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West Ham United have struggled to live up to the immense standards set by David Moyes this season, as it seems like they are finally feeling the effects of performing above their station for so long.

Few could have expected them to uphold the phenomenal standards that saw them earn sixth and seventh-placed finishes in consecutive seasons, not to mention their mesmeric run to the Europa League semi-finals, but eventually, these things must come to an end.

That’s not to suggest the Scotsman did not try and keep the good times rolling, outlined in their heavy expenditure over the summer in which eight new faces were welcomed to the London Stadium.

They may well turn it around, but for now, they find themselves truly immersed in a relegation battle for this year.

There have been plenty of poor performers throughout an ageing squad, in which many of the experienced heads have started to creep past their sell-by date.

One such example is Aaron Cresswell, who has been at the club for nearly nine years now.

The 33-year-old had established himself as one of the Premier League’s most consistent full-backs, boasting defensive tenacity paired with a cutting edge going forward. Whilst the former remains, in recent seasons he has seen the latter’s return diminish.

In this campaign, he is yet to record a goal or an assist in domestic competition. He also earned particular scorn last season for his two red cards during that infamous European run, as he was lambasted for letting his team down.

Few will likely have forgotten what could have been such a costly couple of mistakes, and as such could call for the youth to now be employed.

They will surely want to see an increased emphasis on academy production and a first-team pathway paved, after seeing Newcastle United snatch one of their brightest talents last month in Harrison Ashby.

Oliver Scarles would be the natural replacement for Cresswell, and the 17-year-old has already begun staking his claim following his first senior appearance late in 2022.

With seven goal contributions in just ten games for the U18s, the teenage sensation is proving himself far too technically proficient for youth football. He even translated that into the U23s, where he has notched his first goal too.

It has been a whirlwind season for the youngster, who is lauded as one of the shining lights expected to soon break into the first team.

Moyes has been particularly vocal in his praise for Scarles, as he offered this verdict after he had shone during his debut:

“We think he’s stylish on the ball, he’s composed but he’s got a lot of growing to do and he has a 16-year-old body at the moment.”

It is clear that, should he put the work in, he could soon be ready for some regular senior football. It all relies on him preparing his body for that challenge, as his quality on the ball already puts him at the necessary level.

Eric Dier had one of his best games in a while in Tottenham Hotspur’s victory over Manchester City, journalist Alasdair Gold has claimed.

What’s the word?

Spurs produced a defensive masterclass to shut Man City out in North London, and Harry Kane’s early strike proved to be the difference.

A number of players including Emerson Royal and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg were outstanding, but Dier was also crucial in helping see out the victory.

Dier was awarded 9/10 by Gold in his player ratings for football.london, and was praised for the way in which he dealt with deadly striker Erling Haaland.

“Constantly pushing up the pitch and adding to the numbers in the middle. One of his best games in a while. Nothing got past him. It was the first time Haaland didn’t even have a single shot in a Premier League match.”

Rock in the middle

There was a nervous ending to the match as Spurs were reduced to ten men as Cristian Romero received a red card, but Dier’s commanding performance at the back helped them secure all three points.

The Englishman had come in for criticism at times this season, but looked back to his best as he kept Haaland quiet for the entire game.

Dier completed four long balls, won three aerial duels and made four clearances as per SofaScore, and looked assured in his defending as Spurs recorded their third clean sheet in a row in all competitions.

The 29-year-old has made 346 appearances for Spurs since his arrival in 2014, and his experience is now starting to prove vital in tough games, helping command his three-man defence to a convincing victory against the Champions.

Stephen McGowan has claimed that he doesn’t believe Ange Postecoglou will be near the top of Leeds United’s managerial targets.

The Lowdown: Leeds looking abroad

Leeds have had a very tough time finding a Jesse Marsch successor which may well be down to the fact they’re just one point above the bottom three and boast a squad containing many players that were brought in primarily for the former boss.

The Whites have been halted in their pursuit of Andoni Iraola of Rayo Vallecano with the La Liga outfit blocking any potential approach which has seen Andre Radrizzani move onto Arne Slot who has Feyenoord sitting top of the Eredivisie.

Someone else who has his team at the top of their respective domestic league is Postecoglou with Sky Sports claiming Leeds have liked him for a long time now, although he isn’t everyone’s cup of tea for the Leeds job.

The Latest: Postecoglou won’t be wanted by Leeds

McGowan was asked on The Press Box podcast if he would have Postecoglou at the top of his list if he was indeed on the Leeds board.

He said: (0:55) “I think he would be somewhere on my radar, I don’t know if he would be top of the radar. Not out of any lack of ability on the part of Ange Postecoglou I just don’t think Scottish football features as highly on the antenna of these guys as we think it does.”

The Verdict: Leeds and Postecoglou may not work out

Postecoglou has indeed won many plaudits during his time in Glasgow with Mark McAdam claiming that he is a very ‘highly regarded’ and ‘tremendous’ coach which won’t be disputed by many people.

This is because he managed to leapfrog Rangers last season to the SPFL title and a lot of signings have been instant hits with players such as Diogo Jota, Kyogo Furuhashi and Joe Hart all thriving.

However, Orta and Radrizzani are clearly very hands-on when it comes to the running of Leeds and what happens on and off the pitch, so perhaps bringing in Postecoglou wouldn’t be a match made in heaven, although if he isn’t near the top of their list for his ability as a manager alone, it would be a shambles.

It’s been a little over a week since Leeds United sacked Jesse Marsch and they are no closer to appointing his successor, even despite the American being on the verge of landing another job in the Premier League…

Leeds manager news – Has Philippe Clement been linked?

Marsch is set to become Southampton’s next boss after they parted ways with Nathan Jones at the weekend. Meanwhile, the Elland Road hierarchy continues to look for the right man to fill their vacant role.

One name that has recently been linked to the job is AS Monaco’s Philippe Clement, according to Dutch outlet De Telegraaf. They have also noted the Whites’ interest in Feyenoord boss Arne Slot, as well as Rayo Vallecano’s Andoni Iraola but neither seem set to make the switch to west Yorkshire.

Clement would get Patrick Bamford firing again

The 48-year-old tactician, formerly of Club Brugge and KRC Genk, has totally transformed Les Rogue et Blanc’s fortunes at the Stade Louis II as they sit third in the Ligue 1 standings, fresh off the back of their 3-1 scalp of defending champions Paris Saint-Germain.

Clement is said to be a “daring” manager who plays with “high intensity” – in the eyes of Monaco sporting director Paul Mitchell, who also claimed the Belgian was “one of the most prominent and successful coaches in Europe” recently.

That would make his fit for the current squad of players at the club a pretty good one, considering it follows on from a similar sort of ethos as Marcelo Bielsa and to some extent, Marsch too.

The former Coventry City defender – in his heyday – is also renowned for his ability to revive the fortunes of underperforming players, with Aleksandr Golovin and Myron Boadu.

Boasting an impressive 55.3% win rate from 56 games in charge, one of the aforementioned stars has been integral to Monaco’s form on the pitch.

The injury-prone Russian veteran is currently the team’s top performer in the league and has already usurped his returns last season with five goals and six assists, via WhoScored.

This should, ultimately, be wonderful news for a player like Patrick Bamford as the £74k-per-week marksman has found it very hard to get back to his scintillating best. It was only in 2020/21 that the Englishman bagged 17 goals and laid on a further seven assists in Leeds’ first season back in the big time.

Since then, however, he has been struck by multiple injuries and they have clearly taken their toll. The 29-year-old played only 559 minutes in the Premier League last season, whilst his comeback at the turn of the year has seen him yield just one goal, with none scored in his last four outings.

You could argue that Bamford – who was once hailed as a “goal machine” by ex-Guardian journalist Charlie Phillips – needs the right sort of manager to help him refind his goalscoring boots and given the success that Clement has had with older, more injury-prone individuals, he could well be the answer.

A fit and firing Bamford is only going to bolster Leeds’ plight heading into the final few months of the season, so chairman Andrea Radrizzani must do all he can to lure the 48-year-old to west Yorkshire before it’s too late.

