All posts by h716a5.icu

Joining a new football club can be a daunting task.

Moving to a new city, playing with new footballers and potentially living hundreds of miles away from your family can be unnerving for even the most mentally strong players.

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Matt Targett left a lot behind when he moved from the south coast to the Midlands – swapping Southampton for Aston Villa.

Fortunately for the left-back, he’s had a lot of help settling in from one of his Villa teammates.

The defender has moved in next door to John McGinn, and he says that living so close to one of his teammates has really helped him settle into the club.

McGinn has lived in the Midlands for over a year at this point, and Targett says that he’s helped him learn more about the local area.

Hopefully, this not only helps Targett settle into his new surroundings, but it could also help him on the pitch as a close bond with McGinn will undoubtedly improve their understanding when they play together.

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…

West Brom are well renowned for their academy, not just in the Midlands, but probably across the country and even in Europe.

Over the last decade, the club have produced many a young prospect, but it is more recently that it has started to benefit the senior setup.

Slaven Bilic’s Baggies side currently has Nathan Ferguson, Kyle Edwards, and Romaine Sawyers regularly featuring – no player has recorded less than ten appearances in the Championship this season.

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You can’t forget Rekeem Harper, Dara O’Shea, Sam Field or Jonathan Leko either, who are all somewhat on the fringes of the first-team fold.

Then there are the likes of Kemar Roofe, who is now at Anderlecht, Saido Berahino, Jerome Sinclair, and even Chris Wood, who have all come through Albion’s ranks over years gone by.

Players have come and gone, some haven’t represented the club, some have – but this summer, West Brom lost potentially their two brightest prospects in Louie Barry and Morgan Rogers.

The England U16 striker turned down a new contract at the Hawthorns to make the switch to La Liga giants Barcelona, with the Baggies receiving a measly £235k in compensation.

Find out how to perform one of Ronaldinho’s most insane skills in the video below…

While the club reluctantly sold Rogers to Premier League champions Manchester City for £4m, making him one of the most expensive players ever in his age bracket.

It was very nearly a case of deja vu in the space of just weeks as Harper had attracted interest from Liverpool and Juventus, but the hierarchy at Albion have only gone and clinched the man taking Barry’s hype amongst the youth set up in Jamie Soule, as he has signed a three-year contract extension.

The 18-year-old has netted 28 times across 58 appearances for both the U18s and U23s, so it was vitally important to keep him at the club as he could quite easily follow in the footsteps of Ferguson and Edwards this campaign.

It is also clear to see that Luke Dowling and co have learned from the loss of both Barry and Rogers. There was surely no chance of them letting another young prospect slip out of their grasp, especially after the sporting and technical director said this during the summer:

“We want to return to what West Brom have been good at – unearthing some gems that people might not know too much about.”

Maybe this is their best move since signing the likes of Bilic, Matheus Pereira, and Semi Ajayi.

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…

John Toshack talked to Libero (via The42) and discussed one of their current stars, Gareth Bale. And it seems that the former Real Madrid and Wales manager believes his compatriot is a bit too selfish.

What did he say?

Just the other day, Wales and Croatia faced off in one of their Euro 2020 qualifiers and Real Madrid had two stars compete against each other on the pitch.

It was Bale vs Luka Modric, two former Tottenham Hotspur and current Los Blancos’ stars on the opposite side of the pitch and as fate would have it, both of them seemed to suffer injuries towards the end of the clash.

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And despite the Welshman actually ensuring his country avoided defeat on the night – the game ended as a 1-1 draw –  Toshack still had a word of criticism for his compatriot.

According to the former Real Madrid and Wales boss, Bale is simply too individualistic and doesn’t participate enough in all the proceedings on the pitch.

Here’s what he said in full:

“Bale doesn’t take part in the game, for possibly for five minutes he is around the edges of a game but he doesn’t participate, and then suddenly he sprints to come back. With him it is sometimes like playing with 10 players. He is very individualistic.”

