Oriol Romeu

December 13, 2023 at 7:41 pm

Having arrived in England from Barcelona, a huge amount was expected of Oriol Romeu. And despite never really making a meaningful impression at Chelsea, the Spaniard has slowly but surely grown into a key performer for Southampton over the years. Though high un-Spanish in the way he plays, Romeu has long offered a new kind of play that simply is not seen very common in the La Liga game.

For England, though? He has been a perfect addition to a league that needs players who can make up the miles.

What makes Oriol Romeu worth watching?

At 29, Romeu has developed into a mature and intelligent midfielder who can take control of the game with relative ease. He’s become well rated for his accurate passing, often completing in excess of 80% of his passes. On top of that, his crisp passing is improved with the smart use of the ball – he often moves the ball forward quickly, helping to keep pace in the Saints attack.

On top of that, he often wins the ball in the air with ease and tends to be a strong competitor at set plays defensively, offering another useful part to the midfield.

Things to improve for Oriol Romeu

There are many things that could be improved upon for Romeu, mainly his offensive contribution. Though a strong passer of the ball and good at keeping possession progressive enough, he takes less than one shot per game and tends to struggle with making goals or creating attacks.

He also has a habit of giving away dangerous fouls. Though this is likely part of the agreement given how well he plays defensively, it is something that could be improved – and probably plays a role in why Romeu has never moved on beyond the South Coast outfit since he first started to impress.

Dwight McNeil

August 7, 2023 at 7:49 pm

Dwight McNeil  As one of the few kids to break through from the Burnley academy, Dwight McNeil brings interest from all over the Premier League. The 21-year-old is often one of the main shows to watch for Burnley fans, providing a zip from the wide areas that they tend to lack without him.

Despite playing in a side that might lack a touch of invention, McNeil is the kind of player who gets ‘bums off seats’, as they say. A flighty winger with good delivery and shooting – the future looks bright for the academy prospect.

What makes Dwight McNeil worth watching?

As a regular in the Burnley team, a contribution of just five goals can sound poor but it shows the limits Burnley have offensively. When Burnley do attack on a more consistent basis, McNeil tends to come to life. At his best when Burnley break quickly, too, he offers an invention in the wide areas that makes him a big change from the standard Burnley wide player.

Most commonly playing off the left, he offers a solid outlet for keeping the ball, for moving forward, and for crossing from deep for the eager Burnley strikers.

Things to improve for Dwight McNeil

Simple – consistency. His finishing is poor despite being a good long range shooter, and he can be a bit too ambitious with the ball at times. While that might work in a more attacking side, in Burnley’s system he tends to make poor choices in trying to be too aggressive with his passing, shooting, or dribbling.

His crossing is his main asset, and something he could look to use on a more regular basis to help get Burley up the pitch easier. He’s a quality striker of the ball; a touch more thought before playing that killer ball, though, could improve his game massively.

Leandro Trossard

February 15, 2023 at 7:51 pm

Leandro Trossard  As one of a series of Belgians to play in the Premier League today, Leandro Trossard has gained the heart of the Brighton support. The 26-year-old midfielder tends to offer Brighton one of their most exciting and ambitious attacking talents.

Scoring four goals whilst setting five up in a Brighton side that really struggles for goals is a big contribution. Having played close to 2,000 minutes in the league so far, too, it is fair to say that Trossard is a regular starter for Brighton now.

What makes Leandro Trossard worth watching?

Capable of playing across the left-hand side, right-hand side, and through the middle, Trossard is a modern attacker in the best way. He gets forward on and off the ball, moves around well, switches positions, and can be a threat with both feet from distance and up-close.

He tends to have a great shot in particular and is capable of winding up powerful shots without much backlift. His stocky frame also allows him to hold off opponents before playing ambitious passes in behind and over the top of the opposition.

An exciting and aggressive talent, Trossard offers a spark to quite a workmanlike Brighton team.

Things to improve for Leandro Trossard

The main thing that Trossard needs to work on is his durability. Often, it only takes a contested aerial attack or a lost tackle to see Trossard vanish from the play for the next few moments. He has to become more inclined to stay involved, even if things are not happening for him in general.

His aerial ability is limited given his stature, but offensively he could also choose to be a touch less wasteful with passes in behind. Given his teammates tend to play nice attacking football, Trossard could also benefit from linking up with teammates more as opposed to always trying to go it alone.

Callum Wilson

December 21, 2022 at 7:54 pm

Callum Wilson  A classic penalty box forward, Newcastle United striker Callum Wilson might be the difference between relegation and consolidation. The 29-year-old suffers from regular injuries, but when fit is one of the most consistent strikers in the Premier League.

Having made his move from Bournemouth, Wilson has played a big role in helping Newcastle to pick up more points than they might have expected. Without Wilson, the attack looks limp and fresh out of ideas. With Wilson, though, Newcastle look like they might just have a chance.

What makes Callum Wilson worth watching?

Put simply – his finishing and teamplay. The striker has contributed to 15 goals in just 21 games for Newcastle, scoring 10 on his own. He has been one of the main reasons why Newcastle actually score goals; without his finishing and link-up, they tend to look very poor physically upfront and lack any kind of meaningful link-up or invention.

Though never the biggest or strongest, Wilson wins more than his fair share of headers and tends to be a big part of how Newcastle attack. Without him, they have far less options in terms of the types of chances they can score from.

Things to improve for Callum Wilson

The main issue for Wilson, which be hard to change at 29, is his lack of hold-up play. Despite gaining 5 assists, the ball can bounce off of Wilson and he can lose the ball far too easily in a key attacking position. He also has a pretty nasty habit of going offside when he could easily have stayed onside.

However, he is a natural finisher and has provided the Toon with some crucial key goals to help keep relegation a possibility as opposed to a certainty. If he was more consistent outside of pure shooting, though, he might even be an asset at international level.