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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…

Whilst he may be focused, is he not in danger of losing sight of the bigger picture?

Speaking before the Hull game, Forest boss Sabri Lamouchi said that he wasn’t focusing on the January transfer window, only on the games that are in front of him:

“I am just looking at the Hull game. January, for me, is too far. Maybe you can make some speculation for some players – some striker, winger, box-to-box, right or left-back, goalkeeper. But for me, I am just focused on my players and my squad. I have so many games. That is so important for me, for us, for the club.”

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This may just be him giving ‘the diplomatic answer’, something to throw as a sign of respect to Hull that he is solely focused on them, rather than viewing them as some sort of distraction as he spends his hours on which obscure signing can help him in January.

However, is this really what those at Forest want to hear?

Surely the role of a head coach is not only to get the best out of the players he has at his disposal but also looking at various methods on how to improve on what he has currently got.

It just seems weird that a head coach has to be entirely focused on what is happening on the training ground rather than being in a position of saying ‘that player is good, but I know that I can get a better one than him’.

Are we meant to believe that Lamouchi isn’t going to even think about the kind of player he can bring in until the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve?

He may not be 100% in charge of who is coming and going at the club, that’s what the likes of Jose Anigo are for, he should at least be in contact with them on a regular basis saying who he does and doesn’t want and working out who can make it in his setup.

So either he is lying when he says he isn’t paying attention to the January window, or he’s telling the truth and his head is purely on the games coming up. Which one is it? Neither of them paints a positive picture.

Tottenham Hotspur fans on Twitter have been discussing Ajax attacker Hakim Ziyech after he scored a wonder-goal in his side’s 3-0 win away at Valencia on Wednesday night.

Last season’s Champions League semi-finalists have got their 2019/20 European campaign off to a fine start with six points out of six so far, and the Morocco international certainly played a big part in delivering the three points for the Dutch side in midweek.

The 26-year-old scored a belting opener when he cut in from the right wing on his left foot, before firing an effort into the far corner at the Mestalla.

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It now means that Ziyech has five goals and seven assists in 14 appearances in all competitions so far this term, according to Transfermarkt, while he has 45 goals and 68 assists in total for Ajax since joining them from FC Twente in 2016.

Tottenham supporters on Twitter certainly seem to be impressed with the African, with many not understanding why they haven’t signed Ziyech previously.

One went a step further and thought about where he would fit in under Mauricio Pochettino, saying “imagine him, Dybala and Son behind Kane in a 4-2-3-1”.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

Marco Silva oversaw yet another Everton defeat on Saturday.

The Toffees lost 1-0 to Burnley at Turf Moor, with Jeff Hendrick’s goal proving decisive.

It means that Everton have now gone four games without a win in the Premier League.

With the international break now looming, the Toffees face a make-or-break decision over the next few weeks.

Indeed, many fans would like to see Silva sacked and replaced before a run of fixtures that sees the club play West Ham United, Brighton & Hove Albion and Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League, along with Watford in the Carabao Cup.

Silva, of course, has been with the Toffees since 2018 and guided the club to an eighth-placed finish last season.

However, supporters appear to be losing patience with the former Watford boss and have urged the club to make a managerial change.

Take a look at the best of the reaction on Twitter down below!

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West Brom picked up an impressive point against Fulham on the road on Saturday as Albion managed to come from behind.

Anthony Knockaert gave the hosts the lead but the Baggies fought back and scored from a corner via Semi Ajayi as it finished 1-1.

Slaven Bilic’s side left it late to get going after the Croatian made three subs during the match but it was an outing that didn’t come without its troubles.

Jake Livermore gave the ball away for Fulham’s strike and as a result, he was slated by certain supporters on Twitter.

One said the 5 foot 11 midfielder was utter garbage whilst another went as far as saying they were better playing with ten men.

A further individual claimed he’d been so bad during the match.

Livermore started the game as captain but was eventually withdrawn as Filip Krovinovic replaced him in the middle of the park.

The 29-year-old’s pass success rate throughout the game was pretty woeful, finishing on 60%. He struggled with the rhythm and also made two fouls, according to WhoScored.

Here’s the best of the reaction from various fans.

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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…

Marco Silva has praised Theo Walcott and believes he is a great example for other players in his squad to follow.

What’s he said?

Walcott has largely been out of Silva’s plans over the last few months, and this term has found himself completely out of the matchday squad on occasion, playing only 56 minutes so far. That is mostly due to the form of Richarlison, who has three goals and one assist.

Despite sitting out, Walcott has remained professional and is ready whenever Silva calls on him, and the Portuguese is impressed by the character he has shown.

Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, Silva said: “[He is a] fantastic professional. He is an example for some of the others to look at.

