Tag Futebol

Keeping Keiren Westwood at Sheffield Wednesday is a must, right?

The veteran goalkeeper showed everyone that he still had what it takes to be a top-class number one in the Championship when he was re-established to the side following Steve Bruce’s arrival as manager – Jos Luhukay, what were you playing at?!

His, like so many of his team-mates, deal with the club is set to expire this summer and there had been doubts about whether the Owls would be able to come to an agreement with him about extending his stay.

And, according to Alan Nixon, it seems that he may be about to put pen-to-paper over a new deal and it seems he could be ready to commit his future for a couple of years, as is Liam Palmer as well.

The Sun journalist took to Twitter to share the news, stating: “Very positive signs about a deal for Westwood and Palmer. Word is agreed to give both a couple of years.”

Indeed, keeping Westwood at Hillsborough would be a huge deal that will have the Wednesdaynites celebrating, however, it could also be the biggest one they complete all summer.

It would not be a surprise if Bruce was able to recruit a couple of players to try and strengthen his side for his first full season in charge, however, keeping the Republic of Ireland international in between the sticks is vitally important.

Westwood, despite his age, still has plenty left to offer the club and if his performances in the last four months or so were anything to go by, then he will definitely have a role to play next season and could finally help them get to the play-offs, or maybe even go one better.

Sheffield Wednesday fans, how big do you think getting a deal done for Westwood will be for the club’s future? Do you think it could be the best piece of business the club could do this summer? Let us know below!

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It was a monumental Saturday for Celtic Football Club.

Not only have the Hoops managed to win a treble of trophies for a third successive season, the club also announced their future direction by confirming that Neil Lennon has been offered the permanent role of manager.

Despite securing a 2-1 victory over Hearts, the match at Hampden was another reminder for many that there’s serious work to be done on this Celtic side over the summer break to maintain success.

Lennon must start by addressing an obvious midfield problem that put the team at risk of defeat against Craig Levein’s side.

On the chalkboard

Put simply, the performances of Tom Rogic are not to the standard that Celtic require and it’s been clear since he returned from injury a couple of months ago.

He started the match on Saturday instead of Olivier Ntcham and from the first minute it was rather obvious there was a lack of balance in the Hoops midfield.

Former Wigan & Fulham man, Jimmy Bullard recently showed that he’s still got it! Check out the video below…

Scott Brown and Callum McGregor were overrun in the first half, with the low-energy Rogic failing to do anything on the ball that could be considered a threat to the Hearts defence.

In the second half that only continued until Lennon took the necessary step to substitute the attacking midfielder off and bring on the Frenchman, who on today’s evidence should have started the match.

Ntcham was far more of a presence in both halves of the pitch, managing to carry the ball on the break more effectively than the Australian and offering the Hoops more out of possession too.

Tactical changes

Now Lennon knows he has the job heading in the UEFA Champions League qualifiers he will likely seek to enact his own tactical changes on a side that have persisted in the manner of Brendan Rodgers since his departure to Leicester City.

What that means for the formation and style of his side remains to be seen, but if Rogic doesn’t improve or hit the ground running in the early stages of the season then he won’t find himself starting much longer.

Right now a midfield three of Brown, McGregor and one of Ntcham or Ryan Christie seems by far the best way to proceed, as both can offer attacking impetus with a better defensive work rate than Rogic.

Recruitment is going to be a massive part of Lennon’s first few months next season, but unless he gets the ongoing balance of his team spot on then Celtic risk having a more difficult summer of qualifiers than they’d like.

It was the game that would define the final race for promotion in the League One table, and as the dust settles, Portsmouth can look back and count their luck.

In a game where Pompey were outclassed for the majority of the match with 41,000 Sunderland supporters looking for revenge for the EFL Trophy final last month, Kenny Jackett can reflect on the 1-1 draw and not be disappointed with the two points dropped but be grateful for the one point gained.

It was a feisty affair. A game where play was halted due to smoke bombs being thrown onto the pitch and where a brawl between players burst out after the full-time whistle, but nonetheless it was a result that benefitted Portsmouth more than their league rivals, and with two games to go, it could prove to be a turning point in the season.

Six points from six in the remaining games could be what takes Pompey over the finish line to an automatic promotion spot in the league table should Barnsley or Luton stumble again on the final day of the season, and with Portsmouth playing as well as they have been in recent weeks, this seems like a possibility.

A win against Sunderland would have put Portsmouth in the driving seat for not just automatic promotion but also the League One title, with Luton just four points ahead of the south coast club, but the draw with the Black Cats can be seen as a ‘what if’ game, but instead a result the team can be proud of.

Pompey might have only come away with a point, but it was a point that could set the club up for automatic promotion come next Saturday.

Portsmouth fans, can Pompey secure promotion to the Championship? Let us know!

سيطر لاعبو الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ليفربول على التشكيل المثالي للجولة الثالثة من دور المجموعات من بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا لموسم 2020/2021.

