Category Uncategorized

West Ham’s season has finally drawn to a close and fans have been left discussing the future of one player in particular – many aren’t happy with him either.

Irons drew 1-1 with Aston Villa at the London Stadium, which saw the visitors secure their place in the Premier League for next term.

Sebastien Haller was given a little runout in the second half, replacing Michail Antonio at the break though he wasn’t much better.

A recurring theme was the fact that the French forward was a waste of time, money and space having cost a club-record £45m last summer. His value has plummetted to £32.4m as per Transfermarkt.

Haller was also blasted for being “lazy” and “absolute toilet.”

Via SofaScore, the 26-year-old failed to register a shot on target from two attempts, had just 22 touches and lost possession four times from that too.

Some fans believed that David Moyes was effectively putting their star summer signing in the ‘shop window’ by introducing him in the final game of the season.

It’s led to many wanting Haller to be sold, once again he was slammed for being “useless” and that he doesn’t bring anything to the side.

There were even a couple of members in the Irons faithful who already had a replacement in mind – that being Brentford talisman Ollie Watkins or QPR’s Eberechi Eze.

AND in other news, West Ham can’t afford to sell Moyes’ resurgent £45m superstar this summer….

Newcastle United’s takeover continues to drag on, although it is thought that this week could prove pivotal in any official confirmation.The Athletic’s George Caulkin has added fuel to the fire with a fresh claim. He suggests that there will be a deadline in the contract for the transferal of funds once the Premier League ratifies the deal.In response to a fan on Twitter, he said the following:

It could mean that even if the PL sanction the takeover, there is still a hurdle or two to overcome, especially when approximately £300m is going to change hands – which isn’t helped by the country’s lockdown strategy preventing face-to-face negotiations.

Spot the fact from the fib: Are these Premier League records true or false?

World Class score: 95% | Expert score: 80% | Veteran score: 65% | Intermediate score: 45% | Amateur score: 30% | Try Again: 5%

Should the above situation occur smoothly, then the Magpies will be void of Mike Ashley and thus operating under a new era at the club.

AND in other news,ÂLee Ryder delivers major Newcastle update on St James’ Park

As per Goal.com, Alfredo Morelos could be available for just €15m (£13.2m) in the upcoming transfer window and it is reported that as many as nine clubs are keen on securing his services.

Morelos has been linked with a number of clubs, and this latest report says that Atletico Madrid, Sevilla, Valencia, Newcastle, Leicester City, Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Internazionale are all interested in signing the Colombian.

Steven Gerrard is said to be holding out for €40m (£35.1m), but a fee of €15m (£13.2m) could be enough to match his market value.

Since moving to Scotland, the six-time Colombia international has been absolutely prolific. In 137 matches for the Glasgow-based outfit, he has scored 77 goals, with this campaign being particularly lucrative – he already has 29 strikes to his name.

There has been plenty of questions surrounding his temperament – he has already picked up seven red cards – but his goalscoring ability is there for all to see and it is surely only a matter of time before he moves on the pastures new in order to test himself at a higher level.

Whilst it is unlikely Rangers will be able to keep hold of him forever, he is no doubt a valuable asset. He knows where the back of the net, has proven himself in European competition with 16 strikes in 23 matches, and is just 23 years old. £35.2m may be pushing it a little, but they could surely earn more than the £13.2m they are thought to be willing to accept.

It is imperative that Ross Wilson, the club’s Sporting Director, backs his manager in regards to their star forward. They cannot be allowed to be bullied, especially with him having a contract until 2023 – they have all the leverage, and must hold out for the best fee.

As is often the case with the best players in Scotland, he will leave the club at some point. But his departure should only be on Rangers’ terms.

Should Rangers sell Morelos? Let us know in the comments!

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 GQ, former Manchester United striker Louis Saha has delivered a word of caution on Mason Greenwood.

What did he say?

The 18-year-old has enjoyed an impressive rise to the top in the past year or so, featuring in the Red Devils’ dramatic triumph over PSG in the Champions League last season. After scoring against the likes of Inter and Leeds on the club’s pre-season tour earlier in the summer, Greenwood has under-lined his first-team credentials with goals against Partizan Belgrade, FC Astana and Rochdale.

Despite his fine showings, Saha moved to temper expectations on the starlet, and bemoaned the fact he currently only has Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford as his two ‘mentors’.

He said: “Maybe he has arrived six months or one year early and that’s not fair for him. He can’t be the only threat for Martial and Rashford at a big club like United. I had to compete with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Cristiano (Ronaldo) and Wayne Rooney. Greenwood is learning from two youngsters rather than two experienced players.”

Guidance

When you’re 18 like Greenwood and trying to break through into the team on a consistent basis, you invariably want to look for role models to follow amongst your teammates. Unfortunately for him, as Saha alludes to, Martial and Rashford are barely any older than him, at just 23 and 22 respectively.

The duo are still learning the tricks of the trade themselves, and are hardly the wizened professionals that could offer someone like Greenwood some much-needed career and life advice. And with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s struggling for goals in general this season – they have scored just 16 goals in 12 Premier League games – the teenager is playing in an environment that is arguably not the most conducive to his development. Signing a more experienced forward could be the key to unlocking the 18-year-old’s full potential.

Crystal Palace fans have taken to Twitter to react after it was reported by FCInterNews that West Ham are also in the race to sign Flamengo star Gabriel Barbosa.

The 5-cap Brazil international recently scored two late goals to secure the Copa Libertadores for Flamengo, taking his tally for the campaign to 31 goals in 38 games – he has also bagged ten assists.

As a result of his fine form, Flamengo are in negotiations to sign him although the aforementioned report states that the 23-year-old is interested in a return to Europe.

The report continues that Palace have set aside €23m (£19.6m) for the Brazilian goal machine, and that the south Londoners are ahead of the Hammers in the race for Gabigol’s signature due to the ‘coaching issues’ in regards to Manuel Pellegrini.

One supporter said that they’d cry if Barbosa ended up at the London Stadium instead of Selhurst Park, whereas another fan said that they’d rather sign the Copa Libertadores hero instead of Fabio Borini, who has also been linked to Palace recently.

Let’s take a look at some more of the Twitter reaction…

[ad_pod ]

Elsewhere, take a look at this piece of transfer news that would surely be the final nail in Max Meyer’s coffin if it happened…

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…

Bayern Munich have sacked Niko Kovac after a poor start to the Bundesliga season.

Sport1 have previously claimed that the Tottenham Hotspur boss is seen as a potential successor to Kovac, and The Athletic now alleges that Pochettino is their preferred target at this stage.

Hasan Salihamidicz, the club’s sporting director, is said to be an advocate of appointing the Argentine, whose phone number he owns.

And one has to believe that the Spurs boss should seriously consider the possibility of such a move, especially amid reports claiming he could be axed should Spurs lose to West Ham next time out.

As it is, he has managed the club since 2014 but he has next to nothing to show for it.

He has not won a single trophy despite the club’s progress to last season’s Champions League final, and it appears that the cycle he began at the club is coming to an end.

Spurs sit 14th in the Premier League table and have won just three games in the top-flight. In the Champions League, it has been even worse; while they have now won two of their four games, they were actually beaten 7-2 by Bayern in north London.

That result was illustrative of the difference between the two sides.

Bayern are an irrepressible winning machine and have won the last seven Bundesliga titles.

How often does such an opportunity make itself available, especially to a manager who is yet to claim any silverware of his own?

The only other clubs that have the same sort of pedigree are PSG, Real Madrid and Barcelona.

And the fact of the matter is this: Pochettino should be hoping he receives that phone call.

This would be a step up. Bayern have some ageing players, too, with the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Jerome Boateng and Thomas Muller all either 30 or older, and Pochettino could instil a sense of rebuilding and growth, utilising the club’s youth players as he has done in north London.

After all, what is the end game at Spurs?

Yes, they have the likes of Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Hugo Lloris but is this squad capable of winning either the Premier League or the Champions League?

They defied the odds to reach the final of the latter last season but, when it counted, they came up short, as they have done in title races previously.

There is the prospect of winning either the FA Cup or the Carabao Cup but is that going to sate Pochettino’s hunger for long, particularly when Bayern are offering a veritable trophy feast in Bavaria?

It feels like Pochettino has taken Spurs as far as they can – let’s not forget Champions League qualification was the club’s ultimate ambition before he arrived – so if Bayern’s interest is legitimate, the Argentine should absolutely pursue it.

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… 

Mauricio Pochettino’s experimentation at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium continued on Saturday as Davinson Sanchez was drafted into the starting line-up, only to be hauled off at half-time.

It was a strange call for the Argentine to make given Sanchez was Spurs’ best performing defender at that point, with Toby Alderweireld losing Abdoulaye Doucoure for the goal an example of his lack of form.

A change was necessary in order for Spurs to show more attacking intent, and Son Heung-min breathed fresh life into the attack, but the 23-year-old had barely put a foot wrong on and off the ball, and deserved to remain on the pitch.

