All posts by z3u9t.icu

Enough is enough.

Looks as if these Leeds fans are tired of hearing the same lines from Marcelo Bielsa.

Speaking after the draw against Preston North End, Bielsa said that despite the result, he felt that Leeds United ‘dominated and commanded the match’.

Whilst the statistics might back him up on that fact, having double the amount of total shots and corners than their hosts (via BBC Sport), the end result clearly didn’t do much to bring the supporters onto his side.

So they tore into Bielsa with many people claiming that they are sick and tired of hearing the same old lines from the boss when it comes to their failure to turn dominance into results.

The Whites have had an incredibly shoddy goal ratio this season, elevated by Patrick Bamford’s inability to hit the back of the net in eight consecutive matches.

From a league-high total of 16.9 shots per game, Leeds have only managed 17 goals in the Championship.

It’s perhaps unsurprising they finally took issue with Bielsa. Here’s what fans have been saying.

There was even one fan who has reached his final straw when it comes to the boss, calling for him to go.

That might be a tad harsh, especially given how early in the season is, there’s still time to turn things around. But how much time does he have before the majority of the fan base swings against him? With the expectations placed upon them, it’s going to have to be sooner rather than later.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Loan Watch series, which takes a closer look at those players who are aiming to galvanise their careers away from the spotlight of their parent club.

Grady Diangana burst onto the scene last season and played his way into Manuel Pellegrini’s thoughts, impressing the Chilean enough to make 21 appearances.

Over the summer West Ham bolstered their attacking options with the addition of Pablo Fornals, whilst the return from injury of Andriy Yarmolenko meant Diangana would have found his game time limited had he satyed.

Instead, he chose to go on loan and play under Slaven Bilic, and it has so far proved to be an inspired decision.

Bilic would have been aware of the winger from his time in East London and the pair have proved a suitable match for one another, with the 21-year-old not taking long to make an impression at the Hawthorns.

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He has three goals in six league games, but his trickery and eye for a pass – best evidenced when he assisted Matt Phillips’ second goal against Huddersfield in late September – shows that he is a well-rounded winger.

As alluded to, the Hammers currently have a plethora of wide players to choose from, and Yarmolenko has made the right-wing spot his own in recent weeks, with Felipe Anderson a mainstay on the left.

However, one man who finds his place in the squad under even more pressure due to Diangana’s form is Michail Antonio.

The 29-year-old has had mixed fortunes since signing in 2014 and injuries have limited his impact in recent years, and since they look likely to persist it is possible that Diangana could be his long-term successor.

He may be playing in a lower division, but the Hammers academy graduate has two assists to show for his average of 1.6 key passes per game so far, which shows he is a winger who looks to get the best out of his teammates as well as going trying to find the net himself.

Added to that, he has proved a constant menace to Championship backlines with 2.5 successful dribbles per game and a pass accuracy of 81%, a respectable return for a player who spends a lot of time in the opposition final third.

He still has a lot to learn, but a year of regular game time should aid that.

In particular, his average of 0.5 successful crosses per game leaves a lot to be desired, and until he can raise his consistency in the final third he could remain on the fringes at West Ham.

Despite that, he has good coaches and teammates to learn from at the Hammers, so it may not be long until he pushes both Antonio and Yarmolenko out of the side.

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 to The Sun, Pep Guardiola has insisted Manchester City wouldn’t sell Phil Foden for even €500m.

What did he say?

The England U21 international has struggled to breakthrough into the City line-up this season, registering just four appearances across all competitions this season.

Watch how to cross the road like a boss with freestyler Ben Nuttall in the video below…

Despite failing to give him regular first-team opportunities, Guardiola has insisted Foden remains an integral part of the club’s plans in the future.

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He said: “We didn’t give Foden a new contract by accident. He is the only player that can’t be sold under any circumstances — the only one. Not even for 500m euros (£450.8m). Phil’s going nowhere — Phil is City. We won’t be signing anyone else for that position. When David Silva leaves, we know exactly who our new magician will be. He’s grown up with us. He’s one of us and he’s going to be brilliant — one of the Premier League’s best.”

Actions speak louder than words

Talk about making a statement of intent. If Guardiola doesn’t now make Foden the cornerstone of his City team, then he will be left to swallow his pride. The Spaniard’s unequivocal comments on insisting he won’t buy a replacement for when Silva leaves at the end of the current campaign, speaks volumes of the high regard in which he holds the academy prospect.

But when City continue to fight for titles on multiple fronts, will Guardiola stay true to his words? The Etihad side have already seen Borussia Dortmund starlet Jadon Sancho depart the club after failing to see a clear route into the first-team, and they simply cannot afford to let their poster boy in Foden go too. It would be a criminal oversight for history to now repeat itself.

