Sébastien Pocognoli believes a “smiling” Billy Gilmour can play a pivotal role as Scotland look to recover and progress after a disappointing World Cup campaign. Gilmour impressed after the interval on Saturday as Pocognoli’s first match in charge finished in a goalless Nations League draw away to Slovenia. The Napoli midfielder was sidelined by injury […]
Continue Reading
Michael Olise produced a superb late goal to secure a 1-0 Nations League win for France over Belgium in Brussels, giving Zinedine Zidane a second consecutive victory since taking charge. Introduced from the bench with the match still scoreless, Olise collected the ball inside his own half before launching a decisive run in the 88th […]
Continue Reading
Thomas Tuchel does not intend to overhaul his defence, even though England have failed to keep a clean sheet in six consecutive matches ahead of Tuesday’s Nations League meeting with Czechia. Tuchel admitted his team created problems for themselves during Saturday’s 3-2 defeat by Spain, but he continued to support Marc Guéhi and Nico O’Reilly […]
Continue Reading
England began their post-2022 World Cup schedule with a 2-1 victory in Italy. After the 2018 tournament, they returned with a 2-1 loss to Spain. Their first match following the 2014 World Cup was a 1-0 friendly triumph over Norway, although that side featured Joshua King, Håvard Nordtveit and Tarik Elyounoussi rather than the later […]
Continue Reading
England exerted a level of pressure on Spain that few opponents have managed in recent years, although that superiority was not reflected in goals or possession. Yet controlling the ball matters less than the areas in which it is used. Thomas Tuchel’s team recorded 36 touches inside Spain’s penalty area, an exceptionally high figure when […]
Continue Reading
Football and politics are deeply connected in today’s world, regardless of how much some may prefer otherwise. Whether the sport can help address society’s wider problems is far less certain. After Irish solidarity with the people of Gaza transformed the buildup into a moral debate, the result of this disappointing contest eventually seemed almost secondary. […]
Continue Reading
James Trafford appears genuinely offended by the suggestion. The Leeds goalkeeper responds with near disbelief when asked whether his previous season at Manchester City had been frustrating or even wasted. “I won two trophies,” he replies plainly and emphatically. Goalkeepers need resilience, and Trafford displays plenty of it both on and off the field. Selected […]
Continue Reading
Thomas Tuchel said it would be “absurd” to let England players or their clubs decide which fixtures they take part in during the extended Nations League period. He pledged to pursue victory with maximum intensity when England face Czechia in Prague on Tuesday. The head coach acknowledged that Declan Rice required a break and could […]
Continue Reading
A familiar change could be sensed inside the stadium after 55 minutes, the point at which Thomas Tuchel’s England once again appeared to lose their grip on the match. Before this Nations League opener, much of the discussion focused on the importance of structure, established patterns and consistency. England have certainly shown a recurring pattern: […]
Continue Reading
Sébastien Pocognoli winced on Friday as he reflected on his first appearance for Belgium. Alessandro del Piero and Italy had enjoyed accommodating opponents while preparing for the 2006 World Cup. In time, Pocognoli may also remember his managerial debut with Scotland fondly. Beneath clear skies in a compact Ljubljana stadium, his side produced an encouraging […]
Continue Reading