Super Eagles legend, Austin Jay Jay Okocha, has shared his perspective on why Nigeria tends to produce more strikers than defenders and players in other positions in recent times. Currently boasting a wealth of top strikers, Nigeria is recognized for having some of the best attackers in Africa and globally, with Victor Osimhen leading the ranks, accompanied by talents like Gift Orban, Terem Moffi, Victor Boniface, and Taiwo Awoniyi. Okocha, in a recent interview, offered insights into why goal-scoring positions are more appealing to Nigerian players compared to other roles on the field. “I will say football is part of…
Author: Oluwaseun samuel
After spending five years in the English Premier League since his move from Napoli to Chelsea in a £50 million deal in 2018, Italian international Jorginho shared his thoughts on who he believes is the best player in the league currently. When asked about the top player, Jorginho immediately mentioned two names that stood out for him. He praised Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne, a two-time PFA Player of the Year, as “ridiculous,” highlighting his intelligence on the pitch. However, Jorginho ultimately placed Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah at the pinnacle. He commended Salah’s strength, power, speed, and mental toughness, emphasizing his…
Arsenal’s manager, Mikel Arteta, expressed his desire for Aaron Ramsdale to remain at the club amid ongoing transfer speculation. The 25-year-old goalkeeper has been linked with a potential departure from the Emirates in the upcoming January transfer window. Despite facing limited playing time, with only one Premier League start since September 3, Ramsdale has been supplanted as Arsenal’s primary goalkeeper by summer loan acquisition David Raya. Interest from Chelsea, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Newcastle United has been reported, particularly with Newcastle seeking goalkeeper reinforcements following Nick Pope’s shoulder injury. However, Arteta emphasized his contentment with having two excellent goalkeepers and affirmed,…
Bayern Munich and England striker Harry Kane has shared insights into the most challenging defenders he has encountered throughout his career. In an interview with ESPN, the prolific 30-year-old forward, who has established himself as one of the premier goalscorers globally in the past decade, named Italy legend Giorgio Chiellini and former Chelsea captain John Terry as the two toughest opponents he has faced to date. Kane expressed his admiration for John Terry, acknowledging him as one of the best defenders globally due to his intelligence and astuteness on the field. Regarding Giorgio Chiellini, he highlighted the Italian’s toughness, smart…
Manchester United is reportedly considering terminating the contract of manager Erik ten Hag if he fails to reverse the team’s recent poor form. According to former Arsenal player Paul Merson, there is speculation that Ten Hag might face dismissal if Manchester United loses their upcoming three fixtures. The Red Devils are set to face Chelsea at Old Trafford in a crucial Premier League match following their recent 1-0 defeat to Newcastle. With the team currently trailing by 9 points in the league and positioned at the bottom of their Champions League group, there is heightened pressure for a turnaround in…
When Manchester United faces Chelsea at Old Trafford on Wednesday night in the Premier League, they aim to return to the winning column. Following a 1-0 defeat to Newcastle United on Saturday, the Red Devils slipped to seventh place in the standings. Erik ten Hag’s squad has already experienced six losses in the league this season. Their opponent, Chelsea, secured a 3-2 victory against Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday. Before their clash with Chelsea, here is the Manchester United injury update: Malacia has been sidelined due to a knee ailment that required two surgeries. However, he is expected to…
Simon Rofles, the Managing Director of Bayer Leverkusen, has confirmed that both Victor Boniface and Nathan Tella will be released to participate in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. The duo is expected to be part of Nigeria’s squad for the competition. Earlier, the club’s CEO, Fernando Carro, had expressed dissatisfaction with the timing of the tournament, suggesting potential legal action to prevent the players’ participation. However, Rofles has clarified that Bayer Leverkusen will not obstruct the players from attending the tournament. In addition to Boniface and Tella, Bayer Leverkusen will also be without Odilon Kossounou (Ivory Coast), Edmond Tapsoba…
Former Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea has reportedly responded to interest from Newcastle United, who are considering him as a replacement for the sidelined Nick Pope. Pope is currently recovering from a shoulder injury sustained in Newcastle’s 1-0 win over Erik ten Hag’s side on Saturday. De Gea, released by Manchester United after 12 years at Old Trafford, remains a free agent. Despite a preference for a summer return to Spain, he has been linked to a potential move to Inter Miami in Major League Soccer. Recent sightings of De Gea in Manchester have sparked rumors of a potential…
Newcastle United has received an offer to acquire goalkeeper David de Gea on a free transfer, according to sources confirmed to 90min. The Magpies faced a significant setback in the goalkeeping department when their starting goalkeeper, Nick Pope, dislocated his shoulder during a 1-0 victory at home against Manchester United on Saturday night. As reported earlier on Monday by 90min, Newcastle has tentatively scheduled an April return for Pope, who will decide whether to undergo surgery later this week. Despite being linked to Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsdale, Newcastle views him as a long-term target, making a move during the January transfer…
In a sensational Premier League showdown at Anfield on Sunday afternoon, Liverpool narrowly outpaced Fulham with a 4-3 victory. Despite two early leads from Jurgen Klopp’s side in the first half, Fulham managed to equalize on both occasions. The visitors even surged ahead with just ten minutes left on the clock, but Liverpool fought back to regain the lead. Punctuated by four remarkable goals, the Reds secured second place in the league, maintaining their impeccable record at home. The game’s intensity heightened after a 20-minute delay for a facial injury to Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno. Trent Alexander-Arnold broke the deadlock…
Joao Felix made a decisive return to haunt his former club, Atletico Madrid, by scoring the lone goal in Barcelona’s triumph at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on Sunday. The on-loan Atleti star found the net in the 28th minute, securing a crucial victory for Barcelona. This result propels Barcelona three points ahead of Atletico Madrid in the La Liga standings, with only a four-point gap separating them from Girona and arch-rivals Real Madrid at the league’s summit. The match unfolded with Barcelona asserting control early on, translating their possession into opportunities, a facet they have occasionally lacked this season. In…
Chelsea reclaimed a spot in the Premier League’s top half with a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. However, this success raises concerns as Chelsea, accustomed to higher standings, finds themselves contending in the middle of the pack despite significant investments exceeding £1 billion under the ownership of Todd Boehly and BlueCo. The managerial transition from Graham Potter to Mauricio Pochettino signals an attempt to cultivate a young team at Cobham, yet the challenge lies in the blend of extravagant spending on unproven players and a squad still in the throes of adolescence.…
FROM STAMFORD BRIDGE – Chelsea endured a late surge to clinch a 3-2 victory against Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday. The Blues initially held a comfortable lead, going up by two goals before the Seagulls reduced the deficit, and Chelsea went down to ten men. Although Chelsea extended their lead to 3-1 in the second half, Brighton mounted a late comeback, scoring once more in added time. A VAR decision disallowed Brighton’s penalty, allowing Chelsea to hold on for the win. In the opening stages, Chelsea seized the first half-chance, with Enzo Fernandez heading home from close range after…
A late 89th-minute header from Dejan Kulusevski secured Tottenham Hotspur a dramatic 3-3 draw against Manchester City on Sunday. In a Premier League classic, both teams shared six goals, and City’s defensive lapses proved costly in a thrilling encounter at the Etihad Stadium. The result sees City slip to third place in the league table, now trailing leaders Arsenal by three points, while Tottenham, with their first point in three games, holds fifth position. The game started with ample space for both teams, with Jeremy Doku nearly exploiting it in the fifth minute, forcing a smart save from Guglielmo Vicario.…
Sources have confirmed that Serhou Guirassy’s representatives are increasingly optimistic about the striker securing a move to a Premier League club during the January transfer window. Guirassy has emerged as a standout player in the 2023/24 season, tallying an impressive 16 goals in 11 matches across all competitions for Stuttgart. In the Bundesliga, he has scored 15 goals, trailing only Harry Kane of Bayern Munich, who has netted 18 goals since his summer transfer from Tottenham Hotspur. In October, it was reported that Guirassy’s contract with Stuttgart includes a release clause of approximately £15.2 million. Scouts from Bournemouth, Brentford, Crystal…
Erling Haaland and Pep Guardiola have both expressed their reactions to Simon Hooper’s controversial decision not to allow advantage when Jack Grealish was poised to score in Manchester City’s 3-3 draw against Tottenham Hotspur. In the dying moments of the match at the Etihad, Hooper initially signaled for City to play advantage after Emerson Royal fouled Erling Haaland near the halfway line. However, Hooper later decided to award a free kick instead when Grealish found himself in a goal-scoring position during the supposed advantage. On the field, Haaland and his teammates were visibly displeased with the decision. The striker continued…
Chelsea defender Levi Colwill expressed his joy at scoring his inaugural Premier League goal against Brighton. In the 3-2 victory on Sunday at Stamford Bridge, Colwill netted the team’s second goal in the 21st minute. Having spent time on loan at Brighton last season, he chose not to celebrate his goal. Speaking with TribalFootball, Colwill said, “I’m buzzing to get my first Premier League goal and my first goal for Chelsea, in fact.” He added, “I guess it’s somewhat slightly bittersweet for me in the sense that it’s come against Brighton, a club that means so much to me, but…
Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo has openly acknowledged his discomfort with playing as a right-back but has expressed his commitment to giving his best in any role assigned to him. Primarily a centre-back, Araujo found himself occasionally deployed on the right side of defense last season and has continued to fill that role more frequently this year, featuring in his last three La Liga matches as a full-back. Although Araujo admitted that he does not derive enjoyment from playing as a right-back, the Uruguayan international emphasized his willingness to contribute wherever the team needs him. He stated, “The truth is, I…
Shooting Stars’ head coach, Gbenga Ogunbote, maintains confidence in his team’s direction despite the recent draw against Heartland. The Oluyole Warriors struggled to capitalize on their chances in the match, leading to a stalemate. Ogunbote expressed optimism about compensating for the lost points in upcoming fixtures, emphasizing that there are still 27 games to determine the champion. In a post-match interview, he stated, “Our dream is to finish strong as we still have more games to come.” Looking ahead, Ogunbote hopes for a fair and level playing field in their upcoming matches, aiming to recover the points dropped in the…
Dropping points to domestic rivals, the defending champions have encountered a challenging period, conceding 10 goals in their last four matches across all competitions. Despite an initial six-match winning streak, Manchester City’s recent form has raised concerns about their pursuit of a fourth consecutive league trophy under Pep Guardiola. The team’s defensive vulnerabilities have come under scrutiny as they find themselves winless in three league games, relinquishing their position at the top of the Premier League table. Spurs certainly capitalized on the situation, though it’s reasonable to direct some criticism toward City’s forwards, particularly Erling Haaland, whose wasteful performance in…