All posts by h716a5.icu

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When you think of Wolves this season, eyes are likely to be cast in the direction of Raul Jimenez, Ruben Neves and Diogo Jota.

All three have been imperative to their wonderful first season back in the Premier League. But one man who goes under the radar is Joao Moutinho, a number in a line of Portuguese stars to feature for the club.

Following his performance against Manchester United last weekend, Wolves supporters have been left in awe of the midfielder, as he made seven key passes over the course of the 90 minutes.

Supporters at Molineux have had plenty to jump and shout about this season, but Moutinho presents them with the latest chance to rave over one of their players.

Individuals took to Twitter to laud the ex Monaco man, hailing him as the best player they’ve ever seen in a Wolves shirt whilst one tweeted that he was the best Wolves player he’d seen in his lifetime.

It was glowing praise for an experienced professional who has also been labelled by supporters as a superstar, world-class, a legend, and like a Jack Russell in the Wolves midfield.

What’s your club’s best chant? Check out the video below for a Wolves epic that surely has to be one of the best in English football…

Nuno Santo’s side signed him for a bargain price as one fan claimed it was the best £5m ever spent.

Here’s what was said about him on Twitter…

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Leeds United fans have expressed their disappointment at not signing Daniel James from Swansea City after the winger’s virtuoso display for Wales on Saturday.

The 21-year-old was on the verge of moving to Elland Road in January.

Indeed, James even underwent a medical and appeared poised to secure a loan move, with the option for the deal to be made permanent in the summer if Leeds won promotion to the Premier League.

However, the deal died in the final hours of the window as Swansea, per the Yorkshire Evening Post, did not answer calls from United.

It hurt, then, as fans watched James score a brilliant winning goal for Wales against Slovakia in their opening Euro 2020 qualifier in Cardiff.

Ryan Giggs’ side won 1-0 thanks to James’ strike, with his pace and skill causing all sorts of problems for the Slovakian backline – a subtle reminder of an extra weapon Marcelo Bielsa could have had in the race for automatic promotion.

And Leeds fans understandably took to Twitter to vent their frustrations at the deal falling through.

Leeds United’s own Carlos Corberan could be the perfect replacement for Marcelo Bielsa when the Argentinian’s term comes to an end.

We think it is fair to say that the long-term future of Leeds United is not currently on fans minds, with the immediate challenge of automatic promotion occupying almost every inch of cognitive space and energy.

However, while we understand negotiating a 15-year absence from topflight football is paramount for the club and its supporters, we must also acknowledge the importance of managing life without Marcelo Bielsa in charge.

The bucket riding chief has done so much for Leeds since arriving in West Yorkshire at the beginning of the campaign, taking it upon himself to address issues both on and off the pitch in such typical Bielsa fashion that very few possess the aptitude or characteristics to continue his expert work.

Indeed, like a garden needs preening, a coaching legacy needs to be meticulously maintained and there is one obvious candidate: under-23s coach Carlos Corberan.

Corberan has done an immense job with the under-23s so far this season, who have already collected the Professional Development League North title in emphatic style and are set to appear in the quarter-final of the Premier League Cup soon.

Evidence would suggest the Spaniard has begun his education as Bielsa’s understudy, having apparently been invited into the inner-circle during pre-season, and spending time in the first-team dugout throughout the campaign.

The Yorkshire Evening Post are similarly convinced that Corberan could be the man to inherit the Leeds dynasty, depending on when Bielsa decides to move aside, and how well he continues his development.

Dare we say, Leeds United should take inspiration from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s success at Manchester United to appreciate the virtues of appointing someone who understands the core principals of a club.

Leeds United fans, who do you think would be best suited to the role – an external or internal recruit? Let us know in the comments below…

Whether West Ham United really want European football next season is truly mind-boggling at the moment. The Hammers are impressive in some fixtures, whilst in others, they can be rather anonymous at times and look like the side of recent memory.

Understandably, this season was always going to be a transitional year for Manuel Pellegrini and the London Stadium outfit. On the scale of things, they look to have impressed and have significantly improved as a seventh-place finish is well within their grasp, however, their inconsistent performances have truly let them down when it matters.

West Ham spent unheard amounts of money last summer rebuilding their squad and turning it into the team that it is today, however, there are still some improvements that need to be made, especially within the midfield area and the creative side of things.

