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If Leeds United are going to get promoted this season they’re certainly doing it the hard way.

Most teams that come up from the Championship have a reliable goalscorer leading their line. Last term we saw Teemu Pukki, Billy Sharp and Tammy Abraham fire in more than 20 goals each for Norwich, Sheffield United and Aston Villa respectively.

However, Leeds’ main striker isn’t scoring at an immense rate this season.

Indeed, Patrick Bamford has found the net just four times in 13 starts for the Yorkshire outfit this term, yet Leeds are still second in the league.

It goes against what you would expect from a team duking it out for an automatic promotion spot, but Leeds are right up there despite not having a consistent goalscoring striker.

Is this sustainable? Our writers have attempted to answer whether or not Leeds can go up with Bamford leading their line for the rest of the season.

Lewis Blain

“Leeds will surely be amongst the sides competing for promotion come the end of the season, but whether they pose enough threat to actually earn a place in the promised land of the Premier League remains to be seen.

“United’s conversion rate is at an atrocious 37% having scored just 17 of their 46 shots at goal while their likely challengers, West Brom, have enjoyed much more fruitful returns, converting 88.9% of their 27 attempts at goal, per Transfermarkt.

“Patrick Bamford has started all 13 of their league matches this campaign, so he could be at fault to some extent, certainly as he is often operated as the lone striker. Eddie Nketiah proved on Tuesday night that he could be the man to buck this trend, but we will have to wait to see if Marcelo Bielsa will go against his stubborn ways.

“Ultimately, if Leeds continue to miss opportunities, they will not earn promotion this season – but that’s not to say they won’t be in the hunt because they almost certainly will. 

“Last season this issue was the exact reason for them falling short as they converted fewer chances than eventual champions Norwich despite recording over 100 more shots. Bielsa must learn his lessons and use everything at his disposal – ala Nketiah.”

Why being the away goalkeeper at Leeds is the toughest job in football in the video below…

Kealan Hughes “So far Leeds have been similarly impressive to how they performed last season, but the one continued concern Marcelo Bielsa should have is the lack of goals, or rather the lack of clinical finishing from his side.“It is easy to blame Patrick Bamford as the starting striker in the team, but he is important to the system the Argentine operates with and has chipped in with valuable goals on occasion.“Though it is an issue that he hasn’t performed well of late, the Whites still have Eddie Nketiah to rely on as a source for goals, and he has often stepped up with Bamford has misfired – Tuesday proved that. “If Nketiah can continue his form – and start more often – Leeds should be in safe hands, and mount an effective promotion push.” Matthew Baldwin “No. “Patrick Bamford has essentially been acting as an ‘opening batsmen’ so far this season. Tiring the opposition defenders then allowing the much quicker and fitter Eddie Nketiah to pick up the pieces afterwards. “Whilst that might be good enough to bail them out against sides like Barnsley and other teams down the bottom of the table, that’s going to be good enough to sustain them throughout the season when they come up against teams that are around them near the top, just see the Swansea City game. “Whether it’s by pairing them together, or simply dropping Bamford altogether, there’s a lot more than can come out of the Leeds United attack, but they cannot rely on Bamford doing the work on his own if they are to be serious challengers come the end of the season.” Charles Jones

“While I think it’s possible for Leeds to go up with Bamford leading the line, I don’t think it’s very likely.

“Goalscorers are simply too important for any team wanting to compete at the top end of the Championship, and it’s almost unheard of for a team to go up without a striker who can score at least 20 goals in a season. At the moment Bamford isn’t on track to reach that target.

“However, just because he isn’t scoring right now, it doesn’t mean he never will. The 26-year-old is such a form player and one goal could ignite his campaign, just look at his last season before joining Leeds and how good he was when he hit form. He scored just 11 league goals all season for Boro, but eight of those came in a five-game spell, so when he’s in form he’s one of the best in the league.

“Whether or not Leeds can get the best out of him remains to be seen, but their promotion hopes may hinge on that.”

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…

Jordan Pickford and Everton travel to Turf Moor on Saturday where the current first-choice England keeper will meet his foe Nick Pope, as the Burnley man continues to push him for the number one spot.

Pickford has been involved with England ever since Gareth Southgate sought to replace Joe Hart in 2017, with the 25-year-old taking the number one shirt as the Three Lions approached the World Cup in 2018. In the process, the former Sunderland keeper edged past Pope, Tom Heaton and Jack Butland for the main jersey, but things are looking much different nowadays.

