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Chelsea lost a tense Carabao Cup final to Liverpool yesterday despite having a string of chances throughout the match.

They were outdone by poor finishing and the brilliance of Anfield ‘keeper Caoimhin Kelleher meant it was the sixth successive English domestic cup final that the Blues had lost.

Throughout the match, several Chelsea players did impress, and they came close to opening the scoring on numerous occasions, most notably when Raheem Sterling had the ball in the net, but the goal was disallowed due to offside.

The Englishman was one of their weakest links, however, failing to rise up to the occasion.

Raheem Sterling’s match in numbers vs Liverpool

If Nicolas Jackson had held his run for a fraction of a second, Sterling would have netted the opener, but aside from that, the former Manchester City wizard offered nothing.

The winger took just 19 touches and completed only eight passes during his 67 minutes on the pitch, and he even failed to succeed with any of his three dribble attempts.

Sterling even managed to lose every single duel he contested as he was easily bullied off the ball and his overall performance simply meant Chelsea looked like they were down to ten men.

5/10 Chelsea star was their Carabao Cup final villain

One Chelsea star in particular failed to turn up during their Carabao Cup final defeat.

ByMatt Dawson Feb 25, 2024

He wasn’t just the main villain though, as Jackson had a chance to make himself a hero for the Stamford Bridge side in his first cup final since arriving last summer, but he too failed to make an impact at Wembley.

Nicolas Jackson’s statistics vs Liverpool

While Jackson may have been slightly more involved during the match than Sterling, as he made a key pass, won six of his 15 contested duels and succeeded with two of his four dribble attempts, his lack of composure did not bode well for Chelsea.

The striker completed just 12 passes throughout the 90 minutes, which was alarmingly 15 fewer than goalkeeper Djorde Petrovic, while only taking 31 touches, showing that when he had the ball at his feet, the former Villarreal forward was rather wasteful.

Liverpool were there for the taking during spells of the final yesterday, and the Blues had a variety of chances to score, but they were outfoxed by their opponents time and time again with Jackson arguably having one of the better chances in the game.

Sent over the top by Enzo Fernandez, the forward raced towards goal only to be denied as Ibrahima Konate dashed back to help deny him. In truth, Jackson really should have found the net.

Mauricio Pochettino would have been counting on his two biggest attacking threats to pose more of a danger to the Liverpool defence, yet they both failed to even register a shot on target during the match.

There is no doubt this Chelsea side will eventually come good, especially with the sheer volume of young talent present in their squad, but will it be Pochettino who brings out the best of his so-called 'billion pound bottle jobs'?

Both Jackson and Sterling need to show big improvements heading into the future, as their display at Wembley yesterday was far from good enough, and it shows that in order to win a major trophy, Pochettino simply has to have a proper out-and-out striker to convert chances.

Between now and May, the Argentinian must raise morale for the Blues to move into the top half of the Premier League table, otherwise he may be handed his P45 at the end of the campaign.

Domenico Tedesco blamed slow traffic from the hotel to the stadium, which in turn impacted his team talk ahead of their dire draw against Ukraine.

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Belgium drew 0-0 with UkraineWere lacklustre in attackTedesco blames slow trafficWHAT HAPPENED?

The draw, while sufficient to secure Belgium a spot in the last 16 of Euro 2024, left much to be desired in terms of on-field performance. The Red Devils looked sluggish in attack and their manager came up with a bizarre defence to shield the ineffectiveness of his players and tactics.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT TEDESCO SAID

Tedesco expressed his frustration with the local organisation, pointing out that the team's delayed arrival at the stadium disrupted their pre-match preparations.

"We arrived at the stadium in circumstances I never saw before," Tedesco said. "It took one hour to come from the hotel with a police escort. The road was completely free, but they slowed down to 20-25 kilometres per hour. Every traffic light was red. I had two minutes to make a preparation talk and we had to reduce the warmup. It’s unbelievable, unbelievable, unbelievable."

