All posts by h716a5.icu

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more… 

Arsenal put in a rather indifferent display in their opening Premier League match of the season.

In many senses, it was a game typical of two teams who have only just finished pre-season. It lacked much quality and the fact it only finished 1-0 tells the story of a lack of creativity.

Neither were very impressive going forward as the Gunners struggled to make inroads.

One of the main reasons for that, however, was because of Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

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On the chalkboard

Unai Emery had decisions to make ahead of the opening weekend and instead of fielding new signings Nicolas Pepe and Dani Ceballos, opted for Reiss Nelson, Joe Willock and Mkhitaryan behind Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

The two academy graduates showed promising signs but the Armenian didn’t. He made some energetic runs forward but when in possession of the ball was particularly poor.

He kept on losing it and that was summed up the by fact he lost possession an incredible 15 times in the first half alone.

For someone who is usually so composed, this was alarming.

Yet, it proved why Pepe has to get the nod over him imminently. The truth is, that Mkhitaryan isn’t the type of player Arsenal need to take them to the next level.

He contributed to ten goals in the Premier League last term but that doesn’t paint the full picture of his inconsistency, something that was evident against Newcastle on Sunday.

The 30-year-old lacked a creative spark but Pepe, who wasn’t afforded too much time on his debut from the bench, is someone who from his days in France looks like he can provide that.

Pepe netted 22 times in Ligue 1 last term whilst also claiming 11 assists in a fabulous campaign.

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It’s that sort of threat that the Gunners lacked from out wide in 2018/19, and indeed missed again during the opening match of 2019/20.

Given the colossal fee Pepe arrived for, it surely won’t be long before he starts regularly for Arsenal. Just how poor Mkhitaryan played proves why Emery might be better off fast-tracking him into the XI.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more… 

Leeds have had a flying start to the season and currently sit top of the Championship after the opening four games.

The Whites have begun with three wins and a draw, snatching a win against Brentford on Wednesday evening courtesy of a debut home goal for Eddie Nketiah.

His fellow striker Patrick Bamford only mustered two attempts but it was a recurring trait that came back to haunt him against the Bees.

On the chalkboard

Just how Marcelo Bielsa chooses to play Bamford and Nketiah this term will be interesting.

The former struggled to get involved, having just 28 touches of the ball, the fewest number of any Leeds man in midweek.

The striker has got off to a flyer in terms of goals, netting three in four games, even if he did miss six shots against Nottingham Forest on the second weekend.

Bamford has a tendency to miss chances on the evidence seen against Forest but it’s another trait that’s causing him difficulties and served as a particular cause for concern against Brentford.

Considering he had so few touches, the fact he was dispossessed five times on Wednesday is incredibly alarming.

To add to that, the 25-year-old was unsuccessful with three touches in total as he endured a completely ineffective evening at Elland Road.

But this isn’t the first time he’s had a torrid time in this department.

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He was dispossessed three times during Leeds’ opening match with Bristol City which carried across from the previous campaign.

Throughout 2018/19, Bamford was unsuccessful with 4.3 of his touches every 90 minutes whilst he lost the ball to a member of the opposition 1.7 times on average across the same metric, per WhoScored.

Bringing someone closer to him like Nketiah could prove fruitful, therefore, as he may find himself holding onto the ball less. However, if he doesn’t improve this aspect he could still be found wanting at times this season.

As seen, that was the case earlier this week.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more… 

Leeds have started the season in brilliant form, winning three of their opening four Championship matches.

It’s a record that mirrors how they began the 2018/19 term and Patrick Bamford has been particularly important so far.

He has three goals, two of which came against Wigan whilst he also netted on the opening weekend in a clash with Bristol City too.

Yet, he can still have an impact on the game even when he’s not finding the back of the net.

On the chalkboard

Against Brentford on Wednesday, Leeds struggled to create too many clear cut opportunities as Bamford was restricted to just two shots in the whole game.

In total, the Whites managed eight key passes as it took them until the 81st minute to actually find the net.

Helder Costa and Eddie Nketiah linked up brilliantly as the former surged forward to the byline before playing a ball across goal which was converted.

But the role Nketiah’s strike partner had in the goal was equally as important, proving why Leeds can still score goals even if the 25-year-old isn’t finding the net himself.

Bamford has shown improved fitness levels this season, something backed up by claims from Noel Whelan this week who was impressed with his ability to chase back.

However, this time he was racing forward in the final ten minutes, not showing a lack of energy.

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His movement was particularly vital here.

He and Nketiah effectively started in the same position just beyond the halfway line but as the latter moved to the back post, Bamford held back and then made a quick dart to the front stick instead.

This was intelligent from the former Middlesbrough man as he dragged the defender inside the six-yard box towards him, which ultimately meant that there was a space for Costa to slide the ball across.

Had Bamford not been there then it’s highly unlikely Nketiah would have been granted the space to find Leeds’ winner.

Playing the two together is sure to guarantee a larger goal threat, but Bamford may not even have to score to ensure this happens.

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Celtic fans are likely on top of the world after beating rivals Rangers to move clear at the top of the table on Sunday, but Neil Lennon’s latest admission is slightly concerning.

What’s the word?

The Hoops have struggled with injuries in defence this season, meaning Nir Bitton has effectively been converted into a central defender.

That continued on Sunday as he partnered Christopher Jullien at the back, but the Israel internatonal was forced off with an injury of his own.

The gaffer has now cleared the air on his centre-back crisis, as reported by The Scottish Sun: “Nir will be three or four weeks, Ajer will be ten days. We are hoping to have him back for Hamilton.

“We will need to send Jozo to a specialist.”

Thank you international break

International breaks, the bane of every football fan’s existence, especially the first one of the season.

Almost as soon as the excitement of the new campaign kicks into overdrive the September international break punches you in the gut and sucks the fun out of your weekends again.

For the Hoops though, this might be the most convenient two-week break of all time.

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If Kristoffer Ajer, Bitton and Jozo Simunovic are all out, Lennon has only Jullien, who is new and still adjusting to the football and culture in Scotland, and Jack Hendry to call on.

It’s fair to say fans don’t ever want to see Hendry in the first-team again after his utterly abysmal showings last season, and pairing the 24 year-old with new boy Jullien is an accident waiting to happen.

So, while the news that Simunovic needs to see a “specialist” is most definitely a major concern, fans can breathe a little easier thanks to the international break, as it will likely allow Ajer to return alongside Jullien for the trip to Hamilton.

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During the quiet international break, Football London’s Tottenham Hotspur correspondent Alasdair Gold decided to pick his strongest Spurs XI, and of course it hasn’t been met with full agreement by the fans on Twitter.

One position in particular appeared to be questioned by those supporters who did respond, with the journalist choosing to select Kyle Walker-Peters ahead of the likes of Juan Foyth and Serge Aurier for the right-back role.

It is a spot that is very much up for grabs following the summer departure of Kieran Trippier, with Walker-Peters getting the nod in the opening three Premier League matches of the season before suffering an injury which then kept him out against Arsenal.

Davinson Sanchez started at full-back on that occasion, with Aurier an unused substitute at the Emirates.

Despite the fact the Ivory Coast international is yet to play a single minute this term, it appears as though the majority of Tottenham fans would like to see him given a chance if the following retorts are anything to go by.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

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Vincent Kompany has named Virgil van Dijk as one of the best defenders in Premier League history.

When questioned on the subject during his testimonial pre-match press conference, and how he himself ranks in comparison, the former Manchester City man suggested the way the Dutchman has transformed Liverpool makes him a candidate.

Since arriving at Anfield in January 2018 the Reds have conceded just 36 goals in the 56 league games in which van Dijk has featured, and kept the most clean sheets of any side in the Premier League last season with 21.

Alongside the 28-year-old, Kompany also listed Rio Ferdinand and John Terry as Premier League greats due to their longevity at the highest level, which is an area where van Dijk is lacking.

Despite that, there are many Liverpool fans who believe Kompany is correct in his assessment, and point to him being named as the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year as evidence which puts him ahead of other Premier League defenders.

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Here is some of the reaction from fans, with many suggesting that van Dijk’s ability is greater than that of previous Premier League defenders.

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It’s pretty safe to say that we still haven’t really seen the very best of Real Madrid or Zinedine Zidane this season.

After the first three games played in the new 2019/20 La Liga campaign, Los Blancos have only tallied five points following a win and two draws respectively.

But this Saturday, La Liga will once again be back at the Santiago Bernabeu and it’s going to be a big one.

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The Galacticos are welcoming Levante to their home ground in the Spanish capital and will be aiming to register all three points and kick-start their ascent up the table. But injuries and suspensions are still plaguing this team and Zidane will have to experiment once more in order to find his optimal lineup.

With all of that in mind, here’s what we think the Frenchman may cook up for the clash Saturday lunchtime clash:

Thibaut Courtois is likely to start this game between the sticks. Yes, Alphonse Areola just arrived but the French stopper is very much expected to play a supporting role to Madrid’s number one.

The defensive line is also self-explanatory. Daniel Carvajal looks set to occupy the right-back position with Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane manning the centre-back spots. Left-back is a bit of a conundrum and, even though it’s probably more likely we see Marcelo there, Ferland Mendy’s excellent performance against Villarreal at the beginning of the month should warrant him a start.

For that reason, we’ll slot the 24-year-old there. The midfield is a bit sketchy. With the newest injury to Luka Modric, Real Madrid now only have two natural centre-midfielders in the team in the form of Toni Kroos and Federico Valverde. It’s unlikely that Zidane will risk throwing the 21-year-old Castilla kid into the fray and we expect he’ll tinker with the formation, leaving Kroos and Casemiro in the middle and then flanking them with two wide players.

Vinicius Junior is bound to start on the left while that leaves the right for Lucas Vazquez. This is, of course, also helped by the fact Gareth Bale will be serving his red card suspension this weekend.

And finally, Luka Jovic and Karim Benzema should form a tandem up front as Real Madrid’s two strikers on the day.

Unfortunately for Zidane, he doesn’t really have much room to experiment or pull out some unexpected moves due to his squad being quite limited by injuries and suspensions.

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Rangers secured a stunning home win against Feyenoord in the Europa League on Thursday evening but it could’ve been more comfortable had captain James Tavernier scored his penalty in the 9th minute.

His manager, Steven Gerrard, defended him after the 1-0 victory, saying there will be “no finger-pointing” in his post-match press conference, via The Sun.

Tavernier, who was borderline metronomic from the spot last season, scoring 12 out of 14, has now missed two penalties from two attempts this season against Progres Niederkorn and Feyenoord.

Despite a dip in goal scoring form, the Rangers skipper has still managed to accumulate five assists and one goal – showing his creative influence is still vital to the Ibrox club.

Nevertheless, fans are keen for him to be removed from penalty-taking duties for future fixtures. Indeed, both Alfredo Morelos and Jermain Defoe are seemingly waiting in the wings, ready to take on the responsibility.

Take a look at the best of the reaction below!

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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…

Arsenal and Manchester United will face each other in the Premier League on Monday night as both sides compete for the top four.

Of the two, the Gunners have had the best start to the campaign. They currently sit in fourth on 11 points after six games. They have not looked convincing, though, with all three of their victories coming courtesy of one-goal margins.

Manchester United, however, will wish they could swap places with Unai Emery’s side. It all started so well, with a 4-0 victory against Chelsea on the opening day of the campaign. However, they have only won one league match since then, and they looked particularly lethargic against West Ham last Sunday.

For both sides, it used to be so different, and their fall from grace shows just how much the Premier League has changed in recent years.

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Younger generations may only be used to Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool competing regularly for the Premier League title, but Arsenal and United used to be the top dogs in English football. Between 1996 and 2003, no-one else won the Premier League title as Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson went head-to-head.

Who can forget United’s 6-1 hammering of the Gunners in 2001, or the ugly scenes following Ruud van Nistelrooy’s penalty miss in 2003? These are just two of the most iconic moments seen on these shores.

The intensity and passion – which sometimes went overboard, as the van Nistelrooy incident showed – bring back memories of a bygone era. While the Premier League may now be producing some fantastic football, it is hard not to be nostalgic about what could be called the division’s golden age.

The landscape has long-since changed, though. Neither Ferguson nor Wenger are still at their respective clubs, and the teams have won just two titles between them this decade. Both of them were won by United.

Now, it is indeed the Citizens and the Reds who are fighting for the title and, unfortunately for the Red Devils and Gunners’ supporters, neither of the two former giants look like rivalling them any time soon.

Even for the neutral fan, it is bizarre to see the two struggle to keep up with the new leading lights.

As it is, next week’s game is nothing more than a contest between two teams competing to finish in the top four.

They, just like the supporters of the two teams, will need to remember the glory days to remind themselves of a time when Manchester United and Arsenal ruled English football.

Arsenal were forced to make do with a point following their visit to Old Trafford on Monday night.

Let’s be honest, it wasn’t the most thrilling of games, but there were still two goals that prevented it from being a totally damp squib.

Scott McTominay bagged the opener from outside the box before Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored the equaliser in the second half. Of course, that was only after VAR had to come to the aid of the hapless linesman, who somehow thought that the Gabon international was offside.

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You would have thought that would have been the main talking point from a Gunners perspective. You’d have been wrong.

Instead, Granit Xhaka was at the end of plentiful criticism from the Emirates Stadium faithful for his part in McTominay’s strike.

To the naked eye, it appeared as though the Switzerland international ducked out of the way of the ball as it rocketed towards goal. Although the replays showed a slight deflection from Sokratis, it still doesn’t make for great viewing. Not the best way to start his tenure as the club’s captain.

The Arsenal supporters, not known for being reserved, took to Twitter to slaughter the 26-year-old. You can see some of the best comments from the social media platform below.