The Athletic’s West Ham correspondent Roshane Thomas has been full of praise for Said Benrahma following his contribution in the Irons’ victory against Norwich City today.
The Lowdown: Benrahma at the double
David Moyes named the 26-year-old in his starting line-up for the Premier League clash against the Canaries on Sunday afternoon as the Hammers secured a comfortable 4-0 victory, with two goals coming from the Algerian, while Michail Antonio and Manuel Lanzini were also on target.
The ex-Brentford winger caught Thomas’ eye for his improved performances since signing a permanent deal at the London Stadium after making the move from the other side of the capital during the 2020/21 season.
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The Latest: Thomas praises Benrahma’s progress
Thomas took to Twitter immediately after Benrahma scored his first goal of the game.
The journalist gushed: “Ten goals and six assists in all competitions for Benrahma so far this season. He only scored three goals in 2020-21. Some will argue he needs to be more consistent but he’s definitely improved this season.”
The Verdict: Blistering Benrahma
The 17-cap Algeria international had a superb game all round at Carrow Road, with his two shots both resulting in goals, alongside making one key pass, which earned him an overall match rating of 8.61 from WhoScored, higher than any of his team-mates on the day.
The £22.5m-rated ace has made a huge improvement during his time at West Ham. During his loan spell last season, he only found the net once and provided seven assists across all competitions for Moyes’ side (as per Transfermarkt), compared to this current campaign where he is already on a total of 17 goal contributions after his double today.
If Benrahma can continue this scintillating form, he could prove to be the difference between the Hammers finishing sixth and securing another crack at the Europa League, or having to settle for seventh and Conference League football in 2022/23.
In other news… one journalist believes that West Ham might hold an advantage in the race to sign one of their transfer targets this summer
Leeds United are in a great position to bring Brennan Johnson to Elland Road in the summer transfer window.
What’s the talk?
That’s according to Dean Jones, with the transfer insider and journalist revealing in a recent interview with GIVEMESPORT that, should Leeds go on to secure their status as a Premier League side this season, coupled with Nottingham Forest failing to secure promotion to the top flight in the Championship play-offs, Victor Orta will be in a fantastic position to land his reported £20m transfer target this summer.
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Regarding the Whites’ interest in the 20-year-old attacking midfielder, Jones said: “They should make him their number one target, 100%. They are in a great position to sign Brennan Johnson if they do stay up and Forest don’t manage to get promoted.”
Supporters will be buzzing
While it is undeniable that Leeds’ place in the Premier League next season appears extremely uncertain following the weekend’s results, should the Whites go on to secure survival, the prospect of landing a player as talented as Johnson is undoubtedly something that will leave the Elland Road faithful buzzing.
Indeed, over his 46 Championship appearances this season, the £900k-rated forward has been a revelation in Steve Cooper’s attack, scoring 16 goals, registering ten assists and creating 15 big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.9 shots, making 1.3 key passes and completing 1.2 dribbles per game.
These metrics have seen the £2.5k-per-week Wales international average a quite breathtaking SofaScore match rating of 7.10, ranking him as Nottingham Forest’s fourth-best outfielder in the second tier – with the 20-year-old playing a starring role in the Reds’ widely unexpected securing of a top-six finish in the league.
As such, the suggestion that – as long as Leeds stay up and Forest remain in the Championship – Orta is in a great position to secure the signing of Johnson this summer is undoubtedly incredibly exciting for everyone involved with the Whites.
However, with Jesse Marsch’s side currently sitting 18th in the Premier League standings, it would appear a wise move for Leeds to hold off on printing shirts donning the attacking midfielder’s name just yet.
AND in other news: “Very possible…”: Phil Hay drops big Leeds injury update, supporters will be buzzing
Marcelo Bielsa ended Leeds United’s 16-year wait for a return to the Premier League when he led the Whites to promotion in the 2019/20 campaign.
The Argentine head coach needed two seasons in charge to successfully end their run of almost two decades in the Championship or League One and they have remained in the top-flight ever since, with Jesse Marsch now at the helm.
