All posts by z3u9t.icu

Leeds United have made some huge mistakes in the transfer market over the years.

The sale of Kasper Schmeichel should haunt Leeds to this day while the club’s failure to land John McGinn back in 2018 can only be described as a disaster.

However, there is one former Leeds man who is doing a decent job in the Premier League that shouldn’t be ignored, and that man is Billy Sharp.

Sharp, signed by Dave Hockaday in the summer of 2014, has scored goals in pretty much every division in England. In fact, he has scored more goals than any other player in this country since the turn of the millennium, but for one reason or another it didn’t quite work out for him at Leeds.

Indeed, he scored just five goals in 35 games for the Whites before being sold to Sheffield United, but since re-joining the Blades for £500k he’s been electric.

He’s scored 94 goals since leaving Leeds for just £500k and United have had their fair share of striker problems since then.

Patrick Bamford massively underperformed his xG last season, while United had the worst conversion rate of any team during the 2018/19 season by some way, a season in which Sharp scored 23 league goals.

You can understand exactly why Leeds were linked with bringing him back to the club back in January, and former United ace Danny Pugh thought it was an excellent idea at the time, saying:

“He’s proven. He’s definitely proven at that level, he’s got a great goalscoring record, and he’s been promoted several times, so I can see why he’s being linked.”

We’re not saying that Sharp would now be a better option than Bamford or Rodrigo at Leeds, but perhaps the Whites would have been promoted a little bit sooner if they had a finisher like Sharp in their ranks during times when goals were hard to come by, and perhaps he’d still do a job for them now as a poacher to come off the bench.

Watching a player you sold for just half a million pounds score 94 goals in just over five seasons has to hurt, and Leeds may have been better off giving him more of a chance at Elland Road.

Watford host Newcastle United on Saturday lunchtime in what is a massive game for Nigel Pearson’s Hornets side, as they look for a vital three points to take them further away from the bottom three.

The Magpies themselves will be keen to get their season back on track after a heavy defeat in midweek against Manchester City. Steve Bruce will be looking to deliver the Toon’s biggest points haul in the Premier League since they were promoted in 2017.

No club in the Premier League has been impacted greater by the enforced suspension of football than Watford, who have seemingly lost the momentum they were generating since Pearson’s appointment.

It is a mammoth game for the Hornets, who realistically still need two wins to guarantee survival.

Form

Watford picked up a massive three points earlier this week, via Danny Welbeck’s spectacular winner against Norwich City. The victory put them four points clear of the bottom three and they will be hoping that they can replicate that performance and record back-to-back victories at Vicarage Road for the first time this season.

Newcastle, on the hand, have blown hot and cold throughout, where a thumping 4-1 victory over Bournemouth and a solid point against West Ham was followed by their worst defeat of the season at the hands of City.

The Toon have looked much better since the return of the Premier League and would be expecting to get at least a point out of this one.

Team news

Nigel Pearson has no new injuries to contend with following their win against Norwich, with Daryl Janmaat, Gerard Deulofeu and Isaac Success still sidelined.

The Magpies have further injury worries, with Miguel Almiron joining Allan Saint-Maximin, Isaac Hayden, Jamaal Lascelles and Sean Longstaff on the treatment table at St. James’ Park.

How to watch

Watford v Newcastle kicks off at 12:30 UTC at Vicarage Road and will be broadcast live on Amazon Prime, while fans can also live stream football online.

Tottenham Hotspur have signed Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg from Southampton.

Hojbjerg, 25, has signed a five-year deal after completing a medical on Monday and has become Jose Mourinho’s first summer recruit in the process.

Recent reports revealed Spurs had fallen short of Southampton’s demands for the 33-cap Denmark international, believed to be in the region of £25m, but both clubs have now reached an agreement.

The Danish midfielder scored five goals in over a hundred appearances for the Saints after arriving from Bayern Munich for £12.8m in 2016.

So, where will the new signing fit into Mourinho’s plans and could his arrival spell the end for Tanguy Ndombele?

