All posts by h716a5.icu

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Filip Benkovic’s ankle injury looks like calling a halt to Jack Hendry’s hopes of going out on loan, according to the Evening Times.

What’s the word?

The former Dundee man has slipped to fifth choice for a place in central defence but that has changed, with Benkovic out of action for at least a month while Dedryck Boyata has missed the last three games.

Jozo Simunovic and Kris Ajer were paired up for Thursday night’s 2-0 win over St Johnstone with Rodgers set to carry out a head check this morning at Lennoxtown.

“Filip’s injury could change the plan for Jack,” the Celtic boss told the Evening Times. “We wanted to get him out for games but I need to ensure our squad is covered – before anyone else’s. We will assess that on Thursday morning and see where it is at.”

Catch 22

This is a real Catch 22 decision for Rodgers – by the middle of March, Benkovic and Boyata could be reunited with Hendry left watching from the stand. On the other hand, an injury to Ajer or Simunovic in the next couple of weeks would make Rodgers look foolish if Hendry is impressing out on loan.

Since joining Celtic exactly a year ago, the three-cap Scotland international has had the unfortunate knack of playing in some of the worst performances of 2018 with his stats seized upon by the critics.

Getting a dozen or more games out on loan at an English Championship side would do his game the world of good. Before joining Dundee in July 2017, Hendry had barely sampled first team football.

It is probably in Hendry’s best interests to go out on loan but to Celtic’s benefit that he stays on as cover. Ultimately Rodgers will have to act in Celtic’s interests to provide insurance against any further injuries, but both potential outcomes have their own set of negatives.

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According to The Sun, Tottenham Hotspur boss Mauricio Pochettino turned down the chance to sign Barcelona attacker Malcom before Thursday’s transfer deadline.

Malcom joined Barcelona from Bordeaux last summer, but the 21-year-old has only made six La Liga appearances this term and managed just two goals for the club.

According to The Sun, Tottenham had the opportunity to sign Malcom this month, but Pochettino  turned down the move.

Spurs came from behind to beat Watford in the Premier League on Wednesday night, but it has been a difficult few weeks for the club after suffering elimination from the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

And with Harry Kane and Dele Alli on the sidelines until at least March, it is somewhat of a surprise that the Spurs boss snubbed the chance to sign a player who was arguably the most exciting young forward in Europe last season.

A selection of the Twitter reaction from the Tottenham fans can be seen below:

Playmaker FC Exclusive: “Wolves absolutely spanked you” – Jermaine Jenas gives damning verdict of Arsenal’s season. Check out the video below…

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It’s 26 June 2017 and Crystal Palace have appointed Frank de Boer as their new manager – the Dutchman is keen to overhaul everything from recruitment to the style of play and gets started quickly by signing young, versatile defender Jairo Riedewald and changing Palace’s orthodox 4-2-3-1 into a fluid five-at-the-back.

The signs in pre-season were promising but the Eagles squad were clearly taking some time to adjust to the former Barcelona defender’s ideas – he was, after all, attempting to convert a side who had found success in playing direct football into a dominant, possession-oriented team.

The 17/18 season began and Palace were thumped 3-0 at Selhurst Park by newly-promoted Huddersfield and so that theme continued until de Boer was sacked, having been in charge for four games and 77 days – a Premier League record – at which time the Croydon outfit had been unable to find the net and sat 19th in the standings.

Many argued that the appointment was never going to work and that the style he was trying to implement meant he was doomed from the off, while others may feel that all he needed was time and that the results would soon come – indeed, the 1-0 loss to Burnley which proved to be the 48-year-old’s last game at the helm, was a marked improvement on previous performances and one which they lost solely due to individual mistakes.

Roy Hodgson is now in charge and pulled off miracles to rescue them from the drop last season, but it is interesting to imagine what could have been if Steve Parish had bit the bullet and kept de Boer on for a little while longer, despite their position in the table.

We would never have seen this Andros Townsend

De Boer strayed from the 4-3-3 he found success with at Ajax and compromised his principles by going for a 5-3-2 at Palace, using compatriot Patrick van Aanholt and Andros Townsend as wing-backs. The former, a natural left-back, had shown already his effectiveness going forward, while the latter, a winger, has plenty of energy to get up and down.

Playing as a wing-back though, would have limited Townsend in what he could do on the front foot due to his defensive responsibilities and so it is unlikely we would have seen the number 10 that has netted seven times and chalked up three assists this season.

With the signing of Michy Batshuayi, Townsend will have far more opportunities to get on the score sheet or provide for a teammate, although the way the Dutchman wanted to utilise him means we may never have seen the Townsend we’ve seen this season had de Boer not been sacked.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka could have got his break-through earlier… or not at all

De Boer showed his intentions to bring through and develop young players early on as he signed 22-year-old Riedewald from Ajax and may have spotted the talent that is Aaron Wan-Bissaka way earlier than Hodgson and co did.

The right-back broke through to the first team in February 2018, largely due to an injury sustained by Joel Ward, and is now the former England boss’ number-one choice on the right of his back four.

Had de Boer been at the helm a little longer, though, Wan-Bissaka may not have had to wait as long as he did for a call up. Conversely, de Boer’s back-five leaves no room for full-backs; Ward may not have even been in the first team to get injured in the first place and so Wan-Bissaka could still be languishing in the reserves or, worse, plying his trade elsewhere.

Christian Benteke sold

It was clear from the off that Christian Benteke was not cut out for the type of football that de Boer was trying to implement – the now Atlanta boss favours possession play, using lots of neat, tidy passes to create an opening and that is no style for a target man to flourish in.

Despite de Boer’s insistence that Benteke was crucial to the team, it was surely only a matter of time before it came obvious to everyone that he didn’t fit the bill and, if he couldn’t score the goals he did in the previous season, he could have been shifted in January 2018 or the summer.

Chelsea and Everton were sniffing around after the former Aston Villa man netted 17 goals in his first season in red and blue and would have undoubtedly been back in a few months later if the striker became unsettled at being shoe-horned into a team not suited to him.

The 28-year-old is still at Selhurst Park though, and de Boer is not.

Which player with “no potential” has just been named Crystal Palace’s worst ever January signing? Find out in the video below…

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According to an interview as quoted by The Northern Echo, Middlesbrough midfielder John Obi Mikel has praised teammate Lewis Wing, and tipped him to go on to become a “top, top player” if he continues as he is right now.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the 23-year-old was very nearly his side’s hero when they hosted Leeds United on Saturday as he found the net, only to see the Teesside outfit denied the three points following Kalvin Phillips’ equaliser in the 11th minute of injury time.

It was Wing’s second goal of the season in the Championship and his second in Boro’s previous four league outings, proving that he could well prove to be an important player under Tony Pulis in the coming weeks and months despite often missing out on a place in the squad earlier in the campaign.

Speaking to The Northern Echo, Obi Mikel said: “He looks to me a very good player. I don’t know how old he is but if he keeps going like this he will be a top, top player.

“When I watch him play and when I watch him in training, I see he is a good player. He got a good goal and it is a shame he had to come off. He looks a good player to me.”

Is Mikel right?

He could well be.

While Wing has often played as an out-and-out central midfielder previously, he has certainly shown that he can excel in a slightly more attack-minded role through the middle in recent weeks – as he did with his goal against Leeds.

At 23 years of age he has time on his side when it comes to improving and growing as a player, and the fact that someone like Mikel, who has been there and done it, believes he can make it to the top should give him great confidence.

Watch the video below to see the most insane overhead kick you will see this week…

[ad_pod ]Leeds have had a pretty crazy 2019 so far. With potential consequences of Marcelo Bielsa’s ‘spygate’ controversy looming throughout January, the Whites have let their lead slip but will have the opportunity to regain their seat at the top of the Championship this weekend against Bolton. They have also lost top-scorer Kemar Roofe to injury recently, but they battle on.Their lineup might change from week to week as Bielsa struggles to contend with injury after injury, but what doesn’t change is the fans’ faith in the Argentine and his squad.Making an appearance at an Under-23’s game on Monday, the former Athletic Bilbao boss was mobbed by supporters desperate to get a picture, to whom the eccentric manager obliged.Who do you want to see promoted this year? The Pl>ymaker FC squad have picked their 3 favoured teams in the video below…His reasoning for doing so was explained in his pre-Bolton press conference on Thursday…

“I do it because in football the most important element are the people who love the shirt, the club. They’re not asking for an autograph or photo of me. They’re asking for a picture with the head coach of Leeds,” he said, as reported by Phil Hay of The Yorkshire Evening Post.The 63-year-old is a huge hit with the Elland Road faithful – he will only go up in their estimations if he guides them to the Premier League this season – they were out in numbers and in awe of his response, as they reacted on Twitter…

I would walk 500 miles barefooted through broken glass just to hear Bielsa fart through a walkie talkie

— ð•½ð–†ð–ˆð–ð–†ð–Šð–‘ (@rachaelraexox) February 21, 2019

he is legend..such a modest , humble and down to earth guy

— Tanbhir Shipul (@Tanbhir) February 21, 2019

He has no idea.

— El Loco Doe (@ElLocoDoe) February 21, 2019

Tell him he is wrong, it’s him we love and we are so damn lucky to have him â¤âš½

— SUSAN SMITH 1 (@SmithLeedsUtd) February 21, 2019

What a humble brilliant great man he is .We are so so lucky to have him.

— Barrie Worsnop (@gillroydmor) February 21, 2019

He just gets it doesn’t he ? The man is class ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘

— wayne armitage 💙💛 🆠(@armo1972) February 21, 2019

No that’s not true, I’d I had queued it’s 100% because it’s Bielsa, I didn’t see 100s in line for a moment with Heckingbottom

— Briggsy0104 (@Briggsy0104) February 21, 2019

What a man. We should all learn from him

— Matt 🇦🇷 (@mattolufc) February 21, 2019

A rare case where Marcelo is wrong. He’s always humble, but he underestimates the impact his personality is having. It’s more than excitement about the team.

— Total Leedsball (@TotalLeedsball) February 21, 2019

Tottenham Hotspur will be desperate to return to winning ways in their next Premier League match against Chelsea, with the opportunity to cement a place in the top four. 

The Lilywhites looked less than convincing at Turf Moore as they conceded a late Ashley Barnes goal, but they’ll be pleased to have Harry Kane back in their ranks.

Interestingly, it appears as if the North London club are eyeing a possible summer raid, as according to Tuttosport (via Sport Witness), Tottenham Hotspur are in the race to sign Tanguy Ndombele.

Indeed, it’s understood that Tottenham, Arsenal and Barcelona are all in the race to sign the midfielder, while Paris Saint-Germain have been following him but most of the attention goes to Juventus.

Spurs still haven’t found a replacement for Mousa Dembele, so perhaps the Lyon midfielder could be the man to fill the current void in the middle of midfield.

There have been no suggestions of a potential price that Spurs may have to pay for him, but he will no doubt attract a big fee with a number of clubs in for him and the potential to become a star.

The 22-year-old has even been compared to Manchester United’s Paul Pogba by Lyon boss Bruno Genesio, according to Tuttosport (via Daily Star), as he stated this:

“I do not like comparisons, but indeed, Ndombele can be a new Pogba,

“He is strong physically and above all technically.

“Tanguy with the first touch manages to jump even three players and when he starts dribbling he is difficult to stop.

“He can play in any position in the midfield.”

THE VERDICT:

Tanguy Ndombele, who is valued at £40.5 million (by Transfermarkt), has established himself as one of the most promising midfielders in Europe this season, so it comes as no surprise that Spurs are taking an interest.

The Frenchman could easily fill the void left by Dembele and he has the potential to become a star in the Premier League, having produced two goals and five assists this season, as well as making great strides on the international stage.

It won’t be easy to land him, though, so Spurs will have to produce some summer magic if they’re to get their man.

Thoughts?

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Tottenham Hotspur’s loss to Burnley could not have come at a worse time.

A trip to Turf Moor should have been a guaranteed three points for a team still in with a shout of winning the Premier League title.

But theirs was a stodgy, defensively naive performance against a bruising Burnley side who played the role of spoilers to perfection. Goals from Chris Wood and Ashley Barnes put paid to Spurs’ hopes of turning up the heat on both Liverpool and Manchester City.

It would be churlish to claim that Spurs’ title hopes are over; there are 11 games of the season left and they still have to play Jurgen Klopp’s side and Pep Guardiola’s champions.

But the fixture pile-up they are currently facing is no picnic. Spurs travel to Stamford Bridge on Wednesday to face a Chelsea side still bruised from their Carabao Cup final defeat to City on penalties, before facing Arsenal at the weekend. Those games are before a Champions League clash with Borussia Dortmund in Germany. Afterwards, Spurs play Southampton and Crystal Palace before a trip to Anfield.

Now, winning every single game would do a lot to enhance Spurs’ reputation and ensure that they are still in the conversation at the top of the league, and would also see them cruise through to the Champions League quarter-finals.

But the inverse – a run of defeats, particularly against Chelsea and Arsenal – could see the club looking over their shoulder instead of up the table.

Spurs are eight points clear of fifth-placed Manchester United and seven ahead of the Gunners.

Losses to both the Blues and Arsenal – Unai Emery’s men play AFC Bournemouth on Wednesday – could see that lead chopped to one point in the blink of an eye.

This is, of course, is purely hypothetical. There is every chance that there could be two wins for Spurs or two draws – the latter could still see the lead down to four.

Tottenham have a history here. They have twice before blown a lead of seven points over the Gunners, and most recently, when they were battling Leicester City for the title, Spurs ended up third, a point behind Arsene Wenger’s side. Arsenal were never considered contenders.

Past Tottenham, Arsenal face only one other top-four contender before May, in Manchester United. United, meanwhile, still have to play City and Chelsea.

But the gap could close in on Harry Kane & Co if they cannot regain their form quickly.

It would be remiss not to mention the fact that Spurs enjoyed a run of five successive league victories before their defeat to Burnley, but they lost to Arsenal at the Emirates earlier this season and also went down to both City and Liverpool at Wembley.

History suggests, then, that there may not be too much fruit to bear from their upcoming run of games.

With the title race coming to a crunch period, Spurs face a defining week. Win both games, and beat Dortmund, and the ship is righted, the challenge at the top of the league still feasible.

But lose to both of their London rivals and they may well be reinserted into the race for the top four, watching both Liverpool and City battle it out for the title in the front row, powerless to jump the barricade and involve themselves in the fight.

There is, to put it bluntly, absolutely no room for error.

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Everton boss Marco Silva has admitted that Theo Walcott is struggling for form.

Walcott arrived at Everton from Arsenal last January and struck three times in 14 appearances for the Toffees in the second half of the 2017-18 campaign.

This term, the former England international has managed just three goals in 28 Premier League appearances and has failed to register in his last 10.

The 29-year-old was criticised by the Everton fans for his performance against Cardiff City last month, before also struggling to contribute against Liverpool last weekend.

Silva has admitted that the attacker’s form has ‘not been so good’, but the Portuguese has insisted that a number of other players have also struggled for consistency this term.

Silva told the Liverpool Echo:

“Of course [the last two games] have not been his best performances. Even he has this feeling.

“But ok, you are a team. In some moments perhaps Bernard performs well and maybe Theo doesn’t perform. But it’s not just him, against Cardiff Richarlison wasn’t the same.

“Theo has had good moments, but in the last few games it’s not been so good. It’s part of the season. We have four wingers and I am here to take the decisions on who is the best to play in each match.”

Everton will be looking to build on their goalless draw with Liverpool last weekend when they travel to Newcastle United on Saturday afternoon.

Silva’s side will then host Chelsea and travel to West Ham United either side of the March international break.

After a disappointing goalless draw in the Steel City derby was followed up by a credible point at Derby, Wednesday return to action this midweek looking to close the gap on their rival play-off contenders.

The Owls boast an impressive nine-game undefeated streak in the Championship, and with four of the five teams directly above them in the table playing teams in the top eight, it could be a great chance leapfrog a few of them.

Steve Bruce’s side, whose last league defeat was away at Hull on 12 January, will be hoping to turn their run of draws into wins if their aim of promotion is to be realised.

While not losing in nine is impressive, a failure to convert performances into wins, having drawn five of their last seven, will be a concern to Bruce.

But a game against a lowly, struggling Bolton side, paired with tricky fixtures for their rivals, means that the reward on offer should have the Wednesday players champing at the bit as they run out at the Macron Stadium.

With Bruce publicly stating that the team need to start winning games, the last thing he needed was a potential injury to one of the main components of the side to get their goals.

Steven Fletcher suffered a knee and ankle injury during the draw at Derby, and had to be withdrawn early. But with Fernando Forestieri and Lucas Joao already out, it may be a makeshift forward line that is asked to do a job on Wednesday night.

The influence Bruce has had on the players is there for all to see, but if they do not start turning one point into three soon, it may all be for nothing.

But the team should be full of confidence from their unbeaten run, and if they do start winning games they will surely have a big say in the Championship play-off race, which is the tightest it has been for a number of seasons.

Owls fans, let us know who you would have leading the line at Bolton? Can the unbeaten run continue, with some wins accompanying the draws? Let us know in the comments below…

El Hadji Diouf was probably one of the least liked footballers in the world after his career in England ended.

It was 2002 when Senegalese sensation El Hadji Diouf touched down in the Premier League, joining from French side Lens.

“We can confirm that African Footballer of the Year El-Hadji Diouf has now signed a five-year deal with Liverpool, which is wonderful news for everyone at the club,” club spokesman Ian Cotton revealed in a statement on the club’s website (via The Irish Times).

Excitement soon turned to misery, however; Diouf managed a paltry eight goals in 80 appearances for the club and was more known for his controversial behaviour on the pitch than his footballing ability – which was poor, by the way.

Club legends Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard were vocally objected to all things Diouf, as well, with the former later claiming that “his attitude disgusted me,” and the latter judging that he “had no real interest in football” and “cared nothing about Liverpool” (FourFourTwo).

And a 2018 RMC Sport interview (via Sky Sports) with the forward would confirm that.

“I would say Liverpool,” he said when asked which shirt he regretted wearing the most. “Because if I had the chance again I would go to Manchester United or Barcelona. At the time they wanted me also.”

Neither Old Trafford nor the Nou Camp were beckoning after his flop period at Anfield, however, and his next move was to the slightly less exotic Reebok Stadium and Bolton Wanderers.

Three relatively successful years scoring 24 times in 133 earned him a brief move to Sunderland where he spent just half a year before being reunited with Big Sam Allardyce.

“He is a talented player. He can be a little wayward, as everybody knows, but hopefully I’ll be able to control him as much as I did when I was at Bolton,” Allardyce said in 2009.

Diouf would only stoke the fires of hatred during his two-year tenure at Blackburn; and Gerrard did not despise him enough beforehand, he would have new levels of disdain when Diouf taunted the travelling Liverpool supporters after their 3-1 collapse at Ewood Park.

Upon Allardyce’s sacking at Blackburn, Diouf was shipped out almost immediately to Rangers where he helped the club win their last domestic title before Celtic’s dominance.

According to the Independent, the forward returned to the Ewood dressing room brandishing his winners medal around his neck. He was quickly released and picked up by Doncaster Rovers (?) before joining Neil Warnock’s Leeds United side.

Obscurity would soon gobble El Hadji Diouf up and after a brief spell at Malaysian side Sabah FA, he retired from the game.

This did not stop controversial outbreaks though. “I have no problem with him,” he revealed to BBC  News on the Gerrard feud. “He is a strong character and I am a strong character.

“‘Stevie G’ was a very good player, ” he continued. “People like him in Liverpool but he never did anything for his country. I am Mr El Hadji Diouf, Mr Senegal but he is Mr Liverpool and Senegal is bigger than Liverpool and he has to know that.”

Says it all really.