Ange Postecoglou says he is “simply interested” in greater scrutiny of Tottenham Hotspur’s defensive record.
Spurs have struggled to deal with set-pieces during the season, with only four Premier League groups conceding more under those conditions than their 14.
Two of Tottenham’s goals conceded in Sunday’s 3-2 defeat to Arsenal came from corners, with Ben White obviously coming in for goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.
Postecoglou said Wednesday, “Eventually I’ll create a team that’s a success and it’s going to be thanks to the paints on set pieces. “
Asked if he was bothered by the number of goals Spurs concede in set-piece situations, he replied: “I’m just not interested. Never
Postecoglou then added, referring to his time at Celtic, where his first season was also plagued by goals conceded from set-pieces: “Many of you have studied me enough to know that this is not the first time I’ve been asked about this. Decisive moments in my formative career.
“There’s an underlying explanation for why this is very, very comfortable for me. “
When asked about this, Postecoglou said: “Work a little, friend. Come on. In the long run, I will create a team that will be a success and it may not be thanks to still painting. “
Celtic solved their problems by setting set-pieces in the opening months to break the record for such conditions in the Scottish Premiership in their second season.
Postecoglou elaborated on the clarifications Spurs have asked PGMOL about Vicario’s point of coverage on set pieces.
“We ask for explanations in case some things have changed,” he said. “You never know. We just wanted to get some explanation about the actual position as far as interference with the goalkeeper is concerned. I’m a veteran, friend of mine, but I have this idea that the goalkeeper was a protected species. Maybe now they’ve replaced it and I missed the note.
Postecoglou added that Spurs had “really” not won the explanation they sought.
On White’s role in intentionally annoying his goalkeeper, Postecoglou said: “I’m not very interested in that kind of thing, I’ve never done that. I’m not judging, but I don’t care. If other people think it’s I’m going to give them a credit or whatever, I’m not worried about that kind of thing. I’m just looking at the construction groups that win things.
Spurs will visit Chelsea on Thursday night looking for a win to close the gap to fourth-placed Aston Villa, who lately have a seven-point lead after betting two more games.
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Borussia Dortmund coach Edin Terzic says his side have a “good chance” to triumph in the Champions League final after their first-leg victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals.
Dortmund got a 1-0 win over PSG thanks to a goal from striker Niclas Fullkrug.
The breakthrough came in the 36th minute, when Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck delivered a long pass, expertly controlled by Fullkrug on his first touch before firing past PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
The win gives Dortmund some slight credit ahead of the second leg in Paris next Tuesday.
Speaking to DAZN, Terzic said: “It’s a well-deserved win, a smart performance from the team. We may have scored more goals, but they can score too. That’s why, from my point of view, the result is smart.
“We ran a lot, but that’s in a game like this. All we want now is a draw in the second leg, but we also want to win next week. We have a small advantage and a smart opportunity. “
Chelsea’s hopes of winning the Women’s Super League (WSL) name suffered a major blow with a dramatic 4-3 defeat to Liverpool, leaving Manchester City in the driver’s seat.
Emma Hayes’ side took the lead first with a header from Aggie Beever-Jones in the 9th minute, but Liverpool turned the tide with goals from Sophie Roman Haug and Gemma Bonner.
Despite Beever-Jones’ equaliser and an own goal from Teagan Micah, Bonner’s stoppage-time header secured Liverpool’s victory.
With just 3 games remaining, reigning WSL champions Chelsea are six points behind City, who have two games remaining.
CF Montreal midfielder and MLS star Mathieu Choinière has asked for an industry from his boyhood club, sources familiar with The Athletic said.
Choinière’s contract expires at the end of next season and he is in talks with the club for an extension. After months without a solution, negotiations died and Choinière asked for an exchange.
Several MLS clubs asked Montreal about Choinière’s availability before the first-move window ended. Sources claim there will most likely be a list of suitors to sign him this summer.
Choinière, 25, had a remarkable year in 2023 and has continued until this season. The flexible midfielder has started all nine of Montreal’s games this season under new head coach Laurent Courtois. He made 126 appearances for the club.
He has two caps for Canada’s national team and will play in the Copa America with his country this summer.
Benfica are keen to bring about a buyout to make Manchester United left-back Alvaro Fernandez’s loan spell permanent this summer.
Fernandez, 21, has made thirteen appearances for Benfica since joining United on loan in the January transfer window.
The Portuguese club are now set to activate an option from that deal to sign Fernandez permanently in a €6 million (£5. 1 million) deal plus an additional €3 million (£2. 6 million) in potential add-ons.
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Sir Jim Ratcliffe has ordered Manchester United’s non-football staff to return to their offices in Manchester and London, insisting the club will have to end its work-from-home culture.
The initiative was pushed through INEOS and presented to staff members at an assembly on Wednesday. The plans have already won the reluctance of members of United’s executive board, including interim chief executive Patrick Stewart, whose impending departure he announced Tuesday night.
Ratcliffe’s news won mixed reviews, some driven by INEOS’ preference to make a difference, while others will see their work-life balance disrupted by the diktat. Ratcliffe needs to align United with INEOS’ policy of getting workers back to their desks full-time.
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Real Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin will sign a new contract that will keep him at the club until 2028.
The Ukrainian’s current contract expires in 2025, but both sides are in the final stages of negotiations to renew his contract for 3 years.
Athletic reported in March that the club had already started talks with the player’s agent, Jorge Mendes, and that the aim was to close the deal as soon as possible.
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Andriy Lunin will sign a new contract with Real Madrid until 2028
Matty Cash says Aston Villa have flown under the radar as they look to end “a special season”.
Cash, who has made 46 appearances in all competitions this campaign, insisted Villa “deserve to be where they are”. Currently, Unai Emery’s side are three games away from winning the UEFA Conference League and are on course to qualify for the Champions League.
“We’re excited but pretty calm at the same time,” the 26-year-old said.
“We deserve to be where we are. You’re not here by chance, you’re here because you deserve it. The coach is a key detail so that it is not so easy with us.
“We’ve come through the games well and we’re in a wonderful position. We believe we can do it. If you finish in the top four and win a European competition, it will be a special season. There’s still work to be done. “
Cash believes Villa have been overlooked at times this season, and that they are progressing into the Premier League’s top six.
“I think a lot of people from the outside talk more about the most productive clubs than they do about the fact that Villa are fourth in the league. But that’s not what we’re aiming at, but I agree with what you’re saying. , there’s more information on the top six clubs, but we don’t mind going unnoticed and being the underdogs.
Villa will host Olympiacos on Thursday in the first leg of the UEFA Conference League semi-final.
Unai Emery has reiterated that the Premier League remains Aston Villa’s main striker in the first leg of the UEFA Conference League semi-final against Olympiacos on Thursday.
Villa have a chance to reach a first European final in more than three decades against Olympiacos and will be without Emiliano Martinez, who is ruled out through suspension.
The Argentine was injured in Villa’s 2-2 draw with Chelsea on Saturday and remains a doubt ahead of the upcoming league game against Brighton.
Emery, in his press conference against Olympiacos, insisted that the Premier League is “the most important thing”. Villa are in fourth place lately and are on course to secure qualification for the Champions League.
“No way,” the 52-year-old replied when asked if he prioritized one festival over the other.
“The World Cup groups are my point of view and my reference as a coach. The winners in England, Spain, France (Real Madrid, Barcelona, Liverpool, Manchester City) are my reference when I get ready to play in other competitions. .
“We’re very excited about the Conference League, we’re very motivated about the Premier League. This doesn’t replace my first message when we finished the season: the most important thing in 38 games is the Premier League, so we can go up to the FA Cup. , Carabao and then, as we are now, as Conference League hopefuls, the importance changes.
“The first objective is the Premier League, but we don’t reject the Premier League and we play in each and every competition. My concept is to continue our progression after the Conference League and the Premier League. “
While Martinez, Youri Tielemans (groin) and Alex Moreno (calf) are out, Emery hopes to have Nicolo Zaniolo available.
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Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Seamus Coleman and Beto have returned to the squad ahead of Sean Dyche’s Premier League visit Luton Town on Friday.
Calvert-Lewin missed the weekend’s win over Brentford, while Coleman has played since the six-goal loss to Chelsea last month, while Beto missed the last two wins.
“He’s been training on grass and we don’t expect any reaction. So it’s planned for Friday,” Dyche said Wednesday. The Everton manager also added that Coleman and Beto were in the running to return.
Young striker Lewis Dobbin returned from an ankle injury to play just under an hour for Everton’s under-21 squad in a 3-0 defeat to Derby on Monday. Dyche said the 21-year-old, who scored his first Premier League goal against Chelsea. , regaining his “true form” and was in the fight for several minutes before his injury.
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⬆️ Jackson, Disasi. . . and Madueke
?Fernandez, Sterling and Mudryk. . .
?Cucurella, W Fofana, Chilwell, Caicedo and Lavia. . .
Liam Twomey explains how Chelsea have fared after two seasons of mediocrity
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This summer, Manchester City are expected to rekindle their interest in Lucas Paqueta when his 85 million pound ($106. 8 million) release clause comes into effect in June.
Although the 26-year-old is still under investigation through the FA for alleged gambling violations, his departure is inevitable and how he does so will depend on whether or not he will be viewed favourably by his fans.
Roshane Thomas reports
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Most likely, Gabriel Jesus’ fitness and his struggles to complete it will leave him for Arsenal.
Ange Postecoglou insists Tottenham Hotspur are not struggling to protect set-pieces.
Spurs conceded two corner goals in their 3-2 defeat to Arsenal on Sunday, and four teams have allowed more set-pieces than their 14 in the Premier League this season.
Immediately after the north London derby, Postecoglou said: “If I had the idea of solving defensive set-pieces to close the gap, then I would put all my time and effort into it. “
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John Achterberg will leave Liverpool at the end of the season after 15 years of service.
Achterberg’s contract expires this summer and he intends to embark on a new challenge after the Jurgen Klopp era ends, meaning the goalkeeping manager will not be part of the team under new head coach Arne Slot.
He first joined the club’s academy in 2009 before being promoted to first-team goalkeeping coach via Kenny Dalglish in 2011. The 52-year-old Dutchman has been retained via Brendan Rodgers and Klopp.
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Liverpool goalkeeping manager John Achterberg will leave the club at the end of the season.
Sven-Goran Eriksson has praised the “incredible amount of money” raised by his appearance as Liverpool Legends fitness manager earlier this year.
In January, former England manager Eriksson said he had “about a year” to live after being diagnosed with cancer and claimed he “always wanted to be Liverpool manager”. of the control team for the Liverpool Legends match against the Ajax Legends in March.
A record £1. 2 million has been raised through the LFC Foundation for its charity paintings in the region.
“It’s an amazing day and I’ll never forget it,” Eriksson said. “Knowing that the opportunity raised so much cash for the LFC Foundation makes it even more special to me.
“This is an amount of money that has been raised for the LFC Foundation. “
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Wrexham Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney say they plan to expand the club’s racecourse to a capacity of around 50,000 people.
The racecourse currently has a capacity of 12,600 spectators, but will have a capacity of 16,000 once the structure of the world’s oldest football stadium is completed.
Wrexham have enjoyed unprecedented good fortune since McElhenney and Reynolds took over the club in February 2021, securing back-to-back promotions from the National League in the 2022-23 campaign and then to League 2 this season.
That the Welsh club will play next season in League One, the third tier of English football, for the first time in 19 years.
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Harry Kane says there is “no more game” than Bayern Munich’s Champions League semi-final second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu next week.
Bayern’s 2-2 draw against Real Madrid at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday night leaves their 16 players in a delicate balance ahead of the second leg.
Kane’s 57th-minute penalty – his goal in all competitions in his first season in Munich – gave Bayern the lead after Leroy Sané disallowed Vinicius Junior’s opener in the first half.
Vinicius scored his moment from the penalty spot to give the victory to the afternoon and level the tie.
Bayern failed to win the Bundesliga name for the first time in 12 years, but Kane, who has yet to win a trophy in his career, called the Champions League “the biggest ever”.
He said: “It’s been a smart season so far, but it all depends on the next game, next week’s big away game against Real Madrid.
“Everything we’re fighting for this year is in this competition, so we have to find a way to make it happen.
“I’ve been here for many years, it’s not a one-off year that I got here, but of course the expectation at the beginning of the year to win trophies. It didn’t go the way we wanted it in the Bundesliga and yet the Champions League is the most important of all.
“That’s precisely why I came, I need to play those big games, those big moments and no more than next week. “
Bayern will then face Stuttgart on Saturday before travelling to Spain for the match in Madrid on Wednesday.
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Tottenham Hotspur duo Timo Werner and Ben Davies will miss the remainder of the 2023-24 season due to injuries.
Both players suffered muscle injuries in Sunday’s Premier League defeat at home to Arsenal and are now very likely to remain sidelined for the rest of the campaign.
Werner, 28, suffered a hamstring injury and was replaced by Brennan Johnson in the 31st minute, while defender Davies, 31, was replaced with a calf injury in the 87th minute.
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Tottenham’s Timo Werner and Ben Davies will miss the rest of the season through injuries