#1979e6
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May 20, 2018 17:24:36 GMT
May 2018
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Post by Webster on May 26, 2023 17:50:24 GMT
(The Guardian) Newcastle United: Eddie Howe has addressed the subject of Newcastle’s need to bring in new players during the summer and has said some of his targets could be classed as “marquee signings”. Speaking earlier this morning, the Newcastle manager said: “Yes, there would be players we’d love to bring in that would be classified in that bracket, I’m sure. For me, it’s more about the role they can fulfil in the team - whether that’s viewed positively or as a marquee signing, then great. I’m not in my mind thinking: ‘We have to have one of those players that ticks that box for the supporters’. As much as I’d love to do that, it’s about finding the right player in the right position who I think makes us better.” Despite the bottomless financial resources of Newcastle’s Saudi owners, Howe has stressed throughout his reign that unbridled spending is not an option and that the club will have to continue to invest shrewdly. “Unfortunately players don’t come cheap, especially good players,” he said. “Yes, we are going to have to spend a certain amount of money. How much that is, I don’t know. I still don’t know what my budget is at this moment in time, but there will have to be some expenditure. It will have to be controlled. It will have to be under FFP restrictions, which we have worked under and will continue to work under. They are definitely impacting us and what we will be able to do.” West Ham midfielder Declan Rice and Leicester City’s James Maddison have both been linked with summer moves to Newcastle but are likely to be in big demand. Newcastle finish their season with a trip to Chelsea and Howe will be without keeper Nick Pope at Stamford Bridge after he underwent surgery on a hand injury. He joins Jamaal Lascelles, Javier Manquillo, Matt Ritchie, Joelinton and Joe Willock on the sidelines.
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#1979e6
MatchDay Commentator
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May 20, 2018 17:24:36 GMT
May 2018
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Post by Webster on May 26, 2023 17:51:45 GMT
(The Guardian) Manchester United: “Bruno Fernandes insists Manchester United can be competitive in the Champions League after qualification was sealed with Thursday’s 4-1 defeat of Chelsea,” writes Jamie Jackson. “United were knocked out by Sevilla in the quarter-finals of the Europa League this season but the midfielder has no concerns regarding their prospects.” Crystal Palace: No fewer than six Crystal Palace players are out of contract this season, with a combined total of almost 50 years service to the club between them. WIlf Zaha, Nathaniel Clyne, Luka Milivojevic, Joel Ward, James Tomkins and James MacArthur are all nearing the end of their deals. Zaha is reported to be mulling over a £200,000-per-week offer from the club and only McArthur and Milivojevic have confirmed they are leaving the club. Palace manager Roy Hodgson, whose future is also up in the air, has been singing the duo’s praises. “I have such respect and admiration for those two players,” he said. “They are perfect professionals – not only very good footballers but very good individuals, very good personalities and leaders both on the field and off the field. “I have no doubt that they will be missed. You come across players like McArthur and Milivojevic relatively rarely in a long career. When you find them, you dread the day when they move on or leave the club behind. “Everyone here at Crystal Palace realises how good they are, and everyone here at Crystal Palace will join me in wishing them both luck. The next manager who has the joy of working with those players, I congratulate him, because he has a diamond coming his way.”
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#1979e6
MatchDay Commentator
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Webster
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May 20, 2018 17:24:36 GMT
May 2018
webster
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Post by Webster on May 26, 2023 18:00:18 GMT
(The Guardian) Will Sam Allardyce of Leeds be keeping a close eye on scores elsewhere on Sunday?“The only focus for the players is to win the game. I’ll be adjusting to what’s happening on the field,’ he says. “I don’t want to hear something, and change some on basis of that. I want to decide on my substitutes on what we’re doing, not what people are doing elsewhere. “Our best performance by far was the first half against West Ham. Unfortunately our final-third play was not up to scratch to score more goals than one. Tomorrow [he means Sunday of course] is around the fact that tactics have to be put into place. Tottenham’s outstanding strength is their front lads ... we have to make sure that’s not successful. We saw some [defensive] weaknesses against Brentford that we’ve got to try and exploit.” More from Allardyce before Leeds’s crunch tie against Spurs on Sunday: “Control, calm, composure in possession is a necessity. We’ve got to get at Tottenham’s defensive unit. That’s a weakness based on what we saw against Brentford last week. “We’ve scored first in the last two games and then failed miserably after that ... 80% of the time you wouldn’t lose the game after scoring first. “It’s about 55 mins of pure concentration, not 90 [factoring in when the ball is out of play]. Then it’s just about getting in the right position, doing the right thing. I want to see their best. The best will get the fans behind them ... That will help them do what they need to do to get a result, I think.” Can he enjoy or appreciate the drama? “No. I hate it, where I am now. I wanted to be in a position where if we win we stay in the league, no matter what anyone else does. We’ve had the opportunity to do that but failed to take it. “If we are to win we need a clean sheet in my opinion. Because we’re not a prolific goal scoring team.”
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#1979e6
MatchDay Commentator
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May 20, 2018 17:24:36 GMT
May 2018
webster
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Post by Webster on May 26, 2023 18:29:05 GMT
(The Guardian) Everton, who are 17th and two points above Leicester and Leeds, host Bournemouth on Sunday. Sean Dyche speaks: “All games are important. It’s a massive game. I don’t need to emphasise that. I know it, the fans know it, the players know it. That’s the challenge of being a footballer. “When I came in here and realised things needed a lot of work, a lot of change … [The players] are aware of it. It comes down to getting a big performance on Sunday. The message to the players is about delivering a performance. They’re in good shape, physically and mentally, they’ve trained well this week ... to the fans, I’d never question them, they’ve been terrific. Their affection for the club is there ... we’ve got to give something back.” Can the players channel the atmosphere?“You have to use the feeling in the stadium to your advantage ... we want the players to focus on the game. Don’t worry about all the noise and rumours ... that’s the clear intention. There won’t be too much focus on [scores] elsewhere ... of course there’ll be people who know what’s going on. At the end of the day it’s Everton football club. Every game is pressure ... that should be every time you run on a football pitch.” Is Dyche pleased to have it in their hands? “Definitely, we’ve worked hard to get in this position. As long as we capitalise on it. It comes down to performing to win. It’s not that easy. But that’s our mentality.”
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#1979e6
MatchDay Commentator
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May 20, 2018 17:24:36 GMT
May 2018
webster
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Post by Webster on May 26, 2023 18:30:45 GMT
(The Guardian) Before Sunday’s trip to Leeds Ryan Mason, the Tottenham interim manager, is asked about the club’s failure to qualify for Europe: “It’s not where we want to be. We want to be competing in Europe … it’s important for a club of this size. But in or out of Europe, there’s a plan and a commitment going forward. “The results before he [Conte] left weren’t amazing. I don’t think the results have dipped much. There was uncertainty. And it’s never great to have uncertainty … we’ve been in that position for the last eight weeks. I’ve tried to create a togetherness, and create an identity, the way we want this team to look like in the future.” Do top managers want to come to Tottenham? “Yes … It’s history. It’s Tottenham Hotspur. It’s a big club. Anyone here should feel the privilege and honour to represent this badge. If they don’t they shouldn’t be here. It’s really as simple as that.” If the match at Leeds is Kane’s last for the club, how would he sum up his contribution overall, Ryan Mason is asked. -- “I can’t sum it up. He’s still our player … when you sum up, it’s a closed chapter … but for any player, or staff member, it’s important to have a succession plan in place. “Ultimately in two months, 10 years, 20 years, Tottenham will still be Tottenham. It’s important there’s an identity.” On the match against relegation-threatened Leeds: “We need to be clinical when our chances come … but also understand that opposition will have their moments. You need to get through it as a team. Make blocks, make saves. It wasn’t a great second half [against Brentford] … they had moments when they were clinical. Are the players hungry to atone for last week’s loss? “Naturally as a professional when you lose games … that is something you hope and expect to feel … going to Elland Road, you know it’s going to be intense. You have to enjoy that.”
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#1979e6
MatchDay Commentator
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May 20, 2018 17:24:36 GMT
May 2018
webster
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Post by Webster on May 26, 2023 18:32:29 GMT
(The Guardian) The Wolves manager, Julen Lopetegui, was asked about his future a little earlier in his press conference. They go to Arsenal on Sunday. “This is first and last answer [on this topic],” he says. “It’s not important. About this I have talked. We have one new problem about the FFP ... after we can hear, and after we can see ... what is more important is what is going to be the solution. “This is all. About my future, I have a contract. We will see what will happen. This is football, we don’t know. Sunday is an important match. It’s the last match of the season. In the Premier League they [Arsenal] have been very, very close to winning. They are going to want to make a good match. We have to go there ready. We have to be able to compete with them.” Unai Emery, the Aston Villa head coach, has a chat before Sunday’s tie against Brighton: “We are trying to prepare for this like the last matches we played ... of course being motivated, enjoying the process ... our time is coming on Sunday, in Villa Park, to enjoy this match. The team we are going to face is very difficult... playing amazing football. Their structure, tactically, is very strong. I enjoy watching some other teams in the Premier League and one of them is Brighton. How influential is Brighton’s Roberto De Zerbi, as a manager?“Football is changing so quick. I am now 51, I started training at 32 ... always I am very focused on how I can improve each day, to be today better than yesterday. It’s not only about my work, about my analysis. one of them is De Zerbi.”
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#1979e6
MatchDay Commentator
3
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1
939
Webster
20,257
May 20, 2018 17:24:36 GMT
May 2018
webster
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Post by Webster on May 26, 2023 18:33:32 GMT
(The Guardian) Courtesy of the good people at PA, more from the Wolves manager here, plus some team news: “We have to talk, it’s not about one or two days. We have to talk about the solution and the future to be able to have a squad ready to compete again. “This year has been a wake-up call. We have to learn why it has happened and to overcome and make our homework this summer. It’s not about one or two days. We need a clear picture. It’s important to have the squad ready. Maybe not 100 per cent of players but maybe 90 per cent. For me it’s very important, to have the squad ready to start working with us on July 1.” Wolves to go Arsenal for Sunday’s Premier League finale and Joao Moutinho will not feature and is likely to have played his last game for the club as he is out of contract in the summer. Sasa Kalajdzic (knee) is out while Lopetegui himself is banned from the touchline for collecting four yellow cards.
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#1979e6
MatchDay Commentator
3
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1
939
Webster
20,257
May 20, 2018 17:24:36 GMT
May 2018
webster
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Post by Webster on May 26, 2023 18:35:16 GMT
(The Guardian) The Everton manager Sean Dyche insists he has no problem with the relegation-threatened club potentially already looking for his replacement. The former Burnley manager arrived in January as Frank Lampard’s replacement. Things have not gone entirely to plan with the Toffees just two points above the relegation zone, although their fate remains in their own hands as they seek to extend their stay in the top flight into a 70th season by matching the results of Leeds and Leicester. Reports this week suggested Everton were already thinking about what comes next. “It’s fair to say ‘interesting’ reports, but I don’t know where they come from,” said Dyche. “At the end of the day, good businesses should be succession planning. I’ve got no problem with that, even if that were true.” Everton go into their relegation decider at home to Bournemouth without striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin or defenders Nathan Patterson and Ben Godfrey. “They won’t be fit. We haven’t had Dom for two-thirds of my time here. We have still won games, still got points on the board and performed,” he said. “Patto has come into the side more latterly and performed well. We lose him as well.” Dyche holds out some hope Vitalli Mykolenko - his only remaining full-back on either flank - could return after a two-match absence. “He’s a bit better so we will see how he reacts tomorrow to training today,” Dyche said. Dyche was already without Seamus Coleman, Ruben Vinagre, Tom Davies and Andros Townsend so more injuries just increase the pressure in an already-tough atmosphere on Sunday. “I think it is part of being a professional footballer. You have to use the feeling in the stadium to your advantage and I think we have a decent experience level for the ups and downs of football to understand that,” added the manager. “We want players to focus on the game, which is not as easy as it sounds, but focus on the game and the idea and don’t worry about the noise. That’s the clear intention.” (PA Media)
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#1979e6
MatchDay Commentator
3
0
1
939
Webster
20,257
May 20, 2018 17:24:36 GMT
May 2018
webster
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Post by Webster on May 30, 2023 1:06:17 GMT
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