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There are often times where pictures paint a thousand words and that has certainly been the case at Leeds this season.

It seems as if no matter how hard they try, they cannot get over the line.

It’s something that’s beginning to become somewhat of a problem, especially in their last two games where they’ve drawn with Derby and lost to Charlton.

The game against the Addicks was one that was typical of how the Whites’ season is panning out.

They had 71.6% of the possession but didn’t take one of their many chances throughout the clash.

Not for the first time this season, they conceded from a set-piece. Out of five goals to have beaten Kiko Casilla in the league, three of them have been from dead-ball deliveries.

Macauley Bonne’s sloppy strike somehow found a way over the line – a piece of luck that Marcelo Bielsa’s men were simply crying out for.

A similar chance occurred for them in the second half. Adam Forshaw, who hasn’t scored in the Championship since 2015/16, had a brilliant opportunity inside the six-yard box but it was scrambled away.

The picture above shows the reaction afterwards of both him and Eddie Nketiah.

The 20-year-old was guilty of missing opportunities too and this rather told the story of how things are going this season.

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From a possible 73 shots over their last four games, they’ve scored just three times. The ball simply will not go in the net and the way Forshaw reacts sums it up.

It’s bewildering at this point the number of chances they create compared to how many they score.

Forshaw looks as though he’s wondering what on earth they have to do while Nketiah stands in utter disbelief.

Plenty of Liverpool fans have been left disappointed by the start of summer signing Sepp van den Berg.

The Anfield faithful could be forgiven for thinking they may have another Dutch superstar on their hands in van den Berg.

Indeed, the Reds have two Netherlands internationals at the heart of everything they do in Georginio Wijnaldum and Virgil van Dijk, and young prospect Ki-Jana Hoever has impressed when given the chance.

So, when they swooped up 17 year-old van den Berg for just £1.3m this summer, he was sure to become the latest member of Merseyside’s Dutch contingent to wow fans at Anfield, right? Well, not so much…

After featuring 22 times for PEC Zwolle’s senior side, he has been resigned to youth team football with Liverpool, and featured in the UEFA Youth League win over Red Bull Salzburg on Wednesday.

Although the Reds won, Klopp’s summer signing disappointed fans with his performance, scoring an own goal and enduring a really shocking first-half display, before improving somewhat after the break.

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Take a look at some of the best Twitter reactions down below…

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…

Talk about the perfect time to turn the tide.

Having gone through a bit of a tough stretch in the past couple of weeks in terms of results, the Blues are heading into the international break very much on a high note.

Having come under a lot of criticism from the St Andrew’s faithful, perhaps there was that little voice in the back of Pep Clotet’s mind that was thinking ‘told you so’, after their dramatic victory on Friday night.

Clotet was given a bit of a difficult task when he took over from Garry Monk in the summer, not only being thrust into the position in the aftermath. but also with the dagger of last year’s Financial Fair Play punishment hanging over him. Given the circumstances, he’s been doing a relatively steady job.

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He even managed to get them as high as eighth in the table and managed to grab a scalp in high flying Charlton away from home a few weeks ago before they went through their slump.

However, everything that was going disastrously for them on the pitch, were all things that could easily have been prevented.

For instance, the winner that Wigan Athletic scored last week was the definition of a howler from goalkeeper Lee Camp. Going back even further to the game against Derby County, the second goal that day came about because of a slip by Marc Roberts.

So it’s not as if they were being blown apart in the same way that they were earlier in the season against Nottingham Forest and Swansea City.

Thogden ranks all 24 Championship home kits in the video below…

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After a pretty much mistake-free game against Middlesbrough and with the international break coming up to sure up any holes in the team, this could be the perfect opportunity for Clotet to finally put his foot down on the team and get them back on track the way they were before their recent troubles.

After all, it’s been the mistakes of his players, rather than his own that has led to some recent troubles.

Birmingham fans aren’t expecting much this season, so Clotet shouldn’t really have been under much pressure to begin with, but perhaps this result will be enough to get them off his back for the next couple of weeks as fortunes begin to change.

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

Sheffield Wednesday face a trip to the Welsh capital on Friday evening as the Championship season resumes following a two-week hiatus for the international break.

Under Garry Monk, the Owls have managed ten points from a possible 15 after losing three of their last four before he was appointed, per WhoScored.

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Last time out, Massimo Luongo netted the only goal of the game to defeat Wigan Athletic, while Cardiff’s seven-game unbeaten run was ended at the hands of league leaders West Brom.

The Bluebirds will bring a tricky test against the south Yorkshire side as they are one of the most physical teams in the division.

On the Chalkboard

Neil Warnock’s side rank third for aerial duels won in the league at an average of 30.5 per game, and they also rank inside the top five for fouls conceded per match, averaging 13.5, via WhoScored.

However, no member of the Welsh side has managed to record as many aerial duels won as Wednesday’s Steven Fletcher, so that gives Monk a potential weapon that could bear fruit on Friday.

The 32-year-old striker wins on average 6.5 aerial duels per game, while his likely match-up Aden Flint averages lower at 5.3 per match.

The Owls’ top goalscorer also manages to fire off 2.4 shots per game, which has led to five goals this season.

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Flint, on the other hand, has recorded 5.1 clearances per match, but his other attributes are slightly low for a defender as he has only registered 1.1 tackles and 1.4 interceptions per game.

This would suggest that Wednesday have some sort of advantage going into the game against what is one of the more physical sides in the division.

Fletcher should really just stick to his own game, the one that has brought him so much success so far this season to help Monk’s side towards another positive result.

Those of us who watched Sunderland ‘Till I die, Netflix’s fly-on-the-wall documentary of the Mackems’ first season outside of the top flight for a decade, will know that the North East club don’t do disappointment in half measures.

In a campaign that was expected to see promotion being chased and ideally an immediate return to the Premier League secured, it was instead an ever-spiralling study in disaster as a side completely shot of belief floundered and flailed their way to League One.

Amidst turmoil in the boardroom Sunderland burned their way through two managers and ended up rock bottom, losing half of their fixtures. It was a difficult watch. It was like witnessing a car crash in slow motion.

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What is remarkable is that ever since their ignominious drop to the third tier the Black Cats’ misfortunes have continued, only now they’re made somehow worse by the accompaniment of hope throughout.

In the summer of 2018 a takeover of the club by former Eastleigh owner Stewart Donald saw them free of debt and the appointment of Jack Ross as their new manager looked a shrewd one with the 41-year-old boasting a fine track record in Scotland. Granted nobody expected the rough and ready League One to be a cake-walk but, considering the quality within the squad, a successful year beckoned.

And in many ways it was, with a return to winning ways a very welcome development as Sunderland competed among the top six. In March Wembley was reached in the Checkatrade Trophy final but heartache followed with a loss on penalties to Portsmouth. It was a day that summed up Sunderland’s recent cursed spell all-too-aptly as a record crowd of passionate fans travelled south and enjoyed the ups and downs of circumstance only to be ultimately undone by cruel bathos.

But no matter, because varying form in the league resulted in a play-off spot attained and revenge being enacted on Pompey with a semi-final two-legged triumph. So onto Wembley it was again on a sunny day and with the offering of redemption and surely this was to be Sunderland’s time after all they had been through? Even fate after all has a heart. Against Charlton Ross’ men were much the better side but they lost 2-1, the winning goal arriving with just five seconds to go.

Check out the real life version of FIFA 20’s Volta Football in the video below…

Last week Ross was sacked after a mixed opening spell to the new season and his departure was announced in the same news cycle that brought confirmation that Sunderland’s latest takeover is off after a wealthy American consortium backed by Dell Technologies pulled out over discrepancies concerning the valuation of the club.

Michael Dell, one of the principle players behind the mooted takeover has an estimated net fortune of £28.6 billion.

Which leaves Donald still at the helm and Sunderland presently managerless. For the fans, meanwhile, it is once again a case of hopes cruelly dashed.

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“The reality of this club is we have the best travel arrangements, the best medical investment, we have the best facilities, we have got the best budget. I believe we have got the best squad.” This was Donald last week explaining how highly pressurised the position is that now needs filling.

Whoever takes charge will need a will of steel to inherit an institution that seems to have lately become so unpopular with the fates.

There are demons looming at the club after a torrid couple of seasons and the next manager will have to conquer those to put the Black Cats back on an upward trajectory.

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…

Aston Villa silenced any doubts that their dominant 5-1 victory over an injury-stricken Norwich City was merely luck by defeating Brighton & Hove Albion at Villa Park on Saturday afternoon.

Dean Smith’s side were made to work for it though as they went behind early doors to an Adam Webster header.

Skipper Jack Grealish was instrumental in the game as he bagged the equaliser right on half-time, meeting Frederic Guilbert’s cross.

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He then turned provider in the dying stages of the match, feeding an onrushing Matt Targett through on goal, who duly slammed home in the 94th minute to move Villa into 11th in the Premier League.

The 24-year-old’s contribution was so sublime that he has been tipped for the Champions League by their former striker Tony Cascarino, and he did so in front of England manager Gareth Southgate too.

Talk about seizing your opportunity.

On Saturday afternoon, no player created more chances than he did – not even Callum Hudson-Odoi, not even Dele Alli and not even James Maddison.

Those behind him in the list all have their own international exploits to shout about – Hudson-Odoi became the youngest-ever player to make a debut in a competitive fixture, Manchester City’s Joao Cancelo has last summer’s UEFA Nations League title to his name while Lucas Digne was a runner-up for France at Euro 2016.

Yet Grealish is yet to even make his first bow for the Three Lions, even since pledging his allegiance to the country back in 2015.

There have long been calls for the Villa captain to be called up to the national team, (supporters in B6 being his primary advocates) but this will surely bolster his claims across the country.

England may have smashed Bulgaria 6-0 a week ago, but it only masked a more deep-rooted problem which was displayed in the defeat over the Czech Republic just a few days earlier.

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Southgate has lacked two clear things in the past year – a clear yet youthful number ten, and a natural leader.

Ross Barkley’s chances will start to wear thin over the next year or so, as Mason Mount fully tightens his grip on that role for Chelsea, though, he far from inspired fans in that aforementioned loss.

Then there’s Maddison, who is yet to feature despite earning a call-up.

On the other hand, Grealish captains his club at 24, and his transition into Premier League life has been as smooth as he could have liked, making him fully deserving of an opportunity next month when England face their final two qualifiers.

Having sold Romelu Lukaku to Inter, and then giving the green-light for Alexis Sanchez to join the Nerazzurri too, Manchester United headed into the current campaign with very limited options up front.

Anthony Martial’s injury earlier on in the season essentially increased the burden on Marcus Rashford ten-fold, and the 21-year-old has understandably struggled to carry the side’s attack, scoring just four times.

Reports in recent weeks have suggested the Red Devils are interested in signing Juventus man Mario Mandzukic, and Maurizio Sarri revealed last week that the Croatian is not training with the first-team group.

Now, Italian publication Calcio Mercato (via Sport Witness) have provided a transfer update, claiming United “should” be Mandzukic’s next destination, and that “everything indicates” Old Trafford will be his next stop.

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After hearing the latest news on their pursuit of the 33-year-old, United fans flooded to Twitter to voice their thoughts on the situation.

Many supporters of the Manchester side insisted it would be a major mistake, whilst one fan in particular suggested if the club signed the veteran forward it would prove Ed Woodward is “bonkers”.

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Check out some of the reaction of United fans below:

Marcelo Bielsa introduced Liam Cooper for Helder Costa in the 76th minute of Leeds United’s Championship clash with Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday afternoon.

The substitution saw the Whites switch to a back three with their fit-again skipper slotting in alongside Ben White and Luke Ayling in defence.

However, the Yorkshire side could not find a late goal on the afternoon as they shared the points for a second successive match having drawn at Preston North End on Tuesday.

The club’s fans are already frustrated that their manager is not making more changes to his starting XI on a week-to-week basis.

And a number of the supporters were unhappy with the late alteration against Wednesday as Cooper replaced Costa.

Costa has actually been slammed by the fans for his form in recent weeks, but not too many could understand why a centre-back was introduced when their team were looking for a late goal at Hillsborough.

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A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

Former Premier League footballer Danny Mills has likened the up-and-down form of Marcus Rashford and some of his Manchester United teammates to Theo Walcott – saying the striker has a mild form of ‘Theo Walcott Syndrome’.

Rashford had scored in United’s three games prior to their weekend defeat at Bournemouth, following the 22-year-old’s goals against Liverpool and Norwich City as well as his match-winning double at Chelsea in midweek.

But as United drew a blank on the south coast on Saturday lunchtime, Mills compared the extreme highs and lows of Rashford’s form to that of Everton winger Walcott, claiming a lot of United players are suffering from similar disparities within their performances.

He told TalkSPORT: “One minute he’s a world-beater and the next you are going, ‘what’s happened? He’s gone?’

“It’s not quite as dramatic, but it’s almost like ‘Theo Walcott Syndrome’. He’d score a hat-trick and you’d think, ‘oh my goodness, he’s arrived! That’s it, he is going to kick on’.

“But then he went missing for the next five or six games.

“I think a lot of United’s players are like that.”

Mills’ harsh critique of Rashford makes it hard not to feel sorry for the England international, here. It is as if Mills expects Rashford to keep scoring game after game, without considering the weight of pressure he must be feeling having been left to lead the line for an underachieving United side.

Even so, he has notched seven times for the club this season already.

That he has managed to score four in his previous four starts for the club – as well as getting on the scoresheet for England recently, too – is a sure sign of the youngster’s promise, with Rashford already racking up 50 goals in United colours having turned 22 last week, making the timing of Mills’ comments all the more bizarre.

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Meanwhile, Mills is also arguably harsh on Walcott, who but for a career stacked with injuries, could have got even more than the 108 Arsenal goals, three FA Cups and 47 England caps he has earned throughout his career to date.

However, that may leave Rashford well-placed to usurp the achievements of Walcott in the years to come, and prove Mills wrong – especially if he is tasked with spearheading United’s attack as he has done so far this season.

United fans, do you agree with Mills’ comments? How far can Rashford go at the club? Join the discussion in the comments below!

What a performance from Rangers at Hampden Park on Sunday.

In the semi-final of the League Cup, the Gers beat Hearts 3-0, and didn’t look under threat at any point during the match. Filip Helander set Steven Gerrard’s side on their way following a fantastic cross from Alfredo Morelos before the 23-year-old Colombian got himself on the scoresheet twice.

They will now face Celtic in the final as they look to end their domestic dominance.

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There were several impressive performances on the day from the Ibrox outfit, but Ryan Jack looked particularly good. So far this term the 27-year-old, who is currently valued at £1.35m by Transfermarkt, has played 19 matches, during which he has scored three times and provided two assists.

It is fair to say that the club’s supporters were absolutely delighted with the two-time Scotland international’s display.

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