Why is it that when watching Paul Pogba play for Manchester United it’s like watching a totally different player from the one who plays for France?

Why does he excel in one system far more than the other?

Pogba fulfills a different role for club than he does for country. For France, he’s praised as a creative leader playing a vital role on France’s World Cup-winning squad. For club, he’s lambasted as an incompetent hack at the root of Man United’s woes.

His United salary shows that the club see his potential, but why bring him back if his key strengths aren’t fully utilized? He’s proven that he has the ability to change the momentum of play. Sadly, Mourinho will be the reason Pogba will never reach his peak at United.

Here’s why.

Mourinho is notorious for his defensive tactics that have proven to work over the years. He stresses the importance of game management through defensive shape with emphasis on the central midfielders. He usually lines up his side in a 4-3-3, which transitions to a 4-5-1 for the majority of the match. It’s basically the least attacking 4-3-3 in world football.

Pogba, in particular, plays on the left side of the three midfielders. His main role is defending. He’s not Paul Scholes. His strength isn’t sitting back and pinging pinpoint long balls. But that’s how he’s used. Mourinho handcuffs Pogba to his defensive duties, which makes him tentative to get forward and create.

SEE MORE: Schedule of Man United games on US TV and streaming

And it’s not just Pogba. The entire team is hesitant to attack. Unfortunately, when a team is overcome with fear during a match, their reaction is to play to not lose rather than to win.

For France, Pogba is given freedom to roam the pitch creating chances. Didier Deschamps lines up France in a 4-2-3-1 with Mbappé pushing up as an extra forward and Matuidi tucking in from the left to help defensively. This gives Pogba license to push forward, actively creating rather than sitting behind midfield trying to create. He thrives when he is amongst the forwards playing one-twos in and around the penalty area. He was such an important player for France during the World Cup because he not only defended, but was able to push forward and form chances. Watching his body language, it’s evident that Pogba dreads returning to England to play for Mourinho where he knows he can’t play to his strengths.

There’s an interesting quote in Sir Alex Ferguson’s book Leading that’s relevant to how Mourinho has negatively affected his players:

“If you look at all my teams, it was evident that they enjoyed playing and they tended to express themselves in an uninhibited fashion. People do not do that if they are quaking in their boots or if their boss has made them afraid of their own shadows. If that had been the case at United, people would have seen a team that concentrated on avoiding defeat rather than winning.”

This is how United play under Mourinho. They’re boring to watch because they have no flair, they have no passion and they’re not having fun, which all comes down to the tactics of their manager.

Mourinho no longer instills fear in the opponents. He instills it in his own players.

Heading into the World Cup, the Russians ranked 70th in the world, making them the worst ranked team in the tournament. They were also winless in seven friendlies leading up to the World Cup. Making them a long shot to advance out of the weakest group.

And this makes what they accomplished that much more impressive. Kick-starting the tournament with eight goals in two games instilled hope in the Russian squad. They were determined to prove the world wrong and their performances gave them a reason to believe.

How did they do it?

After beating Saudi Arabia and Egypt, Russia lost to Uruguay 3-0 in the last match of the group stage. Affirming what pundits had estimated weeks earlier: Russia simply can’t handle the big guns.

Granted they were resting some of their key players against Uruguay and went down to 10 men with 10 minutes left in the first half. Still, it was an underwhelming performance against a stronger opponent heading into the round of 16.

Just when most critics assumed Russia had come to the end of their Cinderella run, they defeated La Roja in penalties and dragged Croatia into another penalty shootout. In fact, some might argue they deserved a bit more after equalizing in the 115th minute.

The question is how? Exactly how did a team ranked below Guinea and Mali (and just one spot ahead of Macedonia!) come so close to reaching the World Cup’s Final Four?

First, Russia set up in a 4-2-3-1. It’s important to remember the significance placed on Alan Dzagoev as a key player in the #10 role before the tournament started. But ironically, if Dzagoev hadn’t limped off with a severe hamstring injury in the 22nd minute of the first match against Saudi Arabia, Russian manager Stanislav Cherchesov may not have made the strategic changes to his lineup — changes that proved to be pivotal in their success.

Denis Cheryshev, a La Liga player who’s naturally a winger, subbed on for Dzagoev after the injury. Cheryshev pushed out wide to the left with Aleksander Golovin tucking in to the #10 role.

That’s when Russia started to click

Cheryshev scored 20 minutes later, at the 43’, and again in the 91st. While Golovin got in on the act in the 94th after a brilliant free-kick to make it 5-0 vs the Saudis, who ranked just a few spots higher than the hosts heading into the World Cup.

Another key point in that first match was when 6-foot-4 Artem Dzyuba subbed on for Fedor Smolov in the 70th minute. Dubbed “The Russian Peter Crouch,” Dzyuba not only scored with his first touch of the ball one minute later in the 71st (assisted by Golovin), but he showed how important he was in hold-up play. His ability to hold the ball up then lay it off or knock balls down with his head provided Russia with a more direct style of play, which turned out to be their identity throughout the World Cup.

While it usually isn’t ideal, Russia were figuring out their best lineup on the go with the first match serving as a massive learning curve for everyone. But while the starting players weren’t etched in stone, the tactics implemented by Cherchesov were consistent

Russia’s 4-2-3-1 saw them attack on the wings while retaining their shape in the middle of the park. Going forward, the wing backs in Yury Zhirkov/Fedor Kudryashov (LB) and Mário Fernandes (RB) pushed high up the pitch, overlapping the wingers to offer attacking options while the two defensive midfielders stayed back for protection from counters.

The wingers would consistently pull inside underneath the striker (Dzyuba) to allow the wing backs to overlap while the attacking midfielder (Golovin) roamed the pitch, either peeling out wide to create space for the striker and putting crosses into the box, or tucking in centrally to serve as the stem for attacking chances and to receive any knockdowns.

Defense, defense, defense

Defensively, Russia prevented opponents from beating them centrally. They moved exceptionally well together as a unit, quickly closing any gaps in the middle. A tactic clearly seen in their match against Spain. Whenever the ball was switched to open up pockets of space in the midfield, Russia would quickly transition side to side to prevent any holes to pass through. This allowed them to win the ball on the wings and immediately get it to their target man, Dzyuba, to spark a counter attack.

This style of play required them to run, a lot. Just check out the distance covered, over 90 minutes, from each player. Over the first two games alone, three Russian players ran more than any other player in the World Cup. According to The Telegraph, Aleksandr Golovin, Alexander Samedov and Iury Gazinsky ran 11,853 (m), 11,679 (m) and 11,392 (m), respectively. Russia ran a combined 73 miles in their first match against Saudi Arabia, then 71 miles against Egypt, again, far more than anybody else.

They either based their World Cup preparation around fitness or adrenaline set in as they fed off the energy of the home crowds. Or, as some have suggested, was it something else?

Regardless, it’s clear that Russia formed an identity for themselves, making it extremely difficult for opponents to break them down and pouncing on every attacking opportunity. The result: They vaulted a whopping 47 spots in the world rankings — from 70th to 23rd — and surely made their fellow citizens proud.

Hats off to Mourinho for this accomplishment.

But if a casual football fan sat down and watched an entire United match this season, they’d surely be scratching their heads or falling asleep. At the very least, they’d wonder how they finished so high in the table.

It’s a straightforward query: How on earth did Manchester United finish in second place? Yes, they have a squad stocked with talent. But the eyeball test leaves something to be desired.

Playing not to lose

The reality is that Mourinho’s tactics completely revolve around defense. It’s about not conceding goals. Forget about winning. Let’s play not to lose.

Unfortunately, for the fans and players, this strategy restricts his more talented players from pushing forward and creating chances. This presents a problem. When Man United are in possession of the ball, it often appears as if they have no plan going forward.

No runs in behind, rarely any one-twos. Mostly, it’s talented players standing around. Every pass is either sideways or backwards to “find a gap.” But when no one is making runs, no gaps open up. The result: A lack of motion and scarcity of energy.

Each player is disciplined to their position. They’re almost fixed to a point where they’re not able to leave a particular area of the pitch. The forwards and wingers rarely make interchangeable, crossing runs to confuse the opposition’s defense because they’re fixated on what the lineup should look like on paper.

Playing under restraint means wins in the Premier League

To his credit, Mourinho has found a way to produce results. Remarkably, the Reds haven’t conceded more than two goals in the entirety of the season — in all competitions — and have only allowed 28 goals in the Premier League. Only one behind Manchester City.

Take Pogba, for example. Arguably the most creative player on the team, his primary concerns are his defensive duties rather than creating chances in the attacking third. Mourinho uses the Frenchman as a defensive midfielder, eliminating an avenue of opportunity.

They also lead the league in clean sheets with 18, thanks in great part to David De Gea.

The Spaniard has made an astounding 115 saves in the Premier League alone this season. The fifth most behind Jack Butland for Stoke (relegated), Lukasz Fabianski for Swansea (relegated), Jordan Pickford for Everton (8th), and Mat Ryan for Brighton (14th).

De Gea’s saves he’s produced this year are on par with or better than almost every team in the bottom half or in a relegation battle.

So while De Gea has been peppered with shots, Manchester United have made 19,604 passes, the least of any club in the top six. They’ve also cleared the ball 830 times, the most of any of the top six clubs.

Again, props to Mourinho for a second-place finish and the chance to win the FA Cup on May 19. But the sparkle Man United once had under Ferguson has almost completely fizzled out by this point.

Their last match against an offensively challenged West Ham United is a prime example. He brought on two defenders in the last two minutes of the game to protect a draw rather than trying to score a late winner.

This scenario is exemplary. Mourinho is satisfied with a point. It’s the reason why his team plays with a lack of confidence, a dearth of energy and a penchant for passiveness.

Manchester City failed to win the title at the Etihad against their crosstown rivals but the highly anticipated Manchester Derby did not fail to disappoint. Some could say Man United showed glimpses of the glory days under Sir Alex Ferguson as they clawed their way back from 2-0 down portraying great tenacity and drive.

