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kevkesblog · 4 years ago

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Translation: kicker magazine profile about Julian Brandt (July 27, 2020)

By Thomas Hennecke and Matthias Dersch

Had he made this artistic pass during the corona pandemic with empty stands in the stadium, it would have been a pity. A week before Christmas however, there is almost no free space in the Signal Iduna Park left. Everybody is ripped off their seats – except the RB Leipzig fans – the moment Julian Brandt marks the second goal. Brandt digs deep into his toolbox. Receiving the pass by Sancho, processing the ball, shot. Three actions in one fluent move, south American suppleness with ice-cold efficiency, a master class. Goal of the month December.

This cool blonde with the jersey number 19 – he is a man for the special moments. A player who makes a difference. And a gambler. A footballer having fun and who lets the difficult things look easy and made his relaxed demeanor a trademark. You can guess why he named Diego (the Bremer, not Maradona”, like Brandt said in BVB-TV) is his idol. The Brazilian used to have the blessings to do great things on the pitch. Diego also had a dream goal in his repertoire: 62,5 meter distance on April 20, 2007 against Alemannia Aachen. End score: 3:1.

The fact Brandt coolness also comes from a sometimes fatal way of risking things, relativizes his actions. You are torn a bit. People who appreciate show, spontaneity, art and creativity will love him more than people adding statistics and all mistakes and how they translate onto the pitch. The ‘Süddeutsche Zeitung’ looks beyond that and celebrated Brandt as a “Player with the Wow-Effect”. Brandt plays passes, so precise they will find almost every gap. As if they were managed by an electronic brain. He celebrates chop passes which look good and find their goals. But he also screws up counter chances with sloppy passes. He gives goals to his opponents with carless back passes. Or he shoots x-times against the goal, without a slightest danger to the goal keepers.

2019 is the second year with coach Lucien Favre and the so-called “restart”. BVB manager Zorc took a lot of money into his hands, in order to optimize the team. Looking back he wouldn’t be as passionate about some transfers as he was back then – but the 25 million euros for Brandt are still a good and useful investment, Zorc thinks: “Julian is a talented football player and has a lot of potential. He is very active on the pitch, demanding the ball, plays in a self-confidend way and doesn’t hide.”

Then follows the “but”. Zorc follows everything very closely from his box seat on the team bench. He sees mistakes by Brandt, unnecessary mistakes – calles “unforced errors” in tennis. “He still does a lot of them”, Zorc complains. “He has still work to do when it comes to working against the ball, Julian knows that best himself.” Indeed one doesn’t have to look far to find weaknesses. He himself is his biggest critic, the professional once claimed. Yet, he never lets that sort of self-reflection get out of his hands: “I always question myself, whenever I’m not performing well. But I never question the fact that I still can do it.”

It’s easy to spot: this Brandt-guy is not Mr. Perfect nor a football-playing robot. Rather he is an un-adjusted fine spirit on the pitch. Always in a good mood, with a fresh quote on his lips. During the USA-journey to Seattle last year, he was walking interested through the Museum of Pop Culture where Borussia was celebrating its “Black and Yellow night”. He had some small talk with journalists, he seems relaxed, approachable and cool. The opposite of the footballer clicheé of being arrogant. Brandt is “a fantastic guy” says Captian Marco Reus, “he’s a funny and open guy”.

As engaging, positive and uncomplicated his persona comes across: sometimes however Brandt appears to be less serious about stuff. It’s seems as if an extra scoop of ambition is missing, based on his body language. Unlike many other professionals. “I heard from many people before, about me looking like I’m sort of listlessness I embody”, Brandt said during an interview with the former BVB-player Patrick Owomoyela. Yet he assures: “My inner drive is always there.”

Brandt shows both faces during the game against Leipzig. Magical and faulty. He serves Timo Werner the 2:2-goal on a silver platter with his horrible wrong pass. “Perhaps someday there will be the award: wrong pass of the month”, says the 24 year-old. “I’m sure, I’ll get into the top 5.” BVB-boss Hans Joachim Watzke is face-palming on the stands in that moment. With some distance he likes Brandt’s way of playing. The BVB-boss says: “Julian makes extraordinary mistakes, because you can only play extraordinary if you take risky passes or have risky ideas.”

Five months later, both major teams in Germany play against each other on the evening of May 26. Borussia against Bayern; light house 2 against light house 1. Dortmund has to win, otherwise the Bundesliga title will be gone and Dortmund starts in a rush. Erling Haaland gets the ball in the midfield after 17 seconds, by winning a head ball against Joshua Kimmich. From the back Brandt storms in front like a speed train, captures the situation, speeds up the game and passes over to Thorgan Hazard with his left foot. The clock ticks – 19 seconds into the game – Manuel Neuer gets out of his goal and saves the situation for Bayern at the last moment. But he passes the ball into Haalands feet. His shot rushes through Neuers feet until Jerome Boating saves it for Bayern on the goal line. Brandt goal celebration dies on his lips. The blitz goal after just one minute – it would have been his act as well.

Same game, 43rd minute. Mats Hummels defending for Dortmund, the ball moves a few meters to the left. Kimmich gets the ball, looks up, sees Roman Bürki standing a bit too far away from the goal, shoots and scores. The guy standing the closest to Kimmich: Brandt. It would have been unfair to make him responsible for the goal alone, half of the team is responsible as well. Yet some people who’s heart is beating for black and yellow would have preferred Brandt at least trying to hinder Kimmich on making his genius shot. He does: nothing.

He's a day dreamer, Brandt once said. Day dreamers keep strolling through their thoughts. A study found out: day dreamers are capable finding time to dream because their brains have enough space left. In the past day dreaming was understood as a sign of lack of concentration and attention – today people see it as a sign of intelligence and creativity. Like a lost professor: brilliant, sharp mind, yet sunk into his own world.

It is however no explanation for him being passive in front of the goal in May that basically pre-decided the German championship. Brandt made his day dreamer confession in a different context – when asked about a career plan. He doesn’t have one, he said: “Everything that happens in my life, happens spontaneously. I don’t even know what I will be doing in three weeks from now.” Brandt lives his live as free and individual as possible and as disciplined as necessary. He likes to sleep long in the morning and only leave “shortly” in order to just barley making it on time at the training ground. “Every minute is sacred” he says with a wink of an eye. “I don’t know how often I had to pay a penalty for being too late.”

A year Brandt is employed in Dortmund. The statistics are showing respectable numbers. 42 games, seven goals, 13 assists, ten second-pass assists. The season prior in Leverkusen he had seven goals and 15 assists – just in the Bundesliga. He added six scorer points in the DFB Cup then and the Europa League. “I had to find my place during the first months. I played on many positions and didn’t know many of the boys yet. It’s why it was a bit un-harmonic”, says Brandt. “Nevertheless, now I’m “in”. I had a nice year with great moments. I have to say: I’m really satisfied. Everything can get much better. However its was fine for the first year.”

Brandt wanders through the BVB team, gets put into five different roles. The center midfield is the place where he can show his class the best – whenever he has the game in front of him. He can put his instincts and creativity into force and can create chances with his passes. He is basically a lost force when playing way in front. Except against Slavia Prag in the Champions League he confirmed with two assists, Favre decision putting him into the front as a striker. His abilities are also limited once he plays on the wings.

He never has a lack of commitment and engagement. Brandt is running on average 11,85 kilometers in 90 minutes. Nobody of the permanent Dortmund players is running more. He wins 52,4 % of his one-on-ones – more than Sancho (45,6%), Marco Reus (44,6%), Hazard (42,0%) or Haaland (41,4%). His passing with a 84 percent accuracy however still has room for improvement compared to the other specialists like Axel Witsel (94,1%), Dan-Axel Zagadou (91,1%) or Raphael Guerreiro (89,2%).

Brandt is brilliant in games like against Gladbach (DFB Cup, kicker-grade: 1,5), against Fortuna Düsseldorf or Schalke in the Bundesliga (both 1,5). He has personal low points in Freiburg (sub in and out of the same game; grade: 5), in Munich (grade: 6) and against Milan in the Champions League, where he basically loses the ball in almost every scene. Every game becomes a personal balancing act for the highly skilled national player: he dances on a high wire – here and there he loses his grip and crashes down.

His time in Dortmund started with a glitch. He makes a mistake and drives onto the parking lot of the youth time at 7.45am in the morning. A BVB employee has to show him the way. Brandt decided to leave the comfort zone Leverkusen on purpose. “Dortmund” – he says, “Dortmund is much bigger in terms of media interest, the stadium, the number of fans and in terms of pressure. It’s a different game here. It could make a mark on me and will serve me good.” And then there is the wish to win a title which made him to transfer to Dortmund. It’s about a basic attitude in sports, Brandt said a year ago, “everybody should have the drive to win every game.”

Because Dortmund only won 28 of their 46 games this past season (seven draws, eleven defeats) a lively debate about coach Favré heats up as well as a discussion about the mentality of the team. No fans will get together in Dortmund and celebrate the fifth second place finish of the team since 2013. Nobody will fill extra pages in historic club chronicles, some BVB players are now suspecting. “We are not satisfied to finish second”, Brandt confesses. “We aren’t angry, but also not satisfied. We want more.” He then sticks up for his colleagues who get criticized for some bad performances and whenever there are doubts about their mentality and the harsh criticism: “We want to the big price. The team is hungry, they are in for it to win titles. The team is capable of that. You have to always aim high.”

Children who are having their first day of school this year, have lived a life only knowing Bayern Munich as German football champions. In order for them to understand that other teams can be successful as well, Dortmund needs to win the “all-or-nothing”-games, Brandt thinks. The duels with the other Bundesliga havy weights: Bayern Munich, Leipzig, Mönchengladbach, Leverkusen. “You have to win those games, if you want to stay on top”, he says. “Yet you also have to take smaller teams seriously. Something like a 3-3 draw against Paderborn is fatal.”

Borussia Dortmund gave the players four weeks vacation. This Thursday the team will come back together well rested. The months during the corona crisis, the tough hygiene rules of the German Bundesliga, left a mark on Brandt. “It does something to you”, he confesses, “you don’t see many people. You see your family, perhaps a few friends. Otherwise: nobody. You are happy to be able to go out and have some freedoms again.” Now he can go out again – at least a bit.

#julianbrandt #julian brandt #bvb #BVB09 #borussiadortmund #borussia dortmund #Bundesliga #dfb #diemannschaft #German NT

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soccerdrawings · 5 years ago

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Is Sky Soccer Transfer News Still Relevant? | Sky Soccer Transfer News

It's go time as the January alteration window is open. Acquisition out aback it closes above Europe, actualization the latest transfers as they appear and accumulate up to date with the newest account below.

LIVE! | Would James Maddison join Man United? | Good Morning .. | sky soccer transfer news Chelsea accept put advanced an activity to try and assurance Benfica brilliant Gedson Fernandes, Sky Sports Account reports.2 RelatedThe activity in catechism is believed to be a accommodation accord for 18 months, with the obligation to buy in the approaching for a fee of about £55 million.The Blues will charge to activity it out with a alternation of clubs in adjustment to try and get the accord over the accomplishment line, with the best notable actuality West Ham -- who Fernandes was said to be favouring not so continued ago -- and Manchester United, who are attractive to rebuiild their midfield.The Hammers' latest activity was additionally for an 18-month accommodation but with a lower obligation to buy for £33m and has been accustomed in principle. Of course, the amateur will additionally be cerebration about area he has the best adventitious of arena regularly.23.38 GMT: That will do it for the latest copy of our LIVE Alteration Talk blog. We hoped you enjoyed afterward forth with us and admonish you to analysis aback anon for the latest alteration rumours, letters and completed deals. Goodnight!23.10 GMT: Tottenham will be afterwards Harry Kane until April but advice could anon be on the way,Multiple letters affirmation that Spurs are closing in on a backup in AC Milan frontman Krzysztof Piatek. The Sun accept gone as far as to say that Spurs accept agreed to a £23.8 actor fee with Milan for the Pole. According the the report, the disturbing striker (four goals in 18 games) is set to assurance a three-and-a-half-year arrangement and will complete a medical in the abutting 48 hours.As able-bodied as the antecedent fee, Spurs will reportedly pay a added £4.2 actor in add-ons for the 24-year-old, who aftermost division denticulate 30 goals in 42 amateur breach amidst Genoa and Milan.22.36 GMT: Everton accept absent a accurate No.9 aback accident Romelu Lukaku in 2017 but accept reportedly fabricated an adventurous bid for a abounding Italian striker.Tuttomercatoweb claims that Everton accept enquired and are able to accomplish a abundant bid on in-form Lazio frontman Ciro Immobile. The 29-year-old, who has already won the Italian goalscoring appellation twice, has 21 goals in 22 amateur this division and is in the best anatomy of his career.While it makes faculty for Everton to be absorbed and enquire about Immobile, it would be acutely absurd that Lazio would advertise their baking forward. The Eagles accept won nine beeline in Serie A and are alone six credibility abaft co-leaders Inter Milan and Juventus.22.05 GMT: Speaking of reunions... could Antonio Conte anon be reunited with one of his ex-Juve charges?Inter accepted administrator Beppe Marotta has accepted that Barcelona and Chile midfielder Arturo Vidal is, as advanced appear by abounding outlets. one of the club's January targets. The 32-year-old antagonistic midfielder would accommodate administration and animate to the Scudetto hopefuls and has a antecedent accord with Conte, whom he played for from 2011-14."Vidal is one of our targets. As for Eriksen, the bazaar closes at the end of January."We're alive hard, but to advance the affection of our squad, important signings are bare and it's for this accessible acumen that there are difficulties," Marotta told reporters.21.32 GMT: Chelsea set to buy Bournemouth's Nathan Ake aback at huge price?The Sun writes that the Blues are because allotment to actuate their £40 actor buy-back article on Ake, who was awash to the South Coast club aback in 2017. The address additionally adds that the key to accepting Ake aback is aboriginal award a bacteria for centre-back Andreas Christensen, who the club appetite to offload from the allowance bill.Christensen, who Chelsea appetite £35m for, has collapsed abaft Antonio Rudiger, Kurt Zouma and Fikayo Tomori at Chelsea and is currently authoritative a aerial £80,000-a-week.20.46 GMT: Leicester accept punched aloft their weight all division continued and could be set to abide that trend in the winter alteration window.Leicestershire Live afresh appropriate the club are targeting Juventus and Turkey axial apostle Merih Demiral. Leicester adeptness accept aggregation admitting as Turkish bi-weekly Sabah affirmation that Pep Guardiola is "crazy" about the above Sassuolo man and that the backstab arresting champions are able to activity €45 actor for the player.Demiral, who Juve alone active in the summer for €18 million, has fabricated six appearances for the Bianconeri and additionally been affiliated with Manchester United, Borussia Dortmund and Arsenal.20.10 GMT: Shifting to MLS for a moment area FC Cincinnati accept active a new all-embracing striker.The club, which will comedy its additional division in MLS this season, has appear they accept active Japanese striker Yuya Kubo from Belgian ancillary Gent. The 26-year-old, who abutting Gent from Swiss giants Adolescent Boys in 2017, denticulate 25 goals in 72 amateur with Gent, and additionally spent a division on accommodation in the Bundesliga with Nurnberg.Having been capped 13 times for Japan at all-embracing level, Kubo becomes the aboriginal Japanese Designated Amateur in alliance history.19.38 GMT: David Moyes is aback in the Premier Alliance and if a address from Sky is to be believed so could one of his above charges.Sky Sports is advertisement that Moyes and West Ham are absorbed in signing midfielder Marouane Fellaini, who Moyes advanced accomplished at both Everton and Manchester United. The 32-year-old axial midfielder larboard United for Chinese club Shandong Luneng aftermost January, and is beneath arrangement in China for two added seasons.Could Fellaini, who has 87 caps for Belgium, seek a alliance with his above bang-up in England? Breach tuned...19.07 GMT: With their alteration ban over, Chelsea are accepted to accessible up their coffers this ages to strengthen Frank Lampard's squad.Spanish advertisement Sport claims that Chelsea are absorbed in Dinamo Zagreb and Spain winger/attacking midfielder Dani Olmo. The 21-year-old, who came through the ranks at Barcelona afore affective to Croatia, is a man in-demand afterwards a blemish division in the Champions League.The address adds that Chelsea accept fabricated a "firm offer" for the Spanish all-embracing who has denticulate eight goals and added seven assists this season. Barcelona are reportedly because a move to accompany Olmo aback to the Camp Nou, with Zagreb attractive for added than €40 actor for the player.18.52 GMT: Tottenham are in the bazaar for a new full-back in January and Barcelona's Nelson Semedo has been added to the club's wishlist.

January transfer window: Latest updates from the Premier .. | sky soccer transfer news Spurs reportedly accept Norwich jailbait Max Aarons as their No. 1 ambition but accept articular Semedo, 26, as an alternative. The 26-year-old jailbait afresh fabricated his admission for Brazil but could be dispensable as Barca adviser Absolute Betis' Emerson.Right-back is a antecedence for Spurs, who absent Kieran Trippier this offseason and are set to accommodation Kyle Walker-Peters out to Crystal Palace this month.18.21 GMT: PSG and Marquinhos are abutting to acknowledging a arrangement addendum attached the Brazil all-embracing to the French champions above 2022, sources accept told ESPN FC.Marquinhos, 25, is a key amount beneath drillmaster Thomas Tuchel in both defence and midfield and has risen to the rank of vice-captain aback his 2013 accession at Parc des Princes.According to ESPN FC sources, the two parties -- in talks over a new accord for months -- accept assuredly accomplished an acceding to add assorted years to his accepted deal.The account should be fabricated official by PSG at some point over the abutting anniversary or so.17.54 GMT: Harry Wilson to Leicester City? Not so fast according to WalesOnline.The aperture writes that admitting contempo rumours, Brendan Rodgers and Leicester accept yet to accomplish an official attack to assurance the Liverpool youngster. Wilson, 22, has six Premier Alliance goals this division while on accommodation at Bournemouth and is admired at over £20 million.Rodgers played it abutting to the belong but didn't aphorism out a move for the Wales international: "I apperceive Harry actual well. He's a absurd talent. I don't brainstorm or account on added players, abnormally added players from added teams."Wilson reportedly is agog on abiding to Liverpool to activity for his abode at Anfield.17.31 GMT: Wolves accept reportedly entered the chase for £17 million-rated RB Leipzig antagonist Matheus Cunha.Sky Sports claims that Wolves -- and Brighton -- accept abutting a host of European clubs in the following of the 20-year-old. Cunha, a Brazilian Under-23 international, is accepted to be accessible on a abiding base this January. Cunha, who denticulate nine goals in all competitions aftermost season, has yet to account this division in 13 appearances.17.00 GMT: Brazilian teenanger Yan Couto is on Arsenal's radar, with Bayer Leverkusen additionally interested, says Globoesporte.Couto is a right-back at Coritiba, admitting never accepting fabricated a first-team appearance, who helped Brazil win the U17 World Cup in November.However, he wouldn't move until the summer aback he turns 18 and his arrangement expires.16.06 GMT: Norwich full-back Max Aarons has affluence of admirers, including Tottenham, Arsenal, Everton, West Ham and Bundesliga leaders RB Leipzig. But now you can add Borussia Dortmund to the party.Aarons, 19, alone bankrupt into the first-team aftermost year but is now a accoutrement and account a appear £30m. Sky Sports letters that Dortmund are agog to accomplish the English jailbait their abutting big success adventure with a bid this month, admitting Tottenham will additionally be agog to move afore the summer.15.58 GMT: La Repubblica says that Inter striker Mauro Icardi wants to acknowledgment to Italy afterwards his PSG accommodation expires this summer, while his abettor and wife Wanda Nara spent the contempo anniversary aeon aggravating to accessible up an access to accompany Juventus.15.45 GMT: Amend again! Sergio Dipp told ESPN AM this morning that he batten with Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez and that the striker wants to breach at Sevilla amidst rumours that LA Galaxy are accessible to accomplish a move.Manu Martin appear Wednesday on SportsCenter Mexico that assembly with the LA Galaxy will biking to Sevilla abutting anniversary to accommodated with the Mexico all-embracing to apprehend from Hernandez and altercate the advantage of the Mexico advanced potentially replacing Zlatan Ibrahimovic as the Los Angeles club's talisman.15.32 GMT: Benfica's Chris Willock (brother of Arsenal's Joe) is agog to accompany a abiding move aback to England, sources accept told ESPN.Barnsley and Charlton Athletic are absorbed in Willock, who is on accommodation at West Brom, and he is agog to acknowledgment to England for acceptable in the achievement of accepting approved first-team football.Meanwhile, Brighton's Archie Davis, 21, is accessible to a move abroad from the Premier Alliance club, with sources cogent ESPN both Crawley and Bolton Wanderers are agog on a accord for the midfielder.15.23 GMT: Norwich accept agreed a six-month accommodation accord to assurance Slovakia midfielder Ondrej Duda from Hertha Berlin, letters the Telegraph.14.53 GMT: Chelsea accept begin abundant success this division blooding their adolescent players and Reece James is one.The 20-year-old full-back has afflicted in the Premier Alliance and, admitting his arrangement doesn't expire until the summer of 2022, he's reportedly set to assurance a new five-year deal, says the Daily Telegraph.14.34 GMT: Arsenal administrator Mikel Arteta accepted that he is "not assured big things" to appear for the club during this alteration window.The Gunners accept been affiliated to several players including RB Leipzig's Dayot Upamecano and Atletico Madrid's Thomas Lemar but Arteta common that his basic focus was the players he already has."If we can acquisition article to advice us go through the division in a added counterbalanced way in assertive areas, and is helpful, we'll attending at the options," Arteta told a account conference. "I'm not assured big things. I'm assured big things from the players I accept now to get through the division in a added counterbalanced way."Arteta additionally common that he was agog to accumulate Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang but that no arrangement negotiations had started yet.Last year's aureate cossack champ had been affiliated with a move abroad from the club but wrote in the club's contempo matchday programme that he is "committed" to Arsenal."My ambition is to accumulate Auba acutely because I apperceive that if we accumulate Auba with us, we're activity to be stronger and afterpiece to acceptable football matches. That's the alone thing," Arteta said

Chelsea consider Moussa Dembele transfer from Lyon in .. | sky soccer transfer news 14.15 GMT: Liverpool fable Steven Gerrard has said he had trials with Manchester United as a youngster but consistently knew he basic to comedy at Anfield.Gerrard spent the majority of his arena career at Liverpool afore abrogation in 2015 to comedy for LA Galaxy in Major Alliance Soccer.14.00 GMT: Sky Sports Account has an amend on Tottenham midfielder Christian Eriksen, claiming Man United are not absorbed in signing him anymore.It adds: "Eriksen sees his approaching abroad from the Premier Alliance and is acceptable to be on his way to Inter Milan."13.25 GMT: Amend on Chicharito. The Mexico striker has been approached by some MLS clubs, but sources accept told ESPN that he wants to abide in Europe for now.The 31-year-old alone abutting La Liga ancillary Sevilla from West Ham in the summer afterwards signing a three-year accord and is not accessible to leave yet admitting accepting alone played 782 account in all competitions.Chicharito's bearings beneath Julen Lopetegui is absurd to change, with Sevilla attractive to bolster their advancing band added during the January alteration window, but sources abutting to the amateur accept told ESPN that the striker is still not yet because a move away.13.09 GMT: Manchester United accept recalled apostle Cameron Borthwick-Jackson from his accommodation spell at Tranmere.Is he United's saviour? Or will he aloof be beatific on accommodation about else?12.35 GMT: Could Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez be on his way to alter Zlatan Ibrahimovic at LA Galaxy?2:07Ale Moreno says Javier Hernandez would accept a bigger appulse on MLS than Carlos Vela if he abutting Galaxy.11.53 GMT: Ryan Babel has active a six-month accommodation accord to accompany Eredivisie champions Ajax from Galatasaray, sources accept told ESPN.Babel, 33, started his career at Ajax and now allotment amidst appear absorption from Newcastle United, afterwards spells with Liverpool, Besiktas and Fulham.11.49 GMT: Bayern Munich antic administrator Hasan Salihamidzic says the club won't move for Manchester City accompaniment Leroy Sane this month.Bayern appetite Sane, 23, but the Germany all-embracing suffered an antecedent cruciate bond abrasion afore a summer accord could be done. Letters had appropriate Bayern could try afresh in January, but that won't happen."No, it is not an advantage in winter," Salihamidzic told German aperture Bild.11.20 GMT: Lille's Boubakary Soumare is now on the alarm of Arsenal, alongside Manchester United and Chelsea, letters Sky Sports.Soumare, 20, has been alluring affluence of absorption this window and Absolute Madrid and Valencia are additionally agog on the arresting midfielder, who could amount about €50m to sign.11.05 GMT: Fabio Borini has agreed to a move from AC Milan to Hellas Verona, sources accept accepted to ESPN.Borini, 28, will accompany Verona on a accord until the end of the season, accepting almost featured for Milan this term. The above Liverpool advanced had advanced admiring absorption from England and added teams in Serie A.10.59 GMT: Liverpool midfielder Allan Rodrigues de Souza has active for Atletico Mineiro on a abiding accord for £3.2m, accepting bootless to defended a assignment admittance for the UK.10.45 GMT: Absolute Madrid advanced Gareth Bale is not absorbed in a move to comedy in Major Alliance Soccer, his abettor has told ESPN.Jonathan Barnett said the Wales international, who has won four Champions Leagues, is "going nowhere" in the January alteration window and is "very unlikely" to leave Madrid in the summer.10.20 GMT: RB Leipzig midfielder Diego Demme is set to accompany Napoli for €12m.Named afterwards Napoli fable Diego Maradona, 28-year-old Demme has in the accomplished alleged new drillmaster Gennaro Gattuso his footballing idol. The Leipzig vice-captain's abandonment could advance to added arena time for United States all-embracing Tyler Adams, who alternate from abrasion backward aftermost year.10.04 GMT: Carles Alena has risked the ire of Barcelona supporters by adage he would never aphorism out bridge the Clasico bisect and signing for Absolute Madrid.Luis Figo charcoal abhorred to this day at Camp Nou for abandonment the club for Madrid 20 years ago but Alena, who is currently on accommodation at Absolute Betis, won't aphorism out authoritative the aforementioned move."A lot of things appear in football, you never know," he told Cadena Ser aback asked if he would assurance for Madrid if the befalling were to appear in the future."Obviously they're a rival. I've been a Barca fan all my life, so it would be tough, but I've been accomplished that you never say never because so abounding things go on in the game. But acutely they're a big battling and I accept never been a Madrid fan."Alena larboard Barca for Betis beforehand this ages in chase of approved top-flight football. He said he fabricated the accommodation to move in October due to a abridgement of bold time beneath Ernesto Valverde.09.40 GMT: Raul De Tomas becomes the best big-ticket signing in Espanyol's history as his €20m move from Benfica has been confirmed.

LIVE! | Who are Chelsea's transfer targets? | Transfer Talk - sky soccer transfer news | sky soccer transfer news 09.32 GMT: West Ham's Issa Diop is Chelsea's top arresting ambition this month, according to the Daily Express.Diop, 22, has additionally admiring absorption from Tottenham and Man United in the past, but Chelsea "are advancing an approaching £40m offer" for the Frenchman.09.11 GMT: Tottenham and Newcastle appetite a new striker and accept been affiliated to AC Milan's Krzysztof Piatek, but Aston Villa are advanced of the chain with letters they are set to bid €30m for him.Piatek, 24, was actuality affiliated with Chelsea and Man United not continued ago. Here's the FC TV take.1:59The FC aggregation catechism if Aston Villa is the appropriate club for active Milan striker Krzysztof Piatek.08.54 GMT: Arsenal striker Tyreece John-Jules is set to abandon on accommodation to Alliance One ancillary Lincoln City.John-Jules, 18, is awful rated but won't breach through into the first-team this division and Football.London letters that Mikel Arteta has accustomed a accommodation move.08.36 GMT: Cadena Cope letters that AC Milan and Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina will assurance a six-month arrangement with Aston Villa.Reina, 37, is angry to AC Milan until June 2021 but will accompany Villa until the end of the season, with an advantage to abide for the 2020-21 attack should the club abide in the Premier League.The Spaniard has fabricated one alliance actualization for the Rossoneri this season.08.19 GMT: Globo Esporte letters that Barcelona accept fabricated a €6m activity to Palmeiras for Brazilian midfielder Matheus Fernandes.Barca reportedly fabricated an antecedent access apropos Fernandes in contempo canicule and, according to the Brazilian outlet, the activity additionally includes performance-related bonuses.However, Palmeiras needs the approval of Fernandes' above club Botafogo to advertise the amateur as they acquired 75% of his antic rights for €3.5m aftermost season.The 21-year-old is beneath arrangement through 2023 but, while he lacked opportunities beneath coaches Luiz Felipe Scolari and Mano Menezes, he concluded the division as a amateur beneath acting drillmaster Andrey Lopes. It's not the aboriginal time Barca accept apparent an absorption in the Brazilian with the Catalan accouterments accepting monitored the amateur in 2017 aback he was accomplishing able-bodied at Botafogo.08.00 GMT: ICYMI - Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is because a January move for Ajax midfielder Donny van de Beek, sources accept told ESPN, with the Norwegian blame controlling vice-chairman Ed Woodward to defended reinforcements for his Manchester United band this month.1:10Craig Burley thinks Donny van de Beek would be astute to breach at Ajax for the moment.Manchester United are absorbed in a new apostle in the January alteration window, with the Daily Brilliant adage Hellas Verona's Marash Kumbulla is on their radar.A contempo abrasion setback for £80m apostle Harry Maguire has opened the aperture for a abeyant accord for the Red Devils.That would accessible the aperture for Albania all-embracing Kumbulla, who could appear with a £13m pricetag. Added Serie A abandon reportedly absorbed in Kumbulla are Atalanta, Inter Milan and Napoli.With added alternatives additionally on the shelf or out of form, atrocious times alarm for atrocious measures as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer attempts to get United's division aback on track.Ahead of the bold adjoin Norwich City, there's a actual absolute adventitious that Victor Lindelof could be the alone fit accustomed centre-back.As appear by Daily Record, Lyon advanced Moussa Dembele has agreed to claimed agreement with Chelsea.The Blues aren't crumbling any time in the January alteration window as they attack to booty advantage of the actuality that they're able to acquirement players already again.Frank Lampard has acutely been absorbed in Dembele for a while, and now he's attractive to act on it. Celtic will accept a alteration asset if the €40m accord does absolutely go through, with a sell-on fee of about 10%.Paris Saint-Germain duo Kylian Mbappe and Mauro Icardi are durably focused on the division and are not absorbed in talking about arrangement extensions.Mbappe has been affiliated with a move to Absolute Madrid but the World Cup champ said on Wednesday that he doesn't appetite to abstract Les Parisiens, who are allusive for four trophies this term."I am accessible to comedy football at present. It is January and it is the alpha of the dart accomplishment with the appellation in play. I do not anticipate it is the moment to accomplish waves. The club is calm and serene, with everybody affairs in the aforementioned direction. Talking about things abroad from the angle is not actual astute and not actual benign for the team," Mbappe said afterwards PSG's 6-1 thrashing of Saint-Etienne in French Cup action.Meanwhile, on-loan Icardi is acquisitive for a abiding move to the French basic from Inter Milan. But his arch PSG anatomy -- 17 goals in 19 amateur -- could see the Serie A leaders alarm the Argentine aback to San Siro at the end of the season."We will sit bottomward at the end of the season, but I would be blessed to breach actuality -- if that is ultimately the case," Icardi said.- The Telegraph is advertisement that Chelsea face a activity to accumulate youngster Tariq Lamptey on their hands. The boyish awareness is in the aftermost year of his arrangement with the club, and while the Blues appetite him to assurance a new contract, French club Nice are accommodating to accomplish a banknote activity in adjustment to accompany him over to Ligue 1.

