All posts by n8rngtd.top

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Leeds United came so close to signing Swansea City winger Dan James during the January transfer window, but following his goalscoring exploits for Wales this week and the fact that John Hartson believes he could now be worth £30m, it could be time to turn their attentions elsewhere.

What’s the word, then?

Well, Hartson has told talkSPORT that he believes the 21-year-old could now be valued at treble the £10m fee the Yorkshire club wanted to pay for the attacker just a couple of months ago.

That will surely cause an issue for the Whites even if they secure promotion to the Premier League this term, but there has been another interesting update on a former target in Albert Adomah, who they were reportedly keen to bring to Elland Road last summer before the player snubbed them.

The Birmingham Mail report that even though the 31-year-old’s Aston Villa contract expires this summer, the Midlands outfit are ready to put talks over a new deal on hold until the season is over.

Should Leeds move?

If he is to leave Villa Park for free then they would certainly be silly not to consider it, whichever division they do find themselves in next term.

The pacey winger has struggled for form, goals and assists during the current campaign, but he has been more of a regular in the starting XI in recent weeks under Dean Smith.

14 goals and five assists in 26 Championship appearances between September and March last season show exactly what Adomah is capable of when he is fully on his game, and that pace and finishing ability could be just what Leeds need.

Given the potential price tag difference between he and James, it is a bit of a no-brainer with Marcelo Bielsa surely able to transform him as he has done with so many others since arriving at Elland Road.

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In his preparations for Tuesday evening’s key clash with Manchester United at Molineux, Nuno Espirito Santo must revisit his team’s last encounter with those opponents for inspiration.

What’s gone wrong at Wolves, recently?

Whilst it’s rather tricky to put a finger on what’s gone wrong for Wolverhampton Wanderers in recent times as they’ve slipped to just one win in five Premier League matches, it’s not hard to work out what the problem was last Saturday afternoon.

A misfire in team selection hugely hampered the Midlanders away at Burnley and led them to an embarrassing result, a 2-0 defeat to Sean Dyche’s men at Turf Moor.

Key figures Matt Doherty and Raul Jimenez were relegated to the substitutes’ bench in favour of Adama Traore and Ivan Cavaleiro as captain Conor Coady put through his own net and Dwight McNeil sealed the deal for the hosts late on.

The disastrous starting Xl changes cost Wolves dearly with the weakened team dominating possession but lacking any real cutting edge, which is evidenced by 62.8 percent possession and just one shot on target throughout the whole match.

It really is that simple

Funnily enough, Wanderers’ last match before the international break was against the Red Devils, a 2-0 triumph that booked their place in the semi-finals of the FA Cup.

On that night in Wolverhampton, there were only two outfield differences in the starting team from that of Saturday – yes you guessed it, Doherty and Jimenez were involved over Traore and Cavaleiro.

This not only offered Wolves more protection on the right wing, pivotal against a “Big Six” team, but more firepower in the final third in the form of a born finisher to play up-front alongside Diogo Jota.

West Brom fans will want to cover their ears for the video below…

In this match, Nuno’s men, the hosts like they were in mid-March, will be hoping for a replica performance from their last home game and they can only do that with the same side – especially when the necessary alterations are needed anyway.

Ahead of the biggest matchup of their season at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, there will be an obvious temptation to rest key players. But the Midlands side desperately need to find some form and momentum for the weekend by winning for the first time in the Premier League since early last month.

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Watford host Fulham on Tuesday night in a clash which could see Javi Gracia make multiple changes to the side that lost to Manchester United at the weekend with the Hornets’ FA Cup semi-final clash with Wolves upcoming on Sunday.

Ahead of the visit from the Cottagers, the Spaniard has insisted that fringe man Nathaniel Chalobah still has a part to play for his side despite the immense performances of Abdoulaye Doucoure and Etienne Capoue recently.

What did he say?

Well, speaking about the former Chelsea man, Gracia said:

“I think Chalobah was injured for a long period and after he needed time to recover. Now he is in a better condition and I think he can help us. But there are other players ready as well. I try to choose the best option.

“In my opinion, the most important thing is if he is fit and available to play. He is ready to compete in this moment and better than, for example, a couple of months ago.”

Tough on Chalobah

Indeed, the midfielder spent most of last season recovering from a serious knee injury and has struggled to regain a place in the starting XI since, making only seven Premier League appearances this campaign while the aforementioned Frenchmen go from strength to strength in the middle of the park.

