Let’s not kid ourselves that everyone is so educated and just wants to see this incredible style of football.
Winning games and being up near the top of the league is the only thing that will keep people happy.
Tottenham legend Gus Poyet explains why Ange Postecoglou can end trophy hoodoo and win Carabao Cup despite Coventry horror show
It’s no good playing good football and getting beat 3-0 on a Saturday.
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If you’re not playing good football AND you’re not winning, you’re bang in trouble, of course.
Which is where Ten Hag and United are still.
We know all about Angeball and when Spurs are playing well, they are great to watch. It’s a very open, attacking style.
They have some excellent forward players. Dominic Solanke seems to be settling in now that he’s got a couple of goals.
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Postecoglou can’t really play any other way with the players he has. They don’t have a lot of workhorses.
The two full-backs can’t defend. You couldn’t turn that squad into something else.
If Spurs are winning games and playing like that, the fans will love it.
Having said that, a draw at Old Trafford today would be a decent result for Tottenham.
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But not for United. They have to be winning their home games. Ten Hag keeps making a point about winning a trophy in both his seasons at the club so far.
But at United, you expect more. If you’re a Man United fan, you’ve been spoilt. You’re used to winning league titles and European Cups.
He needs to do more, he needs to be back up there challenging. The cup wins, well done — but still not good enough. They need to improve, big-time.
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Both sides will be looking to get back into the Champions League as a minimum.
But it’s going to be a real dogfight for that fourth spot.
Villa are in the Champions League this year and that could be a distraction.
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Spurs and United are in Europe but their fixtures aren’t anything like the same level.
Chelsea are starting to come together and they could be a threat.
I still think Spurs have the players to just about take that last spot. And Ten Hag has it all to do at United.
A lot of people were surprised he survived the summer, really. It was very strange. All the talk was that he would be going. I still think Gareth Southgate could be lurking on the radar.
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I can see the former England boss being of interest to the people who run the club if United’s form does not improve.
It’s nothing new, all that verbal and physical stuff.
But Wimbledon chairman Sam Hammam once found an amazing way to stir up some trouble.
Before one game against them with West Ham, I got to Upton Park about 12 o’clock and my groundsman said: “Harry, their chairman has been in their dressing room for an hour and he’s got a big bag of pens.”
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I opened the door and all over the walls he had written “Fashanu, you t***er”, “Vinnie, you . . . ”, all that kind of thing, in big writing.
It was as though we’d done it, so that when Wimbledon came in, they would get the raving needle and want to kill us.
Man Utd player ratings vs FC Twente
MANCHESTER UNITED’S Europa League campaign got off to a less than ideal start with a miserable 1-1 draw against FC Twente at Old Trafford.
That result dealt a big blow to their chances of finishing in the top eight and avoiding two extra fixtures.
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See how the players rated on an underwhelming night at Old Trafford.
Andre Onana – 6
Good save to push a free-kick from Sem Steijn to safety but might be disappointed to be beaten at the near post for Twente’s goal.
Diogo Dalot – 6
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Early mistake near the corner flag could have been costly but he caused problems at the other end in build up to Christian Eriksen goal.
Harry Maguire – 6
Missed his tackle to put United on the back foot for the equaliser but almost won it late on with a header cleared off the line.
Lisandro Martinez – 7
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Made several important clearances but one wild challenge on edge of his box could have proven costly.
Noussair Mazraoui – 6
New boy looks solid. Vital early tackle and another one later to stop Twente going in front.
Christian Eriksen – 7
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Fourth successive start – and the veteran still looked sprightly. What a strike to give United the lead but then spoiled it with mistake for equaliser.
Manuel Ugarte – 6
A few good tackles from the new boy but might be disappointed not to clear his lines as Twente broke away for equaliser.
Marcus Rashford – 8
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Much improved display in front of watching England interim boss Lee Carsley. Full of energy, a few tricks and a couple of dangerous crosses. More like his old self.
Bruno Fernandes – 6
Skipper had a hand in the opening goal and was so close to winning it with curler from the edge of the box.
Amad Diallo – 6
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His pace was too much to handle for the visitors at times but not much of an end product this time and made way for Alejandro Garnacho midway through the second half.
Joshua Zirkzee – 5
A few good moments and forced a flying save from the visitors’ keeper after nice link up with Diogo Dalot – but then hooked for the fit-again Rasmus Hojlund.
The issue with yellow cards pre-dates Maresca’s appointment in June.
Former Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino spoke last season about how “silly” bookings were a problem and showed video clips to his players to try to rectify the issue.
The Blues were punished last season for not adapting to new Premier League rules for dissent.
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Jackson picked up 10 bookings last season but only one was for a foul, the others were for dissent, not retreating quickly enough for a free-kick and entering the field of play when a substitute.
Other players fell foul in similar situations and captain Reece James received two red cards – including one for two yellows – despite playing just 421 minutes.
The immaturity of Chelsea’s young squad may be another factor and with centre-back Thiago Silva having departed in the summer the average age of the group has dropped further to 23.4, according to data from Transfermarkt.
The Blues also have the lowest average height in the league, according to Transfermarkt, averaging just over 5ft 8in, which was another issue Pochettino complained about when in charge.
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It perhaps leads to a tendency for players to look at other ways to try and impart their physicality on matches.
And under both Pochettino and Maresca Chelsea are firmly a possession-based team, trying to implement various pressing styles. That pressing can lead to bookings in transition phases and there is a tendency for teams operating these tactics to produce tactical fouls to stop counter-attacks.
Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), the body which governs referees in England, has also changed the rules in recent years, with an automatic yellow card now expected to be brandished in several situations.
Netherlands legend Johan Neeskens has died at the age of 73, the Dutch football federation has confirmed.
The former midfielder was part of the Ajax and Netherlands teams credited with creating “total football” in the 1970s.
“With Johan Neeskens, the Dutch and international football world loses a legend,” the KNVB federation said in a statement.
Neeskens was capped 49 times for the Dutch and was part of the teams that finished runners up at the 1974 and 1978 World Cups.
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At Ajax he helped them win the European Cup three times and their domestic league twice.
Neeskens also spent five seasons at Spanish giants Barcelona, winning the Copa del Rey and European Cup Winners’ Cup with them.
“His name is forever linked to European successes with clubs like Ajax and Barcelona and two World Cup finals for the Dutch national team,” the KNVB added.
“With his characteristic tackles, sublime insights and iconic penalties, [he] will forever remain one of the most prominent and beloved players to ever play for our country.”
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After retiring as a player in 1991, Neeskens coached several clubs and was also an assistant coach with the Dutch national team from 1995 to 2000.
MMA fight announcements are hard to follow. With so many outlets and channels available, it’s nearly impossible to organize.
But here at MMA Junkie, we’ve got your back.
Each week, we’ll compile all the newly surfaced fights in one spot. Every Monday, expect a feature listing everything you might have missed from the UFC, PFL and Bellator.
Here are the fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie or officially announced by the promotions from Sept. 30-Oct. 6.
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UFC Fight Night 246, Las Vegas, Nov. 9
Jan 21, 2023; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Luan Lacerda (red gloves) reacts after the fight against Cody Stamann (blue gloves) during UFC 283 at Jeunesse Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason da Silva-USA TODAY Sports
UFC 309, New York, Nov. 16
Jim Miller
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UFC Fight Night 247, Macau, Nov. 23
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – AUGUST 10: (R-L) Quang Le of Vietnam punches Chris Gutierrez in a bantamweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on August 10, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Al Powers/Zuffa LLC)
UFC Fight Night, Tampa, Fla., Dec. 14
Jun 29, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Cub Swanson (red gloves) fights Andre Fili (not pictured) during UFC 303 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
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UFC Fight Night, Las Vegas, Jan. 11
Chris Curtis
UFC 311, TBA, Jan. 18
Nov 4, 2023; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Jailton Almeida (red gloves) fights Derrick Lewis (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Ibirapuera Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason da Silva-USA TODAY Sports
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Be sure to visit the MMA Junkie Instagram page and YouTube channel to discuss this and more content with fans of mixed martial arts.
STAR juvenile filly Lake Victoria will only run at the Breeders’ Cup if she races again this season.
It had been mooted that the brilliant Cheveley Park heroine, terrifically handled by Aidan O’Brien, could step up two furlongs in trip for her next outing in the Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket.
But O’Brien, buzzing after a fabulous weekend in France, told me this morning: “The Breeders’ Cup (Juvenile Fillies’ Turf) is a possibility Matt, but not the Fillies’ Mile.”
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If she travels, Lake Victoria would still be stepping up to a mile in America but Del Mar is much more of a speed test than Newmarket with the tight bends.
It would seem a very good spot for her and the Coolmore lads – and she’s currently a best-price 2-1.
Lake Victoria us currently top priced as the 7-2 favourite for next year’s 1000 Guineas.
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In other news another Group 1 heroine, Tamfana, might be seen again this season on Champions Day at Ascot.
Tamfana provided the always charming David Menuisier with a well deserved Group 1 success in the Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday.
Plans remain fluid, but Menuisier said to me this morning: “I don’t think the Breeders’ Cup will be on for Tamfana. We might think about the Queen Elizabeth II at Ascot run in memory of our late and loved Queen.”
Speaking of high class horses, it’s sales time this week and the first offspring of Lady Bowthorpe goes under the hammer (for sale) in Newmarket on Wednesday.
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Lady Bowthorpe was a terrific beast for music mogul Emma Banks, finishing second in the Group 1 Lockinge, third in a QEII and landing the Group 1 Nassau at Goodwood in July of 2021.
“Lady Bowthorpe’s colt yearling sells on Wednesday at Tattersalls. I went to see him in the sales grounds yesterday and he’s looking great and seems to be really well received,” Banks said.
ITV schedule undergoes major change with new broadcast of historic sporting event confirmed
“Now I’m no expert (being modest here!) on this stuff, but people tell me he walks really well for a Dubawi – apparently they are known not to be the best of walkers – and he seems to have a bit of a swagger.
“When I saw him he was still very interested in everything at the end of the day so I’m excited and nervous and full of trepidation of what is going to happen.
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“I think he’s a lovely yearling and I’m really proud of him and I know his mother, Lady Bowthorpe, is really proud of him. We’ll see what happens but Im not sure I’ll be eating much before Wednesday afternoon but that’s probably not a bad thing!”
Owner-breeders are so important to this game. Banks is not short of a few quid, but let’s hope this is a case of ’Show me the Money’.
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Welcome to the latest update to the MMA Fighting pound-for-pound rankings, where every month our esteemed panel sort through the noise to answer one question: Who are the best overall male and female MMA fighters in the world?
Let’s take a look at how things stand following a pair of title fights at UFC 307 in Salt Lake City, and a performance from one contender that has her on the cusp of a top 5 spot.
Throwing four of the best bantamweights in the world on the same card was bound to shake up the women’s pound-for-pound charts and Saturday’s results didn’t disappoint.
Kayla Harrison led off the UFC 307 main card with a convincing win over perennial contender Ketlen Vieira. It wasn’t a first-round demolition, but rather a gutsy 15-minute performance that showed how much Harrison has matured in her sixth year as an MMA fighter. It’s no stretch to say Harrison’s first two UFC opponents, Vieira and Holly Holm are a considerable step up from what she faced in the PFL (with the exception of Larissa Pacheco, who Harrison still holds two wins over) and she’s impressed against both, in different ways.
The win over Vieira bumped Harrison up four spots to No. 8 in our rankings, one spot higher than her previous best. The Harrison hype train headed for champion station appears to be right on track.
With a split nod over Raquel Pennington, Peña is the UFC bantamweight champion once again, which puts her back in the rankings at No. 13 and in the driver’s seat if she has anything to say about it. Her ideal opponent is retired rival Amanda Nunes, the woman Peña beat at UFC 269 to score one of the most shocking championship upsets ever, only to immediately return the title at UFC 277 when Nunes pummeled her for five rounds.
It’s doubtful “The Lioness” awakens from her slumber to deal with Peña, so a title defense against Harrison feels inevitable. The winner could find themselves cracking the top 5 of the pound-for-pound rankings, something no women’s bantamweight has done since Nunes’ retirement in June 2023.
Falling out of the rankings (previous ranking shown): No. 20 Macy Chiasson
Alex Pereira shut down a spirited effort from Khalil Rountree Jr., so there’s not a lot to report when it comes to the men’s side of the list, though Pereira’s dominance and popularity continue to push the question of just how close he is to usurping Islam Makhachev in the No. 1 spot.
Few would dispute Makhachev’s status as the best fighter in the world, but activity matters and Pereira has a strong case to top the charts with his fourth title fight victory in less than a year. To add further context, Makhachev has fought five times since the start of 2022, smoking Charles Oliveira to claim the lightweight title and then going 2-0 against featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski. His most recent outing saw him finish Dustin Poirier, one of the best lightweights ever.
Given that lightweight is widely considered to be a stronger division than light heavyweight or middleweight, it’s fair to keep Makhachev at No. 1. But if he doesn’t book a title fight soon, and Pereira keeps up this pace, Makhachev might not be able to hold “Poatan” for long.
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Recent results for ranked fighters (previous ranking shown): No. 2 Alex Pereira def. Khalil Rountree Jr.
The six-person voting panel consists of MMA Fighting staffers Alexander K. Lee, Guilherme Cruz, Mike Heck, E. Casey Leydon, Damon Martin and Jed Meshew.
Updates to the rankings will be completed following every UFC pay-per-view. Fighters will be removed from the rankings if they do not compete within 18 months of their most recent bout.
Should a fighter announce their retirement, our panel will decide whether that fighter should immediately be removed from the rankings or maintain their position until further notice (let’s put it this way: we’d have taken Khabib Nurmagomedov out of our rankings a lot quicker than the UFC did).
As a reminder, the notion of pound-for-pound supremacy is always going to inherently be subjective. When you’re debating whether someone like Sean Strickland should be ranked above someone like Charles Oliveira, there is no true right answer. In other words: It’s not serious business, folks.
Thoughts? Questions? Concerns? Make your voice heard in the comments below.
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