All posts by n8rngtd.top

John Obi Mikel has put all his focus on getting back to the Premier League with Middlesbrough, spurning the opportunity to return to the international fray in doing so.

Nigeria’s German manager, Gernot Rohr, had hoped to lure the former Chelsea man back into the mix, but his plea fell on deaf ears.

The African Football website report that Rohr said: “He has so many games in Middlesbrough to look forward to, they are fighting for the play-offs too.

“He told me it is not the moment to return but if Obi Mikel is very fit again and has the motivation, then the door is open.

“I am not like Joachim Low who announced that three of his players are definitely out of the German national team, I never say that because you never know what can happen.

“We are watching and will see if he can come back. We also need experience in our team, we have so many young players.”

Obi Mikel’s attitude — putting Middlesbrough first — is exactly what fans want to hear.

If Boro’ are to get past their current wobble in form, they need all players to follow his lead, and put all other distractions out of their minds, and concentrate on finishing the job they have been aiming for all season.

It is also nice to have an international manager that is listening to his players, and understands what is happening at their clubs.

He, therefore, is sympathetic to the fact that Obi Mikel has rightly put Boro’ first, and as a result, has not slammed the door in his face for future potential call-ups.

What do you think of the dedication and commitment Obi Mikel has shown for the Boro’ run-in? We think it is a positive thing, do you? Let us know your thoughts…

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Leeds United fans are struggling to agree with each other about the selection headache presented to Marcelo Bielsa after Kemar Roofe was cleared to return to first-team action.

Fans have been calling for Patrick Bamford’s head after his poor performance and penalty miss against Millwall this weekend, and with Roofe cleared to return from injury before the next game Leeds fans are speculating that Bamford might not get another sniff at the first team this season.

Roofe has been one of Leeds’ most important players this season netting 14 Championship goals as the Whites battle it out for spot in the top two.

Bamford himself has shown flashes of brilliance with a brace against West Brom a particular highlight of his Leeds career.

Leeds fans have been at odds about which striker should get the nod on Twitter after Roofe was cleared to return to full training following his knee injury, which saw him miss over a month of action.

Here’s a look at how Leeds fans reacted to news of Roofe’s potential return on Twitter…

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Sky Sports pundit Danny Murphy has praised the impact of Lucas Moura on Tottenham Hotspur after his cameo against Manchester City in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.

The Brazil international replaced Harry Kane after the Spurs striker sustained a potentially serious ankle injury at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

What’s he said?

Lucas came on in the 58th-minute following Kane’s injury.

Per WhoScored, the former PSG attacker completed two dribbles after coming on, made one tackle and, despite his diminutive frame, won two aerial duels.

And Murphy was impressed with the forward, who last completed 90 minutes in the Premier League in December, in the 5-0 win over AFC Bournemouth.

Speaking on Sky Sports’ The Debate podcast (08:33), he said: “I actually think Lucas Moura deserved credit.

“He was great when he came on. He’s a talented player.”

Deserves a chance

Lucas has been something of a bit-part player this season.

Clearly talented on the ball and blessed with genuinely explosive pace, he has completed 90 minutes just nine times in all-competitions this season.

He has been a European super-sub before, coming off the bench to score the equaliser in the brave 1-1 draw with Barcelona in the Camp Nou that sealed Spurs’ qualification to the knockout stages.

With Kane surely set for a lengthy period on the sidelines, giving Lucas a chance makes all the sense in the world for Pochettino.

Pairing him with Son Heung-Min up front allows for a greater degree of tactical flexibility and could bamboozle opposition defences both at home and abroad.

The time, surely, is now.

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Loads of Newcastle fans have been running the rule over the latest transfer news, as reports in Germany claim the Magpies are chasing Nurnberg midfielder Patrick Erras.

According to Bild, Newcastle are “keen” on a move for Erras this summer, but will face plenty of competition for his signature.

Erras will enter the final year of his contract next season, meaning it’s exactly the type of deal Mike Ashley will go for, and the report claims a whole host of English clubs are interested.

Pl>ymaker FC Exclusive: Jermaine Jenas reveals why Tyne-Wear is a more intense derby than anything London can offer – check out the video below….

Of course, Newcastle will be in need of some midfield reinforcements; Isaac Hayden and Jonjo Shelvey are both likely to depart while Mo Diame’s future is still anyone’s guess.

Diame is depending on a contract extension that is triggered by a certain amount of appearances, while Hayden is expected to repeat his January attempts to leave and Shelvey is wanted by West Ham.

Erras is only 24, but standing at 6 ft 5 he would provide a huge boost in physicality to Newcastle’s midfield.

Plenty of fans have given their verdict on the links though, and they’re getting more and more fed up of Ashley’s bargain hunting…

Champions League football next season is Arsenal’s one and only current aim and it doesn’t matter how they get there, they just need to make it happen. In fact, do any of you really care about the journey, if that’s your destination? 

Unai Emery would safely say himself that he has had a fairly successful time during his first campaign in charge of the Gunners, with his side well in the mix for top four and Europa League success.

Though all the positive energy surrounding the Emirates will quickly disappear if he fails to deliver Champions League football at the end of the season.

Still, you fans will surely be extremely hopeful they will see some new players arriving over the summer to bring some extra quality in and one player they would like to see brought in, or should I say brought back, is Ismael Bennacer, as was touted by Le 10 Sport via Sport Witness earlier this month.

Bennacer, (who is valued at £9 million on Transfermarkt) was sold by Arsenal in 2017 after he made just one senior appearance for them.

When youngsters move on, you either hear or don’t hear about them after.

And unfortunately for Arsenal, Ismael Bennacer is a player that has emerged on the European radar, alike Serge Gnabry, since his move away from the Emirates. The Empoli man is of tenacious character and is a defensive midfielder that could really improve Arsenal’s general squad options.

Operating in a deep-lying role could allow for a player like Lucas Torreira to roam further forward, whilst Bennacer is then there to sweep away any danger besides Matteo Guendouzi. He would be perfect alongside the current Arsenal pair as he’d help ensure defensive solidity at the back and would allow the Frenchman to push forward, as well as linking defence to attack with his quick passing ability.

What. A. Midfield.

Arsenal have made numerous transfer mistakes over the years and not re-signing Ismael Bennacer is certain to be another mistake waiting to happen.

Do you agree Arsenal should try and bring Bennacer back to the Emirates… Let us know!

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Either Liverpool or Manchester City could win the title this season and previous heartbreaks for Manchester United and Chelsea in seasons gone by prove that the margins are likely to be incredibly tight.

Here we are with just a handful of games yet to play and history looks set to be made.

A lot of football fans waste no time in chucking around the word ‘bottlejob’ in the modern game whenever a rival team even so much as trips before the hurdle, let alone stumble over it, but get it in your minds that whoever loses this title race is by no means a ‘bottlejob’.

Liverpool and Manchester City, whoever ends up missing out on the illustrious Premier League title, have recorded seasons seldom seen before in English top-flight history – both of them have been extremely impressive, and whoever does lose out should count themselves as seriously unfortunate.

Watch “Jurgen Klopp’s” hilarious masterplan for winning the title in the video below…

With that in mind, let’s take a look at four of the best teams to fall short of first place in the title race…

Manchester United – 2009/10

Having won the previous two Premier League titles, Manchester United looked good value to add a third successive success to their name, but came unstuck against a formidable foe in Chelsea.

The Blues, managed by Carlo Ancelotti, steamrolled anyone who dared to stand in their way, with their leading man Didier Drogba perhaps in the form of his life.

The Red Devils, however, weren’t at all bad – their 4-0 win over Stoke on the final day saw Chelsea respond with their own 8-0 win over Wigan, showcasing the strength of both teams.

Chelsea – 2007/08

In what is perhaps the unluckiest season for any team to go through, the Chelsea side of 2007/08 were perhaps one of the best sides in Europe at the time, but ultimately ended the season trophyless.

Even more frustrating for them I’m sure, was the fact that the Blues lost out on both the Champions League and the Premier League to Manchester United – they lost on penalties to their domestic rivals in Moscow, and finished just two points behind them in the league.

Astonishingly, Avram Grant was sacked after the campaign. Unlucky, lads.

Liverpool – 2008/09

A rampant Liverpool side with Rafa Benitez at the helm, and spearheaded by Fernando Torres in his prime, could only watch on as arch-rivals Manchester United beat them to a maiden Premier League title by just four points.

Despite beating the Red Devils home and away, and recording a better goal difference than Sir Alex Ferguson’s men could manage, 11 draws ultimately cost them dearly.

Manchester United – 2011/12

The final day to beat all final days. Manchester United thought they had won a record 20th title with a 1-0 win away to Sunderland, and as the seconds ticked away in Manchester City’s game against QPR with the scores at 2-2, players and staff were simply waiting to celebrate.

However, as we all know, Sergio Aguero’s late, late goal saw the title end up in the blue half of the city on goal difference – not even a whopping 89 points earned the Red Devils the title in arguably England’s most thrilling title race to date.

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Rangers are very close to securing a deal for Jake Hastie, but will the Motherwell winger shine at Ibrox?

As reported by The Scotsman, Rangers are “on the verge” of completing the pre-signing of Hastie.

The young winger will be out of contract this summer, and the report claims the Gers will pay a small fee as compensation to Motherwell, due to the player’s age.

Hastie, 21, has an impressive tally of goals and assists in all competitions, but what do the writers at Football FanCast think about the move? Keep reading to find out…

Billy Meyers

“I do think Jake Hastie will be a hit at Ibrox. The 20-year-old appears to be a tall, powerful player with the finesse to make an impact in the final third, reinforced by his impressive goal tally in the second half of the season. With time on his side and plenty of room for growth and improvement, Hastie will become a huge fan favourite under Steven Gerrard at Rangers.”

Matt Dawson

“I think Hastie has all the tools to be a hit at Rangers and is exactly the type of player they need. He’d be a far better option than Ryan Kent who would cost a considerable amount if he were to make a permanent move to Ibrox. The Motherwell man would, therefore, represent far better better value and his goals to games ratio this season just shows how impressive he’s been. Considering his age, it would be a no brainer.”

Check out the video below to see how Brazil fans reacted to being asked how Cristiano Ronaldo would perform for them in a hilarious prank by Pl>ymaker FC…

James Beavis

“Given that he is so inexperienced at a top senior level it’s difficult to give a definitive answer, but the potential and quality is clearly there. At the end of the day you have to feel that Steven Gerrard has an eye for a good player having only recently come out of playing the game himself, so fans should trust in Gerrard on this one. Hastie is clearly talented and has shown he delivers when on the pitch – in that respect he can impact the title race in 2019/20 as Rangers look to stop Celtic’s dominance.”

When it was revealed that West Ham only had a transfer budget of £30 million to play with this summer, many fans were surprised.

Compared to last year where the Hammers spent close to £100 million on new players as Manuel Pellegrini led the club to Premier League safety, the new budget (as per Sky Sports) is a shock to the system for West Ham fans and Premier League supporters in general.

But a lack of funds could be a blessing in disguise for West Ham, as it means they could turn to players from the academy for potential first-team players, and given how successful Declan Rice has been this season, this isn’t completely out of the picture, and one player who could be given a shot is midfielder Marcus Browne.

The attacking midfielder has been impressive on-loan for Oxford United this season, scoring nine goals and assisting five in all competitions for the League One side, and although West Ham fans might favour a big money move for Hakan Calhanoglu, who has been reported as a target (as per Calciomercato) for the east London side, Pellegrini could save valuable transfer funds by giving the academy product a shot.

Having seen what playing youth can do for a team this season with the rise of Rice being one of the most inspiring in English football this season, Pellegrini knows first-hand how important youth players can be for the first-team if only they’re given a chance to shine, and Browne can be the next player to do just that.

The midfielder has all the skills needed to flourish in the Premier League, and with Rice should just how good academy products can be in the first-team, Pellegrini could give Browne the chance to impress for West Ham next season.

West Ham fans, should Pellegrini turn to Browne next season? Let us know!

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Having been beaten 1-0 and produced a disappointing display in the previous Old Firm derby against Rangers at Ibrox in December, Celtic captain Scott Brown and his team would have been determined to put things right at the same venue on Sunday.

With the Scottish Premiership title already wrapped up, it was the perfect opportunity for the visitors to show their superiority over their arch-rivals, and send out a strong message ahead of the 2019/20 campaign.

They did send out that message, but it was one that Steven Gerrard’s men have a real chance of leapfrogging their local neighbours and stopping them winning nine in a row next term as things stand.

The Bhoys were poor throughout proceedings and were lucky not to lose by more than two goals on the day, and it appears clear that major decisions needs to be made this summer when it comes to appointing a permanent manager and player recruitment.

Brown should be leading the team out again next term having signed a new two-year contract earlier in 2019, but the post-match image of him giving the away support a thumbs-up after the match painted a thousand words.

There is a real look of concern and contemplation on his face, which isn’t too surprising given he and his teammates ultimately failed to turn up on the day.

As well as that defeat though, that worry could be about next season as well, with Rangers proving on Sunday that they have the quality to be serious title challengers with a little more consistency.

Maybe Brown is starting to realise they are to be feared and what a difficult campaign it could be for Celtic next time out, and how they can’t afford to slip up too often if they want yet another league trophy.

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Sheffield United fans on Twitter have heralded Chris Wilder after he was named LMA Manager of the Season.

The 51-year-old beat out the likes of Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp to lift the Sir Alex Ferguson Trophy.

Wilder has done an excellent job at Bramall Lane, leading them to the Premier League just two years after winning League One.

The Yorkshire club have also played an expansive and unique brand of football which has led to high praise from his peers.

Wilder often utilised overlapping centre-backs in his system to great effect as the Blades finished second in the Championship despite having one of the lowest budgets in the division.

The United manager became the first gaffer outside of the Premier League to pick up the accolade since Eddie Howe back in 2015. If the Blades can come anywhere close to replicating Bournemouth’s success in the top flight, then Wilder may be up for this award again sooner rather than later.

Here’s what the Bramall Lane faithful have been saying on Twitter…