ولعُبت الجولة الثالث على مدار يومي الثلاثاء والأربعاء الماضيين، وشهدت فوز ليفربول على أتالانتا 5-0، برشلونة على دينامو كييف 2-1، ريال مدريد على إنتر ميلان 3-2 وبايرن ميونخ على سالزبورج 6-2.

اقرأ أيضًا.. أول تعليق من جيرارد على تحطيم محمد صلاح لرقمه في دوري أبطال أوروبا

وشهد التشكيل تواجد محمد صلاح ودييجو جوتا ضمن 6 لاعبين من ليفربول، والذي جاء كالتالي:

حراس المرمى: أليسون (ليفربول).

الدفاع: رامي بن سبعيني (بوروسيا مونشنجلاباخ)، جوميز (ليفربول)، أرنولد (ليفربول).

الوسط: ستندل (بوروسيا مونشنجلادباخ)، ماني (ليفربول)، دييجو جوتا (ليفربول)، جيسوس كورونا (بورتو)، محمد صلاح (ليفربول).

الهجوم: فيرنر (تشيلسي)، بليا (بوروسيا مونشنجلادباخ).

It’s been another great week for Swansea’s Daniel James, and it just proves Leeds should return for him in the summer, whether they’re promoted or not.

The 21-year-old scored and assisted in his side’s 3-0 win over Brentford on Tuesday, and manager Graham Potter was coy on him signing a new deal, saying: “You have to respect the individual and respect he has got his career to think about” (Quotes sourced by Leeds Live).

The Welsh international was nearly a Whites player this season, but his move obviously collapsed at the 11th hour. There’s been no talk of Leeds returning for the youngster just yet, but they should certainly head back in for him considering the season he’s had and his manager’s comments.

He’s played 26 times in the Championship this season, netting three and assisting six, and he’s already made two appearances for Wales. It seems he’s ready to make that step up to a high-calibre club like Leeds, and they’ll need his trickery if they’re in the Premier League next season or not.

Marcelo Bielsa wants to build the club back to being an established Premier League side, and buying young players like James would build a core that can last them 10 years. Consistency is key, and balancing the best young talent with established stars would provide that stability the club needs.

The winger doesn’t seem so keen on staying at Swansea, so Leeds should reignite their interest and bring him to a club where he can prove his worth at one of the biggest clubs in England, and maybe even break into the Premier League with them.

Leeds fans, how do you think Daniel James would fit into your side? Join the discussion by commenting below…

أصيب روميلو لوكاكو بخيبة أمل بعد تعادل فريقه إنتر ميلان 2-2 في دوري أبطال أوروبا ضد بوروسيا مونشنجلادباخ. 

نجحت ثنائية البلجيكي في منح فريقه نقطة، ضمن منافسات الجولة الأولى لدور مجموعات دوري أبطال أوروبا، على ملعب “سان سيرو”، وتحدث لوكاكو عقب المباراة في تصريحات لشبكة “سكاي سبورت إيطاليا”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. كونتي: إصابة حكيمي بكورونا قبل المباراة لم تكن سهلة علينا.. ولن أوبخ اللاعبين

وقال لوكاكو: “هذه ليست نتيجة جيدة من وجهة نظري، لأنه يمكننا القيام بعمل أفضل، يجب أن نستمر في العمل وأن نكون أقوى من الناحية العقلية، لأنها ليست لحظة سهلة بالنسبة لنا وعلينا أن نواصل الإيمان بجودتنا”.

وأضاف: “الآن نحن بحاجة إلى أن نكون أقوى، قبل كل شيء عقليًا، وأن نقدم أداءً أفضل في الدفاع، حيث استقبلنا هدفين بسبب أخطائنا”.

وأكد البلجيكي: “لقد ارتكبنا الكثير من الأخطاء وأهدرنا الفرص مقدمًا أيضًا، لذلك إذا لم نستغلها، فإننا سندفع الثمن”.

يذكر أن ريال مدريد الذي يقع في المجموعة ذاتها تعرض لهزيمة مفاجئة 3-2 على أرضه أمام شاختار دونيتسك. أهداف مباراة إنتر ميلان وبوروسيا مونشنجلادباخ

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Everton fans on Twitter don’t know how to react to the latest news reported by their club on Wednesday, following Gareth Southgate’s latest England squad announcement.

Toffees learned that centre-back Michael Keane, a mainstay of the Three Lions set-up in recent times, had made the cut for 2020 UEFA European Championship qualifiers against the Czech Republic and Montenegro, alongside goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.

It was the selection of the latter that made the most waves among the bemused fan base.

What they couldn’t understand was why Southgate had picked Pickford after a string of recent mistakes, and after the 25-year-old made a fool of himself at St James’ Park on Saturday.

The Sunderland academy product should have been sent off in giving away a first-half penalty that he then saved, winding up the Newcastle United faithful after making the stop, only to concede twice late on in a 3-2 defeat.

What a comeback by Newcastle against Everton on Saturday! Check out what the jubilant Geordies made of it all in the video below…

Clearly, Southgate wants to show the troubled shot-stopper loyalty after his heroics at the 2018 World Cup, but maybe he should pay more attention to his more recent club performances.

