah held off Leicester’s Harry Maguire, before swivelling and finishing with typical aplomb. “The second goal against Leicester – a goal SEASOn A OnE-OFF? like this was not involved. He is so physically strong.” Salah, now 26, has evolved under the German. At Hands up if you saw that coming. The Liverpool Salah’s brilliance is not isolated but consistent, even his gaffer’s insistence, the wideman now occupies Echo certainly didn’t, anyway. if 44 goals in 52 games is a scarcely credible return central areas more regularly, making his sashays into “He remains unproven at the highest level,” wrote for someone who’d never previously managed more the box more dangerous and likely to end in a goal. the newspaper after Mo Salah’s arrival from Roma than 20 in a season, regardless of his Serie A accuracy. “I tried all year to get him to play more centrally and last summer for a club-record $66 million. “It’s a big The big difference was in Salah’s Champions League he kept going wide to get the ball,” said former Roma outlay and risk for a player of his kind.” form. Only Cristiano Ronaldo outscored his 10 goals boss Luciano Spalletti, now managing Inter. “He now In fact, there was no risk. You just had to look at (excluding qualifying), which was comfortably his best seems to understand what his starting position has the numbers – instructive numbers which prove that return in continental competition. Liverpool never to be, and is drawing great benefit from it.” the Egyptian’s stellar 2017-18 season is no anomaly. looked like scoring after he went off in the semi-final Salah 2.0, a genuine world-class talent, may be here Four seasons ago, he scored with 20.7 per cent of first leg against Roma, letting a 5-0 advantage slip to to stay. “Of course I expected to score as many goals his shots for Fiorentina, then 19.4 per cent, followed 5-2, and were hugely diminished in the final after he as I have,” he has said. “Come on – I know I’m good.” by 18.8 per cent in two campaigns at Roma. was forced off by Sergio Ramos’ Machiavelli tribute. How long can Liverpool realistically keep him?

72 September 2018 FourFourTwo SEASOn PREVIEW FIVE-POInT PLAn KEY PLAYER KEEP THINGS FRESH MO SALAH FIXTURES By the end of last term, the Reds’ Who else? Without the Egyptian king, Liverpool midfield was on its last legs – or the struggled to break down Burnley and Everton, AUGUST 1 treatment table. Jordan Henderson not to mention Porto, Roma and Real Madrid. 12 West Ham (H) had to manage his troublesome ankles, The goal machine must stay fit and hungry if 22 Crystal Palace (A) now-departed Emre Can suffered back the Reds are to mount a serious title challenge. 26 Brighton (H) knack and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s SEPTEMBER cruciate ligament went pop, all because 1 Leicester (A) they were playing in nearly every game. 15 Tottenham (A) 23 Southampton (H) Early-summer business has addressed PREMIER LEAGUE 2017-18 that ahead of 2018-19. Fabinho from 30 Chelsea (A) Monaco and Naby Keita, a club-record OCTOBER arrival from RB Leipzig, offer midfield THE nUMBER CRUnCHER 7 Man City (H) flair and dynamism respectively. 21 Huddersfield (A) 28 Cardiff (H) FIND THE RIGHT BALANCE W12 NOVEMBER Klopp struggled to make the Fab 4 Arsenal (A) Four fit before Philippe Coutinho’s 11 Fulham (H) D7 2 mid-season transfer to Barcelona. 25 Watford (A) 11 DECEMBER Adam Lallana works better in a midfield L0 GOALS three, but if Klopp adds an attacking SCORED 2 Everton (H) midfielder to his Salah-Firmino-Mané HOME FROM SET CONCEDED 5 Burnley (A) forward trident, then he must resist the RECORD PIECES 9 Bournemouth (A) urge to go gung-ho. $23m buy Xherdan 8 16 Man United (H) Shaqiri is very much ‘front three only’. 23 Wolves (A) TOTAL GAMES: 38 27 Newcastle (H) JOE GOMEZ: CENTRE-BACK 30 Arsenal (H) Virgil van Dijk has swiftly improved AWAY JANUARY a shaky defence but Dejan Lovren, RECORD 2 Man City (A) 3 Joel Matip and Ragnar Klavan are 13 Brighton (A) respectively error-prone, injury-prone DISCIPLInE 20 Crystal Palace (H) L5 and haplessness-prone. New recruits D5 31 Leicester (H) are expected, but Klopp could play Joe FEBRUARY Gomez in central defence – his natural W9 3 West Ham (A) position. With Trent Alexander-Arnold 44 1 10 Bournemouth (H) rising to prominence and Nathaniel 24 Man United (A) Clyne now fit again, the Merseysiders 28 Watford (H) MARCH aren’t shy of competent right-backs. HALF-TIME GOALS 16 15 WHEn 8 11 3 Everton (A) KEEP SCORING FIRST THEY 17 17 10 Burnley (H) Liverpool were one of three sides, 17 Fulham (A) with Manchester City and Spurs, SCORED 0-15 16-30 31-4546-60 61-75 76-90 31 Tottenham (H) 4 who didn’t lose a Premier League APRIL game in 2017-18 after scoring first. The 7 Southampton (A) Reds found the opener on 25 occasions 14 Chelsea (H) and never tasted defeat, with six draws 21 Cardiff (A) and 19 wins. Turn a few single-pointers 28 Huddersfield (H) into three and in 2018-19 they could MAY even challenge City’s pre-eminence. 5 Newcastle (A) VIEW FROM THE STAnDS 13 Wolves (H) SEARCH FOR BARGAINS The £8m spent on relegated Hull CHRIS McLOUGHLIN, @THEKOPMAGAZINE left-back Andy Robertson was one 5 of the deals of the season. And it’s This season will be different Our most underrated player is Keep an eye out for Curtis Jones, not just Alexander-Arnold who can step to last because a Champions James Milner. He set a Champions 17. Klopp put the Scouser on the up from the academy, either, as Wales League final appearance in League assists record last season. bench for the Merseyside derby. international Ben Woodburn has talent 2017-18 means expectations and England under-17 marksman Rhian are now higher, but with the The best away ground is Craven This season we’ll finish 2nd, Brewster opted to stay. Throwing cash arrivals of Fabinho and Naby Cottage. Big away end; decent part behind Manchester City. This side at a problem isn’t always necessary. Keita, Liverpool will have a new of England’s second city; cracking can beat anyone, but so can City and more dynamic midfield. pubs – welcome back, Fulham. and on a more consistent basis.

The player I’d happily drive to The best away fans are Everton’s. FFT asks: Pleased to see Rhian another club is Loris Karius. I feel They haven’t won at Anfield since Brewster, 18, commit his future FFT VERDICT genuinely sorry for the lad, but 1999 – a few weeks before Ben to the club? Very pleased. He is Liverpool’s newly retooled you can’t make calamitous errors Woodburn was born – but still a finisher and Klopp is well aware nD midfield makes them the such as his against Real Madrid in they fill the away end every time. of his talent. He might have to be 2 biggest threat to Man City. Kiev and remain Liverpool’s No.1. That’s blind loyalty for you. patient for a while longer, though.

FourFourTwo September 2018 73 PREMIER LEAGUE 2018-19 MAnCHESTER CITY

LAST SEASON PREMIER LEAGUE 1st FA CUP Fifth Round LEAGUE CUP Winners CHAMPIONS LEAGUE Quarter-final TOP SCORER (ALL COMPS) Sergio Aguero (30)

However, while that certainly helps, such critics would be daft to discount the Pep factor. The Catalan coach HOW CAn THEY IMPROVE improves players and blends teams masterfully. Just repeating 2017-18’s footballing banquet would be an outstanding achievement. But Guardiola wants to eclipse it and, with funds at his disposal, eventually create a masterpiece to surpass the one he created in On PERFECTIOn? Barcelona. Breaking City’s transfer record to buy Riyad Mahrez for $110m is another statement of intent. Identifying areas in which Manchester City can get away wins (16) and the big one: becoming the first Their main failing was in the Champions League, better feels like telling Albert Einstein to brush his team in English top-flight history to reach 100 points. where City impressed before encountering a Liverpool hair if he wants to fit in at the physics department. Other records hint at just how City did it: the highest outfit possessed by a sense of destiny. There was Who are we to make suggestions? Fans of Arsenal’s possession average since such things were measured no way back from trailing 3-0 early in the first leg. It Invincibles or Manchester United’s Treble-winners (71 per cent), and most passes in a season (28,241). would be easy to write off the quarter-final defeat as might dispute it, but last season Manchester City But it was the aesthetic delight they served up while a freak incident – a season of labour, gone in half an were arguably the finest football team to grace doing it that’s really the clincher. This was the unit that hour – but Jurgen Klopp showed that Pep’s gang could the Premier League in its 26-year history. Pep Guardiola’s arrival in England promised to deliver: actually be bullied by a side both brilliant and brave. Raw stats tilt the debate in their favour. A hatful of brutally effective, but bewitching to observe. Sure, the It’s a riddle Guardiola will relish solving: how to find single-season records were broken, including widest critics pointed towards City’s chequebook, and claimed a way to outwit the top European sides that have a go title-winning margin (19 points), most goals scored that having the finest footballers in the world in most at them, while maintaining their ability to demolish (106), best goal difference (+79), most wins (32), most positions makes it effortless to both win and entertain. small fry as a matter of course. Over to you, Einstein.

