All posts by h716a5.icu

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Arsenal fans haven’t been shy to voice their feelings on Shkodran Mustafi, something that even in pre-season caused discussion.

Unai Emery looked to prefer a partnership of Sokratis and Calum Chambers at the heart of the defence during the off-season and that was again the case against Newcastle on Sunday afternoon.

Yet, following the signing of David Luiz from Chelsea on transfer deadline day, the Spanish boss left Mustafi out of the squad entirely.

It was news that caused debate among supporters at the Emirates Stadium with some appearing absolutely delighted that he wouldn’t feature.

One fan focused upon the German’s relationship with his manager, suggesting Emery really did want him to leave. Another supporter said it finally gave them a reason to relax.

A further individual said that leaving Mustafi out hopefully meant he was going to leave the club.

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Not selecting the 27-year-old represents quite the statement from Emery who hinted that he could well depart last week.

The central defender played 31 times in the Premier League last term, picking up nine yellow cards in the process.

Here’s the best of the reaction from before Arsenal kicked off in their opening fixture of the campaign.

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[ad_pod ]Wayne Rooney, Manchester City’s bane.The former Manchester United forward absolutely loved a goal against City. Even as you read this, City fans, you’re probably reminiscing about a particular time he slotted one past you at the Etihad or Old Trafford. A certain overhead kick springs mind, for example.Cast your minds back to Monday 21 August 2017 when Rooney travelled to the Etihad, this time in the royal blue of Everton. It took just 35 minutes before he netted his 200th Premier League goal after some sloppy play from Leroy Sane gifted him the opportunity on a silver platter.Rooney’s Premier League goalscoring days may be over now, unless something truly remarkable, and nigh on impossible, happens at Derby County (where he is due to arrive in January), but his top memories will last forever.Especially those conveniently documented on his camera roll, as he’s recently proven in a hilarious throwback photo…

Bowling, Wayne. Bowling indeed.

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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… 

Aston Villa have certainly enjoyed the last week or so.

After they opened their 2019/20 account with two straight defeats to Tottenham and then Bournemouth, they have since recorded their first Premier League victory of the season as well as trouncing Crewe Alexandra in the Carabao Cup.

It now also means that all of their 12 summer arrivals have made their debuts or have at least featured this season – a few were returning players who were only at Villa Park on loan last season.

Watch Aston Villa Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Amongst those was Matt Targett, who made his first start of the season on Tuesday night at left-back but only could manage 43 minutes after picking up a hamstring injury, meaning he could be out of action for the next week or two.

Neil Taylor has been Dean Smith’s preferred choice in the Premier League this season, starting him in all three matches, rewarding him for his contribution in getting the club into the top-flight.

Though, Targett’s injury may be problematic in the short-term.

On the Chalkboard

Smith has told his players that they need to earn their place this season, which suggests it’s only a matter of time before Taylor faces the axe from the starting XI.

Of the 16 players used in the Premier League, the Welshman ranks 13th overall for average rating at 6.54 with only Tom Heaton below him of players that have started a game this season.

By playing Targett on Tuesday, the Villa boss was surely getting a look at whether he has stepped up to what has been asked of him, so the injury has come at a miserable time.

When comparing the 30-year-old’s season so far, his first back in the top-flight since 2017, you’ll learn that their summer signing has so much more to offer at left-back.

Offensively, Taylor has registered just 0.3 key passes without a single assist this season whilst Targett averaged 1.4 key passes per game in his 13 starts for Southampton and picked up three assists in that time.

The 23-year-old also recorded more interceptions at 1.7 per match whilst they were on par for tackles per game at 1.7, per WhoScored.

Taylor’s poor form meant a league outing for Targett was surely on the horizon but now he’ll have to wait even longer.

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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… 

Marcelo Bielsa’s side will need to bounce back this afternoon when they face Swansea.

A top of the table clash, the Swans travel to Elland Road in second place, only behind the Whites on goal difference.

Since Graham Potter left, they’ve been mightily impressive and their position in the league is fine evidence of that.

Therefore, it won’t be an easy ride for Leeds, especially after their midweek defeat on penalties.

One thing that may make it easier, however, is by starting Eddie Nketiah.

On the chalkboard

Nketiah has been in superb form since signing on loan this summer and in just four games he’s scored three goals.

Only two of those outings have been starts as he began games against Salford and Stoke in the League Cup, finding the back of the net in both whilst he’s also starred from the bench.

He was the hero against Brentford a week and a half ago, scoring a poacher’s effort from close range after Helder Costa’s cross.

After a few weeks of teasing the 20-year-old, Bielsa has to cut to the chase.

The fact of the matter is that now should be the time to pair him in attack with Patrick Bamford.

The latter sat out of Leeds’ defeat against Stoke on Tuesday and he too has found himself in good form, netting four in five Championship outings.

Watch Leeds United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

The signs are there that Bielsa wants to field Nketiah and that was evident when he hinted that he and Bamford could feature in a pair together.

Last weekend, Leeds played with Jack Harrison and the former Middlesbrough man in a two, thus making it not completely beyond the realms of possibility that the Arsenal loan man could soon start.

Harrison managed six dribbles but just one shot last weekend so there’d be a logic behind suggesting someone like Nketiah could bring them added goal threat.

In just 13 minutes against Brentford, he had two shots, putting himself firmly in the right areas to find the goal.

Versus a Swansea side who have only conceded four, this could prove vital on Saturday.

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Rangers have confirmed that the contract of midfielder Graham Dorrans has been terminated by mutual consent.

The 32-year-old signed a three-year deal with the Scottish giants upon his arrival from Norwich City in the summer of 2017.

Dorrans has only made 23 appearances for the Gers in all competitions, however, after struggling with a succession of injuries.

The 5 ft 10 midfielder has actually only turned out on three occasions under current Rangers boss Steven Gerrard.

And it was confirmed on Monday that both parties had agreed to a mutual termination.

Sky Sports News have claimed that the experienced professional had been training with the youth side in recent weeks.

In an official statement, the Scottish side said that Dorrans has left the club “with the best wishes of everyone at Rangers”.

He’s now expected to join fellow Scottish top flight side Kilmarnock.

As expected, a number of the club’s fans have been on social media reacting to the departure – a selection of which can be seen below:

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Newcastle rejected an approach from Leeds United for fringe goalkeeper Karl Darlow this summer, according to Football Insider.

The Whites had launched an enquiry to sound out their chances of landing the 28-year-old shot-stopper on loan or through a permanent deal, but saw their advances rebuffed by the Magpies.

Leeds were in the market for reinforcements between the posts this summer, as the Elland Road natives allowed youth product Bailey Peacock-Farrell to join Burnley for a reported £2.5million (BBC).

Before the Clarets sealed a deal for the Northern Irishman, Leeds were still contemplating the future of former Real Madrid goalkeeper Kiko Casilla, whose errors in West Yorkshire following his winter arrival raised doubt over his long-term future at the Championship club.

Darlow was therefore considered as an early candidate to replace what would become a vacant role in Marcelo Bielsa’s ranks, as the Northampton-born man was thought to be keen on securing regular football having entered the final year of his Newcastle contract, where he featured just once all season in 2018/19 (TransferMarkt).

Leeds’ pursuit soon fell cold, and Football Insider have now revealed that was because Newcastle refused to negotiate a potential deal for Darlow, and are now willing to see the Nottingham Forest product hit free agency next summer so long as he remains Martin Dubravka’s understudy for the remainder of the term.

It remains to be seen if Leeds missing out on Darlow was a positive or a negative for the West Yorkshire outfit, as the 28-year-old would have arrived at Elland Road without tasting regular football since Dubravka arrived at Newcastle in January 2018.

Since then, Darlow has only been involved in Premier League action as an unused substitute, while his two outings in the Carabao Cup saw the Northampton-born shot-stopper concede four goals (TransferMarkt) – three of which came against his boyhood side Forest, a team that ended 2018/19 ninth in the Championship.

Failing to secure a deal for the £3.15million-rated (TransferMarkt) Magpies fringe option also led Leeds to secure Illan Meslier’s services on a loan-to-buy arrangement with FC Lorient, and the 19-year-old Frenchman impressed some of the Elland Road faithful (via HITC) when he made his U23s debut against Millwall.

If the Lorient product can repeat more of those performances in the junior ranks, he may prove to be the better option, and one that can work towards replacing Casilla in the first-team.

Leeds fans, would you have been happy had your side secured a deal for Darlow over Meslier? Let us know in the comments below…

[ad_pod ]”There’s no place like home” – When you’ve been made the best-paid player in the Premier League that is.It’s the news Manchester United have been waiting to hear, as David de Gea has signed a new long-term contract at Old Trafford.While the Spanish stopper didn’t enjoy his best run of form in a United jersey last season, having conceded 54 top-flight goals, he remains one of the club’s few world-class players. So it will come as a great relief that he’s committed his future, especially with Ole Gunnar’s Solskjaer’s rebuild project well underway.Watch Manchester United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

De Gea recently took to Twitter to broadcast the news…

You’d have thought the club would’ve learnt by now that announcing deals via dramatic videos is a very bad idea. How could anyone forget Alexis Sanchez’s perplexing little piano recital? Because that went so well.

United travel to West Ham United in the next round of Premier League fixtures. Let’s hope De Gea fares a little better than his musical Chilean friend, as another blunder like the one against Crystal Palace would be a tad embarrassing after this.

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Ainsley Maitland-Niles will be counting his lucky stars following this weekend’s match against Aston Villa.

In the end, Arsenal recorded a 3-2 victory thanks to late goals from Calum Chambers and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. However, it could have been so much different.

In the 41st minute, the 22-year-old left-back was sent off for two bookable offences. While there seems to be some disagreement in regards to the second yellow card – Unai Emery claimed that “he didn’t touch the player” – he still gave the referee a decision to make.

Nevertheless, it was not a great performance from the England Under-21 international.

Naturally a midfielder, where he has played the majority of his games, he has been deputising at right-back since Hector Bellerin ruptured his cruciate ligament in January of this year. And in this game, he looked out of his depth.

Watch Arsenal Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

The Emirates Stadium faithful were far from sympathetic, and they slammed his display.

They took to Twitter to share their thoughts, and you can see some of the best comments from the social media platform below.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Injury News series, which considers the impact of the latest updates on players’ fitness

If you asked the Selhurst Park faithful who one of Crystal Palace’s most consistent performers last season was, it would be safe to assume that a few might answer James Tomkins.

The former West Ham man – who signed for the Eagles in a £10m deal in 2016 – made 28 Premier League appearances last term and scored three goals.

Tomkins has become a key player in SE25 since his arrival, forming a colossal partnership with Mamadou Sakho at the back – Palace managed to keep 12 clean sheets in the Premier League in 2018/19, the sixth-most of all 20 teams.

So, when such an important figure gets a serious injury, surely their return from such an absence would presumably be a highly anticipated one.

Well, not quite.

Tomkins recently made his return to the pitch in an Under-23 game against QPR, playing alongside Sam Woods for over an hour before being substituted, but the general feeling around this corner of south London seems to one of disinterest because of two players.

Gary Cahill and Sakho.

In Tomkins’ absence, the Eagles signed 33-year-old Cahill on a free transfer, and he has been in superb form since his arrival.

He has helped the side to a win over Manchester United at Old Trafford on his debut, impressing some Palace fans with his performance, and a clean sheet against Aston Villa.

Because of Cahill and Sakho, the need for Tomkins is not as pressing as it would’ve been if Cahill had not been signed.

As a result, his low-key return to action for the Under-23’s has flown well under the radar.

Despite starring last season, Tomkins’ situation at Palace has been turned upside down.

It remains to be seen if he can force his way back into the starting XI.

Understandably, three Manchester City players make the XI after their incredible win over Watford.

Watch West Ham United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

However, the team is heavily based around West Ham and Leicester players too after their huge wins against Man Utd and Spurs.

Three of the back five come from those clubs, as Lukasz Fabianski, Aaron Cresswell and Caglar Soyoncu get into the team, while further up the pitch James Maddison’s winning goal earns him a spot in the midfield.