All posts by n8rngtd.top

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Loads of Liverpool fans have been having their say on a pre-season transfer battle, and let’s just say they think they got the better end of this saga.

Liverpool invested heavily in their midfield last summer, but the arrival of Fabinho alongside Naby Keita was not exactly what was expected.

With the Keita deal already agreed, the Reds knew they would have to sign a defensive-minded player to replace the departing Emre Can, and reports claimed Jorginho was Jurgen Klopp’s main target.

Are the media letting Jurgen Klopp off lightly for his lack of silverware? The Pl>ymaker FC squad have their say in the video below…

The Times reported in early 2018 that the Italian pass-master was the main target to replace Can, but the Reds of course opted for Fabinho instead.

That looks to have been the correct decision from the Merseyside outfit, as the versatile Brazilian international is now a key part of Klopp’s plans.

Jorginho meanwhile, although he is far and away the best passer in the league statistically, has been found wanting in big games this season, particularly defensively, something Fabinho doesn’t struggle with in the slightest.

The crafty Italian looked like a boy amongst men as Manchester City romped past Chelsea at the Etihad on Sunday, and loads of Liverpool fans have been weighing in on the debate between the two midfield signings.

You can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…

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In-form Southampton attacker Nathan Redmond has opened up to The Daily Echo on his one-to-one meeting with manager Ralph Hasenhuttl during the squad’s training camp in Tenerife earlier this month, saying that the Austrian told him to stop ‘standing still’.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the 51-year-old boss had a discussion with and provided feedback on every player in the squad that was present for the trip to the Canary Island, which included Redmond.

The 24-year-old has been in scintillating form since Hasenhuttl was appointed as Mark Hughes’ successor back in December, scoring six goals and providing a further two assists in all competitions.

However, despite being arguably the south coast outfit’s best player in the last couple of months, the former Norwich City man revealed to The Daily Echo that he wasn’t exempt from having things to work on and improve.

Redmond said: “In terms of the negatives, he told me to not stand still as much. He noticed at the start when he first came in that I stood still and that I was waiting for things to happen.

“He said I was still standing still a little bit, but not as much as before.

“There are a lot of things like decision making and stuff, but at the end of the day if I want to keep developing and performing in this team, then I have to take it on board.”

Is Hasenhuttl right?

He probably is, yes.

While Redmond has clearly stepped it up in terms of being a big threat in the final third for Southampton in recent times, there are still obviously more ways in which he can affect matches for his side.

Hasenhuttl clearly wants the one-cap England international to be more aware and on his toes, providing that movement to help his teammates out when they are looking for forward passes.

It is the sort of contructive criticism that can make the 24-year-old an even better player than the one he is showing he is right now, and that can only benefit Saints in their battle against relegation.

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Kalvin Phillips has established himself as a firm fan-favourite at Leeds United this season due to his exceptional performances in holding midfield.

On the chalkboard

Operating in the quarterback role just in-front of the central defenders, Phillips has consistently delighted supporters with the standard of his performances.

A brief stint in central defence to deputise in the absence of a handful of key players showcased a level of versatility which Marcelo Bielsa will naturally appreciate, but it’s in midfield where his most compelling performances have arrived.

Phillips’ ability to break up play in midfield has been supplemented with his diverse range of passing, but it’s the defensive side of his game which will need to be immaculate this evening to prevent QPR from causing an upset.

Eberechi Eze, 20, has been a key source of attacking dynamism and creativity for Steve McClaren’s side this season, but a downturn in his form has coincided with a run of seven straight defeats.

Eze remains the danger man

Phillips, however, cannot become complacent in light Eze’s struggle of late. The attacking midfielder is a genuine menace on his day, and his return of four goals and three assists this season merely provides a glimpse into what he can do in the final-third.

McClaren typically deploys Eze in the hole between midfield and attack, and a continuation of that trend could lead to an enchanting battle between two exciting young players at Loftus Road.

If anyone is likely to dig the Rs out of their torrid run of form it’s Eze, so Bielsa must task Phillips with silencing the danger man this evening to ensure Leeds use their game in hand to leapfrog Sheffield United and Norwich City into top spot.

The Whites faithful cannot get enough of Phillips when he moves into top gear, and he could cement that reputation by effortlessly completing a huge task in his battle against Eze.

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Leeds United produced a scintillating display at Elland Road on Friday night to hammer fellow Championship promotion chasers West Brom by a 4-0 scoreline. 

Veteran 33-year-old attacking midfielder Pablo Hernandez opened the scoring for the Whites inside 20 seconds when he found the top corner with a wonderful strike from range. A Patrick Bamford brace and a late Ezgjan Alioski goal rounded off the scoring and completed the rout.

Hernandez was brilliant throughout the match. The Spaniard was a constant thorn in the side of the Baggies’ defence and belied his age with a hard-working, committed performance that saw him cover a huge amount of ground.

The four-cap former Spain international has been in fine form all season and now has eight goals and eleven assists in this league campaign, as per Transfermarkt’s stats.

After the match on Friday, plenty of Leeds fans took to Twitter to praise Hernandez for his tremendous efforts…

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Aaron Cresswell and Fabian Balbuena are fit to play for West Ham United against Cardiff City this weekend, the club have confirmed.

The pair could return to Manuel Pellegrini’s starting XI as the club looks to continue their push for European football.

What’s the word?

Cresswell was kicked in the head against Newcastle United and was substituted after 34 minutes.

But he has recovered from the problem and will be fit to play against Neil Warnock’s relegation-threatened Bluebirds.

Balbuena, meanwhile, has been absent since December, when he sustained a knee injury in the 2-0 defeat to Watford.

He is now ready to return, leaving Hammers boss Pellegrini with a selection headache after previously selecting Issa Diop and Angelo Ogbonna at centre-back.

Without Balbuena, the Irons have played 11 Premier League games, winning four and losing four, while drawing with Brighton & Hove Albion, Liverpool and Crystal Palace.

Pellegrini, in quotes reported by the club’s website, said: “The injury update is Cresswell worked with the team the last two days so he will not have any problems.

“Fabian Balbuena played 45 minutes for the U23 team on Monday, also without any problems so both of them are fit. I think they are available for selection at Cardiff.”

Balbuena’s brilliance

The return of Balbuena will be music to the ears of many Hammers fans.

The Paraguay international endured a rocky start to his career at the club – losing his first four matches – but soon forged a superb partnership with Diop.

The pair were central to an impressive run between October and December in which West Ham lost just one game from eight in the top-flight.

Cresswell, too, has been in impressive form this season and, after suffering a potentially serious injury, it is good news that he will be available for selection this weekend.

The Hammers are currently ninth, four points behind seventh-placed Wolves and the final Europa League qualification spot; they need all the help they can get to overhaul the promoted side between now and May.

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Borussia Dortmund are reportedly eyeing Celtic’s Kieran Tierney. Fans may not like it, but the Bhoys could benefit massively from selling their young starlet for big money this summer.

According to The Guardian, Dortmund are big fans of Tierney.

The report claims the Bundesliga outfit have been at Parkhead to check on their loanee Jeremy Toljan, but that their scouts are getting “hot and bothered” by the performances of the man on the other flank.

The report expects the German side to consider a £25m bid this summer, while Leicester and Arsenal are also interested.

Blessing in disguise?

The last part of the Guardian’s report may just be the most crucial aspect here, as Dortmund, Leicester and Arsenal all have the financial power to blow Tierney’s price tag out of the water.

If a bidding war breaks out, the Hoops could potentially end up receiving an amount in excess of £30m, which would help completely transform an ageing squad.

Domestic dominance is fun, but fans are absolutely desperate for European success, and the club simply does not have the financial muscle to attract Europe’s top talent.

With £30m in their back pocket however, they could replace Tierney while upgrading multiple other positions, becoming a much stronger squad without their wonderkid.

Tierney is brilliant, but one brilliant player will not secure progression to the Champions League knockout stages. To succeed on multiple fronts you need a deep and talented squad, which this money could go a long way towards building.

As unfathomable as it may seem now, selling Tierney this summer might just be the best thing the club could do in their pursuit of European success.

Newcastle United proved on Saturday that they are more than capable of picking up points on the road following a 2-2 draw at the Vitality Stadium with Bournemouth.

Indeed, a stoppage-time equaliser by Matt Ritchie emphasised the new determination and fighting spirit Rafa Benitez’s men are currently playing with. The Magpies have managed to get good home wins in recent months, while they are hinting at getting wins away from home with performances like on Saturday.

Should the Magpies start next season on a clean slate with this same group of players under the same manager, then they should make away performances a big priority if they were to reach new heights under the Spanish manager.

The North East club has delivered some inspiring performances away from home since the start of the new year, which included excellent showings at Stamford Bridge and Wembley, despite losing against Chelsea and Spurs, while they managed an impressive point at Wolverhampton Wanderers and were maybe a bit unfortunate not to get anything from their match with West Ham United two weeks ago.

But still, it has left them in a spot of ‘what if’ had they taken all their chances or had been more clinical in front-goal against good outfits. Newcastle’s next game is away at Arsenal and it provides a good opportunity to show the strides this squad has made under Benitez this term and push the Gunners till the very end at the Emirates.

They then conclude their season with two away trips in three matches to Brighton and Fulham, which the manager should try to capitalise on, given the struggles Brighton and Fulham have had this season.

If Newcastle manage to get over the line in these two encounters then they will start to build the necessary confidence to continue that fate and consistency next season.

Newcastle fans, how do you feel about the rest of the season? Join the discussion by commenting below… 

It’s no secret that Everton need a striker, right? They’ve never really replaced Romelu Lukaku and it’s cost them in front of goal, but Ante Rebic could be the man Everton fans have been waiting for.

The World Cup finalist has been linked to the club by Calciomercato and has scored eight goals in 20 appearances for Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga this season. He can be the target man needed to up the Toffees’ goal tally, and with the ability to play out on the left it gives Marco Silva the option to use him out there too.

Everton have a big project on their hands with a new stadium on the way and a manager that demands high-quality attacking football. This season has been hit and miss but there have been positive signs that the current squad just needs a few additions to make it one to challenge for a European place.

One of those positions is certainly a finisher because the forwards currently at Silva’s disposal just aren’t getting into the right areas quick enough. They have the wingers, like Bernard and Theo Walcott, to cause damage to defences but the end product is never good enough.

Rebic can be the man to link the wing play with the centre of the final third and get on the end of all heights of crosses to finish simple chances that Everton just aren’t taking at the moment. The Croatian’s movement would also create space for Gylfi Siggurson to slot through balls into his path.

The 25-year-old is valued at £31.5m (via Transfermarkt), so considering the importance of the position he could fill, it could turn out to be a bargain and even a summer signing that Evertonians will see as a turning point towards goal-scoring consistency.

Everton fans, who do you think your club should sign to play up front next season? Join the discussion by commenting below.

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Wolves are interested in signing midfielder Gedson Fernandes according to Portuguese outlet A Bola. But in a midfield that includes plenty of options, do the Midlands club really need him?

What’s the word?

Nuno Santo has signed a number of Portuguese players during his tenure in charge of the club and Fernandes is the latest to attract interest from Wolves.

Fernandes has stood out for Benfica in Liga NOS this season but has a buy-out clause in his contract of €120m (£103m) according to A Bola’s report.

However, that isn’t set to play a part in any potential transfer with a fee of €40m (£34.3m) being quoted as a figure Wolves would have to pay in order to land the talented youngster.

The Portuguese media outlet report that the 2o-year-old could be a long-term replacement for Ruben Neves, who is a player that the club may be in danger of losing.

Stacked midfield

Wolves’ midfield is arguably one of their strongest suits, boasting players such as Neves, Joao Moutinho, Leander Dendoncker, Romais Saiss and Morgan Gibbs-White.

Finding room for Fernandes, therefore, could be challenging but it’s something they must do.

He is a box-to-box midfielder by trade, something which Wolves are missing within their squad despite the sheer numbers they possess. Neves has the ability to arrive late into the penalty area but doesn’t do it on as regular a basis as someone like Fernandes could.

His energetic nature is something which catches the eye, with the Benfica man capable of bursting back to help with the defensive side of the game or aiding his team in terms of creativity too.

The Premier League is famed for its fast pace and someone who has attributes like Fernandes, wouldn’t struggle to fit in. He’d be the perfect midfield signing for Santo and would be the powerful type of runner that could take the club to the next level.

It’s an area of the pitch that isn’t necessarily a priority for Wolves but should their interest in the player materialise, it’s crucial they find room for him.

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Liverpool midfielder Marko Grujic has revealed that he wants to stay with Hertha Berlin for another one or two years to continue his development.

Grujic signed a new contract with Liverpool last summer before joining Hertha on a season-long loan.

The 22-year-old has scored three times in 16 Bundesliga appearances this term and is seemingly very happy in Germany.

It is currently unclear what plans Liverpool have for the midfielder, who moved to Anfield from Red Star Belgrade in 2016.

Grujic has, thus far, been unable to secure a first-team spot on Merseyside, but the fact that he recently penned a new long-term deal with the Reds suggests that the English club rate him very highly indeed.

The Liverpool fans have been on social media offering their views on the eight-time Serbia international and it would be fair to say that there are a lot of mixed opinions.

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below: