Tottenham fans split over Davinson Sanchez injury

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Tottenham Hotspur fans are split over the news, reported by Football.London journalist Alasdair Gold, that central defender Davinson Sanchez is an injury doubt for the club’s Champions League semi-final second leg against Ajax.

The Colombia international, a former player with the Dutch giants, is said to have sustained an as-yet-unknown issue that could see him ruled out.

Manager Mauricio Pochettino already has a number of injury concerns, with the likes of Harry Kane, Harry Winks and Serge Aurier already absent.

Jan Vertonghen’s fitness is also unclear. The Belgium international having sustained a head injury in the first leg that led to him being substituted.

And it remains to be seen which options Pochettino will have to choose from against the Dutch giants.

But fans are split over whether the news of Sanchez’s potential injury is actually a bad thing, particularly if Vertonghen is able to prove his fitness.

Take a look at the best of the reaction below!

Mixed opinions: West Ham fans are split as Carlos Sanchez returns to training

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Carlos Sanchez has been pictured back in training with West Ham United.

The 33-year-old, who joined the Hammers from Fiorentina last summer, has been on the sidelines since suffering a knee injury against Macclesfield Town on September 26.

Sanchez has now returned to the training field, though, fuelling suggestions that he could play a part before the end of the campaign.

The 88-time Colombia international had looked set to be a vital player for Manuel Pellegrini this season as he played in five of the club’s first six Premier League matches of the 2018-19 campaign.

The West Ham fans have been on social media reacting to the sight of Sanchez, who will see his contract at the London Stadium expire next summer.

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

And whilst a number are pleased to see the South American back on the training field, others are not overly enthused.

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

Performance in Numbers: Wolves need to cash in on Neves after another poor display

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Wolves are starting to become one of the biggest enigmas in the Premier League. Strong and willing throughout three-quarters of the season, they’ve now hit a real stumbling block.

And if anything summed up their recent slump it was Nuno Santo storming out of a press conference after being questioned about the club’s away form.

It’s now five matches in a row on the road that the Midlands club have failed to win and after a Wembley defeat, things are going from bad to worse.

If their team’s overall form is a concern then the recent performances of Liverpool target Ruben Neves should be too. Considering his ability and the first impression he made in the opening months of the Premier League season, it’s strange to see him doing badly.

The quality is clearly there and at the age of 22, there is plenty more to come from the Portuguese. However, he’s starting to show why he may not be as indispensable as originally imagined.

Neves was marked out of the game against Watford in the FA Cup semi-final and was then dragged off after 69 minutes of Wolves’ defeat to Southampton last Saturday.

The defence was particularly poor with Romain Saiss run ragged by Nathan Redmond. Willy Boly was meanwhile constantly outdone by the clever movement of Danny Ings and Shane Long, too.

However, in the middle of the park, Neves looked very out of sorts which continues along with a trend of a number of poor showings in recent weeks.

His pass success was still solid but his poor afternoon was capped off by being dispossessed twice. It was hugely uncharacteristic for a player who usually keeps the ball so well. It was a lightweight display evident in the fact he was dribbled past on more than one occasion, whilst a lack of key passes will be of huge concern too.

Wolves Fan TV place the blame for Wolves’ FA Cup semi-final collapse on John Ruddy in the video below…

Leander Dendoncker and Joao Moutinho appear to be outperforming him at the minute and even in defeat that was all too clear.

At the moment, Wolves may actually benefit from moving the player on whilst his stock is high.

‘Sublime’, ‘Painfully ordinary’ – Garth Crooks can’t make mind up on Gerard Deulofeu

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Watford progressed to the FA Cup final at Wolves’ expense and they largely have super-sub Gerard Deulofeu to thank – the Spaniard came off the bench after Raul Jimenez doubled the Midlands outfit’s lead and completely changed the game with a moment of sheer brilliance.

The former Barcelona man picked his head up and what he did next stunned everyone inside Wembley Stadium – the winger audaciously lobbed a helpless John Ruddy and gave the Hornets fans the glimmer of hope which would soon be turned into a real opportunity after Troy Deeney equalised from the spot with seconds to go.

The Vicarage Road outfit would go on to win, with Deulofeu scoring his second – a feat that has landed him in Garth Crooks’ team of the week. Here’s what the BBC pundit had to say:

“I don’t think I’ve seen such a beautifully executed goal in an FA Cup semi-final before. Gerard Deulofeu’s goal to put Watford back in the game against Wolves was a thing of beauty.

“What I don’t get with Deulofeu is how he can be so sublime one game and so painfully ordinary the next. The Spaniard came on, played for 46 minutes and walked off having suffered a knock.

“I find Deulofeu as frustrating as he can be devastating. I didn’t want to select him – but he’s just got his team to the FA Cup final. I don’t think I have a choice.”

Wolves Fan TV place the blame for Wolves’ FA Cup semi-final collapse on John Ruddy in the video below…

Indeed, the speedster’s first strike was surely up there with some of the competition’s best, although Crooks was almost pained to choose him alongside Jamie Vardy and Mohamed Salah, pointing to the fact that the only reason he made the XI was because of what his brace gave Watford – a shot at Manchester City in the final.

While Deulofeu has been largely a dependable player for Javi Gracia, the pundit isn’t far wrong – the number 7 has games where he looks unplayable and others where he looks apathetic but, fortunately for Watford, his latest outing was one of the former.

Having bagged nine goals and chalked up five assists in 29 appearances this campaign, the 25-year-old is relishing his new, more advanced role, although he will clearly have to do a lot more to convince Crooks that he is a top player.

راموس: سعيد بالوصول إلى 100 هدف.. والأهم أن يفوز ريال مدريد

أعرب سيرجيو راموس قائد ريال مدريد عن سعادته بالفوز على إنتر ميلان، وتسجيله الهدف رقم 100 له مع الفريق، خلال المباراة التي انتهت بانتصار الملكي 3/2.

وفاز ريال مدريد في أول مباراة له ببطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا 2020/2021، ليحتل المركز الثاني في المجموعة الثانية، خلف مونشنجلادباخ وشاختار.

وقال راموس في تصريحات لشبكة “بي ان سبورتس” القطرية، بعد المباراة: “أنا سعيد جدًا، تسجيل 100 هدف وأنا مدافع أمر غاية في الروعة”.

وأضاف: “الجوائز الفردية تأتي في المرتبة الثانية، لكن بالتأكيد هذا نتاج مسيرة جيدة وتضحيات كثيرة، ساهمت في بطولات وأهداف مؤثرة للفريق”.

وشدد: “عندما تساعد الفريق في الفوز تكون الأمور أفضل، لذلك أنا سعيد بأن الهدف رقم 100 جاء في مباراة حققنا فيها الفوز”.

وأكمل: “كنت أعرف أن مباراة إنتر ستكون معقدة، الفريق الإيطالي صعب الميراث، وعانينا أمامهم طوال 90 دقيقة، لكنها كانت مباراة مصيرية”.

واختتم: “حققنا ما أردناه، الفوز كان لابد منه اليوم، علينا أن نستعيد صلابتنا الدفاعية، وأن نستغل الانتصارات الماضية لاستعادة الثقة”.

 

The Chalkboard: Jack Clarke must start against Derby in order to exploit major weakness

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Leeds United face Derby County in the playoff semi-finals this week in what is sure to be a tactical battle of wits between Marcelo Bielsa and Frank Lampard.

The two gaffers have proven themselves to be a couple of the brightest minds in the division this season, but there is one clear change Bielsa needs to implement to gain an advantage against the Rams.

Exploit Ashley Cole

With news emerging that Ashley Cole is back fit ahead of the playoffs, Lampard may slot his former Chelsea teammate back into the starting XI straight away.

He may go down as one of the best left-backs in history, but aged 38 his legs aren’t quite what they used to be. Pace is the England legend’s main weakness these days, and Bielsa will know precisely how to exploit that.

The Argentine is the master of pre-match preparation, and he will know exactly how to get the better of Derby if they choose to start the veteran at the weekend.

Clarke must start

The Whites’ usual starter on the right wing is Pablo Hernandez. The Spaniard is one of the most tricky and creative players in the league but starting him against the experienced left-back would be a colossal error.

For all Hernandez’s talent, he isn’t amongst the fastest player’s at Elland Road. The former Arsenal defender would be able to keep tabs on the 34-year-old and starting Hernandez on the wing would play right into the Rams’ hands.

Therefore, despite his dip in form as of late, Jack Clarke should start on the right wing whilst Leeds’ Player of the Season should slot in as a number 10.

The 18-year-old is 20 years younger than Cole and has a considerable speed advantage over the former England international. Where the defender would be comfortable when coming up against Hernandez, he would struggle to keep up with Clarke.

The winger is usually deployed on the left, but Bielsa should move him out to the opposite flank to exploit the Derby full-back’s biggest weakness.

West Ham United: Kerem Demribay can free up Felipe Anderson’s creative duties

It’s no real secret that West Ham are largely dependent on the majestic Felipe Anderson to turn up with the goods and win them matches these days.

The Brazilian’s being forced to do everything in the final third, from creating to scoring goals.

Manuel Pellegrini can’t really trust upon those he currently has to be a big influence in the final third either. So it’s no surprise he’s looking to bring in influential figures in the summer and according to reports from CalcioMercato, he’s eyeing Hoffenheim’s Kerem Demirbay. The 25-year-old’s been a key figure in Julian Nagelsmann’s exciting German side, helping them play some stunning attacking football in the Bundesliga.

He’s acted as their creative lynchpin, who works extremely hard to create goals for his side. Demirbay’s scored 4 goals and assisted 9 this season, while also averaging 3 key passes and 2 dribbles per game (stats via WhoScored) to become Hoffenheim’s attacking engine.

Indeed, finally, the German can be that missing link between midfield and attack, creating chances through the middle.

Demirbay’s style not only benefits someone like Anderson, but will allow the Brazilian some freedom. He could look towards getting into goal-scoring positions more often knowing someone like the German is behind him to supply defence-splitting passes.

That’s a mouth-watering prospect, Anderson off the leash.

Demirbay’s incisive passing, attacking flair and powerful shooting ability makes him the attacking midfielder the Hammers have missed for a long time. He could be the hard-working, creative advanced midfielder they’ve missed since Dimitri Payet’s departure to light up their attack with his menacing work going forward.

West Ham fans, would you be pleased with Demirbay’s potential addition? Join the discussion by commenting below…

فيديو | بايرن ميونخ يقلب الطاولة على دورتموند بثلاثية ويستعيد صدارة الدوري الألماني

حسم فريق بايرن ميونخ الكلاسيكو الألماني، أمام بوروسيا دورتموند بنتيجة 3-2، في المباراة التي جمعت بين الفريقين، مساء اليوم السبت، على ملعب “سيجنال إيدونا بارك”، ضمن لقاءات الجولة السابعة من الدوري الألماني. شاهد اهداف مباراة بايرن ميونخ وبوروسيا دورتموند

انتهى الشوط الأول من المباراة، بتعادل الفريقين، بهدف لمثله، الهدف الأول، جاء في الدقيقة 45 عبر ماركو رويس، وبعدها بأربع دقائق، سجّل النمساوي دافيد ألابا هدف التعادل بأسيست من مولر.

الشوط شهد كذلك، إصابة النجم الألماني، جوشوا كيميتش، في الدقيقة 36، بعد تدخل قوي مع هالاند، غادر على إثره النجم الشاب المباراة، باكيًا.

ومع بداية الشوط الثاني من المباراة، تمكن الدولي البولندي، روبرت ليفاندوفسكي، من تسجيل الهدف الثاني للضيوف في الدقيقة 48.

وفي الدقيقة 80، سجّل الدولي الألماني، ليروي ساني، هدف بايرن الثالث، بأسيست من ليفاندوفسكي، وبعدها بثلاث دقائق قلص إيرلينج هالاند الفارق لأصحاب الأرض بالهدف الثاني في الدقيقة 83.

وسجّل النجم البولندي، ليفاندوفسكي الهدف الرابع في الدقيقة 90+3، ولكن تقنية الفيديو ألغته لوجود حال تسلل.

هذا الانتصار رفع رصيد النادي البافاري، للنقطة 18، ليحتل صدارة الدوري الألماني، بفارق نقطتين عن لايبزيج، فيما توقف رصيد بوروسيا عند 15 نقطة بالمركز الثالث في سلم ترتيب البوندزليجا.

Love to keep him: Aston Villa fans lavish praise on Axel Tuanzebe

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Axel Tuanzebe was in fine form for Aston Villa on Wednesday night as Dean Smith’s side recorded a 2-1 win at Rotherham United in the Championship.

Recently back from a foot injury, Tuanzebe starred in central defence and the on-loan Manchester United ace will be looking to inspire Villa to promotion this term.

It remains to be seen whether Villa can keep hold of the Englishman next season, with United in need of centre-backs of their own.

And surely Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be thinking about the 6 ft 1 ace.

The Villa fans are certainly enjoying watching the 21-year-old at the moment, though, and a number have taken to social media to hail the defender.

Tuanzebe’s return has come at a crucial time with Tyrone Mings now facing a suspension and James Chester still not ready to feature.

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

Nowhere near good enough: Everton fans react as Barcelona are linked with Richarlison

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According to Marca, Barcelona are considering a summer move for Everton attacker Richarlison.

The 21-year-old, who joined Everton from Watford last summer, has scored 13 times in 35 appearances for the Toffees this season.

According to Marca, Barca have been following Richarlison for a long period and see the Brazil international as a potential option in the upcoming transfer window.

The attacker has had some very good games in a blue shirt this season, but has also struggled for spells and it would be a surprise to see the Spanish champions come up with a big offer this summer.

Indeed, that is also the view of the Merseyside club’s fans, with a number feeling that Richarlison is not good enough to make the move to Camp Nou.

In this era of ‘big 6’ dominance, has finishing 7th become as good as winning a trophy? The Pl>ymaker FC squad have their say in the video below…

Meanwhile, others have named the players that they would want from Barca in exchange for the South American.

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

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