Celtic fans take to Twitter to react as Kieran Tierney leaves the national team

Celtic fans will be jubilant now that the news has been confirmed that Kieran Tierney has pulled out of the Scotland squad. The young left-back didn’t feature in yesterday’s embarrassing 3-0 away defeat to Kazakhstan and after watching that game you can’t blame him for wanting out, and he’ll be on the first plane back to Glasgow.

As far as the Hoops are concerned, whilst the Scottish National Team continues the way it’s going there really is no point in letting their Scottish players go and play. Risking an injury whilst playing on a plastic pitch in obscure Eastern European countries is not the way to go, and the Bhoys will now just be hoping that the likes of James Forrest, Scott Bain and Callum McGregor will follow suit.

Tierney is one of Scotland’s brightest young talents and when he plays for the Hoops they are a much better side, and the same usually goes for Scotland too. However, injury problems have already haunted the young full-back this season and the last thing that the Bhoys want to have to deal with is a game against Rangers after the international break without young KT because he suffered an injury whilst playing against a team of teachers, plumbers and firefighters from San Marino.

You can read the Hoops’ thoughts on Tierney’s Scotland drop out here:

The Hoops are all pleased to see that Tierney has dropped out and will be hoping the youngster is fit for their next game against Rangers on March 31st.

برايتون يطلب 50 مليون جنيه إسترليني لبيع بديل فان دايك لـ ليفربول

ذكرت تقارير صحفية، أنّ نادي ليفربول الإنجليزي، يتطلع إلى التعاقد مع مدافع جديد، في نافذة الانتقالات الشتوية، لتعويض غياب نجمه الهولندي، فيرجيل فان دايك.

موسم المدافع الهولندي انتهي مع الريدز، حيث سيخضع لعملية جراحية بعد إصابته في أربطة الركبة اليسرى.

ليفربول بعد إصابة فان دايك، أصبح يرغب في ضم الإنجليزي بن وايت، والذي يُجيد اللعب في قلب الدفاع ومركز الظهير الأيمن وكذلك الارتكاز.

ليفربول كان يرغب في ضم بن وايت، الصيف المُنصرم، ولكن قرر تأجيل الصفقة حتى صيف عام 2021، والآن بعد إصابة فان دايك، سيتجه لضم صاحب الـ”22″ عامًا، في نافذة الانتقالات الشتوية الجارية.

وبحسب صحيفة “ميرور” البريطانية، فإن برايتون أخبر بطل الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، إنه يريد الحصول على 50 مليون جنيه إسترليني للموافقة على بيع بن وايت.

اقرأ أيضًا.. فينالدوم: سنتعامل مع إصابة فان دايك مثلما فعلنا عندما غاب محمد صلاح عن ليفربول

بن وايت صاحب الـ 22 عامًا، قضى موسم 2019/2020 على سبيل الإعارة من برايتون مع ليدز يونايتد.

ليفربول كان حاول التعاقد مع بن وايت في الصيف المُنصرم، مقابل 30 مليون باوند، ولكن إدارة برايتون رفضت العرض.

بن وايت كان أحد الركائز الأساسية في ليدز، حيث شارك في 49 مُباراة بمُختلف المُسابقات في موسم 2019/2020، وسجل هدفًا وصنع هدفين.

يُذكر أن برايتون أعلن في سبتمبر الماضي، عن تجديد عقد بن وايت لمدة أربع سنوات، ومنحه عقدًا حتى عام 2024.

West Ham: Hammers have what it takes to cause a top four upset against point hungry Manchester United

Premier League safety might not be confirmed just yet, but it’s safe to say that West Ham’s top-flight status is safe for another season.

With five games to go and teams below them failing to pick up points, Manuel Pellegrini’s side can take it easy going into their final few matches, and maybe even make a surprise result or two along the way. And against Manchester United this weekend, the Hammers could cause an unprecedented shakeup of the race for Champions League football.

Results against the Red Devils have been mixed over the past few seasons. The Hammers dominated United at home earlier in the season in a 3-1 win, as well as beating the Manchester side 3-2 in the final game at Upton Park.

However, the Hammers are yet to win in the league at Old Trafford since 2007, when Carlos Tevez saved the club from relegation to the Championship on the final day of the season with a 1-0 win.

Going into this match with not much to play for, West Ham could capitalise on the pressure United and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer are under. After a honeymoon period as caretaker manager, the now full-time boss of the club has stumbled as of late at the wheel.

One win in their last five games has seen United crash out of the FA Cup and slip up in the league for what looked like a guaranteed Champions League spot, and although on paper the Red Devils are the favourites for this weekend’s game against West Ham, Solskjaer should be cautious.

Pellegrini’s side were impressive against Chelsea on Monday night, and West Ham are a team who know how to get results against United.

The Hammers have what it takes to not only secure their safety in the Premier League but to shake up the landscape of the top-four race.

West Ham fans, can the Hammers get a result over United this weekend? Let us know!

قائمة يوفنتوس لمباراة هيلاس فيرونا.. عودة ماكيني واستمرار غياب رونالدو

أعلن المدير الفني لفريق يوفنتوس، أندريا بيرلو، قائمة اللاعبين المشاركين في مباراة اليوم أمام هيلاس فيرونا في الجولة الخامسة من بطولة الدوري الإيطالي.

وتنطلق المباراة في تمام الساعة العاشرة إلا ربع مساءً بتوقيت “القاهرة” على ملعب “أليانز” في مدينة “تورينو” بقيادة الحكم، فابرزيو باسكوا.

وشهدت القائمة عودة لاعب وسط يوفنتوس، وستون ماكيني، بعد شفاءه من فيروس كورونا، ولكن مازال كريستيانو رونالدو غائبًا عن البيانكونيري بسبب عدم تعافيه من الوباء.

اقرأ أيضًا | ديست: حزين لخسارة أول كلاسيكو مع برشلونة.. ونفكر الآن في يوفنتوس

قائمة يوفنتوس لمباراة هيلاس فيرونا 

حراسة المرمى: تشيزني، بينسوليو، بوفون.

الدفاع: دانيلو، كوادرادو، بونوتشي، ديميرال، فرابوتا.

الوسط: آرثر، رامسي، ماكيني، رابيو، بنتانكور، برناردسكي، بورتانوفا، كولوسيفسكي، بيتيرز.

الهجوم: موراتا، ديبالا، فريوني، رافيا.

A moment in time: Portsmouth’s 2008 FA Cup run

Football might be becoming more commercialised than ever, but one thing that will remain the same is the magic of the FA Cup.

England’s oldest football competition has a special place in the hearts of football fans all over the country, and one of the best things to happen in the season is when a small team claims a giant-killing of epic proportions.

This season alone we have seen Newport County claim victories over Leicester City and Middlesbrough and AFC Wimbledon get a famous win over West Ham, but sadly neither team could make it all the way.

As much as we love the magic of the Cup, the hard truth with this cliché is that the competition is almost always won by a top-six Premier League club. But sometimes there are those rare occasions where the tradition is broken, and a team that nobody expected goes all the way and wins the FA Cup for the underdogs.

This is what happened to Portsmouth in the 2007/08 season, and it still remains one of the most surprising FA Cup wins in the history of this historic tournament.

The interesting thing about Pompey’s quest to FA Cup glory is that the final was arguably the easiest game of the entire journey.

The final against Cardiff City is not a clash neutrals remember well, largely because of how dull the game was. Nwankwo Kanu scored the only goal 37 minutes in, a rebounded shot from two-yards out, and that’s essentially all that happened in a march that only saw eight shots on target.

The reason why everyone points to Portsmouth’s FA Cup win being one of the most unlikely is because of the team’s run to the final.

Harry Redknapp’s side only played one game at home during their four-game odyssey to Wembley and beyond, and that match was against Championship side Plymouth Argyle, a game in which Pompey came from behind to win.

The run to the final was filled with nervy moments from David Nugent scoring the only goal in the third-round against Ipswich Town to David James saving a crucial penalty against Preston North End and Pompey only going through thanks to a late own goal from Darren Carter.

But the game that solidified Portsmouth into FA Cup history was their quarter-final match against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

This was a United side that would go on to win the Premier League and Champions League with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Carlos Tevez, and Wayne Rooney, and there is no doubt that had it not been for Pompey causing an upset, Sir Alex Ferguson would have led this team to a second treble.

The game will remain one of the craziest in FA Cup history. United came close to scoring on multiple occasions, but James and a bit of luck from the Portsmouth defence kept the Red Devils at bay.

And then in the 78th minute, Milan Baros was brought down in the penalty area by United keeper Tomasz Kuszczak, giving Portsmouth a chance to win the game and bringing the home side down to 10-men.

Kuszczak had come on for Edwin van der Sar at half-time, resulting in Rio Ferdinand going in between the sticks for the remainder of the game. Sulley Muntari converting from the spot sent Portsmouth to Wembley.

A Kanu goal in the semi-finals against West Brom sent Pompey to their first Cup final in over 70 years, and the rest is history. Portsmouth’s accomplishment will remain in FA Cup folklore for generations to come, the question now is will a story as similar to theirs ever happen again?

Portsmouth fans, how impressive was the 2008 FA Cup win? Let us know!

Sheffield Wednesday: Bruce must sign Michael Hector on permanent deal

How impressive has Michael Hector been for Sheffield Wednesday this season Owls fans?

The defender, who is on loan from Chelsea, has thrived in England’s second tier for the Yorkshire-based outfit, delivering a number of stand-out performances for the club. Masterful displays in recent weeks against Sheffield United and Stoke City has seen Hector form a fearsome defensive partnership with Tom Lees which has contributed to his side achieving seven clean sheets in their last 12 games.

An outstanding level of consistency shown by the Jamaican international should force boss Steve Bruce into committing to permanently signing him in the summer. With first-team opportunities at Chelsea unlikely to arise in the near future due to the sheer amount of competition at the club, Hector would benefit from a move away from Stamford Bridge as it would allow him to fulfil his potential.

An undeniably talented defender, the former Reading ace will not want to get him caught in the cycle at the Blues which has seen players such as Lucas Piazon and Lewis Baker fail to reach their peak due to a plethora of short-term loan moves.

Considering just how good Hector has been for Wednesday, Bruce will undoubtedly have to spend big to warn off any other suitors when the transfer window opens in July but it is a risk that he should be willing to take. The 25-year-old has the potential to be a regular starter for the Owls for the considerable future and could play an imperative role in the future of the club.

However, any possible deal could hinge on the outcome of the 2018/19 campaign. With seven games to play, Wednesday are still in with a chance of reaching the play-offs and securing an unlikely promotion to the Premier League. If they secure top-flight football for next season, they will be more of an attractive prospect to Hector who has the ability to shine at the highest of levels.

What do you think Owls fans? Should Bruce break the bank to secure the signing of Hector? Who else would you like your club to sign in the summer?

The Chalkboard: Lack of depth at Wolves needs to be addressed

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With just one win in their last six Premier League matches, could cracks be starting to appear in a Wolves team who can seemingly do no wrong?

Nuno Santo’s side have been impressive this term, there’s no doubting that, but it’s a long season and their lack of depth is now catching up on them. It’s an aspect that was particularly evident against Burnley last weekend as they lost 2-0.

No one to replace Jimenez

There’s been a considerable amount of attention surrounding Raul Jimenez lately. The Mexican has been superb for the Midlands club in 2018/19 after arriving on loan from Benfica and as such, they’re close to agreeing his permanent stay.

But a combination of more important matches to come and the fact Jimenez had clocked up plenty of air miles over the international break meant he was left out of the starting XI at Turf Moor last Saturday.

Eyebrows would have immediately been raised by Santo’s decision and with the forward having to be introduced in the second half anyway, the decision wasn’t vindicated.

Without him, there was a lack of hold up play, whilst Diogo Jota’s influence on the game was also reduced. Jimenez’s impact on this Wolves side has been significant, but it wasn’t until this weekend that we got a real glimpse of how poor they can be without him.

Depth lacking

Wolves’ form on the road hasn’t been particularly amazing this season anyway, but without Jimenez in the side at Burnley, it proved that real investment is still needed.

Ivan Cavaleiro was Jimenez’s deputy in attack on Saturday but his performance wasn’t one that will enthral fans, having just one shot in the time he was on the pitch. Helder Costa, another option in forward areas, has struggled to be the creative hub he so often was in the Championship too.

We’ve found Raul Jimenez’s No. 1 fan and… it’s a little scary. Check out the video below to see for yourself…

Andre Silva has attracted the interest of Wolves and he would certainly go a long way to bolstering their depth but they’ll need more than that.

