Millwall striker Lee Gregory recently spoke on his club’s website of how big the fixture against league leaders Leeds is this weekend.
The 30-year-old said that ‘Leeds at home is one that it doesn’t get much bigger than for Millwall’, as he spoke very highly of Marcelo Bielsa’s men.
These comments suggest that Leeds are returning to the team that they once were. Although they are only in the Championship, there is the growing feeling that they are the team to be feared in the division, which harks back to their glory days. The potential they are showing suggests that they can return to the Premier League, and even be a force there. This will please all fans of The Peacocks, as their years in the footballing wilderness appear to be coming to an end.
On the other hand, comments like this are made to put the pressure on a team. Leeds will now know that they are the team to beat, and that will affect them mentally going into each game. Whether it makes them complacent, or desperate to perform, either can negatively affect a team. Furthermore, they know that each team are gunning for them as they sit at the top of the table, any off day or under par performance and they know that they will pay the price.
With some people believing that Bielsa’s style of football is unsustainable, because of the intense nature of it, comments like this add a psychological pressure to a team that will find this season very physically demanding.
A lot of the time players say these comments with the intention of getting into their opponent’s head, it’s just a case of how Leeds react to it.
The topic of young players vying to establish themselves at Chelsea has been ubiquitous in football discourse. Over recent years, the West London team have enjoyed a period of unparalleled success at youth level and given the sheer number of players that are contracted to the club – 40 players are currently out on loan – the law of averages suggests that at least one player will make the grade at Chelsea.
Nonetheless, aside from Thibaut Courtois who effectively received his tutelage at Atletico Madrid, only Andreas Christensen has successfully graduated from the Blues’ academy to feature prominently in their first-team in recent years. Once again, his progression was aided by a loan, having spent a two-years in the Bundesliga. Christensen was mightily impressive for Borussia Mönchengladbach’s and he was named their player of the year during his inaugural season.
During that first campaign with Borussia Mönchengladbach, the Danish international contributed purposefully as the club secured Champions League participation with a commendable fourth-place finish in Germany’s top-flight. Christensen impressed over the course of his 82 appearances in Germany, and subsequently, he returned to Chelsea.
Although that the Dane was forced to remain patient at the start of last season, he eventually earnt Antonio Conte’s trust and displaced David Luiz in Chelsea’s back-three, where he was mostly effective.
Aside from his significant mistakes against Barcelona and Manchester City – a reminder of his relative inexperience – his first Chelsea season was primarily positive, with his technical quality and tremendous ability to read play, earning him considerable applause among supporters. His commanding displays warranted the accolade of being named Chelsea’s young player of the year last season.
Despite attaining 40 appearances for the Blues last season, and featuring prominently in all competitions, he has yet to feature for Maurizio Sarri this campaign. The Italian’s admission that he prefers to introduce attacking options from the substitutes bench complicates defenders’ chances of impressing their new manager. With Chelsea’s involvement in the Europa League starting this Thursday, one senses that Andreas Christensen will have to rely on cup competitions to present his case to start frequently for Sarri. But why has the Blues manager opted to favour David Luiz over Christensen?
To have a player of David Luiz’s experience and insight is beneficial when starting life at a new club, especially while considering that the Chelsea position is Maurizio Sarri’s first venture overseas. It’s well-publicised that the 31-year-old is an admired presence in the Chelsea dressing room and having amassed 203 appearances for the FA Cup winners, he certainly understands the ethos of the club.
Although, given Sarri’s desired parameters for a centre-half, Andreas Christensen should be viewed as the best-equipped player to partner Antonio Rüdiger. The 22-year-old is tremendously comfortable with the ball at his feet, and he flaunts valuable intercepting ability. He also flaunts excellent passing ability, and he’s able to break the lines with his refined vision.
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This isn’t to suggest that David Luiz is incapable, the 31-year-old has returned to the Chelsea picture with consummate professionalism having been ousted by Conte for much of last season. Also, Sarri’s system encourages Luiz to display his primary strengths, such as playing out from the back, with his comprehensive range of passes or by advancing with the ball at his feet.
That said, throughout his career, Luiz has been criticised for his lapses in concentration and his propensity to make mistakes, a judgement that has been applicable during his appearances this season. The 31-year-old effectively ignored the flight of the ball which allowed Joselu to score a then crucial equaliser in Chelsea’s 2-1 triumph away at Newcastle United, and the Brazilian needlessly conceded the free-kick that led to Cardiff’s opening goal at the weekend.
If Chelsea are to maintain their perfect start to the new Premier League season they can ill-afford such defensive lapses. Andreas Christensen’s first significant mistake of last season came in February, and unless Luiz can iron out his errors, then Sarri should consider displacing the Brazilian with the Danish defender.
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According to The Shields Gazette, Newcastle manager Rafa Benítez has hit out at his striker Yoshinori Muto, after the player’s struggles to adapt to the Premier League.
The Spaniard claims that the forward, bought from Mainz during the summer, spends too much time complaining to the referee, searching for fouls. His manager has told him to get on with it.
The Japan international has only featured for The Magpies for 65 minutes in the Premier League this season, as he is learning to adjust to the rigours of the league, which his manager says will take some time.
This highlights the problems that the former Champions League winning manager is facing at St James’ Park- not only did he have a fairly fruitless summer transfer window, but the players that he has bought are not up to scratch in the league yet.
However, with an injury to Salomón Rondón over the weekend, Muto could expect to feature more prominently for Newcastle in the coming weeks. This may worry Benítez, as he clearly does not think the striker is adjusted to the physical nature of the Premier League and how it is officiated.
This also suggests that there is currently a discord between the players and the manager at the club. Whilst Benítez would have only said these things to spur his player on, it shows that he is not happy with him at the moment in some respect. The player will need to win over him manager if his fortunes are to improve throughout the season.
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On Tuesday, Aston Villa posted images showing that Keinan Davis had returned to first-team training.
The 20-year-old has not yet represented Villa this season due to a groin problem, but has now made a huge step in his recovery.
Davis could play a key role for Villa in the second half of the 2018-19 campaign, and he will be hoping to add to the two league goals that he has managed for the club.
However, whilst Davis’ return is excellent news for Villa, the club’s supporters are currently more concerned with the future of head coach Steve Bruce.
Indeed, in reaction to Villa’s Twitter post detailing Davis’ return to training, the club’s fans once again called for Bruce to lose his position as boss.
Villa lost 2-1 at home to Sheffield Wednesday at the weekend, and now face a huge match away to Bristol City on Friday night.
Nottingham Forest full-back Jack Robinson was sent off in the 2-0 win over Middlesbrough on Saturday after receiving two yellow cards, but was the referee right to dismiss the 25-year-old?
Joe Lolley put the visitors ahead at the Riverside just four minutes into the second-half, before Lewis Grabban came on to replace Daryl Murphy with just over 15 minutes to go.
Lolley then turned provider for the substitute striker, as he whipped in a fantastic low cross that Grabban just had to turn home to secure the Reds their first away win of the season at the home of Aitor Karanka’s former side.
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In the second half, Robinson was initially booked by referee John Brooks for dissent as he protested a decision, which could have been seen to be a harsh decision. However, the former Liverpool man received his marching orders in the 80th minute after a poor dive that could not be argued with.
Forest fans, are you disappointed with Robinson or did you think it was a harsh sending off? Have your say by voting in the poll below.
Harvey Barnes has been one of West Bromwich Albion’s standout players this season.
The attacking midfielder is only 20 years of age, but he is already proving to be crucial to the Baggies’ promotion bid.
After the club were relegated to the Championship, head coach Darren Moore recruited a handful of players, including Barnes.
The youngster agreed a season-long loan from Leicester City, but it will be no surprise if the fans beg him to stay permanently if he continues in this rich vein of form.
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Barnes has started all 11 of the Baggies league matches and has contributed with four goals and two assists.
The midfielder particularly shone against Bristol City in mid-September as he scored once and provided two assists in a 4-2 thriller.
Barnes’s impressive performances have not gone unnoticed at international level as he has received a call-up to Aidy Boothroyd’s England Under-21 squad for games against Andorra and Scotland.
On Twitter, plenty of West Brom fans congratulated the midfielder.
Everton have refuted suggestions that the Toffees are interested in signing former Manchester City and Arsenal forward – Samir Nasri.
The 31-year-old was spotted using intravenous treatment back in December 2016 while playing with Sevilla. The Frenchman is currently serving a doping ban but is able to train with clubs in November ahead of completing a transfer in January. Reports suggested that Everton were considering bringing the playmaker to Goodison Park but the Liverpool Echo claims there is no interest.
While a move for Nasri may be too big of a risk, Everton should consider signing Lille winger, Nicolas Pepe, in the January transfer window. Valued at £14.4m by Transfermarkt, the Ivorian is quickly emerging as one of the hottest prospects in world football following his exploits in France. The 23-year-old joined Lille last summer and hit 13 goals in his debut season.
His goalscoring exploits have continued into the new campaign with Pepe finding the back of the net six times already. Pepe has also registered four assists for his team-mates which shows what he could bring to the Everton attack. Alongside the likes of Richarlison and Cenk Tosun, Pepe would flourish in Marco Silva’s attacking system.
The winger possesses electrifying pace and expert dribbling ability which makes him a nightmare for defenders to deal with. Goalscoring wingers are extremely hard to come by, and Pepe is reportedly attracting attention from some of Europe’s biggest clubs.
Signing Pepe in January could be the boost Everton need to secure European football on Merseyside next season.
Each week on Football FanCast we will be celebrating those special breed who lit up the Premier League with their unique brand of utter genius. This time out we pay homage to folklore figure who briefly enlivened our sterile world.
Mario Balotelli was the most definitive proof yet that regular, reliable brilliance is boring compared to the occasional flash; the hint of a promise.
He arrived in 2010 to a country that irons its socks and thinks anything but the missionary position is for weekends only. But within a remarkably impressive time-span the Italian man-child had scandalised the normals and become a folklore figure to the rest of us.
He paid for everybody’s petrol. He gave a grand to a homeless guy. He handed out fifty pound notes to strangers when out shopping. He stopped a kid from being bullied. Robin Hood has been glorified in films and books for centuries for much less.
In amongst the stories of random altruism there were also tales of pure madness. He threw darts at youth players. He got walloped by Micah Richards in training. He once got stopped by police in Hulme and asked why he had £25,000 in the passenger seat. He responded perfectly reasonably: “Because I’m rich”.
In Kiev it transpired that he was allergic to certain kinds of grass. Mere days after agreeing to become the face of a fire safety campaign Mario got into bother by setting fireworks off from his bathroom window. Ahead of a home game the then 21-year-old showed that he was entirely incapable of putting on a bib.
A particular favourite story involves the forward’s mum flying over to his Cheshire mansion to put him on the straight and narrow. She sent Mario and two friends off to John Lewis to purchase some essentials for the house, towels and the like. He returned with a trampoline, a Vespa bike, and a Scalextric set. It’s a great tale, undiminished by the fact that John Lewis don’t sell Vespas.
Indeed to what extent any of the above is true is up for debate but then again why would anyone want to have such a debate? “Why always me?” he plaintively asked via the medium of a t-shirt after scoring the opening goal in Manchester City’s 6-1 rout of their bitter rivals United. Because you’re fascinating and enthrallingly unpredictable Mario that’s why, and in the increasingly sterile world of modern football that is gold dust.
What is more, it was always you and in addition to all that you stroked home a nonchalant beauty at Old Trafford then stood like an Adonis while parading one of the most iconic messages of our times. Truly it was a meta enquiry.
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Then there was the football; a typically anarchic blend of occasional aceness and complete anonymity. Balotelli’s 20 goals during his tumultuous three years at City and singular goal with Liverpool hardly amount to prolificacy and even this scant return is balanced out by sustained absences for bust-ups, red cards and almighty strops.
