All posts by h716a5.icu

The latest BT Sport Team of the Week has been announced, and the Rangers supporters think there are some glaring omissions.

After their 6-1 demolition of Hibs, pundits Darrell Currie and Chris Sutton named three Gers stars in their side, with Jordan Jones, Jermain Defoe and Ryan Jack making it in.

Despite three of their players making the cut, the Ibrox faithful aren’t happy, and not just because some of their own stars didn’t get in.

Some Gers fans would’ve liked to have seen Hibs goalkeeper Ofir Marciano picked, despite conceding six, as he did make countless saves to keep the score down.

Another Hibs player some have called to have instated is Scott Allan. Tounge is firmly in cheek here as the ex-Celtic man caught the eye with a wonderful assist, and some Gers fans didn’t like that it received as much attention as the result itself.

The failure to include Steve Davis is another issue that’s got the Rangers supporters annoyed on Twitter…

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Leeds fans have had their say on Marcelo Bielsa, finding it hard to downplay their love for the Argentine after a supporter received an e-mail from him.

One adoring individual sent the Leeds boss a message describing how grateful they are to have him as their manager, which in turn sparked a small response from the 64-year-old himself.

It was a gracious and classy reply from Bielsa who as a result was hailed by certain segments of the fan base on Twitter.

One fan went as far as saying that not since the days of Don Revie have they been so excited about the club whilst another said that everything he did simply oozed class.

A further individual failed to see what Leeds would be like without their current boss as one suggested that he’d changed the club forever.

Bielsa led his team to the playoffs last term but failed to attain promotion. That doesn’t seem to have downplayed him in the hearts and minds of supporters though who are seemingly excited at what they can achieve after he signed a new deal in May.

Under him this term, they are currently unbeaten and will hope to extend that record when they face Brentford on Wednesday evening.

Here’s some of the reaction.

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Reiss Nelson believes that he is in with a “big, big shout” this year.

What did he say?

The 19-year-old spent last season out on loan at Hoffenheim, but has now returned to the fold at the Emirates Stadium. Unai Emery clearly sees him as part of his plans for the future as the forward has already started two of the first three games of the campaign.

Arsenal have brought in Nicolas Pepe and Gabriel Martinelli, both wingers, this summer. Although these two could be seen as threats to his place in the side, the England U21 international appears to be relishing the battle for spots. He told the Gunners’ official website:

“All the competition that’s here, all the new wingers Arsenal have signed… I think this could be my time.

“I need to just keep training hard and getting all the information from the coaches and the players. If I do that, I’m going to have a big, big shout this season.”

Check out fan reaction to Liverpool 3-1 Arsenal in the video below…

Good confidence, but maybe too soon?

You can’t knock the youngster’s confidence, that’s for sure. To be able to make it in the cut-throat world of professional football, belief in yourself and your abilities will only aid your development.

Nelson does have reasons to be optimistic, and the talent is there. He had a good spell at Hoffenheim, where he netted seven times and showed flashes of what he can do, whilst 17 goals and 11 assists in 38 Premier League 2 games is not to be sniffed at.

However, it could be too soon for the teenager to already be looking at a regular first team spot with the north London outfit. Whilst he did manage to score seven for the Bundesliga side last term, six came within the first 11 games. He started just five leagues matches throughout the campaign, and none after December. The capability to perform week-in week-out was obviously not there, but that’s exactly what Arsenal need.

His boss last term, Julian Naglesmann also reportedly dropped him in March this year as an “educational measure”. Another season away from the Emirates learning his craft would have done him the world of good, but it looks like he will be asked to contribute heavily to Emery’s side already.

It may just be a bit early for the starlet.

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[ad_pod ]Leeds suffered their first defeat of the Championship season on Saturday in devastating circumstances.The Whites were the better side for the majority of the encounter, mustering 21 shots but failed to find the back of the net as they succumbed to a late strike from Wayne Routledge.In the build-up, Jack Harrison was weak as he couldn’t prevent the Swans from gaining a corner and after Leeds failed to clear, the visitors were able to find a winner.Harrison’s overall performance hadn’t been great and consequently, plenty of supporters on Twitter decided to slam him.One called him a sad excuse of a footballer whilst another fan said he should never play again.It was a brutal attack on the winger, who was also criticised for his crossing. A further individual noted how he was at fault for the goal.

The 22-year-old struggled throughout and finished the match with a pass success rate of 76%. He was also dispossessed four times as he played a solitary key pass, per WhoScored.

Here’s the best of the reaction from Leeds fans on social media.

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Real Madrid and injuries are seemingly one and the same this summer.

Los Blancos have been losing players left and right due to various different fitness problems and currently six are unavailable.

But there is some good news for Zinedine Zidane and his Galactico troops.

Watch Spanish Football Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Marca recently came out with a report that some of the injured players might make a comeback in Real Madrid’s next La Liga game after the international break, which will be against Levante on September 14th.

But they also stated that Isco and Marco Asensio most likely won’t make it as their recoveries are still not as advanced. And the news about the 27-year-old Isco really seemed to cheer up many Real Madrid fans.

They were quick to state how happy they are that he won’t be playing in the next clash and some were stating how Real are, in fact, better off without him.

You can see some of their reactions and replies in the collection of tweets down below.

Check them out…

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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.

When Bobby Duncan’s agent released an explosive statement towards the end of August claiming that Liverpool football club were ‘mentally bullying’ his teenage charge, it prompted an equally extraordinary Twitter spat between said agent and Jamie Carragher. From that point on it became increasingly clear that the highly promising 18-year-old’s short time at Anfield was coming to an end.

The club for their part strenuously denied the accusation while a matter of days later Duncan was sold to Fiorentina for £1.8m and there he becomes the latest young English hope to export his talents to the continent.

Having been snapped up by the Reds for £200,000 in January 2018 after blazing his way through the junior levels for Manchester City the future of Steven Gerrard’s cousin appeared set in stone. He was going to be an idol of the Kop, a superstar for the club he supported.

Now it is in Serie A where he must turn all of that potential into goal-scoring gold and with the intrigue that brings – not to mention the numerous headlines his departure has generated – maybe it’s time we assessed how likely that is.

But just how good is Bobby Duncan and just how big a loss is he to the Merseyside giants?

Football Fancast gathered the views of those that know him best to find out…

Ian Forgie – PE teacher at Duncan’s High School

As a schoolboy attending Cardinal Heenan High School in West Derby, Duncan’s natural finishing and all-round ability stood out, inevitably attracting serious interest from several leading clubs, not just City. It was here too that comparisons were first made to a stonewall Merseyside legend in front of goal, as per the Evening Standard:

“He just exuded confidence; he always has done. He had this undeniable self-belief that he was going to be elite, nothing was going to stop him.

“From the first trial and from the way he uses that left foot, I said he’s a young Robbie Fowler. That’s all I see. He’s not going to be that tall, he’s going to be strong in the same way, he’s going to have that neck like Robbie Fowler. It’ll be about him scoring goals. If he can add that work rate to it, he’ll be there or thereabouts at the elite level.”

Anthony Barry – Wigan Athletic first team coach

The next Robbie Fowler? Fiorentina would be delighted at such a prospect. But a brief spell training with the Latics as a boy led to another lofty comparison, once again concerning a son of Liverpool who reached the very pinnacle of the sport, as per the Evening Standard:

“He’s just a typical street player; a raw talent. I think there are many similarities between him and Wayne Rooney in his physique and the way he plays his game and his upbringing. I played with Wayne right through the youth teams and the similarities are there for everyone to see I think.”

Check out fan reaction to Liverpool 3-1 Arsenal in the video below…

Barry Lawtas – Liverpool under 18s coach

More measured evaluation comes from Lawlas, who last season saw his young prodigy blast home 32 goals for the Under 18s before his promotion to the under 23s; before it all went wrong, as per Goal.com:

“Since the first day, he’s worked hard and scored goals. He’s a real good striker of the ball and he scores all types of goal, plus he’s really opened up as to the parts of his game that need to improve.”

Verdict

Had Duncan remained on Merseyside he would surely have developed into a player more than capable of terrorising Premier League defences and given Harry Kane something to worry about on the international scene.

Doubts about whether he will adapt to Italian football, however, at such a nascent stage means that while his talent is not in dispute the jury is out on if Stevie G’s cousin can construct a career to do the hype justice.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Real Madrid looked set to claim all three points over the weekend without even breaking a sweat in the process.

By the time the referee blew his whistle for half-time at the Santiago Bernabeu, Los Blancos were 3-0 up against Levante.

But then, as soon as the second half rolled around, something seemed to change, as their opponents attempted to mount a miraculous comeback.

Watch Spanish Football Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

In the end, Real Madrid emerged victorious, winning 3-2 after goals from Borja Mayoral and Gonzalo Melero in the second period.

Interestingly enough, the Frenchman recognised his side’s problem in the second half and practically summarised Real Madrid’s whole weekend in a single quote during his post-match press conference.

Here’s what he said in full:

“We’ve taken all three points after a phenomenal first-half performance, full of goals, good football and desire. We found it more difficult in the second half. When the opposition gets an early goal, things change a bit. We need to focus on playing like we did in the first half for the full 90 minutes. That’d be great for us.”

And not only was that the perfect summary of their clash against Levante but their season as a whole. So far, in their four games domestically, they have registered two wins and two draws.

An impressive display against Celta Vigo opened the campaign, with Zidane’s men winning 3-1 on the road.

That clash showed us that there is quality to this Real Madrid squad and they have the ability to click. The problem, however, as Zidane pointed out in his press conference, is the fact that, at the moment, they are just not consistent enough.

The rather sloppy victory over Levante was the best proof of that so far. They were 3-0 up and then had to fight until the end to actually snatch the three points. Indeed, they have also drawn with Real Valladolid and Villarreal.

But there does appear to be light at the end of the tunnel, despite a shaky performance. Zidane has recognised that there is a problem and will surely take the required steps to try to stamp out such inconsistency from his players.

We have already seen a dominant side to this Los Blancos squad; the question now is whether it can be unlocked over and over again, or if it will only come out sporadically.

Zidane must find out.

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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…

Liverpool may boast one of the best home records of any team in Europe, but their away form in the Champions League is one area which still requires improvement from Jurgen Klopp.

Of the top five leagues Liverpool have the longest unbeaten home record of any team in league competition, a run which stretches back to an Anfield defeat against Crystal Palace in April 2017.

Their pedigree at home has been maintained in Europe, too, with their last home defeat in the competition coming in October 2014, but on the road they haven’t been able to get things quite right.

Watch Liverpool Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

It is a strange phenomenon given they are European champions, but in their last seven away fixtures in the Champions League, excluding the final, they have lost five, including a visit to Red Star Belgrade, who were seeded fourth in last year’s group stage.

As a result, it is fair to say that it is a mark against Klopp, despite his success. Of the five away defeats Liverpool had the majority of possession against Red Star, PSG, Napoli and even Barcelona, but there has been a tendency to play safe, with players often holding back from going forward, as shown in their shot on target return.

That was the case in the final against Tottenham, with Liverpool looking to hold onto their lead for large spells.

Their three shots on target in that match is a familiar return from their away displays. Of their last seven away games the Reds have had over five shots on target in just two matches, both of which they won against Porto and Bayern Munich, and such a cautious approach can only be down to the manager.

It is a strange method for the German to use. Liverpool are often gung-ho in their approach but it is a method which works well for them, as evidenced by their average of 18 shots per game from their five Premier League matches this term, all of which they have won.

Their next away game at Genk should be more comfortable but the following European trip, to Red Bull Salzburg, will be a good chance for Klopp to test his team, as they boast a great home record. By the time Liverpool visit them in December it may be more than three years since they were defeated on their own turf, last losing at the Red Bull Arena in November 2016 as things stand.

It will not be a comfortable atmosphere for Klopp’s side, therefore, and it will likely be a test of their mentality as much as their ability, and it will be interesting to see if he can begin to turn the tide away from Anfield.

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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…

Last weekend, Barcelona were put to the sword by Granada. Matchday five brought more woe as the Catalans suffered a shock 2-0 defeat to their hosts.

But despite a bad collective performance, one player, in particular, endured a difficult 45 minutes.

Junior Firpo was the man called up to replace Jordi Alba as the Spaniard is still recovering from his recent injury. But the 24-year-old was not at his best and was directly responsible for Granada’s first goal.

Other than that, he also registered two tackles, one interception and one clearance.

Nevertheless, Valverde was clearly not impressed and he substituted Firpo at half-time, slotting Nelson Semedo on the left and dropping Sergi Roberto from midfield into the right-back position.

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But despite that mistake early on in the game, Firpo still played well, all things considered.

Thus, Valverde’s substitution can only negatively affect his mentality and motivation.

Strangely, Firpo was then reinstated to the starting XI for the next game against Villarreal at the Camp Nou, and fortunately produced a much better display.

The young defender tallied four tackles and one clearance to his name, immediately proving the early fluffs in the previous clash were just jitters and him getting used to a new environment.

But that only puts Valverde’s man-management under further scrutiny, having singled out a new signing who – one mistake aside – had performed well for his new team.

Of course, good performances need to be rewarded and likewise, bad performances need to be punished. But for a newcomer to the club who was making his first start back then, that punishment seemed just a tad too harsh.

Not to mention that it sends the completely wrong message to the youngsters, especially considering that the senior players don’t seem to get the same treatment.

Take Luis Suarez, for example. He turned in an underwhelming display against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League and yet, he not only played that game in full but also started and finished the game against Granada, as well.

Maybe this won’t affect Firpo all that negatively in the long run but this type of management by Valverde is definitely not the way to move forward.

It will create a culture of fear where players are less inclined to take risks, concerned a mistake could cost them a place in the team – or even result in a very public hooking off.

We can only wait and see what it does for the 24-year-old in future fixtures, but Valverde can’t continue ruling with a reactionary fist.

Some Manchester United fans aren’t believing a word of a report from the Manchester Evening News about the club’s transfer plans.

According to the publication, the club is targeting four new signings next year: a full-back, a central midfielder, a forward and a striker.

The summer transfer window saw just three arrivals at the club, with two of them in defence. They also fell two priority signings short in the summer, after the sale of Alexis Sanchez and Romelu Lukaku to Internazionale.

Harry Maguire was signed for a world-record fee believed to be £80m, while Aaron Wan-Bissaka was signed for £50m. Daniel James also joined the club for £15m from Championship side Swansea City.

The lack of squad depth this season was criticised by former United star Gary Neville, who said the club need to add ‘three of four players down the spine’ (Sky Sports via Daily Mail).

However, despite the reports, fans weren’t believing that the club are planning four signings next year as they took to Twitter to react.

Here is a selection of tweets from the Old Trafford faithful:

Do you think Manchester United will be busy in the transfer market in 2020? Have your say by commenting below!