All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Tottenham Hotspur have lost just one of their last 14 matches in all competitions, but during that run, Jose Mourinho’s men have kept just two clean sheets.

It’s a recurring issue from last season given they had the second-worst defensive record of any top seven club in the Premier League – and since then, they have lost Jan Vertonghen and Juan Foyth centrally with only inexperienced future talent Joe Rodon coming through the door.

Perhaps Daniel Levy ought to make a move for a new colossus in the January window to give Spurs a genuine chance of contending for the title in this surprising campaign.

Just maybe they could revisit Ozan Kabak…

What’s the word?

According to Turkish journalist Ekrem Konur in July, Spurs were in negotiations to sign the 20-year-old, which was backed up by the reliable Alasdair Gold, who claimed in a Q&A with Football.London that Kabak was a player they have been watching.

It’s thought that the young powerhouse has a release clause of €45m (£40m), as per Bild (via BuliNews). However, the German newspaper now believes the Turkey international will be able to leave Schalke 04 for a cut-price of just €20m (£18m).

The Bundesliga side won’t be able to refuse any bids this time around due to the financial ramifications of the pandemic.

Go in again?

A potential target available on the cheap? Levy ought to be all over this come January.

The young central defender is one of the most promising talents in the position in Europe right now – in three Bundesliga appearances this season, Kabak has averaged 3.7 clearances, 3.3 aerial duels won, 2.7 dribbles, 1.7 shots and one tackle per game, via WhoScored.

It’s no wonder that his idol is Virgil van Dijk as he very much appears to be in a similar mould. You only have to look at how the Dutchman has transformed Liverpool’s fortunes to see why a move at centre-back is one that needs to be made in N17.

The 20-year-old has also been likened to Sergio Ramos due to his “sound in-game radar and a deceptively quick turn of pace.” He is also noted to be “powerful in the air and with a great sense of timing.”

Titan-like.

Whilst Stuttgart’s former sporting director Michael Reschke labelled Kabak as “one of the most promising young defenders in Europe.”

He has also been dubbed a “role model,” “astonishing,” and “mature” by former Villa midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger, very glowing indeed.

It’s clear that Mourinho doesn’t have faith Davinson Sanchez at all, omitting him from their last three Premier League squads, and with Rodon not ready to feature, a move for Kabak would make the world of sense.

Say bye-bye to the Colombian with this £18m bargain on offer.

AND in other news, 97 touches, 22% duels won: Jose badly let down by abysmal £45m-rated Spurs lightweight…

As Tottenham close in on Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, chairman Daniel Levy could land a 1-2 sucker-punch on the rest of the Premier League with the addition of another midfielder.

What’s the word?

According to Le10 Sport, north London rivals Arsenal have entered the race for Marseille’s Morgan Sanson with the Ligue 1 outfit needing to push a few departures in order to garner some income.

It comes just a few weeks after it was reported that Spurs were leading the charge for the Frenchman – Le Phoceen claim that the 25-year-old’s exit to England is rather likely and that Marseille are wanting €35m (£31.5m) for his services.

Although no concrete offers have come in for Sanson, the Gunners’ interest should spark Levy into making his move.

Box-to-box upgrade

Yes, Jose Mourinho will have an array of midfield options following the imminent arrival of Hojbjerg, but that shouldn’t stop the Europa League-bound outfit from looking to bolster the squad even more.

Sanson is a perfect box-to-box type that would fit the Portuguese’s system to a tee with the incoming Saints man the ideal lynchpin to tie it all together.

Per WhoScored, the Marseille star has averaged 2.2 tackles, 1.5 dribbles, 1.4 shots and 1.1 key passes per appearance in Ligue 1 this term, which is better than fellow countryman Moussa Sissoko.

At 30 years of age, the Spurs man is coming towards the end of his career and his numbers for the campaign are hardly inspiring, given he’s managed just 1.3 tackles, 0.6 key passes and 0.5 shots per match, also via WhoScored.

If that’s not enough to convince, then Sanson’s comparisons to a PL rival should set pulses racing, one Birmingham Mail journalist believes Sanson is “like Ruben Neves but with an edge – if maybe not quite the same level of genius.”

He goes on to call him “outstanding” too, so Levy should absolutely consider a move for the Frenchman this summer.

AND in other news, Alasdair Gold delivers verdict on Spurs move for lower league STAR…

With the rescheduling of this year’s Euro 2020 tournament meaning, we will now have to wait until next year for the coveted European Championship, this still hasn’t stopped kit manufacturers from releasing the uniforms that each country will wear at next years tournament.

Adidas and Puma both released their array of kits for the countries they supply for back during the usual time they would have if the Euro’s was still taking place this year, which was November 2019. Nike, however, chose to hold off on its release due to the COVID-19 pandemic and released their kits for the tournament this week. We are also still awaiting Hummel’s kits for Denmark and Joma’s kits for Ukraine.

There has been a great show from the manufacturers this year, with the ditching of many templates for most, giving us fresh and unique kit designs for each country, with some fantastic away kits to choose from. So, here is our top 10 Euro 2020 away kits…

10. Netherlands

I didn’t realise I was reviewing Fred Perry polos? I’m a fan of a button collar, usually, but this just doesn’t work in my opinion. The colour scheme is fine, there nothing wrong with that, and works for a Netherland’s away kit, but it’s just really plain and boring and there is virtually nothing to say about it.

Swap the Nike and Netherland’s badge for a laurel wreath and I’d probably wear it down the pub, but aside from that, I wouldn’t go for a kick about in it. Much to my disbelief, there are other kits released for the Euro’s that are actually worse, but this was the best of a bad bunch and is last in the top 10.

9. Germany

Again, it is very plain and very simple, but this time in a slightly more effective way. Adidas may have stuck with a template for this, but I like the use of the same cuffed sleeves for the away as they did with the home, and have opted for a stealthy all black for the rest of the kit, including the federation badge and Adidas logo.

The fact that the whole base colour is black helps to make the sleeves stand out evermore – making for an effective contrast, and I actually prefer the countries away kit compared to their home. Die Mannschaft have been given a simple but complimentary design here.

8. Sweden

The first and only pinstripe design on the list – Sweden and Adidas have produced a classy approach for their away kit for the Euro’s, and I am very much a fan. A dark navy blue base colour features the yellow pinstripe vertically down the kit, along with the yellow trim on the sleeves and collar – it is a simple design but it works well, and I am a sucker for a pinstripe, especially when it is done well.

Adidas have strayed away from the usual template for this one, and thank you to them for doing so – I don’t feel the pinstripe design would have worked on the template design, so I’m glad they opted away from that.

7. Austria

In keeping with Puma’s Crafted from Culture series, a theme they have introduced for all of their kits for Euro 2020 – Austria’s away kit is something very interesting, and something that I like. The colour scheme and design across the kit is inspired by the Art Nouveau that dominated Austria at the turn of the 19th and 20th century, as stated by Puma.

The colours of the black and teal work incredibly well together, and along with the new federation badge which fits the aesthetic and overall provides the country with a great away kit.

6. Belgium

This one is extremely lovely – and is on trend with Adidas’ kits they have provided for the Belgian Red Devils for the Euro 2020 tournament. Featuring an off-white/beige base colour, the red and black cuff sleeves, and the new federation badge – an interesting feature is also the brushstroke design across the kit, much like the home kit.

Again, despite the use of the template, the design and colour scheme carries it off well – and unlike the home kit, the print carries on around the back, another team that doesn’t need to change the design because of a certain UEFA regulation.

5. Italy

Yes – a big old Renaissance yes. Italy and Puma again following the renaissance era kit designs for the country, with the white base colour featuring a slightly greyed out design across the kit make for a great show from the German manufacturer.

The away kit features a different design compared to the home, giving it a different angle rather than using the same template and just changing the colour which is something Puma should be applauded for.

Overall the Azzuri have been dealt a cracking away kit for next year’s tournament, and I love the renaissance inspired patterns that have featured.

4. France

Oh boy, simplicity really is key sometimes, isn’t it? Nike and France have teamed up well and produced a fantastic away kit along with their barnstormer of a home jersey.

The simple white may elude most, but the bright electric blue that has been used for the Nike logo and federation badge just hits you in the face in the best way possible. Another great touch is the Blue, White, and Red stripe down both sides of the kit which really stands out if caught from the right angle – but that is all you can say about the kit. For some, this may be a bad thing not having much to delve into or talk about, but that is what makes it beautiful.

It is VERY close to the country’s 2015 kit, but almost an upgrade with some detail changes, but I like it, a lot.

3. Switzerland

For some strange reason, I have seen a lot of negative reactions towards Switzerland’s away kit for next year’s Euro’s, but I guarantee that if you stick a Nike swoosh on this kit, opinions will instantly sway.

In keeping with Puma’s Crafted from Culture approach, the multicolour mountain range that features on the front pays homage to the countries four official languages, as well as the infamous Swiss mountain ranges that dominate the country’s landscape. I think it works fantastically well and really complements the base white colour, as well as the simple Swiss flag – all in all it has made for a beautiful away kit for the Swiss.

2. Portugal

Another opinion splitter, but for me, a kit that will go down in history for all the right reasons. The bright teal base colour is met with the three panels built of the country’s flag colours in horizontal stripes, which I think looks great.

One interesting feature is that, due to the aforementioned UEFA regulation where the back of the kit must be kept clear enough to see the player name and number prints, only the bottom panel carries on around the back of the kit, but it actually makes for a very interesting and different design – almost in an asymmetrical type of way. I love it, and it goes almost top for me…

1. Norway

Despite the country not having actually qualified yet, facing two playoff games against Serbia – I just could not ignore this beauty. Norway has been gifted with quite possibly one of the best away kits in international football history, let alone just for next years Euro’s.

The kit design and colours are inspired by that or Norwegian nature, reminiscent of icebergs, in celebration of the countries cold and icy terrain. The collar and sleeve trims feature a darker shade of blue for contrast, but it is the Nike zig-zag down the side of the kit that helps for the design to stand out even more, due to the black standing out so much against the design and colour scheme.

It is very similar to Liverpool’s away kit for next season, and as you can probably guess that was my favourite Premier League away kit too.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has transformed the Reds into a world-beating side inside an extraordinary 13 months. 

Klopp will be immortalised forever at Anfield alongside the likes of Bob Paisley and Joe Fagan. However, life could have been very different for the Premier League champions.

According to The Athletic, as relayed by @AnfieldEdition, Fenway Sports Group (FSG) were interested in appointing Eddie Howe after sacking Brendan Rodgers in 2015. Rodgers, who is now in charge of Leicester, met his demise following a slump in form.

FSG “gave serious consideration to hiring Howe” as he was on a three-man shortlist with Carlo Ancelotti, who later ended up at Merseyside rivals Everton, before opting for Klopp instead.

By that stage, the Cherries boss had earned a reputation for developing young players and playing attractive football, although he was still relatively inexperienced at the time.

Bournemouth are engulfed in a relegation scrap for survival and remain in the drop zone on goal difference ahead of the game against Newcastle this evening. To make matters worse, Callum Wilson, who is the club’s top scorer, has been handed a two-match ban.

Unsurprisingly, loads of LFC fans blasted the “close shave” on social media, with one fan tweeting that Howe could have been “another Brendan Rodgers” in reference to Bournemouth’s dramatic decline in form, while another added that he is “garbage”.

Scroll down through some of the scathing reactions so far…

Liverpool fans, are you glad you ended up with Jurgen Klopp and not Eddie How? Let us know your views in the comments below!

It has been a season of many mixed feeling’s for the Toon army – having appointed Steve Bruce during the summer of 2019 after the departure of the much loved Rafael Benitez, there wasn’t much expectation on Tyneside towards Bruce and where he could take the club this season.

All in all, it has been a mix of ups and downs for the Magpies – new signings have either shone bright or dimmed in the darkness, and after a midtable finish alongside a moderate cup run, the news of a new takeover from a Saudi Prince seemed like all was to change at St James’ Park, and the Newcastle fans would finally see the back of Mike Ashley.

Since the news broke, however, negotiations have collapsed and Newcastle are looking at another season under the influence of Ashley and Bruce.

With all that being said, Steve Bruce has achieved some great results this season, and Newcastle’s overall finish isn’t as bad as some may have expected – so let’s take a look at the best and worst of this season…

Player of the Season – Allan Saint-Maximin

This decision was a tough call to make, with Jonjo Shelvey having a great season for the Toon – but the impact that Saint-Maximin has had has been astronomical.

With three goals and four assists from his 26 league appearances for Newcastle this season, the Frenchman has been a breath of fresh air in the attack, and a great replacement for Ayoze Perez who left for Leicester.

An average match rating of 7.29 on WhoScored, the winger has been a top performer for the Magpies this campaign and deserves the title as their player of the season.

Goal of the Season – Matty Longstaff vs Manchester Utd, Oct 6th ’19

There is nothing better than seeing local lads turn out for their club on the big stage, and Matty Longstaff alongside his brother, Sean, have done just that.

It was the latter’s stunning strike against Manchester Utd that was my goal of the season for them – having been played the ball back towards the edge of the Utd box by Jetro Willems, Longstaff hit a thumper of a shot on his right foot, drilling the ball low to the bottom left-hand corner of David De Gea’s goal, albeit doing this on his Premier League debut for the club.

All in all a great goal from a promising young talent at Newcastle.

Breakthrough Player – Matty Longstaff

It’s him again! The youngster made his debut for the club this season against Manchester Utd – you know, the one where he just casually scored that goal of the season we just discussed?

Since then, the 20-year-old has made nine league appearances for the Toon, and has shown fans what they could expect from him in years to come. Longstaff has made it clear that he is gunning for that permanent spot in the Newcastle lineup, even if that means taking the place of his older brother Sean.

Either way – he has deserved his chances that Bruce has given him this campaign, and he’ll be looking forward to building on this form come September.

Flop of the Season – Joelinton

The Brazilian forward joined Newcastle for just shy of £40 million during the summer 2019 transfer window, and it most certainly hasn’t been money well spent.

Mustering just two goals in 38 league appearances, Joelinton has failed to impress the Newcastle faithful and leave his mark on the league during his first season.

There have been positive glimpses of the 23-year-olds ability – his hold up play can be exceptional at times, and his aerial ability isn’t to be questioned – but his finishing capabilities are nowhere near up to par for a £40million striker.

Either way, there is hope he can improve and show his ability at its best next season.

Defining Moment – Saudi Takeover Bid

In January of this year, it was reported that negotiations between Mike Ashley and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) had reached an ‘advanced stage’ – leading to many raised eyebrows of Newcastle fans as to what this could potentially mean for the club, but the news could not have come at a worse time.

Bruce has recorded some great results prior to the announcement, a 1-0 win against Chelsea on the 18th January being the pick of the bunch – but after the announcement, the club only managed one win in five before the season was postponed due to COVID-19, highlighting how much the news of the takeover and Bruce’s swift replacement would affect the team.

Luckily for the magpies, the club was already in a positive position amid the table, as even after the resumption of the league in June, they never managed to find their form from the first half of the season.

Signing of the Season – Allan Saint-Maximin

An easy decision all told – the Frenchman joined the club for £16 million in August 2019 from French outfit OGC Nice, and has been a superpower in Newcastle’s attack with his blistering pace and dribbling abilities.

Saint-Maximin appears to be one of those rare players that somehow manages to look as if he’s faster with the ball at his feet rather than without, a technically gifted player with a fantastic headband to match that the Toon have enjoyed watching this season, and will look forward to seeing more of next campaign.

Hit Expectations? – NO

This is actually something that could be extensively debated – did Newcastle hit their expectations or not? It’s hard to say.

I’m sure the fans would have expected a top-half finish in the Premier League this season, and that is something they did miss out on, finishing 13th on the table.

For this reason alone I am saying no, they did not hit their expectations – their form dipped drastically at times and the forwards did not score the number of goals that were expected of them to win games. The club did enjoy a good run in the FA Cup making the quarter-final and were unlucky to be drawn against Manchester City and lose in the fashion they did.

The Magpies will be putting all their focus on next season and will hope that the proposed takeover will sorted out sooner rather than later.

Son Heung-min scored a contender for goal of the season in Tottenham Hotspur’s 5-0 win against Burnley on Saturday.

The South Korean dribbled with the ball from the edge of his own box past several Clarets players before slotting past Nick Pope (via Sky Sports).

It was an incredible goal by the 27-year-old, which led to his manager Jose Mourinho likening him to former Brazilian great Ronaldo – dubbing him “Sonaldo Nazario” (via YouTube).

Son is having another excellent season in north London and has already scored 10 goals and provided nine assists in 20 appearances in all competitions, and is rated at a whopping £72m by Transfermarkt due to his electric form.

It is fair to say that supporters were left drooling over the goal that he scored on Saturday and they were also buzzing with the comments that Mourinho made about the forward.

Here is what some had to say after reading the Portuguese’s comments on Twitter…

Spurs fans, how good has Son Heung-min been for you this season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below…

Name: Declan Rice

Club: West Ham United

Date of Birth: 14 January 1999

Position: Defensive midfielder, Centre-back

Declan Rice – his career so far

Even though he is one of the more developed young players at West Ham United, the 21-year-old Declan Rice is very much among the top talents that could still improve further at the club in the not so distant future. And arguably, having already tasted the spotlight for the Hammers in the Premier League, the defensive midfielder could also be categorised as known quantity but there is much more to come for the youngster if he keeps progressing as expected.

Rice joined West Ham United when he was only aged 14 and has been fast-tracked towards the very top since the beginning of his footballing journey. The now 21-year-old versatile midfielder advanced through the academy with ease, impressing the hierarchy and quickly becoming one of the key parts of every youth level he competed at.

It’s also quite interesting to note that he captained the Hammers at U16, U18 and U23 level before making his first-team debut in the Premier League. As a whole, however, he would muster only one documented U18 appearance since he was very quickly progressed a level higher.

With the U23s, Rice tallied 32 appearances and even managed to register one assist under his belt in the process as well. Of course, the final product is not really a part of his repertoire as the youngster is a defensive-minded player on the pitch.

His senior team debut arrived at the very end of the 2016/17 campaign when the Hammers faced Burnley in the final game of the season. And needless to say, that was the start of something truly remarkable for the younger.

Just a year later, when he was aged 19, he finished as runner-up in the Hammer of the Year voting, further showcasing his incredible talent. Since then, he could muster a total of 100 games for the first-team squad of the Irons, even scoring two goals and assisting further three on the side as well.

Even though he is still a young player with plenty to experience, Rice has already cemented himself as an important piece of the West Ham United jigsaw.

Transfer latest

The latest transfer rumours surrounding Rice suggest that none other than Chelsea, the club the youngster actually played for when he was just starting his footballing career, are interested in possibly acquiring his services. But, it won’t be easy, to say the least.

With all the outside world circumstances making transfers that much more difficult and Rice being a key part of the Hammers’ future, the Blues will have to roll up their sleeves if they want to make this one happen.

Interestingly enough, in some other West Ham news, speaking to BBC Scotland’s Scottish football podcast, David Moyes himself responded to that transfer rumour, stating that he would then like to take one of Chelsea’s bright talents, Billy Gilmour. Of course, the Blues won’t let that happen but this does suggest Rice is highly valued and the club won’t let the transfer go through without a fight.

Player profile

Being a defensive midfielder by trade – and having transitioned into that role from a more advanced, central midfielder – Rice is most effective when breaking up the opposition’s efforts, intercepting the ball and instigating his team’s own transitions.

His positional awareness enables him to successfully predict the opposition’s movement and counter it quickly by making strong tackles and engaging in duels across the pitch. Interestingly enough, he is also quite capable in the air, which is both a defensive and an offensive ability utilised by West Ham United.

But Rice also possesses an impressive technique and control of the ball, although this is definitely an area that can still be improved upon in the near future. He may already be a big part of the squad but the best thing is that he’s nowhere near the finished product just yet.

Wolves star Raul Jimenez has claimed a staggering 73% of the vote in the PFA Bristol Street Motors Fans’ Premier League Player of the Month award for November, in a poll run by fan engagement experts Snack Media.

Three Premier League appearances saw the Mexico international produce as many goals in a scintillating month for the Molineux favourite, including a strike against Arsenal and goals which proved to be decisive versus Bournemouth and Aston Villa.

In the first of five divisional votes carried out over nine days via Snack’s digital and social networks and supported by top flight football clubs and the press, Jimenez ultimately won by a landslide, besting Liverpool’s Sadio Mane and Christian Pulisic, who claimed 14% and 5% of the vote respectively.

That is despite Mane also scoring three Premier League strikes in November to help maintain Liverpool’s title charge, including a goal against Manchester City, and Pulisic producing back-to-back Man of the Match performances in the top flight according to Whoscored.

Clearly, Jimenez’s talismanic displays resonated most with Premier League fans across the country as Wolves went unbeaten throughout the month.

The full results of the vote for November’s PFA Bristol Street Motors Fans’ Premier League Player of the Month award were as follows…

– Raul Jimenez (Wolves) – 73%

– Sadio Mane (Liverpool) – 14%

– Christian Pulisic (Chelsea) – 5%

– Caglar Soyuncu (Leicester City) – 4%

– James Maddison (Leicester City) – 2%

– Ricardo Pereira (Leicester City) – 2%

The November Championship vote opens at 11am on Monday 2nd December. To vote go to:

www.footballfancast.com/pfa-awards

The dust has now settled on the Ballon d’Or, and Lionel Messi has walked away with the award.

The Barcelona forward has picked up the prestigious individual trophy for the sixth time in his career, which is the most of any player in the history of the game. He won by the smallest margin of any of his victories – he beat Virgil van Dijk by just seven votes – but it is his golden ball to take home all the same.

Liverpool had another three players in the top 10, with Sadio Mane coming home in fourth position. The 61-time Senegal international picked up 347 votes after an impressive season that saw him take home the Premier League Golden Boot in the previous campaign.

The fans were clearly delighted to see him do so well, and they let their delight show on social media platform Twitter.

It was a fantastic campaign for the former Southampton man. He scored 22 goals in the Premier League for the Reds, and 26 in all competitions. That helped his team win the Champions League, whilst he also contributed to his country reaching the final of the African Cup of Nations.

Some fans thought it wasn’t good enough, though. Cristiano Ronaldo finished above Mane, and many were flabbergasted that that was the case.

It seems harsh to question whether Ronaldo was deserving of his place in the top three. The Portugal international did score 28 goals in 43 matches for Juventus, helping them lift the Serie A title along the way. Also, he scored 14 goals for his country during the calendar year as they won the UEFA Nations League.

Not only that, but some thought Mane should have actually taken first spot.

Given that Messi scored 51 goals in 50 matches and Virgil van Dijk’s contributed to the best defence in the Premier League, it seems hard to imagine Mane winning, even if he impressed.

We’re sure there will be just as many debates in next year’s edition.

In other news, Liverpool fans react to fresh links with one Bundesliga star.

Lots of Aston Villa fans have slammed Dean Smith for his ‘dreadful’ defensive tactics against Wolverhampton Wanderers which allowed Ruben Neves to open the scoring on Sunday.

Neves struck Wolves’ go-ahead goal in the 41st-minute with a wonderful finish from the edge of the box, as the Portuguese midfielder was gifted yards of space to wait for Joao Moutinho’s short free-kick.

With no Villa player near him, Neves guided the ball into the centre of the net with his first touch, and watched as it sailed over a crowded penalty area and past Orjan Nyland after the Norwegian had to replace Jed Steer following an Achilles injury.

Villans supporters were left mightily frustrated by Neves being gifted so much space on the edge of the box, as the 22-year-old has proven himself to be an expert at scoring from range since moving to Molineux in 2017.

Watch Aston Villa Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

Each of Neves’ six goals in the Championship during the 2017/18 campaign came from outside the area, including a thunderous volley against Derby County when he found the top corner despite backtracking as he struck the ball.

The 14-cap Portugal international also scored two of his four Premier League goals last season from outside of the penalty area, and opened his account for the campaign this term from range when he fired home against Manchester United in August.

Here are some of the messages shared after Villa fell behind at Molineux to a long-range strike by Neves…