[ad_pod ]

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…

Speaking on talkSPORT, Sam Matterface has revealed Manchester United “need” someone like Declan Rice in their team.

What did he say?

The West Ham midfielder enjoyed an impressive campaign last season in the holding midfield role, and Matterface has insisted United could do with someone of the 20-year-old’s qualities.

He said: “I think that’s what they (United) need, I think they need someone in that position. At the moment they’re playing (Paul) Pogba a little bit deeper because (Nemanja) Matic’s legs have gone and can’t get around the pitch as much as he did before, (Scott) McTominay’s playing alongside Pogba as a result of that.

Watch Manchester United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

“I think ideally, and they did this in the game against Southampton, they pushed Pogba into a No 10 position when they were chasing the game.”

The long-term solution

Whilst Scott McTominay continues to improve with each passing game, there is no doubt Rice would represent an upgrade on the Scotland international. The Hammers man averages a ridiculously impressive 3.5 tackles and 2.3 interceptions per game this season, comfortably bettering the numbers of 1.5 and 1.8 for McTominay.

The 20-year-old shows a sense of maturity that belies his tender age, and in a position that requires a real perception of the game, Rice has taken to it like a duck to water.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

If United were to sign him, then he could sit back and protect the back-four, and allow flair players like Pogba to really do their damage going forward. He could quite comfortably establish himself as part of the United midfield for more than a decade, given that he will not turn 21 until January.

Buying him from a fellow Premier League side may be tricky, but it could well turn out to be a masterstroke if they manage to pull it off.

[ad_pod ]

The youngster showed a great attitude in his post as he was quick to praise the team and the fans despite the fact that he could have easily made it all about himself.

It remains to be seen how good Bellingham will become in the next few years, but his electric start for the Blues will have a number of supporters excited to see what’s next for the teenager.

[ad_pod ]

[ad_pod ]There’s a reason Urban Dictionary describes a Spursy as: “To consistently and inevitably fail to live up to expectations. To bottle it.”Year after year Tottenham Hotspur display episodes of genuine quality and demonstrate passages of play reserved for the footballing gods, the kind that incites widespread murmurings of “this could be their year†amongst pundits and fans alike.But then the footballing world remembers just who they’re dealing with and the hype train is destroyed as quickly as it was put together.Since the turn of the century, Spurs have been in a total of six quarter-finals, seven semi-finals, and five finals. But in only one of those, the 2007/08 League Cup, have they come away with a trophy.Watch Tottenham Hotspur Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Indeed, Tottenham’s history is marred with close calls. As recently as last season, they had one hand on the Champions League trophy and an outside chance at the Premier League, but history repeated itself once again and they choked at the last; a shameful 3-1 defeat to Wolves the centrepiece of their capitulation.

It’s hardly surprising then that after Wednesday night’s performance against Olympiakos, which saw them squander a two-goal lead, talkSPORT commentator and former Chelsea player Jason Cundy is already predicting another disappointing season…

[ad_pod ]

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…

When Alisson was substituted in the 37th minute in Liverpool’s opening Premier League fixture against Norwich fans would have rightly felt concerned, but Adrian’s presence means the Brazilian isn’t missed.

For many teams, losing a player who was named the FIFA Best Goalkeeper of the Year would have been a severe setback.

Alisson helped to transform the Liverpool defence last season and it was little surprise that he kept the most clean sheets in the division with 21, as well as achieving a shut-out in the Champions League final.

Despite the blow, Jurgen Klopp’s side have lost just once since in seven games, but crucially have got off to a 100% start in the Premier League with six wins from six, and Adrian has played his part in that.

The Spaniard quickly became an Anfield favourite with his penalty shoot-out heroics in the Super Cup against Chelsea, but barring an error which allowed Danny Ings to score in the following game he hasn’t put a foot wrong.

In fact, he has done quite the opposite in his performances with eye-catching saves against Napoli and Chelsea, and for that reason he deserves to keep his place in the side.

It would be a bold call from Klopp. The Brazil international, who has 42 caps, is a fans’ favourite and his shot-stopping has been of a high standard since he arrived at the club, with an average of 1.8 saves per league game last year.

Watch Liverpool Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Equally as impressive is his ability with the ball at his feet, as his short pass success of 98% suggests, but despite that, it would be unfair on Adrian to lose his place, and his morale could take a knock as a result.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

More importantly, however, is the fact Adrian deserves his place in the team on merit. The Reds may have conceded a goal in five of their six league matches, but there was little the 30-year-old could do about all but one of those, and he has instead helped his side win points with key first-half saves against Arsenal and Chelsea.

Adrian has also performed better than Alisson in terms of distribution so far, with an average of 6.6 distributions per game as opposed to the Brazilian’s 5.3, and that aspect of his game could persuade Klopp to stick with him as Liverpool often look to break quickly through the pace of their forwards.

[ad_pod ]

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

Despite being out of action for virtually two seasons in a row with various injury problems, Benjamin Mendy has never found himself out of the spot-light. The maverick defender has kept his name front and centre of conversations, largely thanks to his comical activities on social media.

But now he could be set to make headlines on the pitch. The left-back made his return from injury in the Champions League victory over Shakhtar Donetsk, before featuring in the Premier League for the first time since the end of last season against Watford.

Watch Manchester City Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Having signed from Ligue 1 side AS Monaco for £52m in the summer of 2017, Mendy has hardly had the opportunity to show City why they splashed the cash to sign him. But with a busy period ahead, his return to fitness has come at the perfect time for Pep Guardiola.

On the chalkboard

In Mendy’s absence, the City boss has had to turn to Oleksandr Zinchenko to cover a gap at left-back. Whilst the Ukrainian has performed admirably in an unfamiliar role, he just doesn’t possess the physical attributes Mendy has. The Frenchman’s raw pace and athleticism allows him to cover the ground superbly, and his superb vision in the final third leads to loads of chances.

In his final campaign before his move to the Etihad, the 25-year-old picked up 11 assists from left-back in just 39 appearances. One of those set-ups came against City themselves when the two sides met in the last 16 of the Champions League. In that year, Mendy averaged 1.5 dribbles and 1 key pass per game in Ligue 1. In contrast, Zinchenko managed just 0.4 dribbles and o.9 key passes per game in the Premier League last season.

Such is the hype surrounding Mendy’s return, Guardiola himself out-lined exactly how the France international will transform his side’s attacking structure.

“He will be an incredibly important player for us. With him, we can attack more constantly and in a different way – he has a special quality that only he has in our team. With Oleks Zinchenko, we cannot attack wide or deep. His quality is completely different. With Mendy, we can do it so hopefully, he can be fit and healthy, and play.”

How much money could you make busking for a week as a freestyle footballer? Find out in the video below…

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Whilst the Citizens may be ruing the absence of Aymeric Laporte, they do have some significantly positive news on the injury front in Mendy’s comeback. He may not be a centre-forward or play-maker, but he has proven he can be just as important in terms of chance creation, and Guardiola clearly knows it too.

Derby County haven’t been in the best of form as of late.Indeed, the Rams sit 16th in the Championship table, and they’ve won just one of their last nine league matches.Watch Derby County Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Perhaps nothing signifies the East Midlands side’s woes more than their nominations for the club’s latest Goal of the Month award.

The compilation of the club’s best goals from September shows just how poor they were during that month, as a majority of these strikes belong nowhere near a Goal of the Month competition.

Scott Malone’s strike is a particularly low point in the award nominations, but luckily the left-back sees the funny side as he joked about being nominated.

Malone called his strike as a goalmouth scramble, and that’s quite a fitting description.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

We’re sure the Pride Park faithful hope they see a few more eye-catching strikes next month, as this Goal of the Month award shortlist was truly woeful.

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

Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka is very much a marmite player for the Gunners. Some like him, many aren’t so keen.

Nevertheless, the role that he played during his side’s 1-0 win against Bournemouth illustrates how important he is for the team.

What’s the word?

After appearing to duck out of the way of Scott McTominay’s goalbound shot during Arsenal’s 1-1 draw away to Manchester United, the Switzerland international responded in the best way possible as his side moved up to third place in the Premier League table.

Having been named the club’s captain, Xhaka showed characteristics of leadership during the game, turning in an excellent defensive display overall.

Xhaka hits back

Since he inherited the permanent captaincy from the Laurent Koscielny, Xhaka is playing with a lot more composure and maturity.

The Switzerland international continues to defy his critics – journalist Henry Winter claimed he was “very, very lucky” to be handed the armband – and did so yet again during the Gunners’ victory over Bournemouth on Sunday.

During the game, Xhaka managed to accumulate two tackles and three aerial challenges won. Add in a pass success rate of 85%, and the stats display Xhaka’s willingness and determination to break up the play and initiate attacks.

To add to this, his role as a defensive midfielder is becoming more apparent as he also made five clearances.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Xhaka moved from Borussia Monchengladbach for £31.5m in 2016 and now is the time for the Swiss midfielder to prove that he has been a good investment for the club with his new role within the team.

He is the captain now, and with that comes an added weight. If he can continue to perform as he did against the Cherries, Arsenal might well be in good hands.

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…

Out of sight, out of mind.

That’s pretty much been the case for Tendayi Darikwa this season.

Having been a regular in the team last campaign, racking up 31 appearances across all competitions, he has been out of action so far having sustained an injury in pre-season.

Watch Nottingham Forest Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Speaking to Nottinghamshire Live, the right-back couldn’t give a timescale on his recovery, but said that things were going well:

“It’s a long-term injury, so it’s slow progress. But I’m happy that I am making progress. The main thing is just to stay focused on the rehab – do everything that the doctors and the physios are telling me to do.

“Hopefully I can then get back at the back end of the season. We haven’t put a timescale on an exact return date just yet, because it’s still so early. But I’m hopeful, with a bit of good luck and a lot of hard work, I might get lucky and play a few games.”

By the sounds of it, he doesn’t sound too confident in being able to make it back this season if he is talking about being lucky to play games.

Given that reports suggest that Carl Jenkinson’s current injury could keep him out for longer than expected, that leaves Forest without a recognised full-back in their ranks.

The question if you are Forest, is do you keep things the way they are and hope that Darikwa will eventually find his way back to full strength sooner rather than later? Or do you put this season down as a write-off and go after someone in January?

It’s something that could certainly be a big dilemma for the club heading into the next couple of months.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Matty Cash has got off to a great start so far this season filling in that role, with one goal, two assists and four clean sheets but you can only play with fire for so long.

They don’t even need to go into the transfer market to search for bodies, with Sabri Lamouchi reportedly happy to give players in the academy a chance this season, that might be the route he is forced to take.

What option he does select will be fascinating to monitor.

AC Milan are looking to sign Eric Dier or Sandro Tonali from Tottenham Hotspur and Brescia respectively in the summer, if Lucas Biglia is let go, as reported by SempreMilan.

There has been an indication from Calciomercato News that the Argentinian could be set to leave the club, as his contract will be coming to an end and he is among the highest earners at the club.

With this in mind, SempreMilan have come up with two suggestions of who they think could sign:

They have included Dier, after previously claiming that a swap deal for the England international, which would see Franck Kessie move the opposite way, could be a possibility.

The other option is Tonali, whom Calciomercato claim Milan have made a move for in the past, with the indication being that they could go back in for the 19-year-old.

Many Milan fans have made it clear who they want to see coming into the club and that man is Tonali, with the general feeling being that he has better quality, more potential and a greater affinity with AC Milan.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

A selection of Twitter reaction to the links, including posts from decisive Milan fans, can be seen below:

Milan fans, who would you like to see join out of the two? Join the discussion by commenting below…

Former Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri is still a long way off becoming the next manager of Manchester United, but the move would “make sense,†according to ESPN pundit Julien Laurens.It’s got to that stage in the season again when the papers and pundits are talking about the future of United.Indeed, it doesn’t feel all that long ago that the likes of Gary Neville and friends were debating whether former coach Jose Mourinho should be sacked so early in the season. The 56-year-old was ousted from his post by the ever deluded Ed Woodward on December 18, 2018, and replaced by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who appeared at first to be the answer to the club’s problems.ÂHow could anyone forget about the clip of Rio Ferdinand getting a little too excited about Ole being ‘at the wheel’?

Fast forward 40 games, 20 wins, 8 draws, 12 losses and United’s worst start to a season in 30 years and we’re back to square one again.

Is United a “damaged brand”, as pundits from ESPN sports have suggested?

Tuttosport recently revealed that Ed Woodward is very close to bringing six-time Serie A winner Allegri to Old Trafford.

However, with a number of other top jobs potentially opening up around Europe, most of which are more appealing than the current wayward Old Trafford rebuild, Alejandro Moreno is probably justified in asking: “what manager in their right mind would go ‘yeah, I’m going to go in that direction even though there is no direction’?”

Shaka Hislop, too, echoed Moreno’s sentiment and said: “If somebody else, for argument’s sake, let’s say PSG decide we’ve had enough of Tuchel…and they join the race, PSG is the more likely destination.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

“So you act now whilst he’s still available.”

Speaking to Polish outlet Prezglad Sportowy (via the Metro) Allegri apparently refused to rule out taking the job and said: ‘I speak English too poorly for now, but I am learning.’