All posts by h716a5.icu

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Manchester City fans have taken to Twitter to react after it was revealed that Aymeric Laporte has once again been left out of Didier Deschamp’s France squad.

Laporte, arguably one of the Premier League’s best in his position and a player who cost City £57m when they signed him from Athletic Bilbao, has never been capped by his country – he has received just a single call-up, but never made it onto the pitch.

There’s good news for fans of City, Liverpool, Spurs and United in the video below…

City’s second most expensive player in their history could have played for Spain, but he did not apply for residency before arriving at the Etihad Stadium.

There is a lot of confusion surrounding Deschamps continued expulsion of the 24-year-old.

It has been suggested that Les Bleus boss is not a fan of his personality, whilst it has also been coined that his contact with the Spanish national team hasn’t gone down well with Deschamps, despite France regular and World Cup winner Lucas Hernandez previously doing the same.

Let’s see what the City supporters are saying about the matter on Twitter…

If there’s one player Arsenal fans all unanimously love, it’s Tomas Rosicky.

The Czech Republic icon spent 10 years in north London and is often regarded as one of the most talented players to play for Arsenal this decade. Dubbed ‘Little Mozart’ for his ability to dictate the midfield and bring out the best in those around him, Rosicky’s retirement in December 2017 was a sad day for those who watched him.

An underrated player plighted by injuries, Rosicky was a player who succeeded in north London in the grand scheme of things, winning two FA Cups and playing big roles in the path to both honours, yet every Arsenal fan knows that had it not been for those injuries, the Czech captain could have been something more.

This is a player who missed an entire season during the prime of his career, yet after his return, Rosicky came back better than ever. Although he was not the biggest goalscorer in the team, only scoring 28 goals in his Gunners career, the attacking midfielder was an influential part of the Arsenal squad.

Technically superb and unorthodox with his passing and shooting as he always preferred using the outside of his foot, Rosicky’s impact on and off the pitch was always felt. And during the big games, his presence was always significant.

Rosicky was instrumental in Arsenal’s first 5-2 win against Spurs in the 2011/12 season where the Gunners fought from 2-0 down the claim a massive win over their north London rivals, and two years later in the same fixture the Arsenal no. 7 scored one of the best goals in the history of the rivalry to seal another vital win against Spurs.

He was also involved in one of the best goals Arsenal have scored in the Premier League era, as the playmaker started and finished a vintage Gunners team goal in a 4-1 win against Sunderland.

With such a big impact on the team, it always felt like Rosicky could do more for Arsenal. Had he been luckier with injuries there is no question that the now 38-year-old would have been considered a modern-day legend of the club.

On his final game as an Arsenal player, he received a guard of honour from the Arsenal players and staff, who all wore Rosicky shirts to celebrate his legacy at the club.

Rosicky is still remembered fondly at the club. A player with all the talent in the world, and a conductor on and off the pitch.

Arsenal fans, what is your favourite memory of Rosicky?

Obviously, there are multiple roles Celtic need to look towards improving in the summer, yet the goalkeeping department – helpfully – isn’t one. Indeed, even during Brendan Rodgers’ reign and beyond, the Hoops have kept a stellar defensive record in the Scottish Premiership thanks to a solid defensive base.

While their defence might be reshuffled next season, one player who’s made a role his own is Scott Bain. The 27-year-old goalkeeper’s been in stellar form for Celtic since the turn of the year, putting in excellent shifts. He’s kept 9 clean-sheets from 12 appearances, only conceding 4 goals (stats via Transfermarkt, where is he valued at £450k)

However, according to reports from the Shields Gazette, the Bhoys are looking towards signing Newcastle youngster Freddie Woodman in the summer. The 22-year-old bright goalkeeper’s set to be part of a mass clearout at Tyneside and the Hoops want him as their long-term option.

However, with Bain’s stunning work, there’s no need for as such.

The Hoops may dominate most matches, but Bain’s shown impressive alertness to keeping out oppositions. Even recently against Dundee United, he pulled off some impressive saves to keep his side on the front-foot. Indeed, unlike some keepers, he rarely loses his concentration and can even make one crucial save if needed.

He’s helped the Hoops enjoy plenty of success already this season and he will no doubt play a big part in helping the club secure yet another treble from here on in.

Woodman has had loan spells in Scotland, yet signing him would create a surplus in Celtic’s goalkeeping department. Apart from the excellent Bain, they have experienced Craig Gordon on standby. Furthermore, Bain has proven more than capable of staying fit throughout the season and witnessing his continued growth, Celtic shouldn’t let greed goad them into unnecessarily signing Woodman.

Celtic fans, do you want another goalkeeper in Woodman to challenge Bain next season? Join the discussion by commenting below. 

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Newcastle United slumped to a miserable 2-0 defeat against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Monday night, and one image summed up their display in north London.

While the Magpies should be in high spirits right now having won five Premier League matches on the trot at St James’ Park, their form on the road has been far patchier – and it showed against Unai Emery’s men.

The Tyneside outfit had taken only two points from the last possible 15 available prior to their long trip to the capital on Monday.

Rafa Benitez’s visitors were pretty much under the cosh from the start and when Aaron Ramsey scored the opener on the half-hour mark, you just didn’t ever feel that they had it in them to score and get back into the game.

One player the Spanish manager would have been hoping could provide a bit of magic on the night was January addition Miguel Almiron, but after a promising start to his United career against Wolves and Huddersfield Town he has been far quieter recently, and is yet to register a goal or an assist.

The Paraguay international once again struggled to make much of an impact against the Gunners, and both his and his team’s night was summed up by the image above, where he can be seen putting his hand across his face while on the turf at the Emirates Stadium having been caught by Nacho Monreal.

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Watford will meet Manchester City at Wembley Stadium in the FA Cup final after knocking out Wolves in sensational fashion on Sunday – the Hornets’ fightback from two goals down to win 3-2 in extra time will undoubtedly go down as one of the great games of the season.

Gerard Deulofeu’s stunning strike and Troy Deeney’s last gasp spot-kick saw goals from Raul Jimenez and Diogo Jota cancelled out before the Spaniard stung again, putting the Hornets in front in the 104th minute.

It’s difficult to pick which of Javi Gracia’s side’s three goals will stay longest in the memories of the Vicarage Road faithful, although the Watford captain’s equaliser and his raw celebration after will cast fans’ minds back to the 2012/13 play-offs.

The number 9 gave John Ruddy – between the sticks for Wolves – no chance with his 94th minute penalty and sent one half of Wembley Stadium into pandemonium, just as his late volley against Leicester did six years ago.

Although not that you would have believed it having seen him wheel away passionately in the dying seconds, the former Walsall man had indicated earlier last week that he wasn’t all that up for the massive game. Speaking on TalkSport (via The Watford Observer), the bustling forward said:

“I’ve got a weird feeling about this one, it doesn’t excite me too much, it’s just another game.

“I want people to understand the perspective because people always say that it’s a big occasion for a team outside the top six.

“Where we’re aspiring to get to and where Wolves are trying to aspire to get to is to be in this sort of situation more regularly, so we don’t see it as a one off, we see it as the building blocks to do more.

“If we can get over this final hurdle and get to the final, we” say ‘alright now there’s another block can we go on and win it?”

Wolves Fan TV place the blame for Wolves’ FA Cup semi-final collapse on John Ruddy in the video below…

Deeney might have walked out the tunnel on Sunday with that attitude but he certainly won’t have the same outlook when the Hornets travel back to Wembley Stadium once again to face the Premier League champions in the final – surely?

The 30-year-old usually wears his heart on his sleeve and even he has to admit now that he was wrong in his pre-match assessment of the Wolves clash – if his jubilant antics post-penalty weren’t the epitome of excitement, then what is?

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West Ham United need a new manager.

This is an argument that is repeated ad nauseam simply because the Hammers can’t ever seem to find the consistency required to break through the proverbial glass ceiling in the Premier League.

This season is a prime example. West Ham are currently 11th in the table. They sit five points behind seventh-place, a promised land that could ultimately offer a club qualification to the Europa League.

But they are remarkably unlikely to make up that deficit. Both Watford and Wolves, with 46 and 47 points respectively, have a game in hand on the Irons because of their involvement in the FA Cup semi-finals at the weekend. They played each other and Watford won 3-2 in extra time.

It was not supposed to be this way. Manuel Pellegrini was appointed at the beginning of the season to bring the ‘West Ham Way’ back. This season that has consisted of sitting in mid-table, occasionally flirting with a run of form, and likely ultimately finishing settled in the bottom half.

David Sullivan, the club’s co-owner, said at the time of Pellegrini’s appointment: “Above all, he is a winner, who knows what it takes to succeed at the highest level and is driven to continue that success.

“Manuel is the first West Ham United manager to have a Premier League title on his CV, and we believe that his experience, quality and proven record of taking teams forward quickly will ensure that he is successful here.

“We have listened to fans who asked us to be ambitious. We hope they agree it is an exciting appointment.”

Pellegrini, of course, won the Premier League title with Manchester City in 2013-14. He did so after signing the likes of Fernandinho, Alvaro Negredo and Stevan Jovetic. All three players cost £20million or more. This was before the mushroom cloud left by Neymar’s transfer to PSG gripped the market and sent prices soaring.

In the summer, West Ham spent over £20m on Issa Diop and Felipe Anderson, being “ambitious” and backing a manager they believed could take them up the table.

The fact of the matter is that, despite that investment, it hasn’t worked. West Ham finished last season in 13th-place. A progression of two places is nothing to write home about unless it is at the very top of the league. Indeed, the season prior to that, West Ham finished 11th.

Is Pellegrini the man to bring the club back to their glory days? It certainly doesn’t seem that way. Small progress in the league would have been accepted had the Irons succeeded in the cups but, instead, they were embarrassed by AFC Wimbledon in the FA Cup and thumped by Tottenham Hotspur in the last-16 of the League Cup.

The Chilean is also seemingly unable to make the correct tactical calls. In the Hammers’ last three defeats, he has played three formations. Against Chelsea, he lined up in 4-2-3-1, versus Everton he played 4-4-2 and 4-1-4-1 against Cardiff City.

This is tactical flexibility taken to a strange new level; West Ham’s players have been unable to grow within one system and are instead being forced to make it up as they go along.

This was fine at Manchester City. Those players are a level above those at the London Stadium – even Samir Nasri was better then than he is now – and Pellegrini’s methods have simply not carried across.

At West Ham, perhaps he faces an impossible job. Perhaps the club’s penchant for beating the big teams and losing against those in the bottom-half, their desire for glorious failure and their apparent love of mid-table always doomed Pellegrini to fail.

But he was the “exciting” appointment. He was meant to raise the bar and oversee the Hammers’ rise up the table. But here we are. Progress has been glacial and there is very little chance that things will change next season with Pellegrini in charge.

It remains to be seen if a change will be made. It remains to be seen if the Hammers’ board would trust in a younger, more progressive manager. But as it stands, it feels as though they should simply chalk this one up to experience and move the Chilean on.

Pellegrini has shown this season that he is not the manager West Ham expected him to be. It is best they make a change for the good of the club.

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Felipe Anderson scored his ninth Premier League goal of the season in West Ham United’s 2-1 defeat at Manchester United on Saturday afternoon.

All things considered, it has been a successful first season for the Brazilian in English football.

It would probably be fair to say that the 26-year-old needs more consistency in his performances, but there is no question that he has boosted the Hammers.

And it will be interesting to see whether the London club can keep him moving forward.

It was actually Anderson’s birthday on Monday and as expected, West Ham’s official Twitter account was on hand with a message.

The response section of such posts is always a good indicator of how the fans feel about a particular player, and the attacker has been widely praised.

West Ham are really struggling for results at the moment, but Anderson is seemingly not to blame in the eyes of the fans.

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

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Football Insider is claiming that Leeds are keeping close tabs on Liverpool’s Harry Wilson who is currently enjoying a terrific season on loan at Derby. But should the club continue to pursue their interest?

What’s the word?

According to Football Insider, Leeds are keeping a close eye on two Liverpool players in Ryan Kent and Wilson.

The latter has been exceptional for Derby this term, scoring 14 goals in all competitions so it’s not difficult to see why he’s attracting interest from one of the Championship’s top clubs.

The Welshman signed a new deal with Liverpool only last summer but according to the report, the attacking midfielder’s future at the Merseyside club is in doubt. It’s hardly surprising given the wealth of options Liverpool have at their disposal.

It’s unknown how much the 22-year-old would cost any potential suitors, but Transfermarkt currently rates him at £8m.

Sign of intent

If Leeds are serious about the type of club they want to become and emerge as a force in the Premier League again, then should they achieve promotion, the signing of Wilson would be a big sign of intent.

He’s shown his quality on an all too regular basis this season and we’re starting to see more talents like Wilson make the step up into the Premier League quickly.

Last summer we saw James Maddison, a similar player, make the leap from the Championship to Leicester. He’s been a sensational buy for the Foxes and Leeds can follow a similar trend bringing Wilson to Elland Road this summer.

He is the perfect attacking midfield player and his dead ball ability, like Maddison’s, is first class.

Their promotion, of course, isn’t yet sealed but if Leeds’ interest in the player were to materialise then they’d have a player capable of taking the top flight by storm.

Steven Gerrard’s ability to keep Scott Arfield will define their bid for next season’s Scottish Premiership. The 30-year-old is vital to the club’s plans and his departure would signify a deeper-lying issue.

Football Insider have claimed the Gers’ manager shares the view of the board on Arfield, and that’s the stance he’s not for sale, as he is key to Gerrard’s plans. That’s no real surprise, but it’s whether his head is turned by Premier League clubs that will be the question Rangers fans will want to have answered.

The Canadian has been a bargain since he arrived on a free transfer and signed a four-year deal in summer. He’s scored 10 and assisted seven in 25 appearances for the Gers this season and has been used right across the midfield and as a supporting striker. He’s been a jack of all trades!

That contract made him the highest paid player in Scottish football according to Football Insider, but money might not be enough to keep him at Rangers. According to the Mail Online earlier this month, Southampton are readying a £3m summer bid, and he could be tempted away.

If Gerrard loses him, it means one of his most senior players will be gone, and he still needs those considering the youth he’s trying to bed in too. But, in the bigger picture, it proves that Rangers just don’t have the pulling power to bridge the gap to Celtic, and that’s key.

Keeping Arfield puts them in a great position to fight for the title, both mentally and physically. Losing him creates the sense that every time Rangers start to build something, it’ll be pulled apart by other clubs.

Rangers fans, who would you replace Scott Arfield with if he leaves in summer? Join the discussion by commenting below.

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Loads of Rangers fans have been giving their verdict on the latest transfer rumour, as the Gers are reportedly plotting a familiar trick by swooping for NK Osijek striker Mirko Maric.

According to The Express, Maric is viewed as a potential replacement for Alfredo Morelos.

The report claims Morelos is on “thin ice” after his red card in last month’s Old Firm, which was his fifth of the season.

Maric could also be seen as a replacement for Kyle Lafferty, who has made virtually no impact during his second stint at Ibrox.

The towering Northern Irishman has just seven goals in 37 appearancesthis term, while Maric has mustered 16 goals in 38 showings.

Maric is only 23, but at 6 ft 2 would add a real physical presence to the Rangers front line and could potentially form a devastating partnership with Morelos if the Colombian is allowed to stay.

That said, the last two signings from Osijek were Eros Grezda and Borna Barisic, so it’s no surprise to see some fans aren’t behind a move that will be the third of its kind in the space of 12 months.

Either way, you can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…