標籤: problems

tottenham Manager Roberto De Zerbi has always been known as a highly emotional personality. Italians are demanding, radical, and often belligerent.

This appeared in Marseille, where he was public about many of his concerns.

This played a role in his exit earlier this year, as he fell out with many in Ligue 1. De Zerbi seems to have adapted to Tottenham’s delicate situation with surprising ease, but stories about his personality and approach are well documented.

Details about her broken relationship with Ismail Kone have now emerged.

player recalls problems

The Canadian midfielder has become a rising name in Serie A due to his performances at Sassuolo.

I have now talked to him gazzetta dello sport And he was asked about his relationship with De Zerbi in Marseille. The two were involved in an infamous training ground scrap at the French club, which led to the 2025 Canada international’s exit.

Describing the conflict, Kone said: “We are two people who love football, but with two different viewpoints. He is really incredibly passionate. At the time, I was facing some difficulties and maybe I was not able to immediately give him what he wanted.”

The Sassuolo player explained how the tactical approach did not suit his playing style.

“I would never say anything bad about Roberto. Maybe he could have been more patient with me, and I could have avoided responding. Things happen. It was an argument like many others.

“He wants one or two touches in the middle of the pitch, but I want a little freedom. I want to watch the game. He knew that, but he got angry that day.”

Despite this, Kone has no regrets about his time at Marseille.

“I had a great time at Marseille. It was a great experience. I remember the skill of my teammates and the warmth of the fans. I will never be more grateful for what I experienced there, even if it didn’t go the way I wanted.”

This couple has ended their mutual rift

Kone revealed that he recently met De Zerbi during his current stint at Tottenham. Both of them have accepted it and have overcome their problems.

“A few weeks ago I went to London with two friends, I met Roberto and he hugged me tightly. We talked about many things, as if nothing had happened. Sometimes social media and the media make everything too big.

“Marseille’s decision. I didn’t know they would include it in the documentary celebrating that special season with the return of the Champions League. This episode has not changed me.

“I know where I’m coming from. I’m sorry that this may be affecting people around me. And there’s something that no one knows.”

tottenham players will know

This is an excellent example of how De Zerbi typically works. He wants his teams to play faster between the lines, rather than slowing down the pace of the game.

Although it has been seen at Tottenham, it seems like a softer version of the Italian so far. He has understood the situation very well and is constantly praising the players for lifting their mood.

At the same time, this 46 year old version will not work. Things will be different next season. De Zerbi will focus more on imposing his views and that is when Spurs players will see a more radical version of him.

fulham PSV Eindhoven have made several attempts to sign Ricardo Pepi this calendar year.

The Premier League team fielded several offers from PSV in the winter market, but entertained all of them for different reasons.

Fulham nevertheless did not give up and made solid progress in securing his services in recent weeks. Their plan was to agree a deal with the Dutch club for the striker’s arrival in the summer.

On March 17, Game Witness Covered claims from Netherlands Fulham and PSV reached agreement on a deal worth €40 million.

The 23-year-old player traveled to London to undergo a medical with Fulham and then returned to his club. Despite all this, the operation failed on one major aspect.

Marco Silva’s side wanted to cancel the deal if Pepi suffered a serious injury this season. The Dutch club did not agree to this and the deal fell through. PSV technical director Ernest Stewart insists on Fulham transfer can still pass.

After the Eredivisie side clinched the title earlier this month the american said That may continue beyond this season.

The issues are not just between PSV and Fulham

Journalist Jeroen Kapteijns covers PSV Eindhoven for De Telegraaf and reports on another important factor in the operation. He discusses the case for the newspaper and psv inside Has released his comments.

The Dutch club were unhappy that Ricardo Pepi’s transfer did not go through in favor of Marco Silva.

“They thought it was a real shame that the Pepy deal fell through, because then they would have got that money straight away, €40m or so, at an early stage,” He said.

“And they already have something else in mind; they could have done it right away. Now they have to wait until a big transfer happens before they can move forward with some things again.”

Another De Telegraaf journalist, Mike Verweij, insists that Fulham could return again in the next window.

While reacting to that, his colleague revealed that there were some issues between Pepi and the London club as well.

“I wouldn’t completely rule it out, if it wasn’t for the fact that there were some issues between Pepi and Fulham that weren’t going so well, or whether Pepi would want to go that route now, I don’t know,” Coptijns explained.

Our opinion: Summer deal more challenging for Fulham

If Fulham are to make a return for Ricardo Pepi, they will have to convince not only PSV but also the player himself.

It is unclear what issues the American had with the London club. Either way, Fulham now have to sort this out and also reach a new agreement with the Dutch club. The task of prospective signatures became more complex.

New York – The New York Knicks conducted a coaching search last season to improve their approach to individual games, the season as a whole, and the playoffs. Despite the results delivered by former head coach Tom Thibodeau, Mike Brown received the reins because the organization felt he could both identify and implement needed improvements.

The Knicks defeated the Golden State Warriors 110-107 on Sunday night, and sent their fans home victorious from Madison Square Garden. But, regardless of the results, Brown was clearly frustrated with the team’s process throughout the game. While not named “Defensive Player of the Game”, he told reporters that the focus and physicality of his group was unacceptable for starting four of their last five games.

“One thing I tell them is that on an experienced team that has won and has a very high level of experience, I should not be calling two timeouts in the first six minutes of a ball game,” Brown shared in disappointment after the only-score win. “And I’m not talking about the X’s and O’s. So, this group knows it. They understand it. Now we have to do it.”

Last season, despite discouraging lineup data, the Knicks took their starting five of Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart to the Eastern Conference Finals. Once the Indiana Pacers took a 2–0 lead, New York insisted on starting Mitchell Robinson instead of Hart.

Brown began his first season with Robinson, but reinstated Hart in late December. The coach told reporters on Sunday that he was not considering a change at the moment, but that “it’s not too late to do anything” at this point in the season.

“If I felt the need, I would do it. I’m not thinking of it right now,” Brown said. “I’m not focused on each individual because, like you said, we started different guys at different times. … We can play better. I know about myself and every guy in that locker room, every person in that locker room, expects more. And somehow, some way, we’ve got to figure it out.”

Does it make sense to trade Mikal Bridges if the Knicks are winning?

Leaving Mikal Bridges on the bench in crunch time has become a trend for the Browns. The starting wing spent the final seven minutes of the game against the Warriors on the sidelines. Veteran sharpshooter Landry Shamet once again took the fifth spot in the lineup. This is at least the seventh game this season the Browns have finished without Bridges, testing the Knicks’ locker room ethos that sacrifice is necessary to win.

It was not Brown or any other Knicks player who decided to trade five picks in the first round for Bridges. Or to offer him the four-year, $150 million extension he signed last offseason. But even if Bridges is performing better than average for his career, it’s still difficult to evaluate those decisions objectively.

New York’s front office transformed a laughing stock into a contender in four seasons, without ever losing. They essentially just traded two first-round picks in three transactions that brought them Brunson, Towns, and Anunoby.

It makes sense that the team took an unprecedented gamble and traded five picks for Bridges. The rest of their roster was also assembled in an unconventional manner. This is the same braintrust that was ridiculed for making Brunson the first player without an All-Star appearance to receive $100 million from a team that did not draft him.

Bridges needs to improve his aggression on both ends of the floor. But this is to help the Knicks win games, not the previous trades.

The Minnesota Timberwolves visit the Los Angeles Clippers at the Intuit Dome on Wednesday in a marquee matchup in the Western Conference.

The Timberwolves are trying to break a two-game skid, while the Clippers have been on a roll recently, winning five of their last six games, with Kawhi Leonard playing at an MVP level.

Stopping Leonard will require a collective effort from Minnesota, with Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels being the primary on-ball stoppers. But clearly, Rudy Gobert remains their defensive anchor.

The Athletic’s Law Miller points to significant decline in Timberwolves defensive efficiency When Gobert is off the field this season. When asked about it, Minnesota coach Chris Finch emphasized Gobert’s importance and acknowledged his shortcomings.

“When he’s off the floor, we need to protect the rim differently. Better on the ball, better around the ball and earlier at the rim. Obviously, we’ve been inconsistent at times with things like that this year,” Finch said.

“He’s huge for us. It takes some nuances to play with a guy like Rudy. When he’s off the field, you have to transition to a different mentality defensively.”

The Timberwolves’ defensive efficiency with Rudy Gobert this season: 107.7

The Timberwolves’ defensive efficiency with Rudy Gobert this season: 116.7

asked Chris Finch about this pic.twitter.com/nWVDpE6B75

– Law Murray 🕯️ (@LawMurrayTheNU) 12 March 2026

Many have mocked the 33-year-old Gobert for his lack of offensive skills and awkward antics. But there’s no denying that he can be a game-changer on the defensive end.

He’s not a four-time Defensive Player of the Year for nothing.

Edwards has often talked about his defensive identity and how important it is for him and Gobert to set the tone.

Entering their game against the Clippers, the Timberwolves are allowing 114.5 points per game. But as Finch said, there is still room for improvement overall.

At the time of writing, there is a close game between Minnesota and Los Angeles in the first half.

The Middle East conflict has forced F1 to confront an uncomfortable reality for which it was simply unprepared. The Bahrain Grand Prix (10-12 April) and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix (17-19 April) are in serious doubt after Iran retaliated against the Gulf countries following US-Israel air strikes, with a decision on cancellation expected by March 20. If both races fall off the calendar, they will not be replaced.

This is a tragedy for the game commercially and geopolitically. This is also, whether the FIA ​​and F1 management want to admit it or not, a huge gift.

F1 can fix hate rage quickly

Because of what F1 showed the world in Melbourne, the new era was not as sophisticated, more competitive, as it promised. It was a warning sign with good PR. The Australian Grand Prix was entertaining, yes – really entertaining in places, especially the early Russell-Leclerc battle. But many drivers have talked about battery management being overly influential on performance, forcing them to drive in adverse ways that few people enjoy. At the pre-race drivers’ briefing, 20 out of 22 drivers complained. 20. These are not a handful of dissatisfied people. This is an almost unanimous referendum.

Max Verstappen compared the experience to Formula E “on steroids”. Lewis Hamilton said the rules are so complex “you need a degree to fully understand it.” Fernando Alonso suggested that harvesting energy through braking made the corners so passable that Aston Martin’s chef could probably navigate them. These are not people who complain about the game. They are telling you that something is fundamentally broken.

This is not the moment for more data collection. This is the moment for action. Increase super clipping limit. Rebalance harvest and deployment levels. Negotiate about whether internal combustion engine output needs to be boosted to compensate.

The core issue is not subtle. Current energy levels, with super clipping limited to 250 kW and deployment at 350 kW, are not widely considered ideal in the paddock. For the uninitiated, super clipping is when the driver has pinned the throttle to the floor and the car slows down anyway because the energy management system takes over the engine.

Imagine your car sliding down the highway and watching it go by in slow motion. This is what F1 drivers are dealing with. Lando Norris also warned about the safety implications, noting that the speed difference between cars at different power levels could reach 20 to 40 mph – in his words, enough to send a driver over the fence.

The silence of FIA and FI has become deafening

The FIA’s response so far has been cautious to the point of being passive. Single-seater director Nicholas Tombazis said changes were possible but acknowledged that the governance process takes time. F1 chiefs and teams are set to review the rules after China, with discussions about changes to energy management levels. This potentially includes increasing super clipping power to help drivers recharge more easily or reducing deployment so that boosts can last longer. it’s a start. But “reviewing after China” while managing a potentially month-long calendar gap due to the situation in the Middle East is exactly the kind of confluence F1 rarely gets.

use it.

If Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are officially canceled – and all indications suggest they will be – then Formula 1 will be dark for the whole of April. After Japan on March 29, the next race will be in Miami on May 3. This is a five-week window that the game did not ask for and does not want financially. But it’s also five weeks where no one is moving freight, no one is building pit structures, and engineers and regulators are sitting in Braccelli, Maranello and Paris with time on their hands.

🚨 BREAKING: A fan who shared a flight to Shanghai with Isaac Hadjar and Kimi Antonelli claims the two drivers were discussing the Formula 1 round in the Middle East, the cancellation of which has reportedly already been confirmed.

Hajjar jokingly said to Antonelli:

“That’s two less races for you… pic.twitter.com/IPbtuGeOa1

– Inside Audi F1 (@InsideAudiF1) 9 March 2026

This is not the moment for more data collection. This is the moment for action. Increase super clipping limit. Rebalance harvest and deployment levels. Negotiate about whether internal combustion engine output needs to be boosted to compensate. None of these are hardware changes – according to the FIA’s own Tombazis, the adjustments to energy management are primarily software-based and teams will not need to fundamentally change their systems. This is fixable.

The 2026 regulations were years in the making and were meant to represent F1’s bold leap towards a sustainable, exciting future. The sustainability piece is real and worth defending. But a racing series where drivers are racing down straight roads, managing dashboards like accountants, and warning about cars flying through the air isn’t delivering the “exciting” half of that promise.

Even Toto Wolff, whose team dominated Australia and is motivated by every means to oppose the changes, acknowledged that changes may be necessary, saying that the driving force behind the changes should be what the fans like. When the person who wins the most is telling you to fix it, you fix it.

The break is coming whether F1 wants it or not. The only question is whether the people running this game are willing to use it. History suggests they will wait. This time, waiting is not an option.

Scott Gulbransen, a quintessential expert in the field of sports journalism, serves as an editor, nfl , mlb , Formula 1…More about Scott Gulbransen

MIAMI – The Miami Heat are trying to make a playoff run with 20 games left in the season, entering Thursday’s game against the Brooklyn Nets, the team is once again dealing with injury problems. It may sound strange to fans, but it’s true that the Heat are aiming to avoid the play-in tournament this season, as head coach Erik Spoelstra talked about his approach to injuries.

As mentioned, Miami has battled a myriad of injuries over the past several seasons, leading to endlessly different starting lineups and rotations, which can lead to endless frustration and an inability to properly evaluate the quality of a team.

Given the current situation, the team’s leading scorer, Norman Powell, suffered a groin sprain and has been labeled “week-to-week”, having already missed the last two games without a schedule. Nikola Jovic continues to miss time with a back injury and Simone Fontecchio was forced off the field late on Thursday with a groin injury, adding to the problems.

Especially with Tyler Herro getting back into rhythm after missing a total of 45 games this season, Spoelstra will talk about the approach of “going for it” but also being “responsible” with health.

“We’re going for it. So I know this time of year, everybody is dealing with something,” Spoelstra said. “We want to be responsible, that was the case with Norm and Simo [Fontecchio]And hopefully, if you get things going early and you really attack it with rehab, it might be short term, but then there will be other cases that we just have to go for it and play big minutes for our main guys, I’m starting to do that anyway.

The Heat have been dealing with injuries and balancing them at this point in the season: Erik Spoelstra #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/lVIfpUboI8

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 5 March 2026

Erik Spoelstra on the pressure the Heat are facing in the tight East

As Herro finds the Heat star taking on an even bigger role without Powell, injuries have gotten in the way of the two being on the same court together and working on their chemistry. The two have only played 12 games together this season, making it a small sample size for their production together, but with the mystery of when Powell’s groin injury will heal, Miami will have to make do.

Entering Thursday’s game against the Nets, the Heat were one game behind the sixth-seeded Philadelphia 76ers, the spot they needed to finish at least to avoid the play-in tournament. However, with only two and a half games separating the sixth and 11th seeds in the East, anything can happen, with Miami on fire due to the pressure.

“I love the pressure for this group,” Spoelstra said. “I think we really need that pressure to get into second gear. And there’s going to be a lot of pressure in these games. There’s going to be a lot of clutch games, close games, a lot of emotions in these games, you know.”

Spoelstra added, “I know we have a lot of competitors in our locker room, and I’m counting on us to bring out a better version of ourselves.” “We have everything we need. We’ve got a high-powered offense, we’ve got a very good defense, defensively as good as anybody in the league. But we need to put it together, especially in moments of truth.”

