“He’s been here a long time and I’ve been here three months. He’s got his opinion and I respect that,” Koeman said. “He’s a clever guy and he knows when he does these interviews that he’s got a game the next day and that he’ll play well.”
Kilmarnock have vowed to defend themselves against allegations they broke coronavirus protocols ahead of their postponed game against Motherwell.
Killie are facing the prospect of a 3-0 defeat being imposed on them for the October 2 fixture after the Scottish Professional Football League instigated disciplinary proceedings.
An investigation was launched after six positive Covid-19 tests led to the entire Killie first-team squad being instructed to self-isolate.
The SPFL has now announced that a hearing will be held before a sub-committee of the board, chaired by an “independent legally-qualified chair”. The date of the hearing is still to be announced.
A brief Kilmarnock statement responded: “The club will defend our position fully.”
Frank Lampard wants the big personalities in the Chelsea squad known and drag the team forward. The Blues boss was speaking after Ziyech said he would not mind being outspoken if he helps get the best out of his teammates.
Asked if strong personalities off the pitch can help players thrive on it, Lampard replied: “Yes, I certainly think it can help. I certainly want to help grow the ideas of leaders within the group, personalities within the group.
“Within the course of long, difficult seasons where we play so many games there will be moments when you rely on them to help you in tough times, and also to push the good times along, and to try and improve every day. I don’t think you can get on in elite sport, in any elite team sport, with people without any personality and character in your team.
“I have seen that with Hakim and I have seen it in Edou Mendy as soon as they walked through the door. Hakim has confidence about him and his fitness is coming on individually and he still needs time to get up his match fitness now his knee injury has cleared up.
“Both of those will be great additions on that front and I encourage personality and communication between players. We need more of that.”
Thanks Dave. Now we get onto the excitement of more press conference quotes. Surely Frank Lampard discussing tactics is more interesting than Pele.
Before I start transcribing the entire commentary from the 1970 World Cup final, I best hand back over to Will Unwin. Here he is...
Okay, another from Pele. This time in the 1970 semi v Uruguay. Still the best thing ever done on a football pitch. No wonder Kenneth Wolstenholme was temporarily befuddled.
Liverpool v Sheffield United will mark the 100th Premier League appearance of Andy “great energy up and down that left flank” Robertson.
Here’s more from Klopp on his bargain signing from Hull: “A wonderful story from the moment he arrived here. He has established himself on a really high level. So far, absolutely good or even better. I like him as a person. He’s pretty chatty.
“We had a few words in Amsterdam. I was shouting at him like a devil and with his character he cannot hold back completely in his response (booming Klopp laugh).
“But he is like me as well, when it’s over it’s all fine. As long as you keep yourself together it’s all good. I like working with him because he is a brilliant character and a super player.”
Jurgen Klopp is being somewhat coy about his team selection ahead of Liverpool’s home game against Sheffield United on Saturday evening.
Asked about the fitness of midfield rolls-royce Thiago and injury-prone centre-back Joel Matip, Klopp replied: “I don’t know. We have training after the press conference.
“They have to train to be in contention. We will see who is out then. I don’t want to rule anybody out until somebody tells me different.”
The Mesut Özil saga (add to list of prog-rock names) rumbles on. Here’s Nick Ames on the latest:
Pele and Geoff Boycott have both turned 80 in the last few days. Who is the better sportsman? Geoff would say himself (“How many Test runs has Pele scored? Exactly.”).
Anyway, here’s Pele doing loads of overhead kicks. And not just THAT one from Escape To Victory.
Go Pele!
This Premier League season is officially weird. Perhaps seeing Everton and Aston Villa as the top two is evidence enough.
But if you’re a goal difference fan - and I know I am - here’s a fun stat: Liverpool and Manchester City both have a goal difference of exactly zero. That’s right, they’ve both conceded as many as they’ve scored.
To give that context, both were +11 at the same stage (Liverpool five games, City four) last season. That’s an eye-popping 22-goal swing.
It won’t last but, right now, it’s in my top three GD stats.
Top two? Man City being relegated from England’s second tier in 1997/98 with a goal difference of just -1. Norwich finishing third in the Premier League in 1993 with a goal difference of -4!
If you have a few minutes, Marcus Rashford’s Twitter timeline really needs a scroll. Well done to all those council/venues offering help. Will just said that, actually. But no apologies for saying it again.
Thanks Will. Yes, I’m known as the Pavlova of the Parallels...
