Bills Comeback Comes Up Short Despite Horrible Roughing the Passer Penalty on Jags' Josh Allen
VIDEO: Josh Allen's questionable roughing the passer penalty.
2023-10-09 01:45
Attacking play and big-game wins – Roberto De Zerbi’s first year at Brighton
The eyebrows that were raised when Brighton replaced Graham Potter with Roberto De Zerbi have been put firmly in their place over the last 12 months. It was on September 18 a year ago, only 10 days after Potter’s departure for Chelsea, that the Seagulls announced their new boss would be a little-known Italian. Brighton chairman Tony Bloom had identified De Zerbi as his next managerial target some time before after being impressed by his work in Italy with Benevento and Sassuolo, which then continued when he moved to Shakhtar Donetsk. Arriving at Brighton with little English and big boots to fill, it was perhaps not surprising it was seen as a risky move but the only question now is how long the Seagulls will be able to hang onto him. De Zerbi did not win any of his first five games in charge but thumped Potter’s Chelsea 4-1 for his maiden victory and did not look back. Premier League highlights included the double over Chelsea and wins over Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal while they also beat Liverpool during a run to the semi-finals of the FA Cup that only ended with a penalty shoot-out loss to United. Brighton eventually finished sixth, securing European football for the first time in the club’s history with a place in the Europa League. And they have picked up where they left off this season, winning four of their opening five matches, including back-to-back 3-1 wins over Newcastle and Manchester United. That is despite again selling a number of their star performers, with Moises Caicedo and Robert Sanchez heading to Chelsea and Alexis Mac Allister to Liverpool. Selling on players and reinvesting the money in potential stars of the future is central to the Brighton model. Marc Cucurella, Yves Bissouma, Leandro Trossard, Ben White and Dan Burn have all departed the Amex Stadium for bigger Premier League names in recent seasons while the likes of Kaoru Mitoma and Evan Ferguson are sure to be on many wishlists. The no-nonsense De Zerbi has clearly had a big impact on the players he has worked with, and Lewis Dunk opened up on the Italian’s methods after regaining his place in the England squad. “Football-wise, since the new manager at Brighton has come in I see football in a completely different way, I picture it in a different way and that is the biggest thing,” he said earlier this month. “Football is not what I thought it was. Just how we play now. The idea of what I did before, I thought it made sense. But when you learn something completely different, you believe in it and this makes sense. “You think, ‘Why didn’t I know this?’ and, ‘Why didn’t I do this before?’ “(I) know every position on the pitch and where they should be. The time they should move and what angles they should give. We see it every day and it makes life simpler.” That attention to detail and precision is at the heart of De Zerbi’s footballing philosophy, with Brighton widely praised for their attacking panache and high-energy game. Balancing trying to take another step forward in the Premier League this season with the demands of European football is a new challenge for De Zerbi but, based on the last 12 months, it would be no surprise if he found the right formula. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Paul Collingwood backs Zak Crawley to excel in role of England captain Pep Guardiola challenges Man City to win back-to-back Champions League titles Conor Murray: Ireland squad in ‘unbelievable nick’ ahead of South Africa clash
2023-09-18 22:50
Ilkay Gundogan's agent responds to rumours of potential Barcelona exit
Read about what Ilkay Gundogan's agent had to say about rumours linking the German midfielder with a swift Barcelona exit to join Turkish giants Galatasaray.
2023-11-17 18:50
Katie Taylor vs Chantelle Cameron card: Who else is fighting tonight?
