All posts by z3u9t.icu

Newcastle United supporters have suffered for the majority of the January window in predictable and uneventful fashion, but the conclusion of the month seems to have thrown up a handful of welcome surprises.

Shortly before Newcastle kicked off against Manchester City last night, news broke that, at long last, the club are on the brink of breaking their long-standing transfer record. After putting a first minute goal behind them, the news seemed to galvanise the club as Rafa Benitez’s diligent side managed to turn the game on its head and clinch three vital points against the reigning champions at St James’ Park.

The euphoria of a thrilling victory continued into Wednesday morning, but the supporters attention has largely been focused on the imminent arrival of Almiron, who arrived in Newcastle today to complete the record-breaking deal.

Weeks of speculation appear to be finally coming to an end in a dramatic conclusion which few would have been brave enough to predict given Mike Ashley’s transfer history, but who exactly is Almiron?

Well, avid watchers of the MLS will eulogise about the Paraguay international’s exciting all-action approach in the number ten role, but his lack of experience in European football is a notable concern.

Indeed, South American football expert Tim Vickery delivered his verdict on Almiron while speaking to Sky Sports, hinting that the speed of English football may catch him by surprise in the early stages of his career on Tyneside.

“I think he’s got a lot to bring to the Premier League, he is going to have to sharpen up his decision making in the final third, especially as he’s moving to a football which is much more intense than in the MLS and in South America.”

Making the transition to life in the Premier League is seldom a seamless endeavour and Almiron is unlikely to be an exception to the rule.

As Vickery has alluded to, the 24-year-old will need time to adapt to his new environment and it would be unjustified for supporters to expect instant fireworks from their club-record signing.

After all, the pressure that naturally arrives with that tag has been bestowed upon his shoulders due to an anomalous set of circumstances: a club of Newcastle’s stature would typically have broken their record years before Almiron’s arrival if the club were not constrained by the manacles of an atypical owner, while his price-tag remains modest in the context of an extortionate modern economic climate.

The pressure is on for the imminent arrival to succeed at Newcastle, but can Almiron rise to the challenge?

Newcastle fans – thoughts? Let us know below!

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Michail Antonio seems to have a personal vendetta against Liverpool, having always proven to be a thorn in their side when he has faced the Reds.

Against the Merseysiders on Monday night, that narrative was no different as the Englishman fired in what was his fifth goal in seven appearances against them, and in doing so put a real dent in their bid to increase their lead at the top of the table.

Whilst the former Nottingham Forest forward took his goal well – it was his only shot throughout the game – it was his work off the ball and an industrial approach from Antonio that made it difficult for Jurgen Klopp’s side to dominate the game.

Be sure to check out the incredible story of the man who rose from a Tanzanian refugee camp to become one of Australia’s biggest football stars in the video below…

The Hammers, on another day, could’ve won the game against a Liverpool side far from their best, largely thanks to some impressive numbers by Antonio in a tireless display.

As aforementioned, the 28-year-old hit his side’s only goal of the game with his only shot of the match, but he also managed to win a whopping four aerial duels, more than any of his teammates, and more than any player on the pitch but for Virgil van Dijk (seven).

Despite starting as more of a striker, Antonio still managed to defend from the front for Manuel Pellegrini, recording two tackles and two interceptions to go alongside his aerial dominance to truly pester the Reds all over the pitch.

The former Reading and Southampton man has helped blow the title race wide open with his heroic display, which has pleased the masses (barring Liverpool fans) greatly as some were fearful of the Merseyside outfit running away with it.

Additionally, after a dismal showing away to Wolves before Monday’s fixture, Antonio ensured that the London Stadium faithful forgot all about that as they witnessed what was a tactical masterclass from Pellegrini, made to work so effectively by Antonio’s excellent performance.

After losing Mousa Dembele in January, Tottenham Hotspur’s midfield has thinned down. Injuries to Eric Dier, Moussa Sissoko and Victor Wanyama haven’t really help Mauricio Pochettino’s men as they push to win the Premier League title.

Indeed, while impressive, Harry Winks is still learning and the Lilywhites certainly need an appropriate replacement to Dembele.

It seems like they’ve acknowledged a need for an experienced candidate in midfield. According to reports from Corriere dello Sport (via Calciomercato), Spurs are looking to sign FC Porto’s Hector Herrera after his contract expires in June. The Mexican midfielder is having a prolific season with Dragoes, having impressed in the league as well as the UEFA Champions League.

Herrera’s been a solid figure in Porto’s midfield and in 21 league appearances, he’s kept almost 85% passing accuracy (via WhoScored). He’s scored only two goals but averaged 1 key pass every game as well as 2.3 tackles and 1.3 interceptions every game. After having a solid World Cup campaign with Mexico, the midfielder’s picked up form in club-level.

Potentially being available for a free, Herrera could be a valuable asset for Spurs midfield. He’s also proven himself in the Champions League, scoring twice this season in the group stages. A hard-tackling midfielder who is precise with his tackles and winning back possession, Herrera keeps a calm head and can help Spurs dominate games more smoothly.

Pochettino needs a similarly strong, dominant midfielder to replace Dembele. Knowing how consistent the Mexican’s been for Porto, Spurs should start tabling a big offer for Herrera, who can solve their midfield woes and solidify their team even further.

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Everton’s sporting director Marcel Brands has revealed that he would love to bring PSV Eindhoven youngster Mohammed Ihattaren to Goodison Park.

The 17-year-old is widely regarded as one of the best young talents in European football and could be about to spark a scramble for his services.

What has Brands said?

Brands told Voetbal International:

“Frankly, I’d like to have him at Everton tomorrow. He’s so good, but I don’t think that’s the path he should take. He will need an intermediate step later.

“In that respect, Mo is good at PSV. The club plays European football, he has a great chance of playing time and he is in the national teams.

“If he now went abroad, he has a lot less guarantees. The step to the Premier League is really big and it can also go wrong with a talent.”

It is clear that Brands is a huge fan of Ihattaren, but Everton’s sporting director feels that the teenager should remain at PSV for now.

The fact that Brands has dropped the attacker’s name, however, is a strong indication that the Toffees are keeping a close eye on his development.

Barcelona have also been credited with an interest in the Netherlands Under-19 international, who has made three first-team appearances for PSV this term.

How good could he become?

It is always difficult to predict just how good players can become, particularly in this case as Ihattaren only turned 17 earlier this week.

The fact that he is getting minutes for a PSV team chasing the Dutch title, however, suggests that he is a pretty special talent.

A seven-time Under-19 Netherlands international, Ihattaren is capable of playing in attacking midfield, as a right winger and also in central midfield, according to Transfermarkt.

The teenager’s debut in the Eredivisie came against FC Groningen last month and he has since appeared against both Fortuna Sittard and FC Utrecht in the league.

Pl>ymaker FC’s Matchday with Max caught up with Jamaica’s women’s team. See what happened when he met the history makers in the video below…

The fact that Ihattaren has a contract with PSV until the summer of 2021 does stand the club in good stead, but it seems likely that he will eventually move on.

Brands has confirmed that Everton are watching, but the Merseyside giants will seemingly have to fight off a host of Europe’s biggest clubs if they wish to seal his signature in the future.

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Tyrone Mings found it very difficult to earn minutes for Bournemouth in the first half of this season, but he has been an ever-present since arriving at Aston Villa.

Mings joined Villa on loan from Bournemouth in January and has not missed a minute of football for the Championship club since his arrival.

Mings again operated alongside Tommy Elphick at the heart of the defence in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Stoke City at the Bet365 Stadium.

And the Villa fans absolutely loved what they saw from the towering centre-back again.

It remains to be seen whether Dean Smith’s side are able to secure a spot in the playoff positions come the end of the 2018-19 campaign.

Who are the best away fans in the Championship? Pl>ymaker FC’s Thogden gives his top 10 in the video below…

However, whatever happens, it would be fair to say that the Villa fans are absolutely desperate for their club to sign Mings on a permanent contract.

According to WhoScored, the 25-year-old had a pass success rate of 88% against Stoke, which is staggering for a centre-back at Championship level.

A selection of the Twitter reaction from the Villa fans can be seen below:

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Having knocked Doncaster out in the fifth round, Crystal Palace are through to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, where they will face Watford on 16th March. Any latecomers to the ticket sales party, though, would have been disappointed to find out that the away allocation for the clash at Vicarage Road has already sold out.

The Hornets surely granted the minimum 15% allocation for their visitors in what could be seen as an attempt to limit the impact of the Eagles’ 12th man on the huge tie.

The Premier League clubs have stirred up somewhat of a minor rivalry after Watford mascot Harry the Hornet mocked Palace talisman Wilfried Zaha by diving in December 2016 as the Ivorian winger was booked for simulation – this latest low blow will be only make the cup clash next month more heated.

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

The hosts have the edge in terms of results in recent meetings having beaten the Selhurst Park outfit by a scoreline of 2-1 on both occasions this season but, as we all know, it’s anyone’s game in the cup and Roy Hodgson seems to have found a new winning formula at Palace.

Here’s what the SE25 faithful had to say on Twitter…

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With his Newcastle contract ticking down, Mo Diame has opened up on his future plans with the club, and the Senegalese midfielder is a very brave man.

Much was made of the form of Jamaal Lascelles, Martin Dubravka, Jonjo Shelvey, Ayoze Perez and Kenedy as Newcastle romped up the table to a top ten finish last season, but Diame didn’t get anywhere near the credit he deserved.

The 31 year-old’s all-action presence is what allowed Shelvey to spray the ball around freely, but both players have fallen by the wayside this season.

Sean Longstaff and Isaac Hayden have taken over the number one spots in midfield, and Diame has been forced to settle for a place on the bench since returning to full fitness recently.

And, speaking after Saturday’s loss to West Ham, last season’s unsung hero revealed all about his contract situation.

What did he say?

“I am focused on what this club needs to stay up, as that is the most important thing,” he said, as reported by Chronicle Live.

“I have been playing a lot this season so it will not be a problem to find another team. They (Newcastle) know I want to stay.

“But it’s not about me, it is about the club and what they want to do.

“I am focused on the job of staying up and there will be time in the summer to think about this.”

Should the Magpies give him a two-year deal?

Diame will be out of contract this summer, but the club can trigger a one-year extension by simply starting him three more times in the remaining nine Premier League matches.

According to the aforementioned Chronicle report though, the midfielder would rather ditch the one-year extension and pen a brand new two-year deal, which would keep him at the club until he is 33.

This may be wishful thinking for Diame though, who is surely now Rafael Benitez’s fourth choice, given the form of both Longstaff and Hayden and the pending return of Shelvey.

The Senegalese international’s engine and drive in midfield is a useful asset to have, but signing an ageing midfielder to a two-year extension when the squad is already too small would be a huge risk.

Diame should focus on forcing his way into Benitez’s plans over the next nine games, as just three starts will at least extend his stay by another campaign, and holding out for a two-year deal may just be a bridge too far.

Either way, it is extremely brave of the midfielder to put his future on the line so openly, and the ball is now entirely in the club’s court.

Once it was obvious Fred would be playing in the second leg against Paris Saint-Germain after a spate of big injuries and Paul Pogba’s suspension, you’d have forgiven sections of the Manchester United fanbase giving up hope quite knowing he’d be leading their engine room.

However, they were in for a pleasant surprise on Wednesday night, when he led the charge in the remarkable comeback at the Parc des Princes.

In spite of having a daunting duo of Marco Verratti and Marquinhos pegging at him, Fred held his composure and gave his best performance in a United jersey.

It couldn’t have come at a better time. He helped them keep a level-headed approach in the game, distributing the little possession he got into promising areas, allowing United to attack in full throttle. The Manchester United way. At long, long last.

He blended in a perfect mixture of creativity, bite and energy in his performance to help his young companions Scott McTominay and Andreas Pereira be calm under pressure. Fred’s intelligence was showcased in his pressing and how he regained possession many times for the Red Devils.

The Brazilian had an 82% passing accuracy while making three successful tackles and recovering the ball seven times! (stats via Fotmob). Indeed, he drove United forward often, while also helping them soak in the pressure from the Parisien giants.

In the end, he helped the Red Devils on their way to the extraordinary victory and surely immersed himself as a fan-favourite.

Now his name in the infamous chant will be shouted even louder. If his bright showing in a pressure situation proved anything, Fred should more Champions League games in the near future.

United fans, do you feel Fred should start games more often? Join the discussion by commenting below.

James Shan acknowledged the last few days have been a “surreal experience” for him, before singling out keeper Sam Johnstone for praise Albion racked up a first home win in the Championship of 2019.

This may be the only game in charge for the caretaker manager, and certainly his comment to the West Brom official website afterwards hinted that he does not know if he will be in charge at the weekend.

He said: “It’s been a surreal experience for me over the last couple of days and one that I’ll look back on fondly in many years to come. It was a great evening.”

Although a 3-0 scoreline sounds emphatic, Shan acknowledged that were it not for the heroics of his 25-year-old stopper, the outcome could have been a lot different.

“It was a difficult test tonight, Swansea are a good footballing team,” said Shan.

“I thought second half we were magnificent. Swansea are a good team and Sam Johnstone on the night was fantastic. He has made some very, very important saves.

“On another day we could probably be two or three down, but credit to the boys I think they repaid Sam with their work ethic to stay within the game and keep it compact and keep it tight. It was a good performance.”

The win consolidated their fourth position in the table — particularly with Middlesbrough’s slip-up at home to Preston — and with automatic promotion beginning to look out of grasp, the Baggies need to bring in Darren Moore’s permanent replacement as soon as possible in order to build up momentum ahead of those play-offs in May.

With an international break coming up after Saturday’s trip to Brentford, it would be the ideal time to get the new man in now, look at the side on Saturday and have two weeks to get to know, and work with, his players before the following game.

What do you think of last night’s performance? Should Albion bring in a permanent manager now, or another interim appointment until the end of the season? Let us know your thoughts…

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For Southampton, the international break probably could have waited a couple more weeks – the Saints have been excellent of late, with their ever-increasing performance standards finally paying dividends in the impressive 2-1 victory over Spurs last time out.

After a string of poor league performances, Mauricio Pochettino’s former side surely inflicted the final nail in the coffin of Spurs’ title hopes and Southampton legend Matt Le Tissier is tipping them to cause another major upset when we resume normal, domestic service.

Here’s what the former Saints striker had to say on Sky Sports, as he, Charlie Nicholas and Phil Thompson predicted results in Manchester City and Liverpool’s respective run-ins…

“I think the Saints game is one Liverpool drops points in, and that is not myself being biased. The win against Spurs will give them a massive lift and the way Ralph Hasenhuttl has got them playing is great.

“They took Man Utd all the way at Old Trafford and beat Arsenal and Spurs at home. They raise their game.”

Regardless of whether he is biased or not, there is solid thinking behind the Saints legend’s analysis – indeed, they were excellent against the Red Devils and really should have taken at least a point from Old Trafford, while they took their opportunities well in the win over the Lilywhites the following game.

James Ward-Prowse has been a standout performer, as has Yan Valery, while the expected return of Danny Ings from injury will be a massive boost to Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side, who have been operating without a clinical striker since the Liverpool loanee was sidelined in early February.

Southampton fans would of course love to get one over on the club who notoriously pinches their top talent year after year, so Saints fans, do you think Le Tissier’s prediction will come true? Let us know your thoughts in the comments down below…