Manchester United are said to be close to agreeing a deal to bring Blackpool’s Thomas Ince to Old Trafford, The Daily Mail claim.
The talented midfielder has impressed at Bloomfield Road since moving to Ian Holloway’s men from Liverpool, and has been recognised with his first call up to the England under-21 squad.
The Red Devils are thought to be keen on the Blackpool man, who is the son of former United battler Paul Ince.
A £6 million bid is thought to be adequate for the Tangerines to part with their star man, who played in his side’s 3-0 defeat to Cardiff at the weekend.
Ince was wanted by Swansea in the summer, but rejected a switch to the Liberty Stadium in favour of staying with Blackpool.
However, it is believed that the draw of signing for one of the country’s biggest clubs would be too good to turn down, with a move set to be completed for the January transfer window.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
German outfit RB Leipzig are circling Everton’s Ademola Lookman, who spent the second half of the season on loan with them, according to the Liverpool Echo.
What’s the story, then?
The Echo report that Lookman impressed enough in his Bundesliga loan spell for Leipzig to test Everton’s resolve over their willingness to keep the flying English winger.
It goes on to say that Lookman will seek assurances from whoever the new man in the Goodison Park hotseat is about his future.
It also claims that Everton were willing to listen to offers for Lookman under Sam Allardyce but the arrival of Marcel Brands has brought in a philosophy that the new manager must work worth young players, which might alter the former Charlton man’s situation.
Lookman can be Everton’s Zaha
Everton will clearly be looking to spend big money this summer to get the fans back on side after a season that fell short of expectations.
Brands appears to have a philosophy that will sit well with Toffees fans, but he must put it into practice and Lookman is one of the hottest properties at the club.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Everton were so dearly lacking in pace in wide areas last season that Lookman’s introduction really could add another dimension. He has a real chance to nail down a starting berth in this team and Everton must not let him leave.
Arsenal were dumped out of the FA Cup on Sunday, defeated 4-2 by managerless Nottingham Forest in the third round of the competition at the City Ground.
The home side deserved every bit of their win, matching Arsene Wenger’s side in attitude and application, showing a clinical edge that the Gunners lacked on the afternoon.
It’s the first time Wenger has ever been defeated at this stage of the competition and brings an early end to their defence of the trophy after winning it last season.
Fans were left fuming with the performance, especially from senior international players such as Mohamed Elneny, who failed to provide any quality in the midfield areas to trouble Forest in attacking areas nor cover defensively.
Supporters have been left questioning why he gets a game for the Gunners at all, with many believing he should be shown the door at the Emirates and never play again, even outside of English Premier League action.
They took to Twitter to share their thoughts on his performance…
When these sides met back in October we saw several battles that were somewhat unexpected at White Hart Lane.
The Hammers players were playing in the unusual formation of 4-6-0 and it appeared to catch Spurs off guard, allowing Sam Allardyce’s side to capitalise all over the park and run out comfortable 3-0 winners.
And this Capital One Cup Round 5 meeting promises to provide much of the same approach from both sides, but this time there will be surprises when it comes to the key battles on the pitch.
Here are the three big clashes to look out for…
Hugo Lloris v Jussi Jaaskelainen
At one stage this season both keepers boasted the best record in the Premier League. Despite that changing somewhat in recent weeks, both still play important roles within their respective teams.
Their place in the starting XI for this cup tie may be questionable, but it could be argued that at this late stage in the competition there can be no room for resting your best performers.
With a combined 13 Premier League clean sheets between them so far this season, both have been on top of their games and, additionally, will be looking to get back to their best after conceding an unusually increased amount of goals in recent weeks.
If they both play, they’ll both be important to their side’s chances of progressing to the Capital One Cup semi-finals.
Christian Eriksen v Ravel Morrison
Ravel Morrison stole the show at White Hart Lane in October and has showed that he is capable of performing consistently at this level week in, week out with his performances for the Hammers and England U21’s since.
However, Eriksen’s first season at White Hart Lane hasn’t got off to the best of starts. One goal in twelve appearances in all competitions hasn’t really helped him live up to his £11million transfer fee.
But the Dane has a big chance to start impressing now Andre Villas-Boas has left the club, and he’ll want to use the West Ham game as the perfect opportunity to show the Spurs faithful what he can do. If he can keep Morrison quiet then he should have no problems in winning this midfield battle and aiding his side’s quest for Capital One Cup glory.
Andros Townsend v Guy Demel
Townsend has been in fine form for both Spurs and England this season, but he struggled to make a real impact when he came up against West Ham’s Guy Demel in October.
Although Demel is not known for his blistering pace, while Townsend undoubtedly is, he managed to restrict the England international to cutting in and shooting from long range. It was arguably his best performance in a West Ham shirt to date and it went a long way in ensuring West Ham were rarely threatened.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
That will be on Townsend’s mind when they do battle this time around and Demel will have his work cut out if the 22-year-old winger can find the space behind him and get the ball into the West Ham box.
And that’s exactly what Andre Villas-Boas will be looking for Townsend to do as West Ham continue to struggle with injuries to defenders and face at least another six weeks without Winston Reid.
