Category Uncategorized

[ad_pod ]Crystal Palace recorded a great result on Saturday as they took three points from Turf Moor in their clash with Burnley, with Roy Hodgson making five changes to the team that lost to Manchester United on Wednesday.Although one was certainly bemusing – they proved effective. In his post-match interview, the 71-year-old boss explained why he made certain decisions and now it all makes sense.

What did he say?

Asked by Palace’s media if he was pleased with the players who came in for the 3-1 win, Hodgson said:

“Absolutely. But it was really just a question of giving our players who have played a lot of games the opportunity to get some rest, in particular [James] McArthur and Andros Townsend.

“They’ve played every game, battling away and yet, for people like Max Meyer and Cheikhou [Kouyate] who’ve been patiently awaiting a chance they’ve got fresh legs and plenty of enthusiasm so it [the Burnley game] was a great opportunity to put them in.

“Scott Dann, we thought was probably the right man to counter the sort of play we knew we would be facing and the same goes for Wayne Hennessey, the goalkeeper.”

Great news

While plenty of Palace fans were alarmed by the decision to omit the previously impressive Vicente Guaita from the starting XI in favour of a start for Hennessey – particular amid reports of the Spaniard possibly seeking an exit – Hodgson has surely relieved that panic in his post-match interview.

The Clarets are renowned for their direct, long-ball approach and the decision to start 6-foot-6 Hennessey in such a physical game is of no surprise now that Hodgson has explained that was the reasoning behind dropping Guaita.

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

Hennessey, who has 81 caps for Wales, was unlucky not to keep a clean sheet having brilliantly tipped Peter Crouch’s effort past the post although he was culpable for Ashley Barnes’ late consolation and it would be a real surprise if he keeps his place ahead of Guaita for the hot-blooded clash with Brighton this weekend.

Neil Lennon learnt his first stark lesson after being back as Celtic manager.

A rare 0-0 draw at Celtic Park proved that the players are yet to properly move on from Brendan Rodgers’ departure and how certain ones were only signed to particularly suit his system.

Not everyone is being able to cope with Lennon’s change of tactics that well, especially some of the attackers. While he’s not made too many changes to a relatively dominant unit, he’s made slight changes which didn’t really work in the weekend. He and Celtic fans were left frustrated in what was meant to be his big return to Parkhead, only to be spoilt with disappointing work upfront.

Oliver Burke was left an isolated figure in attack, being unable to get behind Aberdeen’s defenders and position himself in promising positions. Even Timothy Weah in his late cameo couldn’t produce any inspired moments. With both leaving next season, Celtic will be desperate to sign up some quality strikers next summer.

Rather than loaning in promising youngsters, they should instead buy experienced candidates who can actually help them take things up a notch. Celtic will remain a dominant force in the Scottish Premiership regardless of whoever they sign, but if they aspire to do well in Europe, they need someone clinical to inspire the unit.

A striker who can score 15+ goals is what they need next summer. Unless they get an experienced goal-getter who can trouble top teams, frustrating results will continue on for Celtic next season.

Celtic fans, do you think better strikers are needed for a bigger push next season? Join the discussion by commenting below…

Liverpool were able to reclaim top spot in the Premier League following their 0-0 draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford over the weekend, though pressure looks like it is starting to take its toll.

The Independent reports in detail Jurgen Klopp and Jordan Henderson’s touchline row following the England midfielder’s initial refusal to shake his manager’s hand after being substituted off.

Klopp, however, remains adamant that whatever pressure Liverpool are currently feeling is a positive kind. “Of course there is pressure. Actually, from my point of view, it is a very positive pressure, but I don’t have to play – I only sit here and say dumb things, so that’s easy,” the Liverpool boss told Sky Sports after the game.

Whatever the case, following their touchline incident, here are two potential replacements for Henderson as Liverpool captain should Klopp ever decide a change is needed.

Virgil van Dijk

There have already been calls from some sections of Liverpool’s support for Virgil van Dijk to be made club captain, and it is not hard to see why.

Van Dijk, who is currently the captain of the Netherlands national team, is a real leader at the back.

