[ad_pod ]Sky Sports pundit Matt Le Tissier criticised Wolverhampton Wanderers heavily pre-match for making five changes for their Premier League clash against Cardiff City, but he has since backtracked and apologised on Twitter.
What’s the word, then?
Well, the west Midlands outfit were hosting the struggling Bluebirds – who are one of the teams battling Le Tissier’s former club Southampton in the top-flight relegation battle – but they rested a number of key players at the weekend and faced criticism from the 50-year-old on Soccer Saturday.
The decision was presumably made by manager Nuno Santo with the FA Cup quarter-final clash with Manchester United on March 16 in mind, as Rui Patricio, Ruben Neves and Matt Doherty were among those missing from the XI.
Wolves of course ran out 2-0 winners in the end and when questioned by a fan on social media, Le Tissier responded with an apology having suggested last season’s Championship champions were risking bringing the game into disrepute.
Was he right to criticise?
Yes and no.
Can Wolves lift the FA Cup for the first time since 1960? The fans in the video below certainly think so…
Firstly, he is a pundit and therefore he is entitled to give his view on a situation as that is what he is paid to do, and this was potentially a big one if the Molineux-based outfit had made those changes and then slipped up.
Then again, Santo is allowed to make any team selection that he wants to make and if he wants to prioritise fitness for an important FA Cup clash, then there is no shame in that.
If Le Tissier didn’t have that Southampton connection, you have to wonder whether he would have had such a strong opinion on the matter, although you do have to say fair play to him for addressing the situation.
Well, last weekend did not go to script did it United fans? Still, with a nice break away from the Premier League, it really is a must win game for the Red Devils in the FA Cup. The momentum can’t stop. Too much has happened since the sacking of Jose Mourinho at the turn of the year to allow this season to fade away.
So, after last weekends’ dismal performance at the Emirates, one that has also given up fourth spot, for the time being, Ole Gunnar Solksjaer will look to continue the hunt for silverware with a trip to Wolves later on today. Despite the success under Louis van Gaal in 2016, every Red reading this will agree that the FA Cup is a trophy to have eluded them for far too long and – considering their trophy haul over the years – hasn’t been brought back to the Theatre of Dreams enough.
So, eager for success, there is certainly a change of personnel that must be considered for the Red Devils in this important FA Cup clash.
Here’s our verdict.
Drop Nemanja Matic
After coming back into the side from injury against the Gunners, Nemanja Matic really struggled with the pace of the game and had many wondering if he was truly back to match fitness. Though certainly a useful tool at his best, the Serbian looks absolutely awful when at his worst.
Despite being used in the FA Cup games against Arsenal and Chelsea, it can be argued that the 30-year-old just isn’t back up to match speed yet, proven by his performance at the Emirates. Indeed, it may be time for Matic to take a step back and let the young guns come in and revitalise the United midfield.
Start Andreas Pereira
What an exciting time for the 23-year-old as it looks as if he has finally found his place within Old Trafford! Being utilised by his Norwegian coach, fans have been treated to hard-working, and quite brilliant performances from the young Brazilian, who looks every inch a United player.
After being dropped against Arsenal, despite the historic night in Paris, United fans will be eager to see Ole put Pereira’s name back on the team sheet for Wolves later on today.
Bagging himself what was a truly special goal as well as an assist in his last domestic outing, Pereira will be keen to get back onto the pitch and bring the intensity and speed that others in the United midfield cannot provide.
اقترب جناح الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي برشلونة، عثمان ديمبلي، من الرحيل عن قلعة “كامب نو” قبل انتهاء الميركاتو الصيفي الحالي اليوم، الاثنين.
وارتبط اسم ديمبلي بإمكانية الانتقال إلى مانشستر يونايتد على سبيل الإعارة، على الرغم من رفض الفرنسي والنادي الكتالوني هذا الأمر.
ولكن أفادت شبكة “ESPN” العالمية بأن ديمبلي لم يشارك في تدريبات اليوم في برشلونة بالمدينة الرياضية، تمهيدًا للرحيل عن الفريق.
