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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…

Sheffield Wednesday head to the Welsh capital on Friday evening to kickstart the domestic season returning for England’s top two tiers as they face Cardiff City.

The international break has taken over for the best part of two weeks meaning there has been no football played in either the Premier League or the Championship, but the Owls have been gifted the first viewing in front of the TV cameras later this week.

Under Garry Monk, Wednesday have managed to claim ten points from a possible 15 as they edge closer towards a playoff position, meanwhile, the Bluebirds had been on a seven-game unbeaten run before league leaders West Brom put an end to that just before the internationals kicked in.

The fixture also marks the first return to the Cardiff City Stadium for Kadeem Harris, who swapped Wales for south Yorkshire in the summer on a free transfer.

He’s possibly a player that Bluebirds boss Neil Warnock could have done with keeping as the 26-year-old has started this campaign in fine form.

Harris has started every single game, scoring two goals and assisting one more, per WhoScored – which has seen him earn plaudits from sections of the Hillsborough faithful.

Watch Sheffield Wednesday Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

The 5 foot 9 winger could prove to be a significant threat to Warnock’s side on Friday as he will no doubt want to make a statement after the club didn’t keep hold of him.

As one of the most physical teams in the division, Harris may leave them in knots as he averages 2.2 dribbles per game while the winger will also expose their high-rate of conceding fouls (fifth in the league) as he is taken down 1.2 times per match on average.

With a point to prove, the Owls’ main wide threat could well show the former Sheffield United boss why he shouldn’t have ditched him in the summer.

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Lots of Newcastle fans have taken to Twitter to fume over the news that there is a ‘concern’ over Allan Saint-Maximin’s hamstring, following the 0-0 draw against Brighton.

The Daily Mail’s Craig Hope reported the news following a goalless affair at St James’ Park, a match which saw the Magpies’ winless run in the league extend to three games – the victory over Tottenham remains their only win of the campaign so far.

The £16.5m summer signing from Nice was making his first appearance since returning from injury, coming on as a second-half substitute against the Seagulls, but was visibly holding his hamstring in the latter stages of the game.

Some fans below think Steve Bruce is to blame for rushing the player back before he was 100% ready, and one supporter referenced Rafa Benitez’s handling of injured players as a stick to beat the former Sunderland boss with.

Let’s take a look at some more replies from the visibly angry Newcastle fans on Twitter…

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…

Tottenham Hotspur handed Harry Winks a new five-year contract back in July, and chairman Daniel Levy deserves some rare praise for what is already proving to be a masterstroke decision.

The long-term deal came on the back of an impressive season for the England international under Mauricio Pochettino, and that has continued into the 2019/20 campaign where he has started all but one of their matches to date.

And even when results and performances for the team haven’t been that great, the 23-year-old has come out with some credit – for example he was praised by Spurs fans following the disappointing 2-2 draw agaist Olympiacos last month, while he picked up a 7/10 rating from Football London in the subsequent 2-1 defeat to Leicester City in the Premier League.

He always gives his all and he continues to show his quality on the ball – he has a passing accuracy of 92.2% in seven top flight appearances so far this term, as per WhoScored.

John Hartson told FFC last month that he wants to see more from Winks, who is rated at £36m by Transfermarkt, in terms of really dictating the play in the centre of the park, and the Welshman is right.

Watch Tottenham Hotspur Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

As things stand however, Pochettino and Tottenham fans can’t really have any complaints about him, even if he perhaps needs a defensive midfielder alongside him rather than him being relied upon to do that role himself – as shown during the 7-2 defeat to Bayern Munich on Tuesday.

Furthermore, when you consider Christian Eriksen reportedly wants to leave and has turned down every contract offer he has had, and Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld are in a similar boat to the Dane with their contracts also due to expire in the summer, it is refreshing to have a player featuring regularly who really seems to care about Spurs.

He will run himself into the ground for Tottenham Football Club, and that is what supporters want to see when performances and results may not be going their way – as has been the case on many occasions already in 2019/20.

Pochettino suggested after Moussa Sissoko’s new contract last week that the decision was down to the club and Levy rather than himself, and therefore it is the Spurs owner who deserves some rare praise for getting it right with Winks, who may well have a big part to play for the team in the next few years.

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

Jurgen Klopp’s lack of rotation in his starting XI could prove problematic later in the season, particularly in regard to his midfielders.

On the chalkboard

Liverpool were consistent throughout the entirety of the last campaign but much of that was because they were able to rotate when necessary, and avoid their players burning out which has occurred previously.

Given the nature of their style and the high-press they deploy, it is more surprising that the Anfield outfit don’t run out of energy more often, but once they begin to compete on all fronts their players’ fitness could begin to take a hit.

A major reason for that would be the number of games played. Other than regulars Joel Matip, Jordan Henderson and Fabinho, the same eight outfield players have started every league match this season, and if they continue to do so Liverpool could fall behind title rivals Manchester City, who have great strength in depth by comparison.

The main concern lies up front and in midfield, but a lack of quality in their attacking options outside of the regular front three means it is midfield where changes must be made.

There are currently seven first-team centre-midfielders at the club, all capable of playing at the highest level and winning Liverpool games in Europe and the Premier League, which makes it strange that Klopp has not mixed up his starting line-ups more often.

Strength in depth

So far this year the Reds have typically utilised a midfield three consisting of Fabinho, Henderson, and Georginio Wijnaldum, and whilst all are very fit and have done well so far, it is surely only a matter of time before another player is brought in.

It is a difficult task for the management to decide who drops out. All three are playing well but players like Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, James Milner, and Adam Lallana are all pushing for a place too.

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It is useful that Klopp now has several options to choose from so could make wholesale changes in other competitions, and that will be required if the squad is to replicate its achievements in the last campaign.

The return of Naby Keita from injury will also act as a boost and could prove to be a blessing in disguise by the end of the season, when he may be less fatigued in comparison to his teammates.

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[ad_pod ]It’s an art, taking corners.Will you swing it in or out? Can you find the big man in the box with an inch-perfect howitzer? Can you remember the complex routine you learned in training? Can you tempt the goalkeeper off his line to make a catastrophic error? Or, for some of us, can you beat the first man?Corners are a Sunday league favourite; send the bruisers into the box and plonk the ball onto their heads and you’ve found a sure-fire way of collecting at least a goal or two a week, depending on the gut-size and baldness of your elected champions, of course.Watch Liverpool Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

While a well-calculated delivery from the corner spot may not be in tune with the direction of modern football, which tends to favour purer means of scoring goals, it still holds a position in the chambers of the sport. Hence the recent tweet from the UEFA Champions League account, which was followed by a suitable response from Liverpool.

Alexander-Arnold registered 16 assists in all competitions last season and already has two in four games this term. Elite creator.

The club’s tweet is sure to bring back good memories for Reds fans, although we’re not so sure the Barcelona faithful will be happy to see a repeat of one of the cheekiest corners of all time.

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[ad_pod ]Newcastle fans have taken to Twitter in annoyance after it was revealed by The Chronicle that Atletico Madrid winger and January target Gelson Martins snubbed an offer to talk to the Magpies about a move to Tyneside.The struggling Premier League club submitted a loan offer to the Spanish club for the Portuguese international’s services, which was accepted by Atletico.However, after Ligue 1 side Monaco made an offer of their own, Martins decided to join them and help their battle against relegation to Ligue 2 – they are currently languishing in 19th place in the French top-flight.Newcastle are still in talks with the French club over a deal for Italian left-back Antonio Barecca, but will be disappointed by their failure to lure the former Sporting Lisbon attacker to St James’ Park, especially after having an offer accepted.Be sure to check out the incredible story of the man who rose from a Tanzanian refugee camp to become one of Australia’s biggest football stars in the video below…Martins’ decision to not hold talks means that the Magpies are still yet to see a new signing arrive this month, with a report from the Telegraph suggesting that Rafa Benitez will walk away from the club in the summer if he does not get bodies through the door.They will be used to this kind of disappointment by now, but let’s see how Newcastle fans reacted to missing out on Martins on Twitter…

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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…

Former player Stan Collymore is excited about Liverpool’s prospects in the future due to the quality of the young players already at the club.

What did he say

Liverpool took a different approach to transfers this summer and with Jurgen Klopp not looking to add to his first-team squad, young players with the potential to develop were the focus of the club.

Harvey Elliott and Sepp van den Berg arrived from Fulham and PEC Zwolle respectively, and will feature in Liverpool’s youth set-up until they are considered ready for the step-up to the senior squad.

The club has enjoyed success from its academy in recent years through the emergence of Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Collymore is a big admirer of the right-back.

Speaking on his podcast, The Last Word with Stan Collymore , the former striker picked out three big prospects at the club: “The future is very bright for Liverpool.

Harry Wilson, he’s going to be a massive plus for them and I do wonder, thinking ahead, Harvey Elliott, a young teenager that’s gone to Liverpool, [along with] Harry Wilson – we’ve still got Trent Alexander-Arnold – that when those two guys hopefully go into the Liverpool team, Trent will be a veteran.”

Of the three only Alexander-Arnold has featured for Liverpool in a competitive game, but Wilson is edging closer to first-team involvement and if he does well on loan at Bournemouth this season – which he is currently with two goals in two games – then he could become a part of Klopp’s plans soon.

How important is promoting youth for Liverpool

Compared to clubs like Tottenham and Arsenal there have not been many Liverpool academy products who have worked their way into first-team contention in recent years, but Alexander-Arnold is a shining example of how well it could work.

Big things are expected of Elliott, too. Last season the 16-year-old became the youngest ever player to play in the Premier League after he tallied an impressive record of five goals and three assists in his 12 youth appearances for Fulham.

Klopp has proved he isn’t afraid to hand youth players a chance, last season Ki-Jana Hoever and Curtis Jones featured on the pitch whilst Rhian Brewster was included in the matchday squad against Barcelona and Tottenham in the Champions League.

Judging by their accomplishments so far Collymore is right to name the three players he did, and if Wilson and Elliott emulate the attitude shown by Alexander-Arnold they may not be too far behind him.

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Since Steven Gerrard was appointed as Aston Villa’s manager back in mid-November, the former midfielder has used a total of 24 players at the Midlands club so far.

One of those 24 players is midfielder Morgan Sanson, who, alongside Ashley Young, has made six appearances for Villa under the Liverpudlian, all of them coming in the Premier League.

The Frenchman has started two of the six league games he’s played in so far this season under Gerrard, the first of which came in their 3-1 defeat against Chelsea followed by their recent 2-2 draw against Manchester United.

Even though the 27-year-old has only made 16 appearances for the Villans since arriving from French club Marseille back in the 2021 January transfer window in a deal worth a reported fee of £16m, his future at Villa Park should be starting to come into consideration based on what he’s managed to deliver for the club.

His performances in the Premier League so far this season have earned the midfielder an overall rating of 6.34/10, currently making him the lowest-rated player in Villa’s squad at the moment that has started more than one league game according to WhoScored, suggesting that he has let Gerrard down when given the chance to show what he can do.

In the game against the Red Devils at the weekend, not only did Sanson give the foul away that led to the free-kick that Bruno Fernandes scored his first goal of the game from but the French maestro also gave the ball away in the second half that led to United’s second goal. All of that culminated in him reacting badly when he was substituted off, which he had to apologise for on social media afterwards.

In addition to his underwhelming performances, Sanson has struggled with injury issues since he made the move to the Midlands club, which former Villa manager Dean Smith described as “frustrating,” which shows that he hasn’t been a particularly reliable player for the team.

Moving forward, if Sanson doesn’t start delivering for Villa on the pitch until the end of the season, then Wes Edens and Nassef Sawiris must seriously consider cutting their losses with the player in the next summer transfer window to see if they can reclaim any of the money they paid for him.

Also, with young Villa midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka apparently not happy with his playing time at the club, potentially axing Sanson, who is currently picking up a weekly wage of £59k-per-week according to Salary Sport, from the team could give him a clear path to regular game time to see if he would be a better option than the struggling Frenchman.

In other news: Lange could secure another AVFC transfer masterclass as claim emerges on £9m-rated ace – opinion

Speaking to GiveMeSport, journalist Paul Brown of The Daily Star has shared what he knows as West Ham United eye a move for Flamengo forward Gabriel Barbosa.

The Lowdown: West Ham enter talks…

As first reported by Sky Sports, West Ham have been in talks to sign the Brazil international and even tabled a loan bid with the option to make his move permanent for €30m (£25m).

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Barbosa is believed to be keen on a move to England and the Premier League amid David Moyes’ search for a centre-forward alternative to Michail Antonio.

New recruitment chief Rob Newman and the east London club are still yet to bring in a signing for that position as the January transfer window enters its final week, with Brown now sharing an update on their bid to sign Barbosa.

The Latest: West Ham move ‘on the table’…

Speaking to GiveMeSport, citing ‘lots of little leaks’, he claims that a move for the 25-year-old is still ‘on the table’, believing it is due to the fact we don’t actually know what Barbosa wants himself.

“The only reason that one is still on the table is we don’t really know what the player himself wants,” Brown stated.

“There’s been lots of little leaks here and there that he really wants to come to the Premier League and that he really wants to come now and he likes West Ham and the way they play, and thinks he could be a really good fit there. But we haven’t really heard any of that from him.”

The Verdict: Time to step up bid?

Amid this uncertainty surrounding Barbosa’s future in South America and the reports indicating he wants a move to Europe, we believe West Ham need to either step up their pursuit or swiftly move on to other targets.

The January window has just over a week remaining and Moyes needs to address the centre-forward position as soon as possible, especially given Antonio’s history of injury problems and their real lack of natural alternatives.

Having scored 29 goals in all competitions throughout 2021, Barbosa is proven in front of goal and still at a fairly young age as he comes with the potential for sell-on value. Given his torrid spell at Inter Milan, though, you can understand why the Irons haven’t yet lodged an outright permanent bid and are more interested in a loan with the option to buy.

However, now is the time to make a final decision on whether to continue pushing for his arrival as we enter a crucial period of the transfer window.

In other news: ‘I know’ – Sky journalist makes live TV transfer claim involving West Ham and 28 y/o ‘beast’, find out more here.

Everton will need to get better at taking the chances they create as they have conceded more goals than they have scored this season, leaving them 15th in the Premier League going into the new year.

The attacking prowess at Goodison Park has been spectacularly flat since the arrival of Rafael Benitez in the summer, which can be put down to injuries to key attacking players like Dominic Calvert Lewin, as well as inconsistencies in the squad.

Despite the struggles Everton has faced in the first half of the season, two of the signings that Benitez made in the previous transfer window, Demarai Gray and Andros Townsend, are currently the two top scorers for the club this season. Therefore, the Spanish manager definitely has an eye for what can work in attack and should use that nous when dipping into the transfer market this month.

One player who has been linked to the club is former Arsenal star, Aaron Ramsey, who has been reported to be leaving Juventus in a matter of days, with the Welshman only going back to Turin to say goodbye to his team-mates.

It was reported earlier this week that a swap loan deal for out-of-favour Lucas Digne could be on the cards, but it now looks like Ramsey will be making different plans in the coming days and weeks, and the Toffees manager should be capitalising on the 31-year-old’s impending departure from Serie A.

The attacking midfielder has an impressive 148 goals and assists throughout his career, compared to current Everton midfielder Tom Davies, who despite being eight years Ramsey’s junior can only boast 19 goal contributions from 190 career appearances.

Davies’ team-mate Abdoulaye Doucoure would thrive with a player like Ramsey by his side, as the pair could form a deadly midfield partnership to take the Toffees back where they belong in the top half of the table by the end of the season.

Doucoure’s strength in positioning is one of his best attributes, as well as his ability to offer creativity and goals from midfield, with two goals and four assists so far this season.

Combining those strengths with Ramsey’s consistently outstanding passing accuracy from playing in many midfield positions, and his experience of elite competitions, could be a huge threat for Everton’s opponents in the second half of the season. Benitez must do everything he can to try and make it happen this month.

In other news: Everton start given green light to return as training pictures emerge