Vivendo aquele que pode ser considerado o momento mais conturbado em relação ao clima político e também no baixo rendimento técnico da equipe na temporada 2020, o Internacional tenta superar todos os obstáculos abrindo a sua eliminatória nas oitavas de final da Copa Libertadores recebendo o Boca Juniors.
Desde que Abel Braga chegou ao clube em substituição a Eduardo Coudet, além da queda na Copa do Brasil e os reveses para Santos e Fluminense, a drástica mudança de postura da equipe em relação a intensidade no estilo de jogo tem incomodado bastante os torcedores, algo diretamente refletido em críticas nas redes sociais.
Críticas essas, aliás, que já vieram desde o anúncio do retorno de Abelão apesar do passado glorioso dirigindo o Colorado onde se destacam as duas conquistas da Libertadores e o Mundial de Clubes em 2006.
Apesar de duas derrotas consecutivas na Copa LPF, o novo modelo do Campeonato Argentino, o momento do Boca é de concentração total na Liberta onde avançou com absoluta tranquilidade na primeira fase e chega ao mata-mata “reforçado” com a relação de Eduardo Salvio dentre os nomes que vieram a Porto Alegre.
O jogador que foi um dos destaques da equipe de Miguel Ángel Russo desde a chegada do novo treinador era dúvida mediante ao fato de ter contraído uma lesão muscular no início do mês de novembro. Porém, sua evolução no processo de reabilitação foi tamanha que nem mesmo a ideia de que ele comece jogando está absolutamente descartada.
No caso do Inter, se sabe que o zagueiro Victor Cuesta e o lateral-direito Rodinei, os dois por questão de cartões amarelos, não jogarão o embate de ida contra os argentinos. A ideia mais óbvia é de que Heitor e Rodrigo Moledo sejam os substitutos.
FICHA TÉCNICA INTERNACIONAL x BOCA JUNIORS
Local: Beira-Rio, Porto Alegre (RS) Data e hora: 25/11/2020 – 21h30 Árbitros: Roberto Tobar (CHI) Assistentes: Alejandro Molina e Raúl Orellana (ambos CHI) VAR: Julio Bascuñán (CHI) INTERNACIONAL: Marcelo Lomba; Heitor, Zé Gabriel, Rodrigo Moledo e Uendel; Edenílson, Rodrigo Dourado, Maurício, D’Alessandro e Patrick; Thiago Galhardo. Técnico: Abel Braga.
BOCA JUNIORS:Andrada; Buffarini; López, Izquierdoz e Fabra; Villa, Campuzano, Capaldo e Cardona; Tevez e Soldano.Técnico: Miguel Ángel Russo.
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Pakistan have issues with their bowling, their batting and their fielding to address in a winner-takes-all game against a hungry Bangladesh
The Preview by Mohammad Isam25-Sep-20182:02
Manjrekar: Pakistan will have a slight edge
Big pictureUnpredictable sides make for great knockout games, so the Bangladesh-Pakistan encounter in Abu Dhabi, which will determine India’s opponents in the final, is unlikely be any different. Pakistan can be a dangerous side in crunch situations while Bangladesh would see making the Asia Cup final a big step in their progress as an ODI force, especially with the World Cup now eight months away.Not making the final would be seen as a backward step for Pakistan’s ODI set-up, especially after their Champions Trophy triumph last year. But so far their average Asia Cup campaign goes with their recent trend of extreme highs and lows from series to series. In October last year, they beat Sri Lanka 5-0 before being blanked 5-0 by New Zealand. They beat Zimbabwe 5-0 in the last ODI assignment before the Asia Cup where they have won against Hong Kong and Afghanistan, but lost both times to India and comprehensively so.Mohammad Amir going wicketless in his last six ODIs has been surprising, while Hasan Ali, the only quick bowler picked in every game in the Asia Cup, has taken three wickets at 51.66 each. Shadab Khan therefore has to take up responsibilities against a Bangladesh batting line-up that can be susceptible against legspin.Pakistan would also have to pick up their fielding, having dropped too many catches in their last two matches against Afghanistan (five) and India (three). On top of these bowling and fielding woes, Pakistan also needs runs from three batsmen among their regular top six.Fakhar Zaman, who made a record 210 against Zimbabwe in July, has so far made just 55 runs in the tournament. Captain Sarfraz Ahmed and Asif Ali have made 58 and 46 respectively, in the four matches so far. Runs have mostly come from Shoaib Malik, Babar Azam and Imam-ul-Haq, but against Bangladesh’s efficient bowling line-up they cannot afford a top-order collapse or a poor finish.Bangladesh are at times susceptible in their death bowling aside from Mustafizur Rahman, whose skillful mix of slower balls, yorkers and bouncers troubles big-hitters. Mashrafe Mortaza and Mehidy Hasan Miraz often keep it tight in the first Powerplay while Mustafizur, Shakib and Rubel keep the run-rate down in the middle-overs.But Bangladesh become a stronger bowling unit when they post at least a competitive total. Liton Das’ 41 would be encouraging for the team management but his opening partner in the