It is safe to say there weren’t too many Newcastle fans feeling disappointed when the news of Alan Pardew’s departure from the club was announced at the start of 2015. In fact plenty of the passionate Geordie fan base were probably delighted at the decision of their manager to end his tenure in the North East as he swapped St James’ Park for Selhurst.

But almost three months on from his departure, and having seen their side overtaken in the Premier League by his new employers, Newcastle fans – however reluctant to admit it – may well be missing Alan Pardew as he continues to impress in his new job.

Pardew’s decision to leave Newcastle was one that was considered beneficial to all parties despite the fact on a personal level he was leaving one of the Premier League’s biggest clubs to join a smaller club with lower expectations. There had been numerous demonstrations from Newcastle fans calling for his sacking during his four years at the club, and it seemed he was never going to win around the fans despite doing a decent job when you consider the lack of transfer funds and the club’s willingness to sell their star players.

He left Newcastle sitting in 10th place in the league, 10 points clear of Crystal Palace who at the time found themselves in the bottom three and in desperate need of a change in fortune to ensure they retained their top flight status. And following his arrival, he has overseen just that with the two clubs enduring a contrasting run of form that has seen the Eagles leapfrog the Magpies.

[ad_pod id=’football-friends’ align=’center’]

An impressive away victory at Stoke last weekend leaves Palace a point ahead of Newcastle with eight games remaining. With eight wins from 13 games and having collected 22 league points, Palace have quashed any fears of relegation after some exciting performances and the displays of players such as Wilfried Zaha and Yannick Bolasie have provided plenty of optimism for the future.

Newcastle on the other hand have been poor on the whole under caretaker boss John Carver, recording just two wins in 12 games. Although comfortably in mid-table, their inability to kick on and secure a top half finish has been disappointing, and there certainly hasn’t been much to cheer about in recent months. There’s nothing to say that Pardew would have faired any better in the period since his departure, but he couldn’t really have done any worse.

There were plenty of highs and lows during his spell on Tyneside, having been involved in both the battle for European places and relegation. Despite plenty of abuse and disapproval at his ability to succeed in the job, he always seemed to turn it around, failing to get the credit he deserved in what was ultimately an extremely difficult job.

The turnaround he has masterminded at Palace has highlighted what a good manager Pardew is, and the appreciation and backing he receives from the fans will be a welcome change from his time at Newcastle. However things look far less encouraging in the North East, with plenty of question marks surrounding the managerial situation and the direction of the club going forward.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

It’s doubtful that many fans will feel that allowing Pardew to leave the club was the wrong decision, and for personal reasons it was certainly a justified one. But it could certainly be argued that Newcastle are missing the fact he is no longer manager and what’s more, he was unfairly treated and didn’t get the praise he warranted during his time in charge. It’s only since moving on that we are seeing just what a good job he did.

[ad_pod id=’ffc-video’ align=’center’]

Tottenham recorded a valuable three Premier League points against London rivals Queens Park Rangers yesterday, with main man Harry Kane netting both goals in a 2-1 victory.

The brace takes the England under-21 striker to 16 goals for the campaign in the league and bolsters Spurs’ chances of finishing in the top four.

Mauricio Pochettino was full of praise for the homegrown hero in the aftermath of the game, stating that an England call-up could be on the cards and that the centre forward could get even better.

“It was a fantastic performance, he scored two goals. He is young, can improve more and now it is Roy’s decision,” The Daily Mail quote the Argentine manager as saying.

“I don’t know if (he deserves a call-up). Roy needs to decide whether this it time to pick him or not.”

Pochettino went on to praise the performance of his team and admitted that it was tough going at Loftus Road.

“I think that today was a great game, a great performance. We showed character, I am very pleased for our players,” Pochettino continued.

“I think it was a fantastic performance in a very, very difficult game because QPR are a team who are very brave and the way they play is difficult to stop.

“It was difficult to play our game and that doesn’t help, but I think we showed character and played much better than QPR and fully deserved three points.”

The victory takes Spurs above Southampton and into sixth in the table, with the White Hart Lane outfit trailing Liverpool by one point and Manchester United by three.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

The race to qualify for the Champions League looks set to go right down to the wire, with Spurs right in the mix to finish in the top four.

