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Unai Emery is leading Aston Villa into an illustrious future. Over the past few years, the Premier League outfit has gone from strength to strength, rising from its struggling spot at the floor of the English top flight and enjoying football on the continent.

Qualifying for the Conference League at the end of the 2022/23 campaign was a momentous moment for a club on the rise, but Villa simply had a taste of success and wanted more.

Now, last season's top-four finish has opened up a world of opportunity, and despite the need to swerve PSR sticking points, cashing in on Douglas Luiz to avoid a financial penalty, the Lions have been active in the market, making a wealth of signings.

Of course, Moussa Diaby's proposed sale to Al-Ittihad is the current story at Villa Park, but Monchi has already identified the dream replacement and is hoping to hijack a top European side's move to bring him in.

Aston Villa transfer news

According to TEAMtalk – as reported earlier this week – Aston Villa have held talks with Nico Williams as they incredibly plot to hijack Barcelona's £46m deal for the Spain star.

The Athletic Bilbao winger has been one of football's hottest commodities after lighting Euro 2024 up en route to winning the trophy, and Villa are seeking to exploit their newfound position in the Champions League to turn the odds in their favour.

With Diaby moving to the Saudi Pro League for around £60m, the coin is in the purse to move ahead with this stunning signing.

What Nico Williams would bring to Aston Villa

Even the most optimistic of Aston Villa supporters might raise an eyebrow at their club's chance of pipping Barcelona and the like to Williams' signing, but the groundwork has been paved.

In January 2023, Villa failed to entice a teenage Williams to move to the Premier League despite meeting his release clause, and while that attempt was botched, it could hold sway as they look to go again.

Matches played

6

Matches started

6

Goals

2

Assists

1

Pass completion

90%

Key passes per game

2.2

Ball recoveries per game

3.8

Dribbles per game

2.2

Duels won per game

3.3

He was a superstar for his nation, though frankly, this was just a continuation of the efforts made for Bilbao over the past year, notching 27 goal contributions from 37 fixtures across all competitions last season, instrumental as the Basque side ended a 40-year trophy drought as they conquered the Copa del Rey.

As per FBref, he ranked among the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues last season for assists, the top 7% for progressive carries and the top 6% for successful take-ons per 90, highlighting the imperious athletic ability that journalist Antonio Mango has described as "mind-blowing".

It's so impressive, in fact, that Williams' 3.42 successful take-ons per 90 over the past year rocket above that of Manchester City's Jack Grealish, who employs one of the silkiest ball-carrying games in Europe, though averaged 1.40 per 90 of the same metric.

Grealish, moreover, succeeded with 62% of his attempted dribbles in the Premier League last term but averaged 0.9 per game. While this is principally due to the system that Pep Guardiola implements, restricting such freedom of movement, it's hard to argue against Williams on current ranking – especially when considering that the 21-year-old averaged 2.8 dribbles per outing in La Liga.

Signed, he would unquestionably walk right into Emery's starting 11, and while this would come at the expense of Morgan Rogers' hopes to solidify a regular starting berth, it would only serve to lift Villa even higher in their fight to reach the pinnacle of European football.

How Williams compares to Morgan Rogers

Villa signed Rogers, 21, in a deal rising to £16m in January, plucking the talented winger from Middlesbrough after being coloured impressed by his electric, snappy performances. A product of Man City's unrelenting academy belt, the England U21 international "developed hugely in less than three months" following his move – as per The Athletic's Jacob Tanswell – now a crucial part of Emery's first-team plans.

Rogers scored three goals and added an assist in the Premier League last season, starting eight times, and caught the eye with his dribbling skills, averaging 1.5 per game.

His tactical fluidity is a big bonus. He's nicely rounded, creative and combative, ranking among the top 8% of positional peers for assists and the top 17% for tackles per 90, but he's simply not on Williams' level, who eclipses him in both regards. Take note of the Spaniard's aforementioned goal contributions.

