Fabian Delph is at World Cup 2018 on the back of an unlikely reinvention as a left-back under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.
The champions spent big money on full-backs last summer but injury to Benjamin Mendy saw the former Aston Villa man thrust into the side on the left side of a defence that was the tightest in the Premier League.
His performances earned him a place on the plane for Russia and while he did not feature in Monday’s 2-1 win over Tunisia – although there was a stage when he looked as if he would come on for the injured Dele Alli – he was incredibly impressive in the final pre-tournament friendly.
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So, we asked the fans whether they think he has more to offer in defence or midfield and while the results were tight, the majority backed Gareth Southgate to keep him in the engine room instead in the back four like Guardiola…
According to reports by Football.London, West Ham United and Lazio are still haggling over a transfer fee for Brazilian winger Felipe Anderson, as the transfer saga involving the 25-year-old drags on.
Football.London, via reports in Italy, say that the Serie A outfit are demanding another €4m for the wideman in a deal totalling €34m (around £30m) to get the transfer over the line, and negotiations between the two clubs look set to continue.
It is still looking likely that a move will eventually go through though, as new Irons boss Manuel Pellegrini, who has been urged to sign a 22-year-old World Cup star to replace the injured Manuel Lanzini, looks to hit the ground running during the 2018/19 campaign by adding some real quality to his squad.
So, how would signing the attacker truly impact the east London club? Football FanCast take a look at the potential consequences of the major summer deal for the Hammers…
West Ham play 4-4-2
Manuel Pellegrini has been known to play a 4-4-2 – or 4-2-2-2 – formation at some of his previous clubs, but with Marko Arnautovic, Lanzini and Javier Hernandez already in his squad and potential deals for Felipe Anderson and Javier Pastore said to be possible, it appeared Chilean was ready to play with just one striker and two attacking midfielders – similar to how David Moyes often set up.
However, the injury blow for Lanzini which will rule him out until 2019 may ensure Pellegrini sticks to what he knows best, and in Anderson and Arthur Masuaku he has the two perfect speedy and tricky wide players to utilise a 4-4-2.
Javier Hernandez gets on the goal trail
West Ham fans thought they had finally got the consistent goalscorer they’d long been searching for when they signed Hernandez from Bayer Leverkusen last summer, but the 30-year-old endured a difficult debut campaign at the London Stadium – struggling as a lone striker and often finding himself behind Marko Arnautovic in the pecking order.
However, adding Anderson out wide could ensure that former Manchester United man has more support and greater service than he perhaps did last term, and if gets starts there is no reason why he can’t score 15 Premier League goals – a big improvement on the eight he netted in 2017/18.
Michail Antonio wants out
The 5ft 11in tall winger wil have surely been frustrated about often being used as a right wing-back last season rather than in his preferred position on the right wing, and the 28-year-old will be hoping that the arrival of Pellegrini at the London Stadium proves a positive for him.
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However, the fact that the Chilean is targeting a club-record deal for Anderson – who would be a first-choice – suggests Antonio will be a substitute at best during the 2018/19 campaign, and that will likely be enough to convince him to seek a move away.
So, West Ham fans, do you think the signing of Felipe Anderson is a good thing? Let us know by voting below…
[brid autoplay=”true” video=”255853″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch West Ham’s opening fixtures for the 201819 Premier League season”]
Tottenham Hotspur fans are interested in signing Hirving Lozano this summer after impressive performances for Mexico at the World Cup.
The 22-year-old has been a key player in both of his country’s wins at the tournament in Russia so far, scoring the decisive goal against Germany before assisting another in Saturday’s 2-1 win over South Korea.
His performances for Mexico follow what was a huge 2017/18 season for the player, netting 19 goals in all competitions for PSV and assisting another eight more.
He is now primed to make a move to a bigger league and a bigger club.
With Spurs looking for depth to complement their already impressive attacking line-up, could Lozano be the perfect fit in Mauricio Pochettino’s squad and system?
Supporters have certainly been taking a close look at his performances at the World Cup so far, with some believing he could indeed flourish under the guidance of their Argentinian manager.
