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      ‘If you’re going to train like that, go home’ – How being humiliated by boss Edgar Davids at Barnet motivated Jamal Lowe

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      JAMAL LOWE has revealed how being humiliated by Edgar Davids helped drive him from non-league to the brink of the Premier League.The Bournemouth winger was an 18-year-old rookie at Barnet when Dutch legend Davids, who was player-manager, ordered him off the training pitch for making a mistake.
      Jamal Lowe is on the brink of the Premier League with Bournemouth
      Edgar Davids, humiliated a young Jamal Lowe while he was at Barnet
      But a decade later he has a chance of going into the top-flight with Bournemouth, having gone close with Swansea last season.
      Lowe told SunSport: “Davids sent me in from training after I’d done a bad pass. 
      “I was trying to set him to feet and the ball bobbled up and bounced to his chest. He wasn’t happy with that – and told me, ‘If you’re going to train like that, go home.’
      “He told me. ‘Get off the pitch and get changed.’”
      “It was harsh because you must bear in mind I was only 18. I was devastated and didn’t know how to react.
      “I thought, ‘Should I stay out and fight it’ but what else do you do when you’re a kid and a manager who was a legendary international footballer has told you to leave the session?
      @font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:400;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:500;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:400;font-stretch:semi-condensed;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:700;font-stretch:normal;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:700;font-stretch:condensed;font-display:swap;}.css-qu9fel{border-top:1px solid #dcdddd;}.css-b9nmbi{margin-bottom:16px;border-top:1px solid #dcdddd;}.css-1qsre5o{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:flex-start;-webkit-box-align:flex-start;-ms-flex-align:flex-start;align-items:flex-start;-webkit-align-content:flex-start;-ms-flex-line-pack:flex-start;align-content:flex-start;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;-webkit-box-pack:justify;-webkit-justify-content:space-between;justify-content:space-between;}.css-q8gelu{margin-bottom:24px;}.css-7ysxcx{padding:0;text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-7ysxcx:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-jkwlot{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;-webkit-box-pack:justify;-webkit-justify-content:space-between;justify-content:space-between;padding:0;text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-jkwlot:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-zkaekv{font-family:The Sun;font-size:24px;line-height:1.1666666666666667;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:semi-condensed;padding:1px 0px;}.css-zkaekv::before{content:”;display:block;height:0;width:0;margin-bottom:calc(-0.24520833333333342em + -1px);}.css-zkaekv::after{content:”;display:block;height:0;width:0;margin-top:-0.2333333333333334em;}.css-1lobn43{display:inline;font:inherit;margin:0;color:rgba(0,0,0,1);}.css-1lobn43 svg{fill:rgba(0,0,0,1);}Most read in Football.css-1gojmfd{margin-bottom:16px;}.css-zdjvqv{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:flex-start;-webkit-box-align:flex-start;-ms-flex-align:flex-start;align-items:flex-start;-webkit-align-content:flex-start;-ms-flex-line-pack:flex-start;align-content:flex-start;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;-webkit-box-pack:space-around;-ms-flex-pack:space-around;-webkit-justify-content:space-around;justify-content:space-around;margin-top:calc(-12px/2);margin-bottom:calc(-12px/2);}.css-zdjvqv:before,.css-zdjvqv:after{content:”;display:block;}.css-1meuhfk{display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;margin-top:calc(12px/2);margin-bottom:calc(12px/2);}
      “That was pretty much the end of my chances of playing for him again.” 
      Lowe was frozen out and loaned to a series of non-league clubs before he left the Bees in 2015.
      He had to do the hard yards at St Albans, Hemel Hempstead and Hampton & Richmond before his career started to take off when Paul Cook signed him for Portsmouth.
      Lowe said: “What happened that day at Barnet motivated me. I wanted to prove Davids wrong – although sadly I wasn’t able to at Barnet.
      “It’s at that point my career spiralled into non-league but importantly I got lots of game time.
      “The one thing I wanted to do was stand out – so I made sure I was fitter than everyone else. I wanted to remain a professional athlete even if I was going to be playing in the semi-pro game.
      “And I tried to stand out by scoring goals.
      Jamal Lowe during his Barnet days, which proved a huge learning curve
      “Managers and scouts don’t always watch the games and just look at the goals you’ve scored and sometimes that’s enough!
      “In a funny way, I can thank Edgar now because what he did that day put me into a zone where it showed how easy everything can be taken away from you.
      “I’ve had to take the long way round – but got there in the end.”
      Lowe ended up following Cook to Wigan and was part of his team that were cruelly relegated to League One after the EFL docked them 12 points for going into administration.
      But Swansea snapped him up and he had a fantastic season in South Wales, scoring 14 goals in 45 Championship games, as they reached the play-off final before losing to Brentford at Wembley.
      HIGHS AND LOWESJamal Lowe’s clubs
      Barnet (2012-15)
      Hayes and Yeading (2012-13, loan)
      Boreham Wood (2013, loan)
      Hitchin (2013, loan)
      St Albans City (2013-14, loan)
      Farnborough (2014, loan)
      Hemel Hempstead (2014, loan)
      St Albans City (2015)
      Hemel Hempstead (2015)
      Hampton & Richmond (2015-17)
      Portsmouth (2017-19)
      Wigan (2019-20)
      Swansea (2020-21)
      Bournemouth (2021-)

