All posts by h716a5.icu

Fans online have slammed Jordan Pickford following his supposed “smug” comments after saving a penalty in the recent Everton draw.The Toffees travelled away from home to take on Leicester City in the Premier League with both teams struggling down at the bottom of the table.Indeed, the two sides may well end up playing football in the Championship next season if they can’t turn around their fortunes soon.In the end, they were able to at least claim a point each as the game at the King Power Stadium ended in a 2-2 draw.Everton took the lead thanks to Dominic Calvert-Lewin but Caglar Soyuncu levelled things shortly after and before half time Jamie Vardy had put the Foxes 2-1 up.A second-half goal from Alex Iwobi was enough to see things end all square at 2-2 but shortly before the break, James Maddison had a huge chance to make it 3-1.After Michael Keane had been penalised for a handball, the Leicester midfielder was gifted the opportunity to score from 12 yards.However, Maddison failed to beat England international teammate Pickford who guessed the right way by standing straight down the middle to block the penalty.

What did Jordan Pickford say?

As per BBC Sport, the goalkeeper’s water bottle had a graphic attached to it showing how Maddison tends to go down the middle with 60 per cent of his efforts, so Pickford should “stay centre”.

After the game, the Everton man gave a confident interview with Sky Sports and he certainly seemed to be revelling in the role he played in helping his side pick up a point.

The £125k-per-week shot-stopper explained how he knew not to dive, saying: “I did my homework. I called it this morning where I would go. He is a good player and he would’ve expected me to move, but I double-bluffed him and got one up on him.

“Madders needs to learn his lesson. Don’t play poker.

“It was a big moment and I’m happy to save it – it’s what I’m there for.”

Despite his heroics in this incident, Pickford wasn’t able to help Everton get all three points and this means Sean Dyche and co are still in danger of being relegated.

With just four games left to play, they sit second last in the division, one point from safety. With that in mind, fans online didn’t seem to appreciate the confidence exuding from the goalkeeper.

Here are some of the stronger reactions online…

His words really seemed to rub some people the wrong way…

Liverpool are preparing to table a contract offer for Eintracht Frankfurt defender Evan Ndicka this summer, according to reports.

What's the latest on Ndicka to Liverpool?

The Frenchman will be out of contract at the Deutsche Bank Park at the end of the season, and having rejected several fresh terms to extend his stay, is set to become a free agent on the market – alerting Jurgen Klopp and FSG who are reportedly open to offers for both Joel Matip and Nat Phillips.

The Daily Mirror have name-checked the Reds, alongside Premier League rivals Arsenal and Tottenham, as three of the main potential suitors in the race to sign the 23-year-old, and they have already taken their initial interest one step further.

Transfer expert and journalist Graeme Bailey has revealed that the Merseyside outfit have "asked" to be given updates on the 6 foot 3 colossus’ situation by his representatives as they consider whether to make an approach during the upcoming window, and it appears that they have already made their decision.

According to Football Insider, Liverpool and Spurs are expected to go “head-to-head” to try and win the services of Ndicka later in the summer. The Anfield and N17 outfit’s are “both set to make contract proposals” for the centre-back upon the conclusion of the current campaign as they believe he “fits the ideal profile”. The Eintracht star predominantly operates as a left-sided central defender and it’s stated that this is a position that the Reds are “eager to improve”, with his physical attributes making him a “powerhouse” at both ends of the pitch.

Should Liverpool take a chance on Ndicka?

Liverpool knowing that Ndicka would be available on a free transfer makes this a move that is relatively risk-free with them having to pay nothing, and having been hailed a “towering” titan by journalist Jacque Talbot, the hierarchy should 100% bring him on board.

The left-footed ace currently averages 4.9 clearances and 2.6 aerial wins per league game, via WhoScored, whilst recording 15 tackles won from 21 players challenged this season, so is a rock at the heart of the defensive backline.

The Europa League winner and Champions League participant has also proven that he can be a poacher at the opposite end of the field having posted 21 goal contributions (11 goals and ten assists) in 177 appearances for Eintracht Frankfurt, so this is a deal that the club shouldn’t even have to think twice about wrapping up should the opportunity present itself.

Under the ownership of controversial tycoon Fahrad Moshiri, Everton has developed a notoriously unwanted reputation as one of the country's worst-run clubs.

This is mainly attributed to their managerial merry-go-round and a series of inexplicably poor transfers that have left the club in monstrous debt and having ever lacked a strong spine on the pitch.

However, one signing that at the time was deemed a masterstroke was the unbelievable coup of James Rodriguez in the summer of 2020 from Real Madrid. The 31-year-old began his career in England in electric form, but the honeymoon quickly soured in yet another transfer flop for the Toffees.

Where is James Rodriguez now?

The 90-cap international rose to worldwide fame and stardom thanks to his ridiculous 2014 World Cup campaign. The imperious playmaker was in unstoppable form in Brazil and registered eight goal contributions in five matches, and received the Golden Boot as the tournament's top goalscorer.

The attacker narrowly missed out on the Golden Ball award as he came second to Lionel Messi, but even Argentine legend Diego Maradona argued that the Colombian was more deserving of the title than his counterpart.

This earnt the midfielder a £63m move to Real Madrid, where he was tipped to continue his exponential rise as one of the globe’s most elite technicians.

But, his time in Spain was blighted by injury and inconsistency, and in his final season at Los Blancos, he only managed 14 appearances in all competitions and was deemed surplus to requirements.

Nevertheless, the then 29-year-old still remained a joyous prospect, just a player enveloped and overwhelmed by the humongous expectation of the Santiago Bernabeu faithful. So when Everton secured his services it sent shockwaves across the blue sections of Merseyside and a chance for the gift to revive his stuttering career.

Rodriguez began his debut season in England in formidable fashion, recording six goal contributions in his first six outings.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin heaped praise on the new signing in his early in the North West and said:

“He’s a top, top player. He’s a different level, he dictates games.”

But, the artist failed to appear in 15 of Everton’s Premier League matches and cut a frustrated, unmotivated, and anonymous figure by the end of the season.

Upon Carlo Ancelotti’s departure from the Toffees, Rafa Benitez was appointed as the new manager, but the Spaniard failed to develop any kind of rapport with Rodriguez, who swiftly left for Qatar.

A stint at Olympiacos then followed, but the former Monaco prodigy had his contract terminated with the Greek giant, to leave one of the world’s most revered forces in grave danger of slowly petering into irrelevancy. Irrespective of his quality, perhaps Everton let him go at just the perfect time.

Arsenal are among the main contenders to sign Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic this summer, according to a recent report from CalcioMercato.

What's the latest news involving Dusan Vlahovic?

Vlahovic looks like he could be on his way to the Premier League this summer, with a number of top clubs said to be interested in the striker, including Arsenal, and the player himself would "definitely" be keen on a move to the Emirates Stadium.

There is set to be competition for the Serbian's signature, however, with Manchester United also being named as potential suitors, while Chelsea could look to sign him in a swap deal, with Christian Pulisic going in the opposite direction.

Journalist Pete O'Rourke has recently talked up the forward, describing him as a "proven striker", who would be a "big-name signing" for the Gunners, and it appears as though they will be near the front of the queue this summer.

According to a report from CalcioMercato (via Sport Witness), Arsenal are still among the main contenders for the Juventus star, and there is a growing possibility that he will be available this summer.

The 23-year-old's recent performances mean that he is no longer untouchable at the Allianz Stadium, and the Serie A club could look to cash-in this summer, although they want at least €90m (£80m) to sanction his departure.

Not only will the Gunners have to fend off interest from other Premier League clubs, but Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain are all said to be in the race for the marksman's signature this summer.

Should Arsenal sign Dusan Vlahovic?

As referenced in the report, the Belgrade-born attacker has not been at his best recently, and he is now without a goal in his last eight Serie A games, however this is his first real dip in form since bursting onto the scene with Fiorentina.

The Serbia international scored a remarkable 24 league goals during spells with Fiorentina and Juventus last season, the second-highest amount in the Italian top flight.

Hailed as an "absolute beast" by sections of the media, the former Fiorentina man is a proven goal-scorer, and Arsenal may need competition for Gabriel Jesus next season, considering Folarin Balogun's future is in major doubt.

Vlahovic's recent form is cause for some concern, but his previous exploits indicate it will only be a temporary dip in form, and the Gunners should continue to monitor his performances between now and the end of the season.

Glasgow Rangers look like they are already preparing for life without Ryan Kent as they have recently scouted winger Luis Palma.

Kent’s contract expires at the end of the season and with nothing confirmed regarding an extension, the Englishman could well leave the Ibrox side for free, which would represent a major blow for Michael Beale.

