All posts by h716a5.icu

What a disappointing season Kieran Trippier’s having. The World Cup made him a hero to many, but since he’s returned to Spurs, he looked a shadow of the player he was in the summer.

That doesn’t mean he should be sold, though.

Last season was gruelling for all international players who finished their domestic season and headed to Russia. Those players who made it to the latter stages only had a few weeks rest, if that, before returning to pre-season training, and it seems the lack of rest has had its effect on Tripper.

He’s played 23 times in the Premier League this season but has only looked convincing in a handful of those, and it’s led to a report in the Sun that says Spurs are ready to offload him to Everton as they hunt down Crystal Palace’s Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

As a Tottenham fan, he might have frustrated you this season, but this would be the wrong decision.

He’s 28-years-old, in the peak of his career and has impressed emphatically since joining from Burnley in 2015. Yes, he’s had a poor season, but that doesn’t mean the club should give up on him and get rid. He’s still got bags more to give in a variety of tactical formations and, considering they only bought him for around £3.5m, they don’t have much to lose by giving him another season.

That doesn’t mean pull out of the race for Wan-Bissaka, because he’s arguably the best right-back in the league at the moment, but why not have both at the club to fight for the starting spot? It could even push Trippier back to his previous level knowing he has a youngster on his tail.

Think of the battle he and Kyle Walker had all those years ago. Oddly enough, the arrival of Wan-Bissaka and an improvement in Trippier could go some way into replacing the Manchester City man at last.

It would also decrease the pressure faced by the current Palace full-back in the event of a move. Having both players at the club doesn’t mean Wan-Bissaka would need to produce every single week. If Trippier was sold, he’d be judged more harshly than if he was brought through as an understudy, battling for his place.

Trippier, who is valued at £31.5 million (by Transfermarkt), can perform at the highest level still, but he probably needs to get this season out of the way and start afresh next term. If Spurs have their way they’ll be fighting for all four trophies next season, so they’ll need him and whoever Spurs sign in the summer to create the squad depth to deal with the fixture pile-up.

Spurs fans, what do you think Spurs should do with Kieran Trippier? Join the discussion by commenting below.

Is it too early for Leeds to start planning for promotion? Maybe so. But, if they are doing that, they should aim to join the battle for Mason Mount if they return to the Premier League.

The 19-year-old was called up to the England squad for the first time earlier this season, and he’s been showing real promise since Frank Lampard rescued him from rotting away at Chelsea’s academy. Many believe he’ll be ready to play in the Premier League next season, and the Whites would be a perfect fit if they go up.

The Sun believe Bournemouth are leading the chase for Mount and could secure him on a loan basis, but Leeds would be much the better option.

Mount was quoted in Derbyshire Live describing Leeds as a ‘top, top team’, so it’s clear he has admiration for what Marcelo Bielsa and the squad are building at Elland Road. Derby don’t look good enough to secure promotion this season, so that quote may or may not be a little hint towards a move to Yorkshire.

We’re probably reading a little too much into that there, but he’d have much more chance to make an instant impression at Elland Road than trying to break into the starting 11 at an already established Premier League club. He could well have the talent to do so, but to plot out his career like this would prevent making the wrong choice.

He’ll surely have plenty of potential suitors at the end of the season, but he must look at the football Bielsa is trying to perfect and want to play for a manager like him. It’s fast-paced, intricate and creative. Everything Mount and other midfielders look to be. It’s the sort of football that drives players to work for Pep Guardiola.

It’s time for Mason Mount to make that step up next season, and the very same could be said about this Leeds team, so they could be a perfect Premier League match.

Leeds fans, who do you think your club should sign in the summer if they’re promoted? Join the discussion by commenting below.

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Sunderland are one of a number of teams chasing a deal for 16 year-old Conner Rennison.

What’s the story?

Well, according to TEAMtalk, Newcastle, Middlesbrough, Sunderland, Leeds, Bristol City, Barnsley, Hull and Portsmouth are all eyeing a move for Rennison.

The Black Cats were already linked with a move for free agent defender Luca Murphy, so the club is clearly desperate to add some young talent.

Rennsion is an attacking midfielder who is yet to feature for current side Hartlepool United.

Pl>ymaker FC Exclusive: Jermaine Jenas reveals why Tyne-Wear is a more intense derby than anything London can offer – check out the video below….

A worthwhile signing?

It’s impossible to judge the impact Rennison could have at Sunderland as the youngster is yet to even make his debut in senior football, but this is the type of signing the Black Cats should definitely be pursuing.

For far too long under Ellis Short the club pursued expensive “marquee” signings from European leagues, such as Didier Ndong, and of course big club rejects like Jack Rodwell.

To see the new leadership targeting young hungry players who will arrive at the academy with a point to prove is hugely refreshing.

If Jack Ross and Stewart Donald can convince the likes of Rennison and Murphy to join their Wearside revolution, it bodes very well for the future.

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Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino made a simply awful mistake during the club’s encounter with Liverpool on Sunday.

