All posts by h716a5.icu

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Loads of Newcastle fans have been reacting to Tuesday’s action, and they’re absolutely full of praise for Joey Barton.

While Tottenham were completely outclassed at their new stadium by a thrilling young Ajax side on Tuesday evening, all eyes in the north east were on Sunderland’s trip to Fleetwood, especially after Barton’s comments in the week.

The ex-Magpie, who has been in charge of The Fishermen since last summer, said before the match that he wanted to send Sunderland fans home in tears, and that’s exactly what he did.

Pl>ymaker FC Exclusive: Jermaine Jenas reveals why Tyne-Wear is a more intense derby than anything London can offer – check out the video below….

Needing a win to have any chance of automatic promotion back into the second tier, the Black Cats took the lead against Barton’s side through a Lee Cattermole header – yes, you read that right.

Fleetwood fought back in the second half though, and Paddy Madden equalised before Ashley Eastham won it deep into stoppage time.

Jack Ross’ side now face the daunting task of achieving promotion through the play-offs, and let’s just say the Toon Army are pretty proud of Barton.

The 36 year-old scored eight times in 84 appearances on Tyneside, and the Twitter reactions down below are loving his latest feat…

Newcastle have been brilliant at times this season and if Rafa Benitez does decide to stay, the fans truly believe in a very bright future for the club. Yes, it really is the hope that kills you when it comes to supporting the Toon, isn’t it? 

Frustratingly, the foundations at Newcastle United are there for all to see. With the right backing, it wouldn’t be unthinkable to see the Magpies fighting for a place in Europe but important steps must be taken to reach that stage.

Firstly, either Mike Ashley must leave, or stump up the required funds to make brilliance happen. Secondly, Rafa Benitez has to stay, then real hope can ensue. With that in mind, this summer is essential for their progression as a club. With the right players brought it, not only will they likely remain a Premier League side, they could really kick-on as well.

As much as fans would love to see big name players arrive at St James’ Park, sometimes the acquisition of squad players is also vital. One player previously linked with a move to Newcastle was Andreas Samaris, and that is someone they should look to rekindle an interest in.

Samaris, who was signed for £9 million back in 2014 (as per Transfermarkt), is a talented midfielder that is set to leave Benfica on a free this summer, in search of a new challenge.

The 29-year-old is most definitely experienced, having been capped by Greece 35 times during his career thus far.

Not only that, he has also been a regular in Portugal still this season, despite the brilliant young talent Benfica have breaking through. If he can make 25 appearances, score two goals and assist another two as well, the impact he could make at Newcastle is unthinkable.

Thought to be close to a move to Tyneside in January before a late collapse, the Magpies should relaunch a move, given the state of their current midfielder.

Of course,  it would make perfect sense to sign Samaris with Isaac Hayden reportedly (as per Telegraph) determined to leave St James’ Park this summer. He’d be the perfect replacement for the Englishman as he can produce goals and assists in the final third, as well as using his passing ability and defensive qualities to good effect.

Think a much, much better Mo Diame.

In a deep-lying role, Samaris would be well used by Newcastle to sit and protect their defensive line and who knows, he could be a right bargain if it works out.

Toon fans, still keen on Samaris? If not, why not? Join the discussion by commenting below… 

With Leeds United suffering from yet another injury crisis at Elland Road heading into their most important game of the season, Marcelo Bielsa must be wondering just what on earth he has done to deserve such luck.

After beating Derby County 1-0 in their play-off semi-final first leg on Saturday, the Whites would have been extremely confident of securing a trip to Wembley Stadium later this month.

However, despite still being overwhelming favourites to overcome the Rams on Wednesday, Leeds will have to do so without their talisman and top-scorer Kemar Roofe who has been ruled out of the fixture with a calf injury (via BBC Sport).

Although Patrick Bamford would be the obvious choice to replace the former Oxford United forward, Bielsa may benefit more from taking a risk on Ryan Edmondson tomorrow.

A deadly finisher, the 17-year-old has been nothing short of sensational for the club’s under-23 side this year as his 19 goals in all competitions has allowed them to reach the Professional Development League final whilst also triumphing in the regular season in the North division.

Despite having only made two senior appearances for Leeds since joining the club in 2017 from York City, it is clear that he has all the ingredients needed to make a positive impression on Wednesday.

Whereas picking Bamford could end up being disastrous giving his recent lack of discipline in the Championship, handing Edmondson a start could prove to be a masterstroke of a decision by Bielsa as Derby may not know a great deal about the dangers that he possesses.

With Leeds needing a hero to step up in the absence of Roofe, there is no reason why one of their most exciting Thorp Arch prospects can deliver the goals needed to fire them to the Premier League.

What do you think Whites fans? Should Bielsa start Edmondson against Derby? Or is too big of a game to start the youngster in? Let us know below.

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Arsenal supporters on Twitter have excitedly welcomed the news that Takuma Asano will return to the Emirates this summer after Hannover rejected their option to buy the forward.

Asano was signed by Arsene Wenger in the summer of 2016 but has yet to appear for the Gunners, instead spending three years on loan in the Bundesliga, two with Stuttgart and one with Hannover.

The Japanese international’s spell at Hannover never got off the ground as he made just 13 Bundesliga appearances without scoring a single goal.

Wenger described Asano as “a talented young striker and very much one for the future,” but he was never given an opportunity in England after his work permit was denied.

While it seems unlikely that the 24-year old will get a real chance under Unai Emery, the Gunners are in search of a replacement for Danny Welbeck and Arsenal fans on Twitter have claimed that Asano deserves a chance to establish himself in north London.

Check out the best of the reaction below!

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Spanish side Alaves are interested in signing Celtic defender Jozo Simunovic, according to The Scottish Sun.

What’s the story?

The Croatian centre-back has had his ups and downs at the Hoops over the year and this season has found himself both on the fringes of Brendan Rodgers’ first-team squad and a crucial part of Neil Lennon’s side.

The paper say that the La Liga outfit are keen on adding him to their squad this summer and could make a move with a £4m bid.

The interest comes with Celtic struggling for numbers at centre-back right now.

Dedryck Boyata has signed a contract with Hertha Berlin, while Filip Benkovic is due to head back to parent club Leicester City.

The seven-figure fee for Simunovic may prove tempting for the Hoops but they can’t think about selling him given the current situation.

Why so important?

The jury may be out on the defender’s long-term future at Celtic Park but the club simply don’t have enough time to sign the defensive bodies required to navigate this summer’s difficult European qualifiers.

If Simunovic left it would mean just Kristoffer Ajer and Marvin Compper remained at the club and the latter has shown no sign of being capable for selection.

A lack of forward planning has left the Hoops already behind when it comes to being well stocked in defence and selling Simunovic without replacements ready to step in would be a crazy move that shouldn’t even be considered.

El-Hadji Diouf, he was a weird one, wasn’t he?

We’ve all got stories about the dreaded man that was El-Hadji Diouf and most of them aren’t particularly pleasant.

Indeed, mixed between the football were some rather unsavoury pastimes including nightclub brawls, driving offences and, of course, spitting – the green, phlegmy cherry on the cake. Wonderful stuff.

Yes, this man was the embodiment of just about everything wrong with the world. But he had his moments on the pitch, and for that we will give him credit.

After a stream of botched attempts to make a player of himself in England, Diouf moved his mischievous “talents” north of the border in 2011, joining Glasgow powerhouses, Rangers. And it seems Scotland is where he found his home. For a brief period, anyhow.

The troublemaker scored a European goal against Sporting Lisbon, as well as winning the League Cup and Scottish Premier League title. His behaviour didn’t exactly improve at Ibrox, but fans didn’t seem to care. After all, when it’s your own player riling up the opposition and generally making a nuisance of himself, then you sort of end up having a weird affinity towards them. You encourage them; spur them on to make cheeky fouls, to get in the opponents’ face, give them a little stamp, or a sly poke in the eye, etc. etc.

While we don’t condone violence of any sort, it was almost pleasant to see from a Rangers perspective that a one-man Diouf army was prepared to take on Neil Lennon and entirety of the Celtic backroom staff in a game of fisticuffs. He even inspired Ally McCoist to have a pop. Certainly earned himself a few with that one, hey.

Rangers fans, what are your standout memories of El-Hadji Diouf? Let us know in the comments below…

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Rangers will have to wait on Jurgen Klopp’s assessment of Ryan Kent this summer before a decision is made on his future at Liverpool and a potential loan move back to Ibrox, as reported by The Daily Record.

What’s the story?

The Reds’ season isn’t even finished yet, with Klopp currently preparing for a mammoth UEFA Champions League final against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.

The Record reckon that the Liverpool boss wants to assess Ryan Kent’s progress during the Anfield side’s pre-season preparations, meaning Steven Gerrard will be left waiting on a potential deal for the player.

With the paper saying that Aston Villa are also in the hunt for the winger with a potential multi-million pound bid, the odds seem to be against Kent returning to Ibrox next term.

Ojo option

Fortunately for Rangers there’s another talented winger apparently available from Liverpool this summer, Sheyi Ojo, and Gerrard is keen on bringing him to Ibrox on a season long loan deal.

The report states that Klopp is more willing to get a quick deal done for the 21-year-old in the upcoming transfer window, meaning that the Gers can add him quickly to their squad ahead of hugely important UEFA Europa League qualifiers.

Ojo is adept at playing on the left or right flank and committing to the former Wolves and Fulham loan star appears to be the way forward for the Ibrox side.

Signing him and forgetting about Kent would allow the recruitment team to focus on other targets this summer, preventing an ongoing and unsettling transfer saga, with Ojo effectively replacing his presence in the squad.

Why not both?

Rangers are already loaded up with plenty of wingers ahead of next season.

The move for Northern Ireland international Jordan Jones has given Gerrard another option on the left flank, while new signing and exciting prospect Jake Hastie can play on either side.

With Glenn Middleton showing excellent form for the reserve and youth sides over the last few months and the potential arrival of Ojo, the need for Kent’s return becomes far less urgent and arguably unneeded.

That core of four players is at least initially an excellent basis for the summer, with the possibility of entering the market in late August always an option.

Emerson Palmieri. That performance against Arsenal in the Europa League final was quite possibly his best in a Chelsea shirt.

He defended well but also offered Maurizio Sarri’s side such an attacking threat, epitomised by the cross he put in for Olivier Giroud’s opener.

Based on that display alone, he surely has that left-back spot nailed down going into next season. With that in mind, it is not a surprise to hear so much noise being made about Marcos Alonso potentially returning to Spain.

The 28-year-old has recently been linked with a move to Atletico Madrid after losing his place in the team to Emerson (Daily Mirror), though Chelsea may be reluctant to sell given their transfer ban.

Still, even with that embargo hanging over them, should a good offer come in, the west London club really should consider cashing in.

Alonso has been badly exposed playing in a back four, and a Stamford Bridge exit now looks to be in the best interest of all parties. What about cover? Who is going to come in for Emerson should the Italy international get injured?

Well with Reece James set to remain at the club and Davide Zappacosta showing signs of life in his last few appearances, there is no reason why either cannot come into the side with Cesar Azpilicueta shuffling across to that left-back spot.

Ultimately, with the goals starting to dry up and his defending not being up to scratch, this Chelsea team is not going to miss Alonso.

Chelsea fans, how disappointed have you been with Alonso’s slump in form? You can have your say by commenting below!

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Future Ballon d’Or winner? If Kylian Mbappe continues on the trajectory he’s currently on, then surely he will be able to call himself the world’s best player sooner rather than later.

The Frenchman has enjoyed a blistering few years since bursting onto the scene with AS Monaco, and has formed a formidable attacking trio at PSG, alongside Neymar and Edinson Cavani.

Ahead of France’s Euro qualifier against Andorra on Tuesday, Mbappe took to

/ByisxYPgclH/” data-lasso->Instagram to post a video of him in training with his teammates, and showed exactly why he’s considered such a huge prospect with a range of stunning strikes.

It was that kind of unerring finishing in front of goal that saw the 20-year-old strike an incredible 39 times in just 43 games across all competitions, and with Cavani now 32, PSG’s number 9 role could be Mbappe’s to grab.

With a host of domestic titles to his name, and a World Cup trophy from last year to boot too, Mbappe’s main target will be to chase down that elusive Champions League title for PSG.

The Parisiens came unstuck due to VAR interference in their clash against Manchester United at the Parc des Princes, and with Mbappe a year older and wiser, could feel next season might be their time to lift the big one.

It’s been unpleasant reading for Tottenham fans over the last couple of weeks, with Ekstra Bladet just one of a number of outlets to report that midfield maestro Christian Eriksen is on the lookout for a new challenge.

Indeed, the news might well have divided fans, considering his importance to the team over the years, though some fans believed the fact he reportedly (per the Evening Standard) Mauricio Pochettino he wanted to leave prior to the Champions League final was the wrong move. Yet, while the Dane has certainly shown his hand early, there’s no room for grudges here.

It’s never too late for the midfielder to change his mind.

The Eriksen “saga” began before the end of the season, with Spanish outlet El Confidencial reporting Zinedine Zidane was keen to bring the midfielder to Madrid and such rumours were perhaps fueled upon the Dane’s rather apparent desire to ‘try something new’.

Yet, it has more recently emerged that Madrid may turn their attention elsewhere, with Marca reporting Zidane is prioritising a move for Paul Pogba. Moreover, AS have reported that Eriksen is beginning to change his mind, recognising that a potential Tottenham stay is actually on the cards.

While fans may have already got used to the idea of the potential incoming of Giovani Lo Celso, who The Mirror report is the imminent subject of a second Tottenham bid, perhaps the idea of an Eriksen U-turn isn’t such a daft idea.

Let’s go back to March of last year, where Toby Alderweireld had almost entirely lost his place in the team to Davinson Sanchez, the regular favourite after missing the first three months of the season with injury, while contract talks were reportedly in tatters.

The once Tottenham favourite had become somewhat of an outcast at the club. The Sun had reported a number of clubs were chasing his signature, with United leading the race. With his contract just a year from expiring (albeit with an optional extension that would add a release clause), the Belgian’s time at Tottenham was in jeopardy.

This season, however, Alderweireld played 34 league games alongside a further 12 in the Champions League. He has also talked of his desire to stay for another season (as per Sport360).

If Alderweireld can experience this type of turnaround, there’s no reason it couldn’t happen for Eriksen. If anything, the former was in a worse situation. He was actually out of the team, after all.

Eriksen, on the other hand, played in nearly every game this season, including 35 in the league and 12 in the Champions League. Despite some suggestions that he’s been out of form, he also contributed 10 goals and 16 assists in that time.

The midfielder, valued at £76.5m (as per TransferMarkt), is still a hugely important player for the club. Jan Vertonghen has recently expressed his desire for the Dane to remain a Tottenham player, describing him as ‘exceptional’, so it’s clear he retains support behind the scenes.

Should Eriksen decide to stay, it can only be recognised as good news for Tottenham fans. Since his £12m signing in 2013, he has contributed towards 109 goals in 208 Premier League appearances, which really isn’t bad going, is it?

If a U-turn is on the cards, take it.

Tottenham fans, would you like to see Eriksen stay at the club? Or is it time for him to move on? Comment below.