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Andy Carroll’s future at West Ham United is far from secure.

Indeed, the centre-forward will see his current deal with the Hammers expire at the end of the season and it is unclear whether he will be signing an extension.

The 29-year-old has recovered from injury to feature for West Ham in recent weeks and actually scored his first goal of the season against Birmingham City in the third round of the FA Cup on Saturday afternoon.

Carroll’s record of 34 goals in 137 West Ham appearances is not terrific, but there is no question that injuries have not helped the forward.

On his day, Carroll is a very, very dangerous striker.

And with that in mind, we recently asked the Leeds United fans whether they wanted their club to move for the 6ft 4in ace at the end of the season.

As it transpired, 61% of the Leeds supporters polled said that they would not be interested in signing Carroll despite his Premier League credentials.

The full results of the poll can be seen below:

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Notts County recently confirmed that they had agreed to terminate Terry Hawkridge’s contract early so that he could complete a move to another club.

That new club has since been confirmed as National League side Solihull Moors.

The 28-year-old winger was on the fringes of Neal Ardley’s Notts squad this season, making just a handful of League Two appearances. 

Despite always working hard for the team, and being a favourite amongst the Magpies faithful, a move away from Meadow Lane was necessary for the sake of his career. He may feel, though, that Ardley didn’t give him a fair chance at proving his worth this season.

Check out Neymar’s controversial new haircut for 2019 and Xherdan Shaqiri as you’ve never seen him before in the video below…

The former Mansfield and Lincoln City wideman will now be hopeful of getting back to playing week in, week out with new club Solihull Moors. 

Plenty of Notts County fans on Twitter have expressed sadness at seeing Hawkridge go. Here’s a look at some of the reaction to the news of his departure…

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Everton are in desperate need of a centre forward, and reports in Italy suggest they could be set land one of Europe’s most underrated goalscorers – ex Manchester City star Edin Dzeko.

What’s the word?

According to Il Messaggero, Everton are interested in Dzeko, who has started just 11 of Roma’s 19 Serie A games so far this campaign.

The 32 year-old won the Premier League twice during his time with Manchester City, and has since gone on to score 80 times in 158 appearances for Roma.

He has fallen by the wayside slightly this season though, and with his contract expiring in 2020 this could be the perfect time for the Toffees to make a move.

Check out Neymar’s controversial new haircut for 2019 and Xherdan Shaqiri as you’ve never seen him before in the video below…

Perfect swap?

HITC have recommended a swap deal, which would see Morgan Schneiderlin move to Rome with Dzeko coming the other way, and it is definitely something Marcel Brands should consider.

The Daily Mail have reported that Roma want the French midfielder, who having played just 287 Premier League minutes this season is surely looking for a fresh start.

Schneiderlin is three years younger than Dzeko, but there’s no doubt Everton would be getting the better half of the swap.

Is he good enough?

There’s no telling how the 32 year-old will readjust to life back in the Premier League, but you’d be hard pushed to find another striker on the market with 50 Premiership goals and two winners’ medals.

The Bosnia and Herzegovina international, who has scored 55 times in 99 games for his country, has bagged seven times in all competitions this season, with five of those strikes coming in the Champions League.

His ability to hold the ball up and make those around him better would be perfect for young attackers like Richarlison and Ademola Lookman, and his goalscoring record speaks for itself.

So, Everton fans, would you back a move for 32 year-old Dzeko? Let us know your thoughts by voting in the poll below…

Much has been made of Chelsa’s appointment of Maurizio Sarri. He seemed to be a sensical capture in the summer, given his play style and reputation across Europe, but it hasn’t quite worked out for him so far.

The Blues are still doing well, and they remain in the top four, but it’s fair to say that the manager has underwhelmed so far.

In truth, Sarri’s regime so far is reminiscent of Andre Villas-Boas’ run at Stamford Bridge. He started well but quickly failed to make a consistent impression – much like the new Chelsea boss.

In fact, now even his transfers are beginning to look reminiscent of Villas-Boas’. According to the Mirror, Sarri wants to sign Napoli defender Elseid Hysaj, with Cesar Azpilicueta’s spot in the team likely to be under threat as a result.