A Galactico outcast

Even though he is still Real Madrid’s biggest signing in the history of the club, Bale seems to be a regular target for criticism.

We all know that his relationship with Los Blancos and Zinedine Zidane, in particular, is not really the best.

Watch Lionel Messi and Gareth Bale answer the internet’s weirdest questions in the video below…

After all, it was the Frenchman himself who called for Bale to be shipped off just months ago during the summer transfer window but then changed his tune practically overnight, stating the Welshman would be an important part of the squad.

But the rumours have not stopped and the 30-year-old forward has been linked with a move away from the Galacticos once again.

That was actually the result of his recent omissions from the team sheets as Bale missed a couple of games.

It still remains to be seen, however, whether he has a future at the club or not.

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

West Brom have enjoyed a near-perfect start to the Championship season as Slaven Bilic’s men sit top of the table after 11 matches.

But just like last year, they are at serious risk of hindering that with decisions made in the summer.

During the 2018/19 campaign, the Baggies enjoyed the returns from loan star Harvey Barnes as he scored nine goals and provided six assists in 26 appearances, per WhoScored.

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Until he was recalled by parent club Leicester City.

Grady Diangana this term has followed down a similar route, scoring four goals and assisting three more after joining the club on loan from West Ham.

He too has a January recall clause in his deal.

On the Chalkboard

Now the loss of the 21-year-old in January would put a serious dent in their promotion hopes, but it could potentially be even more catastrophic as it will have a considerable knock-on effect on other members of the squad such as Matheus Pereira.

The Brazilian has also been an integral part of Albion’s attack this season, scoring two goals and providing four assists, per WhoScored.

Both players have started six matches and come off the bench three times to feature having both made their debuts against Luton Town at the end of August, which suggests the pair have been a key part of West Brom’s impressive form.

At one stage, the Baggies were the only unbeaten side in the division until Leeds put pay to that a couple of weeks ago.

Games against Blackburn Rovers, Huddersfield Town, and Cardiff City have seen the duo both either score or assist in the match, so their influence on one another clearly somewhat exists.

The pair are rather effervescent, and it wouldn’t be out of the realms of possibility to suggest that if you took one player out of the equation, the other could well suffer as a result.

Albion could well have got over the line last season if Barnes had stuck around.

Gary Rowett has been appointed as the new manager of Millwall (via millwallfc.co.uk).

The 45-year-old becomes the permanent successor to Neil Harris, who resigned from his position earlier in October (via BBC Sport).

He will not be officially in charge of the team for their game against Cardiff City, with caretaker Adam Barrett set to oversee the fixture at the Den. Rowett’s first game in the dugout is set to be on Saturday when the Lions take on his former club Stoke City at the bet365 Stadium.

Millwall are currently 17th in the Championship table, with just five points between them and the relegation zone (BBC Sport).

It would be fair to say that Rowett has a very solid record at Championship level. Indeed, he has won 71 and drawn 61 matches in the second tier from the 180 he has taken charge of (via Transfermarkt).

His best season arguably came whilst he was in charge of Derby County, as he guided the Rams into the play-offs before ultimately losing in the semi-finals to Fulham (BBC Sport).

Millwall fans seem to be happy with Rowett becoming the new manager, with most suggesting that he will be a solid appointment for the London club.

Here is how some supporters reacted to his appointment on Twitter…

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…

The prospect of coming up against Sadio Mane and Mo Salah as full-backs is always going to be a daunting prospect, and that is exactly what could lie ahead for Serge Aurier and Danny Rose when Tottenham Hotspur travel to Anfield to face Liverpool on Sunday.

Salah returned to the starting XI against Genk in midweek having missed the trip to Manchester United previously, and he marked the occasion with one goal and one assist.

On the opposite flank, Mane netted once meaning he now has nine goals and two assists in 13 appearances for the Reds this term, with his African teammate also having 11 goal involvements over the same number of games.

As well as their threat in those terms in the final third, the fact that Salah and his Senegal teammate have successfully completed 1.6 and 1.3 dribbles per game respectively in the top flight in 2019/20 only enhances the threat that they pose.

Pochettino has something of a conundrum then, with Spurs hardly looking convincing away from home this season when it comes to keeping the ball out of the net.

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Indeed, they have conceded twice on their travels against Arsenal, Manchester City, Olympiacos and Leicester City, while in their previous trip they went down 3-0 at Brighton and Hove Albion.

The duo also started in the 7-2 humiliation against Bayern Munich and struggled to deal with the threat of Serge Gnabry – who netted four times – and Kingsley Coman, and perhaps they need that extra support on Merseyside this weekend, especially with two attacking full-backs in Andrew Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, too.

Aurier started against Red Star Belgrade in midweek, and unless Pochettino is willing to blood Foyth there then he is likely to remain, while Danny Rose was rested against the Serbian outfit, suggesting he will be back in contention for a start.

If the pair do get the nod, there is a potential solution that could make their life a lot easier – a 3-5-2 formation.

Letting Rose and Aurier play as wing-backs already puts an extra body in defence, while a midfield trio inbetween them means they can also be covered if they do venture forward in search of goals.

Whether Pochettino would be willing to take Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld out of the starting XI against Jurgen Klopp’s men remains to be seen, but a back three of Ben Davies, Davinson Sanchez and Juan Foyth could potentially work.

Davies started as a centre-back three times for Spurs last term and they all ended in wins and clean sheets, and he would of course provide that full-back know-how against Salah on that flank, while Foyth is in a similar situation himself having played as a right-back and centre-back in his career to date.

With the likes on Winks and Sissoko able to cover in wide areas too, it could just be the genius solution to ensure that Rose and Aurier aren’t overworked and become possible liabilities on what is likely to be a tough afternoon.

Birmingham City moved to within touching distance of the Championship playoffs after picking up all three points on Saturday afternoon.

Pep Clotet’s men defeated Luton Town 2-1 at St Andrew’s thanks to a late winner from striker Lukas Jutkiewicz.

The Blues opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time, quite literally, as Kristian Pedersen headed home a Maxime Colin cross with the last kick of the half.

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The visiting Hatters pegged them back with just over 20 minutes left as Harry Cornick robbed the goalscorer of the ball before easily firing past goalkeeper Lee Camp.

But the 30-year-old forward was there to head home a corner to hand Clotet a vital three points at home.

Several of the Blues fanbase took to Twitter to share their thoughts on the match, with many of them singling midfielder Dan Crowley out for high praise.

One supporter claimed the former Arsenal man was playing like he’s worth £7.5m rather than the £700k they reportedly paid for him from Willem II this summer.

Another member of the St Andrew’s faithful called the 22-year-old ‘world class’ with ‘absolute bargain’ and ‘unreal’ being just two other phrases to describe his performance, while one fan went as far as saying Crowley is a Premier League footballer.

Here’s the best of the reaction:

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…

Manchester City’s superstar Sergio Aguero has stated that joining the club was the best decision of his career and admitted that he feels like a Mancunian.

What did he say?

Aguero has been at City since 2011 and has gone on to become arguably the most important player in the history of the club. The 31-year-old has become the all-time top scorer for the Citizens and helped win four Premier League titles, including that stoppage-time winner against Queens Park Rangers.

Aguero told the club: “It was hard to imagine spending so long with one club when I first started off… but as time went by, it became clearer to me that it was exactly what I wanted.

“And here I am – enjoying my eighth season with Manchester City.

During Vincent Kompany’s 11 years in Manchester, the Belgian proudly claimed he was an honorary Mancunian. The Argentine has joined the fellow City legend in this sentiment.

“How couldn’t I feel like a Mancunian?” he said.

