All posts by h716a5.icu

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Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa has a big selection dilemma ahead of the visit of Millwall next weekend following Pontus Jansson’s injury which has ruled him out for up to three weeks, but his decision may have just been made for him following Mateusz Klich’s latest brilliant display for Poland.

On the chalkboard

Well, the 28-year-old has often played in the No.8 role for the Yorkshire outfit this season, and he has bascially been a regular in that position ever since the Argentine manager arrived at Elland Road.

However, he played more of a defensive role for his country in their 1-0 win away at Austria on Thursday night, and he excelled as they kept a clean sheet.

Given the conundrum the 63-year-old has for the important Championship clash against the Lions, this latest switch that worked so well on Thursday could actually work in his favour on March 30.

Move Klich back

Bielsa’s main issue is who is going to partner Liam Cooper at the heart of the defence, with Gaetano Berardi and Kalvin Phillips looking to be the two most favourable options.

Are Leeds set for another spectacular fall from grace? Ingood Nick believes so in the video below…

Of course, moving the latter backwards from his usual defensive midfield role would create a void to be filled there, but the Pole proved that he could do it and more following his Euro 2020 qualifying performance.

Adam Forshaw – if he is fit – would be the other choice, but Bielsa should put his faith in a player he has done on so many other occasion already during the current campaign.

You would back him to deliver in a huge match against one of the division’s strugglers at Elland Road, and there are plenty of options to fill in when it comes to the more attacking positions in Leeds’ starting XI.

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Kamil Grabara has been with Liverpool since the summer of 2016.

The 20-year-old has regularly trained with the Premier League club’s first team and was on the bench against Chelsea in the EFL Cup earlier this season.

The goalkeeper is currently on loan at AGF, however, and will spend the remainder of the season with the Danish club before heading back to Liverpool.

Grabara was in action for Poland’s Under-21 side against England Under-21s on Thursday night.

The youngster made a string of fine stops for his team in the 1-1 draw, which led to a number of Liverpool fans commenting on his future.

Alisson’s presence at Anfield will make it difficult for Grabara to see any regular football for Jurgen Klopp’s side at the moment, but he is certainly a talent.

And it will be very interesting to see what happens with the stopper this summer.

A selection of the Twitter reaction from the Liverpool fans can be seen below:

Alan Shearer slammed the Swiss national side regarding their handling of the incident regarding Newcastle’s Fabian Schar today, amid growing concerns that failure to change the concussion rules in football is putting players’ lives at risk.

Speaking in his column for The Sun, he called for a complete change in how head injuries are dealt with, and suggested football authorities should copy the protocols used in rugby, and other sports, on allowing medical teams to treat players immediately.

He also called for independent medical staff to be on hand to make the decisions regarding a player’s ability to return, taking any decision away from parties with a vested interest.

Fans have taken to Twitter to applaud the former England star, and there seems to be almost universal agreement that something needs to be done as soon as possible to prevent a repeat of the events in Georgia on Saturday.

Here are some of the comments:

Certainly, it is a very important issue, and one that should benefit from the amount of exposure it has received this week.

The authorities need to act now, and surely will, as there will be no hiding place if next time it happens, a player suffers severe brain damage, or even dies.

What are your thoughts about Shearer’s comments? Are his ideas for change the right thing to do? Let us know your opinion…

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Sadio Mane was named Liverpool’s Player of the Month for March.

The 26-year-old scored five times in five appearances last month, including a brace against Bayern Munich in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final.

In all, he has managed 20 goals in 39 appearances for the Reds this season.

Much of the focus was on Mohamed Salah last term, but Mane has been Liverpool’s go-to player for goals and performances over the last few weeks.

Next up for the Reds is a trip to Southampton on Friday night, where they will be looking for the win to take them back to the top of the Premier League table.

Are the media letting Jurgen Klopp off lightly for his lack of silverware? The Pl>ymaker FC squad have their say in the video below…

And the Senegal international will be keen to continue his excellent form against his former club.

The Liverpool fans absolutely adore Mane for a number of reasons and a whole host of the supporters have been on social media lavishing praise on the attacker:

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Everton recorded another morale-boosting victory over top-six opposition on Sunday as they saw off the challenge of Arsenal courtesy of a Phil Jagielka strike.

It was a victory which helped to enhance Marco Silva’s reputation at the end of a mixed campaign for the club, and the fans are slowly beginning to warm to both players and manager following a decent run of form in recent weeks.

Genuine passion and commitment from the players is what the fans are desperate to see and, even though cameras from Sky Sports and the BBC may not have caught the full extent of Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s reaction to the result, those belonging to Everton FC certainly did.

Indeed, the club posted a video on their official Twitter page on Tuesday afternoon revealing a previously unseen moment from the weekend victory.

The video shows the 22-year-old striker shouting “get in” and screaming “Everton” as he walks down the tunnel in a state of clear euphoria.

It’s a video which is bound to bring a smile to the faces of the Toffees faithful, and those who have already seen it have flocked in their numbers to express their admiration for Calvert-Lewin’s passionate reaction.

Here’s what the fans had to say in response to the video…

Will Arsenal finally secure Champions League qualification again? Well, considering this season has been one full of unpredictability with lots and ups and downs along the way, the Gunners do still have a chance. As ever with the Gunners, though, they certainly don’t make things easy. 

Unai Emery will, on the whole, be happy with how his reign has gone so far but with Arsenal on the cusp of the top four, it would look so much better for him to reach at least fourth place. Clearly, a potential Europa League win opens up another avenue, but no one likes relying on a cup competition.

Still, the Gunners certainly have the players to achieve that and with a run of consistency from now until the end of the season, they could definitely do just that.

Once they get there, though, with the increased level of competition that the Champions League would bring, Arsenal must invest wisely over the summer. Reportedly on a low budget, it’s time for Emery and those who work behind the scenes at the Emirates.

With Aaron Ramsey off to Juventus in the summer, the perfect way to replace the 28-year-old would be to sign Inter Milan’s Marcelo Brozovic as reports from Italian outlet CalcioMercato are suggesting.

Brozovic, (who is valued at £40.5 million on Transfermarkt) is a tough midfielder and one full of determination and tenacity. Whilst Arsenal are losing one of their most influential midfielders in recent years, Marcelo Brozovic would be considered a strong replacement judging by his CV.

Of course, Arsenal fans have grown to love the Welshman but Brozovic is the kind of player who could take the Gunners’ midfield to the next level, with all the attributes to go one better than the Arsenal man.

Having helped take Croatia to the World Cup final in 2018 and has most recently been an integral part of Inter Milan’s midfield this season with 38 appearances, Arsenal’s midfield worries could be silenced with his arrival. Indeed, a technically gifted option to prowl the engine room, the former Zagreb man could be the modern-day Gunners answer to a certain Luka Modric.

Able to perform a number of roles in midfield, he’d be a versatile addition, surely speaking to the higher-ups.

At the age of 26, Brozovic is now reaching his prime years, which could see him operate as a defensive-midfielder or box-to-box one, depending on Emery’s desires.

Whatever his role may be, Arsenal must consider a marquee signing as good as Marcelo Brozovic this summer.

Arsenal fans, would you like to see Brozovic arrive? Join the discussion by commenting below… 

Manchester United fans won’t feel too disheartened after last night’s performance as their side managed to keep things tight against one of the world’s best sides. 

Although, the Red Devils are going to need all the firepower they can possible get in return leg at the Nou Camp.

Interestingly, it appears as if one of Manchester United’s current attackers could attract quite a healthy fee if he was to be sold, as according to CIES (via Daily Mail), Romelu Lukaku is valued at £137 million.

Manchester United fans will be confused as to why the Belgium international is worth so much after a very inconsistent season. Lukaku’s touch has been dreadful at times this season and he’s squandered a number of chances for the Red Devils, so it comes as some surprise to see him valued at that price.

If Lukaku’s 15 goals and four assists give him a value of £137 million then Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford must be worth at least double his price. It’s safe to say that no club would be willing to pay that kind of price for the forward as he’s done very little to suggest he can attract such a fee.

United originally paid £75 million (as per BBC) to sign the forward but even that amount of money looks like too much when you consider what he’s done for the Red Devils so far. Therefore, it seems crazy that he’s reportedly almost doubled his original fee as it should be the other way round, with his value decreasing.

Even if he scores a healthy amount of goals from here on in and helps United secure a top four spot and silverware in the Champions League, he still wouldn’t be deserved of such a high value.

Manchester United fans, do you really think Lukaku is worth £137 million? Join the discussion by commenting down below! 

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Speaking to The Debate podcast (17/04) Darren Bent was full of praise for Wolves as he discussed the club’s season and their hopes of gaining European football with Paul Merson and Geoff Shreeves.

What’s he said?

Wolves have had a tremendous first campaign back in the Premier League, sitting in eighth position going into the Easter weekend.

However, the club have hit a bit of a stumbling block in recent months with their away form proving detrimental to any European hopes they may have had for next season.

An FA Cup semi-final defeat against Watford also looks to have been hugely damaging with Nuno Santo’s side putting in a lacklustre display against Southampton last weekend.