Villas-Boas made a point of replacing many of Chelsea’s core players, like John Terry and Frank Lampard, in favour of a younger, more youthful team, and this appears to be what Sarri wants to do with Azpilicueta.

That’s despite the fact that the right-back has looked good this season, and the fact that he’s the current club captain.

Of course, Sarri knows Hysaj from his time at Napoli, and so this is another case of the manager looking to bring in players that he knows. However, it’s hard to see this one working out for him, as Azpilciueta is not only fantastic on the pitch, but he’s so good off of it, too.

There’s a lack of leadership at Stamford Bridge, and Azpilicueta provides it in droves. He’s become the focal point of the team from a leadership standpoint, and that can’t be ignored.

Sarri’s tenure risks ending in disaster if he starts messing with the core players at the club. Azpilicueta is one of Europe’s best right-backs, and this move simply wouldn’t make sense. He needs the Spaniard now more than ever.

Thoughts?

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Arsenal were swept aside despite a solid first half performance on Sunday, and Unai Emery’s post-game comments should be a wake-up call for the fans.

What’s the word?

Emery’s Arsenal continue to be staggeringly inconsistent, as the Gunners fell to a 3-1 defeat at Manchester City on Sunday evening.

The Gunners have now won four and lost four of their last eight games in all competitions, and the performance at the Etihad showed just how big the gap is between the top three and the rest.

After a valiant first half effort, Emery’s side were sucker-punched by Sergio Aguero’s second goal right on the cusp of half-time.

The second half performance then looked like that of a team that had given up on getting anything from the game, and Emery’s comments reinforce the idea that the North Londoners never really believed they could beat the champions.

“They showed their superiority in 90 minutes. First 45 minutes, we held well for the result, defending together and doing some counter-attack, taking chances to be in the match,’ the ex-Sevilla boss told Sky Sports.

“But after 2-1, the second half they showed their superiority. We did not have the chances to get in the box, and the result is clear.

“We want to be in the match every time, but the second half and after the goal, our mentality is not in keeping with going to win the match.”

The boss then went on to say that his side cannot currently compete with Manchester City, Liverpool and painfully, Tottenham, per Football.London.

Pl>ymaker FC Exclusive: Jermaine Jenas which Arsenal players would get into the Tottenham team ahead of the North London Derby – Check out the video below…

What does he mean?

Well, there are two things to note here. The first key point is that Emery believes his team didn’t think they could win once they went 2-1 down, which is a huge concern.

The likes of Liverpool and Manchester City have regularly won points after going behind this season, and the Gunners’ boss claiming that their “mentality” was not right shows exactly how much work is still to be done in the Emery revolution.

Keeping the right mentality is a huge part of managing a top club, and while Emery’s side have usually been a second-half team this campaign, that is worthless if they don’t believe they can do it against the big boys.

The next big talking point is of course his comments on the title contenders, which should be somewhat of a reality check for fans who got carried away during the side’s unbeaten run.

Emery has some genuine world class players at his disposal in the likes of Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, but there are glaring weak points throughout his squad, weak points that could take several transfer windows to transform.

The gaffer is clearly under no illusions regarding the size of the job on his hands, so fans shouldn’t be either.

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Tottenham Hotspur are no strangers to missing out on key transfer targets, but there is one setback from their past which leaves a bitter taste: Chelsea’s hijacking of the proposed Willian deal.

Missed opportunity

In August 2013, the rivalry between Spurs and Chelsea took on a new dimension. In light of Gareth Bales’ departure, Andre Villas Boas turned to the transfer market for a replacement and identified Willian, then of Anzhi Makhachkala, as the man he wanted to bring in.

The Brazilian completed a Spurs medical and seemed set to sign for the club, but their fierce London-rivals hijacked the deal at the last minute, leaving Daniel Levy incandescent and Jose Mourinho in a typically smug mood as he suggested the Lilywhites had merely paid the price for not concluding the medical in secret, as per The Guardian.