The 27-year-old can often be seen marshalling the rest of Liverpool’s defence while instructing goalkeeper Alisson when and where to play it short and when to get rid of the ball.

Ultimately, van Dijk is both the model central defender and leader. The former Southampton man looks destined to one day lead Liverpool as a permanent skipper.

James Milner

Already the vice-captain in the squad, Milner would probably be the natural choice as successor if it ever came to Henderson being stripped of the captaincy.

The 33-year-old has earned his stripes as vice-captain and certainly deserves to be in the conversation for the honour above given all of the experience he has amassed down the years as well as his displays on the pitch.

Milner works extremely hard whenever given the opportunity to play, making no complaints about being used as a makeshift right-back, left-back or wherever Klopp has deployed him.

If van Dijk is the model player when it comes to central defenders, then Milner is the model professional when it comes to all footballers.

By no means should Henderson be removed as Liverpool captain after a small incident such as the one at Old Trafford. But if he is — now or in the future — Liverpool have more than one player ready to come and step in.

Football finance expert Kieran Maguire joined the Blood Red Liverpool podcast and discussed the state of the current Premier League season and how it might affect Liverpool and their fans.

Of course, the Reds are so close to the crown that they can practically taste it, being 25 points clear on the very top of the table, but there’s also a possibility they get it automatically.

And while they should certainly feel like they’ve earned it either way, Maguire still thinks their fans might get a feeling of a hollow victory, given all the circumstances.

Here’s what he said for Blood Red Liverpool podcast (17/3/2020): “Nobody will deny them that they warrant receiving the Premier League trophy. But I think even if you were a Liverpool fan, there would be an element of a hollow victory to a certain extent, if they were awarded the trophy on the basis of 29 games. So I think the priority of the Premier League would be for each of the clubs to complete a 38 match season.”

There is something in Maguire’s words, for sure, but it’s also unlikely any of the Liverpool fans would actually object getting the title, even if it was on a basis of just 29 games played in the current campaign.

At the end of the day, however, even if the season is cancelled and the Reds are awarded the trophy without even setting foot on the pitch again, no one would be able to deny they’ve earned it.

Liverpool fans, do you agree with Maguire’s verdict? Do you think this would be a hollow victory for your club? Let us know down in the comments below!

Everton’s captain for the day Gylfi Sigurdsson was castigated by a number of Toffees fans on Twitter following his performance this afternoon.

Having not featured in their previous Premier League game, the Iceland midfielder came back into the starting XI for today’s goalless draw against Arsenal at Goodison Park.

In what has been a quiet season in front of goal for the 30-year-old, he remains stuck on one goal and one assist following his 17th league appearance of the season. [via TransferMarkt]

Sigurdsson failed to hit the target with either of his two shots against the Gunners and made just 20 passes – of Everton’s starting XI, only Alex Iwobi had fewer and he went off injured after only 11 minutes. [via WhoScored]

Chris Beesley of the Liverpool Echo said that “there were few party pieces for the highlights reel” from the Toffees playmaker, while Squawka’s Ollie Thomas bemoaned his “ineffective” performance, writing: “One would want more from a player with his ability in a game like this.”

These Everton fans took to Twitter to hit out at Sigurdsson over his display against Arsenal:

Watch Everton vs Burnley LIVE on Prime on Boxing Day

[ad_pod ]

Loads of Liverpool fans have been reacting to the latest transfer news, as reports in France claim the Reds are chasing Lyon wonderkid Houssem Aouar.

According to RMC reporter Mohamed Bouhafsi, both Liverpool and Chelsea are chasing Aouar, who has five goals and four assists in his last 11 Lyon appearances.

RMC were one of the first to break Fabinho’s move to Liverpool, so the report should perhaps be taken with more credence than your average tabloid transfer rumour.

Watch Playmaker FC’s Thogden react to England’s dramatic second-half comeback against Croatia in the video below…

The move also makes perfect sense for the Reds, who are yet to find a creative midfielder to play on the left side of Jurgen Klopp’s midfield three.

Philippe Coutinho was of course the playmaker from that position, and Aouar’s silky dribbling, immense work rate and unique vision make him the perfect replacement.

While the 20 year-old doesn’t score the wondergoals that Coutinho does, the Brazilian’s scoring rate wasn’t exactly a sight to behold at Aouar’s age.

Loads of fans have been giving their verdict on the links, and you can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…

Luke Shaw, who is recovering after being knocked unconscious in a clash with Dani Carvajal in England’s 2-1 UEFA Nations League defeat to Spain, is out of contract at the end of the 2018/19 Premier League campaign, with many teams likely to be interest in acquiring the Manchester United defender.

What’s the story?

According to reports in The Sun, the England and Manchester United left-back is the subject of interest from Tottenham Hotspur.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”288872″ player=”12034″ title=”Rafas Pub Facts Murray The Magician & Desperately Seeking Zaha”]

Following a lengthy spell out injured, the 23-year-old has rediscovered his past form, and looks set to maintain his place in the left-back position at Old Trafford.

However, with less than a year left on his contract, Mauricio Pochettino, who managed Shaw when in charge of Southampton, is said to be keen on reuniting with him in North London.

Good move for Luke Shaw?

Whilst fellow Englishman Ashley Young impressed at left-back throughout last season, Shaw has started all four of the Red Devils’ Premier League matches this campaign, with Young demoted to the bench.

Now back in the starting lineup week in, week out at Old Trafford, it would seem an odd time for the youngster to make the move to North London.

Although playing under former head coach Pochettino would certainly be appealing for Shaw, the England international would face stiff competition from the likes of Danny Rose and Ben Davies.

With both Spurs players battling it out to become the starting left-back at the club, Shaw would certainly have a tougher time getting first team football at Tottenham.

Shaw has come into his own under Jose Mourinho this season and with the right guidance and belief could prosper further as a player, making any move in the future, especially to a side with such strong contenders in his position like Spurs, a bad career choice.

According to reports on Spanish media outlet Marca, West Ham United are one of a number of Premier League clubs interested in signing in-form Villarreal striker Cedric Bakambu during the January transfer window.

Marca says that the Irons made an offer for Democratic Republic of Congo international in the summer but were unable to match the price tag put on the centre-forward’s head, but they are now ready to revive their interest in the prolific 26-year-old.

The report adds that the Hammers’ English top flight rivals West Bromwich Albion and Newcastle United are also keeping tabs on the attacker, who has scored nine goals in 14 appearances in all competitions for the La Liga outfit so far this term.

While new Irons boss David Moyes will undoubtedly be looking to strengthen his squad in the New Year considering they currently find themselves in the relegation zone, he may be better off ignoring Bakambu and targeting a deal for his club compatriot Rodrigo Hernandez.

Here are three reasons West Ham should forget about the striker and sign his midfield teammate instead…

They need a defensive midfielder more

Considering one of West Ham’s biggest issues this season is that they have the leakiest defence in the Premier League having conceded 23 goals in their 11 top flight matches, it seems mad that David Moyes would prioritise signing a striker in the New Year.

With Javier Hernandez, Andy Carroll, Diafra Sakho and Toni Martinez – as well as Andre Ayew, Michail Antonio and Marko Arnautovic if needs be – the Irons have plenty of options up top.

They would be much better off as a team if they signed Rodri Hernandez over Bakambu, who would help to strengthen a weak area in the middle of the park.

Hernandez’s qualities

While he only turned 21 years of age in June, the Madrid-born midfielder is already a key player for Villarreal having made 15 appearances in all competitions this season, and 52 for the La Liga outfit in total.

According to WhoScored.com, the 6ft 3in defensive midfielder’s strengths are his ability to win aerial duels, blocks and intercepting, tackling and passing, which shows he is something of an all-round player.

According to Squawka, in 11 La Liga games this term the Spaniard has won 35 of the 50 aerial duels he has faced, has made 30 clearances and 27 interceptions and has a passing accuracy of 89%.

In those terms he looks to be perfectly suited to the Premier League, and could make a real difference for West Ham in the middle of the park.

Price tag

Hernandez’s current contract with Villarreal is due to run out next summer and with no new deal yet in the pipeline, it means that he could be available for a decent fee in January if the La Liga side don’t want to risk losing him for nothing at the end of the season.

Considering West Ham would likely have to pay upwards of £30-35m if they wanted to reignite their interest in Sporting Lisbon’s William Carvalho in the New Year, moving for the Spain Under-21 international instead could prove to be a very shrewd move.

Do you agree, Irons fans? Let us know below.

Tottenham Hotspur are set to offer defender Kieran Trippier a new contract at the club, according to reports from ESPN.

What’s the word?

Well, despite largely playing a peripheral figure this season, Trippier was handed a starting berth in yesterday’s crunch win over bitter rivals Arsenal, a game in which he starred.

Though the former Burnley defender still has three years to run on his current deal, Spurs are reportedly eager to reward him for his progress, as well as secure his long-term future.

Despite starting just four Premier League games this season, the 26-year-old looks an ideal fit for those on Hotspur Way, able to switch his role between a wing-back and a right-back with relative ease.

The end for Walker?

The fact Kyle Walker – usually so important to Spurs’ cause – was dropped for the visit of Arsenal is certainly a telling one.

While the England international is undoubtedly one of the best in his position, persistent links with a move to Manchester City may well have played a part in Mauricio Pochettino’s decision to leave him out.

Indeed, former Chelsea hero Frank Lampard (working on Sky Sports for yesterday’s game) suggested the Argentine coach could be ‘looking to the future’ by dropping Walker in favour of Trippier.

‘I’m a big Kyle walker fan but to be fair to Trippier, his delivery is probably a better one.’

‘If Pochettino feels Walker is looking elsewhere he may be looking to the future.’

Though Walker would certainly take some replacing, Trippier does provide an interesting alternative.

With full-backs becoming so important to a number of top European sides, keeping Trippier in north London becomes perhaps a bigger priority than warding off potential big interest in Walker.

Should they receive a lucrative offer for the latter, the former is a wonderful replacement.

Liverpool built upon their good start to the season last week with a win against Antonio Conte’s Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

An opener from Dejan Lovren followed by a thunderous strike from Jordan Henderson gave the visitors a 2-0 lead. Diego Costa finished cooly to draw one back and notch his fifth in as many games, but the Reds held on and left London with a much-deserved three points.

The victory leaves them with 10 points from a possible 15, and Jurgen Klopp’s side have been good value for their haul. Their only real blip came with a 2-0 loss at Burnley, but daring performances at the Emirates Stadium and against reigning champions Leicester seem to have overshadowed that.

It is a new-look Liverpool side under former Dortmund manager Jurgen Klopp, with the German having bought in a number of high-profile summer signings including the likes of Sadio Mane and keeper Loris Karius, who has unfortunately been out injured.

Although it is early days, the charismatic manager will be starting to eye up just who are is most indispensable players. FFC think it is this THREE, do you agree?

Adam Lallana

England and Liverpool’s man of the moment Lallana is having a fantastic season, and is starting to replicate the form he showed at Southampton that earned him his big move to Anfield a couple of years ago.

I have always been a huge admirer of the Englishman, predominantly because he doesn’t play like one. Classy touches, subtle passes and an improving eye for goal make Lallana one of the Reds’ major creative forces.

Georginio Wijnaldum

Similar in a way to Lallana, Dutchman Wijnaldum has an elegance about him that not many players possess – the former Newcastle man always has plenty of time on the ball and more often than not finds a good end ball.

Adding a cutting edge to Liverpool’s play in midfield, he looks like he will continue to link up well with his fellow midfielders and strikers.

Sadio Mane

Mane makes Hector Bellerin look like Eddy the Eel on land. His phenomenal pace is the stuff of defenders’ nightmares, but the most astonishing thing is that the Senegalese forward manages to keep tight control throughout his rampaging runs forward – as demonstrated by his wonder goal at Arsenal on the opening day. His willingness to run in behind and at players adds a new dimension to Jurgen Klopp’s side.

His willingness to run in behind and at players adds a new dimension to Klopp’s side.