      He said: “I loved my time at Swansea and had to learn to play in a completely new position as a striker.
      “But I’ve never felt lower on a football pitch than losing the play-off final. It’s the worse way to miss out on promotion – you’re better off not making the play-offs than going through all that devastation.
      “You get all the build-up and have been working hard all that season to just reach the play-offs, then you work hard to get to the final and to then fall at the last hurdle is terrible.
      “But you have to learn from it and use that experience the next time you get there.”
      I’ve never felt lower on a football pitch than losing the play-off final at Swansea. It’s the worse way to miss out on promotion.”Jamal Lowe
      Boss Steve Cooper’s departure from the Liberty Stadium made his mind up to leave.
      He said: “I started a few games this season with Swansea but with the manager change it seemed like the club was going in a different direction and that maybe I wasn’t going to be needed anymore.
      “Bournemouth are a massive club with big aspirations and their ambitions match mine so when they wanted me I went for it. And it has turned out to be a great move.”
      The Cherries travel to Luton on Saturday where a win will keep them top of the Championship.
      And Lowe has had to adapt to being used mostly as a substitute this season but is loving his time in Dorset.
      Jamal Lowe, here coming on for Dominic Solanke, has been used from the bench mostly this season
      He said: “It’s all been about making sure week in, week out, you’re as fit as the players who are playing 90 minutes.
      “It’s about coming on and making a positive impact. Most of the time I’ve come on, we’ve been winning so it’s been a case of seeing the games out.”
      Lowe has loved playing for Scott Parker – and believes his style of play is the best in the Championship.
      He said: “Scott was a top player and demanded high standards of himself in terms of work rate and attention to detail – and he is exactly the same now.
      “Scott is in the same bracket as Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard, who have had good careers and pride themselves on that they always set their standards sky high.
      Bournemouth manager Scott Parker is a 100 percenter who never allows standards to drop
      “They’re all 100 per centers and that is how they manage. You can’t drop below 100.” 
      Speaking of high standards, one player who has been superb this season is 36-year-old former Chelsea and England defender Gary Cahill.
      And Lowe admitted: “He is quite literally a wall, nothing is getting past him.” More

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      in Soccer

      Former Newcastle kid Dan Barlaser is Rotherham’s ‘Geordie Pirlo’ who hopes to play for Turkey

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      DAN BARLASER is called the Geordie Pirlo at Rotherham and one day he hopes to be the toast of Istanbul.Millers fans love their playmaking midfielder from Newcastle so much they sing a song comparing him to the Italian great.
      Dan Barlaser is loved by the Rotherham fans who call him the Geordie Pirlo
      Barlaser’s dad Sener is from the Turkish capital and his side of the family would love to see him play in the Premier League and represent their national team.
      The 24-year-old played for Turkey at Under-16s and Under-17s level before switching allegiances to England at Under-18s.
      But – while his ultimate ambition is to play in the top-flight – Barlaser would also love a crack at playing for Turkey if the chance presented itself.
      He said: “If they were qualifying for major tournaments then it would be a no-brainer. I’d definitely consider it.
      “I’ve a lot of family living over there. They were always trying to get me to support various Turkish teams when growing up but I stayed neutral so I didn’t upset anyone!
      “Turkey gave me a chance to show myself on the international stage as a kid. We went out to Germany, France and Italy – and I even learned to speak Turkish.
      @font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:400;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:500;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:400;font-stretch:semi-condensed;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:700;font-stretch:normal;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:700;font-stretch:condensed;font-display:swap;}.css-qu9fel{border-top:1px solid #dcdddd;}.css-b9nmbi{margin-bottom:16px;border-top:1px solid #dcdddd;}.css-1qsre5o{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:flex-start;-webkit-box-align:flex-start;-ms-flex-align:flex-start;align-items:flex-start;-webkit-align-content:flex-start;-ms-flex-line-pack:flex-start;align-content:flex-start;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;-webkit-box-pack:justify;-webkit-justify-content:space-between;justify-content:space-between;}.css-q8gelu{margin-bottom:24px;}.css-7ysxcx{padding:0;text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-7ysxcx:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-jkwlot{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;-webkit-box-pack:justify;-webkit-justify-content:space-between;justify-content:space-between;padding:0;text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-jkwlot:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-zkaekv{font-family:The Sun;font-size:24px;line-height:1.1666666666666667;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:semi-condensed;padding:1px 0px;}.css-zkaekv::before{content:”;display:block;height:0;width:0;margin-bottom:calc(-0.24520833333333342em + -1px);}.css-zkaekv::after{content:”;display:block;height:0;width:0;margin-top:-0.2333333333333334em;}.css-1lobn43{display:inline;font:inherit;margin:0;color:rgba(0,0,0,1);}.css-1lobn43 svg{fill:rgba(0,0,0,1);}Most read in EFL.css-1gojmfd{margin-bottom:16px;}.css-zdjvqv{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:flex-start;-webkit-box-align:flex-start;-ms-flex-align:flex-start;align-items:flex-start;-webkit-align-content:flex-start;-ms-flex-line-pack:flex-start;align-content:flex-start;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;-webkit-box-pack:space-around;-ms-flex-pack:space-around;-webkit-justify-content:space-around;justify-content:space-around;margin-top:calc(-12px/2);margin-bottom:calc(-12px/2);}.css-zdjvqv:before,.css-zdjvqv:after{content:”;display:block;}.css-1meuhfk{display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;margin-top:calc(12px/2);margin-bottom:calc(12px/2);}
      “I was in the same team as Enes Unal, who was at Manchester City but now plays in La Liga for Getafe. He’s a regular in the Turkey team now.”
      Barlaser’s dad is a football nut and was a key figure in his early career.
      He said: “In Turkey, football, basketball and volleyball are the main sports and my dad loved all of them.
      “He was good friends with the coach at Swalwell Juniors in Newcastle and I ended up playing for them.
      “Of course, nearly every Geordie kid is a football fan who wants to play for Newcastle and I was fortunate enough to get signed up, go through their youth system and play for the first team.”
      Dan Barlaser with his dad Sener, mum Alison and girlfriend Jade
      Barlaser started two FA Cup games and two League Cup games for the Toon before he left his boyhood club for Rotherham in October 2020.
      He worked under Alan Pardew, Steve McClaren, Rafa Benitez and Steve Bruce during his time as a pro.
      And the midfielder said: “It was tough under Pardew because I was only 17.
      “But I was involved a lot more when McClaren was there. He even had me on the bench for a Premier League game against West Brom.
      “He was a good coach – the sessions he put on were enjoyable. He did tactical stuff more but it was with the ball.
      “Rafa was good tactically. Everyone knew what they were doing under him and he gave me my debut so I’ll always be grateful to him.”
      Dan Barlaser made four starts at Newcastle where he went through the club’s youth system
      Barlaser was disappointed not to get a chance under Bruce after spending a successful 2019-20 season on loan at Rotherham.
      He said: “There are not many young players who have come through the Newcastle ranks over the past decade.
      “I was disappointed not to get a proper chance because I had done well on loan but that is football so you have to progress your career elsewhere.” 
      His performances have played a huge part in Rotherham’s table-topping season so far.
      He has been involved in 10 of the team’s 45 goals so far – with five assists and five strikes himself. 
      Four of his goals came in December, landing him the SkyBet Player of the Month award.
      And, despite suffering the heartache of relegation from the Championship in May, Barlaser insists both he and the Millers are far better this season.
      He said: “We couldn’t dwell on what happened so the aim from the first day of pre-season was to work hard, be the fittest team in League One and go straight back up. That was the objective and we’re halfway there now.
      “Many of the lads have that experience of the last time the club was in League One and know how to win games at this level.
      “Since I joined Rotherham I’ve grown as a player and the defensive side of my game has improved too.
      Dan Barlaser has added more goals to his games this season at Rotherham
      “This season I’ve added goals to my game, which is the most pleasing thing.
      “I get a lot of assists because I take set-pieces but now I’m looking to score 10 myself.”
      One of the big improvements for Rotherham this season has been in the goals-for column. Only second-placed Sunderland, who have played two games more, have scored more.
      Fellow Geordie Michael Smith has been a standout player and the striker has 15 league goals so far.
      Barlaser said: “He’s scoring goals for fun and is a top professional who works hard. I see him only getting better and better.
      “Last season we were good going forward because we created countless chances but couldn’t finish them off.
      “That was the problem in the Championship, when we went 1-0 up for example, we didn’t put the second away to go 2-0 up. We were dropping points. 
      Dan Barlaser’s goals have earned him the SkyBet player-of-the-month award
      “This season we’ve been converting the chances and we’re right up there.”
      Barlaser wants to be back on the Championship stage to give him the platform to realise his ambitions.
      He said: “If we get promoted and you get good stats in the Championship, Prem clubs will come sniffing. That is always the case.
      “My goal is to play in the Premier League. I’ve had a taste of playing on loan in League Two with Accrington and League One and the Championship here. I would love to complete the set of playing in all four professional divisions.” More

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      Arsenal verdict: Gunners shoot themselves in the foot yet again… and, as usual, Granit Xhaka is the culprit

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      IF the definition of insanity really is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result then Arsenal must be due a visit from the men in white coats.For no other team in the country shoots themselves in the foot on such a regular basis without learning any lessons.
      Granit Xhaka was sent off against LiverpoolCredit: Rex

      And no one epitomises that madness more than serial offender Granit Xhaka.
      Mikel Arteta had spent all week sweating over the availability of the Swiss international who had been in isolation after contracting Covid last week.
      But he probably should have spared himself the stress because Xhaka only lasted 24 minutes before he was heading for another early bath.
      And he really could have no arguments about the fifth sending-off of his Arsenal career after bringing down Diogo Jota on the edge of the area to deny the Liverpool striker a goalscoring opportunity.
      It wasn’t a malicious tackle and his eyes were on the flight of the ball all the time as he tried to intercept Andrew Robertson’s long pass over the top.
      But the second his raised boot caught Jota square in the chest he left ref Michael Oliver with virtually no option but to reach for red.
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      Don’t forget it was Xhaka who conceded the penalty which set Manchester City on their way to victory at the Emirates on New Year’s Day.
      And his indiscipline that day immediately set the tone for centre-half Gabriel, who minutes later became the club’s 100th red card of the Premier League era.
      No other team has yet reached that dubious landmark and rather than cleaning up their act it seems that Arsenal are actually getting worse.
      They have only just stumped up a £20,000 fine after accepting an FA charge of failing to control their players during that frustrating City defeat.
      PREM PLAYER RED CARDS SINCE 2016-17IN all competitions
      Granit Xhaka – 5
      Fernandinho – 5
      David Luiz – 4
      Christian Kabasele – 4

      But they have become so accustomed to playing with ten men that maybe it’s no surprise that they are learning to cope with being outnumbered.
      Because since Arteta was appointed manager in December 2019,  they have suffered no less than 13 red cards in all competitions.
      It’s almost as bad as the early days of Arsene Wenger’s reign, when the likes of Patrick Vieira and Martin Keown would regularly lose the plot and pay the consequences.

      Now Xhaka, who was also dismissed during the 5-0 defeat at Manchester City in August, will be suspended for Arsenal’s next two games away to Spurs on Sunday and the Emirates rematch with Liverpool next Thursday.
      And with Thomas Partey and Mohamed Elneny away at the Africa Cup of Nations, Martin Odegaard Covid positive and Emile Smith Rowe nursing a groin strain, Arteta needs the loss of another midfielder like a hole in the head.
      Yet at least he can take heart from the character and resilience the rest of his makeshift team showed last night to keep this semi-final alive.
      MARK HALSEY’S VERDICTON Xhaka’s red card
      GRANIT XHAKA made it easy for Michael Oliver to send him off after his challenge on Diogo Jota.
      The Arsenal midfielder tried stretching to reach Andy Robertson’s long ball but only succeeded in clattering into the Liverpool attacker.
      It is not clear whether Oliver shows the red card for serious foul play or a denial of an obvious goal scoring opportunity (DOGSO).
      With Xhaka’s boot connecting into Jota’s chest you could argue the challenge is endangering the player’s safety.
      However, if it was DOGSO there is an element of doubt to the likelihood of Jota keeping or regaining control of the ball as his first touch bounces off his chest at pace.
      Either way, Xhaka has forced Oliver into making a decision which went against him.

      It would have been the easiest thing in the world for young Arsenal heads to drop the minute Xhaka received his marching orders, particularly given their dreadful recent record at Anfield.
      Yet rather than feeling sorry for themselves they dug deep to keep Liverpool at arm’s length and unable to find a route through to goal.
      And no one owes a greater debt of gratitude to those exhausted Gunners than Xhaka.
      Diogo Jota was taken out by Granit XhakaCredit: Rex More

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      in Soccer

      Watch Granit Xhaka’s reckless waist-high challenge on Diogo Jota as Arsenal midfielder is sent off vs Liverpool

      by

      GRANIT XHAKA once again proved his recklessness after being sent off for a waist-high challenge on Diogo Jota. The Swiss midfielder left the Gunners down to ten men for 66 minutes of their Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg at Anfield.
      Granit Xhaka was sent off against LiverpoolCredit: Rex
      Granit Xhaka wiped out Diogo JotaCredit: AFP

      It came after Xhaka took out Jota following a cross field pass by left-back Andrew Robertson.
      Robertson’s pass put the Liverpool forward through on goal, before Xhaka’s misstimed tackle with the score level at 0-0.
      He ended up booting Jota in the stomach as he tried to clear and immediately saw red for denying the goalscoring opportunity.
      It is the fifth time Xhaka has been sent off for Arsenal, with the other four coming in the Premier League.
      He was last sent for an early bath in Arsenal’s 5-0 hammering at champions Manchester City in August.
      No player has received more Premier League red cards than Xhaka since his Arsenal debut in 2016.
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      Xhaka was slammed by Liverpool legend and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher following his latest gaffe.
      Carragher said: “Xhaka has two or three looks at Jota, he knows he’s there. It’s a perfect pass from Robertson and Jota just needs to get his chest on it.
      “Xhaka does what Xhaka does. Makes and absolutely ridiculous challenge when Jota has still got so much to do.
      “If the goalkeeper keeps coming, I think he maybe scares Jota and heads it away.
      “But, was it a red card? There is no doubt. The way he has taken him out, the forced he’s done it with, it’s a ridiculous challenge.”
      MARK HALSEY VERDICT
      GRANIT XHAKA made it easy for Michael Oliver to send him off after his challenge on Diogo Jota.
      The Arsenal midfielder tried stretching to reach Andy Robertson’s long ball but only succeeded in clattering into the Liverpool attacker.
      It is not clear whether Oliver shows the red card for serious foul play or a denial of an obvious goal scoring opportunity (DOGSO).
      PREM PLAYER RED CARDS SINCE 2016-17IN all competitions
      Granit Xhaka – 5
      Fernandinho – 5
      David Luiz – 4
      Christian Kabasele – 4

      With Xhaka’s boot connecting into Jota’s chest you could argue the challenge is endangering the player’s safety.
      However, if it was DOGSO there is an element of doubt to the likelihood of Jota keeping or regaining control of the ball as his first touch bounces off his chest at pace.
      Either way, Xhaka has forced Oliver into making a decision which went against him. More

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      Mikel Arteta facing make or break eight days at Arsenal with season on brink of disaster if his team fail to deliver

      by

      MIKEL ARTETA might be facing a make or break eight days but remains convinced Arsenal can compete in the transfer market with any club in the world.The two legged Carabao Cup semi-final clash with Liverpool and Sunday’s North London derby are crucial to the Gunners’ big time ambitions.
      Mikel Arteta is facing a make or break eight days at ArsenalCredit: Getty
      And he has described his squad situation as volatile and uncertainCredit: Getty
      Yet even if they miss out on Champions League qualification and a Wembley final, Arteta has no fears about being shunned by any of his transfer targets.
      The club are currently trying to secure a £50million deal for Fiorentina’s superstar striker Dusan Vlahovic before the transfer window closes at the end of the month.
      And Arteta dismissed suggestions the Serbian international does not regard a move to Arsenal as a big enough step up in his career.
      He said: “Historically this club has always targeted the best players in the world and they are always interested in coming here.
      “And that situation has not changed. Anytime I have spoken to any player, they were so willing to come to Arsenal.
      “I haven’t faced any other situation and that’s one of our biggest powers, our capacity to get the attention of people to come and join our club.
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      “It’s something that is a big advantage for us and we have a strategy of how we want to evolve and improve the team.
      “Whenever that is possible we will try to do it but we know that this market is extremely difficult.”
      Yet Arteta acknowledges that his cause will be boosted if they can overcome Liverpool and beat Spurs to secure their grip on fourth place in the Premier League.
      He admitted: “This is a really important week for us because we are playing in two different competitions that we are engaged with and have a lot of enthusiasm for.
      “Against Liverpool we can reach a final and move closer to a trophy and in the other game we are going to play a big London derby against a team that is in the hunt for the same objectives we have.
      ‘VOLATILE AND UNCERTAIN’
      “We all know the impact these games are going to have on our season but the situation around the squad is extremely volatile and uncertain.
      “We have lost so many players in the last week for different reasons and we are trying to adapt to that.
      “But we have to make the most of what we have and move on because the next few games ahead of us are far too important.”
      Arteta had eight senior players unavailable for Sunday’s shock FA Cup defeat by Nottingham Forest and is still sweating over a couple of Covid tests before naming his team for the Anfield showdown.
      But he refuses to use those absentees as an excuse for the lacklustre performance and has delivered a few home truths to his squad ahead of tonight’s trip to Merseyside.
      He revealed: “We didn’t perform at a level that was good enough.
      “We lacked purpose and cohesion and I didn’t like the quality we had in our attacking phase. There were a lot of things we should have done much better.
      “Now I have tried to make it clear so that nobody gets confused about the standards that are required to play at this level against any opponent.”
      Granit Xhaka is battling to prove his fitness after spending seven days in isolation following a positive Covid test last week.
      ‘HOPEFULLY GRANIT WILL BE FIT’
      Arteta said: “We will put out the best team possible and hopefully Granit will pass the tests and be fit enough to play.
      “It’s very difficult when players are in isolation and sometimes we have to stop them when they are at home because they want to carry on and not lose any fitness.
      “That’s why the doctor and sports science department are really on top of them so they can understand what they are able to do.
      “We don’t want to risk the health of the players so absolutely the first thing we look at is how we can maintain their fitness.
      “But there is also a consideration about the mental effects of isolation because it’s very frustrating when you are away in your house for seven or ten days.”

      ⚽ Get all the latest Arsenal news, updates and transfer gossip with our live blogs
      With Partey and Elneny still away at the Africa Cup of Nations, Arteta is dangerously low on central midfield options right now.
      Yet he has no regrets about the timing of Ainsley Maitland-Niles’s loan move to Roma last week.
      He added: “After what happened in the summer we felt it was the right thing to do and there are certain things you cannot miss out if you want to complete a deal.
      “You have to take into account if the player has the right mindset to compete knowing that he is going to be leaving the next day.
      “I don’t think it’s logical to make a decision that is going to have an impact for the next six to 18 months just for a day or two.”
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      Tottenham 0 Chelsea 1 (0-3 agg): Rudiger earns Carabao Cup final spot as VAR rules out a Spurs goal and TWO penalties