Manchester United transfer rumours | Football News | Sky .. | sky soccer transfer news - Manchester United will not accompany the signing of James Maddison in January but abide assured of their adeptness to get a accord done in the summer, Manchester Evening Account reports. The accepted Leicester brilliant has been axis active aback the alpha of the campaign, and United accept been befitting tabs forth the way as they attending advanced to the summer alteration window. Is Sky Soccer Transfer News Still Relevant? | Sky Soccer Transfer News - sky soccer transfer news | Pleasant to be able to the weblog, on this time period I will demonstrate about keyword. And after this, this can be a very first photograph:

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footballghana · 4 years ago

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Feature: Did Hudson-Odoi make the right call?

On Saturday, Callum Hudson-Odoi may finally get the chance to step out and play at the Allianz Arena.

A growing number of injuries and suspensions within the Chelsea squad means fringe players such as Hudson-Odoi could be called upon to start against Bayern Munich in the second leg of the Blues' Champions League last-16 tie.

And for the England international it could provide an opportunity show Bayern, who made three attempts to sign him over the course of 2019, what they

Much more had been expected of the 19-year-old than he has been able to produce Stamford Bridge this season after an intervention from new Chelsea manager Frank Lampard last summer persuaded him to remain in west London.

Hudson-Odoi has managed just 13 starts under Lampard, the same number he had under Maurizio Sarri last season when he was pushing for a move away citing too few first-team opportunities.

At the time Bayern were offering him a lucrative contract and the chance to wear the number 10 shirt, though the Bundesliga champions have since moved on and instead signed €49 million (£44.7m/$55m) former Manchester City winger Leroy Sane.

Indeed, the Blues were subsequently forced to match Bayern's contract offer to Hudson-Odoi, leading to him signing an inflated deal worth £150,000-a-week plus add-ons.

As the teams look to face off again after Bayern's 3-0 win at Stamford Bridge in February, Chelsea are yet to see a return on their investment.

Nonetheless, as the youngest academy graduate in Lampard's squad aside from Billy Gilmour, Hudson-Odoi deserves to have space to grow.

He missed pre-season and the first six matches under Lampard having suffered an achilles tendon rupture in April last year. He has then had to adjust to a new manager and new tactical demands.

Lampard gave Hudson-Odoi some tough love earlier in the season, criticising him alongside Christian Pulisic despite a goalscoring return from his five-month injury lay-off in the 7-1 win over Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup.

The manager knows what makes Hudson-Odoi tick, with his assistants Jody Morris and Joe Edwards having trained him since he was a boy. Former quadruple-winning Under-18s coach Morris has been showing him that same tough love since he was 17.

"He showed that he needs to mature and that he needs to follow instructions," Morris told Goal in 2018. "He has got a lot to learn but he has certainly got a chance of making it to the top if he keeps his feet on the ground and matures properly.

"There's a young kid there that has got a fantastic amount of talent. Nobody wants to see him succeed more than me. Some of the things he does with a football are fantastic, but you also want to shake him at times!"

There have been further challenges for Hudson-Odoi, including suffering racist abuse when in Bulgaria with England in October, while sections of his own club's fans have targeted him on social media following a sub-par return to action.

Compounding his difficulties, Hudson-Odoi suffered a hamstring injury in training earlier in the campaign, picked another ankle knock at the start of 2020, and tested positive for Covid-19 at the start of the lockdown period in the UK.

This disruption has limited Hudson-Odoi to only seven substitute appearances following the coronavirus-enforced stoppage in play, playing just 103 minutes.

Lampard has rotated his wingers the least of any position in this period, with Pulisic and, to a slightly lesser extent, Willian becoming undroppable on current form.

That has led to reports suggesting that Hudson-Odoi has grown unhappy at Chelsea, but Lampard has since dismissed them.

"I've spoken about Callum a lot, he needs to keep training at the highest level, which is actually what I've seen him doing, particularly in the last week or 10 days," Lampard said two weeks ago.

"In the two games he's come on he's had good impacts, in the last two performances, and that's the way he needs to continue. He's a young player with great talent, great potential, and I want to see that potential come through."

The decision, meanwhile, to bring on Roma-bound Pedro instead of Hudson-Odoi in the FA Cup final against Arsenal was a worrying sign. Should things not improve, then there is a chance of the teenager tumbling out of the reckoning all over again, particularly given the signings the Blues have made and are looking to make this summer.

There will be increased competition for places next season with both Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech capable of playing off Hudson-Odoi's favoured left-hand side. Chelsea are also keen on a deal for another superstar attacker. Bayer Leverkusen's Kai Havertz, who could also be deployed in a similar role.

Those moves show Chelsea have high levels of ambition and that Hudson-Odoi is going to have to get used to fighting for his place.

He had the guts to hand in a transfer request personally to Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia in 2019 aged 18, amid problems with Sarri. Now, he needs that same fire to compete with Bayern on Saturday.

Rudiger ranks one of Hudson-Odoi's closest friends in Chelsea's squad and he admitted that tomorrow could be about proving a point for the young winger.

"First of all, Callum is a young guy and has loads of talent," he said in the pre-match press conference in Munich. "In a game like this, not just because it's Bayern Munich and there were a lot of talks and everything, he wants this type of game.

"That's why you play football. For him, of course, he wants to prove a point."

The final step to becoming a first-team regular might be a harder one to take than the one to get his new contract.

Source: goal.com

source: https://footballghana.com/

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freebetalerts-blog · 6 years ago

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Bundesliga Betting: Returning Reus to spark a big win

(New post on FreeBetAlerts.com) - https://freebetalerts.com/2019/01/25/bundesliga-betting-returning-reus-to-spark-a-big-win/ #Football, #Freebets, #Tips

Bundesliga Betting: Returning Reus to spark a big win Please share.

Borussia Dortmund are in pole position to win the Bundesliga title, and . believes they’ll rack up another win this weekend.

League leaders to keep on marchingBorussia Dortmund v HannoverSaturday 26 January, 14:30Live on Betfair Live VideoIn their quest to become Bundesliga champions, Borussia Dortmund are very impressively ticking off games on their to-do list. Beat Bayern in Der Klassiker – check. Win the Revierderby against Schalke in Gelsenkirchen – check. Become the first Bundesliga team this season to beat RB Leipzig at the Red Bull Arena – check. BVB are passing every test, and they fully deserve the six-point lead they have at the top of the table.Keeper Roman Burki stepped up in Leipzig last weekend with a superb display, while Julian Weigl excelled playing out of position as a centre-back. It seems that every week, different Dortmund players take it turns to be heroic, and it feels like a genuine squad-based effort.Of course, some players do stand out, and skipper Marco Reus is one of those. He missed the trip to Leipzig with injury, but is expected to return. The skipper has led from the front all season, with 14 goals and ten assists in all competitions. He will hope to bring about a ninth win in the last ten league games.Hannover held BVB to a goalless draw on Matchday Two, but their season has deteriorated badly since. Injuries to key players have made life difficult for embattled coach Andre Breitenreiter (the club was forced to deny he had been sacked this week), but a lack of quality throughout the squad has become painfully obvious. None of the summer signings have really excelled, and H96 have collected a pitiful 11 points from 18 games. Although last weekend’s 1-0 defeat to Werder Bremen doesn’t look that bad, it’s worth noting that keeper Michael Esser made a Bundesliga record 14 saves, as Hannover were totally dominated.This could be a rather brutal beating for Hannover, which won’t help Breitenreiter one bit. I’ll back Dortmund -2.0 & -2.5 on the Asian Handicap at [2.03].Nurnberg to sink deeper into troubleMainz v NurnbergSaturday 26 January, 14:30Live on Betfair Live VideoPerhaps we shouldn’t be surprised, given the size of their budget, but Nurnberg are in serious danger of going straight back down just a season after winning promotion. In terms of quality, they are the weakest side I’ve seen at this level for a long time, and coach Michael Kollner (who has no prior experience at Bundesliga level) has struggled to get any consistency out of his charges. Nurnberg are rock-bottom, having scored just 15 goals and having leaked an eye-watering 41. They finished 2018 by taking just a point from their final eight matches.Mainz have had no such issues, and are well clear of the dropzone. They won their opening game of the year 3-2 at Stuttgart, and have lost just two of their last nine top-flight matches. Even though they have won just one of their last seven league games at the Opel Arena, it’s worth bearing in mind that sequence includes narrow defeats to Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, and they should have enough to beat a Nurnberg side that has claimed just two points on the road all season.Foals to stay stable at homeBorussia Monchengladbach v AugsburgSaturday 26 January, 14:30Live on Betfair Live VideoBorussia Monchengladbach made the perfect start to 2019, as they won 1-0 at Bayer Leverkusen in a Rhineland derby. They were outplayed at times, but they defended superbly, and Alassane Plea took the winning goal in the kind of clinical manner he’s played with all season.Now the Foals will look to extend their Bundesliga winning streak at Borussia Park to 12 matches, an incredible sequence that stretches back to early April. They have scored at least twice in all 11 of those victories, and haven’t conceded more than once in any of them.Having firmly established themselves as a Bundesliga club since winning promotion in 2011, Augsburg are facing their most exacting relegation battle for quite some time. The Swabians haven’t won any of their last nine matches, and they have lost six of the last eight. Coach Manuel Baum has been openly critical of his players, and he needs to turn things around soon.That recovery is unlikely to happen on Saturday though, and I expect the Foals to take another step towards Champions League qualification.

2018-19 Bundesliga P/L Points Staked: 56Points Returned: 59.9P/L: +3.9 points

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365footballorg-blog · 6 years ago

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Players who debuted as players and managers in the same club

The appointment of Thierry Henry as Monaco manager gave him the rare opportunity to start his managerial career with the same club that made his professional debut. Fox Sports Asia picked out seven famous managers who achieved this feat before Henry.

#7. Ryan Giggs – Manchester United

Ryan Giggs spent his entire playing career with Manchester United and when he hung up his boots, he was the most decorated player players in club football history.

The 2013/14 season was Giggs’ final season as a player and at the start of the season, he was given the role of a player-coach under David Moyes. When Moyes was sacked in April 2014, Giggs took over as the club’s interim player-manager until the end of the season and he won two, drew one and lost one in the final four games of the season.

The Welshman served as assistant manager to Lous van Gaal in the next two seasons before he was appointed the manager of the Wales National Team earlier this year.

#6. Fernando Santos – Estoril

Portugal manager, Fernando Santos, spent his entire undistinguished playing career in his native country representing Estoril barring one season.

In 1987, immediately after retiring, he was appointed the assistant manager of Estoril and the following year, he was promoted to manager. With him at the helm, the club returned to the top flight in 1991.

Santos left Estori in 1994 and has since notably managed Porto, Sporting, Benfica, Greece and Portugal. He was appointed Portugal manager in 2014 and won the Euro 2016 which is Portugal’s only major international trophy.

#5. Giovanni Trapattoni – AC Milan

Except for the final season of his playing career, Giovanni Trapattoni spent his entire playing career with AC Milan winning six trophies including two European Cups.

In 1972, post-retirement, Trapattoni began coaching as a youth team coach with Milan before becoming the caretaker coach in 1974. In the 1975/76 season, he was once again appointed the club’s manager until the end of the season.

Despite being a Milan legend as a player, Trapattoni’s managerial legacy is with Juventus. He was appointed the club’s manager in 1976 and held the post for a decade winning 13 trophies including a European Cup. The Italian has also managed Inter Milan, Bayern Munich, Cagliari, Fiorentina, Benfica, Stuttgart and Italy in an illustrious career.

#4. Bobby Robson – Fulham

Bobby Robson is one of the greatest English managers of all-time. Robson spent the majority of his playing career with Fulham on either side of a six-year spell with West Brom. After retirement, he was offered the chance to manage Fulham in 1968 but he couldn’t save the club from relegation and he was sacked in less than a year.

Robson took over as Ipswich town manager in 1969 and held the post till 1982 when he was appointed the manager of England football team. He was in charge of England for eight years before moving abroad to manage PSV Eindhoven, Sporting CP, Porto and Barcelona.

#3. Jupp Heynckes – Borussia Monchengladbach

Bayern Munich’s treble-winning manager, Jupp Heynckes, spent all but three seasons of his playing career with Borussia Monchengladbach. The former German international was a prolific striker who scored who scored 296 goals in 470 games while playing for Gladbach and Hannover in the Bundesliga.

After his playing career, Heynckes served Gladbach as an assistant manager before taking over as manager in 1979. In his first season, he took them to the final of the UEFA Cup final which they lost but five years later, he won the same trophy. His first job as manager lasted eight years and he had six trophies to show for it including four league titles.

The German also managed Bayern Munich, Athletic Bilbao, Real Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, Schalke, Benfica and Tenerife in a trophy-laden career.

Heynckes had a second stint with Gladbach in 2006 but after 14-straight Bundesliga matches without a win, he resigned six months into the season. The club, however, couldn’t avoid relegation at the end of the season.

#2. Pep Guardiola – Barcelona

Pep Guardiola has been a manager for only a decade and yet its incredibly difficult to look past him when you’re asked who is the greatest manager of the 21st century. Guardiola was a product of La Masia and played for the first team between 1990 and 2001 before retiring from his playing career in 2006.

In 2007, he was appointed the manager of the Barcelona B team and the following year, he was promoted to manager of the first team. He was the manager of the Barcelona team for four incredibly successful years during which they won 14 trophies including the unprecedented sextuple in 2009.

When Guardiola left Barcelona, he had a win percentage of 72.5 and had created one of the greatest football teams ever. A year after leaving Barcelona, he took over as the manager of Bayern Munich before joining Manchester City in 2016.

The Spaniard won the Premier League last season at the end of a record-breaking season and that took his trophy tally as a manager to 24 trophies in nine years.

#1. Johan Cruyff – Ajax

Johan Cruyff is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all-time and he was the most famous exponent of the total football philosophy. He is one of the most influential people in football history and his style of play and philosophy has influenced some of the game’s greatest managers including Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger, Arrigo Sacchi and Pep Guardiola.

Cruyff started his professional career with Ajax and scored 265 goals for them in only 325 games before joining Barcelona in 1973. He was with the Catalan club for five seasons and returned to Ajax in 1981 before hanging up his boots in 1984.

In 1985, Cruyff started his managerial career with Ajax and he implemented his attacking philosophy and emphasis on youth academies at the club in a short span. Cruyff’s system was so successful that in 1995, Ajax won the Champions League using it.

After leaving Ajax, Cruyff also managed Barcelona and the influence he had at the Catalan club was huge. The plethora of talented youngsters that came through La Masia and the incredible style of play adopted by the team in recent years are all a result of the foundations laid by the great Dutch player and manager.

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Players who debuted as players and managers in the same club was originally published on 365 Football

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latestnews2018-blog · 6 years ago

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A new dawn at Arsenal

New Post has been published on https://latestnews2018.com/a-new-dawn-at-arsenal/

A new dawn at Arsenal

Wenger has gone. It could be bumpy and fans have no option but to trust in new man Emery

London: The first thing to make clear is that the man charged with reviving Arsenal is not the Spanish equivalent of David Moyes.

The second is that for any comparison with Manchester United’s struggle to adapt to life after Sir Alex Ferguson to hold, Arsene Wenger would have had to leave his successor a title-winning team, rather than one that failed to win an away game until the final day of last season.