Hugo Lloris, Toby Alderweireld and Moussa Sissoko all made game-changing errors in the game but the substitution of Lucas Moura was perhaps the worst of all.

On the chalkboard

Spurs enjoyed an excellent second-half at Anfield.

After falling behind to Roberto Firmino’s first-half header, Spurs came out with renewed vigour after half-time and were on top for the majority of the 45 minutes.

Both Kieran Trippier and Danny Rose were moved further forward by Pochettino and had a greater impact on the game in the final third, with Harry Kane’s exceptional pass to Trippier leading to Lucas’ equaliser.

However, with the game drawing to a close, Pochettino opted to substitute the Brazilian and throw on Ben Davies.

In isolation, this was perhaps a sensible decision; in theory, it allowed Spurs to shore up their defence while maintaining their attacking urgency.

In practice, however, it robbed Spurs of their forward fluidity and left Kane isolated for the final 10 minutes of the game.

Per WhoScored, Davies touched the ball three times after his introduction and did not make a tackle. Whatever Pochettino told him to do, it didn’t work.

With Lucas off the pitch, Liverpool regained the initiative and, of course, scored a late, late winner, as Lloris palmed the ball against Alderweireld after a simple Mohamed Salah header.

All the good work undone

Of course, this may not have mattered had Sissoko taken advantage of his one-on-one chance in the second half.

The Frenchman was through on goal, with Virgil van Dijk encouraging him to shoot while marking Son Heung-Min, and he blazed over the bar.

After the game, he claimed that he “felt responsibility” for the defeat but, had Pochettino not sacrificed Lucas, it is possible that there would have been another such chance for the visitors.

Davies’ introduction told Liverpool that Spurs were ready to settle for the draw.

Psychologically, it proved a dire mistake, with the club scrambling for every point they can get their hands on as they battle to qualify for the Champions League.

What a superb run of form. Aston Villa have stormed up the table and now look set to embed themselves within the play-off places come the end of the season. Thankfully, the Dean Smith project now looks like working and those in the Midlands will be desperate for a return to the top tier at last. 

Although a lot can still change in a short space of time, the Villans will be hoping to put the disappointment of their play-off final loss last season by going up this time around. Clearly, to do that, Dean Smith and his team need to continue their high spirits and do all they can to give themselves the best possible chance.

It’s going to be a hard task but Villa could massively reap the rewards if they do go up.

Regardless of how they may end the season though, recruitment over the summer will make or break their next campaign.

The right signings are absolutely crucial and having worked with Dean Smith before, the capture of Romaine Sawyers would be heavily advisable.

Sawyers, (who is valued at £2.7 million on Transfermarkt) is a player that Aston Villa have held an interest (as per the Daily Mail) in Romaine Sawyers before, in the aim of re-uniting him with his former manager Dean Smith.

The pair formed a good relationship and one which allowed Sawyers to thrive on the pitch and, alongside the excellent John McGinn, the two could give Aston Villa their best midfield duo in absolute years. Brentford’s captain has surprisingly not scored a goal this season but has provided seven assists, which has gone some way to show his creative capabilities.

Imagine him feeding the likes of Jack Grealish and the attacking frontline, buzzing around the midfield and helping create chaos for the opposition.

Not just on the pitch but off the pitch as well, Romaine Sawyers is a great person to have around the changing rooms as he’s blessed with top leadership qualities that could make a real difference at Aston Villa, who have often let their heads drop when things weren’t going well.

There are no guarantees that Aston Villa will gain promotion into the Premier League but with or without a top-flight return, the need for reinforcements is evident.

Aston Villa fans, would you like to see Sawyers brought in? If not, why not? Join the discussion by commenting below… 

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Brighton’s Anthony Knockaert has won the Carling Goal of the Month for his strike against rivals Crystal Palace, who are perhaps right to be bitter about the Frenchman’s success.

The M23 derby – although you won’t hear it called that by either set of fans – between the Eagles and the Seagulls is one of the most confusing yet bitter rivalries in the game, a statement proved by Knockaert’s dodgy challenge on Luka Milivojevic just seconds into their March clash.

The former Leicester man slid studs-up into the Palace captain, who was caught in an area no man wants to be. Knockaert perhaps only evaded a red card because the referee barely had time to drop his whistle before it happened and so the winger remained on the pitch to score a worldie in the 74th minute.

Many football fans dread the transfer window. The Pl>ymaker FC squad name who they’re worried about losing this summer in the video below…

Cutting in on his left, the diminutive wide-man hit a perfect curling strike into the top right corner, leaving Palace ‘keeper Vicente Guaita absolutely no chance – a strike which has been recognised in award form.

Here’s what the Selhurst Park faithful, who feel he shouldn’t have even been on the pitch, had to say about it…

Kalvin Phillips proved again on Saturday just why he is such a valuable player for Marcelo Bielsa and why he’s been integral to Leeds United’s impressive season. Another Thorp Arch graduate of course, you Whites reading this must love him no end. 

Indeed, the Whites improved their position to earn automatic promotion to the Premier League with a 1-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday at Elland Road on Saturday with Phillips walking away with the Man of the Match award.

The 23-year-old, who is actually a defensive midfielder played as a centre-back in a back-three formation for Bielsa on Saturday and was very solid at the back with Wednesday struggling to create any sort of worthy goal scoring opportunities.

Phillips has operated at centre-back before this season but given the importance of not dropping points at this stage of the campaign, many might have thought it was a bit risky by the manager to make such a bold selection move.

Phillips, who is valued at £6.3 million (by Transfermarkt), has also been a regular starter in Bielsa’s team this season and has been very quick to adapt to the position the manager wants him to play in. The determination he has shown throughout all of this to still deliver stellar performances on the pitch, despite being played out of position shows just what a talented player he is.

If Leeds were to play in the Premier League again next season then having someone as versatile as Phillips in the team will be a massive boost if they were to make a proper impact on the league.

The consistency he has shown throughout this campaign has been nothing short of spectacular and he has acted as an inspiration for all of his teammates at Leeds.

Bielsa will be hoping to develop his game even further in the coming months and make a recognised player in English football, who could be destined for big things.

Leeds fans, how far do you think Phillips will go in the game? Join the discussion by commenting below… 

[ad_pod ]ExWHUemployee has denied a report by La Gazzetta dello Sport saying Roma striker Edin Dzeko has turned down the chance to join West Ham United is true, and Irons fans have been quick to react.

The Italian media outlet claimed in a story on April 18 that the experienced centre-forward wasn’t interested in a move to the London Stadium, with his contract with the Italian giants due to expire next summer.

However, reliable club insider Ex has said on his Twitter account that no offer existed in the first place to be rejected, with the Hammers seemingly ready to look elsewhere if they want to boost their options in the final third during the summer transfer window.

The majority of those Irons supporters who reacted are certainly pleased about the news, with many suggesting they would prefer a younger striker rather than one who turned 33 last month.

While the Bosnia and Herzegovina international has scored 86 goals in 174 appearances in all competitions for Roma since joining them from Manchester City, the fact he has only netted eight times in 28 Serie A outings this term suggests he is potentially in decline.

That is not what West Ham need, with the likes of Javier Hernandez and Marko Arnautovic struggling for form themselves as the current campaign nears its ending.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

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According to Marca, Real Madrid midfielder Dani Ceballos could be available for transfer in this summer’s transfer window.

And the Liverpool fans have been on social media discussing whether their club should make a move for the Spaniard ahead of the 2019-2020 campaign.

Ceballos has made 33 appearances for Los Blancos this term, but has struggled to earn a starting role since Zinedine Zidane returned as head coach.

There is absolutely no question that the 5 ft 10 ace, who has won one Champions League title with Real Madrid, is a big talent.

However, it seems that the Liverpool supporters do not want their club to make a summer move for the 22-year-old – despite Calcio Mercato linking him with an Anfield switch earlier this month.

Indeed, there was a largely negative response to a Twitter post asking whether the Reds should attempt to sign the Spain international at the end of the season.

Has Alisson been Liverpool’s most important signing of the season? Check out the video below to find out why Jurgen Klopp thinks so…

Liverpool are in need of a bit more creativity from central midfield, but the Merseyside club’s supporters do not want Ceballos.

A selection of the Twitter reaction is available to view below:

After 46 games in which the club’s supporters have experienced a roller-coaster of emotions, Sheffield Wednesday’s season finally reached a crescendo on Sunday following a 2-1 defeat to Queens Park Rangers at Hillsborough.

Having started the campaign with Jos Luhukay in charge, any hopes of launching a bid for automatic promotion were decimated by December as a myriad of underwhelming performances threatened to drop the Owls into a relegation battle.

Following a 2-1 defeat to Swansea City, the Portuguese boss was given his marching orders by chairman Dejphon Chansiri who replaced him with Steve Bruce.

Tasked with steadying the ship at Wednesday, the 58-year-old has managed to exceed all expectations during his first four months at the club as a positive run of results saw the club finish in the top-half of the Championship table.

Whereas the likes of Michael Hector and Barry Bannan have clearly improved during Bruce’s tenureship, if the Owls are to launch a sustained bid for promotion next season, it is clear that they must convince Adam Reach to extend his stay in South Yorkshire.

Having enjoyed a superb year in the Championship in which he scored eight goals and provided seven assists for his team-mates, it would not be at all surprising if the 26-year-old attracts interest from elsewhere in the summer.

A tricky winger who possesses the skill needed to turn a game on its head in an instant, Reach has provided some stunning moments for the Owls since moving to the club in 2016 and is more than capable of driving them forwards over the coming years.

If Bruce does indeed receive offers for the former Middlesbrough ace, he must resist the temptation to sell him as by doing so, he will be giving his side the best opportunity of securing a return to the Premier League in 2020.

What do you think Owls fans? Should Bruce do everything he possibly can to keep Reach at the club next season? How impressed have you been with the midfielder’s development this year? Let us know below.