Strikers will travel to the Gold Coast and face Brisbane Heat in the Challenger on Monday

Tristan Lavalette20-Jan-2024Legspinners Lloyd Pope and Cameron Boyce starred on the traditional pace-friendly Optus Stadium surface as Adelaide Strikers ended Perth Scorchers’ historic bid for a hat-trick of BBL titles with an upset victory in the knockout final.Strikers will travel to the Gold Coast and face Brisbane Heat in the Challenger on Monday, with the winner to meet Sydney Sixers in the final at the SCG.It was a remarkable turnaround for Strikers, who were in big trouble at 48 for 4 before a hard-hitting 56 off 32 balls from Jake Weatherald ignited a comeback.Strikers then superbly defended 155 for 7 with Boyce and Pope combining for seven wickets, including stars Aaron Hardie and Josh Inglis, to stun Scorchers.It was a shock exit for Scorchers, who had a late-season fadeout after losing to Sixers in a last-ball defeat that cost them second spot and the double chance.Scorchers and Western Australia had swept all six domestic titles over the last two seasons. But they could not stop red-hot Strikers, who defied the absences of ILT20-bound Chris Lynn, Adam Hose and allrounder Jamie Overton.After being sent in, Strikers’ hopes of setting a big target rested with skipper Matthew Short who was coming off scoring the most-ever runs in a 10-game regular season. He had also blasted Scorchers for a pair of 70s during the season. But it was his namesake D’Arcy Short who came out blazing before falling to a brilliant return catch from left-arm quick Jason Behrendorff.Matthew Short looked in ominous form when he whacked a short delivery from speedster Lance Morris to the boundary. Something special was needed to dismiss Short cheaply and veteran seamer Andrew Tye stepped up with a gem of an inswinging yorker that rattled the stumps.Strikers were seemingly shaken by the dismissal with Thomas Kelly struggling to score in the overs before drinks. In an inspired move, Hardie reverted to left-arm spinning allrounder Cooper Connolly who hadn’t bowled in Scorchers’ last three matches.Connolly justified the faith by dismissing Kelly before Hardie brilliantly ran out Harry Nielsen with a direct throw from mid-on to leave Strikers in ruins at 48 for 4.Jake Weatherald counter-attacked with a quick fifty•Getty Images

Veteran Weatherald has grabbed his opportunities since being a late-season inclusion and dominated after drinks. He used his feet superbly against left-arm spinner Ashton Agar, whose home struggles continued in contrast to his miserly bowling on slower surfaces on the east coast.Weatherald raced to his half-century in 30 balls, but fell shortly after when he failed to execute a reverse scoop against Hardie, who then dismissed James Bazley to put Scorchers well on top.But their death bowling woes against Sixers reared with Strikers smashing 45 runs off the last five overs. Ben Manenti, who in recent seasons has been a thorn to Western Australia in the Sheffield Shield, and Henry Thornton effectively threw the bat as Strikers finished with a competitive total.Strikers’ strong attack sensed an opportunity against a revamped Scorchers opening partnership of Sam Fanning and Marcus Harris, who were both late-season signings.Debutant Fanning started with a fearless approach to continually bludgeon through the offside. Fanning, 23, made a duck against Queensland in the Sheffield Shield in his only innings in domestic cricket this season. But he had entered with a century in local grade cricket and carried over that form with an assault on the new-ball, where he cracked two sixes off left-arm seamer David Payne in the fourth over.Fanning overshadowed Harris, who played sedately in his first innings since being overlooked for Australia’s Test team. It appeared like a fairytale was unfolding until Fanning holed out in the fifth over after scoring 31 of Scorchers’ first 38 runs.But it triggered a collapse of 4 for 10 capped by Hardie being clean bowled by Pope, who bowled well in tandem with Boyce in the middle overs.The pressure fell on Inglis, who plays aggressively against spin but he succumbed to a rampant Boyce as Scorchers crashed to 70 for 5 in the 12th over.Boyce was pumped up and Strikers were further buoyed when skipper Short took a spectacular diving return catch to dismiss Nick Hobson. Strikers were on fire as Bazley took a tough juggling catch on the boundary to snare Connolly to leave Scorchers’ faithful stunned and quickly heading for the exit.

Rangers icon Ally McCoist has made a manager claim on an attacking boss who he’s heard could move to Ibrox.

Rangers manager rumours

The Gers could be extremely busy off the pitch over the coming months, with the 49ers Enterprises agreeing a deal in principle to take over as owners at Ibrox.

