Lots of Leeds fans have been running the rule over Marcelo Bielsa’s press conference, and they’re starting to suspect that Izzy Brown was a totally pointless signing after the gaffer’s latest comments.
There was plenty of big injury news for Leeds fans to take in on Thursday, as Phil Hay delivered an update on Jack Clarke while Kemar Roofe is eyeing a return before the end of the season.
Perhaps the most interesting fitness update was about Brown though, as the midfielder is still not ready to feature in the first team, or so it would seem.
“(He is making) constantly positive steps,” said Bielsa at his pre-Bolton press conference, as reported by Hay.
“We have to link his improvement to the needs of the team to see when he will start a game.”
Brown joined the Whites last summer on loan from Chelsea, but the midfielder was still recovering from a knee injury sustained in January 2018.
He has since returned to action for the Under-23’s, picked up another injury and then recovered again, finally appearing in a matchday squad for the first time against Middlesbrough.
Bielsa’s comments suggests he is no rush to get Brown back though despite the manager’s options becoming seriously depleted, so it is more than possible he simply doesn’t rate the 22 year-old.
At least that’s what the Twitter reactions down below think…
Tottenham Hotspur recently came through their second transfer window on the spin without signing a single player, and whilst the fans aren’t best pleased, the amount of players they’re being linked to (as per the Mirror) is promising. One of those players is David Brooks, and in this battle, we’ll be comparing the talented Bournemouth man to Dele Alli.
Reports emerged just after the end of the January window in The Daily Mail that Mauricio Pochettino and Daniel Levy could be prepared to part with £50 million to prise Brooks from Bournemouth after the 21-year-old hit the ground running in the Premier League. That fee is a touch more than the £5 million they parted with to bring in Dele Alli, but given his potential, it would be worth it.
DELE ALLI
Tottenham’s young attacking midfielder has proven everybody wrong since he made the move from MK Dons to Spurs in January 2015. The midfielder officially joined up with Spurs the following summer, and he was an instant sensation. Since his move he’s gone on to rack up 171 appearances for the North London club, scoring 53 goals and registering 45 assists in the process.
It’ll be a tough ask finding anyone who can match those numbers at the age of just 22-years-old and the fact that Alli saves his goals for big games is something that the Lilywhites love. His record against London rivals Chelsea is sublime, and his two goals against Real Madrid last season also showcase his ability to pull off magic moments in big games as he continues to rise as one of the hottest young players in the world.
TT GRADE: A+
DAVID BROOKS
It will be hard for any young player to manage to thrive when compared to a sensation like Dele Alli, yet David Brooks is doing a great job. Whilst Alli is predominantly an attacking midfielder, best used making late runs to support Harry Kane, Brooks has the diversity to be used as a winger as well as a central figure and he’d be a superb addition to Mauricio Pochettino’s squad.
After impressing for Sheffield United in the Championship last season, racking up 30 appearances with three goals and five assists at the age of just 20, Bournemouth took a punt on the youngster and parted with a reported £10 million for him. Already that’s looking like a wise investment, and if the reports are true of a £50 million bid for him this summer then both Tottenham and Bournemouth will be winning.
TT GRADE: B
TT VERDICT:
No one is saying that Brooks isn’t good enough or that he should be doing more as he’s been given a lower grade than Alli. The Bournemouth man has performed well above what was expected of him and has shone this season, but Dele Alli has been at it for longer and is the more polished article. There’s no doubting that Brooks and Alli would make superb partners in an exciting Spurs side, but for now, Alli edges this battle.
Many Leeds United fans have reacted to a tweet from journalist Phil Hay on the decision to turn the South Stand of Elland Road into a home end.
With football at a standstill due to the recent pandemic, football fans have been engaging with each other via social media, and journalists have also been discussing various club topics.
Hay, who is a Leeds United writer for The Athletic, is the latest to engage with fans, discussing the atmosphere at Elland Road, complimenting the club on the decision to change the South Stand from an away section back to a home section.
The South Stand sits 1,710 fans, and away fans will now be moving to an area of the West Stand.
Leeds sit first in the Championship and are on the verge of a return to the Premier League after 16 years away from England’s top flight (BBC Sport). Marcelo Bielsa’s side have been excellent this term, bouncing back after losing in the play-off semi-final last season to Derby County.
Reacting to Hay’s tweet, fans gave their opinion on the atmosphere at Elland Road:
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Tottenham Hotspur fans have all made the same point after the Deloitte Football Money League claimed that the club are the richest in London.
Spurs’ revenue for the 2018/19 season stands at £459.3m, leaving them eighth among European clubs.
The number comes after they earned £379.4m in 2017/18.
Indeed, Spurs are now ranked higher than Chelsea, Arsenal, Atletico Madrid and Juventus.
And supporters are baffled as to how they are not spending more than they currently are, aiming their ire at both ENIC and chairman Daniel Levy.
Of course, the supporters are right.
Spurs are behind only Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool when it comes to Premier League clubs and earning revenue.
The big fat Tottenham quiz of 2019 – how much do you remember about the last year at Spurs?
Yet there is frustration over the lack of proper squad depth at the club. They do not have a back-up striker, for example, with Harry Kane injured, while Moussa Sissoko’s injury has left a yawning chasm in midfield.
Spurs are closing in on the loan signing of Gedson Fernandes from Benfica and are trying to do a deal for Sporting’s Bruno Fernandes, per sources, but they face competition, ironically, from United.
An 18-month loan deal for Gedson, a player who is just 21 and is unproven at any sort of level, is not going to satiate the hunger of particular supporters for a big-money signing.
This information from Deloitte is only going to increase that frustration.
Meanwhile, Spurs fans have had their say on a potentially huge swap deal involving Christian Eriksen.
The Daily Star recently reported that Barcelona are considering making a move to sign Everton attacker Richarlison as a replacement for the ageing Luis Suarez.
The Brazilian forward only arrived at Goodison Park this summer, for an initial fee of £35 million, but with terms that could see the selling club, Watford, eventually receive £50 million. The switch saw the 21-year-old reunited with Toffees boss Marco Silva, who was in charge at Vicarage Road when Richarlison first came to England.
Former Wigan & Fulham man, Jimmy Bullard recently showed that he’s still got it! Check out the video below...
The 6-cap Brazil international has been in blistering form so far this season. He has already racked up eight goals and one assist in just fourteen Premier League outings. With that kind of return, it’s no wonder Barca are showing interest in the youngster.
It’ll certainly cost the La Liga giants to land their man though. Richarlison has a Transfermarkt valuation of £40.5 million, but many Toffees fans believe his true worth to be at least double that figure.
Of those who took part in our poll, 57% stated that they believe Richarlison to be worth more than £80 million. See the full results below.
Arsenal have endured a turbulent start to life under Unai Emery, losing their two opening fixtures before bouncing back to secure victories over West Ham and Cardiff City.
The Gunners invested significantly in the market to bring in the likes of Bernd Leno, Lucas Torreira and Sokratis Papastathopoulos but have failed to fill the void left by Alexis Sanchez’s January move to Manchester United.
As such, Emery’s side have been linked with a number of candidates to fill that role in their side and long-term interest is held in Boca Juniors’ ace Christian Pavon, who represented Argentina at the World Cup in Russia.
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We asked fans whether Emery should make the 22-year-old his priority in January and the results were a landslide, as a whopping 83% of polled supporters stated they believed that the Gunners should go all-out for his signature.
Signing Pavon would prove to be expensive as reports earlier this summer stated the South American side have raised his release clause to around £37m, while the Gunners could also face a stern fight in the market for his services.
As reported by The Daily Record, Rangers defender Bruno Alves has warned he could be forced to re-evaluate his career at the club if he’s not a first choice ahead of the World Cup next year.
What’s the story?
Alves’ place in the team has been intermittent in recent weeks, mainly due to the injury, but was placed on the bench by interim manager Graeme Murty shortly after Pedro Caixinha was sacked.
Now he’s warned that if he isn’t picked to play regularly, he could be forced to move on ahead of the World Cup in Russia, a tournament he’s hoping to make with Portugal.
As quoted by The Daily Record, Alves said:
I am still playing for the national team and I need to play. We have a World Cup soon and I need to play and be fit, to try and be at the World Cup. This is important for me. Not just to help Rangers but I also want to help myself to go to the World Cup. I am an ambitious person. I like to play. If I don’t have space here or if I don’t play, I need to think about my future or about what’s going to happen next.
Those are fairly ominous words ahead of the January transfer window and in the wake of a dramatic week off the pitch for Rangers, perhaps comments that are ill-timed. The last thing they need right now are more negative headlines.
Pressure on Murty
Graeme Murty has a hard enough job over the next month to ensure that Rangers don’t fall too far behind Celtic and pressure from senior players is wholly unneeded. When making his team selections he shouldn’t feel like he has to take into account someone’s personal international selection.
Alves has performed solidly for the Light Blues this season but with players like David Bates and Ross McCrorie coming through from the youth ranks, Murty has trusted players ready to give everything for the Rangers cause.
It’s on Alves to prove he is irreplaceable with performances on the pitch.
Leeds United have announced their first signing of the summer, but the supporters are not exactly bouncing off the ceiling.
Hadi Sacko has officially made his move to Elland Road permanent by signing a three-year contract.
Most of the club’s fans are rather underwhelmed considering that Sacko pretty much confirmed that he was staying put on Tuesday.
The 23-year-old winger joined the Championship club on loan last summer from Sporting Lisbon, and part of the deal included an option of a permanent contract.
The Yorkshire Evening Post claim that the club have paid between £1.5m and £2m to secure Sacko’s signature.
The winger, who made 42 appearances and scored two goals this season, is the first signing made under the new owner Andrea Radrizzani.
The transfer was completed despite the club not having a manager following the recent departure of Garry Monk.
Some fans seemed more concerned about the club’s managerial search than Sacko finalising his move, while others sarcastically expressed their shock at the transfer.
Manchester City go into their game against Borussia Monchengladbach knowing an away victory in Germany will see them through to the knockout stages.
The Citizens will be hoping to follow up their shock 3-1 win over Barcelona at the Etihad Stadium with a win at Borussia Park, and possibly put some pressure on the Spanish champions for top spot.
Before they do that however, they need to negotiate a tricky tie against the side that beat Celtic at home and came so close to frustrating Barcelona.
Monchengladbach were 1-0 up against Lionel Messi and co before Arda Turan and Gerald Pique turned the game on its head.
Pep Guardiola will also have to be wary of a side that he failed to beat in his last four tries as Bayern Munich manager, and one that will will be looking for revenge after being beaten 4-0 in their Group C opener.
Here are three men who could cause problems for the Citizens
MAHMOUD DAHOUD
Football – Borussia Monchengladbach v Manchester City – UEFA Champions League Group Stage – Group D – Stadion im Borussia-Park, Monchengladbach, Germany – 30/9/15Manchester City’s Yaya Toure in action with Borussia Monchengladbach’s Mahmoud DahoudAction Images via Reuters / Carl RecineLivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
The first man on our list is skilful playmaker Mahmoud Dahoud.
The 20-year-old will pose a threat to a fragile City backline with his direct dribbling and eye for a defence-splitting pass.
Dahoud is a bit of an all-rounder and does a fine job covering his defenders while his side isn’t in possession.
But it’s the German Under-21 international’s threat on the ball that Guardiola will be wary of after the youngster earned an assist against Barcelona.
THORGAN HAZARD
Despite leaving Chelsea having never played a game, Thorgan Hazard seems determined to emulate his older brother Eden’s impact on the European stage.
Hazard has come into his own this season, picking up four goals and two assists in seven league and European starts.
The Belgian has been used sparingly so far this season but with his clever dribbling, eye for a pass and goal threat you’d think they’ll call on him to face City.
LARS STINDL
Football Soccer – Manchester City v Borussia Monchengladbach – UEFA Champions League Group Stage – Group D – Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England – 15/16 – 8/12/15Borussia Monchengladbach’s Lars Stindl celebrates their first goalReuters / Darren StaplesEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
The top scorer of a side can always be seen as a threat, but you have to keep an extra eye on the player when they achieve the feat from midfield.
Lars Stindl has five goals this season despite featuring behind the strikers, and its his surging late runs into the box from deep that make him so difficult to pick up.
The Danish international has found the net in his last two Champions League games and will be hoping to make it three in a row when City come to town.
The focus will be on West Ham United’s Felipe Anderson and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah on Monday night when the Hammers welcome the Reds to the London Stadium in an important league clash for both sides.
Manuel Pellegrini will be hoping his team can put in a more disciplined performance against the league leaders following a disappointing 3-0 defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers last week.
This will require a better showing from Pellegrini’s main players, like Anderson, who has been a standout performer for the East London club this campaign.
Three defeats in as many games have seen West Ham struggling for consistency and despite the commitment from Marko Arnautovic to remain at the club for the remainder of the season, at least, a player like Anderson has failed to take responsibility when the team has had its back against the wall.
But, the quality of the 25-year-old will have any team in the competition a bit worried and Liverpool will need to be at their defensive best to keep him quiet come kick-off.
Anderson could particularly be dangerous to the Liverpool defence who are currently without Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez and if Jurgen Klopp decides to play Jordan Henderson at right-back again, Anderson could really fancy himself on the left-wing to cause them trouble.
With Manchester City breathing down Liverpool’s neck, following their 3-1 win over Arsenal on Sunday, Klopp will be ever reliant on the brilliance of Salah from now on to guide Liverpool through this challenging part of the season and maybe the Premier League crown.
Liverpool struggled to get going against Leicester City last week and will need the likes of Salah and Roberto Firmino to step-up and put West Ham to the sword.
However, it could be Anderson who has the last laugh.