All posts by h716a5.icu

West Ham United are in desperate need of some points when they travel to Craven Cottage to take on Fulham this afternoon.

David Moyes' side were embarrassed by Newcastle United at the London Stadium in midweek, but the board have kept faith in the Scottish manager as the man to steer the Hammers to safety this season.

Although they remain outside the relegation places on goal difference, a trip to high-fliers Fulham means that West Ham could be back inside the bottom three come full-time in west London today.

How should West Ham line up against Fulham?

Here is how Football FanCast expects Moyes to line his side up at Craven Cottage, with three changes from the side that started against the Toon on Wednesday.

(4-2-3-1) Fabianski (GK); Coufal (RB), Zouma (CB), Aguerd (CB), Emerson (LB); Rice (CM), Paqueta (CM); Bowen (RW), Fornals (CAM), Benrahma (LW); Cornet (ST).

Despite a horror show on Wednesday which saw Fabianski play a huge role in at least three of Newcastle's goals, Moyes will likely keep faith in the experienced 37-year-old between the sticks this afternoon.

However, there must be at least one change to a defence that shipped five, so Vladimir Coufal returns to the side in place of Thilo Kehrer, with Nayef Aguerd and Emerson perhaps lucky to keep their spots following their woeful displays in midweek.

Kurt Zouma, who scored West Ham's goal in the 5-1 thrashing, completes the defence as he starts alongside Aguerd.

Moyes has stuck with a midfield duo of Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek for most of the season but the Czech Republic international had a nightmare against Newcastle and was hauled off just after the hour mark, having managed just eight passes in his time on the pitch.

Therefore, Lucas Paqueta drops deeper alongside Rice to make room for Pablo Fornals, who earns a rare start in an attacking-midfield role, with joint-top goalscorers Said Benrahma and Jarrod Bowen starting out wide in the hope that they can rediscover their best form and inspire Moyes' side to an arguably unlikely three points.

The most controversial decision comes up front, as Moyes has failed to get a tune out of Danny Ings, Gianluca Scamacca and Michail Antonio as the lone striker so far this term, with all three often left isolated in the attack, as displayed in the Hammers' lack of goals this term, with just 26 in 28 games so far.

Therefore, Maxwel Cornet should be handed a rare start as a false nine, as his versatility and attacking qualities suggest that he could perform well in that role, with Kolo Toure labelling him "unbelievable" after his impressive run of form at Burnley last season.

Hopefully, if the Ivorian can drop deeper and get involved in the build-up, the Hammers will look far more dangerous in the final third and perhaps pick up an important result against Marco Silva's side.

Chelsea are reportedly interested in signing Inter defender Denzel Dumfries this summer and the Dutchman could be a Reece James clone at Stamford Bridge.

Could Chelsea sign Denzel Dumfries?

Fabrizio Romano confirmed earlier this week that the Netherlands international had joined the Wasserman agency in an attempt to force through a summer transfer, with a move to the Premier League his preference.

Romano mentions the interest that was shown by Manchester United and Chelsea in recent months but suggests that the race is very much open for the 26-year-old this summer.

Inter have previously slapped a €60m (£53m) price tag on the versatile defender's head but given the investment we have seen at Stamford Bridge since the arrival of Todd Boehly, this would be a mere drop in the ocean for the Blues if they decided to reignite their interest in Dumfries this summer.

While Malo Gusto was signed from Lyon in the January transfer window as a long-term competitor for James at Stamford Bridge, their respective injury concerns this season suggest that Graham Potter could still be in the market for a more reliable option in his defence.

James has mustered just 12 Premier League appearances due to a number of injury problems, while Gusto was ruled out after picking up a hamstring injury back on loan in Ligue 1, with his last appearance coming in early February. The former has only managed two goal contributions too.

Therefore, it is easy to see why Boehly might target a player such as Dumfries, who has been a constant force in Inter's back line so far this campaign, notching one goal and six assists in 24 Serie A appearances.

The former PSV Eindhoven man, like James, has cultivated a reputation as an attacking wing-back, registering five goals and four assists in Italy's top-flight last season.

NBC Sports Editor Joe-Prince Wright perhaps put it best when describing the Dutchman's impressive athletic ability during Euro 2020.

