The Herons bolstered their defense and attack with two signings ahead of their first preseason match
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Manchester City endured a frustrating evening at The Etihad on Wednesday night as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Serie A champions Inter.
Pep Guardiola’s side kicked off their Champions League campaign with a solitary point on the board and will surely be disappointed that they did not claim all three.
They had the chances to come away with the win, racking up 2.45 xG to Inter’s 0.53, but failed to make the most of the big chances that they created.
There were a number of underwhelming performers on the pitch for the Premier League champions and one of them, Savinho, was withdrawn at the break.
The Brazil international was selected to start on the right flank for City but only last 45 minutes before the Spanish head coach opted to replace him with Phil Foden.
It was not a horrendous display from the former Girona star, however, as he did not make any major mistakes or look completely out of his depth.
Inter doubled, and sometimes tripled, up on him, though, and that meant that the forward struggled to make things happen in possession, ending the half with one chance created and zero dribbles completed.
90min awarded him a player rating of 6/10 for his 45 minutes on the pitch, describing him as the ‘primary’ outlet for City in the first half, and he was far from the worst performer for City, as Bernardo Silva let Guardiola down even more.
The Portugal international, who was handed a 5/10 player rating from 90min, produced a disappointing display in the middle of the park for the Cityzens.
He did not offer much in the way of quality in or out of possession. Opposition defenders found it too easy to get the better of him in physical duels and he was too safe in his use of the ball.
The midfielder ended his time on the pitch with a pass completion rate of 94% but did not create a single chance for his teammates from any of those passes, which speaks to his lack of quality in the final third.
|
Vs Inter |
Bernardo Silva |
|---|---|
|
Pass completion rate |
94% |
|
Key passes |
0 |
|
Shots on target |
0 |
|
Big chances missed |
1 |
|
Duels won |
0/3 |
|
Stats via Sofascore |
|
As you can see in the table above, the 30-year-old star lost all three of his duels in midfield for City and did not register a single key pass or shot on target.
The big chance he missed was also a glaring opportunity to find the back of the net. Kevin de Bruyne played a sublime ball across the box and Bernardo almost missed his kick from around 12 yards out, under no pressure, and the ball bobbled away from him.
This shows that he was even worse than Savinho, who at least created a chance for the team and did not miss any ‘big chances’, against Inter, and that is why he let Guardiola down with his poor showing on Wednesday night.
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Jamie Carragher has claimed that Manchester City were lucky to only concede four goals against Paris Saint-Germain in their 4-2 Champions League loss.
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GOAL rounds up all the completed Chelsea transfers in the 2024-25 season so far.
Chelsea's new era under Enzo Maresca is well and truly underway.
The summer transfer window of 2024-25 has seen Chelsea engage in significant activity in the transfer market. With a focus on bolstering their squad and addressing key positions, the Blues made several exciting acquisitions and waved emotional goodbyes.
Chelsea's baffling and unconventional transfer window strategy has certainly raised eyebrows, leaving fans divided and neutral observers utterly puzzled. Although they eventually trimmed the squad, there was a point when over 40 players held first-team status, with nearly half of them training separately from Enzo Maresca's main group.
While it's crucial to acknowledge that Chelsea has secured plenty of talented players, the aggressive stockpiling, coupled with how some of the existing squad members were treated, has drawn significant criticism.
With the winter transfer window open, GOAL has got you covered with all the completed Chelsea transfers in the ongoing 2024-25 season, below.
Preparing to make up for a frustrating summer transfer window, one Newcastle United insider has shared an exciting message amid Paul Mitchell’s decision to send scouts to two specific countries.
A rethink was needed at St James’ Park after Newcastle ended the summer transfer window without reinforcement within their backline and without an attacking addition to replace the likes of Miguel Almiron and the injury-prone Callum Wilson.
It is failure that Mitchell is well aware of after his first window at the helm, explaining in a recent interview relayed by The Athletic: “There are things we got wrong in our strategy, for sure. If we could have signed a player that we actively felt could make a really good squad better, would we? Of course we would have done.”
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More frustration for the Magpies…
By
Tom Cunningham
Oct 3, 2024
Amid the constraints of PSR, the Magpies, for all their riches these days, found themselves limited on the spending front before failing to agree deals for the likes of Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi. In a summer-long pursuit, Newcastle went all-in on Guehi, only for the England centre-back to stay put at Selhurst Park.
Summing up their struggles, Mitchell and Newcastle have since been forced to have a rethink it seems. According to Mark Douglas of iNews, Mitchell has picked out Germany and France for Newcastle to scout intensively, with one insider revealing that the Magpies want to be “best in class” when it comes to recruiting, developing and either utilising or selling young talents from around the globe.
