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Manchester City striker Erling Haaland receives more requests for autographs than Lionel Messi did in his prime at Barcelona, according to a new book.

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Haaland inundated with autograph requests

Man City striker asked to sign more shirts than Messi

City paid €100m to recruit Norwegian in 2022WHAT HAPPENED?

Haaland has been inundated with requests to sign shirts and memorabilia ever since he joined Pep Guardiola's side in 2022 and is always happy to oblige, according to an updated version of the book by Pol Ballus and Lu Martin. And staff who have worked with Guardiola at Barcelona and City claim that the Norwegian gets more requests to sign stuff than Messi did when he was with the Catalans and in the prime of his career.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

City paid around €100 million in transfer fees and commissions to sign Haaland from Borussia Dortmund in 2022 but he has been worth every penny, firing the Blues to the treble last season while scoring a record 52 goals in 53 games in all competitions. The Norwegian, who has already scored 14 Premier League goals this term, could be forgiven for developing a bit of an ego, but , which has been updated to include new details of how the club won the treble, reports that he is well liked by staff and team-mates.

“He’s always in a good mood and has a kind word for everyone,” a staff member told the book's authors. “He’s made such a difference to the team and, when you think how famous he is, it’s amazing he’s still such a sweet guy. You’d expect that a player of Erling’s status and physical size might be arrogant and demanding – a bit of a diva. But he’s got a smile for everyone and is always happy to chat. He’ll take the piss, too, but more importantly, he can handle a joke at his own expense.”

DID YOU KNOW?

Jack Grealish is Haaland's closest friend at City and the pair, who live in the same block of apartments in the centre of Manchester along with neighbours Ruben Dias, Julian Alvarez and Sergio Gomez, are described as "inseparable".

Haaland also ingratiated himself to his new team-mates last year by turning up to a Halloween party organised by Kyle Walker and Riyad Mahrez dressed as a Viking, baring his chest amid the freezing Manchester weather.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR HAALAND

After breaking the records for being the fastest player to reach 50 Premier League goals and 40 Champions League goals within the last week, Haaland will be setting his sights on further bloating his tally when City host title rivals Tottenham on Sunday.

The holders weren't the only ones to underwhelm in what has been a continental campaign full of surprises

This season's edition of the Champions League may have been one of the best in recent memory, but it has certainly come with its fair share of disappointments.

Managerial casualties, players wanting out and the absence of many big names in the latter stages have all come as a result of this campaign's unpredictability, with the fall-out only continuing as the end of the season and the transfer window approach.

Including leagues, teams and much more, here are the 10 biggest disappointments of the 2018-19 Champions League season.

GettyMassimiliano Allegri

When Juventus, Champions League finalists twice in four years, completed the summer signing of Cristiano Ronaldo, it looked like they had found the missing piece of their European glory puzzle.

But Massimiliano Allegri’s defensive approach to European football ensured otherwise, with him unable to get the best out of a plethora of attacking options – including Mr Champions League himself, whose six-goal return was his worst since 2010-11.

Juventus were eliminated by Ajax in the quarter-finals – resulting in Allegri eventually losing his job – with the Bianconeri needing a more expansive coach if they are to end their 23-year wait for another European triumph.

AdvertisementGettyReal Madrid

Real Madrid’s bid for a fourth successive Champions League triumph ended in the most embarrassing fashion.

They just about kept their dignity coming out of the groups, where they lost twice to CSKA Moscow, before Sergio Ramos’ arrogance set up a last 16 exit.

His deliberate booking and suspension was felt significantly as, after VAR had rescued Los Blancos in Amsterdam, a Dusan Tadic-inspired Ajax ripped the champions to shreds in Spain.

The consequences? Madrid’s biggest ever home defeat (1-4) in the knockouts of European competition, their second managerial sacking of the season and the return of Zinedine Zidane; some impact.

GettySerie A

After Roma’s incredible semi-final run last season, just two Italian teams escaped the group stages this term – and both were eliminated in disappointing fashion.

