All posts by h716a5.icu

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According to The Mirror, Manchester United are set to beat Juventus and Barcelona to the signing of Toby Alderweireld from Tottenham in the summer for a fee of just £26m.

What’s the word, then?

Well, Spurs took up the option to extend the Belgian’s contract by one more year back in January, although that decision activated a £25m release clause included in the contract.

Understandably, that news alerted some of Europe’s top clubs, who will surely be keeping a close eye on developments throughout the summer with the clause set to come into play during the final two weeks of the window.

Watch the video below to find out what Jesse Lingard is like off the pitch in the latest Match Of The Bae with Emma Conybeare…

Alderweireld will have just one year remaining on his contract come the summer, and with the 30-year-old reluctant to sign a new deal, Spurs have no option other than to sell the former Ajax man.

United should steer clear

It may be a controversial opinion, but the Red Devils should steer clear of Alderweireld and focus on a younger alternative.

Alderweireld is 30 years of age, and will most likely have just two or three years left at the top before his ability begins to decline, cracks start to develop in his game and injuries become more and more common.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has transformed the 20-time Premier League champions from a creaking outfit under Jose Mourinho, to a more dynamic, youthful side where the likes of Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Paul Pogba are the main men – the Norwegian has also promoted the likes of Mason Greenwood, Tahith Chong and James Garner from the youth ranks into the first-team.

The former Cardiff manager has lost just two games since taking over at the end of December, and much of that has been down to his trust in youth.

Signing Alderweireld would give off somewhat of a Mourinho stench around Old Trafford yet again with the signing of another ageing star chasing big wages and for a fairly large fee.

The form of 24-year-old centre-back Victor Lindelof has also been a massive highlight in the current campaign, and finding him a defensive partner for the long-term should be the priority instead of signing Alderweireld.

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Former Leeds United manager Neil Warnock has told talkSPORT that Marcelo Bielsa has done a good job with the Yorkshire outfit, but he expects them to miss out on automatic promotion this season after saying they have a “soft belly”.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the Cardiff City boss was asked about the club he took charge of between 2012 and 2013 on talkSPORT, and in true Warnock form he certainly didn’t hold back.

Norwich City and Sheffield United currently occupy the top two following the latter’s win at Elland Road last weekend, and the 70-year-old expects it to stay like that while aiming a slight dig at the famous Yorkshire side.

He said: “He’s done a good job, Bielsa, but I think Leeds will miss out.

“I just think Leeds have got a soft belly at times at the back when they’re under pressure, in comparison with the other two.”

Bielsa’s next team talk done for him

The Whites need to bounce back with three points when they host Millwall at the end of the month, but the Argentine should simply pin up Warnock’s words on the dressing room wall pre-match.

It is something that should act as a big motivation for the players, to prove that they are strong and that they can still finish in the top two with a strong set of results at the end of the campaign.

The words of the club’s former manager may well be the catalyst to help Leeds finally get over the line.

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John Hartson was left mystified by Alex McLeish’s decision to leave Celtic’s James Forrest out of Scotland’s starting XI against San Marino on Sunday.

What’s the word, then?

Scotland limped to a 2-0 win over the European minnows, a result which heaped further pressure on the manager after the Scots lost their opening qualifying match 3-0 away at Kazakhstan.

With goal difference already becoming an issue the trip to San Marino offered an opportunity to move back into the black with a thumping victory, but a winning margin of just two goals left them in the red.

It was a game which did little to inspire the Scotland fans and convince them of McLeish’s credentials, and his decision to omit Forest from the starting line-up was met with bewilderment by Hartson.

The former Celtic man and regular BT Sport pundit published a column in the Evening Times discussing the peculiar decision, with the attacking midfielder’s heroics in the UEFA Nations League still fresh in the memory.

‘The Celtic man is a class act, one of the best Scots around, and should be the first name on Alex McLeish’s team-sheet.’

Hartson later went on to add: ‘This guy has to start.’

Forrest key to Euro 2020 qualification

The 27-year-old underlined his importance to the Scottish national side shortly before the turn of the year.

Forrest had never notched at international level prior to Scotland’s trip to Albania, and he went on to score five goals in the space of three scintillating days as they moved into top spot in the group.

Perhaps McLeish felt the trip to San Marino offered an apt opportunity to afford his star player some rest after the defeat at Kazakhstan, but his absence proved that he will be vital in his nation’s bid to qualify for Euro 2020.

The electric midfielder’s form at both club and international level has been outstanding this season so it’s easy to sympathise with Hartson’s standpoint, even if the Scotland boss had legitimate reason to leave him on the substitutes bench on Sunday.

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Christian Eriksen finally stepped up at Tottenham Hotspur on perhaps their ultimate glory glory night.

Spurs opened their new stadium to much fanfare on Wednesday, welcoming Crystal Palace to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, as it is now known.

And Eriksen, after a number of anonymous performances during the club’s recent dip in form that saw them go five games without a win, finally grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck.

Per WhoScored, the Denmark international had a total of six shots on goal, laid on one assist, for Son Heung-Min’s historic opener, and scored the second himself, lashing home after Harry Kane had been upended in the box.

He had a total of 79 touches of the ball and six shots as he desperately attempted to influence the game in the final third.

Impressively, he managed five key passes and a pass success rate of 85%.

No player collected a higher WhoScored rating than Eriksen as he dominated the game from midfield, moving the ball accurately and dangerously.

There are few players capable of being as anonymous as the Denmark international but when he is on form there is perhaps no midfielder quite like him.

He passes the ball exceptionally well but allies his vision and technique to a hard-running, high-pressing style that has seen manager Mauricio Pochettino trust him to lead the club’s midfield.

Of course, The Independent reported in January that he could well be leaving in the summer, with Real Madrid keen to lure him to Spain as a potential replacement for Luka Modric.

His contract expires at the end of next season but, after Wednesday’s performance, Spurs should pull out all the stops to keep him.

Regardless of the amount of money they could receive, there is little chance of replacing him adequately if he does depart.

Chelsea’s season has been a strange one this time round, with inconsistencies ruining any chance of league success and the Champions League still in the balance for them in terms of qualification.

The Blues are looking more and more likely to be facing a summer of uncertainty, with their transfer ban still something they are looking to sort out, and futures of plenty of their players coming under scrutiny.

One of the players whose future at the club is in serious doubt is that of Belgian attacking midfielder Eden Hazard, who has been linked all season long with a move away from the club.

Indeed, this weekend has seen news emerge that Hazard is about to sign a deal with Real Madrid in the coming days, and we here in the Tavern feel it’s about time that Chelsea simply bit the bullet and allowed their star man to leave the club.

For too long the Chelsea spotlight has been on Hazard, and it’s proved something of a distraction for the club and player throughout the campaign.

While Hazard is a player who one would think is irreplaceable, there has to be a time when Chelsea move on from this whole saga, and they might as well get the money in now and hope they can invest that back into the squad if their transfer ban is overturned.

Hazard has been superb for Chelsea, and it is a testament to the coaching staff and people who have worked with him over the years that he has become the player he has today.

He will leave a Blues legend, and one who fans won’t want to see go, but the time has now come for Hazard to move on, and Chelsea fans should wish him all the best in his endeavours with the Spanish giants.

Newcastle United were dealt a major injury blow on Saturday when centre-back Florian Lejeune picked up another knee injury that saw him leave the field in some discomfort.

It has since been confirmed that the 27-year-old will miss the remainder of the season due to the significance of the injury.

Despite Lejeune being replaced by Paul Dummett at the stage, his absence for the rest of the campaign could present the perfect opportunity for Federico Fernandez to introduce himself to the Newcastle faithful again.

The 30-year-old defender joined the Magpies in August last year from Swansea City on a two-year deal but has been in and out of Rafa Benitez’s team for the majority of the season.

Fernandez played a number of games at the start of the season but since the turn of the new year, Benitez has opted to keep on him on the bench rather, while there have also been a few games where he wasn’t in the matchday squad. But now, Benitez’s hand could be forced and it might not be a bad time of the season to give Fernandez another shot at first-team football and let him grow more comfortable in the Premier League.

The Magpies struggled in the early months of the season and were quite vulnerable in defence where Fernandez had a couple of difficult games to show his worth. At his best, the former Napoli ace can give the Magpies one of the best rearguards outside of the top six in the Premier League.

It will, therefore, be an excellent testing period for Fernandez to see if he truly has what it takes to make a real impact on this Newcastle team and if he could develop into a regular starter in the future, who could help Benitez establish an organised and structured defensive unit.

Newcastle fans, how big a miss will Lejeune be? Do you back Fernandez to replace him? Join the discussion by commenting below… 

Liverpool, tonight, travel to Portugal to take on Porto in what seems a fairly routine Champions League quarter-final affair. The Reds currently hold a two-goal lead, meaning Porto cannot afford any slip-ups, especially in defence.

A single goal for Liverpool would essentially render any hope of a turnaround implausible. Their defence will need to be perfect – a chance for one of Europes biggest properties to shine.

Eder Militao, who was linked with Manchester United, last month completed his move to Real Madrid in a £45m deal (TransferMarkt) and looks to be on course to become one of Europe’s best. Well, as you know, Liverpool already have what has been described quite frequently as the best central defender in the world in Virgil van Dijk.

Indeed, if Porto stand any chance to progress, the 21-year-old will have to outperform world renowned Virgil Van Dijk – but how do they compare?

Eder Militao

Let’s start with Real Madrid’s first acquisition since the return of Zinedine Zidane, Eder Militao. The highly-rated defender only moved to Porto last summer, in a fee just over £6m. However, he has impressed immensely since his move, named in the best defence of the Portuguese Primeira Liga for five consecutive months.

The highly versatile defender is capable of playing both as a centre-back and a full-back, utilising his ability on the ball, range of passing and speed – three crucially important components of a modern day defender. Standing at 6 ft 1 inch, the Brazilian is not the tallest, but has proved he is more than adept in the air.

Additionally, Militao has earned a reputation as a goal threat as well as being defensively sound. He has scored 3 goals in 24 league appearances this season, adding another in the Champions League.

Porto currently lie second in the table, although with the points total as Benfica. Importantly, however, the club have conceded only 17 goals in 29 games, a hugely impressive feat. Much of this is down to the talented defender – it’s easy to see why Zidane has made a move for the defender who seems to have it all at such a young age.

TT Grade: A Virgil Van Dijk

Now, onto Virgil Van Dijk, who has received almost every superlative in the English language throughout this season. The defender is also one of the favourites to win Premier League player of the season, after transforming the Liverpool defence into what it is today.

The Dutch defender arrived at Liverpool in a £75m deal, becoming the most expensive defender in world football. The transfer fee has been subsequently fully justified. Liverpool have conceded only 20 goals this Premier League campaign, less than any other team. Juxtaposed to the 38 goals they conceded last season, joint 5th in the Premier League, this makes for impressive reading.

Van Dijk has been instrumental in this turnaround. Not only is Van Dijk quick, tall and powerful, he makes lesser defenders look more assured next to him. Both Dejan Lovren and Joel Matip have seemingly improved drastically since Van Dijk’s arrival.

Should Van Dijk win the player of the season award, he will become the first defender to do so since Vincent Kompany in the 2011-12 season.

Van Dijk is a man mountain, standing at 6 ft 4 in, but he is impressively mobile and reads the game incredibly well. It’s difficult to argue against him being the best centre-back in the world on current form.

TT Grade A+ TT Verdict:

Van Dijk must take the win here. Although Militao is indeed a fascinatingly good prospect, there is no one in better form than the Dutch defender right now. However, it has taken Van Dijk until the age of 27 to establish himself as one of Europe’s best. Militao is 21 – who knows where the defender will be in six years.

Under the guidance of Zidane, especially with the likes of Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane to mentor the Brazilian, he will be in safe hands once he begins his Madrid career at the commence of next season.

In conclusion, Van Dijk takes the victory – but don’t take your eyes off Eder Militao.

Liverpool fans, what do you think? Is Van Dijk the best defender in the world? Does Militao come close?

Virgil Van Dijk has picked up much of Liverpool’s praise this season, with the defender leading the way alongside Raheem Sterling for the Premier League Player of the Season award. But a player that perhaps deserves more recognition is Sadio Mane. 

This isn’t to say that Mane isn’t showered with praise – he is. However, he arguably is placed below the likes of Sterling and Eden Hazard as the best wingers in the league. The forward’s form in, especially in the last two seasons, suggests otherwise, however.

Mane arrived from Southampton in 2016 in a deal reportedly worth £34m and has continued to go from strength to strength ever since. Under the management of Jurgen Klopp, Mane has emerged as one of the most deadly wingers in world football. It’s well documented that Mane has pace and power in abundance, but it’s his guile and array of skills that make him so devastating.

