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As one of the biggest clubs in England, it probably comes as no surprise when we say that Arsenal possess serious quality in every department. But who, out of everyone on the squad, really stands out as the finest of all?

Starting from the bottom, we could not gift either ‘keeper with this title. As much of a serviceman Petr Cech has been to the club, and Premier League football in general, he is past his best.

Bernd Leno has been decent enough since arriving at the start of the season, but with Arsenal’s goal being one of the leakiest in top-half of the table we could not possibly suggest him either.

The same goes for the defence.

All decent enough players on the day but are yet to bond collectively.

However, you could probably argue that Hector Bellerin and Rob Holding deserve credit for some exceptional performances before their injuries.

Midfield is a tough one. Matteo Guendouzi has been a revelation since arriving from Lorient for a bargain fee earlier and has genuinely turned a lot of heads in the process. Indeed, there is no doubting that he could become one of the best midfielders in the world providing his progress is monitored correctly. Lucas Torreira looked to be Arsenal’s answer to N’Golo Kante before his form dropped off slightly, but there is a major player in there.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Alex Iwobi, as far as we are concerned, are team players who occasionally turn up.

Lacazette has improved massively this season and alongside Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang forms one of the most formidable offensive partnerships in the Premier League.

Arsenal have been poor at the back this year leaving their attacking players with it all to do, and for the most part, they have done well. The Gabon international is the third top scorer in the Premier League as it stands, behind Manchester City’s Aguero and Liverpool’s Salah, and he has been good value for this position.

Vital player.

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Jan Vertonghen has told tottenhamhotspur.com that the 3-0 win against Borussia Dortmund last week is in his top three results since he has been with Spurs, but he has warned that the team can’t be complacent ahead of the second leg after what has happened in the past.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the north London outfit posted an interview on Sunday with the Belgium international, who was one of the stars of the victory against the Bundesliga leaders after scoring one and assisting another from a left wing-back role, who believes the clash is one of the best he has been involved since he arrived at White Hart Lane back in 2012.

Mauricio Pochettino’s men were knocked out of the competition by Juventus at Wembley last season and also suffered a huge scare against Inter Milan back in the 2012/13 campaign, and Vertonghen has told tottenhamhotspur.com that they must not repeat those slips.

The 31-year-old said: “We all know what then happened against Juventus (in the Round of 16, lost 4-3 on aggregate) and we don’t want that to happen again.

“This result is massive for us. We’re still not finished because I can remember the Inter away game where we lost 3-0 (in 2012/13 we won the first leg of our Europa League tie 3-0, went 3-0 down at the San Siro and eventually lost 4-1 to go through on away goals) and that can’t happen again.”

Will they do it?

Given Tottenham are a huge threat away from home, solid at the back and could reportedly have Harry Kane and Dele Alli back and available for the second leg in Germany, it is difficult to look past them reaching the quarter-final stage.

That said, they have shown their weaknesses in Europe previously and if Dortmund get an early goal in the return leg in March and the huge Westfalenstadion crowd get behind their team, then it could be more nervy than it should be.

Spurs will certainly need Vertonghen’s experience to help ensure nothing like that happens, as they look to keep things as tight as possible defensively.

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Arsenal fans have been reacting on social media in their droves after Sergio Aguero completed his hat-trick using his arm to ensure Manchester City beat Unai Emery’s side for the second time this season.

Aguero had opened the scoring inside the first minute with a powerful header directed back beyond Bernd Leno after Alex Iwobi was caught in possession on the edge of the box.

The Argentine continued to pose a threat to the Gunners defence throughout the game thereafter, and added his second with a late first half tap-in to kill any momentum the visitors hoped to carry into the second half.

Pl>ymaker FC’s Theo Ogden was at the Emirates on Friday to see Alexis Sanchez come back to haunt Arsenal. Check out Gunners’ fans reactions in the video below…

The subdued efforts of Emery’s side after the break where then put to rest once and for all when the 30-year-old reacted quickest to a loose ball in the box and slid in to complete his hat-trick after 61 minutes.

Replays, however, showed the 89-cap international had actually hit the ball forwards using his elbow rather than any legal part of his body, but as the contact was made on the opposing side of the field to the assistant referee, he could not help Martin Atkinson in overruling the goal.

Atkinson, himself, could not do anything to aid the Gunner’s cause as his position on the field meant he had an obstructed view of the goalmouth.

Fans quickly took to social media to vent their frustration, with many questioning why the Premier League continues to hold off on implementing the Virtual Assistant Referee cameras that would have corrected the decision in seconds…

West Brom are in an ideal position to return to the Premier League thanks to Slaven Bilic and former professional Lee Hendrie has lauded the manager.

What did he say?

The Baggies came close to promotion last term by finishing in the play-offs but losing 45 league goals through the departures of Jay Rodriguez and Dwight Gayle could have severely hindered them.

Instead, Bilic has recruited well and given his players trust, leading to an attacking and expansive style of play that has allowed West Brom to score 64 goals in 37 league games, the joint-highest of any team in the division.

He has got several players playing well who came to the club as relative unknowns, such as fan favourite Filip Krovinovic as well as Matheus Pereria, who has scored six goals and made 12 assists.

Speaking about Bilic, Hendrie told Football League World:

“Bilic has been brilliant, he really has.

“I’m good pals with Gareth Barry and we have this conversation quite a bit about what he [Bilic] is all about and he says he’s old school and he’s great around the lads.

“He’s been absolutely immense. He’s brought certain players who fit the bill for him and the style of play that he uses.

“To step-back into a Championship club and take on a West Brom side whose expectations to go up this season were high, Bilic has done an absolutely magnificent job.”

Attributes for long-term success

Bilic has arrived in the Midlands and looks set to meet the number one target of the club at the first time of asking – promotion.

He has built a squad that is capable of winning the Championship and given the success of clubs like Sheffield United and Wolves after winning promotion in recent years, there is every chance the Baggies will be competitive in the top-flight.

Watch West Bromwich Albion Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

The Croatian has Premier League experience himself as well as in the squad, with Matt Phillips, Jake Livermore and Hal Robson-Kanu all part of the team that was relegated in 2017/18, while Charlie Austin has also joined since.

Given what Bilic has shown so far and the characteristics of his squad, he seems like the manager to oversee a long-term project to turn the Baggies into a stable Premier League outfit.

Obscure Footballers – Old School edition: Nobody can score more than 70% on this quiz…

West Brom have also conceded the third-lowest amount of goals in the league, which demonstrates the balance in the team, and according to Gareth Barry’s comments above it seems like the boss connects with each of his players to build a strong team spirit capable of achieving success.

Meanwhile, West Brom fans have been reacting to some extremely positive news that has recently come out of the club…

[ad_pod ]Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey has confirmed that he will be leaving the Emirates Stadium at the end of this season, after eleven years in north London, to join Serie A giants Juventus.

The Gunners will now be considering potential replacements for the Welshman, but given Ramsey is leaving on a free transfer and the summer budget is already set to be tight, viable options could prove thin on the ground.

Arsenal will likely have to take a risk when it comes to replacing Ramsey, either by giving his berth in the team to a talented but unproven youngster, or by handing a chance to a player who has struggled to find his best form recently and is therefore out of favour.

In Youri Tielemans there is a player who fits into both categories. The 21-year-old has long been considered one of the hottest prospects in European football, but since his 2017 switch to Monaco he has struggled to impress. In his first campaign in Ligue 1, he was named as one of the biggest flops of the season by France Football, as reported by 7 Sur 7.

Tielemans’ form in France improved this term with five Ligue 1 goals but in the January transfer window he joined Premier League outfit Leicester City on loan until the end of the season. In Sky Sports’ report of this deal, they noted that Arsenal were also interested in taking on the 14-cap Belgium international before he arrived at the King Power Stadium.

Tielemans has already made an impact in the Premier League. He made his debut for the Foxes last time out, playing 90 minutes against Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley Stadium. Although Claude Puel’s side were ultimately beaten 3-1, Tielemans produced one of the standout performances of the match.

As per WhoScored’s stats, the midfielder played two key passes, took on two shots, recorded a 91.7% pass accuracy rating, completed two successful dribbles and even chipped in defensively with two tackles. Considering this was his first ever experience of English football, it was a remarkably confident and complete performance.Â

It is not surprising that Tielemans has the ability to shine in the Premier League. A lack of quality has never been the young Belgian’s problem, but rather a lack of belief. His confidence was rocked by his tough time in France, which was perhaps exacerbated by the €25million price tag he arrived with and the weight of expectation that accompanied it. A change of scene could restore the playmaker’s belief and see him get back to his best.

A return to Monaco remains unlikely though. Not only would it be preferable for Tielemans to seek a permanent exit from the principality club for his own sake, but the French outfit could find themselves having to force through his move away anyway. Monaco are currently in danger of relegation from the French top flight. A drop into the second tier would surely force them to have to sell Tielemans, likely for a cut price.

Watch the video below to see the most insane overhead kick you will see this week…

Arsenal could make amends for missing out on him in the winter window by taking advantage of this situation. Tielemans represents an affordable target who would bring quality and depth to Emery’s midfield contingent, as well as the promise of future improvement.Â

The Foxes might want to strike a permanent deal for the midfielder themselves, but if Tielemans really can sustain his best form between now and the end of the season then he’d prove himself worthy of a ‘big six’ club.

Ramsey will certainly leave a large hole in the Gunners’ squad, but Tielemans could go a long way towards filling it this summer, and could then grow into a star for Arsenal for many years to come.

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England take on Croatia at Wembley Stadium on Sunday with all to play for for both sides in the Nations League. For the Three Lions and the visitors, victory would mean topping the group and passage to the knockout phase, whilst defeat would condemn them to the ignominy of relegation.

Both sides come into this must-win clash in good form and full of confidence and it should certainly be an engrossing spectacle at Wembley this weekend.

If England are to stand any chance of victory, they can’t afford to let Croatia’s Luka Modric and Mateo Kovacic run the show. Gareth Southgate must be sure to pick a mobile, hard-working man in the middle to chase down and harry the Croatian playmakers.

Check out the harsh words the Playmaker FC squad had to say about Wayne Rooney’s England career in the video above…

Either Liverpool’s Jordan Henderson or Spurs’ Eric Dier are the most suitable candidates for this task. However, playing both of them together causes England’s midfield to lack creativity and incision. Therefore, it must be one or the other, with more dynamic options around them, such as Dele Alli and Ross Barkley.

Of the two, Henderson’s experience, stamina and passing range makes him a preferable option over Dier.

What do you think, England fans – should Henderson or Dier start against Croatia?

Man United are showing signs of discord. After manager José Mourinho criticised his club’s summer spending, The Red Devils slumped to a defeat to Brighton on Sunday in their second game of the season. 

With reports from ESPN saying that Alexis Sánchez and Luke Shaw are injured, there a definitely signs of weakness in Manchester, and Tottenham must smell blood.

Tottenham have in the past been prone to turn up to these kind of matches and fail to perform. In fact, the unflattering moniker ‘Dr Tottenham’ has been given to the club in the past due to their ability to help struggling teams work their way back to form.

But it is time for a change if the north London side are ever going to amount to anything under Mauricio Pochettino. If Tottenham want to make a statement to the rest of the Premier League, they must turn up at Old Trafford and perform as the unit many people know they are, against a team that is in disarray.

Star striker Harry Kane recently said in an interview that Tottenham can no longer rely on the excuses that they have been using in previous seasons. They can no longer see themselves as a young team that will learn from their mistakes. They have to seize their opportunity.

Monday night is the perfect platform for Kane to prove his doubters wrong. It is a chance for The Lilywhites to come of age. It’s only what any other side that see themselves as title contenders would do.

There are obviously negatives to doing no business at all over the summer. But one positive for Tottenham is that they are all accustomed to each other. There is no case of gelling as a team. Less can be said about Man United, who are in a process of weaning new signings and younger players into the first team.

There’s no time for excuses anymore at Tottenham. After three hopeful seasons fans must be tired of just falling short. If Pochettino’s men want to make a statement this season, it has to start on Monday.

Everton caretaker manager David Unsworth has hinted that he wants midfielder Ross Barkley to stay at the club, and Toffees fans have been having their say on his comments.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of the Merseyside outfit’s EFL Cup fourth round tie against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night, Unsworth said: “My opinion of Ross is that I would absolutely love him to stay.”

The England international’s contract at Goodison Park is due to expire next summer and he has failed to feature this season because of a hamstring injury, although it is doubtful whether he would have featured under previous boss Ronald Koeman anyway after coming close to leaving the club at the end of the summer transfer window.

Everton supporters took to social media to give their thoughts on the situation, and while some said “he has been sadly missed this season” following a disappointing start to the campaign, others said they ‘never wanted him to leave’.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

Former Tottenham Hotspur striker Teddy Sheringham believes that the team cannot afford to rely on one of their star players to win this weekend’s FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side are heading to Wembley on Saturday as slight underdogs, but they are arguably in better form ahead of the game.

The North London outfit have won their last eight games in all competitions, and in that time have restricted Chelsea’s lead at the top of the Premier League table to four points.

The Blues may be slightly nervous heading into this weekend’s encounter as they are playing on the back of a 2-0 defeat to Manchester United.

Harry Kane and Dele Alli are among the players that have shined individually for Tottenham this season, with the pair first (25) and second (19) in the scoring charts for the club.

However, Sheringham believes that a game of this magnitude requires a strong team performance rather than the reliance on a few star members.

In an interview with Ladbrokes, Sheringham said:

“It’s crucial they stick together as a team because Chelsea are very, very good, they’re very solid as a unit and they’ve got players who perform off of that, players like Eden Hazard. Tottenham have to remember that it won’t be a glimmer of genius from Dele Alli, or Christian Eriksen or a Harry Kane wonder goal which will win this, it will be the whole team.

“Pochettino needs his team – all of them – to produce 8.5/10s this weekend, and he’ll need some 9/10s from one or two to make this a winning team on Saturday.”

Manchester City are closing in on a €32m (£26.8m) move for Palmeiras’ highly-rated forward Gabriel Jesus, with Pep Guardiola having spoken to him, according to reports.

The 19-year-old starlet is currently one the of the golden boys of Brazilian football, with his 10 goals in 2016 Serie A action for his club side making him the division’s top scorer.

WANT MORE? >> Manchester City transfer news | Latest transfer news

His performances have led to a role in the Selecao’s U-23 side – where he will be playing alongside Gabriel ‘Gabigol’ Barbosa and Neymar – for the Olympic Games in Rio De Janeiro, while there have been suggestions that the likes of Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Real Madrid are all keen on him.

However, it’s understood that a £28.6m move to Man City is close, with Guardiola having convinced the player that England is the right place for him

Respected Twitter account Selecao Brasileira claim to have spoken to a top journalist in Brazil about the situation, with the source revealing that a deal is close and that a conversation between Guardiola and Gabriel Jesus was key in swaying the young attacker:

“Got confirmation from journalist covering Brazil training camp. City €32M offer for Gabriel Jesus is a reality. Palmeiras satisfied w/ fee.

“The agreement until this moment is verbal, not paper. The fact all sides are happy suggests finalising the deal is a matter of time.

“Gabriel was initially not considering City. He felt “valued” when Guardiola called him and is now excited with idea of City as destination.”

These claims are echoed by Globo, who reveal that Gabriel Jesus and Guardiola spoke on the phone for 15 minutes.

The account went on to reveal that a deal is likely to be held off until 2017, with the player keen to stay with Palmeiras as they compete for the 2016 title in Brazil:

“Gabriel Jesus’ side informed City his wish to stay at Palmeiras until ‘at least’ January 2017. The English club’s reply was positive.”

Again, these suggestions are backed up by recent reports from UOL Esporte, that suggested a deal will be kept on ice with Palmeiras top of the table and looking to maintain their position.

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