Cardiff fans can dream - boss Barry-Murphy
"We played the cup during the week, Swindon scored a goal and the reaction from our supporters was something the players commented on. It gave us a lot of energy to go on and win the game."The supporters can do whatever they want and dream whatever they want to dream because they deserve it, but our focus is solely on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday."I have been to Wimbledon a few times and it's a difficult place."
Yousef Salech scored his first goal of the season to break the deadlock against Rotherham before second-half strikes from Cian Ashford and Rubin Colwill.Barry-Murphy fielded another youthful team, with Dakarai Mafico the latest youngster to be given his chance.Despite being a midfielder by trade, the 18-year-old academy product started at left-back because Joel Bagan was not fully fit due to chest problems which saw him hospitalised on Thursday.
Mafico endured a difficult afternoon, as he was booked for a foul on Ar'jany Martha and then substituted 10 minutes before half-time – and replaced by Bagan - amid fears that he could see red."I was just concerned that he was walking a tightrope after the yellow card," Barry-Murphy explained."He is a brilliant player. He is an elite number six and when you see him play there you will see how good he is. He is a brilliant prospect for the club."He has a lot of good senior professionals in the dressing room who will help him learn from this and make sure that next time he plays, it's an even better occasion for him and his family."
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BBC News
11 minutes ago
- BBC News
'I'm always under pressure' - how Man Utd plan to restore 'good days'
Ruben Amorim used the previous Premier League game at Old Trafford to deliver the most difficult post-season address at Manchester United since Sir Alex Ferguson reflected on 'the most traumatic seven days in the history of the modern club' in Ferguson was looking back on a shocking week, when his side lost three successive games to effectively hand what seemed certain to be a first league title in 25 years to Leeds with a game to had a sizeable straw to clutch at given his side had won silverware in three successive campaigns. As it turned out, the long wait to be champions was extended by just 12 was no safe island that offered Amorim similar refuge on 25 May."I want to apologise for this season," he said. "Now, we have to make a choice or we stay stuck in the past. We either fight each other or we stick together and move forward."Today after this disaster season I want to tell you: 'The good days are coming'."Amorim has said he will be more cautious with his public statements over the coming months than he has been so far as United's head will be a shame if he sticks to this pledge because he speaks with refreshing openness and honesty, which is fabulous for journalists, and also engenders a hope for success from those who appreciate his direct the problem applying spin about a brighter future when addressing a dreadful present is that the future eventually becomes the present, which is where Amorim is now. How Amorim has adjusted to life at Man Utd There are few clubs more scrutinised in world football than Manchester United."I am always under pressure to perform," said Amorim, as he looked ahead to the Arsenal game. "It is impossible to be here and not feel the pressure every day."Amorim has been United manager for nine months. In that time, he was won 15 games and lost 16, including the most important one, to Tottenham in Bilbao in the Europa League has also been to Malaysia, where his team were booed off, Hong Kong and the United States. Tens of thousands of fans turned up to watch his side in each of these places. For every game of the double header in the Premier League Summer Series, an initially sparse crowd for match one turned into an attendance of about 50,000 for the second. That is the reality of life at United. The demands and the numbers of those doing the demanding - fans, sponsors, broadcasters - are now understands this and has made subtle tweaks to reduce the has put together a six-player leadership group - Bruno Fernandes, Harry Maguire, Noussair Mazraoui, Lisandro Martinez and Diogo Dalot - to run the dressing room so he doesn't have to.A conscious decision has been taken to reduce his media commitments - both internal and external - to allow him to spend more time 'on the grass'. Even the new media room at United's Carrington training ground has been strategically placed to minimise the distance from his office and the coaches' room close is by nature a jovial figure. A smile is never far from his face. This summer, that has transmitted itself to the training word from the pre-season training camp in Chicago has been one of positivity. Players are encouraged to take responsibility rather than adhere to the prescriptive discipline of Erik ten Hag's time. Amorim does not have the same stern demeanour as the Dutchman, either when speaking with his players or his is very much a modern man, engaging with fans and happy to take numerous selfies as he routinely stops to meet them at Old Trafford, sometimes two hours after a game has a code of conduct has been laid out covering a range of subjects, with timekeeping amongst them. Failure to adhere to group standards will not be was in Chicago where he made the startling admission he travelled to games last term fearing for what was going to for his current assessment on Friday, his response was measured: "Confident."I know in some moments we will struggle because it is a game against Arsenal [on Sunday]. But we are more prepared, I think."I feel we have more players who can help us to change the momentum of the game. We have more options. If things are not working well, we can change things. That gives me more confidence in every game." What impact will summer rebuild have? Amorim could be excused for thinking someone is having a cruel joke at his expense when he assesses an opening that starts with Arsenal at Old Trafford, includes a trip to Manchester City and home game with Chelsea in United's first five games, and then Liverpool at Anfield in match eight on 18 that point, it will almost be 12 months since the dismissal of Ten Hag and assessments will be being made about what has that is the led by chief executive Omar Berrada, went for an imaginative choice rather than the safe options - which included Marco Silva, Thomas Frank and Graham Potter - suggested by then sporting director Dan Ashworth as Ten Hag's came to prominence at Sporting by delivering outstanding results with a specific formation. Three central defenders, wing-backs and two inside forwards behind a number nine. The immediate collateral damage in shaping a United squad to fit that system was the discarding of five players - four of whom are senior internationals who prefer to play full extent of the additional impact Amorim has made by bringing in Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko, at a combined cost in the region of £200m, to fill the attacking roles remains to be the intention is for skipper Fernandes to play deeper in one of the two midfield slots. How much meaningful time on the pitch is afforded to England duo Mason Mount and Kobbie Mainoo, whose contract stand-off remains unresolved, is open to the back, team selections in five unbeaten games in three countries across pre-season, suggest Harry Maguire and Matthijs de Ligt are battling for a single slot as the middle defender, while Luke Shaw and Lisandro Martinez, when fit, are vying to be first choice on the left of the Ligt has proved adept at moving into midfield when United's keeper has the ball. This, Amorim reasons, clears the space for his side to get possession into the areas of the field where they can cause more damage. Fernandes' task, in Amorim's ideal world, is to get on the ball as often as possible, and then make the right all very technical. In theory, it also provides support in midfield, which tended to be completely overrun during Ten Hag's time because the Dutchman wanted to stretch the space in that area of the field, something Casemiro was not able to do, while none of those asked to partner him made a particular success of game intelligence, his ability to read situations and the Brazilian's calmness under pressure brought him back into favour under Amorim towards the end of last 33-year-old does not have limitless energy but he was preferred to Christian Eriksen, who was about to leave the club, and, more significantly, Manuel Ugarte, who cost £50.8m to sign from PSG less than 12 months ago, for the Europa League final against Tottenham in May, which United seems Amorim regards finding an upgrade in this area of the pitch to be more of a priority than replacing goalkeeper Andre Onana. That Amorim talks a good game is not in question. Now his team have to target is clear. Amorim has said European qualification is the aim. His players have said the same. More importantly, a financial outlook provided for the club by an external agency spoke about delivering a place in the Europa League at the end of this season as a stepping stone to a return to the Champions League in would be unfair to judge United's season on one game, or even eight looking at that fixture list. But, as Amorim has previously said, he used up a lot of goodwill from the stands last promised this season will be better. It has to be.
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Rodrigo Muniz's last-gasp strike rescues point for Fulham at Brighton
A season opener with rustiness abounding was heading Brighton's way. Then came echoes of last season, when 22 points were conceded from winning positions. Once Matt O'Riley had slotted a penalty after Sander Berge's ill-judged challenge, Fulham had to wait for the 95th minute for a genuine chance. Volleyed wide by an aghast Kenny Tete it would not be the last, Rodrigo Muniz smashing in a Harry Wilson corner to equalise. The ball had been allowed to travel to the second-half sub on the back post. Muniz, one of many strikers linked with Newcastle, and this week linked with Atalanta and Champions League football, chested down to crash home. The delighted away fans implored the Brazilian to stay. 'He's very strong,' said Marco Silva, the Fulham manager. 'Rodrigo created something with the fans that is not easy to do.' For transfer devotees, the other major news had been Carlos Baleba starting in Brighton's midfield; the expectation is he stays, give or take a steeple-high offer Tony Bloom cannot refuse. Within an aggressive midfield battle, Baleba's quality was often a cut above. His defensive work was missed once subbed off in the second half. 'Good against the ball, he needs to be better in possession,' was Fabian Hürzeler's verdict. 'We are very pleased he is a Brighton player, we want to go with him to the next step, he can be very important for us this season.' While the Premier League's upper class lavish huge sums, there was just one new signing in either of these two members of the squeezed middle's starting teams. Maxim De Cuyper, the left-back signed via Brighton's regular Belgian trade route, completed the 90. 'Very mature,' said Hürzeler of the new man. For Fulham where only the reserve goalkeeper, Benjamin Lecomte, was a new face, novelty was offered by Josh King, 18, showing high promise. 'A very good performance,' said Silva. 'He's a top talent player, I didn't have any reservations on picking him.' The teenager showed off impressive ball-carrying chops while both teams were otherwise rushed in attempting to create opportunities. The best chance of the first half came when O'Riley whipped the ball for Kaoru Mitoma to head over, the type of chance a centre-forward like Danny Welbeck, on the bench, might gobble up. Georgino Rutter was playing the role vacated by João Pedro's sale, with O'Riley assuming penalty duties. On the sidelines, Silva kept his usual morose vigil while Hürzeler anxiously split his time between bench and technical area. Hürzeler is 32 but is a young man in a hurry, his summer pursuits including Spanish lessons. 'For sure it feels painful,' he said, happy enough with his team's performance until those fateful final seconds. 'It's really important to take the positives away. We played well and defended good. We should score the second goal and I think the game would be over. That's football.' Silva is in the final year of his Fulham contract with barely concealed irritation at the 'passive', to use his word, lack of arrivals, but was happy enough with the team he fights on with. 'I think it's a fair result,' he said. 'The only difference before we came back again was the penalty.' Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion Brighton broke the deadlock after Rutter was allowed far too much space to surge into the box; Berge was unduly clumsy. O'Riley swept low and left, Bernd Leno offered no answer to a player linked with Juventus. As Brighton increasingly looked to the counter, Silva was in the process of throwing on three changes, including Muniz, when Yankuba Minteh blazed over a chance, created by Mitoma's speed, that might have clinched victory. That hastened Brighton's changes, Baleba off for Diego Gómez. The Paraguayan showed considerable attacking prowess while struggling to meet the defensive detail. James Milner, who hits 40 in January, also arrived, and was unable to stem the Fulham flow. Silva threw on Emile Smith Rowe for King, departing to an ovation. It was Smith Rowe who forced the corner from which his team equalised. As 90 minutes arrived, another sub, Brajan Gruda, blew the latest decent Brighton chance, caught in two minds, a familiar moment they would come to regret.
BBC News
2 hours ago
- BBC News
Baggies loss shows quality of Championship
George Dobson feels Wrexham have been fully exposed to the ruthless nature of the Championship having suffered back-to-back defeats in the division at the start of the 2025-26 Parkinson's side were beaten 3-2 by West Bromwich Albion at the Stok Cae Ras to ensure they remain without a point having fallen to a 2-1 loss to Southampton a week after Parkinson criticised the "soft" goals his side conceded against the Baggies, Dobson admitted Wrexham are being emphatically punished for small mistakes in the second tier."It just showed the quality of the level - if you don't take your chances, you do get punished," said the midfielder."It's definitely not a panic stations type situation but we know there's a couple of things we need to be a bit better at. "It's definitely the fine margins of being punished. Any sort of mistake or not doing your job quite right seems to get punished."As they were at Southampton in the season opener, Wrexham were competitive for the majority of the contest with Ryan Mason's while they lost for the second league fixture running, Dobson feels Wrexham can pick up positive results if they improve defensively given their attacking talents."I'm not sure how many shots we had but I feel like we looked like scoring," added Dobson."We've just got to get the solid base back of getting clean sheets and not conceding too many chances and I'm sure the results will turn because the character of the group is so strong."It's a great learning curve for us."
