All posts by h79snht.top

Aston Villa have struggled to find their feet so far this season but gave themselves breathing room with Tuesday’s victory over Rotherham.

The win at Villa Park ended a run of five games without victory across all competitions, which had seen the pressure upon the shoulders of Steve Bruce increase significantly.

With Villa looking to keep chase with the rest of the promotion hopefuls in the Championship, the club have already begun to cast an eye towards potential deals in future transfer windows and reports suggest they are keen on signing Gary Cahill.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”297163″ player=”12034″ title=”Rafa’s Pub Facts MythBusting Rashford & Spurs Headache”]

The former Villa man sees his contract with Chelsea expire at the end of the season and it is claimed Bruce’s side are eyeing a move when he becomes available on a free transfer, as they seek the addition of an experienced defender.

After John Terry impressed last season, moving for 32-year-old childhood Villa fan Cahill would be a wise move to bolster the club’s defence and the veteran certainly still has enough left in his tank to make a lasting impression.

Do you agree Aston Villa fans? Have your say in our poll below…

[ad_pod ]

[ffc_insert title=”Check out the Big Interview with Ben Dinnery & Johnny Wilson” name=”Fixture In Focus Podcast Special” image_ link=”https://fixtureinfocus.podiant.co/e/369d9b4fb86294/” link_text=”Click here to play”]

[ad_pod ]

Aston Villa do not have Brentford boss Dean Smith in their sights as a replacement for under-fire boss Steve Bruce, The Birmingham Mail reports.

What’s the word?

Winning just one of their last nine matches across all competitions, Aston Villa’s promotion hopes are in danger of being sunk prematurely and there has been plenty of gossip surrounding potential changes at Villa Park.

Manager Steve Bruce is under an increasing amount of pressure following his side’s run of form and candidates are already being named by the press as potential replacements. However, The Birmingham Mail says Brentford’s Dean Smith is not under consideration.

Brentford are currently flying high and occupy the final spot in the play-offs, although it is still very tight as just three points separate fifth-place Norwich and 14th-placed Aston Villa – which shows just how crucial any decision will be.

Smith the right fit?

Dean Smith’s performances at Brentford have caught the eye and the most positive boost that the 47-year-old can provide is an exciting brand of football that will help get fans at Villa Park back on side after a difficult start to the campaign.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”302265″ player=”12034″ title=”Rafa’s Pub Facts The Icelandic Coutinho & The Scottish Ronaldo”]

On top of this, Smith is a boyhood Villa fan and that appears to make things a match made in heaven. However, his limited managerial experience when it comes to winning promotion is surely an issue for a side desperate to return to the Premier League after falling at the final hurdle last season.

Having spent four years at Walsall, Smith has guided Brentford to three consecutive mid-table finishes with the Bees and Villa may well aspire for something greater – which is probably necessary to rejuvenate their charge for promotion.

According to a recent report from The Daily Mirror, Rafa Benitez is one name on the shortlist to replace Steve Bruce in charge of Aston Villa. The 58-year-old is currently in charge of Premier League outfit Newcastle United and has been since 2016, although during that time he has found it tricky to take the Magpies forward given the lack of investment from owner Mike Ashley.

And reports suggest that the Villa owners are keen on luring the Spaniard to Villa Park to replace the recently-sacked Bruce, and while there is little doubting that it would be an ambitious move and one unlikely to happen, Benitez’s frustrations at Newcastle suggest that it’s not completely out of the question.

The Breakdown

Ultimately, Benitez deserves huge credit for the job he has done at St James’ Park since taking over in March 2016, sticking with the club to help them win promotion from the Championship in the 2016/17 season, before leading them to a tenth place finish in the top-flight last term.

And he has done all that with his hands tied given the distinct lack of investment from owner Ashley, what with the Magpies again making a profit on transfers during the summer given Benitez was only given seven new signings, two of which were loans and one a free transfer.

