Shades of Drogba: Chelsea make contact to sign £26m Liam Delap upgrade

Despite a few poor results, this season is starting to shape up nicely for Chelsea.

Enzo Maresca’s side are currently second in the Premier League and have the chance to cut the gap to Arsenal to just three points when they play them on Sunday.

However, for the West Londoners to have any chance of beating the high-flying Gunners, they’ll need to have their shooting boots on, and Liam Delap will have to show why the club signed him in the summer.

However, Chelsea might already be having second thoughts about the Englishman, as reports are linking them to another exciting young striker, someone with shades of Didier Drogba in their game.

Chelsea target Delap upgrade

Given Chelsea’s propensity to spend big in the transfer window, it’s not been much of a surprise to see reports already linking them with a host of talented players ahead of the January window.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

For example, Athletic Bilbao’s incredibly exciting Nico Williams has been touted for a £62m move to Stamford Bridge, and Nottingham Forest’s Murillo has also been heavily linked.

However, as talented as these two internationals are, neither can be compared to Drogba, nor would they be a threat to Delap’s place in the team, unlike Robinio Vaz.

Yes, according to a recent report from Caught Offside, Chelsea are one of a few teams interested in the exciting French talent.

In fact, the report has revealed that the Blues have already established contact with Marseille over a possible move that could cost as much as €30m, about £26m.

However, sides like Arsenal, Borussia Dortmund, Sevilla and Napoli are also said to be interested in the youngster.

It could therefore be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Vaz’s ability and potential, it’s one Chelsea should fight for, especially as he could be an upgrade on Delap and has shades of Drogba in his game.

How Vaz compares to Delap and Drogba

Okay, so before looking at how Vaz compares to Delap, let’s examine the shades of Drogba in his game and this potential move.

The first and most significant would be that, so long as this transfer happens, the youngster would be following in the legendary striker’s footsteps, who moved from Marseille to Chelsea in 2004.

Another trait he appears to share with the iconic centre-forward is that he’s more than a goalscorer.

While he certainly can put the ball in the back of the net, the teenage sensation is also someone who can create chances for his teammates through, in the words of respected analyst Ben Mattinson, an ability to “hold up the ball.”

With all that said, how does his output stack up to that of Delap’s this season?

Appearances

14

7

Minutes

331′

294′

Goals

4

0

Assists

2

0

Goal Involvements per Match

0.42

N/A

Minutes per Goal Involvement

55.16′

N/A

Well, despite still being just 18 years old, the “lethal” number nine, as one analyst dubbed him, has scored four goals and provided two assists in 14 appearances, totalling just 331 minutes this season.

That comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.33 games, or far more crucially, one every 55.16 minutes.

In contrast, the West Londoners’ summer signing has failed to score a single goal or provide a single assist in seven appearances across all competitions, totalling 294 minutes.

Granted, he has been out injured, but the Englishman has almost played as many minutes as the youngster and arguably for a far better team.

UltimatelyUltimately, it’s still early in his career, but as one analyst puts it, Vaz looks like he’s “going straight to the top,” and therefore Chelsea should sign him, even if it’s bad news for Delap.

Bad news for Garnacho: Chelsea submit bid to sign £62m "level-raiser"

The game-changing forward could be brilliant for Chelsea but bad news for Garnacho.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 24, 2025

The next Raphinha: Leeds to move for £17m star with a "magical left foot"

As far back as September, concern was raised that Leeds United simply lack any sort of potent threat going forward. The Whites are seemingly going to end up in the relegation scrap, with just 11 points in as many games and ten goals scored.

Daniel Farke’s side have been lacking in the final third since the off and that hasn’t changed much in the last two months or so, as the number of goals scored this season shows. Only bottom-place Wolverhampton Wanderers have bagged fewer.

With that in mind, it is surely no surprise that Leeds are targeting a new attacker to help enhance their final third quality.

Leeds’ latest attacking target

Reports have already begun to break about some of Leeds’ January transfer targets. One of those could see them make an ambitious move for Chelsea star Raheem Sterling, who has been frozen out at Stamford Bridge this season.

In recent days, they have also been linked to Brazilian attacking midfielder Gabriel Sara.

According to a report from Turkish news outlet Takvim, the Whites are strongly considering ‘making a move’ to sign the 26-year-old from Galatasaray.

The former Norwich City star is said to be unhappy with his playing time for the Turkish giants, perhaps coinciding with the signing of Ilkay Gundogan.

He could ask to leave the club, which is where Leeds could swoop in with an offer of £17m, thought to be enough for Galatasaray to sell him.

Why Leeds could be targeting their next Raphinha

It has perhaps not been the season Sara might have expected in 2025/26. The Brazilian has played 16 times this term, but has only racked up one goal and two assists in that time.

His form last season was far better, scoring and assisting 12 times in 45 games.

Of course, Sara has already experienced English football, plying his trade for the Canaries. His best campaign for the East Anglian club came in 2023/24, when his 13 goals and 12 assists in the Championship helped them reach the play-offs, where, ironically, they lost to Leeds.

Goals like this were a real feature of his impressive form that season.

His underlying stats from that campaign highlight why Leeds want him to add a creative influence in midfield.

For example, Sara averaged 2.61 key passes and an expected assist tally of 0.26xA per 90 minutes, which placed him in the top 4% and 3% for Championship midfielders that season.

Key passes

2.61

96th

Progressive passes

6.67

91st

Expected assists

0.26xA

97th

Shot-creating actions

4.96

95th

Goal-creating actions

0.61

97th

Analyst Ben Mattinson is someone who has spoken highly of Sara in the past, praising him for boasting a “magical left foot.”

He wouldn’t be the first Brazilian Leeds player who fits that description, with Raphinha also falling into the category.

The Elland Road faithful will look back fondly on Raphinha’s time at the club. He was sensational in that famous White shirt, bagging 17 goals and assisting 12 in just 67 games.

Strikes like this one against Everton were the sort of class he provided on a game-by-game basis.

Well, if Sara could have close to that level of impact on the club, he’d be a huge success. It is easy to see the comparison, both flair attackers who hail from Brazil, with a tricky left foot and lots of final third productivity.

Since Raphinha left Elland Road, he hasn’t really been replaced, and Farke certainly has not had his own version. Well, Sara, a player described as “technically gifted” by Mattinson, could be the guy they’ve been looking for.

Raphinha had so much quality on the ball, and Sara possesses that in abundance, as the stats show. He could be Farke’s own Raphinha, and the man to add a creative spark to Leeds’ attack.

Viduka 2.0: Leeds plotting move for £21m star who's "built like a brick"

Leeds United are reportedly interested in signing a star who could be Mark Viduka 2.0 for the club.

ByDan Emery Nov 22, 2025

Baseball’s Top-Heavy Food Chain Is Nearing a Tipping Point

Baseball is rapidly careening down a track that could lead to a very dark place.

On Sunday, the Los Angeles Dodgers continued their lavish spending by signing closer Tanner Scott to a four-year, $72 million deal. That move came days after 23-year-old Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki chose to join the Dodgers, which came a few months after the world champions added two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell on a five-year, $182 million contract. That followed a 2023 offseason during which L.A. spent roughly $1.2 billion on contracts. Which came after … you get the idea.

Let me first say the Dodgers are not the problem. The system is. Baseball is facing a jarring division between the haves and have-nots, and there is no sign of it slowing down. The gap between big-market teams and those in medium and small markets is only growing.

Any way you slice it, that is terrible for the game.

The Dodgers have used the financial might of their market to dwarf the competition. In the last 12 months, the franchise has added four nine-figure contracts. Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow and Snell will combine to make more than $1.3 billion over the course of their contracts, and they all play the same position. Add those deals to the nine-figure agreements signed by Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Will Smith, and you've got seven players being paid a combined $2 billion.

Perhaps the most stunning part of L.A.’s spending spree has been the incredible amount of deferred money involved. The team currently has about $1 billion in deferrals still on the books. A common refrain to counter outrage at the concentration of players the Dodgers have hoarded is that any owner and franchise could be doing this. That's far from reality. When the rival San Diego Padres tried to keep up with Los Angeles's spending in 2023, MLB stepped in and all but outright told them to stop.

Fans should expect owners to spend and be competitive, but they can't ask them to lose money on their teams annually. It would be bad business not to at least break even every season. The problem is that thanks solely to geography, the Dodgers and New York’s two teams have a massive built-in advantage.

Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, center, has built one of the best rosters baseball has ever seen. / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Los Angeles signed a 25-year, $8.35 billion television contract in 2013. Thus, before selling a single ticket each season, the Dodgers have roughly $334 million in revenue already on the books. By comparison, the Padres were receiving roughly $60 million per year before Diamond Sports Group's implosion. That figure is now far lower. Given that disparity, San Diego can't be expected to financially compete with the Dodgers.

Big markets will always be a draw for top players. That can't be avoided. But the financial inequality in baseball is reaching alarming levels.

While deferred money has been used in MLB contracts for decades, no one has utilized it as the Dodgers have. According to Forbes's latest franchise valuations, the $1 billion of deferred cash on their books is worth as much as the entire Miami Marlins franchise. That's beyond absurd.

The Dodgers are set to enter the 2025 season with a luxury tax payroll of more than $375 million. That's roughly $70 million more than the Philadelphia Phillies, who come in second. The New York Yankees are the only other team slated to be over $300 million. The Dodgers’ roster features six players with a luxury tax salary of more than $27 million and 14 players making more than $11 million. No other franchise's salary ledger looks anything like that.

There are 29 MLB owners who aren't happy with what's happening in Los Angeles and you can bet they are already gearing up for a massive fight when the current collective bargaining agreement expires following the 2026 season. Baseball's owners have long wanted to implement a salary cap of some kind, and the Dodgers’ spending has given them the perfect argument to get fans on their side.

Small- and mid-market owners will want more competitiveness injected back into the game because they figure fans will tune out at the local level if their teams aren't fighting for playoff spots. That would only accelerate baseball's already declining ratings. They will almost certainly take a hard stance to rein in the massive spending at the top of the food chain. The MLB Players Association, meanwhile, will presumably never accept a hard cap. It would accordingly be shocking if there wasn't a prolonged lockout or strike after the current CBA ends.

Fans will also note that owners such as the Pittsburgh Pirates' Bob Nutting and the Oakland/Sacramento/TBD Athletics' John Fisher hurt the game even more by not spending. You'll get no argument from me on that front. Both are awful for the game.

The most common-sense solution to baseball's problems would be to implement a salary floor that would please the players union and fans while adding incredibly harsh penalties for exceeding the luxury tax and increasing those penalties for repeat offenders. The current system doesn't go far enough. If a team is a repeat offender over the highest threshold, they could pay harsh fines, be stripped of their first five draft picks, have strict limits on the salaries that can be acquired in trades, and/or have their international free agency budget cut from the current figure of $4.75 million to a maximum of $1 million.

Ohtani, left, accepted a heavily deferred contract last offseason that’s helped the Dodgers build out their championship roster. / Owen Ziliak/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

Perhaps most relevant to this conversation, deferred money should be counted against the luxury tax. Shohei Ohtani will be paid $700 million for playing 10 years with the Dodgers, but because much of the money is deferred and $700 million will be the future value, his salary only counts as $46 million against the luxury tax payroll. It's a smart accounting trick L.A. has used repeatedly. It should be abolished. If players want to get their money later, that's great, but the total amount given should be the number that counts against the tax. Ohtani will receive $700 million for playing 10 seasons. His annual luxury tax salary should be $70 million.

