Category Uncategorized

[ad_pod ]

Celtic fans are desperate to find out who will be in charge at Parkhead come the beginning of next season, and Chris Sutton thinks they should give the job to Neil Lennon.

It’s been a couple weeks now since Lennon replaced Brendan Rodgers at Celtic, and the dust has finally settled.

The Bhoys look a dead cert to win yet another league title as they chase ten in a row, and Lennon has proven that he was the perfect choice to take over at such short notice.

Looking ahead to next season though, there are plenty of discussions over who should take the helm, as Lennon is technically only at the club on an interim basis.

Sutton shared his view on the matter prior to Rangers’ match against Hibernian on Friday night.

What did he say?

“I actually think that he’s been there before, he knows the club well, they should appoint Neil as manager,” Sutton told BT Sport.

“If they don’t, it’s all going to be up in the air, Champions League qualifiers round again, big overhaul needed, and they have to start planning now. You have to start planning now.

“If they’re not going to appoint him now, they bring someone else in in the summer, it’s a mess.”

Short-sighted from Sutton?

Sutton’s final point is a poignant warning to Celtic, as the summer transfer window could be a complete and utter disaster if they take too long deciding on a new manager.

However, the club is always looking to go forward, as they were when they brought Rodgers to the club in the first place, and appointing a former manager like Lennon simply won’t allow them to do that.

Lennon was the right choice to take over on an interim basis, but the Bhoys should not settle for domestic dominance, and hiring Lennon would be to do just that.

As long as they sort the switch quickly at the start of the summer, allowing the new boss plenty of time to work with and transform his squad, the Hoops should ignore Sutton’s verdict on this one.

West Ham United have frustrated their fans this year with another disappointing season that has come to nothing, and we’re beginning to wonder if there’s some players in the squad who have lost faith in the club’s future.

Manuel Pellegrini’s arrival should have indicated the start of a new era for West Ham, with all his experience of Premier League success as Manchester City manager, but he’s had relatively little of it.

Yes, it’s been an improvement on a bitterly disappointing season under ineffective David Moyes, but just about anything would have beaten the misery of his rule.

Fans could probably let slip inconsistencies in the Premier League whilst Pellegrini figures out the formula; but their whimpering and pathetic performances in the domestic cups are unforgivable, and it is blatantly obvious that some of those resulted from the efforts of certain individuals.

So, who are these wantaway players?

Pedro Obiang

Whether he likes it or not Pedro Obiang could be one of those heading out of the door come summer.

With Declan Rice tied down to the club, West Ham will be keen on finding a solid partner to help create a formidable midfield partnership, and Obiang simply does not make the cut.

Obiang was already close to leaving with Fiorentina reportedly interested in taking the player back to Italy this January, but West Ham rejected the bid as they couldn’t find a replacement, so it is only a matter of time before he is moved on (source: Sky Sports).

Andy Carroll

The big forward’s time at West Ham is surely coming to an end now with a far more accomplished array of strikers ahead of him in the selection.

According to Chronicle Live, the club made his services available for the cut price of £2m in January in the hopes of tempting bids from fellow Premier League sides. To no avail.

There comes a point when footballers have to reflect on the time they have left in the game, and Carroll, 30, will certainly be weighing up his future options.

[ad_pod ]

After the apathetic end to Arsene Wenger’s reign, this season has been one of progress for Arsenal. For starters, they have a genuine chance of finishing in this season’s top four, but performances as well as results have seen an uplift – Unai Emery has insisted upon a more energetic, aggressive and tactically versatile mantra since taking the reins in the summer.

While Arsenal have impressed as a collective though, our writers have sought to answer one key question – which individual has shown the most improvement? Read their verdicts below…

Harry Sherlock – Alex Iwobi

“Alex Iwobi is perhaps the most improved player at Arsenal this season. He is not the most technically gifted player at the club but he has the work rate and the tenacity to ensure he becomes a major star. Across the next couple of seasons, Emery would be wise to build around him – Iwobi has a very particular skillset and is only likely to get better.”

Billy Meyers – Granit Xhaka

“Granit Xhaka has matured a fair bit this season, and is starting to become a more reliable presence in the middle of the park rather than the liability he has been in previous campaigns, and even the start of the current season to be honest. The Swiss international is starting to cut out silly errors in his game, and has shown his willingness to work for the team by playing in a number of positions this season, including left-back.”

The North London Derby of 2008 may never be matched for drama. Lewis from Norwich City Central explains why it’s his all time favourite derby in the video below…

Will Jones – Sead Kolasinac

“Honourable mentions for Iwobi, Alexandre Lacazette and Rob Holding, but Sead Kolasinac deserves this recognition. The Bosnian powerhouse was an absolute liability this season. This time around, though, he’s come on leaps and bounds defensively, whilst retaining his threat in the final third. Many, including myself, had written him off somewhat, but he is now central to Emery’s plans and may even legitimately represent a better option ahead of Mr. Consistent, Nacho Monreal.”

Harry Elnaugh – Alexandre Lacazette

“Lacazette has been brilliant this season and, if he can get into the positions Aubameyang does a little more regularly, he will surely be a fixture up front. The former Lyon man is a far better footballer than Aubameyang and looks set to exceed his tally of 14 goals from last season – he currently has 12 to his name with nine games to go. Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Holding have also come on leaps and bounds but the former has only done so in recent weeks while the latter has been set back frequently by injuries.”

[ad_pod ]

Leicester have completed the signing of Youri Tielemans from Monaco, with the midfielder joining on a loan deal until the end of the season as reported by the club’s official Twitter account.

What’s the word, then?

The Belgian international arrives at the King Power Stadium, with the out-of-favour Adrien Silva moving to Ligue 1 as part of the deal. Tielemans has scored five goals in 20 Ligue 1 appearances for 19th-placed Monaco this season, proving to be one of the few bright lights in what has been an otherwise uninspiring season for the French club.

The 21-year-old was very highly-rated at Anderlecht, so his arrival at the King Power Stadium could be viewed as somewhat of a coup for Claude Puel and Leicester, and he should offer a lot more than Silva ever did for the club.

Be sure to check out the incredible story of the man who rose from a Tanzanian refugee camp to become one of Australia’s biggest football stars in the video below…

Tielemans was also linked with Arsenal, Newcastle and West Ham, so the Midlands-based club have done well to fight off the competition to get him into a Blue shirt.

Who could be under threat from his arrival?

Well, the young Belgian can play in a centre-attacking midfield role, or slightly deeper as a centre-midfielder, so he could realistically threaten any of the Foxes’ current midfield options.

James Maddison and Demarai Gray have started the last couple of games on the wing,  with Marc Albrighton also in the attacking trio behind Jamie Vardy. One would assume that Albrighton would be the one to drop out, given the significance of having Maddison and Gray in the side behind Vardy.

Tielemans has an impressive long-shot and a fantastic eye for goal, so it would be wise of Puel to drop the slightly limited Albrighton in favour of a more exciting option that would keep defenders on their toes.

The Belgian international, sat behind Vardy, with the aforementioned duo of Maddison and Gray either side of them would arguably be one of the best quartets outside the top six.

Ibrox, the home of Glasgow Rangers, is one of football’s oldest and most historic stadiums.

The Gers have played there since they were founded in 1872, although it hasn’t always looked as it is now. Whilst it may not be as big as either Celtic Park or Hampden Park, it is still one of the grounds that is known across the world as being the home of the 54-time Scottish champions.

With the current pandemic, there is plenty of time for supporters of all clubs to fill, and that gap has led to Twitter page RangersHistory sharing photos of the Argyle House. In 1990, it was added to Govan Stand after eight months of work to get it completed.

It hasn’t taken long for the club’s supporters to react to the images – but they don’t appear to be fans of the stand in its current form. They have taken to the social media platform to share their thoughts, and you can see some of the best comments below.

Let us know what you think!

Celtic extended their lead at the top of the SPFL to seven points on Sunday afternoon with a 4-1 victory over Hamilton.

The hosts were penned into their own half during the second 45 minutes as the Hoops pressed and probed for a breakthrough, and they eventually got the goal they were deeply craving courtesy of a fine finish from Christopher Jullien.

The towering central defender temporarily assumed the role of an auxiliary striker and opened up his body to caress a volley into the far corner following a low cross from Ryan Christie.

It was a devilish finish at a perfect time but concerns over his defensive prowess manifested during the course of the game.

Indeed, fans on Twitter were eager to point out his difficulty in dealing with Marios Ogboe’s physicality and made that point clear on social media.

This supporter was left so frustrated by the 26-year-old’s struggle to deal with his opposite number that he went as far to suggest that Celtic overpaid with their £7m deal.

Elsewhere supporters expressed similar complaints in their droves.

He may well have scored the vital breakthrough goal to put the visitors in front but it seems he will need to improve his ability to deal with powerful centre-forwards in order to fully win over the entirety of the fanbase.

Finally, one fan incorporated Rangers into his analysis by suggesting the signing of Florian Kamberi on deadline day was made to expose Jullien’s key weakness.

Newcastle fans will be encouraged by their side’s performance despite losing to Tottenham at the weekend.

Spurs pinched a narrow 1-0 victory at Wembley after a Martin Dubravka error in the 83rd minute allowed Son Heung-Min to score the only goal of the game. Despite being unable to build on the win against Manchester City, there was plenty of reason to be optimistic after a decent display against Mauricio Pochettino’s men.

Benitez has his January signings to welcome into the starting eleven with Antonio Barreca making his debut from the bench. The £20m addition of Miguel Almiron will prove to be the difference maker for the Magpies. If the Paraguay international can display his magic, staying in the Premier League shouldn’t be a problem.

Turning his attention to the summer transfer window, Benitez should be keeping tabs on Huddersfield star – Philip Billing. Valued at £6.3m by Transfermarkt, the Dane joined the club in 2013 and progressed through the youth ranks to become an important member of the first-team. Huddersfield’s time in England’s top division looks to be coming to an end after registering just 11 points so far this season and Biling is likely to be snapped up.

