Latest news with #Marmoush
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Top five genius Premier League 2024/25 tactics from Arsenal jigsaw to Tottenham's ‘wheel of chaos'
THE Premier League campaign is over - and it is time for Tactics Exposed's awards. Our tactical expert Dean Scoggins has unpacked the systems, shapes and styles that managers have deployed to varying levels of success this season. 29 Arsenal create a 'jigsaw' at corners by slotting into the gaps between defenders Credit: Reuters 29 Omar Marmoush made an immediate impact with his runs against Chelsea Credit: Getty Manchester United and Tottenham only narrowly avoid relegation. Crystal Palace, Newcastle and Spurs ended their long wait for trophies, Nottingham Forest will play in Europe for the first time in 30 years and Manchester City endured a nightmare year. And SunSport's record-breaking show has delivered top-quality analysis for its first full season. As the curtain falls on 2024-25, in our final READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS 5. Arsenal's sensational set pieces Assuming the timing and the trajectory of the delivery are sorted, then it is all about the runners, who form a love train at the back post. All but one Assuming the corner avoids the front man, the next person in the train is an attacking They jump in sequence which sounds simple but it's not, especially because you can't see the ball so they have to trust their team-mates - as soon as the man in front jumps, the next one jumps. Most read in Football CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS Sometimes they identify a weak link and will put two men into the gap in front of him. 29 They jump in sequence and it proves a nightmare to defend against Credit: The Times 29 29 29 4. The double Enzo at Chelsea Enzo Maresca was forced into a switch against Tottenham in December where he dropped Enzo Fernandez into a deeper midfield role and abandoned the box shape. How Tottenham won the Europa League final v Man United 29 Enzo Fernandez was superb as Chelsea came from behind to beat Tottenham Credit: Getty 29 29 29 Fernandez partnered Moises Caicedo in a two and His movement off the ball and understanding of what is happening in the game is brilliant. A manager might see it - but you still need a player to carry it out on the pitch. He may have been more than £100million but his performances for 3. Omar Marmoush's arrival In January, City came from behind to beat Chelsea - thanks to new arrival Omar Marmoush. He said upon his arrival that he is "dangerous" and that is no exaggeration. 29 He proved too hot to handle for Reece James Credit: Sunday Times 29 29 29 29 By scaring James, the Chelsea man knew he couldn't let Marmoush get away and therefore stuck with him... and kept Marmoush onside. Marmoush offers something different from Savinho, Jeremy Doku and to an extent Jack Grealish who are fast but crucially want the ball to feet - To start with, City were not releasing the ball quickly enough to set him away - but they soon learnt. And it was good news for Erling Haaland to have a runner in the half-space - not out on the wing but also not as a second striker but in between. This was long passes, not long ball - there is a difference. 2. Liverpool's offside-busting move We talk a lot about how teams change formations between defence and attack. Like many teams, But the genius is that they These runners don't want the ball and the runs are wild - it could be Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dominik Szoboszlai or more often than not Andy Robertson. It is a lung-busting sprint of about 40 yards from their own half in behind the opposition defence to force them back. 29 Andy Robertson's runs forward create chaos for the opposition defence's offside trap Credit: Alamy 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 It makes a usually straight flat back four all jagged and ensures the attacking players who want the ball are not offside. As well as the confusion, it also creates a gap between defence and midfield - which creates more space for the creative playmakers to operate. Against United, Robertson ended up in the left striker position, Harry Maguire dropped two steps and that was enough to keep Cody Gakpo onside. A VAR world is changing the game for Liverpool as these marginal ones get properly checked. 1. Tottenham's Wheel of Chaos Everyone thinks it's a wild way of playing because they concede silly goals from silly mistakes but Ange Postecoglou has a very rigid structure the players have to play within. I see the They don't cross over across the field much but will rotate within the threes. It is based on a ball out wide which then enables quick, first-time passes to progress up the wings. It leaves the goalkeeper, centre-backs, holding midfielder and striker as a central spine. The rigidity does, though, make 29 29 29 29
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Manchester City beat Bournemouth and Rodri returns in fitting De Bruyne farewell
Every Manchester City supporter wanted the opportunity to celebrate one final Kevin De Bruyne goal or assist at the Etihad Stadium but they were denied it by an almost unbelievable open goal miss. Instead they were treated to Omar Marmoush performing a tribute act to the Belgian, rifling in a goal-of-the-season contender against Bournemouth to move his team one step closer to Champions League qualification. Related: Pep Guardiola tells Manchester City: reduce squad size or 'I will quit' The party was well and truly in full swing but Marmoush increased the volume with a stunning 30-yard strike. Bernardo Silva and Nico González, De Bruyne's replacement after Mateo Kovacic was sent off, finished the job to move City up to third but the day was all about De Bruyne as he waved goodbye to the City home support, who will get a statue by which to remember him. He means a lot to fans and his impact on the club was shown by Pep Guardiola crying during the post‑match commemorations. De Bruyne started in his 421st appearance for the club with the captain's armband, and was accompanied by his three children when he walked out of the tunnel to be greeted by a 60ft tifo depicting his image. This was his day but there was business to be done. It never seemed likely that the post-match lap of honour from De Bruyne would be anticlimatic. After failing to score in their past two matches, City's duck was broken with a De Bruyne-esque rocket into the top corner. The firepower, however, was not provided by the Belgian but instead Marmoush, who used a pocket of space to his advantage, getting the ball out of his feet and smashing a shot that dipped and swerved, bringing gasps before igniting the atmosphere. The moment everyone had been waiting for came in the 25th minute when Marmoush burst down the left and slid a pass along the six‑yard line to De Bruyne to tap into an empty net. In his previous 141 Premier League home games for City, he would have completed the task with eyes closed. On this occasion, his focus went for a split second and he somehow pinged the ball against the bar. De Bruyne walked away head in hands, knowing he would never receive a better chance for the perfect finish. 'It was terrible, terrible,' De Bruyne said of the miss. 'There are no excuses. My son is going to be very hard on me today.' Silva made up for the rare slip of the foot from De Bruyne to double the lead and City were in control from then on. The only time it was questioned came when Kovacic was dismissed for pulling back Evanilson but the one-man deficit lasted minutes because Lewis Cook saw red for a reckless challenge on González, who went on to score a fine solo goal. There was a notable return for Rodri off the bench – his first appearance since sustaining ligament damage in September – on a night of positives for City, not tainted by Daniel Jebbison's late consolation. De Bruyne's child and wife joined him for a guard of honour from colleagues and chants of: 'There's only one Kevin De Bruyne.' He was asked to say a few words in the centre circle but struggled to hold back his emotion as Guardiola shed a tear watching on. A video of former teammates, family and friends was shown to the crowd to moisten eyes. Like on the pitch throughout his time at City, De Bruyne was able to find his composure when it mattered. 'It is time to say goodbye. We love you and I will see you soon,' he said. 'Manchester is home. Manchester is where these little kids were born. I came here with my wife, Michele, to stay here for a long time. I didn't expect to be here 10 years to do what we have as a club, supporters, my teammates. We won everything. We made the city, the club bigger.' The decade is coming to an end, De Bruyne leaves with six Premier League titles, one Champions League winner's medal and supporters with a lifetime of memories. 'It is a sad day, he will be missed, there is no doubt about that,' Guardiola said. The final act will come on Sunday at Fulham where he can give the next generation the best platform to repeat his feats. 'It's been unbelievable, to have the 10 years that I had. It's been an unbelievable ride,' De Bruyne said. 'I wanted to have fun and we had a lot of fun these 10 years.' No one inside the Etihad Stadium was arguing with him.
Express Tribune
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Express Tribune
Man City close in on Champions League
Manchester City gave Kevin De Bruyne a fond farewell in a vital 3-1 win over Bournemouth on Tuesday to boost their chances of Champions League football next season. Goals from Omar Marmoush, Bernardo Silva and Nico Gonzalez lifted City up into third in the Premier League heading into Sunday's final round of matches. Mateo Kovacic's red card 20 minutes from time could have given Bournemouth hope, but Lewis Cook was also sent off just minutes later for a lunge on Gonzalez. There was further cause for celebration for City late on when Ballon d'Or winner Rodri made his first appearance since September as a substitute after suffering a serious knee injury. City's victory means a point when they travel to Fulham on the final day will be enough to secure a top-five finish thanks to their much superior goal difference to that of sixth-placed Aston Villa. Just three days on from the disappointment of losing the FA Cup final to Crystal Palace, City had to raise themselves on an emotional night at the Etihad in De Bruyne's final home match. Earlier in the day City had unveiled a mosaic and named a road at the club's training ground after the Belgian. De Bruyne, who won six Premier League titles and the Champions League during his decade in Manchester, was greeted by a huge banner reading "King Kev" as he led the teams out. "I want to bring joy to people, play offensive football, be creative, that is what I am on the pitch and I want to have fun," said De Bruyne. "I think we had a lot of fun over the 10 years." Marmoush makes amends Marmoush saw a penalty saved in City's defeat at Wembley on Saturday which ensured they will end the season without a major trophy for the first time since Pep Guardiola's debut season in 2016/17. Missing out on the Champions League would arguably be an even bigger blow for a club who have not failed to qualify for Europe's elite competition in 14 years. Marmoush made amends for his Wembley woe in stunning fashion when he crashed home a long-range effort off the inside of the post on 14 minutes. The moment an expectant crowd had been waiting for looked set to appear moments later when Marmoush squared to give his captain an open goal. Yet, De Bruyne could only spoon the ball onto the crossbar from point-blank range much to his own disgust. Guardiola's men did double their advantage before the break. Ilkay Gundogan's clever reverse pass found Silva, who slammed home at the near post to spark jubilant celebrations from an animated Guardiola. The City boss was furious when a slack pass from Josko Gvardiol played in Evanilson and he was brought down by Kovacic, denying a clear goalscoring opportunity. The red card hastened De Bruyne's goodbye as he was replaced by Gonzalez to a standing ovation. "We got to remember how nice have been these 10 years," said Guardiola. "He got a lot of love from all the people who love this club." The numbers were evened up just six minutes later as Cook caught Gonzalez on the shin with his studs. The cheer for Rodri's return came close to matching De Bruyne's departure. The loss of the Spanish midfielder has played a huge part in City's decline this season. Gonzalez was bought in January to mitigate Rodri's absence but has struggled to hold down a place in Guardiola's side. The Spaniard curled in his first Premier League goal with a fine finish on 89 minutes before Daniel Jebbison pulled a goal back deep into stoppage time. Defeat ends Bournemouth's challenge to qualify for Europe for the first time as they remain down in 11th and now cannot catch eighth-placed Brighton. Palace shrugged off the hangover after celebrating their first ever major trophy to beat Wolves 4-2 at Selhurst Park. Eddie Nketiah made the most of a rare chance to start with a double, while cup final hero Eberechi Eze was also among the scorers.
Daily Tribune
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Tribune
City send off De Bruyne in style
Manchester City gave Kevin De Bruyne a fond farewell in a vital 3-1 win over Bournemouth on Tuesday to boost their chances of Champions League football next season. Goals from Omar Marmoush, Bernardo Silva and Nico Gonzalez lifted City up into third in the Premier League heading into Sunday's final round of matches. Mateo Kovacic's red card 20 minutes from time could have given Bournemouth hope, but Lewis Cook was also sent off just minutes later for a lunge on Gonzalez. There was further cause for celebration for City late on when Ballon d'Or winner R o d r i m a d e his first appearance since September as a substitute after suffering a serious knee injury. City's victory means a point when they travel to Fulham on the final day will be enough to secure a top-five finish thanks to their much superior goal difference to that of sixthplaced Aston Villa. Just three days on from the disappointment of losing the FA Cup final to Crystal Palace, City had to raise themselves on an emotional night at the Etihad in De Bruyne's final home match. Earlier in the day City had unveiled a mosaic and named a road at the club's training ground after the Belgian. De Bruyne, who won six Premier League titles and the Champions League during his decade in Manchester, was greeted by a huge banner reading 'King Kev' as he led the teams out. 'I want to bring joy to people, play offensive football, be creative, that is what I am on the pitch and I want to have fun,' said De Bruyne. 'I think we had a lot of fun over the 10 years.' Marmoush makes amends Marmoush saw a penalty saved in City's defeat at Wembley on Saturday which ensured they will end the season w i t h o u t a major trophy for the first time since Pep Guardiola's debut season in 2016/17. Missi n g out on the Champions League would arguably be an even bigger blow for a club who have not failed to qualify for Europe's elite competition in 14 years. Marmoush made amends for his Wembley woe in stunning fashion when he crashed home a long-range effort off the inside of the post on 14 minutes. The moment an expectant crowd had been waiting for looked set to appear moments later when Marmoush squared to give his captain an open goal. Yet, De Bruyne could only spoon the ball onto the crossbar from point-blank range much to his own disgust. Guardiola's men did double their advantage before the break. Ilkay Gundogan's clever reverse pass found Silva, who slammed home at the near post to spark jubilant celebrations from an animated Guardiola. The City boss was furious when a slack pass from Josko Gvardiol played in Evanilson and he was brought down by Kovacic, denying a clear goalscoring opportunity. The red card hastened De Bruyne's goodbye as he was replaced by Gonzalez to a standing ovation. 'We got to remember how nice have been these 10 years,' said Guardiola. 'He got a lot of love from all the people who love this club.' The numbers were evened up just six minutes later as Cook caught Gonzalez on the shin with his studs. The cheer for Rodri's return came close to matching De Bruyne's departure. The loss of the Spanish midfielder has played a huge part in City's decline this season. Gonzalez was bought in January to mitigate Rodri's absence but has struggled to hold down a place in Guardiola's side. The Spaniard curled in his first Premier League goal with a fine finish on 89 minutes before Daniel Jebbison pulled a goal back deep into stoppage time. Defeat ends Bournemouth's challenge to qualify for Europe for the first time as they remain down in 11th and now cannot catch eighth-placed Brighton. Palace shrugged off the hangover after celebrating their first ever major trophy to beat Wolves 4-2 at Selhurst Park.
Kuwait Times
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Kuwait Times
De Bruyne departs, Rodri returns as Man City close in on Champions League
De Bruyne was greeted by a huge banner reading 'King Kev' MANCHESTER: Manchester City gave Kevin De Bruyne a fond farewell in a vital 3-1 win over Bournemouth on Tuesday to boost their chances of Champions League football next season. Goals from Omar Marmoush, Bernardo Silva and Nico Gonzalez lifted City up into third in the Premier League heading into Sunday's final round of matches. Mateo Kovacic's red card 20 minutes from time could have given Bournemouth hope, but Lewis Cook was also sent off just minutes later for a lunge on Gonzalez. There was further cause for celebration for City late on when Ballon d'Or winner Rodri made his first appearance since September as a substitute after suffering a serious knee injury. City's victory means a point when they travel to Fulham on the final day will be enough to secure a top-five finish thanks to their much superior goal difference to that of sixth-placed Aston Villa. Just three days on from the disappointment of losing the FA Cup final to Crystal Palace, City had to raise themselves on an emotional night at the Etihad in De Bruyne's final home match. Earlier in the day City had unveiled a mosaic and named a road at the club's training ground after the Belgian. De Bruyne, who won six Premier League titles and the Champions League during his decade in Manchester, was greeted by a huge banner reading 'King Kev' as he led the teams out. 'I want to bring joy to people, play offensive football, be creative, that is what I am on the pitch and I want to have fun,' said De Bruyne. 'I think we had a lot of fun over the 10 years.' Marmoush makes amends Marmoush saw a penalty saved in City's defeat at Wembley on Saturday which ensured they will end the season without a major trophy for the first time since Pep Guardiola's debut season in 2016/17. Missing out on the Champions League would arguably be an even bigger blow for a club who have not failed to qualify for Europe's elite competition in 14 years. Marmoush made amends for his Wembley woe in stunning fashion when he crashed home a long-range effort off the inside of the post on 14 minutes. The moment an expectant crowd had been waiting for looked set to appear moments later when Marmoush squared to give his captain an open goal. Yet, De Bruyne could only spoon the ball onto the crossbar from point-blank range much to his own disgust. Guardiola's men did double their advantage before the break. Ilkay Gundogan's clever reverse pass found Silva, who slammed home at the near post to spark jubilant celebrations from an animated Guardiola. The City boss was furious when a slack pass from Josko Gvardiol played in Evanilson and he was brought down by Kovacic, denying a clear goalscoring opportunity. The red card hastened De Bruyne's goodbye as he was replaced by Gonzalez to a standing ovation. 'We got to remember how nice have been these 10 years,' said Guardiola. 'He got a lot of love from all the people who love this club.' The numbers were evened up just six minutes later as Cook caught Gonzalez on the shin with his studs. The cheer for Rodri's return came close to matching De Bruyne's departure. The loss of the Spanish midfielder has played a huge part in City's decline this season. Gonzalez was bought in January to mitigate Rodri's absence but has struggled to hold down a place in Guardiola's side. The Spaniard curled in his first Premier League goal with a fine finish on 89 minutes before Daniel Jebbison pulled a goal back deep into stoppage time. Defeat ends Bournemouth's challenge to qualify for Europe for the first time as they remain down in 11th and now cannot catch eighth-placed Brighton. Palace shrugged off the hangover after celebrating their first ever major trophy to beat Wolves 4-2 at Selhurst Park. Eddie Nketiah made the most of a rare chance to start with a double, while cup final hero Eberechi Eze was also among the scorers. – AFP
