All posts by z3u9t.icu

Federico Chiesa is now in talks to leave Liverpool, with his agent entering discussions with a new club, amid involvement from Italy manager Gennaro Gattuso.

Chiesa has been unable to force his way into the starting XI this season, despite a number of Arne Slot’s other forwards making slow starts, at least by their usual standards, including Mohamed Salah, with Gary Neville suggesting the technical side of his game has gone downhill.

Neville said: “I’m not seeing a physical decline – some of his sprints look quite sharp, he looks busy in the box. But crazy things like the ball comes to the back post… his technique on his kicking and his crossing, that’s the thing that looks well off.”

Florian Wirtz has also been unable to make an instant impact in the Premier League, with the German still yet to register a goal or an assist, although his Champions League performances have been far more encouraging.

Federico Chiesa now in talks to leave Liverpool

According to reports from Italy (via Sport Witness), Chiesa’s agent has now entered talks over a move to Napoli, with his client yet to start a single game for Liverpool in the Premier League this season, and Italy boss Gattuso has now gotten involved.

The 47-year-old has specifically requested the 28-year-old to return to Italy, which could play a role in his decision-making, with Napoli keen to ask the Reds about a loan deal, with an option to buy, in the January transfer window.

The Merseysiders would rather get the Italian off the books permanently, however, and are eager for an obligation to buy to be included in any loan agreement, with the reigning Serie A champions willing to fork out around €13m (£11m) to get a deal done.

The winger has become somewhat of a cult hero due to his chant, and has exhibited some promising signs this season, scoring against AFC Bournemouth and Crystal Palace, while also grabbing an assist against Manchester United.

However, it would not be the end of the world if Liverpool decide to cash-in this winter, given that the £150k-a-week forward clearly isn’t a major part of Slot’s plans, featuring for just 117 minutes across eight appearances in the Premier League this term.

A return to Italy may be best for all parties, with Gattuso seemingly eager for Chiesa to receive more game time ahead of the World Cup next summer, and the Reds should sanction a January move unless he manages to become a regular starter over the next month and a half.

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1 ByAngus Sinclair Nov 15, 2025

So then, Tottenham Hotspur are fifth in the Premier League as international action jumps forward once again. After 11 matches, Thomas Frank’s side have been solid, but they have not been spectacular.

Frank is meticulous, looking to dot the i’s and cross the t’s when crafting a tactical system and a winning culture. At Tottenham, though, the scale of the task is vast, and while there have been encouraging signs since the summer, he needs to build a more creative and exciting outfit.

A sure-fire way to move closer toward this level of fluency would be to inculcate into the fold the latest academy star – the next Harry Kane, perhaps?

Spurs need to find Harry Kane 2.0

Of course, this is easier said than done. Kane is one of the greatest footballers England has ever produced, and his personal achievements down N17 have made him one of Tottenham’s biggest legends of modern times.

Months before leaving Spurs for Bayern Munich in 2023, Kane became the club’s all-time top goalscorer. He left having played 435 matches for the Londoners, posting 280 strikes across all competitions.

It’s fair to say that Tottenham have struggled to replace him, with Richarlison and Dominic Solanke toiling away at number nine over the past few years.

To think he was once a fringe player with little hype around his name, loaned out to a string of lower-level sides before establishing himself as “their best-ever player”, in the words of journalist Sean Walsh.

The lift that would be found through unearthing the new version would be immense, and Frank may find the answer in a current prospect out in League Two.

The Spurs talent who could be the next Kane

This young talent may not be a centre-forward, but he is a skilful and dynamic playmaker who could dovetail into a haggard midfield.

Plying his trade for Notts County in League Two, Tyrese Hall is demonstrating a technical craft that could be further developed over the coming years and established somewhere at the top of the Premier League ladder, perhaps finding a way into Frank’s Tottenham first team.

The 20-year-old has won 53% of his ground duels in League Two this season, as per Sofascore, averaging 1.6 tackles per match besides. This is an impressive metric for a young attacking midfielder.

Jermaine Defoe has even said in the past that Hall is “one of the best players at his age I’ve seen in the country.” There’s a long way for him to go, but if physicality and skill can be balanced out, Frank could have a player of surpassing ability on his hands, perhaps even the next Kane.