But Spurs were not to be deprived of a new signing and the highly-regarded Erik Lamela eventually completed a move from AS Roma.

Erik Lamela’s progress proves it was a blessing in disguise

The manner in which the Argentine has developed under Pochettino suggests that the failed Willian bid was actually a blessing in disguise.

Chelsea’s hard-working winger has commanded huge levels of praise from time to time during his career in English football, but he has never managed to totally convince the Blues faithful and that is telling about his overall quality.

Lamela, valued at £18 million per Transfermarkt, has endured problems of his own, predominantly injury related. Those problems have persisted this season and limited his involvement of late, but he proved how far he has developed at the beginning of the campaign with a series of glowing performances, prompting Alasdair Gold to label him as the clubs ‘most lethal player’ in October 2018, per football.london.

Gold’s admission represented a true indicator of how far Lamela has come under his compatriot’s tutelage, with his determination to return stronger after every injury setback proving that he has the mental resilience to match his attacking prowess.

And, considering Lamela is four years younger than his South American counterpart, it’s fair to say that the Willian debacle can be considered as a blessing in disguise.

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Everton fell to their third successive Premier League defeat on Saturday as they lost 1-0 to Watford at Vicarage Road. A second half strike from Andre Gray was enough to secure the three points for the Hornets. 

In a hostile atmosphere, as the home crowd took aim at their club’s former manager and the Toffees’ current boss Marco Silva, the Merseyside outfit wilted. Everton deserved to lose and look like a side pretty bereft of confidence right now.

The fact that Kurt Zouma was shown a red card after the final whistle only served to compound Silva’s misery. 

The pressure has now been heaped onto the Portuguese coach and he’s probably running out of time to turn around his side’s fortunes. Everton fans are certainly beginning to lose patience with him.

The indoor football skills in the video below have to be seen to be believed…

After the final whistle on Saturday, plenty of the Everton faithful took to Twitter to plead for Silva’s reign at Goodison Park to be brought to a swift end.

Forever a hero in Tottenham’s eyes, Lucas Moura’s name will be etched in the history books for that incredible hat-trick in the Champions League semi-final against Ajax last season. His start to the current campaign however has seen him blow hot and cold, with a goal and an assist in his first two games, before suffering an eight-game drought.

Watch Tottenham Hotspur Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

But against Wolves on Sunday afternoon, the former PSG star continued his form under recently appointed manager Jose Mourinho. After netting in the Portuguese man’s first game in charge against West Ham, Moura scored last week against Burnley, and once again got on the score-sheet at Molineux. It was a goal oozing in quality and confidence, but whilst that was no doubt the standout moment of the game, his overall performance was particularly impressive too.

Watch Spurs vs Brighton Live and Free with Amazon Prime on Boxing Day

Whilst Moura has pace to burn, and bags of tricks in his locker, his defensive side of the game caught the eye too. In blustery conditions and against a physical Nuno Espirito Santo side, the Brazilian more than held his own in the numerous physical encounters he found himself in. In fact, as per Sofascore, his total of 11 duels won was second only to Harry Kane, and more than any of Spurs’ defenders.

No clues whatsoever: Which seasons do these iconic Spurs images belong to?

Add to that his three interceptions and two clearances, and it is so clear to see that he has bought into the work ethic Mourinho typically demands from his players. He never shied away from challenges, and refused to be bullied or hustled off the ball. And when he did receive possession, he was absolute dynamite with it. His four key passes was only bettered by Joao Moutinho over the whole game, whilst he also completed two of his three attempted dribbles.

It was a performance dripping in technical quality, but also a surprising amount of resilience too. The £23m man’s display arguably typified Spurs’ victory. Hard work and gruelling.

Meanwhile, Tottenham fans have lauded this man for his commanding display against Wolves.

In a contest lacking any real quality or substance, Everton and Arsenal played out a drab 0-0 draw at Goodison Park on Saturday afternoon.

