[ad_pod ]

Tottenham Hotspur attacker Heung-min Son captained North Korea to a 1-0 win over Bolivia in an international friendly on Friday.

The game with Bolivia earned Son his 76th cap, contributing 23 goals and 12 assists for his nation.

He is very much the main man for his country, whilst the 26-year-old is enjoying a wonderful campaign for Tottenham, who he joined from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 2015.

Indeed, the attacker has managed 16 goals and nine assists in 37 appearances for his Premier League club in all competitions this term.

It would be fair to say that the Spurs supporters absolutely love Son and many took to social media to hail the 6 ft ace following his country’s win.

Indeed, Tottenham’s official Twitter account drew attention to the fact that Son had been in action for North Korea, which sparked a positive response from the London club’s fans.

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

Marcelo Bielsa is the key to unlocking big name signings this summer – they just need to complete the small task of securing promotion.

We are at the business end of the season now and all hands are on deck at Leeds United as they fight alongside Norwich City and Sheffield United for the automatic promotion spots.

Indeed, this is usually an exciting period for fans – the run-in into the transfer window – the excitement of the rumour mill linking exotic names from far and wide – the faces of potential stars who could light up a club’s season, superimposed into our favourite kits in our imaginations.

Leeds United have sadly not been able to enjoy this pleasure. In fact, they have been able to enjoy scant little recently for the anxiety of missing out on the Premier League again is so strong.

But gossip is still flying, and according to reports from Italian outlet Tutto Mercato, PSV Eindhoven’s highly-rated youngster Justin Lonwijk could be one of the first signatures to join Elland Road next season.

The 19-year-old has an impressive record playing for the Dutch club’s under-21 team, where he has made 24 appearances and scored six goals this season, following equally admirable stints at under-19 level, scoring 20 times in 50 appearances, respectively.

With his contract set to expire this summer, there is every chance that the player’s agent has artificially generated interest to improve his client’s current deal at PSV – as they so often do nowadays.

Eintracht Frankfurt and AS Roma are also said to be interested in the player, so Bielsa faces some tough competition if Lonwijk’s availability is legitimate.

Leeds United fans, how you do you see the rest of your season going? Join the discussion by commenting below… 

[ad_pod ]

Newcastle United have all but secured their Premier League safety for another season and they have done it thanks to Rafa Benitez and his 3-4-2-1 formation.

On the Charlkboard

As part of Benitez’s change in tactic, Matt Ritchie has been converted into a wing-back and Ayoze Perez and Miguel Almiron have been deployed as wide attackers.

Florian Lejeune’s injury has led to Paul Dummet playing as part of the back three, but he’s not as comfortable on the ball as the Frenchman and, though he is very solid defensively, Newcastle rely solely on Fabian Schar to play-from-the-back.

Almiron is Newcastle’s record signing after joining from Atlanta in January.

He has made an impact on how the Toon attack but he is yet to score or assist.

This could be down to the fact the Paraguayan is playing out-wide despite the fact he is primarily a number ten.

For Atlanta he scored 13 goals and registered 11 assists playing in-behind Josef Martinez.

Almiron has certainly made the Magpies more dangerous, as can be seen by his 1.3 key passes per game and expected assists of 1.38, but a change of formation may be needed to truly utilise his star quality.

How to rectify the problem

The Magpies should consider switching back to 4-2-3-1.

Perez could move to the left and Ritchie to the right, allowing both to cut inside and feed Almiron, who could use his electric pace through the middle to penetrate the opposition.

Also, allowing him to play behind Rondon would give him the chance to feed off the big man’s knock downs and, considering he has won 127 aerial duels this year, the 25-year-old would have a lot to feed off.

Finally, playing Almiron as a number ten would allow him to play in-between the midfield and the defence, finding pockets of space to work in where his skill and technique would create openings for Newcastle’s other forward players and hopefully give Almiron his first goal and assist in English football.

[ad_pod ]

Georginio Wijnaldum has been in good form for Liverpool this season, making 37 appearances in all competitions for Jurgen Klopp’s side.

The midfielder has not received too many plaudits, but certainly performs an important role for a Liverpool team chasing success in the Premier League and Champions League.

Wijnaldum has made 129 appearances for the Reds since a 2016 move from Newcastle United, but his current deal will expire at the end of the 2020-21 campaign.

There has not yet been any news on the 28-year-old’s contract situation.

The Liverpool fans, however, have been on social media calling for an announcement on the 5 ft 9 ace.

It seems likely that the Reds will look to sign a new attacking midfielder this summer, but Wijnaldum has again shown his class at Anfield this season and will surely want to stay with the Premier League title challengers.

A selection of the Twitter reaction from the Liverpool supporters can be seen below:

15 minutes was all that stood between Huddersfield and only their second Premier League victory away from home in their latest outing.

A brace from forward Karlan Grant had given the Terriers a 3-1 lead at the London Stadium against West Ham United yet once Angelo Ogbonna had pulled one back, it was almost inevitable what was going to happen next to Jan Siewert’s side. A late double from Javier Hernandez completed the turn around for the Hammers and edged Huddersfield even closer to relegation.

Despite the club’s capitulation grabbing all of the headlines, for the first time this season Huddersfield demonstrated a continuous attacking threat which should lead supporters to be more positive going into their fixture against Crystal Palace later.

With a return to the second tier of English football almost guaranteed, the Terriers players could thrive from the fact that there is barely any pressure on them to succeed given just how dismal they have been this season. Therefore, they could be an extremely dangerous prospect for the Eagles to deal with, especially when you consider just how well Grant has been playing since his move to the club in January from Charlton Athletic.

Palace are unlikely to be able to call upon Wilfried Zaha at the weekend as he continues to struggle with a hamstring injury (according to londonnewsonline), meaning that they will have to find another way of breaking down the Terriers. If Siewert can get his side to replicate the first 75 minutes of their performance against West Ham at the weekend, there is no reason why they can’t at least come away with a draw from Selhurst Park.

Even though relegation is an inevitability for Huddersfield, a strong end to their campaign could be highly beneficial for next season as it would boost morale within the squad and give the club’s supporters something to cling onto heading into an uncertain summer.

What do you think Terriers fans? Can your side spring an upset on Saturday? Are there any positives to take from your recent performances? Get in touch below.

It looks like Yohan Benalouane could be on his way out of Nottingham Forest, so the club need to find a replacement for their promotion challenge next season. They don’t have to look far though because Joe Worrall looks like just the man to step in.

Footmercato have linked Benalouane to West Ham, Leeds and Cardiff, but now they’ve got the option to keep Joe Worrall, they won’t have to worry as much as they would have done otherwise. He’s been a revelation in Scotland and they’ll hope to embed him at the City Ground next campaign.

He’s played 19 times for Rangers this season and has become one of the first names on the teamsheet at centre-back. Steven Gerrard reportedly (via the Express) fancies taking him to Glasgow on a permanent basis, but unless Worrall forces that move, Forest will be very keen to make him their Benalouane replacement.

Indeed, club legend Kenny Burns even spoke on how the enforcer will return to Nottingham a much better player, so it’s hard to see him being allowed to leave on a permanent basis.

He’s just 22-years-old and now has the game time under his belt, performing at a club where the fans have similarly high expectations as those at Forest do. The club crave to be back in the Premier League and Worrall could provide the solid back-line leadership required to earn promotion.

He’s a Nottingham lad so the fans will have much more patience with him than they would do with a player brought in for a big fee. It’ll also send the right message to the club’s academy players, signifying that if you bide your time and perform well on loan, you’ll get your chance in the first team.

He has one year left on his contract, so if Benalouane leaves, it’s time to call back Worrall, see what he’s made of in the first team and then offer him a contract that will hopefully see Forest back into the Premier League.

Forest fans, who do you think should replace Yohan Benalouane if he leaves? Join the discussion by commenting below…

[ad_pod ]

According to Birmingham Live, the door hasn’t been completely closed on a new contract for Aston Villa defender Ritchie De Laet.

What’s the word?

With De Laet’s contract expiring this summer, Villa are faced with a decision over his future. The Belgian played in just two Carabao Cup fixtures earlier this season before being shipped out on loan to A-League side Melbourne City.

But despite his current deal nearing its end, the door hasn’t been completely closed on him staying for longer than planned, according to Birmingham Live.

Villa boss Dean Smith won’t have been able to make too much of a judgement on the player yet, considering it was Steve Bruce who initially let the player leave. Therefore, it remains a possibility that the former Bees man may have plans for him to feature next season.

Attention should lie elsewhere

The defender, who has been capped twice by Belgium, shone out for the club in pre-season so it was perhaps a bit bizarre that he wasn’t deemed good enough by Bruce.

De Laet has been a steady player at Championship level, but if the Villans are to go up they must focus their transfer expenditure elsewhere.

At the moment, the club has three defenders whose loan deals are set to expire at the end of the season.

The main player from that trio is Tyrone Mings, a Premier League proven player Villa simply cannot afford to lose. Although he doesn’t play in the same role as De Laet, most of the attention must be put on him.

Similarly, there should be a focus on both Axel Tuanzebe, who could arrive on loan again and Kortney Hause. Both players possess the ability to play in wider defensive roles and given the form of Ahmed Elmohamady he is more deserving of a new deal than De Laet.

Considering he’d be so low down the pecking order, issuing the 30-year-old a new deal would be pointless. Instead, Smith needs to focus on keeping those more suited to the Premier League.

Amid their title challenge and one of the best seasons ever produced by an English side, there have been some valid complaints regarding Liverpool’s attacking style solely being pegged on their fantastic front-three.

Considering their quality and the form all three showed last season, they are expected to take the ball forward and create for themselves, as the Reds’ midfielders are normally too cautious to move forward.

‘Workmanlike’ is a term often bandied about when talking about the Reds.

However, the solution to eradicate the midfield’s creative block has finally been found.

