All posts by h716a5.icu

[ad_pod ]According to The Birmingham Mail, Chelsea’s Gary Cahill is still a target for Aston Villa as the Midlands side look to shore up a weak defence, however the interest should show the fans that Dean Smith’s plans for the future must not be taken as gospel.

What’s the word?

Well, The Birmingham Mail reports that Villa’s big transfer plan for the remaining days of the window comprises of moves for Newcastle’s Isaac Hayden, Bournemouth’s Tyrone Mings and, confusingly, Cahill.

The Blues veteran has fallen out of favour under the new boss and according to The Mirror has been told he can leave this month in search of minutes, with the likes of David Luiz and Antonio Rudiger keeping him on the bench.

Villa, meanwhile, are desperate for a leader at the back after John Terry hung up his boots having fallen at the last hurdle in pursuit of promotion to the Premier League last season – Cahill seems like the perfect fit, but a move for the former Bolton man would oppose Smith’s recent words.

Buying for the future?

Smith told reportersÂlast week that the aim in the transfer window going forward would be to lower the average age of the squad by signing young players that they can nurture and develop to a much higher market value, although, as contradictions come, they do not get more blatant than an approach for a 33-year-old Gary Cahill.

While finding a player who can regiment the defence is a non-negotiable if Villa are to get promoted any time soon, signing a centre-back in his prime rather than one on his last legs would surely serve the team better in the next decade – that is, if Smith wants to stick with his policy – otherwise, the Villans’ search for their next Terry or Cahill will likely resume every year or two.

The signing of the Chelsea skipper would undoubtedly go a long way in plugging the defence at Villa Park, but Smith must be careful not to raise expectations of fans in terms of transfers when the reality is a long way from his promise.

Is The Championship the most exciting league in the world? Pl>ymaker FC’s Matchday with Max discusses the recent run of crazy results with Sky Sports’ Michelle Owen in the video above…

[ad_pod ]

According to reliable journalist Alan Nixon on his official Twitter account on Thursday, Southampton want £10m if they are going to sell Charlie Austin before the transfer window slams shut at 11pm.

What’s the word, then?

Well, Saints manager Ralph Hasenhuttl once confirmed in his Burnley pre-match press conference on Thursday that while the club don’t necessarily want to get rid of the player, they are willing to do so if a deal can be found that suits all parties.

In quotes, as reported by The Daily Echo, the Austrian said: “We don’t want to send him away.

“If there is an option that he can make a good step and we get someone else in then it can be that this works.”

Nixon believes that the south coast outfit are asking for £10m for the 29-year-old having turned down four loan approaches from Premier League clubs, as per Sky Sports, with the player having less than 18 months remaining on his contract.

Will he go?

It seems unlikely unless Southampton are willing to drop the reported asking price.

While Austin has proven in the past that he can get goals at this level, the injury issues that he has suffered from in recent years, as well as the fact that he isn’t the most mobile striker around, mean that they are being overly ambitious with their demands this late in the window.

Given they are still interested in signing Che Adams, as per Sky Sports, who is more suited to fitting into Hasenhuttl’s style than the experienced centre-forward, it is strange that they aren’t willing to sell the 29-year-old for a smaller fee so they can get the in-form Birmingham City man.

It all stinks of the Saints hierarchy losing the plot, and it could mean that they are left with a player who won’t be of much help to them for the remainder of he campaign.

Check out the video below for Emma Conybeare’s rundown of which clubs need what in the January transfer window…

[ad_pod ]

Leeds United earned a draw against Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium in dramatic circumstances on Saturday, as Kalvin Phillips headed in an equaliser for the Whites in the 11th minute of stoppage time. 

The point took Marcelo Bielsa’s side back to the top of the Championship table. However, the Argentine coach will know, although a draw was a fair result, it was for from a perfect performance from his side. 

Leeds wasted plenty of goalscoring opportunities and at times struggled to be effective on the ball. A number of players looked fatigued and out of ideas, none more so than right-back Luke Ayling. 

The indoor football skills in the video below have to be seen to be believed…

The 27-year-old has been in fine form this season but could do with some time out of the firing line now. What’s more, 19-year-old Jamie Shackleton has impressed this season and could offer Leeds a new dimension if given the chance to fill in for Ayling at right-back for a while.

If Bielsa is to guide his side successfully to promotion he must rotate his ranks smartly, bringing in Shackleton for Ayling would be doing exactly that. 

[ad_pod ]

Everton have made an offer to sign Porto attacker Yacine Brahimi on a free transfer at the end of the season, according to Correio da Manha via Sports Witness.

What’s the story, then?

Speculation surrounding Brahimi’s future is not exactly new. After all, the experienced attacker is out of contract this summer, meaning clubs can effectively sign him for free, although likely on ridiculous wages.

Brahimi has scored 50 times and registered 40 assists in 199 appearances for Porto since arriving from Granada in 2014.

This season, the 29-year-old has nine goals and six assists in 33 appearances in all competitions, suggesting that he will be a huge loss to Porto if he departs.

It is looking increasingly likely that the Algerian will be on his way out, with a new challenge potentially on the cards.

According to Correio da Manha via Sports Witness, Everton have offered Brahimi a contract, but they will face competition from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Would Brahimi be a good signing?

In short, yes. On a free, the deal would be an absolute no-brainer for the club.

Everton would have to commit to fairly sizeable wages, but there is no question that the Toffees should be looking to bring the attacker to Goodison Park.

Brahimi landed the Portuguese title with Porto last season, whilst he has also sampled life in Ligue 1 and La Liga, which are experiences that will stand him in good stead if he does move to the Premier League.

A clever footballer with a good turn of pace, Brahimi has the tools required to be a success in England and would surely relish the chance to join a club who have ambitions of pushing up the table next season.

That said, Wolves will be strong competition as last season’s Championship winners continue to go from strength to strength.

Liverpool will feel confident that they can get the job done in the second leg of their Champions League tie at the Allianz Arena, as the Reds were by far the dominant team during the first leg. 

Although, the Reds will be hoping to get more out of their front three from here on in until the end of the season as they struggled to unlock Bayern Munich’s defence, and dropped off the pace against West Ham and Leicester City.

Indeed, bringing in another quality attacker may just do the trick in the summer transfer window, and it appears as if one of the world’s best may be on the market, as according to Marca (via the Daily Mail), Real Madrid are considering selling Gareth Bale in the summer transfer window.

The Welshman has failed to fill the huge void left by Cristiano Ronaldo in the current campaign, which has forced the Spanish club into looking at possibly selling him in the summer.

FSG really could surprise everyone by launching a move for the attacker as he’s established himself as one of the world’s best in recent years. And, the 29-year-old upset the whole Liverpool fan-base last season during the Champions League final as he scored a brace to help Real Madrid secure a 3-1 win in Kiev.

Of course, the Reds already have the likes of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino leading the line at this moment in time, but Bale has the ability to take them to the next level and has already shown that he can deliver world-class performances in the Premier League from his time at Spurs.

Bale has produced 12 goals and five assists in the current campaign, which is definitely low by his standards, so he could prove to be a real danger in Jurgen Klopp’s possession as he has a knack for getting the best out of players.

What do you think Liverpool fans?

[ad_pod ]

Having been held to a draw at Old Trafford on Sunday, and with a clash against Watford taking place on Wednesday night, there’s plenty of buzz around title hopefuls Liverpool at the minute.

And buzz inevitably means lots of reports, rumours and speculation – but instead of you trawling the internet to try and find the best stories, we’ve put them into one incredibly convenient place for you.

Check out our Reds roundup below…

Injury update on Roberto Firmino

Many Liverpool fans feared the worst when Roberto Firmino hobbled off against Manchester United on Sunday but Jurgen Klopp has provided some positive news on the Reds’ all-important front-man, saying he will be close for Wednesday’s clash with Watford while praising the Brazilian’s powers of recovery.

As quoted by the club’s official website, he said: “He looks good, we were obviously lucky. It is not as serious as we thought in the first moment… We play tomorrow and it will be very close for that, but there’s a big chance for the derby [on Sunday]… Writing Bobby off is a big mistake because he recovers pretty quick.”

Click here to see how Liverpool fans reacted to the news.

Liverpool targeting Lanzini

Football FanCast exclusively revealed on Tuesday that Liverpool are monitoring West Ham midfielder Manuel Lanzini, who was reportedly being eyed last summer as a potential alternative to Nabil Fekir before suffering a serious injury that ruled him out of the World Cup. The Argentine returned to action in a short cameo berth last Friday and after struggling to create anything substantial against United, it’s clear Liverpool could still do with someone who operates between the lines. Lanzini’s one of the Premier League’s best at that when fully fit.

Rhys Williams signs contract

There’s plenty of young and exciting talent in Liverpool’s youth and reserve ranks right now and Rhys Williams certainly falls into that category. Having featured prominently for the Reds at youth level this season, making a total of 21 appearances in the UEFA Youth League, FA Youth Cup, U18 Premier League and Premier League 2, Liverpool have decided to reward the 18-year-old with his first professional contract – as announced on Liverpool’s official website. It’s duration, however, has not been confirmed.

Click here to see how Liverpool fans reacted to the contract announcement.

After internal issues threatened to derail their season, Arsenal seems to have picked up momentum in recent weeks.

The Gunners are getting back to their best under Unai Emery, who seems to have perfected the art of rotation with his luxurious attack-minded side.

Indeed, they’ve produced some scintillating attacking football in the 5-1 demolition of Bournemouth. However, the real test begins now for Arsenal and Unai Emery. First up is a North London derby against a wounded Tottenham Hotspur, followed by an encounter with a rejuvenated Manchester United as Arsenal face the toughest test in qualifying for the Champions League yet.

In between these also feature a UEFA Europa League round of 16 tie against French side Rennes, with the North London giants set to face the heat of a tight schedule. Things could go both ways for them. Their season could crumble into a mess or Unai Emery’s side can receive a big boost to power them in the next few months.

The outcome is solely balanced on Unai Emery’s approach. Emery’s big-game record with Arsenal isn’t the best, but things can change now. If he can get his tactics perfect in allowing his side’s free-flowing rhythm and pace to hurt opposition defences, while maintaining caution to their own defending, Arsenal could outwit their opponents.

Emery needs to be mindful of his rotation, making sure to get the best out of Alexander Lacazette, Mesut Ozil and Pierre Emerick Aubameyang. While their defensive nature is certainly an issue, if Arsenal can approach the games with confidence and swagger, Emery could come out with season-defining results in the next weeks.

If the Spaniard can navigate this tough set of fixtures, it’ll prove those behind the scenes got it right when they appointed him as a relative surprise over the course of last summer.

[ad_pod ]

Leeds United winger Jack Clarke has returned to full first-team training, as reported by Sky Sports.

What’s the story?

The 18-year-old has been on the sidelines since falling ill whilst on the bench during the Whites’ 1-1 draw with Middlesbrough last month. However, the teenaged attacker now looks to be verging on a return to first team action.

This will be welcome news to Marcelo Bielsa, who has been forced to get by with a stretched squad in recent weeks. As the Championship run in approaches, with Leeds still in the thick of the title race, the Argentine coach will need all hands on deck, and Clarke’s return provides him some much needed extra depth.

Options to choose

The availability of Clarke gives Bielsa a valuable extra option to consider when picking his starting XI. By playing the young academy graduate on the right flank, Pablo Hernandez can be utilised in a No. 10 role, where his creativity could cause real problems for the opposition.

Alternatively, Clarke could provide Bielsa with a precious option from the bench. When Leeds need to change a game in the second half, the drive, pace and penetration that the youngster brings could make all the difference. 

Is it true safety, or just a brief cover up? The recent form of Newcastle has been uplifting for the fans, there’s no doubt about that. But, as every Toon fan reading this know will know, the Magpies never make things easy. 

Indeed, only sitting 6 points above the drop zone, there is no time to relax.

With less than 10 games left to play, there are plenty of survival points to be picked up, however with a run in against teams that sit roughly around the same position, it will be a true fight to the death for Newcastle, who surely need to stay up to have any hope of keeping Rafa Benitez.

Here we take a look at a couple of games that may just unease the Toon.

Arsenal (away) 

Given the importance to pick up points for the Gunners, the Emirates will become one of the toughest places to go for the ‘lesser’ teams towards the latter stages of the league. After already succumbing to a 2-1 home defeat earlier this season, Arsenal will look to make sure they make no mistakes against a side like Newcastle.

The Magpies will look to away performances like a 1-2 win over a stubborn Burnley earlier this season for inspiration to go to the Emirates and really fight for the points. It can be argued that even a draw for the Toon would leave fans travelling back up North satisfied.

Brighton and Hove Albion (away) 

After already tasting a 0-1 home defeat to Brighton this season, Newcastle will be wary of the threat that Chris Hughton’s side will have on their own patch. With the dangers of Glenn Murray up front, Brighton will feel that they have more than enough talent to overcome Newcastle and hopefully go for a higher finish than the Toon.

It could be Benitez’s penultimate game in charge of the club – with his contract up this summer – so it’ll need to be all hands on deck to try and repeat the infamous Tottenham game in 2016 to ensure he stays.

Surely, this season can’t be turned into a panic final day for the Magpies, but with these two fixtures included in the run in, it’s not time to start celebrating for Premier League football next season. As we all know, anything can happen.

Preston manager Alex Neil, reportedly one of the leading contenders for the West Brom manager’s job, played down links to the role, but would not rule out taking over definitively

The former Norwich boss dismissed the rumours as merely “speculation” and admitted that the only discussions he has had with anyone is about Preston North End.

Neil told the Lancashire Post: “There is speculation all the time. The amount of times I have sat in press conferences at different clubs and people will say ‘I hear you are signing so-and-so’ and I have never even heard of them.

“It is a case of someone saying something to a paper somewhere or someone starts a rumour, then all of a sudden it catches fire and it is all over the place.

“The one thing that is absolutely guaranteed is that I have had no discussions with anyone about anything other than Preston North End. That is it.”

The favourite for the role continues to be former Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic, and it would surely be a surprise if the Serbian was not offered the job.

But fears must be growing among Albion fans that the club may decide to leave current caretaker boss James Shan in place for the remainder of the season, before making a permanent appointment in the summer.

It would be a disastrous decision, given the Baggies’ position in the table, and promotion still a more than realistic aim.

It would leave the club in a bit of a status quo, with the similarities between their current position and that when they installed Darren Moore to replace Alan Pardew last season.

Fans would rightly see it as a backward step, and should the club fail to be successful in returning to the Premier League — likely to be through the play-off route — then the finger would be pointed at the club hierarchy, and no one else.

For Albion to have a realistic chance, they must make the most of the upcoming international break, and install their man immediately, whether it be Jokanovic, Neil, or someone currently under the radar.

The uncertainty is not helping anyone, least of all, the players.

What are your thoughts on the managerial situation at your club Baggies fans? Who would be your preferred choice? Let us know and join in the debate…