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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’s forwards are in fine form but Mark Warburton showed against Middlesbrough that he isn’t afraid to mix things up, and that means he should try another alteration to bring the best out of his players.

On the chalkboard

Last weekend the R’s boss made the somewhat bold decision to drop Jordan Hugill from the starting line-up, despite the fact he has scored seven league goals, opting instead to deploy Ilias Chair in a more advanced role.

Warburton will believe his change paid off as Chair slipped in Nahki Wells to score QPR’s equaliser, but the striker may have faired even better if he had Eberechi Eze alongside him instead.

The 21-year-old often played in the number 10 role last season and though he didn’t produce the goals and assists – with four and four respectively – Steve McClaren may have hoped for, he did improve and his productivity this term means he would be suitable playing higher up the pitch.

With a pacy and intelligent strike partnership of Eze and Wells, and the freedom they’d both have, the R’s would be a more potent attacking threat, and ensure the club’s better finishers are well-positioned when chances are created.

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Effective partnership

Warburton has got the best out of his attacking players, so it is worth bearing in mind that the style of play he has implemented is likely to lead to chances, but with Eze up-front it increases the likelihood of those opportunities being converted.

Unlike Chair, who has no goals, the forward has contributed six goals and four assists this term, but his all-round game makes him an ideal partner for Wells, and their link-up play could be a great avenue for goals.

Not only has Eze averaged 87% pass accuracy in the league, but also 3.1 successful dribbles per game and, crucially, 1.8 key passes per game.

As a result, getting him as close as possible to the opposition box, and to Wells, has to be the focus of Warburton. Playing in and around the final third is where he will be most effective, and if Wells could build even more of an understanding with him, he’d be sure to add to his impressive tally of 11 goals.

Doing so would also allow Chair to slot into his natural position of centre-midfield, while Hugill could act as an impact sub if Warburton wants to operate with better passers – the 27-year-old managing just 71% pass accuracy this term.

Leicester City defender Ben Chilwell played a key role in England recording a 7-0 win over Montenegro in Thursday night’s Euro 2020 qualification match.

Indeed, the left-back assisted each of England’s first three goals at Wembley, setting up Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain for the opener before helping Harry Kane score his first two.

What’s more, WhoScored have the 22-year-old down as boasting an 88% pass success rate, in addition to completing three dribbles and four tackles.

It remains to be seen whether the Leicester defender will start the opening match of Euro 2020.

However, his performance on Thursday night would have surely impressed Gareth Southgate.

A number of Liverpool fans were also very impressed with what they saw from Chilwell against Montenegro, with many taking to social media during the contest to react.

Some claimed that they wanted the left-back to arrive at Anfield, whilst others were just keen to pay tribute to the 5 ft 10 ace.

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

Tottenham Hotspur are definitely at the beginning of a brand new adventure.

With Mauricio Pochettino sacked and out of the door and Jose Mourinho taking over the team, it’s pretty safe to say some changes are bound to happen in the near future.

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But speaking of the future and what it holds for this squad, Spurs do seem to have plenty of young players who are just waiting to emerge on the scene if and when they are given the chance to do so.

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One such talent is definitely their 19-year-old defensive midfielder, Oliver Skipp.

The young player recently took part in England’s U21 clash with the Netherlands and it seems that he has managed to impress many of Tottenham Hotspur fans in the process.

They were quick to shower him with praise, comparing him to the likes of Luka Modric and Tanguy Ndombele.

You can see some of their replies and comments down in the collection of tweets below:

In a Q&A with Leeds United fans as published by the club on Wednesday night (02:14), Whites defender Luke Ayling has named the teammate he would least like to be in quarantine with – Ezgjan Alioski.

The 28-year-old was firstly asked who he would most like to be couped up with – Kalvin Phillips – before being asked the opposite.

The full-back answered “G” almost instantly, which of course refers to Gjanni, the first name Alioski is also known by.

Missing football!? There’s still plenty of Leeds discussion going on in the Vital Leeds Forum! Click here to get involved!

The reasoning behind the choice was because the Macedonia international is “non-stop 24/7 shouting, screaming”, so it is understanding that the former Bristol City man wouldn’t want to be stuck at home with him if he was trying to relax!

Ayling, meanwhile, has certainly enjoyed an impressive 2019/20 campaign with the Championship table-toppers, scoring four goals and providing a further four assists in 28 league appearances to date.

>A true test for any Leeds fan: Can you match these iconic images with the right results?

His brilliant strike in Marcelo Bielsa’s men’s previous match against Huddersfield Town is certainly one that will live long in the memory, and now the 28-year-old and his teammates will be keen to finish the job if and when the season resumes.

In other Leeds news, Phil Hay has named “the only” Whites player Marcelo Bielsa grew “tired of”…

A large number of Rangers fans flocked to Twitter to share their memories of Ted McMinn after an image of him in his former playing days emerged on the social media network.

