Football
“Erik ten Hag doesn’t know anything about football…The player he refused to even played him once last season is now the best player at the ongoing EURO”: Man United legend says the Player Erik ten Hag refused to use last season is now the best player at the ongoing EURO
If you showed this goal to Manchester United supporters, with the player’s face blanked out, they would be forgiven for assuming it came from Rasmus Hojlund.
A clever, darting run off the shoulder and into the penalty area, controlling a flicked pass instantly before rifling a shot into the far corner. Emphatic, instinctive, and the mark of a true goalscorer. It was the sort of finish Rasmus Hojlund demonstrated on numerous occasions throughout a promising debut season at Old Trafford.
It wasn’t Hojlund who opened the scoring during Sunday’s 2-1 win over Slovenia, however, but his Denmark team-mate Christian Eriksen. The midfielder needed only 17 minutes to score as many goals at Euro 2024 as he managed in his last 51 appearances for Manchester United (one) across all competitions.
So, with Eriksen clearly still possessing the goalscoring talents that once put him amongst Europe’s elite attacking midfielders at Tottenham Hotspur, why has he hit the net only twice under Erik ten Hag for the Red Devils.
Christian Eriksen facing Manchester United exit
Of course the obvious answer is that with Bruno Fernandes in that number ten spot, Eriksen has had to play a little deeper at club level. Not so much a box-crasher, but more of a deep-lying playmaker.
Former right-back Paul Parker, meanwhile, wonders if Eriksen’s Old Trafford team-mates are to blame as well; United seldom playing the kind of quick, incisive football that opened up that Slovenian backline and left Eriksen free to combine beautifully with Wolfsburg’s Jonas Wind and thrash home.
“The goal he scored for Denmark shows that his form for Manchester United was dragged down by those around him and by the state the club was in,” Parker argues, in conversation with Danish publication Tipsbladet.
“His first touch with the chest gave him the opportunity to finish immediately. It was like watching a centre-forward.”
So, would Parker retain Eriksen’s services if the choice was his? Admittedly, no, a parting of the ways the right move for both United and their 32-year-old veteran.
Most key passes at the European Championships
“If Ten Hag is allowed to move the team forward and bring in the players he wants, I think he will say goodbye to Christian Eriksen,” adds Parker, a two-time Premier League champion under Sir Alex Ferguson in the 1990s.
“He will not be able to offer Christian Eriksen the regular playing time that he needs. Eriksen would, of course, like to play as much as possible before his time as a player is over. He needs to play regularly and he is one of those players who needs to be looked after as he gets older.
“If United want to move forward, they shouldn’t say; ‘We need Christian Eriksen’.
“And that’s not to be disrespectful to him because he is, without a shadow, of a doubt a great player. It’s not a label I throw around.
“But he’s been an excellent player.”
With only one year left on his contract and Man United pursuing young, athletic midfield talents such as Joao Neves, Amadou Onana, Morten Hjulmand and Youssouf Fofana, the Red Devils are unlikely to stand in Eriksen’s way even if the man himself has made it clear he is not interested in settling into that Saudi Arabian retirement home.
There is clearly plenty of bark left in this old dog, however. Man of the Match against Slovenia, Eriksen is also top of the charts for the most key passes at Euro 2024 with seven (WhoScored).
Football
“Call it a Day”: Manchester United Midfielder Slammed Over ‘Disastrous’ Liverpool Performance
Old Trafford witnessed a revealing scene during the pre-game festivities as Manuel Ugarte was introduced to the Manchester United faithful. The Uruguayan’s debut couldn’t have come at a more poignant time.
As the 23-year-old midfielder took his introductory bows, his predecessor, Casemiro, was gearing up for what would become a fateful encounter against Liverpool—a match that would underline the vast gulf the Brazilian now needs to bridge.
The defensive midfield role at Manchester United has been a subject of intense scrutiny and Casemiro, once a stalwart at Real Madrid, found himself overwhelmed in a game that laid bare many of United’s deeper systemic issues.
The match ended in a 3-0 defeat, with Casemiro’s disastrous performance a glaring weak spot. As Jamie Carragher insightfully remarked earlier, it might be time for Casemiro to step away from the top echelons of football, suggesting, “Football has left him at this top level. He needs to call it a day at this level and move.”
Despite the immediate criticisms, it’s crucial to remember Casemiro’s significant contributions to football, underscored by his wife’s poignant social media post showcasing his extensive trophy haul.
Such a decorated career deserves recognition, even as discussions about his current form persist. As Gary Neville empathetically noted, even the best can falter under pressure, reflecting on his own career’s twilight years.
For Manchester United, the challenge is not just about replacing a player but about realigning their entire midfield setup to compete effectively against top-tier teams like Liverpool.
Casemiro’s situation serves as a stark reminder of the relentless pace and physicality of the Premier League, where even the most experienced players can find themselves outpaced and outplayed
Football
“Biggest mistake of his life”: Real Madrid star told he has made the biggest mistake of his life for joining the Los Blacos
Kylian Mbappé joined Real Madrid as a free agent this past summer transfer window. While this is a significant step in his career, one person believes it’s the wrong decision.
Moreover, he notes that it’s an easy route to securing his football glory as winning the Ballon d’Or and UEFA Champions League at PSG would have had a different meaning than winning these honors at Real Madrid.
As a result, Cyril Hanouna stated in his interview with Europe 1 that the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner made a mistake leaving his hometown club.
“For me, Kylian Mbappé made the mistake of his life,” Hanouna stated (h/t Le10Sport). “I didn’t elaborate last time, but I’ll do it now. Winning the Champions League with Real Madrid is normal. Of course, winning the Champions League with Real Madrid, everyone does it. All the players who are at Real Madrid, at some point, will win the Champions League.
“Being Ballon d’Or at Real Madrid is rather easy. Benzema won it at Real Madrid. Mbappé should have stayed at PSG, won the Champions League with PSG, and won the Ballon d’Or with PSG. The club was giving him everything; it would have been his club. He would have been the main man at PSG.”
PSG are a young but exciting team, and perhaps they might not have the expectations of winning the Champions League this season. However, Real Madrid has the pressure of winning the competition this campaign with the Frenchman; if they don’t, then many will consider Year 1 of Mbappé a failure.
It will be interesting to see how this tournament plays out this season as Real Madrid know who they’ll be facing in the league phase. Mbappé won’t win the Ballon d’Or this year, but winning the Champions League and playing a key role could help his chances in 2025.
Football
“A really good signing”: Alan Shearer gives his verdict on Arsenal’s unexpected signing as he backs the player become a valuable star in the team
The term ‘baptism of fire’ is often overused in football, but it rings true for Raheem Sterling when considering he could make his Arsenal debut away to Tottenham Hotspur.
For a different player, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta might decide against deploying his new signing on such an occasion, but Sterling certainly has the mental resolve to handle it.
Sterling has endured some tough times in the past for England, criticised for his performances, and he’s been subject to similar at Chelsea too.
But in north London, the 29-year-old now has a new home, and the majority of Arsenal fans are excited to see if Arteta can recapture Sterling’s best, in a similar vein to Kai Havertz.
The two are at very different stages of their career, but like just Havertz, Sterling may find his confidence once again, a player who is still in his prime years.
Alan Shearer explains why Raheem Sterling could be really ‘valuable’ to Arsenal
Speaking on ‘The Rest Is Football’ podcast, Alan Shearer was very happy that Sterling had managed to get away from a ‘horrible’ situation at Stamford Bridge, which could have become even more messy.
And the pundit then went on to explain what Sterling can offer Arsenal, a move that suits both parties.
Shearer said: “Yeah I think it’s a really good move for him. I think it was important that he got out and played.
“It would have been horrible for him to sit there and rot in the stiffs, not even maybe, not even see first team football, never mind train or whatever with them.
“So I think it was really important for him to get out with his experience and know-how, he could be valuable to Arsenal.”
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