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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Off the Bench series, which places in-game managerial decisions and squad selections under FFC’s microscope.

Cardiff City extended their impressive home form at the expense of Garry Monk’s Sheffield Wednesday after a 1-1 stalemate in the Welsh capital on Friday evening.

Owls centre-back Julian Borner had opened the scoring in the first half with a volley fit for an attacker after he met Kadeem Harris’ cross in the 19th minute.

The visiting boss was denied a fourth win in six league games late on as Lee Tomlin rescued a point for the Bluebirds – he fired an accurate yet controversial free-kick over the wall past stand-in goalkeeper Cameron Dawson.

Cardiff defender Aden Flint had obstructed the shot-stopper’s view in the build-up, which left Monk fuming with the decision.

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Snapshot

But the former Swansea City man should direct his anger elsewhere after a different call potentially cost them the match.

In the 73rd minute, the 40-year-old decided to introduce Atdhe Nuhiu for skipper Barry Bannan, resulting in a change of system with two players going up top.

The colossus 6 foot 6 striker was in the wall for the point-salvaging freekick as it glanced past him and into the goal.

Off the Bench

Now, Bannan didn’t have his best game in the blue and white stripes after being dispossessed twice, but he did notch up his highest passing success rate since August with 87% and also contributed with one tackle, per WhoScored.

But it is the experience of the £2.7m-rated man that would have proved useful in seeing this game out – he’s won 27 caps for Scotland and made 85 appearances in the top-flight.

After his substitution, Cardiff were well on top, recording 53.2% possession and five shots compared to Wednesday’s zero.

Sam Hutchinson and Massimo Luongo struggled to cope with the home team’s three-man midfield as they looked seriously overrun – neither player managed better than a 78% passing success rate from Bannan’s withdrawal onwards.

The 29-year-old is one of Wednesday’s most vital creative sources, as he is joint-top amongst the squad for assists with three this season – so by taking him off, Monk was also removing a key attacking outlet and thus diminishing their chance of nabbing a second.

Ultimately, Monk made a major mistake and one that potentially cost them an extra two points.

[ad_pod ]Some Charlton fans have taken to Twitter to pile the praise on Tom Lockyer, following an impressive 1-0 win over Leeds.The Addicks got back to winning ways at The Valley thanks to what looked like a goal from the six-cap Wales international, although it was Macauley Bonne who got the last touch as Lee Bowyer’s men defeated Marcelo Bielsa’s promotion hopefuls.Lockyer’s defensive stats against Leeds were exquisite in what was a real shift from the 24-year-old – he recorded two tackles and two interceptions, while also making seven clearances as he helped the south Londoners to a clean sheet.His performance certainly didn’t go unnoticed by some Charlton fans on Twitter.

One fan below called Lockyer an “unsung hero”, while another supporter said that the former Bristol Rovers man – who made 284 appearances for the club – was “probably” their favourite signing of what was a busy summer.

Let’s take a look at some more of the Twitter reaction…

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…

Marco Silva could perhaps class himself as a fortunate man should he keep his job after the international break. Everton owner Farhad Moshiri has made it clear over the years that his aims are to achieve Champions League football, and the former Watford man has so far failed spectacularly in that aspect.

The Toffees are now in the relegation zone after the defeat to Burnley, with Silva’s men scoring just six times in eight games and earning themselves just seven points along the way. However, the 42-year-old remains in charge, but it is difficult to tell how long he will last as of now.

After the break, Silva should invest in these three men, as they may well be the stars that keep him his job on Merseyside.

Moise Kean

Kean is yet to take Goodison Park by storm since his move from Juventus this summer, and in truth, it has been a fairly woeful start to his life on Merseyside.

The Italian has only averaged 1.1 shots per game in the Premier League, but Silva has only started Kean twice and forced the 19-year-old to come off the bench in the other six fixtures. However, in this time, he has still provided one assist which is the same as Gylfi Sigurdsson.

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The former Juventus man bagged himself six goals in 13 outings for the Old Lady as he burst onto the scene last year, and Silva should remember this and give him a consistent run in the team to try and restore this form.

Anthony Gordon

Gordon has been one of the names doing the rounds amongst the Everton fans lately, and for a clear and obvious reason. The 18-year-old so far has six goals in six games for the U23s and his manager David Unsworth stated after his two goals against Arsenal recently that “he’s got that star quality”.

Over in the first-team, striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin has once again struggled to find the net in the Premier League scoring just twice, whilst Kean has not scored and Richarlison only has two so far in the top-flight.

Silva has suggested Gordon is “really close” to joining up with the first team. But if the Everton boss wants to keep his job, he should make sure the teenager is making moves into the first-team now.

Jean-Philippe Gbamin

As of now, Gbamin is still out injured and there is not yet a date set on his return. However, as soon as he is available, Silva must bring him into the squad.

Lately, Andre Gomes has just returned to action, whilst Morgan Schneiderlin has been in very poor form in the centre. The Frenchman registered a 4/10 rating in the defeat against Burnley after he scored a 4/10 in the loss to Sheffield United, prior to him achieving a dismal 5/10 in another defeat against Manchester City.

Before moving to Merseyside, Gbamin averaged a WhoScored rating of 6.70 and 7.04, and also averaged a respectable 1.6 and 2.6 tackles in 2018-19 and 2017-18 respectively. So far, the Ivory Coast international has not had the chance to prove his worth because of injuries, but Silva must let him do so at the first opportunity.

West Ham United could be a possible destination for Sevilla defender Sergi Gomez, who is believed to have been offered numerous offers to leave the club this summer but chose to stay in Spain, as told by El Desmarque (via Sport Witness).

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As per the Spanish outlet, Gomez has become manager Julen Lopetegui’s fourth-choice centre-back this season and has yet to play a single minute of football so far.

It was reported the 27-year-old desired a move to the Premier League with Watford amongst the names linked with the Spaniard, while Russian Giants CSKA Moscow also seeked his signature recently.

However, it is West Ham who have been earmarked as a potential suitor and with his wishes to move to England’s top flight and his current lack of game time, this move could happen in the near future for Manuel Pellegrini.

Indeed, this is just Gomez’s second season at Sevilla and the ex-Celta Vigo man was a mainstay in the side last season, playing the majority of the club’s Europa League ties and starting 31 out of 38 La Liga games – a period which saw him register an average performance rating of 6.70 (as per WhoScored).

As for the Hammers, they are not lacking options at the back with Angelo Ogbonna and Issa Diop available for selection, whilst Fabian Balbuena and youngster Gonçalo Cardoso are options, just as Winston Reid nears a return.

However, Pellegrini may think he can strike up a bargain in January, considering Gomez’s current situation.

West Ham fans, does Pellegrini need another central defensive option? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!

Barnsley defender Dimitri Cavare is set to miss Sunday’s clash against Brentford but could return for next week’s meeting with Derby.

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The Star reported that the 24-year-old is nearing a return from the hamstring injury he picked up in the recent defeat to Leeds, with Barnsley manager Daniel Stendel believing he could be back for next Wednesday’s home clash against Derby.

Stendel told The Star: “He had an injury in the Leeds game. He tried to play until the end, but he had a muscle injury in the hamstring. We hope he can play against Derby maybe but we are not sure.”

Guadeloupe international Cavare has had a frustrating, stop-start beginning to the 2019/20 season for Barnsley.

Having played for the entirety of their first two Championship games of the campaign, he then missed their next four matches in all competitions before being brought back into the team against Wigan at the end of August. [via TransferMarkt.co.uk]

He kept his place for the 0-2 defeat to Leeds, during which he had a hamstring injury, and consequently was sidelined for last weekend’s defeat at Nottingham Forest. [via TransferMarkt.co.uk]

Barnsley have only kept two clean sheets this season, both with Cavare in the side, while the Reds have conceded four goals in as many games with him in their defence (one per game). In the five matches that he has missed, Stendel’s team have let in 11 goals, an average of 2.2 goals per game. [via TransferMarkt.co.uk]

Cavare has shown that he can adapt to either full-back position, although he has been the preferred option in neither, with Ben Williams starting four games from left-back to Cavare’s two and Toby Sibbick starting at right-back in all but one Championship game this season.

While the Guadeloupe defender is quite versatile, he has trailed his fellow full-backs for some key metrics this season. His tackling average of 1.8 per game is lower than both Sibbick (3.6) and Williams (2.5), while the former also has a higher passing accuracy of 72.5% to Cavare’s 66.7%. [via WhoScored.com]

However, Cavare has recorded more interceptions (1.8) and dribbles (1.5) per game than Sibbick (1.1 interceptions, 1.4 dribbles) and Williams (1.3 interceptions, 0.8 dribbles), while his passing accuracy is much better than Williams’ 56.9%. [via WhoScored.com]

Cavare’s inferior tackling and passing statistics when compared to Sibbick indicate why Stendel has gone with the latter as his preferred right-back option this season.

