All posts by h79snht.top

Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United side are having a tough time of it at the moment with just one Premier League win in their last seven matches.

In Europe and in the EFL Cup it’s been a different story, especially at Old Trafford, though, with both competitions offering the home fans the chance to see some of the team’s best performances of the season.

Despite that, West Ham visit tomorrow night hoping to cause a cup upset and pile further pressure on Mourinho.

It’s unlikely the Man United boss sees the EFL Cup as a priority this season, with his eyes set on securing at Champions League spot at the very least.

With that it mind, the West Ham match could give some Man United youngsters who find themselves on the fringes of the squad a chance to impress and stake a claim for a regular start.

Here are our FIVE Red Devils youngsters that deserve a chance…

Timothy Fosu-Mensah

18-year-old Fosu-Mensah has already started twice this season, including in the third round of this competition away to Northampton Town. However, on both of these occasions, it was in a right-back role.

He’s also made two appearances from the bench, being thrust into a midfield role where he looks more comfortable.

It’d be nice to see Fosu-Mensah get a start in midfield and with both Paul Pogba and Marouane Fellaini unavailable, it could happen.

The youngster signed a four-year contract with the club just last month so it’s clear he has a future at Old Trafford. Can he cement that with a solid performance against Premier League opposition?

Luke Shaw

It feels strange to think of Luke Shaw as a youngster given that he’s made close to 40 appearances for the club but at the age of just 21, he’s still learning and developing as a Manchester United left-back.

The former Southampton man hasn’t featured in the Premier League since October, apparently falling out of favour since a 0-0 draw at home to Burnley.

He did shine in a Europa League match vs. Feyenoord however and a start against West Ham could be a ticket back to a regular place in Mourinho’s XI.

Anthony Martial

Anthony Martial is suffering a little from second season syndrome after such a successful campaign last year.

After scoring 17 goals last season, the 20-year old has started only one Premier League game since the start of September, and is struggling to convince Mourinho he’s worth more game time.

A crucial equaliser against Stoke and a Europa League goal against Fenerbahce have shown that he still has the ability to shine for United and if he can send them through to a semi-final with a good performance against West Ham then things may begin to look brighter for him once again.

Axel Tuanzebe

Axel Tuanzebe is a young defender with a bright future in the game and part of us surprised he is still to make his Manchester United debut.

The young centre-back made the bench under Louis van Gaal and also featured in a pre-season friendly against Wigan for Mourinho.

So far, though, the 19-year-old has had to remain patient. A part of United’s reserve squad, he was previously captain of their U-18s side and has shown in his short career the leadership qualities to succeed at the top level.

Although unlikely to start, it’d be nice to see him get a chance from the bench and make his first-team debut, should the game be going to plan for Mourinho’s men.

Callum Gribbin

Callum Gribbin is just shy of 18, but has shown in his burgeoning career the type of ability that could see him make an impact on the Manchester United scene in the near future.

The arrival of Marcus Rashford in Man United’s first-team squad showed what impact and energy youngsters can add to a team and the explosive winger could be utilised in such a way.

Playing for both the U-18s and reserves this season, the local lad would get a positive reception from the Old Trafford faithful should he be given the nod from the bench.

It’s a lazy stereotype that Stoke City are a long ball team. The Potters carved out their role in the Premier League by playing direct football under Tony Pulis and stayed up since the 2008/09 season by a mixture of being tough to break down at home and tricky to play against.

Since those days, however, the club have evolved, and in the Mark Hughes era they have become more ‘continental’ in their approach, signing technically adept players such as Bojan Krkic and Ibrahim Affelay – basically those who failed to make the grade at Barcelona – and opting for slick play, rather than big hoofs from back to front.

The results have been admirable, too, with Stoke never really a side associated with the relegation scrap, despite their relative lack of funds and, with all due respect, limited appeal.

However, their XI to visit Liverpool this evening looks to be one tailored to going back to basics, with Peter Crouch up top and Jonathan Walters and Mame Biram Diouf in behind on the flanks. Although we cannot confirm this is how they’ll play yet, it would seem that passes will be long and high towards the beanpole striker, who will be tasked with knocking the ball down to his team-mates.

Agricultural, but often effective, it seems Kopites are worried and annoyed by it judging by the reaction on Twitter…

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Arsenal are yet to open negotiations regarding a new contract for three England internationals in North London, The Evening Standatd reports.

