1. Arteta denies ‘blocking’ characterisation
Mikel Arteta has rejected solutions that Arsenal have been blocking defenders as a part of their nook routines and believes the “noise” round his facet’s ways is all the way down to their effectivity from set items.
Arsenal have scored a record-equalling 16 occasions from corners within the Premier League this season and have a possibility to set a brand new mark once they host Everton on Saturday night. Nonetheless there was criticism of their method, with Brighton’s head coach, Fabian Hürzeler, complaining after final week’s 1-0 defeat by Arsenal that there are “no clear guidelines” relating to blocking.
Arsenal conceded from a nook in opposition to Bayer Leverkusen within the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday when a participant from the German facet appeared to dam Eberechi Eze from difficult Robert Andrich earlier than Andrich scored. The Leverkusen supervisor, Kasper Hjulmand, questioned whether or not gamers needs to be allowed to make “offensive blocks and simply bodycheck folks with out the ball within the space” however admitted that “everybody does it”.
Requested whether or not different groups had been studying from Arsenal, Arteta stated: “No. We weren’t the primary. And it’s not about blocking. I’m not going to explain what we do, nevertheless it’s not blocking. And what they did within the aim that we conceded and the foul that we get [given against us] on the finish of the sport, we are able to see that and inform me the distinction. Normally, that noise is the effectivity that we’ve at a sure second. Others know what we attempt to do. And it’s not that.”
Though Arsenal have been proficient in assault from corners, defending them has been considered one of their weaknesses. Ten of the 33 targets they’ve conceded in all competitions have stemmed from corners and Arteta, who performed below David Moyes, is cautious of the risk Everton will pose. “They’ve at all times been actually good at defending and attacking the field,” Arteta stated. “That’s one of many greatest qualities of his groups and that will probably be very tough.”
Victory over Everton in a 5.30pm kick-off would pile extra stress on second-placed Manchester Metropolis earlier than their go to to West Ham within the late sport and Arteta believes his gamers are benefiting from their rising expertise of main the race.
“We actually attempt to be taught from the previous,” he stated. “To duplicate the identical situations may be very tough as a result of what issues is your state in that second and the opponent that you’re dealing with. That’s at all times completely different. We all know what’s at stake and the second that we go one other week, one other week, one other week, you’re going to be nearer and nearer. We’re coping with that in a extremely natural manner. We have now been making an attempt to cope with that for eight or 9 months already and we’re not going to vary that.” Ed Aarons
2. Slot laments ‘huge affect’ of Isak absence
Alexander Isak’s absence through the previous three months has considerably broken Liverpool’s season, Arne Slot has admitted. The striker fractured his leg scoring in opposition to Tottenham in December and isn’t anticipated to return till the beginning of April on the earliest. Liverpool are sixth within the Premier League with the bottom shot conversion fee of the highest six groups as they battle to safe Champions League qualification.
Isak, after a sluggish begin at Anfield following his club-record £125m transfer from Newcastle, had claimed two targets in 5 league appearances having lacking pre-season and taking time to stand up to hurry.
“Do you assume it could have had an affect if we had the most effective aim scorers on this league within the final three, 4 or 5 years out there all through the entire season?” Slot requested earlier than Liverpool’s return fixture with Spurs at Anfield on Sunday. “This may have had an enormous affect on our performances, since you additionally noticed this sport [against Spurs in December] and virtually each sport you see how a lot affect a aim can have on a efficiency.”
Liverpool defeated Wolves of their first sport after Isak was dominated out however went on to attract the following 4 league matches, scoring solely thrice in that spell. Slot added: “In case you miss out on Alex, the largest signing we made, that has had an enormous affect on us. Have a look at what number of targets we’ve scored this season – that’s ridiculously low for the workforce. In fact it has an affect that one of many forwards that we introduced in for scoring targets was injured.”
A tough, transitional season following a summer season overhaul has left Liverpool 19 factors behind the leaders Arsenal. “It was one thing we had been conscious of at the back of our thoughts that would occur with signing so many new gamers, however not one thing we or I used to be anticipating,” Slot stated. “You at all times know for those who let go of so many gamers and also you herald so many new gamers, it may imply transition is required, however the expectations weren’t that we had been having a season as we’re having now. However for all the explanations that I don’t wish to deliver up each single time we’re right here – it has develop into a season like that. And partly for a couple of percentages, that’s additionally as a result of we’ve made so many adjustments.” Will Unwin
3. Maguire ‘again within the body’ for Tuchel
Michael Carrick believes Harry Maguire has put himself “again within the body” for England, with Manchester United’s interim supervisor hopeful the 33-year-old will probably be recalled when Thomas Tuchel names his squad subsequent week.
Maguire gained the final of his 64 caps in England’s 2-0 win over the Republic of Eire in September 2024 below Lee Carsley and has constantly impressed for United below Carrick since getting back from a thigh harm that dominated him out for 53 days.
“He has positively put himself again within the body, if he was ever out of it,” stated Carrick. “Hopefully from my viewpoint he will get picked and he goes [to this summer’s World Cup].
“Harry has been enjoying nicely, that’s fairly apparent to say. Contemplating you look again not too way back and he was out for a substantial time frame injured. He got here straight again in once we arrived [in January] so there was a little bit of managing him via the weeks and the video games and getting him proper up to the mark bodily. He has simply proven his expertise, composure in sure conditions. He is aware of what it looks like, he is aware of what it takes and he has accomplished ever so nicely.”
England play Uruguay on 27 March and Japan 4 days later in World Cup warm-up friendlies. In the meantime, Mason Mount has returned to coaching following harm and faces a late health check earlier than Sunday’s go to of Aston Villa. Jamie Jackson
4. Rosenior challenges keepers: earn the shirt
Liam Rosenior has denied he has created uncertainty round his goalkeepers by refusing to make clear whether or not Filip Jörgensen has dislodged Robert Sánchez as Chelsea’s No 1.
The goalkeeping pecking order has dominated the agenda at Stamford Bridge this week, with Jörgensen given a vote of confidence when he changed Sánchez for the primary leg of the last-16 Champions League tie in opposition to Paris Saint-Germain. It was the largest name of Rosenior’s time at Chelsea and backfired when a mistake from Jörgensen helped PSG to win 5-2.
There have been solutions earlier than the sport that the Dane was informed by Rosenior he was the brand new No 1. However the head coach has since insisted that was not the case and is assured there is no such thing as a subject with rotating Sánchez and Jörgensen, who will hope to begin once more when Chelsea host Newcastle on Saturday night.
“Not for me,” he stated. “In case you’ve bought two excellent left-backs like [Marc] Cucurella or Jorrel Hato, is it uncertainty for them? I need competitors in each space of the pitch. The one distinction with a goalkeeper, you’re one mistake away from this example, whether or not Rob makes a mistake in opposition to Arsenal that results in the online or not, or Filip makes a mistake in opposition to PSG, it results in a aim or not.
“Due to the character of the goalkeeper place it’s spoken about extra. I’ve been right here for 2 and a half months. I’m going to offer each participant within the squad a possibility to indicate me what they will do to win now but additionally to win issues constantly in the long run. And each goalkeepers in several methods are exhibiting me actually, actually good issues.”
It was put to Rosenior there usually are not many examples of champion sides not having a transparent first-choice goalkeeper. He responded by difficult Sánchez and Jörgensen to emulate two of the best goalkeepers in Chelsea’s historical past, Petr Cech and Thibaut Courtois.
“In case you undergo historical past and most nice golf equipment, whether or not it’s a goalkeeper place, a No 9 place, these shirts are earned on type, these shirts are earned on efficiency. When Petr Cech got here right here he was a really younger goalkeeper. Identical with Courtois. They earned their time with the performances and earned their status with their performances.”
Rosenior insisted he had no drawback with Enzo Fernández berating Jörgensen on the pitch after an error by the 23-year-old in Paris. “Roy Keane as a participant in all probability did that 20 occasions a sport,” he stated.
Pedro Neto, who’s being investigated by Uefa for pushing a ballboy in opposition to PSG, has acquired a one-match suspension – to be served on Saturday – and a £70,000 superb from the Soccer Affiliation for failing to depart the pitch promptly after his pink card in opposition to Arsenal this month.
A tough week for Chelsea was lifted by Reece James signing a brand new six-year deal. The captain’s earlier contract expired in 2028 however the 26-year-old right-back has prolonged till 2032 and agreed phrases in step with the membership’s incentivised pay construction. Jacob Steinberg
5. Howe backs Gordon after Shearer criticism
Eddie Howe has hit again at Alan Shearer’s criticism of Anthony Gordon after he failed to begin Tuesday evening’s Champions League draw with Barcelona due to sickness.
Newcastle’s document goalscorer questioned why Gordon was nicely sufficient to sit on the bench, however to not begin – in his position as a pundit – earlier than the sport, telling Amazon Prime: “I do know he doesn’t really feel nicely, however that is Barcelona at Newcastle for a spot within the quarter-finals of the Champions League. It might take one thing extraordinary to maintain myself out of this sport tonight.”
Wayne Rooney was additionally crucial, whereas Shearer was backed by former Manchester United captain Roy Keane, who informed the Overlap: “How are you going to be in poor health, however come on for half an hour?”
Nonetheless, Howe, who confirmed the frontman had not skilled on Tuesday morning, stated: “I do need to clear one thing up with Anthony Gordon. He was completely keen to play within the sport in opposition to Barcelona. I do know there’s loads of feedback. It was my resolution to not begin him based mostly on the truth that he’d been in poor health that morning and hadn’t attended the coaching session. He was ready to play, however in session with the medical workforce, he didn’t assume he was match to play.”
Gordon was launched as a 67th-minute substitute for Anthony Elanga at St James’ Park because the Magpies took a late lead via Harvey Barnes’ aim, just for Lamine Yamal to grab a 1-1 draw for the guests with a stoppage-tie penalty.
The Newcastle supervisor now faces a call over whether or not to revive the 25-year-old England worldwide – who has scored 10 targets in Europe to this point this season – to his workforce at Chelsea within the Premier League on Saturday or save him for Wednesday evening’s essential journey to the Nou Camp.
Requested about his character and significance to the workforce, Howe, who revealed skipper Bruno Guimaraes had requested to journey to Barcelona with the workforce after his deliberate return from rehabilitation in Brazil on Monday, stated: “Ant, I’d in all probability categorise him as a winner. He needs to win the whole lot, he’s an actual competitor. He’s bought that streak to him that I feel all high gamers want the place he’s very single-minded, very targeted on his improvement and his sport. I can solely communicate actually glowingly of him this 12 months. It hasn’t been a simple season for him. He’s had loads of challenges, as each participant does.” PA Media
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