What was Tottenham Hotspur’s joy in their inaugural match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium turned out to be another nightmare for Crystal Palace.

Indeed, the Eagles were once again extremely poor against an out-of-form Spurs side and laid down their weapons way too easily.

However, what gave even more shocking proof of their lacklustre attitude was Roy Hodgson’s comments after the game. For one, he blamed the pitch for being a “bit slippery” and stated his players struggled as a result. An utter joke.

Moreover, he also explained how his players had “played their part” in the result and “didn’t lay down and surrender”(via Sky Sports).

Hold on, that is exactly what they did.

The Eagles showed little signs of their exhilarating attacking style, bowing down too easily and never really looking as if they’d spring all too much of a surprise. Hodgson’s nonchalant attitude when it comes to such games is quickly becoming a reason for concern and, while he’s done a fantastic job at the club he supported as a boy, is looking his age as football moves forward. Indeed, even after Palace’s disappointing FA Cup exit, he dismissed the loss by blaming the “difficult conditions” at Vicarage Road.

It’s high time he stopped giving excuses and realized his side’s decline. Despite possessing some terrific players and clinical attackers, Palace has a poor record against top-six opposition, which could improve with a change in attitude. The likes of Wilfried Zaha or Andros Townsend could easily penetrate top defences, but Hodgson’s wary attitude doesn’t allow them.

A big ask granted but these are big players, who have the potential to take the team to the next level.

Unless Hodgson instils a fearless demeanour to bring consistency into Palace, their unfortunate cycle of mediocrity will continue. It’s high time the experienced gaffer uses his knowledge, changes their mentality and get the Eagles playing attractive, fast-paced football which is expected from the blooming unit.

Palace fans, are you disappointed with Hodgson’s approach on big occasions? Join the discussion by commenting below… 

It seems crazy to think that Gareth Bale left Tottenham nearly six years ago.

The Welsh international, who left north London for a then world-record fee of £88 million, was tipped to be the next British superstar to take over Spain. However, things haven’t gone exactly to plan.

Despite a breakout first year where the winger scored the winning goal in both the Copa del Rey and Champions League final, Bale has yet to really remain settled in the Spanish capital.

Injuries, feuds with players and managers and not embracing the Spanish culture are just a handful of reasons as to what many are calling “The Fall of Gareth Bale”. And with the reappointment of Zinedine Zidane, it is looking likely this season may well be the last in the Spanish capital for Madrid’s record signing.

If this is to be the case, a move to the Premier League will seem the most logical of moves for the 29-year-old. Manchester United have been the side strongly linked with Bale since the fallout of his presence and importance in the Real Madrid side, however, it has been revealed this week that former club Spurs are interested in bringing back their former star.

AS report that Daniel Levy was keen to bring the Welshman back to north London on loan for the 2018/19 season with the idea of Real Madrid paying the majority of Bale’s massive £10 million annual wage, but the demand was too much for Los Blancos to fulfil.

The prospect of a return to Tottenham is something Spurs fans will be excited about. Bale was the last player to win the PFA Player of the Year for the club and his final season in the Premier League is often regarded as one of the best individual seasons in the history of the league, with the Welshman scoring 21 goals and assisting a further nine in 33 league appearances.

Bale is a beloved figure at the club, but would a reunion with Spurs be ideal for both club and player?

Tottenham have changed A LOT since Bale’s departure in 2013. Under Mauricio Pochettino, Spurs have gone from consistent fifth place league finishers to a genuine top-four side and one of the most productive teams in the country. The club has also changed a stylistically.

Although the club still favours a 4-2-3-1, the formation Bale thrived in at Spurs, Pochettino’s use of the system is completely different to what the 2012/13 PFA Player of the Year played in. The Argentine’s high-pressing, build from the back approach is something that Spurs players have adapted well too, and Poch favours players that can adapt to his style.

The likes of Harry Kane, Heung-Min Son and Dele Alli have all been transformed into bonafide superstars under Poch and his tactics, and introducing someone with the star calibre like Bale could disrupt the balance the Spurs boss has spent years trying to build.

Bale might have a strong place in the hearts of many Spurs fans, but it might be in the better interests of the team if they leave his memories in the past and look to move the club forward without him in the future.

Tottenham fans, would you like Gareth Bale back at the club?

انتقد مايكل أرتيتا مدرب آرسنال تقنية الفيديو لعدم احتساب ركلة جزاء لصالحهم في مباراة الأمس أمام مانشستر سيتي بسبب تصرف كايل ووكر.

واستضاف ملعب الاتحاد مباراة الفريقين في الجولة الخامسة، والتي انتهت لصالح مانشستر سيتي بهدف دون رد. هدف فوز مانشستر سيتي أمام آرسنال

وطالب آرسنال قبل نهاية الشوط الأول بالحصول على ركلة جزاء، بعد قيام ووكر لاعب الخصم برفع قدمه في وجه اللاعب جابرييل، في تحدٍ قوي بينهما.

وكان أرتيتا غاضبًا طوال الوقت بعد أن اختارت تقنية الفيديو عدم مراجعة الواقعة.

وقال أرتيتا في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “ديلي ميل” الإنجليزية: “كان على تقنية الفيديو التحقق من ما حدث”.

وأضاف: “أخبروني إنهم فحصوا الواقعة، ولكني تسائلت كيف بحق الجحيم استغرق الأمر ثانيتين فقط؟!”.

وواصل: “من الواضح أن هناك شيئًا ما”.

وبعد ذلك قيل لـ أرتيتا أن شبكة “سكاي سبورتس” العالمية أكدت أن تقنية الفيديو قررت عدم النظر في الأمر، وهنا رد المدرب: “نعم، أعتقد أن هذا ما حدث بالفعل”.

[ad_pod ]

West Ham United are lining up a summer move for long-term target Gary Medel, per Claret & Hugh.

The Hammers were tracking the Besiktas midfielder in January but no move materialised.

What’s the word?

Football FanCast reported at the start of January that Medel was on the club’s radar as a potential signing.

Indeed, sources at the club told FFC that he was being considered as a back-up to Declan Rice.

He will be out of contract in 2020 and Claret & Hugh report that manager Manuel Pellegrini remains wary of the lack of depth behind the 20-year-old.

Indeed, the story claims that were the England international to pick up an injury, there is no obvious replacement at the club.

Medel has subsequently been identified and a fee of around £5million has been touted.

A sensible move

Medel would be a solid if unspectacular signing for the Hammers.

He has experience of English football, having played for Cardiff City in the 2013-14 season, and is a national compatriot of Pellegrini.

With Rice shouldering the burden of being the only natural defensive midfielder at the club, a bargain move for Medel makes all the sense in the world.

He would only play sporadically but, at the age of 31, he is unlikely to care, while he will surely be heartily compensated.

Rice will of course be delighted that the Chilean will only be a reserve for him, but also be pleased about his arrival as he can learn from a player with huge experience in a position he is still learning about.

Craig Levein saw his Hearts side play well in the Edinburgh derby at Tynecastle last week, but ultimately come away from the game with nothing, but he is looking to the upcoming Scottish Cup Semi-Final to provide the perfect pick-me-up for his team.

With their chances of snatching a European spot via the league receding, the Cup offers them their best chance of continental action next season — albeit in the early qualifying rounds.

Levein admitted the derby defeat was a “difficult one to take” having seen his side perform well, but is determined to use it as “motivation” for the Semi-Final on Saturday.

He told the Edinburgh News: “Playing well and losing is the thing I hate the most. If we play poorly and lose, you have to take that on the chin. Playing well and losing is a really difficult one to take.

“It’s done now. If we didn’t have the semi-final next week then it’s a different conversation [with the players]. This game is done, finished. The important thing now is that we don’t allow any negativity to dwell in our heads.

“We will take the good things out of Saturday’s game and use them as motivation for this coming Saturday when we go to Hampden. The positives we had were plenty of effort, lots of good passages of play, good performances and chances created.”

The Cup must now be the top priority for Hearts, and if they can see off Inverness, and Celtic beat Aberdeen in the other Semi-Final on Sunday, then Levein’s side will know the Europa League awaits, due to the Glasgow sides Champion’s League ticket that will accompany their imminent title win.

Of course, all the ‘what ifs’ will be irrelevant if Hearts just do what they need to, and win the Cup outright.

Any thoughts of the derby should have been swept aside by now, particularly as they have so much on the line this weekend.

The main worry for Levein will be their sudden slump of two consecutive defeats. But — with all due respect to Cally Thistle — games at Rangers and against your local rival, always looked more difficult on paper.

It will be a fantastic atmosphere on Saturday, and both the Hearts fans and players will be looking forward to their big day out, but none of them must let it distract them from the important task at hand.

Nothing less than a win, and the place in the final that comes with it, will do for the Jambos this weekend.

What do you think of your chances in Saturday’s semi-final Hearts fans? Are you excited for the day out, or nervous about slipping up? Let us know your thoughts below…

Neil Warnock believes that Sheffield United and Norwich will claim the two automatic promotion spots in the Championship, leaving Leeds to slug it out in the play-offs.

After praising the job Marcelo Bielsa has done, and lauding the fans on TalkSport, he then claimed that the Whites will miss out, due to their “soft belly” at the back compared to their rivals.

Warnock, who managed the Blades for 288 games and Leeds for 62, said: “Leeds, what a club. They fill the stadium every game whatever division they’re in and they’re just so desperate to get back into the Premier League.

“He’s done a good job, Bielsa, but I think Leeds will miss out.

“I just think Leeds have got a soft belly at times at the back when they’re under pressure, in comparison with the other two.”

It is a bit galling to hear Warnock criticise Bielsa’s defence, when his Cardiff City side sit third from bottom of the Premier League with only Fulham (70) and Burnley (59) having conceded more goals than his team’s 57.

Of course, he enjoys courting controversy, as he did earlier in the year with his “can’t wait to get out” Brexit remarks.

He went on to praise the job Chris Wilder has done at Bramall Lane, and it seems clear where his loyalties lie.

“I think Sheffield United will be very, very difficult to push out of that top two,” he claimed.

“Chris Wilder has built a good side, they were one of the best teams we played last year and he’s got a way of playing that’s very difficult to play against.

“I think Norwich and Sheffield United are the favourites.”

It may well be that his Cardiff side will play none of them next season, with relegation still looking likely.

What do you think of Warnock’s disparaging comments Leeds fans? Will your side prove him wrong? Let us know what you think…

[ad_pod ]

Crystal Palace fans have angrily taken to Twitter after being knocked out of the FA Cup by Watford at the quarter-final stage, with an opportunity to play at Wembley lost after a spineless performance.

Roy Hodgson’s men were in poor form last week as they lost a huge game against arch-rivals Brighton on their own turf, and followed that lacklustre performance up with another gutless showing at Vicarage Road on Saturday.

In this era of ‘big 6’ dominance, has finishing 7th become as good as winning a trophy? The Pl>ymaker FC squad have their say in the video below…

The Eagles lost 2-1 thanks to goals from Etienne Capoue and Andre Gray, despite a well-taken Michy Batshuayi effort getting Palace level midway through the second half.

Naturally, the Palace fans are getting restless after watching their season peter out into nothing other than a boring fight against relegation. Additionally, the south London-based side also have the second worst home record in the league this season, which only adds to the supporters’ frustration.

The general feeling is that Palace are standing still and making no progress under Hodgson, and fans of the Eagles on Twitter want the 71-year-old gone…

[ad_pod ]

According to the Daily Mail, Newcastle United are ‘reluctant’ to spend more than £12m on Salomon Rondon in this summer’s transfer window.

What’s the word, then?

Rondon joined Newcastle on loan from West Bromwich Albion last summer, with Dwight Gayle moving in the opposite direction.

The Venezuela international is enjoying a fine season for the Magpies, finding the back of the net on nine occasions in the Premier League.

According to the Daily Mail, Newcastle are keen to land the striker on a permanent deal, but do not want to spend more than £12m.

Rondon has a £16.5m release clause in his current deal with West Brom, which will expire at the end of the 2019-2020 campaign.

It seems difficult to believe that the Premier League club will potentially miss out on the South American over a difference of £4.5m, but that could well occur.

Should Newcastle hold firm?

No, pay the £16.5m. The simple fact of the matter is that Newcastle will not be able to sign a player of Rondon’s quality this summer for that price.

It is not exactly as if the forward is entering the final stages of his career. Indeed, he will not turn 30 until September and arguably has another three or four seasons left at the top level.

Rondon’s nine Premier League goals this season have helped the team, but his overall work rate has been clear for everyone to see and will have been much appreciated by the supporters.

Pl>ymaker FC’s Matchday with Max caught up with Jamaica’s women’s team. See what happened when he met the history makers in the video below…

It is not difficult to understand why Newcastle are reluctant to meet the buy-out figure due to the fact that the striker’s deal with West Brom will expire next summer.

However, to potentially miss out on a move for Rondon over a relatively small figure would be poor business when considering the player’s quality.

[ad_pod ]

Jack Grealish continues to be linked with Tottenham Hotspur.

The Aston Villa star has returned from injury with a bang, scoring two goals in four games, including the winner in the Second City Derby against Birmingham City.

The Daily Mail claim that scouts are continuing to watch Grealish after Spurs failed to secure a transfer in the summer.

Sky Sports reported in August that a bid worth £25million had been tabled, though Villa were able to retain his services after a long-running transfer saga.

What are the experts saying, though? Take a look below!

Harry Redknapp – ex-Spurs boss

Redknapp had his say on Grealish via the Birmingham Mail, saying:

“I love Grealish. I think he’s a real talent, obviously. I love watching him play.

“I think he’s a kid who could play at the very top level.”

This is high praise indeed from a manager who has worked with the likes of Gareth Bale, Luka Modric and Rafael van der Vaart across his career.

Grealish is a silky playmaker with the ability to dribble past players and split defences in two with a killer ball.

His goal against Birmingham, a composed finish after a mazy run, was a prime example of the skill and ability possessed by the England Under-21 international.

Jamie Redknapp – Sky Sports pundit

Writing in his Daily Mail column after Grealish scored a sensational volley for Villa against Derby County, Redknapp said:

“There have been some brilliant volleys this season but the best two have both come at Villa Park. If you enjoyed John McGinn’s strike against Sheffield Wednesday in September, you will love Jack Grealish’s volley following a corner against Derby on Saturday.

“Had Grealish been fit for the whole season, I am in no doubt Villa would be in the play-offs. He is the best player outside the Premier League.”

Yet more phenomenal praise from a Redknapp.

The 23-year-old does make the game look remarkably easy and his goal against Derby was reminiscent of Paul Scholes’ strike against Villa for Manchester United.

That he can score that kind of goal, and inspire such a turnaround in Villa’s form since his return from injury, proves that Redknapp Jr may not be far off in his assertion that he is the best player in the Championship.

Dean Ashton – ex-player and pundit

Talking on Quest’s EFL highlights show, via the Birmingham Mail, Ashton passed judgement on Grealish’s performance in Villa’s 3-1 win over Nottingham Forest, saying:

“What he does is he dictates the tempo of the Aston Villa team and he draws players towards him which allows Conor Hourihane, who got a couple against Derby, and John McGinn, who was superb at Forest, real licence to get forward.

“McGinn was superb and that licence he’s been given is because Grealish is happy just to sit for a lot of the game and dictate the play.”

Grealish may be exactly what Spurs need.

The fact that he can keep the ball and keep his side ticking over, while also having a penchant for the spectacular, makes him a potential replacement for Christian Eriksen.

Indeed, the Dane continues to be linked with his own transfer and the Villa star would be a relatively cheap, but high-quality, replacement.

Verdict

Grealish has been lighting up the Championship and is exactly the type of player who would appeal to manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Capable with both feet, an excellent dribbler, a goalscorer and a creator, Grealish ticks every single box, particularly if Eriksen does depart.

Spurs should rekindle their interest in the summer and follow the advice laid out by the above pundits; the Villa star is more than ready to make the step up.

Liverpool won’t accept anything less than silverware at this point in the current campaign as they’ve defied expectations in the Premier League and they’re heading towards possible success in Europe.

The Reds will be hoping that the international break doesn’t bring about any bad news as an injury to one of Jurgen Klopp’s main men could ruin their silverware chances. Indeed, with a number of key fixtures coming up in the Premier League once it returns, it’s important that the players keep fit and ensure consistency on the field.

Despite their dominance at times in the current campaign it looks as if the German is already looking at potential summer signings, as according to FC Inter (via HITC), Liverpool are interested in Fiorentina’s Federico Chiesa.

Although,FSG will reportedly (as per Corriere dello Sport) (via HITC) have to pay £86 million to bring him to Anfield in the summer transfer window, which would be sure to fill Anfield with excitement.

The 21-year-old has made a name for himself over in Italy this season, producing 12 goals and eight assists up until this point in all competitions. The Reds already have the likes of Mohamed Salah and Xherdan Shaqiri operating on the right-hand side of the attack, so it comes as some surprise that they’re looking at another winger.

Indeed, the Italy international has all the ingredients to become a future superstar with the ability to glide past defenders, pick defence-splitting passes and he can finish emphatically. So, Anfield can expect plenty of fireworks if he rocks up at Anfield as he’s already making shockwaves in the football world at the start of his career.

Nevertheless, the Reds can bag themselves one of the most exciting talents in European football if they’re willing to pay the price in the summer. Indeed, after failing to spend a single penny back in the January transfer window, FSG now have the opportunity to make a huge statement by potentially splashing a whopping £86 million on one player.

Liverpool fans, would you want to see Chiesa at Anfield? Join the discussion by commenting down below!