علي معلول: الدبيس شعر بالضيق من عطية الله.. وانظروا إلى ميسي ورونالدو

تحدث علي معلول، لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالنادي الأهلي، عن رأيه في تغيير طريقة اللعب في ظل تواجد الثنائي يحيى عطية الله وكريم الدبيس.

وقال معلول في تصريحات عبر قناة “الأهلي”: “كريم الدبيس أخي الصغير، منذ أن انضم للفريق وأنا أتبناه وأتحدث معه كثيرًا وأعلمه الكثير من الأشياء، هو من اللاعبين الذين يريدون التعلم، فكنت أتكلم معه دائمًا وأطلب منه أن يتدرب حتى لو لم يلعب، وحتى عندما جاء يحيى عطية الله، كان كريم يشعر ببعض المضايقة، -فقلت له لا بد أن تتدرب، أنت لا تعرف ما الذي قد يحدث في كرة القدم، سيأتي الوقت الذي ستلعب فيه-، وحاليًا هو يتألق بشكل كبير”.

طالع.. علي معلول: الخطيب فعل معي شيئًا نادرًا.. والأهلي لا يخطئ مرتين متتاليتين

وتابع: “يحيى عطية الله لاعب كبير، ويلعب في منتخب المغرب، ولا يحتاج أن أتكلم عنه، حاليًا المنافسة في صالح الفريق، والمدير الفني هو صاحب القرار يعني، مثلًا، حاليًا سأبذل 200% من جهدي لكي ألعب، وغيري قد يبذل 300% لكي يلعب، وكل هذا في صالح الفريق، وبالنسبة للمدير الفني، سيكون الأمر جيدًا لأنه حتى إذا حدثت أي إصابات، سيكون البديل جاهزًا”.

واستمر: “موضوع أن البعض يقول عني أنني كبير في السن، لا يضايقني بقدر ما أصبح سهلًا على اللسان، يعني مثلًا، أنا في سن 34 أو 35 سنة، وألعب كل المباريات، وأؤثر فيها، وألعب 90 دقيقة وأنا من أكثر اللاعبين الذين يركضون في الملعب، فأين هو كبر السن؟ كريستيانو رونالدو عمره 40 سنة وما زال يلعب، وكذلك ميسي ومودريتش وغيرهم الكثير، إذا كنت تحافظ على نفسك خارج الملعب، يمكنك أن تلعب لفترة أطول”.

واستطرد: “أعيش للكرة فقط، أنهي التدريبات وأكون في بيتي، ولا أذهب إلى أي مكان، إذا كان موعدي في النادي الساعة 2، أكون في النادي الساعة 10 وأغادر آخر واحد”.

واستكمل: “لم أكن متوقعًا تحقيق كل تلك الأرقام، لكن بعدما دخلت في المنظومة ولعبت توقعت أن أحققها، لكن لم أتوقع لهذه الدرجة كنت أحب أن أشاهد سيد معوض قبل اللعب في الأهلي، قابلته في الفندق خلال مباراة ودية بين الأهلي والصفاقسي في دبي، وتوجهت لتحيته وقال لي -أنا نفسي تيجي الأهلي، أنا بحبك وبتفرج عليك- بعدها بسنة انضممت للأهلي وكان هو في الجهاز الفني مع حسام البدري”.

وأضاف: “كل الفرق في إفريقيا تنتظر الأهلي بطل دوري أبطال إفريقيا، وكلها تريد أن تفوز عليك لأنك رقم واحد، فهذه مسؤولية وكل الفرق دعمت بشكل جيد، المهم عقليتك لو ركزت في فوز بالبطولة ستتوج بها”.

وواصل: “علاقتي باللاعبين التونسيين جيدة، كلمت حمزة المثلوثي بعد الإصابة وأتمنى له الشفاء ويعود لفريقه في أسرع وقت، لأنه من اللاعبين المحترمين جدًا، وأحزن على اللاعبين مثله وسيف الجزيري كان يحدثني منذ إصابتي وحرص على رؤيتي كل يوم، لكن لأننا نسكن بعيدين عن بعض كان الموضوع صعبًا، هناك لاعبين تونسيين كثيرين مثل رفيق كابو، جوما، وفخر الدين بن يوسف كلنا نحاول التواصل مع بعض، حتى فرجاني ساسي بعد أن ترك مصر ما زلنا على تواصل مع بعض”.

وتابع: “إن شاء الله يكون استمراري بداية خير لي وللنادي الأهلي، وأكون عند ظن الجميع وخاصة الكابتن الخطيب وإن شاء الله علي معلول يعود بشكل جيد، وبالتأكيد سعادة زملائي والجماهير بعودتي ستكون حافزًا لي لأثبت أن دفاعهم عني لم يكن من فراغ، المنافسة الآن أصبحت أصعب، وكل هذا في مصلحة الفريق والمدير الفني، ولن تكون مشكلة بالنسبة للمدرب”.

واسترسل: “كل مباراة بعد انتهائها أعود لمشاهدتها مرة أخرى، لو في مباراة كنت سيئًا، في اليوم التالي أكون في التدريب وعلى وجهي الحزن حتى لو كنا فائزين وأنا قدمت مباراة سيئة، أكون غير سعيد”.

وأتم: “بالنسبة لي، أهم مباراة كانت نهائي القرن أمام الزمالك، قدمنا بها كل شيء لدرجة أنه في الاحتفال بعد هدف أفشة، لم أكن أستطيع الركض من الإجهاد والضغط طوال المباراة، وقفت في نصف الملعب لا أستطيع الركض للاحتفال، هذه أكثر مباراة كنت راضيًا عنها، قدمنا كل شيء دفاعيًا وهجوميًا عشنا أسبوعًا صعبًا قبل المباراة وأغلقنا على أنفسنا، وهذه المباراة كانت الأهم في حياتنا جميعًا، كان نهائي القرن”.

'Not a believer that every guy has to have a six-pack' – Faf du Plessis backs Azam Khan

Azam’s rise has also been accompanied by constant talk around his fitness levels and weight

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Jun-2021Pakistan’s long, ongoing search for power-hitting options in their middle order has now landed on Quetta Gladiators’ Azam Khan. Pakistan have struggled for firepower in their middle order, in part because the top-order form of Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Mohammad Hafeez has meant those following have had little opportunity but also because the likes of Asif Ali and Khushdil Shah have had lean runs on the international stage.But Azam’s selection for Pakistan’s T20Is in the Caribbean later this summer has not come without criticism. As the son of former Pakistan wicketkeeper and captain as well as Gladiators coach Moin Khan, the usual charges of nepotism have been thrown around. But Azam’s rise over the last couple of years has also been accompanied by constant talk around his fitness levels and weight.Azam’s boundary-hitting ability is what has brought him to national attention – he hits a boundary around every four balls he faces in T20s, and has a strike rate of 157.41. With his Pakistan call-up, he will now be under further scrutiny when the PSL starts on June 9, as much for the runs he scores as the fitness he brings. But, his Gladiators’ team-mate and one of cricket’s fittest athletes, Faf du Plessis was keen to point out that six-packs do not equal guaranteed success.”When it comes to fitness, every guy has a responsibility to try and improve every day,” du Plessis said at a virtual press conference. “That looks different for every single person. For me, at an older age, I don’t stop thinking about how I can improve myself as a cricketer, how I can improve my fitness, how I can improve my body, how I can improve my mind.”The difference between guys who do it for a very short period and guys who do it for longer, it’s just improving, it’s smaller gains right throughout your career. For someone like him [Azam], no, he doesn’t have to look like me to be successful. It would just be small improvements every day. Right now, it might be something like fielding he could focus on, getting quicker to the ball, making sure [the] hands are good, taking all the catches and gradually putting in the work to become a better version of himself, or myself, or someone.”Azam Khan’s selection has been a talking point•PCB/PSLTalk around fitness in Pakistan is especially relevant given the return of Sharjeel Khan to the Pakistan line-up for the recent tours to South Africa and Zimbabwe. Sharjeel’s return to the squad was a point of contention between the team management and chief selector Mohammad Wasim; the former unwilling to compromise on basic fitness standards for those who make it to the national squad, the latter suggesting that, in some cases, skill may allow for less stringency on fitness. Ultimately, a compromise was worked out whereby Sharjeel was assigned a personal trainer on tour and given unofficial targets to meet before selection.What will be important, du Plessis said, was that Azam gives himself the best physical base from which to perform the role he is required to perform.”It’s unfair to compare different people, we’re comparing two different players. He’s a guy who will always come and be a power hitter and hit it a long way. What he will need to work on obviously is how can I make sure I’m fit enough to run between wickets, to get twos and threes for longer periods, when it gets hot out there, or how to make sure I don’t get tired at 20-30, but stay till I get 70, 80, 90. So it looks different for every single guy.”I’m certainly not a believer that every guy has to have a six-pack to be a successful cricketer. You work with what you have. You look at the greats in the game before, there’s been guys long before me and after me and him, who will all look different but had the skillsets to perform.”The immediate task ahead of both du Plessis and Azam will be to turn around Quetta’s poor start to this disrupted season. Five games in, Quetta have a solitary win and sit at the bottom of the table. Given the interruption in the season, however, a total reset is very much possible.”We find ourselves in a position we wouldn’t like to be,” du Plessis said. “Towards the end [earlier in the season] I felt we started playing our best cricket. Also, all of the teams have changed a lot. Even a lot of the teams looking strong at the top of the table would have a lot of changes in their teams because of Covid and the availability of a lot of overseas players. It’s almost like a new tournament and that’s starting on the 9th. Unfortunately we can’t start slow. We have to start in a winning way where we hit the ground running in the first game.”In the first half of the tournament we either batted really well, or we bowled really well. Only in the last game we put it together and put in a complete performance.”

Leeds could forget Hamer with ambitious swoop for "incredible" free agent

Leeds United head into the first international break of the 2024/25 campaign sitting in fourth place in the Championship table after four matches.

The Whites started the season with back-to-back draws with Portsmouth and West Bromwich Albion, 3-3 and 0-0 respectively, before losing 3-0 to Middlesbrough in the League Cup.

However, they have since bounced back from their disappointing start with a 2-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday and a 2-0 win over Hull City, with the latter coming at Elland Road on Saturday.

Mateo Joseph and Joel Piroe scored the goals for the Whites in West Yorkshire at the weekend to secure all three points for Daniel Farke's side.

That clash with the Tigers came less than 24 hours after the summer transfer window slammed shut on Friday night, after months of incoming and outgoings at Elland Road.

The likes of Archie Gray, Georginio Rutter, Crysencio Summerville, and Glen Kamara all secured permanent exits from the club over the summer.

Meanwhile, Leeds brought in Largie Ramazani, Manor Solomon, Ao Tanaka, Alex Cairns, Jayden Bogle, Joe Rothwell, Joe Rodon, and Isaac Schmidt.

The Whites did, however, fail in an attempt to make a ninth addition to Farke's playing squad in the final few days of the summer transfer window.

Leeds failed to sign Championship star

It was reported that Leeds were interested in a deal to sign attacking midfielder Gustavo Hamer from Championship rivals Sheffield United towards the end of the month.

The Yorkshire-based outfit reportedly made an initial offer of £13m to secure the former Coventry City star from Bramall Lane, but that was not enough to tempt the Blades.

It was also claimed that the Whites went back in with a second bid that included Joel Piroe going to Chris Wilder's side, along with an undisclosed fee paid to the relegated side.

However, Sheffield United had no interest in signing Piroe as they did not believe that he suited what they needed in their squad, and the Dutchman went on to score for Leeds against Hull after the deadline passed.

Their failure to convince the Blades to part ways with the midfielder, who produced four goals and six assists in the Premier League last season, was a shame as he is a proven Championship performer.

Appearances

45

Goals

11

Assists

11

Big chances created

18

As you can see in the table above, Hamer has recorded an eye-catching 22 direct goal contributions in his last 45 appearances in the division for Coventry and Sheffield United combined.

The 27-year-old magician is an attacking midfielder who can provide a huge threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals at Championship level.

However, the Dutch wizard will now continue to showcase his quality in South Yorkshire, rather than West, with Wilder's side for the rest of this season, or at least until January.

How Leeds can forget about Gustavo Hamer

Leeds did not land an alternative number ten option before the summer transfer window officially slammed shut on Friday night but that does not mean that they have their hands tied behind their back until the winter.

The Whites can still dip into the market to attract free agent options at any time, as players who are not contracted to a club can still make moves in the coming days and weeks, despite the window being closed.

There are plenty of high-quality players who have yet to find a new team to play for this season and that means that there is still a chance for Farke to add an attacking midfielder to the group to bolster his side's play-off chances.

Per Transfermarkt, there are a number of attacking midfielders who are without a club at the moment, including Dele Alli, Iker Muniain, Rafinha, and Anton Miranchuk.

Leeds, as they do not have to pay a transfer fee to a team to secure their services, could be ambitious with their free agent target and go for a high-quality option.

The most valuable free agent attacking midfielder, per Transfermarkt, is former Lille number ten Yusuf Yazici, who is valued at €10m (£8.4m) by the site.

Why Leeds should swoop for Yusuf Yazici

The Whites must now attempt to convince the Turkey international to move to England to play in the Championship, as it would allow the club to move on from Hamer and forget about the Sheffield United man.

Aged 27, Yazici is not in the final throes of his career, and is the same age as Hamer in fact, and could come in at the peak of his powers for Leeds.

It will not be an easy move to get done, though, as it has been reported that Olympiacos, Galatasaray, and Nice are among the teams interested in signing the free agent, which is another reason why this would be an ambitious transfer for the 49ers to pull off.

If they could convince Yazici to move to Elland Road, though, he has the potential to be an excellent addition to the squad, after an impressive year with Lille.

The Turkish whiz, who was once dubbed an "incredible" talent by former Arsenal star Mesut Ozil, racked up 12 goals and four assists in all competitions for the French side.

Appearances

27

36

Goals

5

4

Assists

2

6

Big chances created

5

10

Duel success rate

38%

37%

As you can see in the table above, Yazici was directly involved in seven goals in 27 appearances, whilst Hamer was involved in three more in nine more outings in the Premier League.

The free agent ace scored more goals in nine fewer matches in a major European league and this suggests that he could arrive at Leeds and provide a big goal threat, if he can improve his output by playing at a lower level in the second tier in England.

Yazici, who scored 29 goals in 135 matches for Lille during his time in France, could allow Farke to forget all about Hamer by coming in as a fantastic option in the number ten position, which is why the club should launch an ambitious swoop for his services.

Leeds star who's won every single tackle has been even better than Joseph

The Whites enforcer has enjoyed a terrific start to the season for Daniel Farke.

ByDan Emery Sep 3, 2024

Forget Alvarez: Man City lining up swoop for "terrifyingly good" £70m star

Manchester City kicked off their latest defence of the Premier League title with a relatively comfortable 2-0 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Erling Haaland, of course, scored the first goal of the season for Pep Guardiola's side by bulldozing his way into the box and brilliantly lifting the ball over and past Robert Sanchez.

Ex-Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic then showed his former employers what they have been missing with a terrific interception, drive forwards, and finish from the edge of the box to make it 2-0 in the second half.

It was not a perfect performance from City, who were troubled and needed Ruben Dias and Ederson at times to keep the Blues at bay, but it was enough to secure all three points.

Savinho made his debut on the flank but was substituted with a minor injury concern at half-time and there could be more debuts to come for City, as they are reportedly in the market to bolster their squad.

Julian Alvarez recently completed his permanent move to Spanish giants Atletico Madrid and the Cityzens are now reportedly looking to take a player away from LaLiga, having just sent the Argentina international to Spain.

Man City's interest in Real Madrid star

According to Football Insider, Manchester City are lining up a swoop to sign Real Madrid forward Rodrygo before the end of the summer transfer window.

The report claims that the Brazil international is on the club's radar as they weigh up what to do in the next ten days or so before the deadline passes.

It states that the Cityzens are considering their options after Oscar Bobb broke his leg and Savinho suffered a fitness concern against Chelsea on Sunday.

Football Insider reveals that Guardiola did not want to lose Alvarez to Atletico Madrid this summer and his exit could tempt the club to dip into the market to secure a replacement.

The outlet claims that Rodrygo is one of the players the Premier League champions are interested in signing and that it would take a fee of at least £70m to secure his services.

This would not be an easy deal for City to complete in the coming days, however, as the Brazilian whiz is said to be happy and ready to fight for his place at Real Madrid, which means that he may take some convincing to make the move to England.

Football Insider also says that sources would be 'surprised' if the Cityzens were prepared to splash out £70m to sign the forward this summer, and that suggests that it may take some negotiating with Real Madrid to bring the price down.

However, if the English giants can get a deal over the line for the winger then that could help Guardiola to forget all about Alvarez this season.

Julian Alvarez's form for Man City last season

The World Cup winner signed for Atletico for a whopping £81.5m earlier this month after two years in England, where he was a key player for City in the 2023/24 campaign.

Guardiola found a way to fit Haaland and Alvarez in his starting XI, with the latter deployed in an attacking midfield role, as the Argentine star started 31 of the club's 38 Premier League games.

The 24-year-old sensation embraced his new role by showing off his quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals for City in the top-flight, to contribute to another league title success.

Appearances

36

xG

13.12

Goals

11

Big chances created

7

Key passes per game

1.9

Assists

9

As you can see in the table above, the young forward was directly involved in 20 goals in 36 appearances in the division, which shows that he was a reliable attacking option for Guardiola.

Alvarez also produced an eye-catching five goals and two assists in seven outings in the Champions League, scoring those five goals from just 1.74 xG.

These statistics show that the Argentine attacker provided a big threat at the top end of the pitch in the Premier League and the Champions League for City, which is why it is easy to understand why Guardiola did not want to lose him this summer.

However, the Spanish tactician could forget all about the Atletico Madrid signing if the club can bring in Rodrygo to star for the Cityzens this season.

Why Man City should sign Rodrygo

The Premier League giants must swoop for the Brazilian whiz to bolster their squad and ensure that Guardiola does not end up rueing Alvarez's departure.

Despite featuring in a team that included the likes of Vinicius Jr, Kylian Mbappe, Fede Valverde, and Jude Bellingham, among many other stars, Rodrygo was the star for Real Madrid in their opening match in La Liga on Sunday night.

The young attacker scored the only goal of the game for the Spanish giants in a 1-1 draw with Mallorca, brilliantly curling an effort into the far corner from just inside the box.

Last season, the 23-year-old ace showcased his quality in LaLiga and in the Champions League for Real Madrid whilst playing on the right flank.

Rodrygo contributed with five goals and two assists in 13 matches in Europe's premier cup competition as the Spanish side went on to win the trophy, beating Borussia Dortmund in the final at Wembley.

Appearances

34

Goals

10

Big chances created

5

Assists

5

Key passes per game

1.4

As you can see in the table above, the £70m-rated star also hit double figures for goals in LaLiga for Carlo Ancelotti, to go along with five assists.

