On this day in 2020: Liverpool sign Thiago Alcantara from Bayern Munich
Liverpool signed Spain midfielder Thiago Alcantara from European champions Bayern Munich on this day in 2020. The Spain international was in the last year of his deal with the Bundesliga club and arrived at Anfield for an initial fee of £20million. Thiago’s signing had been anticipated by supporters for some time and he went straight into the squad to face Chelsea, playing 45 minutes in a 2-0 win. Thiago told the club’s website: “I think it’s an amazing feeling. “I was waiting for this moment for a long time and I am very, very happy to be here. “When the years are passing, you are trying to win as much as you can – and when you win, you want to win more. “I think this club describes what I am as well. I want to achieve all of the goals, win as many trophies as possible. “It also (has) this kind of family (feeling) that I need because we (like to) have a very close relationship with the club and I think I will feel this, I will have this feeling, with this club as well.” Thiago, who played in Liverpool’s FA Cup final success in 2022, has made 97 appearances in his injury-hit three years at Anfield. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live
2023-09-18 13:16
Tua Tagovailoa Debuts Judo Throw on Sunday Night Football
VIDEO: Tua falls down and throws ball away in humorous fashion during Patriots game.
2023-09-18 09:20
Mason Greenwood reportedly met with ‘Greenwood, die’ chants on Getafe debut
Mason Greenwood reportedly had chants aimed at him calling for him to die as the Manchester United forward made his Getafe debut in a 3-2 defeat of Osasuna. The 21-year-old made a loan switch to Spain on transfer deadline day after it was announced last month that he would continue his career away from Old Trafford. Greenwood was suspended by United last year over allegations relating to a young woman after images and videos were posted online and faced charges including attempted rape and assault but the Crown Prosecution Service announced in February this year that the case had been discontinued. On Sunday he made his first appearance for his new club, coming off the bench with 13 minutes of the LaLiga contest remaining and with the teams level at 2-2. And The Athletic has reported that while a number of home fans cheered his introduction, some Osasuna supporters chanted “Greenwood, die”. Osasuna coach Jogoba Arrasate was quoted by The Athletic as saying after the match when asked about the chants: “The chants of ‘F*** Osasuna’ were very bad and the chants against Greenwood were very bad too. “He is a player who, in the end, the justice system had its say. He is a very good player. But if we talk about chants, we should talk about all the chants, not just some.” Greenwood looked bright and he had a hand in his side’s winner, earning a corner from which Nemanja Maksimovic scored. Earlier, Stefan Mitrovic opened the scoring for Getafe but Iker Munoz equalised just before half-time. Jose Carmona headed in to restore the hosts’ lead in the 51st minute but Ante Budimir’s penalty six minutes later levelled things up for a second time and that was the extent of the goalscoring prior to Greenwood’s introduction. Unused substitute Fabrizio Angileri received a red card for dissent in the closing stages but Getafe held on during 10 added minutes to seal the win and maintain their unbeaten home record. Their next match is at high-flying Real Sociedad next Sunday. Read More Mason Greenwood comes off the bench to help Getafe get a home win Mason Greenwood makes Getafe debut in first competitive appearance for 19 months Mason Greenwood set for EA Sports FC return following Getafe move
2023-09-18 06:27
Son Heung-min hopes Tottenham’s family feeling can galvanise Richarlison
Captain Son Heung-min knows Tottenham’s “family” will continue to stand behind “strong” Richarlison but hopes Saturday’s match-winning contribution by the Brazilian can boost his confidence. Richarlison turned his poor form on his head by coming off the bench to equalise in the eighth minute of stoppage time against Sheffield United before he set up Dejan Kulusevski’s winner two minutes later in a dramatic 2-1 victory. The ex-Everton forward scored only once in the Premier League last season following a £60million move and was pictured in tears while on international duty after he fired more blanks for Brazil during the past week before he later revealed his desire to seek “psychological help” upon his return to England. Saturday’s display off the bench was the perfect tonic for Richarlison after he spoke openly on Tuesday night about the “turbulent time” he has experienced during