Juventus’ quarter-final defeat to underdogs Ajax resulted in Allegri’s departure, while Roma were unable to navigate a very kind last 16 tie against Porto.

Still, both performed better than Inter and Napoli – the former failing to beat winless PSV to progress and the latter letting a firm control of Group C slip.

This season once again demonstrated the huge gulf in quality between Juve (who romped to their eighth successive Scudetto) and the rest of Serie A, as well as the league’s general low quality.

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GettyDefensive football

The shortcomings of conservative football were exposed this season, as protecting a lead in this season’s Champions League just didn’t work.

Ajax's comeback against Real Madrid, Juventus' against Atletico Madrid, Manchester United's against PSG, Tottenham's against Ajax and, of course, Liverpool's against Barcelona, made this the campaign for attacking football and nothing else.

With an average of over three goals per knockout game, the failures of more defensive coaches, such as Massimiliano Allegri and Diego Simeone, were damning.

The value of the away goal only encouraged attacking coaches more and helped produce one of the greatest Champions League seasons yet.

After a disappointing draw against the Netherlands, questions are being asked of the coach and whether he can deliver success Down Under

Some advice to Vlatko Andonovski: now isn't the time to search your name on Twitter. Social media isn't a friendly place for the head coach of the United States women's national team right now. It's safe to say that the team's last game has brought out the coach in everyone embedded in American Soccer Twitter.

Andonovski did not have his best night during the USWNT's 1-1 draw against the Netherlands. His line-up decisions were questionable and his tactics weren't adjusted in time. When they were adjusted with the introduction of Rose Lavelle, they were never touched again. Andonovski made just that one substitution in the draw, an almost inexcusable oversight at this level.

The USWNT coach will have learned from that decision, which has been widely criticized in the days since. However, the draw with the Netherlands showed that this USWNT side is very, very beatable. It also showed that there are some tweaks to be made to limit that fact, and the defending champions' fate may very well be determined by how Andonovski handles those tweaks.

GOAL takes a look at what Andonovski can do to get the USWNT back on track, starting with their final group-stage clash against Portugal…

Please enable Javascript to view this contentGettyUnleash Rose Lavelle

If the Netherlands draw proved anything, it's that Lavelle is irreplaceable. That game can be broken down into two segments: pre-Lavelle and post-Lavelle. Before she came into the game, the USWNT midfield was helpless, totally outplayed by their Dutch counterparts. After she came on, the U.S. found some level of control and, by the end, looked like the more likely team to score.

This, though, is where Andonovski has a decision to make. The coach claimed that Lavelle was deemed fit to play for just 45 minutes against the Dutch, and it remains to be seen if that changes pre-Portugal. The most important thing is, of course, to have Lavelle as close to 100 percent as possible for the knockouts because, from what we saw against the Dutch, the U.S. won't win this tournament without her.

Lavelle needs to be on the field against Portugal one way or another. Maybe that's another 45-minute run-out, maybe it's a 60-minute start or perhaps a true return to fitness with a 90-minute effort. Whatever it is, the U.S. needs to keep building her up for the bigger challenges ahead.

AdvertisementGettySort out the No.6

For years, Andonovski has been trying to find some sort of answer at the No.6 position. The USWNT were looking for a Julie Ertz replacement for so long that the program ended up looking towards… Julie Ertz. Fresh off giving birth and after an extended time out of the game, Ertz was brought back into the fold this spring, mostly because the U.S. hadn't figured out how to play without her.

And then the World Cup started. Ertz wasn't deployed in that No.6 spot, but rather at center-back, with Andi Sullivan – who has failed to convince this cycle – starting in defensive midfield. Against the Netherlands, it didn't look great, with Sullivan at least partially at fault for the goal.