What’s the word?

Arsenal are yet to start contract negotiations with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Kieran Gibbs and Jack Wilshere, despite the fact that all three of the England internationals see their deals at the Emirates Stadium expire in 18 months.

Arsene Wenger has been busy in recent weeks to secure the likes of Francis Coquelin, Laurent Koscielny, Olivier Giroud and even forgotten-man Per Mertesacker down to new deals, but the home-grown trio have been left in the dark.

The most high-profile of the trio, Jack Wilshere, faces a huge year in 2017 to get his career back-on-track after numerous injury problems but has impressed in the first-half of his season on-loan with Bournemouth.

Elsewhere, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has found form this season for the Gunners, which you’d expect to warrant a new deal, whilst Kieran Gibbs remains as the long-term option for the left-back spot as Nacho Monreal is declining in ability and ageing fast.

Will they sign?

It’s difficult to predict what Wenger’s plan is, as he’s been busy with negotiations recently, but you’d expect Arsenal will not allow all three players to leave. However, an exit is possible for one-or-two men; most likely Wilshere or Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Arsene Wenger is reported to be keen on keeping all three players at Arsenal but Wilshere is unlikely to extend until the summer, when he can assess his options amongst a squad that boasts a wealth of midfield talent, whilst Oxlade-Chamberlain is also waiting to see what the season holds.

With Olivier Giroud returning to form and Alexis Sanchez thus occupying a wide position, Oxlade-Chamberlain has been left to battle it out with Alex Iwobi and Theo Walcott for a starting spot, with the recent return of Danny Welbeck from injury and the rise of summer-signing Lucas Perez providing increased competition.

Gibbs has spent 13 years at Arsenal and would prefer to stay but, now 27, he needs regular football and will have to assess the situation in the second-half of the campaign, as he’s made just five Premier League appearances this term.

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As reported by The Express, Robbie Keane is eyeing making his return to English football after leaving LA Galaxy with the likes of Sunderland reportedly interested in his services.

What’s the word?

After a successful spell in Major League Soccer, Robbie Keane left LA Galaxy at the end of his contract in November and despite being 36 years old is now looking to take the next step in his football career.

The Express say that he’s hoping to join an English club before the January transfer window ends and could have talks with Sunderland this week.

The Black Cats are said to be rivalled by the likes of Preston North End and Keane’s former club Leeds should the Irish legend want to play a slightly lower level than the English Premier League.

Can he still do a job?

The former Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool striker has been a forgotten man to English football fans over the last five years. His last taste of football here was back in 2012 when he was on loan at Aston Villa from LA Galaxy.

You’d be forgiven then for thinking that Keane must be past it. Far from it. He scored over 100 goals for Galaxy in just 165 appearances, as lethal as he ever was. It’s true that MLS is a lower level than the Premier League but it proves he’s as sharp as ever in finding the net.

He had been doing the job at international level too, scoring over 20 of his 68 goals for Ireland while a Galaxy player, before his retirement from Republic of Ireland duty in 2016.

There’s every chance that his instinct for goal and experience could make him a success for yet another English club. If he doesn’t move to one of his former clubs he’ll have played for eight English teams.

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Tottenham Hotspur have given fans an insight into what has been going on behind the scenes during the team’s trip to Barcelona.Mauricio Pochettino’s side flew out to the Catalan city to attend a training camp ahead of this weekend’s FA Cup fourth-round tie against Wycombe.While in Spain, the club’s channel Spurs TV decided to keep a close eye on Eric Dier, much to the England international’s annoyance.[ad_pod id=’now-tv’ align=’centre’]The clip, which was posted to Tottenham’s official Twitter feed, shows the 23-year-old push the camera away and even try to take out the cameraman with a flying object!It was all in good fun, though, as he also got interviewed by teammate Dele Alli about Mousa Dembele trying to move over to his training team.

The video shows how the North London outfit are in such high spirits given that they are on a seven-game unbeaten run in the Premier League.

They currently sit third in the table, nine points adrift of leaders Chelsea after 22 games.

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Ruthless (adjective)

Having or showing no pity or compassion for others

Given the aggressive nature of the definition of ‘ruthless’, it’s an odd word to see crop up in a footballing context. Or is it? After all, to be ruthless is to do all in one’s power to claim the ultimate goal, showing no mercy or pity for the opposition, and with football a game in which, to borrow some lyrics from ABBA, “the winner takes it all’, being ruthless is not just necessary, it’s vital.

