All posts by h716a5.icu

Chelsea have made an excellent start to life under new boss Enzo Maresca, losing just two of their opening nine Premier League games so far this season.

The only defeats came against title contenders Manchester City and Liverpool, winning five of the remaining seven outings, which included a 6-2 rout of Wolves, where winger Noni Madueke grabbed a hat-trick.

The Blues have enjoyed success in Europe, winning both of the two Europa Conference League outings, currently sitting top of the table in the new-looking league phase.

Maresca has certainly made an immediate mark on the playing squad, with their free-flowing attacking output demonstrated by their tally of 19 goals in the league only bettered by defending champions Manchester City.

Undoubtedly, one player is to thank for their success in attacking areas, catching the eye once more as he so often managed during the previous campaign.

Cole Palmer’s time at Chelsea

Winger Cole Palmer has succeeded beyond all expectations during his first year at Stamford Bridge, often the most reliable source of tangible rewards in the final third.

The 22-year-old immediately became a key first-team member after his £40m transfer from Pep Guardiola’s side at the end of the summer window in 2023 – posting some phenomenal attacking numbers.

He registered a total of 40 combined goals and assists in all competitions, helping the Blues reach the Carabao Cup final before tasting defeat to Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool at Wembley.

As a result, the attacker registered the highest tally of goal contributions in England’s top flight, further highlighting his excellent form since his big-money transfer.

Palmer has continued his stellar form into 2024/25, registering five goals and seven assists in his first nine league matches – with four of his goals coming in the first half during the victory over Brighton and Hove Albion.

He’s subsequently already won one Player of the Month award, which could be the first of many should he keep up his excellent start to the new season.

The England international could be bolstered in his attempts in the attacking third should the club complete a deal for a player they’re said to monitoring ahead of the January transfer window.

Chelsea monitoring move for £110m star

According to CaughtOffside, Chelsea are keeping a close eye on Bayern Munich talent Jamal Musiala over a potential return to Stamford Bridge.

The “world-class” German international, as dubbed by former boss Julian Nagelsmann, came through the Cobham academy, before leaving at the age of 16 to join the German giants.

However, with his contract set to expire in the summer of 2026, the Blues, along with Manchester United, Liverpool and Real Madrid are monitoring his current situation ahead of a potential cut-price deal should he fail to agree a new deal.

Musiala, who’s valued at £110m as per Transfermarkt, has already registered seven goals and three assists in all competitions for Vincent Kompany’s side, demonstrating his excellent form in front of goal.

2019/20

1

0

0

2020/21

37

7

1

2021/22

40

8

6

2022/23

47

16

16

2023/24

38

12

8

2024/25

11

7

4

Total:

174

50

35

Such a record could fall perfectly into the hands of Palmer, with his creativity in attacking areas potentially aiding the German should he ever complete a move to West London.

As demonstrated against Newcastle, the England international has the ability to pick out a pass that not many people can see, with Musiala able to thrive on such service.

Undoubtedly, Bayern won’t want to lose their talented 21-year-old and will have to kick-start contract talks to fend off any potential move away from the Allianz Arena.

As for Chelsea, any transfer could potentially trump the £115m fee paid for Moises Caicedo, but it would certainly be worth every penny with the attacking midfielder having the ability to make an immediate impact whilst potentially developing even further in the years ahead.

Chelsea have wasted £81m on flop who was earning more than Palmer & Jackson

Chelsea wasted millions on one costly Boehly signing

ByConnor Holden Nov 1, 2024

The allrounder could play his first game for the club on Friday

Tristan Lavalette08-Dec-2021Melbourne Stars have continued to shore up their injury-plagued roster with West Indies allrounder Andre Russell the latest big-name signing.On the back of the Stars adding Pakistani quick Haris Rauf, 33-year-old Russell returns to the BBL for the first time since 2017 when he played the last of three seasons with Sydney Thunder.During that period, he scored 296 runs from 17 innings marked by a massive strike rate of 166.29, while he took 23 wickets at an economy of 7.97.Coincidentally, Russell’s five-match stint with Stars is set to begin against Thunder at the MCG on Friday. He is currently completing his mandatory 72 hours quarantine after flying into Sydney having played in the Abu Dhabi T10 competition.”To have someone of Andre’s quality play for the Melbourne Stars is a huge signing for our club,” Stars coach David Hussey said. “I can’t wait to work with him in the time that he’s here and look forward to his debut on Friday night.”Russell’s match-winning ability, which has made him a coveted T20 player worldwide for years, was evident when he smashed an unbeaten 90 from just 32 balls to power Deccan Gladiators to the title in Abu Dhabi.However, he had little impact with bat and ball at the T20 World Cup as defending champions West Indies exited with just one win. Russell scored just 25 runs from five innings and claimed three wickets in his return from a hamstring injury sustained in the second leg of the IPL.If Russell can recapture his best, it might help resuscitate Stars who are already under pressure after a record 152-run opening loss against two-time defending champion Sydney Sixers at the SCG.Stars were without Marcus Stoinis, Nathan Coulter-Nile and Joe Burns while towering quick Billy Stanlake is set to miss the entire season due to a back injury.The high-profile Stars surprisingly missed the playoffs last season and have yet to win a BBL title.

The Englishman and the former City academy graduate grabbed late goals to produce yet another remarkable European turnaround

A late winner from Jude Bellingham concluded a hectic game that also saw Kylian Mbappe and Brahim Diaz find the net as Real Madrid came from behind twice to beat Manchester City 3-2 in the first leg of their Champions League play-off tie. The England midfielder found the net in the 93rd minute to complete an unlikely – but ever so predictable – comeback.

Los Blancos should have taken the lead inside 10 minutes when Mbappe found Ferland Mendy in front of goal, but the left-back squandered his shot from close range. He was made to pay soon after, too, as Erling Haaland swept a Josko Gvardiol lay-off into the far corner to give City a 1-0 lead. Mbappe had a good chance of his own on the stroke of half-time, but swept his shot over the bar despite being in acres of space in the box.

Bellingham had a good chance early in the second half, heading wide after some individual inspiration from Vinicius Jr, before Mbappe found the equaliser, as he scuffed a volley into the far corner from a Dani Ceballos cross. Bellingham should have made it 2-1 soon after, only to be denied by a save from Ederson.

They were made to pay after 80 minutes, when Ceballos clipped Phil Foden in the box, and Haaland made no mistake from the penalty spot. There was another twist, though, as Brahim steered home a late equaliser after an Ederson blunder before Bellingham latched onto Vinicius' weak effort to score the winner in stoppage time.

GOAL rates Real Madrid's players from the Etihad…

Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defence

Thibaut Courtois (6/10):

Made a few good saves. Couldn't do anything about either goal.

Federico Valverde (7/10):

Put in a shift defensively and was active going forward, too.

Aurelien Tchouameni (5/10):

Turned in a rather mixed performance at the back. Nowhere for City's opener.

Raul Asencio (6/10):

Covered space well at times, but doesn't have the best relationship with Mendy in the channel.

Ferland Mendy (7/10):

Squandered a good chance early on, but handled himself well defensively.

AdvertisementAFPMidfield

Dani Ceballos (5/10):

Assisted Mbappe's equaliser, but then gave away a penalty with a silly challenge.

Eduardo Camavinga (7/10):

Full of energy and industry in midfield in his return from injury. Class.

Jude Bellingham (8/10):

Defensive work rate couldn't be faulted, and he was good on the ball at times. Didn't offer much at all going forward. That is, until he buried the late winner.

Getty Images SportAttack

Rodrygo (5/10):

Lost his composure in the final third at times, and didn't create much. A really poor showing after an excellent run of form.

Vinicius Jr (7/10):

Really mixed. Nowhere in the first half but immense in the second. Technically assisted the winner.

Kylian Mbappe (8/10):

Got an earful off his manager repeatedly for not tracking back. Bagged the equaliser – even if he entirely mishit his volley. Involved in the other two, too.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

AFPSubs & Manager

Luka Modric (N/A):

No time to make an impact.

