All posts by h716a5.icu

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Frank Lampard’s reign as Chelsea manager could not have got off to a much worse start last weekend.

The Blues lost their highly anticipated Premier League opener against Manchester United 4-0, with some worrying defending needing to be sorted as soon as possible.

However, it wasn’t all doom and gloom. For 60 minutes of the game, the Stamford Bridge outfit were arguably the better team and had more chances. They regularly troubled the Red Devils’ goal, and hit the woodwork twice in the first half.

Emerson was one of the players to strike the frame, and the performance of the left-back will have been one of the main positives that Lampard can take from the disappointing beginning to this new era.

Before the match, the question was whether Marcos Alonso or the Italian international would start but the latter got the nod and didn’t look back. He proved to be a real menace in attack, and had three shots on target along with the effort that struck the bar. He also created a chance and rarely put a foot wrong with his 95% pass accuracy – none of the other 21 starters were able to beat that number.

Defensively, he was also adept, and it is hard to blame him for any of the four goals. Clearly, his strengths lie in attack, but that is not to say that he is a liability going the other way. Other than the four chances, Chelsea were rarely troubled – tt was just one of those days.

The Blues now head into their next game, which will be against Champions League winners Liverpool in the UEFA Super Cup Final. This loss against United will have been a blow, but the 25-year-old defender’s performance was a lonely plus point for the Blues and has set the standard of performance Emerson’s team-mates need to match against the Reds.

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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…

If there was one word to describe Leeds pursuit of Eddie Nketiah this summer it would be painstaking.

This was a player Leeds needed and seemingly would stop at nothing to land him.

The Whites needed a striker or else there they were left staring at just one option in attack, Patrick Bamford.

Leeds’ initial interest spawned during the final week of the window but Bristol City first appeared as the lead candidate to sign the Arsenal striker on a temporary basis.

The forward was even set for a medical. However, after meeting with Arsenal, Leeds convinced the 20-year-old to swap north London for west Yorkshire.

It was a thorough process but they eventually got their man in what must have felt like an interview in front of Alan Sugar on the Apprentice.

Sat in front of Arsenal officials was Victor Orta, Leeds’ Director of Football, who managed to sell the club well. The rest they say, is history.

Nketiah is now a Leeds boy, albeit on a temporary basis, but he’s already got off to the perfect start after netting on his debut against Salford.

Leeds had to make a long pitch for why their club would be best for his development and after Unai Emery had previously revealed he wanted the player to stay around the first-team picture, something this meticulous was hardly surprising.

Also at London Colney in a bid to tie up a move was Bristol City’s Lee Johnson and a member of the hierarchy at Fortuna Dusseldorf.

A move to Germany would have been feasible after he nearly joined Augsburg last summer. Arsenal youngsters Emile Smith-Rowe and Reiss Nelson were also granted opportunities in the Bundesliga last season so a move across Europe wasn’t beyond the realms of fantasy.

Following the progression of Jadon Sancho, a trailblazer for English footballers abroad, it may have seemed like a very promising proposition for Nketiah.

However, the very fact that he and the club chose Leeds instead demonstrates just how well Orta did with this deal.

He showed that Leeds is a place to develop and on the evidence of his first match, he seems well placed for a productive term at Elland Road.

Watch Leeds United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Orta hasn’t always done the right thing and it may have seemed questionable to sell an asset such as Pontus Jansson for as cheap as they did.

But the sheer hard work that went into tying up this loan move has gone some way to fixing some key departures this summer. For that he deserves praise.

This was a masterstroke from Orta and Leeds could well be a club now at the front of Arsenal’s minds when determining where to send their top young prodigies.

If their Director of Football can do it once with Nketiah, he can surely do it again.

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It seems that Keylor Navas’ story at Real Madrid is slowly but surely coming to an end.The great Costa Rican goalkeeper has been a part of the Los Blancos’ family since 2014 when he joined the team from Levante.In those five years, he’s managed to accumulate a total of 162 games donning the white shirt of the Galacticos but if the reports coming from Marca and AS are to be believed, then Navas is on the verge of joining PSG.Watch Spanish Football Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

And by the looks of things on social media and Twitter, the fans are not really liking this deal at all, in any shape or form. They’ve already shared their thoughts on Thibaut Courtois recently and it would appear a strong section of the Real Madrid support prefer Navas to the man who has replaced him as No.1.

Below, you can see the reactions and tweets they have posted in response to news of the Costa Rica international’s seemingly inevitable exit…

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The possibility of Jack Clarke returning to Tottenham seems to be growing as the weeks go by.

