Rashford and Ten Hag brutally snubbed as Man United crisis deepens further
Upson downs
The Sun have massively buried the lede in their important journalism about who Matthew Upson thinks should be in England’s starting XI at the Euros.
Former England star names Three Lions starting XI that should start Euro 2024 opener… with no room for Marcus Rashford
Just very odd, this. We’re not sure Marcus Rashford himself is currently including Marcus Rashford in an England starting XI ahead of Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden. It’s just a curious line of attack.
And that’s before we even get to the fact that the ‘former England star’ issuing this huge snub to Marcus Rashford is in fact 21-cap legend Matthew Upson.
And that’s before we subsequently get to the far more interesting and pertinent fact that Upson, speaking before last night’s game, has Kobbie Mainoo in his starting XI.
And that’s before we get to the real leftfield revelation.
He finished by naming an attacking trio of Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham and Ben Foden behind striker Harry Kane.
It’s a bold strategy, some real outside-the-box thinking, but sadly we all know dreary, predictable old Gareth Southgate is just far too set in his ways to pick a 38-year-old former rugby union international to play nominally from the left in a fluid front four.
Snub knows
Alas we must report yet more disharmony in the Manchester United ranks.
After that Rashford SNUB and yesterday’s sordid revelations about Diogo Dalot being a fan of his international and former club team-mate Diogo Costa, thus taking a proverbial p*ss on Andre Onana’s cornflakes, comes fresh woe for crisis-ridden United as Scott McTominay takes aim at Erik Ten Hag by… praising his Scotland manager Steve Clarke.
The Mirror report it thusly under the headline ‘Scott McTominay snubs Erik ten Hag as he pinpoints key role behind Man Utd heroics’
Reflecting on his improvement this term, the Scotsman has heralded the impact of national team boss Clarke. McTominay believes his change in attitude, and in turn his improved outfit (sic), all stems from a conversation he had with the Scotland manager.
“Yes. I’d say it did, to be fair,” the 27-year-old explained to the Telegraph. “That was the camp where the manager and I sat down and he said that I didn’t look happy, that I didn’t look like I was smiling about the place. I thought ‘maybe he’s right’.
“I went and spoke to my mum, my dad, my girlfriend at the time and they all pretty much said the same thing. Sometimes, you just need to enjoy football and play with a smile on your face and take it easy.
Helpfully, they’ve told us the interview was with the Telegraph, so we can go off to find some more clues. Unhelpfully, the interview was actually with The Times but never mind.
That little puzzle solved, we can read the whole original interview and the specific question McTominay actually answered.
Had this surge in form for club and country really come from an attitude change because Clarke took him aside?
It’s a small thing, but the ‘all’ which the Mirror’s version adds is important, isn’t it? That word isn’t there in the question he actually answered and that’s a tiny yet significant change that turns it from what McTominay is actually doing – complimenting Clarke – into a stick with which to beat Ten Hag.
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We are once again asking people to realise that praising one person does not mean you are snubbing or criticising another.
Thrash meddle
This is incredibly petty of us, but we’re impossibly rattled by how bad John Cross’ description of Jude Bellingham’s equalising goal in last night’s Belgium draw is. And now we’re going to make sure you are too.
Eventually one came off as substitute James Maddison pulled back a low cross and there was Bellingham to thrash home from close range to save England.
That’s… that’s just not what happened at all, is it? Maddison’s contribution is wildly undersold by ‘pulled back a low cross’ given the way he flicked the ball back into Bellingham’s path with the outside of his right boot, but it’s the idea that Bellingham thrashed home from close range that has irked us most gravely.
It was a special goal from a special player specifically because, knowing that it was the very last chance England would get to take something from the game, Bellingham did the exact opposite of thrashing anything. He took a touch and set himself, ffs, before calmly side-footing the ball home.
Bellingham could be said to have slotted it home, or even tucked it home, or stroked it into the corner. But what he absolutely did not do was thrash it. It was far, far better than that.
And we’re really not having ‘close range’ either, while we’re at it.
That’s right, we’re still fighting our fight that words have meaning and we will not give up despite evidence mounting by the day that it is a forlorn, perhaps already lost, battle.
