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[ad_pod ]The FIFA ratings are out and you know what that means – fans and players alike are fuming about imaginary statistics.The EA Sports title is always a hot topic around this time of year as the next instalment of the long-running franchise edges closer to release.EA have an extensive database of footballers who they give ratings to every year based on a number of different attributes.Of course, this leads to some footballers debating their own rating in the game, and one of those players is Rhian Brewster.This time last year the teenager was given a rating of 62, with a shooting stat standing at just 60.He vowed to increase that to 85 within the next 12 months, but after his latest stats were revealed, he’s ended up rather disappointed.

In the end, his shooting stat only increased to 62, rather than the 85 that he was targeting.

The striker’s objective for this term remains the same though as he tweeted ‘Mission failed, we’ll get em next time’.

Luckily, if he keeps improving at the same rate he will have his 85 shooting in 12 and a half years – just in time for his 31st birthday.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

According to The Daily Mirror, Manchester United are considering Edwin van der Sar to be the club’s director of football.

What’s the word?

Reports in recent weeks and months have suggested the Red Devils are on the look-out for former players to join the club’s hierarchy as they bid to shake things up behind the scenes.

Names like Rio Ferdinand and Darren Fletcher had been mentioned, and now The Daily Mirror claim Van der Sar is “high up on United’s list”.

The ex-Netherlands goalkeeper is currently chief executive at Ajax and has helped the Dutch side to incredible success in recent seasons, most notably their run to the Champions League semi-final last year.

Watch Manchester United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

The report adds however that health issues with his wife have stopped him from moving abroad in the past, and could potentially scupper a move this time too.

Proven experience

Whilst Ferdinand and Fletcher have an established reputation at Old Trafford following their playing careers, neither have the same kind of experience Van der Sar has when it comes to the actual skills for the director of football role.

The Dutchman’s time at Ajax has been an unprecedented success, and he has played a key part in the Dutch side’s revival. The team’s emphasis on youth and attacking football was much-lauded last season, and is exactly the kind of template United are looking to build.

Someone like Ferdinand may be the more romantic choice. After all, he speaks his mind and certainly connects with the Red Devils’ fan-base. But other than sitting on a chair in a TV studio, what has he actually done to stake a claim for a role of such high importance? The logical option would be to turn to Van der Sar, and if Ed Woodward can convince him to return to the club, then it will be a major coup.

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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 Forest man and now EFL pundit David Prutton believes the east Midlands club can mount a serious playoff charge this season, speaking to Nottingham Post.

What’s he said?

The Reds are enjoying life under Sabri Lamouchi, who was only appointed at the end of June when Martin O’Neill surprisingly received the axe on the same day.

They sit tenth in the Championship and have gone unbeaten in their last six matches following a disappointing opening day defeat to local rivals West Brom.

Last weekend’s result against Swansea City certainly put the rest of the league on notice as they knocked the Welsh outfit off the top spot by snatching a late winner at the Liberty Stadium.

Watch Nottingham Forest Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Alfa Semedo tapped home a Lewis Grabban cross in the 85th minute to hand Forest a 1-0 away victory, which was all the more impressive as they kept a clean sheet against the side that, at the time, were the league’s highest scorers.

That result in some ways backs up Prutton’s point as he claims that the league is so competitive this year that no team will run away with it.

He said:

“It looks a pretty even league. No one looks like they can run away with it.

“It’s well balanced. Forest are well placed to push on. It won’t be lost on their fans that Derby haven’t made a good start in comparison.”

Serious contenders

The last time Forest were in the top-flight was actually Prutton’s first year as a professional footballer, even though he did not make an appearance that season.

That was some 11 years ago.

After the start they’ve had and given the arguable doubts over the random nature of Lamouchi’s appointment, they could well be a dark horse in the Championship this season.

The 47-year-old manager has chopped and changed his side on multiple occasions, utilising no more than 20 players already this season, and has needed to ride some luck to pick up a point here and there – but all the signs are there to suggest they can be serious contenders.

