Ousmane Diomande – Ivory Coast Youngster Gaving Interest From Europe’s Elite

Last week I wrote an article about Antonio Silva. A young defender receiving a lot of interest around the world. This week I thought I’d look at another talented defender from Portgual. Young African star, Ousmane Diomande.

Sporting Lisbon have many great players under current manager Ruben Amorim. Goncalo Inacio and Pedro Goncalves have been standout academy gradutes for Sporting, whilst players like Ivan Fresnada, Morten Hjulmand and highly rated Viktor Gyokeres, have all continued their development in Portugal’s capital.

Diomande began his football career at Ivory Coast side, AS Abobo. Once he turned professional, he made a move to Danish club, Midtylland in January 2020. He spent a season on loan at Portuguese club, Mafra, before Sporting came along in January 2023, and paid €7.5 million for the young defender.

He broke into the first team in immediately, and quickly became a main player in the team, featuring in a number of important matches for ‘Leoes’, as they went on to beat Arsenal in the Europa League round of 16, and finish 4th in the Primeria Liga.

This season, Diomande has continued his great work at Sporting, and has grown into one of the best young defenders around the world. Many teams around Europe have been linked to the African sensation including Arsenal, Chelsea, Newcastle, Liverpool and Juventus to name a few.

Directing The Match

Diomande is the opposite of Silva. When Antonio Silva is described as a ‘old styled defender’, Diomande is very much in the bracket of a modern day defender.

That means not only is he able to play short, quick passes to speed up the play of Sporting’s tempo in a match, but also a mixture of long range passes, particularly into the wingers or midfielders higher up the pitch to start fast paced attacks.

Amorim’s style suits a player like Diomande, as Sporting play with an extremely strong level of possession. With the Ivorian’s ability to calmly receive possession, and disturb it, it makes him such a great assest to Sporting.

When you then consider his ability to dribble the ball out the back, to bring the play forward. He becomes the ultimate defender for Sporting. They set up with a 3-4-3 formation with Diomande taking the central position, and sometimes off the right. In many cases, Diomande drives forward with the ball to make opposition players press him, as he picks out players out wide.

Ultimately, the development he has made in this role at Sporting has made a massive impact on the early stages of his career, and has put him in the position to sit at table with many of the elite center backs around Europe.

Stopping Dangerous Attacks

When it comes to stopping the opposition, Diomande is also a capable player in doing so. Currently in the 2023/24 season, the Ivory Coast international has averaged 1.77 tackles per 90, which is in the top 80%. Showing this aggresive ability to scent danger is once again, a vital part of his game.

When combining this with his speed and strength, as he overpowers attackers, is once again, a showcase of his ability to play at the top level in Europe, as he’s become a vital part to Sporting’s squad.

However, when it comes to interceptions, blocks and clearances, Diomande doesn’t make as many as his peers per 90. Many may argue this is due to the fact that Diomande doesn’t engage with these defensive actions.

There is more to it though, as the three at the back formation, Diomande plays as the central player out of the three when Sebastian Coates isn’t selected. Therefore, he will be ingaged in less defensive actions. When looking at the defensive qualities the midfielders offer like Hidemasa Morita and Morten Hjulmand, on top of Sporting being one of the best teams in the league, Diomande is required to do less defending, and more in possession.

This season, Diomande has been able to prove to the world, that is he definitely a topic to talk about for many of the biggest teams in the world, if they are looking for a bright, young defender.

He certainly has the qualities of a modern, elite defender, and it feels like a matter of time before one of Europe’s top teams makes a move for the African 20-year-old. Add the right facilities, and progression from the club, Diomande could set himself up to be a world class defender for years to come.

Can Germany Surprise People In The Euros?

When we look to the Euros this summer, there are plenty of favourites going into the tournament. England, France and Spain are all amongst the teams favoured to win the competition, but one team a lot of people haven’t considered are the tournament hosts, Germany.

Ten years ago, Germany won their 4th World Cup as they beat Argentina in the final. Since then, the Germans haven’t had much joy in major tournaments. They narrowly beat Italy in the Euro 2016 quarter finals on penalties, but their momentum came to a halt in the semi final against France.

At the 2018 World Cup, Germany couldn’t make it past the Group stage, and defeat in the Round of 16 against England in the previous Euros was their first exit at that stage since the 1938 World Cup. Things didn’t get much better at the next World Cup, as they were once again knocked out in the Groups.

