Juventus were effectively knocked out of the Champions League before the first leg even ended last night, and Tottenham fans are absolutely loving it.
Spurs fans are enjoying Juventus’ capitulation at the hands of Real Madrid, citing Giorgio Chiellini’s own words that history is important.
After Spurs were knocked out of the Champions League at Wembley, Chiellini said they knew Spurs would crumble, because it’s the history of Tottenham.
“They always create many chances and score so much, but in the end they miss always something to arrive at the end,” the 33 year-old said.
“We believe in the history. Also, yesterday in the game between Real Madrid and Paris, the history, it’s important, and the experience is important, and tonight we used our skill to arrive at the win.”
Needless to say, Spurs fans are rubbing it in that “history is important”, as the side that have lost more Champions League finals than any other club lost 3-0 at home to Real Madrid in the first leg of their quarter-final.
Spurs were undone by two quick Juventus goals at Wembley despite dominating most of the match, something that does point to a lack of experience and composure.
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Still, Juventus don’t really have much right to talk according to Spurs fans, as Real Madrid turned Chiellini’s words against the Italian giants on Tuesday night.
Some of the best Twitter reactions can be found below…
West Ham fans are absolutely furious with David Moyes after their drab draw with Stoke City on Monday night.West Ham fell short in front of their home crowd once again on Monday night, as Andy Carroll’s fantastic late finish could only rescue a point for the Hammers.After a really poor first half of football, the game opened up a bit in the second half as Moyes’ side looked to turn the screw.The visitors took the lead though, as Peter Crouch pounced on a mistake from Joe Hart.Carroll’s late equaliser rescued a point, but fans are still furious with the performance and result.[ad_pod ]With all due respect to Stoke, the Hammers should be flying in home games like this, and Moyes’ 5-4-1 formation made for a slow and turgid affair.While many supporters feel they were hard done by at the hands of referee Michael Oliver, most are in agreement that Moyes’ setup was simply too negative.He also made his substitutions too late, and fans aren’t happy that he didn’t “go for it” once the visitors took the lead.If the season started when the Scotsman took over, the Hammers would be 13th, and one point closer to the top six than to the bottom three.Still, fans are fed up with the former Everton and Manchester United man, and are hoping for changes this summer.Some of the best Twitter reactions can be found below…
In a normal week, the three-goal advantage that Arsenal took to Russia night to take on CSKA Moscow would have been deemed unassailable.
The Gunners ran out 4-1 winners in the quarter-final first leg at the Emirates, which is the same scoreline Barcelona took into their second leg tie against Roma on Tuesday night.
Arsene Wenger and the Arsenal fans and players will have been acutely aware of the embarrassing exit the Catalans suffered in Rome, as well as the lucky escape Champions League holders Real Madrid had against last season’s beaten finalists Juventus on Wednesday.
That all combined to give CSKA hope that they could pull of a historic comeback as Arsenal embarked on a trip that is traditionally tricky and only made more difficult by the ongoing diplomatic tensions between Russia and the UK.
It looked as if the Gods of European football were about to strike all over again when the hosts raced into a 2-0 lead, leaving them needing just one more to progress.
Arsenal proved less brittle than Barcelona – which isn’t a sentence you often get to write – and bit back through Danny Welbeck and 52-cap Wales star Aaron Ramsey to secure a place in the last four.
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It was eventful night for Ramsey, who also picked up a graphic injury and we’ve taken a look at the best of the reaction from Arsenal fans…
In the post-Mark Clattenburg era, there are two referees who stand out as arguably the best in the Premier League right now – Michael Oliver, who may be controversial but certainly carries an element of authority about him, and Anthony Taylor, who seems to strike a healthy balance between making big calls and avoiding needless decisions.
Indeed, from the 20 referees to work in the Premier League so far this season, Taylor ranks in the middle of the pack – no higher than 9th or lower than 13th – for fouls per tackle, fouls per match, yellow cards per match and penalties per match.
That should ensure we see a fair and balanced game when Manchester United face Tottenham on Saturday, with the 39-year-old appointed to officiate their FA Cup semi-final showdown, or at the very least a game that isn’t overshadowed by a wrong decision or disrupted by the pedantic awarding of fouls.
That rings even truer in terms of penalties; Taylor has awarded just one in the Premier Leage this season, suggesting it will need to be clear cut for Tottenham or United to concede one on Saturday. Both managers will surely see that as good news ahead of the Wembley encounter – neither Jose Mourinho nor Mauricio Pochettino will want a controversial spot kick to have a decisive impact on the game.
However, there is a bad omen for Spurs here. From the three Tottenham fixtures Taylor has officiated in the top flight this season, they’ve lost two of them. Manchester United, on the other hand, have won two of their three Premier League games with Taylor in charge this term including both of the last two – victories over Stoke and West Brom.
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Southampton finally showed that they are ready to make a real fight of preserving their Premier League status during their 2-1 win against Bournemouth, and it was a potentially positive sign for the future – if they do survive.
The south coast outfit came into the match against their local neighbours four points from safety – with just four fixtures remaining – and they knew they simply had to get the three points despite tasting success in just one of their previous 21 top flight matches.
Mark Hughes had taken just one point from a possible 12 since succeeding Mauricio Pellegrino, and while there had clearly been an upturn in performances and the goal threat they were bringing, mistakes at the other end of the pitch were continuing to punish them.
Nevertheless, Saints started strongly against the Cherries and it was clear to see that the 11 players in the red and white stripes were determined to get the win, and it was great for the St Mary’s faithful to see given their shocking displays against Newcastle United and West Ham United in March, and with players such as Sofiane Boufal and Mario Lemina sometimes not seeming as though they were putting in as much effort as they should have been.
Lemina was one of those that really stood up and was counted against Eddie Howe’s side, and while he may have played a few minutes in a Champions League final for Juventus less than 12 months ago, Hughes has clearly got him up for this relegation battle based on his most recent showing.
In fact, for the first time since they finished in sixth position in the Premier League in 2016 before former boss Ronald Koeman departed for Everton, the players looked really motivated and willing to press the opposition.
Southampton have certainly lost their identity and the envious eyes of their top flight rivals under the Dutchman’s successors Claude Puel and Mauricio Pellegrino, and Hughes has been given the task of not only saving the club from the drop, but also to try and forge more of a relationship with his players that hasn’t been evident under the previous managers.
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The 54-year-old is certainly starting to do that – as well as improving their fitness and bringing back that same willingness to work – and it appears as though he feels he has a real affinity to the club having played for them towards the end of his playing career in the late 90s, and that can make all the difference to the supporters and getting that feel-good factor around St Mary’s that had almost disappeared under Puel and Pellegrino.
If the south coast outfit do survive – their fans on Twitter are already feeling confident ahead of their trip to Goodison Park to face Everton on Saturday – the Welshman will certainly be one of the frontrunners to get the job on a permanent basis, and if that does end up being the case you can expect a major overhaul of the playing squad in the summer.
The likes of Ryan Bertrand, Cedric Soares, Dusan Tadic, Mario Lemina, Sofiane Boufal and Manolo Gabbiadini could be just some of the high-profile individuals on their way, and a big rebuilding job could be on the cards.
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However, if the club ensures that they hand Hughes the funds from those sales – plus some more on top – there is no doubt that he has the ability to bring some great players to St Mary’s himself and create a side that can be challenging in the upper echelons of the Premier League table once again.
The 54-year-old was part of the team that brought the likes of Xherdan Shaqiri and Jese Rodriguez – despite it not working out for the attacker – to the Britannia Stadium, and those types of talented individuals mixed with a hard-working and committed core can take Southampton up the standings.
That is exactly the setup they had under Ronald Koeman previously when they finished seventh and then sixth in successive campaigns, and given Burnley are set to end the campaign in the former it shows that it won’t be out of reach for Saints again next term should they stay up and then make the correct decisions.
The gap in quality between Liverpool’s starting front three and their reserves is staggering – it is hard to think of a greater discrepancy in the Premier League – but Dominic Solanke stands the best chance of bridging that gap.
The Englishman, valued at £7.2m by Transfermarkt, is doubtless a bright prospect, full of desire to improve after finding gametime limited at Chelsea.
Yet, he still has work to do in order to convince the Reds’ fans that he will eventually become a viable backup to Roberto Firmino as Liverpool’s first-choice frontman.
A large part of that is down to how he has lacked cutting edge in front of goal, as well as how his physical approach appears to contrast with Klopp’s high-tempo demands – yet having a genuine alternative is always a useful weapon.
Solanke showed what he could do in Sunday’s final day stroll against Brighton, an afternoon when the Reds made a mockery of any pressure to run out 4-0 winners and the frontman got his maiden Liverpool goal.
He also contributed more than just his strike, with three key passes and two dribbles to suggest that maybe he can offer a more rounded option to Klopp than his bulk and tender years may suggest.
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His passing was also sound as Solanke did all he could to prove he could be a viable option next term, or maybe off the bench in the Champions League final…
Tottenham Hotspur are prepared to meet Borussia Dortmund’s £40m asking price for Christian Pulisic, according to Calcio Insider.
What’s the word?
The 19-year-old has understandably caught the eye of many clubs over the past two seasons after breaking into the Dortmund side.
Pulisic started 35 games in all competitions this season, and came off the bench in a further nine.
During that time, the midfielder, who has been capped 20 times by the USA national team, has scored four goals and created six assists.
Liverpool have long been linked with Pulisic, but according to Calcio Insider, Tottenham have now entered the race and are willing to pay the £40m price tag to Dortmund.
Do Spurs need him?
Mauricio Pochettino already has a well-equipped side to challenge for honours, but after falling short yet again this season, the team need to continue improving.
For that to happen, new additions must be made, and the midfield could do with some work, particularly considering that Mousa Dembele’s future remains uncertain.
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Pulisic has predominantly played on the right of attack this season, but he has also been positioned on the right side of midfield, as well as centrally and on the left.
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If the American was to join Tottenham, then Pochettino would certainly have the option to use him in a variety of positions on the pitch.
On top of that, the manager has a track record of helping young players thrive, so Pulisic could fit right in.
Atletico Madrid attacker Antoine Griezmann scored twice as Atletico Madrid beat Marseille 3-0 in the Europa League final on Wednesday night, and Manchester United fans have urged their club to sign the France international, rated at £90m by Transfermarkt.
The 27-year-old lined up alongside Diego Costa up top for the La Liga outfit, and he played a huge part in them winning the trophy with a goal in either half – taking his tally for the season to 29 goals in 48 appearances in all competitions, including 15 assists.
While Red Devils boss Jose Mourinho has Alexis Sanchez and Romelu Lukaku available to him, the fact that Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford look to have fallen slightly out of favour suggest he could be in the market for another forward during the close season.
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Man United supporters, who have predicted what the 2017/18 campaign holds for Timothy Fosu-Mensah, were quick to have their say on Griezmann’s latest display via social media, and while one said “swap him for Martial”, another described him as the “perfect Mourinho striker”.
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Fulham deservedly returned to the Premier League with a 1-0 victory over Aston Villa on Saturday and nobody played a bigger part in their promotion, achieved thanks to some outstanding flowing football, than Ryan Sessegnon.
The Englishman has only played one game as an adult – his 18th birthday dissected the play-off semi-finals against Derby County, in which he scored, and the showpiece final at Wembley – but it is clear that he is an outstanding prospect.
The Whites’ promotion may well have made him harder to snare as Craven Cottage is a destination where he can now achieve his Premier League ambitions, for the time being, but reports claim that the teenage sensation is on a list of players Pochettino wants to bolster his squad for next season after signing a new five-year deal last week.
It is clear that decision would be popular with the Spurs’ fanbase as a huge 95 per cent of them would back a move for Sessegnon and you can see the full poll results below…
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Newcastle fans have been debating a summer swoop for Martin Skrtel, as reports in Turkey claimed the Magpies could sign the former Liverpool man.
According to Turkish outlet Fotomac, Newcastle have been offered the chance to sign Skrtel this summer.
The former Liverpool hard man joined Fenerbahce in 2016, but with his contract running down is looking to move back to the Premier League.
The report from Turkey claimed new Rangers boss Steven Gerrard would like to bring his former teammate up North, but the Slovakian’s wage demands are “four or five times” what Rangers could offer, according to his agent.
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Newcastle fans are desperate for the club to break their transfer record this summer, but it seems they would be okay with the cheap option at the back, as they already have an established partnership in the heart of defence.
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Skrtel, 33, has Premier League experience, but would not dislodge Jamaal Lascelles or the impressive Florian Lejeune. He would however provide excellent cover for the pair, and may even teach them a trick or two.
Despite fans on Twitter going against the links last week, 68 per cent of Newcastle fans said the 97-cap defender would be a shrewd a acquisition, and you can find the full poll results down below…