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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…

John Toshack talked to Libero (via The42) and discussed one of their current stars, Gareth Bale. And it seems that the former Real Madrid and Wales manager believes his compatriot is a bit too selfish.

What did he say?

Just the other day, Wales and Croatia faced off in one of their Euro 2020 qualifiers and Real Madrid had two stars compete against each other on the pitch.

It was Bale vs Luka Modric, two former Tottenham Hotspur and current Los Blancos’ stars on the opposite side of the pitch and as fate would have it, both of them seemed to suffer injuries towards the end of the clash.

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And despite the Welshman actually ensuring his country avoided defeat on the night – the game ended as a 1-1 draw –  Toshack still had a word of criticism for his compatriot.

According to the former Real Madrid and Wales boss, Bale is simply too individualistic and doesn’t participate enough in all the proceedings on the pitch.

Here’s what he said in full:

“Bale doesn’t take part in the game, for possibly for five minutes he is around the edges of a game but he doesn’t participate, and then suddenly he sprints to come back. With him it is sometimes like playing with 10 players. He is very individualistic.”

A Galactico outcast

Even though he is still Real Madrid’s biggest signing in the history of the club, Bale seems to be a regular target for criticism.

We all know that his relationship with Los Blancos and Zinedine Zidane, in particular, is not really the best.

Watch Lionel Messi and Gareth Bale answer the internet’s weirdest questions in the video below…

After all, it was the Frenchman himself who called for Bale to be shipped off just months ago during the summer transfer window but then changed his tune practically overnight, stating the Welshman would be an important part of the squad.

But the rumours have not stopped and the 30-year-old forward has been linked with a move away from the Galacticos once again.

That was actually the result of his recent omissions from the team sheets as Bale missed a couple of games.

It still remains to be seen, however, whether he has a future at the club or not.

This turned out to be a controversial one.

According to reports, Pablo Hernandez and Leeds United are set to sit down and discuss the possibility of a new contract.

The Spaniard’s current deal expires at the end of the season and despite being 34-years-old, it looks as if that isn’t acting as a stumbling block for the club as they aim to tie down the winger.

A question was posed to supporters over whether they wanted Hernandez to stick around at Elland Road but supporters couldn’t really agree with each other on the matter.

The veteran scored 12 times in 2018/19 and also laid on the same number of assists. He’s also been involved in four goals during the new term, via WhoScored, but that hasn’t stopped some suggesting he shouldn’t remain in west Yorkshire.

However, some people were convinced that he could and should stay at the club for as long as possible, even if his role on the pitch is somewhat diminished.

Here’s what the Elland Road faithful have been saying.

Whilst there were those who felt that his time has come and that it would be best if he stepped aside.

Thankfully these fans aren’t part of the negotiating party, or the contract would take longer to sort out than Brexit.

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…

Unai Emery appears to have taken a swipe at Arsene Wenger while defending his record at Arsenal, per Eurosport.

What’s he said?

The former PSG boss has come under increased scrutiny this week following the club’s disappointing 1-0 defeat to Sheffield United on Monday.

Asked about his record on Wednesday during a press conference, however, Emery pointed to the state the Gunners were in when he arrived following the departure of Arsene Wenger.

The Frenchman took the club to sixth in his final season, reached the third round of FA Cup, while they were runners-up in the Carabao Cup and reached the semi-finals of the Europa League. Emery, in his first season, improved their league finish to fifth, reached the fourth round of the FA Cup, the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup and took them to the final of the Europa League, where they were beaten by Chelsea.

He said: “Sometimes we forget the memory and we need to remember. “When I arrived here, this team needed to improve being more competitive.

“This team in the history was winning 1-0 and being very competitive, but it wasn’t enough. Then one process being competitive and with improved creativity.

“When I arrived here, the creativity is more or less good, but being competitive was worse. It was not enough. ‘I think last year I started to improve being competitive, also more or less creativity with some very good matches playing with that creativity.

“Last year we did not achieve, we were in the table by one point and in the Europa League final and we lost in the end. And OK, we were there. And this year – be there and take it.”

Tangible rewards

Arsenal need something to show for their supposed improvement.

Emery might well be right, in the sense that Wenger oversaw the club’s fall from being genuine title contenders to perennial top-four challengers.

But if he is going to take a swipe at a manager who won three Premier League titles during his time in north London, he needs to have some tangible trophies to show for himself too.

This season, the Gunners are fighting on four fronts and if Emery is to back up his words, he needs to win one of those competitions.

One has to feel that the Premier League is out of the question so it may well be the cup competitions on which he has to rely.

Ironically enough, Wenger won seven FA Cups too.

Emery has a long way to go to match that legacy.

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…

Leeds United fans have been over the moon with the impact Ben White has had since joining the club this summer.

Indeed, United fans recently named the centre-back as their Player of the Season so far, but unfortunately, they may not be the only ones impressed by the centre-back.

Understandably, Brighton may have one eye on how White is getting on, and a Leeds Live journalist believes that the club can’t rule out the possibility of him being recalled in January.

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What’s been said then?

In a Q&A session, Beren Cross was asked whether or not Leeds will be doing any business in January, and he stated that a lot of it depends on the loanees currently at the club.

Delivering his verdict on the likes of White and Eddie Nketiah, he claimed:

“Much depends on the loanee situation. While I don’t believe Nketiah will be recalled, I do think Ben White is playing so well we have to at least consider the possibility Brighton either want to play him or sell him for a lot of money to another PL club.”

Find out what happened when a world-record-holding freestyler attempting skills with the worst pair of boots available on eBay in the video below…

Disastrous

White being recalled would simply be a disaster for Leeds.

After selling Pontus Jansson in the summer it looked as if the Whites would be left short at centre-back, but the emergence of the Brighton loanee has alleviated all of those problems.

Leeds currently have the best defence in the Championship as they’ve conceded fewer goals than any other team, and their backline is the foundation for their successes this term.

Indeed, the Yorkshire club haven’t been great in front of goal as of late – failing to score more than one goal in any of their last seven league games, but their brilliant defence has allowed them to continue picking up points.

However, if White leaves that could be compromised as they’d be losing the only centre-back that has started every Championship game for them this term.

With Gaetano Berardi’s poor disciplinary record and Liam Cooper’s recent injury woes, Leeds could be in trouble at the back if Brighton recall the 22-year-old, and that would be disastrous for the team’s ambitions this term.

It was a difficult afternoon for West Ham United on Saturday, as they succumbed to a disappointing 3-2 defeat against Newcastle United at the London Stadium (via BBC Sport).

The Hammers were far from at their best against Steve Bruce’s side and went 3-0 down in the game before netting a couple of late consolation goals.

In an effort to try and get back into the game, Manuel Pellegrini decided to bring off Pablo Zabaleta after 72 minutes, replacing him with Ryan Fredericks (via @WestHam).

The Argentine had a poor game for the Hammers, two of his three long balls were inaccurate, both of his attempted crosses did not find a teammate and he also had one unsuccessful touch, ultimately finishing with a meagre WhoScored rating of just 5.96.

Zabaleta hasn’t been a regular this season; indeed this was only his second start in the league (Transfermarkt).

Most supporters cannot understand why Pellegrini has started the former Manchester City man instead of Fredericks in the last two games, and many of them suggested that when the manager did swap the two players in the second half that it was far too late as the damage was already done.

Here is how some Hammers fans reacted on Twitter when Zabaleta was brought off against Newcastle…

West Ham fans, should Ryan Fredericks be starting ahead of Pablo Zabaleta? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below…

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… 

The summer signing of Jetro Willems went somewhat under the radar, due in part to Allan Saint-Maximin joining at the same time, but he is quickly proving himself to arguably be their best capture of the previous transfer window.

Newcastle spent big on the likes of Saint-Maximin and Joelinton, but loanee Willems has outperformed both and looks natural in the left wing-back role at St James’ Park, making him a valuable asset to Steve Bruce.

