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Pablo Hernandez is one of the most adored talents at Leeds United but his dwindling form is a telling sign that Marcelo Bielsa needs to sign a player to replace him in the starting XI this summer.

The Chalkboard

Now, before the vultures come swooping, it’s pertinent to note that Hernandez still has a key role to play at Leeds.

However, at 34-years-old he cannot be relied upon to consistently inject the creative magic into Leeds’s midfield on a consistent basis. The club have often been dependent on his guile and vision to unlock their opponents and it’s generally become accepted that a good game for Hernandez is synonymous with a good game for Leeds.

His return of 12 goals and 12 assists this season underlines his importance to the club’s attacking endeavours, but the fact 10 of those assists arrived before the turn of the year is telling.

Game-changing performances against Millwall and Reading amongst other fine displays in 2019 cannot be forgotten but his consistency has diminished due to an unhealthy reliance on his quality.

Against Derby County he looked sluggish and overly determined to impress, and his mediocre showing underlined Marcelo Bielsa’s need to invest in a new playmaker this summer.

A player to keep Hernandez out of the team

Regardless of whether the club reach the Premier League, Bielsa must focus on signing a midfield wizard to immediately step into the starting XI.

This is not a case of simply dethroning the king and casting him aside. Hernandez’s quality will still be needed but he’s destined to burnout if he is expected to start as regularly as he has this season in the next campaign.

After all, the Leeds fans would rather see a razor-sharp Hernandez start 15 games than a lethargic one start 40.

Signing an adequate replacement will be an unenviable task for Victor Orta and the rest of the recruitment team, such is the scale of the Spaniard’s popularity on the terraces at Elland Road, but it’s a challenge which should be handled with the highest attention to detail; they are seismic and silky boots to fill and anything less than that could have regressive consequences for the club.

On his day the diminutive orchestrator is better than anyone in the division but Bielsa must now maximise the regularity of those days with a ruthless decision to sign a replacement.

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Leeds United have been linked with a move for Yoann Barbet after interest in the defender was reported by L’Equipe.

The Brentford defender would be available on a free this summer and his destination could be Elland Road.

What does he offer?

The Frenchman follows a long line of talented Brentford defenders in recent years. The likes of James Tarkowski, John Egan, Jack O’Connell and Chris Mepham have all plied their trade at Griffin Park and next season they will all likely be in the Premier League.

He is quite small for a centre back measuring 5 ft 10, meaning that his aerial presence isn’t quite what you might expect from a defender.

What he lacks in height he more than makes up for in skill though, with the 25-year-old being a fantastic ball-player and tackler which is something Bielsa likes to have in his defence.

The Brentford man can also play as a left-back, a skill which Leeds could do with at the moment with both Barry Douglas and Ezgjan Alioski out injured.

Who misses out?

Barbet’s arrival would mean that one of Leeds’ centre backs will have to drop to the bench to accommodate the new man.

It’s no coincidence that Barbet is a very different style of centre-back to Pontus Jansson. Bielsa could be looking to usher out the Swede after his recent performances have cost the Whites valuable points in the race for promotion.

The Frenchman is composed where the 6 ft 4 defender is reckless. The Leeds target can recycle possession whilst the 29-year-old tends to panic and hoof the ball forward.

Liam Cooper this season has grown to be the more valuable player in the centre-back pairing, and if the Yorkshire club do bring in defensive reinforcements that could mean Jansson slips down the pecking order.

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It has been reported by the Daily Express that Arsenal are keen on signing Everton centre-back Michael Keane and are keeping a close eye on him ahead of the summer window.

What’s the word, then?

The Gunners sent some members of their scouting team to London Stadium on Saturday evening to watch the Toffees beat West Ham United 2-0 in the Premier League, per The Sun, with the £50 million-rated Keane impressing.

However, they may face some very close competition from bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur to land the signature of the 26-year-old according to the Daily Express.

Starting his career at Manchester United, the tall and physical centre-half left Old Trafford for Burnley in January 2015, moving onto Goodison Park in the summer of 2017 for £25.65 million having broken into Gareth Southgate’s England squad just a few months earlier.

Hold firm Everton, we don’t want to see another John Stones

The last thing Everton need at this stage is another transfer fiasco after failing to impress in windows in recent years – and this is another one waiting to happen.

Everton’s decision to allow John Stones go to Manchester City before the start of the 2016/2017 season was a disastrous move, one that has seen concede 100 goals in the 70 games league games following his departure.

Whilst Stones has been impressing at the Etihad Stadium, the Toffees have failed to replace him properly and have struggled for defensive solidity.

It was a decision which was out of their hands to a degree but one that has set them back hugely in their bid to break into the top six.

They simply can’t let lightning strike twice by cashing in on Keane in what would be yet another pricey outgoing transfer of a key central defender.

At present, Marco Silva’s men are still firmly in the hunt to clinch seventh place and achieving that would show huge progress at Goodison, although they really wouldn’t be in this position without the United academy product.

