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Jose Mourinho must axe Gareth Bale from the Tottenham Hotspur starting line-up after the Wales international offered a wasteful display at home to Ludogorets in the Europa League.

Bale was gifted his fourth start of the Group Stage on Thursday night, having fallen to the bench for Spurs’ 2-0 Premier League win over Manchester City last weekend.

The Real Madrid loanee would have hoped to impress enough against the north London side’s Bulgarian opposition to warrant consideration for this Sunday’s derby clash with rivals Chelsea, but Bale spurned his best chances before being hauled off early in the second half.

Bale had been backed by former Tottenham manager Glenn Hoddle to have a big say at Stamford Bridge this weekend, with the winger tipped to be Mourinho’s secret weapon as the Portuguese tactician continues to gradually integrate him into the first-team fold.

“I’ve got a sneaky feeling that Gareth Bale might have a big say in that game,” Hoddle said on his official podcast regarding Sunday’s top-flight battle at the Bridge. “I think Mourinho might be holding him up his sleeve. That’s the sort of game where you could just see him.

“He played 90 minutes for Wales, and you could see him turning it on in a game like that. It wouldn’t surprise me if Mourinho hasn’t got him earmarked for Chelsea.”

While Bale has opened each of Tottenham’s Europa League Group Stage ties, Mourinho has thus far only opted to name the 31-year-old in one starting line-up for a Premier League match and is yet to allow the four-time Champions League winner to play a full 90 minutes.

Bale’s start in Thursday night’s Group Stage win over Ludogorets saw Spurs’ summer signing enjoy his second-longest appearance of the campaign thus far, with his 68-minutes on the field only bettered by his 78-minute outing at West Bromwich Albion earlier this month.

But he was unable to add a second goal or assist across all competitions, having spurned his best opportunity to fire home when Plamen Iliev saved an effort Bale should have buried while striking his only shot on target, per SofaScore.

Four of Bale’s total seven shots were, in fact, off-target with a further two blocked, while failing to register a single key ball from 24 accurate passes, misplacing all five crosses and his sole attempted long ball.

The £22.5m-rated winger was a dud against Ludogorets in the duels, too, with success in just three of seven ground battles and one of three aerial contests, helping toward Bale losing possession 15 times.

Mourinho needed to see far more from Bale against Tottenham’s Bulgarian opposition to consider starting the Wales international away to his former employer Chelsea this weekend, potentially making him far more of a secret weapon than Hoddle expected.

AND in other news, a Spurs gem who isn’t “shy” has a mountain to climb if he’s to win Jose Mourinho over.

Leeds United may have secured Robin Koch already this summer, but they could soon have another young and talented centre-back coming through the door at Elland Road…

What’s the word?

According to Sportske Novosti, the Yorkshire giants have already agreed on a €20m (£18m) deal to secure Josko Gvardiol from Croatian outfit Dinamo Zagreb.

They claim that the 18-year-old will not link up with his new Leeds teammates until after Dinamo’s Champions League qualifier against Ferencvaros, which isn’t set to be played until September 16th.

That’s four days after the Whites kickstart their first Premier League campaign in over 16 years away to Liverpool.

Young project

This could be quite the signing for Leeds – even if he doesn’t become a regular part of the starting XI straight away.

The young Croatian has been coveted by some of Europe’s biggest clubs, including Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City and UCL winners Bayern Munich.

Gvardiol was named in the Guardian’s ‘Next Generation: 60 best young talents in world football’ where he is claimed to idolise and model his game on Liverpool colossus Virgil van Dijk. It’s claimed that he’s an “advanced defender” who is “strong both physically and technically”.

Although the teenager appears to be rather raw due to his lack of playing time, he does seem like a great fit for Marcelo Bielsa and his United system.

As per LeedsLive, he is “confident in the air” and “with the ball at his feet” and can often get the better of his pacy opposition due to his pace and athleticism – even despite being 6 foot 1.

Whilst FBH highlight how he’s actually a bit of a playmaker, often stepping into midfield to start Zagreb’s attacks and finding that exact pass to create a chance.

The Croatian sensation would be quite the project for Bielsa and it can’t hurt to have one or two more centre-backs given the blows to Ben White and Gaetano Berardi.

AND in other news, Leeds offloading £40k-p/w FLOP a reminder that Victor Orta isn’t perfect…

West Ham United are eyeing up an upgrade to their left-back position if emerging reports are to be believed this week…

What’s the word?

According to the ever-reliable ExWHUemployee, the Irons are keen on signing impressive Atalanta defender Robin Gosens before the end of the transfer window next month.

Speaking on ‘The West Ham Way Podcast,’ he revealed that the 26-year-old is a key target for David Moyes but none of his full-back choices are close to joining the club.

The likes of Leicester City, Juventus, Inter Milan and even Chelsea have been linked with moves for the German left-back in recent months. However, he could cost around €30m (£27m).

No more Cresswell?

The Hammers flirted with the prospects of relegation last term before Moyes came in and somewhat steered the ship but having failed to sign a single player yet this summer, they could sink towards a similar fate once more.

Two of their biggest problems were in leaking goals and creating chances. Only the bottom four teams let in more than West Ham’s 62 goals last season whilst full-backs Aaron Cresswell, Arthur Masuaku, Ben Johnson and Ryan Fredericks combined for just three goals and four assists, per WhoScored.

That’s where Gosens would make a huge impact having been one of Atalanta’s most influential players. The 26-year-old scored nine goals and provided eight assists from his left-back position and also averaged 1.6 tackles, 1.2 key passes and 1.1 interceptions per game.

He’s even ahead of both Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold for expected goals and assists. That’s rather outstanding.

This is something that former Lazio defender Roberto Cravero has mentioned, claiming Gosens had been “better” than TAA during the 2019/20 campaign, he told DAZN (via ForzaItalianFootball):

“He is proving to be more decisive than Alexander-Arnold. If we are analysing the season of the Atalanta wing-back, he has collected these numbers without taking free-kicks and corners. Then, clearly, the Englishman is better in overall value, but this season Gosens is doing better.”

If the Hammers are serious about bolstering Moyes’ squad, then they should look no further than the versatile German playmaker, even if it’s going to cost them £27m.

AND in other news, Hammers receive boost over TOP defensive target…

Just what must Allan Saint-Maximin be thinking as he watches his Newcastle teammates struggle to match his level?

The Frenchman has been an absolute revelation for the Magpies ever since he arrived from Nice last summer, as Geordies are eagerly awaiting being able to visit SeatPick.com and get tickets at SJP once again, with the Frenchman scoring four times and providing seven assists across all competitions.

But too often, Saint-Maximin has just been tasked with doing far too much for Steve Bruce’s side, and it has perhaps never been clearer than his display against Tottenham in the Premier League on Wednesday night.

Think you’re a big Magpies fan? Can you name these former players by looking at their careers? Go on, give it a go…

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The 23-year-old single-handedly tried to drag his team on, constantly demanding the ball wherever he was on the pitch, and looking to create something either for himself or his teammates.

As per Sofascore, his 8.4 match rating was only bettered by Tottenham star Harry Kane, and that is despite not scoring or providing an assist himself.

All of his work went unrewarded, and the winger himself must surely have been feeling frustrated that the rest of his team couldn’t quite match his standards.

Saint-Maximin has proven himself to be a prolific dribbler this season in the top-flight – he currently ranks second behind Adama Traore with 4.8 dribbles per game – but on Wednesday, he took that to a completely another level.

He completed a whopping 11 out of the 12 dribbles he attempted, and despite providing three key passes for his teammates, and firing off six shots on goal himself, couldn’t really find a way past Hugo Lloris.

It felt like a game of Spurs vs Saint-Maximin and the rest. And that’s never a good sign.

As much as he huffed and puffed – he won a ridiculous 16 total duels out of the 22 that he contested – his teammates couldn’t share some of the workload.

And that’s exactly why the Saudi consortium interested in taking over at St James’ Park, must splash the cash in the summer transfer window if everything gets confirmed.

Already there has been talk of rival clubs showing a liking towards Saint-Maxmin, so it’s absolutely imperative the Magpies start bringing in quality players to take the pressure off the Frenchman’s shoulders and give him teammates who can match his quality and ambition.

If not, then more Bruce will just have to see more of the same of his winger trying to win games on his own, and seeing things fall apart around him.

The door appears to have been opened for Aston Villa to sign one of their reported summer targets this week, and he could well be lined up as Jack Grealish’s potential successor…

What’s the word?

According to Fehmarn24, the Midlands outfit are ‘ready to pay’ €25m (£22.5m) to secure Milot Rashica from Werder Bremen and it comes just days after Tahith Chong secured a loan move to the German club from Man Utd.

It is also claimed that Villa will have to convince the 24-year-0ld that they will not be in another relegation battle this season.

Although there is an expectation that the winger will depart Werder this summer.

Grealish successor

Whilst staving off relegation bolsters Villa’s chances of keeping Grealish a little long, it would be foolish to think he’ll be around forever given his Three Lions aspirations.

Not only will Dean Smith be losing his skipper, but also a player who has provided the second-highest number of chances in the Premier League this season – only second to City superstar Kevin de Bruyne, so it’s certainly going to be big boots to fill at some stage.

Rashica seems the most suitable heir to the throne given his performances in the Bundesliga this campaign. Per WhoScored, the Kosovo international has provided eight goals and five assists whilst averaging 2.6 shots, 2 dribbles and 1.4 key passes per game.

He’s even been likened to Alexis Sanchez as he’s got pace to burn, can play anywhere along the front-line and is “ice-cold.”

The glowing endorsements don’t stop there either – his manager Florian Kohfeldt believes Rashica “makes scoring look easy” whilst his teammate Theo Gebre Selassie called him “one of the best players in the Bundesliga.”

Kohfeldt has also dubbed him “incredible” and has tipped him to fit in well to the style of play in the Premier League.

Overall, £22.5m looks a no-brainer considering the fees paid this time last year and given the interest in Grealish, the club should start looking for a replacement before it’s too late.

AND in other news, Villa fans slam links to reported transfer target…

Alex Iwobi played the full 90 minutes as Everton picked up a 1-1 draw at Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.

Mason Greenwood came off the bench to score for United, but an own goal from Victor Lindelof in the first half proved enough for the Toffees to secure a share of the spoils.

According to WhoScored, Iwobi only had a 68% pass success rate at Old Trafford, whilst he managed just one shot during a lacklustre performance.

Did he play for Everton? Simple question but a lot tougher than you think…

And the Everton supporters did not exactly hold back on social media with many criticising the former Arsenal attacker for his performance on the afternoon.

Watch Everton Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

Meanwhile, one of the club’s fans referenced Iwobi’s price-tag when discussing the Nigerian, who joined over the summer in a £34m deal.

The attacker only scored 15 times in 149 appearances during his time with the Gunners and has managed just one Premier League goal since joining Everton.

Iwobi was also accused of being “lazy” and “uninterested” by some of the away team’s fans during Sunday’s clash in Manchester.

One fan even claimed that the club should already be thinking about selling Iwobi despite the fact that he has only just arrived.

Meanwhile, a number of the Everton supporters have had their say on a potential long-term replacement for Marco Silva.

Sheffield United fans will be hoping that their club looks to buy some squad depth in the upcoming transfer window, and the recent reports suggest that the Blades are interested in signing midfielder John Swift.

According to The Daily Mail, Chris Wilder is a fan of Swift, who currently plays for Reading in the Championship. His interest is so much that the Blades have submitted a bid worth around £3.5 million.

Wilder wants to add a lot of depth to his midfield and his current contract runs out in 2022, but the Royals might have to sell due to financial implications which have been caused by recent events.

The Englishman, who came from Chelsea’s academy, has had a great season in the Championship as he has played 35 times and scored five goals whilst picking up ten assists, per WhoScored. He also averages 1.2 tackles and 1.3 interceptions a game, highlighting he is very good at breaking up opposition attacks as well as being an attacking threat himself.

Comparing him to similar players in his position at the Blades, (John Lundstram and John Fleck), Swift has more assists than both of them, and more goals than Lundstram but the same amount as Fleck. Lundstram ranks highest in tackles (1.5) but Swift remains the best when it comes to interceptions per game.

It could be argued that he is doing better  in some departments because he is in the division below, however it highlights that the potential to be a Premier League player is there, and with better finishers and creators, there is no doubt that Swift could improve his goal contribution tally. The offer as well is pretty low and he is a good age at 25, so if they can sign him for the fee mentioned it seems like a no brainer.

Blades fans, what are your thoughts on this? Let us know down below!

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…

Leeds United returned to the top of the Championship on Tuesday evening after beating Reading 1-0.

The Whites have come a long way since appointing Marcelo Bielsa the summer after finishing 13th in the league, but how has the Argentine made the Whites so successful?

Kalvin Phillips is more than qualified to explain how Bielsa has transformed Leeds, and he spoke about how the Argentine’s training regimes have helped the team progress.

Watch Leeds United Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

What’s been said then?

Phillips was speaking in a video package produced by Sky that aired before their match against Reading (Sky Sports, 26/11 7:30pm).

“On a Wednesday we do the toughest session I’ve ever done in my life.” Phillips said.

“We do a thing called ‘murderball’, well we call it murderball, he just calls it football.

“It’s where we play blocks of five minutes of just constant 100 miles per hour football where if the ball goes out we’ve got staff on the side ready to throw one back in.

“It’s carnage to be fair, but it’s good, I don’t think many teams train at our intensity, so that’s why we’re doing so well.”

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Great attitude

What an incredible attitude to have.

Phillips isn’t coy about these ‘murderball’ sessions being the hardest thing he’s ever had to do, but he goes on to say that it’s good and he attributes the team’s success down to the intensity of their training.

Certain players would bemoan a manager for making them work so hard, but it seems as if the midfielder has completely bought into what Bielsa is trying to do at Elland Road, and that is absolutely fantastic to see.

Of course, there are pros and cons to these intense sessions, and the ‘Bielsa burnout’ theory exists for a reason, but the 23-year-old doesn’t seem to be questioning his manager’s tactics one bit.

If one of their most important players is buying into this, it certainly bodes well for the rest of the side.

In other news, Leeds fans have been drooling over one academy player.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

Harry Kane probably needs to forget about winning the Golden Boot.

The Tottenham Hotspur striker has been front and centre of the race for the award in three out of the last four seasons, winning it in both 2015/16 and 2016/17. In 2017/18, Mohamed Salah pipped Kane by two goals, scoring 32 times to the Spurs ace’s 30. In 2018/19, however, injury robbed him of the chance to beat Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to the prize.

This season, though, the pace being set by Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy already appears too quick to overcome.

In the Premier League alone, the retired England international has 16 goals to his name already. The next challenger, Tammy Abraham of Chelsea, has 11. Aubameyang and Marcus Rashford have 10.

Following his two-goal haul at the weekend against Burnley in a 5-0 win, Kane has nine.

In any other season, that would be fine, given that he has just 15 appearances to his name.

But the Foxes striker is rampant and has scored in all but five games. He is currently on an eight-game scoring streak.

As it stands, he is scoring a goal every game, with 16 in 16. If this current rate keeps up, he will score 38 goals at the end of the season.

Now, of course, that is not to suggest that he has the ability to do that – injuries, suspension or even a dip in Leicester’s form could derail him.

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

But Kane does not appear to be in the form that he has been previously. At this point of the season, he has scored in consecutive games once – netting in a 2-1 defeat to the Foxes and in a 2-1 win over Southampton.

Two-game scoreless streaks are not unheard of for the England international. Kane currently scores a goal every 0.6 games so, extrapolated over the course of a season, he is set to score 22.8 goals or, rounded up, 23.

It would take a herculean feat for him to catch up to Vardy, who could reach that tally within the next seven games.

Of course, it remains to be seen if it even matters to Kane, who is attempting to help Jose Mourinho’s side qualify for the Champions League and potentially win a trophy for the first time since 2008.

But individual glory, already, looks out of reach.

Meanwhile, Jose Mourinho is already emulating Mauricio Pochettino at Spurs. 

Harry Maguire captained Manchester United in a league game for the first time during the 3-1 win against Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday.

This position comes after he wore the armband for a Europa League match against Partizan Belgrade and Carabao Cup win over Chelsea.

Following the win, he tweeted about the game, satisfied to be going into the international break with a victory under his belt:

Many Man United fans showed in the replies that they were delighted about the 26-year-old being captain for the day, indicating they would like to see him fulfilling the role with greater regularity.

The England international put in a dominant performance on his day as skipper, winning both of his 2 attempted tackles and all 4 of the aerial duels he was involved in, as well as making 2 clearances and 3 interceptions.

A selection of Twitter reaction to the performance, including posts from gushing Man United fans, can be seen below: