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Regis Le Bris will hope all of Sunderland’s business during the chaotic winter transfer window stands them in good stead to attempt a promotion push, with the Black Cats currently positioned in a promising fourth spot in the Championship.

One of Sunderland’s statement signings this window certainly helped the Black Cats pick up a dramatic victory last time out at Middlesbrough, as the class of Enzo Le Fee shone through in the 3-2 win, with his dazzling first touch late on aiding the late winner courtesy of a Ryan Giles own goal.

In the not-so-distant past, Tony Mowbray also had a similarly spellbinding talent to rely upon down the right wing in Amad Diallo, who is still fondly remembered to this day in Wearside circles as a top loan purchase.

Amad's stunning loan spell at Sunderland

The Ivorian’s sublime heroics at the Stadium of Light would even see Mowbray hail the now 22-year-old attacker as “special” mid-way through his loan stint.

He was right to lavish such over-the-top praise too, with Amad finishing his memorable time at the club with 14 goals and four assists next to his name from 42 appearances, becoming his team’s top scorer in the league for the 2022/23 season in the process.

Amad’s star quality would help Mowbray’s men reach the playoffs, only for his new side to then come unstuck at the semi-final stages, with Le Bris keeping everything crossed that the playoff system isn’t as unkind to his current Sunderland camp.

Whilst Le Fee can offer moments of magic like Amad, he isn’t quite as tricky or as slick as an out-and-out winger down the flanks, with the promotion chasers just left to curse their inability to land another dazzling talent.

The Sunderland target who could have been Amad 2.0

Amid a dramatic deadline day, it looked at one stage as if the the Black Cats were set to repeat their Amad masterclass, by snapping up another Premier League sensation on a temporary basis.

One that got away

As reported by Fabrizio Romano, talks were held regarding a loan move for Brighton and Hove Albion attacker Simon Adingra, with Tommy Watson the subject of a £13m bid from the Seagulls, yet neither move came to fruition as that approach was turned down by the Black Cats.

As such, Sunderland – who may well be relieved to keep hold of Watson – are now left to ponder whether Amad’s compatriot could have taken the Championship by storm in a similar way to the Manchester United first-teamer.

Adingra’s FBref numbers over the last year vs Amad’s
Stat – per 90 mins	Adingra	Amad
Total shots	2.52	2.38
Shot-creating actions	3.49	4.50
Progressive passes	2.08	2.83
Progressive carries	4.46	5.02
Successful take-ons	1.94	2.08
Touches in the attacking penalty area	6.93	5.92
Progressive passes received	11.96	9.19
Stats by FBref

Looking at the table above, it’s clear that both wingers under the spotlight thrive as daring players on the ball always aiming to carve out an opening or fire an effort on goal, with Adingra actually bettering Amad over the last year when it comes to total shots on goal per game and also with touches in the attacking penalty area.

Therefore, with the “explosive” – as he has been labelled by football analyst Ben Mattinson – 23-year-old already boasting eight goals and two assists in the Premier League across the course of his Seagulls stay, it’s fair to assume he could have caused the Championship all sorts of bother if a last-ditch switch was clinched, much like Amad managed under Mowbray’s wing.

Le Bris will just have to hope his troops as they are can leap back up to the top flight, with equally skilful players such as Isidor in his ranks exciting supporters week in week out.

A move for what could have been a perfect Jack Clarke replacement in Adingra might well happen further down the line for the Wearside giants, but it wasn’t to be on deadline day, as the Black Cats now brace themselves for an intense promotion run-in.

Le Bris has unearthed the next Tommy Watson in Sunderland's “super talent”

Sunderland’s conveyer belt of homegrown talents continues to produce some top youngsters.

By
Kelan Sarson

Feb 5, 2025

It wouldn’t be a transfer window without Chelsea being linked with endless players given their antics over the last couple of years.

Todd Boehly has been responsible for a huge overhaul within the playing department, splashing the cash on various players to help push the club back towards the summit of the Premier League.

With less than two weeks to go, the Blues are yet to sign any new players to bolster Enzo Maresca’s side in their quest for a top-four place come the end of his first campaign at the helm.

After the latest win against Wolves on Monday night, the club currently occupy a Champions League spot with just 16 games to go, in what would be a successful first year in West London for the Italian.

However, if the side are to remain in such a position over the coming months, added investment before the market closes could be vital, including one player who’s recently been touted with a switch to Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea make contact for PL star

According to journalist George Lakin, Chelsea have made contact with Wolves over a January move to land Matheus Cunha before the end of the transfer window.

The 25-year-old also has admirers from Newcastle United, but at this moment it appears as though Arsenal are leading the race for his signature should he leave Molineux.

Lakin also confirmed that the Brazilian has said he wants to leave the West Midlands outfit just a couple of weeks after news broke that he was set to sign a new deal with Vitor Pereira’s side.

Cunha has registered ten goals and four assists in his 21 Premier League outings throughout 2024/25, undoubtedly being Wolves’ shining light in what has been a hugely disappointing season for the club.

It’s safe to say any deal for the former Atlético Madrid star would bolster Maresca’s attacking options, offering a new dimension and an upgrade on another player who’s been touted with a move to the Bridge.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Why Cunha would be better than Garnacho for Chelsea

Over the last couple of days, Chelsea have been linked with a plethora of attacking talents, with one name standing out in the form of Manchester United youngster Alejandro Garnacho.

The Argentine has been linked with a move away from Old Trafford in recent days, with the Blues battling Serie A side Napoli in the hunt for his signature.

The 20-year-old could be allowed to leave Ruben Amorim’s side should any club present an offer in the region of £55m, with Maresca’s men still one of the clubs in the race for his services.

However, given the recent emergence of the links to Cunha, a deal for Garnacho should be pushed to the side with priorities needing to be directed towards the Brazilian given his stats from the ongoing campaign.

When comparing the pair’s respective stats via FBref, the Wolves star has massively outperformed the United youngster, providing immediate quality for the Blues in their quest for a top-four finish.

Cunha, who’s been dubbed “world-class” by one Arsenal insider, has registered way more combined goals and assists in the Premier League to date, highlighting the quality he possesses in the final third.

Games played

21

21

Goals & assists

14

4

Progressive passes

4.5

1.6

Shot-creating actions

3.9

3

Take-ons completed

2.1

1

Take-on success rate

45%

26%

Aerials won

32%

5%

He’s also completed more take-ons and achieved a higher take-on success rate, having the ability to feature in various attacking roles along with the likes of Cole Palmer at the top end of the pitch.

Whilst it’s unclear how much a deal for the Brazilian would cost owner Boehly this month, it’s evident that he has a lot of qualities that would make him a better addition than the Argentine.

If a move was to be successful for any forward before the closure of the window, it’s pivotal that a move is prioritised for Cunha over Garnacho, with the attacking midfielder having the edge in terms of quality in numerous areas – as demonstrated by his figures.

He's a dream for Palmer: Chelsea hold talks to sign £67m "menace"

Chelsea have made contact over a deal to sign the £67m-rated centre-forward.

2 ByDan Emery Jan 22, 2025

James Vince tweets disbelief at Ben Brown’s dismissal as Hampshire’s frustration flares

ECB Reporters Network30-Aug-2022

Darren Stevens clubs a ball to the offside in a remarkable batting display•Getty Images

