All posts by z3u9t.icu

West Ham United were staring in the face of a potentially season-defining exit for the best part of two weeks, but recent reports regarding Javier Hernandez and Marko Arnautovic’s decision to sign a new contract in east London suggest that it’s the Mexican and not the Austrian who is likely to leave this month. 

Indeed, according to a recent report from Sky Sports, Valencia manager Marcelino has confirmed that Hernandez is willing to join his side this month due to a lack of game time at West Ham.

Hernandez has never quite managed to maintain a consistent run of form since arriving from Bayer Leverkusen in 2017, and with reported interest in Maxi Gomez beginning to intensify it’s no surprise that he’s considering his options elsewhere.

However, with Hernandez’s departure potentially in the offing, Lucas Perez also reportedly hoping to clinch a return to La Liga with Real Betis and Andy Carroll proving to be consistently injury-prone, Manuel Pellegrini should be turning his attention towards a short-term loan deal for Olivier Giroud.

According to French media outlet Canal (via Sky Sports), Giroud claimed that the arrival of Gonzalo Higuain would darken his future at Chelsea, and now the Argentine has moved to Stamford Bridge it seems inevitable that he will be looking to force through a transfer in the final days of the window.

The same report also claims that his personal preference is to remain in the Premier League.

One way or another it seems that West Ham have plenty to ponder over in the final days of the window, with Perez and Hernandez both threatening to move to La Liga.

But Pellegrini cannot afford to allow both players to leave the London Stadium without sourcing a replacement, and with Gomez likely to return to Celta Vigo on loan until the end of the season following a January deal there is no question a recruit is needed before Thursday’s deadline.

At this late stage in the window, Pellegrini’s options are likely to be limited, but Giroud’s recent comments hint that he should be open to the possibility of moving across London.

The World Cup winner is one of the most clinical strikers in the division inside the penalty area, and his physical style of play and natural ability to link-up with his creative teammates would offer a similar presence to Arnautovic in attack.

A potential caveat to the deal would be Arnautovic’s presence as the club’s talisman at centre-forward, but his ability to operate in a multitude of roles should ensure plenty of opportunities for Giroud in the same starting eleven as the Austria international.

With bags of Premier League experience under his belt, a proven record in-front of goal and a clear desire to leave Chelsea, West Ham should make a bid to sign Giroud on loan this month in the event of Hernandez’s departure.

West Ham fans – thoughts? Let us know below!

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It’s 26 June 2017 and Crystal Palace have appointed Frank de Boer as their new manager – the Dutchman is keen to overhaul everything from recruitment to the style of play and gets started quickly by signing young, versatile defender Jairo Riedewald and changing Palace’s orthodox 4-2-3-1 into a fluid five-at-the-back.

The signs in pre-season were promising but the Eagles squad were clearly taking some time to adjust to the former Barcelona defender’s ideas – he was, after all, attempting to convert a side who had found success in playing direct football into a dominant, possession-oriented team.

The 17/18 season began and Palace were thumped 3-0 at Selhurst Park by newly-promoted Huddersfield and so that theme continued until de Boer was sacked, having been in charge for four games and 77 days – a Premier League record – at which time the Croydon outfit had been unable to find the net and sat 19th in the standings.

Many argued that the appointment was never going to work and that the style he was trying to implement meant he was doomed from the off, while others may feel that all he needed was time and that the results would soon come – indeed, the 1-0 loss to Burnley which proved to be the 48-year-old’s last game at the helm, was a marked improvement on previous performances and one which they lost solely due to individual mistakes.

Roy Hodgson is now in charge and pulled off miracles to rescue them from the drop last season, but it is interesting to imagine what could have been if Steve Parish had bit the bullet and kept de Boer on for a little while longer, despite their position in the table.

We would never have seen this Andros Townsend

De Boer strayed from the 4-3-3 he found success with at Ajax and compromised his principles by going for a 5-3-2 at Palace, using compatriot Patrick van Aanholt and Andros Townsend as wing-backs. The former, a natural left-back, had shown already his effectiveness going forward, while the latter, a winger, has plenty of energy to get up and down.

