London is Blue Dispatch #011

[Editor’s Note: Before you read Sam’s latest Dispatch, we’d humbly ask for your vote for London is Blue in the “Football Content Award” in the Best Podcast (Premier League) and Best Club Content Creator (Premier League) categories! Nominations are open now until September 3^rd and you can vote on this page. Thank you as always for your continued support! – Dan]

Searching for Those Magic Words

After declaring preseason in the US open, adding Strasbourg, Disasi and Ugochukwu as soon as the transfer window for the French opened, we now fittingly move to Wimbledon after which you will hopefully forget my terrible attempt at verbal jousting to start this newsletter. However, with 9 injuries and two goalkeepers (Bergstrom and Beach) starting on the bench, Pochettino’s request for a thin squad is already reeling under a long-standing injury jinx. The attacking midfield is looking particularly threadbare, with the gaffer stating that Mudryk wouldn’t be fit until a few more days. This leaves Gallagher as the only option at CAM for a hectic festive period. While Gallagher’s injury record is stellar, the question on everyone’s mind is, are well equipped till January?

The answer perhaps, for most of us, is no. I could hear Enrique gently croon “I can be your hero baby,” as the rumor mill floated out links to Arsenal’s Emile Smith-Rowe, Manchester United’s Jadon Sancho, Atletico’s João Félix and other names in desperate need of someone with a savior complex. Félix, to his credit, did offer glimpses of magic before leaving us with saudade. That very feeling rekindled my longing for another Portuguese magician I’d been watching since last season.

Sporting’s Spell Caster

Pedro Gonçalves has been burning as brightly as Bruno Fernandes had during his time at Sporting before being snapped up by United. In his second season for the Lisbon club, Gonçalves scored an astounding 23 goals in the league (only two were penalties), creating 10 big chances. While 21/22 offered a slightly muted follow-up by his standards (8 goals, 9 assists in the league), he returned roaring last season, managing 15 goals and 11 assists. There was also a magical goal against Arsenal in the Europa league, a shot from close to the halfway line to catch Aaron Ramsdale out, knocking Arsenal out in the process. What better audition could you ask for?

Output aside, Gonçalves is intriguing for a multitude of reasons. Ruben Amorim has used him as a left-winger, a narrow forward (or half-winger, as Tuchel called the AMs in his 3-4-2-1) and even as a central midfielder next to ex-Chelsea target Manuel Ugarte. His versatility makes him a good fit for the 8/10 hybrid role in the 4-2-3-1 occupied by Nkunku, Gallagher and Chukwuemeka in preseason. His creativity and direct threat seem to be pretty consistent even in deeper positions. If Sterling is a fixture at right wing, Gonçalves also offers competition/rotation for Mudryk at left wing.

The second plus is that Gonçalves is a volatile threat. Last season, only Félix (4.40 per 90) bettered his shot/90 tally (3.36) in our squad. Jackson recorded a career best five shots vs Luton last time out, but in a very small sample size of three games, the next most prolific shooter after Jackson’s 3.78 per 90 is Sterling with 2.06, a significant drop. Gonçalves has maintained 3+ shots a game on average in the past two seasons.

Then there’s the fact that at Sporting he is the designated penalty taker, scoring 11 of 13 since his sole season with Wolves in the Championship. The lack of a specialist penalty taker in the squad cost us a point, maybe three, vs West Ham. Add to this that he plays in a system which requires him to press/counter-press consistently and demands good defensive industry, a duty he is happy to take on.

The massive downside of course is a reported release clause of €80m, which, if we pay, would add fuel to the fire that the Boehly consortium are playing hopscotch with FFP. Of all the players I’ve watched over last season though, he seems to fulfill a lot of the essentials. But if the money proves too much, which it just might be, it just be wisest to save some money and give Gallagher the game time he deserves till January.