This is not to say that signing Williams would preclude the £20k-per-week winger's chances of succeeding in the Midlands, rather, relegate him to a second-class standing on the flank, albeit with plenty of time and opportunity to make his mark and continue his remarkable rise.

Let's not forget, having sanctioned Diaby's sale and previously swerved the ire of PSR after cashing in on Luiz and academy graduates Tim Iroegbunam and Omari Kellyman, such a deal is firmly within the realm of possibility.

Villa, if there is a chance to do so, have to sign Williams this summer. It could be the watershed moment in Emery's quest to take the club back to the most golden of one-time glory days.

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3 ByCharlie Smith Jul 18, 2024

As the new campaign approaches, Leeds United have reportedly joined the race to sign a Championship star in an attempt to beat a number of Premier League sides to his signature.

Leeds transfer news

The Whites have so far endured a difficult transfer window, losing both Archie Gray and Glen Kamara in two major blows to Daniel Farke's side following the heartbreak of play-off failure at the end of last season. But things could yet look up for those at Elland Road, who have reportedly tabled an offer to sign FC Koln midfielder Dejan Ljubicic, who could replace Kamara.

What's more, Leeds have also been linked with Blackburn Rovers forward Sammie Szmodics following his standout campaign in England's second tier last time out. If the Yorkshire club were missing any firepower, he would certainly add that in abundance, having won the Championship's Golden Boot last season. Before they potentially move for Szmodics, however, Leeds and the 49ers Enterprises may well turn their attention towards another midfield reinforcement for Farke.

According to Corriere dello Sport via MOT Leeds News, Leeds have joined the race to sign Gabriel Sara from Norwich City this summer alongside the likes of Leicester City, Crystal Palace and Galatasaray. As the Canaries earned a play-off place, before suffering a defeat against Leeds last season, Sara was a standout in David Wagner's side. Earning plenty of interest as a result, the midfielder may now have a decision to make.

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Those at Elland Road may hope that, if Sara does decide to leave Carrow Road this summer, then he chooses a move to Yorkshire and the chance to compete for a promotion to the Premier League, but Norwich could be reluctant to let their star man leave.

"Outstanding" Sara can replace Gray

Whilst Gray filled in at right-back for the majority of the last campaign, his natural role remains in midfield to create an absence that Sara could yet emerge to fill at Elland Road in the coming season. Earning a reported £19k-a-week at Norwich, the 25-year-old is not someone who would disrupt the wage bill at Leeds and certainly proved last season that he can replace Gray and unleash Georginio Rutter even further in the process.

Goals

13

0

Assists

12

2

Key Passes

119

17

Ball Recoveries

226

196

After a staggering 25 goal involvements across the campaign, it's no surprise that former Norwich boss Wagner was full of praise for Sara, saying via The Pink Un last season: "He works hard. He can easily run between 12 and 13 kilometres and has great vision. He is an outstanding player and a top professional.

"He always has 'team first' in his head, and it is something very special to have a player who is producing these numbers but has this in their head. It's a pleasure to have him in the team. You have seen how hungry and greedy he is to make something special out of this season."

Over the past couple of years, Chelsea owner Todd Boehly has splashed over £1bn on new additions as he tries to propel the club back towards the summit of the Premier League.

The Blues have undoubtedly strengthened the first-team, with the additions of players such as Enzo Fernández, Moises Caicedo and Cole Palmer all impressing at Stamford Bridge, helping the club qualify for the Europa Conference League.

His investment has also seen the club target youth prospects in other countries, keeping one eye on the club's future and sending them out on loan to gain vital first-team minutes elsewhere.

The likes of Brazilian talents Andrey Santos, Angelo and Estevao have all been signed under Boehly’s guidance, before spending time out on loan in Brazil and France.

It’s very smart business by the club, hoping to provide new boss Enzo Maresca with enough ammunition to succeed this season, but also in the years ahead during his reign at the club.

In 2024, there’s evidence of players who back up the old saying ‘If you’re good enough, you’re old enough’ with one player in particular thriving on the biggest stage in the world despite being just 16 years old.

Lamine Yamal’s breakout season in 2023/24

This time last year, if you had mentioned the name Lamine Yamal to the majority of football fans around the world, they wouldn’t have had a clue who he was.

However, despite his tender age, the Barcelona and Spanish sensation has taken the football world by storm, producing some mesmerising displays, and looking like a seasoned professional with years of experience.

Yamal only made his debut for Barcelona in the early stages of last season, going to register five goals and five assists in La Liga, a superb return for a player of his age and inexperience.

His subsequent form for the Catalan outfit earned him a call-up to the Spanish national team for the ongoing European Championships, where he has taken his game to the next level, scoring a world-class strike against France, as well as producing three assists – the most of any player at the tournament.

The sky is the limit for Yamal, with the talent proving that any youngster can thrive if given the opportunity, with Chelsea having the exact same conundrum in the near future with one star.

Why Paez could be Chelsea’s own Yamal

Although he's only 17 years old, Chelsea will welcome youngster Kendry Paez to Stamford Bridge in 2025, with the attacker joining the club upon his 18th birthday. Like Yamal, he's an extremely tricky attacking player, leaving defenders in the dust on a regular basis.

The Blues forked out a whopping £17.2m for his signature last year – with Paez becoming one of the most expensive 16-year-olds in the history of football.

The “insane” talent, as described by content creator Alex Goldberg, made his first-team debut at just 15, with the Ecuadorian taking his homeland by storm – even featuring his nation at this summer’s Copa América.

Although he’s failed to match the numbers produced by Lamal at the Euros, Paez has found himself on the scoresheet during the tournament, becoming the second-youngest player to ever score in the competition.

Games played

4

Goals

1

Pass accuracy

75%

Dribble success

63%

Tackles won

9

Duels won

22

He’s demonstrated his qualities on a consistent level since his debut a couple of years ago, scoring ten goals in his 48 professional appearances, with Paez capable of making the leap into the Blues’ first-team under Maresca next season.

Although Chelsea fans may have to wait until at least January before he arrives in England, they will be rewarded for their patience, with Paez having the ability to be a hero at Stamford Bridge.

If he continues on the same trajectory as he currently is, the club will have a seriously good talent on their hands, one who has the potential to be a leading figure in the club's revival in the coming years and someone who could potentially battle Yamal for the Ballon d’Or.

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For the first time in the series, India’s fast bowlers bowled poorer lengths than England’s. But they regrouped quickly to script a turnaround

Sidharth Monga01-Aug-2025

Prasidh Krishna returned his best figures in Test cricket•Getty Images

“Have you ever felt nothing good was ever gonna happen to you?”At lunch on day two at The Oval, some of the younger players in the India team would have felt the way Chris Moltisanti did when he uttered this immortal line in . Chris is easily frustrated by circumstances, impatient to move up in the North Jersey mafia hierarchy, and even tries his hand at writing a movie script.This Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy has been an incredible learning curve for this young India team, a tour where they have had reason to believe that they haven’t been rewarded proportionately for their efforts. The situation at lunch on day two was India 2-1 behind in the series, 224 plays 109 for 1 in 16 overs, and yet another selection looking to blow in their face with just three fast bowlers in the side.Related

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For the first time in the series, India’s fast bowlers had bowled poorer lengths than England’s, hit off the good areas by the sensational and skilful opening pair of Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley. One more session of it, and the series would have been gone. India badly needed a Paulie “Walnuts” Gualtieri to say, as he did in response to the aforementioned question: “Yeah. So what?”Paulie is one of the most ruthless and trusted henchmen of the mob boss Tony Soprano. He is as psychopathic as the other wise guys but he is not given to feeling pity for himself. He is one of the more stoic wise guys. At The Oval, it had to be one or all of the India fast bowlers to step up and say “so what”. We will get up again and do the work. We will do the right things again. So what if the results haven’t gone our way?Mohammed Siraj is a good fit as Paulie. Never to be Tony Soprano, not even of the fast-bowling group, but happy to do the hard work and step up when needed. Sometimes Siraj even reckons he is proud of being given the responsibility and does better when he is, but he knows he is not quite his “Jassi “. He didn’t start off well, bowling ordinary lines with the new ball, conceding 31 in his first four overs, which is why he had to watch Akash Deep and Prasidh Krishna start off this crucial session.3:42

‘A workhorse, a man to have in the team’

Akash Deep had not had a great start himself. He had troubled Duckett, was all over him, hit him in the box, and nearly had him three times in his second over, but a reverse-pull for a six from Duckett completely rattled him. The next time Duckett charged at him, Akash Deep lost his length completely and was dismissively cut away. Duckett was almost telling him – twice in one over – that he was not quick enough. That he could leave the crease early and still have time to cut him if he changed the length.This was Bazball at its best, and India were on the back foot. The height difference between Crawley and Duckett meant India were getting cut and driven from the same lengths, which weren’t necessarily big errors. Prasidh looked the best of the three, but never forget that he was coming off the ignominy of having to sit out at Old Trafford for a bowler straight off the flight.It was this beleaguered trio that needed to say “so what” and get on with it. A session of 6 for 106 was as emphatic a “so what” as any. Being the wise guys, they needed to wise up a little first, which they did among themselves. Take your pick on who Silvio and Bobby – two of Soprano’s other lieutenants – are but this was a chat they needed to have to lift each other up. Prasidh said the three got into a corner and decided what had happened had happened. He said they needed to reassure each other, help each other when they veered off lines and lengths, and also “show some body language”.Mohammed Siraj celebrates after dismissing Ollie Pope•Getty ImagesThey knew they had – as a human reaction – started to bowl hard lengths as if in the middle overs of an ODI, but that was not going to help them. Immediately, they started bowling better lengths for this pitch: one with appreciable seam movement available. India have generally stayed on 6-8m for most of the series, but here they started hitting 5-6m more often: 13.4% of the times as opposed to 7.2% in the first session. So even when they pulled it back in reaction to aggression, they were still on the good length.As a result, they not only kept the edges and the stumps in play – thanks to the seam movement – but also gave the ball a chance to swing. Even though high-seam deliveries went down, their average swing went up, which created the combination India needed. Results were not instant, Crawley resumed just as merrily, but even though he didn’t start bowling, Siraj at mid-on was always reassuring his bowlers they were on the right track.Prasidh said it was challenging to keep bowling good balls when the batters played as well as Duckett and Crawley did, but they needed reassurance from each other that if they bowled well, “it was a matter of time”.1:45

Prasidh: I’ve been picked to do a job

Time, though, was not on their side. There were just three of them on a pitch that needed fast bowling the most. Bringing spin on would ease all the pressure. This is where Akash Deep, who took just one wicket, played a big role. He started the session with a five-over spell, had time off for just three overs, and then pitched in with a six-over spell from the other end. All the while clutching his shoulder and stretching it because of a niggle. These were not just any spells; they were 5-0-16-0 and 6-0-18-0 with plenty of questions asked.At the other end, the only fast bowler left standing after playing all Tests, Siraj pulled in a shift: 8-0-35-3. He pulled out the lethal combination of outswing and wobble-seam. He dragged Joe Root across with outswing before bowling the lbw ball with the wobble seam. As a true disciple of Jasprit Bumrah, in his first 12 overs, Siraj bowled only one ball fuller than 5m: the near-yorker to get Jacob Bethell out.It was then time for Prasidh to take over from Akash Deep and show off his wobble-seam ball. He has been bowling it for a while now, increasing the frequency of it as his trust in it had grown, but he also perhaps produced his first wicket with the way the wobble-seam ball is intended: to nip back in and trap the batter in front, Jamie Overton in this case.Good things now started to happen to the wise guys. The rain break came at just the right time to allow them to stay fresh and limit the damage Harry Brook could cause in the company of the tail. If you are just watching from the outside and thought the series was over at lunch, you are probably reacting like Silvio, a nod to if ever there was one: “Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.”

Ex-Chelsea star Damien Duff tried to call Jose Mourinho after clinching a historic Irish league title as Shelbourne boss, but he didn't pick up.

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Duff guides Shelbourne to title winFirst time in 18 yearsWas quick to call Jose Mourinho Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Duff has been celebrating after seeing his Shelbourne team crowned League of Ireland Premier Division champions for the first time since 2006. The former Chelsea man was quick to phone his old manager after a 1-0 win over Derry City sealed glory but ended up losing a bet, and £500, when he didn't pick up. Duff vowed to his players he'd "put a monkey" on the bar tab if Mourinho didn't pick up and ended up having to shell out after his call went unanswered.

AdvertisementWATCH THE CLIPGetty Images SportWHAT DUFF SAID

Duff also revealed how Mourinho has played a part in his team's win as he used quotes from the Portuguese boss to inspire his players. He said: “Absolutely. It would be mad not to tap into him. So Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, there was posts on the Instagram page. Powerful lyrics, powerful words that would resonate and have a meaning to tie in for tonight. Then in the team meeting [today] there was a private message from Jose speaking about what it takes to win a title as a team, as an individual. It blew the guys away. A video that was shown in the Everglades two hours before the game.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Duff was appointed Shelbourne boss in 2021 and has finally ended his team's long wait for a league title. The job is Duff's first in management after a career spent playing for Blackburn, Chelsea, Newcastle and Fulham in the Premier League. The Irish star's best spell came at Stamford Bridge where he won two Premier League titles under Mourinho.

It might have ended without a trophy, but last season saw Arsenal take another step forward in their quest to finally dethrone Manchester City from the top of the Premier League.

As a collective, Mikel Arteta's side generally looked better than they did the previous campaign, but a few stars, notably Oleksandr Zinchenko, seemed to take a step back.

The former City man saw his game time cut due to injuries and concern over his lack of defensive solidity, and based on recent reports, he could soon be replaced by an exciting full-back who's been brilliant at the Euros so far.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from Turkish publication Ajansspor, Arsenal are still incredibly interested in Fenerbahçe left-back Ferdi Kadıoğlu.

In fact, the report claims that the Gunners have already seen a €20m – £17m – offer rejected by the Turkish side, who value their star player at closer to €40m, which converts to around £34m.

While there seems to be progress on the deal, Edu Gaspar and Co will need to get moving, as the story also reveals that Borussia Dortmund made an unsuccessful bid worth around €25m – £21m.

It won't be a cheap transfer to complete, but given his performances last season and at the Euros, plus the uncertainty around Zinchenko's future, it seems like one worth pursuing.

How Kadıoğlu compares to Zinchenko

If the Gunners can reach an agreement with the Süper Lig giants in the coming weeks and get their man, he'd be in direct competition with Zinchenko – lest he's sold – so how does he compare?

Well, from a pure attacking output perspective – this is the modern game, after all – Kadıoğlu comes out ahead. In his 51 games for Sarı Kanaryalar last season, he scored three goals and provided five assists, equating to a goal involvement every 6.37 matches.

Now, while that might not sound outlandishly impressive, it is better than the Arsenal man, as in his 35 appearances in 2023/24, he scored once and provided two assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 11.66 games.

Another area where the "electric" 24-year-old, as described by data analyst Ben Mattinson, has an advantage over the Ukrainian is his positional versatility.

The former City man can certainly play in several midfield roles and has in the past, but the vast majority of his starts in football – 183, to be precise – have come at left-back, so it's hard to trust him to do a job elsewhere on the pitch at a high level.

In stark contrast, the "exemplary" Arnhem-born gem, as dubbed by Mattinson, has played all over the pitch in recent years.

While his 66 starts at left-back are the most in any one position, he has also started 56 games in attacking midfield, 44 on the right wing, 37 at right-back, 23 at left wing, and he's hit double digits in three more positions to boot.

66

Left-Back

183

Left-Back

56

Attacking Midfield

26

Central Midfield

44

Right Wing

15

Right Midfield

37

Right-Back

14

Left Midfield

23

Left Wing

11

Attacking Midfield

19

Right Midfield

3

Defensive Midfield

This ability to not just play but thrive in several areas of the pitch is one of the reasons Mattinson describes the 5 foot 9 ace as a "technically intelligent" player who "loves to interchange with his teammates," which sounds like the sort of player Arteta would love to have in his side.

Ultimately, while Zinchenko is a talented player, it does look as if his importance to Arsenal has decreased since the start of last season. Therefore, while Kadıoğlu won't come cheap, his impressive performances in recent years and tactical flexibility make him an incredibly appealing replacement and someone the club should sign, especially if he continues to impress at the Euros.

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 20, 2024

Goalkeeper Sergio Rico made a miraculous return to action with Al-Gharafa since suffering a horror riding injury after leaving Paris Saint-Germain.

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• Rico suffered a grave horse-riding accident
• Spent 19 days in a coma
• Finally returned to action after 17 months

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  In May 2023, Rico’s life took a dramatic turn during a riding accident involving a mule cart and a horse. The incident caused severe head injuries, leading to him being placed in a medically induced coma for 19 days and spending 36 days in intensive care.

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• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  After his contract with PSG expired, Rico signed with Qatari side Al-Gharafa in September 2024. On Tuesday, Rico made his debut for Al-Gharafa in the Asian Champions League in a thrilling 4-2 victory against Al Ain, a top team from the United Arab Emirates. It was the first time Rico had set foot on the pitch in a competitive match since his unfortunate accident in 2023.

• WHAT RICO SAID

  Following his long-awaited return, Rico expressed his gratitude and joy on social media, writing, "A return to the game and back to winning. Thank you very much to all the fans for all their support. The first victory in a long series."

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Before his move to Qatar, Rico built a solid reputation in European football after having played for clubs like Sevilla, Fulham, Mallorca, and most notably, PSG. During his time with the Parisians, he won several Ligue 1 titles and domestic cups and was part of the team that reached the UEFA Champions League final in 2020.

علق حازم إمام لاعب فريق الكرة بـ الزمالك الأسبق، على أداء ونتيجة الأبيض خلال مباراة اليوم أمام فاركو والتي جمعت بينهما ضمن منافسات الدوري المصري.

وكان الزمالك قد حقق فوزًا بشق الأنفس على نظيره فاركو بهدف دون رد في لقاء الجولة الثالثة عشر من عمر الدوري المصري الممتاز.

وقال حازم إمام في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر قناة اون تايم سبورت: “لا أحب الكرة الطولية، الزمالك ممكن يستخدم الكرة الطولية لو متأخر وفي الدقيقة 90، لكن طوال مباراة اليوم يستخدم الكرة الطولية، لا أعرف لماذا، هل لأنهم اعتادوا على ذلك أم المدرب طلب منهم ذلك بسبب غياب عبد الله السعيد؟”.

وأكمل: “أحمد حسام وحسام عبد المجيد مدافعا الزمالك كانا يرسلان كرات طولية لـ زيزو والجزيري، وهذا ممكن يحدث لو كنت تلعب في بطولة إفريقية وعليك ضغط، لكن ليس في مباراة اليوم منذ الدقيقة الـ10”.

وتابع: “الكرة الطولية ليس لها معنى إلا أنك لا تجد لاعبًا في وسط الملعب تسلمه أو تثق به أو خائف أو المدرب قال لك، واضح إن هذا نظام لعب الزمالك”.

واستطرد: “رباعي الزمالك الهجومي (سيف الجزيري، وأحمد سيد زيزو ومحمد حمدي ومحمد السيد) كانوا سيئين لم يسددوا كرة واحدة على المرمى، لا توجد أي فرص للأبيض، محمد شحاتة هو من يهاجم من الجبهة اليمنى لكن العرضيات سيئة، ممكن بسبب أرضية الملعب”.

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وواصل: “الناحية الأخرى محمد حمدي يلعب جناح، ولم يستطع أن يراوغ أي لاعب ويمر منه، إذًا لماذا تلعب جناحا، هو يأخذ الكرة على الخط ويُعيدها لـ بنتايج، أنت تلعب جناحا ليس من المعقول أن لاعب جناح لا يستطيع مراوغة لاعبا ضد لاعب”.

وزاد: “يجب أن تكون مميزاتك كجناح أن تراوغ وليس تعيد الكرة للخلف، ممكن أنا أو أيمن يونس أن نفعل هذا الآن في عمرنا، أن نأخذ الكرة ونعيدها للخلف”.

وأشار: “لا بد أن من يتواجد في الجانب الهجومي يكون موهوبا، لكن اليوم انعدمت الموهبة، وأخطاء في التمرير كثيرة، أحسن ثنائي في الزمالك اليوم كان دونجا ومحمود جهاد، كانا يستخلصان الكرة، لكن الرباعي الأمامي لم يفعل شيء”.

واختتم: “جروس منذ أن تولى المسؤولية ويلعب الزمالك على الكرات الطولية كثيرًا، وهذه ليست طريقة الزمالك، يجب أن تُعلم اللاعبين كيف يبنون الهجمات، لكن فكرة إن (اللاعب الفايق) ربنا يوفقه فقط هذه غير صحيحة ومن الجيد أن الزمالك فاز باللقاء لأنه في مواجهة الإسماعيلي لم يفعل شيء”.

لم يكن رود فان نيستلروي، المدير الفني لفريق ليستر سيتي، راضيًا بطبيعة الحال بعد توديع بطولة كأس الاتحاد الإنجليزي في الوقت القاتل على يد مانشستر يونايتد، ولكن ما زاد الطين بلة هو كيفية تسجيل هدف الفوز.

واستضاف ملعب “الأولد ترافورد” مباراة الفريقين في إطار منافسات دور الـ32 من بطولة كأس الاتحاد الإنجليزي، مساء أمس الجمعة.

وكان التعادل الإيجابي، بهدف لمثله، مسيطرًا على المباراة التي كادت أن تمتد إلى الأشواط الإضافية لولا رأسية هاري ماجواير التي منحت مانشستر يونايتد فوزًا قاتلًا في الدقيقة 93.

ولكن ليستر سيتي احتج على هدف ماجواير، ليس كونه في الوقت القاتل، ولكن لأن اللاعب كان في وضع تسلل بشكل واضح.

وتغيب تقنية الفيديو عن تلك المرحلة من البطولة، وهو الأمر الذي جعل احتجاجات ليستر سيتي بلا معنى، لتمر وكأنها لم تكن رغم وضوح حالة التسلل من الملعب، لتنتهي المباراة بفوز دراماتيكي لصالح مانشستر يونايتد.

وقال رود فان نيستلروي، في تصريحات نشرتها شبكة “بي بي سي” العالمية: “لم نُهزم في وقت فيرجي، ولكننا تعرضنا للهزيمة في وقت التسلل”.

عبارة “فيرجي تايم” أو “وقت فيرجي” تعني الإشارة إلى الفوز في مباريات كرة القدم بعد الدقيقة 90، أي في الوقت القاتل، وتُنسب إلى المدرب التاريخي لـ مانشستر يونايتد أليكس فيرجسون لقدرة الفريق على تحقيق الفوز أو التعادل على الأقل، بفضل تلك النوعية من الأهداف تحت قيادته.

ومن المثير للسخرية أن رود فان نيستلروي لعب تحت قيادة فيرجسون في عصر المدرب الأسطوري، ولكن ما حدث في مباراة الجمعة دفعه إلى التهكم على المصطلح الشهير، ليستبدله بـ “أوفسايد تايم” كنوع من التنفيس عن غضبه جراء ما وقع.

اقرأ أيضًا.. موعد والقنوات الناقلة لمباراة مانشستر سيتي وليتون أورينت اليوم في كأس الاتحاد الإنجليزي

وأضاف: “لم تكن الحاجة إلى تقنية الفيديو ضرورية، تحتاج إلى تقنية فيديو لتحديد بضعة سنتيمترات أو بوصات، في حين كان ذلك تسللًا على بُعد نصف متر، واضحًا بشكل ملحوظ”.

وواصل: “كان من الصعب قبول ذلك لأن الفريق يستحق التعادل في النهاية، ومن ثم اللجوء إلى الوقت الإضافي والبقاء في المباراة حيث لا تعرف أبدًا ما قد يحدث”.

وأردف: “كان أداء الفريق جيدًا للغاية حيث بدأ بشكل جيد وضغط على مانشستر يونايتد، كان مستقرًا للغاية مع الكرة، استحقينا التقدم في الشوط الأول”.

واستمر: “كنا نعلم بالطبع أنهم في الشوط الثاني سيضعون بعض الضغط علينا مع بعض الفرص ولكن ليس حتى ذلك بكثير، كنا نستحق خوض الوقت الإضافي، والذهاب إلى المعركة في الأشواط وربما ركلات الترجيح”.

واختتم غاضبًا: “من الصعب تقبل مثل هذه القرارات في مستوانا”.

Leeds United manager Daniel Farke has told one of his key players to “step up” ahead of the Premier League encounter against West Ham United at Elland Road this Friday.

Leeds gearing up for potential early six-pointer against West Ham

Although we are still in the very early stages of the season, Leeds’ home match against West Ham this Friday could have big ramifications at the end of the campaign, given that both sides are looking like they could be involved in a relegation battle.

The Hammers have already dismissed Graham Potter, who was replaced by Nuno at the end of September, but the former Nottingham Forest boss has been unable to make an immediate impact, with Jamie Carragher not impressed by recent performances.

Farke’s side, on the other hand, were always going to find it tough to avoid the drop as a newly-promoted team, but still remain three points clear of the relegation zone, having picked up wins against Everton and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The manager made a number of new additions to his squad in the summer, in order to boost their survival chances, and Anton Stach has started all eight of the Whites’ Premier League fixtures up to this point.

However, the Leeds boss has now warned Stach he needs to improve, despite playing through injury, given that his performances have gone downhill in recent weeks.

Farke said: “They weren’t poor performances but not on the top level as before. It’ll be good for him to get rid of these problems with his finger and ribs.

“Hopefully then he’ll keep going with delivering top performances. This week having a bit of time to recover was good for him, hopefully he can step up.”

Leeds linked with "one of the best coaches ever" to replace Daniel Farke

The German could soon be under huge pressure.

ByCharlie Smith Oct 22, 2025 Stach must improve against West Ham on Friday night

The German has shown his class at times this season, most notably putting in a fantastic performance in the 3-1 victory against a struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers side last month, chipping in with a stunning free-kick goal and an assist.

However, as pointed out by the Leeds manager, recent performances have not been at the same level, with the 26-year-old struggling to make an impact against Burnley last time out, losing three of the five duels he contested before being replaced by Joel Piroe.

It has recently become clear that Farke is looking to sign a new midfielder in the January transfer window, with talks being opened over a deal for Maccabi Tel Aviv star Issouf Sissokho, while there have been widespread links to Inter Milan’s Piotr Zielinski.

As such, in order to keep his place in the side, Stach will need to rediscover his best form soon, hopefully starting Friday against West Ham at Elland Road.