[ad_pod ]

Tottenham Hotspur have been in quite terrible form recently.

After breathing the rarefied air of the title race for so long, Spurs headed into a week that saw them face Burnley, Chelsea and Arsenal in quick succession. Win all three games and many believed that the battle for the title would become a three-horse race.

Instead, Mauricio Pochettino’s men lost to the Clarets and the Blues and drew with the Gunners. A loss to Southampton last time out put the cherry on top of a particularly sour cake for Spurs and they are now locked in a battle to qualify for the top four.

They are just one point clear of Arsenal in fourth and three clear of Manchester United, while they sit just four ahead of Chelsea.

Here at Football FanCast we’ve taken a look at how Pochettino can arrest the slump and ensure that Spurs qualify for the Champions League.

Rest Kane

This is a difficult one, of course, such are the talents of Harry Kane.

But the fact remains that, since the England captain’s return from injury, Spurs have not won a game.

He has scored three goals while half-fit but there are no signs that his workload will lighten any time soon. Gareth Southgate has called him up for England’s Euro 2020 qualifiers against the Czech Republic and Montenegro and he is likely to start both games.

Pochettino, then, should consider giving Kane a rest when he can.

The ability of Son Heung-min has been proven this season – he scored in every Premier League game that Kane missed – and he can step in at any time.

Kane is incredibly likely to play against Liverpool at the end of the month but, after that, Spurs face the likes of Crystal Palace, Brighton & Hove Albion and Huddersfield Town. There will be plenty of opportunities to give the forward some respite.

Trust Son

As mentioned, Son enjoyed some of his best form in a Spurs shirt while Kane was injured.

If Kane is to be put on the bench, Son has to be trusted to replace him.

Pochettino has a fascination with striker Fernando Llorente, routinely throwing him on in an attempt to rescue games when they are not going the club’s way.

But the South Korea international is a more multi-functional player and is a better finisher to boot.

Placing some faith in Son, allowing him to play through the middle, and giving Kane a rest kills two birds with one stone.

Pochettino should consider it, particularly with a soft run of fixtures to come after a tough encounter with Jurgen Klopp’s title-chasers.

Stop rotating the defence

There is too much uncertainty in the defence.

Supporters and players alike do not know which full-back will play from week-to-week, while Toby Alderweireld was strangely rested against Southampton at the weekend.

This is not sustainable if Spurs want to challenge at the top end of the league.

Pochettino has to make a decision on the club’s first-choice full-backs and central defenders and stick with it until the end of the season, fitness permitting.

Rotation leads to mistakes and it has cost Spurs all too regularly this term.

This long-term policy needs to end to re-establish defensive solidity.

Go for the jugular when leading

Spurs loss to Southampton came about after Kane had given his side the lead at St Mary’s.

Spurs also took the lead in losses to Watford, Wolves and Arsenal.

There is a complacency problem at Spurs; all too often they appear to take their foot off the accelerator in the hope that what they have done is enough.

Pochettino’s men often play down to their opposition too, allowing them to set the tempo of the game and appearing passive when confronted with problems.

That has to change. If Spurs take the lead, they have to double it, triple it and quadruple it to ensure that those three points are in the bag.

They have thumped the likes of Bournemouth and Everton this season so we know it’s possible. Pochettino has to ensure his players are going for the jugular in every game, regardless of the situation.

Play every game like a Champions League tie

Spurs have enjoyed a quite remarkable turnaround in Europe.

After losing to both Inter Milan and Barcelona in their first two games, a draw with PSV Eindhoven appeared to have consigned Spurs to an early exit.

However, they showed amazing fortitude to rally and beat both PSV and Inter at Wembley, before earning a creditable 1-1 draw with Barcelona in the Camp Nou to seal their unlikely qualification to the last-16.

A 3-0 win over Borussia Dortmund then earmarked Spurs as genuine contenders, and a 1-0 triumph at Signal Iduna Park added even more fuel to that particular fire.

If Spurs play with such discipline and flair in the Premier League, they will have little to worry about in the battle for the top four.

Playing every game as though it is in the Champions League might well see Spurs pick up a fair few points between now and May.

There is a serious vibe around Leeds United at the moment that can only mean success is brewing.

How many times have we seen Leeds United scraping their way through the season, providing that little bit of painful hope to their ever-faithful fans, before cruelly ripping it away at the last because of poor results? Too many to count.

Indeed, ‘so close yet so far’ has been the all too common theme of Leeds United on their 15-year struggle back to the Premier League; players, managers, controversies and diabolical performances all marring the iconic clubs revival.

Then Andrea Radrizzani arrived: the Italian messiah who restored footballing faith back into West Yorkshire.

Minus a Paul Heckingbottom shaped blip at the beginning of Radrizzani’s reign, we simply cannot fault his contribution.

He lifted them from the horrors of their former owner Massimo Cellino, who was singlehandedly sapping the lifeblood out of the club, and worked absolute wonders investing cleverly in the market and, of course, recruiting Marcelo Bielsa.

But he is not finished there.

According to Yorkshire Evening Post columnist Phil Hay, Radrizzani has dangled a golden carrot in front of his team and promised the players a trip to Las Vegas if they secure promotion at the end of the season.

Of course, a trip to Las Vegas alone should not be the main incentive behind their efforts, but we cannot ignore the fact that in a race of such fine margins, the smallest of benefits could make all the difference.

Elland Road seems like a very happy place at the moment and fans will be hoping this continues under their owner.

Leeds United fans, is Radrizzani the best thing to happen to your club in recent years? Let us know in the comments below…

Injury: that short, unmistakable word; the heart wrenching ping, snap, twist, pull, tear or break.

It is a harsh reality sportsmen must face when competing at the highest level: that their bodies could, at any point, give in on them.

The tragic event which could befall anyone – the end of their career as they know it, at least.

Louis Saha is one of these people, one of the unfortunate few that were chosen and could do little to battle their way through the trials and tribulations of recovery.

The former Manchester United man made the switch from Craven Cottage to Old Trafford in 2004¸ presumably full of hope and anticipation for his then fledging career at one of the world’s most iconic clubs.

At 25-years-of-age there were no immediate signs of ill-health or physical fatigue – he was in the prime of his career, having already established himself as a talent at his former club Fulham, netting an impressive 26 league goals in 73 appearances.

From January to the end of the season Louis Saha was everything Manchester United could have hoped for.

He released some of the immense pressure which had been piling on Ruud van Nistelrooy in the wake of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s injury, scoring seven times in 12 Premier League appearances.

It truly was very promising stuff.

But fate reared its ugly head and cruelly struck the forward down the following season.

Saha would spend a month out of action after picking up an injury on international duty – a largely unnecessary risk players faced during the period of obsolete ‘friendly’ matches, pre-UEFA Nations League.

He returned but was never the same. Indeed, like with most injuries, players carry scarring; not the kind you can see, but the type that harbours itself inside the players head – those niggling worries that the injury may hit again.

And it did – a savage blow of stark similarity rained upon him – the same infliction under the very same circumstances on international duty.

He would spend two months out.

And again. Three months sidelined at the start of the following season.

In an amazing display of defiance Saha would return and re-establish himself in the first-team scoring 15 goals during the 2005/06 campaign, later replacing the outbound Ruud van Nistelrooy, who joined Real Madrid in summer 2006.

Saha burdened the responsibility well. He had become the player Manchester United initially invested in; the pacey, mercurial, goalscoring talent that belonged in the starting line-up.

There was some consistency about his game until he was hit with more complication – this time affecting his groin and hamstring.

A single, paltry goal would sit solitarily alone on Saha’s record that season – a sad indication that the injuries had taken their toll.

An absence from Manchester United’s famous Champions League victory would be the final nail in the coffin for Saha, and he would agree to be moved on later that year.

Injuries would ultimately hamper his career at Everton, Sunderland and Lazio, where he eventually retired.

When asked by Shortlist who the best forward he played with was Wayne Rooney answered: “That’s so hard. There are so many… [thinks hard] I’m going to say Louis Saha. He’s a fantastic player; a real handful for anyone and I just really enjoyed playing off him. He was so lively and made great runs in behind. Always making space for others.”

This is both a testament to his quality and the catastrophic turn his career took.

يلتقي فريق ريال مدريد، مساء اليوم السبت، مع خصمه فريق قادش في بطولة الدوري الإسباني موسم 2020/2021.

ويستضيف ملعب سانتياجو برنابيو مباراة الفريقين، في الجولة السادسة من الليجا.

ويتصدر ريال مدريد جدول البطولة بـ 10 نقاط، بينما يتواجد قادش في المركز التاسع برصيد 7 نقاط. موعد مباراة ريال مدريد وقادش

تنطلق المباراة في تمام الساعة الـ 6:30 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، 7:30 بتوقيت السعودية. القناة الناقلة لمباراة ريال مدريد وقادش

تُذاع المباراة عبر قناة bein sports hd3.

يمكنك المطالعة علي مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنا.

Despite only being 22-years-old, Jack Harrison has already experienced a whirlwind of a career to date.

The winger moved to the United States as a teenager and emerged as one of the most promising talents in high school football. After one year of representing Wake Forest University in the Atlantic Coast Conference, he was drafted as the number one pick in the Major League Soccer SuperDraft in 2016 by Chicago Fire, before immediately being traded to New York City FC.

After two impressive seasons with the club, Harrison moved to Manchester City last year, spending the remainder of the 2017/18 campaign at Middlesborough. Now on loan at Leeds United, the England under-21 international has shown glimpses of his talent under Marcelo Bielsa with his latest appearance against Millwall particularly catching the eye of the club’s supporters.

With the Whites currently fighting it out with Norwich City and Sheffield United for automatic promotion in the Championship, Harrison has the opportunity to make a crucial impact in the final seven games. If he is able to demonstrate an improvement to his ability in the final-third, he could create an ultimatum for Bielsa to have to consider in the summer.

The winger clearly has the potential to develop into a player who could easily thrive in the top flight of English football and so if Leeds do secure promotion in May, they could consider permanently signing him at the end of the season. A move to Elland Road could benefit Harrison as he is unlikely to start for a City side who boast the likes of Raheem Sterling, Leroy Sane and Riyad Mahrez in the positions that he currently occupies for the Whites.

Therefore, for the sake of his career, it may be a good idea to consider a switch to the Yorkshire-based outfit if Bielsa decides that he wants to keep him at the club. Leeds themselves – potentially missing out on Daniel James – would be picking up a real talent and one with a huge sell-on value, so it’s a deal that’d make sense, despite Noel Whelan criticising him earlier this season when speaking to BBC Radio Leeds, relayed by HITC.

What do you think Leeds fans? Should the club consider a permanent move for Harrison in the summer? Or should they focus on bringing in another player in his position? Let us know below.

Everton appear to be concerned about the future of left-back Lucas Digne at the club after enjoying a stellar first season in the Premier League, which has made him a firm favourite at Goodison Park. Not since Leighton Baines have you had Toffees had such a popular defender.

Indeed, the Toffees have reportedly expressed their interest in Benfica defender Alex Grimaldo out of fear of losing Digne in the upcoming summer transfer market. The Everton administration believe they are set to be hammered with offers for the Frenchman after his good showings this campaign and are looking to find the perfect replacement for Digne, should he leave the club in the summer.

The Sun on Sunday (via the Daily Star) now reports that Everton have lined up Grimaldo to fill that void and try and replicate a similar kind of consistency as Digne at left-back.

The 23-year-old Grimaldo has been at the Portuguese club since 2015 and has become a regular first-team player since that time. He is, however, yet to get the nod in the Spanish national team but has represented them at youth level in the past.

Should Digne indeed leave Everton in the summer then Grimaldo looks quite a solid and appropriate replacement given his young age and previous performances for Benfica. But, the club should not give up that easily in accepting Digne might be on his way out and should rather consider offering him a bigger deal to remain at the Merseyside club.

The 25-year-old, who is valued at £22.5 million (by Transfermarkt), has undoubtedly been the club’s best player this season and he’s been a stalwart in both defence and attack, while Everton have looked vulnerable whenever he wasn’t playing.

Given the struggles Marco Silva has had this season to find his best combinations and starting lineup, losing Digne would just worsen those problems.

Keeping him at the club should, therefore, be one of their main priorities between now and next season so that Everton can head into next season with some consistency and knowing that they will have Digne as part of the back-four again.

Everton can’t give up that easily. For a building project, it’s vitally important they keep their best players to move forward, not constantly rely on player trading.

Everton fans, would you be gutted to see Digne depart? Join the discussion by commenting below… 

I think we can all agree, more attacking creativity is needed at Rangers. Nick Powell would be a bargain and could be just the man to get Ibrox back on its feet.

The Sun’s Alan Nixon (sourced by Football Insider 247) said the Gers are ‘very’ interested in the Man United academy graduate, so the club could see what we’re seeing in terms of his potential.

He’ll leave Wigan on a free at the end of the season as it stands, and the 25-year-old will be a bargain for whoever picks him up. He’s scored six goals and made seven assists from 26 appearances in midfield this season, all for a team in 19thplace.

Wigan is a rugby league town at heart and we’re sure he’d love to make the step up from the DW Stadium to Ibrox where football is a religion. He’s played under the weight of expectation ever since his days at United, so he’ll be used to the pressure that comes with playing for the Gers.

He’s known for his long-range strikes and exciting creativity, and that’s just what Steven Gerrard’s side needs as they look to challenge Celtic for the title next season. They’ve really lacked a playmaker this term, so this is exactly the signing the fans would love.

They can expect fireworks if Powell makes the switch to Glasgow, with him having the confidence to thrive in front of such a large crowd. The size of which Sir Alex Ferguson predicted he’d play in front of all those years ago. Now’s the time for Rangers to allow him to fulfil that potential.

Rangers fans, how do you think Nick Powell would fit into your team next season? Join the discussion by commenting below…

West Bromwich Albion fans are waiting patiently to see who the club appoint as their new manager, with the likes of Alex Neil and Slavisa Jokanovic being mentioned. 

Of course, Alex Neil has been thriving this season at Preston North End as he’s taken them within touching distance of a play-off spot, but it doesn’t look as if they’ll be able to make it.

The Preston boss reportedly (as per Sky Sports) wants assurances on budgets and how much control he will have over first team affairs, if he is to become the boss at the Hawthorns.

He may be impressing at this moment in time and still has plenty of time to develop as a manager but it remains to be seen as to whether he’d be the best option with promotion on the line via the play-offs.

Therefore, Luke Dowling should focus on a different manager for now.

One man who does have previous experience of securing promotion via the play-offs is Slavisa Jokanovic.

The Baggies have reportedly held talks (as per Daily Mail) with the 50-year-old, so there’s a clear interest.

Indeed, the Serbian managed to take Fulham into the Premier League last season and his side played some of the best football that the Championship had seen in recent years. His attacking style would benefit the players at the Hawthorns massively with attacking full-backs and Jay Rodriguez playing in the Aleksandar Mitrovic role.

The most attractive thing about the former Fulham boss is that he knows how to get the job done in the Championship, which is the most important thing at this moment in time. Indeed, the Baggies could always go out and appoint Neil if they secure promotion next season, but getting their is the main focus right now.

West Bromwich Albion fans, who would you rather have at the helm this season? Join the discussion by commenting down below! 

[ad_pod ]

Borussia Dortmund attacker Jadon Sancho was a part of the England team that recorded a 5-0 win over Czech Republic in Friday night’s Euro 2020 qualification match.

Marcus Rashford’s withdrawal opened up a spot in the XI, which was taken by Sancho as the 18-year-old was handed his first competitive Three Lions start.

It was certainly a night to remember for the winger, who provided the assist for Raheem Sterling to open the scoring at Wembley.

Liverpool have previously been credited with an interest in the teenager, who has scored eight times and registered 15 assists in 26 Bundesliga appearances this term.

Overall, Sancho – valued at £72m by Transfermarkt – has 10 goals and 21 assists in 47 games for Dortmund since a 2017 move from Manchester City, which is a wonderful record for an 18-year-old.

Check out the harsh words the Playmaker FC squad had to say about Wayne Rooney’s England career in the video below

The Liverpool fans were closely monitoring Sancho’s performance against Czech Republic and a number have been on social media urging director of football Michael Edwards to sort out a deal.

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

Liverpool should jump at the opportunity to offload deadwood defender Dejan Lovren amid interest from Roma, Napoli and AC Milan all circling (as per the Mirror).

Despite a relatively prosperous summer at the World Cup, the Croatia international returned to Anfield a forgotten man – cast aside in favour of Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez, Joel Matip and Fabinho, a natural defensive midfielder.

Indeed, ambitious claims that he is ‘one of the best defenders in the world’ (via Sky Sports) have scant been supported this season.

Extended periods on the sideline may have hampered Lovren this term, we admit, but there is no way he can hide behind recent injuries when he is cross-examined for questionable performances in the past.

No, Lovren must face up to the fact that he is not considered among the elite, not even close. In fact, he sits quite comfortably in the ‘distinctly average’ category – alongside the rest of the defenders who have been, or are soon to be, forgotten by the Premier League.

And, it’s safe to say that fans at Anfield will be keen to forget about the Croatian as he’s done more harm than good at Liverpool, with his absence for most of this season resulting in the Reds challenging for the title.

Roma and Napoli are said to be interested in the player amid interest in their own defenders Kostas Manolas and Kalidou Koulibaly, respectively.

How exactly he is expected to replace the aforementioned remains to be seen, as two of the most highly rated defenders in Europe, but we sort of admire the unfounded faith clubs obviously have in him. Their scouts clearly see something the rest of the world do not.

Liverpool fans, is Lovren ‘one of the best in the world’ and how do you feel about selling him this summer? Let us know in the comments below…