All posts by h79snht.top

As reported by The Daily Mirror, West Ham United are looking to add significant improvement to their attacking set-up with a move for Arsenal’s Lucas Perez.

What’s the word?

The Hammers’ striking woes have hampered their season. The lack of quality on show in the final third has been a noticeable reason for their inability to get close to where they were last term.

Poor results are piling on the pressure on Slaven Bilic and they badly need key signings in the summer or risk regressing further.

To that end, The Mirror reckon that they’re looking at Arsenal’s Lucas Perez to be the man that can bang in the goals next season.

Perez joined Arsenal for £17m last season and the Irons are ready to invest that much cash to move him across the city to the London Stadium, according to the report.

Is he the right man to turn around their fortunes? Or does his frustrating at the Emirates highlight he is not suited to Premier League football?

Is he the one?

With Alexis Sanchez, Theo Walcott, Olivier Giroud and Danny Welbeck ahead of him in the pecking order at Arsenal, there’s no shame to the fact he’s failed to get a regular start under Arsene Wenger this season.

His opportunities have been limited, given just 9 starts in an Arsenal shirt this season. Despite that he’s managed to bang in 7 goals, including a hat-trick in the UEFA Champions League, highlighting he possesses a quality that would enhance most Premier League teams. With 3 assists too, he could offer the kind of creativity in the final third that the Irons have been lacking in the final third.

Don’t forget too, he has a pedigree in La Liga, netting 17 times in 36 league matches for struggling Deportivo La Coruna last season, a key factor in helping them escape relegation.

Perhaps giving him the responsibility of ‘main man’ status at a club like West Ham would do wonders for him and allow him to recapture the form that saw him sign for Arsenal in the first place.

A move for the 28 year old Spaniard could be just what the Hammers have been crying out for.

There is not a major European club that has not been linked with a move for Anderlecht midfielder Youri Tielemans over the last couple of seasons.

The two-time Belgian international came through the youth system at Anderlecht, and has already made more than 120 league appearances since his first-team debut in 2013.

He might only be 19-years-old, but Tielemans was handed the captain’s armband for Anderlecht’s Europa League quarter-final first leg at home to Manchester United on Thursday night, which finished in a 1-1 draw.

A summer move away from Anderlecht appears likely for Tielemans, and it is expected that the teenager will have the pick of a number of clubs, including Man United, who have been consistently linked with a bid for the talented midfielder. Jose Mourinho even admitted that he was a fan of the midfielder after Thursday night’s draw.

Operating in a slightly deeper midfield position, Tielemans boasted an 80% pass success rate against the Red Devils in Brussels, but he was not afraid to leave his post in search of promising positions, which is indicated by the four crosses that he put into the Man United box.

The teenager has been a regular scorer for Anderlecht during the 2016-17 campaign, but he was asked to play a deeper role against Man United due to the away side’s domination of the ball.

As the numbers show, Tielemans was not afraid to put his foot in when needed, but he only actually committed two fouls despite being heavily involved in the middle of the park, where Paul Pogba was looking to dominate.

He is not exactly known for his searing pace, but the youngster registered two take-ons in Brussels, whilst he was prepared to attack the space when the opportunity arrived, creating two chances in the process.

There were 16 years between the two captains on the night, with Michael Carrick leading Man United on the opposite side.

Whether Tielemans is ready to slide into the Red Devils midfield is a question for another day, but the Belgian’s performance, complete with the captain’s armband, demonstrated his incredible potential.

[ad_pod id=’playwire’ align=’center’]

The Premier League’s weekend action made matters a little bit more conclusive at both ends of the table.It started on Friday night as West Ham recorded a shock 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur at the London Stadium, all but mathematically ending their chances of beating Chelsea to this season’s Premier League crown.Meanwhile, Manchester City pushed Crystal Palace a little too close to the relegation one with a 5-0 thumping at the Etihad Stadium, Hull City fell into it as Sunderland unexpected them beat them 2-0 and Swansea lifted themselves out of the danger zone, claiming all three points against Everton.Sunday, meanwhile, was more of a mundane affair; Liverpool vs Southampton ended scoreless – meaning the Saints haven’t conceded against the Reds in 360 minutes this season – whilst Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Manchester United lacked the aggression and excitement expected of such a high-profile and historic fixture.Nonetheless, whether the matches entertained or had to be endured, some surprising statistics came out of this weekend’s action – here’s a look at some of the best…

