All posts by h716a5.icu

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Aston Villa are in the market for James Tavernier according to Football Insider, who understand the Rangers man is subject of interest from the Midlands club.

The right-back has been in exceptional form for Steven Gerrard’s side this season and despite playing in defence has incredible numbers for goals and assists, hitting double figures for both in 2018/19.

With the likes of Alan Hutton and Ahmed Elmohamady both in their 30s then, it is thought Dean Smith is looking for a younger player in that position.

Villa’s summer plans could hinge on whether they get promoted but it’s likely the club are to do plenty of business given the number of loan deals ending at the end of the season.

Tavernier is currently captain at Rangers and has been a key man under Steven Gerrard. However, it now looks as though he could be on his way back to England.

With a possible move on the cards, Football FanCast writers have given their verdicts on whether the 27-year-old is the type of player the Villans should be looking at if they get promoted. Here’s what they said:

Luke Glanville:

“For me, James Tavernier is most definitely not the type of player Aston Villa need to be targeting if they manage to secure a return to the Premier League. Especially in defence, Dean Smith’s men will require players with plenty of experience in the English top flight. And the right-back Tavernier has a little, but not nearly enough. Plus, the Rangers man has been playing in the far inferior Scottish leagues for the last four years and would undoubtedly hugely struggle with the step back up to the Premier League. There’s a reason why Newcastle United let him go in the first place.”

Billy Meyers:

“Aston Villa should definitely take a look at signing James Tavernier if they go up. We’ve seen that Ahmed Elmohamady is a prolific relegation specialist in the past, and at 31 years of age, the Villans should definitely be searching for his replacement. As a result, what better man to target than the technically brilliant Tavernier, who has an astonishing number of goals and assists to his name across all competitions. Plenty of gems, such as Victor Wanyama and Virgil van Dijk, have come out of the Scottish top-flight, and Villa could get their hands on another star in Tavernier.”

James Beavis:

“Most definitely. The club often got their recruitment all wrong in their final few years in the Premier League, but signing Tavernier would prove Villa have learnt their lesson. The 27-year-old is a decent enough defender and especially effective in the final third, and Kodjia or a new striker would be in dreamland with the service the former Wigan man is capable of providing. This move makes all the sense in the world, and now Dean Smith just has to ensure they make it to the Premier League.”

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There is no doubt that Southampton have improved and look a completely team under Ralph Hasenhuttl, but one of their major Achilles’ heel reared its ugly ahead again during the 3-0 defeat against West Ham United at the weekend – a lack of quality at centre-back.

On the chalkboard

Saints have looked much better going forward under the Austrian and generally always look capable of getting a goal, but it was the same old story in defence at the London Stadium.

The south coast outfit have now conceded 64 times going ahead of their final-day clash with Huddersfield Town at St Mary’s on Sunday, and that simply isn’t good enough if they want to be pushing for the top half next term.

The fact that they have lost 27 points from winning positions in the top flight during the current campaign tells you all you need to know about where their main issue lies, and the centre-backs have to take a big share of the blame.

Hasenhuttl has often lined up with three, although the absence of both Jannik Vestergaard and Maya Yoshida against Manuel Pellegrini’s men meant that Jan Bednarek and Jack Stephens started together in a back four – the experiment didn’t go well however.

New centre-back needed

Southampton desperately need a quality centre-back this summer, and Hasenhuttl needs to ensure that he gets the signing right.

It seems clear that the 51-year-old wants to play a 4-2-2-2 system next season given the formation he tried against West Ham, and that means that he needs two good individuals to feel that role in the middle.

Stephens clearly isn’t good enough, while there are still some question marks over Yoshida, Vestergaard and Bednarek, the latter of whom had an off-day in the capital.

The south coast club may be able to find the net on a regular basis, but that won’t make a difference next term if they can’t keep it out of their own one again.

Has Jack Stephens unfarily been made a scapegoat at Southampton? The Ugly Inside discusses in the video below…

They need a player who has leadership qualities, is strong in the air and decent in possession – much like former Saint Virgil van Dijk.

Finding someone like the PFA Player of the Year won’t be easy, but they club has done it before and they can do it again.

If they don’t sign the correct centre-half during the summer transfer window, it is difficult to see them avoiding another relegation scrap in 2019/20.

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Southampton legend and Sky Sports pundit Matthew Le Tissier has suggested that the club needs to sign at least four players during the summer transfer window.

What’s the word, then?

Well, Saints picked up an impressive 30 points from the beginning of Ralph Hasenhuttl’s reign in December until the end of the season, but it was only enough for a 16th-placed finish in the Premier League standings.

It is clear to see that some improvements to the squad are needed if the south coast outfit are to avoid being embroiled in another relegation scrap again in the 2019/20 campaign.