Snapshot

Having done an impressive job as interim manager, Duncan Ferguson would no doubt have been hoping to bow out in style against the Gunners. Before the game even kicked-off, it was confirmed that Carlo Ancelotti would be taking over the reins on a full-time basis, and there may have been a sense of hope and expectation that the Toffees could put on a show to impress their new boss.

Instead, the Italian – who was in the stands – watched a game between two sides that failed to create too much in way of chances, with just two shots on target combined over the course of the 90 minutes. But things could potentially have been so much different had Ferguson opted to bring on Bernard instead of Cenk Tosun after Alex Iwobi was forced with a suspected hamstring injury early in the first-half. Instead, the Turkey international’s lacklustre display was summed up by him being substituted himself a la Moise Kean last week.

Off the bench

After seeing Richarlison and Dominic Calvert-Lewin help to secure a creditable point against Manchester United last time out in the Premier League, it was little surprise to see Ferguson opt for the same duo up front once more. But when Iwobi pulled up, the Everton legend decided Tosun was the man to bring on. And whilst he kept the shape the same, it forced him to move Richarlison out wide, thus breaking up the successful strike partnership from the previous weekend.

And as per Sofascore, Tosun struggled immensely in trying to get involved in the game. As per Sofascore, the 28-year-old managed no shots on target, just 11 accurate passes, and lost all three of his aerial duels. Had Bernard come on instead, then Ferguson would have had two centre-forwards more comfortable with running the channels and going in behind. Instead, his substitute’s lack of pace and athleticism meant the pre-match game-plan was upset massively, and they couldn’t turn the Arsenal back-line with balls in between the full-back and centre-back.

Did he play for Everton? Simple question but a lot tougher than you think…

The Gunners were there for the taking, but Ferguson’s substitution helped the north London side seize the initiative. It was no surprise therefore to see Everton register no shots on target, create no big chances, and average just 43%. It didn’t prove to be too much of a costly mistake in terms of the result, but the Toffees legend perhaps in hindsight may have done things differently.

Meanwhile, Everton fans have reacted to this pundit saying the club have made the wrong choice in appointing Carlo Ancelotti.

According to The Sun, Crystal Palace are closing in on a loan deal for Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi, although the Blues won’t give the green light for a deal until they’ve signed a forward themselves.

What’s the word, then?

Well, Crystal Palace are reportedly keen to be reunited with the Belgian, and Roy Hodgson is happy to wait for the former Marseille man after struggling to land his first-choice Odsonne Edouard, who could now be looked at in the summer instead.

Batshuayi spent the second half of last season on loan at Selhurst Park, scoring five Premier League goals in nine starts while also notching in the FA Cup quarter-final against Watford.

However, the Eagles look to have a rival for the 26-year-old’s signature in Aston Villa, who were looking for a new striker even before Wesley suffered a season-ending knee injury.

Palace shouldn’t worry because of their good relationship with Chelsea

This isn’t the first time that the south Londoners have had competition for Batshuayi.

Before a loan deal was completed last January, Palace faced competition from Tottenham, West Ham and Everton for the Belgian’s signature.

The Toffees wanted a permanent deal, while Spurs and West Ham chased a loan, but Chelsea charged the north Londoners a huge £8m for a loan deal while offering Batshuayi to the Hammers for £4m – interestingly, the Blues then allowed the striker to join Palace for closer to £1m.

Significantly, Hodgson claimed that was because of the Eagles’ good relationship with Chelsea following Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s successful loan spell at Selhurst Park, which suggests that – despite Villa’s enquiry – the south Londoners still remain in pole position.

“I can’t say I’m surprised about it, I’m very pleased about it. A lot of it has to do with the relationship with Chelsea and Crystal Palace, Chelsea people and our chairman, Steve Parish”

How much do you remember about football in 2019? Our quiz will test your knowledge…

Also, Chelsea remain interested in a deal for Wilfried Zaha with The Times reporting that Frank Lampard may try and reach an agreement with Palace by offering them one of his strikers, which only adds to the feeling that Hodgson’s side remain in a good position in the race for Batshuayi.

In other news, these Crystal Palace fans have reacted to transfer interest in a player who has only recently arrived at Selhurst Park…