Why Julian Alvarez isn’t the upgrade on Viktor Gyokeres you think he is…

The Mailbox highlights why Arsenal might be wasting a fortune on Julian Alvarez, while Michael Carrick is likened to Vincent Kompany…

There are plenty of views on what Manchester United and their manager decision, as well as takes on West Ham, Newcastle, and penalties…

As ever, send your thoughts to theeditor@football365.com…

To the Viktor the spoils
TL;DR – there hasn’t been all that much difference between Julian “just what Arsenal need” Alvarez, and Viktor “what were Arsenal thinking?!” Gyökeres

For the real readers – Following Big Weekend’s genuinely fair assessment of Viktor Gyökeres, I was reminded of something I’d heard a literal professional pundit say the day before, and thought it worthy of mention.

Pundit in question, on an outlet much derided in these parts, spoke at length about having commentated the Atleti/Arsenal game and how stark the comparison was between Gyökeres and Alvarez and how that should cause Arsenal pause for thought on a) their life choices in Summer 2025, and b) peddling a need for Arsenal to spend 9 figures on Alvarez in the summer. A mindset shared by a wide raft of qualified Journos and apparently-skilled pundits.

Now – I’m not here to say Mr. Gyökeres has been a resounding success, or that Alvarez is a part-timer, far-from-it, but here are the facts in 2025/26 – a season in which football seems to agree one of these strikers has broadly failed, and the other is the absolute needed successor to the failure:

Alvarez, at a reported 5ft 8in, was bought for a reported £65m, on £250k a week, and has 20 goals and 9 assists, with 5 penalties, in all competitions from 3483 minutes of game time – leading to 120mins per GC, (and 145m per GC if you’re one of those that doesn’t count penalties for some reason) playing for a team that are set to finish 4th in their league behind a less-fancied side, and with a decent chance of making the Champions League final

Gyökeres, at a reported 6ft 2in, was bought for a reported £57m, on £200k a week, and has 19 goals and 2 assists, with 4 penalties, in all competitions from 3159 minutes of game time – leading to 150mins per GC, (and 185m per GC if you’re one of those that doesn’t count penalties for some reason) playing for a team that are in with a good chance of winning their league arguably as favourite, and with a decent chance of making the Champions League final

Now, YES, as the mind ups will have already noted those numbers are favourable to Alvarez and I do absolutely see how Alvarez genuine skill and ingenuity that in all honesty betters Gyökeres, would be an addition to any side (bar maybe City who were happy to ditch him) – but the 18-month-older Swede is running literally pound-for-pound at the same value but is not a tiny (don’t worry, I’m a short king too, which is why Arteta would never buy me) and Arteta just has no time for vertically-challenged

So – alls this is to say that yet again, a sizable portion of the wider football world seems to have got itself into a mindset that makes little to no sense and while its POSSIBLE Arsenal may be about to pay £125m in the summer on Alvarez and him then score 45 goals in all competitions next season, the likelihood is that neither of these things happen and the thoroughly underwhelmingly OK numbers that Gyokeres has recorded, will see him through another season of thoroughly underwhelmingly OK numbers for Arsenal

Thank you for coming to my TED Talk

Kind Regards,
Harold Enzo Hooler
P.S: The one thing, the ONE. THING, that the anti-Arsenal lot are bang on with this year (sorry, Arsenaluminati, it’s true) is the Gyökeres, Rice, Ødegaard, hair-playing is absolutely infuriating

MORE: Big Weekend: Man United v Liverpool, Tottenham, Viktor Gyokeres, Andoni Iraola, Oliver Glasner

Willing on West Ham 
Shock! Spurs are apparently the Team To Watch again this weekend. Surely TTW can’t simply be “whoever the writer supports”?? Oh wait…

Anyhow, as an alternative Team to Watch, how about West Ham United?

“Dead and buried at least 6 different times this season, particularly during the Potter abomination, and then especially after a 3-0 loss at Wolves around Christmas when people round F365 way wrote a couple of fine articles about Nuno maybe being the first manager to take 2 teams down in the same season, first to be sacked twice in the same season, and for his sacking being “inevitable” (semi-rightly to be fair) many times.