The Magpies boss has set-up with the same formation in the majority of the 11 Premier League games he has overseen, and Willems is a commanding figure in the 5-3-2 formation.

His pace and tireless energy allows him to get up and down the flank with great effect, and it hasn’t taken long for him to win over the fans.

An expertly taken goal at Anfield helped with that, but in truth he has been effective in a number of games, and defensively has helped his side keep three clean sheets in the league.

His 2.1 tackles per game, according to WhoScored, have been crucial to that. Only two players in the squad have averaged a higher amount, and considering his usefulness going forward there aren’t many more well-rounded players than him at the club.

The only downside is that he is not yet a permanent Newcastle player, but judging by his stats so far the Magpies should look to meet the €11m (£9.5m) agreed clause with parent club Eintracht Frankfurt.

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He has impressed with his close control and clever touches at times, too. He has only averaged one successful dribble per game but he is unpredictable and adept with both feet, and that was what allowed him to get the better of Trent Alexander-Arnold for his Anfield goal.

Willems’ technical ability has been recognised by Guus Hiddink, and the former Chelsea boss previously suggested the Netherlands international could be “as good as Roberto Carlos”.

Though it looks unlikely he will reach such heights, his ten key passes in the league prove that he is deserving of greater praise than what he has received so far, and if he maintains his current level then he should help his team move away from relegation trouble.

To do that he will need to improve his pass accuracy of 77%. It is a poor return and a contributing factor to Newcastle’s terrible average of 38% possession, and if the Magpies are to begin imposing themselves on matches then he will have to perform better.

That being said, £9.5m is still a bit of a bargain in the current transfer climate, and given the dearth of quality in that area of the squad, it is a deal the club should look to get over the line soon.

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

According to FC Inter News, Manchester United are interested in Inter starlet Lorenzo Pirola after sending scouts to watch him in action.

What’s the word?

The 17-year-old is currently at the U17 World Cup with Italy at the moment, and he has helped his country reach the knockout stages after impressive victories against Mexico and the Solomon Islands.

Now, FC Inter News claim the Red Devils are set to be involved in a transfer war with arch-rivals Manchester City over securing Pirola’s signature. The report claims that representatives from both sides have attended the group stage games to run the rule over the young defender.

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It further adds that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have been keeping an eye on him for much longer, and that Inter will not be prepared to let him go without putting up a fight.

Progress

Make no mistake about it, following Pirola’s development in view to a future move shows real signs of progress in the recruitment department for United. When was the last time a virtually unknown, promising quantity arrived at Old Trafford? Signing the teenager would be evidence that the club are casting their net further and wider in search of securing young talents who may not be on every European giants’ radar.

Watch the video below to see the most insane overhead kick you will see this week…

The Italian’s stock only continues to get higher following his inclusion in this summer’s team of the tournament for the U17 EUROs. And, after scoring against Paraguay in the World Cup, his name will be beginning to get a lot of recognition. If United can fend off competition from their noisy neighbours and sign the highly-coveted prospect, then it will be great proof that they are heading in the right direction with their recruitment strategy.

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…

As quoted by Sky Sports, Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has raved over his side’s “exhilarating, attacking football” in their win over Brighton on Sunday.

What did he say?

The Red Devils produced a commanding display at Old Trafford to dispatch Graham Potter’s men 3-1, with the side registering an impressive 21 total shots on goal, with 11 of them on target.

And, speaking after the match, Solskjaer couldn’t contain his delight at his team’s performance going forward, and insisted they should have won by a much larger margin.

He said: “It was a great performance and we should have won by a bigger distance. We attacked superbly – it was exhilarating, attacking football. The boys were so quick and we created chances. We scored three but it should have been six or seven, especially in the second half.

“It’s a young team and you can see they enjoyed themselves. When you have a young team you need to get into the game quickly. We know we’re not in a position we want to be. And we’re far away from where we want to be. We have to keep on improving and challenge for the top four.”

Ruthlessness

As Solskjaer suggests, the Red Devils really could have, and perhaps should have, put the game well beyond Brighton’s side. The fact the Seagulls got it back to 2-1 at one point in the second-half will be a major concern to Solskjaer. United created enough chances to win the game quite comfortably, and will no doubt be disappointed that they didn’t really boost their goal difference on Sunday.

Ultimately, it comes down to a bit of ruthlessness in front of goal. Making the most of clear-cut opportunities, and making the opposition for their mistakes. The Red Devils currently have five wins in their last six, and if they can keep their momentum going, the confidence that their forwards currently have will soar dramatically. And that may just be the added ingredient to turn these more slender margins of victory into something much higher.

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

According to The Sun, Manchester United could seal the signing of long-term target Gareth Bale in the upcoming January transfer window.

What’s the word?

The Real Madrid superstar has been linked with a move to Old Trafford for a number of years now, but has failed to see a transfer materialise. But after a particularly tumultuous season last year in which some of his own teammates questioned his attitude and commitment to the cause, it could finally be Bale’s time to leave.

And according to The Sun, Real Madrid believe that if he does not join up with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side in the New Year, then they are “convinced” he will do so in the following window. The report further claims that United were keen on luring Bale to the club when the Wales international was close to joining Chinese outfit Jiangsu Suning in the summer, and that the Red Devils are “even more determined to land a star name to rescue their season now”.

The ship has sailed

A few years ago, when Bale’s injury problems weren’t as disruptive or severe as they have been recently, a move for the Welsh talisman would have been seen as a major coup. After all, this is the man who many would have earmarked as Cristiano Ronaldo’s potential successor at Madrid. Instead, a mixture of medical issues and struggles to get to grips with the Spanish lifestyle have really tarnished his reputation.

The Red Devils have already been burned by a January swoop for a high-profile star on hefty ages. Alexis Sanchez anyone? Bale’s arrival may be heralded as a superstar-worthy signing, but his pre-existing issues at Madrid would only just resurface back in the Premier League. The £54m-rated man isn’t suddenly going to become 100% healthy again, and back to his old self. The ship may have sailed for the 30-year-old’s move to Old Trafford.

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

Joelinton has not got off to the best off starts at Newcastle but a slight change in playing style could allow him to start repaying his £40m fee.

On the chalkboard

Big things are expected of the Magpies record buy but the Brazilian has just one goal from 12 league games, so he has been somewhat of a disappointment for his side despite the other aspects of his game.

His lack of goals is even more pressing due to the lack of quality in Newcastle’s other options, with Yoshinori Muto and Dwight Gayle seemingly unfavoured and Andy Carroll often not fit enough to start games.

That is reflected by the minutes they have spent of the pitch this season, with Joelinton preferred by Bruce despite his lack of productivity in the final third.

While improvement is needed from the 23-year-old, his lack of form is not all his own doing. If Newcastle played to his strengths, particularly his heading ability, then that could yield more success and more goals and prevent him from struggling to fit into a system that doesn’t suit him.

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Changes needed

Steve Bruce has enjoyed success through his wingers this term, particularly Allan Saint-Maximin, but so far both him and Miguel Almiron have been unable to create chances for Joelinton.

The striker has averaged 5.2 aerial duels won per game, which demonstrates the ability with he possesses with his head, yet he simply hasn’t been given the opportunity to display his skill in that area.

Newcastle have attempted only 169 crosses this season, an amount which betters just two other teams in the division. That goes some way to explaining why Joelinton has struggled so far, and since one of his best attributes lie in that area, questions should be asked of Bruce.

He has to begin playing in a way which can get the best out of his striker, otherwise spending so much money on him is an almost pointless endeavour.

To bring success via crossing, however, both Saint-Maximin and Almiron will have to improve their quality. They have managed 0.4 and 0.1 completed crosses per game respectively, and with that kind of service it is unsurprising that Joelinton hasn’t produced much.

Until things change and the style is adjusted slightly it is difficult to envisage the Brazilian improving markedly, and therefore the striker may have to adapt and add a new dimension to his game in order to start scoring.