So how does the U.S. fix it? Well, Andonovski could move Ertz into midfield and bring Alana Cook in at center-back, as everyone expected he would from the start. He could turn to the bench to, say Kristie Mewis, to see if she can offer something different. Or he could mess with the midfield altogether and appease some USWNT fans by finally putting Crystal Dunn in that spot next to Lindsey Horan, with Lavelle ahead.

There could also be some kind of tweak, like having Horan sit just a bit deeper with Sullivan or Ertz while Lavelle plays higher up, inverting the midfield triangle a bit like they did in the second half against the Netherlands.

Regardless, teams have all seen the USWNT's weakness is their midfield, and some of the more technical teams in this tournament will be able to dominate in that area. The question is how the U.S. intends to counteract that, with Andonovski needing to figure out something that will allow his midfield to survive against the world's best.

GettyUse your depth!

There probably isn't a team in this tournament with as much depth as the USWNT. Even without the likes of Mallory Swanson, Becky Sauerbrunn, Catarino Macario, Sam Mewis and Tobin Heath, this team still has so much talent.

And yet, it doesn't appear that Andonovski actually trusts it. If he did, he would have turned to some of his other players against the Netherlands.

He didn't in the name of continuity, he said, as his side looked more likely to score toward the end. Fair enough, but wouldn't they have been even more likely with fresh legs? He had Megan Rapinoe, Alyssa Thompson, Lynn Williams and Ashley Sanchez all just sitting there – any one of them could have come on and changed that game.

Andonovski has to trust his players… all of them. He's already started the same XI twice and, given the age of some of those involved, there's a real concern that players could be burnt out by the end of this tournament. And, even if they aren't, it never hurts to use substitutes to add new wrinkles and new ideas to a game that needs opening up.

The Netherlands game was dying for that, for one player to come in and add just that little something different. Andonovski didn't see it that way, but the U.S. may not be so lucky in the latter stages if he doesn't trust his players to come into games and make a real impact.

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Getty ImagesAdd something to the attack

For years, the U.S. attack has been one that plays as less than the sum of its parts. Throughout his tenure, Andonovski just hasn't quite found a way to get a group of world-class stars on the same page. Injuries have certainly hurt, but that doesn't matter now, does it?

The U.S. attack just hasn't looked right through two games, failing to pass both the eye test or the statistical one. Just watching, the front three of Alex Morgan, Sophia Smith and Trinity Rodman so rarely moved together with purpose., which is something legendary striker Carli Lloyd has pointed out on .

“I don’t think you saw that fluidity with the U.S. in the first game,” Lloyd said. “Why would you? That line-up had never played together. The first goal Sophia Smith scored was really the only moment where you saw three players — Lindsey Horan, Alex Morgan and Soph — have that movement off of one another where it was synchronized.

“Everything else was just these Hail Mary balls that were being lumped into the box. Those aren’t effective often.”

Statistically, it hasn't been great either. Rodman completed fewer than 50% of her passes against the Netherlands, routinely turning the ball over in important areas of the field. U.S. attacks were routinely halted by bad giveaways, making life a bit easier for the Dutch.

Figuring this out now is easier said than done. The good news is that the trio of Morgan, Rodman and Smith all do so many things well that they can, at times, simply overwhelm teams individually. Rodman's pace, Smith's smoothness in front of goal and Morgan's veteran guile… all valuable assets that should produce goals.

That trio will likely be the one leading the U.S. into the knockouts, and getting them on the same page will be key to any deep run.

Adi Hutter showed faith in Folarin Balogun by keeping him in Monaco's XI, and the American repaid that faith with a goal and an assist in a 3-2 win.

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Balogun scores in Monaco winAssists game-winnerResponds to penalty disasterclass

After missing two penalties in Monaco's recent loss to Nice, Balogun retained his place in the club's starting XI, scoring the fourth goal of a crazy 3-2 win over Marseille at the Stade Louis II.

Balogun's goal came with his side trailing 2-1 as the American star levelled the scoreline with a fantastic finish. It was his second goal since joining the club, and certainly one of the most important of his young career as he showed he can bounce back from a major setback.

He wasn't done, though, as Balogun then turned provider in the second half for Maghnes Akliouche, who had set up the American's first-half goal. Akliouche gave Monaco the 3-2 lead as they went on to seal all three points from a crazy match that saw Balogun play a part in two goals.

WHAT HAPPENED?

The match was chaotic from the opening minute, with Marseille grabbing an early lead thanks to a goal from Iliman Ndiaye within the first minute. It didn't take too much longer for Monaco to wake up, though, as Aldiouche made it 1-1 with his first of two goals in the eighth minute.

In the 18th minute, Marseille regained the lead thanks to Samuel Gigot, but Balogun's goal four minutes later ensured that lead was short-lived.

Finally, Akliouche earned Monaco the points with his fantastic finish in the 52nd, getting onto the end of a Balogun pass before picking out a corner on the near post.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

It was a strong performance from Balogun, who started up top alongside veteran Wissam Ben Yedder rather than as a lone striker. The two had a few good moments together, combining on one good sequence in the second half, but Balogun's best work came alongside Akliouche, who started as an attacking midfielder.

Despite the penalty mess last time out, Balogun is looking more comfortable ad Monaco as Hutter figures out the best way to use the strikers at his disposal. This two-striker set may just be the way forward, although it feels like that will most likely change when Takumi Minamino and Alexandr Golovin return to the XI.

The Japanese international was ruled out of this match after winning Ligue 1 Player of the Month in August with three goals and three assists. Golovin, meanwhile, was suspended.

GettyUSMNT IMPACT

Balogun's sequence was another example of why he's exactly what the USMNT had been looking for. It wasn't a poacher's goal or a system goal; this was a goal where a striker simply said, "I'm going to finish this".

It's something the U.S. has lacked for some time: a pure striker with the ability to just go out and get goals. That was something Balogun displayed with his goal earlier this year in the Nations League, and it was hard not to notice that this one felt somewhat similar to the one set up by Gio Reyna back in the summer.

For the U.S., seeing Balogun bounce back will be fantastic news, especially with big friendlies against Ghana and Germany coming up in October.

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GettyGOAL'S RATINGS

Folarin Balogun (8/10):

A massive, massive performance from the striker in a wild game. Clearly didn't lose his confidence, which is a great sign for a young striker. His finish was fantastic and, even other than that, was totally involved, as evidenced by his assist.

The star man took centre stage as usual, but his protege showed there is hope for the future as Luis Enrique's side established a first-leg lead

Kylian Mbappe was the protagonist, but young Bradley Barcola showed that Paris Saint-Germain might just survive without him as the Parisians' wingers grabbed the goals in a 2-0 first-leg win over Real Sociedad on Wednesday night.

Luis Enrique's side endured a disappointing opening period, but a controlled second half saw them ease past their Spanish visitors.

The Parisians had their chances in the first half; Mbappe scuffed his effort after running through on goal, before Ousmane Dembele lashed a shot into the side netting. La Real came closest before half-time though, with Mikel Merino rattling the bar from 30 yards out.

Mbappe opened the scoring early in the second half, darting in at the far post to meet a Marquinhos flick-on. Barcola added the second soon after, skipping past his man down the left before threading an effort through the goalkeeper's legs. Mbappe came within inches of the third with a driven strike from long range. The defence did its work, too – La Real didn't put a single shot on target all evening.

This wasn't impressive at first, but a strong second half has seen Luis Enrique's men take a significant stride towards achieving their unlikely Champions League dream.

GOAL rates PSG's players from Parc des Princes…

GettyGoalkeeper & Defence

Gianluigi Donnarumma (6/10):

Made a couple of neat saves, and was otherwise untroubled. Surprising that he had such a quiet night.

Achraf Hakimi (6/10):

Offered legs but not much quality down the right. Most of La Real's threat came from the other wing.

Marquinhos (7/10):

Assisted Mbappe's opener, won his aerial duels, and kept the ball moving. A commanding presence.