AND in other news, “Whatever they want” – Joe Wainman begs Leeds to get 40-year-old to Elland Road “done”…

Newcastle United are set to reignite their interest in signing Real Betis attacking midfielder Nabil Fekir this summer, according to a report.

The Lowdown: Howe eyeing Fekir

Newcastle were rumoured to be interested in signing Fekir in the January transfer window, with reports in Spain claiming that a €50m (£44m) bid was being prepared, amid Real Betis dealing with financial issues (via CaughtOffside).

Conflicting reports from Italy indicated that the Magpies were in unwilling to meet the €45m (£39m) asking price set by the La Liga club, however a renewed bid for a lower fee could be submitted at the end of the season…

The Latest: Interest reignited

According to reports from Spain (via Sport Witness), Betis know they will be unable to keep hold of the attacking midfielder beyond the summer, and so they are now willing to accept offers of €30m (£26m).

This means that Newcastle will reignite their interest at the end of the campaign, although they will also face competition from Leicester City for his services.

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The Verdict: Get it done?

The 25-time France international could be a viable alternative to James Maddison, with reports now indicating that the Leicester midfielder could cost as much as £70m, amid interest from Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City.

Hailed as ‘tremendous’ by Betis president Angel Haro, the Lyon-born ace excels in creating opportunities, ranking in the 96th percentile for shot-creating actions per 90 over the past year, with Maddison placed in just the 75th.

However, to Fekir’s detriment he has no experience of playing in the Premier League, while Maddison has proven himself over the course of many seasons with Leicester, scoring 12 in the top flight in the previous campaign.

Not only that, but the Real Betis ace is now 29-years-old, while Maddison is just 26, and so Newcastle should perhaps prioritise the signing of the Englishman with Fekir as a back-up option.

Piers Morgan was quick to slam Manchester United striker Wout Weghorst during the Carabao Cup final against Newcastle United on Sunday. 

The Lowdown: Trophy drought over

The Red Devils ended their six-year wait for a trophy by lifting the Carabao Cup after a 2-0 victory at Wembley.

Erik ten Hag’s side took the lead thanks to a Casemiro header, with Marcus Rashford’s effort shortly afterwards deflecting off Sven Botman to double the advantage heading into half-time.

United put in a solid defensive display to keep out Eddie Howe’s side in the second half, picking up a first trophy of the season with the potential to win three more.

The Latest: Morgan slams Weghorst

Morgan – who conducted the notorious interview which led to Cristiano Ronaldo’s abrupt departure from United three months ago – took to Twitter during the early stages of the Wembley showpiece to share his thoughts on Weghorst.

He stated: “Manchester United fans trying to pretend they’d rather have Weghorst up front than Ronaldo is hilarious. He’s dreadful.”

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The Verdict: Eat your words, Piers…

Weghorst may have missed an early chance to give United the lead, miscuing an effort in the penalty box, but he certainly played his part in his team’s Wembley triumph.

As per Sofascore, the 30-year-old won five duels, made three tackles and had three shots on target  He also completed one key pass, putting in an effective display during his 70 minutes on the pitch before he was replaced by Scott McTominay.

He was actually United’s best-performing attacker on the day, ending with a match rating of 7.4/10, so he certainly wasn’t ‘dreadful’, as Morgan claimed, the Dutchman instead making one vocal detractor eat his words…

The relationship between football and betting has always been a very close one in the UK. Decades of football has shown that where there is a football game, there is betting.

In the UK, the relationship between sports and betting has become even stronger in recent years with the introduction of online gambling and the constant increase of online casino sponsorships in professional football.

It is somewhat hard to see football without sports betting and vice versa as many see them as almost inseparable and fully intertwined. In this guide, we are going through the most important aspects of gambling sponsors in English football. We will do so by looking at it from different perspectives as some might call it harmful while others see it as harmless.

Gambling Sponsorships: Controversial

The first ever recorded deal of official betting sponsorship in English football goes back to the year 1902 when Stoke City were the first team to be sponsored by the Betting and Racing Exchange. Back then, gambling was still illegal in many other countries, making it a very controversial move at the time. Since then, betting sponsorships have been banned and found their way back to all leagues in English professional football. Although a partial ban on gambling sponsorships seems to be in the making, online casino websites are still very active in the market, in all tiers of English football divisions. Of the 44 teams active in all professional divisions, 14 now have an official betting partner as their main sponsor. It is nonetheless very clear that gambling and football are very closely interconnected in this country, but it remains to be seen how long this will continue on the front side of the shirts.

Harmful or Harmless?

This brings us to the question whether gambling sponsors have a negative impact on fans or not as the debate seems far from over. According to industry experts, fans have always had mixed reactions when it comes to casino sponsored clubs. The morality debate on gambling sponsor deals in sports remains fierce, and gambling addiction experts are warning of the associated dangers, even leading to political debate in the Parliament. At the same time, every team with ambitions depends on sources of income, with a grand portion of it coming from the gambling industry. Casinos and bookies tend to award a lot more money than sponsors in other industries explaining the popularity of these operators.

Normalisation of Gambling

Gambling sponsorship in football is debatable for many reasons. According to those against gambling, the association of football clubs with online casinos and bookmakers seems to send out the message that gambling is safe and synonymous to the activity of watching sports games. Similar to what happens when celebrities act as brand ambassadors, the image transfer can also occur in the domain of professional football or other sports. Fans may link logos of gambling companies to shirts of teams like Everton, seeing their daily business as a normal activity. It should not be forgotten that gambling should not be a daily activity due to the risks. It is also prohibited for underage players.

Risk of Problem Gambling

According to data from the Gambling Commission, there are now more than 400,000 people in the country affected by problem gambling. The study also suggests that a further 2 million are considered part of a risk group. Despite those in favour of gambling sponsorships state that the involvement of betting companies does not influence their perception of betting companies, it is expected that a lot of people will show some sort of interest in the company seen on the front of the shirt, possibly leading to gambling activities and running the risk of getting into problem gambling. Most of the betting companies that have deals with football clubs have a website and/or a mobile app, facilitating access to their platforms where the betting activities can be performed.

Exposure to Minors

In an article by the Guardian, the medium refers to a report that shows that 25,000 children in Britain are problem gamblers. According to the data, 370,000 children in the ages between 11 and 16 years participate in some sort of betting activity at least once a week. With betting ads littered all over football fields, the numbers of young people exposed to the betting culture seem to expose everybody to bookmakers and other online betting platforms, including those that are underage. Minors have also shown to be able to link the logo of a gambling company to the shirt of their favourite football team, proving that people from all ages capture the messages by gambling companies promoting their brands via football.

The Commercial Impact

Online casinos and football clubs share a relationship where they seem to feed one another. In professional football, a solid financial situation is one of the requirements to be successful in the long term. Betting companies invest millions of pounds in the clubs, as a platform to reach their target audience. Apart from via shirts and other sports wear, online casinos can sponsor in the stadium, and via social media as well. The combination of all the sponsored activities will add millions of pounds to the clubs budget which can be spent on transfers, stadium, training facilities, youth teams, and whatever it deems necessary.

As competition in the Premier League continues to increase, clubs need to do everything they can to get and to remain on top. Betting sponsors not only invest money in the clubs to increase brand awareness, they also help to improve the training facilities, and support the local community. According to Daily Mail, the deals in the Premier League are estimated to be worth a combined £ 100 million a year. This is an astonishing number, but it becomes much easier to understand it when you know that about half of all teams in the EPL have betting companies as their main kit sponsor. In such a betting dominated setting, it is now very hard to imagine the football industry without the gambling industry. Although not all betting companies are originally UK based, it is estimated that the turnover for online gambling in the UK is around £5 billion a year, explaining why this industry has so much money to spend on promoting their websites. It also explains why football teams would rather team up with a bookie or online casino rather than with other companies.

Why Do Betting Companies Team Up With Football Teams?

