Parma coach Roberto Donadoni is confident his bottom-placed team can end their dismal run of form when they take on Sassuolo today.
One win in seven matches is a far cry from the team that finished sixth in Serie A last season.
Donadoni said: “I believe we can turn this situation around. We must roll up our sleeves because results suggest we are not up to the task and hence, we need to give more than we have done so far.”
Parma have failed to keep a clean sheet and have the worst backline with 17 goals given away.
Dave King fails in bid for Rangers
Dave King is back in South Africa after failing to strike a rescue deal for Rangers. The former oldco director was hoping to plough £16m into the club and in return get a 51 per cent stake.
The millionaire held talks with members of the board but admitted his frustrations that he was unable to convince the “power behind the throne” to hand his consortium control.
“I believe I have made a compelling case for investment and for taking the club forward,” King said.
“I cannot see how a board, acting in good faith, can fail to recommend it to shareholders given the current plight of the club. Let the shareholders decide.”
Cambiasso effect
Nigel Pearson believes Esteban Cambiasso can be the key for Leicester to return to winning ways. The City manager reckons his Argentinian midfielder has the knowledge to help the Foxes to victory at Swansea today.
They go to the Liberty Stadium after one point from their last three games.
“Esteban has settled in well and it’s been a very positive impact,” Pearson said.
“Experience is difficult to quantify over the course of the season but he has an unbelievable amount and I’m sure that will play a key role over the season.
“Whether he plays or is on the bench it is fair to say he has an important impact on the group.”
Carroll’s return
Sam Allardyce believes West Ham’s record-signing Andy Carroll could be fit and ready to play again in “two to three weeks”.
The powerhouse centre-forward missed the first five months of last season with a foot injury and is yet to feature in the current campaign after tearing ankle ligaments on the club’s pre-season tour of New Zealand.
Carroll is now back in training and the plan is for the 25-year-old to play Under-18 and Under-21 games before returning to first-team action in mid-November.
“It’ll be another two to three weeks, if he has no niggles or problems, before we talk about playing him in the team at any level,” Allardyce said.
Pogba signs new Juventus deal
Paul Pogba has signed a new improved contract with Juventus which will keep him in Turin until June 2019.
The France international’s previous deal was due to expire in 2016. Juve had been keen to tie the 21-year-old midfielder down as he has become the target of several top clubs in Europe.
“We have just signed Paul Pogba’s renewal until 2019,” Juve club administrator Giuseppe Marotta said during a shareholders meeting in Turin yesterday.
Pogba, who was named the young player of the tournament at the World Cup in Brazil in the summer, moved to Turin two years ago on a free transfer from Manchester United.
The new deal will reportedly see Pogba’s existing £23,000-a-week wages trebled.
Lamela strike impresses boss
Erik Lamela’s outrageous ‘rabona’ strike was one of the best goals head coach Mauricio Pochettino has ever seen.
The 22-year-old is still frustratingly inconsistent but offered a glimpse of his potential on Thursday, scoring a brace as Spurs beat Asteras Tripolis 5-1 in the Europa League.
Lamela’s second was an impressive volley but the first was one of the finest goals ever seen at White Hart Lane – a rabona strike from the edge of the box where he wrapped his left foot around his right leg to score.
Pochettino said: “It was a very big goal, a great goal, an unbelievable goal. I am happy for him and it helped us to get the three points.”
Saints can play better – Koeman
If Ronald Koeman has his way, Stoke City had better strap on body armour and crash helmets for their visit to Southampton at the weekend as he wants his side to step up from the 8-0 rout of Sunderland.
“I think we can start the game better than we did last weekend,” the burly Dutch manager smiled when asked to assess his third-placed team’s rollicking performance last Saturday.
“It is difficult to say that, when you win 8-0 – but that is my job. It is one thing to say ‘we have to start better’, but then I showed them some clips so...”
Southampton welcome 10th-placed Stoke to St Mary’s Stadium this afternoon.