The best Irish player to play for each of this season's 20 Premier League clubs
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Irish Independent
2 hours ago
- Irish Independent
The best Irish player to play for each of this season's 20 Premier League clubs
The globalisation of the game, multi-national investment and the FAI's failure to create a fit-for-purpose environment to develop elite players have irrefutably diluted Ireland's impact on English football over the past two decades.
Irish Examiner
8 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Liverpool's attacking firepower clear but also their defensive frailties
FOR ALL THE FOCUS on Liverpool's revamped forward line, which may yet be further supplemented by Newcastle United's unhappy Swede Alexander Isak, Arne Slot knows full well that league titles are won or lost by defences. The Dutchman inherited a world-class backline when he took over at Anfield a year ago, and ensured his men were miserly in the early months of what turned out to be a title-winning season. Liverpool did not concede once in their opening three games, all wins, and after a surprise 1-0 defeat by Nottingham Forest, then conceded two in the next four games. Their opening eight league games brought seven victories, with just three goals conceded, and took them to the top of the table, from where they never wavered. Slot had the second meanest defence in the division, conceding 41 times at just over a goal per game, but nine of those came in the final four matches, after they had wrapped up the title and were coasting towards their summer holidays. But it's already looking like a very different picture. Pegged back twice by Crystal Palace in last week's Community Shield, Liverpool conceded twice again as the unfancied Cherries picked them off with too much ease for Slot's liking. From being 2-0 ahead after 49 minutes, Liverpool looked like letting it slip when Antoine Semenyo scored twice in the space of 12 minutes to equalise, only for Federico Chiesa and Mohamed Salah to score two late goals and complete victory for the Reds. There was a huge sense of relief from Liverpool's fans when they scored, not least because Bournemouth looked at one point like they might take all three points. So nervous and unsettled was Liverpool's defence that Bournemouth had enough chances throughout to score more than four. Despite the dramatic victory, expectations around Anfield will be dampened now the world has seen they are fallible at the back. Jeremie Frimpong, who has arrived to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back, shares the English international's defensive frailties, and was hooked early in the second half for the second game running. Milos Kerkez, poached from Bournemouth, was also replaced long before the end, as Slot looked to stem a tide from the south coast team. None of the defenders was faultless. Virgil Van Dijk had played David Brooks onside before he crossed for Semenyo's first, and he and Konate looked like rabbits in car headlights when the former Bristol City winger, who was the victim of racial abuse from the crowd, ran at them for his second. Slot knows he has work to do with his defence, and he cannot say he has not been warned. Jamie Carragher, who embodied defensive solidity when he was a player for the Reds said earlier this week, when Sky Sports launched their coverage of the new Premier League season, that he does not see a procession towards another title for the Reds, mostly because they have to assimilate the signings they have already made – and may have to fit in one or two more if Isak and Marc Guehi can be tempted away from Newcastle United and Crystal Palace respectively. 'I don't think it's inevitable that Liverpool are going to run away with the league, you know, because they've signed this player and that player and the league (title race) is over. 'History tells us it is not just about having the best players, but having the best team and getting the balance right, and last weekend it didn't quite look right.' At Wembley last week, Slot's new-look attack looked impressive, with Hugo Ekitike scoring early on his competitive debut, and setting up another for Cody Gakpo. Florian Wirtz showed flashes of the brilliance that prompted Liverpool to sign him for an English record fee, but as he did against Palace, the German faded and was withdrawn before the end. All the transfer talk this summer has been about whether Liverpool can get a deal for Isak over the line, with the fee likely to break the record they set with Wirtz's signing. But the ways things are looking with Ekitike, the Reds are well set up front, but not settled at the back, and perhaps Guehi should now become their priority. The England international is in the last year of his contract so would be a free transfer next summer, when Konate is expected to leave Liverpool. The way things are going, the Reds would do well to spend the money now on Guehi and ship out Konate, or at least put the Palace man straight in ahead of him. Liverpool still have the goal power to win games, but as it stands they do not appear to have the same solidity in defence that set them on their way to the title last season – and Slot needs to address that sooner rather than later.
Irish Daily Mirror
8 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Marcus Rashford faces Barcelona registration dilemma as Hansi Flick hits back
Barcelona boss Hansi Flick has voiced his anger as the club's ongoing financial woes have prevented them from registering Marcus Rashford for the new campaign. The England forward arrived on loan from Manchester United during the summer, but the Catalan giants must meet La Liga's stringent wage cap regulations before he can take to the pitch in the competition. Rashford isn't alone in this predicament, with the situation stemming from rigid financial regulations that all La Liga sides must follow. New shot-stopper Joan Garcia requires registration, whilst the same issue affects fellow keeper Wojciech Szczesny following the Polish star's fresh contract with the club. Barcelona can offset some of the necessary budget through skipper Marc-Andre ter Stegen's medical absence arrangement, which releases 80 per cent of the German's salary for fresh registrations whilst he remains sidelined through injury. The club employed a comparable strategy last summer to register Dani Olmo when Andreas Christensen was ruled out for an extended spell, and revealed intentions to officially register Garcia in light of Ter Stegen's circumstances. Even so, Flick has been left in a less than ideal situation ahead of Saturday's opener against Mallorca. "For me, the situation, you can imagine I'm not happy about that. But I know the situation and I believe in the club," the boss told reporters on Friday. "We have to wait till tomorrow. It was the same situation last season. We will focus on what we can change and what is in our hands. The other things, I believe in the club." Ter Stegen's decision came after an initial refusal from the Germany international, which saw him briefly stripped of the captaincy but things now appear to be more rosier between player and club. "I think the most important thing is that everyone speaks together. Marc and the club, they spoke," Flick added, "The most important thing for me, for Marc and the club is that he comes back. He's shown for many years here that he's a fantastic goalkeeper and the important thing is that he comes back and is ready to play. We'll all help him, we're all on his side." Rashford and Garcia have both played in pre-season despite the uncertainty over the league opener. Both started the Joan Gamper Trophy, Barca's final warm-up game ahead of the new season, with Rashford setting up a goal for Raphinha in a 5-0 victory over Como. The England international has been learning Spanish to help converse with his new team-mates, some of whom also speak Catalan, while those with a good command of English have also helped him settle in quickly. "There are good people who are like a bridge. Frenkie [de Jong] speaks really good English, Jules [Kounde] speaks very good English, but they also have good Spanish because they've been here a few years," Rashford said on The Rest is Football podcast. "But on the pitch, honestly it's easier than what I thought it would be. Also football overall, I know a lot of people say it, but it's a language in itself and it's easy to communicate through the general vibe on the pitch."
