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Alessia Russo has explained how she came through an uncharacteristic Arsenal goal drought to become one of European football’s most in-form strikers.

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Went eight games without finding the targetReached winter break with 11 efforts to her nameSix of those were recorded in DecemberFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The England international was on target in the Gunners’ 3-2 Champions League win over Bayern Munich. Said effort was her sixth through four outings in December. Russo now has 11 goals for the season – with 10 of those recorded since Renee Slegers replaced Jonas Eidevall as Arsenal coach in October.

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Prior to that, Lionesses star Russo had gone eight matches without hitting the net – including her first five WSL appearances of the season – but is now in red-hot form and cursing the fact that the winter break has been reached.

WHAT RUSSO SAID

Reacting to her serious purple patch, Russo told : "As strikers you always have moments and spells. It’s about riding the wave and when things aren’t good it’s stripping it back, focusing on training and that’s what I have done. I’m my own biggest critic and I know at times I have definitely not scored as much as I want to.

"We’re playing really nice football and we are picking up really important results. We are really enjoying ourselves and finding so many different connections on the pitch and often grinding out results in different kinds of ways. We’ve been working on lots of different things, but in the final third how we can find different connections, how we can create different types of attacks. It starts in training and we have been lucky enough to find it in matches too. It’s been great and us as players want more, we want to take accountability and that’s what we’re doing."

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Russo, who will be looking to help England defend their European Championship crown in 2025, will be hoping to pick up where she left off when Arsenal return to action on January 12 in an FA Cup fourth round clash with Bristol City.

Nottingham Forest’s pursuit of Santiago Gimenez looks to be all but over after journalist Fabrizio Romano confirmed he rejected the Reds’ latest proposal.

It was reported that the club’s representatives travelled to the Netherlands to try and convince the Mexican to move to the Premier League, but to no avail with the club needing to target other options.

Nuno Espírito Santo’s side made three separate offers for the 23-year-old, emerging as the club’s top target after Eddie Nketiah’s move also collapsed.

However, the latest bid, which totalled €33m (£28m) including add-ons, evidently wasn’t enough, with the Reds having two days to find an alternative option.

They could move for one player, with the club making progress in an attempt to sign the centre-forward.

Nottingham Forest in talks to sign £20m talent

According to The Telegraph, Nottingham Forest are in talks to sign Eintracht Frankfurt’s talisman Omar Marmoush before Friday’s transfer deadline.

The Egyptian forward, who could be available for £20m, registered 12 goals and six assists in his 29 Bundesliga matches last season – providing the added goal threat to the Reds’ attack.

The 25-year-old can also play as a winger or even an attacking midfielder, offering versatility across the frontline which Nuno has been craving this summer.

After missing out on Gimenez, it’s undoubtedly going to be a disappointment for the club, but Marmoush would offer an excellent alternative, potentially being the Reds’ own version of a top European talent.

Why Marmoush could be Forest’s own Gyokeres

Sporting Lisbon striker Viktor Gyokeres has emerged as one of the leading strikers in European football after his stellar campaign in Portugal during the 2023/24 campaign.

The Swedish international registered 39 goal contributions in his 33 Liga Portugal appearances last term, helping the club win the division under Ruben Amorim.

Gyokeres, who previously played for Coventry City, currently has a €100m (£86m) release clause in his contract in Portugal, undoubtedly ruling Forest out of any possible move amid their hunt for a new talisman.

However, their move for Marmoush could allow them to sign a similar talent to the goal machine, with FBref ranking the pair as similar players based on their respective figures from last season.

The “superb” Egyptian, as dubbed by journalist Bence Bocsak, may have registered half the amount of goals and assists but averaged more progressive passes and the same pass accuracy – demonstrating his ability to retain possession.

Games played

29

33

Goals + assists

18

39

Progressive passes

2.4

1.6

Pass accuracy

71%

71%

Shots on target

1.2

1.6

Shots taken

3

3.4

Aerials won

48%

49%

He also only managed slightly fewer shots and shots on target than the Swede, potentially able to replicate Gyokeres’ numbers with service from the likes of Morgan Gibbs-White behind him.

