[ad_pod ]When Gary Bowyer was appointed Bradford City manager in early March, he will have been fully aware of the scale of the challenge he was taking on at Valley Parade.The Bantams are in trouble. The club are currently fighting for their lives in League One. However, the 47-year-old former Blackpool and Blackburn Rovers coach has already had a positive impact.Bradford captured a much-needed three points in Bowyer’s first game in charge against Peterborough. Whilst they lost to league-leaders Luton Town last time out, there were still plenty of positives for the Yorkshire club to take from their performance.ÂThe indoor football skills in the video below have to be seen to be believed…The manager already looks to have inspired a lift in confidence and application amongst the ranks and has given his verdict on the squad’s attitude.Â
What he said
In his recent press conference, as quoted by the club’s official Twitter account, he said: “If you had been in the dressing room, after the game on Tuesday [Luton], you would have seen the frustration from the players. They were gutted to have not taken anything from it. They are desperate to make a success of the remaining games.â€
He continued: “You can see the fight and pride in the players’ performances. You only have to look how Luton reacted after the final whistle. They knew how much of a tough game they had been in. I have laid it on the line to them. We fight for everything now.â€
Heading in the right direction
The fact that Bowyer says his side fight for everything ‘now’ suggests that they perhaps weren’t quite so tenacious or committed prior to his arrival – which Bradford’s performances this season would back up.
It is clear that the 47-year-old has revitalised the group and is already seeing the benefits. Some optimism has been restored at Valley Parade. The Bantams still have a big job to do but they’re now heading in the right direction.
Rangers’ chances of winning the Scottish Premiership title have surely increased following the news that Brendan Rodgers is set to leave Celtic to take up the vacant post at Leicester City, but it leaves Steven Gerrard with a vital job to carry out, and probably the most important of his tenure to date.
On the chalkboard
A loss against Kilmarnock after the winter break and a goalless draw at home to St Johnstone earlier this month looked to have fatally damaged the Glasgow giants’ hopes of winning the league this season, given how formidable the Bhoys appeared under their Northern Irish manager.
However, there is no doubt that his departure could easily affect the players and the club’s performances on the pitch even with Neil Lennon reportedly agreeing to succeed him, and their local neighbours will know that they potentially have a big opportunity to grasp in the coming weeks and months with the gap lying at eight points ahead of their Wednesday fixture against Dundee.
One thing that has cost them before could ultimately do so again in their renweed title bid though, and Gerrard needs to ensure that it doesn’t happen.
No more complacency
It is something that the 38-year-old has accused his team of already this term, and he certainly cannot afford to let it rear its ugly ahead again anytime soon.
Suddenly the pressure if off of his side and all on Celtic, but the Rangers players simply can’t get into a mindset where they feel that they can easily win every game they turn up to – because it doesn’t happen like that, as they have learned against Kilmarnock and St Johnstone already in 2019.
Gerrard has obviously failed to eradicate it previously, but now he has the most important job of his Rangers reign to date so it doesn’t happen again and so they can push their arch-enemies all the way.
According to a report in The Daily Mail, Southampton are reportedly in talks to sign Olympiacos right-back Omar Elabdellaoui in a £6m deal, but his addition would go against what manager Ralph Hasenhuttl has said previously that he wanted to add to his squad this month.
What’s the word, then?
Well, The Daily Mail report that Saints had targeted a £10.5m move for Genk full-back Joakim Maehle after Cedric Soares joined Serie A giants Inter Milan on loan, but the Belgian top-flight leaders refused to sell.
The Daily Mail report that the 27-year-old looks set to be the Euro 2016 winner’s replacement if he arrives at St Mary’s before Thursday’s transfer deadline, even if Hasenhuttl often chose to use Yan Valery ahead of Cedric since he succeeded Mark Hughes last month.
Elabdellaoui has been a Premier League player before, although he made no appearances for Manchester City but did have nine outings for Hull City, as per Transfermarkt, during a loan spell in the second-half of the 2016/17 campaign.
What did Hasenhuttl say previously?
