Categories
football Sports News

THE ‘MISPEPING’ OF CITY AND JURGEN KLOPP’S FOOTPRINT IN LIVERPOOL’S PERFORMANCES.

This short piece is, in my opinion, not necessarily backed up by Opta or one football statistic authority. I’ll urge you to read with a neutral mind.

Pep Guardiola is undoubtedly one of the greatest Managers of the last two decades. But why has he lost five games in a row, making an unpopular record for himself?

Bar injuries of Rodri, Stones and Ruben Dias, Pep used to execute games with Akanji, Ake and/or Stones. In the midfield too, Gundogan has been playing alongside Rico Lewis. The latter is a young lad who has proven to be worth the hype in the last few seasons. While these two may not be the favourite midfield combination for City, they have worked very well for them in the past. So, what changed?

In my opinion, most of the City players who are pivotal to their yester victories are now older and getting close to the point of diminishing. Don’t get me wrong, they are not diminishing yet, but they are getting close to that point. Using a set of players to win multiple trophies for four years or more will come with consequences. What would make the difference is a succession plan. And this is why Klopp is in this story.

Liverpool Coach, Arne Slot.

Yes! It takes a good Manager to pick up quality players and deploy them well to win games and stay competitive. But Klopp’s succession plan for Liverpool was the beginning of the success of whoever succeeds him as Liverpool Boss.

The idea of letting Liverpool’s top midfielders go, all at the same time seemed horrendous to some Liverpool fans, but it was a necessary step at rebuilding the Liverpool team. Jordan Henderson, Fabinho Tavares, James Milner, and Alex Oxlade Chamberlain were all released at the same time, paving the way for the arrivals of Dominic Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endo. It is on this new foundation that Arne Slot is now continuing the competitiveness of the Liverpool team across competitions.

Klopp did the same with the Liverpool attack. We all enjoyed the fluidity and effectiveness of the trio of Salah, Mane and Firmino but Klopp understands we cannot have that forever, hence, the introduction of Jota, Nunez, Diaz and then Gakpo. Recall that Mane and Firmino (Firmino especially) were still at Mersey side when most of these players arrived. This points to an excellent succession plan.

But is Pep not doing this too?

Since the run of defeats, many have criticised Guardiola for not replacing Alvarez, as if Erling Haaland is no longer the goal machine of the blue half of Manchester. What they forget is Jeremy Doku and the newly added Savinho and James Mc Atee. Manchester City has midfield options too. Aside from Mateo Kovacic who just recently got injured, there is Matheus Nunes and Oscar Bobb. Having all these options, most of whom were integrated into the team before this season, and losing five games in a row, gives a suspicious smell beyond the lack of Rodri and Ruben Dias.

But Liverpool should be worried too. Ryan Gravenberch has proven to be one of the key players driving the team’s success this season. Leading the English and Champions League table with the best Goal difference has a lot to do with how the midfield is anchored. Should Gravy get injured sometimes during this season, can Liverpool remain as good as they are now using alternative combinations from the mix of Endo, Mac Allister, Jones and Szobo? Food for thought.

Categories
football Sports News

GARY NEVILLE QUESTIONS PROFESSIONALISM OF RASHFORD AND CASEMIRO OVER USA TRIPS

Gary Neville has questioned the professionalism of Manchester United duo Marcus Rashford and Casemiro over their trips to the United States during the international break.

Rashford was in attendance at Madison Square Garden in New York on Monday night and was seen leaving the venue following an NBA match between New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets.

The forward was pictured courtside with friends before he posed and signed shirts with NBA star Jalen Brunson during his trip while midfielder Casemiro flew to Orlando for a family holiday to Disney World, as seen on his Instagram.

Former Manchester United defender Neville has raised question marks over the choice of destination from the pair, and highlighted jet lag as a factor.

On the latest episode of the Stick to Football podcast, he said: “The professionalism, looking after your body and making sure you’re best prepared for the next training session is critical to every decision you make during the season.

“He [Marcus Rashford] has got a mental break, he’s got to get away and has got to rest with friends – then you talk about the choice of venue, how far do you fly, what’s the time difference, is that going to give a jet lag issue, is that going to give a stiffness issue from being on a flight for 12 hours?

“This is on Casemiro more than Rashford but if I’m 30 years old and I’m looking after my body – and he’s won five Champions Leagues and is an unbelievable player, but if he was away with Brazil for 10 days, we would say he would struggle this weekend because he’s been away.

“They [Casemiro and Marcus Rashford] have chosen that international break. If you are talking about the minor details in being as professional as you can be and as prepared you can be for a training session on a Monday night, that isn’t the best choice of venue.

“I’m not that wound up about [Marcus] Rashford and Casemiro going over to the United States but what I’m asking is, if you’ve got a four-day break, Portland is a 12-hour flight and an eight-hour time difference, your jetlag is bad, and you feel a bit [rough].

“They went to Portland and I’m asking the question based on professionalism – you’re playing badly, the team are losing, you’re 13th in the league, and there is a new manager coming in – would you choose that trip as a break to recharge your batteries? That’s not a recharging trip. It’s not right that.”

Ruben Amorim took charge of his first Manchester United training session this week following his arrival as new head coach, with the club releasing a seven-minute video on Monday showing both him and the players at Carrington.

Amorim starts his reign as boss with a trip to Ipswich in the Premier League on Sunday.

Categories
football Sports News

CHELSEA CAPTAIN REECE JAMES SUFFERS ANOTHER INJURY PROBLEM

Chelsea captain Reece James has suffered another injury setback and could face more time on the sidelines.

The 24-year-old-right-back only returned to action in October after missing the start of the season.

But boss Enzo Maresca revealed James will miss Saturday’s trip to Leicester after feeling something in his hamstring.

Maresca hopes the problem is not serious, but given the player’s injury history the club will not take any risks.

“Reece, unfortunately, felt something small and we don’t want to take any risks this weekend,” he said.

“Hopefully it’s not something longer. He felt something, he has to be out and then we’ll see. It’s his hamstring, a muscle problem.”

James has struggled throughout his career to string a consistent amount of matches together, but Maresca hopes that will eventually change.

“For sure,” he added. “But in this moment is not happening.”

Categories
football Sports News

ARNE SLOT SAYS CITY’S LOSS DID NOT GIVE LIVERPOOL AN EXTRA EDGE

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot insisted his Premier League leaders needed no motivation from Manchester City’s defeat at Brighton to beat Aston Villa and take a five-point lead into the international break.

A sense of opportunity swept through Anfield just before kick-off following news of the defending champions’ loss on the south coast but Slot said that was not the driving factor behind their 2-0 win – the 15th victory in 17 games this season.

“I cannot tell what the fans felt, I can only say if my players need extra motivation that would not be a good idea,” said the Dutchman.

“If you play at Anfield in front of your own fans you should only be motivated. You should not need motivation from another match.”

Liverpool’s 28 points from 11 matches has been bettered only once in the last 34 seasons, in 2019-20 when they had 31 points at the same stage and went on to win the league comfortably.

Having beaten Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday to make it four wins from four in the Champions League, just days after coming from behind to defeat Brighton, it has been a significant week in Slot’s short Anfield career.

But he is not getting carried away by his rivals’ slip-ups as he is aware fortunes can quickly change.

“It was definitely a big week but every game is,” he added.
“Hopefully we will have a lot of these weeks to come. We are trying to compete for the league, for the Champions League and for the cups as well.
“We also know it is a long season as well and the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and City are capable of winning so many games in 17 as we did.”

The only downside to the victory, secured by goals from Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah, was a hamstring injury to Trent Alexander-Arnold which is likely to rule him out of England’s forthcoming Nations League matches.

“That is difficult to say how serious it is but it is always a serious if a player goes out in the first half,” said Slot.

“He asked for it because he felt something, so that is first of all not a good sign.

“It is always difficult so close after the game to tell you exactly what it is but let’s wait and see.

“I would be surprised if we will see him playing for the England national team this week but hopefully he can.”

For the first time Villa have lost four successive matches under manager Unai Emery.

“Obviously the result is not good but how we played I am confident. I am confident because I think we are in the right way after this match,” he said.

“We wanted to get points but today against Liverpool we can accept the result because they are really feeling strong at home and not really dominating and creating chances against us.

