The new 2019/20 La Liga season has barely begun and Real Madrid are already facing the same old issues they’ve been facing these past few years.
But the entrance to the new campaign hasn’t been all that bad for Los Blancos.
So far, they have tallied a win and a draw in La Liga and even if they wanted or had to do better since they did draw at home to Real Valladolid who finished last season in 16th place, there still must have been some positives to take from their first two bouts.
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Be that as it may, the fans seem to have identified a player who they view as part of the problem.
Judging by their recent social media activity, that player is none other than last year’s acquisition, Thibaut Courtois – who has started both of their league games so far this season.
The Belgian goalkeeper found himself harshly criticised by the fans on his recent Twitter post.
Below, you can see a collection of their responses either asking Courtois to leave their club, simply rinsing him for his apparently bad goalkeeping abilities or demanding the return of Keylor Navas.
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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…
Lucas Moura has explained how the hat-trick he scored for Tottenham Hotspur against Ajax has changed his life, per ESPN Brasil via Sport Witness.
What’s he said?
The Brazil international netted a barely believable treble in the Champions League semi-final last season.
Trailing 2-0 on the night and 3-0 on aggregate, Spurs needed a miracle in Amsterdam.
Lucas stepped up, scoring twice and restoring the club’s hope, before netting a brilliant goal in the 95th minute to send the club into their first-ever final.
And he has now lifted the lid on how his life has changed since.
He said: “At the time we had no comprehension of what we did.
“In the street, fans always come to talk about that game.
“Today I see a lot more fans with my shirt, and it also greatly increased my followers on social media!
“It’s very satisfying to know that you’re loved at the club where you play.”
A hero
Loved?
Lucas Moura is an icon in Tottenham now, a legend from a campaign in Europe in which Spurs fans dared to dream that they could become European champions.
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His goals, but, really, that third goal, are forever etched in Spurs folklore.
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Shorn of Harry Kane, injured and watching in the stands, Lucas stepped up to drag Spurs back from the brink of elimination, completing perhaps the greatest comeback in their history.
He will be loved forever and a day in north London.
After lighting up the Emirates against Burnley, Dani Ceballos appeared to have the world at his feet following his season-long loan move from Real Madrid.
The Spain international ran the show against Sean Dyche’s side, and his inclusion from the off against Liverpool at Anfield was understandable.
Unfortunately for the 23-year-old, the game seemed to pass him by and he struggled to impose himself on the Reds’ dominant midfield.
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The Spaniard was dispossessed four times and managed just 29 passes in the hour that he was on the field.
After seeing Ceballos’ struggles, Arsenal fans took to Twitter to voice their concerns about the midfielder.
Many supporters of the north London side questioned why Emery chose to select him in the starting line-up, and said that he should have known the game may have been “too quick” for him.
Indeed, some fans even suggested Ceballos was out of his depth at Anfield as he endured a really difficult evening against the Reds.
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Check out some of the reaction of Arsenal fans below:
Manchester United’s start to the new campaign got off to a thrilling start as they claimed all three points against Chelsea in dominating fashion.
They were superb going forward as they put four unanswered goals past the Blues to get off the mark with a superb win.
Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Dan James all got on the scoresheet but despite an impressive victory, there was still room for negativity.
Jesse Lingard appeared to be berated by supporters on Twitter for his display as he was targeted on social media.
One fan told him to improve whilst another said that he needed to stay out of the starting XI. A further individual stated that he was terrible, suggesting United wouldn’t win anything with him in the team.
The 26-year-old was also branded as bang average by one supporter as they claimed he was running around like a headless chicken.
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Lingard played 86 minutes against Chelsea on Sunday, finishing the game with a pass success rate of 88.5%, per WhoScored. He managed one key pass and three dribbles too.
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Here’s how United fans responded to his showing at the weekend.
This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…
In one of the most surprising moves of the summer, Manchester City have confirmed via their official club website that they have signed Scott Carson from Derby on a season-long loan.
What’s the word?