Well, Hojbjerg will follow in the footsteps of Cesc Fabregas, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Xabi Alonso to play for the Portuguese and Pep Guardiola (via AS).

While he found his chances limited under the former Bayern Munich boss, Guardiola believed he was a midfielder in the mould of Barcelona legend Sergio Busquets, a player with great concentration, situational awareness, and someone who doesn’t shy away from a crunching tackle (or two).

Whereas Ndombele has struggled for consistency this season, Hojbjerg is a workhorse who can hit the ground running.

It’s an open secret that Mourinho is embroiled in a public spat with the club’s record signing, who has been tipped to leave north London this summer, amid interest from Inter Milan.

Although Hojbjerg arguably lacks the finesse the Frenchman possesses, as he made fewer dribbles on average per game than the the six-cap French international last term, his ability to recover the ball and regain possession sets him apart from his teammate.

He could turn out be a reliable asset as his injury history speaks for itself, which is more than can be said for Ndombele, who was ruled out for the rest of the season with a knee injury.

Mourinho has been looking for a defensive midfielder who can protect the back four and Hojbjerg could play a key part in the supply chain for Harry Kane and Son Heung-min. Ndombele’s future is unclear, as he hardly featured at all after the Premier League restart, and it seems as though his relationship with Mourinho is fractured beyond repair.

Despite his young age, the Dane may be a shrewd bit of business by Daniel Levy, as he has bags of experience on a domestic and international level. But his arrival could well push Ndombele further down the midfield pecking order.

Tottenham fans, do you think Hojbjerg will prove to be a good signing for Spurs? Let us know your views in the comments below!

Leeds United could be in line to land one of Marcelo Bielsa’s reported long-term targets this summer.

According to Football Insider, the Whites can sign Liverpool midfielder Harry Wilson for a cut-price with the Premier League front-runners set to listen to offers after a series of loan spells away from the club.

United have been keen on the 23-year-old in the two summer transfer windows in which the Argentine has been in charge, but instead, he joined Derby County and then AFC Bournemouth.

It is thought that the emergence of young prodigy Curtis Jones alongside the January arrival of Takumi Minamino means his game time at Anfield is likely to diminish even more.

Jurgen Klopp’s side valued him at £25m in the summer but it’s claimed that such fees are expected to be knocked down severely considering the financial implications of the global pandemic.

The report goes on to suggest that Bielsa sees the versatile attacking midfielder as ‘extremely talented’ with the potential to ‘develop into a star’.

Capped 13 times by Wales in his relatively young career to date, Wilson has been in decent form this campaign for the Cherries despite their struggles.

The Greatest Bargains in Premier League history – How much did they cost?

World Class score: 95% | Expert score: 80% | Veteran score: 65% | Intermediate score: 45% | Amateur score: 30% | Try Again: 5%

Per Transfermarkt, he has provided six goals and two assists in 27 appearances.

Bielsa could do with some depth, particularly out wide, as there aren’t many options outside regular duo Jack Harrison and Helder Costa – and there’s no guarantee the former will be around next season as he’s only at Elland Road on loan.

The 64-year-old appears primed to land his man at long last, should Andrea Radrizzani be able to get his wallet out this summer.

AND in other news, Leeds fans react as Phil Hay relays Premier League news…

Tottenham face stiff competition for Southampton star Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg as Ajax have now entered the race, amid interest from Everton. 

According to Voetbal International, Ajax are looking to steal a march on Spurs, as Hojbjerg has entered the final 12 months of his contract.

The Dane was stripped of the captaincy by Ralph Hasenhuttl after refusing to sign a new deal.

Spurs have been chasing the former Southampton captain for quite some time now, as Sky Sports revealed Jose Mourinho has made him one of his top targets in the summer.

The ex-Bayern Munich ace, who made 25 appearances for the Bundesliga champions, is represented by Pini Zahavi. His agent has been in discussions with the Lilywhites to hash out terms ahead of a potential move.

Mourinho has a strong relationship with Zahavi, which may make negotiations between the two clubs a whole lot easier.

The super-agent has been responsible for some of the biggest transfers in the world, as he helped to orchestrate Neymar’s world-record transfer from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain.

However, it won’t be plain sailing for Spurs, as Hojbjerg has worked with Erik ten Haag during his time in charge of Bayern Munich’s reserves.

The 24-year-old has played 30 games in the Premier League for the Saints this season, supplying one assist, taking 1.4 shots per game, averaging 1.5 interceptions and successfully completing 1.6 clearances on average (WhoScored).

Ajax are convinced this could play a big factor in their attempts to persuade the midfielder to move away from the South Coast.

Spurs have struggled to fill the void ever since Mousa Dembele left for China. Tanguy Ndombele hasn’t worked out as well as intended, as the club’s record signing has been involved in a public dispute with Mourinho.

Hojbjerg is strong on the ball, reads the game well, and is a powerful threat in the air. All of these qualities are exactly what Spurs have been looking for lately, and Levy must make every effort to sign him, no matter the cost.

Tottenham fans, should Daniel Levy sign Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in the summer? Let us know down below!

Amidst all of Liverpool’s recent successes both domestically and in European football, it is easy to forget Jurgen Klopp’s first few months in charge at Anfield.

The German of course has arrived in mid-season following the sacking of Brendan Rodgers, and whilst he has gone on to spend big-money on several high-profile players in the transfer market, Marko Grujic was the first player he brought to the club.

The midfielder joined from Serbian side Red Star Belgrade back in January 2016, and Klopp spoke glowingly of the kind of attributes he possesses. He said: “He’s a good boy, a young boy but plays an important role at the moment at Red Star, who are the best team in Serbia. He’s a tall boy, but quick and good at technical things. He can play passes and can dribble.”

Hilariously obscure Premier League players – Can you name them all?

World Class score: 95% | Expert score: 80% | Veteran score: 65% | Intermediate score: 45% | Amateur score: 30% | Try Again: 5%

But since then. Grujic has found first-team opportunities on Merseyside rather hard to come by. As per Transfermarkt, he has made just 14 appearances for the senior side, and it has been no surprise to see him spend time elsewhere in order to stay in rhythm.

And this season, whilst on loan at Bundesliga side Hertha Berlin, he has performed impressively. He has featured 22 times across all competitions, scoring three times and providing a further two assists, whilst his 6.91 average match rating places him sixth amongst all his teammates.

Watch Liverpool Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

The £16.2m-rated ace deserves at least one final chance to shine, and if he does make good on his opportunity, then it would save Klopp and Michael Edwards some major money in the transfer market this summer.

Grujic’s ability to play as a holding midfielder or further advanced makes him such a useful option to have, and as the Reds have seen with injuries to the likes of Fabinho and Jordan Henderson, having someone who is a natural in playing the deeper role can be a major blessing for them as they chase trophies in multiple competitions.

He may be out of the picture for now, but Grujic should be knocking on the first-team door at Anfield this summer.

Meanwhile, Liverpool fans react to this James Pearce tweet. 

Former England defender Danny Mills has said that Newcastle United must prioritise the signing of a striker this summer, in an interview with Football Insider.

What did he say?

Newcastle have struggled for goals this season, managing just 25 from their 29 matches so far, the joint-worst record in the entire Premier League.

Midfielder Jonjo Shelvey is their top scorer in the league with five goals, while summer signing Joelinton has managed just one goal from his 27 starts.

With goalscoring an obvious concern, Mills said that a new striker this summer needs to be the prospective new owners’ priority.

“A striker has to be the priority,” he told Football Insider.

“A couple of goalscorers is what they need.

“Joelinton simply has not done it. Almiron works hard but has not done it and if you want to climb higher up the table you have to score goals. Newcastle do not have a goal threat.

“Once the takeover is complete and people realise that they have got lots of cash then every man and his dog is going to be mentioned.

“Every agent is going to be on the phone thinking it is time to get involved and make some money and that is where Newcastle need the right people involved.”

Quiz: How much did Mike Ashley pay for these players?

World Class score: 95% | Expert score: 80% | Veteran score: 65% | Intermediate score: 45% | Amateur score: 30% | Try Again: 5%

Priorities

Newcastle have really been lacking in front of goal this season and the lack of prolific finisher is part of that, but a lack of creativity has also played a part.

Joelinton is definitely a player with potential but has not been used well by Bruce, while the fact that he has favoured a defensive 5-4-1 formation has limited his side’s attacking possibilities.

Celtic yesterday announced ticket information for the Betfred Cup final at Hampden Park next month, with the details posted on their official website and shared on Twitter via @CelticFC.

According to celticfc.net, tickets for the December 8th showpiece have been balloted among season ticket holders on the Home Cup Ticket Scheme whose payment was taken by direct debit for the games at Parkhead against Dunfermline and Partick Thistle in earlier rounds of the competition, and who bought a ticket under their own client reference for the semi-final win over Hibernian.

The club acknowledged on celticfc.net that they don’t have a sufficient ticket allocation to satisfy all members who meet the above criteria but appealed to supporters for “understanding” of the situation. There will not be any tickets on general sale for the Betfred Cup final against their rivals.

Many Celtic fans who have been unable to get tickets despite meeting the eligibility criteria have vented their anger at the arrangements on Twitter:

Do you sympathise with these Celtic fans who have missed out on tickets for the Betfred Cup final? Comment below with your views!

According to The Mirror (November 22, page 74), Leeds are interested in signing Burnley striker Matej Vydra, and the news has been met with a mixed reaction from supporters.

The potential deal is reportedly worth £7.5m and would allow the club to strengthen the attack, which is much needed given the lack of goals of Patrick Bamford and the recent injury to Eddie Nketiah.

Watch Leeds United Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

Vydra could be a good fit, too, having scored 21 league goals in his last Championship season, with one fan pointing out that Marcelo Bielsa had made the Norweigan his number one target when he arrived at the club.

His all-round play could allow him to score goals and connect play, but some fans hold doubts about the impact he would make, and also if the transfer has a realistic chance of happening, since Victor Orta claimed earlier this week that the winter window would be a quiet one.

[ad_pod ]

Here is some of the discussion that has been taking place in reaction to the latest report.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

After days of waiting and apparent discussions, Barcelona and Real Madrid have finally officially confirmed the new date of the first El Clasico of the season.

Even though it was supposed to be played this weekend, on 26 October at the Camp Nou, the unrest in Catalonia and safety issues have prevailed and we’ll have to wait a bit longer to see two of Spain’s best clash against each other.

Both Barcelona and Real Madrid have agreed that the big match should be on the 13th of December and at first, it does seem like a win-win scenario for both clubs.

Watch Spanish Football Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

After all, both teams have had a midweek Champions League match to play and both can now rest over the weekend and recuperate.

But as a whole, Real may gain much more from this situation despite Zinedine Zidane’s troops having to play three away games in a row come that time of the year.

The reason for that is simple – current form.

Looking strictly at the position both teams are currently in, the Blaugrana would be going into El Clasico as slight favourites.

Of course, just the fact that the venue for that clash will be Camp Nou definitely adds to the whole argument but Barcelona have won five games in all competitions in a row while keeping two clean sheets in the process.

Watch Lionel Messi and Gareth Bale answer the internet’s weirdest questions in the video below…

Not only that, but they have also managed to score 13 goals while only conceding two and they even leapfrogged Real Madrid in the Liga table along the way.

Los Blancos, on the other hand, have two wins, two draws and a defeat under their belts in the last five games, scoring seven goals and conceding five in the process.

Not to mention that both of their victories weren’t as convincing as Barcelona’s – a narrow 1-0 triumph over Galatasaray, their first in the ongoing Champions League campaign, and a 4-2 victory over Granada.

As things currently stand, Ernesto Valverde’s men do look like the better team and a more serious contender to take all three points from that clash.

Maybe Real Madrid can regain their sharpness and put a run of wins together. Maybe Barcelona will dip in form once again.

We won’t know until we get there but Real have an opportunity to build a head of steam now, something they simply didn’t have before. Zidane has every right to be delighted with this postponement.

Valverde on the other hand, not so much.