He said: "Denzel Dumfries has been my favourite player at this tournament. Every time you look up he's seemingly surging forward on the right or left. Incredible."

James has shown regular attacking intent since breaking into the first team at Stamford Bridge, contributing five goals and nine assists in the Premier League in the 2021/22 campaign, and Dumfries could perhaps do a similarly-impressive job if he is trusted to play instead of the injury-prone Englishman.

FBref suggests that the Inter star scores in the top 1% for non-penalty expected goals and progressive passes received when compared with other full-backs across Europe's top leagues, which emphasises his attacking ability and knack of being in the right place at right time.

Therefore, if Boehly does feel the need to sign another right wing-back this summer, Dumfries could be the ideal candidate.

It is fair to say that Arsenal supporters were not left overly impressed by the club's transfer dealings in January, with the signing of experienced midfielder, Jorginho, in particular, having gone down like something of a lead balloon.

After weeks of speculation regarding a potential move for Brighton and Hove Albion gem, Moises Caicedo, to then see the Gunners settle for a last-gasp, surprise move for the 31-year-old appeared to some like a mere panic buy, with that arrival sparking little enthusiasm among the Emirates faithful.

Just a few months on, however, that £12m capture from Chelsea now appears to be something of a masterstroke, with the 5 foot 10 maestro having already proven a "superb" addition for Mikel Arteta and co, according to former Highbury hero, Kevin Campbell (talkSPORT, 20/02/2023/, 08:11).

In truth, on the evidence of Jorginho's standout displays since his arrival from Stamford Bridge, it does appear as if the title hopefuls truly did hit the jackpot with the signing of the one-time Napoli ace.

How much is Jorginho worth now?

As pundit Rio Ferdinand predicted, the 47-cap ace has also proven a "shrewd" signing for the north London outfit, notably playing a key role in the vital, comeback win away to Aston Villa last month, after seeing his long-range effort deflect in off the sprawling Emi Martinez.

Speaking after that potentially decisive moment in the title race – which came after a run of three league games without a win – Arteta hailed his new addition as "tremendous" while also suggesting that the Brazil-born gem makes those around him "look better".

The "relentless" machine – as previously lauded by former Blues boss Thomas Tuchel – has added further depth and quality to a midfield department that has been stretched at times, with Thomas Partey, in particular, having been hampered by injury during his spell in England.

While Jorginho may not possess the "physicality" of the Ghanaian international, as per talkSPORT pundit Danny Murphy, he is still a "world-class" asset in his own right – according to ex-Liverpool man Jose Enrique – with Arsenal likely to be delighted with themselves at pulling off such an astute deal.

As Murphy noted at the time of the signing, the move did look like a "really clever piece of business" due to the relative bargain nature of the £12m fee, with that emphasised by the fact that the former Hellas Verona man is currently said to be worth as much as £30m, according to CIES Football Observatory.

That should indicate that Arteta truly did strike gold by pushing to sign the playmaker in the winter window, with that acquisition potentially set to prove vital in the club's title charge in the remainder of the campaign.

Arsenal fans have been bemoaning the news that Takehiro Tomiyasu left the Emirates Stadium on crutches after getting injured on Thursday night.

The Lowdown: Tomiyasu injured

Tomiyasu was forced off injured in just the ninth minute of their 1-1 draw at home to Sporting in the UEFA Europa League second leg, as he was replaced by Ben White at right-back.

William Saliba was then forced off injured just 12 minutes later in what was an unlucky night for the Gunners injury-wise as well as the scoreline, as they crashed out of the competition on penalties.

Speaking to the media after the game, Mikel Arteta admitted that Tomiyasu’s injury looked ‘pretty serious’ in a worrying assessment:

“Tomi looks pretty serious from what he said to me. Willy I don’t know, he had some discomfort.”

Arsenal reporter for The Evening Standard Simon Collings has since shared an image on social media of Tomiyasu leaving the Emirates on crutches, which does not bode well for the Japan international.

The Latest: Arsenal fans react

Taking to Twitter, Gunners supporters were left fearing the worst for Tomiyasu after seeing him leave on crutches.

