All posts by h716a5.icu

Not many Liverpool fans could’ve anticipated the immediate impact that Arne Slot would’ve had at Anfield after his summer appointment.

The Dutchman had huge boots to fill after the departure of beloved boss Jürgen Klopp, who stepped down from the role after nearly nine years at the helm.

The German won every major honour during his time in England, which also included their first-ever Premier League title along with yet another Champions League triumph.

Slot has taken to life on Merseyside like a duck to water, winning 14 out of his 16 matches in charge, only losing to Nottingham Forest whilst drawing to fellow title challengers Arsenal.

Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz have been two of the players who have been on fire at the top end of the pitch, registering a total of 21 combined goals and assists in the first 11 outings.

However, one player has taken his game to the next level, cementing himself as a regular starter under the 46-year-old.

Ryan Gravenberch’s stats for Liverpool in 2024/25

Midfielder Ryan Gravenberch joined the Reds in a £34.2m deal from Bayern Munich during the summer of 2023 – providing much-needed depth to the heart of Klopp’s side.

However, he was never utilised as a regular starter under the former boss, only starting 12 times and often behind Alexis Mac Allister, Wataru Endo and Dominik Szoboszlai.

The appointment of compatriot Slot has seen a huge shift in his fortunes, being named in the starting eleven in every Premier League outing – playing a crucial role in the Reds’ early season form.

Gravenberch has achieved a pass accuracy of 89% whilst winning 70% of the tackles that he’s entered since the start of the campaign.

He’s been the perfect deep-lying option for Slot’s 4-3-3 system, often sitting in doing the dirty work and allowing the players ahead of him to create carnage in the final third.

However, he may struggle to maintain his starting place should the hierarchy complete a statement signing during the upcoming transfer window.

Liverpool targeting a move for their own Rodri

According to TEAMtalk, Liverpool are battling Arsenal over a potential January move for Eintracht Frankfurt’s Swedish midfielder Hugo Larsson.

The 20-year-old has endured a rapid rise in recent months with the Bundesliga side, featuring ten times so far this season, scoring twice from the centre of the park.

The report goes on to state that boss Slot is targeting reinforcements to his midfield despite his impressive start to life at Anfield, looking for an upgrade on Endo, who could be set to leave.

Larsson has been compared to Manchester City ace and Ballon d’Or winner Rodri by the Bundesliga’s website – a real high heap of praise for such a young talent:

However, when delving into their stats from their respective divisions last season, the comparison isn’t that far-fetched with the Reds getting themselves a hugely talented superstar should they complete a deal.

Games played

29

34

Goals & assists

3

17

Pass accuracy

87%

92%

Shot-on-target accuracy

40%

36%

Tackles won

54%

48%

Interceptions

1.4

0.8

Clearances

1.4

1.3

The “incredible” Swede, as dubbed by Sport1-journalist Christopher Michel, may have registered fewer combined goals and assists, but did register more successful tackles – a crucial figure for a ball-winning player.

Larsson also averaged more interceptions and clearances per 90, having the ability to add a different dimension to Slot’s side with the youngster having the potential to get even better under his guidance.

Whilst it’s unknown how much the star will cost this winter, his talent is evident for all to see, with this just the start of his professional career at the top level.

The Anfield may face tough competition from Arsenal for his signature, but if they are to further bolster their title credentials this campaign, a deal for the Swede is a must this January. Gravenberch may have to watch out…

Nunez upgrade: Liverpool chasing best CF since Suarez in £101m "unicorn"

Liverpool are interested in signing a top-class £101m striker to replace Darwin Nunez.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 12, 2024

New Zealand captain ends first day on 186*, with the No. 3 unbeaten on 99

Mohammad Isam08-Jan-2022Stumps New Zealand have bounced back from the Mount Maunganui reversal, and how! They made 349 for 1 on the first day of the second Test in Christchurch after being asked to bat, with Tom Latham leading the way with an unbeaten 186, his first century as captain. Devon Conway had another great day, though he might have a nervous night as he finished the day on 99. And Will Young, the only man to be dismissed, hit 54.Latham and Conway have added 201 runs for the unbroken second wicket, following the 148-run stand between Young and Latham for the first wicket. It was the first hundred-plus stand for the opening wicket in the first innings in New Zealand since 2012. And they have already put on more runs than ever before for the first two wickets in a Test in New Zealand, topping West Indies’ 289 in 2000.The same Bangladesh bowling line-up that struck so regularly in the previous game, was pedestrian at best on the day as they conceded 44 boundaries in 90 overs. Ebadot Hossain, the star of the Mount Maunganui win, went wicketless in his 21 overs, conceding 114 runs. Shoriful Islam took the only wicket to fall. While Taskin Ahmed and Mehidy Hasan Miraz couldn’t quite stem the run flow.Latham had a field day driving, cutting and guiding the ball through the off-side. He struck 21 of his 29 fours through this area, looking particularly great whenever he had a bit of room. He was also quick on anything short, pulling the ball with ease.Conway started with a beautiful cover-driven four off Mehidy, and towards the end of the day, blazed one through the covers off Taskin, highlights of his innings so far, which has already included ten fours and six.During the last session, Latham reached his 150 off 199 balls, before moving to his highest score against Bangladesh, topping the 177 in Wellington in 2017. Conway, too, picked up pace but there was a semblance of control from Bangladesh as they used spin for an extended period.Devon Conway ended the day one away from yet another Test century•Getty ImagesLatham had reached his 12th Test century in the middle session to lead New Zealand’s supremacy. They raised their run rate in the afternoon, scoring at 3.92, as opposed to the 3.53 in the first session. But Bangladesh had their chances, twice denied by the review and once by their own frailties.Early in the first session, Latham overturned two lbw decisions off Ebadot in the same over. Then, in the first over of the second session, Litton Das dropped Young diving to his left from second slip, even though it seemed the ball would have carried to first slip. To make matters worse, the bowler, Ebadot, had to run all the way to the boundary to stop the resultant overthrow.Ebadot’s figures were further dented when there was another four overthrows in his next over. It underlined Bangladesh’s enthusiasm, perhaps. But they did remove Young, caught off Shoriful at point. It was Young’s third consecutive dismissal in the 50s.Soon enough, Latham reached his fastest Test century, off 133 balls, to the applause from his wife, young son and father, who were all in the stands.Bangladesh’s poor luck started even before the toss, when they lost Mushfiqur Rahim to a groin injury. This is the first time in more than 12 years that they are playing a Test without Mushfiqur, Tamim Iqbal, Shakib Al Hasan and Mahmudullah.

Neymar opened up on scoring an Olimpico goal against Inter de Limeira as he remained hopeful of a Brazil national team call-up.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Neymar explained celebrating in front of Inter de Limeira fansScored Olimpico goal in Santos' win Remains hopeful of Brazil call-upFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Brazil icon scored his second goal in his sixth appearance for Santos on Sunday, since returning to his boyhood club this winter. He scored a world-class Olimpico goal as he stunned the crowd by putting the ball directly into the net from a corner. Neymar celebrated his goal in front of the home fans, who had earlier booed him for providing the assist for Tiquinho Soares' opener.

AdvertisementWHAT NEYMAR SAID

Speaking to reporters after the match, the 33-year-old said: "I went to take the corner, they provoked me. I asked them to sing louder, I struck the ball and got an assist. Then, the second time I went there [to the corner], they did it again, so I thought to myself: 'Now I'm the one who's going to score the goal' [laughs]. I hit a great shot and managed to score my first 'Olympic goal' [goal direct from a corner]."

Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Selecao boss Dorival Junior is all set to announce his squad on March 7 for the team's upcoming World Cup qualifying matches against Colombia and Argentina on March 21 and 26 respectively and Neymar remains hopeful that he will be picked for the team. "Regarding the call-up, I'm there. Each player's desire is to defend the country, and for me, it has always been an honour. I dedicated myself to the team to the fullest. I enjoy being there, representing Brazil. If I have the opportunity to return, I will be very happy," the Santos star added.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR NEYMAR?

Before Brazil's squad selection, the former Barcelona and Al-Hilal star will get one more opportunity to prove himself as Santos take on Bragantino in the Paulista Championship quarter-final.

Kings collapse after breezy Sharjeel knock to finish with below par total

Danyal Rasool27-Jan-2022There was split opinion on whether the opening ceremony of this year’s Pakistan Super League fell flat, but there was universal congruity that the opening match certainly did. A drab, one-sided contest saw Mohammad Rizwan’s Multan Sultans, who won the toss and, as expected, opted to field first crush home favourites Karachi Kings by seven wickets.The Kings got off to a solid start but stuttered once a swashbuckling 31-ball 43 from Sharjeel Khan ended, and set the defending champions 125 for victory. Sultans were never in a rush to finish the game off, but the outcome was never in doubt, and by the 19th over, made official what everyone had known for a while – the Sultans had been much too good for the Kings.Imran Tahir was the Sultans superstar, derailing a Kings innings that perhaps never quite took off as it was meant to. Babar Azam’s role as T20 opener was much scrutinised in the wake of Pakistan’s T20 World Cup semifinal loss to Australia, and he didn’t do his reputation any favours with a scratchy 29-ball 23 for his side, allowing the Sultans to gain the early momentum.It was only thanks to Sharjeel, and some generous, gentle full tosses from Tim David that helped the Kings push their scoring rate up, and by the end of the 9th over, they had a solid platform, the scoreline reading 64 for none.The evergreen Tahir, though, would change all that when a googly drew Sharjeel Khan into miscuing one to point, and Khushdil Shah snared an off-colour Babar the following over. Joe Clarke and Mohammad Nabi struggled for timing badly as the Sultans applied the squeeze, and as the need for runs grew desperate, Tahir returned to gobble up a couple more wickets and send the Kings sliding further, his figures reading 4-0-16-3.The low target, combined with the expectation of heavy dew, meant Sultans strode out under little pressure, and batted like a side that knew it. Rizwan scored just one of his first 7, allowing Shan Masood to take the lead in the Powerplay. A few elegant shots from the left-hander, none more so than a classy drive back over Mohammad Imran’s head for six, set the tone early, and when Masood sent one straight to extra cover’s throat, he had perhaps already done his job with an 18-ball 26.Multan might look at this game and think this game needed to be killed off more ruthlessly. Sohaib Maqsood and Rizwan trundled along at around a run-a-ball, unencumbered by scoreboard pressure, but in the 15th over, with the Sultans at 101 for one and the game seemingly wrapped up, Nabi struck twice in an over, getting rid of Maqsood and Rossouw. Some nerves kept in as the gap between runs required and balls remaining shrunk, but they were more jitters than panic.Rizwan drove one beautifully over mid-off to bring up his half-century, and Tim David smashed another a few balls later over square leg for six to finish the Kings off. The stutter was over, and the defending champions are up and running.

With inconsisent performances in SheBelieves Cup, questions still remain over who will replace longtime goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher

Since Alyssa Naeher’s retirement from the international game, questions have surrounded who would succeed the U.S. women’s national team’s longtime goalkeeper. 

The 2025 SheBelieves Cup was the first step toward providing some answers, as Jane Campbell and Mandy McGlynn received the call.

Both McGlynn and Campbell are “extremely talented,” per USWNT defender Emily Fox. Fellow defender Sam Coffey agreed, noting that both keepers were “up for the task” in challenging for the USWNT role. 

“I think we have so much talent in our goalkeeper pool," Coffee said. "I think it is a really exciting time and opportunity for them to come into this position where it’s kind of open and there’s an opportunity to really take a shot at it.

“They’re so incredibly talented and great with their feet and have such a great understanding of the game. I think these games are such a cool opportunity for them to continue to learn and be with the group and really take steps forward in their national team careers.”

For USWNT coach Emma Hayes, making good choices while under pressure is paramount. 

"I think for all the goalkeepers competing, they have to demonstrate they can make the important decisions under pressure on both sides of the ball," Hayes said. "Of course [show] the qualities unique to play in goal for this team means that more often than not you've got to be absolutely ready to make a significant, big save in every game. You've got to be good with your decision making and execution in the deepest spaces to help the team progress up the pitch."

But who could actually end up taking the starting job? INDIVISA takes a look.

Getty Images Casey Murphy, 20 USWNT Caps

2024 NWSL season: 26 games, 28 GA, 1.08 GA90, 75.9% SAVE, 6 Clean Sheets

Longtime backup and North Carolina Courage goalkeeper Casey Murphy seems like the most obvious choice to replace Naeher. She’s the most experienced internationally of any candidate. In her 20 USWNT appearances, Murphy has kept a clean sheet in 15 of those games. 

In 2024, Murphy allowed just 25 goals with the Courage while facing nearly 33 post-shot expected goals. Her shot stopping index of 0.77 in 2024 ranked first among U.S. keepers with more than 500 minutes played. 

Murphy struggles with her distribution, however, tying for eighth in Passing per 96 minutes out of 12 U.S. keepers who have played at least 2,000 minutes since 2022. Her 2024 season was also average, with Murphy ranking fifth in the NWSL and recording just six clean sheets – the least for her in a NWSL season. 

One thing about Murphy that could be working against her is her age – although the majority of the USWNT’s options at keeper fall into this category as well. She's 28 now, and will be 31 by the next World Cup. Hayes could be looking for a keeper that could hold down the role for longer than a single tournament cycle. 

AdvertisementGetty ImagesJane Campbell, 10 USWNT caps

2024 NWSL season: 25 games, 39 GA, 1.56 GA90, 77% SAVE, 8 Clean Sheets

Houston’s Jane Campbell notched two more international appearances during the SheBelieves Cup, bringing her total for the USWNT to 10. The 2023 NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year, she has consistently been one of the best in the league.

But in 2024, she took a step back, allowing 39 goals – her most allowed in a NWSL season – and recording a 1.56 goals against per 90, her worst in the NWSL. 

Against Colombia, she played well and didn’t allow a single goal. But Campbell’s outing against Japan at the SheBelieves Cup was less than stellar. Some blame can be placed on the team’s defense for the two goals she allowed in the 2-1 loss to Japan in the final – and there’s no doubt things may have been different if the team had Naomi Girma to anchor the back line.

Ultimately, Campbell lacked composure on the ball and looked shaky at different points during the match. There is no doubt Naeher leaves big shoes when it comes to being calm under pressure, but it wasn’t the type of performance you want to see out of the starting USWNT goalkeeper.

Combine that with the fact that Campbell appeared to regress last season, and she may not end up being the choice for the USWNT moving forward. 

Getty ImagesPhallon Tullis-Joyce, 0 USWNT caps

2024-25 WSL season: 14 appearances, 6 GA, 0.43 GA90, 88.6% SAVE, 9 Clean Sheets

Phallon Tullis-Joyce was one of the best goalkeepers in the NWSL during her time in Seattle, ranking first in the league in 2022, before Manchester United paid a reported record transfer fee for her in 2023. During the 2024 WSL season she played backup under Mary Earps – which very well could be a reason to give her a shot at the starting spot. 

After all, Earps was the best goalkeeper at the 2023 World Cup, winning the Golden Glove. Learning behind a talent like that is huge for Tullis-Joyce’s development, and she’s since gotten to step out and take over the starting spot for herself following Earps’ departure for Paris Saint-Germain.

She’s played in 14 matches so far this season, ranking second in the WSL with just six goals against, .42 goals per 90 and a near 89 percent save rate. Her goals conceded are the fewest of any keeper in the WSL, and her save percentage also ranks first. 

If you ask Manchester United coach Marc Skinner, Tullis-Joyce has abilities that he hasn't seen before. 

“I’ll be very clear: she has all of the foundations,” Skinner told Chris Brookes in 2023. “I’ve never seen a goalkeeper make the saves that she makes, honestly. … She’s so athletic. I think it’s just making sure she can make those in big moments. … I think you’re going to see a world-class goalkeeper. I really do. She’s got all of the qualities she needs.” 

The biggest knock against Tullis-Joyce when it comes to taking the starting USWNT spot is that she lacks international experience, having yet to make her first international appearance. She received her first call-up to the USWNT on the tail-end of last year, and Hayes has made note of that.

“Her shot-stopping and her ability to cover the frame is second to none,” Hayes said after Tullis-Joyce’s call-up. “But in terms of building up with the team, connecting with the team, there’s room for improvement.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesMandy McGlynn – 2 USWNT caps

2024 NWSL season: 24 appearances, 38 GA, 1.58 GA90, 73.6% SAVE, 4 CS

McGlynn has just two USWNT caps, but is making her case all the same. McGlynn (formerly Haught) only received her first national team call-up last October, replacing an injured Campbell before posting a shutout in the team’s 3-0 win over Argentina. She had a 100% pass completion rate in that game, and despite not having “much to do” McGlynn still impressed with a save that she dubbed “simple.”

Since then, she’s received invites to December and January camps, before getting a nod for the SheBelieves Cup. At 26 years old, she’s one of the youngest candidates. An NWSL champion, McGlynn had the best 2024 of any U.S.-eligible keeper when looking at the key advanced metrics, even despite being on a struggling Utah Royals team.

Even still, McGlynn posted a plus-6.9 post-shot expected minus goals allowed, which showcased her raw shot-stopping ability. Factor in that the shots on target that McGlynn faced had the highest post-shot expected goals value of any NWSL goalkeeper at 0.32 and that makes her 2024 more impressive.

Another key for McGlynn’s is the fact that she has experience overseas, playing for Swedish club Piteå Idrottsförening. She’s still young in her professional career, but she ranks in the top percentile where it matters for an elite goalkeeper.

