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The Gunners were toothless up front once again as they were held to a frustrating stalemate at the City Ground

Arsenal's injury-ravaged attack drew a second successive blank as a 0-0 draw at Nottingham Forest on Wednesday put pay to any lingering Premier League title hopes.

In a game of few chances, it was the Gunners who did much of the pressing and there was certainly a response from Mikel Arteta's side to the dreadfully disappointing performance against West Ham at the weekend.

If anyone was going to score it looked like being the visitors, with Riccardo Calafiori curling one excellent effort against the post in the first half. Makeshift centre forward Mikel Merino forced Matz Sels into a sharp stop in the second half and Kieran Tierney also went close with a header which he put just wide from Martin Odegaard's corner.

At the other end, the hosts rarely threatened, although David Raya was forced into action to keep out Chris Wood's snap shot before both teams were forced to settle for a point.

GOAL rates Arsenal's players from the City Ground…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  David Raya (7/10):

  Didn't have much to do. Played as a sweeper for most of the game. Was alert to keep out one effort from Wood in the second half.

  Jurrien Timber (6/10):

  Neat and tidy. Did his job well defensively, but offered little in attack.

  William Saliba (7/10):

  Dealt well with the threat of Wood in the central areas. Strong.

  Gabriel Magalhaes (7/10):

  Excellent once again. Made one superb tackle to deny Wood after a Forest breakaway in the first half.

  Riccardo Calafiori (6/10):

  Booked inside a couple of minutes and given a tough time defensively by Hudson-Odoi. Was a threat going forward though and curled one excellent effort against the post before setting up Nwaneri for a chance. Replaced at half-time, presumably because of the early booking.

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  Midfield

  Jorginho (6/10):

  Brought into the side and did what was asked of him. Nothing spectacular, but kept the ball moving. Replaced by Zinchenko as he tired midway through the second half.

  Declan Rice (6/10):

  Went close with one effort in the first half which was deflected over. Did his best to drive forward and get towards the box. Looked like he was on his last legs in the second half.

  Martin Odegaard (6/10):

  Another game where the skipper failed to have much of an influence. Can't fault his work ethic, but he's just not getting in areas to hurt the opposition at the moment. His team needs more from him.

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  Attack

  Ethan Nwaneri (6/10):

  Some flashes of quality. Produced one lovely turn on the edge of the box but didn't get his shot away quick enough.

  Mikel Merino (7/10):

  Used as the makeshift centre forward again, although he was roaming all over the pitch. Put a shift in, but was never really a threat in open play. Did force Sels into one good save from a corner.

  Leandro Trossard (5/10):

  End product just wasn't really there all night. Crosses were overhit and his touch was off at times.

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  Subs & Manager

  Kieran Tierney (6/10):

  On at half-time for Calafiori. Put in one wicked cross and also sent a header just wide from a corner.

  Oleksandr Zinchenko (5/10):

  Made one good run through the lines to set up a chance for Odegaard, but was flagged offside.

  Raheem Sterling (N/A):

  No impact after coming on for the final 10 minutes.

  Ben White (N/A):

  On for the last few minutes.

  Thomas Partey (N/A):

  On for the final stages, scuffed one shot wide.

  Mikel Arteta (6/10):

  He will be much happier with his team's performance, but has to somehow come up with a way of making this team a threat.

Ruben Amorim provided an 'honest' assessment of Manchester United's performance as he outlined 'future' transfer vision.

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• Amorim's honest opinion on Man Utd's performance
• Man Utd have won one game in their last five outings
• Man Utd face Arsenal on Sunday

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Since taking over from Erik ten Hag in November, Amorim has struggled to turn United’s fortunes around, raising doubts over his long-term future at Old Trafford. The club are struggling in the 15th position on the league table and have won just one game in their last five outings across all competitions. As the Red Devils gear up to face rivals Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday, the Portuguese coach gave an honest assessment of his team.

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• WHAT RUBEN AMORIM SAID

  Speaking to Premier League Productions, the 40-year-old said: "In terms of the results, it's bad. Also, the performances are not improving a lot, to be honest. But the good thing is that we are learning a lot. We are changing a lot of things, but you cannot see it. Here in Carrington, the way we want to do things. I'm understanding the players and doing, in my head, what is the future of the squad.

  "And that can be really important next year, but there is also a risk, when you are planning and doing and thinking to the future, you have to pay attention to the present. And the present is really hard in the moment because the results and the performances are not there."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  When further quizzed on the positive aspects of his team, Amorim added: "In the small things in our game, I see improvement. It's hard to see but I see it. I think we are improving in the last two games [before Real Sociedad], for example, the way we have possession. Our central defenders are playing in a different way, more confident.

  "And, if they play well, our team will play better. I think some players are improving individually. Josh, I think is improving, in changing, a little bit, the position. We are trying to find a better space for Bruno, but sometimes you want him, yes, everywhere as he's really important for us. Even against Ipswich, we suffered a goal and we continued to play the same way and I feel, in these small details, I feel that the team believes a little bit more. The rest, I think, it is hard to see things in this season. It's more here in Carrington, the way we are training, the intensity, and we are trying to find a way to improve the team."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

  After facing the Gunners at home on Sunday, Amorim's men will next face Real Sociedad in the second leg of their Europa League round of 16 fixture on March 13.

The score ended 4-1. Tottenham were rampant. Ange Postecoglou was in a jubilant mood. The Lilywhites had just dispatched Unai Emery’s Aston Villa 4-1.

That was last week, though. That result is now history. In the week since, Spurs have endured a horror few days.

Victor Osimhen dismantled them in the Europa League in midweek as the Londoners lost 3-2 to Galatasaray. On Sunday, it was Ipswich, lowly Ipswich who had yet to win a game in the Premier League this season who defeated Postecoglou’s side.

How does this keepening you may ask? Only a few weeks ago they allowed Crystal Palace to pick up their first three points of the season, defeating Spurs 1-0 at Selhurst Park.

Okay, so Tottenham haven’t been great on the road this season but they have been electric at home. The 2-1 defeat courtesy of goals from Sammie Szmodics and Liam Delap, therefore, was bizarre. In truth, it was classic of a football club who haven’t just endured an up-and-down season but an up-and-down few decades.

At the heart of their poor display yet again was centre-back Radu Dragusin. How they must long for Micky van de Ven’s comeback.

Radu Dragusin's performance vs Ipswich

When Van de Ven left the field in tears during Spurs’ win over Manchester City in the Carabao Cup, it’s likely a few supporters will have shed a few tears too.

After all, the Dutchman has been one of their most consistent players since arriving during Postecoglou’s first transfer window in charge during the summer of 2023.

Full of pace, full of heart, full of bravery, it is everything Romanian Dragusin is not. You can excuse your third-choice centre-back not quite being of the quality of Van de Ven and Cristian Romero but you cannot excuse the week he has just had.

Sadly, it was the former Genoa defender who was at fault during the midweek defeat to Galatasaray. He was caught in possession for the second goal of the night, turning right into trouble and subsequently gifting their Turkish opposition a goal.

It did not get much better on Sunday afternoon for the centre-back who dismally defended Ipswich’s second of the match. A ball was played across the box and instead of clearing it first time, he knocked it straight into the path of Delap who had a simple tap in from a matter of yards out.

That said, he wasn’t the only player at fault, far from it.

Pedro Porro's performance in numbers vs Ipswich

Pedro Porro may have left Sunday’s clash with an assist to his name, supplying Rodrigo Bentancur’s consolation strike, but his overall performance at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium simply wasn’t good enough.

In truth, the Spaniard has struggled to replicate his performances of last term across the 2024/25 season, with that assist being his very first of the Premier League campaign.

While decent going forward, it was a “horror show” at the back for both Dragusin and Porro in the words of journalist Mitch Fretton.

Why? Well, he wasn’t great for either of the goals scored by the visitors. Porro and Brennan Johnson were left blaming each other after both players failed to close down Szmodics who acrobatically opened the scoring.

Then, with the second, it was the full-back who again failed to get out to Szmodics who then played the ball towards the byline where it was cut back for Delap. On that evidence, it was hardly a surprise that Football.London’s Alasdair Gold judged the right-back’s display as a 5/10.

