All posts by h79snht.top

Wolves have taken to life in the Premier League very well, and continue to look a threat to most teams in the top flight.

Nuno Santo’s men have made their system work after romping home in the Championship last time out, and they are looking like being ready to make a fist at being a regular Premier League outfit for years to come.

Of course with becoming a top team comes expense, and Wolves will need to make sure they keep adding to their squad over time to continually improve the squad and show the fans they do indeed mean business when it comes to competing at the top level.

And one man we here in the Tavern feel would be a superb addition is Belgian midfielder Thorgan Hazard, who has quietly gone about his business over in Germany while brother Eden takes the main spotlight.

Hazard has been superb this term, knocking in 12 goals in all competitions while also adding some seven assists, and the £38m-rated star could fit in nicely at Wolves.

An attacking midfielder by trade, Hazard has developed his career well, and the time could be right to see him move back to England and prove himself at the highest level possible.

Wolves are a good fit, where expectation would not be too high, and he would no doubt be given the freedom to play under manager Santo, who is keen to encourage his players to do what they do best and express themselves.

While he will cost a fair amount, he still has his prime years ahead of him, and for Wolves, the signing of Hazard would send a big statement to the rest of the league.

Wolves fans, what do you think? Good signing? Let us know in the comments!

[ad_pod ]According to Italian media outlet Gianluca Di Marzio on Twitter, Newcastle have reportedly agreed a deal to sign Lazio left back Jordan Lukaku on loan until the end of the season.

What’s the word?

Well, according to Gianluca Di Marzio, the deal is done to send the Belgian international to Tyneside for the remainder of the season.

The 24 year-old, who is the brother of Manchester United’s Romelu Lukaku, has started just once in Serie A this season, as per Transfermarkt.

Newcastle were strongly linked with a move for Monaco man Antonio Barreca, per Sky Sports, a deal that now looks highly unlikely with the reported capture of Lukaku.

Why do they need him?

Newcastle are absolutely desperate for some extra pace and dynamism in the side, and nowhere is that more apparent than on the left flank.

Kenedy has been a shell of the player that arrived on loan in the second half of last season, and Paul Dummett simply does not have the quality on the ball to be a top Premier League full back.

Which Man Utd star got fed by Salt Bae this week? Check out the video below to find out…

The arrival of Lukaku will force Dummett to up his game, and if the Belgian forges a good relationship with Kenedy then it could be an excellent signing from Rafael Benitez.

Why would he be a good signing?

Lukaku’s athleticism means he can bomb up and down the wing for 90 minutes without losing a step, and his assist numbers suggest his arrival will have a positive impact on Salomon Rondon.

The Belgian racked up ten assists in 83 games for Belgian side KV Oostende and six assists in 72 games for Lazio, per Transfermarkt.

The flying full-back has been out of favour so far this season, starting just once in the league for Lazio. However, that is mainly due to the fact that he missed the start of the campaign with a knee injury, from which he has now fully recovered.

He made 30 league appearances last campaign, and his ability to play as a wing-back will appeal to Benitez, who has often opted to use a back-three this season.

With his constant overlapping runs, dangerous crosses and impressive versatility, this could prove to be a crucial capture in the Magpies’ relegation race.

So, Newcastle fans, are you happy with the move for Lukaku? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below…

[ad_pod ]Loads of Newcastle fans have been reacting to their defeat at Wembley, and they’ve got plenty to say about Martin Dubravka.Newcastle produced a stunning comeback to upset Manchester City last week, but the Magpies were unable to muster a similar effort against Tottenham on Saturday.Rafael Benitez’s side are notorious for making life difficult for top six sides, and once again they were no walk in the park. Pl>ymaker FC Exclusive: Jermaine Jenas reveals why Tyne-Wear is a more intense derby than anything London can offer – check out the video below….Tottenham dominated the match, amassing 72 per cent of the possession and 21 of the game’s 29 shots, per BBC’s stats.Despite all the home side’s dominance though, most of their attacks were surprisingly blunt and relatively easy to deal with for the Toon Army.That was until substitute Fernando Llorente used his size to knock the ball down to Son Heung-min, whose powerful finish squirmed under the body of Dubravka.The 30 year-old has been sensational since he first arrived on Tyneside in January 2018, and fans are standing firmly behind their no. 1 despite his error.You can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…

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Liverpool are eyeing up a £70m move for Napoli forward Lorenzo Insigne as Jurgen Klopp looks to bolster his strike-force, as reported by Italian outlet Repubblica.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the aforementioned Repubblica article states that the Reds have already made an offer in the region of €70m (around £61m), although that bid wasn’t made directly to the Serie A giants. Liverpool entered discussions with Insigne’s agent, Mino Raiola, who then contacted the player’s father to propose the offer.

However, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis got wind of the deal, as per Repubblica, and retorted with a response Klopp won’t have been a fan of – €150m (around £130m) is the asking price for the Italian international forward.

Be sure to check out the incredible story of the man who rose from a Tanzanian refugee camp to become one of Australia’s biggest football stars in the video below…

The 27-year-old, who has eight goals and five assists so far this season in 19 Serie A games, has a contract with Carlo Ancelotti’s side that runs until 2022, so perhaps Liverpool would be wise to stay away from negotiations of that magnitude for a player who will be 30 in three years’ time.

If he did arrive, whose place would he threaten?

If Insigne did arrive at Anfield, Sadio Mane’s place would immediately be under threat.

The Napoli academy graduate plays on the left wing for the Naples-based club, where he often cuts inside on his stronger right foot and looks to test the ‘keeper or play a killer ball.

Mane has sometimes come under criticism for his somewhat wasteful finishing, although he does still have 11 goals so far this season in all competitions.

What Klopp may want him to do more of, however, is assist his teammates. The Senegalese forward has just one assist this season – to compare with one of his strike partners, Mohamed Salah has seven assists, and has still managed to contribute goals as well with 19 to his name in all competitions.

If the far more creative Insigne arrived on Merseyside, Mane would have to buck up his ideas.

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As reported by the Wales Online, Swansea star Daniel James is in talks with the club over a new contract, despite coming extremely close to joining Leeds on deadline day.

What’s the word, then?

The Welsh international travelled to Leeds on the final day of the winter transfer window, before the Swans pulled the plug on the deal at the 11th hour after problems arose regarding the £1.5m loan fee.

James will have just 12 months left on his current contract with Graham Potter’s side when the summer rolls around, which will place the Yorkshire outfit in an extremely strong negotiating position if they look to revisit their interest in the 21-year-old – this seems likely given the fact that James was, and is, Marcelo Bielsa’s number one target.

Check out the below above to see football played as you’ve never seen it before… in a maze!

The 5′ 7″ attacker was reportedly left reeling that a move to the promotion chasers collapsed so late on in the day, but does appear to be happy at Swansea after returning to the club. James said: “It’s been a tough few days with everything that’s gone on.

“But I’m back here now, I’ve trained and I really enjoyed it. I do love it here, the boys have welcomed me back and there were a few laughs and jokes.”

What are the chances of him signing a new contract?

Judging by the aforementioned statement, the chances of James renewing his deal with the Swans seems fairly likely.

However, it is worth noting that the attacking midfielder travelled to Leeds for a reason, and if Bielsa manages to guide his side into the Premier League, the Welshman could possibly want to see them come back in for his signature in the summer.

As a result of that, James could potentially delay any contract agreement until he finds out United’s fate, which, if that does happen, would leave Potter and Swansea in a difficult situation.

Newcastle will come up against a team similar to themselves on Saturday and Steve Bruce should look to fight fire with fire by deploying Andy Carroll to wreak havoc.

The 30-year-old has started just once this season but that was in the very impressive win against Sheffield United, and he showed in that game and against Southampton a few days later that he can have an influential role for his side.

He got two assists from the two games, thanks to his aerial ability as well as some astute technical play, sending a cross to the back post for Jonjo Shelvey to head in against the Saints.

It is his dominance in the air which should prove effective once more this weekend, as Newcastle need someone to challenge a strong Burnley defence and make the ball stick up-front.

As per WhoScored, he has won 4.2 aerial duels won per game, which puts him narrowly behind Burnley’s James Tarkowski, who has won 4.9 by comparison.

However, Carroll’s lack of minutes in most of his appearances this season are an important factor to consider, as it means he has achieved a higher rate than the Clarets defender, and should, therefore, prove a handful.

He is still yet to score since returning to the north-east but with Newcastle improving in the goalscoring department of late, particularly from set-pieces with seven goals in total via that method this term, Carroll may not have to wait much longer for that elusive goal.

Even if he is unable to break his duck he is probably still the more reliable choice for Bruce to play up-front than Joelinton.

Fans are growing increasingly impatient with the Brazilian and would probably prefer it if he didn’t take to the field on Saturday, as he offers very little in terms of goal threat, or teamwork – achieving just 60% pass accuracy against the Saints.

While Carroll doesn’t exactly excel in terms of passing, his ability to win flick-ons and create space for teammates by drawing in opposition players makes him a valuable player to have, and that should cause Burnley problems.

A football legend: Can you get over 80% on this Gazza quiz? Find out now…

Tarkowski has managed a fairly good return of 1.7 tackles per game this campaign, as per WhoScored, but Carroll uses his strength and ball control brilliantly, so he should fare well against him.

He has lost the ball, on average, just 0.6 times per game in the Premier League, and if he can hold onto the ball and allow his wingers to gain possession in attacking areas then the Magpies could earn their third consecutive win.

Carroll isn’t the only player who could be recalled to the side however, as injuries to two important players means Bruce has some decisions to make.

Nikola Katic was on the scoresheet as Rangers recorded a 2-0 win over Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday afternoon.

However, it would be fair to say that there was a mixed reaction to his performance throughout the 90 minutes of action.

The 23-year-old was praised by many for his overall display, with a selection of the positive comments on social media available to view below.

However, as mentioned, that was not a view shared by everyone as some are still slightly concerned by the Croatia international’s perceived heavy-handed approach.

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Three Rangers players picked up yellow cards against Motherwell, whilst Alfredo Morelos was sent off in the 70th minute. Katic did not actually receive a booking, but a number of the supporters are still not convinced when it comes to the powerful centre-back.

A football legend: Can you get over 80% on this Gazza quiz? Find out now…

That said, there were more positives messages in the immediate aftermath of Katic’s goal, which sent Steven Gerrard’s side on their way to an important three points.

Meanwhile, one Rangers player is reportedly no longer a January transfer target for a Premier League club despite a host of speculation.

West Brom have been handed the perfect present this Christmas as they are set to see the return of one of their first-team stars ahead of tomorrow’s trip to Barnsley.

It is expected that left-back Kieran Gibbs is fit to feature at Oakwell just a couple of weeks after suffering what looks to be a serious hamstring problem.

Watch West Bromwich Albion Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

The 30-year-old went down against Swansea City just before the hour mark and punched the Hawthorns turf out of frustration multiple times.

He has been completely absent for their last three matches but manager Slaven Bilic has revealed he could be in line to feature.

The Croatian said: “With Gibbo, you never know. He should be. His target was for Boxing Day, for him and the whole medical staff. He should be fit.”

The former Arsenal man has only managed to play eight league games this campaign with injuries seemingly creeping up on him whenever he gets a regular run out in the side.

It could be something that Bilic needs to manage as the season goes on as Conor Townsend’s appearances have failed to suggest why he’s able to deputise, and the man starting ahead of the natural left-back – Nathan Ferguson – could be heading towards the exit door at the Hawthorns, if reports are to be believed.

Albion head into Boxing Day sitting top of the Championship with a three-point cushion over their nearest challengers, Leeds United.

Whose Line Is It Anyway: Michael Owen, Garth Crooks or Mark Lawrenson?

While in other Baggies news, might it be a case of deja vu once again with another academy prospect linked with a January departure…

Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Hugo Lloris remains on course for a return to the first team in the new year, that is according to a report from football.london.

The French shot-stopper has been out of action since October after picking up a nasty elbow injury early on in their game against Brighton & Hove Albion (Transfermarkt).

In his absence, Paulo Gazzaniga has filled in between the sticks for Spurs, but he hasn’t really been too convincing.

Indeed, he has managed to keep just one clean sheet in his 12 starts whilst Lloris has been out, conceding 17 goals in that time (Transfermarkt).

Added to that he also made a massive error recently against Chelsea, completely misjudging an attempted clearance and fouling Marcos Alonso which led to a penalty and goal for the Blues (Sky Sports).

As a result of the Argentine’s dodgy displays, it seems as though plenty of Tottenham fans can’t wait for their regular number one to return to action and they were delighted to hear that he is still on course to return in the next month or so.

Here is what some have been saying about Lloris on Twitter…

Spurs fans, does Hugo Lloris come straight back into the starting 11 when fit? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below…

Many Everton fans have been reacting on Twitter to the realisation that Liverpool attacker Sadio Mane is earning the same weekly wage as the likes of Theo Walcott, Morgan Schneiderlin and Gylfi Sigurdsson, as per Spotrac.

After the Senegal international beat teammate Mo Salah to the African Player of the Year on Wednesday, 90min.com tweeted that the latter earns double what the former does – £200,000-a-week compared to £100,000-a-week.

It didn’t take long for the Goodison Park faithful to pick up on this stat, and they of course compared it to some of their own in what has been a tough week for the blue side of Merseyside following their miserable performance in the derby on Sunday.

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Meanwhile, Mane has just won the African Player of the Year, come fourth in the 2019 Ballon d’Or award and has scored 15 and assisted 11 times in 28 games for the Reds.

Meanwhile, Sigurdsson has scored two goals and provided one assist in 23 appearances in all competitions so far in 2019/20, while Schneiderlin came off second-best against two inexperienced midfielders at Anfield on Sunday and has been regularly criticised for his displays by supporters.

Call yourself a Premier League expert? How much did each of these big-money January signings cost?

Walcott hasn’t done much better with no goals and two assists in 18 outings this term, and after a promising first half against Jurgen Klopp’s men – even if he should have done much better to set up Richarlison – he like many of his teammates was useless in the second 45 minutes.

More than one Everton fan was particularly unhappy with former director of football Steve Walsh, who was at the helm when these contracts were handed out.

Another summed it up by saying “that’s Everton that is”, while one individual called it “madness”.

Given what has happened in recent years with majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri sharing his Champions League ambitions to finding themselves in the relegation zone when Marco Silva was sacked last month, who can blame them.

There was one cheeky response too, with a fan suggesting they offloaded the trio’s wages and then offered Mane £300,000-a-week to come to Everton.

Chance would be a fine thing, a fine thing indeed.

In other Everton news, the Toffees have been linked with a “leader” who is good enough to finally be their Romelu Lukaku replacement…