Football London have previously reported that Spurs have a recall option in the terms of his loan contract and they provided another update this week on how his loan in west Yorkshire was going.

They stated that he could return if his parent club believe things aren’t working out for the youngster. Understandably the north London side are eager for him to play senior football but that hasn’t happened so he could be set to return quicker than initially expected.

Discussing whether it might happen on Twitter, Leeds fans didn’t seem to be too bothered by the prospect he could depart.

A couple of supporters claimed that the 18-year-old was a waste of time. Another simply urged Leeds to get rid of the youngster.

A further individual commented that a move back to Tottenham would be best for all parties as one noted that Clarke just wasn’t interested.

The teenager has only played two times for the first-team in 2019/20 but was subjected to playing at right wing-back against Salford and was then dragged off at half time in the League Cup versus Stoke.

Here’s the best of the debate.

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Tottenham Hotspur fans absolutely hate the club’s new third kit.

The club’s official Twitter account announced the new strip on Tuesday, a blue number with a buttoned collar; it will be debuted later in the month, likely in the Champions League.

Watch Tottenham Hotspur Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

The effort includes a pattern on the upper half of the kit and is set to join the club’s classic white home kit and their navy away kit as Spurs look to build on their impressive 2018/19 season.

Of course, the third kit last season – a green strip – went down in Spurs’ folklore, with the players wearing it through their miraculous Champions League semi-final victory over Ajax in Amsterdam, as well as their quarter-final second leg win over Manchester City at The Etihad Stadium.

And fans have been left unimpressed by the latest supposed effort, with a number of supporters believing that it is ugly and garish.

Take a look at the best of the reaction on Twitter below!

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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…

Recently, Football FanCast detailed what exactly has changed at Crystal Palace for Christian Benteke to become as nullified as he has been over the last two years.

Under Sam Allardyce and Alan Pardew, Crystal Palace were amongst the most frequent crossers of the ball in the Premier League, a system in which the Belgian thrived, with 17 goals in his first season at Selhurst Park.

However, following Roy Hodgson’s arrival, the former Liverpool striker has just four goals to his name in over two seasons of football – two were scored with his head, whilst two were penalties.

So far this term, it seems as if Hodgson has realised that Benteke no longer suits his system and has dropped him for Jordan Ayew, a man who has two goals in three starts and looks a much better fit.

However, with the 6 foot 3 forward’s exclusion comes another sufferer as a result of Benteke not being in the team: Andros Townsend.

Like Benteke, the 13-cap England international has also found himself sat on the bench in the last two Premier League games, and it seems as if he has become a casualty of the 28-year-old no longer being the focal point of the side anymore.

Having averaged 1.6 key passes per game and 1 cross per game last season, Townsend has recorded just 0.5 key passes per game and no crosses so far this term, numbers which Hodgson may have seen as a reason to drop the former Tottenham man along with Benteke.

In fact, it is rather telling that Hodgson decided to bench the pair at the exact same time – the trip to Old Trafford being the first instance – and also wanted to bring the pair on at the exact same time against Aston Villa – before Ayew scored and the pair were told to sit back down.

It is evident that Townsend isn’t as effective a performer without Benteke being the main man up top.

If the latter stays out of the team, so could the former.

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Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, former Celtic striker John Hartson says he doesn’t expect the Bhoys to cash in on Odsonne Edouard anytime soon, after Football Insider reported earlier this week that Lyon are set to keep tabs on the 21-year-old centre-forward.

What did he say?

In an exclusive interview with FFC, Hartson reacted to the rumour saying: “I don’t think Celtic will be in the market in selling Odsonne Edouard any time soon and I personally expect him to be at the club for two or three years.

“Money does talk but he won’t be offloaded by the club. 

“Whilst I certainly don’t welcome Lyon’s interest, you have to accept that good players will always be linked with moves away unfortunately.”

Is he right?

You would hope so, because 39 goals in 92 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish Premiership holders shows just how important the Frenchman can be for them in their bid to win a ninth top flight title in a row.

However, it would probably also be fair to say the 21-year-old hasn’t quite hit the heights that compatriot Moussa Dembele did at Parkhead, with the France international scoring 12 more goals in just two more appearances than Edouard has made, before his own departure to Lyon in 2018.

The two or three-year stay prediction could be realistic in that case with the striker still young and with that ceiling to improve, but if that improvement does happen quickly history suggests that when the big bids arrive, Celtic are powerless to prevent their top players from leaving Paradise.

Dembele and Kieran Tierney are just two of the players who have gone in recent times after an acceptable offer was tabled, and it is impossible to rule the same situation out with Edouard if his scoring rate improves dramatically.

