All posts by h716a5.icu

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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…

Speaking on BBC 5 Live, ESPN journalist Melissa Reddy opened up on the situation regarding Philippe’s Coutinho’s exit from Liverpool and the circumstances that have changed since his departure.

The Brazil international left Anfield in January 2018 having handed in a transfer request, whilst he also paid a chunk of his own money in order to make the move happen.

Things have turned sour for the 27-year-old in Catalonia however, with the Barcelona supporters booing Coutinho last season whilst the Spanish champions actively tried to get rid of him this summer.

What did Reddy say?

Reddy told BBC 5 Live: “I think this Liverpool team has evolved to the point where Coutinho needs this Liverpool side more than they need him.

“He left as the best player at the club. He would return and be about sixth or seventh (best). He wouldn’t be guaranteed a starting position and I think that would be a very hard thing for him to accept.”

Liverpool showed fantastic initiative

How proactive were Liverpool in dealing with this whole situation?

Even before Coutinho had officially closed the door behind him on his way out of Anfield, a £75m deal for long-term target Virgil van Dijk had been wrapped up.

Not long after that, a £66.8m summer move for Alisson Becker was tied up.

Liverpool sold Coutinho for £142m, and signed the aforementioned duo for a combined sum of £141.8m – their reaction to the whole debacle surrounding the Brazilian playmaker was exemplary.

For the club’s best player at the time to go off the rails right at the start of the season and ultimately leave, things could’ve gone one of two ways for Liverpool.

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They could’ve panicked and thrown that money at another Andy Carroll type purchase, or they could’ve done their homework, analysed their weaknesses and actively go out and solve them, which they did – all whilst spending not a penny more than they had earned.

Reddy is right. This Liverpool team has evolved to the point where Coutinho would be nothing but a mere squad player, and that is down to the expert reaction following his departure.

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James Milner will see his current deal with Liverpool expire at the end of this season.

The 33-year-old has made 180 appearances for the Merseyside giants since arriving from Manchester City in 2015, and he is still a highly important figure at the club.

Indeed, Milner captained the Reds in their 2-1 win over Southampton in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.

The 5 ft 9 ace was not involved in the Community Shield against Manchester City earlier this month but has played in all three of the team’s fixtures since.

It remains to be seen what happens with Milner at the end of the 2019-20 campaign.

And his future has sparked an interesting debate on social media.

Watch Liverpool Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

There are Liverpool fans who want to keep the midfielder beyond the end of his current deal, although others believe that this summer would be the right time for him to move on.

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

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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…

Andriy Yarmolenko has been handed a golden chance at West Ham United.

While Michail Antonio’s injury against Newport County is, on the surface, a hammer blow for Manuel Pellegrini’s side, but it also presents a vacancy.

The Hammers will need to fill the gap and, while Antonio has not completed 90 minutes in the Premier League this season, Yarmolenko has the ability to step into the fold whenever he is needed.

The 29-year-old has 68 minutes to his name in the top-flight this season but, with Antonio now injured, the time is right for him to step up.

Per WhoScored, the Ukraine international averages 0.5 shots per game, along with one key pass and one dribble, while he is fouled 0.5 times per game. An assiduous presence, Yarmolenko also averages 0.5 fouls per game and 1 tackle.

He averages a mere 14.5 passes throughout each game, however, and now is the time for him to step up.

Indeed, a serious injury saw him miss almost the entirety of the 2018/19 campaign after arriving last summer, and Antonio’s blow could well be the catalyst needed to see him nail down a first-team spot.

Of course, Pablo Fornals’ signing from Villarreal in the summer has added a new dimension to the forward line.

Watch West Ham United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

But he needs help and he needs back-up: unleashing Yarmolenko at this stage makes all the sense in the world, particularly with the Hammers facing two games that look inherently winnable on paper.

West Ham face Norwich City this weekend before travelling to Villa Park to play Aston Villa.

Yarmolenko playing in at least one of those games should be a given after Antonio’s injury and he must grab the opportunity with both hands, particularly given the competition for places now at the London Stadium.

Ironically, if he manages to do just that, he will have Antonio to thank.

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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…

Ian Wright has shared his view on the debacle between Sadio Mane and Mo Salah and showed support for the Senegal forward.

What did he say?

Liverpool’s front three are arguably the most effective of any team in Europe. Their record is evidence of that with 169 goals between them in the 115 games the three have played together since Salah arrived in summer 2017.

One of the main reasons for that is the teamwork between the three and the way they link up, and although Salah has been criticised for holding onto the ball for too long against Burnley, he has produced more assists than either Mane or Roberto Firmino since he arrived.

Despite that, the former Arsenal striker has empathised with Mane’s situation, and suggested his striking reaction was a natural one given the fact he was likely to score had his teammate passed.

Speaking on the BBC’s Monday Night Club, Wright said: “For him to react that angrily, he’s at the end of his tether. It’s plain to see.

“I can see why he’s angry there. And he was so angry, he was furious, that was the ‘I’ve had enough moment’. That’s what we saw on the bench at Burnley.

“He’s had enough of him, when he could have had the tap-in. We’ve got a stat, he’s created 43 chances for him, Salah only 25. That says to me he’s tired of it not being reciprocated.”

Wright also compared the situation to when he was playing, and admitted that strikers often act too greedy at times, but added that the ruthlessness of players like Salah is what allows him to score so many.

Jurgen Klopp has cooled the dispute between his two frontmen and judging from the reactions of James Milner and Mane himself, the situation appears to have been resolved.

Could it happen again?

As Wright suggests, Mane’s response was more than an initial reaction, and instead looked like the eruption of built-up frustration as a result of multiple occasions in which Salah has refused to pass.

Klopp will have to ensure that all his players come back from the international break on good terms, and he will have to decide whether it would be worth instructing them to become more selfless, as that could risk taking away some of their magic.

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After all, Salah has scored several goals as a result of individual brilliance and solo runs, with his second against Arsenal last week the most recent example of that.

Despite the fact tempers flared against Burnley, there is clearly strong cohesion between the Liverpool squad and the front three, and their effective link-up play heavily outweighs moments where there is a lack of co-operation, so it is unlikely that another falling out will occur.

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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…

Following a report in The Telegraph during the summer that suggested West Ham United centre-back Issa Diop was on the verge of a call-up to the senior France squad, the 22-year-old would surely have been hoping his chance was imminent with Aymeric Laporte missing through injury for the latest round of international fixtures.

The call never came though, with Barcelona’s Samuel Umtiti the man drafted in by Didier Deschamps instead despite only being a bit-part player for the La Liga outfit in recent times – he hasn’t played a single minute this term, which suggests he was selected because of his name and reputation, rather than for his form.

That first snub may have been disappointing given the former Toulouse man continues to be a consistent starter at the heart of the Irons’ backline, but he would have been buoyed again when it was confirmed that Umtiti himself was pulling out having picked up a foot injury.

Even then, Deschamps decided against calling another centre-back up, which meant that Diop remained in London training with the club who employs him instead.

That surely would have been a bitter blow for the 6 foot 4 defender, given those reports over the summer.

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Of course, it is often said that those players featuring for the bigger clubs in Europe are more likely to get attention and receive international honours, and the call-up for Umtiti only backs up that theory.

The problem West Ham have is that they don’t want a player on their hands who will feel that his best opportunity at representing his country is to leave the London Stadium.

As per The Telegraph report previously quoted, Manchester United have shown some potential interest previously, and they are clearly a club that can easily turn a player’s head.

Given the centre-backs in this previous France squad represent Chelsea, Real Madrid, Lyon and Barcelona, Diop already faces a difficult task to displace players playing regularly for those clubs.

West Ham must hope that the 22-year-old isn’t in a rush to make his name for Les Bleus, because if he is then an exit could become increasingly tempting for him, and the interest is clearly there from bigger clubs.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

Despite the transfer window being shut, there is one rumour that refuses to go away. Free agent and Italian international Claudio Marchisio continues to be linked with a move to Rangers as reported by journalist Matteo Pedrosi.

After being released by Zenit St. Petersburg, Marchisio is available for free which means Rangers can still sign him at any time. Here we look at whether or not Rangers need the experienced Italian international in the first place or if he’s anything more than a vanity signing.

Rangers’ transfer policy

Steven Gerrard’s recent transfer policy has been pretty consistent. But for Swedish international Filip Helander signed from Bologna, the majority arrived with either experience of British football or more specifically, Scottish football. They have also either been acquired for free or have a sell-on value given their age.

Where does Marchisio fit into this policy? At 33 he doesn’t have a sell-on value. Yes, he is available for free but he has been plying his trade for Zenit and that will unlikely have been on loose change – a rumoured £6m a year no less – while Rangers already have ample cover in his position. Having a Rangers team with Marchisio in the starting line-up may look good but would he bring anything significantly different to the already congested midfield table?

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Fitness issues and midfield options

Marchisio is without a club and currently recovering from knee surgery as reported on TransferMarkt, while Rangers are already three points behind Celtic and do not have time to bed players in and allow them to settle.

Part of last season’s failures can be attested to Steven Davis and Jermain Defoe arriving fit but not match fit enough to make the desired impact – Defoe could only start six top flight games, albeit scoring six goals, in the second half of last season. Marchisio, meanwhile, only managed 15 appearances for Zenit due to injury problems, while he has now missed pre-season.

With Ryan Jack returning from international duty injured, there is a space in the Rangers midfield but Gerrard has an array of options already in place. Glen Kamara, Andy King, Scott Arfield and Greg Docherty are all fit and ready to make an instant impact should they be called upon.

Claudio Marchisio would represent an attractive signing on paper, as did Bruno Alves, Niko Kranjcar and Joey Barton – but none of those will be remembered as particularly successful Rangers acquisitions. Expensive, injured and by no means essential, Marchisio feels like another potential big-name flop.

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In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, former Arsenal striker John Hartson has said that the £25m fee paid by the Gunners for Kieran Tierney sends out a message to other Premier League clubs wishing to sign top players from the SPFL.

Tierney, 22, left Celtic to join the north London outfit on transfer deadline day in what proved to be a record deal. No player in Scotland’s top tier has ever been sold for a higher price.

And Hartson is of the opinion that Premier League clubs will now think twice before attempting to purchase the top talent from north of the border on the cheap.

He said, “When you see Southampton have previously signed van Dijk for £12m, Forster for £10m and Wanyama for £8m, it highlights the view that the SPFL is seen as a lesser league in the eyes of the Premier League.

“I mean, it would cost you £150m now to sign Virgil van Dijk.

“So Celtic getting £25m for Kieran Tierney is finally sending out a message and a warning that the Premier League clubs or anyone can’t buy the SPFL’s best players on the cheap.”

The price the Scottish champions were able to recover for the left-back is indeed a victory, despite losing one of their star players. At the end of the day, the lack of competition in the SPFL does mean that the outstanding performers will look to use it as a stepping stone onto a higher platform.

However, that does not mean that Celtic and the other leading sides in the country need to be bullied into parting ways with their players. It is much to the credit of Neil Lennon and co that they held firm when Arsenal first offered £15m and then £25m in an instalment-based deal that wasn’t to their liking.

Whatever you think about Scottish football, there are clearly a number of players playing their football beyond Hadrian’s Wall that have more than enough quality to make it in the Premier League or other top divisions across Europe.

Van Dijk, Forster and Wanyama are the obvious examples, but there are others, such as John McGinn, who joined Aston Villa from Hibernian in 2018, who have been successful since making the move to England.

Tierney’s switch, therefore, indicates that the landscape may be changing. No longer will the Premier League be able to pickpocket Scottish clubs, as they have so often done in the past.

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Aside from posting a clip from a Hulk film, it’s the caption that should excite West Ham supporters.

The attacker clearly wants to take inspiration from the Marvel hero as he says he’s going to ‘smash’ his recovery.

Watch West Ham United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

It remains to be seen whether or not Antonio can stay fit this time though as he’s suffered this same injury multiple times now.

Hopefully, this is the end of his injury hell, and he can get back to the form that saw him score nine Premier League goals in the 2016/17 season.

Sinclair posted a defiant message on Instagram stating that he will continue to fight for the Celtic shirt.

It seems as if the former Man City man isn’t willing to let his career at Celtic Park just pass him by, and if he can show that he’s still got something to offer in these cameo appearances he may be able to work his way back into the side.

Tottenham Hotspur’s frustrating start to the 2019/20 season went from bad to worse as they were thrashed 7-2 on their own patch by Bayern Munich on Tuesday night.

A Champions League clash against the Bundesliga giants in their new stadium should have been an occasion to remember for the club, but it turned into a nightmare in the second half as the north London outfit collapsed and conceded three goals in five minutes in the latter stages of the contest.

While Jan Vertonghen started in defence, Christian Eriksen only had the chance to make a difference from the substitutes’ bench when he replaced Tanguy Ndombele – one of the only players on the night to receive any credit from Spurs supporters – in the 64th minute, but he failed to do so.

Both players looked dejected and had looks of anguish on their faces as they left the pitch at full-time, and you wonder whether the result could have an impact on their respective futures.

Vertonghen is reported to be in talks with Tottenham over a new contract with his current one due to expire next summer, although the north London outfit are seemingly unwilling to offer the 32-year-old more than a 12-month extension.

Meanwhile, Eriksen is in a similar boat to his Belgian teammate in terms of his deal expiring, but he appears determined to make his exit either in January or at the end of the season given he has rejected every offer he has had from Daniel Levy, as per Marca.