Reaction

Spurs fans react angrily to surprise Team of the Year absentees

Josh Challies April 20, 2017

Tottenham Hotspur have enjoyed a fantastic season and it’s no surprise to see the Lilywhites boast a wealth of names in the PFA Team of the Year.

Announced this morning, Spurs stars Harry Kane, Dele Alli, Danny Rose and Kyle Walker all found their place in the starting eleven, although there were some questionable absentees from the ranks of Mauricio Pochettino’s side.

Despite boasting the best defence in the Premier League this season, conceding just 22 goals so far, none of Spurs key defensive trio of Hugo Lloris, Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertoghen made the cut- with their places instead going to Chelsea pairing David Luiz and Gary Cahill, with Manchester United’s David De Gea in goal.

It’s a decision that many Spurs fans cannot get their head around and fans flocked to social media to have their say on the situation, which they believe is a major oversight from the PFA and is one that cannot be ignored.

Arsenal fans furious with with star forward’s Team of the Year omission

Josh Challies April 20, 2017

The PFA Team of the Year was announced on social media this morning and it’s fair to say it’s gone down like a lead balloon.

Hoards of football fans have been left angry by the eleven players selected by their fellow footballers, with Arsenal supporters particularly agitated to see star-man Alexis Sanchez left out of the side despite his sensational performances.

The two-time Copa America winner has excelled for the Gunners this season, scoring 19 goals and contributing nine assists in the Premier League- numbers that significantly dwarf the contributions of Liverpool’s Sadio Mane, who was selected in the team.

Doing what fans do best, Arsenal supporters flocked to social media in vast numbers to declare their dissatisfaction at what they believe is a major oversight, which is understandable given that Alexis is one of the top-scorers in the Premier League.

The omission was made more surprising by the fact that Alexis Sanchez is in the running for the PFA’s Player of the Year award, so why wasn’t there space in the team for him?

‘Outstanding’ Fans Drool Over World Class Performance From Arsenal Midfielder vs. West Ham

Oli Price-Bates April 6, 2017

Arsenal grabbed a much needed 3 points against West Ham on Wednesday night. The Gunners managed to rediscover their form and at the heart of a great team performance was Mesut Ozil. 

Ozil has been widely criticised during the Gunners terrible recent run of form, but he proved the difference against West Ham on Wednesday night, in a game where Arsenal needed the three points.

Often criticised for his work rate, Ozil was always on the move for Arsenal, coming deep to control the game when required and tracking men defensively to ensure that West Ham could not build any attacking momentum. 

Ozil broke the deadlock, curling in an effort from distance and ten minutes later he managed a perfect pass to assist Theo Walcott who put the game out of sight. In these tight home games where away teams set up to get a point, Ozil needs to shine like he did tonight and make the difference. Hopefully, this performance will have boosted his confidence and he can continue to deliver performances of this calibre for the rest of the season. 

Ozil was at his creative best, managing 5 key passes and an assist. He completed 3 dribbles and 2/3 crosses. Ozil was involved heavily throughout the game, completing a massive 93 passes with a 86% success rate. We saw Ozil do some dirty defensive work today too, he looked energised and made 2 interceptions and 1 tackle.

Here’s some reaction from the fans to Ozil’s performance against the Hammers…

https://twitter.com/JMonk21/status/849741743025205251

In my opinion, Ozil has been harshly criticised in recent weeks. He’s not been good enough, but he’s been the one player to often get the criticism when in reality the entire team have been poor. 

Despite this, he has not been good enough personally and as a world class player, he really needed a game like this to stamp his authority on the team. Hopefully this will silence the critics, but Ozil needs to deliver this kind of performance more frequently, and also against the big teams, otherwise he will continue to be scapegoated. 

120 Passes, 89% Success Rate: Arsenal Fans Praise ‘Excellent’ Midfielder After Performance vs. West Ham

Oli Price-Bates April 5, 2017

Arsenal got back to winning ways in the Premier League on Wednesday night, and there were several brilliant individual performances that will have pleased the Arsenal fans. One summer signing was particularly impressive…

Xhaka signed for Arsenal for ÂŁ30million in the summer and he has divided opinion ever since. The Swiss international has endured a difficult season, often played out of position and his discipline or lack of it, has really damaged his reputation.

In this game though, the Swiss international was majestic in defensive midfield. With Mohammed Elneny alongside him, the former FC Basel pair controlled the game against West Ham. 

Although he plays deep in midfield, he is a very creative player with a great eye for a long pass and he’s neat and tidy in his short passing. With Santi Cazorla out, Arsenal needed a midfielder to step up responsibility and become the controller in midfield, conducting the game. 

Xhaka was never hiding from the ball and often positioned himself in useful areas of the pitch to be the outlet for his defenders when they were under pressure. He was the base of all of Arsenal’s attacking movements and disciplined in his defensive actions. 

Here’s some statistics from his performance: In perhaps his best game in an Arsenal shirt to date, Xhaka completed a massive 120 passes with an 89.2% success rate. He attempted 13 long balls and was accurate with 9 of them. Defensively he was solid, making 4 tackles and 1 interception. Offensively he was influential, making 3 key passes, despite playing in the deepest midfield position. 

Here’s some tweets showing how fans reacted to Xhaka’s performance against the Hammers. 

 

In my opinion, Xhaka is a top quality midfielder that Arsenal must build their midfield around. The club can no longer depend on Cazorla, who is becoming injury prone and moving into the latter years of his career. 

He’s has addressed his attitude problem recently and has become much calmer and more reliable on the ball. Arsenal need this kind of performance from Xhaka for the remainder of the season if they are to be successful in the FA Cup and qualify for the Champions League for a 23rd consecutive year. 

‘He Is Back To His Best’ Liverpool Fans Praise Midfielder After Derby Win

Leanne LFC April 1, 2017

Philippe Coutinho has struggled to re-find his early season for Liverpool since suffering an injury against Sunderland in January. However, the Brazilian re-found his star quality at the perfect time, with Liverpool confirming their superiority over local rivals Everton.

The 24-year-old started off the season in the best possible way with a stunning free-kick against Arsenal setting the tone for what many considered to be his best season since arriving at Anfield. A second goal at the Emirates was equally indicative of his improved precision in front of goal as he latched on to Nathaniel Clyne’s low drilled ball and guided the ball into the far corner.

5 goals in his opening 11 league games saw the ‘world-class’ label thrown vaguely around in Coutinho’s direction. However, an ankle injury against Sunderland saw him miss seven league games for the Reds – a serious check in momentum for both him and the club.

Going into the Merseyside derby, with injuries to Lallana and Henderson, there was an increased pressure on Philippe Coutinho to perform. The Brazilian dually delivered, scoring the second goal for Jurgen Klopp’s side. Showing a quick turn of feet before dancing his way through the Everton defence, the 24-year-old curled the ball sumptuously into the top right hand corner. Back to his best.

Following the match, fans were quick to heap praise on the midfielder for delivering in a crucial tie for the side. Here’s how fans reacted to his performance at the weekend. Do you agree?

Credit has to go to Coutinho for how he reacted after such a shaky patch of form. His goal was proof of just what he is capable of and his all round impact on proceedings was tremendous.

The Brazilian has been widely linked with a summer move to Barcelona despite signing a new long term deal at the club. However, a 3-1 win on Saturday sees Liverpool’s top four fate firmly in their own hands and a return to the Champions League could see Coutinho remain on Merseyside.

With Lallana and Henderson unlikely to return any time in the near future, and fears over Sadio Mane’s fitness after being substituted in the second half, Coutinho will have a huge part to play in Liverpool’s hunt for the top four. If he can showcase his class more often than he has lately, he could provide Jurgen Klopp with a huge boost in the Premier League run-in.

 

 

RVP All Over Again? Fans React As Arsenal Stars Are Linked With Chelsea & Manchester United Transfers

Oli Price-Bates March 30, 2017

Arsenal may have to face another summer of key players leaving this year as Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez continue to be linked with an exit.

The worst thing possible would be to see another key Arsenal player go to Manchester United – following in the footsteps of Robin van Persie. That was heartbreaking for every Arsenal fan and to see something similar happen again with Ozil would just really make the club seem 2nd rate.

Ozil, whilst not in his best form at the moment, is a world class player and the Gunners cannot afford to let go of him as they lack players of that calibre throughout the squad. Wenger, or whoever the manager is next season, needs to keep Ozil and restructure the team to make them play in a way that gets the best out of Mesut and the club’s other key players.

Also linked with a move to a Premier League rival is Alexis Sanchez. The little Chilean has stirred the rumour cauldron by suggesting that he wanted to remain in London, but ‘play for winners’. That seemed to be a dig at Arsenal, by suggesting they were not winners, but also a nod to Chelsea to suggest that he would like to play for them.

The quotes from Alexis come exactly a day after the Guardian reported that he is Antonio Conte and Chelsea’s number one transfer target for the summer. Arsene Wenger would surely be very reluctant to sell to a Premier League rival, but it appears that the player may force a move.

Here’s some reaction to the Alexis rumours…

With the likes of PSG, Bayern Munich and Juventus interested in the duo, Arsenal need to ensure they sell abroad rather than letting their stars join Premier League rivals. Letting either Ozil go to Manchester United or Alexis go to Chelsea would be terrible for Arsene Wenger’s reputation and Arsenal globally as a football club. The Gunners currently look a level below the rest of the playing field and letting their best players join Premier League rival surely just cements that status.

Fans React As Chelsea ‘Agree’ €40million Deal To Sign Quality Midfielder

Oli Price-Bates March 27, 2017

Chelsea have reportedly agreed a £35million deal to bring 22-year-old Monaco midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko to the club in the summer and Chelsea fans are reacting on social media to the news

Bakayoko has been one of many impressive players in the Monaco team this year and according to TuttoMercatoWeb, he is ready to put pen to paper on a five-year deal after Chelsea and Monaco agreed a fee. Arsenal and Manchester United are amongst others clubs to be linked with a move for the midfielder, so Conte may still have work to do if he is to lure Bakayoko to the club.

Chelsea fans must be excited to see Antonio Conte already planning ahead in the transfer market, even with his side cruising to the Premier League title. Bakayoko would provide competition for places in central midfield, with the energetic midfielder likely to partner N’Golo Kante in what would be a fantastic midfield partnership. Bakayoko’s arrival would give Chelsea all sorts of options, with Cesc Fabregas more than likely to move on should this deal be completed.

Here’s some of the reaction on Twitter to the news that a deal for Bakayoko has been agreed. 

However there have been some concerns over the duo of Kante and Bakayoko and their technical limitations…

In my opinion, Bakayoko is a great player and with him in the squad, Chelsea will be an even stronger force than we’ve seen this season. Kante has perhaps been the best player in the team this season, but next season they cannot afford to rely on him as much, and Bakayoko, whilst not being the same in style, has stamina in abundance and would be able to fill the energy void if Kante were to pick up an injury.

Bakayoko is a box-to-box player that has thrived playing alongside the defensive-minded Fabinho at Monaco. Chelsea would be even harder to break down if he were to partner Kante in the heart of midfield. Bakayoko would bring something to the Chelsea midfield that I don’t believe they have currently, someone who can dribble with the ball through the middle and use their physical advantage to transition the ball from defence into attack.

I get the argument that neither Bakayoko more Kante are the most technically gifted, but that should not be an issue with the right players around him. I also think Conte needs to keep Fabregas, or bring in a creative central midfielder as an alternative option when the game requires it.

‘His Best Performance For Liverpool’ Huge Praise For Liverpool Midfielder In Man City Draw

Leanne LFC March 19, 2017

Emre Can’s had his fair share of criticism this season, but another stellar display in the absence of captain Jordan Henderson saw the German gain a huge round of praise following Liverpool’s 1-1 draw with Manchester City on Sunday afternoon.

Ridiculed for a lack of consistency and class in the middle of the park, Can was one of the stand out performers at the Etihad, bringing steel and grit to Liverpool’s display. Having scored the winner against Burnley last weekend, Can is certainly proving he has much more to give to this side with contract talks still at a standoff.

Here’s how fans reacted to Emre Can’s performance at the weekend. Do you agree?

Credit has to go to Can for how he’s reacted after such a poor patch of form. The snide and cheek we have witnessed in recent weeks, most noticeably against Arsenal, has given this team something it’s lacked since the days of Javier Mascherano and co., causing some to suggest he should retain his spot even when Henderson returns from the sidelines – a stark contrast to previous comments on the young midfielder.

The 23-year-old is very much playing for his future, with contract talks at a standstill. Whether it be down to wage demands or playing time, Liverpool would be foolish to let the midfielder leave Anfield in the summer.

While football fans of the modern era will always pick little holes in players performances, the consensus is very much that Emre Can should be a Liverpool player for the foreseeable future. With performances like this weekend, there’s no wonder clubs like Juventus are keeping a watchful eye on Can’s future.

‘Shocking Performance’ Football Fans On Twitter Criticise Manchester United Midfielder

Oli Price-Bates March 14, 2017

It was a miserable night for Manchester United as they crashed out of the FA Cup in the quarter-final of the competition.

Ander Herrera may have been the man to really let United down by picking up two silly bookings, but it was Paul Pogba who frustrated the fans most as the Frenchman once again failed to deliver in a big match.

Despite pretty much all fans saying Pogba was poor against Chelsea, Mourinho amazingly declared Pogba ‘the best player on the pitch’. There was one player that was certianly better, and that was N’Golo Kante.

The international compatriot of Pogba arrived at Chelsea for just a margin of Pogba’s fee, but Kante has been the more impressive player all season and the difference in form showed in this game. One area Pogba is perhaps regarded as being better than Kante is in attacking areas, but in this FA Cup game, Kante was even more effective than Pogba in the final third. Kante scored the only goal of the game with a long-range effort that crept past De Gea into the bottom corner.

There’s been criticism from United fans themselves, rival fans and pundits. Here’s a sample of the reaction…

Pogba is starting to have one too many poor performances and when you cost ÂŁ89million, that is something you really cannot afford to do. The likes of Mesut Ozil do not get away with it and Ozil cost less than half of what Pogba did. He’s still young, but Pogba needs to start making the difference in the big games sooner rather than later.

I do have a bit of sympathy for Pogba on this occasion because Herrera let him down early in the game getting those two bookings. It is hard enough having to handle Kante with a fully stocked midfield, but when one gets sent off it makes it pretty much impossible. Pogba’s attacking influence was restricted and he was forced to chase the game and work hard defensively, not his forte’ to say the least.

‘A Machine’ Chelsea Fans Heap Praise Onto This Chelsea Man Following West Ham Win

Fresh Football March 6, 2017

Chelsea opened up the gap at the top of the table to ten points once again as the league leaders beat West Ham 2-1 on their first Premier League visit to the London Stadium.

West Ham started the match strongly as they looked for Andy Carroll up top, who aimed to cause the Chelsea defence problems all night. However, it was Chelsea who took the lead on 25 minutes. N’Golo Kante nicked the ball to spark a Chelsea counter-attack. Eden Hazard stayed onside before rounding Darren Randolph and slotting into an empty net to give the Blues a first half lead.

The home side failed to create any notable chances before the end of the first half as Chelsea went into the break one goal to the good. It was Chelsea who extended their lead just after the break. Diego Costa couldn’t believe his luck as he was left with a tap-in from a corner to hand Chelsea a two-goal lead.

Antonio Conte brought on Nemanja Matic and pushed Hazard up front alongside Costa to hold onto his lead. He was successful in doing so, but failed to keep a clean sheet as Manuel Lanzini pulled one back just a minute before the full-time whistle.

One player that impressed once again for Chelsea was Kante. The defensive midfielder has turned out to be one of the signings of the season, and put in yet another trademark performance in the Chelsea midfield on Monday night.

One of the areas where Kante has picked up criticism in the past is with his passing. But in this game he managed to impress with a 90% pass success rate. As usual, he was running around blunting the home attack throughout, and he managed 4 tackles and 1 interception in Chelsea’s 2-1 win against a West Ham side that has improved in quality recently.

Kante may have felt hard done by by not being awarded PFA Player of the Year last season, but after (almost certainly) winning back to back titles and being an integral part of both teams, surely Kante will be awarded the best player in the division for this campaign. He’s been phenominally consistent for Chelsea, and on the back of last season, he has shown that he, unlike some other Leicester City players, was not a one season wonder.

‘Best In The PL’ Liverpool Fans Hail Midfielder’s Performance In Win Over Arsenal

Fresh Football March 5, 2017

Liverpool moved up into the top four after bouncing back from defeat at the King Power Stadium against Leicester last Monday, beating Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal 3-1 at Anfield.

Wenger will face much criticism post-game for his decision to leave key man Alexis Sanchez on the bench. The Chilean was brought on at half-time, and provided an assist as the Gunners searched for something to take back to North London.

Liverpool started the quicker of the two, and they were rewarded with an early goal. Roberto Firmino was left free at the back post, and despite the best efforts of Hector Bellerin, managed to fire the ball into the back of the net to send Liverpool 1-0 up inside nine minutes.

It got better for the Reds as they went into half-time two goals to the good. Sadio Mane found some space in the box, and was picked out by Firmino before drilling the ball into the back of the Arsenal net.

Arsene Wenger had to do something at half-time, and he responded by sending on Sanchez. He had a positive effect on proceedings from an Arsenal point of view, as he always does, and was highly influential in Arsenal’s goal. He threaded the ball through to Danny Welbeck, who finished well to put the visitors back into the game.

Arsenal searched for an equaliser late on, and Liverpool pounced in added time when they got the chance. Adam Lallana picked out Divock Origi with a lovely pass, who squared the ball to Georginio Wijnaldum, who was able to come up with the finish to hand Liverpool at three points.

One player that stood out from a Liverpool point of view was Adam Lallana. The Englishman worked tirelessly in the midfield, and covered just about every blade of grass on the pitch in what was a stunning performance. Despite winning only 40% of his tackles, he was key to Liverpool’s success, creating one chance and completing two take-ons. Here is how Liverpool fans reacted to Lallana’s display.

Liverpool Midfielder Praised For Another “Oustanding Display” vs. Arsenal

Leanne LFC March 4, 2017

Liverpool came away with a pivotal three points against Arsenal on Saturday evening, pushing them back into the top four and increasing hopes of sustaining Champions League football for next season.

Roberto Firmino put the home side ahead after just nine minutes after Sadio Mane’s perfectly drilled low cross was well put away by the Brazilian. The Senegalese forward then doubled the lead with an emphatic finish before half-time, to cement Liverpool’s superiority over Arsene Wenger’s side.

A second half goal from Danny Welbeck made it a nervy second half for Liverpool supporters, but Jurgen Klopp’s side showed good composure and grit to see out the result.

Many players put in tremendous shifts throughout the ninety minutes, but one man who gained the majority of the plaudits was Adam Lallana. The ex-Southampton midfielder was at the heart of Liverpool’s forward play, adding creativity and verve to the side while leading from the front with his energy and intense pressing style.

The 28-year-old played a crucial part in Georginio Wijnaldum’s goal that sealed the points for the Reds, holding the ball up until his teammates could join the counter attack, before slotting a perfectly timed pass into the feet of Divock Origi who squared to the Dutchman. It was a perfect counter attacking move, and Lallana’s integral role at the heart of it was indicative of just how good he performed against the Gunners.

Here’s some of the reaction to Lallana’s performance against Arsenal.

 

Lallana has had a serious upturn in form since the arrival of Jurgen Klopp, with previous critics positively stunned at his turn around. Now, he is one of the key cogs within Liverpool’s engine room and often a player to ignite the spark.

Having recently signed a new deal with the club, it’s clear Klopp considers Adam Lallana to be a vital member of the team for the foreseeable future and who can blame him when the midfielder turns in the type of display we saw this weekend.

While he has struggled with consistency at times this season to produce at the very top of his game, much of that can be put down to the inconsistencies of the whole team. His quality is there for all to see and the movement and guile he brings on the ball, coupled with his extreme work rate off it, makes him one of the best central midfielders in the Premier League at present.

With Liverpool desperately searching for Champions League football for next season, Adam Lallana will have a huge role to play for the remainder of the season. If he can produce as he did against Arsenal, you wouldn’t bet against Liverpool nipping their rivals and taking fourth spot.

 

 

‘He’s Out Of Position’ Liverpool Fans Beg For Jurgen Klopp To Make This Tactical Change

Oli Price-Bates February 28, 2017

It was a dismal Liverpool performance against Leicester City, and some fans have had enough of one of Jurgen Klopp’s decisions.

Liverpool have needed a left back for some time but after moves for the likes of Jonas Hector broke down, James Milner has been shoehorned into the left back position. It worked for a while, but after another poor performance against Leicester City, it seems teams are targeting his lack of pace and it is leaving Jurgen Klopp’s side heavily exposed at the back.

The only natural left back in the Liverpool squad currently is Alberto Moreno, and he is very poor at defending, so much so that Milner replaced him in the first place. It speaks volumes that Milner has kept his place at left back after a series of underwhelming performances.

But Milner’s performance against Leicester was particularly poor. He could’ve done more to prevent two of the three goals scored by the home side – and he was ineffective offensively as well. Many Liverpool fans would like to see Milner moved into midfield. He is a good central midfielder and players like Emre Can are struggling to perform in that position. A central position plays to Milner’s strengths, on the face of it he is no way suited to a full back role. The only benefit of him being there is his stamina, which allows for him to get up and down the pitch –  surely this would be better utilised in central midfield though?

Here’s some reaction to Milner’s performance against Leicester City on Monday night.

I think Milner still has a part to play in the Liverpool squad, he’s decent cover at left back and also a senior presence that adds a calmness to the midfield when he plays there.

Liverpool certainly need to sign a new left back, but for now they need to find an internal solution. Milner is definitely not the best internal solution, at least not for certain games. Klopp must find the solution.

Against Arsenal it will be intriguing to see how Liverpool line up. Arsene Wenger isn’t one for lining his team up to exploit the weaknesses of others, but surely looking at Milner in recent weeks, Wenger would try and target that. Theo Walcott is the obvious pacey candidate to cause him problems and if Theo starts, surely Klopp will favour the quick Moreno. Putting Milner up against Walcott could have catastrophic consequences.

‘He Was Woeful’ Manchester United Fans Unhappy With Midfielder’s Performance vs. Southampton

Oli Price-Bates February 27, 2017

Manchester United were victorious in the EFL Cup final on Sunday, but it didn’t stop some fans from feeling annoyed at some of the United players.

In all honesty, Southampton were probably the better team, or at least, their players performed better. A team of United’s calibre would wipe Southampton aside with relative ease if they performed to their potential, but they didn’t. One player who underperformed in particular was world record signing Paul Pogba. Southampton’s Oriol Romeu was the standout midfield performer.

There was no such criticism for Zlatan Ibrahimovic though. The match winner, who cost United nothing, helped them win another important game. He has definitely been a more important and more productive player in comparison to Pogba this season, although the Frenchman is obviously a lot younger and has a lot more time to try and repay his transfer fee.

United didn’t have the hardest run to the League Cup final to say the least, and although they were tested in the final, they were somewhat fortunate to win the game in 90 minutes. Mourinho will have ambitions to finish inside the top four and win the FA Cup and Europa League – to do that the team will need to play better than they did against Southampton and the fans will hope to see Pogba emerge as a more effective player in the big games like these. When you pay that much money for a player, I don’t think it is unreasonable to ask for them to make the difference in the games that matter.

Here’s some of the reaction to Pogba’s performance vs. Southampton

In my opinion, Pogba has played fairly well this season and has been one of the clubs better players. He hasn’t stood out as much as you would like or perhaps expect from a player that cost so much. You may expect Messi or Ronaldo effects on the team, but let’s remember he is a midfielder and he is a young midfielder, who will surely only improve season on season.

He does need to improve in the big games. People criticise the likes of Mesut Ozil for failing to make a difference in the big games, but Pogba cost more than twice as much and should be criticised and held accountable just as much as Ozil, if not more.

Luckily for Pogba, United got away with his poor performance but against a team of greater quality, I doubt they will be as lucky. Time to step up.

‘He Must Start Every Game’ Chelsea Fans Impressed With Midfielder vs. Swansea

Oli Price-Bates February 26, 2017

Chelsea managed to get past a resilient Swansea City side on Saturday with a 3-1 win. The Welsh side grew into the game after scoring an eqauliser against the run of play and at 1-1, the game could have gone either way. But Chelsea again found a way to win and move comfortably 11 points clear at the top of the league. Cesc Fabregas came in for Nemanja Matic and he proved to be the player that made all the difference on the day.

Fabregas has had to sit on the bench for much of the season but his performances in recent weeks will have done his chances no harm whatsoever. Alongside Kante, Fabregas has more creative freedom to roam and make the difference in possession – the duo compliment each other extremely well and we are certainly seeing a more confident and better Fabregas next to Kante rather than Matic.

Cesc was the heartbeat of the Chelsea team, with 127 touches during the game – crucially he picked up a goal and an assist. The Spaniard is a much more creative option than Matic and that was shown not only with his goal and assist but also with his 5 key passes.

He completed a huge 108 passes with a 86% success rate – that’s more passes than anyone else on the pitch. Despite playing in a central position, he attempted 7 crosses, and 8 long balls with 5 of them accurate. Fabregas was not afraid to shoot either, he had more shots (5) than any other Chelsea player, with two of them finding the target.

Here’s how the Chelsea fans reacted to his performance on Twitter.

In my opinion Fabregas should be in the first team regularly, I think he has been better than Matic this season, although Matic of course has his benefits for when the game is more physical or Chelsea may be required to do more defending.

It’s great that Antonio Conte has options outside his first eleven though, as injuries could start to kick in in the latter stages of the season. Conte will also be keen to win the FA Cup and next up is Manchester United in the quarter final – he’ll certainly need his squad players to contribute then.

‘He Must Start From Now On’ Arsenal Fans Pleased With One Man vs. Bayern Munich

Chris Baker February 16, 2017

Arsenal left Germany last night having the same feeling they did last season, with groundhog day well upon the Gunners after falling to a 5-1 defeat at the Allianz Arena in a truly embarrassing display.

After going 1-0 down in the opening 15 minutes, there was a feeling around suggesting “oh no, not again” but after surviving a one-way onslaught for 30 minutes they somehow found themselves level going into half-time and were unfortunate not to be leading by one or two goals as chances were wasted by Granit Xhaka and Mesut Ozil. Despite conceding four goals in the second half after a disastrous horror show, there was one man who could leave the Allianz Arena with some dignity, that man being David Ospina.

The 28-year-old has been majestic for the Gunners in the Champions League this season and was the main reason why the North Londoners topped their group in the group stage. After consistent performances at a high level, there were question marks raised to why Ospina is not the Gunners number one goalkeeper in the Premier League too, especially with the out of form Petr Cech underperforming massively.

The Colombian was influential vs. Bayern despite conceding four goals against the Germans, and if it was not for the man between the sticks I am fairly certain Carlo Ancelotti’s men could have hit double figures. As he has been all season, he was brilliant, an immense shot stopper and was not putting Arsenal under pressure from his goal kicks, which Cech has been heavily criticised for in recent months.

Ospina does seem to have a mistake in him, though. He was caught out in the RB position where he then went on to injure himself, but thankfully recovered to carry on. That said, he should seriously consider why he is not ahead of Petr Cech. Is it because the former Chelsea man was the Gunners marquee signing in 2015? or because he has won big trophies? it is as if Wenger’s loyalty has got the better of him again, something that is slowly tarnishing his career with the Gunners.

Of course, the result means all the headlines will be about Arsene Wenger and his future, but the Arsenal goalkeeper has certainly given the manager a headache after yet another great performance. Great? really? Arsenal conceded four? yes, they did but without him, it would have been double figures and Arsenal would have no chance to progress… despite even the most positive Arsenal fans only holding on to their 1% chance.

The Gunners fans were also impressed with Ospina’s performance, so we take a look at how Twitter reacted to his performance, with some wanting him to be our number 1.

Arsenal’s season is all but over, they are now hoping for a top four finish to ensure they are in the Champions League next season and for me, they have to play David Ospina in the Premier League and make him their new number one. He is a superb shot stopper and is arguably going into his prime years, despite possessing the odd mistake, his performances have been miles ahead of Petr Cech this season and he deserves some time between the sticks.

‘Chelsea’s Best Player’ Defender Praised For Another Great Performance vs. Burnley

Patrick Ribeiro February 12, 2017

It’s a funny old game. Who remembers the reactions surrounding David Luiz’s Chelsea comeback in the summer? Some of you may choose to forget it all.

The Brazilian defender first joined the Blues from Benfica back in 2011 for ÂŁ21.25 million, and despite conquering the hearts of those at Stamford Bridge, Luiz never quite convinced the doubters in comparison to John Terry and Gary Cahill.

JosĂ© Mourinho’s second stint in west London saw him incline towards the same pairing, so it was with great disbelief that much of the football world saw Chelsea receive a record-high bid for the out-of-favour defender, as he joined Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain for an initial fee of ÂŁ42 million in 2014.

Luiz’s flaws were then on full show, alongside many of his Brazilian teammates, as his national team were infamously thumped 7-1 on home turf against Germany, the eventual winners of 2014 World Cup, with the queries into his reliability as a central defender escalating further.

Football in Ligue 1 took the ex-Benfica man out of the limelight, somewhat, so it’s perhaps no surprise to see the amount of eyebrows raised when his eventual return had been announced.

Chelsea had formerly been interested in other big names to fill the void Antonio Conte believed needed to be plugged in, as they failed to land the likes of Leonardo Bonucci and Kalidou Koulibaly.

The opportunity to bring back Luiz arose on deadline day, adding a scent of panic buy to the deal, but the Brazilian has silenced those critics by coming on leaps and bounds since his latest transfer.

Chelsea’s latest bout versus Burnley accentuated the £30 million man’s growth in popularity, with social media quick to show their appreciation for the curly-haired character.

Such has been Luiz’s zero-to-hero rise that, even with a heavily strapped knee away to a physically imposing Burnley side, he’s kept club legend John Terry and hot prospect Nathan AkĂ© parked on the bench, becoming Conte’s go-to-guy in the lauded 3-4-3 formation.

The Brazil international’s typically good construction of play shun through the pain barrier, a role maximised by the added cover of two more central defenders either side of him, whereas Luiz also racked up the most amount of interceptions (8) in a tight contest.

Luiz continues looks a shoe-in for the PFA’s Team of the Year, as Chelsea set their sights on the Premier League title. Not bad for a panic buy!

‘He Must Start vs. Bayern’ Arsenal Fans Rave Over Midfielders Performance vs. Hull City

Oli Price-Bates February 11, 2017

Arsenal needed to win when they hosted Hull City on Saturday evening, and they did just that. 

The goals came via a handball and a penalty, but the Gunners were in control of the game most of the time, although some late pressure from Hull did cause some nerves inside the stadium.

For the most part, the Gunners played well. One player who really impressed though was Oxlade-Chamberlain. He has been (forcefully) moved into a central midfield position, but he has played better than we’ve seen him play all season.

The Ox and Coquelin are not players that help the team dominate possession and that was reflected in the match statistics. Hull had more possession than the home side, which is a rare sight, especially for a team so close to the bottom of the league. However the Ox was efficient in possession and that’s the most important thing.

One of his best attributes is his running between midfield and attack, he completed 5 dribbles against Hull. The Ox completed 86% of his passes, including 4 accurate long balls. Defensively he made 2 tackles and 1 interception, he also used his energy to get back and help the team defend on several occasions.

Here are some of the best tweets about Oxlade-Chamberlain’s performance. The performance was so good the fans are keen to see him play in Munich. 

In my opinion it is great to see The Ox developing in central midfield. He was showing little to no progression on the wing and it is now great to see him settling and improving in a position. Now, Wenger needs to give him the game time to continue that development and realise his colossal potential.

On the face of it, you wouldn’t expect him to be a central midfielder at all. But since moving to that position he has impressed with his passing range and immense amount of energy. He’s taken over Aaron Ramsey’s position and despite a lack of experience there, he has arguably outperformed the Welshman by far.

‘Pathetic’ Arsenal Fans Demand Key Player Is Dropped After Chelsea Performance

Oli Price-Bates February 6, 2017

Arsenal succumbed to their 2nd defeat in a week when they traveled to Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon. The Arsenal team were very poor collectively, but one of the players that have been heavily criticised has been Petr Cech.

Playing against his former club, Cech was a calamity and made several errors during the game, the most noticeable and most damaging one being his pass straight to a Cesc Fabregas, who scored and thus ended any chance of an Arsenal revival. 

And these errors were not the first we have seen him make. Although often exempt from criticism from the media due to his glittering career to date, Cech has endured a pretty terrible season to date. This has led to many fans questioning his place in the team, especially with his deputy, David Ospina, performing so well in the cup competitions. 

Cech is close to reaching the end of his career and many feel that now would be a suitable time to call it a day.

Here’s some of the reaction to his performance from Twitter.

Personally I would agree with most of the criticism. He hasn’t been good for us this year at all, and whilst pundits predicted he would win us 10 points a season, it may well end of that he will lose us that amount. I don’t think that based on his form over his time at Arsenal, he can still be considered world class. His reactions have slowed to a quite worrying rate, so much so that I believe it is costing the club points. He’s also terrible at saving penalties, he hasn’t saved one during his time at Arsenal (and he’s faced a lot).

Perhaps his main issue though is his struggle to defend shots at his near post. This is a weakness to Cech’s game that has been spotted by the Arsenal fans, and it seems some strikers are well aware of it too. There’s too many areas of weakness creeping into his game and it’s certainly something that needs addressing at Arsenal in the summer. 

“Pure Class” Fans Heap Praise On Manchester United Midfielder After Stellar Show Against Leicester

Leanne LFC February 5, 2017

Manchester United capitalised on Arsenal and Liverpool dropping points on Saturday with a solid 3-0 win against Leicester City at the King Power Stadium. The result means the gap between the Red Devils and the top four is now down to just two points.

The game got off to a sluggish start, with neither side really testing the opposition in the opening stages. However, two quick-fire goals on the stroke of half-time from Henrik Mkhitaryan and Zlatan Ibrahimovic before a clincher from Juan Mata ensured that United ended their run of three consecutive draws in the Premier League.

After 41 minutes of frustration, Mourinho opted for a change of tactics, moving Mkhitaryan away from the left wing, where he was placed to accommodate Rashford and Ibrahimovic, and into a more central role. It worked a treat for the Red Devils, who quickly starting turning up the gears following the change.

Mkhitaryan provided the moment of quality to open up the game for Mourinho’s side, beating Robert Huth to the ball just inside the Leicester half before running through on goal and slotting past Kasper Schmeichel. The Armenian midfielder then turned creator for United’s third, playing a wonderful one-two with Juan Mata before the Spaniard steered in at the near post.

Here’s how twitter reacted to Mkhitaryan’s display. Do you agree?

It’s crazy to think that just two months ago, the midfielder was being cast aside, much like Anthony Martial at present. Following a poor performance in the Manchester derby in September, Mkhitaryan has responded exceptionally from his early-season exile and his performance against Leicester typified just how far he has come.

Since being given another chance by Mourinho,  Mkhitaryan has started 12 games, scoring five goals in the process. Moving into the number 10 spot has caused a significant rise in his performances and against Leicester he looked like United’s greatest threat – a stark contrast from his early season woes.

Scoring just 36 goals, the side are the lowest scorers of any of the big six – 10 goals behind Spurs, but Mourinho may have found a solution with Mkhitaryan providing the side with an extra edge and zip to their play from the middle of the park.

Despite getting off to a rocky start at Manchester United, Mkhitaryan has shown his quality in recent weeks, injecting a much greater attacking impetus into the side. Fans will be hoping to see more of the same from the 28-year-old as Mourinho’s side look to keep up the pressure on the top four and try and secure Champions League football for next season.

Fans Brand Liverpool Midfielder As The “Epitome Of Average” Following Another Poor Performance vs. Hull

Leanne LFC February 5, 2017

Liverpool’s season suffered another setback after a 2-0 loss against Hull City on Saturday in which the side looked bereft of ideas and energy. The result leaves Jurgen Klopp’s side’s hopes of Champions League football for next season up in the air.

Hull perfectly executed the blue-print that so many have come to adopt against Liverpool. Sitting deep and defending in numbers, the Reds were gifted no space in between the lines and once again struggled to stretch the opposition. It was an all too familiar performance at the KC stadium, with the pedestrian and lacklustre performance raising serious questions about the future of several squad members.

After suffering similar defeats against Bournemouth, Swansea and Burnley earlier in the season, Jurgen Klopp’s side have failed to overcome a clear weakness in their game – something that has seen them crash out of the title race and put hopes of a top four finish in doubt.

Most worryingly is the way in which Liverpool yet again looked devoid of innovation going forward. The return of Sadio Mane to the side, along with Coutinho and Firmino was set to see Liverpool regain their early season form in which fast, fluid and attacking football was a huge feature. However, even the Senegalese international couldn’t prevent Liverpool from coming unstuck against a so-called ‘weaker’ Premier League team.

After securing a 1-1 draw with runaway leaders Chelsea, things seemed to be looking up for Jurgen Klopp’s side. Solid displays from both Emre Can and Gini Wijnaldum provided the German with a selection headache prior to kick off. Going with his national compatriot, Klopp’s decision to go with a more robust presence in midfield proved to be costly for Liverpool, who certainly missed the energy of Wijnaldum.

Emre Can completed just 84% of his passes, winning only one aerial battle and two tackles in the entirety of the match. His leisurely demeanor in the first half was indicative of Liverpool’s pedestrian football and marked the decline he has experienced this season.

Here’s some reaction to Emre Can’s performance from Twitter. Do you agree?

Emre Can was a key player for Liverpool last season and he clearly has all the right tools to be a good player for Jurgen Klopp’s side. However, his performance against Hull marked the regression he has experienced this season and with his future currently up in the air, questions will be raised over whether Can will be at Anfield for much longer. With Liverpool looking to play fast, free-flowing football, WIijnaldum’s energy in the middle makes for a much better fit.

Fans Call For Midfielder To ‘Never Play For Arsenal Again’ After Awful Performance vs. Chelsea

Oli Price-Bates February 4, 2017

Arsenal put in another limp performance at Stamford Bridge, losing 3-1 to see their title hopes all but ended at the hands of Antonio Conte’s men, who will surely go on to lift the trophy in May. 

Chelsea were not brilliant, but they were ruthless, and Arsenal were a lot worse. The Gunners started the game pretty brightly, but the second Chelsea went ahead through Marcos Alonso, Arsenal fell flat and never really looked like getting anything from the game from that point on. It was an all too familiar performance from Arsenal at the Bridge, and many fans have questioned the manager because of the result.

Whilst the manager certainly can be held accountable, several individuals were extremely poor on the day. The big boys, Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil did not turn up, whilst Petr Cech, another senior figure in the squad, was simply horrific. He doesn’t look comfortable passing out from the back and his reactions are worryingly slow.

But a lot of the blame will fall on the shoulders of midfielder Francis Coquelin. With Ramsey, Elneny, Cazorla and Xhaka unavailable, Wenger did have little choice but to select Coquelin, but his performance was truly worrying. Arsenal missed a midfielder that could dictate the play from deep, as Coquelin seriously struggled to get a grip on the game. His individual error saw him fail to stop Eden Hazard in the build-up to Chelsea’s second goal, which killed the game.

Coquelin completed just 82.8% of his passes, completing 0 of his attempted crosses, and 0 through balls. With just 58 passes in total, the Gunners needed someone to take more control of the game in Coquelin’s position. Xhaka would’ve been perfect, and the Gunners desperately need him back.

Defensively he made 0 interceptions – considering he offers pretty much nothing in an attacking sense, it is vital that he does more defensively, especially in big games like this.

Here’s some reaction to Coquelin’s performance from Twitter. 

Personally I think Coquelin is a good squad player, but honestly he is no more than that and deserves no more than that. A team like Arsenal, who try to control games, need a more efficient deep lying playmaker. Coquelin didn’t even do his defensive duties well today. It was a game to forget for him, and pretty much all of the Arsenal eleven. It will be interesting to see how Wenger selects his team for the crucial Champions League trip to Bayern Munich in 10 days time.

Arsenal need a fresh approach, players like Coquelin need to get out of the eleven and perhaps we need a new manager.

 

Man Utd Fans Say Midfielder ‘Needs To Play More’ After Influential Performance vs. Wigan

Oli Price-Bates January 30, 2017

Manchester United fans were extremely happy with one midfielder’s performance against Wigan on Sunday afternoon.

Mourinho’s men strolled into the last 16 of the FA Cup with a comfortable 4-0 home win.

The German international was famously sent to the reserves by Jose Mourinho who had concerns about his fitness and overall quality. But the midfielder has come back with a bang, scoring and assisting in the game against Wigan.

He boasted a 93% pass accuracy rate, with 111 passes and 131 touches overall, a lot more than any other player on the pitch. Playing in the holding midfield role, Bastian dictated the play, impressing in his short and long passing with 5 of his 6 attempted long balls finding the target.

Defensively he made a respectable 3 tackles and 3 interceptions. Going forward he didn’t offer much throughout, but crucially provided an assist and scored an acrobatic goal.

This type of display will have reassured fans who previously could see a dependence on Michael Carrick in midfield. But Schweinsteiger is of a similar ilk and if managed correctly, the 30+ duo could effectively share that role and be the platform for United’s more attack-minded midfielders to flourish.

It is this type of midfielder that Manchester United need to ensure they always have in the team. For all the quality that they have within the squad, balance plays a huge part in how a team performs and they need a midfield conductor, like Schweinsteiger to provide that balance. For all the skill and flash Pogba offers, he does not give you that authority and reliability on the ball in deep areas. Schweinsteiger or Carrick appear the perfect foil to enable Pogba to play his best football.

Here’s some of the reaction to his performance from Twitter.

My concern would be that whilst he performed very well in this fixture, is he capable of such quality performances against bigger and better teams? His drawbacks are his slowness and lack of mobility and these were never going to be exposed against a team like Wigan. The Germans performance has done enough to make Mourinho take notice though, and he could now expect a longer run in the first eleven.

He is though, of a different ilk to the other United midfielders and his presence is certainly beneficial in some scenarios, especially when Carrick is missing. My worry would be that with so many months out the team and squad, will he be physically ready to play in the Premier League? Time will tell, if Jose gives him a chance.

‘He Was Unreal’ Fans On Twitter Heap Praise On Arsenal Midfielder After Performance vs. Southampton

Oli Price-Bates January 29, 2017

Arsenal cruised to a 5-0 victory in the FA Cup on Saturday, helping Wenger’s men again reach the final 16 of the competition. There were several brilliant performers on the night but one midfielder really stood out. 

With Mohammed Elneny at the African Cup of Nations and injury concerns with Santi Cazorla, Aaron Ramsey and Francis Coquelin, Arsene Wenger was stuck for options at the base of his midfield for Saturday’s FA Cup tie. He opted with the inexperienced Ainsley Maitland-Niles, who impressed, but alongside him Wenger selected the man of the match, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. The Ox has seriously struggled to impress for the Gunners on the wing since he arrived, and his progression has been terrible to say the least.

But his performance in the middle of the park on Saturday was enough to give encouragement for his future. Perhaps he should be developed in this position and with the Gunners lacking options currently, now could be a good time to let him progress in that position.

The Ox was dynamic in midfield, showing quality both offensively and defensively with his energy and passing range particular highlights from his performance. Although he didn’t score, the Ox was the best player on the pitch without a shadow of a doubt and Arsene must’ve been incredibly pleased watching on from the stands.

Here’s how some of the fans reacted to The Ox’s performance on Twitter.

Personally I had pretty much given up all hope of Chamberlain succeeding at Arsenal. With just over a year left on his contract, I couldn’t see him realising his potential at the club. I still have serious doubts but this performance is enough to bide him more time. He now deserves a run in the team in central midfield, his performance was certainly more impressive than someone like Aaron Ramsey’s has been of late. With Santi Cazorla out, Chamberlain could make that box-to-box role his own and finally show his ability.

Klopp Out? Liverpool Fans React To Consecutive Cup Exits On Twitter

Patrick Ribeiro January 29, 2017

Given the geopolitical spectrum, 2017 promises to be a difficult year for us all to stomach, even by 2016’s standards, but Liverpool fans will be the ones gazing at the skies questioning why they are among the first to be feeling the burn.

JĂŒrgen Klopp’s men enchanted the Premier League world with the German’s infamous ‘Gegenpressing’, imported from his days at Borussia Dortmund, as big results over the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City saw the Merseyside club propel themselves into the hat of potential league winners this season.

Among the charge at the upper echelons of the league table, Liverpool were also fighting for multiple domestic honours too, but that scenario has now changed drastically.

Welcoming Wolverhampton Wanderers to Anfield for a fourth round tie of the FA Cup this Saturday, the visitors were on hand to stun the hosts with goals by Richard Stearman and Andi Weimann, whereas a late Divock Origi goal wasn’t enough to see Liverpool into a draw and subsequent cup replay.

The defeat not only concluded the Reds’ elimination from the FA Cup, but also sees them fall out of a consecutive cup competition, after Southampton’s 2-0 win on aggregate in the EFL Cup in midweek.

Liverpool’s 2017 woes go on, having lost once more versus Swansea City in the league, drawing a further three games and winning just once in seven matches since the turn of the year. That game was a 1-0 victory away to Plymouth Argyle in an FA Cup replay. Glamourous.

As a consequence, social media was awash with criticism for the Scouse outfit’s boss, Klopp, ranging from rival fans to former subscribers of the German’s managerial capabilities, whereas others stayed true to their man.

Other more popular figures within Britain’s footballing hub maligned Klopp’s squad selection for the clash versus Wolves, which saw the 2011 and 2012 Bundesliga champion make a total of nine changes to the team that faced Southampton in midweek.

Despite bearing the blame for chopping and changing too much on this occasion, Klopp has felt the force of complaints coming in the opposite direction in recent days, claiming he overworks his first team too much.

The frenetic, self-proclaimed “Heavy Metal football” has been pinned against the German’s management, suggesting he’s both one-dimensional and culpable for the physical mismanagement of his players’ fitness, meanwhile the likes of Daniel Sturridge and Mamadou Sakho aren’t placed into the same equation anywhere near as much as they should be by Klopp.

With first-placed Chelsea waiting in the wings for Tuesday’s main card in the Premier League, calling on rotation made sense, but Klopp has, nonetheless, claimed full responsibility for Saturday’s additional slip-up in Liverpool’s season.

“We put in a very bad performance, we started badly and could not improve,” Klopp told BT Sport following the 2-1 defeat at home to Wolves.

“We tried, but were not good enough in the first half. The second half was better, but not enough. I am responsible, not the young players. You learn a lot about players in games like this, but I am responsible.”

Onto Tuesday night…

‘He’s The Best In The League No Doubt’ Twitter Reacts As Chelsea Star Gives Them 3 More Points

Leanne LFC January 22, 2017

Much has been made of Diego Costa in recent weeks, with the media fuelling speculation that the striker could be on his way out of the club amid a huge bid from China. The Spaniard was rumoured to have a fall out with Chelsea boss Antonio Conte, with the manager not happy with Costa’s supposed injury troubles that have seen him out of action for the Londoners.

However, Costa scored on his return to the side as Chelsea strengthened their grip on the Premier League title, moving eight points clear at the top. The Blues top goalscorer was applauded throughout the match by the home fans, as his side won against a struggling Hull City side.

He got the opening goal of the game, converting Victor Moses’ low cross from eight yards out  and his celebration of moving hands seemed to put an end to speculation of his departure – much to the delight of Chelsea fans, I’m sure.

Here’s how Twitter reacted to Diego Costa’s performance. Do you agree?

Costa has been at the heart of Chelsea’s title bid this season, proving a real handful for defences with his strength and finishing ability. The Spaniard was the only player to have more than one shot in the side (6) and his return to the side couldn’t have been better timed, with the Londoners set for a showdown at Anfield next weekend.

It could have been a very different game had Costa not found the net just before the half time interval, with Hull doing well to frustrate the home side. They looked at risk of not making the most of their rivals shortcomings over the weekend, but Costa, once again, delivered when it mattered.

The mood following kick-off was a stark contrast to last weekend when Chelsea’s run was halted by Spurs. Diego Costa’s future was up in the air and fans were understandably worried about what that could mean for their title hopes. His return, and goal, will have certainly lightened the mood at the club as they moved closer to another Premier League title. Any risk of instability or distraction has dissipated – Chelsea are back in control and continue to roll on.

Any risk of instability or distraction, after the defeat at White Hart Lane and Costa’s wantaway strop, has been seen off now. Chelsea are back to normal, back in control, and looking likelier than ever to stroll to this year’s title.

Costa’s record at the club speaks for itself, with the 28 year old’s quality clear for all to see. Coming up with important goals for Chelsea, he is the most important player to club have, thus Antonio Conte and co. will be delighted to have him back. It would take surely take something miraculous for Chelsea to not end up lifting the trophy at the end of the season.

‘Absolutely Terrible’ Manchester United Fans React To Forward’s Performance vs. Stoke

Oli Price-Bates January 22, 2017

Manchester United continued their unbeaten run on Saturday afternoon, but only thanks to a very late Wayne Rooney goal. Still, 1 point will not have been want Jose Mourinho was looking for from this fixture. 

A lot of Manchester United players were not at their best in this fixture, but one player who caused serious frustration was summer signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Zlatan seriously struggled all afternoon. Stoke more than matched his physicality and then there wasn’t much more the Swede could give. He was slow on and off the ball and was wasteful in his finishing.

Let’s take a look at some statistics. Shocking in possession, the big Swede completed just 61.9% of his attempted passes. He only made 50 touches in the game, which will be far less than Mourinho would want and expect from his focal point in attack.

He was frustrating in attack, having just 1 shot which did not week the target and getting caught offside 3 times! He completed 0 dribbles successfully and had 3 unsuccessful touches, which was more than any other Manchester United player.

Here’s some of the reaction to Zlatan’s performance on Twitter. It’s safe to say the United fans were far from satisfied with what they saw.

Personally, I think that although Zlatan has been scoring a lot of goals lately, Manchester United perform better as a team when he is not in the lineup.

He obviously is a goal threat at all times due to his height, strength and experience. When United inevitably resort to a more long ball tactic, he is ideal. But it hasn’t worked too much this season. With young and talented forward like Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford on the bench, I can’t help but think that Jose should freshen things up in attack. It’s almost like United are attempting to build their team around a 35-year-old Zlatan Ibrahimovic, which is not wise. Rashford and Martial are the future of the clubs attack and they are nothing like Zlatan, completely different players that would form a completely different attack.

‘Time To Ditch Him’ Liverpool Fans Fume At Defender’s Performance vs. Swansea

Leanne LFC January 21, 2017

Few would have envisaged Liverpool coming up short against Swansea on Saturday afternoon, with the Reds holding the record of highest scorers and the away side conceding the most goals thus far. However, the Swans took full advantage of Liverpool’s defensive errors to gain a vital three points as they look to beat relegation.

Defensively, Liverpool have always been questionable. Conceding sloppy goals and failing to do the real basics provided a thorn in their side. However, that was thought to have been somewhat put to bed this season, with victories against Chelsea, Arsenal and City suggesting the Reds could battle at the top of the Premier League. The phrase “old habits die hard” is rather fitting in this situation, with Jurgen Klopp’s side coming unstuck by their own sloppiness at the back.

Dejan Lovren gave away a needless corner for Swansea’s first goal, heading the ball out of play under no pressure. The resulting corner was put in by Fernando Llorente, after the Croatian in the air to compound his earlier error.

After a performance fuelled with mistakes, Liverpool fans have been left pondering the long term future of Lovren at the club. Joel Matip is clearly the first choice centre back for Jurgen Klopp, but with neither Lovren nor Klavan covering themselves in glory at Anfield, many have called for the German to invest – be it in January or in the summer.

Here’s how Twitter reacted to Dejan Lovren’s performance. Do you agree with these thoughts?

Despite heavy suggestions that his time at the club is up, many have been calling for the return of Mamadou Sakho to partner Matip. The Frenchman has fallen out of favour with Jurgen Klopp, but the defensive frailties within the side highlight the need for change in the centre back positions. Liverpool fans certainly seem keen on the idea of a Sakho-Matip pairing.

Neither Klavan nor Lovren are consistent enough to provide the defensive pairing for a side wanting to challenge at the top of the Premier League. Klopp himself reflected on the quality of his back four following the defeat, and surely it is only a matter of time before he looks elsewhere for a quality defender.

Has Klopp’s trust in his players been thrown back in his face? Many suggested Liverpool needed external recruitment to address their defensive issues, but he said he believed in his squad and would rather educate them into becoming better players. But with the defence continuing to be the clubs Achilles heel, surely it is time to invest?

Liverpool Fans ‘Really Impressed’ With Teenage Midfielder’s Performance vs. Plymouth

Leanne LFC January 18, 2017

Harry Wilson was the latest in a line of Liverpool youngsters to be given a crack in the first team by Jurgen Klopp. The German has provided the academy players with a number of opportunities of late, most recently in Liverpool’s FA Cup replay with Plymouth.

Wilson has enjoyed a fine season for the Under 23’s so far this season, scoring a total of 19 goals and registering 9 assists. As a result, the Welshman has established quite the name for himself within the club, and fans were intrigued to see what he could do at Home Park.

Coming on in the second half, Wilson conducted himself well, showing little signs of being overwhelmed by the occasion. The 19-year-old almost got a debut goal for the Reds when he closed down Plymouth’s goalkeeper, as the ball ricocheted off the midfielder narrowly missing the back of the net.

Furthermore, Wilson showed some bright moments down the right-hand side, providing further indication of the bright future he has at the club. Brilliantly dummying the ball, Wilson passed it off to Ben Woodburn before Sheyi Ojo’s attempt at goal.

In his 30 minutes on the pitch he completed 15 passes, including 1 key pass. His enthusiasm and determination to impress almost led to a goal and it is that hunger and desire that will surely impress Klopp, a manager who demands such an attitude from all his players.

Here’s how Twitter reacted to Harry Wilson’s performance. Do you agree with these thoughts?

The Welsh duo, which have an average age of 18.5 years old, shows the quality within the club’s academic set up and the youngsters are getting ample opportunities to showcase their ability under Klopp’s tutelage.

Having already made his international bow for Wales, it is clear that Harry Wilson is highly thought of by many. 19 goals for the Liverpool U23’s shows he has the quality to find the back of the net on a continuous basis, and there is few clubs that provide such a chance for young talents to grow as Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool.

It’ll be interesting to see if Klopp continues to utilise his youth products at the competition progresses into the latter stages.

‘Superb Performance’ Liverpool Fans Heap Praise On Defender After His Performance vs. Manchester United

Oli Price-Bates January 15, 2017

The news that Nathaniel Clyne was ruled out against Manchester United due to a rib injury sustained against Southampton in midweek definitely shook several Liverpool fans. Clyne has been one of the most consistent figures for Klopp’s side so far this season, and his absence was thought to be a real blow for the Reds in such an important fixture.

As a result, Trent Alexander Arnold was handed his first Premier League appearance for Liverpool, thrown in at the deep end by his manager. Many thought he’d sink and struggle against the pace and trickery of United’s Anthony Martial, but the 18-year-old stood firm throughout the match to do himself, and his manager proud.

Alexander Arnold made three key tackles in the match, and showed a calm and collected presence despite the magnitude of the fixture. It was never going to be an easy task for the youngster but apart from a few wayward passes, he handled the occasion superbly and showed just what a bright future he has at Liverpool.

A look at his defensive statistics help highlight how well he did. Up against Anthony Martial, many thought the youngster would struggle and be easily beaten but he managed 8 clearances, 3 tackles and 2 interceptions – he also committed 0 fouls. That’s very impressive considering who he was up against and the occasion itself would have gotten to many other young players.

Liverpool fans have been quick to praise the defender, who could see more chances at first team action in the coming games if Clyne is sidelined for an extended period of time. He certainly didn’t harm his case today.

Here’s how Twitter reacted to Alexander-Arnold’s performance. Do you agree with these thoughts?

When you consider it was his first Premier League appearance for the club, and the fact that he is only 18 years of age, Arnold’s performance was exemplary. He took a while to settle into the match, initially struggling with the pace of Martial, but he produced what was needed of him.

He wasn’t shying away from tackles, and he didn’t show the fear or nerves of a player making his Premier League bow – that in itself says a lot about his quality.

Few players can come into a side on such a big occasion and do a job, especially an 18 year old. Hats off to Trent Alexander Arnold for putting in a stellar performance for Liverpool. The future looks bright.