74 September 2018 FourFourTwo SEASOn PREVIEW FIVE-POInT PLAn KEY PLAYER IGNORE LAST SEASON KEVIN DE BRUYNE FIXTURES City may produce a better season The 27-year-old pass-master is at the heart of than 2017-18 – a Premier League everything majestic about Manchester City. AUGUST 1 and Champions League double The Belgium star possesses all of the tools for 13 Arsenal (A) would do it – but they’re unlikely greatness and is part of a glorious club side – 19 Huddersfield (H) to improve points-wise. Guardiola the Ballon d’Or could soon be within reach. 25 Wolves (A) knows this, predicting: “In December, SEPTEMBER people will say, ‘Manchester City have 2 Newcastle (H) got fewer points than last season’.” 16 Fulham (H) 23 Cardiff (A) He must maintain his mantra that PREMIER LEAGUE 2017-18 numbers aren’t the target. 30 Brighton (H) OCTOBER IDENTIFY VINCENT THE nUMBER CRUnCHER 7 Liverpool (A) KOMPANY’S SUCCESSOR 21 Burnley (H) The captain is 32 and won’t leave W16 28 Tottenham (A) 2 the club anytime soon, but his NOVEMBER seemingly endless fitness woes mean 4 Southampton (H) Pep must find a replacement. Despite 11 Man United (H) Aymeric Laporte arriving in January 25 West Ham (A) D2 15 to help John Stones and Nicolas L1 GOALS DECEMBER Otamendi, the champions look a little SCORED 2 Bournemouth (H) thin at the heart of their back line. HOME FROM SET CONCEDED 5 Watford (A) RECORD PIECES 9 Chelsea (A) BEAT TEAMS WHO SIT DEEP 3 16 Everton (H) As 2017-18 wore on, opponents 23 Crystal Palace (H) TOTAL GAMES: 38 moved further back against City. 27 Leicester (A) 3 “It’s important to focus on how 30 Southampton (A) we can improve when we play against AWAY JANUARY teams so deep,” admitted Guardiola. 2 Liverpool (H) Switching from 4-3-3 to 3-3-4 had RECORD 13 Wolves (H) some effect. Patience will be required, L1 DISCIPLInE 20 Huddersfield (A) too, as even an attack boasting Leroy D2 31 Newcastle (A) Sané, Sergio Aguero, Gabriel Jesus, FEBRUARY Raheem Sterling, Bernardo Silva and 3 Arsenal (H) Mahrez can’t keep up last term’s 10 Chelsea (H) 59 2 ridiculous scoring record... probably. W16 24 Everton (A) 28 West Ham (H) MARCH BE TACTICALLY FLEXIBLE HALF-TIME GOALS 13 ON MORE OCCASIONS WHEn 12 25 3 Bournemouth (A) Besides mixing it up to overcome THEY 20 18 18 10 Watford (H) 4 very defensive teams, Guardiola’s 17 Man United (A) tactics against the big dogs in Europe SCORED 0-15 16-30 31-4546-60 61-75 76-90 31 Fulham (A) require finessing. Although he tinkered APRIL with his offensive gameplan a few 7 Cardiff (H) times last season – against Liverpool, 14 Crystal Palace (A) for one – Pep fielded a more defensive 21 Tottenham (H) line-up so infrequently that his players 28 Burnley (A) seemed bemused by the idea. In order MAY to conquer Europe in 2018-19, City may 5 Leicester (H) have to learn to be comfortable playing VIEW FROM THE STAnDS 13 Brighton (A) two (slightly) different ways. STEPHEN TUDOR, MATCH-GOING FAN SINCE 1986 ADD DEPTH TO THE CENTRE Their squad already boasts some This season will be different to Save the date for Liverpool away One change I would make at our of the world’s best midfielders – last because... well, I hope it won’t on October 6, and an end to City’s club is to lessen the alienation of 5 Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva be. More of the same, please! Anfield hoodoo. The club last won long-serving hardcore fans in in particular – but Silva is 32 and there in 2003. favour of luring in new support. Fernandinho 33. Pep has Fabian Delph Our most underrated player is and Ilkay Gundogan, but lacks a true Fernandinho – the power behind Keep an eye out for Phil Foden. This season we will finish holding player in his list of options. the throne. He was consistently The emergence of ‘the Stockport comfortably top of the league, immense last season. Iniesta’ will, I hope, end the jibes only minus the records. that City don’t have a first-team The opposition player I secretly pathway for their youth. FFT asks: Why should 2018-19 admire is Eden Hazard, who be the year City win their first FFT VERDICT makes Chelsea three times as The player I would happily drive back-to-back titles? The chasm The signs are they’re just good when he’s in the mood. to another club is Claudio Bravo, between City and their rivals is ST going to get better – bad Christian Eriksen, also, is never although we wouldn’t get very far too vast to bridge over the course 1 news for the rest, right? less than a pleasure to watch. before his clown car fell apart. of a single summer.

FourFourTwo September 2018 75 PREMIER LEAGUE 2018-19 MAnCH D

LAST SEASON PREMIER LEAGUE 2nd FA CUP Runners-up LEAGUE CUP Fifth Round CHAMPIONS LEAGUE Last 16 TOP SCORER (ALL COMPS) Romelu Lukaku (27)

team, which many thought would be roadblocked by Mourinho, continues to produce. Jesse Lingard is CAn MOURInHO REDISCOVER a central figure, Marcus Rashford has been given semi-regular starts and surprise package Scott McTominay – selected as the inaugural Manager’s Player of the Year at United’s end of season awards – THE WInnInG FORMULA? is fighting hard to earn a spot in the first XI. But if he is to usurp his nemesis at City, Mourinho Even the most ardent Manchester United fan could has never previously stayed at a club for longer than must get his group of incredibly talented individuals, not deny that Manchester City deserved to win the three full seasons – but he has made a point of including new recruit Fred, playing well far more 2017-18 Premier League title. The disappointment, outlining his intention to stick around at Old Trafford consistently than they have been. Alexis Sanchez as Manchester turned blue, is the ease with which for the long term, having signed a new two-year deal struggled after arriving from Arsenal in January, while City strolled to their third crown in seven seasons. in January. Two trophies in his first campaign and World Cup winner Paul Pogba (above) isn’t dominating For the second successive campaign, the expected a return to the Champions League was a solid enough matches with the regularity fans expected after his two-way title tussle between old foes Jose Mourinho start. But a trophyless second, including an early exit return from Juventus for what was a world-record fee. and Pep Guardiola didn’t materialise. United improved from Europe by way of a Last-16 defeat to Sevilla, Success in 2018-19 – the kind that would remind from sixth place to second and from 69 points to 81, means there’s real pressure on him in 2018-19. people exactly why he is a three-time Premier League but City rocketed from 78 to 100 – a new record. There are strong foundations to build on, though. winner – may require a mindset change for Mourinho. This is a massive season for Mourinho, in uncharted Last season United recorded their highest points total, Giving his players the freedom to express themselves waters. Never before has he lasted two years in a job win count and goal tally since left the in their best positions, and refraining from publicly without winning the league. Indeed, the 55-year-old club in 2013. The pathway from academy to first shaming squad members, is a good place to start.

