All posts by h716a5.icu

[ad_pod ]

Wolves well and truly put themselves in the driving seat for a Europa League place against Fulham last weekend.

The club spurned a succession of chances but managed to drag themselves across the line with a 1-0 win over already-relegated Fulham.

Diogo Jota was again lively, proving to be a constant danger down the left-hand channel. He had numerous opportunities to score and really should have made Wolves’ victory far more comfortable.

However, there is a certain aspect of his game that needs to be cut out. Early in the game, the Portuguese star got past Cyrus Christie in the penalty area before throwing himself to the ground. The result? A booking from referee Jon Moss.

It was a clear attempt to deceive the officials and he was deservingly shown the yellow card.

There was also another occasion throughout the match where he went down too easily. Tim Ream stuck his leg out and slightly clipped the Wolves man as he was sent tumbling.

Jota is a fabulous talent and has become one of the most dangerous players in the league but his reputation is going to be severely damaged if he continues in the same light. Particularly after how bad the dive looked when pictured.

The 22-year-old clearly still has a lot to learn after this incident but there is no excuse for simulation. It was something that obviously annoyed Christie and will no doubt also have frustrated the Molineux faithful.

Jota has scored nine goals and claimed five assists in the league this term but this simply wasn’t his afternoon.

[ad_pod ]

Danny Rose insists that Ruud Gullit’s criticism of Tottenham Hotspur inspired the club to their historic victory over Ajax in the Champions League semi-finals, per Sky Sports.

What’s the word?

Tottenham, of course, lost 1-0 in north London and were aware that they needed to win in Amsterdam to have any chance of reaching the final, where they will face Liverpool.

A 3-2 victory, inspired by a brilliant Lucas Moura hat-trick and capped with a 96th-minute goal, sent Spurs to Madrid, and Rose took aim at Gullit in his post-match interview due to his previous comments.

Speaking after the club’s loss in north London, the former Chelsea star told beIN SPORTS: “A lot of players were disappointing because I see them every week in the Premier League.

“Dele Alli, oh my god, technically wise so bad. Wanyama, my god, technically wise, Rose too.

“Like I said I see them every week and how is it possible to make so many mistakes? I know you’re under pressure but you need to know what to do and they didn’t.”

Rose, a target of the Dutchman, was quick to respond following the final whistle, insisting that his statement spurred his team-mates on.

“Seeing people’s comments, like Ruud Gullit, after the first game and how rude he was, it’s nice that we fought back tonight and hopefully we shut him up.

“He was very critical of individual players and saying how bad we were technically and he’s bang out of order for that.

“So that was fuel to the fire and I hope he eats his words after tonight.”

Constantly written off

Spurs have been written off all season, particularly in Europe.

They took just one point from their first three games and appeared to be heading out of the competition but they rallied, beating PSV Eindhoven, Inter Milan and earning a draw with Barcelona.

Wins over Borussia Dortmund – then-leaders of the Bundesliga – and Manchester City, apparent champions-elect in the Premier League, did much to change perceptions.

But, even so, Gullit still chose to castigate the club after a narrow first-leg defeat.

He was foolish and Rose is surely right; last night’s result must have shut him up. He would be well advised not to make any similar statements ahead of the final.

[ad_pod ]

Pep Guardiola is renowned for his unparalleled man management skills and a recent update from BBC journalist David Ornstein suggests that he could yet work his magic on one of England’s most exciting young prospects, per 5 Live Sport.

What’s the word?

Ornstein appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live yesterday to give a breakdown on what the top clubs are likely to do in the transfer window this summer.

Manchester City have been tipped to sign a left-back in recent months due to Benjamin Mendy’s chronic fitness problems, but Ornstein believes they are also interested in recruiting a new right-back, per 5 Live Sport 14/05/2019 (20:15).

“Aaron Wan Bissaka is very much on Manchester United’s radar as well as Manchester City’s.”

One point separated City and Liverpool but twenty-five separated them from the rest! Fans discuss who could reduce the deficit next season in the video below?

Man City’s long-term Walker upgrade?

