Defensive Struggles

By: Oliver Fisher AC Milan’s top four hopes suffered yet another blow on Saturday evening at San Siro as they were beaten 3-0 by Udinese. It was a nightmare from start to finish, with Arthur Atta’s deflected cross and Jurgen Ekkelenkamp’s header putting Udinese 2-0 up before the break, while Milan continued to miss chances at the other […] The post AC Milan 0-3 Udinese: Disastrous defensive performance damages top four hopes appeared first on SempreMilan.

Alexander-Arnold struggled defensively against Luis Diaz but the quality of his delivery cannot be ignored after he and Jude Bellingham led Real Madrid’s second-half resurgence, writes Chris Wilson

Two ‘factory’ teams of German football proved that there is plenty at stake in the Bundesliga after a 6-3 win for Leverkusen They said nobody cared enough for the stakes to be this high. If discussion over the destination of the title (and second place for that matter) has been and gone, there is plenty more in the Bundesliga tank and for Bayer Leverkusen and Wolfsburg, two clubs who will never hold universal approval despite producing teams to thrill us and break the Bayern monopoly in the last two decades, that is truer than for most. Before RB Leipzig were around to corral all the disapproval of German supporters at large, there was El Plastico. As the two ‘factory’ teams of German football, grown from Bayer and Volkswagen respectively rather than from a fanbase, Leverkusen and Wolfsburg have endured a lifetime of rival fans looking down their noses at them, judging them as not organic or real enough. Conversely this fixture, if derided by some, has produced a string of memorable games; the 5-4 win for Wolfsburg at the Bay Arena in 2015 during current coach Dieter Hecking’s successful first spell, sealed by Bas Dost’s four goals, or the typically later-than-late Leverkusen 4-3 in September 2024 dusted by Victor Boniface’s stoppage-time winner. So when Bild’s headline called this “the wildest plastico of all time,” they really did mean it was something special. Tension and huge potential consequences can often make for a stilted, cautious spectacle. Not here. For Wolfsburg, there was an element of predictability in that it was a 20th successive game without a clean sheet – and they didn’t look like keeping one for an instant. Still, the record – the worst defensive run in the club’s history since a previous Hecking side did the same in 2014 – wouldn’t have mattered at all had Die Wölfe held the 3-1 lead with which they approached half-time, having seemingly found some nerve to help their desperate situation at the bottom of the table. In that first half, Hecking would have been delighted. If there had been a thick volume of hard luck stories over recent weeks, Wolfsburg had no time to listen to them here. After Jonas Wind’s opener, they were unhappy with the penalty awarded to Leverkusen when Joakim Mæhle feathered a slight touch on Ibrahim Maza in the penalty area – converted for the hosts by Alejandro Grimaldo – but literally seconds later Mæhle himself stepped up to blast Wolfsburg back in front with a rocket from long range. When Christian Eriksen converted a Wolfsburg penalty shortly after it was 3-1 and finally the strugglers were showing real fortitude. There was light, at last, at the end of the tunnel. Instead, the inevitable Grimaldo brought Leverkusen back into the match by finishing a smart move just before half-time, enabling his coach, Kasper Hjulmand, to make the changes at the break to turn the match, and perhaps to change his own fate at the helm. For if we look at Wolfsburg’s moment of crisis, the home side were facing one at 3-1 down. “A change of coach is not a scenario we are considering,” Leverkusen’s sporting director, Simon Rolfes, had said before the game but losing at home to a team in the bottom two – to severely compromise Die Werkself’s chances of a return to the Champions League – would have sorely tested that stance. It wouldn’t have been the first time Rolfes has been forced into an abrupt pivot this season. That, incidentally, is what Hjulmand used to really change the momentum; taking off Equi Fernández, bringing on Patrik Schick to join Christian Kofane up front and really attacking in a season where Leverkusen have often looked too tentative. Schick equalised from another spot-kick before Edmund Tapsoba put the hosts in front. The excellent Maza added another and substitute Malik Tillman made it six after a brilliant slalom along the byline by Ernest Poku.

Alexi Lalas fired up the X spaces for an instant reaction podcast to the USMNT's 3-1 loss to Germany. Alexi and Mosse react to Gio Reyna starting for the US, Christian Pulisic's goal, the team's defensive struggles and more. They also answer questions from fans like if expectations are too high or too low for Gregg Berhalter, what the chances are to play more top tier competition like Germany, and if this truly is the golden generation of the USMNT. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Another action-packed week, unpacked by Jimbo, Michael Cox, Tom Williams and Duncan Alexander. Chelsea sack Thomas Tuchel with Brighton’s Graham Potter set to replace him at Stamford Bridge. We look at where it went wrong for Tuchel who never found an attacking solution, as Potter looks to back himself at one of the top jobs Terrified Liverpool give one of the worst defensive displays in Champions League history and in the words of Jurgen Klopp, need to reinvent themselves. Napoli are rampant, Bayern impress while PSG’s front three strut their stuff but also refuse to defend. Andrew Todos talks us through the feel-good story of the week in the Champions League – Shakhtar’s 4-1 win in Leipzig. It’s another goal-filled week for the unstoppable Erling Haaland. If only he’d picked England. And Michael tells us all about Keira Walsh and her world record move to Barcelona, ahead of the return of the WSL RUNNING ORDER: • PART 1: Chelsea sack Tuchel and chase Potter, with Liam Twomey (02.30) • PART 2a: Napoli 4-1 Liverpool (19.00) • PART 2b: Bayern and PSG impress (29.00) • PART 2c: Shakhtar win in Leipzig, with Andrew Todos (35.30) • PART 3: Man City v Spurs and other PL offerings (42.00) • PART 4: Barca break world record for Keira Walsh (55.00) SIGN UP TO THE ATHLETIC TODAY FOR £1 A MONTH FOR THE FIRST 6 MONTHS • theathletic.com/totally Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

- SUBSCRIBE TO OUR PODCAST: http://cornerofthegalaxy.com/subscribe/ - COG LA GALAXY DISCORD: https://discord.gg/drr9HFZY2P - COG MERCHANDISE (SCARVES, T-SHIRTS, BUTTONS, COASTERS): http://www.cornerofthegalaxy.com/SHOP COG STUDIOS, Calif. -- Did it feel like this last year? When the LA Galaxy played some of their biggest games and always came up short? Did it feel like that again on Saturday when the Galaxy dominated a Seattle Sounders team but got nothing for it? And did the defense regress back to last year? Is it all too familiar? On today's show, hosts Josh Guesman and Kevin Baxter discuss the Galaxy's 3-2 loss of the Seattle Sounders. The guys will start with the basics, but there are some fundamental questions about the defense and why it broke down in three set-piece opportunities. And yes, we're counting the penalty kick as a set-piece breakdown. And while defense is a team game, there's one individual who bears a lot of the brunt of the collapses -- and that's Julian Araujo. He's mentioned in all three goals and can be directly be blamed for the first two. So what's happening to the wonderkid? And is it a bigger problem to worry about or something he can work through? Is the pressure from Mexico, and those huge expectations, finally getting to him? Or has a more talented Araujo just not figured out how to put it all together in the first three games? And should Greg Vanney be looking to change things up and sit Araujo? Plus, the Galaxy's offense is second in shots but much further down the list in goals. While possession is generating the chances, are the Galaxy missing too many good looks at goal. And who needs to put them in the back of the net? Kevin Cabral is undoubtedly someone to focus on. But Chicharito is also an excellent place to look for more. We've got a fun show with a lot of analysis from the Galaxy's loss, so join us for some Galaxy-talk and see what we got right and what we got wrong!

Landon and Jeremiah are back where they belong in non-video, pre-recorded podcast form after doing a live preview of the Copa Tejas final from the National Soccer Hall of Fame. Topics include: -Review of Austin FC's 10-man loss to FC Dallas -Diego Fagundez's banger -Collective defensive lapse to allow the equalizer -Did Cerrillo deserve a red card? -Jimenez's harsh red -Could Wolff have managed subs better? -Sporting KC and Portland Previews (39:22) -Best food at Q2 Stadium -Micah Burton cal...

In this Full Episode, the guys sit down and talk about the biggest headlines from MLS in the past week. Defensive Struggles are plentiful around MLS this week, as Andrew breaks down Seattle's 7 goal rout over San Jose goal by goal. Also, Adam gives his thoughts on who's the next coach to follow Chris Armas out the door! As always, we end on our Fantasy MLS must-haves and Question of the Day! Send any emails with questions or comments to: [email protected] Follow the Pod on Social Media...

From the highs of Portland to the lows of Toronto. It had been a busy and mixed few days for Vancouver Whitecaps. A lot of ups and a lot of downs, so it was perhaps only expected that we got both of those in the 'Caps 2-2 draw with New York Red Bulls on Saturday. Depending on your glass half full/empty attitude to the 'Caps this season, this was either a battling point against one of the best teams in MLS this year, or two crucial points blown by an avoidable late goal. We take a look back at the match and hear from both head coaches. Coming out of the draw, and with the West looking tight but also close to getting away from the Whitecaps, we look a bit further ahead and look at the future of some players and coaches, and look yet again at the team's current defensive woes. All this, plus we hear from Tim Parker on his return to B.C. Place, talk about the mess the Vancouver Southsiders find themselves in after their recent statement about Kendall Waston, look at the weekend's action around MLS West, and Section 5 feature in this week's Wavelength. Here's the full episode rundown of the main segments from the show:02.11: Vancouver Whitecaps v New York Red Bulls match analysis26.24: Coaches audio - Carl Robinson and Chris Armas33.44: The future of some Whitecaps players and coaches49.21: The Whitecaps defensive woes (again)63.13: Tim Parker interview and discussion73.22: Tim Parker Ice Cream Man75.34: The Southsiders find themselves in a hole94.07: Wavelength - Section 5 - Every Saturday98.25: MLS West week in review109.30: BC Soccerweb headlines - a look at some stories from around the football world