On top of that, the leaguewide disparity in revenue must be addressed. In the wake of the regional sports network fiasco, pooling local television revenues—or at least a significant percentage of it—then distributing that evenly among the league's 30 teams would be the simplest solution. You can bet teams like the Dodgers, Yankees, and New York Mets would fight that hard, but such a move would give the little guys a fighting chance.

The Dodgers are an incredibly well-run franchise with a rich history and a championship pedigree. They are not the cause of baseball's biggest problem, but a symptom of a broken system.

Major League Baseball needs to turn its attention to the wide financial gap between its teams and start figuring out solutions. If the league ignores the current predicament and doesn't begin preparing a response, things are likely to get ugly when the current CBA expires. At that point, any goodwill fans have will be completely squandered.

Litton Das hopeful of coming out of batting slump

He averages 18.16 in his last 12 T20Is and was dropped from the ODI side after the first game in Colombo

Mohammad Isam09-Jul-2025

Litton Das hits out in the nets•AFP/Getty Images

When Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh by 99 runs in the third ODI in Pallekele, it was Bangladesh’s third consecutive ODI series defeat in the last nine months, bringing their underperforming batters under the microscope.But with the T20I series starting on Thursday, there is little time for the Bangladesh batters to regroup. Moreover, the focus now shifts to their T20I captain Litton Das, a man who was dropped after the first ODI in Colombo, extending his nearly two-year-long slump in the format.Under Litton, Bangladesh lost the last two T20I series against UAE and Pakistan. Litton’s form is also a concern – he has scored 218 runs at an average of 18.16 in 12 T20Is since October. When the team was playing the third ODI in Pallekele, Litton was training with the T20I side.Related

'I have to do it every day' – Shamim on mixing the mercurial with the mundane

“For me, every series and every match is important,” Litton said. “Wherever I play, I try my best. That’s all I can do. But sometimes, failures come, and the success rate hasn’t been good. This is part of life. There are players who succeed in one year and struggle in the next. Understanding why that happens is important, and I hope to find out and overcome it.”I didn’t play good ODI cricket, and that’s why I was on the bench. During that time [third ODI], I practised for T20Is, and I will try to use that preparation in the T20I series.”Through his performances in domestic cricket and T20Is, Litton also hopes to come back to the ODI side. “As a professional, I have to adjust, and I believe I do that well. They gave me opportunities in the ODI format, but I couldn’t capitalise on it. Hopefully, I will play domestic cricket, score runs, and maybe they will call me again. I have been playing T20Is, and I hope I can make a comeback.”Litton Das’ T20I form has also been a concern•CWI

Shortly before Litton spoke in Pallekele, Bangladesh’s chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain said that they felt Litton had worked back into some batting form since he was dropped for the Champions Trophy earlier this year.”We lost Shakib, Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur Rahim in quick succession, so we need time to fill the gap in the middle order,” Ashraf said. “Litton had a bit of time to return to good form after the Champions Trophy. We also felt that since he did well in the Test series [against Sri Lanka], he could fit into the ODI middle-order, given our gap in experience. He has a bit of experience, so we designed the middle order with Litton in mind. We will definitely be questioned if the man we kept faith in didn’t give us the due returns.Ashraf said that the selection committee had picked Litton for the Sri Lanka ODIs for his experience.”We picked him based on what we needed in the series. Performance is not always stat-based. Selectors’ confidence is a factor.”He has served Bangladesh cricket for ten years. He is one of our finest batters. He is having a really bad time. We want to take the responsibility of his selection, we picked him after consulting the team management.”

'The set-up here is very good' – Newcastle boss Eddie Howe responds to Arne Slot's 'smaller club' jibe after Alexander Isak's Liverpool switch

Eddie Howe stopped short of getting embroiled in a war of words with Arne Slot after the Liverpool boss labelled Newcastle a “smaller club” when questioning their handling of Alexander Isak. The striker was in the process of regaining his match fitness following his British record transfer in the summer, before sustaining a groin injury in the Reds' victory over Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday.

  • Getty Images Sport

    Isak arrived short of fitness after missing Newcastle's pre-season

    After refusing to play for Newcastle in order to force through his £125 million (€144.5m/$169.3m) move to Liverpool on transfer deadline day, Isak arrived at Anfield short of match sharpness. The Sweden international made it clear he did not want to play for the Magpies again, missing the club’s pre-season tour of Asia as well as their opening three Premier League fixtures against Aston Villa, Liverpool and Leeds.

  • Advertisement

  • Sweden striker sustained groin injury in Liverpool's win over Frankfurt

    Following the completion of his switch to Liverpool, Isak has been slowly introduced into the fold, with Slot mindful of the forward’s lack of a pre-season. However, after starting alongside fellow summer signing Hugo Ekitike in the thumping 5-1 win over German side Frankfurt in the Champions League, Isak sustained a groin problem at Deutsche Bank Park, meaning he is a doubt for his side’s trip to Brentford on Saturday evening.

    "Alexander is not too bad,” said Slot ahead of the Brentford game. “He is a question mark for the weekend so we will see where he is.”

  • Getty Images Sport

    Slot questions Newcastle's handling of Isak following injury setback

    Slot’s update follows his previous comments which saw him question Isak’s treatment at Newcastle as the summer saga surrounding his future played out.

    The Dutchman said: “I don't think there's a rule that every single player has the same (pre-season preparation). But it also depends on what he did when he didn't train with the team, what the impact is if you go to a new club as a big signing.

    “So you cannot compare, maybe a player who hasn't trained or played in pre-season at a smaller club than if you go to Liverpool.”

  • ENJOYED THIS STORY?

    Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

  • Howe refused to get involved in exchange with counterpart Slot

    However, when asked about Slot’s accusations following the injury to Isak, Newcastle boss Howe refused to get involved in an exchange with his counterpart, though he did defend the club’s care of their “elite players”.

    Speaking ahead of his side’s clash with Fulham on Saturday, Howe said: “The set-up here is very good. It is not perfect, we've got things to improve and to grow. But the owners here have developed the facilities since I've been here very, very well.

    “You can see there is building work going on currently to hopefully deliver even better in the future. But I have no complaints. We've got elite athletes here, many of them, and touch wood, we're managing them pretty well at the moment.”

    And when asked if he would “go into bat” and defend Newcastle following Slot’s comments, Howe added: “I like the way you’ve worded that… encouraging me to go into bat!

    “I don’t have to do that, I don’t feel. You’ve done it for me, reeling off all those things! But you obviously know what my answer would be.

    “I don't think that's wise for me to get involved in those discussions. Alex is no longer at this football club, so I won't comment on it.”

Welsh-born Imad Wasim signs for Glamorgan

Pakistan all-rounder Imad Wasim has signed for Glamorgan as an overseas player for the remainder of the Vitality Blast campaign.The 37-year old, who was born in Swansea, joins to replace Hayden Kerr, who picked up in the home game against Surrey which will rule him out of his planned stint with the club.Returning to the country to his birth, Wasim brings a wealth of experience with 130 international caps for Pakistan. He will be representing his second Blast club having made 19 appearances for Nottinghamshire in the competition. He has also played for Trent Rockets in the Hundred, and has 390 appearances in the T20 format.Subject to approval from the Pakistan Cricket Board Imad will be available for selection for Saturday’s home fixture with Sussex. Glamorgan currently sit fourth in the South Group, with three wins from five.Commenting on the signing Director of Cricket Mark Wallace said: “It’s a real shame that Hayden’s injury has turned out to be a bit worse than we initially hoped. He has settled in really well and though he won’t quite be fit to fulfil his initial contract at the club we hope to see Hayden back in a Glamorgan shirt in the future.””To be able to bring in someone of Imad’s experience and quality at such short notice is fantastic. He’ll give us plenty of options to bowl at a variety of times with the ball and as another left-handed batting option in the middle order. We’re looking forward to welcoming him back to Wales.”

