All posts by h79snht.top

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Even though he made 17 Championship appearances for the club last season, not many Sunderland fans would have expected 19-year-old striker Josh Maja to be their main man in League One this term – but that is proving to be the case.

Following the Black Cats’ relegation, the Stadium of Light faithful would have been expecting to see some new faces up front with the teenager playing back-up, but instead he has already proven he could be their talisman in their bid to return to the Championship at the first time of asking.

The attacker has netted seven times and provided a further assist in nine League One appearances to date – a much better return than the one goal he managed in the division above last season, albeit if many of his outings came from the substitutes’ bench for a struggling side.

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With his current contract due to run out next summer the Wearside outfit will be keen to tie Maja, who appears keen to stay according to The Chronicle, down to a new deal as he has already shown he can be a prolific goalscorer for them, and it would also boost how much he is worth, too.

Given his tender years, current form and the potential he clearly has for the future, Sunderland shouldn’t be afraid to value their surprise hero at more than £15m should he commit his future to the club – especially as the 24-year-old Jack Marriott joined Derby County from Peterborough United in a deal that could total £5m during the summer having been the top goalscorer in League One last term.

So, Sunderland fans, how much do you think Maja is worth? Let us know by voting on our poll below…

Tottenham supporters have been reasonably satisfied in recent times after seeing their team get back to winning ways with victory in the Premier League at the weekend.

Mauricio Pochettino’s men went into their meeting with lowly Cardiff City off the back of losing 4-2 to Barcelona in the Champions League on Wednesday night, thus leaving the North Londoners with no points from their first two group stage matches. Yet things are a lot better for Spurs in the Premier League at present as Eric Dier’s strike was enough to seal a narrow 1-0 win over Neil Warnock’s Bluebirds at Wembley on Saturday, a result which moved Pochettino’s team to within two points of top spot.

Thus, there have been many happy Tottenham fans up and down the country in recent times, several of whom have been praising the efforts of midfielder Dier in netting the all-important goal against the South Wales club at the weekend.

Yet it was far from a vintage display from Pochettino’s side at the national stadium at the weekend, with it arguable that defender Toby Alderweireld, who earns £80,000 a week as per Spotrac, was their unsung hero at Wembley on Saturday.

The centre back has forced his way back into Pochettino’s first team plans this term after struggling for regular football last time round, and he is certainly showing his worth in the early stages of this season, including an excellent display against Cardiff at the weekend.

The Belgium international had 81 touches of the ball and completed 61 of the 71 passes he attempted over the course of the 90 minutes, thus underlining that he was often in the game seeking to make an influence, helping Spurs to 76% possession during the match.

But in scoring after just eight minutes, there was always the concern that Cardiff could get themselves back into the match with just one attack, moment of brilliance, or Tottenham mistake, but Alderweireld helped to keep things very solid indeed at the back, including making a vital clearance off the line in the first half.

In fact, the 29-year-old won both of the tackles he attempted over the course of the match and made six clearances overall, and while he didn’t deal brilliantly aerially in winning just one of his three duels in the air, he more than made up for that by dominating on the ground.

Special mentions must also go to goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, who made a fine save late on to preserve the three points, and indeed Alderweireld’s centre back partner Davinson Sanchez, whose team-high 11 clearances also underlined his alertness and concentration in helping Pochettino’s team see the game out.

Yet it was the display of Belgian star Alderweireld which hasn’t really hit the headlines in recent times, which is why he was their unsung hero in victory over Warnock’s Cardiff on Saturday.

Tottenham fans… what do you think? Let us know!

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According to the Daily Express, Tottenham Hotspur are targeting Manchester United’s Eric Bailly as a potential January signing.

Bailly has endured a torrid time at Old Trafford so far this season, epitomised in the Red Devils’ last match, against Newcastle United, when Jose Mourinho hauled off the defender with just 19 minutes played and two goals already conceded.

The 24-year-old looks bereft of confidence and has been out of form for a while. A change of scenery could well be what he needs to revitalise his career. 

Since arriving in England in the summer of 2016, when United paid around £30 million to secure his services, Bailly has failed to consistently live up to his price tag, and as such, must so far be viewed as a major flop signing.

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That being said, the 31-cap Ivory Coast international has shown flashes of his true talent and ability. It could be that he would flourish under a different management style to that imposed by Mourinho. Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino may well back himself to be able to get the best out of Bailly – that would be a significant gamble though.

Spurs would likely have to splash the cash in order to prise Bailly, who has a Transfermarkt valuation of £31.5 million, away from Old Trafford. Given the hefty fee that would almost certainly be required, and Bailly’s poor form, this doesn’t seem to be a risk worth taking on Spurs’ part. 

However, if the North London club get the chance to land Bailly at a bargain price, he could represent a smart bit of business. All of which begs the question, how much is Bailly actually worth?

What do you think, United fans – what would you call a fair price for Bailly?

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Adam Reach recently won the PFA Fans’ Championship Player of the Month for September award, and we want to know just how much Sheffield Wednesday fans think he is worth based on his current form.

The 25-year-old winger has netted four times and provided two assists in 12 appearances across all competitions so far this season, helping the Owls to the play-off places in the Championship despite a turbulent summer that included a transfer embargo until just before the loan deadline.

It was in the summer of 2016 that Wednesday signed the former England U20 international though, as they parted with £5m to bring him in from Middlesbrough.

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Recently, Reach netted two absolute screamers in the space of a week as Leeds and West Brom both found out just how dangerous his left-foot can be from range, and the Englishman must now be worth at least £15m, meaning that if bigger clubs do ever come circling Wednesday will at least see an impressive return on their investment.

For now though, we just want to know how much Sheffield Wednesday fans would value Reach at? Have your say by voting in the poll below.

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Rafa Benitez is to go from a defensive headache to joy as the international break ends with Paul Dummett returning from injury.

The key Newcastle United left-back has missed the Tyneside club’s last two fixtures, at home to Leicester City and away to Manchester United, with the Magpies going on to lose both ties.

Dummett initially still faced an international call-up for UEFA Nations League matches over the break, but pulled out of Ryan Giggs’ Wales squad without playing a minute in order to receive further treatment to his hamstring strain.

The return of Dummett will bring joy to Benitez, as the Spaniard will have a key figure in the St James’ Park ranks back amongst his options for the visit of Brighton to the northeast.

Premier Injuries mark the Newcastle born defender at a 75% chance of playing at the weekend for the Toon, who called on his services in every game this season until injury struck.

Returning ever-present

Having been an ever-present member of Benitez’s team this season before developing the thigh injury, his absence triggered a question for the Spaniard on who could feature in his place.

The 22-year-old Kenedy initially stepped in at left-back having previously been utilised in midfield, but this lasted just one match before right-back Manquillo was brought in to the fold in his place.

The makeshift nature of Dummett’s replacements highlights the need at Newcastle for the Welshman’s return, with no clear alternative at the ready.

Should Newcastle find themselves in a repeat of last year, when the man capped three times by his country was ruled out for 16 matches through a hamstring injury, the January market must be used on Tyneside.

Rare to be a short absence

Dummett’s two-match hiatus signals a glimmer of fortune at St James’ Park, for all but one of the Welshman’s previous spells out have proved lengthy.

The 16-match  spell on the sidelines last season was the 27-year-old’s fifth hamstring injury of his career, having also suffered an injury to his knee back in 2015.

Excluding his current absence, 292 days have passed with the left-back unable to play, missing 33 matches in total.

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Fernandinho appeared to be suffering from burnout at the beginning of the Premier League campaign after competing in the World Cup with the Brazil national side, but the consistently reliable midfield anchor has been back to his best in recent weeks.

Indeed, suggestions that Fernandinho was edging towards his expiry date have been firmly quashed following a string of fine performances in the midfield engine room.

Fernandinho seems intent on defying the laws of science to sweep up in-front of the back-four whilst simultaneously providing a genuine force of dynamic attacking intent from deep.

It’s a perfect blend which screams of a Pep Guardiola lynchpin, and his success in the role is certainly not a feat which can be emulated overnight.

Whoever is signed to replace Fernandinho will need to adapt to Guardiola’s principles and satisfy his expectations in arguably the most integral role within his complex system, but the identity of the ideal successor is far from conclusive at this stage.

City missed out on Jorginho in the summer and Txiki Begiristain has been forced to return to the drawing board to breakdown his most fundamental and pressing transfer objective.

Whilst City do not need to take risks in the transfer market given their dominance in English football, there is reason to suggest that a risky move into the market could be in their best financial interests.

The risky transfer in question is a potential move for infamous troublemaker Adrien Rabiot – a player whose future has been called into question once more following his omission from PSG’s starting eleven against Marseille last Sunday (as per Goal).

According to the report from Goal, Thomas Tuchel left both Rabiot and Kylian Mbappe on the substitutes bench as they arrived late to his pre-match briefing ahead of the fixture.

The story surrounding Rabiot merely represented another chapter in the tale of his controversial past, as he found himself in the spotlight prior to the World Cup when he refused to feature on the standby list for Didier Deschamps’ 23-man squad.

History would suggest that Rabiot is a player Guardiola should avoid, but with his contract due to expire in June 2019 it would certainly be foolish to rule out a move at this stage.

After all, Guardiola’s history in football management is littered with examples of his ability to transform both the attitude and performances of talented players, and if anybody possesses the skill set to put Rabiot on the straight and narrow then it’s certainly the Spanish mastermind.

Rabiot has the exceptional technical quality which Guardiola demands from all of his outfield players and, with the right level of training, he could blossom into one of the world’s most effective holding midfielders.

With PSG’s fear of losing Rabiot for free guaranteed to creep in during the January window, City have the ideal opportunity to pull off a mid-season transfer gamble which could prove to be a genius piece of business – providing Guardiola can transform the French midfielder’s mentality, of course.

Man City fans – thoughts? Let us know below!

Everton supporters have been in high spirits in recent times after seeing their side record a fifth Premier League victory of the season at the weekend.

Marco Silva’s men went into their encounter with Brighton on Saturday off the back of losing 2-1 at Manchester United in their previous league outing, and thus seeking to bounce back at Goodison Park against Chris Hughton’s Seagulls. And they did just that as a brace from Richarlison alongside a Seamus Coleman strike inspired the hosts to a 3-1 success on Merseyside, a result which kept them in ninth place in the Premier League table, although they are now just a point behind eighth place Watford.

Thus, there have been many thrilled Evertonians up and down the country in recent times, several of whom have been singing the praises of defender Kurt Zouma, who has slowly but surely become a vital member of Silva’s starting eleven at Goodison Park.

And after another commanding display on Saturday, director of football Marcel Brands must seek to pull off another transfer masterstroke by luring the £18 million-rated ace (as per Transfermarkt) to Everton on a permanent basis.

Ultimately, the 24-year-old made the move to the Toffees during the summer transfer window on loan from Premier League giants Chelsea, what with first team football likely to be a problem for defender under Maurizio Sarri at Stamford Bridge.

Yet he has been a regular under Silva at Everton in starting each of their last eight games in the Premier League, in which time Zouma has helped the club to two clean sheets as well as four victories to underline just how integral he has become in the Toffees team.

And the centre back, who can also play at right back, further emphasised his quality with another dominant display alongside Michael Keane in the heart of the Everton defence on Saturday, as although a 3-1 scoreline suggests a comfortable afternoon for Silva’s side, it was anything but.

Hughton’s Brighton got back to level terms 12 minutes before half time and proceeded to give Everton something to worry about going forward, but messrs Zouma and Keane were more than equal to the task, be it dominating aerially or on the floor.

And with Zouma very composed with the ball at his feet as well, the 24-year-old has all the traits to go on and become a seriously accomplished centre back in the Premier League – one that Everton must try and sign on a permanent deal.

Yes, luring him away from Chelsea is likely to prove troublesome for the Toffees, but Brands was able to convince the likes of Bernard, Yerry Mina, and Andre Gomes, the latter two from Barcelona, to join Silva’s project at Goodison Park – the same could well happen with Zouma.

And given how impressive the France international has already been at Goodison Park, it’s a move they must seek to make in the near future.

Everton fans… what do you think? Let us know!

Despite his qualities, there is no doubting that Willian is one of Chelsea’s most inconsistent players. On any given day you don’t know what Willian you’re going to get. It might be the dazzling, creative and energetic Willian, it could be the defensive and hardened Willian – or it could be the Willian that tends to fade into the background.

For a big game, and especially in such a crucial position, you can’t afford to rely on players that don’t always deliver, and so for Chelsea, Willian is a player that is expendable. Not to mention, at 30-years-old, the Brazilian is no longer the plucky young player that he was when he moved to Stamford Bridge.

Convienelty then, RAC 1 (via SPORT) are reporting that Barcelona could be willing to part with Ousmane Dembele, and he’s the sort of player that Chelsea should certainly aspire to land.

The 21-year-old, who is rated at £72 million by Transfer Markt, earned his big money move to Barcelona purely on his talent; and he has plenty of it. Electric on the ball, technically gifted, and lethal, Dembele emerged as one of Europe’s best whilst he was at Borussia Dortmund. An incredibly offensive and creative midfielder, Dembele is able to create magic out of nothing, and the prospect of him linking up with Eden Hazard is a frightening thought for fans.

Not to mention, at just 21-years-old, he’s a player for the present and the future too.

Now, granted, he clearly has some kind of attitude issue that has stunted his growth at Barcelona, but that’s something that taskmaster Maurizio Sarri could help him move on from – and thereafter the results would be massive. He’d be a great signing.

Thoughts?

In Celtic’s press conference before their crunch Europa League clash with RB Leipzig, Brendan Rodgers had a lot to say.Â

A loss to the German outfit at Celtic Park tonight will leave The Bhoys in a very precarious position, with qualification to the next round looking very slim.

However, Rodgers used this situation his team are in to leave a slightly cryptic message possibly directed at the likes of Chief Executive Peter Lawwell.

This is what he said in the press conference:

Now on one hand, Rodgers may have been saying that he is realistic in Europe with regards to his team’s poor position in their group. RB Leipzig and Red Bull Salzburg are two impressive teams, and with both of them ahead of The Hoops in their group, Rodgers’ work is cut out for him. Having said this, Celtic will qualify for the next round with three wins.

On the other hand, when Rodgers says that he is realistic, he may be talking about his club’s chances in Europe in general. For a long time, the manager has been critical of the Celtic’s spending and investment, and was quite vocal after the team crashed out of the Champions League in the qualifying stages.

Rodgers may legitimately not have a lot of hope for his side in Europe as he simply believes that they are underresourced to match some of the bigger clubs.

This is something that can be taken either way, but given Rodger’s displeasure with his board’s spending policy, don’t be surprised if this was a dig at those in charge.

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With 20-year-old Konstantinos Mavropanos back in training since the start of November, coupled with Shkodran Mustafi’s ever inconsistent form, Arsenal fans wouldn’t be against seeing the Greek defender replace the German international.

What’s the word, then?

Well, The Sun have reported that both Mavropanos and Laurent Koscielny will be back involved in first-team action towards the end of the month, signalling a big boost from a defensive point of view for Unai Emery.

Mustafi has started all 12 of the Gunners’ Premier League games this season, in which they have conceded 15 goal. Whilst that record isn’t too bad, the former Everton man’s erratic defending, however, has cost his side some valuable points.

Brainlessly, the 26-year-old flew into the tackle on Cheikhou Kouyate against Crystal Palace, conceding a penalty which helped the Eagles to an unlikely point.

It is not the first time that Mustafi has had a moment of madness, and whilst he appears in control most of the time, it is these moments that are making his team lose ground in the title race.

Should Mavropanos come straight in?

Whilst the 6′ 3″ centre-back is very young and very inexperienced, he has impressed when called upon in his short career at the Emirates.

He was drafted in by Arsene Wenger to make three starts towards the end of last season, where he impressed hugely on his debut at Old Trafford. A comfortable 5-0 win against Burnley followed, although he received a red card on his last start for the club against Leicester.

However, the potential is there for all to see. Emery seems keen to give youth a chance as he has done with Matteo Guendouzi so far this season, and for as long as Mustafi’s ineptitude continues, Mavropanos can stake a claim for a long awaited start with his performances in training.