All posts by h716a5.icu

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.

Newcastle United’s winless run continued on Saturday as Manchester City’s 2-0 win over Eddie Howe’s side made it five matches without a win for the Magpies.

A number of issues have been a factor in their poor run of form but left-back Dan Burn’s disappointing performances have undoubtedly been one of the biggest reasons.

The former Brighton defender has recorded a Sofascore rating of 7.0 or higher in one of his last eight appearances in all competitions, including a woeful score of 5.7 in the EFL Cup final.

He was subbed off for now-fit left-back Matt Targett late on in the match at the weekend and Howe now has a big decision to make on who to go with in that position moving forward.

One player who does not appear in contention to fill that spot, though, is ex-Norwich full-back Jamal Lewis as the Northern Ireland international has not even made the bench since the 2-0 defeat to Liverpool in February.

How has Jamal Lewis performed at Newcastle?

The 25-year-old has featured once in 2023 and played 11 minutes of Premier League football so far this season, which suggests that the left-back is not in Howe’s plans as a frontline option.

Newcastle signed Lewis for an initial fee of £15m from Norwich in the summer of 2020 and he has only played 35 matches in all competitions in almost three years at the club.

The defender, who journalist Craig Hope described as “rusty” earlier this year, endured a difficult debut campaign with Steve Bruce at the helm with the 5 foot 10 flop averaging a dismal Sofascore rating of 6.48 across 24 appearances – ranking him 26th (bottom) in the squad that season.

He then averaged a score of 6.46 in five Premier League matches, losing 80% of his aerial duels, in the 2021/22 campaign before his struggles in the current term.

How much is Jamal Lewis worth now?

His lacklustre performances on the pitch have been reflected in his market value during his time at the club. Shortly after signing from Norwich in January 2021, Lewis’ expected transfer value (xTV) was £19.6m (€22.2m) via Football Transfers but that has now plummeted to just £3.2m (€3.6m) at the time of writing.

This means that his xTV has dropped by a staggering 84% in less than three full seasons at St. James’ Park and as such, Howe must finally ditch the defender this summer, despite his contract expiring in 2025.

Lewis is behind Burn and Targett in the pecking order and his dismal performances in the top-flight for the club in recent seasons do not suggest that he has the quality to work his way back into the starting XI, meaning his time should be up on Tyneside.

Therefore, Howe and Dan Ashworth must finally cash in on the ex-Canary and recoup as much of the £15m the club paid for him before his value drops further.

Ahead of the January transfer window, it was reported that the Magpies received enquiries about the defender’s availability with that indicating there could be suitors waiting in the wings to sign him.

Leeds United’s prestigious academy has been working overtime in recent years, having produced some incredible talent the likes of which played a big role in their survival last term.

Although acquired as a youngster, Joe Gelhardt came up with some vital goals and assists at important moments for Jesse Marsch, who then enjoyed a burst of success from Crysencio Summerville this season before the World Cup halted his momentum.

As such, the American ran out of leeway and was dismissed just last month, leaving Javi Gracia as the man to pick up the pieces and guide the Whites to safety once again.

Whilst the academy will likely be low down in the Spaniard’s list of priorities, come the conclusion of the campaign he will likely be pleasantly surprised with the wealth of talent available to him who all are pushing for first-team spots.

One such example could be Archie Gray, who despite being incredibly young arguably boasts the brightest future.

Can Archie Gray be Leeds’ own Ronaldinho?

At just 16 years old, this teenage sensation already has numerous Premier League 2 appearances under his belt and this season has assisted twice in the four he has featured in this season. 

The gem, who turns 17 this month, has played 19 times for the club’s U21 side in total and has been called up by England at U15, U16, and U17 level in his short career to date.

It marks an impressive maturity and quality that belie his youth, only serving to solidify his status as “the future of the club”; a claim uttered by Gracia himself in a press conference earlier this week.

There is precedent to believe that, with Gray’s focus being more on the skillful side of the game rather than the tangible, his emergence could indicate Leeds receiving their very own Ronaldinho.

Even Dan James suggested that: “the ability he’s got is something that he can take to be one of the best players in the Premier League if not the world.”

Having been brought up on futsal and Brazilian soccer schools, his close control and quality with the ball at his feet are unparalleled for someone of his age. 

Legendary Portugal midfielder Deco once said of Ronaldinho that he “did things that I’ve never seen anyone do”, and in Gray, there is a suggestion he too could boast that maverick streak that could make him a true star.

Like the former Barcelona wildcard, Gray is an attacking midfielder and could be a creative spark in the middle of the pitch for the Whites – assisting four goals for the U21s already despite his young age.

The future of the club will remain sparkling with the youngster in midfield, and Gracia will surely have one eye on a senior promotion should he continue to capture the imagination.

Leeds United are thought to be monitoring Paris Saint-Germain youngster El Chadaille Bitshiabu.

The Lowdown: Bitshiabu profiled

Bitshiabu is just 17 years of age and has been on the books with the French giants since 2017. Primarily a centre-back, Bitshiabu can also turn out as a left-back or as a holding midfielder.

The 6 foot 4 defender has already made ten senior appearances for PSG and is under contract until 2024, and it appears as if he is of interest in Yorkshire under new head coach Javi Gracia.

The Latest: Leeds interest

Sports Witness relayed a transfer update from Jeunes Footeux regarding Bitshiabu.

They claimed that the youngster is ‘very appreciated’ by five clubs, with Leeds and Premier League rivals Fulham being two of those. The report says that a move to England could be on the cards in the summer, with Bitshiabu set to turn 18 in May.

The Verdict: Future star?

Bitshiabu has already played alongside some of the world’s best including Lionel Messi and appears to be a star in the making after already turning out ten times at senior level.

PSG’s website say that along with his physical attributes, Bitshiabu also has ability on the ball and he is expected to make plenty of first-team appearances in Paris.

Therefore, if Leeds were to secure his services, it could prove to be a major coup in the long run, although with the likes of Bayern Munich also named with an interest, Elland Road chiefs could find it tough.

Everton have a great chance of survival in their Premier League relegation battle this season following Sean Dyche’s arrival at Goodison Park, as their performances have already had a rapid turnaround in just three games.

The former Burnley boss has secured two victories and is currently unbeaten at home, collecting six points from nine which has helped the Toffees quickly climb into a safe position of 16th but with 15 fixtures remaining and just one point clear of the relegation zone, there is still a long way to go.

Indeed, should Dyche secure survival in the Premier League he will surely be backed by the Everton hierarchy to improve and reinvest in the team this summer, especially after the failure to replace Anthony Gordon in the January transfer window.

However, the Everton boss may already have his heir to the departed winger in Everton academy graduate Lewis Dobbin who is currently thriving on loan with Derby County.

How is Lewis Dobbin performing on loan?

The talented 20-year-old – hailed “relentless” and a “crowd lifter” by BBC Radio Derby reporter Dominic Dietrich – made the move to League One to earn some first-team football this season and has shown glimpses of his ability during his time so far with the Rams.

Over 29 League One appearances, Dobbin has scored two goals, registered four assists and created four big chances, as well as averaging 1.3 shots on goal, one successful dribble and 2.5 duels won per game, proving that he is providing a potent attacking threat.

Dobbin has provided most of his goal contributions in wide-forward positions for Derby, proving comfortable on both the left and the right wing, with his goal in their FA Cup replay in November earning him high praise from manager Paul Warne:

“It was nice for Dobbs to get a screamer and that was the highlight of the game really. We could see it had a chance as soon as he hit it.

“His work-rate gets him in the team and goals are the cherry on top of that, but it was one of those moments that was a joy to watch.”

The young forward who penned a new three-and-a-half-year deal with Everton in January 2022 has been rising through the ranks of the Merseyside youth set-up since he was 11 years old and has since earned recognition on the international stage with two caps for the England U19s.

Now Dobbin could get his golden opportunity to follow in the footsteps of fellow academy graduate Gordon by taking his position at Goodison Park and becoming a first-team regular next season under Dyche.

With that being said, the future is looking bright for the Everton youth prospect and if he can continue to flourish whilst on loan it would surely put him in a good position to compete for a spot with his parent club in the near future.

An update has emerged on Glasgow Rangers centre-forward Kemar Roofe ahead of the club’s League Cup final clash on Sunday…

What’s the latest on Kemar Roofe’s fitness?

Light Blues manager Michael Beale has revealed that the striker suffered a blow after the win over Livingston, which comes after Malik Tillman was missing from the squad due to injury – leaving the midfielder as a doubt for the weekend.

Speaking about the current state of his options, the head coach told the Scotsman: “This season our squad has been pulled apart by injuries.

“If I go through it, at the moment there’s still no Robby McCrorie, no [Filip] Helander, no [John] Souttar, no Ridvan [Yilmaz], no Arfield, no Lundstram, no Jack. Kemar Roofe has only just come back. Tom Lawrence is out. Like most things, a couple of days before the game I’ll get a take.

“Kemar Roofe had a slight issue as well after the weekend unfortunately so we won’t be too far away from the team that played last weekend. It wasn’t a dress rehearsal but there could be one or two more that declare themselves fit. I need to make sure they are because it’s important there’s not a bravado around it, that they genuinely are fit.”

Big blow

Roofe being unavailable for selection for the clash with Celtic on Sunday, after this injury worry, would be a big blow for Beale as the attacker is a proven goalscorer who has stood up in huge moments before.

He scored an extra-time winner against Braga in the quarter-final of the Europa League and assisted a goal in the 2-1 win over the Hoops in the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup last season. The Jamaica international also struck an extra-time winner in the semi-final of the League Cup against Aberdeen just last month.

These recent examples show that the dynamo is the man for the big occasion and has been able to deliver in crucial game-deciding moments, to help the team reach finals.

The 30-year-old, who has scored 36 goals in 78 appearances for Rangers in all competitions throughout his career at Ibrox, could now be a deciding factor in whether or not the Light Blues lift the trophy on Sunday because of his experience of being a difference-maker in these huge games.

Roofe is an excellent option for Beale to call on off the bench in matches, as he has proven himself to be a match-winner as a substitute, and that is why this latest injury concern could result in a big blow for the head coach if the striker is ruled out for Sunday.

The manager will, surely, be hoping that this ‘slight’ issue is nothing more than that and the ex-Leeds marksman will be available to face the Hoops in the final.