Following the departure of 20-year-old shot-stopper Arijanet Muric on a season-long loan to Championship outfit Nottingham Forest earlier in the transfer window, Pep Guardiola’s side were left with just two recognised first-team goalkeepers in Ederson and Claudio Bravo.
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Reports then claimed Carson was on City’s radar as a possible back-up option for the upcoming season, and now the Etihad side have confirmed the 33-year-old has joined the club on a temporary basis.
The biggest surprise of the summer?
To think of all the illustrious names City have welcomed through the doors at the club since the takeover by Sheikh Mansour, and now seeing England’s Euro 2008 villain Carson be the latest man in. The veteran goalkeeper has enjoyed somewhat of a journeyman’s career, playing for a host of different clubs and different leagues, including the likes of Liverpool and Bursaspor.
But Carson’s signing is ultimately another damning indictment of City’s much-criticised attempts in integrating their youth players. A report from Sky Sports saw Guardiola’s side come bottom of the table when it came to giving minutes to homegrown players – just 371, compared to Manchester United’s 9,334 at the top.
Whilst loaning out Muric to Forest is understandable in allowing the Kosovo international to gain valuable first-team experience, could City simply not have promoted someone from their academy sides to the role of third-choice? Ederson and Bravo are likely to feature in every league and cup game for the upcoming season, so the chance of Carson making an appearance is minimal.
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Allowing a youth prospect to be in and around the first-team during training and match-days would have given them hope of eventually making it at the club, and potentially act as a reminder to some of the side’s fellow prospects that there is a clear pathway for them.
Instead, City effectively closed the door to any young ‘keepers at the club, taking the easy way out with a swoop for Carson.
This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets…
According to Portuguese outlet Record, Liverpool are interested in signing Sporting midfielder Idrissa Doumbia after being impressed with the midfielder in a pre-season friendly against the Liga NOS side.
The Independent also report that a deal is unlikely to be concluded this summer, although the Reds are now tracking Doumbia’s progress with a view to making a move in the next window.
At just 21 years of age, the Ivory Coast star could well have a bright future ahead of him if he continues in this vein, seeing as he did enough in what was just a friendly to impress the Champions League winners.
Additionally, he would also be a wise player to recruit given the current ages of some of Liverpool’s midfield options.
As you can see, the youngster looks to be a fairly tidy passer of the ball and a decent reader of the play despite his young age with 1.1 interceptions per game.
As aforesaid, he would be a good option to target given the current midfield situation.
As things stand, Jurgen Klopp’s midfield options are bloated and no new faces should be added anytime soon.
The German has Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Gini Wijnaldum, Adam Lallana, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keita and Fabinho all at his disposal right now – a whopping seven players.
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However, Henderson will be 30 next summer. Wijnaldum is 28 and it won’t be long until he’s also 30. Milner turns 34 in January, and Lallana’s next birthday will be his 32nd – it is fine for now, but Liverpool should definitely have one eye on freshening up some of these options.
At just 21, Doumbia would struggle to get much game time ahead of the established players above, but he should definitely be considered as a potential signing for next summer or the following windows after that given the advancing years of some of Liverpool’s stars.
Tottenham Hotspur fans do not want the club to sign Malcom from Barcelona.
Spanish newspaper Sport reported on Monday that Spurs could launch a bid for the Brazilian, who is deemed expendable by the Catalan club.
Indeed, they are reportedly hoping to raise €45m (£41m) by selling the winger, with Spurs touted with an interest alongside both Arsenal and Everton.
Of course, Mauricio Pochettino’s men have thus far signed Tanguy Ndombele from Lyon and Jack Clarke from Leeds United in this transfer window.
The club continue to be linked with Real Betis star Giovani Lo Celso and Fulham’s Ryan Sessegnon, while Football FanCast understands there is genuine interest in signing Paulo Dybala from Juventus.
And fans have been left lukewarm on the possibility of bringing Malcom to the club prior to the transfer deadline next week.
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Indeed, the 22-year-old has made a total of 24 appearances for Barca, scoring four goals and registering just two assists.
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This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets…
Liverpool have had a much quieter summer than they had last year so far.