It was revealed last week that the Light Blues were keen on Palma, and they had sent scouts to oversee his performance for Aris against Olympiacos and the club have monitored him all season.

According to the Daily Record, he could cost £4.5m and the Glasgow side are facing competition from Anderlecht for his signature in what could be an interesting few weeks ahead.

Beale will need to strengthen his attacking options, and although he will surely be backed in the transfer window, the 42-year-old won’t have vast sums to work with and therefore will have to be smart with his decisions.

Could Rangers sign Luis Palma?

With regular European football and a chance to win trophies on a regular basis, the Gers have everything in place to entice the winger to Scotland, and he is within their budget.

The Honduran has been in wonderful form this term for Aris, scoring ten goals and registering six assists, while his positional versatility could also give him an advantage, being able to operate across the front three if required.

The winger could create a rater menacing attacking duo with striker Antonio Colak, who could thrive with Palma setting him up on a regular basis.

The Croatian hitman has settled fairly well at Rangers, scoring 17 goals, yet he has often looked like an isolated figure, leading the line on his own.

Under Beale, this has become less and less of a problem, however with Kent not exactly enjoying his best season – scoring just three times – and seven-goal Fashion Sakala either hit or miss, a player in the mould of Palma could work wonders for him.

Palma delivers 0.9 crosses per game along with averaging 1.3 key passes and Colak could be on the receiving end of these, waiting in the penalty box and utilising his excellent finishing skills.

The 23-year-old does play slightly deeper according to his heatmap from this season via Sofascore, looking to play passes inside which could suggest that dribbling is not his strong suit, which is evidenced by completing just 43% of his attempted take-ons this term.

This may not be a bad thing, with Colak performing best when able to link up well with someone, and even he could drop deeper to take the ball and try and make things happen, making him less isolated in the process.

Signing Palma may cost Rangers a significant amount, yet it could be a fantastic investment for the future.

BBC pundit Chris Sutton has claimed that Adama Traore went over too easily when looking for a penalty for Wolves in their most recent match.

What's the latest on Wolves and VAR?

Julen Lopetugui's men travelled away from home to take on Nottingham Forest in the Premier League this weekend but had to settle for just a point after a fiercely-contested match.

Indeed, Steve Cooper and co took a first-half lead thanks to Brennan Johnson, but Wolves then managed to pull themselves level thanks to Daniel Podence.

That was enough to see the game end 1-1 but perhaps things would have been different had referee Chris Kavanagh pointed to the spot when Traore went to ground in the box.

When speaking about the challenge from Forest defender centre-back Felipe, Sutton told BBC radio show 606 that he agreed with the call made by the officials.

He explained (18:26): "I thought he went over easily there. I've seen that a lot, and what he does is he decelerates, and the Forest defender was Felipe I think, and there's contact, there's not enough contact. He's looking for a penalty. It's simulation.

Sutton added (18:58): "Why doesn’t Traore, with all his pace and his strength and his ability, not try and finish it anyway. He is looking for contact.

"And you know, the referee didn't didn't award a penalty, obviously, but he didn't go and check it on the monitor, it wasn't enough to overturn it. So, I'm totally with the referee on that."

Did Adama Traore deserve a penalty for Wolves?

As you can see in the Sky Sports highlights of the incident, there is a bit of a tug from Felipe on Traore, and you have seen those kinds of challenges punished before.

However, the £55k-p/w Wolves winger could probably stay on his feet and get the shot away if he really wanted to. In the end, it was a marginal decision and with referee Kavanagh not giving it live, it was never likely to be overturned by VAR.

No doubt, some Wolves fans will be frustrated by the decision but seeing as Podence seemed to spit at Johnson but still managed to avoid a red card, perhaps they can count themselves lucky on that front.

The draw leaves Lopetgui and co 13th in the league on 28 points, one place and one point above Forest who have a game in hand.

Leeds United correspondent Phil Hay has said that there has been a "positive assessment" of the injury to Max Wober during the international break.

What’s the latest injury news on Wober?

Javi Gracia was dealt an injury blow to his Whites squad prior to the international break, with Tyler Adams missing the Premier League win over Wolves with a hamstring issue. The American midfielder was unable to represent his country and needed to see a specialist, and it wasn’t long until the club had more injury concerns.

Wober picked up an issue in the first 45 minutes of Austria’s first European Championship qualifier against Azerbaijan and returned to Yorkshire early for an assessment of the problem. Wilfried Gnonto also suffered an ankle injury while turning out for Italy over the weekend, and Hay has shared what he’s heard about the pair.

Taking to Twitter in the last 48 hours, Hay said that both Wober and Gnonto are doubts for this weekend’s trip to league leaders Arsenal, however, there have been "positive assessments" on their injuries after returning from their respective countries.

Who could replace Wober against Arsenal?

Wober has been a regular under Gracia, playing every minute of the four Premier League games under the new head coach. The January signing, hailed by former manager Jesse Marsch as ‘very intelligent’, ‘gifted’ and a ‘real leader’, has formed a solid partnership with Robin Koch, which resulted in early praise from Gracia following his first game in charge against Southampton.

“In my opinion, both centre-backs played really well today. They had a tough challenge. As you say with a very tall player and all the defensive line was very concentrated and the good work of the team meant we got a clean sheet.”

Should Wober miss out at the Emirates, then Gracia will seemingly have two different options to come in and partner Koch. Both Liam Cooper and Pascal Struijk have had their own injury issues this season but were on the bench against Wolves last time out, with the latter of the two making an appearance in the closing stages.

Both Cooper and Struijk are also predominantly left-footed whereas Koch will more than likely continue to turn out on the right-hand side, so it’ll be interesting to see who Gracia goes with if Wober doesn’t make the trip.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that the Glazer family are prepared to sell Manchester United despite rumours that a takeover may not happen.

What's the latest on the possible Man Utd takeover?

As per The Guardian, there are concerns among those interested in buying the club that the Glazers might have “played them for months” as they don't intend to actually sell the club.

The report explains that instead of sanctioning a full sale, the owners are hoping the recent publicity will help push up the price to create leverage for a loan or offload a minority stake to a hedge fund.

This would tally with what has been said in the Daily Mail – which claims the eldest Glazer, Avram, has always been against a full sale of the Premier League club.

However, while discussing the situation on The United Stand, Romano insisted that if the valuation of £6-7bn is met, Man Utd will indeed be sold.

The journalist explained: "Now they want six, up to seven billion pounds to sell Man United. So we have to see what's going to happen in these conversations with INEOS Group, and of course, with the Qatari group of Sheikh Jassim.

"The conversations, as we know, are still ongoing after new official bids. So these are going to be crucial days to understand more.

“But from what I understand, they [the Glazers] are open to selling Manchester United, but they want that money. Otherwise, they can also stay at the club.

"But the situation is pretty clear, they are prepared to sell. It's [also] up to the groups to decide what they want to do in case the Glazers will turn down the new bids."

Who will buy Man Utd from the Glazers?

Finnish businessman Thomas Zilliacus has also recently entered the race with a bid, which he believes is on "the same level" as the ones that have been offered by the likes of INEOS owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Qatari consortium of Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani.

With that in mind, the Glazers don't seem to be short of potential suitors, but it still remains to be seen how far the bids made so far are from meeting the current owner's valuations.

All in all, it feels as though this debacle may well rumble on for some time yet and it's hard not to wonder if any takeover will happen even with a very clear price tag for Man United publicly outlined.

Tottenham Hotspur have seemingly identified a possible successor to Antonio Conte at N17, amid reports that the Lilywhites have approached former Spain boss, Luis Enrique.

What's the latest on Enrique to Spurs?

According to journalist Tony Damascelli (via Calcio Mercato Web), the north London outfit are believed to have already been in contact with the 52-year-old regarding a potential appointment, with the experienced coach having been out of work since leaving La Roja following the World Cup.

The insider stated: “I know that Luis Enrique has already been contacted, there is a good possibility that he will go to England.”

This also comes amid claims from CBS reporter Ben Jacobs that Spurs sporting director Fabio Paratici views Enrique as a "strong candidate", with the Gijon native a potential alternative to that of Mauricio Pochettino, amid the expectation that Conte will be sacked during the current international break.

Would Enrique be a good fit at Spurs?

The hope will be that Enrique could be the man to lift the doom and gloom surrounding the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with the former Barcelona head coach able to offer a wealth of winning experience to the struggling outfit.

The 62-cap international enjoyed notable success during his three-year stint at Camp Nou after taking on the top job in 2014, memorably guiding the likes of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar to treble glory during his debut season, having seen off Serie A side Juventus in the Champions League final.

