All posts by h716a5.icu

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Mauricio Pochettino motivates his Tottenham Hotspur players by “touching our minds”, according to Lucas Moura, per Goal.

What’s the word?

Pochettino has taken his Spurs side to third in the Premier League, while they are also playing in the Champions League semi-finals against Ajax. A 1-0 first leg defeat means they will have to win in Amsterdam to qualify for the final.

And Lucas has revealed that, while Pochettino was angry at half-time of the first leg encounter, he attempted to turn the tide with a team talk that did not involve the hairdryer treatment.

The Brazilian said: “You know Mauricio. He loves to touch our minds and to motivate. That’s why we changed in the second half and played much, much better.”

Spurs were, indeed, the better team in the second half but were unable to find a way through Ajax’s imposing defence, led by superb skipper Matthijs De Ligt.

A peek into Sissoko’s transformation

Moussa Sissoko was a key part of Spurs’ excellent second half and has been indispensable to Pochettino this season.

When signed in 2016, he endured a rocky start to his White Hart Lane career, playing 90 minutes in the Premier League just twice and generally turning in a number of appalling performances.

This season, however, he has been reborn, providing an invaluable outlet on the counter-attack and emerging as the club’s best midfielder player.

That simply has to be down to Pochettino and his motivational techniques, with the Argentine perhaps “touching his mind” and providing him with the tools he needed to overcome his own limitations.

After all, Sissoko’s confidence must have been left in tatters after his initial struggle in north London, one which earned him scathing criticism from fans on the terraces on social media.

Memories of a bygone reputation make his current popularity all the more staggering.

As the fans regularly sing, perhaps Pochettino really is “magic” after all.

The day of reckoning is almost here for West Bromwich Albion.

In less than a week, it’ll be decided whether or not Jimmy Shan and his boys have the mettle to deserve a Premier League promotion. Up first is Aston Villa, a side riding high in momentum.

When you peg the Villains’ menacing attack against West Brom’s frail defence, problems are almost guaranteed for the Baggies. If their humiliation at Derby proved anything, Shan cannot rely on his defence to bail him out. One person he can trust to save his graces is the trustworthy Sam Johnstone.

Even during the onslaught from Derby County, Johnstone ended up making 10 saves (stats via Fotmob) to keep it from becoming a cricket score. A couple of weeks ago, he put in a clinic to earn a point at Reading. Whenever the Baggies have an off-day, the 26-year-old goalkeeper ends up standing firm to help motivate his team-mates.

He’s kept nine clean sheets this season despite having a horrible defensive set-up ahead of him. Moreover, the £6.62m signing from Manchester United has averaged 3.1 saves per game (stats via WhoScored), which itself proves how agile he’s forced to stay.

Against a Villa side high in confidence and boasting menacing attackers like Jack Grealish and Tammy Abraham, Johnstone needs to prepare for a barrage of shots coming his way. Thankfully for the Baggies, he’s an excellent shot-stopper and extremely quick in sniffing out the danger.

Shan has a daunting task awaiting him, but if Johnstone puts on his heroic cape, West Brom’s promotion chances might just go up.

West Brom fans, do you think Johnstone can keep out Villa’s onslaught? Join the discussion by commenting below…

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Rangers play the final game of their Scottish Premiership season on Sunday but the gaze of Steven Gerrard and supporters is likely already on the new challenges that await in 2019/20.

Having already made a number of pre-contract signings, fans have something of an idea about how the Gers might line-up in the team’s earliest competitive matches and one player everyone is eager to see is Jake Hastie.

The Motherwell winger will join up with Gerrard’s squad for pre-season and he’ll be hoping he can get an opportunity to impress in upcoming European qualifiers.

Where will he fit in and can he displace the talent already at Ibrox?

On the chalkboard

Hastie’s pace and power are the main attributes that have caught everyone’s eye in his half-season in the Scottish Premiership and that’s principally what the Gers have been lacking at right wing for the last couple of years.

Bursting onto the Motherwell scene in January having spent time on loan at Alloa, the 20-year-old took the league by storm before speculation about his move to Rangers derailed performances somewhat.

The fact fans at Fir Park appear angry about his departure speaks volumes when it comes to his ability and potential.

Seven goals in 15 appearances for the Steelmen this term is compelling initial evidence that he can be a real success at Ibrox next season embedded in a more attacking and ambitious team.

The energy in and direct nature of his game will give Rangers a new dimension on the right flank, where Daniel Candeias has suffered inconsistent form throughout this season.

Candeias cancelled?

The Portuguese winger has been an effective signing at Rangers over the last two seasons and at times he has produced some joyous football that has made fans’ mouths water.

His problem though is reproducing that week upon week against all styles of opponent. He isn’t very versatile and his final ball delivery over the last few months has been pretty dire.

An accusation could be made that he slows Rangers down too much on the right side, often a little more patient with the ball than is necessary in the final third.

The explosive nature of Hastie could make his contribution obsolete, though it must be stressed that the youngster will need to find regular goals and assists, with Candeias providing a direct goal contribution of 18 this season.

There’s a case for the 31-year-old staying at the club beyond this summer, for depth reasons as much as anything, but Hastie’s arrival means he’s very much on notice and he must produce more exciting form if he wants to stay relevant at Ibrox.

According to the Liverpool Echo, Hertha Berlin are keen on extending the loan of Liverpool midfielder Marko Grujic for another year, after impressing in his first season at the Olympiastadion.

What’s the word?

The Serbian midfielder has been a key figure in Hertha’s campaign this year, helping the side to a surprising 11th placed finish. In his 23 appearances for the club, the midfielder has scored five times and provided a further assist.

With the German side revealing their intentions to keep hold of the 23-year-old, it is easy to see why. According to the Bundesliga’s official website, Hertha boss Pal Dardai exclaimed last December: “I’ve been at Hertha for 22 years. This isn’t meant as an insult to anyone else, but Marko is by far the best midfielder I’ve seen in my time at the club.”

For Liverpool fans, hearing that kind of praise about Grujic is somewhat eyebrow-raising. The midfielder featured just 14 times in the two full seasons he was a part of Jurgen Klopp’s squad, and didn’t register a single goal or assist. But, with the Reds relying so heavily on their much-vaunted front three to score their goals, perhaps now is the time for Grujic to finally make his mark at Anfield.

A goal threat from midfield

As touched upon, if ever there was a criticism of Klopp’s side, it would perhaps revolve around their reliance on the likes of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane to score the bulk of their goals. Despite spending just under £100m on two midfielders last summer in Naby Keita and Fabinho, neither signing truly addressed the issue of adding a goal-scoring option from deeper on the pitch.

In the Bundesliga last season, Grujic averaged 2.1 shots per game; almost double that of Keita (1.1), and significantly better than the other natural ‘box-to-box’ midfielder at the club Georginio Wijnaldum (0.9). Such has been Liverpool’s negligent attacking threat from midfield that Klopp has felt inclined to use Xherdan Shaqiri, a bona fide winger, as one of his deeper three to offer up more creativity.

It was always a constant source of debate, particularly in the games where sides would park the bus, that the Reds needed something extra. Could a midfield trio of Jordan Henderson, Fabinho and Wijnaldum/Keita really provide that added impetus? Indeed, aside from his propensity to test the goalkeeper, Grujic also averaged more key passes (0.7) and more dribbles (1.4) per game than all four of those midfield counterparts. Having that midfielder who can carry the game forward and take the burden off his strikers is akin to gold dust.

So, whilst it may not be the popular option nor the blockbuster signing Liverpool fans might crave of, keeping hold of Grujic rather than letting him leave on loan again next season, might be the sword up the sleeve that Klopp needs to wrestle the Premier League crown away from Manchester City.

On a scale of one to Nuri Sahin, how wrong can one loan move go?

‘How flipping wrong can this go?’ – This is a question we often find ourselves asking when the next flopped attempt at short-term glory steps in and out of our favourite club like a bare body testing a boiling hot bath. Well, ask Liverpool fans and they will give you a pretty comprehensive account.

Once one of the brightest prospects in world football and forged in the talent producing powerhouse that is Borussia Dortmund, Turkey international Nuri Sahin was kicking a ball around for the iconic Real Madrid when Liverpool came knocking back in 2012. He wasn’t the quickest of players, but what he lacked in pace he more than made up for in technical ability. Sahin could pick a pass from any range and deliver it with such efficiency and effectiveness that it was rumoured UPS were going sack off couriers and recruit him to volley parcels to their customers’ doorsteps.

Oh boy, did they think they had a player. The midfield “maestro” (in the loosest possible sense) started off his spell with the Reds in emphatic style, scoring one and assisting two in his second start against the mighty Norwich City. Surely the sky was the limit. It had to be.

Alas, sadly this was not the case.

Indeed, it seems the unprecedented highs of clipping the canaries wings was just about as good as it got for Sahin, who went on to contribute a paltry zero Premier League goals and assists in the remaining five fixtures before being unceremoniously disposed of in January, months before the expected return date.

One of the worst ever? We think so.

Liverpool fans, how shocking was Sahin? Was he a victim of time? Would he perform in your current squad? Let us know in the comments below…

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Crystal Palace shocked their fans by rewarding crocked forward Connor Wickham with a contract extension earlier this week, with the 26-year-old having made a mere 42 appearances for the club since signing in 2015.

The number 21 is seemingly stealing a living at Selhurst Park and, given his apparent inability to remain fit, Palace fans can be forgiven for thinking he’ll maybe make a handful of appearances while playing third string to two much more capable strikers; if recent reports are anything to go by, he could be more than that.

On the chalkboard

Well, with Michy Batshuayi and Jordan Ayew set to return to Chelsea and Swansea respectively and deals for either uncertain, Palace will be lacking options up front next season even without the potential departures of Christian Benteke and Alexander Sorloth, both of whom could face the axe this summer according to The Times (subscription required).

Benteke is a £15m target for Chinese outfit Shandong Luneng Taisan, while Sorloth is seen as surplus to requirements after a disappointing 2018 at Selhurst Park and a marginally-improved loan spell at Gent.

That’s four strikers who Palace fans may have seen the last of in red and blue and it’s unlikely that Steve Parish and co will bring in as many replacements, meaning Wickham has a vital role to play in being backup to whichever centre-forward Palace sign to lead their line for the foreseeable future.

Wickham’s role

The former Sunderland man surely won’t be relied on as first choice number 9 next term, with Palace having been linked with a plethora of targets and the longstanding need for a clinical finisher certain to be addressed in the coming months.

At 6 ft 3, Wickham presents a problem to defenders who aren’t ready to jump into a physical battle and he will make it difficult for teams off the bench – but only off the bench.

Should Crystal Palace keep hold of Max Meyer this summer? Harvey Jones discusses in the video below…

Palace are crying out for a mobile striker but, if the aforementioned target men are set to leave this summer, the Eagles will need a big man in the wings to offer them the direct approach that brought them success under the likes of Alan Pardew and Sam Allardyce, should Roy Hodgson need it.

Wickham might not be the glamorous bit of business Palace fans are hoping for this summer, but he’s essential if Benteke and Sorloth are as good as gone.

West Ham United look set to show everyone how ambitious they are planning to be this summer!

According to a report by French outlet Soccer Link (yeah, we’ll admit we’ve never heard of them either), the Hammers are thought to have made an offer to sign Lorient’s Alexis Claude-Maurice. That might not sound like a player worthy of the ambitious tag, but hear us out.

They also claim that Arsenal have had an offer of €10million (£8.8m) already turned down by the Ligue 2 outfit, so whether West Ham have bid any higher than that remains to be seen.

The Gunners are not the only club to have shown an interest in the 20-year-old either, with the likes of Red Bull Leipzig, Olympique de Lyonnais, LOSC Lille, AS Monaco and Paris Saint Germain all thought to be prepared to try and prise him away from Lorient this summer.

And, having hit 14 goals in 35 Ligue 2 matches for FC Lorient this term, it is hardly a surprise to see a number of high-profile clubs compete for Claude-Maurice’s signature.

That is an attractive list of potential clubs to choose from, and the fact that West Ham have decided to enter their own name alongside them to try and sign him shows real intent and ambition.

14 goals is impressive going for the youngster, however, what is more remarkable is the fact that he mainly operates as a left-sided winger.

Manuel Pellegrini could do with a young talent like him on the left, whilst Claude-Maurice would also have the opportunity to get regular playing time and the chance to develop to a high standard at the London Stadium, arguably more so than any of the other clubs mentioned – especially in terms of minutes on the field.

West Ham fans, do you think Claude-Maurice would be a good addition at the club? Let us know your thoughts below!

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If you were to ask an Everton fan how their season went, they would say something along the lines of “it was average, but there is hope for the future,” a message that seems to be said almost annually from supporters of the Merseyside club.

Another top-10 finish is good for Everton, who placed themselves firmly in the mix of the ‘could challenge for the top-six’ category of teams in the Premier League, and with the summer transfer window now underway the club has a chance to build on their chances of a European spot by bringing in those right players.

With Everton linked with a slew of players, who are the five main targets that the club have been rumoured with, and who should the Toffees actually sign this summer?

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You just knew the moment it was announced Danny Welbeck was leaving Arsenal that Everton would be one of the favourites to sign him, and the Evening Standard have reported just that.

The Toffees lead the race for the England international’s signature after it was confirmed that the Gunners striker would be departing north London when his contract expires this summer and, for Everton, it could be a coup.

Welbeck has struggled massively with injuries this season, but when he has played the former Manchester United man has been a reliable striker as well as a useful player to have in the attack, and for Everton, he would be a success under Marco Silva’s guidance.

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One of the more high profile names to be linked with a move to Goodison Park this summer is Roma winger Cengiz Under, who TuttoMercatoWeb report that Everton have had a €28 million (£25 million) offer for the youngster rejected.

The Turkish youngster had a decent season in Italy, scoring three and assisting eight as the Roman club missed out on Champions League football, but at Everton, Under could flourish.

Playing alongside the likes of Gylfi Sigurdsson and Richarlison will bring out the best in Under, who will make Everton fans happy by replacing Theo Walcott in the starting XI, and at 21-years-old, the winger could become a success on Merseyside.

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Andrija Zivkovic might be an unfamiliar name to most Everton fans, but to Benfica supporter and Football Manager players, they know that the Toffees could be landing themselves a gem.

According to CM Sport via Four Four Two, Everton will need to cough up €35 million (£30.9 million) for the Serbian winger if the club are to go in for the exciting prospect, but in a season where Zivkovic only managed seven assists in 30 games and was largely a rotation player, Silva could be better off spending his money elsewhere.

Able to play on both wings and behind the main striker, Zivkovic has the versatility to be a hit at Everton, but spending over £30 million on a player who can’t make it at Benfica will be a risk too big to take for the club, who should be using that kind of money on first-team quality star.

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Another name unfamiliar to English football fans, the Daily Mail report that Santiago Sosa to Everton is all but a done deal with the Blues paying a reported £13.25 million for the River Plate midfielder, and it could be a risky signing.

Sosa has hardly played for the first-team of the historic Argentinean club, making just four appearances this season, and Everton shelling out a hefty fee for a player who has featured little will be an alarm bell for fans.

Saying that, there’s a reason Everton paid so much for the midfielder. Sosa has been one of Argentina’s best U-20 players in the past year and impressed for the South American side at the U-20 World Cup this month. Silva might have spent too much on unproven talent, but it could be one that works out well in the long run.

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He might have spent a season on-loan at Everton, but there is a reason Silva wants Andre Gomes back on a permanent deal.

The Portuguese international was exceptional for the Toffees last campaign, adding creativity to an Everton midfield that had lacked such qualities and it showed, with the Barcelona man quickly becoming a fan favourite at the club, and now according to football.london, Silva’s side are the favourites to sign Gomes on a full-time basis.

At 25-years-old, Gomes will be playing his peak years at Everton can get a deal done with Barcelona, and after settling so quick and being adored by the fans, all the club need to do now is submit that offer.

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Lots of Liverpool fans have taken to Twitter to respond after the Liverpool Echo revealed that Jurgen Klopp wants to see what Harry Wilson can do in pre-season before letting him leave the club again.

The Welsh international starred whilst out on loan with Derby last term, netting 18 goals and recording six assists to finish as the Rams’ top scorer – unfortunately, they couldn’t earn promotion after losing the play-off final.

You can relive Liverpool’s Champions League celebrations in glorious 2D thanks to the guys at 442oons in the video below…

Wilson, 21, has attracted a number of clubs due to his fine performances, with the aforementioned report revealing that the Reds have already fielded several enquiries for his services.

A few fans weren’t happy when it looked like the club were going to cash in on the young winger, so the news that Klopp wants to run the rule over Wilson before making a decision appears to have gone down well with some supporters below.

Let’s see what loads of Liverpool fans on Twitter have been saying about the news…

Arsenal finished the season in thoroughly disappointing style, didn’t they?

Indeed, another season without Champions League football will surely be a significant dent to them but they must try to respond well in the next campaign. After all, there were signs of an improvement under Unai Emery prior to their late-season implosion, so it’s not exactly a stretch to imagine the Gunners returning to Europe’s elite competition.

Still, to do so, they will need reinforcements. But who will they bring in? And what impact will they make? Well, with the rumour mill churning, plenty of names have naturally been thrown up. Now, let’s have a look at some of the individuals below.

Ryan Fraser

Let’s start with Bournemouth winger Ryan Fraser, who impressed throughout this season. The Mirror have reported of Arsenal’s interest while adding he is willing to quit the club for a move this summer. Arsenal’s interest has been long-standing, with Sky Sports reporting in April that the Scot was flattered by the interest.

So, what would Fraser bring to the club? Well, firstly he would provide great competition in the squad. With Mesut Ozil being woeful of late and Aaron Ramsey leaving for Juventus (as per BBC Sport), Arsenal are now seriously short in midfield. Additionally, while they’ve appeared in patches, neither Alex Iwobi nor Henrikh Mkhitaryan have consistently impressed this season. Scoring nine and assisting ten between them, there’s clearly a shortage in that department. In fact, Arsenal’s attack relies so heavily on the strike partnership of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette. They need more!

Fraser, in comparison, scored seven and assisted 14 in the Premier League this term, helping Bournemouth to finish 14th and register only 17 goals less than a much superior Arsenal side. It is not just goals, though. Fraser’s overall stats are far beyond the wingers at Arsenal. He averaged 2.4 key passes per game in the Premier League, more than Iwobi [1.1] and Mkhitaryan [1.2] (as per whoscored.com).

The Scotland international is direct, good with set pieces and clearly has a keen eye for goal. He betters the Arsenal wingers in some key departments and would be a great addition to the squad. Aged just 25, he also has plenty of room for improvement.

Adrien Rabiot

Now, moving on to a player perhaps less likely to start, but one that would make a significant impact on the squad. According to Paris United, the Frenchman is on his former manager’s radar in North London.

But why should Arsenal go for Rabiot? Well, primarily they are distinctly lacking in midfield. As stated, Ramsey has now departed to Juventus, while Ozil hasn’t shown the kind of form we’re used to of late. Additionally, although arguably Arsenal’s best midfielder currently, we don’t believe Granit Xhaka is going to win you titles any time soon. Moreover, while Matteo Guendouzi certainly impressed at the start of the season, he dropped off massively by its conclusion.

Rabiot would bring experience of top level football with him. Featuring in over 150 games for PSG, the Frenchman is ahead of his years at just 24-years-old. Yet, he has struggled for game time this season, managing just 12 league games.

However, when he has played, he’s operated both as a central and defensive midfielder, while averaging a pass completion rate of 93.1% (as per whoscored.com), so could help the Gunners control proceedings in the engine room.

Mario Gotze

Finally, it has also been reported by BILD that Arsenal are interested in World Cup winner Mario Gotze, with The Mirror adding that with just a year left on his contract, he could be available for a cut-price fee.

The German made 26 league appearances for Borussia Dortmund this season, making a sizeable contribution with both seven goals and assists. Again, these are figures that significantly outshine Arsenal’s attacking figures. The main comparison arguably being with Ozil, who managed just five goals and two assists.

Indeed, Gotze is also three years Ozil’s junior at 27-years-old.

We also believe Gotze fits the Arsenal style of play, with his quick, sharp dribbling and passing ability a huge strength of his. Perhaps slightly defensively weak, but given a similar role to Ozil and that wouldn’t necessarily matter too much. Having played for Bayern Munich, Dortmund and won a World Cup with Germany, Gotze would provide a much-needed winning mentality and experience of football at the top level.

Arsenal fans, who would you like to see at Arsenal this season? Should anyone else be on this list? Comment below.