رومانو يكشف رد فعل ليفربول بعد تصرف محمد صلاح الغاضب

لا يزال محمد صلاح في مقدمة خطط آرني سلوت مدرب ليفربول، ولا يبدو أن الشخصيات المؤثرة في أنفيلد قلقين حول ما قام به صلاح بحذف كل ما يتعلق بأنه لاعب الفريق من حساباته على وسائل التواصل الاجتماعي.

وكشف الصحفي “فابريزيو رومانو” الحقيقة وراء مستقبل محمد صلاح وكل ما كان يثار حوله من تكهنات خلال الفترة الماضية.

أقرأ أيضاً.. محمد صلاح يتعرض لضربة قوية قبل مباراة ليفربول وبرينتفورد

وكان ليفربول قد حقق فوزا ساحقا ضد آينتراخت فرانكفورت بخماسية لهدف واحد بعد سلسلة من أربع هزائم متتالية، وشارك المصري كبديل في هذه المباراة.

وذكر رومانو: “لا توجد أي مشاعر سلبية على الإطلاق، يبقى محمد صلاح جزءا أساسيا من الفريق والمشروع، ليست هذه أفضل لحظاته لكن ليفربول يواصل دعمه وثقته به، لا توجد أي مشاكل على الإطلاق”.

وكان محمد صلاح قد جلس على مقاعد البدلاء في مباراة دوري أبطال أوروبا أمام آينتراخت فرانكفورت، وقد اختار سلوت المداورة في هذه المباراة، وينتظر المصري التسجيل منذ 17 سبتمبر.

روني يحرض سلوت ضد لاعب ليفربول: لا يستحق المشاركة أساسيًا

دعا النجم الإنجليزي السابق، واين روني، المدير الفني لفريق ليفربول، آرني سلوت، إلى استبعاد أحد لاعبيه بعد خسارة الأمس أمام مانشستر يونايتد، في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

واستضاف ملعب “الأنفيلد” مباراة فريقي ليفربول ومانشستر يونايتد في الجولة الثامنة من الدوري الإنجليزي، موسم 2025/26.

وتعرض ليفربول للهزيمة على يد مانشستر يونايتد بهدفين لهدف، في قمة منافسات الجولة المذكورة، مما جعله يتراجع إلى المركز الرابع في جدول الدوري.

اقرأ أيضًا.. سلوت عن هدف مبيومو: لا ندعي إصابة الرأس لإيقاف المرتدات مثلما يفعل الكثيرون

وتُعد تلك الهزيمة هي الرابعة على التوالي لـ ليفربول، بعدما سبق وأن خسر أمام كل من كريستال بالاس، جالطة سراي وتشيلسي.

وقال روني في تصريحات نشرتها شبكة “sportbible” الإنجليزية: “بالنسبة لي لن أُشرك إيزاك، هو لم يبدو جاهزًا منذ قدومه من نيوكاسل يونايتد في الصيف”.

وأضاف: “هو لم يتدرب ولم يخض فترة تحضيرية للموسم، هذا أمر مهم للغاية، أثناء تدريبات نيوكاسل، كان من المحتمل أن يكون في المنزل يتحدث عبر الهاتف مع وكيله لمدة ست ساعات يوميًا في محاولة للرحيل”.

وواصل: “الأمر صعب للغاية عندما لا يكون هناك موسم تحضيري، ربما يكون قد أنجز بعض الأمور بمفرده، لكنه يدفع ثمن ذلك، بالنسبة للأداء، فهو لا يستحق أن يلعب أساسيًا على إيكتيكي”.

Com gol 'ao apagar das luzes', São Paulo e Palmeiras empatam no primeiro jogo das quartas de final do Brasileirão Feminino

MatériaMais Notícias

O jogo de ida das quartas de final do Campeonato Brasileiro Feminino terminou em um empate por 1 a 1 entre São Paulo e Palmeiras, no estádio Bruno José Daniel.

RelacionadasSão PauloNo segundo semestre, São Paulo pode ter ‘superlotação’ na lateral-direitaSão Paulo18/06/2023PalmeirasGabriel Menino valoriza período de treinos no Palmeiras durante a Data Fifa: ‘Bom para encaixar nossos ataques’Palmeiras18/06/2023PalmeirasPalmeiras coloca preço de Libertadores em ingressos para ‘decisão’ com o Botafogo pelo BrasileirãoPalmeiras18/06/2023

Ainda no primeiro tempo, a equipe alviverde saiu na frente e abriu o placar após Andressinha cobrar um escanteio, que foi aproveitado por Letícia. O gol também contou com uma falha da goleira Carlinha. Pouco tempo depois, o São Paulo tentou buscar o empate com Naná, mas o gol foi anulado devido a um impedimento.

No segundo tempo, o São Paulo cresceu no jogo e contou com a sorte da ‘lei do ex’ para igualar o placar em Santo André. Após uma falha da defesa palmeirense, Maressa tentou um chute de fora da área nos minutos finais.

+ Lance! estreia nova marca e se reposiciona no mercado de mídia esportiva

Com o empate, as equipes chegam em situação igual para resolver no jogo de volta. No entanto, o Palmeiras terá uma certa vantagem, pois a partida será realizada no Allianz Parque. O jogo está marcado para o próximo domingo (25), às 10h (horário de Brasília). Durante a semana, ambos os times terão desafios pelo Campeonato Paulista. O Palmeiras enfrentará o Pinda na quarta-feira (21) e o São Paulo jogará contra o SKA Brasil na quinta-feira (22).

+ Clique aqui e veja como apostar no Brasileirão

+ Todos os jogos do Brasileirão você encontra no Prime Video. Assine já e acompanhe o seu time do coração!

+ Confira os jogos e classificação resultados do Brasileirão-23 na tabela do LANCE!

Contra o Santos, Palmeiras registra um de seus piores números de finalizações no ano e passa em branco pela quarta vez

MatériaMais Notícias

O Palmeiras teve uma atuação ruim no empate em 0 a 0 com o Santos, no último sábado, na Vila Belmiro, pelo Brasileirão. Pela grande fase que vive o time, já é difícil presenciar um desempenho abaixo do habitual, mas incomum mesmo é a falta de gols. Foi apenas a quarta vez em 30 jogos no ano que o Verdão saiu de campo em branco. No entanto, quando olhamos as estatísticas da partida, fica possível encontrar uma explicação: foi o segundo pior confronto do Alviverde em termos de finalização na temporada.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasOLHAR DO PORCO: Palmeiras parece estar cansado; e agora, Abel?Palmeiras21/05/2023PalmeirasÚnico invicto no Brasileirão, Palmeiras amplia outras invencibilidades que estavam em jogoPalmeiras21/05/2023PalmeirasANÁLISE: Palmeiras joga mal, tropeça outra vez e permite a aproximação de rivais no BrasileirãoPalmeiras21/05/2023

+ Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui

Em 2023, além desse 0 a 0 com o Santos, o Palmeiras teve três oportunidades em que não conseguiu tirar o zero do placar. Todas elas aconteceram na primeira fase do Campeonato Paulista: 0 a 0 com o São Bento (1ª rodada), 0 a 0 com o São Paulo (3ª rodada) e 0 a 0 com o Guarani (12ª rodada). Esse último 0 a 0, contra o Bugre, ocorreu no início de março, ou seja, há quase três meses. Eram 16 partidas consecutivas marcando gols. Somente com esses números já dá para ter noção de que o ataque palmeirense funciona bem.