OldRangersPics shared a photo of the former winger holding aloft one of the trophies he won during his time at the Ibrox outfit, which left plenty of supporters sharing their thoughts on him.

According to the club’s official website, who had done one of their big interview specials with him back in 2016, the Scotsman would go on to make 75 appearances for the Light Blues between 1984-87 and score six goals as he lifted the Scottish League Championship (1986/87) and the League Cup in the same year before moving on because he and Graeme Souness did not see eye-to-eye.

Despite only being with the Glaswegian outfit for three years, McMinn appeared to leave many associated with the club with fond memories, with many suggesting that he was a brilliant player, whilst others gave their opinion on what they felt his best match for them was.

Here are just some of their reactions…

Rangers fans, what are your memories of McMinn? Let us know below!

Former Liverpool player Jose Enrique is an active presence on social media.

Resembling a modern day digital fanboy, Enrique regularly posts about the Reds and generates debate amongst supporters via his Instagram account.

And now he’s taken to the platform to post an image of Lionel Messi as you’ve never seen him before.

/B-cRwObCTr_/

Wouldn’t Liverpool fans like to dream that the above image isn’t merely the product of a nifty Photoshop job, ey?

Hilariously obscure Premier League players – Can you name them all?

World Class score: 95% | Expert score: 80% | Veteran score: 65% | Intermediate score: 45% | Amateur score: 30% | Try Again: 5%

Sorry to break your hearts: Messi has not signed a deal with the Reds just yet.

Exactly what the future holds for the immortalised Argentine legend remains unclear, but he won’t be moving to Anfield on a free transfer this summer, as Enrique moots as a possibility.

Indeed, the £126m-rated star – as per Transfermarkt – has a contract with the Catalonian giants until 2021, so Liverpool will have to wait until January of the same year before they can approach him regarding a potential move.

A deal for Messi, even considering the fact he will be turn 34 next year, would be a game-changing coup for any interested party, one with the potential to transform a club’s global stature and financial power.

Despite Enrique’s ambition, though, we’re not holding our breath just yet…

In other news, Liverpool fans have been reacting to the huge news emerging from Belgium…

Former Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Paul Robinson has said that Mauricio Pochettino “harmed” Eric Dier by limiting his game time, in an interview with Football Insider.

What did he say?

Dier struggled for game time under Pochettino towards the end of the Argentine’s spell at Spurs, managing just 20 Premier League appearances last season.

However, he has become a key part of new boss Jose Mourinho’s plans and is set to be offered a new contract that will keep him at the club beyond 2021.

Asked why Dier has been struggling for game time in recent years, Robinson said the England man had been harmed by Pochettino.

“He had a lack of game time under Pochettino and that has harmed his season,” Robinson told Football Insider.

“Also if anyone was going to get moved about it was Eric Dier due to his versatility but maybe that works to his detriment.

“As he gets older I see him more as a centre-half. I think Dier is best deployed in a back-three.

“There was a time under Pochettino where you thought he was going to be leaving because he was not even in the squad. I hope he can get back to that and kick on after the new contract.”

Quick turnaround

There has been a quick turnaround in fortunes for Dier, who is now back in favour and looks set to earn a new deal.

The England international is versatile and has proven himself as a quality player when given the trust of his manager, and this appears to be what he has with Mourinho.

With Spurs now willing to offer him a new deal it shows how much he is valued and perhaps the fact that Pochettino was willing to phase him out shows why his time at Spurs came to an end.

Tottenham Hotspur have not had the season that they would have hoped for after reaching the 2019 Champions League final.

After a poor start to the Premier League season in which they managed just three wins between August and the end of November.

As a result, Mauricio Pochettino was replaced by Jose Mourinho and while results have picked up under the Portuguese manager, they remain sat eighth in the Premier League table.

With a number of key players entering the last few months of their contracts and key players leaving the club, there is plenty of work to do as Mourinho goes about rebuilding the squad left behind by Pochettino.

Key men such as Jan Vertonghen and the recently departed Christian Eriksen need to be replaced, while he will want to build around a new core including Steven Bergwijn, Giovani Lo Celso and Gedson Fernandes.

Here, we look at five players Spurs should look to target this summer…

Axel Disasi

With Jan Vertonghen and Juan Foyth potentially on their way out this summer, the Stade Reims centre-back would prove a sensible addition.

As has been the case for much of this year Davinson Sanchez and Toby Alderweireld will likely continue as the first choice pairing, but the 22-year-old Disasi could offer plenty as a back-up option.

Disasi’s Reims side finished fifth in Ligue 1 last season, with the defender averaging 3.6 clearances, 1.2 tackles and 4 long balls a match from his 27 league appearances.

Valued at around £13m, he would also offer good value in what is likely to be a market heavily impacted by the global economic situation.

Timothy Castagne

Linked with a move to Spurs in recent weeks, Atalanta defender Timothy Castagne could offer a good option for the club this summer.

