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Ruben Amorim admitted Manchester United players are "anxious" to score and criticised the decisions his players made against Real Sociedad.

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Man Utd were held to a 1-1 drawAmorim addressed his team's goal scoring woesCriticised Dalot's decision-making against SociedadFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

United were held to a 1-1 draw by Real Sociedad in the first leg of their Europa League last-16 tie as Joshua Zirkzee's opener was cancelled out by Mikel Oyarzabal from the spot. The attack once again looked disjointed, with limited chances created in the first half. One of the most frustrating moments came when Diogo Dalot galloped down the right wing and found himself in a prime position to deliver a cross to Rasmus Hojlund, who had managed to get ahead of his marker. However, rather than sending in an early delivery, Dalot hesitated, opting to cut back instead of playing the ball into the area, much to the Danish striker's frustration. This delay gave Sociedad’s defense enough time to recover, causing the attack to fizzle out.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWHAT AMORIM SAID

Speaking after the game, Amorim acknowledged Dalot’s effort but emphasised that the full-back should have been more decisive.

"I think it’s hard to say but I’m just imagining Diogo doesn’t know for sure Rasmus has the advantage and he felt that he had a lot of time to think the play," the manager told reporters.

"One thing for sure is they are really anxious to score goals and to win games so they are doing all the best. And sometimes they want the best way in that position but are not deciding the best way in their position. Was a clear position, Rasmus did really well, Dalot did really well, the decision was not the best, the important thing is to move on and not fighting. Let’s move on to the next game."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Despite putting in his best efforts, Hojlund endured yet another frustrating evening in front of goal. The Danish forward has now gone 19 consecutive matches without scoring, failing to register a single shot against Sociedad. However, Amorim remains optimistic about the 22-year-old’s potential, encouraging him to stay patient.

"He is trying really hard, he gave everything, he made the runs," he said. "We know that Sociedad has the high line, he uses his pace to win and to fight. And the other thing is he’s going to appear in the right moment, he has to continue to play and not be anxious. In that position with Diogo, he did a great run, was in position, sometimes the ball comes, sometimes it doesn’t. So he needs to think in the next way and in the next game."

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

United’s draw against Sociedad means they will need to step up their performance in the second leg at Old Trafford if they want to advance in the competition. Their struggles against Spanish clubs in Europe have been well-documented, with their last six knockout eliminations coming at the hands of La Liga sides.

However, before their crucial return leg, United must turn their attention to a high-stakes Premier League showdown against Arsenal this weekend. With their domestic campaign faltering, a positive result against the Gunners could provide a much-needed confidence boost before their European clash.

Life as a Tottenham Hotspur fan has been up and down, to say the least, in the opening weeks of the 2024/25 campaign – with results fluctuating week after week.

Before the recent international break, Spurs fell to a 2-1 defeat to Kieran McKenna’s Ipswich Town, but somehow managed to produce a sensational 4-0 victory over Manchester City at the Etihad.

The result sees Ange Postecoglou’s side become just the second team in Premier League history to lose at home to a newly promoted outfit, before defeating the reigning champions away from home in the following matchday.

It certainly has done their top four aspirations no harm whatsoever, keeping them in touch with the likes of Chelsea despite their inconsistent league displays in recent weeks.

However, amongst the frustrations, there have been some superb individual performances this campaign, with numerous faces in the side having the ability to single-handedly catapult them into a Champions League place come the end of May.

Spurs’ star performers during 2024/25

Winger Brennan Johnson has been a player who has enjoyed a purple patch in form in recent months, taking his career in North London to the next level.

The Wales international arrived in a £47.5m deal from fellow top-flight side Nottingham Forest last summer, notching a total of just five league goals in 2023/24.

However, after an early wobble during the opening outings of the ongoing season, the 23-year-old has proved the doubters wrong, scoring in six consecutive matches for the very first time in his career.

He also managed to get himself on the scoresheet off the bench in the win over Pep Guardiola’s side, but has found himself unlucky not to be starting due to the form of one of his teammates in recent weeks.

Sweden international Dejan Kulusevski has started the current season like a man on a mission, providing a key option for Ange in a variety of different roles.

The 24-year-old has starred in the middle of midfield alongside the likes of Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma – albeit in an unnatural role.

However, in the win over City, he returned to his more familiar right-wing role, with Johnson subsequently dropping to the substitutes bench as a result.

The former Juventus talent registered the assist for the opener, providing a constant creative spark – as he has done for the majority of the campaign as seen with his tally of eight assists in all competitions.

Kulusevski isn’t the only star who’s impressed under the Aussie in recent months, with one player now comparable to one of the best talents in European football.

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ByTom Cunningham Nov 21, 2024 Spurs may have found their own Bellingham

James Maddison has enjoyed a phenomenal start to the new season, producing some impressive numbers during the opening months of 2024/25.

The midfielder, who turned 28 on Saturday, has registered nine combined goals and assists in his opening 16 matches of the season, the joint most of any player within Postecoglou’s squad.

His display at the Etihad was undoubtedly his best to date, scoring twice and receiving a 10/10 match rating from The Express in the process.

His subsequent displays in North London during the opening months of 2024/25 have seen comparisons drawn to Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham as per FBref.

Whilst it may seem far-fetched, when comparing their respective stats from the ongoing campaign, the former Leicester ace has matched or even bettered the England star who’s valued at a jaw-dropping £150m as per Transfermarkt.

Games played

11

8

Goals & assists

6

3

Progressive passes

9.2

6.5

Shot-on-target accuracy

61%

33%

Passes completed

66

58

Shot-creating actions

5.8

2.9

Take-ons completed

1.7

1.3

The “world-class” Maddison, as dubbed by one analyst, has registered more combined goals and assists, whilst also starring in numerous areas including shot-on-target accuracy, achieving a tally nearly two times higher than his compatriot.

Given his recent form, the £40m fee spent on his signature last season now appears to be a bargain, with the Spurs ace bettering a player valued way over £100m in various aspects of his game.

Maddison could play a huge part in any success for the Lilywhites come the end of the campaign, potentially providing the difference in their battle to secure a return to Champions League football ahead of 2025/26.

Spurs academy gem is now outscoring Kulusevski & Son after leaving

The exciting winger is enjoying a stellar season away from Spurs.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 22, 2024

Aston Villa dropped out of the top four in the Premier League on Sunday after they were comfortably beaten 4-1 by Tottenham Hotspur in London.

The Villans had taken the lead in the first-half, thanks to a scrappy goal from Morgan Rogers from a corner, and kept that lead heading into the break.

However, a second-half collapse resulted in all three points going to Ange Postecoglou’s side, after the hosts scored four goals in the second half.

Brennan Johnson levelled the score before a brace from Dominic Solanke put Spurs comfortably ahead, with substitute James Maddison scoring a late free-kick to make sure of the result.

Super substitute Jhon Duran was not enough to save the Villans on this occasion, as the Colombia international came on with 21 minutes left to play and failed to register a shot on goal, whilst he completed two of his four attempted passes.

The former MLS star has bailed out Unai Emery’s side on several occasions in the 2024/25 campaign but this one was too big of an ask, as the defence let the team down by allowing four goals to be conceded in just 45 minutes.

Jhon Duran's form this season

The 20-year-old sensation has already racked up six goals across the Premier League and the Champions League this season, despite starting one match in the two competitions combined.

In the 2023/24 campaign, Duran only managed five goals in 23 appearances in the Premier League and two goals in ten outings in the Europa Conference League, which shows that he is already on course to comfortably beat his tally in the top-flight and Europe this term.

The left-footed ace has scored winning goals off the bench against Bayern Munich, Everton, and West Ham United already this season in all competitions, and this shows that his goals have been meaningful and impactful for Villa, rather than being the third or fourth goal in heavy victories.

24/25 Premier League

Jhon Duran

Appearances

10

Starts

0

xG

2.37

Goals

4

Conversion rate

29%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Duran has outperformed his xG tally in the Premier League this season, which suggests that he has been ruthless in front of goal when chances have come his way for the Villans.