Brahim Diaz (7/10):

Came off the bench to grab an equaliser – somehow.

Fran Garcia (N/A):

Late legs and not much else.

Carlo Ancelotti (8/10):

Injury ravaged at the back, which had knock-on effects everywhere. Madrid were woeful at times, excellent at others, and deadly when it mattered. The Champions League voodoo lives on…

With the three-match series in the bag, Pakistan are likely to continue tinkering with their starting XI for Monday’s fixture in Dhaka

Danyal Rasool21-Nov-2021Big picturePakistan aren’t renowned for learning from their mistakes quickly, but over the weekend, this side righted one wrong from six years ago. In 2015, days after the World Cup ended, Pakistan went to Bangladesh for a three-match ODI series and a solitary T20I. Undercooked, perhaps even unmotivated, they found themselves flayed by the home side, who ultimately sent Saeed Ajmal into international retirement. In 2021, with Pakistan having to turn up in Bangladesh again to play a limited-overs series just five days after another World Cup concluded, they have shown none of the hangovers from 2015, taking the most efficient path to a series win.That renders the third game a dead rubber in what is already a relatively low-profile series, but Pakistan’s rise in the format has meant a fair bit of jostling for places in the starting XI. With Mohammad Hafeez returning to the fray and a slew of fast bowlers and power hitters waiting in the wings, any opportunity for this side is an opportunity to impress given the next T20 World Cup is less than a year away. That means every match, even dead rubbers, remain important as teams continue to work their combinations out, though it’s probably worth noting conditions in Bangladesh might as well be on a different planet to what Australia will have in store.Related

Taskin Ahmed lifts Bangladesh amid gloom

Mushfiqur summoned to BCB meeting over 'recent interviews'

The home side are in freefall and it might have some way to run yet. Series wins against Australia and New Zealand before the T20 World Cup turned out to be completely irrelevant when it came to performances at the tournament, with Bangladesh failing to win a single Super 12s game, while the two sides they vanquished on home soil competed in the final. Returning to familiar comforts against Pakistan, too, hasn’t given them any respite, and two fairly indifferent performances, despite the return of a raucous crowd, see them playing for pride on Monday.There’s a whiff of the unsettled behind-the-scenes as well. The board came in for criticism after Bangladesh’s shoddy showing at the T20 World Cup, and when senior player Mushfiqur Rahim was rested – ostensibly injured – for this series, he came out and stated, unequivocally, that he was fit to play. The absence of Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal for different reasons has exposed Bangladesh’s lack of depth, and in these circumstances, playing a resurgent Pakistan simply comes at a bad time for them.Form guideBangladesh: LLLLL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Pakistan: WWLWW
In the spotlightIf Bangladesh were hoping to unearth someone new in Tamim and Soumya Sarkar’s absence, the openers in this series have only illustrated how heavily Bangladesh rely on those senior players. Both games have seen the hosts on the back foot from the outset, Mohammad Naim and Saif Hassan struggling to take advantage of the field restrictions. Across the two games, the openers have scored a combined four runs in 20 deliveries, allowing Pakistan to take high-impact top order wickets cheaply while using up precious powerplay time in the process. It isn’t as if they’re batting when they would rather not, given Bangladesh won both tosses and chose to put runs on the board. They cannot afford to let Pakistan’s new-ball bowlers run roughshod over them for a third successive game.In a crowded field of Pakistan fast bowlers, Mohammad Wasim has found a way to shine. Having warmed the bench for the entirety of the T20 World Cup, Wasim was brought in for Bangladesh, arguably the most challenging place for an express pace bowler to make their mark. He has been Pakistan’s best bowler in the series so far, following up figures of 2 for 24 in the first game with 3-0-9-1 to hamstring Bangladesh’s innings on Saturday. With competition for places hotting up ahead of a home series against West Indies and a visit from Australia looming early next year, a player like Wasim, who generally finds himself on the fringes, needs to take every opportunity to shine, dead rubber or otherwise.Mushfiqur Rahim’s absence has led to some off-field drama in the Bangladesh camp•Getty ImagesTeam newsBangladesh announced late on Saturday that pace bowler Kamrul Islam Rabbi and batter Parvez Hossain Emon were added to their squad for the third game. Both players are yet to make their T20I debuts.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Mohammad Naim, 2 Saif Hassan, 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto, 4 Yasir Ali, 5 Mahmudullah (capt), 6 Afif Hossain, 7 Nurul Hasan (wk), 8 Mahedi Hasan, 9 Aminul Islam/Kamrul Islam Rabbi, 10 Mustafizur Rahman, 11 Taskin AhmedPakistan have tinkered with their line-up in the first two games, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see that continue. Hasan Ali and Shaheen Afridi each got a rest, so Haris Rauf could be in line for the same in the final game. Shoaib Malik will miss the game due to the illness of his child and will depart for Dubai before the match.Pakistan (probable): 1 Babar Azam (capt), 2 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 3 Fakhar Zaman, 4 Haider Ali, 5 Khushdil Shah, 6 Shadab Khan, 7 Mohammad Nawaz, 8 Hasan Ali, 9 Mohammad Wasim, 10 Haris Rauf, 11 Shaheen AfridiPitch and conditionsThe pitches in Dhaka were what we’ve come to expect from Bangladesh, and the two-paced nature and lack of bounce kept scores low in the first two games. The weather should not play spoilsport.Stats and trivia Bangladesh last lost a home T20I series in December 2018, when West Indies beat them 2-1. They won the last three home bilateral series before the ongoing one Shoaib Malik is 77 runs away from becoming the third Pakistan batter inside a month to reach 2500 T20I runs. Mohammad Hafeez and Babar Azam got to the landmark at the T20 World Cup in the UAE