76 September 2018 FourFourTwo SEASOn PREVIEW FIVE-POInT PLAn KEY PLAYER ERADICATE SLIP-UPS ROMELU LUKAKU FIXTURES After kicking off 2017-18 with three Every pundit and columnist has had their say on wins and three clean sheets, United his goal return against the ‘Big Six’, but 27 strikes AUGUST 1 stumbled at Stoke, drawing 2-2 in 51 matches represented a good first season 11 Leicester (H) with a team who’d end up relegated. at Old Trafford. The Belgian forward’s fine form 20 Brighton (A) Promoted Huddersfield inflicted the Red then continued for his country at the World Cup. 28 Tottenham (H) Devils’ first defeat, and any flickering SEPTEMBER title ambitions were extinguished by 2 Burnley (A) frustrating festive draws with Leicester, 16 Watford (A) 23 Wolves (H) Burnley and Southampton, all in a row. PREMIER LEAGUE 2017-18 United must restore their ruthlessness 29 West Ham (A) in attack and belligerence in defence. OCTOBER Positive signs came in the persistence THE nUMBER CRUnCHER 7 Newcastle (H) that enabled them to recover from 2-0 21 Chelsea (A) down to win 3-2 at both Crystal Palace W15 28 Everton (H) and Manchester City in the spring. NOVEMBER 4 Bournemouth (A) UNLEASH THE POG 11 Man City (A) Mourinho has yet to find a way of 25 Crystal Palace (H) D2 getting the best from Paul Pogba, L2 14 GOALS DECEMBER 2 but Fred’s $92 million arrival SCORED 2 Southampton (A) from Shakhtar Donetsk may help the HOME FROM SET CONCEDED 5 Arsenal (H) Frenchman to rediscover his Juventus RECORD PIECES 9 Fulham (H) form. The Brazilian is happy operating 10 16 Liverpool (A) as a defensive midfielder or playmaker, 23 Cardiff (A) TOTAL GAMES: 38 which could afford Pogba the freedom 27 Huddersfield (H) to roam menacingly forward and put in 30 Bournemouth (H) performances befitting an $160m man. AWAY JANUARY 2 Newcastle (A) IDENTIFY NEW LEADERS RECORD 13 Tottenham (A) Traditionally, Mourinho identifies DISCIPLInE 20 Brighton (H) a core group of leaders in his side. L5 30 Burnley (H) D4 3 He hasn’t established that at Old FEBRUARY Trafford. The top candidate was Michael 3 Leicester (A) Carrick but he has now retired, while W10 64 1 10 Fulham (A) Mourinho’s midfield lieutenants, Ander 24 Liverpool (H) Herrera and Marouane Fellaini (whose 27 Crystal Palace (A) MARCH contract has been extended), don’t suit HALF-TIME WHEn GOALS 13 the role. Leadership must come from 7 9 12 9 3 Southampton (H) the team’s few remaining title-winners, THEY 18 10 Arsenal (A) led by the 33-year-old Antonio Valencia. 17 Man City (H) SCORED 0-15 16-30 31-4546-60 61-75 76-90 31 Watford (H) LET CREATIVITY FLOW APRIL It’s not in Mourinho’s nature, but 7 Wolves (A) letting his men play their natural 14 West Ham (H) 4 game once in a while, or even 21 Everton (A) encouraging them to have fun, might 28 Chelsea (H) pay off. Though disciplined, United too MAY often look restricted, playing within 5 Huddersfield (A) themselves and appearing afraid to VIEW FROM THE STAnDS 13 Cardiff (H) make mistakes. Lighten up, Jose! SCOTT PATTERSON, THEREPUBLIKOFMANCUNIA.COM HAVE FAITH IN YOUTH Although only half of Rashford’s This season will be different to The player I would happily drive Save the date for City coming to appearances came in the starting last because it has to be. Jose to another club is Chris Smalling. Old Trafford on March 16. I hope 5 XI, Lingard and McTominay flew Mourinho has had two years He is capable of playing well on that this season the title race will the flag for United’s academy in the to get it together, so this season his day, but we should replace still be alive by that time. first team last season. McTominay’s he must find the missing pieces him with someone who is selection surprised many at the club, of the puzzle. world-class in his position. This season we will finish 2nd. which will encourage his young peers. It’s very hard to imagine anyone Our most underrated player is The best away ground is the new overthrowing City. Romelu Lukaku, because he Tottenham ground, or at least it scored and assisted plenty of will be interesting to see it. But FFT asks: How pleased are you to goals last season despite facing Liverpool at Anfield is the see the club form a professional FFT VERDICT Mourinho’s tactics limiting how fixture of the season. women’s side this summer? It Mourinho sides don’t tend many chances the team creates. was long overdue. I don’t watch RD to fare so well during his The opposition player I secretly women’s football but it’s the right 3 third campaign at a club... Keep an eye out for Tahith Chong. admire is Sergio Aguero. move for the club to make.

FourFourTwo September 2018 77 PREMIER LEAGUE 2018-19 nEWCAST

LAST SEASON PREMIER LEAGUE 10th FA CUP Fourth Round LEAGUE CUP Second Round TOP SCORER (ALL COMPS) Ayoze Perez (10)

them so far clear of the bottom three that they could afford to lose four on the spin after that. Job done. CAn RAFA BEnITEZ COnTInUE Dubravka’s loan from Sparta Prague has been made permanent – a snip at $6 million – and Benitez would love to do likewise with Chelsea’s Kenedy, but another loan may have to do; Ashley doesn’t sign cheques too TO WORK MIRACLES? easily, hence Ki Sung-yueng’s arrival on a free transfer. No, Benitez must sell to buy. Matt Ritchie may leave, Across his career, Rafa Benitez has inspired either for the other to commit, while the Magpies’ squad is although manager and fans alike would be less happy antipathy or adoration; up Toon, it’s the latter. reshuffled on a budget dwarfed by those around them. to sell a jewel such as Jamaal Lascelles, who has He could have walked away in 2016 after a valiant Still, wheeling and dealing won’t faze the Spaniard attracted interest from Everton and a bid from West struggle against relegation. Instead, Benitez guided after last winter’s window. Sixth in late October, his Ham. Either way, a new No.9 has to be the priority. Newcastle back up as champions, then not only kept side slid into the drop zone the week before Christmas Ashley is the elephant in the room – or the dog in the them up but finished in the top half. Thanks to their having taken one point from 27 available. “We need manger. He won’t sell the club for less than what he goal difference, carefully defended by some damage something in January,” said Benitez. “We’ll try to bring sees as market value: Amanda Staveley’s PCP Capital limitation exercises against big clubs, Newcastle snuck in some additions that will bring a lift to the team.” Partners group failed with an offer of $450m million, into 10th above Bournemouth and Crystal Palace. Boy, did he. With nothing to spend, Benitez borrowed rising to $530m, as Ashley didn’t like the conditions. Benitez (above) wants – needs – to spend money, a terrific goalkeeper (Martin Dubravka), a threatening Newcastle survived in 2017-18 with a bit of luck and but owner Mike Ashley isn’t willing to invest it in a club wideman (Kenedy) and, less successfully, a lumbering a lot of judgement. If Benitez is pushed too far, Ashley he’s trying to sell. There’s a danger that the two could striker (Islam Slimani). Following that trio’s arrival, the may need a new manager to prevent a third relegation end up locked in a loveless relationship, each waiting Toon took 17 points from the next eight games, lifting in a decade. Is Alan Pardew still available?

78 September 2018 FourFourTwo SEASOn PREVIEW FIVE-POInT PLAn KEY PLAYER UNBLOCK THE FINANCES JAMAAL LASCELLES FIXTURES Ideally this would come following Newcastle leaked 15 goals in five games without a takeover, but even if not, it would the skipper, their only point coming in a 2-2 draw AUGUST 1 be idiotic short-termism for Ashley with bottom club West Bromwich Albion. The one 11 Tottenham (H) to refuse to release funds and watch time they let in three or more when he did play 18 Cardiff (A) his business suffer relegation from the was against Manchester City. Next up: England? 27 Chelsea (H) world’s most lucrative league. Ashley SEPTEMBER is sticking to his mantra that Benitez 2 Man City (A) will get “every penny generated by the 16 Arsenal (H) 23 Crystal Palace (A) club”, never speculating to accumulate. PREMIER LEAGUE 2017-18 30 Leicester (H) TIE DOWN BENITEZ OCTOBER A deal to renew the ex-Liverpool THE nUMBER CRUnCHER 7 Man United (A) manager’s contract, which ends 21 Brighton (H) 2 next June, is “still on the table”. 28 Southampton (A) He won’t sign until Ashley coughs up, NOVEMBER but Ashley won’t cough up until he W8 4 Watford (H) signs. It’s the perfect conundrum but 11 Bournemouth (H) a vital one to solve – hire a marriage L7 D4 25 Burnley (A) guidance counsellor if necessary. 11 GOALS DECEMBER SCORED 2 West Ham (H) SIGN A TARGETMAN HOME FROM SET CONCEDED 6 Everton (A) Injury-hit Leicester loanee Slimani RECORD PIECES 9 Wolves (H) flopped at St James’ Park and 4 16 Huddersfield (A) 3 a striker is needed who isn’t Ayoze 23 Fulham (H) TOTAL GAMES: 38 Perez (talented but more of a No.10), 27 Liverpool (A) Dwight Gayle (determined but 5ft 9in) 30 Watford (A) or Joselu (tall but bobbins). Aleksandar AWAY JANUARY Mitrovic typified the role in Serbia’s 2 Man United (H) 4-2-3-1 formation at the World Cup and RECORD 13 Chelsea (A) hit 12 goals in a 13-game run to help DISCIPLInE 20 Cardiff (H) Fulham up; he’s ripe for selling, though, D4 31 Man City (H) and probably for more than Salomon L11 W4 FEBRUARY Rondon’s $30m buyout clause. 3 Tottenham (A) 52 10 Wolves (A) MAINTAIN SUPPLY LINES 2 24 Huddersfield (H) Sitting deeper in the ‘2’ of the 28 Burnley (H) MARCH

Toon’s 4-2-3-1, Jonjo Shelvey HALF-TIME WHEn GOALS 12 4 displayed an excellent passing 8 6 5 3 West Ham (A) range that nearly took him to Russia THEY 5 3 10 Everton (H) with England over the summer. He – 17 Bournemouth (A) or his manager – also appears to have SCORED 0-15 1 -30 3 -45-60 6 -75 7 -90 31 Arsenal (A) sorted out that short fuse: having been APRIL shown two red cards before Christmas, 7 Crystal Palace (H) Shelvey didn’t pick up a single booking 14 Leicester (A) in the top flight after that. Swansea 21 Southampton (H) escapee Ki Sung-yueng will add nous 28 Brighton (A) alongside the 26-year-old, with Isaac MAY Hayden another option. 5 Liverpool (H) VIEW FROM THE STAnDS 13 Fulham (A) KEEP IT TIGHT AT THE BACK Dubravka, Lascelles & Co. formed ANDY GURR, MATCH-GOING SUPPORTER SINCE 1998 the top flight’s seventh-tightest 5 defence in 2017-18, despite the This season will be different to Our most underrated player is Keep an eye out for striker Adam Magpies being third-lowest in the pass last because most fans will have Paul Dummett. I didn’t rate him Armstrong. It could be his season completion and possession tables. They a higher expectation of where we for a long time, but he has been to break through at last. He did won more aerial battles than anyone will finish, after last season’s 10th. so solid and consistent over the very well on loan at Blackburn last except Burnley and Stoke – teams who past couple of seasons. He’s had season and he was also part of the experienced very different campaigns, Fans of other clubs might not a lot of good wingers in his pocket. England under-21 squad that won either of which is open to Newcastle. know that we aren’t all deluded this summer’s Toulon Tournament. Geordies who think we should be The opposition player I secretly winning the Champions League. admire is the classy David Silva. This season we will finish 13th.

The player I would happily drive Our pantomime villain is Anthony FFT asks: Were you pleased to FFT VERDICT to another club is Joselu. There’s Knockaert: overrated, loves a dive. see Martin Dubravka make his If Rafa sticks around, they been no lack of effort from him, January loan deal permanent TH should be safe again. But but he’s just not good enough One change I would make at our this summer? Absolutely. He had 13 we all know that’s a big ‘if’. for the Premier League. club is the owner. Just sell up! a fantastic half-season with us.

FourFourTwo September 2018 79 PREMIER LEAGUE 2018-19 SOUT

LAST SEASO PREMIER LEAGUE FA CUP Semi-final LEAGUE CUP Secon TOP SCORER (ALL Charlie Austin, Dusan

between 2004 and 2012 in particular was astonishing, but there have been diminishing returns since then. HAS THE ACADEMY In the last couple of seasons, Ward-Prowse has been the only academy product to appear regularly in the starting XI, with the likes of Matt Targett (on loan at Fulham last term), Sam McQueen and Josh Sims all TALEnT DRIED UP? flitting in and out of the side. It’s harsh to hammer the academy, still regarded as one of the UK’s best, for the senior side’s woes. Youth “Our vision is to produce a first team year-on-year But instead of pushing on and menacing Europe, setups have peaks and troughs, and it may just be bad made up of 50 per cent academy graduates,” reads Southampton have had a reality check in the last two luck that Southampton’s has hit an arid spell when it the mission statement on Saints’ website. It is an campaigns. After widespread asset-stripping of their is needed most. The danger is if Saints completely admirably lofty goal. And, thanks to the marvellous best operators, the south-coasters ended 2016-17 in sacrifice their vision for short-term gain. It can happen facilities and coaching at their Staplewood 8th, and last term was a rotter. Three points separated fast: recall 2000-01, when Ipswich’s academy-packed Campus, a ‘Southampton Way’ has developed. Saints from relegation with a squad capable of better. side were hailed as the future of English football. Between 2000 and 2016, the club ushered 34 youth Myriad factors are to blame. Primarily, it is difficult Manager Mark Hughes is a pragmatist with a decent players towards a first-team debut, including future for any team to thrive while constantly losing key track record of keeping sides at the top table, but he’s internationals Gareth Bale, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, personnel – as Saints did again last season with the no romantic. Southampton’s big challenge now will be Luke Shaw and James Ward-Prowse (above). In the exit of Virgil van Dijk – and recruitment has been poor. sticking to their vision – one that made them admired, Premier League, following promotion in 2012, finishing However, Southampton’s academy has also dipped different and fun to watch – in an environment where positions steadily improved: 14th, 8th, 7th, then 6th. in effectiveness. The calibre of talent that emerged it’s getting harder to take risks.

80 September 2018 FourFourTwo SEASOn PREVIEW FIVE-POInT PLAn KEY PLAYER IMPROVE SQUAD UNITY NATHAN REDMOND FIXTURES Saints hit a low in March with the The winger scored once in 31 league matches 3-0 loss at Newcastle. “I observed last season, making him emblematic of Saints’ AUGUST 1 players who gave up,” grumbled need to step things up. If he can do that, Gareth 12 Burnley (H) manager Mauricio Pellegrino, about Southgate will be watching the one-cap wonder; 19 Everton (A) a dressing-room discord visible on the if he can’t, the Championship could be calling. 26 Leicester (H) pitch. His replacement perked them up, SEPTEMBER as did survival, but some bonding 2 Crystal Palace (A) exercises wouldn’t go amiss. Anyone 18 Brighton (H) 23 Liverpool (A) for pony-trekking in the New Forest? PREMIER LEAGUE 2017-18 30 Wolves (A) GET GRINDING AGAIN OCTOBER A return to the buccaneering eras THE nUMBER CRUnCHER 7 Chelsea (H) of Mauricio Pochettino and Ronald 21 Bournemouth (A) 2 Koeman would put supporters in 28 Newcastle (H) dreamland, but a dose of Sparky solidity NOVEMBER (Stoke used to finish ninth every year, 4 Man City (A) remember) is also essential to steady 11 Watford (H) W4 D7 the ship. Southampton leaked 56 goals L8 25 Fulham (A) last term – as many as West Bromwich 12 GOALS DECEMBER Albion and Swansea – so they must SCORED 2 Man United (H) rediscover how to defend as a unit. HOME FROM SET CONCEDED 6 Tottenham (A) RECORD PIECES 9 Cardiff (A) DOMINATE IN THE AIR 12 16 Arsenal (H) Southampton were sub-par in 23 Huddersfield (A) TOTAL GAMES: 38 several areas last season: they 27 West Ham (H) 3 were poor defending long shots, 30 Man City (H) couldn’t hold onto a lead, and made AWAY JANUARY a plethora of individual errors. But they 2 Chelsea (A) particularly stank at aerial duels, and RECORD 13 Leicester (A) exposure in this department cost them DISCIPLInE 20 Everton (H) in both boxes. It’s something Hughes L8 31 Crystal Palace (H) is sure to target for improvement. W3 D8 FEBRUARY 3 Burnley (A) CONVERT MORE CHANCES 63 10 Cardiff (H) Saints created opportunities last 2 24 Arsenal (A) term but struggled to finish them. 28 Fulham (H) MARCH

Manolo Gabbiadini looked nothing HALF-TIME 4 WHEn GOALS like the striker who made an instant 7 7 8 6 3 Man United (A) impact in the second half of 2016-17, THEY 5 4 10 Tottenham (H) while Shane Long scored just twice in 17 Watford (A) 30 matches and Charlie Austin endured SCORED 0-15 16-30 31-4546-60 61-75 76-90 31 Brighton (A) dry spells and injury. Guido Carrillo has APRIL now left on loan, having failed to score 7 Liverpool (H) after joining in January for a club-record 14 Wolves (H) fee of £19m. Norway’s Mohamed 21 Newcastle (A) Elyounoussi, signed from Basel, has his 28 Bournemouth (H) work cut out – especially with Dusan MAY Tadic, creator-in-chief, leaving for Ajax. 5 West Ham (A) VIEW FROM THE STAnDS 13 Huddersfield (H) FIND SOME CONTINUITY It’s a problem that’s afflicting an NICK ILLINGSWORTH, WWW.THEUGLYINSIDE.NET increasing number of clubs, but 5 a constant turnover of bosses and This season will be different to The player I would happily drive Keep an eye out for Josh Sims. players has bitten Southampton hard. last because we have a manager to another club is Maya Yoshida. While it’s easier said than done to hang and not a coach in charge. He has been a great servant to This season we will finish onto your stars when bigger clubs come the club, but the fact that he has back in the top 10. calling, a spell of stability would allow Our most underrated player is been a regular for the past 18 Saints to rediscover the traits that have Wesley Hoedt. He will show that months shows how our standards FFT asks: Were you pleased or made them special in the past decade. he has the class that’s needed have fallen. If he left, it would a little bit underwhelmed to see to lead the defence. show that we are back on track. Mark Hughes given a three-year I have got nothing against him, contract this summer? A bit Our pantomime villain is Virgil though, as he’s a great club man. of both: pleased, because he van Dijk. He’s a sulking disgrace to brought discipline to the squad; FFT VERDICT the term ‘professional footballer’. The opposition player I secretly underwhelmed, as it seems to An unspectacular season admire is Adam Lallana. He broke be a step back from our modern TH of consolidation could be The best away fans are from our hearts, but we’re hopeful that outlook. Not many Southampton 15 exactly what Saints need. Liverpool and Manchester United. one day we can love him again. fans are too displeased, though.

FourFourTwo September 2018 81 PREMIER LEAGUE 2018-19 TOTTE

LAST SEASON PREMIER LEAGUE 3r FA CUP Semi-final LEAGUE CUP Fourth R CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TOP SCORER (ALL CO Harry Kane (41)

‘Lads, it’s Tottenham’ identity as a catch-all punchline; and manage the move into a flash and expensive new ground, all while trying to compete for trophies DO THEY HAVE TO WIn with – and this is the crucial bit – a fraction of the budget to spend on transfer fees and wages. Last term, Spurs’ annual wage bill of $225 million was closer to the Premier League’s smallest yearly A TROPHY THIS SEASOn? budget, Burnley’s $110m, than it was to Arsenal’s $355m. The Gunners had only the fifth-highest total in the top tier, too, behind both Manchester clubs, Apparently so. The reasons offered by pundits, the has turned from an ambition to the logical conclusion Chelsea and Liverpool. Spurs also made a profit on armchair analysts and even some of the fans vary for the progress they’ve made: ‘Tottenham have been transfers, whereas City splashed out $245m, so it’s in detail, but essentially boil down to this: if Spurs good for a while, so it is time they started winning a minor miracle that there’s even a conversation to don’t win something soon, they will lose Mauricio things’. However, football is anything but logical. be had about Tottenham winning trophies. Pochettino (probably to Real Madrid) and Harry To fully answer this question, Tottenham’s evolution Yet that’s where they are. Yes, it probably is about Kane (probably to Real Madrid) and the progress under their Argentine manager needs to be viewed in time Tottenham won a trophy, because their made over the last four years will be for nothing. its proper context. Since his arrival from Southampton manager and players are good enough. However, it’s There is an element of truth to this. Kane admits in 2014, Pochettino has been tasked with doing all of also worth remembering just how far they’ve come in that his main aim for 2018-19 is to bag his first item the most difficult things in football, and all at the the past few campaigns, and avoid the temptation to of silverware with a team. The trouble with this same time: build a bright young team with a British write off all of the progress made in their half of north thinking is that over the past year, winning something core; reverse decades of underachievement and the London if they fail to win the League Cup in 2018-19.

82 September 2018 FourFourTwo SEASOn PREVIEW FIVE-POInT PLAn KEY PLAYER START FAST HARRY KANE FIXTURES Spurs often get stuck in the blocks. Obviously. Kane has bagged 76 goals in his past It doesn’t help that chairman Daniel two seasons with Spurs, a tally that would still AUGUST 1 Levy loves to engage in last-minute look good shared between two men. Barring 11 Newcastle (A) transfer brinkmanship, nor that Harry injury, it should be another prolific club season 19 Fulham (H) Kane can’t seem to score in August. for England’s World Cup Golden Boot winner. 28 Man United (A) But with the transfer window closing SEPTEMBER before the season starts for Premier 3 Watford (A) League clubs, Tottenham should kick 15 Liverpool (H) 23 Brighton (A) off with a settled squad. Rather less PREMIER LEAGUE 2017-18 helpful are stadium delays making 30 Huddersfield (A) them play five of their opening seven OCTOBER matches away and one at Wembley. THE nUMBER CRUnCHER 7 Cardiff (H) 21 West Ham (A) BE FAST 28 Man City (H) From Aaron Lennon and Gareth W13 NOVEMBER Bale to Kyle Walker and Danny 4 Wolves (A) 2 Rose, the best Tottenham teams 11 Crystal Palace (A) over the past 10 years have relied on D4 25 Chelsea (H) quick widemen working in tandem to L2 12 GOALS DECEMBER overwhelm the opposition. In 2017-18 SCORED 2 Arsenal (A) the team lacked speed: with their play HOME FROM SET CONCEDED 6 Southampton (H) central and congested in the middle, RECORD PIECES 9 Leicester (A) Christian Eriksen often had to find the 10 16 Burnley (H) perfect pass. Adding some pace to the 23 Everton (A) TOTAL GAMES: 38 precision would make a big difference. 27 Bournemouth (H) 30 Wolves (H) GET A BACK-UP FOR KANE AWAY JANUARY It’s not rocket science. You’ve got RECORD 2 Cardiff (A) one player who scores the bulk of DISCIPLInE 13 Man United (H) 3 your goals and when he’s missing, 20 Fulham (A) L5 results suffer. Admittedly, Tottenham D4 31 Watford (H) have become better at coping without FEBRUARY Kane, best demonstrated by April’s 3-1 3 Newcastle (H) W10 victory at Chelsea – their first win there 50 10 Leicester (H) since February 1990. Even so, having 2 24 Burnley (A) another natural forward who is more 28 Chelsea (A) MARCH mobile than Fernando ‘wheelie bin’ HALF-TIME WHEn GOALS 15 Llorente would help out considerably. 7 11 9 12 3 Arsenal (H) THEY 20 10 Southampton (A) BRING THE NOISE 17 Crystal Palace (H) As Spurs prepare to move into SCORED 0-15 16-30 31-4546-60 61-75 76-90 31 Liverpool (A) their 62,000-capacity arena, they APRIL 4 cannot afford to leave White Hart 7 Brighton (H) Lane’s fantastic atmosphere behind. 14 Huddersfield (H) Corporate hospitality and cheese rooms 21 Man City (A) might help to pay the bills, but as West 28 West Ham (H) Ham quickly discovered to their cost, MAY results on the pitch go hand-in-hand 5 Bournemouth (A) with decibels in the stands. It’s vital VIEW FROM THE STAnDS 13 Everton (H) that the vagaries of ticket pricing don’t scatter the most vocal support around. TOM HAYWARD, @TOMFOINS

CUT OUT THE MISTAKES This season will be different to The player I’d happily drive to The best away ground is Molineux This one’s specifically for captain last because we will no longer be another club is Moussa Sissoko. – it’s a great away day anyway, Hugo Lloris, who made five errors playing at the soulless, corporate and Wolves will be competitive. 5 leading directly to goals last term. hellhole that is Wembley Stadium. The opposition player I secretly Only Petr Cech made more gaffes, and Well, apart from in our first home admire is Jamie Vardy, for all his This season we will finish 4th. it resulted in Arsenal forking out $35m game, anyway. faults, because he is relentless to sign German goalkeeper Bernd Leno. and a nightmare to play against. FFT asks: Do you fear there will Fans of other clubs might not He’s like a thousand angry wasps. be a settling-in period for the know that the people who set team in a new stadium? We up Tottenham Hotspur – or just One change I would make at our are notoriously slow starters, Hotspur, originally – had been club is to start taking the FA Cup particularly when something is FFT VERDICT members of a cricket club, so more seriously. Teams who’ve rumbling on in the background, so They may be back home, that might explain some of the been as starved of success as we a bedding-in period is a concern. TH though a post-World Cup scores we’ve been on the end have in the past decade shouldn’t But we tamed Wembley and we’ll 4 hangover surely looms... of in years gone by. be so flippant about winning it. make WHL2 home soon enough.

FourFourTwo September 2018 83 PREMIER LEAGUE 2018-19

Gracia arrived in January with a reputation for helping less fashionable teams to turn over the big WILL JAVI GRACIA LAST LOnG boys, most notably at Malaga, and he did reasonably well to tidy up the mess he’d been bequeathed. Yet the Spaniard may not have long to make the most of EnOUGH TO BUILD HIS OWn SIDE? a talented squad, which has been bolstered further by the usual easyJet-load of young signings that Watford make every summer. Stepping off the plane are half Even in the sack-happy landscape of Premier League Hertfordshire it can be done with less disruption than a dozen players aged 18-24, arriving from such exotic football, Watford’s hire ’em and fire ’em blitzkrieg at most outfits. The owners also identify new victims destinations as Ostersunds, Bologna and Stevenage. looks mad. Javi Gracia is the 10th Hornets manager – sorry: potential bringers of managerial excellence – The manager’s qualities should work well with this since the Pozzo family took over in 2012, and most early, so they can slide into the existing culture at the group. He is level-headed, tactically very clear, incumbents rack up 30-odd league matches before club, instead of having to build their own. extremely hard-working and loyal to his players. feeling their wrath. Gianfranco Zola (2012-13) was Watford supporters largely understand, as you Ultimately, the answer to questions over his future the last gaffer to have 40 league games at the helm. would when you’re taken from the brink of bankruptcy lies with Gino Pozzo and his pals. So far, they have Somehow, the insanity appears to have worked for to signing Gerard Deulofeu from Barcelona, and they been happy to change things up and gamble that it the Pozzos. Watford have been so vastly improved aren’t shy about calling for heads on sticks themselves keeps them dining at the top table. on and off the pitch – solid scouting network, decent – just ask Walter Mazzarri. However, having finally put Javi has to work much faster than most to break the facilities, healthy transfer budget – that whichever behind them the Marco Silva debacle that derailed cycle. The 48-year-old’s 40th Premier League game in bloke they slot in has ample opportunity to do all right. much of last season, Watford fans must surely be charge of Watford will be at the start of February. Will It may be an easy fix to get rid of the manager, but in hankering for a smidgeon of stability. he survive to see the January transfer window close?

