It’s been a tough season for Tottenham Hotspur summer signing Matt Doherty, and things went from bad to worse on Saturday evening.

The 29-year-old right-back joined from Wolves in a £15m deal and has struggled to live up to expectations, so much so that Serge Aurier and Japhet Tanganga have often been preferred by Jose Mourinho.

There have even been claims that the Portuguese boss is prepared to put the defender up for transfer in the summer should his form not vastly improve, as per ESPN’s senior writer James Olley.

It’s also suggested in that report that the Spurs boss has been seen berating Doherty for his performances at times, notably against Liverpool, in which they were defeated 3-1 at Anfield.

The international break was perhaps a nice opportunity for the Irishman to step back from Spurs duties and deliver a statement that he can still forge a career in north London.

But on a night the Republic of Ireland were embarrassingly beaten and many a Irish casino online was visited, Doherty’s struggles continued.

Stephen Kenny’s side were humiliated by Luxembourg in their second World Cup qualifier, meaning their hopes of making the 2022 edition are all but over already.

The Boys in Green’s intent was shown from the off as both wing-backs, including Doherty, lined-up on the halfway line for kick-off with Kenny clearly wanting them to be on the front foot.

But Doherty’s showing lasted just 45 minutes before Ireland were defeated.

The £16.2m-rated dynamo was withdrawn after injury but it’s not as if he was fulfilling the attacking impetus Kenny was looking for whatsoever.

As per SofaScore, the former Wolves star was graded as Ireland’s worst defender with a rating of 6.7, which is a surprise considering the backline leaked a goal to lowly Luxembourg.

In 45 minutes, Doherty failed to make a single tackle, interception or block, which is fair game considering the home side were expected to dominate the encounter but nor did he contribute in the final third, as he didn’t make a single cross, key pass, dribble or even attempt a shot.

Aside from making 32 passes, you would’ve hardly noticed him on the pitch.

The latest knock could now add further salt to his wounds as game time may be harder to come by, having been restricted to only 15 league appearances this term.

Mourinho will surely be far from impressed with his nightmare evening and now the subsequent injury blow, too.

AND in other news, Spurs interest in “decisive” £18m-rated gem could be the final nail in the coffin for Mourinho “weak link”…

Former Celtic striker Frank McAvennie believes the Hoops would be a ‘joy to watch’ if they were to bring in Eddie Howe as their new manager.

McAvennie, who spent four years with the club across two spells, was asked by Football Insider what he made of reports that Celtic had reached out to Howe.

“I would be delighted,” he said. “He plays the right brand of football and that is very important.

“We are renowned for our style of football. When I was at Celtic big Billy McNeill told me it is not just about winning, it is about the way that you win. There has to be a bit of cavalier, a bit of style to it.

“I think Eddie Howe would bring that. The brand of football he brought to Bournemouth was a joy to watch.”

Why might Celtic be keen on Howe?

Howe is lining up his next managerial project after leaving Bournemouth following their relegation from the Premier League. The Englishman remarkably led the Cherries from the bottom of League Two to the top flight, where they remained for five years (Transfermarkt).

Howe espoused a progressive philosophy at the Vitality Stadium, reluctant to employ the conservative tactics traditionally favoured by promoted/lower mid-table sides.

Celtic, who relinquished to the title to their arch-rivals Rangers at the weekend, are poised to appoint Neil Lennon’s long-term replacement this summer.

Transfer Tavern verdict

Relegation was a slightly sorry end to Howe’s otherwise sensational tenure at Bournemouth, but this appointment could rightly excite Celtic fans.

His 29.8% win rate in the Premier League doesn’t even tell close to the full story. Howe genuinely worked magic with limited resources and, judging by his five-year top-flight tenure with the Cherries, seems more than capable of taking the fight to Steven Gerrard’s Gers.

The 43-year-old may have initially anticipated that he would fill a Premier League vacancy, but Celtic retain a considerable pull and he could build his reputation further at Parkhead.

In other news, John Kennedy issued an emphatic warning over one Celtic player targeted by a Premier League club.

Glasgow Rangers boss Steven Gerrard has suffered a fresh blow ahead of their crucial Europa League tie this evening…

What’s the latest?

Speaking ahead of kick-off, Gerrard confirmed that midfield favourite Ryan Jack would not be involved as the Scottish Premiership champions host Slavia Prague, even though he is seemingly close to a return to action. Jack missed the first-leg tie, but Gerrard said at the time that he could have played but that the Rangers staff chose not to risk him.

Scotland were keen to have Jack as part of their squad, which Steven Gerrard has spoken to Steve Clarke about, which suggests he is close to a return, but tonight’s game, unfortunately, comes too soon for Jack to feature in, suggesting he’s had a bit of a setback, given that he was seemingly fit to play last week.

Gerrard said, via the Daily Record:

“I had a chat with Steve Clarke and obviously that will remain private.

“We’ve been in touch over Ryan and a few other players for some time now but I’m not going to divulge what gets said in the conversation. I don’t think that’s fair or respectful.

“We will make a decision on the weekend when we need to but he is ruled out for tomorrow’s game.”

The 29-year-old missed last week’s 1-1 draw in the Czech Republic and is now a major doubt for the Old Firm derby this weekend.

Bad news for Gerrard

Even though they’ve secured their first title in ten years, this update will come as a major setback for Gerrard and Rangers.

Jack has emerged as a regular starter when fit, with 16 of his 19 league appearances coming from the off, whilst he also started the big group games against Standard Liege and Benfica.

In terms of central midfield options this season, the Scottish powerhouse tops the charts for average WhoScored rating (7.03) ahead of veteran Steven Davis (7.01), Glen Kamara (6.93), Scott Arfield (6.67) and Bongani Zungu (6.26), so evidently, he’s Gerrard’s best man when available.

Speaking about the situation last week, the 40-year-old revealed he was “upset” by the injury and reinforced Jack’s influence to the side. He added: “He’s so important to us.”

Admittedly, he’s vital to Rangers’ fortunes – for creativity in the middle, there’s no one better as he’s managed one key pass per game, which is more than the aforementioned quartet of alternative options, whilst 1.1 tackles and 1.1 interceptions per match suggest he’s just as prominent defensively – only Davis betters such returns, via WhoScored.

It is this ability to read the game and snuff out any danger which could prove to be a big miss on the night, especially in such a huge fixture.

Ex-Gers star Thomas Buffel recently compared him to Barry Ferguson, which is high praise indeed. He told The Sun: “His consistency levels are incredible and he is the one player the manager can always rely on. He really reminds me of Barry — and that is the highest compliment I can pay him.”

If Gerrard’s side loses tonight, then their European dream is over for another season and their chances of finding a way past the Czech champions will be all that more harder without the industrious Jack pulling the strings in the engine room.

AND in other news, Bye-bye Kent: Rangers must swoop for magical 18-goal gem, he’s made 109 dribbles…

MatériaMais Notícias

Crise no Grêmio? Após a derrota por 4 a 0 para o Coritiba, os gaúchos conheceram a pior derrota neste Brasileirão. De quebra, ainda alcançaram o quarto jogo seguido sem vitória no Campeonato. Para aliviar os ânimos, entrou em ação Romildo Bolzan Jr.

O presidente garantiu à Rádio Gaúcha que a partir desta sexta-feira, o clima mudará no Grêmio. Ele adiantou que haverá uma reunião para se instalar um ambiente positivo no Imortal.

-(A reunião) É para criar o ambiente positivo de vitória e recuperar o que nós temos de característica, como um dos times que têm o melhor futebol jogado no país. Temos que recuperar nossa auto-estima, nossa capacidade de indignação. Jogando a bola que estamos acostumados a jogar, é um time que vence. (…) A partir de amanhã, mobilização total- afirmou.

Pelos corredores de Porto Alegre corre-se a informação de que o Grêmio tem atrasado os salários. Esta, portanto, seria a causa da má fase do time. De acordo com o dirigente, porém, isto não passa de um boato.

-Não tem salários atrasados. O Grêmio está absolutamente em dia com seus jogadores- disse.

Por fim, Bolzan Jr mostrou-se confiante numa recuperação do Grêmio no Campeonato Brasileiro. Atualmente, o Grêmio é o sexto, com 36 pontos, um a menos que o Corinthians, o quarto colocado, que ainda joga nesta rodada, e dez a menos que o líder Palmeiras. O mandatário foi taxativo: ainda acredita em Libertadores, e até mesmo título.

-Eu acredito em tudo. Mais do que isso, nós temos uma Copa do Brasil que estamos com uma vantagem boa. Eu acredito que o grupo tem capacidade de mobilização, eu acredito que o grupo tem jogadores suficientes para estabelecer uma boa competição. E acredito, sim, que tudo é possível. Basta encaixar uma série de vitórias. No ano passado, numa situação muito parecida, alcançou cinco vitórias- completou.

RelacionadasHumor EsportivoGrêmio sofre com as gozações após goleada sofrida para o CoritibaHumor Esportivo08/09/2016

Rangers have finally done it. They are Scottish champions for the first time in a decade after Steven Gerrard’s men officially won the title on Sunday.

This season has been a jubilant one for the Gers, a team who have knocked aside the negativity that surrounded Ibrox at the end of last term to usurp their biggest rivals.

This was not in the script but Gerrard has torn that to shreds and created his own story instead. This is his first league title as a player and a manager and it’s definitely one he’ll saviour for a long time.

Where Rangers go next is fascinating. They’re still in the Europa League and will have to add to their ranks once the summer window opens; the Glaswegians cannot afford to rest on their laurels.

That being said, there is still the fear of Alfredo Morelos leaving. His exit looked inevitable last summer and despite Rangers’ title win, he could still depart in a few months time.

Noel Whelan told Football Insider this week that the final piece of the jigsaw may have been put in place for his departure, suggesting the Teddy Bears could sanction an exit if a big-money offer comes in.

“It depends on whether he feels this was the final piece of the jigsaw that he needed to move. Maybe he wanted to leave in this sort of manner, with a championship under his belt,” he said.

Gerrard himself also hinted that Morelos could be on the lookout for move after the recent Europa League win Antwerp, suggesting that the forward likes that particular competition as it can put him in the shop window and allow him to prove to anyone watching that he can be successful at European level.

If the Colombian does indeed walk through the exit door then Rangers will certainly need a new striker. Fortunately, they already have one in their sights.

The Scottish Sun linked Gerrard’s side with a move for Zambian forward Fashion Sakala last month. He currently plays for Oostende in Belgium but is out of contract in the summer. Thus, the Gers are trying to steal a march in the race to sign him.

The 23-year-old isn’t a household name but his goal-scoring record is an eye-catching one. Sakala has netted 13 times this season, taking his tally in Belgium to 28.

Of course, Gerrard has Kemar Roofe who could take Morelos’ place up top but it would be foolish to rely on him alone, especially with Jermain Defoe out of contract.

Sakala possesses a host of qualities, not least the ability to hit the back of the net. Importantly, however, is his power. That’s a key quality Rangers will be missing if Morelos chooses to leave.

Speaking about Sakala previously, his former teammate Toby Sibbick commented: “Fashion has a lot of pace and is direct on the ball.”

Sibbick continued: “He is quite tricky as well and is good in front of goal with the ability to finish with both feet, there’s no issue with that. He is powerful – not necessarily tall – but strong and quick so there’s a lot to his game.”

With the ability to stretch defences, beat markers for power and find the net, he feels like a very suitable option for the Gers in a few months time. Add the fact that Morelos could leave and Sakala would be a great replacement.

AND in other news, Gerrard can cast an eye to the future by axing £30k-p/w Rangers gem amid exit links…

MatériaMais Notícias

Vila Nova e Atlético Goianiense se enfrentaram na tarde deste sábado e fizeram um bom jogo no Estádio Serra Dourada. Equipes ficaram no 0 a 0 e só não marcaram porque pararam na trave algumas vezes. Dragão perdeu a chance de colar no líder da competição, que é o Vasco.

