Cenk Tosun was bought in the January transfer window with the hope of solving Everton’s problems up front.
Ever since Romelu Lukaku left Goodison Park to join Manchester United in the summer, the Merseyside outfit have missed a commanding presence up front.
Last season, the Belgian international scored 25 Premier League goals, which is just eight fewer than the entire team’s tally in the current campaign.
Tosun’s arrival from Besiktas was met with plenty of excitement, particularly as manager Sam Allardyce signed him alongside Theo Walcott from Arsenal.
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However, the Turkish international has struggled for game time on Merseyside having started just three league matches and making a further two appearances off the substitutes’ bench.
At the weekend, the forward played 68 minutes of the Toffees’ 2-1 defeat to Burnley at Turf Moor, and even though the result was less than desirable, Tosun managed to score his first Everton goal.
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After the match, the 26-year-old opened up about his initial difficulties following the January transfer.
Fans have since been tweeting their reaction to Tosun’s comments, with many taking aim at Allardyce, who has come under fire lately.
Ever since his rabona goal back in 2014, Erik Lamela has been a bit of a fan favourite in the white half of North London. The tricky winger enjoyed some of the best form of his career last season but has been in and out of the team this season for various reasons.
The Argentine has missed several games for personal reasons, but also picked up a hip injury, which meant his season only really got going in February. There were no signs of rust on Wednesday though, as Lamela played the full 90 minutes for Pochettino’s men and looked back to his old self.
Having found the net recently against Newport, Lamela started the match against Juventus last month, but hasn’t really forced himself back in as a consistent starter.
His performance at a snowy Wembley should go some way to fixing that, as the 25-year-old grabbed two assists in his side’s 6-1 demolition job of League One Rochdale.
Valued at £22.5 million on Transfermarkt, Lamela caused trouble for the visitors all night as he completed five dribbles, registered five shots and created plenty of chances for the likes of Fernando Llorente and Heung-min Son. Lamela offers different qualities to the likes of Son and Dele Alli, and could be a key figure for Spurs as they try to gather momentum towards the end of the season.
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Son certainly staked his claim to keep his starting spot with two goals on Wednesday, and Lucas Moura has impressed since arriving, but Lamela’s directness and ability to pick a cross may be necessary as more teams batten down the hatches and fight to avoid relegation.
So, Spurs fans, should Lamela start against Huddersfield this weekend? Let us know by voting below…
Saturday wasn’t the best of days for Rangers, defeated 1-0 by Kilmarnock at Ibrox in the Scottish Premiership.
After losing to Celtic last weekend, the pressure was on Graeme Murty’s team to bounce back with a victory, but they played well below their best and were ultimately punished by former striker Kris Boyd.
Aberdeen are now within touching distance of the Light Blues and their bid to finish in second place this season is very much at risk.
Fans couldn’t pick out many good performers in their team after the defeat, but did have praise for one or two Kilmarnock players, in particular midfield powerhouse Youssouf Mulumbu.
The Killie man ran the show in the middle of the park and has been an inspired Steve Clarke signing, integral to their incredible form over the last couple of months.
Rangers fans are so convinced by his ability that they’re now eager to sign him this summer, feeling he has a lot to offer the Ibrox side.
Is he a player the Light Blues should be pursuing?
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Supporters took to Twitter to share their thoughts…
Reported West Ham United transfer target James Maddison impressed for England’s Under-21 side in their 2-1 European Championship qualifying win against their Ukrainian counterparts at Bramall Lane on Tuesday night, and Irons fans were quick to react to his display.
The Guardian reported in January that the east London outfit had made a £12m bid to bring the highly-rated 21-year-old to the London Stadium, and even though no move materialised the fans have been impressed with how he has performed since.
The attacking midfielder has been in brilliant form for club side Norwich City this season – scoring 14 goals and providing a further 10 assists in 43 appearances in all competitions – and he produced a brilliant assist for Dominic Calvert-Lewin on Tuesday as he produced a low, curving through-ball from the right-hand side that the Everton man slotted in.
West Ham supporters took to social media to give their thoughts on Maddison’s latest showing, and while one described him as the “English Isco”, another said “I honestly believe had we signed him things would have turned by now”.
Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…
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Seven years is an incredibly long time in football – Chelsea alone have churned through seven different managers – and yet, it’s still amazing how opinions can so drastically change.
Back in 2011, after qualifying for it with Tottenham Hotspur, Harry Redknapp dubbed the Europa League ‘a killer’, a perpetual burden on Premier League campaigns with little obvious reward – except for a trophy that no English team had any genuine desire to win.
In some senses, that is still true. Just as Fulham in 2009/10, Newcastle in 2012/13 and Everton this season discovered that involvement in Europa League nearly always results in a lower Premier League placing than the term previous, the English heavyweights to take the competition seriously in recent years have been forced to sacrifice domestic standards as well.
But the key word there is ‘seriously’ – an adverb that didn’t apply to the approach of most major Premier League clubs towards the competition back when Redknapp was still in charge at White Hart Lane. Two key factors, though, have changed all that; the decision to make Champions League qualification part of the prize for winning the Europa League and the expansion of the Premier League’s summit from a top four to a top six.
Along the way, the Europa League has transformed from a killer to a saviour for Premier League clubs and their managers – starting with Chelsea in 2013. Rafa Benitez’s much-maligned interim spell, which climaxed in a win over Benfica in the Europa League final, paved the way for Jose Mourinho to return to the club he’s most synonymous with.
Two years later, Chelsea lifted the Premier League title for the third time under the Portuguese – but would he have come back to the west London club that summer, upon leaving Real Madrid, without Champions League football? It would have been a significant step down for the departing Bernabeu boss, and thus represents a moment when the Blues’ history since could have taken a much different path.
Last season, it was Mourinho’s turn to utilise the Europa League as his saving grace; while the now-Manchester United boss may have just about survived into this term despite finishing sixth, winning the Europa League to earn reentry into Europe’s top tournament ensured a positive end note to an otherwise underwhelming first season in charge, and helped restore a reputation that had reached an all-time low after his horrific final campaign at Chelsea.
Football Soccer – Ajax Amsterdam v Manchester United – UEFA Europa League Final – Friends Arena, Solna, Stockholm, Sweden – 24/5/17 Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho with the tophy Reuters / Phil Noble Livepic
One can only speculate what the strength of Mourinho’s position would have been going into this season had United not won the Europa League, and how that uncertainty may have affected the start of the Red Devils’ 2017/18 campaign. In any case, as it did last year, another season in the Europa League would have hindered United’s hopes of the second-place finish they’re on course to claim this season. That makes the contract extension Mourinho signed in January seem far less likely.
Now, as they prepare to host CSKA Moscow, it’s Arsenal who find themselves in desperate need of Europa League success. Recent Emirates Stadium attendances tell everything you need to know about the level of apathy at the north London club right now, and that will only continue into next season should the Gunners once again miss out on Champions League football.
That’s not to say qualification will reverse the tide of disillusionment amongst Arsenal support, but lifting silverware this season and putting themselves back in Europe’s top competition will inject some optimism back into the club – at least momentarily.
And for all we know, it could be what preserves Arsene Wenger’s tenure too. While most expect the Frenchman to still be in charge next season regardless, another year out of the Champions League might just convince Arsenal’s inactive board that it’s time for a change in direction. Wenger winning the Europa League though, might oblige them to see out the final year of his contract.
Soccer Football – Europa League – Arsenal Training – Arsenal Training Centre, St Albans, Britain – April 4, 2018 Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger during training Action Images via Reuters/John Sibley
Of course, it’s impossible to know what would have been had Chelsea and United not won the Europa League, just as it will be impossible to speculate the alternative consequences should Arsenal win or fail to win this season’s competition.
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But the facts speak for themselves: between 2001 and 2012, no English team won Europe’s second tournament and just two English teams reached the final, neither of whom – Fulham and Middlesbrough – are still in the Premier League. In the last five years, two English teams have won the Europa League, another has reached the final, and all three will finish inside the Premier League’s top five this season.
Arsenal’s season rests on becoming the fourth member of this season’s top six to reach the final, and making it three winners in six years for the Premier League.
Harry Kane has been making headlines throughout the season for Tottenham Hotspur due to his scintillating performances in front of goal.This week, though, the 24-year-old has been at the centre of some negative attention, mainly from rival supporters, regarding his goal tally.At the weekend, Christian Eriksen was credited with both goals in Spurs’ 2-1 victory over Stoke City, but Kane felt that he deserved the winner.The England international insisted that he got a touch on the ball en route to goal, and his club backed him by launching an appeal to the Premier League’s Goal Accreditation Panel.[ad_pod ]After reviewing the footage,Âan official statement from the league confirmed that Eriksen’s goal has been awarded to Kane, which means that his tally in the top flight has risen to 25, which is four adrift of Golden Boot leader Mohamed Salah.Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer took notice of the controversial decision as it means that the Tottenham hitman is edging closer to the former striker’s Premier League record.Shearer currently holds the title of all-time leading goalscorer in the division with 260 to his name, while Kane sits on 103.The ex-England international seemed rather amused by the whole situation.
Sunday was a day of celebration for Manchester City as they clinched the Premier League title without stepping foot on the pitch.
Pep Guardiola’s side edged closer to glory the previous day thanks to a 3-1 triumph over Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley.
Ironically, it was their neighbours Manchester United who ensured that the English crown was sent to the Etihad Stadium as Jose Mourinho’s men suffered a shock 1-0 defeat to bottom-of-the-table West Bromwich Albion.
The result meant that City’s 16-point lead at the top of the table is unattainable, and they can relax – to an extent – with five games left to play.
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The title win banishes the disappointment of the previous week in which they were knocked out of the Champions League at the quarter-final stage by Liverpool and were beaten by United on home soil.
City have now won a third Premier League title in seven seasons, and understandably all those connected with the club have joined in with the celebrations, including their former right-back Pablo Zabaleta.
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The Argentine ended his eight-and-a-half-year spell at City last year to join West Ham United, but he took time on Sunday to congratulate his former club.
As expected, City fans were quick to praise the 33-year-old.
According to reports in the Yorkshire Evening Post, Leeds United attacking midfielder Pablo Hernandez is set to sign a new two-year deal with the club, and Whites fans have been quick to have their say on the rumour.
The 33-year-old’s contract at Elland Road is due to expire at the end of the season and there would have been concerns that he could go this summer, but the Yorkshire Evening Post now says he is set extend his stay with the Whites for a further two years.
The news will certainly be good for manager Paul Heckingbottom and the Elland Road faithful, who have seen the Spaniard score seven goals and provide a further nine assists in what has been another disappointing campaign, and one made worse by Andrea Radrizzani’s comments about the Myanmar pre-season trip in recent days.
Leeds supporters took to social media to give their thoughts on the Hernandez story, and while one said “finally some good news”, another said they were “so glad he’s staying”.
Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…
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As reported by The Daily Mail, Brendan Rodgers is concerned that Odsonne Edouard will miss the Scottish Cup final against Motherwell after the striker suffered a potential hamstring injury away to Hearts on Sunday.
What’s the story?
Celtic won the the match at Tynecastle 3-1 but with nothing to play for in league action after securing the title last week, it’s all about building to the crucial clash with the Steelmen at Hampden later this month.
In that sense Sunday was disappointment for Celtic with Edouard limping off shortly after half-time.
Rodgers fears it could be a hamstring problem, which he says would rule him out of Scottish football’s showpiece match.
As quoted by The Daily Mail, the Celtic boss said:
It looked like a hamstring so we’ll need to assess it. It would be a real shame if he was ruled out. He’s been brilliant for us as he’s developed and improved.
If it’s a hamstring it would end his season. Odsonne’s injury meant we had to take Moussa Dembele off as a precaution.
How big a miss will he be?
It feels like Edouard is just hitting his stride at Celtic after his phenomenal performance against Rangers last week and with discussions continuing on a permanent switch from Paris Saint-Germain this summer, he could become the new main man at the Hoops.
The young Frenchman possesses pace and strength, two attributes that would serve Celtic well in what will be a physical battle against Motherwell in the upcoming final.
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Even if not utrilised from the start, he would also give them an alternative option from the bench should they need to switch game plan mid-match, something that worked to great effect in a recent derby at Ibrox.
His absence is undoubtedly a blow and Rodgers is now likely to wrap Dembele in cotton wool ahead of the fixture.
James Collins’ summer exit from West Ham United has not been confirmed, but it is appearing increasingly likely that the centre-back will leave the club at the end of next month.Indeed, the 34-year-old will see his current deal with the Hammers expire at the end of June, and talks over a fresh deal are yet to begin.Collins returned to West Ham in 2012 following a spell at Aston Villa, and the Welshman has made 16 appearances in all competitions for the London club this season.Collins’ legs might not move as fast as they once did, but there can be no doubting his passion, and he is still a very good defender at this level of football.[ad_pod ]It is not a surprise that Collins is so popular with the West Ham fans, and they have once again called for the club to hand him a fresh contract.It is generally accepted that the former Cardiff City youngster will not be a regular in the first XI next term, but the West Ham supporters are desperate to still have him around.A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below: