Two most important things Mauricio Pochettino said at Tottenham press conference

[ad_pod ]

Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino spoke to the press on Friday ahead of his side’s Premier League clash against Huddersfield Town at their new stadium on Saturday lunchtime.

Spurs come into the clash against the already-relegated Terriers on the back of a 1-0 Champions League quarter-final first-leg win against Manchester City in midweek, as they continue their quest for a top-four finish.

The club confirmed via their official Twitter account before the conferene that Harry Kane, Eric Dier, Erik Lamela and Serge Aurier will all miss out against Jan Siewert’s men, while Dele Alli faces a late fitness test to see whether he is able to feature after suffering a broken hand.

Without further ado here are the two most important things Pochettino said.

Harry Kane injury

Firstly the Argentine spoke about Kane’s issue, and he said (via Football.London  at 13:46pm): “He feels sad and disappointed like everyone at the club and of course it is a tough moment for him, tough moment for the team, tough moment for us.

“I was speaking to him before and we need to assess every day to properly answer to see when he can come back to train with the team.

Asked when he could return he added (via Football.London at 13:52pm): “At the moment it is impossible to give a date. It is a similar injury to the one he suffered last time against Manchester United. We have five weeks. If we are into the final of the Champions League, maybe he will play but we’ll see.”

A huge blow, but not a surprising one. Having seen how quickly Kane has bounced back from injury previously there is still some hope for Tottenham supporters that they might still see the 25-year-old again this term.

Dele Alli update

Meanwhile, despite the club not ruling Alli out for Saturday his manager certainly didn’t give the impression that he will feature, as per The Guardian.

Pochettino said: “I am not too optimistic. It is very painful. He broke his hand in two parts. Yesterday he saw the specialist. I am more optimistic for him to be available for Manchester City in the second leg.”

That is certainly not an ideal situation for the north London outfit to be in – especially if Alli does miss out – but they will of course take some solace from the fact that they are facing the bottom team at home and should still be able to secure the three points.

Having him available for the City return leg is arguably more important right now anyway.

The Chalkboard: Nuno Santo’s stubbornness will hold back Wolves

[ad_pod ]

Since joining Wolves, Nuno Santo has had wave after wave of praise. But does he actually still have a lot to prove?

There’s no denying his achievements in the English game so far. He took Wolves up in some style last term and they’ve had a tremendous first campaign back in the Premier League.

At the moment they sit seventh and were just moments away from reaching an FA Cup final too.

However, there are some clear issues Nuno has to iron out if Wolves are to ensure they don’t have a bitter reality check and suffer from second season syndrome in 2019/20.

What’s the issue?

In short, Nuno is too stubborn and if Maurizio Sarri has been receiving criticism for something similar then the Portuguese boss deserves the same.

Yes, Wolves have achieved some outstanding results this season but it overshadows some major problems. The Midlands club only have one plan and there is a serious lack of any tactical alternative.

That has never been so evident than in their defeat to Watford last Sunday. Plan A was going swimmingly well, but once the game turned they had nothing to combat their opponents.

They went defensive, so defensive in fact that it cost them the game. They invited pressure and then after conceding Gerard Deulofeu’s second goal had no answer.

Nuno struggles to adapt when the going gets tough and although they’ve claimed 13 points against top six sides, there have been some questionable performances on the road. Molineux may be a fortress but it’s a place they can afford to play an attractive brand of football at.

A major problem in having no plan B is that they have to set up the same on the road and their display against Burnley at Turf Moor two weekends ago was indicative of this.

A Wolves fan shares his most gutting moment of the last 10 years supporting the club in the video below…

Nuno’s substitutes are also largely ineffective and provide further evidence of a lack of an alternative plan. At Wembley, the changes he made had no difference, whilst regular rotation options Adama Traore and Ivan Cavaleiro have only contributed six goals between them.

Wolves’ coveted 45-year-old has been uttered as one of the managers of the season, but perhaps pundits ought to look at the man who outfought him last weekend, Javi Gracia, instead.

Hearts: Much sought-after African teenager to get second chance by Levein

Hearts manager, Craig Levein, has already admitted that he is looking ahead to next season’s recruitment, and hopes to add flair and creativity to his side in the summer.

With that in mind, one player has already had a week-long trial at the club in March, and Levein, having been impressed with what he saw, is hoping to bring him back in the summer for a second look.

Ghanaian midfielder, Cletus Nombil, is 18-years-old, and plays for Dreams FC, in Ghana’s Premier League.

If he has a successful second trial, and the club offer him a deal, it remains to be seen if he will be with the first team squad, or seen as someone for the future.

But Levein wants to run the rule over him in preseason games, despite him having played in a private friendly against Queen Of The South last month.

He told the Edinburgh Evening News: “I’m trying to get him back in the summer. I really liked him from what I saw. The lad is very young but I want to see him playing in a pre-season friendly.

“He is a central midfielder normally. He is probably a bit more attack-minded than defensive. For a young boy, his training was good.”

He sounds exactly like the type of player that Levein was referring to when he mentioned recruiting more players who can unlock a defence, this week.

And that he wants to get his summer shopping spree done as early as possible, it all bodes well for Hearts to be able to start next season with a close-knit group, who have already familiarised themselves with each others’ style of playing.

That will be particularly pertinent should they earn a Europa League spot, with qualifying rounds ensuring an early start to the 2019/20 campaign.

The report also warns that, should he impress enough, obtaining a work permit for the youngster may not be straightforward.

The player had secured a loan deal with Czech side, Sparta Prague, with an option to make it permanent afterwards, but it fell through due to an inability to get the necessary visa documentation approved.

But Levein may have competition for his signature, with Swedish side, AIK Stockholm having given him a trial in February too.

What are your thoughts on Levein’s recruitment thoughts at Hearts? Does he have the club going in the right direction? Let us know what you think…

فيديو | خطأ ساذج يمنح أستون فيلًا هدفًا مبكرًا أمام ليفربول

تقدم أولي واتكينز بهدف مبكر لفريقه أستون فيلا في شباك ليفربول خلال المباراة الجارية الآن.

وجاء هدف واتكينز في الدقيقة الرابعة من عمر المباراة بعد خطأ فادح من أدريان حارس المرمى.

أدريان مرر بالخطأ لـ جريليش، والذي أرسل الكرة لـ واتكينز المتواجد أمام المرمى ليسجلها في الشباك.

ويلاقي ليفربول نظيره أستون فيلا، ضمن منافسات الجولة الرابعة للدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز. شاهد الهدف

Liverpool fans loved Wijnaldum’s performance against Bayern

[ad_pod ]

Georginio Wijnaldum played the full 90 minutes as Liverpool drew 0-0 with Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie at Anfield.

Both teams had opportunities on Tuesday night, but the draw means that the contest is delicately poised ahead of the second leg in Munich next month.

The likes of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane so often grab the limelight, but 5ft 9in Wijnaldum has again been impressive for the Reds this term.

The clash with Bayern proved to be his 30th appearance in all competitions this season and he certainly brings balance to the Liverpool midfield.

It is for that reason that the Netherlands international is sure to start the second leg, where Liverpool will look to improve on their poor away form in Europe.

In response to a social media post from Wijnaldum, the Liverpool fans were keen to pay tribute to the 28-year-old.

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

Everton fans stunned by Holgate’s loan form

[ad_pod ]

Loads of Everton fans have been giving their verdict on the fantastic form of Mason Holgate, as the youngster continues to impress on loan with West Brom.

Holgate always looked a little out of place at Everton, as the 22 year-old is clearly immensely talented, with all the technique and athleticism needed to make it at the top level, but yet he just couldn’t put it all together in a blue shirt.

That now appears to be down to various managers’ team selection rather than the player’s own shortcomings though, and he is excelling in a new role for West Brom, who he joined on loan in January.

Former Wigan & Fulham man, Jimmy Bullard recently showed that he’s still got it! Check out the video below…

Though he did occasionally feature on the flank at Goodison, the majority of his time was spent at centre back, where he was often bullied by physical strikers.