There is also the matter of looking to hire a new full-time manager after parting ways with Philippe Clement. Former captain Barry Ferguson is in interim charge until the end of the campaign and didn’t do his chances of landing the job permanently any harm with an impressive win away to Fenerbahce.

Rangers will now take a 3-1 lead into the Europa League last 16 second leg, and Ferguson’s name has been mentioned as a contender to take over on a full-time basis.

Other potential targets include Derek McInnes of Kilmarnock and former Huddersfield Town boss David Wagner, whereas it has also been claimed that Rangers and the 49ers have made Rafael Benitez the preferred managerial target.

Ferguson has made 9/10 Rangers ace look like "the best player in the world"

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Mar 7, 2025

Ex-Rangers boss Steven Gerrard has also been named in the media about potentially returning to Ibrox before Clement’s sacking, four years on from winning the Scottish Premiership with the club. Now, McCoist has made a new claim on Rangers and Gerrard.

McCoist makes claim on Gerrard returning to Rangers

Talking to Football Insider, McCoist admitted he’s “heard” that Gerrard could be on his way back to Glasgow with Rangers.

“The other one I’ve heard is Steven Gerrard coming back. He’s out of work, but I’m not sure what his current situation is. I think one of the slight problems might be would be him having to stay out of the country for tax reasons.”

Gerrard, who plays an attacking 4-3-3 formation, even shares the same Wasserman agency as Rangers duo John Souttar and Danilo.

Games

192

Wins

124

Draws

41

Losses

27

Players used

65

Average goals scored per game

2.12

Average goals conceded per game

0.72

As well as Gerrard, McCoist named Kevin Muscat as another interesting option. “Another one who interested me was Kevin Muscat, with his team currently trying to get into the Asian Champions League, but they’re struggling a little bit. He’s been very successful, having won a League Cup double in China.”

Since leaving Scotland in November 2021, Gerrard has struggled at both Aston Villa and Al-Ettifaq, averaging 1.18 points per game at Villa Park and 1.33 in Saudi Arabia.

He parted ways with Al-Ettifaq at the end of January and is still out of a job, so that could potentially appeal to Rangers, and it could be one to keep an eye on.

Katie Mack and Tahlia McGrath made light work of a low target in batting-friendly conditions as Adelaide Strikers comfortably beat embattled Sydney Sixers at an oppressive WACA ground.The rematch of last season’s WBBL final was an anti-climax with a disciplined Strikers attack restricting Sixers to an underwhelming total of 111 for 6.Mack and McGrath had no such difficulty with a commanding 77-run second-wicket partnership as Strikers cruised to the target in the 18th over. A slew of late wickets, including Mack and McGrath, flattered Sixers who were convincingly outplayed throughout the contest.They desperately needed early wickets, but started raggedly with a misfield from captain Ellyse Perry gifting Mack a boundary in the first over. Sixers’ confidence temporarily lifted when a cracking in-swinger from left-arm quick Lauren Cheatle’s first delivery bowled opener Laura Wolvaardt.Sixers’ hopes were quickly dashed by Mack and McGrath as Perry reverted to a defensive field. Seemingly going through the motions, Sixers lacked inspiration and the microscope will be on the glamour franchise anchored to the bottom of the ladder.With the temperature hovering at an unseasonal 35 degrees Celsius, Strikers elected to bowl on a hard surface promising lots of runs even though the pitch had a green-tinge.Sixers were under pressure having won just once from five games and losing star wicketkeeper-batter Alyssa Healy to a season-ending injury after she was accidentally bitten by her dog.Without Healy, Sixers have increasingly relied on Perry who has tried to hold together a stuttering top-order. She looked well on her way after a trademark drive through the covers off quick Megan Schutt then a dismissive flick for six in the third over.Perry attempted to replicate the flick against seamer Danielle Gibson, but was undone by an inswinger and her stumps were rattled in a rarity of a dismissal for her.The pressure was on opener Suzie Bates to end her form woes having only made 42 runs from five previous innings. She continued to look sluggish, including failing to connect on an attempted scoop.Bates finally middled legspinner Amanda-Jade Wellington, but straight to Jemma Barsby who held onto a rocket at mid-on.Sixers kept losing wickets at inopportune moments and were never able to build rhythm. Ashleigh Gardner appeared the likeliest to get Sixers back on track, but on 27 she hit legspinner Anesu Mushangwe to midwicket in a disappointing dismissal.Sixers were shackled in the middle of their innings by Wellington and Mushangwe, who produced turn on a surface renowned as a spinning graveyard.Not even the power surge could ignite Sixers with Maitlan Brown and Mathilda Carmichael managing just three runs across the 17th and 18th overs.It was the equal fewest runs off a power surge in WBBL history as Sixers crawled to a mediocre total that was nowhere near enough.

Glasgow Rangers and the transfer market have not exactly been the best of friends over the previous few years.

Since securing promotion back to the Premiership ahead of the 20161/7 campaign, the Ibrox side have made plenty of dismal signings. Where to start?

Pedro Caixinha spent money on the likes of Carlos Pena and Eduardo Herrera, who both failed to live up to expectations, while even Steven Gerrard made a few howlers, especially during his early transfer windows.

The former Liverpool captain signed flops such as Umar Sadiq and Eros Grezda in 2018, a few years before spending money on Juninho Bacuna and Cedric Itten.

Sam Lammers, Ben Davies and Jose Cifuentes are just a few of the players who have been signed by managers since Gerrard left, with all three struggling to perform in Scotland.

While these types of signings typically outweigh the positive ones, when the club do sign a player who has excellent potential, it usually ends up rather well.

Joe Aribo was sold for around £10m in the summer of 2020, having cost the Gers just £300k three years previously. Of the current squad, Hamza Igamane looks certain to make the Light Blues a significant profit due to his performances this season.

One of the club’s finest signings – from a financial point of view anyway – was Calvin Bassey. The defender is now playing in the Premier League for Fulham, but Rangers gave him his big break.

Why Calvin Bassey was sold for a club-record fee

In the summer of 2020, Gerrard added a few players to his squad in a bid to challenge Celtic for the Premiership trophy during 2020/21.

Ianis Hagi signed permanently, while Cedric Itten, Kemar Roofe and Leon Balogun also arrived at Ibrox. It was the deal to bring Bassey to Scotland which looked the most promising, however.

Due to cross-border rules, the left-back cost just £200k in a compensation fee from Leicester City, and he was one for the future.

Indeed, Gerrard utilised his talents on just 15 occasions throughout the 2020/21 season, but things were about to get better.

With a defensive injury crisis hitting the squad hard during the early stages of the following campaign, Bassey was deployed as a centre-back alongside Connor Goldson and it soon progressed into a solid partnership.

Metric

Premiership

Europa League

Accurate passes

52.3

37.4

Tackles

1.5

1.6

Total duels won

5.2

4.1

Interceptions

0.7

1.4

Balls recovered

0.4

0.1

Once he got his chance in the starting XI, Bassey never left, making 50 appearances in all competitions as the Gers reached the Europa League final while winning the Scottish Cup for the first time in 13 years.

These performances would ultimately lead to the Nigerian international departing the club, with plenty of European sides showing interest that summer.

In the end, Ajax secured his services on a permanent deal for a fee of just under £23m, which was a club-record transfer.

It’s fair to say that he has been one of the finest signings of modern times, but is there a player in the current squad who has surpassed him recently?

Rangers' best signing since Bassey

Losing Scott Wright last summer meant Philippe Clement had a single right-winger in the squad – Ross McCausland – which meant this area needed a swift upgrade.

There were several players linked with a move to Ibrox, but due to limited funds being available, the Belgian manager had to rely on a loan signing, which saw Vaclav Cerny join the Light Blues on a temporary deal until the end of the current season.

Having scored five goals for Bundesliga side Wolfsburg during the 2023/24 campaign, Cerny looked like an exciting wide option for Rangers. He also scored against Celtic for Ajax, which would certainly help endear him to the supporters during his early weeks.

These first couple of weeks were mixed. The Czech star delivered a few decent displays, but he was poor against Lyon in a 4-1 Europa League defeat. He missed a big chance during that game and lost possession 11 times.

Two goals against St Johnstone just a few days later proved that his woeful European display was just a one-off and he has kicked on since then.

Overall, the loanee has netted an impressive tally of 17 goals across 44 matches, chipping in with seven assists too. The 27-year-old has saved his best football – minus the Lyon clash – for the Europa League, netting six goals in Europe’s secondary competition.

Furthermore, the winger has created two big chances, averages 1.3 key passes per game and succeeds with 2.3 dribbles each match, showcasing his skills against superior opposition.

Rangers won the recent Old Firm derby against Celtic 3-2 courtesy of a late winner by Igamane, who lashed in an effort when it appeared as though the match was going to finish as a draw.

The real hero of that game was Cerny, however, who ended up soaking Celtic supporters with a bottle of water while celebrating the goal.

Journalist Matthew Lindsay praised the winger, describing him as a “cult hero” following that “moment of madness”

According to Transfermarkt, Cerny is now valued at €9m (£7.5m) and, given his displays for the Gers recently, he will be a man in demand this summer.

