In 2021, Leeds just haven’t been at the races. They have lost every single game this year and thus, Marcelo Bielsa is starting to feel the pressure.
This United side are still a bustling one full of intensive attacking energy, but they must ensure they get the balance right.
On the chalkboard
One of the big issues in recent weeks has been defensively. Leeds went through a period where they missed Liam Cooper, Robin Koch and Diego Llorente – all three of the club’s senior centre-halves.
Thus, issues at the back were hardly surprising. Luke Ayling and Pascal Struijk initially tried their best to marshal things and a clean sheet against Burnley typified how solid they can be.
Yet, with Kalvin Phillips part of a defensive trio when they played Crawley and then when he was suspended against Brighton, they floundered and didn’t look up to scratch.
Philips is often the heartbeat of this Leeds team but as Bielsa’s side were knocked out of the FA Cup, he was at fault for one of the goals and gave the ball away 24 times. It was an uncharacteristic showing from someone usually so reliable.
However, he isn’t the problem, something their 1-0 defeat to Brighton showed.
Struggling Struijk
Last month we issued rallying cries that the young Dutchman was finally Premier League ready. In terms of his contributions in a back four, that’s certainly the case.
Yet, two games in a row he has looked out of his depth while playing as a makeshift defensive midfielder.
It was bizarre he played in that role versus Crawley with Phillips playing further back, but he was the only one capable when they took on the Seagulls, predominantly because Leeds failed to sign another midfielder in the summer.
It’s safe to say that decision hasn’t been vindicated. The centre-back was dragged off after just 45 minutes in the FA Cup a fortnight ago, failing to win a single ground duel. For a holding player, that’s an essential part of the game so it speaks volumes about how poor his display was. It also says a lot about Bielsa’s feelings – he was clearly seething inside with how the game went.
Meanwhile, against Graham Potter’s team, Struijk gave the ball away 13 times – the sixth-worst tally on the Leeds side – and completed just 80% of his passes, a tally down 8% on his season average.
Though, it’s not just us that has noticed the youngster’s poor form. Speaking about Struijk this week, Leeds pundit Noel Whelan said:
“I think Struijk looks out of place, playing Kalvin’s role. I’ve got to say I don’t think there’s anyone that can play Kalvin’s role in the team which is worrying for me. When he’s out we don’t seem to have that flow in our game going forward and the discipline in the defensive role.”
For Leeds, this should be a huge concern. Although the Netherlands-born defender has proven himself to be adept among a back four, he has been anything but when pushed further forward.
Consequently, the £2.2m-rated centre-back must be reduced to the bench with immediate effect. He is not good enough to play in Phillips’ position, nor is he good enough to play over Cooper.
AND in other news, Leeds should rue not signing £72k-p/w “beast”, he’s better than Struijk…
O Diário Oficial da União publicou, na manhã desta terça-feira, a oficialização do patrocínio do Flamengo com a Caixa Econômica Federal. O contrato, renovado por mais um ano, renderá R$ 25 milhões ao clube, conforme está inscrito no próprio comunicado. O banco estatal segue como patrocinador master do Rubro-Negro, algo que já acontece desde 2013.
Nesta terça-feira, está prevista uma viagem do presidente Eduardo Bandeira de Mello a Brasília para homologar o patrocínio. Desde o fim do ano passado as partes já estavam acordadas, embora a oficialização tenha sido apenas nesta terça.
A diretoria do Flamengo segue em busca de mais parceiros, já que o contrato com a Viton 44 (costas e manga) e Jeep (barra traseira) se encerrou no fim de dezembro. O clube ainda negocia renovação com a montadora.
GALERIA DE FOTOS: >Veja as dez últimas camisas utilizadas pelo Flamengo
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With an average age of 28 years 4 months, it’s hardly surprising Crystal Palace have the oldest squad in the Premier League. Roy Hodgson’s side have struggled for consistency so far this season, with four wins out of eight games in the top flight.
The Eagles have suffered from a mixed bag of results, having beaten Manchester United in an emphatic 3-1 win at Old Trafford, before being on the receiving end of a humiliating 4-0 defeat at the hands of Chelsea. However, they’ve bounced back with a 4-1 win over Leeds United at Selhurst Park just before the international break.
It’s inevitable that players will get older, but that doesn’t mean that Palace chief Steve Parish can’t do something about it. There will soon come a point when Palace will have to revitalise their aging defence, that much is for certain, as it’s safe to say that Gary Cahill, Scott Dann, Mamadou Sakho and James Tomkins aren’t getting any younger.
So, Parish can solve Hodgson’s problems with one fell swoop by buying Ivan Nasberg from Valerenga.
The former Norway U21 international has been tipped to earn his first senior call-up for his country after an impressive start to the season. Per SofaScore, the 24-year-old colossus has made 23 appearances in the Norwegian Eliteserien this season, whilst he is averaging 3.3 clearances and 1.2 interceptions per game, helping his side keep 8 clean sheets in the process.
By comparison, even Dann has only mustered fewer than one interception per game in the Premier League, as per SofaScore.
It’s claimed that Valerenga would be willing to accept £1m for Nasberg, as per The Sun.
Once lauded as a “really good” player by his former skipper Adam Larsen Kwarasey, Nasberg has made over 100 appearances for the Norwegian side, whilst he has scored two goals and supplied two assists in all competitions.
Standing at 186cm tall, he isn’t exactly the tallest of centre-backs but he more than makes up for his relative lack of height with his defensive contributions at the back.
The Norwegian seems like a relatively risk-free signing to all intents and purposes with a low risk and a high reward. However, Parish will face stiff competition from Fulham for his signature. Get it done, Eagles.
AND in other news, Crystal Palace may forever regret not signing Real Madrid defender Ferland Mendy…
Internazionale are aiming to sell Christian Eriksen, highlighting that Tottenham Hotspur’s Daniel Levy made the correct decision in letting him leave when he did.
What’s the word?
Eriksen only joined Internazionale in January, but Antonio Conte is already willing to let him leave the club, according to Calciomercato.
The former Chelsea boss is fixated on signing N’Golo Kante and Arturo Vidal, of Chelsea and Barcelona respectively, so wants to sell Eriksen and Marcelo Brozovic to help raise the required funds.
It is suggested within the report that Inter’s hierarchy are also willing to facilitate this move, as they aim to please Conte.
The manager does not see Eriksen as a good fit for his Inter side, considering him lazy and ineffective out of possession, while accepting that changing the Denmark international’s game to suit the style would waste his skillset.
Inter may have a struggle on their hands to get him out of the club though, as they are looking to make a profit on the fee paid to Spurs during the January transfer window.
Is it Mido or Pedro Mendes? This Spurs quiz will separate the loyal from the fake…
When the January transfer window came, Spurs had a pretty big dilemma on their hands when it came to Eriksen: do they keep him for the remainder of the season and let him leave for free, or do they just sell him and take the fee?
There could have been a case to keep him, due to the fact he had shown his talent in a Spurs shirt down the years, playing 305 games, scoring 69 goals and assisting a further 89.
However, he was in and out of the Spurs team last season, making just 10 starts and 10 substitute appearances in the Premier League, recording two goals and two assists.
If he had stayed it would have been hoped that he could step up his contribution, but his time at Inter shows that is improbable, as he started eight Serie A games and came off the bench nine times.
The fact Inter are already looking to sell the £54m-rated star only accentuates that point, showing that Levy, and Spurs, were right to take the money when they could.
After England’s Nation League games against Iceland and Denmark last week, it is normal to start thinking towards next years Euro’s – and instantly start to wonder about how well we may or may not do during the big international competitions, dreaming of watching the Three Lions lift a trophy again like most England fans do every year.
In football, trophies translate to success, and England has failed to win a major trophy since the 1966 World Cup, the countries only major trophy to date.
When remembering the England greats, it is easy to just think about England’s golden generation or the nearly teams of the ’80s and ’90s – but this is no more.
Here, we’re going to piece together England’s greatest ever XI of capped internationals…
GK – Gordon Banks
An easy omission in goal for me, Gordan Banks was the countries World Cup-winning goalkeeper in ’66 and is often regarded as one of the greatest to play the game in his position. Banks played 73 games for England between 1963-72, and was named the 2nd best goalkeeper in the history of the game, behind Lev Yashin and ahead of Dino Zoff.
His save against Pelé in the 1970 World Cup has been regarded as the greatest save in footballing history by Pelé himself and is a moment that went down in English football folklore.
RB – Gary Neville
Having played his entire career at Manchester United, Gary Neville made his England debut in 1995 against Japan under Terry Venables. Throughout his international career, Neville played 85 times for England, making him the countries most capped right-back of all time.
Despite never winning a major trophy for England, Neville’s domestic success clearly shows he was a fantastic player and was a big part of England’s ‘Golden Generation’ of the late ’90s and ’00s.
CB – Bobby Moore
An easy choice in central defence is the legend that is Bobby Moore. Having captained the World Cup-winning team of 1966, Moore played 108 times for England, scoring two goals – and is often regarded as one of the best defenders in the history of the game.
Former Celtic manager Jock Stein was quoted saying “There should be a law against him. He knows what’s happening 20 minutes before everyone else.” – a fitting example of the quality that Moore possessed, making him England’s greatest defender of all time.
CB – John Terry
Another member of England’s golden generation, John Terry is another player often regarded as one of the countries finest defenders.
Terry made his debut for England back in 2003 and made 78 appearances for the Three Lions scoring 6 goals in the process. He also finished his domestic career as the highest-scoring defender in Premier League history during his time at Chelsea and Aston Villa between 1998 and 2018.
LB – Ashley Cole
A long time team-mate of Terry, Ashley Cole is regarded as the best left-back in English history, having played 107 games for his country, making him the most capped full-back of all time for England.
Cole made his debut in 2001 against Albania and went on to represent the Three Lions at both the European Championships and World Cup tournaments between 2001 and 2014 – but failed to score a goal for the country during this time.
His attacking style of play and revolutionary role of the full-back position has regarded him as one of the best left-backs of all time, and England’s greatest.
CDM – Nobby Stiles
Our third World Cup-winner in the starting XI, Nobby Stiles is often referred to as one of the best midfielders of all time, revolutionising the midfield role of a defensive midfielder, and perfecting his duties of man-marking opponents in games.
Most know Stiles due to his game against Portugal in the 1966 World Cup semi-final, where he essentially man-marked Eusebio out of the game, with the Portuguese legend and Ballon d’Or winner not getting a sniff of the ball the entire game.
Stiles only made 28 appearances for England during his career – but enjoyed great domestic success with Manchester United, winning the First Division twice and the European Cup with the Red Devils.
RM – Sir Stanley Matthews
AXA FA Cup Legend Award, Wembley Stadium, 10.11.98 Please Credit: Action Images – John Sibley Sir Stanley Matthews poses by Wembley Stadium’s Twin Towers with his AXA Cup Legend award
Sir Stanley Matthews played for England between 1934-1957, making 54 appearances with 11 goals, as well as being the oldest player to represent the Three Lions at 42 years and 104 days old.
Matthews was the first player to win the coveted Ballon d’Or trophy in 1956, beating Alfredo Di Stefano and Raymond Kopa of Real Madrid. Often referred to as “The Wizzard of the Dribble”, Matthews played the game until he was 50 years old, and is the only footballer to be knighted whilst still playing the game.
Matthes is one of England’s greatest ever players and has rightly earned his spot in the best ever XI.
CM – Sir Bobby Charlton
Sir Bobby Charlton, former Manchester United and British international soccer player, plays with a ball during a visit to the new Toulouse Stadium, April 28. England will meet Romania in Toulouse during the 16th soccer World Cup which will take place in France in June 1998.REUTERS
Often seen as one of the first attacking midfielders, Sir Bobby Charlton is one of the countries greatest ever players – playing 106 games for the Three Lions with 49 goals between 1958 to 1970. During his domestic career, Charlton played 758 games for Manchester United, scoring 249 goals, as well as winning three League titles, an FA Cup, and a European Cup, and regarded as one of the greatest players of all time.
Charlton was also part of the 1966 World Cup-winning squad that has dominated some positions in this XI, and rightly so given his career and legacy left behind for both England and Manchester United.
CM – Paul Gascoigne
Known to many as Gazza, Paul Gascoigne played 57 times for England between 1988 and 1998, scoring 10 goals for the country. Gazza has often been referred to as the most naturally gifted and talented English player of his generation, and former BBC Match of the Day commentator John Motson stated that Gazza was “the best English player he ever saw… He was just the complete footballer, and it was all natural, it wasn’t because of hours of coaching, he just had it.”, and his goal against Scotland in Euro 96 goes down in English football history.
LM – Sir Tom Finney
A one-club man throughout his entire career, Tom Finney is a legend of Preston North End having spent almost his entire career at the club between 1946 and 1960, in which he made 433 league appearances with 187 goals.
Finney made his debut for England in 1946 and made a total of 76 appearances for the Three Lions, scoring 30 goals for his country. Throughout his career, he failed to win a trophy but has often been referred to as one of football’s greatest ever players – with managerial legend Bill Shankly stating “Tom Finney would have been great in any team, in any match, and in any age … even if he had been wearing an overcoat”.
ST – Wayne Rooney
England’s top goalscorer of all time, Wayne Rooney is one of the greatest players of the modern game. Rooney made his debut for England in 2003 and went on to play 120 games for the Three Lions with a record of 53 goals.
At club level, he played most of his career with Manchester United, becoming also their record goalscorer with 253 goals for the Red Devils in all competitions. Rooney captained England between 2014 and 2017, and played in both the European Championships and World Cup for his country, and goes down as an England legend, and one of our best strikers of all time.
So, there you have it! England’s greatest ever XI in a lovely looking 4-1-4-1 formation – it is fair to say that we have been blessed with plenty of incredible and groundbreaking players over the years, and there is still hope that in the future this XI will change and include some future greats that we currently get the pleasure of watching to grow and improve under Gareth Southgate for England.
Everton appear to be embroiled in a five-way transfer tussle for a player who could finally fill the void left behind by Idrissa Gueye…
What’s the word?
According to 90min, the Toffees are one of several Premier League teams chasing Schalke 04 midfielder Weston McKennie, who longs for a move to the English top-flight.
They are battling the likes of Southampton, who need a replacement for Pierre Emile-Hojbjerg as well as West Ham, Aston Villa and Newcastle United.
It’s claimed that a fee of around £22.5m has been mooted but the Bundesliga outfit could try to ramp up their finances with a bidding war.
Shades of Gueye
Given Everton’s interest in Napoli lynchpin Allan, it is perhaps a surprise to see them linked with another similar player but there would be no harm in securing him ahead of their rivals.
The 21-year-old has been described as a “true midfield warrior” who’s playing style is like Arturo Vidal, whom Ancelotti had at Bayern Munich.
“McKennie breaks down opposition attacks and wins back possession in his sleep, unafraid of the physical battle. He’s also heavily involved going forward, his high-energy style allowing him to pose a threat in the opposition penalty area, and can deliver the goods as a No. 6, 8, or 10” (Bundesliga.com).
Whilst his head coach, former Huddersfield boss David Wagner has lauded the USA international as an “outstanding talent” who is also “brave on the ball.”
These are backed up by his numbers as per WhoScored, McKennie averaged 1.6 interceptions, 1.4 tackles, 1.1 shots, 1 dribble and 0.6 key passes per game, which evidently sh0w his impact at either end of the pitch.
This sort of industrious box-to-box powerhouse is exactly what’s needed at Goodison Park as the club have failed to replace Gueye, who swapped Merseyside for the Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain.
Whilst the Senegalese brute was much more tough-tackling, averaging 4.3 per appearance in his final season, McKennie can step up to fill that gap if he’s given the role rather than a vast majority he can play in.
You’d imagine him and Allan would improve the midfielder tenfold, which is why Marcel Brands should absolutely push ahead at all costs.
AND in other news, Toffees looking to take Premier League starlet on loan…
كشف فرج عامر رئيس نادي سموحة أنه عرض طارق حامد لاعب فريقه السابق على الأهلي للانتقال إليه في وقت سابق.
وكان طارق حامد قد لعب في صفوف سموحة لعدة مواسم قبل الانتقال إلى الزمالك خلال صيف عام 2014.
وقال فرج عامر في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر قناة “أون تايم سبورتس”: “كنت مصرًا على عرض طارق حامد عندما كان لاعب في سموحة للانتقال إلى الأهلي، كان في ذلك التوقيت محمود طاهر رئيس النادي وعدلي القيعي يشهد بذلك كنت (بتحايل) على الأحمر”.
وتابع: “أغلى لاعب تم بيعه داخل مصر كان المهدي سليمان لبيراميدز مقابل 68 مليون جنيه”.
وعن صفقة سموحة التاريخية، أشار: “كنت سأتعاقد مع لاعب إسباني كبير يلعب في مركز المهاجم من الدوري الإسباني، ولكن لديه مشاكل عائلية وعليه قضايا طلاق والضرائب، لا يمكن أن أكشف عنه لأنني وقعت على اتفاقية عدم إفشاء الأسرار”.
طالع | فرج عامر: يجب إعادة مباراة سموحة وبيراميدز.. وفريقنا الموسم المقبل “الأقوى” في تاريخ النادي
وأوضح: “إحدى الشركات العاملة معي عرضت دفع الجزء الأكبر من راتبه، واللاعب جاء للإسكندرية وأتى مندوب من هذه الشركة العالمية”.
وقال: “أحمد سامي رحب جدًا به، هو لاعب معروف، يلعب في أحد الأندية المتواجدة في الدوري الإسباني من المركز السادس للعاشر، وكان يريد أن يلعب فترة في الخارج لكي يتم تسوية مشاكله”.
وأضاف: “الشركة كانت ستدفع 90% من راتب اللاعب، ولكنه طلب بوليصة تأمين ضد الإصابة وطلب سيارة وسائق وحارس خاص ويقيم في جناح بفندق، هذا سوف يهد فريق سموحة، وفي النهاية لم نتفق مع اللاعب”.
واختتم: “أتمنى استمرار بطولة الدوري في الموسم المقبل بوضعها الحالي ولا يحدث تغيير في شكل البطولة”.
Liverpool will be hoping to build on their 2-0 win against Aston Villa and completely bury their previous away loss to Manchester City.
The Reds, who have already been crowned Premier League champions, got back to winning ways after their victory against a struggling Villa side on Sunday. Jurgen Klopp and his men will now gear up to for their next fixture, a trip to the Amex Stadium to face Brighton and Hove Albion.
Since Liverpool clinched the title, a few players haven’t been performing at their usual standards, which could suggest that a switch-up is on the cards for the starting XI that Klopp picks to face the Seagulls.
Transfer Tavern have predicted how the champions might set up this evening…
The team may welcome back Roberto Firmino after he was benched in favour of Divock Origi against Villa. However, the Belgian struggled to make much of an impact, failing to record a single shot, so it could be a good time to reunite the usual front three and push for maximum points.
Sadio Mane bagged himself a goal so there’s no reason why he should be dropped and Mohamed Salah is chasing this season’s Golden Boot. After Jamie Vardy’s brace against Crystal Palace, the Egyptian find himself playing catch-up on the Leicester man in the scoring charts.
Liverpool’s midfield continues to be a conundrum but Jordan Henderson should start in order to assert some structure. Naby Keita had a great game last time out, providing an assist and making two key passes, and deserves to keep his spot, with Fabinho also featuring again in order to anchor the midfield.
The back four will likely see a change or two and, in this case, it could be the two full-backs, who between them lost possession 45 times against Aston Villa (via Sofascore). For Premier League champions, that is far too high of a statistic. Trent Alexander-Arnold could drop to the bench for some overdue rest whilst Neco Williams, a substitute in the last three games, earns a spot in the starting lineup.
Andy Robertson hasn’t looked himself in the past two games, earning a woeful rating of 5.9 against Manchester City. James Milner didn’t feature on the bench on Sunday as he continues his recovery from a thigh injury so it could be a big opportunity for young left-back Yasser Larouci to step up for what would be his Premier League debut.
How do you think the Reds will set up against Brighton? Join the discussion in the comments below!
Leicester are preparing for their return to Premier League action as they look towards their match against Watford.
The Foxes are currently breathing down Manchester City’s necks as they push for a second place finish this season. As it stands, they are on 53 points after winning 16 games, drawing five and losing eight.
It seems the club are eager to get fans excited for their side’s return, and have posted photos to Instagram of their players in action. In a snap of Wilfred Ndidi and Caglar Soyuncu celebrating a goal, loads of Leicester fans have flocked to the comments and they can’t wait for their upcoming match.
/CBistTLKD5T/
The Foxes will travel to Vicarage Road to face Watford, who are fighting against the pull of the relegation zone. The Hornets are currently just one place above the bottom three, safe only by the benefits of goal difference.
Watford will see this as a must-win, but Leicester will be eager to get back to their scoring ways. Jamie Vardy currently leads the race for this season’s Golden Boot, on a total of 19 goals for the term, two ahead of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (via BBC Sport).
Will Leicester mark their return to Premier League action with a win over Watford? Let us know your score predictions in the comments below!
أعلن مرتضى منصور رئيس نادي الزمالك السابق، عن قرار محكمة القضاء الإداري بمجلس الدولة بإلغاء القرار الصادر من اللجنة الأولمبية بإيقافه 4 سنوات.
اللجنة الأولمبية أعلنت في 4 أكتوبر الماضي منع مرتضى منصور من مزاولة أي نشاط رياضي لمدة 4 سنوات.
ونشر مرتضى منصور عبر صفحته الرسمية بموقع التواصل الاجتماعي “فيس بوك”: “مرتضى منصور رئيس نادي الزمالك الشرعي المنتخب يسجد شاكرا الله سبحانه وتعالى ويشكر جماهير الزمالك الوفية وأعضاء الجمعية العمومية المحترمين وقضاء مصر العظيم على الحكم الصادر اليوم بإلغاء قرار اللجنة الأولمبية بعزله أربعة سنوات” .
وتابع: “والمحكمة أكدت أن قرار هشام حطب غير مشروع ويعتبر اعتداء علي إرادة الجمعية العمومية التي انتخبته رئيسا للنادي، وأنه ليس من حق اللجنة الأولمبية إصدار هذا القرار المخالف للقانون والمواثيق الدولية”.
واختتم: “وغدا سيقيم المستشار مرتضي منصور دعوى قضائية ضد هشام حطب ولجنتة مطالبا منهم بتعويض 20 مليون جنيه عن الأضرار التي أصابتة من قرارهم الانتقامي بعزله والذي ألغته محكمة القضاء الإداري اليوم”.