علّق جلال القادري، المدير الفني لمنتخب تونس، على خسارتهم المفاجئة في مباراة اليوم أمام منتخب ناميبيا في بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا.
وتلاقى المنتخبان في إطار منافسات الجولة الأولى من دور مجموعات البطولة المُقامة حاليًا في كوت ديفوار، حيث خسرت تونس بهدف دون رد (لمطالعة التفاصيل من هنا).
وقال جلال القادري في تصريحات صحفية بعد المباراة: “خسرت الأرجنتين مباراتها الأولى في كأس العالم أمام السعودية لكنها فازت باللقب في النهاية”.
وخسر منتخب الأرجنتين أمام السعودية بهدفين لهدف في بداية مشوارهما في كأس العالم قطر 2022، قبل التتويج بالبطولة في نهاية المطاف.
وأضاف: “لا يزال أمامنا ست نقاط أمام مالي وجنوب إفريقيا وأتمنى أن يكون رد فعل لاعبي فريقي إيجابيًا في المباراتين المقبلتين”.
واعترف القادري أن الشوط الأول لـ منتخب تونس كان سيئًا، وافتقر إلى التأثير البدني في خط الوسط، قبل أن يستدرك: “دخول العيدوني سمح لنا بالسيطرة بشكل أفضل على المباراة وخلق الفرص لكن ذلك لم يكلل بالنجاح”.
West Ham United were outclassed by Newcastle United on Wednesday night, with the Toon's 5-1 win at the London Stadium serving as a stark reminder that the Hammers simply aren't too good to be relegated this season.
There is no doubt that the margin of victory was elevated due to horrific mistakes by Nayef Aguerd and Lukasz Fabianski but the overall performance from West Ham was far from good enough, with the strikers in David Moyes' system continuing to struggle.
After Danny Ings' anonymous display against former side Southampton, completing just seven passes, the Scottish manager opted to start Michail Antonio but the Jamaica international endured a similarly disappointing night.
How did Antonio play against Newcastle?
As per Sofascore, the 33-year-old forward would earn a 6.5/10 rating, despite barely being involved in the game at the London Stadium.
During his 63 minutes on the pitch, the former Nottingham Forest man would manage just 26 touches of the ball, which was fewer than Fabianski, who had 31.
Antonio didn't contribute anything on the rare occasions that he was involved, as he completed just three passes from 11 attempted, leaving him with a shocking success rate of only 27%.
His average in the Premier League this season has not been good, as it stands at 8.5 passes per game with a success rate of 53.5%, but this was a new level of mediocrity against Newcastle.
It seems clear that whoever plays up front in Moyes' 4-2-3-1 system is left completely isolated and cannot contribute effectively to the build-up, which is perhaps exactly why summer flop Gianluca Scamacca was brought to the London Stadium in 2022.
Antonio has been a great servant to West Ham and has his place in the record books after becoming their record Premier League goalscorer but after a return of no shots on target and no key passes it seems clear that he won't be the man to keep the Hammers up this term.
David Moyes watches on as West Ham United face AEK Larnaca in the Europa Conference League.
Unfortunately, it seems as if Moyes still has faith in the experienced forward, as, despite interest from other Premier League sides, and his comments against the Scottish manager's tactics in January, which were deemed "disrespectful" by Frank McAvennie, he remained at the London Stadium.
Antonio said: "You can see over the last few games, we've conceded more goals on counter-attacks than we ever had in the last two years. We're open, way more expansive.
"Teams are countering us the way we would have countered them before. It's a transition. We're trying to transition to become a bigger team and, I've got to be honest, it ain't working."
Antonio's comments may be accurate but to speak out against a manager's tactics in a public light is not something that should have been tolerated by Moyes. Therefore, after another shocking display against Newcastle, his decision to keep him in January is now backfiring.
A number of Manchester United supporters have been reacting to the news that Harry Maguire will be suspended for the FA Cup semi-final against Brighton.