the past five months and he earned praise from his skipper following a euphoric triumph in N17. “Not only me, everyone in the squad and club was very happy for Richy,” Son said. “It was tough for him and we all hoped that this game would help his confidence. He changed the whole game, that’s what we were waiting for. “Richy, probably everyone is not happy when not in the starting XI but we know how important it is to come on and change the game like he did or Ivan (Perisic), Brennan (Johnson), Emerson (Royal), Pierre (Hojbjerg). “Everyone did a really good job. It’s important to keep an eye on it. “For Richy, everyone is very happy for him. “Richy is a really strong guy, a good character and can always bounce back strong, but when you have a tough time you need good people around you. “I always try to be a friend of him and if he needs anything then I can help him from my experience or playing-wise, also. I think everyone is standing behind him helping. He did an amazing job for this club.” “Richy obviously had a very tough time, a tough season. But I was very, very happy. I was probably more happy than him! Son Heung-min on Richarlison Tottenham’s last-gasp success on Saturday has added to the growing optimism in north London and the dramatic nature contributed towards jubilant full-time scenes. The whole Spurs squad ran towards a packed South Stand to celebrate and Sonny was eager to push Richarlison out on his own to accept the acclaim. New head coach Ange Postecoglou has quickly changed the mood at the club and a family feel is now present amongst the playing group. Asked about trying to make Richarlison soak up the applause, Son added: “This is part of family. We always want to have a good time when we play with each other. “Richy obviously had a very tough time, a tough season. But I was very, very happy. I was probably more happy than him! “We need him as a team, he has really good quality but the confidence is massively different. For Richy, I just wanted to give him the big hug he deserved and he really showed his quality. “We are still on the way. Obviously it is big games especially like this that make it more tighter and closer as a group. “I think obviously you can’t compare to the real family but we are getting really, really tight in the changing rooms. “Everyone is working for each other, everyone is running for each other, everyone is fighting for each other. If someone comes off, you give a hand and everyone is happy to do that. “That makes us really strong as a team and a group. We’re getting really close. We hope we can be even tighter than this.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Jude Bellingham and language lessons help Jamie Bynoe-Gittens settle at Dortmund Pep Guardiola promises major changes for Man City team amid gruelling schedule Louis Rees-Zammit explains Cristiano Ronaldo celebration at Rugby World Cup
2023-09-18 05:58
Pep Guardiola promises major changes for Man City team amid gruelling schedule
Pep Guardiola said the gruelling demands placed on his Manchester City players by an intense schedule means he will be forced to make changes to his line-up in the coming weeks in order to protect their welfare. City face four games in 11 days, beginning with Tuesday’s Champions League opener against Red Star Belgrade at the Etihad, before welcoming Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Saturday. They play Newcastle in the Carabao Cup third round on September 27 and travel to Molineux to face Wolves three days later, all off the back of an international window that saw several of Guardiola’s team endure long trips to and from South America. City came from behind to beat West Ham 3-1 at the London Stadium on Saturday, with Julian Alvarez and Ederson playing key roles despite having returned only days earlier from international duty with their respective national teams Argentina and Brazil. Guardiola singled out West Ham’s Edson Alvarez, who played for Mexico in their 3-3 draw with Uzbekistan in Georgia in the early hours of Thursday before starting for David Moyes’ team on Saturday. He lasted 66 minutes before being withdrawn, but Moyes confirmed there was no injury and he was only looking to preserve Alvarez’s fitness. Nevertheless, Guardiola shared his concerns over the impact the schedule is having on players. “It is a problem when you have a lot of injuries,” he said. “The problem is not today, it’s in three, four, five games. We have the Carabao Cup away at Newcastle, I’m sorry but we will have to use (from) the second team some players. “Kevin (De Bruyne) is still out, John (Stones) is still out, Mateo (Kovacic). Jack (Grealish). When you have all