On The Road Again

Manchester United may have two games left to move themselves from third to first in the Premier League’s away table, but Jose Mourinho’s side have struggled on the road against high quality opposition – scoring just three times during their last ten away meets with the division’s top six, including scoreless draws with Liverpool and Manchester City and defeats to Chelsea and Arsenal this season. It doesn’t bode well for their trip to White Hart Lane next Sunday.

Next England boss?

Craig Shakespeare was vilified as a backstabber when he took the Leicester City job, but the Foxes’ results under his tutelage speak for themselves, rising from 17th to ninth since Claudio Ranieri’s sacking at the end of February. In the process, Shakespeare has set some impressive benchmarks for homegrown managers. Last month, he became the first English gaffer to win his first four Premier League fixtures; this month, he’s become the first English boss to win his first four home games in the top flight. If he carries on at this rate, the 53-year-old will be a shoo-in for the England job.

Capital King

Tottenham’s title hopes were all but ended on Friday night in a shock defeat to West Ham at the London Stadium. Spurs by no means ‘Spursed’ it up but ran out of steam and ideas against Slaven Bilic’s well-organised Irons, who didn’t allow them an inch in any area of the pitch. Manuel Lanzini grabbed the only goal in a 1-0 affair and the Argentine ace has developed a knack for proving the difference in derbies, netting nine goals in his last 14 against West Ham’s capital rivals.

Norway, Jose

Some curious data courtesy of BBC Sport, that may have you questioning pretty much everything you believe about the beautiful game. In theory, Brazilians are far more deadly in front of goal than Norwegians, but it’s the latter nationality that boast the most nets in the Premier League, falling just shortly behind Spain and ahead of Nigeria. The boys from Brazil, meanwhile, don’t even register. That’s in no small part due to Joshua King’s run of twelve goals since the turn of 2017.

De Bruyne destruction

It’s not all been smooth sailing for Kevin De Bruyne or Manchester City this season, but when the Belgium international is in top form it’s almost impossible for the Citizens not to pick up all three points. One case in point coming in Saturday’s early kickoff, as the attacking midfielder provided a show-stopping performance in a 5-0 demolition of Crystal Palace at the Etihad Stadium. De Bruyne scored, assisted two and laid on a staggering 10 chances for his team-mates.

Awesome Alex

A few months ago, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s Arsenal career appeared to be coming to an end. But Arsene Wenger’s switch to 3-4-3 has given the England international a new lease of life as the Gunners’ resident right wing-back. He’s consistently impressed in the role and produced arguably his strongest performance to date on Sunday as Arsenal eased to a 2-0 win over Manchester United, setting up both of his side’s goals. Here’s a look at how Oxlade-Chamberlain has fared during his four outings as Arsenal’s right wing-back.

Rodgers = Klopp

The vast majority of Liverpool fans and neutrals will tell you Jurgen Klopp is an infinitely better manager than Brendan Rodgers, but the statistics don’t quite back that up. In fact, after 65 games, both Reds gaffers produced the exact same amount of points in the Premier League, 117. And whereas Rodgers was masterminding Liverpool’s shock title bid in 2013/14 at that point, Klopp’s Reds didn’t even qualify for the Europa League last season and now face the prospect of slipping out of the top four. Maybe this statistic will change some opinions on the now-Celtic manager.

Welsh Wonders

Last weekend had a huge impact on the Premier League’s relegation battle as Swansea and Hull switched places on either side of the all-important drop line. Whilst Hull City unexpectedly lost 2-0 to Sunderland at home, Swansea hosted Everton and beat the Toffees in their first league defeat on Welsh soil in over 50 years – some stretch, that. Ronald Koeman will be disappointed his side never really got going in a tight and cagey 1-0 loss at the Liberty Stadium.

Misguided Man United

Back to the subject of Manchester United’s disappointing defeat at the hands of Arsenal, Jose Mourinho’s defensive setup was questioned by fans and pundits alike after the full-time whistle. United’s 4-3-3 setup appeared to become more of a 6-3-1 at times with Juan Mata and Henrikh Mkhitaryan dropping in alongside Arsenal’s full-backs to try and counteract the Gunners’ 3-4-3 system. The consequence was just four shots on target throughout the ninety minutes and Mata and Mkhitaryan spending more time in their own box than the opposition’s. United fans will be expecting more next season.

Axel Rose to the occasion

It wasn’t all doom and gloom for Manchester United, however, especially considering Jose Mourinho’s focus is now largely on the Europa League rather than the top four race. Axel Tuanzebe was given his Premier League debut at right-back and he certainly rose to the occasion, finishing the match with the most tackles and second-most interceptions of any player on the pitch. Quick, strong, decent in the air and incredibly composed, the 19-year-old looks like a real talent in the making.

It’s fair to say that things aren’t quite going to plan at Rangers right now. After a disappointing season under Mark Warburton, the hope was that a new manager would come in and at least give the club a bit of a lift going into what is a massive summer transfer window.

Unfortunately for supporters it hasn’t quite panned out like that and morale at the club appears to be as low as it has been all season. Two big derby defeats to Celtic didn’t help, neither did a poor loss at home to Aberdeen which meant the Dons ended a 26 year winless record at Ibrox.

The pressure may not be on Pedro Caixinha quite yet but questions are beginning to be asked and the early signs aren’t exactly encouraging for fans. Ultimately he will be judged on next season but there are some key issues that need addressed even at this stage.

Here are three worrying signs that the new Rangers boss might not be up to the task…

Just five wins

Any manager is judged on results and for a team like Rangers with the second biggest budget in the country, that means winning the majority of your matches. Draws feel like defeats, losses feel like disasters. There’s not much room when you manage the Light Blues and their record so far under Pedro Caixinha leaves a lot to be desired.

Since taking charge his side have played ten matches in all competitions and have won only 5 of them. The defeats against Celtic and Aberdeen sting most but there were also poor draws against Kilmarnock and Mothwerwell, two sides who have been struggling in the bottom six of the table all season.

Of course this is not all Caixinha’s doing, the squad is in pretty rough shape, but you’d say that Rangers still have a quality well beyond most of the Scottish top-flight.

In recent weeks even the victories have been incredibly hard fought. They laboured to a win against 10 man Hearts before requiring a late, late show away to Partick Thistle.

It’s not exactly the kind of form that inspires confidence in the support going forward.

Dressing room unrest

Since Pedro Caixinha took charge of the team there have been multiple reports of dressing room unrest and players failing to follow instruction. We’ve had Michael O’Halloran being punished for failing to turn up for an U20s game, we’ve had Caixinha himself accuse his players of deliberately not following instructions, we’ve had fall outs surrounding his decision to start their pre-season training earlier than expected and again the manager lambasting staff at the club who are leaking this unrest to the media.

It’s not exactly the kind of news supporters want to see coming out of the club and it’s increasingly looking like he is failing to get a grip on discipline within his squad and staff.

To be fair to Caixinha, nobody thought it would be an easy task for him to come into a league he has never experienced before and hit the ground running but fans need to start seeing he is taking control of the situation and not letting the big club pressure swamp him.

Struggling to deal with thirsty media

From his very first press conference as Rangers manager it was clear that Pedro Caixinha wasn’t going to be your typical manager when it comes to dealing with the media in Scotland. From in depth tactical discussion to forthright replies, some fans have taken to his style and others haven’t.

This week thought it all came to a rather calamitous head when he spoke at length about the situation Aberdeen find themselves in, shortly before their trip to Ibrox. He claimed they were coming to the end of their current ‘cycle’ and were in decline, which was of course shot to pieces when the Dons beat them on their own patch for the first time in 26 years.

Those kind of big words didn’t exactly go down well with the Aberdeen camp and no doubt motivated them ahead of Wednesday night’s clash.

He’s failing to deal with a critical media in an adequate manner nor understanding that this big talk and bluster is put under a magnifying lens in the Glasgow football fish bowl.

For the time being at least, it may be better if he lets Rangers do the talking on the pitch, rather than off it.

According to reports in The Times, Chelsea will only sell striker Diego Costa this summer if they receive a bid in excess of £60m.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the 28-year-old has been consistently linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge over the course of the last six months, with Chinese Super League clubs among those showing an interest in the Spaniard during the January transfer window.

Costa was expected to complete a £76m move to Tianjin Quanjian at the end of the season but the deal is in doubt after the Chinese Football Association announced that there will be a 100% tax levy on the signing of foreign players.

The Blues have targeted Everton striker Romelu Lukaku as Costa’s potential replacement but with the Toffees ready to demand £100m for the Belgium international, the west London outfit will make sure they get what they want for their player too.

Which other clubs would be interested in Costa?

With Tianjin Quanjian unlikely to pay the £150m it would need to bring Costa to Asia, one possible destination for the Spain international is a return to Atletico Madrid.

The La Liga outfit could lose Antoine Griezmann to Manchester United this summer and if they do, they will target the 28-year-old Chelsea striker as his replacement.

Could he still stay at Chelsea?

If he is happy at Stamford Bridge then of course he could stay.

After scoring 20 Premier League goals last season it is clear that the Spaniard is a vital part of the spine of Antonio Conte’s side, and he brings a lot more to the team than just being a prolific marksman.

If a new deal will keep Costa at the club and prevent them spending £100m on Lukaku for example, they must do that.

What’s the verdict, then?

Well, with a move to China looking unlikely and question marks over whether Atletico Madrid would pay a fee in excess of £60m for a player that will be 29 later this year remains to be seen, perhaps Chelsea should do what it takes to keep him at Stamford Bridge for at least one more season.

With a Premier League title in the bag and Champions League football on offer, Chelsea enter the summer transfer window knowing plenty of factors will work in their favour when attempting to draw players to Stamford Bridge.

And it looks set to be a big one in west London; no club has successfully defended the Premier League title for eight years, so although the Blues bagged a record 30 wins this season, the squad will have to be improved by the time 2017/18 comes around.

One option seemingly in Antonio Conte’s thoughts already is Swansea front-man Fernando Llorente, whose 15 goals have played a pivotal role in the Welsh outfit avoiding Championship football for at least another season.

Indeed, The Independent recently reported that Chelsea could revive their January interest in the Spain international, who has since confirmed to The Daily Mail that they wanted to sign him during the last transfer window.

With that in mind, we asked Chelsea fans last week whether they’d back a summer swoop for Llorente and although the result of our poll was by no means conclusive, 52% voted in favour of such a deal.

Is Llorente the man Chelsea need or should they be aiming higher? Let us know by commenting below!

According to reports in The Mirror, West Ham United are lining up a summer move for out-of-favour Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud.

Despite being largely prolific during his time with the Gunners, the 30-year-old was often left on the substitutes’ bench this season with Alexis Sanchez preferred up top, and Danny Welbeck got the nod over him in the FA Cup final success against Chelsea despite the fact that Giroud started in the semi-final win against Manchester City.

With the story in The Mirror suggesting that Wenger is targeting moves for Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette and Monaco starlet Kylian Mbappe, game time for the Frenchman could again be limited next term and he could look to leave.

Irons boss Slaven Bilic has been alerted to the new and is said to have thrown his hat into the ring to sign the £20m-rated striker.

Here are three reasons West Ham must go all out to sign Giroud…

Marquee signing

In recent seasons especially, West Ham have desperately tried to bring a marquee signing to the club and while they probably succeeded when they signed Dimitri Payet, pulling off a coup by getting Giroud would perhaps be an even bigger deal.

The 30-year-old is proven in the Premier League and at international level for one of the top nations in the world, and he is an individual that could help attract other big names to the London Stadium.

Goals

Despite the majority of his Premier League appearances coming from the substitutes’ bench this season, Giroud showed just how effective and prolific he can be at this level by scoring 14 goals in 29 top flight appearances, and 16 in 40 outings in total throughout the campaign.

Having scored 69 goals in 164 Premier League appearances since moving to the Emirates, the 30-year-old has proved what a threat he could be if he is given a more regular spell in the side with someone like West Ham.

Point to prove

If Giroud did move to the London Stadium this summer, not only would he want to prove to Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger that he is still an excellent player at this level, but he also has a World Cup place to fight for too.

With the tournament in Russia just a year away and with up and coming talent such as Monaco’s Kylian Mbappe continuing to impress, the 30-year-old’s place in the squad could be under threat unless he is playing regularly and scoring goals.

Of course, that determination will only be a benefit if West Ham bring the Frenchman to the London Stadium.

Do you agree, Irons fans? Let us know below.

As reported by Spanish outlet OK Diario, Manchester United are interested in signing Real Madrid midfielder Mateo Kovacic.

What’s the story?

Jose Mourinho on the hunt for players to add real quality and depth to his squad at Old Trafford as they prepare to compete in the UEFA Champions League and English Premier League next season. Where better to look than European champions Real Madrid?

OK Diario reckon that Mourinho is a fan of Mateo Kovacic and is lining up a move for the midfielder this summer.

Rated at £21.25m by Transfermarkt, he may cost a significant fee but he does have a pedigree that’s sure to be exciting for United fans should he sign.

What’s more, The Daily Mirror report that none other than Sir Alex Ferguson wanted to sign the midfielder when he was just 17, a sign that he may be a hero at Old Trafford.

What would he add at United?

Kovacic is a classy midfielder who would bring real technical ability to the middle of the park at Old Trafford should he sign. With a 92% pass completion rate in La Liga last season in 27 appearances, it’s clear that if he joins he’d bring real consistency to the table too.

With the ability to bring the ball into the final third too, he could be the kind of playmaking talent that United have been crying out for. In a midfield that was accused of being one-dimensional last term, he could provide the kind of spark that takes United’s came to another level.

With the versatility to play deep but also in attacking positions and on the left flank, he also ticks the squad depth box too.

All the evidence points to him to being an excellent addition to Jose Mourinho’s team if they can get the deal done.

Arsenal legend Ian Wright believes that the club should part ways with Theo Walcott if a bid in the region of £30m is tabled.

Over the weekend, The Mirror reported that Everton are considering splashing the cash on Walcott, who has been at Arsenal since 2006 when he signed from Southampton.

It is believed that Toffees manager Ronald Koeman is keen on recruiting a wide player due to Yannick Bolasie being out injured until the end of the year with a knee problem.

The Merseyside outfit have not been scared to spend this summer as they have thrown almost £100m on signing Jordan Pickford, Davy Klaassen, Henry Onyekuru, Sandro Ramirez, Michael Keane and Wayne Rooney.

Wright believes that, although it would be sad to see him go, Arsenal should accept £30m for Walcott.

The England international has had a difficult time at the Emirates in recent seasons, struggling for game time under manager Arsene Wenger and being switched back and forth from the wing to up front.

Walcott started 23 Premier League games in the 2016-17 campaign, and came off the bench in a further five.

In that time, he contributed 10 goals and two assists, but he also scored five goals in three FA Cup outings, as well as four in six appearances in the Champions League.

WATCH THE LATEST AFTV VIDEO BELOW…

According to The Guardian, Manchester United are in the race to sign want-away Everton midfielder Ross Barkley.

The 23-year-old has been the subject of much of transfer gossip this summer and earlier this week, Everton manager Ronald Koeman confirmed that Barkley would “100%” be leaving during this window.

This has seemingly set off a flurry of speculation with almost all of the elite Premier League clubs being linked with Barkley in some way or another.

Despite early signs that Barkley, who is valued at £21.2million by Transfermarkt, could be another Wayne Rooney in terms of natural talent, the England international has struggled to find consistency in his game and has been the subject of criticism by some for his anonymity in some important games.

Nevertheless, it is rare that a young English talent becomes available and Manchester United’s interest is somewhat expected.

Upon hearing the rumours, Manchester United fans took to Twitter, and its fare to say that not many of them were keen on seeing Barkley arrive at Old Trafford…