In the world of football, there is a classic saying that roughly translates to: "Arsenal never fails to disappoint when it comes to underperforming!" This description seems particularly apt for Arsenal this season, as they seem to have started dropping the ball even earlier, since they never really got their act together! Under Arteta's guidance this season, Arsenal has been lukewarm and lacking in passion. After 17 league rounds, they have achieved a record of 9 wins, 6 draws, and 2 losses, accumulating 33 points and temporarily ranking 4th. They have already fallen 9 points behind the league leaders, Liverpool. It appears that Arsenal will once again aim for a top-four finish this season, despite the fact that Guardiola's Manchester City has faltered and Chelsea has risen impressively. At this juncture, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta made a surprising statement, claiming that their squad is one of the weakest in the Premier League this season! Such words are truly shocking! Is this the Spanish manager trying to excuse the poor results, or is it just his level of rhetoric? It's too... too corporate! Looking at Arsenal's current lineup, each position boasts either the best or close to the best two-player configuration in the entire Premier League. How can he say it's thin? The defense has a surplus of players, with the likes of Zinchenko, worth 30 million euros, and Kjell, worth over 20 million euros, unable to even secure a substitute spot. Sterling, earning 100,000 pounds a week, is only fit for rotation in the League Cup. Moreover, Arsenal's total wage…

After a 2-0 victory over Manchester United, Wolves' new coach Victor Pereira could not contain his joy: In front of 31,407 home spectators, Pereira threw three punches and then roared in celebration with raised arms. Less than 50 meters away in the stands, Wolves fans waved flags and chanted Pereira's name. Such a scene is invigorating. It reminds you of former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, who was equally passionate and fiery. For Wolves, the past four days have been like a long-awaited rain, refreshing and exhilarating. On December 22nd, in the 17th round of the Premier League, Pereira made his debut as Wolves' coach with a clean 3-0 win over Leicester City. After four consecutive defeats in the Premier League, Wolves stopped their slump with one victory. On December 26th, in the 18th round of the Premier League, facing compatriot Amorim's Manchester United, Pereira's 3-4-2-1 formation proved more efficient and cohesive. Cunha scored one goal and provided one assist, while Hwang Hee-chan sealed the deal with a late goal, securing another 2-0 victory and three points. In just four short days, with a 3-0 and a 2-0 victory, Wolves staged an "escape from death." Under Gary O'Neil's coaching, Wolves had two wins, three draws, and eleven losses in 16 matches, accumulating only nine points and ranking second to last, five points behind 17th-placed Leicester City. After two consecutive victories, Wolves surpassed Ipswich and Leicester City, rising to 17th place and escaping the relegation zone. It's still too early to say that Wolves are safe from relegation. However, Pereira's impact on…

The European top five leagues have seen some unexpected matches, especially the double losses of Manchester City and Barcelona, which really surprised many people. The state of Manchester City this season has made people worry for them, and the same goes for Barcelona, which was once firmly at the top but now has become a backdrop for others. The successive defeats of these two superpowers make people feel that anything can happen in today's world. Who would have thought? Okay, let's not rush to complain. Today, we will talk about the two major surprises of Manchester City and Barcelona, and then discuss the three uncontested facts in the football world right now. Are you ready? Let's start with these two laughable matches. Manchester City's three consecutive defeats, the disappointment of the Premier League defending champion Last night's performance by Manchester City, oh my, really makes people want to say: are you playing football or giving points to your opponents? As the defending Premier League champion, Manchester City lost 1-2 away to Aston Villa, welcoming their third consecutive defeat. Throughout the game, you almost couldn't see the Blue Moon that once dominated the Premier League. The scene seemed a bit disoriented at times. Haaland, Foden, Silva, these famous players stood on the field one by one, as if they were waiting for the opponent to create opportunities for them, rather than showing their own power in return. Honestly, the current situation of Manchester City really feels like it is gilded on the outside but decayed within. The consecutive defeats of Manchester…

Last night, Chelsea suffered a 1-2 defeat at home against Fulham, ending in a last-minute goal. The main reason for the loss was due to coach Maresca's stubbornness, holding onto one of the most complete squads in Europe but refusing to make substitutions. The secondary reason was the lack of firepower up front. It is reported that Chelsea has started pursuing Inter Milan captain Lautaro, with an offer of Badiaxiele, Chukwuemeka, and Mudrik, plus an additional 40 million euros for Lautaro. Chelsea's current dilemma lies in the absence of a capable center forward, as their current striker Jackson has been inconsistent in front of goal, often missing opportunities, which severely hampers the team's attacking efficiency. Lautaro's performance this season has not matched his previous season's form, as he has fallen into a prolonged goal drought. Although participating in the Copa America may have led to overexertion, as the captain and key forward of Inter Milan, his state significantly impacts the team. Currently, Inter Milan's frontline mainly relies on the excellent performance of Thuram Jr., which also encourages them to consider the possibility of Lautaro's transfer. Inter Milan is expected not to accept any exchange offers but prefers direct cash transactions. This approach not only allows the team to receive a substantial transfer fee but also relieves the salary pressure brought by Lautaro, the highest-paid player within the squad. Consequently, Inter Milan will have more flexibility in salary space, enabling them to bring in other capable players. Behind these transfer rumors, it is essential to mention Inter Milan's manager Marotta, known…

After Christmas, the first matchday saw a series of upsets for the top four Premier League clubs. Among them, Manchester United, Chelsea, and Tottenham all suffered defeats, while reigning champions Manchester City surprisingly dropped points. The biggest winner was undoubtedly league leaders Liverpool, who have effectively eliminated any title race suspense. ‌[Manchester United 0-2 Wolves]‌ In the first half, neither team managed to score. However, shortly after the break, Bruno Fernandes received a second yellow card, reducing Manchester United to ten men. Soon after, Cunha scored from a corner kick to give Wolves a 1-0 lead. Despite manager Amorim making several substitutions and using all five available changes early on, United's attack remained ineffective. In the final minute, Cunha provided an assist for Hwang Hee-chan to seal the victory, securing a 2-0 win for Wolves at home. As a result, Manchester United has now lost three consecutive matches and four out of their last five, significantly impacting their chances of finishing in the top four. They only hold an eight-point lead over the relegation zone. ‌[Chelsea 1-2 Fulham]‌ Following a goalless draw with Everton in the previous round that ended their eight-match winning streak in all competitions, Chelsea's performance against Fulham was also lackluster. In the 16th minute of the first half, Palmer scored for Chelsea to take a 1-0 lead. However, in the second half, Colwill's goal was ruled offside. In the dying moments of the game, Chelsea's defense collapsed, with substitute Wilson heading in a goal in the 82nd minute to level the score for Fulham. Then, in…

In the 18th round of the 24-25 Premier League season, a focus match was held at the Etihad Stadium, with Manchester City hosting Everton. Despite creating numerous scoring opportunities, Manchester City could only manage a 1-1 draw with their opponents, failing to secure all three points. After the game, Manchester City defender Akanki expressed his dissatisfaction with the result in an interview with Amazon, believing that the draw was not fair. In this game, Manchester City showed a strong desire to attack from the opening stages. In the 3rd minute, Manchester City won a tactical corner kick opportunity, with Foden making a precise cross from the left, and Gvardiol heading for goal, but unfortunately the ball hit the post and bounced out, failing to give Manchester City the lead. However, just 11 minutes later, Manchester City broke the deadlock. Doku faced two defenders on the left flank and showed off his excellent individual ability. He cleverly broke through and sent a slanted pass, with B seat rushing in front of Bransvit and shoveling the ball, which flew into the far corner after a deflection, giving Manchester City a 1-0 lead over Everton. Guardiola celebrated with a fist pump on the sidelines, as if he had already seen the dawn of victory. However, football matches are often full of variables. In the 36th minute, Everton got a great counter-attack opportunity. Doucoure crossed diagonally at a 45-degree angle to the back post, where Akanki missed his clearance and Lewis leaked a man at the back post. Ndoye took advantage of this opportunity…

