Category Uncategorized

Arsenal’s Europa League defeat to Sporting CP in midweek ends their chances of winning their second major European trophy, yet the penalty shootout loss could potentially end up being a blessing in disguise.

Mikel Arteta is focused on securing the Gunners their first Premier League title since 2003/2004 and the extra continental matches may have been more of a hindrance than anything else in their bid to hold off Manchester City.

The Spaniard had to rotate his squad against the Portuguese side, giving players such as Takehiro Tomiyasu, Reiss Nelson and Fabio Vieira starts, although they didn’t exactly take their chance, with Vieira performing extremely poorly.

The 22-year-old was filling in for Martin Odegaard, who Arteta was clearly resting for the Premier League tie this weekend, yet he failed to take his opportunity.

Will Fabio Vieira start for Arsenal vs Crystal Palace?

The former Porto man didn’t do much against Sporting, in truth, averaging a woeful Sofascore rating of 5.9/10, comfortably the worst on the pitch and across his 101-minute spell on the pitch, he managed just 47 touches and 25 passes – figures nowhere near good enough for Arteta.

He also won just one duel, succeeded with zero dribble attempts and lost possession 13 times during the tie and he “didn’t cover himself in glory” according to popular Arsenal blog the Short Fuse.

He was also dubbed “utterly terrible” by one source during the match and his performance will give Arteta the licence to ditch him for the tie against Palace this afternoon.

This wasn’t a one-off by the 5 foot 7 midfielder either, as he has failed to demonstrate to the Emirates faithful during his short spell why the club splashed out £34m to sign him last summer.

He has made just two Premier League starts this term (17 appearances in total), scoring once and registering two assists, yet his average Sofascore rating of 6.74/10 ranks him as only the Gunners' 15th-best performer this season.

Of course, adapting to a new league and culture is extremely difficult, but the midfielder has struggled to take the limited opportunities presented to him by Arteta.

Starting in the last 16 of a major European competition was the ideal chance for him to showcase his abilities and lead the club through to the quarter-finals, however his abject performance will surely give the manager more questions than answers.

With the manager-less Eagles to come this afternoon, the former Porto man will likely return his usual watching brief.

Newcastle United are ‘considering’ submitting an offer for Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun this summer, according to journalist Steve Kay.

The Lowdown: Premier League interest

The Gunners forward is currently out on a season-long loan at Reims in Ligue 1, with his performances having caught the eye as a result of him being their top-performing offensive player.

CaughtOffside reported last week that there was Premier League interest in the 21-year-old ahead of the upcoming window, but it wasn’t revealed where it was coming from, and it now very much looks like it was Eddie Howe at St. James’ Park.

The Latest: Newcastle weighing up bid

Taking to Twitter, Kay revealed that Newcastle are pondering whether to table an official offer for Balogun later in the summer. He wrote:

“Newcastle United are considering making a bid for Arsenal forward Folarin Balogun this summer.

“The Gunners forward who is currently on loan at Reims, has scored 15 goals in 25 games in #Ligue1UberEats this season.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/newcastle-news-7/” title=”Newcastle news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Massive coup

Balogun has been excelling out on loan at Reims and whilst his price tag is unknown, it would be a massive coup for Newcastle should they be able to successfully secure his services.

The Adidas-sponsored ace has clocked up an outstanding 120 goal contributions (96 goals and 24 assists) in just 161 appearances throughout his career at youth and senior level, and he’s currently averaging three shots per league game so the numbers should be sustainable.

The New York-born talent also ranks in the 86th percentile for progressive passes received, showing that he is consistently able to get himself in the best positions in the final third.

Balogun has been likened to Napoli striker Victor Osimhen by talent scout Jacek Kulig and when you consider what he’s already achieved at just 21, he’s sure to have an extremely bright future ahead of him.

TalkSPORT’s Mark Goldbridge believes he’s been left disappointed by the recent form of Liverpool duo Joel Matip and Virgil van Dijk.

The Lowdown: Liverpool aren’t the same as they once were

After a stunning few years under Jurgen Klopp which has seen Liverpool win a whole load of trophies including the Champions League, Premier League and Carabao Cup it now could be unravelling quite quickly.