Erik Spoelstra talks about the frustrations and pressure the Heat faces from being a consistent play-calling team. #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/2q5YEXqgAo

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 4 March 2026

At any rate, after Thursday’s outing against Brooklyn, the eighth-seeded Heat have to play a crucial game against the ninth-seeded Charlotte Hornets, separated by a game and a half.

If there was any hope that the understaffed, dysfunctional Golden State Warriors could regain some momentum after their disappointing win over the Denver Nuggets, it came crashing down in the bayou.

The Warriors lost badly to the New Orleans Pelicans, 113–109. Although the close score indicated a highly contested, competitive affair, it spoke more about the Dubs’ weak offensive performance in the first quarter, in which they made only 8 of 25 shots, which they ultimately could not overcome.

And while Moses Moody continued his consistent play with 24 points and five rebounds, and De’Anthony Melton exploded for 28 points in just 28 minutes, Pelicans star Zion Williamson proved unstoppable in the end with a team-high 26 points on 11 of 21 shooting. After the game, Steve Kerr evaluated the Dubs’ tremendous performance.

Kerr said, “I don’t know what ‘Down the Stretch’ got us. It was all 48 minutes.” “21 turnovers. We didn’t execute very well offensively. The spacing was bad. Transition, we had three potential layups in the first half. We didn’t run, we didn’t cut to the rim, we didn’t get to the corners. We just looked disjointed.”

The Warriors felt frustrated all night as bad basketball troubled them up and down the hardwood. Midway through the third quarter, the broadcast showed a heated exchange between Quinton Post and Brandin Podziemski as the two walked toward the bench, with Draymond Green having to step in between the two to stop things from escalating.

And while the Warriors had a chance to steal this game from the jaws of their poor play, unsurprisingly the aggression died down, and they couldn’t dig themselves out of the hole they dug for themselves.

Offense remains a problem without their stars

It’s no surprise that the Warriors’ offense has struggled with consistency lately. With Stephen Curry in a day-to-day funk due to his swollen runner’s knee, Jimmy Butler out for the season, and Kristaps Porzingis suffering from a nasty, undisclosed illness, Golden State lacks an on-ball creator or engine to center the offense.

Kerr has talked about the need for a “trigger” for the defense to struggle in the post, i.e., Curry’s snapping or Butler drawing double teams. But without him, they don’t have what it takes to lead a drought like the one they suffered against the Pelicans.

And sure, Melton can get penetration, and Moody can run around a screen off-ball, but in 48 minutes of play, they need more. What they did against Denver is certainly at the extreme end of what’s possible when everything is humming. But ultimately, an outing of sorts is required to keep everything running smoothly. That means no messy transitions, no missed opportunities.

For this, good movement of the ball and hitting open shots is required. And the Warriors didn’t do it in New Orleans.

“The game was perfect for us, we just couldn’t perform well enough,” Kerr said. “With the injuries we’ve had, we have to play well to win. And I don’t think we played well tonight.”

Resting Al Horford on the front end of the back-to-back certainly didn’t help, and they’ll bring him back against the Memphis Grizzlies. But help will not come soon. Curry’s re-evaluation won’t come until the end of the week, and knowing his tendency to lean conservative upon returns from injury, there will likely be a ramp-up process before he returns. Meanwhile, Porzingis may have the Warriors’ worst fear confirmed with this latest health scare.

The Dubs will look to bounce back with a game at Memphis in less than 24 hours.

Other notables

• To add insult to injury for the Dubs, Jonathan Kuminga looked quite comfortable in his Atlanta Hawks debut. 25 points, 7 rebounds on 9/12 FGs against the tanking Washington Wizards. It’s only one game, and against a bad team at that, but the Kuminga era in Atlanta is off to a good start.
• Porzingis did not make the trip south, ruling him out for Memphis. It is unknown what specifically caused his illness. He has a history of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), which the Warriors were aware of when they traded for him, but the Warriors have not confirmed if this ongoing illness has anything to do with it. Kerr said the condition was so severe Sunday that Porzingis was unable to leave his hotel room.
• NBC Sports Bay Area has begun adding live graphics to its broadcasts. There are things like a gray circle hovering below who has the ball, names popping up whenever someone gets the ball, and a distance counter whenever someone shoots from deep. Looks like NBA 2K and it’s driving many viewers (including me) forward.

The New York Knicks made a strong comeback against the Houston Rockets and won. He displayed serious composure, which was in question in the previous defeat. Additionally, Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson both played incredibly well – something that could have been expected on a regular basis early in the season, and yet something that hasn’t been seen nearly enough. But while the win should inspire optimism, the reason for the pause is the Detroit Pistons.

New York played a great fourth quarter in its recent win against Houston. They finished the game on a 33–13 run, which included Brunson’s 18 points. The Knicks also held the Rockets to 28% shooting in the final 10 minutes of the game. And their defense, led by new addition Jose Alvarado, forced several changes.

The Knicks have played well against more top teams than the Rockets. The Knicks have performed incredibly well against most of the league’s top competition this season. They are now 1-0 against Houston, 2-1 against Boston Celtics, 2-0 against Cleveland Cavaliers, 1-0 against Denver Nuggets, 1-0 against Los Angeles Lakers and 1-1 against San Antonio Spurs.

However, they have struggled mightily against the Pistons, a team they will likely see in the 2026 playoffs. In fact, New York is 0-3 against Detroit on the season, and their next matchup is scheduled for (much) later in the season.

Are the Pistons too tough for the Knicks?

The Pistons present completely different problems for the Knicks than other elite teams. First of all, there is their physicality Very To struggle. Detroit boasts the NBA’s second-best defensive rating (108.3). His size is challenging on the downside. Jalen Duren is eighth in the league in rebounds (10.5 per game), and Isaiah Stewart is sixth in blocks (1.2 per game). Ironically, neither Duren nor Stewart were available for the Pistons’ most recent win over the Knicks on February 19.

Pistons also push the limits of materiality and efficiency. According to Statmuse, he leads the league in fouls per game (22.3). And why not? When your team is built like Detroit, the only disadvantage in fouling is a penalty. Agreed, this is not ideal. But the cumulative effect of fouling results in a reputation bump that forces teams to think twice about how they attack open lanes.

The piston perimeter protectors are also exceptionally strong. Cade Cunningham and Auser Thomson are two of the best at blocking opposing perimeter players. And both are physical enough to compete with bigger wings in the post and around the basket.

It became clear that New York couldn’t match Detroit’s toughness while remaining focused and locked down.

Can the Knicks offense be consistent enough to take down the Detroit Pistons?

If the Pistons are a more physical team, which they are, the Knicks should emphasize their strength, finesse, and finesse. This is how New York defeated Detroit in the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs. Brunson took the lead. And for all the Pistons’ defensive abilities, they had no answer for Brunson when he was in his own zone and protecting the basketball.

In the 2025 playoffs, Brunson averaged 31.5 points and 8.2 assists per game. His footwork and finesse were on full display, including a series-clinching shot. If the Knicks are to be successful against the Pistons, Brunson will need to get back to that kind of game.

In the 2025–26 regular season, Brunson scored the ball very well, averaging 29.7 points per game. But he also turned the ball over. Very. Brunson averaged five turnovers per game in their regular season series against the Pistons, compared to just 2.6 turnovers per game in last season’s first round – and 2.3 turnovers per game the entire season (so far) this season.

Knicks supporters also need to do more. Towns and OG Anunoby missed the second of three games with the Pistons this season. But when he played he did not perform well enough. Towns averaged 13.5 points over the two games, and Anunoby averaged 6.5 points per game.

Granted, there are more failings to highlight – like how the Knicks crushed on the glass – but the simple fact is that when their second- and third-leading scorers add up to an average of 20 points per game, the Knicks are unlikely to perform well.

Fortunately, the Knicks have time to digest their recent loss against the Pistons and lick their wounds. New York has 25 games remaining before the playoffs, and their first-round rematch with Detroit is unlikely. That matchup will likely come later in the playoffs. So, the Knicks have some time to figure out how to approach the Pistons. But one thing is for sure, he has his work cut out for him.