During his time in the Premier League, Mane has scored 39 with his right foot, 18 with his left and five headers. Impressively diverse figures. Additionally, these are not just simple goals, Mane has proven he can score from all angles and at crucial moments.

This season has seen the Senegalese forward produce his best returns, claiming 18 league goals with three games remaining. A noticeable stat, however, is that he only has one league assist to his name this season. Perhaps this shows a change in mentality for Mane, who must now be recognised as one of, if not the most influential forward at the club.

Perhaps the most impressive statistic Mane boasts, is that out of any player with a minimum of ten goals, Mane holds the best goals per minute ratio in Champions League knockout stage history. It highlights just how important the winger has been in Liverpool’s Champions League campaigns both this season and last.

Throughout his Liverpool career, there have always been players that have taken the headlines as the star man. Whether this is Coutinho, Van Dijk or Salah, he has never been given the full credit he deserves. With Salah going through a run of poor form in the midsection of this season, it could be argued Mane has been Liverpool’s most important forward.

Liverpool signed £75m Van Dijk with the belief they were acquiring one of the best centre-backs in world football. They surely weren’t aware of quite how good Mane would have become, however. £34m is a bargain in today’s market, especially for a player that would now be worth so much more. He must go down as one of the best signings in Liverpool’s recent history.

Liverpool fans – is Mane a better signing than Salah or Van Dijk? Comment below. 

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Crystal Palace held on for a respectable point against Everton, who dismantled Manchester United last time out, at Selhurst Park on Saturday and in no small part thanks to Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who registered another world-class performance at right-back.

The Englishman’s athletic displays in defence have earned him a number of admirers all over Europe, including the aforementioned Red Devils, who are surely keen to replace Antonio Valencia this summer.

Showcasing intelligence beyond his years in his ability to read his opponents’ minds before swooping in for a crunching slide tackle, the 21-year-old has even stolen Wilfried Zaha’s limelight at SE25 since making his debut in February last year. However some feel that, with just two assists to his name this campaign, the number 29 doesn’t offer enough on the front foot to make a big impact at one of the top clubs:

The former winger completed a match-high seven dribbles – more than the talismanic Zaha, who is renowned for his ability to take players on – while also remaining typically solid in defence, completing four interceptions and seven clearances.

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Of course though, with the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold chalking up an incredible nine assists this term, Wan-Bissaka’s impact in the final third is often overlooked. Perhaps his dynamic display on Saturday will help to convince some of his doubters wrong.

Leeds United have had their fair share of injury problems this season, haven’t they Whites fans?

With the likes of Barry Douglas, Liam Cooper, Gaetano Berardi and Pontus Jansson all missing a considerable amount of game time over the past nine months, it is almost remarkable that Marcelo Bielsa’s side are still fighting for automatic promotion at this stage of the year.

Yet with two games left to play, the Whites still have an outside chance of usurping their Yorkshire rivals Sheffield United in the Championship standings.

Regardless of whether they secure a return to the Premier League or end up facing yet another year in the second tier, Bielsa will undoubtedly be targeting areas in which they need to improve upon in the summer.

Considering their issues with defensive injuries, it wouldn’t be at all surprising if they look to add players to cover this position. However, instead of splashing the cash when the transfer window opens in July, Leeds could give Lewie Coyle another opportunity to prove himself.

Currently on loan at Fleetwood Town, the 23-year-old is reportedly free to leave Elland Road in the summer with his parent club ready to listen to offers (according to Football Insider).

If Bielsa does not change his stance, he could lose a player who has been very impressive for the Trawlermen in League One throughout the 2018/19 campaign and is seemingly ready to make the step-up in level.

After the defender delivered a brilliant performance earlier on this season, Fleetwood boss Joey Barton heaped praise on the ace. In an interview with the Blackpool Gazette, the 36-year-old said: “Lewie Coyle – what a great player to have in your side because he competes anywhere you want him to.”

“I think you could play him in goal, and he would give absolutely everything. It is a privilege to have him in the building. He sets the tone for a lot of it.”

With Coyle expected to return to Elland Road following the Trawlermen’s final game of the year on May 4th, he could still play a role in the play-offs for his side if Leeds do indeed fail to secure automatic promotion from the Championship.

What do you think Whites fans? Should Coyle be given another chance to impress at Elland Road? Or should Bielsa cash-in on the defender in the summer? Let us know below.