Loads of Celtic fans have been running the rule over Saturday’s defeat at Ibrox, and they’re absolutely furious with the performance of Olivier Ntcham.
Celtic fans were delighted when Ntcham signed a new contract back in November, as the French youngster showed real signs of becoming a top class midfielder last season.
His form has gone off the deep end since signing his new deal though, failing to score a single goal since then, and he may just have had his worst performance in a Celtic shirt on Saturday.
Former Wigan & Fulham man, Jimmy Bullard recently showed that he’s still got it! Check out the video below...
The Bhoys were beaten 1-0 at Ibrox courtesy of Ryan Jack’s first half strike, but the performance will be just as disappointing to Brendan Rodgers as the result.
His side were completely outclassed in the middle of the park, where Jack, Scott Arfield and Ross McCrorie dominated proceedings.
Ntcham was sloppy in possession and virtually non-existent when the hosts had the ball, and fans are blasting the 22 year-old, with some even calling for his departure.
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You can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…
Chelsea may have beaten Liverpool in the Carabao Cup, but the Blues can’t rest yet. They’re set to take the Reds on yet again later today (Saturday), this time in the Premier League at Stamford Bridge.
It was a heroic comeback from Chelsea on Wednesday to secure progression into the next round of the Carabao Cup, but for Sarri, the Premier League will always be a priority.
That win will mean nothing if Chelsea are beaten at Stamford Bridge, and so it’s important that he gets everything right once again later today.
In particular, who he selects in the Chelsea attack is important, as that’s the area of the pitch that has given Chelsea the most joy, and indeed, the most dissapointment on occasion this season.
But who should he pick?
It’s tough to look past Eden Hazard returning to the starting eleven. He was the game changer for Chelsea on Wednesday, scoring the winning goal and setting up the equaliser. He proved once again that he’s Chelsea’s best player, and he’s quickly emerging as one of the leading players in Europe. He just can’t stop scoring at the moment, and that’s great for the Blues.
On the other side, Willian may well keep his place. Granted, he has looked poor in recent weeks, but the Brazilian’s work rate is important in big games like this, and it would be foolish of Maurizio Sarri to ignore that. not to mention, as he proved against Cardiff, he is capable of scoring goals – but he just needs to do it more often. He had a bad game on Wednesday, and he’ll be expected to improve significantly.
Deciding who will be leading the line is perhaps the most difficult selection choice. Neither Alvaro Morata or Olivieri Giroud have done well this season, but in this instance, perhaps the latter should take the lead. Giroud had a good World Cup for France, and his link-up play this season has been great, even if his finishing hasn’t been quite so good. Like Moata, though, all he may need is a goal, and it would be fair to say that the Frenchman has looked closer than his Spanish teammate in recent weeks.
Despite their lack of form up-front, Chelsea’s attack is deadly, and on their day they can take down anyone – including Liverpool.
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Trent Alexander-Arnold has come of age this season while playing for Liverpool, particularly in the Champions League.
The 19-year-old was given the task of keeping Leroy Sane quiet during the Reds’ quarter-final showdown against Manchester City.
The England Under-21 international did so, and made it look easy, but the youngster was given a reality check on Wednesday night against Roma.
After being part of a scintillating 5-2 victory in the first leg of the semi-final at Anfield, Alexander-Arnold was left exposed numerous times at the Stadio Olimpico.
The Liverpool-born player had little protection down the right-hand side and he struggled to cope, making a few blunders as a result.
Jurgen Klopp’s side progressed to the final despite losing 4-2 on the night, and now attention has turned to team selection for the showpiece against Real Madrid in Kiev.
For the most part, the first XI picks itself, but after Alexander-Arnold’s inexperience got the better of him in Rome, perhaps Klopp should consider turning to Nathaniel Clyne.
The 27-year-old has spent the majority of the campaign on the sidelines with injury having started just one Premier League game.
In fact, Clyne has made just four appearances in all competitions, and on that basis alone it would raise eyebrows if he were to oust Alexander-Arnold.
However, one could argue that throwing the teenager into a game of this magnitude against world-class talent that Madrid possess would be a risk.