Combine that with the fact that Hayes would be able to mold McGlynn into the keeper of the long-term future for the USWNT, and you could be looking at the team’s next starter.

Unai Emery wants Aston Villa to sign a £20 million defender who has the same agent as Pau Torres, according to a new report.

The Villans are back in Premier League action this weekend as they welcome Crystal Palace to Villa Park looking to end their five-game winless run. This poor run of form could have been a blessing in disguise for Emery, as it may have opened his eyes to what they need to improve on when January arrives.

Aston Villa eyeing move for new £25m target who could replace Diego Carlos

Aston Villa are interested in a player who could potentially replace the Brazilian.

ByBrett Worthington Nov 19, 2024 Aston Villa are interested in signing Alex Baena

Villa may not very busy in the month of January, but if opportunities present themselves, whether it be bringing a player to the club or letting one go, it is likely going to happen for the Midlands side, as it has done ever since Emery joined the club.

Villarreal winger Alex Baena is someone Villa look to be very interested in signing, as Emery is a big fan of his, as the pair have worked together in Spain. The Villa boss is keen on bringing him to England, and Villa’s ex-scout Bryan King believes Baena would jump at the chance to reunite with Emery. He said: “I think he’d find it easy to join Villa and come into a club with a manager that he knows,” King said. “Baena has worked with Emery. Therefore, I see no reason why Emery wouldn’t push for that transfer and tell the club that Baena is a great prospect, a good player, and the player that he wants.

“And as a player who has worked with him, I think he’d be eager to join Villa and continue his career in the West Midlands.”

But as well as looking at Baena, Aston Villa are also interested in a deal for a defender, and they could hold an advantage in securing his signature.

Emery wants Aston Villa to sign £20m La Liga defender

According to Super Deporte, relayed by Sport Witness, Emery wants Aston Villa to sign defender Flavien Enzo Boyomo from CA Osasuna. The 23-year-old only joined the La Liga side in the summer transfer window, but he is already an important player for the club, as he’s started all 13 league games he has been available for.

Before joining Osasuna, Enzo Boyomo was at Real Valladolid for a season, and he impressed there which earned him his move to another La Liga side. The centre-back has experience of being in England, as he played for Blackburn Rovers academy from 2016 to 2020, and he could now be in line for a return.

This report states that the defender has ended up on Villa’s radar, as Emery is keen for his side to sign him. The Midlands side have signed players from Spain before, as they brought Torres to Villa Park, and now Enzo Boyomo could be the next in line, and the pair have something in common already, as they both share the same agent, InterStarDeporte.

Apps

13

Goals

1

Assists

0

As well as Villa, there are other teams interested in the defender, who is contracted to the Spanish side until 2029 and has a release clause of €25 million, which is roughly £20 million. This price is seen as “affordable” to Villa; it just remains to be seen when they could make the move for the centre-back.

The former English county cricketer had worked with the franchise as a fast-bowling coach during IPL 2019

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Mar-2022Steffan Jones, who had served as Rajasthan Royals’ fast-bowling coach during the 2019 edition of the IPL, has been brought back by the franchise, this time as the high-performance fast-bowling coach, ahead of the 2022 chapter of the tournament.”Steffan has been closely associated with the franchise over the past few years so he understands the culture perfectly, and brings with him a very able coaching style, which has been appreciated by both players and management in the past,” Royals director of cricket Kumar Sangakkara said. “We are delighted to welcome him back to the franchise in his new role, wherein he will be working with our bowlers and providing support to them throughout the year, and we’re confident his expertise can guide us to newer heights.”Jones, the 48-year-old Welshman, “will be responsible for providing high quality training, guidance and support to all bowlers who are part of the Royals’ set-up throughout the year, with a focus on the off-season and in the build up to the IPL season,” Royals said in a statement. He will start during the pre-season camp in Nagpur, from March 7 to 10, and stay with the squad during the tournament.”With a plethora of talented bowlers in our ranks, I’m looking forward to working with them round the year and preparing them to peak and excel when the season comes,” Jones said.The statement said that Jones, who played first-class cricket in the English county circuit between 1997 and 2011, would also be “inputting” at the Royals academies, and “aid in technical integration of the facilities, while also utilizing technology and innovation to support the overall enhancement and growth of both players and the academies”.

Leicester City have joined the race to sign one of Spain’s most exciting talents as the Foxes look to hand incoming boss Ruud van Nistelrooy additional firepower.

Leicester appoint Van Nistelrooy

Less than a week after the departure of Steve Cooper in the wake of Leicester’s 2-1 defeat to Chelsea, the Midlands outfit announced that Ruud van Nistelrooy would take charge at the King Power Stadium.

The Dutchman, whose only experience of the Premier League came in a four-game interim spell with Manchester United earlier in the month, has been deemed the right man to steer the Foxes away from the relegation zone this season, as five losses in their last six games threaten to derail a promising start to the campaign.

West Ham United (Home)

Brighton (Home)

Newcastle United (Away)

Wolves (Home)

Liverpool (Away)

“I’m proud, I’m excited,” he told the Leicester City website after his arrival was announced.

“Everybody that I speak to about Leicester City Football Club is enthusiastic, has great stories about the quality of the people working at the Club, the supporters, also of course, the recent history of the Club is impressive. I’m dead excited to start and to get to know everyone and give everything I can for the Football Club.”

Van Nistelrooy has penned a contract until June 2027 at the King Power Stadium, and will take charge for the first time in their midweek clash with West Ham United, having beaten the Foxes twice during his time with Manchester United.

Now, the owners seem keen to back their man, and are readying a move for a new forward in the new year.

Leicester City in race to sign Olympic winner

Reports in Spain claim that Leicester City are one of three Premier League sides chasing Valencia forward Diego Lopez, with the Foxes considering the young talent “a fundamental pillar of their sporting project”.

An Olympic gold medallist with Spain over the summer, Lopez has impressed for Los Ches. Playing across the frontline, he has grabbed two goals and an assist so far this season as he battles to keep the Spanish stalwart in the top flight.

Leicester City eyeing move for "exciting" £17m Abdul Fatawu replacement

The winger is set to miss the rest of the season.

ByTom Cunningham Nov 22, 2024

With financial issues at the club, the report claims they are keen to raise money in any way possible and will sanction the sale of one of their key men midway through the season.

Wolves and Bournemouth are also credited with an interest in the striker, and Valencia could “be willing to negotiate the departure of López for a figure close to 35 million euros”, though the aforementioned financial issues could force the southern Spanish side into a compromise.

Able to play on either side of the attack or through the middle, Lopez has drawn attention after an “excellent” performance against Cadiz, with Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig dubbing him a talent “shining for Valencia”.

With Abdul Fatawu now sidelined for the remainder of the season and Jamie Vardy well beyond his electric peak, a new attacker could be just what is needed at the King Power to help fire them clear of relegation, and they appear to have their eyes set on Lopez.

It might not be the way the coach dreamt his side would play, but he must keep dancing with the devil to take his team to the final in Bilbao

"They didn't play football, they just defend, defend, defend. And as we say in my country, they brought the bus and they left the bus in front of the goal." That was how Jose Mourinho introduced the concept of 'parking the bus' into English football after his Chelsea side had drawn 0-0 against Tottenham during his debut season in the Premier League. He could easily, though, have been talking about Manchester United's ultra-defensive performance in Sunday's 1-1 draw with Arsenal.

Despite using the term to belittle his opponents, Mourinho has ended up being associated with the term more than any other coach. When he was in charge of Manchester United, Manchester City fans would sing "Park the bus, Man United" to ridicule their rivals' defensive style of play, which contrasted with City's attacking and courageous tactics under Pep Guardiola, the Portuguese's arch-nemesis. Mourinho, for his part, grew to see his pragmatism as a virtue, and some of his greatest wins as a manager came from parking the bus, most memorably during Chelsea's 2-0 win at Anfield in 2014 which wrecked Liverpool's Premier League title hopes.

Ruben Amorim, though, did not exactly revel in his side's use of negative tactics against Arsenal as he almost apologised for his side's strategy. "When you coach Manchester United, you cannot play too much like that," he told . "Sometimes we have to do things that are not popular, but if you want to win and imagine one way to win, we have to do it because, in the end, we need the points.

"We don't want to play like this, defending so much and giving the ball to the opponent. But with all the games, with all the problems and then the characteristics of the players, we tried to adapt and imagine the game that we could win, and we proved that today."

Amorim was hinting that he would only use such tactics again sparingly, but he needs to forget his hang-ups, embrace his inner Mourinho and park the bus all the way to winning the Europa League…

Getty Possession fallacy

When Amorim arrived at United in November, he made two declarations that were slightly contradictory. First he hailed the influence of Mourinho, whom he had shadowed for a week at Carrington when he working on his coaching diploma. He then he outlined that he was not going to compromise on his style of play. "As a coach you have to choose one way or another, I choose always 100 percent our way," he said. "I choose to risk a bit. I believe so much in our way of playing, they will believe too. There is no second way."

But the Arsenal game was the latest sign that Amorim ready to compromise. United had less than 32 percent possession against the Gunners, the lowest amount since they had last faced Arsenal in the FA Cup in January. United had just 29.6% of the ball that day, with the caveat that they played the final half-hour and all of extra-time with 10 men. That win on penalties was arguably the greatest result of Amorim's brief and chaotic time in charge of United thus far.

But it was not the best result he had enjoyed all season; that was when his Sporting CP side obliterated Manchester City 4-1 in the Champions League in November. That magical night at the Estadio Jose Alvalade was also the lowest amount of possession an Amorim side has had all season, as they saw only 27.3% of the ball. In other words, the idea that Amorim always wants to dominate the ball is a fallacy. While it is true that his Sporting side would monopolise the ball in most of their league games – in a division where they were one of the three biggest spenders – he was happy to cede possession to superior opponents.

AdvertisementGetty 3-4-3 becomes 5-5-0

Sunday's clash was the fifth occasion in United's last six games in which they had the lower amount of possession. The only time in that period when they had more of the ball was against Everton, when they did not play well at all before battling back to draw 2-2, though they were fortunate to avoid conceding a last-minute penalty at Goodison Park.

Indeed, some of United's worst performances under Amorim have been when they have had more of the ball. They had 60 percent possession when they were thrashed 3-0 at home by Bournemouth and had also had more of the ball against Newcastle in one of their worst displays of the season.

Against Arsenal, Amorim played fast and loose with the 3-4-3 formation that has been the hallmark of his coaching career, turning it into a 5-4-1 when out of possession. Joshua Zirkzee's deep positioning often made it seem like a 5-5-0 as the Dutchman rarely ventured into the opposition box and focused more on holding the ball up than getting forward. The defensive shape made United more cohesive than they have been on many occasions under Amorim.

Getty Countering suits these players

A good understanding was formed by wing-backs Noussair Mazraoui and Diogo Dalot, who combined for one of the best moves of the game as the Moroccan's volley was saved by David Raya. In the middle, Bruno Fernandes worked in tandem with Casemiro, who delivered one of his best displays in recent memory and sparked a move that could have seen United re-take the lead late on when he mugged Mikel Merino, only for Declan Rice to stop the ponderous Rasmus Hojlund in his tracks with a slide tackle.

Mazraoui, who has been hit and miss when deployed as a wing-back, looked much more effective with his team playing on the counter rather than when trying to build possession in the middle of the pitch. Zirkzee did not have a great game, but he did look better as a linking target man who controlled long balls rather than as a No. 10 trying to orchestrate play. Alejandro Garnacho has had a frustrating period under Amorim, but he had one of his best games in recent memory against Arsenal. He repeatedly got the better of Riccardo Calafiori, with Gary Neville on commentary for saying that the Argentine had gotten into the Italian's head.

And there's the nub of the situation Amorim has in front of him. He has inherited a squad of players that had never previously played in a 3-4-3 and are not suited to his vision of play. But these players did have success in Erik ten Hag's first season, as well as in last season's FA Cup run, playing in a more pragmatic way, keeping things tight at the back and hitting teams on the counter.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Fans galvanised

Amorim said he could feel fans getting frustrated with United's approach against Arsenal at times, but on the whole Old Trafford was fired up and seemed to feed off the team's work-rate and attitude. While supporters obviously want to see attacking football and thrilling wing play, they also want to see crunching tackles and players giving their all. United did just that on Sunday and the crowd oved it. As the coach said: "The spirit, the following the plan that is a good thing, an example for the future."

The Old Trafford faithful were delighted by Matthijs de Ligt's aggression and enjoyed Casemiro breathing down the Gunners' necks. They were energised by the sweeping counter-attacks they saw, which compensated for sitting deep in a low block for much of the game. Lets not forget that Louis van Gaal's slow, meandering possession football bored supporters to death to the point that attendances dropped and club directors began to get concerned that people were not going to renew their season tickets.

And Sir Jim Ratcliffe enjoyed it too, despite the less than complimentary chants he was subjected to both before and during the game. "I thought it was a really impressive performance. They could not have worked harder. They couldn’t have been more committed," he said in his interview with the following day.