The Reds currently find themselves nine points off the top four and even five points off Newcastle United in fifth with their latest 0-0 draw against Crystal Palace being another sign that things aren’t all rosy at Anfield.

Back-to-back league wins against Everton and Newcastle have swiftly been forgotten following a Champions League thumping against Real Madrid and then the draw at Palace but despite their third league clean sheet in a row, the defence has been impressing everyone.

The Latest: Van Dijk and Matip being exposed

Gold bridge believes that this season has shown Van Dijk and Matip for the defenders they may actually be and has insisted on Ben Foster’s YouTube channel that the pair have gone down in his estimations.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/liverpool-transfer-news-and-rumours/” title=”Liverpool Transfer News and Rumours” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/cropped-2021-03-07T155652Z_1459311687_UP1EH3718ASBK_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-LIV-FUL-REPORT.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

He said: (38:20) “I’ve always rated Van Dijk but I must admit, he’s had a midfield in front of him for his whole career and now he doesn’t – you can’t pick all the midfield runners up – but I think those centre backs, Matip and Van Dijk, are probably not as good as I thought they were this season.”

The Verdict: Klopp must find the perfect balance

Liverpool are indeed likely going to have to write this season off in terms of the top-four race and winning the Champions League given where they currently stand in both of those competitions, although they may still fancy their chances in the FA Cup.

However, if they are to lift a piece of unlikely silverware then Liverpool need to find consistency as this season they’ve never won three league games in a row with woes at both ends of the pitch letting them down.

Klopp will know that standards from most players have dropped this season and perhaps this poor campaign is what is needed to shock everyone back into life and make them realise that the last few good years aren’t guaranteed to repeat themselves in the future so all players must now step up, or risk being replaced.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Michael Beale has a number of significant decisions to make heading into the summer transfer window as a collection of players are set to be out of contract.

The Gers have a host of first-team squad members whose deals expire at the end of the season and the Light Blues boss, working alongside Ross Wilson, needs to decide who he does, and does not, want to keep.

One player who could be worthy of an extension is Scotland international midfielder Ryan Jack, who has been heavily involved so far this season.

The 30-year-old has played 17 times, starting 11 of those matches, in the Premiership this term and has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.88 in that time.

Jack, who started nine games in the run to the Europa League final in 2021/22, has been a reliable performer for Beale in the middle of the park and it could be worth handing him an extra couple of years, given that he only turns 31 this year.

However, Beale must also start to think about what life may look like at Ibrox after the Scottish battler departs and that is where B Team gem Bailey Rice comes into play.

The Light Blues head coach could find the long-term successor to Jack by developing the young academy talent to a point where he can take the experienced technician’s place in a few seasons’ time.

Extending the current first-team star’s contract for another two or three campaigns would allow the club to work with Rice to ensure that the youngster is fully ready to make the step up to first-team football.

The 16-year-old, who was dubbed a “prospect” by journalist Mark Hendry, joined the club from Motherwell in January of last year and has been a regular for the youth side this season.

Despite only turning 16 in October of 2022, the enforcer has played 14 matches for the B team, alongside some players who are three or four years older than him, and six times for the U19s.

The midfielder, who has scored two goals and provided one assist in 13 Lowland League outings, is seemingly showing maturity and quality beyond his years to be regularly selected for the B Team at his age, which is a promising sign for the future.

Premier League champions Manchester City were also interested in signing the gem last year, which shows how highly his performances in Motherwell’s youth set-up were rated, and Rice has also been capped 15 times by Scotland at youth level.

His accomplishments and the transfer interest he garnered before the age of 17 suggest that the gem, who has vowed to “keep improving”, has immense potential and could be a future star of the Gers first team if he can continue to develop and grow as a player.

Therefore, Rice could be the long-term successor to Jack in the middle of the park and extending the latter’s contract to coincide with when the B Team star will be nearing his 20s could be a smart move by the club.

An update has emerged on Tottenham Hotspur and the decision they made on Oliver Skipp during the January transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Football.london reported on deadline day that Antonio Conte rejected any possibility of the central midfielder departing the club on loan for the second half of the campaign.

The report claimed that the England U21 international was keen on going away to get regular minutes under his belt after a difficult first half of the season.

Premier League sides Leeds United, Crystal Palace, Fulham, and Bournemouth were all interested in signing the gem but Conte refused to sanction any deal before the deadline passed.

Deadline day blunder

Conte committed a deadline day blunder by dismissing the chance to send the young midfielder out on loan as it could have been crucial to the dynamo’s development.

Pape Matar Sarr is set to return from injury this month and the Italian head coach already has Rodrigo Bentancur, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Yves Bissouma in that position, with the latter three all sitting on at least 800 minutes played in the Premier League this season.

Skipp, meanwhile, has only played 199 minutes in the division, suggesting that the mdfielder is fourth-choice, at best, in the middle of the park – potentially fifth if Sarr is preferred over him in the coming months.

Since returning from his loan spell with Norwich in the 2020/21 campaign, the 22-year-old has started just 17 Premier League matches for Spurs in over one-and-a-half seasons. He has been unable to kick on and earn his place as a regular starter in the side and this has, in turn, stunted his development.

After averaging a WhoScored rating of 6.90 in the Championship across 45 matches for the Canaries, Skipp averaged a score of 6.57 in the top flight in 2021/22 and is currently averaging a score of 6.11 in the current campaign.

These statistics indicate that the Englishman’s performances have regressed with less and less game time on the pitch and there is nothing to suggest that his minutes will drastically increase in the coming months, with Bentancur, Hojbjerg, and Bissouma all ahead of him in the pecking order.

Therefore, heading out on loan to play week-in-week-out in the Premier League for Leeds, Palace, Bournemouth, or Fulham, could have been a brilliant move for the £40k-per-week maestro, who was once dubbed “perfect” by ex-boss Daniel Farke, and one that could have allowed him to finally kick on and develop his performances at the top level.

Instead, Skipp looks set for a reserve role and limited minutes between now and the end of the season and, based on the evidence of the last 18 months, that could mean another four months of his career wasted at Hotspur Way instead of being able to grow and improve by gaining more experience.

The iGaming industry has been continuously booming which prompted many operators to improve their sites for the players to continuously patronize their sites and for new players to sign up. The newest casinos for 2023 offer the newest games, generous bonuses, the best features, and state-of-the-art design. If you’re using the latest 5th Generation mobile phone, then you can easily download new casino site applications because the latest betting sites are designed to be compatible with these 5G mobile casinos.

Wagering in football involves forecasting the outcome of the game because no matter how good the team is, the odds may change.

Live Betting

The development of mobile technology made it possible for virtual bettors to wager with a human croupier, a chance to meet other players, and to feel the ambiance of the physical casino live.

In sports betting, sportsbooks prefer live betting because the outcome is based on the outright result since everything happens during the sports event.

What makes it intense is that aside from players getting the result instantaneously, players can also bet on any type of bet, especially major football games.

Features of Live Betting

Live betting has special tools which are essential to the punters for them to follow the progress of the game and to place their bets conveniently. Here are the following live betting features:

Live Streaming

As explained earlier, this feature allows the player to watch the actual events virtually. It gives the punters an opportunity to choose which type of wager they will use on the said game and which player/team they prefer to bet on based on their performance in real time.

Virtual Live Feeds

A virtual live feed is an option for punters who don’t prefer live betting or don’t have access to it. This platform, also offered in an online casino, shows pictures, diagrams, and words for the punter to monitor the progress of the event.

Advantages in Football Live Betting

Betting in live streaming has a lot of benefits and the most evident is the opportunity for the player to place a bet regardless of their location. Competitive odds are also available in live betting, a chance to place winning bets and more cash-out options. Live betting guarantees a fun experience and as mentioned more betting options. Bookmakers also offer generous deals if you choose live betting.

In a football match, watching it live is so much fun punters can see a lot of action happening in real time like watching the physical game itself. Lots of betting options are offered and various odds.

Basic suggestions for Live Football Betting 1.     Know who will play in the coming event

The majority of the punters are football fanatics which is one of the main reasons for watching it live. They wanted to see their favourite player and team in action. This team in particular is known by most of their fans to have a chance to win so they bet on them. It is good to place a bet on the team in which you know you’ll gain profit.

2.     Advance studying of the games

Anticipating the upcoming big event is typical for avid football punters hence they coordinate with their online bookie about it. Aside from the favoured team that you placed your bet on, be sure to also check other teams and find out their strength and weakness so you can check on the odds before placing a bet.

3.     Avoid jumping to the conclusion

Football, like any other sports game, has its highs and lows. A particular team may have a good start but it might change its course later and may start to decline. Other teams may start low but will soon gain and might eventually win. It is best to observe other teams as well and not focus on your favourite but it doesn’t mean that you’re going to switch to the other team. It’s just a matter of observing others as well for you not to be on the losing end.

Final Insights:

This year is a promising one for the online casino industry especially now that it is easy to place a bet live in football. Since it happens on a pre-game basis which means that you can wager ahead of time before the said event arrives and reserve the rest during the game itself. You can coordinate with your sportsbook and they will present to you the odds. The majority of the sportsbook which offers live betting is accessible to a variety of platforms like laptops, desktops, and the most convenient of all – the smartphone.

Photo by Unsplash

West Ham could sell Declan Rice in the summer for just £70m, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

The Lowdown: Rice to leave in the summer

Many clubs could well be looking to sign Rice this month to improve their side and sense an opportunity given West Ham’s shocking first half of the season, with the Hammers now sitting only outside of the relegation zone by virtue of goal difference.

However, David Moyes has come out on record to confirm that Rice won’t be sold by the Hammers this month, though the summer could well be the time he eventually departs the London Stadium.

Some reports have suggested that Rice will cost around £150m if any club wishes to take him away from West Ham in the near future.

The Latest: £70m enough to sign Rice

Despite that reported huge price tag on Rice’s head, Jacobs thinks clubs could land a bargain deal for someone so young and accomplished if they wait until the summer.

Speaking on The Done Deal Show, he said: “Now, there’s a feeling amongst suitors come the summer, Rice’s price is going to drop to maybe as low as £70m, and that is deemed to be [good] value, so then we have to wait and see who seriously comes into the mix.”

The Verdict: West Ham may lose out on millions

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-latest-uodates/” title=”West Ham latest updates!” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/cropped-david-moyes-premier-league-scaled-1.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

If it is true that clubs believe Rice will be on the market for no more than £70m, West Ham may end up kicking themselves that they didn’t cash in on the midfielder last summer when clubs were being quoted £150m.

However, even if they don’t receive as much as they once wanted for Rice, West Ham could be happy to get a major cash injection from a player that cost them nothing.

It will be difficult to replace Rice as he leads the team in so many key areas such as interceptions, passes and progressive passes (FBref), but David Moyes will have to hope £70m can sufficiently replace him.

Manchester City star Jack Grealish will not be sold in the near future despite the rumours about replacing him, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Grealish’s future

It has been reported by Football Insider that Man City would be willing to sell Grealish to fund their pursuit of Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham.

With the former Aston Villa man only arriving at the Etihad Stadium last summer in a British-record £100m deal, it would surely be a premature departure if he were to be sold already, and Jones has now given an update on whether this is likely to be the case…

The Latest: Jones’ comments

Jones tells GIVEMESPORT that the Englishman will not be leaving at this early stage, despite a difficult start to his City career:

“I just see no chance of Man City actually looking to cash in on Jack Grealish at this point. I know that he probably hasn’t transitioned into the team as well as you might have hoped in terms of stats, in terms of maybe even minutes.

“But it was a really big signing for them, and it’s a player that Pep Guardiola really has spoken about with great admiration and great hope. And it’s not very often Man City quickly turn their back on someone.”

The Verdict: Too soon?

While it is true that the 27-year-old has not recorded the best numbers for the Sky Blues up to this point, registering six goal contributions in 26 appearances last season, Pep Guardiola should give him more time to replicate his Villa form.

Jamie O’Hara has previously lauded the £300k-per-week earner as being ‘world-class’, and he has shown this in glimpses for City, starring in a 3-0 away win at Wolves earlier this season ,with a goal and an 8.1 SofaScore rating, the highest received by any player.