Danilo Pereira (8/10):

Completed all but four of his passes, didn't lose a 50/50 and looked assured at the back. He might be Marquinhos' ideal partner.

Lucas Beraldo (7/10):

Preferred to Lucas Hernandez, and held down the left side effectively. Kept Take Kubo quiet for the most part.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMidfield

Warren Zaire-Emery (6/10):

A hardworking shift in the middle. Didn't do much in possession, but went about his defensive work diligently.

Vitinha (7/10):

A buzzing presence in central midfield – especially after the break. Won the ball back with regularity, made things happen in tight spaces.

Fabian Ruiz (7/10):

Tidy on the left side of a midfield three. Connected with Mbappe effectively. Assisted Barcola's goal. A showing that made a case for more minutes.

GettyAttack

Ousmane Dembele (5/10):

Fired one into the side-netting in a waste of one of the best chances of the first half. Didn't have much of an impact in 90 disappointing minutes.

Kylian Mbappe (8/10):

Missed a good chance early on after being sent through on goal. Grabbed PSG's first with a tidy finish. Rattled the bar shortly after, and whipped one just over. Scary when he's in this kind of mood.

Bradley Barcola (8/10):

A fantastic shift on the left. Did his defensive work effectively, competed for 50/50s, and took his goal wonderfully. His best game in a PSG shirt.

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GettySubs & Manager

Marco Asensio (6/10):

Had a couple of efforts on goal, and kept things flowing on the break.

Lucas Hernandez (5/10):

Tasked with handling Kubo – which he didn't do too effectively.

Randal Kolo Muani (6/10):

Almost scored a wonderful third.

Luis Enrique (7/10):

Made a few interesting calls, including selecting Barcola ahead of Kolo Muani, and Beraldo over Hernandez. PSG were poor in the first half, and much improved in the second. Not perfect, but he will take the 2-0 lead.

Riyad Mahrez's wife Taylor Ward has warned friends she would look like "the biggest tramp" after her husband's big-money move to Saudi Arabia.

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Ward speaks of struggles to adapt to Saudi cultureAl-Ahli move came as shock to Manchester lassAmazon series lifts lid on player relationshipsGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

A new reality series revealed the model's anxiety over her husband's summer departure from Manchester City and her difficulties adapting to a new life in the Middle East. Faced with suddenly having to move away from her native north west, Ward is featured in Amazon's emotionally addressing of having to suddenly pack their bags.

AdvertisementWHAT TAYLOR WARD SAID

"No lashes, no nails. Oh my god, I'm going to be the biggest tramp when I come home you're not even going to recognise me," Ward told a group of friends about the move.

GettyTHE GOSSIP

In other scenes, Ward breaks down in tears as she talks about the upheaval and recounts a story where she is told by staff that the hotel pool was only available to be used by men.

The show features the partners of Arsenal's Jorginho and City's Ilkay Gundogan among others and attracted some typically forthright social media interest when a trailer featuring Everton's James Tarkowski in flirting mode went viral earlier in the week.

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WHAT NEXT FOR TAYLOR WARD & RIYAD MAHREZ?

The former City winger will be hoping to turn fortunes around on the pitch as Al-Ahli look to breathe life into a difficult season when they take on Al-Tai on Saturday afternoon.

There will be no kneejerk reaction to Jonathan Trott’s tough return to Test cricket in his new position of opener following the double failure in Antigua

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Apr-2015There will be no kneejerk reaction to Jonathan Trott’s tough return to Test cricket in his new position of opener following the double failure in Antigua with Peter Moores, the England coach, saying he has “earned the right to have a go,” but James Tredwell has emerged as a doubt for the second Test in Grenada.Tredwell strained his arm diving for a catch which rebounded off silly point late in the final session of the opening Test, as Jason Holder guided West Indies to a draw, and with the quick turnaround to the second contest could be struggling to recover which may create the opening for Moeen Ali’s return.Trott was dismissed for 0 and 4, edging outswingers from Jerome Taylor in both innings, in his first international for 16 months, which came after scores of 0 and 2 in the second two-day warm-up match in St Kitts. Both brief innings at the Sir Vivian Richards stadium were characterised by uncertain footwork, although he was not alone in that with Alastair Cook’s travails also continuing with a lean Test match.Antigua was only the second time in Trott’s 50-match career that he had opened the batting – the previous occasion coming against Bangladesh in Dhaka in 2010 – and England have Adam Lyth, the Yorkshire opener, as part of their squad but the management will not be making any hasty decisions.”I don’t think you’re looking to change your opening partnership straight away,” Moores said. “I think Trott has earned his right to get a go. He’s come back into our squad and we’ve watched him play and we can see he is really hungry and playing nicely.”He’s been done by the swinging ball, so he’s working hard to get past that challenge, which will be there in Grenada and that is not going to change. But what we know about Trott is that once he gets in, he has that fierce determination and concentration to make people pay and that is one of his great strengths as a player.”I think if you take it in the whole context, that first game back was always going to be quite a tough one. But he’s back in and he’s got a good chance to go and show what he’s got. This is a player we’ve all watched play some brilliant innings for England and I think now is his chance to come back and show he’s still got that.”Trott’s position as opener had further been put under scrutiny by the potential return of Moeen who has joined the squad in Grenada after coming through the Championship match against Yorkshire to test the side injury he picked up towards the end of the World Cup. One school of thought had been that he could open the batting, as he does in one-day cricket, alongside Cook to give the side additional bowling resources in flat conditions but an injury concern over Tredwell, who claimed five wickets in Antigua, could create the vacancy for Moeen.However, he still has to prove he can withstand the extensive workload that will come his way in a Test match having only bowled 11 overs against Yorkshire. Adil Rashid, the legspinning allrounder, is the other spin option available.”Certainly, Mo is one of the key players for us,” Moores said. “He had a fantastic summer last year and a good winter. Mo is very much part of our plans. We have to check where he is at because he’s had this stomach strain but Mo feels very good about it.”Tredwell’s got a niggle in his arm, diving for the catch that came off Gary’s boot. He stretched quite a lot for that. We’ll see how he scrubs up over the next couple of days and see if he’s available for the next Test.”England currently have 17 players on duty in West Indies following Moeen’s arrival, with quick bowlers Mark Wood and Liam Plunkett providing options should the pace attack need freshening up although that would appear an unlikely route.

This week's team includes multiple players from Arsenal, Manchester City and Leicester, all of whom picked up victories over the weekend

Getty ImagesPetr Cech | GK | Arsenal

Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech made six saves in Arsenal's 2-0 win over Everton on Sunday; twice as many as his opposite number Jordan Pickford (3).

AdvertisementGettyKyle Walker | RB | Manchester City

England defender Kyle Walker made more passes in the opposition half than any other Manchester City player against Cardiff (61).

Getty ImagesJoel Matip | CB | Liverpool

As well as scoring Liverpool's second goal against Southampton, Joel Matip led the Reds in both interceptions (3) and recoveries (11).

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GettyIssa Diop | CB | West Ham

Issa Diop had the highest passing accuracy (95%) and made the most blocks (2) of any West Ham player against Chelsea on Sunday.

The Portugal international has not found the net in 31 games, but does have a great record against Sunday's Anfield visitors, Arsenal

At the final whistle, Jurgen Klopp made a beeline for Kai Havertz, throwing his arms around the Chelsea forward like a sympathetic parent. Maybe it was simply a gesture of gratitude. Liverpool, after all, had somehow escaped Stamford Bridge with a goalless draw and Havertz, having squandered a series of chances to deepen the Reds’ crisis, was as responsible as anybody for that fact.

More likely, though, is that this was Klopp, a genuine football man, recognising a player under pressure, a player low on confidence, in need of an arm around his shoulder and a few kind words. 

Whatever the motivation, Havertz seemed to appreciate his countryman’s decency, but Liverpool have their own misfiring forward to worry about at the moment.

Klopp’s next bear hug at Stamford Bridge was reserved for Diogo Jota, but the Portugal international's struggles are a head-scratcher for his manager, and need sorting if Liverpool are to return to anything like their former glories.

GettyThe goal drought

When Jota found the net for Liverpool in a 2-2 draw against Manchester City on April 10, 2022, it merely confirmed his status as the Reds’ man for the big occasion.

It was his 21st goal of the season, and 14 of those had been either an opener or an equaliser, Liverpool’s first goal of the game. Jota, more so than even Mohamed Salah or Sadio Mane, was the player Klopp looked to when the safe needed cracking. 

Who ever would have thought that his Etihad strike would be his last for pretty much a year, then? The 12 month anniversary of that City goal is Monday. Jota finished 2021-22 with a run of 13 scoreless appearances, and the drought has continued into this season.

He is now 31 games without a goal for his club, and hasn’t scored for anyone since netting Portugal’s fourth in a 4-0 win over the Czech Republic at the end of September.

For a forward of such talent, and who has set such high standard previously, that is unacceptable. Even Havertz, as maligned as he has been, has scored nine times for Chelsea this term.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWhat's happened?

Injuries, of course, have played a part in his drought, but still Jota has started 16 games for Liverpool since his last goal. 

For whatever reason, though, the sharpness and penalty-box instinct that defined his first 18 months at Anfield seems to have deserted him. Where once his movement and finishing ability drew comparisons with the likes of Robbie Fowler, now the 26-year-old sits on the periphery of games, often drifting deep or wide, unable to utilise his key strengths.

This season in the Premier League, Jota has managed only three shots on target across a dozen appearances and 609 minutes. His shooting accuracy, 25 percent, is by far the lowest of Liverpool’s forward players, as his expected goals (xG) tally of 2.06. 

He may point to a little bad luck. He would surely have had a goal at Bournemouth, for example, had his goalbound header not struck the arm of Adam Smith. Salah, of course, missed the subsequent penalty and Liverpool’s season has run wildly off course since. 

But still Jota has missed half a dozen Opta-defined ‘big chances’ this season, and when he was played in by Curtis Jones in the first half at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night, his lack of conviction was clear to see.

The pass demanded a driven, first-time strike – the kind we have seen from him many times before – but Jota opted to try and check back inside, allowing Marc Cucurella to snuff out the danger. He would not get another sight of goal all evening.

Getty ImagesThe positives

The good news, however, is that while Jota might not be scoring, he is at least creating.

He has registered 11 assists since his last goal, including an excellent one for Salah at the Etihad last weekend. This season in the Premier League, he is creating more chances per 90 minutes (1.77) than any Reds forward bar Salah and his expected assists (xA) tally is in line with the Egyptian’s, as well as Darwin Nunez’s and Roberto Firmino’s, suggesting the quality of chances he is providing for team-mates is pretty decent.

He works tirelessly, too. “A pressing monster,” assistant manager Pep Lijnders called him after his move from Wolves in 2020, and though his season has been plagued by muscle injuries – he missed the start of the campaign with a hamstring problem and then was out from October to February due to a torn calf – he still wins possession back for his team more often than any other forward, and more than twice as regularly, per 90, as either Salah or Nunez.

Clearly, he still has plenty to offer, and reports linking him with a move away from Anfield this summer should be ignored. Getting him back scoring, though, must be a priority for Klopp and Co.

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GettyFinding a role

Injuries aside, where Jota has suffered most is with the evolution of Liverpool’s forward line under Klopp.

For much of last season, he started as the Reds’ No.9, usurping Firmino as the roaming, hard-running attacking focal point.

Luis Diaz’s arrival at the end of January, and the manner in which the Colombian settled in at the club, led to a reshuffle though. In the latter part of the season, with Diaz a must on the left flank, Klopp moved Mane into a central striking position, leaving Jota (and Firmino) to be content with a rotation role.