Now playing right-back at the Hawthorns, he is proving himself more than capable of holding his own physically against any winger, and is also showing the attacking instincts required to be a modern day full-back.

The youngster assisted Jake Livermore’s late winner in a 3-2 win against QPR on Tuesday night, which takes his tally to three assists in just seven Championship starts.

Fans are impressed by his form, and you can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…

Mauricio Pochettino should learn from Ange Postecoglu if Chelsea are to close the gap on high-flying Tottenham

The Argentine returns to north London for the first time on Monday, but the man in the opposing dugout is ensuring Spurs are finally moving on

Mauricio Pochettino finally makes his long-awaited return to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Monday, but in circumstances that few could have predicted; rather than a heralded return to the home dugout after four years away, he will be taking his seat as the away manager, in charge of Spurs' fierce London rivals Chelsea.

That would have been a bitter pill to swallow for the Tottenham support if not for his Australian counterpart, Ange Postecoglou, who has turned the north Londoners' fortunes around and guided them to the upper echelons of the Premier League table. In doing so, has helped the club to finally move on from Pochettino, ending years of clamour for his return. His early success is made all the sweeter by Chelsea's coinciding struggles.

In their brief time in charge of their respective London foes, Postecoglou and Pochettino have enjoyed/endured contrasting fortunes, but Monday night will be a significant waypoint on both of their journeys. So, how do the two tacticians compare so far, and what lies ahead?

  • Getty

    Forging a togetherness

    Both managers entered clubs that were close to breaking point in the summer, inheriting unhappy, disjointed squads that had underperformed significantly under the previous incumbents. Something that evidently topped their lists of priorities and underpinned their work throughout the summer and into the opening weeks of this season, then, was restoring some unity and fostering a togetherness. Both seem to have succeeded in good time.

    Speaking recently, Pochettino said: "When you have an unsettled squad, always it's difficult and you lose time and then you need time to recover the time you lose. That's where we are. Maybe our performances are good but you need [something] extra, which is mental — a connection. It's energy to be all together, not to have different agendas in the squad. We need time to build that togetherness that you need when you are competing at this level."

    Talking about the unity at Tottenham, newly-named club captain Son Heung-min said: "This is [being a] part of family. We are getting really, really tight in the changing room. Everyone is working for each other, running for each other, fighting for each other."

  • Advertisement

  • Getty

    Two elite man-managers

    As renowned man-managers, it's little surprise that both have already managed to lift the gloom in their respective dressing rooms, but it seems to be a story of two very different approaches that have both yielded success.

    Pochettino clearly likes to be hands-on and familiar with his Chelsea players, and his handling of Mykhailo Mudryk – who was bereft of confidence when the manager arrived but has had his self-esteem restored over the weeks and months since – is a shining example of that. The Argentine has taken the Ukrainian under his wing, worked with him on a one-on-one basis, even playing crossbar challenge with the winger, and provided support as both a manager and a friend.

    Postecoglou, meanwhile, has been watchful from a distance, giving the Tottenham players more responsibility off the field as a collective in an attempt to empower them as individuals. The Australian said recently: "A lot of it has to be player-driven. I can sit there and paint the prettiest of pictures but they need to believe in it, they have to buy into it. As I keep saying, it’s their dressing room. They go there every day. I don’t go into the dressing room. And the environment is going to be key to us being successful."

  • (C)Getty Images

    Contrasting fortunes

    That is largely where the similarities between the two coaches' journeys to this point end. After a slow start and having ridden their luck at times, Postecoglou has his side battling right at the top of the Premier League as we enter November and – more importantly in the eyes of many a Spurs fan – they are back to playing the front-footed, attacking brand of football last seen under (you guessed it) Pochettino.

    Things have not been so smooth for Pochettino and Chelsea. On his return to English football, the Tottenham favourite oversaw the Blues' worst start to a season in 45 yearsin the midst of an injury crisis. There were always the shoots of recovery, though, as Chelsea vastly underperformed their xG, and they enjoyed a timely resurgence in October as they hallmarks of Pochettino's MO began to shine through.

    However, a dire home defeat to Brentford seems to have knocked them back to square one.

  • ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

  • Getty Images

    Targeted changes vs complete overhaul

    One of the main obstacles to immediate success for Pochettino – as was always likely to be the case – has been integrating a raft of new signings after overseeing a fire sale of unhappy and unwanted players.

    His north London counterpart benefitted from very few of the club's regular first-team starters moving on, and Postecoglou signed off on just a few targeted signings to improve the side in certain areas of the pitch, such as James Maddison.

    Pochettino, meanwhile, has had to contend with 21 outgoings, including the likes of Mason Mount and N'Golo Kante, whom he surely would have wanted to work with, as well as 11 newcomers – the vast majority of whom were young and unproven in the Premier League. Getting them to gel was never going to be instantaneous, and the head coach has already lamented the amount of business done in the summer. "At the moment, I think we are a young team, a young team means too many changes in the summer because of the circumstances and we are suffering – sometimes good and bad results, but performances are consistent," he said.

    When you also factor in the malaise that enveloped Stamford Bridge throughout a nightmarish 2022-23 campaign on and off the field, it is little surprise that it has taken four months to see even the earliest signs of improvement at Chelsea.

    That is not to detract from Postecoglou's work, however; three of Tottenham's main summer signings in Maddison, Micky van de Ven and Guglielmo Vicario, as well as returning loanee Destiny Udogie, have all been performing at an exceptional level from the off, which is a complete anomaly in the unpredictable world of transfer dealings.

Nice vs PSG: Where to watch the match online, live stream, TV channels & kick-off time

All the details about how to watch the Ligue 1 game between Nice and PSG on TV and online

Paris Saint-Germain will be aiming to arrest a losing streak and tighten their grip on top spot in Ligue 1 when they visit Nice on Saturday. The capital club come into the game on the back of two consecutive defeats, failing to score against Rennes and Lyon, prompting concerns over whether their key players can hold their nerve into the final stage of the season.

🖥️ Watch PSG Ligue 1 games with Sling TV!

⚽ Best VPNs for streaming football

Nice are not an opponent to be taken lightly, either, with the Riviera outfit enjoying a 14-match unbeaten run as they come into the match.

GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch the game on TV and online, as well as team news, head-to-head record and more.

  • Getty

    Nice vs PSG kick-off time

    Game: Nice vs PSG
    Date: April 8, 2023
    Kick-off: 3pm ET
    Venue: Allianz-Riviera Stadium, Nice

    The fixture between Nice and PSG will be played on Saturday April 8, 2023. The match will kick off at 3pm ET in the U.S.

  • Advertisement

  • Getty

    How to watch Nice vs PSG – TV channels & live streams

    TV channels & live stream options

    Country TV channel Live stream
    U.S. beIN SPORTS Sling TV

    Nice vs PSG can be streamed live with Sling TV in the United States (sign up here). beIN SPORTS will be broadcasting the game live on U.S. television.

  • Getty

    Team news & squads

    Nice team news

    Nicolas Pepe has returned from injury and played a part in the 1-1 draw against Angers, so should be in line to start again on Saturday. Nice do have a number of injured personnel, though, with Youcef Atal, Mattia Viti, Sofiane Diop and Jordan Lotomba unavailable.

    Nice will hope for big performances from the likes of Kasper Schmeichel and Terem Moffi if they are to get a result, while the experience of players such as Aaron Ramsey could be crucial.

    Nice XI (possible): Schmeichel; Bard, Dante, Todibo, Mendy; Thuram, Rosario, Ramsey; Laborde, Moffi, Pepe.

    Position Nice players
    Goalkeepers: Schmeichel, Bulka, Boulhendi, Garrido
    Defenders: Dante, Bryan, Todibo, Bard, Mendy, Nahounou, Amraoui
    Midfielders: Rosario, Barkley, Ramsey, Thuram, Beka-Beka, Boudaoui, Belahyane, Ndayishimiye, Traore
    Forwards: Moffi, Brahimi, Laborde, Pepe, Bouanani, Sotona

    PSG team news

    The biggest absence for PSG is, of course, Neymar, who is out of action for the remainder of the 2022-23 season due to an ankle injury. Presnel Kimpembe is another long-term absentee, with the defender expected to miss a portion of next season too.

    There are concerns over Sergio Ramos' availability as the Spaniard resumes full training after a calf injury, but he could be involved. Having failed to hit the net in the last two games, PSG will require Kylian Mbappe, who has 19 league goals to his name, and Lionel Messi, who has scored 13, to add to their respective tallies.

    PSG XI (possible): Donnarumma; Marquinhos, Danilo, Bitshiabu; Mendes, Vitinha, Verratti, Sanches, Hakimi; Messi, Mbappe.

    Position PSG players
    Goalkeepers: Donnarumma, Rico, Letellier
    Defenders: Hakimi, Ramos, Mendes, Marquinhos, Bernat, Mukiele,, Bitshiabu, Pembele, Fernandez-Veliz, Lamy
    Midfielders: Verratti, Ruiz, Vitinha, Danilo, Sanches, Soler, Zaire-Emery, Gharbi
    Forwards: Mbappe, Messi, Ekitike, Housni

    Head-to-head record

    Date Result Competition
    Oct 1, 2022 PSG 2-1 Nice Ligue 1
    Mar 5, 2022 Nice 1-0 PSG Ligue 1
    Jan 31, 2022 PSG 0-0 Nice (P) Coupe de France
    Dec 1, 2021 PSG 0-0 Nice Ligue 1
    Feb 13, 2021 PSG 2-1 Nice Ligue 1

    PSG won the reverse fixture earlier in the season, triumphing by a single goal, but Nice won the two games before that.

    Games have been tight between the sides, with just seven goals scored between the two teams in the last five fixtures.

  • ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

  • Getty

    Useful links

    • PSG news
    • Ligue 1 news
    • Live soccer to watch in the U.S. today
    • How to sign up to NordVPN

David Beckham's Real Madrid debut – Who were his teammates and where are they now?

The English winger made his debut for Real Madrid against Mallorca in the first leg of the Super Copa de Espana…

Former England star David Beckham moved to Real Madrid in the summer of 2003 leaving Manchester United after playing at the club for 11 years.

The winger was an addition to the existing Galacticos of Real Madrid which had started in 2000 with the arrival of Luis Figo. Beckham joined a host of star players like Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo, Ronaldo, Raul and Roberto Carlos at Los Blancos.

After becoming the third English player to join the club in July 2003, Beckham made his competitive debut for the club in the first leg of the Supercopa de Espana against Mallorca on August 24, 2003, at the Son Moix, Palma de Mallorca. Luis Figo had opened the scoring for Madrid but the hosts came back and won the tie 2-1.

Real Madrid, though, thrashed Mallorca 3-0 in the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu to clinch the trophy. Other than Raul and Ronaldo, David Beckham also found the back of the net to help the club clinch the trophy.

Here, we take a look at who the teammates of David Beckham were in that particular match and where they are now.

  • Getty

    1Raul Bravo – Sub

    The Spanish defender played at Real Madrid for six seasons from 2001 to 2007. In between, he had moved on loan to Leeds United in 2003. Other than Real Madrid, he also played for Olympiacos. He retired from professional football in 2007.

  • Advertisement

  • Getty

    2Claude Makelele – Sub

    The former French international midfielder joined Chelsea from Real Madrid in 2003 and played until 2008. After leaving the Blues, Makelele joined PSG and played for three seasons before retiring from professional football in 2011.

    After retiring in 2011, he became an assistant coach in PSG and worked at the club for two seasons. In 2014 he joined French club Bastia where he worked as the head coach for six months. He also worked as an assistant coach at Premier League Swansea City for a brief period in 2017 before joining Belgian club Eupen as their manager. Since 2019, he is working at Chelsea as a technical mentor.

  • Getty Images

    3Guti – Sub

    The former Spanish international played at Real Madrid for 15 years (1995-2010). In his final year as a professional footballer, he joined Turkish side Besiktas. He retired in 2011.

    In 2013, he returned to Real Madrid as the coach of the club's Juvenil side for two seasons. In 2018, he joined Besiktas as their assistant coach. The next season he was appointed as the manager of Segunda Division club Almeria where he worked for one season. He left the club in 2020.

  • ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

  • Getty

    4Raul Gonzalez – FW

    The legendary Spanish striker is the most-capped Real Madrid player (741) of all time. After spending 16 seasons at the club since 1995, he left in 2010. Thereafter he joined Schalke and then ended his career in the MLS playing for New York Cosmos.

    Upon retirement, Raul returned to Real Madrid in 2018 as the head coach of the club's U15. A year later he became the coach of Real Madrid Castilla.

São Paulo começa 2020 com elenco repleto de nomes formados em Cotia

MatériaMais Notícias

A temporada 2020 começa para o São Paulo na próxima quarta, quando o elenco se reapresenta no CT da Barra Funda para o início das atividades visando as competições dos próximos meses, sobretudo a Copa Libertadores e o Campeonato Paulista. Sem tanto dinheiro em caixa e com um elenco que já considera bom, o Tricolor iniciará o ano com pelo menos um terço de seus jogadores formados em Cotia.

Atualmente, o São Paulo tem 15 jogadores em seu elenco profissional formados pelo próprio clube. São eles: Hernanes, Liziero, Luan, Toró, Helinho, Brenner, Shaylon, Araruna, Paulinho Boia, Gabriel Sara, Lucas Perri, Denis Júnior, Igor Gomes, Walce e Antony. Os três últimos foram convocados pelo técnico André Jardine para defenderem a Seleção Brasileira no Pré-Olímpico e perderão a pré-temporada, assim como o início do Campeonato Paulista.

Há a possibilidade desse número sofrer uma queda nos próximos dias. Isto porque, alguns nomes podem ser novamente emprestados, assim como aconteceu em 2019, como Araruna, que defendeu o Fortaleza ao longo do ano passado, e Paulinho Boia, que estava no São Bento, de Sorocaba.

RelacionadasSão PauloTécnico do São Paulo lamenta estreia, mas frisa que não há nada perdidoSão Paulo05/01/2020São PauloSão Paulo adia apresentação e elenco volta aos treinos na próxima quartaSão Paulo05/01/2020São PauloBrenner volta ao São Paulo em busca de reafirmação na carreiraSão Paulo05/01/2020

É bem verdade que boa parte desses jogadores citados não serão titulares e brigam por espaço no elenco, casos de Gabriel Sara, Brenner e Helinho, que caiu muito de produção nos últimos meses do ano passado e chegou a voltar a atuar pelo sub-20. Outros, como Walce e Antony, são especulados em outros clubes e podem ser negociados para que o São Paulo diminua o déficit de R$ 180 milhões registrado ao fim da última temporada.

O fato é que o grupo comandado por Fernando Diniz, pelo menos neste início de temporada, deve estar repleto de jogadores formados em casa, que conhecem a história do São Paulo e estão acostumados a jogarem pelo clube desde pequenos. Diariamente, os atletas mais experientes como Tiago Volpi, Daniel Alves, Alexandre Pato e Pablo terão a companhia dos garotos de Cotia.

Vale lembrar que o grupo tricolor ainda pode receber mais jogadores vindos da base nas próximas semanas. Atual campeão da Copinha, o time sub-20 do São Paulo está disputando o torneio mais tradicional da base do futebol brasileiro. Nomes como Rodrigo Nestor e Fasson despontam como favoritos pela briga de uma vaga na equipe profissional. Para isto, no entanto, precisarão levar o Tricolor longe na competição. A equipe empatou na estreia e, na próxima terça, 21h30, contra o Palmeira-RN.

Game
Register
Service
Bonus