All posts by h716a5.icu

Leeds United have found themselves being linked with several new recruits this month as the January transfer drama continues to ramp up. According to the Daily Mail, the Yorkshire outfit have registered interest in Swansea City’s Yan Dhanda, along with Bournemouth, Marseille and RB Leipzig.

Whilst the midfielder has been somewhat out of favour for the Swans this season, it could be worth Victor Orta taking a chance on him and bringing him to Elland Road.

Would Yan Dhanda fit in at Leeds?

According to Transfermarkt, the 22-year-old has made just 12 appearances in the Championship this season and he has one goal and one assist to his name. Whilst this isn’t an ideal window into his abilities as a midfielder, Leeds could be an ideal destination for the playmaker.

Dhanda has a lot of promise – coming from the youth ranks of Liverpool, the England youth international will have enjoyed playing and training in a fast-paced environment. Joining a side like Leeds will be a huge step in his career, which could bring out the best in his abilities.

Sofascore statistics show that Dhanda is fouled on average 1.3 times per match, which indicates that his footwork and movement on the ball can be a handful for opponents, forcing them to commit the foul to stop him in his tracks.

Marcelo Bielsa is known for putting faith in players and building them up to their full potential. Kalvin Phillips is a prime example of this. The 25-year-old came through the club’s academy and is now one of the Argentinian’s first ports of call when it comes to selecting his match day squad.

Bielsa put a lot of faith into Phillips, who is now arguably one of the most dependable defensive midfielders in the league. His Sofascore stats of 2.9 tackles per game is higher than fellow No.6 operators such as Joao Moutinho and Declan Rice. Phillips has thrived under the trust of Bielsa and the Argentinian boss can also turn Dhanda into a solid attacking midfielder if he joins the club.

With a valuation of just £900,000 as well, the 22-year-old will be a very inexpensive signing and one that could potentially work wonders in the Leeds engine room under Bielsa’s watchful eye.

In other news, Leeds must splash on signing Ryan Kent from Rangers…

Since Emile Smith Rowe came into the Arsenal team against Chelsea back in late December, Mikel Arteta’s have looked rejuvenated in the Premier League.

The Gunners have picked up an impressive haul of 16 points from a possible 18, with the only blip coming in a 0-0 draw against Crystal Palace at home.

The north London side will face a serious test of their credentials however, when they take on Manchester United at the Emirates on Saturday afternoon, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men still smarting from that surprise home defeat to Sheffield United.

But whilst the Gunners have had some good news on the transfer front with Martin Odegaard’s arrival on loan from Real Madrid, Arteta simply cannot give into the temptation of throwing the Norwegian into the deep end, and instead continue to trust in Smith Rowe.

Speaking on The Pitch to Post Preview Podcast, Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp said: “Emile Smith Rowe has come in and been a revelation. They needed someone to light the flame, give them that spark.

“He’s an academy boy and you can see he’s doing a great job, the fans love him. I hope with Odegaard coming into the club, that doesn’t stop him being instrumental in what they’re doing. But I’ve been so impressed with him, I love his work ethic, I love the way he runs with the ball, he’s been a breath of fresh air for this team, exactly when they needed it.”

The 6 foot starlet has picked up three assists in his last six games in the Premier League, and as Redknapp says, has added that bit of youthful energy the Gunners were crying out for before the Chelsea game.

United might be one of Arsenal’s most difficult games of the season, but Smith Rowe has done more than enough to keep his place in the team. And given how he’s changed the landscape for the Gunners since his introduction into the first-team, he could have a similar transformative effect when Solskjaer’s side arrive tonight.

Meanwhile, Arsenal could sign their perfect Lacazette successor in this striker…

Speaking ahead of West Ham United vs Tottenham Hotspur at the London Stadium on Sunday, Lilywhites manager Jose Mourinho explained how the Irons have ‘one week to prepare’ and ‘one week to rest’ – hinting it could hand them a Premier League advantage.

Commenting on the Hammers’ superb season so far on Tottenham’s YouTube channel, Mourinho hailed West Ham for doing ‘very well’, but claimed they have a ‘much better chance’ due to their lack of European competition.