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They took to Twitter to share their thoughts this weekend…
One point from the first two games is a less-than-ideal start to the new campaign for Tottenham, who have significant ambitions this season after a summer of rebuilding under Mauricio Pochettino.
The North London outfit finished fifth last season and now have the ultimate goal of making inroads back into the Premier League’s top four and qualifying for next term’s Champions League.
There were positives in the 1-0 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford, while the first half of the team’s 2-2 draw against Stoke City was dominant. However, it has felt like the same old Spurs to some degree in both games. Against United, despite dominating possession and territory, the White Hart Lane outfit lost a silly goal against the run of play, which proved to be decisive.
A two-goal lead against the Potters wasn’t enough to give the team three points, with a disappointing capitulation in the second half resulting in a draw, with Stoke looking the more likely to get the win.
Most of the North London faithful will not have taken too many positives from the first two games of the season, but one of the major plus points should be the early season performances of Eric Dier. A versatile defender, the former Sporting Lisbon man’s future at the North London club was looking up in the air following the summer signing of Toby Alderweireld – with the Belgian partnered with former Ajax team-mate and compatriot Jan Vertonghen.
However, Pochettino used Dier in midfield during pre-season and has deployed the England under-21 star in the boiler room against United and Stoke. In both games, partnered with Nabil Bentaleb in the first fixture and Ryan Mason in the second, Dier was the standout in the position and outplayed the natural midfielders.
The strong youngster’s work-rate has been admirable, while his combative nature from playing as a defender has allowed him to him win his fair share of duels and headers. The most positive things about Dier’s showings have, ironically, been his positional play and ability on the ball – which could be excused by most due to his limited amount of time playing as a midfielder.
It was Bentaleb that gave away the ball for United’s goal, while Dier, not Mason, was the man to supply the team’s attacking stars against Stoke.
Last season youth academy graduates Bentaleb and Mason were Pochettino’s first choice in the heart of the side, with the promising duo looking like a pairing to grow together and drive the team forward.
This now looks unlikely to be the Argentine coach’s preference, as Dier has looked like a natural in his new role and has contributed both defensively and in the opposition half.
With the likes of Paulinho, Etienne Capoue, Benjamin Stambouli and Lewis Holtby all having left the North London club this summer, Spurs were looking light in options in central midfield.
Dier, however, has been as good as a new signing, with the young English star all-of-a-sudden a player that appears to have a starting berth in the team nailed down.
Arsenal’s players ventured off on their well-earned summer excursions following their successful dismantling of Aston Villa at Wembley to earn FA Cup silverware for the second consecutive season.
An impressive resurgence during the second half of the season offered Arsenal supporters renewed optimism, with many expecting a stronger title tilt coming into the 2015/2016 campaign.
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Expectations were heightened further following Petr Cech’s signing from city rivals Chelsea as Arsenal made spectacular early inroads in the summer window. With rumours rife that Arturo Vidal was to arrive at the Emirates from Champions League finalists Juventus, it started to appear that this could be the year where Arsenal were about to end their 12-year wait for League success.
Further speculation was flying around that Wenger wanted to bring in a world-class striker. Star names such as Karim Benzema, Robert Lewandowski and Alexandre Lazacette were banded around the press as Arsenal supporters appetites whettening further.
However, no marquee signings were made. In fact, no more players were to arrive in North London.
Manchester City’s total net spend was well in excess of £100 million, while fellow heavyweights Manchester United and Chelsea spend was in excess of £30 million.
Of the £850 million spent on recruiting players in the Premier League, the Gunners contribution of £10 million to that figure looks rather meagre.
Although I appreciate that transfer figures are ridiculously inflated and seldom are players bought for their actual worth, you just can’t help but feel that Arsenal missed the transfer boat completely this summer.
Olivier Giroud’s inauspicious start to the season has served as a vindication that Arsenal’s decision not bring in a top quality striker to bolster their attack to be injudicious.
Now it seems to me that Wenger’s reasoning for not summoning funds from the Arsenal hierarchy is that the current crop he has at his disposal are capable of challenging for the league without the need of a lending hand from new signings.
However, the Frenchman’s justification has already been rendered void on reflection of his side’s discouraging start.
The Gunners have only two recognised forwards in their entire squad, with one of those being an out of sorts Giroud.
Theo Walcott has shown glimpses of quality, but signs of naivety are still there to be seen. Although Walcott netted in the victory over Stoke, he was guilty of missing a string of chances which fortunately for Arsenal, came at no significant cost.
It would be unfair to single out Walcott and Giroud as Arsenal’s wastefulness in front of goal doesn’t simply boil down to their off-form forwards. Their shortcomings in front of goal are highlighted by the fact they have only scored five goals out of an astonishing 121 efforts on goal in their six Premier League matches to date.
With two of those Gunners goals coming courtesy of the opposition, it means that the three goals scored by Arsenal players have come at a conversion rate of 2.4%, a damning indictment of Wenger’s failure in the window.
Meanwhile in Bavaria, reported summer target Lewandowski came off the bench for Bayern Munich on Tuesday against Wolfsburg and terrorised them in clinical fashion, scoring five goals in 15 second half minutes to show why he is one of the most coveted striker’s across Europe.
With a five-point gap already separating Arsenal and Manchester City at the summit, there is serious concern that Arsenal could be left in a similar situation to last season, where any chance of a Premier League challenge is precluded by Christmas.
Arsenal welcome Manchester United to the Emirates a week on Saturday, who possess arguably the biggest gamble of the transfer window in their ranks in French teenage prodigy Anthony Martial.
A player whose transfer fee was heavily scrutinised before he even got a kick, has already demonstrated that he is fast becoming one of the world’s most clinical finishers. Having scored three goals in 100 minutes of Premier League football showcases just why it is sometimes worth abandoning a conservative approach in the transfer market in order to unearth a gem.
Arsenal’s frugality in the window may look healthy from a financial perspective, but it certainly looks detrimental from a footballing one.
I’m not entirely sure an FA Cup and a fourth place finish will cut the mustard with Arsenal supporters this time around.
All going well for Arsenal, challenging towards the top of the Premier League and beating the seemingly invincible Bayern Munich by two clear goals.
Arsenal are perhaps the most stylish club in England, carving themselves a reputation as a home to some of the slickest, most stylish players on the continent. Some of the most naturally gifted, effortless footballers in the world operate at the Emirates, and you can imagine they relish living in London.
Hugely talented footballers living in one of the world’s greatest cities, earning ridiculous amounts of money week in, week out is likely to mean they have some rather luxurious wives and girlfriends.
As if you thought Arsenal player’s lives could barely get any more enviable, wait until you see the women they attract. The Gunners are clearly firing on all cylinders, things we can only dream about.
Here are the FIVE best Instagram accounts of WAGs involved with Arsenal players…
Lauren Neal (Jack Wilshere)
A photo posted by @laurennealarmy on Sep 7, 2014 at 4:07pm PDT
Many Capristo (Mesut Ozil’s ex)
A photo posted by Mandycapristofashion (@mandycapristofashion) on Apr 7, 2015 at 3:00am PDT
Colleen Ramsey (Aaron Ramsey)
A photo posted by Colleen Ramsey (@colleen_ramsey) on Jul 27, 2015 at 12:15pm PDT
Laia Grassi (Alexis Sanchez)
A photo posted by Laia Grassi (@laiyls) on Oct 5, 2015 at 11:06pm PDT
Lorena Arterta (Mikel Arteta)
A photo posted by Lorena Bernal (@lober99) on Jul 26, 2014 at 6:48am PDT
Since first arriving at the Boleyn Ground in the summer of 2014, Senegal’s Cheikhou Kouyate has certainly gone down as a strong standout favourite among the Upton Park faithful.
Via his forceful performances in the middle of the park, keen prowess when running at defenders with tenacious style, as well as his impressive ability to crop up with the odd important goal here and there, the 25-year-old midfielder has most definitely achieved a promising start to his career among the English top-flight.
However, with the vast competition for places currently circulating among Salven Bilic’s squad at West Ham, players like Kouyate seemingly aren’t guaranteed a solid role in their manager’s starting XI with every passing week. The Hammers are doing their best to move on from the days of Sam Allardyce by crafting a well-balanced squad that could potentially take on many different forms and approaches as the 2015/16 campaign plays out.
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So then, with Alex Song likely returning to the first team fold at Upton Park sooner rather than later, should Bilic consider dropping Cheikhou Kouyate in the not too distant future?
Although selection head-aches can often prove a positive thing for any top-flight manager looking to do the business with his side domestically, the one currently served on Slaven Bilic’s plate remains rather tricky to say the very least.
The Croatian tactician usually opts to play two holding players with three attacking outlets placed directly ahead of them within his traditional five man midfield. With the likes of Mark Noble, Cheikhou Kouyate, Pedro Obiang and Alex Song all seemingly vying for the same spot two spots at Upton Park, some members of the current Hammers squad will admittedly have to be let down when push comes to shove.
As the newly installed captain of West Ham in the club’s last ever season at the Boleyn Ground, Mark Noble simply can’t be dropped from the first team fold under Bilic any time soon. The long-term favourite among the Upton Park faithful clearly represents the most ardent leader within the Hammers set-up. Although he admittedly has his own respective shortcomings, Noble ultimately represents a player very few West Ham fans would want to see missing from the starting XI.
Yet now former Arsenal star and current Barcelona loanee – Alex Song – is fast approaching his much anticipated return to first team action for the Hammers, Bilic seemingly finds himself with another central-midfield option who can’t be dropped to the subs bench either. Song is undoubtedly one of the most technically gifted players of his kind operating at the Boleyn Ground this term, so he also can’t miss out if West Ham want to continue their fine start to the 2015/16 campaign.
Cheikhou Kouyate therefore seems the most likely name to make way for the former Cameroonian international upon returning to the starting XI. Although Kouyate remains a Hammers favourite for all his exploits in claret & blue, the former Anderlecht man has in-fact drifted out of several key matches this season – especially against the lower ranked Premier League sides. The 25-year-old giant midfield enforcer hasn’t yet managed to establish the perfect working relationship with Mark Noble in the middle, as both players seemingly overlap one-another.
However, whilst such an evaluation would have certainly made sense just a few short days ago, news of Dimitri Payet’s potential three month lay-off could well scrap all of Slaven Bilic’s previous plans. The Hammers boss may now look to playing three central midfielders in light of Payet’s upcoming absence, with just two attacking options ahead of his enforcers in the middle of the park.
The likes of Manuel Lanzini and Victor Moses could well keep their places within the starting XI behind Diafra Sakho up-top, leaving each of Mark Noble, Alex Song and Cheikhou Kouyate in place to keep things solid for the time being. Although the loss of Dimitri Payet will certainly prove a big one for the Hammers, Bilic at least has a vast degree of options available to him that many other Premier League managers would love to call their own.
Therefore, whilst Cheikhou Kouyate perhaps deserved a little time off in light of his fluctuating performances this season, the Senegalese battler could well maintain his spot in Slaven Bilic’s first team plans now that the Hammers must push on without their star man on board.
At the peak of his powers Paul Scholes was underappreciated to say the least.
He was the finest midfielder of his generation, the complete player and remarkably loyal to his beloved Manchester United. If anything, Scholes became a victim of his own meekness. He wasn’t a club captain like Steven Gerrard or a celebrity like David Beckham. Scholes was the humble genius, a superstar only in the eyes of megastars such as Zinedine Zidane and Cristiano Ronaldo.
N’Golo Kante, like Scholes, is short in stature; at 5ft 5 inches he is one of the shortest players in the Premier League. His achievements this season have been overlooked due to the rise of Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez, the two men accredited with Leicester City’s phenomenal season so far.
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The Foxes are top of the league; it’s quite a turn around when you consider their position this time last year before Kante had arrived at the club. Now Leicester are considered to be title contenders, assuming the goals of Vardy and the tricks of Mahrez don’t dry up.
However, Leicester need to also pray that Kante stays in top form – he may not make the headlines or break the records but his contribution is vital to the team.