Playing as a wing-back though, would have limited Townsend in what he could do on the front foot due to his defensive responsibilities and so it is unlikely we would have seen the number 10 that has netted seven times and chalked up three assists this season.

With the signing of Michy Batshuayi, Townsend will have far more opportunities to get on the score sheet or provide for a teammate, although the way the Dutchman wanted to utilise him means we may never have seen the Townsend we’ve seen this season had de Boer not been sacked.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka could have got his break-through earlier… or not at all

De Boer showed his intentions to bring through and develop young players early on as he signed 22-year-old Riedewald from Ajax and may have spotted the talent that is Aaron Wan-Bissaka way earlier than Hodgson and co did.

The right-back broke through to the first team in February 2018, largely due to an injury sustained by Joel Ward, and is now the former England boss’ number-one choice on the right of his back four.

Had de Boer been at the helm a little longer, though, Wan-Bissaka may not have had to wait as long as he did for a call up. Conversely, de Boer’s back-five leaves no room for full-backs; Ward may not have even been in the first team to get injured in the first place and so Wan-Bissaka could still be languishing in the reserves or, worse, plying his trade elsewhere.

Christian Benteke sold

It was clear from the off that Christian Benteke was not cut out for the type of football that de Boer was trying to implement – the now Atlanta boss favours possession play, using lots of neat, tidy passes to create an opening and that is no style for a target man to flourish in.

Despite de Boer’s insistence that Benteke was crucial to the team, it was surely only a matter of time before it came obvious to everyone that he didn’t fit the bill and, if he couldn’t score the goals he did in the previous season, he could have been shifted in January 2018 or the summer.

Chelsea and Everton were sniffing around after the former Aston Villa man netted 17 goals in his first season in red and blue and would have undoubtedly been back in a few months later if the striker became unsettled at being shoe-horned into a team not suited to him.

The 28-year-old is still at Selhurst Park though, and de Boer is not.

Which player with “no potential” has just been named Crystal Palace’s worst ever January signing? Find out in the video below…

[ad_pod ]Troy Parrott has become a keen figure of interest for Tottenham Hotspur supporters in recent weeks, with the injury to Harry Kane serving to increase intrigue surrounding his development.

What’s the word?

The 17-year-old attacker has been in electric form the U18 side this season, scoring 11 goals and providing three assists from just seven appearances in the U18 Premier League.

It’s the type of form which gets supporters talking, particularly during a period of time in which quality options beyond Kane are at a premium.

That Parrott only celebrated his 17th birthday earlier this week, the day when he also penned terms on a senior contract with the club, suggests that he has a long way to go before breaking in to the senior squad, but football.london’s Tottenham Hotspur correspondent, Alasdair Gold, has hinted that he has already made positive strides towards making the step up.

Indeed, Gold delivered his verdict on Parrott’s development at Spurs, as per football.london, and suggested that the teenager has made a huge impression in training this season.

‘Next season could see the talented striker make his breakthrough after impressingÂPochettinoÂand the first team players.’

Seeds planted for big Tottenham future

Ten days after Kane collected an ankle injury against Manchester United, Parrott was pictured in Spurs first-team training in January on the club’s official Twitter account – an image which stirred plenty of excitement amongst the supporters.

Aged 16 at the time, the step up to senior training was a huge statement of Pochettino’s faith in his ability, and the fact he impressed both his manager and the first team players suggests he has planted the seeds for a future breakthrough.

Exactly how soon that will be remains to be seen but his involvement with the senior squad hints that he is being prepared for a career at the top level.

Spurs fans will certainly be hoping Parrott can live up to his enormous potential in the coming years, and under a manger of Pochettino’s expertise it’s fair to say he is well placed to smash through his ceiling.

Manchester City’s Phil Foden scored twice as his team beat Newport County 4-1 in the FA Cup on Saturday and he shouldn’t be worried that he’s yet to make a Premier League start for the champions.

The Stockport-born City fan has made eight appearances in the league so far this season totalling 106 minutes, and most would say that’s simply not good enough for a youngster hoping to become one of Europe’s greatest players. However, last season he played less than 50 minutes of first-team league football, so there’s clearly a progression.

He’s still 18-years-old and for a player to be playing any Premier League minutes at that age is impressive and difficult to achieve. Now apply that thinking to Manchester City, who have one the most gifted squads in world football and it puts the difficulty of the task facing him into perspective.

Would he good enough to play first-team minutes for another Premier League club like David Brooks has done at Bournemouth? Yes. But that doesn’t mean he should leave City in search of instant game time. Foden wants to play at the highest level, and to learn how to get there, he needs to be surrounded by the highest quality players.

Game time is important and it’s a valid point that two of England’s top players Dele Alli and Harry Kane learned their trade in lower divisions, but at City if you get sent out on loan, you very rarely return. The gulf in quality is so much that playing in another team may not even reach the levels of City’s training ground sessions.

Pep Guardiola is arguably the best coach in the world and he’s repeatedly said he wants him to stay at the club. If you’re Phil Foden it’d be hard to turn around and request a move away from your boyhood club and a manager, particularly this manager, who has a plan for your future. If Guardiola didn’t believe in him, he’d have been sent out on loan, but he does and so Foden is right to trust his coach.

At the moment Foden’s doing the right thing. Taking his opportunities when they come and learning from some of the world’s best players while doing so. If he continues to trust Guardiola and perform to the ability the club believe he can, he will become a regular within the next few seasons.

Do you think Phil Foden should seek a loan move to get more game time?

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Southampton full-back Cedric Soares has been labelled as an Inter Milan flop by Italian media outlet Calciomercato despite only making four appearances for them following his loan move during the January transfer window, which doesn’t bode well for the summer for his parent club.

What’s the word, then?

Well, Saints offloaded the Portugal international to the Serie A giants last month with the 27-year-old among the high-profile such as like Manolo Gabbiadini and Wesley Hoedt to go through the exit door.

However, Tuttomercatoweb only reported on February 5 that the Euro 2016 winner was simply a stop-gap addition until the summer, and Calciomercato’s latest thoughts only go to back that idea up even further.

Cedric was largely left on the sidelines by Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl following his arrival at St Mary’s, with youngster Yan Valery often preferred at right-back or right wing-back instead of his experienced teammate.

Bad news for the summer

The south coast outfit’s first priority in the next few weeks will be to stay in the Premier League – something that looks in doubt right now given they are in the relegation zone and face Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur in their next four top flight matches.

In this era of ‘big 6’ dominance, has finishing 7th become as good as winning a trophy? The Pl>ymaker FC squad have their say in the video below…

Whether they survive or not there will surely be a huge squad overhaul in the summer after two successive relegation battles, and it looked as though Cedric might be one of the players they could get rid of easily for a reasonable transfer fee.

However, the fact that he has supposedly been written off at Inter already suggests that a summer exit to them is off the cards, and that could make what is already shaping up to be a tough summer for Southampton even tougher.

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Ball-playing central defenders slice footballing opinion through the core. Even within the parameters of a modern game which typically champions a possession-based, aesthetically appealing and, for some, moral tactical approach, defenders who stubbornly push the ball forward on the turf are often ostracised for their preferred style.

And no, the traditionalist school of thought spearheaded by kick and rush masterminds Sam Allardyce and Tony Pulis is not the only one which refuses to open its doors to the progressive defensive minds of the footballing world.

Sir Alex Ferguson, the most successful manager in Premier League history, sanctioned the sale of Gerard Pique in 2008 after making just five league starts in the season which preceded his departure. Eleven years later, the 32-year-old stands out as the most successful ball-playing defender of his generation.

Pique has won seven La Liga titles, four Champions Leagues, one European Championship and one World Cup. He’s also married to Shakira; things have turned out pretty splendidly since he left Old Trafford.

Didier Deschamps, meanwhile, for one reason or another, simply refuses to select Aymeric Laporte, Man City’s first-choice centre-back and a close contender to Virgil Van Dijk for the Premier League’s best defensive enforcer, for the France national side.

Jerome Boateng was discarded by Man City just one year after joining the club, but his talent was recognised, nurtured and perfected at Bayern Munich under a manager in Pep Guardiola who was willing to trust in his technical ability.