Whoever becomes the new permanent manager of Rangers will have to decide whether spending money on Cerny is worth it, especially as there are other areas of the squad requiring some investment.

Cerny has endeared himself to the Ibrox faithful with his goals and antics during the latest derby win. If he did join the club this summer, could he be one of their best signings in recent memory?

The next few months will be interesting indeed.

Rangers loan star is now worth £27m more than Cerny after leaving in 2023

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ByBen Gray Mar 21, 2025

The USMNT boss broke down his pre-Gold Cup squad, one missing several big names and including 17 MLS players

The clock is ticking. Mauricio Pochettino can feel it. Just a year separates the U.S. men's national team from a World Cup on home soil and, more than ever, it's apparent that there's work to be done. The Gold Cup next on the agenda, a multi-week meeting ground to give Pochettino and his staff their longest preparation period of his World Cup runway.

That all looks different, though. On Thursday, Pochettino's roster was unveiled for the upcoming matches. The USMNT, coming off a pair of disappointing CONCACAF Nations League losses in March, will head into the Gold Cup without many of its stars – including Christian Pulisic and Antonee Robinson – significantly altering the chemistry of a crucial summer.

It's still crucial – maybe even more so given the absences – but the look and feel of the USMNT will be different than what many expected. Pochettino knows that but, for him, expectations have not deviated.

"We need to create a culture of winning," Pochettino said. "We need to chase that because, if we want to be good in one year, we need to think that today is the important day. We need it to be from today. If we say, 'OK, I'll wait because the World Cup is in one year', then it's in six months, then in one month and then it's too late. That's why I think it's important to have a different approach.

"I think we learned a lot in the last few camps, for sure in March, and I think it's about maybe using a different way to approach this. This opportunity is amazing. We are so motivated and excited. We are, with full energy, working to create a good group that we can feel proud of."

GOAL looks at five key takeaways from Pochettino's squad selection.

• Imagn
  

  The Pulisic problem

  It's understandable. Really, it is. Pulisic is no doubt feeling beaten up and, with a World Cup a year away, getting and staying fit remains priority No. 1. Furthermore, no player in this pool has less to prove. Pulisic didn't need to play in this Gold Cup as much as the USMNT needed him to play.

  That's the frustrating part. The USMNT needs its stars right now – both to build bonds, and, you know, try to win the tournament – and, despite this being an excused absence, no Pulisic could be a problem for a team that failed to beat either Panama or Canada two months ago.

  In the long run, maybe it does end up being a good thing. At least that's the glass half-full point of view – and that's how Pochettino is looking at it, both from Pulisic's perspective and from the that of players that now have a chance to play because of his absence.

  "Many people can say it's really important for us to all be together, but always as a coaching staff, we always listen to the player," Pochettino said. "Then, of course, we make the decision. We have our own ideas about everything but, I think after the consideration in every case and, in this case with Christian, I think we decided the best thing for him, the best thing for the national team is the decision that we made."

  According to Matt Crocker, U.S. Soccer sporting director, Pulisic and his team made the request to sit out the Gold Cup.

  “Christian and his team approached the Federation and the coaching staff about the possibility of stepping back this summer, given the amount of matches he has played in the past two years at both the club and international level with very little break,” Crocker said. “After thoughtful discussions and careful consideration, we made the collective decision that this is the right moment for him to get the rest he needs. The objective is to ensure he’s fully prepared to perform at the highest level next season.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Who else is missing?

  We knew that there would be absences. Weston McKennie, Tim Weah and Gio Reyna were out due to Club World Cup commitments. Alejandro Zendejas won't be on the squad, also tied to Club America's potential spot in that competition. Then there was the Pulisic bombshell.

  And it doesn't end there.

  Yunus Musah, Pulisic's AC Milan teammate, is another mainstay that misses out. He was in the squad as of Monday, but had to pull out due to personal reasons.

  "We cannot go deeper into that because what happened there is up to the player to share or not share," Pochettino said.

  Robinson has been dealing with a tendon injury that has barely allowed him to train over the last few months. That kept him out of Nations League and, after consulting with Fulham, Pochettino and his staff made the decision to shut Robinson down for a summer of recovery.

  "We were considerate and talked with the medical staff and the staff from Fulham about the situation," Pochettino said. "He was visiting different specialists and it's still not clear, the situation. I'm no doctor to explain the problem that he has, but it's a player who hasn't been training much over the last few months.

