Month: November 2019

The Spaniard is happy to take the blame for a damaging loss at the King Power Stadium, with it his belief that his side performed well defensively

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Unai Emery praised his Arsenal players for “sticking to the gameplan” after a 2-0 defeat at Leicester on Saturday, insisting any criticism for the team’s performance should be directed at him.

The Foxes moved back into third in the Premier League standings thanks to second-half goals from Jamie Vardy and James Maddison, extending their winning run to four matches in the process.

The Gunners, meanwhile, slipped to sixth, with nine points now separating them and fourth-place Chelsea in the race for the final Champions League spot.

Arsenal struggled to create any clear-cut openings at the King Power Stadium and seemed content to invite Leicester onto them, which ultimately proved to be their undoing.

Vardy broke the deadlock in the 68th minute when he finished off a slick passing move involving Youri Tielemans and Maddison, which marked his 11th goal of the season.

Maddison made sure of the victory seven minutes later, rifling the ball into the bottom corner after being teed up on the edge of the box by Vardy.

Arsenal are now without a win in six matches across all competitions, heaping more pressure on their under-fire manager, but Emery refused to point the finger of blame at his players after their latest setback.

“I am speaking with the club to stay strong and recover,” he told a post-match press conference. “We also have young players who are growing up with us.

“I know we are receiving criticism but I have done before and I have recovered. I accept all the criticism. It is normal. Today we did one step ahead being better defensively.

“We can be disappointed but not with the attitude of the players, they did the gameplan. In the second half, we created some chances and when they scored we lost that opportunity.”

When pressed on why he opted for a defensive-minded 3-4-1-2 formation against Leicester, Emery added: “I think the players felt good in that system.

“Last year we used it and we did well. It depends on how we can get our best qualities and we used that system last year with a lot of good results.”

Emery went on to express his belief that the top four is still a realistic target for Arsenal, insisting there is still plenty of time for the gap to be closed while taking heart from the fact that Manchester United and Tottenham are even further behind.

“We are distant from Leicester now but we will take time to prepare and improve and take the balance in the team,” he said.

“Manchester United and Spurs are also behind us so it is an equal competition but we have time to reduce the gap on Leicester.”

Arsenal resume their Premier League campaign after the international break, with Southampton due to arrive at Emirates Stadium on November 23.

The Scotland international midfielder was helped from the pitch deep into injury time at Old Trafford, and looked to be in real pain

Manchester United’s 3-1 win at home to Brighton on Sunday afternoon was marred by an injury late in the game to the increasingly influential midfielder Scott McTominay.

The 22-year-old Scotland international had earlier forced an own goal from Brighton’s Davy Propper to put United 2-0 up, with goals from Andreas Pereira and Marcus Rashford eventually helping United up to seventh in the table.

McTominay looked to be in considerable pain as he was helped from the pitch deep into stoppage time, though a stretcher which had been readied for him wasn’t used.

With United having used all of their substitutions, they saw out the final seconds of the game with ten men.

McTominay has played in all but two of United’s games in all competitions so far this season, and has two goals to his name following strikes against Arsenal and Norwich.

However, with the Premier League season now interrupted by the international break, United will be hoping the two-week break to their next fixture will be enough for McTominay to recover if the injury turns out not to be serious.

Paul Pogba is expected to return for United after the international break after being out since September with an ankle injury.

United face Sheffield United on November 24, and will look to leapfrog Chris Wilder’s impressive Blades side who sit one point and two places above them in fifth.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side will then face Astana in the Europa League, before home league games against Aston Villa and Tottenham precede the first Manchester derby of the season at the Etihad in early December.

Any injury will also be bad news for Scotland manager Steve Clarke, whose side have two winnable fixtures coming up in Euro 2020 qualifying.

Scotland travel to Cyprus before returning home to face Kazakhstan, though qualification for next summer’s tournament is already out of the question as they trail second-placed Russia by 12 points with two games remaining in Group I.

They squeezed past Cyprus 2-1 back in June, but an embarrassing 3-0 defeat to Kazakhstan in March had already set the tone for what has been another disappointing qualifying campaign.