“They are doing very well,” said the Portuguese.

“I believe that in the end of the season their position and our position, they are not going to be the same as where we are now.

“One week to prepare, one week to rest, less injuries, less fatigue. It gives them a much better chance.”

As a result of his comments, many West Ham United fans didn’t appear too pleased, dropping their takes in full reaction on social media.

Find all of their verdicts on Mourinho’s admission down below.

West Ham fans react to Mourinho claim

“Team talk sorted for Sunday, cheers mourinho. Bitter boy.”

Credit: @WestHam_Central

“he’s getting his excuses in which means he’s scared”

Credit: @westdan1895

“Getting his waffle excuses in ready”

Credit: @Up_TheHammers

“The man has no class or humility.”

Credit: @ANDAMA73x

“moyes – get it pinned on the changing room wall!”

Credit: @ga02njd

“He does know that over the Christmas period and right through to end of January we were undefeated right?????”

Credit: @TheIronKing_

In other news: West Ham fans flocked to this ExWHUemployee update, find out more here.

The main reason behind football being so popular for betting is its worldwide availability and live telecasts in different forms of media. Most countries play football and have their own teams and clubs which makes the sport common for sportsbooks, both online as well as in brick-and-mortar gambling sites. Football is the most popular sport in the UK, followed by cricket, rugby, tennis, and badminton.

Thus, sports betting is also legal there. When it comes to betting in the UK, football exceeds its popularity among all other sports and there is a huge number of punters looking to bet on football leagues via bookies.

Sports Betting Sites Not On Gamstop

The UK has a well established and detailed culture for sports betting. Bookmakers make a substantial contribution to the economy by generating taxes and providing employment. However, the Gambling Act of 2005 established the United Kingdom Gambling Commission as the primary governing body for enforcement of gambling legislation and regulating gambling activities within the country which brought about major changes in the terms of gambling and betting within the country.

The Act states that any gambling operators who are based in the UK have to obtain a license from either UKGC or a white-listed territory by the UKGC in order to provide gambling facilities to the UK based punters.

This may be beneficial for problem gamblers as it helps them sign up for the self-exclusion schemes associated with these bookmakers. But, not all bettors want to surround themselves with rules and regulations by the UKGC for controlling their gambling activities unnecessarily. This is where non GamStop UK sites for online betting step in and offer their gambling services. These sites run on offshore licenses such as Curacao eGaming, Malta, Gibraltar, or Kahnawake. Offshore license holders have the least amount of rules and regulations and do not control a punter’s gameplay.

These are flexible in nature. These sites provide a high-quality gaming experience and cater to an audience that spans across all geographies. Apart from Sports Betting options, these sites also provide a variety of gambling options including Slots, Baccarat, Roulette, VIP Rooms, and Live Dealers. Most of them feature games from top tier providers such as Microgaming, Playtech, Azumi, etc.

Self-Exclusion Scheme Benefits

Self-exclusion promotes responsible gambling in all forms. It is made to assist the recovery of problem gamblers and is also a preventive measure for gamblers who are eventually getting addicted to gambling. For such people, there are a few self-exclusion schemes that can be helpful for them :

GamStop : It is a free service launched in 2018, that restricts a person’s gambling tendencies by imposing certain rules. A person registered under GamStop has to undergo an exclusion period of 6 months, 1 year, or 5 years according to their choice. During this time, Gamstop prevents access to all gambling websites and apps run by companies licensed under the UKGC. Once registered, the scheme cannot be revised.

Gamban: Gamban is a user-friendly application that blocks all forms of online gambling on the installed device. It is a secure, reliable, and affordable option for those who want to fight their gambling addiction problems. However, it can only be effective if the response is spontaneous. Once the app is installed, the device will no longer have access to any gambling apps or websites. The application supports Android, Mac OS, iOS, and Windows.

GamCare: Gamcare was founded in 1997 and operates in England, Wales, and Scotland. It is an independent UK based charity that aims at providing information and support for a person suffering from gambling problems. It also provides materials and training to the gambling industry for improved player protection along with social responsibility. The training programs stress recognizing the signs of problem gambling and suggest solutions for the same.

If a bettor wants to gamble without being restricted by any of these self-exclusion schemes, they can choose to use betting sites not on Gamstop which are liberal and easy to use without restrictive policies.

Concluding Thoughts

Self-exclusion should be a voluntary process where a gambler identifies his own addiction and decides to take up a solution. Otherwise, there can be other means of going around these schemes such as using a fake identity, providing inaccurate information, using other devices, and so on. These applications or schemes are designed for the welfare of the people. Betting should be a leisure activity and not a habit and only then can one control gambling. Most of the UK based gambling sites provide self-exclusion schemes for all their punters.

Although Southampton were able to bring an end to their woeful recent form with a 2-0 win against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Saturday, their injury problems only increased, as talismanic striker Danny Ings was forced off in the first half.

Although his replacement Che Adams scored a superb second goal for the Saints against his old side, it is a huge cause for concern for Southampton that Ings is now set for another spell on the sidelines, with Ralph Hasenhuttl confirming following the game that the 28-year-old striker would likely miss at least four weeks with the muscle problem.

This comes as a huge blow to the South Coast club, who eased relegation fears with the three points on Saturday but cannot rule themselves out of being dragged back in, especially in the absence of their main goalscorer.

Ings has contributed eight goals and three assists in 22 top-flight appearances this season, in a campaign where he has failed to hit the heights of last season when he hit 22 goals in the Premier League.

However, injury problems have led to a stop-start season for the forward, whereas last season he featured in every Premier League game, and you feel that Hasenhuttl’s side would be in a much better position had he and other key players stayed fit.

James Ward-Prowse is the closest to Ings in terms of goals this season, as he took his league tally for the season to six with the penalty against Sheffield United, whereas Adams brought an end to his own barren run.

Hopefully, that will give him the confidence boost he needs to start finding the back of the net more regularly, as Hasenhuttl will be reliant on the former Birmingham City man to step up whilst Ings is sidelined.

Last season saw former Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe sing Ings’ praises, as he said:

“The most impressive thing about Danny is, of course, he’s an outstanding player.”

Whilst he hasn’t been able to show that on a regular basis for Southampton in recent months, he is undoubtedly still one of the first names on the teamsheet for Hasenhuttl, and therefore, it is a big blow to lose him for so long.

How Southampton perform in his absence could be season-defining, as if they slip back into the awful run of form that saw them pick up one point in nine games, then Ings may have a big role to play in keeping the Saints up when he returns from injury.

And, in other news… Forget Tella: Saints beast who played 4 key passes was Hasenhuttl’s star vs SHU

Nottingham Forest suffered a costly defeat on Tuesday evening, falling to a slender loss to Luton Town at the City Ground.

The loss is particularly worrying considering that Chris Hughton’s men are now just 11 points clear of the relegation zone, with sides below them having as many three matches in hand.

However, there were signs throughout the clash that could give the club reason to be optimistic in avoiding relegation to League One.

Manager Hughton was impressed with how his side managed to create opportunities. Following the game, he said that Forest were “very good”, having some presentable chances to open the scoring before the break.

The statistics agree with that sentiment, with the hosts having had 19 shots throughout the game, forcing Luton stopper Simon Sluga into four saves.

The fact that Forest were creating opportunities is a positive sign. It is, in fact, something that they have managed throughout the majority of the campaign.

At their current rate, the East Midlands side are taking 11.6 shots per game according to WhoScored, which is in fact the sixth-highest in the Championship.

Of course, that does not mean all too much if the team are just attempting pot shots from distance, which to an extent is true. Approximately 40% of Forest’s shots this season have come from outside of the penalty area – only Reading, Barnsley and Huddersfield Town have a higher percentage.

However, judging by the expected goals model (xG), Hughton’s men are actually creating very presentable chances.

They currently possess an xG count of 40.07 which is dramatically higher than their number of actual goals scored, 28.

That disparity in these numbers can come down to one of two aspects: poor fortune i.e. excellent stops from opposition goalkeepers or indeed, poor finishing.

