Wrexham have delivered back-to-back promotions for Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, but the club are already “playing catch up” in League One.
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Red Dragons climbing into third tierAmbition of Hollywood co-owners rewardedBig summer ahead in North WalesWHAT HAPPENED?
That warning has been sounded a matter of hours after the Red Dragons confirmed a top-three finish in League Two. Having claimed the National League title in record-breaking style last season, the Welsh outfit are enjoying a meteoric rise up the EFL ladder.
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They will be playing third-tier football in 2024-25 for the first time in 20 years, with a considerable investment of faith and funds being rewarded. Wrexham have come a long way in a short space of time, and that means their Hollywood co-owners need to find more answers to difficult questions in the weeks to come.
WHAT KER SAID ABOUT WREXHAM
Wrexham’s executive director, Humphrey Ker, has told of the project Reynolds and McElhenney are working through: “Above everything, we have proven again this is not a gimmick, it's not a joke, it's a serious operation. We are playing catch up on infrastructure and facilities, but we will do everything to give players and staff the standards you would expect. And then we go again.”
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Reynolds and McElhenney have made no secret of the fact that they want to guide Wrexham towards the Premier League, but the playing field will start to level out in League One and that will mean bigger challenges for head coach Phil Parkinson and a star-studded squad to overcome.
A vitória por 4 a 2 sobre o Sport, neste sábado, manteve o Santos colado na parte de cima da tabela do Campeonato Brasileiro, chegando aos 37 pontos em 23 jogos disputados. Desde a última rodada da competição do ano passado, quando goleou o Flamengo por 4 a 0, que o Peixe não estufava as redes quatro vezes numa mesma partida. Feito que coloca também os santistas novamente como o segundo time com mais gols na história do Brasileirão.
O placar elástico fez com que o Alvinegro Praiano atingisse a marca de 2022 gols em 1403 partidas realizadas desde 1971, empatando com o Atlético Mineiro. O Galo, que tem nove jogos a menos no histórico, havia ultrapassado o Santos nesta temporada. Sob o comando de Jorge Sampaoli, ex-técnico santista, a equipe mineira tem atualmente o ataque mais positivo do campeonato com 41 bolas na rede.
RelacionadasVídeoVÍDEO: Assista aos quatro gols da vitória do Santos sobre o SportVídeo28/11/2020BrasileirãoEstrela de jovem brilha, e Santos bate o Sport pelo BrasileirãoBrasileirão28/11/2020SantosSantos propõe renovação de goleiro da equipe BSantos28/11/2020
O líder do ranking histórico segue sendo o São Paulo, que neste sábado venceu o Bahia por 3 a 1. O Tricolor do Morumbi já marcou 2126 vezes em 1421 atuações no Brasileiro desde 71. Confira o top 5:
TIMES COM MAIS GOLS NA HISTÓRIA DO BRASILEIRÃO (1971/2020) – Dados OGol 1º – São Paulo – 2126 gols em 1421 jogos 2º – Santos – 2022 gols em 1394 jogos Atlético-MG – 2022 gols em 1403 jogos 4º – Flamengo – 1977 gols em 1426 jogos 5º – Cruzeiro – 1973 gols em 1385 jogos
Arsenal fans couldn't hold back their amazement at Martin Odegaard's sumptuous assist for Leandro Trossard's goal against Porto on Tuesday.
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Odegaard delivers sumptuous assist
Arsenal draw level in tie
Fans go crazy at midfielder's efforts
WHAT HAPPENED?
An insipid Arsenal were clamouring for a moment of magic and their Norwegian skipper produced the goods to bring the roof down at the Emirates in the first half. He sliced open Porto's defence with a perfectly weighted assist for Trossard, who opened himself up to find the far corner with finesse.
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WHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING
Arsenal fan @_Zeets wrote on X: "Martin Odegaard, you’ve changed my life."
While another fan, @veencomps, added: "ODEGAARD YOU SEXY SEXY MAN".
Meanwhile, @samiichels wrote: "Those debates between Bruno Fernandes and Odegaard look pathetic now😭😭😭😭 no comparison."
Whereas, @LickshotLippy, wrote: "Odegaard smh, disgusting baller. Too much tech."
On the other hand, @supportsteven shared a hilarious GIF and wrote: "Those Odegaard feints 😭😭😭"
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
The round of 16 matchup hung in the balance after Trossard's goal, which equalised the tie at 1-1 on aggregate. The Gunners did get more into their groove in the second half, powered by a passionate 60,000-strong crowd, but Porto's gritty defence were resolute. Notably, Odegaard also found the net but a foul on Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa by Kai Havertz during the build-up saw his strike ruled out by the referee.
Leeds United are a club that have a rich history of youth production, having pumped out a steady stream of stars across numerous years now, many of which are still in circulation at the top of the game even today.
The likes of Kalvin Phillips just won a treble last season with Manchester City alongside Scott Carson, with Aaron Lennon, Danny Rose, Fabian Delph and many more all enjoying fine careers too away from Elland Road.
However, perhaps most exciting is the crop of academy graduates currently residing in Yorkshire, with Daniel Farke having already proven his willingness to throw them into action regardless of their age.
As such, the spine of his squad boasts youth around every corner, with Illan Meslier, Pascal Struijk, Ethan Ampadu and Georginio Rutter giving way to the likes of Archie Gray, Joe Gelhardt, Wilfried Gnonto and Crysencio Summerville.
It is astounding just how reliant the Whites have become on their youth, with it marking an impressive fall-back option following their relegation from the Premier League last term. Given they sit fifth after 11 games too, there is every reason to believe that such a youth-focused outfit could mount a genuine push for promotion too.
Alan Smith
284
64
2
Aaron Lennon
416
100
1
James Milner
624
144
12
Fabian Delph
204
17
7
Kalvin Phillips
64
4
4
However, whether they achieve that or not, there are some key positions that will need filling come the conclusion of this campaign.
Joe Rodon may be impressing for now, but he cannot fill Liam Cooper's boots forever, given he is set to return to his parent club Tottenham Hotspur. So, perhaps the former Norwich City boss could look to his academy once again, seeking to promote the next promising centre-back and mould him in his image.
How good was Liam Cooper?
Although injuries have riddled the Scotsman in recent years, few around Yorkshire have forgotten just how impressive the man mountain was in engineering their 2020 promotion, and the exceptional first year back in the top flight that followed.
However, in the same vein, they are also aware that things must move on, and a long-term replacement has become a matter of high priority given the lack of depth in those areas.
Whoever is drafted in must be powerful and domineering, boasting enough leadership qualities to at least offset what they would lose should their club captain move on. And yet, they also need to be able to actually play the game, feeding into their philosophy that allows them to maintain the bulk of possession without panicking on the ball.
This was no better exemplified than through Cooper's 2019/20 term, as he featured 38 times in the Championship, starring at the back. Whilst his 82% pass accuracy was hardly outstanding, it did mark a fine foundation for what was to come upon stepping up into the Premier League. Meanwhile, his 1.8 interceptions, 1.4 tackles and three clearances per game helped his side win 15 clean sheets when he featured, marking a phenomenal return for a side that would walk to the title, via Sofascore.
In fact, Marcelo Bielsa would even seek to laud the 17-cap colossus back in 2019 as he stepped up his return from injury: "He played an hour. He is in good conditions to come back to the team. He has a very good first pass, he is good in the aerial balls, he is our captain and he deserves to be our captain. When he’s inside the team he always makes the team stronger."
It was going to take something special to find someone to live up to these expectations, yet in Rodon they managed to secure the perfect heir, at least for the year.
How is Joe Rodon playing?
Having moved to Spurs from Swansea City, his knowledge of the Championship was already vast before he earned further experience in the Premier League and later Ligue 1.
It seems that this has culminated in producing one of the division's outstanding stoppers, shining as a true defensive warrior with plenty of class to remain a useful asset in the modern game.
As such, when compared to other centre-backs in the next 14 competitions most similar to the Championship, Rodon sits in the top 14% for pass accuracy, the top 10% for interceptions per 90, and the top 1% for aerials won per 90, via FBref.
His influence has been revolutionary, with Farke seeking to laud the impact of the Wales international: "We got the feeling he was prepared and we don’t have to speak about his quality, he knows this league inside out, he was rock solid when he played in this league and that was the reason Tottenham spent so much money on him.
"He has unbelievable pace and it is good when we have to defend that high in the field, it helps. He brings also aerial threat into our game, we have many smaller, not the tallest players, (it’s) also important for us in terms of set-pieces he is strong in duals and build up passes in his technique.
Leeds defender Joe Rodon.
"Also, to find a pass, there is still a few things he can improve. I think in one or two scenes, he took a bit too much risk in terms of stepping in."
So, come May when Leeds will know their future more clearly, not only will they need a Cooper heir, but a Rodon one too. Fortunately, in Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen, the Whites may already have one readymade in the academy.
Who is Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen?
Although the 19-year-old is yet to make a senior appearance, his performances for the U21s will have certainly caught the eye.
After all, the Scotsman was ever-present for the side that achieved promotion to the Premier League 2 Division 1, having impressed throughout the campaign before missing out on automatic promotion on the final day of the season.
They were not to be denied, and Chilokoa-Mullen finished having made 15 appearances, scoring once and starring at the heart of a resolute defence.
Whilst their shared nationality helps to earn comparisons to Cooper, his own rendition of his play style offers further similarities, as he noted after penning his first professional contract: "I'm a player who reads the game quite well and I like to defend on the front foot, I want to keep learning under the coaching staff and become a better player in general.”
His ability to read the game and snuff out attacks is one that both the former Hull City stalwart and Rodon share, with his qualities sure to have only grown since that 2021 interview.
Having now earned vital experience in earning promotion too, he is surely ready for the step up into senior football, with the 6 foot 2 titan sure to be raring to go at the end of this campaign.
Manchester United have encountered issue after issue so far this season, with the likes of Jadon Sancho falling out with Erik ten Hag in what is an ongoing saga, whilst the Red Devils continue to struggle on the pitch, suffering a 3-2 loss in their most recent outing against Galatasaray. The club have a number of players out injured, too, and those at Old Trafford will be desperately waiting for the full squad to return.
Any boost is a plus in the current circumstances, and, those in Manchester have finally been handed some good news to cling onto, with one particular player edging closer and closer to a return from an injury suffered in pre-season.
What's the latest Man Utd injury news?
When it comes to injuries, United have suffered the same luck that they've faced when attempting to get results on the pitch this season. At various stages of the campaign, Ten Hag has already been without Rasmus Hojlund, Mason Mount, Raphael Varane, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and Lisandro Martinez, who is set for an extended spell on the sidelines.
The Red Devils have, however, received a recent injury boost, with youngster Kobbie Mainoo back in training, and edging closer to a return to action. And whilst United's next Premier League clash against Brentford could come too early for the youngster, he isn't far off from making a comeback, according to the club's official website.
We've seen in the past just how much of an impact young players can have at Old Trafford, with Marcus Rashford a prime example of that. Now, it could soon be Mainoo's turn to light a spark that has been slowly fading at the theatre of dreams this season. It will be interesting to see if Ten Hag turns to the midfielder, given the current form of his side, and, therefore, the ease with which several names could play themselves into the Dutchman's plans.
Who is Kobbie Mainoo?
Kobbie Mainoo
Just 18 years of age, Mainoo has the world at his feet at Manchester United, and could soon get his chance to show just how good he is. With Casemiro suspended in the Champions League after his red card against Galatasaray, Mainoo may yet even be handed a chance to stake his claim on the biggest stage to showcase his talents. The pressure would be on, but if he impressed on his chance, then Ten Hag may just have himself another option in the middle of the park.
The teenager has already earned plenty of praise during his time at United, including from club legend Bryan Robson, who told The Telegraph:
"He’s calculated and he’s reading the game, doing things in his own time. He closes down really well, receives the ball and changes the pattern of the game, quickens it up when he wants to and he’s using his football brain. I’m quite impressed with him."
Everything seems to be pointing to the fact that United have a gem on their hands, and who knows, a player who could yet play a surprise part in turning their campaign around after such a disappointing start this season.
Crystal Palace have unearthed some mighty talent over the years, nurturing some stellar academy stars as well as assisting new arrivals on their path to greatness at Selhurst Park.
Not many talents stick out in south London as prolifically as Wilfried Zaha, who graduated from the academy to go on to make 458 senior appearances for Palace over his 18-year connection to the club.
Now that the Ivorian has bid farewell, it’s time for the new wave of starlets to take centre stage for the Eagles, with Roy Hodgson left with an abundance of talent at his disposal thanks to some smart signings in recent years.
Three years ago, Steve Parish welcomed one bright spark in particular to Selhurst, in a move that has proven to be a huge hit in south London. Step forward Eberechi Eze.
How much was Eberechi Eze worth at QPR?
When Queens Park Rangers signed youngster Eberechi Eze on a free transfer from Millwall in 2016, the R’s couldn’t have expected what the future would hold for both club and player thanks to his talents.
Two years after his arrival, the attacking midfielder broke into the first-team squad sporadically, making 16 Championship appearances in the 2017/18 campaign.
As a result, his expected transfer value (xTV) rose to €3m (£2.5m), as calculated by Football Transfers, telling of the path he would lead going forward.
How much did Crystal Palace sign Eberechi Eze for?
It wasn’t long before the Englishman made it to the big time, sealing a move to Crystal Palace in 2020 for a fee in the region of £20m, £4m of which were to be made up of add-ons.
Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson with EberechiEzeafter the match
At the time his xTV sat around the €17.8m (£15.2m) mark, suggesting that Palace overpaid for his services, however, the Eagles would go on to have the last laugh by capturing his signature.
What is Eberechi Eze’s market value now?
After three years and 98 appearances, it’s come to light that Parish struck gold by signing Eze, whose xTV has since rocketed to €35.1m (£30m), showing a mightily impressive £10m rise from the price he was purchased for back in 2020.
At just 25 years old, the growth that the versatile attacker has shown during his rise in the Premier League has earned him praise from beyond the comforts of Selhurst, with him earning two caps for England this year.
Why is Eze worth that much?
Lauded as having the “potential to become a star” by U23 scout Antonio Mango amid his move to Palace, Eze has quickly become one of the best talents in Hodgson’s team.
Last season, the Londoner scored ten goals as well as registering four assists in the Premier League, showcasing his importance to the attack on show in the south of the capital.
The 25-year-old was previously dubbed to be a “different class” by former Palace boss and Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira, which was supported by Eze registering as the highest-performing player in the Premier League in one decimal.
Indeed, as per FBref, Eze topped the charts in terms of his average of successful take-ons in comparison to other midfielders in the top flight, averaging 2.42 per 90 to show just how much of a menace he is on the ball.
From £20m to being valued at £30m in three years, Parish truly struck gold by signing Eze from QPR, with the future looking bright for both Palace and the England international.
Entre Botafogo e Ronald está tudo certo. O clube de General Severiano já conversou com o atacante, principal alvo da equipe para o decorrer da temporada, sobre termos contratuais e o jogador de 23 anos demonstrou vontade em defender a camisa alvinegra. O problema, porém, é com o acerto com o xará paulista.
O Botafogo-SP, dono dos direitos federativos de Ronald, que possui contrato até o fim da Série B do Campeonato Brasileiro, em fevereiro, quer receber uma compensação financeira pela negociação. No momento, isto é o que impede o “aperto de mãos” entre o jogador e o possível novo clube.
O clube de General Severiano, sem recursos no caixa, busca uma alternativa para ter o final feliz na negociação a custo zero. Entre elas, um cenário em que a equipe paulista manteria uma parte dos direitos federativos de Ronald em uma futura venda.
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O jogador tem noção dos termos contratuais propostos pelo Botafogo e concordou com as condições apresentadas pelo Alvinegro. O caminho passa pelo ‘jogo duro’ feito pela equipe paulista. As partes ainda conversam.
Ronald é a prioridade na lista de reforços de Túlio Lustosa, novo gerente de futebol do Botafogo. O dirigente encara que o Alvinegro precisa, acima de tudo, de uma nova opção de velocidade para o ataque. O jogador de 23 anos, um dos destaques do Botafogo-SP na Série B, foi o escolhido.
Revelado pelo Internacional e com passagem pelo Boavista-POR, Ronald marcou quatro gols em 25 partidas disputadas na atual temporada. Ele é o quinto jogador com mais dribles completados na atual edição da Série B – 27 ao todo -, de acordo com o site “SofaScore”.
Liam Livingstone, England’s uncapped selection for the Test tour of New Zealand in March and April, believes he is better placed to impress in red-ball than white-ball cricket, after missing the chance to establish his credentials in two T20 appearances against South Africa last summer.Livingstone was drafted into the Test squad this week in place of Yorkshire’s Gary Ballance, who paid the price for England’s 4-0 defeat in the recent Ashes despite not playing in any of the five matches.At the age of 24, Livingstone is widely regarded as one of the most naturally talented batsmen in English cricket, and was appointed as Lancashire captain in the off season, taking over from Steven Croft.Known for his hard hitting and a wide repertoire of strokes, Livingstone enjoyed some notable moments of success in 2017, in particular his maiden List A hundred – a blistering knock of 129 from 83 balls for England Lions against South Africa A at Northampton – and a career-best 224 for Lancashire against Warwickshire in the Championship in September.However, when he was picked for England’s T20 side against South Africa in the aftermath of the Champions Trophy in June, Livingstone looked a touch overawed by the experience – he made 16 runs in two innings, running himself out on debut at Taunton before missing a full-toss to be bowled for a golden duck in the series decider at Cardiff.Looking back now, however, Livingstone believes that experience will stand him in good stead as his England career progresses. “The Twenty20 was a good experience for me, but my red-ball game is totally different,” he told ECB.co.uk.”I’m a lot more assured with my red-ball game than I am in T20 cricket so I’ll definitely go into the environment with a lot more confidence in my ability to perform, which will help me. It will be nice to get in and around that and hopefully show what I can do.”Livingstone’s call-up follows his decision to forego the opportunity to ply his trade in the T20 leagues around the globe, and instead spend a second winter away with the England Lions in Australia.”I spoke to Andy Flower about this at the start of the winter,” he said. “My ultimate goal is to play Test cricket for England, and going to Australia with the Lions was the best way to give myself the best chance of doing that.”I could have tried to play T20 cricket around the world, but I still don’t see that as the strongest part of my game. I wanted to work on different areas of my red-ball game, and I was able to do that for our first two weeks in Brisbane.”While training with the Lions in Queensland, Livingstone was able to attend the first day of the Ashes at the Gabba, an experience which heightened his desire to play Test cricket.”To see the amount of interest out there, it was quite exciting,” he said. “People are saying that Test cricket’s becoming less important, but as players I don’t think that’s true at all. It’s still the toughest part of the game, and the format you get the most pleasure from succeeding in.”T20 is great for the sport and it brings in the viewers. But you look at the Ashes and the full stadiums, there’s still a lot of interest in Test cricket, and as players it’s still what you want to play.”Obviously the England team have had a tough Ashes, everyone knows that. But I’m sure everybody will be excited going into a new series, and I know it’s a very talented group of players. I’m just looking forward to getting in amongst it.”
Arsenal may have spent big already this summer, but reports seem to suggest they are far from finished in bolstering a squad which will have intentions of battling for the Premier League title once again…
Is Michael Olise leaving Crystal Palace?
Having already secured three key additions in the form of Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber, the rumour mill has since shifted to suggest that, whilst Mikel Arteta and Edu boast plenty more targets, they will first have to sell before they can buy again.
Read the latest Arsenal transfer news HERE…
However, one name they must surely target if they are to begin such a mass exodus is Michael Olise, who is reportedly available for just £35m due to a release clause that looms over the Crystal Palace wide man.
Despite the report first emerging in April, there is every reason to believe that this deal could become a reality should the Gunners speed up some departures in time for the end of a hectic transfer period.
How good is Michael Olise?
The quality of the 21-year-old gem in question is remarkable given he is still in the early stages of what promises to be a stunning career.
Having moved to Selhurst Park from Reading, he made the step up from Championship to Premier League football with the same ease that he glides past defenders on a weekly basis.
Creative and classy, more recently the France U21 international has started to add tangible statistics to his aesthetically-pleasing play style that could have been criticised for a lack of productivity.
His debut campaign in the top-flight saw him post an admirable 12 goal contributions across all competitions, which he equalled with ease most recently by recording 11 assists in the league alone in the 2022/23 campaign.
Clearly enamoured with his talents, journalist Mohammad Butt simply wrote: "MICHAEL OLISE IS A WIZARD!"
What further emphasises his ever-improving skillset is his work rate, which perhaps goes under the radar given the lackadaisical and often uninterested demeanour he poses when on the field. The winger actually works deceptively hard, and when compared to others in his role across Europe ranks in the top 17% for tackles per 90, the top 14% for interceptions per 90, and the top 10% for blocks per 90, via FBref.
leandro-trossard
Given the success earned by snagging Leandro Trossard at a cut-price fee from Brighton and Hove Albion, perhaps Arteta could replicate that feat by perusing just down the M23 to secure another coup from their rival.
After all, the Belgian has fast become a fan favourite since his £27m move in January, having posted eight goal contributions in his first 11 games at the club, and recently scoring the late equaliser that sent the Community Shield to penalties, which they would go on to win.
His boss was particularly effusive in his praise for the trickster: "Seriously, we knew about his quality and what he could bring to the team. We are really pleased with him, he can play on the right, he can play on the left, he can play as an attacking midfielder, as a nine, a false nine. He’s really contributing to the team and he really takes a lot of responsibility in games to make things happen and we love that."
The hope will be that Olise can have a similarly transformative effect, helping push them that step closer towards toppling Manchester City with yet another high-quality asset to boost the squad.
Na manhã desta segunda-feira (31), o Corinthians se reapresentou no CT Dr. Joaquim Grava e deu início à preparação para mais um desafio pelo Campeonato Brasileiro. Na quarta (02), às 19h15, no Estádio da Serrinha, em Goiânia, o Timão visita o Goiás pela sétima rodada da competição.
Os atletas que atuaram por mais de 45 minutos no último domingo (30), diante do São Paulo, realizaram um trabalho de recuperação física. Os demais atletas participaram de um trabalho técnico-tático comandado pelo técnico Tiago Nunes.
O Corinthians não tem jogadores suspensos e nem lesionados, mas Tiago Nunes pode fazer mudanças na equipe por conta da maratona de jogos e teste de novos esquemas.
Uma possível escalação tem Cássio, Fagner, Gil, Danilo Avelar e Sidcley (Lucas Piton); Éderson, Cantillo e Luan (Araos); Ramiro, Léo Natel (Gustavo Mosquito) e Jô (Boselli).
Na manhã desta terça (1), dia do aniversário de 110 anos do clube, o Corinthians fará o último treino antes da próxima partida. À tarde, a equipe viaja à capital goiana.
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