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Tottenham Hotspur returned to winning ways in style with a 4-0 victory over Wolfsberger in the Europa League last 32 first-leg, and Spurs’ very own Gareth Bale stole the show on their way to a vital win.

Jose Mourinho said his side had “one foot in the next round” after Bale and Son Heung-min combined to open the scoring, though they had to endure a few shaky moments after Michael Liendl’s penalty gave Wolsferberger hope before Christopher Wernitznig hit the bar.

Lucas Moura and Carlos Vinicius also netted for the Premier League giants, but Moussa Sissoko’s clumsy challenge inside the box diluted the joy a little before Wednesday’s second leg at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

However, it was a vintage performance from Bale, who cut inside from the right flank to fire home their second. It is a sign of what Spurs fans had been expecting to see from the Welshman after he returned to north London last year to high anticipation and much fanfare.

Matt Doherty picked out Bale and he cut back inside with his left boot before letting rip with a powerful shot into the far corner.

Writing in his post-match review, football.london correspondent Alasdair Gold graded the 31-year-old a 8/10 and noted he ‘set up Son’s early headed goal with a low cross and then netted himself with a powerful finishing after cutting inside superbly, sending the defender sliding a mile past him.’

The Wales international has looked a shadow of his former self since his return from Real Madrid amid reports of a public disagreement with Mourinho over his fitness.

However, Bale sent Mourinho a reminder of what he can offer after he registered a goal and an assist against Wolfsberger in the Europa League last night.

Bale was a constant threat on the right-hand side of the pitch as he caused Wolfsberger all sorts of problems, recording four key passes, which was the most out of any player on the pitch in Budapest, Hungary – in fact, he had a overall pass accuracy of 100%.

Usually, it’s Son’s task to be their chief creator, as the South Korean is averaging the most key passes (1.7) out of the entire Spurs squad in the Premier League this season, but it was Bale who stole the limelight last night.

This is also supported by the fact that Bale, who reportedly earns £600,000-a-week, took two shots on target, more than anyone else in a Spurs shirt aside from Dele Alli, which suggests that he posed a greater counter-attacking threat than the likes of Son and Moura.

Indeed, the £18m-rated star utterly terrorised the opposition’s defence, as he registered three successful dribbles from five attempts, which was second only to Moura, and also won 63% of his duels overall, winning seven out of his ten duels on the ground.

In the absence of Harry Kane, who was rested for the game against Wolfsberger, Bale sent Mourinho a huge message of his obvious class.

This has been a rather troubled January for Leeds United. They have won just once and have failed to strengthen their ranks in the transfer window.

Though, despite Marcelo Bielsa insisting he’s happy with his squad, rumours of potential incomings are swirling around.

On the chalkboard

One of the names linked with Leeds in recent days has been Nottingham Forest youngster Brennan Johnson.

The winger is currently on loan at Lincoln City where he’s been tearing League One to shreds with five goals and six assists in 20 outings.

It’s an impressive record for a 19-year-old who is doing all the right things in terms of his personal development.

The Whites haven’t been afraid to strengthen their youth ranks in recent years and that was evident last summer. Victor Orta brought in the likes of Joe Gelhardt, Sam Greenwood, Cody Drameh and Crysencio Summerville.

Though, with a host of young attackers in their midst, signing another even if they are talented, fails to make much sense.

Unleash Poveda

There is no doubting the supreme talents of Johnson. However, rather than spending on new recruits this month, Leeds must look at unleashing someone already in their ranks.

That happens to be Ian Poveda. The 20-year-old signed from Manchester City a year ago but has only made one senior start since.

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He has appeared ten times as a substitute in the Premier League this term but is yet to play from the off. Poveda’s only chance to shine from kick-off was against Crawley in the FA Cup.

Of course, that was a dismal affair for the Whites as they lost 3-0. However, the English winger was a ball of energy and if anyone could come away from the game with credit, it was him.

He was devastating in the final third and a wonderful piece of trickery in the first-half summed up his game. Poveda attempted four dribbles – two of which were successful – and also provided a key pass all within 58 minutes.

For various reasons, he hasn’t been given a regular chance in the Premier League but we reckon that should change in the back half of the campaign. After all, he possesses qualities that can frighten defenders.

Discussing the youngster earlier this season, Noel Whelan said: “You can see now when you talk about people changing games and bringing a different dimension, he’s very, very quick, got great feet, very tricky, likes to run at players. Very much like Raphinha as well.”

If Leeds really do have another Raphinha in their clutches, it can only be a good thing. The Brazilian has been a radiant ball of attacking quality since signing from Rennes and with three goals and three assists, is improving all the time.

It’s time Poveda was given a similar platform to try and do the same. Leeds would only harm his development further by bringing a player like Johnson to the club.

They must ignore him and unleash their own young players.

AND in other news, 3 new signings, Bielsa favourite axed: How Leeds’ XI could look after deadline day…

Tottenham Hotspur return to action this evening as they look to get back to winning ways in the Premier League.

Jose Mourinho’s side face another away trip, this time to the Midlands to face Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux Stadium.

The north Londoners advanced into the Carabao Cup semi-finals in midweek, defeating Stoke City 3-1, but have lost their last two league outings after being defeated by Liverpool and then Leicester City last weekend.

This’ll be the first time since Christmas that Spurs have played, so it will be interesting to see what sort of side Mourinho opts for tonight.

Here’s the XI we’re predicting…

There could be as many as six changes from the side that conquered the Potters on Wednesday night.

Club captain and number one Hugo Lloris keeps his place between the sticks, as do both Eric Dier and Matt Doherty, the latter impressed enough to keep his place over Serge Aurier.

We will surely see the return of Sergio Reguilon at left-back, replacing Ben Davies, with Toby Alderweireld also coming back in for Davinson Sanchez, who has often been snubbed in the Premier League this term.

The industrious Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg played the full 90 in midweek, but should also remain in the starting lineup, whilst Moussa Sissoko returns to partner him despite Harry Winks’ Man of the Match display.

We could also see Tanguy Ndombele start with £100k-per-week Dele Alli reverting to type as the forgotten man in the English top-flight, and on the wings, Mourinho will also go back to his usual duo of Heung-min Son on the left and Steven Bergwijn on the right.

Harry Kane also played the entire match against Stoke, scoring the third and final goal, and he is also set to keep his place. If anyone is undroppable, it’s him.

It means there is no room in the XI for the likes of Erik Lamela, who returned from the bench just a few days ago, £25m signing Lucas Moura, Gareth Bale or Ben Davies.

AND in other news, “A blow” – Exclusive: Mabbutt reacts to major Spurs injury setback before Wolves clash…

Tottenham Hotspur supporters should be worried by the latest name to be linked with the club in January, though he’s seemingly been a long-term target for several seasons…

What’s the word?

According to Turkish journalist Ekrem Konur, the north London outfit are the front-runners to sign Leicester City outcast Demarai Gray as the 24-year-old is set to be left go for free in the summer.

It’s claimed that Spurs boss Jose Mourinho sees the English winger as potentially having the same sort of impact as that of Erik Lamela or Lucas Moura in the squad.

Earlier this summer, Football Insider reported that the Portuguese boss enquired over his services whilst also suggesting that Spurs bid for him in 2017 prior to signing a long-term extension in the Midlands.

Impact on Bergwijn?

You can’t help but feel that another winger is the least of Spurs’ concerns right now. If there is any position on the pitch that they are blessed with options, then it is certainly out wide.

As Konur states, Gray could well be a replacement for either Lamela or Moura though what of the impact to Steven Bergwijn, who has failed to impress much this season.

The Dutch international has failed to score or assist in the Premier League whilst only providing one assist in the Europa League group stages. He was one of the four players dragged off at half-time by Mourinho against Royal Antwerp in October too.

But it’s not as if Gray is better than any of the Spurs players already mentioned. He has struggled big-time at the King Power Stadium, delivering only 13 goals and 17 assists in 168 appearances for the Foxes, per Transfermarkt.

The former England U21 international has seen his value plummet to £10.8m despite once being lauded as a “big talent” who “can do everything” by Brendan Rodgers.

Whilst teammate Christian Fuchs believes Gray’s failure to deliver on his potential is down to “a lack of confidence” despite always looking “unbelievable” in training, as per an interview with Goal.

The likes of chief scout Steven Hitchen and Mourinho may be a fan of Gray’s but chairman Daniel Levy must avoid him at all costs – he’s no better than what they’ve got nor do they need anymore attacking additions.

AND in other news, Exclusive: £100k-p/w Spurs star tipped to leave next month…

With hundreds of million enthusiastic football fans worldwide, brands are very eager to become visible in the football world. Brand sponsorships of football teams is a symbiotic partnership that has worked well for many years. The entrance of gambling companies into football sponsorship raised the stakes. It is not uncommon to hear nowadays of a gambling brand sponsoring a football for tens of millions of dollars.

Shirt Sponsorships

Football teams have the most loyal fans in sports. Even local small-town teams trigger fervent support in their home fans when playing. Brands stand to gain a lot by associating with a football team and building brand loyalty and trust.

A shirt sponsorship will have a football team wearing football shirts decorated with a brand’s logos and trademarks. It is an endorsement of the brand by the team.  The team’s message to the team’s fans is that the brand is to be trusted.

Gambling Company Sponsorships

The trend for big gambling companies getting into team sponsorships started in the 2000s. The laws had been changed in the UK to allow betting companies to operate more freely. There was a big rush by gambling companies to get more customers. The most direct and effective way was to get into sponsorships with the big EPL teams.

The trend spread to other big football leagues. Nowadays, almost half the teams in major leagues wear logos of big gambling companies and online casinos. It has been a win-win arrangement. Customer numbers for gambling companies have risen, while football teams get much-needed cash for their operations.

For gambling companies and sportsbooks, the hope is that they can convince a team’s fans that this is the right betting platform. It is a way to gain trust. As a fan, you can judge this by looking at how the sponsor treats the team. You can also see what different pundits are saying. For example, read Aldo McNeal’s review of SkyCity Online Casino.

It is not hard to see that gambling companies have much to gain from football sponsorships. A report by Global Betting and Gaming Consultants showed huge revenue growth in the UK. The gross gambling yield for gambling companies operating in the UK grew from £908.5m in 2016 to £1.4bn in 2019.

Big online casinos have started offering sports betting markets.  For them, the logic is simple. If you can get football fans to use your betting platform, you can then lure them into making other bets. A football fan making a bet on his favourite team on the weekend will see an attractive promotion on the slots and decide to spin a few times.

Football Teams Gains

Big football teams are some of the most profitable entities in the world. But they also have huge expenditures.  Manchester United’s payroll in 2020 is $206 million. There are huge expenses in training, medical, nutrition, logistics, and the transfer market. Man Utd spent $79.7 million in 2020.

These huge costs must be offset somehow.  Gate tickets and merchandise sales cannot meet these expenses. It is where sponsorship deals come in. Man Utd received $223 million in sponsorships deals in 2020. The sponsorship is a huge cash inflow for a team.

While the top teams may not need gambling sponsorship that much, smaller teams without expanded revenue streams need it.  About half the teams in the EPL have gambling sponsorships. 17 out of 24 English Championship teams depend on shirt sponsorship deals with gambling companies.

Even the top six EPL teams that do not have shirt sponsorship deals have partnered with gambling companies in one way or another. The money is too much to ignore.  Shirt sponsorship deals in the EPL will be worth $349 million in the 2020/2021 season.

Apart from gambling companies logos appearing on team shirts, they will also be visible in playing venues.

Gambling companies are also targeting teams in Asia and Africa. These are the fastest-growing betting markets in the world. Big betting companies in these countries will sponsor multiple teams in the same league.

League sponsorships

Gambling companies have gone on to sponsor entire leagues in some countries. In Kenya, the national football federation is sponsored by a gambling company.  The gambling company gets visibility in all events organized by the federation.  League sponsorship is becoming more common outside Europe and the US.

Gambling sponsorships have become essential support for the football world. The importance of this support has been seen in 2020 when gate tickets dried up due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.  This win-win arrangement will likely become the dominant form of sponsorship in football for years to come.

When all is said and done in Pablo Hernandez’s career he may well go down as one of Leeds United’s greatest ever players.

At the end of last season, the Spaniard became the first player in the club’s history to win three Player of the Year awards, and even at the age of 35, he’s one of the club’s most important stars.

Unfortunately, father time remains undefeated, and years of playing at the top-level is taking a toll on Hernandez’s body.

The Spaniard has missed the majority of the season so far due to an injury problem, and his absence has given us a preview of what life at Elland Road will be like once he retires.

Strangely, despite Hernandez being one of United’s best players, they’ve been absolutely fine without him.

Hernandez has played just 68 minutes in the league this season, meaning that the Whites have played 298 minutes without him, and the team have been absolutely fine during that period.

They’ve won seven points from their first four games, and they’ve had a great mix of youth and experience in Hernandez’s position, being able to call upon both Tyler Roberts and Rodrigo to play in his number 10 role.

Of course, Leeds will likely be a better side with Hernandez back in the fold, Pep Clotet quipped last season: “Leeds with Pablo are a different team than without Pablo. Both fantastic but one better than the other.”

But at least now they know they can hold their own in the Premier League without their star man.

Hernandez’s age will eventually get the better of him, but his football IQ still makes him a valuable commodity at the age of 35, with one of his closest friends Xabi Galvan describing him as “very intelligent”, and while that sort of genius will be tough to replace, it seemingly won’t be a massive blow.

According to The Telegraph, Brentford are demanding around £28m for rumoured West Ham target Ollie Watkins.

What’s the word?

Reports in recent weeks have claimed that the Hammers remain interested in the striker, but it appears they are set to face significant competition for his signature.

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Aside from revealing how much it could potentially cost for any side to sign Watkins in this transfer window, The Telegraph also claims that talks between Aston Villa and Brentford are ongoing as they look to thrash out a deal.

Unless West Ham act swiftly, the 24-year-old could be plying his trade at Villa Park instead of the London Stadium next season.

Make or break for David Moyes

After the truly stellar season Watkins enjoyed with Brentford in the Championship, it’s no surprise to see a number of Premier League sides look to secure his services.

He racked up an impressive 26 goals in 50 games, with former Hammers ace Trevor Sinclair raving about him after a goal-scoring display in a 1-0 win over Preston.

With The Telegraph claiming that Villa are in negotiations with Brentford over Watkins, it’s really make-or-break time for David Moyes on whether the Hammers can lure him to the London Stadium.

After the struggles Sebastien Haller endured in his debut season in English football, West Ham could desperately do with a finisher who can handle the pace and intensity – boxes that Watkins ticks.

If the Hammers are genuinely interested in signing the 24-year-old, then it’s time for GSB to put their money where their mouth is, or risk seeing him come back to haunt them next season.

Ipswich Town have joined Sunderland in the race to sign recently-released Everton left-back Luke Garbutt, according to The Northern Echo.

Despite making a number of summer signings already, bringing in Bailey Wright and Aiden O’Brien, and agreeing a new contract with Tom Flanagan, Black Cats manager Phil Parkinson knows that he may still need further additions to his squad if they are to earn promotion to the Championship in 2020/21.

To that effect, the Sunderland boss has shown interest in former Everton man Garbutt, although it is now being reported that League One rivals Ipswich are also keen on the 27-year-old.

The report claimed that Ipswich see themselves as favourites to sign the defender after having him on loan last season.

The Tractor Boys are also claimed to have held talks in an attempt to sign him permanently, whilst Sunderland officials are said to have issued a formal contract offer, as per The Northern Echo.

Garbutt is expected to resolve his future in the coming days as the majority of Football League sides have already returned to pre-season. The new League One campaign is due to begin on the weekend of September 12.

Judging by The Northern Echo’s report, Ipswich seem to be in pole position for Garbutt, who could be inclined to go back to a club with which he is already familiar.

However, Sunderland came closer to the play-off places than the Suffolk outfit last season, so if they can make a convincing case to the defender, it could open up an exciting transfer tussle between the two clubs.

Do you think Garbutt would be a good signing for Sunderland? Let us know in the comments section below…

Despite his good showing against both the likes of Manchester City and even against Chelsea in the FA Cup victory, a new report from The Sun claims Arsenal have put Ainsley Maitland-Niles on the transfer list. And if that wasn’t shocking enough, they go on to state the 22-year-old could indeed stay in London and move to Tottenham Hotspur instead as Jose Mourinho’s men have shown some interest in the youngster.

Needless to say, this is quite the claim from the papers but the Gunners are in dire need of raising some funds and that could well include selling their talent to the highest bidder. In fact, The Sun state they are hoping to get around £30m for the England U21 star but may also have to settle for £20m due to the outside circumstances and the financial struggles of most teams out there.

And since Mourinho is planning a rebuild of his own in the ongoing summer transfer window, Maitland-Niles could be a welcoming addition to the team. Of course, Spurs are not nearly the only ones registering their interest as the same outlet mentions ‘every Premier League club in London except Chelsea’ might go in for the 22-year-old.

Mikel Arteta, on the other hand, likes him a lot and if Arsenal were not in this financial hole, in all likelihood he would’ve liked to keep him. But this sale is more of a necessity than anything else. At least if the Gunners want to go shopping themselves.

Verdict

Buying a player from your city rivals is always a slightly controversial thing, especially when you’re trying to snatch away their talented academy product. But Mourinho’s interest in Maitland-Niles is not that surprising.

The 22-year-old is quite versatile and despite not getting a big chance throughout 2019/20, he can still perform on a high level across multiple positions both in midfield and in the backline. This kind of adaptability and potential is something Spurs could definitely use in their squad.

Key information about East End Park

The new East End Park was built in 1920 and is now the home of Dunfermline Athletic FC. The stadium is located on the edge of the Garvock residential area to the east of the town centre, and has four stands surrounding it.

Its maximum capacity stands at 11,480 with a pitch that measures 105m by 64m. The surface is covered with natural grass with undersoil heating installed and has no running track around it.

The record attendance was set during a Dunfermline Athletic home clash when a crowd of 27,816 people watched their game against Celtic on 30 April 1968.

A history of East End Park

Dunfermline Athletic have been using East End Park ever since the club was formed back in 1885 but in 1920, the Board of Directors purchased some land from the North British Railway company, essentially laying out the current location of the stadium. It was then that the ground was moved ever so slightly from a position that was more to the west of the city.

The construction started immediately after and the club soon added a wooden stand with a low roof and a pavilion, following it up with terraces which would increase the capacity to 16,000 when the club was promoted to the First Division in 1926.

However, the early 1930s brought more problems as Dunfermline struggled to make ends meet on the financial side of things, forcing the club to host greyhound racing in order to gather more funds. It helped them stay afloat but it also meant that they would have the dog track cut across the corners of the pitch for a while.

In 1934, and following another promotion, a roof was built over the northern terrace and a year after that, the eastern one was also improved. The renovations were put on hold during World War II and it was not until 1951 that crush barriers were installed. Still, a great period of improvement commenced between 1957 and 1970 that coincided with the club’s several qualifications for European competitions.

In 1962 they constructed a two-tier Main Stand and soon after further improved their terracing. It wouldn’t be long until Dunfermline also recorded their highest attendance when Celtic came to visit in 1968, attracting a crowd of 27,816. Needless to say, with so many people there for a huge clash, chaos ensued as they scaled the stand roof and floodlight pylons to gain access to the ground. One person even died from the fall.

In the late 1990s, East End Park was finally converted into an all-seater, setting the capacity at 12,509 but that figure would further shrink to settle at 11,480. In 2003, the club decided to cover the pitch with artificial turf but has since reverted back to grass two years after that after continuous reservations from both coaches and players.

Dunfermline have also added executive boxes along the South Stand, replacing the lower deck seats in the process as well and there haven’t really been that many changes to the stadium in recent years. In 2011, the North Stand was closed for a while due to financial reasons but the club announced it would restore its function only a year after that.

Tickets to watch Dunfermline Athletic at East End Park

All tickets to watch Dunfermline Athletic play at East End Park can be found on the club’s official website. The most expensive admission price for adults is £22 if you choose the South Stand but the price varies for different age groups as well as the location you choose.

The club also offers a season ticket scheme and more information can be found on the aforementioned website.

Related links

https://www.dafc.co.uk/ – Official website of Dunfermline Athletic

https://www.dafctickets.co.uk/ – Dunfermline Athletic Ticket Office