The tide is seemingly changing with the Burnley keeper having a significantly better start to the season than the Toffees man. Pickford was arguably lucky to sneak into the England side based on form as the Sky Sports’ power rankings omitted him from the 23-man squad, based on his statistical numbers.

He also fluffed his lines against Manchester City last weekend, drawing stern criticism from Everton fans for firstly failing to save Riyad Mahrez’s free kick and then almost gifting a goal with an irresponsible failed Cruyff turn in his own third, so it certainly feels as though the pressure is on Pickford to prove he can still be trusted.

Pope, on the other hand, comes with a reputation of steadiness between the sticks, even if he’s a more understated presence than Pickford. The Burnley man has the one cap to his name and was on the bench during each match at the World Cup. However, a shoulder injury kept him out of the squad for many months, which subsequently lost him his place in the Burnley goal, as Heaton returned by the time he was injury-free.

However, having secured the number one spot after Heaton’s move to Aston Villa, now is the time for the 27-year-old to make his mark on the Three Lions setup, and recent form suggests he’s ready to become Pickford’s England nemesis by capitalising on the Everton man’s sloppy start to the season with more assured performances.

Pope currently boasts 3.3 saves per Premier League fixture, whilst winning 0.7 aerial battles each game, and at the same time has conceded three goals less than the 25-year-old’s 12 at Everton so far. On the other hand, Pickford has averaged just 2.4 saves per game in the league, whilst averaging just o.1 aerial battles won per match.

The Burnley shot-stopper has made 24 saves this season, whilst making five high claims and seven sweeper clearances. In contrast, England’s current number one has stopped just 17 shots, made two high claims and two sweeper clearances.

Not only are the statistics significantly in favour of Pope reclaiming the jersey, but his overall performance on a consistent basis proves his worth as well – averaging a 6.86 rating on Whoscored compared to Pickford’s 6.32.

There is no doubt Southgate will be watching closely as Burnley host Everton to determine who takes the spot between the sticks against the Czech Republic and Bulgaria. Right now, it may just come down to whoever makes an error or pulls off a more important save, as the England boss certainly has a tough call to make.

But while it seems Pope can only really go up in Southgate’s estimations as the current second or third choice, Pickford needs to impress to ensure he doesn’t slide down the pecking order. After such ropey beginnings to the new campaign, another disappointing performance could prove incredibly costly. Nothing shows a player up more than failing to deliver in front of a direct rival, or in this case, a potential nemesis.

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Rangers’ hectic fixture list means the Gers will be back in action on Wednesday night, as they take on Livingston in the Scottish League Cup quarter-finals.

The Gers will be pleased with the start to their season as, Old Firm derby defeat aside, they’ve looked the real deal under Steven Gerrard – winning all of their remaining five top flight games – and silverware will therefore be wanted come the end of the campaign.

What trophy the Gers pick up, if any, remains to be seen, but it is most likely the league crown that they want most of all and with an attacking pair in the shape of Jermain Defoe and Alfredo Morelos leading the line, who’s to say that they cannot stop Celtic from winning nine-in-a-row this season. The two strikers have netted nine times in the Scottish top flight already this term.

You might think, then, that with two forwards vying for one starting berth under Gerrard there would be friction but, judging by this GIF of Alfredo Morelos after Defoe’s brace at the weekend, there’s a happy relationship between the two:

Morelos has certainly looks fully focused on scoring goals this season and nothing else – something his veteran striking rival has based his career upon. Keeping both sweet will be a big task for Gerrard, but Morelos’ reaction to Defoe’s brace suggests they are prepared to work together rather than try and fire Rangers to glory single-handed.

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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…

We can never be certain which players are on a Premier League club’s wishlist – if we did know, the transfer market would be an altogether different sphere of operation.

In West Ham’s case, however, two key areas of the team are in need of new faces – not desperately, but given the situations of two players, reinforcements may soon become a huge necessity.

The two players in question are Carlos Sanchez and Pablo Zabaleta.

Both men are well on the wrong side of 30 but are still being relied on by Manuel Pellegrini – the Chilean even said that Sanchez would be an important player for him this season, much to the bemusement of some West Ham fans.

The former Aston Villa man will be 34 years of age in January, and is coming into the current season off the back of knee surgery which saw him miss 34 games and 215 days of the 2018/19 campaign – that injury would be worrying for a fresh player in his mid-20’s, let alone a 33-year-old.