A forward worth 42 million euros has only scored 4 goals, providing Inter Milan with an opportunity to buy at a discounted price, a move that was once strongly recommended by Moratti. Maurota once wanted to sign the Italian tall striker Scamacca, but he ultimately chose the larger platform of the Premier League, allowing Sassuolo to make a significant profit. Two years ago in the summer, the well-known journalist Romano announced that Scamacca had joined West Ham United for a total price of 42 million euros. Scamacca struggled to adapt in the Premier League, scoring only 3 goals in 16 league appearances. West Ham United lost patience and put Scamacca on the transfer list. Last summer, Inter Milan wanted to take advantage of the situation to sign Scamacca. Frattesi expressed in an interview his hope to play alongside him. At that time, the well-known journalist Skira revealed that Inter Milan had already agreed on personal terms with Scamacca, but still needed West Ham United's approval. The well-known journalist Di Marzio stated that Inter Milan was confident in securing Scamacca. Some Italian media reported that Scamacca was close to joining Inter Milan, while Roma, also in need of a tall striker, began discussions with Bologna about the transfer of Anau. In early August, Romano brought bad news to Inter Milan fans, as Atalanta was set to intervene. Soon after, Romano announced that Scamacca had become Atalanta's new signing for a transfer fee of 30 million euros. Ultimately, Inter Milan was heavily exploited by Bologna, having to pay a buyout fee of…

Manchester United is set to face multiple reinforcement needs in 2025, with the club's management, including the Glazers and Ineos Group, preparing to clean house by offloading underperforming players. Ruben Amorim has been at the helm of Manchester United for over a month now and should have a clear understanding of the team's strengths and weaknesses. Clearly, Amorim is keen to bolster the left flank, with additional reinforcements in other positions also being welcomed. At the same time, the uncertainty surrounding Altay Bayindir's future means that Manchester United may need to bring in a new second-choice goalkeeper. Interestingly, United's problems could be solved by re-signing players who have previously left the club. Here are four players that Manchester United could potentially bring back to Old Trafford in the new year. Firstly, the most prominent name is undoubtedly Alvaro Fernandez, the young player who has excelled at Benfica. Manchester United sold Fernandez last summer for just £5 million, but cleverly included a buy-back option in the deal. Given Amorim's difficulties with the left wing-back position, United may activate this buy-back clause to bring Fernandez back for a fee of £16 million, putting them in pole position in the race to sign him. Next is another player who might not require a transfer fee - Angel Gomes. Gomes' contract with Lille expires in 2025, and Manchester United is one of the main contenders for his return to England. Reports suggest that Amorim is very interested in Gomes, and Gomes himself hopes to return to his old club rather than join Tottenham. This…

After the end of the 2022 season, Liverpool made a decision that sparked extensive discussion and demonstrated strategic foresight at the time - to let go of Mane and instead firmly choose to renew their contract with Salah. It is worth noting that after the African Cup of Nations and Ramadan that season, Salah did not maintain his heroic performance from the first half of the year, and it was precisely thanks to Mane that the team could compete for titles in both the Champions League and the Premier League. Now, as time has passed, the correctness of this decision has been proven to be incredibly clear. Salah, the Egyptian star, has consistently shown his superior dominance in the two seasons following his renewal. In the 2022-23 season, Salah played 38 times in the Premier League for Liverpool, scoring 19 goals and providing 12 assists. In the 2023-24 season, Salah played 44 times in various competitions for Liverpool, scoring 25 goals and providing 14 assists. His goal-scoring methods are diverse and varied, whether it's long-range shots, poaching, or dribbling breakthroughs followed by shots, all of which make him difficult for opponents to defend against. His speed, technique, and sense of smell in front of the goal remain at the level of the world's top forwards, playing an indispensable role in the team's offensive system. On the other hand, Mane, after transferring to Bayern Munich, did not achieve the expected development. In his first season with Bayern Munich (2022-2023), he played 38 times but only scored 12 goals. Moreover, Mane, who…