Graham Roberts has revealed that Rangers ignored his advice to take a transfer punt on the “frightening” ability of Dele Alli.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
Midfielder starred for Premier League giantsCareer went off the rails due to injuryEmbracing a fresh start in ItalyFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Roberts savoured league and cup glory during his time at Ibrox, having headed to Scotland from Tottenham in 1986. He continues to keep a close eye on how both of those clubs are getting on, with efforts being made to aid their respective causes.
AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE
After seeing Dele sparkle in north London, Roberts urged those in Glasgow to consider an approach for the ex-England international as his career began to come off the rails. Forgettable stints with Everton and Besiktas failed to rekindle a lost spark.
DID YOU KNOW?
Dele is now working with ex-Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas at Serie A side Como, as he seeks to rebuild his career at 28 years of age, but a different career path could have been taken.
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
InstagramWHAT GRAHAM ROBERTS SAID
Roberts told "I liked him when he joined [Tottenham], I thought he was brilliant when he played for us, [Tottenham]. I remember him scoring two goals against Chelsea, two brilliant goals when we won 3-1.
“I have always liked him, I don’t know what went wrong. I tried to recommend him to Rangers a few years ago and said: ‘If you get hold of him and you help him, there is a player there’. There is a player there but he needs someone to put an arm around him to really get him back to what he was as a kid. He is barely at his peak yet, it’s frightening.”
Harry Kane was in fine form as Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich picked up all three points with a 3-2 win against St Pauli on Saturday.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
Bayern beat St Pauli 3-2 in the BundesligaKane and Sane on target for the hostsOlise also impresses for BavariansFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱TELL ME MORE
Bayern returned to action after a costly international break which saw Vincent Kompany lose Alphonso Davies and Dayot Upamecano to injuries. However, Bayern needed just 17 minutes to open the scoring when Kane ended a mini-drought in the Bundesliga with the opening goal. Jamal Musiala won possession deep in the St Pauli half and, although he was then tackled, the ball fell kindly to the overlapping Michael Olise to cross for Kane to convert from close range.
Yet St Pauli stunned the hosts by grabbing a deserved equaliser just 10 minutes later A good move down the right saw the ball curled into the penalty area and knocked past goalkeeper Jonas Urbig by Elias Saad after a great run forwards into the box.
Bayern hit back early in the second half through Leroy Sane. Again Olise was the creator, the France international clipping a ball over the top for Sane to chest down and smash a low shot home to make it 2-1 to the hosts. Olise then could have had a goal of his own but crashed a powerful shot into the side-netting after good work from Musiala.
Kompany's side went on secure the points by adding a third with just 20 minutes remaining. Kane played a one-two with Olise and then scampered forwards before sending the ball in for Sane to score his second of the match.
St Pauli did reduce the deficit deep into stoppage time through Lars Ritzka but it proved to be only a consolation as Bayern restored their six-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga.
AdvertisementDID YOU KNOW?
Kane has now scored against all 19 clubs he has faced in the Bundesliga; in Bundesliga history only Miroslav Klose has faced more different clubs and scored against them all (28).
AFPTHE MVP
Olise may not have been able to get his name on the scoresheet but he was absolutely vital to the win and played a part in all three goals. The first was a perfect cross that left Kane with the simple task of knocking the ball home before he knocked a wonderful ball over the top for Sane to make it 2-1. Olise and Kane then combined to hand Sane his second of the afternoon in a fine showing by the Bayern attack.
Getty ImagesTHE BIG LOSER
Injuries in defence meant that Vincent Kompany opted to start Raphael Guerreiro at left-back against St Pauli. However, the Germany star looked something of a liability defensively in an error-strewn display for the Bavarian giants and it was no surprise at all to see him hooked on the hour.
Glasgow Rangers will be hoping Philippe Clement is at Ibrox for the long haul, especially considering the short reigns of the previous two managers.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst may have won the Scottish Cup and led the Gers to a major European final, yet he was sacked after just a year into the job last November.
Michael Beale didn’t even make it to the 12-month mark, being relieved of his duties after just ten months in the role and stability is required should the Light Blues aim to return to the summit of Scottish football.
The Belgian looks a calming presence yet is not one to be crossed, and his methods appear to be working, although it is still early days.
