West Ham fans praise Roberto’s performance against Everton

West Ham United were clearly outplayed by Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday.

The Toffees won 2-0 and, although they only had 4% more possession than their opponents, they still managed 10 shots on target to their opponents’ four. It is now four matches without a victory for the Hammers after their 2-0 win against Manchester United at the London Stadium.

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Manuel Pellegrini and co were without Lukasz Fabianski due to injury, with the Poland international normally being the first-choice goalkeeper when available. He was replaced once again in the starting XI by Roberto, who has played in each of the last three league matches. He was kept very busy by Marco Silva’s men.

Surrounded by disappointing performances, it seems the 33-year-old Spaniard was one of the few who came out of the match with any respect in the eyes of the London outfit’s supporters. They took to Twitter to share their thoughts, and you can see some of the best comments from the social media platform below.

Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil has been put up for sale

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Calcio Mercato is reporting that Arsenal have put Mesut Ozil on the transfer list, and that Turkish, Chinese and American clubs have their eyes on him.

What’s the story?

Ozil has had to make do with a bit-part role this season at the Emirates Stadium. He has made just two starts so far this campaign, and it does not look as though he will be returning to the starting XI on a regular basis anytime soon.

It now appears he could be leaving the north London outfit altogether, too. As per the Italian outlet, the former Germany international does not fit into Unai Emery’s plans, which could therefore see him depart.

Still has enough for Europe

It is a sorry situation the former Schalke man finds himself in and, for football purists, it is such a shame to see one of Europe’s great technicians unable to receive consistent playing time.

There was once a time when he was registering 19 Premier League assists in a season. To put that into perspective, only one player in the division’s history has more in one single campaign.

Of course, it is clear he has lost his way in recently, and the level of his displays are not what they once were. But, he is still just 30. That should give him at least another four years of good-quality football ahead of him, whether that is at Arsenal or not.

He still has so much more to give to the elite in European football, and it would be far too soon for him to depart for the big salaries of the USA or China. The Turkish game is far more competitive, but the overall quality is still lacking compared to the continent’s top five leagues.

The pace of the Premier League may now be too much for him, but somewhere like Serie A would be a far better fit. There are plenty of sides in Italy who would love to make use of his technical ability, just like there would be in the Bundesliga.

A fresh start in itself could be enough to rejuvenate him. He has not had an easy time of it in the past 18 months, what with the backlash of his photo with Recep Erdogan and the carjacking attempt against himself and teammate Sead Kolasinac. Both of these incidents came whilst still with the Gunners and psychologically, he may be starting to link his time in north London with bad memories.

It is probably fair to say that his departure from Arsenal is the best thing for all involved. But, from Ozil’s perspective, he needs to stay in football’s heartland. He still has so much left to give.

Liverpool’s defence will improve drastically when Alisson returns, stats suggest

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more… 

Alisson Becker is expected to return to first-team action for Liverpool in the coming weeks, but how much have the Reds missed their Brazilian shot-stopper?

What’s the word?

Former West Ham man Adrian has filled the void left by Alisson extremely well, there’s no doubt about it.

The Spaniard has wowed spectators and pundits with some incredible saves, stopped crucial one-on-ones from players like Chelsea’s Tammy Abraham, and helped the Reds lift the Super Cup.

Yet, there is a feeling that Jurgen Klopp’s men look dramatically less stable at the back than they did last season, and the incredible stat below makes it clear just how much they truly miss their number one.

What do the stats say?

12 goals conceded in 11 matches isn’t exactly horrific, but considering it was nearly December before that number was breached last term, it is clear Alisson’s absence is being felt more than Adrian’s impressive form would suggest.

So what do the numbers tell us? Well, Adrian has a save percentage of 71%, which places him ninth in the Premier League.

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Last season however, Alisson led the league with a 78% save ratio, which is of course made even more impressive by the much larger sample size than we have for Adrian.

Looking at expected goals, we see that Liverpool allowed 29.15 xG in the league last term, but only conceded 22 goals, an impressive differential of 7.15.

This season, the Reds have conceded 7.28 xG and conceded five goals, once again implying that while Adrian is having a stellar start to life at Anfield, he simply isn’t the FIFA XI goalkeeper of the year.

On top of their abilities as shot-stoppers, there may also be a difference in leadership at the back with Alisson out injured – even some fans have noticed it too.

So, Alisson is a better shot-stopper, boasts a superior xG differential and the confidence he exudes seems to offer a security blanket of comfort for those in front of him.

Put simply – fear not Liverpool fans. Once the Brazil star returns, the defensive unit that conceded less goals than any team in Europe’s top five leagues last season should be back to doing what they do best – keeping clean sheets.

Aston Villa fans react to Callum O’Hare’s latest Coventry goal

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A number of Aston Villa fans have been on social media reacting to a goal scored by Callum O’Hare in Coventry City’s 3-2 win over Blackpool in League One at the weekend.