One rumour that has been circulating recently is that the Premier League outfit are interested in Borussia Dortmund’s Shinji Kagawa. Turkish media outlet Takvim have stated that the Irons are just one of a couple of clubs thought to be keen on the player who is believed to be available for a figure of around €12.5million (£10.7m).

He might be excelling on loan at Besiktas at the moment, and whilst the £10.7m transfer could appear to be appealing, it is a deal West Ham should look to avoid doing in the summer.

Yes, £10.7m is a very attractive price for a player who has plenty of experience of playing at the highest level, however, the 30-year-old is a player who did not have the best of times during his previous stint in the Premier League.

During his two-year spell at Manchester United, Kagawa was extremely disappointing and failed to replicate any of the performances that made him a star during his first spell with Dortmund. He struggled to make a real positive impression at Old Trafford as he showed that he could not handle the physicality of the Premier League and just could not adapt his game to the fast-paced action that English football has.

Injuries have also been a problem for the experienced playmaker in the past as well, which is an issue West Ham really cannot afford to be dealing with considering how many men they have had on the sidelines this season.

Yes, Kagawa has looked excellent in Turkey, but as a number of players (and clubs) have found out over the years, replicating that form in England is extremely difficult to do and something that rarely appears to pay off.

There’s no doubt that the 30-year-old could bring something to the midfield in terms of his passing ability and the talent he does have going forward, however, whether he would be able to replace Samir Nasri, for example, in the middle of the park would remain to be seen.

West Ham have other areas of the squad that need improving, whilst they might be able to find players with a little more quality than Kagawa available for a little more than the price tag he is believed to have – so avoiding him might just be best for the Hammers this summer.

West Ham fans, do you agree and think Kagawa wouldn’t offer anything new to the club? Or do you think he is a signing that the Hammers should take a risk on? Join in with the discussion below by sharing your thoughts with us.

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Oliver Burke is currently on loan at Celtic, having joined the Scottish giants from West Bromwich Albion during the January transfer window.

The attacker only made three Championship appearances for the Baggies in the first half of the 2018-19 campaign and therefore it was not a surprise when he departed at the mid-point of the season.

For Celtic, the six-time Scotland international has managed four goals in 10 Scottish Premiership appearances since his arrival.

Just 22 years of age, Burke still has time to forge a successful career in the game.

It has not quite happened since arriving at West Brom in August 2017 and it is worth remembering that the Baggies paid £15m for his services.

That said, there are a selection of West Brom fans who still feel that Burke could have a career with the club.

Indeed, in response to a tweet from the Championship side on Sunday, many supporters took to social media to reveal their views on the attacker:

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Andy Carroll is to leave West Ham on a free transfer after his season was ended with injury according to The Chronicle, and Toon fans have reacted to the news.

Carroll who is now 30, has had a career plighted by injury and it is thought he is considering a fresh start in the MLS.

The former Liverpool man could however, end up staying in East London because the Hammers have an option to extend his contract by two years.

The Geordie, who left Newcastle for a club-record £35 million in 2011 has consistently been linked with a return to Tyneside, which has often caused mixed reaction within the Newcastle fan-base.

He has made 102 appearances for West Ham scoring 26 goals since he signed permanently for the club back in June 2013.

His record for the Magpies was better making 80 appearances and scoring 31 goals, but some Toon fans certainly do not want him back at the club if the thoughts of the following fans are anything to go by.

Chelsea were seen off with relative ease this weekend by Liverpool as the Reds moved closer to securing a first Premier League title.

It was a decent enough showing in parts for the Blues, but they ultimately came up short following a well taken goal by Sadio Mane and a stunning second half strike from Mo Salah sealing the deal at Anfield.

There was much to be admired about the Chelsea display and but for a bit of luck in front of goal, Eden Hazard could and maybe should have brought them level moments after going two down.

However, there was also elements of the display which highlighted the need for the club to bring in new faces in the summer if they can, and while Christian Pulisic is already a done deal for the club, their impending transfer ban could well ruin any other plans they might have.

There is an obvious need for a central striker in the Chelsea squad, with Gonzalo Higuain not exactly pulling up many trees during his loan spell.

The future of Eden Hazard too remains unresolved, and it could be worrying times for the Blues if they do lose Hazard and are forced into not being able to make new additions.

Ageing defenders too are also an issue, with the likes of Luiz and Azpilicueta probably past their best, and in midfield, both Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Ross Barkley have thus far failed to make a real stamp on the first XI under Mauro Sarri.

There are plenty of questions left to be answered of course, but it is certainly a time when Chelsea will be hoping for a bit of luck in their pursuit of success.

It’s fair to say that of all the transfers to have fallen short at Man Utd in recent years, it’s that of Eric Bailly that is the toughest to understand. When he moved from La Liga, the Ivorian seemed to tick all the boxes. He was physical, he wasn’t afraid of a challenge, and most importantly, he settled in the Premier League quickly. 

However, all of a sudden, it all just went wrong. A quick start was followed by a quick regression, and he’s never really been able to recover. Injuries have played their part, sure, and maybe Jose Mourinho’s man management wasn’t the best for him, but you have to just wonder – where did it all go wrong?

He looked so promising, and he looked to be the solution to Man Utd’s defensive problems, but in truth, he’s caused more issues than he’s solved. His presence in the team, or rather the lack thereof, has meant that players like Phil Jones and Chris Smalling have returned to the fore – and they aren’t good enough either.

The fact of the matter is that maybe Bailly is running out of time. If he doesn’t improve between now and the end of the season, with Man Utd still having 4 games left in the Premier League, maybe it’s time for the Red Devils to give up. If he’s not getting better, and he’s not showing signs of improvement, maybe the only way is down for him.

Perhaps a new club is what he needs to get his career back on track. Make no mistake, there’s a gap for him in this team, and if he steps up, he’ll undeniably play a key part. But he’s got only a few matches to show what he hasn’t been able to for the best part of a few seasons.

If he’s not going to play, or perhaps if he’s not physically fit enough to play, the least he can do is attempt to show the boss his worth in training.

Thoughts?

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Bradford fans on Twitter have been disagreeing with Gary Bowyer’s comments about Sean Scannell.

The City boss described the winger as “Championship quality” in the Telegraph and Argus but supporters were quick to shoot down his comments.

The Bantams are now League Two bound and fans must feel that if Scannell was Championship quality then they wouldn’t be rooted to the bottom of the standings.

Pl>ymaker FC’s Matchday with Max caught up with Jamaica’s women’s team. See what happened when he met the history makers in the video below…

Fans of the Yorkshire club have every right to doubt Scannell’s abilities as the former Huddersfield man has failed to find the back of the net all season, whilst only providing one assist.

His season has also been hampered by injury as he has only made 13 appearances in League One despite being touted as one of the most talented players at Valley Parade.

City fans aren’t sure that their manager’s judgement of the Irishman is correct and have taken to Twitter to dispute his views.

Here’s what Bradford fans have been saying on Twitter…

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Celtic are reportedly in the running to sign Livingston goalkeeper Liam Kelly, but he is not the type of signing the club should be aiming for.

What’s the story?

According to The Scottish Sun, both Celtic and Hamburg are interested in Kelly, who will be available for just £50,000 this summer.

The report claims he has a clause in his contract that allows the knockdown fee, and that the 23 year-old “looks certain” to move on after just one season in West Lothian.

Ipswich, Wigan, Barnsley and Reading are all interested as well, while Hamburg and the Hoops continue to monitor the situation.

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…

Pointless signing

There’s no question Kelly would be good value for money at just £50,000.

The former Rangers youth player, who never appeared for the Gers’ first team, has 14 clean sheets in 33 Premiership games this season, an impressive return for a side in the bottom half of the split.

He has also shutout Celtic twice already this term, first at the Almondvale Stadium back in November and then a fantastic performance to protect a 0-0 draw at Parkhead last month.

However, is this really a signing that is going to take the Bhoys to the next level? Scott Bain would presumably stay as first choice, and Craig Gordon is a more than capable deputy.

Basically, this move would be upgrading the number two position rather than the number one position, and it’s simply not necessary.

If the club wants to turn domestic dominance into European success, buying squad players like this is not going to cut it.

Instead, they should be buying players that go straight into the first XI, thus turning the current starters into the squad players themselves and upgrading the quality of the entire group in the process.

Kelly is a good young player, but he is not better than Bain and would be an unnecessary addition to the club’s wage bill in a position where they already have sufficient depth and quality.

If this is the type of cut-price move the club is looking for, they may as well forget about trying to bring European success back to Glasgow.