There is finally the sense in the blue half of Liverpool that something concrete is being built, especially when you factor in the stadium move, but selling Keane and making the same mistake twice could really whip the rug from underneath the club’s feet and display nothing other than regression.

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Millwall can head into the international break with their heads held high after narrowly losing out to Brighton in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup last weekend.

The Lions put up a fantastic fight and even went 2-0 up, although their visitors eventually pulled it back level and then went on to progress via penalties.

Thus, Neil Harris’ side’s Wembley dreams were dashed at the last hurdle in surely gutting circumstances – the Millwall boss, though, was quick to brush the tie under the carpet and look ahead to the remaining nine Championship fixtures, in which the Lions could be battling to remain in the second tier.

Here’s what Harris had to say:

“The FA Cup’s been a great adventure. We’ve had some great days but we’ve got nine cup finals to go.

“We have to take those battling qualities, some of the quality we had with the ball and certainly the energy levels and defensive doggedness into those nine cup finals.

“The biggest game of the season by far, miles bigger than (Brighton), is Leeds away in two weeks’ time.”

Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds, who sit third in the standings, host Millwall on 30th March and, after a well-deserved rest, the Lions will be hoping to attack the game with a similar verve to that which took them within touching distance of Wembley on Sunday.

Former Wigan & Fulham man, Jimmy Bullard recently showed that he’s still got it! Check out the video below…

Harris’ men were excellent from back to front against the Seagulls and should feel proud of their cup run, although now, as the boss says, they must put it behind them and focus on securing league survival – they are currently only one point above the drop and a win at Elland Road would go a long way.

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Netflix’s Sunderland ‘Til I Die series prompted plenty of discussion from fans, particularly about Jack Rodwell and Darron Gibson, but two current Black Cats have some harsh words for another of the show’s antagonists.

Sunderland’s free fall down into League One was the product of years of mismanagement, poor signings and foolish decisions.

And while the Black Cats are in good spirits under new owner Stewart Donald, currently in a great position in the league with a cup final to look forward to, two players have been reflecting on the Netflix documentary that revealed all on the club’s plight.

Pl>ymaker FC Exclusive: Jermaine Jenas reveals why Tyne-Wear is a more intense derby than anything London can offer – check out the video below….

Goalkeeper Robbin Ruiter sat next to Lewis Grabban in the dressing room, and he was clearly not impressed by the striker’s attitude.

Speaking to Dutch publication Voetbal International, as reported by The Sunderland Echo, Ruiter said: “He did not really get along with the club.

“Grabban sat next to me in the locker room and said every day he did not feel like it. No idea what exactly bothered him.

“He is now two clubs further [along]. So in the selection you had a few players who brought down the atmosphere.”

Glenn Loovens, who joined after Grabban had already left but watched the TV series himself, has also chastised the 31 year-old.

Speaking about the show, the veteran defender said: “It is a cool series. You see how deep that club is. With the supporters, with a number of players. The boys who were not interested in anything, it did not show them.

“Only that striker, Lewis Grabban. He came across as a jerk.”

After what has largely been a disappointing season, Everton fans will be hoping to see a number of new faces arrive over the summer. Indeed, it seems the club just can’t get it right at the moment. For every fan reading this, the answer will invariably be to keep spending. The club’s money men may not agree, but where’s the fun in that?

Manager Marco Silva will be determined to succeed having failed to properly win over the Goodison faithful now that his team find European qualification extremely unlikely. It’s not been a season to remember for the Toffees but, in their squad, they do have very strong young foundations within that could shine in the next coming seasons.

If allowing the youngsters to shine centre stage, the Toffees should look to do all they can to bring PSV’s Mohammed Ihattaren to the club this summer.

Ihattaren, (who is valued at £6.3 million on Transfermarkt) is set to be one hell of a talent if he continues the way he is going currently.

After making a name for himself in the U19 side in the first half of this season with seven goals and five assists, he now finds himself embedded within the first-team. At just 17-years-old, he has already made seven appearances for Dutch table-toppers PSV this season, a testament to his outstanding quality.

From just those appearances along, it seems that Ihattaren will be a wanted man over the summer but Everton might have a chance, with the lure of regular football possibly being decisive. Marcel Brands himself even told VI back in February he’d have the wonderkid at Goodison Park ‘tomorrow’ if it were up to him.

He can play right-wing or in his usual attacking-midfield role, either and he demonstrates his full capabilities.

To lure a youngster of his value and potential ability would take some doing but would be exactly the kind of transfer to start getting the fans alongside the team again.

Marco Silva, if still entrusted with the job, must look at the next generation he could develop at Goodison Park and Mohammed Ihattaren is the perfect example of that.

Everton fans, would such a prospect excite you? Join the discussion by commenting below… 

Newcastle United had quite the strikeforce back in the 2011/12 Premier League season thanks to the Senegalese duo of Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse. 

The pair both hit double figures that term, with Cisse doing so in just half a campaign, before the end of their partnership following Ba’s transfer to Chelsea.

Years later, though, and it appears that the current Istanbul Basaksehir striker may have some regrets.

The Breakdown

In a Twitter exchange, Ba wrote “I do too” (via Chronicle Live) when a Newcastle supporter put to him that he wished he had stayed at St. James’ Park for five years.

A token gesture of a response some Newcastle fans may suggest but, whatever the case, it is hard to imagine Ba not ever thinking about what could have been if he remained on Tyneside instead of joining Chelsea.

There, he became one of the leading No.9s in the Premier League, only to lose that status after joining a Blues side he struggled to break into once Jose Mourinho succeeded Rafael Benitez in the Stamford Bridge dugout.

Prior to that, the 33-year-old did have some good moments in a blue shirt after scoring some big goals in Chelsea’s 2013 FA Cup campaign. And supporters of the west London club, of course, will be quick to remind everyone about the goal that came against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League after.

Still, Ba’s career could have been so much more had he remained at Newcastle or moved to another Premier League outfit.

Newcastle fans, do you think Ba should have remained at St. James’ Park? Join the discussion by commenting below.

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The sight of Manuel Lanzini in training with West Ham United on Wednesday was enough to send the club’s supporters into meltdown.

Lanzini has not played for West Ham this season, having picked up a serious knee injury ahead of the 2018 World Cup, which cost him the chance to represent his country, Argentina, at the biggest international tournament in the world.

The 26-year-old has been back in training for some time, however, and he is in contention to face Fulham in the Premier League on Friday night.

There is no question that the Hammers have missed the South American, who is capable of changing a match in a split second due to his immense quality.

On Wednesday, West Ham’s official Twitter account posted a picture of Lanzini in training ahead of the clash with the struggling Cottagers.

And the club’s supporters absolutely loved seeing the attacking midfielder looking ready for action.

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

Manchester United left-back Luke Shaw has returned to training earlier than expected after three months out with injury.

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Shaw returns to United trainingDefender out since AugustUnited face Everton on SundayWHAT HAPPENED?

On Wednesday United confirmed that Shaw has returned to group training after recovering from a muscular injury. The England international has been out of action since August and was not expected to return to action until December. With Erik ten Hag short of defensive options, the 28-year-old could be in contention to feature against Everton on Sunday.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT MAN UTD SAID

On Wednesday morning, United published an official statement on their website that read: "Our cameras at Carrington have captured images of the left-back [Shaw] working with the main group, in advance of Sunday's game at Everton."

Erik ten Hag is expected to give an update on Shaw during his press conference on Friday.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

United have endured a difficult start to the season, with injuries certainly playing a part. At various points this season Ten Hag has been without several key players, and at one stage had to deploy midfielder Sofyan Amrabat at left-back to cover for Shaw's absence. United currently find themselves sixth in the Premier League table with 21 points from 12 games.

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GETTYWHAT NEXT FOR SHAW AND UNITED?

Shaw's return would certainly ease one of the problems Ten Hag has had in recent weeks. Sunday's trip to Everton is a crucial one, but might come too soon for Shaw to be included in the starting XI.

MatériaMais Notícias

Depois da paralisação devido ao coronavírus, o Palmeiras soma uma derrota contra o maior rival e uma vitória de virada no Campeonato Paulista. Classificado em primeiro do grupo B para as quartas, a equipe ainda precisa melhorar em um quesito, segundo o zagueiro Felipe Melo, e nada tem a ver com ele, em sua opinião.

– Eu sou zagueiro, não temos tomado gols, somos a melhor defesa do Campeonato. Não sou atacante, então está bem complicado. Está faltando gol, temos de fazer gols. Creio que a gente tem melhorado bastante. A gente entra sempre para ganhar, então está bem chateado com isso, mas estamos treinando em cima dos nossos erros, justamente para não cometê-los mais nesse período de mata-mata – disse ele em entrevista ao ‘Seleção SporTV’, na tarde de segunda-feira.

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De fato, o Alviverde detém a melhor defesa da competição. Em 12 jogos disputados, são apenas seis gols tomados – o segundo melhor no quesito tem oito tentos contra, casos do Novorizontino. Em relação ao ataque, são 17 gols feitos, atrás apenas de São Paulo (19) e Bragantino (18) entre aqueles que estão classificados para as quartas.

A análise de Felipe Melo vem justamente após a paralisação: foram apenas dois gols em dois jogos, um de Ramires (volante) e outro de Luiz Adriano (atacante). Na derrota para o Corinthians, a equipe não marcou, muito, inclusive, por conta da boa atuação do goleiro Cássio. Vale lembrar que, a partir de agora, os jogos das quartas e semis serão partida única. Somente a final terá ida e volta.

Falando em quartas, o Palmeiras entra em campo nesta quarta-feira, às 21h30, contra o Santo André, no Allianz Parque. O alviverde fechou a primeira fase do Paulista em primeiro do grupo B, com 22 pontos conquistados, dois acima do adversário por uma vaga na semi.