Watford striker Troy Deeney could be the key to the Hornets survival
In the third and final instalment of ‘Which promoted club can survive the drop from the Premier League next season series?’ I will look at Watford’s survival chances in the English top-flight.
Surprise
Watford, just like Bournemouth, were one of the surprise packages in last season’s Championship, finishing second in the table and playing some very attacking, attractive football along the way under Slavisa Jokanovic.
The Serbian was appointed in October of last season and was the team’s fourth boss of the campaign, as a game of managerial musical chairs took place at Vicarage Road. It turned out to be fourth time lucky for the Hornets in appointing the former-Chelsea boss.
…
Younes Kaboul has become Sunderland s fourth new signing after joining from fellow Premier League side Tottenham for an undisclosed fee.
The centre-back was deemed surplus to requirements at White Hart Lane under Mauricio Pochettino and has opted to move to the Stadium of Light on a four-year deal.
Kaboul joins Adam Matthews, Sebastian Coates and Jeremain Lens in linking up with Dick Advocaat s side ahead of the new season.
I m delighted to be a Sunderland player and it s an honour to join this club, the Frenchman told Sunderland s official website.
I can t wait to start playing for the Sunderland supporters.
Kaboul started his career with Auxerre and picked up a Coupe de France winners medal, before originally moving to Tottenham in 2007.
…
Michel Platini s lawyer has reportedly claimed FIFA s Ethics Committee is seeking to ban the UEFA president for life.
Formal proceedings were opened against Platini and FIFA president Sepp Blatter on Monday following a report by the investigatory chamber of the Ethics Committee.
The pair were given 90-day suspensions by the Ethics Committee in October in relation to an alleged disloyal payment made by FIFA to Platini in 2011.
Both men, who deny any wrongdoing, then saw their subsequent appeals rejected by the Ethics Committee, which submitted its final reports on Saturday.
And Platini s lawyer Thibaud d Ales has told AFP the Ethics Committee is seeking a lifetime ban for the Frenchman.
The demand is said to have been described by D Ales a…
Dynamo Kiev coach Serhiy Rebrov hopes the hectic English football schedule can work to his team s advantage when they face Manchester City in the Champions League last 16.
Rebrov s men were paired with Premier League team City at Monday s draw in Nyon, having knocked City out of the Europa League in March 2011.
City are a solid, well-balanced team, but we have already played against them and had success, Rebrov told UEFA.com.
Everyone has weak points. Our job is to find them.
It will be a busy time in the Premier League then. Clubs will play twice a week and this also will be significant.
We ll open the year with Champions League matches. It s not a new thing for Dynamo.
We know how to build form and prepare for such games. We progre…
Olympiacos and Nottingham Forest owner Vangelis Marinakis has declared his innocence after being hit with drug trafficking charges in Greece.
According to reports in his homeland, the shipping magnate has been charged with drug trafficking and financing an illegal operation following a lengthy investigation into an intercepted tanker in 2014.
However, through a statement released on Olympiacos official website, Marinakis has denied any wrongdoing and believes there is an ordered service against him.
I have never had anything to do with the acts for which an investigative inquiry is to be conducted, the result of which I am absolutely certain to be the confirmation of my innocence, the statement read.
There is not the least evidence to me and the a…
Mauro Icardi has been called up by Argentina for the first time since 2013, with the Inter striker taking Sergio Aguero s place in the squad.
Argentina face Brazil on June 9 and Singapore on June 13 and have been without a coach since the April 11 sacking of Edgardo Bauza, although Jorge Sampaoli is expected to be appointed.
The Argentine Football Association (AFA) has indicated he is their first choice and Sampaoli said on Friday he could not turn down his dream job, but he will take charge of Sevilla s final LaLiga game of the season against Osasuna on Saturday.
Atalanta forward Alejandro Gomez, West Ham attacker Manuel Lanzini, Joaquin Correa of Sevilla, Tijuana midfielder Guido Rodriguez and Roma s Leandro Paredes are among the new names included in the A…
Liverpool s home clash with Leeds United and Watford s trip to Wolves on Boxing Day have both been postponed due to COVID-19 outbreaks.
Injury-hit Leeds managed to field a weakened team in a 4-1 defeat against Arsenal last Saturday, but five positive coronavirus cases within the first-team squad and staff have left Marcelo Biela s side unable to fulfil Sunday s game.
Leeds have subsequently closed their Thorp Arch training ground, with the positive cases all asymptomatic currently, while Watford continue to have insufficient numbers to visit Wolves on the same day.
Claudio Ranieri s side have already had to postpone games against Burnley and Crystal Palace due to an outbreak of the virus at the club, but Watford are expected to fulfil their fixture against West …
Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel feels that Romelu Lukaku is suffering from the effects of being overplayed.
The centre-forward started each of Belgium s five games at Euro 2020 and has since featured in two World Cup qualification fixtures and a Nations League semi-final for his country.
In addition, Lukaku was Inter s fourth-most used player last season across all competitions, playing 3,564 minutes as the Nerazzurri won Serie A, and has already played 810 minutes in all tournaments for Chelsea this term.
The 28-year-old scored four goals in his first four appearances for the Blues, but has failed to find the net in his subsequent six outings in all competitions.
At the moment, in my opinion, I feel Romelu has [been] overplayed, Tuchel said ahead of …
Aston Villa winger Charles N Zogbia says he would not regret relegating former club Wigan to ensure his current side s survival.
The two sides meet on the final day of the season in a game that could decide which goes down, with Villa just three points above 18th-placed Wigan, who have two games in hand on their rivals.
I don t think I d feel awkward if I had to go back to Wigan and maybe send them down, N Zogbia told Sky Sports.
I play for Villa now, I hope we can stay up and we ll do all we can to do that.
N’Zogbia joined Wigan in January 2009 and played a key role in their Premier League survival in successive seasons before his move to Villa in 2011.
You have to block out everything else and focus on yourself, he said.
No matter…
Nottingham Forest have made a £1.5m bid to sign Queens Park Rangers striker Jamie Mackie, .
The Scotland international, who has been left out of Gordon Strachan’s squad for next month’s match against England, started less than half of the Hoops Premier League matches last season after falling out of favour following Loic Remy’s arrival at Loftus Road.
His debut season for Rangers was his most successful, when his nine goals in twenty-five appearances helped clinch the Championship title.
Forest were linked with a move for Mackie while he was at Plymouth Argyle in 2010, though he opted for a move to the capital.
The 27 year old began his career at non-league Leatherhead, before moving to Wimbledon, and was part of the squad that was renamed …