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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…

Jurgen Klopp has named his preferred successor for the Anfield hotseat when he departs, and fans will surely like his decision.

What did he say?

The German is certainly enjoying his time at Liverpool but recently he hasn’t held back when speaking about his future, speaking earlier this month about the option of a sabbatical when his contract on Merseyside comes to an end, in 2022.

In an exclusive interview with FourFourTwo he highlighted the support he has received since becoming manager of the Reds, citing Kenny Daglish and Steven Gerrard as key figures of support, stating that he has never worried that a figure of influence such as Dalglish acts as a non-executive director.

He said: “If Liverpool were to sack me tomorrow, then maybe Kenny would be the first choice to replace me, but they would probably bring Stevie [Gerrard] down from Glasgow.

“If you ask who should follow me, I’d say Stevie. I help him whenever I can.”

Gerrard is currently in the second year of his first senior managerial spell at Rangers, whom he has taken into the Europa League group stages on two occasions, but despite that Liverpool would be quite a step up for him.

Gamble

It is good to see the respect Klopp has for former players who are well-regarded by fans, and though his endorsement is a positive it would be risk if the club actually carried through his wish.

As mentioned, Gerrard has a little more than a year in management, overseeing a total of just 76 matches, and even then many of his games have come up against lesser opposition that Rangers are expected to beat, so he is still very much an unknown quantity when it comes to managing in England.

Watch Liverpool Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

His knowledge of the club and the respect he would garner from fans and the players would work in his favour, but with Klopp likely to leave Liverpool at the top of the English game and possibly one of the best teams in Europe, it would be expecting a lot of the rookie Gerrard to continue the German’s accomplishments.

Even if Klopp departs in 2022, it would be too early for the former Reds player unless he garnered more experience elsewhere, and though managing a big club like Rangers is helping him prepare for a club like Liverpool there is little pressure like managing at Anfield, particularly if the club is still awaiting its first Premier League title at that stage.

Rangers are looking to earn another important three points in the Scottish Premiership this weekend as they host Aberdeen on Saturday afternoon at Ibrox.

Behind the Old Firm, this is arguably the biggest game of Rangers’ domestic season with the rivalry with the Dons needing little introduction.

Bragging rights are on offer in this final game of September for both on Saturday, then, and Gers fans will be itching to see their players attack the men from Pittodrie from the first whistle.

Steven Gerrard will surely be looking for such an approach, too, and he has been putting the players through their paces on Friday ahead of the clash, with the club sharing some footage on their Instagram channel:

/B26VgSzF5-4/

It’s always good when a club offers this kind of insight as it brings fans closer to their heroes but ultimately it’s what happens during a match that counts.

Steven Gerrard will hope the last few days of work will provide the right result for his side.

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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…

Dani Alves recently spoke to Business Insider and spoke about his career.

One of the topics discussed was his former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain teammate, Neymar Junior, and he claimed the Brazilian believes the 27-year-old superstar is bound to return to Catalonia.

What did he say?

Alves is a figure well known in the whole Barcelona community and the footballing world in general.

He spent eight years at the Camp Nou and after a stint with Paris Saint-Germain, where he was reunited with his compatriot Neymar, he returned back home to Brazil, where he currently plays his football.

Watch Spanish Football Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

At the age of 36, Alves has a well-decorated career behind him, having won practically everything with the Blaugrana and actually being dubbed the most decorated player in the world.

When speaking to Business Insider, however, Neymar was at the centre of the interview.

Whenever Neymar is concerned, so too are Barcelona.

Alves believes that his good friend and ex-teammate will definitely return to the Camp Nou because, after all, that’s exactly where his happiness is.

Here’s what he said in full:

“I believe he’d find happiness in continuing the success he had there a couple of years ago. When you are happy somewhere you try to go back to the place you were happy, and I think that’s what he tried to do.”, Alves said and continued: “I’m sure if in the future he wishes to go back he will be able to.”

A transfer bound to happen

Barcelona’s attempts and desires to get Neymar back to the club in the summer were hardly a secret.

After all, their club CEO Oscar Grau said so himself in a recent interview in which he stated Barcelona did everything they could to make the transfer happen.

Unfortunately for Neymar and the Catalans, it wasn’t to be, but Alves still believes Neymar will eventually end up at the Camp Nou, one way or the other.

Seeing how he’s pretty close to the 27-year-old superstar himself, Alves’ words just might have some truth to them.

If that is truly the case, another transfer saga is bound to happen once the upcoming windows open.

Will Barcelona get their man this time around?

We’ll have to wait and see.