O’Hare joined Coventry on loan from Villa in the latter stages of August.

The 21-year-old is due to remain with the Sky Blues for the 2019/20 campaign, and he has made an impressive start to life in the third tier of English football.

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Indeed, the attacking midfielder has now netted in his last two appearances for the club – including a very late winner against Blackpool on Saturday afternoon.

It was a smart finish from O’Hare as well, with the youngster dancing into the penalty area before picking out the back of the net to hand his loan club a very important three points.

A number of Villa fans have been on social media offering their views on the strike, and a selection of their Twitter reaction is available to view below:

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Man United star Paul Pogba’s double standard relationship with press slammed

[ad_pod ]Paul Pogba is an easy target.We all know it. The Frenchman can’t seem to go a game in a Manchester United shirt without receiving some form of criticism from either the national press, an army of social media critics or his biggest fan Graeme Souness.Before the current season had even started, the former Liverpool manager was already laying into his foe. Start as you mean to go on and all that jazz.When the Frenchman missed a potentially decisive penalty against Wolves, it was hardly surprised then that his gang of unrelenting witch hunters were out in force. Former United captain Gary Neville called the situation “embarrassing†on Sky Sports Monday Night Football (via Standard).Watch Manchester United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Ross Barkley missed an equally important spot-kick on Tuesday night in Chelsea’s Champions League tie against Valencia. Much like the Pogba debacle, he snatched the ball from his teammates, who in this case were Willian and Jorginho, and proceeded to balloon his opportunity against the bar. The Blues would go on to lose the game 1-0.

What is different, however, is the backlash; there’s no national media witch hunt or pitchfork-wielding protesters outside his property. Relatively speaking, Barkley has got off lightly. And this is something the pundits over at talkSPORT have noticed…

Stoke line up Vokes bid

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Stoke City are interested in signing Sam Vokes from Burnley before the transfer deadline, according to Sky Sports News.

The Potters have identified the striker as a potential acquisition but Sean Dyche will not let any player leave unless he can source a replacement.

What’s the word?

Stoke, per Sky Sports, could sell both Peter Crouch and Bojan Krkic before the transfer deadline and are keen to bolster their attacking options.

The club are currently 15th in the Championship, but believe Vokes has the ability to play in both the second-tier and the Premier League.

Who are the best away fans in the Championship? Pl>ymaker FC’s Thogden gives his top 10 in the video below…

Vokes has been a key member of Dyche’s side this season, making 28 appearances in all competitions, per Transfermarkt.

However, he has scored just four goals in all competitions and his last strike for the club came in November 2018, in a 2-1 defeat to Newcastle United.

Per The Mirror, Burnley are interested in Birmingham City’s Che Adams, who could be a replacement for the Welshman.

Soar up the table

Stoke could soar up the table if they manage to sign Vokes.

The 29-year-old has played 113 games in the Premier League and has 198 appearances to his name in the Championship, according to Transfermarkt.

As per the same stats-based website, his goalscoring record is light-years better in the second-tier than the top-flight; he has scored 52 goals in the Championship, compared to 17 in the Premier League.

Stoke bringing him in, particularly to replace the enigmatic Bojan and the ageing Crouch, would do wonders for their hopes of working their way into the top 10 and potentially into the play-offs.

The Potters are currently eight points behind sixth-placed Derby County; Vokes could be just the man to score the goals needed to close that gap.

Manchester United fans react to Gareth Bale scoring winner for Wales

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He may still be a Real Madrid player, but that hasn’t stopped some Manchester United fans wishing they had signed Gareth Bale this summer.

The 30-year-old had an indifferent campaign last season for Los Blancos, often getting caught up in controversy amongst his own teammates and fans.

Reports in recent weeks and months had suggested United were keeping a close eye on developments, but a move failed to materialise before the end of the transfer window.

The forward was on international duty with Wales on Friday night, and unsurprisingly, stepped up to deliver the goods once more.

The former Tottenham star’s late winner keeps Ryan Giggs’ side’s EURO 2020 dreams alive, and it saw United fans flood to Twitter to share their thoughts about the man who was previously linked with them.

Many supporters of the Manchester-based side expressed a sense of frustration that they weren’t able to bring him to Old Trafford this summer, and insisted they wouldn’t be struggling in attack if they had signed him.

Some fans however insisted Bale’s Wales teammate Daniel James is already showing he is good enough for the United first-team, and are glad they passed on the Real Madrid star.

Follow the latest manchester united live streams on streamfootball.tv.

Check out some of the divided reaction of United fans below:

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Aston Villa must avoid Cantwell transfer

Following the appointment of Steven Gerrard as Dean Smith’s replacement at Aston Villa, it was revealed that the owners at Villa Park would give financial backing to the 41-year-old during the January transfer window.

The first example of this could be seen in their recent loan deal for Barcelona and former Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho.

Looking ahead to the rest of the window, the Midlands club have plenty of time left to complete any deals that they think will improve Gerrard’s squad and enable them to end their season on a high.

However, one potential target who the Villans should definitely avoid this month is Norwich City’s Todd Cantwell.

With Villa having been linked with a potential £40m move for the midfielder last summer, The Athletic’s David Ornstein recently claimed that the Canaries would be willing to sell the 23-year-old for a reduced fee of £15m or more.

Despite this substantial drop in price, the Midlanders should still avoid making a move to sign him this month.

From a Villa point of view, even before the arrival of Coutinho, they have a significant number of midfield and attacking players in their squad, including youngsters Jacob Ramsey, Carney Chukwuemeka and Cameron Archer, who could end up being overlooked if Cantwell were to join.

In terms of what the 23-year-old – who is currently valued at £18m by Transfermarkt – could offer to Villa, he has not scored a goal or provided an assist in eight Premier League appearances so far this season. That suggests that the Englishman may not have the quality to get into the Villa team in the first place.

In addition to Cantwell’s lack of goal contributions in the league this season, his performances haven’t been much to shout about either. WhoScored give him an overall rating of 6.23/10, which would rank him among Villa’s lowest-rated players this season.

Having been accused of “getting above his station” by pundit Chris Sutton after walking down the tunnel at Carrow Road when he was substituted in Norwich’s game against Villa last month, the 23-year-old may not necessarily have the attitude that Gerrard would want in his squad either.

Overall, Villa must avoid a potential transfer howler and forget about securing a deal for Cantwell this month despite the apparent decrease in Norwich’s asking price.

In other news – Forget Coutinho: Lange can transform Gerrard’s Villa by signing “aggressive” £22.5m beast

Newcastle: Sule turns down new deal

Newcastle United transfer target Niklas Sule has decided to leave Bayern Munich, according to Bild (via Sport Witness).

The lowdown

26-year-old centre-back Sule is out of contract at the end of the 2021/22 season.

Bayern president Herbert Hainer said over the weekend that the player’s camp were considering an improved offer from the club.

Sule has been with Bayern for four and a half years, having joined from TSG Hoffenheim for £18million back in 2017.

In that time, he’s made 158 appearances, including 25 so far this term.

The latest

The report from Germany (via SW) states ‘decision made’, with Sule opting to leave Munich as a free agent in the summer.

Sule ‘has long since rejected’ the offer of a €10million-per-year (£160,000-per-week) salary.

Newcastle are named among the clubs ‘interested’ in snapping up the German for next season.

The verdict

You’d imagine the move would depend upon Newcastle staying up, but what a signing this would be.

Sule is a 37-cap Germany international who’s played at the last two major tournaments for his country.

He also boasts a huge trophy haul, including the 2019/20 UEFA Champions League and a remarkable four Bundesliga titles.

Sule is a strong tackler, but he’s also more than comfortable in possession, excelling at passing and dribbling (via WhoScored).

One surprising asset, given that he looks ‘like the Incredible Hulk’ is his speed. Sule has been clocked at 21.6 miles per hour, which at one point made him the second quickest player in the Bayern ranks (via Bundesliga.com).

He has so many qualities that there’s bound to be a long queue of suitors – Jupp Heynckes called him ‘superb’ and ‘world class’ – so this would be quite a coup if the Magpies can snap him up on pre-contract terms for the summer.

In other news, Newcastle are reportedly moving in for this signing.

Everton transfer news on Vitaliy Mykolenko

Many Everton fans have been buzzing over some transfer news which has emerged regarding Vitaliy Mykolenko.

As per the club’s official website, they have now confirmed the signing of the player from Dynamo Kiev for an ‘undisclosed fee’, and he has signed a four-and-a-half-year deal at the Merseyside club until the end of June 2026.

The Ukraine international becomes the Toffees’ first signing of the January transfer window after impressing with both club and country over recent years.

Mykolenko brings with him a lot of promise, having already won four trophies in his career at just 22 years of age, while he has registered three assists from left-back in the Ukrainian top flight and played in the Champions League this season (Transfermarkt).

Of course, this will only fuel the speculation surrounding the future of Lucas Digne, but a lot of Everton supporters are just excited for now that a new face is coming through the door.

Everton fans on Mykolenko transfer news

These Toffees fans buzzed as the transfer news was shared on Twitter, with one going as far as to claim that it is a ‘great’ start to the month:

“YESSS”

Credit: @EFCOliver7

“HE’S MAGIC YOU KNOW”

Credit: @WhitesideKp

“Yessssssss”

Credit: @Callum14655523

“Moooorning!”

Credit: @ToffeeMc1878

“Great to get business done early, welcome!”

Credit: @TacticallyEv

“New Year. New you Everton. I like it! Happy New Year.”

Credit: @EFCLynne

In other news, these training images have had many Evertonians gushing

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