All posts by z3u9t.icu

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

Barcelona are returning to action this Saturday and they will be travelling to the difficult ground of Ipurua.

Eibar are a tough nut to crack and for that reason, Frenkie de Jong’s battle with Fabian Orellana just might be key for either side.

On the chalkboard

Even though they currently sit in 14th place, Eibar will definitely not roll over and let the Blaugrana snatch all three points effortlessly.

Granted, they couldn’t tally a single win in their opening five games, losing three and drawing two in the process, but the small Basque team have been rising in form quite steadily.

Watch Spanish Football Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

After a rocky start, they have now tallied two wins and a draw in their last three clashes, including victories over big teams like Sevilla and Real Betis.

One of their best performers so far in the ongoing season has been Orellana himself and the attacking midfielder will be looking to cause the Catalans some trouble.

This is where De Jong comes into play.

Establishing dominance

The 22-year-old Dutchman has definitely been one of the stand out players in the Blaugrana squad as well.

Currently, he ranks fourth in Whoscored’s rating system for the whole team and his presence is almost always felt on the pitch. But Orellana is much the same, despite Eibar’s collective troubles so far in 2019/20.

Watch Lionel Messi and Gareth Bale answer the internet’s weirdest questions in the video below…

They have scored ten goals so far in the campaign, and their 33-year-old veteran has participated in half of those, scoring three and assisting two in the process.

By all accounts, he is definitely an integral part of the team.

Having said that, Orellana also tallied 1.9 shots, 1.4 key passes and 1.5 dribbles per game. Clearly, his contribution is palpable despite his numbers not always telling the right story. But De Jong has been impressive himself as well.

Of course, with only one goal and one assist so far in the season, the young Dutchman is hardly the player to give you the final product on a silver plate.

But he does so much more than just that, and the numbers prove it. His strengths lie in his passing as he maintained 92.9% passing accuracy, 58.4 average passes and one key pass per game.

His dribbling is also one of his stand out skills with 2.3 per game but he’s also a much safer player than Orellana, having recorded 0.9 dispossessions and 1.1 unsuccessful touches per game compared to the 33-year-old’s 3.4 and 1.8 respectively.

Clearly, seeing how Orellana has an eye for goal and De Jong likes to control the proceedings on the pitch, the one who manages to assert dominance might just mark the whole game.

Let’s wait and see who performs better.

[ad_pod ]

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Expert Roundup feature, which provides three quotes from those in the know in order to illuminate fundamental strengths, weaknesses, quirks, stylistic comparisons and general observations of players, transfer targets and confirmed signings.

Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Hugo Lloris must be mightily relieved that not only did his team managee to take all three points against Southampton on Saturday, but that Serge Aurier’s first half red card appears to have overshadowed his dreadful error.

The France international had so much time to clear the ball when it was passed back to him as the 10-man hosts looked to hold on to the 1-0 lead they had, but he failed miserably with a Cruyff Turn to allow Danny Ings to prod the ball over the line.

Luckily for the north London outfit it didn’t prove costly as Harry Kane’s goal proved to be the difference between the two, but plenty of pundits have expressed their concerns over the experienced 32-year-old, who cost £12m when he signed from Lyon in 2012.

Here’s what they had to say…

Don Hutchison

Speaking on ESPN FC’s YouTube channel, the former West Ham United midfielder said: “You can’t try a trick there. If you’re going to try a trick make sure it comes off, he had loads of options to the left-hand side. It was ludicrous, it was bad professionalism and it was shocking goalkeeping.”

Jamie Redknapp

The former Tottenham star wrote in his Daily Mail column: “They were badly let down by errors from Serge Aurier and Hugo Lloris on Saturday and Lloris in particular is a worry. In the last year the Frenchman has made a few mistakes you wouldn’t expect from him.

Sam Allardyce

Speaking on Goals on Sunday, in quotes reported by HITC, the former England manager said: “The perception is that this is good for the game. For me, that is a false perception. This is just making the wrong decisions in the wrong areas most of the time. We have seen so many goals given away like this now – that’s just blatant poor play.

“When you start asking goalkeepers, who can’t play out from the back, and I think Lloris is a fabulous goalkeeper, but he falls short on the ball when he is playing out from the back.”

Verdict

They’ve all got a point, to be fair.

A player of Lloris’ experience and quality shouldn’t be making a mistake like that, and perhaps it is time for Pochettino to stop making the Frenchman play out from the back, as it is something he appears increasingly uncomfortable doing.

Watch Tottenham Hotspur Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

That blunder could easily have cost Tottenham one or three points at the weekend had Southampton shown more quality in the final third, and that is the last thing they need following an already-tough start to the campaign.

It is certainly a worry the Argentine manager could do without considering the other issues he has to deal with, including the likes of Christian Eriksen, Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld all being out of contract next summer.

Arsenal loanee William Saliba played his first full 90 minutes of the season for Saint-Etienne as they beat their arch-rivals Lyon 1-0 on Sunday.

Supporters caught a glimpse of what they can expect from the Frenchman next season as he helped his side keep a clean sheet.

Saliba won two tackles, two aerial battles and had a pass success rate of 84% that helped Les Verts on their way to three points in Ligue 1.

The game looked to be heading to a 0-0 draw but a last-minute winner from Robert Beric secured Saint-Etienne’s first win over Lyon in two years.

The-18-year-old joined in with the supporters at full-time and led the celebrations with his teammates after the victory.

Gunners’ fans loved what they saw as they took to social media to express their sheer delight. One supporter said that the future is looking very bright for the Frenchman after a special evening for the 18-year-old.

Here you will find some of the best comments from Arsenal fans:

[ad_pod ]

Arsenal’s season has so far been mixed.

They started off in promising fashion, beating Newcastle on the opening day of the Premier League campaign 1-0, before defeating Burnley 2-1. However, they were then easily brushed aside by Liverpool 3-1, before needing to come back from a 2-0 deficit against Tottenham Hotspur in the north London derby to earn themselves a 2-2 draw.

Throughout, though, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has impressed. In the first four games of the campaign, he has scored three times, averaging a 7.02 rating on WhoScored.

“They have the bigger mentality” – Spurs fans come to blows after the North London Derby in the video below…

It is therefore not too much of a surprise to see him included in the vote for the Gunners’ Player of the Month. The others players in contention are Joe Willock, Dani Ceballos and Matteo Guendouzi.

As it stands, it seems that the Gabon international is the favourite for the award amongst a majority of the club’s supporters. They have taken to Twitter to share their thoughts, and you can see some of the best comments from the social media platform below.

[ad_pod ]

[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 West Ham striker Dean Ashton has given his verdict on Sheffield Wednesday’s appointment of Garry Monk.

What’s he said?

Life under the new manager couldn’t have got off to a better start as the Owls saw off local rivals Huddersfield 2-0 at the John Smith’s Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Both goals were headed efforts from strike pair Steven Fletcher and substitute Sam Winnall to hand Monk a happy three points in his opening game as Wednesday boss.

Ashton believes the appointment is a smart one and his hopeful about their prospects this season – speaking to Football League World, he said:

“I’ve always been quite a big Garry Monk fan.

“I think whenever he speaks in interviews he talks a lot of sense. He doesn’t try to beat around the bush and he’s very honest in his opinions and about his teams.

“I think he’s able to play good football like he did at Swansea but also use other styles to get a tune out of what he’s got like he did at Birmingham, so I think he’s become one of the hottest managers in the Championship and if any side lost their manager he would be near the top of their list.

“Hopefully, with the decent start they’ve made, he can help continue that.”

Watch Sheffield Wednesday Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Adaptability

That is the one key asset the 40-year-old brings to the table, and it’s one that can breed positive results in the current circumstances.

Joining a club in the middle of September means he isn’t able to strengthen the side to suit his tactical requirements.