If Unai Emery’s task is daunting, it is only because the previous boss was well past his glorious peak.

Whereas United’s travails since Ferguson’s retirement in 2013 have exposed their structural failings, the unfortunate truth is that decay had taken hold at Arsenal long before the announcement of Wenger’s departure on 20 April. The folly of telling the Wenger Out brigade to be careful what they wished for whenever dissatisfaction rose had become impossible to ignore.

How, after all, did it make sense for Arsenal to turn a blind eye to Wenger’s decline simply because United hired Moyes? It was a disingenuous argument, a counterproductive way of thinking and a waste of time. As long as the status quo remained in place, there was no way for Arsenal to make real progress.

The price of inertia is that the squad Wenger left behind was the worst of his 22-year reign, which at least means that Emery can start with expectations at a realistic level. Arsenal missed out on Champions League qualification again last season and they will have to re-establish themselves in the top four before thinking about winning their first title since 2004.

That explains why there was little grumbling when Wenger left with a year remaining on his contract. It will be strange not to see the Frenchman in the dugout when Manchester City visit the Emirates on the opening weekend but the time had come for Arsenal to innovate — and it is telling that Emery’s title is head coach, with Raul Sanllehi and Sven Mislintat placed in charge of transfers. This project is Ivan Gazidis’s baby. The club’s chief executive, who was linked with a move to Milan last week, finds himself in a strong position in north London, having found a manager willing to work under his structure.

Crucially, Arsenal have had a while to adjust. Emery was in place less than a fortnight after Wenger’s final game, allowing the Spaniard a full summer to work with his new squad, and it will be fascinating to see if the 46-year-old is capable of invigorating a team who have been crying out for more direction. Vague tactics have led to Arsenal becoming flimsy, immature and prone to collapse at the first sign of trouble.

While it might have been braver for them to press ahead with their early interest in Mikel Arteta, who has received quite the education as part of Pep Guardiola’s entourage at City, it is worth keeping in mind that the 36-year-old would have been learning on the job. Could Arsenal afford a gamble when they have already fallen so far behind their rivals? Not when Emery was regarded as the safer choice.

Perhaps that does not reflect too well on Arsenal. They have gone for experience but they have not appointed a sure thing. Emery is not a genius like Guardiola, a forceful personality like Jurgen Klopp or a ruthless winner like Jose Mourinho. He has won more than Tottenham’s Mauricio Pochettino and Chelsea’s Maurizio Sarri, true, but even his achievement of leading Paris St-Germain to a domestic treble last season comes with the caveat that he lost the title to Monaco in his first season in France and made no impression in the Champions League.

Equally, however, PSG’s financial advantage can magnify their setbacks. Perhaps it was the wrong fit for Emery. His reputation as a demanding football obsessive might have stopped him from connecting with PSG’s egotists but it has helped him flourish in less suffocating environments. The experience of achieving three consecutive Europa League triumphs at Sevilla should prove helpful as Arsenal prepare for another Thursday-Sunday schedule.

Above all, Arsenal have turned to a coach who will work relentlessly on his players’ weaknesses, which should benefit stagnating youngsters such as Hector Bellerin, Calum Chambers, Rob Holding and Alex Iwobi. There will be more intensity and Emery, who seems likely to favour a 4-2-3-1 system, has spoken about shifting the emphasis from dominating possession to showing remorseless hunger off the ball.

A new Arsenal are gradually starting to take form. There has been no major clear-out yet — Jack Wilshere has moved to West Ham after being told his opportunities would be limited and Santi Cazorla has returned to Villarreal in search of a fresh start — but the tweaks Emery has made so far show where he wants to improve.

The arrival of Stephan Lichtsteiner, the experienced Swiss right back, on a free transfer from Juventus should harden a naive side, while Arsenal have looked to toughen their soft centre with the pounds 17.7m signing of the Greece centre-back Sokratis Papastathopoulos from Borussia Dortmund and the pounds 26.5m signing of the talented Uruguayan midfielder Lucas Torreira from Sampdoria. Bernd Leno is expected to take the No1 spot from Petr Cech after joining from Bayern Leverkusen for pounds 19.2m, while Matteo Guendouzi, a 19-year-old French midfielder, is one for the future after signing for pounds 7m from Lorient.

That, however, is that as far as new signings are concerned. Funds are limited, meaning that Arsenal have required a focused approach, and Emery could find himself itching to replace a few members of his squad soon.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette could form a potent partnership in attack, Aaron Ramsey offers goals and energy from midfield and Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Reiss Nelson and Konstantinos Mavropanos showed promise last season. However, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Mesut Ozil are not as consistent as their equivalents elsewhere, Danny Welbeck has struggled to stay fit, Granit Xhaka can be rash in central midfield, Shkodran Mustafi has toiled at centre-back, Laurent Koscielny is injured and Sead Kolasinac and Nacho Monreal are unconvincing options at left-back. There are holes to fill and a lack of quality depth.

Framed in that way, Emery has his work cut out and it remains to be seen if Arsenal have made up enough ground on their rivals. These, ultimately, are uncertain times in north London and it will only take a couple of bad results for people to start questioning the wisdom of parting with Wenger. But there is no going back, no room for doubt or panic, even if it is painful at first. In Ivan, Raul, Sven and Unai they have to trust. They have no other option.

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kevkesblog · 5 years ago

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Translation: Marco Reus and Julian Brandt play “Who are you!?” for BVB TV (Published: April 13, 2020)

Rules: Marco and Julian get some hints about BVB players and they have to guess who among the players do these hints belong.

Round 1

Tip 1: I made my Bundesliga debut against VfL Bochum.

Marco: It’s me.

Correct!

Ju: So the question answered itself (laughs).

Round 2

Tip 1: BVB is my third club in my career.

Tip 2: I scored one Bundesliga goal thus far.

Tip 3: I got two fellow country-men in my team.

Marco: I have somebody in mind, but I don’t know where he played elsewhere… (thinks) No, I can’t be him. He scored one Bundesliga goal, right?

Yes.

Marco: Marvin Hitz.

Julian: He did score once, right!?

Correct!

Marco: YEEESSS!

Julian: He did a header goal right! It was against us! (laughs) Back in Leverkusen. (laughs)

Round 3

Tip 1: I’m still waiting for my professional debut for BVB.

Tip 2: My profiles name on Instagram has the jersey number from Zagadou in it.

Tip 3: I transfered from FC Barcelona to BVB.

Julian: Mateo Morey.

Correct! 2-1.

Round 4:

Tip 1: I scored my first goal during my first game for BVB.

Tip 2: I recieved two Fritz-Walter-Medals.

Julian: Thats me!

Correct!

Marco: Did you really score in your first BVB game? Against who?

Julian: Augsburg. Because I was injured during the Super Cup.

Round 5:

Tip 1: Before every game I drink an Espresso. I take some rest. I shower and listen to music.

Marco: I was thinking about one when I heard Espresso.

Tip 2: I scored my up to this date only Bundesliga goal against Nuremberg.

Tip 3: My sister is sitting in Parliament of the swiss cantone of Zurich.

Julian: ��Manu [Akanji].

Correct!

Marco: Really!? How can I not know that!

Julian: This sister thing was a bit to cheap for me. I thought this… perhaps misleads us, but he told me once that he scored against Nurmberg. The seventh goal was his (laughs)…

Marco: Yeah, right…

Julian: I can still remember that one.

Ok. 2-3 now.

Round 6:

Tip 1: I’m the first player from my country playing for BVB.

Tip 2: BVB suggested jersey number 9 to me. But I took a different one.

Tip 3: Last season, I was the only BVB player, playing all 34 Bundesliga games.

Julian: Jadon [Sancho] !?

Correct!

Round 7:

Tip 1: My father is an IT professor.

Tip 2: I recieved the Fritz Walter medal in gold in 2009 and 2010.

Marco: Mario [Götze]

Correct!

