All posts by h716a5.icu

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Charlton have overachieved this season, there is no doubt, considering that they lost their top scorer in January and were unable to replace him.

They have still been able to steamroller their way into a play-off spot, however, with the chance to seize promotion just around the corner.

With limited resources and backing, Lee Bowyer deserves an enormous amount of credit for the job he’s done and you’d think that tying the former midfielder down for the next few years would be a priority for Roland Duchatelet and co.

However, if Bowyer’s increasingly frustrating press conferences are anything to go by, then little progress is being made on the part of the controversial Belgian owner, while the impressive manager has been left in the dark.

Speaking in his pre-Gillingham presser, an exasperated Bowyer admitted that he has no control of the situation and “it is what it is”.

It would be a complete disaster if Duchatelet continued to procrastinate and Bowyer was allowed to be snatched away in the summer.

This could have some huge consequences at The Valley…

Transfer domino effect

With the likes of Joe Aribo and Patrick Bauer also on deals which are due to expire at the end of the campaign, the way in which Duchatelet has handled Bowyer’s situation should have alarm bells ringing for the aforementioned duo, who have been a big part of the Addicks’ success in 2019.

Bauer is already proving a tough nut to crack, with the centre-back hinting that promotion to the Championship is the only thing that could keep him at SE7, although he could seek an exit anyway if Bowyer isn’t at the helm next season. The same goes for Aribo, who has reportedly been watched by Arsenal this season.

Both players have been excellent under the 42-year-old and Duchatelet would send completely the wrong message to potentially-outgoing players should he decline to negotiate new terms with the Addicks boss.

Fan outrage

The fans have fallen in love with Bowyer since he was appointed on a permanent basis back in September and there would be riots at The Valley if the former Newcastle man isn’t in charge next term.

Relations between the Charlton faithful and Duchatelet are already pushed to their limits and this would truly be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.

Check out what happened when two of Charlton’s best players faced-off in a game of ‘Splat’ in the video below…

Bowyer is one of the brightest young managers in the EFL at the moment and it would be a disaster if Charlton were to lose him to another club, potentially a Championship rival – QPR are said to be interested – with their managerial position still vacant.

If Duchatelet wants to keep the few supporters he still has at Charlton it’s essential that he gives Bowyer the deal he deserves.

Charlton slide back down the table

With Duchatelet unlikely to financially back the man in the Charlton dugout next term any more than he has Bowyer this season, the Addicks could be set for a heartbreaking slide back down the table.

Bowyer has done phenomenally well with next to no support from the hierarchy – this is surely why QPR, who are in similarly dire straits behind the scenes, see him as a great candidate – and there is no guarantee that whoever may replace him could do even half as well.

In fact, it’s more likely that they would oversee the Addicks’ demise.

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Liverpool booked their spot in the 2019 Champions League final courtesy of a quite incredible 4-0 win over Barcelona in the second leg of their semi-final on Tuesday night.

Barca entered the clash at Anfield holding a 3-0 advantage from the first leg in Spain, but Liverpool turned things around in front of their own supporters.

The result was even more incredible when considering that both Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino were ruled out for the Merseyside outfit.

Xherdan Shaqiri was given the chance to impress in an attacking position, but it was largely a tough night for the Switzerland international.

Shaqiri did set up Liverpool’s third of the night with a terrific cross into the Barcelona box, but it was not a surprise that he did not finish the match.

And throughout the 90 minutes a number of the Liverpool fans made it clear that they were upset with what they saw from the former Bayern Munich attacker.

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

It is some campaign Ryan Fraser has had at the Vitality Stadium this season. No wonder he has the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea chasing him (Daily Mirror). 

In the Premier League, only Eden Hazard provided more assists this term.

Fraser, however, might not be the only wide man heading for the Bournemouth exit door this summer.

According to The Sun, Jordon Ibe is also attracting Premier League interest, with Brendan Rodgers said to be keen on reuniting with the 23-year-old at Leicester City.

Possibly set to lose Fraser, Eddie Howe should not rush into making any hasty decisions regarding Ibe.

That being said, if they can get close to the £15m they paid Liverpool for the winger back in 2016 (BBC Sport), then Bournemouth should consider a sale.

Since arriving from Anfield, Ibe has failed to make much of an impact in the side and has not progressed enough.

It took him until the last day of the season to score his first Premier League goal while in his debut campaign as a Cherries player, he failed to find the back of the net at all in English football’s top flight.

Considering that, it may be time for Bournemouth to move on the former Liverpool man.

With the money they could potentially make from that and Fraser’s sale, Howe would have the funds to invest in a much more productive player.

Bournemouth fans, do you want to see Ibe remain at the Vitality Stadium? Join the discussion by commenting below.

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According to ExWHUemployee, West Ham United are currently working on summer deals for West Bromwich Albion’s Salomon Rondon and Fulham’s Aleksandar Mitrovic.

Rondon spent the 2018-19 season on loan at Newcastle United – scoring 11 Premier League goals during a strong campaign for the Magpies.

Mitrovic, meanwhile, also struck 11 Premier League goals during the recent campaign, but the powerful striker could not prevent Fulham from being relegated.

As it stands, both will play in the Championship next term, although it seems extremely unlikely that will be the case by the time that the transfer window closes.

When asked about West Ham’s transfer activity on social media, ExWHUemployee claimed that the Hammers were currently working on deals for Rondon and Mitrovic.

The London club’s fans have been on social media reacting to the claim and it would be fair to say that a number have differing opinions on the potential double swoop.

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

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According to The Sunday Mirror (May 26, Page 69), Leeds United have slapped a £20 million pricetag on Jack Clarke’s head.

This comes just a few days after Tottenham reportedly offered just half that amount for the 18-year-old’s services.

Is he worth it?

£20 million for a relatively unproven Championship player seems like an excessive amount.

Clarke may have had a breakout season under Marcelo Bielsa, but his form dipped massively after he was taken to hospital partway through the game against Middlesbrough in February.

That incident seems to have severely dented his confidence, and he now doesn’t play with the same amount of confidence and swagger as he used to.

Of course, the form he initially showed could quickly be recaptured, and playing under the tutelage of Mauricio Pochettino could be the best thing for him, but for the London club to pay £20 million for him would be extremely risky.

Win-Win

Victor Orta will be well aware that the fee they are asking for will prove too much for many of Clarke’s potential suitors, and that asking price is clearly meant to act as a deterrent.

The Whites have asked for £20 million full well knowing that nobody would pay that for a player who has played just 814 minutes of Championship football, but if they do, Bielsa’s side will be getting a significant windfall.

Orta has set up a win-win situation for the Yorkshire outfit as they will now most likely be able to keep hold of their most promising talent, but if he does leave they will be getting a fantastic price for him.

Tottenham surely will look elsewhere after being quoted that price for the youngster, but that doesn’t mean that in a few years they won’t be back to have another look at the teenager after he has developed further.

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The agent of Newcastle target Wesley Moraes, known as Wesley, has indicated that Rafael Benitez’s future will impact whether the Brazilian signs for Newcastle or not.

What’s the story?

A report from The Daily Star claims Newcastle, Lazio, West Ham and Bayer Leverkusen all want to sign Wesley, but the Hammers and German outfit have lost the race.

This leaves just the Magpies and Lazio in a two-way battle for the young striker, and his agent has now suggested what needs to happen for Tyneside to be his landing spot.

Speaking to The Laziali, translated by Calciomercato, Wesley’s agent, Paulo Nehmy said: “Are Lazio interested still? Yes, it is true, Lazio are interested, but between being close and getting the business done it still demands conversations.

“What about Newcastle? Are they in the running? Yes, it’s true too, we already had a conversation. But, Rafa Benitez needs to renew his contract.”

Pl>ymaker FC Exclusive: Jermaine Jenas reveals why Tyne-Wear is a more intense derby than anything London can offer – check out the video below….

Good news, bad news

There is good news and bad news for Newcastle fans. The good news is that the player is clearly very keen to play under Rafa, perhaps unsurprising considering the beloved Magpies boss’ achievements so far in his career.

The bad news of course is that Mike Ashley is known to play the waiting game. The infamous club owner will happily sit on the decision to tie Benitez down for as long as he wants, potentially allowing for transfers such as this one to be wrapped up by other teams, like Lazio, in the meantime.

A more skilful Rondon?

If Wesley does eventually join, he could potentially bring everything Salomon Rondon did but with a bit more flair.

The 22 year-old is 6 ft 1 and extremely strong, but very gifted with the ball at his feet. He recorded his best ever goal tally this season with 17, as well as ten assists.

He can score with either foot or in the air, is young enough to grow and develop further under Benitez’s guidance, and also has a bit of a mean streak in him, something the Toon Army will definitely enjoy.

St. James’ Park adored Rondon, but here they have a far more technically gifted player, with all his best years still to come, who is desperate to play for the one and only Rafa. This should be a no brainer for the Magpies, get it done.

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Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool go toe-to-toe tonight in the first all-English Champions League final since 2008.

Spurs, of course, overcame Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City and Ajax in the knockout rounds to reach the showpiece while the Reds overcame Bayern Munich, Porto and Barcelona.