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The coach didn't stop there. He also pointed to other disruptive factors that he felt undermined his team's performance, saying: "Everything is happening here. Everything is allowed. We can have a delay of one hour and not delay the game for 15 minutes. There were laser pens being shone in our eyes. There were many things in the first game and we still qualified, that’s why I’m so proud of the players."

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Despite the qualification, Belgium's supporters expressed their dissatisfaction by booing the team after the final whistle which forced skipper Kevin De Bruyne to haul his team-mates down the tunnel.

Tedesco acknowledged the fans' reaction, saying: “Of course we are a little bit surprised. For us, it was very important to qualify. We lost the first game and then things are not that easy, because if you concede one goal you are out. I have no message for the fans other than that we need them”.

A new target has emerged to replace Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool manager, with the "excellent" boss in question a serial winner who FSG could offer an eye-catching salary to.

Liverpool manager latest

It still seems scarcely believable that Klopp isn't going to be in charge at Anfield after this season, with the German one of the greatest figures in the history of the club. Sunday's EFL Cup final win over Chelsea was the latest display of his genius, as he masterminded a dramatic 1-0 win with a host of youngsters on the pitch.

Whoever comes in to replace the 56-year-old is going to have such a tough job on their hands, with Klopp potentially leaving one of the biggest voids a manager ever has in the English game.

Xabi Alonso continues to stand out as the favourite to take over from the German, with the former Liverpool midfielder working wonders at Bayer Leverkusen, not yet tasting defeat in the Bundesliga this season.

He is not the only potential target being looked at, however, and it appears as though the Reds are going down the route of looking at Europe's most exciting young bosses. Former Bayern Munich and current Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann is seen as an option, and the same applies to Sporting CP's highly-rated leader Ruben Amorim.

Now, another new name has been thrown into the hat, as Liverpool keep their options open in the hunt to find Klopp's successor.

Liverpool interested in Simone Inzaghi

According to Tuttosport on Tuesday [via Football Italia], Liverpool and FSG are interested in Inter Milan boss Simone Inzaghi, with Manchester United and Chelsea also keen on snapping him up.

The update from the latter states that the Italian currently "earns €5.5m (£4.7m) net per season plus add-ons, adding that "the Premier League offers could reach around €8m-€9m (£6.8m-£7.7m) per year, figures his Italian club are unlikely to match."

Inzaghi certainly represents an intriguing option for Liverpool, considering how much he has already achieved in the game, winning three Italian Cups – two with Inter and one with Lazio. He has also been hailed by former defender Lele Adani, who has said of him:

"Simone Inzaghi is an excellent coach who continues to evolve. I believe his team’s performances and results speak for him."

Italian Cup (Inter Milan)

2023

Italian Cup (Inter Milan)

2022

Italian Cup (Lazio)

2019

Italian Super Cup (Inter Milan)

2024

Italian Super Cup (Inter Milan)

2023

Italian Super Cup (Inter Milan)

2022

Italian Super Cup (Lazio)

2020

Italian Super Cup (Lazio)

2018

The 47-year-old likes to adopt a 3-5-2 system that gets the best out of wing-backs, which could see the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Conor Bradley and Andy Robertson shine at Liverpool, and the job he is doing at Inter currently speaks for itself, with the Nerazzurri top of Serie A by nine points with a game in hand.

Jurgen Klopp "pretty sure" Liverpool star will sign new long-term contract

This would go down so well with Reds supporters.

ByHenry Jackson Feb 27, 2024

Plenty may feel as though Alonso is the best choice to replace Klopp, however, given his reputation as a special young coach, highlighted by his brilliance in charge at Leverkusen. His Liverpool past helps, too – but plenty of supporters could also see sense in Inzaghi being appointed, making this one to watch.

Chelsea are reportedly ready to offer Nicolas Jackson to Newcastle United in their bid to lower Alexander Isak's £115 million ($145m) asking price.

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Chelsea continue their pursuit of IsakNewcastle remain firm on their £115m valuationBlues looking for a player+cash dealWHAT HAPPENED?

