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This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more… 

Alfredo Morelos and Jermain Defoe struggled to play together last season, but the solution to the problem is already at Ibrox. His name is Scott Arfield.

On the chalkboard

Morelos and Defoe are both very good strikers and finding a way to get them both to thrive in the same system could give the Gers the ammunition to improve on last season’s second-place finish in the Premiership.

The Colombian bagged 30 goals in his 48 appearances and the 36-year-old contributed to a goal every 76 minutes across his 20 games for the Gers last season.

Despite both having incredible records though, neither did well with the other one on the park. Morelos is yet to score when starting alongside Defoe, who has only added two goals when they were both in the starting XI – the first in a defeat and the second a penalty.

It may be a case that they both prefer playing alone (although the former Portsmouth man’s relationship with Peter Crouch would suggest otherwise) but Steven Gerrard must surely be thinking about the damage they can cause if he can get them both firing.

Gerrard nearly always opted for a 4-3-3 formation last season. However, a slight tactical tweak and an unusual role for Arfield could allow the boss to unleash his star striking duo in tandem.

Arfield’s time to shine

Last season, we saw Arfield play as both a left-winger and central midfielder under Gerrard. A combination of both roles could be the final touch that allows Defoe and Morelos to thrive together.

It would mean the Rangers boss tweaking his 4-3-3 slightly to be more flexible as Arfield floats on the left-hand side of midfield. On the right, you could still deploy a more traditional winger in any of Sheyi Ojo, Jake Hastie, Greg Stewart or Jordan Jones.

With the 30 year-old Canadian flitting between offering width and tucking in to create a central midfield three, you would make room for the two goalscorers, without losing too much of the free-flowing attacking football that we saw from Gerard’s side last season, amassing 82 Premiership goals.

It is basically a lop-sided 4-4-2, with a traditional winger on the right flank moving forward to create a front three, while Arfield’s versatility can both help the attack from the left and slot into midfield to provide a shield for the defence.

If last season’s numbers are anything to go by, getting Defoe and Morelos on the pitch together could cause havoc, and Arfield is the perfect utility man to make it happen.

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قال عمرو الجنايني رئيس اللجنة الخماسية التي كانت تتولى سابقًا إدارة اتحاد الكرة المصري، إنه تم تكليفه من الدولة والفيفا بالمهمة في وقت صعب.

وأضاف: “قمنا أنا وزملائي بتأدية واجبنا بشكل مميز، وراضين عن كل شئ قدمناه، كما أنه لم يكن طموحي الجلوس على كرسي اتحاد الكرة، ولكن كُلفت بمهمة من بلدي”.

طالع | مجاهد: أنا أهلاوي ومحمد الشناوي مثل ابني.. ومونديال الأندية ليس سبب تخفيف عقوبته

وتابع: “كنت أعلم من اليوم الأول أنني سأرحل بعد انتهاء فترتي، كما أنني وقعت على عدم ترشحي للانتخابات”.

وواصل معلقًا على وجود دور لرئيس الاتحاد السابق هاني أبو ريدة في تعيين اللجنة: “لا نغفل دور هاني أبو ريدة في الاتحاد الدولي، ولكن بحق الله من تواصل معي كان الدولة، وبعدها أبو ريدة ولكن بعد تعييني، قد يكون اختارني، ولكن أنا بُلغت من الدولة وليس منه، ورحيلي كان بخطاب من فيفا، وأبلغت أشرف صبحي وزير الشباب والرياضة، والأخير فوجئ بقرار الإقالة لأنه لم يكن في الحسبان”.

وعلق الجنايني عن ما يتردد بشأن عدم تنفيذه تعليمات أبو ريدة مما ترتب عليه الإطاحة به، قائلًا: “كنت أتواصل مع هاني أبو ريدة كثيرًا وأستمع لوجهة نظره، ولكن أتخذ ما يناسب أسلوب إدارتي، وأنا اسمي وتاريخي ومركزي لا يسمح بأن يُملي عليّ أحد قرارات”.

وتابع: “لم يحدث أنني تأخرت في إعداد لائحة اتحاد الكرة بقصد إقصاء البعض من الانتخابات، لقد وضعنا بند تضارب المصالح، وتم أخذ نفس البند من فيفا كما هو”.

It has been a rough couple of months for Manchester United supporters and, for some, things could be about to get much worse.

Largely seen as the Red Devils best player over the last few years, David de Gea could be on the move, with ESPN reporting that the 28-year-old’s future is in doubt.

The same outlet also reports that Manchester United would be interested in bringing Atletico Madrid’s Jan Oblak to Old Trafford should the above happen.

A former player of one of Manchester United’s rivals, though, believes the Premier League outfit could be about to make a silly mistake.

“If you’ve got de Gea in your goal, why are you going out and spending a reported €120m to buy this guy?,” ex-Liverpool defender Steve Nicol rhetorically asked on ESPN FC. “Why are you spending €120m on bringing somebody in to a different country, to a new team, a team that is going to be demolished pretty much and is going to have to add a lot of pieces?

“Why are you getting rid of one of the most important pieces in de Gea?”

With de Gea’s contract running down, though, Manchester United’s hand could be forced here. And all things considered, you could possibly even argue that Oblak would be an upgrade on the Spaniard.

Since last year’s World Cup, de Gea has had quite the decline. In the Premier League season that has just gone by, the Spain international made some calamitous and costly errors, resulting in some heavy criticism being thrown his way.

Meanwhile, in La Liga, Oblak has only gone from strength to strength, with his manager Diego Simeone now viewing the 26-year-old as “the best goalkeeper in the world”.

Given what he has achieved at Old Trafford and his overall ability as a shot-stopper, Manchester United will want to keep hold of de Gea. But if they lose the former Atletico Madrid man and replace him with Oblak, it would hardly be the end of the world.

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According to TuttoMercatoWeb, Everton have had a €28m(£24.87m) offer for Roma attacker Cengiz Under rejected by the Italian giants.

Under scored six times and registered 11 assists in 33 appearances for his Serie A outfit during the 2018-19 campaign.

The 21-year-old is also an 18-time Turkey international and has impressed many with his performances over the last 12 months.

According to TuttoMercatoWeb, Everton launched a €28m bid for the attacker but Roma were quick to turn it down.

The Merseyside club’s fans have been on social media offering their views on Under, debating whether it would be worth going back in for him.

Watch the best fails from the world of indoor football in the video below…

And it would be fair to say that there are a lot of differing opinions.

Whilst there are those who rate the versatile winger, others are underwhelmed by the thought of Under arriving in this summer’s transfer window.

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

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Leeds United have been linked with yet another winger, and this time it is in the form of Liverpool youngster Ryan Kent.

He spent last season out on loan at Rangers, but he may be set to swap one of Scotland’s biggest clubs for one of England’s most historic.

A move to Elland Road wouldn’t be the first time the youngster swapped Merseyside for Yorkshire after spending the 2016/17 season playing for Barnsley.

His spell at Oakwell saw him appear 44 times in the Championship, where he scored just three goals and set up one.

It’s tough to call whether or not the 22-year-old would be a good player for Leeds next season. On one hand he has been fantastic in Scotland for the past 12 months, but during his last spell in the second tier he was underwhelming.

It’s a real conundrum, but that hasn’t stopped Football FanCast’s writers having their say as to whether or not Kent would be a good signing.

Matt Dawson

“Ryan Kent would be an absolutely superb piece of business from Leeds. The Liverpool youngster has proven himself to be capable of performing with the added pressure of playing for a big club such as Rangers, so he’d have no trouble adapting to life at Elland Road. If they can get a deal across the line, his creativity could prove the difference in a bid for promotion.”

Billy Meyers

“I think this would be an excellent signing for Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds. Ryan Kent has taken the Scottish league by storm and looks far too good to be playing there, so a move to the Championship is the next logical step for a player who visibly improves every season. Leeds would be getting an ideal foil for Jack Clarke, or a great replacement if they signed Kent.”

Luke Glanville

“In my view, the Scottish Premiership to the Sky Bet Championship is a natural step up for Ryan Kent and one he deserves. Leeds should definitely be making sure it happens with them. Kent would be healthy competition for someone like Jack Clarke in that left wing position and it would be very exciting to see the pair of bright prospects challenge to become the first choice. Unquestionably, Kent would be a great signing for Marcelo Bielsa and could well help his team go one better in 2019/2020.”

شن سلافين بيليتش هجومًا على تقنية الفيديو بعد خسارة وست بروميتش ألبيون مساء أمس أمام مانشستر يونايتد في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وخسر وست بروميتش على ملعب “الأولد ترافورد” في الجولة التاسعة من البطولة بهدف دون رد. هدف فوز مانشستر يونايتد أمام وست بروميتش

واحتسب حكم المباراة ركلة جزاء لصالح وست بروميتش في الدقيقة 46، بعد تعرض اللاعب جالاجر للعرقلة من قِبل برونو فرنانديز، ولكن تقنية الفيديو أقرت بعدم احتساب شيء.

وقال بيليتش، في تصريحات نشرتها شبكة “جول” العالمية: “أشعر بخيبة أمل كبيرة من ذلك القرار، شعرت وكأننا فريق صغير، كل تلك القرارات الحاسمة كانت ضدنا”.

وأضاف: “لقد شاهدت ما حدث عدة مرات، إنها ركلة جزاء واضحة ولا أفهم سبب عدم احتسابها!”.

وواصل: “لعبنا بشكل جيد، كانت لدينا فرص قليلة للتسجيل، كنا متواجدون في المباراة، أخبرت اللاعبين أنني محبط، أعتقد أننا كنا نستحق شيئًا ما”.

وتابع: “كنا نستحق التقدم في بداية الشوط الثاني، لقد طلبت من اللاعبين بين الشوطين البقاء إيجابيين والقتال والمضي قدمًا وبهذه الطريقة سنفوز”.

واستكمل: “ركلة جزاء مانشستر يونايتد؟ حسنًا، إنها لمسة يد، لم نكن محظوظين قليلًا، ولكنها لمسة يد بالفعل”.

واختتم: “قبل ذلك كان هناك خطأ لصالح جالاجر (ركلة الجزاء الملغاة)، وبدلًا من أن نتقدم بهدف أصبحنا متأخرين، مانشستر يونايتد على أرضه فريق كبير”.

If you were to tell any Sheffield United supporter at the start of the season that their side would secure automatic promotion with one game left to play in the Championship, they would have understandably been a tad bemused.

However, with Chris Wilder leading a revolution at Bramall Lane, the Blades have been one of the stand-out sides in the second tier and are fully deserving of the recognition they are now receiving for clinching a top-two finish.

Whereas the likes of David McGoldrick and Billy Sharp have been incredibly impressive throughout the current campaign, it was Aston Villa loanee Scott Hogan who kicked off celebrations at Bramall Lane last week with a fantastic flick to give his side the lead against Ipswich Town.

Although the forward has experienced success at Championship level before, in order to try and persuade Wilder to sign him on a permanent deal, he must produce an eye-catching performance at the bet365 Stadium when United take on Stoke City on Sunday.

Having scored just two goals since joining the club in the January transfer window, it could be argued that the £4.5m-rated ace (via Transfermarkt) may not be good enough to make the step up to the Premier League next season. However, by proving that he can thrive in the club’s 3-5-2 system at the weekend, Hogan may provide an ultimatum for his manager to consider over the summer.

Even if he cannot persuade the Blades to commit to a move, the Republic of Ireland international could still put himself in the shop window by illustrating his wide array of talents against Stoke. By doing this, Hogan may be able to keep his career on track after a tough two years following his departure from Brentford in 2017.

What do you think United fans? Should Wilder consider making a permanent move for Hogan in the summer? If not, who should he target instead when the transfer window opens in July? Let us know below.

Unai Emery is set to axe a number of big earners this summer as he looks to rebuild his Arsenal side with a limited budget.

Arsenal boss Unai Emery will spare no prisoners this summer – with winger Danny Welbeck among the players due to be sacrificed, according to the Daily Mail.

The Spaniard will reportedly be handed a comparatively small budget of just £45million to compete with the mammoth spending of the ‘big six’ pack. Hardly inspiring stuff, really. However, Emery has been told he can reinvest a significant portion of the money raised from player sales.

Unsurprisingly, then, Emery is ready to offload a number of current starts to extend his market influence in an exodus of biblical proportions. Shkodran Mustafi is one player Arsenal fans will probably be happy to see at the top of the hitlist, while £350,000-a-week Mesut Ozil and £180,000-a-week Henrikh Mkhitaryan are due to be disposed of also.

No qualms from fans here, we are sure.

However, they may be a little more concerned with the departure of winger Danny Welbeck. The former Manchester United man sits on an estimated £80,000 a week and is set to be released at the end of his contract. The Englishman may not be the best player at the Emirates, nor the most reliable owed to a number of injuries, but he performs his job off the bench very well, and largely without complaint.

Players like this are not easy to come by.

Indeed, by allowing the England star to leave, Emery opens himself up to a whole new range of problems. He will need to find a relatively cheap player who possesses enough quality to take the team forwards but is also happy with spending extended periods of time on the bench. The individual must maintain themselves as well as Welbeck has despite a lack of action and be prepared to step in whenever necessary to cover. In essence, Emery needs the ultimate bench player – and that just is not an easy thing to find.

Arsenal fans, would you really be that happy with losing Danny Welbeck? Let us know in the comments below…

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The fight to stay in the Premier League took another twist on Tuesday night as 17th-placed Brighton and Hove Albion were beaten 2-0 at home by 18th-placed Cardiff City at the Amex Stadium, and fans of fellow relegation rivals Southampton were quick to issue their verdict on the Seagulls on Twitter.

Saints’ eight-point advantage from the bottom three was cut to five following the Bluebirds’ victory on the south coast, and unless Newcastle fail to pick up another point it appears as though it is still between the three aforementioned teams to see who will join Fulham and Huddersfield in the Championship next term.

The defeat for Chris Hughton’s men was their fifth on the bounce in all competitions without finding the net, and came after their humiliating 5-0 thrashing by Bournemouth on the same pitch just a few days earlier.

A Southampton fan shares his most gutting moment of the last 10 years supporting the Saints in the video below…

With tough fixtures against Tottenham, Arsenal and Manchester City still to come and with their confidence clearly shot, they may well be relying on Cardiff simply doing worse than they do in the remaining fixtures.

Southampton supporters have been having their say on the survival chances of their south coast rivals on social media, and they aren’t feeling optimistic for them.

While one said “Brighton have got no chance”, another said “tonight is it for Brighton”.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

When Newcastle centre-back, Florian Lejeune, collapsed in a heap following an innocuous looking challenge, fans immediately feared the worst for the player, who has suffered two previous long-term injuries in his short career on Tyneside.

The incident happened right next to the touchline, and when players from both sides, as well as fans in the front rows, are all immediately calling for a stretcher, you suspect it is something serious.

The problem was in the opposite knee to that which he suffered cruciate ligament damage to earlier this season, but the likely prognosis could be a similar issue.

The news out of Newcastle (confirmed on their official site) yesterday, was that the player would be going for a scan to determine the severity of the damage, but the signs did not look promising.

Rafa Benitez was still trying to find a bright side, when he said to the Newcastle Chronicle earlier: “For now, he is very down, we have to wait and see if he is a little bit lucky, but it looks serious.

“Hopefully it won’t be too serious. I think he is a strong character, he was working so hard to get fit and he will have that same determination this time.”

But both Rafa’s, and the fans’, worst fears were confirmed by the football club today, when they released a statement confirming Lejeune would miss the rest of the season through a “significant knee injury”, but did not provide any precise details of what that injury is.

Fans were quick to take to Twitter to react to the loss of, widely considered, their most influential defender, with concerns and well-wishes.

What are your thoughts on the loss of you key defender, Newcastle fans? Should Rafa now revert to four at the back, or will he put someone else in there? Let us know your thoughts…