The midfielder has added simplicity to Effzeh’s squad since arriving from Nice and has a nickname that might stickOne start and two substitute appearances in, and he is already being lauded as Der Zauberzwerg – the magic dwarf – for FC Köln. Vincent Koziello was one of the most wrong-footing signings of the Bundesliga’s winter window, a player heavily linked with Arsenal and even Barcelona in the past, a mini-Xavi cutting a swathe on the Côte d’Azur before arriving at the bottom club. He has, however, had to bide his time. “Vincent arrived just after we won against Gladbach,” coach Stefan Ruthenbeck recalled last week. “He hadn’t been playing much in Nice. We didn’t have any friendlies to integrate him....
The youngster is not elegant but he scored again as Milan’s manager showed he has the nous to win tactical battles tooGennaro Gattuso already had our attention. How could he not, after steering a Milan team that began 2018 in the bottom half of the table to seven wins and two draws in nine games? Under his stewardship, the Rossoneri had climbed all the way to joint-sixth, as well as progressing to the Coppa Italia semi-final and Europa League last-16. Related: Cengiz Under's talent no longer a secret as he profits at Roma | Paolo Bandini Serie A results Continue reading...
Max and co discuss the Juve of the north, more VAR teething problems, great headers, West Brom, players who are taller in real life and Mick McCarthy gifsRate, review, share on Apple Podcasts,Soundcloud, Audioboom, Mixcloud, Acast and Stitcher, and join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and email.Max Rushden is joined by Barry Glendenning, Barney Ronay and Priya Ramesh to chew over the latest football action. Starting with Tottenham’s 2-2 FA Cup draw away at Rochdale, we ask: are Rochdale to Spurs what Spurs are to Juventus? Continue reading...
It took until the sixth game for Alavés to win and by then two coaches had gone. Now survival in La Liga is within reachIn the words of one player, Abelardo Fernández is “an ordinary bloke” but he is doing extraordinary things, from revolution at the Molinón to resurrection at Mendizorroza, where at the end of their victory over Deportivo de La Coruña on Saturday, Alavés fans did something Alavés fans never do: they turned their backs on their team. Turned their backs, put their arms around each other’s shoulders, a human wall stretching across the east end of the ground, and bounced up and down, singing. In the middle of it, drums were held up and flags waved. At...
Less than a month after what seemed a deeply underwhelming appointment, it has begun to seem a brighter future is possibleThe fabled ‘new manager bounce’ is one thing. Stuttgart winning away, though? That’s something else entirely and after a first victory on the road since winning promotion back to the top flight, Tayfun Korkut is earning the right to be taken seriously.As the final whistle went on Sunday’s victory at overachieving Augsburg, there was a genuine sense of achievement. Stuttgart’s players celebrated not so much, it seemed, for getting one over near neighbours in Swabia but for the sensation that maybe a corner really has been turned. It has long been received wisdom that only maintaining their strong home form...