Mauricio Pochettino’s men are slight underdogs following a fourth-placed finish in the Premier League compared to the Reds’ season, where they lost just once all season but still finished second.

Where will the game be lost and won in Madrid, though? Football FanCast takes a look below!

The Key Battle – Moussa Sissoko vs Jordan Henderson

Whoever wins the midfield battle will probably win the game.

Both teams have such power in attack that it is easy to boil it down to whoever takes their chances but to take advantage of possession, you have to have it.

Sissoko and Henderson, then, are key.

The former is an exceptional ball-carrier and he thrives when taking the ball on the transition, linking defence and attack.

Henderson, meanwhile, is a shuttler, looking to close off the space afforded to his opponents.

Sissoko is a more dynamic presence but Henderson perhaps works that little bit harder; it remains to be seen who will come out on top, but each has a key role to play in Spain.

The Key Dynamic – The press

Both Spurs and Liverpool look to press high and win the ball back in the latter third of the pitch.

Tottenham usually have Harry Kane, Heung-Min Son and Christian Eriksen buzzing around the opposition backline, looking to pounce on any mistakes, while the Reds have Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane, the so-called Red Arrows.

Whichever team can beat the press has an exceptional chance of winning the game due to neither side truly relying on their midfields.

Both have solid centre-back pairings – while Virgil van Dijk is probably the best defender in the world, Spurs have a better duo, in Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen, than the Reds, who typically partner the Dutchman with Joel Matip – but there will be space if the front threes are bypassed.

The next step is to pick an accurate pass, find the forward and hope that he takes the opportunity.

Whichever team is more clinical will, obviously, win the game, but the first step is beating the press.

The Deciding Factor – Final nerves

Tottenham have never been here before.

Not once have they won the competition, nor have they ever played in the final.

Liverpool have but their last experience was a painful one as they lost to Real Madrid thanks to a combination of Salah’s injury, Loris Karius’ ineptitude and Gareth Bale’s brilliance.

This is make-or-break for both teams, then.

Both stand on the precipice of achieving history – Liverpool can win a sixth European Cup, Spurs their first – and every player on the pitch is 90 minutes away from immortality.

There will be some butterflies in some stomachs but it remains to be seen who will deal with it best.

The Impact Subs – Lucas Moura vs Divock Origi

It feels remarkably harsh to drop both Lucas Moura and Divock Origi but here we are.

If Harry Kane is fit, he should play for Spurs, and it seems inevitable that it’ll be the Brazilian who drops out instead of Son Heung-Min, Dele Alli or Christian Eriksen.

Liverpool, meanwhile, seem set to have Roberto Firmino fit and that means that he will surely start alongside Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah.

Origi, the hero of their comeback against Barcelona, will follow in his counterpart’s footsteps, then, by sitting on the bench.

Both are pacey, skilful players with the ability to take a chance and they could each have key roles to play if their team happens to fall behind.

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When Dean Smith walked through the doors of Villa Park in October 2018 not many will have seen a promotion winning season on the cards.

The Villans came into the campaign with fresh backing from new owners but there was still a considerable job for Smith and his players to do once he took over.

Steve Bruce had left the club after a troublesome period which never really saw them get their season going.

Indeed it took a while for the current boss to work his magic too, but once he did, it was done to devastating effect.

Aston Villa became a force to be reckoned with again, playing an impressive brand of football that at one point saw them go ten games without dropping a single point.

Their consistency was remarkable as they timed their run to near perfection.

Sitting 13th in March with one of the worst defensive records in the league, the thought of going up wouldn’t have been on the minds of many.

And clearly, it can’t have been a focus during the winter.

In a pre-match press conference ahead of a clash with Ipswich in January, Smith laid out his policy for transfer windows to come by declaring, as quoted by Birmingham Live:

“The future of the football club has to be getting players in who have potential. We want to raise the market value also. We want players who can develop and get better.”

Ahead of what could possibly have been a third season in the Championship, this policy will have proved fruitful. The way Smith was able to develop even the most enigmatic of Villa players in the back half of the season was outstanding.

However, as they gear up for a return to the Premier League, does this policy need to change? Arguably so.

After releasing eight players, it’s evident Villa mean business, especially given the age of some of those who departed.

That was a clear statement of what Smith spoke about in January. Yet, it’s crucial he adapts to a new league by changing his policy.

The Premier League has a funny habit of sucking you up and spitting you back out. Just ask Fulham. It’s important they don’t stray into territories of spending over £100m on players, but they do need to add experience to their squad.

In re-signing Gary Cahill, a player who has been the subject of reported interest, it’s a recognition of the need to change this policy.

The former Chelsea man is precisely the type of experienced campaigner they need to sign and can provide a welcome boost in their quest to improve their backline.

Villa have also been targeting 29-year-old Neil Etheridge, a goalkeeper they had an £8m bid rejected for, whilst James Tavernier who will turn 28 in October could move to the Midlands too.

They are three prime examples of a change in direction from Smith and the club’s hierarchy. If they can balance those types of signings with footballers who have scope to improve in the future, they’ll strike gold with their transfer business.

Going for younger players isn’t necessarily a bad thing but adaptability is crucial at this stage. Developing players in the Championship was shrewd but when it comes to the harsh realities of the Premier League, they may not have the time.

With this in mind, Smith needs to break his January promise or else they could be staring at an instant return to the second tier.

A £170m windfall from winning the play-offs is sure to help with proceedings but spending it all in one go would be foolish.

Moving for Cahill is a good start and lays down their marker for the summer ahead. However, there needs to be greater urgency in bringing in proven talent, rather than those who may come good in a couple of years.

If they don’t get things right then they’ll find it a struggle to compete.

For many sides relegation is just a ticking time bomb away from reality. Simply relying on players with potential would be too big a risk.

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Egpytian King. Goal-scoring extraordinaire. Liverpool legend. And according to his latest posts on Instagram, expert fisherman? Mohamed Salah really can do everything.

Just weeks after the star helped Liverpool to claim yet another Champions League trophy, Salah is off on his holidays, enjoying a well-deserved break and celebrating the Reds’ end of season achievements.

Posting a picture on

/ByihGedB76C/” data-lasso->Instagram, Salah is seen holding a rather large fish (that we assume he’s caught himself), and shows off his fishing handiwork to the world.

The 26-year-old has been a revelation since returning to the Premier League, and once again finished amongst the country’s top scorers this term.

The forward struck the back of the net 27 times across all competitions and provided a further 13 assists as he emphatically silenced the doubts over potentially suffering from second-season syndrome.

Five of Salah’s goals came in the Champions League, and it was the Egpytian’s penalty in the opening minutes of the clash against Tottenham that set the Reds on their way to another European triumph.

But for Salah and the rest of Jurgen Klopp’s side alike, the big fish that they will be trying to hunt down will be the Premier League, after Manchester City edged them out and secured their second title in two years.

Manchester United and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be desperate to improve on a desperately poor season that left in sixth place and without a trophy in sight. 

It’s got to better, hasn’t it? Surely things can’t get much worse than the end of season dip which saw United taste victory twice in their remaining 12 fixtures.

Fans are eagerly awaiting the club’s next movements in the transfer market having already seen Wales youngster Daniel James step through the door, with further rumours linking the likes of Harry Maguire and Aaron Wan Bissaka to Old Trafford. Indeed, we’ve been looking at what fans can expect now the fixture is out and our latest piece takes us to the Theatre of Dreams.

Taking a brief moment to look past anticipated market magic and toward where it really matters, the pitch, United fans should be licking their lips at the prospects of the following two fixtures…

Norwich vs Manchester United: Saturday 26 August 2020

On paper, this should be an easy enough game, with United claiming seven wins in the previous ten meetings.

Fresh from their fixture against Liverpool, United will either be hoping to build on a prestigious victory or bounce back from a bitter defeat.

Whatever the motivation, the game against Norwich City is a must win for the Red Devils. Partly because fans and critics alike will expect the beast that is Manchester United Football Club to gobble up the frankly inferior Norwich City, but mostly due to the fact their journey to Carrow Road is the first of what some might considered five “easy” fixtures against Bournemouth, Brighton, Sheffield United and Aston Villa (though we’re firmly of the belief that anything can happen in the top flight).

Not to mention the small fact that after that run, Solskjaer’s men face Spurs, Manchester City, Watford, Newcastle and Burnley.

Aston Villa vs Manchester United: Saturday 18 April 2020

When the club’s official site conducted a poll asking supporters which of the three promoted stadiums supporters favoured the most – out of Bramall Lane, Carrow Road and Villa Park – the resounding response was for the home of Aston Villa, with 86% of the vote.

And for good reason. Not only is it a match-up against two of the five English sides who have claimed the top European prize, but it’s also a fixture between two of the most prominent clubs in English football. Goliaths who, for all intents and purposes, have hit hard times of late.

Not to mention the fact that United’s ‘home from home’ has been kind to the club over the years. Very kind, indeed. And not since 1999 have the Red Devils lost on that beautifully mown turf (winning 11 and drawing four).

A welcome return.

Manchester United fans, do you agree with our selections? Let us know in the comments below…