Category Uncategorized

After Manchester City steamrolled past Burnley 4-1 at Turf Moor on Tuesday evening, lots of supporters were in dreamland over a convincing performance which begins a busy December period on a much-needed high – but Nigel de Jong’s comments on Riyad Mahrez seemed to have rustled a few feathers.Â

Two goals from Gabriel Jesus, a screamer from Rodri and Mahrez’s cool finish were enough to round off a superb victory in style on the night – with De Jong sitting in the pundit’s chair ahead of what seemed like a tough away trip for the Sky Blues.

The Dutchman was a real cult hero at the Etihad during his time at City, famous among supporters for his no nonsense approach to tackling and love for the fans.

‘There’s only one winner when De Jong goes sliding in’ rung around Eastlands during the pinnacle of his career in sky blue, with supporters wildly celebrating his first goal for the club against West Ham in 2011 – a feat that took nearly three seasons.

However, speaking to Amazon Prime via City Chief about the Burnley game, De Jong had a questionable take on Mahrez, stating:

“If you look at this season, I don’t really see Mahrez really doing that.

“He’s not really in form and they don’t have a lot of options when it comes to players who can give them that bit extra off the bench.”

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

As a result, City supporters took to Twitter and fired back.

Watch Premier League Football Live and Free on Amazon Prime!

Sheffield Wednesday boss Garry Monk was condemned to his first league defeat as Owls manager on Tuesday evening as substitute Tom Eaves scored the only goal of the game to hand Hull City all three points at the KCOM Stadium.

The striker powerfully headed home an Eric Lichaj cross just six minutes after entering the pitch to bag his first goal for the Tigers.

Monk, on the other hand, was without his main man Steven Fletcher, who has netted five already this campaign – his absence perhaps came as a shock as there was no news about the 32-year-old’s injury prior to the match.

Watch Sheffield Wednesday Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

It meant that Sam Winnall and Atdhe Nuhiu led the line as Monk continued to operate a 4-4-2 system.

The former Barnsley forward had the best chance of the game just after half-time as he directed a header of his own narrowly wide from a mere six-yards out.

His performance certainly failed to inspire many of the Hillsborough faithful with some taking to Twitter to share their thoughts on the 28-year-old.

One supporter compared the 5 foot 9 man to a former Wednesday flop by calling him an ‘English Stevie May,’ who scored just seven times in 42 appearances.

Winnall has only bagged five goals in 31 appearances, per Transfermarkt.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Another member of the Owls crowd believes the striker is too slow and offers nothing while a further fan called him a ‘myth.’

Here’s the best of the reaction:

[ad_pod ]

Tottenham Hotspur fans are keen to see a deal completed for Real Madrid midfielder Dani Ceballos this summer.

Spanish outlet AS reported on Friday that Spurs are closing in on a move for the player, with Mauricio Pochettino said to have helped convince the player to make a season long loan switch.

Ceballos is a rising star at the Spanish giants having made 27 appearances for the club last term.

Before Tanguy Ndombele, Spurs fans haven’t been able to vlog about a transfer since January 2018! Judging by the video below, it’s been worth the wait…

However, at a stage of his career when he needs more regular week-to-week action, AS say that Spurs can offer the 22-year-old an important role in the squad, allowing him to make more starts than he’d get in Madrid.

As you’d expect from a Spain international, his passing is crisp, penetrative and accurate, completing 92.1% of his La Liga passes last term, per WhoScored.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

At the recent U21 European Championships he provided two assists, averaging 2.8 key passes per match and helping his country lift the trophy.

Spurs supporters clearly think he’s a talent, with many taking to Twitter over the weekend to share their thoughts on the potential deal…

[ad_pod ]Liverpool fans on Twitter have been busy praising Jordan Henderson after the midfielder’s upturn in form.The Reds captain has been in and out of the team for most of the season, as Jurgen Klopp has opted to rotate him and Fabinho in the No.6 position ahead of the back four.Mo Salah has been brutally mocked for his recent diving antics in a new video by 442oons. Check it out below…However, following a chat in which Henderson told Klopp that he would prefer to play further forward in a No.8 position, the England international has excelled in the role and more than put his money where his mouth is.The former Sunderland man has notched one goal and three assists since Klopp moved him higher up the pitch, whilst he has also displayed that undying passion for the club which has always been there since he signed.

At such a crucial time of the season, the Liverpool fans are loving the fact that their skipper has started to come into form, and have taken to Twitter to heap praise on the 28-year-old…

[ad_pod ]

Liverpool youngster Pedro Chirivella has completed a loan move to Spanish club Extremadura UD, per the club’s official website.

What’s the word?

Chirivella, a central midfielder, has been a key part of Liverpool’s Under-23 side this season, making 14 appearances in Premier League 2. He has scored one goal and provided two assists across those games.

The 21-year-old has made five appearances for the Reds’ senior squad, once in 2015 – in a Europa League game against Bordeaux – and four times in 2016, against Swansea in the Premier League and Exeter City (twice) and West Ham in the FA Cup.

Former Wigan & Fulham man, Jimmy Bullard recently showed that he’s still got it! Check out the video below…

He has failed to play for Jurgen Klopp’s team in the past two seasons, however, and will spend the rest of this term in Spain’s second-tier.

Not good enough

It does not appear that Chirivella is good enough to play for Liverpool. He will be heading back to Spain after initially moving to the Reds from Valencia in 2013.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

The midfielder has taken in loan spells at Go Ahead Eagles and Willem in the Netherlands, and has won nine caps for Spain at Under-17 level.

However, he has failed to kick on and, at the age of 21, it appears that time is running out for him to make a good on the potential the Reds initially saw in him.

The loan move though, should at least help raise the youngster’s value. With his contract due to expire in 18 months, the ideal scenario would surely be for Chirivella to impress enough at Extremadura to attract a permanent bid during the next transfer window.

[ad_pod ]

Southampton manager Mark Hughes confirmed in his pre-match press conference for the huge clash against Watford at St Mary’s on Saturday that defender Wesley Hoedt is a doubt, and it could have big repercussions on the starting XI that line up against the Hornets.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the Welsh boss reported on Thursday that the Dutchman could miss Saturday’s game because of a foot infection he is suffering from, which caused him miss training on the day of the press conference.

What sounds like a painful injury could keep him on the sidelines against Javi Gracia’s men, although it doesn’t appear to be a serious enough issue for him to still be absent when they visit Fulham in their next Premier League fixture after the international break.

What effect could his absence have?

While the 24-year-old has been a regular in the Saints backline ever since Hughes took charge back in March, he is still considered to be dodgy by many of the St Mary’s faithful – certainly not helped by his often wayward passing and the fact that he scored own goals against Liverpool and Manchester City respectively this term.

Summer signing Jannik Vestergaard, Maya Yoshida and Jan Bednarek will be in contention to replace the Dutchman alongside Jack Stephens at the heart of the defence should he miss out, and while the former should be the favourite he certainly hasn’t been preferred by his manager in recent weeks.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”328949″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch The Fantasy Football Show English strikers & Captain Picks”]

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Hughes has shown that he isn’t afraid to look at players that know the Premier League well having switched Vestergaard – who is frustrated at his lack of minutes – for Stephens already, and he could opt for the experience of Yoshida in what is reported to be a must-win game for him.

The absence of Hoedt could also be good news for Ryan Bertrand, who may feel that he can be at his attacking best without the vulnerable Netherlands international beside him, and his increased freedom to get forward could give the team the much-needed boost they need in the final third.

Robinho suited Real Madrid’s galacticos era perfectly, with his tricks and unpredictable nature, but also his big ego that led to a move that killed his career.

As Real Madrid attempted to lure Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo to the Bernabeu in 2008, they tried to include Robinho in the deal, and when the Brazilian heard about this, he wasn’t pleased. Disillusioned with the board, he sought a move away with Chelsea and the bright lights of London being the ideal destination.

That move didn’t materialise, and as the transfer deadline loomed, Manchester City, fresh from being acquired by mega-rich Abu-Dhabi Investment Group, pounced on the opportunity. With hours left of the window, they offered a British record fee of £32.2m, which was quickly accepted and Robinho was a City player.

There’s lots of rumours that the 24-year-old didn’t know who Manchester City was, and that’s probably true considering the profile of the club at the time, but money, and an escape from Real Madrid talked. This turned out to be a disastrous move that could have been averted if Robinho had sorted his issues out with the Madrid board or simply held out for a better team to save him.

He lit up the Etihad for the 2008/09, linking up with fellow countrymen Jo and Elano to produce some the best football seen by City fans for decades. Robinho also finished the season as the club’s top scorer with 14 goals, but it was clear to see most of the players around him just weren’t good enough to work with his style.

Issues regarding on-pitch effort and poor performances away from home frustrated new manager Roberto Mancini and City fans alike during his second season, which was also marred by a three-month injury. Robinho quickly became out of favour and in one game Mancini even substituted the club’s record signing 51 minutes after being brought on.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”279667″ player=”13308″ title=”Robinho TRC”]

A loan deal in August 2011 sent Robinho back to his boyhood club Santos before he signed for AC Milan in a deal worth £15m. Injury problems perhaps made worse by infrequent game time at City affected his time in Italy during the years that should have been his prime.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

At 28-years-old he was given the Milan number seven shirt, but he would never again reach the heights he performed at during his time in Madrid. Robinho is an example of a player who just too wrapped up in his own ego to think about what was best for his career.

He signed for a club that, at the time, was way below his level and then he lost all enthusiasm and fitness until it was too late to regain it all in time for what should have been the best years of his career.

According to reports in The Sun, West Ham United are ready to go head-to-head with Premier League rivals Leicester City and offer £15m to sign Manchester City winger Patrick Roberts in the summer, and Irons fans have been quick to have their say on the rumour.

The Sun says that the 21-year-old was on both clubs’ radars during the January transfer window, with the Foxes wanting the attacker as part of any deal that would have taken Riyad Mahrez to the Etihad.

However, West Ham are ready to firm up their interest in the England U20 international, who has scored 18 goals and provided 24 assists in 72 appearances during a two-and-a-half year loan spell with Celtic that expires at the end of the season, in the summer.

West Ham supporters took to social media to have their say on the story, and they were understandably pessimistic given the club’s history with transfer dealings.

While one said “probably won’t happen”, another simply asked “what could go wrong?”

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

[ad_pod ]

The chances of Pep Guardiola selecting the same starting XI in consecutive Premier League fixtures this season fall somewhere between slim and none.

The former Barcelona boss is notorious for his tactical tweaks anyway, but he also has a vast and varied Manchester City squad at his disposal following a summer of lavish spending in the transfer market.

That suggests the Spaniard will continue his mantra of selecting specific players and systems for specific games and opponents, even if it means leaving incredibly talented players on the bench or dropping them altogether.

However, many were surprised to see Leroy Sane start from the bench last weekend in the 2-0 win over Brighton and he eventually proved to be one of the more important components in getting the Citizens over the line at the AMEX Stadium.

Although he didn’t directly impact the scoreline, the 21-year-old German international clearly had an effect on the match after coming on for Danilo at left wing-back, City scoring both of their goals within ten minutes of Sane replacing the summer signing.

So, City fans, should Sane be in the starting line-up when Everton travel to the Etihad Stadium this evening? Let us know by voting below…

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Sorry folks – this poll is now closed!

West Ham United have struggled to achieve their pre-season ambitions this term and the same could be said for Liverpool, with Jurgen Klopp’s side failing to establish themselves as favourites in the race for Champions League football.

There is a real danger that Anfield could be without football in Europe’s most prestigious competition for another year and Klopp will certainly have to go back to the drawing board this summer, as he seeks signings to make Liverpool potential title contenders.

Reports today have suggested Klopp’s eye has been caught by West Ham United’s 24-year-old midfielder Pedro Obiang, who has performed well during the Hammers’ return to form in the past six weeks, but the statistics show he may not be the right fit.

The most concerning stat for Liverpool fans will be the fact Obiang has committed two defensive errors that have led to goals this season, something that a shaky Reds side cannot afford to have- as there is already too many players within the squad guilty of that.

22 fouls conceded is also not a great tally to boast, as it suggests Obiang leans on the wrong side of the football laws a bit too often. Judging by these numbers, the Reds should perhaps look elsewhere.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

[ad_pod id=’Shoot-Xmas-Survey’ align=’left’]