The Lowdown: Sunday chaos
Erik ten Hag’s side continued their long unbeaten record at Old Trafford following a dramatic quarter-final with Fulham on Sunday afternoon.
Aleksandar Mitrovic put the visitors in front in the second half before chaos ensued with 20 minutes to go. Jadon Sancho’s effort was blocked on the line by Willian, with referee Chris Kavanagh initially giving a corner. However, VAR advised the official to check the pitchside monitor, with Willian protesting and manager Marco Silva not happy. Silva was then shown a red card before Kavanagh awarded a penalty, with Willian also dismissed as well.
Mitrovic was also furious and pushed the referee’s arm, becoming the third visitor to be sent off. Bruno Fernandes equalised from the resulting spot kick before Marcel Sabitzer put United in front shortly after and Fernandes sealed a 3-1 win in stoppage time.
Ten Hag’s side will now take on Brighton at Wembley for a place in the final, but the United boss won’t have a full selection of players to choose from.
The Latest: Fans react to Maguire news
Maguire received a booking after just 21 minutes for a foul which meant that he would be suspended for the semi-final. United Report shared the news on Twitter during the game, where a number of supporters were actually happy at the update.
“Finally some good news” – @nilohitsharma
“Best thing to happen today even if we win” – @MattyMurray18
“Yessssss” – @thatmendiguy
“Blessing in disguise if Varane is for enough to replace him” – @forthesp0rts
“YESSSSS TODAY CAN’T GET ANY BETTER” – @kxngrxse
“One less game I have to endure Maguire in a United shirt until he’s sold to Newcastle in the summer. Seems like a decent enough lad but watching him play for United gives me major health problems. Looking forward to it being over, but I will have PTSD for many many years.” – @ManUnitedTalk
“This news, makes me feel better than seeing our performance” – @djuangnoff
The Verdict: Varane and Martinez?
Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez have been Ten Hag’s first-choice centre-back pairing this season. Varane missed the match on Sunday with an injury but is expected to be back in action following the international break.
Therefore, it wouldn’t come as a surprise if the two were to start at Wembley next month, with Victor Lindelof a potential option from the bench.
Maguire being suspended isn’t ideal, though, despite the reaction from some fans, so Ten Hag will be hoping his squad remain fully fit over the coming months, especially at the back before the meeting with Brighton.
West Ham earned a much-needed point against Aston Villa on Sunday to move out of the Premier League relegation zone on goal difference.
David Moyes’ side got off to a dreadful start at the London Stadium as Ollie Watkins headed in Alex Moreno’s cross with what was the Villans’ first real foray forward.
However, the Hammers would equalise less than ten minutes later when Lucas Paqueta was fouled by Leon Bailey inside the box, with Said Benrahma stepping up to smash home the penalty.
Both sides had chances to win the game, with Benrahma denied twice by Emiliano Martinez and Watkins also close to a second goal, but the Hammers would have to settle for a point on an occasion where they probably needed all three.
Who was West Ham’s worst player v Aston Villa?
There were a number of poor performances on show at the London Stadium once again on Sunday but perhaps none more disappointing than that of Jarrod Bowen, whose form has fallen off a cliff in comparison to last season, when he hit 12 goals and ten assists in the Premier League.
As per Sofascore, the England international would earn a woeful 6.5/10 rating for his display, which was joint with Danny Ings as the worst of any West Ham player to start the game.
During the 90 minutes, the former Hull City man would register 46 touches but managed to complete just nine out of his 17 attempted passes, resulting in a success rate of only 53%.
Although he has been poor this term, that success rate is far worse than the 73.5% he has averaged in the Premier League throughout 2022/23, which emphasises just how poor he was against Unai Emery’s side.
The 26-year-old was guilty of giving away possession a remarkable 22 times, with just two of his ten attempted crosses finding their mark, with his lack of consistency in attack perhaps one of several reasons why Moyes’ side have struggled so much in the final third this term.
He also managed just one shot and would win 50% of his duels, which again is a disappointing return given he has managed 2.2 shots per game in the top flight this season.
If the Hammers are to pull away from the relegation places in the final games of the campaign, they need underperforming players such as Bowen to start showing their form from previous years, as Sunday emphasised once again how much the winger has regressed since his superb displays last year.
Leeds United face Southampton in a relegation six-pointer in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon, with Javi Gracia taking charge of his first game as manager of the club.
The Spanish boss won’t have had long to work with his new squad but if he has done his due diligence on the players available at Elland Road, and spoken to coaches at the club, then he should realise that Crysencio Summerville needs to be dropped from the starting side.
Will Crysencio Summerville start against Southampton?
The Dutch winger established himself as a first-team regular under Jesse Marsch and caught the eye ahead of the World Cup break earlier in the season, scoring in four consecutive games, including a late winner against Liverpool at Anfield.
Marsch was no doubt hoping that he could push on during the extended break, as he wasn’t part of the Netherlands’ squad in Qatar, but his form since then has been disappointing, to say the least.
In seven appearances in all competitions, the 21-year-old has no goals and just one assist, which came in the 2-2 draw against West Ham.
WhoScored has awarded the young winger below a 6.8 rating in every game since domestic football resumed which suggests that he was living off his pre-Qatar form under Marsch, as he continued to earn starts despite his lack of goal involvements.
Summerville starting has also meant that marquee signings such as Luis Sinisterra and Georginio Rutter have been forced to warm the bench in recent weeks and for such an important game against Southampton, it is surely time that Leeds gave their big investments a chance to impress.
The Saints picked up a morale-boosting three points against Chelsea last time out and another win at Elland Road would see Leeds drop to the bottom of the table, so Gracia has to be ruthless and give his side the best possible chance of winning.
Summerville, who earns around £15k-per-week at Leeds, is ranked as the 13th-best performer at Elland Road this season, while he also ranks 13th for key passes per game, which represents an underwhelming return for an attacking player.
Therefore, after a poor few months since the World Cup, it is time that Summerville was dropped to the bench in what would be Gracia’s first big call in the Whites dugout.
An update has emerged regarding Newcastle United duo Miguel Almiron and Allan Saint-Maximin ahead of the club’s Premier League clash against Liverpool this evening.
What’s the latest on Newcastle’s injury situation?
Magpies boss Eddie Howe has confirmed that both players are fit and available for selection against the Reds at St James’ Park after suffering injuries against Bournemouth last time out.
They were both substituted in the draw against the Cherries but the manager revealed in his pre-match press conference on Friday that they are already back in training.
The Northern Echo’s Scott Wilson relayed the updates from the 45-year-old on Friday morning, tweeting: “Joe Willock won’t feature against Liverpool – but the #NUFC midfielder is winning his battle to be fit for the Carabao Cup final. Miguel Almiron and ASM back in full training and okay. Callum Wilson set to train today – but big doubt for Liverpool…”
How big a boost could that be for Newcastle?
Howe may have been left fearing the worst when Almiron and Saint-Maximin hobbled off against Bournemouth last weekend, and he will surely be delighted by their availability this weekend.
Not only does it mean that they will be able to face Liverpool, but the lack of a serious blow for either of them means that, barring any issues against the Reds, they should also be able to play in the Carabao Cup final against Manchester United next week.
Having Almiron available for the clash against Jurgen Klopp’s side will be a huge boost for Howe and Newcastle, as the winger has been in phenomenal form in the Premier League this season.
The former MLS star has plundered ten goals and one assist in 22 top-flight appearances, averaging a Sofascore rating of 7.15. Only two outfield players have averaged a higher Sofascore rating in the league for the Magpies in 2022/23 and no player has scored as many goals as the Paraguayan.
In fact, with Wilson potentially out of action today, Almiron could be the only Newcastle player with more than three Premier League goals this season available for selection against Liverpool, which is why having him fit will be a big relief for this manager.
Saint-Maximin’s fitness is also a boost for the Toon, as the French winger has the potential to be a match-winner on his day. He has only started six matches in the league this term but has provided one goal and three assists in that time, having managing five goals and five assists in 2021/22.
Only Kieran Trippier (four) has set up more goals than the Frenchman for Newcastle this season, while no Magpies player matched the 25-year-old’s tally of five assists last term.
Therefore, both players have the ability to provide excellent quality in the final third, either by scoring goals or creating them, and having their talents available for the clash against Liverpool should be a huge boost for Howe.
Sunderland defender Aji Alese may feel fortunate not to have given away a penalty on the weekend in their draw against Millwall.
What’s the latest?
Tony Mowbray’s men picked up a big point away to the Londoners on the weekend in a game where the found themselves a goal behind.
Dennis Cirkin was the man to get his head on the ball and provide the Black Cats with a way back into the game for what was just his second goal of the 2022/23 campaign.
However, there was a penalty shout for the hosts with the Sunderland centre-back seemingly holding back Tom Bradshaw inside the penalty area.
And speaking on Sky Sports’ Ref Watch, former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher has labelled this incident as clumsy from the young defender:
“It’s clumsy and I think whatever the referee does, you back him, because he goes down, together – is there enough to give a penalty? The referee’s close, he has a good view. Difficult call.”
Big let-off?
There does certainly seem to be some contact from the 22-year-old who allowed Bradshaw to turn inside him despite having Danny Batth covering.
So with this in mind, there probably is some scope for a potential penalty to be awarded against the Black Cats with the Millwall forward going down as a result of the contact.
And given the incident occurred after just a few minutes, it is something which could have certainly changed the narrative of the game if Sunderland had found themselves behind so early on.
However, there will likely be some who would feel it would have been a soft penalty had it been awarded by the referee.
Perhaps the contact was minimal but it was enough to potentially give the referee something to think about which is always a dangerous game to play.
Alese has played a big role in the Sunderland side this season since making the move from Millwall’s rivals, West Ham United, over the summer.
However, it does seem Saturday may not have been his best display in a red and white shirt as journalist James Hunter awarded him with just a 6/10 rating.
The youngster clearly has some developing still to do and perhaps this incident is one he will learn from as another referee seemingly could have interpreted it in a different way.
Everton have tabled a £17m offer to sign Lorient striker Dango Ouattara this January, according to reports.
The Lowdown: Reinforcements required
The Merseyside outfit find themselves in the drop zone after a disappointing first half of the campaign, with Frank Lampard in desperate need of attacking reinforcements this month should he want to survive relegation from the Premier League.
The Burkina Faso international still has 18 months remaining on his contract, but after several prolific displays in Ligue 1 this term, has caught the attention of Farhad Moshiri at Goodison Park.
The Latest: Ouattara bid submitted
According to French outlet Foot Mercato, Everton have ‘drawn an offer’ of €20m (£17m) for Ouattara as claimed by ‘sources’ reportedly close to the Lorient board.
The Toffees have ‘tracked’ the 20-year-old, with negotiations between the two parties currently ‘ongoing’ with the aim of reaching an agreement before the end of the window.
The Verdict: Instead of Moffi?
Terem Moffi is another Lorient forward Everton have been heavily linked with in recent weeks, but Ouattara seems to be the one that they are seriously wanting to pursue and wrap up a deal for.
The winger has so far recorded five goals and the same number of assists in 16 appearances this season and is currently averaging 2.9 shots per league game.
Ouattara has been dubbed ‘one of the biggest revelations in Europe’ by Jacek Kulig, and he would surely answer some of the club’s attacking prayers should he complete a transfer to the top-flight in the weeks ahead.
Transfer expert Dean Jones says that there is a ‘feeling’ that Newcastle United target Marcus Thuram may be leaning towards a move to Italy.
The Lowdown: Inter Milan interest
As per 90min, Inter Milan are readying a contract offer for Thuram, who also has other clubs in Italy and the Premier League after him, including Newcastle.
The report adds that the St. James’ Park outfit ‘are ready to try and tempt’ the Borussia Monchengladbach striker to join them in 2023 and will submit an offer ‘if the player shows a desire to make the move’.
It is also reported that ‘talks with Thuram’s representatives have been positive’, with Eddie Howe believing that Thuram ‘would be a good fit’ to his current squad.
The Latest: Thuram ‘leaning’ towards Italy
Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones says that there is a ‘feeling’ that Thuram is ‘leaning’ toward a move to Italy, amid interest from the Magpies:
“They do like Thuram and they are quite interested in that, they’re trying to gauge how serious the player is about coming to the Premier League.
“There’s a feeling among some that maybe he’ll be leaning towards going to Italy, so we’ll have to wait and see what his desire is to come to the Premier League, because at the moment that’s a little unclear.“
The North East club need to do everything that they can to try and persuade Thuram to move to Tyneside in this window, rather than to Italy.
With his contract expiring in the summer, the 25-year-old would be available for a cut-price, and to get a player of his quality on the cheap is surely no-brainer.
Hailed as ‘world class’ by Wolfsburg sporting director Marcel Schafer, and ‘a little crazy‘ by former team-mate Denis Zakaria, now in the Premier League with Chelsea, Thuram ranks in the top 4% for non-penalty xG, top 7% for dribbles completed and top 8% for shots of all strikers in Europe’s top five leagues over the past year (FBRef).
He boasts an impressive 13 goals and four assists in his opening 17 games for Gladbach in total over all competitions in the first part of the season (Transfermarkt), and is rated highly by both Howe and Allan Saint-Maximin, suggesting that he would be a perfect fit on Tyneside.
Newcastle United are believed to be considering a move for Chelsea midfielder, Jorginho, with the Italy international yet to commit his future to the west London outfit.
What’s the word?
According to the Daily Mail, the 31-year-old is said to be a ‘prime target’ for Magpies sporting director Dan Ashworth ahead of the January transfer window, with the northeast side seemingly looking to strengthen their midfield ranks in the New Year.
The Brazil-born maestro could well prove to be an attainable target as a result of his ongoing contract uncertainty at Stamford Bridge, with the 46-cap gem having just six months remaining on his existing deal with the Blues.
That would ensure that the Tynesiders could potentially strike a cut-price deal next month, or land the former Napoli man on a free transfer at the end of the season.
Busquets-esque
The £110k-per-week ace has been pulling the strings in the centre of the park for both club and country in recent years, having notably finished third in the Ballon d’Or rankings in 2021 after claiming the Champions League and European Championship glory in that calendar year.
Despite that success, the 5 foot 10 genius is still somewhat “underappreciated” – according to talkSPORT pundit Trevor Sinclair – with the playmaker’s brilliance perhaps sometimes going under the radar.
A clinical presence from the penalty spot – having scored 19 spot-kicks in his Premier League career to date – it is his quality in possession that has particularly caught the eye, with the one-time Hellas Verona ace enjoying an 85% pass accuracy rate in the top-flight this term.
That knack for dictating the tempo of the game can see him likened to Spain and Barcelona legend, Sergio Busquets, with the two men said to share a number of stylistic and statistical similarities, as per FBref.
That comparison is an astute one as the pair are both orchestrators from their deep-lying roles at the base of the midfield, with Jorginho ranking in the top 7% in Europe among those in his position for attempted passes, while Busquets ranks in the top 5% for that same metric.
That forward-thinking approach is also showcased by the fact that the latter man ranks in the top 11% for progressive passes, while the Chelsea man ranks in the top 10% in that regard as a sign of his ability to initiate attacks from deep.
Such likeness is a marker of just what a gifted figure Jorginho truly is, with Busquets having been recognised as one of the finest of his era over the last decade or so, with current Manchester United man Casemiro having previously dubbed the Spaniard the “best in the world” in that role.
The 34-year-old has won a plethora of major honours for both club and country to date, while notably racking up 696 appearances for La Blaugrana, as well as 143 caps at international level prior to his recent post-World Cup retirement.
To be compared to such a talent truly does illustrate Jorginho’s undoubted prowess, with it set to prove a real coup if Ashworth can bring the latter man to St James’ Park in 2023.