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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… 

Ben Davies has struggled to get into the Tottenham team so far this campaign with only three starts to his name, but his performance against Croatia for Wales will certainly give Mauricio Pochettino something to think about.

Danny Rose has been the preferred choice at left-back for much of the season but with no end in sight of Spurs’ defensive woes – with 13 goals conceded in their last five games – a change may be in order.

Added to that, Rose didn’t exactly impress for England on Friday night with a SofaScore rating of 6.1 in defeat against the Czech Republic, and therefore Davies is deserving of a recall.

As well as providing a defensive improvement, the Welshman could also provide more energy and impetus going forward, as he showed bravery and ambition against the World Cup runners-up, and that could help to end Tottenham’s bad run of form.

The 26-year-old’s commitment was on show in everything he did on Sunday, and if the level of desired he showed was replicated throughout the team then Spurs would get the lift they need.

He put in a strong defensive performance, helping the young Ethan Ampadu and leading by example, as well as making one tackle, as per SofaScore.

However, it was going forward where he really excelled, linking up with Gareth Bale frequently, including a great run which set up a chance that the Real Madrid man couldn’t miss to level things up.

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Wales could have had more thanks to his efforts, too, and if he is able to repeat the two key passes he made this weekend against Watford, then a top striker like Harry Kane is likely to put them away.

Davies sometimes lacks the skill and physicality to attack effectively, as his rate of 0.1 successful dribbles per league game last season suggests, so the fact he managed two against Croatia suggests he did so because of a determination to help his team.

Spurs need that kind of team player currently, someone who isn’t afraid to put their body on the line – as his four out of seven duels won indicates – and therefore Pochettino should show some faith in Davies by giving him a run in the team.

Barcelona have an early kick-off this Saturday as they travel to a difficult ground of Ipurua.

Eibar, their weekend hosts, currently sit in 14th place in the table, having only won nine points in the total of eight games played.

The Catalans are heading into the clash as favourites and they will undoubtedly be aiming to dethrone Real Madrid from the top of La Liga or at least apply more pressure on them as we get back to club football after the international break.

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But the Blaugrana will be facing some difficulties with their squad selection and Ernesto Valverde might have to resort to some unexpected picks due to suspensions and possible fatigue.

With all of that in mind, here’s what we think Barcelona’s starting lineup will look like this weekend:

Marc-Andre ter Stegen has started every single game in the league so far and his spot is rarely under threat.

For that reason, it’s fairly safe to conclude he’s going to be the man between the sticks this Saturday as well.

His back four, however, will definitely see some changes. Nelson Semedo is expected to start on his natural right side of the pitch once again, having deputised for both Junior Firpo and Jordi Alba in the last couple of fixtures.

Watch Lionel Messi and Gareth Bale answer the internet’s weirdest questions in the video below…

But with Alba’s return to the squad, the Portuguese right-back should assume his ordinary role. With Gerard Pique’s suspension due to yellow card accumulation, Jean-Clair Todibo might get a nod in front of the experienced Spaniard.

Samuel Umtiti is also back in the squad but he’s still fairly fresh from his injury and with no minutes under his name, it would be a stretch to start him immediately. For that reason, the 19-year-old Todibo might feature once again after a good showing on his debut.

The middle of the park is where it gets interesting again.

Seeing Arthur Melo has done a lot of travelling during his international duties, Valverde might be inclined to give the Brazilian a rest and include the heavily-criticised Ivan Rakitic from the get-go.

The Croatian should then be deployed next to the fairly standard Frenkie de Jong, who picks himself at this point and Sergio Busquets, who only played one game for his national team – the former in a more advanced role on the left and the latter in his traditional defensive midfielder position.

Finally, the front three should bring us no surprises at all – Antoine Griezmann on the left, Luis Suarez upfront and Lionel Messi, who’s finally completely fit and ready, on the right.

With the suspension of Ousmane Dembele due to the red card he received in the last game against Sevilla, Valverde will most likely go for the aforementioned option with little chances of any changes.

West Brom managed to cling onto the Championship lead as they had to come from behind to snatch a point against basement boys Barnsley.

The rock-bottom visitors took a surprise two-goal lead into half-time as Cauley Woodrow netted twice inside six minutes at the Hawthorns.

Albion boss Slaven Bilic then made a double change at the break, and it paid off with his side worming their way back into the match.

Firstly, Matheus Pereira forced Bambo Diaby to stick it into his own net from an inswinging corner before he got on the scoresheet himself nine minutes from time with a well-timed header from Conor Townsend’s cross.

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The Baggies have picked up a league-high 15 points from a losing position this season, and it also was an all too familiar story for striker Charlie Austin as his barren spell in front of goal continued.

His performance on Monday night has led to multiple supporters blasting him for his contribution, or lack of, having scored just once in eight league starts.

One fan called the 30-year-old ‘washed up’ and compared him to Rickie Lambert, who bagged just the single goal in 26 appearances during the 2015/16 campaign.

Another member of the Hawthorns faithful claimed his movement was ‘glacial’ and that Albion needed to upgrade on him in the January transfer window while ‘average’ and ‘past it’ were two other phrases used to describe Austin’s showing.

Here’s more of the reaction:

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

Aston Villa recorded back-to-back victories for the first time this season by defeating Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1 last weekend.

Dean Smith needed late heroics from Matt Targett as the left-back slotted home in the 94th minute to send the west Midlands club up to 12th in the league table.

Now they head to Manchester looking to continue their rich vein of form, but it will be no easy test as City are the reigning champions after all.

Aston Villa’s summer signings’ performances so far this season are rated in the video below…

They have faltered in recent times, losing to Norwich City and Wolves, meaning they are currently six points off league leaders Liverpool.

For all of their riches of talent from Raheem Sterling to Kevin De Bruyne, there’s still one area that Villa can exploit.

On the Chalkboard

Pep Guardiola has suffered a bit of an injury crisis in defence since the season started with Aymeric Laporte expected to be out for an extended period following knee surgery.

John Stones was even injured at one point while Nicolas Otamendi just can’t be trusted, forcing the Spanish boss into playing two defensive midfielders in central defence.

Against Atalanta in midweek, the two-time Premier League winner saw his problems get even worse as Rodri, one of the two drafted in to play centre-back, picked up a hamstring injury.

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Therefore, it seems likely that Fernandinho and Stones will be the partnership this afternoon, and that’s undoubtedly a recipe for disaster – the Englishman has been thrown into the deep end having only just returned himself, and the 34-year-old is hardly a natural defender.

This is where Wesley can pounce – he’s in fantastic form right now so he can be a massive nuisance to that makeshift backline.

Villa’s club-record man has netted four goals in seven matches while over the last two games alone, the 22-year-old has managed eight shots on goal.

His rugged nature, which could prove vital this weekend, has seen him win four aerial duels in the same time frame, per WhoScored.

If he keeps this up at the Etihad Stadium, then he may well hold the keys to Villa returning back to the Midlands with some sort of result.

Manchester United fans on Twitter haven’t lost all hope in Fred yet after he put on an impressive performance against Norwich City on Sunday.

The Brazilian midfielder was rather impressive against the Canaries as he had an 86.4 per cent pass completion rate on his way to picking up a 7.31 WhoScored rating.

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It’s fair to say that Fred had a rather underwhelming debut campaign at Old Trafford after his £47m move from Shakhtar Donetsk.

Indeed, the midfielder was labelled as one of the worst signings in the club’s history earlier this month, but now it seems as if he’s on the right track in terms of winning over the Old Trafford faithful as he received a lot of praise for his performance at Carrow Road.

Whether or not Fred can become a star in Manchester remains to be seen, but these fans certainly have faith in him.

Here’s what Manchester United fans have been saying on Twitter…

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

West Bromwich Albion are currently sitting pretty at the top of the Championship table, despite not picking up a victory in either of their last two fixtures.

Slaven Bilic’s side still have a two-point cushion to second-placed Preston North End, having lost just one game all season, less than any other team in the division.

Earlier this week, one of their young defenders has been speaking about the impact the Croatian has had, particularly on his own game.

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Jack Fitzwater, who featured for the U23 squad on Monday night, has praised Bilic’s coaching by saying: “He is really good to work with. The standards are really high and there are so many things you can learn from him. If you are willing to improve you will under a manager like that.”

The 22-year-old was kept on board for this season due to Ahmed Hegazi’s injury, but there is talk that he could once again head out on loan in January.

With his contract set to expire later this summer, there could be a dilemma on the cards for the hierarchy at the Hawthorns. However, it would be wise for the club and Fitzwater to part ways at the end of the season, considering they are only wasting each other’s time.

The centre-back won the academy’s Player of the Year for the 2014/15 season, yet since then, he’s not featured for the senior side in a single game and has gone out on loan to four different clubs.

He’s even had a trio of spells at Walsall.

Now with Hegazi, Semi Ajayi, Kyle Bartley, and even Dara O’Shea, who is on the fringes of the first team, in the mix, it seems rather unlikely that the defender will make his debut after five years around the first-team fold.

Fitzwater serves no purpose to Albion if he goes out on another loan, and if he isn’t going to get into the team under Bilic, then it serves no purpose to himself to hang around at the Hawthorns past this season.

A player’s career is rather short these days, and he’s already wasted five years of it on the false pretences that he will make it at the club.

When Luke Dowling meets with his Croatian manager to discuss potential deals involving the U23 squad, it will probably be time to part ways with the 22-year-old.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

Sheffield Wednesday boss Garry Monk may soon have a pressing situation on his hands in a key area with January soon on the horizon.

Earlier this week, the Owls’ number two goalkeeper Cameron Dawson was linked with a move away from Hillsborough as a whole host of clubs are reportedly keen on clinching him, including Derby County and Scottish Premier League outfit Rangers – per The Star.

Meanwhile, third-choice shot-stopper Joe Wildsmith made his comeback from injury in training this week, which is merely a coincidence, but it does open up the argument to whether or not he can be the man to succeed his senior teammate.

Both goalkeepers have enjoyed stints in the first-team starting line up since progressing through the club’s academy ranks – Wildsmith took advantage of Keiren Westwood’s injury back in 2015 while Dawson was handed the privilege of being number one under Jos Luhukay until he was sacked.

Several supporters at the south Yorkshire club clearly do not want to see the 24-year-old leave the club, especially not to a Championship rival, as seen with their reactions here.

And they may well be onto something as the backup between the sticks has always proven himself when given the opportunity.

This season, Dawson has recorded four clean sheets in five appearances. Most recently, he kept one against Stoke City to help the Owls to a 1-0 victory, and then he was harshly dropped for the next match as Westwood returned from injury.

But either way, it appears that Wednesday have, or maybe had, their long-term future stocked up in a vital area.

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The 23-year-old, on the other hand, has never really looked like he could be Westwood’s successor – in 48 appearances, the young keeper has conceded 66 goals, which is 11 more than Dawson in only four more games.

Wildsmith’s last league game was back in April 2018 and he could only manage two Carabao Cup matches last term, so it’s clear to see that he hasn’t been in favour for quite some time in south Yorkshire.

Monk will surely try to tie down Dawson to a longer-term deal before it is too late, while a loan move may prove beneficial to Wildsmith if he is to have any chance of breaking into the first-team anytime soon.

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…

As quoted by The Wales Online, Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs has explained how Daniel James is following in Cristiano Ronaldo’s footsteps.

What did he say?

Since arriving from Championship side Swansea in a £15m deal in the summer, James has adapted superbly to life at Old Trafford. The Wales international has already struck three times and provided a further three assists in 16 games across all competitions, and has already attracted a lot of attention from opposition defenders.

As per Whoscored, the 22-year-old has been fouled 2.5 times per game on average in the Premier League, and Giggs has praised the winger’s ability to continue to get up from his knocks – just like a certain Ronaldo did.

He said: “He’s been outstanding and he is a constant threat. He’s added even more than he had with goals and assists which is a wingers’ game, that is what you are out there to do. We’ve all seen a big change and improvement in Dan’s quality on the pitch and mentality since that Leeds move fell down.

“He takes a lot of knocks but gets up, gets on with it and demands the ball back. I’m not comparing him to Ronaldo but that’s something, especially earlier on in his career when he took a lot of knocks, he would do. He’s a fantastic character. To show that mentality to go to a big club like United and conserving what he’s been through over the last six months, no one deserves it more. I think he will get better and better.”

Elite mentality

As Giggs suggests, that attitude of constantly wanting to get up from knockdowns and simply wanting to get better will serve James incredibly well for the future. As the world has seen, Ronaldo’s dedication to the craft has seen him become one of the game’s greatest ever players, with multiple Ballon d’Or awards in his trophy cabinet.

Whilst James may not get to that level, having a hard-working mentality is the best way for him to continually improve at United. At just 22, he has shown he can already be a key part of a side as big as the Red Devils, and his early form this season indicates that the sky is the limit for him.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

How times change. When Manchester United were pursuing a move for Harry Maguire in the summer, there was always bound to be a casualty from the Red Devils’ centre-back department. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer even remarked that he had “too many” in that position, and in the end, the casualty of their new £80m signing, proved to be Chris Smalling.

The former Fulham ace joined Italian giants AS Roma on a season-long loan and he has quickly established himself as a mainstay of the team. He has played ten times already, and has scored one goal in Serie A too. United’s forgotten man is beginning to revive his career, and he can count himself desperately unlucky to have missed out on Gareth Southgate’s England squad for this latest international break.

The Three Lions boss previously alluded to leaving the 29-year-old out because he was not as good as some of the other centre-backs in bringing the ball out from defence. He said: “We have players like Stones and (Eric) Dier and Maguire who are even better. Chris has got 30 caps, he plays for Manchester United, so I know what he can do. The other guys I want to see and want to look at and that’s an important part of how we want to play, building from there.”

Well if that is Southgate’s main concern over the United loanee, then he should perhaps take a closer look at how the defender has been getting on this season. He has averaged an impressive 52.1 passes per game in Serie A, at a splendid accuracy of 90.4%. Compare this to his measly 39.8 passes per game in the Premier League last season shows how the 29-year-old is becoming increasingly confident of finding himself in possession.

The quality and incisiveness of his passes have gone up too, with Smalling now making 0.3 key passes per game compared to just 0.1 last year. His major improvements means that he can rightfully be annoyed not to have forced his way back into the England set-up.

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…

Conor Gallagher, on loan at Charlton Athletic from Chelsea, has admitted that he has surprised himself this season, as reported by the club’s official website.

What did he say?

This is Gallagher’s first-ever season in senior football, so despite impressing in Chelsea’s youth ranks, this would be seen as a big step up for the 19-year-old, especially as he went straight into the second tier.

However, he has gone on to excel during his maiden loan spell, starting 15 Championship games this season, coming off the bench once, scoring 5 goals and assisting 1 more.

He even made his full debut for England U21 during this international break, scoring a brilliant goal to help secure a 3-0 win over Albania.

It has been a superb start to the season for him so far, which he admits has surprised him, as reported by Charlton’s official website: “I’ve just started to realise, in the last few games, that they don’t mess about in the Championship! I’ve got a few knocks and bruises.

“I didn’t expect to be at this point, to be fair, but it proves that if you work hard and believe in yourself you can achieve things that maybe you didn’t think you could.”

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Making an impact

Aside from his goals and assists, Gallagher has averaged 1.9 tackles, 1.1 interceptions, 1.6 dribbles and 0.7 key passes per game this campaign.

All of this has impressed manager Lee Bowyer, as he told talkSPORT: “For us it was a bit of a gamble; he had never been on loan anywhere before and is only 19 so he’s still learning the game, but he’s hit the ground running.

“Whatever you tell him he does and I just keep encouraging him to get in the box, and things are falling for him at the moment.

“His willingness and work rate are unreal, so he’s fitted in really well.”

The teenager has made a big impact so far, with his all-round play and prowess in front of goal, so there will be many at Charlton looking forward to seeing what he can produce in the rest of the campaign.