Some Evertonians have asked if Pickford could be left in Montenegro, while others have expressed their pure disbelief and listed other members of Marco Silva’s team that should have been picked, instead.

Check out our list of the best Tweets from confused Toffees supporters about the news, below…

[ad_pod ]Leeds United owner Andrea Radrizzani wasted little time in responding to The Daily Mail story claiming he could be forced to sell the club this summer on Twitter on Monday night, and Whites fans were quick to react to his message.

The Daily Mail reported that the Italian would have to consider walking away from the Yorkshire outfit at the end of the season if they fail to win promotion to the Premier League, with the 44-year-old businessman ‘all in’ on the gamble of securing a top-flight return.

However, Radrizzani came out and had his say on the rumour via social media and told the newspaper directly that they “don’t really get it”.

United currently lie in third position in the Championship standings after leading the way for much of the campaign, and they will hope to move back into the automatic promotion spots when they travel to Queens Park Rangers on Tuesday night.

Leeds supporters have had their say on their supremo’s message, and while one said “I hope you are able to stay”, another said “all we ask is that if you do sell, you find a buyer who cares”.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

Are fans being priced out of the Championship as well as the Premier League? The angry Bolton fan in the video below certainly believes so…

[ad_pod ]Marco Silva is set to return to Vicarage Road on Saturday after suffering back-to-back defeats with Everton, but the game looks set to be huge for both Silva and Michael Keane after the latest injury update on Yerry Mina.

On the chalkboard

The central defensive trio of Keane, Mina and Kurt Zouma are the standout options available to Silva, but the former has been struggling in recent weeks.

The Portuguese manager’s arrival initially sparked a notable improvement in the £30 million man’s form, but old habits have slowly slipped back into his game.

Careless mistakes and half-hearted challenges both on the floor and aerially suggest that Keane could lose his place in the side if he allows Troy Deeney to get the better of him at Vicarage Road.

Watford’s talisman has consistently proven to be a menace for Premier League defenders with his powerful and diligent approach in recent years. If Keane isn’t up for the fight Deeney will not need a second invitation to capitalise on any potential frailties.

ÂMina could replace Kane following his return from injury

Considering Deeney’s strengths, Silva would have appreciated the option of bringing 6’5″ Yerry Mina back into the starting eleven, but the fact he has been labelled as a doubt for the game suggests Keane will have another opportunity to prove himself.

Mina has only made eight starts in the Premier League this season but his performances within that short period of time suggest he has the quality to establish himself as a rock at the heart of defence.

Boasting a level of physicality and determination which Keane often lacks, the 15-cap Colombia international could restore a sense of solidity into the back line and establish himself as a leadership figure for the rest of the squad.

The problems Everton are currently experiencing run much deeper than the defensive unit, but Silva could take a big step towards tightening things up by replacing Keane with Mina following his imminent return to fitness.

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Everton failed to improve on a poor run of results as they slumped to a 3-1 loss at the hands of Wolves and, while nobody kitted in blue covered themselves in glory, there was one man in particular who is surely disappointed by what he offered to the game, especially considering the influence he usually has on proceedings.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s are tough to beat – they are organised in defence, dangerous on the break and their consistency has seen them rise to seventh in the standings – however, considering their expenditure in recent years, the Toffees should really be giving them a game and, had their star man been at the races, they may have.

Richarlison followed Marco Silva to Everton from Watford in the summer as the Portuguese brought his 2017 signing to Goodison Park and the forward got off to a flying start, netting twice against none other than Wolves on the opening day as the Toffees held the newly-promoted side to a 2-2 draw.

The absence of a goalscoring striker has often seen the Brazilian deployed up front – he is naturally a winger – and he usually puts in a decent shift, as five goals from 12 appearances at centre-stage will tell you. The 21-year-old was surely hoping he would be able to have the kind of impact he had at Molineux as Everton hosted the return fixture on Saturday, but it wasn’t to be.

Richardson’s silky, South-American close control was absent as he uncharacteristically struggled to get a foot on the ball and drive at the defence – the number 30 took 6 unsuccessful touches, as Wolves hunted him down effectively and bullied him out of the game.

Blessed with pace, the forward can usually be relied upon to get in behind the opposition and cause problems with his trickery, but he completed zero dribbles and thus gave the Wolves back four little to worry about all game.

Being deployed as a central striker, the Everton ace showed his instinct as a wide man to drift out to the wing and whip in a cross – he did this twice, but neither were accurate – and, while his new role offers him more opportunities to have a pop at goal, he took zero shots and so failed to trouble Rui Patricio.

Offering little to his team on the front foot, the attacker did still work his socks off as he chased down every ball and made four tackles – the most in his side.

The pressure is rising on Silva to start delivering results more consistently – the Merseyside outfit sit ninth in the table but have lost five of their last eight in all competitions.

There is no doubt that the winger is far more effective on, well, the wing, and Director of Football Marcel Brands’ failure to bring in a competent striker to relieve him of his centre-forward duties is really starting to cost both Richarlison and Silva.

Who is West Ham’s worst ever signing? Check out the video below for a pretty strong candidate for the dubious honour…