[ad_pod ]Rob Elliot was at Wembley to see his beloved Charlton Athletic seal their return to the Championship thanks to a dramatic 2-1 win over Sunderland.

Elliot expressed his delight for fellow goalkeeper Dillon Phillips, who managed to overcome his unexpected error at the start of the game to help see the Addicks through to a crucial win for the club.

The match had started so badly for Charlton when a Naby Sarr back-pass rolled past Phillips’ foot and into the net.

The keeper should have dealt with the pass but he lost his concentration and was punished for it.

Many 23-year-old’s would have crumbled under the pressure – especially with jeers ringing around Wembley every time he received the ball – but he showed immense character to carry on and he made a vital save to deny Grant Leadbitter a killer second goal.

That the victory was at the expense of Newcastle’s fierce local-rivals certainly added to the Newcastle stopper’s delight.

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Rangers are interested in signing Bolton Wanderers’ midfield prospect Luca Connell, according to The Daily Mail.

If you didn’t see what the likes of Mark Goldbridge and Expressions Oozing got up to at the Football Blogging Awards you need to check out the video below…

What’s the story?

With Connell’s contract set to expire at the end of June, the paper say a number of clubs are keen on his services, including Steven Gerrard’s side.

Bolton are not in a position to extend his contract given their current financial problems, according to the report, and the club’s administrators are set to recoup any compensation fee available for the 18-year-old.

Bursting into the first-team this season and making a dozen appearances in the English Championship and FA Cup, any interested party could be getting an exciting talent on their hands for a budget price.

Should Rangers bite?

Such a deal may be tempting for a club like Rangers, especially since Gerrard seems keen on building a young squad full of players who know what it takes to play in British football.

However, Connell plays in central midfield and that’s one of the last positions that needs to be strengthened at Ibrox right now.

With classy operators like Ryan Jack, Scott Arfield, Steven Davis and Glen Kamara all impressing in the middle of the park this season, competition for places is already fierce.

Young guns

Rangers also have young players like Greg Docherty and Jordan Rossiter returning from loans in the English lower leagues, both of whom have won plaudits for their performances.

Docherty in particular appears to be a real talent, shining in English League One with Shrewsbury Town. He played a massive 50 times for the club, scoring 10 goals and assisting 11 times.

Gerrard simply must reward progress like that with an opportunity in pre-season and early European qualifiers this summer, rather than going out and signing more bodies to compete for places.

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Joao Moutinho has been brilliant this season. Signed for a bargain price of £5m, he’s been one of the best additions this term and his performances have typified the fight Wolves have had in 2018/19.

They’ve been stylish and hard-working, two attributes that describe Moutinho perfectly. But in a game which so nearly saw Liverpool win the title, the midfielder failed to find the inspiration capable of helping Wolves to yet another victory over a top-six side.

Fortunately, this was a game with nothing riding on it for Nuno Santo’s men. They’d already wrapped up seventh place so there was merely pride at stake.

However, Moutinho’s display gave an indication of potentially what’s to come next term. It’s been a long season for the club and with a slim squad, that looked to take its toll last Sunday afternoon.

Liverpool’s midfield dominated Barcelona last week in the Champions League and this was the same story against Wolves.

Moutinho rarely got on the ball, making just 37 passes. Whilst for a man with eight assists, the most of any Wolves player this term, a lack of key passes was alarming.

Next season, the Portuguese winner will be 33. At that age, you have to wonder whether he’d be to play the 44 matches he has this season. If you add European football to that, the weight only becomes even larger.

Wolves fans have been great value this season and now they’ve added another couple of belters to their arsenal of songs. Check them out in the video below…

His tired display, which was evident in losing possession twice, shows why the club must find more depth next season.

It’s been a lingering problem throughout much of the second half of the campaign, and after the club lost against Watford in the FA Cup semi-final there were question marks over how small the squad was.

Wolves have been reliant on Moutinho and Ruben Neves in midfield for much of the season but that’ll have to change next term. At some point they’ll need a rest, but if they can find other players to replace them in certain games then they could do even better in 2019/20.

[ad_pod ]Mauricio Pochettino has appeared to call for Tottenham Hotspur to invest in their playing squad, per El Partidazo de Cope.Spurs have finished in the top four of the Premier League and reached the Champions League final, having beaten the likes of Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City and Ajax, where they will play Liverpool on June 1.That is despite the club failing to sign a player in the last two transfer windows and Pochettino has now appeared to send a message to chairman Daniel Levy that new additions are needed.He said: “I will not make decisions about my future (until) after the final, it is important to know what the club’s future plan is.“If we want to return to the Champions League final next year and fight withÂManchester City and Liverpool for the Premier League title, we need reinforcements.”

His quotes come amid fevered speculation over Pochettino’s future; he has been heavily linked with the Juventus job in recent days after it was announced that Massimiliano Allegri would be leaving the post.

But fans are confident that he is merely keen to strengthen his squad and that an exit remains unlikely this summer.

Take a look at the best of the reaction below!

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According to Spanish outlet AS, Liverpool are interested in signing Real Madrid centre-back Sergio Ramos.

The news comes after the experienced Spanish international had a falling out with club president Florentino Perez after the Champions League last 16 defeat at the hands of Ajax; Ramos had purposely gotten himself suspended for the second leg so he could be available for the quarter-final.

As a result, the Reds and Juventus are interested in taking the 33-year-old off Real Madrid’s hands, whilst there is also some interest from China.

Luis Suarez certainly had no qualms about celebrating against his former employers in the video below…

Ramos has asked to leave on a free transfer as a side from China have submitted a ‘very good offer’, but they cannot pay a transfer fee.

It would be a hugely controversial move if Ramos arrived at Anfield, given the incident in Kiev between the defender and Mohamed Salah which saw the Egyptian leave the Champions League final early through injury.

So, if Ramos is allowed to leave on a free, should Liverpool get involved? Football FanCast’s writers have their say…

Matt Dawson 

“This would be one hell of a transfer and I’d dread to think what Salah would feel like if Liverpool brought in Ramos. It’s difficult to sit here and say he wouldn’t be a good signing. I’d be lying if I said that. The fact is that the Spaniard is one of the greatest centre-backs out there. If there is a chance to sign him then they can’t afford to pass up the chance. It may hinder Gomez’s game time but just imagine what he could learn from both Ramos and van Dijk. He’d be in dreamland.”

Harry Sherlock

“It’d be very funny; one wonders how Mohamed Salah would react. But he’s not the player Liverpool need. They do need to secure a world-class partner for Virgil van Dijk but Ramos doesn’t really solve the problem; he’ll need replacing in just a couple of seasons. Liverpool would be better off focusing their attentions on a younger acquisition that can play alongside the Dutchman for the next five or six seasons.”

Luke Glanville

“Sergio Ramos is perhaps the greatest European centre-back of all-time. So if any team can capture him on a free transfer, they should – it’s a pure, pure no-brainer. The Spanish international captain may be more of a veteran now, but is only 33 and still able to perform consistently at the highest level. In addition, Virgil van Dijk is crying out for a permanent world-class partner. The only issue is, of course, the friction between the player and Mo Salah, though it’s nothing that a simple handshake can’t solve. Liverpool shouldn’t let it put them off what could be the deal of the century.”

أكد أحمد حسام ميدو لاعب الزمالك ومنتخب مصر الأسبق، أن الدوري المحلي ينقصه بعض الأشياء ليصبح في مصاف البطولات الكبرى.

وقال ميدو في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر فضائية “أون تايم سبورتس”: “ينقصنا أن تكون هناك عدالة بين كل الأندية”.

وأضاف: “وينقصنا أن يتعلم حكامنا من التحكيم الأجنبي، وكيف يتعاملون مع المديرين الفنيين بهدوء”.

طالع | ميدو يشيد بلاعب الزمالك ويفسر سبب تراجع أداء القطبين قبل ديربي القرن

وتابع: “وينقصنا أيضًا أن يكون لدينا نقل تلفزيوني أفضل، الجميع لابد أن يبذل مجهودًا في موضعه، ولو هذا حدث سنتطور”.

وأردف: “لابد أن يكون لدينا إصرار ولا نسخر من الدوري المصري، هناك دول كثيرة تتمنى أن يكون عندها دوري مثلنا”.

Southampton fans are pleased they managed to remain a Premier League side this season, albeit they know it wouldn’t have been possible without Ralph Hasenhuttl as manager. Hopefully now, the club can rise again under his masterful watch. 

The changes he implemented when taking over from Mark Hughes ultimately were the reasons why Southampton secured their top-flight safety. And, with a full transfer window to inflict the changes he wants at St Mary’s, Southampton could be a far greater team next season.

It is important that whilst he is Southampton’s manager, the owners sufficiently back him so that he has the greatest possible chance of success down on the South Coast.

If he stays with Southampton’s philosophy of nurturing and bettering young players futures, then Bristol City’s Lloyd Kelly would be the ideal summer signing. Kelly, (who is valued at £1.8 million on Transfermarkt) could be the next to follow in the footsteps of many successful youngsters who have been at Southampton.

There’s certainly precedent on the south coast, after all…

The 20-year-old has been linked (as per the Bristol Post) with a move to St. Mary’s as Ralph Hasenhuttl looks to add some more youth and all-round quality to their starting line-up. Although Ryan Bertrand and Matt Targett are good defenders who also play left-back, Kelly has great potential to become one of the countries best in that role.

Also having the ability to play centre-back, it is no wonder why so many teams have been linked with a move to sign the 20-year-old, given the almighty potential he possesses.

Southampton have always usually believed in bringing through English talent and as this rumour suggests, they are keen to continue that trend and allow Lloyd Kelly to reach his full potential in the Premier League.

Saints fans, do you think Lloyd Kelly would be a good signing? If not, why not? Let us know!

Judging by this post he seems to think keeping the Christmas tree up all year has helped to land City three trophies this year.

The 24-year-old was superb this season and has gone from rotation option to one of the first names on the team-sheet in the space of a single campaign.

The Portuguese international is sensational on the ball but his work rate and immense popularity saw him win Manchester City Player of the Year voted for by the fans of the club.

One of City’s most famous fans, Noel Gallagher, named Silva as his favourite City player at the moment, and it is easy to see why.

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 diminutive midfield-schemer is one of Pep Guardiola’s hardest working players, making on average 1.4 tackles per game and 0.7 interceptions.

While going forward the former-Monaco man is deadly too – in 51 appearances he scored 14 goals and set up a further 13.

All of this, coupled with his infectious personality, strange quirks and now this latest little superstition, and it’s not hard to see why he is quickly becoming the out-and-out fan favourite at the Etihad.

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Tottenham Hotspur have handed Liverpool an unexpected pre-match advantage after Mauricio Pochettino’s quotes surrounding the build-up to the Champions League final.

The Spurs manager has guided the club out of a group also featuring both Barcelona and Inter Milan, while beating Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City and Ajax in the knockout stages.

Pochettino’s men, who he has referred to as “superheroes”, head into the game as slight underdogs against a Reds team that finished second in the Premier League, losing just one game.

And he has insisted that he wants to flout the usual UEFA rules by including every single member of his 23-man squad in the pre-match photograph.

Per the Daily Mail, he said: “What I want is all the players before the start of the game — 22 or 23 — in the picture on the pitch. That is the team that won or lost.”

He added: “People care a lot about that. The players care more than we believe. When I was a player I always fought with the organisation and the club. And the same now I’m a manager. I’m going to propose it.”

Fans have lapped this up; Pochettino often emphasises the collective instead of the individual and that is a key part of his managerial mentality but one has to question the wisdom of being so emotional ahead of such an enormous game.

Liverpool, naturally, will have 11 players in the pre-match picture. They have been here before and they have done it; no fewer than five times.

Spurs, by comparison, have never been to a Champions League final and, frankly, it shows.

Imagine the scene; Liverpool take their photograph and look over at Spurs, with all 23 players, including academy graduates Alfie Whiteman, Oliver Skipp and George Marsh, smiling for the cameras. It smacks of naivety and being overawed by the occasion. Such a saccharine sight will surely boost the likes of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino, who have been here before – just twelve months ago, in fact.

One can understand the mentality of Pochettino and the idea behind his statement but, at the same time, it plays into the opposition’s hands and creates the idea of Tottenham being in the final purely to make up the numbers.

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Loads of Leeds United fans on Twitter are excited at the prospect of signing Helder Costa this summer after Phil Hay wrote an article linking the Whites to the Portuguese winger.

The 25-year-old was electric for Wolves when they were in the Championship, but now the Midlands club seem content to let him go out on loan after a lacklustre first season in the top flight.

The winger scored just once last term while adding only two assists. A significant decrease on the 15 goals he scored over two seasons in the Championship where he also crafted 14 assists.

Hay has previously reported that Marcelo Bielsa’s side want to strengthen out wide this summer, and this signing would certainly help towards that.

It remains to be seen whether Andrea Radrizzani and Victor Orta can negotiate this signing successfully, but if they do, it will undoubtedly be a very popular move.

Here’s what the Elland Road faithful have been saying on Twitter…