All posts by h716a5.icu

Chelsea are desperately chasing a much-needed victory to revive their season, having combatted a dreadful start to the new era under Todd Boehly;s ownership with a lucrative January spending spree…

Despite sacking Thomas Tuchel in the early weeks of the campaign and replacing him with Graham Potter, who had done a marvellous job with Brighton & Hove Albion, the Blues have not managed to match up the form on the pitch with the excess of £550m spent since the summer, with £288m being invested in January.

Since the turn of the year, the Blues have won just one of their nine games across all competitions. They currently sit tenth  in the Premier League, having crashed out of both domestic cup competitions and recently conceded a 1-0 advantage to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League round of 16, albeit with the return leg at Stamford Bridge still to come.

Despite their recent woes, Chelsea have a golden opportunity to swerve back on track with a pivotal clash against struggling Southampton in the league on Saturday afternoon.

The managerless Saints are bottom of the division and four points adrift of safety, and with nine defeats from their past ten top-flight outings, failure to win at home would quite simply be inexcusable for the Blues.

Victory today is paramount, and in order to attain the three points, Raheem Sterling must be provided with the platform to flourish.

Should Sterling start vs Southampton?

To exacerbate Chelsea’s situation, they have netted just 23 league goals this season. This is not only the lowest tally of any team in the top half of the table, it is 11 fewer than seventh-placed Fulham with 34, the next-lowest scorers in this particular sub-table.

While Southampton hold the second-worst defensive tally in the league, superior only to Bournemouth, the Blues will need to make better use of their opportunities if they are to indeed stave off further misery.

With this in mind, Sterling – who was hailed by Ben Jacobs as “delightful” and signed for £47.5m from Manchester City last summer – must find a place in the starting line-up after missing the midweek trip to Dortmund. He is Chelsea’s joint-top scorer this season, and his vast Premier League experience (336 appearances) could be imperative in getting the Blues back on track.

While Mykhaylo Mudryk was signed for £88.5m in January, the Ukrainian prodigy has failed to register a goal or an assist across his first four outings for the club, earning a lowly Sofascore rating of 6.57 in the league thus far.

Sterling has plundered nine goals and four assists in 20 appearances against the Saints, with only Watford and Bournemouth shipping more goals against him, and he netted in the reverse fixture, a 2-1 loss for Chelsea, earlier this season.

With FBref ranking him among the top 12% of positional peers in Europe’s five main leagues for touches in the attacking box and the top 17% for progressive passes received, comparative to the likes of Mohamed Salah, Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez, he can indeed be the striking sensation to elevate Chelsea back towards the European places.

Amid all of the club’s winter spending, it’s easy to forget that Sterling only arrived at Stamford Bridge last summer. Given his pedigree, his status as the club’s joint-top scorer this season and his hunger to stake a claim for a starting role in this new-look Chelsea team, he must be unleashed against Southampton, who he could bully once more if he finds his best form.

He might just hold the key to success for Potter and co…

Journalist Adam Newson was left baffled with Hakim Ziyech’s yellow card ‘shambles’ in Chelsea’s 2-0 defeat away to Tottenham on Sunday afternoon.

The Lowdown: Chelsea beaten at Spurs

The Blues faced a crucial Premier League encounter in north London as they took on one of their fiercest rivals in what felt like a must-win game, given the Blues’ awful form of only two wins from their previous 14 matches in all competitions.

A tempestuous contest at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium saw Graham Potter’s side beaten by goals from Oliver Skipp and Harry Kane in the second half as Chelsea endured yet another painful afternoon in a grim season.

Just before half-time, Ziyech was initially sent off for lashing out at Emerson Royal, only for referee Stuart Attwell to eventually go to the VAR monitor and show the Moroccan a yellow card instead.

The Latest: Newson left unimpressed

Taking to Twitter, Football London’s chief Chelsea correspondent Newson was left aghast at the confusion on show from the officials regarding the incident between Ziyech and Royal.

After the initial red card was overturned, the reporter tweeted his disdain over the process involved in reaching the eventual decision, stating:

“What a shambles.”

The Verdict: Not good enough

Some of the refereeing on show in the Premier League this season simply hasn’t been good enough, with inexplicable and erroneous decisions continuing to threaten the credibility of top-flight officials.

The incident involving Ziyech summed up the standard of officiating, with the Moroccan not doing enough to warrant a red card in the first place, and the decision also taking far too long to overturn, with at least three minutes between the initial incident and the eventual post-VAR decision.

This doesn’t excuse another lacklustre performance by Chelsea, though, and there could now be fresh question marks surrounding Potter’s future, with the 47-year-old already under pressure prior to today.

The Blues are now languishing in 10th place in the table after 24 matches – not what one would envisage in the wake of more than £550m being spent on transfers in the past 12 months.

Liverpool have been linked with a move for Mason Mount this summer and a new update has now emerged on the club’s pursuit of the player.

What’s the latest on Liverpool’s interest in Mason Mount?

According to talkSPORT’s transfer insider Alex Crook, Liverpool are increasingly confident that they will be able to sign the Chelsea midfielder.

As per the report, Crook claims that Mount’s new contract talks have hit a standstill and sources close to the player have suggested that a move to Anfield is highly likely.

It is also stated that Jurgen Klopp wants to improve his midfield options and has identified as the England international as an ideal target for the summer.

Imagine him & Jude Bellingham

It is no secret that Liverpool are an extremely strong contender to also complete a deal for Borussia Dortmund wonderkid Jude Bellingham this summer with numerous reports linking the midfielder with a move to Merseyside.

As a result, if FSG could pull off the signing of the England midfield duo of Mount and his compatriot, it could be the much-needed youth revolution Liverpool are desperate for in the centre of the pitch.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keita, and James Milner will all be out of contract this summer and as the business end of the season unfolds it is looking less likely that any of the aforementioned will remain, paving the way for fresh perspectives to join the successful club.

Mount – who has a reported price tag of £40m – is no stranger to Bellingham with the pair playing key roles in Gareth Southgate’s England squad over the last few years and now they could use their experience together at international level to form a formidable partnership at Anfield.

Over 23 Premier League appearances, the 24-year-old has scored three goals, registered two assists and successfully completed 54% of his dribbles, as well as averaging 1.3 key passes, 1.4 tackles, 1.4 shots on goal, and 3.6 duels won per game.

Bellingham, meanwhile, has contributed with four goals and four assists in 21 Bundesliga outings this term – making 1.1 key passes and 2.7 tackles per game – and this highlights his box-to-box talent in midfield.

The Blues star has earned high praise for his impact in the national team, with Rio Ferdinand hailing the Chelsea academy graduate on his Vibe With Five YouTube channel:

“Mount is a mad player. On and off the ball, that’s what I love about him. He gives you both sides of the game.”

“Young players watching the game, if you watch Mount, he’s efficient with it, and he can bang, but it’s the work ethic and the positions he takes up defensively.”

Jurgen Klopp could utilise Mount’s versatility in the advanced midfield role by combining it with Bellingham’s huge potential to succeed club captain Jordan Henderson in the eight role and together could revolutionise the playmaking threat Liverpool pose to their opponents.

With that being said, the signing of Mount would without doubt be a major coup for the Reds, giving the Liverpool boss a Champions League-winning young player who has bags of Premier League experience to help the side reignite their chase for trophies next season.

Chelsea manager Graham Potter won’t necessarily be sacked if his side lose to Leeds United this weekend, journalist Ben Jacobs has claimed.

The Lowdown: Huge game for Potter

On Saturday afternoon, the Blues welcome the Whites to Stamford Bridge for what is a crucial Premier League clash for both sides this season.

Chelsea know that victories must simply become the norm again if they are to have any chance of a top-four finish, with their last victory coming against Crystal Palace in January, while Leeds are in desperate need of points to secure top flight survival.

Understandably, there is huge pressure on Potter to keep his job, but it sounds like those supporters in the ‘Potter Out’ brigade are not going to get their wish unless something drastic happens…

The Latest: Sacking not nailed-on

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jacobs claimed that the 47-year-old won’t definitely be sacked if Chelsea suffer a shock defeat this weekend, unless it is a particularly damaging one:

“Defeat to Leeds may not change a massive amount but, of course, it’s all about the manner of the losses. This isn’t about what Graham Potter does specifically.

“It’s about showing progress and if progress doesn’t end with Champions League football, which is unlikely, Potter won’t necessarily be judged on that as long as there’s progress.

“And progress for Chelsea is really about picking a consistent starting XI, showing an identity and scoring goals. If they do those three things, they win games, and then Graham Potter will stay on as Chelsea manager.”

The Verdict: Simply has to win

In many ways, it is refreshing to see Chelsea being more patient with a manager this time around, rather than sacking Potter at the first opportunity.

That being said, both performances and results now have to improve drastically, starting on Saturday, as the Blues look to move up from their current 10th-place position.

There is only so long that the club can keep backing Potter, and as Jacobs alludes to, it is the manner of the displays that are arguably the most important thing right now.

Chelsea should have enough to see off a Leeds side battling relegation on Saturday, though, and three points could trigger the start of a resurgence, even though that feels a long way off right now.

Chelsea sealed what could be a priceless victory in the career of Graham Potter on Tuesday evening with the Blues sealing their pathway to the next round of the Champions League.

The Londoners defeated Borussia Dortmund 2-0 on the night and 2-1 on aggregate with that result possibly the best under Potter’s tutelage yet.

The former Brighton boss has been under severe pressure of late but has now recorded two vital wins in a row with the club beating Leeds United last weekend too.

Goals from Raheem Sterling and Kai Havertz were enough on the night and although supporters will have been beaming from ear to ear after those strikes, it was the scenes at full-time that sparked the most intrigue.

How did Todd Boehly react to Chelsea’s Champions League win?

Owner Todd Boehly was seen entering the tunnel at Stamford Bridge post-match to greet Potter, rather comedically, with a beer. The pair shared a warm embrace and a large smile before the club’s manager was interviewed by CBS.

Boehly has been an interesting character to say the least since arriving in English football, notably for his mass spending in the transfer market.

His loyalty to Potter, however, appears to be unwavering despite a run of several defeats throughout 2023 prior to the last few days.

As a result, the undeniably heartwarming footage generated plenty of reaction on social media, the best of which can be found below.

Manchester United are reportedly one of a number of top clubs who have visited Lille youngster Carlos Baleba ahead of a potential summer move.

The Lowdown: Baleba impressing for Lille

At just 19, Baleba is already a key member of Lille’s squad this season, making a total of 12 appearances in Ligue 1 and helping his side sit sixth in the table.

The midfielder is currently contracted at his current club until the summer of 2026 but his performances mean he could leave well before that date, especially if they cannot continue their impressive form to clinch a European place.

That’s where United come into play, as Erik ten Hag continues to eye up new signings during the summer transfer window.

The Latest: United in the mix

According to 90min, the Red Devils are among a host of clubs who sent club chiefs to scout Baleba recently, having become one of the most ‘in-demand’ players in France.

Arsenal, Liverpool and Newcastle United are all mentioned as potential suitors as well, though, highlighting what a big prospect he is, and he could cost £30million.

The Verdict: Long-term prospect

It is vital that United don’t only sign players for the here and now, such as Casemiro and Christian Eriksen, and make sure they also focus on long-term acquisitions.

Baleba would certainly fall into that bracket, with the 14-game Lille man someone with his whole career ahead of him and so much potential to be reached.

The fact that he is already performing in one of Europe’s five major leagues is a testament to his quality already – he has enjoyed an 84.3% pass completion rate in Ligue 1 this season – and he could improve further surrounded by top players at Old Trafford.

Leeds United picked up a huge three points this weekend, but Luke Ayling was far from a standout performer at Molineux, according to journalist Beren Cross.

The Lowdown: Leeds pick up a big three points

Javi Gracia was looking for what would be just his second win as Leeds manager since replacing Jesse Marsch and he certainly got that away to Wolves – although the Whites certainly came close to throwing it away.

The Whites raced into a 3-0 lead at Molineux on Saturday afternoon thanks to goals from Jack Harrison, Ayling and Rasmus Kristensen, with the latter netting for the first time as a Leeds player.

Despite getting on the scoresheet for the first time this season, it was Ayling’s defensive woes that caught the eye of many at the match, including the likes of Cross and The Athletic’s Phil Hay, who noticed Daniel Podence was giving the defender a torrid time of things, while Ayling also struggled for composure on the ball, completing just 39% of his passes (Sofascore).

The Latest: Ayling’s defensive qualities questioned

Prior to Ayling finding the back of the net and doubling Leeds’ lead at Molineux, Cross was far from impressed by what he was seeing from the veteran defender as he and teammate Jack Harrison struggled to cope with Podence.

He said: “Ayling and Harrison being ripped to shreds by Jonny and Podence down United’s right. Hosts are getting through down that side every time. Leeds need far more composure in the rare moments they’re getting the ball too. Roca and McKennie not retaining anything.”

The Verdict: Gracia will be concerned

While seeing a defender score is always a positive and a bit of a novelty, their bread and butter must be at the other end of the pitch, which is something Ayling certainly didn’t do today being part of a side that shipped a couple of goals.

Leeds will be thanking their lucky stars that Wolves weren’t able to capitalise and complete their comeback, which was also largely down to the fact goalscorer Jonny was sent off for serious foul play.

That tackle was on Ayling, so the defender was involved in all sorts of incidents, but it could be time for Leeds to turn away from the ageing full-back, as he’s clearly struggling to cope with younger, more electric wingers such as today against Podence.

Among the plethora of positives that have come out of the season so far for Manchester United under manager Erik ten Hag, one of the more notable success stories has been the emergence of teenage sensation, Alejandro Garnacho, with the 18-year-old having established himself as a vital member of the squad since the World Cup, in particular.The promising “game changer” – as hailed by Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst – has registered nine goal involvements in all competitions in what has been a breakout campaign thus far, memorably scoring away at Elland Road and providing an assist for Marcus Rashford in the Manchester derby in what were two of his more notable contributions.The rapid and meteoric rise of the Madrid-born speedster – who had been included in Argentina’s senior squad prior to his recent injury blow – is yet another marker of the benefits of having such a star-studded youth set-up, with United undoubtedly masters at continually churning out potential gems of the future.For all the warranted hype surrounding Garnacho, however, the beauty of football is that there is always another youngster who can emerge as the next poster boy, with 15-year-old Shea Lacey seemingly the player who is sparking “lots of excitement” among those at the club, according to journalist Tom Maston.

Who is Shea Lacey?

Although both club and supporters will no doubt be wary of talking up the teen ace too greatly – with the case of Ravel Morrison still firmly in the minds of those at the Theatre of Dreams – it is hard to ignore the buzz that is surrounding the fleet-footed maestro.

While the precocious talent – who has been likened to Manchester City sensation, Phil Foden – may have to bide his time for a first-team berth due to his tender age, it does appear that United are keen to elevate him up the age groups, with the playmaker having already featured for the club’s U18 side this season, scoring once and registering two assists in just six league outings.

That is an indication of just how highly rated Lacey is by the Premier League giants, with that excitement beginning to bubble among those outside of the club, with the forward having set tongues wagging after producing a scintillating, solo goal for the U16’s earlier this month.

The manner in which the Liverpool-born menace weaved his way through a sea of bodies with breathtaking skill and trickery ensured that it is easy to see why the comparisons to Foden have come about, with Lacey truly having a “left foot made of gold” – according to talent scout, Jacek Kulig.

Football Transfers reporter Jacque Talbot even when as far as to suggest that the Old Trafford outfit may have stumbled across the “next [Lionel} Messi” in the form of the teen starlet, with the club’s current first team figures likely to be running scared at the prospect of losing their place in the side in the coming years.

Summer signing Antony, in particular, could well be fearing for his starting berth more than most, with Lacey potentially set to prove a direct rival to the Brazilian’s position on the right flank, with the duo both able to wreak havoc by cutting in onto their stronger left foot.

In the case of the former Ajax man, the 23-year-old has endured a mixed start to life in England, in truth, since his £86m arrival, having registered just eight goal involvements in all competitions thus far, including only three goals and no assists in the league.

It is no stretch to stay that Antony has not received a wholly warm welcome to the Premier League, with club legend Paul Scholes branding him a “clown” after the 15-cap enigma produced his trademark spin in the Europa League win over FC Sheriff, while talkSPORT pundit Gabby Agbonlahor also labelled him a “bluffer”.