Katie Taylor and Chantelle Cameron will clash in a huge fight in Dublin this weekend, as the latter defends her undisputed super-lightweight titles against the home fighter. Taylor, the undisputed lightweight champion, and Cameron will both enter the 3Arena undefeated, with Taylor’s record reading 22-0 (6 knockouts) and Cameron’s at 17-0 (8 KOs). Last time out, Taylor outpointed Karen Carabajal in October to retain her four lightweight belts, and now she challenges for the four held by Cameron, who beat Jessica McCaskill on points in November. Taylor is still eyeing a rematch with unified featherweight champion Amanda Serrano, but she cannot afford to overlook her British opponent this weekend. Here’s all you need to know. We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. When is it? The fight will take place at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland on Saturday 20 May. The main card is due to begin at 7pm BST (11am PT, 1pm CT, 2pm ET), with ring walks for the main event expected at approximately 10pm BST (2pm PT, 4pm CT, 5pm ET). How can I watch it? The event will be streamed live on Dazn, a subscription to which is available at three different price points: Monthly Saver (£9.99 per month, with a 12-month commitment), Flexible (£19.99 per month, and can be cancelled at any time), and Annual Super Saver (£99.99 as a one-off payment). Odds Taylor – 8/13 Cameron – 7/5 Draw – 11/1 Full odds via Betway. Full card (subject to change) Katie Taylor vs Chantelle Cameron (for Cameron’s IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO women’s super-lightweight titles) Dennis Hogan vs James Metcalf (super-welterweight) Gary Cully vs Jose Felix (lightweight) Thomas Carty vs Jay McFarlane (heavyweight) Caoimhin Agyarko vs Grant Dennis (super-welterweight) Maisey Rose Courtney vs Kate Radomska (flyweight) Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos. Read More Katie Taylor and Chantelle Cameron are shaming their male counterparts Why Katie Taylor vs Chantelle Cameron could be won and lost before the first bell Haney vs Lomachenko live stream: How to watch fight online and on TV What time does Katie Taylor vs Chantelle Cameron start in UK and US tonight? How to watch Katie Taylor vs Chantelle Cameron online and on TV tonight Katie Taylor gears up for ‘biggest night’ of career against Chantelle Cameron
2023-05-20 18:29
With Barkley uncertain, Giants added depth with RB James Robinson and WR Cole Beasley
The New York Giants said Friday they’ve signed running back James Robinson and receiver Cole Beasley
2023-07-22 05:19
Pep Guardiola offers update on Ilkay Gundogan contract talks
Pep Guardiola has revealed the latest on Ilkay Gundogan's contract talks as Barcelona continue to push for a deal.
2023-06-04 16:21
England to resist Republic of Ireland approach for Lee Carsley
The Football Association will resist any attempt from Ireland to appoint England under-21 manager Lee Carsley, should Irish boss Stephen Kenny be sacked. Ireland have just suffered successive defeats to France and Netherlands and while those would otherwise be respectable performances, they come on the back of a series of poor results that have now all but ended the hopes of Euro 2024 qualification. While Kenny is widely expected to be given the rest of this campaign, a failure to claim a play-off place - which is now dependent on results in other groups - could well end three difficult years in charge of the Irish team. A former Irish international, Carsley has long been admired by the Football Association of Ireland, and is seen as the next main target for the senior job whenever that may be. He bolstered his growing reputation in the summer with England's first under-21 European Championships victory in 39 years, beating Spain in the final. That has only added to Carsley's value within the FA, though, where he is seen as the sort of figure who could eventually succeed Gareth Southgate as senior manager. While there would be the expectation that England go for a more established club manager when Southgate eventually departs, a growing school of thinking is that the international game demands different qualities. Southgate himself is one of a few examples from high-profile European nations who have succeeded by promoting from the underage squads. There has been a feeling Carsley's year-to-year under-21 contract could mean he is attainable by Ireland, but any approach would be met with resistance by the FA. Other names that have been mentioned in circles around the top of the Irish football hierarchy are Ipswich Town's Kieran McKenna and even Rafael Benitez. While the latter would be hugely expensive but potentially open to the job in the future, McKenna is seen as even more difficult due to Ipswich’s huge investment in a Premier League promotion push. Read More Gareth Southgate hails Evan Ferguson and confirms England interest in Newcastle starlet Stephen Kenny ‘not thinking about’ pressure on job as Euro 2024 hopes crumble Gareth Southgate acknowledges England want Newcastle duo amid call-up tug-of-war with Scotland
2023-09-12 19:27
Marsh hopes World Cup hundred makes family smile after death of grandfather
Mitchell Marsh said he had hoped he had put a "smile on the faces" of his family with a stunning World Cup hundred that followed...
2023-11-12 23:19
Riyad Mahrez weighing up £45m-a-year offer from Saudi Arabia
Riyad Mahrez is considering a lucrative offer to join the Saudi Pro League, though Manchester City are reluctant to sell him this summer. Bernardo Silva wants to leave and they are more likely to sanction that exit.
2023-07-01 00:52
What is VAR, how does it work and what are the biggest problems?
The use of technology in football has been on the increase over the past few years but none seems to create as much heated debate and questioning as that of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR). By and large, it is felt that minor and visible calls are improved across the course of the season with on-pitch referees getting extra help. However, there have been several high-profile incidents of late that have led to clubs, or personnel within them, complaining about the eventual decision or decision-making process, with the most recent coming in the Champions League. Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag felt aggrieved that a number of calls went against them in their 4-3 defeat to FC Copenhagen, including a decision to send off Marcus Rashford for serious foul play. Here’s everything on VAR you need to know, including the latest causes for complaint against it. What has gone wrong? Most recently, Man United complained about Rashford’s red card, given out for stepping across and onto the foot and shin of an opponent in a Champions League encounter. Ten Hag insisted his side had seen three “very debatable” penalties go against them in four games and called his forward’s sending off “very harsh”. In domestic football, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta complained over “unacceptable” errors from on-pitch and VAR officials as his team lost to Newcastle, while Wolves boss Gary O’Neil labelled a penalty decision given against his team and upheld by VAR as “scandalous” - also against Newcastle. Ange Postecoglou suggested recently that clubs have to shoulder part of the blame for long stoppages for VAR, saying: “Some of it is self inflicted because if we come out every week complaining about decisions that is what will happen, every decision gets forensically checked and we will be sitting around for a long time in every game trying to figure out what is going on.” However, it must be noted that the vast majority of these are subjective opinions and where Arteta sees fault, another manager, supporter or, indeed, official may see justification in decision. One incident which was not subjective, but instead a quite clear mistake, came with Luis Diaz’s goal for Liverpool against Tottenham being ruled out for offside and then allowed to stay disallowed, despite the VAR officials running their processes and showing the forward was onside. The “significant human error” came as a result of the official, Darren England, appearing to forget that offside rather than a goal had been awarded in the first place. To another extreme, Millie Bright criticised the fact there was no VAR in the first edition of the Women’s Nations League, after a clearly offside goal was allowed to stand against England which would have been simple to rule out. Further clear VAR errors which PGMOL have had to apologise for include no penalty being awarded to Wolves against Man United after Andre Onana clattered Sasa Kalajdzic, a Brentford goal against Arsenal not being checked properly with no offside lines drawn and a West Ham late equaliser being ruled out for a foul, where none was apparent. What has gone right? In truth, a lot. It’s overlooked when three or four calls are spot-on, when one causes serious complaint or at least is a subjective call which a majority seem to disagree with. As an example, in the incident-packed Tottenham vs Chelsea fixture, several goals were correctly ruled out for offside through use - or checking - of VAR and the penalty awarded which saw Cristian Romero sent off was also a result of VAR intervention. Generally speaking, these calls that are widely accepted as correct do not get highlighted, partially because the technology exists for that very reason: it’s expected to help officials make the right calls with a second look. That doesn’t mean they don’t occur, though. The Premier League reported that 82 per cent of decisions were correct in the season before VAR was introduced, rising to 94 per cent being correct in 2019/20. What is the process for VAR checks? From the Premier League website: VAR will be used only for “clear and obvious errors” or “serious missed incidents” in four match-changing situations: goals; penalty decisions; direct red-card incidents; and mistaken identity. When any of those match situations occur or potentially occur, VAR is constantly rewatching and monitoring match footage from the hub at Stockley Park. If there is a decision to be made, the VAR or Assistant VAR (AVAR) will relay to the referee that play should be halted while checks are made, before recommending either an overturn, a pitchside check of the monitor for the ref or a continuation of play with the on-pitch original decision. The video officials have until the ball goes dead to inform the referee that a check is underway if play is already ongoing. The referee can then either check the monitor or accept the VAR recommendation. Upon reviewing the pitchside monitor, they may then stick with their own initial assessment or overturn the original, before communicating their new decision to the crowd. What have PGMOL said? The refereeing chief of Professional Game Match Officials Limited, Howard Webb, took over the role last year to improve the standard of officiating in the English game and to help oversee a smoother use of technology. PGMOL confirmed to the League Managers’ Association “they are actively looking at how best to incorporate VARs into match-day refereeing teams, to ensure the dynamic between on-field referee and VAR is conducive to producing positive outcomes.” After the Diaz incident, the organisation “acknowledge[d] a significant human error occurred” and brought in additional processes to ensure no repeat happened. They also released the audio of that incident, an “unusual step” according to Webb, “to show everybody what was very quickly pretty apparent to us, a human error and loss of concentration.” Webb has suggested the pool of VAR-specific officials will be increased but Lee Mason presents a cautionary tale. The former referee was appointed a full-time VAR for 2022/23, but departed the role last season after the aforementioned error over Brentford’s goal against Arsenal. Mason, who had already been stood down from the officiating list that campaign previously for wrongly disallowing a Newcastle goal, was labelled a “serial offender” by ex-PGMOL boss Keith Hackett - however, at the start of the current campaign, Mason was re-hired as a referees’ coach for the lower leagues. It is not thought he has ongoing work with VAR but that has not been confirmed by PGMOL, nor why his credentials are suited to guiding less-experienced officials despite having been removed from his post already. Read More What is VAR, how does it work and what are the biggest problems? Mikel Arteta: ‘I’m completely with referees’ Mauricio Pochettino learned lessons from famous battle to mature as manager Unai Emery acknowledges good fortune opened the door for Villa’s victory ‘Great result’ cheers David Moyes as West Ham have another good European night Liverpool angered by VAR as Jarell Quansah goal ruled out in Europa League defeat
2023-11-12 06:45
Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola full of praise for two-goal Marcus Tavernier
Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola said Marcus Tavernier’s double in his side’s 3-1 win at Sheffield United was just reward for his recent performances. Tavernier struck early in both halves, either side of Justin Kluivert’s effort, as the Cherries notched their first Premier League away win of the season to maintain their climb away from relegation danger. Oli McBurnie headed the Blades’ late consolation as Bournemouth cruised to their third win in four top-flight matches. After seeing his side sweep the Blades aside, Iraola was delighted with 24-year-old Tavernier’s contribution. Iraola said: “He was playing really well in the last games but he had some chances he didn’t finish, against Burnley and Newcastle. “But it was a matter of time because he has the quality. It’s good he gets the reward because he is contributing in such different ways to the team. I’m really happy for him.” Tavernier, who missed the first month of the campaign through injury, scored five Premier League goals last season. With Dominic Solanke scoring six times this season and Kluivert – son of former Netherlands striker Patrick – notching his first goal for the club, Iraola saluted his side’s all-round offensive threat. “Today also we added Justin scoring in the league and Tav scoring two goals,” the Spaniard added. “I think we have talent there, I think we have goals there, behind Dom. We were having the chances. “They were not scoring the goals before and I think it is good for them confidence-wise to come here and to score in such an important game.” After Tavernier had given the Cherries a 12th-minute lead, the Blades gifted the visitors a second in first-half stoppage time. Goalkeeper Wes Foderingham was dispossessed on the edge of the box by Kluivert, who then steered the ball into an empty net and manager Paul Heckingbottom acknowledged his side’s performance levels had dropped. “Yeah that’s been the topic of conversation in there,” he said. “If we give goals away like that we’re not going to win games in this league, we know that. “We started poorly and never really recovered. We can’t hide behind mistakes, though, we need to play better than that and get it out of our heads before the next game.” The Blades face another relegation rival in bottom club Burnley at Turf Moor next Saturday and Heckingbottom added: “We’re going to have moments in this league, we are not stupid enough to know we will be at our best every week. “But we have to try. We have to quickly get this out of our heads for Burnley next week.” Read More Brighton boss explains ‘big, big celebration’ and says no disrespect was meant Joe Root joins England captain Ben Stokes in skipping next Indian Premier League Ding Junhui defies illness to defeat defending champion Mark Allen in York No cause for a party, Rob Edwards warns Luton after victory over Palace West Ham defeat is toughest one to take yet – Burnley boss Vincent Kompany Jonathan Obika’s last-gasp equaliser earns Motherwell point at Celtic
2023-11-26 03:17
Freeman wins it in the 11th as the Dodgers edge the White Sox 5-4 to salvage series victory
Freddie Freeman singled to deep center field with the bases loaded in the 11th inning, Chris Taylor hit a tying grand slam in the sixth, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Chicago White Sox 5-4
2023-06-16 14:18
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