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Revelar novos talentos é tradição no Santos, mas na defesa nem sempre é assim. Enquanto os atacantes deslancham em grande número, os zagueiros revelados na base têm de ralar mais para conseguir o seu espaço.

Mas isso está prestes a mudar. Lucas Veríssimo e Gustavo Henrique tentam se firmar como dupla de zaga formada na base, algo que não acontece desde 2004, quando André Luis e Alex, que chegaram ao Peixe ainda quando jovens, foram bicampeões brasileiros juntos.

Neste sábado, diante do Novorizontino, às 21h, fora de casa, pela quarta rodada do Paulistão, a dupla chegará a uma marca pequena, mas importante para quem quer ir mais longe. Com o quarto jogo consecutivo, Lucas, que tem 20 anos, supera Jubal, que em 2014 chegou a fazer três jogos seguidos ao lado de Gustavo Henrique.

E se engana quem acha que Lucas Veríssimo vai se contentar em substituir David Braz por um tempo ou “guardar” o lugar para um novo reforço. Aliás, quando se diz isso a ele, a resposta é imediata e sincera.

– Se depender de mim, espero me manter jogando e melhorar cada vez mais. É uma satisfação ter essa sequência, o próximo jogo será o quarto consecutivo e espero manter – disse, em entrevista exclusiva ao LANCE!.

RelacionadasSantosSem Paulinho, Santos relaciona 22 jogadores para duelo com ‘novato’Santos12/02/2016SantosApós pichação, Santos decide refazer imagem de Robinho nos muros do CTSantos12/02/2016SantosPatito festeja titularidade no Santos: ‘Não importa a posição, quero ajudar’Santos12/02/2016

Assim como a dupla de 12 anos atrás, que tinha o apelido de “Torres Gêmeas”, por causa da altura e da semelhança física, Lucas e Gustavo não ficam para trás. O camisa 2 tem 1,96m de altura, enquanto o mais novo tem 1,88 m. E quem quiser cruzar na área do Peixe terá que pensar duas vezes antes de se arriscar.

– Com certeza. Além da boa estatura, somos bons pela bola aérea. Já vi bastante gente com boa estatura só que não tira muito proveito da bola aérea, mas nós dois vamos aproveitando, tanto é que ele (Gustavo) fez um gol de bola ofensiva no último jogo e tive oportunidade também – afirmou Lucas Veríssimo

De olho em repetir a história de conquistas da última zaga formada em casa, Gustavo Henrique e Lucas Veríssimo terão de suar muito. E nada melhor do que engatar uma grande sequência como titulares para se firmarem cada vez mais. Três jogos já foram. Vão chegar a quantos?

Confira um bate-bola exclusivo com Lucas Veríssimo:

Você sabia que a última zaga com jogadores formados na base que durou mais de quatro jogos foi André Luis e Alex?
Não lembrava (risos). Faz muito tempo. Graças a Deus venho dando sequência e espero manter.

A todo momento saem notícias sobre um novo zagueiro na mira do Santos. Come isso te afeta?
Acompanho as notícias do esporte, vi até que o Werley poderia voltar, mas voltando ou não, vou continuar fazendo a minha parte, treinando forte do jeito que venho fazendo e fico à disposição do professor, é ele quem manda e quem coloca ou não para jogar. Estarei à sua disposição e fazendo a minha da melhor forma.

O que o Dorival te fala a respeito de novos zagueiros?
Apenas para não dar ouvido ao que vem de fora e procurar dentro de campo a fazer a minha parte e a dar meu melhor para ajudar.

Você veio do Linense e está acostumado ao interior. Isso pode te favorecer no Paulistão?
Joguei lá por mais de um ano, sou adaptado àquela região. Conheço bastante, agora no fim de semana estarei lá. Contra o Novorizontino joguei na base também e agora é no profissional. Espero que nossa equipe possa sair de lá com a vitória.

Quando dizem que zagueiro bom é aquele que chega forte é verdade ou só lenda de interior?
Papo furado (risos)! Isso é antigo, meu pai mesmo falava isso para mim. Mas hoje em dia tem que ser técnico, bom pelo alto, bom por baixo, precisa sempre procurar melhorar. Você não precisa ser perfeito em cada detalhe, mas precisa procurar melhorar em tudo que você puder.

Você e o Gustavo Henrique são altos. Quem quiser cruzar na área do Santos tem que ser corajoso?
Além da boa estatura, somos bons pela bola aérea. Já vi bastante gente com boa estatura só que não tira muito proveito da bola aérea, mas nós dois vamos aproveitando, tanto é que ele fez um gol de bola ofensiva no último jogo e tive oportunidade também. A gente vem trabalhando, espero que tenhamos oportunidades ofensivas e nas defensivas façamos nosso melhor para não tomar gol.

When Diogo Jota departed Wolves in the summer for Liverpool, questions were asked about who was going to step up for the Old Gold.

On paper, the mantle was there to be taken by Adama Traore. The frightening winger has the potential to cause any defence in world football troubles with his pace and dribbling skills but he hasn’t scored a single goal in the league in 2020.

Thus, the pedestal has been taken on by another Portuguese. The young man in question is the effervescent Pedro Neto.

The Wolves winger has come alive this season and looks better than ever, proving to be a constant nuisance to Premier League backlines. He’s already scored four goals and provided three assists this season but even though he didn’t score against Tottenham on Sunday, this was perhaps one of his best outings yet.

Neto was a constant thorn in Spurs’ defence and ran his former teammate Matt Doherty and Davinson Sanchez ragged.

Everything good that happened for Wolves came through the 20-year-old as he performed three successful dribbles and three accurate crosses. It was a near-perfect performance from the winger, someone who also registered three key passes for his side, including one assist.

What was most impressive, however, was that he didn’t shy away from tackles and physical battles. The Portugal international was busy and used his surprising amount of strength to good effect. Neto won four out of his nine ground duels which certainly isn’t bad for a young attacker.

In 2020/21, the wide man is coming off age and looks a real talent. As Tim Spiers says, Neto has made “incredible progress” in the past 12 months.

Although that’s good for the player, it won’t be unsurprising if they face a challenge to keep hold of him next summer.

In every sense of the phrase, Neto could be Jota 2.0 at Wolves. He is a phenomenal youngster already making tremendous strides at the highest level.

AND in other news, Wolves maestro who made 11 ball recoveries was Nuno’s real star on Sunday…

According to TEAMtalk, Benfica are interested in signing Glen Kamara from Glasgow Rangers.

What’s the word?

The 27-cap Finland international has been in such fine form so far this season as Steven Gerrard’s side sit at the top of the Scottish Premiership and qualified for the knockout stages of the Europa League.

It’s perhaps hardly surprising other clubs have begun to take notice of the midfielder, with TEAMtalk claiming their Europa League rivals have entered the race to sign Kamara amid interest from Crystal Palace, Everton, Newcastle, Sheffield United and Southampton.

The report adds they have all been closely monitoring his situation with the winter transfer market set to open in just under a month’s time.

Keep Kamara at all costs!

Whilst Alfredo Morelos has also been linked with a move away from Ibrox in recent months – with recent reports revealing Lille have a longstanding interest in the Colombia international – losing Kamara would arguably be an even bigger blow for Steven Gerrard.

The 25-year-old has been the most vital cog in Gerrard’s side so far this season and is one of the main reasons why Rangers are at the top of the table and in the Europa League last 32.

In 20 appearances for the Gers this season, the defensive midfielder has scored one goal in all competitions, whilst he is averaging 2 tackles and 1.6 interceptions per game in the Europa League, via WhoScored.

Kamara has consistently been one of Gerrard’s star performers and will no doubt continue to play a key part in their future success – if he stays at the club, of course.

It’s no wonder former professional footballers like Neil Murray have swooned over the midfielder, with the ex-Rangers star saying “he was excellent at the weekend and he really is an intelligent footballer,” which is precisely why Ross Wilson can’t afford to lose the colossus, who currently earns wages worth £6,200-per-week.

Kamara’s immense work rate would simply be too hard to replace, and he has made it clear he is happy to stay with the 54-time Scottish champions, who are in no rush to sell him anytime soon.

AND in other news, Steven Gerrard must bench Glasgow Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos for the foreseeable future…

Tottenham Hotspur’s name has been swirling around the uncertain Manchester United future of Jesse Lingard. During the summer transfer window, Jose Mourinho and co were reportedly eyeing up a £30million swoop to reunite the pair after the three-time Premier League winner was sacked from his role with the Red Devils.