The numbers didn’t exactly paint him in a great light either with the 25-year-old giving possession away a worrying 24 times. Yes, he takes set pieces, but it wasn’t great regardless.

To make matters worse, he won just three of his ten duels and succeeded with only one of his four dribble attempts.

Porro will likely keep his place post-international break but he simply has to improve defensively. In fact, Spurs as a whole must clean up their act at the back sharpish. If they can do so they will undoubtedly be in the conversation for a top-four berth. On this evidence, though, they will not.

Spurs loanee who's outscoring Son could be a bigger talent than Lankshear

The incredibly exciting youngster could have a big future at Spurs.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Nov 9, 2024

Everything you need to know about former Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino's salary playing for Saudi side Al Ahli

Brazilian forward Roberto Firmino finally left Liverpool after spending eight seasons with the Reds at Anfield from 2015-2023, opting to make the move to Saudi Pro League outfit Al Ahli.

Following his move to the SPL side, Firmino has formed a lethal attacking partnership with fellow former Premier League stars like Riyad Mahrez and Ivan Toney.

He is being nicely rewarded for his contributions, but but exactly how much does the Brazilian earn playing for the Saudi side? Let's have a look!

GOAL delved into the numbers from Capology and found out!

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• Roberto Firmino's salary in numbers

  Firmino under his current contract earns just over £300,000 ($390,000) playing for the Saudi side, while on an annual basis his wages reach close to £16 million ($20m).

  Player	Nationality	Weekly wages GBP	Weekly wages USD	Annual wages GBP	Annual wages USD
  Ivan Toney	English	£306,369	$395,819	£15,931,179	$20,582,575

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Top earners at Al Ahli

  Firmino is currently the third-highest earner at Al Ahli.

  Algerian winger Riyad Mahrez acquires the top spot in the wage bill, while Ivan Toney is also ahead of the Brazilian at second position.

  Former Barcelona and AC Milan midfielder Franck Kessie comes in at number four, followed by Spanish youngster Gabri Veiga at fifth position.

  Top 5 highest paid players at Al Ahli

  Player	Nationality	Weekly wages GBP	Weekly wages USD	Annual wages GBP	Annual wages USD
  Riyad Mahrez	Algerian	£841,708	$1,087,460	£43,768,818	$56,547,915
  Ivan Toney	English	£411,340	$531,439	£21,389,704	$27,634,815
  Roberto Firmino	Brazilian	£306,369	$395,819	£15,931,179	$20,582,575
  Franck Kessie	Ivorian	£225,745	$291,656	£11,738,764	$15,166,108
  Gabri Veiga	Spanish	£193,496	$249,991	£10,061,797	$12,999,521

• Top earners in Saudi Pro League

  Although Firmino is one of the top earners at Al Ahli, he fails to make the top five spots when it comes to the highest paid players across the league.

  Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo and Al Ittihad's Karim Benzema take the top two spots with astronomical wages, while Mahrez makes an appearance at third position.

  Acquiring the fourth and fifth spot are Senegalese internationals Sadio Mane and Kalidou Koulibaly respectively.

  Top 5 highest paid players in the Saudi Pro League

  Player	Club	Weekly wages GBP	Weekly wages USD	Annual wages GBP	Annual wages USD
  Cristiano Ronaldo	Al Nassr	£3,224,935	$4,166,513	£167,696,622	$216,658,460
  Karim Benzema	Al Ittihad	£1,612,468	$2,083,57	£83,848,311	$108,329,340
  Riyad Mahrez	Al Ahli	£841,708	$1,087,460	£43,768,818	$56,547,915
  Sadio Mane	Al Nassr	£644,987	$833,303	£433,539,324	$43,331,736
  Kalidou Koulibaly	Al Hilal	£559,526	$722,890	£25,095,364	$37,590,281

• Al-Nassr
  

  Highest paid players in the world

  The top earners in Saudi defenitely earn insane sums of money in the league, but how do they fare in the highest-paid players across the world? Well, it turns out that the top five of the Saudi Pro League are also the top earners across the footballing world, leaving Europe's big guns and any MLS pretenders in their dust by some distance.

  Top 5 highest paid players in the world

  Player	Nationality	Weekly wages in GBP	Weekly wages in USD	Annual wages in GBP	Annual wages in USD
  Cristiano Ronaldo	Portuguese	£3,224,935	$4,166,513	£167,696,622	$216,658,680
  Karim Benzema	French	£1,612,468	$2,083,257	£83,848,311	$108,329,340
  Riyadh Mahrez	Algerian	£841,708	$1,087,460	43,768,818	$56,547,915
  Sadio Mane	Senegalese	£644,987	$833,303	£33,539,324	$43,331,736
  Kalidou Koulibaly	Senegalese	£559,526	$722,890	£29,095,364	$37,590,281

Glasgow Rangers finally confirmed the appointment of their new chief executive officer with the arrival of Patrick Stewart, who will officially arrive next month.

James Bisgrove left the role six months ago and it has taken half a year for the Scottish giants to find his successor, with this appointment of the former Manchester United chief.

He worked with the Premier League side for almost 20 years and, therefore, arrives at Ibrox with knowledge of how a big club operates and makes ruthless decisions.

Nils Koppen was recently confirmed as the club’s new technical director and Stewart will work with him, alongside the rest of the board, to make key decisions on the club’s future.

The former Manchester United chief does not come in at the easiest of times at Ibrox, however, as the team have been struggling on the pitch in recent weeks.

Rangers dropped points in the Scottish Premiership at the weekend as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Dundee United in Glasgow, and it has led to more speculation over the future of manager Philippe Clement.

The case for Philippe Clement to be sacked

RangersReview recently reported that Stewart will have the biggest say on day-to-day operations at Rangers and that his first decision upon his arrival, in the middle of next month, will be whether or not the manager will keep his job.

Football Insider have also claimed that the Light Blues will not make an immediate decision on the head coach’s future, after the draw with Dundee United, and that could be because they are waiting for the new CEO to start.

The issue is that the Gers play six times before Stewart’s start date, including a Europa League clash with Tottenham Hotspur and a League Cup final against Celtic.

So far this season, Clement’s side have lost three times and drawn twice in their 12 Premiership games and find themselves a whopping 11 points adrift in the title race, which has led to speculation around the head coach’s position.

As you can see in the table above, Rangers have only won two of their five games against the other teams inside the current top five in the Premiership, losing two and drawing one.

Clement’s team were also knocked out by Dynamo Kyiv in the Champions League play-off in August, adding further fuel to the fire, and that coupled with the dismal form in the league is why Stewart must ditch the manager when he arrives next month.

It is not just the manager who should be ditched by the incoming CEO, however, as striker Cyriel Dessers is one player who must be moved on when the January transfer window opens for business in just over a month.

Cyriel Dessers' form for Rangers last season

In the summer of 2023, former Rangers head coach Michael Beale swooped to sign the Nigeria international from Cremonese for a reported fee of £4.5m.

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He ended the 2023/24 campaign with a return of 22 goals and nine assists in all competitions, which sounds like a very solid return on paper. However, the underlying numbers behind his performances suggested that it was a difficult season for the former Serie A marksman.

In the Europa League, Dessers scored one goal in seven games and struggled badly out of possession. He lost a whopping 74% of his duels in those seven outings, which shows that opposition defenders found it far too easy to get the better of him in physical contests.

As you can see in the table above, the 29-year-old forward was incredibly wasteful in front of goal with a staggering 27 ‘big chances’ missed in the Premiership.

He was also, as was the case in Europe, dominated by opposition defenders on a regular basis, which meant that Rangers did not have a reliable outlet to hit in the number nine position.

Why Cyriel Dessers should be sold

Stewart could seal an instant masterclass at Ibrox by parting ways with the manager and then cashing in on Dessers when the January transfer window opens, as his struggles have continued into the current season.

The £27k-per-week striker has not kicked on and improved in his second campaign with the Light Blues. He is still struggling with the same issues that he had in the 2023/24 campaign, as his finishing has been wasteful and his play out of possession has left a lot to be desired.

In the Europa League, Dessers has scored one goal from 2.57 xG and missed five ‘big chances’ in just four outings, whilst losing 68% of his duels with opposition defenders. This means that he has scored two goals in 11 games in the competition since the start of last term.

Unfortunately, the experienced marksman has also failed to provide consistent quality on the pitch in the Premiership, with one goal in five games against the other teams inside the top five.

As you can see in the table above, Dessers has only scored one goal in every three matches on average and, again, missed more ‘big chances’ than he has scored goals, whilst also being dominated out of possession.

The Nigerian centre-forward has scored 20 goals and missed a whopping 33 ‘big chances’ in the Premiership since the start of the 2023/24 campaign, which illustrates how wasteful he has been in front of goal.

With this, and his £27k-per-week wage, in mind, one of Stewart’s first tasks must be to work with Koppen to find a suitor for the striker in January, as Rangers must find an upgrade on him in the number nine position to improve their form domestically and in Europe.

Rangers signed their own Kante before he left after one forgettable year

Glasgow Rangers thought they had their own version of N’Golo Kante, then he flopped.

By
Dan Emery

Nov 25, 2024

It would be an instant masterclass from the new CEO if he can brutally ditch Dessers, alongside Clement, and land a more reliable centre-forward for the Ibrox giants.

Former Aberdeen chief Keith Wyness has discussed potential “great news” regarding the future of Rangers manager Philippe Clement.

Clement battling to save Rangers job

The Belgian has only been in the job at Ibrox for a little over a year, taking over from Michael Beale back in October 2023, but he is already battling hard to remain in charge.

Rangers have made a largely disappointing start to the season, beginning with being dumped out of the Champions League in the qualifying rounds, before allowing themselves to fall 11 points adrift of Celtic in the Scottish Premiership title race. Even Aberdeen are nine points clear of them, albeit having played one game more.

On Thursday evening, the Gers won 4-1 away to Nice in the Europa League, in what was a much-needed result for Clement, potentially giving him some leeway for the time being.

On Sunday, he faces another must-win game, however, with Rangers making the trip to St Johnstone in the league. Their opponents are sitting ninth in the table currently, so failure to beat them would be a significant blow, especially to the manager.

Former chief makes big Clement claim at Rangers

Speaking to Football Insider, Wyness claimed that Rangers could allow Clement to take the Belgium job without compensation, saying it could be “great news” for the Scottish giants if they managed to bring in £3m.

“It’s a funny story. The rumours are that there’s a £3million compensation clause in his contract. I think Rangers fans would say: forget the compensation, just take him. I’ve been arguing that he has to remain in place, and I still think he’s a good manager – with a squad like Belgium’s, he could do well.

“I don’t think there’ll be any compensation if Belgium do come in. This may be a situation where both parties decide to move on. If there is to be a change, it will likely come around Christmas. If Rangers get £3million from Belgium, it would be one of the more shocking things I’ve seen in football. It would be great news for the club.”

Rangers supporters are sure to be split when it comes to Clement’s future, with a section of the fanbase showing patience and still seeing him as the right man for the job. There may well be plenty who feel that a change in boss is needed sooner than later, in order to salvage the Gers’ season and keep up their faint chances of catching Celtic in the title race. That may be wishful thinking at this point, but a change in the dugout may freshen things up.

Should Belgium want Clement, though, Rangers should consider not standing in their way, especially in terms of potentially bringing in £3m to aid their financial situation.

Rangers preparing new offer to sign "phenomenal" Dessers upgrade

Glasgow Rangers are reportedly interested in a deal to sign the Premier League attacker.

By
Dan Emery

Nov 28, 2024

More may become clearer at the end of this weekend, with the St Johnstone game feeling big for the manager, but huge improvements are needed if he is to remain in charge in the long-term.

Manchester United fans have celebrated the fact that Andre Onana may be unavailable to play against Leicester on Sunday evening.

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• Onana faces late fitness test
• Rumour that Dermot Mee may start
• Fans pleased Onana may be missing

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Per Samuel Luckhurst, Onana faces a late fitness test and may miss the clash with Leicester on Saturday evening. Another social media user, @sully_sayz, has claimed that academy goalkeeper Dermot Mee is poised to make his first-team debut.

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• AFP
  

  WHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING

  Supporters have reacted with near-unanimous delight at the news Onana may be missing.

  @IamthebangK said: "Good news, I hope he never starts for a few game too. We're tired of his errors."

  @daniels21220856 wrote: "Keep him away from the goal, better get any other goalie in!"

  @IkehJesus said: "The best news I have heard today."

  @Rayinatorsport added: "Ik some of the fans are going to be celebrating this and I would be okay with this. But if Bayindir and Heaton are out who on earth are we playing?"

  @AaronMain7 said: "No Onana in goal today, actually excited to see a youth player in goal and see how he does."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Onana has played in every Premier League game thus far this season and has conceded 40 goals. He has kept a total of seven clean sheets. Mee, by comparison, is a Northern Ireland U21 international, who has fast become the Red Devils' No.1 at U21 level.

• AFP
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  United are 15th but can move as high as 13th with a victory. The Foxes, by comparison, are 19th and staring down the barrel of relegation; they are nine points from safety.

Las Águilas contributed the most players to the national teams, as the second-place club brought half as many

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• Eight players from Las Águilas on national teams

• León is the second with four players

• The Azulcremas, La Fiera occupy top of Clausura 2025

• AFP
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The three-time Liga MX champions are going through a brilliant moment in the Clausura 2025 and have their sights set on winning their fourth consecutive title. This collective moment has translated into individual success, as for this FIFA international break, América was the team that contributed the most players to national teams, with eight.

  León is second with four. They are followed by Cruz Azul and Chivas with three each, and Toluca with two.

  América players currently with national teams:

  Luis Ángel Malagón (Mexico)

  Ramón Juárez (Mexico)

  Israel Reyes (Mexico)

  Brian Rodríguez (Uruguay)

  Rodrigo Aguirre (Uruguay)

  Sebastián Cáceres (Uruguay)

  Cristian Borja (Colombia)

  Diego Valdés (Chile)

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  For the past three seasons, Liga MX has revolved around one team: América. Las Águilas boast three consecutive titles and, by far, are the club with the most championships in Mexico, with 16. For this FIFA break, three América players were omitted from their national teams: Henry Martín, Erick Sánchez, and Alejandro Zendejas, meaning this list could have been even larger.

  The players coached by André Jardine held an open-door training session on Wednesday, with Zendejas practicing alongside his teammates. However, Martín was absent due to ongoing muscular issues.

• Getty
  

  WHAT CRISTIAN CALDERÓN SAID

  Cristian Calderón expressed his pride in being part of the team, saying "América is the biggest team in Mexico, and we proved it."

• WHAT NEXT FOR AMÉRICA?

  Las Águilas will look to continue their great form on March 29 when they host Tigres in Matchday 13 of the Clausura 2025. The Felinos, who recently appointed Guido Pizarro as their new coach, are in third place in the tournament with 25 points.

Tottenham Hotspur dropped two points in the Premier League on Sunday as they were held to a disappointing 1-1 draw by London rivals Fulham.

The Lilywhites had taken the lead in the match in the second half thanks to a goal from Brennan Johnson, who finished from close range after a fantastic cross from Timo Werner.

However, a brilliant strike from Tom Cairney, who was later sent off for a poor challenge on Dejan Kulusevski, meant that the two teams had to share the spoils.

There were a few players who simply did not turn up and show the best of their abilities for Spurs in the match, including captain Heung-min Son.

Heung-min Son's performance against Fulham

In the absence of summer signing Dominic Solanke, Tottenham needed their skipper to step up in the number nine position, with Werner moved over to the left flank.

Unfortunately, Son did not provide the team with the quality that was needed to secure all three points against Marco Silva’s side, with a poor showing up front.

He started the match with a disappointing miss in front of goal after Werner appeared to put it on a plate for the forward, who could only find the body of Bernd Leno.

That was the striker’s only shot of the game it was one that he should have buried, although you could argue that the fact it was his only shot suggests that his teammates did not do enough to supply him with chances.

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One of the players tasked with supplying Son was attacking midfielder James Maddison, who should be ruthlessly ditched by Ange Postecoglou after an underwhelming showing.

