Hearts plan Dubai training camp before run-in - gossip - Yahoo Sports Canada
'O'Neill no magician' & 'worst Celtic team in 15 years'
Celtic fans, we asked for your views after Thursday night's 4-1 defeat at home to Stuttgart in the Europa League.
Here are the main points:
Paul: Martin O'Neill is an excellent manager but he's no magician. He has done brilliantly wallpapering over cracks, motivating a team to get results in the league. Any Bundesliga team will cause us bother - especially one like Stuttgart. Terrible atmosphere at Celtic Park for a European fixture - that needs sorted as much as anything. Kasper Schmeichel had a bad night - so did plenty others around him. A good bench mark of where we really are.
Biggar Bhoy: We were architects of our own demise. Schmeichel was certainly at fault for two of the goals, but it was a collective defensive failure for all four goals conceded. I thought the treatment of Schmeichel by a significant section of the home support was pretty shameful to be honest. If we're to salvage anything from what's been a dismal season so far, the fans need to back the team and get behind every single player.
Sally: Celtic supporters are not helping the team with these stupid, adolescent, and immature protests. The team certainly did not cover themselves in glory and the defence showed naivety against a good club. This is a proud club with a great history in Europe being given a football lesson.
Eck: Probably the worst Celtic team in 15 years. The goalkeeper is past it, too many mistakes and too slow. Auston Trusty and Liam Scales are liabilities, they are like frightened rabbits in the headlights and make too many mistakes. The board need to invest in better players instead of banking all the money.
Jim: If we are honest we are just not at the level of European teams. Stuttgart, in my opinion, were only playing to about 75% of their potential. The eternal triangle of Trusty, Callum McGregor and Scales is so predictable and mostly ends up with a punt into touch from our own penalty area. Would have been nice to have a midfield. There was no creativity and we were well beaten by a better team who wanted to play forward football instead of our negativity and backward passing.
Stephen: Celtic should never prioritise league football over European football for me, that's where we aspire to be, but this year they need a clear focus on the league so being out of Europe isn't a bad thing.
Aaron: One word. Dross
Not quite good enough right now? BVB legend criticises Adeyemi - Yahoo Sports Canada
“He’s more of a goal threat” – Danny Murphy questions Chelsea over summer transfer activity
Danny Murphy has questioned Chelsea’s decision to sign Liam Delap, and believes Nicolas Jackson is more of a goal threat.
DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL CHELSEA NEWS APP FOR ALL THE LATEST UPDATES – STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE! ON THE APP STORE
The Blues fought of competition from a number of clubs to sign Delap for £30m from Ipswich last summer following their relegation.
The England under-21 international made his debut at the Club World Cup, but has really struggled to make an impact this season.
Danny Murphy questions Liam Delap signing
Delap has struggled with injury, but has scored just two goals in 24 appearances, with only one in the Premier League.
Rosenior praised Delap for his performance against Hull where he bounced back from a poor first half miss to register a hat-trick of assists.
Delap has found it tough at Chelsea so far this season. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
However, he’s currently playing second fiddle to the in-form Joao Pedro, and Carragher believes joining Chelsea was too big a step for Delap.
Following the arrival of the 23-year-old, Jackson joined Bayern Munich on a season loan, but Murphy has claimed the Senegal international actually carries more of a goal threat.
“Jackson in his first Chelsea season has done better than Delap has done,” he told talkSPORT.
“He’s more of a goal threat. I actually think Cole Palmer misses Nicolas Jackson.”
All options open for Nicolas Jackson
With Delap still finding his feet, Jackson is likely to return to Chelsea in the summer after his loan with Bayern finishes.
The German Champions are highly unlikely to sign the 24-year-old permanently, and the Blues will need to find another solution.
More Stories / Latest News
“He’s more of a goal threat” – Danny Murphy questions Chelsea over summer transfer activity
Journalist says Chelsea now more willing to change key approach in transfer market
Paul Merson claims unlikely £13m man has become one of Chelsea’s “best performers”
It’s been reported Jackson is open to playing for Chelsea next season, but it’s thought all opportunities will be explored.
Jackson is said to be attracting interest from Italy, Spain and England, and it’ll be interesting to see where he ends up.
Check out the latest edition of Simon Phillips’ SPTC podcast here:
Benfica file complaint against Fede Valverde
Benfica have filed a formal complaint to UEFA against Real Madrid midfielder Fede Valverde over his alleged violent conduct during the first leg of the Champions League’s Round of 32 played last Tuesday, according to reports all over the Spanish press. Valverde swung his arm towards Samuel Dahl’s head in the 80th minute of the game, and while the level of contact was impossible to determine and VAR didn’t intervene, Benfica have still filed that complaint.
UEFA are currently investigating the Vinicius-Prestianni case, but any kind of suspension or punishment will not be expected. The same can be said about the play between Valverde and Dahl.
Benfica and Real Madrid will meet again next Wednesday and Vinicius, Prestianni, Valverde and Dahl will all likely be on the field, which means that the return leg played at the Santiago Bernabeu could be a heated one. Los Blancos have a 1-0 lead on aggregate.