Mark Scheifele scored in each period for his ninth career hat trick and the host Winnipeg Jets beat the Florida Panthers 6-3 on Tuesday night.Three days after Winnipeg lost 5-0 at Florida to suffer back-to-back losses for the first time this season, it got back at the Panthers to close a home-and-home set. Scheifele capped his hat trick with 10:14 left in regulation with a nifty goal just after a power play ended to give the Jets a 4-2 cushion.That marker proved key, as Matthew Tkachuk got Florida within 4-3 with a power-play goal past screened Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (20 saves) with 3:22 left in the third period. However, Morgan Barron recorded two short-handed empty-netters to provide some insurance for Winnipeg, which improved to 9-1-0 at home.A.J. Greer and Sam Reinhart also scored for the Panthers, who have lost three of their past four games after winning seven straight. The result also ended a six-game road winning streak for Florida.Ducks 3, Blackhawks 2Leo Carlsson scored the go-ahead goal midway through the third period and Alex Killorn had a goal and assist to lift visiting Anaheim past Chicago.Trevor Zegras added two assists for Anaheim, which won its third straight while sending the Blackhawks to their third loss in a row. Ducks goaltender John Gibson made 18 saves.Jason Dickinson scored twice and Connor Bedard had two assists for Chicago. The Ducks outshot the Blackhawks 24-20 and had a 27-13 advantage in hits. Dickinson recorded his first multi-goal game of the season while Bedard ended a three-game pointless streak. Five of Bedard's 12 assists this season have come against the Ducks.Rangers 4, Canucks 3Chris Kreider scored the go-ahead goal midway through the third period and Igor Shesterkin made 21 saves as visiting New York won its third straight game, defeating Vancouver.Mika Zibanejad, Will Cuylle and Kaapo Kakko each had a goal and an assist and Adam Fox added two assists for New York, which improved to 7-1-0 on the road with a sixth win in eight games.Quinn Hughes, Conor Garland and Kiefer Sherwood scored goals and Elias Pettersson had two assists for Vancouver, which finished just 2-4-0 on a six-game homestand. Arturs Silovs made 29 saves.Oilers 5, Senators 2Connor McDavid had two goals and an assist and Evan Bouchard and Leon Draisaitl each had a goal and two assists in Edmonton's win at Ottawa.Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored the Oilers' other goal, and Vasily Podkolzin recorded two assists. Stuart Skinner stopped 27 of 29 shots to help Edmonton improve to 4-1-1 in its past six games.Linus Ullmark stopped 26 of 31 shots for the Senators, who are on a three-game winless streak (0-2-1). Tim Stutzle and Josh Norris scored for Ottawa, and Nick Jensen had two assists.Lightning 3, Penguins 2 (OT)Brayden Point returned to Tampa Bay's lineup and scored 3:58 into overtime as the Lightning won their third straight game by rallying past host Pittsburgh.Point, who missed the previous four matches with a lower-body injury, tucked in his second goal of the night and 10th this season to lift the Lightning to a 5-0-1 mark against the Metropolitan Division. Anthony Cirelli scored his fifth goal this season, Darren Raddysh had two assists and goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 17 shots for Tampa Bay.Pittsburgh's Jesse Puljujarvi scored for the second straight game and Rickard Rakell netted his seventh goal this season. Sidney Crosby dished out the primary assist on Rakell's second-period power-play tally that made it 2-0 and gave Crosby his 1,017th career helper.Flames 2, Islanders 1 (SO)Andrei Kuzmenko and Justin Kirkland scored in a shootout to give host Calgary a comeback victory over New York.Rasmus Andersson scored in regulation for the Flames, who have won three of their past four outings. Dustin Wolf made 28 saves between regulation and overtime before turning back both Islanders he faced in the shootout.Pierre Engvall had the lone goal for the Islanders, who are 1-1-3 in their past five outings. Semyon Varlamov stopped 30 shots prior to the shootout in an outstanding goaltending battle.Wild 4, Blues 2Kirill Kaprizov scored twice as visiting Minnesota defeated St. Louis to improve to 7-2-1 in its last 10 games.Ryan Hartman and Jonas Brodin also scored for the Wild. Filip Gustavsson earned the victory with 22 saves.Scott Perunovich and Jake Neighbours scored for the Blues, who are 1-5-1 in their past seven games. Jordan Binnington made 24 saves in defeat. Blues center Robert Thomas was back in the lineup after he missed 12 games with a broken ankle.–Field Level Media

Mark Scheifele scored in each period for his ninth career hat trick and the host Winnipeg Jets beat the Florida Panthers 6-3 on Tuesday night. Three days after Winnipeg lost 5-0 at Florida to suffer back-to-back losses for the first time this season, ...

NHL roundup: Mark Scheifele’s hat trick helps Jets beat Panthers

Stevie Mitchell scored a season-high 21 points and Kam Jones added a triple-double as No. 15 Marquette pulled away in the second half for a 76-58 victory over No. 6 Purdue in a nonconference matchup of undefeated teams on Tuesday in Milwaukee.Jones had 17 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists for Marquette (5-0). Chase Ross added 12 points and Ben Gold 11.Purdue (4-1), which trailed 35-28 at halftime, made several runs but was unable to make it a one-possession game down the stretch.Trey Kaufman-Renn had 16 points, Fletcher Loyer put up 13 and Braden Smith added 11 for the Boilermakers.No. 1 Kansas 84, UNC Wilmington 66Dajuan Harris Jr. led the Jayhawks with 17 points in coach Bill Self's 800th career win, a victory over the Seahawks in Lawrence, Kan.Hunter Dickinson had his third double-double of the season for Kansas (5-0) with 15 points and a season-high 15 rebounds. Self became the fourth-fastest coach to 800 wins, according to Kansas athletics, doing so in 1,048 games.Khamari McGriff paced UNC Wilmington (3-1) with 18 points, while Noah Ross finished with 10 points and nine rebounds.No. 2 UConn 81, East Texas A&M 46Solo Ball hit for a team-high 12 points as the Huskies rolled to a win over the Lions in Storrs, Conn.The Huskies (4-0) were ahead by 22 points at halftime and by 37 in the middle of the second half while waltzing to the finish line. Liam McNeeley and Alex Karaban added 11 points for UConn, which has logged all of its wins by at least 35 points against mid-major teams.Camerin James led all scorers with 18 points for East Texas A&M (1-4).No. 9 Kentucky 97, Lipscomb 68Jaxson Robinson scored 20 points and Lamont Butler added 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting to lead the Wildcats over the Bisons in Lexington, Ky.Otega Oweh scored 14 points, Koby Brea scored 12 and Amari Williams contributed nine points and a game-high 11 rebounds for Kentucky (4-0). Both Butler and Brea finished 3-for-3 from the 3-point arc.Jacob Ognacevic tallied a team-high 17 points and eight rebounds for Lipscomb (2-4). Will Pruitt added 12 points and six rebounds.No. 18 Cincinnati 76, Northern Kentucky 60Simas Lukosius continued his torrid 3-point shooting and the Bearcats held off several rallies from the Norse to post a win in Highland Heights, Ky.Lukosius finished with a game-high 18 points for Cincinnati (4-0), going 6-for-9 from 3-point range. He is 16-for-23 from long distance this season. Texas transfer Dillon Mitchell added 12 points.Sam Vinson had 16 points to lead Northern Kentucky (0-4). Trey Robinson chipped in 12 points and eight rebounds.No. 21 Florida 84, Florida A&M 60Will Richard totaled 20 points and seven rebounds to lead the Gators to an easy win vs. Florida A&M in Gainesville, Fla.Richard led a great effort on the glass to keep Florida unbeaten and send the Rattlers (0-4) to another lopsided loss. Walter Clayton Jr. also had his second consecutive prolific scoring game as he finished with 17 points, five assists and three rebounds.Sterling Young led the Rattlers (0-4) with 12 points. Jamine Charles had nine points and 12 rebounds.–Field Level Media

Stevie Mitchell scored a season-high 21 points and Kam Jones added a triple-double as No. 15 Marquette pulled away in the second half for a 76-58 victory over No. 6 Purdue in a nonconference matchup of undefeated teams on Tuesday in Milwaukee. Jones h...

Top 25 roundup: No. 15 Marquette pushes past No. 6 Purdue

Mark A. Phillips </h2>Mark Allen Phillips, 69, of Blandon, PA, passed away on November 17, 2024, at Reading Hospital, West Reading, PA. Born on May 4, 1955, in Frankfurt, Germany, Mark was the son of the late Glenn M. Phillips and Darlene R. (Dellinger) Phillips. A 1973 graduate of Fleetwood High School, Mark excelled in baseball and track during his school years. After school, he continued to play ball on club softball teams with his family. He was also a talented trumpeter and performed with the Reading Buccaneers Drum & Bugle Corps. Mark dedicated more than 45 years of service to Carpenter Technology Corp. He was a member of the Community Baptist Church in Fleetwood, PA. Mark cherished the outdoors, frequently spending time at his family's hunting cabin in the mountains. He was an avid hunter of deer and small game. A lifelong baseball fan, he cheered for the Phillies and the Boston Red Sox. Mark also enjoyed vacationing in Ocean City, Maryland, and engaging in puzzles and games. Most of all, he loved spending time with his family. Mark is survived by his wife of 40 years, Donna A. Phillips of Blandon, PA; his children, Matthew A. Phillips (husband of Amanda L.), Kristen M. Klick (wife of Kyle J.), and Erin M. Maicher (wife of Steven N.); and his cherished granddaughter, Giavonna A. Klick. He is also survived by his brothers, Scott Phillips (husband of Lynn), Craig Phillips (husband of Meg), and Dean Phillips (husband of Ellen), along with many nieces and nephews. A viewing will be held from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM on Friday, November 22, 2024, at Mae A. Stump Funeral Home, Inc., 117 W. Main St., Fleetwood, PA. Burial will follow at Fleetwood Cemetery, 203 E. Main St., Fleetwood, PA. Online condolences may be shared at www.MaeStumpFuneralHome.com.

Mark Allen Phillips, 69, of Blandon, PA, passed away on November 17, 2024, at Reading Hospital, West Reading, PA. Born on May 4, 1955, in Frankfurt, Germany

Mark Phillips Obituary

The Houston Rockets come into Thursday losers of 14 straight games against the Golden State Warriors. Ime Udoka's group finally looks capable of smashing such an ignominious streak.<h3>Houston Rockets at Golden State Warriors</h3>Venue: Chase Center — San Francisco Time:TV: NBA TV Streaming: Fubo ( Get Access | Save $30 )The Rockets enter at 15-7, second in the Western Conference, second in defensive rating and fifth in net rating. On Sunday, they beat the conference-leading Thunder, and Alperen Şengün earned Player of the Week honors.Jalen Green and Fred VanVleet are hovering at 40 percent from the field, and the team is 26th in 3-point percentage, but Houston's defense is inspired. Tari Eason leads the NBA in defensive rating; Şengün and Amen Thompson rank third and fourth, respectively. This balanced and selfless team seems to have fully bought in, with seven Rockets averaging double-figure scoring. They're second in fast break points, reflecting a young, springy squad with just one key contributor (VanVleet) at age 30. They are also second in second-chance points, dominating on the offensive glass and relentlessly maximizing possessions.Houston hasn't beaten Golden State in four years. Their last meeting was a banger, a 127-121 overtime finish on Nov. 2. Stephen Curry was shelved from that game with a peroneal strain, but the Warriors got a combined 50 bench points from Buddy Hield and Jonathan Kuminga.Curry will be available Thursday, but Draymond Green is dealing with a calf injury. Green had effusive praise for the upstart opponent on his podcast this week, admitting that professional irritant Dillon Brooks is one of the NBA's tougher players to go against.The Warriors are still top-10 in points for and against this season, but they come home to the Bay on a dispiriting five-game losing streak. There's no shame in falling to the Thunder or road losses at Phoenix and Denver. But they'll definitely want the Nets and Spurs games back. Golden State has the league's fourth-worst 3-point percentage during this losing streak.They looked solid for most of Tuesday's Cup match with the Nuggets before allowing a 10-0 run to end the game. Kuminga put up an efficient 19 points, plus a steal and a block, in his fifth start of the year. Gary Payton II was a +18 in 14 minutes on the floor.Players who wore both jerseys (minimum 50 games with each franchise):<li>G — Chris Paul</li><li>G — Sleepy Floyd</li><li>F — Purvis Short</li><li>F — Rick Barry</li><li>C — Ralph Sampson</li>Buzzer beaters: The Warriors have three against Houston: Rick Barry (1974), Sonny Parker (1981), and Stephen Curry (2022). The Rockets have two against Golden State: Hakeem Olajuwon (1992) and Moochie Norris (2000).<h3>Rockets at Warriors odds</h3>(Photo of Brandin Podziemski and Amen Thompson: Tim Warner / )

The Houston Rockets come into Thursday losers of 14 straight games against the Golden State Warriors.

How to watch Rockets vs. Warriors: Houston looks to climb the ladder out West

Newcastle United are footballing concussion. They play badly , they play well, they are soft touches and then tough nuts and just when you think you have got them pinned down as one thing, they mutate into another, bouncing off the walls, smashing headfirst into something else, leaving themselves reeling and their supporters with a headache. Ibuprofen is their identity.Should fans be happy, angry, energised, confused? After this thrilling, throbbing 3-3 draw against Premier League leaders Liverpool , that should be a redundant question, except that it came haring behind that moribund 1-1 away to Crystal Palace , who at that stage were bottom-feeders. Anybody can have an off-day, but this season has had enough turning points to bring on head-banging nausea.Palace cued grumbles and navel-gazing, with Eddie Howe warning about the perils of "staleness" infecting a squad which has not been meaningfully upgraded over successive transfer windows . Stale? Newcastle 's performance against Liverpool was a squirt of cologne directly up the nostrils. They were as fresh and cleansing as a hurricane.Within its own context, what a marvellous, compelling draw . Within its own context: just wow. Newcastle twice took the lead and were worthy of it, picking off Liverpool, tormenting them at the back. Twice Arne Slot's players responded, much improved in the second half, as they fought to avoid a second defeat this season. And then they were ahead, with an icky, familiar feel of game over.With 90 minutes up, Bruno Guimaraes floated a deep free-kick towards the far post and, in a moment of brain-freeze — desperately unfortunate and entirely appropriate — Caoimhin Kelleher , the goalkeeper, allowed it to drop behind him. Fabian Schar was running in, straining for nothing other than to "keep the ball in play", but he stretched and met it and scored.It was a whizzbang of action and emotion, penalty appeals, challenges, frantic VAR checks and a final whistle that Howe was certain came prematurely as his players mounted one last attack. It was a forget-yourself game, a masterpiece of mayhem which allowed no room for thought aside from the simple stuff, like this: Newcastle excelled.Within the context of the mood and matches around it, explanation is tricky. Excellence is nonsense. No shots on target at Palace, one within two minutes against an exceptional side, all those themes which have formed and then dissipated. From positive results and negative performances to the opposite; from that resurgence against Chelsea , Arsenal and Nottingham Forest , to deflation and defeat against hapless West Ham United .As Howe appraised "a big leap forward", he acknowledged his frustration that Newcastle could be this good immediately after being so bad. "Yes, that's very much in my head," he said. "We weren't perfect but we were everything we want to be tonight in terms of attitude, body-language, demeanour, energy, pressing."It felt telling that he name-checked those fundamentals, rather than Newcastle's attacking, goalscoring or quality, all of which were significantly improved. The last half-hour against West Ham was "the low point", he said, and now "they need to hit these standards consistently. That is the challenge for the players to deliver."But who and what are this Newcastle team? Just as players crave certainty — and there was not enough of it last summer — so managers want to know what to expect from their team. It has been elusive for Howe . "That's a fair assessment and I've made it clear to the players," he said. "We have to find a solution together."Amid this consistent inconsistency, there is one trend running through Newcastle's season — their apparent aversion to possession.It is not just that Newcastle prefer to play in transition, or that they appear uncomfortable and shorn of ideas when forced to take the initiative. The evidence, when it comes to results, is borderline irrefutable: when Newcastle have less of the ball, they are more effective, more threatening, and more successful.That has largely been the case throughout Howe's tenure but, with their on-field evolution stalling, primarily due to the strangulating nature of profit and sustainability rules, this pulsating draw demonstrated that reverting to past strengths may perversely be Newcastle's best route forward.Strangely, the five matches in which Newcastle have the least possession this season have all been on Tyneside. The three with their lowest possession shares — Southampton , Tottenham and Arsenal — delivered Newcastle's three home victories. The other two provided a point apiece against Manchester City , four-times-in-a-row title winners, and Liverpool, seemingly champions-elect.When Newcastle have been permitted possession and asked to break teams down, however, they have largely struggled. West Ham and Brighton & Hove Albion are the only two home matches in which Newcastle have had more of the ball. The aggregate score? 0-3.Liverpool was a prime example of when Newcastle get it right, when their intensity is there and the team press as a cohesive group, that they can smother opponents, regardless of their form and quality.The midfield trio of Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton quashed claims they cannot play together , harrying as a unit, regularly nicking the ball from Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister during the first half. Newcastle won possession four times in the final third, their joint-second-most this season. Liverpool simply could not cope with Newcastle's athleticism and pace at times, with four shots produced from fast breaks — a campaign high. Alexander Isak scored the opener with a devastating finish having turned Virgil van Dijk inside and out. Howe described this as Isak's "best performance" this season and Guimaraes and Anthony Gordon stepped up against top-class opposition once again . Guimaraes laid on two assists, while Gordon scored Newcastle's second, should have added another and encapsulated the ferocious speed at which Howe's team can play.The problem is such a game-plan is unsustainable across a 38-game season and Newcastle's elite players cannot merely reserve their peak form for elite teams. Brentford on Saturday becomes another test, one they have routinely flunked."We've always been good on the break," Jacob Murphy said. "It's part of your development that you have to have different assets. We're working hard to find solutions to make our overall game really good. In-possession, out-of-possession, counter-attack — everything. We're working on becoming the full package."With only two wins in 10 in the league, Newcastle are far from that right now. Unless that package contains migraine tablets.(Top photo: Owen Humphreys/PA Images via )

Eddie Howe's side continue to threaten and thrive against the Premier League's best, while labouring against those they might expect to beat

Newcastle United: Wildly unpredictable, thrilling in transition, utterly headache inducing

When Jack Grealish received the ball on the edge of the Manchester City area in the second half, dribbled through Nottingham Forest 's high press and set his team-mates off in transition, earning a round of applause from the home support, it served as a timely reminder Pep Guardiola signed him to do precisely that.Grealish joined City amid a midfield transition of sorts. David Silva had departed the Etihad Stadium the year before, and many people at the club believed Bernardo Silva would follow suit within 12 months. With Ilkay Gundogan in his thirties, Grealish, who had primarily played in a free No 10 role under Dean Smith at Aston Villa , was considered part of the long-term answer for how Guardiola planned to evolve his midfield, using his power and dribbling ability to move the team through the phases and win fouls high up the pitch.Three years after a British-record £100million (£127m) transfer, the 29-year-old's primary contribution has come from the left wing.As evidenced by his opening goal in City's 3-0 win over Forest on Wednesday, Bernardo remains as essential to Guardiola's plans as ever in midfield, and Gundogan lined up behind Grealish as the No 6 in the absence of Rodri and Mateo Kovacic .Grealish has had brilliant moments in a City shirt, notably becoming a vital cog from the left in the treble-winning season, but his place in the side has rarely felt secure. Most recently, after starting against Feyenoord in the Champions League , he lost his spot out wide to Matheus Nunes , typically a central midfielder, in City's 2-0 defeat by Liverpool at Anfield at the weekend.Having tried almost everything else during City's run of seven matches without a win (including six defeats) ahead of the Forest game, Guardiola threw caution to the wind and experimented with Grealish in the role he had initially envisioned for him. The result was potentially game-changing for City's prospects.Grealish lined up as a left-sided central midfielder, with Gundogan behind him protecting the defence and Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo positioned on the right. Despite rarely occupying a role where he is expected to pick the ball up from defence and hold off pressure since joining City, Grealish looked comfortable as he shrugged off the opposition press several times, demonstrating composure and the confidence to take touches in dangerous areas and use his body to evade challenges."Our football is always built from the midfield," Guardiola said after the game. "They make our tempo and the way we have to play. We controlled the game, and Jack gave us that pace. When it came to accelerating and controlling, he did it really well. I'm so happy for him."I know his quality. He has the attributes to play holding midfield. He can keep the ball, break the lines and he has composure."His positional discipline was essential to City's improved fortunes in sustaining attacks, particularly in the second half when Forest had fewer opportunities to break through in transition. It also allowed inverted left-back Josko Gvardiol to push forward as a third-man runner, even beyond Erling Haaland on more than one occasion, to connect with crosses and latch onto passes from deeper in midfield.Grealish's willingness to fill in for Gvardiol — who caused havoc for Forest's defence in the first half and had two excellent opportunities to add to his three league goals this season — or lurk in central areas around the 18-yard box to help prevent transition opportunities, provided something closer to the balance in midfield and defence that Guardiola has been looking for in Rodri's absence."Jack is so good at controlling the tempo of the game and holding the ball," De Bruyne told City's club media after the game . "You can't really get it off him, and then sliding through plays. That's his quality."I think we needed a bit more control and he was able to do that with Bernardo, Gundo and myself in the middle, and Jeremy (Doku), who is a different player and very electric. I think we performed well as a team but I think Jack did exceptional."Still, there was evidence, particularly in the first half, that Guardiola has not yet wholly sorted City's issues defending transitions in midfield. Questions remain over Gundogan's ability to track back and win tackles, with Forest's energetic attack breezing past the 34-year-old German on several occasions, reflected in a yellow card received in the second half for cynically pulling down Morgan Gibbs-White , who looked set to break away. Whether Guardiola can find a truly convincing midfield balance without going into the January market remains to be seen.In reality, City were fortunate to escape with a clean sheet after gifting Forest several promising goalscoring opportunities, and unfortunate injuries to Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanji will not help City's defensive problems. Ake is potentially set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines after Guardiola said the Dutchman's injury, which forced him off minutes before full time, "doesn't look good" .However, this result arrests the slide and serves as a rough blueprint for how City can start to control matches again. With a trip to Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace on the horizon, a quick attack and athletic midfielders will once again test Guardiola's side, but Grealish, who completed 56 out of 57 passes, showed signs of the maturity necessary to help City find a new way to sustain attacks and keep possession.It is early days, but Guardiola's vision of Grealish's potential evolution into a deeper-lying midfielder could yet manifest into something great for City.(Top photo: Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via )

The England international has generally operated from the left but was used in a deeper, more central role against Nottingham Forest

Jack Grealish in a central role provides plenty of food for thought for Pep Guardiola

Resurfacing work on the runway at Newcastle Airport meant there was no quick return to Merseyside for Liverpool.With flying out of the question, the 180-mile journey back had to be done via road. There was much for head coach Arne Slot and his staff to ponder on the three-hour drive.Their lead at the top of the Premier League had been trimmed to seven points after Caoimhin Kelleher 's glaring misjudgement was punished by Fabian Schar 's late equaliser in a 3-3 draw at St James' Park.After the glory of defeating heavyweights Real Madrid and Manchester City , momentum was slowed. A thrilling second-half resurgence — spearheaded by the brilliance of Mohamed Salah — ultimately failed to yield an eighth successive win in all competitions.Frustration was writ large on the faces of the Liverpool players as they left the stadium. They knew this was an opportunity missed but in the cold light of day it is not a bad point.Title rivals Arsenal lost at Newcastle and Manchester City only managed a point. Considering Slot's side served up their worst 45 minutes of the season in the first half, there were positives to take from salvaging something from such a testing night.Salah struck twice, created one for Curtis Jones and saw another sensational effort bounce back off the bar. The prolific Egyptian now boasts 15 goals and 12 assists in 21 appearances this season — a goal involvement every 63 minutes. It is unclear what he still needs to prove to the club's hierarchy with regards to ensuring he stays put beyond next summer."Mo had a massive impact on the game," Slot said. "It's difficult for me to predict the long-term future but he is in a very good place at the moment and in a very good team that provides him with good opportunities and he is able to do special things."In the first half we had a lot of problems with their intensity and aggressiveness. They forced us into too many mistakes. It wasn't that difficult to be better in the second half and that's what we were. We dominated the second half. Being 3-2 up one minute before the end, it feels a disappointment to drop two points." Trent Alexander-Arnold , who laid on two assists, and fellow substitute Dominik Szoboszlai , also made eye-catching contributions.But this was also a contest that displayed some chinks in Liverpool's armour. There was encouragement for those in hot pursuit as they dropped points for only the third time this season.More than anything is that they looked jaded after the amount of energy expended in recent triumphs. Ryan Gravenberch had played the full 90 minutes in all of Liverpool's 18 Premier League and Champions League matches prior to Wednesday night.The Dutchman has been integral to their outstanding form, relegating the missing out of the signing of Real Sociedad holding midfielder Martin Zubimendi in the summer to a mere footnote. But for the first time this season, Gravenberch looked like a player feeling the strain. He won just two out of seven duels and was booked before being replaced midway through the second half.With Alexis Mac Allister banned for Saturday's Merseyside derby after collecting a fifth booking, Liverpool desperately need to get Gravenberch purring again. Szoboszlai and Jones look certain to start alongside him at Goodison Park.Defensively, the injury situation is starting to cause a headache for Slot. With Ibrahima Konate (knee), Conor Bradley (hamstring) and Kostas Tsimikas (ankle) all sidelined, he is limited when it comes to being able to rotate at the back. Jarell Quansah did play right-back at times at academy level, but Newcastle away was his first senior start in that position and it showed. Slot understandably wanted to avoid over-burdening Alexander-Arnold so soon after his return from injury, but the difference when the vice-captain was introduced was vast.So assured against City, Joe Gomez endured a much tougher night against the club he nearly joined last summer and was fortunate that Anthony Gordon failed to punish his most careless mistake after a misplaced backpass.It was the first time in Slot's reign that Liverpool had conceded three goals in a game. Newcastle's expected goals (xG) total of 2.09 was comfortably the highest Liverpool have allowed in a game so far this season — the previous mark was set by Aston Villa 's 1.38xG at Anfield last month.Having fought back from 1-0 and 2-1 down, they were 3-2 up in the closing stages but there was little semblance of control from the visitors. They couldn't take the sting out of proceedings like they have done previously this season.At the top end of the field, Salah's ridiculous numbers have served to mask the lack of output from Darwin Nunez . The Uruguayan striker has only netted once in his past nine appearances and boasts just three goals in 18 matches in all competitions in 2024-25. That is not sufficient.There is no questioning Nunez's work ethic but the lack of composure and belief in the final third remains an ongoing concern. His three shots against Newcastle failed to force a single save and he snatched wastefully at the best chance to come his way.The return of Diogo Jota , who has not featured since the win over Chelsea in October due to a chest injury, cannot come soon enough. Fellow attacker Federico Chiesa is also on the comeback trail, having scored during an hour-long outing in Liverpool Under-21s' Premier League International Cup defeat by Danish outfit Nordsjaelland on Wednesday.December is relentless for Liverpool. This was their second of nine matches in all competitions before the turn of the year. Everton , buoyed by an emphatic win over fellow strugglers Wolverhampton Wanderers on Wednesday, will be fired up for what is likely to be the last Goodison derby on Saturday. Liverpool simply cannot afford a repeat of their limp start against Newcastle, when they lost battles all over the field and surrendered the initiative.Then there is a trip to Girona in the Champions League, a home league game with Fulham and Southampton away in the last eight of the Carabao Cup. The year ends with Tottenham away, Leicester City at home and West Ham United away in the league.This result should not shake Liverpool. They remain in a position of strength. They have surpassed all expectations so far and there are bound to be some blips along the way. But if they are going to stay out in front then they need to learn from a crazy night at St James' Park when they twice dug themselves out of a hole but failed to get over the line.(Top photo: Justin Setterfield/)

The league leaders were shaky in defence, have injury problems and wasted chances as, for once, they dropped below their best level

Liverpool showed a rare vulnerability at Newcastle but Arne Slot should not be overly worried

Are Chelsea the most entertaining team in the Premier League to watch these days?It is a debate where there is not going to be a universally accepted winner. Supporters of rival clubs are inevitably going to make arguments for why their team is the one to watch, and understandably so. The manner in which Liverpool have taken early control of the title race will have their followers championing their cause, especially with Mohamed Salah in the form he is in right now.But Chelsea have to be part of the conversation at the very least. Few matches ever seem to be straightforward when they are involved, for better or for worse. The 5-1 victory against Southampton was the latest example. They had 26 shots in all and struck the woodwork three times, but their defending was unconvincing even against 10 men. Lost amid the banter over their 8-0 victory over FC Noah in the UEFA Conference League last month was the fact that the Armenian club still had 15 efforts on Chelsea's goal. No matter how well Chelsea are playing, you are guaranteed action at both ends of the pitch.Crucially, their consistent output in the final third is compensating for any frailties at the back and making them so watchable, flaws and all. No English club has scored more than their 57 goals in 22 matches in all competitions this season. Clearly, playing in the weakest of the three European tournaments has helped them run up that tally, but it still provides a platform for them to showcase their attacking approach.Regardless, finding the net five times at Southampton has established them as the top scorers in the Premier League, too, after 14 fixtures.To put the 57-goal mark in perspective, it is already seven more than Chelsea scored in whole of the 2022-23 season (50 in 50 games). Their current goals-per-game average of 2.59 is the best in a single season in their history.The table below shows how their performance in finding the net compares with the other English clubs who have been competing on three fronts so far — the Premier League, EFL Cup and in Europe. They have built up quite a healthy lead.Few clubs can make seven changes like head coach Enzo Maresca did at St Mary's Stadium and still field a side blessed with the attacking talent of Cole Palmer, Joao Felix, Noni Madueke , Christopher Nkunku and Enzo Fernandez. Jadon Sancho was brought off the bench with 18 minutes to go and ended up scoring his first Chelsea goal.Nicolas Jackson and Pedro Neto, excellent against Aston Villa at the weekend, could put their feet up and save their legs for Tottenham on Sunday.The Chelsea fans in the away end roared their approval. "Chelsea are back," they bellowed, the first time this writer has heard that upbeat chant since the Todd Boehly-Clearlake consortium took over in May 2022. Maresca's name was belted out loudly, too, the first head coach hired by the current regime to be on the receiving end of such a resounding noise of approval.It felt like a significant moment; as if all the negativity endured over the previous two years had been consigned to the past.Inevitably, as is his custom, Maresca is not getting too carried away. "It (the songs from Chelsea fans) was a very good feeling, especially because you can see that they are happy," he said in his post-match press conference. "That is our target and why we work every day — to keep them happy. Tonight was a very good feeling, and especially the one that they can see Chelsea is back. This is the important thing."I think it is a good feeling not only for the owners — for sure, it is for them — but also for the players, for the club, for the fans. It is a good feeling for all of us."Chelsea's strength in depth must make ominous reading for opposition coaches and is also a major reason why they are consistently so good in attack. They have 15 different scorers in all competitions. Their current average of 2.21 goals per Premier League game was last bettered in the 2016-17 campaign (2.24) when, under Antonio Conte, they last won the Premier League.Just comparing a few Premier League statistics from the first two seasons of the Todd-Boehly-Clearlake era emphasises the progress they are making under Maresca as an attacking force. As you can see below, Maresca's side are on course to be on top in every metric measured here:Then there is the reality that Chelsea have scored five goals or more in two away Premier League games this season (6-2 vs Wolves , 5-1 vs Southampton), the first time they have done so twice in a season since 2014-15 — another title-winning campaign. Their expected goals (xG) total against Russell Martin's team was the highest on record (from 2008-09 onwards) by a team in an away Premier League game (5.29).The tally of greatest importance for supporters centres on trophies won and final league position, and whether the team have done enough to return to the Champions League . Maresca will continue to play Chelsea's chances down to keep the pressure off his young squad, but the more goals they score, the harder it will be for them to be ignored.At the very least, more and more neutrals will be keen to see them in action. This is a team who guarantee goals — and lavish entertainment.(Top photo: Chris Lee – Chelsea FC/Chelsea FC via )

Enzo Maresca's side having already wracked up 57 goals this season. Fans chanted 'Chelsea are back' as Southampton were brushed aside

Chelsea bask in their new status as the Premier League’s great entertainers

Sean Dyche and Everton needed a night like this.Anxiety over a fourth successive relegation battle had risen in recent weeks, with pressure in turn mounting on manager Dyche. With the trickiest of festive schedules ahead, another three points and an extra buffer to the relegation zone had started to feel critical.But then came Wednesday night and Everton 4 Wolverhampton Wanderers 0. A first home win since late September and only their second at Goodison Park this season.Fans stayed after the final whistle to sing Spirit of the Blues, jubilant players embraced, club captain Seamus Coleman clenched his fist on his way down the tunnel, and all of a sudden it felt like last season again — on and off the pitch.That is no bad thing.Dyche has been complicit in many of Everton's issues this campaign, as they have struggled to replicate the form that saw them take 48 points before deductions, for breaches of profitability and sustainability rules, in 2023-24.Perhaps in trying to show prospective new owners The Friedkin Group he can evolve this side into a more modern, progressive outfit, he moved too far away from the formula that brought relative success last season. Not only had Everton failed to score in seven of their first 13 matches this season — a league high — they conceded three or more goals in a single game on five occasions.And after collecting two points from a possible 15 in their last five games, the image that was painted was of a team straining for an identity, one that had stopped excelling in the same areas as before, such as set pieces and in shutting the opposition out.With dissent growing in the stands, Dyche had to get the big calls right on Wednesday and, in the main, did. The blueprint was familiar: a reversion to last season's 4-4-1-1 with Abdoulaye Doucoure , not Dwight McNeil , as the No 10, more pressing from the front and a focus on maximising set pieces.Doucoure is a curious fit in the No 10 role, the former Watford man not blessed with the same nimble footwork as Iliman Ndiaye or the ball-striking prowess of McNeil. He can be clumsy, lack guile and struggles to pick a killer pass.Yet he remains Dyche's tactical comfort blanket for a reason. With him in the side, Everton press more coherently, stop more opposition attacks at source and he is there to drop in as a third central midfielder when needed."It helps because Doucs is someone who can put pressure and bring intensity to the game," team-mate Orel Mangala said. "He can show the lead to go forward and it's important."The energy we put in from the first minute was different. We decided to press them hard from the first minute and that was the biggest difference (from previous games)."In starting with more intensity and aggression, Everton harnessed the Goodison crowd better than they had done in some time.It was still far from perfect. Wolves found early joy in between the Everton lines and the hosts' possession play was littered with errors. Jorgen Strand Larsen missed early chances, and struck the post in the second half.But Everton visibly grew in confidence after Ashley Young 's free-kick opener, their first goal since October 26, or 370 minutes of action. From there, the story would ultimately be of their dominance from set pieces, and Wolves' vulnerabilities. All four Everton goals came via that avenue, reinforcing Dyche's reliance on dead balls."The analysts and staff take care of the set pieces and do a great job at it," the Everton manager said. "The delivery was excellent across most of the set pieces including Youngy's finish."Delivery is massively important and the intent and desire to go and finish it. It's a reminder of how effective we can be."Dyche will be pleased by how some of his other changes fared. Mangala added composure in midfield, misplacing only one of his 29 passes and scoring the second goal. Dominic Calvert-Lewin led the line effectively after replacing Beto in the starting XI. Both received standing ovations, while it was notable how many team-mates surrounded the striker after Everton's fourth goal — initially awarded to him but subsequently attributed as another Craig Dawson own goal.An agonising 2-1 home defeat by Wolves in December 2022 proved to be one of the final acts of Frank Lampard's spell as Everton manager. But there would be no repeat this time. Wolves, who have now conceded 36 times in 14 games, were weaker and more vulnerable than any side Everton have played this season.The emphatic result helps Dyche's cause but heaps more pressure on his Molineux counterpart Gary O'Neil, whose job is now likely to come under serious scrutiny.Everton will still need to be improve substantially, with league games against the current top four — Liverpool , Arsenal , Chelsea and Manchester City — up next.Yet this was a much-needed confidence boost, and a pleasing reminder of how effective they can be from set pieces when they get it right. It is still incumbent on Dyche to find solutions to Everton's issues from open play. Ndiaye, for example, was largely ineffective until he shifted to the left in the second half.The path to improvement is likely to involve finding a way to coax more from him and others, while retaining Wednesday's aerial dominance."The players delivered a very good performance," Dyche said. "I told them this week how proud I am of them. They've been through all kinds of challenges here, constantly, like I have. Sometimes it's tough on the players and to come out and deliver again is pleasing."It's only another step, we know that. There's many more to go, but it's a very positive step with the way we went about our business."It has been a while since Dyche and his team had a match as positive as this. And it could not have come at a more opportune time.(Top photo: Young, centre, races away after opening the scoring. Peter Byrne/PA Images via )

It has been a while since Dyche and his team have had a match as positive as this. He made changes - the players and Goodison responded

Everton really needed this

As Morgan Rogers was completing the final bits of paperwork to sign for Aston Villa , he walked across the gymnasium at Bodymoor Heath.The facility at the training ground is newly refurbished and spacious. The room lends itself, in particular, for small-sided games of basketball to break out, with hoops attached to the walls. Rogers noticed Villa staff playing.Basketball and key figures from Villa's recent history are interconnected. Co-owner Wes Edens has a controlling stake in the Milwaukee Bucks franchise in the NBA and Damian Vidagany, director of football operations and Unai Emery's key ally , played semi-pro basketball for over a decade. In November 2023, Vidagany, Emery and Monchi, president of football operations, flew to meet Edens and watched a Bucks game court-side.The basketball hoops inside Bodymoor Heath are there due to popular interest as much as anything."Football and basketball are different because in the NBA, they were playing on the Friday and then on the Saturday," said Emery a week later. "But they are similar in how you can manage your players."Modern-day coaches sometimes lean into other sports when learning about methodology and what similarities can be distinguished. Basketball is a highly transitional sport, its attraction based on quick scoring and fast attacks, going from one end and then the other. Making fewer passes means the defensive team is invariably less organised and leaves more gaps to exploit. Transitions only last a matter of seconds but in that window comes opportunity.Last season, Villa were among the best sides at that in Europe. Emery built a team that baited opponents into pressing before ripping through the space left and boasted multiple final-third dribblers , all with ability to bypass pressure and carry the ball at length. Villa blended control with a knowing of when to attack spaces quickly, in turn manufacturing their own transitions when opponents were disorganised, akin to basketball.This season has been different. A consequence of Villa becoming a European contender has meant opposing sides have set out to nullify their best strengths. A winless run of eight games carried defensive issues which had been a long-running theme but, more concerningly in comparison to last season, a lack of inspiration going forward. Emery insisted the "small details" were letting Villa down, in and out of possession.It was perhaps why Emery did not see much of Rogers' exquisite finish for Villa's first goal in the much needed 3-1 win over Brentford .During the build-up, he turned his back away from play and nodded after Boubacar Kamara (44) escaped pressure and played forward, generating the type of transition that was customary at their best.Kamara's pass set off Rogers (27) with vast space to drive into. He combined with Ollie Watkins (11), who simultaneously made his trademark run inside the left channel and Rogers applied a finish that matched the quality of the move.Kamara and Youri Tielemans served as Villa's thermostat, knowing when to cool down play by taking additional touches and when to entice opponents into pressing and playing forward quickly. In a thirteen-minute window, Villa scored three times and finally held the same purpose in their play as last season."We knew they were good at that (transitions)," said Brentford head coach Thomas Frank following the defeat. "We definitely didn't handle it well enough and that's something I need to look into. There are some tactical bits I'm not satisfied with, like Villa having so many opportunities running forward. I can't say why it was, just that we didn't handle that well enough."Watkins was fouled inside the box after Leon Bailey 's long ball over the top, another occasion when a Villa player successfully recognised when to retain possession and when to hurt the spaces behind Brentford's backline. Watkins scored from the spot and Matty Cash snuck in at the far post six minutes later. It was not until Brentford scored against the run of play in the second half in which Villa's scar tissue re-emerged, with players' decision-making suddenly shaky.Yet nothing should detract from the promising signs in Villa's attacking work. Even after Brentford's goal, they created chances regularly, passing forward decisively when Brentford, in search of another goal, pushed players further upfield and left more space on transition.Brentford have traditionally been a tough match-up for Villa. They thrive on turnovers, counter-pressing and making matches like a ping-pong game. In the same fixture last season, Brentford scored three goals in nine minutes to hold Villa to a draw. Knowing when to indulge Brentford in those games was Villa's biggest challenge. With that, it required a deep know-how and understanding of when to go up and down the gears, explaining why Emery's starting lineup consisted of a spine that held Emiliano Martinez , Tyrone Mings , Kamara, John McGinn and Watkins — five of his most experienced players — together."They were letting us have transitions and to create chances," said Emery. "They were playing man to man in the high press and we were breaking it, trying to connect with players forward. We wanted to exploit the space in behind. Sometimes we struggled in our buildup, but we needed to adapt and to keep calm when they were pressing well."Emery was pleased Brentford gave Villa a basketball-style game at certain stages, allowing his players to shake from their stasis. Carving open low blocks, as Emery says, remains "the next step" for Villa, but this victory provides a reminder that they can still be excellent when attacking quickly.(Top photo: Watkins hugs Rogers after the stunning opening goal. David Rogers/)

Villa are at their best when they attack quickly - following the pace of a basketball game could be the way forward for Unai Emery's squad

Aston Villa and the basketball style that could shake them from their stasis

BOSTON — While putting on his shoes late Wednesday night, Payton Pritchard turned to Jaylen Brown at a nearby locker."You were diming tonight," Pritchard said. "You threw some unbelievable passes."As the two Boston Celtics teammates discussed their 130-120 win against the Detroit Pistons , Pritchard recalled one of Brown's most difficult passes of the night. Three minutes into the third quarter, the All-Star delivered a high-level assist to Al Horford for a corner 3-pointer. After drawing a second defender with a drive to the paint, Brown pivoted away from the defensive pressure, faked a pass to Sam Hauser on the right wing and fired a sidearm bullet to Horford for a swish.Only a player with awareness of the entire chess board could have thrown the pass. After pulling Horford's initial defender away from Horford, Brown still needed to deceive Tobias Harris on the weak side of the court to free his teammate for a shot. Brown used a ball fake, which sent Harris jumping toward Hauser, to finish pulling the strings on the Detroit defense.On that possession, the Pistons moved where Brown wanted them to move. He hasn't always been known for his playmaking, but his commitment to developing that part of his game has paid off."It's been fun to watch him grow over the last few years in his reads," said coach Joe Mazzulla. "You can watch him and see that he's processing the game in real-time and see the adjustments that are being made on him and recognizing the matchup, recognizing the spacing. I think he's gotten better. There were a couple times that I was like 'Get what you want.' He dictates the defense, and he plays at a pace to where he can get to the spacing that he wants, he knows the shots that he wants. So he works at it every day and it's fun watching him just continue to grow in the game and understand it in real time and get better. And it's fun talking to him during the game about it too."Brown is on pace to set a career high in assists with 4.6 per game. He doesn't always receive the opportunity to show off his improvements on a Celtics roster loaded with gifted creators, but his enhanced ability to run the show has been apparent whenever the team asks him to handle the ball more. With Jayson Tatum missing his first game of the season Wednesday and Jrue Holiday also sidelined, the Celtics called for Brown to initiate the offense for much of their win against Detroit."(His passing) was unbelievable," Pritchard said. "I think he did a great job tonight. When he had one-on-one, he took advantage of it. But when two people got on the ball, he made the right read. He was probably in the 20s with potential assists. He easily could have had a double-double there. It just shows his growth. He makes the game easy for himself."People haven't always said that about Brown."When you play as long as he has, you start to add different things to your arsenal," Pritchard said. "And it's not just scoring. It's making certain passes. We watch a lot of film, so he sees when to attack and when to use his teammates. Obviously, we have a lot of great teammates, so he makes the game easy. He's throwing lobs to ( Kristaps Porziņģis ) and easy assists to set up threes."Brown's growth as a facilitator has been most evident without Tatum next to him on the court. Over the Celtics' 162 minutes in such situations entering Wednesday night, Brown had recorded 11.7 assists per 100 possessions without Tatum on the court ( Trae Young leads the league with 15.8 assists per 100 possessions) compared to just 3.7 assists per 100 possessions with Tatum in the lineup, according to pbpstats.com.The reasons for the significant discrepancy aren't difficult to comprehend. When Tatum is in the game, the Celtics often run their offense through him. That leaves Brown in a secondary role. He still thrives in it, but it doesn't always show off his ability to create for others. Once prone to reckless drives and tunnel vision, he has worked diligently over the years to become more trustworthy with the ball in his hands."I just think, one, experience is the best teacher," Brown said. "And just maturity, maturation of the game. Earlier in my career, a lot of the things that people could say, I've been able to improve. I feel like if I got put in that position, I could show that it's just different. I'm 28. I'm coming off a great season last year. I promise I'll be able to make those plays over and over again. But whatever our team needs. I think that's the most important thing. Defensively, pick a guy up full-court, guard the best player. Play off-ball, play on-ball, be a cutter, guard a big — just having that versatility I think adds to our team and our value. I promise I'll do that as well. But if you put me in that position, I think you'll be able to see that there's definitely growth."Brown has shown it when given the opportunity. Lately, those chances have consistently led to team success. Entering Wednesday, the Celtics had a net rating of plus-7.9 points per 100 possessions with Brown on the court and Tatum off it. That has come over a small sample size, but the numbers were similar over 929 minutes last season. The Celtics haven't always been able to thrive in such situations but turned the corner last season when Brown became more of a facilitator. This season, their offense hasn't slowed down at all with him on the court and Tatum off it.Brown's talented teammates, like Pritchard and Derrick White , help keep the buckets flowing during those stretches. But Brown's responsibilities might change the most during those minutes. It's only natural for him to take on more of the creation in certain lineups. He was asked if Tatum's absence contributed to his emphasis on playmaking Wednesday."Yeah, you could say that," Brown said. "I think it's also just a credit to my development. I've improved on things. A lot of my weaknesses in the past I've attacked. So being able to run a team and an offense is something that I look forward to in those moments. Obviously, on our team, you won't see it as much because we've got a lot of guys that are ball-dominant and that are really good players. But in these moments, you gotta step up and make plays. (Against Detroit), I was just trying to get my teammates involved, especially in the second half. I didn't think we shot it as well in the second half, but we got a plethora of good looks."Brown set up many of them. Eight of his assists led to 3-pointers or dunks. He opened the scoring for Boston with an alley-oop to Porziņģis.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="TWEET_0"></a></blockquote>Later in the first half, Brown threw a nifty lookaway lefty pass to Horford for a corner 3.Running the offense throughout most of the first half, Brown dominated with 23 points and five assists before halftime. For all the passing he did, his most memorable play came when he dunked on Pistons big man Isaiah Stewart . Capping off a mighty 16-point first quarter, Brown hung on the rim for an extra beat before unleashing an aggressive celebration of the high-powered slam. While staring at Stewart, Brown dragged his right hand across his neck in a slashing-the-throat gesture."Just caught up in the moment, I guess," Brown said.Though he expected to hear from the league about the gesture, Brown didn't sound too apologetic about sending that type of message to the Pistons enforcer. After the dunk, Stewart pushed Brown hard enough to force him off the court. Brown suggested that was a typical play for Stewart."I feel like he's always doing stuff like that," Brown said. "I think that is how he plays the game. But my focus is on coming out, running the offense, getting our team into the right positions. So I didn't want to get distracted. But definitely some going back and forth (with Stewart). And we're not tolerating that this year from nobody."Brown's athleticism and edge aren't new. It's his ability to read a game that has evolved the most."I think he does a good job of trying to read the team: who needs to get a touch, who we need to get going," Porziņģis said. "He's good at that. If he needs to take more responsibility and attack more and create more, he does that for us. We already know what he gives us defensively, his physicality. When he's engaged like this he's one of the best players in the league in my opinion. But yeah, what we love about him, he's going to make the right play and he's going to give the team what the team needs in that moment."(Photo of Jaylen Brown being fouled by Cade Cunningham: Winslow Townson / )

Once prone to reckless drives and tunnel vision, Brown has become more trustworthy with the ball and his ability to read a game has evolved.

Jaylen Brown’s growth as playmaker shows – especially when Jayson Tatum is out

Enzo Maresca said he left Noni Madueke out of his Chelsea team over his performances in training and told him "he must work more" to keep a regular place.The 22-year-old was left out of Chelsea's line-up for their three-goal win over Aston Villa on Sunday but played from the start in Wednesday's 5-1 victory at Southampton , scoring his second Premier League goal since August.The England international had provided the assist for Christopher Nkunku 's 17th-minute goal before scoring himself 11 minutes before the break with a fine shot from the angle.However Maresca has called for more from Madueke, who was substituted off for Jadon Sancho in the 72nd minute at St Mary's."Noni can do much more," the Chelsea head coach said after the match. "He can do much more. The moment he starts to score or assist and is happy, he starts to drop a little bit and the reason why he was not playing is because I do not like the way he trained."He has to understand that he has to train every day good. He has to be ambitious. He scored one tonight, he has to go for the second one and the third one. He has to give more assists."But overall, he is doing great, he is doing fantastic. He is doing even better in terms of numbers. Noni has to understand he has to work more because he can be much, much, much better."Madueke has featured in 16 matches across all competitions for Chelsea this season, starting 12 of their 14 league matches. Maresca's side return to action on Sunday with a trip to Tottenham Hotspur .(Top photo: Mike Hewitt/)

Enzo Maresca said he left Noni Madueke out of his Chelsea team over his performances in training and told him &#8220;he must work more&#8221; to keep a regular place.
The 22-year-old was left out of Chelsea&#8217;s line-up for their three-goal win over Aston Villa on Sunday but played from the start in Wednesday&#8217;s 5-1 victory at Southampton, scoring his second Premier League goal since August.
The England international had provided the assist for Christopher Nkunku&#8217;s 17th-minute goal before scoring himself 11 minutes before the break with a fine shot from the angle.
However Maresca...

Enzo Maresca dropped Noni Madueke over training performance: ‘He must work more’

Real Madrid lost for the second time in three games — defeat by Athletic Club leaves them four points behind Barcelona in La Liga , with a game in hand, but the problems are mounting up.Just as at Anfield in the Champions League against Liverpool , Madrid were inferior to Athletic in Bilbao. And, just as at Anfield, Kylian Mbappe failed to convert a penalty that would have earned his side an equaliser.Madrid dominated possession (63.4 per cent to Athletic's 36.6) and produced more shots (10-9) and shots on target (5-3) than their opponents, but it was not enough."It should have been a draw because of what both (teams) did," Carlo Ancelotti told the press. "But I have nothing to say about the fact that they won." Alex Berenguer put Athletic in front with a finish from close range in the 53rd minute, before Jude Bellingham dragged Madrid back into the contest with his 78th-minute equaliser following Mbappe's penalty miss. But a mistake from Federico Valverde then allowed Gorka Guruzeta to score in the 80th minute, securing all three points for the hosts.From San Mames, Mario Cortegana analyses what went wrong for Madrid.<h2>Another night to forget for Mbappe</h2>Mbappe once again failed to reach the heights expected of him, especially with Vinicius Junior out through injury and the team needing the Frenchman more than ever.The 25-year-old seemed excited for this match, posting an Instagram story that morning in which he wrote, "How nice to visit San Mames!". But Athletic's imposing stadium appeared too big for the striker when the game kicked off.In the 11th minute he called for a penalty after grappling with right-back Andoni Gorosabel and in the 13th minute he saw another goal ruled offside. He had Madrid's clearest chances, shooting straight into goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala 's hands in the 59th minute and seeing his penalty saved in the 67th minute.Mbappe aimed his effort from the spot towards the keeper's left — just like against Liverpool's Caoimhin Kelleher — and the result was the same. Bellingham, Raul Asencio and Antonio Rudiger all went over to give him encouragement afterwards."I don't have to evaluate a player's game by the penalty," Ancelotti said . "He is sad."It was his second missed penalty out of five at Madrid. Just as worrying, if not more so, was Mbappe only completing two of his seven dribbles and consistently losing duels with Athletic's inspired centre-back Dani Vivian .When a journalist said in Ancelotti's press conference that Mbappe was playing at one per cent of what he had shown for Paris Saint-Germain and France , Ancelotti replied, "He is much more than one per cent"."You have to give him time, he has scored 10 goals but he can do better, of course, and he is working for it," the Italian added.At least one of his shots from the edge of the area ended in Bellingham's equaliser."Bad result," Mbappe posted on his Instagram story. "A big mistake in a match where every detail counts. I take full responsibility for it. A difficult moment but it's the best time to change this situation and show who I am." - what's happened?<h2>Ancelotti in the spotlight</h2>Three wins in a row in La Liga since Madrid's 4-0 Clasico humiliation against Barcelona, with nine goals scored and none conceded, suggested Ancelotti's team were improving. That was completely erased by Ernesto Valverde's Athletic side.Ancelotti is still not finding solutions. Madrid have suffered five defeats this season in all competitions compared to two last season."It's stranger to have five defeats in a short time, we have to improve," Ancelotti said. A dressing-room source, who asked to remain anonymous to protect relationships, simply told The Athletic, "Complicated. Very bad game."The club are concerned about the team's poor performance in big games. Madrid have been outplayed against Barca, Milan (a 3-1 loss in the Champions League), Liverpool and Athletic, with a shock 1-0 defeat against Lille in the Champions League and a 1-1 draw against city rivals Atletico.Ancelotti still has credit but his every decision is scrutinised within the club and by fans and the media.Last night, he kept academy graduate Asencio in the line-up. The 21-year-old centre-back was one of the few outstanding players for Madrid with six recoveries, six clearances, two interceptions and only one missed tackle, even if he should have done better for Berenguer's opener. -tape investigationBut Ancelotti also kept Lucas Vazquez at right-back (he did not have any other options) and Fran Garcia instead of Ferland Mendy at left-back. Neither of them produced a single cross, chance or dribble.After five games out, Aurelien Tchouameni returned to midfield after recovering from the injury to his left ankle sustained in the defeat by Milan. But he barely made a successful tackle or recovery in 70 minutes on the pitch before being replaced by Luka Modric .President Florentino Perez will have been least impressed with the lack of opportunities for youngsters Arda Guler and Endrick , who only came on in the 88th minute. Against Getafe , the Brazilian striker warmed up but did not feature at all.<h2>Bellingham's best still not enough</h2>Bellingham's equaliser was one of few positives for Madrid. The Englishman took advantage of Agirrezabala parrying Mbappe's shot from distance to score at the same iconic stadium where he netted on his La Liga debut in 2023.He celebrated on the run and in anger, grabbing the crest on his shirt. Immediately afterwards, he produced a brilliant recovery that almost ended in a goal from Rodrygo .Despite a surprising drought at the start of the season for a player who scored 23 times in his debut season with Madrid, he now has four goals in his last four La Liga games. That equals his best run in the competition and he could beat it if he scores at Girona 's Estadi Montilivi on Saturday.The 21-year-old was the first player to console Mbappe after his missed penalty and went straight to the fans after another disappointing night for Ancelotti's La Liga holders. He could be seen remonstrating with his team-mates when they arrived late to a ball or not at all.Bellingham finished with four tackles won and none lost, a defensive block and two interceptions.Unlike last season, however, an inspired Bellingham does not seem to be enough this campaign.(Top photo: Diego Souto/)

Madrid looked to be improving in La Liga after a humiliating defeat to Barcelona, but this latest loss brought them down to earth

Athletic Club 2 Real Madrid 1: Another Mbappe penalty miss, Ancelotti’s headache, Bellingham can’t save them

On Saturday, the New York Red Bulls will participate in an MLS Cup final for the first time since 2008. Less than a month later, the club and the broader Red Bull football group will enter a new era altogether. Rather than trying to get their wings from a slim silver can, the conglomerate hopes to take flight thanks to an iconic German newcomer.In January, Jurgen Klopp begins his tenure as head of global soccer for Red Bull . It is a sprawling sports enterprise with assorted flavors, including Formula One racing, extreme sports, esports and soccer. Klopp will oversee the arm of the latter, which comprises UEFA Champions League qualifiers RB Leipzig and Red Bull Salzburg, the New York branch and Brazil's Red Bull Bragantino. The organisation also have a stake in Leeds United but Klopp's role with the English Championship side is expected to be more of an advisory one.The former Liverpool head coach is larger than life, one of international soccer's biggest characters and cerebral influencers. Impressing him is not easy. However, the Red Bulls' run to this weekend's final against the LA Galaxy could have hardly made a stronger first impression. Overseen at the top level by Klopp's compatriot and New York's head of sport, Jochen Schneider, it has been a wild ride of underdog determination and away wins. Schneider, it must be noted, hasn't received official confirmation yet that his impending boss has been watching."I don't know — you'll have to ask him about that," Schneider told The Athletic on Tuesday. "I've not spoken with him about New York, but we will find out. I'm looking forward to seeing him here, hopefully very often during the year. This is such an amazing decision for Red Bull, for all of us, for all our clubs. To have somebody like him — not only for his experience as a coach, but also him as a human being — with us is really big."While it's unclear how involved Klopp will be with the group's American branch, his handling will help answer a long-open question about the club's standing in the hierarchy. After years of adhering to a development model, New York has evolved into a more modern and competitive operation under Schneider. To him, reaching this weekend's final is only the beginning."I said this right at the beginning, we are not a 'farm team', " Schneider said. "I know how much the New York Red Bulls mean to the Red Bull organization, how important we are, and how much they appreciate that we play successful football this season. This club means a lot to Red Bull."Over the past decade, the Red Bulls have provided some valuable talent to the broader group. At times, however, that pathway has seemed to hamper the team's ability to contend at MLS's highest levels.While some teams were spending club-record transfer fees on a near-annual basis, New York appeared to be developing players and coaches with an eye toward the best interests of the other Red Bull soccer properties. Mike Petke led the Red Bulls to win the Supporters Shield in 2013 but he was fired a year later as the club appointed a better ideological match, current Canada men's coach Jesse Marsch. After Marsch himself won two more Shields in 2015 and 2018, he departed — not for a head coaching gig, but to become assistant coach at Leipzig. Perhaps most worrisome was the departure of Tyler Adams. While it made sense for him to move to Leipzig as his European entry point, the reported $3million (£2.4m at current rates) transfer fee felt laughably below market value for a young defensive midfielder with considerable first-team experience.Schneider arrived in 2022 and immediately pushed back on the "farm team" narrative, but supporters could be forgiven for remaining skeptical.The Red Bulls had not signed a squad-leading veteran designated player — a hallmark of any competitor's roster build — since Thierry Henry retired after the 2014 season. The club maintained success by balancing a domestic-skewing squad with a pipeline of young talent through its academy. While the developmental approach didn't cost the team playoff appearances, it seemed to keep them from competing with free-spending rivals.Still, the return to contending at the highest level required a concentrated shift in approach. After a surprising first-round exit at home in 2022, Schneider began studying what other teams in MLS were doing — particularly those that could credibly threaten to win MLS Cup.A founding franchise in 1996 (initially as the New York/New Jersey MetroStars), New York is one of three remaining originals to have not yet won MLS Cup, a painful reality, especially when local rival New York City FC did so in their seventh year. "We went through the process of how we make a winning team out of this club, and what it really needs," Schneider said. "It was important to raise the quality of the team, to add leadership and experience to our team."Over the years, the pipeline from New York to the group's clubs in Leipzig and Salzburg occasionally flowed both ways. New York has acquired eight players from the Austrian club and two from Leipzig, most often as loanees. Current starting goalkeeper Carlos Coronel first arrived on a loan from Salzburg in 2021. Still, no previous import came close to the stature of Emil Forsberg. As Schneider tells it, the Sweden international was ready for a change of scenery after over nine years with Leipzig, from helping the club earn promotion from the 2. Bundesliga to its sustained presence in the top tiers of Europe's club rankings.Forsberg joined New York early in its offseason for a reported $4.9 million . Now, Schneider's squad building came with a centerpiece that he estimates is "the best football player the Red Bull soccer group has ever had." The way he creates chances from central areas is illustrated in the graphic below."It was a perfect fit at the right time," Schneider said. "To be able to sign him to the New York Red Bulls was quite remarkable. I'm grateful for what Red Bull has done for us: the support, the trust, especially (Red Bull CEO) Oliver Mintzlaff. He gave us the opportunity to sign Emil, and that really helped a lot."Forsberg made a strong first impression under head coach Sandro Schwarz, who also joined in the offseason, having been dismissed by Hertha BSC. Schneider was confident Schwarz could balance the increasing veteran presence and expectations with the club's steadfast commitment to development.The season could have hardly started off better, with New York sitting atop the Eastern Conference after seven games. Forsberg built a swift connection with winger Lewis Morgan, who returned from a hip injury that ended his 2023 after six games. While the club created chances at a rate similar to conference heavyweights Inter Miami and the Columbus Crew, they struggled to turn that into goals."The only thing we have to criticize is that we didn't convert our chances well enough," Schneider said. "When you look at the data in terms of expected goals, we have been at the same level of Inter Miami. When it comes to executing, you can see what they were able to convert and we missed many, many big chances. We tied a lot of games which we could have won, and we could have easily finished this regular season in the fourth, maybe third position."New York gradually fell down the conference table as the season progressed, finishing seventh after a couple of maddening stretches, including four straight draws through midsummer, and not a single win during August and September. From there, Schwarz looked into the team's issues and made subtle changes to get the team ready for a playoff showdown against defending champion Columbus. He tailored his defense to force the Crew to cross far more than they were comfortable with, neutralizing their attacking threat. With the ball at their feet, Schwarz kept Morgan at the top of the defensive shape as a pacy outlet for quick counter-attacks.It paid off, as the Red Bulls shocked MLS by beating Columbus in two games. A conference semifinal win against New York City FC and last week's 1-0 win over Orlando City ensured the first-round result was no fluke, getting New York back to the final."I have to give a lot of credit to the coaching team, to Sandro," Schneider said. "They found the key to beat Columbus in two games, and we played a bit differently than before, but this was the key to win games, and players believe in that."While Forsberg is a worthy leading man, the team hasn't strayed far from its long-established DNA. Five of the 11 players who started in Saturday's conference final hail from New York and New Jersey, including the academy-developed midfield double pivot of Daniel Edelman and Peter Stroud. Fellow homegrown John Tolkin sent in the conference-winning assist on a set piece, while brothers Dylan and Sean Nealis have come up big defensively throughout their run.The academy will receive another boost when the team's privately funded training complex opens in 2025. Stationed in Morris Township, NJ, the facility will cater to both the senior and youth setups, ensuring a continued seamless integration of homegrown talent into the broader organization's plans and practices, according to Schneider.Schneider also singled out Adams, who captained the United States at the 2022 World Cup, as a great role model for young players, both in how he climbed the ranks and the heights he has hit as a result of New York's development. "There will be more to come," he added.Win or lose on Saturday, it feels as though the Red Bulls have come into their own as an MLS operation this year. With a pragmatic coach and more senior experience to supplement and mentor the long-standing young core, it's a sustainable approach that Schneider hopes will lead to more successes on the field and beyond.That's a commitment to its own end, not a concentrated effort to further fortify Red Bull's clubs in Europe. Schneider insists attempts to cater MLS planning predominantly to provide for teams abroad would be difficult due to the league's byzantine roster rules."You cannot compare MLS to any other league in Europe. Being one entity here is completely different to any European club," Schneider said. "The overall global awareness is growing — I can see that in the last week how many people reached out to me from Europe. I can tell you that people from Europe follow MLS closely."Only time will tell just how closely Klopp himself keeps tabs on Schneider's works, either from Germany or a seat at the team's stadium in Harrison, NJ. But one thing is clear: New York is on the rise, both in MLS and their broader footballing network.(Top photo: Julio Aguilar/)

Red Bulls' run to the MLS Cup final could have hardly made a stronger first impression on incoming head of global soccer Jurgen Klopp

New York Red Bulls: Rising in MLS and within its own football conglomerate

HONOLULU (AP) — Three generations of TJ Rickard's family lost their homes in the deadly Maui wildfire more than a year ago, and he and his extended family still have not rebuilt. That leaves Rickard, a high school basketball coach, conflicted about next week's return of the storied Maui Invitational college tournament.Like many, Rickard is excited to have top-drawer basketball played in Lahaina's humble arena, but he worries people will think it's business as usual in his hometown. In truth, he says, Lahaina is still struggling after the fire killed at least 102 people and leveled thousands of homes."Not even a minute drive away from where they play, there's houses that are burned down that are still waiting to be rebuilt," said Rickard, the boys head coach at Lahainaluna High School. Many residents are excited about the local exposure to high-caliber competition and the economic boost the Maui Invitational will bring. But there's also a fear that travelers might show disrespect by wandering into the Lahaina burn zone and taking photos of the devastation, or trigger unpleasant memories with questions about that catastrophic day. "People are in a weird state right now over here because there's so much displacement and loss of community," said Jon Conrad, Lahainaluna's athletic director. "It's a highly sensitive and slightly charged environment." Boosters coming to Lahaina should know "it's been a year and more, but things are still a little raw," Conrad said. The Maui Invitational will bring eight of the NCAA's best men's teams — including two-time defending champion UConn — to Lahaina's 2,400-seat gymnasium for three days. Last year, organizers moved the tournament to Honolulu instead of intruding on Lahaina when many survivors were still living in hotels and charred rubble littered properties. This year, they decided to bring the 40-year-old event back after meeting with the governor's office, the Hawaii Tourism Authority and Maui's mayor, said Tom Valdiserri, executive vice president of KemperSports LIVE. "It's our home and we want to be there. And Maui is our ohana, frankly," Valdiserri said, using the Hawaiian word for family.Reconstruction is progressing slowly. The Army Corps of Engineers has fully cleared all residential lots and 91% of commercial lots of fire debris. Maui County has issued 133 building permits after receiving 291 applications. One property has been finished.Rickard's experience shows how challenging housing is even 15 months after the fire. The blaze burned down his grandparents' house and the in-law unit on their property where Rickard lived with his wife and dog. His parents' house a few lots away got torched. The blaze claimed a cousin's house across the street and another cousin's place the next street over. A great-aunt who lived down the road lost her house, too.Rickard now lives in an apartment a 45-minute drive away that's paid for by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. His relatives are living with friends or other family. Maui officials hope the tournament will help rebuild the tourism industry, which took a massive hit. In 2022, the last year the Maui Invitational was held in Lahaina, the competition brought 6,500 visitors and $24 million in spending to Maui, KemperSports LIVE said. University of Hawaii researchers said last month that fewer than half of those who had full-time jobs in Lahaina's tourism industry still do. Those with jobs are working fewer hours, their report said.Rebuilding helps Javier Barberi cope with the disaster. His company, Hana Hou Hospitality, reopened a popular beachfront restaurant that was spared by the flames — Mala Ocean Tavern — eight months after the fire. He and his partners overhauled another restaurant and launched it as a new establishment called Coco Deck. To him, the tournament's return is a sign of hope. "Like, hey, we used to have this. It was gone. Now it's back," Barberi said. "That restaurant was gone. Now it's back. That house was gone, now it's being rebuilt. To see these things happen, it starts to bring things back to normal and bring Maui back."Jason Donez, general manager of Leilani's restaurant, remembers his daughter Lola meeting Mike Krzyzewski, Duke's head coach at the time, at a free-throw contest in 2018. The Hall of Fame coach told the 12-year-old she had a nice shot, she should stick with it and he would see her in college one day, Donez said. Today, Lola Donez is a freshman guard at Cal. Being around the teams helped her "dream big," her father said. Tickets to the games this year range from $56 to $236 depending on the game and seat location, but local residents get about a 28% discount. Tournament organizers and teams will hold basketball clinics for local students. Organizers have reminded participating schools and their teams to be respectful, and the tournament website has the same message for fans. The athletes and their coaches say they understand."I think that's where you try to remind guys that we're very fortunate to be able to travel and do the things the way we do, and we're going to a community that had a huge devastation that none of us would want anyone go to through," said North Carolina assistant coach Sean May. "So we've got to have some compassion." "But I think at the end, they're happy we're there, we're happy to be there, it's great for the community. And to me, it brings so much excitement."

HONOLULU (AP) — Three generations of TJ Rickard’s family lost their homes in the deadly Maui wildfire more than a year ago, and he and his extended family still have not rebuilt. That leaves Rickar…

Maui Invitational returns to a Lahaina still grappling with raw emotions left by deadly wildfire

The Nations League came to a close this week in terms of the actual group action, but further fixtures yet lie ahead: the semi-finals and final as usual for those competing at the top end, but also even more games in yet another an expanded Uefa competition.This time around we have play-offs for promotion and relegation spots, and instead of just a final four encounter, we've got quarter-finals to look forward to too. Scotland and Republic of Ireland are both involved in the playoffs, the former after Andy Robertson's last-minute heroics , while aiming for Nations League glory this time around will be the likes of European champions Spain , along with France, Germany and Netherlands. See the full draw along with explanations, rules and when the matches will take place and reaction to the draw in our live blog below:

England weren’t involved in the draw after securing an immediate return to League A

Nations League draw live - Scotland and Ireland learn playoff fate plus quarter-final ties featuring Spain and France

Christian McCaffrey came back and somehow the 49ers offense became worse.In two games with McCaffrey, the 49ers have scored just 40 points.This shouldn't happen. The offense was doing well enough before McCaffrey returned. It scored 36 points against the Seahawks four weeks ago. And the running game was good. Jordan Mason and Isaac Guerendo had emerged as an elite running-back tandem. Mason is one of the hardest runners in the NFL and Guerendo is one of the fastest. They compliment each other. And they're young and fresh.Adding McCaffrey to Mason and Guerendo only should make the 49ers offense better. But instead of using all three running backs, the 49ers have used mainly McCaffrey, who's clearly not 100 percent himself yet after missing most of the offseason and half of the season with bilateral Achilles' tendonitis.And so, instead of having an explosive tandem of running backs, the 49ers have one bellcow who's desperately trying to regain his burst. Through two games, McCaffrey is averaging just 3.7 yards per carry - his lowest average since his rookie season.And yet he's still playing 91 percent of the 49ers' offensive snaps. Kyle Shanahan clearly feels McCaffrey's presence on the field improves the offense, particularly the passing game, because he's such a tough matchup.But for the time being, McCaffrey is hurting the running game. The 49ers need to redistribute some of his carries to Mason and Guerendo to balance out the offense. And if Shanahan doesn't want to take McCaffrey off the field, he can play him and Mason at the same time. That would be more dangerous than playing a sixth offensive lineman, which is what the 49ers did at times during their loss to the Seahawks.Time to show some new wrinkles.

Christian McCaffrey came back and somehow the 49ers offense became worse.In two games with McCaffrey, the 49ers have scored just 40 points.This shouldn't happen. The offense was doing well enough before McCaffrey returned. It scored 36 points against the Seahawks four weeks ago. And the running game was good. Jordan Mason and Isaac Guerendo had emerged as an elite running-back tandem. Mason is one of the hardest runners in the NFL and Guerendo is one of the fastest. They compliment each ...

The 49ers Have to Play Jordan Mason and Isaac Guerendo More

Have the 49ers hit rock bottom?They're 5-5 and they just lost to the Seattle Seahawks at home. Plus they haven't beaten a team with a winning record yet. And they're set to face five winning teams in their final seven games. Which means the season could get much uglier.That's why this week the 49ers fell to no. 16 in NFL.com's Week 12 power rankings."There's no other way to say it: Sunday's loss to the Seahawks was crushing," NFL.com analyst Eric Edholm writes . "Blowing leads against NFC West opponents has become a chronic issue. Sure, the Niners were playing without George Kittle (and, for most of the second half, Nick Bosa), and a few bad breaks went against them. Those mitigating factors don't make the outcome count less when it comes to the playoff picture. If San Francisco misses the postseason - and, as of Monday night, the team had just a 29 percent chance of making it - we'll look back on this one as one of the bigger reasons why, along with earlier losses to the Rams and Cardinals. The 49ers were more in control of those games. Even so, on Sunday, they did have the ball at the Seattle 46-yard line, protecting a 17-13 lead with less than three minutes left. That's usually when Kyle Shanahan teams (especially at this time of year) bleed out the clock or score to put it away. Instead, the Niners had to punt and then watch their defense allow Geno Smith and Co. drive 80 yards in two-plus minutes for the game-winning touchdown. After all the 49ers have been through, the playoffs just might not be in the cards this season."MY TAKE: If the 49ers miss the playoffs, they won't be able to use injuries or the Super Bowl hangover or the Madden Curse or bad breaks as excuses. No more victim mentality. Instead, they'll have to look in the mirror, hold themselves accountable for falling far short of expectations, and then make a meaningful adjustment. Download and follow The Cohn Zohn Podcast.