“They won and we accept it.”

Villa had two penalty appeals in the second half, one for a shirt pull on Pau Torres and another for a foul on the defender.

“For me it was clearly a penalty because he pulled the shirt of Pau Torres. I know that in Europe this is a penalty, but here in England they want to use VAR,” he said.

“In this situation it was clear. I always respect the decisions of referees and I accept it, but for me, when I watched it, with VAR it was a clear penalty.

“It was a very important moment in the game because if we could have the chance to shoot the penalty, maybe the match would have been different.

“I accept the result and the referee’s decision (but) I don’t agree.”

Categories
football Sports News

LIVERPOOL BEAT ASTON VILLA TO GO FIVE POINTS CLEAR ON THE PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE

Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah fired Liverpool five points clear at the top of the Premier League as the 2-0 victory over Aston Villa clinically exploited Manchester City’s defeat earlier in the day.

Anfield was buzzing after the news came in of Brighton’s victory over the defending champions and for long periods the atmosphere crackled with the sense of expectation and opportunity.

It was not their most convincing victory under Arne Slot, who has now won 15 of his first 17 games, but took Liverpool to 28 points – a tally bettered only once in the last 34 seasons when they amassed 31 points at the same stage in 2019-20 on the way to lifting the league title.

It was sparked by Nunez, who scored one and missed two, which for him was a typical night in a red shirt.

The criticism levelled at the Uruguay international is that he is not reliable enough in front of goal to be first-choice number nine but he has a knack for making himself the centre of attention regardless.

His 66 minutes on the pitch was an encapsulation of that as his 20th-minute goal saw him react quickest to a loose ball to fire past Emiliano Martinez.

But faced with a long run on goal and only the Argentinian to beat from another corner breakaway he skied his shot into the Kop, while the close-range header he missed early in the second half would have undoubtedly made for a more comfortable night for the league leaders.

The winner was almost a throwback to the Jurgen Klopp era as Virgil van Dijk broke out from a Villa corner and played the ball into an empty Villa half for Salah to race onto.

He was clean through but went down in a tangle with the pursuing Leon Bailey.
Referee David Coote waved away claims for a foul – and potential red card – but Nunez was alert to the opportunity and although his first touch took him wide of Martinez his second saw him fire into an empty net from a tight angle.

But faced with a one-on-one opportunity of his own from another Villa corner 12 minutes later he displayed the profligacy which has blighted his Liverpool career to date, having only been inches away from connecting with Salah’s deft chip moments earlier.

Liverpool may have dominated but in the space of a minute the visitors had four chances to equalise: Caoimhin Kelleher tipped over Amadou Onana’s header and then repelled Diego Carlos’ near-post flick from the next delivery, with Ryan Gravenberch blocking Ollie Watkins’ follow-up before Lucas Digne volleyed into the side-netting.

The loss of Trent Alexander-Arnold to a hamstring injury midway through the first half was a blow to Liverpool and England ahead of their forthcoming Nations League matches but it did not materially affect their performance.

Straight from the second half kick-off Morgan Rogers curled a shot wide after breaking down the left to serve warning that Villa were far from done, then Nunez was equally wasteful with his head from six yards out.

Villa’s claim for a penalty when Conor Bradley had hold of Pau Torres’ shirt at a free-kick was rejected by VAR but seemed a more valid shout than when Watkins went down theatrically in a shoulder challenge with the excellent Ibrahima Konate.

The visitors ramped up the pressure in the closing 15 minutes but it required Ezri Konsa to slide in to superbly deny Luis Diaz from yet another corner counter-attack.

However, Diego Carlos was not as fortunate when he headed against Salah, who raced away to beat Martinez for his eighth goal in 10 outings against Villa, who have lost four in a row under Unai Emery for the first time.

Categories
football Sports News

BRIGHTON FIGHT BACK TO STUN MAN CITY AS CHAMPIONS SUFFER FOURTH SUCCESSIVE LOSS.

Brighton staged a sensational late fightback to come from behind and send Manchester City to a fourth consecutive defeat with a pulsating 2-1 win at the Amex Stadium.

Substitute Matt O’Riley appeared in the area in the 83rd minute to tuck away Joao Pedro’s pass for his first Brighton goal to stun the Premier League champions, minutes after Pedro had himself equalised following a penalty box scramble.

Erling Haaland’s goal after 23 minutes had looked like City’s winner for much of the game, the Norway striker finishing off following a sublimely calibrated pass from Mateo Kovacic.
Yet this was a display of supreme courage on the home side, Fabian Hurzeler’s players refusing to let go lightly of a chance to leap into the top four.
They deservedly levelled when half the City team descended on Danny Welbeck as he received the ball in the box. In the panic, no one spotted Pedro, who leapt onto the scene to finish.

And it fell to Pedro to provide the ball for O’Riley, appearing for only the second time since moving from Celtic after injury wrecked his early months at Brighton, who capped a famous night on the south coast with the coolest finish amid scintillating drama.

City had already lost three in a row for the first time since April 2018 and their injury problems had not abated. Manuel Akanji and Nathan Ake, run ragged when only half-fit in the defeat against Bournemouth, made only the bench, so 19-year-old Jahmai Simpson-Pusey was handed his first league start in central defence.

Yet a fourth consecutive loss awaited Pep Guardiola for the first time in his managerial career, though the early signs had been that City’s blip was righted.

Kovacic, the visitors’ best player in the first half, drove upfield and slipped the ball to Savinho who was thwarted by Bart Verbruggen as he aimed for the corner.

The opening goal though was not long in arriving. Yasin Ayari gave the ball away near halfway to Kovacic and City’s midfield powerhouse cruised forward again. His ball to find Haaland was perfectly pitched, the striker’s run meticulously routed in between Igor Julio and Jan Paul van Hecke, and though Verbruggen blocked the initial shot, Haaland won the foot race with Van Hecke to crash the ball in off the crossbar from a yard out

Haaland saw his near-post drive turned against the post by Verbruggen then moments later glanced a header over from a corner, as City threatened a second.

Brighton had weathered a storm and they turned up the pressure on City before the break.
There might have been a penalty when Josko Gvardiol went to the ground and blocked Welbeck’s effort seemingly with an arm, the chance coming after Kyle Walker had misjudged the flight of the ball, but play continued.

The second half would see Brighton throw everything at the champions in search of a route back. Jack Hinshelwood headed straight at Ederson from Pervis Estupinan’s deep cross, then Kaoru Mitoma turned Walker in the corner with impudent trickery and teed up Estupinan, whose delivery was again spot on though Georginio Rutter was not so concentrated with his wayward header.

Ederson had to race from his goal to smother at the feet of Mitoma, and then Pedro drew agonised cries around the Amex when he followed up a featherlight touch to bring the ball down with an awful shot dragged wide with the goalkeeper to beat.

It looked like City would hold out, but Pedro and O’Riley had other ideas.

Categories
football Sports News

SUPER SUB HARRY WILSON STINGS BEES WITH ADDED-TIME DOUBLE IN THRILLING FULHAM WIN.

Substitute Harry Wilson scored two late goals as Fulham came from behind to beat west London rivals Brentford 2-1 in a Premier League thriller.

The visiting Bees initially stung their hosts through Vitaly Janelt’s goal before Wilson came off the bench to net twice in stoppage time and settle matters at Craven Cottage.

The dramatic climax enabled Marco Silva’s men to end a run of three matches without a win.

Reiss Nelson came into the starting XI at the expense of Adama Traore and the Arsenal loanee was in the thick of the action as he almost gave the hosts the lead in the opening minutes.

Nelson, operating on the left, was slipped through by fellow Arsenal academy graduate Emile Smith Rowe, and after his initial effort towards the near post was denied by Mark Flekken, the Brentford goalkeeper did well to get to his feet and perform a double save.

Smith Rowe’s quality was on full display under the lights and the Cottagers’ club-record signing was at the heart of a wonderful play which almost resulted in a 16th minute goal.

The midfield player started a one touch move between Nelson and Antonee Robinson where he was slipped through, with his shot being heroically blocked by Nathan Collins, who prevented his effort curling into the bottom right corner.

Brentford survived the early Fulham storm and Janelt then gave his side with a thumping strike.
The visitors’ press finally paid dividends as they won the ball high, allowing Janelt to crack a left-footed shot past Bernd Leno and into the corner of the net.

Silva turned to the bench after an hour as Traore came on in a bid to impact the match with his explosive pace down the right.

At this point, Thomas Frank’s side were sat in a low block, but Traore fancied himself against Bees left-back Sepp Van Den Berg, with his first action creating a cross for Raul Jimenez, with the in-form Mexican forward failing to get enough purchase or accuracy behind his headed attempt.

Fulham were not going down easily and Brentford needed to defend valiantly. Traore continued to see the ball down the right flank and after his first shot was blocked by Ben Mee, the central defender rushed out and put his body on the line to get in the way of a powerful half-volley which looked destined for the net.

The Cottagers continued to search for the equaliser and Traore created it in the second minute of added time.

The rapid Spaniard surged down the right and picked out Wilson, whose creative flick looped over Flekken and into the far corner.

Harry Wilson celebrates his second goal and game-winner at Craven Cottage

The Wales international, frustrated by his lack of starts for the Cottagers, was not finished. Five minutes later he showed the instincts of a striker to attack a Robinson cross and head the winning goal, to the delight of the home support.

Categories
football Sports News

SOUTHAMPTON BEAT EVERTON WITH LATE WINNER TO CLAIM FIRST LEAGUE VICTORY

Adam Armstrong scored an 85th-minute winner as Southampton beat Everton 1-0 to earn their first Premier League victory of the season.

The left-winger’s late goal helped lift the Saints off the foot of the table on a day where they were also indebted to the heroics of goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.

Everton’s Beto thought he had equalised minutes before the end but, after a lengthy review, the effort was ruled offside as Russell Martin’s promoted side were handed a much-needed boost in their survival bid.

Nottingham Forest’s Ryan Yates (centre) and team-mates celebrate victory after the final whistle in the Premier League match at the City Ground, Nottingham. Picture date: Saturday November 2, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story SOCCER Forest.

Saints’ theme of dominating possession continued as Everton struggled to breach the hosts’ well-organised structure in the early stages, with new boy Mateus Fernandes being the key link between midfield and attack.

The 20-year-old summer signing from Sporting Lisbon floated in between the lines and continuously picked out Armstrong on the right-hand side, but the wideman struggled to get the better of marker Vitalii Mykolenko.

Saints continued to play football which contradicted their 20th-place position at the start of the weekend, with Flynn Downes putting Cameron Archer in behind only for the striker’s effort to narrowly miss the left post, much to the relief of a well-beaten Jordan Pickford.

Everton had been second best, but with the game level they were still very much in the contest. A first-time strike from Idrissa Gueye off a corner routine early in the second half saw Ramsdale’s save awkwardly spin onto the roof of the net as Everton pushed men forward in search of the opener.

The Toffees came close again in the 67th minute. Substitute Jesper Lindstrom wandered onto the left, cut in and delivered a whipped inswinging delivery with his right foot, which was met by the head of Michael Keane in the six-yard box. Miraculously, Ramsdale demonstrated instinctive reflexes to touch the ball onto the post, keeping the scores level.

Ramsdale’s heroics continued as he began to outperform opposite number and England number one Pickford. The former Arsenal man, who made the move to the south coast for a reported £18 million in the summer, made another incredible stop, this time tipping Lindstrom’s free-kick over the bar.

Beto hit the bar for Everton after 84 minutes and, typical of the end-to-end affair, Saints surged down the other end to take the lead.

Yukinari Sugawara was unleashed down the right and a simple ball into the middle saw Armstrong jink inside and bury his first-time effort into the bottom left-hand corner.

Beto thought he had salvaged a point with a finish late on, but VAR saved Saints as they won an important and deserved three points.

Categories
football Sports News

JORDAN AYEW EARNS LEICESTER A LATE POINT AS IPSWICH SQUANDER ANOTHER LEAD

Jordan Ayew’s stoppage-time equaliser denied Ipswich a first Premier League win of the season as Leicester snatched a 1-1 draw.

Town were on course for their first three points in the top flight since April 2002 when a superb volley from Leif Davis put them ahead.

But the Tractor Boys had Kalvin Phillips sent off with 15 minutes remaining, and the 10 men were unable to hold on.

Instead, Ayew’s last-gasp strike meant Kieran McKenna’s immensely watchable side have now squandered a lead five times in 10 matches this season.

Leicester, with manager Steve Cooper serving a touchline ban, should have gone ahead in the third minute when Jamie Vardy got in behind the Town back four.

But the 37-year-old opted to square the ball rather than shoot and Stephy Mavididi made a mess of his finish.

Moments later Leicester almost gifted the hosts a goal when Jannik Vestergaard miscontrolled a pass from goalkeeper Mads Hermansen.

Omari Hutchinson nicked the ball away from the defender and stood up an inviting cross for Sam Szmodics, who headed wastefully over.

Leicester’s Brighton loanee Facundo Buonanotte then embarked on a mazy run into the penalty area, beating four players before his deflected shot was pawed away by Arijanet Muric.

Ipswich passed up another good opportunity after half an hour when Dara O’Shea met a Davis corner unmarked at the back post, but he planted his header into the ground and wide.

But Town were playing some eye-catching stuff, and one slick move saw Liam Delap’s extravagant pass taken by Conor Chaplin and curled inches wide of the far post.

Hermansen had to come out bravely to deny the onrushing Delap and then hold Ben Johnson’s drive with Ipswich, like so many times this season, unable to convert some wonderful chances into goals.

That changed nine minutes into the second half, however, as Davis scored with a beautiful far-post volley. The left-back met a sweeping cross-field pass from Sam Morsy with a measured, cushioned effort back past Hermansen and inside the opposite post.

However, the mood inside Portman Road changed when a chaotic couple of minutes saw Conor Chaplin bundled over by Abdul Fatawu in the area, with referee Tim Robinson waving away Ipswich’s penalty appeals.

Robinson then further angered the locals when he showed Phillips a second yellow card for a foul on Abdul Fatawu.

Leicester sensed their chance but Buonanotte blazed over from 15 yards and Ayew’s goalbound shot was cleared by Cameron Burgess.

However, in the fourth minute of stoppage time, Morsy was robbed by Boubakary Soumare as he attempted to run the ball into the Ipswich half.

Soumare fed fellow substitute Ayew, who played a neat one-two with Vardy before slipping the ball under Muric to leave Cooper celebrating from the press seats and Ipswich utterly crestfallen.

Categories
football Sports News

MOURINHO SEEKS WINNER’S MEDAL AND BONUS IF MAN CITY ARE STRIPPED OF TITLES

Jose Mourinho cheekily said he is looking to add a fourth Premier League medal to his glittering cabinet if Manchester City are stripped of their titles and rivals Manchester United are awarded the Premier League trophy for the 2017-18 season.

Mourinho, who won three titles with Chelsea, guided United to a second-place finish behind City in that campaign, 19 points behind Pep Guardiola’s record-breaking side.

City, who have won the English title a record four times in succession, were referred to an independent commission in February 2023, with the various charges dating from 2009 to 2018. They have always denied any wrongdoing.

Should City be found guilty of some or all of the charges, they could face penalties or huge fines, points deductions, being stripped of their titles or even be demoted from the top flight.

“We won the Europa League and finished second in the Premier League. I think we still have a chance to win that league,” Fenerbahce boss Mourinho told reporters ahead of their Europa League clash against United.

“Maybe they punish Manchester City with points (deductions) and maybe we win that league. They have to pay me the bonus and give me the medal.”

Mourinho was the first manager since Alex Ferguson’s last season in 2012-13 to bring United the closest to winning the league title again but he was sacked in December 2018 after a poor run of form.

Ferguson is United’s most successful manager and although he is set to step down as a global ambassador after the club’s part-owners Ineos ended his multi-million pound contract, Mourinho said the 82-year-old did not need the position or the money.

“The ambassadorial role… I don’t know in depth the situation. It doesn’t matter why, what (happened). Sir Alex has the most important thing, which is the love and respect of every Man United fan around the world,” Mourinho said.

“That is more important than an ambassadorial role, it is more important than a few pounds that he can make that he doesn’t need.”