the squad you go to Newcastle with a good team and whatever. Right now, it is just to rest, to recover well, training (to get) fit and to arrive on the day of the game in the best condition possible. “We cannot waste energy because otherwise, these guys who have been playing for the national team, travelling from Bolivia (Julian Alvarez), from Brazil (Ederson) – it’s so exhausting for them. “Look at Alvarez from West Ham, 15 or 20 minutes after half-time, he’s out. Why? He’s come from South America, he’s jetlagged – 12, 15 hours, he’s come here, played against City. We treat the players in not a good way. We are so responsible for how we treat the players.” Guardiola added that he was in awe of the physical condition of Kyle Walker, who returned to City’s line-up after scoring his first goal for England in the draw with Ukraine and put in a clinical performance against West Ham. “I would say I’m not surprised (by his physicality), I’ve worked with him for seven years,” said Guardiola. “But I have to admit that when he is stable and happy, he has (this) ability. “His mum and dad gave him some genetics that our mum and dad didn’t give to us.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Jude Bellingham and language lessons help Jamie Bynoe-Gittens settle at Dortmund Son Heung-min hopes Tottenham’s family feeling can galvanise Richarlison Louis Rees-Zammit explains Cristiano Ronaldo celebration at Rugby World Cup
2023-09-18 05:47
Jude Bellingham and language lessons help Jamie Bynoe-Gittens settle at Dortmund
Beating Jude Bellingham at FIFA and two hours of German lessons a day have helped Jamie Bynoe-Gittens settle in at Borussia Dortmund. The unassuming 19-year-old sits in St George’s Park explaining how his life in the German city has helped him grow. The last of Dortmund’s English trio, the former Chelsea youngster has developed while Bellingham and Jadon Sancho shone to earn their mega-money moves. Bynoe-Gittens made his debut less than 18 months ago but has settled well. His lessons, having joined from Manchester City in 2020, have left him “near fluent” as he matures away from the Premier League spotlight. “Not everybody spoke English when I arrived. That was very hard for me because, at the time, I only spoke English. I had to learn German quickly,” he says. “I remember looking for something like shampoo in the supermarket and you’ve got to find where it is and you might need to ask someone. It’s hard, you know. “The word is the same, so maybe that’s an easy one to find! But maybe if you were going to the shops or getting the bus to town and having to find the right way to go… “At school I tried to speak French and that didn’t really work. German is difficult – it’s really hard to learn and it takes time. But when you live here, you pick it up. “I was a very shy person back then, so I had to learn to speak more and to ask for things that I might not ordinarily have asked for. “The first year was tough, because Covid meant that there were no games. Then when we came back in 2021 I was injured for four months. “After Christmas, I started playing more games and then that’s when I broke into the senior team. “Seeing other players before me doing it persuaded me I could try it as well and try to progress like Jude has done right now or Jadon did.” Now he is the only Englishman left at Dortmund after Bellingham’s initial £88.5million move to Real Madrid this summer. Thankfully the new England Under-21 international can ask for a little more than shampoo – along with a cheeky offer of giving lessons to Bayern Munich new boy Harry Kane while at St George’s Park – although he misses his friends. “Jude would take me out into Dortmund sometimes. Or when Jadon was there, we would go to get a haircut together or something or go to his house for three or four hours, maybe play FIFA,” said the Under-19 European champion, who remains close with team-mate Gio Reyna. “They took me in as their little brother…I’d beat Jude at FIFA all the time. “It’s great to see him do it. I knew he was going to be like this. It wasn’t a surprise to me. How he prepares for games, how he prepares for training. He’s just so professional. He’s a great person too.” In May, on his final appearance, Bellingham sat devasted on the Signal Iduna Park pitch after a 2-2 draw with Mainz on the final day of last season handed Bayern the title. Going into the game top, Dortmund were expected to end their 11-year Bundesliga drought, capping Bellingham’s three starring years in Germany. Yet, it was to end in heartbreak as injured Bynoe-Gittens watched from the sidelines as the title slipped away. “It was very hard,” he said, having made 20 appearances, scoring three times. “I couldn’t play in the last two games because of injury and watching it was just really sad, we had worked so hard to get there. “There are are almost no words to describe it. We had no emotion, just numb. “We’re always focused on winning or pushing for the title, like last season. We have to start quick, now, and hopefully be clear. “We want to win the Bundesliga. Dortmund is a big club. You can’t just go for second, third or fourth. We want to push for first, the DFB Cup too and then go far in the Champions League.” Dortmund, the 1997 winners, have not got past the quarter-finals since losing the final to Bayern in 2013 but European success is always an objective. Edin Terzic’s side open their Champions League campaign at PSG on Tuesday and also face AC Milan and Newcastle, travelling to St James’ Park in December. The luck of the draw allows Bynoe-Gittens, who came through at Reading before moving to Chelsea and then Manchester, to return to England outside international duty. Quiet but confident, he is ready to show what he has learnt. “It was always my dream to play in the Champions League as a kid, watching it on TV. Playing in it was a big achievement for me,” he said. “It gives me added fuel to play in England and to show everybody what I can do.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Pep Guardiola promises major changes for Man City team amid gruelling schedule Son Heung-min hopes Tottenham’s family feeling can galvanise Richarlison Louis Rees-Zammit explains Cristiano Ronaldo celebration at Rugby World Cup
2023-09-18 05:46
Libya floods: The bodies left unrecognisable by disaster
Doctors are struggling to identify the remains which have been found as the death toll rises.
2023-09-18 04:51
Latest AP Poll shows how far Alabama and Nick Saban have fallen
The Alabama Crimson Tide fell to No. 13 in the AP poll after an uninspiring win over USF. That ends a historic run for Nick Saban and the program.
2023-09-18 03:25
Mikel Arteta could start switching keepers mid-match after victory at Everton
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta revealed he could substitute his goalkeepers during future Premier League matches after his side’s 1-0 win at Everton. Arteta handed summer loan signing David Raya his debut in place of England keeper Aaron Ramsdale at Goodison Park and the Spaniard saw little action as Leandro Trossard’s solitary second-half strike proved decisive. When asked about his decision to start with Raya, Gunners head coach Arteta said: “The same rationale about why Fabio (Vieira) played here or Eddie (Nketiah) or Gabriel Jesus. “I haven’t had a single question on why Gabriel Jesus didn’t start. He has won more trophies than anybody else, including me, in that dressing room.” Arteta, whose side were far from convincing as they extended their unbeaten start to the season with a fourth league win, said he would be prepared utilise two goalkeepers in one match. “I cannot have two players in each position and not play them,” he said. “David has tremendous qualities, like Aaron has, like Karl (Hein) has and we have to use them. “I am a really young manager and I have only been in the job for three and a half years and I have few regrets in what we have done. “One of them is that on two occasions I felt after 60 minutes and 85 minutes in two games in this period, to change the keeper in that moment and I didn’t do it. “I didn’t have the courage to do it. But I am able to take a winger, or a striker and put a central defender back and go to a back five to hold that result. “And we drew those games and I was so unhappy and someone is going to do it and maybe it (the reaction) will be, ‘oh! That is strange. Why?’ “Why not? Tell me why not. You have all the qualities in another goalkeeper and you want to do something to change the momentum, do it. “It is a regret that I have and my feeling is to get everyone engaged in the team. They have to play regardless of the competition. Do it. That is my message.” Everton defended bravely, but offered little going forward and rarely threatened to score their first Premier League goal in three matches at Goodison this season. The Toffees’ one point from five matches is their worst tally since 1994-95 and manager Sean Dyche admits he expected a greater return at this stage. “I thought we would have more points on the board by now but you can’t give the ball away that many times,” he said. “That link on transition was missing and we weren’t effective enough. We are conceding softish goals. “Our growth is where we are. There is a reality. Last season nothing was solved. I’ve said there is massive work to be done.”
2023-09-18 03:19
Arsenal end Goodison curse thanks to Mikel Arteta’s bargain buy
One of the stranger jinxes in English football may be over. Arsenal had lost on their previous three trips to Goodison Park, twice to horribly out-of-form Everton teams. Maybe logic intervened on Mikel Arteta’s fourth visit back to his former club. Or perhaps Leandro Trossard did, the substitute’s wonderfully precise finish giving Arsenal a fourth victory in five league games this season. There was a sense Arsenal avenged February’s 1-0 defeat in Sean Dyche’s first game in charge of Everton, not merely reversing the scoreline but showing their skill to take the same method – a set-piece – to find a very different way of deciding a match. Not a thumping James Tarkowski header from a corner, but a well-worked routine that culminated in Martin Odegaard slipping in Bukayo Saka, whose cutback brought a deft finish from Trossard, angled in off the far post. If some of Arteta’s recruitment in 2023 has a contentious feel, Trossard is the sort of signing who can simply be celebrated: a £20m bargain, a creative force last season who has two goals already in this, a player whose versatility makes him an ideal substitute but who has the quality to be decisive. When Gabriel Martinelli went off injured in the first half, Arteta summoned Trossard rather than the benched Kai Havertz; his decision was richly rewarded. Another of his transfer-market gambits mattered less: while David Raya may depose Aaron Ramsdale more frequently, the goalkeeper’s debut was an inconclusive affair. Everton scarcely tested the on-loan Spaniard. If the game’s best saves, one before the goal and one after, came at Odegaard’s expense, with Pickford parrying two fine efforts, they reflected the growing influence of the captain after the break. And that, in turn, was a sign of his stature. As Arsenal demonstrated more urgency, much of the excellence came from the Norwegian. It is a recurring theme: many a time in Arteta’s reign, victory has stemmed from flair players – often Odegaard or Saka – showing their substance. As the game opened up, Odegaard seized the initiative. Which was welcome. A first half of dismal drabness brought back unwanted memories of a stalemate in December 2019 in Arsenal’s last game before Arteta and Carlo Ancelotti took charge of the respective clubs; Everton are on their fourth supposedly permanent manager of the Spaniard’s time in north London and, should 777 Partners complete a takeover, a second owner as well. Whether that entails visiting English football’s second tier remains to be seen. Everton’s start has produced a solitary point in five games. They have had three matches at Goodison Park and lost all without scoring. A relegation six-pointer beckons when Luton visit later this month. Their gameplan was to defend diligently in a narrow block and they were largely untroubled before the break. The one exception came when Martinelli latched on to Fabio Vieira’s perceptive pass and placed a shot past Pickford. A VAR check later and Eddie Nketiah was spotted offside in the build-up; it meant Martinelli’s wait for a first goal of the season continues, with injury bringing his departure soon after and perhaps extending his drought further. The 22-year-old headed straight down the tunnel before reappearing on the bench shortly afterwards, and there was concern in the voice of the Gunners boss afterwards when he told Sky Sports: “He [Martinelli] felt something, he felt it in his hammy [hamstring] so he will need to be assessed.” For Nketiah, meanwhile, it summed up an ineffectual display. If Arteta got other decisions right, perhaps he should have preferred Gabriel Jesus, a regular tormentor of Everton in his Manchester City days. His choice of Raya was both instructive and irrelevant; Ramsdale, in the PFA Team of the Year for last season, watched on. His new rival had a lone shot on target to field, a tame effort from Idrissa Gueye from long range. He held it. Everton were passive before conceding. They failed to launch an onslaught after going behind, in part because they just saw too little of the ball. They have no passer of the calibre of Arteta himself when he graced their midfield for six seasons. They eschewed possession at times, having just 22 per cent of the ball before the break. That figure rose to a meagre 25 per cent by the end. Throwing on centre-forwards, in Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Youssef Chermiti, made little difference when Arsenal controlled the game and, for Everton, other numbers make for miserable reading. They have failed to score in four of five league matches this season and failed to keep a clean sheet in any of them. These two clubs are on the longest unbroken stretches of top-flight football but there is no guarantee they will meet again after this season. Not after a limp display by Everton. It became a question of whether Arsenal had the wherewithal to break them down. Thanks to Trossard and Odegaard they did and the Goodison curse was lifted. Read More Mikel Arteta claims Gabriel Jesus ‘changed Arsenal’s world’ when he joined the club Everton sale to American firm agreed Everton savour Sean Dyche effect to stun Premier League leaders Arsenal Mauricio Pochettino shares Chelsea fans’ frustrations after goalless stalemate Everton v Arsenal LIVE: Latest Premier League updates Erik ten Hag wants to see ‘how strong’ Manchester United are after Brighton loss
2023-09-18 02:47
Leandro Trossard fires unconvincing Arsenal to rare away victory at Everton
Leandro Trossard’s goal ended Arsenal’s woeful run at Goodison Park but the nature of their 1-0 victory over Everton was far from convincing for would-be Premier League title contenders. The Belgium international’s second league goal for the club he joined in January was a paltry return for the dominance the Gunners enjoyed but it proved enough to halt a sequence of four defeats and a draw in L4. But it was enough to extend this season’s unbeaten run and lift them back to within two points of leaders Manchester City and behind only Tottenham and Liverpool on goal difference. For a team who enjoyed so much possession, Mikel Arteta’s side created very little with it until Trossard’s 69th-minute breakthrough – highlighted by starting centre-forward Eddie Nketiah’s paltry 10 touches before he was withdrawn three minutes before the goal. Arsenal will have wished he had one fewer as it was his lay-off returning from an offside position which resulted in Gabriel Martinelli’s first-half goal being ruled out for offside. On-loan Brentford goalkeeper David Raya was similarly underemployed having been handed his debut as part of Arteta’s rotation policy between the posts and the manager will not have learned much about his fellow Spaniard against an Everton side short on shots and attacking intent. However, squeezing out a win on a ground which has recently proved a huge stumbling block for the north Londoners will have at least given the Gunners boss some satisfaction and the travelling support sang their appreciation of a scoreline with which they have become synonymous. Not so his Everton counterpart Sean Dyche, whose side have now lost all three home matches this season, have only one point and remain in the bottom three and facing a third successive relegation dogfight. While they posed little realistic threat, they did not do much wrong in frustrating their opponents for long periods and the return of Dominic Calvert-Lewin as a second-half substitute and winger Dwight McNeil starting his first game of the season should offer some grounds for optimism. But with only two goals, both scored at Sheffield United immediately before the international break, and with summer signing Beto showing every inch of the “rawness” Dyche claimed he had, something has to improve up front. The same could have been said for Arsenal on this occasion as they did not really pick up the pace until the start of the second half when Martin Odegaard forced Pickford to parry a fierce shot. But desperation was started to show on the hour when the players frantically appealed for handball after Oleksandr Zinchenko’s drive from distance hit the diving James Tarkowski but his arm was tucked into his body. Both managers decided a change of strikers was what needed to change their luck in the 66th minute and Calvert-Lewin – wearing a protective mask after a recent facial injury – and Gabriel Jesus arrived at the same time. But it was first-half substitute Trossard who made the difference from an Arsenal short corner. The ball was worked between Zinchenko and Odegaard to Bukayo Saka whose cutback was cleverly steered in left-footed via the far post by the Belgian for his first goal since February. However, it was not much of an improvement on a forgettable first half, in which Everton matched the visitors for shots on target (one) despite having only 20 per cent possession, and the only real talking point was Martinelli’s disallowed 19th-minute goal. Beto, making his home debut, charged down Gabriel and the ball rebounded to Nketiah, who laid off to Fabio Vieira to thread a pass in for his team-mate to curl a shot past Jordan Pickford only for VAR to chalk off the effort. It was Martinelli’s last involvement as injury forced his replacement by Trossard. Abdoulaye Doucoure wanted a penalty after breaking from midfield, lobbing Declan Rice, and cutting inside onto his right foot only to be clipped by William Saliba but referee Simon Hooper saw no infringement. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Ryan Fox savours ‘pretty special’ BMW PGA Championship win Mauricio Pochettino shares Chelsea fans’ frustrations after goalless stalemate Ryan Fox wins BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth after Ludvig Aberg fades
2023-09-18 01:51
Mauricio Pochettino shares Chelsea fans’ frustrations after goalless stalemate
Mauricio Pochettino said he cannot control Chelsea fans’ reactions after a section of the away support appeared to boo Ben Chilwell at the end of the team’s drab 0-0 draw at Bournemouth. Chilwell was a second-half substitute at the Vitality Stadium but failed to substantially alter the team’s fortunes as they laboured in vain to break the hosts down in wet conditions. Pochettino named three outfield players aged 19 or under on the bench as well as two goalkeepers as the club’s injury crisis continued to deepen. Marc Cucurella and Noni Madueke were fresh additions to the absentee list at Bournemouth, taking the total number of players unavailable to the manager to 12. Chelsea threatened only sporadically, looking to use the channels to attack but only rarely finding a final ball to open up the home side. Raheem Sterling hit the crossbar with a fiercely hit free-kick whilst Nicolas Jackson also struck the woodwork in the first half but it was Robert Sanchez who was called upon to make the save of the game when he spread himself low at the feet of Dango Ouattara as the striker bore down on his goal. It leaves Pochettino’s side 14th in the table with just one win from five matches, and with an uneasy sense that last season’s problems in front of goal are a long way from being fixed. And some fans seemed to vent their frustrations when England international Chilwell went over to applaud the away end at full-time. “What can we do?” said Pochettino. “For me, I have nothing to say. The fans can do whatever they want. “We know what we need to do, we are strong in our belief. We have 12 injured and today we had three or four young guys and two keepers on the bench. “I’m going to cry? I’m going to complain? To who? I need to accept this, the challenge and keep being positive.” The Argentinian continued: “Bournemouth is a good team, they are going to compete. Every team is going to compete and be difficult. “But these are the circumstances we need to accept and be positive, patient. We are not going to change in the way we do things. “What can I do? Only to keep believing. If you say to me we have today all of our players, all of our signings, no injuries, and maybe we cannot win this game? Then maybe I can tell you we need to see (it) in a different way. But we cannot lie to the people.” I’m going to cry? I’m going to complain? To who? I need to accept this, the challenge and keep being positive Mauricio Pochettino Chelsea have failed to score in their last two Premier League outings and have won just twice in the league since March, at the Vitality Stadium late last season when Bournemouth were already safe and last month at home to newly-promoted Luton. Pochettino was asked whether he was sympathetic to the reaction of those supporters that booed the players off. “What I can tell the fans is the circumstance that we cannot change,” he said. “The reality that we cannot change. We have too many players (injured). We’re a team that would be strong if we are together. “Even Manchester City, Arsenal, when they have all the squad fit, they can compete for everything. Why is it different for us? It’s because of what? We don’t have all the squad available from the beginning of the season.” Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola reflected on a performance that showed promise despite the winless run at the start of his tenure now stretching to five league matches. “I’m really happy with the performance,” he said. “The game was quite level. Both teams had their chances. Overall, we had very good individual performances and finished the game even better. “There were moments later on where we thought the game could be ours.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Ryan Fox wins BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth after Ludvig Aberg fades End of the road for Jason Roy? What England squad surprise means for World Cup Mason Greenwood comes off the bench to help Getafe get a home win
2023-09-18 01:26