Month: April 2021

Emery insists that Arsenal-Arteta is a ‘good marriage’

Unai Emery has suggested that current Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is bringing back the club’s “tradition” by playing attractive football.

Arteta replaced Emery as Arsenal manager in December 2019. Since taking over, he has won the FA Cup and he has guided them to this season’s Europa League semi-finals.

The Gunners will face Villarreal in the last four of the competition. The Spanish outfit are managed by Emery, who took over in June 2020.

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Speaking ahead of that game, as cited by Football London, Emery insisted that it is a “good marriage” between Arteta and the Gunners:

“Mikel is putting his own stamp on things – in the way they play, it’s easy to identify he’s bringing back that Arsenal tradition of playing attractive football.

“His first steps as Pep Guardiola’s assistant have helped him to position himself in this new profession, which is being the manager.

“Now he has been given this opportunity at Arsenal, and I think it’s a good place to develop because he is much loved by Arsenal thanks to the time he spent in the team.

“He had his time [playing] there with Arsene Wenger so I’m sure he can apply everything he learned. I think it’s a good marriage: Arteta-Arsenal, Arsenal-Arteta.”

Emery’s Villarreal host Arsenal in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final on Thursday. The former Gunners boss also said that the tie will be full of tension.

“When Arsenal are in form, they are a top team,” Emery said. “We’ve seen that this season. But so are we when we find our form.

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“So in terms of confidence, the demands, the respect we have for the opponent, this semi-final will be full of tension and both teams will do their utmost to get through, which is what makes this competition such a great one.

“I want to win for myself and for Villarreal. [Two years ago] I was defending Arsenal’s red [and white] colours in that final against Chelsea, now I feel that affinity for the yellow of Villarreal.

“I have that competitive instinct, that responsibility I owe the club and everyone I represent with my decisions. I did that proudly when I was at Arsenal, now I’ll do that at Villarreal.

“I will have to put aside my feelings for Arsenal, and I will have to put all my energies into making sure that the Yellow Submarine gets the upper hand in the tie.”

Pundit claims one player ‘bottled it’ for ‘pathetic’ Tottenham

Jamie O’Hara claims Son Heung-min “absolutely bottled it” for Tottenham in their 1-0 Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City.

Spurs were aiming to end a 13-year trophy drought at Wembley but lost to Aymeric Laporte’s late header as they suffered another final loss.

In recent years they have lost the 2015 Carabao Cup final, which interim boss Ryan Mason played in, the 2019 Champions League final and also fallen away in two Premier League title races.

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They never really looked like ending that streak against City, who were totally dominant on their way to a fourth League Cup crown in a row.

There were scenes of devastation at full-time, with Son in tears on the pitch, while Eric Dier had to stop a post-match interview to compose himself.

But O’Hara has little sympathy for Tottenham with the former midfielder calling their performance against City “pathetic”.

O’Hara told talkSPORT: “Two shots in a cup final, it’s pathetic, a pathetic performance. Man City were way better, we were miles off it.

“So many players talk a big game and don’t produce in big moments. It was shocking.

“Spurs have become pretenders. We think we’re a big club, we act like we’re a big club but we ain’t a big club. The problem is you’ve got too many players out there who think they’re great players but they’re not.

“We beat Brentford in the semi-finals, Brentford would’ve done better! They would have left everything out on the pitch, they would’ve pressed, they would’ve closed. They may have got beaten by three or four but at least they would’ve tried to score.

“It was such a bad performance from so many players who class themselves as good players. [Heung-min] Son, he gave the ball away every time he got it. He didn’t fancy going at Kyle Walker one v one… he absolutely bottled it.”

On Jose Mourinho’s sacking at Tottenham, O’Hara added: “You can’t blame Ryan Mason because he’s only been there a week. Who sacks Jose Mourinho? He’s a man that wins titles and finals, only Spurs would do that…

“Only Spurs would sack a manager that can beat Pep Guardiola in a final a week before the final! It’s unheard of.

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“It was a Jose Mourinho performance without Jose Mourinho on the side. I was hoping to see something different.”

And O’Hara reckons any potential new manager will now “run a mile” after seeing how Spurs have performed this season.

O’Hara continued: “Who wants to take over this squad? The best player in Kane is going to leave in the summer, so you’ve got a basic squad who don’t produce in big games.

“Unless Daniel Levy’s going to beg someone like Julian Nagelsmann to come in or give him £150million…

“They’re gonna run a mile. Not even Nuno Espirito Santo or Brendan Rodgers would take over.

“The whole week has been a disgrace. The whole ESL thing and Spurs pretending they’re a big club and then sacking Jose Mourinho before the final that you brought him in to win.”

 

Glazer ‘so upset’ by Woodward with Man Utd ‘problem’ revealed

Ed Woodward’s resignation has left Man Utd co-owner Joel Glazer “so upset” as he was “perfect” for them, according to a report.

Executive vice-chairman Woodward announced last week that he would be stepping down at Old Trafford before the end of the year following the backlash over the European Super League.

The 49-year-old, who joined Man Utd in 2005, was the first high-profile departure since plans for the breakaway league were unveiled eight days ago.

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His exit is apparently unrelated but there have been reports he resigned because he was against the idea of the European Super League, although one Premier League chief executive said those claimed are “laughable”.

And now Football Insider columnist Kieran Maguire has claimed that the Glazers saw Woodward as the “perfect” man for his position and they shared his view that “winning on the pitch is irrelevant to commercial success”.

Maguire said: “Ed Woodward was perfect for the Glazers. You can see why Joel Glazer was so upset when he tendered his resignation.

“Woodward said winning on the pitch is irrelevant to commercial success. He’s got a manager who has the same philosophy.

“[Ole Gunnar] Solskjaer said before United played against Milan that winning trophies is just for egos. He means that winning trophies is an irrelevance.

“That’s very much the same attitude at board level. That’s the problem at the club.”

Reacting to the news, Solskjaer praised Woodward for maintaining a “very good working relationship” between the pair.

“Football is emotions and emotions run high in football,” said Solskjaer.

“I’ve had a very good working relationship with Ed, the club will have to move on without him and I’m sure Manchester United will always move on.

“I’ll work as long as Manchester United want me to work here and hopefully we can end this season successfully and Ed is part of that.”

Meanwhile, reports late last week claimed that the Red Devils are likely to replace with Woodward with managing director Richard Arnold.

A source told The Athletic that “Arnold would be Ed Mark II” but the report added that ‘some think he may need persuasion to take such an all-encompassing role’.

 

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Man Utd legend Cantona picks out ‘one regret’ over kung-fu kick

Man Utd legend Eric Cantona has shown no remorse for his kung-fu kick on a Crystal Palace fan back in 1995 and wishes he’d “kicked him even harder”.

Cantona was banned from football for eight months in January 1995 after kicking an Eagles supporter while playing for Man Utd.

The Frenchman almost quit football as a result of what he felt was a disproportionate punishment, before serving his suspension and eventually returning to football that October.

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It formed part of the backstory of one of the true icons of the Premier League and Cantona only has “one regret” over the incident.

Speaking in a new film called The United Way, Cantona said: “I have been insulted thousands of times and have never reacted, but sometimes you are fragile.

“I have one regret. I would have loved to have kicked him even harder. I was banned for nine months. They wanted me to be an example.”

Cantona nearly quit the Red Devils after he breached his suspension by playing in a behind-closed-doors friendly – but former Man Utd manager Sir Alex Ferguson convinced the Frenchman to stay at Old Trafford

Cantona added: “It was just a friendly game, but the journalist was on top of a tree outside and he took a picture.

“Unfortunately he didn’t fall. The next day it was in the paper and the FA wanted to ban me even more. The manager found the right words like always. And I loved him and respected him. Like a father.

“When a manager does something like this to his player, the player will give his life to the manager, to the club and to the fans. They were all behind me. Some clubs maybe would have sacked me but Manchester United offered me a new contract. That’s the difference between Manchester United and the other ones.”

On his passion for football, Cantona continued: “I loved the game. I loved the fire inside of me. I loved the adrenaline.

“I played because as a kid it was my dream. When this dream became routine I didn’t want to play. I wanted to be faithful to myself and the fans and everybody.

“And there are so many things to do in life. I didn’t have time to waste. It was time to pass the baton on to the next generation.”

 

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Love for NFL Draft quarterbacks not named Trevor Lawrence a bit too strong

Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence is a generational talent and the best player in this NFL Draft. That’s why Urban Meyer took the Jacksonville job, and that’s why the Jaguars are drafting Lawrence No. 1 overall on April 29, no questions asked.

But after Lawrence, the best players in this draft are not quarterbacks. So it’s a bit curious that the Jets and Niners are acting with such certainty about BYU’s Zach Wilson and, if the rumors are true, Alabama’s Mac Jones.

Oregon left tackle Penei Sewell, Florida tight end Kyle Pitts and LSU wideout Ja’Marr Chase are potentially franchise-changing talents, and after Lawrence, they are the players that have most of the teams in the top 10 drooling.

Granted, quarterbacks are just treated differently. It’s the most important position. There is almost no prohibitive cost for landing a great one and teams who don’t have one are desperate.

So maybe that’s what is happening here: maybe desperation is ruling the top of this draft.

I just find it strange that a QB like Wilson, who played behind a strong offensive line against weak competition, is being treated as such a sure thing over some of these other blue chip prospects — let alone over Sam Darnold, who I believe will light it up in Joe Brady’s Panthers offense.

I find it unusual that the Niners’ aggressive trade up would be for Jones, who many evaluators considered a late-first/early-second round prospect prior to Kyle Shanahan’s reported interest.

I find it incredibly off that the quarterback who buried Lawrence in last year’s College Football Playoff, Ohio State’s Justin Fields, isn’t the one jumping toward the top of the board.

Of course, everyone evaluates these players independently and comes to their own conclusions. Some teams are in different stages of the process than others, and that might dictate their desire or need to make a change for the long-term or to go all-in for now.

Also, when you’re selecting No. 2 overall and you love a quarterback, as the Jets do, you take him because he’s there and you hope to not be picking there again for a long time.

Plus there’s the combination of a weaker projected QB class next year, and this year’s uncertainty about so many prospects due to opt-outs and a compromised scouting process.

But I’m skeptical that suddenly three QBs are being fawned over as sure things, with Fields and North Dakota State’s Trey Lance also projected first rounders, when only one QB has warranted that praise the whole way.

Lawrence is the one generational talent in this QB class — so good that the No. 1 pick has been set for months — and yet others are being treated as the sure No. 2 and 3 picks as if they are no-brainer moves.

I could be wrong about these players. Wilson and Jones might become stars. But frankly, I think the Jets and Niners are doing every other team behind them a favor by locking on to these other QBs, because the better players are sliding down the board to their foes.

INJURY-APOLIS

This weekend was especially important in the NFL Draft process. About 150 prospects traveled to Indianapolis to undergo an in-person medical examination with an NFL medical staff.

The pandemic’s cancellation of the annual NFL Combine in late February eliminated the centralized medical gathering process that typically takes place two months before the draft.

Instead, this year, there were 330 virtual exams performed on the athletes, with the NFL’s 32 medical staffs assigned about 10 athletes apiece. Labs, tests and imaging were completed at designated sites closer to the athletes’ homes around the country.

But NFL evaluators still wanted more information and assurance, even as GMs, coaches and scouts gathered what they could themselves through trips to colleges’ pro days.

So this weekend was designed for teams to take a closer look at the top prospects, as well as those with medical histories who warranted a closer exam.

Each team was allowed to send just one orthopedic surgeon and one athletic trainer this year. All NFL medical personnel in Indy are already vaccinated.

To limit players’ exposure to others, not every team examined every prospect. Instead, a select group of surgeons examined each player and will share that information with all 32 teams.

To reinforce the necessity for these protocols, three Notre Dame players reportedly could not go to Indianapolis because they tested positive for COVID-19 after their pro day, per NFL Network: OT Liam Eichenberg, OL Aaron Banks and DE Ade Ogundeji.

There has been no indication that Giants offensive line coach Rob Sale, who worked out Notre Dame’s linemen at their pro day, has tested positive. But the Giants wouldn’t be obligated to make that public even if he did.

HARD KNOCKS

Attorney Rusty Hardin admitted at a Friday press conference that his client, Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, has had sexual encounters with female masseuses. But Hardin and his legal team insisted any encounter was consensual and said Watson is “dumbfounded” by the 22 lawsuits he faces for alleged sexual assault and harrasment.

He said Watson started crying when first told that one of the lawsuits alleged he had used force on one of the women.

“Never at any time under any circumstances did this young man engage in anything that wasn’t mutually desired by the other party,” Hardin said.

In court, plaintiffs’ attorney Tony Buzbee agreed to share all of the identities of Watson’s accusers, which Hardin said was necessary to fully dispute the allegations.

In fact, Hardin said the reason he hadn’t spoken publicly extensively prior to Friday was that “we don’t know what happened for sure.”

Hardin made a peculiar attempt to cite the pandemic as one reason for Watson’s frequenting of so many different masseuses. There are at least 40 involved in this case, including the 22 lawsuits alleging misbehavior and 18 statements in defense of Watson as an upstanding man.

“Folks this guy has been getting two-to-three massages a week,” Hardin said. “The math I do on that is anywhere from 120-140-150 massages a year. He’s been here since 2018. In the year 2020, all of a sudden spas shut down. If ya’ll remember, nobody was getting massages unless there was an ad hoc way to do it.”

The main point Hardin wanted to get across on Friday, though, was that he felt Watson already had been tried and convicted on social media. Several sponsors suspended or dumped Watson, 25, this past week, including Nike and Beats by Dre, and his career in the short term is in jeopardy, too.

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“What he wants more than anything,” Hardin said, “is to get back his reputation.”

PERFORMERS GET PAID

Wide receiver Darius Slayton led all Giants players with $502,392 in performance-based pay in the 2020 season, NFLPA records show. The lower a player’s salary, the higher his performance-based pay when he logs a large amount of his team’s snaps. Defensive back Julian Love ($463,271), center Nick Gates ($463,723), tight end Kaden Smith ($350,332) and defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson ($340,776) rounded out the top five. Tomlinson has signed with the Minnesota Vikings as a free agent. The other four players are still on the roster.

BACK IN BLUE

Austrian running back Sandro Platzgummer is returning for a second Giants season as part of the NFL’s International Player Pathway program, per a source. The program granted the Giants an exemption to carry Platzgummer, 24, as an additional practice squad player last season who didn’t count against any roster limit. He was not eligible to play but spent the entire season with the team. Now he’ll run it back with the backs.

MORE COACHES?!

Joe Judge’s coaching staff ballooned to 28 this week with the hirings of three more assistants: offensive quality control coach Russ Callaway and defensive quality control coaches Carter Blount and Ryan Anderson. Anderson comes from Elon University. Callaway (LSU) and Blount (Tennessee) both worked with Judge a decade ago at Alabama.

Blount reunites with former Volunteers coaches Jeremy Pruitt (senior defensive assistant) and Kevin Sherrer (linebackers) on the Giants’ defense, and with Craig Fitzgerald (strength and conditioning). Judge’s staff is now the largest in the NFC East based on teams’ officially listed staffs as of Friday morning, more than the Eagles (27), Washington (25) and Dallas (20).