اقرأ أيضًا.. برشلونة يقدم عرضه الأخير إلى مانشستر سيتي لضم جارسيا
وتابعت الشبكة الشهيرة أن ديمبلي تواجد بشكل طبيعي في المدينة الرياضية ولكنه رحل قبل بداية التدريبات.
ويبدو وأن صفقة ديمبلي قد تنتهي لصالح مانشستر يونايتد في الساعات القليلة المقبلة، خاصة وأنه لم يشارك سوى لدقائق في مباراة برشلونة الماضية مع المدرب، رونالد كومان.
وكشف الصحفي بإذاعة “راك1” الكتالونية، جيرارد روميرو، أن هناك توافق في وجهات النظر بين برشلونة ومانشستر يونايتد حول انتقال ديمبلي.
حيث اتفق مانشستر يونايتد على التعاقد مع ديمبلي على سبيل الإعارة مثل فيليب كوتينيو مع بايرن ميونخ في الموسم الماضي، ودفع قيمة الإعارة إلى جانب تحمل الراتب السنوي كاملًا وهو ما أعُجب به برشلونة رغم رفض نظام الإعارة.
☎️ La JUGADA del United y del FCB con Ousmane
Pactar una cesión "estilo COU", pagar por la cesión una cantidad +asumir la ficha del futbolista
Esta opción al FCB le empieza a gustar, OJO#mercato https://t.co/WOKiFCZC4u
— Gerard Romero (@gerardromero) October 5, 2020
@Dembouz NO SE EJERCITÓ hoy con el @FCBarcelona_es. Se personó en la Ciutat Esportiva, pero antes de comenzar el entrenamiento, se fue…
[ad_pod ]Celtic have lost more than their manager this week it would seem, with Neil Lennon’s assistant John Kennedy providing an injury update ahead of the Wednesday night clash with Hearts.Kennedy stated that Callum McGregor is suffering with a calf issue and will therefore miss ‘a game or two’, while Ryan Christie’s hamstring injury will mean he is sidelined for at least a ‘week or two’.Both Scotsmen have been key players for the Glasgow outfit this season, with 9-cap McGregor chalking up three goals and nine assists and 5-cap Christie recording eight and six, respectively.Check out a Celtic fan perspective on Brendan Rodgers leaving Celtic for Leicester in the video below…Neither were able to take part in the Hearts game and so Nir Bitton and Ewan Henderson started again for the Hoops having deputised capably in the 4-1 win over Motherwell at the weekend, while Scott Brown returned to the lineup in place of Christie.Here’s what the Bhoys had to say about the news on Twitter, with some simply relieved that neither player was ruled out for longer than the time frames revealed by Kennedy, while others referenced Brendan Rodgers’ recent departure…
Leeds United looked to have pulled off one of the signings of the summer when they brought Barry Douglas to Elland Road from Wolverhampton Wanderers in July, but eight months later his Whites career looks to very much be in serious doubt thanks to one man.
On the chalkboard
The 29-year-old certainly made an impressive start to life with the Yorkshire club having provided three assists in the opening eight Championship fixtures of the season, and it seemed as though he was going to form a strong partnership with Ezgjan Alioski on the left-hand flank.
However, some injury issues and subsequent loss of form saw the Macedonia international take up the left-back spot in January, and he hasn’t looked back since.
The 27-year-old has scored four goals and picked up two assists from that position in the league, and his stock continued to rise when he also netted in the same role for his country on Thursday night.
Douglas in trouble?
He may well be.
Are Leeds set for another spectacular fall from grace? Ingood Nick believes so in the video below…
The Scot has largely had to settle for cameo roles from the substitutes’ bench in recent weeks, and there is no doubt that as things stand Alioski is deservedly way ahead of him in the left-back pecking order.
There are also no signs of the Macedonian maestro slowing down as he appears to be improving game by game, and he looks to have the attributes and quality to make the position his own at Leeds for year to come.
That of course causes big issues for Douglas and despite being a great signing for the Whites at the time, in general he has turned out to be a disappointing addition and his Elland Road career may already be over less than 12 months after he joined.
Loads of Liverpool fans have been reacting to a massive update from James Pearce, who claims Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will return to competitive football this week.
According to The Liverpool Echo’s James Pearce, Oxlade-Chamberlain is in contention to play for the Reds’ Under-23 side this week.
The report states that the midfield speedster could even feature in the “mini-derby”, when the Under-23 side take on Everton at Anfield on Monday.
Who has the loudest fans in Europe? PSG certainly state their claim in the video below…
If he doesn’t feature against the Toffees, Pearce expects him to return in Friday’s Premier League 2 clash against Derby County.
The £40m man quickly became a fan favourite at Anfield last season due to the speed he adds to midfield and his infectious positivity.
He scored five goals and provided eight assists during his first season on Merseyside, but damaged his knee ligaments during the Champions League semi-final first leg against Roma.
Fans are absolutely freaking out over Pearce’s update on his fitness, and you can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…
أعلن أندريا بيرلو المدير الفني الإيطالي لنادي يوفنتوس، عن قائمة البيانكونيري التي ستخوض منافسة دوري أبطال أوروبا موسم 2020/2021.
وشهدت القائمة غياب سامي خضيرة كما أشارت التقارير الإيطالية صباح اليوم “طالع التفاصيل”.
يوفنتوس ضم الوافد الجديد فيديريكو كييزا الذي انضم إلى البيانكونيري من فيورنتينا، وحصل على الرقم 22.
كذلك، الشاب فرابوتا ضمن قائمة البيانكونيري، بالإضافة لـ بورتانوفا لاعب الأكاديمية، بعدما حصل الثنائي على ثقة أندريا بيرلو. قائمة يوفنتوس في دوري أبطال أوروبا
حراسة المرمى: تشيزني، بوفون، بينسوليو
الدفاع: كيليني، دي ليخت، بونوتشي، ديميرال، دانيلو، ساندرو، فرابوتا
According to Football Insider, Aston Villa and Cardiff City are preparing summer moves for QPR’s Toni Leistner, who is rated at £5m – his impressive performances at the back have put him on the radar of the two clubs.
Football Insider understands that Villa have made bolstering their back line a priority ahead of next season, while Cardiff are surely keen to do the same regardless of whether they are playing Championship or Premier League football next season.
Hoops captain Leistner has made 34 league appearances for the Loftus Road outfit since signing from Union Berlin in the summer, scoring two goals and recording an assist, too.
Are fans being priced out of the Championship as well as the Premier League? The angry Bolton fan in the video below certainly believes so…
The Loftus Road outfit would be opposed to losing the German at the end of the season but they would find surely find it hard to turn down a £5m bid from either of the aforementioned clubs.
Here’s how the Rangers fans reacted to the reports on Twitter…
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has largely managed to please everyone, including the fans and seemingly those within the club since his arrival in December.
The Norwegian has given opportunities to almost everyone in the squad but there were questions raised on his relationship with summer signing Fred, who’s rarely appeared under him.
However, with injury problems depleting his squad, Solskjaer decided to unleash Fred away at Crystal Palace. Being partnered alongside Paul Pogba and a confident-again Scott McTominay, Fred’s performance proved why the Norwegian is keeping him sidelined.
Indeed, the Brazilian seemed really quite nervous, often making errors, which would have certainly frustrated fans.
Despite receiving assurances from his teammates on the pitch, Fred created his own problems by giving the ball away and putting his side under pressure. He was dispossessed three times on the ball (stats via Fotmob), while making some embarrassing miss-passes trying to be creative.
The Brazilian was encouraged by team-mates who often gave him possession, but he seemed unassured on many occasions and a far cry from the player who impressed so much at Shakhtar Donetsk. On performances like this one, it’s clear to see why former manager Jose Mourinho claimed he couldn’t ‘trust’ (quotes sourced from the Daily Mail) playing him in light of United’s defensive problems.
