/B1G_waujnTk/” data-lasso->first time we’ve heard those words but the Turkish city and penalty wins seem to go hand-in-hand when it comes to dramatic finales and clinching trophies for the Reds.
After an extremely entertaining 90 minutes and extra-time at Besiktas Park, nothing could separate the two champions of Europe, Liverpool as the Champions League winners and Chelsea as Europa League winners respectively.
When all is said and done, it was the goalkeeper Adrian who had a dream full debut for the Reds by saving that decisive penalty to give his team the win and the trophy in the process.
Ian Rush, Liverpool’s icon, quickly jumped to Instagram to shower him with praise and welcome him to the team.
Apart from writing a welcome message for Adrian, he also pointed out that this was Liverpool’s fourth win in the competition as well.
But the spotlight was very much on Alisson’s back-up who pulled through when the team needed him the most.
This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
West Brom have started the season unbeaten after four games and they are potentially lucky to still have that intact after the draw with Reading on Wednesday evening.
Ovie Ejaria’s curling effort into the top corner looked like it was to be enough to secure a victory at the Hawthorns in what was a very frustrating match for Albion.
The Baggies had two penalty shouts turned down until one was finally given with just two minutes left on the clock – substitute Kenneth Zohore coolly stepped up to slot home the equaliser, his first for his new club.
Slaven Bilic had made changes to his starting line-up, most notably at right-back, as £1.5m summer signing Darnell Furlong was handed a debut in place of youngster Nathan Ferguson.
The teenager had done no wrong in his three Championship appearances and even earned the Man of the Match award in front of the TV cameras on the opening weekend. He is averaging a WhoScored rating of 7.03, which is the third-highest in the squad.
The Croatian may well have a selection headache on his hands as Furlong impressed.
Thogden ranks all 24 Championship home kits in the video below…
On the Chalkboard
West Brom face one of their toughest games yet on Saturday as they head to Pride Park to lock horns with Midlands rivals Derby County in the early kickoff.
And ahead of the game, Bilic expressed his ‘love’ for the 23-year-old Furlong following his impressive showing. He said:
“He’s got good stamina, great skill, great first touch, can go up and down. I love him, he played really good.”
The former QPR man recorded the most attempted tackles on the pitch (six) with 66% of them being successful. He also managed two clearances, two dribbles, a block and an interception – according to WhoScored.
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In Ferguson’s three Championship matches, he’s averaging less tackles per game at 2.3 as well as fewer dribbles per match at 1.3 but is recording one more interception.
The key difference is that Furlong may be the better option when Bilic wants his full-backs to attack, as aforementioned the 5 foot 11 defender had more dribbles on Wednesday night, but he also put in more crosses with one compared to Ferguson’s 0.3 per game.
Ferguson’s debut saw him gain possession eight times which also included four tackles, only going to show his ability in defence.
That leaves Bilic with a difficult choice to make but either way he should feel blessed with the two solid options at his disposal, both could get just as much game time as the other.
Need to be more defensive? Play Ferguson. More attacking? Play Furlong.
The Old Firm derby remains one of the most ferocious, thrilling encounters in footballing history and the never-say-die attitude always sparks into life when Celtic and Rangers lock horns.
Every battle provides different entertainment with its own unique, special moment that fans remember.
The Gers inherit some of the most passionate fans in the world and there is no other fixture that is better for bringing out that passion and desire to emerge victorious.
Whether you are a Celtic fan, Rangers fan or simply just a football fan, sitting down watching these two clash remains one of the most enthralling experiences in the sport.
It is more than just a football match; pride on the line and the battle for bragging rights in Scotland always creates an eye-catching affair.
The derby has produced some excellent meetings in the past, and here are 15 memorable Old Firm victories for Rangers fans to enjoy…
15. Celtic 0-1 Rangers, 2007
Beating Celtic on their own turf is never an easy prospect, but Rangers fans enjoyed putting the Celts’ title celebrations on hold.
Ugo Ehiogu produced a rare goal in astonishing style and his overhead kick was enough to send the Gers fans into utter delight.
14. Rangers 1-0 Celtic, 2018
Ryan Jack gave Rangers their first win over Celtic since 2012 and it was a joyous moment for the Gers faithful.
Not much beats the feeling of a triumph over your bitter rivals and this was a hugely important day for the club.
13. Rangers 4-2 Celtic, 2011
Steven Naismith gave Rangers the lead but found themselves 2-1 down shortly after.
