Move over Saka: Arsenal’s 9/10 star was "insane" vs Sporting

Crisis, what crisis? Arsenal backed up their impressive performance against Nottingham Forest on Saturday with a stunning victory away to Sporting CP in the Champions League last night.

The North Londoners found themselves 3-0 in the first half, and despite a slightly sticky patch early in the second, eventually ran out 5-1 winners.

Unsurprisingly, poster boy Bukayo Saka was at his exceptional best, but there was another starter who was just as good.

Saka's performance in numbers

It’s become relatively simple in recent seasons: when Saka plays well, Arsenal play well, and that was certainly the case last night.

The Hale Ender was a constant threat off the right, providing a perfectly placed pass for Kai Havertz to double the team’s lead in the 22nd minute and putting away his penalty in the 65th to quell any concerns of a Sporting comeback.

It was a sublime display and one that impressed the Standard’s Simon Collings, who awarded him a 9/10 at full time and described him as ‘dangerous all night.’

Minutes

92

Goal

1

Expected Goals

0.91

Assists

1

Expected Assists

0.77

Shots on Target

2

Shots Blocked

1

Touches

65

Key Passes

1

Long Balls (Accurate)

2 (2)

Big Chances Created

1

Fouls Won

2

Tackles

2

It might sound hyperbolic, but it’s not, as, in 92 minutes of action, the 23-year-old dynamo scored, provided an assist, took two shots on target, produced 0.77 expected assists, took 65 touches, was accurate in 100% of his long balls, won two fouls and made two tackles.

Overall, Saka’s performance was sensational, but he wasn’t the only player who looked unreal on the right-hand side.

Performance in Numbers

Want data and stats? Football FanCast's Performance in Numbers series provides you with the latest match analysis from across Europe.

The Arsenal star who was as good as Saka

So, the good news for Arsenal is that there were several players who could claim to have been as good as Saka last night, but the one we are talking about is Jurrien Timber.

The Dutchman started at right-back for the second game in a row due to Ben White’s absence, and he was utterly superb.

The former Ajax star was more than capable in defence, playing a pivotal role in helping William Saliba deal with the incredibly dangerous Viktor Gyokeres, but he was also an incredibly useful attacking outlet.

Unsurprisingly, the talented international left quite an impression on the watching press, with The Athletic’s Aaron Catterson-Reid describing his display as “insane,” and Collings awarding him a 9/10 on the night.

Like the Gunners’ number seven, the Utrecht-born star’s statistics from the match were seriously impressive and backed up all the praise he’s received since.

Minutes

92

Expected Assists

0.50

Duels (Won)

6 (4)

Touches

84

Passing Accuracy

57/61 (93%)

Crosses (Accurate)

1 (1)

Clearances

1

Interceptions

2

Tackles

1

Key Passes

3

Dribbles (Successful)

2 (2)

Big Chances Created

1

In his 92 minutes of action, he produced an expected assists figure of 0.50, won four of six duels, took 84 touches, completed 93% of passes, was accurate in 100% of his crosses, made one clearance, two interceptions and one tackle, completed 100% of his dribbles and created one big chance.

It was a complete performance from the tremendously exciting defender and one that should leave White a little worried about his future place in the team.

Ultimately, Saka will get the majority of attention due to his goal and assist, but fans should not overlook or forget the special display from Timber.

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 26, 2024

Cristiano Ronaldo & Lionel Messi 'don't need to be captains'! Rival GOATs told 'it's not right' to follow 'under-11s football' rules with armband at international level

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have been told that they do not need to follow "under-11s football" rules by captaining Portugal and Argentina.

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  • All-time greats are leaders for their respective nations
  • Have broken countless records between them
  • Questions asked of whether they are the right skippers
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  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    Two all-time greats, who have spent their careers locked in a battle for global supremacy, continue to take on the responsibility of leading their respective countries. The record books have been rewritten with European and South American nations.

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    THE BIGGER PICTURE

    Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo has 217 caps and 135 goals for Portugal, while helping them to European Championship and Nations League honours. Messi, with eight Golden Balls to his name, is a World Cup and Copa America winner that has represented Argentina on 191 occasions and found the target 112 times.

  • DID YOU KNOW?

    Their standing among the immortals is secure, but both sporting GOATs have been told that they do not need to do everything when it comes to inspiring those around them, with there a child-like quality to their leadership methods.

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    WHAT EX-ENGLAND INTERNATIONAL SAID

    Ex-England international striker Stan Collymore has told : "For any big, game-changing players, why do they need to be captain? I know that we’re in a day and age where Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are captains of Argentina and Portugal, because they're the best players and they want to take corners, free-kicks, even throw-ins!

    "But to me, it just harks back to under-11s football, where you give the best player everything – and that’s not right. Things like the captaincy are important, but captains don’t need to be doing everything on the pitch. It’s important to have a captain who is in the right position to see everything on the field."

'I'm not going to coach in France again!' – Marseille boss Roberto De Zerbi fumes at 'scandalous' refereeing as Mason Greenwood & Co humiliated at Auxerre

A furious Roberto De Zerbi declared that he will never coach in France again after Marseille went down 3-0 against Auxerre.

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Marseille lost 3-0 to AuxerreDe Zerbi ranted against 'scandalous' refereeing Marseille president attacked Ligue 1 officialsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Brazilian centre-back Jubal scored a brace and Gaetan Perrin was on target as Auxerre downed Marseille 3-0 in Ligue 1 on Saturday. The humiliating loss left Les Phoceens 10 points behind league leaders Paris Saint-Germain. During the match, the visitors also saw defender Derek Cornelius sent off after he picked up a second yellow card. The referee's decision did not go down well with manager De Zerbi as he hit out at the standard of officiating in France afterwards.

AdvertisementWHAT HAS BEEN SAID

Speaking to reporters after the game, the former Brighton boss said: "I'm Italian, and after OM I'm not going to coach in France again. There's a problem in the French championship, if French people are happy with this level of decision-making, then good for them. But today it was scandalous. The referee was not in [the right state of mind to officiate] this match because of all the controversy surrounding him."

In a chat with , Marseille president Pablo Longoria said: "Everything has been organised. It's planned, it's rigged. There's a penalty on Merlin, four European referees have told me so by message, and the most scandalous thing is the red card to Cornelius. This is a sh***y championship, If the Super League comes to see us, we'll go right away."

AFPTHE BIGGER PICTURE

De Zerbi's angry words come after the club officially submitted a complaint with the board of arbitration of referees earlier this week regarding Jeremy Stinat being selected to referee the game. This came after the same official was involved in Marseille's director of football, Medhi Benatia, being suspended for three months after the club were eliminated from Coupe de France last month.

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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR MARSEILLE?

The French club will be back in action in Ligue 1 next Sunday as they take on Nantes at home.

'Be in Charlotte more often to watch Zaha' – NFL legend and ex-Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson pumped up by Charlotte FC's signing of Wilfried Zaha

The former Bengals wide receiver, who played last year in The Soccer Tournament, shared his admiration for the Ivorian

  • Chad Johnson overjoyed to see Zaha in the MLS
  • Has known the Ivorian since his time at Crystal Palace
  • NFL legend also got offer from Charlotte to train with team
  • AFP

    WHAT HAPPENED

    After falling down the pecking order at Galatasaray and a failed loan spell at Olympique Lyon, Wilfried Zaha signed last week with MLS side Charlotte FC on loan until January 2026. The move has been met with a lot of excitement from fans across social media with many Charlotte fans overjoyed at the fact that their side is building on last season’s progress.

    This includes former NFL star Chad Johnson, who posted on social media about his joy at being able to watch the Ivory Coast international play in the MLS. Johnson also revealed that he’s friends with Zaha, as they’ve known each other since 2010 when Zaha joined Crystal Palace.

    Previously known as Chad Ochocinco, Johnson is an ardent soccer fan, who also played in The Soccer Tournament last year in Cary, North Carolina.

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    WHAT CHAD JOHNSON SAID

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    THE BIGGER PICTURE

    Zaha, the 32-year-old forward, has struggled to put his best foot forward since leaving Crystal Palace at the end of the 2022-23 season, contributing to just 15 goals in 43 appearances for Galatasaray. Even a loan move to Olympique Lyon at the start of the current season failed to spark his best as he couldn't etch a regular place for himself, making just six appearances until January.

    Yet, that hasn’t reduced the fanfare around the signing as Charlotte FC’s general manager, Zoran Krneta, is confident the Ivorian will make an impact, saying "Wilfried's performances in the Premier League and on the international level speak for themselves and we are confident he can make an immediate impact in Major League Soccer."

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    WHAT'S NEXT FOR ZAHA?

    Zaha joins a catalogue of former Premier League stars at Charlotte FC, as the roster features former Fulham defender Tim Ream and former Burnely midfielder Ashley Westwood. The team is managed by former Aston Villa boss Dean Smith. Smith, who was also in charge of Norwich City, guided Charlotte to the playoffs for the first time in their short history.

    Charlotte kick off their MLS season with an away clash against Seattle Sounders.

Bournemouth wages: Who is the best paid player at the Cherries and everything you need to know about Bournemouth's salary bill

How much does every Cherries player earn annually and who receives the most into their account?

Bournemouth have been an absolute treat to watch in the Premier League this season. The Cherries have made staggering progress since their return to the top flight in the 2022-23 season.

Along with the players, the club’s management deserves credit for their impressive work behind the scenes, particularly in handling transfers and managing the team. They have brought in talents such as Justin Kluivert, Antoine Semenyo, Milos Kerkez, Evanilson, and Dean Huijsen for relatively modest fees in the past few years, demonstrating the astuteness of those in charge of recruitment at Dean Court. These savvy acquisitions have helped strengthen the squad without breaking the bank.

So, who is the highest earner at Bournemouth this season? And who is on the opposite end of the spectrum?

GOAL delved into the numbers from Capology and found out!

*

  • Getty Images Sport

    Goalkeepers

    Kepa Arrizabalaga, who is currently on loan from Chelsea, is the highest-paid keeper in the squad and the third-highest overall in the Bournemouth squad.

    Mark Travers, who previously spent time on loan at different clubs in Swindon Town, Weymouth and Stoke City, is currently playing the role of back-up keeper at Bournemouth and is the second highest-paid keeper in the squad.

    Will Dennis is the lowest-paid goalkeeper at the club.

    Name Salary
    Kepa Arrizabalaga £3,900,000
    Mark Travers £1,040,000
    Will Dennis £104,000
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    Defenders

    Ukrainian ace Illya Zabarnyi is one of Bournemouth’s most important players in the squad and currently the highest-paid defender. The 22-year-old has been a stalwart at the centre-back position since joining the club back in 2023.

    Zabarnyi's centre-back partner is the 27-year-old Argentinian Marcos Senesi and he is on the same wages as the Ukrainian. Just like Zabarnyi, Senesi has become a reliable and essential part of the squad. The fans will be pleased to know that their two defensive pillars are top-earning players in their position.

    Entering the list at number three is English international Adam Smith who covers the right-back position. Smith is currently the most experienced player in the squad and also the club captain having played at the Vitality Stadium since 2014.

    Youngsters Dean Huijsen and Milos Kerkez have been splendid for Iraola this season and find themselves just above Julian Araujo.

    Name Salary
    Illya Zabarnyi £2,600,000
    Marcos Senesi £2,600,000
    Adam Smith £2,080,000
    Dean Huijsen £1,560,000
    Milos Kerkez £1,560,000
    Julian Araujo £1,300,000
    James Hill £260,000
  • Getty Images Sport

    Midfielders

    Scottish midfielder Ryan Christie would be pleased with the fact that he's earning a respectable salary and is the highest-paid midfielder in the squad.

    On number two comes USMNT star Tyler Adams, who has been a regular fixture in the Bournemouth XI this season. He shares the same wages as club veteran Lewis Cook.

    Surprisingly, Marcus Tavernier is the lowest-paid midfielder in the squad.

    Name Salary
    Ryan Christie £3,640,000
    Tyler Adams £3,120,000
    Lewis Cook £3,120,000
    Alex Scott £2,080,000
    Marcus Tavernier £1,820,000
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    Attackers

    Brazilian centre-forward Evanílson joined Bournemouth ahead of the 2024-25 season after a four-year stint at Porto. At 25 years old, he’s not only the highest-paid forward in the squad but also the club’s top earner overall.

    Next in line is Justin Kluivert, the Dutch winger and son of legendary striker Patrick Kluivert, who is in red-hot form and is Bournemouth's top scorer this season.

    Rounding out the top three highest-paid attackers is Colombian forward Luis Sinisterra, who has also been an important contributor to the Cherries’ attacking force.

    Antoine Semenyo and David Brooks earn a decent £2.6m annually, while Enes Unal is the lowest-paid attacker and the only one making less than a million pounds.

    Name Salary
    Evanilson £4,420,000
    Justin Kluivert £4,160,000
    Luis Sinisterra £3,380,000
    Antoine Semenyo £2,600,000
    David Brooks £2,600,000
    Dango Ouattara £1,820,000
    Enes Unal £780,000

Amar Virdi, Gus Atkinson join forces to help set Northamptonshire daunting target

Surrey’s last-wicket pair post career-best scores before Gay and Keogh keep hosts in the hunt

ECB Reporters' Network07-Sep-2021Surrey’s Amar Virdi and Gus Atkinson made career-best scores in an enterprising last-wicket stand worth 83 in 36 overs to help set Northamptonshire a daunting 320 to win in their Championship clash at Wantage Road.The pair safely negotiated the extra half hour with Surrey nine wickets down before lunch and emerged after the interval keen to play their shots against the new ball. Virdi, belying his tailender status and an average of seven, struck seven boundaries in his 47, including clubbing Rob Keogh confidently over long-on.Surrey’s bowlers then made early inroads, taking two early wickets, but an unbeaten stand of 69 by Emilio Gay and Keogh kept the hosts in the hunt at 106 for 2 at stumps. They came together after Will Jacks had registered his second half-century of the match amid a clutter of wickets.Spinner Simon Kerrigan claimed three scalps in a marathon spell. Bowling throughout the extended morning session, Kerrigan made an immediate breakthrough in the second over of the morning, taking the key wicket of Hashim Amla, who pushed forward to a turning ball and was caught behind by Adam Rossington for 26.Related

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Seamers Ben Sanderson and Tom Taylor then accounted for Jordan Clark and Rikki Clarke cheaply as Surrey lost three wickets for just 23 runs inside 12 overs.Jacks though moved to 50, mixing stylish boundaries with solid defence, before Kerrigan struck in successive balls. First, he deceived Jacks in the flight and hit the stumps. Then he bowled Reece Topley through the gate before Virdi safely negotiated the hat-trick ball.Atkinson lived dangerously with a couple of streaky boundaries through the slip cordon as well as taking a blow on the helmet which flew away for four leg byes. After lunch though he began to find the middle of the bat against the new ball and he and Virdi found runs easy to come by, frustrating Northamptonshire’s hopes of keeping the run chase to a minimum.Surrey’s seamers built early pressure and Northamptonshire’s hopes were dealt two early blows when first Ricardo Vasconcelos nicked a Clarke delivery behind before Jordan Clark trapped Harry Gouldstone lbw to leave Northamptonshire 37 for 2.Gay looked increasingly assured after playing an early crunching backfoot punch for four through backward point. He was soon overtaken by Keogh who got off the mark with back-to-back boundaries down to third man off Clark and then punched through extra cover for four more as scoring became easier.Flags around the ground were flown at half-mast to mark the death of former Northamptonshire player and past President Peter Arnold at the age of 94.

As well as Idah & Forrest: Rodgers must unleash "tenacious" Celtic star

Celtic must turn their attention away from the league phase of the new-look Champions League as they prepare to take on Falkirk in the League Cup this afternoon.

The Hoops have a chance to secure their place in the last four of the competition, which they were knocked out of in August by Kilmarnock last term, by winning this quarter-final clash.

They come into this game against the Championship outfit off the back of a stunning 5-1 win over Slovakian side SK Slovan at Parkhead on Wednesday night.

It was a fantastic evening for the Scottish Premiership champions, who picked up their first win in Europe this year, after they finished bottom of their Champions League group last season.

Brendan Rodgers’ side swept them aside with relative ease as Liam Scales, Kyogo Furuhashi, Arne Engels, Daizen Maeda, and Adam Idah all got their names on the scoresheet.

This clash with a second tier team in the League Cup, despite it being a quarter-final, now provides the Northern Irish head coach with a chance to rotate his squad.

Two players who may have nailed down their places in the starting XI are James Forrest and Idah, who caught the eye off the bench on Wednesday.

Why Adam Idah and James Forrest should start

The attacking duo were used as substitutes against Slovan but still managed to combine for a goal, as the winger played a fantastic through ball for the Ireland international to slot past the goalkeeper for Celtic’s fifth.

That was Idah’s first goal for the Hoops since his permanent move from Norwich City during the summer transfer window, after spending the second half of the 2023/24 campaign on loan at Parkhead.

The 6 foot 3 marksman had plundered eight goals in 15 appearances in the Premiership, despite starting just five matches, during his loan spell, whilst also scoring the winner in the SFA Cup final against Rangers.

This shows that the former Canaries academy graduate has the quality to provide a huge goalscoring threat for the Scottish giants, which is why Rodgers should be comfortable handing the 23-year-old ace a start against Falkirk.

Forrest, meanwhile, has enjoyed an impressive start to the season, with four assists in seven appearances in all competitions and three assists in his last four games.

The Scottish forward could come in to replace Daizen Maeda on the flank, whilst Idah could come in for Kyogo Furuhashi in the centre-forward position.

These two changes appear to be obvious ones, after their combination for the fifth goal on Wednesday, but another player Rodgers must unleash from the start is central midfielder Paulo Bernardo.

Why Paulo Bernardo should start

The Portugal U21 international was unfortunate to be dropped from the starting XI this month after his promising displays for the Scottish side in August.

Bernardo re-joined the Hoops from Benfica on a permanent deal during the summer transfer window, after spending the 2023/24 campaign on loan, and hit the ground running last month.

The 22-year-old maestro started the wins over St Mirren and Rangers and caught the eye with his all-action performances in the middle of the park.

Key passes

2

3

Big chances created

1

1

Ground duels won

4/9

10/15

Aerial duels won

2/3

2/3

Tackles won

3

5

As you can see in the table above, Bernardo offered quality in and out of possession for the Scottish giants in both of the games that he started in the Premiership.

The £5.8k-per-week star, who was once described as “tenacious” by Rodgers, won 18 duels and eight tackles in just two matches, which shows that the midfielder was able to consistently win possession back for his side.

Bernardo also showcased his ability on the ball, with five key passes and two ‘big chances’ created, as he used his creativity to put chances on a plate for his teammates.

Despite those sublime performances, the Portuguese starlet has found himself on the bench in the last two matches, against Hearts and Slovan, behind fellow summer signing Arne Engels.

This League Cup clash with Falkirk, however, provides Rodgers with an opportunity to bring the former Benfica prospect back into the starting XI, to allow him to continue the fine form he showed in the wins over St Mirren and Rangers.

He has proven that the quality is there for him to be an impressive performer for Celtic in midfield, which is why the manager should not have any concerns about playing him from the start in this game.

Arne Engels' superb start to his Celtic career

The 21-year-old wizard joined the Scottish giants from Bundesliga side Augsburg for a club-record fee of £11m during the summer transfer window.

That significant transfer fee brought pressure and expectation with it and, so far, Engels has taken all of it in his stride and enjoyed a perfect start to his career in Glasgow.

The central midfielder came off the bench against Rangers at the start of the month, having signed less than 48 hours before kick-off, before being placed in the starting line-up for the last two games by Rodgers.

Goals

1

1

Assists

0

1

Big chances created

0

1

Duels won

6/10

9/13

Tackles won

1

6

As you can see in the table above, the Belgium international produced two goals and one assist in those matches, with both of his goals coming from the penalty spot.

The former Bundesliga starlet also showcased his defensive attributes with 15 duels won, out of 23 contested, and seven tackles made against Hearts and Slovan.

These statistics show that, like Bernardo, Engels has the ability to be an all-action presence in the middle of the park for Celtic, by making an impact in and out of possession.

Alongside Engels & Scales: 8/10 Celtic star was Rodgers' unsung hero

The Hoops defender enjoyed a terrific night at Parkhead in the Champions League.

ByDan Emery Sep 19, 2024

However, Rodgers must now drop the Belgian gem back down to the bench to provide Bernardo with a chance to play from the start in this cup clash, whilst resting the £11m star for the upcoming Premiership and Champions League games.

Corinthians bate o Santos, conquista sétima vitória seguida em casa, quebra marca de Carille e está no G4

MatériaMais Notícias

Com uma atuação convincente e dominante durante todo o jogo, o Corinthians venceu o Santos por 2 a 0, na tarde deste domingo, na Neo Química Arena, e conquistou a sua sétima vitória seguida como mandante neste Campeonato Brasileiro. O resultado fez a equipe assumir a quarta posição do torneio, com 53 pontos, e passar a fechar o G4, a zona de classificação à fase de grupos da Libertadores.Já o Peixe estacionou nos 42 pontos e ocupa apenas o 11º lugar.

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TABELA
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GALERIA
>Veja até quando vai o contrato de cada jogador do Corinthians

Para completar, o Alvinegro superou a marca de seis triunfos consecutivos que havia obtido como mandante sob o comando de Fábio Carille, atual técnico santista, na campanha do seu sétimo título nacional, obtido em 2017.

Anteriormente, o time já havia igualado o feito do seu ex-treinador com um triunfo por 3 a 2 sobre o Cuiabá, mas agora ostenta sete vitórias em sequência e voltou a dar uma demonstração da sua força em casa, onde agora também ostenta dez partidas de invencibilidade. Não perde um confronto em Itaquera desde o dia 1º de agosto, quando foi derrotado por 3 a 1 pelo Flamengo.

Em um clássico que foi iniciado depois de os jogadores dos dois times terem se ajoelhado em campo e levantarem um dos braços, em uma homenagem ao Dia da Consciência Negra, comemorado no último sábado, o Santos tentou esboçar uma pequena pressão no início, mas rapidamente o Corinthians tomou conta das ações e começou a pressionar os visitantes em Itaquera.