Valued at around £115m, the Swedish international has caught the eye of many top clubs across Europe. However, Chelsea are looking to sweeten the deal by including Jackson as part of the package, hoping to lower the financial outlay required to bring Isak to Stamford Bridge, according to

Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Jackson had a mixed debut season at Chelsea. Despite his struggles, he managed to score 17 goals and provide six assists across all competitions, showcasing his potential, particularly towards the end of the season when he netted four goals in his last five Premier League games. Chelsea allegedly view Jackson as a valuable asset for the future, but he could become a necessary sacrifice to facilitate the acquisition of Isak.

DID YOU KNOW?

Eddie Howe has been firm on holding on to Isak as he was pivotal for the Magpies with an impressive tally of 25 goals in 40 appearances, including 21 in the league. The manager is instead open to the idea of selling Callum Wilson, as he wants to build his tactical plan around Isak and would not lose him to a direct rival.

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GettyWHAT NEXT?

Known for his agility, technical skills, and goal-scoring prowess, Isak would be a valuable addition to Chelsea's forward line. His ability to perform under pressure and deliver in crucial moments makes him a desirable target for Chelsea's ambitions in both domestic and European competitions under the guidance of Enzo Maresca, who is pushing the club management to sign a proven goalscorer.

On their arrival in India, new team director Enoch Nkwe said they have ‘to start building for the future’

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Sep-20191:53

‘We strongly believe in Quinton’ – Enoch Nkwe

South Africa have hinted at the possibility of Quinton de Kock being a captaincy candidate keeping in mind next year’s T20 World Cup in Australia. De Kock will lead a fairly young side in the three T20Is against India in regular captain Faf du Plessis’ absence, as their new team director Enoch Nkwe wants to “start building for the future”.”I strongly believe that we have a good enough squad. We have a good leader here,” Nkwe said at South Africa’s arrival press conference in Dharamsala, ahead of the series opener on Sunday. “It’s also an opportunity to start building for the future. We know where Faf stands, as a captain and as a player. He’s done great things for South African cricket. We also need to look at what the future looks like. We believe in Quinton, who’s going to be leading the team in this series.”South Africa’s post World Cup shake-up and du Plessis’ age (35) could be among the reasons for them looking at new candidates. De Kock is just 26 and has featured in 191 internationals across formats since his debut in 2012. In India, he will lead a squad of 14 that features several newcomers. Nkwe, however, believes the players have got “good enough experience”.”If you look at the group of guys, we’ve got good enough experience,” Nkwe said. “The captain himself has played a lot of cricket here in India. We’ve got fresh blood that is coming into the squad and that’s very exciting. We’ll be competitive. We want to walk away with a series win. The entire squad is very determined. We’re here to win. We understand that the opposition is strong in their backyard, but that’s something we’re going to leave on the park. We’re going to give 100%.”At the end of the day, as a professional team, we’re entertainers. We hope that the kind of cricket we’ll be playing out there, people will be able to read and understand the brand of cricket we want to play. It’s a new chapter, and there are some new characters in the group. We’re still in the process of defining ourselves, but I know for sure that the guys want to get out there and play some exciting cricket.”De Kock said he was “looking forward” to the young team competing and fighting under him. “Coming into this series, we’ve got a lot of new players. Win or lose, I just want the guys to keep competing, keep fighting. As long as they keep doing that, I’m sure we’ll be in good hands. We’ve got quite a young team, so there will be a lot of energy. Looking forward to that.”The tour of India will be South Africa’s first assignment since their disastrous World Cup campaign but they are now looking ahead to the next global event as they have close to 20 games in hand before the T20 World Cup in October next year.”The focus for now is this coming series against India,” Nkwe said. “We’re looking to invest in a good foundation going into the T20 World Cup next year in Australia. But we still have a lot of games. We have about 20 games. So we’ll reassess the situation after these three games against India and see where we’re at, and how we build into the England series and so on. But for now the focus is the Indian series.”South African can draw inspiration from their T20I (2-0) and ODI (3-2) series wins when they last toured India, in 2015. De Kock had not featured in the T20 series then but he troubled the hosts in the ODIs, finishing as the third-highest scorer, behind team-mates du Plessis and AB de Villiers, with a tally of 318 runs and an impressive average of 63.60, with two centuries.”I haven’t played here (Dharamsala) myself, I’ve been here before but I haven’t played here,” de Kock recalled the opening T20 of the 2015 series in which South Africa had chased down 200 with seven wickets in hand. “The last time we were here, the wicket did play very well. I think Rohit [Sharma] got a hundred here, but we ended up chasing it down. So in the one game I’ve experienced here, it could be a good wicket. But we’re coming into the unknown, so we’ll have to assess quickly, and then just adapt.”