In an interview conducted with Sky Sports earlier this month, the 51-year-old said when asked about the club’s transfer plans:
“We are looking, but we’ll only do a transfer if it helps us immediately and also for the future.
“It’s a package. If you find a young player who has potential and quality then we’ll think about a transfer.”
From those comments you would expect that Southampton would be looking at signing younger players with huge potential to improve and grow with the club, and the interest in Maehle certainly made sense from that point of view.
Signing Elabdellaoui certainly wouldn’t be as easy to understand however, given he is 27 years of age and has hardly set the world alight during his career to date, especially aside from his spell in Greece.
Check out the video below for Emma Conybeare’s rundown of which clubs need what in the January transfer window…
Tottenham have reignited their interest in Geoffrey Kondogbia as they prepare their summer recruitment strategy, report Sky Sports News.
What’s the word, then?
Spurs chief scout Steve Hitchen is a big fan of the midfielder and may look to bring him to North London in order to bolster a squad which has declined this season.
The Frenchman has been scouted by the club since Mousa Dembele’s departure in January 2019 and is believed to be high on a list of potential Tottenham recruits as Jose Mourinho looks to sculpt the squad in his image.
Mourinho has identified the need for a defensive-minded midfielder in the January window, with the pursuit of Southampton Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg an attempt to address that issue.
Offers more than Ndombele?
It is clear to see that the Portuguese boss must identify defensive improvements in the summer, following a return of 41 goals conceded in 26 games and just three clean sheets recorded, per Transfermarkt.
That is very out of character for a Mourinho side, and his constant change of midfielders indicates that he is less than happy, with Eric Dier replacing the ridiculed Tanguy Ndombele of late.
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The Frenchman has struggled to adjust to the Premier League since his move from Lyon last summer and has repeatedly been singled out for criticism by fans.
One area where Kondogbia would improve upon the 23-year-old is in protecting the defence. The Valencia man, who is now rated at £25.2m, has achieved an average of 2.6 tackles and 2.3 interceptions per game.
That highlights the efficiency with which he breaks up play, and he clearly outshines Ndombele who has averaged 1.2 and 0.7 per league game in each respective department. That goes some way to explaining why Spurs have been too easy to push over.
A true test for any Spurs fan: Can you match these iconic images with the right results?
Kondogbia excels elsewhere, too, managing 83% pass accuracy this term. It is little surprise, therefore, that former Valencia boss Marcelino once suggested that he is “better than Paul Pogba”.
Based on what he has shown in Spain, the 27-year-old could be the midfield enforcer that Mourinho craves, and he could perhaps slot in alongside Harry Winks, a player Mourinho also seems fond of after handing him the captain’s armband against Wolves. This would be an inspired piece of business from Hitchen providing he can get it over the line.
Meanwhile, Spurs fans found one positive from their recent embarrassing display in the Champions League…
Coming up against a side languishing near the foot of the table, all expectations no doubt would have been of an easy Sheffield Wednesday victory on Boxing Day. Stoke had won just five Championship games all season, whilst the visitors were looking to keep pace with the front two, West Brom and Leeds.
Instead, in a major upset, Garry Monk’s side fell to a dramatic 3-2 defeat to the Potters, courtesy of two goals deep into injury-time from Tyrese Campbell and Sam Vokes. Wednesday had essentially snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, and questions will undoubtedly be asked of the Owls’ rearguard. But one man amongst that whose application and commitment to the cause cannot be questioned, is skipper Tom Lees.
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As well as scoring the goal that made it 2-1 for his side, Lees led by example throughout the game, and was certainly undeserving of being on the losing team. The fact he did so, is more a damning indictment of the rest of his teammates, than any particular criticism of his own performance. As per Sofascore, his 8.1 match rating was the best of any player on the pitch, and when looking at the underlying numbers behind his display, it is easy to see why.
In a mammoth performance that delivered a textbook lesson on how to be a centre-back in the cut-throat world of football in the Championship, the 29-year-old won an incredible 15 of his 20 total duels – the most of any player on either side. Not only did he win the 50/50s on most occasions, but he was also there to make last-ditch tackles and vital goal-saving actions.
Over the course of the 90 minutes, he made an impressive nine clearances (with one of them coming off the line), two tackles and one blocked shot. Whilst Monk will pore over his side’s late defeat in the days to come, one man whose performance cannot be debated is Lees’. His captain led from the back like a true leader, and the defeat to Stoke was down to his teammates letting him down.
Meanwhile, Julian Borner has waxed lyrical over this Sheffield Wednesday ace.
Birmingham fans on Twitter were not happy after their side lost the Second City derby 4-2 to Aston Villa on Sunday, and midfielder Craig Gardner in particular took plenty of stick for his performance.
The Blues actually took the lead at Villa Park just before the half-hour mark through in-form striker Lukas Jutkiewicz. However, two quickfire goals from Johnathan Kodija and Jack Grealish ensured that the home side went into the break in the lead.
Tammy Abraham added another from the penalty spot just six minutes into the second period before Birmingham left-back Kristian Pedersen pulled one back with his first goal for the club since his summer move from FC Union Berlin.
Check out the video below to see how Brazil fans reacted to being asked how Cristiano Ronaldo would perform for them in a hilarious prank by Playmaker FC…
However, it was Villa’s fourth goal that killed the game and drew most of the criticism for Gardner. Scotsman Alan Hutton picked up the ball in his own half and ran past Gardner and all the way into the Birmingham box before firing past Lee Camp.
Gardner began his career at Villa, playing 80 times for Birmingham’s rivals before joining the Blues for the first time in 2011. Now in his second spell at St Andrew’s, it’s clear that fans were not happy with the 32-year-old’s poor attempt to stop Hutton.
Celtic fans will still be buzzing after the Hoops secured victory in the first Old Firm Derby of the season.
It was the first time Brendan Rodgers came up against his former captain, and a positive result was a must after the Hoops were knocked out of the Champions League. Olivier Ntcham’s second-half goal was enough to secure all three points for Celtic and give the Celtic Park faithful a memorable win. Rodgers will hope to build on the success with another strong performance against St. Mirren following the international break.
It was a quiet summer at Celtic Park with Rodgers not strengthening his squad significantly. The only major piece of business at Parkhead was the departure of star forward – Moussa Dembele. The Frenchman departed for Lyon in a deal worth £20m following a trophy-laden spell in the SPFL.
With Odsonne Eduoard and Leigh Griffiths the only recognised forwards in attack, the Hoop should consider signing former Aston Villa forward – Gabriel Agbonlahor. Valued at £900k by Transfermarkt, the Englishman is searching for a club after spending 13 years with the Villains. Agbonlahor featured in a charity game at Celtic Park and admitted it would be his dream to sign for the Scottish champions.
While his best years are behind him, signing Agbonlahor wouldn’t be a bad move at all. The 31-year-old still possesses electrifying pace and could prove to be a useful option in a gruelling season. If his wages demands are reasonable, it could be a smart piece of business.
Signing Agbonlahor for the rest of the season with an option to extend his deal makes perfect sense.
Liverpool won their third Premier League match in a row for the first time this calendar year on Saturday, blowing away Southampton at Anfield with a 3-0 victory.
It was a confident performance from Jurgen Klopp’s side, moving to within just a point of fourth placed Tottenham Hotspur in the league table.
The star of the show was undoubtedly Mohamed Salah, scoring a double to move top of the Premier League scoring charts. He’s now netted 13 goals in all competitions for the Reds, proving himself to be one of the best signings of the summer transfer window.
Philippe Coutinho was also back to his best on the afternoon, setting up one of Salah’s in the first half before netting himself after the break.
Supporters were blown away by the performance of Salah with some even suggesting he could be the best signing the club has ever made.
Just as many expected, Newcastle United bounced straight back to the Premier League at the first time of asking as Rafael Benitez’s side won the Championship title.
The Magpies were relegated in humiliating fashion during the 2015/16 season, even with the appointment of former Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Liverpool and Chelsea manager Rafa Benitez later in the season.
However, with Benitez staying at St. James’ Park and Newcastle investing money on worthy additions such as Dwight Gayle and Matt Richie during last summer’s transfer window, the club met its goal and now find themselves preparing for the Premier League once again.
Much of this season had been plain sailing for Rafa’s men, besides a poor first few games and minor blip in November in which they lost three on the bounce.
The Championship and the Premier League are two different beasts, however, and safety for next season is by no means a guarantee despite the relative successes of this year.
Given that Benitez is not likely to be given a huge pot of money to spend this summer, where do you think Newcastle will finish next season? Have your say below…
We often think of Premier League stars as impervious to outside influences. After all, why are they being paid the net worth of Namibia on a weekly basis if they can’t keep themselves fully focused for a mere ninety minutes on Saturday?
Yet, there’s one factor even the best in the business can’t seem to consistently overcome – playing at home or away. Home advantage isn’t what it used to be, amid the era of lightening-paced counter-attacks, but footballers inevitably feel more comfortable in familiar surroundings, playing in front of the safety net of their own support.
With that in mind, Football FanCast have been mulling through the Premier League’s top ten performers at home this season, aided by our good mates at Whoscored, and made some very intriguing discoveries.
Filled with Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United stars, with a few shocks along the way, we take a look at the Premier League’s top ten home birds…
10. Joe Allen
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Despite the Potters’ slow start to the season, Joe Allen has emerged as one of the shrewdest buys of the summer – arriving from Liverpool at a cost of just £13million.
And far from his often passive Anfield displays, the Wales midfielder has bagged three goals in his first four appearances at the Bet365 Stadium, whilst averaging 4.5 tackles and 2.3 created chances per match.
9. Philippe Coutinho
Liverpool have been nothing short of dominant at home this season and Philippe Coutinho has certainly felt the benefits, notching up two goals and one assist in four Anfield outings this term – only three being starts.
The Brazilian has impressed on the road too, producing the same output in five appearances.
8. Raheem Sterling
Raheem Sterling’s found a new lease of life under Pep Guardiola, bagging three goals and one assist in five outings at the Etihad Stadium.
He’s also averaged the most dribbles per home appearance of any Premier League player – a staggering five.
7. Junior Stanislas
Junior Stanislas’ last two appearances have propelled him to seventh in the Premier League’s home performance charts.
The speedy winger netted the winner against Everton in September and two weekends ago popped up with a brace and an assist in a 6-1 demolition of Hull City.
6. Sadio Mane
The second of three Liverpool stars on this list, Sadio Mane’s Reds career has got off to a flyer. He’s been effective on the road as well but his home form has really stood out, providing three goals and two assists in four Anfiled outings.
That includes one strike and one set-up in a Man of the Match display against West Brom last weekend.
5. Dimitri Payet
West Ham have endured a tough start to life at the London Stadium, but talismanic midfielder Dimitri Payet appears to be enjoying his new surroundings.
In addition to claiming one goal and three assists in east London, he ranks first for created chances, fifth for efforts at goal and fifth for successful dribbles at home throughout the Premier League.
4. Paul Pogba
The critics may be lambasting Manchester United for spending so much on Paul Pogba but Whoscored still value his contribution in the engine room – especially at home.
Indeed, despite scoring just one goal thus far, he’s averaged 2.5 created chances and four successful dribbles per match at Old Trafford – where Jose Mourinho’s boys have lost just once this season.
3. Steven Defour
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Perhaps the unlikeliest member of our top ten, Steven Defour’s added real class to Burnley’s midfield.
Sean Dyche’s boys have struggled on the road this term but impressed in the safety of Turf Moor, where the Belgian playmaker has claimed one goal and three assists in four appearances.
2. Roberto Firmino
Finishing off our Liverpool three-piece, Roberto Firmino ranks in second place. Although he’s scored less goals than the aforementioned Mane, the Brazilian’s all-round contribution has been fantastic – averaging the most tackles per match at home, an impressive two, of any Premier League forward.
1. Eden Hazard
Eden Hazard’s still not quite reached the heights of 2014/15 but he’s rediscovered his groove at Stamford Bridge, topping the Premier League’s home charts with four goals in five appearances.
Curiously, all of the Belgium winger’s league strikes have come at home this term, whilst he’s still waiting on his first assist of the campaign.