Por conta de ser um fato incomum para o Verdão nesta temporada, o LANCE! comparou as estatísticas do time no clássico do último sábado com as outras 29 partidas deste ano de acordo com os dados do Footstats. No levantamento, foi possível perceber que o desempenho ofensivo diante do Santos foi um dos piores do Alviverde em 2023. Foram apenas nove finalizações palmeirenses, sendo três no alvo e seis erradas.

continua após a publicidade

Antes disso, o time de Abel Ferreira havia ficado abaixo de dez finalizações apenas uma vez nesta temporada. Foi diante do Bragantino, na fase de grupos do Paulistão, quando o Palmeiras venceu por 2 a 0, no Allianz Parque e chutou apenas oito vezes (cinco certas e três erradas). Naquele dia, que também não foi um grande jogo da equipe, a falta de volume de finalizações foi compensada pela eficiência. Algo que não aconteceu contra o Santos.

Quando pegamos apenas as finalizações certas (3), o clássico do último sábado também foi o segundo pior jogo do Palmeiras no ano. O desempenho é igual ao 0 a 0 com o Guarani, pelo Paulistão, e pior somente do que a vitória por 1 a 0, sobre o Água Santa, fora de casa, pela primeira fase do estadual. Naquele dia, em um jogo complicado, o Verdão acertou o gol apenas duas vezes, em uma delas marcou o gol. Novamente a eficiência acabou compensando a falta de volume.

continua após a publicidade

+ Único invicto no Brasileirão, Palmeiras amplia outras invencibilidades que estavam em jogo

No jogo contra o Grêmio, que é considerado a melhor atuação do Palmeiras em 2023, o time finalizou 25 vezes (11 certas e 14 erradas). Tal volume ofensivo proporcionou quatro bolas na rede, mas que poderiam ter sido mais tamanha a quantidade de chances criadas. Essa, porém, não foi a partida com o maior número de chutes no ano. O topo da lista está, por enquanto, com a vitória por 2 a 0 sobre a Inter de Limeira, na primeira fase do Paulistão. Foram 28 finalizações, sendo 16 no alvo e 12 erradas. Detalhe é que nesse duelo o Alviverde perdeu dois pênaltis.

Na saída de campo, o próprio zagueiro Luan já havia comentado que não foi um dia inspirado do ataque palmeirense. Agora, com pouco tempo até o próximo compromisso, que será nesta quarta-feira, às 19h, diante do Cerro Porteño-PAR, fora de casa, pela Libertadores, o técnico Abel Ferreira vai precisar ajustar alguns pontos para evitar que esse desempenho “fora da curva” não se repita tão cedo.

Jogos com menos finalizações do Palmeiras em 2023

1) Palmeiras 2 x 0 Bragantino – Paulistão – 8 finalizações
2) Santos 0 x 0 Palmeiras – Brasileiro – 9 finalizações
3) Água Santa 0 x 1 Palmeiras – Paulistão (primeira fase) – 10 finalizações
4) Bolívar-BOL 3 x 1 Palmeiras – Libertadores – 10 finalizações
5) Palmeiras 1 x 0 São Bernardo – Paulistão – 10 finalizações

Jogos com menos finalizações certas do Palmeiras em 2023

1) Água Santa 0 x 1 Palmeiras – Paulistão – 2 finalizações certas
2) Santos 0 x 0 Palmeiras – Brasileiro – 3 finalizações certas
3) Guarani 0 x 0 Palmeiras – Paulistão – 3 finalizações certas
4) Palmeiras 0 x 0 São Paulo – Paulistão – 4 finalizações certas
5) Palmeiras 2 x 0 Bragantino – Paulistão – 5 finalizações certas

Game
Register
Service
Bonus