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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

One of the most amiable footballers in the game, Juan Mata has proven himself to be a fantastic servant to English football with both Chelsea and Manchester United.

The Spaniard is a real fan favourite at both clubs due to what he does off the pitch, but has seen his role at Old Trafford become more and more limited over the last couple of seasons. The 31-year-old made 32 appearances across all competitions in the last campaign, but was never really considered one of the first names on the team-sheet.

Check out the below above to see football played as you’ve never seen it before… in a maze!

But perhaps more than anything it is his off-the-pitch contributions that United are in dire need of. The former World Cup winner with Spain is a bona-fide role model and carries himself in the best possible light.

Indeed, after seeing Mata sign a new contract with the club earlier in June, Solskjaer said: “Juan is the ultimate professional and one of the most intelligent players I have worked with. He is a great example to our younger players in his approach. He understands what it means to be a Manchester United player and has embraced everything about this great club.

“As well as everything he brings on the pitch, we have some fantastic young players here and I know that Juan’s vast experience will help them to reach their potential over the coming seasons.”

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Such is the high regard Mata is held with inside United, that he was named captain for both of the club’s opening pre-season games against Perth Glory and Leeds. As Solskjaer looks to add a youthful edge to the side, Mata’s experience will be of a major help to get the best out of players like Mason Greenwood, Tahith Chong and Daniel James, amongst others.

Amidst all the drama surrounding Paul Pogba’s career at the moment, Mata’s responsibility, humility and professionalism stand out like a sore thumb. Whilst he may in the twilight years of his career at Old Trafford, there is no doubting that Mata remains an integral part of the club’s future.

[ad_pod ]This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more… According to reliable Leeds United insider Phil Hay on Twitter, the club are unlikely to sign a new striker before the summer transfer window slams shut, and it could give youngster Ryan Edmondson a big chance to impress.

On the chalkboard

Given the injury issues Patrick Bamford and Kemar Roofe encountered last season, it seemed that it could be a real possibility that the Yorkshire outfit would dip into the market to sign a new centre-forward ahead of the 2019/20 campaign.

Roofe has been linked with an Elland Road exit with Premier League duo Crystal Palace and Brighton and Hove Albion among those monitoring his situation according to Sky Sports – he only has one year left on his contract and there has been no update on a potential new deal for him.

However, the trusted Hay doesn’t expect a striker incoming unless the 26-year-old departs in the next fortnight or so, which could hand some of the Whites’ younger players a huge opportunity.

Edmondson to erupt?

It may well happen – especially seeing as he already has two substitute appearances for the first team under his belt, including a debut in 2018.

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The talented teenager may have put himself to the forefront of Marcelo Bielsa’s mind with a hat-trick in the pre-season friendly win against Tadcaster Albion last week, as he once again showed that he is capable in front of goal.

The 18-year-old finished as top scorer for the U23s last term with his 19th goal coming in April, and he is in good physical shape given his tender years – that in particular is something which suggests he is ready to make the step up into what can be a tough Championship division at times.

With Roofe being pictured with a leg brace on Down Under and Bamford looking far from convincing in front of goal so far during pre-season, Edmondson could easily get the call sooner rather than later with the league opener against Bristol City only a week-and-a-half away.

He certainly looks to have the potential already to push Bamford, who is still yet to really make his mark in a Leeds shirt.

Watch fans explain why the Football League is better than the Premier League in the video below…

Additionally, he could easily be the next breakthrough talent under Bielsa and follow in the footsteps of the likes of Jack Clarke and Jamie Shackleton in 2018/19.

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Leicester City host Wolves in their opening game of the 2019/20 Premier League campaign on Sunday 11th August, and they will be hoping to get the edge over their seventh-place rivals – last term Nuno Espirito Santo’s men finished five points ahead.

Brendan Rodgers and the club’s hierarchy made some impressive additions to the squad this summer, including the record signing of Youri Tielemans, who made a profound impact at the King Power Stadium following his January loan move from Monaco, and Ayoze Perez for £30m.

The highly-rated Tielemans, whom Leicester had to fight off Tottenham and Manchester United for, adds some crucial creativity from midfield, while Perez should make the perfect replacement for the departed Shinji Okazaki, who was renowned for his work-rate – the Spaniard completed a solid 1.6 tackles and 1.1 interceptions last season, according to WhoScored.

As former Celtic boss Rodgers gears up for his first full campaign as Leicester boss, we take a look at four different ways in which the Northern Irishman could set out his XI for the opening game, including dream and nightmare scenarios.

Let’s take a look…

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Leicester pulled off one of the deals of the season when they brought James Maddison to the King Power Stadium last summer and the attacking midfielder will be crucial if the Foxes are to be the ‘best of the rest’ – or even better – in 2019/20, so he’s likely to be one of the first names on the teamsheet.

The arrival of Dennis Praet, who is also a target for Arsenal, would mean the 2015/16 champions have one of the best creative cores in the Premier League, with the technical Tielemans dropping deep to complement tough-tackler Wilfred Ndidi.

Sampdoria man Praet is influential both on and off the ball, completing 1.9 tackles and averaging a passing accuracy of 87.3% in Serie A last season.

With this attacking-midfield trio, Jamie Vardy will have by far his best chance since of repeating his 2015/16 goalscoring exploits – the pacey Englishman managed an impressive 24 strikes that season.

Back in central defence, the Foxes will be praying they can fend off interest in Harry Maguire and leave their defence in excellent shape.

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If Maguire does leave, however, his departure would likely see Filip Benkovic, whom Rodgers worked with during his time at Celtic, take his spot in the back line.

Leicester’s defence would be stripped of another vital asset if Juventus came calling for Ricardo Pereira, who is being lined up as a replacement for Joao Cancelo according to The Sun.

Meanwhile, Ben Chilwell’s potential exit could see a return to the starting XI for Christian Fuchs who, despite being one of Leicester’s legendary title-winners, is certainly past his best.

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If Leicester are to prolong their impressive development since returning to the top flight, then investing both time and money in the younger players is a must.

Fortunately for Rodgers, there are plenty of talents waiting in the wings for their time to shine – none have more to prove than Kelechi Iheanacho, who is still yet to take off since signing for £25m two years ago.

First summer signing James Justin, who enjoyed a stellar campaign with League One winners Luton Town and chalked up an impressive 12 goal contributions, offers great competition at both full-back positions and should certainly be given ample opportunities.

Fousseni Diabate, 23, showed some promise while on loan at Turkish outfit Sivasspor last term and, should Rodgers give him a chance, should at least keep Perez and Rachid Ghezzal on their toes.

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At this point there is every chance that Maguire will be on his way to Manchester this summer, as much as it will pain the Foxes faithful.

Fortunately, Leicester have some solid depth at centre-back and Maguire’s exit could signal the beginning of a glowing Premier League career for Benkovic, who was described as “absolutely brilliant” by Rodgers earlier this year.

Hamza Choudhury, Youri Tielemans and Wilfred Ndidi should form a stark spine at the heart of midfield, while Perez will surely be a strong contender to slot immediately into the starting XI.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

Oliver Skipp faces a difficult season.

The Tottenham Hotspur midfielder has been gradually exposed to the first-team in recent months and has made a total of 12 appearances for the club.

Those outings include 75 minutes against Burnley in a 1-0 win in December and 71 minutes versus Leicester City in a 3-1 victory in February.

He played 13 minutes on the final day of the season, too, in the 2-2 draw with Everton that preceded the Champions League final, during which Skipp was an unused substitute.

An 18-year-old with an excellent range of passing, he is clearly rated by Mauricio Pochettino; he wouldn’t be anywhere near the first-team otherwise.

But his route to the starting XI has got all the harder this summer with the club-record signing of Tanguy Ndombele. The Frenchman joins the likes of Harry Winks, Moussa Sissoko, Eric Dier, Victor Wanyama, Dele Alli, Christian Eriksen as being able to play in a midfield pivot.

What then, does Skipp bring that can see him stand out?

Per WhoScored, in his two starts and six substitute appearances in the top-flight – an admittedly small sample size – Skipp averaged 0.9 tackles per game, along with 0.1 interceptions, 0.5 fouls, 0.1 clearances and 0.8 blocks. This is not a defensive midfielder.

He did not score in the Premier League, nor did he provide an assist, while he averaged 0.3 shots per game, 0.1 key passes and 0.3 dribbles. This is not an attacking midfielder.

