Tag Futebol

Rangers fans have complete faith in Steven Gerrard to fire them back to their past glories sooner or later, and to do so work needs to be done in the summer transfer window. Goals have come freely for the Gers, but adding Lawrence Shankland, the Ayr United man with a combined 42 goals and assists, is an absolute must as they aim for title number 55.

Shankland is just 23-years-old and is local to Glasgow having been born in the famous footballing city. This season in the Scottish Championship, the Scottish U21 international has bagged an unprecedented 34 goals and has eight assists to match too, and now with Ayr United not prepared to stand in his way as his contract expires this summer the Ibrox faithful could benefit and sign him up on a free.

It looks like Shankland (linked with the Light Blues by the Daily Star in March) will be plying his trade in the Scottish Premier League next season even if Ayr United aren’t. The Honest Men finished 4th in their first season back in the second tier of Scottish football setting up a play-off clash with Inverness, of which they lost the first-leg 3-1 at home last night. It won’t have been pleasant for Shankland to lose that clash, but with a summer move ahead he shouldn’t worry too much.

The hard graft and work has already been done by the 23-year-old and it would be no surprise if finds himself starring for Rangers in Europe and in the biggest domestic clashes next season. Ibrox would welcome a young Glaswegian goalscoring with open arms, and if he can continue his hot run of form that he’s found over the last two seasons, scoring a combined 50 league goals for Ayr, then he’ll be a hit.

It could force a couple of Steven Gerrard’s options that he has now out of the side, but with Alfredo Morelos’ discipline proving to be a tricky issue and Kyle Lafferty’s lack of game time and goals, having the partnership of Shankland and Defoe next season could be key.

That duo could also work wonders for the youngster as working with the prolific Defoe could be so beneficial in his development.

Rangers fans, do you want to see Lawrence Shankland at Ibrox? Comment below!

[ad_pod ]

Mauricio Pochettino wants Tottenham Hotspur to spend £150million this summer, according to the Daily Mail.

Spurs are seemingly set to invest in the playing squad when the transfer window reopens, having gone the past two without signing a single player.

What’s the word?

The Mail report that Pochettino will be given an initial kitty of £60m to spend before player sales are considered, but the report states that the majority of transfer revenue will be retained and spent on the playing staff.

Doubts persist over the futures of both Toby Alderweireld and Christian Eriksen.

The defender, of course, has a £25m release clause embedded into his contract, while the report states that Spurs could cash in on Eriksen, with his deal set to expire at the end of next season.

Full-back Danny Rose, midfielder Victor Wanyama, winger Georges-Kevin N’Koudou will all reportedly be sold if bids come in, while Kieran Trippier and Fernando Llorente could also depart.

The Mail believe that could raise upwards of £100m to boost Pochettino’s spending power, with the club hoping to sign two central midfielders as well as an attacking player who can inject some creativity into the forward line.

Back him

Daniel Levy is absolutely right to throw some cash behind Pochettino.

The Argentine has worked miracles this season, with Spurs in the Champions League semi-finals and also fighting to finish in the Premier League top four.

Quite frankly, Pochettino deserves to be backed to the absolute hilt.

And while he may not have a say in the future of Alderweireld, his targets have to be brought in this summer.

Spurs stand on the precipice of something massive; major investment, then, is absolutely key if they are to take the next step.

[ad_pod ]

Mohamed Salah scored his 50th goal for Liverpool as the Reds beat Southampton 3-1 to move back to the top of the Premier League.

The Egypt international ended a run of six games without a goal with his superb strike versus Ralph Hasenhuttl’s men but his goal masked one of his poorest performances in recent weeks.

On the chalkboard

Per WhoScored, Salah had just two shots on goal throughout the game and was dispossessed a total of six times.

One could suggest that the latter tally came about as a result of a number of dribbles but the opposite is true; Salah did not even attempt one.

In total, the forward touched the ball 47 times and attempted 30 passes but only 20 were accurate.

He did complete two key passes but he was outmuscled in the air, winning just one of three aerial duels, while he failed to complete a tackle or an interception.

Salah may well have contributed a vital goal after a superb solo run but statistically, this was a remarkably flat performance from the 26-year-old.

Proof of world-class credentials

It is often said that most world-class players can go 89 minutes without contributing anything of note, only to win the game in the other one.

That was particularly true of Salah on Friday.

All in all, he did not really affect the match until his game-changing intervention.

It could well have gone wrong. He collected the ball on the edge of his own box and sprinted almost the length of the pitch before smashing the ball past Angus Gunn.

In recent weeks, he has missed chances like that.

With Liverpool chasing the Premier League title, perhaps it was fate that this time it hit the back of the net.

It certainly bodes well as the run-in approaches.

Sheffield Wednesday have yet to taste defeat in the Championship since Steve Bruce took charge at Hillsborough, a run that has stretched back to January and includes 11 games.

During that run Wednesday have kept a superb seven clean sheets, thanks in no small part, to goalkeeper Keiren Westwood, who has played in every game since Bruce’s arrival.

The keeper, who has had spells at Manchester City and Sunderland on his CV, is “delighted” at his form and says there has been a “great turnaround” at the club in 2019.

He told the Sheffield Star: It has been a great turnaround and that is credit to everybody at the club,

“I think I have kept nine [clean sheets] from 14 games. I’m delighted. If you were a striker and you scored nine goals in 14 games, you would be absolutely buzzing.”

The Owls’ win at a blustery Bolton on Tuesday means that they now sit just four points off a play-off spot, but still have a number of clubs to overhaul in the remaining weeks of a season in a race that is sure to go down to the wire.

But Westwood’s focus is on the next game — Blackburn Rovers are the visitors to Hillsborough on Saturday — and stressed that all games between now and the end of the season are “massive”.

He said: “We have to keep plugging away. We have another big game on Saturday.

“Every game we have now is massive. If we can manage to get a win at the weekend going into the international break, that would be big.”

“Let’s just get to this international break and see where we are at.”

Certainly, along with fellow play-off chasers Preston, Wednesday are the form team in the Championship, but it is a run that needs to continue if promotion is to be a realistic target.

It would be a fantastic achievement from where the club sat prior to Bruce’s arrival. It cannot be understated the influence the former Manchester United player has had on the squad, and the players are clearly responding.

Whether the Owls can see it all the way through to May is another question, but regardless if they do or not, Bruce has breathed life back into a sleeping giant that was simply treading water beforehand.

What are your thoughts on the impressive run that Wednesday have been on? Are they realistic contenders for a play-off spot now? Let us know your thoughts…

[ad_pod ]

According to The Daily Echo, Southampton midfielder Stuart Armstrong is in line to be available for the Premier League clash against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday having missed the loss against Cardiff City earlier this month.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the 26-year-old has been a regular in the side since Ralph Hasenhuttl was appointed as Saints boss at the beginning of December, but he missed out on the squad for the first time against the Bluebirds because of a minor calf strain, as per The Daily Echo.

However, The Daily Echo report that the Scotland international took part in the warm weather training camp in Tenerife and having seemingly come through that unscathed, he could be in line to make his return to the starting XI against the Gunners.

The south coast outfit are certainly in need of a positive result given that the reverse against Neil Warnock’s men at St Mary’s before their trip to the Canary Island saw them slip back into the relegation zone.

Will he start?

It may well depend on what formation and tactics Hasenhuttl decides to go with.

The form and emergence of James Ward-Prowse in recent weeks has certainly meant that competition for places in the middle of the pitch is stronger than ever, and if the Austrian goes for a more conservative approach in north London then it could mean Armstrong has to settle for spot on the substitutes’ bench.

That said, if the 51-year-old fancies taking the game to the hosts and tries to take advantage of a defence that has looked leaky at times this term, then the former Celtic man is someone who can make an impact in the final third from the beginning.

Portsmouth are still doing everything they can to ensure they have the best chance at achieving promotion back into the Championship next season.

Although earning a move up the football league system now seems difficult to do via the automatic spots, the play-offs still offer a chance for Portsmouth to make it back.

It’s been an extremely tough start to 2019 for Pompey and they quickly want to get back to winning ways.

Goals have dried up and for a team that couldn’t stop scoring before the New Year, that will be a concern.

Whether they stay in League One or go up into the Championship, a striker who could offer a tremendous service is Gillingham’s Tom Eaves, a player out of contract this summer.

Eaves, (who is valued at £90k on Transfermarkt) has enjoyed, on a personal note, a brilliant campaign with the Gills this season, notching up goal after goal.

Despite his side being 17th in the table, Tom Eaves has somewhat kept them afloat with 17 goals himself, plus an extra four assists as well.

Portsmouth have clinical strikers of their own but since the turn of the year, that statement may no longer be true. Jamal Lowe has 11 for the season, Ronan Curtis ten, but if Tom Eaves could replicate that form with a move to Portsmouth, that’s an offer they can’t look past.

Especially with Omar Bogle and James Vaughan only at the club until the summer, Tom Eaves gives them the security of not having to worry as much when next season comes around.

With his contract up, Eaves would be free to take his goals elsewhere and whether Portsmouth find themselves in the Championship or League One, they can be confident in the 27-year-old firing on all cylinders.

Do you agree… Let us know!

[ad_pod ]According to The Times’ northern football correspondent Paul Joyce on his official Twitter account on Thursday, Anderlecht and interested in signing Everton winger Yannick Bolasie on loan, and the Merseyside outfit want the deal to happen.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the 29-year-old had joined Championship club Aston Villa on a season-long loan deal during the summer transfer window, but having failed to really make an impact in the Midlands he decided to cut short his spell, as per avfc.co.uk, and return to Goodison Park earlier this month.

Now it appears as though he is attracting admiring glances from Belgium according to Joyce, with Sky Sports also reporting that talks are already at an advanced stage, and the fact that the Toffees are keen for a move to go through tells you all you need to know about what manager Marco Silva thinks about the DR Congo international.

Will he go?

It would appear likely, and Everton are likely to do everything they can to get it done if the well-placed Joyce is correct with what he has said.

Silva already has plenty of depth and quality in wide areas in the form of Richarlison, Bernard, Ademola Lookman and Theo Walcott, and it is no surprise that he sees no future for Bolasie at Goodison – at least for the remainder of this season.

The 29-year-old himself will be looking to make a big impact for Anderlecht if he does end up joining them, as he looks to recapture the sort of form that earned him a big-money move to Merseyside in the first place.

Arsenal’s Hector Bellerin may be out for the season but it’s given him a chance to show off his new accessory. Check out the video below to see for yourself…

West Brom are enjoying a renaissance under Slaven Bilic as they steamroll towards the promised land of the Premier League, but the decisions of former boss Tony Pulis still winds some supporters up to this day.

And that has been echoed in Oliver Burke’s comments this week; a disastrous flop Pulis signed for an eye-watering £15m back in the summer of 2017.

Speaking in the Daily Record, the 22-year-old said: “For me, right now I’d like to find myself a club where I can settle, enjoy and play week in, week out. And find my confidence again, which I’m slowly getting back, to prove all the doubters out there wrong.”

Burke is currently on loan to La Liga side Alaves where he has only contributed to two goals in 20 appearances, per Transfermarkt.

It has caused outroar amongst the Baggies faithful, here’s what has been said…

There’s certainly no love lost between Albion fans and the Scottish winger and descriptions such as “fraud,” “selfish idiot,” and “absolute waste” go a long way in proving that.

You can read more on this and other top stories via our West Bromwich Albion News page.

Burke is yet to live up to his eight-figure price tag having scored just once in 24 appearances for the Baggies, and it has led to further supporters slamming his cost to the club by labelling him as one of the worst signings they have ever made.

He was then blasted for being a “muppet” as well as a “woeful player” whilst one member of the Hawthorns faithful claimed Burke wasn’t even worth £1m let alone £15m.

Watch West Bromwich Albion Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

This view agrees with the opinions of some more fans, who made it known what sort of level he should actually be playing at with League One and League Two being mentioned.

As mentioned at the start, Burke was signed by Pulis, which was referenced by one final supporter. He pondered if it was one of his many blunders at the club as no one is going to want to sign the 22-year-old upon his return this summer.

And in other news, West Brom assistant Danilo Butorovic has tempted ill-fate on Instagram this week…

[ad_pod ]

Liverpool fans have taken to Twitter in defensive fashion after West Ham boss Manuel Pellegrini publicly called out their manager Jurgen Klopp, following the 1-1 draw between the two sides at the London Stadium on Monday night.

The Reds missed the opportunity to go even further ahead of Pellegrini’s former side Manchester City as a result of the draw, although they can probably count themselves lucky they didn’t lose as their goal should have been ruled out for offside.

Hammers boss Pellegrini, who appeared to still have his former side Malaga’s last gasp defeat to Klopp’s Borussia Dortmund in the 2013 Champions League quarter-final on his mind, was not happy with the decision.

Be sure to check out the incredible story of the man who rose from a Tanzanian refugee camp to become one of Australia’s biggest football stars in the video below…

The Chilean said: “Klopp is used to winning with offside goals. He beat me against Malaga with a goal seven metres offside – so he cannot complain about anything.”

Naturally, Liverpool fans on Twitter have leapt to the defence of their beloved boss after the war of words…

[ad_pod ]

A hamstring injury to veteran Petr Cech saw summer signing Bernd Leno come into the Arsenal starting XI a few weeks ago. Since then the 26-year-old shot-stopper has largely impressed between the sticks. 

However, since stepping into the first team at the Emirates Stadium, a major flaw in the 6-cap Germany international’s game has emerged. Leno struggles to deal with crosses delivered into his area, a weakness that opponents will soon begin to target.

Against Liverpool, last time out, his mishandling of a Sadio Mane delivery led to James Milner’s opening goal. A warning had come even before that, though, when he came out to claim a high cross and was caught in no man’s land, leaving Virgil van Dijk to head against the post.

Cech, on the other hand, has no such difficulties in negotiating crosses into the box. However, the 36-year-old has already proven himself to be far less adept with the ball at his feet.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”326259″ player=”12034″ title=”Liverpool Or Chelsea For The Title Forget it!”]

Considering that Unai Emery is trying to develop a side capable of playing the ball out from the back, the Spanish manager ought to persist with his younger acquisition and hope that his ability to deal with crosses develops with further Premier League experience.

What do you think, Arsenal fans – who ought to be the Gunners’ first choice goalkeeper at this time?