Iago Aspas - Scout Report

Rumours are currently flying around that Liverpool have agreed a deal to sign Celta Vigo forward Iago Aspas, however amongst most English fans he is little known. So here's a brief overview of what to expect, should he arrive at Anfield.

Aspas is a 25-year-old Spanish forward who currently plays for Spanish outfit Celta Vigo. He worked his way into the Celta first team after making his debut for Celta B in 2006. His record for the Celta first team is currently 50 goals in 153 games, not too bad considering it is only in recent seasons he has hit form. 

Last season was an especially good one for him as he hit 25 goals in 38 games, however this was in the Spanish second division and that may concern some Liverpool fans. He has enjoyed a good season this campaign and has notched 12 goals in 36 games. That figure may seem a little underwhelming but in my opinion it is a good return for a striker in his first season in a top league as he is still adapting. 

So onto his playing style. Aspas is employed as a forward by Celta and has a great nose for goal. A deadly marksman with his precise left footed finishes, he calmly slots the ball home regularly exhibiting excellent composure in front of goal. At 5ft 9in, he is a nifty player who likes to get in behind defences with clever runs, however he also loves to poach a tap in from a cross. He is lethal when given an opportunity to score and rarely passes it up.

To round off, Aspas looks to be a decent signing for Liverpool, especially for a fee rumoured to be around £8m. Fans may be slightly worried over his lack of experience at the top having only played 1 season in Spain's top league, however he showed that he has adapted well. At the age of just 25 I think he can improve too. I do think he needs playing time and with Suarez and Sturridge at Liverpool I'm not sure he'll get as much as he'd like. In my opinion, he'd be better at a club where he is the main striker and guaranteed games week in week out. Perhaps he'll provide competition for the starting spot, getting the best out of Sturridge, Suarez and himself.

If my scout report wasn't enough then check out some highlights of him on youtube, here's a video I found: 

Francesco Totti: Still Got It

Even as a 36-year old appearing to be coming to the end of his days in the beautiful game, Francesco Totty is still going strong and continuing to deliver us magical moments. Just the sight of him with a ball at his phenomenal feet leaves us in awe. To many, he is just one of those players you can't help but admire, the way he trots around with such elegance and flamboyance and the manner in which he plays his football.

There are many reasons why fans and players alike develop an admiration for such a classy footballer like Totti, but one of the main reasons is due to the loyalty and devotion he has shown to Roma. The mercurial Italian has stuck by his side in tough times and all the honours and achievements he has won with the Giallrossi have been well deserved. Recently The Gladiator revealed that he once snubbed a massive move to Real Madrid in 2004; Madrid were quite possibly the biggest club in the world, but Totti continued to serve his beloved Roma and still continues to do so. You simply cannot question his commitment and loyalty; he is Roma through and through.


Totti has spent his entire career with Roma and there is no doubt that he is one of the finest players of his generation. We all know what sort of player he is as we've seen him produce remarkable moments in huge games, so I won't go too in-depth as to how this magician plays his football. What I will discuss, is the impact he has had on the game of football. Obviously, there have been a number of players who have been deployed in that number 10 role, but no player plays in that position like Totti does, he has made it his own.

It would be wrong to say Totti introduced the role of a trequarista, but it's evident to see that he has enhanced the role as far as it could possibly go. Operating behind the striker, Totti has been virtually impossible to stop, he has been able to control the pace of the game so far up the pitch and it's a quality no other player has ever been able to replicate. He sort of created his own position on the pitch, in the sense that the area and space he played in was not occupied by any other player. The edge of the box is Totti's zone, there he can choose whether to strike a sumptuous shot towards goal, or deliver a jaw-dropping pass into the path of a team-mate. Totti is the perfect number 10.

Fabio Capello was the coach who brought the best out of Totti in the 2000-2001 campaign; the season in which Roma won the Scudetto. Capello identified how key Totti was to this side and he built the team around him. In that trequarista role, Totti was the heartbeat of the Roma side, key to every attack they constructed and in the thick of all the action. His contribution to the side in that season was impeccable; he hit thirteen goals in the season and contributed even further with numerous assists. Totti didn't single-handedly win the Scudetto, because there were other players in the side who did their bit for the team, but Totti carried the Romans forward and in the most difficult of situations, Totti's class saw them through. They could rely on him to come up with the goods, even if it wasn't going to plan.


Looking at some stats on this phenomenon, I was amazed of the record he has at Roma. Since his progression to the first team squad in 1993, Totti has made 501 appearances for Roma, scoring a staggering 215 goals. That is quite brilliant. To score over 200 goals for a club which hasn't been as successful as some of the other elite clubs in Serie A, just shows the ability which Totti possesses. He really is a special player. The purpose of this article was to outline how Totti is still going strong even as his career comes to a close, so to prove this, here are some stats on Totti from the 2012/13 season: Totti created a total of 102 chances in Serie A;
evidence of the almost perfect vision he has always had in his career. He scored 12 goals, which is extremely commendable for an ageing player. Totti also contributed to the side with 12 assists, again highlighting his incredible ability to play team-mates into dangerous positions. These statistics suggest that Totti is still a footballing phenomenon.

When doing a bit of research on Totti, I clicked on the Roma website and found a profile on Totti. It contained all his achievements and statistics but further down was a paragraph which read:

"It is written Totti but you read Roma: Francesco is in fact not only the captain of AS Roma, but the symbol of the Club. Roman from San Giovanni, and "practicing" supporter of Roma since a very young age, when he went by scooter with friends to see Roma in the Curva Sud, the number ten is without question the number one in the history of this team. His numbers say it all: Totti has reached and surpassed many existing records in his long career with the jersey of Roma, which began as a child and is still in full progress ... always with the same shirt, always with the same enthusiasm. He is the epitome of the so-called "flags" of football - an example for all. Back to the numbers with the club: Francesco is the Roma’s top scorer in the league, in the European Competitions, and overall, the best penalty scorer. He is the Roma player with the most games played and most goals in the Italian National Team, and is the best Italian striker among current players! But not only scorer: he is the player with most games played in Serie A and in European cups! An unbeatable career that of the Captain, is enriched by its milestones: the historical Scudetto in 2000/01 (and Francesco is, by the way, the only one of that group still remaining to defend the giallorossa jersey ...), the League’s Supercup in 2001 and 2007, and the two Italian Cups won in recent years. Totti can also bear the title of European Champion under 21 (won in Spain in '96 in the final against the Spanish led by Raul) and especially that of World Cup Champion (trophy won in 2006 in Germany with teammates De Rossi and Perrotta). In addition to his team trophies are his individual awards: Golden Shoe and top scorer in Serie A in 2006/07, two “Golden Guerin” and a dozen “Soccer Oscar AIC” as best young player, as the best Italian player and as the best overall player, top scorer and author of the best goal of the year. In short, many goals, countless games of class and amazing memories to keep in the heart of all Roma fans: this is Totti, the captain. "Il Capitano."

Totti is now 36 years of age, so you sense that his glittering career may come to a close anytime soon. He has lost a few yards of pace and he is growing old, but the talent is still there, it certainly hasn't disappeared. If he does decide to retire in a few years, I'd expect him to still have some form of involvement with Roma; his affection for Roma will never die. There's no doubt that a player of his calibre is irreplaceable so until he retires, make sure you continue to enjoy watching him play. Francesco Totti - he has still got it and will always still have it.
I'll finish with a link to this video of Totti's Top 20 goals in a Roma shirt, be sure to give it a watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RaQGrYnwUM

Written by Josh Lawless,
Follow him on twitter: @DisguisedPass

*All stats taken from the Official Roma websites and Squawka.

The Hottest Prospects in Football (Part 5)

With young talent being so sought after in the modern game, we take a look at some of the hottest young prospects in football at the moment. I've put together a number of different reports from a variety of different sources to give you a wide range of writing. Make sure you check out some of the writers as this is only a flavour of their work! I'm not claiming this is a fully comprehensive list of all young talent, simply a selection! I've also included an edited picture of each player, hope you like them!


Lorenzo Insigne (21)

At just 5'4", Lorenzo Insigne is one of the smallest players you'll see, however what he lacks in size, he more than makes up for in talent. After a number of loan spells, this season has been Insigne's breakthrough one as he has sought to replace a certain Ezequiel Lavezzi.



There is no denying that Insigne's main asset is his speed. Not just his pace and ability to cover ground quickly but also the speed with which he dribbles. Insigne has some of the quickest feet I've ever seen and twinned with his astonishing agility, he can be an absolute nightmare for defenders as he is literally gone with the ball in the blink of an eye.

The diminutive Italian also has an eye for goal and loves to cut inside and let rip in the back of the net. He also possesses and impressive shooting range and has already scored some cracking goals in his so far short career. Insigne's exceptional first touch allows him to burst on to through balls before producing a cool finish.

A hugely exciting prospect for the future, Insigne has bags of potential, watch this space!

Written By: Me! (Latest_Footy)

Phillipe Coutinho (20)


Brazil have been a nation which are well-known for producing some of the most technically gifted footballers which have graced the planet and with Phillipe Coutinho now making a big move to Liverpool, it seems that at some point, he will perfectly fit into that category.

 Coutinho began his career at Vasco da Gama before making a move to Inter Milan, where first team opportunities were restricted due to the quality players who occupied the same position as the Brazilian. A loan move with Espanyol granted him the chance to play regular football and it enabled him to showcase the incredible talent that he possessed.

Since then Coutinho moved to Liverpool in this season’s January transfer window and already he has received many plaudits after a series of impressive displays. It’s evident to see how easy it is for him to play football, he oozes class and has settled into that Liverpool side very nicely. He is able to link up with players and find team-mates with a killer pass, often even getting into good goal-scoring positions and finding the net on a few occasions. He is almost like a young Pablo Aimar, only small but his ability cannot be questioned. After a relatively tough time at Inter, it looks like he will eventually fulfil his potential with Liverpool.

Written By: (@DisguisedPass)
                      disguisedpass.wordpress.com

Adam Maher (19)

Adam Maher is not a name that may be all too familiar for irregular viewers of the Eredivisie but in the years to come I am sure it will be a name you will not be able to avoid. At just 19 years old, he is set for some future. 

Playing just off the main striker, Maher has the ability to control a game and dictate it at the tempo he wants to play it at. His vision is one of main reasons for this. His ability to pick a pass to an inch, and allows his team mates to join in play. It is this creative streak, coupled with an incredible tenacity that make him one of the leading Eredivisie talents. He may not be the most prolific of goalscorers but when he does get on the score sheet, it is usually clinical.  At times this season he has carried a poor AZ Alkmaar team to safety. 

It is believed that he is set for one of Europe’s top clubs in the summer with Alkmaar admitting they can no longer afford to keep the youngster. Dortmund and Manchester City are the favourites to snap him up. One thing can be sure, whoever does sign him in the summer will have signed an absolute gem.

Written By: (@OliT93)
                      blueworldfootball.tumblr.com

Paul Pogba (20)


Paul Pogba. The one that got away. Sir Alex Ferguson very rarely admits to his mistakes, mainly due to the fact that he doesn’t make that many. But surely in the years to come looking back, he’ll rue the day he ever let Pogba leave United.

Pogba a mystery to many supporters, has been a welcome and bright addition to Juve. His balanced set of qualities, both offensive and defensive, makes him a complete player who can fit into any style of play. His athleticism in particular makes him a strong asset and enables him to operate efficiently between central and wide zones (much like Vidal). He is also technically gifted and provides a midfield goal threat, which is crucial due to Juve’s 3-5-2 that includes no advanced wide attackers.

Alongside his technical and mental combination of ability, he is an absolute stalwart physically in the centre-of-the-park. At just 19, he has mastered the fearsome threesome combination of mental, technical and physical presence into a mould of his own — dominating players with his astute and raw power but cohersing along with Pirlo in a balance of technical grace.

The move to Juventus has been a sensational upbeat transition for the young Frenchman, acquiring 20 appearances this season alongside some of the greatest players in world football within the current Serie A champions. It has graced him with a sense of maturity he didn’t uphold at United as a youth prospect and moving abroad has given him a wider opportunity to enhance his experience.

So, with Pogba now flourishing and devastatingly exceeding whatever was expected of him by being compared to the likes of Yaya Toure — are we seeing another world talent emerge?

Written By: (@ManToManMarking)
                      man2manmarking.wordpress.com

Thanks to all the writers who got involved. If you liked any writer in particular then be sure to leave a comment or follow them on twitter! I do requests on photo edits of players so if you liked the pictures then get in touch on twitter (@Latest_Footy) or (https://twitter.com/Latest_Footy)

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it!