West Ham United fell to a late defeat away against Freiburg but will rue the contentious VAR decision that has threatened their place in the Europa League.

Despite defeating the German Bundesliga side both home and away in this season's group stage, David Moyes' side failed to bypass Noah Atubolu's goal and will now need to win at the London Stadium in one week.

The referee faced vehement objections from the Premier League side before moving to the monitor and maintaining his original decision. While West Ham have the quality to turn the tie around, it could prove costly.

Why West Ham had a penalty turned down

Trailing in the late phase following substitute Michael Gregoritsch's 81st-minute strike, the Irons applied the pressure and will feel aggrieved as Tomas Soucek hooked the ball into the flailing arms of Noah Weisshaupt in injury time.

It's a questionable decision, and while West Ham were wasteful all evening, it's a bitter pill to swallow.

Quite simply, the visitors should have been presented with the opportunity to restore parity from the spot in the dying embers.

However, the blame cannot fall solely onto the laps of the decision-makers, with Moyes' players on the pitch failing to find the back of the net and make their perceived superiority count, with Lucas Paqueta among those culpable.

Lucas Paqueta's performance vs Freiburg

Paqueta returned from injury as West Ham beat Brentford and played again during last weekend's turnaround victory against Everton at Goodison Park, ending a winless run that dated back to the last days of December, when Arsenal were beaten at the Emirates.

For all his influence, the Brazilian came up short on Thursday evening, sloppy in possession and profligate in front of goal, missing the target after a delightful cross from the impressive Mohammed Kudus.

Minutes played

89'

Touches

66

Accurate passes

34/49 (69%)

Big chances missed

1

Key passes

1

Dribble attempts

0/3

Possession lost

23x

Duels won

4/14

Tackles

2

As the table portrays, Paqueta proved painfully ineffectual at the Europa-Park Stadion, completing just 69% of his passes and losing possession 23 times – this could be forgiven if his attempts at creativity flowered promise, but he made just one key pass and failed with all of his dribble attempts.

Moreover, he won just 28.5% of his contested duels, hardly producing the kind of defensive performance that was needed, West Ham aware pre-match that a draw would not have been the worst result in the world.

The Evening Standard's Malik Ouzia echoes this sentiment, handing Paqueta a meek 5/10 match rating and writing in his post-match comments: 'Was lining up the opener when denied by Doan’s superb intervention, then headed over when he should have done better from Kudus's cross. Sloppy. Booked.'

West Ham can – rightly – bemoan the contentious officiating call all they want, but the plain fact is that the east Londoners should have been ahead far before and Paqueta must answer for his poor performance.

Still, London awaits next week and the Hammers will be confident that they can send their support into rapture. For Paqueta, he'll be eager to atone for his uncharacteristic showing, and given his first-class quality, he might just make amends and propel his side into the next round.

Cristiano Ronaldo may be tempted to follow the likes of Pep Guardiola and Xabi Alonso into management, claims former team-mate Pedro Mendes.

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All-time great is now 39 years of ageNot ready to head into retirement just yetWhat will happen after hanging up boots?GettyWHAT HAPPENED?

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has no need to consider the stresses of coaching as he has made enough money from a remarkable career to live out his days in luxurious comfort. Ronaldo has, however, committed his life to football and may find it difficult to sever ties with the game completely.

