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Some Rangers fans demanded that Steven Gerrard take off Sheyi Ojo at half time after becoming infuriated with his performance last night.

The Light Blues slipped to a last-minute 2-1 defeat to BSC Young Boys in their second Europa League tie of the group stage, despite Alfredo Morelos putting the visitors ahead in Switzerland.

Two second-half goals from the Swiss outfit were enough to turn the tie on its head and ensure that Gerrard’s side suffered just their second defeat of the season in what was their 19th match of the campaign (Transfermarkt).

Ojo had a rather poor game against Young Boys, as he struggled to get involved and, when he did, he was largely ineffective.

According to the data collected by WhoScored, the Liverpool loanee had 33 touches of the ball, but was dispossessed once, had failed to control the ball on two separate occasions and was found offside twice.

Ojo managed just one shot (which was off target), completed one dribble and had a passing accuracy of just 75% in what turned out to be a bad day at the office (per WhoScored).

Indeed, fans had called for the winger to be substituted at half time, but Gerrard failed to take note and decided to keep the 22-year-old on the pitch for the duration of the game, annoying fans on Twitter in the process.

Here were just some of their cries for the manager to sub him…

Rangers fans, did you share the same views as these fans? Let us know your thoughts below!

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West Ham United failed to kick on last weekend against Crystal Palace, with the Hammers faltering to a 2-1 defeat at the London Stadium, but the arrival of October’s international fixtures is a well-timed break for Manuel Pellegrini’s side having risen to eighth in the Premier League table.

An impressive start to the 2019/20 campaign saw the Hammers bounce back from the opening day drubbing at the hands of Manchester City to go six games unbeaten, but the east London side were unable to overcome Roy Hodgson’s Palace side who prevailed thanks to goals from Patrick van Aanholt and Jordan Ayew.

With the arrival of the second international break of 2019/20, we take a look at five themes Pellegrini could be mulling over ahead of a return to top-flight football in just under two weeks time…

[snack_break title=”Defensive inconsistency”]

Despite a 5-0 mauling on the opening day of the season, West Ham have found a sense of solidity in their defence that has seen Pellegrini’s side keep three consecutive clean-sheets.

A central defensive pairing in Issa Diop and Angelo Ogbonna provided a foundation for the Hammers to play out from the back and provide service to their attacking armoury, yet in the last two games the east London outfit have conceded twice and picked up just a single point.

Given the promising start West Ham have made to the season, Pellegrini will be keen to ensure that any potential defensive issues are ironed so they do not become a thorn in any potential push for a club-record finish in the Premier League.

[snack_break title=”Harnessing Yarmolenko’s goalscoring form”]

Andriy Yarmolenko has been instrumental so far this season for the Hammers, helping them rise to eighth in the league table with just two defeats so far in the current campaign.

Having suffered an Achilles injury in the 2018/19 campaign, the Ukrainian international was unable to impress in his debut season with the club, scoring twice in nine league appearances.

Yet after seven Premier League appearances so far in 2019/20, the 29-year-old has scored three goals to sit only behind club-record signing Sebastien Haller in the club’s top scorers in the league.

Given the natural gravitation of defenders towards the target-man, Haller, Yarmolenko possesses the ability to find space in the final third and utilise his clinical finishing; as shown in the 2-0 victory over Manchester United at the London Stadium.

If Pellegrini can harness this promising form, then Yarmolenko could be one of the club’s most important players in their bid to qualify for Europe.

[snack_break title= “Haller: central to West Ham’s success?”]

After arriving at the London Stadium in a club-record deal from Eintracht Frankfurt, Haller’s goalscoring record was viewed as the potential missing piece of the puzzle.

Four league goals in seven league starts have followed, and Haller is presently driving forward West Ham’s aspirations of European qualification in 2019/20.

Pellegrini will be desperate to ensure the Frenchman remains fully fit for the remainder of the season, though a key factor the Chilean will be looking to address is which combination of forward players can best assist Haller in utilising his prowess in front of goal.

With the likes of Pablo Fornals, Manuel Lanzini and Andriy Yarmolenko all at Pellegrini’s disposal, the international break could present the perfect opportunity for the West Ham boss to consider all combinations available ahead of their return to Premier League football in two weeks time.

[snack_break title=”Potential cover for Fabiański”]

West Ham shot-stopper Łukasz Fabiański has been ruled out for potentially more than three months with an injury sustained in the club’s draw to Bournemouth, and Pellegrini may have to consider all available options in the upcoming transfer window if the Poland international is out for longer than first thought.

After going off after 33 minutes at the Vitality Stadium, Roberto Jimenez Gago replaced Fabianski and also started in the club’s defeat to Crystal Palace this weekend.

Given the drop in defensive solidity – having had three clean-sheets prior to Fabianski’s injury and none in the two games he has not fully played – Pellegrini could consider a move for a more experienced keeper than Roberto in the upcoming window.

The international break presents West Ham and their manager with the chance to reflect on whether an acquisition in January could be necessary.

[snack_break title=”The next stage of Rice’s development”]

After rising to first-team prominence under Pellegrini at West Ham, Declan Rice earned a call-up to the Three Lions senior squad and made his full England debut against Montenegro in March.

The defensive midfielder, who declared for England despite having made friendly appearances for Ireland’s senior side, has become a mainstay in the Hammers starting XI, and Pellegrini will be looking to see if the 21-year-old can make the step up with England and cement himself in Southgate’s plans ahead of the European Championships in 2020.

The Chilean is likely to be keeping an eagle eye on Rice’s performances, if selected, over the October international break, and if he is able to nail down a starting berth it is likely to only be positive news for West Ham.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

Despite there not being a glaringly obvious link between Aston Villa and reigning Premier League champions Manchester City, aside from the two going head-to-head in two weeks, the west Midlands club could be a key benefactor from their latest reported decision.

The latest reports from The Sun suggest that Pep Guardiola has offered Fernandinho a 12-month contract extension after having a bigger than expected role amongst the side this season.

That is mostly because they splashed £63m on defensive midfielder Rodri from Atletico Madrid and the Brazilian has since filled the leadership void of Vincent Kompany, as well as being called upon to play centre-back amidst their injury crisis.

Watch Aston Villa Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Earlier in the summer, Dean Smith managed to snatch Douglas Luiz from the Citizens for just £15m as the young Brazilian was unable to feature for them due to not meeting specific work permit regulations.

Though, the move to the west Midlands enabled him to meet the criteria, which would have no doubt left Guardiola reeling as he once described the player as someone with ‘potential, real potential.’

As part of the deal, the former Barcelona manager installed a buy-back clause, so that the four-time Premier League winners could sign him back if he performs well at Villa Park.

Aston Villa’s summer signings’ performances so far this season are rated in the video below…

But this latest move to extend Fernandinho’s contract could show that Guardiola is going down a different path, especially over the next 18 months or so, which can only be a good thing for Smith’s Villa.

It might mean that City are unlikely to come calling to enact on that clause, so therefore, Villa will be able to make the most of Luiz without having to worry too much about if he’s going to leave anytime soon.

When the move happened, it very much felt like an expensive loan deal, but that train of thought has since been banished.

Luiz has scored twice from midfield in just six appearances for the club, both strikes being from long-range, which proves in some way how true Guardiola’s words were.

Real Madrid are enjoying quite a successful spell in their La Liga ventures so far in 2019/20.

Los Blancos are still undefeated in the Spanish top-flight and they’ll be looking to continue their good streak and remain top of the table even after the clash against Mallorca this Saturday.

And seeing how they’re facing a newly-promoted team that’s struggling to stay afloat, Zinedine Zidane might be inclined to rotate his squad just a bit and give a shot to some of the players we haven’t seen that much of so far in the campaign.

Watch Spanish Football Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

That being said, Real Madrid being Real Madrid, they are experiencing some injury problems at the very moment and that will definitely impact their personnel choice for the weekend.

With all of that in mind, here’s what we think the Frenchman might go for against Mallorca:

Thibaut Courtois has been experiencing some tough times at the Santiago Bernabeu and Alphonse Areola deputised for the Belgium goalie while he was out injured.

Even though he’s just a man on loan at Real Madrid, Areola did well and his recent heroics might earn him another start this weekend as well.

The backline, however, will most likely not see many changes – Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane are practically set in stone and are among Zidane’s most-used players in the squad.

Watch Lionel Messi and Gareth Bale answer the internet’s weirdest questions in the video below…

Marcelo is finally back as well, having suffered from an injury that kept him away for five games across all competitions.

On the other side of the pitch, Daniel Carvajal should reprise his role at right-back, having done so for 720 minutes so far in the season as well. He’s another one of those players that have a key role in Zidane’s jigsaw.

Two key players that won’t participate, however, are Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, Real Madrid’s midfield generals who are both out injured. Replacing them might be the toughest task Zidane will face this weekend.

But with the return of Isco and the emergence of James Rodriguez, he still has quality options to replace them so those two should get some game time come Saturday evening.

Even though Casemiro has played in all of their games so far and is aching for a rest, Real Madrid can’t really afford to reshuffle the whole midfield pack at once.

For that reason, the Brazilian might have to start against Mallorca as well.

The front three will also see one change as Gareth Bale has picked up a knock during the international break while facing Modric’s Croatia.

In his place, Zidane will most likely deploy the 19-year-old Vinicius Junior and the Brazilian will play alongside Karim Benzema and Eden Hazard, two of the more prominent names in the squad that are unlikely to be dropped.

Liverpool fans have praised both Jamie Carragher and Patrice Evra for their words on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football regarding the Luis Suarez incident.

Evra was a guest on MNF on Monday night as Arsenal were swept aside by Sheffield United, and apart from some great digs at the Gunners, the former Manchester United star delivered some truly brilliant insight into his 2011 confrontation with former Red Suarez.

The Frenchman revealed how Liverpool’s decision to wear t-shirts showing their support for Suarez “disappointed” him, even calling it “ridiculous”.

Carragher agreed with his former rival, saying: “There is no doubt that we made a massive mistake.”

While he claimed not to know where the decision to wear the t-shirts had come from, the Liverpool legend was brutally honest about his own involvement, saying that as vice-captain he “lacked the courage” to go against what the team had decided, before apologising to Evra.

Evra then revealed that he actually understood the decision to stand by a teammate, and loads of Reds fans have been reacting to the pair’s discussion.

One fan admitted they were “ashamed and embarrassed” by the club’s decision to wear the t-shirts, while others praised Carragher’s apology and said Evra had changed their opinion of him.

Take a look at some of the best reactions down below…

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Former Liverpool left-back Alberto Moreno believes that his Villarreal teammate Samu Chukwueze has a lot of similarities with the Reds’ Senegalese forward Sadio Mane.

What’s the word?

Chukwueze, 20, was previously linked with a move to Merseyside in the summer to replace the outgoing Daniel Sturridge. However, a move did not materialise and the Nigerian forward stayed at El Submarino Amarillo.

The Reds were impressed with the ability of the 20-year-old last season after scoring five goals and getting two assists in 26 La Liga appearances.

Moreno told Marca how similar Chukwueze is to the Senegalese attacker.

Find out why Manchester United vs. Liverpool is “no longer an elite fixture” in the video below…

He said: “He’s very good, very good. I’ve been following him since last season. He’s super incisive, fast; you never know where he’s going to go.

“He’s strong too, young, and defined. He’s a lot like Sadio Mane. I’ve seen the two in training and they’re very similar.

“He has a lot to learn because he’s very young, but he’ll become an even better player than he is [now].”

Versatile forward

The Nigerian forward would benefit Liverpool in many ways if he were to join up with the Anfield club.

He has very good pace and can play in multiple attacking positions which would provide additional strength in depth to the side, and a like-for-like replacement for any of the front three to cover for any injuries or suspensions.

Watch Liverpool Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

With two goals and two assists in eight games so far this season, he has a very good goalscoring record and a creative side to his game that certainly replicates what Mane is currently producing for Liverpool.

Within Jurgen Klopp’s infamous 4-3-3 system, Chukwueze would fit perfectly into the Reds’ playing style. If these comparisons to Liverpool’s No. 10 are proved, the Nigerian would be a fantastic signing.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…Man City journalist Sam Lee has stated it could be a “blessing in disguise” that Rodri may miss the crucial fixture against Liverpool. What did he say?

City will clash with league leaders on November 10 and it is set to be an early battle for what looks like another long and tense title race. The current Premier League champions are six points behind Liverpool and a win for the Reds could put them a comfortable nine points ahead.

City are likely to be without Rodri, after the Spaniard injured his hamstring against Atalanta in midweek. Lee, however, does not think this is overly damaging, quite the opposite in fact.

Speaking in a Q&A for The Athletic, he said: “Blessing in disguise giving the relatively minor problems with his pressing? Obviously he’s been very good overall, but against Liverpool that’s not the kind of fault you want to have.

“Would’ve liked to see how he fared at CB but that would’ve been risky too (obviously he would’ve had 3-4 games beforehand to get ready, which he won’t now have). ” Guardiola has enough numbers

If this injury had happened a few weeks back, it would have been utterly disastrous, as John Stones, Aymeric Laporte and Nicolas Otamendi were all sidelined. Now, however, both Stones and Otamendi are fit and available, although the Frenchman will be out for some time.

Fernandinho could also step in at centre-back alongside John Stones and push Ilkay Gundogan back into defensive-midfield. This is Pep Guardiola’s best option and should be one that gives City supporters great confidence.

Gundogan has been in brilliant form for City since arriving from Borussia Dortmund, with the German scoring six times and providing three assists in the league last year. Plus, the return of Stones could be perfectly timed as the former Everton man looks to prove he has what it takes to be a consistent starter for the champions.

In truth, no injury is a positive one. But not playing Rodri in this game could make the more experienced members of the team step up defensively against an almighty Liverpool attack, and spare the Spaniard from the worst possible team to face up against if you are struggling against pressing teams.

Everton fans on Twitter were left surprised by Marco Silva after he opted to mix up his formation for the clash with Tottenham Hotspur.

The former Hull City boss opted to change from a 4-2-3-1 formation to a 4-3-3, and while fans were likely to be happy with the change of tactic they didn’t seem too willing to praise Silva for making the alteration.

Watch Everton Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Indeed, some fans asked if he was feeling ok, while others simply couldn’t believe it.

This just shows how low his stock is amongst supporters at the moment, with plenty of the Toffees faithful left stunned by the fact he was willing to mix up his tactical approach.

It remains to be seen whether or not this formation is here to stay or if it works in the long term, but there were signs against Spurs that it’s one worth pursuing.

The hosts didn’t manage to claim all three points despite fleeting signs of improvement throughout proceedings, and the pressure continues to mount on Silva as a result.

Here’s what the Goodison Park faithful have been saying on Twitter…

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

A natural replacement, but it’ll take some time before he makes his mark.

As reported by French football journalist Manu Lonjon over the weekend, Leicester are set to make a run at Club Brugge’s 21-year-old Nigerian forward Emmanuel Dennis.

Whilst still young, Dennis has managed to establish himself incredibly well for the Belgian side with 25 goals in 86 appearances (via Transfermarkt) and even managed to score a brace against Real Madrid in a recent Champions League game.

However what sort of impact could his arrival have on the club’s first team attacking three, but in particular their main man and league’s top scorer Jamie Vardy?

This is what happens when you sing about Jamie Vardy’s wife…

On the chalkboard

Having played most of his career predominantly as a centre-forward, Dennis can also play anywhere across a front three, so he’d be a prime candidate not just for Vardy’s role, but also contending for the likes of Harvey Barnes and Ayoze Perez out wide.

As discussed earlier, the fact that he has managed to establish himself as a first-team player for his club might end up causing a few problems.

If he was an up and coming youngster who had only made a couple of cameos it would be safe to assume that he’d take on a similar role at the King Power, acting as a substitute or rotation player and giving someone like Vardy or Perez some relief every now and again.

Whilst that may be the case for cup games, when it comes to dislodging that front three for league outings, that would be something different.

With that being said, he very much fits the mould as the ‘long term’ successor for Jamie Vardy.

Although he is capable of playing anywhere across the front three, his most natural role is that of a ‘centre-forward’, capable of scoring goals with either foot as well as his head.

Not only that but his days out wide see him as a naturally quick player, being described as a pacey forward in the past. This is a vital aspect in a Brendan Rodgers system, so he’ll be able to combine those into bringing both speed and power.

As is well documented, Vardy holds that in abundance and has also played on the wing throughout his career.

Whilst Vardy shows no sign of slowing down despite being 32 and fast approaching 33, there will eventually be a time where that pace and firepower drops off and he’d have to make way for Dennis.

Thankfully it’ll be Rodgers that would have to make that decision rather than us here at FFC, because that will be a tough call to make should the deal go through.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Former West Ham United players Phil Parkes and James Collins have shown their backing for Manuel Pellegrini while speaking with Claret & Hugh and talkSPORT respectively.

What did they say?

There has been debate about whether Pellegrini should be sacked as West Ham manager, with the team on a run of seven games without a win in all competitions.

The West Ham board have backed the manager, as reported by BBC Sport, and the pair of former Hammers have shown they believe this is the correct decision.

Speaking with Claret & Hugh, Parkes said: “I agreed with the appointment and one run of bad games does not justify some of the maulings I’ve seen him getting on social media and elsewhere. He’s a top manager and there’s no doubts in my mind that he will sort it out so long as the players get their acts together.

“Too often the manager takes the stick when things go wrong – the screams of ‘sack him’ start, panic sets in and the truth is it’s not down to him but the players.”

While Collins accepted Pellegrini’s status could come under pressure at some point, he echoed Parke’s sentiment that it’s the wrong time to dismiss the Chilean while speaking on talkSPORT (8:48, Wednesday 13th November): “I think they’ve got to give him time, obviously his pedigree speaks for itself, look what he did at Man City, you don’t just turn bad in seven games, he’s got the squad there and their next two games are huge.”

A matter of timing

The pair are right that Pellegrini should be given time, especially when the current circumstances at the club are considered.

Having Lukasz Fabianski out injured has been such a huge blow, and it’s no surprise it’s coincided with the winless run. Pellegrini at least deserves the opportunity to fix things when the Poland international is back between the sticks.

The six-game run without a loss in all competitions, that came before the current hapless succession of games, highlights that Pellegrini can get the team playing when he has his key players on the pitch.

In addition to that point, if Pellegrini was to be sacked, these conditions would not help out any incoming manager at all, due to the fact he would be using Roberto, David Martin or potentially Joseph Anang in goal.

Regardless of whether Pellegrini will be able to instantly turn things around after the international break, the Hammers are better off sticking with him for the time being.