Category Uncategorized

[ad_pod ]

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Expert Roundup feature, which provides three quotes from those in the know in order to illuminate fundamental strengths, weaknesses, quirks, stylistic comparisons and general observations of players, transfer targets and confirmed signings.

Make no mistake about it this is a huge season ahead for Arsenal’s Reiss Nelson. Having been at the club since he was eight the Londoner built on a trio of introductory appearances in 2017/18 with a successful season-long loan to Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga last year.

There he impressed to such a degree that Unai Emery has clearly promoted the youngster into his thinking judging by the consecutive starts against Newcastle and Burnley.

With his development loan behind him this highly regarded England Under 21 international could very conceivably now enjoy a break-through campaign, so perhaps it’s time we found out more about the explosive 19-year-old; to be fully briefed on what to expect.

To do this Football Fancast gathered the opinions of those in the know…

Arsene Wenger, former Arsenal coach

Having closely followed his progress through the Arsenal ranks it was Wenger who gave Nelson his first competitive bow against Chelsea in the 2017 Community Shield. Immediately prior to that, however, an eye-catching performance in the Gunners’ 5-2 win over Benfica in a close season friendly prompted the revered manager to sing the prodigy’s praises. As per Fox Sports Asia:

“He’s a young player from our academy and he has had an encouraging pre-season. He has shown that he can dribble, go past people and he isn’t fazed by the occasion. He looks confident and it’s good for him to play in these kind of games.”

Watch Arsenal Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Martin Keown, former Arsenal defender

If Nelson’s managerial mentors are beholden to be fairly restrained in their platitudes (see Nagelsmann too below) the same does not apply to pundits.

That same summer of 2017 saw Martin Keown suitably bowled over by the wingers’ skill and bravery to display it. So much so that it conjured up a comparison from the very top drawer. As per Bundesliga.com:

“He showed the sort of touches you often see or associate with a Neymar or a real top player. Seventeen years of age, it’s quite phenomenal that ability this boy has, he really does look a wonderful talent.”

Julian Nagelsmann, RB Leipzig manager

Nelson’s year with Hoffenheim in Germany was relatively successful and boosted his profile and reputation immeasurably. Seven goals in 23 appearances briefly saw him rival Jadon Sancho as England’s finest export and helped push Hoffenheim to a top ten finish while his exciting showings had Nagelsmann crooning. As per the Independent:

“He has great potential to develop. That’s why we loaned him in the first place. He’s an incredible player in one-on-one situations”

“It’s about growing in a healthy fashion for young players. It’s like being a musician. One good song can put bread on the table for a few weeks but it’s not about just being a one-hit wonder.

“It’s about being stable for a long time, in the best case doing that over the course of 15 years. So he’s got to work hard now.”

Verdict

Arsenal fans – and Nagelsmann – have little to fear because Nelson looks destined to make sweet, soulful music for years to come.

The song is only just beginning.

[ad_pod ]

Leeds dropped their first points of the season against Nottingham Forest at the weekend as they drew 1-1, conceding a sloppy goal but also being denied a penalty.

Adam Forshaw was the one who started alongside Mateusz Klich in a creative role but his display left a host of fans bewildered after someone posed the question of why everything seemed to be his fault.

The midfielder has already taken flack on Twitter after having his say ahead of their opening clash a week previous.

Yet, he’s now been the subject of more discussion. One fan claimed that he was this year’s whipping boy whilst another said they couldn’t get their head around the fact he was being targeted because he’s a solid player.

The 27-year-old went down theatrically in the penalty area in the first half, being denied a spot-kick as one supporter described him as someone who puts the team in danger. Others were more kind as one said he was in their top three to four players from the day’s game.

Per WhoScored, Forshaw finished the match with a pass success of 87%, winning three aerial duels. However, he failed to make a single key pass.

Here’s what Leeds fans have been saying.

[ad_pod ]

[ad_pod ]

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

Torino have rejected a €60m (£54m) bid from West Ham United for Andrea Belotti, per Tuttosport.

What’s the word?

The Hammers are thin in the striking department after selling Marko Arnautovic to Shanghai SIPG and also allowing Andy Carroll and Lucas Perez to leave the club.

They currently have Javier Hernandez and Jordan Hugill as their forward options.

And the report claims that Belotti was the subject of a big bid as the club looked to solve their forward crisis.

The offer was swiftly rejected, however, with Torino keen to keep a player who has scored 70 goals in 148 games for the club.

Cheaper option found

A deal for Belotti already appears to be dead in the water after West Ham reached an agreement to sign Sebastian Haller from Eintracht Frankfurt.

The Bundesliga club confirmed on Tuesday that he is set to undergo a medical with the Irons before a move that Football FanCast sources understand could cost as much as £50m.

Belotti, of course, would have been an intriguing option for Pellegrini’s men, and he has a solid record of goalscoring.

The Torino star scored 17 goals in all competitions last season; he netted 13 in 35 as he battled injury woes in 2017/18 and in 2016/17, when he played the majority of games throughout the season, he netted 28 in 38.

Watch West Ham United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

But a move for Haller is now in the advanced stages and one cannot imagine the club signing both – it would come to an outlay of over £100m.

The Frenchman is 25 and has been a consistent forward at both Frankfurt – where he has scored 33 goals in 77 games while providing 19 assists – and FC Utrecht, where he netted 51 goals in 98 outings.

Haller is a different type of forward to Belotti; the latter usually plays up top on his own, while the former partnered Luka Jovic in the Bundesliga last season.

Neither have played in the Premier League, though, and it appears that the Irons have done a deal for the cheaper option, in the hope that he will prove value for money.

Belotti may actually be a more proven option – he has won 22 caps for Italy and has played over 170 games in Serie A while Haller has yet to be capped by France and has 60 Bundesliga outings under his belt.

Pellegrini, though, will be praying that he has made the right choice as the Hammers look to improve on last season’s 10th-placed finish.

[ad_pod ]

Danny Rose has suggested that he could leave Tottenham Hotspur this summer, per Sky Sports.

The left-back played a key role in the club’s top-four finish and their run to the Champions League final but he has hinted that Spurs could choose to cash in due to his age.

On the chalkboard

Rose has again emerged as one of the best left-backs in the country.

Throughout the 2018/19 season, he made a total of 37 appearances in all competitions and once again established a stranglehold on the club’s left-back position ahead of Ben Davies.

Per WhoScored, he averaged 1.9 tackles per game in the Premier League across the season, along with one key pass and 1.3 dribbles, while he is also fouled 1.8 times per game.

This is a swashbuckling defender who loves to roam forward and beat his man, while he’s also rarely beaten himself.

Compare that to Davies, who averaged 1.7 tackles, 0.6 key passes and just 0.3 dribbles. He is, on average, fouled 1.7 times per game.

In every regard, Rose is the better player.

Moving him on and hoping that the Wales international can step up is nothing short of a fool’s errand.

A hero

Rose’s performances on the pitch, combined with his off-the-field honesty and openness, have seen him taken to heart by Spurs fans.

He is the ideal full-back for manager Mauricio Pochettino, with the England international an iron-lunged talent who can get up and down the flank, mark his man out of the game and move the ball accurately.

There have, of course, been links with Fulham’s Ryan Sessegnon and Spurs could well end up signing the teenager.

But he can have no greater role model than Rose, a player who has been through thick and thin in north London and has earned his stripes.

He deserves to be kept around; the stats prove that he is better than his alternative at the club, and he can only help the major transfer target who is said to be in the pipeline.

Tell you what, that Karamoko Dembele is some player.

Follow enough football-related social media pages, each claiming to have unearthed the wonderkid, and you’ll probably have seen just how special this young lad is.

Remember back in the day when the best player in your year was kicking about with the older kids because, well, they were simply too good for your level? Well, little Karamoko Dembele ramped that up a bit when he turned out for Celtic’s under-20s side at the tender age of 13.

Three years later and the whippet has turned 16 and can now play first-team football (and has for that matter) and we get the impression the only way is up from here.

While we are huge haters of Lionel Messi comparisons for very obvious reasons, we can understand why people would be quick to compare their play styles; quick and agile with a bag of tricks to boot.

As former coach David Feeney said: “I think he is very similar to Lionel Messi, if he has the right guidance and stays at Celtic then the sky is the limit for him.

“I honestly believe he can go all the way and be a great player.”

If you haven’t seen the highlights from his debut game already, which we’re sure you all have, his performance against Hearts was very impressive.

It’s abundantly clear that Celtic have a star on their hands in Dembele, and while we wouldn’t want Lennon to burn the youth international star out by frequently playing him next season, there is very firm evidence to suggest that some exposure to first-team football could go a very long way towards helping him reach his potential. And of course, potentially help the club fetch a very handsome price in the market.

Celtic fans, would you like to see more of Dembele next year? Do you think he’s ready? Let us know in the comments below…

[ad_pod ]

Some Manchester United fans are reminiscing about the greatness of Carlos Tevez, after the Premier League shared one of his greatest strikes on Twitter.

After the Premier League tweeted the Argentine’s frankly ridiculous goal against Aston Villa in 2008, United fans are looking back on the striker’s career and decision to ditch the red half of Manchester for the blue half.

In 2009, after two seasons at Old Trafford, Tevez traded Sir Alex Ferguson for Mark Hughes and joined the Cityzens.

Tevez was sensational during his time in the Premier League, racking up a total of 84 goals and 42 assists in 202 top-flight appearances.

And many United fans feel it was a mistake to get rid of him, a decision that appeared to be made by Ferguson himself.

As well as the iconic Scot saying Tevez was not worth his transfer fee, the player himself has shown plenty of indicators of friction between the pair as well, holding up a “R.I.P Fergie” sign in 2012.

Loads of fans have been commenting on Twitter, with some suggesting Fergie made a mistake for once, while others blast the 35 year-old’s attitude and one even managed to rope Alexis Sanchez into the discussion.

Either way, you can find some of the best reactions down below…

[ad_pod ]

Harry Winks has been dropped from the England squad along with Nathan Redmond, Kieran Trippier and James Ward-Prowse. Though three of those decisions can somewhat be understood, it’s the exclusion of Tottenham’s number 8 that creates the most confusion.

On the chalkboard

Gareth Southgate and his wonderful waistcoat were the heroes of last summer. He was the architect in what turned out to be a truly amazing World Cup campaign for England in which they reached the semi-finals and did the nation and it’s upcoming young talent very proud – a sign of things to come.

Just as people thought the new romance with the national side was starting to be forgotten, Southgate did it again by guiding his brilliant young Lions to the Nations League finals in Portugal, with a class and energetic style of play.

The promotion of younger players including Joe Gomez, Declan Rice and Jadon Sancho alongside a move from the 3-5-2 formation to a more sensible 4-3-3 suggests the ex-Middlesbrough boss had a genuine plan in place for his squad and the talent that was due to come through it.

With the Nations League less than two weeks away though, Southgate had to make a bold decision and opted to not include Winks in the squad despite him expecting to be fit for Tottenham’s Champions League final against Liverpool.

Winks the heart of England

The decision to exclude Winks seems to show a complete lack of appreciation for how important a role he plays. That’s not to say Southgate doesn’t appreciate Winks: he does, he’s said so. The decision also doesn’t mean he’s not trying to play attractive football, a style dictated by creative midfielders to feed England’s fantastic forwards.

However, with Winks set to be fit for Tottenham this weekend, and the sheer fact that there is absolutely no one who can play the way he does, he’s surely worth the gamble for Southgate. Do we need Jordan Henderson, Eric Dier, Declan Rice and Fabian Delph when they’re all perfectly capable of playing the exact same destructive role?

This isn’t a month long tournament, it’s a guaranteed two games. There’s no need to rest players, rotate, or consider the prospect of a 22-man squad being far more detrimental than having the full 23 if Winks were to get injured again.

Should Spurs risk Harry Kane in the Champions League final? A Spurs fan monders the dilemma in the video below…

Winks is worth the risk. No player in the England squad picks up possession and plays forward passes, dictating play, as well as he does. In fact, no one comes close. Henderson is an industrious midfielder who at best provides a good box-to-box alternative, but in terms of a deep-lying playmaker gracing the squad, England are severely lacking.

Winks is a huge, huge miss for England. Leaving him out undermines how important he truly is to this squad and how important that role is in executing the sort of football we want to play.

[ad_pod ]

Manchester United are looking to sign Sean Longstaff for a fee of £25m while also giving Scott McTominay a more prominent role, according to The Evening Standard.

What’s the word?

