All posts by h716a5.icu

[ad_pod ]

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

According to reports from The Sun’s Alan Nixon, Leeds United are one of many clubs interested in signing West Ham United’s Jordan Hugill this summer.

The striker’s best qualities are clear and if he arrived at Elland Road he would likely bring a new dimension to Marcelo Bielsa’s frontline.

What’s the story?

The journalist has stated that Leeds are interested in the centre-forward, but they aren’t the only ones.

Preston, Sheffield Wednesday and Wigan are apparently all sniffing around the Hammers man.

The 27-year-old spent last term out on loan at Middlesbrough where he scored six times and assisted twice. While these numbers don’t look amazing for a striker they don’t reflect what his game is all about.

New dimension

Even though the forward only stands at 6 ft tall, he can act as a target man due to his incredible aerial ability.

This type of forward is seemingly something Leeds are after this summer after their previous links to the 6 ft 4 Sam Gallagher.

The staggering number of aerial duels the striker wins will offer the Yorkshire outfit a different attack threat, as their current strikers just can’t offer what Hugill brings to the table.

The West Ham man won 3.5 aerial duels per game last season, compared to Kemar Roofe’s 0.9 and Patrick Bamford’s 1.1.

Watch Leeds United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

It’s not as if Leeds rarely play the ball in the air for their forwards either. In just 23 appearances, Bamford contested 77 aerial duels last season but only won 25 of them. Hugill is a much more accomplished striker in the air, and he will give Bielsa another option when he decides the Whites need to take a different approach in matches.

Arsenal will be looking to build on a decent first season under Unai Emery, with the club looking to add some quality to the ranks to ensure they challenge for the top four.

The Gunners are keen on adding to the squad to support Emery in his pursuit of bringing success back to the club, and there are bound to be plenty of names linked with a move to the Emirates this summer.

However, unlike some of their rivals in the Premier League, the Gunners will have to be careful in what they spend, and this weekend has seen the club quoted (as per L’Equipe) a fee of around £13.5m should they wish to sign Paris St Germain youngster Christopher Nkunku.

And while Nkunku might not have the goals to immediately catch the eye of onlooking Arsenal fans, his age and overall performances when given the chance for the Paris giants should encourage Arsenal fans.

Five goals last season in only 13 starts is a good enough return for the 21-year-old, who can fill in on either wing position as well as down the middle in a central striker role.

Nkunku has as yet failed to reach his maximum potential, but we have seen in years gone by that young players can often come into their own in a new environment, much like we saw with Thierry Henry many years ago, who arrived at Arsenal far from the prolific goalscorer he would become.

Arsenal are desperate for squad depth, with the likes of Aaron Ramsey and Danny Welbeck both moving on this summer to leave gaping holes in the Gunners’ squad.

Nkunku could well come into the fold in that respect, with his versatility making the ideal sort of candidate for a club like Arsenal to sign given their reported current financial constraints.

[ad_pod ]

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

Leeds United are starting to get the ball rolling in this transfer window. Three signings were announced on Monday, and Jack Clarke was sold to Spurs before coming back on loan on Tuesday.

Leeds are expected to have pocketed an initial £10m from the sale of Jack Clarke (update with what Hay said today), and with their reported sell before they buy policy they should be very particular about what they spend it on.

Unfortunately, though, they seem to be in danger of wasting the money generated from the sale of the 18-year-old.

What’s the story?

With £10m in the kitty, the Yorkshire club can start spending. Football Insider claim that the Whites are set to wrap up a loan deal for Helder Costa that will set them back around £3m.

The Yorkshire outfit have already signed Jack Harrison on loan in a move that reportedly cost around £1m, which means that Marcelo Bielsa’s side may be set to spend 40% of the Clarke fee on season-long loans.

Dangerous

Leeds are playing a very dangerous game here if these reports are to be believed.

The Whites can’t spend without selling, but to get rid of Clarke and spend a hefty chunk of that windfall on loan fees and wages is seemingly quite short-sighted.

Indeed, Harrison and Costa will aid their chances of getting promoted next season, but if they don’t go up Leeds will be worse off as they will be without their teenage sensation while having £4m less in the bank with nothing to show for it.

With the remaining money from the Clarke sale, United need to be a bit savvier with their spending or else their long-term aspirations could suffer for it.

[ad_pod ]

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Former Rangers striker Kenny Miller believes the club could end up getting as much as £10m if James Tavernier left the club, as reported by The Scottish Sun.

What’s he said?

Miller played alongside the Rangers captain during his most recent spell at Ibrox so is well placed to offer a bit of insight on the full-back’s ability.

Manager Steven Gerrard admitted back in May he was expecting bids for Tavernier this summer, but to date there has been no serious move from any interested parties.

Miller thinks that when the time comes, the Ibrox outfit can expect to receive a healthy fee.

The fans in the video below had some very strong words for Michel Platini who was detained over alleged corruption this week…

As quoted by The Scottish Sun, the new Partick Thistle signing said:

“One of my best mates, Gary Caldwell, sold him from Wigan. I was asking why would he let him go from League One in England to play for Rangers.

“But Tav has got better and better. He’s now huge for Rangers and they won’t want to lose him. I don’t think they’ll let him go on the cheap.

“They could end up getting £10m for him, so he’s been a really good investment. I don’t think you’ll get another Tav for £200,000 in this day and age. He’s grown into the club and he really cherishes it now. It would take something special for him to leave.”

Can Rangers afford to lose him?

Tavernier is not just a key member of the Rangers defensive line and a dressing room leader as captain, but also a massive contributor when it comes to their attacking output.

Last season he scored an incredible 17 goals, also assisting on 20 occasions, linking up with attackers such as Alfredo Morelos and Daniel Candeias from the right flank.

Replacing that kind of contribution would be hugely difficult for Rangers, especially from a right-back.

If any bids do come in for the 27-year-old this summer, as Gerrard expects, then the club will have to think seriously about whether to cash in on him or not.

Losing such an important player could be a critical blow when it comes to their attempt at winning the league next term.

[ad_pod ]

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

With the sale of Pontus Jansson and Liam Kitching on Monday, Leeds have now lost five centre-backs in this transfer window.

It’s already been stated that their lack of depth in that position in particular could see them struggle on the opening day, but a deeper look at the entire squad shows that Marcelo Bielsa is once again neglecting the issue throughout his whole side.

Last season

A lack of options throughout the squad last season cost Leeds in the end as they had to line up in the playoff semi-final second leg with a significantly weaker side than they had fielded throughout the rest of the campaign.

Gaetano Berardi came in for an injured Pontus Jansson, and was eventually sent off, Jamie Shackleton was thrown in at the deep end as Tyler Roberts and Adam Forshaw couldn’t play, and Patrick Bamford had a disappointing game as he came in for Kemar Roofe.

A look at Leeds’ bench that day tells the whole story. An unfit Jansson was joined by a group of youngsters who rarely featured for the Whites throughout 2018/19.

Bielsa seemingly hasn’t learnt from that mistake and the Whites could start next season looking even lighter than they did last term.

This season

The Yorkshire outfit may have signed seven players already in the transfer window, but only two of those are new additions to the first team as a number of youth players have been signed, and Jack Harrison and Jack Clarke were already there last season.

Jansson has left, and he could potentially be followed by Kemar Roofe, Kalvin Phillips and Adam Forshaw.

That would leave Leeds with just one senior striker in their ranks and if one of Forshaw or Phillips leaves, their midfield would be looking very light as well without a replacement.

Watch Leeds United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Injuries and suspensions plagued Bielsa’s side last season, and despite watching his team suffer due to a lack of squad depth just a few months ago, he doesn’t seem ready to fix those issues as players look to depart.

The problem isn’t solved even if these players are replaced. The Argentine needs to build on his squad from last term rather than just filling the gaps left by any exits.

[ad_pod ]

It’s a merry-go-round of goalkeeper transfer rumours over at Villa Park this summer – just maybe that’s an area they are trying to strengthen. Aston Villa have been linked to every man and his dog, or in this case every goalie and his dog. First, it was Tom Heaton, then Jack Butland and then Alex McCarthy… now it’s Marcus Bettinelli, at least according to the Daily Mail – which has left some supporters not too pleased about the link.

Bettinelli has been at Fulham his entire career, barring loan spells with Dartford and Accrington Stanley, and played a tiny part in their relegation from the Premier League last term – conceding 20 goals in seven matches. In February, the 27-year-old shot-stopper was ruled out for the season following a long-term knee problem that required surgery.

A number of Villa supporters took to social media to display their discontent at the thought of signing Bettinelli this summer, with one fan declaring the shot-stopper awful, whilst another believed they might as well keep Jed Steer as first-choice if they are targeting someone of Bettinelli’s calibre.

One member of the Villa Park faithful played down the link, claiming that it was to lower the price for Stoke City’s Butland, a view which was shared by another fan who said Butland is the one and only target.

Villa boss Dean Smith has already made nine signings this summer with Douglas Luiz’s imminent arrival soon to make it ten. The addition of a goalkeeper would smash their spending past £100m as they prepare for life back in England’s top-flight.

You can read a selection of tweets from Villa fans below:

[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… 

Having arrived from Championship side Swansea in a £15m deal earlier this summer, big things are expected of Manchester United’s new Welsh wizard.

Indeed, at the announcement of his signing, United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer remarked: “Daniel is an exciting young winger with lots of skills, vision, exceptional pace and a good work ethic. He had a great season with Swansea City and has all the attributes needed to become a Manchester United player.”

And it’s fair to say that based on the limited sample of games from pre-season, James is giving United what they sorely lacked last season.

The 21 year-old Wales international has been a live-wire every time he has taken to the pitch this summer and his sheer pace has caused United’s opponents all sorts of problems. In the Red Devils’ first two pre-season games against Perth Glory and Leeds United, James operated from the left-hand side, where he played 25 of his 38 games from last year.

Per Wyscout, in those two matches, the Welshman attempted seven dribbles, of which four of them were successful, and also created four chances. In the clash against Inter however, James moved over to the right-hand side and showed a different facet to his game. The winger’s five touches in the opposition box was the highest of the three pre-season games he has been involved in and showed his ability to adapt his game based on where Solskjaer needs him.

Last season, the Red Devils looked devoid of any pace from the right-hand side with the likes of Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and even Alexis Sanchez all more comfortable out on the left; it meant more central based players like Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata had to do a job in a more unnatural position from the right flank.

But James’ arrival and subsequent displays in pre-season show his versatility could be key in opening the game onwards for United. If Solskjaer deems that they would be better suited to the counter-attack for a game, using James from the right-hand side could give the Red Devils an added dimension going forward.

Whilst the one disappointment so far has been James’ inability to get a goal for his new side, his searing pace and threat on and off the ball make him a player United have desperately needed.

[ad_pod ]

Arsenal’s pre-season is slowly coming to an end.

It’s been a pretty rocky trip with both ups and downs, but there are now not many challenges left for them to face before the new 2019/20 Premier League season kicks off.

And for the Gunners, 11 August is the day the get straight back into the grind against Newcastle United at St James’ Park.

The last bout, however, ended with a defeat for Unai Emery’s troops. Arsenal hosted Olympique Lyon in the Emirates Cup in London and were beaten 2-1.

Still, these matches are very much just about getting the players’ fitness and sharpness to the required level so the result was very much secondary.

Reiss Nelson, Arsenal’s young talent, pretty much attested to that with his new Instagram snap emphasising how good it was to be back on the pitch at home.

It didn’t take long for some other youngsters to reply to his photo.

Angel Gomes and Mason Mount were among the first ones to the scene and they sent their regards to the 19-year-old Gunner.

Arsenal’s next challenge will take them to the Stade Raymond Kopa where they will face Angers on Wednesday.

[ad_pod ]

[ad_pod ]

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…

Amidst Manchester United’s rather disappointing campaign last season, the big talking points largely surrounded some of the club’s poor performances and results against some of the lesser lights. Ending the Premier League campaign with a draw and defeat to already-relegated Huddersfield and Cardiff certainly isn’t the stuff of top-four contenders, let alone champions.

But another area that should concern the club just as much is their record against their fellow ‘big six’ sides. Whether they were winning the league at a canter under Sir Alex Ferguson or even in the immediate aftermath of the iconic Scot’s departure, United favoured particularly well in the ‘mini league’ against their rivals.

Indeed, even as recently as Louis van Gaal’s time in charge during the 2015/2016 season, the Red Devils finished ahead of their counterparts with 18 points from ten games.

[ad_pod ]

Last season however, saw a combination of Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer lead United to just one solitary victory (against Tottenham), and a total of seven points across their ten matches. Their ‘noisy neighbours’ Manchester City on the other hand racked up 25. And therein lies the task ahead for the Red Devils.

Solskjaer’s side finished five points off fourth-placed Spurs, and as much as results against the Premier League’s lower sides hurt, it was those against the fellow big teams that stung even more. The proverbial ‘six-pointers’ are generally synonymous with relegation battles, but it means just as much in the race for Champions League qualification.

Perhaps more so than in any other season, United looked completely out thought and outclassed in their games against their rivals, and need to rethink their strategy for the big clashes.

If the Red Devils can completely overturn their malaise against the rest of the ‘big six’, then a return to the bright lights of Champions League football will firmly be in their grasp.

[ad_pod ]

[ad_pod ]

Wolves opened their Premier League 2019/20 account with a 0-0 bore draw as they endured a short trip across the Midlands to the King Power Stadium.

The game wasn’t without its controversy as the video assistant referee ruled out Leander Dendoncker’s close-range strike after the review showed it had hit the arm of teammate Willy Boly just before the Belgian slammed home from eight yards out.

Under new laws of the game, any goal scored or created with the use of the hand or the arm will be disallowed even if it is accidental.

Despite Boly potentially costing Wolves all three points, fans took to social media to share their thoughts on the 28-year-old’s ‘MOTM’ performance.

One supporter claimed the Frenchman was the best defender to ever grace the Molineux pitch whilst another labelled him a ‘Rolls-Royce’ player, also stating that he must be the best defender outside of the Premier League’s top six teams.

Others said Boly was ‘underrated’ whilst many questioned how much he would be worth in the current transfer climate, drawing comparisons to Harry Maguire’s £80m move to Manchester United.

A further fan said that he would command £120m or £150m with some claiming he is a better player than Maguire.

You can read the best of the reaction below:

[ad_pod ]