The Weekly Take, Issue 217: His Last Chance to Prove He Belongs

If someone had told me almost a year ago on the day when Romelu Lukaku signed for Chelsea that I would be writing this today, I would not have believed that person at all. However, that is exactly what has transpired.

When Lukaku returned to Stamford Bridge last August following two highly successful years at Inter Milan, many lauded it as a move which would further cement Chelsea as the favourites to go back-to-back in the Champions League. After all, the London club had just won the biggest prize in European club football without an elite centre-forward. With a player who had averaged 20 league goals per season over the past six campaigns leading the line, it was widely believed that despite the Blues' massive outlay of £97.5 million, the large sum paid to land the Belgian would be worth it.

Any such theory was rapidly proven false. Lukaku had the worst season of his career as a starting centre-forward, scoring a paltry eight league goals. More often than not, Lukaku proved to be a liability on the field. In addition, Lukaku's relationship with Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel was a tenuous one; the situation was not helped by Lukaku's open statements of his dissatisfaction with the club.

So abject was Lukaku's performance last season, especially relative to his transfer fee, that some have branded his signing by Chelsea "the worst signing of all time". Coupled with Lukaku's desire to return to the San Siro, it should have come as no surprise that Chelsea sent Lukaku on loan to Inter for the 2022-23 season.

However, this time around, Lukaku's arrival at Inter takes on a very different air to that of his first go-around at the club. When Lukaku joined Inter from Manchester United in 2019, he was viewed as a player who could perhaps become the world's best centre-forward or close to it under just the right system. That's exactly what he got at Inter. Lukaku torched defenses not only across Italy, but in continental tournaments as well. He was unsurprisingly selected as Serie A's Player of the Year in the 2020-21 season after scoring 24 league goals and leading Inter to a first league title since 2010.

Now, Lukaku returns to Inter with his career as a crossroads. This is almost certainly his last chance to prove that he still has what it takes to be regarded as an elite striker. Should he have another poor season, it may be time to close the book on his time at the top table. It should also be noted that Inter are no longer coached by Conte; it is now Simone Inzaghi at the helm. This means that Lukaku will no longer be able to benefit from the system in which he had been truly dominant.

In the context of his career as a whole, Lukaku's abject 2021-22 season was a complete anomaly. There were absolutely no signs leading up to that point which indicated that Lukaku would struggle as badly as he did. What made it even more baffling was the fact that it wasn't even an age-related decline. At 28, Lukaku should have been playing as though he was squarely in the midst of his prime.

That being said, now that he's back in familiar surroundings at a club for which he had so much success, there are no excuses left. The version of Lukaku last seen at Inter was a force of nature. Very few strikers in football history have combined power, athleticism, technical skill, and finishing ability in a body of that size. If Lukaku can somehow recapture the magic of his prior Inter stint, opposing defenders are in for a torrid time throughout the upcoming season.

However, if Lukaku once again flounders, it will mark one of the most abrupt ends to the peak years of any player of that calibre. If he is to cement himself as one of the "immortals" of this generation, he must prove that Chelsea was just a blip and that as he enters his career's second act, he has not yet lost a step.

Inter's Serie A and Champions League hopes as well as Lukaku's own legacy hang in the balance. The question is - which way will the balance tip?

The Weekly Take, Issue 216: The Biggest Transfer Heist in Years

Even though the off-season has barely even begun, some major transfers have already been made. Of these, one which has just been confirmed is of particular note simply because its transfer fee is far lower than just about anyone could have dreamed possible.

Sadio Mané has just left Liverpool to sign for Bayern Munich. The Senegalese star signed a three-year contract after Bayern paid a measly €32 million. To put this astonishingly low figure into perspective, the general consensus on a reasonable transfer value for Mané had been €70 million at a bare minimum. Even €100 million would not have been deemed an exorbitant price to part the forward from Anfield.

To make matters worse, Liverpool had just signed Darwin Núñez for €75 million. Almost everyone agrees that while Núñez certainly has the potential to emerge as a top-tier striker, that transfer fee will almost certainly turn out to be a massive overpay. Although the 22-year-old Uruguayan is fresh off a breakout season at Benfica in which he scored 26 goals in the Primeira Liga, the fact remains that he has not proven that he can continue playing at this level in a major European league for an elite club like Liverpool.

Liverpool have not made many mistakes in the transfer market in recent years; almost all their signings have been impactful and good value for money, while most of their departures were expendable and for reasonable prices. However, this cannot be said of the Mané transfer to Bayern at all. The Reds did not make much of an attempt to drive the transfer fee up to a justifiable point. Mané is too great a player and has done too much for Liverpool during his six-year stint in Merseyside for a fee of €32 million to be acceptable. Yet for whatever reason, Liverpool let Bayern get away with essentially blatant highway robbery.

There is much speculation that Mané personally pushed for this transfer in order to be seen as "The Man" instead of Mohamed Salah's "sidekick". This perception is unfortunate, given the fact that many would argue that Mané is every bit as good a player as is Salah. Thus, it would be perfectly understandable if it turned out that Mané forced Liverpool's hand in this matter.

The reality is that from what has been publicly revealed thus far, Mané's departure from Liverpool is still shrouded in mystery. There was almost no buzz surrounding the move until literally days before it actually happened. Do not be surprised if more information comes to light over the next few weeks.

As for Bayern, the arrival of Mané at the Allianz Arena is exactly what they needed. With the likely departure of club legend Robert Lewandowski to Barcelona, there will be a void to be filled up front. Mané is exactly the player that Bayern need to fill the impending chasm to be left behind. He will ensure that Bayern won't miss a beat if Lewandowski were, as expected, to leave Bavaria.

Incredibly, this is already Bayern's second signing in this off-season for which they have paid an amount far below the player's expected market value. They had already signed Dutch midfielder Ryan Gravenberch from Ajax for €18.5 million. At just 20, Gravenberch is a rising star who many believe will go on to become one of the world's best midfielders once he reaches his prime. Of course, Bayern's acquisition of Mané is of a completely different magnitude. For the time being at least, it makes Die Roten the team to beat in next season's Champions League.

From a tactical perspective, Mané's arrival grants Bayern even more flexibility up front. Although Bayern would lack a true centre-forward if Lewandowski were to leave, they have multiple viable "false nine" options including Leroy Sané, Serge Gnabry, Thomas Müller, and now Mané. For this reason, with or without Lewandowski, Bayern have the best attacking line-up in world football.

If I'd told you a few weeks ago that a €32 million transfer would have a colossal impact on the upcoming season, you probably wouldn't have believed me. Yet, here we are now - Bayern have pulled off an almost inconceivable transfer heist, making them the early favourites to win the Champions League.

The Weekly Take, Issue 215: End-of-Season Special: Top 10 Moments of the Season

Another enthralling season of European club football has wrapped up. No one can dispute that the 2021-22 seasons was full of twists, turns, highs, and lows - it was full of memorable moments that began even before opening kick-off.

Without further ado, the following are the 10 moments which I believe best encapsulate the most pivotal moments of the season which just concluded.

Lionel Messi signs for Paris Saint-Germain (August 10, 2021)

After months of speculation, Messi answered every question related to his future at Barcelona by ending his legendary stint at the Catalan club. Messi's decision to sign for PSG by way of a free transfer unsurprisingly unleashed shockwaves throughout the football world.

However, it would soon become apparent that age had finally caught up to the player many regard as the greatest ever. At 34, the Argentine looked a shell of the player he once was. His dismal play in the Champions League was a key reason why the French club were once again knocked out in the round of 16.

As Messi continues to age, it appears likely that this move will go on to be one which PSG as well as Messi himself will come to rue. Messi may just have thrown away the twilight of an iconic career.

Cristiano Ronaldo signs for Manchester United (August 31, 2021)

Almost as though he insisted on one-upping his career-long arch-rival, Ronaldo was involved in a blockbuster transfer of his own just three weeks after Messi's. Ronaldo's return to Old Trafford following three years at Juventus just about "broke the Internet"; additionally, following the signing, Ronaldo jerseys and merchandise sold at an unprecedented rate.

Unfortunately for Ronaldo, United, and their fans, reality would soon set in. Ronaldo was just about United's only bright spot in an otherwise horrendous season. Despite the Portuguese striker's best efforts, the Red Devils were not even close to the top four in the Premier League and bowed out of the Champions League in the round of 16.

Much like Messi, Ronaldo might very well end up finishing his career on a moribund, directionless team which is nowhere near contending for even domestic trophies, let alone the Champions League.

Xavi hired as Barcelona head coach (November 8, 2021)

Barça had endured an awful start to the season and had fallen as low as ninth in La Liga. Thus, it came as no surprised when the club fired head coach Ronald Koeman on October 28. To replace the Dutchman, Barça brought another club legend in Xavi into the dugout.

It wasn't long before the move began to pay off. Barça were soon back in top form and in the second half of the season, had a stretch when they won 13 out of 15 La Liga matches - a run which elevated them into second place in the league, where they would finish.

A season that began with such difficulty at Camp Nou ended with much optimism as Xavi established himself as one of the most promising young coaches in world football. While it's unlikely that his coaching career will be even nearly as successful as his playing career, he's nevertheless off to an excellent start.

Ole Gunnar Solskjær fired as Manchester United head coach (November 21, 2021)

Just like what happened at Barça, Manchester United fired a former club favourite who was now on the other side of the touchlines. After months of underwhelming results, the Norwegian was fired to the surprise of absolutely nobody.

However, unlike Xavi, Solskjær's replacement Ralf Rangnick was unable to steer the club in the right direction. United continued to flounder throughout the rest of the season; Rangnick would leave to take the same position with the Austrian national team.

In any case, regardless of Rangnick's lack of success at United, it was evident that Solskjær was never going to get it done. Solskjær was quite clearly out of his depth from day one.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang signs for Barcelona (February 2, 2022)

Barça's revival in the second half of the season cannot solely be credited to Xavi. After an alarming decline seemingly caused by age, Arsenal cut Aubameyang from the team, making him a free agent. Aubameyang went on to sign for Barça.

Astonishingly, Aubameyang had a personal turnaround of his own which mirrored Barça's. The Gabonese striker had scored just four goals in 14 Premier League matches prior to his transfer. After arriving in Catalonia, however, he notched 11 in 17 La Liga matches and became the driving force behind Barça's surge up the league table.

Everyone who had been calling Aubameyang "washed up" (myself included) was forced to eat crow. Even at the age of 33, he clearly has some fuel still left in the tank as the spearhead of an underrated front three.

Bayern Munich 7-1 Red Bull Salzburg (March 8, 2022)

This match was the embodiment of a "statement performance". After being stunningly held to a 1-1 draw in Austria, Bayern entered this match with one target in mind: to utterly crush their unheralded opponents after the shock of the first leg.

Crush their opponents they did - Bayern led 4-0 at halftime with Robert Lewandowski having scored a hattrick within just 23 minutes. The onslaught continued after the break; Thomas Müller and Leroy Sané added their names to the scoresheet.

Bayern's victory left absolutely no doubt in the minds of everyone watching - they were so obviously the team to beat in this season's Champions League. It would have to take something truly remarkable to stop them...

Real Madrid 0-4 Barcelona (March 20, 2022)

Due to their dreadful start to the La Liga season, even an El Clásico victory would not have made Barça a genuine contender to win the league. That being said, the events which transpired at the Santiago Bernabéu just about defied belief.

Aubameyang once again led Barça with two goals; Ronald Araújo and Torres added to Barça's tally. Xavi clearly outcoached his opposite number Carlo Ancelotti, who arguably outsmarted himself by fielding an unorthodox 4-2-4 formation.

Although Barça's victory had little impact on their season in the grand scheme of things, a one-sided win like that over their greatest rivals will surely be cherished by the Camp Nou faithful for many years to come.

Bayern Munich 1-1 Villarreal (April 12, 2022)

Remember when I said earlier that "(it) would have to take something truly remarkable to stop (Bayern)"? Well, this was exactly it. In probably the biggest upset of the season, Villarreal knocked Bayern out of the Champions League in the quarterfinals with this draw that gave Villarreal a 2-1 aggregate victory.

Although Samuel Chukwueze scored the decisive goal which put the Spanish club in the tournament's last four, the lion's share of the credit deservedly went to Villarreal head coach Unai Emery. Emery decisively won the tactical duel against Julian Nagelsmann - an outcome which very few expected.

Villarreal would be soundly beaten by Liverpool in the semifinals, but that of course does not detract from this incredible result in the slightest. It was the club's finest hour on the biggest stage of all.

Manchester City 3-2 Aston Villa (May 22, 2022)

This season's Premier League title race came down to the final matchday. With one match to be played, City led Liverpool by one point. As this match was being played, Liverpool were taking on Wolverhampton Wanderers at Anfield.

City's situation appeared dire when they fell two goals behind while Liverpool led Wolves at the same time. Then, within a five-minute span, everything changed. City scored thrice between the 76th and 81st minutes. Two of those goals were scored by substitute İlkay Gündoğan who in doing so permanently etched his name into the club's history.

This three-goal blitz propelled City back to the top of the league. Although Liverpool registered a 3-1 victory of their own, it would not be enough. City claimed their fourth Premier League title in the last five seasons.

Liverpool 0-1 Real Madrid (May 28, 2022)

This rematch of the 2017-18 final saw two clubs with a combined 19 European Cup/Champions League titles facing off. Vinícius Júnior scored the only goal of the match, giving Real their 14th Champions League title and fifth in the last nine seasons.

What made Real's Champions League triumph even more impressive was the difficulty of their path. They played against Inter Milan in the group stage, then PSG in the round of 16, followed by Chelsea, City, and Liverpool.

With the victory, Real head coach Ancelotti all but certified himself as the greatest coach in the history of football. With four Champions League titles to go with a myriad of other honours over a coaching career spanning over two decades, no one has a credible argument over the Italian anymore.

The Weekly Take, Issue 214: A Rebuild Coming to Its End?

The latest chapter of one of international football's most enduring, iconic rivalries ended in a stalemate.

During the second matchday of the 2022-23 UEFA Nations League, Germany and England played to a 1-1 draw at the Allianz Arena. Jonas Hofmann opened the scoring in the 50th minute to put Germany 1-0 ahead after previously having had a goal waived off for offside. Two minutes before the end of regulation time, Harry Kane would score the Three Lions' equalizer from the penalty spot shortly after having earned that same penalty when he was fouled by Nico Schlotterbeck. It was the England captain's 50th goal for his country.

Despite surrendering the victory in the closing stages, Die Mannschaft put together a solid overall performance. Germany controlled the tempo for the majority of the match through their large possession advantage. Their passing was on point throughout and they had more clear-cut goalscoring opportunities than did England. If their play against one of the favourites to win the World Cup later this year is anything to go by, Germany's rebuild after a difficult past few years might be ending soon as they return to their position at international football's top table.

A cursory look at the current German team shows that their greatest strength lies in their midfield. Joshua Kimmich, Jamal Musiala, and İlkay Gündoğan were among Germany's standout performers against England. Add in the likes of Leon Goretzka, and Julian Brandt and it becomes obvious that Germany's midfield will be one of the most formidable to take to the field in Qatar when November and December roll around.

Since replacing Joachim Löw as head coach in August last year after the underwhelming performances of his predecessor's team in the 2018 World Cup and 2020 European Championships, Hansi Flick has revitalized Germany in many ways. Just as he did during his tenure at Bayern Munich, Flick has placed a great deal of focus on high pressing. Flick's version of "Gegenpressing" also has both wing-backs (Germany typically use a 3-4-2-1 formation, hence the lack of traditional full-backs) often going forward in order to ease the burden on the attacking trio. Hofmann's goal against England as well as the build-up to it were evidence of these tactics in full flight.

That being said, if there are any question marks still remaining as they pertain to Germany, the attention must certainly be turned towards their strikers. Although Timo Werner, Kai Havertz, Serge Gnabry, and Leroy Sané are not scrubs by any means, none are truly elite. This could turn out to be an issue when facing some of the world's best defenses at the World Cup.

Germany's lack of a goalscorer of such a calibre was clearly shown in the qualifiers for the World Cup; despite scoring a whopping 36 goals over their 10 matches, no individual player scored more than five. This statistic is a double edged sword; while it speaks well of Germany's depth and strength in numbers, it also shows that they do not have a player who can truly say "give me the ball and get out of my way" when the stakes are at their highest.