Win a pair of Puma football boots as worn by Cesc Fabregas and Super Mario by filling in this quick survey!

Create your own user feedback survey

[interaction ]

The Tyne-Wear derby is typically one of the most close fought rivalries in English football.

Sunderland won their fifth derby in a row in this weekend’s clash thanks to a wonder strike from Jermain Defoe on the stroke of the half time whistle. As the players went into the tunnel at half-time Newcastle goalkeeper Tim Krul appeared congratulate Defoe on his goal. Fans and former players showed their anger and annoyance about the situation and have criticised the Magpies stopper for not taking the derby seriously enough.

Former footballers-turned-pundits Thierry Henry and Jamie Carragher both criticised Krul’s actions, saying it was unprofessional and he shouldn’t have done it. Speaking at the time, Carragher said: “I wouldn’t do it or want to see one of my own team doing it. Someone who doesn’t care about football might say it is good sportsmanship, but when I played in Everton v Liverpool games, I would certainly not be shaking an Everton’s player hand if he scored a goal.”

In March, Barcelona ace Lionel Messi was seen clapping Joe Hart’s string of superb saves in their Champions League match whilst he was still on the pitch. Nothing was said about Messi then, apart from discussing what a good sportsman he was. Granted, Barcelona were beating Manchester City but it was still possible for Man City to come back into the game, and they almost did. If Barcelona had lost, maybe the opinions on Messi acknowledging good goalkeeping would have been seen differently.

Football has developed very quickly over the last decade. Sportsmanship used to be a very important ingrediaent of the game, but now it is often seen as a sign of weakness. It’s almost as if players have to ‘stay in character’ throughout a match and not show any emotion, which could change the game against them.

Tim Krul was just acknowledging a great goal and he wanted to congratulate Defoe. Maybe he should have waited until the full time whistle, or even away from the cameras, but it was something he did in the heat of the moment – the goal was practically the last kick of the half, so naturally it was what all the players were thinking about as they headed for the tunnel.

Whilst he was showing good sportsmanship, he forgot the importance of the Derby. Derbies are a club’s biggest game of the season and not one any player, member of staff or fan wants to lose. Krul had a moment where he forgot how important the game was. Newcastle were only one down and still had 45 minutes to play.

In hindsight he should probably have left it until the match had finished to say something to Defoe. At that time Krul needed to show his strength and instead he let his guard down.

Newcastle fans – don’t be too hard on Krul, he is a fantastic goalkeeper and all he did was show he is human.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

[ad_pod id=’ffc-video’ align=’center’]

[ad_pod id=’ricco’ align=’center’]

While it remains unsure who will be West Ham manager at the start of next season, it is still business as usual as they look towards their final campaign at the Boleyn Ground.

The east London side have been linked with Guingamp striker Claudio Beauvue, who has scored 25 goals so far this term. The 27-year-old is interested in testing himself in England and a move to West Ham could be a perfect fit.

When a player first comes to the Premier League it takes a long time to adjust. The English style of football is slightly more brutal and hasn’t got all the tricks and skills that other teams in Europe enjoy. By joining a team which have been steadily improving – enough to get them up to 10th in the Premier League – it is hoped he could bring the sparkle the Hammers need to push for a place in Europe,  without having to rely on the Fair Play League.

Guingamp President Betrand Desplat has confirmed that his star player is looking to move in the summer.

He said: “It seems that the will of Claudio is to go to England.”

[ffc-gal cat=”west-ham” no=”5″]

It seems that an agreement has been met between the player and the club, which means he could grace the Premier League as early as this summer. The Frenchman plays as a wide right and a central striker and this season West Ham have struggled with injuries to their attacking quota. While the team have scored 43 goals so far this term, Andy Carroll, Enner Valencia and Diafra Sakho have all missed large parts of the campaign due to injury.

It has been reported that the Hammers are willing to bid around £6million for the striker but there is a possibility that although he’s a very good player, Beauvue may not be too different to the strike force they currently have.

One of the Frenchman’s main strengths is his ability to score goals with his head, which both Valencia and Carroll are already very talented in. He has scored more than all three strikers put together, but coming from a team currently sit in 11th in the French Ligue 1 it may prove more difficult than he thinks to carry on his goal scoring run.

Beauvue may want to test himself in the Premier League but before he jumps he needs to make sure he ends up at a club that will give him the game time he needs to improve and adjust. Unless West Ham are planning to sell any of their strikers it seems unlikely that Beauvue will make the impact the club is hoping for.

The club are hoping that they can get European football at Upton Park and for that they need to bring in somebody who has a different style to what they already have on their books.

Thirty five per cent of the team’s goals this season have been from headers, so they are certainly not lacking in Beauvue’s best skill.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

It is always exciting to see players desperate to join the Premier League, but this is not the right move for either party involved. No-one wants to see another wasted talent.

[ad_pod id=’ffc-video’ align=’center’]

[n5lbanner type=”london”]

Tottenham are undoing a revamp of their squad this summer, with another assault on the Champions League qualification berths the ultimate goal again next season. A number of new faces will arrive at White Hart Lane as a result, but a host of the current contingent are also expected to leave the North London club.

Etienne Capoue joined the likes of Lewis Holtby and Paulinho in exiting Spurs recently, with the France international midfielder joining newly promoted Watford.

Although the former Toulouse man cut a forlorn figure last season and was rarely used, was Mauricio Pochettino right to sanction his sale?

Capoue joined the club as one of seven new additions splurged upon in the summer of 2013, with the world-record windfall from the sale of Gareth Bale to Real Madrid burning a massive hold in the Lilywhites’ pocket.

The all-action midfielder looked the part initially and was an impressive member of Andre Villas-Boas’ side in early 2013/14. With a excellent work-rate, dynamism and a physicality that has been lacking in the Tottenham midfield in recent times, Capoue looked like one of the brightest new additions to the club.

However, an ankle injury in the North London derby against Arsenal halted the Frenchman’s progress, with the midfielder on the sidelines for a prolonged period as a result.

Over the last 18 months, Capoue failed to replicate his impressive early performances and has struggled for game time. Under Pochettino, the central midfield partnership of Ryan Mason and Nabil Bentaleb has blossomed and blocked the path to first-team action for the France international. Capoue was also sparingly used by Spurs as a central defender due to injuries, but this ploy backfired and moved to ostracise the enforcer further.

With the 26-year-old only featuring in 12 Premier League games last season, making him very much a fringe player, it is fair to state that his departure will not damage Tottenham’s top four hopes significantly.

However, the counterside to that argument is that Capoue was not given an adequate opportunity to impose himself on the Tottenham team.

A total of 19 Premier League starts in the space of two seasons is a small return for a player that was signed possessing so much promise. There is no reason to believe that Capoue could not have got back to the impressive form he showed early in his Tottenham tenure if he was given more time to get fully fit and adjust to his new environment.

The Niort-born enforcer clearly has ability and has been recognised by the French national side as a result. It could well be that Spurs fans are left scratching their heads next season as Capoue stars for Watford and looks like a reinvigorated figure.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

The example of Francis Coquelin at Arsenal is a fitting one for Spurs to look at it in this instance, with Capoue’s countryman looking surplus to requirements in North London, only to impose himself once given a consistent chance.

Capoue may well leave White Hart Lane as a failed experiment, but with more time on the pitch it could well have been an entirely different story.

[ad_pod id=’ffc-video’ align=’center’]

Tottenham Hotspur have received a welcome boost ahead of this evening’s Premier League match against London rivals West Ham United.

The club have confirmed that Mousa Dembele has been passed fit for the encounter.

The midfielder has been plagued by injury problems over the last couple of seasons.

In the current campaign, the Belgium international has started just nine league games and has come off the bench in a further six.

The 30-year-old has been blighted by a hip problem since Tottenham’s 5-2 victory over Southampton at Wembley on Boxing Day.

Tonight, though, Dembele could return to the middle of the park for the visit of David Moye’s Hammers.

It is safe to say that the fans were delighted with the news.

Mauricio Pochettino’s men have fallen short on their initial plan to fight for the Premier League title as they currently sit fifth midway through the season.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Spurs are a mammoth 22 points behind runaway leaders Manchester City, but only seven adrift of second-placed Manchester United.

As reported by the Daily Mail, Rangers are close to signing Brighton & Hove Albion winger Jamie Murphy on a three-and-a-half year deal after he underwent a medical in Glasgow on Thursday.

The paper say he’ll be joining up with Graeme Murty’s side for a fee of £1m should there be no last minute unforeseen hitches.

He will become the second signing of the January transfer window for the Light Blues, after the club announced they had signed Queens Park Rangers player Sean Goss on loan until the end of the season.

Murphy will add a big attacking boost to the first team at Ibrox, expected to play in a left wing position that’s been a problem area for the team all season long.

They’ve been crying out for natural attacking width and the boyhood Rangers fan could be the man to provide it.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Fans certainly appear keen and took to Twitter to share their excitement about the imminent transfer…

According to Sky Sports, Southampton are interested in signing prolific £30m-rated Spartak Moscow forward Quincy Promes before the January transfer window slams shut, and Saints fans have been quick to have their say on the rumour.

Sky Sports reports that the 26-year-old, who has scored 58 goals in 115 appearances for the Russian Premier League outfit, is keen on a move to England, although the south coast outfit will have to smash their current transfer record of £18.1m to bring him to St Mary’s.

Saints are yet to sign any new players this month despite lying just one spot and one point above the Premier League relegation zone, and manager Mauricio Pellegrino will be keen to strengthen his attacking options in particular having missed out on Theo Walcott to Everton.

Southampton supporters took to social media to give their thoughts on the latest link, and while one described Promes as a “much better option than Walcott”, another said “I’d rather see us spend the money on Batshuayi”.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

Celtic forward Moussa Dembele was again an unused substitute on Tuesday night as the Hoops ran out 2-1 winners away to Glasgow rivals Partick Thistle.

The Frenchman has started just three matches since the start of December, with Brendan Rodgers opting to give Odsonne Edouard regular starting opportunities in attack ahead of both Dembele and Leigh Griffiths.

Having been linked with Premier League clubs again this January, the Hoops boss conceded this week that the speculation may have affected the player’s ability to perform at the required level.

Given his ability and importance to Celtic, the situation is far from ideal and it’s something that supporters want to be sorted once and for all, whether he stays or goes.

Fan opinion varies wildly, with some believing he shouldn’t be sold, others criticising the club for perceived poor treatment and many more desperate to cash in before his value in the transfer market potentially plummets.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

There’s been plenty of debate on social media in the wake of another non-appearance…

According to an interview he did with ESPN FC, Manchester United have been boosted in their reported pursuit of Borussia Dortmund winger Christian Pulisic, rated at €100m (£88.6m) by his club according to German media outlet Sport1, after he hinted that he would like to play in the Premier League one day.

What’s the word, then?

Well, German publication Sport Bild revealed last week that Manchester United had joined Liverpool and Bayern Munich in showing an interest in the 19-year-old, who has established himself as a regular starter for Dortmund this season.

Now in an interview with ESPN FC, the USA international has hinted that while he is happy at the Bundesliga club, he would like to play in England in the future.

The attacker told ESPN FC: “Of course, the Premier League is an unbelievable league.  You never know in football what can happen, so right now, I’m focused with Dortmund, and yeah, that’s that.”

How has Pulisic done this season?

The teenager has made 26 appearances in all competitions for Dortmund this term, scoring four goals and providing a further two assists, while he has shown his versatility by playing on both wings and even as a right-back on one occasion.

The 19-year-old is quick and loves to dribble, and according to WhoScored.com he has successfully completed 76 of the 168 dribbles he has completed across 24 outings in the German top flight and the Champions League during the current campaign.

Would he be a good signing for United?

A winger certainly doesn’t seem to be a new addition that is a priority for the Red Devils right now considering they signed Alexis Sanchez in January, and manager Jose Mourinho even admitted as much recently.

While Pulisic is obviously a good player with plenty of potential, it would be difficult to see United making a move for the American in the summer, especially if he is going to cost more than £88m.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

It seems likely that the 19-year-old will play in the Premier League – and potentially sign for the Old Trafford outfit at some point in the future – but it surely won’t happen at the end of the current campaign.

[ad_pod ]