The Everton fans in and around the Transfer Tavern are hoping that now they’ve recruited Marco Silva, a man they have desired for months, he can lead them back into European contention.
After enduring a very turbulent season under the guidance of Sam Allardyce for the majority, the Everton fans were bitterly disappointed to see how badly they wasted their money last summer on players that really failed to perform. That cannot afford to happen again this season and so our punters feel a safe investment would be in 21-year-old youth prodigy Junior Firpo, who is valued at £4.5 million on Transfermarkt.
The Real Betis fullback only made his break into the first team in 2018 but has since massively impressed as a pacey attacking left-back running up and down the wing. Firpo even scored 2 goals and created 2 more during his first-team stint and judging by the early potential he has shown, Firpo could be the ideal replacement for Leighton Baines, whose contract runs out next season.
His attacking intent suggests also that if not used as a left-back, Junior Firpo would be more than capable as playing further forward as a winger. The Dominican Republic man has all the potential to be a strong player in the Premier League but if Everton are interested in his signature, they must act quick to beat the stiff competition from Arsenal, who are also reportedly interested.
Everton know they need to improve but with the future in mind, Junior Firpo could be a good asset for the present and future, should his progression continue.
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Clint Dempsey wants to leave Craven Cottage. That much is obvious. Having already told people that he is set to leave for Anfield, along with the Merseyside club’s website stating Dempsey to be a squad member, Liverpool is almost certain to be his destination. Yet there is a glaring issue that still remains – Liverpool have yet to make an offer for the forward.
Last weekend, the fiasco that is Dempsey’s situation became even more ridiculous. According to the Metro, the Fulham striker has been fined £25,000 for refusing to play against Norwich City on the opening weekend. Martin Jol is desperate for the situation to be resolved, declaring it as simply ‘embarrassing’ for the club.
Yet who is to blame is a difficult question to answer. On the one hand, Dempsey made his intentions clear at the end of last season, stating that he had thoroughly enjoyed his career in West London yet he wanted a move. Such a move is primarily driven by Dempsey’s desire for Champions League football as he enters the twilight of his career. However up until this weekend, Dempsey has been rather silent on the issue.
Some would say his silence has been the clever thing to do, others would say its downright disrespectful. That’s the line that Fulham have taken, calling Dempsey uncommitted and blaming him for the spreading of rumours linking him with Liverpool.
Whilst mentioning the Merseyside club, one also has to ask why the American is hell-bent on moving there. I myself am a Liverpool fan and would love Dempsey to become a part of Brendan Rodgers squad. Yet the Fulham player stated his reason for leaving was to play Champions League football, something that the Reds aren’t even close to at the moment. Especially based on the opening weekend’s performances.
In short, Dempsey is currently sat at limbo. He no longer wants to play for the club that made him a star, yet he’s probably not worth the big money that Fulham would demand for their star striker, especially as a 29-year-old.
Fulham need to resolve this situation for their own sake however, and fast. Keeping Dempsey against his wishes would only mean losing him in a year when his contract expires whilst maintaining a bitter atmosphere between club and player. Yet selling the American would only benefit him, as Fulham certainly don’t want to lose a player they’ve heavily invested in and who has rewarded them in the past few seasons. In addition, selling Dempsey is only possible if a club makes an offer, something that has not yet happened according to officials at Craven Cottage.
In my mind, Fulham need to get rid of Dempsey and soon so that Martin Jol can concentrate on his players and their season. Fulham fans should not be drastically disheartened should the American leave – their impressive performance along with a brilliant score line this weekend showed the team has talent.
At the end of the day Fulham fans, needn’t be too disappointed to lose their American striker. In fact, they will simply be saddened that such a brilliant career at the Cottage has come to an end in such animosity.
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Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere is set to sign a bumper deal with the club as they look to secure his long-term future, according to reports from the Daily Mail.
The Premier League giants are keen to prepare the 20-year-old for an eventual role as club captain and believe that handing him a pay rise will display their faith in the injury prone starlet.
Preliminary talks have already taken place and it’s thought that Wilshere will receive a substantial hike in his weekly wage of £50,000.
Lukas Podolski is the highest earner at the Emirates Stadium, pocketing £90,000-per-week, but the England international is unlikely to be on level terms with the attacker.
Despite having two-and-a-half years remaining on Wilshere’s current deal, the North Londoners are believed to be keen to get negotiations tied up to prevent any immediate interest from rival teams.
A long-term deal does present a risk for the club, with the youngster having suffered from a series of recurring injuries.
He has just returned from a 17-month absence thanks to knee and ankle problems and it’s unclear as to whether he will suffer a recurrence in the future.
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The playmaker is a product of the Arsenal academy, which has made him an instant hit with club’s loyal support.
Arsene Wenger made Cesc Fabregas captain at the age of just 21, which hints that Wilshere could be wearing the armband very soon.
It was the most fitting and appropriate end to the trophy drought at Arsenal. It was the perfect way to cap a season that has become a page turned for Aaron Ramsey after the difficulties of that injury at Stoke.
Who else could have won Arsenal the FA Cup and had the moment be any sweeter? Had it been Mesut Ozil, it would have been the ushering in of a new era, but one that isn’t really a clear depiction of Arsene Wenger and his values in football.
The German midfielder is the superstar that the club needed, but Wenger’s faith in youth, the steel-like conviction in what he was doing in building for the long-term, his absolute confidence in Ramsey over these past few seasons – two new contracts inside the last 18 months – made the end to the cup final at Wembley all the more fitting.
Money and imported, readymade superstars didn’t win Arsenal and Wenger the FA Cup – Ramsey, a player brought in for relative peanuts as a teenager, did. There can be no stronger vindication for Wenger’s long-held beliefs than that.
It’s fitting that a project has become this Arsenal team’s talisman. Players like Ozil are necessary, if nothing else than to properly equip and supplement those who are developed in-house. But Ramsey has gone full circle. He’s no longer that player who was the brunt of fans’ frustration. The Welshman has taken that step forward, ahead of his teammates lined up shoulder-to-shoulder, to become this team’s leader and poster boy.
Arsenal have long trumpeted the ideal that they make superstars rather than buying them. Bayern Munich’s reported interest in Ramsey acts as confirmation that they’re onto something big with the 23-year-old. Had he been fit all season, Ramsey may well have won the Player of the Year award. At the very least it would have been an extremely close call between him and Luis Suarez.
His long-term move to the sidelines on Boxing Day, still lamented by Arsenal supporters, coincided with the creeping in of a loss of form and loss of belief. Ozil has no doubt added ornamentation to Arsenal’s play; the German has brought intelligence, too. But there’s no safety net or backup for the loss of a genuine game-changer and willing leader in someone like Ramsey.
Ramsey is a player reborn. An apparently limitless supply of confidence now to go along with the talent that was always there. In years gone by, Arsenal have rarely had both – and that goes for individuals and the club as a whole. They’ve got a leader on the pitch – an armband isn’t always necessary or defining – as well as a trophy in the cabinet to really get the motors going. If Arsenal weren’t financially capable of adding further talent in the past, they’re more than able now.
Ramsey has scored the most important goal of his career – and what a stunning effort it was – while arguably scoring the goal that put Wenger’s future beyond all doubt. But the midfielder is 23. Let that sink in. Arsenal have lost out on star players in the past. Cesc Fabregas wanted to return home to Barcelona for a number of reasons, but primary was the opportunity to win silverware. Arsenal certainly lost out on much of Robin van Persie’s career due to the Dutchman’s injuries. He too jumped ship in the pursuit of tangible glory.
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But the club don’t have that problem now. There are few, if any, insurmountable hurdles preventing this club from winning and giving players like Ramsey the incentive to stay.
The Week of Football – UEFA president Michel Platini’s ingenious solution to making the international break more exciting (or rather, more lucrative) – is upon us once more, with all teams involved preparing for a brace of fixtures as they continue on the path to Euro 2016 qualification.
The expansion of the tournament to 24 teams sees the top two sides in each group qualifying automatically, as well as the third-placed team entering a playoff round, which for many has made the whole process even more dull than it already was, given that progression to the finals for the big sides is now all but guaranteed.
Nevertheless, there is cause for genuine excitement amongst fans of the smaller nations who are seeking to take advantage of the simplified qualification process by securing a rare appearance at a major tournament, while England fans will be keeping a keen eye on a few rookies who will be donning the Three Lions jersey for the first time.
Here’s what you should look out for this week in particular…
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Can England’s newbies (and Hodgson’s favourites) impress?
Football – England Training – London Colney, St Albans, Hertfordshire – 18/11/13England manager Roy Hodgson during trainingMandatory Credit: Action Images / John SibleyLivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
Results-wise, there will not be much to glean from England’s forthcoming games against San Marino and Estonia, with two comfortable victories virtually in the bag already. However, Nathaniel Clyne’s first call-up to the England squad gives Roy Hodgson the opportunity to gauge how quickly the talented Southampton full-back can adapt to international football. After an impressive start to the season, Clyne is expected to make his England debut against San Marino – a solid performace could see him challenge Kyle Walker and Glen Johnson as Hodgson’s first-choice right-back. Elsewhere, Fabian Delph and Jonjo Shelvey will be hoping to convince Hodgson that they belong in his long-term vision for the national side, while the pressure is on for Andros Townsend and Rickie Lambert – both of whom were handed their debuts by the England coach – to prove that they merit their inclusion in the squad after underwhelming domestic performaces. While the results may be a foregone conclusion, a big week awaits for these England players.
Wales prepare for campaign-defining week
Tell Wales fans that the Euro 2016 qualifying campaign is pointless; after decades of disappointment, embarrassment and abject failure, punctuated by the occasional heroic charge that falls apart in heartbreaking fashion, UEFA’s decision to expand the tournament presents Wales with their best chance to qualify for a major tournament since 1958. A narrow, Bale-inspired away victory against Andorra in their opening fixture last month was a crucial way to begin the campaign, and with back-to-back home ties against Bosnia and Hercegovina and Cyprus coming up, Chris Coleman’s men could find themselves topping the group this time next week. The withdrawal of a number of players through injury – most notably Aaron Ramsey and Joe Allen – has not been ideal, yet Gareth Bale is fit and ready, and with the Real Madrid man in the team, Wales always stand a chance. Bosnia will go into Friday’s game as favourites, and Cyprus are no pushovers, having secured a shock victory at Bosnia in September. However, Wales must surely fancy their chances with Bale and the backing of the home crowd, and with a tough away fixture against group favourites Belgium to come in November, a minimum of four points should be the target. Emerge from these two games undefeated, and Wales can begin to dream.
Can Scotland get up and running?
Gordon Strachan deserves ample praise for reversing the fortunes of Scotland since he became manager last year. Two brilliant victories against Croatia ensured that what started as a disastrous World Cup qualifying campaign ended on a high, and although the Scots lost their opening match of the current qualifiers, they did so by succumbing to a creditable 2-1 defeat to Germany, the reigning world champions who just two months previously had put seven past Brazil. The Germans will almost certainly top the group, which realistically leaves Scotland, Poland and the Republic of Ireland to battle it out for the remaining automatic and playoff spots. A solid victory at home against Georgia – where the Tartan Army will be at their vociferous best – is therefore a must, before the Scots head to Poland for a pivotal midweek tie. After seeing their qualification hopes end in premature fashion in the last campaign, Scotland need to pick up the points early on.
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Goalfest in Dublin?
Across the North Channel, Scotland’s Celtic brethren and qualification rivals will also be in action. The Republic of Ireland will be looking forward to welcoming Gibraltar – who are playing their first campaign of competitve international football – to the Aviva Stadium, and whilst a comprehensive victory is to be expected for Martin O’Neill’s side, the manner in which they do so could be significant. The battle for qualification with Poland and Scotland will be a tight one, and deciding who goes to France in 2016 and who doesn’t could very well come down to goal difference. With the Poles giving their goals scored column an almighty fillip with their 7-0 trouncing of Gibraltar last month, the Irish will be hoping to do the same in their easiest fixture in the group. Expect goals galore in Dublin this weekend.
Aos 24 anos, prestes a completar 25, o atacante Gustagol vive sua melhor fase da carreira e não pensa em deixar o Corinthians tão cedo. Mesmo assim, o atacante despistou sobre sua renovação contratual com o clube. O vínculo será estendido de 2020 para 2022, mas não foi confirmado pelo jogador em entrevista coletiva na tarde desta terça-feira, no CT Joaquim Grava.
– Tenho contrato até 2020, como todos sabem. Não estou preocupado com isso agora, quero focar na reta final do Paulistão e depois a gente vê isso – disse, em sua primeira resposta sobre o tema durante a coletiva.
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Questionado pela segunda vez sobre a iminente renovação, Gustagol disse ter deixado o tem nas mãos de seu empresário, mas admitiu a vontade de permanecer no Corinthians pelo tempo que for possível.
– É uma situação fácil de resolver. Não estou pensando nisso (de renovação), estou focado nos jogos. Por mim, eu fico aqui o tempo que for. Meu empresário está resolvendo – completou.
O centroavante, cujo aniversário é nesta sexta-feira, deve ser titular na partida desta quarta, contra a Ferroviária, às 21h30, na Arena. Na ida, as equipes empataram em 1 a 1, justamente com gol do camisa 19, o nono em 2019.
He’s England captain and Man United captain, but will that be enough to save him from the swinging axe of the ruthless Jose Mourinho?
If you’ve been in the rainforest the last few months, or climbing Mount Everest, then it is possible that you haven’t heard that Man United have re-signed Paul Pogba for an eye watering world record fee. Although not a direct competitor for Rooney’s preferred striker role, he poses serious problems for the United captain.
Rooney never had blistering pace like Marcus Rashford or the target man height of Zlatan Ibrahimovic; he has always relied on his knack of getting goals and his will to win.
However, Jose likes a fast counter attacking team which is able to break from box-to-box with pace in order devastate opponents, then sit back and absorb the pressure; taking the sting out of the game. Rooney’s legs are gone so the speed of his attack isn’t what it used to be; and he also lacked goals last year, which even convinced England to play him in a deep lying midfield role during their ill fated Euro 2016 campaign.
Mourinho has already stated that midfield is not his best position and he should be scoring goals as he has always done for the club, which itself carries extra pressure for Rooney.
The lone striker role that Jose prefers would seem to be owned by Zlatan for this season at least, and the iconic Swede has already become a darling of both the fans and the media. As previously mentioned, his pace was never electric, and this means that a wide berth is most certainly out of the question. In theory this leaves one position for Rooney; the No.10 role.
Here in lies the problem; Paul Pogba also relishes this role. The area behind the striker is his best position and this was plain for all to see in France’s run to the final. When Pogba was asked to sit in front of the back four he seemed to lose not just his creative spark, but also his swagger and drive.
So the big question is, when Pogba returns from his ban, will he play in this role, relegating Rooney to a wide berth, or will Jose wait for Rooney to lose form and drop him?
For the first time in his career at Old Trafford Rooney looks vulnerable ,and all football watchers know that Jose will not hesitate to drop him – captain or not.
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قال الحكم الإنجليزي مارك كلاتنبرج رئيس لجنة الحكام السابق، إنه لن يندم على تجربة العمل في مصر، مشيرًا إلى أنه واجه العديد من الصعوبات خلال رحلة تطوير ملف التحكيم.
وأضاف كلاتنبرج في تصريحات تلفزيونية بفضائية “المحور”: “أهم العقبات التي واجهتها وجود عدد حكام كبير جدًا وعدد مباريات قليلة بالمقارنة بعدد الحكام المتاحين، الحكام كاللاعبين يحتاجون المشاركة في المباريات أسبوعيًا حتى يتطوروا”.
وواصل: “استطعت خلال تواجدي في مصر أن أحل المشاكل البسيطة والصغيرة، وعندما حاولت حل المشاكل الكبيرة لم أستطع الوصول لحلول، كانت توجد أزمات أكبر مني بكثير أهمها المشاكل المادية”.
وكيل كلاتنبرج يُهاجم عصام عبد الفتاح: يستغل اسم موكلي للعمل في بلدان أخرى
وتابع: “ذهبت للمسؤولين من أجل التفاوض على مستحقات الحكام، كان يأتي لمكتبي يوميًا شكوى من الحكام بسبب المستحقات، وتلقيت وعودًا أكثر من مرة بحل مشكلة المستحقات وحتى الآن لم يتم حل مشكلة مستحقات الحكام وهذا يسبب مشاكل كبيرة في ملف الحكام، يجب وضع برنامج حقيقي لتطوير الحكام في مصر”.
ورد كلاتنبرج على تعلقيات عصام عبد الفتاح عنه قائلًا: “قبل مجيئي إلى مصر لم أعرف عصام عبد الفتاح ولم آراه من قبل يحكم في الأحداث الكبرى، لو كان عمل بشكل جيد لما تعاقد معي الاتحاد المصري لتطوير ملف التحكيم، قمت بعمل جيد من خلال تواجدي في مصر في 5 أشهر بدون أي دعم مادي”.
واستكمل: “لا أفهم سر تعلقيات عصام عبد الفتاح عني، رغم أنه لم يرى نتاج عملي، والتفسير الوحيد أن عصام عبد الفتاح يحاول أن يجد لنفسه وظيفة من خلال هذه التعليقات، والتعليق على اسم كبير مثلي”.
واستطرد: “أعرف بيريرا بشكل جيد، وعمل بشكل إيجابي في ملف التحكيم باليونان، وكان لديه مشاريع إيجابية في ملف التحكيم باليونان، ونفس الأمر في مصر”.
وأتم: “بيريرا سيواجه أزمات في أسرة التحكيم بمصر، أتمنى التوفيق للاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم وبيريرا، وأتمنى أن يكون التحكيم عادلًا لجميع الفريق المصرية دون النظر إلى أسمائهم وألوانهم”.
O São Paulo dificilmente terá Hernanes na partida contra o São Caetano, às 21h30 de quarta-feira, no Anacleto Campanella. O meia de 33 anos foi substituído no segundo tempo da derrota por 1 a 0 para o Palmeiras, neste sábado, com dores na coxa esquerda. Por outro lado, o interino Vagner Mancini acredita que poderá contar com Nenê, fora das últimas duas rodadas devido a uma pancada no joelho esquerdo.
– Nenê espero que sim (na quarta), porque ele tem capacidade de mudar a partida. O Hernanes a gente ainda não sabe, mas aparentemente é alguma coisa muscular. Não sei se lesão, estiramento, dor forte… Diante do que vi, acho difícil que jogue na quarta – disse Mancini.
O São Paulo já não terá o zagueiro Arboleda à disposição, já que ele foi convocado para defender a seleção do Equador. Bruno Alves, que volta de suspensão, deve herdar a vaga.
O jogo em São Caetano é decisivo para o Tricolor, que chega à última rodada da fase de classificação sob risco de não avançar. O time está em segundo lugar do grupo D, com 14 pontos contra 17 do Ituano, mas pode ser ultrapassado nesta rodada pelo Oeste, que tem 12 pontos e visita o Corinthians neste domingo.