With the clock ticking for the Reds to get a deal done for a new centre-forward, they will have to act quickly if they are to secure any new additions to help catapult the club further away from the relegation zone.

Marmoush would be an excellent addition, with his talents in possession and in front of goal hugely improving the options currently at Nuno’s disposal.

The £20m fee would allow for a cheaper alternative to Gimenez, but as showcased with his figures, could still have just as much of an impact, with the 25-year-old having the ability to thrive in England’s top-flight.

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After losing one of their jewels in the crown, Crystal Palace and Oliver Glasner will have a huge task this summer to replace Michael Olise after his move to Bayern Munich.

Palace finished tenth in the Premier League last season, and the challenge will now be for Glasner to improve upon this after a good second half of the year when he was appointed to take over from Roy Hodgson.

Reinforcements have already been made, with the signings of Chadi Riad from Real Betis, and Daichi Kamada from Lazio, but the next step is replacing Olise, and bringing in a forward who can offer a similar level of output, which the Frenchman bought for the team.

Crystal Palace transfer news

According to reports from LondonWorld, Crystal Palace are in discussions to bring Marseille winger Ismaila Sarr to the club. This would be a return to the Premier League for Sarr, who previously played for Watford from 2019-2023 in the top flight, and the Championship.

Marseille are said to be willing to let Sarr leave the club for "the right price", as new manager Roberto De Zerbi looks to build his own squad in his image. Sarr is said to be keen on a return to the Premier League, as his agents and Palace look to find a solution.

That solution appears to be edging closer with personal terms agreed between club and player already according to the Athletic.

Sarr made 35 appearances in all competitions last campaign for Marseille, scoring five goals, providing six assists, and totaling 2,074 minutes.

Sarr vs Olise comparison

To compare the output of both, you need to look at Olise's numbers last season for Palace. The Frenchman made 19 appearances for Palace in 2023/24, all coming in the Premier League, scoring ten goals and providing six assists in 1,278 minutes.

In Glasner's system, Olise was often deployed as the right attacking midfielder, somewhat of a hybrid between a right-winger, and a number ten. This role, of course, has some different requirements than a touchline winger, and this could actually suit Sarr, and allow him to increase his output.

Non-Penalty xG

0.27

0.33

Progressive Passes

2.39

5.51

Progressive Carries

3.01

4.80

Touches (Att Pen)

5.54

5.65

Fouls Drawn

2.72

3.04

Now, whilst Olise excels in pretty much all metrics over Sarr, you are talking about an elite talent that has just signed for Bayern Munich. The likelihood of finding a player of that level that is ready-made is extremely unlikely.

Instead, you need to approach the transfer market differently, especially with a club like Crystal Palace who need to spread their funds and assess other areas too. Sarr offers a similar threat on the counter as Olise, being able to offer himself as an outlet receiver, winning fouls and dragging his team up the pitch.

Sarr is also extremely fast, offering that on the break, and can use that to his advantage when progressing the ball via his carrying, which is a more direct style than the coordinated style of Olise.

The 26-year-old also has good non-penalty xG numbers, which could be further exploited in that inside forward role under Glasner. Let's also keep in mind that while his output at Marseille wasn't huge, he did once contribute with 16 goals and assists for Watford in the 2022/23 season. That was form that subsequently saw Ben Foster label him as a "freak".

What Sarr doesn't offer to the level of Olise, is the creative passing and shot-creation for not only himself, but for others. However, as we said, this is where you need to find other ways to replace those metrics, and this has been done with the signing of Kamada.

Kamada brings an average of 5.44 progressive passes per 90 to the squad, and 1.25 key passes per 90, which gives Palace an extra creative boost, with the loss of Olise.

This move and having big boots to fill could bring the best out of Sarr, as Jean-Louis Gasset made the claim that "he will become a very big player" when talking about Sarr last season.

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اكتسح فريق شباب بلوزداد الجزائري، منافسه استاد أبيدجان الإيفواري، بنتيجة 6-0، في المباراة التي أقيمت بينهما اليوم السبت، ضمن منافسات دوري أبطال إفريقيا.

وتواجه فريقا شباب بلوزداد واستاد أبيدجان، في إطار مواجهات الجولة السادسة والأخيرة من دور المجموعات للبطولة القارية، على ملعب 6 يوليو بالجزائر.

وسجل أهداف شباب بلوزداد أمام استاد أبيدجان، عبد الرحمن مزيان ومحمد إسلام بالخير وأيمن محيوس ورزقي حمرون مروان زروقي.

طالع أيضًا.. فيديو | الأهلي يسقط بثنائية أمام أورلاندو ويفرط في الصدارة بـ دوري أبطال إفريقيا

ويتواجد شباب بلوزداد واستاد أبيدجان، في المجموعة الثالثة لبطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا، بجانب الأهلي وأورلاندو الجنوب إفريقي.

ويحتل فريق شباب بلوزداد المركز الثالث في جدول ترتيب مجموعته، برصيد 9 نقاط، بينما يتواجد استاد أبيدجان بالمركز الرابع والأخير، ولديه نقطة وحيدة. أهداف مباراة شباب بلوزداد واستاد أبيدجان في دوري أبطال إفريقيا

MatériaMais Notícias

Depois de crescer de produção durante o primeiro tempo e abrir o placar, o Flamengo cedeu o empate ao Red Bull Bragantino e tropeçou no estádio Nabi Abi Chedid, em partida válida pela 24ª rodada do Brasileirão, na última quarta-feira. Em campo, o Rubro-Negro não conseguiu repetir a atuação que o torcedor se acostumou a ver, mas, se não fosse uma grande queda de desempenho na etapa final, o time poderia ter saído de Bragança Paulista com os três pontos.

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> ATUAÇÕES: Pedro recebe a maior nota do Flamengo contra o Bragantino

No começo do primeiro tempo, o Flamengo pouco fazia, enquanto o Massa Bruta conseguia chegar com mais frequência ao campo de ataque, mas sem a eficiência necessária para assustar o gol de defendido por Gabriel Batista. Nesse sentido, o Fla teve tempo dentro de campo para se ajustar e, finalmente, construir jogadas promissoras.

Assim, depois de um começo devagar, Vitinho finalmente apareceu na partida e criou duas grandes chances de gol: a primeira foi desperdiçada por Pedro, mas a segunda terminou no fundo das redes do goleiro Cleiton.

> Veja e simule a tabela do Brasileirão

Aos 28 minutos, Vitinho conseguiu um desarme já no campo de ataque, partiu com a bola dominada e tocou para Pedro dentro da área. O centroavante, por sua vez, acertou um chute firme e cruzado que colocou o Rubro-Negro em vantagem no placar. Assim, o momento era do time carioca, que poderia voltar do vestiários com mais ânimo para sacramentar a vitória em Bragança Paulista.

No entanto, não foi isso que aconteceu. O Flamengo voltou desligado e viu um Red Bull Bragantino que se lançou ao ataque em busca do gol de empate. Enquanto o Massa Bruta buscava igualar o marcador, o Fla errava passes, perdia o tempo dos botes e até a abandonava a posição para marcar.

Foi nesse cenário que o Bragantino aproveitou e balançou as redes. Primeiro, aos 11 minutos, Léo Pereira abandonou a posição para marcar Praxedes, que não teve dificuldade para passar pelo defensor e tocar para Ytalo. O atacante por sua vez, aproveitou o tempo de bote errado de Arão para finalizar com força, o que obrigou uma grande defesa de Gabriel Batista.

Dois minutos depois, novos erros custaram o gol marcador por Artur. Matheuzinho errou na saída de bola e viu o Braga construir mais um ataque. A bola chegou até o camisa 7, que não teve dificuldades para vencer a marcação de Léo Pereira, e soltou uma bomba indefensável no ângulo da meta defendida por Gabriel Batista. Depois disso, o Fla não conseguiu reagir e pouco fez para reverter esse cenário.

Os números, inclusive, evidenciam essa queda de produção na etapa complementar. De acordo com o site “FootStats”, no primeiro tempo, o Flamengo acertou 218 passes, enquanto no segundo foram apenas 138. Depois de dois chutes na direção do gol na primeiro tempo – o que já não é uma marca boa – o time acertou um único no segundo tempo.

O próprio técnico Renato Gaúcho admitiu que o Flamengo, tecnicamente, não fez um jogo bonito. Além disso, ele lembrou que os desfalques – quatro por convocação, três por lesão e um por quadro gripal – também foram fatores para o resultado. De acordo com ele, não pelo ausência dos jogadores em si, mas pela falta de entrosamento, o que aconteceu com o time que entrou em campo na última quarta-feira.

– Não estou reclamando das ausências, o que eu estou reclamando é a falta de entrosamento e, muitas vezes, a falta de um jogador da posição. É um jogo (contra o Bragantino) sempre muito difícil, mas o adversário também quer vencer. Tecnicamente, por parte do Flamengo não foi um jogo bonito, mas, em compensação, não faltou luta, não faltou vontade por parte do meu time – disse Renato na coletiva.

Com a necessidade de vencer para colar na liderança, o Flamengo volta a campo no próximo sábado, às 19h, contra o Fortaleza, no Castelão. A partida é válida pela 25ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro e terá transmissão em tempo real do LANCE!.

Pakistan’s regular Test captain Babar Azam has been ruled out of the second Test in Christchurch starting Sunday. Mohammad Rizwan will lead Pakistan again, like he did in the first Test. Azam had a “full-fledged” training session in Christchurch on Friday but he felt slight pain in his thumb which he had fractured earlier on the tour. The team management decided against taking any risk and ruled him out of the second Test.”We have seen improvement in Babar Azam’s injury but he is yet to fully recover,” team doctor Sohail Saleem said. “He is our captain and the most important batsman in the line-up, so we do not want to take any risk.

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“The medical team is constantly reviewing his injury and we are hopeful he will be available for the home series against South Africa.”Azam hasn’t played any game on the tour so far, having sustained a blow to his thumb while taking throwdowns at a training session in Queenstown last month, before the T20I series began. He hit the nets for a full session only on Friday. With the thumb injury not healed fully though, he couldn’t bat pain free. Last week, Imam-ul-Haq had been sent back home with a similar injury.With Azam injured, Pakistan lost the T20I series 2-1, picking up a consolation victory in the third match in Napier thanks to Rizwan’s 89, and lost the first Test of the two-match series in a nail-biting finish.The absence of the regular captain meant Pakistan experimented with their line-up, bringing in the 21-year-old Abdullah Shafique for the first two T20Is. Shafique, however, was dismissed without scoring in both games.The 24-year-old Imran Butt was called up to the Test squad, but he didn’t make the XI for the first Test. Butt was the leading run-getter in the 2019-20 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, with 934 runs at an average of over 62.

MatériaMais Notícias

O goleiro do Fortaleza, Marcelo Boeck, titular da equipe tricolor, pediu intensidade máxima do elenco nas próximas partidas de 2021. Segundo o arqueiro, a meta do grupo é fazer uma boa sequência neste segundo semestre, na qual disputam o Brasileirão e Copa do Brasil.

Veja os times do coração de 30 influenciadores digitais

– Estamos em um ritmo bom, fazendo ótimas partidas e buscando esse crescimento no dia a dia. Vamos continuar trabalhando para que o grupo mantenha essa intensidade até o fim da temporada visando os objetivos traçados em 2021. – disse Boeck.

VAGA NA LIBERTA? VEJA TABELA E SIMULE OS JOGOS DO FORTALEZA

Para o arqueiro, o grupo tem entendido bem o trabalho da comissão técnica.

– Nosso grupo vem assimilando bem o que a comissão técnica vem passando e isso é muito importante. Essa união tem ajudado muito o grupo dentro de campo. – concluiu.

O Fortaleza volta a campo pelo Brasileirão em duelo da20ª rodada, contra o Atlético-MG, às 16h, no domingo (12), na Arena Castelão.

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