that was as good as it got.Premier League is really, really difficult, certainly not taking anything for granted.
“We’ve had a really good run and we’ve got to try and keep that going now. When you take over a team a little bit into the season, you have to find a way of getting the best results. Whatever we have asked the players to do, they’ve been fantastic. We are playing a lot better and doing a lot better in recent games.
I played against [United] a lot when I was manager of West Ham so it’s another game in many ways. It’s a great football club but my job is to try and beat them at the moment.”
won the previous meeting this season.
Nuno, Forest’s manager, is playing it typically downbeat.
“We are OK. We are in a good position. We are enjoying ourselves, realising every game is difficult. Understanding a game in the Premier League makes you believe there’s no easy way.
“This is where we are. We are trying to compete till the end and do it well, but always believing that we’re in a good position. We have a healthy squad and we have solutions.”
More from Manchester United, their manager Ruben Amorim, speaking on the record, presumably with permission.
“It’s more important in training, and what I am seeing in training is that they are improving and creating relationships. We are bonding and understanding the way we want to play. Even the sound of the training is different – when we are making an exercise, you feel the sound. People are talking, asking for the ball and giving directions. You can feel it in the environment, we are changing. It’s important to use that in the game.
“In some games that you think are more difficult, you feel that we can play and create situations and that is a good thing. In this moment, when you watch the games, you feel that there is more problems than solutions. We are capable, but we have to be consistent.”
News from the happy ship Manchester United, where according to Daily Telegraph sports newshound Mike McGrath, the following email has been leaked from CEO Omar Berrada.
“Anyone disclosing information outside of the club is breaching their obligations of confidentiality, and we are very clear that this will be considered gross misconduct. To protect the club and its colleagues, additional measures are being put in place to prevent future breaches of confidentiality and also identify any persons responsible.”
So that’s gone well.
Mikel Arteta also spoke, ahead of Arsenal’s game with West Ham. He’s happy with the PSV draw – he should be – and Ben White may be back. What about the others: Saka, Martinelli etc
“I don’t know, that’s a question for the doctor. They are progressing really well. Gabby is a bit ahead of Bukayo but we will have to see how the boys are feeling and what we are prepared to do.”
Will Mikel Merino play up front? “No, not to him or to other players. I want the players when they are on that pitch, taking the initiative….There are some players training regularly with us now. We might have to use them and they look ready.”
These quotes, from Pep, suggest so:
“Decisions. My decision. Yeah, of course, he played against Madrid at home, of course he can play…The relationship with Kevin De Bruyne is exceptional. I can’t be thankful enough for what he’s done for me, the team, everyone. It’s just a decision.”
“Normally I don’t speak with players, not just Kevin, on why they don’t play. They don’t ask me why when I decide to let them play from the beginning or during.”
“But maybe for the demands, the way we now need to play because of the absences or strengths that we have and physicality and many things, we need a game of more control and not up and down. Don’t tell me why. It’s not personal, I decide the decisions, that’s all, no more than that…”
Nothing personal, but the physicality stuff seems most pertinent.
While all that draw malarkey was taking place, some strong stuff from Pep Guardiola, ahead of that death or glory game for Manchester City against Liverpool.
Will Haaland be fit: “Don’t know yet. Tomorrow we will know it but I don’t know. It’s better to have Erling on the pitch but obviously, we don’t have it but of course with Erling we are stronger.”
John Stones: “He’s injured, difficult one, next hours/days we will know whether he needs surgery or not. Like Manuel Akanji.”
“We can compete with any team. We have two central defenders out for two to three months. The Premier League is massively important for us. In the Premier League we have played really good games.
“We are not stable but in other games such as against Newcastle, we have been at a high level. We will try to play a good game and the points that we need to stay up there to qualify [for the Champions League] next season.”
Champions League draw with PSG. Seems a bit ChatGPT but apparently he said this to Liverpoolfc.com.
“At this stage of the competition, the quality of opponent is only going to be of a very high standard and in PSG we have drawn a team and a club with real European pedigree.
“They qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League in style earlier this week with a big win against Brest and they had some really good results in the league phase, defeating Stuttgart, Manchester City, Girona and Salzburg.
“As is the case with ourselves, PSG are top of their domestic league and are enjoying a long unbeaten run. This tells us all that we need to know about the challenge that we will face but it is also a challenge that we will look forward to, knowing that we also fully deserve to be in the last 16.
“Of course, our immediate focus is on our upcoming Premier League fixtures, starting with Manchester City on Sunday, but we will be doing everything we can to ensure that we are in the best possible shape when the Champions League resumes.”
Lazy Line Painter Jane could follow.
Champions League draw. The two Spanish giants head the betting. Liverpool and Arsenal come next.
10/3 Real Madrid, 9/2 Barcelona, 11/2 Liverpool, Arsenal, 7/1 Bayern Munich, 12/1 PSG, Inter, 20/1 Atletico Madrid, 33/1 Bayer Leverkusen, Aston Villa, 50/1 Borussia Dormund, 66/1 Benfica, 100/1 Lille, 150/1 Club Brugge, PSV, 200/1 Feyenoord.
Champions League. Good luck with that given that they’ve won only 50% of their top-flight matches at Stamford Bridge this season.
“We have 13 games to go and seven of them are at home,” said Maresca. “I think that winning the seven at home can be enough to finish top four.
“The difficult moment that we have now is probably because of the injury situation. We have five, six players that are significant players that are out. I watched again the first game against Villa (a 3-0 win in December) and we have five players probably that are out. The team has changed completely.
“I’ve been clear since day one. I’m not here to survive, I’m here to win games. I’m here to bring this club to fight for titles. The problem is that when you win games you look humble, and when you don’t win you look like a lack of ambition.
“I’m ambitious. The club is ambitious. We have the same manager and same players and same sporting director as two months ago when we were second in the league. Nothing has changed, only unfortunately that we are dealing with many injuries. This has affected the level of the team.”
Noni Madueke is the latest to be crocked and he could be out until April with hamstring knack.
Champions League draw which threw up Liverpool v PSG.
“Arne Slot’s side will host the second leg of their meeting with PSG at Anfield, giving them a potential advantage against opponents who have clicked into form after a stuttering start in this season’s competition. PSG put 10 goals past their domestic rivals Brest in the playoffs and finished the league phase with impressive wins over Manchester City and Stuttgart.”
A reminder of the Europa League dates…
Round of 16: 6 & 13 March
Quarter-finals: 10 & 17 April
Semi-finals: 1 & 8 May
Final: 21 May (Bilbao)
So, digesting all that, we could have a Spurs v Man Utd final. And a Rangers v Man Utd semi.
And the semi-finals. First legs on left.
AZ Alkmaar/Tottenham/Ajax/Eintracht Frankfurt v BodoGlimt/Olympiakos/Viktoria Plzen/Lazio
Fenerbahce v Rangers v Roma/Athletic Bilbao v FCSB/Lyon v Real Sociedad/Man Utd
Now the quarter-finals. First legs on left.
BodoGlimt/Olympiakos v Viktoria Plzen/Lazio
AZ Alkmaar/Tottenham v Ajax/Eintracht Frankfurt
Fenerbahce v Rangers v Roma/Athletic Bilbao
FCSB/Lyon v Real Sociedad/Man Utd
And that leaves this…
Viktoria Plzen v Lazio
Roma v Athletic Bilbao
Source: theguardian.com
