All posts by z3u9t.icu

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Brendan Rodgers reportedly wants to include defender Filip Benkovic in his first-team plans next season at Leicester, once he returns from a loan spell with Celtic. But would the decision be warranted?

What’s the word?

Leicester signed Benkovic in a £13m deal from Dinamo Zagreb last summer but immediately loaned him out to Rodgers’ then-club Celtic in a bid to grant the centre back some experience in British football.

The Croatian has been a rock at the back for the Hoops this season – he featured 26 times across all competitions but unfortunately had his progress halted because of injury.

His performances in the SPL have obviously made the defender’s ex-boss a huge fan of him and as a result, he’s hinted that the 21-year-old could feature at the King Power next season.

This is despite his age, with the Scotsman claiming he already has plenty of experience. He said: “You look at Benkovic up at Celtic, he is only 21 but he has actually been playing first-team football since he was 16. He has good experience.”

Can he surpass Maguire?

When analysing the Croatian youth international, immediate comparisons can be drawn to current Foxes favourite Harry Maguire. They are both 6 ft 4 and good passers of the ball. The former has a pass success rate of 90.4% in the Europa League this term, whereas Maguire’s Premier League figure stands at 84.5%.

They are similar players, but the Croat can easily surpass Maguire’s potential. His early exposure at Dinamo Zagreb, a club he amassed 76 appearances for as a youngster, could be significant.

There is a common trend of Zagreb youth products doing well in England too, with Ballon d’Or winner and former Tottenham man Luka Modric also hailing from the Croatian side. Other successes include Matteo Kovacic, Dejan Lovren and Eduardo da Silva.

It’s something that stands Benkovic in very good stead for a Premier League return, as does dealing with the expectation and standards required of playing for a big club such as Celtic.

Getting to the level of Modric is highly unlikely but surpassing Maguire’s peak at an earlier age would not be surprising.

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As Tottenham’s new stadium prepares to host its second test event, football.london’s Alasdair Gold has profiled the returning legends who are set to feature in an all-star clash vs Inter Milan.

What’s the word, then?

Not every Spurs player in the squad for Saturday’s test event deserves to be labelled a club legend – the inclusion of Pascal Chimbonda attests to that – but there is one cult hero who fans will be eagerly looking forward to watching.

That man is Rafael van der Vaart, the iconic Dutch playmaker who Spurs signed from Real Madrid for a bargain fee of just £8 million in 2010.

During his pinnacle he was a player who had fans salivating as he tiptoed beyond defenders with his immaculate ball control and transformed the game with his range of passing.

It’s no wonder that, with his stint with the club still relatively fresh in memory, Gold delivered a glowing verdict on Van der Vaart in his football.london piece profiling the weekend squad.

‘A real fans’ favourite and the Dutchman fell in love with the club after his deadline day shock move from Real Madrid.

‘He always regrets leaving Spurs when he did and after 28 goals in 77 appearance, with a few against Arsenal, he will be a very popular returnee this coming weekend.’

A rueful end to a glowing career in north London

Van der Vaart was a sensation amongst the White Hart Lane faithful.

At top level sport the margins between the good and the exceptional are fine but also glaringly tangible, and the number ten was evidently in a class of his own at times.

His transient spell in north London was short and incredibly sweet as he returned to Hamburg just two years after his arrival.

As Gold has alluded to, the 109-cap Netherlands international regrets his decision in hindsight, and it’s fair to say that feeling is mirrored by the consensus amongst the supporters.

While a friendly legends fixture is hardly one to take seriously, a cascade of nostalgia is likely to ripple around the walls of the new stadium with every glowing moment of genius he is destined to provide this weekend.

Oh what could have been for Tottenham and Van der Vaart.

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Sunderland fans have been reacting on Twitter to a bizarre story involving some sausages, their manager and a selection of players ahead of the Checkatrade Trophy final on Sunday.

This came after Sky Sports journalist Keith Downie revealed that Black Cats boss Jack Ross is planning to take some of his stars to a butcher’s in Sunderland.

Stirks Butchers in the city has been selling sausages inspired by the Scot and his stars, and they will visit the family-run establishment before vying for silverware against Portsmouth at the weekend.

Ross himself has had a sausage comprised of sweet chilli and Irn Bru created and some of his players have enjoyed the same honour.

Examples include captain George Honeyman and his Honeyman and mustard sausage, Will Grigg and his Will Grigg’s on fire sausage and Aiden McGeady and his McGeady Guinness and blackpudding sausage.

The story has been met by mixed reaction from the club’s fan base, some supporters are “horrified” while others seem amused.

You can check out the best of the reactions below…

Watch the video below to see the most insane overhead kick you will see this week…

[ad_pod ]On Thursday, Aston Villa’s official Twitter account revealed that on-loan midfielder Tom Carroll had returned to Swansea City after undergoing a hip operation.Carroll joined Villa on loan from the Welsh club during the January transfer window in a move that not many saw coming.The 26-year-old only managed two Championship appearances for Dean Smith’s side, though, and has now headed back to his parent club.Carroll’s Villa career has finished before it really had the time to get started.However, it seems that the 5 ft 10 ace left a positive impression on the club’s supporters as many took to social media in the aftermath of the announcement to hail the midfielder.

It remains to be seen what happens with the former Tottenham Hotspur youngster at the end of the season, but he will now be concentrating on returning to fitness.

A selection of the Twitter reaction from the Villa fans can be seen below:

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Troy Deeney was one of Watford’s heroes last weekend as his last gasp penalty sent their FA Cup semi-final with Wolves to extra time.

The Midlands club would eventually go on to lose and after the game, the Hornets striker called out his opposite number Raul Jimenez for a celebration which involved a mask.

It led to a host of the Molineux faithful to slam the Watford skipper for his comments, with one labelling his words as unsporting. A few fans called out his lack of class and one individual called it absolutely disgraceful.

Wolves take on Watford again towards the end of the month and a supporter claimed there was no further motivation needed after the 30-year-old slammed the Mexican forward.

Raul Jimenez is turning it on for Wolves and Mexico right now! He definitely deserves the song in the video below…

Jimenez signed permanently for the club last week as Wolves made him their record signing. The striker was heavily involved on Sunday but couldn’t prevent his side from losing despite bagging a 17th goal of the campaign.

Here’s what Wolves fans have been saying.

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Everton recorded another morale-boosting victory over top-six opposition on Sunday as they saw off the challenge of Arsenal courtesy of a Phil Jagielka strike.

It was a victory which helped to enhance Marco Silva’s reputation at the end of a mixed campaign for the club, and the fans are slowly beginning to warm to both players and manager following a decent run of form in recent weeks.

Genuine passion and commitment from the players is what the fans are desperate to see and, even though cameras from Sky Sports and the BBC may not have caught the full extent of Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s reaction to the result, those belonging to Everton FC certainly did.

Indeed, the club posted a video on their official Twitter page on Tuesday afternoon revealing a previously unseen moment from the weekend victory.

The video shows the 22-year-old striker shouting “get in” and screaming “Everton” as he walks down the tunnel in a state of clear euphoria.

It’s a video which is bound to bring a smile to the faces of the Toffees faithful, and those who have already seen it have flocked in their numbers to express their admiration for Calvert-Lewin’s passionate reaction.

Here’s what the fans had to say in response to the video…

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Liverpool are perhaps the best team in England.

They are top of the Premier League table, having beaten a game Chelsea side without ever getting out of second gear at Anfield at the weekend. Of course, they have played a game more than second-placed Manchester City, who are only two points further back.

It remains to be seen if they will end the season as champions. But this talk of ‘omens’, of ‘destiny’, of anything relating to predetermination, is cheapening what we are seeing unfold in front of us.

After golfer Tiger Woods won the Masters at the weekend, the Liverpool Echo published a piece entitled ‘the omen Liverpool fans will love after Tiger Woods wins the Masters 2019’. The omen? He last won the competition in 2005, when Liverpool won the Champions League.

It goes further. The Sun wrote ‘Liverpool winning the Premier League feels like destiny’. It’s lucky Liverpool fans won’t have read it. Plenty, however, will have seen the BBC report following their 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur. Phil McNulty, a fine journalist and broadcaster, asked ‘is fate taking Jurgen Klopp’s side to title?’ No.

No is the answer. And the question needs to stop being asked.

This Liverpool team is electric. From back to front, they are perhaps the finest XI ever assembled at Anfield. That’s a huge claim, of course, but it bears repeating.

Take a look at the starting XI when everyone is fit. Alisson Becker is the best goalkeeper in the land. Virgil van Dijk, at centre-back, is perhaps the best central defender in the world. In midfield, both Naby Keita and Fabinho could walk into many elite European teams. Mohamed Salah is the envy of the planet’s finest teams, while Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino are world-class too. Many teams have one excellent attacker. Liverpool have three, while Xherdan Shaqiri isn’t half-bad either.

They face Cardiff City, Huddersfield Town, Newcastle United and Wolves before the end of the season. It is not inconceivable to imagine them taking 12 points from those games. That would see them end the season on 97 points. It is crazy to think that could see them finish second. If City win out, they will end the season on 98 points, but they still have to play Tottenham and Manchester United.

Whoever wins it will be crowned the finest team in the land. Fate will have nothing to do with it.

After all, Klopp has turned this team into an irrepressible winning machine. Many backed Liverpool to be City’s nearest challengers this season but no one expected this team to be quite as good as they have been.

In 34 games, they have lost just once, to City at the Etihad. City, though, have been beaten four times.

Liverpool are better from one to 11 and it would, honestly, be a surprise if City managed to stay clear of the Reds until season’s end. They have tougher matches and both Spurs and United will be desperate to beat Pep Guardiola’s men as they look to stay in contention to qualify for the Champions League.