And with the North East giants seriously struggling in failing to win any of their opening seven matches, one wonders just how frustrated Benitez is getting with trying to carry out a seemingly impossible job, a job he looks likely to leave in the summer, if not before.

And those frustrations mean that Villa could well stand a chance of convincing him to move to the Midlands, what with Benitez having once dropped down to the Championship before to help a huge club return to the Premier League.

The Spaniard couldn’t keep Newcastle in the top-flight in 2016 but then stuck with them to lead them to the Championship title the season after – he could well do the same were he to move to Villa.

Significantly though, he may see a greater long-term opportunity at Villa Park, as although the finances have been something of a problem for the club in recent times, they seem to be over the worst of them – thus, he may actually be allowed to spend and take the club forward were he to return them to the Premier League.

Like Newcastle, Villa will appeal to several players around the country and not least if a high-quality manager like Benitez is at the helm – the difference is that he may well get the chance to spend the money he needs to bring in the players he wants to take Villa up the Premier League.

And with a reasonably strong squad already at Villa Park, the 58-year-old may well see a promotion-winning side in that Villa team at present, and with the possibility of a greater long-term opportunity at the Midlands heavyweights, an ambitious move for the Spaniard to replace Bruce could very much take place.

Villa fans… what do you think? Let us know!

[ad_pod ]

Everton are reportedly weighing up a move for Arsenal attacker Danny Welbeck, who will be out of contract next summer.

What’s the story?

According to The Mirror, Everton are “keeping tabs” on Welbeck’s contract situation, with his current deal set to expire at the end of this season.

The Gunners have failed to come to an agreement over a new deal with Aaron Ramsey, so it looks like they could be set to clean house and start fresh under the leadership of Unai Emery.

The report claims the Toffees showed interest in the 27 year-old this summer, but no official bid ever materialised.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”302265″ player=”12034″ title=”Rafa’s Pub Facts The Icelandic Coutinho & The Scottish Ronaldo”]

Would he be a good signing?

Welbeck isn’t a world class player who is going to push Everton into the top six, but signing him for free next summer would be very shrewd business from Marco Silva and Marcel Brands.

You don’t rack up over 100 appearances for each of Manchester United and Arsenal along with 42 England caps by sheer luck, and the versatile attacker has grabbed four goals already this season.

Welbeck’s biggest strengths are his athleticism and versatility, able to use his strength, speed and tireless work rate anywhere across the front three.

His endless runs down the channels help other players find space in the attack, so starting him up front at Goodison could actually have a huge impact on Theo Walcott and Richarlison.

The England international would occupy defenders, link play, hold the ball up and worry the opposition with his constant runs in behind, which could allow Richarlison the space to find his early-season form on a consistent basis.

So, Everton fans, do you think Welbeck on a free would be a good signing? Or are you sick of top six rejects? Let us know your thoughts by voting in the poll below…

FootballFanCast.com’s Fixture In Focus coverage is brought to you by 5p0rtz. Try 5p0rtz’s Beat the Streak Predictor and you could win £1million! Click here to play.

One of the defining features of Gareth Southgate’s tenure as England manager to date has been his effective use of a five-at-the-back system, featuring three ball-playing centre-backs between two attack-minded wing-backs. 

On the chalkboard

This tactic arose due to the strengths and weaknesses of the players at Southgate’s disposal. England boast an abundance of top class full/wing-backs and centre-backs who are both comfortable and effective on the ball. 

[ffc_insert title=”Try 5p0rtz’s Beat The Streak Predictor and you could win £1MILLION!” name=”Win £1MILLION with 5p0rtz” image_ link=”https://app.5p0rtz.com/?affiliate=FFCeditorialwidget” link_text=”Click here to play”]

Add to that a lack of out and out wingers and a dearth of top quality central midfielders and a back five quickly becomes the set up that makes the most sense.

The strong base that this formation provides also encourages the patient, possession-based style of build up play that the manager is continually trying to implement and hone in his team. The likes of Harry Maguire and John Stones are exemplary passing centre-backs, whilst in Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier, Luke Shaw and Danny Rose, Southgate can call upon some of the finest wing-backs in the game.

With Rob Holding, Alfie Mawson and Aaron Wan-Bissaka impressing at club level, and naturally suited to the style of football England play at the back, the future of this system looks assured. However, if the Three Lions are to build upon their recent successes, then there are some deficiencies that must be addressed.

To-do list

The additional centre-back that this tactic demands means that England are often outnumbered in the middle of the park. Due to this, Southgate’s midfield pair must be mobile and efficient. In Jordan Henderson, Eric Dier and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, England have the requisite reserves of stamina and energy to call upon. When it comes to breaking down stubborn opposition defences, though, the aforementioned midfielders tend to be found wanting. In order to progress against tougher opponents, Southgate has to be able to coax more creativity out of his midfield contingent.

Southgate must also find a way of getting the best out of Raheem Sterling. Without true wingers, the Manchester City man has been forced into a more central role and has so far struggled to prove effective. At his best, Sterling is a player capable of having a huge impact for England, so he must be allowed to thrive for his national team.

[ad_pod ]

Football FanCast recently asked Arsenal fans to rank their club’s summer signings. Perhaps unsurprisingly, tenacious midfielder Lucas Torreira topped the poll, whilst exciting young surprise package Matteo Guendouzi has also proved a popular acquisition.

However, new centre-back Sokratis Papastathopoulos has failed to inspire the Gunners faithful so far, coming rock bottom of the poll, beneath veteran free transfer addition Stephan Lichtsteiner. See the full results below.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”307232″ player=”12034″ title=”Rafa’s Pub Facts Germany Hit New Low & Jadon Sancho Makes Us Feel Old”]

Whilst the club’s fans appear unimpressed, new boss Unai Emery ought to be delighted with the 6ft 1in Greece international’s arrival in North London.

For too long, the Gunners have lacked a physical, powerful, uncompromising figure at the back. The 30-year-old’s presence and experience should add a great deal of calm and authority to Arsenal’s rearguard. 

The Emirates Stadium faithful will likely be glad to be proved wrong about the former Borussia Dortmund player this season and will be hoping that he can in fact have a transformative impact upon their club’s defence.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”307232″ player=”12034″ title=”Rafa’s Pub Facts Germany Hit New Low & Jadon Sancho Makes Us Feel Old”]

[ad_pod ]Juan Pablo Angel joined Aston Villa from River Plate in 2001, and spent six successful years with the English outfit before leaving for New York Red Bulls.Angel scored 57 times in 191 appearances for Villa, including 44 in 175 Premier League matches, which is a very respectable total indeed.It was actually Angel’s birthday on Wednesday, and as expected, Villa’s official Twitter account was on hand with a special message for the Colombian.The fact that Villa lost on Tuesday night and the club’s fans were still prepared to post positive tweets is an indication of Angel’s standing at Villa Park.Angel went on to score 61 times in 111 appearances for New York Red Bulls following his departure from Villa, and also turned out for Los Angeles Galaxy, Chivas USA and Atletico Nacional before hanging up his boots in 2014.The Villa fans absolutely love Angel – there is no question about that – and a selection of the best Twitter responses can be seen below:

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”310054″ player=”12034″ title=”Rafa’s Pub Facts Fake Madrid & Ross Barkley Emulates… David Ngog”]

[ad_pod ]

Loads of Newcastle fans have been reacting to the latest transfer news, as reports claim they are eyeing a move for Francesco Vicari.

According to Calciomercato, Rafael Benitez is eyeing a move for the SPAL defender, as he looks to strengthen his squad in January.

The 24-year-old centre back has racked up nearly 100 appearances for SPAL, who earned promotion to the Italian top flight in 2017.

Vicari is in fantastic form this season, averaging 1.4 tackles, 1.9 interceptions and 4.9 clearances per game.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”310054″ player=”12034″ title=”Rafa’s Pub Facts Fake Madrid & Ross Barkley Emulates… David Ngog”]

However, Newcastle fans aren’t too happy about the transfer link, mainly due to the fact that their biggest problem is at the other end of the pitch.

The Magpies have played some of the toughest fixtures of the season already and managed to hold reasonably firm at the back, but have scored just six goals in nine games.

Benitez gets a lot of love from the Toon Army, but some have just started to turn on the Spaniard in recent weeks, and they’re not at all happy with this latest link.

You can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…

[ad_pod ]

Fulham were promoted to the Premier League at the end of last season via the play-offs and sailed into the top flight on a wave of optimism. Having played some lovely football in the Championship and spent over £100 million in the summer, many were wondering just how high the Cottagers would climb.

10 games in, Fulham are in the relegation zone with five points and have conceded a huge 28 goals – five more than the second-worst defence in the division. If something doesn’t change soon, manager Slavisa Jokanovic will be out of a job and the West London club will find themselves heading straight back to the second tier.

On the chalkboard

A huge problem for the club so far has been over-rotation. Alfie Mawson, Joe Bryan, Tim Ream, Cyrus Christie, Calum Chambers, Timothy Fosu-Mensah, Maxime Le Marchand, Denis Odoi and Ryan Sessegnon have all featured in the Fulham rearguard this season.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”310054″ player=”12034″ title=”Rafa’s Pub Facts Fake Madrid & Ross Barkley Emulates… David Ngog”]

Without continuity there is no opportunity for relationships to develop or any natural cohesion to occur. The first step to producing a solid backline at Craven Cottage is settling for a first-choice defence.

Picking and sticking with a back four 

In the short term, this will likely lead to continued poor results as the players adapt and grow into their roles. However, in time, the defence ought to become accustomed to their jobs at Premier League level.

There is room for rotation, however, but it needs to be done sparingly and not in a blind panic searching for some magic formula to suddenly click into place.

On top of that, Fulham’s midfield and wingers must become more diligent in serving their defensive duties. The likes of Andre Schurrle, Luciano Vietto and Aboubakar Kamara may have to curtail their attacking instincts somewhat in order to lend better protection to the full-backs behind them, especially during this difficult period of transition and adaptation.

[ad_pod ]

Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri has all but confirmed that Victor Moses is free to leave Stamford Bridge, and West Ham United should bring the Nigerian back to the club.

What’s the word, then?

Sarri, speaking ahead of Chelsea’s Premier League clash with Crystal Palace on Sunday, admitted that Moses does not fit into his plans this season.

Indeed, a switch to a back four has meant that Moses has played just 26 minutes of Premier League football for the Blues during the 2018-19 campaign.

Sarri stopped short of saying that Moses is free to leave in January, but it seems extremely likely that the 27-year-old will be available at the start of 2019.

West Ham had Moses on loan during the 2015-16 campaign, but there is no question that he has improved as a footballer since then, and the Hammers really should be looking to re-sign him in the January transfer window.

Why should West Ham make a move?

Moses was outstanding for Chelsea during the 2016-17 campaign, playing in all but four of their Premier League matches in the title-winning season.

Moses – valued at £18m by Transfermarkt – was also impressive in Antonio Conte’s final year in charge, making 38 appearances in all competitions.

It has been a different story under Sarri, but that is nothing personal towards Moses, who simply does not fit into the Chelsea manager’s new formation.

In truth, Moses does not really score enough goals to be a winger at a top-four club, but he would be a huge asset to West Ham due to his versatility and quality.

The Nigerian is a far superior player to the one that made 26 appearances for West Ham during the 2015-16 season, and he would be a super January addition for Manuel Pellegrini’s team.