All posts by z3u9t.icu

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Aston Villa defender James Bree has completed a loan move to Ipswich until the end of the season having made just 21 starts since signing for the Midlands outfit in January 2017, according to BBC Sport.

The versatile defender is below Alan Hutton and Ahmed Elmohamady in the pecking order at Villa Park and will surely relish the opportunity to get some minutes under his belt – he will have his work cut out for him, though, as the Tractor Boys are rock bottom of the Championship, having taken just 18 points from 29 games.

Villa, meanwhile, are looking to push for a play-off spot and will surely be hoping that the deadline day loan signing of Tyrone Mings from Bournemouth will give them some much-needed security in defence; Dean Smith’s side have let in 46 goals this campaign, only relegation battlers Rotherham and Ipswich have conceded more.

The decision to let Bree go, then, is a brave one considering the lack of depth in the backline – the 21-year-old can play at the heart of defence, too – and the frequency at which the quality of the current right-back options is called into question.

The Villa Park faithful certainly seem to think that allowing the former Barnsley man to leave was a mistake, as they reacted on Twitter…

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Crystal Palace fans may think that Andros Townsend is an excellent foil for Wilfried Zaha’s talents on the opposing wing, and whilst the England international is a tremendous player, there is something missing that still sees Zaha get doubled, even tripled up on by the opposition.

The last piece of the jigsaw

The Eagles are finally looking like a very competent Premier League side with quality littered almost throughout their entire squad. Roy Hodgson has an excellent ‘keeper in Vicente Guaita in goal, and ahead of the Spaniard, the 71-year-old boss has Aaron Wan-Bissaka, James Tomkins, Mamadou Sakho and Patrick van Aanholt at his disposal.

That quartet makes up what is currently the fifth best defence in the Premier League with nine clean sheets, behind only Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham.

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…

In midfield, the south Londoners are fairly overstocked, with even Max Meyer struggling for game time. Luka Milivojevic and Cheikhou Kouyate play at the base of the midfield, with either James McArthur or utility man Jeffrey Schlupp alongside them.

It is in attack where times have been tough, and whilst they have improved slightly with the arrival of Michy Batshuayi, Palace still lack someone with as much swagger and flair as Zaha.

Who could be the answer?

The Ivorian excelled in the Championship when playing close to another flair player in Yannick Bolasie, and seemed to always have space to work in as defenders were fearful of leaving one of them isolated.

Nowadays, defenders know they can put two or three men on Zaha and instantly nullify the Eagles’ attack.

One man who has just as much confidence as Zaha – shown by his outrageous decision to wear a Gucci headband in a match – is Nice’s mercurial forward Allan Saint-Maximin.

The Frenchman has hit six goals and recorded two assists in Ligue 1 this season, and can play either on the flanks or in the centre.

Palace must sign him and play him as close to Zaha as possible – if they do that, they’ll have a perfectly oiled machine and perhaps one of the trickiest duets in the Premier League.

Liverpool simply have to make the most of their current position after throwing away a promising lead during Brendan Rodgers’ reign, with fans expecting an elusive Premier League trophy.

Jurgen Klopp has transformed Liverpool into a force to be reckoned with both in the Premier League and in Europe, but all of it will count for nothing if they fail to make the most of their opportunities.

However, it appears as if the German is currently thinking about the future of one of the club’s loan players, as according to Bild (via HITC), Hertha Berlin would love to sign Marko Grujic permanently, but Liverpool have no interest in signing him.

The midfielder was once dubbed as the next Nemanja Matic. And, it’s safe to say that he’s lived up to the hype in recent years as he was excellent at Cardiff City in the Championship and he has been one of the standout midfielders in the German Bundesliga in the current campaign. So, it comes as no surprise that they want to keep him.

Although, it remains to be seen as to whether he’ll feature in Klopp’s plans or go out on loan again next season.

But, it’s safe to say that the Serbian has the ability to play a big part at Anfield next season if he gets the nod after establishing himself as a star in Germany, with James Milner potentially departing.

Liverpool fans look set for delight as the midfielder is very much a part of Klopp’s plans, so supporters can look forward to seeing him perform at Anfield at some point in the future, with a permanent exit seemingly already ruled out.

His three strongest attributes are his passing, tackling and ability to intercept the ball, and he currently has two goals to his name as a threat from set-pieces and long range.

The Reds will be over the moon with how far the midfielder has come after suffering an injury and not quite hitting the heights during his early days at Anfield, with a very bright future ahead of him in the Premier League.

Liverpool fans – thoughts on Klopp’s decision? 