However, the congested run of fixtures has maybe given Gracia the chance to afford some of his fringe players – Chalobah included – a run-out against Scott Parker’s side, who could be relegated if they suffer defeat at Vicarage Road.

Doucoure and Capoue have certainly earned rests and Gracia will want them to be in perfect shape ahead of the massive game this weekend at Wembley.

In this era of ‘big 6’ dominance, has finishing 7th become as good as winning a trophy? The Pl>ymaker FC squad have their say in the video below…

Chalobah could replace either at the base of midfield in what will surely be a testing game, regardless of the difference in league positions, due to the consequences for their visitors if they take nothing back to Craven Cottage. What do you think, Watford fans? Would you like to see the 24-year-old feature more often? Let us know in the comments below.

[ad_pod ]James Tomkins was one of few positives to be taken from Crystal Palace’s 2-0 defeat to Tottenham on Wednesday night, with Luka Milivojevic having an evening to forget and Roy Hodgson making a mockery of himself with his post-match comments.The former West Ham defender kept Spurs at bay for the entire first half – albeit with some help from Vicente Guaita – completing 11 clearances and 3 interceptions in total, although eventually his efforts were in vain.Hodgson might have missed the mark with his baffling words post-match but the praise he heaped on Tomkins prior to the trip to Newcastle this weekend was spot on:

The 30-year-old has led the backline capably in Mamadou Sakho’s absence through injury but will be relishing the return of his centre-back partner – the duo are one of the best pairings outside the top six, if not the best.

A Crystal Palace fan shares his most gutting moment of the last 10 years supporting the Eagles in the video below…

Tomkins will be crucial again this weekend with Salomon Rondon posing a huge threat up front for the Magpies – they will undoubtedly look to find him in the box with a cross wherever possible but, if he can reproduce the excellent job he did on Harry Kane last time out, then Tomkins will deal just fine with the towering Venezuelan.

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Wolverhampton Wanderers fans have been reacting to a special club memory on Thursday, the one-year anniversary of a huge moment in their promotion back to the Premier League.

It was exactly 365 days since Ruben Neves’ obscene volley in the 2-0 home victory over Derby County, a night of three points that took Nuno Espirito Santo’s closer to the Sky Bet Championship title.

To celebrate, the Wanderers posted a video on Twitter of the remarkable strike and proclaimed that the day should be named in the Portuguese’s honour.

The “once-in-a-lifetime goal” is still clearly a fresh memory for Wolves supporters, despite all the side’s success this season in the English top flight and their march to the semi-finals of the FA Cup.

Some were still in disbelief about the strike a year on, while another articulated that they had never seen a better goal live and that Molineux had never witnessed a more spectacular strike, while one more urged the central midfielder to recreate the worldie at the weekend.

A Wolves fan shares his most gutting moment of the last 10 years supporting the club in the video below…

Check out the best reactive Tweets from fans of the Black Country team, below…

Wow, this could be an exciting window! Rumours are already circulating linking United with a host of talented players that could join given the chance this summer.

It’s all because Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is new to the job and therefore needs his own signings to make the team his.

Having got the best out of a number of United’s current players, he will be keen to expand that success when he buys his own players this summer. How nice would that be, United fans? A manager going into a transfer window with who and what he wants to buy.

The Red Devils have been starved of real quality over the last few seasons, hence why this window is arguably their most important in years.

Whether they manage to achieve a place in the top four or not, Man United remains a huge lure for top quality players.

Midfield is a specific area that should be improved and Portugal’s Bruno Fernandes is exactly the way to do that for United. What was evident in the club’s loss to Barcelona in the Champions League was the fact the Red Devils lacked any kind of control in the midfield.

He could change that.

Fernandes, (who is valued at £31.5 million on Transfermarkt) is a player that has been in the form of his life this season and therefore bound to be linked with a giant move this summer.

Alongside Juventus and PSG, Man United (according to A Bola via Sport Witness) have been quick to register their interest in Bruno Fernandes because of how influential he has been for Sporting Lisbon this season.

As an attacking midfielder, Fernandes has provided no less than 28 goals and 15 assists this season, stats that are simply sensational and definitely won’t go unnoticed. The likes of Nani and Cristiano Ronaldo have arrived to the Theatre of Dreams from the Portuguese capital over the years and look how they turned out.

The 24-year-old has enjoyed a stunning season out in Portugal and there is definitely nothing to say that he couldn’t emulate that same success with Man United if he joined over the summer. With Juan Mata ageing, their reported interest in him makes total sense.

Do you agree that United should sign Fernandes… Join the discussion and let us know!

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International Liverpool fans on Twitter are not best pleased after a major announcement by the club regarding preparations for next season.

The Reds confirmed on Tuesday evening the destination for their pre-2019/2020 summer tour, heading to the USA for the second consecutive year after journeying to North Carolina, New Jersey and Michigan to encounter Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City and Manchester United in 2018.

This time around, Jurgen Klopp’s men will first clash with Borussia Dortmund at the Notre Dame Stadium in Indiana on 19 July, before facing off with Sevilla at Fenway Park in Boston two days later, and rounding off the trip against Sporting CP at the Yankee Stadium in New York on 24 July.

Chelsea fans were giving it large at Anfield on Sunday. Watch their afternoon get slowly ruined in the video below…

However, the exciting news has upset some unhappy Reds supporters from all four corners of the globe, complaining that the Premier League title contenders didn’t choose destinations such as South Africa, Singapore and Switzerland amongst others.

Check out the pick of their replies below…

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According to French outlet L’Equipe, Brentford defender Yoann Barbet is attracting the interest of Wolves. However, a number of other clubs are also tracking the player so his signature won’t be easy to obtain.

What’s the word?

Barbet has been a rock at the back since moving to English football and has shone in a Brentford side who have defied expectations over the last few seasons.

The French defender’s contract is due to expire in the summer and as a result, there is no shortage of interest for the 25-year-old. L’Equipe is reporting that Wolves will face competition from Ligue 1 sides Angers and Montpellier, as well as Norwich and Leeds.

In previous months the Frenchman has been targeted by Aston Villa too. Back in December, the Express & Star claimed that Dean Smith had been looking at him. It’s unknown whether the Villans still have an interest in the player though.

At the moment, Transfermarkt rates the centre back at £900,000 but given he’s out of contract in July he wouldn’t cost a penny should he became a free agent.

Exactly what Wolves need

Wolves would be foolish to miss out on the chance to sign Barbet this summer. Their squad has looked particularly thin in recent months and a lack of squad depth has been a pretty major problem.

Considering there is the possibility of playing in the Europa League next season, they’ll need to invest in more bodies to help spread the workload.

However, given that their first team is already pretty settled Nuno Santo needs to be targeting squad players, rather than international stars who might upset some of their key figures.

Barbet wouldn’t walk straight into this Wolves team and as a result represents the perfect example of what kind of signings the club has to make this summer.

On a free transfer, there would be no risk to the deal and they should have no concerns about whether he can make the step up to the Premier League.

Wolves’ defence is primarily made up of players who flourished in the Championship so Nuno will be hoping Barbet can repeat the trick if he signs.

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Manchester United fans have taken to Twitter to react after Juan Mata was offered a new contract, and it’s safe to say that the fanbase is split over the decision.

The Spaniard’s current deal expires this summer, and he has been offered a one-year deal with the option of a further 12 months.

Who would win out of Man Utd’s treble winners and Man City today? Fans discuss in the video below…

Mata, who signed from Chelsea for £37.1m back in 2014, has made 21 Premier League appearances this season, 15 of those being starts, although he is keen for the club to offer him a longer deal.

At 31 years of age, Mata currently earns £170,000-a-week at Old Trafford, which is a bit of a sticking point in contract discussions as he is not a first-team regular and arguably not worth that weekly wage – he has scored just three league goals and assisted two more this term.

As a result of his age and status in the team, it is debatable whether or not Mata should be offered a new contract, a sentiment echoed by some on Twitter, although others seem happy with the decision…

[ad_pod ]Leeds United fans on Twitter are furious after Derby County star Tom Lawrence got away with no punishment following an alleged dive against West Brom at the weekend.

The Welsh midfielder went down under minimal contact from Kyle Bartley, winning his team a penalty. The subsequent spot-kick was converted by Harry Wilson. The goal all but sealed sixth spot for Frank Lampard’s men.

Despite Lawrence going down very easily, he wasn’t handed a retrospective ban which would’ve seen him miss both legs of the semi-final clash with Leeds.

Whites supporters have been fuming with the decision as it comes just one week after Patrick Bamford was handed a two-game ban for simulation.

This isn’t the first time fans of the Yorkshire club have been let down by the FA’s decision-making after Conor Hourihane was let off scot-free after seemingly punching Mateusz Klich.

Supporters have once again placed blame on the FA and the EFL, continuing their long-running feuds with the governing bodies.

Here’s what Leeds fans have been saying on Twitter…