E diante de um adversário armado em um esquema com três zagueiros e bastante recuado, o Alvinegro veio para campo com Du Queiroz como novidade no meio-campo no lugar do lesionado Giuliano. E trocando passes rápidos e tendo Renato Augusto como principal articulador das jogadas no meio-campo, o Timão começou a desperdiçar chances de gols em sequência e o mesmo cenário prevaleceu até o término do primeiro tempo.

Foram nada menos do que 12 finalizações corintianas na etapa inicial contra apenas uma dos visitantes, que sofreram para segurar o empate até o intervalo.Apenas nos primeiros seis minutos, Gabriel Pereira e o seu xará Gabriel já obrigaram João Paulo a praticarem duas defesas.

E outras três oportunidades foram perdidas em seguida, primeiro aos 13 minutos com Roger Guedes após boa tabela com Jô, depois aos 16 com Gabriel Pereira parando em João Paulo após assistência de Renato Augusto e em seguida aos 18 com João Victor, que não soube cabecear com precisão uma boa bola escorada por Gil após uma cobrança de escanteio.

E o panorama continuava o mesmo, com o time santista sendo pressionado e sem conseguir chegar ao ataque. Assim, os anfitriões chegavam com frequência ao gol de João Paulo. E o garçom Renato Augusto não se cansava de deixar os companheiros em boas condições de marcar, mas Róger Guedes não soube aproveitar converter em gol duas assistência dada pelo meia, primeiro aos 24 minutos e depois aos 30, sendo essa última com o goleiro santista praticando bela defesa para evitar que o placar fosse aberto em Itaquera.

E nova oportunidade seria perdida aos 40 minutos depois de mais um passe de Renato Augusto em um rápido contra-ataque corintiano. Desta vez com Gabriel Pereira, que chutou forte e parou em nova intervenção de João Paulo.

E o Santos, que parecia totalmente inofensivo, acordou do “sono profundo” aos 41 minutos, quandoFelipe Jonatan levou a melhor sobre Fagner em um lance pelo lado esquerdo e cruzou para Tardelli cabecear e a bola passar muito perto da trave direita de Cássio, que apenas olhou e já estava batido na jogada.

GOL NO INÍCIO DA ETAPA FINAL

Com o seu time muito retraído no primeiro tempo, o técnico Fábio Carille mandou a equipe de volta ao campo na etapa final com duas mudanças. Trocou Madson porÂngelo e Gabriel Pirani por Lucas Braga, que era tido como favorito a substituir o lesionado Marinho, mas só entrou após o intervalo.

Porém, o cenário do primeiro tempo continuou o mesmo no início do segundo e, já aos 2 minutos, o Corinthians abriu o placar. Du Queiroz cruzou da direita para Jô, que recebeu de costas para o zagueiro, girou para cima do defensor e finalizou rasteiro no canto direito baixo de João Paulo.

Foi o décimo gol de Jô na temporada, na qual o atacante é o maior artilheiro corintiano. O jogador não marcava há nove partidas e havia balançado as redes pela última vez na vitória por 3 a 1 sobre o Bahia, no dia 5 de outubro, em Itaquera. Também foi o 29º gol de Jô na Arena, onde ainda ostenta a condição deartilheiro maior da história do estádio alvinegro.

O gol obrigou o Santos a finalmente ser um pouco mais ofensivo e o time voltou a assustar Cássio por meio de Tardelli, aos 11 minutos, desta vez em finalização por cima do gol. Mas ali foi um raro lampejo ofensivo dos visitantes, que sofriam muito para articular as jogadas e criar oportunidades de gol.

WILLIAN ENTRA EM VOLTA APÓS SETE JOGOS FORA

Recuperado de uma lesão muscular na coxa esquerda, sofrida no dia 13 de outubro contra o Fluminense e que o deixou fora de sete partidas, Willian foi colocado em campo por Sylvinho aos 18 minutos deste segundo tempo, quando substituiu Gabriel Pereira e ouviu uma forte comemoração dos torcedores quando foi chamado pelo técnico para ir para o confronto.

Com Willian, o Corinthians ganhou uma nova opção boa de velocidade pelo lado direito, mas, em vantagem no placar, perdeu um pouco da pressa e diminuiu bastante o volume ofensivo em relação ao primeiro tempo.

JÔ VOLTA A SER DECISIVO, AGORA COM ASSISTÊNCIA

E o Corinthians, muito mais time em campo, acabou fazendo por merecer o segundo gol aos 40 minutos. Após um novo bom passe de Renato Augusto, Gil escorou, Jô recebeu mais uma vez fazendo papel de pivô e rolou para Gabriel finalizar no canto direito baixo de João Paulo: 2 a 0 e festa garantida para a Fiel.

A vitória foi conquistada no jogo em que Fagner completou 200 partidas pelo Corinthians na Arena e também igualou a marca de 433 duelos disputados pelo ídolo Marcelinho Carioca com a camisa alvinegra.

PRÓXIMOS JOGOS

Na próxima quinta-feira, o Corinthians volta a campo para enfrentar o Ceará, às 20h, no Castelão, em Fortaleza, pela 35ª rodada do Brasileirão. Um dia antes, o Santos vai receber o Fortaleza às 19h, na Vila Belmiro, na abertura da jornada.

FICHA TÉCNICA

CORINTHIANS 2 x 0 SANTOS

Local: Neo Química Arena, em São Paulo (SP).
Data/Horário: 21/11/2021, às 16h.
Árbitro: Leandro Pedro Vuaden (RS).
Assistentes: Jorge Eduardo Bernardi (RS) e Jose Eduardo Calza (RS).
VAR: Daniel Nobre Bins (RS).
Público/Renda: 43.583 pagantes/R$ 2.566.138,80.
Cartões amarelos:Roni (Corinthians).
Cartões vermelhos: –
Gols:Jô, aos 2’/2T (1-0), e Gabriel, aos 40’/2T (2-0)

CORINTHIANS
Cássio; Fagner, João Victor, Gil e Fábio Santos; Gabriel, Du Queiroz (Roni, aos 33’/2T), Renato Augusto, Gabriel Pereira (Willian, aos 18’/2T) e Róger Guedes; Jô (Gustavo Mosquito, aos 43’/2T). Técnico: Sylvinho.

SANTOS
João Paulo; Danilo Boza e Luiz Felipe e Kaiky; Madson (Ângelo, após o intervalo), Camacho (Raniel, aos 38’/2T), Vinícius Zanocelo (Carlos Sánchez, aos 27’/2T), Gabriel Pirani (Lucas Braga, após o intervalo), Marcos Guilherme e Felipe Jonatan; Diego Tardelli. Técnico: Fábio Carille.

Maresca has approved late Chelsea bid for "complete" £179k-per-week player

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has given his green-light for the club to make a late move to sign one high-earning player, with deadline day looming tomorrow.

Chelsea looking to sign forward after £271 million spending spree

Despite spending around £271 million on the signings of Joao Felix, Mike Penders, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Marc Guiu, Renato Veiga, Estevao Willian, Filip Jorgensen, Tosin Adarabioyo, Aaron Anselmino, Caleb Wiley, Omari Kellyman and Pedro Neto already (including Estevao for £51m), it is believed Todd Boehly and BlueCo could still add multiple new forwards to Maresca's ranks.

Maresca may now personally green-light Chelsea exit for 2024 summer signing

The west Londoners have only just brought him in.

ByEmilio Galantini Aug 29, 2024

Indeed, reliable transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano claims that Man United outcast Jadon Sancho is still on their radar, as the possibility of a swap deal involving Raheem Sterling emerges in this last week of the window.

Chelsea opened talks to sign Sancho with Sterling going the other way earlier this week, and that is apparently still possible, despite the presence of Serie A giants Juventus, who are also eyeing a late move for the £250,000-per-week winger.

Meanwhile, co-Chelsea sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley, who are leading the club's recruitment drive, are very much in pursuit of a talismanic new striker who can lead Maresca's forward line.

A Chelsea inquiry was made over Brentford striker Ivan Toney earlier this week, despite the Englishman also being chased by Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli. The 28-year-old, who scored 20 Premier League goals during the 2022/2023 season, could be a much cheaper alternative to Victor Osimhen considering his contract expires next year.

Appearances

25

Goals

15

Assists

3

Shots Per 90

3.86

Key Passes Per 90

1.05

Successful Take-Ons Per 90

0.73

WhoScored

That isn't to say the Blues have given up on a move for Osimhen, though, as it is believed Chelsea remain in talks with Napoli over a late deal for the Nigerian.

"Napoli under the impression a permanent bid from Chelsea will arrive for Victor Osimhen following fresh meetings," said journalist Ben Jacobs on X.

"Italian club believe their drop in asking price has persuaded Chelsea to pursue a non-temporary formula. Chelsea are currently in active talks having discussed a loan earlier in the month."

Maresca wants Osimhen at Chelsea as he green-lights late bid

As per TEAMtalk, it is believed Maresca has personally approved a late swoop for Osimhen as well, with the striker's asking price dropping to around £60 million.

Napoli strikerVictor Osimhen.

The £179,000-per-week star, who looks set to be on the move this summer, has been one of Serie A's most prolific scorers since he joined from Lille in 2020. There are other reports that Osimhen has generally agreed on terms with Chelsea, but just like with Toney, they face competition from Al-Ahli – who are willing to pay the 25-year-old a staggering £400,000-per-week to join them.

"He’s a very complete player," said Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola to Sky Sports (via The Metro).

"He’s got a good reference going forward, he can link up play and he’s devastating in the air. He’s a pest to defenders."

Rory Burns digs for his Test place as Surrey seek to give Middlesex fourth-innings jitters

It has been a challenging time for Rory Burns since he brought up his second and most recent Test hundred in Hamilton in late 2019. He has made only three half-centuries for England since, missed three Tests with ligament damage suffering playing football, two to attend the birth of his first child, and two more after being dropped following a lean run at the top of the order.Two-and-a-half years ago, Burns appeared to have the world at his feet, piling up 1,000 first-class runs for the fifth consecutive season as he captained Surrey to the Championship title, and his record in county cricket has been characteristically solid in the years since. Even still, he is a marked man as things stand, widely perceived to be the most vulnerable member of England’s batting line-up and by no means assured of his place for the first Tests of the summer against New Zealand; if Chris Silverwood wants to mark the end of the Ed Smith era, Burns is an obvious candidate for a fall guy.In that light, Burns’ unbeaten half-century at Lord’s on Friday evening not only kept Surrey alive in the London derby, but provided a reminder of his status as one of the leading opening batsmen in the country. Consecutive boundaries through extra cover off Toby Roland-Jones portrayed his confidence, one driven on the front foot and the other flayed on the back, and while Surrey still trail heading into the third day, things had been significantly worse when they were 20 for 2 and some 94 runs behind.Burns made 4 and 74 at Bristol in the first round of the season and was harshly given out lbw for 34 last week on a road at The Oval while sweeping Callum Parkinson in the over before tea. His failure in the first innings – edging Tim Murtagh to second slip – hinted at a man out of form, but an unusually fluent knock in the second innings belied that suggestion.Reece Topley took four top-order wickets•Getty Images

The media centre at Lord’s remains shut as building work continues on the Compton and Edrich Stands, and the temporary relocation of the press to the Tavern Stand provides an opportunity to watch Burns from side-on. The angle is a reminder of his idiosyncratic technique, and specifically his pronounced lean forwards as a bowler runs in, but while his method is cumbersome, his willingness to dig in was vital during stands with Ollie Pope and Ben Foakes that dragged Surrey towards parity.During the draw against Leicestershire, Burns personified exasperation halfway through the morning session, baffled by the umpires’ decision to replace the ball just as it had started to reverse-swing with one that travelled gun-barrel straight for the rest of the day. The ECB confirmed on Friday that Surrey would not be charged with illegally changing the condition of the ball following a review over the past week, and Burns may justifiably feel as though his side’s push for victory was significantly harmed by something out of their control.That notwithstanding, Surrey can ill afford to lose this game if they are to carry ambitions of finishing in the top two of their group into the second month of the season. Their first-class struggles since their title win in 2018 can justifiably be pinned on the unavailability of their England players for large parts of the summers, but they have close to full strength over the last two-and-a-half weeks, with only the Curran brothers missing.Related

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Their biggest problem in this fixture has been their batting, which seems remarkable given the international experience of their top five. Hashim Amla bagged a pair, trapped lbw by Roland-Jones for a first-baller on the second evening, and Pope has twice made starts only to edge behind for a middling score. With the ball, they were disciplined enough to keep the scoring rate down to 2.65 runs per over, and while Rikki Clarke was relatively expensive, he is playing his first game of the summer after an injury in pre-season.For Middlesex, the overnight situation is more precarious than it seems. Most sides would be confident of rolling through the middle order tomorrow morning before knocking off the run chase, but wins have been hard to come by over the past four seasons and a handful of poor sessions cost them against Somerset and Hampshire.Their position heading into the third day owes much to the efforts of Sam Robson, who added 49 runs to his overnight score before he was trapped lbw by the impressive Reece Topley, five short of a second hundred of the season. He was given a life by Burns, who dropped a straightforward slip catch with Robson on 84, but was as strong as ever off his pads, flicking effortless boundaries through midwicket with gentle rolls of the wrists.Clarke and his not-quite-namesake Jordan Clark took five of the six other wickets between them, with Robbie White chopping on for 72 an hour into the day and Roland-Jones clouting 46 not out to steer Middlesex to 268 all out. A first-innings lead of 114 was substantial, but despite two early wickets, their position is not quite impregnable.

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