However, talks fizzled out and The Athletic’s Charlie Eccelshare claimed that Mourinho is not interested in bringing Lingard to north London. In fact, there is reportedly “no chance” that a deal between the England international and Spurs will come to fruition.

Whilst this may be a blow for the player, it’s good news for the Tottenham fans who have been crying out for some creativity in the middle of the park.

Why Spurs were right to snub Jesse Lingard

Despite being an England international and a huge name associated with one of the biggest clubs in the world, Lingard is not a player many clubs would move mountains to sign. At 27-years-old, the attacking midfielder is still yet to wow the world with a sublime season in front of goal. Whilst he may simply have a case of late-bloomeritis, Spurs do not have the time to wait around for a player to show his worth.

The Tottenham engine room is seriously lacking and Mourinho needs a creative player who is going to arrive and immediately make waves. The perfect example is Bruno Fernandes at United, who Spurs will undoubtedly be kicking themselves over not signing a year earlier.

The Lilywhites are currently second in the Premier League table, but they have been resting heavily on Harry Kane and Son Heung-min. Between the dynamic duo, they have scored 15 of Tottenham’s 19 goals this season and have assisted ten of them (via BBC Sport). Whilst the pair work wonderfully together, Spurs know all too well how detrimental it is to have one – or both – sidelined through injury.

The club cannot afford to rely solely on the two attackers to find the back of the net. Mourinho will be looking for an influential No.10 who can fill the shoes of Christian Eriksen – it appears that despite being labelled as “unique” by Michael Carrick in 2018, he is unlikely to move to north London.

In 209 appearances for Man United, the England international has found the back of the net 33 times and has assisted just 20 further goals. Lingard scored just one league goal last season and four the term before. Whilst his best return was his eight goals and six assists in 2017/18, he has been unable to replicate these numbers and has fallen drastically down the pecking order at Old Trafford (via Transfermarkt).

Earning £90,000 per week would place the 27-year-old higher than regular starter Harry Winks if Lingard was to join Spurs. An odd thought considering he would be unlikely to start ahead of the fellow midfield man.

In other news, Spurs have perfect chance to offload Dele Alli as Leeds are linked…

Sunderland manager Phil Parkinson has revealed his transfer plans as the new League One season fast approaches.

Whilst the 2020/21 campaign may offer some optimism for Sunderland fans, the memories of the club’s failure to gain promotion to the Championship over the last two seasons has become a concern.

Parkinson will find himself under pressure to ensure that they get it right this time after guiding the Wearsiders to a lowly eighth-placed finish last term.

After seeing a whole host of first team regulars leave the club this summer, Parkinson has been actively attempting to bring in some new faces.

No fewer than seven players have come in to the Stadium of Light, with the likes of Aiden O’Brien and Morgan Feeney added to Sunderland’s squad.

Speaking ahead of his side’s first League One fixture against Bristol Rovers on Saturday, Parkinson revealed that he wanted to bring in one more player before the transfer window closes.

“We’re getting there, another one would be great for us in the next week or so and we’re working towards making the right addition to compliment what we’ve got.”

It will be interesting to see how Sunderland get on this season with the Wearsiders embarking on a third successive campaign in League One. The new arrivals should improve the side, but whether or not the required form and consistency can follow remains to be seen.

Parkinson will be under pressure to ensure that the Black Cats are on course to return to the Championship and, should he fail, his transfer business could be heavily scrutinised…

Who do you think Sunderland should target before the transfer window closes? Let us know your views in the comments section below…

After signing from PSV in the January transfer window, Steven Bergwijn had a mixed start to life in English football with Tottenham.

The Dutchman got his career off to the perfect start with a wonder strike against Manchester City on his Premier League debut, before netting a further two times in his next five games in the top-flight.

After that however, things slowed down considerably, with Bergwijn – earning a reported £25k-per-week – failing to score in his last eight games for the club, and managing only one assist.

Is it Mido or Pedro Mendes? This Spurs quiz will separate the loyal from the fake…

World Class score: 95% | Expert score: 80% | Veteran score: 65% | Intermediate score: 45% | Amateur score: 30% | Try Again: 5%

But with a few months to get adjusted to the differences of English football, Jose Mourinho must surely unleash the Netherlands international next season, and he could be the unsung hero in Spurs’ push for a Champions League spot.

