All posts by h716a5.icu

It’s been a quiet transfer window for Tottenham. Again. The Lilywites haven’t brought in a player for a year, with Lucas Moura’s arrival last January the latest player to move to north London. 

In that time, Spurs have seen a bit of a regression, in that they haven’t really challenged for the Premier League title, and at present, their direction isn’t clear.

That doesn’t mean that the club aren’t working on transfers, though. Indeed, according to ESPN, Tottenham are keen on a £30m summer move for Valencia man Carlos Soler. Soler’s a great player, and he’s looked good over in La Liga and in Europe this season.

However, the problem for Mauricio Pochettino is that this interest is just coming too late for the Lilywhites.

Tottenham don’t just suddenly need new talent in the present, they’ve been needing it since the summer. It speaks volumes that Spurs were the only Premier League club not to sign a single player over the summer, and they’ve felt the effects of that this season.

Now, sure, they’re right up there at the top of the Premier League table, but by looking at their squad, you just have to wonder: what if? What if Daniel Levy invested the money that the likes of Liverpool and Man City have over the summer, where would Tottenham be? In Harry Kane, Dele Alli and even players like Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen, Spurs have a core group of players that are as good as any other team in England – yet a lack of investment means that the club continues to fall short.

This season is the first campaign in years in which a new club, barring Leicester City’s miracle, has broken into and led the title charge, beyond the likes of Man City, Man Utd or Chelsea. Liverpool, are, of course, the team in question. That said, that could have been Tottenham. They’ve got a great core and a great manager.

However, a lack of investment in the present is causing them problems. Planning for the future is great; but not when your present is showing no signs of progression.

Thoughts?

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Lyon captain Nabil Fekir was on the scoresheet in his team’s 2-1 win over Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1 on Sunday night.

The result ended PSG’s unbeaten league campaign and the Liverpool fans were again closely watching the performance of Fekir. The 25-year-old was strongly linked with a move to Liverpool in last summer’s transfer window, but ultimately remained at Lyon.

The 5 foot 8 attacker has put up some strong numbers once again this season, managing 10 goals in 24 appearances for his French club in all competitions.

The Mirror claimed that Fekir’s expected move to Liverpool last summer fell through due to the English club having concerns over the attacker’s knees.

However, some Liverpool fans have once again called for the club to secure a deal for the France international, while others have simply been raving about his performance against the Ligue 1 giants.

A selection of the Twitter reaction from Liverpool supporters can be seen below:

Pl>ymaker FC’s Matchday with Max caught up with Jamaica’s women’s team. See what happened when he met the history makers in the video below…

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West Ham battled to a 1-1 draw with Liverpool on Monday, with Javier Hernandez leading the line in Marko Arnautovic’s stead – the Austrian failed a late fitness test but will surely be back in contention for the clash with Crystal Palace on Saturday. He surely doesn’t walk back into the starting XI.

On the chalkboard

Everyone in claret and blue was impressive as the Irons held the league leaders at the London Stadium, with Michail Antonio scoring the equaliser after Sadio Mane – controversially – put his side ahead.

Hernandez played as a lone striker and struggled to get much joy – particularly with Reds giant Virgil van Dijk in the way – and, while he is a tidy finisher, he was not suited to his side’s approach at all on the day.

Arnautovic’s imminent return means the Mexican hitman is likely to be benched as the Hammers want to continue their comeback from a poor January in terms of results, but Manuel Pellegrini should not rush to drop the number 18.

No time for a target man

West Ham looked to hit Jurgen Klopp’s high-pressing team on the counter by playing long-balls to bypass the Reds midfield but they lacked a physical presence up front to hold up the ball and bring the likes of Felipe Anderson into play.

In that game they desperately needed a man of Arnautovic’s stature up top, but Palace’s ability to deal with such strikers – James Tomkins and Mamadou Sakho shackled Fulham’s Aleksandr Mitrovic expertly at the weekend – means that perhaps a nippy Chicharito is the more sensible option.

The Eagles defend quite passively and forego Liverpool’s intensity in their attempts to win the ball back, so West Ham and Hernandez will have much more time to get a foot on the ball and build their attacks – the 30-year-old has brilliant instinct and will find space in the box time after time again.

It would be a huge gamble to keep Arnautovic out of the line-up, particularly after his attempts to force a move away in January, but it might be a worthwhile one for Pellegrini to make.

Who is West Ham’s worst ever signing? Check out the video below for a pretty strong candidate for the dubious honour…

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Loads of Sunderland fans have been giving their verdict on the weekend’s League One action, and they’re not too happy with summer signing Charlie Wyke.

Sunderland remain within touching distance of the top two in League One, but wins for Barnsley and Luton Town on Saturday means they have lost ground on the leaders this weekend.

The Black Cats were forced to settle for a point at home to Accrington Stanley on Friday night, as the visitors stunned the Stadium of Light by going two goals to the good.

Jack Ross’ side fought back honourably to rescue a point, as goals from George Honeyman and Aiden McGeady were enough to secure a 2-2 draw.

While the Black Cats showed they have plenty of fight left in them after a worrying run of form, fans aren’t too happy with Wyke, who has scored just one league goal since joining last summer.

The 26 year-old just doesn’t look comfortable in the current system, and even though it was Will Grigg who missed several great chances, it is Wyke that fans are unhappy with.

You can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…

[ad_pod ]Celtic fans rallied to support Timothy Weah after he was shown a yellow card after the final whistle in the 1-0 win over Kilmarnock.The teenager was a 77th minute substitute for James Forrest and put in a typically energetic display as Celtic stretched the Kilmarnock defence before forcing a dramatic winning goal.Weah enjoyed a good joust with Killie defender Greg Taylor but after almost five minutes of additional time things spilled over.The Sky Sports cameras picked out the Celtic teenager as he pulled at the chest of his shirt highlighting the club crest while Jordan Jones emerged to push Weah.Referee Bobby Madden gave Weah a yellow card then had further words with the youngster as he joined up with other Celtic team-mates to soak in the victory which took them eight points clear at the top of the SPFL table.

Celtic fans took to the 6 foot attacker from his scoring debut against Airdrie in the Scottish Cup. His attitude and use of social media has further endeared him to the Hoops support.

Although clearly not born into a Celtic supporting family, the son of Liberia’s President has quickly developed an appetite for the club that promises mutual rewards through until the end of the season.

Here’s a look at what Celtic fans have been saying from Twitter…

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Leeds United’s promotion push currently hangs in the balance. Defeat to QPR last time out saw the Whites lose the initiative in the Championship title race. On Friday, Marcelo Bielsa’s side take on fellow promotion contenders West Bromwich Albion at Elland Road.

Another defeat at this stage in the season could be catastrophic for the Yorkshire club. The pressure is certainly mounting, and the recent comments from veteran attacking midfielder Pablo Hernandez should worry fans of the side.

Tensions boiled over between Leeds and Bolton at the weekend and our man Thogden was on the scene. Check out the video below…

What he said

In a pre-match press conference, as quoted by the Yorkshire Evening Post, the 33-year-old was asked about his thoughts on the approaching clash with the Baggies. The Spaniard said: “We know it is an important game. We know if we win we can open up a gap over them. We don’t need to think too much. We just try to win the three points. We play better without pressure.”

Embracing the pressure

What should worry Leeds fans is Hernandez’s reference to pressure. Whether the 4-cap former Spain international likes it or not, it is something that is very much already on. Leeds only playing at their best without pressure won’t help them now as there is going to be intense scrutiny on them now in each of their remaining games this season. 

Bielsa needs to find a way to get his team to produce their best in those sorts of situations – failure to do so will see them fall short of their Premier League dream again.

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Aston Villa boss Dean Smith has conceded that he has a selection dilemma ahead of Sunday’s huge Championship clash against Birmingham City.

Villa thumped Derby County 4-0 in the Championship last weekend and will be looking to put another three points on the board against their bitter rivals.

John McGinn is available for Villa once again having served a two-game ban, but Smith has admitted that he is considering selecting the same XI that started against the Rams.

Smith told Club TV, via Villa’s official website:

“At half-time on Saturday we were in the coaches room looking at some clips to show the players before we went into the dressing room.

“One of our analysts showed me our second goal, and the movement and quality of it. I thought straight away, ‘bloody hell, it’s going to be hard to get John McGinn back in this team’.

“But it’s nice to have that problem again. We haven’t had it for a while.”

Villa beat Celtic to the signature of McGinn ahead of the 2018-19 campaign, with the Scot arriving from Hibernian.

The 24-year-old has been in fine form for his Championship club this season, scoring twice and registering eight assists in 30 appearances in the second tier of English football.

As it stands, Smith’s side are 11th in the Championship table, two points off eighth-placed Birmingham ahead of the clash at St Andrew’s.

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Liverpool surrendered their advantage in the title race over the course of the weekend as they slumped to a 0-0 draw against Everton, and Georginio Wijnaldum has hinted that a lack of experience in title races could explain the club’s recent dip in form.

What’s the word?

The narrative concerning the Premier League title race is beginning to turn once more. The Reds had been leading the charge since December 8th before matchday 29, but their failure to match Manchester City’s result this weekend has put Pep Guardiola’s side back on top.

In the aftermath of Liverpool’s 0-0 draw with Everton, Wijnaldum was asked about the shifting dynamics and whether his side would feel more comfortable chasing rather than leading, and his response hinted that their rivals have the advantage due to their success in recent years, per Sky Sports.

“I don’t know (whether we prefer to chase them). We have to see if it suits us better. It’s always difficult to say. I think they are used to the pressure. For us it’s new. We just have to make sure that in the last nine games we give our all, and we’ll see what happens.”

Experience counts

Liverpool have grown into an elite outfit on both the domestic and European stage since Wijanldum joined the club for £25 million in 2016, but they don’t have a trophy to show for their exponential improvement under Jurgen Klopp.

Their failure to clinch the greatest prize in English football or indeed any other trophy is a problem which the Netherlands international has subtly alluded to, especially when considered against the comparative success of their chief title rival.

The last time Liverpool were in a similar situation in 2014, they blew the lead and Manchester City held their nerve to finish in 1st place. Perhaps the Merseyside giant’s biggest test will be to banish the demons of their past which are fuelling the narrative as the Premier League moves towards the most mentally-demanding period of the season.

Spurs lost out massively yesterday as they allowed a lead to slip in a 2-1 defeat at Southampton.

Mauricio Pochettino’s men were overcome by a sustained period of pressure at St Mary’s to allow the Saints to take a crucial three points in their own fight against relegation.

However, if it showed one thing, it might be that Pochettino’s time has come to walk away from the job at the London club after perhaps taking them as far as he can.

We’ve seen on a few occasions now over the last few years with Spurs that they get going and build some momentum behind them, only to fall away at crucial points in the season or in big games.

It’s happened once more this term, with Spurs just a few months back creeping up behind both Liverpool and Man City, whereas they now find themselves battling it out simply to make the top four.

Pochettino has done a superb job, that must not be understated, but there comes a time sometimes when things need to change, and for the Argentinian coach, it might well be that he puts his name in the hat for other jobs this summer.

The likes of Real Madrid are looking for new managers, and ‘Poch’ might well fancy his chances of bringing back success to the Bernabeu if given the chance.

It’s a shame for Spurs, and a shame for Pochettino to have to move without winning a trophy, but sometimes it just pays to walk way with your head held high and knowing that you’ve done as nuch as you can.

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Liverpool fans on Twitter have been green with envy since Tuesday night, when their former midfielder Emre Can put in a magical performance for Juventus in the UEFA Champions League.

The German international, who swapped Anfield for the Allianz Stadium last summer, started on the right of a three-man midfield for Max Allegri’s side as they hosted Atletico Madrid in the second leg of their round-of-16 clash, already two goals down from the first.

However, Can helped the Italian champions to overcome the deficit and win 3-0 courtesy of a Cristiano Ronaldo hat-trick which booked their place in the quarter-finals, commanding his position in swashbuckling style.

Many Reds fans watched on in awe in their homes at their former player, one of them commenting upon how much they and Jurgen Klopp’s team have missed him this season.

And it may not be the last time in 2018/19 that they are forced to watch the Can heroics they’re now missing out on, with the possibility of meeting his Juve team in the Champions League this campaign a very real one.

Check out some of the best reactive Tweets from Liverpool supporters salivating over the “instrumental showing,” below…