That a player of Wan-Bissaka’s profile is on City’s radar is far from a surprise. He is just 21-years-old and would contribute to the homegrown quota as an English citizen, while his breakthrough campaign at Crystal Palace underlines his exceptional defensive quality.

Kyle Walker has endured a tumultuous season at the club, with a handful of individual errors in December causing supporters to question the true extent of his ability.

There is no disputing his marauding class and effectiveness in the final-third, but his defensive contribution often leaves plenty to be desired.

The same, however, cannot be said of Wan-Bissaka – a player who has affectionately been nicknamed ‘the spider’ by virtue of his incredible ability to tackle his opposite number.

He has completed an average of 3.7 tackles per game this season and 2.4 interceptions, per Whoscored, so there is no doubt City would be acquiring a player with a more natural ability to thrive in the defensive third than Walker.

However, the Palace academy graduate will need to adapt to City’s style to become a success at the Etihad Stadium and make significant improvements to his contribution in the attacking phase.

For Guardiola, the prospect of moulding Wan-Bissaka into a complete full-back will be a mouthwatering one for him to mull over, and under his guidance the aspiring England international could blossom into a superior talent to Walker.

Raheem Sterling has been one of Guardiola’s biggest man-management projects to oversee in recent years and, with that task effectively considered complete, his next one could be on the horizon in the shape of Wan-Bissaka.

[ad_pod ]

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola handed Gabriel Jesus a surprise start and chance to impress in Saturday’s FA Cup final at Wembley, and the Brazilian didn’t let him down, as shown by the comments from City fans on Twitter.

The 22-year-old has largely had to play second fiddle to Sergio Aguero, especially in the Premier League and the Champions League, this term, but the Spaniard placed his faith in his second-choice striker for the 6-0 thrashing of Watford.

The South American rewarded Guardiola with a brace and an assist, despite Raheem Sterling’s best efforts to take his first goal off of him, and put in an all-round impressive display up top for the English domestic quadruple winners.

His second goal showed his composure in front of goal as he ran through, feinted to shoot before sliding the ball under Heurelho Gomes.

City supporters were clearly impressed with what they saw from Jesus judging by their reactions on Twitter, with many clearly believing the Brazil international has sent a strong message to his manager ahead of the 2019/20 campaign.

Which iconic Premier League team from the past would be a match for the Man City of today? The Pl>ymaker FC squad discuss in the video below…

While one said “not sure why he’s been written off for the future”, another said “he has a future at this club”.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

[ad_pod ]

Manchester United are reportedly monitoring the situation of Adrien Rabiot, but the Frenchman is just one more headache Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could do without.

What’s the story?

According to The Manchester Evening News, the Red Devils are still interested in Rabiot despite failing to qualify for the Champions League.

The PSG ace is out of contract this summer, meaning clubs can effectively snap him up for free.

Check out the below above to see football played as you’ve never seen it before… in a maze!

While the report claims both Real Madrid and Barcelona have shown interest, United are still in the race and want the 24 year-old to replace Ander Herrera.

Disaster waiting to happen

There is no question Rabiot is a gifted player. The 6 ft 2 in ace would provide physicality, composure and balance in the United midfield.

He is a fantastic passer of the ball and loves striding forward from deep, and should perhaps be seen more as a replacement for Nemanja Matic than Herrera.

However, the last thing Solskjaer needs right now is another mercenary with attitude problems.

Last summer, Rabiot refused to be a part of France’s standby list after missing out on the World Cup squad, per BBC.

Earlier this season, he effectively ruled himself out for the remainder of the campaign, refusing to pen a new contract and resigning himself to the bench, per AS.

When the Red Devils knocked the Parisiens out of the Champions League, the midfielder was spotted later that night partying in a Paris nightclub, per GOAL.com.

The mentality at Old Trafford right now is a far bigger issue than the actual talent on offer within the squad, and signing Rabiot to what will no doubt be massive wages, for free signings are able to negotiate huge salaries, will only worsen an already fractured mindset around the club.

If this is the type of signing Ed Woodward is offering up, then Solskjaer has no chance of mending the mood in the red half of Manchester.

[ad_pod ]

Per The Daily Star, Ralph Hasenhuttl’s Southampton are involved in a six-way race to land exciting young Liverpool attacker Harry Wilson, who is ready to leave Anfield after a thrilling season of first-team football at Derby County.

The attacking midfielder couldn’t quite fire his side to the Premier League but featured for the Rams in last Monday’s playoff final, an eventual 2-1 loss to Aston Villa.

Throughout the season, the 22-year-old bagged 16 goals and four assists in 43 Championship appearances, building upon the previous term’s impressive haul of ten goal involvements from 13 games during a short stint with Hull City in the same division.

The Saints will battle it out with Premier League rivals Crystal Palace, Newcastle United and Brighton & Hove Albion and Hertha Berlin and Eintracht Frankfurt from the Bundesliga for the signature of the young Championship sensation.

But what do Football FanCast’s writers think of Southampton’s chase? Four of them share their thoughts below…

Ben Goodwin

“When you consider some of the fees that have been tossed around by Premier League sides in recent years, £25m for a 22 year-old with 20 goal involvements in 40 Championship starts this season is an absolute no-brainer. Ralph Hasenhuttl has turned Nathan Redmond, an exciting wide man with poor end product, into a new and improved, more clinical player. Just imagine what he’d do with Wilson, who already has the end product and is just missing the chance to put it all together consistently at the top level.”

Billy Meyers

“If he becomes a realistic target for the Saints, then a swoop for Wilson wouldn’t be a bad move. However, it definitely shouldn’t be a priority signing. A goalscorer and a real colossus at centre-back is what Hasenhuttl’s side need, not wasting £25m on an unproven youngster.”

Southampton fans may love Ralph Hasenhuttl but do the owners? Check out the video below…

James Beavis

“You only need to take a quick look at Redmond’s development this season to see the merits of Wilson moving to Southampton. Hasenhuttl is clearly a brilliant coach and there’s no doubt he could turn the Liverpool academy product into another Redmond success story. He’s blessed with all the attributes needed to thrive at the top level and with the right guidance he could be a valuable weapon for the Saints.”

Christy Malyan

“I’m surprised Liverpool aren’t intent on keeping Wilson. He’s still got much to add to his game but his record in the Championship speaks for itself and surely the next stage for Jurgen Klopp’s team is to start integrating more academy talents. With that in mind, he’d be a fantastic investment for Southampton, especially under the guidance of Hasenhuttl. Many have made the Redmond comparison already but I see Wilson almost as another James Ward-Prowse – someone the Saints boss can encourage a steely tenacity in to match the obvious flair and technical ability.”

[ad_pod ]

Leeds United fans on Twitter are feeling down after Phil Hay confirmed that James Milner wouldn’t be returning to the club this summer.

Supporters had previously gotten themselves into a frenzied state as they believed that the midfielder would come back to the club where he started his career.

The former England international is set to lineup in his second consecutive Champions League final this weekend, but United fans were hopeful that he would be back at Elland Road next season.

Hay is the go-to man on anything Leeds related, and he immediately shut down any rumours that Milner is going to drop down to the Championship next term.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side would certainly be strengthened if they added the two-time Premier League winner to their ranks, but a move appears to be completely off the table.

The former Man City man may return to his hometown club one day, but for now, that speculation can be put to bed.

Here’s what the Elland Road faithful have been saying on Twitter…

[ad_pod ]

It will be an intriguing summer in the transfer market for Everton.

Many supporters will be wondering what the future holds for Andre Gomes and Kurt Zouma, two players who starred for the club last season on loan from Barcelona and Chelsea respectively.

The former, a Portuguese international, has already indicated that he wants to join the Toffees on a permanent deal after snubbing West Ham’s advances, so his future is a bit clearer than Zouma’s. Marco Silva though, has suggested he wants to have Zouma back at Goodison Park next season.

Watch how to cross the road like a boss with freestyler Ben Nuttall in the video below…

Sadly for the Merseysiders, the French international has returned to Chelsea and things have gone quiet in regards to a permanent switch – however, there may be a perfect alternative in Real Sociedad star Diego Llorente.

The Spaniard, formerly of Real Madrid, is supposedly on Everton’s radar and they have been tipped as the favourites to sign him by a Spanish news outlet – the report indicates that €30m(£26.66m) could be enough to do a deal.