Newcastle are also hiring a full-time psychologist to work with the loans team in an attempt to boost their young players and loanees. They expect the development of a massive pool of Yankuba Minteh style talents to help avoid any future PSR sanctions – Liverpool’s £50m+ influx from selling Fabio Carvlaho and Sepp van den Berg to Brentford this summer is seen as the perfect example.
Finding a way past the rules that limited them in the summer would, of course, be the key to further arrivals in 2025.
After suffering as a result of their squad depth – or lack thereof – last season, Newcastle should have had a plan in place. Months later, of course, it quickly became apparent that any plan had been scuppered by PSR concerns and all their eggs had been thrown in one basket for a Guehi deal which they never managed to get over the line.
Things must be different in 2025. The likes of Mitchell should match the strong start of Eddie Howe’s side with key additions that may even bring the Magpies back to the Champions League level they found themselves at just a couple of years ago.
The rumours have already started on the reinforcements front too. The likes of Jonathan David have especially stolen the headlines, with the Lille forward set to become a free agent upon the expiry of his current contract to ring the alarm bells of clubs looking to land a top striker and avoid spending big.
Following the tough fallout of his first window in charge, there’s no doubt that Mitchell will be keen to earn instant redemption at St James’ Park, whilst once again avoiding the dreaded PSR sanctions.
Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou has been told that there is a “very gifted” teenager in his ranks who’s yet to make his senior debut, with Spurs supporters also urged to “keep an eye” on the player.
On Sunday, Postecoglou was handed a damaging defeat and perhaps his worst since taking over as manager last summer.
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The Australian watched on in disbelief from the Spurs dugout as his Lilywhites side blew a 2-0 lead to lose 3-2 to Brighton at the Amex. The away side took full control at first through Brennan Johnson – who scored his sixth goal in six games – before James Maddison buried a side-footed finish past Bart Verbruggen in the Brighton net for their second before half-time.
After an impressive first 45, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Postecoglou’s side would run away with all three points against the Seagulls. However, the total opposite happened after the restart, with Spurs ultimately capitulating and blowing their two-goal advantage.
|
Tottenham’s next five Premier League games |
Date |
|---|---|
|
Tottenham vs West Ham |
October 19 |
|
Crystal Palace vs Tottenham |
October 27 |
|
Tottenham vs Aston Villa |
November 3 |
|
Tottenham vs Ipswich Town |
November 10 |
|
Man City vs Tottenham |
November 23 |
A three-goal swing inside 20 minutes – courtesy of strikes from Yankuba Minteh, Georginio Rutter and Danny Welbeck – turned the game on its head and handed Postecoglou his first defeat in all competitions since the North London Derby. A bitterly disappointed Postecoglou, speaking after the game, claimed his Spurs players allowed Brighton to overrun them.
“All of it is disappointing,” said Postecoglou after Tottenham’s 3-2 defeat to Brighton.
“Like I said, there are certain elements of this team that have been pretty consistent throughout my tenure, and that is one, even on our not-so-good days we’ve always fought and been competitive. I think that’s been a non-negotiable. Like I said, today’s the first day I actually felt like we didn’t deliver in those areas. Whether that’s defensively, whether that’s with the ball. Like I said, sport is as much about competition as it is about anything else. And if you don’t compete, you allow the opponent to overrun you in that manner, you’re not going to get anything out of it.”
There were a few bad performers on the day, with Destiny Udogie enduring a day to forget at Brighton alongside a host of his teammates.
In terms of the future and their prospering academy, the future seems bright, with youngsters Mikey Moore, Will Lankshear and others impressing lately.
Speaking to Tottenham News, pundit John Wenham says Postecoglou has a “gifted” unseen youngster in Lucá Williams-Barnett – a 16-year-old forward currently playing a year above his age group.
“What people need to remember, is he is actually playing a year up,” Wenham said.
“Therefore, he isn’t even an official Under-18s player, he is still a schoolboy player. As a result, he will be announced in next year’s intake if he signs a scholarship. He is heavily regarded because he can play equally as well on the wing as he can in the number 10 position. He’s a very gifted technical footballer.
“It has been fantastic to see him step up with ease, he is starting every game and making a really positive contribution. Spurs fans should keep an eye on him at youth level.”
The teenager boasts six goals and two assists in six Under-18 appearances so far this term, highlighting his electric form right now. If he continues on this run, it could only be a matter of time before he features in the first team.
Jhon Duran is heading for the Saudi Pro League, with the Colombian striker set for a medical ahead of a big-money move to Al-Nassr.
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Premier League icon Teddy Sheringham believes Arsenal should never have sold Eddie Nketiah amid their injury crisis.
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Former scout Mick Brown believes Newcastle United are working to replace a “unique” St James’ Park hero in the January transfer window.
In an exciting recent report, the Magpies have been backed to seal the signings of Wout Faes and Nikola Milenkovic, who are at Leicester City and Nottingham Forest respectively. The pair could cost a combined £75m and are seen as potential younger upgrades on Fabian Schar and Dan Burn, who are now both in their 30s and out of contract at the end of this season.
Another centre-back who has been mentioned as a possible target for Newcastle is Fikayo Tomori, with the Englishman still at AC Milan after moving to Italy on a permanent basis from Chelsea back in 2021. One way or the other, it is clear Newcastlw are keen to bring down the average age of their defensive core.
At the other end of the pitch, Botafogo forward Igor Jesus has been linked with a move to the Magpies, but Premier League rivals Arsenal are providing stiff competition for his services.
Speaking to Football Insider, Brown claimed that Newcastle will look to accept offers for Miguel Almiron in January, having fallen out of favour under Eddie Howe, and they will put any funds earned towards finding a replacement.
“Yes, that’s one I’ve heard they’re looking to do and get a deal done. He doesn’t feature regularly in their team any more, under Eddie Howe. He was always a bit of a bright space and he looks electric at times but he’s not consistent or efficient enough to play regularly at the top level.
“Now they’ve made the decision to move him on. They’ve got people already that can cover for him, but any fee they do get for him will likely be reinvested in that position. That right-hand side is certainly a concern of theirs and they’ll look to bring in money from Almiron’s sale to avoid those financial regulations. Letting Almiron leave will free up that money to spend in January.”
January does feel like a natural time for Almiron’s Newcastle career to reach its conclusion, with the £60,000-a-week Paraguayan increasingly having to settle for a squad role as the years have passed. Just 30 minutes of action have come his way in the league, spanning three cameo appearances, with his only two starts coming in the EFL Cup when Howe decided to shuffle his pack.
Almiron has been a good servant for Newcastle overall – his manager has described him as a “unique footballer”, adding that “I don’t think there’s anyone better at doing what he does” – but he can be improved upon now, certainly in terms of end product, with 12 assists in 214 appearances disappointing for a wide attacker.
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For that reason, accepting offers in January makes complete sense, not only getting the 30-year-old off Newcastle’s wage bill and freeing up money for incoming signings, but also allowing him to enjoy more regular playing time at a new club.
Erik ten Hag’s time as Manchester United manager could soon be up despite the win over Brentford, according to a recent report. It hasn’t been the start the Red Devils were hoping for in this 2024/25 campaign, with poor results putting significant pressure on the Dutchman, and now one of INEOS’ targets is apparently eyeing the job.
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2
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Three wins from eight Premier League games have put pressure on Ten Hag, so much so that in the last international break there was talk about his time at Old Trafford coming to an end. INEOS decided to stick with the Dutchman, but that hasn’t stopped managers from being linked as possible replacements.
Almost every coach on the planet has been mentioned as a possible target by this point, but there are still a few new names cropping up. VfB Stuttgart manager Sebastian Hoeness is one of the new names to be linked to Old Trafford, with the 42-year-old impressing enormously in the Bundesliga – they went to Turin and beat Juventus 1-0 in the Champions League this week.
As well as Hoeness, another manager to emerge as a contender is Sporting Lisbon boss Ruben Amorim, as it has been reported that United have made enquiries about him and his situation in Portugal. But the talk of managers replacing Ten Hag doesn’t stop there, as a manager who has been mentioned as a possible target in the past could now be open to the idea of joining the Red Devils.
According to former Premier League scout Mick Brown when speaking to Football Insider, Newcastle boss Eddie Howe is now tempted by the idea of replacing Ten Hag at Manchester United. Brown used to be a chief scout at Old Trafford and remains well-connected to the club, and he believes the Magpies manager would back himself to take over at Old Trafford.
Howe, who has been described as being “brilliant” by Gary Neville, has been in charge of Newcastle since November 2021 and has already guided the club to a Carabao Cup final and Champions League football. The 46-year-old has been linked with replacing Ten Hag earlier this month, with INEOS reportedly placing Howe on a four-man shortlist, as he is well regarded at United, especially with Dan Ashworth at Old Trafford now.
Browen believes Howe could now be tempted into becoming Man United manager should Ten Hag leave the club. He said: “I’ve heard he’d be tempted by the opportunity. No matter the situation the club finds itself in, anybody would be tempted by that offer. There are major problems which need overhauling, but it’s a great place to be, and it’s one of the biggest clubs in the world.
|
Eddie Howe’s Newcastle record |
|
|---|---|
|
Games |
135 |
|
Won |
67 |
|
Drawn |
30 |
|
Lost |
38 |
“Howe, I believe, would back himself to sort out some of those problems, and that would get the crowd on his side. He’s got a very good reputation. I’ve never worked with him personally, but I’ve heard nothing but good things about him and his management.
“I don’t think there are that many candidates in the frame for the job now. If Ten Hag was sacked tomorrow, where would they go next? That’s why the owners haven’t pulled the trigger, and that’s why Howe’s name is on their list. They obviously feel that if they pull the trigger, he would consider taking over.”