West Brom managed to cling onto the Championship lead as they had to come from behind to snatch a point against basement boys Barnsley.
The rock-bottom visitors took a surprise two-goal lead into half-time as Cauley Woodrow netted twice inside six minutes at the Hawthorns.
Albion boss Slaven Bilic then made a double change at the break, and it paid off with his side worming their way back into the match.
Firstly, Matheus Pereira forced Bambo Diaby to stick it into his own net from an inswinging corner before he got on the scoresheet himself nine minutes from time with a well-timed header from Conor Townsend’s cross.
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The Baggies have picked up a league-high 15 points from a losing position this season, and it also was an all too familiar story for striker Charlie Austin as his barren spell in front of goal continued.
His performance on Monday night has led to multiple supporters blasting him for his contribution, or lack of, having scored just once in eight league starts.
One fan called the 30-year-old ‘washed up’ and compared him to Rickie Lambert, who bagged just the single goal in 26 appearances during the 2015/16 campaign.
Another member of the Hawthorns faithful claimed his movement was ‘glacial’ and that Albion needed to upgrade on him in the January transfer window while ‘average’ and ‘past it’ were two other phrases used to describe Austin’s showing.
Once a feared, dominant presence in attack, Christian Benteke’s fall from grace since his phenomenal days at Aston Villa has been a significant one.
The Belgium international has gone from being a striker who scored 49 goals in 101 games for the Villans – a strike rate just under a goal every other game – to a laughing stock of a player who has four goals in his last 57 games for Crystal Palace.
There was once a time when Benteke was scoring bicycle kicks for Villa and battering defenders left, right and centre, but he is now a gentle giant of a forward who is completely shot of confidence in front of goal.
How has it come to this?
Let’s put seven specific moments under the microscope, events that we think may have contributed to the 28-year-old’s fall from grace…
[snack_break title=”Scoring for fun at Villa Park”]
Football – Aston Villa v Liverpool – FA Cup Semi Final – Wembley Stadium – 19/4/15 Aston Villa’s Christian Benteke celebrates at the end of the match Action Images via Reuters / John Sibley Livepic EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for fu
Every fall from grace needs somewhere to drop from.
Benteke, as aforesaid, had a brilliant goalscoring record at Villa Park, smashing all types of goals in with his head, right foot and left foot – he was simply unstoppable.
His form in the Midlands earned the 6 foot 3 forward a £32.5m move to Liverpool, such was the impressive nature of his play.
[snack_break title=”World Cup dreams dashed by Achilles injury”]
Just months before Benteke was set to jet off to Brazil with Belgium for the 2014 World Cup, disaster struck in training as he lined up a shot on goal.
His Achilles Tendon popped, with teammates saying they could hear the injury happen from 50 yards away.
Benteke was forced to watch his international teammates play at the World Cup, and also saw interest from Tottenham die down as a result – the everlasting issues could also still be affecting him today, as FYP Fanzine outline in this article.
[snack_break title=”Nightmare move to Liverpool”]
Benteke’s £32.5m move to Anfield should’ve been the defining moment of his career.
It should have seen him cement himself at a real heavyweight club, where he would hope to spearhead title challenges, cup runs and more.
However, just over two months after he was signed by Brendan Rodgers, the Irishman was sacked and replaced by Jurgen Klopp, a man who didn’t see the Belgian in his plans as Benteke admitted himself.
Benteke managed a respectable 10 goals during his single season at Anfield, but after starting the first six Premier League games of the season with Rodgers at the helm, he’d manage only eight more top flight starts under Klopp.
To see your dream move turn nightmarish so quickly must have been hard for the former Genk man.
[snack_break title=”Thriving under Sam Allardyce”]
Britain Soccer Football – Chelsea v Crystal Palace – Premier League – Stamford Bridge – 1/4/17 Crystal Palace’s Christian Benteke celebrates scoring their second goal Reuters / Hannah McKay Livepic EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for furth
An anomaly in this fall from grace, Benteke actually enjoyed a mini-revival in his first season after leaving Liverpool.
He hit eight goals in 18 games under Alan Pardew, then thrived in a crossing-focused system under Sam Allardyce with nine goals in 22 to end the campaign with 17 goals – he looked like he had found his feet once again.
However, this would prove to be a one-off.
[snack_break title=”Struggles under Roy Hodgson”]
Since Allardyce departed and Roy Hodgson took over from Frank de Boer’s swift tenure, Benteke has struggled massively under the 72-year-old.
The Belgian has just four goals in 53 games under Hodgson’s guidance, in a system that doesn’t deliver anywhere near as many crosses as Allardyce’s methods produced – as Football FanCast have previously analysed.