“Of course, he was not happy but what I can tell you is that when the chance comes to him again he will be ready because of the way he works.”

The former Hull manager accepts that certain players, name-checking Tom Davies, will be unhappy due to their lack of game time, but made it clear that there is a right way to respond, and implied that if his players show the right attitude they will get their reward.

Role model

Since joining the Toffees in January 2018 Walcott has failed to impress fans, and therefore it is fair that he hasn’t featured too often.

Despite that, some senior pros would kick up a fuss over a lack of game time, but the former Arsenal star has done no such thing.

The likes of Davies and Mason Holgate should look up to Walcott and the positive attitude he has displayed, as there is always a chance an opportunity could come their way, as Silva alludes to.

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By comparison, Ademola Lookman struggled to deal with his frustrations whilst at Everton and decided a move away would be best, but so far he has played only once for his new team, and he faces the challenge of impressing a new manager and starting from scratch once more.

The fringe players at Goodison Park may, therefore, be better suited to biding their time, as it may not be long until they’re called upon.

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Arsenal were completely outclassed by Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday afternoon in a fixture which Mesut Ozil played no part despite being available on the substitutes bench.

What’s the word?

The future of Mesut Ozil has been a topic of rife discussion in north London this season.

Aaron Ramsey’s imminent summer move to Juventus has already provided Emery with one significant body blow, but comments from former Arsenal forward Ian Wright hint that Ozil will follow the Wales international out of the exit door.

Indeed, Emery left Ozil on the bench against the Premier League champions despite the fact his side were hopelessly devoid of creativity in the second-half, opting instead to hand Denis Suarez his debut against his former club.

While speaking on BBC’s Match of the Day 2 show (via Goal), Wright had this to say about Ozil: “Captain one week, next week he plays a left-back in midfield ahead of arguably our most creative player.

“Doesn’t look very good for him.”

Emery’s biggest setback yet?

To say it doesn’t look very good for Ozil is an understatement; the writing is firmly on the wall after Emery’s latest snub.

Whether Emery has personally fallen out with Ozil behind the scenes or if his decision-making is purely football orientated remains unclear, but the enigmatic playmaker’s position at the club right now is markedly more transparent: Emery simply doesn’t trust him.

While there is no room for friction and distracting sub-plots in Emery’s endeavour to help Arsenal progress into a positive future, the fact the club look set to wave goodbye to another immensely talented senior player in the summer is hugely concerning.

Not only would losing a player of Ozil’s ability represent a blow to Arsenal’s long-term ambitions on the pitch, it would also represent a metaphorical setback for the club.

The departure of Alexis Sanchez in 2018 and the imminent exit of Ramsey have already set a dangerous precedent for the future regarding their most indispensable players, and Ozil’s decision to follow them out of the Emirates will further compound the regressive theme which has emerged at Arsenal.

Wright’s assessment of Ozil’s position at Arsenal is a damning indictment of how tentative the situation is between player and manager right now, and one can only assume that Emery’s latest selection decision is just another sign that a bitterly disappointing summer departure is looming on the horizon.

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Marcus Rashford played the full 90 minutes of England’s 4-0 win over Bulgaria on Saturday night.

It would probably be fair to say that the attacker struggled to make his mark in the first half of the Euro 2020 qualifier.

However, the 21-year-old did improve in the second half, and won England a penalty courtesy of a brilliant burst of pace and turn inside the Bulgarian box.

There was not too much in the way of a goal threat from the forward, though.

Rashford scored twice for United on the opening weekend of the 2019/20 Premier League season but is without a goal since.

And some of his recent performances have been called into question.

A number of United fans have been on social media discussing Rashford’s performance for the Three Lions, and it would be fair to say that there are a lot of mixed opinions on the subject.

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A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

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Speaking live on talkSPORT to Jim White and Simon Jordan, as transcribed by their website, reporter Alex Crook has dropped an update on West Ham’s chase to sign Man United star Jesse Lingard.

The Lowdown: Lingard a top target…

The Red Devils playmaker is also one of manager David Moyes’ top transfer priorities for the January window amid his search for a striker and new defensive signing (The Evening Standard).

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Out of contract in the summer, Man United could now be forced to sell for a cheap fee this month in order not to lose Lingard for nothing at the end of 2021/2022.

He is also attracting interest from the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United with the latter club apparently at work behind-the-scenes.

Crook, in a live on air update as West Ham still chase him, has made an encouraging claim.

The Latest: talkSPORT update…

Speaking to talkSPORT, the journalist says Moyes and transfer chief Rob Newman still haven’t given up on signing Lingard this month.

“They’ve not given up hope, I’m told, of prizing Jesse Lingard away from Manchester United,” he explained.

“So West Ham could be one of the busier clubs in the Premier League come the next couple of weeks.”

The Verdict: Get it done…

Reports indicate that United are sceptical over selling to a top four rival like West Ham or Spurs in January with Newcastle currently the favourites, but if even Lingard manages to leave Old Trafford on a free at the end of this season, he may well come as a stellar free agent signing.

The 29-year-old enjoyed a fantastic spell on loan at the London Stadium last year, bagging nine goals and four assists, and it is believed that the player favours a move back down south over St. James’ Park as things stand.

This could boost West Ham’s chances of a free summer deal at least and it would most certainly be an astute bit of business.

Former England international Paul Robinson is certainly in agreement, calling Lingard a would-be ‘massive signing’ for Moyes who could add ‘another dimension’ going forward (Football Insider).

In other news: ExWHUemployee backs reports as West Ham now willing to bid for ‘phenomenal’ man, find out more here.

Leeds United turned down interest from Barcelona in Rodrigo last summer, according to reliable journalist Phil Hay.

The Lowdown: Rodrigo’s Leeds struggles

The Spaniard joined the Whites in the summer of 2020, coming in as the most expensive signing in the club’s rich and illustrious history.

However, Rodrigo has struggled to match the expectations of him when he arrived, scoring just nine goals in 45 appearances and finding himself in and out of the team because of injuries.

It has now emerged that the 30-year-old could actually have left Elland Road in last summer’s transfer window.

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The Latest: Barca made summer move for Rodrigo

Speaking in a Q&A for The Athletic prior to Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at home to Newcastle United, Hay claimed that Barcelona tried to snap him Rodrigo on loan in 2021, only for Leeds to turn down their interest, and the journalist didn’t completely rule out the notion that the La Liga giants remain keen.

Hay outlined: “Barca looked at him very late in the last window (loan bid) but Leeds said no. It doesn’t seem to have resurfaced yet but they clearly have, or had, an interest in him”.

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The Verdict: Better to keep hold of him

While Rodrigo has been a disappointing signing overall, it is still better that Leeds have him in the squad than not, given the quality that he can offer. The Spain international has shown sporadic glimpses of his brilliance, including a last-gasp equaliser in a Man of the Match performance at home to Wolves earlier in the season.

Granted, Rodrigo needs to go up a gear if he is to become an unqualified success at Elland Road, especially given his age. However, with Patrick Bamford out injured and Leeds lacking any other potent centre-forward as they try to move clear of a relegation battle, it is crucial that the Spaniard is still around between now and the end of the season.

In other news, one rumoured Leeds transfer target could be available this summer. Find out who it is here.

Antonio Conte is reportedly eyeing a major defensive upgrade at Tottenham Hotspur this winter transfer window…

What’s the word?

According to Italian newspaper Corriere Dello Sport (via Sport Witness), the Spurs boss has two main priorities in January as he presses to sign Fiorentina striker Dusan Vlahovic and Inter Milan centre-back Milan Skriniar.

The Slovakia international has long been a target for the north London outfit, even before Conte was appointed last month. In fact, a move for the 26-year-old failed to materialise back in the summer of 2020.

It remains to be seen exactly how much Skriniar would command next month, though CIES Football Observatory currently value him at €40m (£36m).

Colossal centre-back upgrade

By launching a bid for his former Inter colossus, Conte could finally axe one of Spurs’ most inconsistent performers in Davinson Sanchez.

The Colombian, who cost a one-time club-record £42m from Ajax in 2017, has struggled to cement a place in the starting XI for several seasons now and you could argue that he’s only broke in now due to Cristian Romero’s injury.

Yet still, he’s only started seven league games this term and was part of last season’s leaky and error-prone backline under Jose Mourinho, where he started 17 times.

Often dubbed a “liability” to the side, Sanchez could be shifted aside should Spurs manage to secure a move for Skriniar.

Under Conte, he ranked as Inter’s sixth-best performer and second-most used centre-back on their way to their first Scudetto in over a decade. He clearly played a major role in the side having the best defensive record in the Serie A, too.

Across the course of his career, Skriniar has averaged 3.6 clearances, 1.6 tackles and a phenomenal 91.3% passing accuracy for both club and country, via WhoScored. That would suggest that he’s not only a defensive animal but one that is equally adept with the ball at his feet. It’s no wonder he thrived under Conte.

Italian football expert David Amoyal once dubbed him an “absolute beast” and it’s easy to see why, on the above evidence.

Spurs must allow Conte his wish to sign Skriniar this winter. In doing so, they could finally get rid of Sanchez, who just isn’t consistent enough to be a regular starter.

AND in other news, 28% duels won vs West Ham: Spurs passenger who lost ball every 3 touches is surely giving Conte nightmares…