Round 8:

Tip 1: I will become a father in 2020 for the first time.

Marco: Achraf Hakimi.

Correct!

Julian: There were only two choices possible. Manu or Achraf.

Marco: Yeah, right…. Holy smokes!

Julian: But we already had Manu… yeah.

Ok, finaly round.

Round 9:

Tip 1: I’m an under 19 european champion.

Marco: Mo Dahoud!

That’s correct!

FINAL SCORE:

Source: BVB TV

#julianbrandt #julian brandt #marcoreus #marco reus #bvb #borussiadortmund #dfb #diemannschaft #German NT

18 notes · View notes

walkonwalkonwithhopeinyourheart · 8 years ago

Text

YOU'LL NEVER WILDLY SPECULATE ALONE via /r/LiverpoolFC

YOU'LL NEVER WILDLY SPECULATE ALONE

Well, that was a hell of a ride. Congrats to Jurgen, the boys, and the owners on what has to be considered a great season. Never before has a team finished with 75 points and not made it into the top 4, so to make it in this year is a huge win, regardless of what they naysayers claim.

That being said, we all know that the real fun comes after the final whistle on the last match day. Silly season is about to hit full swing, so that means that we need our usual transfer thread, where we put everything in one place, no matter how implausible it may seem. That's right, Messi to Liverpool from someone's gran's gardener's twitter? In it goes. The 13-year-old wunderkind from East Croatia that's obviously better than Hendo? Let's talk about it. A seemingly plausible transfer that works for both clubs and the player in question? Get real; we don't do that shit here.

After all, this is:

YOU'LL NEVER WILDLY SPECULATE ALONE

Here's how this will work: I will update this thread as regularly as possible to keep all of the transfer talk/gossip/bullshit as contained as possible. It should act as your one stop shop. I will do what I can to provide a brief synopsis for the players that are in, out, and in between. All information is ranked according to the Transfer Reliability Guide. Tables will be ordered by the most recent news, and I will indicate updates in any situation in the brief synopsis, and, if it makes sense, update the links related to that player. Please check the last box to see whether or not it's actually reliable. You are welcome to post any new rumors here in comments and I will add them in as I have time.

YNWSA will be broken down into 5 sections: Speculation (In), Speculation (Out), Confirmed (In), Confirmed (Out), and Not Happening.

If you have any suggestions, feel free to DM me or post them in comments.

Speculation (In)

Player Date Position Rumoured Fee Rumor Reliability Ryan Sessengnon May 17, 2017 LB £15M Sessegnon top LB target Most Reliable (Pearce) Michael Keane May 9, 2017 £15M-£25M CB/RB van Dijk not Keane tops Liverpool wishlist Most Reliable (Pearce) Mohamed Salah May 9, 2017 AM N/A Liverpool move on from Brandt Very Reliable (Reddy) Douglas Costa April 24, 2017 AM N/A Random Twitter Page Literal Lies Virgil Van Dijk April 22, 2017 CB £50 M+ Multiple Transfer Targets Most Reliable (Pearce) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain April 22, 2017 AM £20M-£35M Multiple Transfer Targets Most Reliable (Pearce) Andrew Robertson April, 21 2017 LB £8M Liverpool Linked with Hull Defender Very Unreliable (This is Anfield, The Mirror) Marco Asensio April 20, 2017 AM ~£42M Madrid Reject Offer for Asensio Very Unreliable (The Independent) Kaidou Koulibaly April 16, 2017 CB N/A Possible option if Liverpool miss out on van Dijk Very Reliable (Reddy) Christian Pullisic April15, 2017 AM £30M+ Liverpool and Bayern to try and get Pulisic Very Unreliable (The Mirror) James Rodriguez April 1, 2017 AM N/A Rodriguez to leave Madrid for more playing time Very Unreliable (The Mirror) Naby Keita March 1, 2017 CM £26M Liverpool targeting Leipzig’s dynamo Naby Keita Very Relaible (Reddy) Julian Brandt January 10, 2017 AM ~£20M Liverpool Eye German Ace Most Reliable (Pearce)

Liverpool have been linked with a lot of exciting names this year, but the most common one is probably Virgil van Dijk, who allegedly agreed to move to Liverpool if they qualified for Champion's League, but the basis of that stems from a blog, rather than a viable news source. The pull of Jurgen Klopp may help, but there’s concerns from journalists like James Pearce that think he could be tempted to London.

Ryan Sessengnon has emerged as the main target for LB this off-season. with Alberto Moreno certainly moving on, it seems like the battle for the LB position will be between James Milner and Sessengnon.

Klopp struck down the rumors regarding a move for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in January, however, now that Arsenal are out of Champion’s League, and with only a year left on his contract, he is being considered as a depth option.

Mohamed Salah of Roma is a possible target after the Egyptian scored 19 goals across all competitions this season. While this news will annoy some fans, who wrongly believe that Salah snubbed Liverpool to go to Chelsea, the reality is that Chelsea agreed to a deal with Salah’s then-club Basel before Liverpool did. It’s also likely that Salah has emerged as a target with Julian Brandt likely to stay at Leverkusen.

Naby Keita has also been consistently linked with LFC, but so far Redbull has been coy over the midfielder’s chances of leaving, as he is under contract until 2020. Redbull have the ability to play hardball with anyone who wants the Guinea International services. According to reports from Germany, it will cost £26M to pry Keita away. This information comes by way of the Metro, but has also been published on Liverpoolfc.com on March 18th.

Kaidou Koulibaly, currently of Napoli, is supposedly a potential target if Liverpool are unable to secure Virgil van Dijk's services. With Napoli also interested in Mamadou Sakho, I'm sure we'll hear a lot about a straight swap this summer.

Moves for Luan and Douglas Costa are both incredibly unlikely to materialize, as our sources on either of those are a site that links back to itself for the original source and a random twitter page, respectively.

Julian Brandt has allegedly planned to turn down any moves to clubs where he won’t be a guaranteed starter, so that he can continue his growth. It’s likely that he stays at Leverkusen.

Michael Keane is supposedly on the radar in case we miss out on other high profile signings, like van Dijk and Koulibaly.

Robertson likely has some potential to become an actual deal if Liverpool miss out on Sessegnon.

While I would love James Rodriguez to come to Anfield, I don't know that this move makes a lot of sense for him, as we're pretty stacked in most of our CM and AM roles, and he allegedly wants more guaranteed playing time, which might be hard to get.

The rumors around Pulisic likely stem from last summer when he hadn't signed a new deal yet.

Speculation (Out)

Player Date Position Rumoured Fee/Desired Amount Rumor Reliability Mamadou Sakho May 15, 2017 CB £30M Sakho to Palace Very Reliable (The Guardian) Mamadou Sakho April 14, 2017 CB £30M Roma, Southampton, and Napoli want Sakho Very Reliable (Reddy) Alberto Moreno April 22, 2017 LB £12M Expected to move on Most Reliable (Pearce)

Players almost certainly leaving this year include Mamadou Sakho and Alberto Moreno.

Now that our friendship with Sakho is over and Matip is our new best friend, it looks likely that the Sakho will be moved on elsewhere. With Palace wanting him on a permanent basis, but failing to put an option to purchase clause in the loan deal, there are a number of interested clubs, both inside and outside of England. If Liverpool can sell him abroad, they will almost certainly prefer that to a team that could see him punish them twice a season.

Alberto Moreno is likely to move on, as most consider it best for both parties. His development has stuttered to a halt after being displaced by a midfielder, and indications are that he may head back to Spain, with Liverpool hoping to get their money back from when they bought him for £12M.

Confirmed (In)

Player Date Position Rumoured Fee Official Link

Confirmed (Out)

Player Date Position Rumoured Fee Official Link

Not Happening

Player Position Team Phillipe Coutinho CM/AM Barcelona

Coutinho is not going to Barcelona just yet. With Klopp apparently telling Coutinho that a statue will be put up if he stays here, and Phil supposedly saying that, "speculation is for journalists", it appears likely that Coutinho is not planning on heading to Spain anytime soon.