Leeds United will enter the first leg of their Championship playoff semi-final against Derby County off the back of a 3-2 defeat at Ipswich Town on Sunday afternoon.
It has been a very tough few weeks for the Whites, who have ultimately been made to settle for third spot in the table, with Sheffield United earning automatic promotion to the Premier League alongside champions Norwich City.
The loss at Ipswich was very poor indeed, but journalist Phil Hay handed defender Luke Ayling an 8/10 for his performance against the basement side, while describing his showing on Twitter as ‘impressive’.
Hay’s verdict was not well received by the club’s supporters, though, with many taking to social media to disagree with the journalist.
Indeed, many claimed that Ayling actually had a poor game against Ipswich, despite being involved in both of his team’s goals on the afternoon.
A selection of the Twitter reaction from the Leeds fans, who are understandably very frustrated at the moment, can be seen below:
أصدر الاتحاد الأفريقي لكرة القدم “كاف”، اليوم الجمعة، بيانًا يرفض فيه حضور الجماهير مباريات التصفيات الإفريقية المؤهلة لبطولة كأس الأمم 2021 بالكاميرون.
ومن المقرر أن تستكمل تصفيات أمم إفريقيا، خلال الفترة من 11 حتي 17 نوفمبر الحالي، بالجولتين الثالثة والرابعة.
وأشار كاف في بيانه اليوم إلى أن اجتماعًا عُقد مع مسئولي الأمن والسلامة من جميع الاتحادات بهدف إخطارهم ببروتوكول جديد لمواجهة فيروس كورونا خلال التصفيات. بيان كاف بشأن تصفيات أمم إفريقيا
حضر الاجتماع حوالي ستين مسؤول أمن من منسقي الأمن والسلامة الوطنيين بالاتحادات الأعضاء ومنسقي السلامة والأمن المعينين في CAF، وشهد الاجتماع حرص الحضور على معرفة كيفية تطبيق والالتزام بالبروتوكول الأمني في سياق هذه المباريات الدولية.
وقام مدير CAF للأمن والسلامة بعرض النقاط التالية:
– تنظيم المباريات خلف أبواب مغلقة وبدون جمهور
– الآلية الجديدة لمراقبة الاعتمادات والمناطق الجديدة للاعتمادات
– الاختلاف بين المباريات القادمة والسابقة
– ضرورة أن يكون لدى كل اتحاد عضو خطة أمن وسلامة محكمة قبل الاستئناف الفعال للمباريات الرسمية.
بهذه المناسبة، أعاد CAF تحديد مهام مسؤولي الأمن والسلامة الوطنيين من خلال تزويدهم بالمشورة العملية والمبادئ التوجيهية حول كل نقطة من هذه النقاط.
وقال دكتور كريستيان إيميروا ، مدير إدارة الأمن والسلامة:”هدفنا هو ضمان وجود عمليات أمن وسلامة موحدة في جميع أنحاء إفريقيا، مع التركيز على التأكد من إقامة المباريات في بيئة آمنة ومضمونة. نحن ندرك المهمة الضخمة التي تنتظرنا ، لا سيما كيفية الحفاظ على إبعاد الجماهير عن الملاعب.
من هنا شعرنا بالحاجة إلى توجيه جميع مسؤولي الأمن والسلامة الوطنيين وكذلك مسؤولي CAF المعينين للأمن والسلامة على أفضل الممارسات في ظل هذه الظروف. تكتسب حماية اللاعبين والمسؤولين قبل وأثناء وبعد المباراة أهمية كبيرة في عملياتنا. نحن بحاجة لضمان التنسيق الفعال بين مسؤولي الأمن والسلامة وجميع مسؤولي الصحة الآخرين الذين سيشاركون في خروج كل مباراة على أكمل صورة”
سيتلقى مسؤولي الأمن والسلامة الوطنيين بروتوكولًا مفصلًا خاصًا بكل مباراة ، ليقوم بإرشادهم خلال المراحل المختلفة لتنظيم المباريات الدولية والمقرر عقدها في الفترة من 9 إلى 17 نوفمبر 2020.