For much of this season, the Manchester United players have lacked passion and creativity due to Mourinho’s tactics, which made this comeback especially meaningful for United fans.

After two first half goals from Vincent Kompany and İlkay Gündoğan, it looked as if City were in the driver’s seat and headed towards a much-deserved Premier League title. But United were not going to be embarrassed. Like a bolt of lightning, Man City never saw it coming.

With the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinal approaching against Liverpool, Pep fielded a starting 11 without four key players: Sergio Agüero, Kevin De Bruyne, Kyle Walker and Gabriel Jesus. It’s fair to say Man City fans were hoping for the usual dominant lineup that they had gone out with for the majority of the season but up until the second half, this lineup was working brilliantly.

United lined up in a 4-3-3 with their usual starting 11 including Paul Pogba, who has been receiving criticism as of late due to his lackluster performance against Sevilla. There is no question about his technical ability when on the ball but the criticism stems from his poor defensive abilities.

Sky Sports pundit Graeme Souness stated that “[Pogba] doesn’t understand the role when not in possession.” But Pogba is given a role under Mourinho that he struggles with as a defensive midfielder. He thrives as the creative spark in the team, which he beautifully displayed in the second half of the derby.

How did Man City dominate the first half?

They were given too much time on the ball and were allowed to play their game.

David Silva was able to dictate the play, as he so often does.

Playing as the #9, Sterling was given a free roam role and was constantly changing positions with Bernardo Silva and Gündoğan, which opened up channels. One would drop deep, one would peel out wide and one would stay central.

The Man United defenders were confused. Chris Smalling and Eric Bailly in particular, were pulled out of position multiple times, which left pockets of space in behind.

SEE MORE: Man City-Man United derby delivers 1.7 million viewers to break all-time US TV record

So how exactly did Manchester United come back from two goals down against the league’s best team to snatch a derby victory?

They came out attacking and immediately put City on the back foot.

Mourinho finally disregarded his defensive tactics and allowed his players to push forward.

They switched to a 4-2-3-1, pushing Pogba into the #10 role while Alexis and Lingard tucked in a bit more to allow overlapping runs from the outside backs.

The front four of Lukaku, Alexis, Pogba and Lingard were constantly switching positions to create the same confusion for the Man City defense that United felt in the first half.

The way United came out in the second half showed their attacking capabilities and just how dangerous they can be. As soon as Pogba was given the nod to attack he scored two goals in two minutes to get United back into the game. It is extremely disappointing that Mourinho handcuffs his players by focusing so much on defense.

United are absolutely filled with attacking talent and need to be given the same freedom they had in the second half of the derby in every single match. Hopefully Mourinho sees this more clearly and starts to play more creative football but his stubbornness may prevent that from ever happening.

Having been to Premier League games in the past, I was looking forward to expanding my football experience by attending a Championship in London and comparing that to my experience at bigger clubs in the top flight. Environment, venue and facilities, fan passion, style of play, talent level – just how different is a Championship match from one in the Premier League?

After a near 9-hour flight from Atlanta to London and a day of exploring the area surrounding our flat near the Edgware Road Underground Station, I started preparing myself for the Millwall against Brentford game on March 10 at the notorious Lion’s Den in Southeast London. I familiarized myself with each team’s roster and lineup, did some research on the managers, and reviewed the table and recent results.

Both based in London, Millwall and Brentford sit less than fifteen miles apart and this season they’re separated by only a few points in the table, making this match particularly meaningful.

On matchday, we took the Underground from Edgware Road to Embankment station where we enjoyed a couple of seriously good cold-pressed juices from a stand right outside the station. Juices in hand, we crossed the River Thames on the Golden Jubilee Bridge, then ambled along the Queen’s Walk, winding through the thick crowd of tourists, past the London Eye and London Aquarium, before heading back across the Thames on Westminster Bridge with its view of Parliament and Big Ben.

An hour or so before kickoff, we ducked into Westminster station where we jumped on a Jubilee Line train headed to the Canada Water station in Surrey Quays, a 20-minute walk from The Den. As we emerged from the station, we knew we were in the right place as we came across a small but rowdy group of navy-and-white clad Millwall fans.

We navigated our way through a supermarket parking lot that emptied us out into residential neighborhoods near Southwark Park.

After 15 minutes (and a few wrong turns), we encountered large groups of supporters streaming toward The Den. A sort of alleyway with white fences on either side helped to funnel the fans toward the stadium. As we approached, the energy began to heighten and our anticipation continued to grow. Neon-clad cops mounted on massive horses patrolled the area just outside The Den to help discourage any unruly supporters from getting out of hand.

Standing outside the stadium, there’s a clear difference in size compared to the big six Premier League stadiums that I’ve visited. While modern, The Den has a capacity of 20,000 and the Lions average attendance the last several seasons is around half that. In comparison, Old Trafford has a capacity of nearly 76,000, and both Emirates and Anfield have around 60,000 seats. Still, the size of the stadium did not diminish our anticipation for the game.

