Tottenham's Euro salvation is a final humiliation in a wretched season for Manchester United
From the ruins of a wretched season came a magical night never to be forgotten in the Basque country, a story of redemption triumphing over ridicule, of a narrative utterly transformed in just 90 minutes by the banks of the Nervión river.
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BBC News
5 hours ago
- BBC News
Are Rangers ready to challenge for trophies under Martin?
Rangers' 3-1 aggregate win over Panathinaikos in Champions League qualifying was undoubtedly an impressive result, one which kickstarts the Russell Martin era at Rangers have been able to get themselves up for big games in recent seasons, both in Europe and against has been stumbles domestically against perceived lesser opposition that have contributed to their inability to sustain a title is an area they simply have to improve in under their new head coach. The Ibrox side start their Scottish Premiership campaign at Motherwell on Saturday, seeking to back up the Panathinaikos result, but how well equipped are they to challenge for silverware? Rangers 'still need more' after 'brilliant' Moore signing Winger Mikey Moore arrived on loan from Tottenham Hotspur on Friday, bolstering an area of Martin's squad that needed Dowell started both legs out wide against Panathinaikos, having struggled to make a meaningful impact since signing from Norwich City in 17, impressed for Tottenham in Europe last season and was encouraged to move to Glasgow by former Spurs and Rangers striker Jermain has no doubts that Moore can make a positive impact despite his tender age."I think it's a brilliant signing," the former Scotland defender said. "It will be good for us, good for Spurs and good for Mikey. "He will definitely add to us as a big option in the forward line. He's a super talent and we're excited to have him. "If you're good enough, you're old enough and I certainly think he's good enough to help us win games."I said that we need people to be desperate to come here and play football and he was that."Defenders Nasser Djiga and Max Aarons, and midfielder Joe Rothwell have gone straight into Martin's starting team, while winger Djeidi Gassama has scored as a substitute in both European midfielder Thelo Aasgaard is expected to play a prominent role after signing from Luton Town, with centre-back Emmanuel Fernandez and midfielder Lyall Cameron also arriving, from Peterborough and Dundee, Martin still expects further movement in the transfer market."I think we still need more players, for sure," he said. "We need to strengthen a couple of really key areas. "Mikey helps us a lot because he gives us something we don't have. He gives us another option and real flexibility in the top line."I still think there will be players leaving and there will be players joining. "We have to be really willing and open for that change because I think this club has needed it and now we have to be patient during it to make sure we get the right ones in." Response to setbacks 'will dictate what we do' Last season, Rangers lost in the league against Kilmarnock, Aberdeen, Motherwell, Hibernian and St Mirren only lost once in four league meetings against league winners Celtic, winning twice, but they finished 17 points behind their Glasgow rivals, due to their slip-ups time around, Martin says there will inevitably be disappointing results, but it is about how they respond to those that will determine whether they make progress on the domestic front."We're going to try and win the game," Martin said before Saturday's trip to Fir Park. "And we need to attack it with everything we have. This club demands that every game."So we want to start as well as we possibly can. But also, if and when we have a disappointment, and hopefully it won't be tomorrow, but if and when we do, how we respond to that will dictate what we do. Not losing a game of football, not picking up three points."But we're going there tomorrow to win the game, to start well, to build on what we did, to play better than we did on Wednesday night. And then the rest will take care of itself." Martin 'proud' of how squad have dealt with change It's not only on the field where Rangers have transitioned this summer.A US-based consortium, including the investment arm of the San Francisco 49ers, completed a multi-million pound takeover of Rangers at the end of May, promising a cash injection and a "new strategic vision".It prompted much excitement among the club's fanbase, with the new ownership bringing hope of a brighter future after winning just one trophy in the past three as Martin points out, it can be difficult to navigate such change."There's been so much change here from the top in terms of leadership, ownership and then a lot of leadership roles here at the training ground day-to-day," he said. "Then players, then style of play and I think change can often be really, really messy. "The way the guys are navigating it, I've been really proud of them because it's not easy. So we're trying to build and develop something."We have to win whilst doing it. We found a way to do that over two legs. "And now we have to make sure that we win tomorrow and we improve and we keep improving and keep building."
Daily Mirror
11 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Richard Keys rips into Mikel Arteta again after Pedro Porro incident in Arsenal defeat to Tottenham
Arsenal suffered a 1-0 defeat at the hands of north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday, but the result wasn't the only talking point from the cagey pre-season clash Richard Keys has once again vented his frustrations with Mikel Arteta, after the Arsenal boss was pushed aside by Pedro Porro during the Gunners' pre-season clash with Tottenham Hotspur. While the north London bragging rights ultimately went to fans of the Lilywhites, who emerged 1-0 winners thanks to Pape Matar Sarr's audacious 45th-minute strike from the halfway line, the scoreline wasn't the only talking point. That's because tensions between right-back Porro and Arteta bubbled over midway into the second half. The 25-year-old was seen brushing his compatriot out of the way as he prepared to take a throw in. Given that Arteta was obstructing his path and outside of his managerial zone, Porro then gestured towards the markings on the pitch, showing the Gunners boss he had overstepped his area. The fourth official got in between them to diffuse the situation, and Porro's act was one Keys later threw his support behind on social media, with the presenter being a long-time critic of Arteta's touchline behaviour. Taking to X, Keys wrote: "Well done Pedro Porro. For how long have I been on Arteta's case? If his team is prepared properly & he trusts them there's no need for the nonsense on the touch line. Stay in your box man." While the replies on Keys' take were a mixed bag, some agreeing with his stance while others criticising him for singling out Arteta when other managers have been guilty of stepping out of their boxes, it's not the first time that Keys has been vocal about the manager as of late. During Arsenal's September 2022 clash with Manchester United, Keys took to social media to lambast him for being on the verge of the touchline, while sharing a photo of the manager almost gracing the pitch. Alongside the snap, he wrote: "Why is Arteta allowed to spend the game on the touch line? Again today – in front of the 4th official as well. Does he has special dispensation?" Just two months later, Keys was actively criticising Arteta's presence on the sidelines once again, even tagging The FA's Professional Game Match Officials Limited in his post to do something about the boss' behaviour during a 1-0 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. On that occasion, he wrote: "Why is this allowed every week @FA_PGMOL? Arteta has been jumping up & down all game – way outside his technical area. [Graham] Potter is in his & 4th is watching. Do something about this man." It's not just Arteta's actions from the dugout that has seemingly boiled the blood of Keys over the years, however, with the long-time pundit branding him "delusional" for his comments on Arsenal following their Champions League semi-final exit at the hands of PSG in May. Arsenal needed to overcome a 1-0 deficit when they headed to the Parc des Princes to fight for their place in the final of the competition, with Ousmane Dembele giving Les Parisiens the edge in the first leg. Fabian Ruiz and Achraf Hakimi had other plans on the night however, with Bukayo Saka's strike coming as a meer consolation prize for the Gunners who suffered a 2-1 loss away from home, and a 3-1 loss on aggregate. Arteta felt incredibly hard done-by through his side's exit from the Champions League, claiming they did not deserve to lose their semi-final. However, Keys was quick to take issue with the manager's comments, taking to X to write: "One of Arteta's many problems is he's delusional. "Arsenal haven't been good enough all season. They won't be again until he accepts that. They had spells in both games v Paris but that's not enough. The best teams are in the final." Despite losing to Spurs, Arsenal's pre-season preparations have been positive on the whole. The north London outfit secured a 1-0 win over AC Milan earlier this month in their opening game of the tour, before handing Newcastle United a 3-2 loss days later. They are now set to return to British soil to take on Villarreal at the Emirates Stadium come Wednesday, before facing off with Athletic Club in the Emirates Cup three days later. Arsenal's Premier League opener is on Sunday, August 17, as they travel to Old Trafford to take on long-time rivals Manchester United.
Telegraph
12 hours ago
- Telegraph
Spurs agree Palhinha deal: Why it is more important than signing Gibbs-White
Tottenham Hotspur have agreed a deal to sign midfielder Joao Palhinha on loan from Bayern Munich for the season. Palhinha's first appearance for Spurs could even come against his parent club, with the London club set to play Bayern in a pre-season friendly in Munich next Thursday. The signing of Palhinha may not induce the excitement that news of Spurs' ultimately unsuccessful bid for Morgan Gibbs-White provoked, but it is potentially more important. Here is why Palhinha, at least in the short term, will solve more issues for his new club than Gibbs-White would have done. Problem position filled While Gibbs-White would have undoubtedly been an excellent signing for Tottenham and Thomas Frank's squad would clearly benefit from the addition of another attacking midfielder, it is a natural defensive midfielder that the squad really lacked. James Maddison is a more than capable option in the number 10 position, while Lucas Bergvall can play there. Frank will also have Dejan Kulusevski to pick from once the Swede returns to fitness. Tottenham are open to selling Yves Bissouma, who has often had to play as the most defensive of Tottenham's midfielders. This is not Bissouma's natural role and he lacks the consistency to be relied on throughout the season. In Palhinha, Spurs now have a natural number six who can give Rodrigo Bentancur more time on the ball and free up more attacking talents such as Maddison, Bergvall and Kulusevski to go forward. In a team full of players who thrive with the ball, much of Palhinha's best work comes off it. Experience Frank's predecessor Ange Postecoglou made it clear last season that Tottenham's squad was lacking in experience. Signing a 30-year-old represents a slight change of approach from a club who have focused predominantly on youth in recent years, and it should help the rest of the squad. Gibbs-White certainly has experience that would have benefited the Tottenham team, but Palhinha is five years older, has big-club experience from his spell at Bayern and enjoyed two successful seasons in the Premier League with Fulham. An older head in the middle of the park is just what Spurs needed and the Portuguese international will be just as useful off the pitch as he should be on it. Set-piece help Tottenham are not a small team by any means, but they have occasionally struggled with defending set-pieces. Palhinha should be able to help with that. Standing at just over 6ft 2in the Portugal international will not only help to stop balls over the top, but should also give assistance to Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero in defending corners and free-kicks. Gibbs-White would have given Tottenham another option in the taking of set-pieces, but Pedro Porro can already provide excellent deliveries, while Maddison is also a corner and free-kick specialist. Backing for Frank Signing a 30-year-old, even on loan, is not a decision that chairman Daniel Levy would have taken lightly. It goes against his recent policy of going for youth and offers the club little in terms of long-term security. But, crucially, it represents backing and support for the new head coach. Frank clearly wanted a player of Palhinha's profile, having made midfielder Christian Norgaard an integral part of his Brentford team. Norgaard moved to Arsenal this summer and it is claimed Mikel Arteta's side looked at Palhinha themselves before completing that deal. Frank will need as much backing and support as possible if he is to make a success of his first season in charge at Spurs and it is encouraging that Levy has been prepared to deviate from the norm to do so. And another thing… Tottenham and Bayern have become trading buddies over recent years with Harry Kane and Eric Dier moving to Germany and Mathys Tel and now Palhinha coming in the opposite direction. Spurs have a first-option clause to re-sign Kane at any point Bayern decide to sell him and if the player indicates a desire to leave. Sources are already discussing the possibility of Kane returning to England and the Premier League next summer, after the World Cup, so does that open the door to an emotional Spurs comeback in 12 months? Time will tell, but it is clear that Tottenham and Bayern enjoy doing mutually beneficial business.