With the World Cup approaching, Germany find themselves in a vastly different position than that of 2018. Burdened by the pressure of being reigning champions, Germany stunningly wilted under the expectations with losses to Mexico and South Korea and were knocked out in the first round for the first time since 1938. This time around, however, Germany are viewed as a team in transition and one who will be a tough out but not a true contender. That may actually end up working in their favour due to the relative lack of pressure on the team.

It may be true that Germany have not been handed the most favourable draw at the next World Cup. Spain, Japan, and (most likely) Costa Rica make for one of the more difficult of the eight groups. If Germany are to make a serious push for a record-equalling fifth World Cup title, the key fixture will be their match against Spain which could determine whether they finish first or second in the group. Finish second and they will likely play Belgium in the round of 16, which may result in another early exit. With a first-place finish, however, they do have a clear path to the semifinals; at that point, anything could happen.

The Weekly Take, Issue 213: Peaking at the Right Time?

The 2022-23 UEFA Nations League has now commenced; arguably the standout fixture of its first matchday was the latest edition of the Low Countries derby. Belgium hosted the Netherlands at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels. In a dominant performance, the Netherlands romped to a 4-1 victory over their favoured neighbours. Memphis Depay was the Oranje's standout performer with two goals; Steven Bergwijn and Denzel Dumfries also found themselves on the scoresheet. Belgian striker Michy Batshuayi's stoppage-time goal only served to slightly reduce the margin of victory.

With the 2022 World Cup now just a little over five months away, virtually no one seems to be giving the Netherlands any chance whatsoever of going all the way and bringing the biggest prize in world football to the country for the first time. This was largely the case because the Netherlands seemed rather unconvincing in their World Cup qualifiers, barely making it through a group in which Turkey and Norway were the biggest threats.

However, underestimating this Dutch team could prove to be a grave mistake. Not many realize it, but a World Cup victory in December is actually a plausible scenario. Beneath the surface lies a team with serious upside.

Although the Netherlands have, in my opinion, just one player who is a genuine superstar in Liverpool centre-back Virgil van Dijk, the team is incredibly deep and loaded with players in the tier just below elite. Players such as Frenkie de Jong, Depay, Matthijs de Ligt, Jasper Cillessen, Bergwijn, and Dumfries ensure that the Netherlands are stocked with quality starters at almost every position.

Following the Netherlands' underwhelming Euro 2020 campaign, former head coach and Oranje legend Frank de Boer stepped down in June 2021. This paved the way for Louis van Gaal to begin his third stint in that position for the Netherlands. While he has only presided over just a few matches during his current go-around, van Gaal brings a wealth of experience and tactical know-how - both of which his predecessor had very little. Notably, the last time van Gaal was in this position, he led the Netherlands to the semifinals of the 2014 World Cup and registered an iconic 5-1 victory over then-reigning champions Spain along the way.

The Netherlands' failure to qualify for both Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup as well as their subsequent exit in Euro 2020's round of 16 might actually work in their favour. They will be hungrier and more eager than ever before to prove that they belong at the top table of international football. As they have not made a significant impact in a major tournament for eight years, the Netherlands will unquestionably have more than their fair share of doubters. That being said, this team clearly has the personnel to silence these doubters.

The World Cup draw has been kind to the Netherlands; they have been gifted an absolute cupcake of a group. They have been drawn against Qatar, Ecuador, and Senegal in Group A. In the round of 16, their likely opponent will be either the United States or Wales; both are opponents which the Netherlands should easily dispatch. Their first real challenge should come in the quarterfinals, where they will probably face Argentina. Although the Netherlands would be likely to start this match as slight underdogs, it's not even close to a done deal in favour of the South Americans. The Netherlands certainly have a puncher's chance of at least matching their 2014 campaign and reaching the last four in Qatar.

It's true that recent history has seen the Netherlands go through some lean years. However, their crushing victory against Belgium might be evidence that they are hitting their stride at the perfect time. They might just be primed to break their slump on the international stage in the most spectacular manner possible.

Although the Netherlands have a history of coming up short in the World Cup, this could be the year that changes all of that. Thrice they have lost in the final and twice in the semifinals, often with ludicrously talented teams. That being said, while the current crop might not have the sheer star power of prior generations, do not be shocked if, when all is said and done, the World Cup trophy makes its way to the Netherlands at long last.