منذ إنشاء إدارة CAF للسلامة والأمن في فبراير 2019 ، عمل CAF بشكل وثيق مع مسؤولي الأمن في الاتحادات الأعضاء من خلال تنظيم الاجتماعات والندوات والتدريب ؛ وعقد جلسات بناء القدرات وفقًا لأهداف المنظمة والتي تشمل وضع عمليات الأمن والسلامة أثناء مباريات كرة القدم كأولوية قصوى لعملها.
يذكر أن منتخب مصر يلتقي نظيره توجو ذهابًا وإيابًا يومي ١٤ و١٧ نوفمبر المقبل، ضمن منافسات الجولة الثالثة والرابعة للتصفيات المؤهلة لكأس الأمم الإفريقية بالكاميرون.
Eric Bailly has endured a torrid season at Manchester United, with injuries limiting him to just 18 appearances in all-competitions.
The 25-year-old defender has been bookmarked as a potential rock to marshal United’s defence in the years to come, but his progress has been stunted by injury problems.
He managed to start against Chelsea last Sunday, however, before he was withdrawn after 71 minutes with an injury problem.
It has since transpired that Bailly suffered medial ligament damage – an injury which will rule him out of the African Cup of Nations this summer.
With the news fresh in mind, the Ivory Coast international
/Bw4RI4FlpW5/” data-lasso->took to Instagram to thank everyone for their messages and looked ahead to a brighter future.
And his upbeat post commanded plenty of support from his fellow professionals, and two particularly influential stars, David De Gea and Jerome Boateng tipped him to return a stronger player.
Footballers are no strangers to media friendly cliches, and the notion that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger seems to be one both De Gea and Boateng subscribe to.
With United’s defensive options looking hopelessly bereft of star quality, there’s no doubt the fans will be echoing the sentiments of the aforementioned pairing and hoping he discovers a rich vein of form upon his return from injury.
انتهت مباراة بوركينا فاسو مع نظيره مالاوي التي جمعت بينهما اليوم الخميس في التصفيات المؤهلة لكأس الأمم الإفريقية التي ستستضيفها الكاميرون 2021.
فاز منتخب بوركينا فاسو على مالاوي بثلاثة أهداف مقابل هدف، في إطار منافسات الجولة الثالثة من التصفيات المؤهلة لكأس الأمم الإفريقية 2021.
اقرأ أيضًا.. ترتيب مجموعة مصر في تصفيات أمم إفريقيا بعد تعادل جزر القمر مع كينيا
أحرز أهداف منتخب بوركينا فاسو لاسينا تراوري “هدفين” في الدقيقتين 2 و25 وبريان دايو في الدقيقة 90، فيما أحرز منتخب مالاوي هدفه الوحيد من ركلة جزاء في الدقيقة 81.
بهذه النتيجة يحتل بوركينا فاسو صدارة المجموعة الثانية برصيد 7 نقاط، فيما يحتل أوغندا المركز الثاني بـ7 نقاط، ومنتخب مالاوي في المركز الثالث بـ3 نقاط، وجنوب السودان في المركز الأخير بدون رصيد.
A significant overhaul is required to fix the issues at Arsenal. That much is obvious.
If their upset against Brighton Hove & Albion proved anything, the Gunners desperately need to bolster their midfield. Now that Aaron Ramsey’s bid farewell, a mix of youngsters and a frankly awful Granit Xhaka simply cannot be the future of the club.
As a result, Unai Emery must be determined to sign a midfielder to help his side control games better going forward. According to reports from the Express, the North London giants are interested in signing Everton loanee Andre Gomes. Indeed, the Portuguese has enjoyed a revival after joining the Toffees, giving some strong performances this season as Marco Silva presides over a decent end to the campaign.
That being said, Gomes isn’t the quality Emery is looking for. He’s only scored and assisted 1 goal apiece this season while picking up 7 yellow-cards from 26 Premier League appearances. Frankly, the former Barcelona ace is too lethargic in midfield, often switching off which allows oppositions to penetrate his defence easier.
Not only can he make their defensive situation worse, but even going forward he’s nothing special. He can help his side keep control, but rarely creates anything formidable when in possession. Gomes is quite sloppy in midfield, surely a reason why the La Liga giants didn’t want to keep him beyond last season.
The Portuguese is nowhere close to the stunning Aaron Ramsey and doesn’t work as hard either. He might occasionally give decent performances but is nowhere close to Lucas Torreira or Matteo Guendouzi in terms of commitment. Gomes isn’t the dominant leader they’re looking for in midfield. We all know they need one, after all.
Simply put, fans shouldn’t be excited by these links and should be hoping the club steer well clear.
Arsenal fans, would you be happy with Gomes’ potential signing next season? Join the discussion by commenting below…
Watford face Manchester City this weekend as they attempt to win the FA Cup for the first time in their history.
They face a tough task. City, of course, have already been crowned Premier League champions and are out to complete an unprecedented domestic treble after winning the Carabao Cup in February.
Can the Hornets pull off a major upset at Wembley, then, and stop Pep Guardiola’s side making history?
To do so, they would have to beat City for the first time since 1989, recording their first victory in 15 meetings.
Football FanCast takes a look at where the game could be won and lost…
Key battle – Troy Deeney v Aymeric Laporte
Deeney is a physical striker who loves nothing more than roughing up his marker.
Laporte, an excellent ball carrier who is also superb in the tackle, may not like the prospect of taking on such a ferocious forward.
Deeney scored a total of 11 goals across the season and is at his best when he is tasked with pressing a backline and attempting to win the ball back high up the pitch.
With City’s penchant for building from the back, the 30-year-old will be tasked with setting the tempo for Watford.
His influence on the game cannot be understated.
Key dynamic – Watford’s inexperience
Soccer Football – FA Cup Semi Final – Watford v Wolverhampton Wanderers – Wembley Stadium, London, Britain – April 7, 2019 Watford manager Javi Gracia REUTERS/Ian Walton
Watford last reached a cup final in 1984; they lost, 2-0 to Everton. City are well-versed in the language of finals and will be out to prove a point as they bid to become the first team in English football to win a domestic treble.
It remains to be seen how this Watford team will cope.
Despite the clear gulf between the two teams – City finished 48 points ahead of Javi Gracia’s men – cup finals can be a leveller. City know that all too well, having lost to Wigan Athletic in 2013.
If Watford can follow the example of the Latics, keep it tight, and not lose their heads in the cauldron of the showpiece, they could well upset the champions.
Or perhaps, as is more likely, City will simply overrun the Hornets; they have played them twice this season, winning 2-1 at Vicarage Road and 3-1 at the Etihad Stadium.
Deciding Factor – Hunger for titles
Will complacency creep in for City?
Pep Guardiola’s men were peerless in the Premier League. Even the best Liverpool team of recent years, who lost just once all season, could not overhaul the Blues at the top of the table.
A clash with Watford, usually, should be something of an open goal.
But there is an awful lot riding on this for the club – they could make history with a victory.
It remains to be seen, however, if that transmits to the players, who have regularly thumped the Hornets in recent years. In their last five meetings, City have won all five, scoring 19 goals and conceding just three.
Taking this for granted, though, would be a grave mistake; this Watford side could become the first ever to win an FA Cup. They will not be taking it lightly.
Impact subs – Riyad Mahrez v Andre Gray
Guardiola raised plenty of eyebrows when he picked Mahrez to play against Brighton & Hove Albion in the club’s final game of the Premier League season.
Naturally, the Algeria international scored the goal of the game and played a key role in his side’s 4-1 victory that confirmed them as champions.
It remains to be seen, however, if he will be picked over Leroy Sane at Wembley, as he was named in the starting XI just 14 times in the Premier League this season. If he isn’t, he could be a game-changer from the bench, with his fleet-footed dribbling ability likely to unsettle Watford’s defence deep into the game.
Gray, meanwhile, is effectively Deeney’s understudy but he has been quietly effective this season, scoring nine goals in all-competitions.
Two of those have come in the FA Cup, while he also laid on an assist in the dramatic 3-2 victory over Wolves in the semi-final.
A pacey player with a diminutive stature and a low centre of gravity, he is a completely different threat to Deeney and is perhaps their best option off the bench if the game is slipping away in the second half.
Are Watford the most likely club to break the top 6 next season? The fans in the video below certainly agree the ‘W’ part of that statement is correct…
This Celtic side again find themselves on the brink of making club history this weekend with the Scottish Cup final against Hearts giving Neil Lennon’s team the opportunity to win a third successive treble of trophies.
Since Brendan Rodgers walked through the doors in 2016 the Hoops have stormed every competition available to them on their own shores and a ‘treble treble’ would truly be a momentous occasion for all supporters.
Craig Levein’s team won’t simply be handing the trophy over though and to pick up the win Lennon must get his team selection and tactics spot on, both of which have been called into question in recent weeks.
The chalkboard
Most of the positions at Celtic, when everyone is fit, pick themselves these days.
There are stand-outs available across the team but it’s in the middle of the park where competition is fiercest and the Hoops manager must get the balance and blend of his midfield right.
A trio of Olivier Ntcham, Callum McGregor and Scott Brown would give Celtic the stability needed in an unpredictable final at Hampden, while also providing a bit of the creativity and attacking ambition required to support two wingers and a central striker.
Ntcham came into the team against Hearts on Sunday and while of course neither side had a strong starting eleven out, the Frenchman demonstrated that one his day he is almost peerless in Scottish football, with his physicality, vision and skill making him one of Celtic’s best players on the day.
Celtic supporters will rush to tell you that kind of form is incredible inconsistent but, when considering the other options available to Lennon, the 23-year-old is the perfect man to play alongside Brown and McGregor, both of whom are certain to play.
Why not Rogic?
The Australian isn’t having the best 2019 so far having missed a massive chunk of the season due to international duty at the Asian Cup and a subsequent injury.
Rogic has made himself almost synonymous with Hampden performances at Celtic over the last few years and obviously knows how to find his way to goal in national finals. To stick him on the substitute’s bench would be seen as something of a selection risk by many fans.
Nonetheless, Lennon must do exactly that because when Rogic let’s a game pass him by then Celtic get absolutely nothing from the player. The word passenger would be harsh, but the Australian has had the tendency to go missing in games over last couple of months.
That’s not to say he couldn’t still play a part in a win – coming off the bench, the 26-year-old would be an immense weapon to unleash on Hearts in the second half if Celtic need him.
He’s also a far better impact option than Ntcham, who can start the game and help give the Hoops a foothold towards victory.
Levein is going to set his side out to try and disrupt Celtic’s slick play with aggressive physicality and if Lennon goes with Rogic then they could find themselves having one luxury player too many on the pitch.
يخوض الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي برشلونة مباراة هامة وقوية اليوم، السبت، في الجولة العاشرة من بطولة الدوري الإسباني أمام أتلتيكو مدريد في ملعب “واندا متروبوليتانو”.
وتنطلق المباراة في تمام الساعة العاشرة مساءً بتوقيت “القاهرة” بقيادة الحكم، خوسيه مونويرا.
اقرأ أيضًا.. جوارديولا يرد على أنباء انتقال ميسي إلى مانشستر سيتي
وكشفت صحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو” الكتالونية قبل مباراة اليوم أن وجود قائد ومهاجم برشلونة، ليونيل ميسي، يعد فأل خير بالنسبة للعملاق الكتالوني تحديدًا في تلك المواجهة المرتقبة.
وأفادت الصحيفة أن ميسي لم يخسر من 20 مباراة متتالية أمام أتلتيكو مدريد في بطولة الدوري الإسباني، وكانت آخر خسارة له في 14 فبراير 2010.
وواجه ميسي أتلتيكو مدريد على مدار مسيرته في 41 مرة في جميع المسابقات المختلفة، حيث حقق 24 فوزًا وتعادل في 10 مباريات وخسر 7 مرات، سجل الأرجنتيني خلالها 32 هدفا في شباك الروخي بلانكوس.
Leeds United fans on Twitter have made their feelings clear on the potential return of Jack Harrison on another year-long loan deal.
An article in the Yorkshire Evening Post by Phil Hay confirmed that the Whites are interested in bringing the Englishman back next season.
The Manchester City winger was less than impressive during his first year at the club, and now fans are understandably underwhelmed at the prospect of his return.
The 22-year-old scored just four times in 2018/19 while only providing three assists for teammates.
The former NYCFC man is reportedly on a weekly wage of £51,000, and his performances for the Whites certainly didn’t warrant that type of pay packet.
The Yorkshire outfit finished third last season, narrowly missing out on an automatic promotion spot.
Many supporters believe that they are just a few additions away from returning to the Premier League, but certain sections of the fanbase believe Harrison isn’t what the team needs.
Here’s what the Elland Road faithful have been saying on Twitter…