So what went wrong for Germany post 2014, and how their fortune might turn around just in time before they host the Euros.

The major problem for the German national team after the 2014 success was a number of key players retiring from football. Per Mertesacker retiring as an optional center back wasn’t helpful, but losing Miroslav Klose and Philipp Lahm who were key parts of the squad through a number of tournaments had huge implications.

Other players stepped up into those senior positions such as Manuel Neuer, Thomas Muller and Mesut Ozil, but gaps were still present, with a lot of experience leaving the squad.

Another major stumbling block for Germany has been the lack of young players that became key players for the team. At the 2014 World Cup, a bright star for Germany was André Schürrle, but he coudln’t really hit the height that was expected of him, despite an impressive World Cup campaign.

Since then, Germany haven’t been able to produce as many talents as France, England, Spain and many other major international nations, which has ultimately led to a decline in performance at these competitions.

Recently, things have started to change for Die Nationalmannschaft with the introduction of a new manager, key experience players offering the leadership needed in the team, and a fresh list of new talents that have made an impact on the current squad.

Having a player like Toni Kroos decide against his retirement from international football, and coming back into the team ahead of the Euros is a massive bonus.When you then add Neuer, Hummels and Muller on top, players who have been involved in success for Germany, it will certain have positive indications for Nagelsmann’s team.

Then when you look at options Germany possess in midfield, the main players are Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz, arguably Germany’s best two talents over the last 10 years. These two creating all the attacking threats could be a vital part to any possible success for German.

Adding this to a lot of other players like Max Beier, David Raum and plenty of other players who have broken into the German team, alongside others on the brink of being involved in the squad for the Euros, makes this an exciting tournament for fans of the home nation.

However, the one of the most promising developments will have been recent results in Friendlies. Two wins against two teams who will be going far in the competition being France and The Netherlands have shown signs of progress for the German fans under the new management of Julian Nagelsmann, who has started his international managerial career well, after taking the place of Hansi Flick.

In the friendly against the Netherlands, Germany dominanted possession, while also playing attacking football, with a number of shots challenging the Dutch goal, as Musiala and Wirtz stood out in these games.

When considering this, it’s a real possibility that Germany can put in a performance they have been looking for at a major tournament since their World Cup victory.

The only real issue that German might have is the lack of a standout striker, with Kai Havertz and Niclas Fullkrug fighting it out before the competition begins, but the quality in other positions could be enough to allow Germany to go far in the tournament, and possibly win a trophy like they did a decade before.

Featured Image – “German Fans” by StewieD is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Antonio Silva – The Best Of Benfica’s New Crop

There are definitely arguments on whether Benfica have produced and developed some of the best talents in football over the last decade.

In the past, players like Ederson, Nemanja Matic and Angel Di Maria made a name for themselves at Estádio da Luz. Recently, Enzo Fernandes and Darwin Nunez have made big money moves abroad from Benfica.

Today, Benfica has a vast array of talent, that is consistently perfoming week in week out. Anatoliy Trubin, Joao Neves and Marcos Leonardo are just a handful of exciting prospects in the team, with plenty more looking to breakthrough from the academy.

However, arguably the most interesting and the leading candidate of the current crop of talent is 20-year-old, Antonio Silva. New boss, Roger Schmidt gave Silva the call up to the first team on the 27th of August 2022, when Benfica took on Boavista.

Since then Silva hasn’t looked back, having played almost every single minute for The Eagles, including minutes in the Champions League. Whilst also becoming the youngest player to represent Portugal at a World Cup.

The young defender has been linked with a move away from Portugal this summer to a series of clubs, including Bayern Munich, Newcastle, Manchester United and Chelsea.

Here is a look at what makes Silva an ideal candidate for some of the biggest clubs in the world.

Old Fashioned Style

The immediate comparsion to Silva is former Benfica academy graduate, Ruben Dias. Since his departure, he has been apart of an incredible Manchester City team which has won multiple trophies.

The two share similarities in terms of what they do out of possession, making a number of tackles, blocks and clearances, as they share qualities of proactive defenders.

However, the difference between the two comes down to when they are in possession of the ball. At Man City, Dias takes a calm approach playing the ball into the midfield, or directing play to his fullbacks, starting quick attacks. For Silva, he barely plays any progressive passes, and instead likes to bring the ball out from the back, similar to how we see Joel Matip and John Stones carry the ball in the Premier League.

Silva has since been described as an ‘old fashioned’ defender, who isn’t afraid of getting it the nitty gritty parts of the match, but someone who also has the confidence to carry the ball himself, which plays into his ability to ancipate the game so well, and dictate how his play can create chances for his team.

Two Steps Ahead

One thing that people talk about time and time again when it comes to Silva is his positioning, and this is down to his anticipation once again.

When he was first making a name for himself in Benfica’s first team, he had tough games, but the most notable was a game in the Champions League versus PSG.

In that match, Silva was on top of his game and didn’t allow Kylian Mbappe space. Whether he was shielding him away from the goal, stepping up and intercepting the play early or dropping deeper to deal with the Mbappe’s pace. He could do it all.

Here is a comparison between Antonio Silva and Sporting Lisbon defender Goncalo Inacio

When you then add in his aerial success, which he also was able to show off against PSG and Juventus in the Champions League group stage, makes him not only a top class defender, but also a danger when it comes to set pieces.

Essentially, Silva is a jack of all trades, with the ability to do pretty much everything a manager might require, whilst also being able to control the oppositions attacking threat with his strength, anticpation, composure and pace. Making him a complete and dominant opponent.

Silva quite clearly has the potential to take him to the top level of Football, and he has showcased glimpses of what he can achieve in the future over the last two seasons.

It’s likely Benfica will lose the 20-year-old this summer, despite the huge price tag that is attached to his name.

However, Silva knows that the right move this summer and take his ability to the next level, as he could become the next big thing out of the unlimited supply of talent coming from the Benfica Campus.

Is The Carabao Cup Key To Success For Liverpool This Season?

Liverpool put on an impressive performance as they beat Bournemouth comfortably, winning 4-0 on the weekend. Now they prepare for their Carabao Cup Semi Final Second Leg against Fulham.

With Liverpool’s strong position in the league and Europa League, many fans have put the idea of winning the Carabao Cup on the back burner, due to the quest to win the Premier League title.

However, winning a trophy early in the season, can be the catalyst of success for the Reds this season, like it has been recently in 2022.

Fulham stand in their way, and it’s not been an easy fixture for Liverpool in recent memory, having narrowly beating them twice this season, and their last visit to Craven Cottage ended in a 2-2 draw.

The Cottagers will also want to advance to the final, as they have never won a major trophy in the clubs history. Liverpool have the advantage in the tie, winning 2-1 at Anfield a few weeks back.

The importance of the competition can’t be understated for both clubs, as they look to make the first final of the season, but for Liverpool, early success can lead to even great things come the end of the campaign.

What this competition has offered for Jurgen Klopp since his arrival in England, is the opportunity to give young players the chance to get important first team minutes, whilst also giving more senior players the chance to get into rhythm.

In 2022, Takumi Minamino was the standout star for the club as he scored four goals in the competition, with one being a vital last minute equaliser against Leicester City as the Reds progressed to the Semi finals.

As for younger players, Kaide Gordon made a start in an important Semi Final clash at the Emirates, as Liverpool went on to win 2-0, but the most memorable was Caoimhin Keheller, who was Liverpool’s hero in a number of matches, including the final as he scored the crucial penalty, which was followed up by Kepa missing his penalty.

This time around, Cody Gakpo has been the goal getter for Liverpool, already matching Minamino’s goals. Elsewhere, Jarell Quansah has been handed minutes in the competition, and has been fantastic at the back. Leading to him starting in league fixtures as well.

For Liverpool, this gives important squad players the important minutes that are required so they are prepared for the business end of the season, and when Liverpool on the hunt for a possible four trophies, these minutes could be essential.

Liverpool have a tough task of beating Fulham first, but if they can overcome them, they will set themselves up for a place at Wembley. The pleasure it can provide to the players, staff and fans can be hugely important to Liverpool as they look to battle on all fronts for the rest of the season, and the winning this competition can put it in motion.

How Important Has Curtis Jones Been For Liverpool?

Many people would agree that Curtis Jones initally struggled when he broke into Liverpool’s first team squad. Despite his goal against Everton in the FA Cup, he hadn’t produced a lot of memorable performances while in a red shirt, as people began to question what his future may look like.

After Liverpool’s lack luster 2022/23 campaign, Jones was provided chances at the tailend of the season to see what he could offer, and he took his chance. After losing 4-1 away at The Ethiad, he started 11 straight matches where Liverpool went undefeated. Many Liverpool fans would argue he’s become the ‘perfect’ Georginio Wijnaldum replacement after the Dutch midfielders departure in 2021.

One difference we are seeing in their games, at least in a Liverpool shirt, is the amount Jones is offering in the final third. He ranks in the 97th percentile for touches in the opposition penalty area per 90 (3.35) and 90th percentile for Progressive Carries per 90 (2.66) when compared to midfielders in Europe. Even when it comes to key chances, he’s averaging 0.21 non-penalty goals per 90 and 0.21 assists per 90.

Jones occupies the space out on the left extremely well as he links the play with the left winger and left back when Liverpool look to attack but when necessary, he makes dangerous runs through the centre, like his goal against West Ham in the Carabao Cup Quarter Final. His ability to dictate and find the space is a major part of his game, which can be vital to Liverpool’s chances in success.

However, his main contributing piece to Jurgen Klopp’s system is his pressing and counter pressing. This is very similar to Wijnaldum, who was a crucial part to the jigsaw for Klopp, as Jones’ pressing is within the highest in the squad, while also making a high number of turnovers. Add that to Jones’ high pass accuracy and his progressive passes/runs, he’s earnt himself a postion in the starting XI.

At 22, he still has to develop his game and he has, as he’s added a number of important goals and assists to his game. Even recently, when he scored the important equaliser vs Fulham in the Carabao Cup Semi Final as Liverpool went on to win 2-1.

The Liverpool born midfielder was gave a second oppurtunity at the club, and with injuries hopefully behind him, he looks to be a main stay in the team for the future.

AGUEROOOOOOO!

Here is an article that I wrote that was published in the Late Tackle Magazine (Mar/April 2023. Issue 85)

Aguero At Man City

After Sheikh Mansour completed his takeover of Manchester City in 2008, the club took an impressive leap in the table, which later lead to a large majority of success for the club. In the 2010/11 season, City finished in third place behind Chelsea and local rivals Manchester United.

If Mancini was to topple Alex Ferguson’s red devils, he needed extra reinforcement in the attacking areas. Man City decided on Argentinian forward, Sergio Aguero from Atletico Madrid, who had 101 goals and 45 assists in just 234 games in Spain.

Many expected Aguero to join City and become a key player for the team, leading the line with Carlos Tevez. What many didn’t expect was Aguero to come in, become the leading forward for The Cityzens, winning the title with them in his first season in England, and becoming one of the best forwards in the world during his playing time in the North West. 

A Moment Of Magic

After arriving in Manchester for a fee of around £36 million, there were big expectations for the forward on his debut day against Swansea City at the Etihad, and he certainly showed what he could do, he scored twice for the Blues, setting the tempo for his season. He didn’t slow down either, as after just 4 games in the Premier League, Aguero got his first hat trick against Wigan Athletic.

Aguero and City shined bright throughout the season, as they pushed on their quest for the all inspiring Premier League title. However, Man Utd were battling City for the title, and when they found themselves 2-1 down against QPR on the final day of the season, it looked like it was over for Mancini and his men. 

However, a late equaliser from Dzeko set up an iconic Premier League moment. As Mario Balotelli brought the ball down in the area and laid it into the path of the forward, Aguero struck his venomous strike past Paddy Kenny to send the Etihad into pandemonium as City clinched the title out of the Red Devils’ hands.

In just 34 premier league games in his debut season, he scored 24 goals, whilst also getting 10 assists and he continued to do just the same for the remainder of his time at City.

Change In Direction

The following campaign, City couldn’t win back-to-back titles, and they also suffered defeat in the FA Cup final to Wigan Athletic. The season for Aguero didn’t match the heights of the season before, as he scored 10 goals and got 3 assists in 30 Premier League matches.

At the end of the season, there was change higher up, as Italian, Roberto Mancini departed the club, and in came Manuel Pellegrini and it was an instant success under the Chilean. 

Despite a lot of action in the League Cup, Aguero grabbed himself a goal and an assist in just 121 minutes of action which helped the Cityzens reach the final against Sunderland, where Pellegrini picked up his first trophy for City, as they beat the Black Cats 3-1 at Wembley.

In the league, City went head-to-head with Brenden Rodgers Liverpool for the title. It looked like the title would travel to Merseyside, but it stayed in Manchester after Liverpool picked up some defeats towards the end of the season. Aguero was vital to City’s title attempts that season, with 27 goal contributions in 23 games as City clinched the title on the final day of the season.

In the next two season’s under Pellegrini, City only added one more trophy to the collection, beating Liverpool on penalties in the League Cup, but the lack of league success wasn’t down to the Argentinian forward, as he scored 50 league goals across the two campaigns.

Mansour decided it was time for change once again, to take the team to new strengths which would elevate Man City and Aguero to new levels.

The Pep Era

Despite the first season being trophyless, there were clear signs of progression under the Spanish manager. A number of players were phased out during his first few years, but Aguero was different and was key to the success with Pep.

In his remaining seasons at City under Pep, he scored 82 league goals including many key goals such as the winner in a 2-1 versus Liverpool and a hat trick against Chelsea to help his team win three leagues in five years.

He also won 4 League Cups, where he scored 2 goals in those four matches, being key to helping city become the eventual winners.

He also won another 2 Community Shields and another FA Cup Final during his final few years at City.

During this time, Aguero became the stand-alone figure leading the line for the team, as he remained one of the deadliest strikers in Europe during his final few years.

During his time in the Premier League, Aguero won five league titles whilst scoring 184 goals. He broke a number of records, such as the most hat tricks in the Premier League (12) during his time in England, ultimately becoming a man to be feared.

His longevity despite some tough injuries is a credit to his character and his ability to return to top form after injuries.

After his departure from City, he went to Barcelona, but after some health issues, he was forced to retire.

Looking back at the Argentinian’s career there is no doubt he will go down as a Premier League Legend and as one of the best forwards of his generation.

Returning Dragons Run Out Of Puff

Here is an article that I wrote that was published in the Late Tackle Magazine (Jan/Feb 2023. Issue 84)

After beating Ukraine 1-0 earlier this year, Wales confirmed their place among 31 other nations at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The last time the Dragons qualified for the World Cup was in 1958, a completely different time in football, much has changed especially the use of technology.

Wales advanced through the groups, knocking out Mexico and the legendary Hungarian side, despite drawing all their games in the group stage.

Wales met the eventual Champions, Brazil in the quarter-finals. They would come across a young forward called Pele, who scored the only goal of the game in the 66th minute. After an impressive display from the Welsh players, who would have believed it would take 66 years before their next outing on the World stage?

It wasn’t just the World Cup that Wales couldn’t qualify for, they also failed  getting into the newly formed European Championship.

From Ian Rush to Ryan Giggs, Mark Hughes to Neville Southall, Wales alluded all International tournaments, up until 2016.

After winning 6 of their 10 games in their qualifying group, Wales reached their first International tournament since the World Cup in Sweden. They finished four points ahead of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and just behind Belgium, but that wouldn’t be the last time they met the Red Devils.

Wales drew Slovakia, England, and Russia in the groups. Despite a narrow 2-1 defeat to arch-rivals England, Chris Coleman and his men qualified for the Round of 16.

They were triumphant over Northern Ireland in the last 16 and met Belgium once again in the Quarter Finals.

They found themselves 1-0 thanks to a Radja Nainggolan goal. However, the fairy tale would continue when Ashley Williams, Sam Vokes, and an infamous goal from Hal Robson-Kanu secured a 3-1 win and sent the Dragons into the Semi-Finals.

The Semi-Finals would be the end of the adventure for Wales, as they met Portugal who beat them 2-0, with goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and Almedia, before they would beat France in the final, but Wales could hold their heads high after such a great performance.

After an incredible display in the Euros, many would have predicted Wales to return to the world stage in 2018 in Russia. However, they struggled in their group and ended up finishing third and were unable to advance.

At Euro 2020, they had a successful campaign once again, as they reached the Quarter Finals, but the nation wanted one thing, and that was qualification for the World Cup in Qatar.

Wales finished second in their group behind Belgium, and knew they were two wins away from ending their World Cup drought.

Wales met Austria in the Semi Final, and their hero, Gareth Bale put them two goals ahead in the 55th minute. Marcel Sabitzer found the back of the net just after the hour mark, but Wales held out and won and would meet Ukraine to see who would be at the World Cup.

The tension was high leading up to the game at the Cardiff City Stadium, with this seen as the last chance for many of their key players.

However, that didn’t faze the players when Bale once again stepped up and put the Dragons ahead halfway through the first half.

Ukraine pushed for an equalizer, but it wouldn’t come as Robert Page and his players secured World Cup qualification for the first time since 1958.

The Welsh players will be delighted to have reached the World Cup finals, but many believe that this is their only motivation.

If there is one thing they have taught people is to not underestimate them and after great performances in their last two International tournaments, can they supply anymore surprises?

Serbia Surprise

Here is an article that I wrote that was published in the Late Tackle Magazine (Nov/Dec 2022. Issue 83)

World Cup fever is truly in motion, with fans around the world trying to predict the possible Champions. However, everyone loves an underdog heading into the biggest tournament in the World.

One nation which has gone under the nose of many people is Serbia, who host a number of talents throughout their squad and they have real potential at this tournament.

When Serbia became an independent country after the World Cup in 2006, they only failed to qualify once for the World Cup in 2014.

However, in South Africa and Russia, they failed to make it out of the group stage, winning only one game in their previous World Cup campaigns.

So what is different for Serbia and how can they make an impact at the World Cup in Qatar?

Serbia’s new manager, Dragan Stojkovic took charge of the team in March 2021 and he has impressed many people during his short time in charge. In eight matches they have won five, drew one, and lost two.

The 57-year-old sets up with a back five with attacking fullbacks. They play a free-flowing style of attacking football, which concentrates heavy play through the wing-backs, who support the strikers.

This is key to his success with the team, as it plays to the team’s strengths, especially the key players who can make an impact on results.

Stojkovic has been able to build a squad, which has built partnerships, with the link-up between Aleksandar Mitrovic and Dusan Vlahovic key to any possible success.

Mitrovic has started the season strongly at Fulham, helping the Cottagers with some early season success, both with his goals and his build-up play. 

Vlahovic has also started the campaign well, scoring a number of crucial goals for Juventus. 

Any real success that Serbia could get from the World Cup, means Vlahovic and Mitrovic have a big part to play, however they aren’t the only players who can contribute.

Vlahovic’s Juventus teammate, Filip Kostic, and veteran, Dusan Tadic have a big responsibility in creating opportunities, which they are capable of doing, and at the heart of midfield, Ivan Ilic is able to play his part in proceedings, and he could be vital to Serbia’s chances.

Serbia comes into the World Cup with confidence, topping their group in the nations league against Norway, Slovenia, and Sweden. 

However, the group stage won’t be easy, as they face Switzerland, Cameroon and five-time World Cup winners, Brazil.

Many viewers won’t expect much from Stojkovic and his team in the tournament, but what they have been able to showcase in the lead-up to the tournament and the players they have could leave many teams in shock at the brilliance of Serbia in Qatar.

Bale’s Madrid Joy and Misery

Here is an article that I wrote that was published in the Late Tackle Magazine (Sep/Oct 2022. Issue 82)

An infamous banner held by Gareth Bale and his Welsh teammates, after securing qualification for Euro 2020 said a lot about Bale’s feelings and emotions towards the European Giants.

When he arrived in the Spanish capital, it looked destined for Bale to share the spotlight with Cristiano Ronaldo, making Real a modern-day superpower.

The Welshman had it all, pace, strength, and the finishing ability to mimic that of Ronaldo from the opposition side and he could strike fear into any defender across Europe.

Real Madrid have been able to become that European Supergiant with Bale being a part of the success, but many Madridistas would have expected more from Bale during his time at the club.

Now at just 33, Bale has moved to the MLS where he plays for Los Angeles FC. So the question for many has been, what happened to the Welsh megastar in Spain?

New Life In Madrid

In the 2013 Summer window, Real Madrid completed a world-record transfer for the Winger with a fee of £85 million, making him a modern-day Galactico.

With high expectations from the get-go. His first season was disrupted by injuries, limiting his game time, but when he was deployed out wide, he showcased his World Class ability.

Many people began to question what Bale offered after a slight dip in form, but his critics were silenced after he scored an iconic goal in the Copa Del Rey Final against fierce foes, Barcelona. Then, weeks later he scored yet another significant goal in the Champions League Final against city rivals, Atletico Madrid, ending Real’s 12-year wait for the Champions League to return to the Santiago Bernabeu.

However, with the hefty price tag, many Madrid fans still questioned his worth at Los Blancos.

Managerial Mayhem

In the 2014/15 season, Real Madrid and Bale couldn’t match the heights of the previous season, despite Bale keeping fit. At the end of that campaign, Rafael Benitez was named manager.

Bale was a key player under Benitez, but with results not being up to standard, Benitez was relieved from his position, and in came Zinedine Zidane.

In his opening game under the new manager, Bale scored a hat trick but he picked up an injury just weeks under new manager Zidane, which saw him miss a substantial remainder of the campaign.

When he returned, Bale had his game time limited, but this still didn’t stop him from being a key part in Real winning their eleventh Champions League.

After a proud 2016 Euros campaign with Wales, Bale went on to miss 29 matches in 2016/17 for Real Madrid with many injuries ruining his chances, and with Zidane being keen on Marco Asensio, it looked like it was the beginning of the end for the Welshman.

The following season, he was used as a rotation player, only playing a full 90 minutes ten times in all competitions for the club, as he made way for Isco and Asensio on a number of occasions.

However, this didn’t stop him from creating another iconic moment after being subbed on the hour mark in the Champions League Final against Liverpool, where he scored a fantastic overhead kick.  He also added a second goal later in the match securing a 3-1 victory, and his third Champions League winners medal

Closing Curtain

Cristiano Ronaldo would leave in that summer for Juventus, and Bale was expected to become the main man for Real. However, this wasn’t the case as players like Lucas Vazquez and Asensio would still be favoured over Bale.

He became frustrated due to his lack of playing time, which saw him take up a position on the bench, despite averaging a goal every 120 minutes.

His playing time became less and less during his time under the French manager, and criticism came Bales’ way after stating he would stay if he was getting paid, and displaying the now famous banner against Hungary in a Euros qualifier.

After the drama, he was loaned back to his former club Tottenham  Hotspur under Jose Mourinho. The start wasn’t perfect as he was injured or on the bench, but suddenly, we saw glimpses of his talent once again, getting 12 goals and 3 assists in just 18 games.

When he returned to the Spanish capital, Carlo Ancelotti was back in charge and Gareth might have expected things to be different.

He was able to win another Champions League, but with more injuries and Coronavirus keeping him out for extended periods, Bale only played 290 minutes in his final season for Los Blancos.

After his contract came to an end in Spain, he moved to America, where he now plays for Los Angeles FC.

Many have mixed opinions on Bale during his time at Real Madrid and how much he contributed to their success. There are multiple reasons why he couldn’t hit the heights which people expected, but there is no doubt, that Gareth Bale will go down as an all-time great.

Mitrovic – Key For Fulham’s Survival

Since Aleksandar Mitrovic moved to the Premier League back in 2015, he has spent time in the top division and in the Championship.

After some lackluster seasons in the Premier League and hugely impressive ones in the Championship, he has been considered a player who can’t crack it at the top, similar to former strike partner at Newcastle, Dwight Gayle.

His best performance in the Premier League was where he scored 11 goals in 37 appearances, with his last campaign in the top flight being extremely difficult with 3 goals in 27 appearances.

However, things seem to have changed, having scored 49 in his last 49 league games, whilst also having 6 from 6 so far in the Premier League this season.

So the question is how has he adapted and what has changed for the Serbian?

At this moment, Fulham set up with a central striker being Mitrovic. He gets his support from the wingers as well as the number 10, who link up well with Mitrovic in attacking scenarios.

Add this to the use of the attacking fullbacks at Fulham, they help Mitrovic find space in the area where he can attack the ball and it plays to his strengths. Both on the floor and in the air.

In Fulham’s previous season in the Premier League, Mitrovic lacked the goals which had consequences on his team’s performances. However, the tactics used during that season were much more complex.

Scott Parker would alternate between multiple systems, which would differ between a back three or a back four. Without a recognised system, the Serbians style had an overall negative impact.

To put that into context, in the whole 2020/21 campaign, Mitrovic had 17 shots on target, but just 6 games into the current season, he has already had 13 shots on goal.

With this new system which supports him under Marco Silva, and a higher quality players through the team has led to a significant increase in what the 27-year-old is able to do in the box.

Talking about the Portuguese manager, his continued attacking style this season has been a brave approach, but he has certainly reaped the rewards through Mitrovic.

Silva has been able to develop his game from somewhat of a ‘classic’ number nine, to a more well-rounded forward. His smart movement, attacking runs and build play have all improved significantly under the current Fulham boss.

A key example of this was in their first game of the season against Liverpool. He attacked the space after a long ball was played into the Liverpool defensive third. His quick movement both on and off the ball resulting in a penalty for his team.

Fulham have bounced between the top two divisions in recent years, but the impressive start to the campaign with Mitrovic firing on all cylinders could give the Cottagers some hope in competing in the Premier League yet again.