Le Tissier is in no doubt as to where they need to strengthen, advising four new faces minimum are required, which could potentially be five if he feels more than one central defender signing must be made.

The 50-year-old told Sky Sports: “Where do we start? I would say they need to strengthen in the centre-back department and like most teams they need a goalscorer. Perhaps we could do with a couple in the right-back area as we will lose Cedric Soares this summer.”

Remember Fraser Forster? No? Well he’s still a Southampton player on 80k-a-week! How can have revive his career? Check out the video below…

Is he right?

He certainly is, but there is one key position he has missed out.

While he is right to say that Southampton need a striker, potentially two right-backs – assuming Cedric does go – and at least one centre-back, he hasn’t mentioned the need for another wide player.

If Hasenhuttl was able to select another player like Nathan Redmond on the opposite flank to the England international, there is no doubt that Saints would be far more of an attacking threat next term.

A player with pace who has a final product – something Redmond has discovered under the tutelage of the Austrian – is the minimum requirement, and that should be one of the priorities during the window.

It was late February in 2016. A fresh-faced 18-year-old scored twice on his senior debut for Manchester United in a 5-1 thrashing of FC Midtjylland, before netting his second brace in a week to defeat rivals Arsenal 3-2 at Old Trafford.

It very much was a case of ‘remember the name’ for Marcus Rashford. But fast forward three years later, and the once golden boy of Manchester has seemingly hit a brick wall; a rough patch of form, used in different positions to varying degrees of success and a victim of his side’s collective struggles. But when one door closes, another one opens. And for United, those doors have seemingly flung wide open for the arrival of Swansea City’s Daniel James.

According to the Manchester Evening News, the Welsh wizard has agreed personal terms with the Red Devils and looks set to clinch a £15m move to the Premier League giants in the coming week. Whilst most United fans have been clamouring for a ‘glamour’ signing this summer, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s intent on bringing younger, more hungrier talent rather than those who are well-established is a step in the right direction for a club riddled with dressing room issues.

Indeed, BBC Sport reported as recently as yesterday that there were talks between the clubs.

Aside from his rapid pace and ‘get-off-your-seat’ dribbling prowess, James’ level-headed attitude and willingness to learn has caught the eye. The Wales international’s heart and desire to work for the team are in complete contrast to what United fans have been used to with the likes of Paul Pogba and Anthony Martial.

The French duo, and even to an extent the likes of Rashford and Jesse Lingard amongst others, have come under criticism this season for appearing to play for themselves. Not tracking back. Trying fancy flicks. And giving up on the shirt.

After years of disappointment and frankly at times apathy, James’ arrival might be the cattle-prod that his new teammates need. The 21-year-old’s work ethic has been second to none, and it comes as no surprise that some of his four goals and seven assists in the Championship have come at times in the closing stages of games, when the will to win often transcends talent.

Indeed, if United supporters still felt uneasy about the winger’s ability to make the step up, then look no further than what James’ former boss Graham Potter had to say after a stunning performance in a 3-1 win against Stoke. The now Brighton manager said (via Exposport): “I’ve run out of superlatives. If you look at that performance, if you’re being honest, it’s above the Championship.”

So whilst United fans might bemoan the stuttering progression of Rashford, or the lack of a big-name signing to compensate for their troubles, James’ imminent arrival could be the kick-start they need. He may not be the hero United fans want, but he certainly could be the hero they need.

United fans, do you agree that James could be the side’s new golden boy after Marcus Rashford? How would you rate the club’s potential new signing? Let us know in the comments below…

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West Ham United youngster Louie Watson has signed a new contract at the club, the Hammers have confirmed.

What’s the word?

Watson has been far from an integral part of the Under-18s side in recent seasons, making a total of 26 appearances.

He has scored twice and laid on three assists and has been on the bench for the Under-23’s too.

He has also won two caps for the Republic of Ireland Under-18 side, playing twice against Turkey in March.

And he has now set his sights on reaching the first-team under Manuel Pellegrini, telling the club’s official website: “It’s a great achievement.

“Me and my family are really happy with what I have achieved and now I’ve got it I’ve got to work harder on and off the pitch to get to where I want to be and that’s the Premier League.

“It’s the first contract and hopefully the first of many, so I’ve got to push on. I hope to have a strong season with the 23s next season and ultimately get to the first team.”

Breakthrough unlikely

West Ham continue to look to the future but Watson is hardly the most exciting player within their youth academy.

At the age of 17, he has struggled for game time at the Hammers; he missed a total of 13 games for the Under-18s this term.

When he came back into the team for the final eight matches of the season, the Irons won just two.

He has yet to have a sniff of the first-team, which is perhaps understandable, but this is not a player who is ever likely to find himself mixing it with the likes of Marko Arnautovic, Mark Noble and Felipe Anderson.

Perhaps this deal, then, is designed to merely inflate his value and ensure that, if any club comes in with a bid, West Ham can extract the highest possible fee.

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As takeover speculation continues and Newcastle fans dream wildly of life without Mike Ashley, Chronicle Live journalist Mark Douglas has revealed that Joselu could be on his way out of the club after two disappointing years on Tyneside.

Signed from Stoke City for £5m just after Newcastle were promoted back to the Premier League, the Spaniard was signed as a budget striker option and has proven that £5m gets you very little these days.

Since scoring on his full debut against West Ham United in August 2017, things have gone downhill for the 29-year-old, and he has proven that he is not cut out for the Premier League, scoring 7 in 52 appearances for the Magpies.

The striker works hard for the team but when it comes to finding the net he is useless.

One of his goals last season arrived when a Joel Matip tackle deflected off him into the net, a goal which rather sums up his time at the club.

With news of a potential takeover emerging and Joselu reportedly on his way out of St James’ Park, could this week get any better for Toon fans?

Here’s what the fans had to say about the Joselu report…

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Last summer Kieran Trippier was at the forefront of everyone’s estimation. It was his stunning early free-kick that gave the nation such hope in England’s World Cup semi-final against Croatia, and though the dream of dreams died in extra-time, it still capped a fantastic few weeks for the Three Lions that saw Trippier emerge as a real star. Indeed, he was selected by the BBC in their team of the tournament.

Throughout the preceding season his impressive performances for Tottenham relegated new signing Serge Aurier to the bench and with Kyle Walker departed the former Burnley defender was now an established, integral component in a top six side. In November, he played an absolute blinder against Real Madrid in the Champions League and nine months later a player bought for a measly £3.5m was reported to be the subject of a £50m bid by the very same Spanish giants.

No-one batted an eyelid at that and why would they? Trippier’s forays down the right for club and country offered up plenty of adventure while his defending and man-marking was solid and ever-dependable. Trippier was – and remains – a very good full-back.

Only people got a little carried away as people are prone to do and perhaps this was less to do with his application on the pitch and more his life story. The Bury-born defender was released by Manchester City in his early twenties having not made the grade, but via two separate loan spells at Barnsley and an eventual move to Burnley under Sean Dyche he climbed his way up, rung by rung, to the top. He was a refreshing antidote to the success stories around him. The lad who earned it the hard way.

As one of the most consistent performers in the Premier League and one of the stand-out stars in a World Cup, understandably, the hype then rolled in.

“He is not only the best in the Premier League, but his performances in the Champions League have helped establish Trippier as one of the best in Europeâ€. That was how one website described him back in late 2017 and they were hardly alone is lavishing hyperbole onto the 28-year-old. Another deemed him the equal of Kyle Walker. Post-World Cup, meanwhile, the statmen went to town.

Now it’s all so different of course. Trippier has struggled for form all year, something he recently admitted so candidly, saying: “I could have done a lot better this season. I’ve picked up a lot of injuries and there’s been games when I’ve looked back and watched, and thought ‘I could have done this better’, ‘I could have done that better’.â€

So dramatic has been his decline he has lost his spot in the England squad, while on several occasions this term wingers with pace and trickery such as Sadio Mane and Raheem Sterling have skinned him for fun then skinned him again.

This week Matt Le Tissier unnecessarily highlighted the player to be Tottenham’s defensive ‘weakest link’ this term, while news of his potential departure from north London hardly brought appreciation of his outstanding service prior to his suffering of poor form.

The question being asked here is simple and two-fold. Is it entirely possible that Kieran Trippier inhabits a middle ground between being one of the world’s best defenders and somebody who the fans can’t wait to get shut of? Let’s say perhaps a highly competent player who isn’t one of the absolute elite.

Why does he only bring out extremes from those who pertain to rate him?

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Reports claim Thomas Meunier could be one of two high-profile signings Manchester United make in June, but would he be a good signing?

According to The Sun, the Red Devils want to complete two big signings before pre-season starts in July.

The report claims that Ajax’s Matthijs de Ligt is the primary target, while Napoli centre back Kalidou Koulibaly and PSG right back Meunier are also on the shopping list.

And while right back is a huge problem position for the Old Trafford outfit, there are doubts whether Meunier is the right solution.

We asked some of the writers here at Football FanCast for their thoughts on the PSG ace and Belgium international. Would he be a good capture? Or just another panic signing from Ed Woodward and the board? Let’s find out…

Could Harry Maguire be on his way to Old Trafford? Check out the video below to see why it would make so much sense…

Luke Glanville

“In my opinion, Meunier can only be seen as the correct right back choice at Manchester United. We all know that if he isn’t now, Diego Dalot will be the first choice at Old Trafford soon enough. Therefore, he needs a back-up with experience but one that can still step in and do a job to his standard if needed. At 27, the Belgium international is perfect for that role, bringing bags of domestic success with him from Paris Saint-Germain.”

Harry Sherlock

“Meunier is a bit of a strange one in the sense that he’s probably the only semi-decent right-back available on the market at this point. But, even so, it feels a misstep to move for him. Ligue 1 is not the best judge of quality and Serge Aurier kept him out of the team at PSG; now he can’t get a look-in ahead of the desperately poor Kieran Trippier at Spurs. United should probably look elsewhere or else he’ll be yet another flop.”

Jack Saville

“Signing Meunier would be brilliant business from Woodward. The flying full-back is a unique talent in the modern game, blending height, speed, defensive solidity and forward-thinking dynamism to devastating effect. He would certainly be a fantastic mentor for Dalot given his experience at both club and international level and, if United can secure his signature at a reasonable price, it’s a deal they absolutely have to secure.”

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Loads of Manchester United fans are desperate to sign Donny van de Beek after a Dutch journalist named the Red Devils as a possible destination for the young midfielder.

Van de Beek “has his eyes set on the Premier League” according to Dutch football expert Marcel van der Kraan, who was speaking on TalkSPORT on Monday.

The 22 year-old is expected to be linked with various clubs throughout the summer just like the rest of that stunning Ajax side, which is packed with young talent just waiting to be plucked by Europe’s financial heavy-hitters.

And van der Kraan believes van de Beek could well end up at Old Trafford.

Could Harry Maguire be on his way to Old Trafford? Check out the video below to see why it would make so much sense…

“Van de Beek has his eyes set on the Premier League,” he told Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast on Monday.

“I think he’s a proper Premier League player – he’s got a big tank, he’s got the education from Ajax, he can play in more positions in midfield.

“I think he’s got his eyes set on a club like Man United or Tottenham Hotspur.

“I’ve been talking to his agent, and he said if that would materialise it would be something right up his street.”

Van de Beek earned his sixth and seventh Netherlands caps during the UEFA Nations League last week, impressing against England with his composure on the ball and energy in the middle third.

The youngster scored 16 times and added 12 assists in all competitions this season (Whoscored), and could bring the perfect balance to a midfield currently desperately lacking an all-action presence alongside Paul Pogba.

And United fans are praying van der Kraan’s prediction comes true, just have a look at the Twitter reactions down below…

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European football is now firmly in Wolves’ minds for the first time since 1980.

It’s been an incredibly long period for the club and its supporters but next July, they’ll play their second-round qualifying tie against either Crusaders of Northern Ireland or B36 Torshavn of the Faroe Islands.

Neither are particularly glamorous matches but to stand a chance of Europa League glory, they must take their qualifying seriously.

If Wolves go onto reach the final then they will have played 20 matches.

Considering their lack of depth last season that is an enormous task. After all, Nuno Santo only chose to field a total of 21 players in the Premier League last term.

Signings will be required, but they must rethink their strategy if they’re targeting Ivan Perisic.

FC Inter News ran an exclusive last week claiming that Wolves could be in the market for the Croatian.

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Capped 82 times by his country, the winger was a pivotal part of the side that reached the World Cup final in 2018.

Perisic has been hugely consistent in Serie A over the last four years, finding the net 37 times in total.

On that evidence he’d be a good signing, but if they’re considering him on the basis of finding a pedigreed player who can carry them deep into the Europa League, they must think again.

His record in European competition is alarmingly average, especially for a player who has delivered at international tournaments. In Russia last year he scored three in seven outings.

In the Champions League the 30-year-old has found the net just once in 17 matches though.

As for his Europa League record, it isn’t much better. In 34 games he’s scored only six goals, four of which came in his debut campaign in the competition.

For Club Brugge in 2009/10 he scored four in eight but he’s only found the net twice in the remaining four seasons he’s played in it.

As for assists, he’s laid on a goal for his teammates four times during the periods he’s been playing European football.

With this in mind, he seems an individual that’s more suited to domestic action, something which could obviously help Wolves in the Premier League.

Gareth Bale to Wolves? Wolves Fan TV discuss how ambitious Nuno Espirito Santo will be this summer in the video below…

However, Nuno’s squad and forward line is extremely settled at the moment and switching things around isn’t completely necessary.

If Wolves are going to be pursuing bodies in order to go far in the Europa League, adding players who have perhaps achieved more on the continental stage would be a better idea.