All posts by z3u9t.icu

Wolves’ trip to Manchester City is likely the last thing they would have wanted after the trip to Istanbul on Thursday, but they should be feeling confident after securing back-to-back wins.

Willy Boly was the hero against Besiktas but the goal came due a moment of quality from Ruben Neves, and Nuno Espirito Santo will need him to be on top form if his side are to get something from the match.

Watch Wolverhampton Wanderers Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

With the Citizens in goal scoring form Wolves are likely to spend long periods without the ball, and though their structured 5-2-3 formation should come in handy, it is vital they have an outlet with which to counter.

Considering that, here is how Wanderers could line up at the Etihad.

The inclusion of Adama Traore is vital if they are to get anything from the match.

The Spaniard, who cost £18m, should prove useful as a source of relief to Wolves when they’re on the backfoot, as his ability to run with the ball and carry it upfield will help to prevent his side from sitting too deep and stop City coming onto them.

Compared to his teammates he has fresher legs after only playing 45 minutes on Thursday, and if he can match his average of 2.8 successful dribbles per game this term then Wolves may have some joy going forward.

He has also improved in the final third, too, with an average of one key pass per game and 1.3 successful crosses, but whether he and Wolves can be clinical enough is yet to be seen.

Kevin De Bruyne has been a key threat for City with two goals and nine assists but his absence could lead Nuno to be more ambitious, and that could result in Neto getting the nod ahead of Leander Dendoncker, who may otherwise have had the role of keeping a close watch on his compatriot.

Neto has started just one league game and he is yet to show his best quality, with 0.4 successful dribbles and 0.4 key passes, but his assist last weekend against Watford shows he is adapting.

The trip to Manchester could be a great learning experience for him, particularly as it is a game where there is little pressure on Wolves to get a result.

Struggling as a Premier League manager must be one of the worst feelings in the world.

Not only do you have a number of fans on your back every weekend, but there are dozens of journalists speculating about the security of your job on a daily basis.

Watch Everton Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

ESPN recently tried to predict which manager will be the next to be sacked in England’s top-flight, and their choice wasn’t too surprising.

Craig Burley picked Marco Silva as the manager he thinks will be sacked next, and it’s really hard to disagree with that opinion after the start Everton have had this season.

The Toffees currently sit 18th in the table after eight matches, and they’ve lost each of their last four league matches.

The ESPN pundit’s prediction could well come true over the next few weeks as a team of Everton’s stature should be nowhere near the relegation zone at any point of a season.

Everton fans have taken to Twitter to express their desire to see Tom Davies get more of a role in the team, with many wanting him to start against West Ham United.

Davies has played just 20 minutes of Premier League action all season and has had his chances limited with Marco Silva favouring the likes of Fabian Delph, Andre Gomes and Morgan Schneiderlin in the centre of the pitch.

It is understandable to see why fans are so desperate to see the academy graduate start when you consider the form of others in the position. Schneiderlin has averaged a rating of 6.09 so far this season and most recently earned a 4/10 rating from The Liverpool Echo for his torrid display against Burnley.

Watch Everton Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Silva stated in his press conference when asked about Davies playing in a deeper role: “It’s always a possibility. Of course he can play in a different role, a little bit more forward, but is able to play in both positions if I decide he’s able to start the game.”

In his press conference, Silva also added how Delph is a doubt and it was revealed earlier this week that Jean-Philippe Gbamin is set for another long spell on the sidelines. With this in mind, plus the poor form of Schneiderlin, surely it is time for Davies to start for Everton.

After all, they sit inside the relegation zone on just seven points after eight games, so the former Watford boss has to change something.

Here’s what the fans have had to say…

Some Southampton fans have taken to Twitter to react after they heard that former Saints manager Mauricio Pellegrino has parted ways with La Liga side Leganes.

The 48-year-old had overseen a dreadful start to the campaign that has left Leganes sitting at the bottom of La Liga with just two points from their first nine games – the Spanish side are currently seven points from safety.

This news seems to have caught the attention of a few Southampton fans on Twitter, given how awful Pellegrini’s stint at St Mary’s was.

The Argentine was sacked from his post in March 2018, having overseen a dreadful run of form that saw the Saints win just one of their last 17 league games.

At the time of his departure, Pellegrino was responsible for the third-worst points per game total out of any Southampton manager in Premier League history – his Saints side recorded just 0.93 points per game.

Let’s take a look at how some of the Southampton fans on Twitter reacted to the news…

Patrice Evra thinks Arsenal are a team of babies, and he’s not far wrong.Unai Emery’s men looked utterly lost as they suffered a shock 1-0 defeat to Sheffield United on Monday night, and despite fourth place crying out to be taken from rivals Chelsea, they’ll remain where they are – sat precariously in fifth, one point ahead of Crystal Palace.Watch Arsenal Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

The Manchester United legend, who enjoyed his share of the “real†rivalry between his former side and Arsenal before it became a petty battle for a Europa League spot, was never going to be kind to the Gunners, was he?

Indeed, as a self-proclaimed lover of the game, mediocrity is clearly something he cannot accept. So it should come as no surprise to anyone that he took his opportunity on the grand stage of Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football to patronise Arsenal and belittle Emery’s team for how they’ve performed. Here he is giving a very frank assessment of his “babies…â€

But it’s the sly reference to Robin van Persie, who scored 132 goals whilst playing for Arsenal, accepting that United a squad of men in comparison, really rubs salt in the wound.

He said, “even when Robin van Persie first came, on the first day I shook his hand and said, ‘welcome to a man’s club.’ At the beginning he was upset, but after one month he said, ‘you’re completely right, Patrice.'”

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

It looks as if Pep Clotet is very much keeping his car in first gear on the matter, not quite ready to put his pedal to the metal.

The Birmingham boss appears to be taking the cautious approach when it comes to City’s hottest prospect Jude Bellingham.

Speaking to Birmingham Live, Clotet talked about how he has managed the 16-year-old and that he has to look after his long term development:

“He [Bellingham] has surprised me very much, first of all he surprised me at Leeds because they way they play I knew it would be very demanding on the midfield. When I sub Jude, most of the time it’s to save to his legs a little bit because he copes differently with the load, I am trying to think long-term with him.

“On Tuesday I think he could have kept playing a little bit more but we subbed him for that same reason. Eventually he will be able to handle the load and go and establish himself without any problems.”

It’s good to see a manager being pragmatic about how he wants to use a young player.

The hype surrounding Bellingham from Birmingham fans has been quite loud in quarters around St Andrew’s. Whilst the youngster may be the talk of the town among the supporters, it is imperatively crucial that Clotet manages him properly going forward.

After all, he does not want to risk him suffering from burnout at such an early age so his quotes show the teenager could definitely end up reaping the rewards down the line.

The problem with someone like Bellingham, however, is that there is someone in there that can help the Blues out.

That can be seen by his two winning goals against Stoke City and Charlton Athletic, and the fact he can play anywhere across the midfield, means that he won’t be short of opportunities to impress.

But if they put too much on his young legs at this stage in his career, they are at risk of his development not reaching the heights that are possible.

So whilst they may be saving his minutes now, it’s very much with his long term future in mind.

And the more the fans can see him in a Blues shirt, the better.

Clotet is making exactly the right call on him.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Leroy Sane could leave Manchester City for Bayern Munich, hints The Athletic’s Sam Lee.

What did he say?

Sane has been subject of heavy transfer speculation regarding a return to Germany for a few months now. Over the summer, Bayern had to squash the rumours that the winger was set to join the club, but recent reports state they are still after him.

Sky Germany reported that the Bundesliga champions will go in for Sane, with City lining up Mikel Oyarzabal as a replacement. Now, reliable journalist Lee has said in his Q&A with The Athletic that he believes the German will leave.

When asked whether Sane’s lack of online engagement since his injury is anything to worry about, Lee Said: “There’s probably something in that tbh.

“I do think he’s leaving, and I think he probably would have done had he not got injured,” he added.

“City had/have a chance to convince him during his injury, buy I’m not sure how that’s going – but I have been told they are looking at options (well, one in particular) if he does leave, so I would say at this point that it’s quite likely he will – just don’t know when. (The player I’ve heard isn’t Sancho btw, although I couldn’t rule it out 100%).”

Looking likely

There is no doubt that Bayern are the leaders of German football. They are the behemoth outfit of Bundesliga and are renowned for pinching the best talent around Germany from big clubs like Borussia Dortmund.

So, all the signs do point to Sane joining the gargantuan club. The 23-year-old has has thrived in Manchester, but the idea of returning home, living by his native language and playing for the country’s top dog is perhaps too much to turn down.

Sane is out injured and will miss most of what could be his final season at the club.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

West Bromwich Albion boss Slaven Bilic has hailed Matheus Pereira as a bargain, and he could well secure him on a permanent deal as soon as January.

That’s even despite not yet meeting certain clauses within his loan deal, which comes as a major boost to the Baggies’ promotion hopes.

What’s he said?

Previous reports have stated that the club can make the Brazilian one of their own if they either return to the promised land of the Premier League or if he makes a certain number of appearances before the end of the season.

Watch West Bromwich Albion Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

But BirminghamLive now believe Albion can secure the enigmatic attacking midfielder regardless of those clauses.

The Croatian boss would need to stump up a further £8.25m to do so, but that seems somewhat likely given his comments this weekend.

Speaking about his deadline day signing, Bilic said:

“Pereira is a bargain anyway. I don’t know if it is £9m – I’m only head coach here, you know.

“But still it’s early days. He has to stay focused and set the standards for him, to lift the bar up. He sometimes likes too much sexy things. But is he good? Yes, he’s good. Very good, I love him, but he has to be even more ruthless.

“Pereira is in the gym every day after the training on a bike.

“Nobody would expect that from a Brazilian No.10. He does it every day in the gym. Every day.”

Major boost

Pereira has made a stunning impact since arriving at the eleventh hour in the summer.

So far this season he has scored three times while laying on five assists, per WhoScored.

At £8.25m, he would quite rightly be a bargain, which is only put in perspective when you compare him to Oliver Burke.

The Scot joined the Hawthorns for £15m back in 2017, and in return, Albion have received just the one goal from 24 appearances before shipping him out on loan again this campaign.

West Brom are getting over double the returns for just over half the price.

Keeping hold of him permanently will also, of course, bolster their chances of returning to the top-flight as he’s clearly a massive part of their attacking prowess as seen by the figures mentioned above.

It seems increasingly likely that Pereira will be secured permanently in the near future.

According to The Athletic journalist James Pearce, there is no truth to rumours that Liverpool are in advanced talks over a January move for Ryan Fraser.

It has been reported by talkSPORT that the Champions League holders, who opened up an eight-point lead at the top of the Premier League table on Sunday afternoon, are closing in on a swoop for the Bournemouth attacker ahead of the winter transfer window.

However, Pearce has claimed that such speculation ‘is wide of the mark’, with the respected journalist being told that the rumours are ‘nonsense’.

Fraser – out of contract at the Vitality Stadium next summer – has only managed one goal and two assists in 11 Premier League appearances this season.

The 25-year-old contributed seven goals and 14 assists in 38 Premier League outings for the Cherries last term, though.

As expected, a number of Liverpool fans have been on social media reacting to Pearce’s update, and a selection of the tweets can be seen below:

What a difference a month can make.

Having been more or less public enemy number one a little over a month ago at St Andrew’s, it looks as if things have started to turn themselves around for Pep Clotet.

There’s isn’t a better example of that, than for him to be nominated for the Championship Manager of the Month award, predominantly based off the team’s home form where they won every game in front of their fans during the month of October.

You do wonder if this is going to be big enough for him to finally be able to shake off that word ‘caretaker’ at the beginning of his job title?

Most people would see this as a positive for their club, but not all Birmingham supporters decided to take it that way because there were some rather contrasting views when his nomination was announced.

Whilst there were some who took the news for what it was, a sign of just how well Clotet did this month, others were less enthusiastic and somewhat shocked to see his name mentioned.

Find out a how a world-record-holding freestyler got on with the worst football in the world in the video below…

Odd how something as small as this can cause such divides amongst a fan base.