All posts by h716a5.icu

After destroying Manchester City 4-0 at the Etihad a couple of weeks ago, there was a general expectation that Tottenham Hotspur would go on a good run of form and climb up the Premier League table.

Unfortunately, that couldn’t have been any further from the truth.

Instead, Ange Postecoglou’s side drew their subsequent games before losing 1-0 to Bournemouth and blowing a two-goal lead to lose 4-3 at home to Chelsea.

There were poor performances all over the pitch for the host’s during Sunday’s derby defeat, but one player arguably stood out for all the wrong reasons and simply has to be dropped for tonight’s must-win Europa League game against Rangers.

The Spurs star who must be dropped

So, while the likes of Pape Matar Sarr, Son Heung-min and Pedro Porro had games to forget on Sunday, the worst offender was undoubtedly Yves Bissouma.

The former Brighton & Hove Albion star put in one of his worst performances in a Spurs shirt to date, failing to add anything in attack or defence and, worse yet, actively contributing to his team’s total capitulation.

For example, in the second half, with the score at 2-1, the Mali international made the “braindead” decision, as Jamie Carragher put it, to wipe out Moises Caicedo in the box, giving away a penalty and completely changing the tide of the match.

The incident saw him receive his fifth yellow card for the league campaign, and now he’ll miss the game against Southampton on the weekend. However, based on his display against the West Londoners, Postecoglou might not have picked him anyway.

Unsurprisingly, football.london’s Alasdair Gold awarded him just a 3/10 at full-time and slammed him for being ‘poor in possession’ and simply ‘daft.’

Overall, it was the sort of display that should see him dropped for the game this evening, especially as the atmosphere will be incredibly intense inside Ibrox.

The Spurs player to replace Bissouma

Now, there are several players Posetcoglou could start in Bissouma’s place tonight, from the more attacking James Maddison to the inexperienced Lucas Bergvall.

Nonetheless, for a game that’s set to be as important and intense as this one, he has to start Rodrigo Bentancur.

The Uruguayan international is, without a doubt, still one of the club’s best midfielders.

Furthermore, as he can currently play in European competition, his inclusion in place of the Malian ace is a no-brainer.

Able to help out in defence and attack at times, we can better understand just how brilliant the 27-year-old “monster”, as dubbed by Statman Dave, really is by looking at his underlying numbers.

Interceptions

2.69

Top 1%

Passes Attempted

65.78

Top 4%

Progressive Passes

6.73

Top 7%

Pass Completion

91.0%

Top 10%

Shots Total

1.85

Top 122%

Non-Penalty Goals

0.17

Top 20%

Aerials Won

1.35

Top 20%

Tackles

3.20

Top 21%

For example, according to FBref, the Nueva Helvecia-born titan sits in the top 1% of Premier League midfielders for interceptions, the top 4% for attempted passes, the top 7% for progressive passes, the top 10% for pass completion, the top 12% for total shots and the top 20% for non-penalty goals and aerial duels won, all per 90.

Moreover, with 67 senior caps for Uruguay under his belt and an impressive array of titles from his time with Juventus, he’s not going to wilt or make silly mistakes due to the hostile atmosphere Rangers fans will surely create before a ball is even kicked.

Ultimately, Bissouma simply has to be dropped for tonight, and while there are some other options to replace him, the tenacity and security Bentancur brings to the team make him the obvious candidate.

Postecoglou may have found Tottenham's new Serge Aurier in error-prone dud

The young international has made too many mistakes for Spurs this year.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Dec 11, 2024

The head coach of the Mexican National Team spoke just days before facing Canada in the Semifinals of the Final Four.

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Mexico and Canada face off this Thursday at SoFi Stadium.

is seeking its first-ever Nations League title.

Mexico held its first training session this Monday in Los Angeles.

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?

Javier Aguirre did not commit to guaranteeing that Mexico will win the Nations League next week when they face Canada in the tournament's Semifinals at SoFi Stadium. The coach stated that the priority is the 2026 World Cup.

"We haven't talked about being champions or not, we have talked about the World Cup as the main goal. That's where our focus is. We don't have the qualifiers, but we do have these competitions," Aguirre said.

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Aguirre is in his third stint with the Mexican National Team and will face the most important matches of his tenure this week since his appointment in July 2024. He has a record of three wins, one draw, and one loss in five matches in this stint with Mexico. Despite the positive numbers, the team’s playing style has not been well-received by the fans.

WHAT JAVIER AGUIRRE SAID

"I've been in four Gold Cups, four Copa Américas, and three World Cups. The obligation is to go out and give it our all," Aguirre said. "Today, there's the Champions League, and I've never heard Mourinho, Ancelotti, or Guardiola say they're going to win – it's always an expectation. Every coach goes out to win. I've never gone into a match aiming to lose or draw; we go out to win, no matter the scenario. With your own style, whether people like it or not, we will go out to win. I have no doubt about that. We will present our best, compete, and go out to win – of course."

GettyDID YOU KNOW?

Aguirre previously managed the Mexican National Team in the 2002 and 2010 World Cups. The former Mallorca coach has overseen a total of 64 matches with El Tri, with a record of 40 wins, 10 draws, and 14 losses in his three stints with the team.

Royal Challengers will be without Harshal in the game against captain du Plessis’ former side

S Sudarshanan11-Apr-20222:35

How do RCB cope with Harshal’s absence? Who should be CSK’s overseas four?

Big PictureOne has to go way back to 2010 to find the last time Chennai Super Kings lost four IPL matches on the trot. And they’ve never lost four at the start of the season. In this ten-team tournament, they are already in a situation where another defeat could all but end their season. Their opponents, Royal Challengers Bangalore, are being led by one of their own in Faf du Plessis and are in the top half of the table with three wins in four outings.Super Kings are indeed missing the du Plessis touch at the top with the bat. A struggling Ruturaj Gaikwad has taken sheen off the quick, fiery starts Robin Uthappa has been getting off to, which has hampered the side. That head coach Stephen Fleming lamented the batting, bowling and fielding after the loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad indicates that the self-belief of the four-time champions is on shaky grounds.But Gaikwad takes a liking to Mohammed Siraj’s pace, having a strike rate of 147 against the fast bowler without being dismissed. He also enjoyed playing Wanindu Hasaranga with a strike rate of 162 in three innings.Related

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Super Kings have a run rate of just over seven in the middle overs – between the seventh and the 16th overs – just a shade better than that of the low-ranked Mumbai Indians. Royal Challengers, on the other hand, have been accelerating in the same phase, as evident from their run rate of 9.13, which is the second-best.But throw in a Siraj and a Siddarth Kaul, who could make his way in for a bereaved Harshal Patel, against MS Dhoni and Ambati Rayudu, the picture could be a touch different. Rayudu’s strike rates against Siraj and Kaul are 158 and 174, with Dhoni’s corresponding numbers reading 182 and 172.Even though both teams haven’t picked up wickets in clusters in the powerplay – Super Kings have one while Royal Challengers have four to show – the latter have managed to keep the run-scoring under eight while the former have conceded runs at 8.62 an over. Eight sixes have been hit against the Super Kings bowlers in the first six overs, which is the joint second-most in the season so far.With Anuj Rawat also showing his six-hitting prowess in the game against Mumbai Indians, Super Kings have another top-order left-hander to contend with after Abhishek Sharma pummeled them into submission. With Dinesh Karthik striking at over 200 – the most by anybody to have batted at least in three innings – Royal Challengers seem to have their batting sorted, with all of du Plessis, Virat Kohli and Shahbaz Ahmed having contributed in one game or the other. Karthik also strikes in excess of 155 against Chris Jordan, Dwayne Bravo and Ravindra Jadeja.While the Super Kings have had the upper hand over their southern neighbours winning 18 off the 28 encounters, the time seems opportune for Royal Challengers to better that record.Shivam Dube muscles one over the leg side•BCCIIn the newsRoyal Challengers will be without Harshal Patel, who has left the bubble due to the demise of his sister. It is not known yet when he would return. In order to re-enter the IPL bubble, he will have to undergo a three-day quarantine. Australia quick Josh Hazlewood is available for the game.Likely XIsChennai Super Kings: 1 Robin Uthappa, 2 Ruturaj Gaikwad, 3 Moeen Ali, 4 Ambati Rayudu, 5 Shivam Dube 6 Ravindra Jadeja (capt), 7 MS Dhoni (wk), 8 Dwayne Bravo, 9 Dwaine Pretorius 10 Chris Jordan, 11 Mukesh Choudhary/Tushar DeshpandeRoyal Challengers Bangalore: 1 Faf du Plessis (capt), 2 Anuj Rawat, 3 Virat Kohli 4 Glenn Maxwell, 5 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 6 Shahbaz Ahmed, 7 David Willey, 8 Wanindu Hasaranga, 9 Siddarth Kaul, 10 Mohammed Siraj, 11 Akash DeepStrategy PuntOut of Wanindu Hasaranga’s eight wickets thus far, seven have been against right-handers. He has an economy over nine against left-handers and Super Kings have three in Moeen Ali, Ravindra Jadeja and Shivam Dube, who can pose problems. In the two matches where Dube got a score of note – 57 versus Punjab Kings and 49 against Lucknow Super Giants – he had come in to bat in the sixth and eighth over respectively. Super Kings need to back Dube to bat more overs by having him enter around the seventh or eighth over mark. That could help them minimise the Hasaranga threat as the legspinner is not quite at home against left-handers. Moreover, Dube’s strike-rate against spin since IPL 2021 is 135 and he has been dismissed by spinners just three times in 12 innings.Stats that matter Moeen has been out to Glenn Maxwell twice in four innings and averages just 5.5 against him with a strike rate of 73. Dhoni has scored 51 off the 28 balls he has faced against Mohammed Siraj and is yet to be dismissed by the pacer. Although Dinesh Karthik has a strike rate of 155 and 159 against Dwayne Bravo and Jadeja, he has been dismissed three times each by them. Super Kings will be the sixth team to play 200 IPL matches after Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings.

Aston Villa kept to their label as being an entertaining watch this mid-week in the Champions League, having beaten RB Leipzig 3-2 in a thrilling contest in Germany.

Away from starring on Europe’s biggest stage, Unai Emery’s men also boast 23 goals scored from 15 Premier League clashes, as the Villa Park masses often lap up the exhilarating action on display.

Morgan Rogers has been one notable player that has got supporters out of their seats this season, alongside the continued exploits of Jhon Duran and Ollie Watkins up top, who regularly share the goal load for the Villans.

Duran & Watkins' form this season

Duran has remarkably got ten goals next to his name this campaign from very limited starts, which included him scoring a sumptuous strike last match versus RB Leipzig when unleashed onto the Red Bull Arena turf.

Just eight minutes after being introduced, the potent Colombian would hammer home this fierce effort past a hapless Peter Gulacsi, as the away fans inside Leipzig’s stadium went barmy off the back of such a sweet strike rippling the back of the net.

Watkins wouldn’t add to those cheers unfortunately as a strike passed him by on Tuesday night, but the 28-year-old has been clinical at points for his team back in the bread and butter of the Premier League, with seven goals fired home from 15 appearances.

That has bumped Watkins’ overall total for the West Midlands titans to a stunning 77 goals, with his consistency in front of goal leading to Duran usually being left out of the main XI for the former Brentford star to lead the line.

Not every purchase into the building in attack has gone to be a rip-roaring success, however, with this former flop really struggling throughout his cursed stay at Villa Park.

Wesley's career since leaving Villa

The dud in question here is Wesley, who cost Villa an extortionate £22m back in 2019 from Club Brugge, with many left hoping that the new Brazilian recruit could be their next Christian Benteke.

After all, Benteke would go on to net 49 goals for the Villans from 101 games after also once plying his trade in Belgium, but Wesley would get nowhere near that bumper amount himself during a rotten stint in England.

He would initially bed in well with four goals registered in the Premier League from eight games, which included this composed finish beating Jordan Pickford to open his Villa account, but a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury picked up during his debut season would end up killing his career at Villa Park.

Past those wretched injury demons, Wesley would only be fit to play another four times in the West Midlands to score another two strikes, which would lead to his sad permanent departure in 2023 to Stoke City, leaving the club on a free transfer.

Stat – per 90 mins*

Wesley

Games played

15

Goals scored

12

Assists

3

Shots*

1.9

Shots on target*

1.3

Scoring frequency

102 mins

Goal conversion %

43%

Stats by Sofascore

Although he would never get off the mark for the Potters, Wesley has managed to breathe life back into his playing days in Turkey for Fatih Karagümrük, where he has now transformed himself into a feared goal machine.

Amazingly – although it is in the Turkish second division – the South American has managed to better both Duran and Watkins in terms of goals scored in league action, with an impressive 12 league goals from just 15 contests.

He must play over his brief Villa career in his head and wonder what could have been if it wasn’t for extended periods in the treatment room, with the 28-year-old at least content that he’s back to his best years on from this ordeal.

Whilst Wesley continues to fire in goal after goal, Duran and Watkins will hope they can do similar under Emery, as a hectic list of fixtures awaits the Villans deep into December.

Aston Villa have struck gold on star who is now rivalling Haaland & Mbappe

Aston Villa supporters know how phenomenal this star can be.

ByKelan Sarson Dec 6, 2024

“I oversaw his work for two games. After that, I insisted that he take his own decisions and bear responsibility for them”

ESPNcricinfo staff01-May-20225:26

Vettori: ‘Probably comes down to Jadeja not enjoying the captaincy’

Back in his first game as Chennai Super Kings captain since giving up the role at the start of IPL 2022, MS Dhoni has suggested that the pressure of leading a side had taken a toll on Ravindra Jadeja, and that it had “burdened his prep and performances”.Speaking to the host broadcaster Star Sports after Super Kings clinched a 13-run win against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Dhoni said that the plan had always been for Jadeja to take over as captain this season, and that while he had lent his support, he did not want to actively interfere with Jadeja’s decisions.Related

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“I think Jadeja knew last season that he would be captaining this year,” Dhoni said. “For the first two games, I simply oversaw his work and let him be later. After that, I insisted that he take his own decisions and bear responsibility for them.”Once you become captain, it means a lot of demands come in. But it affected his mind as the tasks grew. I think captaincy burdened his prep and performances.”So it was a gradual transition. Spoon-feeding doesn’t really help the captain, on the field you have to take those crucial decisions and you have to take responsibility for those decisions.”Once you become the captain, we have to take care of many things and that also includes your own game.”Dhoni hoped that with Jadeja freed from the pressures of captaincy, it would reignite the allrounder’s form, particularly on the field, where Super Kings have been sloppy, dropping several straightforward catches.”Even if you relieve the captaincy and if you are at your best and that’s what we want. We were also losing a great fielder, we are struggling for a deep midwicket fielder, still we have dropped 17-18 catches and that’s a matter of concern.”These are tough games and hopefully we will comeback strong, important to communicate with the bowlers.”Dhoni also credited his bowlers, particularly the spinners, for applying the brakes on Sunrisers during their chase of 203.”The phase that really worked for us was when the spinners were bowling after six overs. We have had quite a few good batting performances, but we have also given a couple of overs that went for 25-26 runs, and even when you score 200, it really comes down to 175-180 in 19 overs.”It’s important to try something different as a bowler. I always told my bowlers, you may get hit for four sixes in an over, but the two balls that you save – ultimately in a high-scoring game – those are the two deliveries that will help you win the game. Because a lot of bowlers, after getting hit for three or four sixes, they will be like let’s get it done with it, but that one boundary or even instead of sixes if you get hit for two fours, that will help you in a game. I don’t know if they believe in that theory, but it really works.”

Cole Palmer says he was desperate to stay at Manchester City before he opted to join Premier League rivals Chelsea two years ago.

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Palmer has flourished since leaving Man CityChelsea star didn't want to move away from hometownHas no idea what he would do outside of footballFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Palmer came through the City youth academy and made over 40 senior appearances over four seasons before he accepted the offer to join Chelsea in the summer of 2023 as he sought regular first-team football in the Premier League.

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The attacking midfielder has blossomed into one of the English top-flight's best players since then, scoring 39 times and providing 21 assists in all competitions. However, the 22-year-old has admitted that he initially hoped to stay in his hometown instead of making the move to the English capital.

WHAT PALMER SAID

"I was so adamant for ages that I wasn’t going. I’ve never moved out of Manchester," he said on the documentary England’s Lions: A New Generation. "I really didn’t want to go, but you get a bit disheartened at City – why am I not getting a chance to play? You just know when you’re ready to play. I’m thankful. I have no idea what I’d do if I wasn’t a footballer. Actually zero idea. Growing up with around Wythenshawe, everyone does footy or drugs. There are two paths. I just love football so much. You don’t get there with no graft, do you?"

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR PALMER?

Palmer may be involved as Chelsea take on Copenhagen in the Conference League on Thursday, though coach Enzo Maresca cast doubt on his fitness after dealing with illness.

Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes made sure to remind Rodrygo to respect the World Cup holders during their 4-1 thrashing of Brazil.

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Argentina lost 4-1 to BrazilRodrygo tried to trash talk ParedesMidfielder reminded forward of recent trophy haulFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Tensions were on a knife-edge in Buenos Aires after Brazil star Raphinha's X-rated taunts of Argentina ahead of their World Cup qualifier. The current world champions got the last laugh after booking their spot at next summer's tournament before thrashing Brazil 4-1 on Tuesday, despite being without injured talisman Lionel Messi.

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Raphinha was involved in an incident following his harsh words ahead of the game, but he was not the only one. Real Madrid star Rodrygo was spotted arguing with Paredes on the pitch, however, the Roma midfielder was able to shut down his Brazilian rival with simple facts.

WHAT THEY SAID

After Rodrygo opted to yell: "You’re so bad," at Paredes, the 30-year-old replied: "I won 2 Copa Americas and 1 World Cup, you zero."

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT?

Following the loss, Brazil sit fourth in the South American qualifying standings, 10 points behind Argentina. They are still in a favourable position to qualify, but cannot afford to drop many more points.

Returning to the market for yet another defensive reinforcement, Arsenal are now reportedly preparing a £62m offer to boost Mikel Arteta’s options once more when 2025 arrives.

Arsenal transfer news

Arsenal silenced plenty of doubters in emphatic fashion last time out, thrashing London rivals Crystal Palace 5-1 whilst needing just the one set-piece goal. If there were any concerns that they were going to fall behind leaders Liverpool at this early stage, then that victory suggests that the Gunners are here to stay in the Premier League title race.

"Great" £163,000-p/w Arsenal ace also has an injury scare alongside Saka

Another blow for the Gunners…

ByTom Cunningham Dec 22, 2024

What could go a long way in pursuit of Premier League glory is the sudden resurgence of Gabriel Jesus, who scored five goals in two games against Crystal Palace this week to knock the Eagles out of the Carabao Cup then seal the points for Arsenal in their trip to Selhurst Park.

If the Brazilian does go onto provide a shock solution to the Gunners’ open play problems, then they may well turn their attention to reinforcements elsewhere in 2025.

According to reports in Spain, Arsenal are now preparing a €75m (£62m) offer to sign Jules Kounde from Barcelona in 2025. The Frenchman is reportedly keen on a move to the Premier League and Barcelona could be open to offers of around just €40m (£33m) amid financial concerns, likely making Arsenal’s supposed incoming offer more than enough to secure the right-back’s signature.

Whilst there’s no question marks surrounding Kounde’s ability, however, eyebrows would certainly be raised if Arsenal signed yet another defensive reinforcement. The North London giants already welcomed Riccardo Calafiori last summer and a better use of their funds would be solving their attacking problem once and for all.

"Confident" Kounde would push White all the way

If Arsenal are to chase Kounde’s signature, then Arteta could have himself quite the selection headache between the Frenchman and current right-back Ben White. It would certainly be quite the spectacle to watch two of the best in their position compete for a starting place in one of Europe’s best sides, albeit a battle which would raise the question of whether Arsenal need competition in that area.

Minutes

1,525

695

Progressive Carries

1.72

0.52

Progressive Passes

5.38

3.90

Ball Recoveries

3.73

2.60

A player capable of progressive play whilst snapping in to win possession back for his side, Kounde’s arrival would arguably leave White scrambling for his place under Arteta.

The Barcelona defender has been at the centre of praise in recent months, with France teammate Dayot Upamecano telling reporters as relayed by RMC Sport whilst on international duty in November: “I played against him in the Champions League. I feel it in confidence, I hope it will continue like this. He is also a leader, he is starting to have a lot of experience. I wish him the best.”

New Zealand allrounder woke up in France before hitting 75 off 30 in the Blast on Wednesday night

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Jun-2022James Neesham, the New Zealand allrounder, hit 75 not out off 30 balls on his Northamptonshire debut on Wednesday night in the Vitality Blast but has revealed that he had woken up in France on the morning of the game.Neesham flew to the UK from India with his compatriot and Rajasthan Royals team-mate Trent Boult on Monday but a complication with his visa saw him make the short journey to Paris in order to sort out his paperwork before he returned to Northampton a few hours before their fixture against Leicestershire at Wantage Road.”I actually mucked my visa up a little bit, so I had to fly to Paris after I got here,” Neesham told Northamptonshire’s YouTube channel, SteelbacksTV. “I woke up this morning and had an [cheese omelette] in Paris, then hopped on a plane and landed at about midday.Related

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“I got a bit of sleep and then came to the ground. I was thinking if I could get through three or four overs and have no injuries and have a bit of a hit, I’d be pretty happy.”Instead, Neesham hit five fours and six sixes, sharing an unbroken partnership of 118 off 53 balls with Chris Lynn, who made 106 not out. With the ball, he then took 2 for 26 from his three overs and Northants defended their 227 for 1 with ease.”When you come into a new team, you want to prove your worth in the first couple of games,” Neesham said. “I’ve been watching from afar and Lynny’s done that already so far in the tournament. So it’s just a real pleasure to come out and, first of all, get the win, and spend a bit of time with one of my mates out in the middle and have a good time.

This could be a fun month @lynny50 pic.twitter.com/RIi6zQcfEo

— Jimmy Neesham (@JimmyNeesh) June 2, 2022