How many times has Sergio Aguero been lauded for being clinical in front of goal? Equally, how often has Jose Mourinho been praised for looking past sentiment to pick the best team for the job at hand? The answer to both is often, which leads us on to Arsene Wenger, a manager beaten with the ruthless stick for seemingly lacking the predatory streak to take advantage of situations that come his, and his team’s, way.

Arsenal take on Bayern Munich this Wednesday evening – their ‘reward’ for topping Group A in the Champions League – and the Frenchman is supposedly pondering two big decisions, both of which will give us another indication of his ruthlessness, or lack thereof.

The Telegraph claim that Mesut Ozil, the Gunners’ all-time record signing and one of their truly world class talents, may be dropped from the XI, while the Mirror suggest that at the other end of the pitch David Ospina will be chosen over Premier League No.1, Petr Cech. Sure, arguments can be made for both calls should Wenger indeed proceed with the mooted double change. But if he does, it looks like he’ll once again leave himself open to accusations of lacking a necessary ruthless streak. Once again ‘Le Prof’ will be using his heart over his head.

Given the way his Arsenal side played in the Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry days, the current crop in north London is somewhat baffling. During the late 1990s and early 2000s, the Gunners were nasty, cynical winners. Martin Keown took no prisoners at the back, athletes like Vieira and Emmanuel Petit bought them the right to play in midfield while the aforementioned Henry and Dennis Bergkamp made chances stick. At the risk of sounding like a footballing Luddite, this Arsenal side are just not the same. Indeed, as this Gunners side is – more than any other – built in the image of its manager, it’s Wenger who has caused these issues.

A soft underbelly and serial dithering on the ball haunt their game. Last season was the ultimate opportunity for Arsenal to lift a first league title in over a decade, but they folded as the shock underdogs Leicester City ground out result after result to defy the odds and lift the trophy that seemed to have the Londoners’ name etched onto it. There is, of course, context to be taken into account, but it’s hard to argue against the idea that Arsenal missed a chance.

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There’s the club’s reluctance to go in hard in the transfer market, too. The need for a clinical striker and a defensive leader (somewhat addressed by the signing of Shkodran Mustafi) has been lingering for some time now.

Now, Wenger has the chance to be ruthless against a Bayern Munich side that are more beatable now than they have been for some time, and to do so he must not make either of the changes he’s supposedly considering.

We’ll start off with Ospina. The Colombian is understood to have been promised cup football this season, which was a key part of keeping him at the Emirates Stadium during the summer. Wenger has been a man of his word up until now, with the 28-year-old playing all six group games, but the knockouts are not the stage to be picking anything other than a best XI. So Cech, despite his critics, needs to be used. So what if Ospina moans? Arsenal can sign another back-up goalkeeper next summer to replace a man who has only featured 18 times in the league since his 2014 arrival, with just four of those appearances coming while Cech has been an Arsenal player. Ospina is by no means sub-standard, but in a game where every fine margin counts, is it worth the risk?

Ozil is the next point of contention. The playmaker has not been at his best of late and reports have suggested that the apparent preferential treatment he gets from his manager is irking some Arsenal players, who have questioned his application and overall desire – criticism that has plagued the 28-year-old since he moved from Real Madrid for £42.5m back in 2013. But, Ozil is, arguably, Arsenal’s best player, one of their few truly elite talents and a footballer able to provide a spark of ingenuity that can unlock a tight game. Would Mourinho drop Paul Pogba for this game? No. Would Antonio Conte do the same with Eden Hazard? Surely not. It’s never wise to alienate a dressing room, but what sort of message does it send out to Bayern if the team-sheet is handed out with Ozil nowhere to be seen? It would be a psychological boost before a ball is kicked.

Wenger, then, has two big opportunities in one game to show the ruthless streak many have said he no longer has. With the Premier League title now too far away and the FA Cup not offering the sort of statement the Arsenal boss needs, a few more eggs should be added to the European basket. Bayern are a very good team, but so too are the Gunners, and while the clubs’ head-to-head record may not read too well for the English side, prior to their most recent 5-1 loss, Arsenal beat the Germans 2-0.

This Allianz Arena outfit are not quite as strong as the Pep Guardiola machine, either. Carlo Ancelotti is now in charge and the Italian is having to transition from the team that steamrolled all before them in the Bundesliga and lifted the European Cup under Jupp Heynckes in 2013 into a new era, and while the results have been, on the whole, positive in recent times, this just doesn’t feel anything like as well-oiled a machine.

The chance is there, and history so often only remembers the brave. The winner takes it all, but if ruthlessness really is missing from Arsene Wenger’s vocabulary then the last 16 will be his Waterloo once again.

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As Rangers continue their hunt for a manager, one of the obvious candidates to take charge at Ibrox continues to be Derek McInnes.

While the Aberdeen manager has distanced himself from speculation surrounding a potential move, the fact remains he is one of the prime contenders due to the job he has done at Aberdeen.

Taking over at Pittodrie after a tumultuous period for the club under the management of Mark McGhee and Craig Brown, many thought McInnes was taking on a poisoned chalice. It looked like Aberdeen would never be able to find themselves again, languishing in mid-table of the Scottish top-flight, constantly at odds with the expectations of supporters.

That didn’t stop the former Rangers midfielder though and it’s fair to say he has delivered on his promise to make Aberdeen a force in Scottish football again. Consistently second behind Celtic and winning the club’s first trophy since the 1990s, McInnes has become a fan favourite in the Granite City.

That’s been in part due to assembling and getting the best out of a talented squad. So if he did move to Rangers, who should he bring with him?

These are the THREE players McInnes should try to steal from the Dons if he goes to Ibrox…

Adam Rooney

A consistent scorer in the Scottish top-flight for six years in two spells at Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Aberdeen, Adam Rooney has proven he has what it takes to be one of the Scottish Premiership’s top performers.

His 73 goals in 137 matches have been the catalyst for Aberdeen’s recent success and if he starts he will usually find a way to get on the scoresheet against any opposition, even Celtic.

Rangers have been crying out for a regular goalscorer this season with the veteran Kenny Miller the closest to providing that. The ‘Gers need a long-term replacement for him and there would be no better than poacher Rooney.

McInnes knows how to get the best out of him too so if the former Rangers man does return to Ibrox then we can think of no better player to join him than the prolific Rooney.

Graeme Shinnie

While he always showed potential at Inverness CT, Graeme Shinnie has come on leaps and bounds as a player since joining Aberdeen in 2015. Derek McInnes has worked wonders with the 25-year-old, transforming him from a full-back into not just a fine defender but also a versatile midfielder too.

Shinnie is often one of the Dons’ top performers and is surely not far away from receiving his first Scotland caps, having previously been called up to the squad by national boss Gordon Strachan.

He wouldn’t be the first Shinnie to play at Ibrox, his brother Andrew started his career there, last seen starring for Hibs in Wednesday night’s Edinburgh derby.

It’s Graeme who has emerged into the more accomplished player though and we’re certain McInnes would want him to be at the heart of any of his future sides.

Jonny Hayes

Jonny Hayes is a man capable of the fantastic and remarkable and in a league where deep defences can frustrate Rangers, that’s an absolutely vital trait.

The Republic of Ireland winger has been an outstanding performer for Aberdeen in his time at the club. That’s never been truer than this season, one of the players excelling as Derek McInnes pushes for yet another second-placed finish in the Scottish Premiership.

He would add a classy attacking threat in the final third at Ibrox, for a team that has struggled for goals since their promotion from the Championship.

After thumping fellow play-off hopefuls Norwich City 5-1 at Hillsborough on Saturday, Sheffield Wednesday may have expected to have taken all three points on the same pitch against a lowly Burton Albion on Tuesday night.

But while the win against the Canaries proved to be the straightforward, the clash against Nigel Clough’s Brewers was anything but.

Despite taking the lead through yet another long-range strike from Ross Wallace, Burton equalised just eight minutes later through a volley from Jackson Irvine.

With more than 65 minutes of the match remaining, the hosts would have been confident of finding a winner, but it wasn’t to be and they maintained the five-point advantage they had over seventh-placed Fulham.

A disappointing draw it may have been, but one player that certainly did his all to deliver the three points for Wednesday was midfielder Barry Bannan.

The Scot showed how influential he can be to this Owls side – especially in an attacking sense – at Hillsborough on Tuesday night.

Bannan had 116 touches altogether, making 98 passes with a 89% success rate. But his major contribution came in front of goal, where he had four shots, as well as making three key passes for his teammates.

If Sheffield Wednesday are to stay in the play-offs and achieve promotion to the Premier League at the end of the season, they will certainly need more performances like this one from Bannan.

Chelsea’s Premier League title chase this season has been a surprising one, but with just 11 games to go until the end of the campaign, the Blues are largely considered the clear favourites to secure the trophy in May.

After all, Antonio Conte has led his side 10 points clear at the top of the table – and with the teams below them struggling for form, it seems unlikely they’ll be caught before the end of the season.

However, Chelsea struggled last season and a return to that poor form could be just around the corner. So considering the wealth of top quality teams that the Blues still have to face, it will not be an easy ride for Conte.

Indeed, there are a number of fixtures that could very well define Chelsea’s season, and likewise, they could yet cost the Blues the Premier League title.

With that said, here are 3 games that could still cost Chelsea the title this season…

Manchester City

Manchester City’s form this season has been up and down, but on their day they can beat anyone.

Indeed, Chelsea won the first meeting between the pair fairly easily – with goals from Eden Hazard, Willian and Diego Costa sealing the points for the Blues on that occasion.

However, considering the Citizens lost out in the Champions League to Monaco, all hands will certainly be on deck to ensure Guardiola’s side finish the season strongly. A top four finish is absolutely vital, and so they will need to put in a big performance against Chelsea.

Conte had an easy ride last time, but that could change this time around – and the Italian must be aware of the offensive threat that the Sky Blues bring.

Manchester United

Likewise, Chelsea have done well against Manchester United this season, with a recent 1-0 victory in the FA Cup ensuring progression to the semi-final of the competition.

Jose Mourinho, then, will be desperate for revenge, and you can bet that he will be going all out to finally get a win over his old side.

Chelsea may get lucky in that the Europa League is taking precedence for Manchester United over the Premier League at present, but this game will not be an easy one.

The game is Chelsea’s last fixture against one of the Premier League’s biggest sides, and so it will be a significant hurdle for Conte to jump over.

Middlesbrough

Whilst on the surface Chelsea will be favourites going into this game, Conte must be well aware of the threat that Middlesbrough might bring.

With their manager Aitor Karanka recently being sacked, you can expect the players to pick up steam and attempt to turn their season around as the campaign progresses, and that could pose a problem for Chelsea.

Likewise, with this game the third last in Boro’s calendar, it could be a decisive fixture as they look to halt the threat of relegation.

Chelsea must not be complacent, as this game could be vital for both sides.

According to reports in The Sun (via the Daily Star), over the weekend, Aston Villa are lining up a £3m move for Southampton striker Sam Gallagher this summer.

The 21-year-old has been in impressive form during a season-long loan spell with Villa’s Championship rivals Blackburn Rovers this term, and it won’t come as much of a surprise that he is starting to attract interest from other teams.

Following a disappointing Championship campaign – the Villans are currently in 12th position and eleven points from the play-offs with eight fixtures left to play – Steve Bruce will know that his side must win promotion back to the Premier League next season, and that it could be one of the most important summer transfer windows of his managerial career.

Having spent more than £50m last summer and got little success, Villa know they must be more savvy this year.

Here are THREE ways Villa are showing that they are learning from their mistakes with their interest in Gallagher…

He’s a young player with potential

Despite the fact that this is Gallagher’s first season of his career in which he is playing regularly – and for a side struggling at the wrong end of the Championship – the 21-year-old has scored an impressive eleven goals in 39 appearances in all competitions for Rovers.

Having also made 18 outings in the Premier League for Southampton during the 2013/14 campaign, the striker has shown that he has the potential to make it at the next level as well as this one, and that is something that Villa need when they are targeting new signings.

He has a point to prove

Whereas some of the players the Championship side brought in last summer perhaps didn’t fit into this category, Gallagher certainly would if he moved to Villa Park from Southampton.

The 21-year-old would want to prove Saints wrong for letting him go, as well as showing that he can star for a club as big as Villa.

That would mean that he would be hungry to improve and succeed, and that could only be a good thing for Steve Bruce and his team as they go for promotion next season.

He may not break the bank

While Villa spent more than £50m on transfer fees alone last summer – including a reported £12m on Ross McCormack, who has failed to impress – it would be something of a coup if they could get Gallagher for the £3m they are ready to offer Southampton for the 21-year-old’s services.

The Midlands club can’t afford that sort of outlay with no success again, and they know that they would be getting a young player who has already proven himself at this level for what would be a bargain fee in the modern era.

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