A major European side are reportedly set to speak with Leeds United over completing the signing of a £44,000-a-week player this summer, as they look to get him on the cheap.
Leeds transfer news
The White are preparing for two huge Championship playoff clashes with Norwich City, as they look to make a speedy return to the Premier League. Daniel Farke's side make the trip to Carrow Road on Sunday lunchtime, before hosting the Canaries next Thursday evening.
What happens in those games, and then potentially the playoff final at Wembley, will be significant when it comes to the transfer business that Leeds can conduct this summer, in terms of both the calibre of players and funds available.
Fenerbahce striker Michy Batshuayi has been backed to seal a move to the Whites in the coming months, with the Belgian possessing plenty of experience in English football, scoring 15 goals in 77 Premier League appearances. There is also the potential for a reunion with Kalvin Phillips, as the Englishman looks to bring an end to a nightmare spell at Manchester City, and West Ham on loan for that matter.
Promotion to the top flight could also be so vital when it comes to keeping hold of key players, however, with Crysencio Summerville a hugely influential figure who continues to be linked with a move to Liverpool. Now, a new update has emerged regarding another individual who could leave Ellland Road in the summer.
Leeds likely to lose £44,000-a-week ace for good
According to SiamoLaRoma [via Sport Witness], Roma are keen on signing Diego Llorente permanently from Leeds, looking to get a cheap deal over the line this summer. They are hoping to "pay a relatively low price" for him, believing his lack of success at Leeds will force the Whites into a weak negotiating position.
The £44,000-a-week defender has spent this season on loan with the Serie A giants, impressing there in the process, making 28 appearances in the league and enjoying a 91.7% pass completion rate. He is thought to be "highly respected" by his colleagues and "appreciated" by manager Daniele De Rossi.
AS Roma's loan defenderDiego Llorente.
It does feel as though a permanent exit for Llorente this summer is the best outcome for everyone concerned, although Leeds clearly won't be delighted by the idea of selling him for less than they want. He does still have two more years on his current Whites deal, however, so they should be able to ensure that Roma don't take them for a ride.
The 30-year-old is undoubtedly a good player, one with 10 caps to his name for Spain – Luis Enrique once said he was "amongst the best" around in his position for his country – but he seems happy at Roma and there is no great desperation for Leeds to keep him on.
Leeds must axe Bielsa signing who's not started for them in 2 years
Leeds United will look to move on this forgotten Marcelo Bielsa signing when the playoffs have concluded.
By
Kelan Sarson
May 10, 2024
Instead, it is a case of cashing in on Llorente and bringing in fresh faces in the summer window, at which point Farke will have hopefully guided his side back into the Premier League.
Newcastle United are interested in completing the signing of a defensive "jewel" this summer, according to a fresh transfer update.
Newcastle transfer news
The Magpies continue to be linked with lots of potential new signings at the end of the season, as PIF look to provide Eddie Howe with enough funds to make significant reinforcements.
Sporting CP centre-back Ousmane Diomande has jumped out as a primary target in recent weeks, with the 20-year-old Ivorian considered an ideal long-term partner for Sven Botman at the heart of Newcastle's defence. Contact has even reportedly been made with the defender, further suggesting that he could come to Tyneside in this summer.
Sporting centre-back Ousmane Diomande.
Elsewhere, Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher could depart Stamford Bridge in the coming months, and the Magpies are seen as contenders to sign him, battling Tottenham for his signature. There have also been links surrounding Brentford and England ace Ivan Toney should Howe decide that he wants to add to his attack.
Newcastle fans will also be hoping that a number of key players stay put rather than move elsewhere, and Callum Wilson could now reportedly remain at the club. That's partly due to Financial Fair Play and choosing not to bring in an expensive striker in his place.
Newcastle want defensive "jewel"
According to a new report from Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness), Newcastle are keen on signing Salernitana centre-back Lorenzo Pirola in the summer window.
The 22-year-old is described in the report as a "real jewel" of a player, and there is hope that the Magpies could snap him up for a fee of around €30m (£25.7m).
Pirola could be exactly the type of profile that Newcastle are looking for ahead of next season, in what is a crucial area of the pitch to add at least one new face. Fabian Schar and Jamaal Lascelles are now both in their 30s, with the latter also currently out with a serious ACL injury, so they hardly represent the long-term picture at St James' Park.
Salernitana ace Pirola has experienced a tough season with his team, who sit bottom of Serie A by some distance, but he has still arguably stood out as one of their best players. He has averaged 3.2 clearances and 2.3 aerial duel wins per game in the competition, as well as winning 1.3 tackles per match, which is impressive considering he is one of the youngest members of the squad.
The fact that his side have been relegated to Serie B also means that could be expected to move on, and this could be beneficial for Newcastle, giving them an even better chance of signing him.
Freedman could strike gold by immediately axing £110k-p/w Newcastle trio
He’s been linked with replacing Dan Ashworth at St James’ Park this summer.
By
Ethan Lamb
Apr 26, 2024
Back in 2019, it was reported that both Manchester City and Manchester United were eyeing a move for Pirola, with the pair watching him for Italy at the Under-17 World Cup. This further shows his potential as a player, and why the Magpies should look to strike a deal for him.
Liverpool put Tottenham Hotspur to the sword in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon but the emphatic performance came too late for the Premier League title.
The recent slump that has seen Crystal Palace and Everton defeat Liverpool has handed Arsenal and Manchester City a foothold in the title race that now appears insurmountable, with both of the Reds' rivals requiring just one win from their remaining fixtures to end Liverpool's paltry hopes.
Still, the free-flowing display against Spurs highlighted the quality of this Liverpool side and then some, with out-of-sorts Spurs brushed aside after a brilliant hour that had seen Liverpool take a four-goal lead.
Liverpool's Harvey Elliott scores
Naturally, it's never straightforward and defensive frailties were exposed when Richarlison and Heung-min Son halved the deficit in the closing stage, but it was too little too late and a top-three finish in Jurgen Klopp's final season is now confirmed.
But Klopp's legacy will live on, with so many talented players on the Anfield books. Incoming manager Arne Slot will have a mammoth task in succeeding Klopp this summer but with rising stars like Harvey Elliott in the squad, Liverpool are surely set for a lasting position of promise.
Harvey Elliott's performance vs Spurs
Last season, Elliott completed 46 appearances in all competitions for Liverpool and proved himself a high-quality youngster, impressing despite his side's woes and being hailed for his "special" quality by Klopp.
This year, after sweeping changes to the midfield, he's played more of a bit-part role in the Premier League despite featuring prominently in cup competitions, but with displays such as the one against Tottenham, Slot is going to find it hard to offer the 21-year-old anything less than a starring role.
Minutes played
83'
Goals
1
Assists
1
Touches
68
Accurate passes
47/53 (89%)
Shots on target
4
Key passes
5
Dribble attempts
1/1
Duels won
3/4
Tackles
1
It was the definition of an all-encompassing creative display. Elliott was a constant source of supply for his teammates while also demonstrating an improvement in his defensive game, winning three of his four duels. Moreover, his 89% pass success rate bespeaks his technical poise and composure.
That's without even mentioning the stunning strike. Salah collects, head raised, goal in sight. Will he shoot? Probably. No. He's sent it to Elliott, the young gun collecting with coolness and surging across the edge of the box, skipping over Rodrigo Bentancur's lunging challenge with balletic grace. He's ready. Anfield's ready.
The curling strike from range sent Liverpool into rapture and confirmed Elliott's masterful performance at a time of great need. Teammates stared on in awe; Ange Postecoglou looked away and shook his head. When it rains, it pours.
As per FBref, the diminutive ace ranks among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 3% for shot-creating actions, the top 6% for progressive passes, the top 3% for progressive carries and the top 18% for blocks per 90.
He's shaping into a rounded player with a range of ways to inflict damage on his adversaries. Elliott will play a prominent part in the new era at Anfield.
Harvey Elliott celebrates at Anfield
He's not the only one to have not been an unwavering presence in the starting line-up in the Premier League however, with Cody Gakpo firing his way into form recently.
Cody Gakpo's performance vs Spurs
Gakpo, like Elliott, has been in and out of the starting line-up since completing an initial £37m transfer to Liverpool from PSV Eindhoven in January 2023, after enjoying a breakthrough performance at the 2022 World Cup with Netherlands.
Be that as it may, the 24-year-old has scored 15 goals and added six assists in all competitions this season, despite starting only 29 of his 51 appearances.
Liverpool's Cody Gakpo.
Against Tottenham, he hit a goal and an assist apiece at centre-forward, nodding home Elliott's whipped delivery to make it 3-0 after curling his own cross over Lilywhites defenders to hand Mohamed Salah a much-needed goal after 16 minutes, opening the scoring.
He's not perfect, but the dynamic Gakpo has provided Liverpool with a steady goal threat this season despite his positionally nomaic role within Klopp's squad.
The Liverpool Echo's Ian Doyle was delighted with the £120k-per-week forward's performance and handed him an 8/10 match rating, writing: 'Excellent both in terms of leading the line and bringing others into play, strong on the ball and provided inviting assist for opener, leading to the reward of heading in the third.'
As per Sofascore, Gakpo complemented his goal contributions with 44 touches, hitting the target twice, creating two key passes for his teammates, succeeding with one of two attempted dribbles, winning five of eight duels and chipping in with a tackle.
His interchanging movements with Luis Diaz were especially eye-catching, ensuring that the Tottenham backline was left questioning their hosts' plan of action, keeping many attacking dimensions open, accessible.
With Darwin Nunez benched for the third time in four Premier League matches following poor form, Gakpo has an excellent opportunity to impress his compatriot Slot when he takes to the dugout next season.
How Cody Gakpo could fit in under Slot
Gakpo might just be taking this chance, having been one of Liverpool's most consistent and most influential performers over this recent drab run of results.
Perhaps a victim of his own versatility, the 6 foot 1 star has played four different positions over seven times each throughout the 2023/24 season and while he has been criticised, there are many facets to this sharp skill set that make him perfect for Slot's system.
Cody Gakpo scores for Liverpool
As per FBref, Gakpo ranks among the top 19% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 7% for shot-creating actions, the top 5% for progressive passes, the top 15% for progressive carries, the top 10% for successful take-ons and the top 2% for tackles per 90.
There are few centre-forwards capable of maintaining an impressive rate of scoring who offer such a diversified style of play, and Slot, who plays high-tempo, free-flowing attacking football, will need such a star.
Whether Liverpool decide to move for a new striker at this stage remains to be seen, but Gakpo has all the quality to succeed for years to come on Merseyside, and he might just win Slot over and play a prominent role over the coming campaigns.
Liverpool star who dropped a 9/10 has just revived Klopp's farewell tour
Anfield played to this maverick’s tune as Spurs were dispatched in the Premier League.
West Ham United, as a whole, is starting to subscribe to the idea that David Moyes won't be at the helm next season, that change is necessary, essential, even, to the continuing development of this fantastic Premier League club.
For a few more weeks, the Hammers are titled the reigning Europa Conference League champions. Silverware will not arrive at Moyes' door this year but he can hold his head high after bestowing upon east London a special journey, a journey beyond the hopes and dreams of the staunch supporters.
David Moyes
But the Scotsman is out of contract in the summer, he's possibly run his course – and that's okay. Change is part of football's cyclical rotation, and Moyes leaves as a legend, bringing to West Ham the very thing that fans devote entire lives to, to watching players on a pitch, in the hope of attaining that wonderful, elusive flame of joy.
West Ham's search for a manager
West Ham's sporting director, Tim Steidten, has ramped up his outfit's search for a new gaffer after a recent slump in form and long-lasting disgruntlement surrounding Moyes' negative tactics – as the vernacular puts it – and while Sporting Lisbon boss Ruben Amorim travelled to London for face-to-face discussions this week, he's not the only manager under consideration.
Indeed, according to TEAMtalk, the Irons are interested in sealing a swoop for Borussia Dortmund boss Edin Terzic, who is considered one of the finest young managers in Europe and previously worked for the Hammers as Slaven Bilic's assistant.
How West Ham would play under Edin Terzic
Terzic, who is 41 years old, is not the rising manager in the German Bundesliga right now but he is demonstrating leadership qualities that could see him thrive at the highest level. He's already leading Dortmund, who are fifth in the league standings, but the allure of the Premier League could see West Ham prevail.
Manchester United are also interested in the German-Croatian, with Erik ten Hag's position at Old Trafford tenuous at best, but West Ham boast a wealth of quality in their squad and could canvass a proposal to continue the fine work done by Moyes and co.
Borussia Dortmund manager Edin Terzic
Given the noise around Moyes' tactics, fans would relish the shift in style that Terzic would bring, having been lauded for his similarities to Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.
Indeed, passion, fire and fury are staples of Terzic's Yellow Wall squad, boasting a kind of tactical flexibility that often starts with a 4-2-3-1 formation that morphs into a back-three when necessary.
Amorim invariably equips his line-up with a three-man defence to serve his possession-based system, but Terzic's willingness to adapt and bend his system could be a major selling point for Steidten and co.
Bundesliga
30
16
9
5
1.90
Champions League
10
5
2
3
1.80
DFB-Pokal
3
2
0
1
2.00
While Dortmund capitulated at the eleventh hour in the Bundesliga title race last season, the trappings of success are found in every corner at the Signal Iduna Park, having built from the stones of defeat to dispatch Atletico Madrid earlier in April and advance to the Champions League semi-finals, awaiting group stage adversaries Paris Saint-Germain.
Terzic's attacking tactical disposition, warm man management qualities and past experience in English football (with West Ham) make him the perfect fit, one that might just bear fruit for a club seeking the next phase in a prosperous history.
West Ham could forget about Lopetegui by hiring "incredible" manager
Tim Steidten is a huge fan of this attack-focused boss.
Pakistan scored at a rate of 3.89 runs per over on the second day of their first Test against Bangladesh, ending the day on 342 for 3. Their scoring rate though, also pointed at how little the Bangladesh bowlers threatened while toiling at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The lack of pace from the seamers, in particular, is something that newly appointed bowling coach Ottis Gibson will want to work on.Historically, Bangladesh haven’t produced out-and-out fast bowlers and it’s been their spinners who have led the way. The spinners have helped them be a force at home, while the seamers have tended to cover the deficit in pace with discipline. However, that discipline was lacking on Saturday. The pitch had followed the pattern of the first day, offering help early and then going flat. It required bowlers to be patient, but Bangladesh’s bowlers weren’t consistent and rarely created opportunities.Abu Jayed showed the most control, with 73% dot balls and two wickets. But Ebadot Hossain not only conceded 78 runs in 14.5 overs to be the most expensive bowler, he also dropped Babar Azam at mid-off when the batsman was only on 2. Azam ended the day unbeaten on 143. Rubel Hossain conceded 77 runs in 17 overs, while Taijul Islam took the heaviest workload, bowling 34 overs for 111 runs, and getting the prize wicket of Shan Masood for 100.However, Gibson, who is on his first series with Bangladesh, gave credit to his bowlers for not giving up. “We did some good things .. we got an early wicket and we bowled well in patches but perhaps we didn’t build pressure long enough,” Gibson said. “We are behind obviously in the game we still have three days to go and still an opportunity tomorrow to come back. Learn the lessons from today, that we have to be a lot more consistent and we have to create chances, and when we do, we have to grab them. That nick that we didn’t even appeal for [off Masood when he was on 86, in the 45th over off Rubel’s bowling], and then a dropped catch that could have made a difference. So overall, it was a tough day.”We are still in the game and we when we have the opportunity, we have to bat better in the second innings. I thought we tried hard today. We got an early wicket which encouraged us, but after that we didn’t perhaps build on that pressure we created. We let the batsmen get off to a relatively easy start, gave too many boundaries early on. But I thought that all through the day, even at the end, we tried hard and it’s not a case that we gave up. We gave Babar a chance and he punished us. Shan Masood batted very well all day .. he was solid and compact and didn’t give us much until he got out.”Gibson’s previous experiences as a coach have been with England and South Africa, where he had several fast bowlers clocking over 140 kph. He doesn’t have the same luxury with Bangladesh, but he was happy to work with the talent available. “There is a lot to work on for sure, but generally, when you played against Bangladesh you often saw just one fast bowler, but here we have three seamers bowling which is great for us,” Gibson said. “We’ve got good seamers, but obviously we have a lot of work to do. My job at the moment is to sit and watch and understand what they are capable of doing before I jump in and start trying to change things, so I am having a really good look at them.”There is enough talent but the guys are clearly short of pace. Most of our guys bowl between 130 and short of 138, and Abu Jayed is capable of bowling 140. But conditions also plays a part in the psyche of a fast bowler .. these guys grew up bowling on flat pitches in Bangladesh. One of the things we are trying to do is encourage them even if we can take them outside Bangladesh for camps, so that they can see the ball flying through like everywhere else in the world.”There was some lateral movement, but during the day, bowlers hardly pushed batsmen on the back foot, and didn’t beat the bat or hit the pads very often either.”I think you would have seen today the ball’s movement and that’s the one skill we have so we can make the ball swing, move it in the air and off the pitch but we just lacked a little bit of pace and physicality. That is there genetically so nothing we can do about that, but if a guy can bowl 130 and have other skills like we saw in some of our bowlers then it’s okay. But when we go away from home, that is where our challenges are which come where the wicket is flat .. in my opinion it’s a very flat pitch here. We should have made more runs yesterday and we could have bowled better today.”
Captain believes back-to-back wins has cemented authority in squad brimming with young talent
Andrew Miller20-Jan-2020Joe Root believes there is now a greater “outside” impression that he is the right leader to take the Test team’s fortunes forward into a new era, after overseeing England’s second away win in consecutive matches in their innings-and-53-run win over South Africa at Port Elizabeth.Though Root himself starred with the ball with four second-innings wickets in the third Test, he turned the praise onto two of his new-look team’s youngest players, Ollie Pope and Dom Bess, who, at the age of 22, played crucial roles with bat, ball and in the field to deliver a 2-1 series lead with only Friday’s fourth Test at the Wanderers to come.The pair’s efforts followed the maiden Test century that Dom Sibley recorded in England’s second-Test win at Cape Town two weeks ago, and with the injured Jofra Archer also chipping in with a five-wicket haul in defeat at Centurion in December, England have now had four players aged 24 or under with a significant milestone on this tour.And with England now on the verge of their first series win since Chris Silverwood took over as head coach in October, Root believes that the quality and range of the performances augurs well for the rapid development of his squad.”That is a really strong effort,” Root told Sky Sports, “and a strong message to the rest of the guys that that anyone’s capable of doing something special out here. And that breeds confidence within the whole group.”England’s victory was founded on their first-innings total of 499 for 9, in which Pope’s maiden Test century came for the most part in a 193-run stand for the fifth wicket with Ben Stokes, before Bess’s five first-innings wickets pushed South Africa towards the follow-on.”I think this game has been a brilliant template for us moving forward,” said Root. “Big first-innings runs, a big partnership in there, and then really driving the game. I couldn’t be more proud of the group, and for the young lads to be stepping up yet again, and showing that they’re more than capable to perform at this level.”Asked if he felt as if this was “his team”, Root replied: “It absolutely does, and it has done for a while. I think the fact that we’re starting to see results now might make it look like that from the outside, but I very much feel like the guys are listening to my message, the way we want to play the game. And now, because we’re starting to see results, it’s really feeding through the group and long may that continue.”Ollie Pope was player of the match•Stu Forster/Getty ImagesAt the age of 29, and with more than 7400 runs in his 91-Test career, Root is living proof of the rewards that are on offer to England’s young players if they seize their opportunities in the Test team, just as he himself did with a fifty on debut in Nagpur at the age of 21. And as a consequence, Root believes that the squad newcomers are particularly eager to absorb the message from the team’s leadership.”More than anything, they’re very willing to listen and very willing to learn,” Root said. “Not that the other guys aren’t, but they haven’t seen any other way, if you like, and we’ve got a really clear direction of how I want to take the team forward. The guys that have come in have responded really well to that, and when you start seeing results that starts really hammering home the message.”But it’s not just the youngsters,” he added. “It’s the senior guys that are still learning as well. Broady, yesterday and this morning, was finding different deliveries and being open-minded enough to not just run and bowl seam-up, but legcutters and cross-seam balls, and trying different things. At his age, to still now be finding ways to take wickets on flat ones, is really impressive.”One of the more memorable off-field moments of the Test came when the cameras panned to Root in the dressing room when Pope, on 74, was reprieved via DRS after an on-field lbw. The captain’s desire to see his young player push on to his maiden hundred was tangible, and Root admitted it was an important achievement for the team that he went on to do so.”I think everyone’s been in that position where you desperately want something,” he said. “You could see how he’s a wonderful talent, you know he’s got such a brilliant game on him, and when you see someone with that ability, once they believe it themselves then I suppose the sky’s the limit for them.”You don’t want to get to that position where other players have been, with five, six, seven fifties, and the feeling that it’s never going to come. But for Ollie to do that this week was a massive marker for himself and for Test cricket in general really, seeing a very talented young player show that he’s ready for this. He wants to be very hungry for runs and make it count when he gets in.”ALSO READ: ‘Wanderers Test could be my last’ – du PlessisBess’s achievement was, in its own way, even more remarkable, given that he hadn’t been part of England’s original squad, as well as his lack of consistent opportunities at county level since making his Test debut against Pakistan in 2018. He claimed each of the first five wickets to fall in South Africa’s first innings – a remarkable feat for any bowler let alone an offspinner – before adding Anrich Nortje on the final morning for match figures of 6 for 87.”He’s had a remarkable journey but he works incredibly hard at his game,” said Root. “He’s gone and played on loan [from Somerset to Yorkshire] at different times to make sure he’s getting the cricket that he needs, and he probably could do with more if we’re being brutally honest, as could a lot of spinners around in the English game. But he’s been given an opportunity to go away and work at his game with guys like [Rangana] Herath, and he’s come back with a lot of different deliveries that he didn’t have last time he played for England.”He’s come back into this team, worked very well with Jeetan [Patel, spin-bowling coach], and he thinks very well about the game. He’s very smart for a youngster.”Looking ahead to the Wanderers on Friday, Root admitted it was hard to say whether Archer would be fit after missing the third Test with an elbow injury, but said that the squad was fully focused on finishing the job they have started, and signing off from the Test series on a high.”It’d be a great achievement for this group of players [to win the series] and I think more than anything it would be a massive step in the right direction,” he said. “I think we’re nowhere near the finished article, we’re very aware that we’ve got a lot of learning to do, but we’ve got a lot of youngsters that are willing to do that. And we’ve just got to keep looking to get better.”
Na noite desta sexta-feira, o Botafogo empatou com o Vila Nova por 1 a 1, no Estádio Onésio Brasileiro Alvarenga, em partida válida pela primeira rodada da Série B. Apesar de ter um jogador a mais durante todo o segundo tempo, o Alvinegro não conseguiu vencer o Tigre e ainda saiu atrás do placar.
CONFIRA A TABELA DA SÉRIE B
Em entrevista coletiva, o técnico Marcelo Chamusca analisou a partida e falou sobre o lance do gol sofrido. De acordo com ele, o gol do Vila Nova foi resultado de uma falha defensiva coletiva. O treinador também explicou que Willian Formiga não fez a movimentação que geralmente faz em jogadas de escanteio.
RelacionadasFutebol NacionalAplicativo de resultados do LANCE! está disponível na versão iOSFutebol Nacional28/05/2021BotafogoAutor do gol do Botafogo, Navarro não esconde decepção na estreia da Série B: ‘É claro que ficamos tristes’Botafogo28/05/2021BotafogoATUAÇÕES: na estreia da Série B, Romildo recebe a menor nota e Navarro é o destaque do BotafogoBotafogo28/05/2021
>Vai começar o Brasileirão! Conheça o aplicativo de resultados do LANCE!
-Não pode o adversário estar jogando com um jogador a menos e ter um atleta livre na entrada da área para finalizar da forma como ele finalizou. Eles colocaram dois jogadores e fizeram uma jogada curta. Esse atleta que fez o gol, o Willian Formiga, no posicionamento natural, onde a gente analisou as bolas paradas, ele sempre faz uma movimentação de primeiro pau, inclusive, ele movimenta muito bem, ele tem, se eu não me engano 1,85m e tem um bom tempo de bola.
-Nesse momento, ele não foi para a área, ficou como o jogador do primeiro rebote. Nós fomos com dois para a bola curta, mas não sei se te falar com exatidão se foi uma situação trabalhada. Acho que a cobrança veio por baixo e não conseguimos interceptar e aí faltou atenção para que tivesse um rebote melhor posicionado para que o atleta do Vila Nova não finalizasse com tanta liberdade como ele finalizou. Não houve um erro individual, mas sim um erro coletivo que foi induzido por mérito do adversário.
O treinador também destacou que a forma de jogar do Botafogo na Série B não será como essa. Chamusca explicou que, por causa das condições do gramado, a equipe precisou treinar e usar uma nova forma de atuar.
-O campo fez com que a gente treinasse e usasse um plano de jogo, onde a gente tivesse um jogo mais direto, inclusive, pressionamos muito o adversário na sua saída para a gente tentar roubar e já acelerar essa bola no último terço.condição do campo fez com que a gente tivesse que fazer um jogo mais direto, mas não deve ser uma característica (do Botafogo).
O treinador revelou que os próprios jogadores reclamaram das condições do gramado. Assim, de acordo com Chamusca, foi “muito difícil” para os atletas trocar passes e construir as jogadas desde o a defesa.
-Os jogadores reclamaram muito da condição do gramado. Estava bem difícil, a bola estava muito viva, muito difícil de você trocar passes, de você tentar construir a partir da defesa. Então, houve uma orientação de fato pela característica do campo para que a gente acelerasse um pouco mais, fizesse de ligação direta e tivesse um jogo de transição, com uma ênfase um pouco maior.
Tottenham Hotspur have come a long way under Ange Postecoglou. It certainly feels like that anyway, regardless of the league position.
Indeed, despite the positivity that has encapsulated the Australian's tenure so far a place in the top four of the Premier League continues to evade them.
Had they won against Fulham on Saturday evening they would have leapfrogged Aston Villa into fourth, albeit if only for a day.
Postecoglou admitted post-match that fourth place would not be a trophy. He's correct, yet that must still be the goal after a campaign in which the Lilywhites had no European football at all.
They are still incredibly well placed to finish the season strongly but they will need to improve on a dire showing at Craven Cottage over the weekend. They will also need James Maddison at his best.
James Maddison's season in numbers
Make no mistake about it, Maddison has been one of the signings of the season in the English top flight.
Signed from relegated Leicester last summer for a fee of £40m, he has undoubtedly been one of Postecoglou's chief operators during an impressive first campaign in England.
James Maddison in action for Leicester City.
To date, the England international has bagged four goals and registered eight assists across 20 matches. The last of those goals came during the 4-0 win over Aston Villa (below) and he also registered an assist versus Crystal Palace.
That being said, you sense the attacking midfielder is still getting up to speed having been sidelined by an ankle injury for two months between November and January.
It had all been looking rosy up to that point, but you will certainly back Maddison to become a relentless contributor of goals and assists again, weaving his artistry as he has done so regularly in the top division throughout his career.
Despite a length injury layoff, he still ranks in the top 5% of positionally similar players in the league for assists per 90 minutes and the best 1% for progressive passes with a whopping 9.43 per 90. For context, the average Premier League player has registered 3.95 this season.
Tottenham midfielder James Maddison.
It may be somewhat of a surprise, therefore, to learn that his value hasn't risen particularly highly since first impressing at Spurs. Perhaps it's the injury? Perhaps not. Either way, CIES Football Observatory would expect Maddison to command a £45m fee in the incredibly unlikely eventuality that he left the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
It truly does feel as though the club have finally replaced Christian Eriksen in the engine room, although arguably they are still searching for the rightful heir to Mousa Dembele's throne.
How much Dembele would be worth in 2024
No matter who you ask, Dembele is always described as one of the best players to have graced the Premier League. That's from a technical standpoint anyway.
There was fine praise from ex-Spurs man Kyle Walker who once said: "Dembele was probably the best player I’ve ever seen play football." As for another former Tottenham defender Eric Dier, he aptly suggested the Belgian was a "monster".
Former Arsenal hero Jack Wilshere also once stated: "You couldn’t get the ball off him, his dribbling was unreal.”
Indeed, that ball-carrying was one of the finer aspects of Dembele's game. During the 2015/16 season, only eight players registered more successful dribbles over the entire Premier League term. Only five individuals, meanwhile, could boast a greater average of dribbles completed per match.
Dribbles per game: 2015/16 Premier League
#1 Giannelli Imbula (Stoke)
4.4
#2 Wilfried Zaha (Palace)
3.7
#3 Riyad Mahrez (Leicester)
3.5
#4 Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal)
3.4
#5 Ross Barkley (Everton)
3.1
#6 Bolasie, Eden Hazard, Mousa Dembele
2.9
Stats via WhoScored.com.
If that wasn't enough, the 6 foot 1 enforcer ranked inside the top ten players in the entire league for the number of tackles made per game. Dembele produced 3.6 that season with Leicester midfielder (at the time) N'Golo Kante topping the tree with 4.7.
Based on that you can gather a fine sense of why the Belgium international was so highly rated. He departed for Chinese shores in 2019, leaving the Lilywhites behind for a fee believed to be around £11m. He did so with fond memories having made 249 appearances in Spurs colours, scoring ten goals and supplying 12 assists.
It begs the question, if Daniel Levy were to sign Dembele in the present day, how much would he be worth? Well, thanks to Totally Money, we have the info.
Former Tottenham midfielder Mousa Dembele.
They have taken the 100 most expensive transfers of all time across each season since 1992 in Europe's top five leagues and with plenty of historical financial data in hand, have been able to calculate what footballers of yesteryear would be worth in the present day. That's after taking into account the incredible rate of inflation.
So, having joined Spurs for £17m, in the present day that would now mean Dembele's transfer would have cost the club a mighty £46m. That's more than the aforementioned Maddison. Still, we should hardly be surprised, right? The former Fulham man was a special, special player.
Market Movers
Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?
Leeds United will go into tonight's huge clash with Leicester City pumped up and ready to go, the Whites aiming to dent the table-topping side's confidence on their travels to Elland Road.
Leeds' unbelievable home record – which stands at 16 games unbeaten in total this season – could swing the contest in their favour.
Although, Enzo Maresca's side won't just give in to a confident Whites outfit owing to their obvious strengths which sees them nine points clear of Leeds at the top of the Championship table.
The Whites beating Plymouth Argyle 2-0 last time out shouldn't see Daniel Farke make significant changes for this bumper face-off, but Joel Piroe could face his manager's axe still after an average display at Home Park.
Joel Piroe's game vs Plymouth Argyle in numbers
Despite picking up an assist for Georginio Rutter to score a decisive second goal last time out, Piroe wasn't at his electric best in front of goal against Ian Foster's leaky Pilgrims.
The sub-par Leeds number seven would only muster up one shot on goal in the lunchtime kick-off, with the ex-Swansea City man bailed out by the likes of Rutter and Wilfried Gnonto who were ice-cold finishers when their team needed them to step up.
Joel Piroe
Piroe was just flat at Home Park, in truth, when it came to fulfilling his duties as a dangerous striker, with the 24-year-old attacker excelling more as a creative force in the 2-0 win.
The 6 foot 1 striker would end notching up two key passes and two successful dribbles in the game – with one of those key passes finding Rutter to strike home – but floundered when it came to taking the game by the scruff of its neck as a potent centre-forward himself.
Minutes played
89
Assists
1
Shots on goal
1
Touches
38
Possession lost
8x
Only amassing 38 touches too across his 89 minutes on the pitch, which saw Illan Meslier even come in with a greater total of 54, Piroe's solid spot in Farke's XI could no longer be secure if Leeds want to play with a gung-ho approach up next to catch Leicester cold.
Football journalist Graham Smyth did hand out a solid 6/10 match rating to Piroe despite the Dutchman going quiet for large portions of the game, but did state that Piroe 'struggled' in his role up top.
The German manager could well have a selection headache to resolve if he was to drop the skilful attacker, with the potential for Daniel James to return to the lineup in a reshuffled attacking quartet.
The player that could replace Joel Piroe
The most logical switch would see Rutter pushed into a striker spot for the huge game tonight against Leicester, freeing up the attacking midfield spot for someone else to shine.
With James touted for a return to the lineup after a promising cameo against the Pilgrims back from injury – hitting the cross-bar from a free-kick effort with the game all but over – Wilfried Gnonto could be moved centrally to accommodate his brilliance still even with the dynamic Welshman being back.
Leicester could well be taken by surprise to see Gnonto occupy this unfamiliar spot, the Italian attacker only starting in this position three times in total for the West Yorkshire titans to date, but it could be a bold call that pays off if the Foxes cannot deal with the attacking might on offer from Farke's men.
Leeds will see tonight's game against Leicester as a further opportunity to stamp their authority in the automatic promotion race, cutting the gap potentially between themselves and Maresca's first-placed side to six points.
Leeds forward Joel Piroe.
Therefore, out-there selection calls such as these could see the over-confident Foxes unprepared for the task of overcoming Leeds with the Whites then picking up yet another win in 2024 to continue their march towards promotion.
Worcestershire fall well short in chase of 219 despite Ross Whiteley’s unbeaten 89 from 40
ECB Reporters Network25-Aug-2019Lancashire 218 for 5 (Croft 94) beat Worcestershire 193 for 7 (Whiteley 89*, Maxwell 3-23) by 25 runsLancashire Lightning secured a top two spot – and a home quarter-final – in the Vitality Blast North Group with a 25-run victory over holders Worcestershire Rapids at Blackfinch New Road.Steven Croft hit a career equalling 94 as the Lightning totalled a formidable 218 for 5 after being put into bat. Saqib Mahmood then pressed home Lancashire’s advantage by removed Rapids openers Hamish Rutherford – the overseas replacement for Martin Guptill – and Riki Wessels in his first two overs.The game was effectively ended when Rapids captain Moeen Ali became the first of two wickets to fall in spinner Glenn Maxwell’s first over and the Australian ended with the excellent figures of 3 for 23 from four overs.Some typical hitting by Ross Whiteley – including his 100th T20 six for Worcestershire – kept the capacity 4500 crowd entertained. The Rapids are still very much in contention to reach the knockout stages but now face a crucial game against Notts Outlaws at Blackfinch New Road on Wednesday.The Rapids opted to field first and struck an immediate blow with Alex Davies top-edging the first delivery of the game from Dillon Pennington to keeper Ben Cox.Wayne Parnell shared the new ball and Steven Croft helped his first delivery over the fine leg boundary for six. Liam Livingstone collected four boundaries in Parnell’s second over and the Lightning half-century came up in 4.1 overs.Croft raced to his half century off just 24 balls with four sixes and four fours. Livingstone helped him add 83 in eight overs before he lofted Ed Barnard straight to Whiteley at deep midwicket.Maxwell flicked Pat Brown over the fine leg boundary for six but tried to repeat the shot from the next ball and was pouched by Pat Brown. Captain Dane Vilas made a quickfire 23 before he cut hard at Barnard and picked out Rutherford at third man.Daryl Mitchell bowled a tight mid innings spell and his four overs cost only 26 runs. But Croft continued to blaze away and hoisted Brown for two sixes in an over costing 22 runs. He moved onto 94 before attempting a slog-sweep in the final over from Moeen Ali and was stumped.Croft faced 55 balls and struck six sixes and six fours and his fifth wicket partnership with James Faulkner was worth 60 in five overs.When the Rapids launched their reply they were immediately on the back foot as Rutherford lobbed a Mahmood delivery to mid-on and Wessels perished at deep midwicket. Tom Fell was taken at long on – a fine low catch by Croft – off legspinner Matt Parkinson and then Maxwell’s introduction to the attack paid double dividends.Moeen was bowled by his first delivery and then Parnell perished at long-on. The Rapids lost half their side for 59 and required 151 from the final 10 overs.Whiteley reached a 20 ball half-century, which included 26 from an over by Richard Gleeson. It included two sixes and seven fours.An entertaining stand of 86 in eight overs with Cox ended when the keeper provided Maxwell with a third scalp with Davies this time holding onto the chance at deep midwicket. Whiteley ended unbeaten on 89 from 40 balls as the Rapids closed on 193 for 7.