The former Gunners star believes a manager overseeing a fine season for the Foxes would be a perfect fit at Emirates Stadium or Tottenham

Given that Arsenal were prepared to spend £72 million ($93m) on Nicolas Pepe, Paul Merson has suggested that the Gunners should be willing to pay £40m ($51m) to bring in Brendan Rodgers as their next boss.

A change in the dugout at Emirates Stadium is being mooted as Unai Emery struggles to convince a loyal fan base of his worth.

The Spaniard retains the full support of his board for now, but that stance could change if no improvement is made on the field over the coming weeks.

With speculation building as to who could step in if Emery is moved on, Merson has reiterated his calls for Leicester manager Rodgers to be targeted.

He has already called on the Gunners to “break the bank” in an effort to land the former Swansea, Liverpool and Celtic coach, given the fine job he has overseen at the King Power Stadium.

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Merson also feels that Rodgers could be a shrewd appointment for Arsenal’s arch-rivals Tottenham, with rumours still raging when it comes to the long-term future of Mauricio Pochettino in north London.

The former Gunners star told Sky Sports: “I think he’s (Rodgers) one of the best in the business.

“If I was Arsenal, I would have been ringing Leicester up and saying, ‘how much do you want?’.

“If you’re going to pay £72 million for a winger (Pepe) that hasn’t played in the Premier League and has played in the French league, I would pay £40m for him tomorrow morning.

“I would say Arsenal [would be a good fit for Rodgers]. Arsenal or Tottenham. I wouldn’t get rid of Pochettino, don’t get me wrong, I think he’s different class. I think them two teams will be looking at him.

“For me, if you’re going to bring Brendan Rodgers in and what he’s done with the teams he has been at like Swansea, Celtic, Liverpool and now Leicester, you give him a six-year plan and let him do what he wants to do. He improves players.”

Arsenal need somebody to improve their fortunes, with just one win taken from their last seven games in all competitions to slip out of the Carabao Cup and eight points adrift of the Premier League’s top four.

The U.S. Soccer general manager insists that the coach will not be dismissed any time soon

U.S. Soccer sporting director Earnie Stewart insists Greg Berhalter’s job is safe no matter how the U.S. men’s national team fares in an upcoming Nations League match against Canada.

Berhalter has come under fire in the aftermath of the USMNT’s last Nations League match, a 2-0 loss to Canada that set up a must-win clash in Orlando this Friday.

As a result of the loss in Toronto, the U.S. will now have to take down their northern rivals if they hope to seal advancement to the next round of the newly-created CONCACAF tournament.

The defeat only added to a series of miserable results for the U.S., who were outdueled by Mexico in the Gold Cup finale this summer before being battered by El Tri in September.

Stewart acknowledged that the loss to Canada “wasn’t good enough”, but a similar performance and result won’t be enough to put Berhalter’s job into jeopardy.

When asked on a conference call with reports if Berhalter’s job is safe, Stewart replied: “We’re looking at the future, so yeah. When I evaluate Gregg and the coaching staff, and what I’ve seen today, I’m a pleased man. An individual result is not going to change that. I think that answers the question in itself.”

He added: “I do think there’s been progress, I really do. What we’ve seen in the Gold Cup is that in CONCACAF we have a really good level, and that we can play the game we want to play. Getting to a place where we can do that over 90 minutes, that’s the place we need to get to. That progression is there, except against teams like a very good team in Mexico and a very good team like Uruguay, it becomes a little bit more difficult.”

Much of the criticism surrounding Berhalter’s tenure has centered around his style, with the former Columbus Crew boss looking to replicate his possession-based, play-out-of-the-back system that was highly successful during his tenure as an MLS boss.

However, it may not be the best for the current player pool, a young group that appears more equipped for a counter-attacking system.

Stewart, however, says he believes the players can adapt and that adapting will be necessary for the program to take a step forward.

“Our players showed that they can perform at a really, really high level,” he said. “The question is not so much, can these players do that, because they’ve already shown that they can.

“What I would say is we need to do that over 90 minutes, and that’s something that we’re constantly talking about. How can we get there? How can we progress to have enough players to keep that and maintain that for 90 minutes.”

With World Cup qualifying less than a year away, the U.S. is rapidly approaching a cycle that is sure to be the subject of increased scrutiny following the disaster that was the 2018 qualifying cycle. 

Even with that in mind and understanding that the impact of recent results, Stewart says he is not concerned with missing out on a spot on the biggest stage once again.

“I have no fear that we’re not going to qualify for the World Cup,” he said. “I’m very, very confident about that.”

The Brazil international has been handed a new nickname by Jurgen Klopp, with the 26-year-old continuing to sweep up in the middle of the park

Fabinho is happy with the “Dyson” nickname bestowed upon him by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, with the holding midfielder confident that he can take his game to even greater heights.

The versatile Brazilian has nailed down an important role in the Reds side which requires him to sweep up in front of the back four.

So impressive has he been in that berth that Klopp has compared him to a hoover that leaves no stone unturned in a bid to keep the Liverpool slate clean.

Fabinho is accustomed to unusual monikers, having already been branded the “skinny one” by Virgil van Dijk, and is pleased to see his efforts recognised by those around him.

Asked about the “Dyson” tag by Liverpool’s official website, the 26-year-old said: “A few people call me this! Between us players I’m more known as Flaco but they’re cool nicknames. 

“Before the coach used it [Dyson], another player used it – I think [James] Milner might have said it.

“It’s a cool nickname but the other one that the majority of the players use, Flaco, that was started by Virgil and everybody started calling me it.”

Fabinho has become a key component in a Liverpool side that tasted Champions League glory last season and is chasing down the Premier League title in 2019-20.

He opened his goal account for the club in a crucial 3-1 victory over Manchester City last time out and feels he can offer even more to the collective cause as further potential is unlocked.

“I think when the team does well an individual’s abilities shine as well,” Fabinho added.

“I wanted this season to be different because I had already adapted to the team and the league. I wanted to keep improving as a player and help the team out more. That’s what I’ve been aiming for.

“I’m happy for the praise that I’ve got but I know I still have got the scope to improve and I want to keep improving. 

“There’s always scope to improve. I’m still young, I want to improve more, develop more. I’ve got personal objectives as well, so I’ve still got more to offer to the team.”

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The Swedish forward labelled himself as a conqueror, but he never reached the heights he insists he did in the U.S.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been called many things throughout his illustrious career, and many of those have famously come from his own mouth.

The Swedish megastar has called himself a lion, a legend and a conqueror but, by and large, he has lived up to those labels. He ran roughshod in Italy. He shone in Spain. He dominated in France. He became an icon in his native Sweden. He even won two trophies despite playing for less than a season at Manchester United.

No matter what team you support or where you are from, you must acknowledge that Ibrahimovic is a giant of the game.

On Wednesday, Ibrahimovic concluded his latest “conquest”, announcing his departure from the LA Galaxy after less than two seasons in MLS .

“I came, I saw, I conquered,” he said. “Thank you LA Galaxy for making me feel alive again. To the Galaxy fans – you wanted Zlatan, I gave you Zlatan. You are welcome. The story continues…Now go back to watch baseball.”

Los Angeles did, in fact, get plenty of Zlatan. They got the goals, the ego, the quips and aura. The Galaxy, and MLS as a whole, benefitted from his presence. But, as he departs the league, he leaves a legacy far more incomplete than he would admit. A conqueror? Not so much.

For nearly his entire time in the league, the veteran was among the best forwards in MLS. The numbers prove that. He scored 52 goals in 56 regular-season games, an incredible haul for any player, let alone one that joined on the heels of a major injury.

Those goals, those performances, brought about a resurgence in LA. Before Zlatan’s arrival, the Galaxy were a team lagging behind. They were a team struggling with identity. Ibrahimovic’s signing turned the tide, and reignited a team that was very much in need of a spark.

Zlatan promised goals, and he delivered. He promised relevancy, and he delivered that too. He also promised domination; on that, he did not produce.

Ibrahimovic’s career has been built on winning league titles everywhere he has gone, but he failed to deliver on that in MLS. In his first season, his Galaxy failed to make the playoffs. In his second, the Galaxy were knocked out by crosstown rivals Los Angeles FC.

He leaves MLS having played in just two postseason matches, scoring in neither of them. He departs trophy-less, despite playing on a team with the second-highest payroll in the league and a certain habit for stretching the rules when it comes to loading a roster with star power.

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The Catalan native swapped Camp Nou for the Etihad Stadium in 2017 and is enjoying working under Pep Guardiola at the Premier League champions

Eric Garcia has no regrets at having left Barcelona for Manchester City, with Pep Guardiola considered to be improving his game while the quality of Bernardo Silva has surprised him most.

The 18-year-old defender departed the famed La Masia academy system in his native Catalunya in the summer of 2017.

He remains on a steep learning curve as part of a star-studded squad, but has seen competitive senior minutes with City.

With that in mind, Garcia has told Marca when asked if he has ever questioned his decision to head for England: “No. You don’t think about how it would be somewhere else. I’m very happy with the opportunities I’ve had.”

He added on his experiences at City: “I’m in my third season in Manchester already and I’m very happy. At first it was more complicated, but then I adapted after a few months. I’m lucky to have a lot of Spanish team-mates, who make things easier.

“When I first went, I was hoping to see how things were going. We all know the Premier League is a different league, it’s more physical. I was going to see what happened but I’m very happy with how it’s gone.

“At the end of last season, they told me I’d start pre-season with the first team, and I did. I’m one of the first-team players. I train with them.”

Fellow Catalan Guardiola is the man to have given Garcia his big break, with the youngster enjoying working under the Barcelona icon.

He said of his City coach: “You learn. Every day he teaches you something new. He’s very special.”

Garcia is also benefiting from working alongside world-class talent on a daily basis.

A number of his team-mates have impressed him, but Portugal international forward Silva has made the biggest impression.

“Everyone is at a phenomenal level, but Bernardo Silva surprised me the most,” said Garcia.

“I had seen him at Monaco but not much, so I was surprised when I first trained with him.”

Garcia, who made his City debut in a Carabao Cup clash with Leicester in December 2018 and his Premier League bow in an 8-0 win over Watford earlier this season, will be hoping to see more minutes as the Blues continue to compete on multiple fronts.

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The former Three Lions manager believes a man who once played under him is capable of taking his coaching career to the very top of the game

Frank Lampard is a future England manager in the making, says Fabio Capello, with the Chelsea boss having shown no fear after stepping into one demanding post.

A Blues legend was returned to Stamford Bridge over the summer.

He had just one season of coaching experience behind him at Derby, but those in west London decided to seek inspiration from a familiar face.

Lampard stepped into a testing role, with Chelsea having been stung with a two-window transfer ban.

That embargo has actually worked in their favour, with greater trust having to be shown in academy graduates such as Tammy Abraham, Mason Mount and Fikayo Tomori.

The faith in youth has been richly rewarded, with the Blues back in Premier League top-four contention and making steady progress in the Champions League.

Lampard has earned plenty of plaudits for the manner in which he has gone about his business, and the success he has overseen, with Capello adding his praise to the pot.

The ex-England boss sees no reason why a man who once played under him cannot follow in his footsteps by reaching the very top of the coaching game.

Capello told Sky Sports: “I don’t know. Probably … because he can do it. He understands everything and has started without fear and put young players on the pitch.”

The Italian, who spent four years in charge of the Three Lions and guided them to the 2010 World Cup, is keeping a close eye on Lampard’s progress at Chelsea.

He added: “I follow him. I watch all the games and I was upset when he started the season and he lost two games and the team didn’t play well.

“Now, the results are good and the position is really good and without the [transfer] market.”

While Lampard is making impressive progress in the early part of his managerial career, Capello has reached the opposite end of his.

The former Real Madrid and Juventus boss is now 73 years of age and, with media work taking up a lot of his time, he took the decision to announce his retirement from coaching in April 2018.

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Here’s all you need to know about the biggest rivalry in Scottish football, why it’s called the Old Firm and more

Celtic vs Rangers is one of the most passionate – and heated – club rivalries in the world, matching the intensity of the likes of El Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid.

The two have a storied rivalry, their matchup extending past the limits of football and into deeper themes of national identity and religion.

Goal has everything you need to know about why it’s called the Old Firm Derby, the history behind the two clubs and more.

Why is Celtic vs Rangers called the Old Firm Derby?

It is understood that their rivalry has been dubbed the “Old Firm” since the early 20th century, when the two faced each other in the 1904 Scottish Cup Final.

The magazine “The Scottish Referee” had drawn up a satirical cartoon of the two rivals in the lead-up to the game, acknowledging the commercialisation of their high-profile meetings that attracted large crowds and fervent support. A panel in the comic showed a man with a sandwich board that read: “Patronise The Old Firm: Rangers, Celtic Ltd”.

Another theory is that the term originated from match commentators describing an early meeting between the two teams meeting as “like two old, firm friends”.

Why do Celtic and Rangers have such a deep rivalry?

The two sides are the most successful sides in Scottish football, but that’s only one facet of their heated, deep-seated rivalry with one another.

Their rivalry is rooted in a divide of views regarding religion, identity and politics, as well their relationship with Northern Ireland.

Traditionally, Rangers supporters align themselves as native Scots or Ulster Scots as well as Protestant and Republican, while Celtic fans tend to be Irish-Scots and Catholic and Loyalist.

Rangers fans also tend to identify more as pro-British, waving Union Jack flags at matches while Celtic supporters are more commonly seen waving the Irish tricolour.

Rangers’ history is deeply rooted in the Protestant community, and until Graeme Souness became manager in 1986, went decades without signing a Catholic player. Souness signing ex-Celtic forward Mo Johnston in 1989 brought an end to the practise, which is no longer continued.

Old Firm derbies are typically heated and intense affairs, rivalling such high-profile clashes such as De Klassieker and El Clasico.

Henrik Larsson, who has played in both, conceded even those didn’t live up to the Old Firm: “I never experienced anything, either before or after, that compared to my Old Firm games in Scotland. That was the best atmosphere and those were the most fierce encounters I ever played in.”

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It’s also a brutal environment for players to find themselves in the midst of, with Rangers legend Brian Laudrup calling the clash “terrifying”.

“As soon as you join one of these clubs, from the very first minutes you are told about this game,” Laudrup told the Daily Record.

“To play in one was terrifying. It was a bit scary but on the other hand it’s tremendous to be involved in one of the world’s biggest derbies.

“For these players it’s tremendous. They have read about the derby and heard about it from those who have played in the game but to actually be part of it is completely different. It’s something they will never forget.”

Several incidents in the late 90’s during the derby have involved infamous pitch invasions, instances of vandalism and general hooliganism caused by the heightened tension of the clash, prompting the Scottish FA to hold the derby in early afternoon.

When Rangers had the opportunity to win the league against Celtic on the last day of the season in May 1999, several Celtic fans in the stadium took to throwing objections at the opposition players. One such object hit referee Hugh Dallas, who was forced to stop play and receive medical treatment.

Since then, measures have been taken to avoid the possibility of the Premiership being decided on the last day between Celtic and Rangers.

The Euro 2020 play-offs will determine the last four places at the finals, and here’s what you need to know about them

The qualifying stages of Euro 2020 are approaching an end, but we still won’t know the full roster of participating teams until March 2020.

Twenty teams automatically advance to the finals through the qualifying stages, which leaves four additional teams fighting for a spot through the play-offs.

The Nations League is linked to Euro 2020 qualifying, and if you’re feeling confused about how it all works,  Goal  has everything you need to know.

Contents

What are the Euro 2020 play-offs?

The top two in each of the 10 Euro 2020 qualifying groups automatically advance to the tournament, making for 20 participants.

The four remaining places, then, are determined through the play-offs . Theoretically, the four group winners will participate each Nations League’s play-offs.

Whereas in previous editions of the Euros where play-off participants were determined by their performances in the qualifiers, this year they will be decided based on their standings in the UEFA Nations League.

The play-offs will take place in March 2020 .

What is the UEFA Nations League? Finals, fixtures, results & how it works

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How do the Euro 2020 play-offs work?

In addition to the 20 teams who qualify for the competition by finishing in the top two of the 10 groups, four teams will qualify via the play-offs.

A total of 16 teams participate in the play-offs based on their Nations League group finishes and performances.

Four play-off routes are involved, with four teams allocated to each route.

There are two semi-finals and one final per route, and each match will be single-leg matches – there will be no two-legged matches unlike in previous years.

During the semi-final stage, the best-ranked Nations League team will be placed at home to play against the fourth-placed side, and the second-ranked team will welcome the third-best team.

The November 2019 draw will decide the home team, decided by the play-offs, in each final.

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Which teams qualified for the Euro 2020 play-offs?

Here’s where it all seems to get a bit complicated. The winners of the 16 Nations League groups (Groups A, B, C and D) will head to the play-offs.

But the way the structure of the play-offs is set, roughly half of the Nations League group winners qualified for the Euro finals directly. Since they don’t need to qualify from the play-offs, their place will be allocated to the next best-ranked team from that League.

Here are the teams in the play-offs.

Path A:  Iceland, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary
Path B:  Bosnia and Herzegovina , Slovakia, Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland
Path C:  Scotland, Norway, Serbia, Israel
Click Here: st kilda saints guernsey 2019Path D:  Georgia, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Belarus

Rank	Path A	Rank	Path B
1	Iceland ??	1	Bosnia and Herzegovina ??
2	Bulgaria ??	2	Slovakia ??
3	Romania ??	3	Republic of Ireland ??
4	Hungary ??	4	Northern Ireland

Rank	Path C	Rank	Path D
1	Scotland ???????	1	Georgia ??
2	Norway ??	2	North Macedonia ??
3	Serbia ??	3	Kosovo ??
4	Israel ??	4	Belarus ??

A draw took place on November 22 to confirm the play-off matches and the outcome can be seen below.

Iceland will take on Romania in semi-final one of Path A, while Bulgaria face Hungary in the other semi-final.

The winner of Bulgaria vs Hungary will have home advantage in the final.

Date	Team	Result	Team
Mar 26	Iceland	–	Romania
Mar 26	Bulgaria	–	Hungary
Mar 31	Winner semi-final 1	–	Winner semi-final 2

Semi-final one sees Bosnia-Herzegovina take on Northern Ireland and Slovakia face the Republic of Ireland in the other semi-final.

Either Bosnia-Herzegovina or Northern Ireland will be the hosts for the final.

Date	Team	Result	Team
Mar 26	Bosnia & Herzegovina	–	Northern Ireland
Mar 26	Slovakia	–	Republic of Ireland
Mar 31	Winner semi-final 1	–	Winner semi-final 2

Scotland face Israel in one of the semi-finals, while Norway take on Serbia in the other.

The winner of Norway vs Serbia will be at home for the final.

Date	Team	Result	Team
Mar 26	Scotland	–	Israel
Mar 26	Norway	–	Serbia
Mar 31	Winner semi-final 1	–	Winner semi-final 2

Georgia lock horns with Belarus, while North Macedonia play Kosovo in the other semi-final in path D.

The final will be hosted be the winner of Georgia vs Belarus.

Date	Team	Result	Team
Mar 26	Georgia	–	Belarus
Mar 26	North Macedonia	–	Kosovo
Mar 31	Winner semi-final 1	–	Winner semi-final 2

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Which teams have qualified for Euro 2020?

A total of 20 countries – Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and Wales – have already secured their places automatically and will not need to participate in the play-offs.

Euro 2020: Which countries have qualified for the 24-team finals?

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When are the play-offs?

The play-offs will take place on March 26 & 31 2020 . The play-off draw was held on November 22 2019.

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When is the Euro 2020 finals draw?

The draw for the Euro 2020 finals will take place Friday November 30 in Bucharest, Romania. It will begin at 12pm CET (11am GMT / 6am ET) .

One team from each pot will be drawn into the six groups.

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