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Tottenham Hotspur’s top-four chances took a significant dent this afternoon after they were beaten 2-1 by local rivals Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Spurs now sit four points from the Champions League places despite a late own goal giving them hope for a share of the spoils.

January transfer target Olivier Giroud netted the opener early in the first half, firing home after Ross Barkley cannoned an effort off the post moments earlier.

Marcos Alonso then doubled the advantage with a fine strike from range three minutes into the second half before Erik Lamela’s attempt rolled in past the home goalkeeper thanks to Antonio Rudiger’s involvement.

Much of the travelling support has been left reeling, particularly at Jan Vertonghen, who was left in a twist for the first goal of the game and was later seen being beaten all ends up by Mason Mount.

Here’s what has been said…

The Belgian was blasted throughout the match with an array of superlatives used, ranging from “shocking” to “pathetic” whilst one fan went as far as calling him a “headless chicken” in response to Chelsea netting their second.

“Pony” and “clueless” were also used.

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There were also plenty of supporters slamming the 32-year-old for being ‘finished’ at Premier League level.

“Absolutely washed” and “finished” reflected the general consensus as many believed that Vertonghen’s legs were now shot and that he looks a shadow of his former self.

One member of the Spurs faithful even claimed that the centre-back looked “about 45 years old” which was backed up by another who described him as an “old man.”

There was even a shout for Vertonghen being the new Christian Eriksen, presumably an out of contract favourite who has regressed from his form of old.

Premier League Inflation: You won’t believe how much these famous transfers would cost today…

And in other news, Spurs BIGGEST mistake may not be in their striking problems after ace lost possession 24 times in midweek….

Liverpool’s first team have been stupendous this season, sitting 22 points clear at the top of the league – but the club’s youngsters also deserve credit for the way they have performed.

The U23 squad have been required to take the senior side’s place for two matches so far this term – the League Cup quarter-final against Aston Villa due to the Reds’ participation in the Club World Cup in Qatar, as well as the FA Cup fourth-round replay against Shrewsbury.

Whilst they were soundly beaten 5-0 in the first of those two fixtures, they were able to beat the League One side 1-0 in the second – that match saw the youngest-ever side in the club’s history line-up.

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Neil Critchley deserves plenty of praise for the work he has done with those youngsters. He was also in charge for both of those aforementioned matches, and they were by no means outclassed in either – they had 58% possession and more shots on target against the Villans, but just weren’t clinical enough. His guidance has helped the likes of Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott move onto the fringes of Klopp’s squad – they have started all of Liverpool’s FA Cup fixtures this term, for example.

Now, though, Critchley has moved on to pastures new. On Monday morning, the Reds confirmed that the youth team coach had joined Blackpool to become their manager, which is his first such job in football. His exit comes as a bit surprising considering the work he has done at Liverpool, but he has clearly earned his stripes.

His departure is a testament to the quality of Liverpool’s academy. The fact that a professional football club has decided to appoint him based on his work and achievements on Merseyside shows that teams are eager to tap into some of the success they have enjoyed.

Not only has the players’ stock increased but those of the staff surrounding them has too. It remains to be seen whether his appointment at Bloomfield Road is a success, but it is the biggest compliment to Liverpool’s academy.

Meanwhile, this Liverpool target with “incredible technique” has received rave reviews.

The Last Word on Spurs podcast (March 2nd, 10:30) contributor Jonny Blain has slammed summer signing Tanguy Ndombele after his cameo performance against Wolves at the weekend.

What’s he said?

Ndombele did not start against Nuno Espirito Santo’s men as Spurs lost 3-2 at home.

He managed just 14 minutes off the bench and has not played the full 90 minutes for the club since December in the 2-2 draw with Norwich City. Ironically enough, he was then injured in the following game against Southampton.

It has been a recurring issue with Ndombele, who cost £53.8m in the summer, a fee that could rise to £62.8m; his fitness issues have left him finishing the 90 minutes just three times in the league, and two of those were in the first two games of the season.

Blain believes that his fitness woes have been such that he cannot be trusted to play in midfield under Jose Mourinho.

He said: “When he took over he thought (Eric) Dier was the man to play in that defensive midfield role. He loved Dier, he kept going on about Dier even when he wasn’t Spurs manager. Dier wasn’t up to it.

“He actually did alright today, but that’s because he wasn’t on the ball. He’s come in and he thought Dier was the man, Dier clearly wasn’t the man.

“Ndombele can’t be the man because he never plays. Winks is not a defensive midfielder, he’s not a tackler. He is what he is.

“If you spend £63m on a bloke who ran City off the ground in the Champions League twice, he comes in and gives you 15 minutes every week. That’s embarrassing.”

Spot on

Ndombele is an enigma.

He is clearly immensely talented and has the guile and poise to beat players at will and play exceptionally difficult passes at speed.

However, he is also becoming something of a running joke.

He has looked tired in all of his Spurs appearances and has, at times, even appeared to be overweight.

This is another recurring issue – he is said to have struggled with his size earlier in his career.

No clues whatsoever: Which seasons do these iconic Spurs images belong to?

Ndombele looks a long way off being the midfielder that Spurs need him to be and one has to wonder if he will be a trustworthy member of the squad next season.

A full pre-season could well do wonders for him but it is difficult to envisage him becoming a key player at this point because, as Blain says, “he never plays”.

It is a problem that Mourinho needs to solve.

Meanwhile, Spurs have seen one man for the first time in 85 days!

According to Diario Madridista, Manchester United are interested in Real Madrid star Toni Kroos.

What’s the word?

The Germany international is said to be on the radar of Bayern Munich, with journalist Eduardo Inda revealing that contacts with the Bundesliga giants have intensified in recent weeks.

Whilst the report claims that Kroos is happy in Madrid, he has not closed the door completely on potentially departing the Bernabeu.

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It’s further added that Bayern are not the only suitors for him, but that United and French heavyweights PSG “also love him”.

Must avoid

Kroos to United? If you were living under a rock, then you would be forgiven for thinking that this isn’t 2020, and that David Moyes is still the man in charge at Old Trafford.

The German was the subject of intense interest from the Red Devils back in 2013, with David Moyes revealing a couple of years ago that everything had been agreed for him to make the move to United.

But whilst a deal back then would have been understandable, fast forward seven years, and Kroos quite understandably isn’t the same player he once was. The £54m-rated ace is now 30-years-old, and bringing him now to the pace and intensity of the Premier League would be quite the difficult adjustment to make.

As per Sofascore, he loses the ball more than nine times a game, whilst he only wins 56% of his total duels in La Liga. His lack of mobility may be exposed by how quick the Premier League is, and with United showing that they are at their most dangerous on counter-attacks (the games against Chelsea and Manchester City show that), Kroos’ possession-based style just doesn’t seem like the right fit.

This just has all the hallmarks of being a Ed Woodward disaster if they don’t swerve their interest in the German.

Meanwhile, this Man Utd player had an absolute nightmare against Manchester City.

Amidst all the spotlight being on the likes of Christian Eriksen and Jan Vertonghen’s contract situations this season, it’s easy to forget that Japhet Tanganga’s deal with Tottenham also comes to an end very soon.

Of course, Spurs have already dealt with the drama surrounding Eriksen by cutting their losses on him in the January transfer window, and letting him join Serie A giants Inter.

The situation with Vertonghen also appears to be inching towards a similar conclusion in that recent reports suggest the Belgium international is heading for the exit door on a free transfer.

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But Tanganga is someone Spurs desperately need to keep hold of. If there is a priority in terms of negotiating new deals with players, then Daniel Levy should look no further than the Lilywhites’ academy product.

The 20-year-old has come on leaps and bounds this season, making a real breakthrough into the first-team – prior to the postponement of the Premier League, he had made 11 appearances for Spurs’ senior side.

And that too in a variety of different positions, including left-back, centre-back, right-back, and even wing-back. Tanganga has simply gotten on with the job with the minimum of fuss even despite being thrown around everywhere across the defence by Jose Mourinho.

He represents the future of the club, and as ‘one of their own’, just like talisman Harry Kane, he is someone who the fans can no doubt rally behind. Homegrown players are naturally going to be a source of inspiration and affection for supporters, and it’s why Levy should really make the £7.2m-rated Tanganga, his first point of order when it comes to planning ahead.

Vertonghen may well be the ‘bigger’, high-profile name. But Tanganga is undeniably the player who Spurs must prioritise.

Meanwhile, this key backroom man must play a huge role for Spurs this summer.

Wolves are interested in signing Aston Villa’s John McGinn, and Paul Robinson believes that the appeal of the club makes them an attractive destination for the midfielder.

What did he say?

The Midlands outfit already have a number of effective midfielders on their books such as Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho, who have each averaged WhoScored ratings of seven or above in the Europa League this season, and made a combined total of 89 appearances.

Competition for places is needed, therefore, and it appears that Nuno Espirito Santo has set his sights on McGinn, though he could face a challenge from Leicester and Everton to get his signature.

In response to the news Robinson was generous with his comments on the Scotland international, who has impressed fans of Manchester United and Liverpool in his debut season in the Premier League.

The former goalkeeper stated he has had a great season after making a name for himself at international level, and gave his verdict on the prospect of Wolves bringing in the £18m-rated player.

Speaking to Football Insider, he said:

“Wolves is a different story now. The way that Nuno Espirito Santo has turned that club into serious European contenders in a short space of time. Wolves are back. It is an attractive proposition for any player.”

Perfect fit

John McGinn may have spent several weeks on the sidelines because of injury in recent weeks but there is little doubt that he has made a big imapct on the Premier League this season.

He has contributed to five goals in 18 games for a struggling Aston Villa side but also proved effective in several other aspects of his game.

For example, his return of 2.5 tackles and 2.3 dribbles per game show the energy he possesses and how he contributes to his team in all areas of the pitch, and for this Wolves side that could help massively.

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Nuno often varies his formation between 3-5-2 and 3-4-3 but in both systems his midfield pairing of Moutinho and Neves tend to sit deep, and only offer an attacking contribution int he form of long shots and set-pieces.

McGinn, by contrast, would be able to carry the ball up the pitch for Wolves and provide better support for the likes of Raul Jimenez and Diogo Jota, and that could add to Wolves’ game.

Call yourself a Wolves expert? How much did each of these January signings cost?

They would be dangerous on the counter-attack as well as being able to keep possession, and that would be ideal in competing against the different challenges they could be faced with next season, as Wolves could very well qualify for European competition once again.

In other transfer-related news, Wolves fans have been reacting to a European giant registering interest in one of their key players…

Rangers Academy chief Craig Mulholland has revealed that teenage playmaker Kai Kennedy has got the club’s entire staff “excited” by his potential.

What’s the word?

As reported by The Daily Record, Mulholland believes the academy’s youngsters should join the SPFL period, and pointed to Kennedy’s success around the first-team as a reason why.

“Kai has had a terrific season and is already being carefully integrated into the first team programme by the manager and his staff.

The single toughest football logo quiz of all time…

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“This is reflected when you look at just the last three months alone where he has travelled with the team to their winter camp in Dubai, playing in a first team friendly game, made his competitive debut at Ibrox in the Scottish Cup, trains most days with the first team and was on the bench for the last league game at Ross County before the enforced break.

“All of this achieved while still only 17 and still eligible for the under-18s. We are all excited by Kai’s potential and that of many of his colleagues.”

Middleton 2.0?

Kennedy just turned 18 this weekend, and it seems inevitable that the youngster will pop up in Steven Gerrard’s first-team more and more next season after featuring in a friendly fixture in Dubai.

Functioning mainly as a left-winger for the academy side, the same position as Glenn Middleton, Kennedy has racked up five assists in 13 appearances this season, so perhaps his creativity could help the Gers break down packed defences, something they have struggled immensely with in 2020.

He has also impressed at an international level, racking up five goals across various levels of Scotland’s youth set-up. Back in October, he produced a playmaking master-class against Andorra U-19s, setting up both goals in a 2-0 win for the young Scots.

If he breaks through into the first team it could be really bad news for Middleton, who shone early on under Gerrard but lost his spot on the left-wing to Ryan Kent. The 20 year-old has not impressed on loan at Bradford, playing just 11 times and finding no goals and two assists, and would surely fall further down the pecking order if Kennedy fulfils his potential.

Rangers fans, have you seen the latest comments on potential investment from Jim McColl? Check them out here!

Loads of Rangers fans have been reacting to a video message from Scott Arfield, as the Canada international urged supporters to stay at home and delivered a thank you to the NHS and key workers.

Arfield joined Rangers in July 2018 on a free transfer, and is valued at £2.25m by Transfermarkt.

The 31 year-old has bags of experience at the top level and has proved to be an astute signing for Steven Gerrard, always giving 110%, which is exactly what fans expect from anyone who dons the light blue shirt.

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Across 94 appearances he has managed 21 goals and 12 assists from midfield, finding the score sheet on nine occasions this season.

The veteran posted his message on the club’s official Twitter account this week, reiterating the government’s lockdown guidelines, wishing supporters the best and thanking NHS workers.

You can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below, where the Ibrox faithful were full of praise for Arfield…

Rangers fans are loving Mark Walters’ latest tweet…

Former England defender Danny Mills has said that Newcastle United must prioritise the signing of a striker this summer, in an interview with Football Insider.

What did he say?

Newcastle have struggled for goals this season, managing just 25 from their 29 matches so far, the joint-worst record in the entire Premier League.

Midfielder Jonjo Shelvey is their top scorer in the league with five goals, while summer signing Joelinton has managed just one goal from his 27 starts.

With goalscoring an obvious concern, Mills said that a new striker this summer needs to be the prospective new owners’ priority.

“A striker has to be the priority,” he told Football Insider.

“A couple of goalscorers is what they need.

“Joelinton simply has not done it. Almiron works hard but has not done it and if you want to climb higher up the table you have to score goals. Newcastle do not have a goal threat.

“Once the takeover is complete and people realise that they have got lots of cash then every man and his dog is going to be mentioned.

“Every agent is going to be on the phone thinking it is time to get involved and make some money and that is where Newcastle need the right people involved.”

Quiz: How much did Mike Ashley pay for these players?

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Priorities

Newcastle have really been lacking in front of goal this season and the lack of prolific finisher is part of that, but a lack of creativity has also played a part.

Joelinton is definitely a player with potential but has not been used well by Bruce, while the fact that he has favoured a defensive 5-4-1 formation has limited his side’s attacking possibilities.

Liverpool have reportedly opened up negotiations with a new forward, but sorry to disappoint, it’s not Timo Werner.

According to Le 10 Sport, the Reds are laying the foundations to clinch Lille striker Victor Osimhen this summer with talks beginning with his representatives over a potential switch to the Premier League.

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The Ligue 1 outfit’s president, Gerard Lopez, has even confirmed that he’s already received offers for the 21-year-old with Manchester United and Chelsea reportedly also keen.

Osimhen has been in fine form this campaign, finding the net no fewer than 18 times in 38 appearances, including strikes in the Champions League with one coming against Chelsea.

The Nigerian, however, has split opinion amongst the Anfield faithful as many seem to have their sights set on RB Leipzig’s talisman instead.

He could cost the Merseyside club between €70m (£61m) and €80m (£70m) whilst currently Transfermarkt value him at £24.3m.

And they’ve been letting their feelings known on Twitter, replying to LFC Transfer Room with their thoughts.

Here’s what has been said so far…

AND in other news, Liverpool fans react to Timo Werner transfer update…