The international break is finally coming to an end.Of course, that means that the return of club football is just around the corner, and we can all start paying attention to the domestic season once again.Watch Liverpool Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below
The Premier League will be back with a bang too, as we’re set to be treated to one of the most mouth-watering fixtures this division has to offer as Liverpool head to Old Trafford to face Manchester United.
As soon as the last international fixtures are played (or before they even started) football fans all over the world will be looking forward to that behemoth clash, and it appears the players are already focusing their efforts on Sunday’s match too.
Indeed, despite having another fruitful spell with the Netherlands national team, Georginio Wijnaldum is only thinking about his Liverpool duties, as he sent a no-nonsense message immediately after the Dutch team’s last game.
Wijnaldum is completely focused on Sunday’s game against Manchester United, though don’t count on him replicating his incredible Dutch form in a red shirt.
In today’s Tottenham Hotspur roundup, we take a look at what news has been doing the rounds for the Lilywhites. Mauricio Pochettino insists his side need time to rebuild, Tim Sherwood goes in on his former side, and the Argentine has told Daniel Levy to sell five senior players.
Pochettino insists his squad is ‘unsettled’
Soccer Football – Premier League – Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur – Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain – August 17, 2019 Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino gives instructions to Moussa Sissoko and Danny Rose during a break in play Action Images via Reuters/Carl Recine EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or sing
“When you have an unsettled squad always it’s difficult and you lose time, then you need time to recover the time you lose. That’s where we are. Maybe our performances are good but you need this extra, which is mental, connection. It’s energy to be all together, not to have different agendas in the squad.
“We are in a period where it’s a bit tough for us, but we keep working to find a solution. When this type of thing happens it’s about staying clear and fresh and calm. We’re trying to find solutions and we only need time.”
Verdict: As Pochettino has now been at Spurs for five years he is approaching a time where he needs to win a trophy. After just a few weeks into the season, the Lilywhites have now already fallen short of one trophy after an embarrassing defeat at Colchester in the League Cup – who are 10th in League Two, 70 places below them.
Not just does the result in midweek leave the Argentine red-faced, he now must think how he closes the gap on Liverpool who are already 10 points above Spurs, and after losing a two-goal lead to Olympiacos in Europe, he also cannot afford to lose the Champions League fixture against Bayern Munich next week, which in itself is a major task.
Indeed, Pochettino’s squad does look unsettled, but he is the manager and it is his job to glue them together. As much as he may try and push the blame off them, questions have to be asked about his start to the season, also.
Sherwood believes 3 top players will leave
Soccer Football – Carabao Cup – Third Round – Colchester United v Tottenham Hotspur – JobServe Community Stadium, Colchester, Britain – September 24, 2019 Tottenham Hotspur’s Christian Eriksen reacts after losing the penalty shootout REUTERS/David Klein EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publicati
Report: Former Tottenham manager Sherwood suggests the future looks quite bleak for his old side. He told The Debate (as cited by the Express): He certainly knows three of them are not [staying],” he said.
“By the looks of it, Christian Eriksen, [Toby] Alderweirld and [Jan] Vertonghen are going for nothing, which will hurt the club. It’s not good [for the dressing room]. But that’s the situation they now find themselves in.
“If they [three players mentioned] want a move to a bigger club, they’re going to have to perform and perform well. The onus is on them to perform now, and they’re all professionals.”I know Jan and I know Christian, and they’re good lads, you don’t have to worry about them, they’ll get their heads down and perform for the team.“But the team knows, and Mauricio knows, that they’re not going to be around next year, and maybe he’s looking at the long-term. But he should be looking at the short-term.”Verdict: Toby Alderweireld, Christian Eriksen and Jan Vertonghen are all out of contract in the summer, with no reports as of now on a renewal for either of them.It is worrying times for Spurs, with Vertonghen the clubs most experienced outfield player on 289 appearances, whilst Christian Eriksen has been one of the league’s top performers scoring eight goals and assisting 12 last year, just as Aldeweireld averaged a 6.84 performance rating in the 34 Premier League games he played.Truthfully, in today’s market, Tottenham may struggle to replace someone of Eriksen’s ability without splashing the cash. And, going in for two defenders to build a partnership like the Belgian’s have over the years, may cost in excess of 100m.Pochettino insists Levy to sell five playersReport: The ex-Southampton manager has told the chairman Levy to sell Eriksen, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Danny Rose and Victor Wanyama, after the calamitous defeat to Colchester in midweek, reports Football Insider.Verdict: As alluded to earlier, Pochettino insists the squad is “unsetteld” and if this is the case, perhaps it’s time to sell. It does seem, as Sherwood said, that Eriksen, Alderweireld and Vertongehn will be departing on a free, however, to let other players go as well could be a bad decision.Wanyama may not be missed as he played just 13 times in the league last season. Although, Spurs may also lose Giovani Lo Celso, who is only on loan, which could create more of a gap within the team.Right now, if there is anything that Spurs lack, it’s squad depth. Harry Kane is the only recognised striker, the Belgian’s at the back with Davinson Sanchez are the only out-and-out centre-backs, whilst the sole alternative to Danny Rose is Ben Davies.So, selling players, especially in today’s expensive market, could be a bad idea without a replacement. Pochettino should consider keeping certain names and should most definitely not let them go on a free.
Sheffield Wednesday recorded their first defeat under Garry Monk on Tuesday night as Hull City ran out the victors on their own patch.
Tom Eaves’ second-half header was enough to secure all three points at the KCOM Stadium having only been on the pitch for a matter of six minutes.
The Owls rued the absence of Steven Fletcher, who was a shock omission through injury as neither Sam Winnall nor Atdhe Nuhiu could convert any of their chances – Wednesday recorded a total of 12 shots in the game.
The south Yorkshire club slipped to eighth in the table ahead of their fixture with Wigan Athletic on Saturday as they also won in midweek.
Hull’s goal came from good work by Eric Lichaj out on the flank as he beat Wednesday right-back Moses Odubajo to float a pin-point cross onto the head of summer arrival Eaves.
Several of the Hillsborough faithful have since taken to Twitter to criticise the 26-year-old.
One demanded Monk stop playing the right-back while another fan said Odubajo was at fault for the goal, hinting that it wasn’t the first time this season.
The 5 foot 10 defender used to play for Hull before a severe injury put him out of action for nearly two years. He was signed for Wednesday this summer by former boss Steve Bruce having also played under him in east Yorkshire.
Another supporter called his performance a ‘stinker’ with a further member of the Owls crowd suggesting he wasn’t yet at his best.
Some Southampton fans have taken to Twitter to hurl abuse at Mario Lemina, after he harmlessly posted a tweet about his first training session with Galatasaray.
The Gabonese midfielder recently joined the Turkish giants in a season-long loan move, after his Saints career turned sour under Ralph Hasenhuttl.
The former Juventus man was axed by the Austrian boss and was taken off the first-team schedule at St Mary’s along with Charlie Austin.
Lemina’s exit comes after the 26-year-old uploaded a montage of his best bits in what appeared to be a come-and-get-me plea to other clubs this summer, and his general attitude on the South Coast seems to have placed him in some supporters’ bad books given their reaction to his seemingly harmless tweet.
One fan said that the £18.1m man has ‘no backbone’, whilst another told Lemina that he has ‘failed massively’.
Let’s take a look at what some Saints fans on Twitter have been saying on Twitter…
This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
Stuart Dallas made it known this week that he loves Yorkshire.
With the Northern Irishman’s contract ending next summer it was a statement that could bode well for his future at Leeds.
The versatile 28-year-old has started the season in fine fettle, averaging a match rating of over 7 according to WhoScored and he more than earned his keep away from Elland Road on Monday night.
Playing for his country against Germany, he proved he had what it takes on the biggest stage of international football.
On the chalkboard
Dallas has been trusted at right back for his club in 2019/20, filling in for Luke Ayling astutely.
He scored against Stoke a few weeks ago and was one of the few players to earn praise after their defeat versus Swansea before the break.
Taking on Germany there was always the possibility he may look out of his depth but that was far from the case as he was able to nullify the threat of Borussia Dortmund winger Julian Brandt.
The 23-year-old is one of the most promising in the Bundesliga and has already netted in the division this term. Last season he was on hand to claim 11 assists and seven goals for Bayer Leverkusen.
However, coming up against Dallas he failed to ever really get going.
The German managed just two dribbles whilst he was never able to complete a single cross for his team, even despite Joachim Low’s men eventually prevailing 2-0.
Germany didn’t have it all their own way and they could have found themselves in danger when Dallas himself fired an attempt inches wide of the target.
He looked brilliant going forward as he managed two crosses but the Leeds man was allowed to get into forward areas because of Brandt’s positioning.
As can be seen from the heatmap provided by SofaScore, Dallas was afforded plenty of space on the right channel and that was predominantly down to where Brandt operated.
Rather than trying to get down the channels himself, the wide man cut inside on a regular basis and left his side of the pitch relatively open.
Dallas exploited those areas to great effect, even if he missed a big chance, but it was a performance that showed he can play well even against some of the best in the business.
According to the Daily Record, Celtic are close to completing a £1.75 million deal for Karpaty Lviv winger Maryan Shved.
What’s the story?
The Ukrainian right-winger has been in fine form so far this season. According to Transfermarkt’s statistics, the 21-year-old has scored eight goals and racked up three assists in seventeen appearances in the Ukrainian top flight, the Premier Liga.
Shved is clearly a player with plenty of talent and capable of producing end product. With so much of his career still ahead of him too, he could improve a great deal in the future.
Be sure to check out the incredible story of the man who rose from a Tanzanian refugee camp to become one of Australia’s biggest football stars in the video below…
The once-capped Ukraine international would face a challenge in making the step up to the Scottish Premiership, but he could also provide the boost of quality and fresh attacking ideas that Brendan Rodgers’ side currently needs.
A much-needed boost
So far this season, the Bhoys have struggled to consistently show their best form. The reigning Scottish champions have at times looked stale and in need of an overhaul of their squad. Too many players have failed to regularly reach the required standard.
The likes of Scott Sinclair and Leigh Griffiths have failed to shine for the most part this season. Shved’s arrival could provide the level of competition that they need in order to get back to their best, or the young Ukrainian could usurp them in the starting XI at Celtic Park altogether.
For such a small fee, the gamble on Shved is one worth taking for the Hoops this month.
West Ham United fans are delighted that Manuel Lanzini has signed a new contract at the club.
The Argentina international has committed to another four years at the London Stadium, the club confirmed on Friday, prior to this weekend’s clash with Norwich City.
Watch West Ham United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below
Indeed, the playmaker has made a total of 112 appearances for the club since 2015 and has scored 21 goals and registered 19 assists in that time.
Lanzini has become a cornerstone of the project that manager Manuel Pellegrini is attempting to build in east London.
An exceptional dribbler of the ball, he has the ability to unlock even the tightest of defences and can also score, particularly from range.
Indeed, he has already laid on two assists in three appearances in 2019/20, against Brighton & Hove Albion and Watford.
And fans are delighted that he has decided to commit his future to the club.
Take a look at the best of the reaction on Twitter below!
After succumbing to a disheartening 2-0 defeat against Preston North End in their latest Championship clash, West Brom are back in action again this afternoon with an away game against Millwall, who are currently ten places and 12 points below the Baggies in the league table.
With Valerien Ismael revealing that Sam Johnstone will not be in the squad this afternoon but that Andy Carroll should be available, here’s how we feel West Brom will line up for today’s clash against Millwall with the likes of Kean Bryan, Dara O’Shea and Daryl Dike out injured and Semi Ajayi still away on international duty.
In goal, with Johnstone still not involved, it seems likely that David Button will keep his place in the team to try and keep a clean sheet for the Baggies.
In a back three, we think Ismael will keep Kyle Bartley and Cedric Kipre in the side but put Conor Townsend in the left wing-back position with Adam Reach, who is currently picking up a weekly wage of £23k-per-week according to Salary Sport, dropping out and Matt Clarke coming back in.
For the right wing-back position, we can see Darnell Furlong keeping his place in the team to see if he can have any attacking impact on the team after providing an assist in their recent 3-0 win over Peterborough United.
In the two central-midfield positions, we predict Ismael will stick with the duo of club captain Jake Livermore and Alex Mowatt.
Then for the front three, we could see the duo of Karlan Grant and Grady Diangana keeping their places in the team on the wings but see Matt Phillips drop out in place of Callum Robinson, with Carroll on the bench to come on as a substitute to make his debut if needed.
Whether Ismael goes with this exact starting XI that we have suggested or not, this is still an important game for the Baggies to secure all three points, climb a step closer to promotion and put their spotty run of form in recent weeks behind them.
Also, with West Brom unable to make even one shot on target in their defeat against Preston, they will certainly need to show a bit more attacking intent this time around if they want to have any chance of securing a win.
In other news: Ismael must unleash £18k-p/w WBA gem who “gives his all”, his job could depend on it – opinion
Aston Villa winger Anwar El Ghazi, who is currently on loan at Everton, isn’t wanted by either club in the summer, Football Insider have reported.
The Lowdown: Everton loan…
The 26-year-old hasn’t had the best of seasons, making just four Premier League starts, all of which came under former Villa boss Dean Smith.
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El Ghazi was sent out on loan to Everton in the January transfer window, but he has played just 11 minutes of football under Frank Lampard.
Labelled as ‘inconsistent’ by Villa podcaster Aaron Clark, it now looks as if the Dutch winger will be on the hunt for a new home over the coming months.
The Latest: Source’s reveal
Football Insider shared an update on El Ghazi after being informed by a Villa source. They claimed that the attacker will be let go by Everton in the summer, with Villa looking to secure a permanent exit for the player.
Steven Gerrard does not see the 26-year-old in his plans ahead of his first full season in charge, with the player set to enter the final 12 months of his Villa Park deal in the summer.
The Verdict: Right call?
Gerrard has also given the green light over an exit for midfielder Morgan Sanson in recent days, so it seems as if there will be a major shake-up over the coming months.
A permanent move away for El Ghazi does seem to be the correct decision, though, with the winger clearly not in the manager’s plans after he agreed to a winter loan move.
Villa officials may well have been hoping that Everton would take up the option to make El Ghazi’s move permanent for €10m (£8.4m), but it looks as if Johan Lange will be on the phone looking to find a new permanent home for the winger.
In other news: Newcastle now keen on signing another Villa player as advanced update emerges
Newcastle United are reportedly now the ‘most interested’ in signing Seko Fofana in the January transfer window.
The Lowdown: Standout season
Fofana is having a standout season in Ligue 1, starting off by winning their Player of the Month Award (POTM) in September.
He ranks as one of the best central midfield players in the division to have made 10 or appearances this season, and the second-best player at Lens, scoring five goals and averaging the most shots and dribbles per game out of his teammates (WhoScored).
Described as the ‘heartbeat’ of the team by journalist Josh Bunting, it is not a surprise at all to see the St. James’ Park faithful now linked with a move for Fofana this month.
The Latest: Newcastle ‘most interested’
As per Foot Mercato journalist and transfer expert Santi Aouna, the North East club are now the ‘most interested’ in signing Fofana, but there is also ‘real interest’ from both Leeds United and Burnley for his signature.
However, Lens have not received any offers for the Ivory Coast international as of yet.
The Verdict: Sign him up
With Fofana thriving in Ligue 1, he is surely ready to make the step up to the Premier League.
Dubbed a ‘phenom’ by journalist Zach Lowy after a dominating performance against PSG’s midfield last month, the six-foot-one star would really freshen things up in the middle of the park for Eddie Howe’s team, and at 26 years of age, he has likely not yet hit his prime.
Nonetheless, if there is a deal that can be done within the next few weeks, especially with the competition that they face, surely it is a no-brainer to bring him to Tyneside.
In other news, find out who Howe is now ‘pushing’ to sign here!