With a potential Europa League campaign on the horizon, it’s an issue that will desperately need to be solved over the summer.

Bringing back Ismael Bennacer would be great business for Arsenal

Champions League football next season is Arsenal’s one and only current aim and it doesn’t matter how they get there, they just need to make it happen. In fact, do any of you really care about the journey, if that’s your destination? 

Unai Emery would safely say himself that he has had a fairly successful time during his first campaign in charge of the Gunners, with his side well in the mix for top four and Europa League success.

Though all the positive energy surrounding the Emirates will quickly disappear if he fails to deliver Champions League football at the end of the season.

Still, you fans will surely be extremely hopeful they will see some new players arriving over the summer to bring some extra quality in and one player they would like to see brought in, or should I say brought back, is Ismael Bennacer, as was touted by Le 10 Sport via Sport Witness earlier this month.

Bennacer, (who is valued at £9 million on Transfermarkt) was sold by Arsenal in 2017 after he made just one senior appearance for them.

When youngsters move on, you either hear or don’t hear about them after.

And unfortunately for Arsenal, Ismael Bennacer is a player that has emerged on the European radar, alike Serge Gnabry, since his move away from the Emirates. The Empoli man is of tenacious character and is a defensive midfielder that could really improve Arsenal’s general squad options.

Operating in a deep-lying role could allow for a player like Lucas Torreira to roam further forward, whilst Bennacer is then there to sweep away any danger besides Matteo Guendouzi. He would be perfect alongside the current Arsenal pair as he’d help ensure defensive solidity at the back and would allow the Frenchman to push forward, as well as linking defence to attack with his quick passing ability.

What. A. Midfield.

Arsenal have made numerous transfer mistakes over the years and not re-signing Ismael Bennacer is certain to be another mistake waiting to happen.

Do you agree Arsenal should try and bring Bennacer back to the Emirates… Let us know!

What an effort: Aston Villa fans loved Whelan’s performance against Bristol City

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Aston Villa made it eight straight Championship wins with a 2-1 success over Bristol City at the weekend.

And the Villa fans loved what they saw from Glenn Whelan on the afternoon.

The 35-year-old will see his contract expire this summer, but showed that he can still perform at Championship level with a fine display against the Robins.

According to Villa’s official Twitter account, the 5 ft 11 ace ‘made more recoveries than any other player on Saturday’, which was eight.

Meanwhile, WhoScored have the midfielder down as winning three aerial duels.

It has been some run of form from Villa in recent weeks and Dean Smith’s side are seemingly going to take some stopping in the playoffs.

Whelan has not always had the full support of the club’s fans this season, but many loved what they saw from the Dublin-born midfielder on Saturday afternoon.

A selection of the best Twitter reaction can be seen below:

تقارير: مانشستر سيتي يراقب ناجلسمان تحسبًا لرحيل جوارديولا

يحظى مدرب فريق لايبزيج الألماني، يوليان ناجلسمان باهتمام نادي مانشستر سيتي الإنجليزي، في ظل الغموض الذي يكتنف مستقبل المدرب بيب جوارديولا، في ملعب الاتحاد.

ومن المقرر أن ينتهي العقد الحالي لـ جوارديولا مع مانشستر سيتي، في عام 2021.

ولم يتوصل بيب إلى أي اتفاق مع إدارة مانشستر سيتي، حتى الآن، بشأن تمديد إقامته في الفريق مما أدى إلى انتشار التكهنات حول مستقبله.

وحسب صحيفة “تليجراف” الإنجليزية، فإن ناجلسمان مدرب لايبزيج يحظى بقدر من الاهتمام لدى مسؤولي نادي مانشستر سيتي.

وأفادت أن مانشستر سيتي يراقب ناجلسمان في لايبزيج عن كثب، خاصة إذا قرر جوارديولا عدم تمديد عقده والرحيل بنهاية الموسم الحالي.

وسبق أن أثنى ناجلسمان على جوارديولا، واصفًا إياه بالنموذج الذي يُحتذى به.

وسطع نجم ناجلسمان مع لايبزيج، ليس في الدوري الألماني فقط بل في دوري أبطال أوروبا أيضًا، بعد قيادته الفريق الموسم الماضي إلى نصف نهائي البطولة حيث خسر أمام باريس سان جيرمان بثلاثية نظيفة.

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