Kent 313 for 7 (Robinson 95, Stevens 84*) beat Hampshire 310 for 9 (Gubbins 75, Donald 54, Organ 54) by three wicketsDarren Stevens continued his farewell tour with an outrageous 84 off 65 balls to send Kent Spitfires to the Royal London Cup final and end Hampshire’s hopes of the treble in the process.Veteran all-rounder Stevens is leaving Kent at the end of this season after they decided not to renew his contract. He will round off his Kent List A career at a one-day final after striking a six off his legs and then a driven four to take his side over the line with an over to spare.Ollie Robinson’s 95 and Harry Finch’s 63 had set up Kent’s pursuit of 310 before the 46-year-old marshalled his side to a three-wicket victory.Kent, who lost to Hampshire in the 2018 final, will face Lancashire in the Trent Bridge showpiece on September 17.Kent openers Joey Evison and Ben Compton were both dismissed inside the first six overs of the reply, both edging to Scott Currie at second slip. At the other end, Robinson was playing with a sublime touch, with all 12 of his fours coming on the offside to go with a beautifully flicked six.Joe Denly put on 48 with Robinson before edging behind before Harry Finch arrived to substantially chip away at their task. A quick outfield paired with well-placed shots made scoring seem easy, with the duo’s 100 stand coming in 101 balls. But the momentum swung back towards Hampshire as Robinson spooned to midwicket for 95 and Finch chopped on.Enter Stevens, on the back of 41 off 24 in the quarter-final.He bossed a 60-run stand with Grant Stewart, and then dominated a 45 partnership with Harry Podmore. Power was the name of his game, whether it was down the ground or through point; every other ball had the kitchen sink thrown at it. His 50 came at a run-a-ball, before an extraordinary slapped four over extra cover, off a no-ball bouncer, and a checked straight six combo silenced the Ageas Bowl. He even had time to hug umpire David Millns after smashing back at him.Seventy-two were needed from the last 10 overs, which Stevens expertly systematically knocked off to win with an over to spare.Earlier, Nick Gubbins and Ben Brown had set the platform with 106 for the first wicket – Hampshire’s highest opening stand of the tournament. Gubbins was dropped on 33 at first slip but moved past 50 for the third time in the competition in 54 balls – brought up with a sweetly timed cut for four.The impressive start was halted by leggie Hamidullah Qadri in controversial fashion. Brown was adjudged to have been caught at short fine leg, giving a sarcastic thumbs up and applause to the away side on his way off – with club captain James Vince also tweeting his disbelief at the decision. The next delivery, Hampshire’s leading run scorer Tom Prest edged behind.Aneurin Donald skewed the hat-trick ball away before forging stands of 40 and 42 with Gubbins and, when he had been bowled on 75, Fletcha Middleton, in a controlled half-century.Another pair of wickets – Donald lbw while attempting a one-handed reverse sweep and Middleton tamely caught at cover – dragged the Spitfires back into things, onl for Toby Albert and Felix Organ to thrash 88 runs in 57 balls.Hampshire looked well set for Trent Bridge. Then came Stevens.

The Fire star showcased his club loyalty in post-match interaction with fans following the team's recent game

• Brady refuses to sign FC Barcelona shirt after match
• Goalkeeper says "It's not ours" when presented with Barca jersey
• Incident highlights player's commitment to Chicago Fire

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT HAPPENED

  Following Chicago Fire's hard-fought 0-0 draw against Inter Miami, goalkeeper Chris Brady was approached by a group of enthusiastic fans seeking autographs near the players' tunnel. Among the various items presented for signing was an FC Barcelona shirt.

  Brady, known for his composed demeanor both on and off the pitch, politely declined to sign the jersey. When pressed by the fan, Brady simply stated, "It's not ours" before moving on to sign Chicago Fire merchandise for other supporters.

  Inter Miami's Lionel Messi won 10 league titles in 17 seasons with Barcelona, becoming the first player to score 100 goals in international competitions at the same club.

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  Chicago Fire FC and Inter Miami CF played to a 0-0 draw at Soldier Field in front of a record crowd of 62,358 fans. The match was a tense affair with both teams creating chances but failing to find the back of the net.

  Messi came close for Miami, hitting the woodwork in the 86th minute after Brady made a crucial save on Messi's free-kick in the 63rd minute.

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  WHAT’S NEXT?

  Following their goalless draw with Inter Miami, Chicago Fire sit eighth on the Eastern Conference table and are six points behind conference leaders Columbus Crew. Gregg Berhalter’s side face FC Cincinnati next on April 19 at Solider Field and then go on the road to face Nashville SC on April 26.

The striker came up short once again while the wing-back spurned a couple of fine chances as United failed to see off their lacklustre neighbours

Manchester United let Manchester City off the hook and missed a glorious opportunity to do the double on their noisy neighbours in a flat derby which ended 0-0. The Red Devils played the more positive football and looked most likely to find a winner but they were toothless in attack, as Rasmus Hojlund lacked presence in the box in his latest anonymous display.

Patrick Dorgu also disappointed, getting in behind City on a couple of occasions in promising attacks but making the wrong decision each time, miscontrolling on one occasion and firing well wide of goal on the other.

Bruno Fernandes and Alejandro Garnacho were United's most lively players but there was a glaring lack of cutting edge for Ruben Amorim's side, who have just one point to show in their two games since returning from the international break. On the plus side, they avoided defeat against their rivals and suffered no injuries ahead of their Europa League quarter-final tie with Lyon.

GOAL rates Man United's players from Old Trafford…

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Andre Onana (6/10):

  Comfortable with the few shots he had to face, the best of which was his diving save to keep out Marmoush's free-kick.

  Noussair Mazraoui (7/10):

  A battling performance, always quick to plug any gaps at the back.

  Harry Maguire (5/10):

  A little rusty on his first start in one month, with iffy distribution. He did manage to keep City's forwards at bay but that was largely out of them offering so little.

  Leny Yoro (6/10):

  Tested a couple of times by Nico O'Reilly. Hit and miss with the ball, mislaying long passes but bringing it out well on other occasions.

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• AFP
  

  Midfield

  Diogo Dalot (6/10):

  Good from a defensive point of view. Created a good chance for Garnacho with an inviting cross.

  Manuel Ugarte (5/10):

  Clumsy on the ball and erratic when tackling. Went close with a fizzing drive from outside the box.

  Casemiro (6/10):

  Another decent display. Stifled City's midfield, albeit helped by his opponents' lack of intensity, and spread the play well.

  Patrick Dorgu (4/10):

  Hugely disappointing, letting down promising attacks on a couple of occasions with poor touches or shooting. Also gave De Bruyne too much freedom down the wing.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Attack

  Bruno Fernandes (7/10):

  The brains of the attacking operation. Fuelled all the attacks, often from deep-lying positions, but let down by his team-mates.

  Rasmus Hojlund (4/10):

  Yet again didn't get into any key attacking areas or cause any danger.

  Alejandro Garnacho (6/10):

  Looked the most likely source of a goal with his darting runs but lacked a cutting edge.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Subs & Manager

  Victor Lindelof (6/10):

  Comfortable and competent after replacing Maguire.

  Mason Mount (5/10):

  Didn't get into the game and picked up a booking.

  Joshua Zirkzee (6/10):

  Made stuff happen with tidy link play.

  Ruben Amorim (6/10):

  On the surface not a bad result but it feels like an opportunity missed for his side to further sink their teeth into their neighbours.

حسم مجلس إدارة نادي الزمالك، برئاسة حسين لبيب، مصير لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالقلعة البيضاء، مع اقتراب نهاية الموسم الكروي الحالي.

وكشفت مصادر خاصة لـ بطولات، أن إدارة الكرة بالزمالك قررت بشكل نهائي عدم تفعيل بند أحقية شراء عقد محمد حمدي، والاكتفاء بالفترة التي قضاها اللاعب داخل صفوف الفريق خلال الموسم الجاري، على أن يعود إلى ناديه الأصلي إنبي بمجرد انتهاء الإعارة.

وجاء هذا القرار بعد دراسة دقيقة من لجنة الكرة والجهاز الفني، حيث رأت الإدارة أن مركز الظهير الأيسر يضم حاليًا عناصر مميزة على رأسها الثنائي محمود حمدي “بنتايج” وأحمد فتوح، وهو ما يجعل استمرار محمد حمدي غير ضروري في ظل وفرة الخيارات في هذا المركز.

طالع أيضًا | الزمالك يتخذ قرارًا تجاه مرتضى منصور بعد تصريحاته الأخيرة

يذكر أن الزمالك كان قد تعاقد مع محمد حمدي في شهر سبتمبر الماضي، على سبيل الإعارة لمدة موسم واحد قادمًا من إنبي، مع أحقية شراء عقده بشكل نهائي بنهاية الموسم، إلا أن مستوى اللاعب وعدم الحاجة الفنية له ساهما في اتخاذ قرار عدم الإبقاء عليه ضمن صفوف الفريق الأبيض.

وفي سياق آخر، يستعد الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي الزمالك، لمواجهة قوية أمام المصري البورسعيدي، المقرر إقامتها يوم 1 مايو المقبل على استاد الجيش ببرج العرب، ضمن الجولة الثالثة من المرحلة النهائية لمسابقة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

Mumbai Indians’ captain Rohit Sharma is so impressed by Tilak Varma that he believes that the 19-year-old batter has both the technique and temperament to become an all-format player for India in the near future. Varma had represented India in the Under-19 World Cup in South Africa in 2020, when they finished runners-up.Then, in his first IPL season under Rohit, Varma emerged as a bright spot, even as his team-mates floundered and his team became the first to fall out of contention for the playoffs. So far, Varma has made 386 runs in 12 innings – the most by a teenager in an IPL season, breaking Rishabh Pant’s record of 366 runs in 2017. At present, Varma is the seventh-highest run-getter this season, with those runs coming at an average of 40.88 and strike rate of 132.85.Related

• 'I visualise every night how I can bat' – elated Tilak Varma on maiden India call-up

• Report: Sams, Meredith lead rout of Chennai Super Kings

• Fleming philosophical on DRS glitch: 'It was a little bit unlucky'

• 'Couldn't take my eyes off Rohit' – Kumar Kartikeya's IPL dream

• Bishop: Pollard has to reinvent his game

“He’s been brilliant playing for the first year,” Rohit said of Varma, speaking to Star Sports, the host broadcaster, after Mumbai beat Chennai Super Kings. “Having such a calm head is never easy and in my opinion, I feel he’s going to be an all-format player for India pretty soon. He’s got the technique, he’s got the temperament, which is the most important thing when you play at the highest level.”So, I think a lot of things are looking bright for him and there is hunger. When you speak to him, there’s hunger to do well and finish games and have some success as well. I think he’s on the right path; he just needs to keep growing and see how he can improve and get better as a player.”Tilak Varma has made a splash in his maiden IPL season•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

In the injury-enforced absence of Suryakumar Yadav, Varma stepped up to finish off a small chase of 98 against Super Kings, on a challenging Wankhede pitch, after Mumbai had slumped to 33 for 4 within five overs. Varma absorbed the pressure along with offspin-bowling allrounder Hrithik Shokeen, who is also playing his first IPL season, in a 48-run partnership.“We might try certain things” – Mumbai start planning for the future
Uncapped South African batter Tristan Stubbs, who came in as a late replacement for the injured Tymal Mills, was handed his IPL debut in the game, as Mumbai plan for the future. Stubbs fell for a duck, but he has potentially two more games this season to ease himself into the set-up.”Yeah, we’re keeping one eye on that [future] definitely, but we want to win games,” Rohit said. “That’s the bottom line but at the same time we want to make sure that we try out certain players and give them certain roles and try and see if they can live up to that. It will hold us in good stead for the next year. There are options that we want to try – there are still two games to go for us. So we might try certain things as well.”Stubbs’ inclusion meant Kieron Pollard was dropped from the XI after managing only 144 runs at an average of 14.40 and a strike rate of 107.46 – his lowest strike rate in any IPL season. According to Rohit, the call to bench Pollard and try out other options went down well with him.”He’s been a stalwart for Mumbai, there’s no doubt about it,” Rohit said of Pollard. “I said it at the toss as well. It was him who came out and spoke about it [sitting out]. He’s okay with that because obviously we’re looking at players. Had we been in a situation where we had a chance to qualify, probably this wouldn’t have happened. But we’re keeping one eye on what are the holes we need to fill for the next year. Keeping everything in mind, we had to make that call and Kieron was the one who actually came up and said: ‘Absolutely fine by me’.”

Blackburn Rovers are confident they will win the race for a 22-year-old midfielder in the January transfer window, according to a new report. Rovers made it five wins on the bounce and four consecutive 1-0 wins as they beat Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday night to climb to fifth place in the Championship table.

Related Blackburn Rovers plotting January move for "unbelievable" 6 ft 3 defender

He is out of contract in 2025.

Posts ByHenry Jackson Sep 30, 2024 Blackburn Rovers news

After 19 games, Blackburn find themselves in the play-off race, having won ten and picked up 34 points; only Sunderland, Burnley, Leeds United, and Sheffield United have more. The January transfer window opens in a couple of weeks, and manager John Eustace believes it is a good opportunity to show that the club can eventually win promotion to the Premier League.

He said: “It’s important we improve and invest in the right areas. It’s evident where we need to do that. If we’re in a strong position come January, then why not? The league is wide open, and we’ve got to keep building and believing in what we’re doing.

“I’m not saying about being promoted, but I’m saying about building and bringing good quality into the group. It’s important that we want success, and that isn’t given; you have to earn it. It might not be this season, but we’re certainly headed in the right direction, so it’s important we keep building with quality.”

Blackburn Rovers confident they can sign Aasgaard in January

According to Football League World, Blackburn Rovers are confident they can sign Thelo Asgaard from Wigan Athletic in January. The 22-year-old has been an impressive performer for the Latics this season, despite their place near the bottom end of the League One table.

Aasgaard is a product of Liverpool’s youth system before playing for Wigan’s under-18s and eventually moving up to the first team in the 2020/21 season. That campaign saw Aasgaard, who was born in Liverpool but has 11 caps for Norway’s under-21s, score three goals and record two assists in 33 League One games.

Ever since, Aasgaard has been a firm part of the starting XI at the DW Stadium. The midfielder, who has scored 25 career goals in total, played a key part in Wigan beating the drop to League Two last season. His performances for the Latics are not going unnoticed, as Blackburn are keen on a deal and are now confident in getting it done in the New Year.

Thelo Aasgaard’s Wigan Athletic stats

Apps

153

Goals

25

Assists

9

Football League World reports that Asgaard could have left Wigan in the summer, with Blackburn, Stoke City and Nottingham Forest admirers of the midfielder. They state that Blackburn have remained interested in Aasgaard, and there is confidence at Ewood Park that they can tempt him to join in the New Year, given they are in the play-off race in the Championship. Aasgaard is under contract until 2028, but a tempting offer from Rovers could force Wigan to sell the midfielder.

أعلن آرني سلوت، المدير الفني لفريق ليفربول، موقف الحارس البرازيلي أليسون بيكر من المشاركة في مواجهة وست هام، يوم الأحد المقبل، ضمن منافسات الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، وأوضح حالة كونور برادلي.

وكان أليسون قد غاب عن آخر مباراتين لليفربول، بعد تعرضه لارتجاج في المخ خلال مشاركته مع منتخب بلاده البرازيل الشهر الماضي، وخضع لبروتوكولات التعافي المعتمدة.

وقال سلوت في المؤتمر الصحفي الذي عُقد صباح اليوم الجمعة: “نعم، أليسون جاهز، لقد تعافى تمامًا من الإصابة وسيكون متاحًا للمشاركة في مباراة الأحد”.

كما تطرّق المدرب الهولندي إلى موقف الظهير الأيمن كونور برادلي، الذي عاد للمشاركة كبديل في خسارة ليفربول 3-2 أمام فولهام، بعد غياب دام قرابة الشهرين بسبب الإصابة.

وعن إمكانية الدفع به أساسيًا، أوضح سلوت: “نعم، مشاركته الأخيرة وأسبوع التدريب الذي خاضه معنا يضعانه ضمن حسابات التشكيل الأساسي”.

وأردف: “عودة اللاعبين المميزين دائمًا ما تكون دفعة كبيرة، خصوصًا في مركزه، لأن كورتيس جونز قدم أداءً جيدًا، لكن هذا ليس مركزه المفضل”.

وتابع: “كونور قدم أداءً رائعًا هذا الموسم، تمامًا مثل ترينت ألكسندر أرنولد، وعندما يغيب ترينت، نأمل دائمًا أن يكون كونور جاهزًا، وإذا لم يكن كذلك، نحاول إيجاد حل”.

طالع | سلوت بعد تجديد عقد محمد صلاح: مصير فان دايك؟ تعرفون إجابتي المملة!

وأوضح: “أعتقد أن كورتيس قدّم أداءً جيدًا أمام فولهام، صحيح أنه كان طرفًا في أحد الأهداف، لكن من الصعب تحميله المسؤولية بالكامل، الآن، بعودة برادلي، أظن أننا جميعًا نتفق على أنه الخيار الأنسب لشغل هذا المركز”.

كما أعترف سلوت بصعوبة المرحلة الحالية من الموسم، مشيرًا إلى أهمية كل مباراة في سباق المنافسة، خاصة بعد الخسارة الأخيرة أمام فولهام.

وأفاد: “الفوز في ثمان مباريات متتالية سيكون أمرًا رائعًا! مباراة باريس سان جيرمان أعطت لقاء الذهاب على ملعبنا منظورًا مختلفًا، إذا لم يكن الناس يدركون مدى قوتهم، فأعتقد أنهم أدركوا ذلك بعد مواجهة أستون فيلا”.

وأكمل: “في رأيي، كنا الفريق الأفضل في مباراة الذهاب، وربما نحصل الآن على مزيد من التقدير بسبب ذلك الأداء، الخسارة أمام فولهام لم تكن مرغوبة على الإطلاق، وعندما نلعب في آنفيلد، على اللاعبين أن يظهروا شخصيتهم”.

وعن تقييمه لأداء ليفربول في الهزيمة أمام فولهام، أكد سلوت أن النتيجة لا تعكس بالضرورة سوء المستوى خاصة في الشوط الأول.

وأسترسل: “بعد المباراة شعرت أننا ارتكبنا فقط ثلاث أخطاء وربما أربعة إذا احتسبنا خطأ كوناتي، لكنها كلفتنا ثلاثة أهداف، لم أعتقد أن الأداء في الشوط الأول كان سيئًا كما صوّره البعض”.

وعلّق: “ثلاثة أخطاء، والجميع يقول إنها أسوأ شوط لنا هذا الموسم، هذه هي كرة القدم، يتم الحكم عليك بالأهداف التي تسجلها أو تستقبلها”.

اقرأ أيضًا | سلوت: بقاء محمد صلاح يسهل استقطاب ليفربول للاعبين والأهم احتفظنا بهداف استثنائي

وأكد: “لكن ما أعجبني حقًا هو رد الفعل عندما أصبحت النتيجة 3-1، وخلقنا فرصًا، وهذا أظهر شخصية الفريق، الشوط الثاني كان أفضل بكثير، كنا أكثر ديناميكية، وبدأنا نغامر في الأماكن الصحيحة، وهذا ما جعل الشوط الثاني مميزًا، وهذا ما نحاول أن نتعلم منه دائمًا”.

عن لاعبه كوناتي، أوضح سلوت: “إذا قمت بإخراج كوناتي وأدخلت قلب دفاع آخر، فهذا يعني أنني غير راضٍ عن مستواه أو أنه مصاب، أما إذا استبدلته بلاعب هجومي أو في وسط الملعب، فهذا يعني فقط أننا نريد المخاطرة بشكل أكبر”.

وأكد: “إبراهيما تحسّن كثيرًا في عملية البناء من الخلف، ليس لأنه كان سيئًا، فهو لاعب دولي فرنسي وشارك في نهائي كأس العالم، لكن التبديل أمام فولهام كان لأجل الدفع بلاعب يستطيع التسجيل بشكل أسهل من كوناتي”.

وشدد: “القرار لم يكن مرتبطًا بمستوى كوناتي، بل برغبتنا في تسجيل الأهداف، وقد صنعنا بالفعل عددًا لا بأس به من الفرص بعد التبديل”.

كما أيد استخدام تقنية التسلل شبه الآلي في مباريات كرة القدم، مؤكدًا أنها تُسهم في دقة القرارات وتزيد من وضوح الصورة للجميع.

وأستدرك: “أرى أنها خطوة إيجابية، فهي تساعد الحكام على اتخاذ القرارات، وتُسهل الأمر أيضًا على الجماهير، عندما أرى صورة الـ3D، يتضح أن الحالة تسلل، لذا أعتقد أنها أداة جيدة”.

وأتم: “أنا من مؤيدي استخدام تقنية الفيديو (VAR) في الحالات الواضحة مثل التسلل أو تجاوز الكرة لخط المرمى، أما القرارات التي تعتمد على التقدير الشخصي، فأُفضل تركها دون تدخل”.

Aston Villa had a famous victory taken away from them in the dying embers of their 0-0 draw with Juventus at Villa Park in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

Morgan Rogers had his goal chalked off after Diego Carlos was adjudged to have fouled the goalkeeper when challenging for an aerial ball, which meant that the game finished goalless.

It would have been the English star’s fourth goal of the campaign and his first in the Champions League, in what has been an impressive season for the attacking midfielder.

The England international has stepped up, with three goals and three assists, to be a star for the Villans, after one of the recent signings in his position flopped…

Steven Gerrard's star signing at Villa

After Philippe Coutinho managed five goals and three assists in 19 Premier League games on loan at Villa in the second half of the 2021/22 campaign, the club opted to sign him permanently.

The Villans reportedly paid a fee of £17m to sign the former Liverpool star from Barcelona and manager Steven Gerrard claimed that it was a “brilliant signing”.

After his eight goal contributions in 19 league matches for Villa on loan, and his 54 goals and 43 assists in 201 games for Liverpool, a permanent deal for £17m did appear to be a good move for all parties on paper.

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast's 'First Impressions' series has everything you need.

Unfortunately, however, it has not worked out that way and current Villans head coach Unai Emery must brutally bin him from the club at the next available opportunity.

Why Aston Villa should sell Philippe Coutinho

In his first full season with the club after joining from Barcelona for £17m, the Brazilian whiz scored one goal and failed to provide a single assist in 20 appearances in the Premier League.

He ended the 2022/23 campaign with zero assists, zero ‘big chances’ created, and 0.4 key passes per game across 20 games and seven starts in the division, which illustrates how little the experienced midfielder offered the team in the final third.

Coutinho was then sent out on loan to Al-Duhail in Qatar for the 2023/24 season and ended the campaign with a return of eight goals and four assists in 23 outings.

That was not enough to convince Emery that he could come back to the club to make an impact in the Premier League, however, and the 32-year-old flop joined Vasco da Gama on loan until the end of the current term.

Appearances

12

xG

1.76

Goals

1

Big chances created

0

Assists

0

As you can see in the table above, Coutinho has struggled badly in his home country, with a lack of impact as either a scorer or a creator of goals this year.

His contract at Villa Park does not expire until the summer of 2026 and Emery must cash in on the flop, who is reportedly on £135k-per-week in wages, in one of the next two transfer windows to end the nightmare the club have had with the permanent signing of the Brazilian, which was initially hailed as “brilliant” by Gerrard.

Next Grealish: Aston Villa have found another £100m+ star in the making

He could be Villa’s biggest sale since Grealish

ByJoe Nuttall Nov 22, 2024