All posts by n8rngtd.top

[ad_pod ]

In a game as big as the Champions League final, you would expect most players involved from the first whistle to be nailed on regulars, players who had started almost every game that season.

For Joel Matip, that wasn’t the case.

The Cameroon international was involved in Jurgen Klopp’s starting eleven just three times out of Liverpool’s first 21 Premier League matches in 2018/19, and only made his way into the side after a serious injury to Joe Gomez – he started 17 of his 22 league appearances.

How did Mane score THAT goal against Bayern last week? Did he dazzle them with Firmino’s teeth? 442oons speculate in the video below…

Since the England international suffered his injury away to Burnley in December, Matip has been absolutely superb alongside Virgil van Dijk.

Impressively, the former Schalke man started 14 of the Reds’ last 17 games in all competitions, and was particularly colossal in the Champions League final against Tottenham.

We saw in last year’s final between Liverpool and Real Madrid that players who seemed competent can crumble on the big stage.

Loris Karius, who had impressed in the domestic fixtures leading up to the final in Kiev, completely fell apart under the pressure.

But the same couldn’t be said for Matip; if anything, his level of performance went up a notch.

He recorded a huge 14 clearances, and was especially tidy on the ball throughout despite Tottenham arguably being the better side and posing the Reds backline a few problems.

Matip also made two key passes and grabbed the assist for Divock Origi’s winning goal with a nice pass into the Belgian’s feet – he performed better than the imperious Virgil van Dijk, who received the UEFA Man of the Match award.

The 27-year-old was up against a dangerous attacking quartet in Harry Kane – a truly world-class striker – Heung-min Son, Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli, but coped with them easily and won three aerial duels throughout.

He may not have started the season in Klopp’s first-choice eleven, but he has most certainly worked his way into it.

[ad_pod ]

West Ham United have turned their attention to Newcastle United midfielder Isaac Hayden after missing out on Barcelona’s Andre Gomes, per ClaretandHugh.

What’s the word?

The Hammers have seemingly missed out on the signing of the Portugal international, who spent the 2018/19 season on loan at Everton.

He prefers the possibility of a permanent move to Merseyside, per The Guardian, and the Irons appear to be making contingency plans in case they do miss out.

And Hayden has emerged as a target; the Newcastle midfielder has expressed his desire to leave St James’ Park for personal reasons, per the Daily Telegraph, with a move south a priority.

The 24-year-old, ClaretandHugh claim, would cost around £15m should the Magpies cash in.

Director of Football Mario Husillos is now set to negotiate the deal as manager Manuel Pellegrini bids to secure midfield reinforcements this summer.

Stumbled into a better deal

Hayden is a better option than Gomes.

The Magpies star, per WhoScored, averages 2.9 tackles per game in the Premier League, along with 1.6 interceptions and 1.1 clearances. He also has 0.9 key passes per game and is dribbled past just 0.7 times per game.

Gomes, by comparison, averages 1.4 tackles, 0.7 interceptions and 0.7 clearances. He boasts a mere 0.2 key passes and is dribbled past 1.7 times per game.

In every single area, Hayden is a better option, despite the pedigree offered by a Barcelona player.

It remains to be seen if a deal can be agreed but the 24-year-old is the best signing the Hammers could make; they may well have stumbled onto the best deal possible this summer.

It was a phenomenal end to the campaign for Everton, wasn’t it? Despite missing out on a European place, they can be hugely encouraged by a series of fine performances, including wins against Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal. Phew, thank you for that. So, here, in our It’s a big season for feature, we’ll be taking a look as to why the upcoming campaign is so important for one man in question. 

Next season should be very interesting, with the Toffees, Wolves and Leicester surely all looking to improve on promising campaigns and launch an assault on any one of the top six who fancy messing up. But, while it’s a significant season for the club as a whole, on an individual level it’s also very important for one man in particular – Theo Walcott.

After largely becoming a bit-part player at Arsenal, he has now started to suffer a similar fate at Goodison Park. Well, while the forward did indeed feature in 37 league games this season, 13 of them were as a substitute. Indeed, this is a drastic decline from last season, where after his £20m January move (as per BBC Sport), Walcott featured 14 times, only once coming off the bench.

Frankly, the reasons behind this are fairly obvious – he’s only managed eight goals and five assists in that time.

Walcott simply hasn’t been able to perform on a consistent basis and has suffered the consequences. Yet, now at the age of 30-years-old, the Englishman is running out of time. Entirely out of the Three Lions frame and lost in that proverbial international wilderness, it’s becoming a case of now or never for the man who once promised so much.

When you consider the fact that the club have been linked (as per L’Equipe via Sport Witness) with Nice’s exciting Allan Saint-Maxim, perhaps life could get even more difficult for the former Southampton prodigy.

This season has seen both Bernard and Richarlison move ahead of Walcott in the pecking order and it now seems a tough ask to break back into the team, which makes next season vastly significant. He is one of the highest earners at the club on £100,000-a-week (as per Spotrac) and that figure will look even more galling if such little return continues to come from him.

But where does he go from here? Yes, Walcott is a decent finisher but his outstanding attribute has always been his pace, something that may well decline as he gets older. Right now, there is still a role for Walcott to play at Everton but he will have to make his opportunities count.

Everton fans, do you feel Walcott still has a part to play at Everton? Is he good enough to regain a place in the starting lineup? Or is he more a useful squad member? 

[ad_pod ]

Speaking to Sky Sports during their coverage of England’s Nations League encounter with Switzerland on 9 June, Gary Neville had a bizarre dig at Jack Grealish, per quotes relaid by Birmingham Live.

What’s the word?

Back in March, Gareth Southgate hinted that Grealish would have to be playing in the Premier League in order for him to receive an England call-up.

And following on from England’s defeat against the Netherlands last week, Aston Villa fans have since been calling for their star man to be included in the squad. However, a new debate surrounding the player has occurred.

Speaking about Declan Rice switching his allegiance from the Republic of Ireland, Neville chose to attack Grealish, another player eligible for the same nation.

In quotes relaid by Birmingham Live, he declared that it was nonsense that a footballer should ask for assurances over their place in a national side.

Describing an incident that arose when he was among the Three Lions’ coaching setup, he said:

“There was a situation when I was coaching with England when the FA at the time were trying to win the services of Jack Grealish and he wanted meeting with managers, assurances and other such things. It’s nonsense all of that!

“I don’t believe in the idea that you have to persuade someone to play for your country or give them assurances. How can you give them assurances in sport? You have to play well.”

Is he right?

Given the season Grealish has had, Neville’s comments feel very mistimed and rather unusual in their tone.

As the former Manchester United man has said, you need to play well first in order to warrant a place in the squad.

Regardless of the talent you possess, you won’t get an international call-up unless you’ve performed well for your club, or already earned your keep at the highest level of the game.

When Neville was coaching England, though, Grealish’s maturity was not of the level it’s at now and that perhaps explains what happened in the past.

“Finding a Lionel Messi in Sheffield… bit of a tall order!” – Watch Championship fans attempt to name their clubs’ Messi in the video below…

Now a couple of years older, the attacking midfielder has matured greatly, becoming a leading light for his side as well as being given the captaincy.

With Villa now returning to the Premier League, there is every chance Grealish may find himself in the England senior team for the very first time.

It’s highly unlikely that he’ll demand assurances over his place now he’s matured both on and off the field, and the standard of his performances might just give Southgate plenty to ponder over ahead of Euro 2020.

[ad_pod ]

Manchester City’s pursuit of Spanish international midfielder Rodri continues at a pace with the latest reports as per the BBC suggesting that the Premier League title holders are prepared to meet a £62.6m release clause in order to get their man.

With a series of accomplished La Liga displays last season under his belt and City needing competition for their ageing dynamo Fernandinho in the crucial holding role, it is a switch that – at face value at least – makes perfect sense.

But does it if we delve a little deeper? Football FanCast endeavoured to find out by taking a look at what three experts have said about Rodri…

Watch Manchester City Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Terry Gibson, Spanish football expert

“It took just 20 minutes into his debut at Villarreal to convince me that he was the real deal. His first touch, movement and anticipation in defensive situations was clear – he looked like a young Sergio Busquets immediately.”

With an inherent elegance and intelligence in possession and boasting passing stats that last season concluded with a 91.1% success rate, it hardly surprises that similarities have been made between the 6 foot Madridista and Spain’s long-standing centre-circle conductor Sergio Busquets.

Indeed it’s a comparison that has persisted for quite some time as illustrated by the recent thoughts of respected pundit Gibson as per Sky Sports’ Transfer Talk Podcast.

Luis Enrique, former Spain coach

“I have already spoken about their similarities. It’s not good to give too much praise and he is very young, but Rodri comes across as very professional and prepared mentally. He can reach Busquets’ level and maybe surpass it. Who knows what limits he has?”

It was Busquets of course who played the number 6 role in Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering Barcelona side and if that link is cause enough for Manchester City fans to get excited it only gets better. According to the man who gave Rodri his full international debut last year, the ex-Villarreal pass-master could even go on to better the Iberian legend. That’s the suggestion from former Spain boss Luis Enrique, as per Goal.com.

From 6-0 FA Cup final maulings to Mkhitaryan missing the the Europa League final, is football broken? Fans discuss in the video below…

Albert Celades, former Spain Under 21 coach

“He is a top-level player, he has a lot of quality. Aside from the physical traits that he has, he is very good defensively and in one-on-one battles, and tactically he is also very good. But above all, what most catches my attention is that for his size, he plays very quickly with both feet, perfectly for playing the ball in high-pressure areas.”

Enough with the Busquets theme because even just three seasons in to his career Rodri has already established himself as a player and talent in his own right. But while there is no questioning his ability, doubts persist over his suitability to the frenetic English game, especially in an area of the pitch that often demands as much graft as craft. Here the view of his former Under 21 national coach is of interest, as per iNews.

Verdict

A confident and measured player, should Rodri find his feet in the hustle and bustle of the Premier League he could dictate Manchester City’s fortunes for years to come.

[ad_pod ]

The clock continues to tick down to the end of the Premier League transfer window, with less than two months now left for the 20 teams to sort out their squads for the coming season. Today’s Premier League transfer roundup includes Wolves’ interest in a Ligue 1 midfielder, an update in regards to a West Ham star and Manchester City’s pursuit of an England international.

Wolves interested in Tousart

In recent seasons, Wolves have brought in a number of Portuguese internationals due to their link with agent Jorge Mendes. However, one of the latest reports involving the club is not in regards to another Portuguese recruit, but a Ligue 1 midfielder. According to CalcioMercato, the Midlands club are interested in signing Lyon’s Lucas Tousart. Inter Milan are also pursuing the Frenchman, although no potential fee has yet been mentioned. The 22-year-old played 42 times for Les Gones last season, scoring one goal from the middle of the park.

Arnautovic wants to leave West Ham

Back in January, West Ham’s Marko Arnautovic was linked with a move away from the London Stadium but eventually stayed with the Hammers. However, according to Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, the Austrian is keen on a move to Italy this summer. Antonio Conte’s Inter Milan are credited with an interest, with Arnautovic having played for Nerazzurri during the 2009/10 season. Di Marzio adds that the former Werder Bremen man would be allowed to leave the London outfit this summer for a fee in the region of €25m (£22.3m).

Maguire medical expected

Manchester City’s squad is already full of talent, but there is no such thing as resting on your laurels with Pep Guardiola. City appear to be looking for a centre-back having been credited with an interest in Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly. And now, it seems that the Citizens are close to signing Harry Maguire from Leicester City. The Manchester outfit have pencilled in a medical for the England international, with the fee expected to be in the region of £65m. United were also reported to be interested, but Maguire prefers a move to the Etihad over Old Trafford.

[ad_pod ]

Some Crystal Palace fans on Twitter are getting suspicious following multiple posts from the club’s official account about Jordan Ayew on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The attacker’s season-long loan spell with the Eagles officially ends on June 30, but even though that is just a matter of days away and there has been no update on a permanent deal being agreed for the Swansea City man, that hasn’t stopped the south London outfit continuing to tweet about him.

They wished the 27-year-old good luck ahead of Ghana’s opening 2019 African Cup of Nations match against Benin on Tuesday, before focusing on him again following a brilliant goal he scored in the 2-2 draw.

While he showed in 2018/19 that he is willing to work hard for Roy Hodgson’s men, the fact he only scored two goals and provided two assists in 25 appearances in all competitions would surely mean he would still be something of a strange permanent signing.

Palace supporters feel that something might be up though, with one saying he is “obvs coming back”, and another asking “have we signed him but you didn’t bother telling us?”

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

[ad_pod ]

Marko Arnautovic asked West Ham United to accept a €22m (£19.7m) bid for him from an unnamed Chinese club, sources have confirmed to Football FanCast.

The bid was tabled on Tuesday but the Hammers have rejected it out of hand.

The Austria international attempted to engineer a move to China in January but ended up signing a new contract that contains a £45m release clause.

Sources have told FFC that the club will only sell the former Stoke City forward if that figure is met.

Indeed, there was an expectation at the turn of the year that a new bid could be tabled for Arnautovic in this transfer window and the Hammers took steps to ensure they would be properly protected in terms of negotiations over any fee.

Watch West Ham United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

As the season drew to a close, however, the striker went 11 games without scoring a goal for the club – he scored three in the final two matches of the campaign – and there was a belief that he would remain at the London Stadium for the 2019/20 season.

Indeed, manager Manuel Pellegrini even made plans to sign Maxi Gomez from Celta Vigo and play him alongside the former Stoke City star.

Now, though, sources have told FFC that Arnautovic is “playing up again” as he looks to secure a move away from east London.

It remains to be seen if another offer will be tabled, or if the player will formally request a transfer.

The news comes at an inopportune time for the Hammers. They returned to pre-season training on Monday but they have just two senior strikers at this stage: Arnautovic and Javier Hernandez.

Andy Carroll and Lucas Perez have both left, while Hernandez is deemed expendable, per FFC sources. There is a very real chance that all four of the strikers they could call upon last season will have left by the beginning of the 2019/20 campaign.

The Hammers remain in talks with Gomez’s camp over a possible transfer but there is a fear that the Uruguay international would prefer to stay in Spain.

FFC has previously confirmed that West Bromwich Albion striker Salomon Rondon has also been the subject of a bid from the Hammers, worth £10m plus Jordan Hugill and Sam Byram, and the club remain open to submitting another offer should Pellegrini give the green light.

Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic has been watched, too, sources confirm, while FFC also understands Porto’s Moussa Marega has been offered to the club. He would cost over £30m.

[ad_pod ]

According to journalist Tim Spiers on Twitter, Wolves have fielded a number of loan enquiries for teenager Morgan Gibbs-White this summer.

However, it appears as though the Midlands outfit have no desire to let him go.

The midfielder was a regular in the squad last term but only made five Premier League starts, appearing 21 times as a substitute.

And following on from the news regarding a possible loan departure, supporters of the club had mixed views on whether he should leave.

One fan explained that he needed to stay because of the size of the squad whilst another said he’d play a big part next season.

However, a further individual said that a loan move could be good for the 5 foot 10 youngster. One individual was slightly more forceful, simply suggesting that he’d get rid.

Despite his limited game time last season, Gibbs-White did put in some impressive displays. He claimed an assist against Chelsea in one of the few games he started, whilst he also hit the crossbar at the Emirates Stadium when Wolves drew with Arsenal.

Here’s how some of the debate played out.

[ad_pod ]

This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets… 

According to Gianluca Di Marzio, Manchester United have made an enquiry for Fiorentina centre-back Nikola Milenkovic and are interested in signing him this summer.

Reports in January earlier this year had spoke of United’s desire to bring the Serbia international to Old Trafford, but the Red Devils did not manage to pull off a deal.

It now appears however that the Red Devils are keen to revive their interest in the 21-year-old.

Watch how to cross the road like a boss with freestyler Ben Nuttall in the video below…

And with suggestions that United’s prime defensive target Harry Maguire could cost upwards of £70m, a move for Milenkovic may make just as much sense financially as it does footballing wise.

Standing at 6 foot 5, Milenkovic is a towering presence in the Viola’s backline; indeed, his height makes him taller than Maguire by an inch. The profile that United are looking for in the two is evident; physically dominant centre-halves who couple the art of old school defending with a real modern day quality of playing out from the back.

Despite playing in a Fiorentina side that finished just above the relegation zone in Serie A, Milenkovic enjoyed a fine personal campaign. The Serbian averaged 1.7 tackles and 1.4 interceptions per game, which comfortably betters Maguire’s total of 1 tackle and 1.2 interceptions per game in the Premier League.

Both are strong and decisive in the tackle but show a willingness to get in front of their man to pinch the ball off them high up the pitch. It’s the kind of front-foot defending United need if they are to fully embrace Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s desire to dominate games next season.

Watch Manchester United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Whilst both are comfortable enough on the ball, the disparity between the number of long balls played by the two is startling and is a reflection of how Fiorentina and Leicester typically play. The Italian side look to build out from the back and Milenkovic plays a key role in drifting slightly wider to open up passing lanes to the winger.

The Foxes on the other hand have notoriously been a counter-attacking side and Maguire’s 6.2 long balls per game can be attributed to their desire to get Jamie Vardy clean through on goal as quickly as possible.

Whilst Maguire might be Premier League proven, Milenkovic’s age, physical profile and confidence on the ball could make him an intriguing alternative to the England international for United this summer.