A parallel can be drawn with Scholes and United. The likes of Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney were favoured by the sponsors and the PFA, although the man who mattered most, Sir Alex Ferguson will tell you, was Scholes.
Kante’s tenacity on the pitch and eye for a pass reminds me of Paul Scholes between the years 1998 and 2004, when he was a box-to-box midfielder. If Kante can add goals to his game he can be every bit as good as Scholes was back then.
At a time when Leicester are enjoying their greatest run in Premier League history, Kante prefers to play without a fuss, there has been little mention of him in the media this season, perhaps he will only be valued after Leicester’s successful season comes to a grinding halt. It seems, as a footballing nation, England has only come to appreciate Paul Scholes since he has retired.
Therefore City need to take advantage of what they have, all the best teams need their unsung heroes, just look at the demise of the Galaticos after Claude Makelele was sold. He was the player who made Madrid tick, although his commercial clout wasn’t as great as many other potential suitors, therefore Real let him go.
Kante has been so good this season that Leicester fans have forgotten about the absence of another former Galactico, Esteban Cambiasso. The Argentine midfielder was influential in Leicester’s great escape at the end of last season.
It remains to be seen whether N’Golo Kante will be instrumental in Leicester’s title glory this season, although one thing is for sure, his contribution will be sorely under-appreciated.
You don’t have to be an insider to know that Pep Guardiola is more than likely on his way to Manchester City this summer. The Bayern Munich coach has announced the fact he will leave Bavaria at the expiration of his contract, saying he plans to work in the Premier League.
Though he’s backtracked somewhat, in saying it could now be TWO years until he lands on these shores, there is still a lingering feeling a deal has been put in place to install him at the Etihad this summer.
Manuel Pellegrini is of course still in charge, with a contract until 2017, but few expect the Chilean to actually see that deal out. A little harsh perhaps, but the 64-year-old will leave Manchester with his reputation boosted and at least two trophies to his name.
To be fair, if he can’t win the Premier League, without the challenge of Chelsea, with the amount of money he spent in the summer, maybe the former Malaga and Real Madrid chief should indeed depart.
Also, can you really blame the movers and shakers at Man City? This is Pep Guardiola, not just your run of the mill manager. Should they fail to act now, the 44-year-old will no doubt have lucrative overtures emanating out of Old Trafford, Stamford Bridge and perhaps even the Emirates.
If that isn’t sound enough logic for you, here’s FIVE reasons Man City should do everything in their power to land Pep Guardiola…
WORLD DOMINATION
Bosses at Manchester City can’t be content with the way things currently stand. Considering the sheer amount of investment they’ve pumped into all aspects of the club, they are still some way off being considered major players in the Champions League.
Their tribulations in the competition are well documented and no manager is better placed to deliver the Holy Grail. Having lifted it twice in his days with Barcelona, the 45-year old tactician is rightly considered to be one of the best coaches to ever enter the competition, and could easily add a third title while with Bayern Munich.
Manuel Pellegrini has finally won a group stage for the club, who face a tricky, but enviable, second round tie with Dinamo Kyiv. However, Guardiola’s nous within its frameworks are exactly the kind of attributes required to finally make City genuine contenders.
LEAGUE STANDING
Football – Manchester City v West Ham United – Barclays Premier League – Etihad Stadium – 11/5/14Manchester City’s Vincent Kompany (C) celebrates with the trophy and team mates after winning the Barclays Premier League Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Carl RecineLivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/leagu
Though Manchester City have won two titles within four years, it’s hard to truly argue they’ve ever been looked upon in the same light at Chelsea or Manchester United in their pomp. While no doubt entertaining, their title wins have come in dramatic circumstances late on into the season.
For City to really push on and be considered genuine contenders, they need to win a league in a similar fashion to the likes of the teams managed by Sir Alex Ferguson and Jose Mourinho. Guardiola, who has won the Bundesliga convincingly with Bayern Munich in both of his full seasons, will more than likely do so again.
A dominant display throughout the season would do wonders for the club, to exert their power over their opponents. Despite Chelsea’s capitulation since their coronation, they exuded power for large parts of the season last year and looked at times utterly unbreakable.
The legendary Spanish coach could finally make the saying ‘typical City’ a thing of the past.
DOMESTIC DOMINANCE
Football – Manchester City v West Ham United – Barclays Premier League – Etihad Stadium – 11/5/14Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini celebrates with the trophy after winning the Barclays Premier League Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Carl RecineLivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player pu
Though much of the club’s attention appears to be focused on winning the Champions League, it’s easy to forget the side have never won the league and FA Cup double. Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United all managed this feat on numerous occasions in their most supreme reigns over English football.
Granted, they won the League Cup two seasons ago during their second title win, though the prestige of winning the major cup and lasting the distance in the Premier League still eludes them. Again, Guardiola has achieved that in both Germany and Spain, giving him one of the best CVs in Europe.
FIGUREHEAD OF THE PROJECT
Spanish football expert Guillem Balague has previously claimed the Manchester City project ‘is one of the biggest projects and football clubs in the world’. Whether it be their plethora of huge name stars, global brand or their impressive youth development behind the scenes, it seems City are hell bent on creating a world class facility from the ground up.
‘He could have the effect that Alfredo Di Stefano did at Real Madrid or Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United or Arrigo Sacchi at Milan if he was given the opportunity at City.’
It’s taken a while for the club to find their feet as a financial powerhouse. They missed out on Champions League qualification for a while, won the title in the most dramatic of ways, failed to push on and then won it again only to surrender it to Jose Mourinho.
Clearly, coming to terms with their new found riches hasn’t been the easiest of transitions. Appointing Guardiola, who has a wealth of experience imposing his work on some of the biggest clubs in world football, finally gives them a boss with the pedigree required to head up such an impressive project.
No disrespect to Pellegrini, who has steadied the ship since Roberto Mancini, but the Chilean is not the elite, charismatic man to be both the face and the brains of where Manchester City want to be.
THE HERE AND NOW
As much as Pep Guardiola would do off the pitch, for the standing of the club and the youth academy, the work he would do with some of their current star players is a truly mouth-watering prospect.
The fluid free-flowing football he is so famous for would truly bring out the best in the likes of Sergio Aguero, David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne. This season, City have somewhat chugged along without every really playing that well, more relying on the individual brilliance on some of their stars.
However, Guardiola’s meticulous planning work on the training pitch, for which he is renowned, could elevate such players into the levels some of the Barcelona and Bayern stars under the stewardship of the Spaniard were playing at.
For England fans too, the mere prospect of Raheem Sterling crafting his trade under the Catalan icon is enough to get excited about.
The agent of Carlos Bacca has revealed that his client is very happy at AC Milan amid interest from Europe’s top clubs, according to reports from Football Italia.
Bacca was heavily linked with a move away from the San Siro during the January transfer window, with Bayern Munich and Chelsea reportedly keen on the striker.
However, Bacca’s agent Sergio Barila told MilanNews that the Colombia international has no intention of leaving the Rossoneri, claiming that his client is very happy with his current situation.
“It’s nice that so many clubs in Europe are following him,” he said.
“It’s normal when these teams are looking for a great striker for next season. Bacca is one of the best strikers in the world, but he has a contract with Milan.
“He’s very happy with the Rossoneri, he’s concentrated on the Coppa Italia final and the last few games of the season.
“With the Coppa final he has the chance to win a trophy and that makes him happy. He also wants to lead the team into Europe next season.
There was speculation that Carlo Ancelloti, who will take over Pep Guardiola at Bayern in the summer, wants to bring the 29-year-old to the Allianz Arena, but Barila continued to play down the interest.
He added: “Does Ancelotti want him? I don’t want to create controversy, I’ll just say that many teams like Bacca without mentioning one in particular because I don’t want to start a controversy.”
Chelsea, meanwhile, were looking for a centre-forward to help shoulder the burden on Diego Costa, and while being linked to Bacca, opted for the cheaper option in ex-Milan man Alexandre Pato instead.
Bacca has made 31 appearances in all competitions this season, scoring 15 goals.