All posts by h716a5.icu

It has been a terrible year to be a Huddersfield Town supporter, hasn’t it?

After suffering defeat after defeat in the Premier League, the Terriers’ impending return to the Championship may actually be appealing for some as at the very least it offers the opportunity for the club to start afresh.

However, in order for Huddersfield to avoid a second consecutive season of struggle, it is clear that Jan Siewert needs to be given the necessary funds by chairman Dean Hoyle to improve his squad in the transfer window.

Although it is fair to say that the club have not been anywhere near good enough defensively in the top-flight, their woes in-front of goal simply have to be addressed in the summer.

With Laurent Depoitre and Steve Mounie both failing to deliver since making their moves to the John Smith’s Stadium, Siewert will be wary about splashing out a huge sum of money on a new forward.

However, with reports in the Examiner Live linking Huddersfield with a possible swoop for Brentford forward Neal Maupay, the German must consider going all-out to bring him to West Yorkshire.

The £9.5m-rated marksman (via Transfermarkt) has been simply sensational for the Bees this year, firing in a remarkable total of 27 goals in all competitions whilst also providing his team-mates with nine assists.

Yet despite his outstanding contributions for Thomas Frank’s side, Maupay may feel like he needs a new challenge which could be achievable at the Terriers.

If Huddersfield decide to pursue a deal for the Frenchman, they could receive the boost needed to launch a sustained push for automatic promotion next season and finally give their fans something to cheer about following the recent misery that has surrounded the club.

What do you think Terriers supporters? Should Siewert do everything he can to try and sign Maupay in the summer? Or is he not worth taking a risk on? Let us know below.

No matter what Arsenal achieve come the end of the month, a lot of work needs to be done this summer.

The Gunners have had an interesting first season in the post-Arsene Wenger years, with Unai Emery leading the club to a Europa League semi-final but squandering the chance of a top-four finish Premier League with poor results in the run-in.

Arsenal fans have been crying out for change this summer, and it is likely they will get them with reports suggesting that Edu will be appointed as the club’s technical director after the Copa America and that Emery is keen to offload players that both lack the quality and take up too much of the wage bill.

As for signings, new faces are expected to be brought in, and one player who has got fans excited is Ajax winger David Neres.

According to France Football via the Metro, the Gunners see the Brazilian attacker as a realistic signing this summer, with the 21-year-old hotly tipped to leave the Dutch club following the end of this season.

With Arsenal in need of wingers and Neres a name that will excite the fans, what are the potential consequences of the Gunners signing the Ajax superstar?

Gunners secure ridiculous signing

Even the most optimistic of Arsenal fans would admit Neres joining the north London side seems like a stretch, but stranger things have happened in football, and the signing of the Brazilian attacker would be an incredible one, to say the least.

With a reported budget of £45 million, Arsenal doesn’t have much to play with this summer and will likely have to sell in order to bump up that figure, but signing Neres would be a serious sign of intent from the Gunners, who could see the Brazilian as a catalyst for change.

Emery completes new attacking trio

Neres, Alexandre Lacazette, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. That attacking three is enough to make any defence nervous, and considering how well the two current Arsenal strikers perform together, adding a player as talented and as dangerous as the current Ajax number seven would elevate the Gunners’ firepower into new levels of scary.

How these three players would work together is a debate that could last for hours, but one thing that is certain is that Emery will have the attacking quality to not only win more games but to even lead Arsenal to silverware.

Arsenal fans, would Neres be a good signing this summer? Let us know!

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Tottenham Hotspur continue to be linked with Barcelona’s on-loan midfielder Andre Gomes.

Sport claimed earlier this week that personal terms between Spurs and Gomes had been agreed and that the Catalan giants are set to receive a bid in the region of €30million (£26m) for the 25-year-old.

And yet, something feels off.

The star has spent the season in the Premier League with Everton and he has hardly set the world alight. He has scored once and laid on one assist in the top-flight across 27 games. Those are hardly the statistics of a £26m player.

Now, Spurs do need a midfielder. They lost Mousa Dembele in January and he has not been adequately replaced but there is one man in the squad who appears to have been forgotten about: Harry Winks.

Winks is a more defensive-minded midfielder than Dembele and, while he has struggled with a groin problem this season, it is remarkable to think that Gomes could waltz in and instantly take his spot in the team.

After all, the Barca man is hardly going to replace creative fulcrum Christian Eriksen further up the pitch and nor is he going to dislodge Moussa Sissoko, the club’s best midfielder and engine room powerhouse. Similar in style, Gomes’ position in Tottenham’s strongest XI is surely the one Winks occupies when fit.

Winks has played fewer games than Gomes in the Premier League this season but still, the statistics bear out that it should be the Englishman starting next season at the base of Spurs’ midfield.

In the defensive phase, per WhoScored, Winks makes an average of 1.8 tackles per game to Gomes’ 1.4, concedes just 0.4 fouls per 90 minutes to his counterpart’s 1.8 and makes marginally more interceptions (0.8 to 0.7). He is also dribbled past, on average, 0.3 times per game. Gomes’ number is 1.7.

Perhaps, though, it is offensively where the current Toffee thrives? Nope. While Gomes has more shots (0.8 to 0.3) on average, he has scored the same amount of goals as Winks and also loses the ball far more. Per 90, he loses the ball 1.9 times per game. Winks gives possession away 0.9 times.

This is not to mention Winks’ control of the ball; he is able to command a midfield and has a pass completion rate of 91.8%. Gomes’ is 84.8% and that is from nine fewer passes per game.

Now, Pochettino has worked miracles before. One need only look at the renaissance of Sissoko for evidence of that, but this pursuit of the Portugal international makes precious little sense.

Yes, Spurs need depth in midfield, but spending £26m on a player of similar style who is clearly worse than Winks, a player who need only return to fitness to get back into the team, is negligence in the extreme. Money down the train.

We think it is fair to say that Emmanuel Mayuka’s transfer to Southampton didn’t quite go to plan…

‘Twas exciting times for Southampton when they made their return to Premier League football for the 2012/13 campaign. Players were flown in from far and wide to ensure the club’s safety for years to come, foreign talents who the Saints could barely dream when they were wallowing in the unexposed filth of Championship football and below.

One such individual, who to be quite frank no one had ever heard of, was Emmanuel Mayuka. The Zambian international touched down on the South Coast from Swiss club BSC Young Boys for an undisclosed fee believed to be around £3.5million.

“Emmanuel is a lightning-quick striker who I am sure will excite the fans,” then Saints boss Nigel Adkins told the club’s website.

“He is only 21 years old but already has a great deal of experience, notably so at international level,” added Adkins.

“He will bring something different to the group that we already have here at Southampton, and I look forward to seeing him pull on our shirt for the first time.”

Well, well, well, well, well. How wrong you were Nigel; how very painfully wrong. The team were in desperate need of options behind Rickie Lambert and Jay Rodriguez, but Mr Inept, Mayuka, provided desperately little relief.

While his pace and power were never in doubt, his technical ability and proficiency at putting the ball in the back of the net (you know, his job) was severely lacking. Just one goal in 19 appearances, which came against the mighty Barnsley in the League Cup, is a testament to that.

Unsurprisingly, Mayuka only spent one season with the Saints before being moved on to Ligue 1 outfit FC Metz on a free transfer. Two goals and 10 appearances later he was back on the road, this time linking up with 12-time Egyptian champions Zamalek.

A picture speaks a thousand words they say…and so does a former coach, it seems.

The 2012 AFCON top marksman is now without a club after being released by Ligat ha’Al side Hapoel Raanana in July 2018.

Southampton fans, what are your standout memories of Mayuka (if any)? Was he one of the worst players to put on the shirt in the new Premier League era? Let us know in the comments below…

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It’s all a bit up in the air at Manchester United right now.

The 20-time English champions are playing catch up to the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City in terms of hiring a sporting director to guide them in the right direction.

The Red Devils just finished sixth under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after a miserable end to the season, and this is sure to be a monumental summer for the club in terms of putting things right.

Interestingly, it seems that the first port of call for Solskjaer and Ed Woodward is to try and snap up Ajax wonderkid Matthijs de Ligt, who is arguably the hottest property on the market right now.

One point separated City and Liverpool but twenty-five separated them from the rest! Fans discuss who could reduce the deficit next season in the video below?

The 19-year-old is also wanted by Barcelona, but it is United who have reportedly stolen a march for the Dutch international’s signature due to the amount they are prepared to pay him and agent Mino Raiola.

Seeing arguably the centre-back equivalent of Kylian Mbappe, in terms of having world-class potential, team up with the likes of Paul Pogba and David de Gea must make United fans go weak at the knees.

And it won’t be the first time that Pogba and De Ligt have been in close contact.

After Ajax’s 2-0 defeat to United in the 2017 Europa League final, the teenager and Pogba shared a moment to praise each other’s performances after the final whistle.

It is an image that many United fans will be praying they can see a repeat of next season, except with both players wearing the famous red shirt.

If Woodward can make the pair of them teammates for the start of the 2019/20 campaign, then surely United supporters can put any ill feeling they have towards the executive vice-chairman of the club aside.

The image of Pogba and De Ligt will certainly have United fans daydreaming about the pair of them on the same side.

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According to the Liverpool Echo, Manchester United are interested in signing Everton midfielder Idrissa Gueye, but have been put off by the £35m price tag slapped on his head.

The Senegalese international enjoyed a phenomenal 2018/19 campaign with the Toffees, where his excellent performances drew interest from French champions Paris Saint-Germain; he was the subject of a January bid from the Parisians and even handed in a transfer request to force the move.

In this era of ‘big 6’ dominance, has finishing 7th become as good as winning a trophy? The Pl>ymaker FC squad have their say in the video below…

Gueye, formerly of Aston Villa, has three years left on his contract at Goodison Park and is arguably one of Marco Silva’s most important players – he would certainly not be allowed to go to a rival such as United easily.

Given his importance to the club, Gueye would not be allowed to leave on the cheap and Everton are entirely within their rights to slap such a big price tag on his head.

The Toffees supporters on Twitter have definitely echoed that sentiment, and have reacted in their numbers to United’s interest…

Well, West Ham United managed to keep that one quiet, didn’t they?!

The Hammers announced on their official club website that they have completed the signing of Roberto Jimenez Gago, Roberto to you and I, on a free transfer.

The 33-year-old goalkeeper will join from Espanyol on the 1 July and has signed a two-year contract with the club, who have the option of extending it for a further 12 months.

Although there may be doubts about what role he will be playing with Lukasz Fabianski still at the London Stadium, there cannot be any about the experience and quality Roberto possesses.

He has played for a number of teams throughout his career, with the likes of Atletico Madrid, Benfica, Zaragoza, Olympiakos and Malaga – where he would have worked with Mario Husillos – before ending up at Espanyol.

The experienced shot-stopper was linked with a move to West Ham last summer, with AS (via Sport Witness) claiming that the Hammers were interested in securing his services.

However, it seems that they finally got their man and it is a great deal for the Irons to complete this summer.

As mentioned, it remains to be seen if he will replace Fabianski as the number one, but one thing that is for certain is that Roberto will provide the Poland international with plenty of much-needed competition, especially following the departure of Adrian (per West Ham’s official club website).

Even if he turns out to be a back-up option, he would be an excellent addition for Manuel Pellegrini to be able to call upon should he ever be required to, whilst being a serious contender in cup competitions could now be on the agenda got for the Hammers.

Although there will have been plenty of surprise regarding the deal, it is one that solves a problem and did not cost a penny out of the transfer budget to complete.

Sounds like a win-win to us!

West Ham fans, what do you make of the Roberto signing? How surprised were you when the club confirmed the deal? Let us know below by sharing your thoughts with us!

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“We have to change from doubters to believers. Now.”

These were the words of Jurgen Klopp on his first day as Liverpool boss, and it is a message that the players and the supporters have fully absorbed.

The Reds have gone from a team who were languishing outside the top six to one that has just won the Champions League – their sixth major European Cup.

You can relive Liverpool’s Champions League celebrations in glorious 2D thanks to the guys at 442oons in the video below…

Klopp also oversaw a club-record points haul in the Premier League last term, although the 97 points earned weren’t enough to snatch the title from Manchester City’s clutches; it would’ve secured the title in every other season (excluding 17/18) since the Premier League’s inauguration.

A number of players have made visible strides under Klopp, but none more impressively than Divock Origi.

The Belgian actually started the German’s first game in charge of Liverpool, a 0-0 draw away to Tottenham, despite featuring sporadically in the team under Brendan Rodgers previously.

Rodgers doubted him, but Klopp believed in Origi.

The scrawny young Belgian who rocked up on Merseyside from Lille as a teenager looked weak, ponderous and unfulfilled in his early days at Anfield, appearing to doubt himself every time he stepped onto the pitch.

As Klopp’s tenure went on, however, Origi visibly appeared to make improvements in his game.

Firstly, he bulked up. A lot.

The forward put on four kilos of muscle after Klopp told him to start playing ‘like a man’, and even had to swap his kit for a bigger size as a result.

Confidence in his game, most notably his directness and faith in his dribbling ability, followed.

This was a player who had gone from being a skinny youngster to a real powerhouse of a forward, and one who started to believe in his ability despite not getting consistent first-team football at Anfield.

His desire to keep going and make an impact when called upon, even if it was just ten minutes at the end of the game, has seen him notch some huge goals this term – Origi netted late winners against Everton and Newcastle, as well as a tie-winning double against Barcelona in the Champions League semi-finals.

His powerful low strike in the final against Tottenham, which was confidently taken after a nice first touch, rubber-stamped the victory and cemented his status as a Liverpool cult hero.

It is rather romantic, and fitting, that Origi’s first game under Klopp came against Tottenham and contained a nearly moment in which he hit the bar, whereas his crowning moment in a red shirt came against the same team and finished very differently indeed.

The skinny teen has come full circle at Anfield, and is finally playing ‘like a man’.

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Everyone loves a bit of banter. And in Liverpool’s case, having won another Champions League title earlier this month, it’s fair to say spirits are running high.

Many of Jurgen Klopp’s side have been on international duty, and one man who has enjoyed things in particular is defender Andy Robertson. The left-back struck the opening goal of Scotland’s 2-1 win against Cyprus in Euro 2020 qualifying, and certainly seemed to enjoy it.

The 25-year-old’s rocket from 20 yards saw him net a rare goal, which prompted an amusing response from Reds teammate James Milner.

The midfielder, who seems to have fully shed his tag of ‘Boring Milner’, posted a video on

/BygDrzBFUit/” data-lasso->Instagram mocking Robertson’s goal and celebration, and included captions of ‘don’t try this at home’ and ‘left-back union’.

The pair were cornerstones of Liverpool’s success both domestically and in Europe this season, and were amongst the side’s most consistent performers.

Indeed, Robertson in particular enjoyed an incredible campaign in terms of helping the side to score goals, with a mind-boggling 13 assists from left-back.

The Scotsman continues to progress at Anfield since his move from Hull in the summer of 2017, and forged one of Europe’s most devastating full-back partnerships with Trent Alexander-Arnold last year.

Manchester United are already looking like a club who are nothing but desperate to land a host of new faces this summer.

The Red Devils are keen to add new players following a poor end to the campaign which saw them miss out on the top four, and manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has to be aware that improvements are needed if the club are to get back to winning ways.

Defence is clearly one of the areas United are looking to improve upon, and with a deal for Leicester’s Harry Maguire not getting any closer, attentions this weekend have reportedly turned to West Ham defender Issa Diop.

Diop only arrived in England a year ago, making a big money move to the Hammers from Toulouse, and while he impressed, we here at the Tavern aren’t quite sure he’s what United need right now.

There is little doubting the talent of Diop, but with United, you are looking for them to sign the best of the best, not simply a player who has had one half decent season in the Premier League and would reportedly now command a fee in the region of £60m.

Diop was solid enough for the Hammers as he played all 38 games for the club and proved a shrewd buy, but with United linked with the likes of Maguire, surely they would be better putting all their eggs in that basket and bringing in a proven player at this level?

We have seen time and time again players have one good season and then go off the boil, which means the signing of Diop might well just be a risk too far for the Red Devils to take.