All posts by h716a5.icu

[ad_pod ]

David Luiz, Kieran Tierney and Nicolas Pepe were the big-name arrivals at the Emirates Stadium during this summer’s transfer window. As such, the signing of Gabriel Martinelli went slightly under the radar.

The Brazilian is just 18 years of age, but he was signed for a fee in the region of £6m from Ituano.

The teenager has already featured for the Gunners, coming on for six minutes in the Emirates outfit’s first game of the Premier League season against Newcastle United on Sunday with Unai Emery’s team already ahead in the match.

He is being tipped for a big future, including by compatriot and fellow new arrival Luiz. The 32-year-old said of the forward, “Everyone is excited because they know he has the potential to become a fantastic player soon and in the future.”

The comment was shared on Arsenal’s official Twitter page, and it has clearly pleased the Arsenal fans. They have taken to the social media platform to share their excitement surrounding the player. You can see some of the best comments below.

[ad_pod ]

[ad_pod ]

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

According to Football Insider, Everton director of football Marcel Brands is confident that summer addition Moise Kean could be worth £60m this time next year, and if he is right then he will have pulled off a blinder for the Merseyside outfit.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the Toffees signed the 19-year-old from Juventus during the previous transfer window in a deal that was worth an initial £25.1m, which could rise to £27.5m, according to BBC Sport.

So far the exciting teenager – who scored eight goals in 21 outings for the Serie A giants – has made two substitute appearances in the Premier League clashes with Crystal Palace and Watford, and he came close to opening his account for the club in the latter.

And according to Football Insider, Brands believes he is capable of scoring 15 goals this term, and if he does he will be valued at more than double what they paid for him.

A blinder by Brands

On the face of it, there doesn’t appear to be any reason why Kean isn’t capable of meeting the Dutchman’s expectations during the current campaign, even if he has set himself a personal target of a minimum of seven goals.

Watch Everton Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

The 19-year-old has all of the attributes to be a future star, and he showed his pace and trickery in particular in his cameo against the Hornets at the weekend.

Given his impressive goal record for Juventus previously, you would have to feel that he is capable of hitting that 15-goal mark for the Toffees if he is starting regularly and gets the right service from the likes of Bernard, Alex Iwobi, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Lucas Digne and Richarlison.

Given his age and the crazy climate of transfer fees for stars we are currently seeing, there is no doubt that someone like Kean shouldn’t be rated around £60m if he takes to the Premier League like a duck to water.

An interesting few weeks and months ahead, then.

[ad_pod ]

[ad_pod ]

Crystal Palace welcome Colchester to Selhurst Park on Tuesday evening in what will be the Eagles’ first Carabao Cup action of the season.

Spirits will certainly be high in the Palace squad after they managed to pull off a historic win over Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday, managing to beat the Red Devils in the Premier League for the first time whilst also becoming the first team to score a stoppage time winner against them on their own turf.

For the game against the League Two side, however, we think Roy Hodgson should make a few changes…

With all due respect, the difference in quality between Manchester United and Colchester is substantial, so Hodgson should be able to afford some game time to those who haven’t got much under their belt yet this season.

With that in mind, we think Wayne Hennessey should be handed his first appearance of the campaign, along with 20-year-old centre-back Sam Woods, who made his first-team debut in this competition against Middlesbrough last term.

Alongside him, a man who impressed the Palace fans on Twitter after making his debut for the club in Gary Cahill would benefit from a start once again in order to build up his match fitness, having not had a proper pre-season whilst being a free agent.

Ahead of them, Hodgson should hand full debuts to two more summer signings in James McCarthy and Victor Camarasa – the former has made two substitute appearances, whilst Camarasa is yet to appear.

In attack, Andros Townsend should start after being placed on the bench against United, along with Connor Wickham and Max Meyer who also sat next to the England international in the Old Trafford dugout.

On the left, we think Hodgson should hand 20-year-old Jason Lokilo a start against Colchester to see what he can do in the first-team, after some fans on Twitter called for him to be involved following his delightful assist in a 1-0 win for the Under-23 side last week.

[ad_pod ]

[ad_pod ]Having signed from Ligue 1 Toulouse back in January 2013, Moussa Sissoko enjoyed a rather mixed career at Newcastle.The powerful Frenchman showed glimpses of being a truly dominant central midfielder, and there were some comparisons to Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira for some of his marauding displays.Following the Magpies’ relegation, Sissoko joined Tottenham on deadline day in 2016, but has struggled to really establish himself in Mauricio Pochettino’s first-team.The 30-year-old played for Spurs in the north London derby against Arsenal on Sunday and would have hoped to put on a good show, but ended up having a miserable afternoon.The Frenchman committed three fouls and completed just 76.3% of his total passes, whilst his stand-out memory from the game will be wildly blazing over a decent chance in the closing stages.After seeing Sissoko’s performance, Newcastle fans flooded to Twitter to share their thoughts on their former charge.Many supporters of the Tyneside club questioned how they had managed to fleece Spurs out of £30m for him, and insisted it was “daylight robbery”.Some Magpies fans suggested the 30-year-old has gotten even worse in his time in north London, and claimed it is a “mystery” that he is still in Pochettino’s squad.Check out some of the savage reaction of Newcastle fans below:

[ad_pod ]

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

Even though they made a big signing in Eden Hazard this summer, Real Madrid’s transfer window has once again left them with a lot to desire.

But all of that could change with a potential blockbuster deal that just might be on the horizon. The Italian journalist, Nicolo Schira, claims that Los Blancos are interested in Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk.

And that would definitely be a game-changing signing.

What’s the word, then?

Van Dijk is a name that quickly soared to the top. When he signed for Liverpool back in January 2018 for a then world-record sum of €75m (£67m) he was already quite a big catch but now, he might very well be the best defender on the planet.

Collective and individual accolades he has scooped in recent times will attest to that and, for that reason, Real’s reported interest is far from surprising.

Watch Spanish Football Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

But at the same time, Schira also reports that Liverpool are preparing a new contract for their 28-year-old Dutch defender so Zinedine Zidane could be facing an uphill battle in his pursuit.

On the face of it, however, it does look like a transfer that would solve two of the club’s main worries.

Two birds, one stone

The main story of Real Madrid’s summer, at least in the Madrid media, was the revolution that needed to happen in the Spanish capital. Marca spoke extensively about how Los Bancos have spent huge amounts of money but they still, somehow, managed to fall short in carrying out this reported revamp.

The lack of Galactico names is the thing that somehow hurts the most as Hazard is pretty much the only one who fits that profile. But adding someone of van Dijk’s pedigree and reputation would no doubt both please the fans and the media surrounding the club.

More importantly, however, the Dutchman would potentially solve Real Madrid’s defensive fragility and help them get back to the top once again. Van Dijk was recently named UEFA’s Best player and also won the PFA Players’ Player of the Year award for his stoic performances last season.

A defender of his stature would be a most welcomed addition to any team, and especially in one with defensive woes as big as Real Madrid’s.

Convincing the player to join might be difficult given Real’s poor end to 2018/19 and Liverpool’s successful one. Indeed, the Reds just might seem like the more appealing team of the two.

But one should never underestimate the Galacticos’ pulling power.

We’ll just have to wait and see what happens with this one.

[ad_pod ]

[ad_pod ]

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…

Poland just about remained top of Group G in Euro 2020 qualification following their 0-0 draw against Austria on Monday, and West Ham fans will surely be loving 2019 Hammer of the Year Lukasz Fabianski’s contribution to the goalless result.

His nation’s run of four wins on the bounce came to an end following the 2-0 defeat against Slovenia on Friday, meaning defeat against Austria in Warsaw would have some seen them relinquish their spot at the summit.

The visitors were certainly motivated to take advantage and boost their own hopes of reaching the tournament spread out across a host of European cities next summer, but they simply couldn’t find a way past the goalkeeper despite dominating the encounter and having 22 efforts at goal throughout the match, as per SofaScore.

Most pleasing of all for Irons supporters is the fact that Marko Arnautovic, who it’s fair to say was thoroughly unpopular among the London Stadium faithful by the time he left for China during the summer transfer window, couldn’t get on the score-sheet despite trying his hardest to.

The 30-year-old hit the woodwork with the only one of his four shots not to be on target, with his former teammate saving the other three – including two big chances as per SofaScore.

Watch West Ham United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Now, with just four qualifiers remaining Austria find themselves in third position, one point behind Slovenia and three behind Fabianski’s Poland.

They could now face an uphill task to qualify for 2020, and Arnautovic missing out on the competition would surely be something that brings a smile to the face of West Ham supporters unhappy with the way he conducted himself when he was with them.

Well done, Lukasz.

[ad_pod ]

[ad_pod ]

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more… 

Bournemouth’s Ryan Fraser is yet to hit the heights he reached last season but he still poses a great danger to Everton this weekend.

Marco Silva’s defence has struggled in recent games as they have conceded four in their last two league matches.

One man in particular who is looking to kickstart his season is Ryan Fraser. The Scotland international raised a lot of eyebrows last season by scoring seven and assisting 14 in 38 league appearances, leading Tim Sherwood to suggest on Sky Sports’ The Debate (via HITC) that Everton should try to sign him.

“The next move for him, and no disrespect to Bournemouth, is one just underneath [the top six]. Like a Leicester or an Everton. And then he’s still young enough to make that next step.” – Tim Sherwood on Ryan Fraser

The winger has always used his pace to his advantage, but in the last campaign, he added an end product to devastating effect.

The fact Fraser has won, on average, 2.3 fouls per game – according to Whoscored – from his four league appearances shows he is capable of buying free-kicks, and it is certainly an aspect of his game Seamus Coleman will have to be wary of when coming up against him on Bournemouth’s left-flank.

Although he is yet to get on the scoresheet in 2019/20, he has still been a handful in the final third and Everton would do well to cut out the service to him.

His record of one assist and 1.5 key passes shows he has the potential to unlock a defence, and he can’t be afforded time and space around the Everton box.

Watch Everton Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

His average number of key passes is likely to increase at some point, too. He has averaged 1.1, 1.6 and 2.4 in his previous three seasons, so Everton will need to be on high alert to ensure he doesn’t get the ball rolling against them.

His pass accuracy is one area of his game that has impressed this season, and if he is able to link play effectively with players like Joshua King and Callum Wilson – who bagged 26 Premier League goals combined last term – then it could be a long afternoon for the Toffees.

[ad_pod ]

[ad_pod ]

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more… 

When Leeds take on Derby this afternoon the game will be filled with narrative.

Not only will the Whites be looking to ram home their advantage at the top of the table but they’ll also be hoping to get their own back.

Derby had the measure over Leeds in the playoffs last term whilst the infamous ‘Spygate’ incident will likely intensify things once more.

On Saturday a new rivalry could begin between two fellow countrymen. Krystian Bielik will likely hold the key for Derby in the middle of the park and if he’s on his game, Mateusz Klich might be made to look sheepish in what is a physical battle.

On the chalkboard

Klich has been a creative hub for Leeds over the past year and finished last season with 19 goal involvements in the Championship.

It was a fabulous campaign from the Poland international who will be facing off against his international teammate, Bielik, on Saturday.

The midfielder began to show what he was truly capable of for the first time this term at Oakwell as he put in a star performance, creating four chances and scoring a goal.

But his battle against the former Arsenal man in the middle of the park this time around could be far more taxing.

One of the main issues for Leeds this season is discovering freedom at home.

In their last outing at Elland Road, a 1-0 defeat to Swansea, Klich and Adam Forshaw effectively operated in the same space as inroads were few and far between.

Playing alongside Jamie Shackleton last weekend, that issue was overcome as they were spread out. That, however, was an away match where things were open.

Derby aren’t the free-flowing attacking side that we saw knock four past Leeds at this very ground in the playoffs and have only scored seven in as many games under Phillip Cocu.

A more defensive approach may be required and if Bielik starts in a holding role, Klich and his team could struggle to carve out openings once again.

The 21-year-old is a towering presence in a central area, winning 5.2 aerial duels per game as opposed to Klich’s 0.9 each outing. On that evidence, it could be a mismatch.

But it’s Bielik’s reading of the game which could have the biggest say on proceedings.

Klich makes a massive three key passes every match on average but his countryman has been on hand with 2.2 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per game, according to WhoScored.

With that in mind, one of the lingering issues at Elland Road could be there to halt Marcelo Bielsa’s men in their tracks again.

[ad_pod ]

This article is part of Football FanCast’s One to Watch series, which focuses on those players we think are particularly worth keeping an eagle-eye on as the 2019/20 season unfolds.

Leeds haven’t really had any reason but not to focus on themselves in recent months, especially since the window slammed shut.

They’ve welcomed in their six new arrivals by soaring to the top of the Championship, sitting best placed for automatic promotion as things stand.

The Whites have been a joy to watch in terms of their possession, amassing over 60% of the ball from their eight matches in 2019/20.

Issues have arisen surrounding their ability to finish and that was the case last Saturday as they hit the post and missed a penalty in a 1-1 draw with Derby.

The Rams drew against the odds but despite attentions also being on Charlton this week, there may also be an eye on Coventry.

That isn’t just for Victor Orta who is seemingly in charge of transfer negotiations, but also for the club’s supporters.

This is because a potential new recruit could be in action for the Sky Blues.

Last week, Sam McCallum was reported to be on Leeds’ radar, a player who has more than caught the eye in League One this term.

It’s so far been a breakthrough campaign for the 19-year-old who has featured at right back and left back, proving himself to be a versatile option.

The teenager has appeared five times in 2019/20 and will be one of the players Coventry look to have an influence on proceedings against Rotherham.

McCallum is someone who can get up and down the flanks and that’s influenced in the number of times he’s fouled at 1.8 times per outing, according to WhoScored.

For a full-back that’s considerably high and proves he’s a livewire worth keeping tabs on.

Strong in the air, he’s won two aerial duels per game but he also has a no-nonsense nature to him with three clearances on average every match.

At the moment, the Coventry man is in fine form and saved one of his best performances for Burton Albion last weekend, winning 3 aerial duels and 4 interceptions, via WhoScored.

If he continues in that manner, it wouldn’t be a great surprise if Leeds did try to further their interest.

When you think of prolific Manchester United strikers Wayne Rooney, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Cristiano Ronaldo, Eric Cantona, Andy Cole and Dwight York spring to mind. Marcus Rashford, on the other hand, does not.

There was a time shortly after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s appointment as temporary boss when Rashford looked like he had all the answers.

Indeed, the Norwegian looked like he had worked out how to get the best of the youngster. Rashford bagged five times in Solskjaer’s first seven games as United boss.

We’ve now reached the stage where United are actively looking for a new forward, per The Independent, having seemingly realised their gamble on not replacing Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez hasn’t paid off. Who’d have thought?

While the majority of United supporters, being the loyal bunch that they are, have reserved their criticism for private spaces, spend enough time searching through the many fan channels available and you’ll soon realise that a consensus is developing amongst the Old Trafford faithful that Rashford simply isn’t good enough. Failing to score against Arsenal on Monday night, a game that will mostly be remembered for some pretty terrible football all round, won’t have helped his cause very much either.

But is this criticism harsh? Danny Higginbotham seems to think so…

Of course, that would be to completely ignore the influence of Paul Pogba, who bagged nine Premier League assists last season and so far this term has averaged 2.6 key passes per game. Higginbotham also seemed to miss the moment Pogba sent Rashford through on goal against Arsenal, only for the forward to scupper his opportunity.

Great players make something from nothing, and we’re yet to see Rashford really do that on a consistent basis.