The 22-year-old is a giant on the pitch and his presence in the engine room would give the Magpies some much-needed grit. Despite his size, Biling is also quality in possession and would thrive alongside Jonjo Shelvey. Still improving and developing, the Denmark international has massive potential and with his contract set to expire in 2020, he could be available for a great price.

Biling has already proven himself in the Premier League and could be the man to unlock Almiron in the Magpies attack.

Newcastle fans, thoughts?

Football Manager 2019 was released on November 2nd this year, and here at Football FanCast we’ve delved into the depths of the most detailed version of the game ever to find some of the best wonderkids available on your Juventus save.

Whether those youngsters are already described by the media as wonderkids, or if they need a helping hand to reach their potential, bringing a player from the youth setup and moulding him into a first-team star has to be one of the most satisfying achievements in FM.

This year you can be more involved than ever in that development too as FM19 comes with a whole host of new features and updates. Most importantly for these young stars, managers can now use the brand new training schedule to optimise the work that each player is putting in – meaning it’s no longer good enough to send young players out on loan and pray that they play matches.

So, who are the young players you should be carefully tracking in the Juventus squad? Click through our gallery to find out.

At the start of your save, Petrelli will be a 16-year-old striker on a youth contract. However, his 13 dribbling, finishing and heading prove that if developed he has the potential to become a top goalscorer.

The Italian U19 international was signed from A.C. Cesena’s youth setup but his former club have since gone bankrupt and folded.

Age: 16

Value: £60k

Wage: £230 p/w until 30/06/2021

Nationality: Italian

Best position: Striker (Centre)

Another striker, Kean is a couple of years ahead of Petrelli but is every bit as exciting. The 18-year-old spent last season on loan with Hellas Verona and is an Italian U21 international.

On FM19, his all round stats are hugely impressive but his 18 natural fitness and 15 determination certainly stand out.

Age: 18

Value: £2.5m

Wage: £17.5k p/w until 30/06/2022

Nationality: Italian

Best position: Striker (Centre)

Left-back Rogerio looks like a ready-made replacement for Alex Sandro. The 20-year-old already has 15 acceleration and agility as well as 16 flair, so he’ll certainly be a force to be reckoned with when bombing up the left-hand side.

You’ll have to wait a year to use him though as the Brazilian is on a season-long loan at fellow Serie A side Sassuolo.

Age: 20

Value: £3.9m

Wage: £11.75k p/w until 30/06/2020

Nationality: Brazilian

Best position: Defender (Left)

Aston Villa have endured a turbulent start to the season, struggling for consistency in the league and suffering a premature exit from the Carabao Cup in midweek.

While Steve Bruce’s side remain amongst promotion chase, the performances of the Villans have not seen last season’s defeated play-off finalists ranked as the favourites to seal a return to the Premier League this term.

Villa are likely to be extremely active in the transfer market as they seek to complete final pieces of business before the European transfer window and loan windows slam shut on Friday, with departures on the cards as well as arrivals.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”285457″ player=”12034″ title=”Rafa’s Pub Facts Theatre Of Screams & The Serb As Good As Salah”]

Andre Green has seen his exit from Villa Park confirmed after sealing a deal to join League One promotion hopefuls Portsmouth on loan for the remainder of the campaign, earning a mixed response from fans on social media.

We have gathered some of the best reactions to Green’s loan exit below.

[ad_pod ]

Newcastle United will be given £500m over the next two years to spend on players if a proposed takeover goes through, according to The Express.

What’s the word?

Since current owner Mike Ashley officially put the club up for sale, speculation over the outfit’s future has gone into overdrive.

Businesswoman Amanda Staveley, who fronts PCP Capital Partners and is known for her work with Middle Eastern investors, is overseeing a potential takeover.

According to The Express, the new owners are expected to hand over £500m to use in two years’ of transfer windows in a bid to push the Magpies to a position where they can challenge for the Premier League title.

The report adds that Andros Townsend could be on the list of candidates, despite the winger leaving Newcastle after just six months following the club’s relegation to the Championship at the end of the 2015-16 season.

The England international joined Crystal Palace, but the Eagles may be open to selling the 26-year-old for around £30m.

Could an injection of cash transform Newcastle?

The staggering figure being reported is certain to push the North-East outfit in the right direction.

With the help of Abu Dhabi billionaires, Manchester City have become a force in the Premier League, but it took a number of years for them to establish themselves among the elite.

Rafael Benitez is the calibre of manager that can challenge for a title with the right team, but even if the club are handed a £500m transfer kitty over two years, they will not suddenly become contenders.

Newcastle fans are hugely passionate about their club and due to the size and stature of it, expectation is high.

If a new owner brings with them bundles of cash, then that expectation level will rise significantly, which could cause problems if the club fail to match it.

The important thing for Newcastle fans is to stay realistic and understand that there will be a big transition period to go through if a new owner takes over.