His emergence as a star for Villa should not come as a huge surprise, however, as the club did splash a significant fee of £18m to sign the then-teenager from Chicago Fire at the start of 2023.

Although, spending a huge sum of money on a player does not guarantee that they will go on to be a success, as the Villans have learned the hard way in the past. In fact, they once spent even more than £18m to sign a centre-forward who struggled under Dean Smith – Wesley.

How much Aston Villa paid for Wesley

Aston Villa won the play-offs and were promoted to the Premier League at the end of the 2018/19 season and decided to dip into the market to bolster their squad ahead of the top-flight campaign.

Smith opted to swoop for Club Brugge centre-forward Wesley and the Villans reportedly splashed out a fee of £22m to secure his services in the summer transfer window in 2019, which meant that he cost £4m more than Duran.

They decided to invest such a big sum of money in the Brazilian number nine after his return of 17 goals and ten assists in 48 matches in all competitions for the Belgian side during the 2018/19 campaign.

2019/20 Premier League

Wesley

Appearances

21

Starts

21

Goals

5

Conversion rate

14%

Assists

1

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Wesley was handed plenty of chances to impress, starting 21 times, but only registered five goals and one assist, as he flopped for the money spent on him in that time.

Two of those goals and his only assist came in the 5-1 win over Norwich, which meant that he managed three goals and zero assists in 20 matches outside of that rout against the struggling Canaries.

In January of his first season, though, he suffered a horrendous knee injury against Burnley that eventually kept him on the sidelines for 57 matches.

The Brazilian, unfortunately, was never able to recover his Villa career after that lengthy absence, playing four more times in the Premier League, and his early struggles before his injury do not mean that he would have been a flop in the long-term without that injury, as the youngster could have adapted to the country and gone on to develop into a star.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast's Where Are They Now series.

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He was then released in the summer of 2023, after loan spells with Club Brugge, Internacional, and Levante, before joining Stoke on a free transfer last year.

Where Wesley is currently playing

At the time of writing (04/11/2024), Wesley currently plays for Karagümrük in the second division of football in Turkey, which illustrates how far his career has fallen since his horrific knee injury.

The £22m signing for Villa should be in the prime of his career, at the age of 27, and is, instead, arguably playing at the lowest standard of his senior career to date, having played in the Belgian top-flight, the Premier League, the Brazilian Serie A, LaLiga 2, and the Championship prior to this latest move.

In the 2023/24 campaign, Wesley made 23 appearances for Stoke City in all competitions, after joining on a free transfer from the Villans, and failed to register a single goal or assist.

The Potters then decided that they did not want to keep hold of the Brazilian titan, who failed to score in 20 Championship outings, and he made the move to Turkey’s second tier earlier this year.

Trendyol 1.Lig

Wesley

Appearances

11

Goals

9

Big chances missed

3

Conversion rate

53%

Assists

1

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Wesley has enjoyed a terrific start to life in Turkey, with nine goals in 11 games, and appears to be finally enjoying his football again.

Hopefully, he can get his career back on track and earn himself a move back to one of Europe’s top leagues, thanks to his goalscoring record in the second division in Turkey.

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Posts 1 ByKelan Sarson Nov 3, 2024

تحدث رافينها، لاعب فريق برشلونة، عن تأهلهم إلى دور ربع نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا بعد فوزهم مساء اليوم الثلاثاء على بنفيكا.

واستضاف ملعب “مونتجويك” مباراة الفريقين في إياب دور الـ16 من دوري أبطال أوروبا، موسم 2024/25.

اقرأ أيضًا.. رجل مباراة برشلونة وبنفيكا في دوري أبطال أوروبا

وحقق برشلونة فوزًا بثلاثة أهداف مقابل هدف، ليتأهل إلى الدور المقبل، خاصة مع انتصاره في الذهاب بهدف دون رد.

وسجل رافينها هدفين في مباراة اليوم، مثلما أحرز هدفًا في مباراة الذهاب.

وقال رافينها، في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو” الإسبانية: “كانت مباراة رائعة، خاصة في الشوط الأول، كنا نعلم أننا سنقدم أداءً رائعًا، كنا في حالة تركيز، قدمنا شوطًا أول رائعًا للفوز”.

وأضاف: “نحن مرشحون للفوز بدوري أبطال أوروبا؟ حسنًا، أعتقد أننا مرشحون للفوز بكل شيء”.

وسجل رافينها 5 أهداف في 3 مباريات ضد بنفيكا هذا الموسم، وهو ما يمثل رقمًا مميزًا، حيث قال: “بالنسبة لي فإن أهم شيء هو ما تمكنا من تحقيقه كفريق”.

وعن تألق لامين يامال اليوم، حيث صنع هدفًا وسجل آخر، قال: “إنه الأصغر، نحن نعلم كل ما يمكنه تقديمه، إنه لاعب مذهل يتمتع بجودة هائلة وعلينا فقط أن نفوز معه، هدفه رائع بالفعل”.

وفيما يخص وفاة طبيب برشلونة كارليس مينيارو، قبل أيام، قال: “ما حدث أعطانا القوة لدخول المباراة أمام بنفيكا بحماس”.

GOAL rounds up all the completed Chelsea transfers in the 2024-25 season so far.

• Latest transfer news & rumours

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.

• New signings winter transfer window

  The Blues were linked with several players over the window as Enzo Maresca looked for possible arrivals. They left it late but are closing in on the signing of midfielder Mathis Amougou from Saint-Etienne after agreeing a deadline day transfer. Chelsea also recalled striker David Fofana from Goztepe SK, Trevoh Chalobah from Crystal Palace and Aaron Anselmino from Boca Juniors during the winter window.

  Player	Nationality	Previous club	Fee
  Trevoh Chalobah	England	Crystal Palace	Loan return
  Aaron Anselmino	Argentina	Boca Juniors	Loan return
  Eddie Beach	Wales	Crawley Town	Loan return
  David Fofana	Ivory Coast	Goztepe	Loan return
  Gabriel Slonina	USA/Poland	Barnsley	Loan return
  Caleb Wiley	USA	Strasbourg	Loan return

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• Departures winter transfer window

  Joao Felix and Carney Chukwuemeka both sealed deadline day loan moves to AC Milan and Borussia Dortmund, respectively, while Aston Villa swooped in for Axel Disasi. Chelsea also confirmed Harvey Vale's permanent departure.

  Player	Nationality	New club	Fee
  Cesare Casadei	Italy	Torino	€13m
  Harvey Vale	England	QPR	Undisclosed
  João Félix	Portugal	AC Milan	Loan
  Renato Veiga	Brazil	Juventus	Loan
  Carney Chukwuemeka	England/ Nigeria	Borussia Dortmund	Loan
  Caleb Wiley	USA	Watford	Loan
  Ben Chilwell	England/ New Zealand	Crystal Palace	Loan
  Axel Disasi	France	Aston Villa	Loan

• Getty Images
  

  New signings summer 2024 window

  Whether Chelsea fans are on board or not, the club has clearly committed to a strategy focused on acquiring some of the best young talent globally, aiming to nurture them into elite players rather than opting for established stars.

  This summer has showcased this approach prominently, with the signings of several promising players under the age of 21, including Omari Kellyman (18), Aaron Anselmino (19), Renato Veiga (20), Caleb Wiley (19), Marc Guiu (18) and Estevao Willian (17).

  Tosin Adarabioyo joined on a free transfer from Fulham to add some proven Premier League experience to the backline. Dewsbury-Hall linked up with his former Leicester boss Enzo Maresca in a deal worth up to £35.4 million ($45m), while Danish goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen was signed from Villarreal to bolster the shot-stopping department.

  Pedro Neto also joined the Blues for £54 million ($69m) with Joao Felix re-signing for the club, this time in a permanent move. Just when you thought they were done for the window, Jadon Sacho joined on deadline day on loan with an obligation to sign permanently next summer.

  Despite spending over £200 million and all the activity and interest in Napoli's Victor Osimhen throughout the summer, there's still no elite No. 9 striker in the building.

  Player	Nationality	Previous Club	Fee
  Pedro Neto	Portugal	Wolves	£54m
  Joao Felix	Portugal	Atletico Madrid	£45m
  Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall	England	Leicester City	£35.4m
  Filip Jorgensen	Denmark	Villarreal	£24.5m
  Omari Kellyman	England	Aston Villa U21	£22.5m
  Aaron Anselmino	Argentina	CA Boca Juniors	£16.50m
  Renato Veiga	Portugal	Basel	£12m
  Caleb Wiley	United States	Atlanta United	£10.1m
  Marc Guiu	Spain	Barcelona	£6m
  Tosin Adarabioyo	England	Fulham	Free transfer

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• Getty
  

  Departures summer 2024 window

  Chelsea also witnessed a number departures in the summer of 2024. Academy graduate Conor Gallagher was perhaps their most notable departee, along with £97.5m flop Romelu Lukaku, who finally left to join Napoli on a permanent deal.

  Notable names like Thiago Silva also left on free transfers, marking the end of an era. Lewis Hall and Ian Maatsen have been sold for a combined fee of over £60m, indicating the club's willingness to cash in on promising youngsters. Omari Hutchinson, Malang Sarr and Hakim Ziyech have also departed, creating space for new arrivals. Goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga sealed a loan move to Bournemouth.

  Deadline day at Stamford Bridge was certainly eventful, as Todd Boehly and his team sought to restore balance to Maresca's squad by moving on several sidelined players. Among those who were offloaded was Raheem Sterling, who was sent to Arsenal. Homegrown talent Trevoh Chalobah was also shown the exit door, while Ben Chilwell, David Datro Fofana, and Harvey Vale find themselves stuck in limbo.

  Player	Nationality	New Club	Fee
  Ian Maatsen	Netherlands	Aston Villa	£37.5m
  Conor Gallagher	England	Atletico Madrid	£34m
  Romelu Lukaku	Belgium	Napoli	£30m
  Lewis Hall	England	Newcastle	£28m
  Omari Hutchinson	Jamaica	Ipswich Town	£18m + add-ons
  Hakim Ziyech	Morocco	Galatasaray	£2.5m
  Diego Moreira	Portugal	Strasbourg	£1.4m
  Thiago Silva	Brazil	Fluminense	Free transfer
  Dion Rankine	England	Wigan Athletic	Undisclosed
  Charlie Webster	England	Burton Albion	Undisclosed
  Jamie Cumming	England	Oxford United	Undisclosed
  Chinonso Chibueze	England	Stoke City	Undisclosed
  Malang Sarr	France	Lens	Free transfer
  Kepa Arrizabalaga	Spain	Bournemouth	Loan
  Raheem Sterling	England	Arsenal	Loan
  Trevoh Chalobah	England	Crystal Palace	Loan
  Andre Santos	Brazil	Strasbourg	Loan
  Alfie Gilchrist	England	Sheffield United	Loan
  Eddie Beach	England	Crawley Town	Loan
  Caleb Whiley	United States	Strasbourg	Loan
  Leslie Ugochukwu	France	Southampton	Loan
  Bashir Humphreys	England	Burnley	Loan
  Dorde Petrovic	Serbia	Strasbourg	Loan
  Armando Broja	Albania	Everton	Loan
  David Datro Fofana	Ivory Coast	Goztepe	Loan

The Herons bolstered their defense and attack with two signings ahead of their first preseason match

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• Lujan joins Miami from Club Atlético San Lorenzo
• Allende joins on loan from Celta Vigo
• Miami kick off preseason against Club America

Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games now

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Inter Miami have strengthened their defense and attack by signing Argentine players Gonzalo Lujan and Tadeo Allende, continuing their extensive recruitment strategy in that region.

  Lujan, 23, joins on an undisclosed transfer fee from Argentina top flight side Club Atlético San Lorenzo. His contract runs through 2027, with an option to extend to 2028. Allende is a loan deal from Miami, with the side acquiring him from La Liga side Celta Vigo.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Lujan has a chance to be a starter for Inter Miami, as the defense was their weakness in 2024. He can fill in at either center back or fullback. Last season the team struggled to defend in wide positions as Jordi Alba is more of an attacking player and Marcelo Weigandt was listless on both ends. It should also be noted that Lujan played on Javier Mascherano's Argentina Olympic team in Paris, so the defender should have familiarity with the new Miami manager's system.

