Month: July 2020

The last goalkeeper to save a Fernandes penalty reveals ‘secret’

Goalkeeper Miguel Soares has revealed the “secret” to saving a penalty from Man Utd midfielder Bruno Fernandes.

Man Utd have had a number of penalties awarded to them since Fernandes was signed in January with Jose Mourinho even having a little dig at their spot kick count this season.

Fernandes has been successful in converting all of his penalties this campaign for Man Utd with Soares the last man to save a penalty of his.

FEATURE: Premier League numbers and stats: the best and the worst

You have to go back to October 2018 since Fernandes last missed a penalty when Soares, who played for Loures at the time, made the save in a Portuguese Cup clash against Sporting Lisbon.

On that moment, Soares told the Daily Star: “The save was a great moment. The secret was the small movement I made to the left.

“Bruno looks at the keeper when he takes a penalty, so I did the same to him. I feigned to dive to the left, and went to the right.

“I wanted to make Bruno take his decision as late as possible. I didn’t want to make his life easier.

“We took Sporting all the way to extra time, and still gave them a scare before they won 2-1.

“I hope Bruno can continue converting penalties in the Premier League. He’ll miss one eventually, but I hope it won’t be for a while – it is better for me.

“I didn’t manage to get his shirt after the Sporting game, but I would love to have one of his Manchester United shirts now.

“Although I was his opponent on the day, I am a big fan of his.”

 

One Man Utd man demands ‘showdown talks’ with Solskjaer

Sergio Romero is considering his future at Man Utd with the back-up goalkeeper wanting assurances over his future at Old Trafford, according to reports.

The Argentine, 33, has been a dependable performer whenever called upon in cup competitions. But has not played in the league in over two years despite David de Gea’s repeated missteps.

That lack of regular first-team action doesn’t appear to be set to reverse course anytime soon, owing to the continued rise of on-loan stopper Dean Henderson, while there have been rumours that the Englishman could replace De Gea next term.

FEATURE: Premier League numbers and stats: the best and the worst

And The Sun claims that the return of Henderson means Romero ‘wants to hold showdown talks with Manchester United over his future’.

The report adds that Romero is being monitored by ‘a number of clubs in his native Argentina, along with sides across Europe and in the MLS’ while Leeds United were recently credited with interest.

And the Argentina international is ‘keen to leave if Ole Gunnar Solskjaer makes it clear he has no first-team future at Old Trafford’ with even the possibility that he could drop ‘down to third-choice’.

Man Utd are ‘due to sit down and discuss his future’ soon with the club wanting around £5m if Romero chooses to leave the club.

 

Pulisic picks out one ‘dangerous’ Arsenal player for special praise

Chelsea winger Christian Pulisic has declared himself “100% fit” for the FA Cup final on Saturday, while he’s picked out Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as their biggest threat.

Pulisic joined Chelsea in January 2019 for a reported £57.6 million, making him the most expensive North American player of all time.

Initially he found it a little bit of a struggle to settle in at Chelsea but he’s impressed in spells this season with nine goals and four assists in 19 Premier League starts.

FEATURE: Five players Chelsea must build around

Perhaps worringly for Arsenal, who face Chelsea in the FA Cup final on Saturday, Pulisic reckons he’s over a minor thigh injury and feeling fitter than ever.

“I never had a real issue. I’m 100% fit,” Pulisic told ESPN FC.

And the USA international had some praise for Aubameyang, who used to be his team-mate at Borussia Dortmund, ahead of their showdown against Arsenal.

“He is incredible, the way he gets in good areas,” Pulisic said.

“He’s always dangerous so we are definitely going to have to be cautious of that and they have some other good players, but he is definitely one guy that you have to look out for.

“We’ll always be good friends. I played together with him for a long time. Right now we are definitely focused and want to win. It is going to be a good battle and not so much on the pitch but we will always be friends off the pitch.”

Pulisic added: “The final comes down to us against them, who is more ready to play on the day. Obviously it gives us confidence that we’ve been in good form, we’ve been playing well and we’re going to try and bring that into the game. In the end, it is one game and in a final, anything can happen.”

 

Carragher airs doubts after Man City agree £41m deal for Ake

Jamie Carragher is unsure how Man City boss Pep Guardiola will get Nathan Ake in his starting line-up next season after having a bid accepted for the centre-back.

Reports emerged on Thursday that Bournemouth had accepted a £41m bid for the Dutchman from City after the club were relegated from the Premier League over the weekend.

The likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and Leicester City have all been linked with Ake, while Man Utd boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer fueled rumours that he could be heading to Old Trafford at the beginning of July.

MAILBOX: Man Utd will get 88 points next season, Jesus to be top scorer…

But it now looks like Ake will be on his way to Man City and Carragher thinks he will “suit” the Citizens but is unsure who he will replace in the starting line-up.

“I like Nathan Ake and I think he will suit Man City,” Carragher wrote on Twitter. “But with Laporte a guaranteed starter I’m not convinced two left-footed centre-backs works?

“I know right-footed players play together but it never feels right the other way round to me! Left back or a back three?”

When put to him that they would need cover for Laporte on the left-hand side, Carragher added: “Is Laporte injury prone or he just had a bad injury? There is a difference.

“If Laporte is fit he plays! I just think it’s interesting to see how Pep gets Ake into the team when Laporte is fit!”

 

Adam Cole Talks About Studying CM Punk, Getting in a Zone, More

ESPN recently interviewed Wrestling Superstar and Veteran Adam Cole. Below are the highlights from the interview:
On “getting in a zone” when cutting promos: “For me, I like to just do it. I can get in a zone for my promo material fairly quick. If it’s one of those deals where I arrive and immediately they’re like, ‘Hey, come and cut a promo,’ I love having like 30 seconds to shut my eyes and think about completely morphing into Adam Cole and thinking that way. This is gonna sound silly, but if I have gum, chomping on my gum like an idiot really, really helps me kind of get in the zone. I walk different. My face is different. I just try my best to get the most prepared and then let everything naturally flow. My thing is, when I’m talking, I want people to think and completely believe that I believe everything that I’m saying.”
On studying CM Punk promos: “Nine times out of 10 the promo stuff that I watched was all CM Punk. Just the way that he spoke, the cadence that he had, the confidence that he had, the look in his eyes was so believable. Punk was so smart with his promos. He talked intelligently, to where you thought he was an intelligent guy and you thought this was a fresh idea, but it wasn’t so over-the-top or so over your head that you didn’t understand it. He was very, very good at carrying himself in promos. He was definitely a guy that I studied quite a bit and still study going forward and cutting promos.”

On giving advice to new aspiring pro wrestlers: “I tell people all the time at seminars, the importance of talking is so vital and so crucial to your career in pro wrestling, especially as a main-event guy. Most promoters in the world would rather have a really, really good promo guy and an OK wrestler than a really good wrestler and a guy who couldn’t talk at all. If you could do both, that’s even better. I truly believe that talking is not only just as important but in some cases more important. Especially for long-term development of your character. Promos are so important.”
You can read the entire interview of Adam Cole at ESPN.com.