Skipp also averaged a pass completion rate of 83.9% from an average of 17.9 passes. This is not a midfield metronome.

It becomes difficult, when one looks at the numbers, to ascertain exactly what it is that Skipp does well.

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To watch him is to see a midfielder who is all hustle and bustle, a player who will get in the opposition’s face and chase the ball, though the stats show that he rarely wins it back and if he does, he doesn’t always use it effectively.

Of course, Skipp is 18 and exposure to the first-team and minutes alongside the likes of Ndombele, Sissoko and Alli will surely only improve him.

But his task has got all the tougher with Spurs’ summer activity.

It is difficult to see him getting many more minutes next season. Perhaps the best he can hope for is a kind FA Cup third round draw that pairs Spurs with a lower-league minnow.

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Croatia have had their fair share of footballing superstars in the past. Of course, many are familiar with the likes of Davor Šuker, Zvonimir Boban, Robert Prosinečki and more recently, Luka Modrić, Ivan Rakitić and Mario Mandžukić.

These are just some of the talents that sprung out of a little country with a total population that barely exceeds four million inhabitants.

And it’s not just footballing individuals that shine but the country’s national team as a unit as well. We don’t have to look further than the World Cup in Russia where “Vatreni” or in a loose translation “the fiery ones”, ended up clinching the silver medal, only falling to the eventual winners France. Going back in the past, they did a similar thing in 1998 when they finished third.

But as much as Šuker or Prosinečki had their heirs in the form of these modern superstars we mentioned, who exactly is in line to take the torch from Modrić, Rakitić and co.? Well, a couple of names spring to mind and among them is certainly Dinamo Zagreb’s Nikola Moro.

Moro currently plays his football for the country’s most successful football club, Dinamo Zagreb. And ever since his emergence to the scene just a couple of years back, he has been a player of incredible talent. Some of his best traits include – but are not limited to – versatility, creativity, ball control, technical prowess and passing play. Let’s try and dissect them further.

What stands above anything else is Moro’s passing. For a 21-year-old midfielder, he is already well-developed in this area. Just a quick glance at Wyscout’s database shows us that overall, in all competitions and seasons, he achieved 83% passing accuracy while playing 4.74 long balls per game, 60.7% of which hit their mark.

What is particularly telling is how forward-thinking his passing tends to be.

He sends an incredible 10.82 passes into the final third, 2.96 into the box and plays 1.33 through balls per game. And this is exactly where his quality really comes to light. Let’s take a look at how that usually goes down on the pitch.

Moro usually likes to be the creative spark of the team, often playing as a number ten or as a more advanced, playmaking number eight. Still, he has this tendency to create space for himself but also make use of it even when he’s closed down by markers.

In the example below, we can see him control the ball in the final third and send through an incisive pass through the defence before his marker can react and stop him. The ball arrives at its destination perfectly and Dinamo soon get into a really promising situation.

But this is not nearly the only thing Moro does on the pitch. Often, as was seen in the stats above, he participates in the team’s defensive phases. The numbers clearly support this as the youngster averages 4.56 interceptions per game, makes 9.39 recoveries and also wins 52.4% of all of his defensive duels.

These are some impressive figures for an advanced playmaker and both of the aforementioned skillsets complement each other rather well. In other words, Moro can quickly dispossess the opposition and turn defence into attack effectively.

Notice in the example below how he rushes to tackle the opponen, retains possession and then starts Dinamo’s transition with a cheeky backheel right into the path of his teammate.

According to Wyscout’s numbers, this is a regular occurrence in his arsenal, rather than an anomaly.

Moro truly is a true gem that any manager would like to have in his squad. Yes, that is mostly because he is technically gifted and has a high work-rate but it’s also because he can be deployed anywhere across the middle of the pitch. Wyscout notes a total of seven major positions Moro has been used in so far.

That and a quick look at his heatmap tell us how effective he is all across the pitch regardless of his predetermined position on the teamsheet.

Despite being only 21, he already has some national team exposure, having gone through the youth ranks of Croatia’s national team. He recently featured in their U21 European Championship run as well and managed to tally one assist in three games.

Moro certainly is a true prospect and has already been attracting some serious attention from big clubs in Europe. With such talent, a move away from Dinamo Zagreb becomes a triviality and simply a matter of time.

The man already dubbed the “new Modrić” is destined to go abroad and really make a name for himself.

But at the end of the day, that part is really up to him and the way he develops in the future.

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[ad_pod ]Mesut Ozil and Sead Kolasinac have had a tough time of it in recent weeks.The two were involved in a terrifying incident on July 25th, when they were both attacked with a knife in an attempted robbery in London.As such, the two were not part of the squad that travelled to Newcastle for Arsenal’s first game of the season against the Magpies at St. James’ Park.And now, the current security threat surrounding the duo could cause them to miss even more games this season amid fears that this will be an ongoing problem according to The Daily Mail.However, whilst they are in a difficult position, they are not receiving much sympathy from portions of the Arsenal fanbase. Many have seen this as the perfect opportunity to move them on before the European transfer window shuts in September.They have taken to Twitter to share their thoughts, and you can see a selection of the comments below.

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We’re yet to fully translate the complexities of emoji language, but we assume what Gerrard is trying to say is: “Good luck on the new season Rhian because if you don’t perform you’re going to end up at Rangers with me *OK hand*”

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Nacho Monreal has been a great servant for Arsenal over the years.

Since joining from La Liga outfit Malaga in 2013, the former Spain international has made 251 appearances for the Gunners and contributed to three FA Cup wins during that time.

However, he is now 33 years old and is not getting any younger. Recent speculation has linked him with a move to Real Sociedad before the end of the transfer window, and it is now even thought that the north London outfit are willing to let the defender leave if he wishes to do so.

AFTV’s Robbie has his say on Arsenal’s owners in the video below…

Following his performance on Saturday against Liverpool, it may be the perfect time for the two to part ways.

Monreal lined up at left-back as part of a back four against the Reds and contributed little to his team, whether it be in defence or going forward.

Throughout the game, he was unable to create a single chance or complete a single dribble during the 90 minutes, which you would hope your full-back would be able to do at least once these days. 1 shot off target and a 75% pass accuracy, which only Ainsley Maitland-Niles was unable to do better than, is not good enough either.

Against Liverpool, teams will generally be on the back foot, and so strong defensive performances are required. However, Monreal’s showing in that department left a lot to be desired. He made no tackles during the match, with only centre-back David Luiz also drawing a blank. It is easier said than done to face Mohamed Salah, but a few challenges is surely the minimum required.

With such poor stats, it was no surprise to see him pick up a WhoScored rating of 5.77, the lowest of any player on the pitch. Whilst it may have been against the European champions, Monreal seemed out of his depth and his best now looks well and truly behind him. Amidst those recent aforementioned rumours, now is as good a time as any to move him on.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Aston Villa’s new academy chief Mark Harrison has claimed it was the shared vision of the owners and management staff that helped convince him to make a switch across the Midlands.

What’s he said?

Harrison had been in charge of West Brom’s academy for the past 13 years, helping them to become established as one of the best in the country.

This summer one of their latest hot prospects, Louie Barry, earned a move to La Liga giants Barcelona whilst Rekeem Harper, Sam Field and Jonathan Leko are all highly-thought of at the club earning minutes in recent seasons.

Villa themselves have a promising youth setup, but in recent times they have seen locally-born players thrive elsewhere after winning the NextGen tournament, which is why they have appointed Harrison as their new academy manager.

He said:

“I was really impressed with how they sold the club to me. I was enthused from the first time I met them.

“What really drew me here was the potential. You can see with the owners and the senior management the vision they have. I got a real good feel for how they want to build not only the club but the academy.

“I was part of a vision, certainly early on at West Brom when Dan Ashworth was technical director.”

Purslow promise soon to be a reality?

Villa CEO Christian Purslow has made it clear in the past on the club’s desire to build a young an exciting team, stating that they need a ‘clear pathway right through the academy to the first-team with outstanding recruitment and development.’

The arrival of Harrison certainly is the first step in putting that plan into motion, although, it may be a while until we see it potentially bearing fruit.

The former Baggies academy man was there for 13 years, and it is only over a recent period of time that his work has started to see an effect with the aforementioned crop of youth players.

His work has clearly been appreciated by Purslow if he’s seeing him as one of the main men to lead his Villa vision.

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There’s no knowing how Bellerin will perform upon his return, but Arsenal’s Europa League tie against Standard Liege should be a pretty good test – should he be available.

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