Wrexham talisman Paul Mullin scored on his return from injury against Salford City but was spotted grimacing in pain at the end of the game.
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Manchester City star Bernardo Silva says he has "very little time" with his family due to football's "absolutely absurd" schedule.
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Elite players seemingly playing more gamesSilva slams football schedule as "absurd"Says he has "very little time" with his familyWHAT HAPPENED?
Portugal international Silva says it is ludicrous that City are set to play three games a week for the next few months, with very little time to recover. The 29-year-old added that because of the gruelling schedule, he spends less and less time with his nearest and dearest and has called on something to change.
AdvertisementGettyWHAT BERNARDO SILVA SAID
He told Record: "I think there are two completely different issues here. When the players complain, people say that players can't complain about the life they have. And they're right because we're fulfilling a dream and we do what we do. On the other hand, the schedule is completely crazy. We've just received the news that we only have one day off for the English League Cup game. We play Arsenal, we rest for a day and then we have the game against Watford. And if we don't get knocked out of any other competition, we'll play every three days for months. It's been absolutely absurd. In the Champions League, if you don't qualify for the round of 16 you still have to play two more games. It's true that the squads are bigger, but I'm not going to say that it's easy. It hasn't been easy. I spend very little time with my family and friends. The amount of games we're subjected to is absolutely absurd."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Silva's complaints come at a time when a FIFPRO report found that elite players are under increasing "mental stress" due to the number of games they play and that many have as little as 12 per cent of the calendar year off (less than one day a week). Overworked players can often lead to injured players and a drop off in the quality of football. With rising interest in football and record profits, player welfare may now be more important than ever.
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Getty WHAT NEXT?
Silva, who played for Portugal in their 2-1 Nations League win over Croatia on Thursday, may not get much rest anytime soon as he could feature for his country against Scotland on Sunday and City have five matches to play before the end of September in all competitions.
MatériaMais Notícias
A “competição paralela” entre os jogadores da Seleção Brasileira por um espaço ficou mais evidente com a classificação antecipada da equipe para as quartas de finais da Copa América. Ver como jovens talentos driblam a ansiedade e tentam manter a sincronia canarinha deve fazer para da lista de observações de Tite no confronto com o Equador, neste domingo, às 18h, no Estádio Olímpico de Goiânia, pela quinta rodada do Grupo B da Copa América.
> Fase de grupos da Copa América prestes a chegar ao fim. Confira a tabela!
RelacionadasSeleção BrasileiraCBF pede troca de gramado nas quartas da Copa América, e mudança de local do duelo é cogitadaSeleção Brasileira26/06/2021Fora de CampoFormiga, da Seleção Brasileira, ganha carrão antes de sétima Olimpíada: ‘Uma nave’Fora de Campo26/06/2021Fora de CampoZé Roberto revela episódios de racismo no início da carreira: ‘Fui parado pela polícia várias vezes’Fora de Campo26/06/2021
-A gente veste uma camisa muito pesada, a gente tem que entrar em campo para ganhar todos os jogos. O resultado é consequência do trabalho, a gente tem que jogar bem para merecer vencer – destacou Douglas Luiz.
O jogador de 23 anos frisa que não se deve abalar pela ansiedade. Por mais que a disputa com Fred e com Lucas Paquetá seja acirrada no seu setor, qualquer minuto é fundamental para que quem entre em campo com a amarelinha tenha serenidade para mostrar serviço.
– É uma emoção só de estar no grupo. Estou tranquilo, feliz, e pretendo fazer minha melhor função – garantiu Douglas Luiz.
Além de “adiantar” que fará dobradinha com Renan Lodi pelo lado esquerdo, o jogador do Aston Villa se esmera para corresponder à expectativa gerada em torno de seu futebol. Afinal, ele é o único que está na Copa América e posteriormente, defenderá o Brasil na Olimpíada.
– Me sinto muito realizado de viver esse momento único na minha vida, mas o foco por enquanto é na Copa América e depois na Olimpíada para manter o nosso ouro… – garantiu.
O meio-campista não deve ser o único jovem a ter mais espaço neste confronto com o Equador. Outros jogadores cotados entre os titulares são Emerson e Vinicius Júnior.
O lateral de 23 anos, que depois de atuar no Betis regressou ao Barcelona tem a chance de corresponder ao aprendizado que tem neste convívio com o grupo da Seleção, como apontou em entrevista coletiva em 28 de maio.
-Sei da minha evolução pessoal, venho evoluindo no Betis, cresci muito lá dentro. Não cabe a mim, temos um comandante que estuda muito para fazer a convocação. Estou aqui, fui convocado, estou muito feliz, venho aprendendo muito e melhorando muito – declarou.
Hoje foi o último treino da #SeleçãoBrasileira antes do duelo de amanhã, contra o Equador, pela última rodada da fase de grupos da CONMEBOL @CopaAmerica. Confira algumas imagens!
📸: Lucas Figueiredo/CBF pic.twitter.com/tnoi6b9qK8
— CBF Futebol (@CBF_Futebol) June 26, 2021
Vinicius Júnior, por sua vez, tem a seu favor a maneira como deixou de ser uma promessa para se consolidar como uma das grandes qualidades do Real Madrid. O jovem atacante tende a arcar com a responsabilidade formar o trio com Richarlison e Neymar.
Responsável por fazer boas investidas pelas pontas e ser bom driblador, o jogador de 20 anos pode se tornar a bola da vez e, com maturidade, comprovar seu potencial de crescimento para garantir uma das vagas na Copa do Mundo de 2022.
É hora de jovens mostrarem a Tite o quanto podem amadurecer com a Seleção na Copa América.
If Leeds United fail to pick up a win against Blackburn Rovers later this Saturday in the Championship, the alarm bells could start to be sounded around Elland Road that a potential promotion collapse is on the cards.
Yet, the Whites will know that an invaluable victory versus the Riversiders would ease anxieties around the West Yorkshire based club on the contrary.
Daniel Farke could feel making some switches here and there to his starting XI might see Leeds bounce back from their last two games without a win therefore, subtle tweaks that could inspire the Whites to a confident three points against John Eustace's visitors.
Wilfried Gnonto might well feel it's his time to shine again in the first-team spotlight today, with Daniel James dropping out as a result after failing to ever really kick into gear against Sunderland in the disappointing stalemate mid-week.
Wilfried Gnonto's season in numbers
Helping himself to eight goals and two assists in all competitions so far this season, Gnonto has become an important first-teamer for Leeds in the Championship even when talk at the start of the campaign centred on him being a wantaway man.
Refusing to play for the Whites owing to interest from the Premier League back in August, it's been a remarkable turnaround for the Italian who could displace James from the XI today if Farke decides to shake things up.
The Welsh attacker was out-of-sorts in the 0-0 draw with the Black Cats last match, failing to even fire a single on-target effort at Anthony Patterson's goal.
Gnonto could offer Leeds a far more direct threat ahead of a lacklustre James subsequently, with the 20-year-old winger scoring in his last two starts for the Whites before some recent injury issues which included that sublime thunderbolt against Millwall.
Described as being "explosive" by football scout Antonio Mango when the £20k-per-week winger was making waves at Leeds last season, Farke will hope his slick attacker can overwhelm Blackburn if selected.
To catch out Blackburn even more, the German boss will also be tempted to drop Patrick Bamford and spring a further surprise on the Riversiders by starting Mateo Joseph in his place instead.
Mateo Joseph's season in numbers
Bamford would throw himself about in the Sunderland stalemate but to no avail when it came to rippling the back of the net with a goal, winning seven duels but only having one shot all night.
Farke might freshen things up as a result, with Joseph becoming an impact substitute for Leeds in the second tier as of late.
The young Spanish hotshot couldn't quite leave a lasting impression on the Sunderland defenders unfortunately, amassing just three touches of the ball from a brief eight-minute cameo, but the 20-year-old centre-forward has been far livelier and sharper in other league clashes.
He was particularly spritely against Coventry City when the Whites lost 2-1 from off the bench, giving his away team more energy and drive in the forward positions when replacing a poor Bamford.
From just 15 touches of the ball, Joseph would notch up three key passes and fire a solitary effort at Bradley Collins occupying the Sky Blues net.
Minutes played
24
Touches
15
Key passes
3
Accurate passes
8/9
Big chances created
1
Shots on goal
1
Given a full 90 minutes, Joseph could well end up terrorising a susceptible Blackburn defence that shipped five goals to Bristol City last time out.
Farke won't want to unsettle the fixed XI that has delivered results consistently in 2024 away from this minor hiccup in form, but with the likes of Bamford and James underwhelming last match, these alterations could work a treat.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
South Africa captain says Archer battle and Stokes wicket were key moments
Firdose Moonda in Centurion29-Dec-2019
Anrich Nortje roars in celebration after dismissing Jofra Archer•Associated Press
A “gut feeling” and the spark of a fight led to South Africa taking the crucial wicket of Ben Stokes and getting their own back against Jofra Archer as they took the series lead against England. South Africa’s first Test win in six matches and first since January hinged on a key moment and a key battle: Stokes’ wicket in the second innings and the contest with Archer, and they won them both.Stokes was dismissed for 14 off 55 balls after spending an hour and 12 minutes patiently waiting to take South Africa on, while Archer was bounced out after delivering two beamers in South Africa’s innings that they thought should have seen him taken him out of the attack. Targeting the pair of them was South Africa’s way of signaling their rediscovered intent and sending a message about the way they want to play the game going forward: tough, but fair.South Africa were hoping to wrest the advantage from England late on the second afternoon when Archer, frustrated with the runs he was conceding and eager to dismiss the nighwatchman, Anrich Nortje, bowled a beamer and then a similar high full toss. If that had been called a no-ball, Archer could have been removed out of the attack. When he wasn’t, South Africa were determined to exact their revenge.ALSO READ: SA embrace struggle to re-embark on road to success”It’s a South African thing. We are a team of fighters,” Faf du Plessis said. “We love something that sparks a little something like that. Our feeling was that when he comes in, we will do exactly the same thing to him. We were pretty upset at the time, thinking the umpires would take him off. We were prepared to go short at him as well to make sure he gets the same.”South Africa took on Archer with both bat and ball, with Quinton de Kock clubbing him for three sixes and a four and Nortje aiming for his head. De Kock’s approach allowed South Africa’s lead to build quickly while Nortje’s took them ever closer to victory. “The way Quinny played just showed why Quinny is such a good player,” du Plessis said. “We are very fortunate to have him in that position – No. 6 or 7 is where he has been so good for so long. And Anrich was bowling so well, we thought he would get another wicket.”Nortje’s notched up the best performance of his three-Test career with an exceptional vigil as nightwatchman – a two-hour stint that yielded 40 runs during a match-winning stand with Rassie van der Dussen – and 3 for 56 in the second innings. Though it is still early days, Nortje has staked his claim as a regular to step up in Vernon Philander’s absence and impressed his captain with his all-round contribution. “As a team, we don’t have a lot of superstars,” du Plessis said. “You can say guys like KG and Vern are our stars but we take a lot more from victories where everybody contributes. Small things like Nortje getting 40 with the bat. Our bowling unit was exceptional. All of them put their hands up.”Keshav Maharaj claimed the key wicket of Ben Stokes•Associated Press
None more so than Keshav Maharaj, who took the wicket of the one man who could make the impossible, possible: Stokes. Maharaj was hit for three fours in the second over of his afternoon spell but kept on, after du Plessis’ hunch that he would make a breakthrough.”We had a lot of confidence in Kesh,” du Plessis said. “We kept saying that we feel that in the second innings Kesh would get Stokes out. And the way that Stokes plays, he is going to take the game on. We just had a gut feeling it was going to happen. He was a massive wicket for us at that stage. Stokes has proved that if he is around he can win the game on his own. Even though Kesh didn’t bowl as much as he would have liked, the wickets he got for us in the second innings were huge.”Maharaj also took the wicket of Dom Sibley, ending an opening stand of 92. Other than that, Maharaj went under the radar, as the four quicks stole the spotlight, but du Plessis was adamant the spinner remains a key part of South Africa’s plans, even with two allrounders in the team.”For a while we have been thinking that [playing two allrounders],” du Plessis said. “It’s easier for me to work with different bowlers then. In the past, on wickets that didn’t spin I had to go to Kesh and he has always produced. As a team we are much more balanced with the allrounders.”In the end, South Africa’s combination in this Test gave them more options than they have previously had, showed them the potential they have on the circuit and restored their confidence after a difficult 2019. “It’s been a tough season, and been a while since our last victory. We trained hard and there was a good feeling in the camp that we’d done some really good stuff. We knew we needed to put in some performances to get the engine running,” du Plessis said.