      by

      AFTER more than two decades as a top-flight referee, Mike Dean finally got to feel the love.Three times, VAR Dean over-ruled referee Andre Marriner and denied Tottenham – chalking off two penalty awards and one goal – as Chelsea confirmed their place in the Carabao Cup Final.
      Chelsea celebrate their opening goalCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
      Harry Kane looks on in defeat after enduring a frustrating night vs ChelseaCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
      And three times, thousands of Chelsea fans staged ecstatic wild-limbed celebrations.
      They might have preferred to celebrate a Romelu Lukaku hat-trick instead, but this is modern football and so they made do with celebrating the work of Wirral whistler Dean, who should have been awarded the match ball.
      Having dominated last week’s first leg and the first half-hour of this return match, the European champions could have chucked away all their good work had Marriner been working alone.
      Spurs boss Antonio Conte had made the bizarre decision to ‘rest’ his captain and first-choice keeper Hugo Lloris for this semi-final – and he saw stand-in Pierluigi Gollini gift Antonio Rudiger an early opener to extend Chelsea’s aggregate lead.
      But then it was down to Dean to rule out two penalties awarded by Marriner either side of half-time and then a Harry Kane strike which was scrubbed out for offside.
      It was a peculiar old night, with Conte seeming to have run up the white flag before kick-off, only for Spurs to stage a spirited, but unrewarded, fight-back.
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      Antonio Rudiger heads homeCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
      Romelu Lukaku and Antonio Rudiger celebrateCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
      Conte had bemoaned the ‘gap’ in quality between Chelsea and Spurs after the first leg – and he only managed to widen that chasm by leaving out his World Cup-winning skipper.
      The Italian claimed he was resting Lloris for league matches, seemingly admitting he had written off this tie. Which, to be fair, was the view of all the rest of us who’d been at Stamford Bridge last week.
      But do keepers actually need resting? Don’t they just stand there most of the time?
      Perhaps it is simply the psychological strain of playing behind Tottenham’s defence.
      But Gollini had played against Morecambe in the FA Cup on Sunday, anyway.
      Tottenham’s wonky back-line had handed Chelsea both of their goals in the first encounter – with Lloris playing a major role in keeping the deficit down – and this time it was Gollini who dished out the generosities.
      Tuchel’s team had already gone close twice – Timo Werner lobbing wide and Lukaku having a shot saved after a masterful long pass from Rudiger.
      And on 18 minutes, they extended their aggregate lead when Mount swung in a free-kick and Gollini staged a kamikaze mission, flying off his line, missing the ball and allowing Rudiger to score with a back-header which did not look particularly intentional.
      Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg goes down from an Antonio Rudiger challengeCredit: Reuters
      The Chelsea fans were constantly chanting ‘Tottenham get battered everywhere they go’ – a song which has become such a national earworm that people with no affinity to any of Spurs’ rivals have taken to singing in the street.
      The opening half-hour had been every bit as one-sided, every bit as embarrassing for Spurs, as the first leg.
      But then, suddenly, Spurs woke up and joined in.
      Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg had a curling shot deflected narrowly wide and from the resulting Giovanni Lo Celso corner, Davinson Sanchez headed on and Kane dived in at the post to poke wide.
      Kane, as is his wont, tumbled for a penalty shout which failed to sway Andre Marriner.
      But soon after, Marriner was pointing to the spot when Rudiger upended Hojbjerg.
      Dean took a long while to decide what was clear and obvious on the replay – that Rudiger had made contact outside the box and then thrown himself inside the 18-yard line.
      But eventually Dean did over-rule Marriner on the line call and Lo Celso’s free-kick was deflected over by the wall.
      Kepa wins the ball from Lucas MouraCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
      Twelve minutes after the break, Marriner – who seemed determined to make this tie interesting – was at it again, handing Spurs another erroneous penalty.
      This time, Kane surged clear from the halfway line, batting off Rudiger – no mean feat – and feeding Lucas Moura.
      When the Brazilian sprinted into the box, keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga met him with a sliding tackle which needed to be perfectly-executed.
      Marriner didn’t think it was but Dean did, sending the ref to his monitor, where he changed his mind.
      Kepa’s chief League Cup memory was his extraordinary refusal to be substituted in the 2019 final – but this was a crucial positive intervention from the Spaniard.
      Kepa soon pushed away an Emerson Royal header but then the Chelsea keeper played a dodgy pass, Hojbjerg intercepted, Moura fed Kane, who netted.
      But with Kepa off his line, there was only one Chelsea defender between Kane and the goal-line and so Dean completed his treble and the away section descended into joyous bedlam.
      Should Chelsea overcome Arsenal or Liverpool at Wembley on February 27, will anyone remember Dean’s outstanding contribution?
      Perhaps not but Dean himself would greet it with a knowing smile and a little punch of the air.
      This was the night he had been waiting for.
      Harry Kane fires home before VAR rules out the goalCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
      Harry Kane was just offsideCredit: Sky Sports More

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      in Soccer

      ‘Spider-Man: Can’t Win At Home’ – Baffled viewers spot Spurs fan in full Spiderman outfit before Rudiger’s Chelsea goal

      by

      FANS were left baffled as a Tottenham supporter wore a full Spider-Man costume for their League Cup semi-final against Chelsea. And the superhero-loving fan had the perfect view to watch as Antonio Rudiger headed the Blues 1-0 up.
      A Tottenham supporter wore a full Spider-Man costume
      #CFC have one foot in the Carabao Cup final! 🦶Antonio Rudiger beats Pierluigi Gollini to the corner and gives the visitors a 3-0 lead on aggregate! 💙 pic.twitter.com/NwJy0yGLUA— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) January 12, 2022