So Monk is left with the cards he’s been dealt by Steve Bruce and then caretaker manager Lee Bullen.

But, as Ashton mentions, his ability to work miracles in that sense was proven at Birmingham where he had them competing in the top half of the table until the club was slapped with a nine-point deduction – as BirminghamLive describe so perfectly, Monk turned them into a side “vastly superior than the sum of its parts.”

A 2-0 win is a perfect start; they just need to keep it going from here.

[ad_pod ]

Bradford City announced on Friday that striker Alex Jones has joined Cambridge United on loan for the remainder of the 2018/19 campaign.

Jones joined Bradford from Birmingham City in 2017 and has scored 10 times in 30 appearances for his current club in all competitions (Transfermarkt).

The 24-year-old has actually only made two League One appearances this term though, with his last coming against Coventry City at the end of October.

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…

Injuries have harmed Jones since arriving at Bradford, but it still seems strange that the club are allowing him to leave considering their problems.

Indeed, Bradford are currently 23rd in League One and were thumped 4-0 by Southend United last weekend.

The Bradford fans have been on social media offering their views on the loan, which is Jones’ third following previous spells at Grimsby Town and Port Vale.

And it would be fair to say that there was a mixed reaction from the supporters overall.

Indeed, whilst some believe that it was the right time to allow Jones to leave, others are finding it difficult to understand why the decision has been made with Bradford facing the possibility of dropping into League Two for the 2019/20 campaign.

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

[ad_pod ]

West Ham United fans have hailed defender Arthur Masuaku after an exceptional display against Norwich City at the weekend.

The Irons posted a tweet on Tuesday claiming that the full-back enjoyed “statistically, the best left-back performance in Europe”.

Masuaku laid on an exceptional assist for Sebastian Haller as the Hammers won 2-0 at the London Stadium.

Per WhoScored, he touched the ball 79 times, registered a pass completion rate of 92%, completed two dribbles and won six tackles, while he was never dispossessed.

The 25-year-old was not in the squad for the opening game of the club’s season, a 5-0 thrashing at the hands of Manchester City, but he has played in each of the subsequent three games and the Irons have not lost any of them, drawing 1-1 with Brighton & Hove Albion and beating both Watford and the Canaries.

And a number of supporters have praised the left-back following another sterling showing.

Take a look at the best of the reaction below!

[ad_pod ]

West Ham have approached Aston Villa over a move for centre-back Kortney Hause, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: El Ghazi interest

The 26-year-old isn’t the first Villa player with whom the Hammers have been linked during the January transfer window. David Moyes is also thought to be keen on signing Anwar El Ghazi, with the Irons manager viewing the Dutchman as a versatile attacking option at the London Stadium.

Villa are willing to part ways with the Netherlands international and would prefer a permanent sale, and it now seems as if Hause is also a player of interest.

The Latest: Source shares Hause update

Football Insider, who were informed by a West Ham source, shared a story on Saturday morning regarding Hause.

They claimed that the Hammers have approached Villa over a possible deal, but Steven Gerrard’s side have the option to extend the defender’s stay in the Midlands by a further 12 months.

The report added that, should Villa activate the clause, it would enable them to secure a significantly higher fee for Hause, with his manager open to moving him on if the club can bring in a replacement.

The Verdict: New addition needed first

Villa recently lost Axel Tuanzebe’s services after he cut short his season-long loan spell to join Italian side Napoli. That has left Gerrard with Hause, Tyrone Mings and Ezri Konsa as first team options in the centre of defence, so Villa certainly need one and possibly two additions at the back if they are to part ways with the 26-year-old.

The £25,000-a-week earner, who journalist Pat Rowe called a defender who ‘dominates players’, made his first start under Gerrard in the recent 2-1 defeat to Brentford, with a number of fans criticising his performance that day.

Incomings are needed at Villa Park before possibly letting Hause leave, but it seems as if a move to the capital could have legs, making it a transfer rumour to watch.

