All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Leeds United have finally announced their third kit for this season.The Yorkshire club’s third strip is a tidy powder blue number, and it does look quite nice.However, it wouldn’t be a kit announcement if there weren’t some complaints to go alongside it.Watch Leeds United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

While it seems as if a number of fans don’t actually have a problem with this strip, the supporters have made it clear that they wanted a yellow and blue kit this season.

You can’t blame them either, some of the club’s most iconic attires have been in those colours, and it would’ve been nice for Leeds to have released a strip in that scheme to celebrate their 100th anniversary.

At least this kit launch hasn’t gone down as badly as the grey and pink away kit did in the summer as that was pretty much universally hated throughout the fanbase.

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

Luke Ayling and Ben White look like they’re getting on just fine.

Ayling, who began his career at Arsenal before moving to Yeovil Town, then Bristol City and eventually Elland Road, recently signed a new contract with the Whites keeping him in Yorkshire for the next four years.

Watch Leeds United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

White, on the other hand, is a newer addition to Marcelo Bielsa’s ranks, having joined on loan from Premier League side Brighton at the beginning of the season, presumably to replace the Brentford bound Pontus Jansson.

But his freshness hasn’t stopped the PFA Fans’ Player of the Month from getting cosy with some of the old boys and particularly Ayling who, until recently, hadn’t had the pleasure of playing alongside his teammate.

Making use of a funny angle, he posted to his Instagram story: “Nice to finally have a chance to play with Ben White…”

Is it time to grow up? Absolutely not.

Steven Gerrard turned out for both Liverpool and Rangers during the legends match between the two historic clubs on Saturday afternoon.

Liverpool ultimately ran out 3-2 winners in Glasgow as Gerrard played the final 10 minutes for the club that he now manages.

The Englishman made over 700 appearances for the Merseyside giants in all competitions before deciding to end his career in the MLS.

Just 39 years of age, Gerrard showed on Saturday that he can still get around the pitch, and his performance got a number of Liverpool fans thinking.

Indeed, there is a general feeling that central midfield is where the Reds are still light despite developing into one of the top teams in world football.

And a number of the club’s supporters have claimed that they would still take Gerrard in the centre of the midfield despite the fact that he retired in 2016.

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

[ad_pod ]

Leeds bounced back from their defeat against Swansea before the international break to come away from Oakwell with all three points on Sunday.

They returned to the top of the table courtesy of goals from Eddie Nketiah and Mateusz Klich but although he didn’t score himself, Patrick Bamford still earned praise from the Leeds fans.

They took to Twitter to hail his impact despite being withdrawn from the action after 70 minutes.

Bamford has now gone goalless in his last two matches but that doesn’t appear to have caused much concern.

One supporter claimed he made former Leeds man Aapo Halme look silly whilst a further fan suggested he was class.

Another individual hailed him as someone that was becoming indispensable to the team.

The 26-year-old has so far netted four times in seven matches this season and is proving his worth after a 2018/19 campaign where he sat out 22 matches through injury.

Bamford has seemingly relished the opportunity of becoming Leeds’ main striker following the departure of Kemar Roofe but after his goal, Nketiah will surely be breathing down his neck.

Here’s the best of the reaction from social media.

[ad_pod ]

This weekend, Barcelona are travelling away to Getafe on matchday seven of the ongoing La Liga campaign. And interestingly enough, they will come face to face with a familiar name on the other side of the pitch who will definitely have to be contained.

On the chalkboard

Two of Barcelona’s biggest weaknesses will be put to the test this Saturday evening.

Blaugrana are one of those squads that are dominant at home but struggle immensely when playing as guests. So far this season and across all competitions, they are yet to tally a victory on the road.

Watch Spanish Football Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

And this brings us to the second aspect they’re struggling with – keeping a clean sheet. In the six games they’ve played in La Liga, the Catalan giants have conceded a total of ten goals already.

With that in mind, Nelson Semedo will have to be on his best when facing up against Barcelona’s own loanee, Marc Cucurella.

Familiar faces

Cucurella is a product of La Masia but Blaugrana seemingly felt a loan could do him a world of good at the moment.

And as it seems, they weren’t really wrong. The 21-year-old has been one of Getafe’s best performers so far, ranking in third according to Whoscored’s algorithm.

On Saturday evening, it is likely that he will come face to face with Semedo and stopping their young loanee might be crucial for Barcelona.

The Portuguese right-back is also having a decent season in La Liga. So far, he tallied 2.3 tackles, one interception and 1.2 fouls per game. Cucurella, on the hand, has 2.8 tackles, 0.7 interceptions and two fouls per game to his name.

Currently, the 21-year-old is being played as a left-midfielder but he is very much a left-back by trade who’s versatile enough to be slotted higher up the pitch.

As a result, he has a pretty good offensive record as well, tallying two assists, 1.5 shots per game and 1.3 key passes per game in La Liga up until this point.

Semedo, however, is not really an attacking asset with only 0.3 shots and 0.3 key passes per game under his belt, but with one assist as well.

Still, the victor of this clash might just be decided by the two players’ direct confrontation on Saturday and which one can drop a better offensive display while also putting in a good defensive shift.

[ad_pod ]

Following the devastating 2-1 home defeat by Cardiff City last time out that saw Southampton slip into the relegation zone, the need to pick up points regularly from here on in has become even more of a priority – they can do exactly that if Ralph Hasenhuttl makes a risky call at Arsenal on Sunday.

On the chalkboard

Well, despite favouring a 4-2-2-2 formation at the previous clubs he has managed, the Austrian has had to adapt to the situation the clubs finds itself in and the players he has at his disposal at St Mary’s, and  he has often favoured either a 3-4-2-1 or 3-5-1-1 system.

However, while it may have made them sturdier at the back – on paper at least – they haven’t looked great from an attacking point of view, which hasn’t been helped by regular injury issues for Danny Ings and Michael Obafemi.

The latter was pictured in training during the training camp in Tenerife however and may well be in contention to start at the Emirates Stadium, which presents Hasenhuttl with a big opportunity.

What should he do?

Normally a five-at-the-back formation for a tough-looking trip to north London would make sense, but Unai Emery’s men have shown time and time again that they are there to be got at defensively with players like Shkodran Mustafi prone to errors and lack of concentration.

By lining up with a 4-2-2-2 formation – something the 51-year-old Saints boss was surely working with his players on during the break in the Canary Islands – he could utilise the pace, pressing and never-say-die attitude of Obafemi and Shane Long to really put the hosts’ defence under pressure.

Arsenal have the players to hurt Southampton at the other end, so it makes sense to give them a big problem to think about in their weak spot.

With Redmond on one wing and potentially Stuart Armstrong on the other, they would have a better chance of sneaking a positive result.

[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, Wolves will continue to keep tabs on Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips this season after having a bid knocked back during the summer.

What’s the word?

Reports are suggesting that Leeds rejected numerous bids in excess of £20m during the summer for their key midfielder, who played 46 times last season as they finished third in the Championship.

One of those clubs is believed to be Wolves, even though the club already has Ruben Neves performing well in a very similar role – scoring 13 goals and laying on five assists in 90 appearances in the west Midlands, per Transfermarkt.

Watch Wolverhampton Wanderers Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

It is thought that the club will continue to watch the 23-year-old this season in preparation for another attempt at signing him next year.

Phillips has featured in all eight of United’s matches this season, playing every single minute available, so that only shows his importance to Marco Bielsa and his side.

Patience

Wolves can bide their time on this one.

They’ve got Neves, Leander Dendoncker and Romain Saiss rotating that position this season which is adequate enough cover.

The latter started against Everton and scored a first-half equaliser, as well as recording a rating of 7.07, per WhoScored – showing he is capable enough for the time being.

It has also been revealed that the Leeds anchorman has a release clause in his new five-year contract, so should they not get promoted, he will be available for between £20m and £25m, if reports are to be believed.

In a market that is becoming increasingly defined by the absurdity of transfer fees, Phillips would represent a massive bargain. He is a homegrown talent who has showcased huge potential in the Championship, earning his place in the 2018/19 EFL Championship team of the season.

Sean Longstaff and John McGinn – two fellow homegrown central midfielders – were both linked with £50m moves to Manchester United last summer, while West Ham reportedly placed an £80m price-tag on Declan Rice’s head amid interest from both of the Manchester giants. At the other end of the footballing spectrum, Manchester City broke their transfer record to land Rodri from Atletico Madrid in a £63m deal.

Evidently, outstanding central midfielders do not come cheap for Premier League clubs. Given the standard of Phillips’ performances since Marcelo Bielsa took charge at Elland Road and the aforementioned price-tags, there is no question that a £20-25m deal would represent excellent business for Wolves.

That is a similar amount to what Wolves would have bid for him this summer, so if he puts in another fantastic season and they don’t go up, the club won’t have to fork out even more than before – which is either incredible value for Wolves or dire foresight from the hierarchy at the Championship club.

[ad_pod ]

West Ham are interested in signing Crystal Palace striker Christian Benteke on loan for the rest of the season, according to The Guardian.

The Lowdown: Hammers need a striker

Since the departure of Sebastien Haller this time last year, David Moyes has been under pressure to bring in more attacking options due to the lack of depth his squad has in the final third. This has been particularly prevalent for the striker position, as Michail Antonio is the only recognised senior centre-forward at the club.

Antonio is currently the Irons’ top scorer in the Premier League this season, having netted eight times, but the Jamaica international has looked tired at points throughout the campaign, sometimes lacking that clinical edge in front of goal.

The club’s greatest Premier League goalscorer also has his fair share of injury concerns, so the Hammers enter the last day of the January transfer window in desperate need of an able deputy.

They have been very strongly linked to Darwin Nunez, but a brand new name has now emerged as a possible alternative.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-latest-news-copy/” title=”West Ham latest news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Latest: Irons interested in Benteke

According to a report by The Guardian, West Ham are exploring the option of a possible loan move for Crystal Palace’s Christian Benteke.

The 31-year-old is struggling to secure a place in the starting XI under Patrick Vieira, but would provide a wealth of Premier League experience, having scored 86 goals in the competition – he has bagged a whopping 159 times across his senior career for club and country.

The Verdict: A good back-up option

Fans may be disappointed with the Benteke links, with previous rumours suggesting that the Hammers were interested in Blackburn’s Ben Brereton Diaz and Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

However, Benteke could be the ideal player to come off the bench and make an immediate impact. Vieira has said that having the striker at his disposal is a huge boost, claiming that ‘in the air he is one of the best if not the best in the league’, and that ‘this is a powerful weapon to have in the squad’.

With the ongoing push for Benfica starlet Nunez, Benteke could be a solid backup option if the deal for the 22-year-old fails to materialise.

Aston Villa winger Leon Bailey has returned to training but won’t feature against Leeds United this evening.

The Lowdown: Previous hope

Bailey, who Dean Smith backed to become a ‘crowd favourite’, has missed the last eight fixtures in all competitions with a thigh problem.

Reports during the international break suggested that the 24-year-old could return against Marcelo Bielsa’s side this evening. Steven Gerrard admitted that the Jamaican, who Leeds made a bid for back in 2020, wasn’t ‘too far away’ prior to the international break.

However, although Bailey is progressing with his recovery, he won’t be in the squad this evening.

The Latest: Gerrard’s comments

Talking in his pre-match press conference, relayed by Villa’s official Twitter account, Gerrard confirmed that Bailey has returned to full training but won’t be involved against Leeds.

“We’ve now got Leon Bailey back in full training, but he won’t be in the squad tomorrow.”

The Verdict: Newcastle return?

Villa’s next fixture is a trip to St James’ Park on Sunday to face Newcastle, so with a week’s worth of full training under his belt, perhaps Bailey may make a return in four days’ time.

You’d expect that Gerrard will be cautious when it comes to the explosive winger, so he may decide to hand Bailey a place on the bench and gradually ease him back.

Bailey has had a tough time in his first season in England, contributing to just three goals, but hopefully, he’ll now enjoy an injury-free rest of the campaign and Villa fans will see the best of him in 2022/23.

In other news: Villa and Lange now looking to pip Leeds in race for soon-to-be free agent. 

Everton have been one of the most active Premier League clubs during the transfer window, and with good reason.

The Toffees are in desperate need to turn their season around after a disappointing first half to the campaign. In order to rectify that situation, they have made three signings already in the first two weeks of January, and Rafael Benitez and co may not be finished yet.

What’s the word?

The Everton manager took to his press conference ahead of today’s match against Norwich to give an update on the club’s next steps in the winter transfer window, teasing the potential of more signings to come.

Benitez revealed: “We are always looking to strengthen the squad. The reality is we’ve balanced the books, which I think is a positive. We are open to any good option.”

“At the moment we’re happy with the three we’ve brought. But we are open-minded.”

This week has been a busy one at Goodison Park, with fan favourite Lucas Digne sold to Aston Villa after three-and-a-half years with the Merseyside club, and Anwar El Ghazi signing on loan until the end of the season, and Benitez isn’t ruling out further business yet.

Fans will be buzzing

Everton fans haven’t had an easy ride supporting their team this season, and many have definitely made no secret of their disappointment over poor performances, walking out of matches at Goodison Park and planning protests against the owners and the manager.

This transfer window has provided Benitez with the opportunity to change the trajectory of the club by signing new players and freshening up the squad, in the hope that a fresh perspective will help the Toffees climb back into the top half of the table, where they are expected to finish this season.

It is important that Everton start to pick up results, as they have a run of winnable games against bottom half teams such as Leeds United, Brentford, Aston Villa and Newcastle coming up over the next few weeks. That should give them the ideal opportunity to ascend to a much more comfortable position in the Premier League if they can capitalise.

For now, the manager’s claim that the Toffees are “open” to making further additions this month should bring some overdue happiness to the Goodison Park fan base, as the current squad just haven’t been delivering the goods.

In other news: Alan Myers makes January transfer window prediction regarding Everton