All posts by h716a5.icu

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Nottingham Forest cult hero John Metgod has left the club, but not for the first time.

During his playing career, the Dutchman enjoyed a three-year spell with the Reds in the 1980s before leaving to join Spurs. However, after becoming a part of the board of directors at the club in 2017, he has now gone again.

He’ll be moving to the Far East where he’ll join the U.A.E as the assistant manager of their national team.

In response, Forest fans have shared a mixed reaction. Some left GIFs which suggest he’s only left because of the money, but there were some more positive tweets sent in the direction of their former player as well.

One supporter claimed they were still in awe of his free-kicks whilst another said they were his first ever favourite player.

Metgod had a successful playing career, especially in his native Netherlands where he won major honours with AZ Alkmaar and Feyenoord.

Is The Championship the most exciting league in the world? Pl>ymaker FC’s Matchday with Max discusses the recent run of crazy results with Sky Sports’ Michelle Owen in the video below…

The 61-year-old earned 21 caps for his country whilst also playing for Real Madrid before joining Forest.

Here’s how the City Ground faithful have reacted to him leaving.

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On Wednesday evening, Liverpool posted a video on their official Twitter account showing central defender Joe Gomez back in training alongside his teammates.

Gomez has been out of action since fracturing his leg in Liverpool’s 3-1 win over Burnley at the start of December.

The 21-year-old made 18 appearances for the Reds in the first half of the 2018-19 campaign, with his performances drawing a host of admiring glances.

Neither Dejan Lovren nor Joel Matip have really shone in his absence, but Virgil van Dijk has been outstanding over the course of the season.

It seems unlikely that Gomez will be able to face Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League this weekend, but he is certainly ready to contribute in the final months of the campaign.

Are the media letting Jurgen Klopp off lightly for his lack of silverware? The Pl>ymaker FC squad have their say in the video below…

The Liverpool fans have been on social media reacting to the video.

And it will not come as a surprise to learn that the supporters are absolutely delighted with the injury update on the 2015 arrival from Charlton Athletic:

Of all the players to benefit the most from Luton’s remarkable fortunes this season, James Justin might be at the top of that list.

The 19-year-old defender has been a pivotal player for the Hatters this season since the fullback was brought into the side in October, and in that time his reputation has sky-rocketed.

Justin was recently placed in the EFL League One Team of the Season and the right-back was nominated for the EFL Young Player of the Season, the only League One player to be nominated for the award this season.

The defender has been on the losing side in the league just twice this season as Luton lead the League One table by five points and are currently on a 28 game unbeaten run, and Justin’s rapid rise as one of the best young defenders in the league is one that youngsters around the country should look into.

We live in an age where aspiring football players want to be playing at the top right from the start, to be training with the first-team at the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United and learning from the best players in the world, and although this is the case for a handful of players, the 99% have to settle for playing with local clubs or going out on loan from Premier League and Championship teams.

Justin’s story of working his way through Luton’s academy and making it to the first-team and becoming a star is one that youngsters should be gaining inspiration from.

The fullback, who has three goals and six assists this season, has grafted his way to the top and the results are finally showing. There’s certainly a chance that Justin will be the subject of interest from Premier League and Championship sides this summer, and with good reason.

We have seen the likes of Dele Alli, Ollie Watkins and Lewis Cook all claim EFL Young Player of the Season in the past few seasons and go on to be great players for their respected clubs, and it’s these stories, as well as Justin’s, that youngsters should be learning from when dreaming about becoming a professional footballer in the future.

Luton fans, how important has Justin been this season? Let us know below

Leeds United set to suffer further selection dilemma as Barry Douglas ruled out for the rest of the season with knee ligament damage.

It will come as devastating news to Leeds United fans to learn that Barry Douglas will not feature again in the club’s Championship promotion run-in after rupturing a medial ligament in the emphatic 3-2 victory over Millwall on Saturday, leaving him side-lined for at least two months (as per the Daily Mail).

Douglas, who has already achieved Premier League promotion with his former side Wolverhampton Wanderers, was a surprise summer arrival and hopes were understandably high amongst the Leeds faithful given his impressive contribution of five goals and 15 assists last season.

