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Dessers In Top Form As Rangers Pip Hearts In Scottish League

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Dessers In Top Form As Rangers Pip Hearts In Scottish League

Rangers’ players are “human beings, not robots”, says manager Phillipe Clement, after they toiled to an unconvincing win over Hearts in the Scottish Premiership.

Despite a quick start, which was rewarded with an early Cyriel Dessers goal, Clement’s side failed to build on their early breakthrough and limped to victory to return to within nine points of pacesetters Celtic and Aberdeen.

Dessers’ 10th of the season, and third in three games, was the difference as both sides showed signs of a midweek European hangover.

The returning James Tavernier – who started on the bench against Olympiakos on Thursday – tore down the right and struck goalwards, and his effort appeared to be diverted past Craig Gordon by Dessers’ deft close-range touch.

“We made too many wrong choices with the ball and became too sloppy,” Clement said. “It’s the end of a very busy period, though, with a lot of travelling and they’re all human beings, not robots.

“We missed scoring the second goal and we know that until you get that goal the other team stays in the game, so I want us to kill the belief of the opponent faster.”

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Given Hearts haven’t won in Govan in over a decade, it would have been easy for Neil Critchley’s side to fold.

But, after their early punishment for a shaky start, the visitors found their feet and frustrated the Ibrox side and support.

The home crowd took a collective intake of breath when John Souttar sold Jack Butland short with a backpass and invited Kenneth Vargas to pounce, but the goalkeeper stood strong to thwart the Costa Rica international.

The lack of quality was consistent throughout, and Vargas squandered a superb chance seconds after the break as he watched an effort bounce back off a post when through on goal.

Substitute Beni Baningime came close, too, for Hearts but Neraysho Kasanwirjo went even closer for Rangers, crashing against the crossbar in added time.

But it proved immaterial as Rangers stretched their unbeaten run against the Tynecastle side – who remain second bottom – to 17 games.

Disjointed Rangers get job done… just
This was an all too familiar show for the restless Rangers support.

They had reason to be optimistic after a hard-fought and potentially precious point in Greece, and a sharp start here, but that positivity soon dissipated.

Instead of going for the jugular, Rangers retreated further and further and welcomed Hearts into their final third. Luckily, the visitors weren’t up to much once they got there.

The deeper the home side got on the pitch and the deeper the contest got, the more frustrated the fans and Clement grew at the disjointed and disappointing play.

Rangers know they can’t afford to lose anymore ground on the top two, and while they didn’t do that this weekend, performances of this ilk will not be enough to claw back the gap. And neither will they be tolerated.

Frustration at another missed chance
The takeaway from Thursday was that losing to Heidenheim was an opportunity missed for Hearts. There’s a case they’ll see this as one, too.

They started far too slowly and stuttered through the first 20 minutes or so, but then became the more dominant and commanding side, without troubling Butland’s goal all too much.

Doing the former at Ibrox is rare, the latter is all too familiar. And that’s where the frustration lies.

On the journey home, many in maroon will be left thinking a combination of ‘What if? How did that happen? And when will Lawrence Shankland score again?’.

 

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Serie A

Juventus Eye Super Eagles Striker As Possible Vlahovic Replacement

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Juventus Eye Super Eagles Striker As Possible Vlahovic Replacement

Former Italian Serie A champions Juventus could sign Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen if Dusan Vlahovic decides to leave them next summer, according to soccernet.

Osimhen has been impressive for Galatasaray since his season-long loan transfer from Napoli last summer. The Nigerian striker had impressed at Napoli in the previous three seasons, and he was expected to move to a bigger club in one of the top five leagues.

However, he did not get the move. And after getting alienated from Napoli’s squad, he had to settle for a loan move to Turkish giants Galatasaray.

Osimhen has produced eight goals and four assists in nine games for Galatasaray. And this has fueled rumors that the club want to sign him permanently. However, it is unlikely, due to the toll it would take on Galatasaray’s finances.

Meanwhile, Osimhen would be more keen on the transfer to a club in one of the top five leagues in Europe.

According to a recent report from Nicolo Schira, the Nigerian striker may just return to the Serie A next summer. This is as Juventus are monitoring his situation with Napoli. The Old Lady may lose Vlahovic, as he has refused to pen an extension even though his current deal expires in 2026.

If the Serbian leaves, Juventus will move to sign Osimhen from Napoli as he is a proven striker in the Serie A. The Old Lady have a penchant for singing players from other Serie A clubs. And if Osimhen okays the deal, Juventus can pull it off.

 

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Premier League

Ruben Amorim Makes Brutal Decision Ahead Ipswich Clash

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Ruben Amorim

Manchester United are back in action this weekend after what has been a hectic fortnight.

The Red Devils will be under the control of their third boss as they take on Ipswich at Portman Road. Portuguese coach Ruben Amorim will lead United for the first time since arriving from Sporting Lisbon.

Ahead of that, he has been hard at work on the Carrington training pitches, getting his players up to speed with his style. And he should have a full complement of players following the international break.

Amorim is expected to give an update on everything during his first official press conference on Friday. Before that, take a look at the latest news from the red half of Manchester:

Amorim makes squad call
New Red Devils Ruben Amorim has already decided the players that won’t fit into his style of play. The Portuguese coach has been working with a small group at Carrington over the past week.

He has apparently been left surprised by the lack of speed and intensity in training, while he also believes the squad is too big. As a result, he believes that his new side needs some streamlining.

According to The Sun, he already knows the players that do not fit into his 3-4-3 system. Despite that, coaching staff and analysts are drilling players and getting them to watch demonstrations of Amorim’s set-up to get them up to speed before his managerial debut.

Neville slams Rashford and Casemiro
Gary Neville has taken aim at Marcus Rashford and Casemiro for “unprofessional” trips to the US during the international break. “They [Casemiro and Marcus Rashford ] have chosen that international break,” said Neville on the Stick To Football podcast from Sky Bet.

“If you’re talking about the minor details in being as professional as you can be and as prepared you can be for a training session on a Monday night, that isn’t the best choice of venue.

“I’m not that wound up about Rashford and Casemiro going over to the United States, but what I’m asking is, if you’ve got a four-day break, Portland is a 12-hour flight and an eight-hour time difference, your jet-lag is bad, and you feel a bit [rough].

“I’m asking the question based on professionalism – you’re playing badly, the team are losing, you’re 13th in the league, and there’s a new manager coming in – would you choose that trip as a break to recharge your batteries? That’s not a recharging trip. It’s not right that.”

Amorim’s first target revealed
Manchester United are reportedly looking to re-sign Angel Gomes as part of a recruitment drive under Ruben Amorim. The club are aware that funds are set to be limited in January, which opens up the opportunity for a shrewd move for Gomes.

The midfielder initially left Old Trafford for Lille in 2020, signing a five-year deal. That contract expires next summer, meaning Gomes can sign a pre-contract agreement with foreign clubs.

Amorim has already given his approval to a move. Asked about a move back to Old Trafford last month, Gomes said: “There’ll always be that sentimental soft spot, so of course it’d be difficult to say no.”

 

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LaLiga

Jurgen Klopp Was Like A Father To Me – One Conversation With Him Changed My Career

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Jurgen Klopp Was Like A Father To Me – One Conversation With Him Changed My Career

Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski said Jurgen Klopp was “like a father” to him at Borussia Dortmund, with the manager changing the striker’s career trajectory after one pivotal conversation.

Klopp left Liverpool in the summer after a hugely successful eight-and-a-half years at Anfield. Before that, the 57-year-old Reds legend achieved marvellous feats with German club Dortmund, winning two Bundesliga titles and reaching a Champions League final between the years of 2008 and 2015.

A key part of Klopp’s success was Lewandowski – initially an unproven youngster who developed into one of the greatest forwards of the 21st century. The Pole made 187 appearances under Klopp, notching an impressive tally of 103 goals, before joining rivals Bayern Munich.

While appearing on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, presented by Qatar Airways, the clinical Barcelona ace was asked by Ferdinand about the specifics of Klopp’s renowned man-management skills. Lewandowski recalled one specific heart-to-heart conversation with Klopp early on in his Dortmund career, where they discussed their expectations of each other, which ended up unlocking his potential.

He said: “We lost one game in my second year at Dortmund, I think it was away and we were in the hotel. At that time I had just started to speak German, so I couldn’t understand everything.

“I felt that I didn’t know what he wanted from me, what he expected from me. I had to talk with him. Because I lost my father when I was 16 years old and, in my life, I didn’t have someone who I could always speak to about my problems. So I thought that if I went to speak to him, maybe I’d feel better.

“We spoke for like one-and-a-half hours. Even though I didn’t understand everything he said, I tried to understand. He spoke then I spoke. In that conversation it was important what we were talking about.

“For me, it was more important that he talked to me in that way, which for me was like I was speaking to my father. Maybe because of my private situation and emotions at the time, I needed that conversation.”

Lewandowski went on to score a hat-trick and provide an assist just days later in a 4-0 victory. He added: “So, in the end this kind of conversation opened up something inside me.”

The forward has not looked back since, scoring 620 club goals for the likes of Bayern Munich and Barcelona. He holds the joint-record for the most top-scorer awards in Europe’s top five leagues (eight) alongside Lionel Messi, and was widely considered to be deserving of a Ballon d’Or until the award was cancelled in 2020 amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

His story will resonate with many Liverpool players who were transformed under Klopp and responded well to his paternal management style. Such players include current captain Virgil van Dijk and Reds hero Sadio Mane.

Liverpool Echo

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