last three games, Nazmul Hossain Shanto, has made a poor start to his ODI career with just 20 runs.As a result, Imrul Kayes, who made 72 batting at No. 6 for the first time in his career in the previous game, may be sent to No. 3 with Mohammad Mithun reverting back to No. 5. It would mean they have two senior batsmen in Imrul and Shakib in the top four, while the in-form Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah have the capability to stop a batting collapse or, in a better situation, go after the bowling in the last 10 overs.Neither team can however be assured of everything going to plan. They are unpredictable and at times flawed, which usually makes for gripping viewing.Form guideBangladesh WLLWL (last five matches, most recent first) Pakistan LWLWWIn the spotlightMustafizur Rahman’s last-over heroics handed Bangladesh the win against Afghanistan, and bowling in the last five overs is fast becoming his biggest strength. In the last three years, he has been one of only two bowlers to have an economy rate of under six per over during that period in ODIs.Shoaib Malik has been Pakistan’s main scorer in the tournament, having made 181 runs in four matches. He would also want to improve his ODI record against Bangladesh, having scored just one half-century against them in 13 innings.Team newsBangladesh usually doesn’t make changes when they have just won a game, especially when they are playing at the same venue.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Liton Das 2 Nazmul Hossain Shanto, 3 Mohammad Mithun, 4 Shakib Al Hasan, 5 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 6 Imrul Kayes, 7 Mahmudullah, 8 Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), 9 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 10 Nazmul Islam, 11 Mustafizur RahmanBatting and bowling woes may tempt Pakistan into trying out Shan Masood and Junaid Khan for the first time in the tournament. But it also doesn’t mean the likes of Faheem Ashraf, Haris Sohail and Usman Khan can’t be hopeful of a place in the XI.Pakistan (probable): 1 Imam-ul-Haq, 2 Fakhar Zaman, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Sarfraz Ahmed, 5 Shoaib Malik, 6 Asif Ali, 7 Shadab Khan, 8 Mohammad Nawaz, 9 Hasan Ali, 10 Usman Khan, 11 Shaheen Shah AfridiPitch and conditionsOnly Pakistan have won while chasing in Abu Dhabi in the four Asia Cup games held here so far, so it remains a bat-first ground. There will be no let-up in the heat.Stats and trivia Pakistan have won 31 out of 35 ODIs against Bangladesh, but three of those four defeats came in the 2015 ODI series. Shakib Al Hasan’s direct hit that ran out Rahmat Shah in their previous game was only Bangladesh’s third run-out with a direct hit in the last 12 months. Shakib has two of them, Imrul Kayes the other. Shoaib Malik is 54 runs away from eclipsing Younis Khan’s 7,249 runs, which will take him to sixth place in Pakistan’s all-time ODI run-scorers list.Quotes”Pakistan are a tough cricketing nation and want to put things right. I did read some comments from Mickey Arthur about some of their tactics and that’s the very reason I am trying to not give our tactics away. But I know what he wanted his bowlers and batsmen to do and they did not do it in those games. They are a good team and they can very much bounce back.”
Currently sitting outside of the play-off places in League One by two points, Derby County must find some consistency if they want to regain their place in the Championship this season. The Rams have endured quite the fall from grace, having previously been among the Championship top six before issues on and off the pitch resulted in relegation and a struggle to get out of England's third tier.
The January transfer window could yet become Paul Warne's saving grace, however, as the Midlands club set their sights on one particular target who could make all the difference in the second half of the campaign.
Derby County transfer news
During the summer transfer window, Derby didn't spend a single penny on transfer fees, instead welcoming a number of players on free deals. The likes of Curtis Nelson, Callum Elder, Joe Ward and Josh Vickers all came in as the Rams aimed for promotion once more.
Those that arrived haven't made much of an impact, though, leaving those at Pride Park to turn their attention towards potential January reinforcements. The winter window can make all the difference for any side and Derby will be hoping to see it significantly boost their promotion chances. And that could be the case if they land one reported target.
According to TeamTalk, Derby are eyeing a move to sign Ali Al-Hamadi in January. Rams chiefs are reportedly huge admirers of the AFC Wimbledon striker, who has also attracted the reported interest of Blackburn Rovers, Sunderland and Leeds United. As the race for the Iraq international heats up, those at Pride Park may have to move quickly if they are to secure his signature.
Having reportedly rejected bids from Peterbrough and Barnsley for their striker in the summer, Wimbledon look likely to face another tough test when it comes to keeping their star man. One thing that may put potential January suitors off a move, however, is the fact that Al-Hamadi could miss up to a month in the new year due to international commitments with Iraq in the Asia Cup.
Derby should make a move for "brilliant" Al-Hamadi
Al-Hamadi's stats tell you all you need to know about just how impressive the 21-year-old has been for Wimbledon so far this season. In 17 appearances, the forward has been involved in ten goals, having found the back of the net five times and assisted a further five in all competitions. The concern over a January move would be his ability to step up a league but, given his young age, the Iraq international would have plenty of time to find his feet in League One.
Iraq international Ali Al-Hamadi.
Al-Hamadi has unsurprisingly been at the centre of praise from Wimbledon boss Johnnie Jackson, who said via Limerick Live: "To be honest, he’s done great to get back to us because originally we expected he wouldn’t be back tonight and that he wouldn’t get back in the country until tomorrow.
“But he managed to get himself back after the games [with Iraq] because he landed yesterday after obviously playing 70 minutes on Sunday, so we had to be careful with what we did with him tonight. The temptation was to throw him in or to play him longer, but Saikou [Janneh] did such a great job as well for 60-70 minutes that we were able to hold him back. Obviously, he has come on and had an impact as well. He’s been brilliant, not only with his goals but with his work rate and his attitude.”
Bruno Fernandes and Rafael Leao ensured that Cristiano Ronaldo wasn't missed as Portugal hammered Sweden 5-2.
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Portugal cruised past Sweden
Ronaldo's absence was hardly felt
Fernandes had a stellar outing
Getty Images/Goal
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Roberto Martinez's troops had little trouble in dispatching a toothless Sweden at the Estadio Dom Afonso Henriques in Guimaraes despite restsing several first-team players in Diogo Dalot, Joao Cancelo, Danilo Pereira, Otavio, Ruben Neves, Vitinha and Joao Felix – as well as Ronaldo. It was a lively start to the match with Sweden seeing more off the ball in the first 10 minutes but they soon faded away as Portugal grew into the game. They were soon rewarded for their persistence as Leao broke the deadlock in the 24th minute. After the woodwork denied Bernardo Silva, the rebound fell kindly for Leao who packed his effort with power and precision.
Less than 10 minutes later, Matheus Nunes doubled the lead as Sweden's defence was once again sliced open by some exceptional individual brilliance by the Manchester City midfielder. After dancing past three defenders, Nunes pulled the trigger and his shot had enough power to beat Robin Olsen between the sticks. Just before half-time, Fernandes made it 3-0 after Nelson Semedo drilled in a low cross across the face of the goal.
Matinez took off Leao, Pepe, and Nuno Mendes at half-time but Portugal continued to look ominous. They weaved their first meaningful attack after the break in the 57th minute and converted it into a goal with Bruma getting on the scoresheet after being set up by Fernandes. Viktor Gyokeres did pull one back but Goncalo Ramos soon restored the four-goal advantage after he scored his eighth international goal in just 11 appearances. Gustaf Nilsson reduced the deficit in the 90th minute but it was too little too late.
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Roberto Martinez has won his first 11 matches as Portugal's manager and hence boasts of a 100 per cent win record.
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THE MVP
Fernandes was the standout player for Portugal and in Ronaldo's absence, he looked like a leader on the pitch. He was the primary orchestrator in midfield, created several chances and deservedly got the goal to cap off a fantastic evening.
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THE BIG LOSER
It was Jon Dahl Tomasson's first game on the Sweden bench and the manager would have hoped that his players could have showed more grit against a second-string Portugal side. But the manner in which his defence was dismantled time and again by Fernandes and Co, mean he will be a worried man.
Chelsea have not always had the best success in the transfer window, as demonstrated by their tendency to acquire big-money flops as opposed to players who have gone on to achieve greatness in their careers.
The Blues have been busy hoovering up talent in the market since Todd Boehly acquired the club in May 2022, shelling out over £1bn on new players without having the success to show for it.
His transfer dealings and multiple managerial appointments have not achieved the goals he’s set out so far with Chelsea vastly underperforming expectations considering the ludicrous amount of money spent.
Despite hiring a world-class manager in Mauricio Pochettino, the Argentine has been unable to turn the tide and while he’s led the club to a Carabao Cup quarter-final, his side is currently languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League table.
Pochettino’s case hasn’t been helped by the poor hand he’s been dealt, suffering serious injuries to several star players, including big-money summer signings Romeo Lavia and Christopher Nkunku.
Aside from having an over-flowing injury table, the Blues can be disappointed with how the majority of their summer acquisitions have performed.
For instance, striker Nicolas Jackson has only scored twice in the league for the club since making a £31.8m move from Villarreal.
To make matters worse, Chelsea were looking at potentially capturing Julian Alvarez from Manchester City just a few months prior, and the Argentine would have been a huge upgrade on the 22-year-old.
How close Chelsea came to signing Julian Alvarez
Reports from Spain claimed in April that Chelsea and Real Madrid were interested in battling it out for the signature of Alvarez in the summer.
The 23-year-old, who played understudy to the irrepressible Erling Haaland for the majority of last season, was concerned about his limited game time, which opened up the possibility of him departing Manchester.
The report claimed that several top clubs across Europe were alerted about his situation, but it was the Blues who were the most keen on prising him to Stamford Bridge, as they felt the Argentine would have helped revive their fortunes in front of goal.
According to Transfermarkt, Alvarez had a value of £50m at the time and after Chelsea chose not to take their interest any further – and instead signed Jackson in the summer – the former River Plate hitman has seen his value skyrocket to a whopping £130m (€150m), as per Football Transfers, following his exceptional start to the season.
Julian Alvarez's Manchester City statistics
Manchester City acquired Alvarez from Argentinian outfit River Plate for around £14m in January 2022, with the player remaining in his homeland on loan until the summer.
While his arrival was somewhat overshadowed by the phenomenal acquisition of Haaland from Borussia Dortmund, the forward still enjoyed an impressive maiden campaign, scoring 17 goals and supplying five assists from 49 matches across all competitions, starting only 23 of those.
The 23-year-old has since made some huge strides in this campaign that warrant the staggering £130m price tag attached to his head, posting an exceptional seven goals and five assists in 16 appearances.
Where last season City’s Norwegian machine stole the plaudits for his jaw-dropping goal-scoring exploits, this time around, Alvarez is no longer playing understudy and has forged his own identity in Pep Guardiola’s system, with commentator Ally McCoist labelling him as “superb”.
Through his explosive pressing, clever movement into space and ability to craft his own opportunities, the 5 foot 7 metronome has become one of the most dangerous forwards on the planet and those waxing lyrical about his talents have been proven correct.
Man City are a chance-creating machine, possessing a world-class supply line to feed the Argentine, with Alvarez feasting on that quality, ranking in the top 1% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues in the past year for non-penalty goals, top 6% for shots and top 16% for touches in the attacking penalty box, as per FBref.
On the back of his performances this term, Guardiola has labelled him as “almost undroppable” – and that is high praise from someone known for tinkering with his team.
Julian Alvarez's Ballon d'Or ranking
The most prestigious individual accolade anyone can win in world football is the Ballon d’Or as whoever claims this trophy is crowned the best footballer of the past year.
On Monday, the latest ceremony took place, and it was no surprise to see Lionel Messi crowned with his eighth Ballon d’Or trophy following his World Cup heroics with Argentina.
Whilst he didn’t win it, his fellow World Cup-winning compatriot, Alvarez, was recognised for his outstanding performances by placing in seventh position out of the 30 shortlisted candidates for the trophy.
He beat the likes of Harry Kane (19th), Mohamed Salah (11th) as well as City teammates, Ruben Dias (30th), Josko Gvardiol (25th) and Bernardo Silva (9th), while Rodri (5th), Kevin De Bruyne (4th) and Erling Haaland (2nd) finished ahead of him.
#10 Luka Modric
Real Madrid
#9 Bernardo Silva
Manchester City
#8 Victor Osimhen
Napoli
#7 Julian Alvarez
Manchester City
#6 Vinicius Jr
Real Madrid
#5 Rodri
Manchester City
#4 Kevin De Bruyne
Manchester City
#3 Kylian Mbappe
PSG
#2 Erling Haaland
Manchester City
#1 Lionel Messi
Inter Miami
Alvarez can be content with finishing as the most-decorated footballer on the planet for the 2022/23 campaign, having claimed the biggest prize international football has to offer and scooped the treble with Man City.
By contrast, the striker that the Blues ended up with, Jackson, has struggled since making the switch from Spain this summer.
Nicolas Jackson Chelsea statistics
Jackson arrived as a highly-rated striker from Villarreal and was expected to inject the art of goalscoring back to Stamford Bridge, having seen their fortunes dry up in front of goal.
For instance, Kai Havertz finished as the club’s top scorer with seven in the Premier League last term as the Blues slipped to a disappointing 12th-place finish, and the German was sold to Arsenal this summer.
The 22-year-old didn’t have big shoes to fill in that regard but he has flattered to deceive when put through on goal, failing to eject the confidence that an Alvarez would, and has instead been incredibly wasteful.
While he’s still acclimatising to life on English shores, his numbers so far this season make for very grim reading.
With only three goals scored in all competitions, the Senegal international has demonstrated that wastefulness by missing seven big chances in the top flight, recording an xG of 2.23 and a measly goal conversion of 8%, as per Sofascore.
It is normal for any foreign player to need a season to acclimatise and Chelsea will hope that is the case with Jackson before he eventually starts firing them in.
However, on the evidence of Alvarez’s rapid rise to stardom, they should have done everything in their power to prise him to Stamford Bridge this summer.
Manchester United’s struggles this season have been well documented and what was supposed to be an improvement on a solid debut campaign under Erik ten Hag has turned into a nightmare.
The Red Devils have lost their opening two Champions League ties against Bayern Munich and Galatasaray while winning just four of their first eight Premier League matches and a title challenge appears to be too much to ask.
Their defensive fragilities have been exposed as the Old Trafford side have conceded 19 goals across their 11 games so far, while two or more have been conceded in six of those ties, something that needs to be fixed soon rather than later.
It isn’t just defensively where they are struggling. Their top scorer this season is Casemiro – a central midfielder – with four goals, while Marcus Rashford has scored just once all season. New signing Rasmus Hojlund has taken to the Champions League with ease, netting three times in the competition, yet he is goalless in the Premier League.
Manchester United manager Erik Ten Hag.
It's evident that Ten Hag needs greater firepower in the final third, especially if he wishes to challenge for league titles along with success in Europe, and he could well turn to the January transfer window to bolster his squad.
The Old Trafford side may regret selling one of their former strikers however, as he has outscored every single United player since departing in 2019 – Romelu Lukaku.
How much did Romelu Lukaku cost Man Utd?
Jose Mourinho enjoyed a relatively solid debut campaign in charge of the Red Devils, winning the Community Shield, League Cup and Europa League and the onus was on the ‘special one’ to lead the club to a Premier League title challenge.
With Wayne Rooney departing the club after 13 years, Mourinho was after someone who could take over the goalscoring mantle and Lukaku was his main target.
Romelu Lukaku
The Belgian sensation was signed for a fee in the region of £75m from Everton in the summer of 2017 and having netted 87 goals for the Toffees in just four seasons, including 25 league goals during his final term, it looked like he could be a wonderful addition.
Mourinho waxed lyrical about the forward, saying: "Romelu is a natural fit for Manchester United. He is a big personality and a big player. It is only natural that he wants to develop his career at the biggest club.
"He will be a great addition to the group. I am really looking forward to working with him again."
His two-year spell in Manchester didn’t live up to the vast expectations, however.
What happened to Romelu Lukaku?
The former Chelsea frontman appeared in 51 games for United during the 2017/18 campaign and his 16 league goals helped them finish in second place – their highest position since winning the title five years previously – behind Manchester City.
He netted 27 goals overall during his first season, and he looked like the ideal fit for United. His second season however saw him struggle to replicate his clinical nature in front of goal, and he only netted 15 times in all competitions, while he was even criticised by journalist Samuel Luckhurst.
The Manchester Evening News correspondent said at the time: “Lukaku will doubtless benefit from being coached by Solskjaer, but only he was to blame for his woeful and costly finishing in the first months of the season. Lukaku admitted he had bulked up too much. United have hardly missed him when he has been on the bench.”
Ole Gunnar Solsjkaer had taken over from Mourinho during the second half of the 2018/19 season, and it was clear Lukaku wasn’t going to be in his plans going forward.
The Red Devils received almost their entire outlay back as Inter Milan signed him for £73m and he bid goodbye to the Premier League for an Italian adventure.
Where is Romelu Lukaku now?
Having faltered in England during his final season, the Belgian enjoyed the Italian game and went on to score 34 goals across 51 appearances for the club in 2019/20, a stunning return and many of the Old Trafford faithful must have been wondering where this Lukaku was just a year before.
Romelu Lukaku's clubs since leaving Man Utd
Games
Goals
Inter Milan
132
78
Chelsea
59
15
AS Roma
8
7
Stats via Transfermarkt
Having not won a Serie A title since 2010, Inter were desperate for glory and having a player like Lukaku leading the line clearly gave them a solid advantage. Indeed, during his second season, the striker netted 24 league goals (30 overall) to ensure the club lifted the Scudetto and endeared himself further to the supporters.
Since the summer of 2021, he has played for Chelsea, Inter and AS Roma, failing to really settle, yet he has added another 36 goals to his collection since departing the Milan oufit after their title triumph.
In fact, following his move from United over four years ago, Lukaku has scored 100 club goals in that time period and not a single player from the Old Trafford side comes close to matching that tally.
Rashford has scored 79 goals during that time, while Bruno Fernandes has 66 since arriving during the 2020 January transfer window, yet these are the only two players who are even remotely close to matching the 100 that Lukaku has netted.
Even centre-forward Anthony Martial has only netted 41 goals since the summer of 2019, a truly woeful tally considering his talents and it's evident that United have an attacking problem which has plagued them for several years now.
Inter Milan's former loan striker Romelu Lukaku.
So far this season, the Belgian hitman has scored seven goals for Roma in just eight matches after he joined the club during the summer, and he is clearly returning to some excellent form.
He may not have been the answer to all of Ten Hag’s problems during this difficult second season, yet he still knows where the back of the net is and this ability to score at a whim could’ve prevented United from losing so many games this season.
Selling him for £73m at the time seemed like a good idea, especially with the form he showcased during his second season, but looking at his output since then, it’s clear that United have made a very big mistake.
تحدث أحمد حسام ميدو لاعب ومدرب الزمالك الأسبق والمحلل الفني الحالي، عن مباراة الأهلي وبيراميدز المقرر إقامتها بعد قليل.
ويحل الأهلي ضيفًا على بيراميدز بإستاد الدفاع الجوي، ضمن منافسات الجولة 31 من عمر الدوري المصري الممتاز “النيل”.
وقال ميدو في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر فضائية “أون تايم سبورتس”: “كولر سيفوز على بيراميدز إذا لعب بنفس طريقة المباراة الماضية، قدم أداءً كبيرًا”.
تشكيل الأهلي أمام بيراميدز في الدوري المصري.. ثلاثي هجومي
وأضاف: “بيراميدز مطالب بالفوز على الأهلي، ويورتشيتش مدرب بيراميدز يجب عليه أن يعيد حساباته ويفهم بشكل جيد أنه يواجه فريق كبير مثل الأهلي، ويلعب على التحولات الهجومية”.
وأردف: “جبهة فريق النادي الأهلي اليمنى بقيادة خالد عبد الفتاح ميتة، لاعب ليس له أي دور هجومي، ولا يمتلك إمكانيات”.
واستكمل: “طاهر محمد طاهر لاعب ليس لديه حلول، يدافع بشكل جيد، كان يجب على كولر أن يبدأ ببيرسي تاو، أتوقع أن هذه الجهبة لن يكون لها أي تأثير هجومي من جانب الأهلي”.
وأشار: “كان يجب أشارك بيرسي تاو في ظل عدم مشاركة محمد حمدي الظهير الأيسر لبيراميدز، لأنه لا يوجد لدى بيراميدز ظهير أيسر له أي دور هجومي”.
وواصل: “يورتيتش أدار المباراة الماضية بشكل سيء، بداية من التشكيل واسلوب اللعب الذي بدأ به اللقاء، كما أن الأزمة الكبرى لبيراميدز هي أنهم يلعبون تحت ضغط، فوز الأهلي المباراة الماضية منحه القيادة”.
واستكمل: “لا يوجد أمام بيراميدز إلا الفوز، إذا انتصر الأهلي سيصبح الفارق 7 نقاط والأمور ستكون صعبة”.
واستطرد: “إذا أراد فريق بيراميدز الفوز يجب ان يترك الاستحواذ للأهلي، يجب أن يلعب وكأنه فريق صغير، وأصعب شيء في الكرة، توصيل رسالة للاعبين بترك الاستحواذ للخصم وانت تمتلك لاعبين كبار”.
واستأنف: “متخيل اليوم أن يورتيتش تعلم من أخطاء المباراة الماضية، ومتوقع أنه لن يضغط بشكل عالي على الأهلي مثل اللقاء الماضي ويترك الاستحواذ للأهلي ويلعب على التحولات”.
واختتم: “يورتيتش يجب أن يفهم أنه يواجه فريق كبير مش معنى أنك فزت 14 مباراة متتالية ان تلعب بنفس الأسلوب أمام الفرق الكبيرة”.
يذكر، أن الأهلي كان قد نجح قبل أيام في الفوز على بيراميدز بالمباراة المؤجلة من الدور الأول بثلاثية مقابل هدفين.
Arsenal remain unbeaten in the Premier League so far in the 2023/24 campaign, as Mikel Arteta hopes to improve on his squad’s successes from last season.
The Gunners missed out on their first league title since 2004 by five points, after leading the table for the majority of the term, only to be beaten by treble winners Manchester City on the home straight.
Arteta’s squad struggled with issues of depth towards the end of last season, as injuries to key players left the favoured XI short on quality which subsequently tarnished the Gunners’ title charge.
It was integral for Arteta and Edu to fill in the gaps this summer and bolster the squad in the transfer window, which was achieved to some degree as four new faces arrived in north London, and over £200m was spent.
Gabriel Martinelli
While the new signings have settled well to the new surroundings, there remains a feeling that the squad remains in short areas, particularly in defensive roles as £38m summer arrival Jurrien Timber was ruled out with an anterior cruciate ligament injury on the opening day of the season.
Away from the defence but staying with defensive duties, Arsenal bid farewell to Granit Xhaka in the transfer window, leaving a slight gap in deep midfield despite the £105m acquisition of Declan Rice.
Rice has made a formidable start to life with the Gunners – having been dubbed "outstanding" by Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher – yet as fellow midfielder Thomas Partey battles injury woes, the role that Xhaka once excelled in remains a void in the middle of the park.
There could be some encouraging movements for Arteta in the upcoming January transfer window, however, with the latest reports suggesting that one of Arsenal’s previous targets is once more being eyed at the Emirates.
Could Arsenal sign Douglas Luiz?
According to Fabrizio Romano, as relayed by Caught Offside, Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz is a player that remains an admired player in north London with a move being monitored.
The renowned journalist named Wolverhampton Wanderers star Pedro Neto as a potential target, as well as name-dropping Luiz as being a player that has “always been appreciated” at the Emirates.
It’s common knowledge of just how highly Arsenal regard the Brazilian, as they failed to sign him last summer after having three bids rejected by the Villans, with the offers said at the time to be around £25m, via the Guardian.
The 2022 window wasn’t the last time that Luiz was mentioned with reference to Arteta’s side, with The Sun claiming this summer that the Gunners were ready to challenge rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the bid to secure his signature.
Nothing prevailed from the speculation, as the 25-year-old remains at Villa Park, with his consistent performance seeing him become one of Emery’s most treasured figures in his current squad.
How much is Douglas Luiz worth?
Signed by Villa from Man City in 2019, the £15m fee that the Midlands club paid to obtain the midfielder looks to be more and more of a bargain each time he steps onto the pitch.
Currently, the Brazilian has a transfer value of around €50m (£43.4m), as per CIES Football Observatory, a figure that if the Gunners were hoping to purchase the 25-year-old, would likely rise due his importance and current contract at Villa Park.
After penning a new deal last October, Luiz extended his stay at Villa Park to 2026, boosting his earnings from £30k-per-week to £75k-per-week to reinforce his importance to the club.
With three years remaining on his current deal, his price tag will almost certainly rise if Arsenal decide to once again come knocking for the midfielder, with it likely that the Gunners will have to pull a bid far more lavish than £25m to lure the whiz away.
Why is he worth that much?
Previously lauded as “outstanding” by Villa legend Gabriel Agbonlahor, Luiz has become one of Villa’s most integral players, leading by example in midfield.
Last season, the former Etihad outsider showcased just why he is so highly regarded in the Midlands, as he had a direct hand in 12 Premier League goals, as well as being a reliable figure to reduce threat in the engine room.
In 37 appearances, the Brazilian scored six goals and registered six assists, ending the campaign as Villa’s best performing player with an average Sofascore match rating of 7.10 in the Premier League.
Despite being deployed in a deep role in midfield, Luiz was one of Villa’s key creators last season, as supported by his average of 1.2 key passes per game while maintaining a pass completion rate of 86%, via Sofascore.
Consistency is the most admirable element to the 25-year-old’s game, with his performances last term suggesting that he is reaching his prime, as his form continues into the 2023/24 campaign.
In eight league appearances so far, Luiz has already scored three goals and has maintained an average match rating of 7.38, cementing his importance to the Midlands club who will be desperate to keep hold of his commanding presence amid speculation.
What could Douglas Luiz offer to Arsenal?
There are a host of elements that Luiz could offer Arsenal based off his skill set alone, however with reference to the lack of fulfilment of Xhaka’s advancing role from deep, the 25-year-old could be the ideal acquisition.
With Kai Havertz showing better form when sitting around the striker, and Partey being dealt consistent injury blows, Luiz could be the perfect addition to Arteta’s midfield plans.
Prior to last season, Xhaka was identifiable as a brute, a combative and ill-mannered midfielder with a hot head, however last term he blossomed into a glorious advancing presence.
The Swiss scored seven goals in the Premier League last season, playing a similar game to that of Luiz at Villa, in being both an attacking threat and an uncompromisable presence in the heart of midfield.
Granit Xhaka vs Douglas Luiz 2022/23 Premier League stats per 90
Granit Xhaka
Douglas Luiz
Goals
7
6
Assists
7
6
Progressive passes
5.89
4.55
Progressive carries
1.26
1.48
Tackles
1.02
2.24
Carries
33.44
35.11
Dribblers challenged
1.23
1.94
Figures via FBref
As highlighted in the table above, the two midfielders have similar strengths, adding to Luiz’s potential claim to fit into Arteta’s budding squad, with the numbers suggesting that he could quite easily fill the void left by Xhaka’s departure.
After signing Rice, the Spaniard bolstered the stability of his midfield, but again by losing Xhaka, the balance in transition became slightly disrupted, which is where links to the Brazilian could become encouraging.
There is no doubt that the 25-year-old has an obscene amount of quality that has passed the Premier League test with flying colours, however, whether Arsenal are serious once again to battle for his signature remains as speculation.
Brazil sensation Endrick net a stupendous volley against Spain on Tuesday, scoring what will surely be the first of many at the Santiago Bernabeu.
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Endrick scores stunner for BrazilTeenage star preparing for Real Madrid moveSelecao taking on Spain in international friendlyWHAT HAPPENED?
After a deflection and a clearance in the box from the Spain defense, the striker turned his body in a quick motion to fire home a truly sensational effort. He immediately went to celebrate in the stands with his father, who embraced him in the celebratory moment.
After scoring the game-winner against England at the weekend, Endrick has now followed it up with another strike against a European powerhouse in Spain. Set to arrive this summer at Real Madrid, he found the back of the net just five minutes into his debut at the Santiago Bernabeu.
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With two goals in two games during the March international break, there are now calls for the Selecao to start the soon-to-be Real Madrid wonderkid at the 2024 Copa America.
With Gabriel Jesus inconsistently bagging goals at the club and country level, it leaves the striker options limited to the Palmeiras 18-year-old and Tottenham's Richarlison. With the latter not having tons of success in the Premier League amid an injury-hit season, Endrick could be a shock starting XI inclusion for Brazil this summer.
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(C)GettyImagesWHAT NEXT FOR ENDRICK AND BRAZIL?
The Selecao report for action again this June with a pair of international friendlies against the United States and Mexico in buildup to this Summer's Copa America. For Endrick, Palmeiras take on Novorizontino this Thursday in the Paulista A1 Semifinals.
Durham have plenty of downtime ahead of Friday night’s Vitality Blast quarter-final against Sussex while Glamorgan’s coach has lots to ponder
ECB Reporters Network21-Aug-2018
Robert Croft is beginning his first season as Glamorgan coach•Getty Images
ScorecardDurham’s bowlers needed only 8.2 overs to dismiss the remaining three Glamorgan batsmen at Sophia Gardens this morning to gain their third championship win of the season, and inflict on Glamorgan their third successive championship defeat and their sixth in the last seven games.Resuming on 79 for 7, Glamorgan soon lost Craig Meschede, who was leg before to Chris Rushworth in the fourth over of the day, and the Durham seamer struck again in his next two overs when he bowled Lukas Carey and Michael Hogan to end Glamorgan’s misery.The victory margin, an innings and 30 runs, was a fair reflection of Durham’s dominance throughout the game, while Glamorgan were to reflect on another hugely disappointing performance which will little to restore confidence or morale.Rushworth ended with 5 for 28, and match figures of 8 for 64 as throughout the match Glamorgan’s batsmen were unable to counter the movement Durham’s seamers obtained in both innings.It all left Glamorgan’s coach Robert Croft with much to ponder as he seeks to keep momentum in the season after the county’s failure to reach the last eight of the Vitality Blast.Had the weather not intervened in this game, Glamorgan would have been beaten inside two days in successive games, and although they have been unlucky with their overseas signings and Marchant De Lange, one of their leading bowlers, has been out injured since mid-May, the fact is that their young batsmen have been unable to cope with opposing attacks.Meanwhile, Durham, who will have an extra day off before Friday’s T20 quarter final game against Sussex at Chester Le Street, will be delighted with their performance, especially their two debutants Alex Lees and Axar Patel.Lees, signed from Yorkshire, was soon into his stride with an assured 69, while Indian all rounder Patel, took three wickets in the game and struck an aggressive 95 and rescue Durham following a mid -innings collapse.A dejected Glamorgan captain Michael Hogan said after the crushing defeat,”it was not ideal, it was just another of those days. The dressing room is pretty low at the moment, and we have to give them the opportunity to have some fun, and get some smiles back on their faces. We will have nets on Thursday and get some practice before the game against Warwickshire next week.”Durham seamer Chris Rushworth, who took eight wickets in the game, said” it was good to field in bowling conditions on the first day, and it suited our bowlers. We were clinical, and that’s what we need to be to beat the teams around us in the championship. Everyone contributed, and it was a very satisfying victory”