84 September 2018 FourFourTwo SEASOn PREVIEW FIVE-POInT PLAn KEY PLAYER ADDRESS THE INJURY CRISIS ABDOULAYE DOUCOURE FIXTURES Watford have been more prone to Watford’s top goalscorer was also the Premier knocks than most in recent years League’s best possession-winner in the middle AUGUST 1 – so much so that fans have taken third of the pitch. Energetic, athletic and a fine 12 Brighton (H) to questioning what on Earth goes on passer, the Frenchman is the first name on the 19 Burnley (A) in the treatment room. In January, team-sheet for as long as he stays at the club. 26 Crystal Palace (H) medical director Emilio Lopez-Vidriero SEPTEMBER was appointed to find out. If he can 3 Tottenham (H) keep a fine squad fully fit, he’ll be the 16 Man United (H) 22 Fulham (A) club’s most important signing of 2018. PREMIER LEAGUE 2017-18 30 Arsenal (A) FIND THE MIDFIELD BLEND OCTOBER The Hornets have a pleasant mix THE nUMBER CRUnCHER 7 Bournemouth (H) of creativity and steel in the centre 21 Wolves (A) 2 of the park, with , Tom 28 Huddersfield (H) Cleverley, , Roberto NOVEMBER Pereyra (left) and Abdoulaye Doucoure 4 Newcastle (A) W7 (far left) all offering something different. 11 Southampton (A) D6 Find the right combination and they’re L6 25 Liverpool (H) a match for most teams in the middle. 9 GOALS DECEMBER SCORED 2 Leicester (A) RETHINK THE DEFENCE HOME FROM SET CONCEDED 5 Man City (H) Only West Ham and Stoke posted RECORD PIECES 9 Everton (A) worse defensive records last term 17 16 Cardiff (H) 3 as the Hornets let in 64 league 23 West Ham (A) TOTAL GAMES: 38 goals en route to a goal difference 27 Chelsea (H) of -20. There’s been a change between 30 Newcastle (H) the sticks: at 37, Heurelho Gomes is AWAY JANUARY getting on, so Gracia has airlifted 2 Bournemouth (A) former Watford loanee – RECORD 13 Crystal Palace (A) who’s only two years younger, mind – DISCIPLInE 20 Burnley (H) out of relegated West Bromwich Albion. D2 31 Tottenham (A) Watford are particularly vulnerable at L13 W4 FEBRUARY counter-attacks and set-pieces; only 3 Brighton (A) Brighton leaked more from dead balls. 63 4 10 Everton (H) 24 Cardiff (A) STOP GIVING AWAY 28 Liverpool (A) MARCH

UNNECESSARY FOULS HALF-TIME WHEn GOALS 14 One area that damaged Watford 8 7 9 3 Leicester (H) 4 in 2017-18, and should be easy THEY 2 4 10 Man City (A) to sort out, is discipline. They had the 17 Southampton (H) second-highest number of red cards in SCORED 0-15 16-30 31-4546-60 61-75 76-90 31 Man United (A) the top tier (four) and fourth-worst tally APRIL overall. The Hornets concede too many 7 Fulham (H) needless free-kicks in dangerous areas. 14 Arsenal (H) Gracia won’t want them to lower their 21 Huddersfield (A) aggression, but it goes too far too often. 28 Wolves (H) MAY FIND ANOTHER STRIKER 5 Chelsea (A) While it was Watford’s back line VIEW FROM THE STAnDS 13 West Ham (H) that really struggled last season, 5 they didn’t score enough, either. MIKE PARKIN, ‘FROM THE ROOKERY END’ PODCAST had trouble repeating his previous heroics, while ’s This season will be different to The opposition player I secretly Our most underrated player is $33 million move from Burnley didn’t last because Watford must stop admire is Wilfried Zaha. He is Adrian Mariappa – always reliable. go as planned, producing five goals. an alarming trend of making brilliant – he’s skilful, powerful and Doucoure ended the campaign as their a great start only to lose form in direct, and always strikes fear into This season we will finish 12th. top scorer with seven from 39 games, the new year, and consistency will defenders’ hearts. I just wish his Most Watford fans will be happy if so even with Deulofeu making his loan be high on Javi Gracia’s agenda. relationship with gravity was a bit we can break the cycle of dismal permanent, they need a new forward. more straightforward. second halves to a campaign. Fans of other clubs might not know that Vicarage Road has the Our pantomime villain is FFT asks: Is Gerard Deulofeu Premier League’s largest sensory Wilfried Zaha! He gets a hotter a good buy after his recent loan? room. The specially-designed reception than most, partly due to It’s a great signing. He showed FFT VERDICT facility allows kids on the autism the damage he does against us. what he could do, contributing to Is last term’s late-season spectrum to watch the game, a memorable home win over TH slump and ominous sign with their families, in a safe and The best away fans are the Chelsea. Now it’s up to him to 17 for the campaign ahead? welcoming environment. Manchester United support. perform over a sustained period.

FourFourTwo September 2018 85 PREMIER LEAGUE 2018-19 WEST HAM D

LAST SEASON PREMIER LEAGUE 13th FA CUP Fourth Round LEAGUE CUP Quarter-final TOP SCORER (ALL COMPS) Marko Arnautovic (11)

the job) had the managerial clout last term to wrestle responsibility for transfer dealings from Sullivan and HAVE THEY LEARnED FROM THEIR Gold’s grip. New manager Manuel Pellegrini has near-total control and has already made a good start. West Ham broke their transfer record to sign $65m Felipe Anderson from Lazio, while Issa Diop is a top MISTAKES In THE TRAnSFER MARKET? centre-back who may be the leader West Ham need – at 21, he’s young and hungry. Hopping across London on free transfers are Ryan Fredericks (25), superb at Davids Gold and Sullivan (above) say they want to Admittedly, Marko Arnautovic excelled last season Fulham, and Jack Wilshere (26), arriving with a point run their football clubs like their business interests: after being repositioned as a surprise striker. However, to prove. Even Lukasz Fabianski (33) still has top-flight sensibly, profitably and with a happy ending for all. the 29-year-old Austrian exists in a self-perpetuating football left in him, whereas Joe Hart’s decline was Yet for two years there has been little to excite West me-against-the-world state and should really turn his evident before he’d signed. Only Andriy Yarmolenko – Ham fans, bar the odd win over Chelsea or Tottenham. talents to fighting crime, not proving his critics wrong. no longer in his prime, costing $31m on a four-year The main problem has been recruitment. Too often It isn’t just hefty fees, either. Veteran Champions deal – resembles a West Ham buy of old. they buy the player du jour, aged 28-plus and playing League-winning full-backs Alvaro Arbeloa and Patrice Pellegrini’s stock isn’t as high as it was four years above themselves for a middling club, in the hope their Evra arrived on free transfers, but reportedly earned ago, especially after an underwhelming spell in China, form continues. When it doesn’t – such as the time massive weekly wages for a combined total of eight but his name still carries significant cachet. With Mario they spent $70 million on Andre Ayew, Jose Fonte Premier League outings. Value for money, it ain’t. Husillos – who worked with Pellegrini at Malaga – their and Robert Snodgrass in 2016-17, who all left within Things may be changing, though. Neither Slaven Bilic new director of football, West Ham’s days of needing a year – it sucks cash and hope from the Hammers. (dead man walking) nor David Moyes (just grateful for Jack Sullivan to tweet their transfer news are over.

86 September 2018 FourFourTwo SEASOn PREVIEW FIVE-POInT PLAn KEY PLAYER SHORE UP THAT DEFENCE MARKO ARNAUTOVIC FIXTURES The first item on Pellegrini’s to-do n 2017-18 Arnie established himself as West list was fixing the back line, so th Ham’s go-to guy in his most mature season yet. AUGUST 1 Chilean brought in Fabianski, Diop David Moyes deserves big credit for moving him 12 Liverpool (A) and Fredericks. New faces alone may rom wing to point, where he combined the best 19 Bournemouth (H) not be enough – no side in 2017-18 le ualities of Andy Carroll and Javier Hernandez. 26 Arsenal (A) in more goals than West Ham’s 68. SEPTEMBER 2 Wolves (H) GIVE ARNAUTOVIC A HAND 17 Everton (A) 23 Chelsea (H) Without the Hammer of the Year’s PREMIER LEAGUE 2017-18 11 league goals, West Ham would 29 Man United (H) 2 have struggled to avoid the drop. OCTOBER He can’t do it all on his own, though. To THE nUMBER CRUnCHER 7 Brighton (A) compound the issue, creative linchpin 21 Tottenham (H) will miss the entirety of 28 Leicester (A) the season with a knee injury (just as NOVEMBER he’d started to peak, too) and Michail 4 Burnley (H) W7 Antonio is suffering from his own injury 11 Huddersfield (A) D6 hell. Javier Hernandez can help if he L6 25 Man City (H) stays – if – but Andy Carroll must up his 10 GOALS DECEMBER game. Jordan Hugill is not the answer. SCORED 2 Newcastle (A) HOME FROM SET CONCEDED 5 Cardiff (H) SHOW SOME BOTTLE AWAY RECORD PIECES 9 Crystal Palace (H) Much was made of fans’ protests 16 16 Fulham (A) in the March home game against 23 Watford (H) TOTAL GAMES: 38 3 Burnley, but just as worrying is the 27 Southampton (A) Hammers’ away record. They took one 30 Burnley (A) point from the 10 away games in which AWAY JANUARY they conceded first, and two of their 2 Brighton (H) three most common scorelines on the RECORD 13 Arsenal (H) road were 0-4 (twice) and 1-4 (thrice). DISCIPLInE 20 Bournemouth (A) 30 Wolves (A) L10 D6 STICK WITH A BACK THREE W3 FEBRUARY Initially a ploy to pack the central 3 Liverpool (H) areas with players, having won 73 10 Crystal Palace (A) 4 just two games before December, 2 24 Fulham (H) West Ham’s switch to a back three also 28 Man City (A) MARCH solved a conundrum: how to fit Aaron HALF-TIME GOALS WHEn 12 11 3 Newcastle (H) Cresswell (their best crosser) and Arthur 11 5 Masuaku (their most dynamic player) THEY 4 5 10 Cardiff (A) into the same XI when both are natural 17 Huddersfield (H) left-backs. A wing-back system gives SCORED 0-15 16-30 31-4546-60 61-75 76-90 31 Everton (H) Masuaku extra licence to get forward APRIL and keeps Cresswell’s superb delivery 7 Chelsea (A) in the team. Pellegrini would do well to 14 Man United (A) name both in his starting line-up. 21 Leicester (H) 28 Tottenham (A) SHOW A UNITED FRONT MAY Gold said he “would like to think” 5 Southampton (H) Moyes would extend his stay, the 13 Watford (A) 5 day before confirmation that the VIEW FROM THE STAnDS Scot’s contract would not be renewed. CALLUM HURLEY, MATCH-GOING SUPPORTER SINCE 2000 Karren Brady’s Sun column coated off the fans as “malcontents and keyboard This season will be different to Save the date for potential One change I would make at our warriors”. “The people who work for me last because at the helm we have home wins against Bournemouth club is to have a less vocal board. know exactly what is expected,” states a Premier League winner who has (on August 18) and Wolves Less is more and octogenarians her own website, beneath the heading had success with clubs at our level. (September 1), as they could be should avoid Twitter, ‘dg’... ‘Rules of success: communicate’. “They our only points before October know what I think, where we’re going.” Keep an eye out for . due to a ludicrously tough start. This season we will finish eighth: Few Hammers agree on either point. He broke through due to injuries in steady improvement under better our defence but could establish The best away fans are Burnley’s. management from top to bottom. himself as our best academy product since . Fans of other clubs might not FFT asks: How important is the know that the distance from the signing of Lukasz Fabianski? FFT VERDICT The opposition player I secretly pitch at the London Stadium may Adrian needs competition and Pellegrini’s cool head admire is Christian Eriksen. I feel seem excessive, but Upton Park the Joe Hart experiment was an TH and know-how should very conflicted about enjoying was steeper than you’d think, so unfortunate failure. I’d have loved 9 add some consistency. watching a Spurs player so much. we’re just as far away as ever. us to sign Jack Butland, though.

