All posts by h79snht.top

[ad_pod ]

Aston Villa fans have taken to Twitter to react after their former manager, Martin O’Neill, looks set to succeed Aitor Karanka at Nottingham Forest after the Spaniard departed the club at his own request.

Karanka left Forest with the play-off hopefuls sat in seventh place in the Championship, but they have since dropped to ninth following the 2-0 loss against Reading in which they ended the game with nine men.

O’Neill, according to The Telegraph’s John Percy, looks set to be appointed at the City Ground having played for the club for a decade between 1971 and 1981, making over 260 league appearances in what was his longest spell with one side.

The Irishman was in charge of the Villans between 2006 and 2010, and had them consistently challenging for Europe and even got them into the UEFA Cup. O’Neill also guided Villa to a League Cup final, which they narrowly lost to Manchester United.

However, his tenure at Villa Park ended in bitter fashion, as he left the club in 2010 just five days before the start of the Premier League season, something that did not go down well with the supporters – it appears some of them still hold a slight grudge…

[ad_pod ]

Leeds United must do all they can to bring James Milner back to Elland Road at the end of the 2018-19 campaign.

What’s the story?

Back in September, the Daily Mail reported that Leeds were closely monitoring Milner’s situation at Liverpool as the Reds had not opened contract talks.

At the moment, it seems unlikely that Milner will be signing a new deal with Liverpool and that would make him a free agent at the end of the current season.

It had been thought that the 32-year-old would struggle for minutes this season due to Liverpool’s summer business, but that has simply not been the case.

Milner made his debut for hometown-team Leeds at the age of 16, but only made 54 appearances for the club before joining Newcastle United in 2004.

There is a feeling that the midfielder has some unfinished business at Elland Road and the Whites must do all they can to re-sign him at the end of the season.

Could Leeds really re-sign Milner?

Milner left Leeds in the summer of 2004 following their relegation to the Championship, but the Whites now look well-placed to secure a return to the top flight under the leadership of Marcelo Bielsa.

Indeed, Leeds currently top the second tier and gaining promotion back to the Premier League would place the club in a strong position when it comes to re-signing the former England international.

It is unlikely that Milner would return if the Whites were not in the Premier League, however, which makes promotion even more important.

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…

The midfielder has been in good form for Liverpool this season, but will turn 33 in early 2019 and is not a long-term option for the Reds.

There will be a number of clubs closely monitoring developments, but Leeds must ensure that they are first in line.

[ad_pod ]Loads of Sheffield Wednesday fans have been giving their verdict on the latest transfer news, as The Sheffield Star claim the Owls are in talks to sign Neeskens Kebano from Fulham.According to The Sheffield Star, the Owls are in discussions about a loan deal for Kebano.The Fulham attacker, who has scored nine times and added six assists for the club, has played just 43 minutes in the Premier League so far this season.Kebano is extremely versatile, and will be able to play any of the three attacking positions behind the striker if Steve Bruce opts for a 4-2-3-1 formation.The 26 year-old has scored five times in 19 caps for DR Congo, and Owls’ fans might remember him scoring a brace at Hillsborough on the final day of the 2016-17 season.Who are the best away fans in the Championship? Pl>ymaker FC’s Thogden gives his top 10 in the video below…While he was a key figure in Fulham’s back-to-back play-off berths, he has struggled to adjust to life in the top flight, and a move back to the second tier could be exactly what he needs.Plenty of fans have been having their say on the news, and you can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…

[ad_pod ]

Stoke fans have taken to Twitter to react after the club confirmed the signing of Sam Vokes from Burnley for an undisclosed fee, with veteran frontman Peter Crouch heading to Turf Moor in exchange, as reported by the BBC.

The colossal target man joins the Potters on a three-year deal as he searches for regular game time, having made just ten league starts under Sean Dyche for the Clarets so far this season, scoring three goals.

29-year-old Vokes spent seven seasons with Burnley, making over 250 appearances and scoring 62 goals for the club where he made his name.

Be sure to check out the incredible story of the man who rose from a Tanzanian refugee camp to become one of Australia’s biggest football stars in the video below…

Newly-appointed Potters boss Nathan Jones said: “Sam is a player of real pedigree, he has been promoted from this level and he’s an experienced international and Premier League player.

“To get it done is something totally different to anything we have and we think he’s a marquee player for this level.”

Let’s see how fans of the Championship club reacted on Twitter…

[ad_pod ]

Middlesbrough play host to fellow Championship promotion contenders Leeds United at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday, and Tony Pulis must be ready to take advantage after Whites boss Marcelo Bielsa said he could be without three key players on Teesside, as per the Yorkshire Evening Post.

On the chalkboard

Well, Bielsa confirmed in his pre-match press conference that there are doubts over the fitness of Mateusz Klich, Adam Forshaw and Pablo Hernandez through injury at the weekend, and it gives the Boro boss a big opportunity to exploit their opponents.

The trio are all capable of playing through the middle in Leeds’ preferred 4-1-4-1 system, and without those players they will surely be weaker than usual through the middle of the park.

Pulis has largely favoured either a 5-4-1 or 4-2-3-1 system so far this season, and he appears unlikely to repeat deploying a 3-5-2 formation he used during the week, given they were beaten 2-0 by Newport County in their fourth-round FA Cup replay.

What does he need to do?

Assuming Leeds are going to be less effective from an attacking point of view in central areas – which should certainly be the case if they are without Forshaw, Klich and Hernandez – then Boro need to take advantage through the middle.

Pulis has often decided to play with four central-midfield players even when using a 5-4-1 system, but he has now been given the perfect opportunity to be slightly more adventurous to get his side a vital three points against a Whites side that look to be lagging a little.

Going with a 4-2-3-1 gives him the defensive balance he wants and needs but also gives him a player in behind the striker who can really hurt Bielsa’s men, and now he must decide who the best individual for the job is – Lewis Wing must surely be in with a shout.

Watch the best fails from the world of indoor football in the video below…

It’s not been an easy few years for Arsenal in the transfer market whose fans have, on more than one occasion, had to endure their team whimpering out of big money deals, and Wenger’s most recent admission certainly won’t do much to improve their mood.

The Frenchman, who is now enjoying a relatively stress-free life away from the ‘Wenger Out’ banners, was recently recorded discussing his desire to sign Borussia Dortmund sensation Jadon Sancho (source: beIN Sports Twitter).

“I wanted to take him from Manchester City when he didn’t get the games, I tried as well to lure him,” he told beIN Sports on Wednesday night.

But it seems money was a major sticking point in the deal (again).

The former boss went on to discuss the huge wage bills young players demand before proving themselves in the first-team, and although he didn’t explicitly mention it in the interview – not list this segment of it – it’s obvious that he, or the club, was unwilling to satisfy the player’s demands.

Probably a bad decision in retrospect.

The former Manchester City winger has already contributed 8 goals and 13 assists this season and looks set to lead Borussia Dortmund to their first Bundesliga title since 2012.

Arsenal, on the other hand, are hovering just outside the top four in the Premier League and look seriously in need of another player who could make a difference in the big games. Games they tend to lose. A lot.

However, this isn’t the first player Wenger has claimed he’s tried to sign. Sancho joins a long list of now quality talents who, at any given point in their careers, have been on the radar of Wenger. Indeed, the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi (via FourFourTwo) are also said to be on his nearly list, making pretty gutting reading for the Gunners faithful.

It seems even after his departure, Wenger is prepared to trot out this tired old line and it must be gutting for the Arsenal fans who just want to move on into an exciting new era.

Either he’s desperately unlucky, a victim of his boardroom’s unwillingness to spend, or a liar.

What do you think Arsenal fans?

[ad_pod ]

There were plenty of outstanding individual performances in Tottenham’s win over Borussia Dortmund, including that of Juan Foyth.

What’s the word?

Foyth was quite simply brilliant against Dortmund. It became abundantly clear that the magnitude of his first ever start in the Champions League didn’t phase him when he turned out of trouble with ice-cold composure in the early openings of the game and, aside from a first-half blunder which almost gave Dortmund the lead, he was solid all evening long.

It was a brave performance from the inexperienced 21-year-old and he received plenty of plaudits for his display.

However, it’s unlikely that the compliments he received would have been as profound as those offered by Tottenham legend and compatriot Ossie Ardiles.

Indeed, according to football.london, Ardiles was in the mixed zone in the aftermath of proceedings and he shook Foyth’s hand before offering him congratulations for an excellent display.

Another Argentine legend in the making?

Ardiles spent ten years with Spurs between 1978 and 1988 and enjoys something of a legendary status in north London, and the fact the former midfielder went to congratulate Foyth would certainly have filled the youngster with immense pride.

The 1-cap Argentina international has showcased a huge level of promise this season which points towards a huge future at the club, and the early signs are there to suggest he is a tailor-made replacement for Toby Alderweireld.

It would be extremely premature to tip Foyth to develop into a legend at the club, but under Pochettino’s leadership there’s no question he could establish himself as a first-team regular within the next couple of seasons – and who knows how far he can go from there.

James Chester put in a strong performance for Aston Villa during their 5-0 victory over Liverpool in the Carabao Cup.

On the chalkboard

Chester’s dedication to Aston Villa has been well documented, as he put his body on the line to help the club get out of the Championship, playing for months while injured.

Watch Aston Villa Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

He admitted this will have long-lasting impacts on his body, as quoted by The Birmingham Mail: “I’ve damaged my body indefinitely. It’s something I’m going to have to manage for the rest of my career.

Watch Villa vs Norwich Live and Free with Amazon Prime on Boxing Day

“Hopefully I can look after it and play for as long as possible. It is what it is, I’m a professional.”

It is this dedication to the cause that has made the 30-year-old a cult hero at Villa Park, so it will have caused plenty of excitement to see him back on the pitch for the first time since a 2-1 win against Ipswich Town in January.

Encouraging signs

Not only was this a big occasion because of the fact that the club captain was returning from injury, but he also put in a solid performance, helping Villa to the Carabao Cup semi-final.

He was dominant alongside Ezri Konsa, making five clearances, three tackles and winning all five of his duels during the match, as per SofaScore.

The Wales international was also efficient on the ball, completing 86% of the passes that he attempted.

When he left the pitch, Chester received a great ovation from the crowd and it was thoroughly deserved, not just for the fact he had managed to work his way back onto the pitch, but also for what he did once getting there.

The skipper is not stopping there though, as he was quoted in The Express & Star as saying: “Before Tuesday it would have been difficult to knock on the manager’s door because I’m not under any illusions at not playing any football between January and now.

“But I felt really good being back out on the pitch. There are a lot of games between now and the end of January. Hopefully, I can get back in the team.

Whose Line Is It Anyway: Roy Keane, Graeme Souness or Adrian Durham?

“We’ll just have to wait and see. It would certainly be a nice Christmas present!”

This may have been against youthful opposition, but if he continues playing in the manner shown on Tuesday, Chester could get himself in with a chance of getting back into the team.

In other news, another defender staked their claim for a starting spot against Sheffield United.

Earlier this week, Takumi Minamino became the first Japanese player to ever sign for Liverpool.

Whilst that may earn the Reds some new fans in the Far East, his arrival is down to footballing reasons rather than commercial ones. So far this campaingn, he has nine goals and 11 assists in 22 matches for RB Salzburg, and the Merseyside outfit saw first-hand just how much of a menace he can be – he actually scored against them in the Champions League at Anfield during the group stage.

Watch Leicester vs Liverpool Free Live and Free with Amazon Prime on Boxing Day

It is a transfer that has been completed well ahead of the transfer window, as well, and it has not taken too long for it to be signed off. The first rumours of this deal only appeared to emerge after Liverpool’s match against the Austrian side at the Red Bull Arena, and a week later he was holding up his new team’s jersey.

Can you name the result these iconic Liverpool images belong to? Give it a go now…

Talking about the transfer to the club’s official website, Jurgen Klopp was quick to praise Michael Edwards for pulling this transfer off. He was quite right to give him credit for securing this deal, as well. By having it done so early, it allows Minamino to join his new teammates right from the first of January – with Salzburg now not playing again for two months, he may even be able to start training as soon as Liverpool return from their Club World Cup commitments in Qatar – and that means he should be able to hit the ground running.

The sporting director is now gaining a reputation of someone who gets his business done early since taking up the role in 2016. Virgil van Dijk’s and Naby Keita’s purchases, for example, are a testament to that. Both of those arrivals were confirmed before the transfer window in which they would move had opened. In the latter’s case, he even stayed one more season with RB Leipzig before switching to the Premier League. The signings of Mohamed Salah, Alisson, Fabinho and Andy Robertson were all completed early as well. Only Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain came in towards the end of the transfer window.

It just goes to show how organised and well-run Liverpool are. You can see at other clubs, such as Arsenal – they completed two signings on deadline in the summer, for example – that a lack of planning can have a detrimental effect. There is no such danger of that at Liverpool, though. Long may it continue.

In other news, Liverpool are targeting this Serie A man.

Real Madrid have been uncharacteristically quiet in the last couple of transfer windows.

It’s not a case of not signing players, however – a number have been acquired – but it’s the kind of players they’ve been after. Florentino Perez has somewhat changed his transfer policy and instead of chasing Galacticos – proven, high-profile and most importantly, costly targets – he’s been building for the future.

The likes of Rodrygo Goes, Vinicius Junior, Luka Jovic and Ferland Mendy are all testaments of that. They were all signed for noteworthy fees but none of these newly transferred players could be categorised as a true Galactico – players arriving with strong, lengthy track records at the top of the game – and their ages range from a mere 18 to just 24.

The one exception is Eden Hazard who arrived from Chelsea for a reported fee that could exceed £150m, That figure warrants the Belgian his Galactico status, especially when coupled with him previously helping fire Chelsea to two Premier League titles, two Europa League titles, an FA Cup and a League Cup.

But now, according to Le 10 Sport, Real Madrid are after another big-name signing that would definitely fall into the Galatico category – Sadio Mane. The same report states that Zidane has already made contact with the pacy winger’s representatives, hoping to snatch him away from Liverpool. And what a scoop that would be.

The 27-year-old forward has been one of Jurgen Klopp’s golden gooses practically ever since he arrived at the club but that has only been emphasised even more in 2019/20. Mane has already netted 15 goals and provided 11 assists in the ongoing campaign and also finished fourth in the most recent Ballon d’Or rankings.

He’s electric, clinical, combines well with his teammates and at 27 years of age, he’s now in his prime footballing years. His goal contribution of 26 in the current campaign is proof enough of that.

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

But can Real Madrid really get this transfer over the line and land one of the most important players Liverpool have in their midsts?

Needless to say, this will be a true test of their Galactico status – do they still have the pulling power to get any star on the planet their heart desires? Does Perez himself still have that magic touch to lure anyone into his web?

After all, Liverpool are arguably the best team in the world right now – they’re top of the Premier League by a 13-point margin, they’re the reigning champions of Europe and they’re the world champions too.

Real, for all their past glory and pedigree, are no longer on the top of the mountain. They were dumped out of the Champions League’s Round of 16 last season and have only won 10 of their 18 games in La Liga so far. In general, the era of Spanish football dominating the global stage appears to be over; the national team, Real, Barca and Atletico have all regressed in recent years, after a period which brought World Cups, Champions League titles and Europa League titles in abundance.

And that is why Mane, who Transfermarkt value at £135m, represents such a test for Real Madrid. If they’re to return to the top, they need players of the Liverpool star’s quality. But do they have enough allure to draw him away from a club currently enjoying far superior fortunes? Are they still the Galaticos? Are they still the greatest club in the world?

On the pitch, certainly not. What happens next in the Mane saga will be an indicator of whether that has filtered into what they can achieve in the transfer market too.

In other news, one of Liverpool players has been labelled as the most underrated player in the Premier League…