“I feel at home in this club and in this city. As soon as I arrived, I’ve felt like I belonged – that made the adaptation process much more natural.

“The respect and affection that I receive daily means a lot to me. It’s never easy to be far from my family, and, especially, from my son Benjamin.

“I’ve grown quite fond of Manchester over the years. It’s a city that experiences football with a great intensity – and, in spite of the local rivalry, the relationship with our neighbours has always been friendly and cordial towards me.

“I believe coming to Manchester City is one of the best decisions I’ve taken in my life.”

The Argentine Manc

If you ask many City fans who their favourite ever player is, a lot of them will tell it is Aguero or Kompany.

His love for the club and city of Manchester has placed him in fans’ hearts forever.

From his title-winning goals to his crushing victories over Manchester United, the Argentine has become a true honorary Manc.

As for Kompany, the work he has put in to help the local community has certainly made him one of the most loved people in the city, and the admiration transcends footballing allegiance.

For his testimonial, the City legend donated all proceeding of the match to the homeless.

The two legends of the club are fully deserving of being labelled Mancunians.

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…

Sheffield Wednesday boss Garry Monk may soon have a pressing situation on his hands in a key area with January soon on the horizon.

Earlier this week, the Owls’ number two goalkeeper Cameron Dawson was linked with a move away from Hillsborough as a whole host of clubs are reportedly keen on clinching him, including Derby County and Scottish Premier League outfit Rangers – per The Star.

Meanwhile, third-choice shot-stopper Joe Wildsmith made his comeback from injury in training this week, which is merely a coincidence, but it does open up the argument to whether or not he can be the man to succeed his senior teammate.

Both goalkeepers have enjoyed stints in the first-team starting line up since progressing through the club’s academy ranks – Wildsmith took advantage of Keiren Westwood’s injury back in 2015 while Dawson was handed the privilege of being number one under Jos Luhukay until he was sacked.

Several supporters at the south Yorkshire club clearly do not want to see the 24-year-old leave the club, especially not to a Championship rival, as seen with their reactions here.

And they may well be onto something as the backup between the sticks has always proven himself when given the opportunity.

This season, Dawson has recorded four clean sheets in five appearances. Most recently, he kept one against Stoke City to help the Owls to a 1-0 victory, and then he was harshly dropped for the next match as Westwood returned from injury.

But either way, it appears that Wednesday have, or maybe had, their long-term future stocked up in a vital area.

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The 23-year-old, on the other hand, has never really looked like he could be Westwood’s successor – in 48 appearances, the young keeper has conceded 66 goals, which is 11 more than Dawson in only four more games.

Wildsmith’s last league game was back in April 2018 and he could only manage two Carabao Cup matches last term, so it’s clear to see that he hasn’t been in favour for quite some time in south Yorkshire.

Monk will surely try to tie down Dawson to a longer-term deal before it is too late, while a loan move may prove beneficial to Wildsmith if he is to have any chance of breaking into the first-team anytime soon.

Arsenal’s summer transfer business saw the club smash their transfer record by acquiring the services of Nicolas Pepe in a £72m deal from Lille, but it is the form of another attacking signing that is currently impressing a number of the club’s fanbase.

Signed from Ituano in a £6m transfer, Gabriel Martinelli is yet to start a Premier League game for the Gunners in the 2019/20 campaign, but the Brazilian’s performances in the Europa League have been eye-catching to say the least – having scored three goals in his first two appearances.

Combined with four goals in the Carabao Cup, this means that across all of the 18-year-old’s appearances, he has now scored seven goals in his first 400 minutes of action in Europe.

A comparison between the Arsenal youngster and the likes of Neymar and Ronaldinho has got some fans singing the forward’s praises.

It appears as though he rivals the great Ronaldo and is ahead of some of the most exciting players to have played the game.

Here are some of the best reactions to Martinelli’s impressive European stats.