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This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

There’s only so much one man can do.

Having gone through a rather baron spell in front of goal that hadn’t seen him find the back of the net since the end of August, Lukas Jutkiewicz finally ended that drought by scoring the winner against Luton on Saturday.

Speaking after the game, Blues boss Pep Clotet spoke about just how effective someone like Jutkiewicz can be in this division:

“For us he is very important because he is a dominant striker in the Championship, this means the opposition has to put double effort on him, this means he always keeps one-and-a-half, or two centre-backs occupied. That frees up the second striker.

“Importantly for me, tactically he manages to give us that space our players need in front of him.”

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On the chalkboard

The only problem with what Clotet is saying there, is that Jutkiewicz isn’t getting any major help from his current strike partner.

Although his physical presence is taking away some of the efforts of the defenders, nobody is there to pick up the pieces. Alvaro Gimenez for instance has only found the back of the net once this season in 12 appearances.

Birmingham at the moment are working out of a 4-4-2 formation, with Gimenez acting as his main partner.

However, the best way to utilise Jutkiewicz would be to have a third person playing off of him to give the defenders something else to think of, but more importantly another option for him to give the ball to.

If they adopted more of a 4-3-2-1 formation, with Jude Bellingham pushing further up the field in support, Jutkiewicz can use his aerial prowess to win balls in the air for the pacier Bellingham to run off and behind the defence.

As he showed with his goal against Charlton, he certainly knows how to time his runs and create space for himself.

The more options for Jutkiewicz to play with, the better that Birmingham are going to be because they’re going to get more chances.

This isn’t so much about making Jutkiewicz a better player, it’s about what makes him great and turning that into a strength for the team.

That’s the little spark that Birmingham are missing at the moment.

Manchester United chief Richard Arnold has been pictured alongside Saudi Arabia delegates amid rumours of a takeover by the country’s Crown Prince.The Glazer family, who are perhaps the best-known owners in the world for all the wrong reasons – including leaching the club financially and employing Ed Woodward, another notorious villain in the United camp – took the reigns at Old Trafford in 2005.According to Mirror Sport, the Glazers have already rejected two takeover offers from Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, the second of which was a monstrous £3billion. The Glazers had previously reiterated that they are not willing to sell the club at any price, which surely makes for abysmal reading for any fan sporting green and gold scarves on matchdays – the symbolic, must-have ‘Glazer out’ accessory.While on paper the current owners of the global giants remain determined, an appearance by one of the club’s key figures in Saudi Arabia could easily be interpreted as a sign that they might be nibbling at the bait.

Tottenham Hotspur take on Everton this weekend as they look to kickstart their season in the Premier League.

Spurs lost 2-1 to Liverpool on Sunday to continue a poor start to the campaign that has seen them win just three times.

Following the result at Anfield, Mauricio Pochettino’s men sit 11th in the table, already eight points behind fourth-placed Chelsea and 16 behind Jurgen Klopp’s league leaders.

With that in mind, one feels that the time is right for a hard reset and a new line-up on Sunday could do just that.

Football FanCast has taken a look at the XI Pochettino should pick as his side return to the site of one of their biggest wins last season; in 2018/19, Spurs beat the Toffees 6-2 on Merseyside.

Paulo Gazzaniga should play in goal following an excellent display against the Reds. Hugo Lloris remains injured.

Switching to a back three would eliminate the need to select the full-backs branded “dumb and dumber” – Danny Rose, who is suspended anyway, and Serge Aurier – by Roy Keane.

Thus, Pochettino should opt to select Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen and Davinson Sanchez across the backline.

There will be a need to institute wing-backs if he does that, but Moussa Sissoko is capable of playing in that role – he played there in the final 10 minutes at Anfield – while Ryan Sessegnon will surely be champing at the bit to make his debut following his summer switch from Fulham.

With Rose ruled out of the game due to disciplinary issues and the youngster reportedly available after some injury issues, the timing could not be more perfect.

And with Sissoko on the flank, Tanguy Ndombele and Harry Winks should play in central midfield.

The former brings offensive energy to midfield with 1.1 dribbles per game in the Premier League this season, alongside two goals and an assist, while the England international recycles possession well.

Further forward, one has to wonder what more Lucas Moura has to do to get into the team; he scored 15 goals in all competitions last season and is a pacey, dynamic player; he should be starting.

Son Heung-Min remains a major goal threat, having netted five times in all competitions already this season, while captain and top goalscorer Harry Kane surely has to play.

Leeds United will be looking to get one more win before the international break as they take on Blackburn Rovers in the Sky Bet Championship this weekend.

The Whites have started this season well and certainly look one of the sides to beat once again in the second tier with the way they have been playing their football.

Marcelo Bielsa and his side have bounced back from losing out in the play-offs to Derby County last season and, along with West Brom, seem the most capable of winning the title right now.

Excitement off of the pitch continues to grow, too, with continued chat about QSI potentially investing in the club – with them the current owners of French side PSG.

Indeed, Phil Hay has provided this update that should excite Whites fans further:

Nothing is concrete right now, but it is clear that the Whites are potentially in line for a cash windfall at some point.

The following article is a special report; all information presented has been gleaned from Football FanCast sources unless otherwise stated.

RB Leipzig manager Julian Nagelsmann has emerged as the top candidate to replace Mauricio Pochettino at Tottenham Hotspur if the Argentine leaves the club, Football FanCast has learned.

Spurs are in the midst of something approaching a crisis, having won just three times in the Premier League thus far this season.

Their 1-1 draw with Sheffield United at the weekend leaves them in the bottom half of the table and 11 points behind Manchester City in fourth.

There is no suggestion that Pochettino’s job is in immediate danger but Levy is exploring his options should circumstances lead to the former Southampton manager’s departure.

Nagelsmann is 32 and has been with Leipzig for just five months, having previously managed Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga. His contract runs until 2023, meaning any deal to bring him to north London would likely prove expensive for Levy.

At his former club, the young manager guided Hoffenheim to the Champions League for the first time in their history and has Leipzig second in the top-flight, four points behind leaders Borussia Monchengladbach.

Sources familiar with Spurs’ recruitment have told FFC that Levy is “all over” Nagelsmann but they are also insistent that contact will only be made if Spurs’ form goes “belly up”.

Pochettino pleaded for time after the draw with the Blades, insisting that the club are currently in a transitional period.

Per Sky Sports, he said: “We need to find a balance. We are building a team when we play in the Champions League and the Premier League, the toughest league in the world. It is dangerous as situations like this can happen. You expect better results than you get.

“We are in the process to build and we will see if we have the time to build what we want.”

Sources have also said that this process is normal and that doing due diligence makes sense amid an alarming dip; Spurs have not won away from home in the league since January.

Pochettino’s side face a vital London derby after the international break, with a trip to West Ham United looming, before a game against Olympiacos in the Champions League.

If Spurs win the latter, they will qualify for the knockout stages, having reached the final last term.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane rarely gets a rest and so it proved over the international break.

The England captain played in both of the Three Lions’ games, a 7-0 thumping of Montenegro and a 4-0 win over Kosovo. He played 57 minutes in the first, having helped himself to a first-half hat-trick. Then, in the dead rubber, the game that really, seriously didn’t matter, he played the full 90 minutes.

England had already qualified for Euro 2020 by virtue of the Montenegro win. He scored, meaning he netted in every single qualifying game, but one has to wonder what Spurs will have thought of it all.

They are in a sticky situation and have not won in the league since September; they haven’t picked up three points on the road since January and are currently 14th in the Premier League table.

Kane and his side are already a staggering 11 points behind the top four.

What they could do with, this weekend, when they face West Ham United, is a fit and firing Kane, instead of one that has played 147 minutes when just 45 would have done.

It is not like Gareth Southgate didn’t have options. Against Montenegro, he could have brought on Tammy Abraham earlier, or Callum Wilson or even Callum Hudson-Odoi.

But instead, he waited until the second half, approaching the hour mark, to make a change with the game done and dusted.

And the Kosovo decision is all the more baffling. England fielded a strong XI but they didn’t really have to; this was a prime opportunity for Southgate to pick some relative newcomers, to see what Wilson and Abraham could have potentially done from the start.

But instead, they watched on, as Kane played the entirety of the encounter.

This speaks to a wider issue, too. The 26-year-old has suffered two serious ligament injuries in his career and part of that has to come down to the fact he plays all the time.

Think of him rushing back to play Liverpool in the Champions League final. Also, look at his record for England. He made his debut in a Euro 2016 qualifier against Lithuania in 2015.

Since then, he missed two internationals because of U21 commitments, and 10 through injury-related issues. When he has been fit and healthy, though, he has been benched on just three occasions – in an international friendly against Costa Rica, the final game of Group G at the 2018 World Cup against Belgium and in a friendly win over the USA.

Since his benching in the tournament, Kane has won 19 caps. He has not completed the 90 minutes on just six occasions. In the 6-0 win over Bulgaria, he played the entirety, ditto a 5-3 win over Kosovo and a 5-0 thumping of the Czech Republic.

It cannot be said that he was needed for the duration.

Southgate perhaps believes that, because Kane is captain, he should play, but the opposite is true. Once games are won, it pays to wrap your best players in cotton wool.

The former Middlesbrough boss doesn’t seem to think that way, though, and Spurs will subsequently receive Kane back to Hotspur Way after a few too many minutes.

It remains to be seen how sharp he will be against the Hammers this weekend.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

El Desmarque have come out with a new report linking Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane to Real Madrid. But this time it seems that Karim Benzema would be involved in the deal.

What’s the word, then?

The same source confirmed that the talks between the two clubs are very advanced at this moment.

Real Madrid have admired Kane for a while but it seems that Spurs’ price tag might prove too much for Los Blancos to get their man.

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El Desmarque state Daniel Levy will ask for £103m (€120m) and Benzema to go the other way for a player they value at £171m (€200m), if Florentino Perez is really that desperate to land his target.

Of course, the Spanish giants believe Kane should be worth much less and will continue negotiating until next summer. But parting with Benzema could be a bad move for the Galacticos.

An irreplaceable piece

Simply put, Benzema has been Real Madrid’s best player of the ongoing 2019/20 season.

The 31-year-old French striker is currently La Liga’s top scorer with a total of nine goals under his belt, and he has even assisted a further three in the process as well.

And it seems that he’s been getting the media’s affection as of late too, with Marca recently publishing a piece on what makes Benzema so important and what makes him the player he is right now.

Of course, an argument could be made for Kane in terms of age and potential.

After all, Benzema is heading towards the sunset of his career while the Englishman is approaching his prime years.

But the price would simply be too big to pay or at least, it should be if Real Madrid were being reasonable.

Spurs are not really firing on all cylinders this season anyway, Mauricio Pochettino is gone and they have a huge rebuild project on their hands.

It will be difficult to see Jose Mourinho part with the star of his team and for that reason, it’s unlikely Kane’s price drops at all.

Real Madrid should just stay away from the 26-year-old and let Luka Jovic transform into Benzema’s heir when the time comes.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Southampton travel to north London this Saturday to take on an Arsenal side who are still struggling under Unai Emery.

The Gunners find themselves sixth in the Premier League table, eight points off the top four having won just four of their 12 games this season.

However, they are performing nowhere near as poorly as Southampton are.

Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side are 19th – just one point off the bottom – and have also conceded the most goals in the division with 29 let in in 12 games.

Despite the odds seemingly in favour of an Arsenal win, there is one thing that Hasenhuttl can do to cause the Gunners some problems.

What is it?

The former RB Leipzig boss must start Sofiane Boufal on the left wing, and allow him to run at Arsenal right-back Calum Chambers.

Boufal – who has made nine Premier League appearances this season – has recorded two assists for the Saints this term as well as three dribbles per game – he is undoubtedly one of the most talented players in Hasenhuttl’s squad in terms of ball control, skill and dribbling.

Southampton’s official website described the Moroccan as a “roaming midfielder with dizzying footwork” back in the summer – dizzy is exactly what the former Lille man needs to make Chambers, and there is evidence to suggest that will be possible.

Chambers’ recent struggles

It goes without saying that the Arsenal man – who came through Southampton’s academy – isn’t exactly the quickest, nor does he possess great balance.

In a recent outing against Crystal Palace, Chambers found himself up against another mesmeric wide-man in Wilfried Zaha, struggling tremendously to cope with the Ivorian.

Chambers gave away a penalty for a clumsy foul on Zaha following a tidy step-over from the Ivorian, while the Arsenal defender also went home with a yellow card to his name and the worst WhoScored match rating out of all of his Gunners teammates – in fact, his 5.98 rating was the lowest out of all 22 players to have started the game.

It really doesn’t seem as if Chambers enjoys facing tricky wingers, nor does he have the attributes needed to shackle them – this should encourage Boufal, and also force Hasenhuttl into getting his skilful Moroccan isolated against the nervy Arsenal man who used to be one of Southampton’s own.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more… 

Joelinton’s goal drought continued against Aston Villa but his all-round underperformance suggests he isn’t suited to playing as a loan striker in this Newcastle team.

On the chalkboard

Aside from the opening couple of games of the season, Steve Bruce has played the Brazilian up-front on his own, and too often he has been left isolated and unable to influence the game despite his best efforts.

That theme reared its ugly head once again at Villa Park, mostly in the first half, where a combination of Joelinton’s poor quality and a lack of support meant the Magpies offered very little in the way of an attacking threat.

The 23-year-old failed to get into the game, making just 11 passes in his 72 minutes on the pitch, and though he possessed an aerial threat as usual – with seven aerial duels won – there was nobody around him to make any use of it.

A lack of support was most glaring when he was unleashed on the counter-attack on the halfway line, and to his credit he managed to create an opening in the Villa penalty box, only to see his closest teammate was miles away from him.

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Changes needed

Joelinton’s frustrating performances are leading to growing impatience amongst the fanbase, as the few opportunities that did arise saw him shoot off target, and he made so few passes partly due to the fact he achieved 61% pass accuracy – which indicates a lack of quality.

He did show some glimpses of what he can provide, however, and with better support he may be able to have a more positive influence on proceedings in future.

Compared to his teammates, he has created the most chances per 90 minutes from open play in the Newcastle team, with 14, and he displayed that knack once again on Monday with two key passes.

If he had a striker to play off he could show more of what he has to offer, whether it is Andy Carroll or Dwight Gayle partnering him.

He has the physicality and aerial edge, as evidenced above, to win knock-downs for Gayle, and against Villa he also displayed a pace and power when taking on Tyrone Mings, which means he could run onto chances Carroll provides.

That means Bruce has to consider playing someone in support of the former Hoffenheim man. Newcastle were far too unambitious against Villa in the first half, enjoying just 23% possession the first 12 minutes, and if that continues then so will the disappointing results.

With Miguel Almiron continuing to stutter in front of goal there is a case that he should be dropped too, and replaced with a more natural goalscorer like Gayle, who struck 24 times in the last campaign.

Read here to find out how Newcastle fans are feeling about Joelinton after he drew a blank once more against Villa.

Everton winger Bernard has issued a strong response via his official Instagram account after Italian media outlet LaRoma24, via Sport Witness, reported that he had been offered to the AS Roma.

The report says that the 27-year-old is just one of a number of Brazilian players they are targeting this summer, as they look to boost their frontline ahead of the 2020/21 campaign – whenever that may be.

After the EvertonNewsFeed account posted the story on Instagram, the South American attacker was quick to shoot the rumours down, simply responding: “This is lie”.

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It has certainly been an interesting campaign for Bernard under Marco Silva, Duncan Ferguson and now Carlo Ancelotti, scoring three goals and providing a further two assists in 22 appearances in all competitions.

In the 11 Premier League matches the Italian has been at the helm for, the winger has started six of them.

However, he has been taken off at half-time in two of those, and was an unused substitute for two more, so he certainly doesn’t appear to have won Ancelotti over just yet.

In other Everton news, one Toffees transfer target has been compared to Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema…