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Tag: unfamiliar right-back role

  • City make FA Cup history despite star’s injury concern; Villa’s Utd discard dominates – Wrap

    City make FA Cup history despite star’s injury concern; Villa’s Utd discard dominates – Wrap

    Manchester City came from behind to reach the FA Cup semi-finals for a record seventh consecutive season with a 2-1 win over Bournemouth on Sunday, but victory came at a cost as Erling Haaland hobbled off injured.

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    Haaland had seen a first-half penalty saved before Evanilson put the Cherries in front.

    The Norwegian made amends by equalising four minutes into the second period before being forced off with an ankle injury after a bizarre story about an incident with a club mascot emerged earlier in the week.

    His replacement, Omar Marmoush, took just two minutes to score the winner from a second assist by the impressive Nico O’Reilly as City booked a semi-final clash against Nottingham Forest.

    “Seven times in a row reaching semi-finals in the FA Cup…this is outstanding. This generation of players, they have done this,” said City boss Pep Guardiola.

    City have been a shadow of the side that won four consecutive Premier League titles this season and Guardiola said prior to the game that even FA Cup glory would not save a miserable season.

    The English champions’ collapse in the Premier League began at Bournemouth back in November with a 2-1 defeat that kicked off a run of six defeats in eight games.

    But Guardiola hailed the difference in attitude in his side between then and now.

    “We came here (in November) with the flip flops on against a team that if you don’t compete, it is impossible,” added Guardiola.

    “In football you have to run. People say about my teams ‘how good they play’ but no, it is how much we run, how much we fight and for many games this season it didn’t happen.”

    – Haaland’s hat-trick of misses –

    Haaland should have punished a makeshift Cherries defence missing the suspended Dean Huijsen and Milos Kerkez with a hat-trick before half-time.

    He headed wide his first chance from Matheus Nunes’ driven cross. A Tyler Adams handball then gifted City the chance to take the lead from the penalty spot.

    But for the third time in his last six spot-kicks, Haaland failed to find the net as Kepa Arrizabalaga made a fine save.

    That miss seemed to be still in Haaland’s mind when he dinked over Kepa and over the bar with just the Spanish goalkeeper to beat moments later.

    City were then hit with a sucker punch by Bournemouth on 21 minutes. Nunes, deputising in an unfamiliar right-back role, gave the ball away to David Brooks, whose cross was turned across goal by Justin Kluivert and bundled in from point-blank range by Evanilson.

    Guardiola responded by introducing 20-year-old midfielder O’Reilly as a makeshift left-back.

    O’Reilly made an instant impact with a rampaging run down the left and inch-perfect cross as this time Haaland did not miss for his 30th goal of the season.

    Moments later he was forced off in concerning scenes for Guardiola with City still involved in a battle just to qualify for next season’s Champions League in their last nine Premier League games.

    But City’s January transfer window move for Marmoush is already looking a shrewd deal.

    The Egyptian has now scored six times in 11 appearances since a £59 million ($76 million) transfer from Eintracht Frankfurt.

    If Kepa was a Bournemouth hero in the first-half, he was at fault for the winner as Marmoush’s effort slipped through his grasp from O’Reilly’s pass.

    “First half we played very well but second half the game was definitely for them,” said Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola.

    “We couldn’t keep the same intensity second half, we were a lot more passive and lacking in energy, especially up front.”

    – Rashford double fires Villa into FA Cup semis –

    Marcus Rashford’s first goals for Aston Villa inspired a 3-0 win against Preston that sent his side into the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time in 10 years on Sunday.

    Rashford struck twice in the second half at Deepdale to end Preston’s stubborn resistance before Jacob Ramsey wrapped up Villa’s long-awaited return to the last four.

    Villa will face Crystal Palace — 3-0 winners at Fulham on Saturday — in the semi-finals at Wembley on the weekend of April 26-27.

    Revitalised since joining Villa on loan from Manchester United during the January transfer window, Rashford is beginning to show the form that made him one of England’s brightest stars prior to his steep decline over the last two years.

    Amid concerns over his attitude and off-field behaviour, Rashford was deemed expendable by United manager Ruben Amorim, after also clashing with former Old Trafford boss Erik ten Hag.

