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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…

Sky Sports pundit Darren Bent has stated that he is unconvinced by Jordan Pickford’s command of the penalty area, after the Everton goalkeeper’s string of shaky performances.

What’s he said?

Pickford was once known for his commanding presence in the area, as he did not allow his tender age to prevent him from reacting fast to danger and displaying an authority over his centre-halves.

The Washington-born shot stopper’s fearless nature saw Pickford lauded in his early days as an Everton player, but the England number one’s days as a goalkeeper who is admired by many have dwindled, with Bent now suggesting his lack of communication has become a hindrance.

Bent has suggested that Pickford’s failure to adequately communicate with Yerry Mina and Michael Keane has been a key factor in why the Toffees currently sit inside the bottom three of the Premier League standings, as no player on the blue side of Stanley Park feel confident with him in between the sticks.

The ex-Aston Villa and Sunderland striker feels Pickford, who is valued at £36m by Transfermarkt, still tries to take command of the area, but his success at doing so is not to the same extent as it once was, with Everton shipping 13 goals in eight league games and losing five of their last six top-flight encounters.

Speaking with Football Insider, he said:

“I think he tries to [take command of the area], but that comes from uncertainty between the two centre-halves – the people in front of you – and himself.

“Balls are flying in the box left, right and centre and no one’s going and attacking it. No one’s putting their head on it, and then when your goalkeeper doesn’t come and get it, that puts that seed of doubt in everybody’s head.

“Every set play you’re like: ‘Oh god, here we go again, what’s going to happen now?'”

One part of a larger puzzle

Pickford no longer possessing the same command of his area, particularly at dead-ball situations, is just one part of a larger puzzle Marco Silva needs to solve for Everton to turn their fortunes around. Teams will see the Blues’ struggles to defend set-pieces as an easy way to score, should their current record continue for much longer.

The accepted grace period of Silva’s arrival last season has now wavered, but Everton have allowed more goals scored from set-pieces than any other Premier League side since the start of the 2018/19 campaign with 21 (WhoScored), five of which have come this term.

Part of the issue has stemmed from players not tracking runs in Silva’s preferred zonal marking system, with opponents able to break free at the back post to attempt an unimpeded effort on goal.

Pickford regaining his confidence to take control of Everton’s backline will not prevent that, but it will help deal with the ball when it’s initially crossed in.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Barcelona collected a 2-1 victory over Villarreal on Tuesday evening but they had their defence to thank for picking up all three points.

On the chalkboard

Barcelona’s attack is rarely ever questioned. After all, when you have Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Antoine Griezmann in the team, goals are bound to come sooner rather than later.

But the narrative of the ongoing 2019/20 La Liga season has very much been centred around their defence.

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For all the attacking potential, the Blaugrana are rather lacking at the other end of the pitch and that is already showing in their results. After six games played in the new campaign, Barcelona have already conceded a total of ten goals – eight from open play and two from penalty kicks.

The unsung hero

Modern football rarely allows defenders to collect all the praise.

Sure, the recent emergence of Virgil van Dijk at Liverpool might help shift the tides just a little bit but generally speaking, we’re still pretty far away from that.

This only further amplifies Clement Lenglet’s contribution to Barca against the Yellow Submarine.

The 24-year-old Frenchman successfully won his duel with Villarreal’s Gerard Moreno. Moreno has already scored five goals in six appearances in La Liga so far, making Lenglet’s task that much more important.

Blaugrana’s centre-back registered two tackles, two interceptions, one clearance and three blocked shots on the night, matching Moreno’s one dribble and two key passes. He also made sure that Moreno deployed no crosses and managed no shots on target.

Of course, the two did not battle each other exclusively throughout the game but Lenglet’s presence helped nullify Moreno’s usual contribution.

The biggest proof of that might lie in the fact the Spaniard was substituted off in the 67th minute as Villarreal were in need of fresh and more impactful legs.

The goals from Antoine Griezmann and Arthur Melo may have given Barcelona the lead but Lenglet was vital in ensuring they got over the line at Camp Nou.

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…

Sheffield Wednesday succumbed to their first defeat of Garry Monk’s reign on Tuesday night as Hull City made them pay at the KCOM Stadium.

Tom Eaves netted his first goal for the Tigers after joining them on a free transfer in the summer just six minutes after coming on as a second-half substitute.

He headed home an Eric Lichaj cross in the 72nd minute, but the game could have gone a different way had Sam Winnall converted his chance soon after half-time.

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The Wednesday striker couldn’t keep a header on target from inside the six-yard box as he partnered Atdhe Nuhiu in attack in Steven Fletcher’s shock absence.

Monk revealed after the match that the 32-year-old had a swollen ankle following the Middlesbrough victory at the weekend and he was quite clearly a big miss as the Owls failed to score despite having 12 attempts.

Fletcher has scored five goals in the league so far this campaign which accounts for a third of their total. Therefore it is fair to suggest he’s a significant influence to their success.

Nuhiu and Winnall have a goal each while Jordan Rhodes is quickly entering ‘flop’ status at Hillsborough having cost £10m in 2017 – he’s scored just ten goals in 59 appearances, per Transfermarkt.

It must be a big worry to rely on a 32-year-old as a consistent source of goals because if he does face time out through injury like in this fixture, then they appear to be stuffed.

January is still a long way away, and Wednesday could well be out of the playoff picture by then depending on how results pan out, but it does make it clear to Monk that a striker is needed – especially if he wants that 4-4-2 system to pay off.

It did against Boro but that was only because they combatted a serious weakness with the towering frontline presence at the Owls’ disposal – that’s not going to work every single week.

Monk needs options and Tuesday night showed that the cards he’s been dealt aren’t up to it, so when the transfer window swings around, he will surely look to strengthen his attack.

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Dani Ceballos has made a good start to life in the Premier League with Arsenal.

The 23-year-old, who is on loan from La Liga outfit Real Madrid for the 2019/20 campaign, has two assists in two starts for the north London side.

It is within the Spanish national team setup where he has particularly impressed in recent times, though, with him being included in the Team of the Tournament for the U21 European Championships earlier this summer.

“They have the bigger mentality” – Spurs fans come to blows after the North London Derby in the video below…

On Thursday night, he was in action for the senior side against Romania. In a close affair, La Roja ran out 2-1 winners thanks to strikes from Paco Alcacer and Sergio Ramos.

Ceballos played 76 minutes and stunned fans with one moment in particular. In the build-up to Alcacer’s goal, he played a fantastic through ball to Jordi Alba with the outside of his right foot.

The Arsenal supporters were delighted with that piece of play, and they took to Twitter to share their thoughts. You can see some of the best comments from the social media platform below.

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

According to Football Insider, Wolves will continue to keep tabs on Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips this season after having a bid knocked back during the summer.

What’s the word?

Reports are suggesting that Leeds rejected numerous bids in excess of £20m during the summer for their key midfielder, who played 46 times last season as they finished third in the Championship.

One of those clubs is believed to be Wolves, even though the club already has Ruben Neves performing well in a very similar role – scoring 13 goals and laying on five assists in 90 appearances in the west Midlands, per Transfermarkt.

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It is thought that the club will continue to watch the 23-year-old this season in preparation for another attempt at signing him next year.

Phillips has featured in all eight of United’s matches this season, playing every single minute available, so that only shows his importance to Marco Bielsa and his side.

Patience

Wolves can bide their time on this one.

They’ve got Neves, Leander Dendoncker and Romain Saiss rotating that position this season which is adequate enough cover.

The latter started against Everton and scored a first-half equaliser, as well as recording a rating of 7.07, per WhoScored – showing he is capable enough for the time being.

It has also been revealed that the Leeds anchorman has a release clause in his new five-year contract, so should they not get promoted, he will be available for between £20m and £25m, if reports are to be believed.

In a market that is becoming increasingly defined by the absurdity of transfer fees, Phillips would represent a massive bargain. He is a homegrown talent who has showcased huge potential in the Championship, earning his place in the 2018/19 EFL Championship team of the season.

Sean Longstaff and John McGinn – two fellow homegrown central midfielders – were both linked with £50m moves to Manchester United last summer, while West Ham reportedly placed an £80m price-tag on Declan Rice’s head amid interest from both of the Manchester giants. At the other end of the footballing spectrum, Manchester City broke their transfer record to land Rodri from Atletico Madrid in a £63m deal.

Evidently, outstanding central midfielders do not come cheap for Premier League clubs. Given the standard of Phillips’ performances since Marcelo Bielsa took charge at Elland Road and the aforementioned price-tags, there is no question that a £20-25m deal would represent excellent business for Wolves.

That is a similar amount to what Wolves would have bid for him this summer, so if he puts in another fantastic season and they don’t go up, the club won’t have to fork out even more than before – which is either incredible value for Wolves or dire foresight from the hierarchy at the Championship club.

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Crystal Palace are still searching for a new striker as the January transfer deadline approaches.

Roy Hodgson has been desperate to bolster his forward options to help lessen the goalscoring burden on Wilfried Zaha. Christian Benteke has struggled for form and fitness this season and Jordan Ayew has failed to have the desired impact during his loan spell. Despite Connor Wickham netting last week, a new forward would help them steer them away from danger.

Time is quickly running out for Palace to bolster their attacking options and Hodgson has limited time available. His best chance of completing a deal could be a loan move. With few options currently available, the ex-England manager should return to his former employers to solve his problems.

One man he could look to is Liverpool outcast – Divock Origi. Valued at £9m by Transfermarkt, the Belgian was expected to leave the club in the summer after slipping down the pecking order. However, Origi made himself a hero on the Kop again after netting the winner in the Merseyside derby. Since then, he has been overlooked after struggling away to Burnley.

The former Lille man will be eager to prove himself in the Premier League and moving to Palace could help him relaunch his career. A pacey, powerful forward with an eye for goal, his arrival would give Hodgson the quality option he has been searching for in attack. If he can rediscover his confidence quickly, he would be scoring for fun alongside Zaha at Selhurst Park.

With his Liverpool contract set to expire in 2020, the Reds are unlikely to stand in his way should he choose to depart and Palace could secure his services at a great price in the summer.

Crystal Palace fans, thoughts?

Former teammates Chris Smalling and Diogo Dalot and footballing legend Clarence Seedorf were amongst those to support Lukaku in the comments section…

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An update has emerged on Newcastle United’s attempts to add further signings to their ranks in January…

What’s the talk?

Daily Mail journalist Craig Hope has revealed that the Magpies are unlikely to sign Divock Origi or Dominic Solanke this month as they go in search of a striker to bolster their squad.

He tweeted: “Understand Newcastle haven’t gone in for Burnley’s Chris Wood, as it stands, but he has been put to them (same agents as Trippier). One of several striking options being considered. Azmoun of Zenit among them but Origi/Solanke unlikely, I’m told. Either way, NUFC need to act fast.”

Howe will be gutted

This update will surely leave Newcastle manager Eddie Howe feeling gutted, as both Origi and Solanke are strikers who could come in and make an impact at St James’ Park in the second half of the campaign.

The Belgian is a proven Premier League performer and the Englishman is a player who the 44-year-old knows well from his time at Bournemouth in the top flight.

Upon signing him for the Cherries in 2019, Howe said this about the ex-Liverpool man: “Dominic is technically gifted, very athletic and has the physical profile that will give us something different in our front line.

“He has done very well for England at various age groups, has a huge amount of potential and I’m really excited about working with him.”

This shows that he rates Solanke highly, which is why he will be gutted a deal now appears to be off the cards this month, especially given the striker’s form this season. The 24-year-old has scored 18 goals in 25 Championship matches for Bournemouth, after managing 15 last term, and this suggests that he could be ready for another shot at the top flight.

Meanwhile, Origi has won the Premier League and Champions League for Liverpool, scoring in the final of the latter. He has found the back of the net 40 times in 167 matches for the Merseyside club, showing that he knows how to score at the very top level.

This is another reason why Howe will be gutted with this update from Hope, as the Belgian could have come in and scored vital goals for Newcastle. The ex-Bournemouth boss will now be hoping that quality alternatives are identified and brought in as quickly as possible to bolster his attacking options, especially with injured top scorer Callum Wilson facing several weeks on the sidelines.

AND in other news, “We understand”: Keith Downie drops big NUFC transfer claim which will leave fans gutted…

West Ham United have been handed a boost in their bid to bring Fabio Carvalho to the London Stadium in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by the Daily Mail, who claim that the Fulham attacking midfielder could find a move to a Premier League side too tempting to turn down this month.

The report goes on to state that all of West Ham, Liverpool and Leeds United are keeping a very close eye on the situation of the 19-year-old – who has less than six months left to run on his current contract at Craven Cottage – ahead of a potential £5m swoop for the forward prior to the closure of the January market.

Lanzini’s heir

Considering just how impressive Carvalho has been for Fulham this season, it would appear a very smart move for Moyes to make an offer for the attacking midfielder this month, rather than waiting for the England youth international to become a free agent at the end of the season.

Indeed, the £3.15m-rated prodigy has been in breathtaking form over his 17 Championship outings in the current campaign, having already scored eight goals, provided two assists and created four big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.1 shots, making 1.5 key passes and completing 1.2 dribbles per game.

These returns have seen the £650-per-week forward who Greg Cruttwell – one of Carvalho’s first coaches at Balham FC – dubbed “unplayable” average a SofaScore match rating of 7.10, ranking him as Marco Silva’s eighth-best performer in the second tier.

Indeed, there are clear similarities between the Fulham starlet and West Ham’s own Manuel Lanzini – with both players being slight in stature, being able to operate on either wing as well as their primary position in the number 10 role, being extremely comfortable in their progression of the ball and possessing a penchant for scoring spectacular goals.

And, with the Argentina international turning 30 next season, as well as his current contract expiring in the summer of 2023, it will not be long before a replacement could be required for the Hammers’ current attacking midfield magician – with it being difficult to find a more suitable candidate than Carvalho.

As such, it is our belief that the West Ham board must do all they can to fight off the competition in order to secure a deal for the 19-year-old this month, as Carvalho is clearly a player heading for the very top of the game – something he could well achieve at the London Stadium.

In other news: Moyes can land perfect Gabigol alternative as WHU submit offer for “quality” £8.5m gem

Celtic have been name-checked with an interest in Bologna left-back Aaron Hickey by Calciomercato.com.

The Lowdown: Hickey in Italy

Hickey, who shares the same agent as Hoops star David Turnbull, has been in Italy for just over a year now. He left Hearts for Bologna in a deal worth just £1.53m and has gone on to make 32 appearances – 20 of which have come this season.

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Capable of playing as a left-back or left-midfielder, the 19-year-old, labelled as a player with ‘quality’ by Bologna manager Sinisa Mihajlovic, has scored five Serie A goals in 2021/22 after being linked with a move to Celtic over the summer.

The Hoops valued Hickey at £4m compared to Bologna’s £8m asking price, but it seems as if they’re still keen on his services heading into 2022.

The Latest: Late-night news

Calciomercato.com shared a story late on Thursday evening regarding Hickey.

They claimed that the defender has ended up in the sights of Burnley, Celtic and Manchester City, with his current deal running until 2024.

The Verdict: Left-back wanted

Ange Postecoglou seemingly has his eyes set on bringing in a new left-back in the New Year, presumably to challenge Greg Taylor.

Barnsley’s Callum Styles and Hibernian’s Josh Doig are just two names that have been mentioned in recent weeks, and it appears as if the Hoops are still keeping tabs on Hickey.

Reo Hatate looks set to move to Parkhead in January, however, he is reportedly viewed as a midfield addition, even though he can play at left-back.

On that basis, you’d expect that the Hoops could launch a move for Styles, Doig or Hickey over the coming weeks, and should one arrive, Celtic could then look to move on outcast Boli Bolingoli, who has hardly featured this season and was linked with an exit over the summer.

In other news: Ange may look to sign 3rd Irishman for Celtic who can play in 3 positions – reliable journalist.