They said:

“This really isn’t good. All the best, Tomi!” – @akarsenalnews

“Sell him Diaby 2.0” – @ed1_94

“This brother is made out of glass, speedy recovery” – @muideentemitop

“This hurts me more than getting knocked out of the EL” – @ElDanMan86

“Oh no” – @ifeyeee

“Feels worse then the loss tbh” – @ArseBrosRyan

“He’s on crutches. Season over” – @theodox_dip

“Could be just a precaution but man that doesn’t look good” – @Bibz_14

“Goodness me” – @Tobi2332_

“This might just hurt us” – @sihle_nzima

The Verdict: Frustrating

Tomiyasu’s injury capped off a frustrating night for the North Londoners, as they crashed out of the Europa League via a penalty shootout.

The 24-year-old has had rotten luck with injuries in the past, notably a calf problem keeping him out for a large chunk of last season.

With Ben White very much establishing himself as the left-back for Arsenal as well this season.

Nonetheless, Gunners supporters will be waiting nervously to see the extent of his latest setback, and will be hoping that it is not too serious and that Tomiyasu can have a speedy recovery, with full attention now on Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.

The future of Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane is not believed to depend on what lies ahead for manager Antonio Conte.There is growing speculation surrounding the future of the England captain with just over a year currently remaining on his deal with the Lilywhites.Reports suggest there is strong interest coming from Manchester United with Erik ten Hag believed to be keen on bringing the 29-year-old to Old Trafford.And the future of the current Spurs boss, Conte, has been raised as a potential factor in the striker’s decision-making ahead of the summer with the Italian set to leave in the coming months.But reliable Spurs correspondent Alasdair Gold has claimed the 29-year-old is still open to discussing new terms with his boyhood club and Conte’s future will not affect that.Kane had provided an impressive return of 42 goals and 14 assists in his 74 appearances under Conte since his appointment in late 2021 (via Transfermarkt).Despite this, it seems as if Kane could be open to the idea of playing in north London under a new manager next season.This news was relayed on Twitter and the best of the reactions can be seen below…

Chelsea are reportedly interested in signing Napoli striker Victor Osimhen and the Nigerian frontman could form a sensational partnership with Christopher Nkunku in Graham Potter's side.

Could Chelsea sign Victor Osimhen?

Recent reports from Italy have suggested that Todd Boehly is willing to offer the young forward a mammoth contract in order to tempt him to Stamford Bridge this summer, as he looks to solve Chelsea's goalscoring woes.

Calciomercato have also claimed recently that the Serie A leaders will demand €150m (£132m) for Osimhen as a result of his superb performances this season, which have been a major factor in Luciano Spalletti's side's domination in Italy's top flight.

The 24-year-old boasts an incredible 19 goals and four assists in 22 league appearances so far this season, with WhoScored awarding him a 7.52 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

For context, Kai Havertz is Chelsea's top scorer in the Premier League with just six to his name, while Thiago Silva is ranked as the top performer (of those to make at least ten appearances) according to WhoScored, with a far-less-impressive 7.03 average rating.

Mykhailo Mudryk, Raheem Sterling, Noni Madueke and Joao Felix have all been signed in the Boehly era in order to bolster Potter's attack, but the Blues have only scored just 28 goals in 27 Premier League fixtures so far this season, so the need for a clinical striker to finish the chances created is clear.

Owen Hargreaves was full of praise for Osimhen on BT Sport after Napoli's 2-0 win against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League recently.

He said (via Football Transfers): "Osimhen is an absolute beast. Physically, his size, he presses the ball. Incredible. He’s incredibly hard to play against. Physically, he’s just impossible to deal with."

The former Genk striker has already spoken about his dream to play in the Premier League, and if the footballing history and wages on offer at Chelsea aren't enough to persuade him to join Potter's side this summer, then perhaps the prospect of playing with Nkunku will.

The "world-class" forward – as dubbd by Achim Beierlorzer, Leipzig's former assistant coach – has already agreed a move to Stamford Bridge ahead of the summer, with the former PSG man viewed as one of the most exciting talents in world football as a result of his displays in Germany in recent seasons.

The 2021/22 campaign saw Nkunku register a phenomenal 20 goals and 15 assists in the Bundesliga, and he has followed that up with another 17 goals and five assists in all competitions so far this term.

Capable of playing anywhere across the front three, the France international could form a mouth-watering and simply world-class duo with Osimhen at Stamford Bridge, with both players emphasising their attacking qualities in Europe across the last few years.