In other news: ‘Heartbroken’ – Many Villa fans react to Gregg Evans’ big transfer development

A major update has emerged on Rangers and Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s attempts to bring a new forward to Ibrox this month…

What’s the talk?

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, via VoetbalKrant, the Gers are set to miss out on a deal for winger Andreas Skov Olsen.

The report claims that the Scottish giants placed a £4.1m (€5m) bid for his services before Club Brugge came in with an offer of £5.8m (€7m) to oust them, with the winger now poised to join the Belgian club as an agreement is close with the Serie A outfit.

Infuriation for Van Bronckhorst

Rangers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst will surely be left infuriated by this latest update, as it suggests that the club will not be able to bring in Olsen this month.

The Dane could have been a fantastic addition to the squad and the Dutchman will be gutted that he will not be able to work with the 22-year-old in Glasgow. Olsen has shown enough at senior level to suggest that he would have been able to make an impact in the short term, and he is at an age where he could have the potential to improve even further in the future.

He has already played 70 times for Bologna in Serie A, which shows that he has a solid bank of experience in a top European league. In those games, he has racked up three goals and five assists, with two assists in 18 matches this term as he tests himself against the likes of Juventus, Inter, Milan and Atalanta.

The forward has also shown promise for Denmark at international level, with five goals and three assists in 10 World Cup qualifiers. This suggests that he presently has the ability to arrive at Ibrox and make an impact on the first team this season, which is why Van Bronckhorst will be infuriated by the club missing out on his signature, as he would be deprived of a player who could strengthen his side immediately.

At the age of 22, Olsen has scope for further improvement and could increase his value down the line. This means that Rangers could be about to miss out on a forward who would have offered a short-term and long-term benefit to the club on and off the pitch.

AND in other news, Van Bronckhorst can jettison Rangers liability in swoop for “phenomenal” 18y/o with a “big future”…

An update has emerged on Newcastle United’s interest in West Ham centre-back Issa Diop…

What’s the talk?

According to Foot Mercato journalist Santi Aouna, the Magpies have ‘established contacts’ with the Hammers over a potential deal for the defender.

The reporter has claimed that Watford are also in the race for his signature, whilst Paris Saint-Germain colossus Abdou Diallo is another player on the radar of the Toon Army.

Philippe Albert 2.0

In Diop, Howe can find Newcastle’s Philippe Albert 2.0 by signing a defensive “monster” who can lead from the back for the Magpies.

Albert played 137 times for the club, including 97 games in the Premier League and matches in Europe, and was capped 41 times by Belgium throughout his career.

The centre-back, who has been dubbed a club legend by The Chronicle, enjoyed a fantastic spell on Tyneside and Diop could follow in his footsteps by arriving in January and excelling in the side – going on to match or better Albert’s run at St. James’ Park.

In just over three years in England, the 24-year-old has made 88 appearances in the Premier League and played 108 games for West Ham. He has also made five appearances in the Europa League this season, showing that he – like Albert – has experience of playing European football as well as in the English top-flight.

Jose Mourinho previously lauded the West Ham recruitment staff for their work in landing the centre-back, saying: “Congratulations to the scout who found Diop, a monster who dictated everything.”

Diop has averaged a WhoScored rating of 7.16 in the Europa League, making 3.0 tackles and interceptions per game from centre-back. In his first Premier League campaign for West Ham, he averaged a score of 6.89 and made 4.0 tackles and interceptions per game, showing that he has the potential to be a top-quality performer at this level for Howe if he can get him playing at his best.

Therefore, Newcastle must ensure that they are able to get a deal over the line for the £10.8m-rated gem as he could end up being a reliable, consistent, option at centre-back and end up playing many games in the top-flight for the Magpies. Albert was a European defender who managed that feat in his time at the club and Howe can find the next one on the production line by landing Diop in January.

AND in other news, “Decision has been made”: Romano drops major transfer update that’ll delight NUFC fans…