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This hasn’t exactly been an easy January for Leeds United to negotiate. Heading into their clash with Newcastle this week, they’d yet to score or win in 2021.

On top of that, they’ve also failed to strengthen in the January transfer window.

On the chalkboard

Fortunately, things are getting better for Leeds. They defeated the Magpies 2-1 on Tuesday and now it looks as though enigmatic left-back Gjanni Alioski is heading for the exit door.

A report from Fotosport (via Sport Witness) claim that with Alioski’s contract expiring in the summer, he has reached an agreement with Galatasaray in Turkey to move there in the next transfer window.

Players are free to discuss a pre-contract arrangement with foreign clubs from this month onwards if their deal expires in six months and thus, it appears the North Macedonian is set to bring his stay at Elland Road to an end.

This wouldn’t be a huge loss for Leeds, however, who are bound to be frustrated with some of his performances. He was torn apart by Manchester United and Daniel James last month while he put in another unconvincing performance against Newcastle this week.

Previously described as a “liability” by Noel Whelan, it’s unlikely he’ll be missed too much in Yorkshire.

The solution

Leeds have had a problem at left-back for a number of years now. Ever since Charlie Taylor departed for Burnley, they have been found wanting in that area of the pitch. Gaetano Berardi deputised there for a period but he has one of the worst disciplinary records in the club’s history, being red-carded on seven occasions.

Stuart Dallas has played there and so too has Alioski. Though, the fact of the matter is that neither are natural left-backs. The former is used to playing on the right while the latter is a winger by trade.

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It’s hard to suggest Barry Douglas’ time worked out either. He’s now at Blackburn on loan and failed to score for the Whites despite being a set-piece wizard for Wolves before arriving.

Thus, there is a pretty large problem to solve – one that can be fixed by signing a proper left-back.

In Josh Doig they could well find that. The Hibernian youngster has been linked with a move to Sunderland, Leeds, Manchester City and Celtic in recent days in a switch that could cost £1m.

Not only would this be a bargain for Victor Orta, but it would also help to replace Alioski perfectly. That’s because they possess similar qualities.

In Goal’s report about Doig this week, they wrote the following about the 18-year-old: “Scouts have noted Doig’s attacking output as a huge part of his game, with his crossing ability and tireless running two of his key attributes.”

That sounds an awful like Alioski, someone who loves to stride forward and provide goals and assists. Fortunately, however, Doig is also very capable defensively.

The teenager was only given his first taste of senior football this season but has since played on 17 occasions in the Scottish Premiership. He has become a regular under Jack Ross and is incredibly strong in the tackle.

Doig has won a colossal 2.1 tackles per game this season, a tally that not only usurps Alioski (1.8) but also a great deal of Leeds’ team. In fact, the Hibs defender would be placed fifth for that certain statistic out of United’s regular starters.

Leeds have lacked a defender with the ability to do the simple things right from a defensive point of view for a while and that’s exactly why they need to sign Doig. Add that to the fact he’d cost just £1m and this would be the perfect deal for Marcelo Bielsa.

AND in other news, 3 new signings, Bielsa favourite axed: How Leeds’ XI could look after deadline day…

If there was any doubting Jose Mourinho’s capabilities last season, he has responded to his critics in emphatic style.

This Tottenham side are not playing the prettiest football but they are getting the job done and in doing so, are mounting a surprising title challenge.

Mourinho has worked wonders with this Spurs team and has turned them into a rigid defensive outfit capable of holding the very best.

That was put to the test against an energetic Leeds team on Saturday but the Lilywhites passed their examination with flying colours. In keeping a clean sheet, the north Londoners won 3-0 to crown a perfect start to the New Year.

One of the most impressive performers was Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg. The Dane has been seriously impressive since arriving from Southampton and this was a performance that typified the player he’s been for Mourinho.

Hojbjerg won five tackles and two interceptions at the base of the midfield, breaking up Leeds attacks on a regular basis.

However, in Germany, one of their current transfer targets was turning in a masterclass, one that was arguably even better than Hojbjerg’s.

The man in question is Marcel Sabitzer, someone linked with a move to the Premier League on a regular basis.

Once dubbed “remarkable” for his infectious personality, the midfielder was all over the pitch as his RB Leipzig side defeated Stuttgart 1-0.

Sabitzer was a ray of positivity, injecting imperious penetration into Leipzig’s play and preventing their opposition from breaking. The Austrian won four tackles and five interceptions – a combined haul higher than Hojbjerg’s and he also lost possession on fewer occasions.

Furthermore, the £31m-rated midfielder managed a solitary key pass and four shots on his way to engineering Leipzig to victory.

This was a perfect performance from the 26-year-old and demonstrated why Daniel Levy must push hard to sign him.

Sabitzer has had a fabulous few years and has contributed to 23 goals in the last season and a half. Capable of breaking up play too, he is the complete midfielder.

Spurs need him if they are to sustain their title challenge.

AND in other news, 85.7% duels won: Spurs beast dubbed “embarrassing” was Jose’s true hero on Saturday…

Southampton fell to a 2-0 defeat against Leicester City on Saturday night, with Che Adams, in particular, disappointing with his performance.

The former Birmingham City striker struggled to have any real impact on the game and was rarely involved during his time on the pitch.

Ralph Hasenhuttl would have been relying on him to step up in the absence of strike partner Danny Ings, but in truth he never looked like scoring at the King Power Stadium as the Saints struggled to create clear-cut chances against Brendan Rodgers’ side.

As per SofaScore, the £15m Adams picked up a 6.7 rating for his performance, which was actually better than a lot of his Southampton teammates, but it is not easy to see why.

The 24-year-old striker would have just 20 touches of the ball, which was the fewest of any player who started the game, and significantly fewer than Saints ‘keeper Alex McCarthy, who had 53 touches.

Adams’ opponent Jonny Evans would earn a 7.1 match rating, register significantly more touches and only lose one duel during the game, with it clear that the former Manchester United man won the battle with the Southampton forward.

He would also manage to complete just eight of his 13 attempted passes during the game, resulting in a less than impressive success rate of 62%, which is lower than his season average of 69.3%.

By comparison, Adams’ last appearance in the 0-0 draw with West Ham saw him register 22 touches of the ball, despite him only being on the pitch for 58 minutes and no doubt still dazed from the kick in the head he received from Craig Dawson.

The striker usually averages 1.7 shots per game and 1.5 aerials won per game but registered just one of each against the Foxes, suggesting that his performance was below his usual standards.

Despite seeing very little of the ball, Adams would still manage to lose six out of eight duels and lose possession on eight occasions, suggesting that on the few occasions he was involved, the Leicester defenders had the better of him.

In the absence of Ings, the young striker needs to involve himself a lot more in Southampton’s build-up play but hopefully, the former Liverpool man will be back to accompany Adams in the Saints’ next Premier League fixture, which sees them take on Arsenal at St Mary’s.

And, in other news… Southampton signing England U’21 gem could see Ralph favourite depart

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Dele Alli is at a surprising point in his career.

At just 24, he finds himself rarely featuring under Jose Mourinho and as a result, has been out of the England conversation for quite some time.

This is a player who has played 228 times for Spurs and has picked up 37 caps, yet he is most certainly going to miss out on a place at the European Championships this summer.

He is only 24. That is so easy to forget sometimes.

Alli has played just 66 minutes in the Premier League this season with manager Jose Mourinho omitting him entirely from six of eight matchday squads.

We already know how the Special One feels about the playmaker, having labelled him “lazy” in front of the entire squad during Amazon’s All or Nothing docuseries, although he has also insisted that these snubs have been tactical decisions rather than ones based on performances.

Either way, it’s not doing anyone any favours having someone of Alli’s potential festering away on the bench, or in his case recently, at home.

Valued at €70m (£62.5m) by CIES, Daniel Levy should be looking to cash in on the long-serving Spurs star sooner rather than later as that figure is only going to decrease the more he’s not featuring in north London.

And the interest has been there.

According to the Daily Mail, European giants Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan were both keen on Alli during the summer transfer window.

Whilst they also revealed that the midfielder, once likened to Steven Gerrard, was almost used as a makeweight to bring Gareth Bale back to the club from Real Madrid.

So, evidently, the Spurs chairman would be willing to sanction a sale for the right price.

Under former boss Mauricio Pochettino, Alli thrived winning two PFA Young Player of the Year awards, which makes his continued omission rather perplexing indeed.

The Argentine recently appeared on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football and compared the Englishman to Diego Maradona and Ronaldinho, dubbing them all “really special.”

Alli has also been lauded as a “freak of a talent” by ex-Spurs midfielder Darren Anderton, yet he finds himself at a career crossroads despite being absolutely nowhere near hitting his peak.

If Mourinho isn’t going to find a way to get the best out of him, then Levy should absolutely consider an exit for the £100k-per-week enigma. The funds could be put straight back into further additions to Mourinho’s squad.

AND in other news, Levy could land Mourinho his next Carvalho in £205k-p/w “quarter-back” available on the cheap…

After Fulham picked up their first three points of the Premier League season last time out against West Bromwich Albion, Scott Parker’s side now travel to West Ham United on Saturday evening in the hope of picking up their first away win of the season.

Goals from Bobby Decordova-Reid and Ola Aina were enough to earn the Cottagers maximum points against the Baggies but we still feel that the 40-year-old manager should make a couple of changes to try and counteract the threat that West Ham pose.

David Moyes’ side have been in impressive form of late, with the narrow defeat against Liverpool last weekend ending an unbeaten run that saw them pick up superb wins against Wolves and Leicester City, as well as draws against Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City (per Sky Sports).

Therefore, Fulham would be unwise to underestimate the threat that the Hammers possess, although it seems as if they will be without the in-form Michail Antonio.

Football FanCast has predicted how Parker will line his side up this evening…

Despite his goal last weekend, we feel that playing two strikers away at the London Stadium might be slightly too attacking for this match, so Reid drops to the bench whilst Ruben Loftus-Cheek comes in to add a bit more steel in the Fulham midfield, with the £21.6 million-rated loanee having impressed in the recent draw with Sheffield United.

We also feel that Joe Bryan should get the nod to start at left-midfield for Parker’s side as he has played in that position regularly in the past. He would be able to track back and help out Antonee Robinson at left-back, who is no doubt in for a tough game against Jarrod Bowen given the attacker has started the season in strong form.

Unsurprisingly, the defence stays the same after they picked up their first clean sheet of the season against West Brom, with Ola Aina, in particular, impressing in that game with his superb goal.

Meanwhile, Ademola Lookman should keep his place in the Fulham starting XI having impressed since joining on loan from RB Leipzig in the summer transfer window. He has averaged a superb 7.49 rating across his four appearances, which ranks him as Fulham’s best performer in the Premier League so far this season (per WhoScored).

It will be interesting to see if Parker does make any changes for this evening’s game, or whether he keeps faith with those who started the game against West Brom.

Paul Robinson has criticised Carlo Ancelotti for his decision to drop Jordan Pickford for Everton versus Newcastle United.

Speaking to Football Insider, the former Spurs and Leeds United goalkeeper did not think that the England international should have been dropped for Robin Olsen:

“I do not like that, as a goalkeeper. I do not see what that achieves.

“Yes, he has taken him out of the firing line but he has then doubled the firing line for the next game.

“There is going to be so much scrutiny on him against Manchester United. People are going to expect him to respond.

“It shows a real lack of trust and confidence in Jordan Pickford by taking him out for one game. It shows that he is obviously has questions and doubts over Pickford.

“It raises more questions than answers in my opinion. It creates even more of a stigma around the position. A position that has already been questioned.”  

Pickford in the firing line

Indeed, Pickford has been in the firing line ever since his challenge on Liverpool central defender Virgil Van Dijk in the Merseyside derby, which has since seen him ruled out for a long time with injury.

The 26 year-old could have received a red card for his tackle, but VAR did not deem his challenge to be a sending off offence.

He also received no retrospective action after the game finished, which was quite heavily criticised.

Reds goalkeepers Adrian and Alisson have also heavily scrutinised the challenge made by Pickford, but Robinson, a former ‘keeper himself, still believes that he should not have been put on the bench by Ancelotti against the Magpies.

Was Ancelotti right to drop Pickford?

Perhaps Ancelotti was wrong to drop Pickford for the match as it might have damaged his confidence going into the game versus Manchester United at Goodison Park over the weekend.

The former Sunderland star has shown that he can be ‘immense’ if he is given a run of games, exemplified by the some of the plaudits he received courtesy of his pretty impressive displays in the 2018 FIFA World Cup for the Three Lions under Gareth Southgate.

That said, only time will tell if Ancelotti or Robinson have called this one correctly, and a big performance at the weekend could silence Pickford’s critics.

In other news, find out which star the Toffees are fighting Liverpool to sign here!

Everton returned to Premier League action on Sunday afternoon looking an entirely different side.

The lockdown-hit 2019/20 campaign saw the Toffees peter out with a whimper with Tom Davies and Gylfi Sigurdsson pulling the strings in midfield – you wouldn’t blame anyone for not renewing their season ticket (under normal circumstances) on that basis.

However, Marcel Brands backed his man – Carlo Ancelotti – during the off-season and here we are with a very impressive new-look Everton.

They made the trip from Merseyside to north London to face a Spurs side that also bolstered their ranks, including a £15m move for one-time mooted target Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

But going by his debut, it’s one the club did well to miss out on.

Instead, it was James Rodriguez’s maiden Premier League bow that struck the headlines – and quite rightly – as he put in a sensational display. You’d struggle to believe this was Everton, in all honesty.

Per SofaScore, the 29-year-old picked up a match-high 8.1 rating and was pretty much integral to how the Toffees performed. He recorded five key passes, three shots and three interceptions. He even managed to get 11 of 12 long balls on target and enjoyed two dribbles.

By comparison, Davies managed seven key passes throughout the whole duration of last season.

The 2014 World Cup star cost just £20m and took a pay cut, which absolutely seems like one of the coups of recent times when you consider Sigurdsson was signed for a whopping £45m.

Jermaine Jenas lauded Rodriguez’s display, saying: “Rodriguez looked an absolute world-beater for Everton on Sunday – and he is almost exactly what Spurs haven’t got at the moment. He has got that star quality about him. The talk when Rodriguez signed was would he be quick enough or fit enough, but he has got the ability to see things before they happen. He just looked like he was a class above.”

It’s no wonder Jupp Heynckes labelled him a “god-send” back in 2017.

If that was a mere glimpse into things to come, then shout Brands’ name from the hilltops. He’s secured one hell of a signing at Goodison Park.

AND in other news, Henry Winter delivers verdict on Everton’s win…

Key information about Furness Building Society Stadium

Furness Building Society Stadium was opened in 1909 and is now the home of National League’s Barrow AFC. The ground is located in Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria and is now actually known as Progression Solicitors Stadium for sponsorship reasons, as well as simply Holker Street.

Its current capacity stands at 5,045, but with only 1,000 places being seated, and it has a pitch that measures 110 by 74 yards. The surface is covered with natural grass but it has no undersoil heating installed nor a running track surrounding it.

The record attendance of 16,874 at Furness Building Society Stadium was set in January 1954 when Barrow hosted Swansea Town in the FA Cup third round with the game ending in a 2-2 draw.

A history of Furness Building Society Stadium

The current site of the stadium was first owned by Furness Railway and before it was actually converted into a football pitch by Hindpool Athletic football club, it was used as a rubbish tip. Still, originally, there wasn’t much to be seen of Holker Street back then since the ground could only boast a practically unfinished pitch with a bit of grass and no stands to speak of.

Barrow were founded in 1901 and they would spend the following eight years moving from ground to ground inside the city in a nomadic style before finally taking a five-year lease at Furness Building Society Stadium from Furness Railway in 1909. The first game to be played at their new home was the Lancashire Combination league clash against Eccles Borough and it finished in a 5-2 win for the home side.

In the following years, the first developments of the stadium started with the stand being erected in 1912 and further facilities following suit by 1921 with fully covered terracing for the three remaining sides, changing rooms and turnstiles. Even though by that point the stadium was already starting to look good, further improvements would have to wait until after the second World War.

This is when the wooden stands were replaced by terracing and Barrow’s attendance was also soaring. In fact, despite their capacity of just over 5,000, in 1954 there were around 16,874 people all crammed into the ground to watch the FA Cup clash against Swansea Town. Of course, this number hasn’t been eclipsed ever since and it’s highly unlikely that it will ever be.

In 1963 floodlights were erected but what followed were years of financial struggling and relegation, forcing the club to build a speedway track around the edge of the football field in an attempt to raise funds. This, of course, impacted the overall facilities at the stadium since the Steelworks End had to be demolished and other terraces also lost their front rows. Luckily for the club, the track would only last two years before it was removed.

The club’s non-league era brought more trouble for Furness Building Society Stadium as the remaining stands also had to be demolished for security reasons while the terraces were moved closer to the pitch once the speedway track was removed. The CrossBar leisure club and bar were built and still remain a dominant feature of the stadium.

Among other developments, the all-seater Main stand was erected and opened in 1998. Still, their financial issues were far from over and following some sketchy business and police interventions concerning money laundering and ownership of the ground, the club actually entered administration after their former owner withdrew all his financial backing as a result of being investigated by the police.

Needless to say, no further major refurbishments were done since then as Furness Building Society Stadium remains a modest, traditional and old-fashioned ground, much like it was throughout the years.

Tickets to watch Barrow AFC at Furness Building Society Stadium

All tickets to watch Barrow AFC at Furness Building Society Stadium can be found and purchased on the club’s official website. The price varies depending on the stand chosen and the age group of the buyer but the cheapest adult ticket costs £13.

Barrow AFC also offer a season ticket scheme and more information can be found on the aforementioned website.

Related links

https://www.barrowafc.com/ – Official website of Barrow AFC

Giovani Lo Celso has excelled in his new role at Tottenham Hotspur ever since the Premier League restarted last month.

After Jose Mourinho decided to give Harry Winks another chance, Lo Celso was deployed further forward, and he was let loose against the Everton defence.

While it may not have been pretty, he played an instrumental part in breaking the deadlock, as Michael Keane deflected his strike into the back of his own net.

Paul Robinson insists he would not swap the Tottenham ace for Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former Spurs star claims Lo Celso has been “outstanding” for Mourinho’s side.

Last month, Fernandes revealed Spurs came close to signing him before Sporting Lisbon blocked the deal, via Sky Sports.

Mourinho dismissed his compatriot’s comments and said he would rather have Lo Celso anyway.

After being asked by Dylan Childs if he would swap the Argentine for Fernandes, Robinson admitted he would like to have both of them, but would choose Lo Celso if he was forced to pick between the two.

He told Football Insider “I would like to have them both! Two top-quality players.

“Lo Celso has shown a side to his game that not many people, including myself, knew that he had. He is not afraid to do the hard yards and play as a holding midfielder as well as an attacking midfielder.”

“I certainly would not swap him for Bruno Fernandes. Two outstanding players but Lo Celso has become key to what Spurs do. He’s settled and adapted to life in the Premier League very easily and very quickly.

“He looks to be a very astute signing along with Bergwijn. They are the type of signings that Spurs need. They have changed the team.

“Fernandes is a top player but I would not swap him for Lo Celso.”

It is hard to argue with Robinson here, as Lo Celso pulled all the strings in the 1-0 win over the Toffees.

The midfield maestro was widely touted as Christian Eriksen’s successor but ended up playing in a deeper role alongside Winks before the break. This didn’t stop him from being one of the club’s best players prior to the nationwide lockdown in March.

However, the 24-year-old has burst into life since the restart, as his performances have continued to get better and better with each passing week. Indeed, he earned a solid SofaScore rating of 6.8 in the draw with Manchester United, but bounced back with impressive displays against West Ham and Everton.

While Bruno Fernandes has been in electric form ever since he arrived at Old Trafford in January, the statistics don’t paint the full picture.

Lo Celso only has two goals this season, but these numbers can be attributed to the fact that it has taken him until 2020 to get his shot in central midfield.

Mourinho has let him off the leash over the past week or so, which has given him the freedom to move further forward, and he was unlucky not to score his first Premier League goal after his effort ricocheted off Keane.

It is difficult to believe it will be too far away if the Portuguese sticks with his new system as Lo Celso continues to take new strides in the final third.

That isn’t to say Fernandes wouldn’t make an immediate impact, as the evidence is there for all to see, the fact remains Lo Celso is arguably a better fit for where Spurs are at right now.

It is highly likely he will stick around for the foreseeable future, whereas Fernandes will no doubt be attracting attention from Barcelona and Real Madrid, which could unsettle the United squad.

Mourinho’s side are currently eighth in the table, eleven points behind fourth-placed Leicester, tied with Sheffield United on 48 points.

All hope of claiming silverware this season is basically over at this point and he will be looking to plan ahead for next season instead.

Tottenham fans, who would you choose? Let us know down below!

واصل ماركو أسينسيو تألقه وأحرز ثاني أهدافه والثالث لريال مدريد، في المباراة الجارية أمام ريال مايوركا بمنافسات الدوري الإسباني “الليجا”.

الهدف جاء في الدقيقة 29، حيث مهد كريم بنزيما الكرة بطريقة رائعة إلى أسينسيو، والجناح الإسباني حصل على الكرة وتوغل لمنطقة الجزاء وسدد في شباك الحارس رينا.

وكان بنزيما أحرز هدف ريال مدريد الأول في الدقيقة الثانية، ثم أضاف أسينسيو الهدف الثاني في الدقيقة 24، وعقب ذلك بدقيقة سجل لي كانج إن لمايوركا.

تشير النتيجة إلى تقدم ريال مدريد على ريال مايوركا بنتيجة (3-1)، ويمكنكم متابعة البث المباشر لمباراة ريال مدريد وريال مايوركا لحظة بلحظة بالفيديو من خلال الرابط. هدف ماركو أسينسيو الثاني في مباراة ريال مدريد وريال مايوركا