The summer arrival of Nunez, and that of Cody Gakpo in January, has further complicated matters. Both have played wide left and both have played centre forward, while Jota has played everywhere across the attacking line.

He started on the left at the Etihad and on the right at Stamford Bridge. Earlier in the season, at Arsenal for example, he played in a front two with Nunez, while against Real Madrid in the Bernabeu recently he was a No.9 again.

It is fair to say that Klopp is yet to find the right attacking balance, and Diaz’s imminent return from a long-term knee injury, although welcome, may complicate matters further in the coming weeks.

It was the U.S. men's national team's final match before the World Cup, and boy was it a dud.

After being easily swatted away by Japan in their first game of the window, the U.S. were equally as poor against Saudi Arabia in a match that ended as a 0-0 draw.

It was a game devoid of anything. It had no goals, no big moments, no promising sequences. The one memorable thing from this content will be a potential injury to a key star.

The point is, this wasn't what the USMNT needed right now as the World Cup draws near.

The clock is ticking. The tournament is just 55 days away and, once again, Berhalter's side didn't look ready.

Here's a look at the winners and losers from the USMNT's draw with Saudi Arabia:

GettyWinner: Matt Turner

It's time to call off this goalkeeper competition. Matt Turner's done more than enough.

The Arsenal goalkeeper was faultless once again on Tuesday, much like he was on Friday against Japan. His shot-stopping ability is unmatched by any goalkeeper in this player pool and, despite a relative lack of minutes on the club level, he looks as sharp as ever.

For much of the past year, Turner has seemingly been behind Zack Steffen in this race, but there's no conceivable metric where Steffen appears better right now. You can talk about potential or experience or ability with the ball at feet all you want, but the eye test is really, really easy here.

Turner should be the guy, and this was just another example of why.

AdvertisementGettyWinner: Joe Scally

We may look back at this performance as the one that got Scally onto the plane to Qatar.

The Borussia Monchengladbach defender was the best player on the field after he came into the game for what was his third USMNT cap.

Since his breakthrough in Germany, Scally has been hailed for his defensive ability, and that was on display. So too was his ability to get forward as he whipped in several dangerous crosses from the right side.

Given his versatility and the fact that Sam Vines didn't exactly seize his moment against Japan, Scally seems to be in a good spot. He can serve as a backup on the left or the right, which is always valuable in a World Cup setting.

Scally was one of the few players to boost his stock this camp, and it may just be enough to seal his spot.

GettyWinner: The snubs

A case of addition by subtraction for several USMNT hopefuls.

Those held out of this camp will be looking on with optimism after two lackluster performances. From centerbacks like Cameron Carter-Vickers and Chris Richards to a striker in Jordan Pefok, it's clear that spots are still up for grabs.

Aaron Long failed to convince in defense, leaving the role of Walker Zimmerman's partner wide open. And, given the lack of anything in the U.S. attack, Pefok should feel that a few more goals in the Bundesliga will be enough to get him on the plane.

It may be too late for him, but there's even hope for someone like Tim Ream to get back into the mix.

Either way, it's clear that there are still holes in this U.S. team, and those holes may just get filled by players that didn't play in Spain or Germany this week.

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GettyLoser: Gio Reyna

The Borussia Dortmund star can't catch a break.

He'd been eased into the lineup with his club, but was handed his second straight start for the USMNT on Tuesday. And, after 30 minutes, we all saw a familiar sight: a clearly frustrated Reyna subbed out and marching towards the tunnel.

It remains to be seen if this will impact Reyna long-term, although U.S. Soccer said it was precautionary, but it is certainly frustrating. We've seen so little of Reyna in a USMNT jersey over the last year or so and, with the World Cup just weeks away, he was robbed of another chance to build any sort of chemistry with his attacking teammates.

The USMNT will now hope that Reyna's injury isn't another bad one and that his World Cup dreams won't be impacted in any way.