However, with the 24-year-old outperforming Williams for interceptions and passing accuracy, as well as demonstrating in recent weeks that he can play at left-back, maybe Stendel should restore Cavare to that position for the Derby game if he is fit by then.

With Barnsley conceding far fewer goals with Cavare in the team than without, the Guadeloupe man deserves a more sustained run in the side once he has returned from injury.

Barnsley fans, do you think Cavare should be in the starting XI more regularly? If so, in what position would you like to see him playing? Join in the discussion by commenting below!

It’s been a difficult few weeks for Tottenham. Not only have they had some very tough games to contend with, but the Lilywhites have also been the sufferers of a few major injury issues. 

Indeed, ahead of their game with Crystal Palace on Sunday, Spurs have confirmed a big set of concerns, with Ben Davies and Mousa Sissoko joining Dele Alli and Harry Kane on the injury table.

Fortunately, there is some good news for the club – and it couldn’t be coming at a better time. Unfortunately for South Korea and Son Heung-min, they were knocked out of the Asian Cup on Friday, but that means that the attacker will shortly be returning to London and the Tottenham squad.

This is vital for the club, as they’ve really missed him. He’s been one of Spurs’ best attackers so far this season, and he always seems to pop up with big moments and big goals. From offering exciting pace and energy to regularly scoring for the club, it’s no surprise that he’s such a popular player in north London.

Significantly, too, with Dele Alli and Harry Kane out, there’s a lack of attacking flair, and that was evident against Chelsea on Thursday. Despite his goal, Fernando Llorente looked lost at points for the Lilywhites, and a few of the chances that he had would have been easily put away by Son.

So, for Spurs, this is huge news. Losing players is never nice, but the prospect of Son returning gives them fresh hope that they can get through the mini injury crisis that is currently ongoing.

Thoughts?

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

Tottenham Hotspur defender Danny Rose has suggested via The Mirror that he is ready to fight for his spot following a summer in which it looked as though he might leave the club, and manager Mauricio Pochettino might have played a bit of an unexpected blinder as a result.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the England international was left behind as the north London outfit travelled to Singapore in July on a pre-season tour, with The Telegraph reporting it was with a view to being sold.

That looked even more likely when Ryan Sessegnon arrived from Fulham on transfer deadline day, but despite links with Watford the 29-year-old remained at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

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With the youngster injured, Rose may well have expected to find himself behind Ben Davies in the pecking order given what happened previously, but instead he has played all but two minutes of their Premier League campaign to date.

And according to an interview with The Mirror, he is happy and wants to battle to keep his spot in the starting XI.

Pochettino played a blinder

It might not be the conventional method or what was predicted to happen during the summer, but perhaps the Argentine boss has inadvertently made Rose realise exactly what he has got in a white shirt.

It appears as though potential suitors weren’t exactly falling over themselves to sign the Englishman based on the lack of rumours during the summer, and now the 29-year-old appears to be fully motivated and ready to take advantage of the fresh opportunity he has been given.

Sometimes things can go stale for players at clubs, but it appears that Rose has been given a new lease of life, and has also been helped by the fact that he remains in contention to be a regular starter at left-back for his country, too.

Pochettino will be hoping that Spurs can continue to reap the benefits of the increased competition for places in his team as they aim for another strong season in both the Premier League and the Champions League.

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Crystal Palace failed to break into the top half of the table on Friday night after conceding a late goal at the Amex Stadium against Brighton, and it seems that there’s some frustration off the pitch for the Selhurst Park faithful as well.

What’s the word?

Sky Sports journalist Dharmesh Sheth has revealed an update on the mounting speculation surrounding a potential move to Palace for Eddie Nketiah this month, outlining one scenario which must materialise before the Arsenal striker moves to the other side of London.

Speaking on the Sky Sports News Transfer Show, Sheth claimed: “Discussions ongoing about a proposed move for Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah to Crystal Palace. Any move this month could depend on the future of Jean-Philippe Mateta, who’s on loan from Mainz.”

Jean-Philippe Mateta has been linked with a moves elsewhere ever since the transfer window opened, with a move to Saint-Etienne one of the strongest links for the on-loan Mainz striker, but nothing has materialised as of yet.

Vieira will be fuming

Vieira gave a frustrated response when asked in his pre-match press conference about the potential signing of Nketiah, saying: ‘He is an Arsenal player and his manager makes it clear he will stay at Arsenal.”

Gunners boss Mikel Arteta spoke earlier this week about the young forward, insisting that “he’s going to stay here with us” during his press conference prior to Thursday’s Carabao Cup clash at Liverpool, in which Nketiah featured in the starting line-up.

Vieira will be disappointed with the developments, as it was revealed that the £9m-rated striker has been a long-term target for the south London club. The 22-year-old also fits the profile of the type of player that the Eagles manager is looking to add – when you look at the signings the Frenchman has already made at Palace, young players with experience at the top of their game is a common theme.

Conor Gallagher (21) was already proving himself as a promising young player in the England under-21s, earning plenty of Premier League experience on loan at West Brom from Chelsea, where he had become a standout player through their academy.

Odsonne Edouard (23) was the top scorer in the Scottish Premiership for two years in a row whilst playing for title-challenging Celtic and Marc Guehi (21) was snapped up from Champions League holders Chelsea, excelling on loan when he helped Swansea to secure a spot in the Championship play-off final last year.

Nketiah has made 73 appearances for Arsenal, scoring a goal every 163 minutes for the first team during that time. He also has 17 caps for England under-21s, scoring 16 goals so far and becoming captain of the team last year, so it’s little wonder that Vieira was so interested in him.

However, with Mateta’s future seemingly needed to be sorted first before Palace can entertain any hope of landing Nketiah, the Eagles manager may well be raging over the current state of affairs and could have to wait until the summer, when the Arsenal striker is out of contract.

In other news: Vieira could sign this forward as an alternative to Nketiah

According to club insider ExWHUemployee, West Ham are hopeful that Jarrod Bowen will be available for the upcoming clash against Everton next Sunday.

The Lowdown: Bowen’s injury

During the Irons’ 1-0 loss to Liverpool earlier this month, the 25-year-old was forced into a premature exit after sustaining an injury to his foot, cutting his game short in the 53rd minute. The winger has been sidelined ever since, having missed the Hammers’ last four games as a result.

Whilst the club had previously announced that Bowen had not sustained significant damage from the foot injury, varying reports have since arisen to the contrary.

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The Latest: Ex’s news on Bowen

When interviewed for his website The West Ham Way, ExWHUemployee was questioned by the site’s editor Mark Carlaw about Bowen’s eagerly-awaited return.

Shared on Twitter, he responded with: “Well as of now the club are hopeful that Bowen will be back for the Everton game. There is an element of confusion surrounding the injury, but from what I am told, the match against Everton is seen as his potential return. This also goes the same for Coufal.”

The Verdict: Huge boost

This news will come as a huge boost to David Moyes as his West Ham side set to prepare for a congested period over the next few weeks. It begins with a Premier League fixture against a struggling Everton side before one of the club’s most important clashes of the modern era as they host Lyon in the quarter-finals of the Europa League.

As the Hammers’ top scorer, Bowen’s return could prove to be massive for Moyes, as the Irons have struggled for goals without their star winger. To supplement his value in front of goal, the former Hull City man also adds a creative dynamic in the final third, illustrated by ranking in the 89th percentile for assists made among positional peers in Europe’s five top-ranked leagues (via FBRef).

Therefore, if the 25-year-old can make his return in time for the upcoming bouts against Everton and Lyon, it would provide the east Londoners with a tremendous boost ahead of the season’s run-in.

In other news: West Ham target has ‘gentleman’s agreement’ to leave his current club

Many Everton fans have been left buzzing over some transfer news on Ronald Araujo.

As per The Athletic, the Goodison Park faithful would be ‘very happy’ to offer the central defender better terms next summer than he is currently getting at FC Barcelona.

Given their financial problems, having just sent Philippe Coutinho out on loan to Aston Villa, there could be a deal to be done for Araujo, who has been described as ‘spectacular’ player by manager Xavi, and ‘has everything’ that a centre-back needs according to teammate Gerard Pique, despite being just 22 years of age.

Nonetheless, he would certainly elevate the quality in the Merseyside club’s backline, and so it is no surprise to see so many Toffees excited by the potential move, especially considering many fans are urging one defender to leave in Mason Holgate, perhaps making space for a new addition.

Everton fans on Araujo transfer news

These Blues were left buzzing as the transfer news on Araujo was shared on Twitter, with one EFC supporter even going as far as to claim that it is ‘massive’:

“Would be a great signing, could do with him this month. Is this another Brands pick we want in future….”

Credit: @AidyDews

“A man can dream”

Credit: @YerayMachin

“Now we’re talking”

Credit: @hmcglash

“Omg imagine”

Credit: @BobbyW1878

“Massive if it happens”

Credit: @Georgie_Redman

“Yessss please”

Credit: @timmy__leyin

In other news, find out what club update has Evertonians fuming here!