Just four points split them from the joint-leaders, Leeds United and Swansea, which suggests that Prutton does indeed have a point that no team is likely to run away with it.

It’s still early days, and even though Lewis Grabban has got off to a hot start scoring four goals, the likes of Joe Lolley and Joao Carvalho are yet to even get going.

Lolley registered 11 assists and just as many goals last term while the Portuguese playmaker has had to battle injury.

[ad_pod ]It’s that time of year again when fans lock horns over who they think should’ve won a trophy that isn’t even really a trophy. Yes, it’s FIFA awards time.Twitter handles dedicated to football players and managers have gone utterly berserk on social media. Kloppmania13 took on Agueroo000000o1 in a strong exchange of words, which likely left at least one of them crying in their parents’ spare room.Luka Modric, Sergio Ramos and Marcelo were inexplicably announced in the FIFA World XI ahead of the likes of Andrew Robertson, Aymeric Laporte, Bernardo Silva and just about any other star that didn’t play for Real Madrid last season. Seriously, how did they get into the squad?Watch Liverpool Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

All the while, Danny Mills sat patiently waiting to release his opinion on Jurgen Klopp collecting men’s coach of the year ahead of Pep Guardiola.

Speaking to talkSPORT, the former Manchester City player revealed why he believed the German was fortunate to win the award…

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets…

In what is a blow to Manchester United and their fans, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has revealed that Paul Pogba is a doubt to face Arsenal on Monday.

The France international made his return to the starting line-up against Rochdale in the League Cup on Wednesday and although he played the whole 90 minutes, he was not selected to take a penalty in the shootout following a 1-1 draw.

Now, the Norwegian boss has confirmed he picked up an injury at Old Trafford, saying: “The situation is he finished the game. 90 minutes, fantastic but he got a knock to his ankle which is very swollen so was better not to go there with the team and he’s in a race for Monday.

“Doubt? Yes, but that’s just the way it is.”

In contrast to those in the Red Devils bubble, this would initially look like good news for Arsenal. Pogba, on his day, is one of the top players in world football, no matter what the critics say. He scored 16 goals and bagged 11 assists in all competitions last season, which only goes some way to explaining his influence on the northern outfit’s team at his best.

Against Arsenal, though, his performances are somewhat of a mixed bag. To date, he has made five appearances against the north London team, being on the winning side on two occasions, drawing twice, and losing once.

In terms of his goal contributions, he has netted once and provided two assists, which isn’t bad going. However, those latter two came in the same game as when Pogba was given a straight red card, which added a blemish to his performance.

His displays against the Emirates side are just a microcosm of the 26-year-old’s time in the Premier League: marred by inconsistencies. Whilst he has continually showed flashes of the huge potential he has always had, it has never been regular enough for him to move onto the next level and become a true superstar.

Unai Emery, then, should have mixed feelings about his potential absence. The former Sevilla boss would likely rather avoid the possibility of him putting in a game-changing display, but that is far from guaranteed with the former Juventus man.

He is just as capable of being a passenger or making the headlines for the wrong reasons, and he has a track record of doing that against the Gunners particularly.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

According to Sky Sports, Callum Wilson is high on Manchester United’s list of striker targets ahead of the January transfer window.

What’s the word?

The Red Devils have struggled in front of goal this season, scoring nine times in their opening seven Premier League games. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side let go of both Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez earlier in the summer, leaving just Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Mason Greenwood as their only striking options.

The United boss recently admitted his club would be looking to sign a new forward next, and Sky Sports now claim Bournemouth hotshot Wilson and Juventus veteran Mario Mandzukic are high up on the list of targets.

Watch how to cross the road like a boss with freestyler Ben Nuttall in the video below…

The report adds Wilson would “fall in line” with the Red Devils’ apparent policy of trying to sign leading British players, after capturing the likes of Daniel James, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Harry Maguire this year.

Proven goal-scorer

As Solskjaer himself revealed, it doesn’t take a “rocket scientist” to work out United need a new centre-forward. The injury to Martial has increased the goal-scoring burden on Rashford, and suffice to say he has failed miserably in his attempts to lead the line. In seven league games, the Red Devils striker has notched just three goals – two of them coming from the penalty spot.

Watch Manchester United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

In Wilson however, the Manchester side would be getting a Premier League proven goal-scorer.

Last season, the 27-year-old bagged himself 14 goals and provided a further ten assists, whilst his start to the current campaign has been even more impressive. The England international has struck five times in seven appearances in the top-flight, and has been leading the line with aplomb for the Cherries.

Speaking after his performance for England against the USA last year, Jamie Redknapp delivered an impressive verdict on what the striker brings to the table.

“I have watched him at Bournemouth a lot and he works his socks off. He makes things happen, he puts defenders under pressure. He has got what defenders hate, running in behind, in between defenders. He’s extremely powerful and holds defenders off and he is an absolute nightmare.”

Someone like the Bournemouth forward who can press opposition defenders, cause them problems and be clinical enough to take his chances, is exactly what United need. The Red Devils would be making an incredibly smart choice in ending their Rashford misery by swooping for Wilson in January.

Remember when Jermaine Beckford did a thing at Old Trafford? Of course you do.What a moment it was to see the then League One side successfully taking on the behemoths of Manchester United in their own backyard, back when Sir Alex Ferguson ruled the roost and they were actually quite good.The hatred that exists between each club is perhaps one of football’s most intense, Gary Neville recently reflected on the devastating day the great Beckford downed the mighty Red Devils.Watch Leeds United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Former Leeds striker Beckford, who announced his retirement from football this year, was a decent talent back in the day, netting 84 times in 147 games.ÂHowever impressive that is though, there’s one goal more fantastic than any other: the 19th-minute stunner that sent Leeds sailing into the next round of the FA Cup.

Looking remarkably like a hotel bellboy, he recounted the day he booked himself a place in Leeds folklore…

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

In recent reports from Football Insider, Everton are set to make a January move for current Lyon striker Moussa Dembele now the club have dropped into the relegation zone after just eight games.

What’s happened this season?

The Toffees have been woeful in front of goal this term, with the club scoring just six times in the Premier League – the third-lowest across the competition. On the forward line, Marco Silva has been left red-faced as Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Richarlison, and Bernard remain the only players to hit the back of the net in the Premier League so far.

Other forwards such as Theo Walcott and Cenk Tosun have more than struggled in recent times, whilst summer signing Moise Kean has not even looked like scoring, averaging just 1.1 shots per game in the league for his new side.

Despite Kean scoring six times in 13 Serie A games for Juventus during the previous campaign, expecting a 19-year-old to copy his form from a championship-winning side with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, to Everton, was a long shot. And whilst he may come good, they can no longer wait for this to happen, with an early relegation scrap their main concern now.

Elsewhere, it is important to also remember that whilst Calvert-Lewin may have two goals so far in the league, the 23-year-old has an alarming 21 goals in 102 appearances for the Toffees in total, which translates to a goals per game ratio of just 0.2.

Watch Everton Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Is Dembele the answer?

Everton need a goalscorer, and the 6-foot Frenchman has continued to smash in the goals back in his homeland having left Scotland with 51 goals in 94 appearances for Celtic. This season alone, the former Fulham man has netted six times in eight games in Ligue 1, putting him joint-second in the race for Golden Boot.

In the last campaign, Dembele bagged an impressive 15 league goals over 33 games for Lyon, in what was his debut season at the club. As time goes on and as he continues to grow as a central striker, it seems that the ex-Celtic man is only going to improve.

In today’s transfer climate, a move for a prolific 23-year-old striker would be far from cheap, considering Ayoze Perez joined Leicester City for £30m having only scored 20 league goals in 78 games for Newcastle over two years.

There is also the matter that Dembele is playing Champions League football with Lyon, which may force the Toffees to throw in a little more cash than usual to prize him away. But whatever the price tag, Marcel Brands should seriously consider this French star to bring them out of the drop zone.

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

Cheick Keita has been working his way back from an ankle injury and must “get up to speed” before he becomes a regular for Birmingham City, says manager Pep Clotet.