Why James Maddison should be dropped

The England international should be dropped from the starting XI after his struggles in and out of possession against the Cottagers on Sunday.

With Kulusevski left on the bench by the Spurs head coach, Maddison was in the team to provide creative flair and quality in possession to break the away side down.

However, he ended his 85 minutes on the pitch with zero shots on target and zero ‘big chances’ created, as Postecoglou decided to take him off for the final 12 minutes – including stoppage time – with Tottenham chasing a goal.

As you can see in the table above, Maddison, despite being the creative midfield player, ended the game with as many chances created as his striker, whilst also failing to register a single effort on target. It was hardly a surprise he ended up being handed a 5/10 match rating by Football.London.

The former Norwich City and Leicester City wizard also struggled out of possession, as Fulham’s players found it too easy to get the better of him in physical contests.

He was wasteful on the ball, losing it 15 times without a shot on target or a ‘big chance’ created, and Postecoglou must drop him from the side to bring Kulusevski back in next time out.

Ange must finally sell £20m Spurs flop who Conte didn't want to sign

Spurs could look to sell him in January

1

By
Joe Nuttall

Nov 30, 2024

Arsenal could offer a “big-name” member of Mikel Arteta’s squad in exchange for a highly-rated forward, as the Premier League title hopefuls look to resolve some of their issues with breaking teams down right now.

Arsenal held by Everton in 0-0 Premier League draw

Despite creating many chances and dominating every aspect of the game, Arsenal ultimately couldn’t make it count, and failed to score from open play for the third-successive Premier League game running on Saturday.

Arsenal in contact to sign £55m captain with 27 goal involvements in 24/25

Liverpool and Manchester City are also keen.

By
Charlie Smith

Dec 15, 2024

The Gunners were widely expected to steamroll struggling Everton at the Emirates Stadium, but on a disappointing afternoon for Arteta, his side did nearly everything right bar get on the scoresheet.

Their 0-0 draw was made all the more frustrating by fierce title rivals Liverpool dropping points to Fulham, with the Reds also being held at home as Arsenal failed to capitalise on Arne Slot’s rare fumble.

Liverpool’s draw means Arsenal haven’t lost any ground on the Merseysiders, but opportunities to close the gap will come few and far between, with Chelsea taking advantage instead after their 2-1 win over Brentford.

“I feel very disappointed not to win the game, because, obviously, if there’s a team that deserved to win, there’s only one, which is Arsenal,” said Arteta on Arsenal’s 0-0 draw to Everton.

“We gave nothing away, no shots conceded, dominated our play, not allowed them to run, no set pieces. High-press, excellent. We got them there. We generated the chances, but the last 20 metres was missing to score goals, which is what you have to do with all the dominance because we have never been able to dominate it that way.

“But at the end you have to try to generate the highest winning probability. Now that you draw the game, you want more. Even if we win it, we always want more. But I cannot ask much more to the boys apart from putting the ball in the net.”

In their efforts to find a late goal, Arteta brought on £265,000-per-week striker Gabriel Jesus for the final 20 minutes, but the Brazilian couldn’t make an impact or add to his tally of just one strike in all competitions this season.

There have been reports that Arsenal are in the market for a new centre-forward to ease the pressure on Kai Havertz, with Jesus failing to be that talismanic 20-plus-goal-per-season frontman they arguably need right now.

Arsenal could exchange Gabriel Jesus for Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic

A repeatedly mentioned potential attacking target for Arsenal in that regard is Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic, as reports continuously link the Gunners with a move for the Serbia international.

Another claim has surfaced from Italy, as news outlet Spazio J suggest that Arsenal could use Jesus in an exchange deal for Vlahovic, with Arteta’s misfiring forward heading to Juve and Thiago Motta’s star forward coming in the opposite direction to London.

Juve will need a “big-name” replacement for Vlahovic if the ex-Fiorentina star departs, and Jesus would apparently fit the bill. Arsenal are “knocking for Vlahovic” as “one of the most credible and aggressive” contenders, and it is believed they’re prepared to green-light a potential swap deal.

The 24-year-old, who’s commanding a price tag of around £67 million, has scored 11 goals in 19 appearances across all competitions.