Sponsored by Capital One. The Credit Card that Supports the Supporters.
For exclusive content, competitions and more visit: Facebook.com/CapitalOneUK
For Capital One Credit Cards visit: www.capitalone.co.uk
It has been a busy week at Ipswich with the club receiving bad news as well as some good news.
The bad news is obviously the story about Micheal Chopra being accused of offering bribes to a jockey however, the former Newcastle striker’s involvement is not fully known and of course he has not been found guilty of anything as of yet.
It seems to be that most Ipswich fans are furious with Chopra but I am about to make myself very unpopular and stick up for the 28-year-old frontman.
The key factor to remember with this story is that it happened well before Chopra was signed by Ipswich and the club was well aware of his troubled past. When the club signed him they were probably aware that a story like this could come out because of the players past but they obviously accepted the fact that they would just have to deal with it at the time.
The question I would put to those who have grown to dislike the forward is; has Chopra had any gambling problems since joining Ipswich?
As far as we are aware Chopra has beaten off his addiction and only ever been thankful for the clubs support with his personal problems.
Chopra has had many personal problems to overcome since joining Ipswich and it will have no doubt effected his performances. He may not have lived up to the hype on the pitch and if fans don’t like him because of his performances on the pitch then that is a completely different matter. It has to be said that if Chopra was scoring every game then everybody would have supported him through this case.
The bottom line is whatever happened is just an addition to the player’s troubled past and whatever he has done outside of football years ago should just be dealt with outside of football. After all, if Chopra is found guilty he will be banned from any horse racing event but outside of horse racing the verdict should have no effect on him, especially not at Ipswich Town.
The club have supported Chopra through all of the problems that haunt his past and this is no different. If both the fans and the club get behind him every game regardless of whether he is innocent or guilty that could well bring the striker back in form.
Personally, I like having Chopra at the club as he is a character who has over come his problems and is just trying to get back to his best. When you think about it isn’t Chopra a lot like Ipswich? He used to have a good reputation in the distant past, had a few bad years where he didn’t perform, had some money troubles and is now struggling to get back to his best. Maybe if the club treat him well and he does the same back then the two struggling parties can get achieve something great together.
The fans need to take a realistic outlook and see that when the club isn’t doing well, you can’t get the players you want and you have to take a gamble on players like Chopra. As a result you have to take the bad times with the good, stick with the players through the bad times and hope that they come out of it positively.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
The prime example is Lee Martin whose Ipswich career started awfully and he looked like he wasn’t good enough for League One. Everyone gave him a break and eventually he has worked his way back into a starting role within the team. Chopra’s situation is very different but the principle is still the same in that the club need to stick by him and hope that he regains his best form.
On positive note, it is great to see the club have secured some decent loan signings. Although I am not sure about Richie Wellens the capture of Bilel Mohsni and DJ Campbell could at least turn things around in the short-term. Hopefully they will impress on their loan spells and the club can then look at signing Mohsni and Campbell in January.
Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has won the PFA Bristol Street Motors Player of the Year award after setting a new record for goals in a 38-game Premier League season.
In a poll run by fan engagement experts Snack Media, the Egyptian international took home 89% of the vote, beating title-winning Manchester City pair Raheem Sterling and Kevin De Bruyne, Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea, Tottenham striker Harry Kane and Chelsea’s talismanic star Eden Hazard.
In the first of four divisional votes carried out over seven days via Snack’s digital and social networks, football fans across the globe acknowledged Salah’s incredible rise since returning to Premier League last summer in a big-money move from Roma.
He’s not only defied the critics from his previous spell in England with Chelsea, but also emerged as Liverpool’s flagship attacking entity.
The full list of contenders from the final shortlist for the PFA Fans’ Player of the Year award polled as follows:
– Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) – 89%
– David De Gea (Manchester United) – 4%
– Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City) – 3%
– Eden Hazard (Chelsea) – 2%
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
– Harry Kane (Tottenham) – 1%
– Raheem Sterling (Manchester City) – 1%
Voting for the Championship Player of the Year award begins at 11am on Monday.
According to reports in the Daily Mail, Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho is frustrated with the club’s reluctance to make a £40m January bid for Tottenham Hotspur left-back Danny Rose.
What’s the word, then?
Soccer Football – Carabao Cup Fourth Round – Tottenham Hotspur vs West Ham United – Wembley Stadium, London, Britain – October 25, 2017 Tottenham’s Danny Rose in action with West Ham United’s Sam Byram Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs
Well, the Daily Mail says that Mourinho wants to sign a world-class left-back this month and he sees the 27-year-old as the ideal fit in his team, however the United hierarchy still believe that Luke Shaw is the long-term solution in that position and would rather let him develop and sign a player for the future – someone like Fulham’s Ryan Sessegnon.
The Daily Mail says the situation is contributing towards the increasingly strained relationship between the board and the manager, with the Portuguese boss waiting to see if he will be backed in the transfer market.
The report adds that Mourinho believes Rose can make an instant impact at Old Trafford, and it is one of the priority positions that he feels needs strengthening in the coming months.
How has Rose done this season?
The 27-year-old only made his return to first-team action following a long-term knee injury in October, but he has found it difficult to get a consistent run in the team since then because of the form of Ben Davies at left-back and left wing-back.
The England international has made nine appearances in all competitions since then, but he sat out the 2-0 win against Swansea City on Tuesday having failed to train since the Boxing Day win against Southampton, with rumours suggesting that he has felt some discomfort in his knee.
Should United bid for him this month?
It’s difficult to say.
If Mourinho really doesn’t believe that Shaw is the answer on the left then the board should really back their manager, but considering he is 22 and has plenty of potential to develop and improve, you can understand the opinion of United’s hierarchy too.
Whether it is down to the knee problem or not, Rose hasn’t been a regular for Spurs this term or shown the kind of form for Spurs that he had previously, and shelling out £40m on a player who is struggling to make an impact would be a risky move.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
That said, they may want to keep Mourinho happy, and they would either need to get the 27-year-old to do that, or convince him that getting Sessegnon for the future would be better.
Both Tottenham and West Ham have been inconsistent for differing reasons so far this season, but the chance of some success in the Capital One Cup could be a welcome release from their Premier League struggles.
Sam Allardyce and Andre Villas-Boas fielded conflicting sides during their route to Round 5 and the Hammers manager could decide to do the same again, while whoever stands in for the departed Villas-Boas may be tempted to field a full strength side, despite being only three wins away from a trip to Wembley.
So here’s a combined XI for you to mull over ahead of their Round 5 fixture. It was tempting to go with Allardyce’s infamous 4-6-0 formation considering he beat Spurs with it earlier this season and both side’s lack of strike options, but alas, we’ve gone for a more traditional tactical output.
Click on Sam Allardyce to reveal the Tottenham and West Ham combined XI…
Sponsored by Capital One. The Credit Card that Supports the Supporters.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
For exclusive content, competitions and more visit: Facebook.com/CapitalOneUK
For Capital One Credit Cards visit: www.capitalone.co.uk
This time last Friday we were struggling to find goals anywhere but we were in the midst of a 34 game unbeaten home run. A little over eight days later and we are no longer unbeaten at home but we have scored six goals in our last two outings.
After late fight backs and stunning victories helped us maintain such an impressive unbeaten home record it was Scunthorpe United, winless and bottom of the league, that would be the side to finally break down our resilience in the most anti climatic of fashions. A one goal defeat in an otherwise forgettable encounter ended 18 months of dominance on home soil. But lets not dwell, the pressure is off now and despite the fact that we are no longer unbeaten we have still only lost one game at home in 36 and we should just look at it as a blip.
Which thankfully appears to be the case. Coventry were next to visit the Meadow three days after we had been upset by Alan Knill’s men. Like Scunthorpe they had yet to win a game this season and five minutes into the game it was easy to see why. They were awful. A goalkeeper error allowed us to take the lead inside the opening few minutes and we never looked back from there, smashing four past them during the game and only conceding one to a questionable penalty.
So we had restored our confidence following our defeat and things were looking up for us as we made the long journey north to Hartlepool this weekend. Much like us The Pools had had an inconsistent start to the season and were coming into the game with something to prove following their midweek stuffing at the hands of Preston North End.
One of our biggest problems this campaign has been our strikers inability to score. Despite creating numerous chances in the games we have played we have been unable to get the results we deserve due to this. On the back of being gifted a goal in the week against Coventry Marvin Morgan appears to finally be stepping up his game. The striker netted a brace against Hartlepool and had it not been for a great save towards the end of the contest he would have had a much deserved hattrick. Morgan’s efforts were cancelled out late on following a 90th minute equaliser from Hartlepool but there were many positives that could be taken from the game.
A week’s a long time in football, 8 days ago we hadn’t lost at home and our strikers couldn’t find the net, we have now surrendered our home record but finally Morgan looks as though as he could have found his scoring boots. A striker is still needed to improve the squad but our form is definitely improving.
You can follow me on Twitter @LiamHoofe
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Tottenham fans have been reacting to the news that Moussa Sissoko could start against Newcastle, and the responses are unsurprisingly negative.
It’s been a pretty terrible month for Tottenham fans, and they think it might get a whole lot worst on Wednesday night as Moussa Sissoko is set to start at Wembley.
Although there is no concrete report suggesting the Frenchman will get the nod, an injury to Mousa Dembele and an illness for Eric Dier means Sissoko is just about the only midfielder available to start alongside Victor Wanyama.
[ad_pod ]
Sissoko has clearly had the trust of his manager this season, as the 28 year-old has played 47 times in all competitions.
That hasn’t stopped him getting plenty of flak from the fans though, who feel the Frenchman adds virtually nothing to the team, despite his bundles of energy.
Though Newcastle have nothing left to play for, Rafael Benitez’s side are likely to deploy a deep block at Wembley on Wednesday, so Spurs will need players that can unlock deep defences with a killer pass.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Sissoko averages less than one key pass per game in the Premier League, so fans are fearing the worst about the possibility he could start, while others are hoping Christian Eriksen is moved into the deeper position.
Some of the best Twitter reactions can be found below…