وجه يوسف المرزوقي عضو هيئة الدفاع عن ثلاثي الزمالك في الإمارات، رسالة شكر لـ حسين لبيب رئيس القلعة البيضاء وأشرف صبحي وزير الرياضة بعد انتهاء أزمة احتجاز ثلاثي الأبيض بـ أبو ظبي.
ووصل شلبي إلى القاهرة رفقة عبد الواحد السيد ونبيل دونجا بعد انتهاء أزمتهم في الإمارات التي اشتعلت عقب مباراة الزمالك وبيراميدز في نصف نهائي كأس السوبر المصري 2024، ليتم التحفظ عليهم. وأصدرت دائرة القضاء في أبوظبي حكمًا ضد ثلاثي الزمالك، بالحبس لمدة شهر واحد مع تغريم كل منهم مبلغ 200 ألف درهم إماراتي، بتهمة الاعتداء على عناصر من الأمن الإماراتي.
ومن جانبه، وانطلاقًا من عمق العلاقات بين مصر والإمارات، أصدر الشيخ محمد بن زايد آل نهيان رئيس دولة الإمارات قرارًا بالعفو عن ثلاثي الزمالك، المتهمين في أحداث مباراة بيراميدز في كأس السوبر المصري.
طالع | أول تعليق من مصطفى شلبي بعد انتهاء أزمته في الإمارات
وقال يوسف المرزوقي في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر قناة “الزمالك”: “أوجه الشكر في البداية إلى الكابتن حسين لبيب رئيس نادي الزمالك والدكتور أشرف صبحي وزير الشباب والرياضة”.
وأكمل: “حسين لبيب تواصل معنا منذ البداية لحل الأزمة سريعًا، والعلاقة بين مصر والإمارات ستظل تاريخية”.
وتابع: “ما حدث من رئيس دولة الإمارات بإنهاء الأزمة يؤكد على عمق العلاقة القوية مع مصر”.
واختتم: “أشكر الكابتن حسين لبيب على كل ما بدر منه في الإمارات والوقوف بجانب أولاده”.
The Hawthorns is a positive place to be currently, especially with the news that Shilen Patel has finally become the new owner of West Bromwich Albion alongside the Baggies putting together a decent run of form in the Championship.
West Brom have only lost one of their last five games in the ultra-competitive second tier, with Carlos Corberan's playoff hopefuls aiming to make it make three games without picking up a loss tonight against Coventry City.
Mark Robins' Sky Blues do have promotion aspirations of their own, however, meaning the clash in the West Midlands could be a tasty affair.
Here is what Corberan's predicted XI could look like to take on their tough opponents, with makeshift centre-forward Jed Wallace potentially dropping out for a new striker to lead the line in one of three changes…
GK – Alex Palmer
It's almost guaranteed at this point in time that Corberan will stick with Alex Palmer as his number one goalkeeper, with the reliable 27-year-old keeping 15 clean sheets this season to date.
RB – Darnell Furlong
Likewise, it will be a no-brainer move for the Spaniard to select his settled right-back option Darnell Furlong for the test of Coventry.
The Baggies number three shone in last weekend's lunchtime kick-off against playoff rivals Hull City, even helping himself to a goal to level the scores at 1-1 whilst also winning seven duels.
CB – Cedric Kipre
Cedric Kipre will also be retained for the tricky Coventry clash tonight, with the imposing West Brom number four ever-present this season in the Championship minus one missed game.
There's a reason why Kipre's spot in the heart of defence is so solid, the 27-year-old winning 100% of his aerial duels last time out against the Tigers to halt any dangerous Hull attackers growing in confidence.
CB – Semi Ajayi
The first change to the side that battled to a 1-1 draw against Hull on their travels could see Erik Pieters drop out for Semi Ajayi to come in, Corberan looking to gradually bring Ajayi back into the first team fold after an extended period out at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Pieters has performed admirably well at centre-back for the Baggies with further troubles at the back coming from Kyle Bartley being in the treatment room, but West Brom's Nigerian number six will be eager to kick on again in his manager's starting eleven plans ahead of the versatile Dutchman.
LB – Conor Townsend
Conor Townsend shouldn't face the chop from Corberan at left-back however, with the 30-year-old defender a regular first-team presence under the Baggies boss this season.
The 6 foot full-back was particularly impressive recently away at Plymouth Argyle, playing his part in West Brom romping back home to the West Midlands with a resounding 3-0 win.
Townsend would notch up two big chances created in Devon when helping his side bomb forward with confidence, on top of losing just one duel all contest at Home Park.
CM – Okay Yokuslu
West Brom will need to be well-drilled to overcome the Sky Blues tonight, Corberan's men having to keep the likes of Callum O'Hare at bay throughout the 90 minutes a must.
The level of protection Okay Yokuslu offers the Baggies back four regularly could well see West Brom pull off an effective shut-out of their dangerous second-tier opponents, with the Turkish holding midfielder excellent away at Hull last match playing this role.
The impressive Baggies number 35 would win six duels in total against the Tigers, whilst also displaying an unerring coolness on the ball with just two passes misplaced from 38.
CM – Alex Mowatt
Alex Mowatt wasn't quite at his creative best against Hull last match, but the former Leeds United man will be raring to go from minute one at the Hawthorns tonight to try and unlock the Sky Blues with a killer ball.
Onto four assists tallied up in the second tier this season, Mowatt will aim to make it to five against Coventry by putting in a similar performance to his masterclass offered up away at Plymouth.
Mowatt would come away from that 3-0 victory with four key passes registered, assisting Michael Johnson's decisive second goal against the Pilgrims to ensure the three points were heading home to the Hawthorns.
RM – Tom Fellows
Tom Fellows continues to go from strength to strength in the West Brom first-team picture currently, the 20-year-old nailing down a starting spot in recent weeks for the promotion chasers.
Bagging the third and final goal away at Plymouth, Fellows was also lively in patches against Hull last weekend – coming away from his 64 minutes on the pitch against the Tigers with a 100% successful dribble rate and two key passes next to his name.
CAM – John Swift
The second personnel switch potentially on the horizon could see Grady Diangana axed for John Swift to come into the XI, with the Congolese attacker below-par in the Hull draw.
The unpredictable West Brom number 11 was flat throughout his forgettable 69-minute spell at the MKM Stadium, only amassing 24 touches of the ball and a solitary off-target effort for his troubles.
Whereas, Swift looked more up for the contest when introduced in Diangana's place late into the second 45 minutes. The former Reading attacking midfielder would nearly match Diangana's touch total with 19 managed from just 21 minutes on the pitch, whilst bettering the lacklustre number 11 by firing an on-target effort at Ryan Allsop's goal.
LM – Michael Johnston
Michael Johnston has been a revelation ever since switching allegiances from Celtic to West Brom on a short-term loan basis this January, the six-time Republic of Ireland senior international bagging two goals already for the Baggies from just six appearances.
Johnston terrorised the Hull defenders in the lunchtime 1-1 draw, completing all three of his dribbles as a fast-paced menace. Could the skilful left winger give Coventry a similarly tough time tonight, resulting in him picking another West Brom goal?
De Kock breaks into top ten for batsmen, while Rohit vaults 36 places to a career-high 17th spot
ESPNcricinfo staff07-Oct-2019R Ashwin is back in the top ten for Test bowlers in the ICC rankings after his match haul of eight wickets in his first international match in 2019, the first Test against South Africa in Visakhapatnam. Rohit Sharma, who marked his Test opening debut with twin hundreds, vaulted 36 places to a career-high 17th while his captain Virat Kohli had his points drop below 900. Steven Smith continues to lead the Test batting rankings with 937 points, opening up a 38-point lead over Kohli.Watch cricket on ESPN+
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During the Test, Ashwin also became the joint-fastest to 350 Test wickets along with Muttiah Muralitharan. The triumphant return has helped him move from 14th place to tenth among bowlers.ALSO READ – Krishnaswamy: ‘Elated’ Ashwin conjures magic on Test comebackMuralitharan and Ashwin at the point of reaching 350 Test wickets•ESPNcricinfo LtdRohit also enjoyed a productive Test, setting several records as a Test opener. Notably, he hit 13 sixes, the most by a batsman in a Test match. Mayank Agarwal, Rohit’s opening partner who converted his maiden Test hundred into a double-century, jumped from 63rd place to 25th. Ajinkya Rahane, meanwhile, dropped three places to tenth.Among the South Africans, Quinton de Kock, who made 111 in the first innings in Visakhapatnam, broke into the top ten, claiming seventh place ahead of openers Tom Latham, Dimuth Karunaratne and Rahane. Opener Dean Elgar also gained five places and made it to 14th, having struck 160 in a big partnership with de Kock in the first innings.ALSO READ – Shami hits his stride to bust subcontinent stereotypesMohammed Shami, who enhanced his reputation as a second-innings specialist, moved up two places to 16th, achieving a career-high 710 points on the table led by Australia’s Pat Cummins.Ashwin broke into the top five among allrounders too, while Ravindra Jadeja has gone past Shakib Al Hasan to the second spot. West Indies’ Jason Holder tops the rankings with 472 points.
Wolverhampton Wanderers have enjoyed a decent start to 2024 and Gary O’Neil will be aiming for a top-half finish in the Premier League.
The Old Gold have defeated Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, and Chelsea (twice) in the top flight this term, being spured on by the likes of Matheus Cunha and Hwang Hee-Chan, who have scored 22 goals between them this season.
It finally looks as though the club have reliable attacking options to depend on and these performances from the duo during 2023/24 will ensure their market value increases rapidly.
One player who has decreased in value over the previous few years is Nelson Semedo, as the former Barcelona defender has failed to really shine during his spell in the Midlands.
Nelson Semedo’s market value at Wolves
The Portuguese right-back joined Wolves from the La Liga giants in 2020 for a transfer fee of £37m, and it looked like a key signing for then-boss Nuno Espirito Santo, especially as he had made over 100 appearances for Barcelona, winning two top-flight titles.
The defender has so far failed to live up to these lofty heights during his spell at Molineux, however, and according to Football Transfers, his current market value is just €13.8m (£12m), meaning he is now worth £25m less than the fee they shelled out on him three and a half years ago.
Why Nelson Semedo’s value has decreased
The former Benfica defender has made a grand total of 130 appearances for the Old Gold since 2020, but has managed to score just three goals and register five assists, poor numbers for a player who has been regularly utilised as a right-wing back and even as a midfielder on certain occasions.
When compared to his positional peers over the previous 12 months in Europe’s top five leagues, Semedo fails to rank in the top 30% for progressive carries, progressive passes and touches in the attacking penalty area per 90 and this indicates he has been poor in an attacking sense.
He even fails to rank in the top 25% for certain defensive metrics, including interceptions, blocks, and tackles per 90, while ranking outside the top 50% for aerial duels per 90. Once again, evidence that he is failing to contribute effectively.
The £80k-per-week defender certainly looks as though he is on the decline at the highest level and with a contract that does not expire until 2025, O’Neil may be best looking to move him on this summer in an attempt to recoup a transfer fee.
Journalist Nathan Judah dubbed him “frustrating” during the 2022/23 season, and it is clear O’Neil needs to look for different options to operate on the right side of the defence.
Splashing £37m on a defender for a club like Wolves is always going to be a gamble, but Semedo has failed to live up to this lavish fee throughout his time in the Premier League and this could certainly be his final few months at Molineux.
Market Movers
Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?
It is evident that the club – and Nuno – had a mare on the 30-year-old and there is no way they will manage to recoup anywhere near the money they spent on him.
The January transfer window is due to slam shut on Thursday night and Leeds United are yet to complete a signing to bolster their first-team squad.
Daniel Farke's side are currently competing to secure automatic promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking and are two points adrift of the top two places as it stands.
|
Championship top six (via Sofascore) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Team |
Position |
Matches played |
Points |
|
Leicester |
1 |
28 |
66 |
|
Ipswich |
2 |
28 |
59 |
|
Southampton |
3 |
28 |
58 |
|
Leeds |
4 |
29 |
57 |
|
West Brom |
5 |
28 |
45 |
|
Coventry |
6 |
28 |
43 |
As you can see in the current Championship table, the Whites have played one more match than their direct rivals, thanks to their 1-0 win over Norwich last week at Elland Road, and could be five points off the automatic places if Ipswich win their game in hand.
Teams around Leeds have dipped into the market to bolster their respective squads, with the Tractor Boys snapping up reported Whites target Ali Al-Hamadi from AFC Wimbledon and Southampton have signed David Brooks on loan from Bournemouth.
The Yorkshire-based outfit are now reportedly looking to make moves of their own to provide Farke with more quality options to work with during the second half of the season.
According to journalist Alan Nixon, the Whites are set to battle it out to land a last-gasp deal to bring Nottingham Forest central defender Joe Worrall to Elland Road.
The reporter claims that Leeds and Sheffield United are both in the "chase" to land the English enforcer, who has seemingly fallen out of favour at the City Ground.
Nixon adds that Forest are looking for a fee within the region of £6m to allow the towering ace to depart the club before the window slams shut on Thursday.
However, it remains to be seen whether Sheffield United or Leeds are prepared to pay that to land his services ahead of the second half of the campaign.
For Farke's side, a loan deal with an option or obligation to buy upon promotion to the Premier League could make more sense. That would protect them from spending £6m on a player and then being financially burdened by that decision if they fail to achieve their goal this season.
However, Forest are, of course, entitled to make the final decision on his future and they may not want to loan him out with the prospect of a return at the end of the season if the club he joins opt against a permanent move or fail to earn promotion.
Worrall could, though, be an excellent signing for Leeds if they are able to fight off Premier League competition from the Blades to land his signature before the deadline, as he could be Joe Rodon 2.0 for Farke.
The Wales international joined on a season-long loan from top-flight giants Tottenham Hotspur last summer and has hit the ground running in Yorkshire.
It did not take long for the Welsh colossus to find his feet at Elland Road as he quickly established himself as a regular starter and key performer for Farke at the heart of the defence.
The 26-year-old ace has started 25 of the club's 29 Championship matches so far this term, and has partnered the likes of Pascal Struijk, Liam Cooper, and Ethan Ampadu at times.
Rodon has been akin to a brick wall at the back for Leeds with a duel success rate of 68%. He has won 68% of his battles on the ground and 68% of his aerial contests in the division, which shows that the Welsh gem has dominated opposition attackers on the floor and in the air.
The Spurs loanee has also showcased his quality in possession as he currently ranks within the top 18% of Championship centre-backs for progressive passes (4.43) per 90.
These statistics show that Rodon has been impressive in and out of possession with his strong defending and progressive play on the ball to find his teammates in dangerous positions to make things happen at the top end of the pitch.
Farke could repeat the blinder he played with the signing of the Welsh monster by bringing in Worrall, who is a proven Championship performer.
The 27-year-old has only started five Premier League matches this season and Leeds could offer him a chance to drop down a division to play regular football over the next five months.
|
22/23 Premier League |
Joe Worrall (via Sofascore) |
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
30 |
|
Starts |
21 |
|
Error led to goal |
Zero |
|
Ground duel success rate |
59% |
|
Aerial duel success rate |
63% |
His performances for Forest in the second tier during the 2021/22 promotion-winning campaign for the Tricky Trees suggest that he has the quality to be Rodon 2.0 for the Whites.
Worrall, who was once lauded as "incredible" by ex-boss Steve Cooper, started 39 of their league matches and caught the eye with his contributions on and off the ball for his side as they went on to win the play-offs.
The Forest star won 63% of his duels, including 66% of his battles on the deck, throughout the campaign and made 3.7 tackles and interceptions per game.
This shows that, like Rodon, the English colossus has the defensive quality and physical strength to dominate opposition attackers on the floor and in the air at this level.
Worrall also has the quality on the ball to progress play out from the back to build attacks for his side. He ranked within the top 9% of Championship centre-backs for progressive passes (4.56) per 90, and the top 21% for progressive carries (1.26) per 90.
These statistics show that he was one of the outstanding defenders in the division when it came to progressing the ball forward from a centre-back position.
He could, therefore, be perfect for Farke's possession-based style as the 6 foot 4 giant has the quality to consistently break lines and play passes forward to the likes of Georgino Rutter and Crysencio Summerville to make things happen in the final third.
Worrall has the ability, as a defender and a passer, to be Rodon 2.0 for the German head coach in the Championship and the two defenders could either compete for a place or form a dominant partnership at Elland Road.