All posts by h716a5.icu

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Lots of Southampton fans have taken to Twitter to slam Jannik Vestergaard for his performance in the 2-1 loss to Liverpool on Saturday.

The 16-cap Denmark international lined up alongside Maya Yoshida and Jan Bednarek as part of a three-man centre-back system against the Reds, but the supporters below were not happy with how the 6 foot 5 man performed at St Mary’s.

Ralph Hasenhuttl’s men have now lost both of their league games this season, and it is hard to deny that the 27-year-old was awful against the Merseysiders – last weekend, it was Jack Stephens who came in for criticism against Burnley, but the fans on Twitter have pointed the finger at another defender this week.

Vestergaard didn’t complete a single tackle and also made no blocks, whilst he also recorded a passing accuracy of just 56.5% – he just simply couldn’t cope with life up against Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah.

Let’s see what the Southampton fans on Twitter thought of the Dane’s performance…

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After a summer full of hope and a few goals from £15m signing Che Adams, reality dawned on Southampton last weekend when they were given a 3-0 humbling by Burnley at Turf Moor.

Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side found themselves on the receiving end of a second-half onslaught from the Clarets, and life doesn’t look like it’ll get much easier this weekend when they welcome Champions League and Super Cup winners Liverpool to St Mary’s.

It’ll prove to be a difficult game for the Saints given the quality of the opposition, and Hasenhuttl will have a lot on his mind after last weekend’s result.

Here’s who we think the Austrian will select in his starting XI…

After the Burnley result, we can see Hasenhuttl mixing a few things up.

Firstly, we think the former RB Leipzig boss will rearrange his backline following last weekend’s result, starting with Jack Stephens being replaced by deadline day arrival Kevin Danso.

Stephens was awful against Sean Dyche’s side, coming in for some criticism from many Southampton fans, whilst the 20-year-old Danso’s pace will be a vital asset for the Saints when it comes to dealing with the movement of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.

Ahead of the backline, we predict that Hasenhuttl will drop Danny Ings for another midfielder in order to bolster up the middle of the park, an area in which they were somewhat overrun against Burnley.

Adams and Nathan Redmond will lead the attack up top, with both being crucial in exploiting Liverpool’s tactic of adopting a high line – a system that has already seen them concede 40 shots this season.

There will be space in behind aplenty for the two Englishman to time their runs and surge into, which could cause Jurgen Klopp’s side all sorts of issues at St Mary’s this afternoon.

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Josh Onomah could be in line for a Fulham debut this weekend as Scott Parker’s men take on Nottingham Forest at Craven Cottage on Saturday afternoon.

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Onomah joined the Whites in the deal that saw Ryan Sessegnon seal his move to Tottenham Hotspur on the final day of the English transfer window.

The 22-year-old was given a runout for Fulham’s Under-23 side as he built up his fitness ahead of the new season, scoring in a 3-1 defeat to West Brom’s Under-23s.

He was thought to be in contention in midweek, according to the Evening Standard – but was left out of the 18-man squad on Wednesday night before Fulham’s 4-0 thumping of Millwall.

Defender Denis Odoi is the only player listed as a doubt by Fulham ahead of the Forest clash as the Whites look to secure a fourth straight win.

That could suggest Onomah is in line to be considered for a debut appearance, with the youngster yet to make a senior start this season.

Having signed a three-year deal after signing from Spurs, Onomah highlighted his desire to make a ‘huge impact’ at Craven Cottage, as the club seeks promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

Rotation could be on the mind of Parker with another midweek fixture approaching in the form of Tuesday’s League Cup tie against Southampton – and another Friday night kick-off with a trip to Cardiff to round off the season’s opening month.

Though such was the dominance of Fulham’s performance against Millwall, Parker may well be tempted to maintain the side that swept the Lions aside with consummate ease.

That said, Onomah’s versatility across the midfield could help his chances of securing a starting position, with the games coming thick and fast over the next few weeks as the season picks up pace.

Should Onomah start? Join the discussion by commenting below… 

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Gary Lineker has called Matteo Guendouzi “enormously talented” after the 20-year-old was called up to the France squad for their upcoming Euro 2020 qualifiers.

What did he say?

Initially, Paul Pogba had been included in Didier Deschamps’ side for the fixtures against Albania and Andorra. However, the Manchester United midfielder hobbled off the pitch following his side’s game against Southampton last week.

As such, a spot opened up in the national side and, after impressing at the start of the season, the former Lorient man received the call.

Gary Lineker is clearly enamoured with the youngster, and took to Twitter to share his thoughts, saying:

“Unsurprising. Enormously talented young footballer.”

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

A Vieira-like lynchpin

Despite big signings such as Nicolas Pepe and Dani Ceballos, as well as the already established stars such as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Guendouzi has stood out for the Gunners this season. He has started each of the first four Premier League games for Unai Emery’s team, and is top of the Arsenal class with a WhoScored rating of 7.35. Deschamps has clearly taken notice, and on form it is hard to argue that the call-up isn’t deserved.

Patrick Vieira once commanded the north London outfit’s midfield, and the similarities with the youngster do not end with their shared nationality. Like the former number four, Guendouzi has displayed fighting spirit and grit, as well as guile and skill. Ever since the 6ft 3in enforcer joined Juventus in 2005, there has been a struggle to replace him.

It would be naive to put unfair pressure on Guendouzi by saying he will have a career like Vieira, but he can certainly aim to have a comparable influence on the Arsenal squad. And now he has been selected, he may be able to do it for his country too.

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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…

Manchester United legend Roy Keane has criticised Harry Maguire’s ability to defend, and has said that there are still a few question marks surrounding the England international despite his undoubted quality on the ball.

Maguire moved to Old Trafford this summer in a deal worth £85m, but has kept just one clean sheet in four Premier League games as United suffered a defeat to Crystal Palace and also drew with Wolves and Southampton.

Keane was speaking on ITV as England thrashed Bulgaria by four goals to nil, and certainly didn’t hold back on his appraisal of the former Leicester man’s defensive qualities.

What did he say?

Keane told ITV (via The Mirror): “We’re talking about how good he is on the ball but defensively I still have one or two question marks over him. I worry about his pace on the turn.

“I remember the first goal against Crystal Palace and he wasn’t doing his best covering his other centre-half. Listen, he’s 26 years of age now. You’re worried if you’re pointing these things out to him.”

Harsh from Keane

What Keane hasn’t taken into account is the fact that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer doesn’t really have a reliable, natural defensive midfielder to screen the back four and protect Maguire and co.

In terms of Jordan Ayew’s goal at Old Trafford – the one in which Keane makes reference to – the four-man backline was far too high up the pitch when Vicente Guaita launched the ball long, which may be a result of a Fabinho-type player not being present in Solskjaer’s side.

You can argue that if United did have a player of that ilk in their side, they would be more comfortable with starting deeper as a back-four, rather than put themselves at risk by trying to win everything on the halfway line.

Keane’s comments on Maguire are harsh in that respect, and you can very easily argue that Maguire wouldn’t need to have his lack of pace exposed if a few more things were in order at United, such as a recognised defensive midfielder.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets…

Arsenal will be kicking themselves after failing to pick up maximum points against Watford at Vicarage Road on Sunday.

Unai Emery’s men took a 2-0 lead into half-time after a brace from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

However, they were unable to hold on after the interval after facing an onslaught from the Hornets. The home side registered 31 shots, 10 of which were on target, as they fought back to earn a 2-2 draw.

Watch Arsenal Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

The Gunners, meanwhile, were passive in attack in the second half, and that was in part down to Mesut Ozil.

The former Germany international was selected in the starting XI for the first time this season but failed to take advantage of the opportunity he was given.

His 6.71 WhoScored rating only tells part of the story.