Rodrygo, whose finishing was once described as "terrifyingly good" by journalist Sam Tighe, also managed 19 goals and 11 assists in all competitions during the 2022/23 campaign, including nine goals and nine assists in LaLiga.

These statistics show that the Brazilian maestro is a consistent and impressive performer in front of goal as both a scorer and a creator, having proven himself in a major European league and in the Champions League.

Man City could land dream signing for Haaland in swoop for £60m star

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Therefore, Guardiola could forget all about Alvarez by landing another phenomenal young attacker who can make a big impact in the final third for City.

Dan Moriarty, Amar Virdi strut their stuff as Surrey spin a web around Gloucestershire

Surrey strutted their way towards what was set to be a crushing win over Group Two leaders Gloucestershire, as 14 wickets fell on day three at the Kia Oval. Dan Moriarty, the left-arm spinner playing in only his third first-class match, was the architect of the visitors’ demise as his career-best 6 for 60 enabled Surrey to enforce the follow on. A parched Saturday-evening crowd then wallowed in the occasion as Gloucestershire tottered to five down in their second dig.Rarely do Surrey have licence to play the underdog card, but having lost to these opponents in the opening round of fixtures there was an added bite to their play here. In the stands, some pinkly glistening patrons attempted to start a “thunder clap”, made famous by Iceland’s football fans during exuberant campaigns at Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup. Gloucestershire, still 191 runs adrift at the close and having collected just two bowling bonus points from their trip to Kennington, face going home with little more than a pat on the back.Surrey went into this game missing the services of three of their England internationals (Rory Burns and Ollie Pope with the Test squad, Ben Foakes the victim of a freak dressing-room injury), and having seen overseas quick Kemar Roach depart for West Indies duty; but such are the resources available in south London that they have been in charge from the moment stand-in captain Hashim Amla won the toss on Thursday morning.Moriarty’s first appearance of the season brought him a fourth consecutive five-wicket haul in Championship cricket, as he and Amar Virdi took up the gauntlet of spinning their team towards victory. Roach’s replacement, Australia international Sean Abbott, then claimed his first Surrey scalps to rattle Gloucestershire in their second innings.Arguably the most significant absence has been that of James Bracey, Gloucestershire’s leading run-scorer and a man with the methodical minerals to have set the tone for a rearguard effort. Miles Hammond did a passable impression at No. 3, facing 257 balls for 111 runs and once out in the day, but a collapse of 4 for 5 during a chaotic half-hour in the first session effectively scuppered their likeliest escape route here.Amar Virdi was in the wickets as Surrey dominated Gloucestershire•Getty Images

Rarely does the county game provide the stage for two young, English spinners to dictate proceedings in tandem, but with the sun shining down on a dry and dusty Oval, conditions were ripe for Virdi and Moriarty to wheel away. Le tweak, c’est chic, as the French don’t quite say. Certainly they are a complementary pair, having taken 18 wickets together in the victory over Sussex during last season’s Bob Willis Trophy. Virdi, the diminutive offspinner, bounds in and gives the ball a twirl, while the taller, more angular Moriarty sinisterly stalks his quarry.Asked to bat again in the face of a 315-run deficit, Kraigg Brathwaite and Chris Dent walked out to find Moriarty and Virdi waiting for them again. Gloucestershire’s openers survived their unusual new-ball test, only for Brathwaite to chip a return catch to Jamie Overton, before Abbott struck twice in as many overs, pinning Dent in front and then castling Tom Lace to send the former Middlesex man on his way having bagged a pair.Ryan Higgins avoided the same fate, but was stumped off Virdi deep into an extended evening session – Jamie Smith completing the dismissal after a smart take by his left shoulder – after Ian Cockbain had fallen to a ripping offbreak.For the first hour of the day, Gloucestershire seemed capably attuned to the requirements of navigating a way past the follow-on target of 324. While spin was always likely to play the major role, this used pitch was still some way removed from a raging Bunsen. Indeed, after Brathwaite and Hammond had seen off the opening overs of seam – the latter taking advantage of Overton’s pace to pull and drive three boundaries in as many overs – the introduction of Virdi and Moriarty initially did little to change the tenor of the morning.In the end it was a lack of turn, deliberate or otherwise from Virdi, that succeeded in foxing Brathwaite, as the West Indies opener played around an offbreak that went straight on to rap the back pad. Virdi was off and running, haring across the square in celebration, and so were Surrey, as the visitors tumbled from 84 for 1 to 89 for 5 inside five calamitous overs.Related

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Lace was Moriarty’s first victim, sucked into pushing at a flighted delivery from round the wicket that straightened just enough to clip the outside edge. Cockbain attempted to counterattack but only succeeded in cuffing his sweep off Virdi straight to square leg, and Higgins was guilty of an even more glaring misjudgement when he offered his second ball unimpeded passage into off stump. With Jonny Tattersall turning a full delivery straight into the hands of leg slip and Tom Smith snapped up one-handed by Jacks at forward short leg off the face of the bat, Moriarty had four and Gloucestershire were limping to lunch on 113 for 7.Despite the carnage at the other end, Hammond had doggedly held the line throughout, earning praise from a small-but-vocal pocket of Gloucestershire support in the JM Finn Stand. He moved to a sixth first-class fifty – and first for Gloucestershire since 2019 – with a single from his 124th ball, though might have been stumped in the following over when Moriarty turned one inside the bat only for it to elude Smith as well.Surrey’s charge was briefly held up by the eighth-wicket pair, as Matt Taylor dug in for more than an hour. He had just driven Abbott through extra cover for four when he left a delivery from Jacks that spun big to hit off stump and give the Surrey allrounder his maiden first-class wicket. Moriarty claimed the last two, including that of Hammond, who dragged a short delivery to midwicket; the spinner’s name may hint at Machiavellian intent but Gloucestershire were too often complicit in being duped.

Arteta plotting new Arsenal role for Havertz which will impact Sterling

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is reportedly plotting a brand-new role for fan favourite Kai Havertz ahead of their north London derby clash against Tottenham, and the tactical tweak will also impact deadline day summer signing Raheem Sterling.

Arsenal without key players ahead of crucial derby against Spurs

The north Londoners go into this all-important match against Spurs off the back of their first dropped points of the new Premier League campaign, with Brighton holding Arteta's side to a 1-1 draw at the Emirates Stadium last weekend.

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Joao Pedro's second-half strike cancelled out a stunning lobbed finish from Havertz, but the game also had disastrous consequences for star midfielder Declan Rice, who was perhaps unfairly sent off for two bookable offences against the Seagulls.

Rice will now miss Arsenal's trip to Tottenham, with summer signing Mikel Merino also sidelined for nearly two months after fracturing his shoulder in training at London Colney.

Arsenal's next five Premier League games

Date

Tottenham (away)

September 15

Man City (away)

September 22

Leicester City (home)

September 28

Southampton (home)

October 5

Bournemouth (away)

October 19

Merino could be their fourth potential absentee, as both Takehiro Tomiyasu and Kieran Tierney are also very unlikely to feature in Arsenal's next game, with no return date confirmed yet for the pair.

Rice and Merino's absence in particular will leave Arteta pretty short in midfield, but there is some good news, as Sterling could well make his Arsenal debut against Spurs following his arrival at the eleventh hour on deadline day.

The 29-year-old, who worked under Arteta at Man City, is a proven Premier League player who boasts plenty of both goals and assists from stints at every high-profile English club he's been with.

Sterling also possesses big-game and trophy-winning experience, which will be invaluable for Arteta, as he seeks to make it third-time-lucky and finally beat his old mentor Pep Guardiola to a domestic league crown.

Arteta plotting new Havertz role which will impact Sterling at Arsenal

The Chelsea loanee, according to GiveMeSport this week, is set to have a big say on Arsenal's starting eleven and tactical plans for their face-off against Spurs.

It is believed that Arteta is planning to drop Havertz deeper and play Sterling in a false-nine role against Tottenham, as both Merino and Rice's unavailibility requires the Gunners to make significant changes in that area of the park.

The tactical gamble would remove Havertz from a position where he has been starring for Arsenal since he signed from Chelsea in the summer of 2023, with the German already scoring two goals and registering an assist in their opening three matches.

"He’s so intelligent; he ghosts through," said Arsenal legend Martin Keown on the 25-year-old's displays lately.

"As a centre-half, you want someone to mark, but when he keeps disappearing into midfield all the time you get a bit nervous, and suddenly he’s there with two or three other players, so he can be really effective and that’s working for Arsenal."

Why ‘introverted’ USMNT star Christian Pulisic agreed to documentary as AC Milan forward reveals present & future goals

Pulisic explained why he agreed to a new documentary, with the USMNT and AC Milan forward saying he's “introverted”

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  • Pulisic stars in Paramount production
  • Hoping to inspire others with his story
  • Breaking down barriers in the European game
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  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    The United States international is the leading man in a production from Paramount Plus. Pulisic is giving fans a rare glimpse into his private life, while offering opinions on a wide range of subjects.

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    THE BIGGER PICTURE

    He is far from being the first to take the docuseries plunge, with Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney proving with ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ how beneficial such shows can be. Pulisic, however, has never been once to crave the limelight and has revealed why now is the right time for him to take centre stage.

  • WHAT PULISIC SAID

    Pulisic, who continues to star for Serie A giants AC Milan at club level, has told when asked why he has hit the small screen: “One of my biggest goals is inspiring that next generation of soccer players and my country back home and getting people excited. I look at the timing of a World Cup coming up in the U.S. and the sport is the biggest it’s ever been. It seems like the right time.