Actions speak louder than words, and at the moment, the Citizens’ boss is doing nothing of the sort.

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Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that Naby Keita is edging closer to a return to full fitness, and Liverpool fans are excited by the prospect of seeing him in action soon.

The Guinea international picked up an injury while at the African Cup of Nations during the summer and despite playing 23 minutes in the Community Shield, he has been out of action since.

Speaking in his pre-Newcastle United press conference, Klopp confirmed that he expects the 24-year-old midfielder to return to full training after Liverpool’s clash with Napoli on Tuesday.

It will be welcome news for the Reds, allowing for rotation ahead of a period where they will play seven games in just 22 days.

Despite perhaps failing to live up to his £48m price-tag last season, contributing three goals and one assist in 33 games, fans are happy with the news of his imminent return and look forward to seeing him in red soon.

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Late last week, a number of West Ham United fans reacted negatively to suggestions that Aaron Cresswell could start Sunday’s Premier League clash with Manchester United.

Indeed, many claimed that Cresswell’s presence would help the Red Devils.

As it turned out, the Englishman did feature against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side, and he came up with a brilliant free kick as the Hammers recorded a 2-0 win.

It has not been the easiest of campaigns for the 29-year-old, who has failed to even make the bench for four of West Ham’s six Premier League games this season.

Arthur Masuaku’s suspension opened the door for the former Ipswich Town defender to feature against the 20-time English champions, though, and he certainly did not disappoint.

In addition to his late free kick, Cresswell won three aerial duels and three tackles during his 90 minutes on the field, according to WhoScored.

Watch West Ham United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

And a number of West Ham fans have paid tribute to the under-fire ace:

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Son Heung-Min is emerging as Tottenham Hotspur’s clutch player.

Having returned from the Asian Cup with South Korea, the 26-year-old has been thrown into the fire at Spurs, playing against both Watford and Newcastle.

The north London outfit won both games, and the winger has been integral to the victories.

He netted an 80th-minute equaliser against Watford prior to the winner by Fernando Llorente, before scoring a late decider against Rafa Benitez’s men on Saturday.

The results kept Mauricio Pochettino’s men in touch with the Premier League leaders Liverpool, as well as second-placed Manchester City. Prior to Monday’s game between West Ham and the Reds, Spurs are just four points behind Jurgen Klopp’s men.

Former Wigan & Fulham man, Jimmy Bullard recently showed that he’s still got it! Check out the video below…

Of course, it remains to be seen if Liverpool will slip up any further, but Tottenham are in there, scrapping, and that is largely down to the performances of Son.

He has emerged as the club’s go-to player when it comes to needing to win a game, particularly with Dele Alli and Harry Kane both out injured.

Against the Magpies, the South Korean enjoyed a match-winning display and simply never stopped running.

Per Whoscored, he scored, his goal came after a total of five shots, he made one tackle and boasted a pass success rate of 90%. He also had four successful dribbles, continually running at the Newcastle backline and causing problems.

When needed, he stepped up with a goal that confirmed three vital points and has moved the club one step closer to both Champions League qualification and a title challenge.

With Kane and Alli both out, Spurs have needed a hero to step up; Son has done just that and should now be regarded as their most effective forward option when it comes to big games.

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On Tuesday, Aston Villa boss Dean Smith provided an injury update ahead of Monday night’s Premier League clash with West Ham United.

And Smith revealed that Jonathan Kodjia is unlikely to be available to face the Hammers due to a head injury.

The striker – a 2016 arrival from Bristol City – has not been seen in a Villa shirt since picking up an ankle injury against Tottenham Hotspur on the opening weekend of the 2019/20 campaign.

Smith has claimed that Kodjia could have been involved against Crystal Palace before the international break but the club decided not to take a risk.

The Ivory Coast international has now picked up a separate problem, though, which is likely to rule him out of the Premier League clash with Manuel Pellegrini’s side.

Watch Aston Villa Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

And the Villa fans have been on social media reacting to the injury news. Not too many have been kind to Kodjia either as shown by the tweets below:

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Aston Villa saw a £25million bid for Yves Bissouma rejected by Brighton and Hove Albion, according to The Telegraph’s John Percy. 

The journalist tweeted that Villa are now prioritising a deal for Juventus’ Rodrigo Bentancur after Brighton batted away their offer for the 25-year-old.

Steven Gerrard seems intent on signing another midfielder before the January transfer window closes in a week’s time.

Villa bid was only half of Brighton’s valuation

The Athletic’s Brighton correspondent Andy Naylor wrote earlier in January that it would take a bid of £50m for the Seagulls to consider parting with Bissouma this month. They don’t see any need to sell, even though the Mali international is into the final 18 months of his contract and has apparently given no indication that he will sign an extension at the Amex Stadium.

Bissouma has previously been ‘linked’ with the likes of Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal, who all may now hope to beat Villa to his signature.

The Midlands outfit have spent £27m so far in Gerrard’s first transfer window, signing Lucas Digne permanently from Everton and loaning in Philippe Coutinho and Robin Olsen.

Here’s what Villa fans made of Percy’s revelation about the rejected bid for Bissouma, with many believing that sporting director Johan Lange has foolishly low-balled on the midfielder’s true value.

Villa supporters baffled by Bissouma bid

“25 mil? That’s embarrassing”

Credit: @_ali_mans

“Villa’s ‘bids’ for JWP, Smith-Rowe and Bissouma have been laughable. Significantly undervalued talent with bids that were never in a million years going to be accepted”

Credit: @military_villan

“Bidding 25m for Bissouma was kind of wild tbh”

Credit: @obeball_

“Lange are you ok? 25m you know”

Credit: @WazeUTV

“£25m, they were never gonna accept that”

Credit: @DaleAC93

“£25m is embarrassing”

Credit: @villavisionben

In other news, another midfield target has emerged for Villa

Newcastle United have seen numerous players join the club before being sold for significant sums of money over the past few years, such as Yohan Cabaye, Moussa Sissoko, Georginio Wijnaldum and Aleksandar Mitrovic among others.

One player who departed from St. James’ Park in recent years in what can now be seen as a great piece of business from the club during Mike Ashley’s much-maligned tenure at the Toon is Ayoze Perez.

Signed in 2014 from Tenerife for £1.5m, the Spaniard went on to make 195 appearances for the Magpies across all competitions, with 48 goals and 17 assists to his name before joining fellow Premier League side Leicester City in 2019 for £30m, highlighting the massive profit the Toon made on him.

Since making the move to the King Power Stadium, the 28-year-old has made 92 appearances for the Foxes across all competitions, scoring 12 goals and providing nine assists along the way.

In December 2019, just a few months after leaving Newcastle, Transfermarkt had Perez’s market value listed as £27m, the highest it has been throughout his career. It now stands at just £13.5m, which is 55% lower than the £30m transfer fee the Magpies recouped for him when Leicester came calling.

With just eight appearances under his belt in the current Premier League campaign, the attacker – who is currently picking up £83k-per-week according to Salary Sport – has more red cards than goals, having failed to find the net at all.

In addition to his lack of goals, his overall performances for Brendan Rodgers’ side have been rather disappointing. WhoScored list him as Leicester’s second-lowest rated player (excluding those who haven’t started a league game), with an underwhelming rating of 6.24/10, which would also place him among some of Newcastle’s lowest-rated players for this campaign.

Taking all this into account, it’s safe to say that Newcastle and Ashley pulled an absolute blinder in selling the Spaniard when they did for the amount of money they got for him.

Even though the Magpies have been involved in a relegation scrap for most of the season before reviving their fortunes over the past few weeks, it seems unlikely that many Toon fans will have been missing Perez in the meantime.

In other news: NUFC dealt setback on “sensational” £180k-p/w ace, supporters will be gutted

A number of Manchester United fans have flocked to Fabrizio Romano’s transfer news regarding Axel Tuanzebe.

According to reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano, the deal between Manchester United and Napoli for the loan transfer of Tuanzebe is set to be signed this week. This comes following Aston Villa’s approval, where the club has agreed to terminate the defender’s current loan deal.

The 24-year-old has struggled for game time at Villa since the arrival of Steven Gerrard, having played just eight minutes under the new manager.

Manchester United are currently undergoing a centre-back crisis of their own however, with illness and injuries sustained by Eric Bailly, Victor Lindelof and club captain Harry Maguire ruling the trio out of last night’s 1-0 loss to Wolves.

This led to Phil Jones’ first appearance in just under two years, and although the 29 year-old didn’t do much wrong, his return from cold storage perhaps epitomises the issues in the heart of defence.

Manchester United fans react to Tuanzebe transfer news

These United fans were left confused by Romano’s transfer update, as many asserted that Tuanzebe could have been an excellent addition to the side, amidst their central defender crisis.

Here’s what some of them had to say in response to Romano’s tweet:

“Why would we let Tuanzebe go on loan with Maguire injured, doesn’t make sense”

Credit: @RonaIdoProp

“We should keep Tuanzebe and play him over Maguire tbh”

Credit: @dbcoopa17

“Makes n0 sense offloading him when in our current state we have only 2 fit defenders”

Credit: @JassimAlThani4

“This makes no sense when we are starting Phil Jones tonight”

Credit: @Stanhods

“Can we delay this, we need him today”

Credit: @adisreee

“We need him now more than ever hello ??”

Credit: @drinii_