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This article is part of Football FanCast’s In The Pipeline series, which takes a look at some of the most promising young talent either linked with clubs or emerging from their academies…

The developing Thorp Arch academy continues to provide Leeds with first-team players.

Leif Davis, initially signed from Morecambe before learning further with the Whites, has made two first-team appearances this season whilst other youngsters like Jamie Shackleton and Alfie McCalmont are also making great strides.

The latter earned his international debut for Northern Ireland last week which was a glowing indication of the promise he’s shown in the early weeks of the season for Leeds.

Marcelo Bielsa has been keen to hand opportunities to those coming through the academy and by January 2019, he’d handed out debuts to ten players below the age of 21.

Although it may be too soon to throw him into the first-team fold permanently, Nohan Kenneh is another name to keep an eye on over the next few years.

Like McCalmont, he was also in international action over the break, as were a host of young individuals residing within the Leeds ranks.

Featuring for England U17s, the defensive midfielder started as they defeated Poland and consequently won the Syrenka Cup.

He was brought off after 69 minutes but it was a promising display from the Young Three Lions who were victorious on penalties.

Success like that is sure to breed confidence for a 16-year-old and Leeds must build on moments like this.

After all, they may have been fortunate to keep Kenneh this summer.

Rather remarkably he was linked with Champions League giants PSG during the summer. A report from French outlet Soccer Link claimed they were trying to chase his signature on professional terms ahead of the Whites.

They were unsuccessful and Bielsa’s men were able to hold onto their academy product. If a huge European club has had prior interest then Leeds must produce him with a pathway to the first team to show him he can develop.

That could be difficult given the number of young midfielders in their ranks but it’s certainly better than losing one of their brightest prospects.

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Leeds saw a former Academy Player of the Year in Callum Nicell leave last week and they must avoid a repeat scenario.

Kenneh won a place on the bench versus Tadcaster Albion before showing his class in attacking situations with a superb effort for the U18s against Coventry.

If the teenager continues to make similar noises then he could become another young debutant to add to Bielsa’s collection.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Expert Roundup feature, which provides three quotes from those in the know in order to illuminate fundamental strengths, weaknesses, quirks, stylistic comparisons and general observations of players, transfer targets and confirmed signings.

Having had to sit out the opening two matches of the Premier League season through suspension, Tottenham Hotspur attacker Son Heung-min appears to be taking his frustration out on his opponents following his excellent display in the 4-0 win against Crystal Palace on Saturday.

The 27-year-old found the net twice and played a significant role in Erik Lamela’s goal too, and he continues to shine alongside England captain Harry Kane in a striking role for Spurs.

His latest performance certainly gained attention from plenty of pundits, who were quick to deliver their expert view on the South Korea international.

Micky Hazard

Former Tottenham player Hazard tweeted:

‘What a player Son is hey, I just love the way he plays the game always a smile on his face, even when he’s getting kicked ( except Bournemouth last year lol ). Such a pleasure to watch him play COYS’.

Micah Richards

Meanwhile, former England international Richards told BBC Final Score, via HITC:

“I think Son is becoming their most important player. When Kane was injured last season, Spurs seemed to play with more of a freedom. Kane is still number one in my eyes. He’s amazing.

“But you know sometimes when Spurs are away from home and it’s a little slow. I would play with an Eriksen, Son, Lucas Moura and Lamela just for some creativity and not looking to hit the main man always.

“Let’s not take anything away from Harry Kane because his goal record is incredible. I just like the way Son moves, Lamela and Lucas Moura.”

Garth Crooks

Lastly, another former Spurs player in Crooks picked Son for his team of the week on BBC Sport.

‘I can’t believe Son has not scored a hat-trick in the Premier League. If anyone deserves to have that statistic firmly emblazoned on his CV it is the South Korea international. Son was electric against a Crystal Palace side who are blowing hot and cold these days and, against Spurs, were freezing.’

Verdict

Nothing too out of the ordinary there really, although Richards’ comment about him becoming Tottenham’s most important player is an interesting one.

When you consider Kane is such a great goalscorer and the strong defensive nous the partnership of Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld provide, Son certainly has some stiff competition for that particular accolade.

But he has shown time and time again in recent seasons that he is a player that can make the difference when things perhaps aren’t going the north London outfit’s way, scoring some vitally important goals along the way.

It’s a big claim from Richards, but he might just be right based on this form.

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Real Madrid will surely have to go back to the drawing board after their horrible display against PSG.

Los Blancos suffered a huge 3-0 defeat at Parc des Princes as Zinedine Zidane continued his struggles at the helm.

Fans, naturally, have not taken too kindly to the result, and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has come under fire.

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Obviously, the former Chelsea goalkeeper conceded three times throughout the encounter and has generally endured a poor start to the campaign.

Indeed, the club have yet to keep a clean sheet in La Liga, with Courtois conceding six goals in four games.

Many of them seem to think the 27-year-old is just not good enough for Real and they described his display as “embarrassing” while claiming that he is the “definition of a joke”.

The Belgium international will certainly have to improve as the season progresses, with Real now looking to bounce back in group games against Galatasaray and Club Brugge.

Check out some of the best reaction below…

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It was a little too close for comfort, but Tottenham got the three points they needed against Southampton on Saturday.

After a disappointing night against Colchester United in the League Cup third round in midweek, Spurs were back in action against the Saints in the Premier League at the weekend. And it all started so well when Tanguy Ndombele put his side 1-0 up.

However, they were soon down to 10 men following Serge Aurier’s dismissal for two bookable offences, and Danny Ings was then able to level things up just eight minutes later.

Fortunately, Harry Kane was on hand to restore the lead just before half-time, and that proved to be the last goal of the game.

Mauricio Pochettino spoke after the match and, after the poor week they had, his comments summed up the general feeling at the north London outfit currently. He explained:

“We have worked very hard for five years to put the club in the level that no-one expected. That is why now for some results that were not in the way people expected, we don’t give up, so we need to be strong to be stronger.”

Indeed, the former Espanyol boss can be proud of the job he has done at Tottenham. When he arrived in 2014, the club had finished sixth in the table and the best part of £109.69m had been wasted in the summer of 2013.

Since then, though, Spurs have not finished lower than fifth and have qualified for the Champions League in each of the past four seasons. They even made it to the final of that European competition last season, whilst they also made the final of the League Cup in 2015. All this has been achieved as Pochettino helped ease the side into their new 62,062 capacity stadium.

It has not been the best start to this campaign, and the result against Colchester was particularly embarrassing. However, there is plenty of quality in this Tottenham side, and they bounced back fantastically by showing grit to beat the south coast side. There has been talk recently that Pochettino could leave the club in the near future. It would be a dark day for Spurs if that were to happen.

The saga involving Leeds youngster Jordan Stevens is set to come to an end soon, albeit a disappointing one according to Managing Director Angus Kinnear.Stevens was handed a six-week ban from all football activities for a breach of betting rules. The 19-year-old was handed a fine of £1,200 but wasn’t even allowed to enter the training ground or Elland Road.A court previously heard how he was suffering from homesickness and boredom but Leeds’ efforts to have him work with the club’s foundation ultimately failed.Angus Kinnear said: “The conundrum of how you can work for a football club’s Foundation, yet not be ‘in football context’ has proved intellectually insurmountable and so we have conceded defeat.”Watch Leeds United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

It was news that consequently left a host of Leeds fans fuming with the treatment as they seem to believe he should have been allowed to integrate with others in a bid to help his maturity.

One fan claimed it was an utter disgrace while another noted it was a sad indictment of an organisation supposedly run by dinosaurs.

A further individual suggested the authorities were a joke and out of touch.

Stevens arrived from Forest Green in 2018 but has only made one appearance for the Leeds senior team since joining.

Here’s the best of the reaction.

West Ham fans are beginning to accept life without Lukasz Fabianksi, who faces up to three months on the sidelines, with some deciding to show support for Roberto.

The Spanish keeper has not enjoyed the best start to his Hammers career, conceding four against Oxford in the League Cup second round, leading some fans to call for Nathan Trott to be recalled from his loan to play ahead of him, despite the fact he is only 20 years of age.

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However, it looks very likely that, as the number two in the squad, Roberto will get the nod from Manuel Pellegrini to start for the foreseeable future, and therefore there is a section of supporters who are choosing to back him.

They hope the support shown will help to maintain the positive attitude at the club and improved performances from the 31-year-old.

When he last played regularly, in 2017/18, he made 34 La Liga appearances and conceded 51 goals, which suggests he could be dependable for the Hammers, and the reactions below show there is some faith in his ability.

Tottenham have reportedly held talks over the possibility of recalling Jack Clarke from his loan at Leeds, and Spurs fans hope it means he will get a chance in the first-team.

However, Football Insider suggest that the club’s plan is to loan him elsewhere with the aim to get more game time than he is currently, having only played 115 minutes at Elland Road this term.

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That means there is a risk of him stagnating and not developing under Marcelo Bielsa in the way Spurs would have wished, having signed him from the Whites for £11.5m this summer on the basis that he will develop into a top-level player.

Many fans think he is worthy of being brought back and placed in Mauricio Pochettino’s squad straight away due to the current underperformance of the team.

That could be a good option for Spurs given the numerous youngsters who have improved under the Argentine, including Harry Winks who is a regular fixture in the starting XI these days, but given their current predicament they may feel it is not the right environment for a new young player to cut his teeth.

Here is some of the reaction of supporters calling for Clarke to be given a first-team opportunity.

Charlton Athletic have commenced their 2019/20 Championship campaign in strong form to rise to 10th in the table after achieving promotion from League One last season.

A recent international call-up for Chelsea loanee Conor Gallagher to England’s U21 side had excited some of the club’s fanbase, with his call up looking like just reward for what has been an eye-catching opening to his season-long spell.

Despite the call-up, U21 boss Aidy Boothroyd opted not to start Gallagher in either of his side’s games against Slovenia and Austria, limiting the Addicks midfielder to just 31 minutes of game-time in his first trip away with the Young Lions squad, with a 4 minute cameo against the latter coming just days after a 27 minute run out against the former.

The midfielder has scored four goals and registered one assist in 11 Championship appearances for Charlton this season, and his loan spell from Stamford Bridge is proving to be fruitful for both the player and Lee Bowyer’s side.

Boothroyd unquestionably has a plethora of talent at his disposal within the England U21 ranks, but given Gallagher’s form and the fact he has proven his ability in the Championship, this international break would have provided an excellent opportunity for the 19-year-old to showcase his ability on the international stage.

After receiving the call-up, Gallagher’s first trip away with the U21 side could have presented the perfect opportunity for the in-form midfielder to make his first start in an England shirt, but it appears more is needed. 

If the Charlton man continues to impress in the Championship, then Boothroyd may have no choice but to give the 19-year-old his first start for the U21s in the Young Lions’ next international fixture against Albania in November.

Leeds United chairman Andrea Radrizzani has confirmed the club has “attracted a lot of interest†on a day when it celebrates its 100th birthday.Money tends to equal success in the modern game. Chelsea and Manchester City, who are perhaps two of the most notorious spenders since the turn of the century thanks to the money of Roman Abramovich and Sheikh Mansour respectively, have won nine Premier League titles between them (five to Chelsea and four to City).It’s no surprise then that other clubs, having seen the success that petrodollars can bring, want in.The news broke on Tuesday that Radrizzani had opened the door to three potential investors at Elland Road – Qatar Sports Investments and two unnamed parties from Italy and America. QSI have invested heavily in Paris Saint-Germain, who currently own two of the most expensive players in history, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar.After announcing that he has a good relationship with the party, the 45-year-old elaborated on the details of the club’s future…

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… 

Tottenham put in a convincing display against Red Star Belgrade on Tuesday, and Tanguy Ndombele began to show Spurs fans exactly why he was brought in over the summer.

The midfielder arrived for an initial club-record fee of £52.8m but so far has not lived up to the expectations that come with such a price, and some supporters were left with concern over one aspect of his game.

However, his fine performance hints that he could be another astute purchase of the Mauricio Pochettino and Daniel Levy era – adding to the likes of Son Heung-min and Dele Alli – and if he can continue that over the next few games he will begin to remove any doubt over his ability that some may have.

Watch Tottenham Hotspur Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Ndombele bossed proceedings throughout, commanding midfield with 58 completed passes, helping to establish Spurs’ dominance of 59% possession and 12 shots on target.

His all-round display was reminiscent of Mousa Dembele, a midfielder Spurs have failed to replace having not won an away league game since his departure in January.

Ndombele combined his skill on the ball with a robust defensive showing, breaking up the visitors’ play with two interceptions and three tackles – as per WhoScored – which suggests that he is beginning to get up to speed.

The Frenchman matched that with his intensity and desire throughout, with his burst from midfield and subsequent run to set-up Son for Spurs’ third a brilliant example of what he can produce.

Check out the VAR chaos during Tottenham 1-1 Watford as it happened in the video below…

Such play could make him a key player for Pochettino and if he replicates that showing on a regular basis he will soon be considered another Levy gem.

He added another assist late on but could have had more due to the three key passes he completed, underlining the array of abilities he has at his disposal, and why Spurs were willing to break their transfer record to sign him.

Comparisons have been made to Yaya Toure and if the 22-year-old can begin to live up to such a label, starting against Liverpool, then Tottenham should begin to turn their form around.