Ange: New UCL format makes transfers harder

by | Dec 26, 2024 | Blog

Ange Postecoglou has suggested the extended format of European competitions will make signing players in the January transfer window more difficult.

Ange Postecoglou has suggested the extended format of European competitions will make signing players in the January transfer window more difficult. Ange Postecoglou has suggested the extended format of European competitions will make signing players in the January transfer window more difficult.

Ange Postecoglou has suggested the extended format of European competitions will make signing players in the January transfer window more difficult.

The Spurs boss is keen on bolstering his options after bemoaning the absence of ten first-team players, forcing him to field back-up goalkeeper Fraser Forster, out-of-favour defender Djed Spence and right-back Archie Gray as a makeshift centre-back in Sunday’s 6-3 home defeat to Liverpool.

Spurs are looking to sign at least one defender next month and Postecoglou has previously confirmed their longer-term aim of bolstering their attacking options. Sources have distanced Spurs with a reported move for Atalanta defender Ben Godfrey.

Postecoglou said he believes their immediate aims could be complicated by the existence of two more matchdays in UEFA competitions beyond Christmas for the first time.

The Champions League group stage — increased from six games to eight — now finishes on Jan. 29 with the Europa League concluding a day later. The next transfer window closes on Feb. 3.

Asked whether the right players would be available to improve the Tottenham team or just improve the squad, Postecoglou replied: “That’s two different questions. Improve the team? Maybe a bit challenging.

“But improve the depth of our squad? I think there are always possibilities out there. It is a bit more challenging this January because of the way European football is set-up. Sometimes in January, you find maybe a couple of clubs out of Champions League contention who are thinking: ‘Well, we’re not in the Champions League so maybe release a couple from our roster.’

“That doesn’t exist now because all European competitions are still in the balance. That probably adds another layer of difficulty to it but we’ll endeavour because I think there’s definitely a need for us to reinforce. We’ll just see how successful we are in that.”

Destiny Udogie is set to return for Spurs’ Boxing Day clash at Nottingham Forest after missing the last two matches with fatigue while Rodrigo Bentancur is available again following suspension.

Ben Davies (hamstring) resumed training on Christmas Eve and will be assessed ahead of the Forest game.

www.espn.com – SOCCER

Pep: Man City could miss out on CL qualification

by | Dec 26, 2024 | Blog

Pep: Man City could miss out on CL qualification

Manchester City are at risk of missing out on next season’s Champions League due to their recent dip in form, manager Pep Guardiola said.

Manchester City are at risk of missing out on next season’s Champions League due to their recent dip in form, manager Pep Guardiola said. Manchester City are at risk of missing out on next season’s Champions League due to their recent dip in form, manager Pep Guardiola said.

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Guardiola: We need to use Haaland better at Man City (2:27)Pep Guardiola defends Erling Haaland’s recent form and looks ahead to Manchester City’s Boxing Day fixture vs. Everton. (2:27)

Dec 26, 2024, 03:10 AM ET

Manchester City are at risk of missing out on next season’s Champions League due to their recent dip in form, manager Pep Guardiola said.

City, who are looking to qualify for Europe’s top club competition for a 15th straight season, have won just one of their last eight Premier League games and are seventh, 12 points behind leaders Liverpool.

Guardiola’s side are four points behind Nottingham Forest, who occupy the fourth and final Champions League qualification berth.

“When I said before, people laughed. They said, ‘qualifying for the Champions League is not a big success’. But I know it because it happens with clubs in this country,” Guardiola told reporters ahead of their home match against Everton.

“They were dominant for many years and after they were many years not qualifying for the Champions League. The one team that has been in the Champions League for the past years has been Manchester City. Now we are at risk, of course we are.”

After hosting Everton later on Thursday City travel to face Leicester City on Dec. 29.

www.espn.com – SOCCER

Manchester City are at risk of missing out on next season’s Champions League due to their recent dip in form, manager Pep Guardiola said.

Pep: Man City could miss out on CL qualification

by | Dec 26, 2024 | Blog

Pep: Man City could miss out on CL qualification

Manchester City are at risk of missing out on next season’s Champions League due to their recent dip in form, manager Pep Guardiola said.

play

Guardiola: We need to use Haaland better at Man City (2:27)Pep Guardiola defends Erling Haaland’s recent form and looks ahead to Manchester City’s Boxing Day fixture vs. Everton. (2:27)

Dec 26, 2024, 03:10 AM ET

Manchester City are at risk of missing out on next season’s Champions League due to their recent dip in form, manager Pep Guardiola said.

Guardiola’s side are four points behind Nottingham Forest, who occupy the fourth and final Champions League qualification berth.

After hosting Everton later on Thursday City travel to face Leicester City on Dec. 29.

www.espn.com – SOCCER

Manchester City are at risk of missing out on next season’s Champions League due to their recent dip in form, manager Pep Guardiola said.

Rashford exiled at Utd over standards – Amorim

by | Dec 26, 2024 | Blog

Rashford exiled at Utd over standards – Amorim

Ruben Amorim has warned Marcus Rashford that he will remain exiled until he begins to meet the standards expected of a Manchester United player.

Ruben Amorim has warned Marcus Rashford that he will remain exiled until he begins to meet the standards expected of a Manchester United player. Ruben Amorim has warned Marcus Rashford that he will remain exiled until he begins to meet the standards expected of a Manchester United player.

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Laurens: Amorim’s start at Man United isn’t good enough (1:26)Gab & Juls react to Man United’s loss to Bournemouth and their run of form so far under Ruben Amorim. (1:26)

Ruben Amorim has warned Marcus Rashford that he will remain exiled until he begins to meet the standards expected of a Manchester United player.

Rashford has been dropped from the squad for the last three games against Manchester City, Tottenham and Bournemouth.

Amorim has suggested his omission is down to performances in training rather than the interview in which Rashford said he wants to leave the club, and the United head coach said he’s happy to leave the 27-year-old on the sidelines until the issue is rectified.

“When I feel that it is the right moment I will change something until then I will continue to think about what is the best for the team,” Amorim said when asked about Rashford’s situation.

“I speak with him every day, not about the interview but about the performance.

“It’s my decision. He wants to play. He is trying. It’s my decision, only my decision. I’m trying to do things my way. And it’s the only way I know if I don’t do that I will lose myself and I will not lose myself. I know what I’m doing.”

After back-to-back defeats to Tottenham and Bournemouth, United face Wolves on Boxing Day.

Asked what Rashford needs to do before being considered for a return at Molineux, Amorim said: “Be the best that he can be.

“If you have big talents, big performance, big responsibility, big engagement, push forward everybody in this moment. And some guys have a big responsibility here because they are here for a long time. So this is maybe one of the lowest moments in our club. So we have to face it and be strong in this moment. That’s what I want for every player on the team.”

Amorim’s news conferences have been dominated by questions about Rashford since he was axed from the squad for the Manchester derby.

But he insists the England forward is not becoming a distraction, particularly because players and staff “understand” his stance.

“It’s not [a distraction] for me,” said Amorim.

‘Not for the other players because everybody is there every day during training, they understand. That is the key point. For the media and for the other people I cannot control that.

“But I’m really focused and they know, I’m so clear in my message, everybody in Carrington knows what I’m talking about and what I want from Marcus and everybody else. So it’s not a distraction for us, maybe it’s for the media but that is not my concern.”

www.espn.com – SOCCER

Ruben Amorim has warned Marcus Rashford that he will remain exiled until he begins to meet the standards expected of a Manchester United player.