All posts by h716a5.icu

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According to Football Insider, Crystal Palace and their Premier League rivals Burnley have both set their sights on signing Cardiff City winger Josh Murphy this summer if the Bluebirds go down, and Eagles striker Christian Benteke will surely have his head in his hands at the report.

What’s the word, then?

Well, apparently the south London outfit have been impressed with what they have seen from the 24-year-old this term, despite the Welsh side’s struggles at the foot of the division and the fact he hasn’t been a regular in the starting XI under Neil Warnock.

Football Insider report that Palace are ready to pounce for the attacker who cost £11m from Norwich City last summer, and with Cardiff effectively needing to take six points from their remaining two fixtures relegation is looking almost nailed on.

Roy Hodgson and his men can actually stick the final nail in the coffin when they travel to the Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday, which would in turn boost their chances of getting Murphy.

Bad news for Benteke

While the wide man seems like a typical Palace signing on paper, Christian Benteke will be tearing his hair out.

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

The low on confidence centre-forward, who has been a regular starter in recent weeks and did shine in the win at Arsenal, is in desperate need of a winger who can put chances on a plate to help him get on the goal trail.

Murphy’s stats this season hardly suggest that he is the man to do that, given he has one assist in 27 top-flight outings.

At 24 years of age he still has time on his side to become the finished article at this level, but he is far from at that point as things stand.

With little over a year left on his contract at Selhurst Park and with potential suitors likely being difficult to find this summer, Benteke could easily be with Palace next term.

It is clear to see that he needs consistent wingers to bring the best out of him, and Murphy simply doesn’t fit the bill.

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Leeds fans aren’t confident of their playoff chances after Marcelo Bielsa’s comments during his press conference casted doubt on his ability to win in pressure situations. This comes just days before the Yorkshire club are due to face Derby County in the first leg of the playoff semi-finals.

Despite the 63-year-old being one of the most highly regarded managers in the world and having made a huge impact at Elland Road this term, there is no doubt that his record in cup finals leaves a lot to be desired.

He has lost finals in the Copa America, Copa Libertadores and the Europa League, with his sole triumph coming in the 2004 Olympics.

The Whites boss is coming up against a man who has an almost impeccable record in similar situations during his playing career in Frank Lampard. The Chelsea legend won multiple domestic trophies as well as picking up a Champions League and a Europa League.

Bielsa said: “What I can tell you is I lost all the finals – apart from the final of the Olympics.”

It’s a statement which hasn’t filled the Elland Road faithful with much confidence.

Here’s what Leeds fans have been saying on Twitter…

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Leeds United fans on Twitter all of a sudden aren’t feeling too confident about their side’s chances in the playoffs after Kemar Roofe was ruled out of the second leg of their tie with Derby County.

The striker scored the only goal of the game in the first leg at Pride Park, which sees the Whites head back to Elland Road with a slight advantage over the Rams.

Roofe has an outstanding record against Frank Lampard’s side this season, scoring four goals in three games against his team’s playoff semi-final opponents.

His absence won’t help the Yorkshire club’s chances of getting to Wembley, as they will now be without their top goalscorer for their most crucial game of the season.

Patrick Bamford is the logical replacement for the 26-year-old as he has now served his two-game suspension.

Understandably this update has worried a lot of Leeds supporters after they lost their first-choice striker.

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

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As reported by Goal, Arsenal playmaker Mesut Ozil has revealed that he intends to stay put at the Emirates this summer despite enduring a difficult campaign under boss Unai Emery.

At times, the German has been left on the bench, or even excluded from the matchday squad entirely for ‘tactical reasons’, which is strange seeing as he is one of the Gunners’ better players.

To make that situation worse, the 30-year-old is the club’s current highest earner on £350,000-a-week; the largest salary in Arsenal’s history.

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?

Ozil started just 20 of Arsenal’s 38 Premier League games, and managed to muster up a measly five goals and two assists – Tottenham’s second choice right-back Kyle Walker-Peters set up more goals in just one game.

So, what are the potential consequences of Ozil staying in north London? Football FanCast takes a look…

Resources wasted

Arsenal are already struggling to muster up funds for this summer’s window, and will have a measly £40m to spend if they don’t win the Europa League final.

Ozil will cost the club a whopping £13,650,000 if they keep him on for the entirety of the 2019/20 campaign, money that could be added to this summer’s budget and be used to lure top-class players to the club on decent salaries; that would be better than giving it to Ozil, a man not even guaranteed a first-team place, right?

Emery loses power battle

Much has been made of Emery and Ozil’s relationship this season.

The Sun have reported that the Spaniard wants Ozil gone, although the German is very happy in London on such a comfortable salary.

Ozil was also seen throwing his coat towards Emery from the bench in Arsenal’s 1-0 loss to Everton; if the former PSG man keeps Ozil on, then he will be undermining himself and not asserting his authority.

His value could drop even more

Arsenal paid £42.4m for the former Real Madrid man when they signed him back in 2013, but they wouldn’t get anything near that for him right now.

His value has plummeted due to, as aforesaid, his lack of game time and poor stats from this term.

If Arsenal keep him on and Emery continues to leave him out, and his form suffers as a consequence, then Arsenal will struggle to sell their No.10 for more than the already reduced fee they could get for him this summer.

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According to reports from The Sun journalist Alan Nixon, Sheffield United are interested in bringing in Oliver McBurnie from Swansea City.

The move makes sense as it is in keeping with the club’s policy of signing primarily domestic players. The 22-year-old may flourish under Chris Wilder, but Sheffield United may be taking an unnecessary risk in purchasing him.

New striker

The Blades seemingly want to strengthen their striking department, they have been linked with the likes of Lee Gregory and Gary Madine in recent weeks, and they have now reportedly shown an interest in McBurnie.

Despite the Yorkshire club having David McGoldrick and Billy Sharp leading their line at the moment, they clearly want to bring in reinforcements up front.

If they are to do this though it should be a definite upgrade rather than continually attempting to take punts on Championship strikers who may or may not step up in the top division.

Taking a risk

Although McBurnie has proved himself over the last two seasons to be one of the most potent strikers in the second division, the Blades would be taking a risk when looking to sign him.

Multiple strikers who have been prolific in the Championship have flopped in the top flight. Tammy Abraham has consistently been one of the best forwards in the division during his loan spells with Bristol City and Aston Villa, but he netted just five times when on loan at Swansea in the Premier League.

If the Yorkshire club are to look to sign a striker, they must make sure it’s a huge upgrade on what they already have, and McBurnie may not be that.

Billy Sharp outscored the 22-year-old this season, whilst David McGoldrick won the club’s Player of the Year award.

Who has been the Championship’s best player this season? The Pl>ymaker FC squad discuss in the video below…

Wilder should be looking towards a more established top-flight goalscorer for the Blades’ first term  back in the top flight, rather than scouring the Championship for untapped talent which may backfire if they are relegated back to the Championship.

Chelsea star Eden Hazard has been voted the PFA Bristol Street Motors Fans’ Player of the Year by football fans across the country in a vote run by fan engagement experts Snack Media.

The Belgium international saw off some serious competition to win with 34% of the vote. Man City’s title-winning trio Bernardo Silva, Sergio Aguero, Raheem Sterling and Liverpool’s pair of Champions League finalists Virgil van Dijk and Sadio Mane completed the shortlist.

In the first of five divisional votes carried out over seven days via Snack’s digital and social networks and supported by top flight football clubs and the press, an impeccable individual campaign in which he scored 16 goals and made 15 assists for the Blues earned Hazard votes not only from Chelsea fans, but also the wider Premier League audience.

Likely his final season at Stamford Bridge, Hazard looks to be going out with a bang.

The Championship vote opens at 11am on Monday 27th May. To vote go to: www.footballfancast.com/pfa-awards

What on earth was going through Rafa Benitez’s mind when he spent £5 million on Joselu from Stoke City? The Spanish striker has proven at both Stoke and now Newcastle that he’s utterly useless, and with just three goals in 20 games this season he’s done himself no favours. However, he could this summer, finally make his St James Park bow.

There is not a lot that the Magpies would love to see more than Joselu leave the club, but the problem is finding another professional football club who are willing to part with real money and pay the wages for the Spaniard who frankly cannot hit a barn door with a banjo. According to AS, though, mid-table La Liga club Alaves are supposedly prepared to take a punt on the 29-year-old.

In his time in England with both Stoke and Newcastle, Joselu has racked up 79 games, yet in those games, he’s only found the net a paltry 11 times, and as far as the Geordies are concerned the sooner that the £3.6 million-rated man, as per Transfermarkt, is off their books, the better. His goal record is nothing short of woeful, and if he’s to leave then it forces the club to sign a new striker.

At first this, season back in August and Septemeber, whilst Salomon Rondon was still bedding in, Benitez put a lot of faith in Joselu, but that faith was soon revoked as Rafa obviously realised how useless his countryman was out on the pitch. Now it looks like the 29-year-old’s failed spell in England is coming to an end, and the St James Park faithful will be delighted.

Newcastle fans, will you be pleased to see the back of Joselu? Let us know!

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According to the Liverpool Echo, Everton have offered Leighton Baines a new one-year deal to stay with the Toffees until the end of the 2019-20 campaign.

As it stands, Baines will be a free agent when his current deal expires on June 30.

However, according to the Liverpool Echo, Everton have placed a contract on the table as the 34-year-old is still wanted as back-up to Lucas Digne.

It did not take long for Digne to replace Baines at left-back following his arrival from Barcelona.

In fairness, the Frenchman was outstanding for Marco Silva’s side last season, meaning that Baines was restricted to just eight appearances in all competitions.

According to the Liverpool Echo, the 5 ft 7 ace will discuss his situation with his family before deciding whether to stay at Goodison Park for another year.

The Everton fans have been on social media offering their views on the situation and a selection of their reaction – which is mixed – can be seen below:

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Rangers fans are desperate for the club to announce the signing of Ryan Kent after reports suggesting they were closing in on his capture.

The Daily Mail reported on Monday that the Gers were close to securing an agreement to bring the 22-year-old winger back to Ibrox on a loan basis, with the Ibrox side confident a deal would be done.

Watch the video below to find out which derbies the Pl>ymaker squad have picked as the most entertaining, fierce and passionate in the world…

Kent was a stand-out in Steven Gerrard’s team last season on the left wing, thrilling fans with his dribbling ability and desire to run right at opposition defenders in the Scottish Premiership.

The chances of a move back to Glasgow seemed slim directly after the end of the season but it appears the stars might be aligning.

It all means fans are so expectant that not a club update on Twitter goes by without the replies being flooded by supporters begging for an announcement that Kent has returned.

Even interesting news such as the appointment of Steve Doyle as the club’s new Lead Technical Scout was bombarded with messages in support of the winger.

The hijack will continue until the news they all want to hear is delivered, as these fans demonstrated this week…

You’ve got to say, Tottenham have defied all expectations this season. But it could’ve been so much better…

Obviously, taking on what appeared to be a self-imposed transfer ban, stadium delays and turbulence as well as an extensive injury list which had seen them suffer 28 injuries before the end of January, and still challenging for the Champions League title is admittedly quite impressive stuff.

However, for Spurs fans, with unexpected hope came bitter disappointment, and as Mauricio Pochettino and his men failed to bring home a single piece of silverware, which makes it 276 oh-so-promising matches under the Argentine with nothing in the way of trophies to show for it, some will be left scratching their heads and wondering what they can do to improve.

So, with that in mind, let’s take a look at the biggest mistake they made this season…

Selling but not signing

A simple one really; selling Mousa Dembele on the 17th of January 2019 was a big mistake.

We understand that his contract was coming to an end, but surely it would’ve been more prudent to keep him on until the end of the season to ensure that the club had sufficient reinforcements to mount their silverware offensive.

The selection headache Pochettino faced charging into the Champions League semi-final showed just how desperate Spurs have been at times, with Harry Winks out and Moussa Sissoko – ironically, a player who has been gifted more time this season because of low numbers – only just making the bench, leaving Victor Wanyama and Eric Dier, both of whom were absent for a combined 41 games.

It’s not even that we’re suggesting the Belgian would’ve started, or even deserved to for that matter. Indeed, an average rating of 6.38 from Who Scored for his performances in the Premier League this season would suggest he was way past his best. But we’ve seen what he’s capable of over the years, particularly with the ball at his feet (even at the end of his Spurs career he boasted an impressive record of only being disposed 0.7 times per game).

Daniel Levy has a chance to right his wrongs this summer and sign some top quality players. And if reports (per Sky Sports) are correct, the first man walking through the new doors of Tottenham Hotspur Stadium could be Real Betis’ 16-goal wonder Giovani Lo Celso.

Fingers are surely crossed.

Spurs fans, on reflection where do you think you went wrong this season? Let us know in the comments below..