Although it is that individualistic nature that has seemingly led the one-time Sao Paolo man to become a favourite of Ten Hag, the £200k-per-week wizard will need to begin proving himself more reliable in the final third or find himself ousted from the side.

If the 5 foot 9 ace is not careful, he could well be displaced by young Lacey not too far down the line…

Celtic are thought to be readying a new ‘huge’ contract offer for manager Ange Postecoglou, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: Transformation

Postecoglou arrived in Glasgow back in the summer of 2021 from Japanese side Yokohama F. Marinos and has helped turn things around at Parkhead. The 57-year-old has won 76 of his 102 games in charge of the Hoops, with his side averaging an impressive 2.54 goals per game.

The manager has won three trophies so far during his tenure and is on course to retain the Scottish Premiership title ahead of rivals Rangers this season, with the Hoops currently nine points clear at the top of the table.

Postecoglou could also guide Celtic to a domestic treble over the coming months after already securing the League Cup, however, his current contract is set to expire in the summer. He has been linked with a move to the Premier League in recent months, with Tottenham the latest English club to be backed for a swoop.

The Latest: Off-field update

Football Insider reporter Wayne Veysey provided an update he’s heard from Parkhead in the last 48 hours regarding Postecoglou. He stated that the Hoops want to tie the manager down to a new long-term deal after recent interest from the Premier League.

Celtic are ready to increase Postecoglou’s wages, with a ‘source with knowledge of the situation’ revealing that Celtic are preparing a “huge” offer which may include a release clause.

The Verdict: Good news

Postecoglou has only been on a 12-month rolling deal since taking over from Neil Lennon, so it is good to see that the club want to finalise a long-term agreement following plenty of speculation over a possible exit. He’s made an immediate positive impact and actually has a better record with Celtic than any of his previous clubs.

Celtic also appear to be doing everything they can to keep Postecoglou when it comes to their current squad, with the club working hard to keep Kyogo Furuhashi, Liel Abada and Jota, players who Postecoglou views as key.

They are even planning to add to their squad with three headline signings in the summer, with Postecoglou targeting a new centre-back, central midfielder and striker. Therefore, should the manager and club officials remain on the same page reading into the summer, you’d like to think that a long-term contract could be agreed upon over the coming months, which may prove to be the most important piece of business.

Journalist Charles Watts has claimed that Arsenal defender Kieran Tierney didn't go down the tunnel for treatment amid injury concerns following the recent Scotland match.

What's the latest injury news for Kieran Tierney and Arsenal?

It was a brilliant outing for the 25-year-old on Tuesday night as his country stunned Spain with a 2-0 victory, with the defender playing a key role in the second goal – charging forward 70 yards before his cross eventually fell to Scott McTominay to score.

However, before full-time, the left-back was forced off with a possible calf injury, which has led to reports stating he could miss the Premier League clash against Leeds United this weekend.

While talking about the issue on his YouTube channel, Watts noted that some fans believed that Tierney actually went down the tunnel for treatment, but denied these rumours.

Indeed, he explained: "He did go off with about 15 minutes to go, again after a challenge with – who else – Rodri.

"Fingers crossed, it's nothing. It doesn't look too bad. I don't know. I can't tell you now what the issue is with Kieran Tierney, if there is an issue or not.

"But he didn't go down the tunnel. I saw people saying he went down the tunnel; he didn't.

"He sat down on the bench. He was out on the pitch celebrating afterwards. It doesn't look anything too bad. He might have just come off because he was knackered."

Has Rodri been trying to injure Arsenal players?

Incidentally, it was Rodri who also launched into a nasty tackle with captain Martin Odegaard in Spain's clash with Norway just days before.

Perhaps the Manchester City man is on a one-man mission to curtail Arsenal's season, with Pep Guardiola and co eight points behind the Gunners in the league.

However, Tierney – who earns £110,000 a week – at least got one over on Rodri with a Scotland win on this occasion, and it seems as though the Spaniard found this hard to accept.

After the game – much to the derision of fans online – he moaned about the opposition, saying: "It's the way they play… for me, it's a bit rubbish. Because it's always wasting time. They provoke you. They always fall. For me, this is not football."

It remains to be seen if Tierney will miss the Leeds clash this weekend, but at least it doesn't sound as though it's the most serious injury in the world.