Whilst that poor finishing could potentially hamper Forest for the rest of the season, there will hopefully come a point where the chances indeed start finding the back of the net with more regularity, swiftly moving the club away from the drop zone. After all, they are certainly more creative than any of their relegation rivals.

Hughton’s men just need to keep generating chances at the rate they currently are and their luck in front of goal will hopefully turn.

AND in more news, we analyse Glenn Murray’s awful performance in the defeat against Luton…

Plenty of Crystal Palace supporters have been sharing their positive thoughts on social media regarding teenager David Omilabu after he signed professional terms with the club on Wednesday.

The 18-year-old, who has been with the club’s academy since the age of eight, has been in fine form for the Eagles’ youth sides this season.

Omilabu in free-scoring Palace form

Omilabu has netted nine goals in as many games for the Under-18 side in recent months, while also recording a goal and an assist for the Under-23’s in his opening two appearances.

The young attacker’s displays for the Under-18’s have helped them to top spot in the Under-18 Premier League South, while his first strike for the Under-23’s was the winner against Burnley.

Palace shared the news on Omilabu’s professional deal on their official Twitter page on Wednesday afternoon.

This is what these fans had to say to the update, with plenty delighted and one happy to label it as ‘excellent news’ for the club.

Palace fans full of praise for Omilabu

“Excellent news, got some very talented youngsters coming through at academy level – David is one of them”

Credit: @cpfc7791

“ABSOLUTE SCENES”

Credit: @HLTCO

“great news this, looks the real deal this lad”

Credit: @APftbl

“Yesssssssss”

Credit: @Adam_Palace

“If we can perfect the transition from academy to first team, were gonna mean serious business in a few years time”

Credit: @Beniesta_

“Stick him in the first team now please”

Credit: @Twentyfour7Sanj

In other news: Fans have slammed one Premier League star after his comments on Wilfried Zaha, find out more here.

After young Liverpool attacker Layton Stewart was stretched off during the under-23s’ 1-1 draw with West Ham United on Saturday, many Reds were left gutted by the ‘devastating’ news, with the 18-year-old requiring oxygen before being taken carried away. 

Stewart, who has been in fine form for both the under-18s and under-23s this season in Liverpool’s academy, needed treatment following a collision with a Hammers defender.

Having made the step up to the under-23s on a permanent basis, scoring against the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea, the Reds’ injury jinx appears to be continuing as this news emerges that Stewart was stretched off.

Needing to be administered oxygen, many Liverpool fans were left gutted over this untimely news, flocking to Twitter and wishing their best for the attacker.

Given his form for Liverpool’s youngsters, this does indeed come as ‘devastating’ for Stewart – find some of the Reds’ messages of support down below.

Liverpool fans gutted by Stewart news

“Wow.. this is not good. Poor Layton Stewart”

Credit: @LFCTransferRoom

“Layton Stewart stretched off after a knee injury, seems quite serious. poor lad was receiving oxygen. devastating for him :(“

Credit: @ellajxde

“Awful news from our u23 game against West Ham today as Layton Stewart picked up what seemed like a horrific injury.

The striker required oxygen after damaging his knee.

Lets just hope it’s not as bad as it looked”

Credit: @Anfield_Central

“Layton Stewart get well soon”

Credit: @FalseNineRole_

“Gutted for Layton Stewart, looks a bad one.”

Credit: @Brand0nLFC

“Oh dear Layton Stewart…”

Credit: @lfcnoah1

“That’s doesn’t look good!”

Credit: @FanaticalRich

“Looks like a bad injury for Layton Stewart there poor kid getting oxygen on the pitch”

Credit: @ATW1062

In other news: Many Liverpool fans flocked to a James Pearce claim, find out more here.

As France manager Didier Deschamps confirms his 26-man squad for their upcoming international matches, plenty of Manchester City supporters have erupted as Aymeric Laporte misses out on another call-up – with one Sky Blue blasting the decision as ‘disgraceful’ whilst others have their say.

Laporte, who has been utilised more often by Pep Guardiola in recent weeks, rotating consistently in place of strong City partnership Ruben Dias and John Stones, has still not done enough to earn the Deschamps nod.

Instead, the likes of Presnel Kimpembe, Clement Lenglet, Raphael Varane and Kurt Zouma are cherry picked by Les Bleus for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Bosnia.

The 26-year-old, who Guardiola has started to use slightly more regularly, has averaged the most aerial duels won per 90 (3.1) in the Premier League out of any City player with more than 10 appearances (WhoScored).

Flocking to this news that he won’t be joining up with his France teammates, it’s safe to say many supporters don’t agree with the decision to omit Laporte once again – branding it a ‘joke’ and ’embarrassing’ as well as ‘disgraceful’.

Find all of their verdicts down below.

Man City fans disgusted by Laporte omission

“This is personal, he will not get a chance until Didier leave.”

Credit: @jgedeon1717

“Laporte being so disrespected as usual.”

Credit: @carla_kmg

“As usual. Smh.”

Credit: @thelordkeepyou

“Agenda”

Credit: @MoNasereldin

“Absolutely disgraceful once again.”

Credit: @mxnciteh

“I feel so sad for Aymeric. First his injuries, then John and Ruben being on top form”

Credit: @Naimaajay

“This is a joke”

Credit: @mcfcmoee

“Imagine putting out laporte instead of lenglet. Its more embarrassing than Goldbridges tweet about city”

Credit: @adityasaivp12

In other news: Man City fans want this star signed as Txiki enters pole position, find out more here.

Tottenham Hotspur could be all change in the goalkeeper position this summer, if emerging reports are to be believed…

What’s the word?

According to the Daily Mail, Spurs are exploring alternative targets to Burnley’s Nick Pope in fear of being priced out of the England international, and one name that they are keen on is Lille shot-stopper Mike Maignan.

It’s thought that the Clarets will demand in excess of £30m for the 28-year-old, something that Daniel Levy may not be able to afford in the current financial climate.

Maignan will enter the final year of his contract at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy at the end of the season, so could be available for a cut-price deal.

Transfermarkt currently value the French international at £18m, whilst it remains to be seen how much the Ligue 1 joint-leaders would want for their first-choice goalkeeper.

Bye-bye Lloris?

The 25-year-old has started all 30 of Lille’s league matches this term, keeping 16 clean sheets in the process on their way to challenging Paris Saint-Germain for the title.

And it is the French champions that play an interesting role in this potential deal as the report also claims that Hugo Lloris’ future in north London remains uncertain as PSG are interested in signing him.

The 34-year-old veteran has somewhat regressed over the past 18 months or so, with more and more errors creeping into his game.

Premier League matches against Aston Villa and Brighton last season saw him fumble the ball for the opposition to score, whilst earlier this season, Lloris was dubbed “lettuce wrists” and a “weak link” of Jose Mourinho’s side as he let in five goals against Everton in the FA Cup.

Maignan is a decent replacement to make. He’s silenced some pretty big names this term, having stopped the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and one-time Spurs target Arek Milik from scoring.

It also presents an opportunity to move on from the past, and to start planning for the future. Goalkeepers do last a lot longer than most players these days, but at 34, Lloris is on the wrong side of that, whereas at 25, Maignan can become Spurs’ long-term option for the next five-to-six years, at least.

In addition to all that, two of Spurs’ current staff members – assistant Joao Sacramento and goalkeeping coach Nuno Santos – have worked with him before at Lille, and according to L’Equipe (via Sport Witness), they believe he has ‘enormous potential.’

Similarly, ex-teammate Victor Oshimhen claimed he was “too strong” and that merely echoed the thoughts of manager Christophe Galtier, who has lauded him “decisive” this season.

No Ligue 1 side has conceded fewer goals than Lille (19) this term and by comparison, Mourinho’s side have leaked 11 more goals, often to individual mistakes at the back. Lloris is usually one main culprit, too.

Given the interest in Maignan, it could be the final nail in the coffin for Lloris’ future at Spurs.

AND in other news, Dele Alli in line for Spurs revival if “unbelievable” boss is appointed…