  Allende, 25, appears to be more of a depth signing for Mascherano's side, with the attacking midfielder hoping for more playing time after failing to secure a regular spot at Celta Vigo. He was highly regarded during his time at Argentina, starring for Godoy Cruz. He can play across the front positions, offering another attack option.

  Inter Miami continues to focus on signing South American players, particularly Argentinean, in a high-risk, high-reward strategy. Diego Gomez is an example of where it has gone right. But the club has also seen talented young players like Tomas Aviles struggle at times in acclimating to MLS.

• WHAT MIAMI SAID ABOUT LUJAN

  “Bringing in a young and versatile defender like Gonzalo Luján will be important for the upcoming 2025 season. He provides our First Team squad with quality depth and reinforces our defensive unit, while his versatility will be a valuable asset as he can perform in several positions across the back line,” Raúl Sanllehí, president of football operations, said in a statement.

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• WHAT ALLENDE SAID ABOUT MIAMI

  “I’m honored to have the opportunity to join Inter Miami for an exciting new chapter in my career. I’m happy to be here in South Florida and I’m ready to give it my all to help the club achieve its objectives this upcoming season,” said Allende in a statement.

Tottenham legend Ledley King has heaped praise on one member of Ange Postecoglou’s squad who often goes “unrewarded”, whilst also hailing his work ethic at Hotspur Way.

Tottenham 3-1 Brentford – Postecoglou survives early scare

Losing at home to Brentford after narrowly escaping Coventry last week would’ve seriously thrown Postecoglou’s position into question, and supporters were given a brief glimpse of that possibility when Bryan Mbuemo opened the scoring for Thomas Frank’s side just one minute into the game.

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The Lilywhites are one of a number of clubs eyeing up the Premier League talent.

ByDan Emery Sep 23, 2024

Luckily for the Lilywhites head coach, their lead lasted just seven minutes. £65 million summer signing Dominic Solanke opened his account for Tottenham and equalised with his first-ever Premier League goal for the club, and it wasn’t long before Postecoglou’s side took the lead.

Player

Goals scored

Son Heung-min

17

Richarlison

12

Dejan Kulusevski

8

Brennan Johnson

5

Cristian Romero

5

James Maddison

4

Winger Brennan Johnson, who deactivated all of his social media accounts last week after online abuse, followed up his winner at Coventry with an excellent low finish to gift Spurs a 2-1 advantage – much to the delight of the home crowd.

It took a while before Postecoglou’s side sealed all three points, with James Maddison putting the result beyond doubt on 85 minutes to make it 3-1 and seal a much-needed second win on the trot for Spurs.

“Yeah, it wasn’t an ideal start, obviously, but, to be honest, it was like it never happened,” said Postecoglou on Tottenham’s win over Brentford.

“The boys just sort of went at it. That’s what we wanted to do today. We knew Brentford were going to be pretty aggressive with and without the ball and we love that part of the game. We thought if we really brought our own energy and intensity that we know we can, with and without the ball, we could cause them a lot of problems and we did. We were relentless the whole game and fully deserved the win.”

A host of senior players impressed against The Bees, while youngster Lucas Bergvall was handed a cameo by Postecoglou and is set for further game time over the next week.

Ledley King praises Dominic Solanke at Tottenham

Speaking to The Spurs Web, King has shared his thoughts on Solanke, and what he makes of the Englishman after he scored his first-ever goal for the club.

“Solanke works really hard. Sometimes that goes unrewarded, the hard work they put in, but I’m glad he got off the mark,” said King on Solanke.

“When you get strikers like that, they don’t stop running and they chase everything down, you never have any time on the ball [as a defender]. They’re a bit of a nuisance strikers like that to play against, but they’re good when they’re on your team, they’re very good.”