However, goals from Nikica Jelavic, Kyle Lafferty and a second from Naismith gave Rangers a memorable victory to go four points clear of Celtic.
12. Celtic 1-3 Rangers, 2010
A game where Kenny Miller delivered from the penalty spot and sank the hearts of the Celtic fans.
Going to Celtic Park is always a difficult test, but scoring three goals and coming away with three points was an excellent victory for the Gers.
Copyright: Mirrorpix
11. Rangers 3-2 Celtic, 2012
Two red cards for Celtic prevented them from surpassing Rangers on the day; with the Gers ending Celtic’s 21-match unbeaten streak in the league.
The game was rife with action and Rangers edged the five-goal thriller to give the fans bragging rights over their rivals.
10. Rangers 1-0, Celtic 1992
Remember Ally McCoist? Well, he scored the only goal of the game when these two met in the semi-final of the Scottish Cup in 1992.
Celtic fans were uncovered and got drenched, an ominous sign that it was not going to be their day and the Rangers fans were loving it.
Copyright: Mirrorpix
9. Rangers 1-0 Celtic, 1996
Matches like this do not happen often. Brian Laudrup’s early strike gave Rangers the victory, but goals were not the main attraction of this clash.
Both sides missed penalties, Peter Van Vossen missed a sitter from two yards and was full of chances throughout, but Rangers got the vital goal and was the deciding factor on the day.
8. Rangers 2-1 Celtic, 2011
RANGERS V CELTIC SCOTTISH CUP 5TH ROUND.PIC SHOWS – MARTIN BAIN, WALTER SMITH, ALEX FERGUSON, PETER HOUSTON AND CRAIG LEVEIN IN THE STAND
This League Cup Final was supposed to be the day Celtic brushed aside their bitter rivals but the willingness and determination of the Rangers outfit had other ideas.
Despite a shoe-string budget, the Gers made Jelavic their only big-money signing and he scored an extra-time winner in this final to see Rangers lift the trophy.
Copyright: Mirrorpix
7. Rangers 3-2 Celtic, 1984
Another League Cup Final meeting between these two sides and there were plentiful goals this time around.
McCoist’s hat-trick is fondly remembered by the Rangers faithful and remains one of the best strikers to put on the Blue shirt in history.
Copyright: Mirrorpix
6. Rangers 1-0 Celtic, 2010
More often than not, Celtic are tipped as the favourites but that just gives the Rangers players more fuel and motivation to prove the doubters wrong.
50,000 fans went ecstatic when Maurice Edu netted a last-minute winner and went down in the history books.
Sunderland have confirmed that they have completed a loan deal for Leeds United left-back Laurens De Bock.
The Black Cats have been pursuing a left-back throughout the summer transfer window, with Swansea City’s Declan John, Kilmarnock’s Greg Taylor and Sheffield Wednesday’s Morgan Fox among those who have been targeted.
De Bock has played a total of seven games for Leeds since signing for them in January 2018, with the most recent of those coming in a 2-2 draw against Reading in March 2018 – though he has not won any of those games, as per Transfermarkt.
He spent last season on loan with KV Oostende playing a total of 23 games in the Belgian Jupiler Pro League, the play-offs and domestic cup, scoring twice, as per Transfermarkt.
That season he was played in various positions, including centre-back and left-midfield, as well as being deployed at left-back, though it is unlikely Sunderland will utilise this versatility, due to their need for another option on the left side of their defence.
Denver Hume has been the club’s main left-back this season, filling the position four times so far, meaning De Bock will be used to give him competition.
It was important for Sunderland to sign another left-back due to their lack of options in the position, so it is encouraging that they have done this.
The interesting thing now will be whether De Bock is able to get into the team ahead of Hume and make the position his own for the campaign.
Sunderland fans, what do you think about De Bock joining? Let us know down below!!!
Sheffield Wednesday head into the international break with quite the dilemma if reports are to be believed.
On Tuesday evening, Sky Sports claimed the club were in advanced talks with Lincoln City boss Danny Cowley and his assistant, brother Nicky, over becoming their permanent manager.
Currently, the club have had Lee Bullen in caretaker charge for a third spell after Steve Bruce left on the eve of the new season last month.
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Earlier in the week, Tony Pulis had been linked to the job by The Sun, but it appears that Cowley could be a serious contender to the post.
The 40-year-old rejected a move to Huddersfield in order to continue his journey at the Imps, so it remains to be seen whether or not he will actually become the Owls’ new boss.