Chelsea need attacking quality if they are going to mount a serious challenge next season and if Boehly is willing to splash the cash again, Osimhen could be worth every penny.

Chelsea travel to the King Power Stadium to face off against Leicester City in the Premier League this afternoon, and manager Graham Potter will be hoping for a third successive victory for the first time at the helm of the west London outfit.

With two victories from two matches, against Leeds United in the league and Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League, there is optimism anew among the Blues after a candidly dreadful campaign has left the proud outfit slumped in tenth and out of both the FA Cup and Carabao Cup in the early stages of the respective competitions.

And while Chelsea remain 11 points adrift of Tottenham Hotspur in fourth – though with a game in hand – the ostensible calibre of the extravagant and expansive squad could well forge a momentous surging run toward prominence once again, with owner Todd Boehly having pumped over £550m into the team since the summer.

The Foxes have been battling their own turmoil this term, just two points and three places above the division’s relegation zone having played 25 matches, and could find their current run in the top-flight – an illustrious spell that has left the club league champions, FA Cup winners and Champions League contenders – draws to a resentful close.

Will Benoit Badiashile start vs Leicester?

The 2-0 victory at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night to overturn a one-goal deficit against the Yellow Wall was the first truly resounding result under Potter’s wing, an indication that his team can indeed compete at the highest level.

The win was carried out in the absence of £35m winter signing Benoit Badiashile, who was omitted from the Champions League squad due to player congestion, though the ace has indeed been fantastic thus far in the Premier League, and will hope to find a place back among the starting fold against the Foxes.

As per Sofascore, the 21-year-old titan boasts the Blues’ highest average rating in the top-flight this term at 7.32, keeping four clean sheets from six matches, completing 91% of his passes and making 0.5 key passes per match, while also illustrating his defensive aptitude with 1.7 tackles and 1.3 interceptions per game, also winning 65% of his gourd duels.

And with FBref ranking the titan among the top 12% of centre-backs for shot-creating actions and the top 10% for progressive passes per 90, illustrating the impact the imposing ace could have in crafting transitional play from the back, pumping life into an outfit that has scored just 24 goals from 25 league games this year.

His dynamic capabilities will indeed be important against Brendan Rodgers’ outfit, who have recently put four past both Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur, dangerous as any team in the country when clicking together.

Once lauded as “tenacious” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the French colossus is swiftly becoming imperative to his outfit’s domestic success, and while the attention will be on the effectiveness of the frontline, Badiashile’s passing prowess and steely resolve will be invaluable in crafting a robust base for Potter’s team.

Tottenham Hotspur will be looking to avoid another shock FA Cup fifth-round exit as they head to Championship outfit Sheffield United this evening.

Exactly 12 months ago, Antonio Conte’s side were knocked out at this very stage by fellow second-tier side Middlesbrough, with Josh Coburn netting in extra time and the Lilywhites will be hoping to go one better this time, though in the absence of the Italian head coach.

Spurs assistant manager Cristian Stellini is set to take the dugout once again, having steered the Lilywhites squad to back-to-back Premier League victories, defeating Chelsea and West Ham United, both by a 2-0 margin.

He’ll be left with a tough decision to make in terms of team selection as there will be a temptation to rotate, given the fixture list that lies ahead, in which a second leg against AC Milan in the Champions League will soon be on the horizon.

With that in mind, here’s how Tottenham could look at Bramall Lane tonight…

How will Tottenham line up against Sheffield United?

There could be as many as five changes to the side that defeated the out-of-sorts Blues on Sunday, starting with backup goalkeeper Fraser Forster continuing between the sticks in the absence of injured veteran, Hugo Lloris.

In defence, Davinson Sanchez could afford Cristian Romero some rest, so the Colombian enters the back three alongside Eric Dier and Clement Lenglet, who is preferred as one of the only left-footed central defenders at the club.

There could be a pair of alterations on the flanks, with Ivan Perisic and Pedro Porro offering fresh legs over Emerson Royal and Ben Davies, whilst the latter duo have been in fine knick, it’s a great chance to see more of the January signing and the Croatian should be a cut above the opposition too.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg may remain in the engine room, given he was suspended for the first leg against Milan, so Oliver Skipp is dropped instead. In his place, Pape Matar Sarr – who excelled against the Rossoneri – makes another start outside of the Premier League.