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With all that in mind, who should Klopp name as right-back in the club’s biggest game of the season?
Sky Sports pundit Phil Thompson believes that Tottenham Hotspur will struggle to finish in the top four this season.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side have shown progression over the past few campaigns.
In the 2015-16 campaign, the North London outfit tried to push shock Premier League winners to the end, but eventually crumbled in the closing stages of the contest.
Last season, Tottenham were the closest to challenging Chelsea for the crown, but they fell short once again.
It was a positive campaign as the club finished second, higher than arch rivals Arsenal for the first time in 22 years.
So far in the 2017-18 season, the team have recorded seven wins, three draws and three defeats, leaving them fifth in the table and eight points adrift of leaders Manchester City.
Thompson believes that not only will Spurs fail to clinch the title, they will also miss out on a Champions League place.
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In a piece for Sky Sports, the former Liverpool defender predicted that the top four will be Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool.
“I’m going for Arsenal and Tottenham to miss out as you don’t really know what you’re going to get from them. Arsene Wenger’s side were very fortunate to get a win at the weekend, while Spurs are struggling to consistently deliver.
“Arsenal are in a transitional period and if Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil do go in January then it will be tough for them to get sufficient quality in, while Spurs also tend to falter against the top sides, particularly away.”
As reported by The Independent, Alexis Sanchez has emerged as Antonio Conte’s top Chelsea target in the upcoming summer transfer window.
What’s the story?
Sanchez has been linked with moves away from Arsenal all season since he has still not signed a new deal at the club, with his current contract expiring in 2018.
The Independent reckon that means Conte’s Chelsea will make their move for the attacker this summer, believing they can seriously test the Gunners’ resolve to hold on to their man.
The paper say that Conte sees both his versatility and of course his lethal ability to be key to his ambitions next season as he attempts to build a squad worthy of competing in Europe and in defence of their Premier League title.
Pushing the boat out
Transfermarkt reckon that the Chilean forward is worth around £55m in today’s market which, with just a year left on his contract at Arsenal, is a hefty sum indeed. Still, it’s more than likely worth it given the firepower he could bring to Stamford Bridge.
The 28 year old has scored an incredible 28 goals this season, also assisting teammates 13 times. He’s an all-rounder that could not only lead the Chelsea attack but also support an out and out striker or poacher.
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That kind of consistency could all but guarantee the Blues repeat their Premier League success next season. Added to the likes of Eden Hazard and Diego Costa, Conte could have one of the best attacking forces in world football at his disposal.
Southampton seem to be going from strength to strength this season under new manager Claude Puel aftera shaky start to the campaign.
The Saints held Manchester City to a 1-1 draw at the weekend thanks to a strike from the in-form Nathan Redmond, which now means they are unbeaten in the Premier League since the 10th of September when they were bettered 2-1 by Arsenal.
In fact, they have only lost once since then in all competitions, the only defeat coming against Inter Milan last week in the Europa League.
Next up for Puel and Co. is Sunderland tomorrow night in the EFL Cup at St Mary’s. The visitors’ fortunes of late have been the polar opposite of the home side, with the Black Cats yet to register a Premier League win and picking up a dismal two points so far.
Manager David Moyes has his work cut out as he tries to turn Sunderland’s season around. But it might be a hurdle too high to beat solid Southampton, especially if the home side line up like this.
Goalkeeper
Fraser Forster is doing himself no harm in the race for the England number one jersey, conceding only 9 goals this season and keeping a huge six clean sheets already. How he was not considered the number one choice for England at the Euros is a question in itself, as his huge frame and brilliant agility make him as difficult to beat as anyone.
Back Four
Virgil Van Dijk and Jose Fonte are a mainstay in the team now, especially considering Maya Yoshida’s troubles against Inter Milan last week in the 1-0 defeat. The aforementioned pair are making quite the formidable partnership together and can take a huge amount of credit for the Saints’ excellent defensive record so far this season.
One of Southampton’s stand-out performaners from their Italian away day was the incoming Sam McQueen, who was excellent in the absence of Ryan Bertrand and should be given the opportunity to shine again on Wednesday night. At right-back, the ever improving Cuco Martina starts.
Midfield
Oriel Romeu is quickly becoming one of the first names on the Southampton team sheet, especially after his Man of the Match performance against Manchester City at the weekend as his tireless work ethic in the centre of the park made life difficult for the City’s gifted midfield.
Alongside him comes Jordy Clasie who hasn’t had as much game time as maybe he would have hoped this season yet impressed when given the opportunity.
Record signing Sofiane Boufal should be given his chance to shine having returned from injury. The Moroccan showed glimpses of his ability at the weekend but ultimately ran out of time in what was a cameo appearance.
Out wide is Nathan Redmond, who surely must be on the verge of an England call-up given his excellent form so far this season, and on the other flank James Rodriguez.
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Once firm fan favourite, Rodriguez has struggled since his return from a lengthy lay-off, but 90 minutes will do him and his confidence the world of good.
Striker
Shane Long is becoming an outcast at St Mary’s as of late thanks to the impeccable form of Charlie Austin. The former QPR striker has really found his shooting boots under Claude Puel, having had a tough half-season after joining in the 2016 January window.
Austin is a constant threat in and around the box, and will more often than not find the back of the net when given half a yard. Sunderland’s defenders will be wary.
Player of the Year in the Championship… The Premier League seems to be calling Patrick Bamford.
And it’s easy to see why, his 17 goals in the second tier make him one of the division’s most dangerous front-men, and naturally interest from the ‘big time’ is gathering.
Aston Villa appear to be at the front of the queue for the Chelsea owned starlet, who at 21 is one of English football’s most intriguing new talents.
A loan deal appears to make sense for all involved, and here are FIVE reasons why…
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Bamford needs playing time
“I’d like to try and play at Chelsea, but I don’t want to spend next season sat on the bench – at this stage it’s important for my development that I play every week if possible.”
Bamford knows it; playing time at his age is key. After regular minutes on the pitch at Middlesbrough it would be a real shame for the player to return to Chelsea to sit on the bench.
Although talented, will Jose Mourinho really turn to the teenager ahead of Loic Remy if Diego Costa is injured or suspended? Unlikely given his pragmatic coaching style.
There are some doubts surrounding guaranteed game time at Villa, but the odds seem to be more in Bamford’s favour in the Midlands.
Could work well under Sherwood
Say what you want about Tim Sherwood, but he gets the best from young players. The likes of Harry Kane and Nabil Bentaleb were handed chances at Spurs by the now Villa coach, with the former netting his first few goals and the latter proving himself to be a better option that big money signings Etienne Capoue and Paulinho.
Jack Grealish appears to be the latest fledgling talent being given responsibility by Sherwood, and the Irish/English (who knows!) talent has impressed.
Bamford himself may thrive under the Villa Park gaffer, whose ‘up and at ‘em’ style can get the best from emerging stars.
Needs Premier League experience if he’s to get a Chelsea chance
“I regard my long-term future being at Chelsea. Fingers crossed, I might be the man who saves [Mourinho] spending £30m.
“I’ve got to be patient, I’m still quite young. If I want to be a main striker at Chelsea, I need to get the chance to push people like [Didier] Drogba and [Loic] Remy and to see what I can learn off them.”
Well, Patrick, if you are serious about making a Chelsea impact you’ll not only have to compete with players such as Remy, but you’ll have to prove you can cut it in the Premier League.
The only way to do so is to play in the top tier, which Villa will offer him the chance to do. Staying at Boro appears the most logical move, but with Bournemouth and Watford taking up the automatic promotion slots, the North East side will have to chance their arm in the play-offs, and we all know what regularly happens to teams who have performed brilliantly all season that drop into the Wembley scrap!
Good for English talent and the Championship
Bamford getting a chance at a top club like Villa is truly excellent for English football and the Championship as a whole.
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Aaron Cresswell has been, arguably, the left-back of the season and he was signed by West Ham from Ipswich, while there seems to be an increasing focus from midtable sides on talent in the tier below.
Another ‘step up’ would prove that the Championship is a viable route for players, which can only be good for the division.
Another aspect is how good it could be for emerging English youngsters to see another player making it in the top tier. Bamford’s drop through to League One and the Championship will prove to many that success can be achieved away from a club’s youth set-up and reserve sides.
Chelsea’s sell on policy…
This one may be a bit unsavoury to hear, but Villa could act as a shop window for Bamford. Chelsea are known to operate with a loan deal with a view to sell policy, which, albeit against the ethos of the game, is wise in an era of Financial Fair Play.
Should Bamford find the back of the net with some regularity and show promise, the premium on English talent may see clubs willing to spend upwards of £10m-£15m on him, which would be a massive profit for the Blues.
Robert Green has said QPR acted too hastily when they allowed Heidar Helguson to leave the club and join Cardiff.
Helguson was part of the side which achieved promotion two years ago and was instrumental in keeping the club in the Premier League last season when he was the top scorer at Loftus Road.
Neil Warnock was desperate to keep him and managed to persuade the then owners not to allow him to leave, but he was eventually moved on to Cardiff, who have just been crowned champions of the Championship and Green has slammed the decision.
He told West London Sport: “Robin van Persie has scored about as many goals as us this season. I think that says it all really.
“The lack of goals has been clear for all to see and I think Andrew Johnson getting injured and missing the season hasn’t helped.
“For me, another factor has been that the top scorer from last season was sold. That was a big decision.
“I say that with no disrespect to Jay [Bothroyd], who has also not played many games and has managed to score and play well when he has come in.
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“But to sell someone like Helguson, who helped the club get up, was the top scorer last season and has helped Cardiff get promoted this season, I think had an effect.”
Juventus manager Antonio Conte has thrown the club’s recent revival into turmoil after receiving a 10-month ban from the game for his role in the Calcioscommesse scandal while he was manager at Siena – so where exactly does this leave the current Serie A champions going into the new campaign?
Italian football and scandal have been intertwined for years now, and Juventus have had their fair share in the past, having been relegated to Serie B back in 2006 for their role in a similar match-fixing scandal called Calciopoli, after they had their 2005 and 2006 title wins stripped off them, but this latest one is not of their own doing it has to be said.
It’s worth noting that Conte is still at liberty to train the players and prepare them for matches, but his 10-month ban applies to match-days and any competitive league fixture and he won’t be able to take his place in the dug-out, which could have an adverse effect on the team’s performances. Conte has been accused of failing to report alleged match-fixing involving former club Siena in the 2010-11 season, while assistant coach Angelo Alessio was also banned.
The next stage of developments will see Conte appeal his ban to the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) but having had a plea bargain deal rejected by the FIGC earlier this month, the chances are slim. He put forward a proposal which would have seen him serve a three-month suspension and pay a fine of 200,000 euros but it was turned down and you sense that Conte knows his position as an unsackable title-winning manager is weakening the longer this whole affair drags on.
For their part, the club have stood by their man so far, releasing a statement shortly after the ban which read: “Juventus reiterates its full support for Antonio Conte and Angelo Alessio in the hope the next stage of the process will finally prove their innocence. A group of legal professionals have been appointed by the individuals concerned and, with the full support of the club, is already working to prepare grounds for an appeal.” The situation is far from ideal in what initially promised to be a summer that finally saw Juventus return to the pinnacle of the European game after they saw off AC Milan to clinch the Serie A title last season by four points.
Of course, since then, AC Milan have been severely weakened having sold both their best players, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva, to French club PSG, so the title is theirs for the taking yet again – the likes of Udinese, Roma, Lazio and Parma are way back at the moment, while Inter Milan appear to be going through a restructuring phase under the stewardship of 36 year-old former youth coach Andrea Stramaccioni, with little is expected of them in the short-term.
Luckily for Juventus, they got the majority of their business in the transfer market concluded early and have spent nearly £50m already this summer on the likes of Kwadwo Asamoah, Mauricio Isla, Paul Pogba, Martin Caceres, Emanuele Giaccherini, Sebastian Giovinco and Brazilian defender Lucio. They have an extremely strong squad at the moment and they’re capable of making a serious impact in the latter stages of the Champions League should it all click together, but still the nagging doubts persist.
This summer they were thought to be in the market for a world-class striker to make good on their ambitions in Europe and they targeted Robin van Persie, the former Arsenal man who has just completed a sensational move to Manchester United. Whether the Dutchman was put off by the cloud currently hanging over the club, we don’t know, but it will surely impact on their ability to attract the star names in the future as there’s still an awful lot of uncertainty surrounding the club.
Should Conte lose his appeal and be forced to serve the entirety of his 10-month ban, despite winning the title for the club last term, there is no guarantee that should the board find that the current arrangement is not suiting them and is too much of a hindrance on the side, that the 43 year-old coach will still be there at the end of the season.
So far, they’ve backed him to the hilt, but things can change quickly in football and if they start the season poorly, despite Conte’s burgeoning reputation within the game, having helped the club go all of last season unbeaten, he could be sent packing and it’s hard to recruit players with such uncertainty around the club’s immediate future.
Last season, an Andrea Pirlo inspired the Old Lady to dominate the league, proving in the process that this current vintage is not only difficult to beat, but on their day, wonderful to watch and there’s a sense that the club aren’t quite cashing in on that potential and that this Conte ban could hold the club back.
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The strength in depth of Serie A at the moment is at its weakest for a long time and Juventus could dominate for a sustained period with the right moves in the transfer market, for there is no clear challenger for the title. There’s almost guaranteed silverware on offer but this Conte ban, even if at the moment represents a minor annoyance, could soon turn into a major headache.
Newcastle United's reported target Neymar could potentially move to the Premier League over the summer with his future at Paris Saint-Germain discussed internally.
Could Newcastle land Neymar?
Champions League football could be a massive boost for the Toon going into the summer with the potential lure of elite European football something that could boost their ability to attract players.
Dan Ashworth and PIF have already landed some great signings with the likes of Alexander Isak and Bruno Guimaraes, however, top-four football could take that level up a notch.
There have been reports suggesting the club's owners are keen to potentially bring in a big name like Neymar this summer, with Manchester United and Chelsea also keen.
The report suggests the possibility of Champions League football is viewed as a massive opportunity for the Saudi-based owners to make a real statement.
And the addition of someone like Neymar would certainly be a marquee signing considering he is believed to be earning in the region of £945k-per-week.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano has claimed the 31-year-old Brazilian's potential exit has been discussed at the Parc des Princes.
Adding to that, the Italian journalist also mooted a potential move to the Premier League over the summer:
(0:50) "What we can say, in this moment, is that internally at PSG, the potential departure of Neymar Jr has been discussed and it's a possibility. So this summer looks like, for the very first time since he joined PSG, there is a concrete chance for Neymar Jr. to leave the club."
"And also that Premier League could be a solution to watch because for some clubs could be an opportunity to go for Neymar. So let's keep an eye on that one. But again, this is not something advanced yet and it's not advanced at all."
Should Newcastle sign Neymar?
After being taken over in 2021, it quickly became apparent that the Magpies would have the financial power to go toe-to-toe with any other side in world football.
So in that sense, the finances would not necessarily be an issue for PIF given the extreme wealth behind the Tyneside club.
However, the main concerns will likely be surrounding the character of the Brazilian and how he could potentially fit in at Darsley Park.
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe.
The 31-year-old has been no stranger to finding his name in the headlines in France having fallen out with some senior figures at PSG.
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There are also reports suggesting the relationship between Neymar and Kylian Mbappe also leaves a lot to be desired.
Given the current set-up at Newcastle, it would be an enormous risk to bring in a player who could potentially view himself as bigger than the club.
Gary Neville has recently spoken on the possibility of this transfer happening as he shared his concerns for Eddie Howe if Neymar was to land in the north east:
"That would scare me to death, that sort of signing, not because I mean Neymar's a sensational player. But I think Eddie Howe all of a sudden would sort of have a circus. Eddie Howe doesn't need a circus up here."