Welcome to a model new collection of Onside/Offside! The Premier League is again, and with it, new signings and debutants to the league have additionally arrived. Luis Miguel Echegaray shares his ideas on among the greatest names and determines those who will instantly shine, and those that may want slightly extra time to seek out consistency of their debut campaigns for his or her respective golf equipment.
Wirtz is likely one of the most fun prospects in Europe, and the most effective gamers in Germany. What makes him particular is his capability to seek out the holes no different participant seemingly can. On this Liverpool facet, the place you are supported by a robust core of defensive buildup, he’ll have the ability to orchestrate and finally discover the alternatives to create for his workforce.
Within the Premier League season opener in opposition to Bournemouth on Friday evening, he didn’t have his greatest recreation, however I feel this was a solitary problem that was extra concerning the opponent than Wirtz himself. In opposition to a facet coached by Andoni Iraola, you can be demanded to run lots as a result of their excessive press and intoxicating means of enjoying forces the attacking midfielders to play catch-up each time the ball is misplaced. That is precisely what Wirtz needed to prioritize, as he averaged extra distance coated per minute than anybody else on his workforce. Solely teammate Dominik Szoboszlai coated extra, however he performed extra minutes. Wirtz virtually had no touches within the opponent’s field, nor may he discover these killer passes that normally flip into targets.
Once more, I feel Wirtz will regulate fairly quickly; he is too good to not, as a result of he’s from the varsity of adaptation. For Bayer Leverkusen, the right-footed star was primarily used as a left-sided No. 10, however he may slot in additional centrally. All of this can be on show as soon as he finds his rhythm, which is able to hopefully come quick as a result of Arne Slot’s facet’s subsequent two video games are in opposition to Newcastle United (away) and Arsenal (residence).
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Talking of Newcastle, I do not know what’s going to occur with Alexander Isak‘s scenario. But when the Swedish striker finally ends up shifting to Merseyside earlier than the Sept. 1 switch deadline, Liverpool would have accomplished the best summer time of enterprise within the historical past of the league. Truthfully, do they even want Isak? As a result of I’ve to let you know, whereas Wirtz struggled, Hugo Ekitike was fantastic in opposition to the Cherries. The French striker scored the primary objective Friday evening at Anfield and assisted the second, however he additionally confirmed his versatility.
When he was rising up, Ekitike had two gamers he beloved to look at: Neymar Jr. and Karim Benzema. This makes good sense, as a result of he’s a striker who would not must be a middle ahead. There are a number of property to his recreation, and that can be useful for a Liverpool facet who can tinker with three cellular attackers in a lineup. I anticipate large issues this season from the previous Eintracht Frankfurt man.
Now, I wish to put this on the report. I wrote a lot of the following evaluation earlier than the opening weekend, so I simply wish to be certain everyone seems to be conscious I’m not simply going off from what we noticed on Saturday. Bear in mind, it is a marathon and never a dash, and a lot of the productiveness that can be wanted from these gamers can be really examined within the later months.
Having stated all that, out of any new duo of arrivals to the Premier League, Reijnders and Cherki to me are essentially the most thrilling as a result of I feel they’re good for Manchester Metropolis and supervisor Pep Guardiola’s philosophy.
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Will Tijjani Reijnders be the signing of the season?
Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens debate if Tijjani Reijnders would be the signing of the season after scoring on his Manchester Metropolis debut.
Changing Kevin De Bruyne is all however not possible: the Belgian midfielder will ceaselessly be remembered as one of many membership’s and Premier League’s best gamers. It is also true that you do not exchange De Bruyne with only one individual — as Guardiola has talked about up to now, you do it with a number of.
Cherki and Reijnders are fantastic arrivals to the Etihad as a result of they’ll present this “so recent and so clear” new-look Metropolis with a extra dynamic punch. The previous, from Lyon, is an extremely versatile and proficient 21-year-old who could cause a number of complications together with his dribbling, imaginative and prescient and scoring. He ticks many containers: Final season, the France worldwide earned 34 objective contributions in all competitions for Lyon. He got here on within the 73rd minute in Metropolis’s Premier League opener on Saturday, and scored his objective in opposition to Wolves with fantastic talent and intuition simply eight minutes later.
Reijnders, 27, arrived after successful Serie A midfielder of the season in 2024-25. In some methods, he has the mind of a younger Sergio Busquets, making him in a position to get out of sticky conditions when dealing with strain from the opposition. Or possibly a Dutch Juan Roman Riquelme. Oh, and he additionally loves to attain as he netted 16 targets in all competitions for Milan final 12 months. He was magnificent in opposition to Wolves, delivering the most effective debuts I’ve seen by a midfielder on this league.
With a objective and help, he grew to become the second participant in Metropolis historical past to do that in a Premier League debut alongside Sergio Agüero. That is what I name being in good firm.
Metropolis have a brand new persona, one which’s truly nearer to what Pep used to do with Barcelona. He isn’t just about possession, as there’s now a willingness to hold the ball and exploit areas, inflicting complications with dynamic dribbling and penetration. Again then it was Lionel Messi, Samuel Eto’o and Thierry Henry. Now, it is Cherki, Reijnders, Haaland and others who’re realizing that there are extra methods than one to harm an opponent.
Please do not let the “offside” tag scare you, Arsenal followers. Nor do you have to be too vital of his uninspiring debut in opposition to Manchester United. There’s, nonetheless, meals for thought for Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta.
There are completely no doubts concerning the qualities possessed by the Swedish striker. None. The 27-year-old has come far since his days with Coventry Metropolis, when he ended because the second-top scorer within the 2022-23 English Championship season with 21 targets in 46 matches. That prompted Portuguese facet Sporting CP (managed by Ruben Amorim) to signal him in summer time 2023. Quick ahead to the current, and Gyökeres has arrived within the Premier League after an incredible time in Portugal, netting 39 targets in 33 matches within the Primeira Liga final season. General, he scored 54 in 52 matches.