That is not fate, either. It’s just a fact.

If, in May, it is Jordan Henderson lifting the Premier League trophy and not Vincent Kompany, it will not be because the stars aligned. It will be because Liverpool played the best football in England, bought the best goalkeeper, the best centre-back and assembled the best strike force.

Saying anything else – whatever your connection to Liverpool – only serves to undermine the genuinely terrific job Klopp has done.

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Leeds United have made an approach for Forest Green Rovers star Reece Brown, according to Football Insider.

The Whites are reportedly hoping to lure the midfielder to Yorkshire on a free transfer, but what would that mean for Marcelo Bielsa’s men?

Who is he?

Brown has been somewhat of a revelation in League Two this season. His club have gone from relegation contenders to promotion candidates in just 12 months, and a lot of that is down to an upturn in form from the midfielder.

He had previously scored just two career league goals before becoming deadly in front of goal this term.

The midfielder has netted 10 league goals this season whilst also providing 14 assists for Rovers.

Klich replacement?

If Reece Brown is to slot into Bielsa’s squad, then the logical switch would be a straight swap for Polish midfielder Mateusz Klich.

Klich started the season in electric form he netted eight goals whilst providing eight assists for teammates. But the Pole’s form has dried up as he has contributed to just two goals in his last 13 appearances.

Brown would be a midfielder in the same ilk as Klich as he can score as well as create chances, but he has been doing it at a much higher rate than the Leeds man in recent weeks. His arrival could potentially see the 28-year-old lose his spot.

League Two is, of course, a lower standard than the Championship but recent seasons have proven that it can be a useful place to look for emerging talent with the likes of Ollie Watkins and Kemar Roofe showing they can make the step up in recent seasons.

If Brown’s form can translate in the higher division, then Leeds could be about to complete a real coup signing one of the most dangerous and creative midfielders in the Football League.

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Former Celtic star Kris Commons has delivered a damning verdict on Odsonne Edouard, but his comments are really an indictment of the quality around the Frenchman.

What’s the word?

Edouard is Celtic’s top scorer this season, racking up 20 goals in all competitions, with 14 of those coming in the Premiership.

While Alfredo Morelos has smashed that tally out of the park over at Ibrox, Edouard is the one who will likely end the season with three medals around his neck, and is no doubt one of the best prospects in Britain at the moment.

Former Wigan & Fulham man, Jimmy Bullard recently showed that he’s still got it! Check out the video below…

Commons however, who starred in 227 Celtic games, scoring 89 times and adding 72 assists, said this about the striker on Sky Sports News (29/04/19): “I think the form of Edouard has been hot and cold. When he is good, he is really good. When he is not, he is a bit of a passenger.”

Verdict

It’s quite hard to disagree with Commons’ verdict really, as there have undoubtedly been games this season in which Edouard has been totally anonymous.

However, a striker can only do so much when the team is not performing, and the games he goes missing in are usually the ones in which the passing is sluggish and negative all the way through the team.

As the 21 year-old learns and develops he will have more of an impact outside of scoring goals, but the onus is on the Bhoys to put quality around the young striker, and feed him the ball in dangerous areas whenever possible.

In short, Commons has got it spot on, but his comments reflect much larger issues in the squad that must be addressed this summer, like the need for a playmaker who can stay fit more often than Tom Rogic.

With a proper overhaul surely required to take West Ham United to the level Manuel Pellegrini wants them at, there have to be some sacrifices. That’s just life.

Cruel, cruel life.

In order to sign new players, some of the existing lot surplus to requirements have to make way.

It seems like the Hammers are already preparing for a busy summer window and have come to terms with Reece Oxford’s seemingly imminent departure. The youngster is keen on moving permanently to Bundesliga outfit Augsburg, according to reports (via Sky Sports) and, to be fair, it’s all a bit meh.

Indeed, the 20-year-old, who made history in becoming the Hammers youngest ever Premier League player, is enjoying life in Germany and a deal is said to be close.

He’s grown fond of the Bundesliga as his current employers are keen on making him an important cog in their defence. Oxford might’ve only made 6 appearances so far, but impressive stats like 2.3 clearances and 1.8 interceptions per game (stats via WhoScored) have made Augsburg fond of his talents.

It’s not as if his talents have ever been questioned. It’s just that things haven’t worked out since his stunning debut and everyone has, well, moved on.

With Pellegrini now trusting Issa Diop as his future defensive general and keen on making some signings to reinforce his back-line, Oxford’s services aren’t really required anymore. Despite his early debut, he never fit into the intensity of the Premier League, costing West Ham quite a few times.

While it’ll be disappointing to see an academy graduate leave so early, it won’t really sting the Hammers. They won’t really be in trouble without him and can take advantage of his sale, bringing funds back into the club.

West Ham fans, would you be disappointed to see Oxford move away next season? Join the discussion by commenting below…