      It extended their lead to 3-0 overall and gave Thomas Tuchel’s side one foot in the Wembley final.
      But just before the opener, fans on Twitter could not help but question the Spidey casually watching in the stands.
      One said: “SpiderMan – Can’t Win At Home.”
      Another said: “Just seen a spurs fan dressed in a spiderman suit so we deserve to get slapped tonight.”
      One added: “Spurs are that bad Spiderman can’t even help them lol.”
      Another added: “That’s exactly what Tottenham deserve for letting that grown man who is stood by the corner flag wearing a full Spiderman outfit but without the mask into the stadium.”
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      Perhaps connected to the bizarre match day attire, current Spider-Man actor Tom Holland is a huge Spurs fan.
      And while promoting the new ‘No Way Home’ blockbuster, Holland met PSG forward Kylian Mbappe.
      He cheekily asked Mbappe to join Tottenham – but was let down easy with a resounding no.
      Mbappe chuckled as he replied: “No, impossible. “That’s impossible!”
      Spider-Man’s Tom Holland and Kylian Mbappe More

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      Arsenal want emergency loan transfer after suffering more Covid cases with Smith Rowe and Tomiyasu doubts for Liverpool

      by

      ARSENAL are looking to make some emergency loan signings after being hit by more Covid cases ahead of their Carabao Cup semi-final against Liverpool.Emile Smith Rowe and Takehiro Tomiyasu are also injury doubts leaving Mikel Arteta’s squad looking worryingly thin.
      Emile Smith Rowe has a tight groin which could keep him out of Arsenal’s Carabao Cup semi-final with LiverpoolCredit: Rex
      Takehiro Tomiyasu also has a calf problem which has given Mikel Arteta a selection headacheCredit: Getty
      The decision to allow Ainsley Maitland-Niles to join Roma on loan has already backfired after Granit Xhaka tested positive for Covid at the weekend.
      That means Albert Sambi-Lokonga and 18-year-old rookie Charlie Patino will be the only central midfield players available for Thursday’s trip to Anfield.
      Manager Arteta is already sweating on Xhaka recovering from his second bout of the virus in time for Sunday’s crucial North London derby away to Spurs.
      Xhaka, who refused to be vaccinated before he tested positive while on international duty with Switzerland last September, is currently in isolation along with striker Folarin Balogun.
      And even though he is due out of quarantine before the weeknd, he will have missed a whole week’s training in the build-up to the game against sixth-placed Spurs.
      But with Thomas Partey and Mohamed Elneny both away at the African Cup of Nations, Arteta is desperately hoping to strengthen his squad with an emergency loan signing.
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      Granit Xhaka has tested positive for Covid ahead of the gameCredit: Getty
      And so has Folarin BalogunCredit: Rex
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      He knows it is crucial for his team to hold their nerve following back to back defeats by Manchester City in the Premier League and Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup.
      But with the Spurs game sandwiched between the two legs of the Carabao Cup semi-final, the next ten days could have a huge bearing on Arsenal’s ambitions to win a trophy and secure a top four finish.
      Arteta was deeply unimpressed by his players’ efforts during Sunday’s shock FA Cup exit against Forest.
      No-one struggled more than teenagee rookie Patino, who was substituted 20 minutes from the end of his first start for the club.
      Now Arteta wants to protect the promising youngster from unrealistic expectations at such a crucial state of his career.
      And he will be reluctant to include Patino in the starting line-up at Anfield on Thursday with so much at stake for the club.
      NEW ODEGAARD ROLE?
      That could mean Martin Odegaard dropping into a deeper role or a defender such as Ben White or Calum Chambers moving into midfield.
      But neither solution would be perfect, causing even greater consternation over the timing of Maitland-Niles’ departure to Roma.
      Arteta had been extremely reluctant to allow the England international to leave until the end of the month because of concerns over a lack of cover.
      But both Maitland-Niles and Roma boss Jose Mourinho made it clear that they were not prepared to wait and now Arteta’s worst fears have been realised.
      To add insult to injury, central midfielders Matteo Guendouzi and Lucas Torreira have also been loaned out by Arsenal and will need to be sold to fund any potential new signings.
      Arteta spoke of his midfield issues last week and claimed: “We are going to move and look for options because we are very short there.”
      But he seemed less optimistic after Sunday’s FA Cup setback, admitting: “I think it’s clear where we need to strengthen but at the moment we have to try to get the best out of the players we have.”
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