After admiring the outside of The Den while devouring a burger and fries, we headed toward our turnstile on the other side of the ground. We waited in a short line before getting patted down by police officers and shuffling through the narrow entrance to the tunnel. Once inside, we made our way to block 42 to our seats in the Lower Dockers Stand, row E, just a few rows from the pitch. While Premier League stadiums may be bigger, The Den allowed us to get a much different perspective of the game – almost at eye-level with the players – giving us a better feel for the speed of play.

A few minutes after settling into our seats, the starting lineups were announced. By this point, the fans had finished their beers and made their way out of the tunnel and into their seats. With about 13,000 fans now inside The Den, the noise level began to rise as the Millwall fans sang their chants with extreme passion. The Brentford players had to know they were in for a long game.

Within a minute of kickoff, Brentford turned the ball over around their own box and George Saville scored for Millwall. The Lions were off to a lightning start, setting off an eruption from the home fans.

About five minutes later, Brentford won a corner which led to a goal but after some conversing with the linesman, the ref called it offside. As the game played on, the skill level compared to Premier League players became clear. Millwall, in particular, tried to make up for a lack of technical skill by playing a physical and direct style, while Brentford did well passing the ball along the ground.

Throughout the second half, Brentford dictated the majority of the play hitting both the bar and post but they never found the equalizer. To the relief of the Millwall fans, the Lions walked away with a hard fought 1-0 win. Both teams displayed moments of exceptional attacking threat, but they lack that bit of quality that is required to score goals. Candidly, Brentford deserved the win – or at least a draw, considering how well they played – but Millwall sat deep and made it difficult for them to break through.

A key player was Brentford’s Ryan Woods, who sat in the middle of the pitch all game and completely set the tone. His touch on the ball combined with crisp passing and intelligent movement helped spread the pitch for the Bees, allowing each player more time on the ball.

Though boisterous, Millwall’s supporters weren’t as unruly as their reputation suggested. The fans around us were fully engaged and cheered for their team loudly throughout the game while unleashing a steady, often amusing, stream of profanity when the situation called for it.

While the quality of play was not as good as a Premier League match, the atmosphere and proximity to the pitch made it a memorable afternoon in London. We even had a bit of sunshine early on in the game as the soccer gods shined down on the mighty Lions.

Even with 11 games remaining, it’s safe to assume that Manchester City have won the Premier League title. They currently sit 16 points clear on top of the table with a whopping 72 points and a goal difference of +59.

While they may not break Chelsea’s record of the most points in a Premier League season with 95, they broke the record for the most consecutive wins in a season with 18 and could still break the record for most goals in a season, best goal difference and largest title-winning margin.

Even though they won’t live up to the feats of Arsenal’s “Invincibles” from the 2003-2004 campaign, this Man City side is widely regarded as one of the best Premier League teams ever. City’s tremendous talent, combined with the tactical genius of Pep Guardiola, has formed the Citizens into an elite European powerhouse, encompassing the true beauty of football every time they step onto the pitch.

It didn’t take long for Man City to find their outstanding form this season. After a somewhat slow start to the season – beating newly-promoted Brighton, 2-0; losing, 1-0, to Spanish side Girona in a friendly; drawing with Everton, 1-1; and pulling out a last gasp winner against Bournemouth to win, 2-1 – the Citizens went on to win their next seven games in September by a combined score of 25-1.

They dismantled Stoke, 7-2, in their next game on October 14, then went on an 11-game winning streak in all competitions before losing, 2-1, in an away match to Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League on December 6.

Man City are in the race to win the Premier League title, the League Cup (Carabao Cup) and the Champions League. Impressive by any standard.

So what’s been the recipe for City’s remarkable success?

Many Premier League advocates wondered if Pep’s tactics would work as well in England as they did in Spain and Germany. After all, the Premier League is filled with the most overall talent of any league in the world. Surely, there would be a learning curve.

And there was, albeit a small one. In Pep’s first season in England, Man City finished third in the Premier League, reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup, the fourth round of the League Cup, and the round of 16 in the Champions League. Perhaps not the ideal finishes for Pep and Co., but it was a foundation-building season as Pep began implementing his style and his players began to grasp his concepts, appreciate his expectations, and understand their roles.

Pep’s philosophy is most often attributed to the Ajax system from the Netherlands. This system’s main tactic revolves around forming triangles when in possession of the ball so that the player with the ball at his feet will always have two options.

One can watch any team Pep has coached and quickly recognize the triangles when they’re in possession of the ball. This allows his teams to play the ball out of the back more easily rather than simply clearing the ball and giving away possession.

This system almost always favors a 4-3-3 with the wing-backs and wingers opening up the pitch by pushing all the way to the touchline. The three central midfielders are critical in Pep’s system because they are responsible for maintaining the flow of play from the back to the forwards with creativity in order to score goals.

Defensively, the system focuses on pressing the ball while the opposition have possession in their own third of the pitch. This places immense pressure on the goalkeeper and defenders, with the objective of forcing them to turn the ball over in front of their goal or clearing it arbitrarily. This tactic was coined as the “Six Second Rule” while Pep was at Barcelona because when they would lose the ball they were charged with working to win it back within six seconds. This intense pressure puts loads of stress on the opposing team and denies them a chance to get into a rhythm.

