All posts by h716a5.icu

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Alexandre Lacazette delivered a brilliant performance at the crucial time for Arsenal to earn the Gunners a 3-1 lead going into the Europa League semi-final second leg against Valencia next week.

After going a goal behind to Adama Diakhaby’s header in the 11th minute, Arsenal found themselves 2-1 up a quarter of an hour later thanks to the Frenchman’s tap-in and clinical header, the latter awarded by goal-line technology.

It was a dominant display from the North Londonders from then on, with Lacazette missing an abundance of chances to secure his hat-trick. However, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang made up for the missed opportunities by sealing the points after Sead Kolasinac spotted the ex-Dortmund man at the back post to make the scoreline look far more comfortable going into the second leg.

World Cup winners Antoine Griezmann and Samuel Umtiti were quick to praise Arsenal’s Frenchman for his brace, leaving many fans calling for the signing and announcement of the Barcelona centre-back, who’s been linked with a summer move to the Gunners, though has reportedly opted to stay at the Nou Camp.

Here’s a look at what Arsenal fans have been saying on Twitter…

There’s even been a suggestion of appointing Lacazette as the Arsenal sporting director and putting him in charge of transfers!

When Caleb Ekuban joined Leeds United from Serie A side Chievo Verona in 2017, the club’s supporters had every right to be excited about the forward.

Having fired in 17 goals in the Albanian Superliga whilst on loan at FK Partizani, the 25-year-old seemingly had all the ingredients needed to become a cult-hero at Elland Road.

However, with expectations high, Ekuban ultimately failed to deliver for the Whites in his debut season in England as he struggled to adapt to the pace of the Championship.

Although he showed glimpses of his ability throughout the year, a myriad of injury problems resulted in the Italian-born ace featuring in just 21 games in all competitions for Leeds in which he only scored two goals for the club.

Following the arrival of fellow forwards Patrick Bamford and Izzy Brown last summer, Ekuban was loaned out to Trabzonspor in order to have a better chance of playing first-team football this season.

A regular starter for the Turkish side, the former Chievo forward has been directly involved in 11 goals this year with his performances causing a positive impression on Head Coach Unal Karaman.

With the transfer window scheduled to open in just under two months time, it is of little surprise that Trabzonspor are trying to secure a deal to sign Ekuban on a permanent basis. According to Football Ghana, the Super Lig side are close to sealing an £860,000 move for the forward.

If Leeds do indeed receive a healthy sum of money for Ekuban, Bielsa could use it to bolster his squad in the summer.

In the absence of the Ghanian international, the Whites have enjoyed a fruitful year which could be capped off by promotion later this month if they can successfully navigate their way through the play-offs.

Regardless of what division the club finds itself in next season however, it is certain that they won’t miss Ekuban if he leaves as they already have better attacking options at the club in the form of Bamford and Kemar Roofe.

What do you think Leeds fans? Will you be glad to see the back of Ekuban in the summer? Or do you think he was harshly treated at Elland Road? Let us know below.

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Tottenham Hotspur have been allocated the away dressing room for the Champions League final, per the London Evening Standard, to the confusion of many fans.

Spurs face Liverpool at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium in Madrid on June 1 as the two teams bid to become European champions.

Mauricio Pochettino’s men are officially listed as the home team but it is the Reds who will be stationed in the home dressing room and Jurgen Klopp and his coaching team will also be afforded the home dugout, usually used by Diego Simeone and his backroom staff.

The decision is due to the security procedures in place for the game, perhaps the biggest of the season in club football.

Both sets of supporters will, per the aforementioned report, approach the stadium from different directions, with Spurs fans entering from the north and Liverpool the south.

That has had a role in deciding which team will change where but it is not good enough for a number of Spurs fans, who cannot see the logic in allocating the ‘home’ team the away dressing room.

Take a look at the best of the reaction below!

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Going into West Brom’s play-off semi-final second leg with Aston Villa there was a distinct lack of creativity.

In wide positions, they had Josh Murphy and Matt Phillips, whilst Jay Rodriguez was tasked with leading the line on his own with Dwight Gayle ruled out through suspension.

Give the number of goals Albion scored this season it was a concern to see them lacking potency throughout the play-offs.

Their wide area had been partially solved with the introduction of wing-backs but there is still a gap to be solved in that position ahead of next season. That solution, however, shouldn’t include Oliver Burke.

No room for Burke

West Brom’s £15m signing of Burke in 2017 had plenty of potential. A considerably expensive signing, he looked like exactly the type of player West Brom needed to sustain themselves in the Premier League.

However, it went desperately wrong, evident in the fact he’s now rated at just £9m, per Transfermarkt.

The Scot failed to set the world alight at RB Leipzig.

He was also below par at the Hawthorns, playing just 15 times last term. Only two of those appearances happened to be when starting.

Burke then played a further three times from the bench at the start of the current campaign. The Scot fell down the pecking order again though and was sent on loan to Celtic.

The 22-year-old has found the net four times in 11 matches at the Hoops but that record flatters to deceive.

In truth, Burke has again been disappointing. Last weekend against Hearts he was incredibly average. He was anonymous for large parts of the game and his injury summed up the torrid time he’s had back in his native country.

The fact he was then outshone by 16-year-old Karamoko Dembele tells you all you need to know.

With this in mind, he must be one of the players shown the exit door this summer. Luke Dowling claimed in quotes per The Express & Star that as many as five players could leave the Hawthorns during the off-season.

Despite Albion’s troubles out wide, Burke simply has to be among those who leave. His end product is lacking and the last thing the Baggies need is another frustrating man in their ranks.

At varying levels he’s shown he’s not good enough and, despite his age, West Brom need to cut their losses.

The striker department at St James Park is set to go in for a revamp. Although the Magpies were more than happy with Salomon Rondon leading the line for them with Ayoze Perez and Miguel Almiron either side, come the start of the 2019/20 season they may have a new forward in place. That forward, surprisingly, could be Dwight Gayle.

We all know what you’re thinking. Dwight Gayle is one of those who suffers from the dreaded ‘Cameron Jerome syndrome’. Electric in the Championship, stuttering in the Premier League. That much has been clear to see in Gayle’s case over the last two seasons. With West Brom this season the frontman has bagged 24 goals and eight assists, yet the season before he managed a paltry six in the top flight.

There are a number of players who can struggle to adapt to what the top flight has to offer, but Gayle will be desperate now to put that to bed. His numbers this season have been more than impressive in one of the most competitive Championship seasons we’ve seen. All that the 28-year-old needs is a manager and fan base that are willing to put their faith in him, and if gets that he can star at St James Park.

Whatever happens, if the new #9 that comes in this summer isn’t a Venezuelan target man called Salomon Rondon the fans will be disappointed. It’s just imperative that they’re willing to give Gayle another go in the Premier League, as his first season in the top flight with them showed promise even if it wasn’t what the Geordies were expecting from a man who had scored 23 the season before.

Unless Gayle is sold on or loaned out again then he will certainly be an option for Rafa Benitez (or whoever takes over from him), that is seeing as West Brom turned down the chance to sign the frontman on a permanent deal, as per the Express and Star. That leaves the Magpies with a headache, although it’s one that can be cured if they give Gayle another chance, as he can be the free alternative to their striker problem.

Newcastle fans, would you be happy with Gayle leading the line next season? Let us know!

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According to TEAMtalk, Sheffield United are looking to sign Will Vaulks this summer.

The midfielder has been the standout performer for the Millers this season, but a move to the top flight may be one step too far.

Crowded midfield

The 25-year-old would be joining a squad where the midfield is arguably its strongest position. John Fleck and Oliver Norwood have been incredible this past 12 months, and unless they are injured, there’s no way the Welshman can get into this team.

You have to ask the question as to why the Blades would release Paul Coutts if they were looking to replace him with a player such as Vaulks? As much as he stood out at the New York City Stadium, he isn’t the greatest fit for Chris Wilder’s side.

Baffling again

United seem to be all over the place at the moment when it comes to pinpointing who they should sign ahead of their return to the Premier League.

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…

The Blades have been linked with a whole host of lower league talent, and while these signings can work out, it is too much of a risk for a newly-promoted side.

Macauley Bonne, Lee Gregory, Kasey Palmer and Kieran Dowell have all been linked in recent weeks, and while they are good players, there’s nothing to suggest that they would be able to cut the mustard in the top flight.

For them to target the Rotherham midfielder just doesn’t make sense.

Chris Wilder has stated time and again how vital team cohesion is to his squad, and Vaulks could easily upset that.

He is currently the captain of United’s Yorkshire rivals, and on top of this, he was sent off at Bramall Lane earlier this season for a horror tackle on George Baldock which could’ve easily injured the full-back.

He isn’t Premier League quality, and the Yorkshire club should be aiming higher than players who have just been relegated from the Championship.

Many of the Wolverhampton Wanderers fans will be looking ahead to the European nights away from home on Thursdays!

Plenty of them will be looking forward to seeing their side take to the field against some of the continents better clubs in the Europa League and will be keen to see how well they can test themselves at that level.

And, going by how well Nuno Espirito Santo’s man did in the Premier League over the last ten months or so, you would have to feel that they would be in a good position against some of the stronger outfits that they could potentially face in the competition.

Wolves already have a number of stars within their ranks that are used to playing with the bright lights and would provide the Molineux outfit with plenty of experience.

However, you can never have too much experience and knowledge and their latest rumoured transfer target would certainly offer the club those qualities in abundance.

According to a report by Goal, the Old Gold are interested in signing Filipe Luis this summer as his contract with Atletico Madrid expires and have even tabled an offer for him.

And, you would have to say he would be a good addition for the club to have in their ranks next season.

The Brazilian already has a taste of Premier League football, having spent time at Chelsea – although the less said about it, the better for Luis as it hardly went to plan despite winning the Premier League.

It is the experience that he picked up at Atletico Madrid that would benefit Nuno’s side more though, as he has two Europa League winners medals, whilst he has also got to the final of the Champions League on two different occasions.

Although the 33-year-old is unlikely to replace Jonny in the starting line-up, Luis could still do the job for Wolves in European competition and provide them with the necessary depth and competition needed at the top levels of football.

Wolves fans, do you think Luis can help the club out within the Europa League next season? Let us know below!

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Although Manchester City were able to retain the Premier League for the first time in their history, you can’t help but think some players under-performed this season, with one of the most common names being Kyle Walker.

The England international, who joined City at the time as the most expensive defender in world football, has been off the boil massively this campaign, and aside from a 30-yard screamer against Newcastle United in September to claim a 2-1 win for Pep Guardiola’s side, Walker has not been at his usual best for most of the season.

With the summer transfer window open for business and a more than average club season over with for the right-back, it is not surprising to see City be linked with a number of fullbacks heading into the off-season, and according to CalcioMercato journalist Nicolo Schira, the Premier League title holders are going big.

From 6-0 FA Cup final maulings to Mkhitaryan missing the the Europa League final, is football broken? Fans discuss in the video below…

Schira claims that City are in the race for Juventus defender Joao Cancelo along with rivals Manchester United, with a bid of around 60m euros (£53m) required to lure the Portuguese international to the north of England, but how does the promising fullback compare to the experienced Walker?

Right off the back, it is clear to see just how poor a season the England defender has had with City this year, with only one assist to his name and an average dribble rate of 0.5 per game, a poor return for Walker in a Guardiola side that emphasises the use of fullbacks in his system as a means of attack.

Cancelo, on the other hand, has been on sensational form for Juventus this season, adapting well to the style of the Old Lady and being a constant threat down the right-flank, emphasised by his three assists this campaign and impressive 2.4 dribbles per game.

It’s not just going forward where Cancelo prevails, though. Defensively the 25-year-old fullback also impresses when compared to Walker, averaging 1.7 tackles per match compared to the Englishman’s 1.2.

The Portuguese international has the stats to not only replace Walker at City but keep him out of the side completely. Cancelo, on paper, is the perfect Guardiola fullback: able to take on defences with intelligent movement and smart passing, as well as being able to track back with pace and make the key tackles to snuff out any chances on the wings.

City might have won the league by a matter of inches last season, but if Guardiola is to retain the title for a third time next year, an improvement on Walker would be a smart first step, and Cancelo fits the bill to a tee.

For some Chelsea supporters, the west London club absolutely have to sign Mateo Kovacic permanently from Real Madrid this summer.

With a transfer ban currently hanging over their heads, Kovacic, who spent the recently concluded 2018/19 campaign on loan at Stamford Bridge, and Gonzalo Higuain, could be the only signings Chelsea are able to make in the current transfer window.

Considering that, surely the 25-year-old must be snapped up? The Chelsea higher-ups, however, clearly have other ideas.

According to the Evening Standard, with the Blues’ managerial situation up in the air, the club are having second thoughts about signing Kovacic permanently.

And all things considered, that makes perfect sense. £50m, Real Madrid’s valuation (also per Evening Standard), on a midfielder who could easily find himself behind the likes of N’Golo Kante, Jorginho, Ross Barkley and Mason Mount next season? That is a crazy fee to stump up for a player his next manager might not even want.

Once Ruben Loftus-Cheek returns to full fitness, too, the former Inter Milan man could find himself even lower in the midfield pecking order at Stamford Bridge.

Ultimately, until they know who is going to be in charge next term and his plans for the campaign, Chelsea would be wise to hold off.

And at the £50m Real Madrid are said to be demanding, transfer embargo or no transfer embargo, the Blues have another reason to turn away from this deal, in this moment of time.

Chelsea fans, would you like to see Kovacic remain at Stamford Bridge? Let us know below!

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Lots of Everton fans on Twitter have expressed concern at a daunting run of games in December, after their official Premier League fixture list was released.

Marco Silva’s men face all four of Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United during the festive period, which is pretty harsh to say the least.

Check out the below above to see football played as you’ve never seen it before… in a maze!

The Toffees begin their campaign with a trip to Selhurst Park to take on Crystal Palace, which they will be feeling more confident about compared to a quite ridiculous schedule in December.

After facing their Merseyside rivals at Anfield, Chelsea at Goodison Park, United at Old Trafford and then Arsenal at home too, Everton must also take on Burnley and Newcastle in what is a quite horrid run of fixtures before the turn of the year.

A number of Everton fans immediately picked up on this run of games upon the release of the fixtures, and judging by their responses on Twitter, they aren’t feeling too confident about getting anything from them.

Let’s take a look at some of the best tweets…