Chris Wood – Burnley (English Premier League)

Burnley needed goals if they were going to qualify for the Europa League group stages. Lots of goals, at least two of them, after losing 3-1 away to Olympiacos in the first leg. Chris Wood got them a valuable away goal there and you read about that all last week… but with a massive game against Manchester United coming up a few days later and a small squad, Sean Dyche opted for a little rotation and left The Woodsman on the bench while Sam Vokes and Ashley Barnes started together up top.

Scoring goals has been a problem for a while with the Clarets, and so far this season even defending’s been tough so far. Put simply, they haven’t looked like themselves, but here against Olympiacos they put in easily their best performance of the nascent season. It helped that the Greek side were happy to sit back and play on the counter attack which allowed them more space to throw players forward – something Dyche seemed to anticipate when he included Jeff Hendrick in a deeper midfield role. Burnley played with purpose and a bit of pace. It was fun to see.

Even youngster Dwight McNeil was enjoying himself, playing an excellent game on debut after a few injuries thrust the winger into the starting team. Damn sure haven’t seen the last of him. Only problem is that Burnley couldn’t seem to take their chances and nobody was more culpable for that than Sam Vokes. The Welshman was getting in great positions but a couple headers were inexplicably sent off target while he lifted another shot over the bar early on and once he struck the post with a beautiful curling effort to begin the second half, the gaffer would’ve been forgiven for subbing him off despite his lung-busting work because it really wasn’t his day.

You do have to wonder what Chris Wood might have done with a few of those chances. He’s not the most clinical either but give him three and he’ll almost always score you one. Woody did get a run for the final fifteen minutes as Burnley threw everything they could at Olympiacos.

Yet hearts were broken on the break when Daniel Podence capitalised on Jack Cork’s uncharacteristic giveaway. The away side always looked a threat when they won the ball high up and Podence’s goal basically ended this one. Matej Vydra stabbed one in from close range straight away in response but a 1-1 draw was not enough. Burnley exit their first European campaign in 51 years, though they gave it a bloody good slog. An easier draw would’ve helped, that’s for sure. Two extra-time victories and a second leg against Olympiacos that went all the way.

Which at least meant Woody was a little fresher or the game against Jose Mourinho’s suddenly vulnerable Manchester United team, also at Turf Moor – Wood’s first ever game against Man United, by the way. He’d featured against all the other top six at one time or another, even scoring against Spurs last season (his first goal for Burnley) but he was out injured both times Burnley played MUFC in 2017-18.

He’s also never won a game against a big six team and this shaped like his best ever chance as he was named up front alone against the recently maligned Victor Lindelof and Chris Smalling. Even Marouane Fellaini was around in front of them just for kicks. But it never quite happened like that for Burnley, unfortunately. Showing a little exhaustion from their gruelling game the other day they were pretty comfortably beaten 2-0 at home by United. Romelu Lukaku with a double and it could easily have been four or five – Lukaku missed a couple other chances for a hatty while Paul Pogba missed a penalty and Joe Hart, bless him, had an excellent game in goal.

There was a red card for Marcus Rashford with twenty to play after he was spotted lashing out at Phil Bardsley… but if that opened the game up it was only because Paul Pogba’s long range passing allowed United to sit deep and still play on the break. Woody briefly got to run around with Sam Vokes and Ashley Barnes both out there alongside, yet got nothing to show for it before he was replaced with seven minutes left by Matej Vydra.

Prior to that he battled hard as always. He was asked to do a lot of hold up play and he made things as tough as he could… but Smalling, Lindelof, Fellaini and Matic are all very large beings and he was never not outnumbered. The crossing in his direction wasn’t great on a day when it needed to be perfect and Woody only had the one shot in 83 minutes, off target with a leaping header mid-second half. Burnley remain winless after four PL games and now for a much needed international break.

Lancashire Telegraph Player Ratings: “Chris Wood 5 - Got no change from Lindelof and Smalling. Unhappy at the physical treatment he got but hold-up play was poor.”

Up Next: Wolves vs Burnley, Monday 17 Sep at 12.30am (NZT)

Abby Erceg – North Carolina Courage (American National Women’s Soccer League)

For the fourth month in a row, Abby Erceg has stormed her way into the NWSL monthly best XI. May, June, July and now August. Across the entire league, only Becky Sauerbrunn and teammate McCall Zerboni can match those four selections this season and only Lindsey Horan can top it with her five selections. That’s basically the best in the business for company then.

“Abby Erceg was essential in holding the Courage’s backline together and helping her team win the 2018 NWSL Shield. The captain remains the only Courage player to have played every minute of the season after logging another 360 minutes in North Carolina’s four games in August (2,070 total). She picks up Team of the Month honors for the fourth straight time this year. Erceg maintained an 85.97% passing accuracy, won 22 duels, made 25 clearances, nine interceptions and eight blocks in August.”

The international break has stepped in between the Courage and their final game of the regular season but so far Abby Erceg is one of only 11 players to have featured in every game for their club in 2018. She’s also one of five player to have played every minute and is in the top ten for passing accuracy. Only Estelle Johnson has made more defensive clearances and Abby is fourth in total blocks too.

Up Next: NCC vs Houston Dash, Sunday 11.30am (NZT)

Ryan Thomas – PSV Eindhoven (Dutch Eredivisie)

Right on, bro. There’s no official timetable out there yet but there’s a decent chance we don’t see Thommo playing all season, which is a massive shame. But you do what you’ve gotta do. PSV guided their way through Champions League qualifying  with a 6-2 aggregate win over BATE Borisov, which got them into the group stage. The draw for which was conducted a few days back and PSV could not have gotten a tougher one. Barcelona, Tottenham Hotspur and Inter Milan. Taking them to three of the most prestigious stadiums in world football (Spurs still at Wembley, remember).

The club’s also been taking care of business off the field too, coping with the loss of Ryan Thomas by splashing out on highly touted Mexican midfielder Érick Gutiérrez – the dude they initially wanted to buy from Pachuca but chose the more trusted option of the Eredivisie-proven Thommo instead. But with that Champions League income guaranteed, they snuck that one through inside the transfer deadline. PSV also went out and signed Aussie defender Aziz Behich on a free, making him the third Australasian player to join the club in a matter of weeks after Ryan Thomas and Trent Sainsbury. Archie Thompson and Jason Culina are the only other Aussies to have played for PSV before, while obviously Ryan Thomas is in a unique place as a New Zealander.

In other Dutch footy news, PSV played Willem II this week and whupped ‘em 6-1… though both James McGarry and Michael Woud were only on the bench. Might even clear up some space for them if a couple jokers get dropped for that – PSV were 4-0 up at half-time. And Marco Rojas was also an unused sub again in Heerenveen’s latest, a 1-1 draw away to VVV.

Up Next: ADO Den Haag vs PSV Eindhoven, Sunday at 4.30am (NZT)

Rebekah Stott – Sky Blue FC (American National Women’s Soccer League)

Stotty and Sky Blue were supposed to play Washington on Sunday NZT but lightning storms delayed that one a full day, the third time this season that poor Washington have had their kickoffs affected by weather. It’s also a game that was largely bothered by international call-ups with both teams missing several key players - which would’ve given Stott a great opportunity to start only she was still out injured with that lower back strain. Sadly it’s been a really injury plagued season for Rebekah. Not only that but she’s come over from a Melbourne City side that won the championship to a Sky Blue team that literally has not won a single game all season.

The day’s reprieve did help Stotty recover as she took her place on the bench, however she didn’t feature as Sarah Killion’s late goal salvaged a 1-1 draw for Sky Blue, giving them just one more chance to get a victory on the board this season. That’s away to Rosie White and the Chicago Red Stars in a few days.

Elsewhere neither of the other kiwis in the NWSL had games, fully respecting the international break and all that. Katie Bowen’s Utah Royals do play Rosie White’s Chicago Red Stars next week in each of their final games of the season and with a playoff spot on the line but that’s only if Chicago fail to win midweek against that same Sky Blue team.

Up Next: Wednesday at 11.30am, it’s Chicago vs Sky Blue (NZT)

Stefan Marinovic – Vancouver Whitecaps (American Major League Soccer)

The situation is tricky but simple for the Whitecaps. They have seven games remaining and are sitting seventh on the ladder, needing to make the top six to get back into the playoffs. They made it last year, finishing in third, beating San Jose 5-0 on aggregate before going down 2-0 on aggregate to Seattle in the Western Conference semis. A little playoff experience locked and loaded for Big Stef as he tries to get his team back there again in his first complete season with the club.

The Caps haven’t kept a clean sheet in a game since April which is before Marinovic’s two-month injury absence and it’s that sloppy defence that’s been to blame for them slipping down the ladder this season. However they came out against San Jose this week looking fired up and they scored a lovely goal from an extended passing build up through Alphonso Davies to take a deserved first half lead. Nicolas Mezquida finally gave them a second late in the game with a slick curling effort and it looked like a rare routine win was on the way. Not only that but Big Stef had yet to be tested in goal.

Yeah but that didn’t last. The Whitecaps always make things difficult for themselves and an injury time goal from Vato made this bad boy very exciting at the end. Marinovic had come out and punched the ball well clear from the corner but nobody bothered to mark up for the second phase and Vato’s shot then took a deflection past Stef for the goal. Right at the very death of the game San Jose nearly stole another one with some more slack marking but this time Kendall Waston, who’d deflected the goal, came up with a massive block to preserve three valuable points.

Stefan Marinovic: “I think our defence performed very well, but unfortunately it’s cliché but it’s a team effort you don’t just defend with four players and a goalkeeper, you defend all together and for the first 90 minutes 11 players were standing behind the ball, our work rate was incredible, some of our best work without the ball I’ve seen from us in a long time.”

Up Next: Nothing this week but home to Seattle on Sunday 16th (NZT)

Jeremy Brockie – Mamelodi Sundowns (South African Premier Soccer League)

Before you ask, no there wasn’t a Jeremy Brockie goal this week. Despite an enterprising performance in the midweek against Horoya they weren’t able to get one in the net and earn the three points they needed to progress from their CAF Champions League group. Brockie had a crack in the 18th minute but couldn’t get any pace on his shot and he got a little stick from the crowd late in the half for not pulling the trigger after being played in behind. The gaffer, desperate for the win, went for a few attacking subs as the second half went on, meaning Brockie was removed in the 56th minute. Another match without a goal. At least this time he wasn’t alone as the game ended 0-0, Sundowns exiting the competition.

Jerry was then named on the bench of a rotated XI for the MTN8 second leg game against Cape Town City. Toni Silva was one of the blokes named in the front three instead of Brockie and it was he who scored the only goal of the game, levelling out Cape Town’s first leg advantage. But Brockie never played and Sundowns never scored a second, this thing going all the way to penalties where they were defeated 4-2 and thus eliminated from the MTN8 Cup.

Soon enough there’ll be good news on the goals front for JB. In the meantime at least he hasn’t done what Thamsanqa Gabuza did for Orlando Pirates the other day, storming off the pitch after getting heckled by his own fans for missing chances. He threw his shirt at them after helping set up a goal and then went on down the tunnel, returning in the second half and getting a red card as soon as he did. But Brockie’s manager can see some similarities and has asked for calm from his fans after four games in a row in all comps without a goal.

Pitso Mosimane: “If you personalise it on him you will create more pressure and stress for him. Yes of course his job is to score goals – that’s why we brought him here. To score goals let’s be honest.  Don’t put too much stress on him because if you put pressure‚ you know what happens when a striker gets pressure from not scoring‚ I think you saw what happened in Polokwane. The pressure‚ the supporters‚ you guys in the media‚ expectations – so let’s not create the same scenario with Jeremy and put him under so much pressure.”

Nice of him to say.

Up Next: Away to Golden Arrows on Sep 20 at 5.30am (NZT)

Tyler Boyd – Vitória de Guimarães (Portuguese Primeira Liga)

The thing about forcing your way into the starting XI with a strong preseason is that the chaps you forced out are going to want to win their place back. After Boyd was subbed off last week, VSC went on an incredible comeback from 2-0 down to beat Porto 3-2 for their first win of the season. That was always going to leave Boyd in a precarious position and the only shocker when he was dropped to the bench against his old loan club CD Tondela was that it was Tozé who replaced him and not Ola John. Davidson was also recalled to the other wing.

There’s actually only one player who has started in all five competitive fixtures for Vitória this season and that’s Ghanaian midfielder Alhassan Wakaso and it was that dude who scored the only goal in this one. 18th minute and he was on call at the far post to head in after João Afonso had flicked on Tozé’s in-swinging free kick.

In a game of relatively few chances it was Tondela who were working the better ones so the gaffer mixed things up with a double sub in the 54th minute. Tyler would have to wait another quarter of an hour to get his nod but he did, the third sub introduced. Old mate nearly had an assist too with a lovely curling cross from the right wing but he didn’t have a runner there at the far post for him. No shots but at least he got involved. V. Guimarães held on for the 1-0 victory.

There’s now a three week break between games as the International window and a cup round (which Vitória is already knocked out of, at the hands of Tondela back in the first game of the season) arrive between now and the next round of league fixtures.

Up Next: Portimonense vs VSC, 3am on Sunday 24 September (NZT)

Jesse Edge – Podbrezová (Slovakian Super Liga)

Speaking of Ole Academy grads, Jesse Edge has been doing great things with Dutch third tier side Achilles ’29, appearing 19 times for them last season and even wearing the captain’s armband. But relegation meant it was time to move on. How about Slovakian Super Liga club Podbrezová then? Yeah, that’ll do. Edge has bounced around a few countries in Europe in his career, having already played in Italy and the Czech Republic before this as a youth player. And the bloke, expected to cover defensive midfield in this team though can also play centreback very nicely, went straight on in there for his first available game, getting all ninety in a 2-0 defeat against Zemplín Michalovce – leaving Podbrezová fifth after seven games.

Up Next: 5am on Sunday 16 September, at home to Nitra (NZT)

Elliot Collier – Chicago Fire (American Major League Soccer)

The MLS season might be speeding up towards the playoffs but with for a lot of teams this is a bit of a lull before the loud stuff. Michael Boxall’s Minnesota United are in the middle of a couple weeks off right now (and Mikey’s suspended for their next game too) while the Chicago Fire spent the last week over in Germany paying tribute to Bastian Schweinsteiger.

Basti left Bayern Munich three years ago but never got a testimonial so they squeezed one in for him here. Schweiny played half a game for Chicago then half a game for Bayern, with the German champs winning 4-0. Schweinsteiger even scored the fourth, a lovely volley reminiscent of the good old days. The World Cup winner couldn’t hold back the tears as he addressed the massive crowd. Before the game he was inducted into the Bayern Munich Hall of Fame and awarded the Bavarian Order of Merit. This was all about paying tribute to one beloved dude.

But that doesn’t mean we can’t make a point of this…

Friendly or not, this was Elliot Collier getting a cheeky run out there against Bayern Munich at the enormous Allianz Arena. 75,000 fans in attendance. Up against the likes of Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery.

Elliot Collier: “It was unreal experience. Last year I was at college finishing up my degree and my last season and this year I achieved the dream of playing professionally, and to play against players I have idolised and some of the best players in the world was an unreal experience. Playing in front of 75,000 fans was crazy. The first half they didn't play the big guns but they played pretty seriously. In the second half, when I was playing, they put on all the big guns and they were just having fun. They were just so good. You could see the quality. They were just toying with us a little bit.”

Collier will now return to Indy Eleven in the USL, most likely. The Fire have been messing around with their roster quite a bit and his international slot is pretty valuable – although he does have plans in the future to try and get his green card. First year as a pro, though, it’s all about personal development.

Up Next: We’ll see…

Bill Tuiloma – Portland Timbers (American Major League Soccer)

There we go, another one in the appearance column for Billy T. The Timbers have had some rotten form lately but not as bad as New England Revolution and a 1-1 draw was probably fair. Tui was thrown on to help hold on to that away point with a dozen minutes left. Lawrence Olum had equalised in the 70th after NER had taken the lead in the 58th not even two minutes after Steve Clark had come on for his Timbers debut, replacing an injured Jeff Attinella in goal. If only Jake Gleeson were still fit this might’ve been his chance.

Up Next: Home to Colorado (!) on Sunday at 2.30pm (NZT)

Sam Brotherton – Blyth Spartans (National League North)

Sam Brotherton going out on loan from Sunderland was a good idea. Dropping all the way down to the National League North was a little more debatable but at least he was going to get some games… until he went off injured halfway through his debut. Brotherton hasn’t featured since and it’s been a month but now we know why. The Blyth manager confirming that he’s suffered a relatively serious knock and he probably won’t feature again until December.

Alun Armstrong: “Sam had a scan earlier in the week and it looks like he’ll be out for at least two months, he’s suffered some ligament damage and will take a while to come. I’ve never known such an injury list at any club I’ve been at as a player or a manager – we’ve got four central defenders out.”

This is a blow for the English based folks, who are extremely short on game time these days. There hasn’t been word of Clayton Lewis at Scunthorpe yet this season, while Nik Tzanev (AFC Wimbledon) and Max Crocombe (Salford City) are both backup goalies these days. Obviously with Tommy Smith in America there’s nothing going on in the Championship while Winston Reid’s out long term for West Ham – at least there’s still Chris Wood. There’s also Steven Old at Morecambe, who has played every available minute for his team, except they’ve lost five of their six League Two games so far.

Up Next: Recovery

Olivia Chance – Everton (English Super League)

Up Next: Another one still on the recovery trail

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