AdvertisementWHAT MENDES SAID

With that in mind, ex-Portugal colleague Mendes has told of seeing the all-time great swap the playing field for the dugout: “Cristiano Ronaldo is a very competitive guy with so many ideas about the game, but I have no idea if he wants to do his badges and move into coaching. But we have seen fantastic players becoming great managers like Pep Guardiola, Mikel Arteta and Xabi Alonso so you never know.”

Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Ronaldo is not ready to hang up his boots just yet, with 50 goals recorded for Al-Nassr last season at 39 years of age. Mendes believes CR7 has one more challenge left in him, which could bring his career full circle. Mendes added: “I think the perfect ending will be with Sporting, where everything started. He has had an amazing career and Sporting would provide him with a romantic ending. He is one of the two best footballers of all time and to finish where it all started would be perfect.”

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WHAT NEXT?

Ronaldo – who is currently on Euro 2024 duty with his country – stepped out of Sporting’s academy system and earned himself a move to Manchester United in 2003. He has gone on to star for Real Madrid, Juventus and Al-Nassr since then, breaking countless records along the way, and has hinted at prolonging his playing days through to the 2026 World Cup.

South Africa manage only 89 for 7 in pursuit of 141 in a truncated game

The Report by Shashank Kishore01-Oct-2019
South Africa women dropped three catches in the first four overs. India women nailed a direct hit with their very first opportunity through Pooja Vastrakar in the second over of the chase to remove Lizelle Lee, South Africa’s most dangerous batsman. This was just a small window to exhibit the gulf between both sides in a 17-overs-a-side contest in front of nearly 8000 fans in Surat.India defended 140, made on the back of vital knocks from 15-year-old Shafali Verma (46) and 19-year-old Jemimah Rodrigues (33). South Africa, although steady, didn’t get the big hits away in the face of some superb spin bowling from the Yadavs – Poonam and Radha.Seven overs into their chase, the asking rate touched ten runs an over and that resulted in a series of desperate heaves, slogs and mistimed reverse sweeps on a slow wicket. South Africa managed just 89 for 7 in the end; India’s 51-run win helping them clinch the series 2-0 with one game to play.Poonam came within a hair’s breadth of a hat-trick, after sending back Nadine de Klerk and Mignon du Preez. Where de Klerk was undone by dip and sharp turn, slicing a lofted hit to cover, du Preez holed out at long-on after being deceived in flight. Sune Luus, the captain, averted the hat-trick, despite being beaten on a slog, as she dragged her back foot back in time. At this stage, South Africa were 65 for 4 at the end of 11 overs, and the chase only went downhill from there on. Luus was out stumped in the next over to hand Poonam her third wicket.Where wickets were the order of play in the second innings, misfields and dropped chances were aplenty in the first. South Africa should have had Smriti Mandhana off the third ball but neither the bowler Shabnim Ismail nor mid-off ran across to pouch a top-edge. Mandhana was reprieved again on 6 when de Klerk put down a skier as she back-pedalled at extra cover.Shafali, too, lived dangerously, surviving a series of mistimed heaves and slogs. Her first boundary, in the second over, came off a streaky edge off a slog that flew past the wicketkeeper. She hit her straps only in the sixth over when she drove Luus superbly through extra cover, and then charged down the pitch to muscle a full toss over deep midwicket. India rode their luck to move to 43 without loss in six overs.Even as all this played out, Mandhana continued to live a charmed life as she was dropped for a third time on 11 at long-off by Tumi Sekhukhune. Then in the ninth over, Laura Woolvardt palmed a superb hit from Shafali at deep midwicket for six. Two (legal) balls later, Shafali was dismissed, with India well placed at 65 for 2.Harmanpreet usually likes to take her time to settle in, but on Tuesday she came out playing her shots. She stepped out and used her high backlift and long reach to muscle a huge six down the ground and also played the slog-sweep superbly, racing to 15 off six balls. Harmanpreet’s enterprise rubbed off on Jemimah Rodrigues, who in contrast to Harmanpreet, relied on timing and wristwork to keep picking off runs.She walked across to flick incoming deliveries through midwicket, fetched full deliveries from outside off to bisect midwicket and long-on, and often made room to get underneath the length and scythe the ball between cover and point. This fine exhibition of clean ball-striking gave India end-overs momentum. While Rodrigues didn’t stay till the end, her 22-ball 33 helped India plunder 71 off their last eight overs.South Africa lost Lee in the first over of the chase, when a misunderstanding resulted in Tasmin Brits turning her back on her after initially looking to pinch an overthrow. While South Africa had started with medium-pace from both ends, India began with spin from one end and immediately had the batsmen struggling for timing.Woolvardt and Brits added 39 off 37 balls, but by then the desperation to find the big hits was all too apparent. This played into the hands of Poonam, whose loop and flight – that didn’t give them any pace to work with – resulted in their undoing. Barring the twenties from Woolvardt and Brits, all other South African batsmen managed just single digits on a pitch where shot-making proved increasingly difficult as the game progressed. In the end, South Africa were left with a teasing thought: what might have been had they held onto their chances?

Inter Miami addresses Lionel Messi's ankle injury that he picked up during the Copa America win against Colombia.

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Messi injured against ColombiaSpotted with a swollen ankle on Argentina's benchHas a ligament injury to his right ankleWHAT HAPPENED?

The Argentine legend picked up the injury during the Copa America final at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, where the Albiceleste clinched victory over Colombia thanks to a late goal by Lautaro Martínez. Messi had to be taken off midway through the match and was later snapped with tears flowing down his cheeks and his ankle wrapped in ice, as he sat on the bench.

AdvertisementGetty/GOALTHE BIGGER PICTURE

It was earlier expected that Messi would miss two games – on Wednesday, July 19 against Toronto and Saturday, July 20 against Chicago. However, the latest update from Inter Miami's medical department painted a grim picture as it's been confirmed the forward has been sidelined with a ligament injury in his right ankle.

WHAT INTER MIAMI SAID

An official statement from Inter Miami read: "Inter Miami CF has provided an injury update presented by Baptist Health for captain Leo Messi. After a medical evaluation, it has been determined that Leo Messi has suffered a ligament injury in his right ankle. The captain's availability will be determined by periodic assessments and the progress of his recovery."

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR MESSI?

Messi has had an impressive season in Major League Soccer, scoring 12 goals and providing nine assists in 12 appearances. Nonetheless, Tata Martino's men have done well in his absence, winning five of the six matches, and will hope to continue in the same vein until the 37-year-old regains complete fitness.

Celtic progressed through to the semi-finals of the SFA Cup on Sunday as they came away with a less-than-comfortable 4-2 win over Livingston at Parkhead.

The away side pegged the Hoops back twice during the game but a hat-trick from Daizen Maeda, on his 100th appearance for the club in all competitions, and a late strike from Kyogo Furuhashi secured the win.

Brendan Rodgers brought the Japan international off the bench to find the back of the net, after Adam Idah failed to score for the second match in succession – having also missed a penalty against Hearts.

The Ireland international, who was brought in from Norwich City on loan on deadline day during the last summer transfer window, has enjoyed a strong start to life in Glasgow.

However, Celtic could have had an upgrade on Idah and a perfect striker for Rodgers had they not cashed in on Greek star Giorgos Giakoumakis under Ange Postecoglou last year.

How much Celtic sold Giorgos Giakoumakis for

The Scottish giants decided to part ways with the striker in February 2023 as MLS outfit Atlanta United swooped in to secure his services for a fee of £4.3m, which included £3.5m up-front.

That came under two years on from their £2.5m deal to sign him from Dutch side VVV-Venlo in the summer of 2021, which was Postecoglou's first window in charge of the club.

The Hoops won the Scottish Premiership title by the end of the 2021/22 campaign under the Australian head coach, and Giakoumakis played a key role in that success.

He plundered an eye-catching 13 goals and one assist in 21 top-flight appearances for the club, despite only 11 of those appearances being as a starter. The talented marksman was also the club's top goalscorer in the division that term, as Kyogo finished behind him with 12 goals.

Giakoumakis, who was hailed as "underrated" by journalist Josh Bunting, then found game time hard to come by during the following season as Kyogo was on fire with 27 goals in 31 league starts for Celtic.

The Japanese forward's sublime form meant that the Greek international was restricted to just four starts and 15 appearances in total in the top-flight. However, he did still manage to fire in six goals and assist one in that time, before his £4.3m move to Atlanta.

This meant that Giakoumakis ended his Celtic career with a staggering return of 19 goals and two assists in 15 starts, and 36 appearances overall, in the Premiership.

The 29-year-old ace, who scored 26 goals in 57 matches in all competitions, proved himself to be lethal in the box as a traditional number nine, and his goalscoring talent has been on full display since his move to the MLS last year.

Giorgos Giakoumakis' MLS stats for Atlanta United

Having arrived from the Hoops for £4.3m in February 2023, there may have been an expectation that Giakoumakis would hit the ground running in America.

However, they may not have envisaged it going quite as well as it has, as the impressive number nine has been prolific, to say the least, in the MLS.

Appearances

30

Starts

24

Expected Goals

14.82

Goals

19

Assists

2

Big chances created

4

As you can see in the table above, the Greek international plundered an outstanding return of 19 goals in 24 starts, with a goal every 108 minutes on average.

19 goals from an xG of 14.82 perfectly illustrates how lethal the former Celtic striker is in front of goal. He rarely passes up a good opportunity to find the back of the net, with his ruthless finishing inside the box.

Giakoumakis has also enjoyed a dream start to the 2023 MLS campaign. The devastating forward has scored three goals – from 1.75 xG – in two appearances, with a hat-trick against New England over the weekend.

This means that the experienced striker has scored 22 goals in 26 starts for Atlanta in the MLS, on top of the 19 goals in 15 league starts he managed for Celtic, and the 26 goals in 30 Eredivisie starts for VVV-Venlo during the 2020/21 campaign before his move to Scotland.

A sensational return of 67 goals in 71 league starts for those three clubs since the summer of 2020 illustrates his clinical nature, and shows why he would have been the perfect striker for Rodgers, and an upgrade on Idah.

Adam Idah's stats this season

The Ireland international joined the Hoops on deadline day after a return of six goals in 28 appearances – and 12 starts – in the Championship for Norwich during the first half of the season.

Last month, Rodgers highlighted Luis Suarez's development under him at Liverpool by narrowing the centre-forward's play to ensure that he is focused on his actions inside the box and in the final third, and used that as an example for Idah to follow.

Instead of dropping deep or moving out wide to go and get involved in matches, the attacker has been urged to stay central and be in the right place at the right time to score.

It appears to have worked for the 23-year-old dynamo so far, as the Irish gem has plundered five goals and one assist in six appearances and four starts in the Premiership, although he has failed to score in two SFA Cup outings.

Appearances

30

34

Starts

24

16

Goals

19

11

Expected Goals

14.82

9.52

Goals per start

0.79

0.69

Stats via Sofascore & WhoScored

As you can see in the table above, Giakoumakis would still be an upgrade on Idah – in spite of his improvement under Rodgers – based on their respective form in front of goal.

The Greek international, who also outscored his number of starts during his time with Celtic, scored more frequently than the Ireland international, and outperformed his xG by more, which suggests that he is the better finisher out of the two.

Giakoumakis is the perfect striker for Rodgers as he is a typical penalty box centre-forward, with only 0.4 dribbles completed and 0.8 key passes per game in the MLS last year, who does not waste much time getting involved in matches away from the area.

Therefore, the Hoops had already fumbled the dream number nine for the Northern Irish head coach before his return to the club later that year.

However, hindsight is a wonderful thing, and it would be harsh to overly criticise the Bhoys for that decision as it was made with Postecoglou, who favoured Kyogo in that role, in charge at the time.