Category Uncategorized

The Celtic captain wasn’t in a jovial mood after his team got away with one on Sunday.

The Bhoys beat Hearts 3-1, but the scoreline doesn’t tell the whole story.

Two own goals helped Neil Lennon’s side on their way to a win, but they only managed three shots on target in the whole game.

For a team who is usually so dominant in this division, it was a less than impressive performance, and Brown himself didn’t have a great game.

The midfielder gave away a late penalty, and he seemingly wasn’t too impressed by the team’s performance, as his Instagram post wasn’t as upbeat as usual.

[ad_pod ]

[ad_pod ]This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…West Ham United will make more signings prior to the transfer deadline, per Ex-West Ham United Employee.

What’s the word?

The Hammers have thus far signed Sebastian Haller from Eintracht Frankfurt and Pablo Fornals from Villarreal in this transfer window.

They have also secured two goalkeepers, Roberto and David Martin, as they looked to strengthen Manuel Pellegrini’s squad.

There have been a number of departures too, with the likes of Marko Arnautovic, Jordan Hugill, Andy Carroll and Lucas Perez all leaving the club, along with Pedro Obiang.

And Ex-West Ham Employee, a trusted club insider, believes there will be more movement in the coming days.

Watch West Ham United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Another striker needed

West Ham need another striker.

The signing of Haller is all well and good but, at the same time, Arnautovic, Perez, Carroll and Hugill have all departed the club, leaving the club with just Javier Hernandez as back-up to the Frenchman.

Michail Antonio can play up front but he is not an out-and-out striker and one feels that a deal for another forward should be a priority for Pellegrini.

Hernandez, after all, was deemed expendable at the beginning of the summer, prior to Arnautovic’s move to China.

That he is being kept around speaks more to the fact that the Irons have not brought in enough bodies than their transfer strategy.

Fans had better hope that Ex’s update relates to the potential acquisition of a forward.

[ad_pod ]

[ad_pod ]

Former Celtic star and pundit Chris Sutton has lambasted the negativity around the club directed at manager Neil Lennon and many Bhoys fans on Twitter agree with him.

Sutton defended Lennon in his column for The Daily Record: “I can’t believe the grumblings after just two competitive games – and wins – as Celtic sailed through their toughest ever first-round Champions League qualifier against Sarajevo with a 5-2 aggregate win.”

This has gone down well with some of the club’s supporters, many insisting fans should stand behind the manager and others questioning the true loyalty of the boo brigade.

Lennon returned to Parkhead for a second time in February having replaced the Leicester-bound Brendan Rodgers. The Northern Irishman secured the eighth and ninth instalments of the historic treble treble last season by capturing the Scottish Cup and Premiership titles.

The discontent surprisingly comes after the club eased past Bosnian champions FK Sarajevo over two legs and prepare to face Estonian’s Nomme Kalju in the second round of the Champions League qualifiers.

This is what the Celtic supporters had to say about Sutton’s comments on Twitter:

[ad_pod ]

According to the Daily Mail, Ryan Bertrand has attracted interest from both Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid with Southampton open to bids for the left-back.

What’s the deal, then?

The 29-year-old has two years left on his contract but, according to the Daily Mail, Saints are keen to move him on and give academy graduate full-back Matt Targett a consistent run in the starting XI.

Manchester City showed interest for Bertrand in 2017 and 2018, but both times Pep Guardiola’s side were told he was not for sale.

But now it appears the south coast side are open to offers to take him away from St Mary’s in what they are hoping will be a deal worth around £15million.

Selling Bertrand a risk Hasenhuttl should be reluctant to take

When you look at the statistics it is pretty damning that Bertrand is clearly not an improving player – which is not a surprise given he is nearly in his 30s.

The former Chelsea man failed to provide a single assist last season, compared to his previous three seasons where he had managed at least four in each campaign.

With that being said, players with the experience that Bertrand has – he has made appearances in 10 different Premier League seasons since the age of 21 – are imperative to a side who have stared relegation in the face for the past two seasons.

Hasenhuttl said in an interview with Bild last week that his transfer policy this summer was to sign players between the ages of 20 and 24, and he has already made one of those with the acquisition of Moussa Djenepo.

But with that comes the need for older heads who can use their knowledge and maturity to keep things on an even keel on the pitch and in the dressing room.

Southampton’s new man Moussa Djenepo divides opinion amongst fans in the video below…

It is a positive sign for Saints fans that Hasenhuttl is set on building a young, hungry squad.

But he should not get carried away with that narrative at the expense of seasoned pros such as Bertrand.

It’s been unpleasant reading for Tottenham fans over the last couple of weeks, with Ekstra Bladet just one of a number of outlets to report that midfield maestro Christian Eriksen is on the lookout for a new challenge.

Indeed, the news might well have divided fans, considering his importance to the team over the years, though some fans believed the fact he reportedly (per the Evening Standard) Mauricio Pochettino he wanted to leave prior to the Champions League final was the wrong move. Yet, while the Dane has certainly shown his hand early, there’s no room for grudges here.

It’s never too late for the midfielder to change his mind.

The Eriksen “saga” began before the end of the season, with Spanish outlet El Confidencial reporting Zinedine Zidane was keen to bring the midfielder to Madrid and such rumours were perhaps fueled upon the Dane’s rather apparent desire to ‘try something new’.

Yet, it has more recently emerged that Madrid may turn their attention elsewhere, with Marca reporting Zidane is prioritising a move for Paul Pogba. Moreover, AS have reported that Eriksen is beginning to change his mind, recognising that a potential Tottenham stay is actually on the cards.

While fans may have already got used to the idea of the potential incoming of Giovani Lo Celso, who The Mirror report is the imminent subject of a second Tottenham bid, perhaps the idea of an Eriksen U-turn isn’t such a daft idea.

Let’s go back to March of last year, where Toby Alderweireld had almost entirely lost his place in the team to Davinson Sanchez, the regular favourite after missing the first three months of the season with injury, while contract talks were reportedly in tatters.

The once Tottenham favourite had become somewhat of an outcast at the club. The Sun had reported a number of clubs were chasing his signature, with United leading the race. With his contract just a year from expiring (albeit with an optional extension that would add a release clause), the Belgian’s time at Tottenham was in jeopardy.

This season, however, Alderweireld played 34 league games alongside a further 12 in the Champions League. He has also talked of his desire to stay for another season (as per Sport360).

If Alderweireld can experience this type of turnaround, there’s no reason it couldn’t happen for Eriksen. If anything, the former was in a worse situation. He was actually out of the team, after all.

Eriksen, on the other hand, played in nearly every game this season, including 35 in the league and 12 in the Champions League. Despite some suggestions that he’s been out of form, he also contributed 10 goals and 16 assists in that time.

The midfielder, valued at £76.5m (as per TransferMarkt), is still a hugely important player for the club. Jan Vertonghen has recently expressed his desire for the Dane to remain a Tottenham player, describing him as ‘exceptional’, so it’s clear he retains support behind the scenes.

Should Eriksen decide to stay, it can only be recognised as good news for Tottenham fans. Since his £12m signing in 2013, he has contributed towards 109 goals in 208 Premier League appearances, which really isn’t bad going, is it?

If a U-turn is on the cards, take it.

Tottenham fans, would you like to see Eriksen stay at the club? Or is it time for him to move on? Comment below. 

كشف أيمن يونس عضو لجنة الكرة بنادي الزمالك عن اعتزامه التعاقد مع لاعب سوبر خلال الفترة المقبلة، لكن أشار إلى وجود عقبة تمنع ضمه في الوقت الحالي.

وقال أيمن يونس خلال استضافته ببرنامج “زمالكاوي” المذاع على قناة “الزمالك”: “هناك لاعب سوبر مهم وتابعته وعرضته على اللجنة، ولكنه يحتاج إلى ميزانية”.

وأضاف: “الظروف لن تسمح أن نتعاقد معه الآن، ولكن ربما في فترة الانتقالات المقبلة”.

وواصل: “محمد صبحي حارس الزمالك يريد أن يخرج للإعارة، وأنا متعاطف معه، ونفكر مع عمرو عبد السلام مدرب الحراس، لأن من الصعب أن يشارك مع الفريق وهو حارس أساسي مع المنتخب الأولمبي، وحال عدم مشاركته لن ينضم للفريق القومي”.

وتابع:  الإسماعيلي عن طريق مدرب حراسه سعفان الصغير طلب ضم محمد صبحي، وقلت له أن يتواصل مع عبد الحليم علي (عضو اللجنة الفنية بالزمالك) وعمرو عبد السلام”.

وتابع: “ممكن غدًا أو بعد غد انضمام محمد صبحي للإسماعيلي لمدة موسم، لكي يضمن المشاركة في أولمبياد طوكيو”.

وأردف: “محمد صبحي حالة إنسانية جدًا، ومحمد عبد السلام لن يخرج للإعارة ومستمر مع الفريق”.

واختتم: “حدثت مشكلة ومحمد عواد حارس الزمالك حزن أنه جلس احتياطي بالأمس أمام طلائع الجيش وسنحتوي مشاكلنا وهناك لائحة سنقوم بتطبيقها، نريد أن نبدأ الموسم بشكل متكامل”.

[ad_pod ]

Alfredo Morelos has scored 29 times in 45 appearances for Rangers this season, and 47 in 88 games in total for the Scottish giants since arriving in 2017.

At his best, the 22-year-old is a devastating striker.

At his worst, though, he can be a real problem.

Three red cards in the league this season – including during the last meeting with Celtic on March 31 – means that his position in the XI for this weekend’s clash with the Hoops is far from secure.

Indeed, it has been suggested that Jermain Defoe could get the nod against Celtic, who have already wrapped up the league title.

It will be fascinating to see what Steven Gerrard decides to do on Sunday afternoon, and a number of Rangers fans have been on social media offering their views.

Whilst some want Morelos to be handed a starting berth this weekend, others clearly feel that the Colombian cannot be trusted.