And yet, they are still alive and improbably have their fate in their own hands, for now. Once at least 12 points behind Spurs, and almost adrift in the last relegation spot, they find themselves in a European place in a fictional league table for 2026.

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what the difference has been. But it starts with the instant banishment of the previously undroppable (wtf Potter???) James Ward Prowse (anyone remember him??) upon Nuno’s appointment. That allowed him to experiment with young Freddie Potts and Magassa, which at least gave us some athleticism in the middle of the park. The other major turning point was the dropping of Max “£40 million, yes really” Kilman. It certainly helps that Mavrapanos has become our best defender, by far, who knew?!?! Our January business was unspectacular, but shook the squad up, which was enough to at least get rid of “the stench”. Pablo and Taty haven’t set the world on fire, but we now have energy and outlets up top. No more trying to squeeze Bowen into the 9 spot. And the stealth pick for best January signing must surely include Mr Disasi. Liege! Strong, quite quick and, perhaps most importantly, a fantastic team player with great character who has completely bought into the struggle. Couldn’t ask for more. Even the rejuvenated Todibo can’t get in the side. God knows how toxic the situation is at Stamford Bridge for him to have been so quickly discarded when they currently have such a need for exactly this type of player.

Whilst young Fernandes rightly grabs all the headlines, Soucek has shown that class is permanent since our managers thankfully gave up on trying to replace him. Perhaps on the same note, much as I continue to believe than Wan-Bissaka may be unmatched as a one on one defender, the unheralded (and another shrewd free transfer pick up) Walker-Peters has shown that there is no substitution for effort and discipline.

Quietly, Bowen has been relatively poor over the last couple of months (despite the stats looking ok). And Summerville has shown how hugely important he now is after a crappy run of performances in his absence through injury. Thank goodness we offloaded the perma-injured blind-alley running Mr Kudus when we did.

So we go into the last 4 games still as most likely to go down. Forest and Leeds have improbably managed to keep their heads comfortably above water. And so it is down to 2 unfortunately. The one thing we are clinging to is that as far as team spirit, being up for the fight, players actually emotionally giving a shit and togetherness goes, I like where we are as compared to Spurs. Maybe that might be enough.

I also take solace in the fact that everyone else wants Spurs to go down. And I think we can all agree that “ev-er-y-one” wants Spurs to go down. I’ve seen some things said on this site (mainly by a couple of loud voices, not backed up by anyone else) about how unfair it is that Spurs are being hard done by and that it’s a media/commentary conspiracy that has started this. No Sirs. Rather than go on a rant about everything that is soulless and full of hubris about that club and a large proportion of its fans, surely it’s enough to point out that just a few years ago they thought themselves too good for the Premier League and tried (harder that ACTUAL big clubs) to join a European Super League. Case closed.

It’s Friday night, many drinks have been consumed and emotions are all over the place. Not helped by the fact that, before we play tomorrow, Milwall may be a Premier League team. God help us all….”
Mike, WHU

Carrick’s crew
Manchester Dave’s Carrick v non Carrick argument shows how deluded football fans are. “He’s winning games and getting points at title winning pace” is disregarded as “a soft argument at best”? Are you having a giraffe?
Football is a results business and the league table is the most tangible measure possible. Its 3 points for a win. You don’t get extra points for it being pretty to watch! I am a season ticket holder at Old Trafford and yes I want dominant possession-based football with pace and width but it’s a results business and he is getting them.

Everyone seems to be missing that “Carrick” is actually Michael Carrick + Steve Holland + Jason Wilcox. From what I can see that’s a pretty strong trio who each bring a lot to the table. I see it as a big strength of Michael that he has Holland as his assistant. He has learned this approach from the best. Fergie rarely took training and relied on his assistants – Archie Knox, Brian Kidd, Steve McClaren, Carlos Queiroz and Mike Phelen.

There are many recent examples of up and coming managers who on paper were the next big thing but it then didn’t work for them at the big club next level – Amorim, Moyes, Graham Potter, Thomas Frank… etc. I am not saying I think someone like Iraola would fail but I am saying it’s a hugely different role in a different beast. Its bloody hard to be Head Coach at United. I think he was lucky to get the opportunity but Carrick is proving he can do it and he deserves credit for that.

Football is a team game and Carrick + Holland + Wilcox looks to be a good trio that will ensure we compete at the top end and establishes us back in the Champions League.
Danny, Altrincham
P.S. I have just realised I started reading F365 when I was at Uni 25 year ago, time flies!!

Carrick in good Kompany
I read a couple of mails surrounding the Michael Carrick conundrum and I felt motivated to give my own two cents.

I read a few articles that argued that some of the statistics under Carrick are similiar to Amorin (you know xG blah blah, possession stats blah blah) and I feel some of the commentary missed the point.

The real question is how are we winning. When the opposition team has the ball in our half how do you feel? For instance, are you panicked or calm? How do you feel when the team enters the opposition last third are you excited at the opportunity of posisbly scoring or are you in a state of apathy? I know my answers to all the above and in sure deep down most United fans feel the same.

Carrick has me optimistic every game and feeling a sense of control. The last time I felt that way was probably when Carrick used to be in our midfield.

Yes he is inexperienced. Yes he only delivered mid table for Middlesbrough but he has our team humming. Kobbie is benefiting from having Carrick as a manager, the system is benefiting from having Carrick as a manager and Sesko is benefiting having Carrick as a manager.

Vincent company was coaching in the championship when Bayern Munich came calling and look at them now.

For whatever reason the team is performing at a high level. Will they win the Champions League (probably not) but will they stand a chance in providing upsets? Who knows but for the first time in years I could see myself believing we could (even if im delusional for doing so).
Manc in SA ( lets see his real system with the midfield he wants)

MORE: Man Utd the best in Premier League under Michael Carrick

If not Enrique, it’s Carrick
Few jobs in world football carry the weight, scrutiny, and expectation of managing Manchester United. As the club approaches yet another summer with uncertainty hanging over the dugout, the question returns once again: who is actually the right man for the job?

Let’s look at the options.

Unai Emery – Emery’s track record at the very top level remains mixed. His struggles at elite clubs contrast sharply with his excellent work at Aston Villa, where he has thrived in an underdog role. That raises a fair concern—can he handle the relentless expectations that come with a club like United? Add in the likely cost and difficulty of prying him away, and he starts to feel like a complicated, high-risk appointment rather than an obvious solution.

Andoni Iraola – Iraola represents a different kind of gamble. There’s promise there, and unlike Emery, he doesn’t carry the baggage of previous failures at elite clubs. His work at AFC Bournemouth has been impressive at times, but also inconsistent. His teams have shown a tendency to swing between extremes—long unbeaten runs followed by puzzling dips in form. That unpredictability might be manageable at a mid-table side, but at United, it could quickly become a major issue. He’s intriguing, but still largely unproven at the level required.

Michael Carrick – Carrick is the safe and pragmatic option. He knows the club, has the trust of the players, and has already steadied things during his time in charge. There’s value in continuity, especially when results have improved. While some critics reduce his impact to simply “playing players in their best positions,” that overlooks the bigger picture — plenty of managers make similar decisions without achieving the same outcomes. Ten Hag did not play 3-4-3. Fletcher choosing the “right” formation with the right players brought no noticeable improvement in results in his 2 winless games. 17 managers are below him not just because they’re playing players out of position. Let’s not pretend that’s all there is to Carrick.

That said, questions remain. His relative inexperience and the team’s inconsistent control in games are valid concerns. Performances haven’t consistently matched the results, and it’s unclear what his long-term tactical identity looks like. Still, given stability, time, and a full pre-season, there’s a reasonable argument that he could grow into the role. As a short-term appointment, he’s low risk and potentially high reward.

Luis Enrique – If there’s one name that shifts this from debate to near certainty, it’s Luis Enrique. The manager from Sir Jim’s wettest dreams. He brings elite pedigree, a clear tactical identity, and experience managing at the very highest level. Concerns about Premier League experience feel increasingly outdated in modern football.

The reality is that most alternatives come with trade-offs. Managers like Tuchel or Nagelsmann are undoubtedly top-tier, but each carries enough uncertainty to make the decision a matter of preference rather than conviction. Enrique, however, feels like a more complete fit.

Of course, the biggest challenge is availability. Convincing him to take on a rebuilding project like United won’t be easy. But if there’s even a small chance, it’s one worth pursuing.
If not, the smarter move might be to stick with Carrick — at least in the short term — and build from a position of stability rather than gamble on uncertainty.
AY

Old news and financial rules
As is so often the case, I’m super late to the PSG-BAY commentary due to work travel, but holy smokes, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a match more full of quality, even in the last World Cup final. It was like watching gods play, and Luis Diaz never looked like a god at Liverpool. Most of the drama was confined to the first half, in which the sides traded goals and every pass seemed to be a hundredth of a second from being cut out. The quickness of thought and foot was simply jaw-dropping. The second half was marked by fatigue, but the play remained stellar, and a Bayern equalizer in the last ten minutes would have been entirely reasonable. And the quality of the goals was such that the excellent penalties felt anticlimactic. Thank the lords of the internet protocols that allowed me to watch the replay. [spectacles, testicles, wallet, watch]

And while I’m here, today I learned that in Forbes magazine’s 2025 ranking of football club values, Newcastle United had by far the largest jump in value from 2024, at 38%. But comparing it to the 2024 list, I was stunned to find that NUFC had finally surpassed Atlanta effing United in value. In 2025, Forbes valued Los Angeles FC and Inter Miami at about $1.2 billion; NUFC is valued at $1.1 billion. Real Madrid, in the top spot, was valued at $6.75 billion, followed by ManU, Barca, Liverpool, and Man City.

My mind shrinks from the idea that an MLS club can be worth a billion dollars. It’s not like Miami can sell Messi for $100 million anymore. How much merch are these clubs selling, because player sales don’t seem to be a gigantic source of income.

Looking that list (available on Wikipedia), I was struck by the complex relationship between 1) income from prizes, tickets, sponsorships, and merchandise; 2) the complex and shifting question of squad value; 3) state ownership, as in the case of NUFC, Man City, PSG, et al; 4) fan ownership, as in Germany, where the supporters’ association own 75% of Bayern Munich, the world’s sixth most valuable club ($5.1 billion); and 5) the seemingly impenetrable web of FA and UEFA financial regulations that include PSR and FFP.

Especially 5). The Athletic published the best exploration of the subject that I’ve read, but it wasn’t enough. I want to see a feature that makes clear the impact of all the financial rules that apply and provides data on what clubs are able to spend. Bonus points for including rules regarding “home-grown” players, because from an accounting sense they represent pure profit when sold. But they distort the market a bit: Eliot Anderson was worth way, way more to Newcastle than the price they sold him for. There must be a lot of public data, at least for clubs that have shares traded on stock markets. I know you lot are a small team, but could you do it? Or should I ask The Athletic? Or [shudder] Planet Football?
Chris C, Toon Army DC
P.S.: Matt Stead is wrong about Nick Woltemade. Watch his feet: that kid is going to be a star. It’s not his fault that Eddie Howe is tactically paralyzed.

Penalty fair
Let me start by saying Lucas Digne’s handball was absolutely a penalty – hand raised, no question. My argument is, should every infringement inside the box result in a penalty? Taking last night’s example, had the ball not hit his hand, the ball continues its upward path and Martinez claims. There wasn’t a hint of a goal scoring opportunity, so is awarding Forest a direct shot at goal a fair reward?

Keeping on the Villa theme, Tyrone Mings picked up the ball last season against Brugge, not realising Martinez had already taken the goal kick, again resulting in a penalty. Brugge went on to win that game 1-0 thanks to a penalty awarded from a situation where they didn’t even have the ball!

Similarly, we’ve all seen instances where an attacker is facing away from goal at the edge of the box and their heels are clipped by an over-eager defender. Again, by the letter of the law, it’s a penalty, but it seems like a huge punishment for the defending team in a pretty non-threatening situation.

On the flip side, imagine a striker on the counter attack, behind the defence, 40 yards from goal. The last defender knows he can’t catch up so he pulls his opponent back. A straight red absolutely, but instead of having a one-on-one situation, the attacking team are rewarded with a free kick 40 yards from goal.

My solutions to both of these issues? A foul anywhere on the pitch can be given as a penalty if it’s denying a strong attacking position, and equally, a light infringement inside the box can be given as an indirect free kick, because who doesn’t like indirect free kicks inside the box?! Problem solved!
Mark, Cork