Emerge from nothing
Talking of which, here’s the dictionary definition of ’emerges’:
move out of or away from something and become visible; become apparent or prominent.
And here’s a Mirror headline.
Arsenal and Liverpool look to learn from mistakes as clear Man City title advantage emerges
So obviously that ‘title advantage’ for Man City must be specific to this season’s run-in, mustn’t it? It must be something that’s happening right now, mustn’t it? It’s still in the very presence of emerging, after all. It must be very, very new information.
One thing we know it definitely can’t be is that City have never lost a title race in the Sheikh Mansour era – missing out only when not in contention at all – or that none of either Arsenal or Liverpool’s three most recent titles were won on the last day of the season.
It can’t be that. Because that is all (in some cases very, very) old information that is absolutely not in any way emerging now. So it can’t be that, can it, Daily Mirror? CAN IT?
The English, the English, the English are best
England has a reputation for arrogance and exceptionalism and we just cannot for the life of us work out why that might be.
Apropos of nothing, here’s a line from Oliver Holt’s Daily Mail match report on last night’s game.
Belgium are not to be under-estimated, of course. They won their qualifying group without losing a game and on this evidence, Tielemans, Lukaku and Doku have the ability to unsettle any defence.
Quite right. Excellent side, Belgium. Lots of good players. Lots of them even making a go of things in the Barclays, so you know they must be good. Glad we’ve got that sor… Oh, you weren’t finished.
But England were supposed to have moved beyond Belgium by now.
What’s that now? Yes, England – ranked third in the world – should apparently have left the likes of Belgium – ranked fourth in the world – behind. We’re throwing them a bone just by deigning to play against them, frankly.
Needs must
The Sun have got themselves all worked up, which isn’t like them.
Kobbie Mainoo has played just 94 minutes for England… but Gareth Southgate MUST take wonderkid to the Euros
We’re pretty sure he WILL.
O Captain! My Captain!
The Daily Express come with the big news today.
Liverpool have secret weapon to stop Trent Alexander-Arnold joining Real Madrid
This sounds exciting.
…if there is any suggestion Alexander-Arnold is tempted by a move to Real Madrid, the Reds know that they have an ace card to pull out of the pack.
A secret weapon and an ace card to pull out of the pack? This is definitely going to be good and not a load of absolute stitched-together hypothetical b*llocks.
The secret weapon? The ace in the pack? Make Alexander-Arnold captain. Or more specifically yet also more vaguely ‘promising Alexander-Arnold that he can take the armband whenever the veteran Van Dijk does depart’.
This apparently, ‘would surely be enough to keep him on Merseyside’. And why? Because he once said he’d quite like to be Liverpool captain. Six years ago.
Liverpool’s actual ace in the pack is that Alexander-Arnold clearly loves the club, has shown no real desire to leave and will probably sign a new contract. But we’re guessing none of that really counts as a ‘secret weapon’.
‘I know’ – Lionel Messi drops retirement claim as Barcelona legend reflects on ‘difficult’ PSG spell
Inter Miami star Lionel Messi has commented on when he will retire and he has also reflected on his “difficult” spell at Paris Saint-Germain.
Regarded as one of the best footballers of all time, Messi progressed through the ranks at Barcelona and spent most of his career with the La Liga giants.
“The change was difficult…”
This era of football has been dominated by Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The two greats have a storied rivalry from their time in Spain with Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively.
Despite this, former Barcelona defender Gerard Pique has claimed that Messi did not “care” about Ronaldo as he knew “he was the best”.
Messi was forced to leave Barcelona in 2021 as their financial woes prohibited them from tying him down to a contract extension.
The World Cup winner subsequently joined PSG on a free transfer. His two-year stint in France did not go to plan as he only scored 32 goals in 75 appearances and failed to win the Champions League.
Messi has explained why he found life “difficult” at PSG after he “planned to stay” at Barcelona.
“The change was difficult when I went to PSG, because I was doing very well in Barcelona and I planned to stay there,” Messi said via The Big Time podcast.Related video: Inside Inter Miami: When will Messi return? NY fiasco, defensive help on way, NYCFC preview (Miami Herald (Video))
I'm your host, Andre Fernandez,
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“I was not prepared to leave, everything happened very quickly, I had to rebuild my life from one day to the next. I got to know another league, another club, a new locker room. It was a change that we were not looking for and that is why it was difficult at first.”
He added: For me it was difficult when I arrived in Barcelona. I was a child and I had to adapt to new friends, new country, new city, new people, new school.
“It was difficult for me at first, but I thought I was doing what I wanted, playing football, in a great team like Barcelona and that made me able to move forward, it was impressive and I enjoyed it a lot. They have always treated me very well in Barcelona, I am grateful to them.”
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“I know when I am good…”
The 36-year-old currently plays in the MLS with Inter Miami. His current contract is due to expire next year but he has indicated that he no plans to retire, as he will only call time on his career when he knows he’s “not performing”.
“I know that the moment that I know that I’m not performing, that I’m not enjoying myself, that I’m not helping my teammates,” Messi continued.
“I am very self-critical. I know when I am good, when I am bad, when I play well, when I play badly…
“And when I feel it is time to take that step, I will take it without thinking about age. If I feel good, I will always try to continue competing, because it is what I like and what I know how to do.”
Graeme Souness slams ‘stinking attitude’ of Paul Pogba as he could’ve become ‘one of the greats’
Graeme Souness has hit out at ex-Manchester United flop Paul Pogba *again* as the Frenchman had a “stinking attitude” during his time at Old Trafford.
The World Cup winner returned to Man Utd in 2019 as the Premier League giants paid around £89m to re-sign him from Juventus.
“I was frustrated with him…”
Pogba failed to live up to expectations at Old Trafford as his attitude was often questioned by onlookers, with his best performers often coming while on international duty for France.
The midfielder’s natural ability cannot be questioned but his desire was rightly up for debate before he returned to Juventus on a free transfer upon the expiry of his Man Utd contract in 2022.
Souness was one of Pogba’s biggest critics during his time at Man Utd but he apparently “took no pleasure” in the 31-year-old getting banned as he “had all that attitude” but “had a stinking attitude”.
“With Pogba, I was frustrated with him because I saw someone who had all that talent, all that physical prowess that you see on a magnificent athlete, but had a stinking attitude,” Souness told The Telegraph.
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“I take no pleasure in what has happened…”
“I could talk now for 10 minutes on it but the bottom line is, he didn’t work hard enough. The worst thing that could have happened to him was winning the World Cup as a young man. That put him firmly in a great big comfy armchair. He was no longer up for doing the hard yards, he thought it was all about him doing clever eye-catching things on the football pitch.Related video: Why Sofyan Amrabat Would Solve Man United's BIGGEST Problem (FourFourTwo)
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“Every time I played I had one thought in my head: I’m going to be better than the guy I’m playing against. I’m going to have a better day than he does. And the starting point for that is working harder than him. I don’t think Paul Pogba ever had that attitude.
“It was all about showing how clever and cute I can be. It would have been very easy to play against him because he never worked on you. He didn’t stop you playing.
“I take no pleasure in what has happened to him because he was an extremely talented young man who had everything to be remembered as one of the great midfield players in world football.
“But he won’t be remembered for that, unfortunately. He will be remembered for being banned for drugs and being a near-miss.”
READ MORE: Mediawatch… Rashford and Ten Hag brutally snubbed as Man United crisis deepens further
The seven most in-demand strikers who are set for a blockbuster move this summer: Man Utd, Arsenal targets
Stars from Napoli, PSG and Sporting are among the most in-demand strikers who are set for a blockbuster move this summer.
It’s often said that scoring goals is the hardest thing in football and that’s often why strikers cost the big bucks. With the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Man Utd all in the market for a new number nine this summer, there’s going to be plenty of competition vying for these players.
We’ve taken a closer look at some of the most in-demand forwards across world football right now who are destined for a big-money move this summer.
Victor Osimhen
There can be little doubt that Osimhen ranks among the best strikers in the world and plenty of top European sides have started to take notice.
The 25-year-old penned a fresh contract with Napoli in December which is valid until 2026, although the deal does include a tantalising £113m release clause.
Since moving to Italy in 2020, Osimhen has scored 72 goals in 125 appearances. Averaging a strike every 125.3 minutes over the last three and a half years, you can understand why so many top sides are interested.
Plenty of the usual suspects have been sniffing around the Nigerian forward of late with the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and PSG being interested according to TEAMtalk sources.
Given his age and profile, the 25-year-old is likely to be one of the most in-demand strikers this summer. Watch this space.Related video: 10 Amazing Strikers Who Flopped In The Premier League (FourFourTwo)
Viktor Gyokeres
When discussing the most in-form strikers in the world, it’s hard to ignore Gyokeres right now. Following a prolific season with Coventry City in the Championship, Sporting picked him up in the summer and he’s not stopped scoring since.
The Portuguese side managed to secure his signature for just €24m (£20.5m) and it’s fair to say that his value has risen considerably since then.
Across all competitions, Gyokeres has averaged a goal contribution every 63.8 minutes which is outstanding consistency. He’s managed to score an impressive 36 goals while also providing 14 assists too.
One of the most impressive aspects of Gyokeres’ game is how he’s able to create so many chances for himself. The Swedish international is a great dribbler and his impact around the box is obvious to see.
The likes of AC Milan, Arsenal and Chelsea are among the clubs interested and it’s easy to see why. His release clause at Sporting is £86m and it could take that sort of figure to prize him out of Portugal this summer.
Kylian Mbappe
The Frenchman’s move to Real Madrid seems like it’s a given at this point. Despite Mbappe being fully aware that his future lies away from PSG, he’s not let that distract him this season.
Across Europe’s top five leagues, only Harry Kane has bagged more goals than Mbappe this year. In the league alone, he’s scored 24 goals while also providing five assists in that time.
He recently made an announcement regarding his future and confirmed that a final decision on his next club will be made before the Euros this summer.
“People will know my future before the Euros. I’m very calm about it,” the Frenchman told Telefoot.
“My future is no longer a huge topic at the club, no one talks to me about it anymore. I’ll be at the Euros with calm head, ready to do great things.”
We eagerly await to see him link up with Jude Bellingham and co at the Santiago Bernabeu.
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Lois Openda
Having impressed for RB Leipzig this season, several big clubs are keeping tabs on the 24-year-old striker. He’s already bagged 19 league goals throughout 2023-24 and he isn’t showing any signs of slowing down.
What’s worth noting is that Openda does have a £70m release clause within his contract with RB Leipzig, although this only becomes valid in the summer of 2025.
The likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Man Utd and Tottenham have all been linked with the forward in recent months. If he continues to score at his current rate, RB Leipzig will surely be braced for a bidding war this summer.
Serhou Guirassy
Had it not been for the prolific form of Kane, Guirassy would currently be leading the race for the Bundesliga Golden Boot.
The 28-year-old has been scoring with freakishly good consistency this season as he’s averaging a league goal every 68.1 minutes, having scored 22 goals so far.
On the back of his impressive form, the likes of Man Utd, Tottenham and West Ham have been linked with the Stuttgart forward.
His existing contract in Germany runs until the summer of 2026, although his deal does include a tantalising €17.5m release clause which will be active in the summer.
Evan Ferguson
Ferguson is one of the Premier League’s top prospects, but he certainly won’t come cheap. According to TEAMtalk sources, Brighton value the teenage forward at over £100m.
Since making his debut in 2021/22, the 19-year-old has scored 16 goals for Brighton and he’s garnered plenty of interest from some of England’s top clubs.
In recent months the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, Man Utd and Tottenham have each been sniffing around the teenage sensation.
Gunners legend Emmanuel Petit thinks that Ferguson could be a worthy upgrade on Gabriel Jesus as he told Wett Freunde: “Gabriel Jesus always gives his all, but he always lacks the coolness in front of goal.
“Perhaps a big-name new signing would somehow give him wings. Evan Ferguson would prevail due to his effectiveness and coolness.”
Jonathan David
Since arriving at Lille in the summer of 2020, David hasn’t stopped scoring. The Canadian international has bagged 80 goals in 173 appearances for the French club which is a more than reasonable return.
During that time, he’s also been attracting plenty of interest from some of Europe’s biggest clubs. The 24-year-old is high on Man Utd’s striker target list and he’s also being looked at by Arsenal and Tottenham.
With his contract with Lille set to expire in 2025, this summer could be the ideal time for the French club to cash in on their prized asset.
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