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

[ad_pod ]

The vast majority of the time league tables make perfect sense because that after all is their job: to put order to chaos. This season, however, at the top of the Premier League are two examples that unnerve; they unnerve and confuse because initially at least they make no sense at all.

The first conundrum is Tottenham Hotspur who have lost almost exactly a third of their 37 games to this late juncture. It is not uncommon for teams who skirt relegation and struggle throughout a campaign to end up with a 33% loss ratio. Yet here they are, Mauricio Pochettino’s men scaling the heady heights of third. This is odd.

Then there’s Liverpool who have been defeated only the once this term. It is possible to go through the annals of Premier League winners and find teams who have lost four, five, or six times more than the Reds yet still ended up lifting the trophy. It has been a phenomenal achievement to avoid defeat 36 times out of 37. Yet there they are, lying second to a Manchester City side that have been downed by Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Leicester and Newcastle.

What gives? The answer of course lies in draws.

Liverpool have shared the spoils seven times this term and barring Leicester’s success in 2015/16 (which in every way was a glitch in the matrix) no team has recently won the title by drawing that amount or more. Last year City settled on four occasions. The year before Chelsea did so three times.

Luis Suarez certainly had no qualms about celebrating against his former employers in the video below…

As for Spurs their bizarre record-breaking allergy to drawing – with just the solitary stalemate going all the way back to August – has served them exceedingly well. Yes they may well lose every third weekend but the rest of the time they have accrued maximum points and that has been sufficient in surely securing a Champions League spot.

This begs the question: are draws no longer what they used to be? Is a ‘hard-earned’ point now a dropping of two?

The evidence elsewhere suggests so. In League One Sunderland have lost only five times in 46 games yet have had to settle for a play-off place after drawing a staggering 19, the most of anyone in that division. Last season West Brom ended up rock bottom of the Premier League and that after losing the same number of games as three of their rivals. The reason? Only Southampton drew more often.

Going back further to 2016/17 Manchester United drew every 2.5 games, which incidentally is exactly double the national average. It cost them dear and led to sustained talk of crisis.

A draw of course is still worth the same as it always has. Yet in an era where teams are set up more and more to be adventurous and seek out the three points – and furthermore when away tests no longer hold the same intimidating stature as yesteryear – then we are increasingly seeing sides eke out a disciplined draw only to be over-taken by those that lean towards the all or nothing.

أعلن النادي الأهلي إعارة لاعبه الشاب محمد فخري لصفوف البنك الأهلي خلال فترة الانتقالات الجارية.

وكان البنك الأهلي قد أعلن أول أمس نجاحه في استعارة كل من محمد فخري وشادي رضوان من صفوف الأهلي.

وقال أمير توفيق مدير التعاقدات بالأهلي – في تصريحات اليوم الخميس عبر الموقع الرسمي لناديه – أن البنك الأهلي استعار فخري لمدة سنة.

وأنهى أمير توفيق كافة الإجراءات المتعلقة بانتقال اللاعب لصفوف البنك الأهلي الصاعد حديثًا لمنافسات الدوري المصري الممتاز.

Middlesbrough fans must wonder what is going on at their club after what looked to be a decent season has been ripped away over the past couple of months.

For a team that started the season winning five and drawing two, of their first seven games, it is hard to fathom where, and how, it has gone so horribly wrong for the Teessiders.

Losing their last six games has ruined months of good work, and regardless of the role the players have played, the brunt of the blame must be shouldered by Tony Pulis.

Many managers would have done the decent thing: admitted they have done as much as they can and walked away — but not Pulis.

His belligerent approach to his future has seen him bunker down and soldier on, passing the buck of responsibility onto “the man that counts” and “good fella” Steve Gibson.

Speaking about his future, he told The Northern Echo: “Like I say, I came up to Middlesbrough for Steve [Gibson]. He’s the man that counts.

“Whichever way you cook it, we’ve got a good relationship and he’s a good fella.”

His comments seem like a ploy to deliberately make it difficult for Gibson to drop the axe, but any pleas, suggestions or games should be met with a deaf ear.

It would be an easy decision for Gibson to let things plod along until the summer, knowing he can let Pulis’ contract run out, without having to do anything.

It would be easy — but it would be wrong!

It would be a better financial option to let his deal expire — but it will cost the club a fortune in missed opportunities!

It would be the friendly thing to do for someone you have a”good relationship with” — but it will make more enemies!

He simply must make Pulis leave now.

It may well already be too late for this season, but surely let a new man come in and have a few weeks with the players in the hope of salvaging something — even if it is only pride!

What is the worst that could happen?

A new manager can have a few weeks to see who he thinks has a future, and who he wants to get rid of. He could, at least, lay some foundations for the next campaign, while then having the whole summer to reshape the squad.

Failure to act now, will make Gibson — the once saviour of the club — as culpable for his inaction, as Pulis is for his inability.

On behalf of all loyal, passionate Boro’ fans, we say:

Stop pussy-footing around the issue. Do the best thing for Middlesbrough FC, and sack Tony Pulis now!

What do you think of what’s gone wrong at your club, Middlesbrough fans? Should they have changed manager before now? Is it too late? Let us know your thoughts…