FourFourTwo September 2018 87 PREMIER LEAGUE 2018-19 WOLVERHAMPTOn WAnDERERS

LAST SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP 1st FA CUP Third Round LEAGUE CUP Fourth Round TOP SCORER (ALL COMPS) Diogo Jota (18)

stormed to the Championship crown with 99 points. They never relinquished top spot after Hallowe’en. WILL THE MEnDES REVOLUTIOn EnD In Now they’re back in the top flight for the first time since 2012, when poor Terry Connor took them down without a win in his 13 games. After that, the UnTOLD GLORY OR FLOODS OF TEARS? Midlanders went straight down to League One. Wolves fans believe this time will be different, and it’s hard to argue. Making the loan spells of Boly It seems odd to think that only two summers ago, But learn they did. Last May, in came former and Jota permanent is fine business, Portugal No.1 Wolves had Julen Lopetegui lined up to improve on Valencia and Porto coach Nuno Espirito Santo – yes, Rui Patricio is a terrific addition in goal, and a 14th-place finish in the Championship. Instead, a Mendes client – and a boardroom reshuffle resulted experienced Mexican forward Raul Jimenez adds he got the Spain job and will lead Real Madrid in in chairman Jeff Shi relocating to the Midlands. another strong attacking option on loan from Benfica. 2018-19. Wolves were panicked into hiring Walter With Mendes’ assistance, Wolves’ recruitment was Traditionalists may blanch at Mendes’ Gestifute Zenga, who lasted just 14 league matches, and nothing short of exceptional. Ruben Neves was the agency providing half a dozen of the club’s players then they flip-flopped to , who biggest coup in Championship history at $28 million, (so far), but it’s a sustainable policy as long as he eventually steered the club to 15th. but the less heralded signings of Barry Douglas, doesn’t suddenly pull the plug – and why would he? Fosun International have learned a lot in two years, Ryan Bennett, , and Diogo Jota Since Wolves already had a Premier League-quality though. Wolves’ Chinese owners took charge in July were all vital, joining Helder Costa, Ivan Cavaleiro and squad in the second tier, expectations are high now 2016 with high hopes and deep pockets, but quickly Romain Saiss as arrivals from the previous campaign. they’re here. Since 2006, only four of 36 promoted discovered things would be tougher than expected – Inspired by Nuno, a unifying presence who set teams have finished in the top half – but this side even with the help of super-agent Jorge Mendes. about restoring a long-lost sense of hope, Wolves looks well equipped to do just that.

88 September 2018 FourFourTwo SEASOn PREVIEW FIVE-POInT PLAn KEY PLAYER START BUILDING BIG RUBEN NEVES FIXTURES Short-term investment has got the A new contract to 2023 eased immediate fears club this far; now’s their chance to of a premature exit for the superb 21-year-old. AUGUST 1 ensure they remain at the top for Neves caught the eye with goals from ludicrous 12 Everton (H) good. Redevelopment of Molineux has distances, but his all-round excellence can help 19 Leicester (A) been on hold since 2012, but chairman Wanderers to adapt smoothly in the top tier. 25 Man City (H) Shi has bold plans for a 50,000-seater SEPTEMBER stadium “as soon as possible”. He also 2 West Ham (A) hopes to improve their Compton Park 16 Burnley (H) 23 Man United (A) training facilities almost immediately. CHAMPIONSHIP 2017-18 Although stability on the pitch should 30 Southampton (H) come first, the grand vision is in place. OCTOBER THE nUMBER CRUnCHER 7 Crystal Palace (A) BE REALISTIC – AND 21 Watford (H) STICK TOGETHER W16 28 Brighton (A) Though the vibes at Molineux are NOVEMBER 2 very positive, this won’t be the 4 Tottenham (H) stroll that last season was, and Wolves 11 Arsenal (A) will have to face unusual challenges D5 25 Huddersfield (H) – such as losing the odd game. Can L2 21 GOALS DECEMBER they fight through adversity when the SCORED 2 Cardiff (A) going gets tough? “Dialogue – it’s about HOME FROM SET CONCEDED 5 Chelsea (H) sharing,” Nuno said in an April interview RECORD PIECES 9 Newcastle (A) with The Coaches’ Voice. “One of the big 14 16 Bournemouth (H) things a group dynamic demands is to 23 Liverpool (H) TOTAL GAMES: 46 listen and really understand – to learn 27 Fulham (A) from listening to others.” 30 Tottenham (A) AWAY JANUARY WISE UP ON SET-PIECES 2 Crystal Palace (H) It’s not easy to pick holes in such RECORD 13 Man City (A) a dominant campaign, but only DISCIPLInE 20 Leicester (H) L5 3 six sides shipped more goals from D4 30 West Ham (H) set-pieces than Wolves’ 14 last term. FEBRUARY They could do without giving away 3 Everton (A) cheap goals in a league where the 69 10 Newcastle (H) W14 4 slightest mistake tends to be punished. 24 Bournemouth (A) 27 Huddersfield (A) MARCH

SHARE THE LOVE HALF-TIME GOALS 15 15 Wolves weren’t represented in WHEn 14 14 11 13 3 Cardiff (H) the Championship’s top three THEY 10 Chelsea (A) 4 goalscorers: their main marksman 17 Arsenal (H) was Diogo Jota with 17. But that’s SCORED 0-15 16-30 31-4546-60 61-75 76-90 31 Burnley (A) a good thing, as they are not reliant on APRIL one man. Seven players netted at least 7 Man United (H) five times, while Saiss, Boly (both 14 Southampton (A) central defenders) and right-back Matt 21 Brighton (H) Doherty contributed 11 between them. 28 Watford (A) More of that would be very useful. MAY 5 Fulham (H) MAXIMISE DEADLY DOUG VIEW FROM THE STAnDS 13 Liverpool (A) Barry Douglas, a $1.8m arrival from Konyaspor, was very OLLIE FLOYD, @WOLVES_BABBLE 5 effective at left-back en route to Wolves lifting the title. The former This season will be different to Our pantomime villain is Neil This season we will finish in the Dundee United defender bagged five last because Wolves’ Premier Warnock. The December game in top half. I’ll say 9th. goals and weighed in with 14 assists, League status will allow the club Cardiff could be fiery in the dugout. the joint-most in the league, seven of to attract and showcase some FFT asks: What are your which came from set-pieces. Having of the very best talent from One change I would make at thoughts on the new statue of a dead-ball ace could help Wolves to across the world. our club is to ensure that stadium former owner Sir , pinch some precious points in 2018-19. developments are approached unveiled at Molineux in June? Keep an eye out for Morgan with the priority of retaining or The extent to which the Wolves Gibbs-White. The young midfielder improving the atmosphere. hierarchy have moved to honour has got bundles of ability and the a true legend is incredibly fitting. confidence required to impress Fans of other clubs might not However, I think the end result, FFT VERDICT at this level. He made a dozen or know that there is a pretty good combined with the original funding Their sensational transfer so appearances in last season’s chance that Wolves will be a more campaign for it, shows something TH dealing will be more than title-winning Championship highly-achieving club than yours that the club have fallen a little 10 enough to ensure safety. campaign and he’s still only 18. in the near future. short on, unfortunately.

FourFourTwo September 2018 89 the home of football

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MASTERCLASS THE FRANK LAMPARD DETAILS The Chelsea legend on how lung-busting runs in Lamps lifted three Premier the o-season turned him into a box-to-box star League titles and averaged Is there such thing as an off-season running as I wanted to be a box-to-box and rest periods were about 50-50. The a goal every for a Premier League player? midfielder, so I’d do box-to-box sprints rest wasn’t very long because I wanted I think the off-season is important for once or twice a week, in groups of eight to keep putting myself under pressure, 3.5 matches a Premier League player, but for me it to 10 runs, to replicate the demands of as you have to replicate the intensity of didn’t mean I put my feet up. Typically a match. I would literally run from the a game. All of the sprint work would be I had three or four weeks off during the 18-yard box at one end of the pitch to done over a distance no bigger than the summer and would balance that with the other, at 75-80 per cent of my top 18-yard box. I’d sprint from the penalty pure relaxation, where I’d put the ball speed with brief recovery times, to put spot to one corner and back, and then away to give my mind and body a full myself under pressure. repeat that for the other three corners. rest. After that, I’d spend a few weeks I’d then mix it up with shorter sprints That was one set, and then I’d rest for working my way up, ready for the start for speed, endurance and power. I’d do a short period before repeating the drill of pre-season training. It’s important shuttle runs – forwards, backwards and six to eight times. you don’t spend too long not moving – sideways – to replicate a game situation, you’ve got to look after your body and and work on my agility and speed from Your goalscoring record was as good ensure you’re prepared for pre-season. a standing start. I used to do six to eight as some of the best strikers – how did If you’re playing catch-up you will get sets over different distances, which I felt you hone your finishing? found out, as everything is monitored would be similar to what I’d be doing in I worked incredibly hard on my finishing these days. The data will show if you throughout my career. As a youngster, Birthplace are behind physically. I decided that I didn’t want to become Romford “I’d always ask a run-of-the-mill midfielder who could Did you adapt your diet during those just stay central and affect possession, Premier League two weeks of rest? for the pass into but not affect a game in terms of goals. appearances I was always very conscious of my diet my feet to be I knew I needed to train hard to hone 609 when I was resting. It’s easy to control the technique. I worked on my arrival your diet when you’re in the routine of hard to control. into the 18-yard box, and the timing of Goals training at a club or playing at a major those runs. I did that by watching my 177 tournament, because all the food and I didn’t like clean other team-mates and seeing exactly drink is provided. Whenever I went on Itd om – Right foot holiday, I gave myself freedom to enjoy dto 78 the foods I might not be allowed to eat ght during the season. It helps you to relax, hof Left foot but you have to stay on top of your diet. work. 12 If you afford yourself some leeway, you ried can’t take it too far. nish Headers cen don 13 As you got older, were there elements Idi nce of pre-season which became harder? me hes Penalties It definitely got tougher. I was always com I’d 32 a player who enjoyed pre-season, and in t pass I liked running and pushing my body to pur hard Free-kicks its limit. Pre-season is always difficult, ’d 5 and it needs to be to give you that base Ho ame. fitness before the season starts. In the res sses; Assists latter years of my career, the recovery tho elf 102 was harder. I had to make sure I didn’t Iw rked overdo it and looked at ways to recover Iw hing Player of the Season quicker, like sleeping better, stretching su ople 2004-05 more often and using ice baths. run l oth hose England caps Did you do any specific sessions which be dto 106 gave you a physical edge on the pitch? Ith From a very young age, I became aware se England goals Ben Welch that I needed to do extra work to get to as g 29

the level I wanted to be at. I did a lot of tim t Interview

ourFourTwo September 2018 95 PERFORMANCE

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PRO 1 2 3 4

John Hartley, Aston Villa’s first-team physio, runs the rule over players’ training pics posted on Instagram

Harry Kane @england “Barbell hip thrusts strengthen Kane’s 1 glutes and, to an extent, hamstrings and lower back,” says Hartley. “It boosts his top speed and change of direction.”

Kyle Walker @england “The players are doing a mat-based 2 core routine in an activation session before training. It’ll develop their ability to hold men off the ball.”

Adam Lallana @officiallallana “To perform TRX inverted rows, keep 3 the shoulders, hips and ankles in line. This improves back and shoulder strength and helps your core.”

Ruben Loftus-Cheek @england “Hip mobility is crucial for footballers. 4 This post-training stretch works on his deep hip rotators and gluteal muscles, so he won’t stiffen up.”

Marcus Rashford @marcusrashford “Woodway treadmills are self-driven. 5 Maximum speed and acceleration is enhanced without pressing any buttons.”

Saido Berahino @jamie_velocity 5 6 “The pallof press requires you to hold 6 a strong leg and core position. Press 7 8 the band straight out from your chest and resist the force trying to pull you.”

Mamadou Sakho @mamadousakho “Dumbbell Bulgarian split squats will 7 isolate the hip, knee and ankle of the lead leg, aiding stability and leg strength.”

Danny Welbeck @england “He’s doing a drop jump into a hurdle 8 jump and then back up onto the box. It develops a faster speed of contraction from the muscles and improves power.”

96 September 2018 FourFourTwo PERFORMANCE

TR I EDAND TESTED ASSAULT BIKE VAdidas Telstar 18 This summer’s World Cup ball was a big hit FFT clambers on board an exercise bike with a twist to get fit for the new season in Russia, helping the players to thunder in some stunning goals.

VCesc Fabregas The Chelsea and Spain pass master made his punditry debut during the tournament and won rave reviews for his intelligent insight.

VPeru fans Having not seen their side play at the finals since 1982, Los Incas fans were determined to be loud and proud, outnumbering France followers by seven to one in Yekaterinburg.

HERO TO ZERO

WDavid de Gea Manchester United’s star shot-stopper had a World Cup to forget, keeping out just one of seven efforts faced.

WMario Fernandes What is it? Who uses it? The Russia right-back It’s the secret weapon personal trainers Assault bikes are now a common piece headed in a dramatic are employing to whip Premier League of gym equipment for Premier League extra-time equaliser footballers into shape before the start and Football League clubs up and down against Croatia in the of pre-season. Unlike a normal exercise the land. They offer a great alternative last eight, only to then bike, this features two levers which are to the wear and tear of running on turf miss in the shootout. moved forwards and backwards using or a treadmill for weeks on end, while your arms, making it a brutal full-body still providing a punishing routine that WNeymar’s barnet workout in the gym. sets the heart racing. The Samba forward’s spaghetti-style hairdo How does it work? Why are they using it? was ditched after one The mechanics are simple – the harder Studies have shown that using the bike Tom Clazie Flynn Tom match. What’s wrong you work, the harder the bike cranks up can help athletes burn up to 80 calories How much does it cost? with an old-fashioned the resistance, meaning there’s literally per minute, making it more efficient at If there are none at your local gym you short back and sides? no limit to how challenging it could get. slashing unwanted body mass than any could splash out and buy one, although Photography Pedalling at full pelt leaves your quads other training gizmo. If a player’s trying it’ll set you back a tidy sum. A standard burning after a session, and your arms, to shed some fat before they return for assault bike costs upwards of $900 and back, shoulders and core will all take an pre-season training, booking in several advanced models can rise to $2,000. Alec Fenn

absolute pounding as you push through hours aboard an assault bike is the best The alternative? Stay in shape so you Words the pain barrier. way to torch it. don’t have to brave the bike.

FourFourTwo September 2018 97 Interview Clement Tito htacakn ieu h x ebun itr eea a put has veteran Victory Melbourne ex- together, withanamazingpickfrom oldsoccerandnewfootball the line-up cracking a What RODDY VARGAS MATTHEW KEMP VARGAS ANDY RM ihsm rtybgcharacters. big success pretty have some to with able was he and my him enjoyed under really time I highway. the or way my wasn’t RI MERRICK ERNIE THE GAFFER THEY THINK IT’S ALL OVER... IT ISNOW! MUSCAT KEVIN aepaesalto wesi.It ownership. of lot a players gave HERNANDEZ LAPSANSKY MICHAEL CARLOS THEO LUBO AM CM COLOSIMO SIMON H SUBS THE 01 FRED LM ANDREW MARTH BREBNER GRAND 02 COSTA DA TOTO a chanceandhe’dburyit. sniffing around thegoals.Half was ‘Sniffer’ because hewas goal scorer andhisnickname as MarkViduka. Hewas anatural Adrian, buthewas astalented wouldn’t knowmuchabout stressed outorupset. his face andyou never sawhim he always played withasmileon game. Hisattitudewas onewhere used tobringeveryone intothe such aconfidentplayer andhe and goalscoringability.Hewas played with.Hehadgreat passing the ball. aggressive andareal leaderon was asmallplayer, butwas quite 40-yard passwitheitherfoot. He were thesame.Hecouldpinga but hisleftfoot andrightfoot might notknowwhoheisnow, probably probably gener The younger CER ADRIAN player I’ve ever most talented Carlos was the HERNANDEZ CARLOS cent ofpeople Knights. 90per at Melbourne I played withLubo LUBO LAPSANSKY 03 VINSKI ation ation KOVACEVIC ANTE