This is how Wednesday could lineup under Cowley:
In four years at the club, the Cowley’s have guided Lincoln to two promotions as well as an EFL Trophy – playing very much the same brand of football throughout.
They believe in their philosophy and stick to it.
The formation most used by the management team is a 4-4-1-1 which utilises a lone target man in attack with a deep-lying forward playing just off him, and it is something that the Owls do have at their disposal with both Steven Fletcher and Fernando Forestieri being able to occupy those two spots.
Cowley also likes his team to play out from the back so it could see Sam Hutchinson drop into defence having played in midfield this season because he averages a passing success rate of 83.5% which is higher than Tom Lees (72.8%), whilst Julian Borner is likely to play alongside him (83.7%).
Jacob Murphy can play the inside forward role on the left-flank, averaging 2.2 shots per game as well as 2.6 dribbles, per WhoScored. He’s also scored one goal in four starts this season.
On the other side, Adam Reach can become the more traditional winger, whipping in crosses for the target man – he averages 0.8 per game and has already recorded one assist this season.
It would appear that Wednesday have all the tools needed to suit a Cowley system, meaning the lack of a transfer window shouldn’t be too much of an issue. It’s just if he can make the next step up, a considerable step up at that.
Gareth Southgate’s England side thrashed Bulgaria 4-0 on Saturday evening to return to the top of their qualifying group ahead of a vital clash with Kosovo on Tuesday.
Harry Kane slotted home two penalties on his way to a hat-trick and even provided an assist for Raheem Sterling’s goal.
The Three Lions boss named a more experienced-looking starting XI with the likes of Danny Rose, Jordan Henderson, and Kieran Trippier all starting.
Three Lions or Super Eagles? Watch the video below for the important decision facing Chelsea’s Tammy Abraham…
Whilst Mason Mount managed to earn his first England cap, the same couldn’t be said of James Maddison, who was named on the bench but wasn’t introduced.
His omission has caused a stir on social media, with several fans taking to Twitter to vent their opinions.
One supporter said it was shocking that the Foxes playmaker wasn’t able to even get a look in whilst another questioned what he had to do to get a game considering he is one of the best creators in the Premier League.
A further member of the England crowd believed Maddison would follow in Matt Le Tissier’s footsteps, who only earned eight caps despite his Premier League exploits – scoring 100 goals in 270 appearances.
TalkSPORT pundit Adrian Durham has called for Jose Mourinho to succeed Unai Emery in the Arsenal dugout.
Durham claimed that Arsenal’s 2-2 draw with Watford at the weekend was a turning point for the club’s fans, who he felt had become sceptical about the direction of the club the Spaniard was taking them in.
The Gunners let a two-goal lead slip as defensive errors gifted Watford a point, leaving Arsenal with eight points from five games in Emery’s second year in charge.
And with a lack of progress since his arrival, Durham suggested free-agent Mourinho would be a perfect replacement.
He said on TalkSPORT: “I sense there is now a shift among the Arsenal fans where they liked him first of all, they knew it was difficult.
“I think they all appreciated how hard it was going to be to replace Arsene Wenger, but they’re looking at him now and they’re very sceptical as to whether he is really the man to solve the problems, bearing in mind everything that went wrong yesterday.
“You know who they need? They need Jose Mourinho. He will be perfect for Arsenal. Their fans will hate me saying it. He is a free agent – can you see it getting better under Unai? Because I can’t. So do they need somebody who’s actually going to go in there and just shake the club up?
“He’s exactly who they need!”
Jose Mourinho had an impressive record against Arsenal as a coach – losing just twice in 20 games – which may suggest he has had a keen eye for the Gunners’ weaknesses over the years.
Whether he can be the man to reverse their fortunes is another matter. We saw Mourinho enjoy short-term success at Manchester United when he won the Europa League at the first time of asking (something Emery could not achieve at Arsenal), though we have also seen his time at Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge end on sour notes.
So there may be an argument to suggest the former Chelsea boss could be a short-term solution to Arsenal’s ills, but the jury may still be out on whether he can provide a launchpad for greater successes.
Arsenal fans – would you welcome Mourinho to the club? Is Unai Emery’s time running out? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
According to Football Insider, Tottenham Hotspur are closely monitoring Leicester City trio James Maddison, Harvey Barnes and Demarai Gray ahead of a recruitment drive in 2020, and the interest suggests that a mass player exodus could be on the cards at Spurs.
What’s the word, then?
Well, Football Insider report that the north London outfit are keeping tabs on the three players, scheduling regular assessments on the three attack-minded individuals.
The report adds that the trio are firmly on the radar as Tottenham consider making some transfer moves in January and next summer, with Football Insider adding that manager Mauricio Pochettino is an admirer of the Foxes stars.
Maddison in particular has been impressive in a blue shirt, scoring eight goals and providing a further nine assists following his move from Norwich City in the summer of 2018, as per Transfermarkt.
Mass exodus on cards?
We suggested recently how Pochettino’s plethora of midfield options must be giving him sleepless night when it comes to selecting a starting XI and even his matchday 18, and if the Argentine added these three to his squad there would be even more competition for places.
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As things stand, it would mean Maddison, Barnes, Gray, Son Heung-min, Christian Eriksen, Erik Lamela, Lucas Moura, Dele Alli, Harry Winks, Tanguy Ndombele, Victor Wanyama, Oliver Skipp, Giovani Lo Celso, Eric Dier, Moussa Sissoko, Jack Clarke – who could be recalled from his loan at Leeds in January – and Ryan Sessegnon would be fighting it out for the five spots.
It might even only be for four places if Son partners Harry Kane up top consistently as he has done recently.
Of course, Eriksen looks to be on his way out when his contract expires while Lo Celso is only on loan with the club having an option to buy, but that is still far too many players to keep satisfied at the same time and you would expect more to go if the Leicester trio arrived.
It would be no surprise if the likes of Dier, Moura, Lamela, Sissoko and even Alli were some of those in danger should this scenario materialise either in the New Year or next summer, assuming they want to start regularly.
This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets…
Queens Park Rangers were handed their first defeat in four Championship games on Saturday afternoon as they gifted West Brom all three points.
They started the afternoon just one point behind the west Midlands club and managed to keep them quiet throughout the first half, restricting them to only two shots – none of which were on target, per SofaScore.
But in the second half, two errors handed the Baggies a 2-0 victory.
The first came within eight minutes as young full-back Nathan Ferguson was allowed so much time and space on the ball before he fired in from 25 yards.
And then less than ten minutes from time, Yoann Barbet received his marching orders as he was adjudged to have brought down substitute Hal Robson-Kanu whilst being the last man.
Matheus Pereira stepped up and slotted the free-kick underneath the wall to stun goalkeeper Joe Lumley.
QPR struggled to cope with the dangerous width that Slaven Bilic’s men had at their disposal, nowhere more so than on the right flank where Todd Kane was particularly underwhelming.
The former Chelsea graduate had to face the goalscorer Ferguson as well as West Ham loanee Grady Diangana all afternoon, and he struggled to cope.
Kane lost possession a massive 25 times which would have only invited the pressure straight back onto the home side with the aforementioned duo a key threat throughout the game, recording four shots between them.
The 26-year-old also conceded one foul, won just half of his six ground duels, and registered a poor 66% passing success rate, per SofaScore.
Ferguson was allowed time and space in the exact area in which Kane should have been defending – if he had put some pressure on the youngster then maybe he wouldn’t have been able to pull the trigger from range.
The game could have gone a different way if that were the case, making Kane a significant factor in the Rs’ downfall.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang deserves credit for his actions against Aston Villa on Sunday.
While 1-0 down, the Gunners were awarded a penalty. As the usual spot-kick taker, many would have expected the Gabon international to lap up the opportunity to add to his goal tally.
However, the 30-year-old instead decided to hand the ball to team-mate Nicolas Pepe.
The Ivory Coast international duly stepped up and slotted the ball past Tom Heaton to pull his side level. It was his first goal since joining the club in the summer.
By allowing the former Lille man to step up, Aubameyang showed his selfless side, which is something we do not always see in the cut-throat atmosphere of the Premier League.
Tim Sherwood though, was not happy with what he saw.
He said on Sky Sports’ The Debate (via The Daily Express): “Stick to the plan, you are the penalty taker, stick to the plan.
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“You’re not a pub team, you’re not in the Sunday League where you think ‘I’m going to help my mate out, you can take this one because I’ve scored a few goals this year’.
He added: “Not a chance [Harry Kane and Sergio Aguero would do that]. I don’t want nice men, I want winners.”
The Emirates Stadium faithful were scathing in their response to the former Tottenham man’s comments. They took to Twitter to share their thoughts, and you can see some of the best comments from the social media platform below.