Postecoglou admitted that Tottenham looked at signing Ivan Toney before deciding on the £90,000-per-week Solanke to replace Harry Kane, so supporters will be hoping his tap-in against Brentford is the first of many more.

“We looked at him,” the Australian said. “But the reality was that Dom is the one that I wanted. It took the whole summer to get him in but he was the one that fitted the profile that we wanted.”

Jordan Clark and Rikki Clarke stepped up in impressive fashion as Surrey’s undermanned bowling attack reduced Hampshire to 229 for 7 on day one of the LV= Insurance County Championship clash at the Ageas Bowl.The duo grabbed three wickets apiece after Kyle Jamieson was forced off the field after just six overs due to injury.Surrey were also without England batsman Ollie Pope who missed the match due to a thigh strain picked up in Friday’s Vitality Blast defeat by Kent.Rory Burns won the toss and elected to field under gloomy skies but despite the bowling friendly conditions Hampshire held firm, losing only Joe Weatherley in the first session to reach lunch on 62 for 1.But the Surrey seamers were rewarded for some tight and disciplined bowling after the restart as they ripped through the home side’s top order.Veteran former England all-rounder Clarke had bowled well without luck, seeing a regulation slip catch grassed by Jamie Overton when Tom Alsop was on 17, then having a no-ball called against him when Ian Holland was caught by Ryan Patel.But Alsop failed to take advantage of his good fortune when he edged Clark to Jamie Smith behind the stumps for 29.Alsop’s exit brought Nick Gubbins to the crease for the first time as a Hampshire player following his loan move from Middlesex.The left-hander, who will join on a permanent basis at the end of the season following the shock departure of Sam Northeast to Yorkshire on Friday, looked in fine touch with a gorgeous cut shot to the boundary early in his innings.Gubbins then brought up his new side’s hundred with a sumptuous drive down the ground, only to perish when on 17 after his attempt at a cut-shot off Overton was caught behind by Smith.James Vince produced a typically pleasing but brief innings when Clarke, who had been dispatched to the boundary three times by the home skipper, got his revenge when he trapped the elegant right-hander lbw for 16.Holland continued his fine form at the top of the order with his third 50 of the campaign, but became Clark’s third victim when he dragged onto his stumps for 58, reducing the home side to 155 for 5.A fifty-run stand from Colin de Grandhomme and Lewis McManus took Hampshire past the 200-mark before Clark struck again when McManus was caught down the leg-side by Smith for 24.Keith Barker was dismissed without scoring to hand 39-year-old Clarke his third wicket before play was called off for the day due to rain and bad light with Colin de Grandhomme unbeaten on 48 and Felix Organ on 3.

Arsenal dropped their first points of the new Premier League season in bizarre circumstances as the Gunners drew 1-1 with Brighton at the Emirates Stadium.

Mikel Arteta's men looked good value for a first-half advantage at the break, Kai Havertz darting onto Bukayo Saka's through ball and lobbing the ball over the goalkeeper.

Sadly, the game changed in the second half when Declan Rice was sent off in controversial circumstances.

It was a moment in the game that totally changed the momentum. At one stage, the Seagulls were enjoying 81% of the ball over a five-minute period and left north London with a point thanks to Joao Pedro's neat finish from close range.

Still, Arsenal could have won the game. Havertz had a wonderful opportunity in the second half but was denied by Bart Verbruggen before the German turned provider, whipping the ball into Saka who couldn't quite get his feet in the right order and he was denied by the Brighton goalkeeper again.

In all, the Premier League title challengers did well to pick up a point but they will be ruing that incident with Rice in the second half.

Why Rice was sent off

In the first half, the club's record signing was given a booking for a strong challenge. Rice slid in, won none of the ball and was rightfully given a caution.

Whether he was rightfully given a second yellow, however, is up for debate.

The former West Ham man had a coming together with Joel Veltman on the left-hand side of the pitch and in Brighton's desperation to take the set play quickly from deep within their own half, Rice stopped them from doing so.

Veltman kicked out, Rice nudged the ball away and chaos ensued. By the letter of the law, the £105m man was rightfully sent off. What will specifically frustrate the Gunners is the lack of consistency.

In the opening 45 minutes Pedro also kicked the ball away, and at a far greater distance than Rice. Was he cautioned? No, he wasn't.

So, once all was said and done, Arsenal were forced to finish the clash with ten men and Rice will now miss a vital away clash against Tottenham after the international break.

Who is set to replace Rice against Spurs

This red is a bitter pill to swallow for those of an Arsenal persuasion. Away at Spurs, Rice would be vital but he won't be available. Nor will Mikel Merino.

Cruelly, he was injured in his very first full training session with the squad. Gabriel reportedly landed him on which caused a shoulder injury that will disrupt the Spaniard's first few weeks in the capital.

As a result, it's likely Jorginho will come into the team and partner Thomas Partey. However, once Rice is back and Merino is up to full speed, the Ghanaian simply has to be dropped to the bench.

His performance against Brighton, although not abysmal, showcased why. In truth, Partey hasn't started the season awfully either. He did, after all, score that important goal against Aston Villa a week ago.

The trouble is that his lack of athleticism hurts this Arsenal side, as does his lacklustre giveaways of possession.

Against Brighton he played some nice passes, notably into Saka on the right-hand side but in tight spaces inside their own half, he found it difficult to evade Brighton's press and was guilty of ceding possession.

Minutes played

90

Touches

39

Accurate passes

19/25 (76%)

Key passes

0

Crosses

0

Long balls

3/5

Dribbles

1/1

Aerial duels won

1/1

Ground duels won

3/8

Possession lost

7x

Fouls

2

Tackles

1

Interceptions

5

Partey did so on seven occasions throughout the match, once every 5.5 touches of the ball. From a player in his position, you would surely expect better. Handed a 5/10 match rating by GOAL's Charles Watts, the reporter summed up his display aptly: "Struggled in possession. Made some good recovery tackles, but was slack with the ball at times."

That was summed up by a pass success rate of 76%. It's not great at all but it was a tally that ended up being the third-best on Arsenal's team. That's a rather alarming statistic for a side that love to keep possession.

Raya

52

46%

White

46

76%

Saliba

61

94%

Gabriel

46

94%

Timber

30

67%

Partey

39

76%

Rice

21

100%

Odegaard

28

47%

Saka

51

57%

Trossard

26

64%

Havertz

29

83%

To make matters worse, the 31-year-old only won three of his eight duels. On that evidence, it's no surprise Merino has been brought in. He won more duels than any other player in Europe's top five leagues in 2023/24.

So, while Partey will have to stick around for the trip to Tottenham in a fortnight, barring a remarkable display there, he must be taken out of the side long-term.

Arsenal hit gold on amazing talent who’s worth way more than Sterling

Mikel Arteta has a player in his squad who could move on for a serious profit in the future

ByRoss Kilvington Aug 31, 2024

Liverpool and Manchester City target Martin Zubimendi has picked up a 'serious' injury which could affect the two Premier League sides' January plans.

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Article continues below

Article continues below

Zubimendi rejected Liverpool in the summerMan City also interested in the midfielderZubimendi picks up 'serious' injuryFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Zubimendi was a major target for Liverpool in the summer as the Reds looked to bring in a defensive midfielder, however, the Spain star decided to stay put with his boyhood club. Manchester City have joined the race to sign the Spaniard in January as they look to replace the injured Rodri amid their inconsistent form.

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However, Zubimendi has now picked up what has been described as a serious injury while playing with Real Sociedad in their 3-0 win against Leganes. After suffering a blow to his back, Zubimendi was in clear pain, he signalled to the bench and was quickly replaced by Jon Ander Olasagasti. La Real boss Imanol Alguacil has now opened up on his back injury.

WHAT ALGUACIL SAID

Speaking to the media, Alguacil said: "Zubimendi and Aihen Munoz asked me to change them, and it seems serious."

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR ZUBIMENDI?

However, it is reported bythat Zubimendi will only miss two to three weeks of action and return for Real Sociedad's last two league games of the calendar year. As such, it is possible that Liverpool and Manchester City's plans are not hindered.