Best-laid plans gone awry and new attacking signings

The Independent’s football newsletter [View in browser]( [The Independent]( August 19, 2022 [The Independent]( Reading the Game Written by Karl Matchett   Facing up to best-laid plans going awry and the newest faces in the Premier League   Best-laid plans, and all that Football has its own way of reminding us all that it's simply not as easy as it looks, with several big clubs around the game facing up to that realisation across this coming weekend. Sometimes the reminders of what's required come early on in-game and teams - and their coaches - have the room and quality decision-making to sort matters out. Other times, it's a more fundamental realisation that more is needed, or a match where things simply won't go to plan. Barcelona are a good example of such, after the summer they've opted to embark upon and the fact they drew 0-0 at home with Rayo despite all that change and expense. Closer to home, Manchester United are another: Erik ten Hag perhaps couldn't comprehend the scale of alterations needed in pre-season, appreciating his players were doing as he expected but unable to judge that output against a full-tilt opponent in competitive action. Take, for example, United's 4-0 pre-season win over Liverpool. It naturally generated a heady mix of headlines and optimism, even though everybody should know by now that it counts for very little in reality. A full two games later and the Red Devils are rock bottom of the table after a trouncing by Brentford. But if Liverpool themselves weren't concerned in Thailand earlier this summer, their own expected improvements haven't fully materialised either. True, they've not lost, but the Reds have had to come from behind in both games so far and haven't been victorious. Two games in doesn't sound like much, but if the title remains the aim, that's already probably 21% of the points dropped they'll be permitted to miss out on all season. When the two clubs meet at Old Trafford on Monday night, there will be an awful lot at stake for both, well beyond three points and even the northwest rivalry. New faces and early opportunities There are plenty of detractors and critics when it comes to the transfer window closing a month into the season, and indeed to the concept of a transfer window at all. But one aspect of intrigue the present system does lend itself to is that of new faces coming in after a false start for teams: will they make an instant impact? Will they even make an instant start? Those questions are big ones for supporters of all kinds, from the season-ticket holders to those who just want to know for FPL reasons, and this weekend we'll see a big glut of attackers potentially make their presence known for the first time at their new clubs. West Ham's Gianluca Scamacca could be in line for a full Premier League debut after a midweek goal in Europe, while Nottingham Forest finally snared Morgan Gibbs-White on a club record fee. The attacking midfielder might have signed too late to start straight away, but it's interesting that Forest face Everton at the weekend - who tried to jump in on the deal very late on. Elsewhere, Wolves have scored a predictable one-in-two at the start of the campaign so Goncalo Guedes and Matheus Nunes are welcome offensive-minded additions, further swelling the club's ranks of Portuguese internationals. Questions of progression Back to Old Trafford and one question which keeps arising is: exactly how are they deciding which players they want? The latest central midfield chase looks like leading them to signing arguably the best of the lot they've been linked with - certainly the most proven at the top level - but it's not the name which is causing consternation. Rather, it's the progression of how they started off by wanting Frenkie de Jong, moved on to Adrien Rabiot and somehow ended up at Casemiro. What, precisely, is the common factor here? Other than being the massively generic term 'central midfielder', there's very little the trio share in terms of their in-game approach other than ball-carrying. Even that is done in remarkably different areas of the pitch, and for different match-contextual situations, in each of the three. Having Casemiro in the squad is absolutely no issue in and of itself, but is there a plan in place for what he's bringing? And if so, why wasn't his type the original request? What now of the schemer from deep which was the intended role of De Jong? It's yet more evidence of a total disconnect in the thinking and recruitment at Manchester United. Big clubs keen on top American talent One young American centre-back, who does not play in MLS, is making such a massive impression that most of the European competition-playing teams in the Premier League are "desperate" to sign him. Due to his age and rulings on signing overseas youngsters now, that may not prove possible for any of them - Benfica are among the other clubs who are also in the running. He's just the latest, and according to those who have followed his progression closely potentially the greatest, teenager eligible for the USMNT who have been carefully nurtured to ensure not just one transfer within Europe, but at least two - the sell-on fee from that second sale proving the big lure for clubs doing the original development work. Slow and steady doesn't always win the race Newcastle haven't perhaps spent as much as some people forecast, but so far the recruitment has been steady and, for the most part, impressive. It's in keeping with an intention for incremental improvement, though Eddie Howe would clearly like to add another forward, with Watford's Joao Pedro a main target. He would be a fine addition, but with the Hornets already having sold £20m Emmanuel Dennis to Nottingham Forest, they are in a stronger position to dictate terms with their other attackers - Ismaila Sarr being the third. Newcastle's careful approach will serve them well for the most part and Dan Ashworth is one of the best in the English game, but on occasions striking fast can certainly bring its benefits - had the Pedro deal been closed before the Dennis one, it may have been somewhat cheaper, and easier, to get over the line. Howe's teambuilding gets its first big test of the new season on Sunday when Newcastle host the champions, Man City.   Top stories [Raheem Sterling can thrive with extra ‘freedom’ in Chelsea’s evolving attack]( [Economic levers and buying players who can’t play: Explaining Barcelona’s unexplainable summer](   Karl's Dispatches Only a couple of weeks into the new season and already the injuries are starting to mount up for some teams - and on a wider-lens view, some nations. Any kind of three-month injury lay-off or similar sustained at the start of the campaign is frustrating, but far from the be-all and end-all usually...but this is 2022, and there's a World Cup looming large. Paul Pogba was thought to be at risk of missing out for France until he and Juventus opted for a more conservative approach to his injury than surgery, but he'll still need to return on time and have no setbacks to make it to Qatar. New teammate Angel Di Maria suffered a scare last week too, but tests revealed he should be back in weeks, not months. But there's no such luck for Sevilla's Jesus Corona, who suffered both a broken ankle and torn ligaments in training this week and he'll miss out entirely as a result, a key part of Mexico's team. Unfortunately, with the matches piling up and the timescale short, he'll be far from the last to do so.   Quote of the day "Gabby, he lost against us 6-0 in my first year. I couldn’t remember him as a mentality monster on the pitch. What he said about United on that show, I was close to calling in and telling him, you forgot completely that you have been a player. It was unbelievable." Jurgen Klopp does not think too much of Gabriel Agbonlahor's on-air opinions while listening to the radio   Reading the game quiz Ahead of Liverpool's trip to Manchester United, very few players represent both clubs. Name the four to have been on the books of both clubs, with at least one of those spells coming since 1990. (For example, Phil Chisnall would not count as he left United for Liverpool, but left Liverpool in 1966.) ([You can find out the answers here](. The answer page will be updated weekly and contains answers from previous newsletters, too)   INDYBEST /BEST SPORTS BUY](   11 best trail bikes that’ll help you tackle tough terrain We hunted down sets of wheels for both the uninitiated and regular riders alike and broken the reviews down into: frame, suspension, spec and overall ride. [Click here for our reviews](     Essential reading Qatar’s World Cup legacy has to go beyond a spectacular vanity project – but will it?](   [Contrasting styles in defensive rebuilds as Chelsea face Tottenham in season’s first top-four encounter]( //link.e.independent.co.uk/click/28782159.31241/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaW5kZXBlbmRlbnQuY28udWsvc3BvcnQvZm9vdGJhbGwvd2FsZXMtZ2FyZXRoLWJhbGUtdWtyYWluZS1hbmRyaXkteWFybW9sZW5rby1jYXJkaWZmLWIyMTEyMTEzLmh0bWw/583d2887487ccd777a8b7489Bbfa592fd   If you can spare a minute we’d love your [feedback]( on our newsletters. [The Independent]( Join the conversation or follow us [Facebook]( [Twitter]( Please do not reply directly to this email You are currently registered to receive The Independent's football newsletter. Add us to your safe list of senders. If you do not want to receive The Independent's football newsletter, please [unsubscribe](list_name=IND_Football_CDP). If you no longer wish to receive any newsletters or promotional emails from The Independent, you can unsubscribe [here](. This e-mail was sent by Independent Digital News and Media Ltd, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5HF. Registered in England and Wales with company number 07320345. Read our [privacy notice]( and [cookie policy](.