According to WhoScored, the 25-year-old Spaniard had an 84.8% pass success rate in La Liga last season, whereas Zouma recorded a percentage of 83.6% in his 32 Premier League appearances.

Additionally, from a defensive point of view, Llorente has eerily similar stats in comparison to the former Saint-Étienne centre-back in regards to his tackling and the amount of clearances he makes. Llorente made 1.2 tackles per game last year and 3.8 clearances per game, the former being 0.2 more than Zouma whilst the clearances are the same.

Zouma may not even leave Chelsea after the Blues were hit with a transfer ban – this could mean they try and hang on to as many experienced stars as possible. He’s a solid centre-back who the Everton fans have loved having at the club and are hoping for his immediate return, but things aren’t always that easy in football.

If a deal for the Frenchman doesn’t materialise, then Llorente appears to be a strong alternative.

[ad_pod ]

Tottenham Hotspur have been so close over the last few seasons but never really at the very top. Sure, we could spot gradual improvement under Mauricio Pochettino but crucially, they are still missing the trophies. With that in mind, here are five key dates in the upcoming season that will decide if they are going to merely quality for Champions League football again or push for the Premier League title…

17 August, Manchester City (A)

Tottenham’s second fixture puts them against the reigning and defending champs. This will be a huge test to see whether Spurs have what it takes to tango with the best. Early fixtures can often set the tone of the whole season and what better way to see if Poch’s boys are ready to challenge for the title than facing Manchester City?

26 October, Liverpool (A)

Two months after that, Spurs have a date with the Premier league’s second best, Liverpool. The same is true for the Reds as was for the Citizens. If Tottenham want the title, games like this one at Anfield will play a crucial part in their journey to the top.

7 December, Burnley (H)

After two mammoth games, there’s one against Burnley. Seriously? It might sound strange but a defeat and a scrappy one-nil victory for Spurs against Burnley last year prove they are indeed tricky. Besides, this game is sandwiched between Manchester United (A) and Wolves (A). If Poch manages to get nine points in this period, Spurs will head into winter with their heads held high.

21 December, Chelsea (H)

Spurs generally struggle against the Blues, although they did trounce them 3-1 at Wembley last season, so beating them at their new stadium just before Christmas will be vital for them. Defeat, on the other hand, suggests top four is about the best Spurs can hope for. Not to mention this comes right after a tough game against Wolves away. Tricky month, tricky opponents.

29 February, Wolverhampton Wanderers (H)

And finally, Wolves in late February. Spurs find it hard to play Wolves in general, and last year they barely managed to scrap a 2:3 win at the Molineux before suffering a big 1:3 defeat at home. Changing their fortunes against such a tough opponent will tell us if Spurs are ready to contest the throne. If last season taught us anything, it’s that the teams at the very top need to be almost machine-like against this calibre of opposition.

[ad_pod ]

Paul Pogba is still very much the face of Manchester United. The coveted World Cup winner and once the most expensive footballer on the planet, however, is aching for a change, as he has already publicly proclaimed himself.

But as much as all the crazy stuff of the transfer window is still ahead of us in the upcoming months, Pogba has been pretty active and carefree on social media, posting snaps on

/By2uZZ2Fuci/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link” data-lasso->Instagram and getting plenty of attention from his friends and rivals alike.

His latest snap caught the eye of Thomas Muller, Germany’s veteran forward who engaged in some friendly banter with the Frenchman, calling him out for only seeking attention on Instagram.

Samuel Umtiti was also quick to pounce on the opportunity as he replied to his compatriot with a series of laughing emojis, depicting how hilarious the snap actually was.

All of that is, of course, in good spirits and within the limits of some friendly repartee.

Pogba, however, might still have quite a busy window ahead with his name being linked to the likes of Real Madrid while Manchester United want to somehow keep their valued Red Devil and would only part ways if an enormous offer arrives at Old Trafford.

Watch Manchester United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Ironically, though, they reportedly even have to table a new loyalty bonus regardless of what happens with the midfielder. Sometimes football just isn’t fair.