Philippe Clement
With a new manager in place, the next step for James Bisgrove is to hire a director of football who could work in tandem with Clement and improve the recruitment side of things, as the club have failed to impress in the transfer market since winning the Premiership title in 2021.
Ross Wilson's best and worst transfers at Rangers
When Steven Gerrard was appointed in May 2018, the club took a major gamble on someone who had never previously managed at senior level before.
His first season was decent in spells, yet no trophies were secured and with this in mind, the Gers appointed Ross Wilson as the new sporting director in October 2019, and he would work closely with Gerrard in finding top talent that would only make the Light Blues stronger.
With prior experience working at Southampton during their time in the Premier League along with stints at Falkirk and Watford, Wilson looked like he could be the person that would help elevate the club.
While the Ibrox side would eventually go on to secure their first league crown in a decade two years ago, Wilson’s record in the transfer market is certainly nothing to boast about, especially with regard to incomings.
£23m (via Sky Sports)
£16m (via Sky Sports)
£10m (via Daily Mail)
£1.5m (via The National)
Players such as Kemar Roofe, Ianis Hagi and John Lundstram arrived under Wilson, yet the vast majority of Wilson’s signings struggled to get to grips with the sheer volume of pressure associated with playing for a club like Rangers and underperformed as a result.
Think of the likes of Juninho Bacuna, Cedric Itten and Ben Davies, summer arrivals who cost a pretty penny yet didn’t quite live up to expectations. Of course, Davies is still currently at the club, but he has endured a disappointing 12 months or so in Glasgow.
Wilson did enjoy some success with regard to developing a player trading model at Ibrox, which resulted in Nathan Patterson, Calvin Bassey and Joe Aribo all being sold for incredible profits that in turn have funded future spending.
Bassey joined Ajax for £23m and the sale is still the highest in the club’s history. Despite raising vast sums, Wilson’s legacy at Ibrox will be remembered by winning just two trophies, but he left the club to join Nottingham Forest back in April, with Bisgrove still searching for a new director.
Could Stuart Webber be the ideal candidate to take the job? He looks set to depart Norwich City shortly.
Why Stuart Webber is available
The 39-year-old handed in his notice at the Canaries back in June and was looking to remain at the club for the next 12 months to serve out this notice, but it appears as though he could be leaving sooner than first anticipated.
According to The Sun, Rangers are keen on hiring him as a direct replacement for Wilson, yet they could face competition from Leeds United, who are also keeping tabs on him.
Could it be the right move, however, or will Webber just become Wilson 2.0? The way Norwich have been run in recent years, it doesn't bode well.
Stuart Webber's experience as a sporting director
The director was appointed to the position at the Championship side in April 2017 and oversaw promotion to the Premier League in 2018/19 by winning the second-tier title that season.
Webber also helped develop youngsters such as current Gers start Todd Cantwell while also playing a part in building a wonderful training ground along with appointing a manager such as Daniel Farke, who was key to them getting promotion.
Farke spent four years in charge of the club and while Norwich finished last in the top flight during the 2019/20 season, they rebounded straight back up by once again winning the Championship title during 2020/21.
Webber and Farke brought in players such as Josh Sargent, Angus Gunn and Emiliano Buendia during their time at the club, yet the latter few years have been littered with poor signings in the transfer market along with disappointing results on the pitch.
Cantwell, who was once destined for the very top, departed for Rangers after a poor start to last season, while Norwich failed to challenge for another promotion, finishing 13th under David Wagner.
This season hasn’t gone much better, with the East Anglian side currently occupying 17th spot in the Championship after winning just five league matches all season.
It has not been the finest couple of years under Webber, and he could certainly be a case of Wilson 2.0 should Rangers snap him up in the near future.
A bright start followed by a period in which the club have struggled certainly echoes Wilson’s spell at Ibrox as sporting director and Bisgrove won't want to make the same mistake his predecessors did.
At this present moment in time, Clement looks like he has the confidence to approach the January transfer market with his team of coaches and assistants and aim to improve certain areas of the squad.
Bisgrove should be in no rush to sign a sporting director as at the current moment in time, there are more prevailing issues which need to be fixed.
Until performances on the pitch improve, and the players are finally behind the Belgian, only then will a new sporting director be the key priority.
Webber however, is not the answer to the problems at Ibrox, especially with the way Norwich have been run over the previous few years since their relegation from the top flight in 2022.
Durham have plenty of downtime ahead of Friday night’s Vitality Blast quarter-final against Sussex while Glamorgan’s coach has lots to ponder
ECB Reporters Network21-Aug-2018 ScorecardDurham’s bowlers needed only 8.2 overs to dismiss the remaining three Glamorgan batsmen at Sophia Gardens this morning to gain their third championship win of the season, and inflict on Glamorgan their third successive championship defeat and their sixth in the last seven games.Resuming on 79 for 7, Glamorgan soon lost Craig Meschede, who was leg before to Chris Rushworth in the fourth over of the day, and the Durham seamer struck again in his next two overs when he bowled Lukas Carey and Michael Hogan to end Glamorgan’s misery.The victory margin, an innings and 30 runs, was a fair reflection of Durham’s dominance throughout the game, while Glamorgan were to reflect on another hugely disappointing performance which will little to restore confidence or morale.Rushworth ended with 5 for 28, and match figures of 8 for 64 as throughout the match Glamorgan’s batsmen were unable to counter the movement Durham’s seamers obtained in both innings.It all left Glamorgan’s coach Robert Croft with much to ponder as he seeks to keep momentum in the season after the county’s failure to reach the last eight of the Vitality Blast.Had the weather not intervened in this game, Glamorgan would have been beaten inside two days in successive games, and although they have been unlucky with their overseas signings and Marchant De Lange, one of their leading bowlers, has been out injured since mid-May, the fact is that their young batsmen have been unable to cope with opposing attacks.Meanwhile, Durham, who will have an extra day off before Friday’s T20 quarter final game against Sussex at Chester Le Street, will be delighted with their performance, especially their two debutants Alex Lees and Axar Patel.Lees, signed from Yorkshire, was soon into his stride with an assured 69, while Indian all rounder Patel, took three wickets in the game and struck an aggressive 95 and rescue Durham following a mid -innings collapse.A dejected Glamorgan captain Michael Hogan said after the crushing defeat,”it was not ideal, it was just another of those days. The dressing room is pretty low at the moment, and we have to give them the opportunity to have some fun, and get some smiles back on their faces. We will have nets on Thursday and get some practice before the game against Warwickshire next week.”Durham seamer Chris Rushworth, who took eight wickets in the game, said” it was good to field in bowling conditions on the first day, and it suited our bowlers. We were clinical, and that’s what we need to be to beat the teams around us in the championship. Everyone contributed, and it was a very satisfying victory”
USMNT and Nottingham Forest star Matt Turner has spoken out after the Premier League club were docked four points leaving them in the relegation zone.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
Nottingham Forest docked four pointsBreached Profitability and Sustainability rulesTurner says Forest must "take it on the chin"Getty/GOALWHAT HAPPENED?
The Premier League have announced that Nottingham Forest will be docked four points due to breaching Profitability and Sustainability Rules. The deduction drops the club into 18th place in the league table, one point behind Luton Town.
AdvertisementWHAT TURNER SAID
Speaking to the media, Turner has reacted to the news: "The points deduction, we have to take it on the chin and keep moving forward. Points deduction aside, we've been our own worst enemies in a lot of ways this entire season. We have all of it in our control. Some of the games that we have coming up are teams around us. If we can control those games and get back some wins, then hopefully the point deduction shouldn't really matter. Hopefully, we can, like I said, take it on the chin, stick together and keep moving forward."
Getty/GOALTHE BIGGER PICTURE
The American goalkeeper joined the club earlier in the season after leaving his role as backup keeper at Arsenal. The 29-year-old goalkeeper has struggled, making high-profile mistakes in several games, so much so that the club signed Matz Sels from Strasbourg in the January window. Turner has made his way back into Nuno Espirito Santo's starting lineup and will hope to play a pivotal part in their attempt to beat relegation to the Championship.
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
WHAT NEXT FOR NOTTINGHAM FOREST?
The club are expected to appeal the points deduction, particularly having seen Everton see a 10-point deduction reduced to six on appeal. Nottingham Forest have two weeks to file a formal appeal to the Premier League.
Manchester United are eyeing a move for a new centre-back who appears to be at the top of his game, according to a fresh report.
Man Utd transfer news and centre-back targets
The Red Devils have suffered a number of injuries at the back this season, which has seen Erik ten Hag field makeshift backlines on multiple occasions in recent weeks. Star centre-backs Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez have been missing at points throughout the campaign, with the former of the two returning to the starting XI against FC Copenhagen in the week.
Martinez looks set to be sidelined until the New Year, which has resulted in Man Utd transfer rumours over a new defender increasing in recent weeks. Sporting CP’s Goncalo Inacio and Nice’s Jean-Clair Todibo are two players who have been heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford in 2024, however, a new defender appears to be on the Red Devils' radar, and by extension likely new investor Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who could soon have control over sporting decisions in Manchester.
TEAMtalk provided a Robin Le Normand transfer update in the last 48 hours, claiming Man United and rivals Liverpool have been impressed with the Real Sociedad defender following recent scouting trips. The pair seem to be eyeing up potential moves as a result, with the Spain international having a €50m (£43.6m) release clause in his current contract.
Robin Le Normand profiled
Le Normand is 26 years of age and appears to be at the peak of his powers with a career-high €35m market valuation. He made the move to Real Sociedad back in 2016 as a teenager from Stade Brest and has gone on to impress in La Liga. (Robin Le Normand profile – Transfermarkt)
In total, Le Normand has now made 190 senior appearances for Sociedad in all competitions, turning out in the Champions League during the current campaign. The centre-back has scored five times and has provided six assists for his current employers. (Robin Le Normand stats – Transfermarkt)
He also is a big fan of current United defender Varane, with Le Normand previously saying the Frenchman has been an “inspiration” for him.
“Rafa Varane is an example for me, an inspiration even, someone who went from the French second division to Spain as a young player to win everything with Real Madrid.
“He’s one of the best in the world. I played against him a few times. He’d speak to me after the games in French. Small chats, he’s a good guy, a real competitor in the game but friendly off it. It shows that if you work and you have the talent, the physique, you can reach the top.”
Therefore, a move to Manchester to play alongside Varane at Old Trafford could be something that appeals to Le Normand, and by the looks of things, a transfer may be one to watch.
Tottenham Hotspur recorded yet another impressive victory over the weekend, extending their Premier League unbeaten run at the hands of Luton Town.
However, it was a game marred by referee drama again, with the official in question rightly dismissing Yves Bissouma for two foolish yellow card offences in the first half. It will mark a big blow to miss someone who has grown so swiftly into a hugely integral figure for Ange Postecoglou.
How is Yves Bissouma playing this season?
Having been brought in under Antonio Conte, opportunities were limited for the Mali international, despite having starred previously for Brighton and Hove Albion.
However, the clean slate provided by their new boss has already paid dividends, with the £25m man now boasting a 7.27 average rating in the league, making him the Lilywhites' seventh-highest-rated player.
The 27-year-old sits at the base of their midfield and provides the link between defence and attack, willing to accept the ball in tight areas and dictate the play. Such is his return to form, which has seen him maintain a 91% pass accuracy alongside 3.3 tackles per game, pundit Jamie O'Hara sought to laud him:
"For me, when he came in from Brighton, I thought he’s going to be a brilliant signing. And last season, he was terrible. This season, he looks unbelievable. He looks like a £100 million player."
Yves Bissouma
So, with his one-match suspension sure to be a tough one to take, the former Celtic boss must begin devising a plan of how to replace such a monumental figure.
With few midfielders within the squad matching his play style, perhaps an experiment could be in order, to move Pedro Porro into a more central role to truly flex his creative muscles.
What are Pedro Porro's best qualities?
After all, the Spaniard boasts all the attributes needed to thrive in such a position, given he boasts fine anticipation, is strong in the tackle and remains economical in possession.
In fact, when compared to other full-backs across Europe, the former Sporting CP man sits in the top 1% for blocks per 90, the top 11% for shot-creating actions per 90, and is averaging a pass accuracy of 83% in the league this term, via FBref.
Although the £85k-per-week dynamo is starring on the right flank for Postecoglou, such a shift would only mark a temporary one, to retain an element of creativity that the likes of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Oliver Skipp perhaps lack.
Average Rating
7.46
7.29
Pass Accuracy %
83%
91%
Key Passes
1.6 per game
0.6 per game
Tackles
3.0 per game
3.3 per game
Ball Recoveries
5.1 per game
6.1 per game
Stats courtesy of Sofascore.
Such a suggestion is only reinforced given how Emerson Royal could certainly step in and perform if needed too, as although minutes have been scattered for the Brazilian, he still boasts a 92% pass accuracy and 2.4 ball recoveries per game in the Premier League, via Sofascore.
To further emphasise Porro's ability to shift inside, his heat map, whilst naturally very focused down the right, does actually have patches in the midfield areas anyway.
Then, Postecoglou's praise for the 24-year-old should act as decisive proof, given his delight with the adaptability of the new system:
"Pedro has been super. Obviously, with our full-backs, we’re asking for a different type of role than they’re used to, and both him and Destiny have opened up really well to it.
“They’re trying to learn, trying to understand it. I think it suits Pedro in many respects because he’s such a good footballer, technically, he’s a very good footballer, but he’s also a great athlete."
Whilst it will not be forever, a home clash against Fulham marks as good a time as any to trial an idea that could offer a viable replacement should Bissouma suffer from a long-term absence later in the season.
He has also elaborated on why he thinks two new balls is a bad idea in ODIs
ESPNcricinfo staff27-Jun-2018Ahead of their five-Test tour of England, India have their “most complete” pace attack in a long time, according to Sachin Tendulkar. He is particularly enthused by the variety within the fast-bowling group.”This is the most complete fast-bowling attack that India have had in many many years. In my assessment, this attack would go as one of the best,” Tendulkar told . “We have the luxury where we have a swing bowler (Bhuvneshwar Kumar), a tall bowler (Ishant Sharma), a skiddy bowler (Jasprit Bumrah) and a genuine quick bowler (Umesh Yadav).”It is a nice combination to have with so much variation on offer.”The batting ability of Hardik Pandya and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Tendulkar felt, would help balance India’s line-up.”The current India team is constantly looking at seamers who can contribute with the bat big time,” he said. “I think these two guys have contributed crucial runs every now and then.”Hardik has just got into the side but I think Bhuvi contributing brilliantly and that contribution changes the balance of the team in a positive manner.”It’s good to have batsmen who can bowl four-five overs but even better if we have bowlers who can score those crucial runs. The kind of contributions that can help you move forward.”In a separate interview with , Tendulkar also elaborated on his view that two new balls in ODI cricket was a recipe for disaster.”The point I am trying to make is the rule was introduced to help the bowlers upfront and also prevent discolouring of the ball,” he said. “I felt the surfaces we’re playing on are not helping the bowlers to swing. Neither have I seen swing up front nor have I seen reverse swing later. It’s kind of, we’re caught in-between.”The ball doesn’t get old enough to reverse. The bowlers’ hands are tied in the death overs. Earlier, the bowlers heavily relied on reverse swing; they had something to look forward to once the ball started getting scuffed up. Right now, with two new balls, that is not happening. Reverse swing has always been an integral part of cricket, both in Tests and ODIs. Since the introduction of two new balls, one has not seen the ball reverse. That element has been taken away from the game. It’s not healthy.”Tendulkar said the ODI series between England and Australia – in which England racked up three 300-plus scores including a world-record 481 for 6 at Trent Bridge – showed how much the combination of two new balls and flat pitches affected the balance between bat and ball.”This series reiterates my point,” he said. “If you see, the amount of swing the bowlers get off the surface has not been adequate, considering that they are playing with two new balls. When there is no help from the surfaces, even four new balls will not help the bowlers. If you want to have two new balls, then the surface provided must help the bowlers up front. The grounds over a period of time have become greener. As a result, the ball doesn’t get scuffed up. The ball retains its lacquer.”
Chelsea and Manchester United were both desperate to hire the transfer market maestro – but he's been persuaded to return to Anfield
When Michael Edwards was formally announced as Fenway Sports Group's new CEO of football on Tuesday, there was no packed press conference, no news story on Liverpool's official website, no celebratory social media post and no photograph either. But that felt fitting.
Edwards has always been one of the most media-shy figures in football, and while some Liverpool supporters might struggle to pick him out of a line-up, every single one would recognise his contribution to the club's success under Jurgen Klopp.
There was, then, no need for any fanfare. A simple statement sufficed because the significance of Edwards' return to FSG is obvious to everyone. With Klopp having already announced his intention to leave Liverpool at the end of the season, his former padel partner is unquestionably the most significant signing the club's owners will make this year.
Edwards, after all, has just been entrusted with the most difficult job in football: finding a worthy successor to a man that he himself has previously described as "a leader who will be remembered at Liverpool forever".
But when it comes to big calls, Edwards rarely errs. Indeed, his past success at Anfield is the reason why Liverpool fans are now suddenly far more optimistic about the future.
Getty Rise of 'the laptop guru'
Edwards joined Liverpool in 2011 as head of analytics and was derided in one infamous article as the "laptop guru" who had "done a number" on Brendan Rodgers after the manager's dismissal in October 2015. As it transpired, Rodgers had only himself to blame for failing to listen to Edwards' advice when it came to players such as Roberto Firmino, the multi-talented forward who was shockingly deployed at right-wing-back shortly before the Northern Irishman's exit.
By that stage, Edwards had been promoted to Liverpool's technical director, and it was he who pushed FSG to replace Rodgers with Klopp rather than Carlo Ancelotti or Eddie Howe, the other two names on the club's shortlist of potential new managers. Edwards and Klopp quickly clicked, and the former was appointed sporting director in November 2016, much to the latter's delight.
In complete contrast to Rodgers, Klopp liked the "concept of a sporting director" and said that "having worked under this model previously, I have found it to be nothing but positive and forward-thinking. Michael is absolutely the right person for this. He has the knowledge, expertise and personality to flourish in the role… This decision is hugely positive for us and it will make us better and stronger in managing the process of building and retaining playing talent at all age groups." Klopp wasn't wrong.
AdvertisementGetty'Similar opinions' on 'smart' signings
The pair formed a close working relationship – literally, with their offices adjacent to one another – and while they clashed occasionally over player recruitment, their arguments always ended amicably and, more importantly, in agreement.
It certainly helped that they shared "similar opinions" on football, as underlined by the fact that former Borussia Dortmund boss Klopp believed that ex-Hoffenheim forward Firmino – whom Edwards ended up naming his dog after – was a "smart" signing for Liverpool even before he had arrived at Anfield.
Such an obvious eye for astute acquisitions certainly helped Edwards when it came to convincing Klopp of Andy Roberton's world-class potential – and that Mohamed Salah would be a better signing than Julian Brandt. The pair also combined to great effect for the transformational transfers of Virgil van Dijk, Sadio Mane, Fabinho and Alisson Becker.
Getty Balancing the books
However, while Edwards' signings rightly drew a lot of attention, his sales also played a pivotal role in Liverpool's success. The Reds did not have anything like the same resources as Roman Abramovich's Chelsea, Abu Dhabi-backed Manchester City or the commercial colossus that is Manchester United, so Liverpool always needed to balance the books – and Edwards worked wonders in that regard.
The Van Dijk and Alisson deals simply would not have been possible if Liverpool had not forced Barcelona to pay an extortionate £105 million for Philippe Coutinho, but Edwards also deserves immense credit for convincing clubs to pay over the odds for the likes of Christian Benteke, Jordon Ibe, Mamadou Sakho, Joe Allen, Kevin Stewart, Dominic Solanke, Danny Ward, Ryan Kent, Danny Ings, Rafael Camacho, Ki-Jana Hoever and Rhian Brewster.
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
Getty ImagesSuccess without Klopp?
When one considers that Edwards was also integral to an infrastructural overhaul at Liverpool, including the establishment of the research department, it's easy to understand why many connected with the club believe Edwards to be the second-most important factor in the Reds' revival over the past nine years, after Klopp.
The question now is whether he can replicate that success without Klopp – the most complete manager in modern football, as Edwards knows only too well. The reason why he threw his weight behind Klopp in 2015 was because the ex-BVB boss ticked every box. He had enjoyed success in Europe, had proven he could beat teams with bigger budgets, and had an exemplary track record when it came to improving players.
Liverpool could not have hoped for a better manager, either. He understood the club, the city and its people from the moment he arrived at Anfield. Furthermore, as this season has underlined, Klopp is not merely a charismatic master of motivation. He's also a tactical genius capable of not just reading games, but changing them with formation switches and substitutions.
Less than a year after revamping his entire midfield, Klopp has won a Carabao Cup with kids and somehow kept a injury-ravaged squad fighting on four fronts. Even if Liverpool don't end up winning the Premier League, it will be difficult trying to convince anyone to try to follow a veritable miracle-worker!
But if anyone can, it's Edwards, a transfer market maestro that both Manchester United and Chelsea were unsurprisingly desperate to hire. Seriously, what coach wouldn't relish working under a director renowned for making one successful signing after another.
Tottenham Hotspur’s inconsistent form came back to bite them on Sunday afternoon.
Despite going into their Premier League game away to Nottingham Forest off the back of a draw away to Newcastle United and a win at home to Brentford, Thomas Frank’s side looked second-best from the first minute to the last.
The North Londoners were unable to keep the hosts at bay, unable to create decent chances for themselves and generally looked bereft of ideas.
There were poor performers wherever you looked for Spurs, but two really stood out, one of which was Guglielmo Vicario.
Vicario's poor performance vs Forest
Vicario is a particularly frustrating goalkeeper: in one game, he can look like one of the best in the league, pulling off sensational saves, and the next game, he can look like one of the worst.
Unfortunately for Frank and Co, Sunday’s match against Forest most certainly fell into the latter category.
For example, while he is not entirely blameless for the first goal, most of the blame for the hosts’ second should fall at his feet.
If the Italian were better positioned for Callum Hudson-Odoi’s audacious effort, then it would have been a relatively straightforward stop, and the Lilywhites would’ve still been in the game.
Unfortunately, the former Empoli man got it all wrong, and while he made some saves after the fact, it was too little too late.
Minutes
96′
Saves
3
Goals Conceded
3
Goals Prevented
-1.19
Accurate Passes
21/31
Long Balls
3/12
Touches
39
Lost Possession
10
It wasn’t just his shot-stopping that was poor either, as in 96 minutes of action, the 29-year-old completed just 21 of 31 passes, was accurate in just three of his 12 attempted long balls and managed to lose the ball ten times despite taking just 39 touches.
In all, it was a truly terrible showing from Vicario, but while the media are mainly focusing on him, one of his teammates was arguably just as bad.
The Spurs dud who was as bad as Vicario
The bad news for Frank and Spurs fans is that you could realistically make the case for any number of players being the worst on Sunday, from Richalison to Mohammed Kudus and even Micky Van de Ven.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
However, when it comes to the outfield player who was as disappointing and as detrimental to the side as Vicario, it is impossible to look past Pedro Porro.
The Spanish full-back is enormously talented, and at his best can be far more of an attacking outlet than most others in his position.
Unfortunately, he’s not been anywhere near his best for some time, and was arguably at his worst on Sunday.
The former Sporting CP was entirely ineffective in attack, a massive liability in defence and, unsurprisingly, the watching press were not impressed with what they saw.
For example, the Standard’s Matt Verri awarded the full-back a 2/10 match rating, writing that he was ‘shocking defensively’ and that he ‘frustrated throughout.’
Minutes
96′
Expected Assists
0.04
Assists
0
Ground Duels (Won)
6 (2)
Fouls
2
Key Passes
0
Crosses (Accurate)
4 (0)
Accurate Passes
36/50 (72%)
Touches
81
Lost Possession
23
Shots
0
Dribbles (Successful)
1 (0)
This may all sound a little hypobolic, or unfair, but the 26-year-old’s statistics prove otherwise.
In his 96 minutes on the pitch, the Spaniard produced an expected assists figure of just 0.04, lost four of his six ground duels, committed two fouls, failed to play a key pass, failed in 100% of his dribbles and took 81 touches, but lost the ball 23 times.
Ultimately, Sunday was a terrible day at the office for the entire Spurs’ squad, but Vicario and Porro were particularly poor, and Frank should really be looking to drop them.
Spurs must sack Frank this week and hire the "best coach in the PL"
Tottenham Hotspur suffered arguably their worst defeat of the Thomas Frank era on Sunday.