#hottest coach on the premier league

[sleazyjanet]

i mean, he IS the hottest coach on the premier league

Listen. I know they’re all pissed at him. But let’s be honest, the Himbos absolutely take it in turns posting a ‘Nate Shelley went from I’ll have your daughter home by ten to Your daughter calls me daddy too’ meme once a week, minimum.

(They @ him every time as well. Nate is simultaneously furious, flattered, and writhing in hell.)

[ur-mag]

How Xabi Alonso has transformed Bayer Leverkusen and which Premier League club would suit him best

XABI ALONSO is now firmly established as the hottest young coach in world football. The former Spain maestro has been in charge of the German side Read Full Text

[rmfantasysetpieces1]

Napoli's forward Victor Osimhen eyes the ball during the Italian Serie A football match between Empoli FC and SSC Napoli at the Carlo Castellani stadium in Empoli on Feb. 25. ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

How lowly Napoli became one of Europe’s best soccer teams by tearing up the business rule book Eric Reguly ERIC REGULYEUROPEAN BUREAU CHIEF ROME

When Maradona propelled SSC Napoli, an enduring mediocrity of Serie A football since it was formed in 1926, to the top of the Italian league in 1987, Naples erupted in street parties that went around the clock for days. Neapolitans were so thrilled by their first-ever scudetto that they took to teasing the dead. “You don’t know what you’re missing,” they scrawled on the walls of cemeteries.

After winning its second scudetto in 1990, Napoli, in its post-Maradona years, went into gradual decline followed by humiliating collapse. It was relegated to Serie B, then to third-tier Serie C. The debt-soaked team was declared bankrupt in 2004, an extraordinary fall from grace for one of Europe’s most famous football clubs in one of the continent’s most passionate football cities.

Today, Napoli is not just the hottest team in Italy, it is one of the hottest in the world. It is well on its way to winning its third scudetto – only an act of God would allow second-place Inter Milan to come out on top – and is a contender to win the UEFA Champions League. Napoli has already trounced a few of the best teams in Europe; it utterly destroyed Ajax 6-1 in October, leaving Dutch fans stunned. As of this week, only mighty Bayern Munich had more points.

How to explain the apparently miraculous turnaround?

Napoli’s renaissance is as much a business story as a coaching story. In short, the team learned how to do more with less – because it had virtually nothing to play with. It actually reduced its payroll recently, bucking the trend of paying the GDP of small countries to buy superstars. Napoli is a superstar-free zone, though a couple of its young hotshot players, most bought on the cheap, have the potential to achieve that status.

An unlikely football fanatic, movie mogul Aurelio De Laurentiis, formed a new company to lift Napoli out of bankruptcy 19 years ago. He promised financial stability, after which a rebuilding campaign could start.

At first, Neapolitans, a notoriously cynical though outgoing crowd, were non-believers. What did a film guy know about football? (I refuse to call the game “soccer” since football is actually played with the feet.) Mr. De Laurentiis is the nephew of legendary Italian producer Dino De Laurentiis and an accomplished producer in his own right (Woody Allen’s Bullets Over Broadway, David Lynch’s Blue Velvet).

As owner and chairman, he surprised everyone. Napoli’s renaissance was gradual but compelling, bolstered by a few acquisitions at bargain prices. The early standout buy was Uruguayan Edinson Cavani, who was picked up for a mere €17-million. Between 2011 and 2013, he scored an amazing 52 goals for Napoli, establishing himself as the league’s premier striker. The team returned to Serie A. It won the Coppa Italia, the annual knockout competition, in 2012. Napoli was back from the dead and rising in the ranks, but the scudetto – Italian football’s ultimate prize – still proved elusive.

In a bold effort to come out on top and appease the ghost of Maradona, who died in 2020, Mr. De Laurentiis tore up the rule book.

It said you had to pay big money for big stars, even if there was a risk they were past their prime. Some of the prices teams pay are eye-popping. Paris Saint-Germain paid €222-million for Neymar in 2017; a year later, the team bought Kylian Mbappé for €180-million, and Barcelona bought Philippe Countinho for €145-million.

Mr. De Laurentiis did precisely the opposite, but he needed help to launch his risky strategy. Two years ago, he recruited a new manager, Luciano Spalletti, who had successful, if sometimes spotty, careers at several Italian clubs, including Roma and Inter Milan, but had never won a scudetto. By the time he landed at Napoli, he was in his early 60s and apparently decided it was now or never.

Together, they sold most of their prominent, older players, including Lorenzo Insigne, a hometown boy who last year went to Toronto FC, and Dries Mertens, who had been Napoli’s all-time top scorer. They cut more than €10-million from their already low wage bill, and Napoli fans were aghast. Mr. Spalletti’s beloved little Fiat Panda was stolen. Maniacal fans (known as Ultras) put up a banner saying the car would be returned if he quit the team.

At that point, Napoli’s bosses apparently borrowed a lesson from the book and film of the same name Moneyball (starring Brad Pitt) and used data analytics and adventurous scouting to find undervalued players in overlooked parts of the planet. In came South Korean Kim Min-jae, Macedonian Eljif Elmas, Mexico’s Hirving (Chucky) Lozano and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia from Georgia (two years earlier, they bought Victor Osimhen of Nigeria, one of the best strikers in the world).

The fresh, young lineup, combined with Mr. Spalletti’s penchant for un-Italian, free-flowing, attacking football proved sensational. Mr. Kvaratskhelia, who is only 22 and was bought for a reported €10-million – cab fare by Premier League or La Liga standards – from Georgian club Dinamo Batumi, has Napoli fans in awe. “Kvaradona,” as he is already known, is one of Serie A’s top scorers.

With Serie A all but locked up, and Napoli’s gun sights aimed at the Champions League target, the team has captured the imagination of Europeans, who see an underdog team battling its way to the top. Maradona would be proud. For the money men and women of any professional sport, there is a lesson in Napoli. You don’t necessarily need buckets of money to succeed. Sometimes imagination and the courage to break the rules can do the trick.

ARTICLE

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/commentary/article-ssc-napoli-business-management/

#RMSoccer

IN AMENDMENT

The problem with articles like these is the assumption this hasn’t been tried before. In futebol’s history many teams have tried this. the truth is, no system is perfect and all systems tend to lead to neutral. Napoli got lucky. Like barca got lucky with that team from la masia. the plan is great when its best result happens. But the general plan can be disastrous. 

[thecollegefootballguy]

2019 Group of 5 Coaching Power Rankings

Welcome back to the coaching power rankings: where I go conference by conference to appraise each head coach and compare him to his peers.

Except I’m not doing that here. I’m sorry, I love the G5, but I’m just not gonna rank every coach from the MAC and C-USA. I don’t have enough to say about them. So instead, I do a top ten of the best head men at this level.

One fun side effect about smashing the G5 (and relevant independents) together is that there’s fierce competition. It’s real tough to crack the top ten here, and to do so means you’re essentially one of the best coaches in the nation. After all, it’s harder to win at many of the G5 schools than it is at the P5 level.

I’ve adjusted a few of my metrics from last year, so the rankings would have moved anyway independent of how these men coached in 2019. But, combined with 2019′s results, and there’s more fluidity in these rankings compared to the P5 conferences.

Here is a link to last year’s rankings if you want to read those.

Scott Satterfield (last year’s #8) got the Louisville job, so he’s out of the running by joining the Power 5. Rod Carey (#7), meanwhile, got bumped out of his spot even though he won the MAC Championship in his final season at Northern Illinois. It’s a tough to stay in the top ten.

Honorable Mentions: Josh Heupel, Rod Carey, Dana Holgorsen, Mike Norvell, Willie Fritz, Lane Kiffin, Butch Davis, Bobby Wilder, Bill Clark, Lance Leipold, Chris Creighton, Jeff Tedford, and Jeff Monken

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10. Craig Bohl

Record at Wyoming: 28-35 Overall Record: 132-67 Division Championships: 1 (2016)

Movement: N/A

I really should have had Bohl on the list the whole time, but I believe my corrected metrics have fixed the issue. Bohl, of course, is the current head coach of the Wyoming Cowboys. He was the man who turned North Dakota State into North Dakota State, taking the Bison from D-II to winning three consecutive national championships at the FCS level. Since moving to Laramie, he has revived Wyoming into a competent competitor in the Mountain West, with a high point coming in 2016. He hasn’t replicated the staggering success he had in Fargo, but he’s turned a sad sack into a quality G5 program, and he’s still building.

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9. Blake Anderson

Record at Arkansas State: 39-25 Division Championships: 1 (2018) Conference Championships: 2 (2015, 2016)

Movement: Up 1 spot

Arkansas State is the most consistent performer in the Sun Belt with native son Blake Anderson at the helm. Anderson’s Red Wolves tied for the West Division title in its first season in existence. With Scott Satterfield and Neal Brown gone, ASU has a golden opportunity to reestablish themselves as the premier program in the league.

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8.  Doc Holliday

Record at Marshall: 70-46 Division Championships: 2 (2013, 2014) Conference Championships: 1 (2014)

Movement: Down 2 spots

Doc Holliday keeps plugging along as one of the best coaches in Conference USA. Marshall went 9-4 in 2018 and finished second in the East Division. The Thundering Herd have been one of the better teams in lower tier (MAC, Sun Belt, CUSA) in the last ten years thanks to Holliday’s careful oversight.

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7. Mike Houston

Overall Record: 80-25

Movement: N/A

East Carolina poached one of the hottest names in the FCS when they got Mike Houston to leave James Madison for Greenville. Houston brought the Dukes to back to back 14-1 seasons and a national championship in 2016. He’s familiar with the area, having coached in Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina at various levels. It’ll be very exciting to see what he can do for an ECU program that has been pretty awful of late.

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6. Ken Niumatalolo

Record at Navy: 87-58 Division Championships: 2 (2015, 2016)

Movement: Down 2 spots

Boy I don’t think anybody thought Navy was going 3-10 in 2018 this time last year. It was a pretty big shock because the Midshipmen had been playing so well for so long under celebrated head coach Ken Niumatalolo. It wasn’t enough to take him out of the top ten, but it knocked him down a couple spots. I don’t expect Navy to remain bad for long, Niumatalolo is a great coach and should have them stabilized soon enough.

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5. Rick Stockstill

Record at Middle Tennessee: 87-78 Division Championships: 1 (2018) Conference Championships: 1 (2006)

Movement: Same

Rick Stockstill seems to have the #5 spot written into his contract, this is his third consecutive season in the five hole. The Blue Raiders claimed their first ever division title last year while going 8-6. They never are among the top teams in the G5 (or even in CUSA), but they remain a consistent threat despite major institutional disadvantages.

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4. Skip Holtz

Record at Louisiana Tech: 46-33 Overall Record: 134-104 Division Championships: 2 (2014, 2016)

Movement: Up 5 spots

One of the real benefactors of me adjusting my metrics was Skip Holtz. Louisiana Tech went a perfectly respectable 8-5 in 2015, but that shouldn’t be enough to vault him this high. It was more his overall success in Ruston over the past few years that helped make his case as one of the premier coaches in the G5. Every year LA Tech is one of the favorites to win the C-USA, and Holtz has done a bang up job in his time with the Bulldogs.

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3. Rocky Long

Record at San Diego State: 71-35 Record Overall: 136-104 Division Championships: 2 (2015, 2016) Conference Championships: 3 (2012, 2015, 2016)

Movement: Down 1 spot

It was a painful but necessary move to bump down Rocky Long out of the top two. Long has been incredibly successful in his time at San Diego State, but last year’s 7-6 campaign was fairly disappointing given the double digit win seasons the Aztecs had accrued in the previous three years.

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2. Bryan Harsin

Record at Boises State: 52-15 Record Overall: 59-20 Division Championships: 4 (2014, 2016, 2017, 2018) Conference Championships: 2 (2014, 2017)

Movement: Up 1 spot

Boise State is Boise State, so the head coach naturally would have a great record. Still, it seems like Bryan Harsin is on the verge of something big here. The Broncos have won 10+ games for the past three seasons, the depth chart is filled out, and recruiting has picked up. The path is wide open for success. If BSU can stay consistent (so far a big if) we’re looking at a return to 12-1 and 13-0 seasons.

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1. Frank Solich

Record at Ohio: 106-75 Record Overall: 164-94 Division Championships: 4 (2006, 2009, 2011, 2016)

Movement: Same

Frank Solich remains the best coach in the G5. Ohio has had steady success in the MAC ever since he stepped foot on campus. The Bobcats might have been the best team in the conference in 2018, given their thrashing of Buffalo, but they were already out of the race due to unfortunate three points losses to NIU and Miami. Oh well, better luck next year. As long as my man Frank is Ohio’s coach I know they’ll have a chance.

-

Final Tally

AAC: 2 C-USA: 3 MAC: 1 MWC: 3 Sun Belt: 1

[bunkershotgolf]

TGA Infrastructure Investment Streamlines Golf Participation Growth

TGA Premier Golf (TGA) completed a $750,000 infrastructure investment to streamline operations.

TGA Premier Golf has 58 franchises in 43 markets across 22 states delivering after school programs, camps, family events, leagues and physical education programs. The investment helps facilitate growth for current franchises and lays the foundation for future expansion strategies including 44-60 new franchises and increasing the number of programs from 3,800 to 6,500 by 2022.

Curriculum buildout included aligning TGA’s curriculum to the American Development Model (ADM) framework created by the U.S. Olympic Committee, incorporation of STEAM (science technology engineering art mathematics) and segmenting each class into three elements, Teach Grow and Achieve. Marketing initiatives rolled out included email automation, syndicated newsletter campaigns and database segmentation to deliver golf content to students and families, a media manager system for marketing templates, SEO optimization, and launching of a TGA blog tool and a seamless customer feedback system. Coaches training was automated online using the same class structure, and additional training was added to increase skill development of participants faster.

“This buildout was critical to our future growth of new franchises and helping our existing franchises grow golf participation more efficiently,” said company founder and CEO Joshua Jacobs. “Working closely with our franchise owners, we listened to their goals of impacting more families and communities, thus increasing the value of their businesses. We are now on a pathway to register our 700,000th student by 2021.”

TGA Premier Golf is making a mark in the golf industry. 68% of TGA participants and their families are new to the sport and TGA funnels 42% of its total participants to golf facilities spurring growth at the grassroots and golf course levels.

On the business side, Entrepreneur Media recognized the company among its Franchise 500®, Top Low-Cost Franchises, Top New Franchise, Top 10 Franchise Value, and one of the Hottest Franchises of 2018. Franchise Business Review also voted TGA a Top Franchise and Franchise Rankings named TGA on their Best Franchise Opportunities list.

TGA has created a unique opportunity for entrepreneurs and golf professionals passionate about sports, youth and their community to own a sports franchise and become vested in the success of families and students by changing lives through golf. TGA programs provide a fun, healthy and safe environment through multi-level, station-based learning curriculums that promote progressive skill development in golf along with incorporating academic subjects.

For more information on TGA Premier Sports, visit www.playtga.com and follow @TGA_Sports on Twitter.

[raweewann]

TRANSFER MARKET - BASTONI, LEAO, INZAGHI, GRAVENBERCH, TORREIRA: THE 5 NEGOTIATIONS YOU MISSED TODAY

TRANSFER MARKET - Bastoni requested by Manchester United, Real ready to attack Leao, Inzaghi close to renewal with Inter, Gravenberch at Bayern Munich and Juventus on Torreira. Here are the 5 hottest deals of the day. The Inter defender has many admirers in the Premier League, in particular the new Manchester United coach Ten Hag who would like the Italian in his rear guard at all costs. The offer of 60 million addressed to Inter could already be adequate to win the player, but watch out for possible relaunches from Tottenham and Manchester City. สล็อตpg เว็บตรง ไม่ผ่านเอเย่นต์

[ssportsnews]

"Bruce is in charge of Tottenham Hotspur!"...Newcastle's official position on continued sacking rumors 먹튀검증

먹튀검증먹튀사이트먹튀검증사이트먹튀 검증  먹튀 사이트 먹튀 검증 사이트

The Newcastle United board has taken a firm stand on the ongoing sacking rumors.

Newcastle will play the 8th round of the English Premier League (EPL) against Tottenham Hotspur at St James' Park in Northeast Tyneweir on the 18th at 12:30 am (Korean time). Newcastle are in 19th place with 3 points (3 draws and 4 losses), while Tottenham are in 8th place with 12 points (4 wins and 3 losses).

Newcastle hasn't won a single win since the season started, but it's in a festive mood right now. Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund (PIF) acquired Newcastle. PIF is a consortium owned by Mohammed bin Salman with estimated assets of £320 billion. When Newcastle became the property of PIF, it quickly became the richest club more than Manchester City and Chelsea.

There is already speculation as to which player and manager Newcastle will bring. As the transfer market is not in progress, the issue of supervision is the hottest topic. The current head coach, Steve Bruce, is dominated by the view that he will be sacked at any time. Some media outlets reported that Bruce was sacked before the Tottenham match and that the head coach would take over until a new manager arrives.

Bruce came to Newcastle in 2019 to replace Rafael Benitez. Support for Benitez's promotion to promotion was high, but when he left the team due to feuds with the board, led by owner Mike Ashley, fans' anger also turned to Bruce. Coach Bruce stayed on for two seasons in a row, but fans criticized his performance and his inability to rise further.

In such a situation where the public opinion on Bruce was not good, when PIF took over, most people predicted that he would leave soon. As rumors of sacking did not diminish, Newcastle announced on the club's website on the 15th (Korean time), "Bruce will lead Tottenham.

Amanda Stableley, one of the new owners, said: "Newcastle is in a new beginning. Not everything changes overnight. It will change slowly over time. I've already met coach Bruce. He helped with the acquisition. 1,000 I wish you luck in your first match."

[tkmedia]

6 players who could leave Liverpool before the transfer deadline

Liverpool fans couldn’t really have asked for a better start to the season with two wins out of two and a pair of clean sheets and dominant, commanding performances. The reds were early with their recruitment and signed young French centre-back Ibrahima Konate from RB Leipzig for £36million in May. Meanwhile, the return of Virgil Van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip from injury will almost feel like new signings for the Reds. With under a week remaining in the transfer window, Liverpool are unlikely to add any reinforcements, given that they have filled their quota of 17 overseas players in the registered 25-man squad. In fact, it’s much more been a case of outgoings at Anfield over the summer with the likes of Georginio Wijnaldum, Xherdan Shaqiri and Harry Wilson among those moving onto pastures new. More departures are likely to help create space and raise funds, so let’s take a look at some of the players that may still be surplus to Jurgen Klopp’s requirements between now and the end of the window. Loris Karius Karius has not played for the Liverpool first-team since the 2018 UEFA Champions League Final. After loan spells out to Besiktas and Union Berlin, The Echo reports that Liverpool are looking to offload the 28-year-old German keeper. With Alisson Becker as first choice and Adrian and Caoimhín Kelleher as back-ups, the German is unlikely to get any first-team action this season. Now in the final year of his Reds contract, this summer represents the Reds’ last chance to receive a fee for the goalkeeper, valued at around £2million. Nathaniel Phillips Liverpool may not have even made it into the Champions League this season if it wasn’t for Phillips stepping up with impressive and valiant performances throughout the best part of last season. The reds freak injury crisis led to Jurgen Klopp trying as many as a remarkable 19 different centre-back combinations. Now with the return of familiar faces and the signing of Konate, Phillips has been pushed back down the pecking order at Anfield. Given what happened last term Liverpool are in absolutely no rush to sell, but Klopp will have made clear the likelihood of regular first-team football to Phillips. Phillips was linked with various Premier League clubs earlier in the summer however those rumours have somewhat died down. According to the Echo, Liverpool are reportedly holding out for around £15million for the 24-year-old. Nathaniel Phillips had a league debut to remember for Liverpool. Jurgen Klopp admits he wasn't even part of the plan this season!#LIVWHU #LFC #bbcfootball pic.twitter.com/yfiBdUyqcx — Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) October 31, 2020 Sheyi Ojo A move for Ojo seems inevitable by the end of the window. Once one of the hottest talents coming out of the Liverpool setup, the winger has struggled to establish any pattern of regular game time at Anfield. The 24-year-old has spent the summer training and playing with the Under-23 squad after he wasn’t required by Jurgen Klopp on the club’s pre-season tours. Having spent the last four seasons on loan at Fulham, Reims, Rangers and Cardiff, it is now likely that Ojo will leave over the coming days. Goal report that Werder Bremen have made enquiries, whilst the Echo names Club Brugge and Olympiakos as potential suitors for the winger. Liverpool are looking to get around £5million for Ojo. Neco Williams Williams is likely to stay put at Anfield after an impressive pre-season, with the Liverpool Echo reporting that interest has been minimal in the young full-back, valued at around £10million. The Wales International has shown in flashes that he has the potential to become a regular Premier League full-back, but he needs more game time and that is unlikely whilst Trent Alexander Arnold is fit and at the peak of his powers. A loan move would be ideal for Williams and The Athletic reports that he would like more minutes. However, it is looking increasingly likely that Williams will remain at Anfield as a squad option for Jurgen Klopp. If he were to leave, however, Klopp is said to have identified his replacement already: academy starlet Conor Bradley.

READ: All you need to know about Conor Bradley, already catching Klopp’s eye Divock Origi Origi is a man who certainly had his share of iconic moments for the Reds. His name is one that will never be forgotten on Merseyside, however despite being at the club for more than six years, the Belgian forward has failed to ever cement a regular starting spot. Fabrizio Romano has mentioned that there is interest from a number of Bundesliga clubs and it would not be a surprise to see the Reds allow Origi to leave if a bid in the region of £10million was received. Takumi Minamino Japan international Minamino is another forward who may be available for the right price. The Japanese attacker moved to Liverpool in January 2020 but has struggled to make a real impact, and such was his place on the periphery that he was allowed to leave for Southampton in the latter half of 2020-21. Klopp has since talked up what Minamino offers. “For Taki it was the first pre-season with us properly,” the German coach told LiverpoolFC.com in pre-season, hinting that he could be reintegrated into his first-team plans. But Minamino was already shipped out once on loan in 2021. Don’t be shocked if there’s another surprise twist on the eve of the transfer deadline once again. Read the full article

[premierleaguefootballtickets]

Liverpool Football Tickets: Kylian Mbappe transfer given an enhancement by Messi and PSG

Paris Saint-Germain is trying to develop a financial plan to sign Lionel Messi. This may mean the sale of Kylian Mbappe, which will interest Liverpool Football. Since it was announced on Thursday night that arguably the greatest football player of all time. Lionel Messi will leave Barcelona as a free agent; the football world has been shocked.

Premier League Football fans from worldwide are called to book Premier League Football Tickets from our online platforms, WorldWideTicketsandHospitality.com. Fans can book Liverpool Football Tickets on our website at exclusively discounted prices.

Last summer, Messi talked about his desire to leave the Spanish giants but stayed to play in the final year of his contract. The Argentines changed their minds this summer and agreed to sign a new contract, but Barcelona’s financial problems meant that they could not register for Messi. In a statement issued on Thursday night, the club accused La Liga, rather than its financial mismanagement.

This is a company that spent more than £300 million on the transfer of Philip Coutinho, Antoine Griezmann, and Osman Dembele’s club. Messi, who just won the first major game of the Copa America with Argentina, is now a free agent. Paris Saint-Germain is working hard to establish a financial plan that will allow him to pay the salary of the little wizard.

According to the report, the deal may be for the sale of the hottest young talent in football, Kylian Mbappe. Mbappe is about to enter the last year of his agreement in Paris. It is rumored that he has told coach Mauricio Pochettino that he has no intention of signing a new contract and will make the 22-year-old player a free agent next summer. For more to know About Liverpool vs Chelsea Tickets.

Liverpool Football is a club closely related to the signing of the French superstar. Before Mbappe moved from Monaco to the French capital in 2017, the owners met with Mbappe and his representatives on a private jet. Mbappe left was the top scorer in Ligue 1 for three consecutive years, and won the championship in three of the four seasons of Paris Saint-Germain.

The star player of Paris Saint-Germain is an integral part of the team that won the 2018 World Cup in France, adding more pedigree to his household name. The French club reached the Champions League final for the first time in 2020 but lost the most prestigious award in Europe after losing 10 games to Bayern Munich. Mbappe is the heir to Messi’s crown, which was finally proved by the wonderful hat-trick performed in the Champions League at the Nou Camp last season.

Although this young man is still a little unfamiliar, he can win multiple Golden Globes. However, Paris Saint-Germain is under pressure because Mbappe is not ready to sign and implicitly threatened to let his current contract expire.  Owner Nasser Khelafi is so harsh on Mbappe that he recently emphasized that Paris Saint-Germain will never sell him, and he will never leave for free. For more to know About Liverpool vs Southampton Tickets.

This is a bit strange, but the tone is very clear. After the French signed with Paris Saint-Germain and were unwilling to do business, is this a warning to the club? who knows? If Mbappe does not sign a new contract, Paris Saint-Germain has no choice but to let him go for free. With Messi today on the market, PSG's posture may revolution. Though Mbappe is a massive name universal and is the star of Nike, he isn't six-time Ballon d'Or persuasive Messi.

The Argentine would take a crowd of millions of supporters to any club he plays for. He would also bring a huge increase in merchandise sales. If Mbappe is sure about leaving PSG next summer, then maybe PSG will reflect it's wise to sell the Frenchman this summer to gain the rewards of signing Messi. FSG may be alert with their expenses in the transfer market, but they are very virtuous business people.

And will know that probably taking Mbappe will put Liverpool Football in a tougher position in the future on and off the field. Still wildly improbable, it at the smallest makes a lot more sense than a direct move to bring Messi to Anfield. His youth means there is reselling worth in the player, something FSG are fond of when adopting a new player. Five good years out of Mbappe at Liverpool Football means he could still realize his dreams of playing for Real Madrid, but why not stop off at Liverpool Football first?

We are offering tickets for Premier League admirers who can get Premier League Football Tickets through our trusted online ticketing marketplace. Worldwideticketsandhospitality.com is the most reliable source to book Premier League Football Hospitality and Premier League Football Packages.

[totalsoccer]

MLS is back ... in a Covid-19 hotspot with terrible food

The league resumes with a month-long tournament but there is disquiet about playing in a state where coronavirus is surging. And then there are the sandwiches ...Omar Gonzalez probably expected a little more from a summer trip to Walt Disney World than a soggy-looking sandwich and a banana in a box. No Dole Whips or Mickey Mouse lollipops in sight, and there was certainly no evidence of the “house roasted prime New York strip loin” the Toronto FC defender’s $65 lunch had been billed as on the menu.> Yummm... MLSisBack pic.twitter.com/nelyLH9YsW> > — Omar Gonzalez (@Omar4Gonzalez) June 30, 2020“MLSisBack,” Gonzalez tweeted along with a photo of his underwhelming meal last week. It was the first peek behind the curtain of preparations to get the ball rolling again after Covid-19 shut down the league: a 54-game tournament in Orlando. The US international’s sarcastic depiction of a soccer Fyre Festival was funny, but Gonzalez, and the rest of his MLS peers, soon had more than a disappointing lunch to worry about. Much more.With each team that arrived in Florida, MLS’s problems, and positive tests for Covid-19, piled higher and higher. FC Dallas had only checked in when it emerged six of their players had tested positive for Covid-19. Later in the same day, a further three (and one coach) also tested positive with the Texan side ultimately withdrawn from the tournament just two days before its kick off. The Columbus Crew also registered a positive test upon arrival in Orlando, with a number of teams also delaying their journey due to positive tests. For context, only 19 positive case results have been registered by all 20 Premier League teams over 12 rounds of testing since the resumption of its season. Zero positive tests were returned in this week’s round.Then there was the postponement of Wednesday’s match between Nashville and Chicago after five Nashville players tested positive and Carlos Vela’s decision not to play, a symbolic rebellion that struck a decisive blow to MLS’s hopes of ignoring everything that has engulfed the tournament. The absence of the league’s best player, along with a number of other notable figures across MLS, is a mark of uncertainty over the safety of the whole endeavour.MLS’s idea of playing a mini-tournament in one location was controversial, to begin with. While almost every other major soccer league around the world has found a way to restore some sense of normalcy amid the pandemic, with the Premier League, Bundesliga, La Liga and Serie A completing their seasons as they were intended, albeit without fans in the stands, MLS has its 26 member teams (25 now that FC Dallas have gone home) in one location for a tournament crowbarred into the regular season in a way nobody quite fully understands. The group stages kick off on Wednesday night with a first-ever Florida derby between Orlando City and Inter Miami, with the final to be played on 11 August. The regular season is scheduled to start some time after that.At the centre of MLS’s plans is the ‘bubble’ environment the league’s 1,300-strong contingent of players, coaches and team staff will operate within. The ESPN Wide World of Sports complex at Disney World was selected as the tournament’s hub for its abundance of facilities and accommodation around the sprawling resort, but there’s only been so much MLS has been able to do to keep itself isolated from the general population.Florida is the hottest of Covid-19 hotspots right now, with the state recording a new daily record cases nearly every 24 hours for the past two weeks or so. MLS tried to argue it could exist in isolation. That they would be able to prepare, train and play games separated from whatever is happening in the outside world, but the reality quickly proved to be very different.Ample warning was given over what might happen once MLS teams started to pitch up in Orlando. Last month saw 10 members of Orlando Pride players test positive for Covid-19, with reports tracing the outbreak to a bar visit by some of the club’s younger players. This forced the Pride to withdraw from the NWSL Challenge Cup which is now being played without them.It didn’t take long for the MLS Is Back Tournament, as it is officially titled, to suffer similar issues. Not only has the number of positive test results accumulated, but the concept appears to have lost support from many quarters. The Timbers Army, for instance, called the decision to continue amid the pandemic “dangerous and wholly unnecessary,” while the Philadelphia Union’s Alejandro Bedoya predicted MLS’s Orlando lodgings would be like “a luxurious prison” for players and staff. Disney World’s footprint might be the size of San Francisco, but it’s not as if players can hitch a ride on Pirates of the Caribbean or have a go on the monorail in between practice sessions. To outsiders, the MLS ‘bubble’ looks a miserable place to be.Gonzalez’s tweet, while comical, came with significant undertones. After the toxic CBA negotiations which ultimately saw MLS threaten a lockout in order to force through its plans for resumption, players are now more willing to publicly call out the league for its failings. Gonzalez hasn’t been the only one to put his head above the parapet. The Colorado Rapids’ Diego Rubio revealed slack safety standards within the ‘bubble,’ with an anonymous Twitter account (@MLSCovidCup) set up to capture various failings. A number of players have retweeted the account. The farce of the whole experience in Orlando will have only added to the sense among MLS’s player pool that the league doesn’t have its players’ best interests at heart.The hope is that once play starts, once there are goals and games to talk about, all the problems will become no more than background noise. European leagues faced challenges before resuming, but have managed to move through their revised schedule with minimal fuss. And there is reason to be sympathetic to MLS’s reasons for resuming: North America’s big leagues – MLB, the NFL, NBA and NHL – are all on hiatus giving the chance for domestic soccer to grab the limelight. And the NBA, which has far more resources at its disposal, has also come across problems as it attempts its own restart in Florida later this month.Nobody is quite sure what will unfold over the next month-and-a-half, but at least one thing has been made clear - bring your own food.

source https://sports.yahoo.com/mls-back-covid-19-hotspot-120558901.html?src=rss

[saad1996-blog2]

Rohr gives Osimhen condition to join EPL club

Head coach of the Super Eagles, Gernot Rohr, has said that Victor Osimhen has a good chance of moving to the Premier League after this season. However, Rohr wants the striker to join a club, where he will play regularly. Osimhen is one of the hottest young prospects in Europe at the moment, after enjoying a brilliant debut season with Lille. The 21-year-old has been linked with Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Manchester United in England. Rohr, speaking on Channels Television, however advised Osimhen not to rush his decision. “If he stays for another season it would be good for him because he’s playing. “If he is going to a very big club – you have seen the clubs ready to buy him now – he is not so sure to play because there’s big competition for the starting places in the team,” he said. Read the full article

[tkmedia]

Ten kneejerk reactions to the opening Premier League weekend

The Premier League’s opening weekend lends itself to the hottest takes, such as Southampton’s relegation and a breakout Paul Pogba season. 10) Trevoh Chalobah will be England’s next debutant It is a Crooksism but the tendency to highlight the virtues of a defensive player only when they score is unavoidable and pervasive. Trevoh Chalobah might have broken through that barrier and received due praise regardless but his debut goal against Crystal Palace, combined with the perennial focus on Chelsea’s talent production line, guaranteed glowing column inches and gushing pundit prose. The 22-year-old will not retain a regular starting place beyond the next fortnight or so; Thiago Silva promptly reprises that role upon his return. But Thomas Tuchel has been sufficiently satisfied with Chalobah’s seamless adaptation to this stage and so his foot is in the door. It is only a matter of time before Gareth Southgate revisits interest in a player he called upon to train with the England squad ahead of the 2018 World Cup. The only defenders to make their Three Lions debut since November 2019 are Conor Coady, Reece James, Ben White and Ben Godfrey. There is room for a fresh addition, even as flavour of the month. 9) Brighton will finish in the top half For a moment there it seemed as though Brighton supporters should actually have been careful what they wished for. The safety net provided by Chris Hughton was cast aside for something greater, more meaningful and conducive to growth in 2019. But the transition was not seamless. You can throw a small net over the club’s four Premier League seasons: finishes of 15th, 17th, 15th and 16th, points totals of 40, 36, 41 and 41 and goals scored columns of 34, 35, 39 and 40. Hughton and replacement Graham Potter have opposing tactical ideals but whether the focus was on defence or a more expansive style, Brighton never seemed to move the needle too far. They have won nine games in each of their four Premier League seasons, infuriatingly incapable of breaking through that ceiling. It has been enough to survive each time but the onus is on progression and a comeback win against Burnley is indicative of that. Brighton won one game from behind in the entirety of last campaign: that euphoric first match back in front of fans against Manchester City in May. But this victory was inspired by the manager’s substitutions and the players’ indomitable spirit instead of any fan emotion. Two points separated the Seagulls from Burnley in 2021/22; the gap felt more substantial on Saturday. While their respective levels of investment mean that should be a given, it has rarely been the case in practice. Brighton have valuable players throughout their spine and even the lack of a reliable goalscorer should not prevent them from finally cracking a top half that, beyond an established six or seven teams, has an interchangeable cast. Since 2016, Stoke Burnley, Newcastle, Sheffield United, Wolves and Leeds have all come tenth or higher. There is no guarantee of being able to build from there but Brighton have the foundations in place for something tangible. 8) Burnley and Southampton will be relegated The numbers are rough estimates but they tell a story that can be spun in two different ways. Either Burnley and Southampton have mastered the art of shopping for own-brand items and living on a stricter diet than most, or theirs is the sort of inherent tightrope gamble that many clubs accept to live within their means. Four current Premier League clubs have a net spend of £50m or lower over the past five seasons; the Clarets and Saints have been top-flight sides throughout that period, unlike Brentford and Watford. It already feels as though Burnley and Southampton might have struggled to strike that balance this season. The former have infused the squad with as little fresh talent as possible in recent years. Jay Rodriguez was the latest signing in the starting XI that fell to Brighton; he joined in July 2019. Sean Dyche otherwise named four players he bought in 2017, three purchases from 2016, an addition each from June 2015 and January 2012 and academy graduate Dwight McNeil. ALK Capital do not seem to have opened any recruitment doors. That is still an upgrade on the apparent asset-stripping occurring on the coast as Southampton have sold their top scorer and best centre-half in the same summer that they lost one of their most senior players. Danny Ings, Jannik Vestergaard and Ryan Bertrand will be difficult to replace and Ralph Hasenhuttl was already working close to the edge in terms of depth at times last season. He and Dyche are talented coaches but those tides will be tough to fight without a paddle.

7) Brentford and Watford will be fine Norwich understandably struggled to carry their share of a historic weight as the three promoted clubs almost all won their opening Premier League fixture for the first time. The Canaries might justifiably point to the standard of respective opposition as to why they could not quite emulate the feats of Brentford or Watford, who both displayed their top-flight credentials in different but similarly stinging circumstances. The Bees were phenomenal against Arsenal – organised, fluid and uninhibited by their relative lack of experience. The Hornets stunned a supposed European hopeful in Aston Villa, overwhelming their visitors and possessing the sort of individual brilliance that can be harnessed to immense danger in the right team dynamic. The chasm between the Championship and Premier League can be bridged with patience, foresight and investment, especially if the top flight already contains a few sides clinging on to that status through reputation and longevity alone instead of proper planning and vision. Brentford particular seem more suited to this level; Watford have plenty more capacity to surprise. 6) Everton will qualify for Europe Many clubs, if not most, had more impactful and outwardly impressive transfer windows. Few were quite as focused, specific and tailored to the existing strengths of the squad in question. Rafael Benitez had a budget imposed upon him through the mismanagement and financial excess of his predecessors. He identified an area for improvement and acted on it within the constraints placed upon him. Andros Townsend and Demarai Gray were cost-efficient purchases for rivals to scoff at and some Everton supporters to lobby against, but it is always better to spend £1.7m on necessary signings who have an obvious place rather than much more on luxury buys who do not. The results were immediate. Southampton were put to the sword and the cross as Goodison Park witnessed an aerial bombardment designed to exploit the new Dominic Calvert-Lewin meta. Richarlison should excel by his side and Alex Iwobi even embraced the challenge, while Allan and Abdoulaye Doucoure will compete with most midfields and the defence is solid enough even without Benitez’s more conservative and pragmatic stylings offering a little more protection. He feels a more natural fit with these players, if not the supporters just yet. 5) Liverpool don’t need more signings It will never be accepted. Standing still is moving backwards, particularly when the only two clubs definitively expected to do better have either broken the British transfer record or have edged remarkably close to the new mark. Manchester City will keep trying to unite Harry Kane with Jack Grealish and Chelsea should be forgiven for relishing the arrival of Romelu Lukaku. Liverpool have instead quenched the never-ending thirst for signings – and reacted to a recent defensive injury crisis – with £36m fourth-choice centre-half Ibrahima Konate. Every other advance has been to write out a spate of new contracts for the existing squad. That will never appease sections of the fanbase or a media built on transfer rumours but it makes sense in this context. If Liverpool can avoid such a freakish cluster of concurrent injuries then there is no issue in the squad that requires an imported solution: the starting defence is sensational and every position has at least one solid back-up; Georginio Wijnaldum is a significant loss but one outcome of Curtis Jones developing, Naby Keita emerging, Thiago acclimatising or Fabinho adjusting seems likely; Mo Salah can carry that attack with Harvey Elliott and Takumi Minamino as possible wildcards now Diogo Jota is fit enough to provide serious competition and variation. The collective mood and mentality seems genuinely more important to Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool than to most other managers and teams and it is worth trying to continue fostering that instead of risking friction with too many new faces in an established set-up.

4) Tottenham will finish in the top four Newcastle finished third when Andy Cole won the Golden Boot and set up the most goals in the 1993/94 season. Kevin Keegan was defending his sale to furious supporters on the steps of St James’ Park 18 months later. Harry Kane became the only other man to ever lead the division for goals and assists outright last campaign. Perhaps Daniel Levy will soon be inviting beleaguered fans to a newly-instated VIP cheese room to explain his reasoning for finally letting the club’s prize asset go. Beating Manchester City has not quelled talk of Kane’s departure. It has had rather the opposite effect. But lost in the renewed clamour to smuggle England’s captain to the Etihad was a professional, dedicated, organised performance from his teammates to overcome the Premier League champions in north London. Nuno Espirito Santo engineered victory with neither Cristian Romero nor Bryan Gil starting, the new coach instead dusting down a squad that had been marginalised and misused, finding treasure in another man’s trash: Japhet Tanganga, Davinson Sanchez, Eric Dier, Dele Alli, Lucas Moura and Steven Bergwijn were considered expendable yet each have a role to play in a quietly exciting future. Add Kane to that mix once the distractions are removed with the closure of the transfer window and Tottenham are suddenly a genuine force again, even without their actual best player. Erik Lamela is in a better place now. 3) Aston Villa and Jack Grealish will both be worse off This is not to say Aston Villa will be relegated and Jack Grealish will be a catastrophically bad signing for Manchester City. The one thing Dean Smith could not buy to replace his talisman was time and it will take plenty for a new attack to gel, for players to adjust to not giving the ball and the responsibility to their captain. And Pep Guardiola’s ideal and meticulous instructions cannot be absorbed after a few training sessions; Grealish will find his role in the team and calibrate, just as long as he absolutely does not become a two-time Premier League winner and Champions League finalist who regularly scores and assists. That would be awful. But the grass will be greener for neither. Villa handled the situation impeccably, putting a contractual escape route in place, insisting it be met instead of courting any sort of saga, signing numerous fine players to share the workload even before he left and clearly explaining each thought process to the fans. That does not change how vast a hole Grealish has left and how much it has irrevocably altered the entire team dynamic. Villa have reiterated that they were 18 months behind in terms of where they would have needed to be in their project to keep their crown jewel; this will set them back much further before they find the right track again. As for Manchester City, they signed a phenomenal player but not one they necessarily needed. He will do well enough – win trophies, score goals, win free-kicks – but offers only a brilliant variation to what they already had rather than a legitimate alternative. His honours list will benefit but his light will be that little bit dimmer. It’s not a bad personal trade-off, in fairness. 2) Paul Pogba will be named PFA Player of the Year He could have done more. The blame for five underwhelming and inconsistent seasons has to be apportioned appropriately and one of the bigger slices belongs to Paul Pogba himself. It has not been a question of attitude or application, rather an inability to bring the best out of less talented teammates. He lowered his own level more often than he raised that of those around him. Anyone expecting the Frenchman to single-handedly drag Manchester United to glory had misunderstood his career to that point – and some are still wilfully obtuse in that regard. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has built a platform and is happy for Pogba to stand upon it as long as he has him. Bruno Fernandes, Harry Maguire and Edinson Cavani improved the collective standard; Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane will hope to do the same. A Pogba unencumbered with that weight of individual expectation is free to express and enjoy himself. “Manchester United need one outstanding season from Paul Pogba because he’s going to leave next summer,” was Gary Neville’s belief and whether the midfielder extends his deal at Old Trafford or not, he finally has the sort of worthy team he was promised in 2016. One year of his French national team alter ego is better than nothing at all. 1) Mikel Arteta will be the first manager to go The process is a whole lot harder to trust when a newly promoted team with vastly inexperienced players and a manager in only his second senior role seems so much further ahead in theirs. What Brentford lack in history, prestige, transfer fees and wages, they made up for in a performance that thoroughly and painfully explored Arsenal’s limitations. It was not about the bounce of supporters being back, the novelty of top-flight football or the brightness of those Friday night lights. Brentford beat Arsenal because they were better in preparation and execution. That run of form from Boxing Day onwards spared Mikel Arteta. Only the Manchester clubs earned more Premier League points from December 26 to the end of the season and a five-game winning streak to close the campaign was the longest the Gunners had managed since October 2018. It offered an illusion of progress that has been almost immediately undermined as soon as the pressure was back. There is a lack of confidence on the pitch and seemingly an absence of clarity off it. Chelsea and Manchester City await before the international break and it could genuinely be worth changing tack then if things have not significantly improved. Arteta might not be the problem but he certainly does not appear to have the solution.

Read the full article

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Media Watch | Potter hails ‘game changer’ Guardiola

It’s matchday once again as City play host to Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier League this afternoon – and there’s a plethora of City-centric news and views in Saturday’s back pages.

There’s warm words for Pep Guardiola from his Seagulls counterpart Graham Potter, predictions a-plenty, some more intriguing follow-up to Thursday’s Champions League draw and a snippet of transfer gossip.

Plenty to digest then ahead of the big kick-off later this afternoon…

News

BrightonandHoveAlbion.com – Potter hails game-changer Guardiola

Alex Stedman: The Seagulls head to the Etihad Stadium this weekend looking to cause an upset against last season’s title-winners, and the Albion head coach spoke of his admiration for the man he’ll be seeing in the home dugout on Saturday afternoon.

He said, “He’s [Pep Guardiola] somebody who’s had a massive influence on the game and everybody looks at him.

Features

Video

Wednesday, August 28, 2019 3:39 PM

“I can’t think of any manager who’s had as much of an impact on the sport wherever he’s gone – you only have to look at his work with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and now Manchester City.

“Before he came to the Premier League it was a division where people said ‘anybody can beat anybody’ – he’s changed that over the last few years, nearly 200 points or so later, it’s not quite the same and that’s his influence without a doubt.

“Their resilience is often overlooked because of the success they have, but it isn’t always about attractive football.

“They fight for everything in every game and every action, that’s a huge credit to them as a group.”

Brighton Argus  Swansea’s City Cup scare won’t help Albion – Potter

Adam Stenning: “Brighton boss Graham Potter says his encounter with Manchester City last season will be no help to him when the Seagulls travel to the Etihad.

READ: Foden will get opportunities, says Guardiola

WATCH: 400 up | spotlight on David Silva 

“In the FA Cup quarter-final last season, Potter’s Swansea City side went 2-0 up inside the opening half-an-hour against City, before eventually tumbling to the champions 3-2.

“He said: “It’s a different team, a different group of players, a different environment, a different competition we have experienced it.

“It was a nice game but,at the same time, we have got to help our players perform at the Etihad. That’s what we have got to do, that’s the challenge.”

Predictions

BBC  Mark Lawrenson

“Brighton have had a good start with a win at Watford and a draw at home to West Ham. They did lose to Southampton but were down to 10 men.

“This is a bit like a free hit, but it will be interesting to see how they set up. Graham Potter likes to play out from the back but good luck doing that against Man City.”

Prediction 3-0

Inside City

Video

Friday, August 16, 2019 10:44 AM

Bet Victor Michael Owen

“City trail Liverpool by two points in the table but they have the opportunity to go top if they beat Brighton at the Etihad with Liverpool kicking off later in the day at Turf Moor.

“Sergio Aguero scored his 234th and 235th goals for City at the Vitality Stadium on Sunday in another irresistible display by the champions and it is hard to see the Seagulls stopping Pep Guardiola’s side in their current mood.”

Prediction City win

SkySports Charlie Nicholas

“I just hope that Graham Potter has a plan A, plan B, and plan C at the ready for this one. Do you sit in and hurt them from set-pieces? Where do they pitch? Where do they put their back five? You do not want to give them pockets of space.

“Manchester City interchange, fly down the wing with pace, Kevin De Bruyne does this, David Silva does that. What formation do they play? They play football and they enjoy it, that’s why you need different plans.”

READ: Sterling and De Bruyne earn PFA POTM nominations

WATCH: Guardiola delight at Laporte’s France call-up

“I don’t see anything but pain here for Brighton. Raheem Sterling and Aguero are frightening, with De Bruyne in full swing now too. I am sure De Bruyne could be the best ever at City, better than the rest. If you want a game with lots of goals and smiles, this is your game.”

Prediction 5-0

Opinion

Manchester Evening News Super computer tips City for Champions League glory

Josh Challies: “The Premier League champions have been handed a draw alongside Shakhtar Donetsk, Dinamo Zagreb and tournament new boys Atalanta, which will be seen as favourable.

“As a result, the number crunchers at FiveThirtyEight have assessed City ‘s chances of going all the way and put Guardiola’s side as 27% likely to life Europe’s biggest prize.

“City are given a whopping 93% likelihood of winning their group, a 99% likelihood of reaching the knock-out stages and an 81% chance of appearing in the quarter-finals.

“Their chances of reaching the last four are 59%, while they are 41% likely to reach the final in Istanbul – where the supercomputer predicts Guardiola will face off against former employers Bayern Munich.

Interviews

Video

Friday, August 30, 2019 4:01 PM

“The Bundesliga champions are given a 17% likelihood of winning the competition, ahead of last year’s champions Liverpool, at 12%, and Spanish giants Barcelona, tipped at 10% likely.”

Transfer gossip

Daily Mail City plan swoop for Norwegian super-teen

David Kent: “Manchester City are plotting a January move for Norwegian teenage sensation Hakon Evjen.

“The 19-year-old midfielder is emerging as one of the hottest prospects in European football at the moment following a string of outstanding performances for Bodo/Glimt.

“Arch rivals Manchester United have also been heavily linked with a move for Evjen, but City are considering a move once the January window re-opens.

“Anderlecht and AZ Alkmaar, as well as clubs from Germany and Italy, are also keen on the youngster.

“Bodo/Glimt are currently top of the Norway’s top division and Evjen has earned rave reviews for his performances.”

CITYZENS: LINEUP PREDICTOR – Lineup Predictor_City v Brighton PL Home_All

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[mancitynoise]

Manchester City opinion: Should Guardiola sign William Saliba?

According to the Express, Manchester City are looking to hijack Arsenal transfer target, William Saliba. The 18-year-old centre-back had a breakthrough season in Ligue 1 with Saint-Etienne, and is touted as one of most promising centre-backs in Europe.

Saliba broke into the Saint-Etienne first-team in September and looks mature beyond his years. Saliba doesn’t have a lot of experience at the highest level but would have learned a lot during his time at AS Brondby.

Centre-backs often find themselves flourishing in the latter stages of their career due to the experience gained over time but Saliba’s best attributes are his reading of the game and calmness in difficult situations.

Young players often make mistakes due to their eagerness to excite the fans and win the manager’s approval, which can lead to mistakes but Saliba has shown a very steady head in his short time at the top-level.

Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City just lost their inspirational leader in Vincent Kompany and it will be on the likes of Aymeric Laporte and John Stones to take over the mantle at the back.

Saliba would suit Guardiola’s system perfectly as he is a very composed defender. Guardiola also likes to buy his players when they’re young as it as a lot easier to create an impression on a young player than it is on an older head.

There aren’t many coaches better at developing young talent than Guardiola and City will be securing a signing for the foreseeable future. City can no longer take it easy, with Liverpool on their coattails. The Reds will be hungrier than ever for that elusive Premier League title.

Pep Guardiola

Saliba will be coming into a very competitive environment and hence, it will instil a winning mentality into the youngster at the right age.

Read More Man City news, click here: Man City latest news

Conclusion

Saliba is one of the hottest properties in Europe and with the transfer market as inflated as it is now, he’d be an absolute steal.

It will be asking too much of the youngster to come in as a replacement for Vincent Kompany but the youngster has shown signs that he has it in him to become a top defender for the club. This is a move that City have to get over the line.

The post Man City signing this 18-year-old hot prospect would get them a future superstar to replace Kompany appeared first on .

[junker-town]

Why we believe the Bears will take down the Eagles

The defending Super Bowl champs excel as underdogs, but they face a tough test against the Bears’ fearsome defense.

The defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles are back in the postseason as the six seed, facing off against the Chicago Bears on Sunday. It’s the Bears’ first playoff appearance in eight years.

A lot has changed since the Bears and the Eagles last played each other in Week 12 of the 2017 season — a 31-3 blowout victory for the Eagles. Nick Foles will be playing quarterback instead of Carson Wentz, Matt Nagy has replaced John Fox as the head coach of the Bears, and the Bears have arguably the best defense in the league.

Don’t expect the Eagles to blow out the Bears this time.

The Bears and the Eagles have some familiarity with each other

The Eagles and the Bears are both on a tear right now. The Eagles have won five of their last six, while the Bears have won nine of their last 10 games. Brett Favre — a formal rival of the Bears and a former teammate of Eagles coach Doug Pederson — thinks the Eagles are the hottest team entering the postseason.

Despite some new faces since the two teams last time met over a year ago, they are a little familiar with each other.

Matt Nagy was the offensive quality control coach when Nick Foles was a rookie with the Eagles. They reunited a few years later when Nagy was the offensive coordinator for the Chiefs and Foles was the backup to Alex Smith. Foles started one game with the Chiefs, a 19-14 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Nagy even lent Foles his car for a summer.

Alshon Jeffery played five seasons in Chicago before signing with the Eagles before the 2017 season. Jeffery has the third-most receiving yards in Bears history.

Trey Burton plays tight end for the Bears now, but he was on the Eagles’ Super Bowl winning team last season. He threw the ball to Nick Foles on the “Philly Special.”

Both of these teams played the Bucs, Giants, Vikings, and the Rams this year. The Bears destroyed the Bucs behind six passing touchdowns from Mitchell Trubisky, went 2-0 against the Vikings, lost in overtime to the Giants on the road, and beat the Rams at home. The Eagles lost to the Vikings and Bucs, but beat the Giants twice and the Rams on the road.

What are the defining aspects of these teams?

The Bears traded for Khalil Mack at the beginning of the season, and he’s looked like he was the missing piece, taking a strong defense and putting them in the ferocious category. The Eagles have been banged up for most of the season, but even when Carson Wentz went down with a back injury in mid-December, they were able to go 3-0 with Nick Foles back in the lineup.

Alshon Jeffery has become more relevant to the Eagles’ offense since Foles returned. Jeffery has averaged 100.3 receiving yards per game with Foles as the quarterback, but just 54.2 receiving yards per game with Wentz.

The Bears lead the league in opposing Adjusted Net Yards per Attempt (ANY/A) which weighs touchdowns and interceptions while factoring sack yards. The Bears are giving up 4.1 ANY/A — the Bills are second in the league with 4.9 ANY/A.

Chicago’s defense is forcing turnovers at a rate higher than anyone in the league: 19.5 percent of opponents’ drives ended in turnovers.

The Bears and Eagles will have a matchup between two of the premier trench players in the league. Bears pass rusher Khalil Mack will be taking on Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson. Mack finished his first season in Chicago with 12.5 sacks in 14 games.

Chicago’s offense is still a little shaky. Chicago ranks 21st in yards per play, 19th in percentage of drives ending with a score, 23rd in drives ending with a turnover, and 20th in offensive DVOA.

Philadelphia’s defense isn’t as dominant as it was a year ago, but it’s still a capable unit. The Eagles are 15th in pass defense DVOA and ninth in run defense DVOA.

In his last three games, Foles’ adjusted yards per attempt mark of 8.4. That would rank ninth behind Deshaun Watson if it counted for the entire season.

So what’s gonna happen on Sunday?

Bears fans have been pretty confident in their team this season. Eagles fans have been all over the place, which makes sense considering their season has been a rollercoaster. The FanPulse data shows that people are pretty confident in the Bears taking this one home.

Still, the Bears offense will have to produce on their own, which is something that they’ve struggled doing from game to game. If Foles can get off a few big plays against the Bears, this could be a wild one.

That said, it’s hard to trust the Eagles too much after their up-and-down season.

Score prediction: Bears 23, Eagles 16

[dafabetsportsindia]

Chelsea sign American star Christian Pulisic from Borussia Dortmund - Dafasports India

Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia said she looked forward to Pulisic becoming a major influence at the club for years to come. American international Christian Pulisic, regarded as one of the hottest properties in European football, signed for Premier League side Chelsea for a reported fee of £58 million ($74m) from Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday. The 20-year-old right winger — who has had more playing time in the Champions League this term than the Bundesliga as coach Lucien Favre generally prefers England international Jadon Sancho in that position — has been loaned back to the German league leaders until the end of the season. “In the summer I move on to Chelsea and to a new competition, the English Premier League,” Pulisic said in a statement issued by Chelsea. “It’s a privilege to have signed for such a legendary club and I look forward to working hard towards being a contributor to their team of world class players.” Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia said she looked forward to Pulisic becoming a major influence at the club for years to come. “We are delighted to have signed one of Europe’s most sought-after young players,” she said. “Christian has shown his quality during a fantastic spell in Germany and at just 20, we believe he has the potential to become an important Chelsea player for many years to come.” Michael Zorc, Dortmund’s sport director, said given the size of the offer the club would have been foolish to turn it down. “It has always been Christian’s big dream to play in the Premier League,” said Zorc. “That’s certainly got to do with his American background, and therefore we were unable to extend his contract. “With this background and given the short remaining period on his contract, we decided to accept the extraordinarily lucrative offer from FC Chelsea.” Pulisic, who had also been linked with Premier League leaders Liverpool, has been at Dortmund since he was 15 and aged just 17 made both his Bundesliga debut and international debut for the United States having turned down an approach from Crotia to play for them. A former national Under-17 captain, in November 2018 he became the youngest player to captain the United States senior side aged 20 years and 63 days.