Hia manager has also been keen to stress that goals and assists are not the be-all-and-end-all for the maestro, saying:

“We didn’t sign for the incredible goals or assists at Aston Villa. It was another reason and when he played he did it. I want [him] to make goals and assists and he does too. But it’s not about that, it’s about his contribution without the ball and what he can produce for the other ones.”

As such, Grealish is still playing his part in the Man City team, even if he is not recording the same sort of numbers as the likes of Kevin De Bruyne or Phil Foden, and Guardiola should at least give him until the end of the season before making any hasty decisions.

West Ham United defender Thilo Kehrer has been criticised for his performance in Germany’s recent World Cup group match against Spain. 

The Lowdown: Germany vs Spain

After losing 2-1 to Japan in their opening game of the tournament, Germany managed to secure a point against Spain with a 1-1 scoreline.

Niclas Fullkrug scored an 83rd-minute equaliser for Hansi Flick’s side after Alvaro Morata put Spain 1-0 up just after the hour mark.

Despite managing to avoid another defeat, Kehrer ended up on the receiving end of some criticism for his efforts on the pitch.

The Latest: Criticism for Kehrer

In a Twitter post, journalist Stefan Bienkowski had this to say about the West Ham defender shortly before half time.

“Kehrer is having a horrendous time of it at right back.”

In a later tweet, the journalist added some extra thoughts about Kehrer.

“Hansi Flick’s decision not to bring a single natural or fully fit right-back to Qatar has proved to be a disaster. Süle at fault in that position against Japan. Kehrer very poor tonight. Baku or Henrichs would have at least offered width and stability.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-latest-news-5/” title=”West Ham latest news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”] 

The Verdict: A disappointing show from Kehrer

Taking into account what Bienkowski had to say about Kehrer and his display against Spain, it seems as though the Hammers man didn’t suit playing in the right-back position, losing possession on eight occasions and committing three fouls, picking up a yellow card in a 72-minute display. [SofaScore]

In their player ratings article, The Daily Mail said ‘the West Ham defender did little to impress or inspire confidence before being replaced in the second half’.

With all of this in mind, it could be said that the 26-year-old may not be Flick’s best option for the right-back position as Germany look to pick up their first win of the tournament in their final group game against Costa Rica on Thursday.

With the World Cup just around the corner, Southampton have an abundance of talent who will be hoping to go along to Qatar with their respective nations.

Given the location of the club, naturally the majority of the focus will centre around their captain and stalwart James Ward-Prowse.

The 28-year-old is notorious across England for his proficiency over a dead ball, and would certainly offer a steady pair of legs should Gareth Southgate decide to take him along.

However, one man who might be set for a starring role for his nation is Mohammed Salisu, who will line up with Ghana this winter.

His national side faces one of the toughest groups, and to stand any chance of progressing the 6 foot 2 goliath will have to be at his brilliant best to silence the potency that Uruguay and Portugal possess.

Despite their poor start to the season, where they currently sit in the relegation zone, the 23-year-old has actually impressed at the back for the Saints alongside Armel Bella-Kotchap.

He boasts a 7.12 average SofaScore rating, which is only bettered by the aforementioned midfielder.

His displays across both this season and the last led journalist Zach Lowy to claim that he was “quickly emerging as Southampton’s defensive leader.”

With 5.1 clearances, 2.7 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per game, he might just be right.

Should he translate this form and apparent leadership to his national team, their chances of progression will increase tenfold.

The defender boasts confidence on the ball too that will help his side progress from the back, outlined in his 70.4 touches per game and 78% pass accuracy.

The main reason why Salisu might impress more than Ward-Prowse in Qatar is due to his guaranteed starting place, which his teammate does not have.

Despite the recent departure of Ralph Hasenhuttl, journalist Joel Bortey took to Twitter to praise the work the Austrian did in shaping this young defender.

He claimed that “he built something special” in Salisu, which could come to light on the world stage.

Any success Ghana have this winter will likely hinge on the performances of their Premier League centre-back, whose solidity and consistency this season bodes well for his national team.