Leicester are meanwhile a rejuvenated force under Brendan Rodgers and have since leapfrogged Wolves into seventh place. As a result, The Debate podcast team discussed who might finish in the final Europa League spot with both clubs prime candidates.

Bent thought that Wolves had been more impressive than both the Foxes and Watford, hailing the impact Nuno has had since he joined the club last season. He said:

“For me, Wolves have been more impressive. I always thought with the squad they had as well, having seen a lot of them last season, that they’d finish a lot higher in the league than they would near the bottom because I felt that they had players last season playing in the Championship that were Premier League players. He’d be my manager of the season, the Wolves manager has done a fantastic job.”

Wolves’ transfer business pays dividends

The former striker’s comments are symbolic of the fantastic transfer business the club has done over the past two years. Super agent Jorge Mendes has had a big say in proceedings and the fact they were able to prise one of the most highly thought of young players in Ruben Neves from Porto last season just goes to show how good they’ve been in the market.

He has adjusted to the Premier League excellently and wouldn’t have looked out of place in any top-flight side last season.

Raul Jimenez is turning it on for Wolves and Mexico right now! He definitely deserves the song in the video below…

Nuno hasn’t had much to do himself in terms of transfers but in regards to the club’s performances on the pitch this season, he is a worthy shout for manager of the year.

There are still some issues to iron out, however, so it’ll be interesting to see if he can replicate his success again next term.

It’s felt like an eternity since Arsenal fans have celebrated St Totteringham’s Day.

The day of the season where it’s mathematically impossible for Tottenham to catch up with Arsenal in the Premier League table was once an annual occurrence that gave Gunners supporters joy all over the globe, but things have been a bit different of late.

Arsenal have not finished above Spurs in the table since 2016 when an already relegated Newcastle thrashed Tottenham 5-1 on the final day of the season to put the Gunners into second place and making Mauricio Pochettino’s side the first team ever to finish third in a two-horse race for the title, but since that day, things have been a lot different.

As well as falling out of the top-four, Arsenal have seen their cross-city rivals improve dramatically both on and off the pitch, finishing in the Champions League spots in three consecutive seasons and this year making it to their first European semi-final since 1984.

Of course, it’s only natural for Arsenal players and fans for wanting to finish above their rivals every season, but this time around, the Gunners have to be focusing on solidifying on a top-four spot and returning to the Champions League.

Although only four points separate the Gunners from Spurs in the Premier League table, the gap Arsenal should be worrying about is the one between them and Manchester United and Chelsea, who are realistically the two teams who can pip Unai Emery’s side to a top-four finish.

St Totteringham’s Day is unlikely to happen again this season, but with Champions League football a real possibility and other teams to worry about, maybe this year Arsenal fans will be okay with the former-annual event from happening if it meant returning to the pinnacle of European football.

Arsenal fans, would you take a top-four finish if it meant finishing below Spurs? Let us know!

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On the Inside Elland Road podcast (37:00), Leeds United journalist Phil Hay has given Izzy Brown another dressing down after a game for the Under 23s this week ended with him picking up an ankle injury.

The Yorkshire Evening Post writer has stated that even 17-year-old Ryan Edmondson would be a preferred choice going forward.

What’s been said then?

The Scotsman didn’t hold back in his summary of Brown after this week’s U23 game.

Hay claims that Brown will have already fallen behind Ryan Edmondson in the pecking order when it comes to getting a chance in the first team.

He said: “On the basis of watching that on Monday, if there was a sudden gap for a striker, attacking player, whatever, in the play-offs then you’d be more inclined to go with Edmondson rather than Brown.

“One of them is bang in form and has been for ages, the other I suspect has no idea what he’s doing here and no idea what the past eight-nine months has really been about.”

Harsh summary

Hay seemingly has it in for Brown as this isn’t the first time in recent weeks that he has gone out of his way to cast doubts about the attacking midfielder.

Although Brown has been a disappointment at Leeds that can’t be attributed down to his lack of talent or effort. Saying that Brown has “No idea what he’s doing here” is unfair as he arrived at Elland Road intending to be a key man this season.

The Chelsea loanee came to Yorkshire with high expectations, but he has only made one first team appearance all season due to an unlucky run of injuries.

Brown’s experience could still prove valuable though. He is the only player in the Whites’ squad to be promoted through the Championship playoffs. Due to his experience, he’s likely still is a better option than Edmondson, despite the young striker scoring seven in his last 11 for the U23s.

The 22-year-old is still a very talented player, and if he can get anywhere close to full fitness ahead of the playoffs, he could yet have a part to play in Leeds’ season.