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Bernd Leno thinks Arsenal’s Europa League battle can help the team expedite its return to contention.
The Gunners are unlikely to reclaim a Champions League berth via the top four, currently 10 points back of fourth-place Chelsea.
And possible obstacles to winning the Europa League include Inter Milan, Manchester United, Wolves, Sevilla, and Ajax amongst others.
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But Leno says a trophy, whether the FA Cup or UEL, would be huge. But even if the Gunners don’t manage to reach another final, the big moments against top competition will help strengthen their nerve.
From Football.London:
“In the Europa League and FA Cup we have so many difficult games, so many big games because we saw last season that in the Europa League quarter-finals and semi-finals you get Champions League teams. They are all playing for the title and the final was Arsenal against Chelsea [last season], so it was a very, very big game.
“We want to have this final again and also in the FA Cup. Everybody told me that the FA Cup final at Wembley is unbelievable with the atmosphere and it is also a trophy, a title and we are looking forward to playing these games. Hopefully we can win a title this season.”
It’s especially true for stars-in-waiting Gabriel Martinelli, Eddie Nketiah, and Bukayo Saka, and follows the same logic as sending Emile Smith-Rowe on loan to Huddersfield Town. Play in important spots for your side, and grow.
Arsenal is in training camp in the Middle East for its winter break, and will return to host Newcastle in the Premier League before beginning the Europa League Round of 32 tie with Olympiacos. Its next FA Cup opponent is Portsmouth on March 2, so it’s reasonable to figure Arsenal will take the next step toward silverware in both competitions.
Leno has been sensational for the Gunners this season, and he wasn’t bad in his first season after arriving from Bayer Leverkusen, either. Even if his top four prediction in December isn’t going according to plan.
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Stunning news out of Soccer House, where one of the most powerful and controversial men in the United States Soccer Federation is leaving the organization.
The federation announced Thursday night that U.S. Soccer chief commercial officer Jay Berhalter “stepped down” from his position.
“Jay has played an invaluable role in the growth of our Federation and the evolution of the game in our country,” said U.S. Soccer president Carlos Cordeiro. “His deep understanding of all the technical, commercial, and business aspects of the sport will have a lasting impact on the game across America.”
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Berhalter is the brother of USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter, and spent 15 years with U.S. Soccer. He played big roles in the U.S. hosted Women’s World Cup as well as the growth of the Development Academy for youth soccer and the National Women’s Soccer League, according to U.S. Soccer’s press release.
But reports earlier this week said he was being passed over for the federation’s CEO job. It was long discussed that Jay Berhalter had been hand-picked by outgoing CEO Dan Flynn.
There was plenty of controversy in Jay Berhalter’s final years on the job. That tumult escalated when his brother Gregg was hired to manage the United States men’s national team in a baffling hiring process that ignored some big and interested names.
Soon after, Jay Berhalter was mentioned as the probable CEO in waiting, but at least one report noted that new president Carlos Cordeiro did not want that.
Those reports and the impending status quo were met by a spate of terrible reviews from employees and former employees of U.S. Soccer on the job site Glassdoor.
The federation has to find a CEO, and there will be plenty of discussion about the future of the men’s team given the struggles under Gregg Berhalter. U.S. Soccer just hired legendary USMNT player Brian McBride as the program’s new general manager, operating under sporting director Earnie Stewart.
? | Jay Berhalter has stepped down as CCO of @ussoccer.
We are deeply grateful to Jay for his many years of service and contribution to the growth of the sport in the United States.
— U.S. Soccer (@ussoccer) February 7, 2020
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LONDON (AP) Concussion substitutions could be trialed in English soccer next season after proposals were presented to the game’s lawmakers.
The Premier League has given an initial suggestion to the rule-making International Football Association Board proposing that the current three-minute period to assess players for concussion would be used to determine if a “head injury replacement” is required.
A framework from the league’s medical advisor seen by The Associated Press said that if there are no immediate signs of concussion then the player would continue to be observed while back in action. If clearer concussion symptoms become evident, then the player can be replaced by a special substitution beyond the three changes currently allowed.
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The English Football Association prefers allowing players to be replaced at least temporarily for 10 minutes to allow a fuller concussion assessment, a person with knowledge of their thinking told the AP. The person spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the FA’s thinking ahead of the annual meeting of IFAB on Feb. 29 in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
The FA along with the other British federations hold half of the eight seats on the IFAB board, with international governing body FIFA controlling the other four votes to change laws.
The international players’ union shares the view of the English FA that temporary substitutes should be considered.
“We welcome discussions by football stakeholders with a view to safeguarding players who suffer a concussion,” FIFPRO general secretary Jonas Baer-Hoffmann said. “FIFPRO strongly believes doctors must be given enough time and space to…
Read more at this link (News Source).