16.8
Bruno Fernandes assisted the most xG of any player in the PL in 2022-23 (16.8), although his teammates scored only 8 goals from those passes.
EASY PEASY
West Ham United striker Michail Antonio has claimed that he would easily score 30 goals a season if he was at Manchester City. Erling Haaland can lay claim to the single greatest debut season in Premier League history after racking up 36 goals in the league. After spending all year disrespecting established defenders, Haaland is unsurprisingly picking up all of the end of season awards. However it seems that Hammers striker Antonio doesn’t think that highly of the 22-year-old’s achievements, claiming on the FILTHYFELLAS Podcast that he’d have scored 30 this season in the same position.
5
Mauricio Pochettino will be the fifth manager to take charge of both Chelsea and Spurs in the Premier League, after André Villas-Boas, Antonio Conte, Glenn Hoddle and José Mourinho..
MESSI MIAMI-BOUND
This year the July transfer window got started early with a flurry of moves in June. While Karim Benzema to Al-Ittihad or Alexis McAllister to Liverpool would normally grab the headlines, they both paled in comparison to Lionel Messi making the jump to Inter Miami CF and Major League Soccer. Messi’s move had been foreshadowed for quite a bit of time, with the rumors gaining some steam at the tail end of the World Cup. But as opposed to year’s past, where momentum seemed to die down, the rumor winds only seemed to pick-up. Negotiations were reportedly close on a number of occasions with the deal finally being struck in June. For Major League Soccer, the importance of Messi signing is immense. While the league has had a number of stars join it over the years, none of them quite have the recognition or fame of that of Messi. It also doesn’t hurt that he recently won the World Cup, an event that is finally a major sporting event in the United States. For a league still trying to find its identity (and get new subscribers for its major streaming deal with Apple +) this deal is the perfect start to summer. As for Messi, this is another giant opportunity to cement his status as the greatest player. everWhile his status is largely secured at this point with the World Cup trophy and the multiple Champions League titles this is a chance to be the one that cements soccer’s foothold in the United States. Many have tried and outside of Pele all have come up short. There are economic implications to this deal, but earning that credit and that respect could be what sets him apart in the years to come.
RETIRE THE “WOMEN” ?
Fans were baffled by Liverpool Women’s team badge detail. With the WSL all decided and Reading’s relegation decided the WSL’s social media team tweeted the list