SEE MORE: Schedule of Manchester City games on US TV and streaming

While it may seem simple, a team must fully commit and defend as a unit, otherwise the opposition is able to break on quick counter attacks, just as Liverpool did to give Man City their first defeat of the season. Mauricio Pochettino of Tottenham and Jürgen Klopp of Liverpool have implemented this high-press system into their teams, as well.

This season Man City have forced teams to park the bus against them in fear of getting trampled. City’s players have bought into Pep’s style, forming a clear identity. Clearly, City has a roster that’s loaded with talent. But while this system requires the right players individually, it can only be executed effectively if the team form around it as a whole. Credit Pep for convincing his players of its merit and viability.

The January transfer window has ended, and after a ton of speculation for the past few months, all of the transfers in and out have been completed.

But which top Premier League clubs did better than others? I’ve rated Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool, Man City, Man United and Spurs below:

ARSENAL
Grade: A

Transfers in (former team listed in parenthesis)

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund)
Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Manchester United)
Konstantinos Mavropanos (PAS Giannina)

After plenty of speculation, Aubameyang and Mkhitaryan have been reunited under Arsene Wenger. Considering the dearth of goals from Alexandre Lacazette since the start of the season, the Gunners needed a striker who could find the back of the net more consistently.

Aubameyang has proven to be a pacey, instinctive striker. In the past two seasons in the Bundesliga, he’s scored 25 goals and 31 goals, respectively, edging Robert Lewandowski for golden boot honors in 2017. With Mkhitaryian again at his side, Aubameyang is sure to give the Gunners a boost in the goal department. In their last season together at Dortmund in 2015-16, they combined to score 59 goals and assist on 31 others. Alongside Mesut Ozil, the two should infuse a sense of confidence across the club as evidenced by the 5-1 win over Everton this past weekend.

Konstantinos Mavropanos is a promising 20-year-old center who’s spent the last two seasons in Superleague Greece. He’s a strong, fast, athletic center back who’s excellent in the air and will provide the Gunners with more options in the back beyond Rob Holding or Calum Chambers. Don’t be surprised is he’s loaned out to accelerate his development, but he has what it takes to do well in the Premier League.

CHELSEA
Grade: C+

Transfers in (former team)

Ross Barkley (Everton)
Olivier Giroud (Arsenal)
Emerson Palmieri (Roma)

While Chelsea’s signings are solid, don’t expect them to give the Blues an immediate boost. These moves were about improving the club’s depth.

Barkley is a fantastic player but it’s unlikely that he’ll break into the starting 11 often considering that Eden Hazard has fulfilled a role in the #10 position as of late. Unless Hazard moves to striker over Alvaro Morata, Barkley probably not start in the near term.

Antonio Conte made it clear that he wanted a big, tall striker over the January transfer window as he went after veteran players like Andy Carroll and Peter Crouch. Giroud’s move to Stamford Bridge will allow Chelsea to play more direct, but as with Barkley, the Frenchman will almost always come off the bench. He’s made his name by being a super sub, who can come on, provide energy, and change the pace of the game. But Chelsea should be looking to dominate games without having to revert to a backup plan. Since the arrival of Barkley and Giroud, Chelsea have lost 3-0 to Bournemouth and 4-1 to Watford, not exactly an ideal start.

Transferring from Roma, Palmieri is a Brazilian left-back/wing-back who was merely an acceptable signing. Recently returning from an ACL injury, he has the ability to play up and down the left side and reads the game well. He will fit in to Conte’s style of play as the Italian favors to play with five in the back, but Palmieri should not expect to see much game time behind Marcos Alonso, one of the best left-backs in the league.

EVERTON
Grade: B-

Transfers in (former team)

Cenk Tosun (Besiktas)
Theo Walcott (Arsenal)
Eliaquim Mangala (Man City)

Everton’s three signings over the January transfer window were unremarkable.

The Toffees have struggled to score goals this season so signing a striker was what they needed, but was the Tosun the right move? Big Sam has described the Turkish international as “an all-rounder.” According to Allardyce, Everton “looked at the qualities of the player, his talent and goal scoring, and his resilience. I don’t think you can look any more than we have done and, for the price, he is the best in Europe at the moment.” That might be overstating it a bit. Tosun will have to prove his worth as he steps into the world’s most competitive league.

Allardyce likes the experience and competitiveness that Walcott brings to Goodison Park. Walcott has said that he believes he can “push Everton to the next level” and showed what he’s capable of as he scored a brace against Leicester on his debut.

Mangala was a bit of an odd signing for the Toffees. Ever since signing with Man City in 2014, he’s struggled to earn playing time in the Premier League. The Cityzens sent him out on loan to Spanish side Valencia in 2016-17, and have now sent him out on loan to Everton. His past performances in England have been meager, but perhaps a fresh start in an Everton kit will be a panacea for his career. Unfortunately, the Frenchman’s debut for the Toffees didn’t go well as Arsenal dismantled Everton, 5-1.

LIVERPOOL
Grade: A-

Transfers in (former team)

Virgil van Dijk (Southampton)
Tony Gallacher (Falkirk)
Anderson Arroyo (Fortaleza CEIF)

Liverpool have struggled with defensive breakdowns for too long. Perhaps van Dijk will finally help solve those issues. Since his time with Southampton, the Dutch international has shown why he’s regarded as one of the best center backs in the league. At 6’4”, with an exceptional reading of the game and the ability to push forward, the one-time Celtic star will provide Liverpool with much needed security in the back and should take the Reds back to Premier League prominence.

Gallacher is an 18-year-old Scottish left-back who will join the developmental squad while Arroyo is a young defender from Colombia. Arroyo has already been sent out on loan to Real Mallorca in the Spanish second division. Both signings indicate that Liverpool are making an effort to strengthen the back line.

MANCHESTER CITY
Grade: B+

Transfers in (former team)

Aymeric Laporte (Athletic Bilbao)
Jack Harrison (New York City FC)

Considering their outstanding form this season, it’s no surprise that Man City were relatively quiet over the January transfer window. They currently sit 13 points clear at the top of the table and these signings will provide them with additional firepower.

Laporte is a 23-year-old French defender who can play as either a center back or left back. His versatility will serve Man City well as they haven’t had a set left-back all year. Moving over from La Liga, he’s regarded as one of the most promising young defenders in the world who’s known for his calm demeanor and his ability to play the ball out of the back, one of the primary reasons Pep signed him. Laporte, who fits perfectly in Pep’s system and style of play, will augment City in the last four months of the season.

Harrison’s signing from the NYCFC may have been a shock to many, but he’s shown signs of his talent in 50 MLS games. At just 21 years old, he’s considered to be one of the best players in Major League Soccer following an outstanding 2017 season. Playing usually as a winger, Harrison uses his pace to consistently take on the outside back, which prevents them from pushing forward. He’s been sent out on loan to Middlesbrough, but his time in the Championship will help him get acclimated to the style of play in England and better prepare him for what lies ahead in the Premiership.

MANCHESTER UNITED
Grade: A

Transfers in (former team)

Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal)
Cameron Borthwick-Jackson recalled from loan (Leeds)
Matej Kovar (FC Slovacko)

The signing of Alexis Sanchez might finally be the missing piece that will bring Man United back to winning trophies. The fact that United beat Man City in the race for his signature is a bonus. There’s no question about the Chilean’s exceptional skill, competitive fire and ability to create an opportunity given the slightest space. Alexis will provide a needed spark to the Reds considering their often lifeless style of play under Mourinho.

A former U21 Player of the Year for the Reds, Borthwick-Jackson has been away on loan since the start of the 2016 campaign when he left for Wolves. He was recently called back to United from Leeds, where he played for the first half of this season. His return is understandable considering that Man United left-backs Ashely Young and Luke Shaw have battled injuries. Though questions about his attitude and ambition remain, the 20-year-old has shown flashes of potential in 10 appearances for United in 2015 under Louis van Gaal.

Kovar is a 17-year-old goalkeeper from the Czech Republic who has featured in the Czech Republic U-18 national team. He will hone his skills with United’s U-18 academy team.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Grade: B

Transfers in (former team)

Lucas Moura (PSG)

Mauricio Pochettino obviously didn’t see a need to spend big and bring in loads of players. His Tottenham roster is already filled with talent so Lucas’ arrival adds another threat to an already dangerous attacking side. Lucas may not get many starts behind Eriksen, Son and Alli, but his capacity to come off the bench is a massive boost for Spurs. With an exceptional work rate, he will fit well in Pochettino’s high-press system.

For those who watched the World Cup qualifiers, the American players often looked tentative, with long stretches of idleness and indecision. Maybe the idea of pulling on the USMNT jersey was too much for some.

That the USMNT lost a critical game to Trinidad & Tobago, a country the size of Dallas, exposed the enormous cracks in the United States soccer foundation.

The USMNT’s feeble second-to-last finish in the final round of WCQ points to systemic problems throughout the entire U.S. soccer system. It’s not an issue of money or poor training facilities or a lack of technology. It’s about coaching, scouting and politics.

But perhaps the biggest issue is player selection. Why are the best American players, those who are playing in the best leagues in the world, not on the USMNT?

For the entirety of WCQ, the USMNT roster consisted primarily of MLS players.

The USMNT favored a 4-2-3-1 throughout WCQ with a starting lineup featuring GK Brad Guzan (Atlanta United), RB Graham Zusi (Sporting KC), CB Omar Gonzalez (Pachuca/Liga MX), CB Matt Besler (Sporting KC), LB DaMarcus Beasley (Houston Dynamo), CDM Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), CDM Darlington Nagbe (Atlanta United), RM Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas), CAM Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund/Bundesliga), LM Paul Arriola (DC United), and ST Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC).

Players like Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders), Alejandro Bedoya (Philadelphia Union) and Jorge Villafana (Santos Laguna/Liga MX) would normally come off the bench.

Nine of the 11 starters were in MLS.

And therein lies the problem: Major League Soccer is simply not a top league compared to leagues in Europe. For the top players in Europe, MLS is a place to end their careers while living in cities like New York, LA or (soon) Miami. No top European players are going to MLS to improve. They’re going to relax.

Of course, USMNT coaches prefer a roster stocked with MLS players. It’s nice to showcase American players who are playing professionally in America’s top league. Why bring in American players who have built their soccer careers in England or Germany under a European coaching staff?

But the reality is that US soccer lags behind the top soccer nations. What’s wrong Americans honing their skills overseas, competing against top competition, then returning home to play for their country?

Fielding essentially an MLS all-star team for the USMNT isn’t working. We can do better.

There are currently 22 players on the USMNT roster playing in top leagues in Europe, including 14 in England or Germany (6 in the Premier League; 8 in the Bundesliga). Of those 14, less than half (6) are regulars with the USMNT: Christian Pulisic, Bobby Wood, John Brooks, Fabian Johnson, Geoff Cameron, DeAndre Yedlin.

During WCQ, players on the USMNT roster playing in Europe rarely made it into the first team:

Eric Lichaj (Nottingham Forest/Championship) – 2 games
Cameron Carter-Vickers (Tottenham/Premier League) – 1 game
Matt Miazga (Chelsea/Premier League) – 1 game
Lynden Gooch (Sunderland/Championship) – 1 game
Timmy Chandler (Eintracht/Bundesliga) – 1 game
Aron Johannsson (Werder Bremen/Bundesliga) – 1 game

Four others – Emerson Hyndman (Bournemouth/Premier League), Danny Williams (Huddersfield/Premier League), Terrence Boyd (Darmstadt/Bundesliga), and Alfredo Morales (Ingolstadt/Bundesliga) – did not feature for the USMNT in WCQ.

And those are just the players who are on the roster. There are a number of other American players playing in Europe who were overlooked. For example, 20-year-old Weston McKennie of Schalke in the Bundesliga wasn’t even on the roster.

Why weren’t these Americans getting more time during WCQ? These are proven players who are used to competing against the world’s top players in high pressure games. In fact, the USMNT could field an entirely Europe-based squad that’s arguably more talented than the team that lost to Trinidad last October.

Here’s the good news: Immediately following WCQ, the USMNT began to experiment with its players playing in Europe. On November 14, the USMNT played Portugal in a friendly with a squad consisting of 11 players playing in Europe, including two players who weren’t featured in WCQ (Danny Williams and Weston McKennie).

Although it ended in a 1-1 draw, the U.S. side looked much more free-flowing and were fun to watch. By the way, the Americans’ lone goal came from McKennie, who surely could have helped during WCQ.

It’s time United States stopped building its national team around its MLS players and starts building it around its best players.

At this point in the season, Stoke City fans are rightfully becoming more distraught as their club flirts with relegation. They currently sit in 17th in the table with a mere 23 points, just one point more than the Saints, who sit in 18th.

But when looking at the Potters’ record and form this season, it’s no surprise that they’re in the position they’re in. They’ve only managed to win six games while drawing five and losing 13. And half of the games they’ve won have come against the bottom of the table (Southampton, Swansea and West Brom).

But the main reason Stoke have struggled so much recently relates to their extremely poor goal difference. The Potters have the worst goal difference of any team in the Premier League with a whopping minus 25. In their 13 losses, seven have been by three or more goals (Chelsea 4-0, Man City 7-2, Liverpool 3-0, Tottenham 5-1, West Ham 3-0, Chelsea 5-0, Man United 3-0).

Granted, five of their seven losses were against top clubs, but there’s no excuse for giving up that many goals. Yes, their defense is a shambles, but this statistic points at the lack of effort and discipline within the club as a whole. Although he may not have been the fans’ first choice, Paul Lambert’s arrival at the bet365 Stadium as Stoke’s new manager last week was a positive as it had become clear that the players had given up on Mark Hughes.

After Tony Pulis left the club in the summer of 2013, Stoke had aspirations of strengthening the club, completely evolving its style of play, transitioning from route one football to a more technical style.

Following Hughes’ first season in charge, the Potters started to play more attractive football and finished ninth, their highest finish ever in the top flight. Hughes should rightly receive credit for this achievement.

But as his reign wore on, the club’s progress stalled. The next two seasons, in 2014-2015 and 2015-2016, the Potters finished in the exact same spot as they did in Hughes’ first season (9th) followed by a 13th place finish last season in 2016-2017. With Stoke’s awful form this season, it was time for a change.

Perhaps the primary reason for Stoke’s consistent lack of improvement? Letting go of Tony Pulis in 2013. It may not have been pretty, but Stoke formed a true identity under Pulis that the players bought into: Big, physical players, combined with intense discipline and a sheer determination to battle.

The age-old question, “Could Messi do it on a cold, rainy night at Stoke?” is a direct credit to Pulis who demanded that his players defend fiercely and physically. Pulis finished in secnd place in the Championship in 2007-2008, earning a promotion to the top flight for the first time in 23 years.

And though they never finished higher than 11th in the Premier League during his spell in charge, his primary objective was simple: Don’t get relegated. He built a strong foundation under his team that solidified them in the top flight.

In the 2011-2012 season, Stoke City qualified for the Europa League under Pulis after their second place finish in the FA Cup the year prior, the first time Stoke played European football since 1975.

It’s hard to blame Stoke City for wanting to reach for goals beyond “not getting relegated,” but Pulis had the club on a steady track to improvement.

In March 2013, just two months before Pulis left the club, Stoke chairman Peter Coates said as much, claiming that the Potters were “progressing” under Pulis and had built a strong core for the future.

Soon after his departure from the club, Pulis reminded fans of the club’s success during his stint as manager, pointing out that his teams were the first in Stoke’s 150-year history to never finish in the bottom six in top-flight football for five consecutive seasons.

Furthermore, over five seasons, Pulis guided the Potters to four major cup quarter-finals, an FA Cup semi-final and final.

Would Stoke City have gone on to achieve more success if Pulis had been in charge these past five seasons instead of Hughes? One can only speculate. But it seems likely that if Pulis was still at the helm, the Potters would’ve steered clear of relegation long ago.

SEE MORE: Schedule of Premier League games on US TV and streaming

Once again, Arsenal fans find themselves holding their breath as they watch the season unfold.

The Gunners currently sit in sixth place in the table with 39 points, some 22 points below league leaders Manchester City and just five points above Burnley.

They’ve struggled to establish a sense of consistency this season and lack a clear identity. Other than beating Everton 5-2 at Goodison Park at the end of October, and dismantling Huddersfield 5-0 in the latter stages of November, they’ve yet to completely dominate a match this year.

Coming off a 4-2 loss to Championship side Nottingham Forest, Arsenal are looking to spend big in this January transfer window.

After signing Alexander Lacazette from Olympique Lyon for a club record of £53 million, there was hope that he could propel Arsenal to the next level, helping them challenge for a top spot in both England and Europe.

Looking at Lacazette’s stats from 2016-17, this wasn’t an unrealistic objective. In his last year in Ligue 1, Lacazette scored 28 goals, the second most in the league behind PSG’s Edinson Cavani.

Arsene Wenger needed to replace Olivier Giroud as the main striker after Giroud managed to find the back of the net just 12 times last year (granted he was used as a sub throughout the majority of the season).

In comparison, Lacazette has only scored 8 goals this season, the twelfth most in the league. Wenger has even gone as far as removing him from the starting lineup this season to experiment with a different squad, not exactly a vote of confidence in the Frenchman.

SEE MORE: Schedule of Arsenal games on US TV and streaming this season

This season, Wenger has a favored a 3-4-3, starting Alexis Sanchez, Lacazette and Özil up front. For opponents, this is a daunting trio that’s shown glimpses of potential throughout this year, but have failed to produce often enough.

The 3-4-3 leaves too much exposure in the back, and even though they may score goals, they concede goals just as often. With Kolašinac and Bellerin playing as wing backs who consistently push forward, the back three are regularly under pressure. No matter if the Gunners main back three of Monreal, Mustafi and Koscielny are healthy, they regularly look shaky in the back.

But Arsenal fans ought to have a glimmer of hope considering the recent transfer rumors of signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Dortmund, then swapping Sanchez for United’s Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

It may feel like the end of the world to lose a strong playmaker like Sanchez, but losing him and signing Aubameyang and Mkhitaryan could be just what the club needs.

Sanchez is arguably the best player on Arsenal, but it’s difficult to line up in a formation where Wenger can play him alongside Özil and Lacazette and get the maximum productivity out of each player on the pitch.

As this season has proven, Wenger can’t play that trio together unless he plays an attacking formation with holes in the back. Aubameyang and Mkhitaryan will enable Wenger to change formations, setting up the team more effectively overall.

Unlike Sanchez, Aubameyang is an out-and-out striker who will either be able to play alongside Lacazette up front or as the sole striker, pushing Lacazette out wide where he’s comfortable playing.

Moreoever, Aubameyang and Mkhitaryan would be reunited after having previously played with each other on Dortmund for three seasons from 2013-2016 where they were an exceptional duo.

This will give Wenger the opportunity to set up in either a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-1-2-1-2.

In the 4-2-3-1 scenario, the three attacking midfielders from left to right would be Lacazette, Özil and Mkhitaryan with Aubameyang as the main striker up front. This would allow Özil to thrive in the #10 role.

In the 4-1-2-1-2 scenario, Wenger could push Kolašinac up to left mid, while Monreal plays left back, place Mkhitaryan at right mid, and then put Özil at attacking-mid underneath the striker partnership of Aubameyang and Lacazette.

Either way, it gives Wenger more comfort as he can finally revert to a back four. He would also lose zero attacking threat. Arsenal would form into a more dangerous attacking side.

This January transfer window provides a critical chance for the Gunners to greatly improve. Arsenal is one of the most fluid teams in the Premier League. These potential signings will only strengthen the club, helping Arsenal build an identity in the final 100 days of the season.