Have the 49ers hit rock bottom?They're 5-5 and they just lost to the Seattle Seahawks at home. Plus they haven't beaten a team with a winning record yet. And they're set to face five winning teams in their final seven games. Which means the season could get much uglier.That's why this week the 49ers fell to no. 16 in NFL.com's Week 12 power rankings."There's no other way to say it: Sunday's loss to the Seahawks was crushing," NFL.com analyst Eric Edholm writes. "Blowing leads against NFC ...

The 49ers Fall to No. 16 in NFL.com's Week 12 Power Rankings

Kyle Shanahan was asked about the 49ers' mindset now that they're 5-5 and have just a 29 percent chance to make the postseason. Here's what Shanahan said courtesy of the 49ers' p.r. department.Q: You and president of football operations/general manager John Lynch have made a point of bringing in guys that, self-starters, guys who love football, that you don't have to really monitor that much. I'm just curious as to 10 games into a season where it hasn't gone the way that anybody expected, do you still see the same resolve and the confidence and the enthusiasm that you need to see?SHANAHAN: "What are you asking exactly?"Q: I'm saying you have a team pretty much of self-starters that are used to a lot of success. They haven't had as much this year and I'm wondering do you still see that same resolve and the same confidence and the same enthusiasm at five-and-five?SHANAHAN: "I'm still confused by your question. But I mean, yeah, we have guys who love football. Enthusiasm at five-and-five, it's not the same as what our record was last year. But in terms of, I think you're asking like, do you guys still work hard and play hard and try to get after it? Yeah."Q: What was the general mood around the building today?SHANAHAN: "I think we were just, we were pissed off from yesterday. That was a tough loss. We had every ask chance to win it and we didn't get it done. So, I think guys were disappointed and upset, but nothing, we all know each other pretty well in here. We understand our expectations and we just had a good team meeting, addressed a bunch of the fourth quarter, kind of watched it all together and then we broke up into our position meetings. But, I think guys are pissed and ready to put that game behind us. Today is always a hard day to deal with it because of some of the frustration of what happened. And now I think our guys can't wait to get to Green Bay as fast as we can."Q: I know you always say that each play is different, but were there any kind of common threads that went through the issues in the fourth quarter? And how many plays did you address with the team in that meeting?SHANAHAN: "When they took the lead 13 to 10 with three minutes to go in the third, the offense got the ball two more times and our defense got the ball two more times. So, we just addressed both of those drives. The offense had two chances to take it into our own hands, and we did that on one drive, and we didn't on the other. And the defense had two chances to take it in their own hands and they did it on one drive, having a huge fourth-down stop, getting us the ball back. And then the offense didn't in the four minute and then Seattle answered on that last drive. So, we had two opportunities to do it and we were 50-50 on them, just like they were. And when you do that, it's usually who has the ball last, and they did. And there were different plays in all of them, but those were the two issues."Q: With nine penalties in the game, seven on offense, was that something that you addressed with the team? I mean, it seems uncharacteristic of what you've been doing this season. SHANAHAN: "Yeah, that was a huge thing. I thought that was one of the biggest problems for the offense on the day. And I actually thought we played a better game offensively than we did on that Thursday night game. We didn't get, you know, on that Thursday night game we got the busted coverage on [WR] Deebo's [Samuel] 70-yarder and we got those two explosive runs which really helped. But we played better football this game. We just didn't at all with the penalties and you know, we had one 14-play drive where, I don't know how many 14-play drives that I've been a part of that don't end with points or a missed field goal or turnover. To go 14 plays and then punt it, we had eight plays inside the 50 after that turnover for the field goal having to overcome it a couple times and get them again. So, that was our biggest problem on the day I felt offensively."Q: You've talked in the past there's generally every point in every season where it's like the 'sky is falling' and things look like hell and sometimes the sky is falling and sometimes it's just adversity that you end up pulling out of. What have you learned from these kinds of moments in your past, if anything, that you've kind of learned to apply?SHANAHAN: "Just that the only thing that matters is what happens in those three-and-a-half hours in a football game. And the only thing that you can do about those three-and-a-half hours is focus on football and how to get better at that stuff in practice in meetings. And anything outside of that, any talking about it, any pointing to other people trying to make up any type of narrative of it that doesn't have to do with exactly what's happening on the football field will only make that stuff harder. Those are the challenges because guys know their job and they're just supposed to do their job and guys don't always know what other people are responsible for and doing and that's why you've got to make sure you got tough-minded people who can focus on really what their job is and nothing more than that. And it gets harder when you have adversity and stuff like that when you aren't getting as many W's as you want. But no matter how much harder it gets, you've got to always understand it's about the ball and you've got to keep it about the ball and nothing else."Q: After going to three games where you've lost the lead in the fourth quarter, do you feel like your team has still has that killer instinct at the end of the game or is there some sort of 'Super Bowl hangover,' or emotional hangover from the journey that you guys have been on so far?SHANAHAN: "No, I hear that and I understand all the questions, but it's back to my last answer. I don't think there is an answer about a journey or Super Bowl hangover. I think it's about what's happening in that exact game. The week before was almost the same game. I think we went down 13 to 10 or something in the third. I think they came back and tied it up and we went down and won it on the last play. So, I don't think that means we had a killer instinct in that game and not in this game. They took a lead 13 to 10 in the fourth quarter. We went on a 14-play drive and scored a touchdown and overcame a bunch of negative stuff on that drive and still took a 17 to 13 lead. Our defense held them on a fourth-and-one, I think with three and a half minutes to go. So I saw the killer instinct on both of those drives. And then we got to run out the clock on offense and we run three plays, get it down there in second-and-11. We missed a throw and catch, which I think would've got us in the redzone and allowed us to run out more clock, possibly the clock, but we didn't make it and then they got us on the last drive. So we've got to play better on those two last drives. And it usually comes down to that in football. If you don't want it to come down to that before that you've got to play pretty flawlessly to get up a couple scores before the end. But that's why most games in this league do come down to the end and we got that done versus Tampa, but we didn't get it done this week." Download and follow The Cohn Zohn Podcast.

Kyle Shanahan was asked about the 49ers' mindset now that they're 5-5 and have just a 29 percent chance to make the postseason. Here's what Shanahan said courtesy of the 49ers' p.r. department.Q: You and president of football operations/general manager John Lynch have made a point of bringing in guys that, self-starters, guys who love football, that you don't have to really monitor that much. I'm just curious as to 10 games into a season where it hasn't gone the way that anybody expected, do ...

Kyle Shanahan Discusses the 49ers' Mindset at 5-5

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers activated running back MarShawn Lloyd off injured reserve on Monday.Don't get too excited.Lloyd, who had been on injured reserve due to an ankle injury, was poised to return to the lineup on Sunday at Chicago. Instead, after practicing on Wednesday and Thursday, he was stricken with appendicitis on Friday, had surgery and is out indefinitely.Because Lloyd's 21-day practice window was set to expire, the team had to make a decision: add him to the 53-man roster or keep him on injured reserve, which would have ended his season.So, the Packers added him to the roster. They could keep him there – the Packers had only 52 players on their roster, so a corresponding roster move did not have to be made and there's not a pressing need for that roster spot.Or they can transfer him to the non-football injury list later this week. If they choose NFI, Lloyd when healthy once again can be designated for return. At that point, the 21-day practice window will be opened again.Teams are allowed only eight designated-for-return transactions. The Packers have used only two (Lloyd and defensive tackle Jonathan Ford) and have only one other player eligible (tight end Luke Musgrave), so they can afford to burn two on Lloyd."I can't wait to get him back in the fold," offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said on Thursday, when it appeared Lloyd was poised to play vs. the Bears. "During the bye week, you go back and self-scout, watch all the old film that you had from the year, and the one game that he played [against the Colts], you just saw his explosive potential, his quickness, his receiving ability."Very good player. He's working through some stuff and he's trying to get back as fast as he can but, at the same time, we've just got to make sure we're smart with it and everything. But I'm looking forward to getting him back very soon."<h3>Jaire Alexander Update</h3>Meanwhile, after missing the Detroit game with a knee injury, cornerback Jaire Alexander returned to action against the Bears.Just not for long.Alexander played 10 snaps before sitting out the end of the first half. He was ruled out at halftime.The good news is Alexander did not aggravate the injury."He didn't feel like he could play, so we pulled him," coach Matt LaFleur said on Monday.The Packers need Alexander healthy back for the stretch run. That begins on Sunday, when Green Bay will host Brock Purdy and the San Francisco 49ers. After that, the Packers will host Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins before a NFC North rematch at Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions. The Packers are scheduled to play a bunch of quality quarterbacks to wrap up the regular season.Alexander has played 56.1 percent of the defensive snaps this season."That's always a risk," LaFleur said of playing Alexander, who was questionable on the injury report. "I knew that going into it. He was on a pitch count, regardless, and those other guys [at cornerback] were well aware that they were going to have to play. But we just felt like it was better to have him for a limited period. Now, we were hoping we could get through it and keep him on a pitch count and then pull him, but it didn't work out that way."<h3>Latest Green Bay Packers News </h3><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="TWEET_0"></a></blockquote> Three overreactions | Tom Brady on Packers beating Bears | Snaps, studs and duds | Packers-Bears report card | Karl Brooks saves the day | Packers show close-game grit | Stock report following Packers' win over Bears | Packers shock Bears on blocked field goal | Packers-Bears live updates | Packers-Bears video highlights | Jordan Love vs. Aaron Rodgers through 25 starts | Xavier McKinney channels Vince Lombardi

Packers QB Jordan Love on Victory Over BearsGREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers activated running back MarShawn Lloyd off injured reserve on Monday.Don’t get too excited.Lloyd, who had been on injured reserve due to an ankle injury, was poised to return to the lineup on Sunday at Chicago. Instead, after practicing on Wednesday and Thursday, he was stricken with appendicitis on Friday, had surgery and is out indefinitely.Because Lloyd’s 21-day practice window was set to expire, the team ...

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