Tag Futebol

Jose Mourinho will face his former side this evening as Chelsea play host to London rivals Tottenham Hotspur. The Lilywhites will be hoping to chase down their top spot after Liverpool’s draw against Brighton saw them leapfrog into first place.

Although Spurs boast Harry Kane and Son Heung-min who are in red-hot form, they will be without senior defender Toby Alderweireld. The Belgium international picked up a groin injury in their win over Manchester City and is set for several weeks out on the sidelines.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, Gary Mabbutt discussed the impact of the 31-year-old being ruled out ahead of Chelsea.

“Obviously it was awful when you saw him go down,” the Spurs icon said. “You could see by the way he looked that it was going to be a groin injury. I’ve had a few of those before – abductor injuries – and they are very sore.”

In Mourinho’s press conference before their 4-0 Europa League win over Ludogorets, the boss clarified that Alderweireld’s injury would involve “between two and four weeks” fo recovery time as opposed to months. Whilst this is a piece of good news, Spurs could struggle to fend off the likes of Tammy Abraham and Timo Werner.

After Davinson Sanchez started against Ludogorets, Mourinho could hand Joe Rodon his first Premier League start alongside Eric Dier. The summer signing has made just two cameo appearances for the north Londoners since he joined, so starting against Frank Lampard’s attack-minded Blues will be a big test for the former Swansea ace.

A win, or even a draw today will see Tottenham return to the top of the Premier League as they continue their blazing form.

In other news, This Spurs transfer target could be perfect Son protege…

Carlo Ancelotti faces several crucial decisions over his Everton line-up to face Chelsea after confirming star midfielder James Rodriguez will miss Saturday night’s encounter through injury.

The Colombian sustained a blow during last week’s 1-1 draw at Burnley that prevented him from training throughout the week, and will sit out the visit of Ancelotti’s former employer as the Italian is loath to risk the 29-year-old.

Rodriguez now joins Seamus Coleman, Lucas Digne and Fabian Delph in being sidelined through injuries, leaving Ancelotti with several gaps to plug as he bids to stop the rot that has seen Everton win just once in their last seven top-flight fixtures.

So, with that in mind, here’s a potential line-up Everton could favour when they host title-chasing Chelsea at Goodison Park on Saturday…

Jordan Pickford has come under criticism at times this season following blunders against Brighton and Liverpool, but the goalkeeper impressed at Burnley to prove to his doubters that he can be relied upon to keep Everton in games with a string of pivotal saves.

Ben Godfrey also stood up to the test at Turf Moor after slotting in at left-back to replace Delph when the former Manchester City midfielder limped off with a hamstring strain early into the first-half, and will be expected to be fielded in the role at home to Chelsea.

The central defender’s move to full-back will likely see Iwobi continue at right-back after an impressive showing against Burnley, featuring three successful tackles, an interception, two key balls, 10 attempted crosses and a whopping 102 touches, per SofaScore.

News of Rodriguez’s absence has forced Ancelotti into changing Everton’s system for the visit of Chelsea to Goodison Park, with the former Blues boss left searching for solutions with his side now without their two-most creative options in the Colombian and Digne who boast 25 and 16 key balls respectively.

“James is a fantastic player for us, he did really well at the beginning and had some problems after the game against Liverpool. But we have to be, and we will be, able to adapt. We have a good squad, we are going to play a little bit different,” said Ancelotti, via quotes by the Liverpool Echo’s Adam Jones.

Ancelotti’s search for answers will likely see the Italian turn back to a 4-3-3 formation with Gylfi Sigurdsson, whom he lauds as a “great professional”, joining Allan and Abdoulaye Doucoure in the engine room.

Andre Gomes entered the action at Burnley to replace Delph as Ancelotti shifted his line-up away from its initial 3-4-3 shape, yet struggled to leave a positive impression on proceedings while Sigurdsson later came off the bench and instantly offered a more evident attacking presence.

Rodriguez’s absence will likely see Ancelotti move Richarlison to the right-wing against Chelsea with Bernard returning to the starting line-up for only the second time this season in the Premier League, having been favoured on the left at home to Manchester United.

Ancelotti is not blessed with an array of forward options and may feel the challenge of facing a title-chasing Chelsea is too big of a task for academy graduate Anthony Gordon, who has played just 32-minutes of top-flight action thus far this term.

AND in other news, Marcel Brands has landed a huge break in his bid to final rid Everton of Steve Walsh’s £42m blunder.

There’s surely no doubting that these past couple of months have been among the greatest in Aston Villa’s recent Premier League history.

Dean Smith’s side survived relegation back to the Championship on the final day last season, and then embarked on an exciting spending spree that has seen them start the new campaign like a house on fire, with three wins from three, and sitting pretty in second.

The one new boy who has yet to really break into the starting eleven on a regular basis early on, is Bertrand Traore. The Burkina Faso international arrived from French giants Lyon, and has played just nine minutes of Premier League football thus far.

But when the 25-year-old does get fit and firing eventually, Smith will have a big call to make in terms of who Traore comes into his starting line-up for.

And that’s where things could spell trouble for Trezeguet. The Egyptian wing wizard has started all three of Villa’s opening Premier League games, and has arguably been the least influential of the side’s attack, failing to score at all and picking up one assist.

Despite being able to play on the left-hand side, the 44-cap international has mainly featured off the right this season – the position Traore has seemed to be most comfortable in during his career.

Competition for places is always a good thing for keeping players on their toes and ensuring they don’t take their foot off the gas, but inevitably, there will be casualties.

Trezeguet’s place in Villa folklore is already secured after bagging that crucial winner against Arsenal in the final weeks of last season, but Traore’s big-money arrival surely sees his place most under threat, given that Jack Grealish and Ollie Watkins are highly unlikely to be shifted out.

Smith has never shied away from praising Trezeguet for his performances, saying this after his match-winning display against Crystal Palace: “His attitude is spot on, he worked his socks off and he deserved his goals. Trez has earned his place for his performances and is starting to look a player accustomed to play in the Premier League.”

And speaking last summer, Smith revealed the process behind actually signing the winger: “Trezeguet, for example, myself and Suso went out to Egypt to watch him in the AFCON and we spoke to him. He’s got a real hunger and desire to prove to everyone that he’s a Premier League player. He’s fitted in very well so far, he knows Elmo already so the integration has been quite easy.”

What’s clear is that it will be an interesting battle between Traore and Trezeguet for that starting spot on the right-hand side, but if the former can get to full fitness quickly, then the Egyptian may be sitting on the substitutes bench sooner rather than later.

In other news, Villa should be ruthless with this Dean Smith favourite.

Aston Villa have received a triple blow ahead of their Premier League encounter against Liverpool on Saturday at Villa Park.

Dean Smith’s side are due to welcome the Premier League champions this weekend in their bid to maintain their perfect start to the 2020/21 campaign.

Having avoided relegation on the final day of last season against West Ham United, Villa will be hoping to finish much higher up the standings this season. Their good start can certainly contribute to that.

But their stunning run could be hampered by the latest news that could concern the Villa Park faithful.

Birmingham Live reported that three players will be missing for the crucial clash against last season’s league-toppers. Having been knocked out of the Carabao Cup at the hands of Stoke City on Thursday, Kortney Hause picked up a groin injury and will not be available for selection.

Bjorn Engels is still struggling with a thigh strain and the game against Jurgen Klopp’s side just comes too soon for him, looking at the Leicester City match after the international break as his targetted return date.

With Wesley still recovering from knee ligament damage, Orjan Nyland will also not be in the matchday squad at the weekend.

Playing against the reigning champions is difficult enough. But when your side has to face them with injury problems makes it even more challenging.

Villa will be in for a game. With Liverpool also being knocked out of the Carabao Cup on Thursday, they will be wanting to turn their fortunes around almost instantly.

That being said, none of the players listed above started during their 3-0 victory against Fulham in their last game. Whether this will influence Dean Smith’s thinking of his tactics, remains to be seen, but it will certainly impact his options off the bench.

Whatever happens, the Villains will have to go toe-to-toe with the Reds to prove they have what it takes to secure their Premier League status once more.

Will Villa struggle against Liverpool with their injury woes? Join the conversation by commenting below…

أوضح المدرب الألماني يورجن كلوب، المدير الفني لنادي ليفربول، أنه لا يزال لا يوجد موعد لعودة الدولي الإسباني تياجو ألكانتارا متوسط ميدان الريدز، إلى الفريق في ظل عدم تعافيه من الإصابة.

ألكانتارا يغيب عن ليفربول مُنذ 18 سبتمبر الماضي، بسبب إصابة عضلية تعرض لها في مباراة كريستال بالاس، وكان هُناك تفاؤل حول إمكانية عودته مع نهاية فترة التوقف الدولي، ولكن يبدو أن إصابته أخطر مما كان يُعتقد.

وقال كلوب خلال المؤتمر الصحفي الخاص بمباراة واتفورد: “ألكانتارا؟ أنا لا أعرف، لكن الأمر سيستغرق وقتًا، إنه أمر مُخيب للآمال حقًا”.

وبسؤاله عما إذا كان تفاجأ أن واتفورد قام بتغيير مدربه، أجاب: “أنا أحترم جميع الأندية. إنه أمر قاس حقًا كيف يتعامل واتفورد مع المديرين”.

وأضاف: “لقد تعلمت اسم مدربهم الجديد (زيسكو مونوز) ثم رحل، أنا لا أحب ذلك، بالطبع أنا أحب كلاوديو رانييري لكن لا يمكنك أن تتفاجأ مما يفعله واتفورد”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. كلوب: شاهدنا مباريات لـ سامبدوريا الإيطالي استعدادًا لمواجهة واتفورد

وواصل: “أنا هنا منذ ست سنوات ولا أعرف عدد المدربين الذين واجهتهم في واتفورد، لقد حللنا فريق كلاوديو، علينا أن نتحلى بالمرونة ولكن عندما نستعد لمنافس، فإننا نركز علي أنفسنا، لأننا نعرف الكثير عن خصمنا غدًا”.

وتابع: “تهانينا لـ رانييري، إنه يبلغ من العمر 69 عامًا ويبدو أصغر مني، لقد درب أكثر من 15 ناديًا، نحن نعرف أننا سنواجه فريقًا جيدًا لديه مدرب رائع”.

وعن رأيه في أداء جو جوميز وعدم استدعائه لمنتخب إنجلترا: “إنه في أفضل حالاته، أنا أعرف أن ساوثجيت يريد الاعتماد على لاعبين يلعبون بانتظام، إنه مدافع استثنائي، نحن لدينا 5 لاعبين استثنائيين”.

وأنهى تصريحاته قائلًا: “بعد ما حدث معنا في العام الماضي، نحن علمنا أننا بحاجة إلى 4 مدافعين جيدين على الأقل، الآن هم جميعًا على ما يرام، وهذا أمر جيد وهم يعرفون كيف يتعاملون مع الأمر”.

Chelsea have finally agreed a record-breaking sum for the acquisition of hot German prospect Kai Havertz.

After a long wait, the Blues are just one step away from welcoming the midfielder to Stamford Bridge. Sky Sports have reported that the two clubs have shook on a transfer fee, which will see Chelsea fork out an eye-watering £89million – a new club record.

This will be very welcome news for fans who have been on the edge of their seat, waiting for Havertz to join the West London outfit.

However, it appears that not everything was as simple behind the scenes. According to Marca (via Sport Witness), Chelsea was never the 21-year-old’s first choice. Instead, Havertz had his sights firmly set on a move to Real Madrid, who were forced to withdraw their interest due to the impact of coronavirus.

Indeed, with an £89m price tag, very few clubs would be able to find such a hefty amount of money in the current financial climate. Due to the fact Chelsea endured a two window transfer ban, they were able to splash the cash on making the move happen.

Marca claim that Havertz was firmly holding out for a bid from the La Liga giants and even rejected a move to Bayern Munich in order to give Madrid time to prepare a bid.

The playmaker and his entourage were reportedly unable to wait any longer for the hope that Los Blancos would see a change in their stance. When a move to Spain was firmly off the table, Havertz felt he had no option left but to approach Chelsea and listen to their offer.

Although, this won’t faze Frank Lampard and Co, who are finally close to finalising their deal with Bayer Leverkusen. The midfielder will become Chelsea’s sixth signing of the window and third prolific attacker.

Havertz tallied 12 goals and six assists in 30 league appearances last season, taking his overall Leverkusen total to 36 goals and 25 assists in 118 Bundesliga games played (via Transfermarkt).

What do you think of this recent revelation, Blues? Have your say in the comments below…

Former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan insists Wilfried Zaha should move to Tottenham Hotspur this summer after Roy Hodgson revealed he is “so set on leaving” Selhurst Park. 

Zaha, 27, wanted to leave Palace last year, but a move never materialised, amid interest from Premier League rivals Arsenal and Everton.

A year later, the winger finds himself in a similar situation.

Despite Hodgson’s best efforts, Palace have been unable to match his ambitions, while Zaha has changed agents and made it clear he wants to win trophies.

Palace refused to sell him for anything less than £80m last year, although their valuation is expected to plummet, as clubs are operating in unprecedented circumstances.

Jose Mourinho’s side qualified for the Europa League after drawing with the Eagles on the final day of the Premier League season.

Hodgson suggested speculation has had an impact on his performances this season.

“It’s obviously affected him because his form in the last few weeks has really been quite poor considering what he is capable of doing,” Hodgson said.

“It’s a dilemma for the club and a dilemma for him if he is so set on leaving. If he feels he just does not want to be with us any more, that would be sad.”

“We still like him very much; we can’t make him like us. This is a situation that only he and the club can sort out. I don’t have an answer.”

Zaha, a product of Palace’s academy, left the club to move to Manchester United in 2013, before returning to Selhurst Park in 2014.

The Ivorian, who is known for his dribbling, scored 10 league goals last season, but only managed four goals this term, which is his lowest return since the 2015-16 season.

However, the pundit believes he should join Spurs instead, as he feels Mourinho will be able to get the best out of him.

Speaking to talkSPORT, as per The Daily Star, Jordan admitted “I don’t think Wilfried has covered himself in glory this season. I think he is a tremendous player. “

“Obviously I knew him from a very long time ago – he came out of the academy which I produced – and started his professional career as I was going but he’s an incredible talent.”

“He is on £130,000 a week which in Palace’s terms, is very expensive. And now he wants to go now. He gave them another year, they gave him a longer contract which means they have put themselves in a strong negotiating position.”

“I could see him going to Tottenham. It depends how Mourinho wants to set them up next year and what he wants to do with them.”

“He wants to go. I could see him going to Tottenham. He is in the price category that Daniel [Levy] might be willing to spend.”

It is hard to argue with Jordan on this one, as Zaha is arguably one of the best players in the Premier League on his day.

He is one of the Eagles’ biggest attacking threats, but now wants to spread his wings. Zaha has been an exceptional servant at Selhurst Park, who has stayed far longer than anyone would’ve expected.

Given his age, he desperately needs to step up another level, in order to achieve his full potential.

He finds himself in a similar situation to former Chelsea star Eden Hazard, albeit on a much smaller scale. At the end of his Stamford Bridge career, even Blues fans could see that Hazard deserved so much more than chasing long balls over the top in the Europa League.

While Spurs have plenty of attacking options, the Ivory Coast international would give the side something extra going forward.

Mourinho is not short of wide options, as Son Heung-min, Steven Bergwijn, Lucas Moura and Erik Lamela have all contributed in some way, shape or form so far. Whether or not Levy will be willing to spend a colossal sum on a winger who has struggled for consistency this season is another matter entirely.

Tottenham fans, should Levy sign Zaha in the summer? Let us know down below!

Key information about Bloomfield Road

Bloomfield Road was built in 1899 and is now the home of Blackpool FC. The ground is located in the city of Blackpool in Lancashire and was the 68th stadium in the country to host a Football League match.

Its current capacity stands at 16,220 and it has a pitch that measures 102m by 67m. The surface is covered with grass but there is no undersoil heating installed nor a running track surrounding it.

The record attendance of 38,098 was set during Blackpool’s clash against Wolverhampton Wanderers on 17 September 1955.

A history of Bloomfield Road

Bloomfield Road was constructed way back in 1899 and has been housing Blackpool ever since the club moved into the stadium in 1901. Before then, they were actually settled at two different grounds: Raikes Hall Gardens and Athletic Grounds.

It’s also interesting to note that Bloomfield Road was originally known as Gamble’s Field after the farmer who owned the land but was renamed shortly after Blackpool FC merged with South Shore F.C. in mid-December 1899 and then moved into the stadium, which was then owned by the latter team.

The first clash after the merger was on 23 December with the hosts beating a 10-man Horwich R.M.I 8-0. There was not much to see at the stadium back then with only a small wooden grandstand with about 300 places and a perimeter fence surrounding the pitch. Interestingly, Blackpool would move in and out of the ground in the following years, alternating between Raikes Hall Gardens and Bloomfield Road, until finally, at the start of the 1901/02 campaign, the latter would become their official home.

In the years and decades after that, the stadium would gradually improve, most notably boosting the capacity to over 20,000 by the time the mid-1920s arrived. In the 1930s, the club also erected the Spion Kop, adding more space and increasing the total figure to over 30,000. But most of the improvements in the 1920s were indeed prompted by the big fire of 1917 that destroyed the entire southern end along with the offices, a lot of silverware and documentation.

Still, after the 1920s and 1930s, the development stopped and wouldn’t resume until the 1950s when the East Paddock was extended. In the following decade, Bloomfield Road could host around 38,000 supporters but that figure would subsequently dip following the conversion of some areas into seating places and later due to safety requirements. Around that time, the Spion Kop was also partially covered..

As the new millennium approached, the ground deteriorated and was in dire need of renovation once again. Several initiatives were presented but it wouldn’t be until the early 2000s that big changes were undertaken.

The Spion Kop and West Stand were completely demolished and eventually replaced by new stands and in 2003 the East and South Stand followed suit. However, it would take the club until 2010 to finally replace the latter one while temporary structures were placed in the former and were then improved in 2011.

Around that time the pitch was also relaid and finally, in June 2019, Bloomfield Road came into the control of Simon Sadler, who bought a controlling 96.2% stake in Blackpool FC.

Tickets to watch Blackpool FC at Bloomfield Road

All tickets to watch Blackpool FC play at Bloomfield Road can be found and purchased on the club’s official website. The cheapest adult ticket in the standard area costs £20 while the most expensive ones in West Stand Blocks L & N are £28.

The club also offers season tickets for all of their fans. More information can be found on the aforementioned website.

Related links

https://www.blackpoolfc.co.uk/ – Official website of Blackpool FC

https://www.blackpoolfc.co.uk/tickets/ – Blackpool FC Ticket Office

حصل الدولي البرتغالي كريستيانو رونالدو، على جائزة من موسوعة “جينيس” للأرقام القياسية، بعدما بات نجم مانشستر يونايتد، الهداف الدولي التاريخي، عقب تسجيله هدفين للبرتغال أمام جمهورية أيرلندا ليلة الأربعاء.

اللاعب البالغ من العمر 36 عامًا تفوق على الإيراني علي دائي صاحب الـ109 أهداف دولية، ليسجل رقمًا قياسيًا عالميًا مذهلًا بلغ 111 هدفًا، ويُصبح أكثر من سجل أهداف مع المنتخبات عبر التاريخ.

اقرأ أيضًا.. صاروخ ماديرا لا يتوقف.. كيف سجل كريستيانو رونالدو “الأسطوري” 111 هدفًا مع البرتغال؟

وكتب رونالدو عبر حسابه الرسمي بعدما تسلم الجائزة: “شكرًا لموسوعة جينيس للأرقام القياسية”.

وأضاف: “من الجيد دائمًا أن يتم الاعتراف بك على أنك مُحطم للأرقام القياسية العالمية، دعونا نستمر في محاولة تعيين أرقام أعلى!”.

صاروخ ماديرا احتاج خلال مسيرته الدولية، 180 مباراة، ليُسجل خلالها 111 هدفًا ويكون أكثر من سجل أهدافًا مع المنتخبات عبر التاريخ.

Granit Xhaka looks set to request a move away from Arsenal in January, and according to The Telegraph Newcastle look poised to make an offer.

The Magpies are readying a loan move for the unpopular Gunners’ players but may have to fight off interest from AC Milan to persuade him to stay in England, which he is thought to be keen on doing.

With the European Championships looming at the end of the season the Switzerland captain is in need of game time, which Steve Bruce would be able to offer despite having five centre-midfielders in his squad.

A loan deal could be suitable for both parties, too, as it may make Xhaka’s reported £100,000-a-week salary more affordable for the Magpies, while increasing the 27-year-old’s willingness to join.

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With the prospect of a move on the cards, we asked our Football FanCast writers to share their views on the deal. Here’s what they had to say.

Matt Dawson

“If Newcastle is the standard of team that Xhaka is attracting then it’s incredibly damning on the Switzerland international and what he’s become. His stock will have dramatically decreased as a result of his neglect at Arsenal but there is no denying that this would be a considerable coup for the Magpies if he did make the switch.

“Despite the sheer number of midfielders at St James’ Park, this is a move Steve Bruce must be doing everything to ensure happens. The 27-year-old may be error-prone, making seven of them in his time since moving to England, but this is a player with a superb passing range, completing 86.5% of his passes in the top-flight this term.“Of players to play on a regular basis for Newcastle, only Jamaal Lascelles has a pass completion rate north of 82%. Bearing that in mind, Xhaka could bring a much-improved sense of ball retention to the north-east club. Errors aside, this is a player who has played at the higher echelons of club football throughout his career. They’d be silly to ignore the opportunity to sign him if it’s there.” Jonathan Radcliffe

“I think Granit Xhaka would be a fantastic short-term signing for Newcastle. He may not be a popular figure at Arsenal, but he is still more than good enough to do a job for a team in the Premier League.

“The 78 caps he has amassed for Switzerland, as well as appearing at two World Cups and one European Championships, shows he has experience that the Toon can only dream of.

“His leadership qualities are clearly appreciated by those both in and around the Emirates Stadium and the Swiss set-up, with him having taken the armband for both. Tenacious and energetic, his signing would be a coup for Steve Bruce, no matter what fans of the north London outfit think of him.”

Danny Lewis

“Xhaka would be a useful signing for Newcastle, but there are other areas they should deal with first before making a move for him, and that is because they already have the Longstaff brothers, Jonjo Shelvey and Isaac Hayden to fill the midfield area – so there is no shortage of depth.

“They should be focusing on bringing in players who will get on the score sheet, whether that be a back-up striker or goal-getting winger. If funds are left for his hefty wages after these positions are addressed then they can make a move, but the Switzerland international shouldn’t be the priority despite his availability.”

Kealan Hughes

“While it could seem an odd move for both parties to make considering the factors at play, the signing of Xhaka has the potential to take Newcastle to the next level, even if it is only a short-term deal.

“They lack, and have for some time, a player of his experience and quality in the middle of the park, and with a new lease of life in new surroundings, we could see the best of what Xhaka has to offer.

“Current midfielders Isaac Hayden and Jonjo Shelvey have performed well of late, but their Newcastle career has been a story of inconsistency, and a dip in form for one or both of them could cause problems.

“Xhaka also provides the occasional goal from midfield, too, and the Magpies could sure do with that at the moment.”