Jan Vertognhen, like his compatriot, is not playing well, and he easily could have given away a penalty in the first half, but referee Chris Kavanagh gave him the benefit of the doubt in a clash with Gerard Deulofeu.

As a result, Sanchez should feel aggrieved that he was the man to withdraw, and in many ways it indicates a lack of faith in the centre-back.

His stats from SofaScore underline his effectiveness on the ball, with the biggest standout the fact he conceded possession on just four occasions.

By contrast, Alderweireld and Vertonghen gave the ball away 26 and 14 times respectively, and although they played the full 90 minutes it shows they were much more careless, and therefore the wrong man came off.

Watch Tottenham Hotspur Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Such a move could knock Sanchez’s confidence, as Pochettino has undermined his ability and any faith he once placed in him.

It is also a worrying sign of the Argentine, as it shows his continued misguided belief to trust players to perform who he has relied on in the past, even when they are clearly struggling – having conceded 10 goals in two games prior to Saturday.

The £65,000 a week player also got his team on the front foot through his long passes, with three out of four successful, and it is that active approach which Spurs lack currently, struggling to break down Watford and failing to score against the likes of Brighton and Newcastle.

Pochettino has to start being brave by dropping his previous favourites, starting on Tuesday against Red Star Belgrade, because only then may Spurs get back to their best.

According to 90min, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund are both interested in signing Tottenham Hotspur centre-forward Troy Parrott.

The 17-year-old was involved in Tottenham’s preparations for the 2019/20 campaign, but it would be fair to say that his first-team action this season has been limited at best.

Indeed, Parrott’s only football for Mauricio Pochettino’s side this term has come in the EFL Cup against Colchester United towards the end of last month.

According to 90min, both Bayern and Dortmund are ready to offer Parrott the opportunity to ditch Spurs in favour of a move to the Bundesliga.

The report claims that the London club are desperate to keep hold of the teenager, but it remains to be seen whether his head is turned by the German giants.

Watch Tottenham Hotspur Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

As expected, a number of Tottenham fans have been on social media reacting to the transfer report, which has not gone down very well at all.

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

Southampton may be struggling near the foot of the table as things stand, but it hasn’t seemed to have dampened the team’s spirits ahead of this weekend’s trip to Wolves.

The Saints currently find themselves balancing precariously above to the relegation zone in 17th place after eight matches, with a defeat against Nuno Espirito Santo’s men potentially dragging them into the bottom three this weekend, should results elsewhere work against them.

After three straight defeats in the top flight, Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side take little momentum into their clash with Wolves. However, after having an international break to regroup and refresh, there seems to be a feel-good factor pulsating through the team ahead of Saturday’s trip to the West Midlands – judging by this clip below, anyhow.

Sofiane Boufal is renowned for his trickery and ability to beat a man whichever way he sees fit. Unfortunately, the 26-year-old’s latest victim was his own teammate, Stuart Armstrong, as he nutmegged the Scotland international in training. Even more unfortunately for Armstrong, it was caught on camera and uploaded to the club’s official Twitter page.

The clip hasn’t gone down too well with these Saints fans, however, who are understandably frustrated with the club’s lack of performances on the pitch of late…

Saints fans, what do you make of your chances this weekend? Let us know by commenting below!

[ad_pod ]

Wolves’ Premier League campaign didn’t get much better on Sunday afternoon, though, manager Nuno Santo hopes it can be used as a ‘starting point’ for improvements in the near future.

They looked to be heading for a fourth consecutive defeat against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, but late heroics from Diogo Jota salvaged a point.

Joel Ward’s effort from range was deflected past Rui Patricio by his own teammate, Leander Dendoncker, to hand the home side an early second-half lead, then things went from bad to worse as Romain Saiss received his marching orders for picking up a second yellow card.

The equaliser came in the dying seconds of the match as Wolves launched a quick counter-attack through Adama Traore’s blistering pace. The right wing-back managed to cross the ball in for Jota to slot home.

Watch Wolverhampton Wanderers Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Wolves remain second from bottom without a victory this campaign but having gone down to ten men, the result in south London could have been far more miserable.

Several of the Molineux faithful were quick to praise Traore for his contribution to the match.

One supporter claimed the 23-year-old was a weapon that no other team in the Premier League had while that was reinforced by another who described Traore’s performance as ‘sensational.’

The 5 foot 10 Spaniard began the game at right-wing – which has in the past been his usual position with Nuno deploying a 3-4-3 formation, but when Matt Doherty was substituted, he returned to right wing-back, where he has played all of this season.

Another fan believed Traore had been their best player this season with one more brandishing him as a ‘game-changer.’

Here’s the best of the reaction: