Charlton Athletic signing Sunderland’s Aiden McGeady on loan for the rest of the season has given manager Lee Bowyer a tactical dilemma.

On the chalkboard

The Addicks made three loan additions on deadline day of the January transfer window – Aiden McGeady, Matt Smith and David Davis.

It was vital that they brought players in, due to the fact that the temporary signing of Andre Green had been their only other capture of the window up to that point.

However, when looking specifically at the acquisition of McGeady, things are not necessarily straight forward for the club.

The Republic of Ireland international did not play a single one of the last 10 games that he was available at the Stadium of Light.

However, the bigger issue for Bowyer in terms of the entire season is the tactical dilemma that the 33-year-old gives him.

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Dilemma

Bowyer’s favoured formation has been 3-5-2 at times this season, but it is difficult to see how the Irishman would fit into that system.

First of all, there is absolutely no way that his style would fit the wing-back role, as an ageing player whose game was never built on pace in his prime is highly unlikely to thrive there.

This means that Bowyer would be left with either the striker or centre-midfield positions to deploy him.

Having him as a striker could be detrimental to the team, as they currently have Andre Green and Lyle Taylor – who combined well against Barnsley, both scoring – while there is also Macauley Bonne who is waiting to come in from injury.

Then there is the fact that he has played as a striker just twice in his career – once for Celtic in 2004 and again for Sunderland in 2017.

There are also issues with the prospect of playing him in midfield, mainly that his attacking instincts may end up being restricted.

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In his 13 starts and two substitute appearances, he returned four goals and two assists, while also making 1.4 key passes and 1.7 dribbles per game.

With that in mind, it will be intriguing to see how Bowyer gets the best out of McGeady while sticking to his preferred tactic.

Meanwhile, Charlton fans have been swooning over one man following their contribution against Barnsley.

Having won just once since the turn of the year you’d be forgiven for not fancying Leeds to pick up three points anywhere at the moment.

Indeed, Leeds are in poor form, winning just once in 2020 and, on paper, it looks as though they’ve got another tough game this weekend as they face seventh-placed Bristol City, who could go level on points with the Whites if they manage to win at Elland Road.

On face value it’s another daunting task, but when you look a little deeper this has the potential to be one of Leeds’ easiest wins of the season.

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Not only did Leeds completely outplay Lee Johnson’s men on the opening day with a 3-1 win at Ashton Gate, but a look at the xG table shows the true gulf in class between these two sides.

The Yorkshire club top the table by some way, but their poor finishing throughout the season has cost them dearly, so in reality, they’re currently sitting just three points off seventh place.

On the other hand Bristol’s xG is poor and according to the alternative XG table they sit in 22nd place.

But in reality their league position is still strong, indicating that they’re getting lucky at both ends of the pitch.

The Robins are a true mathematical anomaly, and you wouldn’t expect that to be sustainable.

Leeds have the ability to absolutely blow Bristol away on Saturday, and while coming up against a team that have won five of their last six games looks a scary prospect, the fact of the matter is that they’re not as good as the league table would have you believe.

If xG is anything to go by, Saturday’s clash should only be going one way.

In other news, Marcelo Bielsa is developing an unhealthy obsession at Leeds.

Newcastle fans have taken to Twitter to express their annoyance over Nabil Bentaleb’s performance against Arsenal.

The 35-cap Algeria international was making his second Premier League appearance of the campaign for his new side since arriving on loan from Schalke in January, having made his debut in the 0-0 draw against Norwich.

Unfortunately, the former Tottenham man is yet to taste victory in England’s top-flight with the Magpies, as the Tynesiders succumbed to a 4-0 defeat against Arsenal on Sunday with Bentaleb playing the full 90 minutes.

You can find more on this and other stories via the Newcastle United News page.

The 25-year-old made just one key pass, and was also dispossessed twice while looking well off the pace throughout the game – in fairness to him, he didn’t make a first-team appearance for Schalke this term before leaving last month.

Bentaleb did also manage to make three tackles, two interceptions and two clearances, so his defensive work throughout the game was respectable – however, he doesn’t appear to have done enough to dazzle a portion of Newcastle fans on Twitter.

Let’s see what they’ve been saying about the Algerian midfielder…

To kick off the reaction, Micheal said that playing Bentaleb ahead of Isaac Hayden is “madness” as the January arrival “offers absolutely nothing” and is also “bang average” – ouch.

Maximo was also in doubt as to what the midfielder offers, stating that he is still wondering what the player adds to Newcastle.

Elsewhere, Lee said that Bentaleb is “not good enough” for him.

Neil then referenced the on-loan man’s part in one of Arsenal’s goals, calling him an “absolute disgrace” for tracking back with little effort.

Lastly, Natasha said that she doesn’t know what Bentaleb brings to the team having been at St James’ Park for around six weeks now.

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Then, Angel said that they hope there’s “no obligation to buy” in the loan deal – very harsh indeed.

In other news, Steve Bruce has been speaking about Newcastle’s transfer strategy…

According to the man himself, Josh Maja didn’t want to leave Sunderland.

However, after half a season where he scored 15 goals in League One, he was packing his bags for French football.

Arriving in Bordeaux, the forward had left the Stadium of Light in rather controversial circumstances. Not given the right terms he wanted to extend his deal, the youngster decided to leave before his contract expired in the north-east.

There would have been clear worries about the future of Sunderland’s attack once he left. After all, only Aiden McGeady hit double figures (14) for goals in 2018/19.

However, the Irishman is no more a Black Cats player, at least temporarily. Now playing for Charlton on loan after being alienated by Phil Parkinson, it’s Chris Maguire who has taken it upon himself to become the Mackems’ main man.

Finding a replacement for Maja was always going to be hard. Symbolic of his rare talents on Wearside, the 21-year-old has found the back of the net five times in Ligue 1 this term.

The man who is making up for his goals isn’t quite as good, neither is he an exciting rising talent. However, Maguire gets the job done in a professional energetic manner.

The 31-year-old has scored ten goals in 2019/20 but has also provided creativity in abundance, conjuring up nine assists for his teammates.

Coincidentally, Maguire has more goal contributions (19) at this point of the season than Maja (17) had by the time he departed mid-way through last term.

The winger might not be a natural striker but there is clear evidence to suggest he’s stepped up when it matters. A centre-forward by trade, Maja was the go-to man in attack but now trust has been placed in Maguire.

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He only scored nine times last season but has taken on the mantle magnificently. His running stats are up and Sunderland stand a brilliant chance of achieving promotion.

The Black Cats longed for an attacking force once Maja walked through the exit door. Initially, it could have been £4m Will Grigg. Indeed, it should have been.

However, the true replacement for his goals ended up being Maguire.

Meanwhile, Sunderland are playing a RISKY game with Jon McLaughlin…

Chief Football Writer of the Sunday Times Jonathan Northcroft joined Jacqui Oatley on the Sunday Supplement podcast and discussed Bukayo Saka’s recent emergence to the scene.

The 18-year-old talent has been one of the revelations for Arsenal in 2019/20 and the youngster has already tallied three goals and nine assists throughout his stay with the senior team. Of course, as Northcroft states, he’s someone with immense talent and potential and he’s consistently shown it during his rise from the Gunners’ Academy, scoring 16 for their U18 squad and six for their U23.

Sunday Times’ journalist believes he’s someone very, very special and he said so on the Sunday Supplement podcast (23/02/2020): “I’m so drawn to this kid, he’s been sensational since coming in and he’s only 18. I think probably you [speaking to Darren Lewis] would have heard the same – a lot of stuff coming out of Arsenal’s Academy about this boy going to be very, very special, but as an attacking player. And then he arrives as a full-back. I kind of liken him to Trent Alexander-Arnold. And I’m not saying, at this stage, he’s another Trent yet, but I think he’s got it in him.”

It’s still fairly early days for Saka and the comparisons with Alexander-Arnold, a Champions League winner, will have to wait a bit but even with that being said, the 18-year-old does seem to have an extremely high ceiling. Indeed, the likes of Gary Neville and Gary Lineker have also purred over him as he looks to establish himself in the first-team.

As per WhoScored, he’s already averaging as many attempted through balls per game as club-record signing Nicolas Pepe (0.1) and as many dribbles as Hector Bellerin (1.4) over the same period, so it’s clear the academy graduate is having a real impact under Mikel Arteta.

Arsenal fans, do you believe Saka can become your own Alexander-Arnold or are those comparisons a bit premature at this point? Let us know in the comments below! 

Mbwana Samatta has sent an amusing message to Danny Drinkwater, after Aston Villa wished the loanee happy birthday on Instagram.

The pair both joined the Villans in January, but have had varying fortunes since arriving in terms of how things have gone on the pitch.

Drinkwater has been an unpopular figure among fans due to the performances that he has put in. This comes after just four games, in which he has struggled to get up to speed, as signified by the fact that he has been dribbled past 4 times a game on average, while making 1.3 tackles.

Alternatively, Samatta has made strides in claret and blue, having scored on his league debut, as well as scoring the team’s only goal in the 2-1 Carabao Cup final loss against Manchester City.

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This message offers a sign that he is also settling in nicely off the pitch with his teammates.

Aston Villa’s original post, as well as the comments from Samatta and John McGinn, can be seen below:

Meanwhile, a pundit thinks one man will cause trouble for an Aston Villa trio.

West Ham continue to struggle at the wrong end of the table.

The Hammers are still in 16th place in the Premier League table, currently level on points with Bournemouth, who occupy 18th place. Despite spending nigh on £100m this season, the London outfit are actually far worse off this campaign than they were during the previous one. With just nine games of the season remaining, they are still in danger of a dropping down to the second tier.

There have been plenty of problems for both Manuel Pellegrini and David Moyes this term. Defensively, they have been one of the worst sides in the entire league – only three sides have conceded more than their 50 goals – and, although they have been slightly better going forward, they would have expected to be far more prolific than the 35 strikes they have managed considering they broke their transfer record to bring in forward Sebastien Haller last summer.

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Perhaps more importantly, though, and often overlooked, is the lack of creativity in midfield. This term, Mark Noble and Declan Rice have been most often used in the centre of the park, but they both have their limitations.

The former is a club legend for the Irons, whilst the latter has been the subject of interest from Manchester United in the past, yet they are both struggling to provide playmaking ability from that area of the pitch. Noble has averaged 0.8 key passes per match in the Premier League this season, whilst Rice has managed 0.4, and they have amassed just three assists between them. However, they both find themselves in the team’s top three in terms of touches.

That is a worry for West Ham. It is not as though they are lacking creative players – Felipe Anderson and Pablo Fornals are players who can average well over one key pass per game – but Rice and Noble’s lack of vision makes it hard for them to have a strong impact.

If they can secure top-flight status in this term, a new recruit in that role is necessary for them to progress.

Elsewhere, Davids Gold and Sullivan’s big call has done little to improve West Ham.

The Premier League has been suspended, with games not set to resume until April 3rd and this could be a major boost for Tottenham Hotspur.

What’s the word?

As it stands, the league is set to head into a two-week suspension.

That means that games against Manchester United and West Ham United will not be going ahead on their scheduled dates, with the April 4th trip to Sheffield United likely to be Spurs’ next fixture, provided there is no further delay to proceedings.

And that could mean that Harry Kane and Moussa Sissoko are both fit to play.

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Kane sustained a ligament injury on New Year’s Day and has been out ever since, but his initial prognosis saw him ruled out until April.

He recently started working with a football at Spurs’ Hotspur Way training complex and appears to be closing in on a potential return.

Sissoko, too, is back in full training after also suffering an injury against Saints – he hurt his knee – and will surely be fit to play once the season resumes.

Son Heung-Min fractured his arm against Aston Villa and has already missed six games in all competitions; Spurs, amazingly, haven’t won any of them.

Manager Jose Mourinho has confirmed that he could be back before the end of the season, raising the possibility of all three being together on the pitch prior to the campaign’s end.

Silver lining

Of course, one has to say that health comes first and the suspension cannot be seen as good news.

However, there is a silver lining here for Spurs in that it has fallen at perhaps the perfect time.

If Kane is back fit for the final few games of the season, one would have to increase the club’s chances of finishing in the top four.

They are currently seven points behind Chelsea and four behind Manchester United; there is the possibility of the fifth-placed team qualifying for the Champions League, should Manchester City’s ban from next season’s competition be upheld.

This is something of a dream scenario for Mourinho.

Meanwhile, Spurs fans love this Mourinho decision!

Jordan Henderson has picked up plaudits throughout the season but if there’s one man who really knows how to excel in Liverpool’s midfield it is Xabi Alonso.

He was full of praise for the Reds captain a number of months ago before the midfielder’s career took off even further this term.

What did he say?

The Spaniard had a successful spell at Anfield, winning the Champions League and the FA Cup in successive years, while also helping Liverpool fight for the title in 2008/09.

Henderson could go one further this term by adding a Premier League medal to his Champions League title that he won last campaign, and despite getting closer to 30 the England international has arguably never been better.

Teammate Andy Robertson has suggested Henderson should win the PFA Player of the Year award, ahead of teammate Virgil van Dijk and other brilliant players like Kevin de Bruyne.

Perhaps one of the reasons for that is how the former Sunderland man has grown into a leader off the pitch. Thus, Alonso pointing to that factor when analysing his game last year appears to be truer than ever.

Speaking to the BBC in quotes relayed by the Liverpool Echo, Alonso said in June 2019.

“Jordan Henderson has become a figure in the changing room. I think he’s so respected, so important for his team-mates – that’s the sense I get from watching in the stands. For the way they play it’s very important, the energy he has.

“He’s able to take that step forwards, not backwards to make that pressure a bit higher. The way he connects with the three players up front, they play very direct and the way Liverpool is playing is the Jurgen way – the way they played at Dortmund with him and the way they play at Liverpool now.”

Truer than ever

When Henderson arrived at Liverpool in 2010 there was always a sense that he was planned to be the long-term successor to Steven Gerrard, and though it may have taken several years he does now seem as important and talismanic for the Reds as Gerrard once was.

His recent injury coinciding with Liverpool’s dip in form was no coincidence. Normally when falling behind to a side like Watford Jurgen Klopp’s side would be able to overturn the deficit – they have done all season – but without Henderson’s influence, the team capitulated to a 3-0 defeat.

The Reds also lost to Chelsea and Atletico Madrid in the first leg without the 29-year-old, who has proved effective in different roles for his side this season.

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That makes him a little different to Alonso and Gerrard, who specialised in particular areas. Instead, Henderson has offered an attacking threat with eight goal contributions in 22 league starts but also defensive effectiveness with an average of 2.2 tackles and one interception per game, according to WhoScored.

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Added to that, lifting spirits around the squad and ensuring the team has maintained its consistency throughout the year has been invaluable and is the reason why the Merseyside outfit have continued to pick up points even when the likes of Sadio Mane and Mo Salah aren’t firing.

In transfer-related news, Liverpool fans have been reacting to interest in a midfielder…

Leicester City are currently flying high in the Premier League.

The Foxes find themselves in third position in the table, eight points ahead of Manchester United in fifth place – they are within touching distance of securing qualification for the Champions League. Jamie Vardy, their star striker, has had a big say in that, leading the top-tier goal scoring charts with 19 strikes so far.

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The 33-year-old’s arrival for around £1m from Fleetwood Town may have seemed a bargain at the time, but it has proven to be an incredible bit of business. They will have hoped that Andrej Kramaric, a record signing when they purchased him for £9.7m, would have had a similar impact, but that didn’t prove to be the case.

Now, with Hoffenheim, he is showing why Leicester parted with that sum.

Here, we take a look at how he is getting on…

Time at Leicester

Kramaric made the switch to the King Power Stadium after a fantastic spell at HNK Rijeka. He spent just two seasons there, scoring 55 goals in 64 games, including eight in 16 in the Europa League, which then convinced Nigel Pearson to take him to the Premier League.

However, it never really worked out for him in England. He played 20 games for Leicester, scoring just four goals during that time. It didn’t help that his first campaign was during a season which saw the Foxes struggle for most of it at the the wrong end of the table, but he struggled to displace Leonardo Ulloa and Vardy on a regular basis.

Still, he did make two league appearances during the 2015/16 term, the one which saw Leicester end up on top of the table. However, by the time they were standing on the podium, he had already been shipped out on loan in January to Hoffenheim – he was eventually sold for £9.9m that summer.

Where is he now?

The 28-year-old is still with Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga, and he has flourished ever since he made the move. During that initial loan spell, he scored five goals and provided four assists in 15 matches in the league, but that would prove to be just the start.

In each of the three full campaigns since then, he has scored at least 10 goals in the Bundesliga, whilst he scored five goals in six Champions League matches last season as the German outfit made the group stages.

All in all, he has 65 goals and 29 assists in 145 matches in Sinsheim. In fact, Kramaric has scored more goals in the German top flight than any other player in the club’s history.

He has even made a name for himself on the international stage, as well. He now has 13 goals in 46 caps, and featured in every single one of Croatia’s matches during their run to the 2018 World Cup final.

All in all, he has progressed since leaving Leicester, and there hasn’t been a lack of interest from other clubs, either. As per Sky Sports Germany (via AC Milan info), he apparently agreed terms with AC Milan last summer, only for the move to fall through.

Currently valued at £34.2m by Transfermarkt, don’t be surprised to see another side eye him in the future.

Given how he has performed, perhaps Leicester should have given him more time.