Juventus: Fans loved seeing classic Del Piero moment from match versus Inter Milan

Many Juventus fans have shared their love for a former great after the club account shared a video of him scoring a free-kick.

In preparation for the club’s big game against Inter Milan this weekend, the Juve admin shared a video of a classic goal, where Alessandro Del Piero hits an absolute peach of a free-kick into the top bins.

Del Piero – Juve’s top goal scorer of all time with an incredible 290 goals from 706 games – scored the winning goal in that match as the Old Lady ran out 2-1 winners at the San Siro.

Sunday’s game – also at the San Siro – is a huge one for both sides. Antonio Conte’s Inter have gotten off to a flying start, winning every one of their opening six games this campaign, scoring 13 goals and only conceding two. Juve, on the other hand, have had a slightly slower start by winning five and drawing one.

Therefore, the stakes are as high as ever; if Inter can manage to win or prevent Juve from winning, it will really signal that there could be a title race on the cards this season.

Many Juve fans shared their love for the goal, as you can see below…

Everton fans lose patience with Marco Silva

Marco Silva oversaw yet another Everton defeat on Saturday.

The Toffees lost 1-0 to Burnley at Turf Moor, with Jeff Hendrick’s goal proving decisive.

It means that Everton have now gone four games without a win in the Premier League.

With the international break now looming, the Toffees face a make-or-break decision over the next few weeks.

Indeed, many fans would like to see Silva sacked and replaced before a run of fixtures that sees the club play West Ham United, Brighton & Hove Albion and Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League, along with Watford in the Carabao Cup.

Silva, of course, has been with the Toffees since 2018 and guided the club to an eighth-placed finish last season.

However, supporters appear to be losing patience with the former Watford boss and have urged the club to make a managerial change.

Take a look at the best of the reaction on Twitter down below!

Michael Ball urges Marco Silva to make tactical switch

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Former Everton defender Michael Ball has backed Marco Silva to make tactical changes at Goodison Park as a good manager knows when to change his plans, with the Portuguese facing a run of games that could define the Blues’ season.

What’s he said?

Everton entered the October international break lingering inside the bottom three of the Premier League standings, as a run of four games without a win saw the Merseyside outfit plummet down the rankings after a promising start.

The opening four fixtures of the term saw the Toffees sit sixth in the table, joint on points with fourth-placed Crystal Palace, but were the only top-flight side without a point in the following four encounters, while also conceding the third-most goals.

Scoring has been a key plight of the Toffees efforts this season, as well, with only four men so far managing to break the goal line, while Richarlison and Dominic Calvert-Lewin are the only to score more than once (WhoScored).

Everton have not failed to create chances with an average 12.8 shots per game, but only 3.8 of those have been on target.

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To solve the crisis developing at Goodison Park, ex-Everton left-back Ball has suggested Silva should consider a change of tack and move away from his traditionally favoured 4-2-3-1 by starting a second striker.

Silva has only used a two-up-top formation from kick-off twice since his arrival on Merseyside in 2018 (Transfermarkt), and started with a two-man strike force just once while at Watford.

If Silva is unable to orchestrate strong results in Everton’s next three games, Ball fears the implications could result in change at the helm.

Writing in his column for the Liverpool Echo, he said:

“Not many managers are going to change their philosophy, but if it’s not working, you need to find a way to get the best out of the players at your disposal. A good manager will listen to other people and tweak things.

“He might not want to do that, but if it works, everyone will give him plaudits for it. The fans are crying out for two strikers up front. Do we need to play with two deep-lying midfielders? We’ve still got time to turn the season around.

“There’s other teams around us struggling and we need to make the most of this and get on a run of wins. The next three games are crucial for Marco Silva. I’m not a fan of chopping and changing managers because I don’t think it gets you anywhere, but Silva will know this is not good enough.”

Silva can offer Kean greater freedom to express himself

By naming a second striker from the off, Silva could open his tactics to have a more direct central attacking option, rather than one tasked purely with holding the ball up and flicking it on for an overlapping winger or down to Gylfi Sigurdsson.

No player has won more aerial duels for Everton this season than Calvert-Lewin with 6.6 successful battles per ninety minutes, per WhoScored data, but the 22-year-old has not been a consistent goal threat despite his two strikes.

Moise Kean has not been able to demonstrate himself as a lethal finisher as of yet, either, but the Italian could be offered a greater opportunity to do so if he is free to express himself.

Against Lincoln City in the Carabao Cup, the Toffees’ summer arrival from Juventus showed great power and pace to be a direct threat on the break, and narrowly missed out on opening his Blues account when his thunderous effort crashed back off the post.

Add Kean’s fast-breaking nature with Calvert-Lewin’s natural target man abilities, and Everton could create a strike force that sees the Blues move back up the table and save Silva from the threat of being fired.

Newcastle’s Steve Bruce receives supportive comments from Alan Shearer

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Alan Shearer has backed Steve Bruce and believes he could do well with Newcastle this season.

What did he say?

Bruce has been the target of much criticism during his tenure at Newcastle having only picked up eight points from eight games, leading the Magpies legend to suggest he was very happy that the team picked up an important win against Manchester United.

As well as winning, the performances of the Longstaff brothers was a huge positive, and could be a sign that Bruce might be able to turn things around, and Shearer certainly believes so.

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The former striker acknowledged there has been some disappointing moments, but is choosing to look on the bright side. Speaking at the opening of the Wallsend Boys Club, as reported by Chronicle Live, he said:

“There’s something in there to work with. If you can keep the majority of the squad fit, then I think they’ll do alright.

“Then if you look at investment in January, and hopefully that’ll come as well.

“I think it was a huge relief to everyone, including Steve, who I was delighted for, because he’s had to put up with a lot of **** over the last couple of weeks.

“They’ve had a hammering, and rightly so, but you always get a right to reply as a footballer and football manager. If you get a result like that (against Man United), it certainly gives you something to go and build on.”

Surprising outlook?

It seems like the majority of Newcastle fans are against Bruce with many unhappy at Rafa Benitez’s departure and some boycotting matches, yet Shearer is willing to give him his support.

The former England international also supported the Spaniard but was happy to criticise him for a lack of “entertainment”, yet Bruce has continued the same style – with five goals in eight league games – and Shearer hasn’t mentioned it.

Worse still is the fact Newcastle are currently not picking up points with the same consistency, with Bruce’s average of one point per game below that of Benitez in his three Premier League seasons at Newcastle – including the one in which they were relegated.

Performances in the 5-0 defeat against Leicester and winning only one home game in four is a poor return, and though he mentioned it briefly, he has not addressed the concerns that came from those displays, and instead thinks any problems could be ironed out by supposed strengthening in the transfer window.

For a keen Newcastle fan one would think he’d be more ruthless in his verdict and question the set-up from the Magpies boss, which saw his side have just four shots on target and 29% possession against Brighton.

Sheffield Wednesday’s praised man Julian Borner offers a threat in both boxes

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Sheffield Wednesday winger Kadeem Harris has heaped praise on his fellow summer arrival Julian Borner after the impact he has had on their season so far.

What’s he said?

Both players joined the south Yorkshire club on free transfers during the off-season under former boss Steve Bruce, and despite two managerial changes, they have been two of the standout stars for the Owls.

Harris has scored two goals and assisted two more in 12 starts while Borner was handed August’s Player of the Month award after two league clean sheets.

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Last Friday, the German netted his first goal for the club in their 1-1 draw at Cardiff City as he volleyed home from Harris’ own strike after just 19 minutes.

Speaking about Borner’s impact, the 26-year-old said:

“Julian has been tremendous this season, every single game, I think it was a brilliant move, but we can both give a lot more than we have so far.

“I am not surprised at his start to the season. I saw him in pre-season and saw his love for the game, how much he wanted to do well here.

“He has had a good start and hopefully he can do even better with the games to come.”

Added threat

Borner’s strike was one you’d expect from Steven Fletcher or another attack-minded player as he struck a sweet volley past the Cardiff goalkeeper.

But based on his career exploits, it is something that Wednesday fans should get used to as he has a knack for finding the net.

In four of his last five seasons in the Bundesliga 2 for Aminia Bielefeld, the 28-year-old has found the net at least three times with his best season earning a goal return of five in 2017/18.

Over the course of his career, Borner has netted 36 goals in 292 appearances, per Transfermarkt, which is quite an excellent return for a central defender.

He should get plenty of opportunities to add to that given that 0.6 of their 1.1 assists come from either a cross or corner each game, via WhoScored.

Leeds defender Gaetano Berardi passes his first strike with flying colours

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… 

To suggest Gaetano Berardi was under pressure at Leeds would be an understatement.

Following his eighth red card since arriving from Sampdoria in 2014, one that for him was fortunately overturned, he bounced back in brilliant fashion against Birmingham.

Talk about his future at Elland Road has been lingering over him for the last two weeks. Will a new contract will be given to him? Supporters certainly hope not.

That being said, his outing against Birmingham and the almighty presence of Lukas Jutkiewicz on Saturday did enough to swat away the doubters for the time being.

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Berardi should be on his final warning at Leeds now. There have simply been too many red cards and moments of ill-discipline in his time in west Yorkshire but he passed his first strike under Marcelo Bielsa with flying colours.

He not only looked composed and comfortable but also relaxed on the ball. Is this really Berardi we’re talking about? It almost seems hard to believe.

What benefitted Berardi greatly this weekend was the fact he was playing in a three-man defence composed of the Swiss, Ben White and Luke Ayling.

We’ve documented in the past how he’s more suited to that system and giving him cover certainly enabled for a more comfortable afternoon for Leeds as they secured a clean sheet.

It feels out of place to suggest Berardi was one of the difference-makers on the club’s centenary but it would be harsh to claim otherwise.

Why are Leeds fans the best in the country? Find out in the video below…

Coming up against the 6 foot 1 frame of Jutkiewicz, he won four aerial duels throughout the game and also committed just one foul. Not only that, but the 31-year-old also came away victorious from two challenges, via WhoScored.

Playing at left centre-back in a three-man defence looks to suit the defender far more than in a two. This could be because he’s playing closer to the more natural left-back role he’s occupied at other times in his career.

He was given a platform to thrive and after droves of criticism in recent weeks, the central defender proved he does have what it takes.

The challenge for Berardi now is whether he can establish consistency. If he is indeed on a final warning in terms of earning a new contract, he’ll have to produce performances like this on a regular basis.

That’s certainly easier said than done for such an error-prone individual.

Spurs fans back Dele Alli to come good

Tottenham Hotspur fans have backed Dele Alli to get back to his best self as he continues to undergo a poor run of form.

The England international has made seven appearances in all competitions thus far this season and has scored just once, in the 1-1 draw with Watford.

Of course, Spurs have been struggling at the start of the 2019/20 season, winning a mere three games in the league, while they were also thumped 7-2 by Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

Alli burst onto the scene after his move to Spurs in 2015, scoring 10 goals in the 15/16 season, 22 in 16/17 and 14 in 17/18.

Last season marked a change, however, as he netted just seven times and his struggles have continued into this term.

However, supporters believe that he has the ability to turn it around and have backed him to get back to his best as Mauricio Pochettino’s men look to get back to winning ways.

Take a look at the best of the reaction on Twitter below!

QPR: Two Leeds player who Mark Warburton must warn his players about

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

QPR travel to Elland Road this Saturday to take on Leeds in what could be an enticing top-eight clash.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side sit 3rd in the Championship with seven wins from 14 games, whereas Mark Warburton’s men have won the same amount of matches but sit 8th having suffered two more defeats than Leeds – the R’s backline is the second-worst in the division, as only bottom-placed Barnsley have conceded more goals.

A win for the Londoners would take them above Leeds, and with a number of quality players on show such as Eberechi Eze and Pablo Hernandez, it should be an exciting Championship spectacle.

Aside from Hernandez, however, there are two Leeds players who Warburton must warn his players about…

Kalvin Phillips 

The 23-year-old Leeds academy graduate is arguably Bielsa’s most important player due to the role he performs in the side.

Phillips – who Aston Villa made a £15m offer for back in the summer – records a huge 4.1 tackles per game in the Championship, and Warburton should be warning his players about him; not for his attacking prowess, but his defensive qualities and ability to destroy the opposition’s good attacking play.

Additionally, Phillips has won the WhoScored Man of the Match award three times already this season – QPR must work out how to make attacking inroads without being halted by the effective defensive midfielder. Identifying weaknesses in his game, or ways to circumvent his influence, is a must.

Eddie Nketiah 

While it’s certainly likely the man on loan from Arsenal doesn’t start this game – all of his ten Championship appearances have come from the bench this term – the R’s must still know all about Nketiah and how to defend against him.

The 20-year-old has an unerringly ability to find the back of the net without needing a huge amount of chances, having scored three goals in just 265 minutes of league action while taking only 1.2 shots per game.

The England U21 international netted the winning goal against Brentford back in August, and also scored a vital equaliser against Preston in the game before last, despite playing just 13 minutes.

It may take a while for him to come into the fray on Saturday, but QPR’s defence must know what to do when he does cross the white line.

The Athletic’s Sam Lee believes Phil Foden will start at Anfield

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

The Athletic’s Sam Lee believes 19-year-old Phil Foden will start against Liverpool this weekend.

What did he say?

Manchester City will travel to Anfield this Sunday in a massive clash in the title race. A win for the Reds puts them nine points clear in the table and Pep Guardiola will need all hands on deck for this one.

However, with injuries across the pitch, including David Silva and Rodri, it is unclear who will start for the Champions. Although, Lee believes now could be the time for Foden to step up.

The City correspondent wrote in his Q&A for The Athletic: “I’ve changed my mind and think Foden will start and Bernardo will play on the right. Obviously this is no more reliable than my first answer, but at least it keeps you updated!”

Too early for him

The battle at Anfield has turned into a must-win for Guardiola, considering the current gap. Also, with the Reds unbeaten as it is and looking unlikely to drop points, the Spaniard can’t fall much further behind.

As Liverpool have been so tough to beat at Anfield, the City boss will need his most experienced players on Merseyside. Foden has not yet started in the Premier League this season and has had to settle for four substitute appearances instead.

The academy graduate does, however, boast great form from when he has played. In his two Champions League outings, Foden has registered one goal and provided an assist.

However, with Bernardo Silva capable of playing in the centre, it makes sense for him to step into midfield. Plus, this could make way for Riyad Mahrez on the right side, who has been in great form this season.

Mahrez has proven down the years to be a game-winner and boasts two goals and three assists in eight league matches thus far.

Sunderland need more variety and Parkinson must be given funds to address issues

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more… 

Sunderland have continued to struggle despite a managerial change, and a cause for their lack of form could be a lack of versatility in the squad.

On the chalkboard

Jack Ross achieved some level of success with the Black Cats last year and for the majority of his tenure he operated with a 4-2-3-1 formation.

As a result of that, he brought in players which suited the system he had in place, and that has left Phil Parkinson in a difficult situation, as there are a lack of alternatives he can use to try and turn around his team’s form.

The squad contains just three senior strikers – one of whom is currently injured – and that means the prospect of playing two up-front is problematic, as there are a lack of options on the bench to take their place.

That affects the type of impact substitutes can have on a game, as well as making Sunderland too predictable, and with that they become more easy to contain and easier to beat.

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Needs to be backed in January

Parkinson has proved that he knows what it takes to win promotion from League One, but he needs to bring in his own players. In order to do that he has to receive the financial support and backing from owner Stewart Donald, who showed he was willing to back previous boss Jack Ross when the Mackems spent £4m on Will Grigg earlier in 2019.

At Bolton he made astute purchases such as Filipe Morais and Mark Beevers, both on a free, with the latter contributing to a defence which conceded just 36 league goals. It was an achievement which saw him included in the League One Team of the Year 2016/17.

If he could do the same in January he would be able to address the lack of options he has in his squad, and bring in another striker to assist those already at the club, and reduce the pressure that exists on Will Grigg to score goals.

With strength in depth he would be able to mix things up and alter his style depending on the dangers posed by the opponent, which would provide a solid platform to win games.

A crucial aspect Sunderland are lacking in is their ability to change things and add that little bit extra. That’s why they’ve had so many draws during their stint in the third tier, and is part of the reason why they won’t get promoted if things remain the same.

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