The Colombia international played in the Hammers’ Carabao Cup win over Newport recently as Declan Rice was rested, and he remains the only backup in Pellegrini’s squad for the England international – as a result, a new holding midfielder must be on the agenda.

Find out which Premier League stadium has been ranked the worst in the video below…

In Zabaleta’s case, whilst he is a dependable professional who made his 400th appearance in English football against Newport, he is set to retire at the end of the season, leaving just Ryan Fredericks as the Hammers’ only recognised senior right-back.

In regards to squad depth, that wouldn’t be a situation that Pellegrini should welcome and a new right-back and a defensive-midfielder should absolutely be on his immediate transfer wishlist.

If those two positions are not prioritised, it could leave the east Londoners in a real predicament with regards to squad depth.

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[ad_pod ]It’s done: Aston Villa’s Tyrone Mings has realised his international dream.What a turn of events for the lad. Not too long ago, he was struggling to break into Eddie Howe’s Bournemouth side following a spate of serious injuries, and now he’s set to appear on one of the grandest stages of them all in a bid to earn himself a spot in England’s Euro 2020 squad. Honestly, you love to see it.Watch Aston Villa Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Like the majority of us, Mings was probably soaking up the sun in a beer garden as he watched his friends battle it out in Russia in a bid to bring home the trophy that has eluded the nation since 1966.

We wonder if he thought there was any chance he’d be in with a chance of carrying the hopes and dreams of the country in another major competition just two years later.

We reckon it was one of those pinch-me moments getting the nod from Gareth Southgate to play alongside some of the most talented players the country has to offer, and it certainly seems like Mings wasn’t prepared for it…

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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… 

So after a summer transfer window in which Manchester United were linked to what quite possibly could have been every player on planet Earth, the Red Devils failed to end up signing someone in arguably the most crucial of positions. The number ten.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side were linked with late moves for the likes of Christian Eriksen, Paulo Dybala and Bruno Fernandes, amongst others, but failed to see a deal materialise before the window shut. The club still have a few options to play in that all-important role just behind the striker, but there are certainly caveats with a number of them.

Paul Pogba – arguably United’s best man for the job – could still yet leave due to the transfer deadlines in other European leagues closing later, Jesse Lingard remains a picture of inconsistency, and Juan Mata is well past his best.

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Reports in recent weeks have claimed that Solskjaer is keen to implement a high-intensity approach and a desire to press from the front. The number ten often plays a crucial role in how that system potentially takes effect; when the ball is there to be won, the midfielder can push on alongside the striker to pressure the centre-backs, whilst when possession is too difficult to regain immediately, they can drop back and help form a more compact shape.

Landing someone like Eriksen – who averaged an impressive 1.2 tackles per game in the Premier League last season – would have gone some way to helping United’s new approach.

Forgetting the defensive aspect, creativity is in rather short supply given United’s current make-up in midfield. Not one player managed ten assists in the Premier League last season, with Pogba managing nine and both Lingard and Mata recording a measly two. On the other hand, Eriksen registered an impressive 12. Having a playmaker who can dictate the tempo and have the ingenuity to unlock packed defences is something United simply struggled with last season.

In those tight, high-pressure games where a moment of magic is needed, Solskjaer may regret not dipping into the transfer market and buying a bona-fide star in that heavily influential number ten role.

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أكد يورجن كلوب المدير الفني الألماني لفريق ليفربول الإنجليزي أنه بخير، ويشعر بثقة الجماهير، قبل مواجهة لايبزج في دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وانتشرت تقارير صحفية إنجليزية بعد هزيمة ليفربول من ليستر سيتي يوم السبت، أن يورجن كلوب يرغب في الرحيل عن الريدز، وسط دعم من جماهير الفريق.

وقال يورجن كلوب في المؤتمر الصحفي الخاص بمواجهة لايبزج: “هناك الكثير من الأشياء التي تحدث مؤخرًا، لكنني بخير، أشعر بالثقة من الجماهير وأثق في اللاعبين قبل السفر إلى بودابست”.

طالع أيضًا.. تقارير تكشف مصير كلوب حال فشل ليفربول في التأهل لـ دوري أبطال أوروبا

ويواجه ليفربول نظيره لايبزج غدًا الثلاثاء، ضمن ذهاب دور الـ16 من دوري أبطال أوروبا، غدًا في بودابست بالمجر، بسبب عدم تمكن كلوب وفريقه من دخول ألمانيا نظرًا للقيود التي فرضتها السلطات هناك.

وأضاف كلوب: “لقد خسرنا ضد مانشستر سيتي وليستر بسبب أخطاء فردية، الهزيمة ليست مثل المباريات التي قبلنا فيها 7 أهداف وسجلنا هدفين، سوء فهم وأخطاء فردية بين اللاعبين كلفتنا الخسارة”.

وأشار: “نحن الآن معًا، جميعنا نتحدى، نحن الآن أفضل، نسعى للتعافي في المباراة المقبلة، لقد خضنا بعض المباريات السيئة، والكثير من المباريات الجيدة، لم تكن النتيجة في صالحنا”.

وعن لافتة الجماهير: “سمعت عن الاستقالة ولا أشعر أنني بحاجة إلى دعم خاص في الوقت الحالي، لكن من الجيد الحصول عليه، شائعات استقالتي أو أخذ راحة ليست صحيحة”.

وشدد: “لا أحد سعيد باحتلال المركز الرابع ولدينا 40 نقطة فقط، بالتأكيد الوضع ليس مثاليًا، لكنني لست بحاجة إلى استراحة، يعلم الجميع أنه وقت عصيب، ونتعامل مع هذه الأمور دائمًا كعائلة”.

وأكمل: “شكرًا على كل الدعم، جماهير ليفربول عظيمة، أخبرني الناس عن دعمهم لي، أنا ممتن جدًا لذلك، لكن يمكنهم التفكير في أشياء أخرى للفريق، لا داع للقلق عليّ”.

وفقد يورجن كلوب والدته خلال الأيام الماضية، ولم يتمكن من السفر إلى ألمانيا لحضور الجنازة بسبب القيود الصارمة السابق ذكرها.

واختتم: “نابي كيتا لم يتعاف بعد، ولن يكون ضمن بعثة الفريق إلى بودابست، سيتدرب هنا، ونأمل في استعادته قريبًا”.

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

Rangers have sold Daniel Candeias to Genclerbirligi. He is the fifth player Steven Gerrard has permanently gotten rid of so far this summer.

What’s the story?

In moving to Turkey, the 31-year-old joins Gareth MacAuley, Lee Wallace, Ryan Hardie and Lee Hodson in finding pastures new away from Ibrox. Youngsters Ross McCrorie and Jordan Rossiter have also been loaned out as Gerrard reshapes his squad.

In the £250,000 deal, the winger has ended his spell at the Gers after just two years and nearly 100 games, stopping just shy of the landmark on 97 games.

At 31, there was no guarantee that Candeias could continue to average roughly 50 games anymore. As well as getting older, the added competition from new arrivals Jake Hastie, Sheyi Ojo, Greg Stewart and Jordan Jones might’ve been a contributing factor to the Portuguese ace moving on.

A new dawn at Ibrox?

As well as the four wingers brought to Ibrox this summer, Gerrard has added Filip Helander, Steve Davis, Joe Aribo and George Edmundson. The eight new arrivals have an average age of just 24.8-years-old, a stark contrast to the outgoings.

The five players to leave the Light Blues for good this summer have a mean age of a whopping 30, considerably higher than the pups coming in this summer.

With Kyle Lafferty, Jason Holt, Eros Grezda and Graham Dorrans all set to go, according to Football Insider, it looks like a deliberate ploy from Gerrard and Director of Football Mark Allen.

The lowering of the average age of the squad by Allen and the manager could be a direct consequence of the amount of football they’ll expect to play this season.

A repeat of the last year’s Europa League group stage qualification would mean at least 14 continental matches (qualifiers and the six group games). The league of course brings 38 guaranteed games and with the thirst for silverware desperately needing to be quenched, deep runs in both domestic cups could make for a hectic schedule at Ibrox this season.

With the potential for a 60-game season certainly on the cards, it is perhaps no surprise to see the gaffer make a conscious effort to freshen up his squad with younger, fitter players.

This change in approach should hold the Gers in good stead come the turn of the year, when the chaos of competing on multiple fronts can really take its toll.

أكد أحمد سليمان نائب رئيس الزمالك الأسبق، أنه جلب عدد من الصفقات للأبيض بإمكانيات مالية قليلة، مثلما نجح في ضم باسم مرسي وأحمد الشناوي.

وتواجد أحمد سليمان في مجلس إدارة الزمالك كنائب للرئيس خلال انتخابات 2013 – 2014، فيما رشح نفسه على منصب الرئيس في الانتخابات الأخيرة التي أقيمت عام 2017، ولكنه هُزم وترأس مرتضى منصور القلعة البيضاء وقتها لفترة ثانية.

اقرأ أيضًا.. أحمد سليمان: أُشجع الأهلي في مونديال الأندية.. وسأخلع رداء الانتماء عند رئاسة اتحاد الكرة

وقال أحمد سليمان خلال استضافته ببرنامج “90 دقيقة” المُذاع عبر قناة “المحور”: “في هذه الفترة الزمالك لم يكن يشتري لاعبين، كانت السمعة سيئة وكانت هناك حملة (ناديك يناديك)، ولكني عملت على إمكانيات النادي وكيفية إقناع اللاعبين بالانضمام، لكن ليس الشراء بعشوائية، مثلما تم شراء باسم مرسي مقابل 2 مليون جنيه وأحمد الشناوي مقابل 6 ملايين”.

وعن انتقال أحمد الشناوي إلى بيراميدز وابتعاده عن المشاركة في الموسم الجاري، قال: “أنا حزين على أحمد الشناوي، حدث له إخفاق في الزمالك في أول موسم، والموسم الثاني دخل في صدام مع الإدارة فانتقل إلى بيراميدز بسبب الماديات”.

وبسؤاله “هل سيترشح على رئاسة الزمالك مُجددًا؟”، رد قائلاً: “النادي يحتاج إلى الاستقرار بعد الصراعات الماضية، كما أن الفترة السابقة كان هناك شخص متسلط يمنع الناس ويشطب العضويات، ومن كان يفكر في النزول للانتخابات كان يتم إيذائه، وهذا ما جعلني أغير وجهتي وأبتعد”.

أضاف: “باتشيكو يشعر بالاستقرار ولا يتدخل أحد في عمله، ولذلك يتصدر الدوري حاليًا ويحقق الانتصارات”.

وبسؤاله “لماذا لم ينضم عبد الله السعيد للزمالك؟”، رد قائلاً: “بسبب الأموال، وهذه الأمور يجب وضع حلا لها مع اتحاد الكرة، وعلى كل نادٍ أن يضع ميزانية محددة لفريق كرة القدم”.

استكمل: “اتحاد الكرة ليس تابع للأندية، اتحاد الكرة ليس له صاحب، كل ناد له جماهيره، لذلك اتحاد الكرة لابد أن يكون قوي وصاحب سلطة على الأندية بالاتفاق”.

اختتم: “إن شاء الله سندخل اتحاد الكرة وسنعيد عصر ذهبي جديد للكرة المصرية”.

Manchester City are set to pull out of the Harry Maguire race after Foxes slap mammoth £90 million price tag on is head.

According to the Daily Mail, Leicester City’s valuation of their England defender was designed for one of two reasons; to ward off interest or to take advantage of clubs desperate enough to fork out – i.e. Manchester United, who ESPN claimed were not put off by a figure of £80m. 

City boss Pep Guardiola reportedly intended to replace Vincent Kompany with Harry Maguire, but the price is well over what the club are willing to pay, despite the riches in play behind the scenes at the Etihad.

The champions have shown time and time again that they’re made of more than simply throwing money at players and “buying the league,” having already turned down the chances to sign Alexis Sanchez and Fred, both of whom have ended up at close rivals Manchester United, with little to no positive effect. Smart? Incredibly.

Surely, Manchester City are now at a stage of greatness where they can quite simply pick almost any player they please. Leicester are asking for £90 million? Move on. Indeed, it’s a smart way to conduct business – not to be held hostage by the seller; to avoid bidding wars and the like.

Maguire is clearly a good player and there are obvious benefits to signing him but £90m would see him overtake Virgil van Dijk as the world’s most expensive defender. The England international, while impressive, has done little to show he’s worthy of such a fee.

Of course, while we all agree that Maguire is a good player – boasting on average one tackle per game, 1.2 interceptions, 4.9 clearances last season – maybe Manchester City are wise to heed warnings from history, avoid inflated transfer sagas and look elsewhere.

Manchester City fans, would you be willing to pay £90 million for Maguire? Can you think of a better option? Let us know in the comments below…