I could go on. The point is this: ball-playing defenders require levels of patience which are scarce at every level of the modern game. Patience is seldom afforded to players lacking experience because they are notoriously those who are most prone to mistakes. Mistakes are inevitable; mistakes in the defensive-third often lead to major goal-scoring opportunities; mistakes can represent the fine margins on which games are often decided. So why bother risking it?

But the age-old mantra with perennial relevance to ball-playing defenders claims that it’s only possible to learn through making mistakes. That virtue is one which is not wasted on Mauricio Pochettino.

The long-term project is greater and more manageable than the short-term lust for silverware in the eyes of the Argentine, so it appears from an outsiders perspective, at least.

Blooding young players into the senior squad is a staple of his philosophy. The latest emerging talent to reap the benefits of his endeavour to promote from within is Juan Foyth.

One of the 21-year-old’s first idols in the game was Rio Ferdinand, a player who shifted perceptions with his comfort and bravery in possession of the ball. That idolisation of the former England international was displayed when Foyth swivelled away from danger just a few minutes into his Champions League debut against Borussia Dortmund.

In that fleeting moment which sat somewhere on the tipping point between commendable bravery and downright stupidity, depending on whether you’re an Allardyce or Guardiola of this world, it became abundantly clear that Pochettino has laid the foundations for Toby Alderweireld’s successor.

Some context is needed here. The act in itself was defined by Foyth’s immeasurable belief in his ability, but history would suggest that his confidence should have been crushed before Dortmund stepped out at Wembley.

The inexperienced defender was handed his first start in a north London derby on December 2nd 2018, with Pochettino giving him the nod over Alderweireld. An otherwise accomplished performance was tarnished by a fatal second-half error which allowed Arsenal to re-take the lead on their way to a 4-2 victory.

Alan Shearer led the way in the scathing criticism of Pochettino’s decision to go with youth over experience while speaking on Match of the Day, via Daily Mail.

“If you are Aubameyang and you see that Tottenham team sheet who do you want to play against – Foyth or Alderweireld? There is only one there for me.

“He is their best defender, their leader and their organiser at the back. He pulls everyone together. They were all over the place today. It is a poor mistake.”

Twitter’s myriad of football experts brought their predictably reactive, short-term analysis to the table to spread the feeling of animosity towards Pochettino’s decision.

But it’s best to view Foyth’s performance that day and his various showings throughout the season through a lens which views his mistakes in isolation. Overall, his performances have been excellent for a player of his limited experience, and his errors have merely arrived as a consequence of his desire to abide by the principles which he and his manager hold in common.

Without a manager of Pochettino’s refreshing mindset and unique approach to football management, Foyth would be clearing the ball into touch in pressurised situations and failing to fine-tune the attributes which make him the outstanding talent he is.

Those who are more sympathetic towards this point of view would be well within their rights to draw comparisons between the formative stages of Foyth’s career at Spurs and the difficult opening John Stones endured at Man City.

The media vultures swooped in to destroy the £47.5 million defender following his unconvincing opening to life at the Etihad Stadium. Francis Lee’s claim in 2016 that Stones has the ability to rise into the same class as Bobby Moore would have been met with hysteria back then; now the weight of substance behind it would crush the most vehement criticism.

A similar script could well be in the offing for Foyth thanks to the state-of-mind which Pochettino has installed into the Argentina international. Just as Stones has seamlessly stepped into Vincent Kompany’s shoes at Man City, Alderweireld will pass the proverbial baton to Foyth and silence the nay-sayers who fail to appreciate the bigger picture behind his auspicious development.

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According to The Telegraph, several Tottenham Hotspur players fear that Harry Kane will soon leave the club should their trophy drought endure.

What’s the story?

Spurs’ recent defeat at the hands of Chelsea effectively ended the north London club’s title hopes for this season. Given that Mauricio Pochettino’s side missed out on the Carabao Cup and are already out of the FA Cup, the Champions League is their only remaining route to silverware this season.

Pl>ymaker FC’s Ben Senior will never win the Champions League for one reason only. Find out what in the video below…

Spurs’ last trophy came in 2008, when they won the League Cup. That remains their only major triumph in the 21st century. Kane himself has accrued no major honours in his career.

The 25-year-old now appears to be growing impatient for success. There are certainly a number of clubs, who regularly win titles, who would be delighted to sign the prolific striker.

Keep at all costs

As their talisman and premier goalscorer, Kane’s exit would obviously be a devastating blow for Spurs. Since making his Premier League debut for the club in 2012 he has gone on to score more than 150 goals in all competitions for the Lilywhites.

The No. 10 is essentially irreplaceable. Kane is one of the world’s best goalscorers and has a Transfermarkt valuation of £135 million. Spurs would not be able to buy anyone of the same quality to replace their hitman, so fears of him becoming unsettled must not be ignored.

If Kane really does want to leave, Pochettino, Spurs’ backroom staff and chairman Daniel Levy must do all they can to change his mind or they risk an absolute catastrophe.

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Loads of Newcastle fans have been reacting to some rather bizarre comments from journalist Duncan Castles, who has compared Rafael Benitez to Sam Allardyce.

Newcastle have once again surged up the table after a slow start to the season, just as they did last season.

The Magpies ended the last campaign in the top ten despite early fears that a lack of investment would take them down, and this season has followed an almost identical pattern.

Of course this is all down to Benitez, without whom the Magpies’ diminished squad would likely be toiling in the Championship.

Castles, who writes for the Sunday Times and Daily Record, was asked if the Tyneside hero had done enough to move to a big club on his podcast, as reported by Chronicle Live (07/03, 09:10).

“Has he done enough to get into a club that has more revenue to spend and a more realistic chance at competing at the top? I’m not sure he has because the way Rafa Benitez runs a football club is not popular these days,” he said.

“You can certainly argue that with the resources he’s done a good job at Newcastle – you know what you’re getting from him.

“He’s kind of like a Spanish Supersized Sam in a way, you know what you get from him. Benitez will deliver when he comes to the club but is he really popular? Is he really the man you want to build your franchise? I don’t think he is in modern football.”

Castles makes a good point about Benitez’s pragmatism, as the Spaniard would much rather pick up three points than put in the perfect performance, but is that really a bad thing?

Lots of Newcastle fans have been having their say, and you can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…

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Barry Douglas was a second-half substitute in Leeds United’s 1-0 home defeat to Sheffield United in the Championship on Saturday afternoon.

Indeed, Ezgjan Alioski was once again selected at left-back, with Douglas ultimately replacing Jack Harrison in the 57th minute of the clash at Elland Road.

The 5ft 10in ace struggled to make his mark, though, and Sheffield United picked up a huge three points courtesy of a 71st-minute goal from Chris Basham.

Douglas arrived at Leeds off the back of a strong season with Wolverhampton Wanderers, but has found it difficult to show his best form for Marcelo Bielsa’s side.

And the Leeds supporters made their feelings about the 29-year-old known following Saturday’s home defeat, which has left the Whites outside of the top two positions entering the very latter stages of the campaign.

A selection of the Twitter reaction in relation to Douglas, who has not completed a full game in the Championship since December, can be viewed below:

After another season where Crystal Palace have found themselves in the relegation mix, Roy Hodgson is likely to strengthen his squad in the summer.

And if reports are to be believed, one area the Eagles boss will look to improve is midfield.

The Breakdown

According to the Daily Star, Crystal Palace are keeping an eye on Newcastle United’s Mo Diame with the 31-year-old’s contract set to expire in the summer should the appearance clause for an extended year in his current deal not be triggered.

Whether that happens or not, though, the south London club should not be targeting the Newcastle man.

In midfield, Diame is able to provide a lot of power and energy. However, in Luka Milivojevic and Cheikhou Kouyate, Crystal Palace already have that.

Rather, Hodgson should be looking at midfielders who can bring a bit of a spark and some creativity to the middle of the park. But again, in Max Meyer, it is something the Crystal Palace manager also has at disposal.

With that in mind, Hodgson should be looking to utilise the Germany international instead of buying more of the same.

Diame would not be a terrible acquisition, but you cannot help but think he is not the profile of midfielder Crystal Palace should be looking at in this moment of time.

Crystal Palace fans, do the Eagles need Diame? Join the discussion by commenting below.