On the chalkboard

The Spaniard told the Birmingham Mail that he sees the French-born player as more of a left-winger than a left-back in the Championship. However, Keita is versatile enough to play in both positions as he showed during his time in Belgium with KAS Eupen. Of those games in which his position was recorded by Transfermarkt, the Mali U20 international played 14 times at left-wing for them, which resulted in him scoring once and providing an assist.

He hasn’t played for the club since they lost to Aston Villa in 2017, but Clotet has told reporters he will be given a chance to prove his abilities to the team.

He added: “Physically he needs to get up to speed and then it will be up to me if I think he can help us.

“I see him more as a winger than as a full back, that is what we work on here, I see him more as a left winger than as a left back for the Championship.”

Keita has not played in a game since Septemeber 9, where he and the U23s lost to their Bristol City counterparts. In that game, the winger hobbled off the pitch following a nasty challenge which has made him wait even longer for a return.

Watch Birmingham City Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Not quite done enough yet

In terms of playing as a left-back for the Blues, it would be a tough task to keep Kristian Pedersen out of the side because of his form this season. The Dane has played every minute so far, pitching in with a goal and averaging an impressive rating of 7.22.

As a winger, Keita has scored just that one goal and assist in Belgium and has actually played 66 more times as a left-back, of those matches where his position was recorded by Transfermarkt, which has resulted in him bagging two goals and four assists.

There is also the realisation that if Clotet wants to play the 23-year-old as a winger, it may result in a formation change. As demonstrated by Sky Sports, the Blues have often set up in a 4-4-2, with left-sided midfielders, as opposed to wingers in a 4-3-3. Whilst Keita would still be able to adapt to this role, as he played there 11 times in his career, it may alter the team too much just for one man.

Quite frankly, his loan spells were not particularly impressive and considering he has not played for the first-team for two years, drafting him in so soon may be a mistake. Keita should continue working with the U23s and settle for some substitute appearances for the time being.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets… 

The script that played out at Elland Road on Saturday may not have gone exactly according to plan but it’s ending was worthy of any fairytale.

On the club’s centenary it was fitting that a player born in Leeds and one of their own scored what turned out to be the winning goal.

Kalvin Phillips was the man of the moment as he fired home under Lee Camp to present the Whites with just their second win in five matches.

Marcelo Bielsa hailed it an act of God after the game and he may be right. Phillips was the saviour, the man who rolled away the stone from their poor performance against Millwall two weeks ago.

Watch Leeds United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

It may not have been convincing but they were able to get the job done as they kept up their pursuit of promotion.

It was appropriate that a legend in the making was the one to score in front of heroes of the past too. Certainly, after rejecting Premier League interest to sign a new deal at Leeds, he’s on the right pathway to being acknowledged alongside some greats.

His display against Birmingham last weekend showed signs of top-flight quality and that largely happened in the final third of the pitch, a role we rarely see Phillips in.

The 23-year-old put in a mesmeric performance for his team in the middle of the park, registering a colossal six tackles.

That part of his game is no secret. After all, he’s won 4.4 of them per game in 2019/20.

But despite being a presence when Birmingham had the ball, he was also a heavy influence going forward, making two key passes.

The heat map above, provided by WhoScored, shows the areas Phillips got into throughout his 90 minutes on the pitch.

Although a large segment comes inside his own half, there is also evidence that he was keen to break into the opposition’s third as well, regularly moving into wider areas.

The fact he was up with play for his goal, however, was the best proof of that. Phillips strode forward and unerringly found the net like a clinical striker.

Throughout the second period he was almost playing in Mateusz Klich’s role, roaming around in midfield.

Above shows the areas Klich got into before he was substituted for Tyler Roberts and it displays that when playing from deep, they got into similar positions.

In fact, Phillips was more willing to get into central areas near the penalty area than his Polish teammate who often drifted towards the flanks.

When Leeds needed someone to stand up and be counted, Phillips was their man and he did it in a way we’ve not really become accustomed to.

No wonder Bielsa was singing his praises.