However, for all the hype that formerly surrounded one of the Championship’s most creative players, and an admittedly impressive beginning to the campaign, injuries soon restricted his influence and he has since managed just 21 starts, scoring no goals and assisting a paltry four.

Enough time spent analysing Yorkshire Evening Post writer Phil Hay’s tweet announcing the injury reveals just how much conjecture there is over his contribution this year – was he good, bad, average or awful? Many have answered.

Generally speaking, a consensus has formed that Barry Douglas started out a promising prospect before waning slightly due to injury, and his absence, though frustrating, doesn’t leave that much of a void at least in a technical sense.

However, what we believe, which Leeds fans also tend to agree with, is that the Scot’s absence has created a selection nightmare for Bielsa heading into an important part of the season. Alioski is the mostly likely candidate the occupy the spot whilst Berardi is also in contention – though the latter doesn’t offer much of an attacking outlet. Ultimately it means someone is going to have to drop from their normal responsibilities and that could damage the club.

Leeds United fans, how much of a loss is Barry Douglas and who do you see as his best replacement? Let us know in the comments below…

With Rangers desperately trying bring back the days when the Scottish Premiership title was a two-horse race, Steven Gerrard’s comments dispelling hopes of buying on-loan winger show their is still some way to go.

Ryan Kent has been a sensation since his temporary switch to Ibrox from Liverpool, and Gers fans will be extremely disappointed were he not to return in some capacity next season.

So to hear Gerrard say the club will not be able to afford to buy the player outright, will be a bitter pill for fans to swallow.

With the fee Liverpool would demand — rumoured to be around £12 million — Gerrard is still hoping to bring the player back, albeit in another loan deal, but the ball is, very much, in the Merseyside club’s court.

Gerrard told the Scottish Sun: “I think it would unlikely be a permanent move. The numbers being spoken about, I’m out.

“I would be more confident about getting him back on a loan. If Liverpool wanted to sell him, that’s out of my hands. We’ll have to wait and see.

“There are a lot of boxes ticked with him being at Rangers. Liverpool know that, Ryan and his people know that and we certainly understand that.

“We have to make sure we have an offer for Ryan.

“Our supporters need to know I’m doing everything I can to make sure he is here next year because he is one of the people I want to build the team around.”

The club may be back in the upper echelons of the top tier table now, but after the problems that beset the club from past regimes, it seems that they are still a long way from being able to compete in the transfer market for the quality of player that would see them mount a realistic title challenge.

In modern football, £12m is not an enormous fee, but that Rangers are unable to fork out those amounts, while disappointing for fans to hear, means the club are trying to manage their budget in such a way to prevent repeating mistakes of the past.

But when it comes to as player like Kent, who Gerrard publicly said he wants to build a team around, surely there has to be some way of balancing the books and still be able to back the manager with, what he sees as, a key signing.

The opportunity to win the Premiership title, and the riches that a subsequent Champion’s League qualification could bring, would far outway the initial £12m outlay on Kent.

So maybe there should be some semblance of speculating to accumulate, rather than simply going through the motions year upon year, while watching your neighbours rack up trophy after trophy.

What do you think of the current financial situation at Ibrox, Rangers fans? Should they start to be more ambitious in the transfer market? Let us know…

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Sheffield Wednesday fans are split on whether or not Kieran Lee should be offered a new deal at Hillsborough.

Lee was a key player for the Owls for years before injury saw him miss a large portion of last season. The midfielder hasn’t yet recovered fully having not made a single appearance for Wednesday throughout 2018/19.

The 30-year-old was back in action for the U23s this week but he still has a long way to go before returning to the first-team.

Lee’s contract is up this summer and fans of the Yorkshire club have been debating whether or not he should be kept on next season.

It would be a gamble for the Owls to offer Lee a new deal if he continues to be unavailable for selection, however, if he manages to return to his best and put his injury woes behind him Wednesday will be retaining the services of potentially one of the most influential players in the Championship.

Here’s what Sheffield Wednesday fans have been saying on Twitter…

Check out the video below to see how Brazil fans reacted to being asked how Cristiano Ronaldo would perform for them in a hilarious prank by Pl>ymaker FC…

Crystal Palace’s defensive record is a mystery in itself.

At times, the Eagles form this impenetrable shield around them to grind out victories and earn crucial clean-sheets. Everything we’ve come to expect from a Roy Hodgson team.