They are yet to make a single first-team signing, bringing just one new face through the door in 17-year-old centre-back Sepp van der Berg.
However, they have been linked with a number of exciting names. Lille forward Nicolas Pepe has been touted as a potential signing, a man who scored 22 goals last season.
Former Red Philippe Coutinho has also been linked with a return to Anfield, along with another No.10 in the shape of Bayer Leverkusen wonderkid Kai Havertz.
Obviously, signing both wouldn’t be sensible nor would it be good for the Champions League winners’ bank balance, but that shouldn’t even be considered as an option – Havertz is a far better choice for the Merseysiders.
Firstly, the main point is that the Germany international is a whole seven years younger than Coutinho, meaning that his already decorated palette of skills have the potential to get even better, whereas you would expect the Brazilian to be the finished article as it stands.
Even if you were to forget their respective ages, Havertz enjoyed a phenomenal 2018/19 campaign and bettered the Barcelona No.7 in almost every department – Coutinho’s extra 0.1 of a dribble per game is all that puts him ahead of the 20-year-old.
The 6 foot 2 attacking midfielder netted 17 Bundesliga goals last season, compared to Coutinho’s measly tally of five.
Additionally, Havertz averages more shots per game than the former Inter Milan man, but also makes more key passes per game which suggests that he isn’t just a goal threat and can effectively lay on chances for his teammates too.
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Liverpool were linked with a two-year loan move with an option to buy Coutinho for £88m, but by the time that loan ended, their former No.10 would be about to enter his thirties – who knows what his form will be like then.
In stark contrast, Havertz will be about to enter his prime years – this is categorically a no-brainer for Liverpool, and would be a far better long-term option than re-signing their former Brazilian star.
This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
Rekeem Harper’s future with West Brom seemed to be in doubt for a while.
After it was revealed he’d been offered a new deal in the club’s retained list, it took until beyond the 1st July, when players out of contract usually become a free agent, to finally put pen to paper.
The news will likely have come as a welcome relief to the club who are clearly keen to tie down their best young stars.
Unfortunately for Albion, the same couldn’t be said for Louie Barry who rejected a new deal, but Harper’s contract and the addition of Filip Krovinovic on loan could signal a key change that’s already happening under new manager Slaven Bilic.
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On the chalkboard
West Brom’s midfield last season was incredibly one dimensional, boasting players like Gareth Barry, Jake Livermore and Chris Brunt.
It was an area of the pitch that lacked much energy with all three players, barring Livermore now ageing individuals. Barry, at the age of 38, has now left the club, but the two latter names are still embedded within the squad.
Brunt has the ability to pick a pass, claiming six assists last term but beyond that, is nothing more than a steady player.
However, Harper’s new contract and the arrival on a temporary basis of Krovinovic is signalling a key switch.
All of a sudden there is a far more energetic and refreshing feel to the midfield, one which could arguably help drive the club forward in a new era.
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It’s likely that Albion’s new Croatian will play as a number ten whilst their academy graduate could play behind him as a box-to-box midfielder.
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As a result, the middle of the park could look far more vibrant for West Brom going into the 2019/20 campaign, particularly if Sam Field is also trusted.
Krovinovic is only 23 whilst Harper is still a teenager, meaning the wheels have already been put in motion for a changing of the guard from the older heads that dominated their failed promotion campaign.
Since Bilic has arrived, there has already been significant losses in regards to the playing staff but those of the experienced members that still remain are unlikely to influence things too much in the future.
Under the ex-Hammers man, a youthful approach looks to be coming to the forefront, and after giving a season to those who came down with the team from the Premier League, it’s now evident that a new form of approach is being taken.
Ayoze Perez joins Leicester City from Newcastle United in one of the most surprising deals of the summer to date.
The £30m fee spent by Leicester is questionable considering it’s fair to ask what they’ve actually bought for that price.
That’s not a question of Perez’s ability, as the diminutive playmaker has shown over many years at Newcastle that he possesses both the quality and grit to succeed at Premier League level.
No, the doubts arise more in search of the answer to an even more pertinent question: what are they signing him for?
While boasted qualities that eluded the majority of his less technically gifted teammates, the lingering question that has hung over the Spaniard has always concerned where he fits into the attack.
And with that, it’s difficult to understand why Brendan Rodgers has opted to spend such a huge sum of money to bring him to the King Power Stadium.
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The forward has played a variety of different positions, from right to left wing, number 10, second striker and even as a number 9. There’s no doubt he’s got the attributes to succeed in any of these roles, but Leicester are a side who boast tremendous and, crucially, young talent that you’d assume a progressive manager like Rodgers would want to exploit and develop.
Harvey Barnes, James Maddison, Demarai Gray, Mark Albrighton and potentially Youri Tielemans – should he return to Leicester in a reported £40m deal – could be in contention to occupy the starting three spots behind a striker, most likely Jamie Vardy, so it’s difficult to envisage where Perez fits into the squad.
Perhaps he will merely be a squad player but, given the size of his price-tag, it seems that he will be much more than a body to bolster squad depth.
With that said, it might be time for Jamie Vardy to look over his shoulder in fear of his place in the starting XI rather than to watch his teammate thread a through ball into his path.
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Vardy has typically thrived in a counter-attacking side.
This isn’t a criticism of his ability on the ball, nor his final product or creativity, it’s simply fitting of his finest attributes – his pace and goal scoring instinct.
He thrives when running in behind and exploiting space, running directly at goal, the sort of thing he did relentlessly under Claudio Ranieri. The way Rodgers likes to play, however, won’t necessarily allow for this to happen.
Naturally, it’s pertinent to acknowledge that the Northern Irish manager enabled Vardy to rediscover his form shortly after he replaced Claude Puel. Spaces were suddenly prised open for the lightning-quick forward to exploit and he scored 10 goals in 11 Premier League games to finish the 2018/19 season.
But at 32 years old Vardy is moving towards the back end of his career and a contingency plan is needed to prepare for life after the Foxes legend, one which Perez may well be at the centre of.
Rodgers has been renowned throughout his managerial career in the top flight for playing short, incisive and attractive football.
He led Swansea to the Premier League with it and immediately caught the eye with his brave style, one which was later lauded by Luis Suarez, per Sports Mole, after he accepted the Liverpool job: “They always tried to play football with short-pass combinations and didn’t care what zone of the field they were at.”
He came agonisingly close to winning the Premier League with Liverpool and won a double treble with Celtic while adhering to his possession-based principles. He appears to believe in this approach and is refining it with every year that goes by.
Vardy doesn’t fit the remit as well as the former Newcastle star, which could see the fresh recruit adopting a centre-forward role in the side, where he can carry his team up the pitch, dribble past players, hold up the ball, create and score.
Perez can combine with midfield options effectively as well, and his stats suggest he enjoys this side of the game. Last season he proved to be far more involved with overall team play, registering 779 league passes compared to Vardy’s 416, and averaging 21.05 passes per game to the Englishman’s 12.24.
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Perez also completed more key passes per game on average with 1.2, while the former non-league star completed just 0.9. This has been achieved despite playing in a team finishing lower in the table.
The stats points towards a fundamental stylistic difference between the two players, one which will at least offer Rodgers a fresh option in attack.
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Yes, Perez’s position in attacking midfield certainly contributed to the Newcastle man’s involvement in build-up play, but his side were also adopting a very pragmatic style under Benitez, so it can’t all be explained by positional differences.
Quite frankly, the Spaniard has a very different way of helping his team up the pitch.
Who knows, the two forwards may form a great partnership, and with Leicester in a rebuilding phase, there are certainly times when Vardy’s fantastic strike rate, pace and hunger will be required, but the club’s long-term future under Rodgers looks set to champion neat and complete players like Perez, Maddison and, if Leicester fans’ dreams are turned into reality, Tielemans as well.
It’s hard to see how the Spaniard will displace some of Leicester’s finest young talents, but with Vardy ageing – though showing little sign of it – perhaps this signing adds a weapon to Rodgers’ armoury that could see the veteran phased out.