أكد خالد الغندور، لاعب الزمالك السابق، إنه لا بد من إجراء عدة تغييرات على تشكيل منتخب مصر في مباراته المُقبلة أمام غانا، مُشيرًا إلى أن الفراعنة لديهم القدرة على تحقيق الفوز في المواجهتين القادمتين.
وتعادل منتخب مصر أمام موزمبيق، أمس الأحد، بهدفين لمثلهما، في الجولة الأولى من منافسات المجموعة الثانية بكأس أمم إفريقيا 2023، والتي تضم أيضًا غانا والرأس الأخضر.
وقال الغندور في تصريحات عبر برنامج “بلس 90″، على قناة “النهار”: “محمد حمدي ليس لاعب سيئا، هو الذي ساهم في صناعة الهدف، لكن المشكلة في مركز الظهير الأيمن، والدفاع، يجب الاستعانة بـ ياسر إبراهيم على حساب أحمد حجازي”.
طالع أيضًا | خالد الغندور: كنا نسب كيروش وكوبر بسبب الدفاع.. والرطوبة “قاتلة”
وتابع: “فيتوريا مقتنع أن محمد حمدي هو الأساسي، ومروان عطية بدنيًا جاهز، وأعتقد إنه لا بد أن يكون له دور، يجب أن يكون هناك تغييرات جذرية في مباراة غانا”.
وأضاف: “التشكيل من وجهة نظري لمباراة غانا محمد الشناوي في حراسة المرمى، عمر كمال عبد الواحد، أحمد فتوح، ياسر إبراهيم محمد عبد المنعم، في وسط الملعب حمدي فتحي، مروان عطية، إمام عاشور، في الأمام عمر مرموش ومحمد صلاح ومصطفى محمد”.
وأوضح: “لأنه لا بد من إجراء تدوير في الفريق، لأن هناك لاعبين كبار في السن مثل النني وحجازي فوق سن الثلاثين”.
واختتم: “فريق غانا سيء دفاعيًا، والرأس الأخضر منظم جدًا، وهو أفضل فريق واقعي في المجموعة، لكن الفريقين في المتناول، لو منتخب مصر في مستواه”.
Tottenham Hotspur may have pushed their decision to actually appoint a new manager to the conclusion of this season, but speculation of whom that might be remains rife.
Plenty of fine options have been touted over the last few weeks since Antonio Conte's dismissal, however, given the frugality of Daniel Levy, it is likely that to wait until the campaign's end is to save himself key funds with who he might give the job.
There are a host of tried and tested names who have already experienced the Premier League's struggles, whilst some more exotic and exciting options have emerged from around Europe.
Whoever is handed this testing role will be given one main job, however: attain silverware for a club that has for so long gone without.
The Lilywhites' last trophy success came under Juande Ramos' reign back in 2008, who masterminded some impressive finishes for his side despite limited funds, including an EFL Cup win.
Seeking to find their last trophy before that would be to venture into the last century; a damning indictment of the poor running of the club.
In their endless pursuit of success in the present day, perhaps Levy could seek out the same qualities that saw Martin Jol impress during his period in north London, who laid the foundations for this aforementioned cup win before his untimely sacking.
The typical steeliness of the Dutchman combined with his shrewd dealings left a lasting legacy, and his compatriot Arne Slot could certainly repeat such a feat.
Would Arne Slot join Spurs?
As someone who has been routinely linked given his overperformance at Feyenoord, the 44-year-old would represent a fine appointment to lead Spurs into the future.
Having joined his current club in 2021, the tactician seems poised to finally end Ajax's monopoly on the Eredivisie just one year after reaching the Dutch outfit's first-ever European final.
This success is what draws comparisons to Jol, but also his electric philosophy that would hopefully surpass the 67-year-old's legacy. His back-to-back fifth-placed finishes around 2004 were outstanding at the time, but it is a step beyond this where Levy wants to go.
martin-jol-tottenham-hotspur-arne-slot
Slot has masterminded such form with a clear brand akin to someone like Marcelo Bielsa, with his all-action style sure to be an instant hit in north London after years of turgid football under various managers.
Indeed, as Total Football Analysis writer Adam Scully once noted, Slot's 'build-up play is really vertical, crisp and rapid. Unlike some Dutch coaches, Slot doesn't want slow build-up'.
That sounds precisely like Jol, who previously admitted: "In Holland you could never play a real 4-4-2, because that is a direct style and in Holland they like to play the ball from the back. If you kicked the ball from the keeper they would criticise you, so you always have to play football."
Slot's exciting style crucially guarantees results, given the 2.12 points per match average the coach has recorded at Feyenoord.
It is likely all these facets that led him to be branded "the best coach in the world at the moment" by his player Alireza Jahanbakhsh, a glowing recommendation for the hierarchy at Spurs to consider.
To bring a trophy-winning manager with a penchant for eye-catching football to N17 marks a no-brainer, especially with the characteristics the former AZ boss shares with Jol as an overperformer with a fine play style.
When Rory Wilson left Glasgow Rangers last summer, it was looked upon as the club losing one of their most talented youngsters, with the striker dazzling in the Ibrox academy.
He joined Premier League side Aston Villa, who had to fork out £350k for his signature, and he was yet another player lured to the riches of England, following the likes of Billy Gilmour previously.
Wilson has netted 15 goals from 16 appearances for the Scotland U17 side and was expected to shatter records at the club, yet it was another Gers teenager who moved south of the border a few years before the Villa striker that appears to be another disaster for the club – Dire Mebude.
Who is Dire Mebude?
The young right-winger joined Rangers aged just ten alongside his brother, Dapo, following his family’s decision to move to Scotland. While his older brother scored three times for the B side and made his first team debut under Steven Gerrard, he eventually moved onto Belgian outfit KV Oostende.
Dire was also highly regarded and with a bright future ahead of him at the Glasgow side, made the decision to turn down professional terms, subsequently joining Manchester City in 2020. Since then, it would not be a surprise if the Light Blues regret that move considering his progress.
Steven-Gerrard-Rangers-Dire-Mebude
The move to City has worked wonders, with the winger scoring 29 goals across both the U18 and U21 teams while winning the player's player of the year award for the U18 side last term, registering a whopping 31 goal contributions in all competitions.
He is also making his name on the international stage, having made appearances for the Scotland U16 and U19 teams, he recently made his debut for the U21 side and scored on his debut with a wonderful solo effort against Sweden.
Journalist Simon Bajkowski has lauded him for being “lively” and his recent performances have certainly demonstrated that praise to full effect as he has looked eager to push his boundaries. As such, the Ibrox side will be kicking themselves for letting him leave.
Talent such as Mebude’s doesn’t come around often and seeing him make the move, and indeed perform well at a club such as City, proves that he may have enjoyed a bright future at Rangers.
With Wilson embracing life at Villa, Rangers have now seen a repeat of that disaster by letting Mebude depart.
Leeds United return to Premier League action today as they once again play host, this time welcoming high-flying Brighton and Hove Albion to Elland Road.
The Seagulls come to Yorkshire in scintillating form, with Roberto De Zerbi having overseen just one loss in 2023 in all competitions.
Meanwhile, Javi Gracia still has the unenviable task of revitalising a toothless side who have just one goal in their last five games played.
Defensive solidity will likely be the Spaniard’s best port of call for grinding out a result against the well-oiled machine that visits them today, and by quelling their biggest threats they can improve their odds of claiming an important result.
The first issue they must deal with is Kaoru Mitoma, who has starred this campaign. His pace and trickery might prove too much for Luke Ayling, but the steely Rasmus Kristensen could well rise to the challenge posed.
Will Rasmus Kristensen start for Leeds vs Brighton?
Having clearly been signed as per Jesse Marsch’s orders, the Danish full-back now finds himself without his former boss to oversee his development. The 25-year-old must force his way back into the side on merit, and has only made one appearance in their last nine league games.
His presence remains felt throughout the club even on the bench, as former manager Matthias Jaissle once dubbed the steely ace as a “leader”.
However, before his removal from the starting side, the £40k-per-week titan had shown the defensive qualities that suggest he could keep certainly the Japanese star quiet.
The biggest issue the Brighton man brings is his natural talent to waltz past defenders, outlined in his impressive 60% dribble success rate.
This is somewhat countered by the 2.7 tackles the defender averages per game, whilst evening the odds with his 58% duels won this season, via Sofascore.
Not only that, but last season Kristensen proved his penchant for pushing forward too. Even journalist Josh Bunting noted how he looked forward to watching him:
“Rasmus Kristensen is an extremely physical player, he’ll fit into the Premier League, so powerful driving forward from full-back”.
Whilst he is yet to showcase that in England, his seven goals, three assists and 1.2 key passes per 90, via Sofascore, are indicative of a threatening presence that will have Mitoma also thinking about his role in quelling that threat.
Whilst it may seem a tall order to topple the visitors, the physicality and unrelenting work rate of the former RB Salzburg general could prove imperative in unsettling their rhythm with the backing of a raucous Elland Road crowd.
Manchester United’s latest triumph at home to Leicester City saw Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho steal the limelight as a result of their devastating displays in attack, with the England duo having been vital figures in the Red Devils’ stirring second-half display at Old Trafford.
For all the quality of that fleet-footed pairing, though, arguably the “best player on the pitch” on the day was midfield maestro Bruno Fernandes – in the words of manager Erik ten Hag – with the Portuguese magician having yet again been the team’s creative hub.
Despite being deployed out on the right flank for the visit of the Foxes – as he has done on occasion this season – the 28-year-old playmaker was still central to everything which was good about the home side, notably teeing up Rashford with a stunning outside-of-the-boot assist in the first half.
The former Sporting Lisbon man also found the aforementioned Sancho with a perfectly weighted pull-back on the hour mark to make sure of the points, while he should well have had a third assist to his name late in the first half, only for compatriot Diogo Dalot to inexplicably fail to convert.
That stellar impact saw Fernandes rack up a truly outrageous haul of nine key passes in total – albeit while losing possession 30 times – having also completed four of his five dribbles as a marker of his dynamic brilliance.
What was most impressive about the 5 foot 11 man’s display, though, was his willingness to put in a shift for his team despite featuring in something of a makeshift role, winning eight of his 11 ground duels.
Such an all-action outing – in which the £240k-per-week star racked up a 9.7 match rating from Sofascore – has no doubt become the norm for Fernandes during his time in Manchester, with United having truly hit the jackpot after signing the 53-cap menace for an initial fee of just £47m back in January 2020.
How much is Fernandes worth now?
The midfielder’s continued rise is showcased by the fact that he is now said to be worth around €100m (£89m) according to CIES Football Observatory, with that a notable increase on what the club signed him for just over three years ago.
Although United will have no intention of letting the consistent “genius” – as once described by journalist Muhammad Butt – depart the Theatre of Dreams any time soon, it will be pleasing to see what has been one of the few transfer success stories in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.
In truth, Fernandes’ impact at the club upon his arrival in England was almost immediate as he scooped the Man of the Match award on his debut in a goalless draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers, before going on to finish the pandemic-impacted 2019/20 campaign with 20 goal involvements in just 22 games in all competitions.
That impact has continued since then, with the Maia-born sensation now boasting 106 goals and assists in 162 games for the club across all fronts, including 41 goals and 31 assists in just 110 Premier League appearances.
Currently ranking third in the division for chances created (17), the former Udinese man has enjoyed another standout season with regard to his impact in the final third, with 17 goal contributions in 36 games so far.
That relentless brilliance has been aided by the player’s ability to be available for selection almost every week, having rarely been absent through injury or illness throughout his career, both before and during his time in Manchester.
To have a player who can be counted upon to perform no matter the occasion or the opposition is truly worth its weight in gold, with Ten Hag no doubt thankful to have inherited such a gloriously joyful talent as Fernandes.
Leeds United caretaker boss Michael Skubala has been handed some respite ahead of the Whites’ trip to arch-rivals Manchester United in the Premier League this evening…
What’s the latest?
The U21s head coach has been given the job on an interim basis following the sacking of Jesse Marsch on Monday. The American lasted less than a year in charge and the 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest sent him on his way.
The Yorkshire side have won just twice in the Premier League all season and now face the tough test of back-to-back matches against a resurgent and in-form Red Devils side.
But Erik ten Hag will be without some pretty key attackers in the form of Antony and Anthony Martial, whilst Casemiro begins his three-match ban, according to GOAL.
The Brazilian winger, who cost a whopping £85m in the summer, is the latest player to join the ever-growing treatment room at Old Trafford after he collided with advertising hoardings against Crystal Palace.
Big boost for Skubala
With just 48 hours with the team and perhaps even less time on the training pitch, Skubala will not have had enough time to present his own ideas and methods, so very little is expected to change in terms of tactics and team selection.
But for the opposition – who sit third in the standings before kickoff – to be without a trio of important stars is surely a source of encouragement.
Antony was their marquee signing in the summer, having worked with Ten Hag at Ajax in the past, where he scored 12 goals and laid on ten assists last season.
Whilst not a regular starter, he has shown glimpses of such form with three goals from 915 minutes of top-flight action.
Meanwhile, Martial has suffered from inconsistencies over the course of his United career but under the Dutchman, he’s looked pretty good when fit. Indeed, he’s bagged six goals from 14 appearances, averaging one strike every 120 minutes.
With Leeds’ leaky backline, the £58m star would have been sure to add to those return this evening. The Whites conceded 34 goals from their 20 outings under Marsch, which is the fifth-worst in the division.
Casemiro is possibly the biggest miss for Ten Hag and the Red Devils as he has arguably been their player of the season – so far.
After joining in a £70m deal from Real Madrid in the summer, the Brazil powerhouse currently ranks as their second-best performer per WhoScored ratings, with Antony and Martial also making up the top ten.
The 30-year-old defensive midfielder also leads the way for tackles (3.3 per game) and there are few who can replace his quality in the side – last season neither Fred nor Scott McTominay averaged more than 2.3 tackles per outing.
All in all, with United set to be without £213m worth of talent, it could be a good time for Leeds – who have no players valued above €30m (£26m) – to cause a major upset under the temporary control of Skubala, who’ll surely see this news as a major boost heading into tonight’s kickoff.
AND in other news, Skubala must ditch Leeds’ £50k-p/w “revelation” vs Utd tonight, he badly failed Marsch…
TalkSport pundit Martin Keown has slammed Everton’s Anthony Gordon for his recent actions following his links to Premier League side Newcastle United.
The Lowdown: Gordon returns to training
The Toffees man showed up to training this morning, as captured on Sky Sports, having previously missed training sessions at Finch Farm for the last three days.
It now looks as if Gordon will leave the club and head to Newcastle, the agreed fee is said to be £40 million.
Gordon missed their most recent league game which was a 2-0 defeat against West Ham United, which would be Frank Lampard’s last game in charge of Everton, but featured in the game before against Southampton.
In 16 Premier League appearances, Gordon has found the back of the net just three times and is yet to provide an assist.
The Latest: Keown tears into Gordon
Speaking live on TalkSport, Keown ripped into the 21-year-old and said no matter the circumstances, you should always turn up to work.
He stated (0:39), “I’ve seen players position themselves. but I’ve never seen anyone never turn up for work.
“I always feel that’s almost unforgivable. Because when particularly when Everton in where they are, he’s just a young boy who’s an Evertonian fan.
“I think he started the game just after the World Cup on Boxing Day, then he hasn’t really featured. Now, whether or not there’s been a falling out with the manager, a decline in his performance, there’s been a few injuries.
“But whatever you do, you turn up for work and he hasn’t he hasn’t done that, So this one was unforgivable.”
The Verdict: Time to cash-in
We believe that Everton was right to agree on a fee for Gordon and £40 million will certainly be a boost for their transfer budget as the window gets closer to ending.
The Toffees are simply not in a great position at all and the uncertainty with Gordon won’t have helped matters. Plus keeping him around the dressing room may have added to the toxicity surrounding the club.
With Sean Dyche seemingly on the way to Goodison Park, perhaps the club may look to improve in the final few days of the transfer window.
Everton are in need of goals and having that additional money could help. Indeed, between their current forwards, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Neal Maupay have just two league goals between them.
A player who wants to leave departs and the club get a hefty cash injection would be a great outcome for Everton and a small step in the right direction.
Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount leaving the Premier League club is highly unlikely, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.
The Lowdown: New contract rejected
The England international has worked his way up through the academy ranks to become a regular feature of the first-team squad, but having now entered the final 18 months of his deal, there are question marks surrounding his future at Stamford Bridge.
The Daily Mail claim that the 24-year-old turned down a new contract before jetting off to the World Cup late last year which soon saw him linked with an exit, but reports suggest that the two parties are set to resume negotiations upon the conclusion of the January window.
The Latest: Jones’ verdict
Speaking to GiveMeSport regarding Mount’s future at Chelsea, Jones insisted that whilst he hasn’t yet put pen to paper on fresh terms, the chances of him being shown the door are next to none.
“It’s probably true that it hasn’t moved forward as quickly since the World Cup as some people would have expected, but I remember speaking about this about a month ago.
“I’d been told that this situation would probably be resolved around the time when Chelsea resume Champions League action and that’s still a month away, so it’s still plausible that that could be the case. I know that Mason Mount is still highly thought of around Chelsea. To be honest, I can’t see him leaving.”
The Verdict: Keep hold of him
Despite being one of the younger players in Graham Potter’s squad, Mount has been dubbed a ‘leader’ of the side by scout Jacek Kulig which is why Chelsea need to do everything they can to keep hold of him.
The Nike-sponsored athlete has made 70 goal contributions in 186 appearances for the Blues and provides plenty of versatility with the ability to operate in five different positions (Transfermarkt).
Ranking highly in the squad in terms of key passes, shots and crosses (Whoscored), it’s hard to imagine finding a like for like replacement without breaking the bank.
Todd Boehly has recently been more than happy to splash the cash in an instant, for example, stealing Mykhaylo Mudryk from under Arsenal’s nose, so he shouldn’t have any issues meeting Mount’s contractual demands, whatever they may be.
Manchester United are reportedly set to ‘evaluate’ their pursuit of Atletico Madrid attacker Joao Felix, having had a short-term loan bid turned down.
The Lowdown: Felix on United’s radar
The Portuguese superstar has been linked with United endless times in recent months, with a move away from Atletico on the cards after falling out of favour there.
Felix has a number of suitors, however, including current Premier League leaders Arsenal, and it looks as though a January transfer battle is very possible.
The 23-year-old’s current Atletico deal doesn’t expire until 2026 but it would be a surprise if he remained there until that point given Atletico CEO Miguel Angel Gil Marin has openly admitted a departure is possible.
The Latest: New update emerges
Taking to Twitter, journalist and transfer window expert Rudy Galetti claimed that United have seen a six-month move rejected and will now reconsider the situation:
“On Man Utd side, Atleti turned down a first 6-month proposal: MUFC will evaluate the next steps.”
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The Verdict: Let Chelsea have him
There is no doubting Felix’s magic as a footballer, with Alvaro Morata calling him a ‘special’ player and Bruno Fernandes saying he has ‘great potential’.
He is more of a No.10 than the central striker that United crave, however, and signing him could mean Erik ten Hag actually has too many similar players in one area to fit into the team.
With Chelsea reportedly closing in on Felix, we feel the Red Devils should ignore this saga and focus on signing an out and out goalscorer.
Newcastle United sporting director Dan Ashworth could well be able to offload striker Chris Wood in the January transfer window, amid reported shock interest in the New Zealand international.
What’s the word?
According to Italian outlet Juve Dipendenza, Serie A giants Juventus are reportedly open to a move for the 31-year-old in the New Year, should the Magpies firm up their apparent interest in Moise Kean.
The report suggests that the Tynesiders have their ‘eye on’ the 22-year-old – who is on loan in Turin from Everton – with that interest potentially set to see a swap deal emerge with Wood heading in the other direction, with the former Burnley man said to be ‘certainly well liked’ by Max Allegri.
The suggestion is that Il Bianconeri view the 70-cap marksman as a potential understudy to Dusan Vlahovic – who has been linked with a move to St James’ Park – although any move will likely rest on whether Kean moves in the other direction.
Ruthlessly ditch
It could well seemingly prove an opportune time for Ashworth and co to move on the one-time Leeds United man, with Wood having simply struggled to make his mark following his £25m arrival from Lancashire back in January.
The 6 foot 3 menace – who has also been linked with a return to Elland Road in recent days – had no doubt been a “strange” addition at the time, in the words of talkSPORT pundit Gabby Agbonlahor, having only scored three goals in the first half of last season for the Clarets.
Although the Auckland-born powerhouse had enjoyed a notable record at Turf Moor with 53 goals in 165 games across all fronts, the move to the northeast seemingly stunk of a short-term fix, with Eddie Howe’s side having been in need of a reliable backup to the injury prone Callum Wilson.
The £80k-per-week dud went on to score just twice in 17 games in the second half of the 2021/22 campaign, having subsequently scored only two goals in 16 outings this time around, with one of those strikes coming against lower-league side Tranmere Rovers in the Carabao Cup.
The towering forward now seems a “bit lost” at Newcastle – in the words of pundit Tam McManus – as Howe’s more progressive approach appears at odds with the player’s own strengths, having typically been a player who “feeds on long balls”, as per McManus.
With club-record signing Alexander Isak now stepping up his return to fitness, there appears little need to keep Wood at the club, particularly should the aforementioned Kean arrive in his place, with the latter man having netted five times in 18 outings this term.
While Wood has only been with the Magpies for just under a year, Ashworth must surely use this potential opportunity to ruthlessly ditch him sooner rather than later.