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have been warned of the “Achilles heel” that is threatening to dash Wrexham’s dreams of landing a historic promotion.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Hollywood co-owners in North Wales have overseen meteoric riseRed Dragons are now flying high in League OneCan become first EFL side to win three successive promotionsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Red Dragons have enjoyed a meteoric rise since welcoming Hollywood co-owners to North Wales in 2021. The National League title was claimed in record-breaking style, before bouncing straight through the fourth tier of English football.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Phil Parkinson’s side continue to ride high in League One, but are four points adrift of the top two. Much of their success this term is down to an incredible home record that has seen just nine points dropped across 16 outings at SToK Racecourse.

DID YOU KNOW?

That is the best home record in the division, but issues have been endured on the road. Wrexham sit 13th in the away form standings, claiming only four wins from 13 games, and have suffered defeats at Barnsley and Shrewsbury since the turn of the year.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

GettyWHAT EFL PUNDIT SAID

EFL pundit Don Goodman has told of why travel sickness could undo much of the Red Dragons’ fine work: “Wrexham are definitely in the race for promotion. Wycombe have to play eight games against teams from the top nine, which won't be easy. To add a bit more context, they haven't lost a single game against anybody from the bottom half this season but have only managed to beat five teams from the top half.

“It's all to play for. But Wrexham's Achilles heel is their away form against top-half teams, having not won any of their seven matches on the road against those sides.”

Liverpool travel to the Emirates this evening to face Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, hoping to win their eighth Premier League game in nine matches so far this season.

The Reds have only lost once since Arne Slot’s appointment, after Nottingham Forest managed to secure a 1-0 win at Anfield back in September, with Callum Hudson-Odoi scoring the winner.

The Merseyside outfit come into the meeting in North London full of confidence after defeating Bundesliga side RB Leipzig in the Champions League in midweek, making it three wins in as many games in Europe this season.

However, there’s little doubting that today’s outing is by far the biggest one of the season, with Slot’s side needing three points if they are to keep up their excellent start and push for the title in his debut year at the helm.

If his side are to beat the Gunners once more, one player may need to be dropped after his disappointing performance in midweek.

Why Szoboszlai could be dropped against Arsenal

Midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai has been a brilliant addition for Liverpool after joining in a £60m deal last summer under former boss Jurgen Klopp.

The Hungarian international has so far made 56 appearances for the club since his big-money transfer, but it’s safe to say he’s been less impressive since the Dutchman’s arrival.

He was hugely disappointing in the victory over his former side Leipzig on Wednesday night, constantly giving the ball away and looking wasteful in possession.

Szoboszlai lost the ball 13 times in the Champions League, only winning three duels in the process and failing to match the standards produced by teammates Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch.

He somehow featured for the entirety of the game and was lucky not to be replaced in what was a hard-fought 1-0 win in their European adventure.

However, given his recent display, Slot could decide to recall one player who thrived at Anfield in the last Premier League outing, more than deserving of another start in midfield.

The man who could replace Szoboszlai against Arsenal

Midfielder Curtis Jones enjoyed an excellent performance against Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea side at Anfield last weekend, taking his opportunity under Slot with both hands.

The homegrown talent scored the winning goal at the Kop end after Nicolas Jackson had equalised just minutes earlier, but it was his all-round display that caught the eye.

Jones won six duels as he produced a workmanlike style display and won three tackles as he had a positive impact at both ends of the pitch for the Reds.

Minutes played

81

Touches

56

Pass accuracy

37/41 (90%)

Shots taken

2

Goals scored

1

Duels won

6

Tackles won

3

The “outstanding” talent, as described by former teammate Jordan Henderson, was unlucky to miss out against Leipzig in midweek, but could be handed another start after Szoboszlai’s recent outing.

Jones – who coincidentally has been linked with Arsenal in the past – has demonstrated that he’s more than capable of starring in big matches as seen last weekend, potentially offering that bite that Slot’s men will need during what is likely to be a cagey affair.

The game is huge for the Reds’ title credentials, proving to be an indication of how well they’ve progressed under the Dutchman’s watchful eye since his appointment.

However, if there’s anything that Slot can do to give his side the best chance of claiming all three points, he must hand a recall to Jones.

Sold for £19m: Liverpool flop is now worth 242% more & outperforming Nunez

Liverpool’s £19m sale is now outperforming Nunez & worth 242% more.

ByAngus Sinclair Oct 26, 2024

Sky Sports journalist Alan Myers has dropped a key update regarding Everton’s business in the January transfer window, with supporters likely to be excited.

Everton badly in need of new signings

The Blues’ Premier League season continues to be underwhelming, even though results for Sean Dyche’s side have picked up a little after a dreadful start to the campaign. On Saturday afternoon, Everton played out a turgid 0-0 draw away to West Ham, with those tuning in of the opinion that it was one of the dullest games of the season so far. While a point away from home is never bad, it was further proof of the Merseysiders’ lack of quality, and why new signings are needed in January.

Plenty of players are being linked with a move to Goodison Park, with Fenerbahce and Nigeria right-sided ace Bright Osayi-Samuel one figure who has been backed to head to Merseyside. Primarily a right-back, he has completed 89.7% of his passes in the Turkish Super Lig this season.

Another potential right-back addition for Everton is Brighton ace Tariq Lamptey, who has struggled for regular Premier League action this season, appearing for just 10 minutes in the competition. A January transfer could be on the cards, with a move elsewhere possibly suiting all parties. Now, a positive update has dropped regarding how busy the Blues’ next transfer window will be.

Journalist drops exciting Everton transfer update

Responding to a message on X, Myers dropped a positive 10-word update on Everton’s January business, hinting that he is expecting a busy month with at least a couple of signings made: “Too early to say, at least two I would say.”

This will be music to the ears of many Blues fans, at a time when added quality is needed throughout the squad, particular in the attacking third of the pitch. Dyche’s side have only scored 10 goals in their first 11 league games of the season, highlighting their lack of firepower, so the hope is that they focus on providing more creativity and goals. Alan Shearer summed up the lack of entertainment value on show in Everton’s stalemate against West Ham over the weekend.

“Dreadful. Even the cameras were panning in on people in the stadium yawning, bored, just like I was. It was the worst game of football I’ve seen in a long time. And the standard from both teams was terrible.”

While Everton are still 16th in the table, and not in severe danger of being relegated this season, the club needs to reach a stage where the threat of heading to the Championship isn’t even a thing, with loftier ambitions on the horizon instead.

Fewer touches than Pickford: Dyche must now finally ditch Everton star

The Everton man struggled against West Ham

1 ByJoe Nuttall Nov 9, 2024

For that to happen, Dyche needs to be backed by The Friedkin Group, though, who must give him the funds to strengthen his squad, both in January and at the end of the season, ahead of the move to Bramley Moore Dock.

Three-fors from Qais Ahmed and Brody Couch seal comfortable victory for Melbourne Stars

Tristan Lavalette27-Dec-2021A record partnership between Joe Clarke and Hilton Cartwright plundered Brisbane Heat as Melbourne Stars bounced back to form with a crucial 20-run victory at the Gabba.The red-hot batters combined for a fourth-wicket partnership of 151 runs off just 82 balls in 13 overs of carnage. Clarke (85 off 44) and Cartwright (79 off 44) inflicted particular misery on Heat quick Liam Guthrie, who conceded the most runs in BBL history to finish with figures of 2 for 70 off four overs.Chasing a massive 208, Chris Lynn (57 off 34) and Ben Duckett (54 off 35) produced similar fireworks but for not nearly long enough as Heat fell short.Stars (3-3) arrested a two-game losing streak while Heat (2-4) slipped down the ladder.Cartwright and Clarke devastate HeatFew could have envisioned Stars smashing their third highest BBL score after they slumped to 3 for 16 in the third over, including the key wickets of Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell.The team was in danger of being bundled out but English import Clarke was not perturbed by the predicament and effectively counterattacked.He was soon matched by Cartwright as they smashed their way out of trouble and never let up in a purple patch that yielded as many as 13 sixes. Perhaps the most impressive of them was Clarke’s astonishing ramp off James Bazley in the 12th over as the duo traded blows.They hit almost every shot imaginable to crush Heat’s spirit and at one point were eying the BBL record total of 5 for 232 set by Sydney Thunder last season. But the pyrotechnics finally ended when Cartwright holed out in the 15th over and then Andre Russell fell for a second ball duck in his final game of the season. Stars’ total still proved more than enough although a hamstring injury to Clarke, who did not take his place behind the stumps during Heat’s innings, will be cause for concern.Guthrie creates unwanted recordHeat have long been known as a hot and cold team. A new leadership duo of captain Jimmy Peirson and coach Wade Seccombe was hoped to bring composure to the side but it’s clearly still a work in progress.After such a bright start, Heat crumbled under the onslaught from Clarke and Cartwright, particularly a completely rattled Guthrie, who bowled six wides and a no ball. The former Scorchers bowler was struggling to land them properly in tough viewing and he seemingly received little encouragement from his team-mates.Guthrie cut a lonely figure but ended his infamous spell on a rare high when a low full toss was mis-hit by Cartwright allowing Heat to at least finish well.But the damage had been done.Lynn and Duckett provide brief hopeHeat had to swing lustily but they lost Max Bryant and Tom Cooper in Brody Couch’s opening over of the innings. All eyes were then on Lynn, who has failed to get going this season, but he was merely a spectator watching the remarkable strokeplay from Duckett.The left-hander outdid himself in the fifth over against Qais Ahmad with a switch-hit flayed over extra cover and into the crowd. Australia great Adam Gilchrist – no stranger to hitting jaw-dropping shots in his career – labelled it one of the best shots he had ever seen on the broadcast.Lynn, uncharacteristically, played a support role though he put the foot down with a huge six in the seventh over against Couch. The pair needed to somewhat replicate the earlier fireworks of Clarke and Cartwright but Duckett fell in the power surge shortly after registering his half-century with a six.The burden was on Lynn who immediately responded with consecutive sixes to keep Heat at the required run-rate. But he fell in the 13th over to a well-judged catch by an ice-cool Russell to deflate Heat’s chase.Stars impress under pressureMuch like Heat earlier, Stars were similarly under pressure at various points with Duckett’s switch-hitting prowess negating spinners Qais and Adam Zampa. They also had to contend with Lynn who was in vintage touch to ignite the home fans.But unlike Heat, Stars didn’t lose their nerve with experienced duo Russell and Nathan Coulter-Nile bowling calmly across the eighth and ninth overs to halt Heat’s surge. Coulter-Nile then grabbed the key wicket of Duckett before Qais ran through Heat’s middle-order.Maxwell marshalled his troops with aplomb in a well-rounded victory that might prove a springboard for the erratic Stars.

Ruben Amorim appears positive that Manchester United are making progress, despite admitting there is still a very long way to go.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Amorim reveals Man Utd optimismPraises growing connections in trainingAdmits problems also still persistFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Amorim spoke about the good and the bad he sees before him, particularly highlighting positives in training, as he addressed the media at a press conference ahead of facing Everton in the Premier League in Saturday's early kick-off. The Portuguese admitted there are times when he "doesn't feel" improvement, but others when it is clear just how "capable" this Mancester United team are.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWHAT RUBEN AMORIM SAID

"What I feel is that sometimes I don't feel improvement in the team and then we have some games when it is more difficult, but you feel that we can play, we can create situations," Amorim told reporters.

"That is a good thing. But I think in this moment, when you watch the games, you can see there are more problems than solutions. I think that is clear, but I think, when we play some games, that things are there and we are capable. But we have to be consistent and that’s it.

"It's more important in training, and what I am seeing in training is that they are improving and creating relationships. We are bonding and understanding the way we want to play. Even the sound of the training is different – when we are making an exercise, you feel the sound. People are talking, asking for the ball and giving directions. You can feel it in the environment, we are changing. It's important to use that in the game."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Amorim has lost as many games (9) as he has won from 21 in charge since arriving in November. It's also just four Premier League victories in 14 during that time, with the squad struggling to get to grips with a very specific set of tactics he has tried to implement. Training has previously been an issue, with Marcus Rashford dropped and ultimately leaving the club over an apparent lack of application behind the scenes, and all sorts of long-standing accusations about a broken culture within a squad low on confidence that bleeds onto the pitch on matchdays. He has occasionally resorted to a shock factor approach to get his message across, which hasn't always gone down well with staff.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

AFPWHAT NEXT?

Unfortunately for Amorim, while it is clear that Manchester United is a rebuilding project and he cannot be fairly judged until he’s had a pre-season and summer transfer window, pressure on immediate results remains. The Red Devils have slipped to 15th place in the Premier League and are staring down the barrel of a worst league finish since relegation in 1974 unless there is a drastic and consistent upturn in performances.

The father of Wrexham striker Ollie Palmer has taken aim at the January transfer business sanctioned by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Red Dragons broke records in winter windowSmith & Rodriguez have one goal between themParkinson urged to tinker in promotion pushFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Red Dragons broke more records during the winter window, with Sam Smith acquired from Reading in a £2 million deal. Phil Parkinson added even more firepower to his ranks in the form of one-cap England international striker Jay Rodriguez, who arrived from Burnley.

AdvertisementGetty/GOALTHE BIGGER PICTURE

New recruits have been thrust straight into the starting XI, but have managed only one goal between them – with Smith finding the target in a 2-0 victory over Northampton. Rodriguez is yet to open his account, but is keeping the likes of Palmer, Paul Mullin and Jack Marriott out of Parkinson’s side.

WHAT OLLIE PALMER'S FATHER SAID

Both Smith and Rodriguez were replaced in the 78th minute of Wrexham’s 0-0 draw with Bolton, having drawn a blank, and Palmer’s father Andy responded to the social media post announcing those changes by saying “they were a good buy”, alongside several thinking face emojis.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

GettyDID YOU KNOW?

Palmer senior went on to say after seeing Wrexham miss the chance to draw level on points with second-placed Wycombe in the League One table: "PP (Phil Parkinson) and SP (Steve Parkin) need to swallow their pride. Need to look at the team they had before Christmas!! That team got them to where they are now… just saying. Maybe a Smith and Palmer upfront."