They were in the third tier of English football for three seasons between 2007 and 2010 and Simon Grayson was the man who managed to bring them back up to the second division.
He led them to a second-placed finish in the 2009/10 campaign and then finished seventh in their first season back in the Championship in 2010/11.
Grayson enjoyed a successful spell at Elland Road during this period but was let down by former owner Ken Bates in the summer of 2011 when it came to dealing with Bradley Johnson’s situation.
The central midfielder was a huge part of the team in the two aforementioned seasons. He played 36 times in the League One promotion and chipped in with seven goals and three assists from the middle of the park, before managing five goals and four assists in 45 outings in the second tier.
However, he was out of contract at the end of 2010/11 and Bates refused to play ball with the midfielder over an extension, with Johnson explaining:
“It was time to negotiate a new contract and I said ‘I want to earn what this guy’s earning or the same as what this kid’s earning’. Ken Bates was just like ‘nope, this is what we’re offering’, so I didn’t sign it. It got ugly towards the end with the chairman, but the fans understood.”
He ended up departing that summer and he eventually left on a free transfer, joining then-manager Paul Lambert’s Norwich Cith. This turned out to be a huge blunder by the club as Johnson went on to be a big player for the Canaries for a number of years and made them a hefty profit when he left East Anglia.
Johnson, who Paul Clement once dubbed “invaluable”. played 97 Premier League matches in his first three years at Norwich and produced six goals and nine assists from central midfield.
He then enjoyed a phenomenal campaign in the Championship in 2014/15 as the machine found the back of the net 15 times in 41 games as he helped his side to win promotion back to the top-flight, winning the club’s Player of the Year award.
Norwich then opted to cash in on the Englishman by selling him to Derby County in the summer of 2015. They raked in £6m from the Rams for his signature, which was a sizeable payday for the Canaries given that he arrived at Carrow Road on a free transfer from Leeds four years prior to that.
Therefore, Bates committed a blunder with Johnson as Leeds missed out on enjoying his superb talent on the pitch in those years, along with a multi-million compensation for his services further down the line.
Leeds United are certainly enjoying a better time of it this campaign, though they still remain some way off their former glory.
The Yorkshire giants narrowly avoided relegation from the Premier League on the final day of the 2021/22 campaign as Jesse Marsch’s men dispatched Brentford to send Burnley back down to the doldrums of the Championship.
This time around, Leeds find themselves in a solid mid-table position, having won two, drawn two and lost two of their opening six matches. Some problems still persist for the American, though, such as at left-back where the Whites hierarchy failed to sign an upgrade or further depth.
Junior Firpo, often dubbed a “liability,” has been absent through injury, leaving central defensive colossus Pascal Struijk to deputise, when in reality, neither should be starting in the role.
There were tentative links to Philadelphia Union star Kai Wagner, who would continue the red, white and blue theme around Elland Road these days, so it’s clear that the club know and understand that there is an issue at left-back.
Whilst this is going on in west Yorkshire, one of Leeds’ former favourites – Gjanni Alioski – is lighting it up in the Europa League, two years on from being released by Marcelo Bielsa for nothing.
An erratic figure, the Macedonian international was certainly more known for his attacking exploits than his defensive contribution but that would’ve been right up Marsch’s street, particularly given his interest in Wagner, who is a bit of an assist-king over in the MLS.
Indeed, Alioski started at left wing-back for Turkish Super Lig giants Fenerbahce in their 2-1 win over Dynamo Kyiv, meanwhile from just 100 minutes of league action, he has already provided an assist, helping the Super Eagles to a 4-2 win over Britt Assombalonga’s Adana Demirspor.
Upon his exit from Elland Road, director of football Victor Orta penned an emotional farewell, via The Athletic.
“The emotion I saw in his face and the face of his parents when [he] signed his contract here at Elland Road was a beautiful moment and I was sure he was going to give everything for Leeds United.
“Even with this in mind he exceeded my expectations. Gjanni has been exceptional both on and off the field, his teammates will miss him greatly, as will all of the staff at Thorp Arch and Elland Road.”
With that in mind and Leeds still paying the price for not having a quality left-back, it seems as if Marsch and the team could have certainly done with the 30-year-old, who ex-manager Alex McLeish once dubbed “a firework”, still on the club’s books.
Alioski would have certainly offered more than either of Firpo or Struijk in terms of attacking returns, so it’s a shame that he’s no longer a Whites player.
AND in other news, Orta had Leeds transfer disaster with “special” 25 y/o, he’s more prolific than Gnonto…
Celtic saw long-serving hero Tom Rogic depart the club at the end of last season, with the Australian international seeking pastures new after nine, hugely successful years at Parkhead.
The 29-year-old – as well as teammate Nir Bitton – opted for a fresh challenge despite still having a year left to run on his deal with the Old Firm outfit, with the Glasgow side seemingly agreeing to his exit as a marker of his quality service over the years.
It had initially been a difficult start to life in Scotland for the 6 foot 2 playmaker following his arrival from Central Coast Mariners on a £400k deal back in January 2013, with the creative gem taking almost two years to establish himself in the side after having been ravaged by injury.
The midfielder certainly made up for lost time, however, as he quickly showcased his quality during a breakthrough 2015/16 campaign, scoring ten goals and providing seven assists in all competitions under Ronny Deila.
The arrival of Brendan Rodgers that summer coincided with Rogic assuming an even greater role in the side, as he subsequently laid on 18 goal contributions during the 2016/17 season as the Hoops enjoyed a remarkable unbeaten domestic campaign.
That glorious season notably saw the £1.58m-rated man produce one of his finest moments in a green and white jersey, firing in a stunning stoppage-time winner in the Scottish Cup final triumph over Aberdeen.
A man with a penchant for the spectacular, the 51-cap menace subsequently went on to score 46 goals and provide 49 assists in 272 games in all competitions, proving himself more than worth the initial, bargain investment.
While he had endured a difficult stint in recent times – notably scoring just twice during the 2020/21 campaign – the arrival of compatriot Ange Postecoglou sparked a change in fortunes last term, as he resumed his leading role as the link between midfield and attack.
Lauded as a “magician” by ex-Hoops striker Chris Sutton, the dynamic genius scored trophy-laden stint at the club.
The current free agent was handed a raucous ovation on his emotional final Parkhead outing at the end of last term, with such acclaim more than merited for a player who had grown into something of a “legend” for the club, in the words of Postecoglou.
In truth, Celtic simply struck gold bringing the relatively unknown quantity to Scotland almost a decade ago.
Arsenal have been dealt a fresh injury blow involving Emile Smith Rowe before they play in the Europa League on Thursday evening.
The Lowdown: First defeat
Mikel Arteta’s side tasted their first defeat and first dropped points of the season so far after losing 3-1 at Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.
The Gunners can certainly count themselves unlucky, having had a Gabriel Martinelli goal chalked off by VAR at 0-0 after Martin Odegaard was adjudged to have fouled Christian Eriksen in the build-up, while they recorded more possession of the ball and more shots on goal than their opponents (BBC).
The Latest: Smith Rowe injury
Taking to Twitter, The Athletic journalist David Ornstein has revealed that Smith Rowe ‘appeared to pull up’ with an injury during Arsenal’s warm-down at Old Trafford after the match had finished, adding that the England international ‘looked distressed’ after he was accompanied back into the dressing room by assistant coach Carlos Cuesta.
Ornstein tweeted: “Emile Smith Rowe appeared to pull up with an injury during Arsenal warm-down. 22yo attacking midfielder looked distressed as he was accompanied back to dressing room by #AFC assistant coach Carlos Cuesta, while rest of substitutes continued their session.”
The Verdict: Worrying
Given the injuries to Thomas Partey and Mohamed Elneny already, it is certainly worrying to hear of another Arsenal midfielder potentially being sidelined in Smith Rowe.
The 22-year-old would have hoped for some game-time against FC Zurich on Thursday, having only played 47 minutes in total so far this season.
Nonetheless, those around the north London club will be hoping that his injury is not too serious, and that he can get back to full fitness as soon as possible.
Having chipped in with 11 goals last season, it’s clear that he can have a huge impact on the Gunners when he is fit and firing.
Celtic were saved by their captain yet again on Saturday night when they were heading for a drab 0-0 draw away at St Mirren before Callum McGregor stepped up with seconds remaining.
The Hoops skipper picked the ball up from range in the 95th minute and unleashed a screamer of a shot that nestled in the top corner to secure all three points for the visitors.
Up until that point, Martin O’Neill’s side had struggled to show much in the way of quality against St Mirren, despite holding 73% of the possession, per Sofascore, which is why the game was tied with seconds remaining.
The hosts even created a ‘big chance’ from one of their 13 shots on goal, but, thankfully, they were unable to convert any of the opportunities that they created on the night.
Celtic, meanwhile, did not create a single ‘big chance’ from their 16 efforts against St Mirren, per Sofascore, which is why they needed a long-range strike from their captain to win the match.
Whilst McGregor’s sensational strike from distance bailed the club out in general, the skipper also bailed out several of his underperforming teammates on the night.
Celtic's worst performers against St Mirren
It would be remiss of us to speak about the worst performers on the night without starting with the player who was withdrawn from the match after 45 minutes, Johnny Kenny.
The Ireland international, who scored four goals in four matches for Celtic before Saturday’s game, won just one duel and lost possession six times from 17 touches in the first half, per Sofascore, as he failed to provide a focal point up front.
Kenny’s withdrawal meant that Daizen Maeda moved into the centre-forward role, after starting out wide. However, he ended the 90 minutes with two out of seven duels won, no key passes, and no shots on target, per Sofascore, which illustrates his ineffectiveness in the final third.
Celtic’s starting wingers vs St Mirren
Stats
Sebastian Tounekti
Daizen Maeda
Minutes
67
90
Shots on target
0
0
Key passes
1
0
Big chances created
0
0
Dribbles completed
2/6
1/2
Duels won
3/11
2/7
Possession lost
14x
12x
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Sebastian Tounekti and Maeda both struggled out wide, and the latter up front in the second 45, throughout the game against St Mirren.
These statistics show that all three of the forwards who started on Saturday night failed to do enough to suggest that O’Neill should keep them in place for the club’s trip to play Feyenoord in the Europa League on Thursday evening.
Tounekti, Maeda, and Kenny were not the only underperforming Celtic players who failed to provide enough quality on the pitch against the Saints, though, as one Hoops flop is now looking like the new Luis Palma.
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Supporters will likely remember Palma, who is currently on loan at Lech Poznan, as a player who made a fast start to life in Glasgow before falling off and eventually being deemed surplus to requirements.
The Honduras international produced seven goals and nine assists, with 14 ‘big chances’ created, in 28 Scottish Premiership games during the 2023/24 campaign for the club, per Sofascore.
Unfortunately, though, the winger followed that up with a return of zero goals and zero assists in eight league matches the following season before being sent out on loan to Olympiacos for the second half of the campaign.
Whilst his fall-off this term may not be quite as drastic as Palma’s was, Celtic central midfielder Reo Hatate appears to be heading in the same direction.
Why Reo Hatate should be dropped by Celtic
The Japan international was a sensation in the middle of the park for the Scottish giants in the 2024/25 campaign with a return of nine goals and 14 ‘big chances’ created in 37 outings in the Premiership, per Sofascore.
Hatate provided regular quality at the top end of the pitch with his ability to make a difference as both a scorer and a creator of goals, as evidenced by his statistics, and that made him a vital player for Brendan Rodgers.
This season, however, the 28-year-old star has failed to deliver consistent quality in midfield for Celtic, with the clash against St Mirren being his latest underwhelming performance, which is why he should be ruthlessly dropped by O’Neill.