While Spurs have unsuccessfully attempted to end their long-running trophy drought with the appointments of the likes of Conte and Jose Mourinho – the pair both undoubted, "serial winners" according to journalist Samuel Luckhurst – the difference in the case of Enrique would be the Spaniard's attractive and progressive style of play.

With Conte utilising a rather dour and "negative" approach – as per Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville – the former Roma man, by contrast, seemingly implements a more front-foot brand of football, having said of his Spain side back in November:

“Our idea is never going to change. We will attack, want the ball, play in their half, defend near halfway, press high, take lots of risks. If we have the bravery to stay faithful to that idea, I will consider that we have done our best.”

Although that idea somewhat regressed as Enrique's men suffered an early exit in Qatar at the hands of surprise package Morocco – culminating in the loss of his job – the one-time Celta Vigo boss is unlikely to adopt the same pragmatic, defensive tactics that have plagued the Lilywhites of late.

As The Times also previously outlined, the arrival of the out-of-work coach could also potentially help to tempt talisman Harry Kane into staying at the club, with the 29-year-old currently facing an uncertain future with just over a year to run on his existing deal.

With interest from Manchester United mounting, the England skipper may finally be hoping to secure an exit from the club where he has made his name, although the capture of a manager of such pedigree could inspire a change of heart.

Of course, Kane may well have felt the same when both Conte and Mourinho walked in the door, but – as stated above – Enrique's possession-based, free-flowing style of play could prove far more enticing.

With the academy graduate facing what could be his last chance to seal a big move away from the club, it could take a lot for him to stay put beyond the summer window, although such a marquee appointment could be enough to see the striker commit himself for the long-term.

With the £200k-per-week man previously outlining his desire to reach the levels of the likes of Messi, that goal could well prove easier to realise by working under a manager who knows all about the genius of the Argentine.

West Ham's 1-1 draw against Aston Villa over the weekend was only enough to move the Hammers outside the Premier League relegation places on goal difference.

David Moyes seems safe for now but with a huge fixture against fellow strugglers Southampton next up in the top flight, the Scottish manager's job could soon be on the line.

A number of managers have been touted as potential successors to the 59-year-old at the London Stadium, with Jose Mourinho perhaps the most eye-catching of those linked.

However, a move for the Portuguese boss seems unrealistic at this point, and the Hammers could unearth their own version of the legendary manager in former player, Michael Carrick.

What's the latest West Ham manager news?

ExWHU Employee recently provided an update on the manager situation at West Ham, when speaking on The West Ham Way podcast.

He said: “There is no truth in the Jose rumours I can confirm. Firstly he would command such a ridiculously high wage which would break our structure.

”Also it’s felt he’s too controversial, having caused many problems at clubs he’s been with previously. Additionally, the club believe his career is now on the decline.

“Like I have said, I think in future we want to look for younger managers whose careers are on the up, with more modern and fresh ideas.

“Michael Carrick for instance fits that bill and is someone that the club admire.”

What is Michael Carrick's managerial record?

Carrick would earn his first permanent job in management at Middlesbrough earlier in the season, and he has completely transformed the club in his tenure on Teesside, taking Boro from 22nd to 3rd in the Championship, with automatic promotion now a very real possibility.

Lauded by Sky Sports' Michael Bridge for the "unbelievable" job he has done at Middlesbrough, Carrick has steered his new side to an impressive 2.14 points per game in all competitions, winning 15, drawing two and losing just five of his 22 games in charge thus far.

With Mourinho seemingly not on the cards for West Ham, who better to appoint than a young, English manager who has worked alongside the Roma boss during his time at Manchester United.

Indeed, like the 'Special One' he has seemingly had an instant knack within management for winning games of football.

In fact, the 41-year-old spoke about his experience of working with the former Chelsea and Inter boss during an interview with the League of 72 recently.

He said (via talkSPORT): "It was fantastic, an unbelievable opportunity for me coming towards the end [of my career]. It kind of caught me by surprise."

"I don’t think you can ever expect an opportunity like that to come along even though I’d been at the club a long time. Seeing Jose close up and what he’d seen in players, how quickly he spotted strengths and weaknesses, he made up his mind very quickly and was very decisive tactically how he went about things."

Carrick will no doubt have learned a lot about what it takes to be a manager from the great Portuguese boss, and that winning mentality could well be crucial should West Ham hire him as Moyes' replacement.

He has already guided one side out of a relegation dogfight this season, perhaps it's now time for another.