  "He's only been competing on the weekend and then, next weekend, they'll see if he can play or not. I saw it as a big risk and, in this moment, we need to consider and pay attention to the advice of the medical staff and, of course, Fulham."

  Also missing? Josh Sargent? No injury here. That was a coaching choice. Pochettino simply chose to look elsewhere, leaving a group of forwards that includes Patrick Agyemang, Folarin Balogun, Damion Downs, Brian White and Haji Wright.

  "It was only a football decision," Pochettino said. "We needed to choose between different strikers."

• AFP
  

  No punishment for Nations League squad

  Beyond those players, the list of Nations League participants that weren't included is long. Joe Scally, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Marlon Fossey, Tanner Tessmann – all also excluded after recently concluding their European seasons. Were those decisions a direct response to the Nations League failure? Was the plan to shake things up to send a message?

  Yes and no.

  "It's not to punish," Pochettino said. "I think it is about that we didn't perform in March, and the first responsibility is my responsibility… I think it's important for us also to find different solutions or try to find a different way to approach. One of the things is to give the possibility to maybe different players to show what they can do for the national team."

  One group has familiar faces – goalkeeper, with Matt Turner again leading the way, along with Zack Steffen, Patrick Schulte and Matt Freese. But veteran and new faces alike should expect a certain tone in this camp. Pochettino sent a warning shot, though, at anyone who shows up lacking focus.

  "If you arrive at the camp and want to spend some nice time, play golf, go for a dinner, see your family, see your friends, that is not the culture we want to create," he said. "No, no, no. What we want to do is go to the national team, arrive and be focused and spend all focus and energy on the national team because we need to create this culture about winning."

  With many European club regulars missing, there is a distinct MLS flavor to the squad, with a total of 17 domestically based players in the team. That wasn't necessarily intentional, Pochettino said, but came down to individual decisions between players on similar levels.

  "We cannot assess players because they are playing for one team or in Europe or play in MLS," Pochettino said. "I see all the players that I have seen with us. When you are talking about different names, they are names that are in the same level of the players that are now involved in the roster."

• Getty
  

  Finding the goals

  With Weah and Reyna in the CWC, Pulisic now out and Ricardo Pepi still injured, the USMNT is missing significant firepower. There is good news, though.

  Balogun is back, giving the USMNT their starter from the Copa America. Newcomer Downs is showing promise. White and Agyemang have ridden the wave from their January camp breakouts, as has midfielder Diego Luna, who has rapidly become a Pochettino favorite.

  Still, there are questions about where the goals will come from. But Pochettino says that question can be spun into an opportunity for others to show why they can be counted among those top-line names.

  "The first approach that we are going to have when we are all together is, 'Listen guys, you have the possibility to defend your place with the national team'," he said. "It's not because they are here to replace people; it's for them to be sure they will be here. They have the possibility to defend their place. How do you defend your place? That is the important thing for us.

  "You need to fight. You need to show attitude. Not only that, but perform, be brave, follow the rules that we are going to set in the group. I think it's really important for us. They need to know that and they are going to compete in a fair way with different people, including some that maybe are not involved today or in this camp next week."

  Pochettiono refused to offer a preemptive excuse based on the injuries and missing players. Instead, he pointed to the Nations League – poor performance, even with big-name players – as a lesson learned, and said this summer will be a chance to capitalize on opportunity.

  "We cannot go to the competition or the two friendly games thinking about missing a player or not being competitive or not scoring," he said. "We cannot say we will not do well because we are missing players. I think a good example is March. With all the names, I think everyone will agree, we didn't perform. We saw what happened and we cannot change it, but the important thing is to now provide new players the possibility to challenge."

يدخل نانت الفرنسي مباراة على ملعبه في مواجهة أوكسير، ضمن منافسات الجولة الثانية من الدوري الفرنسي لكرة القدم.

ويستقبل ملعب “لابوجوار” ملعب نانت، مباراة الفريقين اليوم، ويطمح فريق المهاجم المصري مصطفى محمد لتحقيق أول انتصاراته في الدوري الفرنسي.

وكانت الفترة التحضيرية قبل انطلاق منافسات الدوري الفرنسي قد شهدت تألق المصري مصطفى محمد الذي يستهدف تسجيل أول أهدافه في الدوري الفرنسي مساء اليوم.

اقرأ أيضاً.. سوفا سوكر تكافئ مصطفى محمد رغم خسارة نانت ضد ستراسبورج

وقد أثار مصطفى محمد الكثير من التكهنات الصحفية حول مستقبله خلال الفترة الماضية، ولكن لويس كاسترو مدرب نانت يعطي له الثقة ويعتمد عليه بشكل أساسي مباراة تلو الأخرى.

﹅ Le XI de départ face à Auxerre. #OnEstNantes pic.twitter.com/dR6rZsEOIL — FC Nantes (@FCNantes) August 30, 2025

تشكيل نانت أمام أوكسير في الدوري الفرنسي

حراسة المرمى: لوبيز

خط الدفاع: أميان – أوازيم – تاتي – كوزا

خط الدفاع: كوكلين – ليبينانت – ليروكس

خط الهجوم: مصطفى محمد – جيراسي – بنحطاب

وكان نانت قد بدأ الموسم الحالي بتعرضه لهزيمتين متتاليتين، حيث خسر ضد باريس سان جيرمان في الجولة الأولى بهدف نظيف وفي الجولة الثانية ضد ستراسبورج بنفس النتيجة.

MatériaMais Notícias

da 888casino： Ausentes na última rodada, Renato Augusto e Yuri Alberto retornam ao time do Corinthians para o confronto deste domingo (12), contra a Portuguesa, em Brasília, pela 8ª rodada do Paulistão.

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da dobrowin： + Erro de Balbuena custa caro em noite desastrosa da defesa do Corinthians

Yuri vinha lidandocom dores no tornozelo direito e perdeu os jogos contra Botafogo-SP e São Bernardo. O centroavante treinousem restrições na metade desta semana e volta a ser relacionado. JáRenato, que vinha em uma sequência de três jogos seguidos no time titular, foi preservado contra o Bernô por controle de carga, e retorna para o duelo contra a Lusa.

Ainda que a dupla esteja na viagem para Brasília, não é garantido que eles sejam titulares. É possível que alguns deles ainda estejam indisponíveis para atuar durante os 90 minutos, como disse o técnico Fernando Lázaro após a derrota para o São Bernardo.

+ Veja as movimentações do mercado da bola no LANCE!

Quem segue de fora da lista de relacionados é o volante Maycon. O camisa 7 ficou de fora dos últimos três confrontos da equipe e, mesmo recuperado dalesão muscular na coxa esquerda sofrida na vitória sobre o Guarani, a comissão técnica optou por não levá-lo a Brasília. Fagner, suspenso, também desfalca o clube alvinegro.

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Goleiros: Carlos Miguel, Cássio e Matheus Donelli
Laterais: Fábio Santos, Matheus Bidu e Rafael Ramos
Zagueiros: Balbuena, Bruno Méndez, Caetano, Gil e Murillo
Meio-campistas: Du Queiroz, Fausto Vera, Giuliano, Matheus Araújo, Paulinho, Renato Augusto e Roni
Atacantes: Adson, Júnior Moraes, Róger Guedes, Romero, Wesley e Yuri Alberto

Assim, Fernando Lázaro pode montar o Corinthians com: Cássio; Rafael Ramos, Bruno Méndez, Gil (Balbuena) e Fábio Santos; Fausto Vera (Roni), Du Queiroz, Renato Augusto (Giuliano) e Adson; Róger Guedes e Yuri Alberto (Romero).

+ Veja tabela e simule os jogos do Campeonato Paulista

Neste sábado, antes de embarcar para Brasília,Fernando Lázaro organizou um treinamento tático no CT Joaquim Grava. Ele também promoveu um trabalho de bolas paradas ofensivas e defensivas com os jogadores.

continua após a publicidade

The former USMNT star has pointed to the lack of quality coaches as the main reason why the U.S. struggles to develop world-class players

Gomez identifies coaching quality as the fundamental issue in U.S. player developmentAmerican soccer infrastructure and facilities exceed many countries producing elite talentCultural development gaps from early stages prevent technical and tactical growthGetty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED

Former USMNT striker and current ESPN analyst Herculez Gomez addressed the persistent question of why the United States fails to produce world-class football players. Despite billions invested in facilities, youth academies, and professional infrastructure, Gomez argued that the coaching methodology at youth levels remains insufficient. He specifically highlighted that while the U.S. has built impressive stadiums and training facilities, the quality of coaching instruction at formative ages is preventing young players from maximizing their potential.

“You look at the U.S., you don’t have great coaches,” Gomez said on . “So you could have all the resources, all the material in the world you need but if you don’t have the methodology to mold these players, you’re not going to have a player like Lamine Yamal who at 15 is debuting at Barca, 16 playing his first Euros, 17 is probably the front-runner for the Ballon d’Or.

He added, “You’re not going to have that because here at 15, you’re maybe getting approached to go to Europe. At 16, you can finally be in Europe; that’s when you can legally be there. At 16, 17, you’re stepping out into the first team [like Pulisic] and that’s the most accelerated examples I can go with. You don’t have that [in the U.S.], so it goes back to coaching, that’s why you don’t have and never had a world-class player, or probably are going to lack for world-class players because you don’t develop them."

AdvertisementWHAT HERCULEZ GOMEZ SAID

Gomez further touched on the fact that part of the reason is also cultural because a lot of world-class talent starts young and is mostly started by their family because football is part of their lives. He admits that that isn’t the case in America and it needs to change for the U.S. to produce a world-class star.

“That’s not per se what happens here. So if it’s not cultural and you don’t have the methodology, your behind in that resource which is the greatest resource of all, who gives a sh*t what the stadium looks like? Or the grass is like, or what kind of gear you have, or what kind of sensors they put on your chest that measures how much you run?! But that’s what I’m saying, you don’t have that [culture and methodology] and if you don’t have that, it’s very, very difficult to be put with the rest of the world.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

The United States has made significant strides in football over the past two decades, with MLS academies, youth development programs, and improved professional pathways. However, Gomez's critique points to a deeper issue that resources alone cannot fix: the cultural understanding of the game that informs coaching philosophy. South American and European countries have produced generation after generation of elite players through consistent teaching methodologies that emphasize technical skill and tactical awareness from the earliest ages.

Getty Images SportWHAT’S NEXT?

The U.S. Soccer Federation has recently expanded its coaching education programs and invested in bringing international expertise to influence American coaching methods. With the 2026 World Cup approaching, there will likely be increased scrutiny on these efforts to improve coaching quality at youth levels.

The left-arm spinner is hoping to be part of the side for the Mumbai encounter next month

AAP16-Nov-2023Left-arm spinner Jess Jonassen has been studying master of the art Ravindra Jadeja closely ahead of Australia’s Test against India next month.India will host Australia from December 21 in Mumbai, for the first time in a Test on home soil since 1984, and the 31-year-old Jonassen is leaving no stone unturned in her quest to make the most of the opportunity.Jonassen was named for Australia – along with fellow spinners Ashleigh Gardner, Alana King and Georgia Wareham – in the squad for the three-format tour that will also include three ODIs and T20Is.Related

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On Wednesday, Jonassen became the first player to pass 150 wickets in the WBBL, with her 4 for 20 for Brisbane Heat in the 53-run win over Hobart Hurricanes taking the veteran’s tally to 152.Indian left-armer Jadeja is a regular for India and Jonassen is a student of his wily ways.”Jadeja has just got incredible control of his pace into the same length. His ability to beat both sides of the bat is probably second to none,” Jonassen told AAP. “That is something I will be hoping to emulate myself when I can get over there to India. Hopefully I can have a few spells like he has had in his Test career.”I used to watch a lot of [former New Zealand spinner] Dan Vettori but in the current climate Jadeja is the bowler I look to. I have been watching him in the 50-over World Cup in India.”It is a bit different in the sense that [the men] bowl a bit quicker than we do but in some respects it is still very similar with what I am trying to execute and achieve.”Jonassen acknowledged competition for spinning spots on tour would be intense but is relishing the challenge”Whenever [selection] becomes official it is always exciting and always nice and I am really proud to be part of such an historic trip,” she said. “We have some really talented spinners in the squad and we are all going to be licking our lips to get the nod.”Ultimately the balance of the side will dictate that. We will keep a close eye on the India-England Test match that will be a week or so prior to ours at the same Mumbai venue. That will give us an idea of what conditions may be like for our game.”Jonassen had not taken a wicket in three WBBL games before the Hurricanes clash but found her rhythm and confidence in her best return of the season so far.”I was really clear about the role I wanted to play and the impact I wanted to have,” she said. “I haven’t felt like I have been bowling too badly, bar a couple of games. The wickets just weren’t necessarily there. This game…they were.”

Mikel Arteta has acknowledged it. Nuno Santo acknowledged it in midweek. The whole world knows what the issue is at Arsenal Football Club right now.

2024 saw a progressive year for the Gunners. The back end of last season was met with one defeat as they not only scored goals galore but were resolute defensively, ensuring the team’s title challenge went down to the Premier League’s final day.

They scored six at West Ham, five against Burnley, four versus Newcastle and six against Sheffield United during a run of four devastating matches at the back end of February and the beginning of March.

How much difference a year makes? Now, the club can’t buy a goal for love nor money. Mikel Merino’s double is the only two goals Arsenal have scored over their last three games, subsequently losing 1-0 to West Ham and then playing out a 0-0 stalemate with top-four hopefuls Nottingham Forest.

So, where’s it all gone wrong?

How Arteta has tried to revive Arsenal's attack in 2025

Coming into the winter transfer window Arsenal knew they were a body light. Bukayo Saka’s hamstring injury suffered against Crystal Palace back in November ensured they were without their golden boy.

Still, Jason Ayto – their interim sporting director – and the club’s ownership didn’t appear to be in a great hurry. That was, until, Gabriel Jesus was ruled out for the season having sustained an ACL injury in the FA Cup.

With the Brazilian down and out, Arsenal now arguably needed two attackers. Rumours came and went. A move for Alexander Isak was never going to materialise and it was thought as though getting long-term target Benjamin Sesko out of RB Leipzig in January was going to be a tough ask. They may still pursue the Slovenian in the summer but that will be too little too late as far as 2024/25 is concerned.

The window ended with no one arriving. Fans groaned, fans moaned, fans gesticulated aggressively at the Emirates Stadium. Then came the biggest blow of all. Kai Havertz. The man who Arteta claimed that “his robustness and his availability is unbelievable.”

It would appear as though that was a cursed comment. Just a week later, during Arsenal’s warm weather camp in Dubai, the German suffered a hamstring injury. He’s now out for the season too.

All of a sudden, with Gabriel Martinelli also on the sidelines, the Gunners were now down to bare bones. So, what’s been the solution? Arguably, there hasn’t been one.

Against Leicester, it was a front three of Ethan Nwaneri, Leandro Trossard and Raheem Sterling. Nwaneri was a menace, providing chance after chance and rattling the post in the second half. Trossard was ineffective up top and Sterling was withdrawn for Mikel Merino. Imagine that.

Merino, however, was the saviour. He scored twice courtesy of delicious assists from Nwaneri and Trossard. Since then, Arsenal have been toothless.

The idea of fielding the Spaniard up top, a player with a similar wirey build to Havertz certainly makes sense but he’s not a centre-forward, far from it.

Against Nottingham Forest, we even saw left-back Riccardo Calafiori drifting into central pockets in offensive zones, notably rattling the woodwork with a fine first-half effort. His erratic defending, however, saw him withdrawn at the break.

So, this will probably be the story for the rest of the season. How they must rue selling some of their finest Hale End talent? Hindsight is a wonderful thing, of course, but there’s one who now happens to be outscoring the aforementioned Isak…

Arsenal must regret selling Hale End superstar

Hale End has proven to be a consistent production line for Arsenal in recent years. It was Saka and Emile Smith Rowe who saved Arteta when he first arrived in N5 and now he’s getting the same level of performance from two further Hale Enders; Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

Sadly, the Gunners have already cashed in on a player making greater strides than both of them this term.

That happens to be Mika Biereth. You’ve all heard of him now, but you probably didn’t while he was learning his trade in the academy set-up.

Signed from Fulham, the centre-forward walked straight into the U21 side where he scored 12 times in 26 outings. Those numbers are hardly awe-inspiring.

There were a number of loan spells during that time, featuring for Dutch side RKC Waalwijk and enjoying a fruitful time at Motherwell and Sturm Graz last term, scoring 15 times and supplying nine assists across his spells with both clubs in 2023/24.

Truth be told, Arsenal have been pretty rubbish at loaning out players and growing their value but they were able to do so on this occasion, eventually selling the Denmark youth international last summer to Sturm Graz for just £4m.

After a first half of the year where he lit up Austrian football once again, bagging 11 league goals in 16 games and two Champions League goals, he was on the move again.

Over the winter, Monaco came calling, paying £10.8m for his signature which looks like an absolute bargain considering his form now.

In the words of former GOAL reporter Robin Bairner, the 22-year-old’s “form continues to be absolutely crazy” having scored ten times in seven games including three remarkable hat-tricks.

That makes him the joint-most prolific player in Europe’s top five leagues throughout 2025. He’s been so good that he’s outscoring the aforementioned Isak and Liverpool’s man of the moment, Mo Salah.

It’s safe to say that Biereth’s tale is a fascinating one. At Arsenal, he wasn’t generating much hype but there was clearly a talented goalscorer there.

To cash in for just £4m, in hindsight, was a mistake, but very few at Colney will have expected the young Dane to flourish quite as he has done now.

Arsenal can finally end Merino experiment by unleashing "deadly" Hale Ender

The prolific youngster deserves his first start amid Mikel Merino’s inclusion as a striker for Arsenal.

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By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Mar 2, 2025