Despite playing in an advanced midfield position behind the two strikers, he did not have one shot on target during the 70 minutes he was on the pitch.

Of course, it can be argued that the 30-year-old is more of a provider than a goalscorer, but even his passing left a lot to be desired. He created just one chance, and his 86.4% pass accuracy was bettered by all but four of the outfield players who kicked the game off for Arsenal.

In possession, he was caught dawdling on several occasions. Three, to be exact, with no Gunners player doing worse in terms of unsuccessful touches.

Considering his past and reputation as a former World Cup winner, it is not unfair to expect more from Ozil, who is now a senior member of the playing staff in north London. He joined the club in 2013 and will turn 31 next month.

With several players unavailable due to injury, including the likes of Alexandre Lacazette and Kieran Tierney, he was given the chance to show exactly why he should still be a part of the club’s plans moving forward and that he can continue to influence games in a positive manner.

In the end, though, he failed.

Rangers legend Ian Durrant has claimed that Rangers have completed a shrewd bit of business by signing Ryan Kent for £7m and that they could make a profit when he moves on according to The Evening Times – via Football Daft Podcast.

What did he say?

Ryan Kent’s signature was secured on the last day of the transfer window for £7.5m and became Rangers second highest transfer behind the £12m paid for Tore Andre Flo. It was a transfer saga that endured the summer with Steven Gerrard making it clear from an early stage that Kent was a target and that he wanted him to return to the ibrox club.

Initially Kent’s move looked to be over as Jurgen Klopp vetoed any more loan moves and it looked as though Rangers had been priced out of a permanent move with some reports suggesting Liverpool were wanting between £8-10m.

Rangers finally got their man though and it has delighted fan’s favourite Durrant and when he was asked if his boyhood club had delivered a good value deal, he replied:

“You’re getting a young kid who’s come from a great background at Liverpool, great upbringing who just wants to play football now. He’s been part of Liverpool’s squad in pre-season but he’s wanting to come up and he’s struck up a great relationship with Steven Gerrard who I think had him in the youths.

“He wants to play for Rangers, he had opportunities to go to Leeds, Brugge. His main aim was to go play for Rangers and Steven Gerrard who has a big pull to bring players in. Rangers and Celtic are now selling clubs and if there’s an opportunity comes up players will be sold for top dollar.”

So is Durrant right?

Originally Liverpool were looking for more than the £7m figure that has been quoted in the press. There is a premium on young English talent and money is no object in both the Premier League and Championship.

Last year was Kent’s break through season and he demonstrated in the two Old Firms fixtures at Ibrox just how good a player he has the potential to be – but for a late card ruining his copy book – his performance in the final Old Firm game at Parkhead was also a stand out. Two goals and an assist in four games against Celtic highlights his ability to handle the big occasion.

Ironically it has been a piece of Celtic transfer business that could benefit Rangers in the long run. The £25m singing of Kieran Tierney by Arsenal has inflated the value of the Scottish league’s top talent and Kent was rated Young Player of the Year by both his peers and the Writers Association.

Even if he has a similar season, Kent would be able to command a fee over what Rangers have paid for him and if he was to improve then his price tag rises. As Durrant claimed, Kent wanted the move to Rangers and perhaps managed to get him cheaper as a result. With Alfredo Morelos rated by Rangers in the same bracket as Moussa Dembele who went for £19.7m, Durrant is correct to think that Rangers have picked up a steal given Kent’s importance in key fixtures and to Rangers.

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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…

Jamie Carragher believes Liverpool have to aim for a higher points total than what they achieved last year if they want to win the league.

What did he say?

The former Reds defender was speaking after Liverpool’s latest win away at Chelsea – their sixth win in six games.

Jurgen Klopp’s side are yet to drop a point and still sit five points clear of title rivals Manchester City, and Carragher thinks they may only be able to drop up to 14 points if they are to pip City this time around.

As a result, he suggests a win away to a top-six side is not only impressive, but necessary, and he may be correct as draws away to Everton and Manchester United in the second half of last season ultimately cost Liverpool in the last campaign.

Speaking on Sky Sports’ post-match coverage of Chelsea vs Liverpool, Carragher said: “It’s a big result. Manchester City and Liverpool will already be looking at each other’s fixtures when they go away to big six teams as it’s an opportunity to drop points.

“Both teams, whether they get there or not, have to aim for 100 points. You can only drop 14 points. A draw isn’t a good result.”

Pep Guardiola’s side have already dropped five points, but responded to last week’s defeat in the best manner possible by putting eight past Watford.

Little margin for error

It indicates that the Premier League has changed, but Carragher is correct in his assessment that draws aren’t good enough for teams looking to win the league.

Liverpool lost just once last term, away at Man City, and if they are to beat them to first-place they could need 32 wins or more, as that is the total achieved by City in both 2017/18 and 2018/19.

Watch Liverpool Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

In each of those seasons, the Citizens were knocked out of the Champions League in March, which suggests the Reds have a greater chance of winning the league if they focus their efforts solely on that competition, having dropped points after a European clash against Bayern Munich.

With Sheffield United up next, Liverpool’s 100% record should be maintained, but visits to two top-six sides in Manchester United and Tottenham after playing Leicester could stall their title bid, although wins in all three will add to their already high confidence.

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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…

West Brom are clearly loving life under Slaven Bilic as they still hold the acclaim of being the only unbeaten side in the Championship.

Their run of four wins and four draws sees them occupy fourth position just one point off the duo leading the league in Leeds and Swansea.

That doesn’t necessarily mean everything is perfect, however.

The Baggies currently haven’t recorded a clean sheet in any of their eight matches which leaves them with the joint-sixth worst defensive record in the league – none of the three teams above them have conceded more either.

In defence, only the full-backs have chopped and changed – in the most part because of injury – with Darnell Furlong, Nathan Ferguson and Kieran Gibbs all playing their part by featuring in five or more games.

But the core of the backline has remained the same throughout all their league fixtures.

Goalkeeper Sam Johnstone and centre-backs Semi Ajayi and Kyle Bartley have played all 720 minutes on offer this season yet none have managed to keep the ball out of the net in at least one match.

Watch West Bromwich Albion Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Thus, they could be one of the causes behind West Brom’s struggles.

Albion have picked up 15 of their 16 points from a losing position, which means they’ve pretty much been behind in almost every single game too.

That’s impressive in itself, but it is something that needs to be eradicated as Football FanCast have previously mentioned here.

These goals are usually from individual errors too and that’s when you start to see who the real culprits are.

After their 3-2 win over Blackburn Rovers, Matt Wilson, formerly of Express & Star said: “Every goalkeeper makes mistakes, but Johnstone is now making them too regularly. He spilled an easy header here.”

His comments imply that the Baggies shot-stopper has been somewhat error-prone this season.

Is the Emirates home to the worst limbs in football? Decide for yourself by watching the video below…

The 26-year-old has a saves per game success rate of just 68% while only 50% of his long balls are accurate, which could be the reason behind why he loses possession 9.3 times per match.

Per SofaScore, Johnstone has also made two errors, one leading to a goal and one leading to a shot this season.

Bilic could use either Jonathan Bond or Ali Al-Habsi to give the former Manchester United man a reminder that his place amongst the side isn’t guaranteed.

Goalkeepers often find themselves too comfortable knowing they are unlikely to lose their starting spot, but Bilic can’t afford to let any complacency slip in as the season goes on.

The Polish midfielder posted an image of him passionately hugging his teammate after Leeds beat West Brom, and he captioned the image: ‘That’s how you feel under lights at Elland Road.’

The 29-year-old’s message insinuates that the players absolutely love going out there together and fighting for the Elland Road faithful.

Of course, togetherness is one of the most important things for any successful side, and that’s clearly one of the things that has made United successful since Bielsa’s arrival.