    The 27-year-old hadn’t scored since netting for United against Everton on December 1.

    Deployed in the central striker’s role that often seemed to dent his confidence at United, Rashford was too dynamic for second-tier Preston to handle in the latest sign that his career might not be destined to end in disappointment after all.

    “It’s a great feeling, I feel like I’ve been getting fitter and playing better football since I’ve been here. It’s always nice for a forward to get a goal so hopefully it continues,” Rashford said.

    “I missed a lot of football before joining up with Villa. It’s step by step. My body feels good and I’m enjoying my football for now.

    “We’re very ambitious. We’ll see where it takes us.” While struggling United have been mired in turmoil, Rashford has benefited from moving to upwardly mobile Villa.

    – Memorable climax –

    Unai Emery’s side have enjoyed a memorable run to the Champions League quarter-finals, where they face Paris Saint-Germain in April.

    They also have an outside chance of qualifying for next season’s Champions League.

    Rashford could be part of a memorable climax to the campaign for Villa, who haven’t won the FA Cup since 1957, with their last final ending in defeat against Arsenal in 2015.

    “His commitment to work, to adapt quick is very important, and he’s doing it,” Emery said.

    “To feel comfortable, playing in his best level, there is still work but today he did one step forward, getting confident, scoring goals.

    “He was obviously getting better but this was one more step in his adaptation and helping us.” Emery added it was “not yet” the right time to discuss whether Rashford might make a permanent move to Villa in the close season.

    Rashford’s free-kick forced Preston goalkeeper David Cornell into action before Ezri Konsa’s glancing header whistled just wide from Marco Asensio’s cross.

    Stefan Thordarson wasted a golden opportunity to give Preston a shock lead when he poked wide.

    Villa broke the deadlock in the 58th minute as Rashford timed his run perfectly to meet Lucas Digne’s low cross with a clinical finish from 12 yards.

    Morgan Rogers was denied by Cornell moments later as Villa went for the kill. And it was Rogers who earned Villa’s penalty in the 63rd minute when the England midfielder was tripped by Andrew Hughes.

    Rashford stepped up to send Cornell the wrong way with a nerveless spot-kick. Ramsey put the result beyond doubt eight minutes later, surging towards the Preston area and drilling a powerful strike past Cornell for his fourth goal this season.

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  • ‘Respect the shirt’: Status quo squashed as Popovic issues Socceroos selection statement

    ‘Respect the shirt’: Status quo squashed as Popovic issues Socceroos selection statement

    Well, that was surprising. Tony Popovic’s 26-player squad to face Saudi Arabia and Bahrain in two crucial World Cup qualifiers over the next fortnight has dismantled the status quo.

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    The family, as the squad and environment were so often described under former Socceroos coach Graham Arnold, has been broken up and, in its place, sits an eclectic mix of new faces and ones that seemed to be surplus to requirements.

    Others, meanwhile, are completely missing through their own choosing; as is the case with Cardiff City midfielder Alex Robertson, or have been excluded, where they were previously part of the furniture.

    Popovic, after taking on the role just weeks before the last international window in October, said he wanted to ensure that nobody felt they had a right to a Socceroos jersey. With this squad he has done just that and perhaps the biggest story surrounds three players who won’t feature in Melbourne and Bahrain this month.

    Atletico steal victory with last kick | 00:33

    THE MISSING PLAYERS

    Alex Robertson

    When Alex Robertson made his debut for Australia in a friendly against Ecuador in March last year, it seemed like the next 100-cap Socceroo had been discovered.

    The midfielder, who is now on the books of Championship side Cardiff City, is one of those players blessed with both tactical and technical skill in abundance and it appeared as though the battle for his allegiance was won.

    After all, with his father Mark and grandfather, also named Alexander, in the stands in Sydney that night, he became a third-generation Socceroo.

    Mark represented Australia in 2001 and Alexander in the mid 1980s.

    But Robertson is also eligible to represent Scotland, England and Peru through birth, residence and family.

    After playing his junior football in Sydney, Robertson made the move to the UK as a teenager and represented England at youth level.

    The 21-year-old hasn’t featured for Australia since a 2-nil friendly defeat to Argentina in Beijing in June last year and whether he adds to his two caps is now up in the air.

    Last month, Robertson’s absence from the squad for games against China and Japan was explained as a paperwork issue with FIFA that hadn’t been resolved yet.

    Now, it seems, Football Australia has done everything it can to resolve the matter.

    “That sits in his hands now,” Popovic said after unveiling his squad in Melbourne.

    “If he wants to play for the Socceroos, he needs to make himself available.

    “It’s an Alex decision on what he wants to do.

    “If he wants to make himself available for the Socceroos then we can look at whether we select him, but at the moment we don’t have that option.

    “You have to respect the shirt, the badge; you have to respect the honour of playing for the Socceroos and we also have to respect the fact that everyone can make their own choice.

    “Right now, his decision is not to make himself available.”

    It’s a measure of Robertson’s immense talent that Popovic went on to say that the door hasn’t been closed because of this latest development, but fans who have long called for his inclusion in green and gold, at least now have some clarity on the matter.

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    Nestory Irankunda

    The other big name missing from the squad list was that of Nestory Irankunda.

    The 18-year-old, who swapped Adelaide United for Bayern Munich in the off-season, has made a positive start to his time at the German powerhouse.

    The winger has been scoring for both Bayern II in the Regionalliga and also in the UEFA Youth League, but his output at international level has been mixed.

    He looked lively and dangerous in the last fixtures of the Graham Arnold era, but struggled in his first match under Popovic, when handed a starting role against China in Adelaide last month and then didn’t feature against Japan.

    Nestory Irankunda of Australia controls the ball during the round three 2026 FIFA World Cup AFC Asian Qualifier match between Australia Socceroos and Bahrain at Robina Stadium on September 05, 2024 in Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

    Popovic’s system, where the wingers play a more inverted role, doesn’t seem to suit the teenager. He’s more comfortable wider on the right, and so far, that is at odds with Popovic’s preferred tactical set-up.

    “It’s just a selection decision,” Popovic said.

    “We know he’s a young man with a lot of potential, who is signed at one of the biggest clubs in the world.

    “We just feel it is an opportunity for him to settle in at Bayern and get the development that he needs there and the growth.

    “We still hope that we really see this potential moving forward from him in the national team in years to come.”

    Stunning brain fade ends Villa’s streak | 01:03

    Keanu Baccus

    It won’t be a major headline, but the decision not to call-up Keanu Baccus is still notable.

    The combative, deeper lying midfielder, was a mainstay under Arnold, who shot to prominence at the World Cup in Qatar in 2022 while locked in a fierce battle with Argentina’s Lionel Messi in a heart stopping round of 16 defeat in Doha.

    Under Popovic, Baccus has only seen 10-minutes of action, and that was in a largely unfamiliar right-back role against Japan, in the 1-1 draw in Saitama.

    The new coach has plenty of options in central midfield too in the form of Jackson Irvine, Aiden O’Neill, Max Balard, Anthony Caceres and Patrick Yazbek.

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    THE NEW PLAYERS

    Anthony Caceres

    Anthony Caceres has often been referred to as the best player never to represent Australia at any level.

    Now 32, it appeared the chance of the Sydney FC midfielder shedding that tag was slim, but the door has finally opened.

    Caceres seems perfectly suited to Popovic’s system where those further forward are required to be comfortable and make good decisions in extremely tight spaces.

    In fact, he’s done just that his whole career.

    There was a school of thought over the years that while Caceres was technically gifted, he lacked a killer edge in the final third.

    But with three goals, 10 assists and 13 goal involvements to his name last season, those concerns have been allayed, if Popovic ever had them at all.

    “He’s been a player that I’ve admired for a very long time,” said Popovic.

    “He deserves his chance.

    “Every coach has their ideas and this is his chance now.

    Max Balard

    It’s perhaps the ultimate compliment, that after moving from the Central Coast Mariners to Dutch Eredivisie side NAC Breda this season, the local media in the Netherlands quickly dubbed the 23-year-old the ‘Australian Kante.’

    It’s a nod to former Leicester City and Chelsea star N’Golo Kante, now playing for Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad, who is one of the finest ball-winning midfielders of his generation.

    Balard missed selection for last month’s window, but should now get the chance to shine, after proving to Australia’s new coaching staff that he can be just as damaging with his range of passing as well.

    “He’s had some very good performances this year,” Popovic said.

    “We’ve been monitoring him prior to the last camp, but I think in the last month, his game has become more consistent; more balanced in his play, with and without the ball.”

    Hayden Matthews

    The 20-year-old Sydney FC central defender only signed his first professional contract in January this year and has now earned his maiden international call-up.

    At 195 centimetres, he is a towering figure, and although on the surface, it looks like Matthews has been included to get some experience in an extended 26-player squad, it’s interesting that he’s on the radar of the national team boss so early in his career.

    Keanu Baccus did not find himself in Popovic’s squad. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

    THE RETURNING PLAYERS

    Rhyan Grant

    The last time Rhyan Grant featured for the Socceroos was in a third round World Cup qualifying defeat to Japan in Sydney in 2022.

    The tireless right-back has seen a long list of players cycle through that position in an Australian shirt since then, but never in his wildest dreams did the Sydney FC captain think he’d be considered again.

    “I honestly didn’t see this coming, but I’m absolutely delighted,” Grant said.

    The 33-year-old, who has 21-caps to his name, thought his time had passed, and stressed that point whenever the topic of a recall to international football surfaced, but could well be the answer to the problematic position again.

    Brandon Borrello

    The search for a striker who can score on a consistent basis is just as puzzling as the absence of an established right back.

    Brandon Borrello will fight for minutes alongside Mitch Duke and Kusini Yengi.

    The Western Sydney Wanderers quarter-final exit at the hands of Adelaide United in the Australia Cup left the forward short of minutes for the October window, but with 266-minutes and two goals from three games under his belt in the A-League this season, he’s moved back up the pecking order.

    Milos Degenek

    Few people are more passionate about the Socceroos jersey than Milos Degenek.

    In an extraordinary interview at the World Cup in Qatar in 2022 he offered an insight into the mentality he takes into games.

    “The lion mentality is, you either eat or you get eaten, and that’s the simplest way to put it,” Degenek said at the time.

    “I used this term before the Peru game with the boys, I said ‘there’s bread on the table’.

    “Either we eat tonight; my kids, my wife and my family eats tonight, or they eat and my kids go home to sleep hungry and my wife as well – and I don’t want that to happen.”

    Degenek has missed most of 2024 due to injury but is back on the park and played in FK Crvena zvezda’s first round Serbian Cup game just over a week ago.

    The 30-year-old, who can play as a central defender or right-back, adds versatility to the squad and even if he doesn’t feature on the field, he’ll be a force for good around the squad.

    Few people are more passionate about the Socceroos jersey than Milos Degenek. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

    Martin Boyle

    Martin Boyle looked out of sorts in the September window as the Socceroos stumbled against Bahrain and Indonesia in, what turned out to be, the final days of the Arnold era.

    He didn’t feature in Popovic’s first squad, but his form for Hibernian, in Scotland, has been hard to ignore.

    The 31-year-old has five goals and five assists to his name this season and could potentially be deployed as an inverted winger or striker.

    His experience will also help the side deal with the scale of the challenge in-front of them.

    A victory over Saudi Arabia next week will go some way towards rectifying the Socceroos dire start to the third round of qualifying.

    Australia is currently second in group C but locked on five points with their next opponents, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.

    A top two finish in the group earns automatic qualification for the next World Cup in 2026, so the stakes around every fixture from here are high.

    Squad: Max Balard, Aziz Behich, Brandon Borrello, Jordy Bos, Martin Boyle, Cameron Burgess, Anthony Caceres, Milos Degenek, Mitch Duke, Joe Gauci (GK), Jason Geria, Craig Goodwin, Rhyan Grant, Ajdin Hrustic, Jackson Irvine, Paul Izzo (GK), Hayden Matthews, Riley McGree, Lewis Miller, Aiden O’Neill, Kye Rowles, Mat Ryan (GK), Harry Souttar, Nishan Velupillay, Patrick Yazbek, Kusini Yengi.

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