[snack_break title=”Greedy penalty born out of desperation”]
Benteke’s struggles in front of goal caused a truly ugly moment to rear its head in a 2-2 draw against Bournemouth in the 2017/18 season.
Wilfried Zaha had won a last-gasp penalty to give his side a chance to secure all three points, and designated penalty taker Luka Milivojevic – who had already scored a spot-kick in the same game – was stood over it.
However, Benteke – in all his desperation to score – went against Hodgson’s orders and took the spot-kick from the Serbian in selfish fashion, before firing a weak effort into the body of Asmir Begovic.
Palace had to settle for a point, and Benteke’s situation worsened.
[snack_break title=”Injury strikes again”]
The start of a new season gave Benteke the chance to right some wrongs and get back to the form of his first Palace campaign.
However, after a goalless start to 2018/19, Benteke was struck down by a knee injury in September, just as the season was getting underway.
That would see him miss 22 Eagles encounters across all competitions and he wouldn’t make his next top-flight start until February.
Clearly off the pace, Hodgson would allow Benteke just five Premier League starts for the rest of the term, as he turned in just one goal and one assist in the top flight for the entire season.
That marked two goal-shy campaigns in a row for Benteke, an inevitable confidence sapper for a striker who once challenged at the very top of the Premier League scoring charts.
Since that strike against Arsenal, we’re still waiting for Benteke’s next in the Premier League.
Gary Cahill is a footballer used to winning things.Indeed, the former England international has won pretty much all there is to win at club level.Watch Crystal Palace Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below
FA Cups, Champions Leagues and Premier Leagues were all lifted by the centre-back during his time at Chelsea, but it seems as if he won’t be picking up much silverware in the near future after moving to Crystal Palace… no offence.
However, he has still managed to win something at Selhurst Park.
Cahill has been named the club’s Player of the Month, and the defender seemed very pleased with the accolade.
The veteran centre-back said that it feels great to have been named Player of the Month.
He went on to say that he feels at home at the club, and he thanked a number of groups for making him feel that way.
This message just goes to show how well he has fit in at Selhurst Park after arriving this summer, and if his good form continues, Palace will have a top centre-back on their hands with the experience to help those around him too.
This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets…
£3m? For an international quality centre-back who can finish like the best number nines in the world? Yes please.
Fabian Schar’s ridiculously cheap arrival at Newcastle just begins to look even better as the days go by. In this modern footballing world of inflated transfer fees, the 27-year-old’s signing appears to be one of the shrewdest pieces of business in recent memory.
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Schar enjoyed an impressive debut campaign on Tyneside last season, and became a real fans favourite with his penchant for the spectacular. His wonder strike against Burnley was arguably the pick of the bunch, and now he’s showing off his attacking skills for his country too.
The defender’s curling effort to cap off a fine team move rounded off an impressive individual performance against the Republic of Ireland in EURO 2020 qualifying, and it simply underlined the kind of gem the Magpies have on their hands.
Even in his younger days as an up-and-comer at Basel, Schar was renowned for his ball-playing abilities. Against Ireland, the Swiss defender showed the range of passing at his disposal.
His 88 touches were the second-highest of his entire team, whilst he boasted an impressive 82% pass accuracy. As well as his ability to play it on the ground, the 27-year-old looked just as impressive with trying more expansive passes, with only Granit Xhaka bettering his four accurate long balls.
But as a centre-back, the primary job is to defend of course. And Schar relished that battle too. The 6 foot 2 star won possession back eight times for Switzerland – a joint game-high. As was the case at Newcastle last season, the defender excelled in imposing himself on the opposition striker and defending on the front-foot.
If Schar continues to perform like this, then some of European football’s biggest sides will begin to take more notice. But for now, Newcastle simply have to revel in having a gem who can seemingly do it all. Defend, pass and score goals. If the Magpies could field an entire eleven composed of just the Swiss ace, Steve Bruce may well go ahead and do it.
This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
Garry Monk will face just his second game in charge of Sheffield Wednesday later this afternoon as they welcome Fulham to Hillsborough.
It will be the 40-year-old’s first introduction to the home faithful as his side looks to continue on from last weekend’s 2-0 victory over local rivals Huddersfield.
This fixture presents a different test considering Fulham are potential title challengers and the Terriers languish in the bottom three.
Scott Parker’s men opened the season with three victories in four matches but have slumped since then by not picking up another three points in four games, though they deserved more from their 1-1 draw with West Brom last weekend.
The Baggies salvaged a point with a late equaliser despite there appearing to be a foul on goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli.
If Wednesday want to get a result today, they’ll have to conquer one man in front of the shot-stopper, Alfie Mawson.
On the Chalkboard
Steven Fletcher is expected to lead the line for the Owls having scored four goals already this season.
The battle between him and the Fulham centre-back presents an interesting duel, one that is very much brawn versus technique.
The Cottagers play a slick passing style of football – they rank first in the league for possession percentage at 63.7%.
Therefore, their central defenders are imperative to their system paying off as they’ll start most attacks by playing the ball out from the back – Mawson averages a massive 95.1 passes per game which is only bettered by his teammate Tim Ream in the entire league.
On the other hand, they rank inside the bottom four in the Championship for aerial duels won which only emphasises the fact they like to play it on the deck.
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Mawson edges the 6 foot 1 striker in height by an inch, but it is the Owls forward that has considerably won more duels in the air, averaging 6.6 per game.
His combative nature, therefore, could be key in halting the way Fulham go about their business.
Wednesday’s ability to play the ball to him also earns the side some sort of set-piece through being fouled 1.4 times per game, where he will only continue to be a threat.
The 25-year-old doesn’t attempt too many tackles at 0.6 per game which either means Fletcher will go unscathed throughout the match or that he will garner plenty of time on the ball.
Whoever comes out on top in this key battle is likely to help their team to their respective results.
According to Sky Sports football reporter Keith Downie on Twitter, Sunderland are planning on buying striker duo Tom Eaves and John Marquis before the end of the month.
Eaves is currently with Gillingham in League One, while Marquis is with Doncaster in the same league, and are both being eyed as replacements to Josh Maja at the Stadium of Light.
This would be a wonderful move for Eaves, who is floundering at the bottom of the league with Gillingham. Currently sitting in 19th place, The Gills are embroiled in a relegation battle this season. With 15 goals and four assists this season, Eaves has, in truth, carried his club. So much so that the next best scorer has nine fewer goals. He will want to test himself at a better club, and promotion-chasing Sunderland are certainly that team, who can offer him the prospect of Championship football. It may spell the end for Gillingham, but it will be very promising for The Black Cats.
Meanwhile, Marquis will be another huge signing for Sunderland. When a club lose the league’s joint-second top scorer in Maja, the only thing they can do to improve that is sign the top scorer, which The Black Cats are proceeding to do. Marquis has 16 goals in the league this season, and with the added quality of Sunderland around him, he will only improve and could possibly make The Black Cats favourites to secure promotion.
Maja’s loss will be huge, but by recruiting two players like this, Sunderland will be taking massive steps forward rather than backwards.
[ad_pod ]Fly like a butterfly, sting like a bee.Ah, boxing. The art of two athletes punching each other into oblivion. Loved by millions, watched by more. A simple but noble profession – hosted in front of thousands, or outside the local kebab shop on a Friday night between two bruisers fuelled by one shandy too many.Football isn’t too dissimilar in its simplicity. Two teams of 11 face each other for 90 minutes and try to put a padded sack of air between some posts more times than the other.Watch Newcastle United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below
So, why are we telling you this?
Well, it all comes down to the hurtful words of a single man, Mr. Michael Owen, and his adversary, Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer.
For those who do not know why this pair of mischief makers hit the headlines recently, it’s fairly simple: Shearer wasn’t too pleased with the things being said about his darling Magpies in Owen’s new biography ‘Reboot,’ and aired his thoughts about the ever-so charismatic (not) striker on social media. No one likes a keyboard warrior, Alan.
Naturally, this little exchange opened up an opportunity and being the innately violent creatures we are, that could only be one thing: a good old fashioned fisticuff, white-collar boxing style.
Imagine that. Shearer windmilling his god-like palm fast enough to split the atom straight into the chin(s) of dumpling Owen – it’s television gold.
Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn tuned into talkSPORT to talk about the possibility of the bout happening…
A number of Wolves supporters are delighted after a new report claimed Wanderers aren’t interested in re-signing Matt Doherty in the January transfer window.
The 29-year-old traded Wanderers for Spurs back in the summer of 2020, in a move that was supposedly seen as a step forward in his career.
Doherty has struggled hugely in north London, however, rarely finding himself as a regular in the team, only registering four assists in 42 appearances and not scoring a single goal.
The Republic of Ireland has been linked with a return to Wolves this month, as he looks for a way out of Spurs, but that now appears to be unlikely.
According to The Mirror [via Talking Wolves on Twitter], a reunion isn’t on the cards, with neither Wanderers or Doherty keen on the move coming to fruition.
Wolves fans delighted with Doherty latest
These Wolves fans reacted positively to the news on Twitter.
“Love to see it”
Credit: @DaneWWFC
“Thank god for that”
Credit: @eve_elizabethxx
“THE PLAYER HIMSELF! He knows he wouldn’t play Semedo and Hoever clear”
Credit: @wwfcglover
“Thank god”
Credit: @Darren_Wolves_8
“We don’t need him”
Credit: @the_brewersarms
“Great news we moved on waw”
Credit: @AntonyHaselum
In other news, some Wolves fans are buzzing over a potential swap deal. Read more here.
Newcastle United appear to be closing in on the signing of Lyon midfielder Bruno Guimaraes amid a transfer update from Craig Hope.
What’s the story?
Speaking on the True Faith podcast on Wednesday evening, the journalist said: “As of 8pm, the latest was that Newcastle have an offer in for Bruno Guimaraes at Lyon. There were reports earlier in France that the offer was €40m, but I was told straight away that offer was a little on the high side. It’s more around the £30m mark that the offer is in for.
“I think there were some within Newcastle that thought the offer had been accepted, my understanding is that they are still waiting for a definitive answer from Lyon. They’re hopeful that an answer will come tonight, a medical is provisionally booked in for later in the week in South America.
“Of the three big money buys they have been chasing, Sven Botman, Diego Carlos and now Bruno Guimaraes, this is the one out of all of them that I’ve heard people on the inside speak with the most confidence about in terms of getting it done.”
Fans will be excited
After weeks of being linked to a whole host of players, the Magpies appear to finally be getting things done as the January transfer window draws nearer to its close.
With deadline day next week, Eddie Howe’s side are in some desperate need of further reinforcements before the window shuts, and having clinched the signings of Kieran Trippier and Chris Wood, look set to add Guimaraes to their ranks too.
The midfielder has also been linked with a move to fellow Premier League side Arsenal, so for the Magpies to have gazumped them and land one of Ligue 1’s most dynamic midfielders is a real cause for celebration for the Toon Army.
In fact, writing on Twitter, The Chronicle’s Lee Ryder delivered his verdict, saying: “Bruno Guimaraes deal would certainly leave Arsenal stunned. But #nufc have also been quietly tracking the defensive midfielder for some time.”
The fact that this isn’t some knee-jerk signing or decision, and that the club have been actively scouting the Brazilian for a long time now speaks to good recruitment, and the hope will be that it continues in this final week as well.
Meanwhile, Newcastle are keen on a deal for this Ligue 1 star…it’s not Bruno
There was a time when Leeds United supporters spitefully shook their heads as the club’s recruitment team neglected important areas of the team in the transfer window.
That had never been truer than when someone like Pascal Struijk joined the Whites.
The Dutch defender didn’t receive a particularly warm welcome but he serves as a fine example for needing to be patient.
He has been crucial this season and in a campaign where the likes of Robin Koch and Liam Cooper have been injured, the emergence of the colossal Struijk has been timely.
But it’s at the other end of the pitch that we want to focus on for the time being where another timely breakthrough act has been discovered.
That falls in the form of Joe Gelhardt, a teenager who is very quickly becoming an important figure at Elland Road.
Star striker Patrick Bamford has featured only once since a bad ankle injury back in September as the previously irremovable object from Bielsa’s side was finally dethroned.
Dan James, Rodrigo, Tyler Roberts and Gelhardt have all been utilised at the top of the pitch in Bamford’s absence but of all of them, it’s the lad the Elland Road faithful know as ‘Joffy’ who has caught the eye the most.
Signed for just over £1m in August 2020, his value and estimations are growing rapidly.
It’s clear to see why, too. He already has 25 career goals across senior and youth level and has taken to Bielsa’s methods like a duck to water, winning a crucial penalty against Wolves and scoring against Chelsea in his limited opportunities this season.
His performances have subsequently earned rave reviews with Leeds Live reporter Bergen Cross who hailed the masterclass done in the transfer window by Victor Orta and co.
He said: “Gelhardt may well be the best bit of business the club has done in the last 20 years, if not ever, because he just looks absolutely outrageous, very, very good player.”
The youngster has been so impressive that he was described as a “human wrecking ball” by Bielsa.
The boss added: “I like him, he’s really exciting. He’s fast, he’s aggressive, he gets on the ball, he takes people on. Once he gets into the box, he loves it. That’s where he can do most of his damage.”
It’s clear that Gelhardt has a quite remarkable amount of potential and for that alone, it is a dream deal.
Combine Bielsa’s affection for the player with his growing importance and it’s hard to disagree with Cross’ bold statement.
He’s certainly someone that can loosen the burden on Bamford’s shoulders in the coming years.
AND in other news, Leeds can finally replace Hernandez with 17 G/A “grafter” who “Bielsa quietly admires”…