When you look at the 22-year-old’s performance against City in particular, Bergwijn’s intelligent movement and directness caused Pep Guardiola’s side all sorts of issues – something Mourinho hailed in his post-match press conference.

He said: “It was a very solid performance against such a difficult opponent like Kyle Walker. He was also clever enough to appear in other zones and to try to create some problems for City.”

As per Sofascore, Walker lost possession on 11 separate occasions, whilst he also won just 50% of his duels and forced into making four clearances over the course of the game.

Despite only having 32 touches in the 70 minutes that he was on the pitch, Bergwijn made things count, and the fact his impressive display came up against the then reigning Premier League champions just proved the immense potential he has.

Amidst all this recent talk about Spurs potentially making a sensational move for Gareth Bale in this transfer window, the Lilywhites would be better off trusting those who they already have at the club. Bergwijn could step up to be the man.

Former Premier League side Bournemouth have made an approach to Coventry City for manager Mark Robins, according to TEAMtalk.

After suffering relegation to the Championship in the 2019/20 season, the Cherries opted to mutually release Eddie Howe from his contract and the hunt for a new manager is now starting to begin.

Howe successfully guided Bournemouth from League Two to become an established Premier League but their five-year stay in the top flight ended, dropping down to the second tier with Watford and Norwich City.

With the 2020/21 season now upon us and the transfer window in full swing, bringing in a new manager is top of the club’s priority.

And, a potential new manager could be Robins, who has guided Coventry from League One back to the Championship, winning the league title in the process.

TEAMtalk report that Robins has been approached, whilst also claiming that Jason Tindall, Howe’s former assistant and Aston Villa number two John Terry are amongst the bookies favourites to take over at the Vitality Stadium.

Robins looks unlikely to leave the Sky Blues given that he has already signed a total of five players this summer which include Gustavo Hamer, Callum O’Hare and Ryan Giles.

Coventry should simply not allow Robins to leave and he would be mad himself to depart them now.

Given that Bournemouth are in the same league as the Sky Blues next term, it would prove more of a managerial challenge for Robins to stay with Coventry and see if he can ensure they become a solid Championship side.

Do you think Robins would be tempted to join Bournemouth? Let us know in the comments section below…

Liverpool’s transfer speculation has plummeted from Timo Werner to the younger brother of current Reds teenager Sepp van den Berg.

According to Calciomercato (relayed via @AnfieldEdition), the Merseyside outfit are on the market for Rav van den Berg, the younger brother of their under-23 defender.

The oldest of the two joined Liverpool last summer from PEC Zwolle for a fee of £1.3m (via BBC Sport) but, at just 18, he has only been very sporadically used in Jurgen Klopp’s senior team. Now, the club could have two young Van den Bergs on their hands if they opt to sign Sepp’s brother Rav, who is just 15.

Many Reds fans are far from pleased with the link to the teenager, especially after suffering a surprise blow to their plans to sign Werner. Some Kopites have taken to Twitter to vent their frustrations but there are some supporters who believe the 15-year-old would be a good addition to the Reds.

One fan has tweeted ‘it’s like deja vu’ as they reflect on signing Sepp just one year ago. Another fan is curious as to why people are complaining and thinks Klopp should ‘sign him up’.

Check out some of the feedback from the Anfield faithful below:

What do you think of the link to Sepp’s brother, Reds fans? Should the club sign him up? Have your say in the comments below!

Key information about Kassam Stadium

Kassam Stadium was finished and opened in 2001 and is now the home of League One’s Oxford United. The ground is located in the Blackbird Leys area of the city and is officially owned by one of Kassam’s Firoka Group companies.

Its current capacity stands at 12,500 and the pitch measures 102m by 71m. The surface of the field is covered by natural grass and it has no undersoil heating installed nor a running track surrounding it.

The highest attendance ever recorded at Kassam Stadium is 12,243, which occurred for Oxford’s final match of the 2005/06 League Two season, ending in a 3–2 defeat by Leyton Orient, sending the hosts into relegation.

A history of Kassam Stadium

Back in 1995, Oxford United decided it was time for them to finally vacate the old Manor Ground and replace it with a venue more fitting of their ambitions. Not even a full year later, the construction of a new 16,000-seat stadium situated in the Blackbird Leys area of the city commenced and would be finished by the time the new millennium rolled in.

However, the erection of their new home did not exactly go as smoothly as they had hoped since they were hit by various different issues along the way. Most of their problems stemmed right from the financial side of things and with the contractors not receiving their pay, the construction was postponed and wouldn’t be completed for the following four years.

In April 1999, the club was taken over by Firoz Kassam and after a long and unpleasant turmoil regarding money, relegations and subsequent promotions, Oxford United were back with their heads above water and the stadium, originally to be called Minchery Farm but changed to Kassam Stadium following the arrival of new ownership, was finally completed in 2001.

The first game ever played was actually a friendly clash against Crystal Palace on 4 August, with the hosts managing to scrap a win on penalties following a 1–1 draw. The first official competitive clash, however, was played on 11 August versus Rochdale in the Football League Third Division. This time, Oxford would lose 2–1 in front of a crowd of 7,842 supporters.

In March 2006, the stadium was unofficially renamed to the United Stadium by the Oxford United Supporters’ Trust, which was supposed to be a sign of protest against the owners that were taking the club in the wrong direction. Despite this, the ground is still largely known as Kassam Stadium.

Between 2012 and 2015, rugby union club London Welsh also called it home but they soon returned back to Old Deer Park following their relegation from the Premiership at the end of the 2014/15 season.

Originally, the stadium had been planned to have 15,000 seats, but in the end, only three out of four stands were erected with one short end remaining open, meaning the final tally sits at 12,500.

Tickets to watch Oxford United at Kassam Stadium

All tickets to watch Oxford United at Kassam Stadium can be found on the club’s official website. The price for an adult ticket ranges from £20 to £28, depending on the stand and the category you choose.

Oxford United also offer season tickets as well as memberships that can get you discounts on single games as well as over the course of the season. More information can be found on the aforementioned website.

Related Links

https://www.oufc.co.uk/ – Official website of Oxford United

https://www.oufc.co.uk/tickets/ – Oxford United Ticket Office

Gylfi Sigurdsson has opened up about Everton’s return to training and the effects of his recent positional shift.

Speaking to Sky Sports (via Liverpool ECHO), the Blues midfielder has given his take on returning to Premier League action and how long he thinks he needs back on the training pitch.

“I think it all depends on how long we’re going to train with three, four or five players at a time,” Sigurdsson said. “Until we’re training with the full squad. I’m guessing somewhere around four weeks maybe? But I think everyone is different.”

The Toffees, along with the rest of English football, have been waiting to return to action for more than two months. The Premier League was put on an abrupt hiatus back in March and the latest update predicts a return in June.

Sigurdsson also commented on the change in position to which he has adapted since the implementation of Duncan Ferguson as caretaker manager. The 4-4-2 setup sees the 30-year-old without a prominent position in the middle of the park, operating from a flat, central role instead of further up the pitch (as per Transfermarkt).

“Of course I’ve played there for Iceland, but this is maybe a little bit different,” Sigurdsson said. “It’s not my natural position, but I’ve played most of the games and I think have got used to playing in that position under the manager.

“It doesn’t give me the chances to go forward as much as I’d like! But it’s something different and I enjoy it.”

This sudden change could be the reason why the Iceland international’s goal return has been scarce this season. During his final season with Swansea, Sigurdsson operated from a number of positions and dominated them all. Across 40 appearances in the 2016/17 season, he scored 10 goals and supplied 13 assists (via Transfermarkt).

These goal contributions came from either up front as a centre-forward, on the wing or in an attacking midfield role. Similarly, last season Sigurdsson tallied 14 goals and seven assists, with all bar two goals and two assists coming from the more pressing midfield position.

This could be the reason why the playmaker has struggled to find his shooting boots this season. A current return of two goal and two assists for the campaign is very out of character for Sigurdsson.

Adapting to a formation that helps feed Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison is something with which senior players must cooperate, even at the risk of their personal performances dipping.

Everton fans, do you think Gyfli Sigurdsson deserves more time at the club? Join the discussion in the comments below…