On other days, however, they fall apart like a house of cards.

Frustratingly, much like their attack, their defence is still not completely set, missing some bite or composure which could make them even more difficult to score past. With that in mind, the Eagles are reportedly looking to fix this problem and according to reports (via The Sun), they’re tracking the development of young centre-back Ezri Konsa at Brentford.

The 21-year-old’s impressed for the West London side, helping them keep seven clean-sheets by putting in some strong performances in a physically demanding league. He’s really helped steer the Bees away from trouble, with his mobility, commendable game-reading skills and assertiveness at the back helping him keep some bullying strikers at bay, so Steve Parish simply must sign him this summer.

Konsa’s averaged at 1.2 tackles, 1.1 interceptions, 3.3 clearances per game (stats via WhoScored), showing glimpses of a confident defender primed for big things in the near future. If the Eagles truly want to solidify their defence for the long-term, the 21-year-old’s their man to go-to.

Not only can he help strengthen their backline, but help in improving other aspects as well.

The young star’s fantastic distribution ability can make the transition from defence to attack easier and restrict Palace’s problems playing out of defence. If he can help improve the way Palace build from the back, fans at Selhurst Park might be in for some better football.

At long last, right?

Indeed, Konsa can benefit from learning under the strong James Tomkins while adding speed and spirit to Crystal Palace’s defence towards making the Eagles a mean opposition to score past.

Palace fans, are you excited by Konsa’s potential arrival this summer? Join the discussion by commenting below…

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Leicester look as though they’ll face competition from German giants Bayern Munich if they want to secure the services of creative midfielder Hakim Ziyech from Ajax.

Bleacher Report claimed in March that the Foxes were watching the player but this week Bayern have entered the race, according to Sueddeutsche Zeitung.

The Moroccan has been one of Ajax’s stand out men in their incredible run to the Champions League semi-finals and is likely to be one of many of their players to be touted this summer.

However, with the player rated at £31.5m as per Transfermarkt, should Brendan Rodgers cough up the necessary funds it’ll take to bring the player to the King Power? Football FanCast writers give their verdicts.

Harry Sherlock

“Hakim Ziyech would be absolutely perfect for Leicester. In fact, he’d probably waltz into any team in the Premier League top six. If Brendan Rodgers can complete a deal, and also sign Youri Tielemans, Leicester might well have one of the best midfields in the Premier League. £30million for Ziyech is a snip. But expect that price to rise if Ajax manage to complete perhaps the unlikeliest Champions League triumph in modern history.” 

Billy Meyers

“Leicester absolutely should splash the cash for Hakim Ziyech. If there was ever a player who could replace the mercurial talents of Riyad Mahrez, something that Rachid Ghezzal has struggled to do, then it is Ziyech. In the modern market, anything between £30m-£40m for the Moroccan international can be considered a bargain.”

Ben Goodwin

“Leicester should forget a move for Ziyech and focus instead on wrapping up a permanent deal for Youri Tielemans. There is no telling how Ziyech will adjust to English football, and Eredivisie signings do have recent history of flopping in superior leagues (looking at you Vincent Janssen). The Moroccan is talented, but he is not an out-and-out winger and not defensively shrewd enough to play in a Premier League midfield – a flop waiting to happen if ever there was one. Tielemans on the other hand already looks a ready-made star and is loving life at the King Power.”

Matt Dawson

“On paper, Ziyech would be an absolutely superb signing but there is simply no guaranteeing that he’ll hit the same levels he has this season again. This could very much be a one-off for the Moroccan but with the player approaching his peak, spending so much could be a gamble worth taking. However, if Leicester wanted to play things safe they’d be better off putting all their efforts into making Tielemans’ loan deal a permanent stay when it ends.” 

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The war of words between Aston Villa fans and Middlesbrough owner Steve Gibson has continued this week.

Gibson was proposing that club finances should be reviewed by external accountants after calling for an investigation into the actions of Aston Villa, Derby and Nottingham Forest. However, a motion for greater transparency has since been rejected.

It provoked quite the reaction from Villa fans who were quick to laugh at Gibson for his failed attempts. A few supporters simply shared their feelings by posting GIFs on Twitter.

A further fan chose to focus on how the Boro Chairman had paid former player Fabrizio Ravanelli a reported £42,000 a week and claimed he was the reason for one of football’s biggest problems.

Another supporter posed the question of whether a childish rivalry would now start between the two clubs because of Gibson.

Villa will be thankful that nothing has come of the investigation with the club having a fantastic opportunity of gaining promotion back to the Premier League.

Dean Smith’s men are on a phenomenal ten-match winning streak and sealed their play-off place with a win over Millwall on Easter Monday.

Here’s the best of the reaction.

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Newcastle welcome Liverpool to St James’ Park this evening for a fixture of gargantuan importance in the context of the Premier League title race.

Rafa Benitez has carried the Magpies to safety once again this season, with Ayoze Perez finding his goal scoring touch in tandem with Miguel Almiron’s arrival January.

Jurgen Klopp and his side will be feeling wounded after suffering an unfortunate 3-0 defeat against Barcelona in midweek, and the realisation that they are on the brink in the Champions League adds an extra layer of importance to tonight’s clash.

Liverpool simply have to win to keep the pressure on Manchester City and failure to do so could prove decisive, leaving them trophyless despite enjoying a scintillating campaign.

Ahead of the game we’ve delved into the factors which could shape the result, including the head-to-head record, a key midfield battle and predicted starting XI’s.

What History Tells Us

Newcastle boast an eyecatching home record against tonight’s visitors. History suggests that the hosts are the more dominant team on this ground, with a win percentage of 43.5% at St James’ Park markedly better than Liverpool’s 30.4%.

Overall Klopp’s men are considerably more successful in the head-to-head but home advantage is clearly a factor which significantly plays into Benitez’s hands.

146 goals have flown into the net from the 47 times these two sides have met since the Premier League’s inception. At a historic average of more than 3 goals a game, we can expect plenty of goalmouth action this evening.

Key Battle

It’s no secret that Liverpool’s array of pulsating midfield options have been a major reason behind the club’s title challenge this season.

Fabinho took time to settle into the starting XI but he has established himself as a solid midfield metronome in recent months, breaking up play in front of the defence and offering creative spark from deep.

The key to preventing Liverpool from completely dictating the game lies within Newcastle’s ability to deprive him of space in central areas, and that responsibility may well fall on Isaac Hayden’s shoulders.

Like Fabinho, Hayden has been forced to bide his time this season but he has excelled since earning Benitez’s trust.

His high-energy approach has seen him complete more tackles, interceptions, key passes, and aerial duels than the Brazilian this season in three less appearances.

Don’t be surprised if these two are engaged in a potentially result-defining midfield battle.

Ref in Focus

Andre Marriner is the man in the middle and he will be making his 26th Premier League appearance of the season.

If his record this season is anything to go by, we should expect a free-flowing game.

The experienced 48-year-old ranks in 17th for fouls per game, fouls per tackle and penalties per game from of the 18 referees who have taken charge of a Premier League game this season, per Whoscored.

His home win bias also stands at 40% which, combined with Newcastle’s impressive home record against Liverpool, suggests the omens are giving the underdogs a fighting chance.

Team News

The energy provided by Sean Longstaff in midfield and the zip and verve of Miguel Almiron will both be sorely missed by Newcastle.

But they have been boosted by the news that both Jamaal Lascelles and Ayoze Perez are fit to play, and both players will presumably take their place in the starting XI after recovering from their respective struggles.

The five at the back formation which has treated Newcastle so well this season should provide Martin Dubravka with a solid wall to protect his goal, suffocating the likes of Mo Salah and Sadio Mane in their bid to find space inside the channels.

At the other end Salomon Rondon will be expected to stick the ball to his foot when the hosts embark on a counter-attack.

Naby Keita has been ruled out after being forced off in midweek with a groin injury.

That should pave the way for Jordan Henderson to take his place from the start while Roberto Firmino will almost certainly return at centre-forward if he passes a late fitness test, pushing Georginio Wijnaldum back into midfield after a brief flirt with the centre-forward berth.

Trent Alexander-Arnold is likely to replace Joe Gomez at full-back to offer greater width and penetration in the final-third, as Klopp makes three changes to the side that were humbled in Catalonia this week.