All posts by h79snht.top

Wolves have certainly shown over the years that they are capable of spending money on new players, spending significant amounts of money on individual players such as Fabio Silva and Raul Jimenez.

One player, in particular, that cost the Midlands club a lot of money to bring to Molineux is full-back Nelson Semedo, who signed from Spanish club Barcelona in a deal worth a total fee of £37m back in September 2020.

Since then, the 28-year-old has gone on to make a total of 60 appearances for the Old Gold across all competitions, prior to their midweek Premier League clash against Arsenal, chipping in with two goals and two assists in the process.

Despite being a regular figure in the team after Matt Doherty left the club shortly before Semedo arrived, this hasn’t stopped the Portuguese international’s market value from taking a significant dip since joining Bruno Lage’s side.

Two months before he made the move to Molineux, Transfermarkt had his value listed as £36m, whereas it now stands at £22.5m, showing a quite meteoric fall since he moved from La Liga to the Premier League.

Labelled as a “liability” in the past by Wolves journalist Tim Spiers in terms of his defensive capabilities, Semedo has been listed as Wolves’ lowest-rated player for their two previous league games against Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City, prior to the Arsenal match, with a rating of 6.4 for each performance from SofaScore.

Taking all of this into account, with his hefty transfer fee and significant weekly wages of £84k-per-week, making him the fourth-highest earner at Wolves in mind, Fosun have dropped a clanger on spending so much money on bringing the former Barcelona defender to Molineux.

If Wolves were of the mind to sell the full-back, it seems unlikely now that they would be able to make a profit on him.

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Therefore, their best option would be to keep hold of him and hope that he can finally repay the massive investment they made on him with consistent performances on the pitch, certainly from a defensive point of view.

In other news: Wolves can unearth the next Moutinho in 19 y/o who plays “like he’s in the playground” – opinion

Sunderland return to League One action tonight as they look to bounce back from their frustrating draw with Charlton at the weekend.

The Black Cats failed to build on their impressive 3-0 win over Wigan as they were held to a drab 0-0 draw with the Addicks on Saturday.

They now host Fleetwood at the Stadium of Light on Tuesday with the chance for Alex Neil to register his second win in charge of the club.

Axe him

One player the Scot must ruthlessly axe from the starting XI in order to give his team a better chance of winning is central midfielder Corry Evans.

The veteran has been in poor form as of late and must be taken out of the team for this clash with Fleetwood. Against Charlton, he lost 100% of his individual duels as he was unable to win any of the four battles he was involved in on the pitch.

This came after his shocking performance in the win over Wigan. As per SofaScore, he completed nine passes at a success rate of 47% in his 90 minutes of action, whilst winning one duel and making one interception in the holding midfield role.

He was below par on and off the ball as he struggled badly in his attempts to retain possession for his side and was weak when he was challenged by the opposition in a physical contest. This shows that he has not been doing enough in the middle of the park to warrant his place in the side.

Fan outlet Roker Report dubbed him an “anonymous leader” in February and Black Cats reporter Michael Graham Tweeted: “Seeing a lot of #SAFC fans criticising Corry Evans right now, both in terms of his on-pitch contribution and his disappearing act when it comes to fronting up to the media as captain after games. And, frankly, I agree with all of them.”

These comments suggest that he is not being the leader he is expected to be on the pitch, although it is impossible to know what sort of impact he is having in the dressing room.

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Judging by his performances on the field, however, the £14k-per-week dud should be ruthlessly axed from the team tonight. He has not been good enough in the last two games and Neil must now wield his axe and bring his namesake Dan back into the fold.

AND in other news, Major blow: Sunderland dealt big injury setback that’ll leave Neil scrambling…

Rangers will be hoping for another special European night under the lights at Ibrox as they move away from league action tonight.

The Gers will now be focussing on the Europa League after back-to-back wins in the Scottish top-flight, winning their last two matches 1-0.

Gio van Bronckhorst’s men beat Aberdeen 1-0 in their last outing, with Kemar Roofe scoring the winner off the bench, and now face Red Star Belgrade in Glasgow in the first leg of their knockout clash.

How many changes will van Bronckhorst make to the team? Here is our predicted XI…

We are predicting that he will make three alterations to the side against Crvena Zvezda (Red Star Belgrade), with Leon Balogun, Aaron Ramsey and John Lundstram coming in.

Starting off at the back, we are predicting van Bronckhorst to make a big call with Balogun returning alongside Connor Goldson due to his form in Europe.

In the Europa League this season, the Nigerian stalwart has averaged a sublime SofaScore rating of 7.16 – a score only James Tavernier (7.39) can better for the Gers this term. He has played five games in the competition and has averaged an incredible 5.2 tackles and interceptions along with 2.0 clearances per game.

The ex-Wigan man has also won a whopping 65% of his individual duels, which shows that he has been a strong defender throughout the campaign in Europe so far and is part of the reasoning behind the call to start him. This could then lead to Borna Barisic being axed from the side, with Calvin Bassey moving across to left-back.

In the middle of the park, Lundstram could return in place of Ryan Jack. The ex-Sheffield United man was benched against Aberdeen but his Europa League form suggests that he should be starting tonight.

He has averaged a score of 6.92 in Europe for the Gers, scoring once and making 2.6 tackles and interceptions per game in midfield. This shows that he has been consistently impressive in the competition and that is why he should partner Glen Kamara in the middle of the park.

Finally, we are predicting that van Bronckhorst will opt for Scott Arfield out wide on the right over “firework” – as dubbed by Alan Hutton – Fashion Sakala. The Canadian started both legs against Dortmund and works hard down the flank, which could appeal to the Dutchman in what may turn out to be a cagey first leg.

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This is not a change we would make, given Sakala’s three goals in his last six outings, but it is the alteration we think the head coach will make due to Arfield’s experience and the role he played against the German giants.

AND in other news, GVB must unleash Rangers gem who’s a “throwback” to Bryan Robson, he does “everything”…

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has dropped a claim on the 49ers potential increased involvement at Leeds United…

What’s the story?

According to recent reports, the Whites’ chief executive, Angus Kinnear, is set to resign at the end of the season, throwing a lot of things up into the air.

And now, O’Rourke has delivered his verdict on Kinnear’s potential exit, and what that could potentially mean for the 49ers too.

He said: “Angus Kinnear has done a good job in the background at Leeds United, so they wouldn’t want to lose him as well as Bielsa in a matter of months.

“Maybe that might point to more influence from the 49ers and the American side of things as well.”

Could be exciting times for Leeds

Leeds supremo Andrea Radrizzani has previously said: “Now we are partnered with 49ers, this is fundamentally very important because it will be very difficult to stay in the Premier League, but if we stay in it this year I think we can go much more than last year and go into the top six.

“Start to renovate the stadium and continue to grow the value of this club.”

The summer just gone by saw the Whites take a more reserved approach to the transfer market, but another season of staying in the Premier League would surely allow them to loosen the purse-strings.

Leeds fans will no doubt be watching the likes of Newcastle being taken over by new owners and the prospect of massive amounts of investment, and will be longing for a similar kind of spending spree in the future.

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If Kinnear does end up leaving and thus allowing for the 49ers to have increased influence, that could spell exciting times at Leeds in terms of potential new signings and the ability to compete with teams far higher up in the table than they are right now.

It could breathe some fresh air into things behind-the-scenes at the club and usher in a new era, particularly when they’ve also got a new manager at the helm too in Jesse Marsch.

Meanwhile, Leeds must finally unleash this rarely-seen star…

This is part of The Transfer Tavern’s Talking Tactics series, where we analyse two changes a manager should make in their upcoming fixture.

Glasgow Rangers have a healthy 3-0 aggregate lead going into the second leg of their tie away at Red Star Belgrade in the UEFA Europa League, but Giovanni van Bronckhorst will know that the job is not done yet, and that they will have to be professional if they are to see it through.

With players like Allan McGregor, Leon Balogun and Fashion Sakala left to rest on the bench in the most recent 3-0 win away at Dundee in the Scottish Cup, there will be plenty of potential changes for the Dutchman to make to his starting eleven, and we feel there are two big risks he should take.

Alex Lowry starts

Of course, with the likes of Alfredo Morelos and Kemar Roofe in the squad, young Alex Lowry has not had too many opportunities so far this season, with just four senior games played in total.

However, he came off of the bench late on against Dundee and made an instant impact, grabbing himself an assist for Sakala’s goal straight away.

The teenager will be full of confidence, and given that they are already three goals up, it would do no harm for van Bronckhorst to start him this evening, with the option of bringing on Morelos or Roofe if things are not quite working out.

Ryan Jack axed

Unfortunately for Jack, he was rather clumsy in conceding the penalty in the first leg, earning him an early yellow card, but luckily McGregor was there to spare his blushes in what could otherwise have been a very nervy end to the half.

Having played almost the full 90 minutes at Dundee as well, after being subbed off for Lowry, the £12,000-per-week ace may need a rest and just to be taken out of the firing line a little given what happened in the first leg at Ibrox.

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Nonetheless, he is still a handy option to have off of the bench, and van Bronckhorst may need to call upon him to help see the match out in the second half.

In other news, find out which ‘excellent’ talent Gers have now set sights on here!

Sky Sports journalist Michael Bridge has now revealed some big Tottenham Hotspur injury news involving Oliver Skipp.

The Lowdown: Return closer

As per Football.London’s Spurs reporter Alasdair Gold, Skipp is now closing in on a return to action, and is feeling less pain as he continues his recovery from a pelvic injury.

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The central midfielder has not featured for the North London club since the 2-0 loss away at Chelsea in the Premier League back in January, but now it looks as if he could make a swift return, with Antonio Conte’s team set to play against Newcastle United at home in their first game back after the international break.

The Latest: Newcastle return?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Bridge has revealed that the Lilywhites are now trying to target the match against the Magpies for Skipp’s potential return:

“I’ve not heard anything too negative.

Apparently, they’re trying to target Newcastle, but nothing’s set in stone yet, so they’ve got a week-and-a-half.”

The Verdict: Big boost

If Skipp is able to return to the XI straight away, then it will certainly be a big boost for Conte and his side.

Since his injury, THFC have lost four out of their last nine games in the top flight, and have also been knocked out of the FA Cup (Transfermarkt), suggesting that they are better with him in the team.

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Skipp ranks highly among his teammates in terms of average tackles and passes per match in the league, while he boasts the best pass competition rate (90.1%) of any Tottenham player to have made ten or more appearances this season (WhoScored).

Nonetheless, the Englishman will certainly be welcomed back by the Spurs faithful.

In other news, find out who THFC have now ‘got in touch’ over signing here!

If you are looking for a break from the stresses of football……………..!

Poker is a trendy game, and rightly so. Unlike other games of luck like slots, roulette, and blackjack, you can play with other people. This makes poker a perfect game to play with friends, family, or even total strangers.

You can play poker online today, like many other casino games. And for those who love bonuses, you can check out casino bonus sites in the UK.

Poker is a sport that requires a high level of skill and mental alertness. Poker tournaments can last several hours, and stamina is required. A saying says poker takes a day to learn but a lifetime to master. In other words, don’t feel frustrated if you seem not to be learning fast enough. Mastering poker indeed takes time, effort, and patience.

This article will provide ways to improve your poker skills.

 5 Ways to Improve your poker skills

Here are some ways to improve your poker skills:

Learn about the game

When starting poker as a beginner, the first step you need to take is to learn everything you can about the game. If you don’t understand the fundamentals of the game, there’s no way you can learn quickly.

You can start by watching tutorial videos. There are tons of videos for poker beginners on YouTube and Twitch. You can also visit poker blogs to learn about the latest poker strategies.

If you have a couple of bucks to spare, you can pick up poker strategy books. Strategy books are available for both online and live poker. A poker strategy book costs around $20 to $30. This budget is perfect for small stake players.

A significant edge that poker strategy books have over watching videos or scouring blogs is the extensive information they contain. You can learn more from a single poker book than you would ever learn from videos or blog posts.

Join online communities

Online forums are another way to accelerate your growth as a poker player. You’ll always find more experienced players who are more than happy to offer advice to new players. And you know the best part? It’s free.

You can even post your hands for review on poker forums to receive valuable feedback. However, not all the feedback you’ll get will be beneficial. Some pieces of advice may not be from winning pros. And it’s of no use when a blind person tries to lead another blind person.

When using online forums, another thing to keep in mind is to be polite and respectful. Other members will be more willing to help and share tips with you.

Hire a poker coach

Free tips and advice will help you as a beginner but won’t take you far. Hiring a personal poker coach is sure to speed up your growth. The sky will be your limit when you have a seasoned professional dedicated to helping you improve.

However, the big drawback with hiring a coach is that it’ll cost you. Well, there’s no fixed price. Expect to spend at least $200 per hour if you want a decent coach.

Hiring a poker coach is only advisable if you’re a mid-stake or high-stake player.

Study your hand’s history

If you play online poker, a good poker tracker is an indispensable ally if you want to up your game. It tracks your hands and results and your opponent’s statistics. The statistics the software gathers from your opponent help you devise strategies to beat them.

You can review each poker session later to find out your mistakes. Once you’ve discovered your errors, the next thing is to work on them. You’ll undoubtedly notice a significant improvement in your game over time. 

Play more poker

Practice makes perfect. If you want to get good at poker, you need to devote more time to improve your skills. That’s just how it works. A coach and books can’t do your work for you.

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You also have to find a perfect balance between theory and practice. Too much theory without much practice is useless. And practice without theory or strategy is like running without direction. Your progress will be slow— if you make any at all.

Practice what you learn consistently. You might not notice the daily improvements instantly. However, one day when you look back, you’ll be surprised at how far you’ve come and your progress. 

Conclusion

Getting good at poker can appear a daunting challenge at first. However, you can become that professional you’ve always dreamed of with patience and consistency.

Focus on one thing at a time. An overload of information does more harm than good. You’ll progress faster when you take things a step at a time than when you’re trying to learn everything at once.

Photo by Unsplash

One of the Premier League’s most-sought-after stars has now made Liverpool his No.1 choice ahead of Manchester City, according to recent reports.

Liverpool have "moved on" from Salah saga, says Slot

It’s an important few weeks for Liverpool, who will get a glimpse into life without Mohamed Salah as he sets off to represent Egypt at AFCON, and get the chance to right their transfer wrongs in the January transfer window.

The Reds proved their spending power in the summer, smashing their transfer record twice to welcome Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak. As things stand, however, they’ve got just one Premier League goal between them and Liverpool sit as low as seventh despite their stunning spending spree.

Nobody saw it coming. Everything that could have gone wrong has done for Arne Slot so far this season, from Isak’s struggles to his public fall-out with Salah which Liverpool have now “moved on” from.

Amid the chaos, the January transfer window represents the chance for Liverpool to fix their glaring problems. They’ve certainly got the spending power to do so, as shown in the summer, and should commence their winter shopping by finally welcoming Marc Guehi.

Related Semenyo clone: Liverpool have a young star who's more exciting than Ngumoha

Liverpool have a number of teenage talents looking to break through to the surface.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair

The Reds could ease any nerves by paying a premium fee to Crystal Palace before Guehi’s contract expires in the summer and several clubs chase his signature as a free agent.

Similarly, those at Anfield also reportedly have the chance to sign Antoine Semenyo ahead of several rivals following the latest update about his January preference.

Semenyo makes Liverpool decision after Hughes call

According to The Guardian’s Jamie Jackson, Semenyo now wants to join Liverpool over Man City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur in the January transfer window.

The Bournemouth star, who has a release clause worth £65m, looks destined to leave the Cherries next month and Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes has already reportedly called the winger ahead of a potential move to Anfield.

Some may argue that the last thing Liverpool need is another attacking star, but as shaky as their backline has been, their new-look frontline is yet to click. The addition of Semenyo, especially as Salah’s future remains in question, could change that.

PL stats 25/26

Semenyo

Salah

Minutes

1,349

1,183

Goals

7

4

Assists

3

3

Expected Goals

5.3

4.5

Replacing Salah, even as he struggles to reach top form, will be no easy task for Liverpool. Alas, in Semenyo, they may have identified the goalscoring winger who could do exactly that.

Subscribe to the newsletter for inside transfer analysis Want deeper Premier League and Liverpool transfer coverage? Subscribe to our newsletter for detailed analysis, transfer tracking and tactical insight on targets like Semenyo and Salah – focused coverage to keep you informed. Subscribe Subscribe to the newsletter for inside transfer analysis Want deeper Premier League and Liverpool transfer coverage? Subscribe to our newsletter for detailed analysis, transfer tracking and tactical insight on targets like Semenyo and Salah – focused coverage to keep you informed.

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As those at Anfield know first-hand, the 25-year-old is clinical in front of goal and could become the second star that Hughes welcomes from his former club in the space of six months.

Tottenham Hotspur aren’t in a fantastic spot at the start of the Christmas period. Thomas Frank’s side have been inconsistent in the Premier League, only winning six of 17 matches, and thus, languish in 13th place.

This is actually an improvement on last year under Ange Postecoglou’s wing, with the Europa League-winning manager’s single-track-minded attack on the continental front coming at the expense of any kind of fluency in England.

Frank has been under-fire for much of his tenure this season, but Spurs have been through many head coaches in recent years, and the reins must not be taken from him until he has had long enough to build a lasting project.

Where, then, are the Lilywhites meant to go? Well, there’s no question that Frank needs more leadership from his key personnel, and the recent loss to Liverpool raises the question as to whether Cristian Romero is the best fit to wear the armband.

Why Romero may not be the best fit as captain

Romero was aggrieved when Hugo Ekitike’s goal was allowed to stand. The Argentina centre-back felt he had been shoved by the 23-year-old striker, and his every movement was trailed by a haze of red mist thereafter.

He was a ticking time bomb, and journalist Alex Crook even went down the incendiary route of labelling the 27-year-old as representing “all that’s wrong with Tottenham”.

That’s somewhat harsh, as was the follow-up that the skipper is an “absolute liability”. However, there is a truth in there, with Romero lacking the composure and subsequent calming effect on his teammates.

Heung-min Son led Spurs to a trophy, ending the club’s interminable drought. Romero, perhaps, was the wrong man to don the armband after him, but Spurs do actually have a Romero upgrade cutting his teeth who may replace him in more ways than one down the line.

Spurs already have a Romero upgrade

The likes of Kevin Danso and Ben Davies make up numbers in the Tottenham senior squad, but neither of them is good enough to cement regular starting berths under Frank’s wing.

However, with time and care and determination, Luka Vuskovic has what it takes to become a superstar down N17, a defender with the potential to leap past Romero and Micky van de Ven.

Aside from the fact that he’s an elite prospect, Vuskovic has also been hailed as a “monster defender” and a “natural leader” by analyst Daniel Scouting, and his performances on loan in the Bundesliga with Hamburger SV have showcased his capacity to succeed in the Premier League.

His metrics already show him to have similarities and perhaps even gains on someone like Romero, winning an obscene amount of duels despite his youth.

League Stats 25/26 – Romero vs Vuskovic

Stats (* per game)

Romero

Vuskovic

Matches (starts)

14 (13)

13 (13)

Goals + Assists

2 + 1

2 + 0

Touches*

65.2

77.9

Accurate passes*

45.1 (88%)

50.2 (85%)

Chances created*

0.3

0.6

Recoveries*

3.6

4.1

Tackles + interceptions*

3.8

1.8

Clearances*

4.2

8.5

Duels (won)*

5.6 (64%)

7.5 (70%)

Errors made

2

2

Data via Sofascore

He has the trappings of a colossal, world-class centre-back. Vuskovic is only 18. He truly has everything he needs to become a Premier League sensation, perhaps emulating Son before him in becoming a stalwart captain for Spurs. A “freak talent”, as he has been called by analyst Ben Mattinson, the sky is the limit for this talented teenager.

Subscribe to the newsletter for Spurs leadership insight Curious about Spurs’ captaincy battles and emerging defenders? Subscribe to our newsletter for focused analysis on leadership, player potential like Vuskovic versus Romero, and what those choices mean for Tottenham’s squad development. Subscribe Subscribe to the newsletter for Spurs leadership insight Curious about Spurs’ captaincy battles and emerging defenders? Subscribe to our newsletter for focused analysis on leadership, player potential like Vuskovic versus Romero, and what those choices mean for Tottenham’s squad development.

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Son left the club during the summer, and it’s probably fair to say that Romero has not quite matched his influence in terms of influence as a captain, with his recent red card evidence of that.

Vuskovic is only young, but he could go from strength to strength not as a formidable defender but an all-inspiring leader besides. A future captain. After all, content creator Fiago has even claimed he’s “the best 18-year-old center back I’ve ever seen in my life.”

Vuskovic certainly has the skills, aggression and confidence to rival the likes of Romero in the future, and his natural-born leadership could see him prove an upgrade on a ferocious Argentine who is thwarted by his own recklessness and hot-headedness.

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Posts 1 ByEthan Lamb

I think it can be generally assumed that most football clubs like to get their transfer business out of the way as early in the window as possible. For one, most managers like to know what they have at the start of pre-season training and then they can get to work on things fairly quickly on the training pitch, on tactics and organisation, rather than worrying about outgoings and in-goings.

Manchester United have certainly got their business out of the way early, with the signings of David de Gea , Phil Jones and Ashley Young, and although Liverpool started off well with the signing of Jordan Henderson , since that good start the Reds have been left frustrated in their transfer dealings.

Of course it is not the end of the world that the squad for the upcoming season is not really in place as pre-season begins, as there is the best part of two months to bring in new faces, but it could be said that it is something of a hindrance that you have many in the squad currently who will (hopefully) not be at the club by the 1st September. Another frustration is that negotiations on new players coming in will be taking place later on in the window when the Reds should be focused on preparing for matches in August. Ideal preparation is key for a new season and a few things are frustrating this from happening at the moment.

One thing is very clear; there is a lot of dead-wood in the squad at the moment and there are too many players who look to be surplus to requirements. Philipp Degen , Emiliano Insua , Nabil El Zhar, Christian Poulsen, Joe Cole , Paul Konchesky , David Ngog , Brad Jones and Milan Jovanovic are just some of the names tipped for departure this summer, but the lack of bids for these players so far has been concerning as it is crucial to get these players off our wage bill to free up funds.

FSG is unlikely to authorise big transfer fees and allow sizeable salaries if these players are not removed. Although the Reds are possibly still bidding for a fair few players, the matter maybe concerning if the Reds lose out on potential signings if the club refuses to go beyond certain transfer fees or certain wage limits because of the amount of dead-wood which is currently at the club. Two apparent transfer targets Connor Wickham and Gael Clichy have slipped through our fingers perhaps because of the constraints caused by this.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m in full support of FSG’s sensible financial strategy. Paying over the odds in wages to players such as Doni could not be condoned. Also, there is no way you could justify spending £10million on Charlie Adam and £19million on Stewart Downing.

Making sure we could the right players must be a priority this summer but I feel the more urgent matter at the moment is to get these players off the wage bill, and fast.

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Read more of David’s articles at Live4Liverpool

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