The most obvious reason is that it gives bookies and casinos a lot of exposure to potential customers. A casino that sponsors a football club will have its logo on the team’s shirt, which means that it will be seen by millions of people around the world. The Premier League is the most popular football competition in the world with followers living in all continents. Within a rather short time frame, a brand can gain global exposure. With more than two billion people watching football (of all competitions) on a regular basis, it becomes very clear why betting companies are willing to pay huge sums of money to sponsor clubs.

Part of the Audience

Also, football fans are part of the same audience that betting companies want to target. Most fans in the stadiums or in front of the screen at home or at the pub are adult men who have an interest in sport. With ticket prices and season tickets skyrocketing year after year, most of the people in the stadiums have an income as well. The people watching the football games are also the ones that are most likely to gamble. As most bookmakers, they are able to reach their target audience, which isn’t always obvious as they are mainly active on the internet and some would call them a “faceless” company. Sponsor deals help them shape their brand image, with a logo, slogan, and url being the most important.

Changing Perceptions

Additionally, sponsoring a football club can help to change people’s perceptions of the online casino industry. Often seen as a harmful activity, online casinos want to change the perception of their company, underline the importance of responsible gambling and contributing to social programmes for local communities. A betting company can use its sponsorship of a football club to enhance its brand image and maybe even that of the industry on the whole. It wants to position itself as a responsible player on the market.

What Are The Risks For Football Clubs?

Despite the benefits, there are also some risks that football clubs need to be aware of before they team up with betting companies. As not everybody is in favour of gambling and some might have a certain level of aversion towards it, it may damage the club’s reputation. Here is what football clubs should be aware of:

Negative response: every club signing a deal with a casino initially receives hate mail because of the company’s background. This is particularly true for conservative fans or those that have been affected by problematic behaviour. Scandals: although less common today, thanks to regulation and licensing, gambling companies can still get into scandals which could reflect badly on the club. This, however, is not unique for the gambling industry and can affect whatever type of company. Associations with gambling: then there is also a danger that the club could become too closely associated with gambling activities and problem gambling. This could lead to a negative perspective of the club, especially if a club partners with different brands that are active in the field of (online) gambling.

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Leeds United backed Jesse Marsch wholeheartedly after he had saved them from relegation last season, with the American taking over from the revered Marcelo Bielsa and earning safety on the final day.

He would add seven new faces in the summer window, and a further three in January, as the coach completely transformed the squad in his image. It was quite clear that plenty of these were signings of the manager’s choosing too, as four of those names came from his Red Bull family, and three of them were compatriots of his.

Perhaps entrusting a polarising manager like him with such faith and financial backing was an unwise decision, which was proven to be the case when the hierarchy decided to dismiss him just last month.

Javi Gracia has since been named as his replacement and the Spaniard is now forced to work with a team assembled by various managers all with varying plans.

It was this failed transfer business that played a huge role in Marsch’s sacking, as he could not get his players to gel. The offensive side suffered the most, with Brenden Aaronson a common culprit when it came to thwarting attacks. 

How has Brenden Aaronson played for Leeds this season?

Having been signed for a mouth-watering £24.7m, the 22-year-old was billed as an all-action attacking midfielder willing to lead the press and create for his teammates.

But as of March 2023, he has just one goal and two assists across 26 appearances in all competitions. His last goal contribution actually came at the start of November, and his only goal was scored in just their third league game of the campaign too.

The USA international has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.53 in his 24 Premier League outings and this places him 23rd in the Leeds squad, which suggests that the flop has been one of the most disappointing players in the team this term.

As such, he has rightly been lambasted for his lack of potency or meaningful contribution by pundits who possibly expected more from such an expensive signing.

Ex-Whites defender Jon Newsome even told BBC Radio Leeds his thoughts on the output of the American last week, claiming: “But over the past couple of months, since the World Cup, he’s not really produced anything, has he? It’s stats, it’s assists, goals, they’re the departments that we’re lacking in.”

With Leeds having scored just once in their last five games in all competitions, the £45k-per-week dud’s anonymity becomes an increasingly pressing matter with each week.

It seems the club have already suffered a disasterclass with this acquisition, as they went full-blooded all in on Marsch much to their potential regret following his dismissal and Aaronson’s continued struggles on the pitch.

Liverpool head of recruitment Dave Fallows is being lined up as Julian Ward’s successor as sporting director at Anfield, according to a new report.

The Lowdown: Ward’s shock exit

Ward took over from the much-praised Michael Edwards as sporting director last year, as the Reds lost arguably one of their most influential figures of the Jurgen Klopp era.

The hope was that the 41-year-old would be a key long-term replacement for his predecessor, but instead, Liverpool were rocked by the news that he will also leave his role at the end of the season.

Since that shock announcement late last year, the club have been on the lookout for an eventual replacement and a key update has now emerged regarding the situation.

The Latest: Fallows in pole

According to Football Insider reporter Wayne Veysey, Fallows is the front-runner to take over from Ward and is currently ‘in every meeting’ and is ‘involved in every decision’ at the club.

He is described in the report as a ‘strong candidate’ at worst, and it could be that he is being ‘lined up by the Liverpool hierarchy’.

The Verdict: Good in-house decision?

There may be some who want a new sporting director to come in from fresh surroundings but bringing in Fallows could represent a more seamless transition.

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He knows Liverpool inside out already and has been present to see Edwards and Ward going about their jobs, hopefully learning from the duo in the process.

If the Reds are to get back to the level they were at last season, they need to be getting every decision right both on and off the pitch, so this sporting director appointment is crucial.

Liverpool must be absolutely sure about Ward’s successor, ensuring he works with Klopp to identify the right signings and make tough decisions.

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy is reportedly interested in making a move for Sporting CP boss, Ruben Amorim, amid the continued uncertainty surrounding Antonio Conte’s position at N17.

What’s the latest on Amorim to Spurs?

According to Correiro da Manha – via Sports Witness – the Lilywhites are said to be the frontrunners among the list of suitors for the 38-year-old, with the Portuguese sensation having caught the eye as a result of his impressive work in Lisbon in recent years.

The report does suggest, however, that the north London outfit will face competition to land the highly-coveted coach, with Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain also now firmly in the mix as doubts creep in regarding Christophe Galtier’s long-term future.

The piece goes on to add that the young coach – who took on his current role back in March 2020 – has a release clause of around €20m (£17m) if any club from abroad wishes to pursue a deal.

Would Amorim be a good fit at Spurs?

Levy’s apparent search for a new head coach has come with the aforementioned Conte looking ever more likely to move on this summer, with the experienced Italian having just a matter of months remaining on his existing deal at the club.

As The Athletic’s David Ornstein revealed, there is said to be a ‘good chance’ that the 53-year-old moves on at the end of the season following what has been a ‘difficult campaign’ to date, with Spurs notably crashing out of both the FA Cup and the Champions League over the past week or so.

The limp nature of the second-leg performance against AC Milan in midweek showcased that the club are simply in need of a revival, with Amorim potentially the man who can lift the doom and gloom surrounding the top-four hopefuls.

The former Braga boss has certainly caught the eye after guiding Sporting to a league and cup double last season, with the “special” coach – as lauded by journalist Zach Lowy – having averaged 2.2 points per game from his 147 games in charge, while Conte has an average of just 1.79 in his 75 games at the helm.

The 14-time Portugal international has also held his own up against English opposition after overseeing a 2-0 win for his side against Conte’s men in the Champions League group stage back in September, before earning a hard-fought, 1-1 draw in the reverse meeting just a month or so later.

Those standout results have since been followed by another eye-catching performance against Premier League leaders Arsenal in the Europa League last-16, with the two sides playing out a thrilling, 2-2 draw at Estadio Jose Alavade on Thursday evening.

The manner in which Amorim’s men simply showed no fear up against both Spurs and the Gunners will likely have caught the attention of Levy and co, with it easy to see why the one-time Benfica midfielder is such a “highly-rated” figure – as per the Daily Telegraph’s Matt Law.

In truth, having such a youthful and exciting presence in the dugout could well help to spark a real change in fortunes for Tottenham next season, with Amorim an asset who would certainly be in it for the long-term – a far cry from the typically short-term, Conte.