Stellini has hinted that Harry Kane will feature from the off despite the upcoming schedule and he could start alongside Richarlison, who also keeps his place and another winter arrival in the form of Arnaut Danjuma, 26.

The £53k-per-week Villarreal loanee, who was once dubbed as a “game-changer” by his former boss Eddie Howe, has been restricted to only three appearances, of which none have been starts and he did score a goal in the last round against Preston North End too.

Predicted Spurs XI (3-4-3): Forster; Lenglet, Dier, Sanchez; Perisic, Hojbjerg, Sarr, Porro; Richarlison, Danjuma, Kane

Joe Nicholson believes Sunderland’s January signing Pierre Ekwah is not far away from being handed his first start.

The Lowdown: Sunderland’s young stars are impressing

Sunderland are currently enjoying a stunning first season back in the Championship sitting just one point off the play-offs while boasting the youngest squad on average in the division.

It’s not just the fact that they have a whole load of inexperienced players, but also the act that Tony Mowbray has had to play the majority of this season without star striker Ross Stewart who’s picked up two rather serious injuries.

The club have had a clear strategy in the transfer market of buying young players that may feel they’ve got a point to prove in the form of Patrick Roberts, Jack Clarke, loanee Joe Gelhardt and Ekwah.

The Latest: Ekwah still looking to make an impact

Having been brought in from West Ham last month, Ekwah will have hoped for more opportunities at the Stadium of Light but Nicholson has claimed on The Roar podcast that starts may just be around the corner for the youngster.

He said: “I don’t think Ekwah is too far away, he came on at QPR and did quite well. He’s got that kind of physicality about him and maybe a bit of a surprise he didn’t come on [against Rotherham]; we saw Pritchard drop a bit further back in midfield when Mowbray made the substitutions.

“I definitely think we’ll see him start a game or a couple of games before the end of the season.”

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The Verdict: Mowbray must manage his squad carefully

As showcased on Tuesday night, Mowbray does indeed have to manage his squad as they’re still very young and could easily burnout if not afforded sufficient rest and while that could come to the detriment of the club – as it did against Rotherham when Roberts was dropped – it will benefit them in the long-term.

Therefore, Mowbray allowing Ekwah time to settle into his new surroundings having moved up from London at a young age before thrusting him into the bright lights of Wearside is good management.

Ekwah will be hopeful of making an impact this season at Sunderland and showing both why the club signed him on a permanent basis and how his ‘all-action’ nature can only benefit the Black cats in their push for the play-offs.

Tottenham employees have been left ‘enchanted’ by Lecce midfielder Morten Hjulmand as Spurs are named as one of the sides ‘interested’ in his signing.

The Lowdown: Spurs make summer plans…

Spurs have reportedly been planning for the summer transfer window in recent weeks as recent claims suggest both a central defender and winger will be high on the agenda.

The Lilywhites are currently chasing a top four Premier League finish but must also look beyond the 2022/2023 campaign.

Antonio Conte’s side have also been linked to signing a central midfielder with reports from Italy now suggesting they’re blown away by a new name.

The Latest: Tottenham staff ‘enchanted’ by Hjulmand…

According to Calciomercato, Spurs staff in the form of their scouting department have been left ‘enchanted’ by Denmark international Hjulmand.

The north Londoners, alongside Roma, Napoli and Borussia Dortmund, have been named as one of the sides ‘interested’ in the 23-year-old.

Going by this report, it appears the club, and by extension sporting director Fabio Paratici, are eyeing a new target.

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The Verdict: Lecce’s colossus…

Hjulmand has stood out as one of Lecce’s colossal stars over this Serie A season.

As per WhoScored, the box-to-box ace is one of their most-selected players domestically with only three Lecce players featuring over more top flight minutes.

Hjulmand also sits second in terms of highest match rating per 90 in their squad whilst also accumulating more tackles and interceptions per game than any Lecce player (WhoScored).

The 6 foot 1 colossus can also contribute effectively going forward, having registered four assists and Lecce’s third-highest rate of key passes (WhoScored).

Winning more Man of the Match awards than any of his teammates this campaign, Hjulmand stands out as a big fish in a small pond, leaving little surprise Spurs are taking notice.