With question marks surrounding the Manchester United midfield, reinforcements are needed ahead of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first full season at Old Trafford.

Despite links to Youri Tielemans, Bruno Fernandes and Idrissa Gueye, The Evening Standard claim that United have settled on Longstaff as their primary target.

The Newcastle youngster has made just nine total Premier League appearances but emerged as a crucial performer for Rafa Benitez’s side until a knee injury curtailed his promising campaign.

In addition to Longstaff, United are hoping to buff up their midfield by giving an increased role to academy graduate McTominay who started nine times in the Premier League this season.

Building the right way, just ask Liverpool

After being linked to some of the world’s top talents all over the pitch including Sporting Lisbon sensation Fernandes in centre-midfield, the pursuit of Longstaff and promotion of McTominay is understandably anti-climactic for United supporters.

However, this business goes against United’s recent transfer policy and gives Solskjaer the right balance for success.

In both British youngsters, United would have physical central midfielders with the attitude to succeed and the desire to produce maximum effort on the pitch. Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool side, with the likes of Gini Wijnaldum, Andy Robertson and James Milner all being brought in for relatively low fees, have already shown the blueprint for success with incomplete players who have the right mindset and physical make-up.

Longstaff has been praised for his mobility and stamina whereas McTominay’s size has helped him become a dominant aerial force, while both players have had to fight through their club’s youth systems for first-team opportunities.

When coupled with the effervescent attacking zeal of Paul Pogba, United’s midfield would have the right combination of skill and steel to help the attack function while safeguarding the defence.

Additionally, the financially prudent establishment of their first choice midfield would allow for huge money to be spent on other problematic areas such as centre-back and right-wing, just as Liverpool have done.

The Reds brought in Milner for free, Wijnaldum for £25m (hardly a huge fee in modern football) and Robertson for an initial £8m, allowing Klopp to invest heavily in key areas like centre back and goalkeeper.

United’s recent transfer policy has seen them chase the biggest names and offer mammoth wages, regardless of how the player will actually fit into the team, but Longstaff and McTominay offer a more pragmatic approach that can realistically lead to greater success, something United’s greatest rivals are already well on their way to doing.

[ad_pod ]

Manchester United fans on Twitter have called for Massimiliano Allegri to replace Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after it was revealed that the Italian would be leaving Juventus this summer after five years at the club.

The Red Devils only recently handed Solskjaer a three-year contract back in March, a decision which looked to have been made prematurely as United won just two games since he put pen to paper.

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?

Allegri is a manager of real pedigree, having won the Serie A title on six occasions whilst also winning the Coppa Italia four times.

Solskjaer, by comparison, has won the league title in Norway as well as some trophies with the United Reserves side.

The two managers really are incomparable in terms of accomplishments.

However, it is truly absurd for the United fans to want Solskjaer out already, due to the fact that the former Cardiff boss has been in the job for less than two months – calls for him to leave are extremely harsh.

Due to their awful run of form since his appointment on a permanent basis, a number of United fans on Twitter have called for Solskjaer to be given the axe after just two months in charge and want Allegri instead.

Here’s what the fans have had to say about their links with Allegri…

كشف كارلوس دي بينا مهاجم دينامو كييف الأوكراني عن دور مواطنه لويس سواريز مهاجم أتلتيكو مدريد في مساعدته للحصول على قميص ليونيل ميسي قائد برشلونة.

وحل دينامو كييف ضيفًا على البارسا ليلة الأربعاء بمنافسات الجولة الثالثة لدور المجموعات في دوري أبطال أوروبا، والتي انتهت بفوز برشلونة (2-1).

وقال دي بينا في تصريحاته لـ “كادينا سير”: “لقد قمت بترتيبات مسبقة مع لويس سواريز للحصول على قميص ميسي، لقد تحدثت معه أكثر من مرة، لقد كان لطيفًا جدًا وتحدث إلى ليو”.

وأضاف: “في نهاية المباراة أعطاني ميسي القميص في غرفة خلع الملابس، وأعطيته قميصي أيضًا”.

ميسي منح قميصًا آخر أيضًا لـ ميرتشا لوتشيسكو المدير الفني لدينامو كييف، والذي طلب من ليو الحصول على قميصه، ويمكنك مطالعة التفاصيل من هنا.