I am nipping for a bit of lunch and to phone a man about a dog. Do not fear, the unparalleled David ‘Dave’ Tindall will be taking over for a period of time.
Marcus Rashford’s Twitter feed is a pleasing read today, as he states which councils, restaurants and companies have committed to help feed hungry children. The list is growing very quickly.
James Rodriguez returned to "partial training" today says Ancelotti and, as a result, is back in contention for Southampton on Sunday. Jonjoe Kenny still out.
Pep Guardiola has been discussing his injured players during his press conference. Gabriel Jesus, Kevin De Bruyne and Benjamin Mendy are among those who have been absent recently but there is not much clarity on who will be available to face West Ham.
“Some will be involved, some will not,” Pep said. “You will know tomorrow.”
Cheers Pep.
Son Heung-min, a Spur for life?
More of this tomorrow, please.
New Crystal Palace signing Jack Butland has tested positive for coronavirus, Roy Hodgson has confirmed. The goalkeeper is confined to a hotel in London as he self-isolates. Not a great start to his Palace career.
Will Son Heung-min’s fine form earn him a new contract? Spurs boss Jose Mourinho is keen to reward the South Korean after a fine start to the season. The forward’s current deal runs until 2023 but the club will be keen to tie him down for as long as possible.
“I would love that,” he said. “Son has three years of contract so it’s not like we’re in an extreme situation of everybody being worried. It’s more that Son loves it here. I believe that he would like to commit his future to the club for a long time.
“Everybody at the club is totally in love with this player and this boy and is trying also to make him feel part of the furniture. It’s normal the club tries to go from three years to four or five or six, I don’t know. It’s normal. But it’s a very calm situation because Sonny has three more years of contract.
“But I wish [for him to get a new contract]. He deserves one. The club knows that and sooner or later, without any pressure, they will arrive into a decision.”
Former Blackburn boss Steve Kean is back in the game after appointed assistant coach at A-League side Melbourne Victory.
Melbourne Victory(@gomvfc)
Steve Kean will be joining Grant Brebner's football staff as Assistant Coach #MVFC#Since05
I enjoyed this Nick Ames interview with Steve Morrow this week. You should, too.
West Ham v Manchester City is the Pablo Zabaleta derby. The Argentinian defender announced his retirement recently after an incredible career and, in normal circumstances, probably would have been paraded before the match. As a City fan, I loved him. I still do. Come to me, Pablo. He scored the opener in *that* win over QPR, which many people forget for some reason or other.
What a man.
Full OGS on Mason Greenwood.
The lad Messi will be hoping to add to these tomorrow against Real Madrid.
David Moyes wants fans to return to stadiums and is wondering why people can watch matches in cinemas but not in open air stadiums. The Vue Cinema at the Westfield shopping centre in Stratford, a 10-minute walk from the club’s stadium will be screening West Ham v Manchester City, which will be played in front of zero spectators, a situation which has confused Moyes.
“Firstly the best I can do is the leave the Government, the people who know the best and are speaking to all the advisors, to that because I’m certainly not an expert on a pandemic,” said Moyes. “But I watched the European games this week and have seen crowds back in different countries, and it’s hard to believe we can’t do that. I don’t think any of us want 500 or 1,000 people back in the grounds, we need a good percentage of capacity – 25 or 30 per cent. Why can those countries be doing it and not us?
“Are we so much worse than the others? Again, it’s not probably not my bag but I feel it’s not right. And people going watch a game in a cinema, close to here, why can we not be sitting outside in the open air doing it? Maybe there’s other reasons – maybe it’s the travelling on the tube, the bus, maybe it’s the pubs. But if that is the case, please come out and give us an explanation as to why we can’t do it.”
Do not worry, Bernd Leno! David Luiz has your back. The Brazilian defender has jumped to the goalkeeper’s defence after his gaffe against Rapid Vienna, which resulted in the Austrians taking the lead before the Gunners fought back to win.
Luiz is a man who knows plenty about errors at the back, so he knows a good one when he sees it.
“I think Bernd is amazing,” he said. “It is part of our philosophy to build from the back, this is a normal thing. You always play to eliminate players from the beginning when you build, then it is going to be much easier for the strikers.
“So, if you count how many times did it go well? But just one he did wrong and this is part of our philosophy. He is great and he gives us the opportunity to play from the back and try to help us.”
Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno (centre) watches the ball go in. Photograph: Christian Bruna/EPA
Women’s Super League fixtures will be staggered across a weekend for the first time next month, the Football Association has announced.
Women’s Football Weekend, allowing all six matches to be watched without any kick-off clashes, will take place during the men’s international break, on November 14-15. The games on Saturday will begin with the derby between Manchester United and Manchester City, followed by another as Aston Villa host Birmingham. Everton are then at home against Reading, and Bristol City entertain Tottenham in the final game of the day.
Sunday will see West Ham v Brighton followed by Arsenal v Chelsea. The matches will be available to watch via either the BBC, BT Sport or the FA Player. Also on November 15, the Women’s Championship clash between Blackburn and Liverpool will shown on the FA Player, while Charlton v London City Lionesses and Coventry v Leicester will be streamed by the home clubs.
Over 75,000 fans attended WSL and Championship fixtures during the inaugural Women’s Football Weekend in November 2019, which included Tottenham v Arsenal at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Liverpool v Everton at Anfield.
Barcelona in crisis? Gerard Pique on the current situation.
Manchester City head to West Ham tomorrow lunchtime, a place they have enjoyed in recent years. Guardiola’s side have scored 22 times in their last five visits to the London Stadium. West Ham have found some form under Moyes, so will be aiming to avoid another thrashing against a City side who are yet to fully click this season.
Happy 80th birthday Pele!
Marcus Rashford does not give up.
Never forget that the pig’s head thrown at Luis Figo by Barcelona fans was then preserved and put on display.
*The* pig’s head on display in Germany. Photograph: Volker Hartmann/AFP/Getty Images
Another weekend without fans in the ground. Paul Doyle had a look at what the game is like without the noise.
Frank Lampard’s first game in charge of Chelsea was at Old Trafford last season. He will not have many great memories of the occasion, as they were thrashed.
We will probably hear plenty about Van Dijkgate today. Here is what Carlo Ancelotti had to say on the matter yesterday.
Get in the mood for Barcelona v Real Madrid with Ronald Koeman looking at photos of players when they were kids and trying to work out who is who.
Here is Ben Fisher and his managerial hero Dean Holden in conversation.
Steve Bruce could be forced to turn to third-choice goalkeeper Mark Gillespie this weekend after Karl Darlow suffered an injury against Manchester United. The former Forest man was deputising for No 1 Martin Dubravka, who is injured.
Gillespie has featured in three Carabao Cup games after arriving this summer on a free transfer. The goalkeeper started his career at Newcastle but was released as a teenager and could now make his Premier League debut against Wolves.
“He’s [Darlow] still sore, but he’s made a huge improvement from where he was on Saturday night. We’re going to have to take it down to the wire.
“It’s an impact injury, there’s no tear, but it’s in a very sore region where he’s taken an awful knock. He’s better than he was but whether he’s going to be fit or not, we’ll have to see over the next 48 hours.
“It’s why we brought him [Gillespie] here. He’s played three times in the cup and that looks a good shout now, especially if he has to make his debut. He’s had some sort of football, anyway. He’s an experienced goalkeeper who has played in the Scottish Premiership, so he’ll be fine.”
Anyway ... you can contact me in the various places mentioned above. Fire away with your favourite El Clásico moments and forgotten Barcelona and Real Madrid players.
I will start us off with this beauty from Lionel Messi.
Here is a bit more from OGS on Greenwood, who has had his professionalism questioned in recent weeks. The United forward was dropped from the England squad after inviting a woman back to the team hotel in Iceland and his timekeeping has come under review.
“You do (make a target for yourself) when you play well and I’m not concerned at all with Mason making a target of himself,” the United boss said. “He’s come in, he’s played fantastic, he played his first league game against Tottenham last season, was brilliant and just kicked on.
“Yeah, he’s made a mistake this summer with England and suddenly the whole English press go after him and that’s something we’ve got to look after. He’s a fantastic boy to work with. I have to disappoint you, he’s never, ever late for training, he’s never a problem when he’s in the training ground.
“He’s always on time. I’ve seen the stories, actually some ex-United players talking about him and they don’t really know anything what they’re talking about because, well, we’ve got photographers outside the training ground every day so they can check the time every day.
“I don’t know where these stories have come and I’ve just got to say he’s got a good family behind him, he’s had a good background in the academy. He’s a good trainer, he trains really well, and I cannot believe all these stories about him not being professional. So, anyway, that’s something we have to deal with with many players, many other players at United have had that.”
Mason Greenwood (far right) in training this week. Photograph: Matthew Peters/Manchester United/Getty Images
Nick Ames and Hakim Ziyech is a dream combination.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been speaking about Mason Greenwood. Our man Jamie Jackson was in the press conference. The United boss also said Cavani will be available this weekend to face Chelsea.
jamie jackson(@JamieJackson___)
Solskjaer on Greenwood: "I'm not concerned at all with Mason making a target of himself because he’s come in, he's played fantasic, played his first league game against Tottenham [of] last season and just kicked on..."
Could Chris Wilder hand record signing Rhian Brewster his first start against former club Liverpool this weekend. The £23m striker made his debut as a sub against Fulham last time out but could get the nod from the first whistle at Anfield on Saturday.
Brewster rose through the ranks at Liverpool but with his pathway blocked he was allowed to join the Blades this autumn, after proving himself on loan at Swansea last season.
“He’s settled in well, he’s an infectious character and I’ve no hesitation (in playing him), he’s pushing,” Wilder said. “His natural ability and talent is there to be seen by everyone, and everyone has seen that already, it’s just the physical side of it and not opening him up to injury and damaging him early in his Sheffield United career.
“It was a difficult decision for me on Sunday whether to start him or bring him on from the bench. Having not played much football, you can find at times when players get caught up flitting between Under-23s and the first team that their fitness isn’t where it needs to be.
“We want him to play and we want to get him into the team but always the big decision for the manager is the timing of that. But obviously he’s had another week’s training, which won’t have done him any harm at all, so he has put himself right in the frame to – certainly be involved at the weekend – and to start as well. He’s really at the forefront of our thinking.”
Marcelo Bielsa says he would not hesitate to repeat his act of sportsmanship against Aston Villa from a few years ago, which won him a Fifa award. I cannot see lightning striking twice, to be honest, but it’s worth rewatching.
The arrival of Ross Barkley has helped Aston Villa in their fine start to the season. Paul Doyle had a natter with him.
Carlos Vinicius looked in fine form for Spurs last night on his debut, putting in a man of the match performance. The Brazilian moved in with Lucas Moura for five days after arriving on loan from Benfica. Vinicius paid back his B&B host with an assist for the opening goal against Lask in the 3-0 victory.
“I’m helping him especially with the language,” Moura said. “It’s very hard when we don’t speak the language and understand. It’s normal between us, the Brazilian guys. We’re very close, he stayed at my home the first five days. Now he found a house and has his family with him. Yes, I helped him. He’s a very good guy, very humble and I’m happy he’s here with me.”
Marcus Rashford is still the fighting the good fight. Shame about the Tory MPs who voted against feeding hungry children, though. As someone who was brought up in an area of Manchester similar to Marcus, I know what families are going through there and the United striker makes you proud to be Mancunian. Keep going, Marcus.
This weekend will also see the first El Clásico of the season. Sadly, neither teams is pulling up trees at the moment, with hosts Barcelona sitting in ninth, while Real Madrid are a more respectable third in the table. Considering the failures of Zinedine Zidane’s side this week is critical for both teams to get a result and could finally kickstart faltering seasons.
There is plenty of intrigue in the Premier League this weekend. Conveniently, we have boiled it all down to 10 delicious things to look out for.
While I attempt to come up with something original to say, here is Kemar Roofe’s goal from last night.
It’s that Friday feeling for football managers. They will all be asked riveting questions over Zoom based around their team news, whether winning the next match is important and if Jordan Pickford meant to injure Virgil van Dijk. I cannot wait for the answers which I will relay to you lovely lot.
There is even a Friday night match as Aston Villa will look to continue their 100% record against Leeds. They could be clear at the top of the Premier League table tonight, which would be a fine achievement for Dean Smith, even if they will be chased down over the weekend.
This weekend’s games are spread out over four days following a night of Europa League action, which saw Spurs, Arsenal and Leicester victorious. Additionally, Rangers’ Kemar Roofe scored from his own half in Belgium, so it was a fun evening for most of Britain’s clubs.
The most attractive Premier League game will be Saturday tea time’s Manchester United v Chelsea clash. It should be another testing 90 minutes for a frail Chelsea defence but they did keep a Champions League cleansheet against Sevilla. However, their opponents downed PSG to follow up a victory against Newcastle, so confidence should be high at Old Trafford.
Anyway, it should be an enjoyable day.
from Football | The Guardian https://ift.tt/31BATdt
via IFTTT
Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball)
No Comment