As I stated, we all know this man can rating.
“He’s a participant that the second you allow him with house one-on-one, he’s going to destroy you,” Arteta stated after Arsenal’s last preseason match, a win over Athletic Membership at Emirates Stadium. “He’ll create a number of house for us as effectively. In any second or scenario, he’s a participant that may rating a objective.”
The issue, nonetheless, is that these moments Arteta talked about can occur solely as soon as Gyökeres acclimates to the league.
He was woeful Sunday in opposition to Manchester United, dealing with his former boss, failing to register a shot and incomes simply three touches within the opponent’s field. However that is the factor: Arsenal are usually not a workforce that likes to play primarily based on chaos, whereas Gyökeres thrives on it. I feel the targets will come, however Arsenal and their new striker must discover a stability that fits their personalities.
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Nicol: Do not choose Gyokeres or Sesko too rapidly
Steve Nicol thinks among the criticism of Gyokeres and Sesko is a bit overblown after Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Man United.
My different qualm is about consistency — and I do know it feels like a scapegoat commenting on the quite simple query of “Can he do it week-in and week-out in a stronger league?” — but it surely’s positively respectable to ask, particularly for a striker, the place the transition from Primeira Liga to the Premier League shouldn’t be straightforward. Again in 2021-22, Darwin Núñez, for instance, was magnificent with Benfica (26 targets in 28 league matches), however left Liverpool for Al-Hilal with out ever matching that quantity. In reality, throughout his total time with Liverpool, he solely scored 25 targets within the Premier League.
I do not assume this would be the case for Gyökeres, however lots rests on his shoulders as a result of the Gunners know that endurance is operating out with their followers. They wish to win the league — or the Champions League — and on this marketing campaign, alongside the additions of Martín Zubimendi and Cristhian Mosquera, a extra skilled Ethan Nwaneri and different instruments at their disposal, they’ve by no means been nearer. The most important criticism for Arsenal has been to get a high striker, particularly after final season after they did not get out of sticky conditions and endured 14 attracts, the joint-biggest quantity within the high half of the desk. The addition of Noni Madueke (alongside Bukayo Saka) helps, as deliveries from extensive areas can be key, however once more, expectations on Gyökeres are excessive, particularly in a congested season. He can do it, however it is going to be troublesome. The begin to the league’s marketing campaign additionally would not assist as a result of after enjoying Manchester United at Outdated Trafford to open the season, Arsenal should face Liverpool, Man Metropolis and Newcastle United within the first two months of motion.
The reported arrival of Eberechi Eze — as Arsenal pulled an Idris Elba and reportedly hijacked the deal forward of Tottenham — to cowl Kai Havertz’s damage is an incredible get for the Gunners and it’ll hopefully assist Gyökeres as possibly Arteta will play each of them and create a one-two punch, in the identical method Eze would do it with one other highly effective striker in Jean-Philippe Mateta. However these speaking factors are for an additional day.
In the end, the questions return for the Swede: Can Gyökeres assist Arsenal lastly win the Premier League after 22 years? Will he rating 20 or extra targets in his debut season? Are these questions mutually unique? We’ll have to attend and discover out, however all I do know is that this: A workforce who likes to construct when attacking has to discover a solution to match their new participant who lives to not construct, however to destroy.
Manchester United have the same problem with their new attacker. It isn’t precisely the identical as we’re speaking a couple of youthful participant, however time is of the essence for each participant and membership.
Arriving from the Bundesliga and RB Leipzig, the Slovenian has a robust basis, however very similar to Gyökeres and Arsenal, the strain to ship for Manchester United is huge. For a 22-year-old, that may be lots to ask of your new ahead in the most effective league on the earth.
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Will Manchester United have the ability to signal extra gamers?
Mark Ogden explains how Manchester United’s switch window may very well be hindered by an absence of motion out of the membership
Once more, similar to together with his Swedish counterpart, there is no such thing as a denying Sesko’s expertise. He’s very tall (6-foot-5), quick and possesses a really highly effective shot. Ruben Amorim additionally likes his strikers to do a number of issues, so Sesko’s numerous attributes ought to assist United in lots of classes. He can be wanted lots, too, as a result of the Pink Devils are in a full-scale rebuild after ending fifteenth final season and shedding within the Europa League last. The dangerous information: As a result of United’s myriad wants and an urgency for drastic enchancment, Sesko’s season is dependent upon confidence and stability, not precisely stuff you get in plentiful provide at Outdated Trafford. No less than, not not too long ago. Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha‘s arrival may also steal among the highlight, however once more, at 22, Sesko shouldn’t be but the completed product.
In opposition to Arsenal, Sesko got here on as an alternative within the sixty fifth minute to interchange Mason Mount, who was appearing as a false 9 to enhance Mbeumo and Cunha. However 25 minutes and alter are simply not sufficient for him to make an impression. Sesko was making good runs however wasn’t receiving the ball in desired alternatives. I truly assume that if Sesko began the match, United might need been in a position to even take the lead. His presence would have pressured Arsenal to rethink how they selected to defend.
I feel the striker’s time will come, however Amorim needs to be very cautious about the way in which he handles his lineup as a result of Mbeumo, Cunha, Fernandes and Sesko all demand the ball.
I feel Sesko is a improbable addition to United and the Premier League, however is he the membership’s savior? Can he assist them attain a Champions League place and bounce from fifteenth to fifth or fourth? It is a large ask. However all Sesko can do proper now could be get his mandatory time on the pitch to reply these questions.