Com o empate, o Dragão caiu para a terceira colocação, somando 39 pontos em 23 partidas disputadas. O Colorado está em 12º, com 30.O próximo compromisso do Atlético Goianiense é na terça-feira, contra o Luverdense, às 19h30, no Estádio Serra Dourada. O Vila joga só no fim de semana, sábado, contra o CRB, no Rei Pelé, às 21h.

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O JOGO

A partida começou bastante equilibrada, com as duas equipes brigando bastante pela posse de bola. Primeira boa chance foi para os colorados, com Moisés, que de cabeça colocou Kléver para trabalhar. Dragão encontrava bastante dificuldades para furar o bloqueio adversário. Primeira chance do alvinegro aconteceu no fim do primeiro tempo com Júnior Viçosa. Atacante chutou, Saulo defendeu e Maguinho tirou na linha do gol. Pouco depois, Viçosa carimbou o travessão do Vila Nova.

Treinadores mexeram nas equipes, mas jogo permanecia da mesma maneira após o intervalo, muita marcação e poucas chances de gol. Pelo lado do Atlético Goianiense, todas as boas oportunidades eram com Júnior Viçosa, dessa vez chute passou tirando tinta da trave. O Vila respondeu com Moisés, que de longe acertou a traave de Kléver.

Confira outros resultados deste sábado na Série B

Oeste 3 x 3 Paraná
Tupi-MG 0 x 1 Bragantino

Leicester City have reportedly made an offer to sign Florian Thauvin, according to Estadio Deportivo.

The report claimed that the East Midlands club offered him a four-year deal and a salary of €3.5m (£3m) per season, but Thauvin has not yet made a decision over his future at Marseille.

Tottenham Hotspur, AS Roma and Napoli are also closely following any further developments with the player, but it has not been ruled out that he may leave in the upcoming summer transfer window.

Leicester should sign Thauvin

Brendan Rodgers’ team could do with a player like Thauvin in their ranks in order to boost the numbers in their squad for the 2021/22 season.

The 28-year-old has a lot of pedigree in the beautiful game, having won the World Cup with France back in 2018. He has been enjoying a good campaign so far, with no fewer than eight goals and a further nine assists in 37 games across all competitions (Transfermarkt).

Football legend Paolo Maldini described him as a ‘high level’ player back in November of last year, which is noteworthy praise given the Italian’s glittering CV.

Currently rated at £28.8m by Transfermarkt, the French winger is certainly a player who the Foxes should be looking at signing come the end of the season.

In other news, find out which ‘outstanding’ ace Leicester are eyeing!

أعلن تشافي هيرنانديز المدير الفني لفريق برشلونة، تشكيل فريقه لمواجهة أتلتيك بلباو اليوم في كأس ملك إسبانيا.

ويحل برشلونة ضيفًا على أتلتيك بلباو بملعب “سان ماميس” في دور الـ16 من كأس ملك إسبانيا.

اقرأ أيضًا.. القنوات الناقلة لمباراة برشلونة وأتلتيك بلباو اليوم في كأس ملك إسبانيا

ويتواجد مارتن برايثوايت على مقاعد البدلاء للمرة الأولى منذ أشهر، بعد طول غياب بسبب الإصابة. تشكيل برشلونة ضد أتلتيك بلباو

حراسة المرمى: تير شتيجن.

خط الدفاع: ألفيس، بيكيه أروخو، ألبا.

خط الوسط: بوسكيتس، جافي، بيدري.

خط الهجوم: فيران توريس، جوتجلا، عبد الصمد الزلزولي.

البدلاء: نيتو، تيناس، ديست، لينجليه، مينجويزا، بالدي، ريكي بويج، فرينكي دي يونج، نيكو، أنسو فاتي، مارتن برايثوايت.

👥 𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐈𝐎́
⚽ #AthleticBarça pic.twitter.com/rLz2EQgDwB

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona_cat) January 20, 2022

Tottenham Hotspur can advance into the quarter-finals of the Europa League by seeing off Dinamo Zagreb this evening.

Jose Mourinho’s side carry a two-goal lead to the Croatian capital thanks to a first-leg brace from Harry Kane, but what sort of side could we see the Portuguese tactician select?

The thought of rotation would’ve crossed his mind, but a 2-0 lead can often be a funny scoreline in football, so he may well want to keep many of his regular starters in the mix.

So, here’s the Spurs XI we’re predicting tonight, as well as the latest team and injury news…

Spurs were beaten by arch-rivals Arsenal in the north London derby on Sunday, and we could well see as many as eight changes from he side that were defeated 2-1 at the Emirates.

Club captain and first-choice goalkeeper Hugo Lloris is likely to keep his place between the sticks, whilst the only other defender to remain from the weekend is Toby Alderweireld.

That means Sergio Reguilon is replaced by Ben Davies at left-back, with Eric Dier partnering the Belgian colossus in the middle over Davinson Sanchez, and Serge Aurier is preferred to Matt Doherty on the right after the 29-year-old’s nightmare display.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg will serve a one-game suspension after picking up a third yellow card in the competition last time out, so we’re expecting Moussa Sissoko to partner Harry Winks as Tanguy Ndombele is another who earns a rest.

In attack, we could see Dele Alli earn a rare start in the no.10 role, even despite the return of Giovani Lo Celso from injury. The Argentine may not be risked from the off but fellow countryman Erik Lamela could keep his place as he’s suspended for their clash with Villa at the weekend.

The £14.4m-rated dynamo, dubbed a “nightmare” by Dier, scored a rabona against the Gunners before being sent off in the second half.

Lucas Moura is axed to allow the return of Alli.

Mourinho has ruled out Heung-min Son from featuring tonight, so Steven Bergwijn is surely in line for a return. He’ll have to impress, having started just one match since the defeat to Everton in the FA Cup.

Whilst the Spurs boss also confirmed that Kane would be involved, presumably to ensure this tie is dead and buried from early doors.

AND in other news, Mourinho must unleash “special” £26m-rated star tonight, could be his game-changer…

Heading into the 2021/22 season, Liverpool have been linked with a somewhat lengthy list of defensive recruits.

The Reds have been credited with interest in the likes of Caglar Soyuncu, Ezequiel Garay, Alessandro Bastoni and many more.

Nevertheless, the most prominent names have been Ibrahima Konate – whom The Athletic suggest that Jurgen Klopp is edging towards signing – and Kalidou Koulibaly. Il Mattino report that Liverpool could look to sign the Napoli man with his asking price having dropped.

It is the latter that Michael Edwards should be pushing to sign more.

Comparing the two players’ statistics this season, Koulibaly comes out on top most often.

According to WhoScored, the Senegalese centre-back has averaged 1.2 tackles per game, whilst Konate is contributing just 0.4 for RB Leipzig.

The Napoli man is also victorious in regards to interceptions – one to 0.7 – and blocks – 0.9 to 0.1.

Whilst Koulibaly does concede more fouls per match, this cynical edge is not always a bad feature and instead could be used to great effect at key moments of a match.

Away from the players’ defensive statistics, Koulibaly edges out Konate with his comfort on the ball. The 29-year-old averages more accurate passes per game, whilst also being extremely effective from long balls, completing 4.1 per game to Konate’s paltry 0.9.

Despite Koulibaly looking like the overwhelming candidate for the centre-back berth at Anfield, there are however few positives for Konate. The younger player at just 21, the Frenchman would also be cheaper. He is rated at £31.5m, whilst the Napoli man holds a £45m valuation.

Within that though, Liverpool would be purchasing plenty of experience with Koulibaly. He has made 277 appearances for Napoli and also taken to the pitch on 75 separate occasions within European competition compared to Konate’s 21.

So, whilst Koulibaly would certainly be the costlier purchase, the Reds would almost definitely be buying a higher quality player.

He conveniently already has a glowing reference from ex-Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina, who labelled his former teammate as “extraordinary”.

If choosing between the two then, Liverpool have to plump for Koulibaly instead of Konate.

AND in more news, Fabrizio Romano has revealed a huge transfer mistake that Michael Edwards could be making…