Yet when he was good he was very good, offering a combination of speed, muscle and trickery that would be priceless if harnessed in a well-adjusted soul. At the end of his first campaign with the Blues he put in a man of the match performance to help secure City’s first trophy for several generations and let’s not forget his assist – his first of the season – to Aguero in May 2012 that rattled the world off its axis.
It’s early December 2011 and Manchester City are 3-1 up at home to Norwich. Six days earlier – on his mentor Roberto Mancini’s 47th birthday – Balotelli had been sent off at Anfield and despite being scheduled to miss several games over the Christmas period his punishment here was to start on the bench. But now the game was all but decided. Now he was on.
Adam Johnson turned inside the box and squared it neatly for the Palermo-born striker who blasted the ball at close range against goalkeeper John Ruddy. It spun high into the air and fell just the right side of the crossbar. There, virtually standing on the line, Balotelli waited.
As is pertinent for many examples in this series it is not the execution of a brilliant act that marks a man down as a genius: it is the unique colliding of brain cells that conjures up the idea to try the act in the first place. Any other player on the planet would have nodded home this easiest of tap-ins. Whereas Balotelli shifted his body slightly, and banged it home with his shoulder.
He turned to face his accusers, the world, with a sullen look of perfected cool. Reliable brilliance is boring. Mario Balotelli was anything but that.
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Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with a number of attacking players in recent weeks including PSV Eindhoven’s Steven Bergwijn and Blackburn Rovers’ Bradley Dack, but they should forget any of those and break their transfer record to bring Bayer Leverkusen’s Kai Havertz to north London.
What’s the word, then?
Well, while Spurs have enjoyed their best-ever Premier League start despite failing to sign a single player during the summer transfer window, things haven’t gone as well in the Champions League where have they taken just one point from nine available.
Mauricio Pochettino’s men already look on course to drop into the Europa League, but it may not be a bad thing if it allows them to concentrate on trying to win the Premier League when many of their rivals could still be concentrating on tasting success in Europe’s most prestigious club competition.
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The media links suggest that the Argentine boss is going to add some new faces to his squad in the New Year – especially with the likes of Hugo Lloris, Jan Vertonghen, Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen among those to have suffered injury issues already this term – and an attacking player may well be near the top of his wanted list.
Why should they sign Havertz?
They should because he is the perfect profile of a potential Tottenham addition.
The one-cap Germany international only celebrated his 19th birthday in June, but he has already made 75 first-team appearances for Leverkusen and showed the ability he has in his locker.
The teenager has been in brilliant form during the current campaign too, and has scored four goals and provided a further five assists in 12 appearances in all competitions, which included two assists in the 3-2 Europa League defeat to FC Zurich on Thursday.
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With more than three-and-a-half years left on his contract and with a Transfermarkt valuation of £49.5m he wouldn’t come on the cheap, but he is a player that is proving he can make a difference consistently and is well worth Spurs breaking the club-record £42m fee they paid for Davinson Sanchez.
Arsenal and Liverpool played out a highly entertaining 1-1 draw at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday evening. Both sides produced eye-catching displays and ultimately a draw was probably a fair result.
Having gone 1-0 down in the second half after James Milner capitalised upon Bernd Leno’s mistake, the Gunners hit back via Alexandre Lacazette to even the score. However, this was a game that could have seen many more goals were it not for the valiant defending of both sides.
Lucas Torreira was an absolute machine in the middle for Unai Emery’s side. The tenacious Uruguayan harried and pressed Liverpool players constantly and, alongside his midfield partner Granit Xhaka, never allowed the Reds to gain much of a foothold in the middle of the park.
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Not only was the 10-cap Uruguay international excellent at breaking up opposition play, he also excelled in launching quick counter-attacks once he had won the ball back. His incisive and direct passing put Jurgen Klopp’s rearguard under pressure throughout the game.
After the match, many Arsenal fans took to Twitter to applaud the 22-year-old’s magnificent display…