All posts by z3u9t.icu

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Noel Whelan has had his say on the transfer business Leeds have done this summer, describing their outgoings as ruthless and strange when speaking to Football Insider.

What’s he said?

Leeds had a productive transfer deadline day, welcoming two new loan players through the doors of Elland Road.

Goalkeeper Illan Meslier was the first to arrive from French outfit Lorient before striker Eddie Nketiah joined for the season from Arsenal.

But there were also outgoings in the form of Clarke Oduor to Barnsley and Tom Pearce to Wigan. It wasn’t a frantic day for the Whites but they were certainly busy tying up some late deals.

However, it’s business that appears questionable according to Whelan, who had his say particularly on those two sales. Talking to Football Insider, he said:

“We’ve been pretty ruthless, I would say, this year in getting rid of young players from the football club, especially when they’ve not even started their journey into professional football.

“It’s a strange one, it’s money through the door and money in the pot. I can only go by what they do. Maybe they’re just not Championship or Leeds United quality players.”

Interesting approach

Whelan has hit the nail on the head when describing their outgoings as ruthless. Pearce and Oduor were two players who have played for the first team and could have been individuals to make a breakthrough.

Pearce would have found life tougher given the number of options at left-back but Oduor was someone, who despite only playing three minutes for the senior side, had years ahead of him.

It was rather bizarre to see him leave and Leeds fans echoed those sentiments, appearing baffled that he’d been allowed a transfer.

At the end of the day, these two players weren’t going to help Leeds achieve promotion this season and for the time being, they won’t be huge losses.

Only in a few years will a real judgement call on their business be viable but at the moment it does appear rather odd to see players like Oduor walk away so easily.

The pair both left in the final hours of the window but there was also the case of Sam Dalby who departed for Watford and Aapo Halme, another young player to move to Barnsley.

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The transfer window may be shut for English clubs but that hasn’t stopped activity happening elsewhere in Europe.

Leicester City’s Islam Slimani has joined AS Monaco on a season-long loan which has sparked a debate amongst many fans at the King Power Stadium.

The 31-year-old joined the Foxes in a then club-record £29m deal in 2016 from Sporting Lisbon.

Having signed a five-year deal, the striker is still contracted in the east Midlands until the end of next season.

Was James Maddison right to take on Jeremy Clarkson. “Jamie Vardy” has his say in the video below…

This will be Slimani’s third loan spell away from Leicester having featured for fellow Premier League side Newcastle United and Turkish giants Fenerbahce over the past 18 months.

He has netted 13 times in 46 appearances for the Foxes but it appears the Algerian isn’t fancied under current boss Brendan Rodgers – even though there are only two other strikers at the club in Jamie Vardy and Kelechi Iheanacho.

Taking to Twitter, a couple of fans believed the 6 foot 2 forward could’ve been used for them this season with one highlighting the fact they are pumping balls into the box to no one.

Another supporter warned others to watch out for him bagging 20 or more this season whilst a further fan had hoped he was sold rather than making a temporary switch.

Here’s the best of the reaction:

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets…

Moise Kean is adjusting to English football and whilst there have been positive signs, his performance against Wolves suggests that patience will be needed.

The 19-year-old impressed in his limited game time at Juventus last season, scoring six Serie A goals from just five starts, and he has so far been unlucky to not get off the mark for his new side – hitting the post in a League Cup match against Lincoln City.

Marco Silva rewarded the impact he has made in his substitute appearances with his first Premier League start against Wolves, but he struggled to get into the game and failed to show the most effective side of his game.

Despite that, his movement and presence in the opposition final third caused problems for Wolves’ ordinarily resolute defence. His work rate contributed to the Toffees’ opening goal as he forced a mistake from goalkeeper Rui Patricio, which allowed Richarlison to strike home.

As mentioned, his lack of involvement in the game was clear, underlined by the fact he made just six passes during his 75 minutes on the pitch, as per WhoScored, and that could be a concern for Silva.

Likewise, he only made one successful dribble and had just 28 touches of the ball, which will need drastic improvement if he and Everton are going to become more of a threat in the final third.

Watch Everton Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

However, by comparison, Dominic Calvert-Lewin had only 21 touches in Everton’s last home game against Watford, and made only 11 passes, which suggests the striker’s lack of involvement is due more to the team’s playing style.

Kean performs best when running onto the end of through-balls and crosses, but in the Premier League he will need to be more useful with the ball at his feet if he is to create chances for the likes of Richarlison or Alex Iwobi.

His seven bad touches led to the opposition nicking the ball away from him, and he was tackled three times when in possession – although playing against Wolves’ three centre-backs may have been a factor in that, and he could potentially improve against opposition playing a back four.

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The Ivory Coast have confirmed that Nicolas Pepe arrived at their training camp with an injury picked and has therefore pulled out of the side.

What’s the story?

Les Elephants will play two friendlies in the next week against Benin and Tunisia, and Gunners winger Pepe had been included in the 26-man squad.

However, he has returned to his club with an unknown issue, and will now spend the international break recovering in an attempt to be ready for the next Premier League match against Watford.

“They have the bigger mentality” – Spurs fans come to blows after the North London Derby in the video below…

Should have kept Mkhitaryan

The 24-year-old has made a good start to life at the Emirates Stadium, as his 7.26 WhoScored rating from the first four league matches indicates. That on its own means that Unai Emery would miss his record-signing should he be unavailable.

Apart than that, though, there is an issue with the other options the former Sevilla boss has at his disposal, or rather the lack of. Right now, Pepe is the only experienced right-winger in the squad. Reiss Nelson is classed as a right-winger, but has been selected on the opposite flank in both of his starts this term even when Nicolas Pepe was not in the stating line-up, so clearly his manager sees him as a better option on that side.

Until recently, they did have a player on their books who could at the very least provide good cover, but Henrikh Mkhitaryan is now out on loan at AS Roma in Serie A. The 30-year-old has made 101 appearances in his career at right-wing, and as such, would have slotted in nicely in the potential absence of the first choice.

Instead, Emery will have to reshuffle his pack and may even feel the need to change formation entirely. Whilst the Armenia international was never likely to be a starting XI regular this season, Arsenal were naive to let him depart without bringing in a specialist back-up option. It could be a difficult period ahead if Pepe’s problem is serious.

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Sunderland fans have been left angered by an article discussing the injury woes of Duncan Watmore.

As reported by The Chronicle, Watmore has suffered yet another fitness setback.

The report details his extensive record of past problems, suffering major knee injuries in December 2016 and November 2017, only totalling 15 appearances in all competitions since that first big setback.

Now, via The Chronicle, Jack Ross has revealed another issue for the 25 year-old, expecting him to miss “the next two to three weeks again” with a thigh problem.

Watch League 1 Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

And Roker Report, who are usually absolutely spot on with most of their Black Cats content, have faced some backlash for an article questioning if the club will ever get a return on their investment in Watmore.

“Personally I believe that the perverse nature of employment law within football is debilitating for clubs, and cases like Duncan Watmore prove it,” the article writes, much to the disgust of plenty of fans.

It goes without saying that a few people agree with the statement, but most have taken it as an attack on a player who has simply been cursed with bad luck, and are fuming with the writer of the piece.

Take a look at some of the best Twitter reactions down below, where Watmore’s latest setback has stirred up quite the response…

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Scotland under 21s secured a dramatic away victory over their Croatian counterparts last night, leaving it until the last ten minutes to come behind and secure a 2-1 victory.

Rangers starlet, Ross McCrorie, is the under 21 captain and he took to Twitter to show his delight at the result.

McCrorie is currently on loan at Portsmouth after he was told playing time would be limited for this season. He, along with Glenn Middleton – who set up Scotland’s equaliser in spectacular fashion – are both highly regarded as long term prospects and have been sent out to gain much needed first team football.

Although regarded by Gerrard as a defensive midfielder, McCrorie has played at centre half and right back for the under 21s, a position he has also played at for Portsmouth during his loan spell.

Whatever position it is in, it’s clear that Rangers fans can’t wait to have him back at Ibrox next season and hold him dear to their hearts, congratulating him on a fine performance.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

Arsenal have not had the best of luck with injuries so far this season, and in the build-up to last weekend’s Premier League game against Watford, they were dealt another crushing blow.

After being without the likes of Hector Bellerin, Kieran Tierney and Rob Holding, it was confirmed that Alexandre Lacazette will be unavailable until October.

The France international played through the pain of an ankle injury for several weeks, and has now been advised to spend time on the sidelines to recover.

It leaves Arsenal light up front, with just Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to lead the line. Unfortunately, at this point, it looks as though the decision to let Eddie Nketiah joins Leeds United on loan may have backfired.

Watch Arsenal Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

The youngster has hit the ground running at Elland Road. He has started just two games for the Whites but has netted four goals in all competitions, including late, important strikes against Brentford and Barnsley. He has already displayed his prowess in front of goal, but that will come as no surprise to those who have followed him as he has made his way up through the Arsenal ranks; he scored 28 goals in 38 games for the Under-23s and 15 in 16 for the Under-18s.

With Lacazette out injured, the 20-year-old would have been the perfect replacement. While Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is a lethal striker, Unai Emery also enjoys playing him on the wings on occasion. He has played there 13 times for the Gunners in total.

Such is the quality of the 30-year-old forward, he has enough talent to operate successfully either on the flank or up top, but playing him on the wing allows Emery to line up with two wide men, whether it be in a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1 formation.

Against Watford, the Gunners started with two strikers. Aubameyang was in impressive form once again, bagging a brace, but Nicolas Pepe, who partnered the former Borussia Dortmund man, was not as impressive. His talents of beating his man and cutting in from the right are, obviously, better suited to a wide position.

The presence of Nketiah, a natural striker, would allow the Ivory Coast international to move out to the right opposite Aubameyang. This move would, therefore, add balance to the side in the absence of Lacazette, while affording Emery the flexibility to play his star man in another role.

Unfortunately, he will have to find another solution. Allowing Nketiah to leave increasingly looks like a horrible mistake.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Barcelona will welcome Villarreal to Camp Nou on Tuesday evening and keeping the Yellow Submarine’s prolific attack at bay will play a huge role in their chances of picking up all three points.

Precisely for that reason, one of their defenders will have to bring his A-game to the table.

On the chalkboard

The Catalan giants have suffered two defeats and a draw in the opening five games, including a shock 2-0 loss to Granada at the weekend.

Of course, these are still very much the early days and big teams do tend to bounce back in the latter stages of the campaign but Barca have already reached a point where every victory will be crucial.

Watch Spanish Football Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

With that in mind, Tuesday’s game against Villarreal will be a must-win encounter.

But seeing how they’ve struggled defensively this season, having conceded nine goals in five games, the key battle just might be fought in their backline.

Good defence key

Of course, when you have the likes of Lionel Messi, Antoine Griezmann and Luis Suarez in the squad, it’s difficult not to talk about them potentially banging in the goals but keeping a good defensive record will be just as important. For that reason, Clement Lenglet could play a big role.

The 24-year-old French defender is likely to come face to face with Gerard Moreno, Villarreal’s prolific forward who has scored five goals in as many games in La Liga this season. Stopping him from doing his thing should be top of the club’s priorities.

Lenglet, however, is no slouch either. He has tallied 2.2 tackles, 0.4 interceptions and 2.8 clearances per game in La Liga this season. Compare this to Moreno’s three shots and 2.8 key passes per game.

Lenglet is also not easy to beat. So far in La Liga, he has only been dribbled past 0.2 times per game while Moreno, on the other hand, has 1.2 dribbles per game. That seems to be an area where Lenglet definitely can get the better of him, especially when adding tackles into the equation.

Both players have participated in every fixture in the competition so far for their respective clubs and are look set to continue their streak – the winner of this battle, then, just might decide the whole game.

Crystal Palace fans are deciding on who has been their September Player of the Month, and many seem split between Gary Cahill and Vicente Guaita.

There is good reason for that, too, as both players have been important to the team’s strong defensive record in September, with the Eagles proving tough to break down, with their match against Tottenham an exception to that.

Watch Crystal Palace Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

One fan has claimed that Cahill has helped to transform the Palace defence since coming into the side, seeing as they have lost just once in five games and conceded only six, most of which came in a single match.

Guaita has been similarly impressive with an average of 2.8 saves per game this campaign, and a solid back four for Palace over the last month has allowed their forward players to strike on the break.

Other than the trip to Spurs, a last-minute equaliser for Wolves is the only blemish on Roy Hodgson’s defence, and that’s why fans have picked out Cahill and Guaita as their main candidates.

Fashion and style constantly change throughout the years and sporting stars are often the instigators.

Footballers inherit a rare ability to pretty much get away with any type of style and, more often than not, kids who admire their favourite player will follow suit.

When it comes to the 90-minutes they spend on a football pitch, these players are limited to what resources and styles they can create; crazy hairstyles are certainly one way to express themselves.

Sometimes it is better for players to create a diversion from something else they are getting attention from – what better way than to create a mockery of yourself, especially if your talent with a football is not overly pleasing.

There have been some questionable haircuts in the past and we take a look at 15 of the worst. Please do not take inspiration from the hairstyles you see because you will regret it…

15. Cristiano Ronaldo

Ronaldo has dabbled with various hairstyles over the years and this one was certainly questionable.

The Portugal striker amazed and baffled the world with his unprecedented talents, but unfortunately for him, this haircut amazes and baffled the world for the wrong reasons.

The 34-year-old has proved his worth as one of the best football players to ever exist – you would think he could produce a decent trim, right?

Copyright: MirrorPix

14. David Beckham

Beckham was the master of the whipping technique when it came to football, but whipped up some interesting hairstyles and this iconic look is the perfect example.

On one particular occasion in 2000, the former England international was made to shave off his mohawk by Sir Alex Ferguson before he was allowed to play; Fergie definitely knows best on this one.

Copyright: MirrorPix

13. Carlos Valderrama

Valderrama was a creative playmaker during his playing days and his creativity carried off the pitch and into his hairstyles. If one person could pull this hairstyle off in the 1980s, it was this former Columbia international.

He is the most capped football player in Columbia’s history (111) and provided spectators with moments of creative brilliance to admire – sure, his football skills went down a treat, too.

Copyright: MirrorPix

12. Marouane Fellaini

Not as impressive as the aforementioned Valderrama, of course, but a stupendous afro haircut. It’s almost as if the large bundle of hair gave Fellaini added powers when it came to heading the football.

Unfortunately, those days are over and the Belgium midfielder shaved it off towards the end of 2018.

Copyright: MirrorPix

11. David Luiz

Fellaini is not the only Premier League player to sport an outrageous afro, and this one is worse. Luiz’s untamed hair is comical, but if he were to change it now, it would simply look bizarre.

That’s enough afros, let’s continue…

Copyright: MirrorPix

10. Paul Pogba

Pogba has exhibited a range of different haircuts over the years – arguably enough to form his own bad haircut collection – and this one was one of the strangest. The red stripe to appease the Manchester United fans was a fairs gesture, but ultimately, looked horrendous.

A perfect example of a good idea with an awful execution.

Copyright: MirrorPix

9. Kevin Kampl

The only explanation for this haircut I can think of is that Kampl is a strong admirer of Jedward? Many players dye their hair, but not many muster up something as unique as this.

The Slovenia midfielder may want to reconsider this one, that’s for sure.

8. Paul Gascoigne

Gascoigne was known for his abundance of footballing talent and controversial celebrations but going full blonde like this was certainly not one of his specialities.

The former England international was an excellent player but this hairstyle back in 1996 was a strange decision.

Copyright: MirrorPix

7. Chris Waddle

Waddle made the ‘mullet’ style his own back in 1980s – why he would want to is a different question. It is difficult to describe this haircut – every part draws your attention towards it.

I would be very surprised if this hairstyle made a reappearance…

Copyright: MirrorPix

6. David Seaman

Seaman’s decision to sport a ponytail was probably a huge regret when he looks back on old photos. One of the best goalkeepers to play in England but what on earth was he thinking with this hairstyle?

I guess he got away with it because he played between the sticks but it doesn’t excuse this – no chance.

Copyright: MirrorPix