This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…
Former West Brom star Romelu Lukaku has given surprise praise to one of the Baggies’ contracted players following Belgium’s thrashing of Scotland on Monday night.
What’s he said?
The nation’s Euro 2020 hopes were obliterated as Belgium smashed them 4-0 at Hampden Park.
Lukaku was one of four different goalscorers as he opened the scoring with a ninth-minute strike against Steve Clarke’s side to practically end their chances of making next summer’s tournament with them sitting some nine points off second spot in Group I.
The Inter Milan striker has since leapt to the defence of his former boss following the brutal defeat and in the process also handed out praise to Oliver Burke, who left West Brom on loan this summer but didn’t even feature in the match.
Lukaku, who bagged 17 goals in 38 appearances at Albion, said:
“I worked with Steve at West Brom and he will get it right for Scotland.
“When we were there together, a lot of people didn’t think we would get to the position we did, but we did it.
“If you give Steve time, he will get it right. He is the right man to give young players a chance and to test them.
“[Ryan Fraser and] Oliver Burke. He was at West Brom and is a good player with a lot of pace.
“You just have to develop them and work hard. If you do that, things will improve.”
A surprise or just daft?
Lukaku wasn’t at the Hawthorns when £15m club-record man Burke walked through the door, so it is surprising to see him name him as a player he rates.
The winger has been quite the flop in the west Midlands since joining from RB Leipzig in the summer of 2017, scoring just once in 24 appearances, per Transfermarkt.
Burke has recently joined Alaves on loan after being unable to fit in manager Slaven Bilic’s plans this season and towards the end of the last campaign he was sent out on loan to Celtic. Thus, his time at Albion has been far from fantastic.
Lukaku may have been trying to back the man who brought him to the Hawthorns on loan all those years ago but to throw Burke’s name out there as a potentially good player is a little far-fetched.
However, at 22, he still has plenty of time to prove his critics wrong, no matter how unlikely that may seem at Albion.
This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…
Liverpool will look to maintain their 100% start to the Premier League season when they face Southampton at St Mary’s on Saturday.
The Reds kicked off their top flight campaign with a convincing 4-1 win against Norwich City at Anfield last week, before a gruelling Super Cup contest against Chelsea in Istanbul on Wednesday.
120 minutes and a penalty shoot-out later, the Merseyside outfit had another trophy to their name, but fatigue may well be an issue ahead of the trip to the south coast this weekend.
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Here is the starting XI we think Jurgen Klopp is going to select…
Liverpool have already used two goalkeepers in their opening two fixtures, and it could be three in three after Klopp revealed on Friday that Adrian is a potential doubt after he was bizarrely injured by a fan on the pitch during the celebrations on Wednesday.
Given Alisson’s absence we don’t think that the German will risk playing the Spaniard if he isn’t at 100%, and that means veteran Andy Lonergan starts.
In defence, Trent Alexander-Arnold returns to the side with Joe Gomez the man to drop out, meaning Joel Matip and former Saint Virgil van Dijk once again partner each other at the heart of the backline.
Ahead of them, Jordan Henderson and Fabinho – who were both out on their feet following their exertions in midweek with the latter suffering badly from cramp – sit this one out with Gini Wijnaldum and Adam Lallana starting deep in the centre instead.
With Naby Keita also out we think Klopp could choose to go with a 4-2-3-1 system, with Roberto Firmino playing behind Mo Salah and with Sadio Mane and Xherdan Shaqiri – who was an unused substitute against Norwich and Chelsea – on the wings.
According to Italian media outlet Calcio Mercato, Tottenham Hotspur’s move for Juventus attacker Paulo Dybala is in doubt after the player rejected the personal terms offered to him, and Spurs fans have been quick to react on Twitter.
While a number of English sources including BBC Sport’s David Ornstein believe the north London outfit are on a good track with the deal, Calcio Mercato disagree even though they say a €70m (£64.5m) fee has been agreed between the two clubs.
They report that Dybala’s camp weren’t happy with the €9m (£8.3m) per year contract offer on the table, and wanted between €10m-€12m (£9.2m-£11.1m) instead.
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Calcio Mercato add that with the deadline for any transfer at 5pm today, Tottenham are running out of time to get it over the line.
There is no doubt that the Argentina international would be a brilliant signing for Mauricio Pochettino’s men, given his impressive record for Juve as well as his versatility to play in a number of attacking positions.
Spurs supporters have been quick to have their say on this latest negative update though, and while one said it made them “feel sick”, another discarded the Italian source as being “unreliable”.
It wasn’t the most stellar of performances from Arsenal as they kicked off their Premier League campaign against Newcastle at St. James’ Park, but the Gunners still got the job done as they prevailed 1-0.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s solitary goal separated the two sides, with Unai Emery’s team getting the win despite missing a number of their star players. Sead Kolasinac, Mesut Ozil, Kieran Tierney, Nicolas Pepe, Alexandre Lacazette, Rob Holding and Hector Bellerin were all unable to start or could not feature at all for a number of reasons.
With the latter unavailable, Ainsley Maitland-Niles slotted in at right-back. He has often been a utility player for Arsenal, having played in several positions, but it is fair to say he took his chance on the right flank as he was the Emirates outfit’s best performer throughout the match.
Offensively, he provided a constant threat on his side of the field, regularly bombing forward to question the Toon’s backline. He set up Aubameyang for the Gabon international’s second-half strike, and beat his man on several occasions during the match as he proved to be one of his side’s best attacking outlets.
It wasn’t just in the opponents’ half that he impressed, though. Defensively, he also proved reliable, recording four tackles and three interceptions as he completed the whole of the 90 minutes. It is rare that an Arsenal team is so solid, but the 21-year-old contributed to a back four that seldom looked troubled.
Aubameyang may have been the difference between the two sides in the most important moment, but Maitland-Niles was the best player on the pitch as per WhoScored, registering a rating of 8.40. Bellerin is expected to return at the end of September but if the England U21 international continues to perform like this up until that point, the 24-year-old Spaniard will be faced with the difficult task of trying to dislodge him.
According to Italian media outlet Gazzetta dello Sport, Crystal Palace are refusing to give up on their pursuit of Atalanta right-back Timothy Castagne, and Eagles fans have been quick to have their say on the latest twist on Twitter.
The south London outfit have been linked with a move for the Belgium international – even before Aaron Wan-Bissaka left for Manchester United – although a separate report from Gazzetta dello Sport earlier in July suggested that the 23-year-old wanted to sign a deal to stay with the Champions League qualifiers rather than moving on.
However, Gazzetta dello Sport report that Palace haven’t taken no for an answer, and have even offered €21m (£18.8m) and want to get a deal done.
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The Belgian scored five goals and provided a further five assists in 37 appearances in all competitions for the Bergamo-based outfit in 2018/19, and has five caps and one goal for his country, too.
Eagles supporters have taken to social media to give their thoughts on the rumour, and produced a pretty mixed reaction.
While one believes that it is a “negotiation ploy to get Atalanta to up his wages”, another refuses to believe they have offered £18m for him – no surprise given their only summer addition so far is goalkeeper Stephen Henderson on a free.
In August 1995 Alan Hansen famously proclaimed on Match of the Day ‘you can’t win anything with kids’, referencing Sir Alex Ferguson’s youthful Manchester United side. By the conclusion of the season, United had completed the double by winning the Premier League and FA Cup. The United faithful will be hoping for similar fortunes in the upcoming campaign as Ole Gunnar Solskjær looks to rebuild his squad with a notable emphasis on young and emerging, ideally British talents.
Reportedly, it’s young, aspiring players with considerable potential that Solskjær will target this window. While onlookers will rightly question whether these young talents have the necessary quality to make an immediate impact at a club of United’s standing, the move towards young, hungry and determined players is a smart one for the Old Trafford outfit.
The acquisition of Daniel James from Swansea City could be the first of many promising players who will move to United this summer. Despite only attaining 39 senior appearances at club level, there should be considerable excitement around the 21-year-old’s signing after finishing last season with four goals and nine assists to his name in the Championship.
The Wales international will provide United with an abundance of creativity and a frightening degree of pace. Most crucially, the winger is willing to attack directly and he doesn’t shy from one-on-one situations. A total of 13 league goal contributions in his first full season of senior football is a commendable tally and surrounded by higher quality at United, one can envisage James contributing purposefully to their cause.
If United are to restore former glory and attempt to derail their neighbours’ domestic dominance, they need talented, resilient and industrious players. Generally, young players are more prepared to work for the collective good of the team as they’re yet to demonstrate their significance or earn their positions, particularly at clubs placed in the upper echelons of football.
If the theory proves fruitful, signing young players could be the most effective way of restoring desire and fight at the club, fortifying connections with disenchanted supporters and ending an era which has been largely defined by superstar signings of questionable success, from Angel Di Maria and Radamel Falcao to Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku. Di Maria and Falcao lasted just the one season, while Lukaku and Pogba could both leave before the summer’s over.
Another youngster who has interested the United hierarchy is West Ham United’s Issa Diop. The Telegraph report that the Hammers have set a £75m price tag to thwart the Red Devils’ interest. United’s need for defensive recruitment should be their foremost concern this summer; they only conceded a goal fewer (54) than West Ham’s total (55) in the league last term – a clear indication of weaknesses at the back.
Diop is a commanding presence thanks to his height and imposing stature. The Frenchman demonstrates excellent defensive awareness, is physically dominant and decent on the ball with an 86% pass completion rate last season. While the 22-year-old is a far cry from the esteemed names that United are typically linked with, he would add much-needed resolve to a frail and fleeting defensive unit.
According to Manchester Evening News. Newcastle United’s Sean Longstaff is among United’s desired midfield shortlist. Again, superficially, Longstaff wouldn’t be one of the most inspiring signings of the summer, but to focus solely on players’ reputations would negate the club’s vision and shift towards long-term acquisitions.
The 21-year-old’s lack of top-level experience with only nine Premier League games under his belt is a legitimate concern; Diop has already experienced a season of Premier League action, while James has attained four international caps. However, Longstaff showed promise in his outings for the Magpies, averaging 1.9 tackles and 1.1 interceptions per game while doing a great job of orchestrating possession.
His passing ability is an obvious strength, and for someone of his limited experience on the biggest stage, he reads the game well – already earning comparisons to Michael Carrick. Given Ander Herrera’s departure, United need a midfielder who can fuse creativity and tenacity and Longstaff certainly fits the bill.
Soccer Football – FA Cup Third Round Replay – Blackburn Rovers v Newcastle United – Ewood Park, Blackburn, Britain – January 15, 2019 Newcastle United’s Sean Longstaff celebrates scoring their first goal with Jacob Murphy REUTERS/Andrew Yates
Eric Dier is another possible target for United to pursue, as Team Talk report that United are interested in signing the midfielder. While slightly older than other reported targets, he does come with a good blend of age and experience. At 25, Dier has made 40 appearances for England and featured in Premier League and Champions League title hunts.
A host of unfulfilled managerial appointments aligned with pragmatic and mundane football has led to the dereliction of United’s formerly revered footballing identity. The playing style has disappeared and their approach in the transfer market has been scatter-gun.
Turning towards promising young footballers in conjunction with a fresh approach could breathe renewed life into a club desperately requiring rejuvenation. United’s pride is hurt; their dominance of yesteryear defeated; the need for reinvention is urgent.
Their recruitment is strategy is undoubtedly a risk, but the acquisition of young players could set the foundations for the development of a new identity and the building blocks for prospective success. After all, perhaps United will prove once again that you can win something with kids and make Hansen eat his words for a second time.
أكد الجنوب إفريقي بيتسو موسيماني المدير الفني للنادي الأهلي، أن مباراة اليوم أمام المقاولون العرب كانت بمثابة “فيلم رعب” في كرة القدم.
ونجح الأهلي في تحويل تأخره بهدفين لفوز على المقاولون العرب بثلاثة أهداف، في إطار منافسات الجولة التاسعة من مسابقة الدوري المصري الممتاز، التي أقيمت على ستاد الأهلي we السلام.
اقرأ أيضًا.. عبد الحفيظ: تفكير الأهلي في المونديال “لا إرادي”.. ويكشف تعليمات موسيماني بين شوطي مباراة المقاولون
وقال موسيماني في المؤتمر الصحفي للمباراة: “فيلم رعب اليوم، مباراة قوية وبها مشاعر كثيرة، أهدرنا بها الكثير من الفرص في الشوط الأول، وهذا حدث قبل ذلك ولابد أن نعالج هذا الأمر في المباريات المقبلة”.
وتابع ساخرًا: “الأهلي يستمتع وهو تحت الضغط، الوضع خطر لأننا لا نترجم الفرص إلى أهداف، وهذا قد لا نعرف استعادته في كل مرة، وإذا تحدثنا عن الإيجابيات فروح الأهلي أنك تستطيع أن تعود ويكون هناك إيمان أنك ستفوز”.
وواصل: “شدة عصبيتي بين الشوطين اليوم لم تحدث منذ وصولي إلى مصر، وكان لابد أن أعنف وأوجه، ولابد أيضًا أن أشيد بالجهاز الفني معي حيث استطعنا تعديل أشياء كثيرة وتغيير خطة المباراة والتشكيل 3 مرات، ونعمل ضد الوقت لكي نُحسن الفاعلية”.
استكمل: “أفشة لعب 8 ولعبت بلاعبين رأس حربة، والتغييرات كانت فعالة وسجلنا منها هدفين، وبعد التقدم بثلاثة أهداف لعبت بثلاثة لاعبين في الخلف، وغيرت الخطة لـ 3 – 4 – 3”.
وعن أداء علي لطفي حارس مرمى الأهلي، في مباراة اليوم، قال: “علي لطفي لم يكن سيئا لكن (غصب عنه)، لم نكن ندافع بشكل جيد وهذا جزء من كرة القدم، وعندما أعود إلى المنزل سأرى إذا كان لنا ركلة جزاء أم لا”.
وتطرق للحديث عن محمود كهربا لاعب الفريق قائلا: “كهربا لاعب مهم بالنسبة لنا وحقق الفوز كثيرًا، وتغييره فني وتقني وفقًا لمجريات المباراة”.
وبسؤاله هل ستخوض مباراة بيراميدز المقبلة بطريقة دفاعية استعدادا للمونديال؟، أجاب: “لن أذهب إلى قطر من أجل الدفاع، ومباراة بيراميدز فرصة جيدة لتقييم أنفسنا قبل السفر، أتمنى أن لا يتواجد فيروس كورونا في صفوف الفريق وهذا أهم شئ”.
وبسؤاله هل سيكون محمد شريف أساسيًا في الفترة المقبلة، قال: “لايوجد لدي أساسي أو بديل، ولا يوجد لاعب يضمن مركزه، ولابد من أن يحارب على مكانه، ومنحت الفرصة لمروان محسن وبعده محمد شريف ونجح في التسجيل”.
وأكمل: “منحت فرصة أيضًا لوالتر بواليا لكنه لم يوفق، لا أرى اسم اللاعب، ولكن أنظر هل هذا اللاعب مفيد أم لا وهل سيمنحني الفوز، ونفس الأمر ينطبق على كل لاعبي الهجوم”
“هل سيشارك علي لطفي الفترة المقبلة؟”، أجاب: “لو المباراة المقبلة محمد الشناوي مازال موقوفًا فسيلعب”.
وأكمل: “محمد الشناوي رقم 1، رغم حبي لعلي لطفي، ولا نريد افتعال مشكلات، وعندما لا يعطيني الشناوي ما أريده منه سيلعب علي لطفي”.
وأردف: “السولية لاعب مهم وأحتاجه بشدة، لكنه ليس جاهز فنيًا”.
وعن اختلاف الفريق في الشوط الثاني عن الأول، أجاب: “من الصعب للغاية أن تلعب في إفريقيا والدوري ولديك إصابات سواء كورونا أو عضلية”.
وأختتم: “أتمنى أتغلب على تباين المستوى في الأشواط، وأن ينتهي هذا الأمر، ونصل لطريقة لعب ثابتة”.
أكد توماس توخيل مدرب باريس سان جيرمان أهمية عدم الشعور بالثقة تجاه ضمان تأهلهم إلى دور الـ16 بدوري أبطال أوروبا، وذلك رغم فوزهم أمس على مانشستر يونايتد.
وفاز سان جيرمان في الأولد ترافورد بثلاثة أهداف مقابل هدف، في الجولة الخامسة من دور المجموعات.
ويتصدر سان جيرمان بذلك المجموعة الثامنة بـ9 نقاط، متفوقًا على مانشستر يونايتد بالأهداف.
ويلتقي الأمراء الفرنسييون مع باشاك شهير في مباراة صعبة يوم الثلاثاء القادم للحصول على بطاقة التأهل.
وقال توخيل، في تصريحات نشرها الموقع الرسمي للبطولة: “لقد اتخذنا خطوة كبيرة، لكنني لن أسمح لرجل واحد يعتقد أننا تأهل بالفعل”.
وأضاف: “علينا أن نتخذ الخطوة الأخيرة، إنه أحد أكبر التحديات في العالم للفوز هنا في ملعب مانشستر، خاض الفريق بأكمله معركة رائعة ولهذا علينا أن نلعب بنفس العقلية ونفس الموقف”.
وواصل: “نيمار كان حاسمًا مرة أخرى وماركينيوس أيضًا، هذان اللاعبان كان حاسمين بالنسبة لنا في نهائي الموسم الماضي، هما قادة، ومن الواضح أنهم ما زالا يتحملان المسؤولية عندما يكون ذلك ضروريًا، مبروك لهما”.
وأردف: “نحن معًا، هذه هي الأوقات التي يكون فيها من الضروري أن تكون مدربًا، أنا أتعلم كل يوم، لقد ارتكبت بعض الأخطاء، لكنني لن أتوقف عن دفع هذا الفريق”.
واختتم: “أنا فخور بفريقي وفي نفس الوقت أكون يقظًا للغاية، لم ينته الأمر بعد”.
Manchester United have confirmed via their official website that they have offered midfielder Juan Mata a new contract.
With other long-serving players such as Antonio Valencia and Ander Herrera leaving the club this summer, many had thought Mata might be on the way out the door too, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer clearly feels the 31-year-old can still play a role in his squad next season.
Reported by Spotrac to be earning £160,000-a-week last term, he is one of the club’s highest earners and surely will have to show more of an influence on the team next season to justify staying at Old Trafford.
Unfortunately for Man United fans, it’s hard to see how he can do that.
Will OGS still be in charge of Man Utd come next May? The Flying Pig discusses in the video below…
On the chalkboard
Mata made just 20 starts for the club last season, playing regularly under Jose Mourinho before being used more sparingly after Solskjaer’s arrival at the club.
With the new Man United boss opting to play two strikers or a front three, Mata often toiled in that system, even in matches United ended up winning well.
Frankly the former Chelsea man looked well off the pace in most of his appearances, slowing down play for the Red Devils in the final third rather than finding the confidence or combination with teammates to truly make an impact.
In the end he produced his lowest single-season goals and assists tally at the club to date, leaving no-one in any doubt that he is a player in decline. He’s not the kind of player the club should be paying such a heavy wage to either.
United’s future
Any Manchester United revival under Solskjaer is going to be one built from the ground up and getting rid of squad players like Mata should have been the first step for the Old Trafford club.
Why they see a future for him in Manchester is slightly baffling, especially when you consider the club appear to be targeting players who are young, hungry and eager to take the next step in their careers.
Mata simply doesn’t fit into the team or that new culture and although they do need some experience to help youngsters coming into the team, the Spaniard doesn’t play enough as it is to have an influence in that regard.
Right now, the smart money would be on Mata both not playing as many games next season as he did last, but also producing just as little a direct goal contribution too.
Man United need to re-assess their squad priorities.
Rather than solving Newcastle United’s striker or managerial issues, the regime under Mike Ashley and their aspirations this summer look to be different.
Even after a severe backlash, the billionaire’s obsession with cheap deals seemingly hasn’t faded away. This time, he’s targeting a player the Magpies barely even need.
According to reports (via The Sun), Newcastle have Yannick Bolasie on their radar this summer. Indeed, a player who’s gone over a year without Premier League football and last scored a top-flight goal is on their interest list. Amazing, really, Indeed, Bolasie’s spent his last few months plying his trade for Belgian giants Anderlecht, but only netted twice in 10 games. Shocking, shocking stuff.
Once known for being Crystal Palace’s wing-wizard before Wilfried Zaha returned, he’s fallen from grace since moving from the London side. Injury issues haven’t helped and the 28-year-old’s just slacked off since leaving the Eagles. He might’ve once been a tricky, menacing winger who created chances with little effort, but he struggles to even go beyond defenders nowadays.
There might have already been suggestions that Matt Ritchie could leave this summer, but there’s no way Bolasie can fill his shoes. Replicating his brilliant on the left-wing, including the inviting crosses along with powerful strikes, will be impossible. Even on the right flank, he can barely do much and is nowhere near the sizzling Miguel Almiron.
This is a deal which has instant regret written all over it. Bolasie is quite evidently yesterday’s man. Investing even £7million for a regressing winger can result in another flop deal under Ashley and a huge waste of money which should be put elsewhere.
Newcastle fans, do you think Bolasie’s the right fit for the club? Join the discussion by commenting below…