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India head coach Rahul Dravid has backed Rishabh Pant, saying he remains “an integral part” of the side, despite the wicketkeeper-batter managing only 58 runs at a strike rate of 105.45 in the five T20Is against South Africa.Coming into this series, Pant had scored 340 runs at an average of 30.90 in IPL 2022. His strike rate at the tournament was 151.78, significantly higher than that in the last two editions – 113.95 in 2020 and 128.52 in 2021. Dravid said the team is expecting him to play a similar attacking role at the international level as well.”When you’re asking people to play a slightly more attacking brand of cricket in the middle overs and to take the game on a little bit more, sometimes it’s hard to judge based on two or three games,” Dravid said after the washed-out fifth T20I in Bengaluru.Related

• India need a left-hand batter in the playing XI, says Tendulkar

• Selection questions for India: Who's the wicketkeeper? Will Arshdeep and Malik finally get their chance?

• Karthik's form, Iyer's lack of form, Bhuvneshwar's class among India's takeaways

• How bowlers have used the wide line to keep Pant quiet

• 'Warm and fuzzy' India help bring out Karthik's A game

“I thought he had a pretty good IPL. He might not have looked good on the averages, but his strike rate was really good. He looked to move that up a little bit – to where he was probably three years ago. We’re going to hope that we can get those kinds of numbers from him at the international level as well. In that process, he might go wrong in a few games.”But he remains an integral part of our batting line-up. We know what he does with the power he has. The fact that he is a left-hander is very important to us as well in the middle overs. And he has played some good knocks. Of course, personally, he would have liked to have scored a few more runs but it’s not that concerning. For us, he is certainly a very big part of our plans going ahead in the next few months.”2:10

Rahul Dravid wants to firm up India’s T20 World Cup squad

Dinesh Karthik, meanwhile, continues to impress in the niche role as a strictly final-five overs batter. In the fourth T20I in Rajkot, Karthik had smashed a 27-ball 55, the sort of knock that, Dravid said, “certainly makes you start”. Karthik and Hardik Pandya, who hit 46 off 31 deliveries, had added 65 off 33 balls to lift India to 169, which proved to be a winning total.”He was picked for a very specific skill,” Dravid said of Karthik. “And it’s nice when that’s kind of indicated in a sense that it came together brilliantly for us in the Rajkot game, where we needed that big performance in the last five overs to be able to make a par score. He and Hardik [Pandya] batted beautifully for us; both of them are our enforcers at the end, guys who can capitalise on those last five-six overs.”They are probably two of the best in the world in those last five-six overs. So, yeah, it was really nice to see Karthik come off and do what he has been picked to do. It certainly opens up a lot more options for us going forward. Innings like that certainly make you start. Like I was telling the guys it’s not about knocking the door – you have to start banging the door down, and an innings like that certainly means he is knocking very hard.”With Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Virat Kohli not part of the series, there was a chance for fringe players to present their cases. Ishan Kishan scored 206 runs – by far the most in the series – at a strike rate of 150.36, but Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shreyas Iyer failed to impress. Gaikwad tallied only 96 runs in five innings at a strike rate 131.50, and Iyer 94 runs at 123.68. But Dravid isn’t disappointed with them.”We’re not going to make knee-jerk reactions,” he said. “As you have seen, I don’t like judging people after one series, or one game. Every one of the guys who got the opportunity here truly deserved the opportunity; they have earned it. And in this format of the game, you’re going to have some good games and some bad games.”I think Shreyas, in the early part [of the series] on a couple of tricky wickets, showed a lot of intent and played really positively for us. Ruturaj showed in one particular innings [in the third T20I] what quality and skill he has got.”In Twenty20, you can have the odd games [where] your form and performance goes up and down a little bit. So we are not very disappointed with anyone. As a group, we were looking to play a slightly more positive and attacking brand of cricket right from the beginning. And we knew you when you’re trying to do that, it’s not always going to come off. But what we are certainly clear about the kind of cricket we want to play.”

The Young Lions squad that conquered Europe in 2023 was exceptional, but the current crop is shaping up to be even better

"That’s the only goal," Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers said this week when asked about Thomas Tuchel’s ambition to end England's 60-year wait for senior success at the 2026 World Cup. "He was very clear and transparent. With what he wants to do, how he wants to do it, how he wants to go about it, what he sees in us, and what we need to improve. It was very straight-up, no cutting round corners. It was straight and that’s how he is."

Tuchel's contract ends after the tournament in North America, so he's not making any long-term plans. That much was certainly evident when the former Chelsea boss named his first England squad for the March World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia, as he included five players over the age of 30 in his 26-man list.

The two most eye-catching moves were undoubtedly the call-ups for 34-year-old duo Jordan Henderson and Kyle Walker. Ajax captain Henderson hasn't played for his country in over a year, having paid the price for an ill-advised stint in Saudi Arabia, while Walker joined AC Milan on loan in January after falling out of favour at Manchester City.

Veteran Newcastle defender Dan Burn also got the nod alongside Manchester United loanee Marcus Rashford, who has been enjoying a mini-resurgence at Aston Villa after burning all his bridges at Old Trafford. Tuchel is clearly going to bank on experience to get England over the line next summer, but his ultra-safe selections have, understandably, rubbed some fans up the wrong way.

Aside from Liverpool's Jarell Quansah (19) and Myles Lewis-Skelly (18), Tuchel's squad was severely lacking in talented youngsters who have made a massive impression at club level this season. All is not lost for England's next generation of stars, though, because most of them made it into Lee Carsley's Under-21s squad, which has a staggering estimated value of £500 million ($648m) as they prepare to defend the crown they won in 2023 later this year.

gettyPerfect man for the job

First off, it's a huge boost for the U21s to have Carsley back after his impressive interim stint in charge of the first team. The former Ireland international, who masterminded England's historic U21 Euros triumph in 2023, was linked with several high-profile club posts after making way for Tuchel, but has decided he has unfinished business with the national team.

Carsley knows the England set-up like the back of his hand, and helped prospects like Cole Palmer, Anthony Gordon and Curtis Jones reach the next level in their fledgling careers. Now, he's out to do exactly the same with an even more gifted group, which only contains four members of the last U21s Euros squad.

"We are looking at the last squad knowing what they did," Carsley said. "To win six games and not concede any goals [in the entire tournament], I think that will be very hard to recreate. But it's a goal and it's a target. That's the challenge we have put down for these players – we want them to be better than the last group, so hopefully they can be."

The survivors – Jarrad Branthwaite, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Charlie Cresswell and Harvey Elliott – will give the Young Lions an ideal base. Indeed, Everton defender Branthwaite will rightly feel aggrieved not to be in the senior squad after leading the Toffees' revival under David Moyes, and 21-year-old attacker Elliott also had a case after a string of eye-catching performances for Liverpool in the Champions League.

Southampton ace Harwood-Bellis and Cresswell were also good centre-back options for Tuchel, with the former having been handed his maiden senior cap by Carsley in November and the latter enhancing his reputation abroad with Ligue 1 outfit Toulouse. Tuchel's loss will be Carsley's gain, though, because they are all even better players now than two years ago.

Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesRock-solid defence

It's entirely possible the England U21s could win the Euros again without conceding, because no other country can rival their strength in depth at the back. That's because Carsley also has three brilliant full-backs to call upon in the form of Rico Lewis, CJ Egan-Riley, and Dennis Cirkin.

Lewis has established himself as a regular for Pep Guardiola at City this season, and is versatile enough to step into midfield when required. Burnley's Egan-Riley can also play in multiple positions, including centre-half, and has been one of the main reasons for Scott Parker's side conceding just 11 goals in 38 Championship games.

Cirkin, meanwhile, is a composed left-back with superb powers of recovery, which he has put to good use in Sunderland's bid for promotion to the Premier League. All three men are capable of complimenting Branthwaite and Harwood-Bellis, who will probably be Carsley's first choice centre-back pairing if he reverts to the 4-4-2 system that served him so well at the 2023 U21 Euros.

In goal, the presence of James Trafford might be missed given how well he has performed for Burnley this term, but a worthy successor has stepped forward. Brighton loanee James Beadle has been one of the bright sparks in a largely frustrating season for Sheffield Wednesday, and will be high on confidence after spending some time training with England's senior goalkeepers.

Getty Images SportForest's finest & the younger Bellingham

Carsley has also been blessed with midfield riches that will be the envy of England's rivals. Based purely on form, Elliot Anderson was especially unfortunate not to make Tuchel's squad.

Former Newcastle starlet Anderson has been the driving force behind Nottingham Forest's surprise bid for Champions League qualification, with his £35m ($43m) transfer fee now looking like a major snip. Anderson is a progressive dribbler with an eye for killer passes and he's a relentless presser out of possession, which is why Forest have been so effective on the transition.

He will be the main man in Carsley's engine room, but Tottenham wonderkid Archie Gray and Sunderland talisman Jobe Bellingham, brother of Real Madrid superstar Jude, could also have vital roles to play. Gray has had a fine debut season with Spurs despite being mainly forced to provide defensive cover due to injuries, while Bellingham's playmaking abilities have often given Sunderland the edge in their Championship campaign.

Meanwhile, the glue holding the team together is likely to be Crystal Palace ace Adam Wharton, who made the plane for Euro 2024 but didn't get any minutes in Germany. He's still building up his rhythm again after recovering from groin surgery, but is one of the best central midfielders in the business when fully fit, and should be aiming for a starting role at the 2026 World Cup.

Getty Images SportEngland's wildcard

If England are to retain their title as U21 European champions, they will also need a wildcard: someone capable of turning a game on its head with a moment of magic. Step forward Jamie Gittens, who is currently following in the footsteps of Jude Bellingham and Jadon Sancho at Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund.

BVB have endured a poor season by their standards, especially after reaching the Champions League final in 2024, but Gittens has given supporters reason to cheer with his dazzling displays on the left-flank. The 20-year-old has scored 11 goals in 40 appearances across all competitions, with four of those coming on Europe's biggest stage, and he's also laid on four assists.

Gittens really put himself on the map when scoring a brace from the bench in Dortmund's 3-0 win over Club Brugge on matchday one in the Champions League, and also fired home a sublime opener in Dortmund's Der Klassiker draw with arch-rivals Bayern Munich in November. He's an explosive winger with bags of pace and a penchant for trickery that makes him a nightmare for defenders.

There is still room for improvement when it comes to end product, but Gittens is a potential match-winner, and thusly a huge asset for the U21s. BVB team-mate Karim Adeyemi recently summed up just how special Gittens is, claiming his team-mate "has no fear". Adeyemi added: "For me, he is one of the best players one-against-one I have ever seen, to be honest. He will be a really good player."

MatériaMais Notícias

Desde o início da temporada, a posição mais comentada entre torcedores e dirigentes corintianos é a do centroavante. Após diversos nomes terem sido tentados, como Cavani e Diego Costa, ou especulados, como Suárez e Arthur Cabral, o Corinthians aproveitou uma oportunidade de mercado e contratou Júnior Moraesaté o final de 2023.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasCorinthiansCorinthians domina e vence o Cruzeiro pelo Brasileirão femininoCorinthians18/03/2022CorinthiansApós derrota no Dérbi, Corinthians se reapresenta e inicia preparação para o NovorizontinoCorinthians18/03/2022Futebol LatinoEmocionante! Ex-Corinthians, atacante marca primeiro gol pós-dopingFutebol Latino18/03/2022

> GALERIA – Gil faz pênalti e vira vilão na derrota do Timão no Dérbi; veja notas

O brasileiro naturalizado ucraniano tinha vínculo até o final de junho com oShakhtar Donetsk, mas devido a guerra envolvendo Rússia e Ucrânia, ele teve que retornar ao Brasil, e ficou livre no mercado após a Fifa suspender os contratos dos atletas que atuavam tanto no campeonato russo como ucraniano.

A chegada de Júnior Moraes, maior artilheiro estrangeiro da história doShakhtar, com 62 gols, deve mudar o ataque do Timão, que desde o começo do ano busca por um centroavante mais clássico.

No início da temporada, ainda com Sylvinho, Mantuan foi testado na vaga, mas não deu certo. Jô vem sofrendo com problemas físicos e não se mostrou apto a brigar pela titularidade. Dessa forma, a posição vem sendo ocupada por Róger Guedes.

O camisa 9 vinha sem balançar as redes há quatro jogos, mas deu boa resposta contra seu ex-time, sofrendo e convertendo o pênalti na derrota para o Palmeiras. Após o jogo, Róger elogiou seu novo companheiro de ataque, e deixou claro que sua posição favorita não é a de centroavante.

> TABELA – Falta pouco! Simule os últimos jogos do Corinthians no Paulistão

-Lógico que ele (Júnior Moraes) vai nos ajudar, ele é muito mais um centroavante do que eu. É uma posição que gosto de jogar, pelo contrário do que muitos falam, mas eu me sinto mais à vontade na ponta ou como segundo atacante – declarou após o Dérbi.

Na temporada passada, o antigo camisa 123 atuou na maioria dos jogos no lado esquerdo do ataque do Corinthians, e caiu nas graças da torcida, marcando sete gols e dando duas assistências em 19 jogos.

Dessa forma, ao longo do mata-mata do Paulistão, fase na qual Júnior Moraes, que já apareceu no BID da CBF, pode ser inscrito na competição, Vítor Pereira poderá implementar mudanças no ataque, deslocando Willian para a ponta-direita, posição onde atuou em boa parte de sua carreira na Europa.

Assim, Róger Guedes retornaria para a posição na qual se sente mais à vontade e mostrou melhor rendimento pelo Timão, e a equipe ganharia a presença do sonhado ‘9 clássico’.

Manchester City’s horrendous run of form continues following a disappointing 3-3 draw at home to Feyenoord in the Champions League. Pep Guardiola’s side have now failed to win in six games, but have put an end to a five-game losing streak against the Dutch side.

They have now conceded seven goals in their last two home games, including their humbling 4-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur last weekend.

It seemed like the Cityzens were in cruise control, and were 3-0 up with 20 minutes or so left of normal time. Two goals from Erling Haaland, including a penalty, either side of an Ilkay Gundogan strike gave Guardiola’s men a handsome lead. It was a scoreline which seemed unassailable at one stage.

However, the visitors pulled off the unlikeliest of comebacks. Anis Hadj Moussa kickstarted the revival in the 75th minute before striker Santiago Gimenez gave the Dutch team some hope with their second.

Slovakian international David Hancko scored the third in the 89th minute, to complete one of the most iconic games in recent Champions League history. There were some incredibly disappointing performances from the Cityzens, with goalkeeper Ederson one of the players who struggled.

Ederson’s stats vs. Feyenoord

It was certainly a poor night for the City number 31. He was rounded easily for the opening goal, leaving a big gap for Moussa to slot home into an empty net. The second was not necessarily Ederson’s fault, although he failed to prevent a cross from making its way through to Gimenez. However, his error for the equaliser was arguably the worst.

The Brazilian came rushing out of his goal to sweep up a long, searching pass from the visitors. However, normally so composed in these scenarios, the goalkeeper attempted a headed clearance which he missed, allowing Feyenoord to capitalise and grab their third.

The former Benfica man received a 4/10 rating from GOAL journalist Richard Martin. He was critical of the goalkeeper for all three goals, explaining that he ‘appeared to take his eye off the ball late in the game’ as the visitors managed to draw level.

His poor performance was reflected in his Sofascore stats at full-time. The Cityzens goalkeeper had 37 touches of the ball and made two saves on the night. However, he prevented just 0.07 goals and made one error leading to a goal. It was a difficult night’s work for the Brazilian.

There was an outfield player who was arguably just as disappointing as Ederson on the night, however, and could not help prevent another calamitous result for City. That man is Jack Grealish.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Grealish’s stats vs. Feyenoord

It is worth pointing out that England international Grealish was not at fault for any of the goals. However, he did have a frustrating night from an attacking point of view, and could not help add to any goals that might have been decisive for City.

Indeed, there were two really good chances for the Cityzens number 10 on Tuesday night. He had an excellent chance at 3-0 but failed to capitalise, and saw his shot hit the bar after it deflected off Phil Foden. It summed up the night for City.

Grealish’s stats on Sofascore were rather uninspiring. He had 55 touches of the ball, completing 80% of his passes and creating just one chance. The former Aston Villa captain managed to lose the ball 13 times and did not completed a dribble out of an attempted three.

Stat

Number

Touches

55

Pass accuracy

80%

Passes completed

28/35

Dribbles completed

0/3

Number of times possession lost

13

Ground duels won

4/9

Chances created

1

His efforts earned him a slightly better rating than Ederson. Martin gave Grealish a 5/10 for his night’s work, explaining that it was ‘not an encouraging return at all’, and criticised him for squandering ‘a great chance’ at 3-0.

Guardiola will be hoping Ederson, Grealish and their teammates can bounce back quickly. City have an incredibly tough trip to Anfield on Sunday afternoon to play top of the Premier League Liverpool, in what is a vitally important game in the title race.

On the evidence of last night’s display, Grealish should well find himself out of the starting lineup.

Man City may have already sold their next Haaland for just £15m

Manchester City decided to cash in on their long-term Erling Haaland replacement.

ByDan Emery Nov 19, 2024

Liverpool have been warned by one of their former left-backs that any transfer deal for USMNT star Antonee Robinson is "not going to be cheap".

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Questions being asked of RobertsonUpgrade may be sought in 2025Raid on Craven Cottage being lined upFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Reds are reportedly ready to bolster their defensive unit, with a possible upgrade being sought on Scotland international Andy Robertson – who is approaching his 31st birthday. It has been suggested that a raid could be launched on Premier League rivals.

AdvertisementGetty THE BIGGER PICTURE

United States international Robinson continues to impress at Fulham and is a player that should be enjoying the peak years of his career at the age of 27. He has been making important contributions at both ends of the field at Craven Cottage – much like Robertson has done across his memorable spell at Anfield.

WHAT JOHN ARNE RIISE SAID

Liverpool legend John Arne Riise, who knows all about the demands of life as a left-back, has told GOAL – while speaking in association with – when quizzed on imminent recruitment business: "I think it’s the right idea if Liverpool decide to strengthen that position. I think Andy Robertson needs tougher competition in that position. I don’t think [Kostas] Tsimikas is giving that kind of pressure.

"If Liverpool decide to invest in a younger one and a good one, I think that might make Robertson realise that he has to step up. He knows that he has to perform at the top level we have seen for the last three, four, five years. A new left-back will toughen up the competition and make Robertson step up.

"If he doesn’t, then the Fulham guy might be the one if he is good enough to come in and play. I think they should strengthen the left-back position."

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Riise – who also represented Fulham in his playing days – added on Robinson, who is tied to a contract through to 2028: "He’s not going to be cheap. Being Liverpool, when looking for players, all of the other clubs know the value of the player they have. The money in football at the moment is ridiculous.

"If it is Robinson, they know that is an investment for the next four, five, six, seven years. They need to start looking. Robertson is not getting any younger either. I think it’s time to get one in and make that left-back position more competitive."

يرى مدافع مانشستر يونايتد الأسبق، جاري نيفيل، أنه برحيل الثلاثي محمد صلاح، فيرجيل فان دايك، ترينت ألكسندر أرنولد، عن ليفربول بنهاية الموسم سيكون هناك فراغ هائل في تشكيل الريدز.

وتنتهي عقود الثلاثي بنهاية الموسم الحالي، وحتى الآن، لم يتحرك ليفربول بشكل رسمي للتمديد بحسب الصحافة البريطانية في الفترة الماضية.

وهناك رغبة من جانب محمد صلاح وفان دايك في الاستمرار مع ليفربول، ولكن الصحافة تؤكد أن أرنولد هو اللاعب الذي تأكد رحيله إلى ريال مدريد لخوض مغامرة جديدة في مسيرته.

اقرأ أيضًا.. فاولر يوجه نصيحة لـ ليفربول بشأن مصير محمد صلاح: سيسبب الفوضى والخراب

وقال جاري نيفيل خلال تواجده في بودكاست “Stick to Football” عبر شبكة “سكاي سبورتس”: “في نهاية الموسم، سيترك رحيل هؤلاء الثلاثة محمد صلاح، فيرجيل فان دايك وترينت ألكسندر أرنولد، فراغًا هائلًا في ليفربول إذا غادروا مجانًا”.

وتابع: “نحن نتحدث عن أحد أفضل المهاجمين في أوروبا، وأحد أفضل قلوب الدفاع، وأحد أفضل الأظهرة في العالم”.

وأضاف: “حتى مع قدرة ليفربول على اختيار الصفقات الناجحة للفريق، فرحيل الثلاثي هذا يمثل فجوة بقيمة ربع مليار جنيه إسترليني، لقد كان ليفربول ناجحًا في ضم أفضل اللاعبين بالسنوات الماضية، لذا قد يتمكنون من تعويضهم، لكن هذا تحدٍ كبير لآرني سلوت”.

واستمر: “ليفربول هو النادي الوحيد الذي يترك عقود لاعبيه تنتهي، ومع ذلك لا يزالوا يقدمون أداءً قويًا لصالح الفريق، وقد برر جيمي كاراجر ذلك بأن النادي يسير على الطريق الصحيح فيما يفعله (عدم التحرك للتمديد)”.

وواصل: “ثلاثة من أفضل اللاعبين في العالم عقودهم على وشك الانتهاء، ومع ذلك يقال إن ليفربول أدار الأمر بشكل جيد، آسف، لا يمكنني قبول ذلك”.

وأتم: “في حالة أرنولد، هذا أمر لا يُغتفر، حتى لو كان هناك اضطراب في الإدارة، إذا كنت مالك النادي ونظرت إلى ترينت قبل عامين، كان يجب أن تدرك أنه من الضروري تجديد عقده، فهو أحد أبناء النادي”.

Leeds United had an extremely busy time in this summer’s transfer window. In total, the Whites acquired eight new players and either sold or let go of no less than 16.

A number of the club’s best performers from last season were among those to leave however, including forwards Georginio Rutter, who joined Brighton for a fee of £40 million, and Crysencio Summerville, who moved to West Ham. Star midfielders Archie Gray and Glen Kamara also left the club.

Thus far, despite losing so many key players, Daniel Farke’s side are still flying high in the Sky Bet Championship. They are currently fifth, but have lost just one of their nine games so far this term and are just three points behind league leaders Sunderland.

Former Arsenal star could join as free agent

Despite performing well, the departures, combined with a number of recent injuries, has left Leeds short in a few positions, most notably in central midfield. Captain Ethan Ampadu is out for the rest of the calendar year, while Ilia Gruev has also been ruled out for at least a few months with a serious knee injury he sustained during Leeds’ 1-1 draw with Norwich.

To fix the problem, the 49ers Group may now look to the free market. According to The Sun, Leeds are now weighing up a move for former Arsenal midfielder Francis Coquelin, who has been a free agent since being let go by Spanish side Villarreal, who he joined for £11m back in 2020.

The Sun report that Coquelin, who made 160 appearances for the Gunners between 2008 and 2018 after being picked up by Arsene Wenger’s renowned French scout Gilles Grimandi, is open to moving to Elland Road, but faces competition for a deal from a number of other midfield targets who are out of contract.

He has been invited to train at Thorp Arch this week, but there is also an unnamed German midfielder in Yorkshire following the failed move for Cheikhou Kouyaté.

A tough test next against the Blades

Up next for Leeds is Sheffield United, who they welcome to Elland Road on Friday night. The Blades are currently second in the Championship, trailing leaders Sunderland only by goal difference. Speaking ahead of the game in a press conference on Wednesday, Farke addressed how he plans to approach his midfielder dilemma.

Leeds "leader" ahead of schedule on knee injury recovery in boost for Farke

He could be back sooner than expected.

By
Ben Browning

Oct 17, 2024

“We have to make some late decisions,” he explained. “We’ve trained today with 15 players but a few Under 21 players were involved. Several will just arrive this evening or during the day tomorrow and we have to assess them.”

He added: “So far no new injury news, that’s definitely good but we have to look at their condition due to the travel and game time. So far it looks like no one has picked up a new injury.”

Farke, however, confirmed that wingers Daniel Farke and Manor Solomon are both now fit and back in contention for the match.

“They are back in team training since late last week,” the German said. “They’ve trained more or less every day this week. Obviously James was out a bit longer so it’s a bit easier for Manor, just out for three weeks, but we desperately need them and it’s good to have them back.”

There has been an update regarding the future of Southampton manager Russell Martin during this international break, as reported by a journalist.

It has been a disappointing and frustrating start to the new season for the Saints, as they are yet to win a game in the Premier League after seven matches, with their only point coming in a 1-1 draw with Ipswich Town, so much so that pressure is starting to significantly grow on Martin.

Martin gutted: Concerning new injury update on "fantastic" Southampton ace

This could be a big blow.

By
Henry Jackson

Oct 6, 2024

Southampton news

Martin guided the Saints to promotion last season, his first promotion since becoming a manager, and he now finds himself managing in the Premier League for the first time in his career. While Southampton continues to play an attractive brand of football, results haven’t come with it, and that could see a change in the dugout.

It was reported recently that Southampton’s majority owner, Dragan Solak, is considering the position of Martin. Solak is keen to ensure the Saints cement themselves in the Premier League, but according to this update, he has been left “reeling” from their start to the campaign.

Meanwhile, away from Martin, Tyler Dibling, who has been a shining light for the Saints this season, is now attracting interest from some of England’s biggest clubs. The 18-year-old has reportedly been watched by scouts of these clubs on multiple occasions after impressing in the seven league games he has played.

However, there has now been a further update on the future of Martin, as supporters will be keen to know what is going to happen over this international break.

Journalist shares new Southampton update on future of Russell Martin

According to Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke in the past 24 hours, Southampton’s hierarchy are now set to meet and hold talks over the future of Martin. The 38-year-old is said to be fighting for his job, as their winless start to the new Premier League season has them sitting joint-bottom of the table.

Martin took charge of the Saints at the beginning of last season, and despite a few bumpy patches, it was a very successful first campaign, as the club won promotion to the top flight. That success is believed to mean that Martin still has some credit in the bank, but poor results this season are putting him under pressure.

The report states that the way the club has been beaten has raised concerns among the hierarchy, as Southampton have already conceded 15 goals in the league. It goes on to state that it is going to be a key couple of weeks post-international break for Martin as he needs to start turning things around.

It is believed that Martin could continue in his role at Southampton until the next international break in November, but if results don’t improve between now and then, then they could make a decision to bring in a new manager. The Saints face games against Leicester City, Manchester City, Everton, and Wolves in the next couple of weeks, games that Martin will know he needs to pick up some results.

Unai Emery got in the way of a potential exit from Aston Villa over the summer, it has been reported, with the Spanish coach keen to keep one man at the club despite offers to sell.

Aston Villa flying high under Emery

Though a 0-0 home draw with struggling Manchester United dampened spirits at Villa Park somewhat, it has been an excellent start to the season for the midlands side.

Currently fifth in the Premier League, they have lost just once (to second-placed Arsenal) and are just four points off early pace setters Liverpool.

Premier League table as it stands

Team

Played

Won

Drawn

Lost

Goal difference

Points

Liverpool

7

6

0

1

11

18

Manchester City

7

5

2

0

9

17

Arsenal

7

5

2

0

9

17

Chelsea

7

4

2

1

7

14

Aston Villa

7

4

2

1

3

14

Though their fixture list has not been the most demanding (including games against struggling Everton, West Ham and Leicester City), they have still made a strong start to their attempts to become a mainstay at the top after their fourth-placed finish last season.

Their best moment of the season so far has come in the Champions League though; playing in Europe’s premier competition for the first time since the 1980s, they have won both of their games so far, including a 1-0 win over German giants Bayern Munich at Villa Park, settled by a fantastic strike from Jhon Duran.

It follows a tricky summer transfer window in which Duran was one of several players that could well have been sold in a bid to balance the books at Villa Park as they battled financial fair play regulations.

He was not the only star to have proved his worth after being denied a move though.

Emery personally blocked Aston Villa exit

That comes as The Athletic report that Emery personally intervened to block young defender Lamare Bogarde’s departure from Villa Park after a bid was received from Nottingham Forest over the summer.

Villa’s midlands rivals tabled a £4m offer to sign the defender, and it had already been decided that Bogarde “move on or agree a new deal” before the new campaign.

Yet to break into the first team, he had been dubbed “quality” by Joey Barton during a loan spell with Bristol Rovers.

“He’s quality, isn’t he?” Barton said. “You can see his composure and he is young in terms of years on the clock, but he is very mature and he passes the ball correctly.”

But a debut for Villa was yet to emerge.

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However, Emery, who was “a growing advocate” of the youngster, chose to take him on the pre-season tour of the USA rather than accept an offer from their Premier League rivals. During that tour, Bogarde impressed and “convinced Emery he should be part of his 2024-25 squad”, something that saw him sign a new deal at Villa Park not long after.

He has gone on to make two appearances this season, both coming in an unfamiliar right-back role rather than the centre-back role he has played for much of his youth career, with Bogarde asked to tuck inside when required similarly to Ezri Konsa when the England international plays the same role.

Clearly, Emery has seen something in the youngster, and given his reputation for developing young talent, that will be an exciting theme to watch this season.

Steve Patterson’s decision at the toss leads to long day in the field for the home side

Paul Edwards11-Jul-2021Lancashire 273 for 2 (Jennings 132, Davies 84) vs YorkshireNothing upstages a Roses match. Ask a good few Yorkshiremen of more mature years where they were on the afternoon when England won the World Cup in 1966 and they will inform you they were in enemy territory watching their side make 50 for 3 against Lancashire at Old Trafford. “It bloody rained,” they might add, “but then it’s Manchester.” They might omit to tell you that one of the dismissed batsmen was G Boycott (c Worsley b Lever 0) although they will probably include in their recollection the fact that Yorkshire won the match by 12 runs, Ray Illingworth taking 5 for 33.Now, though, it is the vivid present and on a cloudy Leeds afternoon Steve Patterson is trying to make the breakthrough his team desperately need. Brian Close led Yorkshire to the first of a hat-trick of Championships 55 years ago and winning the title would not mean a scruple less to Patterson than it did to the “old bald blighter”, as Alan Gibson called him. But things are not going well. Having decided just before the toss to bowl instead of bat – his decision was apparently prompted by the overhead conditions rather than James Anderson’s presence in Lancashire’s team – Patterson is watching Alex Davies and Keaton Jennings share a stand of 163 for the first wicket. The ground is heavy with incipience and for many Yorkshire supporters it takes the form of anxiety as they worry whether this will be the first season since 2011 in which their side will lose both Roses games. Then Jordan Thompson, who is rapidly becoming a White Rose standard-bearer, brings one back off the seam to Davies, who is lbw for a fine 84. “Maybe this changes things,” think the crowd. “Maybe.”Or maybe not. Yorkshire took only one more wicket on this opening day of the game. The triumph was claimed by Thompson who accepted a chipped return catch off Jennings but by then the opener had become the 13th Lancashire batsman to score two first-class centuries against Yorkshire in the same season and had joined a list that includes Archie MacLaren, Cyril Washbrook and Mike Atherton. But let us resist the lure of the past. Jennings’ 132 had included four fours in seven deliveries from Dom Leech, whose short spell with the second new ball was something of a punishment. The Lancashire opener hit 15 fours and a six in his 335-minute innings, almost every one of the boundaries being scored on the off side in the mighty segment than stretches from third man to straight down the ground. By the close Lancashire were 273 for 2 and the decision to bowl looked like a foolish impulse. Lancashire would have batted although it was a close call. The verdict of hindsight is one of the travails of captaincy. Patterson probably knows it. So did Close, not that he would ever admit so much.Related

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But this was also a fine day for Davies, a player who ‘gets’ professional county cricket and has done so from his first day in the job. Davies made his debut, two days short of his 17th birthday, almost a decade ago in a 40-over match against Glamorgan at Colwyn Bay. He conceded no byes as the home side piled up 328 for 4; in addition he chivvied his bowlers to greater effort at every opportunity. Standing next to him at slip, the 25-year-old Tom Smith enquired as the debutant’s age and suddenly felt rather ancient.Davies’s initials are A L and so it has been “Al” since his first few weeks in Lancashire’s dressing room, a place in which he belonged almost at once. He is the combative bantam-weight at Emirates Old Trafford; he bats like a man unvisited by regrets and on days like this he has nothing to repent. Davies’ punched cover-drives and thumps through midwicket proclaimed his simple philosophy of life quite as eloquently as anything he might say, not that he is reluctant to express opinions on the game. Before the last Roses match he said that Yorkshire “are not the team they used to be” and he will have no doubt regarded Lancashire’s innings victory in May as a thumping vindication of his judgement. Now, with his side in the seven and six seats once again, Davies is no doubt savouring the possibility of inflicting another hammering on Yorkshire.It is close of play and nearly eight hours since Patterson won his ninth toss in ten Championship games this season. In the first hour of play Yorkshire’s new-ball pairing, Ben Coad and Leech were a trifle unlucky, details that may appear in a coach’s notebook but not in the scorecards that will still be studied when another 55 years have passed. Let us hope they are studied anyway. For the moment there is only this moment. Chants can already be heard coming from The Headingley Taps and not even Emmott Robinson would fool himself they concern cricket. The air is thick with the unfenced emotional intensity of another sport.