    “Some of us are more introverted, some of us are more outgoing. I hope some people can see this documentary and think, ‘I relate to him’. Hopefully, they see how I am as a person and realize, ‘OK, maybe not all football stars are wanting to be so glamorous and in the spotlight all the time’. I hope they see that I’m kind of the opposite of that and see some of the struggles that I go through on a day-to-day basis as an American battling in Europe to try to be one of the best players in the world.”

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    DID YOU KNOW?

    In the documentary, Pulisic – along with international colleague Weston McKennie – speaks about how there is still “bias” in Europe against American players. He added on how that mindset has impacted his goals for the present and future: “It just inspires me to work that much harder and to have to be better — not even giving them a decision to make and saying, ‘This is the guy that we want playing’. So that’s always pushed me.

    “I think it’s in a better place now. I hope I’ve had a say in that and other people look around and say, ‘This guy’s American and he is doing it at the highest level, so we need to respect some of these guys’. Look how many Americans in the last five to 10 years have come over to Europe. We have players in the Champions League and some of the highest leagues in the world. It is not our biggest driver of wanting to prove them wrong. It’s just something that is out there.”

Dupla de zaga do São Paulo foi bem contra o Palmeiras; veja os números de Miranda e Arboleda

MatériaMais Notícias

Na última quarta-feira (17), o São Paulo venceu o Palmeiras por 2 a 0, no Allianz Parque, pela 33ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro. Durante o confronto, que ficou marcado pela boa atuação são-paulina, a dupla de zaga composta por Miranda e Arboleda teve atuação de destaque. Confira os números dos dois jogadores no Choque-Rei.

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CONFIRA A TABELA ATUALIZADA E SIMULE OS JOGOS DO BRASILEIRÃO DE 2021!

Arboleda foi uma surpresa na escalação. O zagueiro retornou de última hora da seleção equatoriana e já integrou o elenco titular no clássico contra o Palmeiras. Sua escalação, porém, foi justificada, pois o jogador foi um dos melhores em campo tanto na marcação quanto na saída de jogo.

Na defesa, o zagueiro teve atuação sólida e, além de ajudar o time a não sofrer gols, rebateu a bola oito vezes, de acordo com o FootStats, sendo o segundo jogador com mais rebatidas durante a partida.

Na saída de bola, foi o jogador que mais acertou lançamentos pelo São Paulo. Ao todo, foram quatro lançamentos certos de oito tentados. Quanto aos passes, 100% de aproveitamento. Arboleda acertou os 27 passes que tentou, o segundo com mais passes dados na partida, segundo o FootStats.

Quanto ao capitão Miranda, seus números defensivos também foram excelente e, inclusive, foi o camisa 22 o jogador com mais rebatidas, à frente de Arboleda. O zagueiro rebateu 12 vezes a bola, afastando os ataques palmeirenses.

Nos passes, Miranda também superou Arboleda e também obteve 100% de aproveitamento. Ao todo, o capitão deu 39 passes, dos quais não errou nenhum. Nos lançamentos, ficou em segundo lugar com dois lançamentos corretos de cinco que tentou ao longo do jogo.

O próximo jogo do São Paulo é na próxima quarta-feira (24), às 21h30, no Morumbi, diante do Athletico-PR. O Tricolor volta a jogar em casa após bela atuação no estádio de seu rival.

A vitória contra o Palmeiras garantiu maior sossego na tabela. O São Paulo é o atual 14º colocado, com 41 pontos conquistados. Com isso, o time conquistou distância mais tranquila em relação ao Z4.

Bid submitted: Southampton make offer worth £10m+ to sign 22 y/o midfielder

Southampton have seen a loan bid with an obligation to buy for an international midfielder rejected.

The Saints are preparing for life back in the Premier League after securing promotion to the top flight via the Championship play-offs last season. Russell Martin’s side get their league season underway with a testing trip to St. James’ Park on Saturday as they face Newcastle United.

The Southampton boss will be hoping his side can get off to a good start, and the club’s transfer business has put them in a good position to tackle the upcoming campaign.

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Southampton’s summer signings

As expected, given that they are a side that has just come from the Championship, Southampton have been rather busy so far in this transfer window. The Saints have made a staggering 12 new signings so far, as Martin makes sure his side is equipped with enough experience and quality.

The new arrivals have been a mixture of transfers that have cost the Saints a large sum of money, or they have been arrivals that have come via free transfer. Southampton have brought in the likes of Charlie Taylor, Wellington, and Adam Lallana, who obviously has a history with the Saints, on free transfers.

Southampton's summer signings

Signed from

Taylor Harwood-Bellis

Manchester City

Flynn Downes

West Ham

Ben Brereton-Diaz

Villarreal

Yukinari Sugawara

AZ Alkmaar

Nathan Wood

Swansea City

Ronnie Edwards

Peterborough United

Wellington

Sao Paulo

Charlie Taylor

Burnley

Adam Lallana

Brighton

Juan

Sao Paulo

Rento Takaoka

Nissho Gakuen

Kuryu Matsuki

FC Tokyo

Meanwhile, the club has also made some additions that have pulled the purse strings, as they have signed players such as Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Flynn Downes, who were both at the club last season, as well as Ronnie Edwards, Nathan Wood, and most recently Ben Brereton-Diaz.

The 25-year-old spent last season on loan at Sheffield United but now remains in the Premier League with Southampton, having signed a four-year contract. The Chilean believes everything has aligned for him to join Southampton.

He said: “I'm absolutely buzzing. It's been smooth these past couple of days, and I'm happy to get everything sorted and signed. I'm really excited to meet everyone, it's great to be involved with this great club.

"Watching the club when I was younger, it was always in the Premier League. Obviously, last season, the way the team played, they went down, but they bounced straight back up as a team. Also, the gaffer as well – everything has aligned together, and I think it's an amazing club. I can’t wait to get started."

But despite already bringing in a lot of players, Southampton don’t look like they are stopping there, as they eye a deal for a midfielder.

Southampton see bid for Mandela Keita rejected

According to journalist Sacha Tavolieri, Southampton have seen a bid for Mandela Keita rejected by Belgian side Royal Antwerp. The offer is said to have been a loan bid with a mandatory option to buy for around €12 million (£10.2 million).

The Belgian side is said to be open to making progress on the deal that would see Keita move to England and join the Saints.

But as well as Southampton being keen on signing the player, Tavolieri goes on to add that other Premier League teams are said to be watching him this summer, as he attracts interest. The 22-year-old, who is a Belgium international, only joined Royal Antwerp on a permanent basis this summer, but he has spent the last 18 months on loan at the club from OH Leuven.

Watkins 2.0: Aston Villa teen could be their biggest talent since Grealish

Aston Villa have been forced to rely heavily on Ollie Watkins since the start of last season as the Englishman only has Jhon Duran for competition.

It hasn’t exactly hampered his performances, as the Englishman scored 27 times last term, which steered Villa to a top-four finish in the Premier League, thus qualifying for the Champions League.

Duran has stepped up this season despite the continued interest shown in him during the summer transfer window, as the Colombian has netted twice in just three league matches so far.

Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran

While the 20-year-old is potentially a player to build around for the future, could Unai Emery have another Watkins brewing in the academy?

Why Rory Wilson could be Ollie Watkins 2.0

The 18-year-old striker has certainly impressed since moving to Villa from Rangers back in the summer of 2022.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast's In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

The Scot scored a remarkable tally of 49 goals during the 2021/22 campaign for the Gers youth teams, which naturally led to interest from down south.

James Grady, a Scotland youth coach, even described Wilson as being “obsessed with becoming the best” and it was perhaps no surprise that Steven Gerrard brought Wilson down to the Midlands ahead of his first full season in charge.

Since then, the youngster has exuded similar qualities to that of Watkins, finding the net on a regular basis by showcasing his incredible finishing skills.

During the U18 Premier League campaign, Wilson scored 16 goals in just 13 appearances, before making the move up to the Premier League 2, finding the back of the net three times in 13 games.

He has kickstarted the current campaign off with a goal already. Could he stake a claim for a first team berth in the coming months? Especially with games coming thick and fast for Emery.

Why Wilson could be Villa’s biggest talent since Jack Grealish

Not since Jack Grealish made his breakthrough at Villa nearly ten years ago has there arguably been so much hype over a single youth player, with the teenager currently attracting interest from the likes of Inter Milan and RB Leipzig.

The current Manchester City gem made over 200 appearances for the Midlands side before joining City for £100m in 2021, with the move turning out to be a stunning piece of business conducted by the club.

Season

Games

Goals

Assists

2020/21

27

7

10

2019/20

41

10

8

2018/19

35

6

8

2017/18

34

3

8

2016/17

34

5

5

2015/16

21

1

1

2014/15

24

0

3

It's safe to say Grealish hasn’t quite had the best of times under Pep Guardiola, scoring just 14 times for the club and there was even some talk regarding him moving back to his boyhood club during the summer.

Despite only being 18, Wilson has made a couple of appearances for the Scotland U21 side, clearly demonstrating how ahead of the curve he is. If the young talent continues to score for fun for Villa’s own U21 outfit, Emery surely cannot ignore him for much longer.

Indeed, with Watkins and Duran the only senior centre-forwards in the first-team squad, an injury to either could potentially see the Scot given an unlikely opportunity.

Should this happen, Wilson has the ability to make an impression for the first team, without a shadow of a doubt, with the hope that he can follow in Grealish's footsteps before him.

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