He was especially poor in the first half, where he invited pressure onto United with poor mistakes. Fred couldn’t replicate the pressing threat of Ander Herrera, not be as creative as Pogba in midfield. While he did improve in the second half, being safer with his distribution, it was the performance of a man with next to no confidence.
While Solskjaer may still trust him to eventually come good, that won’t be happening this season.
Fred still needs time to adapt into the intensity of the Premier League and needs to make do with a place in the bench for now.
Ross Barkley will naturally sit at the forefront of the pre-match narrative as Everton prepare to welcome Chelsea to Goodison Park on Sunday afternoon. The former Evertonian will return to his former club as a markedly different player to the one who departed in January 2017.
Supporters often lamented his failure to influence the game for prolonged periods of time, as sporadic bursts of star quality were seldom maintained with consistency or longevity. Barkley failed to fully discover his mojo on Merseyside, and the incredibly frustrated supporters regularly came down on the local-born prodigy with vehement criticism.
The criticism which was regularly vented at Barkley was merely a symptom of the frustration amongst supporters who want to see their club break free from the mediocrity of mid-table no-mans land. Whenever a player steps into the senior squad and showcases a level of talent beyond the level Everton are currently at, feelings of expectation and optimism arise simultaneously, but the fans are merely setting themselves up for disappointment.
Ademola Lookman is the most recent example of a precocious talent who is revealing signs to suggest that he can establish himself as a top level star in the future. A short-term loan move at RB Leipzig produced the kind of results which Everton were hoping for: Lookman finished his spell with five goals and four assists to boast from just twelve fixtures under Ralph Hasenhuttl. You could even compare that to Barkley’s loan spell with Sheffield Wednesday, four goals in 13 appearances preceding his ascension into an Everton regular.
The former Charlton wing-wizard was expected to come back and rip the Premier League to shreds, but that expectation was flipped on its head when the Bundesliga outfit returned in the summer with a permanent deal on the agenda.
Soccer Football – Bundesliga – Borussia Moenchengladbach vs RB Leipzig – Borussia-Park, Moenchengladbach, Germany – February 3, 2018 RB Leipzig coach Ralph Hasenhuettl celebrates with Ademola Lookman after the match REUTERS/Thilo Schmuelgen DFL RULES TO LIMIT THE ONLINE USAGE DURING MATCH TIME TO 15 PICTURES PER GAME. IMAGE SEQUENCES TO SIMULATE VIDEO IS NOT ALLOWED AT ANY TIME. FOR FURTHER QUERIES PLEASE CONTACT DFL DIRECTLY AT + 49 69 650050
Lookman reportedly expressed his desire to return to RB Leipzig amid the fresh dose of interest, with the arrivals of Richarlison and Bernard lending reason to believe that first-team opportunities would be hard to come by. This is where the beginning of the end may well have started.
Rather than applying an element of common sense to the situation, disgruntled supporters took personal offence to Lookman’s desire to leave the club and began to turn on the 21-year-old. Questions were subsequently asked about his level of professionalism despite the fact he had every right to feel impulsed to return to Germany.
After all, RB Leipzig handed him a genuine platform to showcase his talent and his scintillating performances hinted he was right at home. Just like Jadon Sancho, he thrived away from the spotlight of English football. Back at Everton, though, he has made just three Premier League starts this season.
His development has been restricted by Silva’s reluctance to hand him a string of starts but no doubt fans will pinpoint the blame on the player’s apparent attitude problem, further souring the relationship between fans, player and club. Lookman is the most exciting talent to emerge at Everton since Barkley but it seems the club are fighting a losing battle to blood him into the first-team.
Ronald Koeman recognised his talent and commendable attitude shortly after he arrived at the club from Charlton: “I am really impressed with his attitude and his training because he can be a really top player.” There is plenty of evidence to vindicate Koeman’s claim for the future, yet Everton look destined to let another massive talent slip through the net due a short-sighted approach to the transfer market which has saturated the squad and negatively impacted on the England youth international.
Lookman is exactly the type of player to take Everton to the next level, but it’s unlikely that he will stick around to fulfil his star potential given what has happened since he stunned Germany on loan last season.