Naby Keita, who was brought onto be that driving factor in Liverpool’s midfield, is successfully acting as their fourth attacker. The industrial midfielder’s finally come good for the Reds, showcasing his stunning ability at the best time possible, months after his £54m arrival from Germany.

After his inspired contribution against Southampton, where he scored his first Premier League goal to save Liverpool from misery, Keita weaved his magic in the Champions League. With another goal, he made it two in two and, if he wins his club either of those competitions, his transfer fee will look an absolute steal.

However, more than just the goals, it’s his overall contribution which made Liverpool pay big bucks for him.

Keita’s brought that unique factor no other Liverpool midfielder is capable of. Unlike Jordan Henderson and Fabinho, who like to sit back and dictate things, he’s more encouraged to go forward. Keita’s link-up play is superb, as he’s now been unshackled by Klopp, allowing him to wander into promising positions and fill the box with his tricky presence.

He gave a great example of his talent against FC Porto, making 60+ passes, 6 tackles, 10 recoveries and 3 successful dribbles (stats via Fotmob). The Guinean international’s sparked up his game after properly understanding Jurgen Klopp’s system.

He’s now showcasing the perfect blend of steel and creativity to help Liverpool plough through stubborn opponents, while also silencing those who mocked him.

Liverpool fans, are you impressed by Keita’s rise in form? Join the discussion by commenting below…

كشفت صحيفة “عكاظ” السعودية من خلال مصادرها داخل نادي اتحاد جدة عن مفاجأة بشأن صفقة، أحمد حجازي، مدافع الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي وست بروميتش ألبيون.

وارتبط اسم حجازي بإمكانية الرحيل عن الفريق الإنجليزي للانتقال إلى نظيره السعودي في الميركاتو الصيفي الحالي قبل إغلاق نافذة الانتقالات مساء اليوم، الأحد.

اقرأ أيضًا.. مدرب وست بروميتش يُشيد بثنائية أحمد حجازي وإيفانوفيتش

وأفادت الصحيفة الشهيرة أن إدارة اتحاد جدة قد توصلت لاتفاق مع وست بروميتش ألبيون على ضم حجازي، ومن المنتظر أن يتم التوقيع الرسمي على العقد مساء اليوم.

ويلعب حجازي مع وست بروميتش منذ صيف عام 2017، عندما انتقل إلى صفوفه قادمًا من الأهلي بطل الدوري المصري.

الجدير بالذكر أن حجازي كان قد شارك في آخر مباريات وست بروميتش أمام بيرنلي في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز والتي انتهت بالتعادل السلبي 0-0.

مصادر #عكاظ
اتفقت إدارة نادي #الاتحاد مع نظيرتها في وست بروميتش الإنجليزي على انتقال المدافع الدولي المصري أحمد حجازي لنادي الاتحاد ، وينتظر أن يتم توقيع العقد الرسمي قبل اغلاق باب الانتقالات مساء اليوم@MEISS20 #عكاظ #ان_تكون_اولا #تطبيق_عكاظ https://t.co/3DP5iRfI7h pic.twitter.com/ppNkOLQlwK

— عكاظ الرياضية (@Okaz_Sports) October 25, 2020

[ad_pod ]

Speaking to the BBC’s FA Cup semi-final highlights programme on BBC 1 at 11pm on Sunday night, Martin Keown gave his verdict on Wolves’ extra time defeat to Watford at Wembley, picking out some of the key points from their loss.

What did he say?

Keown first touched on two major reasons for why Wolves lost the game, assessing that Nuno Santo didn’t do enough to get Ruben Neves involved after he was closely monitored by Roberto Pereyra whilst also criticising their wing-backs. Talking to the BBC, he said:

“It was interesting because Wolves didn’t seem to worry about that Pereyra situation. They weren’t getting their wing-backs forward in quite the same way that they normally do. To go 2-0 up at that point, I think that’s when the mistakes were made.”

The mistake the former Arsenal man picked up on was to bring on Ryan Bennett for Neves with four minutes of regulation time to go. He also focused on Conor Coady’s involvement in Gerard Deulofeu’s winning goal.

“If you saw, Bennett was standing on the sideline there at 2-1 for an age and perhaps it was the wrong player to come on at that particular time. All credit to Watford because they showed the quality, Coady gets a bit drawn to the ball and there’s no substitute for pace. Deulofeu’s pace there for that goal was truly outstanding.”

Is he right?

The BBC pundit’s view of the game is absolutely spot on and highlights some of the major flaws in Santo’s management. His substitutes late on in the game invited pressure on the Wolves backline and provided evidence of the lack of plan B they possess.

Matt Doherty may have scored the opening goal of the game but his threat was largely nullified, the same can be said for the opposite wing-back, Jonny.

Taking Neves off, meanwhile, was probably the worst thing they could have done. Although the Portuguese international didn’t have the greatest of games his calming presence would have been particularly beneficial in the closing moments.

With the game then going to extra time after Troy Deeney’s penalty, Wolves didn’t have enough attacking threat on the pitch to win the tie themselves.