The 24-year-old right-back has played a bit-part role for the over-achieving Italians this season, making 14 league appearances in their Serie A campaign that has seen them climb up into fourth in the table, but remains a prospect that is being monitored by Spurs and Paris Saint-Germain.

With Serge Aurier the current first choice right-back the North London side should be looking to add more depth to the position, with youngster Japhet Tanganga forced to fill in on the right side of the defence so far this season.

Reports suggest that chairman Daniel Levy is also keen on Castagne, with the club to be keen on investing in young players that have some resale value.

Gerson

A player that Spurs could be set to battle local rivals Arsenal for is Gerson, with the player’s father claiming that both clubs are keen on the 22-year-old.

Flamengo dominated the Brazilian Serie A last season and Gerson was a key part of their success, scoring two goals and providing three assists from his central midfield position.

Averaging 48.2 passes per match at an 88.6% accuracy, he could add an additional option alongside Lo Celso, Harry Winks, Moussa Sissoko and Tanguy Ndombele.

Of that group, Sissoko is now 30 and with Ndombele failing to reach his best form in North London, Gerson should add to a talented and youthful midfield group.

Serhou Guirassy

With the Amiens president confirming the club will let him leave this summer, Guirassy offers the ideal back-up option for an increasingly injury-prone Kane.

After managing seven goals for a relegated Amiens this season, the 24-year-old impressed and even managed a brace against champions PSG in February.

Valued at around £15m, Guirassy is a young player with re-sale value and also provides a different option to that of Kane, due to his height and aerial ability.

Dean Henderson

Given the price tag that Manchester United are likely to place on this young player it could be a difficult move to complete, but in the current climate it may be possible.

Henderson has started all but one of Sheffield United’s league fixtures this season, conceding just 22 goals.

Called up to the England senior squad for the first team this season as a result of his form, he may look to move on due to the presence of David De Gea at Old Trafford and with Hugo Lloris ageing, Spurs is the ideal destination.

Burnley could be set to lose one of nine potential opponents in the race to sign Lyle Taylor this summer as Scottish Premiership side Rangers look to Rhian Brewster.

News emerged earlier this week on Sky Sports News claiming that Sean Dyche’s side are on a list of 10 clubs that are keen to make a move for Charlton Athletic striker Taylor.

Taylor has had a good season with the Addicks so far this term, netting an impressive 11 goals in 22 games in the Championship.

Having moved to Charlton in 2018 from AFC Wimbledon, the Greenwich-born striker was key to their successful promotion from League One via the play-off final last term.

The pending return of the Championship season was expected to see Taylor play a part for Charlton as they look to hold off the threat of relegation, but the 30-year-old has refused to feature again for the club and will now leave on a free transfer this summer.

A whole host of clubs are said to have shown interest with the likes of West Bromwich Albion, Bristol City, Brentford, Turkish side Sivasspor and Scottish side Rangers.

However, Rangers are now set to leave that list of clubs as they look to the potential of bringing in Liverpool youngster Brewster instead with former Leeds United striker Noel Whelan telling Football Insider that he expects Steven Gerrard to make a move.

This piece of news for Burnley boss Dyche could be perfect as out of all the clubs said-to-be interested in Taylor, Rangers would have been a big draw given the sheer size of the club and their history, being 54-time Scottish champions.

Of course, a move for Brewster may not happen and the Gers may re-enter the race. But if Dyche is clever, he could put together an attractive offer for the 30-year-old striker in the next couple of weeks and pip their rivals to his signature.

Do you think Burnley can pull off a move for Taylor? Let us know in the comments section below…

Arsenal boosted their prospects of a European finish after yesterday’s 2-0 victory against Southampton moved them to within six points of Manchester United in fifth.

Kieran Tierney put in a great performance in during the match, receiving a 7.2 rating from SofaScore, which was the second best of any outfield player for the Gunners.

However, he did limp off late on in the game, leaving supporters to worry if he had suffered another injury.

The Scottish international was able to walk off the pitch but it would be understandable if Arsenal fans were worried as he has an abortive, injury-plagued first season for the Gunners.

However, Mikel Arteta provided some positive news as he has outlined that there is no worry for the player, telling the club’s official website: “Kieran was cramping. He hasn’t played two games together in the last seven or eight months and he was suffering. The weather is different to Scotland and he needs to adapt to it.”

This is good news for Arsenal as Tierney looked to be part of a new formation to keep the Gunners stronger in defence, and it worked. He started off as a left-back before shifting into the middle when Arteta switched to a back five from his initial four-man defence.

It is also good to have him fit so that Arsenal can have adequate squad depth, with Sead Kolasinac a good alternative to come off of the bench if needed.

Gunners fans will likely be relieved to hear that the Scotsman’s injury is not a major one, especially given his problems in that regard in recent months, ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup clash at Sheffield United.

Gunners fans, were you relieved by Arteta’s update on Tierney? Comment below with your views!