Much like with the belated sale of Matt O’Riley this time around, there was no doubt a sense of just how would Celtic cope without the devastating brilliance of Portuguese wizard, Jota, following his move to Saudi Arabia in the summer of 2023.

As it happens, life after the winger – who scored and assists 54 goals for the Old Firm side in just 83 games – has been relatively smooth, with Brendan Rodgers steering the club to a domestic double last term, with further dominance looking set to follow in the current campaign.

Meanwhile, Jota himself has perhaps realised that the grass isn’t always greener elsewhere, with the 25-year-old’s £25m switch to Al-Ittihad going down like a lead balloon, culminating in a swift exit to Ligue 1 side Rennes this summer.

Now part of a side that is staring relegation in the face in France’s top-flight, the one-time Benfica man has scored just once in seven league games this term, having endured a simply wretched 18 months or so.

Back at Parkhead, Jota’s remarkable impact in a Hoops shirt certainly hasn’t been forgotten, although there are likely to be few who yearn for his return to Glasgow, such has been the statement showings of Rodgers’ current attacking crop…

Celtic's attacking record this season

For much of last term, it looked as if Luis Palma would be the man to fill the Portuguese’s void on the flanks, with the Honduran ending the season with ten goals and ten assists to his name in 36 appearances in all competitions – albeit with just four of those goal involvements coming his way between January and May.

The 24-year-old is now something of a bystander to proceedings, in truth, with Rodgers preferring the relentless presence of Daizen Maeda down the left, the Japanese star taking his goal tally to ten for the season following his fine, curling effort against Club Brugge earlier this week.

On the opposite side, January arrival Nicolas Kuhn continues to tear it up both domestically and in Europe, with the German sensation chalking up 11 goals and a further 11 assists from just 19 appearances.

Interestingly, the former Rapid Vienna star is well on the way to bettering Jota’s best return in a Celtic shirt, with the latter man ‘only’ reaching 27 total goal involvements in each of his two seasons in Glasgow. Kuhn is already at 22, in November.

Rodgers’ new talisman is then not the new Jota, but – dare we say it – even better, should his rampant form be maintained.

Stat (*per game)

Jota (2022/23)

Kuhn (2023/24)

Games

33

11

Goals

11

5

Assists

11

6

Key passes*

1.9

2.1

Big chances created

13

6

Pass accuracy*

80%

75%

Tackles*

1.2

1.8

Interceptions*

0.4

0.3

Successful dribbles*

1.5

1.8

Possession lost*

14.5

12x

It could be said that another Jota is, however, brewing elsewhere in the Hoops squad…

Celtic have a new Jota brewing

The Lisbon-born genius first arrived in Scotland on a season-long loan deal from Benfica, prior to eventually joining permanently in the summer of 2022, for a reported fee of just £6.5m.

That initial temporary swoop certainly proved to be a fruitful one for all concerned, with the hope being that young Alex Valle can follow in those footsteps over the next few months.

Like Jota, the youngster was plucked from an elite European outfit – Barcelona – over the summer on a loan deal, having previously made 29 appearances in Spain’s second tier for Levante in 2023/24.

While the 20-year-old, unlike Jota, operates in a left-back berth, he does possess a creative spark akin to that of the former Parkhead hero, having already chalked up four assists from his first ten appearances under Rodgers thus far.

With speculation still rumbling on over Greg Taylor’s future, with just over six months left to run on his existing deal, now could be a perfect time for a changing of the guard.

In a way, Wednesday’s stalemate with Brugge showed that very scenario occurring, with young Valle immediately making his mark off the bench after replacing Taylor, having teed up Maeda for the crucial equaliser with a neat, threaded pass.

It wasn’t just that early moment alone in which the Barca starlet impressed, however, having regularly looked to get forward down the left flank, while cleverly winning a foul for his side late on with a surging run through the centre.

The assured and confident nature of his play really is a joy to behold, with the only concern resting in the fact that the player and his entourage reportedly rejected the inclusion of an option-to-buy clause as part of the loan move.

Chalkboard

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

Maybe he harbours a future for himself back in the first-team at Camp Nou, but on the evidence of his bright start in Scottish football, Celtic should be doing all they can to try and engineer a permanent capture at the end of the campaign.

Like with another loan superstar in the form of Jota, snapping up Valle for the foreseeable could result in securing a sizeable profit later down the line. Get him signed!

Celtic express interest in signing "incredible" Adam Idah repeat in January

He’d be quite the coup…

1 ByTom Cunningham Nov 27, 2024