Leeds fans blast Ben White after midfield role

Leeds United clocked their third successive victory on Tuesday evening but that won’t matter. They have kept the pressure on the league’s leaders.

Mateusz Klich fired home on the stroke of half-time to clinch all three points against Championship strugglers Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium.

Marcelo Bielsa had to cope without his lynchpin Kalvin Phillips as he missed the game through injury, instead the Argentine opted for Brighton centre-back Ben White in central midfield and fans have been slamming the decision on social media.

The Whites are four points from West Brom but now have a healthy cushion of five points to the playoff positions.

Here’s what fans have been saying about the Brighton loan star…

The experiment of playing the defender further forward clearly didn’t work out as fans labelled White as “lost” and as a “headless chicken.”

One supporter even claimed he was terrible and that he had no idea what he was doing in the role.

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It has led to others blasting Bielsa’s actual decision rather than the player.

“Crackers” was one word used to describe the move while a fan pleaded with the manager to stop going to the 22-year-old whenever Phillips is absent from the starting XI.

Per SofaScore, White recorded a 63% passing accuracy, failed to register a single long ball and lost possession nine times.

It was far from the sort of performance you’d expect from the usual anchorman as he averages 5.3 long balls per game and a passing success rate of 81.7%, via WhoScored.

Obviously, a couple of fans couldn’t resist comparing the two, claiming White was nowhere near as comfortable as his fellow countryman while another said he was like a duck being out of water.

Can you get full marks on the Ultimate Leeds Quiz? Test your knowledge below…

And in other news, here’s the reaction to England latest on LEEDS hopeful…

Celtic have a big dilemma with Tom Rogic

Neil Lennon has a big puzzle to solve at Celtic and it won’t be easy.

Football Insider revealed on Friday morning that Australian midfielder Tom Rogic could walk through the exit door if his lack of action continues.

On the chalkboard

Rogic’s game time this season has been sporadic to say the least. The Aussie has played on just 15 occasions in the SPFL and in recent months he’s had to settle for cameos from the bench.

From those 15 appearances in the Scottish Premiership, the 27-year-old has amassed just over 500 minutes. In all competitions, his time on the field accounts for 921 minutes.

The attacking midfielder played the full 90 in Celtic’s 3-1 defeat against Copenhagen in Europe but he’s only started once in the league this calendar year.

In that Europa League loss, Rogic was rather disappointing. Per SofaScore, he lost the ball 18 times and registered a pass success of just 65%. Four successful dribbles and two key passes proved there was life in the experienced Australian but it wasn’t enough to help Celtic win.

The dilemma

Rogic staked a claim for a regular spot in the side when he rescued a point for the Hoops on Wednesday night against Livingston.

Superb work from Odsonne Edouard allowed him to wriggle down the left-hand side before laying the ball on a plate for Rogic to slide the ball home.

It was only his second league goal of the campaign and his first since netting against Ross County back in December.

That strike was a timely reminder to Lennon of his qualities as the manager brought him on as a second striker, just behind Edouard in attack. He took up a wonderful position in the penalty area and it’s that attacking instinct that could prove vital to the Bhoys going forward.

He was tricky against Copenhagen nine days ago but doesn’t show his qualities on a consistent enough basis. As a result, he’s reportedly looking for a way out of Glasgow.

Football Insider claimed £8m would be enough to tempt Celtic into selling but Lennon needs to assess whether that would be the right decision.

Given his lack of time, he’s surely expendable, but the fact of the matter is that his goal on Wednesday night has given Lennon some thinking to do.

For away day veterans only: Can you name all of these defunct stadiums?

At the start of the week, that price tag for Rogic would have surely been lapped up gleefully. However, his technical qualities shone through in midweek and showed why the Glaswegians could do with keeping him around.

The dilemma Lennon has on his hands is rather unexpected given the events of the last few days so it’ll be interesting to see how this saga progresses between now and the end of the season. Do they give him more time, or do they ship him on? Only time will tell.

Meanwhile, check out how Celtic can SAVE £10m this summer…

Arsenal predicted XI to face Man City

Wednesday evening represents a massive occasion for Mikel Arteta, as it will be the first time that he has faced Manchester City as a manager.

The Spaniard worked alongside Pep Guardiola from 2016 right up until 2019, acting as his assistant manager, but left to take the main job at the Emirates.

Considering he will be coming up against the man who will have had an integral role in his development as a managerial figure, Arteta will likely be keen to prove himself.

Aside from personal pride, Arsenal are currently five points behind fifth-placed Manchester United, so the 37-year-old will feel that a result is needed to maintain any hopes of a high finish.

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FFC has predicted the XI that Arteta may use in order to get a result against City, including two changes from the 1-0 win against West Ham United.

The backline remains largely the same as the one that kept a clean sheet against the Hammers, starting with Bernd Leno staying between the sticks.

Bukayo Saka, Pablo Mari and David Luiz also remain in their respective places in the Gunners’ defence, while Sokratis Papastathopoulos comes out of the team.

Ahead of the game, Arteta was quoted by Arsenal’s official website as saying: “I think [Cedric Soares and Shkodran Mustafi] will be available to play. Hopefully, everybody will be available to train tomorrow [Tuesday] and we’ll pick the squad with the best players we can.”

With Sokratis having been played out of position against the Hammers, Arteta may be tempted to put the Portuguese full-back into the side instead of him.

Dani Ceballos was lauded by fans for his performance on the weekend, so he keeps his place at the base of Arteta’s midfield alongside Granit Xhaka.

Can you get full marks on the Ultimate Arsenal Quiz? Test your knowledge below…

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Mesut Ozil and Nicolas Pepe also stay in the team, operating as the three behind the main striker.

Eddie Nketiah was slated by fans for his performance against West Ham and he comes out of the team for Alexandre Lacazette, after the Frenchman recorded two goals and an assist in his last two substitute appearances.

Meanwhile, Arsenal fans have been debating about their transfer target.

Tottenham target Barisic

90min.com are reporting that Tottenham are eyeing Borna Barisic.

What’s the story?

Jan Vertonghen’s contract runs out at the end of this current season, as is that of Japhet Tanganga, whilst Spurs are also looking to offload Danny Rose who is currently on loan at Newcastle.

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As such, they are said to be in pursuit of Rangers left-back Barisic. The report says that the Scottish Premiership outfit are to demand at least £22m for his services and that Spurs will be among a number of clubs to make a move for the 12-cap Croatian in the summer.

Attacking threat

Jose Mourinho has swapped and changed the left-back role throughout his short spell at Spurs. Tanganga, Rose, Vertonghen and Ben Davies have all featured there, although the Portuguese manager does not appear to be settled and comfortable with any of them.

As such, a new player in that position would not go amiss, and that man could very well be Barisic. This season, he has been in fantastic form, managing 14 assists in all competitions in 32 matches – only James Tavernier has managed as many for the Gers this campaign.

This is something that Mourinho does not currently have at his disposal. Between them, the players who he has deployed on that side of the defence have managed just one assist, failing to provide attacking threat from a deep position.

Liverpool have revolutionised the full-back role in recent seasons – both Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson have put themselves amongst their chief providers, with the former managing a team-leading 14 assists in all competitions this term. It is no coincidence that they currently top the Premier League by a huge 22 points.

Bringing in Barisic would not only allow Mourinho to bring in something he doesn’t currently have at his disposal, but it would help him keep up with a modern trend. At £22m, signing Barisic would not break the bank, either.

Meanwhile, Tottenham fans hammer this man after his display against Burnley.

Arsenal scout defender Bruno Fuchs

Arsenal are monitoring Internacional defender Bruno Fuchs, according to Brazilian outlet Guachazh, keeping a close eye on the defender during his recent Copa Libertadores appearances.

What’s the latest?

The Gunners seem to have taken an alternative approach to their recruitment in the last few months and seem to have found a gold mine in South America.

The signings of Gabriel Martinelli and Pablo Mari suggest as much is true, and considering the former has scored 10 and assisted four despite only being 18-years-old, it is clear to see why they are keen to revisit Brazil for talent.

At the current time they are only scouting Fuchs and no transfer dealings have yet been formalised for the 20-year-old, but there is plenty to admire about the centre-back.

Fits Arteta’s philosophy

Since his return to the Emirates Mikel Arteta has attempted to install the “Arsenal passing way”, according to Bukayo Saka, and considering he has lost twice in 15 games it seems to be working.

The north London outfit may be far from the finished product but the steps to achieve that style are evident, and it starts from the defence.

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Mari has been introduced to the side recently and hasn’t done much wrong with 85% pass accuracy, while David Luiz has also managed 85% pass accuracy across the season.

Fuchs fits that billing, too, and even outperforms Luiz in one of his main strengths – playing long balls out from the back.

The Brazilian international has averaged 5.2 successful long balls per game this term, compared to Fuch’s impressive return of 6.7 long balls per match, and if he can maintain that form at Arsenal then he’d likely be a shrewd addition.

Can you get full marks on the Ultimate Arsenal Quiz? Test your knowledge below…

He is young and will probably need time and patience to develop, but the success of Martinelli should offer him tremendous encouragement, particularly as he could excel under Arteta’s philosophy.

Meanwhile, Arsenal fans have made clear who they want to see arrive in north London this summer…

Ex-Celtic man Larsson is Andy Robertson’s favourite player

Liverpool’s Andy Robertson has hosted a Q&A on Twitter and although he never donned the green & white hoops it is clear that his affiliation with Celtic runs deep.The 26-year-old grew up in Glasgow and was a boyhood Bhoys fan, and his connection to his roots still hasn’t been lost despite the success he has achieved in his career.In response to a fan asking him his favourite football memory the Scotland international pointed to the moment Henrik Larsson sent Celtic into the 2003 UEFA Cup final by scoring the winning goal away at Boavista.

The Glasgow outfit haven’t enjoyed success like that on the continent since, and given the left-back was only nine at the time it is easy to see why that was such a stand-out moment for him.

Added to that, there have not been many players like Larsson at Celtic Park, before or since, and watching him for several years must have been a fantastic memory from his childhood, and perhaps what inspired him to play football.

Robertson also added that the Swede is his favourite footballer of all time, and it will be interesting to see if he feels that way by the end of his career, having already shared a pitch with the likes of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.

It is a shame Celtic fans missed out on the chance to see Robertson in action for their side, as it is clear to see he has gone on to become one of the best full-backs in the Premier League, though Kieran Tierney did also dazzle at times in his spell before making the move to Arsenal.

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Elsewhere, Alan Hutton has been commenting on a tense situation that recently occurred at Celtic, and had praise for one man…

West Ham: Julien Faubert not happy that club moved to the London Stadium

Former West Ham United man, Julien Faubert, has spoken about the club’s move to the London Stadium, saying he is sad about the move and believes it has ruined the atmosphere, via The Athletic.

Speaking to Roshanne Thomas in The Athletic, Faubert said, “I went to the London Stadium. It’s not a football stadium. That’s why West Ham have had many difficulties because it’s hard for fans to recreate the atmosphere which made Upton Park so great.”

The Irons have suffered difficulties at the new ground, one of the biggest ones was two seasons ago during a Premier League match against Burnley, where there were mass protests, as fans stormed the pitch. Indeed, captain Mark Noble wrestled one to the ground, whilst many gathered outside the box which had the owners seated inside. This was due to the majority of the fanbase not being happy with how to club is being run, per The Guardian.

There has also been general criticism about the London Stadium, with many feeling like it does not feel like home and highlighting how much they miss their old ground Boleyn Park, via The Guardian.

It is hard to disagree with Faubert here. As someone who made 121 appearances for the club, per Transfermarkt, before they moved ground, he is surely going to notice the difference of the new stadium compared to the old.

They have only managed 27 wins in 71 league games at the ground since their move at the start of the 2016/17, via Soccerway, emphasising that they have struggled since the move.

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Tottenham Hotspur: Fans react to news that Son Heung-min must shave hair for military service

Tottenham Hotspur striker Son Heung-min must shave his hair for part of his military service in South Korea, that is according to a report from The Athletic via @Daily_Hotspur.

It was recently announced that the 27-year-old would return to his homeland this month to carry out a mandatory four-month period of service, which must be completed before the age of 28 (BBC Sport).

The Spurs front man was due to complete this out in the summer, but due to ongoing events causing football in England to be suspended indefinitely (Sky Sports), the club have released him early to get it out of the way.

Mandatory military service in South Korea is usually for a period of 21 months, however Son was exempt from the full amount having helped his country win the 2018 Asian Games (BBC Sport).

Loads of Spurs fans have been reacting to the report that he will be shaving his full head of hair, here are some of the best replies…

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Leeds United: Kevin Phillips insists Kalvin Phillips will leave club despite comments

Former Southampton and Sunderland striker Kevin Phillips has insisted that Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips will leave the club, despite comments made by the 24-year-old.

The Whites ace recently stated that he wishes to spend his “career at Leeds” (LeedsLive), but it seems that the ex-England centre-forward doesn’t believe that will happen.

Indeed, the 46-year-old thinks that it is inevitable that Phillips will ultimately move on from Elland Road, insisting that if he helps his boyhood club win promotion to the Premier League and then performs well in the top flight, bids from the biggest clubs in the country will come in and could tempt him away.

Speaking about the midfielder and his recent comments, the former Stoke City coach told Football Insider: “Credit to him saying that but he is still a young lad. I am not going to say he will regret it but when you look back at the Premier League not many players stay at one club for their whole career.

“Steven Gerrard springs to mind but it is very rare, especially in today’s climate.

“If they go up and he performs well somebody is going to come in with a huge bid. If a big club that is challenging for trophies comes in you are going to go.

“It is nice of him to say that and he is going to because he loves the club but from my experience if he plays well he will not be at Leeds for the rest of his career. I can guarantee that.”

Kevin could well be right here, and whilst Kalvin is making all the right noises about being committed to Leeds for the long-term he may need to leave eventually in order to get the maximum from his career.

There is no doubting that he is a talented footballer. He has become a mainstay under Marcelo Bielsa, featuring 80 times in total since the Argentine took charge which makes him his third most used player (Transfermarkt).

His stats for the current season are extremely impressive, both in a defensive and attacking sense. Indeed he is averaging 2.8 tackles, 1.3 interceptions and 1.3 clearances per game as well as winning a total of 6.4 duels. On top of that, he also averages 1.9 key passes per match and has created a total of five big chances (SofaScore).

He has already been touted as a potential England international (The Sun) and whilst Leeds may well be in the Premier League soon, his talent may outgrow them and eventually he might have to move to one of the big boys in order to fully fulfil his potential and win silverware.

Missing football!? There’s still plenty of Leeds discussion going on in the Vital Leeds Forum! Click here to get involved!

Opinion: West Ham must avoid temptation amid Khedira links

West Ham United are interested in a move for Germany international and Juventus midfielder Sami Khedira, according to Calciomercato.

What does the report say?

Khedira has been limited to 12 Serie A appearances this season, with injuries and stern competition for places seeing him fall out of favour in recent years.

Having just turned 33 the German is likely past the peak of his powers, but West Ham are said to be interested.

According to Calciomercato, Khedira is keen to follow his partner Melanie Leupolz to London, after she signed a three-year deal with Chelsea.

The report states that West Ham are keeping an eye on the German’s situation, who could see his contract with Juventus cut short over the summer.

One to avoid

At his best, Khedira was one of the best midfielders in Europe and in 2014 he became a world cup winner with Germany.

However, he last started more than 10 league matches in the 2017/18 season and with West Ham already said to be planning their transfer activity, this is a deal to avoid.

West Ham have invested plenty in the likes of Sebastien Haller, Pablo Fornals and Felipe Anderson, while short term moves for older players like Samir Nasri, Alvaro Arbeloa, Patrice Evra and Roberto Jimenez have not worked out.

The Hammers now need to refocus on signing promising youngsters, rather than offering large contracts to older stars past their best.

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