[ad_pod ]Chris Sutton believes that Celtic must get themselves ‘a real centre forward’ if the Hoops are to make any progress in Europe.Two months ago Oli Burke was waiting for a chance on the wing at West Brom but on Thursday night he was leading the line for Celtic in the Europa League against Valencia.Domestically his pace can destroy Scottish opponents but in Europe chances are much rarer with a level of poise needed to take advantage.Burke was given a half chance in the first half when Scott Sinclair sent a pass through on goal but the Valencia keeper was alert to the danger and raced to the edge of his penalty box to clear.

The last time Celtic faced Valencia, back in 2001/02, Martin O’Neill found a way to include Sutton, John Hartson and Henrik Larsson into his XI, which shared a 1-1 aggregate scoreline before losing out in a penalty shoot out.

Last night Odsonne Edouard and Timo Weah came off the bench to support Burke but neither of those options are as streetwise as the trio of strikers that O’Neill could call upon.

Since Moussa Dembele’s sale to Lyon in August Celtic have been short on firepower, magnified by Leigh Griffiths requiring time out from the game to deal with personal issues.

As another European campaign comes to a halt there seems little grounds for optimism that next season is going to be any better. Here’s a look at what Sutton said to BT Sport…

Celtic must now turn over a significant deficit to progress to the next round of the competition.

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Leeds United are dreaming of promotion to the Premier League.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side are currently top of the Championship, one point clear of Norwich City, but can they get over the line?

Leeds’ run-in: Bolton (H), Queens Park Rangers (A), West Bromwich Albion (H), Bristol City (A), Reading (H), Sheffield United (H), Millwall (H), Birmingham City (A), Preston North End (A), Sheffield Wednesday (H), Wigan Athletic (H), Brentford (A), Aston Villa (H), Ipswich Town (A). 

Leeds do not play Norwich between now and the end of the season but they will meet third-placed Sheffield United and fourth-placed West Brom, as well as fifth-placed Bristol.

The key games, surely, are the meetings with WBA, the Blades and Villa, as Bielsa’s men look to win promotion.

On the face of it, of course, Leeds would like to win every game and head for the Premier League having taken 42 points from a possible 42 in their last 14 games. That would leave them with 103 points but that seems fanciful at best.

Wins over Bolton and QPR are likely but West Brom dished out a hammering when they hosted United earlier this season, winning 4-1. It’s a banana skin and one Leeds are likely to slip on.

Bristol are in the play-off places but three points on the road are to be expected there, and the same goes for when Reading visit. Sheffield United, though, still have hopes of crashing the automatic promotion party – they are only three points behind Leeds – and a draw is foreseeable at Elland Road.

A win over Millwall is likely as they have not been able to transplant their FA Cup form into the Championship but Birmingham could be spoilers, having beaten Leeds 2-1 earlier this season. A repeat would not be too much of a surprise.

Back-to-back wins over Preston and Sheffield Wednesday and a draw with Wigan – the Latics won 2-1 against the Whites last time out – add seven points onto the tally while a win over Brentford is also predictable.

Villa, though, are a tricky proposition. The two sides played out one of the games of the season earlier on, with Leeds winning 3-2 by virtue of a 95th-minute Kemar Roofe goal. The spoils are likely to be shared this time around.

Ipswich, meanwhile, should not offer stern opposition – they are rock-bottom and have won three games this season. That number is not likely to rise too much before the last game of the season and Leeds will expect to take all three points.

Predicted points: 30 – Leeds finish on 91 points

A total of 91 points would have seen Leeds finish second last season – Neil Warnock’s Cardiff City picked up the same amount and went up automatically, eight points behind champions Wolves and three points ahead of play-off winners Fulham.

However, this is a very tight race, with Norwich and Sheffield United both breathing down the neck of Bielsa’s side.

Any slip will likely be punished and, such is the unpredictability of the Championship, those stumbles are likely.

Bielsa, though, will have to keep his men motivated if they are to better Football FanCast’s prediction and seal their return to the top-flight.

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According to Miguel Almiron’s agent, Manchester United were interested in his client before he joined Newcastle United in the January transfer window.

What’s the word, then?

Almiron’s agent, Daniel Campo, told ParaguayTVHD via talkSPORT:

“Manchester United was interested in Miguel Almiron.”

Newcastle completed the signing of Almiron from MLS outfit Atlanta United in the latter stages of the January transfer window.

Indeed, the Magpies broke their transfer record to buy the attacker in a £20m deal.

The 24-year-old had been in excellent form for Atlanta during 2018, which convinced Newcastle to bring him to the Premier League.

However, according to Campo, Man United also had an interest in the Paraguay international before Newcastle swooped to land him in a club-record deal.

What can Newcastle expect from Almiron?

The Newcastle fans had a small taste of what the attacker has to offer in the Premier League against Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier this month.

Almiron came on for the final 18 minutes of what proved to be a 1-1 draw and there is no question that he made a positive impression.

A 13-time Paraguay international, Almiron scored 22 times in 70 appearances during his time at Atlanta, including 21 goals in 62 MLS appearances.

The 5ft 9in ace is a clever, skilful forward with a brilliant turn of pace. He was exceptional in the recent MLS season, but the Premier League is a different level entirely.

If Campo is correct and Man United indeed wanted the South American, then Newcastle pulled off a major coup by signing him, particularly for a relatively reasonable fee when considering his credentials.

Rangers’ key players have stepped up to the plate when required this season, but other names have not had the impact that they would have wished for.

Since Rangers fell behind in the race for the Scottish Premiership, they have had to be the chaser and that requires impeccable form if they are to remain in contention for the title.

They have stuck to that very impressive form of late in the League, going unbeaten in six games and winning five of them. The performances have required the Gers’ key men to step up when called upon and so they have.

However, there have been two players that have not had the impact on this Rangers side they would have hoped for at the start of the season…

Eros Grezda

Upon recovering from an injury earlier in the season, Grezda played quite frequently up until the New Year, he was relatively consistent but his performances did not particularly catch the eye like other wingers have, using Ryan Kent as an example.

The 23-year-old has made 14 appearances across all competitions this season, but since the turn of the year, he is yet to feature on the pitch or in a matchday squad. So, his impact on the side has clearly not forced him into Steven Gerrard’s thinking.

Lee Wallace

Wallace has been a mainstay in the Rangers team over the years and after the ongoings of last season, he will have wanted to put that behind him and have a fresh start under Gerrard.

However, the 31-year-old has played just twice this season, with both appearances coming in the League. Wallace finds himself behind Borna Barisic, Andy Halliday and Jon Flanagan in the pecking order so he has evidently not had the impact on Gerrard within his performances that has warranted game time in the boss’ eyes.

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Mauricio Pochettino has been handed a touchline ban by the FA after an altercation with referee Mike Dean.

The BBC report that he has been suspended for two matches, against Southampton and Liverpool, and has been hit with a £10,000 fine after squaring up to the referee following Spurs’ clash with Burnley.

Tottenham lost at Turf Moor in a game that derailed their title hopes – they would lose to Chelsea later in the week, all but ending their challenge – and Pochettino was involved in a heated confrontation with Dean following the final whistle.

The referee, who was set to be the fourth official for the clash with the Blues, was withdrawn from that role while the Argentine refused to contest the FA charge.

He has now been handed what may be seen as a harsh punishment; he will be in the stands at St Mary’s Stadium and at Anfield, meaning assistant Jesus Perez is likely to take on the managerial role for each encounter.

And fans have reacted to the news with a mixture of shock and horror, with many insisting Dean was the instigator of the incident. Take a look at the best of the reaction on Twitter below!

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Manchester United fans on Twitter are fuming over links to Tottenham Hotspur defender Toby Alderweireld after strong rumours emerged on Wednesday evening.

The Mirror have reported that the Old Trafford club have been given the green light over a move for the Belgian international, and they could pay as little as £25 million for the Barcelona and Juventus target in the summer transfer window.

United supporters may remember Jose Mourinho chasing the 30-year-old last summer to no avail, with the hierarchy in Manchester blocking the deal over tactical fears.

Now, it seems the shoe is on the other foot and the board are keen on the defender, this has led fans to accuse Ed Woodward of “going the cheap” option by waiting for Alderweireld to near the end of his contract when Spurs will be forced to sell up or risk losing him on a free transfer, to swoop.

But supporters are not happy that the centre-back could be the marquee defensive signing of the summer as Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli seems to be the much better option.

Relive the glorious moment that Aubameyang won redemption against Man Utd in the video below…

He’s younger, right in the middle of the prime years of his career at 27, and many have called for his signing instead while others have focussed on Alderweireld’s abilities solely, accusing him of being a fraud and begging United not to bring him in.

Check out some of the best reactions from Red Devils to the rumour, below…

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Manchester City fans have taken to Twitter to react after it was revealed that Aymeric Laporte has once again been left out of Didier Deschamp’s France squad.

Laporte, arguably one of the Premier League’s best in his position and a player who cost City £57m when they signed him from Athletic Bilbao, has never been capped by his country – he has received just a single call-up, but never made it onto the pitch.

There’s good news for fans of City, Liverpool, Spurs and United in the video below…

City’s second most expensive player in their history could have played for Spain, but he did not apply for residency before arriving at the Etihad Stadium.

There is a lot of confusion surrounding Deschamps continued expulsion of the 24-year-old.

It has been suggested that Les Bleus boss is not a fan of his personality, whilst it has also been coined that his contact with the Spanish national team hasn’t gone down well with Deschamps, despite France regular and World Cup winner Lucas Hernandez previously doing the same.

Let’s see what the City supporters are saying about the matter on Twitter…