He’s found his feet as a central midfielder at Notts County, tailored toward creating and influencing between the lines, but Hall has a diverse skillset, and it’s seen him deployed across a host of roles for Spurs’ youth sides.

Central midfield

30

6 (5)

Defensive midfield

19

3 (4)

Attacking midfield

18

5 (3)

Centre-forward

6

3 (2)

Left midfield

3

1 (1)

Right midfield

1

1 (0)

Kane’s performances for the likes of Leyton Orient and Millwall during the springtime of his illustrious career likely helped fashion him into the player he is today, the 32-year-old with 23 goals from 17 matches for Bayern this season.

Given that the noise around Hall before his breakthrough is arguably louder, with those in the know believing he is beyond something special, there’s every reason to be excited at Tottenham, especially given that his profile could provide a tonic to the current creative woes.

Said to be “magic on the ball” by Magpies correspondent K-Ci Rennicks, Hall has taken a leaf from Kane’s book and fostered his technical craft away from home, learning fundamental skills that the development scene simply doesn’t have the capacity to match.

His creativity and flair could work wonders in the Spurs centre next season, and he might just make his mark as Kane did when bursting onto the scene way back when.

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ByEthan Lamb Nov 12, 2025

There might have been a few shaky moments in the first half, but Arsenal’s win over Brighton & Hove Albion in the League Cup went about as well as it could have last night.

Mikel Arteta almost completely changed his entire starting lineup, but instead of collapsing like some other Premier League-chasing sides, the North Londoners came out 2-0 winners.

Moreover, while the changes in the second half helped secure the win, a number of the starters did put in a good shift.

This is especially true of a starter who outperformed Bukayo Saka and showed some shades of Mesut Özil in his game.

Arsenal's standout stars vs Brighton

When looking at some of those who put in a good showing against Brighton, it’s hard to look past Ethan Nwaneri.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Yes, it’s certainly true that he almost tried too hard at times in the first half, but in the second 45, the Hale Ender was a serious threat.

He helped to create chances, kept the ball ticking over, and, most importantly, following a great pass from Myles Lewis-Skelly, placed the ball in the far corner for the opening goal.

His fellow Hale End graduate also had a brilliant game, as, on top of the assist, he once again showed his immense strength and even made several lung-busting runs through the middle of the pitch.

Talking about academy gems, it would be unfair not to praise debutant Andre Harriman-Annous.

The 17-year-old didn’t score a goal, but he provided the pass before the assist for Nwaneri, made several impressive runs, and it was his initial shot that allowed Saka to score his goal in the second half.

The Gunners’ talismanic number seven came on in the 71st minute, and unlike on the weekend, when he was ill, the 24-year-old was a handful and looked to make something happen whenever the ball was at his feet.

The Brighton defence simply didn’t have an answer for the dynamic winger, and if he plays like that on Saturday, it could be a very long game for Burnley’s backline.

With that said, there was another player who made even more of an impression than Saka, someone who showed shades of Ozil in his performance.

The Arsenal star who outshone Saka

While several other Arsenal players impressed against Brighton on Wednesday night, it should come as no surprise that the real talking point, and the gem who shone more than Saka and Co was Max Dowman.

The 15-year-old became the youngest player to ever start a game for the Gunners, but that lack of genuine experience at the top level did little to slow him down.

Nor did it see the Seagulls go easy on him, as time after time the visitors doubled and tripled up on him, and even then, more often than not, he made them look foolish.

The Hale End superstar in the making, whom analyst Rohan Jivan dubbed a “certified worldie of a talent”, was able to beat the Seagulls’ backline both through his incredible close control and eye for a pass.

It’s the fact that he’s already so impressive in both facets that makes it easy to argue that there are, in fact, shades of Ozil to his game, as, like the German, he can – and most certainly will – punish the opposition with his dribbling and passing.

Moreover, while the former Gunners ace was primarily a ten, he was no stranger to playing out on the right-hand side when Arsène Wenger needed him to.

Unsurprisingly, the teenage sensation more than left an impression on the watching press, with the Standard’s Simon Collings awarding him a match rating of 8/10, writing that he was ‘electric all night.’

Minutes

71′

Touches

34

Dribbles (Successful)

8 (5)

Fouls Won

4

Accurate Passes

14/16

Ball Recoveries

3

Ground Duels (Won)

14 (9)

Key Passes

1

The statistics from the night more than justify such praise, as in 71 minutes of action, the youngster completed five of eight dribbles, played a key pass, took 34 touches, won nine of 14 ground duels and completed three ball recoveries.

Ultimately, it’s still absurdly early in Dowman’s career, but he looks to be the real deal, and if he can perform like he did against Brighton again, he could be in for far more starts this season.

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 29, 2025

Prior to the international break Liverpool suffered a chastening 3-0 defeat at the hands of Manchester City.

Considering Pep Guardiola’s side are perennial title challengers, you can excuse that blemish on Arne Slot’s copybook.

However, as the Reds welcomed lowly Nottingham Forest to Anfield on Saturday, it was a wonderful opportunity to build some momentum and find some form ahead of a kinder run of fixtures.

How disastrous it has started. Slot’s job was brought under further scrutiny as his men were downed 3-0 in front of their own fans. Gulp, this was not what Liverpool needed.

Across their last 11 games, they have only won three games. This is certainly not the team that won the Premier League at a canter last term.

At the centre of their issues has been Ibrahima Konate.

Konate's performance vs Nottingham Forest

Last season, Trent Alexander-Arnold didn’t quite throw in the towel but his performances were abject as he pursued a move to Real Madrid.

This season, the same thing appears to be playing a factor in the performances of Konate who looks a shadow of his former self.

The Frenchman has been error-ridden this season and his display against Forest summed everything up.

Analyst Raj Chohan took to social media to exclaim that “every time he makes one error, he makes multiple.”

He was notably at fault for the controversial moment that Igor Jesus was involved in when his goal was disallowed for handball.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

The Brazilian completely caught out Liverpool’s underperforming centre-back as he threw himself to the floor and was fortunate that it was ruled out.

So poor was Konate’s display that he was dragged off on 55 minutes soon after Liverpool went 2-0 down. He left the pitch with a wry smile, hardly the attitude you want from someone who’s been linked with a move away so regularly, and to Madrid of all places too.

He was handed a 3/10 match rating by GOAL but didn’t leave the pitch as their worst performer.

Liverpool’s worst performer against Nottingham Forest

While Liverpool’s defence will come under the microscope of scrutiny for their failings against Sean Dyche’s men, their forward line is also not pulling up any trees either.

For a side that spent over £200m on Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz, far far more should be expected.

Wirtz did not start the game at Anfield on Saturday but Isak did. Fans, however, must be wishing he hadn’t.

Signed in a British record £125m deal over the summer, it has been a wretched first few months in Liverpool red for the Swede.

He has played nine times now and only has one goal, a strike in the Carabao Cup, to show for his efforts.

Since then, Isak has failed to score. He’s without a goal in five league games and all four of his Premier League starts have ended in defeat.

The nadir of his Anfield career so far came this weekend when he was anonymous against Forest. GOAL handed the striker a dismal 2/10 rating, writing that he ‘hardly had a kick’ and ‘wasn’t even close to breaking his duck here’.

As a result, he was subbed off for Federico Chiesa after 68 minutes and simply cannot be in the starting lineup for their Champions League clash in midweek.

Minutes played

68

Touches

14

Accurate passes

5/7 (71%)

Key passes

1

Successful dribbles

0

Shots

1

Shots on target

0

Ground duels won

0

Aerial duels won

0

While Hugo Ekitike has barely been in good form himself, Liverpool’s best displays in 2025/26 have come with their fellow summer signing in the team.

Isak’s display this time around was so anonymous that he had just 14 touches of the football. In the process, he gave possession away seven times. For every two touches of the ball, he was squandering possession.

Usually so technically secure and comfortable in possession, it’s a huge worry that he can’t even get himself into the action.

To compound the striker’s woes, he lost every single one of his duels and managed just one shot which wasn’t even on target.

For any new signing to be in such a desperate rut would be a concern, but when he’s the most expensive player in Premier League history, it only heightens the issue. He is paying the price for a lack of pre-season and it’s desperately hurting Liverpool’s season.

Perhaps they should have stuck with Ekitike after all.