The Japanese midfielder, who was described as “sloppy” by ex-Hoops boss Neil Lennon during the game against Sturm Graz in the Europa League, ended the night with no shots on target, no ‘big chances’ created, and a duel success rate of 20% (1/5), per Sofascore.
This shows that his performance was lacking in both quality and physicality, as he lost 80% of his physical tussles without providing any moments of genuine quality on the ball, and that has not been a rare occurrence for him this season.
Reo Hatate – Premiership
24/25
25/26
Appearances
37
10
Goals
9
1
Minutes per goal
241
708
Conversion rate
14%
10%
Big chances created
14
2
Assists
4
1
Dribble success rate
70%
57%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Hatate’s performances have dropped off since the end of last season, as he is scoring and creating goals far less frequently for the Premiership champions.
The Japan international’s last league goal for the club came against Aberdeen on the 10th August, and he has only produced two goals – including one penalty – and one assist in 18 appearances in all competitions this term, per Transfermarkt.
His concerning drop-off in form this season suggests that he may be on the road to becoming the next Palma, as a once supreme talent who now looks too inconsistent to be reliable to the Celtic manager.
Therefore, O’Neill should ruthlessly drop the central midfielder from the starting line-up to face Feyenoord away from home, as the Hoops may need quality and physicality to beat their Dutch opponents, and Hatate did not show either against St Mirren.
Nancy can forget Maeda by making £325k-per-week star his 1st Celtic signing
Celtic’s potential new manager could forget about Daizen Maeda by signing this reported transfer target.
Manchester United did some impressive business on paper during the summer transfer window as they brought Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, and Benjamin Sesko in to improve their options at the top end of the pitch.
Mbeumo has hit the ground running since his move from Premier League rivals Brentford, with goals against Grimsby and Burnley in recent weeks.
The summer transfer window was not perfect, though, as the Red Devils were unable to get a deal done for Brighton & Hove Albion central midfielder Carlos Baleba.
There was also a scare late on in the window when Fabrizio Romano revealed that Kobbie Mainoo had told the club that he wanted to leave on loan for the season.
The England international wanted to go out on loan, but was not entertaining any permanent transfers away from Old Trafford, in order to play regular minutes ahead of next summer’s World Cup.
However, Manchester United were unwilling to lose the academy graduate, even on loan, so close to the end of the window, which means that he remained at the club.
Why Man Utd need to get the best out of Kobbie Mainoo
Ruben Amorim must find a way to get the best out of Mainoo now that the player is staying at Old Trafford, because he has proven himself to be an exciting young talent.
His only start of the season so far came against Grimsby in the League Cup. It was an awful night for the club, losing on penalties, but the midfielder showed his quality in and out of possession in midfield.
There should be little doubt over whether or not Mainoo is good enough to be starting matches for Manchester United when you consider his form prior to Amorim’s arrival.
23/24 Premier League
Kobbie Mainoo per 90
Percentile rank vs CMs
Take-ons attempted
2.71
Top 20%
Take-ons completed
1.42
Top 18%
Take-on success rate
53.4%
Top 28%
Goal-creating actions (take-ons)
0.09
Top 4%
Goal-creating actions (shot)
0.09
Top 2%
Goal-creating actions (fouls drawn)
0.05
Top 9%
Stats via FBref
As you can see in the table above, the 20-year-old starlet was one of the most impressive central midfielders in the Premier League at driving with the ball and making things happen in possession in the 2023/24 campaign under Erik ten Hag.
Now, at the start of this season, Mainoo was an unused substitute in the first two matches of the Premier League season, against Arsenal and Fulham, and Amorim explained that it was because he is competing with Bruno Fernandes for a place in the team.
Whilst you can rationalise what the manager says in the quotes above, as his midfield two typically has one creative player and one enforcer to complement each other, it seems like a waste of the talent that he has available to him.
Mainoo is capable of producing quality in the Premier League, such as the goal in the clip above, whilst Manuel Ugarte has made more appearances in the league than him this season, despite his disappointing performances.
The Uruguay international, who was signed from PSG in 2024, has not done enough to suggest that he should be prioritised over Mainoo, and INEOS must finally cash in on him when the transfer window opens again in January.
Why Man Utd should sell Manuel Ugarte
Per Capology, Ugarte currently earns £120k-per-week at Old Trafford. That is over four times as much as Mainoo earns per week (£25k), but his performances do not justify that expense.
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The former Sporting star is a midfield destroyer who ‘suits’ Amorim’s system as a partner for Bruno Fernandes or Mason Mount because he is naturally defensive-minded.
However, Ugarte was dribbled past 1.3 times per game in the Premier League last season, per Sofascore, whilst Mainoo was only dribbled past 0.6 times, which shows that opposition midfielders found it too easy to get the better of him.
He also won 53% of his duels and made two errors that led to shots or goals. Mainoo, meanwhile, won 45% of his duels and made one error that led to a shot or goal, per Sofascore, which suggests that they were both fairly indifferent in physical contests.
Ugarte is, therefore, not enough of an upgrade, if at all, in a defensive sense, to rationalise him playing in the first two Premier League games off the bench ahead of the England international.
These comments on Sky Sports from last October still ring true to this day, as the Uruguay international’s ‘lackadaisical’ play on the ball was an issue for him throughout the 2024/25 campaign.
24/25 PL
Ugarte
Rank vs midfielders
Non-penalty goals
0.05
Bottom 41%
xAG
0.06
Bottom 30%
Shot-creating actions
1.56
Bottom 16%
Progressive passes
3.08
Bottom 18%
Progressive carries
0.81
Bottom 23%
Passes into the final third
2.96
Bottom 36%
Passes into the penalty area
0.45
Bottom 20%
Stats via FBref
As you can see in the table above, Ugarte was one of the worst central midfielders in the Premier League last season when it came to progressing play and making an impact at the top end of the pitch.
Therefore, the ex-PSG man has flopped at Old Trafford because he has not been reliable defensively, given how easy it has been for players to dribble past him, and he has struggled badly in possession.
Manchester United's ManuelUgartein action with Nottingham Forest's Taiwo Awoniyi
In fact, a former Netherlands international claimed in October of last year that Ugarte was “walking” around the pitch and criticised Ten Hag and the club for signing players who are “not even good”, referring to the midfielder.
INEOS must, therefore, cash in on Ugarte when they next get the chance to, because he is standing in Mainoo’s way, despite not being better than the English starlet, and has been a big flop since his move from PSG with his underwhelming performances on the pitch.
Man Utd tipped to join race for Premier League star who's an "absolute gem"
علق عبد الرحمن مجدي، لاعب فريق بيراميدز، على التتويج ببطولة السوبر الإفريقي على حساب نهضة بركان المغربي.
وتوج بيراميدز ببطولة السوبر الإفريقي للمرة الأولى في تاريخه على حساب نهضة بركان المغربي، بهدف دون رد أحرزه فيستون مايلي.
طالع | لاعبو بيراميدز بعد التتويج بالسوبر الإفريقي: نجني ثمار المواسم الماضية وقال عبد الرحمن مجدي في تصريحات لبرنامج “كورة كل يوم” على قناة “الحياة”: “نشكر الله على تحقيق اللقب، جلسنا منذ أول الموسم وتعاهدنا أن ننافس على كل البطولات وهذا ما حدث”.
وتابع: “أمامنا بطولة الدوري وبطولات أخرى، نحصد بطولة وبعد ذلك نغلق الصفحة ونفكر في البطولة التي تليها”.
واختتم: “كان هناك بعض الإجهاد، وواجهنا فريقًا كبيرًا واحترمناه، مثل هذه المباريات لا تلعب ولكن أهم شيء المكسب، وهذا ما اختلف لدينا عن السنوات الماضية، كنا نؤدي بشكل جيد في مباريات ولكن لا نفوز”.