Last year, Todd Boehly and Chelsea bought close to a 100% stake in French club Strasbourg for a sum of around £65m, and the Blues have already been able to use the link between the two sides to their advantage.

They sent Angelo Gabriel to Ligue 1 on loan last summer, and in January, Andrey Santos joined him in Alsace after he was recalled from an unsuccessful temporary stint further down the Premier League with Nottingham Forest.

Boehly intends to build a multi-club network with Chelsea at the centre in the hope of developing new first-team pathways for young players. In addition to France, the Blues have looked at opportunities in Belgium, Portugal and South America, and it's only a matter of time before they acquire another team.

Chelsea close in on Josh Marsh appointment

Now, according to Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea are closing in on a key appointment for their BlueCo group. Josh Marsh is set to join from Championship side Swansea as the new loans manager, with a deal described as "imminent".

Marsh, who's only 32, will look to strengthen the aforementioned connection with Strasbourg and the hope will be that he can oversee the movement of Chelsea players within an extensive multi-club network further down the line.

Marsh has already had dealings with Chelsea

Marsh started out as a scout at Wolves and Southampton before working his way up to a head of scouting role at Huddersfield. After four years with the Terriers, he left to join Swansea as their managing director of sport in 2022.

Chelsea made huge mistake releasing 6ft1 ace now worth more than Caicedo

The former Chelsea gem has been unreal since leaving.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Feb 16, 2024

As part of his role in south Wales, Marsh has overseen player recruitment, and there have been a number of notable success stories. To begin with permanent deals, centre-backs Harry Darling and Nathan Wood, signed from MK Dons and Middlesbrough respectively in the summer of 2022, have already played 62 games apiece, while left-back Josh Tymon has notched five assists in 29 games since his arrival from Stoke last year.

Crucially, the Swans also seem to have mastered the loan market during his tenure, certainly when it comes to incoming deals. Brighton's Carl Rushworth has kept six clean sheets in his 32 games this season, Jamal Lowe has netted six times in his second stint at the club (on loan from Bournemouth) and Arsenal youngster Charlie Patino has notched seven direct goal contributions in 24 games. The club also did a bit of business with Chelsea last summer as they signed centre-back Bashir Humphreys, and they'll be pleased to see he's played 23 league matches so far.

Josh Marsh Swansea loans
Player	Season	From	Apps
Matthew Sorinola	22/23	Union SG	31
Luke Cundle	22/23	Wolves	34
Armstrong Oko-Flex	22/23	West Ham	13
Fin Stevens	22/23	Brentford	5
Carl Rushworth	23/24	Brighton	34
Charles Sagoe Jr	23/24*	Arsenal	2
Jamal Lowe	23/24	Bournemouth	23
Harrison Ashby	23/24	Newcastle	16
Charlie Patino	23/24	Arsenal	26
Bashir Humphreys	23/24	Chelsea	25

Chelsea's multi-club model remains very much in its infancy compared to say, the City Football Group, but Mauricio Pochettino will hope that Marsh can soon deliver a string of first-team-ready players who have garnered valuable experience elsewhere.

Ex-England player Wayne Bridge has called on Gareth Southgate to drop Harry Kane in favour of Ivan Toney for Euro 2024 semi-final against Netherlands.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Bridge would 'drop' KaneCaptain's displays have been criticisedEngland to play Netherlands in Euro 2024 semi-finalWHAT HAPPENED?

Bridge, who played for England 36 times between 2002 and 2009, suggested he would rather have seen Southgate drop Kane in a game that didn't have much riding on it – like the third group stage fixture against Slovenia – but would still personally bench Kane in favour of Toney…or perhaps Ollie Watkins.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Kane has scored twice in five games at Euro 2024, including England's extra-time winner against Slovakia in the last 16. But he has struggled to make a consistent impact with his overall performances, failing to fully click with the wingers and midfielders supporting him. Overall, England have progressed as far as the competition's last four by grinding out results rather than blowing teams away, with Southgate and Kane in particular taking the brunt of frustrated criticism from fans and pundits.

WHAT WAYNE BRIDGE SAID

Bridge told : "It would be a big statement for somebody to come out and say 'drop Harry Kane', but if you're in the manager's position, then can you really drop him? I would like to see it however, just to see how things change.

"I'd love to see either Ivan Toney or Ollie Watkins get more of a chance. It's a big call to drop Harry Kane, but it's one of them that I wish they did in the final group game which they didn't desperately have to win because it would have been good to experiment and see how it goes. If you asked me whether or not to drop Harry Kane, then I'd probably say yes and have Ivan Toney up front but in Gareth's position, it would be a very difficult call to make."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

DID YOU KNOW?

England have reached three semi-finals across Southgate's four major tournaments as manager. When he took charge in late 2016, the underperforming national team had made it to just two semi-finals in their last 17 tournament appearances – nine World Cups and eight European Championships – across 38 years.

Manchester United picked up a vital victory in their quest for Champions League football, beating Everton 2-0 at Old Trafford.

This was the Red Devils’ eighth clean sheet of the campaign, the joint-third most in the Premier League.

However, luck was most definitely on their side, alongside the Toffees woeful finishing. The visitors had 23 attempts at goal, which now means that only Sheffield United have faced more shots than Erik ten Hag’s team this season.

Nonetheless, one individual stepped up once again and put in an 8/10 performance, according to The Manchester Evening News.

Jonny Evans’ 23/24 campaign in numbers

In the summer, Jonny Evans returned to Man United on a free transfer from Leicester City after leaving the club back in 2015 to join West Bromwich Albion.

The 36-year-old was never meant to be a frequent starter this season, with the fact that he only started once in pre-season being the biggest indicator of that.

However, with Lisandro Martinez suffering from multiple injuries and the left-back position being vacated by Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia, Evans has really stepped up amid the defensive injury crisis, with football creator Liam Canning even stating the following.

Indeed, the Northern Ireland rock was impressive once again this weekend during his 18th Premier League game of the season, the second-most for a United centre-half behind Raphael Varane.

Man Utd have been saved by Ten Hag's best deal yet who cost £0

Erik ten Hag has been able to rely on the star all season.

ByTom Lever Mar 5, 2024 Jonny Evans’ performance vs Everton in numbers

Everton had so much joy against United on Saturday, and if it wasn’t for Evans’ excellent proactive defending and experience, it’s fair to say that it would have been another disappointing day at the office.

The number 35 dealt started consecutive games after impressing in the Manchester Derby, and he recovered from a knock in time to make the starting lineup this weekend.

This was Evans’ fourth clean sheet in 2023/24 when featuring from the off, which proves that his inclusion in the team brings success.

Minutes

89

Goals conceded

0

Shots blocked

4

Clearances

4

Interceptions

2

Touches

65

Pass accuracy

88%

Key passes

1

As you can see by the table above, Evans was an absolute rock at the heart of the defence, putting his body on the line to deal with Everton’s crosses from open play and set pieces and their attempts at goal from in and around the box.

United Stand presenter Beth Tucker described the Premier League winner’s performance as a “masterclass,” as the defender was also important in possession, a fact highlighted by his one key pass, 88% pass accuracy, 65 touches, and one successful dribble, according to Sofascore.

Overall, it was another fantastic showing from Evans, with his signing being one of the most valuable moments of the season for Ten Hag. On this showing, the central defender certainly deserves a more permanent role in the starting lineup.

In truth, without the Northern Irish centre-back, their Champions League dream would be all but over.

Glasgow Rangers find themselves in a position that, only a few short months ago, would have been scarcely believable.

Michael Beale lost three of his opening seven Premiership matches in charge during the early part of the season and the 3-1 defeat to Aberdeen was the last straw, as the board sacked him the very next day.

Philippe Clement has not only led the club to its first piece of silverware since 2022, but has also secured a Europa League clash against Benfica in the last 16 along with sitting at the summit of the league table.

He has had to do all this with a squad largely inherited by Beale, featuring a few summer signings which haven’t quite lived up to their early impressions.

The likes of Sam Lammers, Danilo and Cyriel Dessers were meant to usher in a new era at Rangers, yet they have all struggled in various ways.

Unfortunately, these three have not been the first players to be heavily hyped prior to moving to the Gers, and they certainly won’t be the last.

One of the most notable examples in recent years of a player generating massive hype and hysteria upon his arrival was that of Aaron Ramsey, yet he turned out to be a big disappointment.

Aaron Ramsey’s career statistics

The Welshman began his career at Cardiff City before becoming a household name at Arsenal under Arsène Wenger.

The midfielder made nearly 400 appearances for the Gunners during his 11-season stint in North London, winning three FA Cup trophies, while scoring 64 goals for the club.

There was no doubt that at his peak, Ramsey was one of the finest players in the Premier League, yet injury problems meant he missed a grand total of 152 matches, meaning he could have had well over 500 appearances for the club if he had managed to remain fit and healthy during this period.

Aaron Ramsey's Arsenal statistics

Season

Games

Goals

2018/19

40

6

2017/18

32

11

2016/17

32

4

2015/16

40

6

2014/15

41

10

2013/14

34

16

2012/13

47

2

2011/12

44

3

2010/11

8

1

2009/10

29

4

2008/09

22

1

Via Transfermarkt

It was announced towards the end of the 2018/19 season that Juventus had signed the player on a pre-contract agreement, and he would join ahead of the following season.

His first two seasons in Italy saw Ramsey play 63 times for the Old Lady, registering 12 goal contributions in the process, but he struggled to replicate the displays that saw him shine while at Arsenal.

Rumours began to build on the January 2022 winter transfer window deadline day that Ramsey was closing in on a loan move to Rangers, and when the deal was signed that evening, the Ibrox faithful were clearly buzzing about securing a move for a world-class player.

Club icon Barry Ferguson lauded him just before he signed, saying: “He’s a player I’ve admired for a long time. He’s still got a lot of football in his legs and for me, Rangers have to get this deal done.

“If you look at the midfield area for Rangers, I think that’s their strongest point because you've got Kamara, Steven Davis who is out, Joe Aribo who for me has been Rangers’ best player this season and Scott Arfield.

“So there’s a lot of quality in there, but for me you can’t have too much quality and if Ramsey comes in, he’ll certainly help Rangers push for the title.”

Unfortunately, his short spell at Ibrox was littered with small injuries, and he turned out to be even worse than fellow signing that winter, Amad Diallo.

Amad Diallo's record at Rangers

The Manchester United winger also joined the club in January 2022 as Giovanni van Bronckhorst sought to add something different to his attacking options.

The youngster got off to a wonderful start, scoring after just three minutes on his debut against Ross County, but it was all downhill from there.

The winger started just another five games, featuring only 13 times in total, and scoring three goals, which, on the surface, represents a solid enough loan spell.

Much more was expected of the teenager, however, especially considering how highly regarded he was rated at Man United, but his spell north of the border could definitely have delivered a lot more.

While there was not as much hype regarding the signing of Diallo compared to that of Ramsey, the Ivory Coast international gem proved to be a slightly better signing.

Aaron Ramsey’s statistics at Rangers

The midfielder has played only five times for Juventus during the first half of the 2021/22 campaign, missing 22 matches through a succession of injury issues and while luring him to Ibrox was a major coup, it was also a massive gamble.

He made his first start for the club against Annan Athletic in the Scottish Cup midway through February, yet he would start only another eight times between then and the end of the campaign, as various niggles meant he was often only fit to come off the bench during the latter stages of games.

Ramsey did score twice for the Gers – including the opener at Ibrox against Celtic in the third Old Firm clash of the season – along with grabbing two assists, but his impact could have been much better.

He will be most remembered for his penalty miss during the shootout against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League final, which ended up proving costly as the German side claimed victory.

Following the match, former Rangers' defender Richard Foster criticised Ramsey, going on to say:

"I said on paper he's the best player in Scotland if he performs but he's been so far away from that, he's not even the best player at Rangers. Not by a long shot this season."

What started off as a signing which could have perhaps been a catalyst for the club to go on and win the league title ended up in major disappointment, as Ramsey didn’t even get off the subs bench in the 2-0 Scottish Cup final win over Hearts just three days after the Europa League final.

Ramsey could have been a fantastic addition to the squad had he remained fit during his five months in Glasgow, but he failed to showcase his true talents in Glasgow.

Manchester City's transfer plans have been explained as the Premier League champions deal with the potential departures of three key players.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

De Bruyne & Ederson 'agree' Saudi movesSilva linked with BarcelonaCombined 18 PL titles between trio(C)GettyImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

Last week it was reported that agreements had been reached for Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne to sign for Al-Ittihad, and for Ederson to join Al-Nassr. Bernardo Silva, meanwhile, is reportedly interested in joining Barcelona – and even knows what shirt number he wants. These are three important players for Pep Guardiola, but according to, City have no immediate plans to replace them.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

De Bruyne and Ederson's long-term futures appear pretty tenous right now. The Belgian playmaker is out of contract at the end of the coming season and has admitted he is "open" to a Saudi move, while those close to Ederson felt he was ready to move to the Middle East towards the end of the last campaign. In a relief to City supporters, the club reportedly expect both players to remain this summer, and so the need to replace them immediately is reduced.

(C)Getty ImagesDID YOU KNOW?

City have explored the goalkeeper market as they faced the possibility of both Ederson and Stefan Ortega leaving. They may not need to now, though, with Ederson's backup signing a new contract last month to remain in Manchester. He would be considered No.1 if the Brazilian did move on.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

WHAT NEXT FOR CITY?

City have spent the early part of the summer focusing on outgoings, with Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Tommy Doyle leaving on permanent deals. They could soon complete their first signing with the expected arrival of Brazilian wonderkid Savinho.

Say one thing for Jurgen Klopp, say he's a man of the people. More specifically, he's got an innate ability to make every member of his Liverpool squad feel important, valuable, and this was reflected through the trust in his youth members in the Carabao Cup final against Chelsea.

Despite the odds, a threadbare Liverpool team bested Chelsea's billion-point ensemble to lift the first slice of silverware this season.

First-placed in the Premier League and arguably favourites to win the Europa League, the Merseysiders must now turn their attention toward the FA Cup, with Championship promotion hopefuls Southampton looking to take advantage of the Anfield side's lack of options and cause a major cup upset on Wednesday evening.

Liverpool team news

Ryan Gravenberch is the latest in a long line of injured first-teamers to fall, having been stretchered off on Sunday following a contentious tackle from Moises Caicedo, with Klopp since confirming that the Dutchman appears to have suffered ligament damage to some degree.

He joins Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Curtis Jones, Thiago Alcantara, Stefan Bajcetic, Diogo Jota and Joel Matip in a bloated medical room.

More promisingly, however, Dominik Szoboszlai, Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah are all expected back imminently, though it's uncertain whether the stars will be risked in the FA Cup.

Wataru Endo also left Wembley in protective gear at the weekend but the Japan international doesn't appear to have done serious damage.

Klopp must unleash Jayden Danns & James McConnell

Salah has not started a domestic game since New Year's Day and with a Premier League clash away to Nottingham Forest awaiting on Saturday, Klopp might be wise to be prudent regarding his team selection on Wednesday.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

For this reason, Jayden Danns must be handed his first senior start after a stunning introduction to life on the major stage last week, playing a big part in Elliott's late goal against Luton before impressing off the bench in the Carabao Cup final.

The 18-year-old is fleet-footed and combative, with a blooming athleticism that only furthers his case for a prominent role in Klopp's team over the coming months, having also been hailed for his "unplayable" efforts by U23 scout Antonio Mango.

Endo's likely absence in the holding midfield role is a blow but it's not detrimental, with Alexis Mac Allister more than capable of slotting in at No. 6, although with Gravenberch injured a youngster will be needed to partner Harvey Elliott in the centre of the park.

Joe Gomez

26

Bobby Clark

19

Kostas Tsimikas

27

James McConnell

19

Jayden Danns

18

Jarell Quansah

21

Adrian

37

Trey Nyoni

16

Lewis Koumas

18

Bobby Clark did himself justice against Chelsea but it is actually James McConnell who must receive the nod against Russell Martin's Saints, with the 19-year-old's multi-functional ability in midfield exactly what is needed to ensure the Reds advance to the quarter-finals.

Playing over 30 minutes after being subbed on for Mac Allister ahead of extra time, McConnell surpassed expectations, taking 47 touches, completing 87% of his passes, making three key passes, winning two tackles, one interception and making two clearances, as per Sofascore.

An age-belying display of control in the engine room, McConnell started as Liverpool defeated Norwich City in the previous FA Cup round and will surely now be handed his second starting appearance.

Klopp's legacy at Anfield will be heralded for many reasons, but for all the silverware and gorgeous football, the restoration of the Kirkby academy is quite possibly his greatest feat, and that story will continue tomorrow.

There is no escaping that this has been another dismal season for Chelsea Football Club.

Mauricio Pochettino has struggled to create a winning team out of his incredibly talented but young squad, and as a result, he has seriously struggled in the Premier League.

That said, there have been a couple of bright spots in the Blues' campaign, notably their Cup runs and the emergence of Cole Palmer.

The young Englishman has been a revelation in west London this year, although a former Chelsea ace is outscoring him away from England.

Cole Palmer's performance this season

Since completing his £42.5m move from Manchester City in the summer, Palmer has been a man-possessed for the Blues and looks every bit the superstar Todd Boehly and Co were hoping he'd be.

1

Cole Palmer

14

12

2

Nicolas Jackson

12

4

3

Raheem Sterling

8

10

4

Enzo Fernández

7

3

5

Mykhaylo Mudryk

6

3

In just 34 games for the Pensioners, the Wythenshawe-born gem has scored 14 goals and provided 12 assists, meaning that in his first full season of regular first-team football, the former City prospect is averaging a goal involvement every 1.3 games, which is simply remarkable.

He isn't scoring meaningless goals in 3-0 drubbings or consolation goals in defeats, either; he's having a material impact on essential matches.

For example, he scored the opening goal in their 2-2 draw with Arsenal, netted twice in their 3-2 away win over Luton Town, found the equaliser at home against City, and, most recently in the league, scored and assisted against Newcastle United.

His impact at Stamford Bridge has been undeniable, and as talent scout Jacek Kulig argues, he's already become one of the team's key "leaders" at just 21, so it's quite surprising that a former Chelsea striker is currently outscoring him away from London.

Michy Batshuayi's performances after leaving Chelsea

Yes, the former Chelsea ace in question is Belgium international Michy Batshuayi, who, after spending six years bouncing between the Bridge and various loan clubs, secured a permanent move away to Turkish Süper Lig outfit Fenerbahçe in September 2022 for a fee of around €3.5m, or £3m.

In his first season with Sari Kanaryalar, the Brussels-born forward had to contend with three separate injuries that saw him miss 12 games and spend 54 days on the sidelines, which could be long enough to disrupt and ruin many players' entire campaign, but not for the former Chelsea man.

Despite playing just 32 games throughout the year, the 6 foot 1 marksman still managed to score 20 goals, provide two assists, and play a key role in Fenerbahçe's Turkish Cup triumph.

Appearances

32

36

Goals

20

21

Assists

2

3

Goal Involvements per Match

0.68

0.66

So, in his first year with the Turkish giants, he averaged a goal involvement every 1.45 games and lifted a major trophy, making his £3m price tag look like a steal.

Fortunately, the "deadly" marksman, as journalist Josh Bunting dubbed him, has remained injury-free this season and has already scored 21 goals and provided three assists in 36 appearances, alongside getting some kickboxing practice (video below), it would seem.

Ultimately, Chelsea's decision to sell Batshuayi in 2022 might have made sense at the time, but given how well he has performed for one of the biggest clubs in Turkey, it would've been interesting to see what Pochettino could've got out of him.

There hasn't been much to criticise about Arsenal since Mikel Arteta and Edu arrived in north London but one area they need to improve in is player sales.

It's historically been an area of business the Gunners have struggled to thrive in, selling players below their market value, unable to generate many funds to subsequently spend themselves in the transfer market.

Granit Xhaka departed the Emirates to the tune of just £21.4m last summer while Rob Holding, whatever you think of him, is surely worth more than the measly £4m fee attached to his move to Crystal Palace. Alas, Arsenal have made do. You can hardly say they've spent that money in the market unwisely.

Arsenal's record sales

Player

Club signed for

Transfer fee

#5 Emmanuel Adebayor

Man City

£25m

#4 Cesc Fabregas

Barcelona

£34m

#3 Alex Iwobi

Everton

£35m

#2 Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

Liverpool

£35m

#1 Folarin Balogun

Monaco

£38m

That said, the deal surrounding Folarin Balogun's departure has to be celebrated from a business point of view.

Why Arsenal sold Folarin Balogun

Balogun was always a prolific figure at youth level for Arsenal. For the U18s he scored 38 goals in 41 outings. For the U21s, the young striker bagged 37 in 62.

Therefore, when the American-born forward began to thrive out on loan last season it didn't really come as a shock.

Plying his trade with Stade Reims in Ligue 1, the now 22-year-old was simply on fire. Balogun found the net on 22 occasions in 39 outings. For a player who had struggled previously in senior football with Middlesbrough, scoring just three times in 21 games, it was mightily impressive.

However, Balogun wasn't happy to just sit on the bench. He wanted first-team football and with Gabriel Jesus clearly ahead of him in the pecking order was sold for a seismic £38m. It marks a huge success for the Hale End Academy, to bring a player through the ranks to then sell on for a huge fee.

Unfortunately, it hasn't all been sunshine and rainbows for the attacker since departing London on a permanent transfer.

How Folarin Balogun is doing after leaving Arsenal

The striker headed back to France last summer, moving to Monaco where great things were expected of him having thrived in France throughout the 2022/23 campaign.

Sadly, Balogun hasn't hit the same heights during an inconsistent first term in the principality. In 23 games, he has scored six goals and supplied five assists. Those aren't awful numbers, of course, but for someone who was so prolific last season you'd expect better.

Fans wanted the New York City-born star to get a chance in the Arsenal senior squad but it's safe to say they haven't missed him. They do sit top of the Premier League after all.

Such a sale has left some questioning how Edu and Co could generate a similar sum of money. Players like Aaron Ramsdale and Eddie Nketiah have been widely tipped to move away in the summer but there is a left-field option who could be used to generate a hefty payday; Mika Biereth.

Why Arsenal could sell Mika Biereth

Biereth perhaps isn't a name with as much hype attached to it as Balogun's but he's still a supreme looking forward. To suggest he could be sold for anything close to £38m would be a stretch but there is certainly a player in there.

Like Balogun, the 21-year-old, who holds Danish and British citizenship, has been on fire during loan spells away from the club.

The young forward began the campaign in Scotland with Motherwell where six goals and five assists were tallied up in 15 games, coincidentally matching Balogun's total from this season. That temporary move was cut short over the winter with Biereth moving to Sturm Graz in Austria.

He has set the Austrian Bundesliga alight, scoring eight goals in 11 outings for his new club to date. The former Fulham youth product has been particularly impressive in Europe, netting three times in the Europa Conference League.

Mika Biereth's form this season

Team

Motherwell

Sturm Graz

Appearances

15

11

Minutes

1045'

773'

Goals

6

8

Assists

5

1

All Stats via Transfermarkt

If this is a sign of things to come then it'll be exciting to see him develop. Comparisons to both Erling Haaland and Harry Kane should also throw a few million onto any prospective transfer fee.

Speaking to the media a few weeks ago, the Denmark youth international commented: "Like Haaland, all I really care about is scoring goals. If you’d offer me two touches of the ball and two goals I’d take that. For me, it’s all about scoring goals.

“[But] there are different aspects of the game when scoring goals isn’t possible when the ball is deep so then it’s about combining, linking the play, holding the ball up like Kane does. Those are the two different variables on the pitch.”

Whether Arsenal decide to have a look at Biereth in the summer remains to be seen but either way, he will need to prove himself in a league with more quality first, just as Balogun did.

That said, you can't totally knock Austrian football. It was a country where a certain Haaland learnt his trade, notably scoring 29 in 27 for RB Salzburg.

There is a slim chance that Arsenal's rising Hale End star reaches the same illustrious heights but they will no doubt win from his impressive development.

Biereth either becomes a first-team regular or he guarantees them a healthy slice of cash as Balogun did. That doesn't sound too bad, does it?

The playmaker failed to lift his side to one more win as a remarkable tournament run ended in final

James Rodriguez and Colombia's Copa America magic ran out on Sunday night, Los Cafeteros falling 1-0 to Argentina in the final. Despite being named the best player of Copa America 2024, Rodriguez couldn't muster any heroics against Argentina.

Los Cafeteros started the contest with the vigour of a side on a 28-game undefeated streak. They had a few good chances early, Jhon Cordoba hitting the post before Jefferson Lerma fired wide. Rodriguez, for his part, started well but failed to make an impact late on. Meanwhile, Argentina only grew, and an extra time goal from Lautaro Martinez forced the surprise finalists to settle for a runners' up medal.

Argentina really turned things on after the break. Angel Di Maria forced a full-strech save out of Camilo Vargas. Argentina thought they had won it after 70 minutes when Julian Alvarez found the back of the net – but his clever poke was ruled out due to an offside in the build up.

They should have taken the lead in extra time, but Nico Gonzalez mishit his close range effort into the arms of a grateful Camilo Vargas. And Colombia ran out of steam in the second extra period. A defensive collapse saw Martinez run through on goal, and the Inter striker finished calmly into the top corner to see Los Cafeteros' hopes of a first Copa America since 2001 ended.

GOAL rates Colombia's players from Hard Rock Cafe Stadium.

• Getty Images
  

  Goalkeeper & Defense

  Camilo Vargas (6/10):

  Made an impressive save to deny Di Maria after the break. Had no chance on the Argentina winner.

  Santiago Arias (6/10):

  Targeted by Argentina, filling in for the impressive Daniel Munoz. Held his own, for the most part – even if Tagliafico made his life awkward late.

  Carlos Cuesta (6/10):

  Was kept busy by first Julian Alvarez, then Lautaro Martinez. Didn't get tight enough on the winning goal.

  Davinson Sanchez (7/10):

  Immense at the back. Won his headers, made some tackles. But then threw it away with a silly moment in extra time. An unfortunate way to end things; he's been so good this tournament.

  Johan Mojica (6/10):

  Had real difficulty against Angel Di Maria for long stretches, but also offered some valuable attacking thrust. Out of position on Martinez's winner.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  Midfield

  Jefferson Lerma (7/10):

  Almost smashed one in from 35 yards. Shepherded space in midfield effectively. Ran himself into the ground.

  Richard Rios (6/10):

  Did the dirty work well, and kept Enzo Fernandez relatively quiet. But could have been cleaner on the ball.

  James Rodriguez (6/10):

  Was a constant threat from set pieces and in wide areas. His influence faded as the game wore on, and he ran out of gas by extra time.

• Getty Images
  

  Attack

  Jhon Arias (6/10):

  Offered plenty of energy, but could have been cleaner when presented with a few goalscoring opportunities.

  Jhon Cordoba (6/10):

  Involved heavily in the first half, and had a decent few looks on goal.

  Luis Diaz (6/10):

  Electric in the open field, and was often clattered by Argentina defenders.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

• Getty Images
  

  Subs & Manager

  Kevin Castano (6/10):

  Didn't have much of an impact in forward areas.

  Rafael Borre (6/10):

  Offered a more direct threat through the middle.

  Juan Quintero (7/10):

  Replaced James in extra time. Provided a real spark. Almost smashed one in.

  Jorge Carrascal (N/A):

  No time to make an impact.

  Mateus Uribe (N/A):

  Extra legs, but not much quality.

  Miguel Borja (N/A):

  Came on, didn't do much, got booked.

  Nestor Lorenzo (6/10):

  Set up his side to play expansive football, but found themselves stalled by a feisty Argentina side.

Rohit Sharma’s decision to keep three overs of Khaleel Ahmed for the death backfired

Sidharth Monga in Delhi04-Nov-20198:02

Did a conservative Powerplay hurt India?

It was difficult to focus on it through the toxic haze, and even more difficult for those playing it – two players vomited during the game – but the Feroz Shah Kotla T20I was a great study in minute tactics and larger struggles of batsmen looking to find their touch, and the intersection of both. One captain known for his studied and deliberate decision-making went against a side known for emotionally charged cricket, and it made for a gripping finish.Rohit Sharma, India’s stand-in captain but a clinical leader of the Mumbai Indians, made a seemingly un-clinical move by leaving the young Khaleel Ahmed three overs to bowl in the last six. His third eventually went for 18, sealing Bangladesh’s chase, relieving some of the nightmares Mushfiqur Rahim might have had from the unfinished job in Bengaluru three years ago.Players actually think less of those nightmares than we do. Not least because Mushfiqur knew he has finished many a game off for Bangladesh since then. It was more challenging from the point of view of where Mushfiqur stood and where his team stood. After all the drama of the last fortnight – “the toughest two weeks of my 15-year career” – Mushfiqur knew the only way back was winning matches.ALSO READ: ‘Nothing feels more special’ – Mushfiqur Rahim on making tough runsIn the way of that win were struggles on a slow pitch with turn on it and canny spinners exploiting it. Mushfiqur and Soumya Sarkar struggled to find any sort of fluency in their innings. After they had spent six overs together, ESPNcricinfo’s Forecaster gave them a 65% chance of winning. It seemed optimistic: the ball was turning, and the two were going at around a run a ball despite having tried adventurous shots.The T20 rule of thumb for these situations in chases is that you hit out only if the conditions are flat. Otherwise, if you are a seasoned batsman, if you are finding it difficult, chances are the next batsman will find it more difficult. So you back yourself. So Mushfiqur and Soumya decided to fight it out and take the game deep and wait for the seamers.Unknown to themselves, the Bangladesh pair pushed the seamers back by simply not getting out, leaving, as a result, Khaleel with three overs at the end. Now Rohit might ask Jasprit Bumrah or Lasith Malinga to bowl three at the death, but he ideally doesn’t want Khaleel in that position. However, he is calculating in his head that after Soumya, Mahmudullah will come out to bat, so he is waiting to see if he can re-introduce Khaleel to two right-hand batsmen instead of a left-hand batsman.It is as much about protecting Khaleel’s left-arm angle into the left-hand batsman as it is about exploiting the angle across the right-hand batsmen. Rohit would later say that the angle troubled them too. Rohit knows he can keep Yuzvendra Chahal back for one over but other spinners need to bowl out before the death. So that window to get that one Khaleel over out of the way is brief, a window that Mushfiqur and Soumya unwittingly shut by just looking to take the game deep.Chahal goes for just one run in the tenth, Washington Sundar concedes just four in the 13th, the first six overs of the partnership bring just 40 runs, the asking rate keeps rising, but neither of them gives up the ghost.”Only the batsmen in the middle know what’s going on in the pitch,” Mushfiqur said. “Not anyone in the dugout, not the next batsman. I told Soumya if one of us bats till the 19th over, we can still chase 25 because they will bowl seamers.”It is true India would bowl seamers in the last two, but to get three straight overs from Khaleel to be able to line him up is a bonus Bangladesh get without really working towards it. In ultimate irony, Khaleel gets the wicket of the left-hand batsman, a precondition, if fulfilled sooner, that might have given him an easier task at the death. Such events can make a captain look silly at times, but captaincy is not done in hindsight. Rohit had a sound cricketing reason for what he did.And so begins the 19th over with all the similarities of that Bengaluru heartbreak coming to fore. A similar target, same opposition, the same two batsmen out in the middle. This time, though, they have Khaleel instead of Bumrah. The stakes might not be as high as in a virtual World Cup quarter-final, but losing will raise more questions about their finishing abilities against India. Losing will send them back to thinking about the events of the last two weeks.Mushfiqur gets the better of Khaleel here, ruining his figures of three overs for 20 runs. Mushfiqur eventually ends with a strike rate of 140, Bangladesh have their first win in India after having let the Forecaster drop to 49%, but it is fascinating to imagine how the game plays out if Soumya falls to spin around the 11th over. Khaleel tries to sneak an over in, but surely Bangladesh don’t sit back and let him bowl that over. Or perhaps, in a similar situation next time, Rohit – who usually has a proper sixth-bowling option at Mumbai Indians – tries to sneak one in from Shivam Dube.There is relief too that the next such set piece will be played in much more breathable air.